It’s that time of year again when we send out good wishes to the people we know, so here is my holiday message to all however you celebrate! I guess you won’t be surprised that I’m going to say a few words about dogs at this time of year.
 
Don’t forget that that while some dogs love the hustle-bustle of the holiday season, many find it stressful. Dogs like routine and may find changes to their environment difficult to cope with. It is really important to stick to feeding and walking times! Luckily we can do  things to help them feel comfortable and relaxed, so here are a few suggestions:

• Sticking to routines and creating a dog-only zone for your dog will help to alleviate stress. Find a place your dog likes and set it up with a comfy area to sleep with subdued lighting and noise reduction (especially important if you’re having a lively party) and make sure water is readily accessible. Except for family members, keep people out of the dog zone but don’t forget to go in and give your dog some loving attention and to take it out for a comfort break.

 

• Keep an eye on folks when they’ve had a few drinks because they can accidentally step on your dog or drop food that isn’t good for your pet. They are also more likely to approach your dog in a way that causes it concerns.

 

• Make sure to keep dogs and children safe. Best to ensure that children and dogs are always monitored when together and insist that children leave the dog alone when it wants the space. If children make your dog nervous do not allow contact!

 
CHOCOLATE!
 
One of the biggest dangers to dogs at Christmas is chocolate, and because many people still think feeding dogs chocolate is OK, I’m going to tell you why chocolate is so dangerous.
 
Some foods not only make your dog ill but can kill. Chocolate is particularly dangerous at Christmas because there is so much of it around – on the tree, in advent calendars, wrapped in packages, in bowls and stockings. Dogs like the smell and taste of chocolate and will seek it out, especially if you treat your pooch with dog chocolate. The only way to keep your dog safe is to keep chocolate in a location your dog can’t reach at all times.
 
Feeding chocolate to a dog is playing Russian Roulette with its life. Yes there are dogs that are fed chocolate and appear to have no ill effects, but how toxic any chocolate is to a dog depends on several factors: the size of the dog, the amount of chocolate eaten and the type of chocolate consumed.
 
Different types of chocolate will have different toxicity levels due to the amount of cocoa present. White chocolate has so little cocoa that toxicity will be low but it could still create digestive discomfort. White chocolate also contains high levels of sugar and cocoa fat and this can cause pancreatitis in some dogs that may not show up for several days.
 
Milk chocolate is the least toxic, while dark chocolate or baking chocolate could easily kill even a large dog. Only 1.3 grams of chocolate per kilo of body-weight creates dangerous levels for dogs.
 
Tolerance of chocolate will differ depending on the size of the dog, small dogs being at a higher risk than large dogs. 
PetMed has a brilliant toxicity measure online that can help to identify chocolate-toxicity danger levels based on the size of the dog, the type of chocolate eaten and the amount ingested. The address is: https://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity
However, a sensible owner will never risk feeding human chocolate to their dog.
 
So why is chocolate toxic for dogs? Chocolate contains methylxanthines, theobromine and caffeine all of which are toxic for dogs. It is the theobromine that gives chocolate its depth of flavour and that is why darker, stronger-tasting chocolates are more toxic. Though individual dogs will have varying levels of tolerance, if a dog is fed chocolate several times throughout the day, the amounts can easily accumulate and reach the dog’s toxic threshold.
 
Methylxanthines are distributed throughout the body by being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, metabolised by the liver, and excreted in urine. However, methylxanthines can be reabsorbed back into the intestines and recirculated into the body through a process known as enterohepatic recycling which increases toxicity and puts stress on the liver.
 
The half-life of theobromine in the chocolate (the amount of time it is active) is 17.5 hours and for caffeine it is 4.5 hours. As dogs take longer to digest chocolate than humans do, they could easily have high doses of toxins circulating in all parts of the body over an extended period, leading to serious illness or death. Further, the slower digestion process means that evidence of toxicity can be delayed by 6-12 hours so that it may not be obvious that a dog has been poisoned. This can have serious implications for prompt and effective treatment. Symptoms are likely to progress slowly, starting with increased thirst, diarrhoea, abdominal distension and vomiting. Over time symptoms may turn to tremors, seizures, ataxia (lack of coordination) and increased urination.
 
When chocolate is ingested, behavioural changes begin with the dog becoming restless and agitated, which can later develop into hyperactivity/hypertension, while regulation of body temperature may become erratic. If the dose of chocolate is high enough, then cardiac dysfunction ensues leading to abnormally low blood pressure or even coma. Death is usually from heart or respiratory failure, or hyperthermia.
 
There is no antidote for chocolate poisoning so stabilisation is a priority. If chocolate is still present in the stomach, vomit-inducing medicine is given to remove undigested toxins. Medical charcoal may also be fed to the dog to help absorb the toxins. Low-level seizures and tremors may be treated with benzodiazepines, and barbiturates may be used for more severe seizures. If a dog survives, it may still need to be treated for seizure and cardiac dysfunction for several days. In severe cases, the symptoms of poisoning can last for up to 72 hours, but even after this period a dog will continue to need time to convalesce and recuperate.
 
When we realise how poisonous chocolate is, why would anyone risk their dog eating it? There are plenty of treats for your dogs to enjoy that they will love and aren’t harmful. Put those chocolates on the high shelf and ask people giving you chocolate to let you know which package mustn’t be left under the tree. If you’re having a party, put the chocolates away. I love chocolate and eat plenty over Christmas, but my dogs definitely don’t!
 
