Yes! You can learn how to do a physical exam for your dog in the privacy of your own home. 

 

We should mention, this exam is not to substitute for taking your dog to your veterinarian regularly.  The purpose is to help you understand the basics of what is normal for your dog.

Photo of Kuki provided by Roxanne Rossbach

I have learned that our veterinarians and technicians are only human. They on occasion fail to notice a bump or area of concern.  They see a lot of patients each day and like our overworked doctors on the human side, sometimes they will unintentionally fail to notice what you would think would be so obvious. I recommend making a list taking it with the dog on its visit. Many times I will even mention what I am concerned, about over the phone to the tech when making an appointment, hoping that some of my concerns will show up in the dogs records for the Vet to read just before he sees the appointment. Sometimes our vets may be distracted by what may be going on behind the scenes of their clinic. We need to help them help our dogs and cats.

HOME EXAM BASICS

Now perform the exam in a relaxed environment when your pet is not stressed or excited, or after an exercise session or nap. Starting with the tip of their nose, you work your way to the tip of their tail.

NOSE
Starting with their Nose. Check for debris, if you dog likes to dig and eat dirt you might discover a bit of left over dirt or their last meal dried and blocking one of the nostrils. Take note of whether the nose is wet or dry. Your pet’s nose will not always be wet, it will typically vary from moist to dry throughout the day, depending on your pet’s body temperature, activity level and hydration.

Have you noticed any congestion, sneezing or coughing?
Have you noticed any blood coming from the nose?
Have you noticed any nasal discharge?

EYES
Next, take a look to see whether there is abnormal eye discharge. Again, you will likely know what is normal for your pet. For instance, if your cat or dog never gets eye discharge and suddenly has it, it’s a sign that there could be a problem.
Check whether your pet’s pupils are symmetrical and look at the whites of their eyes. Red sclera (the part of the eye that is normally white) could mean inflammation of the eyes.¹
Look at the globe, shine a flashlight into the eyes to see if the pupils are responsive and the same size, see if the eyes seem sunken or the skin under them is pale or discolored. If you notice any abnormalities at all you should take her to your vet for further evaluation.²

Have you noticed an increase or decrease in tear production?
Do the eyes appear cloudy or red?
Have you noticed any discharge coming from the eyes?
Do the eyes appear bloodshot?
Are the pupils the same size in both eyes?
Have you noticed your pet rubbing or pawing at eyes?
Is your dog squinting his/her eyes?
Do the eyes appear to be sunken or excessively protruding?

EARS

Check the ears for debris, odor and cleanliness.¹

Lift up the ears and look at the skin before looking inside. You will know what normal is for your dog and they should look normal, not yellow, swollen, dry and flaky, etc. Look into the ear canal without trying to put anything inside. If the ears smell, have a discharge, or are discolored, you can try cleaning them with vinegar or an ear wash for dogs.  But you will probably need to take her in to your regular clinic. Ear problems are annoying but not an emergency.² 

However, an ear infection can become serious if left untreated, or if ear wax blocks the ear canal.
MOUTH/TEETH
If your pet is not accustomed to having its mouth examined, slowly acclimate your pet to facial massages so that you can eventually check their mouth, gums and teeth. When you can, check inside their mouth for lesions, swelling, and bad breath. Their gums should be pink, their teeth free of tartar and plaque, their tongue clear and the roof of their mouth clean and free from debris.²
Check the jaw line to see if it feels normal.

What color are the gums – tissue just above the teeth?
Is your dog able to open and close the mouth normally?
Is there any pain involved in opening or closing the mouth?
Have you noticed any excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth?
Is your dog able swallow food normally?
Looking inside the mouth, are there any foreign objects such as bones or sticks stuck on the roof of the mouth or around the teeth?
PAWS
Look at their claws and the pads of their feet, there should be no debris between their toes. Check for heat and swelling over your pet’s body, and test the range of motion of the joints; do the joints move freely, without resistance or difficulty? If they are chewing on their pads look for a sticker or splinter.

BODY

Chest and abdomen: All dog owners should purchase a stethoscope. They are inexpensive and only take a few minutes to get used to. Listen to your dog until you find the heart and count how many times it is beating per minute. (A big dog might have a heartbeat of 60 times per minute, a little dog at 160, so you should check this and write it down every time you examine your dog, while she is healthy.) Find the artery on the inside of the back leg and press down on it to count her pulse. The number should be the same as the heartbeat. If either of these are not what you are used to, or if her pulse is so weak that you cannot find it, go ahead and get her in to be checked.²

Brush back the hair and look at the skin and coat. Check for excessive flakiness, lumps and bumps on the sides of the spinal cord, and evaluate muscle tone and weight. If you feel your pet is carrying extra weight  You need to addressing it by increasing activity and feeding a species-appropriate diet (a meat-based, carb-free living food diet).

