Dr. Max: November 2013

Hi there. Dr. Max, still here. In case you need to see my credentials again, here they are: Ph.Do. in dogcology
from PUNY (Pooch University of New York), Maxter's from Mutger's University in New Jersey and a B.S. from Poundston, NJ. I am originally from Bayone, NJ but was adopted from foster care when I was 2 1/2 yrs old. I came to live in Skyview in the Bronx in December 2010. My human/Mama continues to help me focus on being less reactive and more sociable with humans and dogs of all sizes.

You have not heard from me for quite a while because there has been a lot going on. As I mentioned in my last post, Skyview, where I live, has been doing something awful called pointing. What this means is that they are drilling between the bricks and repairing mortar. They also drilled around the posts on the terrace. Apparently the posts are aluminum and the original builders did not leave room in the cement for the aluminium to contract and expand. The noise and dust have been horrific and we have not had access to our terrace. Everything from the terrace had to be brought inside so Mama just threw out our cafe table and chairs.

Man outside our window fixing the terrace.

At this time, Mama went a little nuts and got rid of a lot of our regular furniture. Then she just started moving everything around, painting and replacing the floors. There was no place for me to hide. There was noise everywhere which made me sick.
I am finally getting to my point of how stress affects dogs. We do experience many of the feelings that humans do. How you recognize stress in your pup is the following:

The number one sign of stress is soiling, the body is tense, tired appearance, change in pace, a different tail wag or lower than usual, whining, barking, avoids eye contact. red pigment around eyes and ears, jaw clomping, yawning, drooling, ears back or uneven, sits or lays down, paws sweating, irritability sniffing, digging, out of context behaviors. Please note that illness is a reaction to stress for us just as it is for you. That can include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, allergies, and skin reactions. I will say that a number of dogs in Skyview told me how sick they got from all the noise and dust.

I was throwing up for two days so Mama brought me to the vet. He

gave me a shot to stop the vomiting and fluids to replace electrolytes.

I stepped on a bee because of the contractors and off to the vet again. That hurt soooo much. He gave me a shot for the pain. a shot of steroid and an antibiotic.

Don't forget we read your body and pick up on your stress. We will try to calm you down but internalize the stress ourselves. Please take a break and take us both for a walk. Also, talk calmly to us and let us know everything is ok. Petco advises you not to coddle a dog because this might be perceived as positive reinforcement for exhibiting bad behavior due to stress. Whenever I get stressed Mama kisses me and says everything is ok. I like it and it helps to calm me down. At other times she yells treats to divert my attention. Works every time. I am such a sucker.

I pride myself on being a tough guy but I am really scared here. There are just too many changes. I need my routine.

I will also admit that I pooped in the apartment a few times. I never ever do anything like that but I was thrown off balance by all the noise of the drilling on the outside and the confusion of different men coming in to work within the apartment. It was all too much. The men are outside drilling today but Mama is home because it is a holiday so I feel better. She just got me groomed by Angela which sucks. I love Angela but I hate getting groomed. I do feel good though.

Some advice to help with your dog if he/she is stressed according to Petco:
Crate training. Personally I don’t like a crate but it can be a safe place for your dog. I hide under the bed.
Confine your dog to another room when having a party.
Keeping up basic routines. I find this is really helpful because it is something I can count on.
I know Carol comes on Mon and Wed and Renalto comes on Thur to walk me.
Take your dog to the vet to check him/her out. Sorry my fellow pups but it is necessary in case something is wrong physically. Also stress can create an illness. Check out Doctors Foster and Smith Ultra-Calm Biscuits for dogs. It helps control anxiety with natural formula with valerian root and chamomile. I get 3 to 4 of these when I get groomed. :)

On the positive side I have acquired two training certificates. I completed the Advanced course but Petsmart felt I had to let strangers pet me without treats. No one pets this boy without treats so I did not get a certificate. I am presently in the Tricks class with Judith whom I love. I do think that the stress of the past year has interfered with my training.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays in case I don’t get back to you by that time. I hate to say this too but be careful with human treats to your pooch. Apparently your pup can get pancreatitis from eating too much fat from human food. Yikes I feel like a traitor telling you that. Peace out to my fellow canines. Let's not forget those poor humans and animals in the Philippines.

Check out my web site http://drmaxdow.com

Dr. Max

Monday, November 11, 2013

Dr. Max. I'm here to help.