Marty and Laura tackle a listener question about runny noses in cats and kittens — and it turns into a deep dive on feline health essentials every cat owner needs to know.

Topics covered:

• Common causes of feline upper respiratory infections (herpesvirus, calicivirus, chlamydia, Bordetella) and why herpes virus is a lifelong condition that flares under stress
• What FVRCP means and why keeping up with your cat's vaccines matters — even for indoor cats
• Why cats "fall off the veterinary radar" after kittenhood and why that's dangerous
• The risks of bringing stray or new cats into a home with existing cats without testing first
• Feline leukemia (FELV) and FIV: how they spread, what a positive test means, and why a $100 blood test can save your resident cat's life
• Vaccine safety in cats: injection site sarcomas, non-adjuvanted vaccines, and why Marty prefers the intranasal FVRCP
• Convenia — the 14-day injectable antibiotic that can save you from trying to pill your cat twice a day
• Feline asthma vs. upper respiratory infections, and when a cough means it's urgent
• Practical tips: gabapentin for vet visits, carrier training and at-home hygiene clips

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura dig into what it really means to have a well-behaved dog in public and why good manners don't happen by magic.

Help your dog become a welcome guest anywhere — from brew pubs to barbecues — with expert guidance on the AKC Canine Good Citizen program, basic obedience fundamentals, service dog distinctions and therapy dog opportunities.

Topics include:

• The core skills every dog should have: loose leash walking, settling, recall and reliable housetraining
• Why consistency, fairness and repetition are the foundation of any training success
• The AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program — what it tests, how to find a trainer and how any dog (purebred or not) can earn the title
• The AKC Farm Dog and Trick Dog titles as fun alternatives
• The legal differences between service dogs, emotional support animals and pets — and why it matters
• How a CGC title can open doors to therapy dog work in libraries, nursing homes and beyond
• Puppy raising programs like Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) and how to get involved

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

First up, coats and bathing. Marty and Laura explain why getting all the way down to the skin matters — whether you're shampooing, blow-drying or brushing. They share tips on diluting your shampoo correctly, using the right water temperature, and why self-wash dog stations at your local groomer or car wash are an affordable, mess-free game changer.

Mats are a big topic this episode, and for good reason. Left untreated, mats can cause raw, open wounds on your pet's skin. Laura and Marty walk through how to safely remove them using cordless clippers, metal greyhound combs and a healthy dose of patience — and explain why you should never bathe a matted dog first.

Ears get their own deep dive too. Dogs that don't shed, like Poodles, Doodles, and Schnauzers, are especially prone to hair buildup in the ear canal, which traps moisture and leads to painful infections. Marty shares her surprisingly effective Nair trick for gentle hair removal, plus tips for improving airflow around heavy-eared breeds.

Toenails round out the conversation, including the often-forgotten dewclaw, why overgrown nails distort your dog's gait and how to make nail trimming a stress-free routine from puppyhood.

The episode wraps with a practical look at hot spots — what causes them, why they spread so fast, and how staying on top of grooming is your best prevention.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Spring means gardens, chemicals and curious pets — a combination that can turn dangerous fast. Veterinarian Marty and host Laura break down what every pet owner needs to know before heading outside this season.

In This Episode

The ASPCA's toxic plant database is your first stop before planting anything new — it's free, searchable and includes photos. Not all "toxic" plants are equally dangerous: some cause a numb tongue, others can be fatal. Knowing the difference saves you money and panic.

For chemical hazards, herbicides are generally low-risk for dogs, but insecticides can affect the nervous system immediately. Always keep product packaging — the label often has an 800 number that connects you to free poison control support.

Marty makes a strong case for keeping Clevor on hand if you have a dog that eats everything. One eye drop, three minutes, done — no risky hydrogen peroxide needed.

And yes, skunk season is here. The de-skunking formula (peroxide + baking soda + dish soap) only works if you apply it to a dry dog first. Don't skip that step.

Key Takeaways

1. Bookmark aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants
2. Save the ASPCA Poison Control number with a credit card nearby
3. Stock your garage: Clevor, baking soda, peroxide, dish soap
4. Baby wildlife? Leave it. Put it back. Move on.

Brought to you by Veterinary Village — enhancing the quality of animal and human lives throughout Wisconsin and Dogg!t - find your new puppy now!

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Getting a veterinary appointment can feel impossible right now — but that doesn't mean you're out of options. Dr. Marty Greer joins Laura Reeves to walk pet owners through the everyday products that are genuinely safe to use at home, and the ones that could land your dog in a serious emergency.

In this episode:

Dr. Marty covers the full medicine cabinet — what helps, what harms, and when to stop treating at home and get to a clinic fast.

1. Never use these:Xylitol in any form, ibuprofen, Tylenol (especially in cats), Sudafed and decongestants, and any prescription medication without veterinary guidance
2. Safe for kennel cough:Robitussin DM (guaifenesin + dextromethorphan) and saline nasal spray for congested brachycephalic breeds
3. Safe for allergies and skin:Benadryl, Claritin (loratadine), Dawn dish soap, hydrocortisone cream, lidocaine gel, and diaper rash ointment for sore hindquarters
4. Safe for GI upset:Famotidine (Pepcid), meclizine (Bonine) for nausea and vestibular syndrome, simethicone (Gas-X) for bloat prevention, Pepto-Bismol or Kaopectate with caveats, and canned spinach to help pass small sharp objects
5. Safe for wounds:Saran wrap, socks, duct-taped bandaging, and Epsom salt soaks for foxtails in the feet
6. Foxtail warning:Feet are manageable at home — but foxtails in the nose, ears, or eyes need same-day veterinary care, and in the lungs they are a life-threatening emergency

Bottom line: These are stopgap measures, not substitutes for veterinary care. Use them to buy time, keep notes on what you tried and always be kind to your veterinary team — they're doing their very best.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Pancreatitis is one of the most painful and misunderstood conditions affecting dogs — and one of the most common reasons pets end up hospitalized. Dr. Marty Greer, who has personally survived four bouts of pancreatitis, joins Laura Reeves to walk pet owners through everything they need to know, from early warning signs to long-term management.

1. What the pancreas actually does— and why problems with it affect everything from digestion to blood sugar
2. Acute pancreatitis— warning signs to watch for (vomiting, severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, dehydration) and why up to 30% of severe cases can be fatal
3. How it's diagnosed— CBC, chemistry panel, and the more accurate cPLI test (80–90% accurate), plus why x-rays won't help but ultrasound can
4. Treatment— why this is a hospitalization situation: IV fluids, nothing by mouth for 72+ hours, pain management, anti-nausea medication, and supportive care
5. Breeds at higher risk— miniature schnauzers, dachshunds, miniature poodles, Cavaliers, Cocker Spaniels, and others
6. Chronic pancreatitis and diabetes— how repeated flare-ups can scar the pancreas and eventually lead to Type 1-equivalent diabetes requiring twice-daily insulin injections
7. Insulinoma— the rare pancreatic tumor that causes blood sugar to crash and can trigger seizures, and what treatment looks like
8. Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI)— most common in young German Shepherds, the TLI blood test to ask for, and how it's managed with pancreatic enzyme supplements

Key takeaway: High-fat meals are a well-known trigger, but pancreatitis can strike without an obvious cause — especially in middle-aged, overweight females of susceptible breeds. If your dog is vomiting and seems painful, don't wait. This is not a condition that resolves on its own.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

You wake up, look at your dog, and—boom—there’s a new lump on the jaw or neck. Before you spiral to “it’s cancer” or shrug it off as “no big deal,” Marty and Laura break down the most common causes of sudden swellings (from abscesses to salivary cysts), when it’s urgent, and what your vet can do to get answers fast.

On this episode of The Marty & Laura Show (brought to you by Doggit), Laura and Marty walk through the “lumps that shouldn’t be there” checklist—what’s benign, what’s serious and what needs a same-day call to your veterinarian.

You’ll learn:

1. Common culprits behind jaw/neck lumps:abscesses,hematomas, andsalivary cysts—often after chewing sticks or bones
2. When swelling is an emergency:fever + not eating/drinking= get seen fast
3. Why recurrent abscesses may mean aforeign bodyis still hiding (hello, plant material)
4. Foxtails and other “mean seeds”: where they lodge, why they’re risky, and how tools like theOutFoxed hoodcan help
5. How enlargedlymph nodescan be reactive…or signal something systemic likelymphoma
6. Puppy strangles (juvenile cellulitis):what it looks like and why early treatment matters
7. Ear hematomas: what causes “cauliflower ear,” treatment options and why dogs may never have a totally “normal” ear again
8. “Happy tail/crate tail” injuries: why they’re such a bloody mess and how vets try to manage them

Pro tips mentioned: keep a dedicated pet thermometer at home, and don’t panic—get the swelling checked and let diagnostics guide the next step.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

What does it really cost to responsibly breed a litter of puppies—and why does that matter to you as a buyer? In this episode of The Marty and Laura Show, Laura and Dr. Marty walk through the real numbers behind well-bred dogs and explain why “you get what you pay for” is more than just a saying.

If you’re contemplating a new puppy, this episode is your behind-the-scenes look at what responsible breeders invest long before a puppy ever goes home.

Dr. Marty outlines the three major categories of pre-breeding health screening: genetic (DNA) testing, comprehensive veterinary exams, and phenotype testing such as OFA hips, elbows, cardiac and eye clearances. These tests—along with brucellosis screening, infectious disease panels, and breed-specific evaluations—can easily total thousands of dollars before breeding even begins.

From there, the costs stack up: progesterone timing, stud fees, shipped semen, artificial insemination, pregnancy confirmation, C-sections, puppy care, microchipping, vaccinations, and health certificates. And that’s assuming everything goes right.

Laura and Marty also discuss the long-term value of purpose-bred dogs: predictable temperament, early socialization, breeder support for the life of the dog, and often fewer behavioral surprises.

A puppy isn’t a toaster—it’s a 10–15 year commitment. This episode helps you make that investment wisely.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

In this episode of The Marty and Laura Show, Laura and Marty explain why choosing a puppy from health-tested parents gives you the best chance at a long, healthy life together.

They break down what “health tested” really means — and why a simple vet check is not the same as proper genetic and structural screening.

In this episode:

1. The difference betweenDNA (genotype)andOFA/specialist exams (phenotype)
2. How to verify results throughOFA and CHIC
3. Why microchips matter in accurate reporting
4. The truth about “hybrid vigor”
5. What responsible breeders should provide — including contracts and documentation
6. Why a “cheap” puppy can cost far more in the long run

Bottom line:

Health-tested parents don’t guarantee perfection — but they significantly increase the likelihood of a healthy puppy. Educated decisions stack the deck in your favor.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Special guest Cora, a 10-year-old aspiring veterinarian and dog breeder, asks smart questions and steals the show.

Brief Show Notes

1. Introducing a new Kids’ Corner initiative, including downloadable coloring pages
2. What veterinarians really do—and why it’s one of the most versatile careers in animal science
3. How kids (and teens) can start preparing now for veterinary school and STEM careers
4. Scholarships, education paths and the real return on investment in veterinary medicine
5. The importance of people skills, business knowledge and self-determination in vet careers
6. Why veterinary medicine remains a high-demand, future-proof profession

Perfect for parents, kids, breeders, and anyone curious about animal careers, this episode blends education, encouragement, and plenty of heart. 🐾

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

When brutal Arctic temperatures hit, our pets feel it just as much as we do—sometimes more. In this special cold-weather episode of The Marty and Laura Show, veterinarian Marty Greer and host Laura Reeves break down practical, real-world advice to keep dogs, cats, and outdoor animals safe during extreme cold snaps.