¹Gently palpate their belly to look for lumps and notice if your pet seems to experience discomfort. This is a good time to also gently check both mammary chains (do this for male dogs, too).

 Is your pet experiencing any difficulty breathing?
Have you noticed any panting?
Is there any pain when the chest area is petted?
Have you noticed any recent coughing?
What is the heart rate?
Is the heartbeat steady and consistent?
Place your hand or your ear on the left side of your dog's chest, just behind the elbow. You should be able to feel or hear the heartbeat. Count how many beats the heart pumps in one minute.
Examine the Dog's Abdomen/Stomach Area:
Has your dog been having any diarrhea or vomiting?
Is your dog able to eat and drink normally?
Does the abdomen/stomach area appear swollen or distended?
Does your dog appear in pain when the stomach area is petted?
Is your dog known to chew on non-food items such as clothing, towels, strings, etc.?
Examine the Dog's Urinary and Reproductive Systems:
Have you noticed any difference in urinating?
Does your dog seem to strain when urinating or cry in pain?
Does your dog repeatedly try to urinate with no urine produced?
Is there any blood in the urine?
How frequently does your dog urinate?
Is your female dog spayed? If so, at what age?
Did your female dog ever have puppies? At what age?
If  not spayed, when was her last heat cycle and was she bred?
Is your male dog neutered?
If so, at what age?
Do you notice any discharge from the vaginal area?
Do you notice any discharge from the penis?
If your dog is not neutered, do you notice any swelling of the testicles?
Have you noticed your dog excessively licking or grooming the genital area?

Even if you don’t know the names of all the parts you are touching, if you examine your pet regularly you will begin to know what is normal for your companion. When there are changes you will notice them quite quickly because you are familiar with the terrain of his or her body. Also examine your pet’s bottom for cleanliness.¹
Have you noticed any limping?
Are any legs or joints swollen?
Has your dog been excessively licking at one area of his/her legs?
Does your dog show signs of pain when walking?
Is your dog able to walk normally?
Does your dog walk on his/her knuckles?
Does your dog drag any legs when walking?
Have you noticed any pain when petting your pet?

Finally ask your veterinarian or a vet tech to show you how to check these items. Even if you have to pay for an office visit to get enough time to be shown all of these areas, the value of knowing just what is normal vs what is not, will in the end save you a lot of stress in deciding if you have an emergency or when something will wait for your next regular visit.  I doubt vet clinics will charge you for the time to show and explain what to look for.  At least I have never had any in North Alabama ever charge extra.

When I fostered a diabetic dog thanks to my training at my vets, I was able to give the twice daily insulin shots in home instead of bringing the dog twice a day to the clinic. I learned how to administrator a saline bag of fluids to several severely dehydrated puppies instead of them having to stay at an emergency clinic. All dog owners should purchase a stethoscope, if you buy one then take it along on your next visit to the clinic and ask them to show you how to use it.

Of course I have noticed many of our readers and friends are Vet techs, nurses or in the health care professions, for you, I am talking in the wind. If this is true we ask that you please comment below your recommendations, on doing a pre-exam at home.  How can we learn to help rather than hinder working with our medical friends?  It was even suggested that a owner might want to print out this list and answers and take with them to the appointment to help narrow quickly the possible areas of a problem.

Sources:

¹http://healthypets.mercola.com

²http://www.petplace.com

Photos provided by:

Roxanne Rossbach- lead photo

Stacy Clear - Fizzy's nose

Edited by: Julie Bradford

There are many reasons why a dog may not be trained to be happy and safe in a crate. I understand many owners do not feel comfortable about "jailing" their dog in a "cage". However to be realistic there are several reasons that all dogs should be conditioned to feel safe and comfortable in a crate. Some you may not have thought about...

 Remember, be prepared for an emergency and include your pets in that plan.

How will your dog react if it  has to spend a night or more in a crate in a strange  environment?  Would you feel better knowing that if something should happen at least your dog would not have the added stress of being suddenly locked in a crate?

You may not have thought about this, but there are several reasons why your beloved dog could find its self in such a perceived hostile space.  First, why add additional stress to a sick dog that must spend a night or more in a crate at the vets? 

Have you ever wondered what the dogs and cats go through during a natural disaster?

FIRE!!!

