5 Signs You Need To Get To The Vet ASAP!
Dr. Marty Becker, America's Veterinarian

Animal Radio Veterinary Correspondent Dr. Marty Becker counts down the top 5 things to look out for that indicate a health emergency for your pet.

Dr. Becker advises us that there are so many things people freak out about, like if their dog eats chocolate. But if they eat a regular candy bar of milk chocolate, it is not much of a concern, as it is the semi-sweet and baking chocolate which is the worst.

He tells us the five things you really need to be concerned about are:

1. Bleeding
Bleeding is a concern, especially if they are bleeding from an orifice like their nose, mouth, ears or rectum. That is not something you want to wait and see over the weekend. You need to get to a veterinarian immediately. This could means a dog has eaten poison or may even a fracture or a rupture.

2. Ongoing Vomiting or Diarrhea
You need to ask yourself if it is persistent vomiting and diarrhea or just one time? Is your pet straining to go to the bathroom? Is your pet weak or depressed? If the answers to these questions are no, the problem will probably pass. But let's take an animal that has vomited over and over again. It then starts dry heaving, with nothing coming up. It may also have diarrhea. This is when you need to get to your vet's office.

3. Extremely Depressed or Collapses
If your pet seems really depressed and/or collapses, you need to get them to the vet immediately. These can be caused by heat stroke or an insect bite, maybe even a seizure.

4. Allergic Reaction
You may see an allergic reaction to medication or vaccinations or a bee sting, where you start to see swelling in the face or body, head to the vet.

5. Loss of Consciousness
An animal might have been hit by something and has a head injury; you need to get to the vet immediately.

Our own Dr. Debbie wants to add a few more things to the list:

6. Pale or White Gums
Dr. Debbie doesn't care what other symptoms your pet may or may not have, if they have white gums, this is not normal and you should get them to a vet.

7. Bloat (Mainly Occurs in Deep Chested Dogs)
If your dog attempts to vomit over and over again, they are not acting normal and seem anxious and restless, they may be hunched over, their stomach might make gurgling sounds and be tight like a drum, you should immediately get them to a vet, as this is a life or death situation.

8. Sudden Weakness
If you pet has sudden weakness in their back legs, you should get them to a vet.

The above are all signs hat you need to get to the vet immediately. Use your best judgment, as you know your pet.

Dr. Becker has been practicing veterinary medicine for more than 30 years and is a best-selling author, syndicated columnist and a frequent guest on national shows. You can also find Dr. Becker on Vetstreet.com, a new animal health and lifestyle website dedicated to giving pet owners the most accurate information possible to keep their pets healthy and happy. Follow Dr. Becker on Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.drmartybecker.com





Lost A Pet?
Donna Lewis, LostMyDoggie.com

Donna Lewis is a Senior Staff Member and Lost Pet Recovery Specialist at LostMyDoggie.com and LostMyKitty.com. This nationwide service will automatically dial all the phones within the radius of the lost pet alerting neighbors. Does this work? The service claims an 85% success rate.

They provide many free services as well as paid services that are instrumental in finding lost dogs and cats. Countless shelters and rescue groups use them when a reliable lost pet service is needed and they have been solely responsible for finding 1000's of lost dogs and cats over the last 7 years all over the country. LostMyDoggie.com was started in 2008 and LostMyKitty.com was started three years later in 2011.

Their services include issuing amber alerts for lost pets. They do this by mapping out an area where an animal was last seen. Then they gather all of the listed numbers (both landlines and cellphones) of people who live in that area, with their proprietary system where they are able to get all of the listed numbers. This includes people who have listed their cellphones with public utility companies or any other place where they have listed these numbers as their primary contact.

A recorded broadcast is then sent out to all of the numbers, with a description of the pet and the owner's contact number. They also include their website where a picture can be seen of the lost animal.

They offer both a free service and a paid service. Their free package includes a free fax and email alert, as well as found pet flyers sent out to local vets, shelters, rescue groups and groomers, as well as animal related businesses. They will also send out email alerts to your neighbors.

Their paid services include packages that start with 250 calls up to 5,000 calls. We all get those "robo calls" and usually hang up on them right away. However, they immediately start of with stating that this is a "Lost Pet Alert." Their caller ID also shows up as LostMyDoggie so people have some idea of what the call is about. With so many people being pet owners, some are concerned that someone might actually be calling about their own pet that might have gotten out. This means they have a high success rate on their calls and don't receive a lot of hang-ups.

