Category Archives: General

Can we share healthy people-food with our doggies?

By Melvin Peña via Dogster.com

Before you share fruit with Fido: Can dogs eat strawberries and can dogs eat apples? What about grapes or mangoes? Fruits that dogs can (and can’t!) eat.

I’m sure it’s occurred to you to wonder, what fruits can dogs eat? Can dogs eat strawberries? Can dogs eat apples? And can dogs eat grapes, mangoes, pears and raspberries…? Dogster has the lowdown on some of the most popular fruits and whether things like apples, grapes, strawberries, mangoes, pears, raspberries and other fruits are safe for dogs to have at snack, treat or mealtime.

For more click here

 

Setting the Record Straight on Spay and Neuter Myths

 

By Paula Fitzsimmons via PetMd

There’s no question that spay and neuter surgeries save lives. “Making the decision to spay or neuter a pet means fewer will be euthanized,” says Dr. Kate Maher, Louisiana state representative for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.

Spaying and neutering is also associated with increased health benefits and longevity. One study on reproduction’s impact on lifespan and cause of death in dogs found that sterilization increased life expectancy in females by 26.3 percent and in males by 13.8 percent.

But if you’re a first-time pet parent, you may have heard or read statements that give you pause. Neutering my dog will alter his personality. Spaying a female cat before a first litter is dangerous. Spay and neuter surgeries are unaffordable. These are all myths.

If you’re not sure what to believe, read on as veterinarians who are intimately connected with the issue help separate fact from fiction. As with human medicine, animals are unique individuals, which is why the best person to talk to about your pet’s health needs is, of course, your vet.

Myth 1: Females Who Have One Litter Before Getting Spayed Are Healthier

There’s no evidence that females who give birth before getting spayed reap any health benefits, says Dr. Susan Konecny, medical director for Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. “In fact, spaying female dogs and cats before their first heat cycle eliminates their risk of ovarian or uterine cancer, and it also greatly reduces their risk of mammary cancer.”

With each heat, an animal’s health risks actually increase. Konecny cites a study on mammary tumors in female dogs, in which researchers found that individuals spayed between their first and second heats had an 8 percent risk of developing malignant tumors when compared with intact females. That figure jumped to 26 percent when performed between the third and fourth heats. And spaying later than that put the female at the same risk level as intact dogs.

Spaying before the first litter also eliminates the risk of other pregnancy-related emergencies, says Dr. Holly Putnam, director of operations for Shelter Outreach Services in Ithaca, New York. This includes dystocia, a condition in which “kittens or puppies are unable to pass through the birth canal during labor, requiring an emergency C-section.”

Myth 2: Neutering Diminishes an Animal’s ‘Masculinity’

Unlike humans, animals have no actual concept of their sexuality, Konecny says. “And spaying or neutering will not change your pet’s natural disposition. For example, neutering male dogs does not render them useless for protection or guarding.”
 

Neutering (or spaying) also has no effect on an animal’s natural instinct. “A dog’s intelligence and personality is formed more by genetics and environmental factors than by sex hormones,” Maher says.

What sterilization does do, Maher says, is decrease testosterone, which can result in significant health benefits, including a reduced risk of prostate disease and testicular tumors.

And it can help reduce undesirable behaviors, Konecny says. “What we do know is that neutering male dogs was most effective at reducing urine marking, mounting behaviors and roaming, and neutering male cats greatly reduces or eliminates urine spraying, roaming, and fighting with other males.”

Myth 3: Surgery Is Too Expensive

Look at it this way: not opting for spay or neuter surgery may cost you more in the long run. You’re ultimately responsible for all those lives, whether you decide to keep them or adopt them out. Fortunately, affordable options are available when it comes to sterilization surgeries.

Pricing for spay and neuter surgeries varies by region and vet office. “Most regions in the U.S. have at least one spay/neuter clinic within driving distance that charges $100 or less for the procedure,” Maher says.

Many veterinary clinics provide discounts through subsidized voucher programs, she adds. “Low-cost spay and neuter is becoming more widely available all the time.” To find low-cost spay and neuter providers in your area, check out the database created by PetSmart Charities and ASPCA.

Some organizations may even be willing to perform spay and neuter for free. “Contact your local animal shelter or humane society, or your veterinarian, and tell them that you are looking for discounted spay or neutering services,” Konecny recommends.

Myth 4: Sterilization Is Directly Responsible for Weight Gain

Spay and neuter surgeries decrease the level of sex hormones, which does indeed slow down an animal’s metabolism, Konecny says. “Therefore, this has to be taken into account after the pet is spayed or neutered.”

