Paws for Thought: Keeping your hunting dog healthy & building a field medical kit

Welcome to the 1st edition of "Paws for Thought: A Veterinarian's Musings".  With the hunting season in full swing I've already seen my fair share of field injuries in our furry, hunting companions. I often am asked, "how do I know when I need to take my dog to the veterinarian?"  I think the best rule of thumb, is to think about when you'd take a human member of your family to the doctor...your kid's unable to bear weight on her leg?  Probably need to come in.  You'll never regret taking your pup in for a check up.  So how can you keep your hunting partner healthy and avoid seeing me? Here's my top favorite ways:
1)  Start every hunting season with an annual exam.  Your vet can help identify areas of concern.  This also means that you have a CURRENT exam on record, which means when you call from that one ridge that has reception for advice, your vet can give you good advice in return.  It also means when you're hunting in Timbuktu (but may drive by a pharmacy) your vet could potentially call in a prescription for you.  We can NOT legally do this if we don't have a current exam.

2) Keep your pup in shape.  Many of us (myself included) view hunting season as the time to get in shape.  This is a recipe for disaster, but especially for our canine companions who we expect to perform amazing feats of athleticism after spending the last 9 months marinating on the sofa cushions.

3) Several studies show that muscle injuries, strains and tendon damage is directly linked to how we travel with our dogs, warm them up, and cool them off.  A well secured crate is the safest way for our dogs to travel, however, they should be walked often (every 3-4 hrs) to help avoid cramping.  Dogs should be walked to and from the field for about 5 minutes to allow muscles to relax and stretch. Tossing a fresh off the field dog into a crate to cool off can result in severe muscle cramps.  Take the 5 minutes to walk your pup and cool off yourself.  You won't regret it.

4)   Keep up on your preventative care.  Vaccines, heartworm/dewormer, and flea/tick prevention can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars in vet bills.  Take my dear uncle and furry nephew for example...I stressed the importance of flea/tick prevention throughout hunting season, but both he and my father chose to go to Michigan hunting one October and forgot to apply it.  Several "seed" ticks later, his field spaniel was stricken with Lyme disease...something that remains with your pet for life.

5)  I am a huge proponent of being prepared in the field for the worst case scenario.  Below you'll find my recommendations for building yourself a canine field medical kit (the great thing about these kits is that you can patch up your own cuts and bruises as well). Always consult with your veterinarian before administering ANY medications.  Several "muscle ache" medications that we routinely take can be lethal in dogs (such as Tylenol).

·      BANDAGE SUPPLIES (have your veterinarian talk you through putting on a safe/proper bandage during your annual exam):

• 2” & 3” vet wrap
• 3” cling wrap (can also be used to make a muzzle if necessary)
• 3” gauze padding
• 2” elasticon
• Telfa pads
• Bandage scissors
• Wound cleaning solution (chlorohexidine solution or povidone solution that is pre-diluted)
• Clippers

• Gloves
• Hemostats for pulling quills
• Forceps
• Wire cutters for cutting snares or barb wire
• Duct tape
• Anti-inflammatory: available from your veterinarian.  Most veterinarians will be OK sending you with a short course of anti-inflammatories to help with achey muscles as needed.  Again, consistent or severe lameness require a veterinary visit.
• Nail trimmers
• Head lamp

MEDICATIONS:  There are several over the counter medications that can help a canine companion out.  Check with your veterinarian in regards to what you may need to pack to keep your Fido feeling good and what the appropriate doses are.  

Happy hunting and be safe out there!  

Dr. Meg