From frozen paws and vomiting show dogs to outdoor cats, heated water bowls, booties, jackets and emergency preparedness, this episode is packed with veterinarian-approved tips you can use immediately. Whether you live in the Midwest tundra or the southern states facing unexpected freezes, this conversation covers how to protect pets, prevent frostbite, maintain hydration and plan ahead when temperatures plunge.

Key Topics Covered

1. Why extreme cold is dangerous—even for double-coated breeds
2. When dogs need coats, booties or heated gear
3. How freezing temperatures affect paws, digestion and behavior
4. Safe options for outdoor cats and livestock in subzero weather
5. Heated water bowls, shelters and DIY emergency solutions
6. What to do when power grids fail during winter storms
7. Simple steps to keep pets safe when letting them outside

Takeaway

Cold weather isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be life-threatening. Planning ahead, limiting exposure, ensuring access to unfrozen water, and keeping pets close can make all the difference. Stay warm, stay prepared and keep your animals safe through winter’s worst.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Excessive drinking and urination in dogs can be alarming—and it’s rarely something to ignore. In this episode, Laura Reeves and veterinarian Dr. Marty Greer take a deep dive into polydipsia and polyuria (PD/PU), breaking down the most common causes, the less common “zebras,” and the critical diagnostic steps every dog owner should understand before restricting water.

Brief Show Notes:

1. Common causes of excessive thirst in dogs: kidney disease, diabetes, Cushing’s
2. Less common (but serious) causes including lepto, hypercalcemia, Addison’s, and psychogenic polydipsia
3. Why urine testing is just as important as bloodwork
4. The danger of restricting water without a full veterinary workup
5. How leptospirosis affects dogs (and people) and why it’s now considered a core vaccine
6. Early kidney disease, protein loss, and why prescription kidney diets matter
7. Practical management tips for “water-obsessed” dogs—after medical causes are ruled out

A must-listen for dog owners dealing with excessive drinking, chronic kidney concerns, or confusing diagnostic results—and for anyone who wants to better advocate for their dog’s health at the vet.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura dig into veterinary “zebras”—unusual or easily-misdiagnosed conditions in dogs and cats. Using the classic medical rule “when you hear hoofbeats, look for horses, not zebras,” they explain what these rare presentations can look like, when they’re urgent, and why a complete history (boarding exposure, wildlife encounters, travel, family/breed background) helps your veterinarian reach the right diagnosis faster.

What you’ll learn in this episode

Cat “zebras” (unusual but real)

1. Saddle thrombus in cats(often tied to underlying heart disease): sudden rear-leg paralysis/pain, cold paws, absent pulses—an emergency scenario.
2. Rodent ulcer(part of the eosinophilic granuloma complex): a distinctive upper-lip ulcer/swelling linked to immune/allergic processes; often responds to anti-inflammatory treatment.

Dog “zebras” and misdiagnosis look-alikes

1. Toxoplasmosis/Neospora-like neurologic syndrome in puppies: can mimic birth trauma/oxygen deprivation; may respond dramatically to appropriate antibiotics (as in Laura’s story).
2. FCE (fibrocartilaginous embolism): sudden paralysis (often rear legs) that can resemble a slipped disc; recovery often depends on intensive nursing/rehab support.
3. Coonhound paralysis: immune-mediated paralysis often followingraccoon bite/scratch; may progress from rear legs forward; requires dedicated supportive care over weeks.

Head, mouth, and eye conditions owners notice fast

1. Masticatory muscle myositis (MMM): painful jaw, difficulty opening mouth; can lead to muscle wasting and a “sunken” head appearance; a specific blood test exists (2M test).
2. Retrobulbar abscess: often from chewing sticks/bones—painful swelling behind the eye causing bulging.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Holiday gatherings, noisy celebrations, and busy schedules can spike anxiety in dogs—and even cats. In this episode of The Marty and Laura Show, host Laura Reeves and veterinarian Dr. Marty Greer dig into the real-world challenges of anxiety, fear and stress-related behaviors in pets, especially during high-trigger seasons.

They cover what doesn’t work (spoiler: Benadryl and acepromazine aren’t true anxiety solutions) and explain what can help: structured training, “happy vet visits,” smart environmental choices, and medication plans that match the pet’s needs—whether the stress is occasional (holiday visitors, grooming, thunderstorms) or constant (dogs who live under a “black cloud”).

This is a must-listen for anyone dealing with separation anxiety, vet visit meltdowns, noise sensitivity, or a dog who simply isn’t comfortable in their own skin.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

If your dog is constantly licking, chewing, or biting their feet, it’s not “just a habit.” In this episode, Marty and Laura break down what foot licking really signals, why the red-colored staining happens, and how to sort out environmental allergies vs. food sensitivities.

You’ll learn why some dogs become “closet lickers,” why elimination diets must be strict for 12 full weeks and what modern prescription options may help itchy dogs feel better.

🐾 In This Episode, We Cover:

1. The difference betweenitch (sensation)andscratching/licking (action)
2. Why dogs lick their feet — and why it often gets worse over time
3. Whatrust-colored saliva stainingreally means
4. “Closet lickers”: why you may not see the behavior happening
5. Environmental allergies vs.food allergies/sensitivities
6. Why winter is often the best time to diagnose food allergies
7. How to do a true12-week elimination diet(and what can ruin it)
8. Why switching foods randomly can make diagnosis harder
9. Prescription allergy options includingApoquel, Zenrelia, and Cytopoint
10. A surprising crossover:Demodex mites in people and dogs

✅ Key Takeaway

Dogs don’t lick their feet for fun — they lick because they’re uncomfortable. Early veterinary guidance and careful tracking of foods and treats can save you months of frustration and help your dog get relief faster.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

The Marty and Laura Show with Dr. Marty Greer + Laura Reeves

If you live with a cat, you already know the truth: litter boxes are not exactly glamorous. But as Marty Greer points out in this episode of The Marty and Laura Show, litter box issues are one of the most common reasons cats lose their homes — and that’s why this “un-fun” topic is actually incredibly important.

In today’s deep dive, Laura Reeves and veterinarian Marty Greer tackle what every cat owner needs to know about litter box success: the right litter, the right box, the right location… and when a “behavior problem” is actually a medical emergency.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

In this episode, Marty and Laura dive into two often-confused but fundamentally opposite adrenal diseases in dogs: Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism) and Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism). While both involve the adrenal glands, one is caused by too little hormone production and the other by too much.

Marty explains the anatomy and function of the adrenal glands, how these diseases present very differently in real life, and why they can be so challenging to diagnose and manage. The conversation also addresses common misconceptions around genetics and breeding, emphasizing that even dogs from excellent breeding programs can develop these conditions. With real-world examples, including Laura’s own dogs, the episode highlights symptoms to watch for, diagnostic challenges, treatment options, long-term prognosis, and why careful veterinary monitoring is essential.

The discussion expands into related conditions like diabetes and kidney disease, underscoring an important message: similar symptoms can point to very different underlying problems, and accurate diagnosis matters.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Addison’s and Cushing’s Are Opposites — But Equally Serious

Addison’s disease occurs when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough hormones, often causing sudden, severe illness. Cushing’s disease is caused by excess cortisol and develops slowly over months or even years. Despite affecting the same body system, they look and behave very differently.

2. You Can’t Always “Breed Away” From These Diseases

While some breeds (like Poodles and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers) show higher incidence, there is no universal genetic test for Addison’s or Cushing’s. Even carefully bred dogs from responsible programs can develop them, making transparency and education more important than blame.

3. Symptoms Can Be Subtle — Until They Aren’t

Addison’s often presents as waxing-and-waning illness, GI upset, lethargy, or sudden collapse. Cushing’s is more insidious, with signs like excessive drinking and urination, pot-bellied appearance, and gradual decline. Early signs are easy to miss or mistake for aging or other diseases.

4. Diagnosis and Management Are Tricky and Ongoing

Testing for both conditions can be complex and sometimes inconclusive. Management requires lifelong medication, frequent blood work, and close veterinary supervision. While both diseases are treatable, they demand commitment from owners and strong communication with the veterinary team.

5. PU/PD Isn’t Just One Disease

Excessive drinking and urination (PU/PD) can signal many different conditions, including diabetes, kidney disease, infections, or adrenal disorders. Similar symptoms don’t mean the same diagnosis — which is why thorough diagnostics are critical to getting treatment right.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura share great ideas for enjoying a winter wonderland with your pet. From snow angels to snow mountains to skijoring, they walk you through all the fun activities with a few safety precautions.

Should your dog have outfits and boots for the cold weather? Marty and Laura have some pro tips and a few funny stories about outfit failures on their own dogs.

“There are some tricks and tips to this,” Marty says. “First of all, I think the most dangerous temperature for the dogs is right at that freezing slushy temperature. Because if it's colder, they actually do better than if it's slushy. Now, once it gets about 10 below zero, the dogs try to stand on two feet, and dogs cannot walk on two legs very well. So that gets a little tricky. The trips outside are pretty short, and a lot of dogs decide to use the indoor bathroom instead of the outdoor bathroom. So that becomes a a problem. 

“But the slushy temperatures are risky because if they lay in the snow or they spend too much time in the snow, their feet or their underparts, they tend to frostbite at that slushy temperature.”

“Speaking of ice,” Laura says, “there's a couple things with ice and super cold temperatures in our dogs particularly, and that’s snowballs in their feet. The first time I encountered this and my dog just kind of like flopped down on the ground and wouldn't walk. And I'm like, oh my God, what's wrong with him?” 

Marty recommends trimming between the dog’s pads to help eliminate issues with snowballs. She also has recommendations for pet safe deicer, so be sure to listen in for that tip of the day.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura tackle a stinky problem for pet owners, explaining why holiday grooming can prevent an embarrassing situation.

Anal glands are the dog’s version of the scent glands on a skunk. They also express those glands when they are nervous or afraid. The glands can also become impacted or infected. Pet owners can avoid the embarrassment of their dog scooting his bottom across the carpet during holiday parties with a simple but effective treatment at the vet or groomer.

“They're little glands and they should normally empty when the dog or cat passes a stool and so a firm stool will cause them to empty and just that little bit of material will come out,” Marty said.

Routine exercise, additional fiber in the dog’s diet and regular expression of the glands at home, at the vet or at the groomer will keep your dog healthy and comfortable while preventing noxious fumes and embarrassing behavior!

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura offer up five pro tips for a fun and safe holiday with pets. Sidenote, keep your eyes peeled for Marty during the National Dog Show on NBC at noon Thanksgiving Day.

Tip 1… Canned pumpkin, which may well be not entirely pumpkin, is great for dogs and cats! Give them a tablespoon in their food *before* you make the pie.

Tip 2 … Making soup stock from the turkey carcass? Save the cooked veggies for the dog’s dinner so they can join the celebration.

Tip 3 … The microwave is a GREAT food locker to keep the four-legged family out of the food when you turn your back.

Tip 4 … Save a few bucks on fun pet food toppers by looking for “windfall” apples for homemade applesauce, inquiring with your grocery store for bruised produce or checking out online delivery resources like Imperfect Foods.

