Category — Dogs

This is Archie.  A precious pug who lets us walk and play with him when his best friend is away on business.  I took a few pictures of Archie when I was walking him the other day but I found this one on the net and it is way better than my photos.

He loves to check out the neighborhood and make sure everyone knows he has been there.  He also likes to jump onto your lap and let you know he expects you to pay attention to him.

Arctic Archie

Archie is a playful pug who just wants to be pampered 24/7.  We are grateful to be able to be his parttime pamperer.

Top 10 Human Medications That Poison Dogs

The ASPCA by way of Dogster’s has a list of 10 most frequent medications for people that end up poisoning dog(s).  They are:

NSAIDs
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are the most common cause of pet poisoning in small animals, and can cause serious problems even in minimal doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.

Antidepressants
Antidepressants can cause vomiting and lethargy and certain types can lead to serotonin syndrome—a condition marked by agitation, elevated body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, disorientation, vocalization, tremors and seizures.

Acetaminophen
Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen, which can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen. In dogs, it can cause liver damage and, at higher doses, red blood cell damage.

Methylphenidate (for ADHD)
Medications used to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in people act as stimulants in pets and can dangerously elevate heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature, as well as cause seizures.

Fluorouracil
Fluorouracil—an anti-cancer drug—is used topically to treat minor skin cancers and solar keratitis in humans. It has proven to be rapidly fatal to dogs, causing severe vomiting, seizures and cardiac arrest even in those who’ve chewed on discarded cotton swabs used to apply the medication.

Isoniazid
Often the first line of defense against tuberculosis, isoniazid is particularly toxic for dogs because they don’t metabolize it as well as other species. It can cause a rapid onset of severe seizures that may ultimately result in death.

Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine is a popular decongestant in many cold and sinus products, and acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it causes elevated heart rates, blood pressure and body temperature as well as seizures.

Anti-diabetics
Many oral diabetes treatments—including glipizide and glyburide—can cause a major drop in blood sugar levels of affected pets. Clinical signs of ingestion include disorientation, lack of coordination and seizures.

Vitamin D derivatives
Even small exposures to Vitamin D analogues like calcipotriene and calcitriol can cause life-threatening spikes in blood calcium levels in pets. Clinical signs of exposure—including vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure—often don’t occur for more than 24 hours after ingestion.

Baclofen
Baclofen is a muscle relaxant that can impair the central nervous systems of cats and dogs. Some symptoms of ingestion include significant depression, disorientation, vocalization, seizures and coma, which can lead to death.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of the following items, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. And remember to keep all medications tucked away in bathroom cabinets—and far from curious cats and dogs.

Please also remember that chocolate is also deadly for dogs and dark chocolate is the most deadly.  Keep all of these items safely tucked away from your loved one(s) at all times.

This is our most recent foster dog.  He is about 9 years old.  Has a little sneeze.  When he is excited he twirls around  but it is always in the clockwise direction.  Compared to our other dogs, he is about the size of one of their heads.

But he is unbelievably cute and sweet.  He will own someone very soon that will love him to death.  You just can’t help it with him.

PuBear (click to enlarge)

PuBear (click to enlarge)

Duncan (click photo to enlarge)

Duncan, a lively Jack Russell – Dalmatian mix, lived with us during his recovery from a leg amputation. Even though he had only only 3 legs, he would go up our stairs 4 at a time. And this was 2 days after the surgery! He was eventually adopted by a very caring couple who couldn’t resist his cuddliness and cuteness.

Rosebud - a budding personality (Click photo to enlarge)

These are two pups that we foster parented for a couple of weeks in December 2003. Unbelievably adorable.

Tulip