How to Choose a Turkey

Posted on by Buddy Beds
How to Choose Your Thanksgiving Turkey

How to Choose Your Thanksgiving Turkey

 

There are a number of considerations when buying a turkey. Firstly, how many people are you serving? From here you should consider how many adults versus children, whether they’re light or heavy eaters, and whether or not you want leftovers.

FRESH OR FROZEN?

Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey depends largely on preference, but also on how soon you plan on cooking your turkey. Make the right decision for you by considering these general tips.

Fresh turkeys are ready to prepare. Fresh turkeys are best if held in the refrigerator for 24 hours before final preparation.

Frozen turkeys can be purchased weeks in advance, but need several days to thaw and require adequate space in your freezer and refrigerator.

Allow 1 day of thawing for every 4 pounds of turkey. NOTE: Turkeys need to be thawed in the refrigerator or by cold water thawing.

How to Calculate How Much Turkey Per Person

How to Calculate How Much Turkey Per Person

See tomorrow’s post:  Calculate how much turkey per person.

 

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The True Nature of ‘Orthopedic’ Dog Beds

Posted on by Buddy Beds

There are a lot of manufactures that claim their dog beds are orthopedic dog beds

I just did a Google search for orthopedic dog beds. Whoa, there are a lot of manufactures that claim their dog beds are orthopedic dog beds. Are their dog beds really orthopedic dog beds? What does orthopedic even mean, if it means anything? Consider the following five points to help you find the perfect “orthopedic” dog bed for your dog.

 

 

What makes a dog bed a true orthopedic dog bed?

1. What is an Orthopedic Dog Bed?

 

The question that is on everyone’s mind is, what exactly is an orthopedic dog bed? Well, let’s start at the beginning. An orthopedic mattress or orthopedic dog bed is designed to help the skeletal, muscular, and ligament systems. According to this definition, any dog bed or mattress can then be considered orthopedic. The next question that arises is, what type of mattress or bed best helps the skeletal, muscular, and ligament systems? Herein lies the rub.

 

 

2. Orthopedic Dog Bed Eliminate Pressure Points

 

As you no doubt know, even after doing a single Internet search, any dog bed manufacture that claims their dog beds are orthopedic dog beds, claim their dog beds are the best beds. Well, consider what you want your own mattress to do. You want it to be comfortable. You want to wake up without pain. You don’t want wake up in the morning and find that your shoulder went to sleep over the night. What does this mean? This means that you want to sleep on a mattress that eliminates pressure points.

 

What is a pressure point? You know what a pressure point is. It is the pain that you feel in your legs when you have sat on them for too long, It is the tingling you get when your blood is cut off from a certain part of your body. It is that ‘asleep’ feeling your arm gets if you lie on it too long.What makes a dog bed a true orthopedic dog bed?

 

You can think of pressure points in another way as well. Does your lower back need extra support? Does your mattress not give enough support? An orthopedic dog bed should not only eliminate pressure points, but it should support all areas of your dog’s body.

 

 

3. Memory Foam Dog Beds

 

As you’ve seen, there are a variety of ‘orthopedic’ dog bed fillers on the market today. There is egg crate foam, high-density memory fill, cedar chips, gel, water, memory foam, and more. Which of these is the most orthopedic? The answer is memory foam.

 

Memory foam dog beds are specially designed to eliminate pressure points and spread your dog’s body weight evenly across her body. This means that not only will no part of her body bear more weight than any other part, but also that all parts of her body will be supported. So if your dog has a bad lower back, or shoulder, or hip, or paw, that injured area will be given the support she needs when she sleeps.

 

 

4. If Memory Foam Dog Best are the Best, Why are There Other Options?

 

To put it bluntly, every ‘orthopedic’ dog bed on the market that is not made of memory foam is simply an imitation of memory foam. Developed in the 1960’s by NASA scientists, memory foam was designed to help astronauts from developing pressure points while they slept in space. As a result, memory foam is more expensive than cedar chips or egg crate foam, or even recycled shredded memory foam. Because of its expense, and the fact that most people don’t know why memory foam is unique, many dog bed manufactures are able to sell non-memory foam orthopedic beds for quite a profit.

 

 

5. The Orthopedic Dog Bed Reasoning Test

 

Let’s look at this logically. In order for a dog bed to be the most orthopedic dog bed it can be, it needs to eliminate pressure points. In order for the bed to eliminate pressure points, it has to be constructed to do so. Most beds are not this well crafted. Let’s take the basic stuffed dog bed. As that bed ages, the stuffing will begin to clump together and flatten. This lumpy stuffing will not evenly support your dog. Parts of her body will bear more weight than others, and parts of her body might even come into contact with the floor through the bed. Obviously, this is not an orthopedic dog bed.

