Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Stories! As hunters and outdoors people that seems to be a common thing we all have lots of. Join your amateur guide and host on this channel Ken as he gets tales from guys and gals. Chasing that trophy buck for years to an entertaining morning on the duck pond, comedian ones, to interesting that's what you are going to hear. Also along with some general hunting discussions from time to time but making sure to leave political talks out of it. Don't take this too serious as we sure don't! If you enjoy this at all or find it fun to listen to, we really appreciate if you would subscribe and leave a review. Thanks for. checking us out! We are also on fb as Hunts on outfitting, and instagram. We are on YouTube as Hunts on outfitting podcast.
Hunts On Outfitting Podcast
Hunting Dog Health Essentials With Dr. Shannon
Veterinarian Dr. Shannon Myles joins the Hunts On Outfitting Podcast to share critical knowledge that could save your hunting dog's life this season. Drawing from her professional expertise, Dr. Myles breaks down the warning signs of heat stroke that every handler should recognize – beyond just heavy panting to more serious symptoms like bright red gums and sudden collapse. She dispels dangerous myths about cooling overheated dogs, explaining why ice baths can actually worsen their condition.
The conversation shifts to field injuries, with practical advice on assembling an effective first aid kit and properly treating wounds encountered miles from veterinary care. Dr. Myles explains why cat scratches deserve special attention, the surprising truth about skunk spray reactions, and when field stapling might be necessary for serious lacerations. Her insights on dangerous water conditions reveal why seemingly harmless algae-covered ponds can prove fatal to thirsty hunting dogs.
Medical emergencies like seizures and gastric torsion receive detailed attention, with Dr. Myles sharing both prevention strategies and emergency response protocols. She emphasizes proper nutrition for working dogs, vaccination requirements for disease prevention, and developmental considerations for young hunting prospects. Throughout the discussion, her veterinary perspective illuminates the delicate balance between pushing dogs to perform at high levels while maintaining their health and longevity.
Whether you run hounds, beagles, retrievers, or pointers, this episode delivers practical knowledge that transcends breed-specific concerns to address universal canine health issues. Before heading afield this season, equip yourself with this essential veterinary wisdom to ensure your four-legged hunting partner stays healthy, safe, and ready for many seasons to come.
Check us out on Facebook and instagram Hunts On Outfitting, and also our YouTube page Hunts On Outfitting Podcast. Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!
this is hunts on outfitting podcast. I'm your host and rookie guide, ken mark. I love everything hunting the outdoors and all things associated with it, from stories to howos. You'll find it here. Welcome to the podcast. Yeah, alright. Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of the podcast. We're fired up and ready to let you listen to it. Thanks for tuning in.
Speaker 1:We have a special guest on One of my good friends, ryan, his girlfriend, dr Shannon Miles, veterinarianian. She's coming on to talk about dog food, to talk about warning signs of, you know, heat stress and things like that with your dog, what to carry in your first aid kit. We're talking hunting dog health this week, so we're excited for that. It's going to be a good one and, uh, you know, with fall quickly approaching this time of year, a lot of guys getting the dogs out, training and getting ready for, you know, the actual hunting season. Uh, if you're looking to get a hold of me, contact me. You can at hunts on outfitting at gmailcom that would be the email. Or you can find us on facebook hunts on out Outfitting, or myself, ken Meyer. All right, let's talk to Dr Shannon. All right, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1:This week on the podcast, we've got Dr Shan Balan. Watch out for your man. No, she's good, shannon. You know we're really lucky here at Hunts on Outfitting We've got six dogs. I've got my Border Collie, who is retired now, but he's great cattle and sheep dog. Then I've got my two Coonhounds, three Beagles, shannon, we're lucky enough to have you around to give them some checkups from time to time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:And help us with some things that they might need Vet stuff, you know, and some tender, loving care. Shannon, before your doctor, your vet, your doctor vet. Before we get into things, how did you get? What made you want to become a vet?