But mostly, animals become overweight due to lack of appropriate diet and exercise—not specifically from being spayed or neutered, she says. “Dogs and cats are often fed quantities based on pet food manufacturers’ recommendations. Some will do well on the recommended amount, while others may need more or less food (usually less),” Konecny explains. “The age at which a dog or cat should be changed over to adult food will vary based on breed, size, and individual activity level and as your animal ages, it is important to adjust their diet and their exercise regimen accordingly so they remain healthy later in life.”

Other reported factors contributing to obesity include an animal’s breed, housing environment, age, and even the weight and age of the pet parent (our lifestyles can often rub off on our animals). “The truth is that the problem of companion animal obesity is multi-factorial and research studies indicate that spaying or neutering prior to 5 months of age may decrease the incidence of obesity,” Maher says.

The Debate Surrounding Spay and Neuter

 

Spay and neuter surgeries are not without their criticisms. “There is a great deal of controversy surrounding early spay/neuter based on recent studies on purebred dogs,” Konecny says. “This has created a great deal of debate as well as controversy in regards to what the appropriate age is.”

She says several published studies look at the long-term effects of spaying animals at an early age. “These studies received quite a bit of attention as they indicated that there may be a greater risk of developing certain types of cancers and musculoskeletal problems later in life in dogs that underwent early-age spay/neuter. However, many epidemiologists agree that further research needs to be performed before making any changes to our current age recommendation.”

The current age recommendation for spays and neuters is 6 months. Yet puppies and kittens currently and routinely undergo spay or neuter as early as 8 weeks of age, especially in animal shelters and high-volume spay and neuter clinics, says Putnam, who also serves on the board of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. “If you’re concerned about your puppy or kitten undergoing a surgery at such a young age, consider that most veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, and high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinics are experienced and highly skilled with meeting the anesthetic and surgical needs of pediatric animals.”

Ultimately, your vet will be in the best position to determine if your cat or dog is a good candidate for spay or neuter.

For more see PetMd

6 Ways to Help Your Old Dog Feel Young

6 Ways to Help Your Old Dog Feel Young

By John Gilpatrick

 

When your dog starts to get up there in age, he slows down. Maybe he withdraws a bit. He might put on some weight—or lose some, depending on his eating and exercise habits and his health status.

The age at which “adult dogs” become “senior dogs” varies from breed to breed, and certainly some individuals will start to show the signs of age sooner or later than others. According to Molly Sumner, a New Jersey-based certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant, many smaller breeds can live to 15 years and generally start to show their age between 9 and 11 years. Larger breeds have shorter life spans. They might live to just 8 or 10 years, and therefore, they become “senior” as early as 6 years old.

Regardless of age, as the dog’s caretaker, you owe it to him to make his golden years comfortable, healthy, and full of delight.

Follow these six tips to help your older dog feel young.

For more please see PetMd.com article: 6 Ways to Helps Your Old Dog Feel Young.

Missed Diagnoses: What to Do When You Think Your Vet Is Missing Something

Missed Diagnoses: What to Do When You Think Your Vet Is Missing Something

By Jennifer Coates   Originally Posted on December 18, 2017 at 09:08PM via PetMd.com

 

You know your pet best, but your veterinarian has more expertise when it comes to medicine. So what are pet parents supposed to do when they have a sneaking suspicion that their veterinarian has missed something? The answer: communication. In other words, talk to your vet!

Veterinarians are only human. As much as we hate to admit it, we can overlook things and make mistakes. Good vets understand this and are open to being questioned, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to approach this conversation. Here are three recommendations for talking about the possibility of a misdiagnosis or treatment error with your vet.

Attitude Matters

If you want your veterinarian to be open to acknowledging that they could be wrong, you should be willing to concede the same thing. Perhaps the vet has made a mistake, but something else might be going on, too. Your pet’s case may be especially difficult, require advanced testing, or they could be having an unusual response to treatment…the list of potential complications is almost endless. Go into the conversation with an open mind. You and your veterinarian are a team who can provide the best care for your pet when you work together.

That said, don’t be afraid of offending your veterinarian. Any doctor who can’t handle questions from an owner who obviously has their pet’s best interests at heart isn’t worth worrying about (or returning to).