Donna tells us that if your pet does get lost, you should immediately start posting flyers everywhere you can. Don't think that if your dog has a microchip and ends up in a shelter that they will contact you. That should happen, but unfortunately it doesn't always happen. This is because it is not required in all states that animals be scanned for a chip when they are taken to a shelter.

http://www.lostmydoggie.com
http://www.lostmykitty.com




7th Annual Get Your Licks On Route 66

FIDO Friendly is once again traveling down the Mother Road, stopping at shelters along the way to support adoption events. The cross-country pet adoption tour started September 11 in Riverside, California at the Riverside Animal Shelter. Every year Susan Sims of Fido Friendly Magazine travels from Los Angeles to Chicago, helping to place puppies and kittens into new forever homes. In the previous 6 years of the tour, they placed over 3,000 pets in their new forever homes and he states.

The Get Your Licks On route 66 tour will include 15 cities to visit this year and they would like everyone to come out. Even if you are not looking to add a forever family member you can still join the fun by visiting one of their partner shelters and donating $2.00 to spin their custom spinning wheel filled with prizes you can win, with proceeds going to the shelter at the end of the day!

Spinning wheel prizes will be provided by John Paul Pet, Synlawn, Petmate, Sleepypod, Fresh Scents, Pets Best, Buddy Belts, Kurgo, Earth Rated, Charlee Bear, Kids n Pets, Pet Botanics and Simply Fido. Thanks to the sponsors who have signed up to help us save lives, one shelter at a time! Please visit their websites to see the great products they have to offer.

If you can't attend and would like to donate to the tour, they will send you a complimentary one-year digital subscription to FIDO Friendly magazine with a minimum donation of $10! With a $30 or more donation you will also receive a Get Your Licks on Route 66 t-shirt. Your name will also be listed as a grass-root supporter.

Here are the upcoming dates and locations of the 7th Annual Get Your Licks on Route 66® tour:

September 19
Albuquerque, NM
10am-3pm
Benefits Watermelon Ranch
Event Held:
PetSmart, Albq., NM
10428 Coors Bypass Rd.
Albuquerque, NM 87114

September 20
Santa Fe, NM
Noon-4pm
Benefits Santa Fe Animal Shelter
Event Held:
PetSmart
3561 Zafarano Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87507

September 23
Amarillo, TX
1pm-5pm
Benefits Amarillo SPCA
Event Held:
Tripp's Harley Davidson
6040 I-40 West
Amarillo, TX 79106

September 26
Oklahoma City
Noon-4pm
The City of Oklahoma City
Division of Animal Welfare
2811 S.E. 29th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73129

September 27
Tulsa, OK
Noon-4pm
Benefits ARF Animal Rescue Foundation
Event Held:
Woodland Hills Mall
7021 S. Memorial Drive Ste. 225B
Tulsa, OK 74133

September 29
Springfield, MO
Noon-4pm
Humane Society of Southwest Missouri
3161 W. Norton Rd.
Springfield, MO 65803

October 1
Joplin, MO
Noon-4pm
Batman will make an appearance!
Golden Paw Animal Rescue and Sanctuary
2300 N. Main
Joplin, MO 94801

October 4
St. Louis, MO
11am-3pm
Benefits Animal Protection Association of Missouri
Event Held:
Canine Carnival
Tilles Park in Ladue
9551 Litzsinger Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63124

October 10
Chicago, IL
11am-4pm
PAWS Chicago
1997 N. Clybourn Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614

October 11
Springfield, IL
Noon-4pm
Benefits Animal Protection League
Event Held:
Scheel's
3801 S. MacArthur Blvd.
Springfield, IL 62711

October 17
Kansas City, MO
2pm-6pm
Wayside Waifs
3901 Martha Truman Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64137

October 18
Merriam, Kansas
Noon-4
Great Plains SPCA
5428 Antioch Drive
Merriam, Kansas 66202

FIDO Friendly is an American dog travel and lifestyle magazine published bimonthly including hotel and destination reviews along with health and wellness topics, dog training advice, celebrity interviews, and the latest fashion trends.

http://www.fidofriendly.com/blog

Do You Give Your Pet All Prescribed Medications?
Doc Halligan, Lucy Pet Foundation

More than half of pet owners disregard instruction for medicating their pets as prescribed by their vet. This can have horrific results, especially where antibiotics are concerned. Doc Halligan has tips on easily pilling your pet.

