They Really Are as Amazing as Lassie
n Here’s the story in a nutshell: A man’s car flipped over in the Vermont snow this past winter after he hit a guardrail, and while he lay in the wreck unconscious, his dog crossed over the border into New Hampshire in the dark of night and caught the attention of state police there. The dog, a Shiloh shepherd named Tinsley, then led the police on a mile-long trek back to the site to save her owner and his passenger.
One article on the subject said that “the science is not yet settled on whether dogs can intentionally seek out other humans to help their distressed owners.” But we kind of think it is. This is by no means the first instance of a dog going into action to rescue his human guardian.
That Waddle Can Indicate Arthritis
n People often expect that if a dog has arthritis, she will walk with a limp or other asymmetrical gait. But that often means a lot of time is lost before her human caretaker realizes that something is wrong and that she is in pain.
Watch for a telltale waddle — or shuffle. If your dog has arthritis in both back limbs, she may swing her back and waddle along, right and left, rather than amble forward with a straight back. That maneuver helps her to keep from bending her legs as much where her joints hurt.
If her two front legs hurt, she may very well shorten her stride, shuffling in an effort to limit the amount of time she spends on each limb. If you don’t notice or pay attention to the waddling or shuffling, your dog can go for years before her pain is recognized.
Final note: A dog who frequently holds up her paw may not have a paw that hurts. She could be holding out her paw to relieve joint pressure further up her limb.
But I Cracked Open the Car Windows!
Every year hundreds of pets die of heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles, says the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Why? Because the temperature inside a car rises 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. So if it’s a pleasant 75 outside and you step into a store for just a “quick errand,” it could easily be a stifling 95 degrees in the car by the time you return. Leave the car for 20 minutes, and the temperature inside rises 30 degrees. “Cracking the windows makes no difference,” says the AVMA.
If you’re going to leave your car in the warm or even warmish weather, the safest bet is for your dog to be leaving the vehicle along with you.