Be Prepared

Your veterinarian is going to want to know what it is about your pet’s situation that makes you think that they have missed something. Come prepared with a list of symptoms that worry you. Maybe something has changed or you’ve remembered something since the last time you spoke. Be sure to bring that up. Admit that you have consulted Dr. Google (We know you have. We do it too when it comes to our own health.) and bring up any conditions that you are specifically concerned about.

Don’t expect all of your questions to be answered on the phone. There is a very good chance that your vet will need to examine your pet and perhaps even run some new tests. A pet’s condition can change rapidly, so what might not have been evident initially could be readily apparent at a recheck.

Go with Your Gut

If after all of this you are still worried about your pet’s care, it’s time for a second opinion. Ask your veterinarian if they think a referral to a specialist is in order, or if you’d rather not have that conversation, you can schedule an appointment for a second opinion yourself. Just make sure that you provide a complete copy of all your pet’s medical records so the new veterinarian is up-to-date on the testing and treatment that has already taken place.

If your pet’s symptoms are vague and relatively mild, you can make an appointment with a general practitioner. Ask around or look at online reviews to find a veterinarian who seems to be a good fit. If, however, your pet’s condition is more serious, getting the services of a specialist would be best. The website Vetspecialists.com includes listings for specialists who are board-certified in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, and oncology. Other types of specialists can be found through these links:

A misdiagnosis can have serious consequences. Don’t delay in getting your pets the care they need.

Caring for Your Pet’s Skin During the Winter Season

 

By the time we reach adulthood, most of us have discovered that winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin. Humidity is low, the outside air is cold and windy, and we’re going in and out of cold to warm and back again throughout each day. Even in homes with great ventilation, our bodies have to struggle to keep up with the temperature and moisture changes that occur throughout the day.

It stands to reason that the body cannot always keep up the necessary balance of chemicals, oils and bacteria the skin needs to stay soft, flexible and comfortable, and the common result is dry, itchy, flaking skin. What is true for human skin is often true for animal skin, as well, and many of the same remedies are useful for both preventing and treating skin problems in dogs.

Bathing and Grooming Your Dog

One of the typical conditions that occur as a result of a change in environmental conditions is dandruff. Simply put, dandruff is often just the normal result of dead skin cells that are visible on the surface of the skin or hair. However, this can become an unsightly or uncomfortable problem when the skin is producing excessive amounts of sebum – a fatty product of the sebaceous glands in the skin – and skin cell turnover increases. The dead skin cells may clump up or remain as patchy layers on the surface of the skin. This problem tends to be more prevalent in the winter.

Unfortunately, for dogs that have sensitive skin, shampooing them can make the problem worse. To avoid stripping the skin’s natural oils or causing chemical irritation, bathing with shampoos or soaps should be limited during the winter months. Simple water baths should be sufficient under most circumstances. If you must bathe your pet, use a moisturizing shampoo for sensitive skin, along with a moisturizing rinse.

If you have already passed the point of prevention and find that you need to treat your dog for irritated skin, oatmeal baths have been a long held and common remedy for soothing skin. There are also specially medicated shampoos for itchy skin, but there are considerations to take into account, such as your dog’s age and health status. You will need to base your skin treatment choices on the type of hair coat your dog has, as well, or whether your dog has layers of skin that overlap. If you have any questions about what type of shampoo or topical ointment to use, talk to your veterinarian or groomer about your best options for treating your dog’s skin.

Using a soft brush on your dog’s hair coat will help to stimulate the hair follicles and natural oil glands in the skin, and remove any patches of skin as you brush across the surface. Removing the dead skin cells and loose hair from the coat will allow the skin a chance to repair itself.

Nutrition and Supplementation for the Skin

Throughout the year, your dog should be receiving a diet that is nutritionally balanced, so that when winter does arrive, her skin is already in the best health. That does not mean that your dog will not still have problems, but they will be minimized and easier to treat, generally speaking.

For example, adequate levels of fatty acids are an essential component of healthy and firm, yet flexible, skin. If you and your dog have already suffered through a tough winter or two, you may want to look into putting him on a special diet that provides additional levels of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids specifically for the maintenance of healthy skin. Consult with your veterinarian so you can make an informed choice about which supplemental vitamins and/or foods will be best suited to your dog.

Environmental Considerations

While you cannot control the outside temperatures, and you cannot keep your dog indoors all the time – after all, she has to go outside to relieve herself – you can maximize your indoor air with humidifiers and fans to keep the air circulating so that allergens are not collecting in the air and carpets.

To keep everyone comfortable, both pets and people, avoid as much as possible using room deodorizers, scents, or carpet and furniture cleaning products, since there is no way to air out the chemical traces of these products from the home.