Tip 5 … Make a batch of *dog* cookies with your holiday baking.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (regular white flour will work as well) 
• 1 cup canned pureed pumpkin (don’t use pumpkin pie filling, as it includes additional sugar, fats, and spices like cinnamon that are dangerous to your dog)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (make sure it doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol)

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Add the pumpkin and peanut butter to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
• Stir in the flour until the mixture creates a dough.
• Roll out the dough about ½ inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut out fall shapes using a small cookie cutter or knife. Bonus points if you use a fall-themed cookie cutter in a pumpkin shape. 
• Place the treats about half an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• Let cool completely before giving to your dog to enjoy.

Bone-Appetit!

Recipe inspired by the American Kennel Club. This article contains recipe information that is considered suitable for pets. However, not all pets can tolerate different foods — it depends on their age, health history, and health conditions. It is important to consult with your veterinarian before feeding your pet any new foods or offering your pet any of the ingredients contained in this recipe.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura are giving thanks and a shout out to the heroes of the week, responsible pet owners. These are folks who make sure their pets are fed and trained and vetted even when times are tough.

This week’s giving thanks charity is No Pet Hungry America.

“Millions of families across the country face impossible choices every day between paying rent, buying groceries or feeding their pets. No Pet Hungry America is here to change that.

“We provide pet food, supplies, and resources to keep beloved pets with the people who love them, no matter the circumstances. Together, we can ensure that financial hardship never means losing a furry family member.”

“Responsible pet owners means feeding our pets, taking our pets and doing preventative (veterinary) work, training even if you're doing trick. Our responsible pet owners are working with their pets every day some little bit, right? Maybe you've taught your pet to retrieve the slipper. Maybe you've taught your cat to retrieve a ball. Who knows?

“Our responsible pet owners are doing great work socializing their pets so that if they come visit you at the clinic, they're not terrified because they've been other places and seen things and done stuff. You can teach them some basic skills. You can teach them to have their mouth looked at, you can teach them to have their ears touched and their toenails touched.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura give thanks for recent science breakthroughs that help our pets live longer, healthier lives. From decoding the canine genome to Artificial Intelligence, our pets are benefitting from scientific research.

Organizations such as the AKC Canine Health Foundation support this research which benefits all dogs, purebred and mixed breed, as well as frequently providing information that expands knowledge for treating human diseases. During the month of giving, we’re suggesting groups to support our pets with your donations.

“The artificial intelligence that's barreling at us is going to be fascinating to see where this takes us,” Marty said. “There's so much that has the potential to happen here, and it may not all be good, but a lot of it really is.”

Canine genome sequencing gave us genetic testing which has helped dog breeders select for healthier animals in hundreds of diseases. The BOAS testing recently developed in the UK is enabling veterinarians to test brachycephalic dogs’ ability to breath, which again allows dog breeders to select for healthy dogs in their matings.

Tap in to catch up on more sciency conversation from Marty and Laura.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura share their thanks for veterinarians and staff who sacrifice to care for our pets.

“We know you're stressed,” Marty said of veterinarians and staff. “Your pet is sick. You were up all night cleaning up whatever it is that you had to clean up. And it's really hard to be gracious and to be lovely on the phone or in person when you're in that stressful situation. But I can't even begin to emphasize how important that is.

“The hardest job that we have at the veterinary clinic is the CSR, the customer service representative, the person that answers the phone, because they're in the squeeze. They're in the squeeze between you as the client calling with a crisis and needing help and the veterinary staff that's already booked full.

“It’s 10 pounds of you know what in a 5 pound bag. And it becomes really a challenge for that receptionist to try and balance the needs of the client versus what the rest of the staff needs are so that we can still provide the quality of care that you want. Because getting you through the door isn't going to help you if the quality of care isn't there.”

This week’s giving opportunity is Not One More Vet which supports veterinarians and staff struggling with mental health crises.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura kick off a month of giving thanks for the pets in our lives. Our animals brighten our days, bring us together with friends, provide companionship and comfort year round. So we decided to celebrate that special connection throughout November.

Since November is the month of giving, we’re also highlighting a different organization dedicated to animals and the people who love them each week. This week Marty shares information about her own non-profit, Pink Paw, which seeks to raise awareness of breast cancer in our pets and funds for desperately needed new research.

And we’re starting this conversation about our special relationships with our pets with a really fascinating deep dive into the ethical, moral and legal ramifications of language around our pets. Terms like “fur baby” and “pet parent” can have serious long-term unintended consequences.

“There has to be somewhere in the middle that we have a being that's alive that's different than your toaster, but is technically not a human, so it's not part of your family,” Marty noted, putting on her lawyer hat. “There's been all kinds of cases that people have tried to bring creatures into the category of humans, and we have to be really careful as a society. Because if we cross that line, we're going to end up with some very serious issues.

“If the dog equals a human and you need to put your dog down for behavioral euthanasia, for example, now are we committing murder?”

Tap in to join Marty and Laura as they tackle these and other huge questions around our unique and important relationships with our pets. Like and share with friends and family!

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura are joined by Glinda the Good Witch to talk about Halloween and the fun, as well as potential pitfalls, for our pets.

“Everybody wants to address their pet up in a cute little costume,” Marty noted. “And you know, some of them are fine and the pets are comfortable in them and they're not scary and they're really cute. And sometimes we're expecting just a little too much of our pets, depending on the pet and what they like.

“We have to respect there are some pets that are happy to wear clothing. And they're cute and they are comfortable in it and it's adorable. And then there are pets who are not, especially if it covers their head or it makes weird noises or it's crinkly or it's weird or anything.

“And so you have to really be thinking about whether this makes your pet comfortable or uncomfortable. And if they're not comfortable in it, don't scare them. Put it on like for two seconds. Get a quick picture, put it on Facebook and then put the costume away. Your pet will tell you.

“If you're expecting your pet to be part of the group that goes trick or treating, then get them used to the costumes in advance so that they know what you're going to look like. Usually if you're wearing something over your face or on your head, it changes your profile and your pet really identifies a lot, not by looking just at your face, but how you look in profile.

“You have to acclimate them so that they're comfortable with that kind of situation if you're expecting them to go skipping down the street with them on a leash while you're taking the kids trick or treating. They're gonna see other strange creatures and zombies and you know, I think it's really important to have realistic expectations of our pets.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura talk about the concept of fear free handling of pets by veterinarians and groomers. A concept popularized by veterinarian Dr. Sophia Yin, the reality of working with pets to lower their stress in new situations isn’t all that new, Marty noted.

“I think fear free and low stress handling are important techniques. But this isn't new. And that's part of the frustration that I have with this, is we've always done things this way. It didn't have a name back then, but we've always put peanut butter on cookies and we've always put cheese out and we've always gotten out the chicken baby food for the cats and the puppies. So to me, a lot of this isn't as new or revolutionary as it would lead you to believe.

“(Yin) started teaching techniques for veterinary staff and veterinarians to handle pets that came to the office so that they would have an easier time accepting the care. The people that owned them would have an easier time seeing what was happening and the veterinarians and veterinary staff were safer. So I think those are all really important things to consider. Those are all real things. Cats like to bite and scratch veterinarians. Dogs get a little panicked sometimes.

“It's important to veterinarians that we have our staff safe, that we're safe, that the clients are safe. I think it's really important that we look at the psychological effects of our staff because they don't want to force pets to do anything. And we look at the psychology of the pet. And that's where it really becomes important is that every time that the pet has a bad experience at a veterinary clinic, it can remind them the next time that they come in, then it's unfavorable.

“What I don't like about ‘fear free, low stress’ is that those sentences lead off with a negative term. And personally, that sort of rubs me the wrong way. And it's not that I think the philosophy behind it is bad. I think the terminology is problematic for me because I don't want anybody to say, well, what do you mean it's fear free? Was there something they were supposed to be afraid of? It sets up the expectation that the veterinarian is a scary place and that shouldn't be the expectation, right? And that's my concern is that it leads with a negative.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura discuss the challenges of diabetes in pets, how to prevent, diagnose and manage the disease.

"Dogs that develop multiple episodes of pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas, they will oftentimes then become diabetic because there's so much scarring of the pancreas from the pancreatitis," Marty said.

"If you have a dog that's diabetic, they're going on insulin or you're not going to be able to keep them going," Marty added. "So you have to make a hard decision in a day or two. You can't wait a couple of weeks to make this decision. If your dog has high glucose and they're diabetic, you need to decide sooner rather than later, yes, I'm willing to give insulin injections. Yes, it only comes as an injectable form. Yes, you will have to give two injections a day. And yes, there will be ongoing expenses for monitoring the dog and keeping them on insulin. You have to buy the syringes, you have to buy the insulin, and that's just life.

"Now, I can teach almost anybody to give an injection. Even if they think they can't. Most of the time, we want to do it when the cat or the dog is eating for two reasons. One is we want to make sure that they're eating before you give the insulin. Because if they're not eating and you give insulin, their glucose drops too low. That's bad. And secondly, you can give them something to do to distract them while you're giving the injection. And the needle is itty bitty, teeny weenie. It's not hard to use. It's easy to administer.

"Whatever you do with a diabetic patient, exercise and food wise, has to happen every single day. And if they are typically on the twice a day insulin, which most dogs need to get good control, they need to have insulin at 12 hour intervals.

"I don't care if it's six in the morning and 6:00 at night. Or noon and midnight, but it can't go one day 6:00 at night and the next day midnight. So whatever you do for your schedule has to be the same. And that's the hard part about managing a diabetic patient is some of us have schedules that we can really control.

"We have two oral medications that have come to market in the last couple of years for cats with diabetes. And this is like a huge breakthrough because it only has to be given once a day.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura share heart healthy ideas for our pets from weight management to fitness to genetics.

“We can't really talk about prevention without talking about genetics,” Marty said, “because from the very inception of a puppy, we can control their genetics to a certain extent. There are DNA tests. And there are phenotype tests that we can do for cardiac disease.

“I think it's really important if you're buying a dog from a breed that tends to have cardiac disease, that we start off with the foundation of do the very best you can to select a dog that is less likely to develop cardiac disease than others in its breed category.

“There's a really fabulous website called the Cardiac Education Group. It is absolutely spectacular. It's written for veterinarians, by veterinarians, but there's a whole section in there for pet owners. So if you have a dog that's been diagnosed or a cat that's been diagnosed with cardiac disease, you want to go to the cardiac education group and then find the little menu and Scroll down and click on the For Pet Owners.

“Many puppies under 12 weeks of age will have what's called a functional murmur. We can hear it. It doesn't sound very loud. It sounds like it's probably innocent. And many of them will go away as the dogs get older.

“Most veterinary cardiologists won't echo a dog or cat until they're at least 12 to 16 weeks old for two reasons. One is it's hard to see anything on the echo when they're that little. And two is because so many of them go away on their own that we don't worry about it.

“Now, the one thing I tell a lot of people is that puppies have a physiological murmur because all puppies are anemic. All kittens are anemic. You are born with a certain number of red blood cells and when your body grows faster than your bone marrow can keep up with, you are anemic.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura tackle the big itch of ear mites, how to prevent, diagnose and treat them in your cats (and even dogs.)

“There are hundreds of mites in these cats ears, so it's no question that they are intensely itchy,” Marty said, while Laura opined the image was the stuff of nightmares.