Doc Halligan tells us when she sends medications home; she believes that they are not all given. She suspects people are like her mother and stop giving their pets their medications, as they feel the animals don't need them anymore. She states that most people don't understand that when the doctor prescribes medication for your pet, there is a lot of thought that goes into how long they should take it. They also try to prescribe the shortest amount of time. But the majority, about 70-percent of pet owners, do not follow the vet's instructions on giving all medications.

Not giving all medications, like antibiotics, can lead to problems like antibiotic resistance. This is because the bacteria that are killed off first are the easiest, and the hardiest bacteria are killed of last. So if you don't give the entire course of medication, you run the risk of not killing all bacteria, leaving the stronger ones to multiply.

If you stop steroids too soon, you can also have problems. Animals make steroids, and when you give them steroid medication, their bodies stop making it on their own. If you stop steroid medication suddenly, your pet can't make its own because it has been shut down.

Another reason people stop giving their pets medications is because it's not always an easy thing to do. However, you can make it easier by using things like Pill Pockets. You also need to make it a fun thing for your pet and not be nervous. Your pet can tell if you are nervous and will pick up on that.

Pilling an animal is not really that hard once you know how to do it. With a cat, you need to remember, "Nose to the Ceiling." When you grab your cat's upper jaw and raise their nose to the ceiling, their bottom jaw automatically drops down. You then just drop the pill in the back of their throat. You can also "tickle" their throat to make them swallow.

When veterinarians go to school, they take two years of pharmacology, because nine times out of ten they are prescribing medication. They also have a DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) License.

Since they do have a DEA License, this means that they are prescribing some heavy narcotics like Valium. As usual, there is abuse of these medications, by the guardians! Many guardians state that they lost their pet's prescriptions so they can get another one. However, this is then reported to the government to keep an eye on any abuse.

Just remember, it is important for you to give all medications prescribed by your vet. If you want to stop, just call your vet and they will advise you if it's okay to stop early.

The Mission of The Lucy Pet Foundation is to reduce pet overpopulation by having mobile spay/neuter clinics across the country and to support causes that benefit animal welfare. The Lucy Pet Foundation currently has two buses that travel around Southern California focusing on spaying and neutering. These buses are state of the art surgery units. Their next focus is in generating more funds to expand the work of these buses and have more across the country.

The Lucy Pet Foundation not only offers free and reduced spays and neuters, they also do microchipping, vaccines and de-wormings. Spaying and neutering is not only great for pet population control, but it has been proven that an animal will live on an average of 40-percent longer after having this surgery.

Here is a list of upcoming free or reduced fee mobile spay and neuter clinics in California (Please call and reserve space):

September 20, 27
VACCINE CLINIC
Location: Tustin Toyota, 36 Auto Center Dr., Tustin, CA
11:00am - 2:00pm
Please call 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment.

September 23
SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC
Location: Inland Valley, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Montclair
Check in 8:00am
Prices Vary
ACCEPT COUNTY AND CITY VOUCHERS
Please call 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment.

September 25
ACCEPT COUNTY AND CITY VOUCHERS
Check in 7:30am
Location: Centinela Feed & Pet Supplies, 18563 Devonshire St., Northridge, CA
Please call 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment.

September 28
SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC
Location: Baldwin Park, 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Hills
Check in 7:30am
ACCEPT COUNTY AND CITY VOUCHERS
Please call 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment.

September 30
SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC
Location: Inland Valley, Washington Park, Pomona
Check in 8:00am
Prices Vary
ACCEPT COUNTY AND CITY VOUCHERS
Please call 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment.

Remember, you must get on a list to have your pet seen at these locations. Please call The Lucy Pet Foundation toll free at 1-855-499-5829 or Email: Info@lucypetfoundation.org to schedule an appointment, or register at the events.

See the current list of clinics at http://www.lucypetfoundation.org.





What's Your Vet-iquette - How to Be a Good Veterinary Client -Dr. Debbie

Sure you think your vet visits go off without a hitch, but do you know how to be a good veterinary client, the kind veterinarians rave about? Follow these suggestions to participate as a vital part of your pet's medical care, to ensure your pet gets the most efficient care, and to always be greeted with beaming smiles.

Be Prepared
Before you arrive at the office with a sick pet, know your pet's ins and outs. Without a pertinent history from you, your veterinarian may need more diagnostic tests to sleuth out the answer to the problem. That takes time and can cost you more in veterinary bills.

