POINTS TO REMEMBER IN THE CARE OF YOUR DOG OBEDIENCE EXERCISES Regular performance of obedience exercises together with properly administered leash corrections or rewards should be carried out daily as you have been instructed. This routine will maintain the desired relationship between you and your dog. TIME OF EMPTYING At least four opportunities each day: 1) first thing in the morning; 2) near noon; 3) near 6 p.m.; 4) at bedtime. The dog also should be given an opportunity to relieve itself within ten minutes following each feeding. Never allow the dog to run off leash. FEEDING Fresh, clean water should be available at all times except at night. Times for feeding may be varied to suit your convenience; but once on a schedule, this feeding time should be adhered to. During your stay at The Seeing Eye, the majority of the dogs receive, as basic feeding, a dry food similar to Purina ONE, divided into two equal feedings. The amount was adjusted to the needs of the individual dog. You do not have to follow the exact same program or use the same brand of food. It might be wise to consult your veterinarian on diet. Most commercial dog foods that receive national distribution make an adequate diet. If you are changing your dog’s diet, do it gradually. Increase the proportion of the new food and decrease the proportion of the old food over a week’s time, so that the dog’s digestive tract can accommodate the change. Once you have found a food that satisfies your dog, stick to it. Dogs do not tire of the same food each day as people do. Frequent changes of diet may develop a finicky eater and also may upset the dog’s system and result in diarrhea. Do not overfeed or give handouts. The work of an obese dog is affected and its life is shortened. DIGESTIVE TRACT PROBLEMS Vomiting: At the first sign of vomiting, withhold water for two hours and food for twenty-four hours. Giving water or food to a vomiting dog is like putting out a fire with gasoline. Introduce water return on a gradual basis, beginning with an ice cube in an empty water bowl. If vomiting persists, call your veterinarian. Diarrhea: Withhold food for twenty-four hours after the last episode of diarrhea. Do not withhold water, but give in small amounts frequently to prevent dehydration. Then change diet to boiled rice and boiled hamburger on the ration of one cup of rice to one tablespoon of meat, or a 50/50 mixture of cottage cheese and boiled white rice . Feed as much of this mixture as the animal desires. If bowel movements become formed, continue diet for three to four days. Take another three or four days to gradually revert back to normal diet, by adding regular diet and subtracting a like quantity of the mixture. If diarrhea persists, call your veterinarian. Constipation: Consult your veterinarian. Because you do not know the cause of the constipation, a laxative could be contraindicated. EARS Dogs with erect ears should have few problems; but those dogs with flop ears and poor air circulation may need periodic cleaning. As a part of your daily grooming routine, sniff your dog’s ears. You will rapidly become familiar with odor of the healthy ear. Any change in odor, whether sweet, sour or pungent, should be regarded a s a sign of ear infection and an appointment should be made with your veterinarian. If your veterinarian decided that your dog is prone to ear infections, follow his advice as to the best preventive measures. If at any time there is a persistent head shaking, it may indicate an otitis externa ( infection of the outer ear), or a foreign body in the ear canal and it is time to see your veterinarian. Do not use Q-tips to clean the ears. EYES Any pawing of the eyes or squinting can indicate a serious eye problem -- call your veterinarian. Any excessive discharge or redness of the eyes should also be brought to your veterinarian’s attention. TEETH Daily brushing with a toothbrush designed for dogs ( or a child’s soft toothbrush) while using a dentifrice prepared for dogs, will help to prevent periodontal disease. Do not use your own toothpaste. It is not meant to be swallowed and can cause stomach upset. If you are unable to brush daily, every other day brushing is also beneficial. The Plaque Attacker by Nylabone will also help to prevent tartar build-up. SKIN Persistent scratching means a visit to your veterinarian is needed. It can be due to many causes, and if not diagnosed and remedied quickly, can lead to chronic conditions that make recovery long, costly and doubtful. Fleas are probably the most common cause of scratching. Your veterinarian will advise the best method of control. Ticks, if only one or two in number, can be plucked from your dog by grasping the body of the tick as close to the dog’s skin as possible and pulling it your using slow, gentle traction. You should not touch the tick itself or its droppings. Use a tweezers or wear thin vinyl gloves. If a lump remains after removal, your veterinarian should be notified. If numerous ticks are encountered, your dog will need to be dipped and the ticks in your home exterminated. A tablespoon of any brand of safflower oil added to your dog’s food helps to provide a glossy haircoat. Excessive itchiness might be helped by supplementing with essential fatty acids. This should be discussed with your veterinarian. There are a wide variety of products available, among them, Derm Caps, Efa-Caps and Pet-Derm O.M.Caps. NAILS Pavement work or exercise will help keep the nails from getting too long. If they do need cutting, let your veterinarian do the job. If cut too short, hemorrhage can be hard to control. INOCULATIONS Your dog has been given all the recommended vaccinations and, therefore, is protected against distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, kennel cough, parvo virus and rabies. The date these inoculations were given to your dog is recorded on your dog’s health record. This should be shown to your veterinarian so that he can determine when booster injections are due. HEARTWORM Your dog has been checked and found free of heartworm and has been on monthly heartworm preventive medication. We recommend year round use of heartworm preventive in this region and to the south, or if you travel to temperate climates during the winter. STOOLS Your dog is free of intestinal worms at the present time. Check with your veterinarian as to frequency of fecal testing. GROOMING If brushed and combed daily, the need for bathing becomes negligible. If your dog does need a bath, use any mild, non-detergent shampoo prepared for use in the dog (Johnson’s Baby Shampoo can be substituted in a pinch). Be very careful not to get soap in the eyes or water in the ears. Make sure the dog is very well rinsed, because if all the suds are not removed, a dandruff-like condition will persist on your dog’s coat. Make sure the dog is dried well following the bath. On a warm afternoon, the dog can finish drying outside; but in cold weather, the dog should be kept in for several hours. If your dog should encounter a skunk, soak the coat with tomato juice and allow it to remain on the coat for thirty minutes. Then give a shampoo bath. This may need to be repeated several times to effectively eliminate the odor. Do not clip a dog in the summer. The coat protects the dog from heat as well as from cold. IN SUMMATION Please remember that besides yourself, your veterinarian is your dog’s best friend. Do not give medication, be it external or internal, unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing. Medication may mask the symptoms making diagnosis difficult and delaying the time that the right medication or treatment would have had the condition under control. In short, do not play doctor. If you experience any problem with your dog’s work, behavior or health, or if you have any questions, please write or call promptly: The Seeing Eye, Inc., P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375. 800-539-4425. 04/96