“When we see an ear infection in a cat,” Marty said, “it's ear mites or somehow related to ear mites. And in a dog it may start as ear mites, especially if it's a young dog. But almost always the ear mites on a dog go yuck. I'm not living here, it’s not where I want to be.

“You're going to know they have mites because they're scratching all the time and they get discharge that looks like coffee grounds in there. It's not blood, but it can look like blood. But the cats can be so intensely itchy, pyritic, that they will literally scratch the back of their ear raw.

"I don't understand why, but it leaves a residual problem. I can look at a cat's ear and look at the owner and say, did she have ear mites when she was a kitten? And they go, ohh, yeah...

“As soon as you bring a new kitten into the house, you want to keep them isolated. So put them in a separate room, a few garages warm enough. You can do that, or you can put them in a bathroom or laundry room or somewhere. Even a dog crate is at least some kind of seclusion until you get your first appointment with your veterinary clinic to test the kitten for leukemia and FIV to make sure that they're not exposing your cat.

“We want to check for mites. So very quickly we're going to want to get those kittens in and get them treated, dewormed, put on Revolution, or other flea and tick products.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura tackle the painful topic of cruciate ligament ruptures in dogs. They talk causes, prevention, treatment and new research that’s giving hope to eradicating the painful condition specifically in Labrador Retrievers.

“Statistically, five to 10% of Labradors will end up with a cruciate tear,” Marty said, “although there's a lot of variables in that. Certain breeds like greyhounds and corgis, they don't tear cruciates. Sometimes it's the age of spaying or neutering, sometimes there's definitely differences within the line of dogs. So there's a lot of variables.

“If your dog is 3-legged lame (in the rear) and it's persistent, you should seek veterinary care. But you don't have to go in on emergency over a weekend or at night. Now, if it's a dangling fracture, you need to go in,” Marty noted, but a cruciate tear is not an emergency.

“You can have a flat out tear, you can have a fray, you can have a partial tear. Eventually a fray or a partial tear is going to turn into a full tear. And so you can see these degradations, these changes inside the cruciate ligament that we don't still fully understand or need to understand better, and we will, but at this point we don't really have a great understanding of some of these dynamics because there are so many differences.

“Spaying and neutering definitely has a relationship in a lot of large breed dogs with the severity and the likelihood of which they're going to develop cruciate disease. So we know if we spay or neuter dogs before skeletal maturity, which is somewhere between 15 and 18 months depending on the breed, we're going to increase their risk of torn cruciate. In Labradors that increases by 20%.”

https://puredogtalk.com/captivate-tag/cruciate-ligaments/

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura tackle a huge subject with kidney diseases, symptoms and treatments. From diabetes to poison to communicable diseases, kidney health is critical to your pet.

“A lot of people take kidneys for granted,” Marty says, “because they heard you can donate a kidney, so you must not really need to have two kidneys. You really do need the reserve of an extra kidney in case something goes wrong with one or both. Just like almost all of our organs, they're duplicated, so we should have two and they should both work effectively. So we need to take good care of our kidneys and that of our dogs.

“The most common (symptoms) are changes in water consumption and changes in urination. Now, other things that frequently cause that are going to be diabetes, which happens in dogs and cats, Cushing's disease, which happens in dogs, which is an adrenal gland dysfunction, and other things like pyometra, high calcium that can be related to different forms of cancer. So there can be other things that we're looking for.

“But we're going to start looking at kidneys, diabetes and Cushings disease in the dog most commonly. And so you're basically going to go in, tell the vet that your dog is drinking too much, urinating too much. We're going to get blood work and urinalysis as our basic starting point. But that's not the only place we're going to go. We're going to start with those two things because if the dog is still able to concentrate their urine, well then that tells us something different than if the dog’s urine was really dilute and the BUN and creatinine start to go up.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura bust out on myths around “natural” products for our pets, whether they are useful, safe or actually hazardous.

“All the eucalyptus and citronella and lavender and whatever it is that you want to spray on your dog is not going to actually successfully prevent external parasites,” Laura asked.

“They may help a little bit,” Marty said, “but don't forget just because it says natural doesn't mean safe because there's a lot of things that are natural that aren't safe. Chocolate’s natural, it's not safe for your dog. There are lots of things that we can put on our dogs or in our dogs that simply aren't safe.

“Somewhere in the early ‘90s, ivermectin came to market as Heart Guard and it's still on the market as Heart Guard and then there are some other newer ones that have come along that are in similar drug classes. Ivermectin was a mold found in the soil in Japan… So I think that's pretty natural. It's a mold from the soil. It's not like somebody made this up in a laboratory. Now, of course they've synthesized it, but essentially that's what it is. So, if you're looking for something natural, ivermectin is great.

“The diseases that fleas carry, that ticks carry, heartworm, intestinal parasites, all of those are really bad diseases. If you're looking at, well, you know, could I be OK if my dog got heartworm disease? Well, most dogs live through heartworm disease, but it's thousands and thousands of dollars and it's really hard in the dog.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura drop their recs for all the best toys for your pets, from cat trees to “indestructible” dog chews. Plus, Marty delivers a round up on cat food and why cats eat what they do.

“There's some nuances to cat food that are different than dog food. Cats apparently like things that are pointy and sharp in their mouths. Apparently cats like to eat little mice that have little sharp body parts, and so they like these little sharp kind of kibbles, so a lot of the foods are pointy or sharp or not necessarily just a round kibble.

“Cats are obligate carnivores. So dogs can be an herbivore or a carnivore. Dogs can get by on a no meat diet. For those of you who are having cats out there that want to be vegan, cats cannot live a vegan lifestyle. Certain amino acids that they have to get from meat.

“To effectively scratch, a cat needs to fully extend its front legs and its back legs. So however long your cat is from its tippy toes fully standing to its other tippy toes is at least how tall the cat tree has to be. The other thing about cat trees is that they need to be really hefty. Because when your cat comes running across the room and hits the cat tree, if it falls over, that's the last time the cat's ever going to go on the cat tree. If you ever thought you were going to keep your curtains in your furniture safe for the cat, you just blew it.

“I'm not sure for some dogs that there's anything indestructible. There are lots of things labeled that way, but you never want to assume that and leave your dog alone with that indestructible toy until you've proven to yourself in the dog that it truly is indestructible.”

Recommendations:

https://www.purina.com/dogs/shop/dentalife-plus-immune-support-large-dog-chew

https://www.kongcompany.com/

https://jollypets.com/products/teaser-ball-dog-toy

https://mountainvalleyantlers.com/

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura share the love for brachycephalic breeds with information about feeding, managing their environment, health testing and more.

Managing Feeding and Environment for Brachycephalic Dog Owners:

What are brachycephalic dogs?

Brachycephalic dogs are dogs with a short, wide skull. These include French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, Olde English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Shih tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and the American Bully and American Bulldog breeds.

The very thing that makes us love them and makes them popular also puts them at risk for certain conditions including respiratory difficulties (loud breathing) and associated digestive and eating disorders.

With some understanding of these syndromes and techniques for feeding, offering water, exercise and managing their environment, you can minimize the health consequences and not only save yourself money, but you can help your dog live more comfortably and longer.

A short, widened muzzle and skull with more prominent eyes is an appealing look for dogs. It has been described by some as infantile – they may look like a human baby who never grows up. Many owners are attracted to this appearance. Additionally, these characteristics are not only cute, but these dogs also have personalities and activity levels that are appealing for pet owners. Many of these dogs are less active and more sedate. They are also frequently funny and entertaining to live with.

What is “BOAS”?

But there is a price to pay for some of the dogs who suffer from a more extreme form of this skull shape. This price has been defined as “Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome” or “BOAS” for short. To be clear, not all brachycephalic dogs have this syndrome. There are dogs in this breed group that are quiet, comfortable breathers.

The good news is that breeders of these dogs are working with OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals www.ofa.org) to breed dogs with the desirable appearance without the negative respiratory and GI signs. OFA has used a system developed by veterinarians at Cambridge in England called the “Respiratory Function Grading Scheme” or “RFGS”. In this application, “scheme” means a system or assessment, not something sneaky and underhanded – using the British utilization of the word.

This BOAS system is a method for veterinarians who are specially trained to assess the dog’s airway by listening to their breathing with a stethoscope positioned over the chest as well as on the throat, with the dog at rest and after 3 minutes of brisk walking. It also includes a visual inspection of the shape of the nostrils. The dog is then given a score of BOAS 0 to 3, by the attending veterinarian. This helps the owner and breeder of the dog to determine which dogs are good breeding candidates to help produce fewer BOAS affected puppies. You can locate a veterinarian or health clinic where there is BOAS testing available at www.ofa.org. At this time, there are only a handful of veterinarians trained to BOAS test but this number is likely to increase.

So what are the concerns about the brachycephalic dog’s health?

1.       Breathing

2.       Digestion – processing food and water.

Breathing concerns are the most obvious. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) consists of a number of structural abnormalities when compared to “normal” dogs, dogs with more typical head and muzzle shape. Some are the very definition of a brachycephalic – which literally means short head and some are secondary to the effects of the shortened and widened head and muzzle. These alterations are:

A.      Elongated soft palate

B.      Relatively large tongue

C.     Stenotic nares = narrow nostrils

D.     Undersized nasal passages

E.       Malformed and aberrantly growing nasal conchae

F.       Tracheal hypoplasia = a trachea (windpipe) that is relatively narrow

G.     Acquired laryngeal complications including everted laryngeal saccules

H.     Symptoms of these airway narrowings include:

1. Intolerance to exercise and heat

2. Frequent disruptions to sleep – similar to human sleep apnea and snoring.

3. Syncope = fainting due to inadequate oxygen to the brain

These compromises of the airways lead to increased negative pressure and increased effort to breathe, causing the softer tissues of the airways to stretch out, become saggy and further make breathing difficult, in a vicious cycle.

These changes then lead to:

1.       Secondary respiratory abnormalities

2.       Everted tonsils (yes dogs have tonsils too)

3.       Laryngeal and tracheal collapse

4.       Digestive tract lesions

5.       Hiatal hernia

6.       Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) like heartburn in humans.

3.       The digestive symptoms in the brachycephalic dogs include

a.       Frequent vomiting and/or regurgitation. Vomiting is a process of forceful retching followed by vomiting food while regurgitation is more passive – food just plops out of the mouth.

b.       Ptyalism – excessive salivation

c.       Difficulty swallowing

d.       Swallowing too much air, leading to belching and bad gas

e.       Gastroesophageal reflux

f.          Pica – eating non-edible items

g.        Seeking positions that relieve pain or difficulty swallowing.

h.       Chronic enteropathy and/or protein-losing enteropathy.

What does this mean to my dog? If you have a brachycephalic dog or breed, you and your veterinary team are likely to become great friends. Foster a good relationship with a veterinary clinic who understands the needs of your dog and you. They can help you to get the most quality years from your beloved dog. At our clinic, we had an English Bulldog patient who lived to be 15 years old, but only because he had very attentive and devoted owners who were willing to meet all of his needs, from a respiratory, digestive, and orthopedic approach.

Consider purchasing pet health insurance as soon as you plan to get a puppy. Some companies will initiate coverage the day you bring your puppy home, eliminating the possibility of having pre-existing health conditions which will limit your coverage.

