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Archive for July, 2017

Treating a Dog with A Broken Leg

Sunday, July 30, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

dogbrokenlegJust like humans, dogs are prone to broken bones. Leg fractures are the most common. One thing that you should remember is that dogs have a high pain tolerance. You may notice their leg dangling but see that they aren’t really in pain. Look to see if the leg is swollen. Also look for signs of shock such as pale or white gums, rapid breathing or a rapid heartbeat. If you notice any of these signs, get the dog to the vet right away.

Here are some tips in caring for a dogs broken leg:

If necessary, restrain the dog.
Be soft spoken and approach the dog slowly.
If it does not have a leash, place a leash around its neck and attach the leash to a secure object.
Pull the dog against the object and try to tie the dog so that it can’t move it’s head.
Look closely at the break. See if there is an open wound, or a bone protruding or if it’s closed meaning that there is no break in the skin.
If the limb is grossly misshapen, or the dog is in great pain, hold a towel underneath him and transport him to the animal hospital.
If the wound is open, flush with warm water, put a towel under the dog and get him to the hospital. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PUT A SPLINT ON HIM.
If the wound is not open and the leg is not out of shape and the dog does not appear to be in too much pain, use any splint material such as newspapers, cardboard, magazines to immobilize the limb, NOT RESET IT.
Attach the splints to the dogs leg and wrap gauze or torn strips of cloth around it.
Tape or tie the strips firmly but not too tight as to inhibit circulation.
Transport the dog to the vet.
Reassure the dog on the way to the vet and maybe give him a dog treat or two to calm him down.

Remember, your pets count!

A perfect day for oldies –It’s a beautiful day on Delmarva and Edgewater Gold Radio is cranking out the best oldies of your life! 50s 60s 70s 80s plus the greatest pop standards! Listen all the time from our website The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

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Molly’s Little Accident at The Vet

Saturday, July 29, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

catpeeYesterday, I took Molly for a checkup following an elevation of her phosphorus levels and dehydration. Molly improved throughout the week after taking medication called Epakitin and another renal medication to ease the burden on her kidneys. Epakitn is a phosphorus binder which keeps it from entering the blood, causing listlessness, vomiting and dehydration.

When Molly went in for emergency treatment last week, she was poked and prodded with needles, hands and other equipment. Believe me, she didn’t like it at all. She had a followup appointment yesterday just to check her overall condition, specifically hydration. Dehydration occurs very quickly in cats with kidney disease. It is essential that cats with this condition stay week hydrated at all times.

Although, this was a quick, non-invasive exam, Molly’s last experience at the vet was not a good one. Yesterday,while being placed on the scale, Molly accidentally peed all over the doctor! She was very gracious and said that she gets “peed” on a lot. After the incident, the vet said that she was pleased with Molly’s progress(not the peeing of course.)

Kidney disease is a progressive, dangerous disease that takes the lives of many cats. I am determined to do everything I can to delay the progress of the disease and keep Molly with me for some time to come.

Remember, your pets count!

Keep the oldies playing all weekend. Listen to the greatest variety of oldies from the 50’s through the 80’s plus great standards on Edgewater Gold Radio! Listen from our website: The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

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Dogs and Grilling

Thursday, July 27, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

doggrillI’m sure that there are many family barbeque’s going on this summer. Many owners allow their dogs to roam free while they are cooking on the grill. The barbeque can be hazardous to your dog. Grills get very hot and your dog doesn’t realize that it’s hot and before you know it, he can really burn himself if he goes for that burger or hot dog. If your dog is a lively one, he may accidentally bump into the grill and knock it over and cause himself injury as well as others. Always keep your dog away from the grill. Keep him on his dog leash while you’re grilling.

Dogs love burgers and hot dogs and may even try to steel a dog or two during your family get together. This food is not good for your dog. You may have to tell your guests not to sneak burgers or hot dogs to Buster. Instead, offer your dog some of his favorite food during this time so he doesn’t feel “left out.”

Remember, water is one of the core components of an animal’s diet. Always keep the dog water bowl filled if he’s spending the day with you outside in the sunshine. If you are traveling with your dog during the summer, always take water with you and offer it to him frequently during the trip.

Remember, your pets count!