 

Let’s look at a foam bed. A dog bed made of normal foam is not designed to eliminate pressure points. That foam will, for a while support your dog, but it won’t evenly bear her weight. As it ages and begins to mash, that foam will cease to support her at all. A foam dog bed really isn’t very different than a stuffed bed.

 

It is important to consider the materials in a dog bed. Are they designed to last? Because the moment they begin to age and flatten, and lump together they cannot support your dog in an orthopedic way.

 

Memory foam dog beds are not only designed to evenly support your dog’s weight and eliminate pressure points, but many memory foam dog bed manufactures design their beds to last. In fact, Buddy Beds, one memory foam dog bed manufacturer, states their orthopedic dog beds will outlast ten traditional stuffed beds. While no bed can stay orthopedic forever, buying a well-made memory foam dog bed is the next best thing.

 

 

What makes a dog bed a true orthopedic dog bed?

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Cushing’s Disease -My Dog’s Dry Skin Turned Out to Be a Serious Medical Condition

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I took my dog to the vet for dry skin and left with a very serious diagnosis
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Cushings disease in dogs!  I took my dog to the vet for dry skin and left with a very serious diagnosis

When my dog was diagnosed with demodectic mange, often referred to simply as demodex, my first thought was “ew, mange.” Mange sounds gross, but I never imagined it was serious. She had it mostly around her eyes, and the dry, flaky skin didn’t seem to bother her, so I wasn’t overly concerned when my vet suggested that I take her to a dermatologist.

My visit to the specialist was sobering. He took some skin scrapings and confirmed my vet’s suspicions — it was, in fact, demodex — and then I mentioned that her coat had thinned out and changed color too. My cocker spaniel has been described by most who meet her as “literally the softest dog ever.” Recently, her legendary plush had turned coarse and thin, and her black fur had taken on a slightly reddish tint in places.

The specialist made that face that we all dread. You know what I’m talking about — the doctor face. The face that says, “that’s interesting.”

“I highly recommend you get her tested for Cushing’s disease,” he said, effectively casting a black cloud over the rest of my dog’s life. I had heard of Cushing’s before, but never imagined my dog’s dry skin could be a serious disease.

Cushing’s occurs when a tumor affects either the pituitary or adrenal gland. There are two kinds of Cushing’s disease. Pituitary-dependent Cushing’s is much more common and usually results from a benign tumor. Adrenal-dependent Cushing’s is less common, and the tumor can be benign or cancerous. These glands control steroid production in the body. To put it simply, when the body produces too many steroids, bad things happen.

If you’ve ever had to take a course of a steroid like prednisone, you’ve had a tiny peek into the world of a Cushing’s dog. The flood of steroids in their system wreaks havoc on their bodies, basically breaking things down.

 

Symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs

Demodex and changes to my dog’s coat were just a few of the symptoms of Cushing’s disease in dogs. The list is long, but worth familiarizing yourself with, especially if you own a miniature poodle, dachshund, boxer, Boston terrier or a beagle, as these breeds are prone to the disease.

  • Increased thirst
  • Increased urination
  • Increased hunger
  • Heat intolerance
  • Lethargy
  • Potbelly appearance
  • Panting
  • Obesity
  • Weakness
  • Recurring urinary tract infections (ouch)
  • Hair loss
  • Thinning skin
  • Bruising
  • Changes in skin color
  • Demodex
  • Seborrhea (scaly patches and red skin)
  • Calcinosis cutis (calcium deposits on the skin)
  • Papules (aka, zits)
  • Varicose veins

And those are just the common symptoms.

My dog developed quite a few of these symptoms as time went on. We got her a pee mat and doggy diapers to help deal with her accidents while we figured out the right dosage for her meds. Her skin is thinner now and doesn’t heal as quickly, but the good news is that her hair did grow back just as plush as ever and she is back to her super-soft self.

 

Diagnosing Cushing’s

When the specialist first told me to get my dog tested for Cushing’s, I was relieved. A test sounds so simple, and we are conditioned to associate tests with accuracy.

Cushing’s is not that simple. Diagnosing a dog with Cushing’s is complicated. After assessing the clinical signs (aka, symptoms), my vet ran blood work to look for markers of the disease. If you’re familiar with blood work, those markers are abnormal levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine amino transferase and blood urea nitrogen. If, like me, you are not that familiar with blood work, then all that is mostly gibberish and what you actually need to know is that your vet knows what to look for.