Expect the questions your vet is likely to ask you. Has your pet been eating? What types and brand of food do you feed him? Is there diarrhea or constipation?

Bring Evidence
Nothing is more useful to your veterinarian as seeing something with her own eyes. Bring evidence like stool samples, vomited material, and medications your pet is receiving. Has your pet chewed on some unusual plant in the backyard? By all means bring a sprig of that plant.

Document video on your smart phone. This can be immensely helpful to your veterinarian to witness behaviors that may be intermittent. I've been thankful when owners bring smart phone video of seizures, separation anxiety behaviors, and respiratory ailments.

Video eliminates misinterpretation by pet owners, and can permit a quick veterinary diagnosis. Vomiting and regurgitating may look similar, but are caused by different disorders. Pets strain to defecate with both diarrhea and constipation. Inspiratory wheezing, coughing, congestion and reverse sneezing are often described similarly by owners.

Trust Valid Resources
By all means do your research in advance of your veterinary visit. Know what questions to ask. But remember that the internet is abounding with both good and blazingly incorrect information, some based on opinions and conjecture without any sound medical basis. Pet owners who value Dr. Google's opinion over their veterinarian, who has examined their pet, could put their pet's health care in jeopardy.

Confine Your Pet
Make sure your pet is secure before entering the veterinary hospital. Don't underestimate the unpredictable things pets do in a noisy, crowded waiting room. Birds fly off shoulders landing in snack zone of nearby dogs. Dogs instigate fights, and cats flee the waiting veterinary staff's arms. Pay attention to where your pet is and don't allow your pet to approach other animals without the owner's consent. Some animals are there because they are sick, and could bite in unfamiliar surroundings.

Dogs should be on a secure leash. Flexi leashes are dangerous in the veterinary hospital allowing dogs to bolt quickly toward another dog, or to entangle limbs of humans or other animals in the waiting room. Cats and exotic pets should be secured in an appropriate pet carrier.

If you have a pet that has been or could be aggressive to veterinary staff…absolutely share that information before the visit starts. Veterinarians look out for the safety of people in their employment and appreciate a heads-up in advance to avoid potential staff injury.

Optimize Your Face Time
So now you are in the exam room with the doc, so make the most of it. Put the cell phone away, and by all means…don't waste time taking a phone call if medical staff is standing in front of you.

Avoid distractions that will limit your ability to communicate with your veterinarian. This might include a roomful of boisterous children or other pets. If possible, arrange child care or pet sitting so your sick pet gets prime attention and you don't miss any details of the visit.

Emergencies Happen
At the vet office, we recognize how valuable pet owner's time is and try to minimize the wait. But recognize that emergencies are unforeseen and create delays for other pet owners. Most folks understand that emergencies happen and are accommodating during situations as this.

But making a scene or outburst about your wait time, while the veterinary staff tends to a critical pet is just inconsiderate. Recognize that one day your pet could be in that same place and you would be appreciative that your pet's medical emergency was triaged ahead of the waiting routine appointments.

Don't Attack the Messenger
Emotions can run high when you have a sick or injured pet, but it isn't an excuse to be abusive to hospital staff. Obscene language and overly aggressive behavior doesn't help your pet get the care she needs, nor does it endear yourself to those people working hard for your pet's health.

Own Your Own Reality
Pet owners have the daunting responsibility for the health and well-being of pets in their care. That means accepting the level of veterinary care you can pursue, and recognizing choices if finances are limited. Pet insurance can help defer the cost of veterinary care, but there isn't government sponsored Obamacare for pets.

Don't blame your veterinarian for your pet's health maladies, or expect her to cover the costs of treatment. People in the veterinary field do what they do because they love animals, but they shouldn't be expected to take financial responsibility for everyone's pets. I once heard a veterinary colleague respond to an client's question, "Doc, why can't you just do my Sasha's surgery for free?" His response was, "Because my staff needs to get paid and my kids need shoes." Recognize that veterinary offices aren't lending institutions, but rather are small businesses with pressing bills, just as anyone.

Share Your Feedback
Share feedback with the hospital management about service excellence or shortcomings. Every hospital appreciates the opportunity to improve, or the chance to pat staff on the back.