Bad news:

Do you really think the thousands of families all found comfortable normal places to with all of their pets where their animals could roam their homes like nothing happened? Huge forest fires have already torched at least 1,600 homes and forced the evacuation of about 88,000 people in the region, including the entire population of the oil sands town of Fort McMurray and Fires are not just afflicting Canada. Alaska's fire season is off to a historic start as well. Record high temperatures in much of the state, combined with a three-day lightning storm, sparked more than 300 fires late last month. Those have since grown to burn more than three million acres.

Good news:

Not all of these places will be as prepared for wildfires like Attention Calabasas and Agoura Hills:

County of Los Angeles - Agoura Animal Care Center. This is what we found on thier Facebook page today (Jun 2016)

"If you are in a fire evacuation zone right now we are here at the Agoura Hills shelter and can take your animals. Please come to the shelter on Agoura road. We can take all animals and livestock."

Virginia resources

April 4th, 2016 Louisa CART In Action – Military DRASH Tents
The Virginia State Animal Response Team (VASART) was created through a private-public partnership to serve as a unifying network of organizations, businesses, federal and state government agencies, and individuals that support the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery for emergencies affecting animals. The Louisa CART is the only team in the U.S. with military DRASH Tents. The local Fox News highlighted the Louisa CART on their November news program. Louisa Cart= https://youtu.be/Das-gdC0cjM

Oklahoma resources:

Animal League America Assists Oklahoma Pets

 After assessing the needs of the community, The Emergency Rescue Team will determine whether or not to transport shelter animals that were previously relinquished by their owners prior to the storm to our national adoption headquarters in New York, thereby freeing up space in Oklahoma shelters to house animals displaced by the tornadoes. This also helps reduce the chance that lost animals will be euthanized and ensures that as many owners as possible will be reunited with their pets when the immediate crisis passes.

The Humane Society of the United States

Advise from the Humane Society:Keeping pets safe

Texas  flash floods flooding

Reported on ABC News:

"Already inundated with lost and stray animals from the storm, plus the evacuated pets from the Town Lake Animal Shelter, dogs and cats were in desperate need of homes. The shelter was over capacity by about 140 animals Monday...... Even as flood waters start to recede, The Austin Animal Center had a record intake Wednesday with 122 dogs and cats coming into the shelter. Now, shelters are attempting to reunite pets lost during the floods with their owners."

Sunday, April 24, 2016: Houston Flooding Rescues

The major flooding occurring in Houston has brought many issues to Texas. The city of Houston and surrounding areas have suffered over the past week from major rain storms and floods. This has caused over seven (human) deaths and 1,200 (human) rescues. Along with the problems it has caused to humans, many animals have also faced danger.  Source:  Animals Alley

 http://animalsalley.blogspot.com/2016/04/houston-flooding-rescues.html

Okay you get the idea.  We just do not know when something awlful will happen.

A car accident? A sudden stay at the hospital for you?   If for no other reason please consider crate training as part of your emergancy pre-planing. 

What happens when a dog is picked up as a stray a found dog is placed depending on who finds the dog or where it is kept may turn up in a crate while a stranger is looking for the owner or when in the dog pound.

While I can understand why many people think their beloved dogs and cats will never need to feel the cozyness of a crate. There are many many reasons why they should at least be able to be placed in a crate with out going into a panic mode.

Now, one of the reasons for crate training a puppy is that it helps to keep him safe - but there are a few things you need to do to make sure he stays that way.  Getting the right size for your Boston  is important for the dogs comfort and safety. Especially if the dog will be crated when you are out of the house or at night, with the crate in another room.

We have put together several hints and related items to help ensure that your puppy, adult dog or senior is safe and happy when in his "bedroom".


Do not ever leave a chain, prong, training or slip collar on your dog, when you put him in his crate. It is quite possible it could get caught up on something and then he'll panic, the result of that could be tragic. If you really must leave a collar on make sure it is a simple, undecorated buckle collar - or even better a safety 'break-away' type collar.

Do not leave your Boston crated in a hot room; in sunlight (even indoors) or outside in direct sun. It does not take much for a puppy or dog to overheat, and again the results could be tragic.
When you are crate training a puppy in hot weather, be especially careful with short-nosed breeds (otherwise known as brachycephalic breeds), as they tend to have more difficulty with the heat. Something similar applies to heavy, thick-coated breeds such as Shetland Sheepdogs, Husky's etc.
AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES
A puppy or dog that is crated can tend to feel cornered if approached or teased. Even an even-tempered, docile dog can react with growling or snapping if he feels threatened. Never allow children to tease Fido while he is in his crate or push their fingers through the doors or wire panels.
His crate is meant to be your puppy's safe haven. As such he has a right to some peace and quiet and to feel safe when he's inside.