Speaker 2:um, I guess I just always loved animals from a young age and I just kind of knew at a young age that's what I wanted to do and I just pursued that dream wasn't when you first started out.
Speaker 1:You got scratched by a cat uh, when I started out, like when I was a student, I got bit pretty bad by a cat and you're thinking like you get talked to vet like the euthanized a lot every year, and this is how I'm going to get evened and that's how I became a vet. Do you save more than you euthanize? No, I'm just kidding, um. So, shannon, we're gonna. You do you do some great things, uh, the animals, and they appreciate it. I will say this I've always put vets up on a higher pedestal than regular doctors. Sorry, shots fired Because you think about it. All people are the same, basically, but you still have your specialists and all that. I don't know what's wrong with you and everything. But vets, you're trained when you go to vet school here in New Brunswick. You're trained for everything from horses to chinchillas, right?
Speaker 1:Exactly yeah, so that's yeah that's pretty neat, because they're not built the same.
Speaker 2:No, no, definitely not.
Speaker 1:Horses and chinchillas are not the size difference in other animals as well. So, shannon, as we get into talking about some hunting, dog health and all that, I'd like to start with what's been really hot here lately, and when people are running their dogs and all that, people are getting them back into the season and everything. What is a sign that your dog's getting heat stroke? For one, is it more than just heavy panting?
Speaker 2:no, so they can be panting heavily. Sometimes they'll even collapse um that's a sign something's wrong yeah, yeah, if they collapse there's something going on. Sometimes their gums can look like bright red as well too. If they've got heat stroke, definitely like the heavy breathing panting heavily. Yeah, sometimes their gums can look pale too on the other end of things as well, but definitely a lot of dogs that we see that have heat stroke, they present for collapsing.
Speaker 1:So what I mean? Because I've got hounds and those things will run until they drop.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:What's a good way to prevent that? It's just keeping an eye on them. If it's really hot, yank them out.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:If it's really hot out.
Speaker 2:You kind of be mindful of that and know your dog's limits.
Speaker 1:If it's too hot, then don't run them that day. What is the thing? You're running the dog? You're not realizing it. Bam, they go down. It's probably heat stroke. What are?
Speaker 2:your first steps. Definitely get them to a vet as soon as possible. A lot of people think you have to cool them down and they'll want to put ice packs on them.
Speaker 1:Would you put them in a brook or no?
Speaker 2:No, I wouldn't do that. The honest, the worst thing you can do is put cool them down very, very quickly, like with ice packs or an ice bath.
Speaker 1:So a brook would be A brook would be a no, unless it was a lukewarm brook.
Speaker 2:I mean, if it's lukewarm that might be okay, but I don't know. Well, this summer there's probably some lukewarm brooks.
Speaker 1:There's some lukewarm brooks, oh yeah, they just have bacteria, and then the dog drinks, and then we've got a whole other list of problems. Yeah, that's a whole other issue, so we'll stick to this one for now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but yeah, getting them to there, and then, typically, you want to cool them, cool them down, but not too, not too fast. Okay, and that'll bring them around. I mean, hopefully it depends how bad it is, honestly, but if you can get care out of that quickly enough, they usually do all right.
Speaker 1:So I've heard that if they've had it once can they be more susceptible to getting heat stroke again. Does it weaken them?
Speaker 2:I wouldn't say, I wouldn't say that, um, but like some, dogs some dogs are are more sensitive to the heat than others, so probably if they, if I think it's more so, that if they're sensitive to the heat and it happens to them once, well, if you bring them out again and it's too hot for them, then they can definitely get heat stroke again so also, when the dogs are out running and I carry this, I don't know if it does anything but, um, if the dogs are like really down to get their sugars and stuff stuff up peanut butter, bring a little thing of peanut butter with you does that?
Speaker 2:yeah, peanut butter, get some, get some glucose into them. Um yeah.
Speaker 1:That's just running really hard. It's not heat stroke just to get the sugars back up and everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I don't see anything wrong with that, okay.