All hit music for the baby boomer generation. How about the 50s 60s 70s 80s plus traditional pop standards and vocals like Sinatra, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald? A complete variety of oldies for your workday —Edgewater Gold Radio! Listen on our website: The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

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Phosphorus Count and Feline Kidney Disease

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

kidney-diseasejpgKidney disease in cats is very complicated. It’s very difficult to balance all of the components that compromise the kidneys to sustain life and maintain quality. One component is Phosphorus. High phosphorus levels can make the disease progress more quickly. Boyd LM, Langston C, Thompson K, Zivin K & Imanishi M Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 22(5) pp1111-7, found that there was an 11.8% increase in the risk of death for every one mg/dl increase in phosphorus in the cat’s blood. It is vital that phosphorus levels are kept low in cats with kidney disease. The reason why my cat Molly, got so sick and dehydrated last week was because her phosphorus levels jumped up. Most cat foods don’t give the phosphorus level in the active ingredients. Phosphorus should be no more that 0.5% in cats with kidney disease.

If your cat has kidney disease and won’t eat a prescription diet that has lower protein and phosphorus levels, you must do some research and select foods that are low in phosphorus. I use Weruva with along with a phosphorus binder which removes phosphorus from the blood. I was including some other high quality food but they didn’t indicate the phosphorus levels. This may have cause Molly’s phosphorus levels to jump. She is now doing much better after this adjustment in her diet.

Renal failure is a catch 22, your have to be very careful to monitor your cat, check his blood regularly and feed him a high quality ,low phosphorus, low protein diet.

Remember, your pets count!

Oldies variety – 50s 60s 70s 80s and standards! Edgewater Gold Radio, click and listen to your favorite wall day! You can also listen from our website, Edgewater Radio Network.com  and download our free Edgewater Gold Radio App

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High Blood Pressure In Cats

Tuesday, July 25, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

catbloodpressureJust like humans, cats suffer from high blood pressure that can be caused by a variety of underlying conditions such and  kidney and thyroid disease. Hypertension can cause the same problems as it does in humans.

PetMD has published a feline blood pressure chart, they also describe how blood pressure is taken in cats.

Blood pressure is often measured in pets in the same manner as in humans. An inflatable cuff will be placed on the cat’s paw or tail, and standard blood pressure measuring instruments will check the pressure. It is important to keep the cat still long enough to get an accurate reading.

The standards for cat blood pressure are:

150/95 – at this reading or below, there is minimal risk and treatment is not recommended
150/99 to 159/95 — intervention is rotuinely not recommended at these readings
160/119 to 179/100 — treatment should be sought to limit the risk of organ damage
180/120 — immediate treatment should be sought to limit the degree of other more severe complications.

Thanks to PetMD for providing this valuable information.

Remember, your pets count!

Golden oldies and a variety that you don’t find everywhere –EDGEWATER GOLD RADIO- The best mix go oldies. You can also find us on our website. THE EDGEWATER INTERNET RADIO NETWORK!

 

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The Perfect Dog Dish

Monday, July 24, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

dogbowlsMany dog owners spend a great deal of time selecting the ideal dog food. They want something that the dog will enjoy, but they also want to make sure that food is nutritious and healthy to continually put in their bodies. But not as many pet owners think about the dishes in which we serve this food. This can prove a mistake.

With that in mind, the best dog dishes are those that are made of a simple and safe material such as stainless steel. They are easy to clean and won’t harbor too bacteria to grow if properly and regularly cleaned. For the sake of convenience, you’ll also want a bowl that has a rubber bottom stopper. This will ensure the bowl doesn’t slide or spill when placed on the floor and used by your dog.

Remember, your pets count!

Oldies variety at your fingertips — Edgewater Gold Radio-plays the variety that you won’t find anywhere else. 50s 60s 70s 80s and standards. You can also listen from our website:

The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

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Status Of Molly

Saturday, July 22, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy
Taking care of Molly

Taking care of Molly

Yesterday was a tough day for myself and my 18 year old cat Molly. As you know she is suffering from Kidney disease and she also has a thyroid condition. She began vomiting, stopped eating and became very listless.  When her conditioned worsened in the evening, I took her to the emergency 24 hour animal hospital near us. She was severely dehydrated as I suspected .With kidney disease, dehydration can occur very quickly. Various blood tests were run and it was determined that her kidney disease has advanced a little. There were also some other readings that were a bit troubling but right now, we’re focusing on her kidney disease.  Her phosphorus level jumped up significantly causing the nausea and vomiting.

