Bird flu, swine flu, equine flu, and cat flu! It’s no surprise to learn that there is also a canine flu, and it can make our beloved dogs quite unwell.

Canine flu has been around for a while, with vets first formally diagnosing it in Florida in 2004. However, most dogs have no immunity to this virus. Around 80% of dogs that are exposed to canine flu virus will become ill, with symptoms appearing up to  a week after infection. The other 20% will not show any signs of illness, but they can still spread the infection.

The virus is spread when an infected dog sneezes, and sprays infected droplets into his environment. It can also be spread in saliva. Unfortunately, an infected dog is very likely to infect other dogs in the period before he shows any symptoms. Because he will look perfectly healthy, his owners will have no idea that he is carrying the infection. They will continue to take him for walks, to dog parks or to obedience classes.

Most dogs with canine flu will only develop a mild illness, with a runny nose and a cough. They may also go off their food and have a fever. Most dog owners think their dog has a touch of the more common illness kennel cough, however with canine flu, symptoms can last four to six weeks or more. Some dogs will also become more seriously ill with pneumonia, and they may die.

Treatment of canine flu basically involves treating your dog’s symptoms. If he has a severe dose of the flu, he may be given the human drug Tamiflu. Your vet may also prescribe antibiotics to stop bacteria infecting your dog’s inflamed respiratory tract, to try and prevent him getting pneumonia.

There are several things you can do at home to make your dog more comfortable while he recovers from flu.

• Take him in the bathroom when you have a shower, and let him breathe in the steam. This will soothe his airways and keep them moist, and help to ease inflammation.

• Keep his nose clear of discharge by wiping it with a soft damp cloth. It’s uncomfortable when the discharge dries and cracks on his nose.

• Give him Sleepytime Tonic at bedtime. It contains herbal ingredients such as Valerian, Skullcap and Wild Lettuce which are natural sedatives with no side effects. This will make sure he has a restful night’s sleep, which will help him feel better.

In June 2009, a vaccine against canine flu became available. However, vets don’t recommend routine vaccination of all dogs. Whether or not you need to vaccinate your dog depends on your lifestyle.

Think about how your dog spends his time. If he goes to dog shows or obedience training classes and he is exposed to many different dogs on a regular basis, it may be worth considering vaccinating him. Similarly, if you are always taking him to a communal dog park, he is more likely to pick up infection, and vaccinating him would be a good idea.

Dogs with chronic illnesses such as cancer are also at more risk of falling ill with severe canine flu, so it is appropriate to think about immunising them.

If your dog doesn’t mix with other dogs, and spends his days on the couch, except for a stroll around his neighborhood, there’s very little risk of him becoming infected, and he may not need to be subjected to an injection.

Because canine flu can’t spread to people, you can still hug your dog and give him lots of tender loving care. That’s an important part of his treatment, and is guaranteed to lift his spirits when he’s ill.

By Kevin Fisher

It’s November and in most parts of the country winter is imminent. (It’s even getting a tad chilly here in Southern California!) Time to winterize your house with a little weather stripping and a few extra blankets; time to to winterize your car with anti-freeze and an ice scraper. It’s even time to start thinking about winterizing your best friend! No you don’t need to weather strip or de-ice your dog but there are a few things to bear in mind as the shorter days draw in.

It goes without saying that if you live in a cold weather area you should have a warm place for your dog to sleep . The back yard is no longer good enough unless your little guy has a somewhere to get out of the wind and the rain (but you knew that already didn’t you)

If you bathe your own dog make sure you use warmer water, preferably inside and spend a little extra time drying and brushing. Bubbles n’ Beads is the perfect cold weather product because it cleans and conditions in one go so your dog spends less time wet. If you want to skip a few bath times try DryDog Instant Clean , an all natural bath replacement spray that not only helps to clean your best friend but contains ordenone, an ingredient that traps and removes the bad smells that seem to flourish between groomings. TIP: Keep a rag and bottle at the door to use on after-walk muddy paws

Don’t leave your dog alone in the car; If the engine is left running there’s a possibility of carbon monoxide infiltrating the car, if the engine is not on it may just get too cold.

Salty frozen sidewalks can be a dogs worst enemy. Not only do his paw pads (and nose) get cold but they’re desiccated even further by the salt. It’s always a good idea to rinse and wipe his paws (and nose if he’s been sniffing around) when yo come back in from a walk. A great product to use before and after walks is bowWow Butter Balm . Apply a little before you go out and it forms a barrier between the skin and the environment and a little more after you come in will prevent irritation and heal dry skin. Note you should never use Petroleum jelly or Petroleum based products on your dogs pads; petroleum jelly contains petrolatum, which can cause gastrointestinal upset if ingested. bowWow Butter balm is all natural shea butter and is perfectly safe.

