Frequently Googled Questions, Pt. 1

While keeping up with the business end of our blog, we found a number of questions that were specifically googled, and we thought it would be a good idea to address them specifically here in Part One of Frequently Googled Questions…

Q. How long can a dog go with an abscessed tooth?

A. An abscessed tooth is evidence of periodontal disease. As soon as an abscessed tooth is discovered, it should be brought to the attention of the veterinarian. At the very least, antibiotics should be administered right away. The tooth, though, will require extraction.

Q. Can I let my dog off leash at the Ledges trail in Virginia Kendall Park?

A. The trails around Virginia Kendall Park are fantastic. Winter, summer, spring and fall, there is real beauty in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is important, though to use common sense when hiking with your dog.

Some trails, such as portions of the Ledges trail and even areas around the Cross Country Trail at Kendall Lake have steep areas and drop-offs that can be dangerous for dogs running off leash.

Further, common sense should also be used when taking your dog on the flat trails. When other hikers, runners, and dogs are around, dogs should be on a leash.

A good place to have dogs run off leash is at any of the area dog parks, but give thought to whether a dog park is a good place for your dog to go before you pack up the car.

Q. When can I leave my dog out of the crate?

A. This is an interesting question. It stems from an owner feeling bad about having to confine their dog to a crate. Some folks are into crate training, others are not. The truth is, you can leave your dog out of the crate any time you want to. But this doesn’t mean that the dog will behave appropriately when unsupervised.

So the real answer to the question is: the dog can be left out of the crate when it can be absolutely trusted to behave correctly all of the time.

There’s only one way to test this. At my house, though, my dogs are crated when I’m not around. This is the surest way to guarantee that every time I come home I’m happy to see them, they’re happy to see me, and nothing has been soiled or destroyed while I’m gone.

An axiom that I’ve found useful in both my personal and professional lives is this: do not set up expectations for another to which they didn’t agree or are incapable of meeting. The same should be true of our dogs. If a dog has a tendency to chew couch cushions, urinate on the rug, scratch at the door or defecate on the bed, why would we give them opportunity after opportunity to do so? Prevent the bad times and promote the good times! Crate training helps do just this.

Q. Is there anything like Trifexis® for cats?

A. Trifexis® is a great, all-in-one oral heartworm preventive, intestinal parasite control & flea control product for dogs. One of the active ingredients in Trifexis®, milbemycin oxime, does have a label for cats under the name Interceptor. The other active ingredient, spinosad, has not been approved for use in cats. Therefore Trifexis® is also not approved by the FDA for cats, but Revolution® is. Revolution® is a great, all-in-one topical heartworm preventive, intestinal parasite control & flea control product (and ear mite control!) for cats.

That’s it for this installment of Frequently Googled Questions. Keep an eye out for Part 2 coming soon!