Whatever, you do have a great holiday season and a belting Hogmanay!
 
All the best,
Laura and the family.

                                                               Dave and me

                                                    Lucy           Trinket              Brodie

​Well what a snowy period we’re experiencing here in the UK. Although so much snow can be a pain, it can also be fun and most dogs love to play in it. It’s delightful watching them scamp about and I especially love when mine shove their noses into the snow sniffing out small rodents moving through the grass below. Though playing in the snow can be great for your dog we have to take care that they don’t get too cold.
 
Little dogs can get cold very quickly, even the hairy ones, because their bodies are too small to hold heat for long periods. Folks need to be really careful with miniature breeds, and those that are short haired, flat faced, short legged or hairless and these breeds are best kept out of the snow. Yes they do need to go out and do their business, and might even want a wee play but don’t keep them out for too long and make sure they have a coat on.
 
Hairy ones like Miniature Schnauzers and the Scottish terriers have coats that can keep them pretty warm but their short legs mean they struggle walking in the snow and it can pack into their hair making them feel the cold.
 
Sleet and rain combined with snow can soak a dog’s coat and being wet to the skin is very dangerous - it can bring on hypothermia very quickly.
 
Big hairy mountain dogs, sled dogs and many other working breeds have double or even triple coats and hardly notice the snow because they are fully insulated around their entire bodies and they have feet that function well on snow. We often forget that a dog loses heat from their feet and that many breeds have a lot less hair on their tummies. Even a dog that has a course, waterproof coat on its back can have a relatively little hair underneath. Both my girls have nice waterproof coats on their backs but almost no hair on their tummies and I need to watch for when they start to feel cold.
 
The depth of snow can make a big difference in how well your dog will cope. Most dogs can tolerate a few centimetres but as the snow level rises, a dog can easily lose body heat as snow touches the bottom of its torso. If a dog spends a lot of time running about it will probably feel quite warm because exercise generates heat but as soon as they’re on lead they can begin to feel quite cold. Keep an eye out for this and avoid making your dog spend too much time on the lead walking through high levels of snow.
 
Always check your dog’s feet for ice balls in between the pads. These can be really uncomfortable and make a dog feel really cold. They can also take a while to melt and are easily missed when drying feet.
 
Icy snow balls can form on the legs as well and can be miserable for a dog. I use a soft dust-pan brush to sweep them off my dogs’ legs. It’s quick and easy.
 
Something we all need to be aware of is how the salt and chemicals used on pavements and roads affect our dogs. Try to avoid salty patches and always clean your dog’s feet well when you get home. High levels of salt are really bad for dogs as are the chemicals used to melt ice, you don’t want your dog ingesting them when they lick their feet. Grit can collect in their hair and between toes causing discomfort and skin problems so wash those feet well when you get home!
 
Salt and snow on a dog’s tummy can quickly bring on hypothermia. When I was a child we use to make ice cream with a hand cranked ice cream maker. The ice cream mix would go into a cylinder in the middle which was surrounded by ice laced with salt. As we cranked the handle to turn the cylinder, the salt melted the ice. This pulled the heat out of the mixture exchanging it for the cold in a classic heat transfer system. In a similar way the salt and snow mix on your dog’s tummy can quickly chill your dog by exchanging heat for cold and causing it to become hypothermic.
 
Hypothermia is serious and can lead to coma, heart failure and even death.
 
Signs of hypothermia:
The first signs: paleness, weakness, strong shivering and lack of mental awareness
Next level: listlessness, stupor, muscle stiffness, lethargy, confusion, slow/shallow breathing, low blood pressure
Severe level: fixed and dilated pupils, inaudible heartbeat, difficulty breathing and finally coma
 
Your dog may stop and suddenly lie down in the snow and if this happens you need to get your dog warm as soon as possible. Dogs can also get frostbite on tails, tips of ears, scrotum and foot pads.
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If your dog is hypothermic you should:

1. Quickly warm some blankets on a radiator or in the clothes dryer.
2. Wrap the dog in the blankets.
3. Wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and place it against the dog’s abdomen. Do not use it unwrapped, as this will burn the skin.
4. If the dog is conscious, give him warmed fluids to drink.
5. Check the dog’s temperature every 10 minutes: if it is below 98°F (36.7°C), get immediate veterinary attention.
6. Once the temperature is above 100°F (37.8°C), you can remove the hot water bottle to avoid overheating. Keep the dog in a warm room.
7. If you are near your car, quickly wipe off as much snow as possible and get your dog inside the car.
8. While the engine is warming your heating system use your body to try and get your dog warm until warm air comes through the system. Be careful not to put your cold dog in front of cold air coming through the heating system or you will make it worse. Ideally you should have some emergency survival blankets and extra fleeces in the car for situations like this to product both you and your dog. If you, do wrap up your dog and again use your body to increase warmth if this is possible.
9. If you suspect your dog is hypothermic – phone your vet immediately!

And finally, watch out for antifreeze it’s sweet enough to attract dogs and is extremely toxic, even small amounts can kill (watch out for your cats too).

Expect your dog to sleep more after being outside and to be more hungry than usual. Your dog might also be a bit nutty if it can’t get outside to exercise as much as it is used to. This is a good time to introduce some scent and enrichment games. There is a lot of advice on this online.
​
If your dog loves to play in snow, let it! Even better, you play with it! Don’t pass up the opportunity to have fun together, just be aware that you need keep your dog safe while you do.