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Our business has grown so we have moved to a new office. This is great news, as we are now able to offer both house calls and in clinic appointments. We also have a little more evening availability, which should help you get in for those last-minute exams.
Our office will be staffed with a real, live person every day from 3-7 pm, and walk-by visits for treats or just to visit are welcome. We can also offer pick-ups for medications or food during those hours.
Our new hours are:
Monday: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am – 8:00pm
Thursday: 7:30am – 7:00pm
Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am-4:00pm (One Saturday per month)
Sunday: 10:00am-4:00pm (Emergencies Only)
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
With wagging tails and kitty kisses,
Dr. Hanna Ekstrom & Team
With wagging tails and sweet kitty kisses,
Occasionally owners of very active dogs come to my office convinced that their dogs are hyperactive and have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Do these conditions really exist in dogs?
Hyperactivity is “a rare clinical syndrome characterized by overactivity, attention deficits, impulsivity, high resting basal physiologic parameters and a paradoxical calming response to amphetamines.1 Labeling these dogs as “hyperkinetic” may be clearer; they do not habituate to normal stimuli, are reactive, and cannot seem to rest even in calm, quiet surroundings. Within veterinary practice, the condition appears to be rather rare. The signs noted by owners are usually attributable to breed dispositions, conditioned behavior, or lack of appropriate outlets for activity and exercise.
Signalment of Hyperkinesis
True hyperkinesis is often presented in adult dogs (age 3 years and older) that have not learned to settle upon reaching social maturity. Physiologic measures consist of increased heart and respiratory rates, low body condition score, and failure to habituate to external stimuli. The dogs appear agitated and reactive and cannot settle. They remain emotionally aroused in the absence of significant stimuli or for a prolonged period upon removal of the stimuli. They may not ever habituate to common household stimuli, such as appliances turning on and off or people going about their normal routines.
History
It is imperative to differentiate between behaviors that are abnormal and those that are normal but unwanted. In taking the patient’s history, you should elicit an accurate description of unwanted behaviors; the rate and intensity of their occurrences; and whether the dog has adequate exercise, social interaction, and exploration. You should examine the daily management of the pet over an average 24-hour period, noting when it eats, exercises, and obtains enrichment. You should also assess the quality of those interactions and the time the pet spends alone or confined. The way the family responds to unwanted behaviors is informative and often reveals deficiencies in social contact and physical exercise, a lack of appropriate training, the use of punishment, or an environment in which the animal has learned to use physical activity to get attention.
Discrete descriptions of the areas of concern are essential. Owners should clearly elucidate the behavioral pattern of the unwanted behavior (such as jumping on visitors, barking out the window, pulling on the leash, and not following commands). Determine any circumstances in which the dog will settle and be calm. Ask whether hiking, vigorous walks, or playtime result in a calmer, well-mannered dog. Ask questions about aggression directed toward family or visitors.
Treatment
Few dogs are diagnosed with true hyperkinesis. Thus, in most cases in which an owner reports hyperactivity, the initial treatment should address the need for adequate daily exercise and stimulation.
Encourage owners to consider the following:
• Use control devices (head halters and no-pull harnesses) to allow walks to take place.
• Provide mental engagement using puzzles and food-dispensing toys.
• Refrain from using punishment so that anxiety associated with owner interactions decreases.
• Identify the desired behaviors rather than focusing on what the dog must “stop” doing.
• Attend training classes that focus on reinforcement to teach the desired responses.
• Assess behavioral changes at 2- to 4-week intervals and schedule rechecks as necessary.
Hope you have enjoyed reading! This information was obtained through Clinician’s Brief, a publication on NAVC.
Dr. Ekstrom
Following is an article that came from USA Today-Paw Print Post about the potential dangers of giving your dog a bone…
Giving your dog a bone is a dangerous practice and can cause serious injury to your pet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a consumer update Wednesday.
“Some people think it’s safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast,” says Carmela Stamper, D.V.M., a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration. “Bones are unsafe no matter what their size.”
10 reasons to avoid them:
Broken teeth. This may call for expensive veterinary dentistry.
Mouth or tongue injuries. These can be very bloody and messy and may require a trip to see your veterinarian.