Given the right veterinary care and your devotion to your dog, you can do some simple and not-so-simple techniques for extending your dog’s life and saving yourself some money.

Most importantly, keeping your dog at an ideal body weight will impact their life expectancy.

How can I improve my dog’s quality of life?

1.       Purchase your puppy from a breeder who uses BOAS testing and does other OFA health screenings to reduce the likelihood of genetic disorders. Select your breeder carefully and wait patiently for the right puppy who has seen a veterinarian experienced in working with brachycephalic dogs.

2.       Monitor your dog’s body weight and body condition. Ask your vet at every visit about your dog’s weight. The weight they are at, at 8 months of age is typically a good guideline to maintain.

3.       Avoid neutering or spaying your dog young. Waiting until after skeletal maturity (after puberty or the 1st heat cycle) is recommended. It may be better to wait even longer. See https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full

4.       Feed an appropriate diet. Royal Canin makes a Bulldog diet. The kibble shape is better suited to the shorter faced dogs picking up their food. The formula is meant to reduce gas formation during digestion. Sometimes a canned food or protein specific diet is recommended. Follow the recommendations from your veterinarian.

5.       Keep your dog fit with appropriate exercise, based on ambient temperatures and humidity.

6.       Feed with a bulldog bowl. Do not use a puzzle feeder that is hard for the dog to get the food kibbles out of the feeder.

7.       Use a raised water system – this may be an elevated water dish, a Lixit drinking bottle, or just putting the dog bowl on a non-slip mat on the open door of your dishwasher. By elevating the bowl, they can swallow water and food more easily and are less messy...]]>Love for Brachycephalic Breeds

Marty and Laura share the love for brachycephalic breeds with information about feeding, managing their environment, health testing and more.

Managing Feeding and Environment for Brachycephalic Dog Owners:

What are brachycephalic dogs?

Brachycephalic dogs are dogs with a short, wide skull. These include French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, Olde English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Shih tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and the American Bully and American Bulldog breeds.

The very thing that makes us love them and makes them popular also puts them at risk for certain conditions including respiratory difficulties (loud breathing) and associated digestive and eating disorders.

With some understanding of these syndromes and techniques for feeding, offering water, exercise and managing their environment, you can minimize the health consequences and not only save yourself money, but you can help your dog live more comfortably and longer.

A short, widened muzzle and skull with more prominent eyes is an appealing look for dogs. It has been described by some as infantile – they may look like a human baby who never grows up. Many owners are attracted to this appearance. Additionally, these characteristics are not only cute, but these dogs also have personalities and activity levels that are appealing for pet owners. Many of these dogs are less active and more sedate. They are also frequently funny and entertaining to live with.

What is “BOAS”?

But there is a price to pay for some of the dogs who suffer from a more extreme form of this skull shape. This price has been defined as “Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome” or “BOAS” for short. To be clear, not all brachycephalic dogs have this syndrome. There are dogs in this breed group that are quiet, comfortable breathers.

The good news is that breeders of these dogs are working with OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals www.ofa.org) to breed dogs with the desirable appearance without the negative respiratory and GI signs. OFA has used a system developed by veterinarians at Cambridge in England called the “Respiratory Function Grading Scheme” or “RFGS”. In this application, “scheme” means a system or assessment, not something sneaky and underhanded – using the British utilization of the word.

This BOAS system is a method for veterinarians who are specially trained to assess the dog’s airway by listening to their breathing with a stethoscope positioned over the chest as well as on the throat, with the dog at rest and after 3 minutes of brisk walking. It also includes a visual inspection of the shape of the nostrils. The dog is then given a score of BOAS 0 to 3, by the attending veterinarian. This helps the owner and breeder of the dog to determine which dogs are good breeding candidates to help produce fewer BOAS affected puppies. You can locate a veterinarian or health clinic where there is BOAS testing available at www.ofa.org. At this time, there are only a handful of veterinarians trained to BOAS test but this number is likely to increase.

So what are the concerns about the brachycephalic dog’s health?

1.       Breathing

2.       Digestion – processing food and water.

Breathing concerns are the most obvious. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) consists of a number of structural abnormalities when compared to “normal” dogs, dogs with more typical head and muzzle shape. Some are the very definition of a brachycephalic – which literally means short head and some are secondary to the effects of the shortened and widened head and muzzle. These alterations are:

A.      Elongated soft palate

B.      Relatively large tongue

C.     Stenotic nares = narrow nostrils

D.     Undersized nasal passages

E.       Malformed and aberrantly growing nasal conchae

F.       Tracheal hypoplasia = a trachea (windpipe) that is relatively narrow

G.     Acquired laryngeal complications including everted laryngeal saccules

H.     Symptoms of these airway narrowings include:

1. Intolerance to exercise and heat

2. Frequent disruptions to sleep – similar to human sleep apnea and snoring.

3. Syncope = fainting due to inadequate oxygen to the brain

These compromises of the airways lead to increased negative pressure and increased effort to breathe, causing the softer tissues of the airways to stretch out, become saggy and further make breathing difficult, in a vicious cycle.

These changes then lead to:

1.       Secondary respiratory abnormalities

2.       Everted tonsils (yes dogs have tonsils too)

3.       Laryngeal and tracheal collapse

4.       Digestive tract lesions

5.       Hiatal hernia

6.       Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) like heartburn in humans.

3.       The digestive symptoms in the brachycephalic dogs include

a.       Frequent vomiting and/or regurgitation. Vomiting is a process of forceful retching followed by vomiting food while regurgitation is more passive – food just plops out of the mouth.

b.       Ptyalism – excessive salivation

c.       Difficulty swallowing

d.       Swallowing too much air, leading to belching and bad gas

e.       Gastroesophageal reflux

f.          Pica – eating non-edible items

g.        Seeking positions that relieve pain or difficulty swallowing.

h.       Chronic enteropathy and/or protein-losing enteropathy.

What does this mean to my dog? If you have a brachycephalic dog or breed, you and your veterinary team are likely to become great friends. Foster a good relationship with a veterinary clinic who understands the needs of your dog and you. They can help you to get the most quality years from your beloved dog. At our clinic, we had an English Bulldog patient who lived to be 15 years old, but only because he had very attentive and devoted owners who were willing to meet all of his needs, from a respiratory, digestive, and orthopedic approach.

Consider purchasing pet health insurance as soon as you plan to get a puppy. Some companies will initiate coverage the day you bring your puppy home, eliminating the possibility of having pre-existing health conditions which will limit your coverage.

Given the right veterinary care and your devotion to your dog, you can do some simple and not-so-simple techniques for extending your dog’s life and saving yourself some money.

Most importantly, keeping your dog at an ideal body weight will impact their life expectancy.

How can I improve my dog’s quality of life?

1.       Purchase your puppy from a breeder who uses BOAS testing and does other OFA health screenings to reduce the likelihood of genetic disorders. Select your breeder carefully and wait patiently for the right puppy who has seen a veterinarian experienced in working with brachycephalic dogs.

2.       Monitor your dog’s body weight and body condition. Ask your vet at every visit about your dog’s weight. The weight they are at, at 8 months of age is typically a good guideline to maintain.

3.       Avoid neutering or spaying your dog young. Waiting until after skeletal maturity (after puberty or the 1st heat cycle) is recommended. It may be better to wait even longer. See https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full

4.       Feed an appropriate diet. Royal Canin makes a Bulldog diet. The kibble shape is better suited to the shorter faced dogs picking up their food. The formula is meant to reduce gas formation during digestion. Sometimes a canned food or protein specific diet is recommended. Follow the recommendations from your veterinarian.

5.       Keep your dog fit with appropriate exercise, based on ambient temperatures and humidity.

6.       Feed with a bulldog bowl. Do not use a puzzle feeder that is hard for the dog to get the food kibbles out of the feeder.

7.       Use a raised water system – this may be an elevated water dish, a Lixit drinking bottle, or just putting the dog bowl on a non-slip mat on the open door of your dishwasher. By elevating the bowl, they can swallow water and food more easily and are less messy too!

References:

1.       OFA: https://ofa.org/diseases/rfgs/ (29 currently certified) more coming

2.       RFGS: https://www.vet.cam.ac.uk/system/files/documents/FrenchbulldogandbulldoggradingschemeKC.pdf

3.   Nutritional Management of Digestive Disease in Brachycephalic Dogs, ACVIM 2023 Lafayette, IN, USA Kara M. Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition)

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura share their most embarrassing stories with their dogs. From obedience exercises gone wrong to inappropriate public ejaculation, and many more incredibly awkward humiliations.

“Dogs don't process things the same way we do,” Laura said. “If it feels good, it's good and so whatever it is that makes them feel good, which might be eating all of your entire ham roast that you had for dinner.

Dogs live in a perpetual pleasure zone. That's their gig.”

“We have to just realize that dogs don't think like we do,” Marty said, “and they never will and we don't want them ever to really because the whole point of being friendly with dogs is that they're dogs.”

“Dogs do terrible things, not because they think it's funny, but because it feels good to them,” Laura noted. “And it entertains them and it makes them happy. And so while we are often mortified, terrified, devastated, you know, all the emotions that we go through, dogs are just smiling. Their ears flying and their nostrils flaring and they're having a grand old time.”

Check out the author Laura mentioned, Patrick McManus, HERE.

“And we really should appreciate dogs for that,” Marty added. “They live in the moment. They don't plan for the future. They have no recriminations. No guilt. Maybe we should be more like that. I have often thought that we should all be a little bit more like our dogs.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura give you tips and tools to save your dog’s life in the case of bloat. Minutes count in this life-threatening condition, so knowing the early warning signs is critical.

Bloat, also known as gastric dilation and volvulus, is a condition that knows no boundaries. It occurs in large breed dogs primarily, but it can happen in smaller dogs as well. Gas becomes trapped in the stomach, causing it to “flip over,” cutting off blood supply to vital organs, all within just a few minutes.

o  Early warning signs of bloat:

·     Repeated attempts to vomit without producing any stomach contents

·     Pacing, unsettled, snapping at sides

·     Stomach becomes distended, looks and feels like a basketball

o  Action items:

·     Immediately call vet or emergency clinic and say you are on your way with a potential bloat.

·     Immediately load dog and drive to vet. This condition can kill a dog in less than an hour.

·     Keep GasX on hand if you have a large dog or a breed prone to bloat. Give to the dog immediately on suspicion of bloat. It will not harm the dog and may give you a few extra minutes.

o  What causes bloat?

·     Research is inconclusive. Anecdotally it is associated with large dogs with deep, narrow chests. Eating or drinking water too fast can be a trigger. Stress, anxiety, intense exercise immediately before or after meals have also been reported causes, but no data has been compiled that proves this. It is more common in older dogs.

Prevention

Consider having your veterinarian "tack" the dog's stomach to prevent the condition later in life

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura examine the powerful human animal bond and how we can help our pets be healthier while they help us be healthier.

The power of this ancient connection is documented at the Human Animal Bond Research Institute.

"The value that pets bring to our lives," Laura said, "is they impact whether we go out and exercise with them because we need them to lose weight. Whether it is the companionship, whether it is the social activity where we actually go into the public with our pet, where we might otherwise be cave dwelling hermits like myself."

"It is enormous how much of a difference (pets) make in your interactions with other people," Marty said. "I raised dogs for Canine Companions for Independence. If I had to run into Target with a dog, it would take me 45 minutes to an hour to get back out the door because everyone would stop us and want to talk to us and ask about the program. And I actually had one dog that was placed in a family with a young man who had a disability because they met us at Target.