Be vigilant on walks, this is the season for antifreeze and some of which can spill on driveways, It’s a particularly lethal product because it tastes and smells good to your dog but contains ethylene glycol, which can be deadly even in small quantities.

If your dog is out in the cold and starts shaking or shivering get him inside as soon as possible. If the shaking doesn’t stop within ten minutes of being inside it’s a good idea to call your vet.

Like people, dog’s seem to be more susceptible to illness in the winter , so be alert for the warning signs; loss of appetite, drinking an inordinate amount of water or just general lethargy. Never give your dog over-the-counter medications meant for humans unless you’ve spoken to your vet first. Some products that are perfectly safe for humans are toxic to dogs; aspirin, in the wrong dosage can cause toxicity, pseudoephedrine can be very harmful or even deadly to pets, even breath fresheners can contain both menthol, (which can be irritating to the mouth and the stomach) and xylitol (which can cause liver damage).

If you want to be proactive in keeping your best friend healthy this year Eyemunity is the perfect product. It contains Epicor an all natural immune booster that will not only improve your dog’s overal health but also help prevent tearstains. Click here for more information on this product

But the winter is not all bad news, many people, and dogs find the chill in the air invigorating. (I’m definitely not one of them, 20 years shoveling snow in in New York were enough for me:-) As a dog owner you not only have a loyal playmate but you have your own personal heating unit; your dog’s body temperature is a few degrees higher than yours so cuddle up and enjoy the exothermia!

It goes without saying that dogs and fireworks don’t mix well. As July the fourth approaches it’s a good idea to start thinking of ways to make your best friend more comfortable during the evening hours. Don’t forget that your dog’s hearing can be up to ten times more acute than yours so the loud bangs, whistles and screams that may be fun for you are not at all pleasant for your dog.

And don’t forget that your dog has no idea what’s going on. You know this is all meant to be fun and will be over by midnight but dogs have no facility to anticipate the future. If you can, it’s best to stay with your dog. The fact that you’re there will reassure him and at least give him the feeling that the world he knows is going on as normal.

Here are a few things to try if you have an anxious dog.

1. In an effort to ease YOUR anxiety make sure your dog has his collar and ID tags on . Every year hundreds of frightened dogs escape the mayhem and run as faraway as they can. Make sure that if the worst happens (and we sincerely hope it does n’t) your best friend can be brought home quickly.

2. Prepare; Spend plenty of one-on-one time together before the fireworks begin. Give him plenty of exercise, a strenuous game of catch, a long walk (or run), or an afternoon of tug-o-war. Not only will a tired dog be less anxious but if you have to leave him home while you go see the fireworks he won’t feel quite as much resentment after he’s spent all that time with you. (He may even be grateful for the rest)

3: Make sure he’s been allowed to poop and pee a plenty before nighttime. Do you really want to be out walking your nervous guy after dark?

4: If your dog enjoys bathing (and you’re planning on staying home with him) why not give him a bath before the fireworks start "bursting in air". Most bathrooms are located in the interior of houses so they are more insulated from the outside noise of early fireworks and the sound of the running water and the warm humid air are very relaxing. We recommend Comfy Dog Shampoo with a little Fur Butter massage afterwards and of course a finishing spritz of Calming Aromatherapy Spritzer . It’s also a good idea to use the spritzer on his bed as the essential oil of lavender is very calming for dogs. You never know, if you get him relaxed enough he may sleep through the whole thing (right!)

5: If your dog is not allergic you might also try adding a little cooked plain potato or white rice to his food. Just as with humans the carbohydrates will help your dog feel full and sleepy. Oh and before I forget…I know we usually equate alcohol to relaxation but keep the chardonnay in your glass not his bowl, alcohol is just not good for dogs

6. However it is a great idea to add an all natural herbal remedy to help your guy relax. We recommend Sleepytime Tonic which you can give about 30 minutes before the fireworks begin. It won’t put your dog to sleep but the all natural Bach Flower Essences will help to make him less anxious and more able to deal with the stress of all that noise.

Of course if you have a dog who is terrified of fireworks, to whom the forth of July is a nightmare it would be a good idea to discuss this with your vet.

Just remember that not everyone likes fireworks and your job as pet parent is to make sure that your whole family has the kind of Fourth of July they’ll enjoy.

It certainly looks, sounds and feels like genuine affection but is the love felt by an owner for a pet reciprocated in kind? For dog owners there is no more interesting question.

We recently returned from a trip to Orlando and as usual Lorna’s two dogs Riqui and Bree were excited to pick us up at the airport (ably assisted by Lorna’s husband Jason). The reunion was touching… lots of licking, panting and petting (but enough about Lorna and Jason..the dogs were just as bad (…happily they had just used some Dog Smog Remedy and Dry Dog Instant Clean so they smelled great:-)  As we drove home it made me wonder about the age old question  “Does my dog actually love me? (Or in this case do Lorna’s dogs actually love her?)

