October 2010

 
ASK DR. SCHELLING

DEAR DR. SCHELLING,

My curious 6 month old Labrador Retriever puppy, Benji, got into a brand new bag of dog food last night and ate a huge amount. I was amazed at how big his stomach got over the next hour. He was tight as a drum! We ended up taking him into the emergency clinic where he needed to stay overnight on fluids and pain medicine. We were able to pick him up this morning and he is back to normal. My vet told me that we were lucky to avoid surgery as sometimes the big stomachs can twist. I had no idea how serious over eating dog food can get. Is this a common problem for dogs and how serious is it?

-Bingeing Benji Owner

Dear Bingeing Benji Owner,

Your veterinarian is right. Distended stomachs can become life threatening quickly. In Benji’s case, it sounds like he had a simple dilation (stomach distention) that never developed into a gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV). In some dogs, especially certain breeds, A GDV develops when the distended stomach actually twists on itself and leads to life-threatening complications that can only be corrected with surgery. Unfortunately, this is a common problem that requires immediate treatment.

To learn more about this condition, read the full article on Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus.

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Dear Max,

My human is threatening to take away Penn, my tennis ball, because I chew it all the time—what’s up with that? I love Penn. I need Penn. I will be totally desolate without it, what can I do?

–Pining for Penn

… … … …

Dear Pining,

I know exactly what you mean—I love my tennis balls so much, but I learned that in order to keep them, I couldn’t chew them. The fuzzy texture of the balls can wear down our teeth if we chew them a lot. And if they are dirty—my favorite state—the dirt and grit further wears our teeth.

My human compromised with me and brings out my favorite tennis balls only for play and fetch. She keeps them clean and takes them away if I start chewing them. But then she gives me a Huck ball, or a rope toy to chew so I don’t miss the tennis ball.

I find this solution suits me well and I can bear the separation from Penn as a constant companion.


Max

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Max's Mini-Reviews
 
SPOOK THE GHOST : This spooky ghost is great for playing hide-n-seek games, because ya know he's a ghost! But he's not too scary, his soft cushy fabric makes for the perfect cuddle buddy after a long day of play.


 
BERBER BAT : I'm getting into the spooky spirit with the Berber Bat chew toy. It has two squeakers, one in each wing, for a tail-wagging good time. The Berber Bat is also made from all-recyclable materials and can be machine washed, so I can keep the Halloween spirit alive long after all the goblins, ghouls, and ghosts have gone.


 
HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN : I may not get to carve my own Jack-Russell-o-Lantern, but I can chomp on this squeaky pumpkin chew toy! This soft berber pumpkin is as kind to my mouth when I play as it is for the planet, since it's made from 100% recyclable materials. The pumpkin has a squeaker to scare off all those things that go bump in the night, and it's machine-washable, so it will look new well into Thanksgiving and beyond!


What topics would you like to see covered in future issues of the Dog Health Newsletter?
Let us know at: comments@doghealthnewsletter.com

DOG FACT
Dogs have an average of 319 bones in their bodies.


TO QUOTE:

"The greatest love is a mother's; then a dog's; then a sweetheart's."

–Polish Proverb
Spook The Ghost Berber Bat Halloween Pumpkin