Spry Dog

02/19/2025

Baxter wants to remind you that when it’s icy outside, your pets need shelter and warmth. Bring them outside after 10 minutes when the mercury is below 20. He also has DIRTY FEET!

02/08/2025

Robby is learning semaphore. 🏁🕺🏻🏁

02/07/2025

Has your pet’s behavior changed? The first thing to do is rule out a medical problem. Have your vet or a board certified veterinary behaviorist check him out pronto. Illness, painful joints, allergies, tummy troubles, etc. can make an animal very cranky!

02/06/2025

This lucky baby is still chugging along and happy at 10 years thanks to top notch veterinary care. He had an entire pit crew helping him today. Does your dog need a checkup? 🐕🐩🐕‍🦺

02/04/2025

Is watching your dog’s weight as difficult as watching yours? Hang tough, lol 🍪 🍪 🍪

02/03/2025

Great info for all pet owners. Thanks, Doc! 🦨🦝

Welcome to Science Sunday!

Today’s topic is the canine rabies vaccine. In 1885, Louis Pasteur was presented with a 9-year-old boy who had been mauled by a rabid dog. The rabies vaccine had only been tested in dogs and rabbits at that time, but it was obvious that the boy would not survive without medical intervention. Every day for 10 days, the boy was given 12 doses of the vaccine. A month later, the boy had recovered. Unfortunately, this major breakthrough was too late for Edgar Allan Poe who died from rabies in 1849 which he contracted while feeding feral cats.

Rabies is responsible for tens of thousands of human deaths annually, with infections usually following a bite or scratch from a rabies-infected animal. According to the World Health Organization, rabies-infected dogs serve as the main source of human rabies transmission globally, contributing up to 99% of all rabies cases in humans, while in the Americas, bats are the most common source of human infections. In the U.S., the dog rabies variant, once endemic in small animals, has now been nearly eradicated. However, wildlife species, which carry their own rabies variants, present a constant danger of reintroduction of rabies to dogs. In 2024, there were 23 confirmed cases of rabies in Missouri with 22 of those cases found in bats and 1 in a cat. 8 of those cases were found in the St. Louis region.

While in vet school, I was presented with a litter of golden retriever puppies, along with the mom and dad, from a backyard breeder. They had not vaccinated any of the dogs. They were severely ill and near death. They had all attacked and killed a racoon in the yard 2-3 weeks previously. All dogs were humanely euthanized. Blood tests and analysis of their brains after euthanasia found that they were infected with both rabies and distemper.

Virtually all mammals are susceptible to rabies infection, including domestic animals (e.g., dogs, cats, cattle, horses) as well as wild mammalian reservoir populations (e.g., raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats). Regardless of the species affected, rabies causes acute, progressive encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) which is usually fatal.

All rabies vaccines administered in the U.S. and Canada are inactivated, or killed, meaning the virus has been processed so it can't cause disease. While most vaccines require two to four initial boosters, the rabies vaccine is a little different. Like other killed vaccines, the initial dose of a rabies vaccine triggers the immune system to be able to create antibodies that can fight rabies if the dog is ever exposed to the virus. The rabies vaccine is so effective that it's very rare for dogs who've been vaccinated to become infected.

Vaccine antibodies wane over time, causing the rabies vaccine to lose its efficacy. This is why dogs must get follow-up booster doses. Dogs usually receive one booster a year after their initial shot and then get it once every one to three years to maintain immunity. In most areas, keeping your dog up to date on their rabies vaccine is required by law.

Because vaccines work by stimulating the immune system, the side effects of rabies vaccine in dogs are usually due to a stimulated immune system. Side effects can include mild fever, mild loss of appetite and mild to moderate loss of energy for 24 to 36 hours after vaccination. It's also possible for dogs to experience soreness and mild swelling at the injection site. Occasionally, dogs develop a small, painless swelling at the injection site that can last for a couple of weeks. In rare cases, dogs may develop a small, circular area of hair loss at the site of injection.