Other Causes of Skin Problems

In addition to winter changes, there are also the usual culprits — dust mites, molds, etc. — which are not being aired out and which may lead to an increase in reactive skin or breathing symptoms, especially if your dog tends to be sensitive under normal circumstances. Your veterinarian can help to diagnose and treat indoor allergies and provide relief in the form of medications, supplements, or special shampoos.

Other potential causes of skin conditions can come from sources such as parasites, underlying health issues like kidney or liver problems, or hormonal or nutritional imbalances. If your dog is not responding to any of the normal treatment methods, you will need to have him examined so that more serious health issues can be ruled out.

It is important to note that if you find your dog scratching non-stop, to the point that damage to the skin is resulting from the excessive scratching, you will need to see your veterinarian immediately, before the skin irrigation becomes a more severe bacterial infection.

Source: https://www.petmd.com/dog/seasonal/evr_dg_winter_skin_care

Image: Rowena / via Flickr

Study reveals dogs are programmed to want to us to be happy

Of all the animals mankind interacts with on a regular basis, dogs have always seemed to be the most in tune with our emotional states. New research has attempted to examine why that might be, and scientists now believe they have evidence to show that dogs are incredibly adept at learning human facial cues. As it turns out, dogs really, really want their human companions to be happy, and may even share the reliance on the hormone oxytocin to promote social bonding with their two-legged caretakers.

For more see:  Study reveals dogs are programmed to want to us to be happy

MRIs can help us accept mental illness

Incredible insight into mental illness and how the brain is actually functionally different – an absolute medical disorder – and helpful to those who have Service Dogs to assist with their medical disorder.

MRIs can help us accept mental illness

 

 

As a psychiatrist, I find that one of the hardest parts of my job is telling parents and their children that they are not to blame for their illness.

Children with emotional and behavioral problems continue to suffer considerable stigma. Many in the medical community refer to them as “diagnostic and therapeutic orphans.” Unfortunately, for many, access to high-quality mental health care remains elusive.

An accurate diagnosis is the best way to tell whether or not someone will respond well to treatment, though that can be far more complicated than it sounds.

I have written three textbooks about using medication in children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems. I know that this is never a decision to take lightly.

But there’s reason for hope. While not medically able to diagnose any psychiatric condition, dramatic advances in brain imaging, genetics and other technologies are helping us objectively identify mental illness.

Knowing the signs of sadness

All of us experience occasional sadness and anxiety, but persistent problems may be a sign of a deeper issue. Ongoing issues with sleeping, eating, weight, school and pathologic self-doubt may be signs of depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Separating out normal behavior from problematic behavior can be challenging. Emotional and behavior problems can also vary with age. For example, depression in pre-adolescent children occurs equally in boys and girls. During adolescence, however, depression rates increase much more dramatically in girls than in boys.

It can be very hard for people to accept that they – or their family member – are not to blame for their mental illness. That’s partly because there are no current objective markers of psychiatric illness, making it difficult to pin down. Imagine diagnosing and treating cancer based on history alone. Inconceivable! But that is exactly what mental health professionals do every day. This can make it harder for parents and their children to accept that they don’t have control over the situation.

Fortunately, there are now excellent online tools that can help parents and their children screen for common mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder and more.

Most important of all is making sure your child is assessed by a licensed mental health professional experienced in diagnosing and treating children. This is particularly important when medications that affect the child’s brain are being considered.

Seeing the problem

Thanks to recent developments in genetics, neuroimaging and the science of mental health, it’s becoming easier to characterize patients. New technologies may also make it easier to predict who is more likely to respond to a particular treatment or experience side effects from medication.

Our laboratory has used brain MRI studies to help unlock the underlying anatomy, chemistry and physiology underlying OCD. This repetitive, ritualistic illness – while sometimes used among laypeople to describe someone who is uptight – is actually a serious and often devastating behavioral illness that can paralyze children and their families.

In children with OCD, the brain’s arousal center, the anterior cingulate cortex, is ‘hijacked.’ This causes critical brain networks to stop working properly. Image adapted from Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2015; 9: 1-11., CC BY-SA

Through sophisticated, high-field brain imaging techniques – such as fMRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy – that have become available recently, we can actually measure the child brain to see malfunctioning areas.

We have found, for example, that children 8 to 19 years old with OCD never get the “all clear signal” from a part of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex. This signal is essential to feeling safe and secure. That’s why, for example, people with OCD may continue checking that the door is locked or repeatedly wash their hands. They have striking brain abnormalities that appear to normalize with effective treatment.