It certainly looks, sounds and feels like genuine affection and for many people their relationship with their dog is more long lasting and meaningful than many human relationships in their lives. But is it actually love? Or more precisely is the love felt by an owner for a pet reciprocated in kind? For dog owners there is no more interesting question.

The idea of an animal having real emotions is easily dismissed as wishful thinking. But further study reveals it to be a more complex issue than one might think.

Lets look at Riqui, a pure-bred Maltese, she is indeed the result of hundreds, if not thousands of generations of selective breeding designed to amplify her breeds affinity for humans. (An affinity that is more welcome after a little Calming Aromatherapy Spritzer I might add) But just because these attributes have been selected and amplified over time doesn’t mean that they are not genuine. (I come from a long line of fishermen and I’m sure my dislike of seafood stems from that fact but my distaste for fish, I assure you, is real). Riqui is a genuinely affectionate (some might say needy) dog. She has been bred to be that way however there is no doubt in my mind that she is actually happier when Lorna is around.

All animals, including dogs have a pleasure center in the brain (in fact the brain has several areas associated with pleasure: the nucleus accumbens, the septum pellucidium and the hypothalamus… seems that we’re hard wired to enjoy life). When a dog is playing, dopamine is released into these areas and creates a feeling of happiness. The mechanism is almost identical in both dogs and humans; seems we are more alike at a fundamental level than we might have imagined.

Some fascinating research has been done in the last few years that sheds new light on this similarity. In 1990 Giacomo Rizzolatti, a neuroscientist at the University of Parma discovered what are now referred to as mirror neurons. A mirror neuron is a brain cell that not only fires when an animal acts but also when the animal sees that same action in another. They are essential for socialization within a species but also have been shown to work across species. Can anyone say empathy?

“We are exquisitely social creatures,” Dr. Rizzolatti says. “Our survival depends on understanding the actions, intentions and emotions of others. Mirror neurons allow us to grasp the minds of others not through conceptual reasoning but through direct simulation. By feeling, not by thinking.”

Any one who owns a dog already knows that they have a tremendous capacity for connection, especially with humans. I would suggest that part of the reason for this is because our two species evolved together. Recent studies suggest that dogs were domesticated very early on in the history of Homo Sapiens and played an important role in our success as a species. Our symbiotic relationship enabled both species to survive and thrive in an inhospitable world. Dogs provided everything from an early warning system against predators to assistance in herding domesticated animals. In turn humans provided shelter and food for their faithful companions and together we learned how to relate, communicate and empathize. This relationship has lead to a more comfortable and longer life for dogs .

One oft referenced quote on this subject comes from a gentleman named Fred Metzger a veterinarian from Penn State who observes “Dogs probably don’t feel love in the way humans do. Dogs make investments in human beings because it works for them. The more ‘cute factor’ they give us, the more we feel like they love us. This makes it more likely that we will give them more attention, food treats, outdoor access”.

But a competing opinion comes from Susan B. Eirich, a biologist and psychologist who cites Jane Goodall’s research with chimpanzees as evidence that animals do indeed have deep emotions. Eirich states, “From a behavioral perspective, it only makes sense that animals would experience emotions. Goodall notes that social animals must be able to read other animals in their society to be able to maintain social bonds.” If history has shown us anything it is that survival is not only for the fittest but also for the most cooperative.

“When you think about it,” explains Eirich, “strong emotion underpins social behavior and connection.”

So I think we can make the case that animals in general, and dogs specifically do feel real emotion but the question is do they love?

The obvious (if somewhat anticlimactic) answer is that we’ll probably never know, but more than anything this question gets to the heart (no pun intended) of how we gauge love? How do we know that we love one another? One simple measure is how much the person (or animal) is willing to sacrifice for the loved one. We revere hero’s, lovers and mothers because of their selflessness;  the hero dies to save his friends and the mother subsumes her life in her child’s. In Christianity we idolize the man who gave up his life not for his friends but his enemies. This is a thorny issue when it comes to animals because even though there are numerous stories of dogs sacrificing themselves for their owners the question is are they aware of exactly what they’re sacrificing?

Bearing this limitation in mind can we imagine a creature more self sacrificing than our dogs? They live lives completely determined by their owners. They eat when we say, sleep when we say and even poop when we say (yes I know the irony of this supposition for many dog owners out there…but play along with me here)  more importantly, they are always happy and joyful to live that way because it enables them to interact with humans.