Speaker 1:Um, what, how do you feel about, uh, if you have to, in the field dog gets ripped open by a bear fence, post something, stapling them in the field field. What would you do put in there before you do you staple them up?
Speaker 2:I mean ideally, if you had like some don't get them cut some, yeah, um, but anytime you have like a fresh wound like that, you want to clean it up. So if you have like even some like sterile saline which I think you can just get that from a human pharmacy even and just flushing out, just trying to clean it up before you close it, okay, just to get any like dirt and grossness out of there before you, because you don't want to close that in under their skin, right?
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, you're just asking for an infection there and then you see two people, their dogs, get scratched by a cat Bobcat, mountain Lion, something like cat's claws apparently are like really bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're dirty.
Speaker 1:I mean, how important is it that like oh, I'll just clean this up Like do they need antibiotics typically, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess it would depend like how big of a scratch it is. But like even claws, like yes, they're dirty, but especially if they get bit too, like cat's mouths have a lot of bacteria in them, and like even us as people like in clinic, like if you get a pretty bad cat bite you have to go get antibiotics. So definitely I'd say if they get a bite they should have some antibiotics and then a scratch yeah, it would depend. You might be able to just treat that topically, depending how. And then a scratch yeah, it would depend. You might be able to just treat that topically, depending how big of a scratch it is, like if we're dealing with a bobcat versus a smaller cat, you know right, yeah, um, you guys get scratched a lot at the uh the clinic a fair amount.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we try not how much does it take for you not to? It's like you, little shit, but you can't, because it's someone's lovely pet, it's Mr Kittles.
Speaker 2:No, most of the time they're stressed, they're in an environment. They don't know us, so they don't mean to do it. They're just doing it kind of a fight or flight reaction, right?
Speaker 1:So you guys wear like big padded gloves Sometimes.
Speaker 2:Yeah reaction right, right. So you guys wear like big padded gloves sometimes. Yeah, yeah, we do if the to wrestle, just for our safety.
Speaker 1:Um, we kind of and there's. It doesn't hurt as much when we hit them with the gloves no, we definitely don't do that.
Speaker 2:No, of course not.
Speaker 1:No no, but I I would. That's why I'm not a vet. I mean, there's other reasons why I'm not a vet but never got good marks in school. I never went to school much, shannon. So I mean let's get into a first aid kit your typical North American hunting dog first aid kit. I don't care if you're hunting ducks, if you're hunting coon, if you're hunting mountain lion. I mean what are you thinking would be essential basic things to pack? We're not doing surgery on the mountain.
Speaker 2:Right, I think it's always good to have like some gauze, some some cling, some vet wrap, you know, even if they just like tear a nail or they tear their paw pad, you can just wrap that up. Um, always good, even like to have benadryl if they get stung a little reaction. Um, polysporin, like antibiotic cream's good too, if they do get a cut, you can put that on.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm trying to think what else, what else we would do? So, we, you can't get it here in Canada because I don't know why it's stupid, but uh, we, I get it in the States. It's awesome. Blue coat.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:K-B-L-U I think it's K-O-T-E. I'll tell you, we sprayed that on wounds like raccoon bites, stuff in them, fight in them, stuff like that.
Speaker 2:It seems to work really well, yeah, I've heard good things about that.
Speaker 1:It stains.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't spray it on them in the house, but it seems to work excellent, yeah, and they do make not so much in small animal but large animal. They do have like some sprays, like that too, some topicals that are really good, but, yeah, we just don't really have much for a small animal now, what about?
Speaker 1:uh, I don't know much about it. Hopefully not to deal with it much, but some dogs will get seizures yeah how do you? What causes them actually?
Speaker 2:a lot of things can cause a seizure um out in the field, like, even like, if they get too hot, that could cause a seizure.
Speaker 1:What about, like if they're just in a fight with something? Would that? Could that bring it in?