Housebreaking and crate training a puppy is one of the biggest early challenges you will experience as a new 'parent'. The best type of cleaners to use when you're crate training a puppy, are the enzymatic ones, which totally break down and destroy the odors associated with urine, feces and vomit.


When you think Flink's ready to spend some time with the door-closed start with very short periods and work up. Here are some more rules of crate training and a couple of pointers to make this part of crate training a puppy a bit less stressful for you both:

Take a potty break first.
Make sure FiFi has been outside to 'do her business' before you crate him, even for short periods. This way when she starts fussing right away you know she doesn't have an urgent need to 'go' and cuts down on the chances she'll eliminate in the crate, which defeats the purpose of crate training as an aid to housebreaking.

Put his favorite toy in with him.
It's a good idea to have a special toy for Milo to play with only when he's in his crate. Make sure it is something he really likes and is safe (no loose parts etc.). It will stave off boredom and help him forget he's not outside running around. If you have an old T-shirt or something similar that you do not mind getting ruined (it's possible it'll get peed on, pooped on or chewed beyond recognition) you could put that in the crate too. Milo will feel happier and be reassured if he can 'smell' you right next to him.

Do not shut him in and then leave the room.
Young puppies want to be with their people at all times and if you disappear from sight he will be scared, and you do not want him to make those kinds of associations with his crate.

Ignore initial 'fussing'.
Crate training a puppy is not going to be all smooth sailing. Almost all puppies will fuss and cry the first few times they are confined to their crates. Remember, they want to be right next to you at all times. If you take little Millie out as soon she starts whining I can guarantee she'll whine even louder and longer next time. Anyone who has raised children will know all about this phenomenon! Stay close by but ignore the racket and do not make eye contact.

Occasionally you will find a puppy that is particularly highly-strung and nervous who may suffer from severe separation anxiety when put in his crate.  If your puppy appears 'hysterical' (whining, barking, scratching, throwing himself around, has a bowel movement or is panting heavily) it's best to let him out and consult your veterinarian or an experienced dog trained for advice on how best to handle that. It may be that he has a tendency towards anxious behavior, such as separation anxiety.
However, do not be fooled too easily. Jake may act like a crazy dog for a few minutes but then settle down to the occasional whine. If he is generally not an anxious, highly nervous dog, he's unlikely to develop raging anxiety issues because of his crate

Wait for quiet before letting him out.
Whether your puppy is in his crate for five minutes or thirty, never open the door and let him out while he's crying and complaining. Wait for a lull first or he will think he is getting out because he is making such a fuss.

Please feel free to add your experiences or ideas in the comments below. 

Edited by Julie Bradford

HELP! 

I got this call yesterday a panting voice on the other side of the phone was from Gracie Mae. You know which one I am talking about, that crazy young female up in North Alabama who is always excited about something.

She is worried that some of our articles may need updating. "Woof," she excitedly barked in my ear.. "Yes, we need to see if they are still correct...They may  need updating.What are we going to do?"

 Obviously, I am not "That" Gracie Mae, But for what it is worth my name is Gracie also. My mom is a co-founder of Boston Terrier Network, so I can understand why she called, But, why me?" I am not a researcher or writer. I have other important things to do.  Like, make sure all the boxes are ready to use.  We do not have a cat so someone has to take care of this detail.

 "Gracie Mae," I told her "relax I will get us some help."   "Gee whiz"  I sighed as I hung up.

That is what started this search. She is right I know.  We need to start looking at some of our articles to make sure they still contain information that is correct and updated.

 

 

To get some help I went to my brother Vinny who is the official BTN mascot. Yep there was some heated discussions about him being a Bulldog and not a Boston. JoJo my sister is a Boston but she wanted to be Vinny's manager not a mascot. Then she decided that she did not want the job. So we hired a new one.  It all gave me a headache.. But it was finaly settled.

 Is BTN being influenced by outside forces?
 

Anyway with the help of Gracie Mae, brother Vinny and sister JoJo, we came up with an idea.

We thought we would put together Five of our older articles, and ask a big favor from you, dear readers.
Would you help us keep our articles credible and up to-date? 
Can you take a look at these and comment on them if you find areas you're aware of that we could improve or update?
That would be such a great help.  
 

  The History of Boston Terriers

  Boston Terrier Museum

  Grieving Our Pets Part 1 of 2

  Natural Weed Killer

  Famous Boston Terriers

 Edited by Julie Bradford