"So it's truly incredible what these dogs do for you socially. They are social lubricant. Dogs open pathways to conversation that ordinarily you would just walk past the other person. You would kind of ignore them, you'd look the other way, you wouldn't really interact with them. But now you have a dog and they come up to you and they say, oh, what kind of dog is this?"

"Social life is a big part of it, exercise is a big part of it, mental stimulation," Laura said. "I am someone who deals with autoimmune disease. There are days that if I did not have a puppy lying next to my head, I would not get out of bed. I just wouldn't. And that puppy wakes up at 5:00 AM. I crawl out of bed no matter how crunchy I am and I get her outside.

"And so this is a thing across the board for people with large and small health issues. A pet keeps them moving. Sometimes it's the only thing you wanna talk to. You don't want to talk to anybody on the phone. You don't want to talk to anybody at the store. You just want to talk to your dog."

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Marty and Laura take on the “weighty” conversation around doggy dieting. Research proves conclusively that dogs kept at a healthy weight live two years longer. How pet owners reduce or manage weight for their pets can be challenging and often requires some personal introspection as well. Our best pro tips for doggy dieting:

· Move more, eat less … There’s no such thing as doggy Ozempic

· Replace 50% of kibble with vegetables

· Measure the food, don’t just guess

· Feed two meals, don’t free feed

· Use kibbles from the pre-measured meals in place of treats

· Consider using a slow-feeder bowl

· Ice cubes and fruits or vegetables make great snacks

· Change your dog’s diet to a low-calorie, high-fiber alternative

· Talk to your veterinarian about prescription metabolic diets

· Walking, swimming and other gentle exercise will help burn calories

· Altered dogs automatically need 25% less food as their metabolism slows down

Check out our earlier episode on helping our pets live longer HERE.

Remember to help us out and like, share and review the show. And find the new audiobook HERE.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Laura said, "I ran across (an article) in a magazine called Money Wise, and it says that half of America's 87,000,000 pet owners have decided against vet treatment. And it it continues that for many Americans, the cost of caring for their pets has become unbearable. A Gallup poll found 52% of US pet owners say that they've had to put off veterinary care because of the cost. A whopping 7 in 10 also say they forego pet care due to financial. Reasons. That's scary."

"There's a few things that have played a role in this," Marty said, "and certainly one is the corporatization of veterinary medicine. I think we should talk about the overall cost of pets. It's not just veterinary care, but it's also the overall cost. How much are you spending on your pet food? How much are you spending on your other stuff? Doggy daycare? Another thing that I thought was a really important thing for us to talk about, it was mentioned kind of briefly in this article, is that veterinarians can do more for pets today, but those machines and those processes and those tests cost more money.

"About half of the veterinary clinics now are corporate and that means the other half are still owned by your local small practice owner, your small business owner.

"You don't have to go to a veterinary clinic that's corporate owned. There are lots of them out there that are. And it doesn't make them bad, it just makes them different. And it means your prices are probably going to be higher.

"They have protocols that they're required to follow. So if your dog goes in with diarrhea, they have a specific protocol they're supposed to follow instead of being able to craft the kind of medicine that is based on what your pet needs are what your needs are.

"In our practice, we have a guarantee, like our guarantee is that we will provide you a care plan that fits your needs and your pet's and your resources. So we don't have to go through an algorithm where we say these are the things we have to do. If you look at me and say I can't do that, then we come up with Plan B and Plan C."

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Summer vacation with dog as co-pilot, as Marty and Laura discussed last month, is well under way. Today they bring important information to help keep your pet safe in the late summer at various locations around the country. Whether it's foxtails, blue green algae, poisonous snakes or alligators, your pet can encounter a variety of environmental challenges.

Skunks and porcupines also get rolled into this wide-ranging conversation about what to avoid and what to do if you can't avoid some of these dangers for your pet.

Deskunking formula: One box of baking soda, a pint of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap and you mix it all up. Lather mixture all over the dog. Do NOT get the dog wet first. Use the whole batch because if you try to put a cap on it, the peroxide and the baking soda foam up and they blow up the container.

Doctor recommended:

Keep your dogs safe from foxtails and other potential injury with an Outfox mesh hood.

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Marty and I talk a lot. Like we talk pretty much, maybe not daily, but we talk every week. And I interact with people on a daily basis who work in veterinary clinics. I think it's really hard, sometimes, for us as clients to appreciate what's going on in the veterinary clinic. 'The receptionist just snarked at me. I've been sitting here for 45 minutes, like, what the F?'

So I thought it would be really great if Marty would talk to us about what the F? Like what's going on? What's a day in your life like and your staff? And if perhaps we as clients can then come with that extra grain of compassion that knowledge should bring. I think that that benefits everybody.

"Clients pull in, they may see one or two cars in the parking lot, but they may not know that that means it's a C-section with 14 puppies, which is what we just did on Friday. Or they may not be aware that there's a hit by car or a bloat or, you know, some really terrific trauma that's happening or something really awful that's happening.

"And if we only have one doctor working, there's only one place the doctor can be in at a time. And so it may not look to you as a client that it's very busy. It may look like they're just sitting around having coffee and gabbing in the back. But in reality, there's probably something pretty significant going down if you're having to wait, and that's the important thing.

"We don't have HIPAA on the veterinary side. But from a confidentiality perspective, I'm not going to walk into the exam room and say what just happened. It may have been a euthanasia. It may have been a critical diagnosis of something that's really terminal, and we had to do some counseling for the client, it may be a litter of puppies that are being born. And quite literally, we'll have sometimes 16 or 17 puppies in a litter, which means all hands on deck. It means everything else gets dropped. And in our practice, because we do a lot of reproduction, C sections are a priority, but so are major traumas. So are bloats.

"It may not look to you like as a client's perspective that there's that much going on, but if you're waiting, either they forgot about you, which doesn't happen very often, but I'm not going to tell you it's never happened at any veterinary clinic or something bad is going down. And you probably should just like sort of sort of chill a little bit."

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Marty and Laura tackle the big booms of summer, fireworks and thunderstorms, and how we can bombproof our pets ahead of time.

LR: You made a comment to me last week when we were together that I thought was so great. We were talking about our phobias, your fear of heights. My claustrophobia. And you're like, 'we don't know why we have these phobias. Dogs don't know why they have their phobias either.' And I just thought that was such a genius comment that I'd never really kind of spun it that way in my head. So can you expand on that a little bit for me?

MG: Well, I'll try. I mean, the point is that I'm afraid of heights. I know I'm not gonna fall. I know I'm OK, I get that. But there's something really visceral and really guttural that every sphincter in my body tightens up and I get nervous and upset and there's a certain things I don't handle well. And so it's hard to explain to anybody. Because my friends around me are like, what's wrong with you? You're not gonna fall over the cliff. You're not gonna fall off the edge. You're fine. I'm like, OK, My head says I'm fine. My gut says I'm not.

And so, that's kind of the thing. We have to realize that it's a real true gut reaction. And when you say you think with your gut or you feel with your gut, what's your gut reaction? I think it's really important that we realize that our gut is part of our nervous system, and it's probably a very important organ in all of that. So when you feel like you have a gut feeling, believe it and don't diss the dog by saying 'what's wrong with you, you shouldn't be afraid of that. It's just Thunder. It's just lightning. It's just fireworks. It's just, you know, whatever, it's just the vet, it's just the groomer, it's just the car.' It's whatever it happens to be. It is not "just," it is a visceral, true guttural response that you're dog or cat cannot overcome.

You can try to do some training, you can try to do some counter conditioning. There's all kinds of stuff people try to undo by training, but sometimes it takes some pharmaceutical agents to sort of accelerate this timeline of getting through those things.

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Marty and Laura discuss the dangers of blastomycosis and other fungal infections for our pets as well as their humans.

"Blasto tends to be the upper Midwest," Marty said. "It's frequently found in areas where wood chipping has taken place, so places that trees have been cut down or chipped or garden centers and you know, things along those lines.

"There are other parts of the country that have other kinds of fungal infections. So it's not like if you don't live in Wisconsin that you're safe from it. So Wisconsin, Minnesota, those areas, we see a lot of it. If you go to the Southwest like Arizona, then you see coccidiomycosis (Valley Fever), which is also fungal.

"And then if you go to the Mississippi Valley. Find histoplasmosis. So there's definitely regional differences. They're all nasty, wicked bad diseases, and people think of fungus and yeast as being the same thing and they're not. It is systemic. It is a bad, bad, bad disease. The commonality between histo and blasto and coccidiomycosis is that it causes fungal pneumonia and then there's other organs that are involved differently in different of those diseases."

Marty walks through symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections in our pets, both dogs and cats. She also warns these diseases can affect humans.

"I had a client that had two sons that both had blasto. Human sons. So you can see that kind of a typical pattern is it's from the exposure of the spore," Marty said. "You inhale the spore, it ends up in your lungs, you get pneumonia and that spreads to other organs. So it's not spread dog to dog, it's not spread dog to human. It's spread through the common source of the soil being disrupted with that kind of pH and that kind of environment that the sports can live in."

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Marty and Laura tackle the topic of osteoarthritis in our pets, diagnosis, treatment and the differences between cats and dogs with this disease.

"The only time we'll see a pet cry in pain is if they have either serious trauma or they slipped a disc in their neck and those dogs vocalize," Marty said. "But they won't vocalize because they've torn a cruciate. They won't vocalize because they have hip dysplasia or back problem or elbow dysplasia or 1 of 1000 other causes of osteoarthritis. And so our perception, especially in cats, but in dogs as well, is that they're not in any pain because they're not crying."

"We know the dogs are in pain, even if they're not crying. If they're not walking normally, they're in pain. That's just the bottom line and something you need to just know and understand and accept."

Marty walks through the various treatment options. There are multiple options for dogs, although only one for cats. Various commercial diets are formulated to provide support for pets with osteoarthritis.

"(These diets are) based on increasing the fatty acids, increasing the glucosamine, trying to improve joint lubrication and just generally making the pet feel better. Dogs and cats, first and foremost, if they're overweight, get weight off of them because that is going to be the best thing that you can do for them non drug wise or drug wise. That is the one single thing that you can do to really improve their quality of life is for them to not have to carry that much weight on those sore, achy, tired joints. Every part of their body hurts, so get their weight down."

Dip in to hear the rest of Marty's recommendations. Don't forget to like and follow the show and share with your friends.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura discuss oral hygiene including teeth, gums and beards. Keeping your pet's teeth clean means brushing them. There are no magic cures.

Oral health impacts the pet's overall physical health directly, Marty said. She recommends visiting the Veterinary Oral Health Council's website to learn about approved and accepted products that can help reduce the severity of periodontal disease in our pets.

"It's not just about how they smell," Marty said, "because (tartar buildup) does have a bad odor to it. It's about their overall health. Every time they swallow, they set up a bacterial shower and they lodge in the heart valves, which can cause heart murmurs or accelerate heart murmurs, that can cause kidney problems, can cause all the same health problems that people have associated with dental health."

Laura covers beard maintenance on wire coated and long haired dogs to help prevent the unsightly orange stains around the mouth.

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Marty and Laura tackle the topic of skinny old cats, why they lose weight and how to prevent these geriatric diseases.

