The bed is sacred! If cats are so easy to adapt and sleep anywhere… why will they come to steal anyone’s bed?
Don’t miss this video of the dogs’ reaction when another family member takes away their corner.
Like humans, dogs need a comfortable place to rest and relax. Choosing the most suitable type of bed for your dog can be a heavy job due to the variety of models, but if in addition to a comfortable bed you want to consider the right one for his personality and health, either by age or disease, how does one to select the perfect bed?
Choosing the dog’s bed is much easier if you have the following points in mind:
1 – Keep in mind your dog’s tastes.
Notice how your dog likes to sleep. If it is covered under a pile of blankets and pillows, a sack bed style would be very suitable, allowing you to get inside and be between two layers. A dog that enjoys sleeping in the corner of a sofa, or a chair will appreciate a three-sided bed, allows it to lean on the corner, keeping its back and butt warm in contact with the surface. If your dog stretches out and stretches while sleeping, a fluffy, flat bed like a mattress is perfect for him to enjoy space and comfort.
2 – Choose a bed with a removable and washable cover.
Keep in mind that the cover is made of a resistant material, some dogs are prone to scratch the cover so we will choose a material that does not tear easily and that protects the inner filling. It is essential that this cover is easy to remove and you can put it in the washing machine for greater comfort and hygiene.
3 – Consider your dog’s age, health and behavior.
For puppies and dogs with a tendency to bite everything, beds or blankets should never be used with easy access to any type of filling. It is common for them to bite the inside and this can cause intestinal obstruction if ingested. Older, sick dogs, and giant breed dogs require extra support, and can benefit greatly from orthopedic beds, anti-bedsore mattresses , and thermal mattresses . If you have a disease such as arthritis or osteoarthritis and therefore spend much of the time lying down, it is very important a strong and resistant filler adaptable to your body, which protects the skin and prevents the appearance of bedsores. In this sense, the best is an antibacterial and water repellent cover in convination with a chopped viscoelastic filling, which allows the passage of air and is thermo-adjustable, allowing a perfect adaptation and avoiding pressure points. Giant breeds often have a hard time staying cool during the hot months, thermoregulable mattresses on the market can provide you with refreshing relief during the summer months.
4 – How you need the bed to be.
Are you going to place the bed in a box? a rectangular bed that fits the box is necessary, some dogs prefer beds reinforced with boxes, others are uncomfortable or difficult to access. Are you going to use the bed for camping or in the yard? If so, you are interested in the bed being waterproof and suitable for outdoors. Permeability is a very important feature to consider. If, for example, your dog drools a lot or is prone to urinating while sleeping, you’ll need to choose a bed with a washable, liquid-repellent cover. There are also new orthopedic beds made with antibacterial fabric that prevent bad odors.
5 – Ecological materials.
There is a wide variety of eco-friendly dog beds on the market, created with fabrics made from organic and recycled materials. The dog and the planet will thank you.
6 – Last but not least, the budget.
Bed prices can range from less than 20 € to hundreds of euros. Depending on the needs, the qualities of the covers and fillers and the possibilities of each owner. Beds with covers of intelligent fabrics (water repellent, antibacterial, antiallergic) and memory foam or chopped viscoelastic fillers are a good option for dogs with joint problems but have a somewhat higher price.
Jumbo and his brother are two dogs that have not had it easy from the beginning. Both were born blind and abandoned. They were initially welcomed by a couple, both of them, but once the couple separated the boy stayed with the dogs and soon they were back on the street.
Being blind they knew that if they stayed together they had a better chance of surviving. But one night crossing a little-traveled road, they were both run over. There were several injuries suffered and the Jumbo carps never came to be welded but given the seriousness of the run over and the state in which they were found they were lucky to remain alive.
After a while the girl (ex-partner) learned that they had been abandoned and after months of searching she found them in a shelter. It took them in again and gives them the care they need.
The recent chest scar is from an operation to remove a hook he ingested on the beach while trying to feed. Now he is much better and they have put some carpal supports with which he can correct the position of these, relieve discomfort and avoid future injuries.