Speaker 2:Theoretically, yes, a lot of things, even like some dogs, just like a stressful situation can cause a seizure?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what I mean, yeah yeah, so it's hard, especially if you're out in the woods like there's not a whole lot you can do. I mean, like hold the dog and try to like prevent any trauma, like head trauma, like if they're. If they're having like the clonic tonic seizures where they're thrashing around um and then typically like if the seizure is lasting over a couple of minutes, then it's just kind of in the danger zone. We don't want that Um, and especially if they're having like repeated seizures, I would make sure you get them to a to a vet clinic so that they can have some medications given to them to stop the seizures.
Speaker 1:So what? There's nothing you can really do, though there's nothing you can give them.
Speaker 2:Or is it put a?
Speaker 1:skittle underneath their tongue, or whatever you have to do for humans.
Speaker 2:Some dogs, like if they have a history of seizures, like if they're epileptic Don't take them hunting? Yeah, we will in some cases, like when we know if a dog comes in and they've had cluster seizures, they can have diazepam. I mean give that rectally to try and break the seizures To the dog.
Speaker 1:Yes to the dog and, unfortunately, the owner has to have it done as well.
Speaker 2:What's it do? It's a medication that can stop the seizures quickly. Some dogs, though, unfortunately will have repeat seizures, and they'll need multiple, multiple doses and can that come from breeding?
Speaker 1:seizures oh yes, prone to it yeah yeah, yeah, there's definitely a genetic component to that is there any way that you can tell, because you know, like some dogs are like uh, they're tested for hip dysplasia and stuff like that. Can they be tested for seizures?
Speaker 2:I don't think, from what I know, there's no gene testing for that. But I mean, if you have a dog and they have seizures, you shouldn't, shouldn't be breeding them, right In my opinion? Okay, because that does happen sometimes, where some dogs from the same litter like a couple of the dogs have seizures and it's like, okay, you shouldn't be breeding those dogs.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, okay, so that's just something you should ask and, hopefully, the breeders are honest about it. Yeah, they shouldn't be breeding it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they shouldn't be breeding it. They shouldn't be does, but it's only like every other day.
Speaker 1:So we figured we were okay, he's kind of hoping yeah or not? How important is it to your hunting dogs to have well-trimmed and manicured nails yeah, definitely, definitely important.
Speaker 2:Um, I uh saw a dog last week actually that caught its nail on something and completely ripped ripped the nail off.
Speaker 1:Um, doesn't grow back, does it it it will.
Speaker 2:It will eventually with time. Sometimes it doesn't go back completely straight, um, but with time it will grow back. But yeah, especially for hunting dogs when they're running through the woods, um, like brush and sticks and that, um, if their nails are long, they can definitely get caught up on stuff.
Speaker 1:So okay, and then say you got a duck dog and you're going out duck hunting and it's been a bit warm and stuff and the pond looks a little off and your dog's like, oh it's hot, I'm thirsty, and just starts drinking it down Would you recommend that? Say no.
Speaker 2:No, definitely not. If you can see algae on the surface of the water, the dog should not be. Like any algae, I wouldn't with my dog.
Speaker 1:If there's any algae?
Speaker 2:no, especially with the risk of the blue-green algae like the cyanobacteria that often is deadly. There's not many dogs that survive that.
Speaker 1:Really it's that bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, especially if they've like intake quite a bit of quite like a significant amount of water. Yeah, there's not really coming back from that unless they get critical care quite fast. So yeah, when with the ponds being icky and algae on the top, I wouldn't, I wouldn't let my dog drink from it.
Speaker 1:OK, you're the vet. Okay, that's interesting. Say, what would you do if your dog did drink a lot and then you'd notice after it's not feeling that well, just get it to the vet or induce vomiting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would take it to the vet right away because we have drugs that we can use to induce vomiting Hydrogen peroxide in a pinch for a dog can do the trick, but if they, I would say get them to a vet, because sometimes too it will give them will induce vomiting but will give them activated charcoal too to try and absorb any toxins uh any uh toxins that are still left in their body.
