Northwest Animal Hospital - State of the Art. State of the Heart.

2009 welcomes Dr. Jennifer Bell as associate veterinarian at Northwest Animal Hospital. Dr. Bell graduated from The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. Her compassion for animals is equalled by her compassion for people, as Dr. Bell has both a Bacelor of Science and a Master's in Social Work. The human-animal bond holds a strong professional interest for her, along with dermatology and neurology.

TRAINER CERTIFICATION AWARDED

RACHEL GREEN AWARDED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Rachel Green, instructor for all the canine Pawsitive Training classes at Northwest Animal Hospital, earned the Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT) status in September 2008. Rachel is one of only 40 CPDT trainers in Ohio. Congratulations!

The path to CPDT certification begins with documentation of 300 hrs of experience and references. After the application is accepted by the Council for Certification of Professional Dog Trainers, applicants must take and pass a test covering ethology, learning theory, practical training skills and tools, and husbandry. Read more at www.ccpdt.org

Rachel received her good news shortly after returning from the four day Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference in Kentucky. She brings the latest in the science and techniques of dog training along with her enthusiastic and committed spirit to the people and dogs in her classes. Sign up for a class now to experience first-hand the fun and teamwork that comes through training your dog.

Canine Influenza Virus - the basics

Control of Canine Influenza in Dogs —
Questions, Answers, and Interim Guidelines
updated December 1, 2005

The following document has been developed via consultation among the American Veterinary Medical Association, the University of Florida, Cornell University, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is advisory in nature. It is intended to answer common questions and to provide guidance on managing affected dogs and for persons working with or handling affected dogs. This document reflects what is known as of October 17, 2005, and may be updated as more information becomes available.

What is canine influenza?
Canine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory infection of dogs that is caused by a virus. The canine influenza virus is closely related to the virus that causes equine influenza and it is thought that the equine influenza virus mutated to produce the canine influenza virus.

Xylitol: Potentially Lethal Sugar Substitute
New Findings show that xylitol can produce acute and life-threatening liver disease and bleeding disorder in dogs, as well as a low blood sugar. What amounts are we talking about? Consider several recent cases:

30 pieces of gum eaten by a 5 yr Scottish terrier
12 cupcakes eaten by a 4 yr Australian shepherd
5-6 cookies eaten by a 3 yr-old standard poodle
8 muffins eaten by a 6 yr-old Dalmatian
4 large frosted muffins eaten by a 4 yr-oldWelsh springer spaniel
1 lb of xylitol powder eaten by a 6 yr-old Labrador mix
100 pieces of gum eaten by a 7 yr-old miniature dachshund
1/4 lb of xylitol sweetener by an 8 yr-old Labrador retriever

Five of these eight dogs were euthanized or died because of liver failure. If you are using foods or cooking products with xylitol as an artificial sweetener, keep them locked out of reach from your dog. Don't offer your dog any product sweetened with xylitol. If your dog eats a food or gum containing xylitol, seek immediate veterinary help at our hospital, 451-4772, or at a local emergency service. Inducing vomiting to decrease absorption of the xylitol will be important. Don't assume your dog is OK just because they look OK at the moment.