“Despite being totally blind, they do not usually run into obstacles,” says their caregiver María Teresa R.. It’s amazing how well they’ve adapted and how they recognize the terrain before moving forward thanks to their tremendous sense of smell and fine-tuned ears. We were also moved to see the passion they show for their caregivers and the affection with which Jumbo conveys its gratitude.
Editor: Ortocanis.com Team
Video of Jumbo when he starts walking with the carpal supports:
New technical and orthopedic aids for dogs are used in a wide variety of cases. These increase the mobility of dogs by providing the necessary support to maintain daily activity. Dogs need to exercise to maintain their physical and emotional well-being. If a dog is unable to exercise, it can develop problems such as heart disease, obesity, bone alterations, muscle atrophy, and emotional problems such as aggression or anxiety.
Applicable cases
Technical aids can be used for sprains, muscle weakness, arthritis, hip dysplasia, post-operative rehabilitation, lameness, weakness or pain in the joints that end up generating a mobility problem. The technical aids should allow the dog to perform its daily activities, but they should also be comfortable and offer protection against irritations and ulcers on the dog’s skin so it is important that they are performed by specialists. We list the most frequent:
Knee
Knee protectors are typically used after surgery for rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), patella dislocation, medial collateral ligament (MCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), or posterior cruciate ligaments (PCL). Knee pads provide support and stability, prevent muscle loss during the recovery period, and reduce the risk of further injury. Knee protectors are also often used in cases where surgery is not performed.
Tarsus and Carpus
Tarsal protectors are indicated in cases of osteoarthritis but also for post-surgical rehabilitation or injury to the Achilles tendon, nerve damage to the hind limb or foot and rehabilitation of the hock joint. They can also be used as long-term support in non-surgical conditions. A tarsus or hock protector stabilizes the bone of the back leg, as well as the muscles and tendons of the limb and knee. It works similarly to a knee brace in humans, allowing the dog to move without straining the joint. It also prevents the dog from re-injuring the affected joint or ligaments.
Elbows
An elbow protector is used to support the elbow joint after surgery or to reduce pain from arthritis, degenerative joint diseases, or other similar conditions. It provides control in lateral movement while allowing for normal extension and flexion while treating and protecting hygromas and calluses.
Hip
A hip support holds and increases the temperature of the dog’s lower back and hip. Made of special neoprene, it surrounds the lower back, hip and upper leg and is fastened thanks to a Roman-type harness. Hip supports are commonly used for dogs with mild to moderate hip dysplasia and localized osteoarthritis.
Shoulders
Medial shoulder instability (MSI) is one of the causes of lameness in the front legs. A special support would allow the shoulder to be supported, which would limit the extension, flexion and abduction, allowing the dog to support its weight. These aids can be used after surgery or as a non-surgical treatment but also preventively.
Blind people use a cane to orient themselves in space and know where there are obstacles. Other animals naturally use sound, whiskers or other warning devices.
A blind dog also needs something to tell it when it is approaching an obstacle. Dennis Hacker, a veterinarian from California, told us how to manually make a “cane” for a blind dog.
Using an aluminum strip, which allows to give it the desired shape while providing a solid barrier for the dog, we make a ring that fits the harness, with a prudent angle so that it can turn its head and have mobility in it.
To manufacture it, we need to take 3 measures:
A – From the front leg to the neck.
B – From the neck to the tip of the nose.
C – The diameter of the chest just behind the front legs.
Necessary material:
A – An aluminum strip of the correct size, these are the measures A + B multiplied by 3.
B – Leather harness, to fit on the chest. Remember that blind dogs tend to gain weight.
C – A riveting machine.
D – Rivets of 5 mm and 3-6 mm of reach.
E – Electric drill.
F – 5 mm helical drill bit.
G – Sandpaper.
The process for manufacturing is as follows:
Sand the edges of the aluminum so that they are round.
Attach the harness to the blind dog and adjust it to make it comfortable. It measures the distance between the centers of the vertical bands. This is where the ring-shaped aluminum bar is going to be put.
