Best Christmas Dog Toy

The best Christmas dog toy is something you can make from one of your old shirts. What no big bucks? Nope. This is pure love and sweat—don’t wash that shirt. Turtle necks work best, but any cotton shirt will do.

Place the shirt on a flat surface and imagine it divided into 3 longitudinal sections. The sections should have about equal amounts of fabric in them. Imagine making two cuts so that the sleeve and a small piece of the body along the right side are the right section, the sleeve and a small piece of the body along the left side are the left section, leaving the middle containing as much material as each of the side pieces.

Once you’ve got the picture, make your two cuts so the shirt is divided into the 3 sections. Start from the bottom hem of the shirt and cut upward toward the neck. Stop 4 inches or so below the neckline. Now, you’ll have a shirt connected at the top, with three sections. Braid the three sections together. At the bottom, tie a knot to secure the braid.

Voila!
Your best friend has one of your beloved old shirts to use as a tug toy. The best Christmas dog toy ever!

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Diarrhea in Dogs & Cats

Diarrhea squirts from the butts of thousands of pets over the holidays. You can try to treat it yourself if your pet:
· has no fever,
· is eating,
· is drinking, and
· is acting with usual enthusiasm.

Treating diarrhea
Here are the steps to control diarrhea if your pet falls victim to the squirts:
1. Give easy-to-digest food (broth and mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, or broth and rice run through the blender).
2. Feed small amounts often (every few hours) rather than large amounts twice a day.
3. Give probiotics, such as Immediacare GI.
4. Keep the bottom clean by spraying gently with a hose in the bathtub. Don’t scrub inflamed skin around the anus, but use the hose to clean the area. Then, apply a small amount of soap, massage and clean the skin, rinse three times longer than you think is necessary, and blot dry. If the anus or bottom is red, apply zinc oxide (baby diaper ointment) or Burt’s Cuticle Cream, or an herbal cream with calendula as a barrier to further harm. Never put cream on a dirty bottom.

If the diarrhea doesn't stop
If the diarrhea doesn’t clear up within 24 hours, or your pet develops a fever, stops eating or drinking, or becomes listless, see your vet. Take a stool sample with you. The vet will check the stool for bacteria and parasites. An antibiotic may be prescribed. IV fluids may be started. Your pet may be prescribed Carafate, which coats the stomach, and you may need to stop pain medication given for arthritis.

Overeating causes most diarrhea cases
Usually holiday diarrhea is caused by overeating that can be entirely prevented by feeding properly. If you don’t like diarrhea, don’t cause it. Your pet is counting on your discretion to keep it healthy. No extra fat. No extra gravy. No bones unless it routinely eats bones. Have fun in ways other than eating.

Hallelujah, the holidays are coming, we’re going to have dogs in the White House, and you’re going to have a healthy pet!

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