My dog’s blood work had these warning signs, so next they analyzed her urine to get a urine cortisol to creatinine ratio. This test is tricky and not always conclusive, so to confirm results, they then performed a final test.

There are two “final test” choices: an LDDS test and an ACTH stimulation test. LDDS stands for low-dose dexamethasone suppression and measures cortisol levels over a period of time by suppressing cortisol levels with dexamethasone. ACTH also measures cortisol levels over time using the ACTH (adrenocorticotropic) hormone to stimulate the production of cortisol.

Our vet recommended the LDDS test, which confirmed her diagnosis. She had Cushing’s.

 

Treating Cushing’s

Cushing’s Disease is described by veterinarians as “insidious.” It is slowly progressive, and in most cases there is no cure, just treatment.

The course of treatment for Cushing’s depends on several variables, including where the tumor is, what kind of tumor it is, the state of the pituitary gland and the dog’s health. What works for one Cushing’s dog might not work for another, and so the best judge of the dog’s treatment is the veterinarian, as frustrating as that can be for those of us who consider ourselves Google doctors.

Medication

There are two main drugs used to treat Cushing’s, mitotane and trilostane. These drugs suppress cortisol levels and require testing every few months to measure their effectiveness.

Surgery

Surgically removing the pituitary gland or pituitary gland tumor is another option, although early diagnosis improves the prognosis according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Medicine. Surgically removing the adrenal gland or adrenal gland tumor is also possible. In both cases, surgery comes with risks and complications that owners need to weigh carefully.

Radiation

Radiation is indicated in certain cases of pituitary-dependent Cushing’s and is generally very effective.

We opted for medication for a variety of medical reasons, and now we monitor her carefully. We’ve learned that when she starts drinking more water, urinating more or losing hair, it is time to take her to the vet to get her tested and her medication adjusted.

It’s been two years since my dog’s diagnosis and my cocker spaniel has shown no signs of slowing down, which gives me a lot of hope. She is comfortable, carefree and completely unaware that her body is breaking down on her. We have our fingers crossed that things stay that way.

My dog’s Cushing’s diagnosis was heartbreaking, but we are dealing with it. I did learn one very important lesson from this whole ordeal: Never underestimate the importance of taking your pets to the vet, even if the issue doesn’t seem serious at the time.

 

Anna Burke

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Pope gets photobombed hard by the world’s smiliest dog

Posted on by Buddy Beds

 

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Dog Grooming – How To Train A Dog To Enjoy Grooming & Stay Calm When Groomed

Posted on by Buddy Beds

Dog Grooming!  If you learn how to train a dog to enjoy grooming it will benefit both of you. The happier your pet, the happier you are, right? Your dog won’t have to deal with the anxiety brought on by grooming, and you won’t have to deal with a stressed out pet that won’t sit still.

If your dog has severe anxiety around the time of grooming, there are several ways to deal with it: you can try dog anxiety medications or using a dog anxiety vest. However, neither one of these options is ideal for every grooming situation.

How to Train Your Dog to Stay Calm During Grooming

How to Train Your Dog to Stay Calm During Grooming

In certain cases, for pets with serious anxiety issues you’ll need to work with a professional dog trainer or dog groomer. If he tries to bite you or becomes aggressive during grooming, you don’t want to take any chances. Dog anxiety is very common and must be addressed and dealt with in a serious manner to avoid bigger problems.

For home groomers who are prepared to take the matters in their own hands, there’s a way to deal with a scared dog safely. So if your canine is fidgety, pants excessively, or is just generally uneasy when you groom him, my video and below tips will help.

Learning how to train a dog to enjoy grooming isn’t as difficult as it sounds. With some praise and motivating dog treats your pet will soon learn that he has nothing to fear.

 

Like all dog training, it is best to start grooming your dog when he’s as young as possible. When dogs get older they develop bad habits without the proper training. When you try to train an older dog, it can be difficult to get him to give up these habits.

If you begin when your dog is still a puppy, he’ll learn to enjoy grooming from the very beginning. Working with a dog that has already learned to fear grooming will be a bit more challenging for most pet parents. However, the process is the same either way; it will probably just take a lot longer if you’re working with an older dog.

The key to learning how to train a dog to enjoy grooming is getting him used to all the variables and steps of the grooming process. Put yourself in his shoes (or paws, in this case). Whether you groom in a dog grooming tub in your bathroom at home, in the basement or at the grooming salon, grooming always takes place in a separate area.

There are lots of different dog grooming supplies and tools being used on your pet (listed below). Think of all the different smells! How is your dog supposed to be comfortable in an environment like that, especially if he’s only there occasionally for brief periods of time?

 

Source: Top Dog Tips

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