Drill four holes into the aluminum strip. A hole at each end and then another pair of holes at the distance between the two harness fasteners (as indicated in the photograph above left).
Pierce the harness at the bottom of the vertical strips of the neck where we measure. This is where the aluminum band is attached to warn the dog that it is about to hit itself.
Bend the distance to the ends of the aluminum bar with an angle of 45 degrees. Then, bend gently and in the opposite direction to give shape of circumference to the central area.
Rivet the aluminum ring to the harness on the vertical leather straps closest to the dog’s head.
Now, with the harness on the dog, level the hoop at eye and nose level. Mark the measurement and rivet the ring on the back of the harness.
We already have our cane ready for blind dogs!
The result is phascinating, a solution that will improve the lives of dogs with vision problems.
At first they feel confused and need to adapt, as soon as they understand the operation and see the improvement they quickly dodge the obstacles.
In case you are not one of those who have a lot of patience, the new harness for blind dogs is now available for sale.
The bond that is created between people and pets is very special and unique. The following analysis illustrates this relationship in a very clear and simple way, where it shows more about the relationship that exists with these special members of our family.
Source: Affinity Foundation
From a small Scandinavian research laboratory, the team at the Nordic Society for Invention and Disconvery is developing a device that translates dog thoughts into words. As explained by its creators on the website of the product, to carry out this project they have used the latest technology in microinformatics and electroencephalography, systems that allow analyzing the thought patterns of animals.
It is a kind of helmets that transport thoughts like a swarm of electrical signals through encephalogram sensors capable of deciphering this activity. Then a computer interface converts them into words, which ‘come out’ through a speaker attached to the device. Among these patterns, the most common ones found are: “I’m tired,” “I’m excited,” and “I’m hungry.”
In times when brain activity is very intense when meeting someone, experts translate it in the program as “who are you?” In this sense, experts have explained that dogs “think” in a different way than humans, since the signals of the brain of these animals indicate emotion, that is, the activity shows more a “mental state” than a “thought”.
At the moment the device is in English, Mandarin, French and Spanish, as indicated on their page, where they add that they are working in different voices, so that each owner chooses the one that best suits his dog. This project has been funded by the inventors themselves who, encourage their potential buyers to acquire their product, “which might not be perfect”, to “show their support for research” that may come in the future and that, in their opinion, “will break the language barriers between animals and human beings”.
Sources: www.abc.es, www.nomorewoof.com
The days before the Super Bowl the big companies always create some really good ads. In the 2014 edition Budweiser has created a unique ad, which will probably be one of the best this year. It is a short story about a golden retriever puppy and his friend – a horse. We found it exciting and we want to share it with all of you. If it becomes a protector and not a breeding farm they embroider it. Everything will go.
Glory was a stray dog that was beaten to the point of injury in such a way that its two front legs and one hind legs had to be amputated. Now he is living a second chance that will allow him to walk again.
This dog lives in Romania and a few months ago was brutally assaulted. A woman who had been caring for him took him to the vet and learned that three of his legs had to be amputated.
Vanessa Bamkin saw the photos of Glory online and decided to save the dog that is only 4 years old. Mrs Bamkin and her husband paid for Glory’s vaccinations and travelled to Romania to take the dog home to the UK.
The Bamkins thought about giving Glory a more comfortable life and decided to raise funds through the internet. The surprise came when they managed to raise about 3,500 euros based on donations. This allowed them to acquire the three prostheses that Glory needed, being the first dog with triple prostheses on its legs in Europe.
Since Glory began using the prostheses, they have had to do tests to adjust them well.
“The case is not going to be to put three new legs on Glory and start running. This is a long-term project.” The canine physiotherapist commented. “Once she gets used to her new paws, she will have a second chance to live.”
On many occasions we face the decision making that involves maintaining care for our dog and reducing expenses without affecting their quality of life. In this post we explain some steps to follow to do this successfully and be sure that it does not have a positive impact on both the dog and you.