Bone gets looped around your dog’s lower jaw. This can be frightening or painful for your dog and potentially costly to you, as it usually means a trip to see your veterinarian.
Bone gets stuck in esophagus, the tube that food travels through to reach the stomach. Your dog may gag, trying to bring the bone back up, and will need to see your veterinarian.
Bone gets stuck in windpipe. This may happen if your dog accidentally inhales a small enough piece of bone. This is an emergency because your dog will have trouble breathing. Get your pet to your veterinarian immediately!
Bone gets stuck in stomach. It went down just fine, but the bone may be too big to pass out of the stomach and into the intestines. Depending on the bone’s size, your dog may need surgery or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a procedure in which your veterinarian uses a long tube with a built-in camera and grabbing tools to try to remove the stuck bone from the stomach.
Bone gets stuck in intestines and causes a blockage. It may be time for surgery.
Constipation due to bone fragments. Your dog may have a hard time passing the bone fragments because they’re very sharp and they scrape the inside of the large intestine or rectum as they move along. This causes severe pain and may require a visit to your veterinarian.
Severe bleeding from the rectum. This is very messy and can be dangerous. It’s time for a trip to see your veterinarian.
Peritonitis. This nasty, difficult-to-treat bacterial infection of the abdomen is caused when bone fragments poke holes in your dog’s stomach or intestines. Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog.
Dr. Ekstrom
For a small shipping fee, we can now order and ship medications and certain foods directly to you through a system called Proxy Rx. They carry Iams, Royal Canin and Purina. Simply call or email the clinic with your request. We will then send you an invoice with your total, including shipping. Once payment is received, we will order your products and they will be shipped directly to you. Most orders are delivered within 2-3 business days.
Dr. Ekstrom
Dr. Lyn Jones is an amazing veterinarian and joined our practice several months ago. Dr. Lyn holds a Bachelor of Science in human genetics from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and a degree from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in Boston. She has been practicing veterinary medicine in the Seattle area for over 20 years and has a passion for saving animals. Dr. Lyn has provided fill-in (relief) veterinary services for practitioners on vacation or sick leave in facilities all over the Seattle area. Exposure to a wide variety of veterinary philosophies has provided her with a unique perspective on the great many different ways one can approach a case for optimal outcome. She is compassionate to the needs of pets and pet owners alike and takes a highly individualized approach to each pet’s case. Additionally, she enjoys working with geriatric animals and high-needs animals and understands how to provide them with the best quality of life possible.
Try scheduling your next appointment with her!
Dr. Ekstrom
While our regular service area for house calls is generally within 10-13 miles of our downtown Bothell clinic, we will travel further for end of life care. You can find this information on our website: http://www.yourathomevet.com or give us a call at 425-402-0187. End of life services are provided for areas such as Ballard, Queen Anne, Edmonds and Silver Lake, to name just a few.
Thanks for reading!
Dr. Ekstrom
What is the best technique for crate training older pets and adult dogs?
1) For adult dogs or older puppies that have not been crate trained previously, set up the crate in the dog’s feeding area with the door open for a few days. Place food, treats, and water in the crate so that the dog enters the crate on its own. Another alternative is to place the crate in the dog’s sleeping area with its bedding. Once the dog is entering the crate freely, it is time to close the door.
2) Using the same training techniques as for ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ training, have the dog enter its crate for short periods of time to obtain food, treats, or chew toys. Once the pet expects treats each time it enters the crate, train the dog to enter the crate on command (e.g. kennel!), and have the dog remain in the kennel for progressively longer periods of time, before the dog is allowed to exit. Give small rewards each time the dog enters the cage at first, and give the dog a favored chew toy or some food to help make the stay more enjoyable. At first, the door can remain open during these training sessions.
3) When the dog is capable of staying comfortably and quietly in the crate begin to lock the dog in the crate at nighttime. Once the dog sleeps in the crate through the night, try leaving the pet in the crate during the daytime. Try short departures first, and gradually make them longer.
Is crate training practical for all dogs?
An occasional dog may not tolerate crate training, and may continue to show anxiety, or even eliminate when confined. These dogs may adapt better to other types of confinement such as a pen, dog run, small room, or barricaded area. Of course, if the dog is being left alone for longer than it can control (hold in) its elimination, it will be necessary to provide an area much larger than a cage, so that the pet has a location on which to eliminate, away from its food and bedding.