We have also begun a pilot study with a pair of identical twins. One has OCD and the other does not. We found brain abnormalities in the affected twin, but not in the unaffected twin. Further study is clearly warranted, but the results fit the pattern we have found in larger studies of children with OCD before and after treatment as compared to children without OCD.

Exciting brain MRI and genetic findings are also being reported in childhood depression, non-OCD anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD and schizophrenia, among others.

Meanwhile, the field of psychiatry continues to grow. For example, new techniques may soon be able to identify children at increased genetic risk for psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

New, more sophisticated brain imaging and genetics technology actually allows doctors and scientists to see what is going on in a child’s brain and genes. For example, by using MRI, our laboratory discovered that the brain chemical glutamate, which serves as the brain’s “light switch,” plays a critical role in childhood OCD.

What a scan means

When I show families their child’s MRI brain scans, they often tell me they are relieved and reassured to “be able to see it.”

Children with mental illness continue to face enormous stigma. Often when they are hospitalized, families are frightened that others may find out. They may hesitate to let schools, employers or coaches know about a child’s mental illness. They often fear that other parents will not want to let their children spend too much time with a child who has been labeled mentally ill. Terms like “psycho” or “going mental” remain part of our everyday language.

The example I like to give is epilepsy. Epilepsy once had all the stigma that mental illness today has. In the Middle Ages, one was considered to be possessed by the devil. Then, more advanced thinking said that people with epilepsy were crazy. Who else would shake all over their body or urinate and defecate on themselves but a crazy person? Many patients with epilepsy were locked in lunatic asylums.

Then in 1924, psychiatrist Hans Berger discovered something called the electroencephalogram (EEG). This showed that epilepsy was caused by electrical abnormalities in the brain. The specific location of these abnormalities dictated not only the diagnosis but the appropriate treatment.

The ConversationThat is the goal of modern biological psychiatry: to unlock the mysteries of the brain’s chemistry, physiology and structure. This can help better diagnose and precisely treat childhood onset mental illness. Knowledge heals, informs and defeats ignorance and stigma every time.

David Rosenberg, Professor, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Wayne State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Pets and Halloween

Halloween Scares at the Vet Clinic: Don’t Let These Happen to You

 

By Megan Sullivan    October 06, 2017 at 08:03PM

 

Halloween is a time for clever costumes, sugary treats, and spooky fun. But these fall festivities can also present risks for pets. We spoke with our veterinary experts about Halloween-related pet mishaps they’ve encountered over the years. Don’t let one of these scary situations happen to you and your beloved companion.

Halloween Scares at the Vet Clinic

While out trick-or-treating at night, some families use glow sticks to keep themselves visible and safe. But if you leave these items laying around the house, your curious dog or cat might be tempted to chew on them. Dr. Jennifer Coates, a veterinary advisor for petMD, once received a call about a dog who got into a bag of glow sticks.

“The dog was drooling like crazy and obviously unhappy, on top of looking like an iridescent space alien,” Coates remembers. While the liquid inside of the glow stick tastes awful and can sometimes even make pets vomit, Coates assured her client that it is not actually toxic. “She offered her dog a handful of treats to help get rid of the taste, and he was soon back to normal.”

A glowing pet may be a scary sight to behold, but other Halloween mishaps can be life-threatening. One of the most common emergencies veterinarians see during Halloween involves dogs eating candy—especially chocolate. Chocolate can be toxic to both dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures.

“Several dogs get into the Halloween candy if it is left in their reach,” says Dr. Katie Grzyb, medical director at One Love Animal Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. “Chocolate can be toxic at certain amounts. Luckily, in many cases, if ingestion is caught early enough, the patient can be brought to their veterinarian and emesis (vomiting) can be induced. Some dogs may require hospitalization with fluids, charcoal, and monitoring for arrhythmias and/or neurologic signs.” 

Halloween candies that contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener, can also be poisonous to pets. Pet parents should also be cautious of candy wrappers, which can cause gastrointestinal upset or intestinal blockages, if ingested.

Dr. Steven Friedenberg, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, recalls one instance where a smaller mixed-breed dog ate an entire bag of candy that was filled with all sorts of treats, ranging from chocolate bars to gummy worms. “We induced vomiting and were able to get many of the candy wrappers out of the dog’s stomach, but much of the chocolate had been absorbed already,” says Friedenberg, who specializes in emergency and critical care.

