American Bulldog Smokey:

American Bulldog Bandit:

Martin,
I just wanted to let you know that my puppy is Wonderful!!! I call her “cookie” (kinda cheesy i know). She traveled like a champ and has been so good since she has been home. She adapted very well and so quickly.
Thanks again and i will send pics from time to time.
~Amy

A sixteen week update on T-Bone; he is an awesome dog! I just had him at the vet for boosters and he was weighed in at 47 pounds, very healthy with a couple of adult teeth coming in. He continues on his steady diet of Royal Canin with once a day raw ground beef mixed in, which he devours, plus he gets 2 or 3 raw beef bones a week.

Regular walks throughout the day around the neighbourhood keep him very well socialized with all our local dogs, kids and adults. We also do lots of trail walking where he walks at heal ‘off leash’ and never slows or runs ahead maintaining his role in ‘the pack’. I get him together with his brother for weekly ‘playdates’ plus he plays with local pugs, dobermans, and any other dog that will join in the fun. He is tremendous!

T-Bone continues to share in our active lifestyle of camping activities. He is now a regular passenger in our kayak and enjoys outings onto small lakes, rivers and even Georgian Bay.
He sits calmly between my feet in our tandem kayak and enjoys the ride. When he gets bigger he will take up most of the front compartment, while my son will graduate to his own kayak. I’ll need to get T-Bone a K9 lifejacket to ensure his safety as I think given his size he might sink!!

Here is a couple of pictures; one of his usual listening pose and the other of us out on Georgian Bay.

cheers!

Euan

Overview

Poison oak and poison ivy belong to a group of plants called toxicodendron. These are also known as Rhus species. The toxic principle in poison oak and poison ivy is urushiol. This toxin is an oil resin found in the plant sap. Animals are quite resistant to the effects of urushiol but can transmit the toxin to a person.

Dogs and cats typically come in contact with the poison ivy or poison oak plant in wooded areas. They may ingest some of the plant but, more likely, they will rub against it will walking. The sap from the plant can adhere to the hair coat. When you pet your dog or cat later, the sap can transfer from their fur to your skin. If you are susceptible to poison oak or poison ivy, skin irritation can occur.

In animals, exposure to urushiol infrequently results in skin irritation.

What to Watch For
# Red inflamed skin
# Itchiness
# Raised bumps or swellings on the skin
# Vomiting/diarrhea if plant is ingested

Veterinary Care

Veterinary care is recommended if the animal develops a severe reaction to the plant, especially if ingested. Prompt veterinary care should be given in case of excessive vomiting, diarrhea or weakness.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis is based on known exposure or ingestion of the plant.

Treatment

Treatment of urushiol toxicity is based on the severity of the signs. For those animals with skin irritation, prolonged bathing and rinsing, lasting at least 10 minutes, is recommended.

For those animals affected after ingesting the plant, hospitalization with intravenous fluids may be necessary. Activated charcoal may be administered if it is suspected that more plant material is present in the stomach.

Home Care

For those pets exposed to topical urushiol, prolonged bathing and rinsing, at least 10 minutes, is recommended. Be careful to wear gloves when bathing the pet so you do not come in contact with the urushiol.

For those animals ingesting the plant, monitor them for vomiting, lack of appetite or diarrhea.

Preventative Care

Preventing exposure to poison ivy or poison oak is the key to preventing urushiol toxicity. Do not allow your pet to freely roam. When on vacation, take care to avoid poison oak or poison ivy plants. If your pet has recently come in contact with poison oak or poison ivy, immediate prolonged bathing can help diminish the risk of toxicity. Fortunately, most dogs and cats seem to be resistant to the effects of poison ivy and poison oak.
Legal Disclaimer

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.

How do you treat poison Ivy in dogs?::

Benadryl 25 ML Caplets…in a pink and white box the pills are oblong shaped and bright pink…these are people allergy pills and are reccomended by vets for mild dogs with allergies and my two terrier persoanly get one every morning without them they for some reason always get yeast infections in there ears in a matter of days without these pills! and tear there skin to shreds with scratching. Second Calimine locion apply to the blochy ares as long as the dog doenst lick this stuff off its ok and does help…I reciently had a run in with some sort of posion plant while working(lawn matineace ect.) and that works well. Also bathing the dog two times weekly which should be 4 baths during the posion ivy run…get a very gentle aleo/oatmeal Dog shampoo and use cool not warm water but Not cold enough to send a chill up teh dogs spin when its poured over! the cool water sooths and so does the oatmeal and aleo. Or you can add eatting oatmeal right to the water but be sure to rince well afterwards you wouldnt want your pooch walking around covered in oatmeal! This helps the dogs itchy skin as well and I use oatmeal water baths for my terriers when they get very itchy I also use an oatmeal based shampoo throught the year. This should do the trick… I would start with a bath them dry well and apply the locion to the scarcly haired posion ivy covered areas.