Cats are NOT, as Laura theorized, “fluffy house plants.”

“Lots of people know when they have a kitten that they need veterinary care,” Marty said. “They need vaccinations, they need deworming, they to be spayed or neutered, all the stuff. And then a lot of cats never see their veterinarian until they're 14, 15, 16 years old in some cases.

“Suddenly look at your cat one day or your friend or your family comes over and looks at the cat and says, ohh, what happened to your cat? Because they kind of shriveled up. You need to take your cat to the veterinarian at least once a year for routine veterinary care. They need an exam as they become older. They need blood work. They may need booster vaccinations.”

Early detection of these diseases is critical Marty noted.

“Three of the diseases that we see in old cats that make them old and skinny have very good treatments,” Marty said. “One diabetes, two kidney failure, three hyperthyroidism and four cancer. But we have to know that they have a diagnosis and they need a treatment plan.”

Check out the YouTube version of the show to critique the hosts' matchy matchy outfits. Meanwhile please like, follow and share!

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty and Laura drop useful tips and share hilarious stories about summer vacation with dogs.

Top tips from the Pros:

• RV, hotel, campground or visiting friends and family, and on the road along the way, pick up after your dog! Abandoned dog droppings can spread "germs and worms," are smelly and disrespectful to other travelers.Marty's Pro TipKeep your used grocery bags in an empty kleenex box for easy access and a "reuse, recycle" mindset.
• Xpens are your friend! Find the height and style you like to make an instant mini yard wherever you are, inside or out.
• Get aBuddyBadgecollar tag for your dog. The QR code scans to show all pertinent info about your pet.
• Make sure you post "ICE" (In Case of Emergency) information on your dog's crate. More from a previous Pure Dog Talk episodeHERE.

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Marty and Laura get you and your buddy off the couch and ready for the spring weather.

"The most important thing is to not overdo it because the tendency is it's finally spring, it's finally nice out. I'm going to go garden all day, I'm going to go on a long hike, I'm going to cut the grass, I'm going to clean the garage, I'm going to do all this stuff that turns out to not really be conducive to not being physically conditioned for it. And it could be you, it could be your dogs," Marty advises.

Laura observes that many of us, and our pets, have to ease into that spring training.

"When you Netflix through the winter, you can't just marathon into the spring," Laura notes.

"We talked back a month or two ago about pests and bugs and critters and all that, but there's different ones in the spring and different things that we need to do for our pets in the spring than during the rest of the time," Marty says.

"We really can't just go out and get the deep woods OFF with the deet and it and spray it on our dogs because that's not safe for them," Marty says. "So if we're looking at what we want to do for preventives for protection, there's some pretty nice sprays out there. Sprays and the topical flea and tick medications often do offer repellency effect. The Vectra 3D has a wonderful effect of repellency. It has three different chemicals in it that protect your pet.

"One of them creates this hot foot effect so that if the pests land on your pet, they are not going to stay on because it's uncomfortable for them. Like they start dancing around and they're off. So there's some really good products out there. So the pills, like Bravecto, Simperica and Nexgard do a good job of killing fleas and ticks once they're attached or bite you. They don't do anything for repellency."

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Marty and Laura tackle a really tough topic today, talking about encephalitis and meningitis and other assorted brain and spinal cord inflammation.

“These are scary because the dogs get very sick and it's a very difficult diagnosis to make,” Marty said. “It usually requires some advanced imaging, some advanced testing. It's not an easy diagnosis to nail down and it's not an easy treatment to develop.

This category of illness is complicated due to the variety of causes, from bacterial infection to autoimmune mediated, and the vagueness of the symptoms, Marty added.

“Sometimes you have to just say, okay, we're going to use a pretty hefty antibiotic and we're

going to do a pretty hefty anti-inflammatory dose,” Marty said. “And you're going to like pray like mad and hope like hell that you're making the right decisions. And sometimes you don't simply because you don't have the ability to get the information you need at all or quickly enough to make those decisions because you don't have 10 days. I mean, you literally may not have 10 days to get this figured out.” 

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Marty and Laura are talking puppercise today with a great run down of the fun stuff to do with your dog and how to do it safely. They even throw in a little philosophy. Like, what is “hiking?” Are we climbing cliffs or strolling on a volksmarch. Hosts discuss.

Back on track, our intrepid hosts cover communicating with our dogs. How to hear what they’re trying to tell us, whether it’s that their feet are hot or they’re tired and need a rest period.

A discussion of dog boots for tender feet segued rapidly into the fake paralysis dogs can exhibit when they’re dressed in their first outfit.

Then there’s Marty’s tip for dogs who forget themselves while playing and tear up their pads: “New skin, the stuff that you can buy at the store, it's in the human pharmacy with the Band -Aids. That works pretty well to serve as a surface, kind of it coats the surface so it'll help to protect that so the dog isn't sore with a raw open wound. If there's an actual laceration, like a cut or the pad is flapping, then you may need to go to the vet and have that stapled closed.”

The team talks blue green algae, hot cars and other summer time topics so make sure you drop by to catch the whole show, share it with your friends and don’t forget to follow us and leave a review!

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Marty and Laura are joined by Lindsay Stanton, grief coach and author to discuss managing grief after losing a pet.

"At the end of the day, grief and trauma run down very parallel paths," Stanton noted. "And depending on the type of grief that you're experiencing, it can be extremely traumatic. And depending on the way the person or pet passed, it can be extremely traumatic."

"If you're really a dog person or really a cat person, you understand the gravity of that loss," Marty said. "And society oftentimes minimizes it by saying, well, it's just a dog, it's just a cat, and it's really insensitive. And it's really inappropriate because we need to help people and for children especially, not that this is easy as an adult either, but for children especially, this may be the first loss that they experience before a grandparent or before a parent is lost, it may be a pet.

"And so unfortunately, this can be a learning experience for younger people to learn to navigate through, how grief happens, the stages of grief and how to be kind to yourself. Sometimes you expect more of yourself than you should be able to provide. So I think it's permission for people to learn how to grieve."

Stanton walks our hosts and listeners through various coping skills for managing grief, including yoga, meditation and reiki.

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Marty and Laura take on the tough topic of seizures in our pets. They break down the types of seizures, what may cause them and treatment options based on the cause.

Sparked by a listener request to cover the topic when a client dog had a hypoglycemic seizure in a groom shop, this episode is for everyone who owns a dog. All dogs and cats can experience a seizure whether from low blood sugar, ingestion of toxin, various diseases and what is known as “idiopathic epilepsy” which literally means seizures of unknown origins.

“There's a lot of different reasons that pets can seize,” Marty noted. “First of all, it's really upsetting when it happens because it's scary. So it happens fast and they go from looking normal to not normal, and it can be pretty startling.

“The first thing to do if your pet is seizing is give glucose in some form and then seek veterinary care. Glucose can be ice cream, it can be honey, it can be Maple syrup, it can be Cairo syrup, it can be caramels. But the second thing you need to do is go to the veterinary clinic.

“(Glucose) can be absorbed through their gums, so you don't have to get them to swallow it. If you just have a liquid Karo syrup, honey, Maple syrup, dark Karo syrup, light cover syrup, I don't care. Any of those are fine. And they can absorb it right through their gums. Do not pry their mouth open and try and pull out their tongue. I can guarantee you'll get bitten and it is not worth it because they're not going to choke on their tongue.”

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Marty and Laura debate dog parks and doggy day care, weighing the risk versus the reward of each.

Dog parks and doggy daycare are convenient solutions to busy schedules. But they do have downsides. We're here to help walk you through some of the considerations.

"Some (doggy daycares) are run really well," Marty noted, "so I don't wanna say that they're all negatively associated. But there are some that have really done well and some that are really not done well.

"I think the most important aspect of a daycare experience for the dog is that it's regular, it's scheduled, and you know the playgroup that your dog is going to be in, rather than having it just be, you know, some random situation that just lets everybody out together where there can be a real brouhaha and create some significant injuries, illnesses and other issues."

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Marty and Laura tackle separation anxiety, a tough topic for folks trying to manage returning to office life while keeping their pooch entertained.

A lot of “pandemic dogs” that have never had 30 seconds of being by themselves, find a new way of life more challenging.

“So there are some things that you can do to help prepare them for being left alone,” Marty said, “whether it's to go to work or something more significant. And some of them are pharmaceutical and some are non-pharmaceutical. It’s okay to use pharmaceuticals if you need them because it can shorten the learning curve. So I don't want people to feel guilty or bad or any of those things if they feel like a pharmaceutical assistant to shorten the dog's learning curve is appropriate.

“A lot of dogs figure out pretty fast if they're going with you that day or you're leaving them for that day or they're going to daycare what's going to happen based on the pair of shoes that you put on, believe it or not, or which bag you pick up, or whether you've got this jacket or that jacket on. 

“It’s called back chaining when they figure those things out is they first see you leave, and then they see you put on the shoes that you wear when you leave, and then they see you put the jacket and the shoes on before you leave, and then they see you pick up the keys. And so they start to back chain. So very quickly, you can see that they're developing anxiety as you're prepping to leave them or take them along.”

For a deep dive on this topic, check out this archived episode from Pure Dog Talk.

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Marty and Laura walk through best practices for giving our pets the best chance for a long life.

Our hosts share their experiences with losing dogs in old and young ages, while providing detailed recommendations to help our pets live long, productive lives.

“So preventive care is going to be probably the most important,” Marty said. “And that means routine blood work. That means routine dental cleanings, that means the right nutrition.

“There's some really important things that we can do for (our pets) that are pretty simple and pretty straightforward. They're not always easy, but they're pretty straightforward.

“I think going in for a routine blood work, people are like, ‘ohh, I don't need any, he's fine.’ No, you're going to be surprised at what kind of things we can find and preemptively get ahead of whether it's kidneys, whether it's liver function issues, whether it's heartworm disease or some of the tick borne diseases, other disorders that we can see. So if you're veterinarian says, ‘I think we should do blood work this year and it's usually an annual thing then you should go up and down with your head and say yes, yes, I think we should do that.”

Marty continues with food recommendations, why dogs should be crated in a car, weight management and more.

Working through final decisions about our pets is incredibly emotional.

“My favorite current book is Promises to My Pet,” Marty said. “It was written by a social worker who wanted to help people go through the process to let their pet go. And basically they go in and you can take pictures from your dog when it was young and you could put all kinds of things in there. But essentially what you're doing is you're promising your dog or your cat that you are not extending their life beyond what you think would be reasonable.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

But it kind of gives us a feel for what we think of puppy, teenager, adult, elder. Marty and Laura walk through those life stages and some of the things that we can do to ease or utilize those times that we have with our dogs. Everyone says it's too short, and they're right. So we talk about some ways to look at it differently and to understand it better.

"Teenagers need to learn boundaries," Marty said. "Teenage dogs, teenage children, teenage ponies, they all need to learn boundaries. It's just a thing, and it's our job. It's our responsibility because we love our family pets, children, cats, dogs, horses; it's our job to teach them those boundaries."

"Now, if you've got an adult dog that's earned its place and it's got its life lessons, you can now do some great things with your dog. You can go do stuff and do events. I mean, like, this is the great part of dog life, this two to five, two to six time frame, and it's a blast; they're so much fun. So this is when you get out of the basic obedience class and you start doing fun things like agility or rally or scent work, or you start taking the dog to the national parks and the local lakes and all the fun things that you get to do.