Featured veterinarian known as "Dr. Debbie" on national pet radio program, Animal Radio. Ebook author of "Yorkshire Terriers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Pugs: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; "Mini Schnauzers: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend"; and "Shih Tzu: How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend."

http://www.drdebbie.net

It's a Wacky Wednesday Here at the Animal Radio® Studios

WackyWed Contest IS ON - LIKE your FAVORITE pic and the three pics with the most LIKES & SHARES are this week's winner will receive a prize that makes leashing your dog easy from MagicLatch.

TO ENTER Send us your FUNNY pet pic to WackyWed@AnimalRadio.com - (Please put WACKYWED in the subject line & give us your pet's name, your name & where you hail from) If YOUR pic is chosen then spread the word to your friends & family on Wednesday - the pics w/the most LIKES and SHARES will be the winner!

This week we are giving away a MagicLatch, which is the easiest, fastest way to leash your dog. MagicLatch is great for those who have difficulty leashing or just want an easier way to leash. Use with you existing leash and collar. Attach one piece to your dog's collar and the other piece to your favorite leash. Never struggle to leash again!

Join Animal Radio® on Facebook for Wacky Wednesday! Win great prizes every week for your wacky pet pictures. Last month we gave out goodies from The Green Pet Shop, PL360, Bark Box, Solid Gold Pet, Energizer and more. Visit us on Facebook now.

Animal Radio® News - Lori Brooks

Your Cat Probably Doesn't Miss You When You're Away
It appears that your cat most likely does not miss you while you're away according to a new study that shows domestic cats do not generally see their owners as a focus of safety and security in the same way that dogs do. The study observed the relationships between a number of cats and their owners. In varying scenarios, they assessed three different characteristics of attachment; the amount of contact sought by the cat, the level of passive behavior and signs of distress caused by the absence of the owner. The results showed that while cats might prefer to interact with their owner, they do not rely on them for reassurance when in an unfamiliar environment, and the researchers believe this is because of the nature of the species as a largely independent and solitary hunter.

Male Seahorses Not Only Give Birth - But Also Do Childcare
We've known for a long time that male seahorses were more involved in parenting since they are actually the ones who get pregnant. But until now, scientists didn't have the full picture. It turns out the male also shoulders most of the rearing responsibilities for baby seahorses. A new study shows male seahorses, in addition to nurturing their growing embryos, continue to feed and protect their offspring post-pregnancy. The scientists say they're already planning further research. The evolution of animal pregnancy may be more consistent across species than was previously believed!

60 Thousand Antelope Wiped Out in Four Days
An entire herd of antelope, 60 thousand of them, has been wiped out in just four days in Kazakhstan and no one is sure exactly how or why. In fact, counting 2 other major die offs in May and June, the country's antelope population has been cut in half, down to less than 125,000. For months, scientists have been stumped, but new evidence suggests the usually nonlethal Pasteurella and Clostridia bacteria are to blame. At the moment, scientists can't explain what transformed the benign bacteria into a plague-like killer.

Guy Adds Two-Headed Snake to His Two-Headed Collection
A west coast freak show owner who paid $50,000 for "Medusa," a three-foot-long, 4-year-old two-headed Honduran Milk snake born in Florida, recently purchased a rare two-headed albino snake. The proud new owner says he's wanted the snake since the day it was born four years ago, but price just kept getting higher." By the way, this guy currently holds a Guinness World Record for having the biggest collection of two-headed animals, but he said Medusa is perfect because it does not have a kink on its body at the point where the two heads converge. He says, "It's as if she was meant to have two heads."

There Is A New Famous Fur Baby In Hollywood
David Beckham's wife Victoria has shared an video online that shows her soccer star husband indulging in playtime with their latest addition, a beautiful black cocker spaniel named Olive who is the family's fourth pet. They already have a Shar-pei and two Bulldogs.

Most Popular Dog Names
The most popular dog names list doesn't generally change too much from year to year, but here's something different and you will absolutely notice the different names that are on this, the trendiest names for dogs, list. Starting with the trendiest male dog names starting at number ten: Marley, Ruger, Brody, Gunner and Leo. King is number five, followed by Loki, Dexter, Thor and Jax at number one. Trendiest names for girl dogs now starting at number 10 are Hazel, followed by Cali, Charlie and Marley. Number six is Athena then Nala, Willow, Luna, Elsa with Piper being the trendiest female dog name.

NEWS UPDATE brought to you by Drs. Foster & Smith, affordable pet supplies. Low prices every day, so you save on every order.

Listen to the entire Podcast of this show (#824)