We judge love on a sliding scale: we wouldn’t expect a 5 year old to be capable of the same devotion and self sacrifice as an adult. Most mothers will tell you that even though they fell in love and got married they had no idea what love really was until they had children. I suggest that we  must afford the same courtesy to dogs. Admittedly their love may not be human, but this is not completely a bad thing, it may not conform to our standard of the ultimate level of connection but at the same time it’s also not fickle, transitory, petulant or selfish.

It may be the greatest complement to say that dogs love to the best of their ability, and it gives us a chance to reflect on whether the same can be said for ourselves.

by Kevin Fisher

Those of you who have met me in person know that I’m not from around here. I’m originally from the Yorkshire moors (in fact I was born in Morley…Moor Lee) …you know Heathcliffe, Wuthering Heights, the Bronte Sisters and all that. One of the great joys of growing up in that part of the world (apart from the freezing fog, lack of oral hygiene and paucity of sunlight) is that you are surrounded by some of the finest, smartest and happiest dogs in the world. I’m speaking of course about sheep herding dogs. It’s a joy to watch a shepherd and his team control a couple of hundred recalcitrant sheep with nothing more than a few whistles, innate genetics and a shared vision. Anyone who’s seen a border collie at work knows that there’s nothing that a dog appreciates more than being gainfully employed.

And in this economy there are worse ideas than finding your dog a job.

Here are a few fine occupations for dogs, some of them tongue in cheek and some a little more serious.

Billboard

A company called Promo dogs in, of all places Novosibirsk Siberia is paying dog owners to let their dogs be used as walking billboards. They agree to clothe their dogs in outfits provided by the company, of course the outfits feature advertising messages, logos and special offers on cell phones.

Local dog owner Natalia Mishkova, 28, who has a pet poodle said: "I signed up straight away. I walk my dog three times a day anyway so why not get paid for it?"

I would also imagine that in Novosibirsk Siberia (where temperates in January hover around -4°F) the dogs are grateful for any extra clothing they can get, with or without advertising. As absurd as this all sounds stop and think for a moment. , how many of the shirts, caps and sneakers you own are emblazoned with corporate logos…exactly how much is Nike paying you to advertise their brand all over town?

I would call that Dogs:1 Humans:0

Political Animal

In this year of great political change not many people know that one of the candidates had a very clear stand on employment for dogs. No not Obama or McCain, a candidate named Joe Wright made the following declarations:

"The other candidates have said that every American has to get out and work. No more guaranteed welfare. No more coddling. And yet, we are still letting sleeping dogs lie.I am speaking literally. For there are few tragedies so longstanding, and so widespread, as canine unemployment.I am Joe Wright. I believe in jobs for dogs. And with your help, I will be the next President of the United States of America."

Finally a candidate who’s focused on the real issues troubling our country. Of course the bad news is if you choose to count unemployed (or underemployed) dogs this adds another 61 million to the unemployment line. The good news is that they’re happy to take their unemployment pay in bones, treats and of course the occasional spritz of Fur Breeze Aromatic Spa mist to ensure that spirits remain high during difficult times

If you’d like to read more of Joe’s canine manifesto click here :

But Seriously

On a  more serious note there are the assistance dogs. Guide dogs for the blind, seizure dogs and our personal favorites: Canine Companions for Independence. Unfortunately this is probably not the best place to go looking for a job for your dog. These are highly screened, highly trained dogs chosen as puppies and trained for years to do the chosen task. I’ve been down to Canine Companions myself and seen the work they do restoring hope and joy to people’s lives. I can only wish that my own life could be that rewarding. (You’ll be happy to know that a portion of the profits from every sale we make at happytail s goes to this wonderful organization).

Security

And  let’s not forget the dogs who work in security helping to keep us safe. Millions of dollars and thousands of hours have been poured into research but we still haven’t developed an explosive and drug detector that’s more accurate than a dogs nose! And talk about a noble profession…when was the last time your sense of smell thwarted a terrorist attack? I’m happy when my sense of smell can detect a pint of soured milk let a lone a few stray atoms of Trinitrotoluene.

No matter what the task any dog who plans on working for a living has to look and smell their best;  it’s a dog eat dog world out there. If your prospective employee is off on an interview make sure they have the freshest breath possible with Dog Smog Remedy . Not only will it reduce embarrassing halitosis but It has the added advantage of helping to reduce gas…the plan is to wow the room with ability not clear the room with emissions.

Final Word

You will notice that there is no discussion of cats in this posting. I admit, I’m biased, I think that dogs are easily employable. As we’ve seen they can advertise, guide and apply their superior senses to a multitude of human endeavors. When it comes to cats it’s harder to imagine where they would be useful. After all, if we ever find ourselves in need of a creature who is unbelievably self absorbed, does nothing but groom themselves all day and who pays an inordinate amount of attention to their private parts..well we already have Paris Hilton. (Views expressed are not necessarily shared by happytails management!)