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
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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 Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!
Introduction to Hunting Dog Health
Speaker 1this 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 1We 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 1This 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 2Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1And 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 2um, 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 1You 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 1Exactly yeah, so that's yeah that's pretty neat, because they're not built the same.
Speaker 2No, no, definitely not.
Heat Stroke Prevention and Treatment
Speaker 1Horses 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 2no, 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 1So what I mean? Because I've got hounds and those things will run until they drop.
Speaker 2Right.
Speaker 1What's a good way to prevent that? It's just keeping an eye on them. If it's really hot, yank them out.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1If it's really hot out.
Speaker 2You kind of be mindful of that and know your dog's limits.
Speaker 1If 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 2your 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 1Would you put them in a brook or no?
Speaker 2No, 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 1So a brook would be A brook would be a no, unless it was a lukewarm brook.
Speaker 2I mean, if it's lukewarm that might be okay, but I don't know. Well, this summer there's probably some lukewarm brooks.
Speaker 1There'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 2Yeah, 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 1So 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 2I 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 2yeah, peanut butter, get some, get some glucose into them. Um yeah.
Speaker 1That's just running really hard. It's not heat stroke just to get the sugars back up and everything.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, I don't see anything wrong with that, okay.
Field Injuries and First Aid Kit
Speaker 1Um, 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 2I 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 1Right, 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 2Yeah, they're dirty.
Speaker 1I mean, how important is it that like oh, I'll just clean this up Like do they need antibiotics typically, right?
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1Yeah, 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 2No, 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 1So you guys wear like big padded gloves Sometimes.
Speaker 2Yeah 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 1Um, 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 2No, of course not.
Speaker 1No 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 2Right, 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 1Um, 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 2Yeah.
Speaker 1K-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 2It seems to work really well, yeah, I've heard good things about that.
Speaker 1It stains.
Speaker 2I 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 1uh, 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?
Seizures and Medical Emergencies
Speaker 2a 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 1What about, like if they're just in a fight with something? Would that? Could that bring it in?
Speaker 2Theoretically, yes, a lot of things, even like some dogs, just like a stressful situation can cause a seizure?
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1So what? There's nothing you can really do, though there's nothing you can give them.
Speaker 2Or is it put a?
Speaker 1skittle underneath their tongue, or whatever you have to do for humans.
Speaker 2Some 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 1Yes to the dog and, unfortunately, the owner has to have it done as well.
Speaker 2What'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 1seizures 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 2I 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 1Right, 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 2Yeah, they shouldn't be breeding it. They shouldn't be does, but it's only like every other day.
Speaker 1So 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 2Um, I uh saw a dog last week actually that caught its nail on something and completely ripped ripped the nail off.
Speaker 1Um, doesn't grow back, does it it it will.
Speaker 2It 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 1So 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 2No, 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 1If there's any algae?
Speaker 2no, 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 1Really it's that bad.
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1OK, 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 2Yeah, 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 1So 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 2Anaphylaxis, that's what I was saying.
Speaker 1Yeah, so what is that?
Speaker 2That's really kind of like when their body goes into shock.
Speaker 1Yes, from the spray, from just getting it, yeah, so pungent and right in their face.
Nutrition and Proper Feeding
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1But yeah, sometimes that's unavoidable, though, with the skunks right. Any tips for that?
Speaker 2besides 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 1Luckily we have so far Knock on wood. We've come across skunks, but they've never bothered them After a coon.
Speaker 2Yeah, because usually they just do it when they feel threatened.
Speaker 1Yeah, 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 2I'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 1So 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 2it 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 2That'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 1How can you tell your dog just like and like, just like, feel good, like they just kind of?
Speaker 2Well, 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 1Really yeah, so you got to get them in quick.
Speaker 2You 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 1Okay, 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 2yeah, 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 1They 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 2In one day.
Speaker 1Yes, 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 2That, 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 1You 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 2Yeah, working definitely harder in the snow. Yeah, it's a great.