She was hydrated and stabilized at the hospital. I was able to take her home. There are two new medications that I have to administer to her. One is a powder mixed with her food to make the phosphorus more tolerable to the kidneys and hopefully will reduce her nausea and vomiting. The other is Potassium Gluconate also helping kidney function.

She is a bit better, this morning she drank ,ate a little bit and stopped vomiting. I’m watching her closely and I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to spent more time with her. I’ll be taking her back to the vet in a week. They’ll check her hydration and overall condition.

I’m thankful to have her with me this long. Over the years, we’ve developed a special bond. Our furry little friends give us so much unconditional love. It’s only natural to do everything we can to keep them with us as long as we can.

Remember, your pets count!

Music makes you feel better – If you’re feeling a bit low or are worried about your pet, try great oldies from the 50s through the 80s plus great pop standards on Edgewater Gold Radio! You can also listen on our webiste. The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!!

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Don’t Ignore Your Dog’s Cough

Friday, July 21, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

dogcoughIf your dog cough’s, don’t take it lightly. There are certain types of coughs that may be serious. Here’s a description of certain types of dog coughs and what they may mean.

A high, weak cough that sounds like gagging followed by swallowing and licking the lips could be tonsillitis and sore throat.
A moist, bubbling cough indicates fluid or phlegm in the lungs could suggest pneumonia.
A dry, hacking cough that is made worse after exercise or excitement could mean kennel cough.
A spasm of prolonged coughing during the night or while lying down on the sternum could mean heart disease. This was the case with my dog who had heart failure.
Any cough could be serious so have them checked by your vet as soon as you can.

Remember, your pets count!

All hit radio – Music that you grew up with! Edgewater Gold Radio plays the largest variety of oldies from the 50s through the 80’s plus great standards! Listen all day, download our free app and you can also listen from our website: The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

 

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Tried to Save Baby Birds This Morning

Wednesday, July 19, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

snakebirdsI woke up this morning to a disturbance on my porch. Let me back track a bit. I have several bird houses hanging on my porch. Small birds have been making the nest their home this summer. They built a nest and had a little family inside the bird house. These birds have since grown and left the nest but now there’s a new family in there. The eggs have hatched and the parent birds have been constantly bringing food into the bird house to feed the little ones. I hear the babies crying for their food when I walk past the bird house.

This morning, I heard lots of birds chirping on the front porch. I looked and saw the parent birds trying to bring food to the babies but when they approached the bird house they quickly turned away! They kept trying and trying and chirping louder and louder as if very frustrated. I knew something was wrong so I slowly opened to door to the bird house and there was an 8 inch snake curled up on top of the nest! I quickly grabbed an old plastic salad spoon and scooped the snake out of the nest. The nest was deep and I couldn’t tell if the baby birds were harmed. I hope not. After awhile, I saw that the parent birds were once again taking food inside the nest to feed the little ones. Sure hope that they’re ok. Hope that nasty snake doesn’t find his way back to the nest.

A little drama for a Wednesday morning. We must always be aware of predators when it comes to our pets!

Remember, your pets count!

Great oldies play all the time on our live/local internet station from Rehoboth Beach, De.
Edgewater Gold Radio! The best variety from the 50s 60s 70s 80s and pop standards!

Listen from our website, check out the article written about us in the Cape Gazette and read the local buzz from the Delaware beaches! Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

 

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Signs of Canine Heat Stroke

Tuesday, July 18, 2017
posted by Jim Murphy

hotdogchartIt’s a fact, dogs can suffer heat stroke just as human’s can. We’ve gone over ways to keep your best friend cool during Summer but what are the signs that your dog may be suffering from heat stroke. Here’s what to look for.

  • Tacky gums
  • panting
  • drooling
  • weakness
  • muscle weakness
  • seizures

Very young and very old dogs have a higher risk of developing heat stroke than do dogs in the prime of their lives. Brachycephalic breeds, obese animals, long-haired dogs and dogs that are black or dark in color are also predisposed to developing heat stroke. Dogs with hyperthyroidism, heart disease, lung disease or thick hair coats have an increased risk as well. Owners who notice that their dog is restless, uneasy, having breathing problems or otherwise is just not doing right should take it to a veterinary clinic immediately.

Thanks to Petwave.com for providing some of this valuable information.

Remember, your pets count!

Keep your pets cool and the oldies playing during these hot summer months with Edgewater GOLD Radio – music variety from four decades 50s 60s 70s 80s and legendary vocals and standards. Listen from our website: The Edgewater Internet Radio Network!

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