The dog needed to be hospitalized and put on medications to control elevated heart rate and blood pressure, he says, as well as receive sedatives for agitation associated with chocolate ingestion. “Fortunately, the dog did well, but it was an expensive stay for the owners.”

Dr. Christine Rutter, clinical assistant professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, shares a similar tale of a dog who ate a medley of Halloween candy—but with a ghostly twist. “We induced vomiting and got the dog started on fluids and medications for overnight care, and I went to give the owner an update,” recalls Rutter, who specializes in emergency and critical care. “At the end of the interview, the owner stopped me and asked if there are any ghosts in the hospital. Puzzled, but playing along, I replied that I am unaware of ghosts in the hospital, and that I am in the hospital at all hours, so would have a good chance of seeing them if they existed.”

The owner was completely serious. She told Rutter that her big, friendly Pitbull was terrified of ghosts and cemeteries, and that she chose this 24-hour specialty hospital specifically because it didn’t have any Halloween decorations up. She believed that her canine companion got into the candy because he was overly stressed by the season. Rutter kept a straight face, and assured the owner she would do everything in her power to protect the dog.

“I dutifully passed on the message to the doctor who took over his care for the next shift,” Rutter says. “The dog ended up doing well and not having any unexpected encounters while in our care. Writing, ‘Keep away from Halloween decorations, cemeteries, and ghosts’ on a treatment sheet for a monster-sized, adorable, white meatball of a dog has been one of the highlights of my job.”

Source:  http://www.petmd.com/news/care-safety/halloween-scares-vet-clinic-dont-let-these-happen-you-36443

Help With Flying With Your Service Dog

Help With Flying With Your Service Dog

This is very, very important for all clients to understand regarding Airline Assistance requests. I (Laurie, CEO) get a LOT of requests for help with Airline Travel, which is very important because I make sure that the airlines know that each client is flying with a Service Dog, and I know to emphasize with the more “stringent” airlines that SD’s that help people with psychiatric disabilities are called in by me as MEDICAL ALERT SERVICE DOGS. This is truth, because the ADA no longer even uses the term “psychiatric Service Dog” – they have been put in the same category as ALL Service Dogs, because psychiatric disabilities are literally medical conditions affecting the brain. I have to reiterate to many airlines that it is NOT an emotional support animal, because if they ask what the SD is for, if I say ANYTHING that resembles something psychiatric, they often don’t follow the ADA laws and they will immediately classify it as an ESA: requiring extensive paperwork, a fee, etc. I have learned very well how to work with the more difficult airlines, such as American. I reiterate to them that once they have listed the SD, they REPEAT back to me that the handler is not required to show ANY paperwork – simply that the SD is vested and has proof of rabies. I then verify with the airlines that the handler and SD team will be guided into the Priority TSA screening line, and get priority boarding. I have been working for years with Congress and to revise the Air Carrier Access Act so that Service Dog handlers who have psychiatric disabilities are treated no less respectfully as clients who have other disabilities. It is a long work in progress.

The ONE thing I cannot do for sure is this: if the handler making the reservation does NOT book the bulkhead seats, the only thing I can do is ASK the Special Assistance department if the seats can be changed. That is something I cannot guarantee. So, PLEASE, when you make your reservations, say that you are flying with a Medical Alert Service Dog, and try your best to book the bulkheads, especially with larger dogs. I will always still ensure that the process is as seamless as possible for all of you, will receive confirmation calls from the airlines 48 hours and 24 hours in advance to re-confirm, and will gladly walk each client/SD team through the entire process; but as much as I will try, I cannot guarantee that the airline will automatically give each client the bulkhead. And remember – after I call, and you are at the check-in desk, they might ask you the only two questions that they can ask. 1) Is this a Service Dog and 2) What tasks does this dog perform? ALL you have to say is 1) Yes and 2) He is a Medical Alert Service Dog OR My Service Dog helps me with my daily functioning. Travel requests require a lot of time for me on the phone with both the reservation departments and the Special Assistance departments, but I will always follow-through with this. Thank you!

If you are a SDE client and needs assistance with the airline, please click here. 

Importance Of Flea Prevention

Just to emphasize the importance of flea prevention for your Service Dogs. Please do not trust anything but the veterinarian-recommended brands. The types that you can buy at stores that sell generic brands such as Haartz, etc., are NOT as effective. All SDs must be on veterinarian recommended flea/tick/parasite control AND heartworm medicine every single month.

Public health officials in two northern Arizona counties have issued warnings that fleas in the area tested positive for plague.