Dr. Max: 2015

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Dr. Max wishes you safe and happy holidays.

Happy Holidays

Profile: Dr. Max is an 8 year old Shih Tzu living in Riverdale, NY.
Qualifications: Ph.Do., PUNY (Pooch University of NY), MA in Psychology, Mutger's University, NJ; BS, Poundston College, NJ.

The topic is A safe holiday for your pets. I wanted to remind everyone that though this is hopefully a happy time please remember some simple rules to keep your precious family members safe.

9 Foods that can be dangerous for your dog:

(picture from Pinterest)

Turkey breast - high fat foods can lead to pancreatitis.

Sage - contains oils dangerous for your dog and can cause indigestion.

Nuts - Can a have a reaction within 12 hours=vomiting, inability to stand and tremors. Symptoms can either go away or lead to deadly shock.

Cooked bones - These can splinter inside your dog's digestive tract and cause major problems.

Nutmeg Using nutmeg in sweet potatoes and pumpkin can cause seizures if your dog consumes it alone or in these sides. It can lead to death in extreme cases.

Alcohol - Small amounts especially beer can cause life threatening toxicity. Hops in beer can cause elevated body temperature, racing heart, vomiting and sometimes death.

Chocolate, Dough and Batter - Small amounts of chocolate can harm them and dough can rise inside their bellies, which causes pain for your dog.Spare batter contains uncooked eggs, which are always a risk for Salmonella.

(pictures from pinterest)

KEEPING PETS SAFE
It is probably a good idea to keep them separated and stress free in a spare room or behind a gate. Cats, of course, can jump over a gate so do the best you can. Do remember to pay some attention to them. They can have feelings of being overwhelmed or abandoned.

3 Plants coming into your home that will have to be eliminated.

Mistletoe - especially berries

Holly - especially berries

Poinsettia - leaves, stem, leaves http://m.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/poisonous_plants.pdf

There are many things that lie around and can be dangerous for your pet. Please be vigilant in keeping these things away from them.

Christmas trees - keep your pet supervised around them.

7 decorations to be mindful of.

Imitation snow - hazardous if ingested.

Preservatives on your tree - they can leach into the water in the bowl and your pet will drink that.

Edible ornaments - Too much sugar can cause a rush, glue used could be toxic, materials can be poisonous or hazardous.

Lit candles - Enough said.

Christmas lights - Keep the strands away from the bottom where a cat or dog can easily chew on the electric cords. Make sure the end of the extension cord is tucked away so your pet cannot get to it.

Angel Hair - Finely spun fiberglass used in vintage decorations but has since been taken off the market. Don't use old decorations made from angel hair. Newer versions made from PVC can also cause health concerns.

Tinsel - The most dangerous holiday decoration for your pets. Just ingesting a few strands of tinsel by your pet is highly likely to make your pet ill and even create deadly effects of an intestinal obstruction.

Mama and I wish you all Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

Don't forget you can get a Dr. Max calendar on Etsy or Ebay. If you have trouble ordering

just email Mama at itadow@gmail.com.

A few days ago another girlfriend passed away. Her name was Honey Dew and she had moved to FL so I had not seen her in awhile. I so missed visiting her in her nice, clean and organized home. She was always such a happy pooch and I loved being around her. We spent a lot of time together when there was very loud noises in our buildings. We took turns staying together in each others homes.
I know her Mama, Mercedes, is feeling very sad and I feel badly for her. Please send your condolances to Mercedes.

© Dr. Max/Ita Dowler/maxdow all rights reserved July 8, 2012

http://drmaxdow.com

you can reach me at itadow@gmail.com

mama’s website www.psychotherapybyita.com (new one coming next month)

mama’s twitter account: @ItaDowler

Monday, October 5, 2015

Dr Max talks about anxiety

Profile: Dr. Max 8 year old Shih Tzu living in Riverdale, NY.

Qualifications: Ph.Do, PUNY, (Pooch University of NY); MA in Psychology, Mutger's University, NJ; BS, Poundston College, NJ

The topic is Anxiety in dogs. I would like to add that much of this information is relevant to other species. I have the honor of interviewing my cousin Galway. He is a Beagle and is eight years old. He has been living with his Mama for five years. Galway has suffered from an anxiety disorder for most of his life and luckily was rescued by his Mama, Lorraine.

Dr Max: Galway, it is so nice to catch up with you. Can you tell us about the symptoms of anxiety that you experience and some of your history?

Galway: Hi Dr Max. Thanks for doing this interview. So many dogs who suffer with anxiety are misunderstood and get punished for bad behavior when we can't help our impulses. I will tell you that I lived with a family where I was socialized as a puppy but not on lead. I was allowed to run in the woods with other dogs. Did you know that a puppy has to be socialized between 4-14 weeks and that is it? After that the pooch will experience stress when he or she is near another dog.

Dr Max: Yes, I read that. I understand that you fare better when off lead. Is that true?

Galway: Yes that is true because I feel comfortable and more in control when I am off leash. I am still shy but I will hang out at the doggy spa with the other dogs. The problem is that when on the leash I feel so much anxiety that my impulse is to go on the offensive and try to get to the other dog. This has caused major problems for my Mama. Just like humans, anxious dogs need to feel they have control.

Dr Max: That has to be hard on both of you. In looking at your chart I see that you have some phobias.

Galway: Well if you want to call them that. I hate being left alone. I get so anxious that I get destructive. I am so afraid of being abandoned again that fear just gets a grip on me. I am also afraid of carriages. Don't ask! I am a Beagle so I think it is in my DNA to howl when I see prey but Mama says carriages are not prey.

Dr Max: So you went to see the Behaviorist/Vet Dr Shepherd. I see in your chart that she put you on Prozac. How is that working for you?

Galway: In the beginning I felt more anxious but after awhile I was okay. I also went into training with Instinct. They are specialists in dealing with troubled dogs and they work closely with Dr Shepherd. The trainers are a lot of fun and seemed to care about me. My initiation was to stay at Instinct for one month and Mama was allowed to visit me periodically.

Dr Max: How do you feel now since it has been some time that you have had your training and been maintained on Prozac?

Galway: To tell you the truth, I am feeling much better but anxiety can still creep into my life. I get very upset when I run into dogs on a leash that I don't know. Carriages still get to me and I am not crazy about thunder either. Fortunately, I only see carriages in Riverdale. I am happy when I am at home with Mama and I also like her friends. I feel much more secure in State College and my NYC vet wants to wean me off of the Prozac once I am able to handle the triggers that set off my anxiety.

Dr Max: Well Galway thank you for letting us get to know you and helping to explain how anxiety has affected not only your life but your Mama's. I see that you brought a photo so humans and dogs can see you experience anxiety because your Mama has left, even though my Mama is with you and has lots of treats. Riverdale was a tough transition for you. I have some issues with Riverdale too.

In my next blog I will discuss anxiety in more depth since this disorder affects many species on the planet including humans. Let's get ready for Fall.

In loving memory of my good friend Ella who recently passed away. I will always miss her.
Dr Max.

http://www.dr.maxdow.com