"But, of course, you have to remember that not everybody loves dogs. 58% of the people own dogs. Another 42% probably don't want anything to do with them, so you can't just let your dog run up to everybody and slobber all over them because not everybody appreciates that. You can't let your big dopey dog run up to every other dog either. And just because your dog is friendly, it doesn't mean that the other dog is."

Next week we'll talk in depth about our senior dogs and the joys and sorrows of that life stage.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Lance walks us through Laura's "box of fish" and everything above and beyond in the colorful and spectacular world of home aquariums.

Filtration, salt or freshwater, fish friends (and frenemies!), tank size, and decorations—we cover the basics of Aquarium 101.

The Eclipse filter – everything in one top for the aquarium:

https://www.marineland.com/products/aquariums/bio-wheel-aquarium-kit.aspx

More beginner information on Marineland filters:

https://www.marineland.com/information.aspx

Species database:

https://aquainfo.org/

Legendary plant tank guy (his stuff is stunning):

https://www.aquariumarchitecture.com/archive/legendary-aquarist-takashi-amano/

Reef Tank Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHxbMa2RVTQ

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

“Cats are not small dogs and dogs are not big cats,” Marty says. “So cats are a species unto themselves, and they have their own special wants, needs, desires, techniques, food, everything. It's a little different with the cat.

“This is why a spay or neuter in a cat at six or eight months is very appropriate. Now, I don't like to see them spayed or neutered when they're itty-bitty babies. I still think that there's some risk that goes with that. You know, those four, five, six-week-old kittens should not be spayed or neutered, and there are places that do that.

“A lot of the shelters, as soon as the cats weigh two pounds — and that frequently means two months of age, eight weeks — they'll start to talk about spaying and neutering, and there are some orthopedic problems that happen, especially in the boys' fat. So I care about that, but basically, you don't want to do that so young. Closer to six months is still a better choice, but not after, you know, don't wait until they're eight, nine, or ten months old, because by then you've already got some behavioral issues that are going to be difficult to manage.”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

"Your dog scratching at his ears, not an emergency. You can wait. Cat can't urinate. That is an emergency," Marty says.

With the nationwide difficulty finding and accessing emergency services for our pets, a little bit of knowledge can save you an enormous amount of time, grief and frustration.

From bloat to dog fight to bloody stools, we take you through the details of what can and can't be managed at home.

Check out Marty and Laura's K9 First Aid 911 series.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

“Cats have a very serious medical condition when they cannot urinate. And you can only imagine how A, painful, and B, dangerous, that is, for cats, and it's almost always male cats. I can tell you, I can count on one hand the number of female cats I've seen obstructed, but male cats, pretty commonly. It accounts for about 3 % of all veterinary hospital admissions, so it is a common disorder.

“If you have a cat that's urinating inappropriately, male or female, blood in the urine, not in the litter box, straining to urinate. It can look like constipation also. Clients think this is a bladder infection, but cats don't get bladder infections the way that other species do.

“People think that their cat missed the litter box. Cats don't miss. If you watch them in the litter box, they dig a little hole and then they turn around and they look and then they dig a little bit more and then they look a little more and then they dig a little bit more. And then when they finally urinate or have a stool, it is nailing it right where they dug the hole. So cats don't miss.

“If they're not using the litter box, you absolutely, positively are getting the advanced notice from your cat that ‘I'm gonna be in trouble and you need to get this fixed fast before something goes wrong.’”

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Research has shown that early spay/neuter in dogs causes an increased incidence of several cancers as well as cruciate ligament tears and increased odds of both problematic and nuisance behaviors.

“They don't routinely spay and neuter dogs in the European countries and they don't have a pet overpopulation problem. They don't have a mixed breed overpopulation problem. So when I've traveled in Europe and you go places on the train or go to a restaurant or a cafe or whatever, and there's dogs there. They're intact dogs, and they know how to behave themselves because they have been trained to go out in public and behave.

"So it's a whole different experience, and they don't have oodles and oodles of puppies pouring out of shelters and rescues because they have inappropriately bred dogs. So I think we really need to take a hard look at ourselves as Americans to say, where have we gone awry? And what have we done wrong here? And what do we need to do to regain that? Because there's some really important information about the improvement in health and longevity by keeping our dogs intact.”

Below are links to a few of the studies and research Marty mentioned.

• https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Suggested-Guidelines-by-Breed-for-Age-of-Neutering-Suggested-guidelines-for-age-of_tbl1_342751264
• https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.therio.org/resource/resmgr/docs/spay-neuter_basis.pdf
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36656681/

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Learn about a “tick quest,” “tick nests” that could be under your bed, the potential role of ticks as vectors for diseases up to and including cancer, and more parasitology than you even knew was out there.

Catch up on the life cycle of fleas, the scourge of heartworm and mosquitoes, even “Kissing Bugs.” Then venture into the “bowels” of veterinary medicine with updates on one-celled organisms and actual worms that attack our pets.

We’ve got you covered, top to bottom and inside out! Lol

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Marty’s observations:

I think there's a lot of misunderstandings about vaccines, and I hope we can help clarify some of that information. I'm going to start off by saying that I don't want to come off sounding like I'm pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine.

When Jean Dodds and Ron Schultz started talking about vaccinations being given more frequently than they needed to be, I was one of the first people that got on board with it in 2002. So, three years after they started, I had already put my personal dogs on a three-year vaccination protocol and was then ready to move forward.

We felt in 2002 that it was appropriate to change from an annual vaccine for distemper, for parvo, and for some of these vaccines that historically had been given on an annual basis, to a three-year rolling protocol. But I had people signing consent for that because it was really not cutting edge; it was bleeding edge at that point.

We're going to break this down into some detail as we go through this, but overall, many of the vaccines in many of our pets can go to a less frequent system. And then, during COVID, vaccine hesitancy became a bigger deal. It happens on the human side. It happens on the veterinary side.

One of the big concerns is that, about 30 years ago or so, there was this big hoopla about vaccines causing autism in children, right? And that still floats around out there, even though it has been disproven, and we don't see autism in dogs or cats.

So, we need to make sure that we are all understanding the reason for vaccines and the reason to be thoughtful about what vaccines your pet needs based on their lifestyle and their immune response.

That being said, I think that vaccines have probably saved more lives in the world than any other medical breakthrough. You can look at anesthesia, you can look at sterile surgery, you can look at chemotherapy, you can look at all kinds of different medical breakthroughs that have happened, and yes, they are all really important. I mean, I wouldn't want to have my appendix out without anesthesia, without sterile surgery, and that saves lives.

But if you think about the number of lives, veterinary and human, that have been saved by vaccines preventing disease, I don't see that there's anything that has happened medically that's been a more significant breakthrough. So, I want to preface my remarks with, ‘I have a huge respect for vaccines.’ I have a huge respect for vaccines on the human side and on the veterinary side, but they need to be given thoughtfully and wisely.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Bird flu (H5N1) has caused the death of pet cats, wild cats at a sanctuary, and at least one person in the US. Marty’s recommendation is to feed a prepared diet. If pet owners insist on feeding non-commercial food, they should be sure it is properly cooked to kill potential pathogens.

From the CDC (Centers for Disease Control):

Preparing food:

For poultry: Cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses. People should separate uncooked (raw) poultry from cooked foods and foods that won't be cooked. Cook all poultry and poultry products (including eggs) all the way before eating. More information about the safe handling and cooking of poultry can be found here: Chicken and Food Poisoning

For beef: Cooking beef to the appropriate internal temperature kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses. Cook all beef products thoroughly before eating. Ground beef should reach a safe internal temperature of 160°F, and whole cuts of beef should reach 145°F, then rest for 3 minutes. Refer to CDC's safer foods table for a complete list of safe internal temperatures.Separate uncooked (raw) beef from cooked foods or foods that won't be cooked to prevent cross-contamination.

Unpasteurized (raw) milk safety: Choosing pasteurized milk and products made with pasteurized milk is the best way to keep you and your family safe. Unpasteurized (raw) milk and products made from raw milk, including soft cheese, ice cream, and yogurt, can be contaminated with germs that can cause serious illness, hospitalization, or death. Pasteurization kills bacteria and viruses, like avian influenza A viruses, in milk. Make the best decision for your health and the health of your family by always choosing pasteurized milk and products made with it.

Anyone, even healthy adults, can get sick from drinking unpasteurized (raw) milk. Based on the limited research and information available, we do not know at this time if avian influenza A viruses can be transmitted to people through the consumption of raw milk and products (such as cheese) made from raw milk from infected cows.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Until then, feed three meals a day because their stomachs, colons, and intestinal tracts are small. The rule of thumb is that for every stool a puppy has in a day, you should feed one meal. So if they're having four stools a day, you should feed four meals a day.

Feed the Amount on the Bag

If you're feeding dry kibble, which is absolutely appropriate, the bag provides a good guide based on the puppy's weight or the expected future weight.

I prefer puppy food over all-life-stage foods. I like to feed puppies food specifically formulated for puppies. There are large-breed puppy foods, medium-breed puppy foods, and small-breed puppy foods. These aren't just about kibble size; they also affect the calcium and phosphorus balance, caloric intake, and fat and protein content.

Treats

There's something truly magical about the bond formed when you hold a piece of food, and it disappears down the gullet of another creature, leaving them happy. Whether you're a Jewish grandmother or a puppy owner, there's something special about the act of feeding that strengthens relationships. I'm in no way going to interfere with that relationship because I believe it is absolutely critical for building strong connections.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

Hot Take #1: Crate training is a good thing. It's an amazing thing. It's a great tool. 

And Hot Take #2: Housebreaking is really simple when you crate train your dog.

“It’s not easy, but it’s simple and it’s absolutely essential, because the number two reason people don’t keep their dogs is housebreaking issues. Number one is biting, and number two is housebreaking. In the cat world, it’s the other way around. Cats that don’t use the litter box—that’s the number one issue,” Marty noted.

“A lot of people have unrealistic expectations for how quickly a puppy housebreaks. In my world, it takes many puppies until they’re between 4 and 4 1/2 months old to understand the concept and to have the physical ability to control it, get to the door, communicate that, and get outside in time.”

“With crates, with bells, there are a few tools that we can use to make it better, but if you expect every dog to housebreak by 7 weeks of age, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and failure.”

Marty and Laura walk you through the simple steps to housebreak your puppy or litter box train your kitten for a happier start to the rest of your lives together.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.

They’ll guide you through the process of finding the perfect companion for your lifestyle, making sure your new pet is a good match for your home and everyone in it.

"Home is where someone runs to greet you when you walk in the door." Let’s make sure that someone is the right fit! Marty blows up Laura’s brain with news about cat collar tags that trigger automatic feeders for multiple cats. 

Laura reminds Marty about the Human Animal Bond Research Institute which provides empirical research into the benefits of pet ownership.

We’re excited to bring you these fun, fact-based conversations about pet health. From professional tips on selecting your new dog to understanding your cat’s cough and what you should do about it, we’ll meet you wherever you are—whether you’re in the car, on the treadmill, or walking the dog—and provide a good laugh, a great story, and a fresh idea every week.

We hope you’ll join us on social media and visit our website to sign up for an extra pet tip of the week. While you’re at it, please take a moment to leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.

The Marty & Laura Show is produced by Pure Dog Talk Inc., with sound design and editing by Premium Audio Services.