Speaker 1Great 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 2No, not bit that much. We're like as vets, we're pretty good at picking up on the warning signs of dogs.
Speaker 1Like growling and showing teeth.
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1Those are kind of some the yawning's a sign yeah yawning's a sign of kind of being like fearful anxious.
Speaker 2I 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 1hate 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 2Yeah, 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 1It does a lot, yeah, yeah.
Vaccinations and Disease Prevention
Speaker 2It 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 1You 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 2no, 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 1Yes, 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 2Yes, they should be socialized.
Speaker 1You 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 1Parvo right, Can any dog just get parvo?
Speaker 2Parvo, they get from another dog. Okay yeah, lepto is another one.
Speaker 1They can get that from drinking out of puddles, right yeah they can get that from drinking out of puddles.
Speaker 2It'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 2The 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 1So be up to date on your vaccinations.
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1Yes, 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 2Yeah, still should be vaccinated Not super prevalent, but still we vaccinate for it because it's deadly.
Speaker 1If you get rabies Well, I heard with humans once you show signs of it, it's too late.
Speaker 2That'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 1I 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 2Yeah, isn't it quite an ordeal. Uh, to get the rabies vaccine.
Speaker 1To get rabies? Oh, to get rabies. No to get the rabies vaccines.
Speaker 2Uh, 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 1Or a wildlife handler, or a wildlife handler.
Speaker 2Yeah, um, you have to get a few, quite a few vaccines like boosters um to be protected.
Speaker 1A lot boosters um to be protected.
Speaker 2A 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 1All 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 2Yeah, 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 1Right, balanced properly so they don't grow too too fast. Right, because you get into hip problem.
Speaker 2Well, joint problems, yeah, yeah, you just want their, their bones, to grow at a proper rate.
Speaker 1Um, 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 2don'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 1Can it affect their bones?
Speaker 2Yeah, 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 1Okay, dew claws.
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1I mean, they're a pain in the ass, people that have hunting dogs there. They're terrible to have on them.
Speaker 2So 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 1You can't.
Speaker 2No.
Speaker 1Okay. 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 2Because there's skin there.
Developmental Concerns and Young Dogs
Speaker 1Sometimes 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 2Yeah, 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 1But now what other areas like in the end, throughout Canada, in the United States? Do you think that varies?
Speaker 2I think that does vary. Yeah, definitely, definitely does.
Speaker 1But if you can get it done. Would you recommend it for hunting dogs? I mean, generally, it can be.
Speaker 2I mean they can, they can catch their catch, any digit on anything, right?
Speaker 1Right.
Speaker 2I 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 1When 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 2I cut my nails regularly now, oh gosh, yeah, cracked it, your big toe. Yes, cracked the Was your skin exposed.
Speaker 1The skin on my big toe. Yeah, it hurt. I was young. I don't know how old I was. I was like 30.
Speaker 2No, I was in middle school.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 2Yeah, no, just wondering. I'm glad you cut your toenails now.
Speaker 1Yeah Well, it's like a defense mechanism. I kick people with it, I cut them to a point.
Speaker 2Sword.
Speaker 1Well, 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 2I 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 1Yes, like how they're feeling, yeah, yeah seeing how they're picking up on that.
Speaker 2Um, 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 1Like, 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 2Quite a bruise on the side of him and he was down.
Speaker 1He 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 2Yeah, 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 1And 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 2Because it was no wonder, when we were touching his belly he was so painful.
Speaker 1But he got over it. Fine, but what's it called?
Speaker 2a hema Like they can have like a hematoma.
Speaker 1Yeah, 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 2Yeah, there was quite a bruise there when we clipped his hair.
Speaker 1We 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 2Yeah, 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 1Yeah, 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 2Yeah, that was quite big.
Speaker 1Well, 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 2Yeah, thanks for having me on the podcast.
Speaker 1Anytime.