Speaker 1:So Okay, another common thing in the field, sometimes more common than not skunk sprays. Can those people think, oh, your dog just smells, but like it can, it can, almost it can kill a dog, can it not? The dog goes into, or anaphylaxis, anaphylaxis, what is it you say it?
Speaker 2:Anaphylaxis, that's what I was saying.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so what is that?
Speaker 2:That's really kind of like when their body goes into shock.
Speaker 1:Yes, from the spray, from just getting it, yeah, so pungent and right in their face.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, because some dogs get skunked quite bad and especially sprayed in their face. Yeah, yeah, because some dogs get skunked quite bad and especially sprayed in the face, like their eyes, and that it's very like stings their face.
Speaker 1:But yeah, sometimes that's unavoidable, though, with the skunks right. Any tips for that?
Speaker 2:besides not getting sprayed, don't bring your dog out at dawn or dusk. We'll be hunt coons, I know, so you can't really avoid that. Yeah, besides not getting sprayed, don't bring your dog out at dawn or dusk. Which I know so you can't really avoid that.
Speaker 1:Luckily we have so far Knock on wood. We've come across skunks, but they've never bothered them After a coon.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because usually they just do it when they feel threatened.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so if the coon does happen to spray right in the face of the dogs, like doesn't seem to be doing well. I mean, how often is it that it's like a dire situation?
Speaker 2:I've never seen it be a dire situation before. No, most of the time they do just fine. You give them, clean them up as best you can, and yeah.
Speaker 1:So what the dogs do? I've always heard you know we talk about stomach flipping. Um, so with the dogs too, I've always heard you know we talk about stomach flipping. So the dog's like running real hard and all that. It's hot out or whatever. I've always waited to give them water for about a week now, uh, for, for a little bit, when they've calmed down a bit, because is that what causes stomach flip flipping, when they're like just lapping it all up? Now I know when they're out running to come across, across a brook or something they're going to, but yeah, Um, what it is.
Speaker 2:it can be when they're eating or when they're drinking and they're intaking a lot of air at the same time. So often when they're drinking, if they're drinking really fast and they're swallowing a lot of air, it's the air that the stomach just fills with air and then the stomach will flip and twist to the other side.
Speaker 2:That's what does it yeah, that's what does it. Uh, it's typically the deep chested dogs too, um, like great danes, german shepherds, like standard poodles. Those are the dogs that we often see with the with the stomach flipping oh really yeah, yeah, and in some so that's what, that's what causes it, that's what causes it. It's all the air going into the stomach?
Speaker 1:How can you tell your dog just like and like, just like, feel good, like they just kind of?
Speaker 2:Well, often the signs that they present with is retching. Yeah, it's because their stomach's twisted and they don't feel good and then the blood supply to their organ starts to get cut off and then it's kind of life or death at that point.
Speaker 1:Really yeah, so you got to get them in quick.
Speaker 2:You have to get them in quick. Yeah, if you don't get them in quick, things can go wrong pretty quick, like within a few hours. You can.
Speaker 1:Okay, on a happier note. So I mean we're getting, we're getting into hunting season and all that a little bit more now. I mean, how important is it for the proper food nutrition we feed anookshook dog food? Uh, you've looked into that. How do you feel about anookshook?
Speaker 2:yeah, the anookshook is great for um, for dogs that are hunting, especially because they need that extra, extra protein, extra calories. Uh, especially because they need that extra protein, extra calories, especially if they're working hard, like I know. Your beagles sometimes run 20 kilometers.
Speaker 1:They run a lot more than that. Right now we're just working up to it, Okay you're working up to it, okay. They're past that, but once we get going, I mean they've put on 60 before.
Speaker 2:In one day.