Continued anxiety, destruction or vocalization when placed in the crate may indicate separation anxiety. The intervention of a behaviorist may be needed.
Thanks for reading!
Dr. Ekstrom
Why do dogs need to be confined?
Dogs are highly social animals that make wonderful pets. They can be effective as watchdogs, are excellent companions for play and exercise, and are sources of affection and comfort. However, with the lifestyle and schedule of the majority of families, dogs must learn to spend a portion of the day at home, while their human family is away at school, work, shopping or recreational activities. During those times when you are away and unavailable to supervise, the pet may still feel the need to chew, play, explore, eat, or eliminate.
How can this misbehavior be prevented?
Preventing such inappropriate behaviors when you are absent involves both scheduling and prevention. Scheduling means insuring that the pet has had the opportunity to play, eat, and eliminate before you leave it in its confinement area or crate. Prevention involves keeping the pet in a confined area where it is secure, safe, and can do no damage to itself or your possessions.
What are my options for confinement?
Depending on the structure of your home, it may be possible to dog-proof the house by closing a few doors, or putting up some child gates or barricades. The dog can then be allowed access to the remaining areas of the house. Another option is to use avoidance devices that keep the pet away from selected areas using motion detectors, citronella spray collars or other forms of “booby-traps” (see our handout on ‘Behavior management products’). If this dog-proofing is not possible when you have to leave, confine the dog to a single room, pen, or crate. This smaller confinement area not only provides safety for the dog and protection of the home from damage, but also provides a means of teaching the dog what it is supposed to chew, and where it is supposed to eliminate.
Isn’t crate training cruel?
Crate training is neither cruel nor unfair. On the contrary, leaving the dog unsupervised to wander, investigate, destroy, and perhaps injure itself is far more inhumane than confinement. Ensure that the crate is large enough so the dog gets sufficient food, play, exercise and attention before it is confined, and you return before the dog needs to urinate or defecate.
What are the benefits of crate training?
The two most important benefits are the safety it affords the pet, and the damage that is prevented. The cage also provides a place of security; a comfortable retreat where the dog can relax, sleep, or chew on a favorite toy. Behavior problems can be immediately prevented by confining the pet to a crate or room, when the owner is not available to supervise. When you are at home, supervision and rewards can be used to prevent undesirable behavior, and to teach the dog where to eliminate, what to chew, and what rooms and areas are “out of bounds.”
Will cage confinement help with house-training?
Yes. Crate training is one of the quickest and most effective ways to house-train a dog. Since most dogs instinctively avoid eliminating in their sleeping and eating areas, dogs that use their crate as a bed or “den” will seldom eliminate inside unless they have been left in the crate for too long. Crate training can also help teach the dog to develop control over its elimination (see our handout on ‘Puppy – getting started and house training guide’).
As soon as your dog is released from its crate, take it to the designated area and reward elimination at acceptable locations. Since the crate prevents chewing, digging, and elimination on the owner’s home and property, owners of crate trained puppies have fewer behavior concerns, the puppy receives far less discipline and punishment, and the overall relationship between pet and owner can be dramatically improved.
Will the crate provoke barking?
No. The crate can also be a useful way to reduce or eliminate distress barking. Rather than locking the puppy up and away from the owners at night time or during mealtime, the puppy can be housed in its crate in the bedroom or kitchen. In this way the puppy cannot get into mischief, and is less likely to cry out or vocalize, if the owners are in the room. If the puppy is locked away in a laundry room or basement with no access to the owners, distress vocalization is far more likely. If the owner then goes to the puppy to quiet it down or check it out, the crying behavior is rewarded.
What about caging and travel?
Of course, throughout its life, whether traveling or boarding, the dog may require crate confinement. Those dogs that are familiar and comfortable with caging are more likely to feel secure, and far less stressed, should caging be required.
Check back in a few days for tips of crate training your puppy and adult dog.
Thanks for reading!
Dr. Ekstrom
This client information is based on material written by Debra Horwitz, DVM, DACVB and
Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVB. © Copyright 2002 Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. April 8, 2010.
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….
Author unknown…
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