Benefits of living with a dog and expenses at home
28% of families make ends meet with difficulties in Spain. And 10% admit that they accumulate delays in the payment of receipts.
Living with a dog, like expanding the family with a child, involves expenses.
Living with a dog implies responsibility, care and, like expanding the family, necessary expenses. The new member of the family needs veterinary care, a good diet, as well as affection and games.
{%CAPTION%}
In return, our new friend more than returns what he receives. Living with an animal makes life more enjoyable and develops human skills that are difficult to achieve otherwise.
But, we all know, that in a period of crisis, saving is imposed as a necessity. Therefore, below we show you some steps to follow to reduce the expenses of the dog without this shaking his quality of life.
1. Forecast the dog’s expenses: prepare a spreadsheet
The average income of a Spaniard was 9,321 euros in 2012, says the INE. In some cases, much lower.
When it comes to anticipating expenses, it is good to get used to drawing up a dog expense sheet. Include in it vaccines, food and veterinary check-ups. So we can get an idea of how much we will need to balance the accounts at home. The ideal is to sort the information by months and concepts to plan games and not take surprises.
2. Save by arranging visits to the vet
According to the Official College of Veterinarians of Madrid, the average veterinary care of a dog per year is about 200 euros between check-ups, vaccinations, cleanings and more specific attention.
To sustain and reduce the dog’s medical expenses, it is advisable to distribute visits to the veterinarian. Veterinarians recommend two visits a year, therefore, the idea is to match these visits with vaccinations and deworming.
Another of the premises is not to skip the visits, since the check-ups imply a review that can avoid diseases and major expenses is a future.
3. Offers at the vet and flat rates for dogs
Study on the average prices of veterinary consultations
Flat rates are also available with veterinarians, these rates involve paying a fixed amount per year that covers different services for the dog.
There are also other types of discounts: there are large family discounts, if the owner has three animals or more.
Ideally, ask, because ratesvary by clinic.
4. Discounts on dog food
According to the National Association of Pet Food Manufacturers, 284,199 tons of dog food are sold in Spain every year.
Buying large bags of animal feed reduces the price by almost half.
The price of a high-end dog food ranges between 6 and 7 euros per kilo, depending on the brands. However, one way to save is to buy larger bags of food: if you buy one of 15 or 20 kilos, the price is usually reduced by almost half.
Another way to buy good quality food and save is to make the purchase online. With this option you can access interesting offers that are only available on the internet.
5. Choose durable accessories
Sturdy dog bed
When buying necessary accessories for the animal, it is advisable to think long-term. If we need a special mattress for dogs, it is important to think that an adult dog will need a mattress adapted to rest for an elderly or arthritic pet and opt for one of better quality and more durable.
If a small mat is acquired when the animal is a puppy, the purchase will have to be repeated once the dog grows. It is better, therefore, to choose a large one from the beginning.
6. Homemade outerwear
Coats for the cold, canine raincoats for the rain… Making at home some of the garments that the dog may need is simple and economical. A little trick is enough.
7. Save on dog toys by making them at home
It is not necessary to spend money to have fun with our dog, he will always find himself happy with a toy. One possibility is to manufacture the toys at home and combine this option with a dose of entertaining proposals that do not need material objects, such as walks in the mountains and games that exercise the dog’s intelligence.
8. Have friends and family to take care of the dog
Turning to the social network to attend to our furry friends is a very good option when one needs to leave home for a few days. So we don’t have to spend money on professional caregivers and share our pet’s company with family and friends.
Seven out of ten Spaniards have taken care of the dogs of friends and family on occasion.
9. Education to avoid damage at home
The arrival of a puppy at home can be a headache. Small dogs are prone to smashing shoes, plants and even part of the furniture in the house. These messes involve an obvious extra expense.
These items of money can be avoided, since there are some guidelines or products such as anti-bites to avoid the destruction of the puppy.
Education and even resorting to a professional if necessary, can also be more of an investment than an expense when there is a problem of continuous behavior in the dog.
Source: consumer.es