Speaker 1:Yes, oh, my goodness, okay, I know some guys who listen to that and they're like that's nothing really that's cool, but yeah, um, they're only 13 inches high they're fast yeah, they are um, yeah, I know the enochug's great um for hunting dogs. I I know this to all our dogs yeah, there's a lot of people that feed their dogs.
Speaker 2:That, um, yeah, as long as people are following the label. You know, keeping your dogs nice and lean, but also good weight, um, it's a great option but just having the proper calories and in nutrition especially working hard.
Speaker 1:You got these bear hounds going out running, for you know double the miles that my dogs are putting on stuff like that. Right, I mean you know you want them in tip top condition. If you're in snow conditions, things like that, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, working definitely harder in the snow. Yeah, it's a great.
Speaker 1:Great product. Highly recommend it, endorsed by vets. I'll tell you we feed and recommend it. So a question what dog when you're at the vet office, are you bit by the most and are you bit much?
Speaker 2:No, not bit that much. We're like as vets, we're pretty good at picking up on the warning signs of dogs.
Speaker 1:Like growling and showing teeth.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that stuff. Usually that's right before they're about to bite, but sometimes they can. They'll give us whale eye, so they'll be looking kind of sideways at you, showing a lot of the white of their eye. Sometimes they'll be licking their lips or yawning.
Speaker 1:Those are kind of some the yawning's a sign yeah yawning's a sign of kind of being like fearful anxious.
Speaker 2:I thought it was because sign of kind of being like fearful anxious. Um, so that's because they're tired, no, um. So we're pretty good at picking up on those signs. I mean we, like, if we feel that it's necessary, we'll. We'll often say to owners like are you okay if we put a muzzle on, just just for our safety and for your, the dog safety as well?
Speaker 1:hate to open up a can of whoop-ass on your pet, but didn't you say that a lot more people than you think you deal with are scared of their dog? How important is it to have your dog, that you're not scared of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there are some people that are a little bit fearful in those situations. I think a lot of it comes back to training when they first get the dog. Genetics also plays a role into that. Stuff like anxiety.
Speaker 1:It does a lot, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:It does. Yeah, Anxiety and fear aggression, but there are, like I always say to people, you should try going to a trainer. You know working with a dog Like there's always hope for, Even if it's a hunting dog and you're just going to a trainer.
Speaker 1:You know working with the dog like there's always hope for even if it's a hunting dog and you're just gonna use for hunting. I mean, how important is it for socialization, socialization? Oh, just have them out, right? Yeah?
Speaker 2:no, very, very important. Just because they're a hunting dog doesn't mean they should be fearful in every situation other than when they're you know, have them out around people, around a bunch of other dogs. Every dog should be socialized and be not scared in a public environment.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's like people, the ones that don't get socialized enough sometimes do shootings in places that they shouldn't. You've got to have people out and about and comfortable. They don't have to do it all the time, but should be socialized. Yes, they should be socialized, right?
Speaker 2:Yes, they should be socialized.
Speaker 1:You said it, not me, so okay, no, that's interesting. I mean, what are some other important things with just your general dog health stuff? Maybe bringing water along for your dogs I mean you can have them drink water as they're working, but just careful they're not just like sucking it back, yeah yeah, um making sure they're vaccinated for diseases that are prevalent in your area um like here we, we people that most people that have hunting dogs will vaccinate for lyme disease because there's ticks yeah, there's ticks yeah there's ticks.
Speaker 1:Parvo right, Can any dog just get parvo?
Speaker 2:Parvo, they get from another dog. Okay yeah, lepto is another one.
Speaker 1:They can get that from drinking out of puddles, right yeah they can get that from drinking out of puddles.
Speaker 2:It's like raccoons and rodents they spread it in their urine. Technically like even if a raccoon urinate somewhere and your dog steps where they urinated and then licks their paw. They can catch it like that as well as if they have contact with the urine and it goes in their mouth. They can get it and that is a really bad bacteria that will cause damage to the kidneys and the liver.