Anaphylactic reaction can occur with the introduction of any substance into the body. Nuts, fish, milk, insect stings, penicillin and vaccines are a few substances that can cause allergic reactions that can progress to anaphylaxis. This usually occurs within a few seconds or minutes of exposure to allergic substances. This involves hives, swelling and sudden drop in the blood pressure and sometimes shock which can lead to death. I am allergic to aspirin and an accidental ingestion 15 years ago sent me to the emergency room. In my 22 years of being a veterinarian, I have never had a vaccine induced anaphylactic reaction in my practice. (Knock on wood.) I have heard of a few of my colleagues experiencing this in their practice, but it is usually a once-in-a-career event.

In the state of Missouri, a rabies vaccine may only be administered by a licensed veterinarian. The protocol at my practice is to give 1 rabies vaccine when a puppy, then give the vaccine every 3 years as an adult. A puppy must be at least 14 weeks old to receive a rabies vaccine. This is when the maternal antibodies that the puppy received from mom’s milk wane enough to not interfere with the vaccine so that the puppy can mount a meaningful immune response to the disease.

01/22/2025

Older pets seek out comfort in many ways. Letting Baxter, who is 18, choose a used box as a warm bed is cute AND kind. 😻 We’ll switch out the bubble wrap for soft bedding - and maybe decorate it for him! 🎨 🧑‍🎨

01/10/2025

It’s snow-time! Does your dog know how to walk *you?*

01/05/2025

Safety first!

As the Midwest braces for a winter storm, it's a good time to review HSMO's extreme weather tips. Keep outdoor potty breaks brief and wipe paws off when they come inside. Find more cold weather tips for pets at hsmo.org/protectfido ❄️

If you see an animal in distress, please call your local police department and HSMO's animal cruelty hotline at 314-647-4400. We hope you and your four-legged friends stay safe and warm! 🐾

01/05/2025

If you see an animal in trouble, here’s how to help.

If an animal's life is in danger from winter weather, please contact the appropriate number for help.

12/14/2024

Baby Lil demos a new kind of Target Practice. Does your dog know how to relax on a mat? Great for rest but also WET days!

10/09/2024

Frozen food puzzles like these make great popsicles and keep your dog happy - and busy - for a while. We love to give one every time our dogs go in their crates!

Meal prep. Contrary to what many believe (shhhh do not tell your dog) food stuffed toys like Kong, toppl, lick mats etc, do not have to be filled with high fat foods.
Simply use your pet’s kibble with water and let it swell in the toy and feed fresh or frozen.
Mix kibble with some canned food.
Add pumpkin and or green beans to increase the fiber for those pups that are on the fuller figure size.
This is a great option for those pets on special diets and or need to be occupied while their people are busy doing other things.
What healthy things do you stuff your food puzzles with?

10/03/2024

A very good resource for new puppy owners.

If you’re the owner of a new puppy or a dog owner looking to adjust misbehavior, the best dog training books can help you get the best possible results.

08/01/2024

Which of these myths surprise you?

Many myths about why dogs do dog things exist. Here is some myth-busting information about 10 of the most common.

06/15/2024

Important message for parents

Let's talk about this photo. It's cute, except it's not. I see a dog who cannot get up without telling the child to get off. How do you think a dog is going to do that?

The 7 Golden Toddler Dog Rules:
#1: If a dog walks away from you, you DO NOT FOLLOW.
#2: Always leave room for the dog to walk away from you.
---that right there is 90+% of dog bites eliminated---
#3: We do not climb on the dog.
#4: We do not grab or pull on the dog.
#5: We do not hit or throw anything at the dog.
#6: We do not touch the dog's food.
#7: We do not go into the dog's kennel.

I promise these are not overly difficult concepts for littles, nor will they rob a kid of their bond with the family dog. It will deepen that bond, while keeping everyone safe.

"Oh, it looks like Moose is walking away from you. She is saying she wants a break. Let's play with this instead!"

"It's Moose's dinner time! Let's give her space to enjoy her yummies."

"That is Moose's room(kennel) and only she is allowed to go in there."

"If Moose wanted a break, could she walk away from you right now? No she really couldn't. Let's move away from the play house. You can keep playing but now she can leave when she wants a break."

In conclusion, ***parent your child or your dog will do it for you, and you will not like how they do it.***

04/04/2024

Teaching with friends at the 2024 Bernese Mountain Dog Nationals. Such a lovely group - and such beautiful dogs! Thanks for inviting us. ❤️

03/18/2024

Like puppies? Got one? This will be terrific. Highly recommended.