Speaker 2:The lepto yeah, the lepto and if they don't get treated in a timely fashion it can be fatal. In some dogs it can cause a lot of damage to their kidneys and liver, so definitely should be vaccinated for that. It's very.
Speaker 1:So be up to date on your vaccinations.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Rabies too, of course. Yes, raccoons, yeah, well, I remember yeah, be up to date on your on your vaccinations, yeah rabies too, of course.
Speaker 1:Yes, raccoons, yeah, well, I remember, yeah, when we first got the vet that we had you know she's like when we first got the coon hands like um, are they in contact around uh, raccoons much and stuff like uh, fair amount yeah fair amount like face to face with them on a pretty regular basis yeah, they definitely need to be vaccinated for rabies uh is rabies. It's not real prevalent, no, but need to be vaccinated for rabies. It's not real prevalent around here, but still should be vaccinated.
Speaker 2:Yeah, still should be vaccinated Not super prevalent, but still we vaccinate for it because it's deadly.
Speaker 1:If you get rabies Well, I heard with humans once you show signs of it, it's too late.
Speaker 2:That's it, You're done, yeah, and a lot of people too. They don't know because they'll often get bit by a bat that went into their house right and because the bat's teeth make such small.
Speaker 1:I heard that if you see a bat flying around your house when you wake up, they say you should just get the rabies, you just go get.
Speaker 2:Yeah, isn't it quite an ordeal. Uh, to get the rabies vaccine.
Speaker 1:To get rabies? Oh, to get rabies. No to get the rabies vaccines.
Speaker 2:Uh, with people you have to. It depends if you've been previously vaccinated. So most people, unless you're like a vet professional, you're not going to be vaccinated for rabies.
Speaker 1:Or a wildlife handler, or a wildlife handler.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, you have to get a few, quite a few vaccines like boosters um to be protected.
Speaker 1:A lot boosters um to be protected.
Speaker 2:A lot a few, I can't remember I'll probably just roll the dice with rabies. Yeah, I don't think I would do that.
Speaker 1:All right, I'll get vaccinated like oh, I'd rather die than get another needle. Well, you've only had one, so you know, okay, um, all right, that's interesting yeah and then, um, like I said, just even when you get them as a puppy, like how important is for good, good, nutritious food, just starting early, like always have them on that good stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they should always be on a good, nutritious food, especially when they're a pup, because they're growing Right. So if you have a large breed dog, you want to make sure their calcium and phosphorus is balanced properly so they don't grow too too fast.
Speaker 1:Right, balanced properly so they don't grow too too fast. Right, because you get into hip problem.
Speaker 2:Well, joint problems, yeah, yeah, you just want their, their bones, to grow at a proper rate.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, um, also, you know, you see people that get young dogs. They're training them right and they're running them good and hard like I'm gonna run this dog hard and everything. I mean, how important is it when they're they're growing and developing?
Speaker 2:don't run them that hard you don't want to be running them too hard and pushing them too hard when they're a pup. You kind of have to just gradually increase it?
Speaker 1:Can it affect their bones?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it can. You can just be hard on them when they're growing like that, so you kind of have to limit them when they're a young growing, and then you can gradually increase it over time.
Speaker 1:Okay, dew claws.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I mean, they're a pain in the ass, people that have hunting dogs there. They're terrible to have on them.
Speaker 2:So I've had quite a few people ask can you remove the dew claws when we go to neuter them? But by the province? We cannot remove the dewclaws when we go to neuter them, but by the province. We cannot remove the dewclaws unless there's a medical reason to do so Can you just rip them out when they're puppies? No.
Speaker 1:You can't.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Okay. Well not you, not a vet, but like somebody. Would it be immense pain? You can't do that, yeah, no, I wouldn't recommend that.
Speaker 2:Because there's skin there.
Speaker 1:Sometimes there's bone attaching there is sometimes okay kind of it depends sometimes like they rip when they're out in the way, like I don't know why they still have them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, really um, they definitely can be, can be an inconvenience, um, but yeah, we technically cannot remove them unless, like, if it's like half ripped off, then yes, we can remove it.
Speaker 1:But now what other areas like in the end, throughout Canada, in the United States? Do you think that varies?
Speaker 2:I think that does vary. Yeah, definitely, definitely does.
Speaker 1:But if you can get it done. Would you recommend it for hunting dogs? I mean, generally, it can be.
Speaker 2:I mean they can, they can catch their catch, any digit on anything, right?
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:I know it's there, it's a little bit more dangly. I usually tell people just make sure the nails cut short, because if it's not then your nail's long like any of the other nails, can catch on stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 1:When I was younger I didn't cut one of my long toenails for some reason on the Y, and I was sliding on my socks in the kitchen right into the cupboards the kitchen cupboards there on the floor. It hurt quite a bit, cracked it and I cut my nails after that. I was young, I was quite young.
Speaker 2:I cut my nails regularly now, oh gosh, yeah, cracked it, your big toe. Yes, cracked the Was your skin exposed.
Speaker 1:The skin on my big toe. Yeah, it hurt. I was young. I don't know how old I was. I was like 30.
Speaker 2:No, I was in middle school.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, just wondering. I'm glad you cut your toenails now.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, it's like a defense mechanism. I kick people with it, I cut them to a point.
Speaker 2:Sword.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, yeah, on guard. You know, um, that's what it's like with flip-flop season with me, um, but okay, yeah, shannon, is there anything else that you like to? I mean, there's a lot, there's very broad subject here, obviously, but any other, like, we're just going over the basic stuff, we're not getting too in depth with anything. Is there anything else you'd like to? Uh, to add?
Speaker 2:I mean not that I can think of off the top of my head, just being mindful of your, your dog paying attention to signs.
Speaker 1:Yes, like how they're feeling, yeah, yeah seeing how they're picking up on that.
Speaker 2:Um, because you can catch stuff early if you're paying attention to that stuff. Um, yeah, and sometimes, sometimes stuff doesn't, uh, isn't so obvious.
Speaker 1:Like, for example, you've had one of your beagles before, as he, she was it, it was gringo, yeah, yeah he, he was running a lot, he was hunting last year and I don't know if he he fell or slammed into a tree stump or what, but he ended up getting a Bruise, bruise.
Speaker 2:Quite a bruise on the side of him and he was down.
Speaker 1:He didn't know what to do he just came out and he looked like he didn't want to do anything. I'm like what's wrong? I go to pick him up, he squeals. I'm like what is wrong with him? We took him in to get x-rays at your vet, but you guys found he had this huge bruise, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he had a little pocket of fluid, yeah, and then when I went to shave over the pockets of fluid because we were going to sample it, we saw he was bruised quite bad.
Speaker 1:And it was quite a big bruise, I think. He came off like a bit of a hill and slammed into yeah, he must have slammed into something quite hard, yeah.
Speaker 2:Because it was no wonder, when we were touching his belly he was so painful.
Speaker 1:But he got over it. Fine, but what's it called?
Speaker 2:a hema Like they can have like a hematoma.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's not. You know he got over it. Fine. But I know at first like holy shit, I don't know, we didn't yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there was quite a bruise there when we clipped his hair.
Speaker 1:We kind of knew our answer there. Nothing was broken or anything, just the bruise, nothing was broken, thankfully. So, just being mindful, I'm trying to think of what we did for him. He was on medication, but they can kind of sleep that off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was on some anti-inflammatory pain medication. Just like in people when we get a bruise, you just got to give it time. Take some pain medication and it'll heal with time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, that'd be a really big bruise for a person on a beagle. It's half their body how he got it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was quite big.
Speaker 1:Well, shannon, thanks for coming on. I'm sure we'll be having you on again and I'm going to have lots more questions for you, but this is a good basic introduction to general dog health.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks for having me on the podcast.
Speaker 1:Anytime.