Happy Thanksgiving to all of my dog friends and their owners!!! May you all have a safe, fun, and healthy Thanksgiving day!

Us dogs enjoy the revelry at least as much as humans, looking forward to bits of delicious food dropping on the floor at just the right time, and the intoxicating smells swirling around the house. But Thanksgiving needs to be a time of caution where it comes to the digestive tract of your dog. There are certain foods your dog really needs to avoid.

Here are eight dog safety tips that will help your dog get through Thanksgiving and the holiday season safely and keep a hop in their step:.

1. Keep Holiday Food at a Minimum – When giving your dog holiday foods, use caution and keep it at a minimum or none at all. Giving your dog fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis Giving your dog a few strips of turkey on a dog’s normal food is fine, but don’t overdo it. Remember that turkey skin can wreak havoc with a dog’s digestive system, so make sure she gets skinless, boneless turkey.
2. Happy Hour is Not Good for Your Pet – Keep alcoholic drinks away from your pets. It only that’s a split second before your dog enjoying your drink. You may not notice an immediate change in behavior, but your dog could become disoriented and quite ill. Too much alcohol can even lead to a coma, and death. Guard your drinks for a healthy pet.
3. Treat Your Dog Like a King by Using His Kong – Let your dog work for his food and have fun doing it! Mix your dog’s regular food in a Kong, and then stuff a little boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy in the Kong. It will occupy your dog for a long time and give your dog a nice treat.
4. Onions Can Bring Tears to Your Dog – All onions are toxic to dogs. They can lead to a dangerous form of anemia that may not be detected for days. Make sure you do not give your dog food with onion ingredients mixed in the food. It can have the same dangerous effect on your dog.
5. Exercise Your Dog – Take your dog out for a long walk and a game of fetch. A dog who has been on a big walk or fetched the ball a zillion times will be much more likely to run out of energy during the feast than a dog who’s been inside all day. A tired dog is a good dog (the crazy beagle will still be crazy on a lower level) on Thanksgiving.
6. Beware of Bones – Cooked turkey bones can be a danger to your dog. They’re sharp, and potentially very dangerous. You may not know a dog has a turkey bone lodged in your dog’s digestive system for days. Don’t leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can’t dispose of everything properly right away.
7. Keep it Spiceless – Some spices and some other herbs have essential oils that can cause tummy upset and central nervous system depression if a dog eats them in large quantities.
8. Uncooked Food Can Be a Raw Deal – Don’t surprise your dog with a piece of raw turkey in her bowl. Sudden changes in their diet can cause an upset stomach. But more importantly, keep your dog away from the uncooked dough for bread or rolls. The heat in your dog’s stomach will make the dough rise, and if the dog has eaten enough, the swollen dough can cause pain, vomiting, and bloating. This can lead to an emergency trip to the Vet on Thanksgiving.

Follow the following dog holiday safety tips and your dog will enjoy a wonderful, fun, safe Thanksgiving. The Crazy Beagle should be the only dog that is crazy during the holidays. My craziness come naturally.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Crazy Beagle loves to read the us beagles and dogs can further help our owners.  The following is a report that made this beagle crazy with joy:

A new study has found that dogs can detect the smell of organic compounds that are linked to the presence of cancer in the human body. Scientists had the dogs sniff test tubes that contained breath samples from patients who had lung cancer and some who did not. The dogs identified lung cancer in 71 out of 100 patients who had the disease. Findings indicate that dogs may be a good “detection device,” say researchers, who caution: “We’ve seen this happen enough to suggest there are compounds in the breath of patients with cancer that could provide an early warning about the presence of cancer in the body, but we still do not know exactly what those compounds are. We can’t pick out what the dogs smell.

So don’t mess with this beagle’s nose.  This nose may save your life.

Hurricane Irene is fast approaching.  From all reports, we are looking at a 2-3 category hurricane.  We all need to take the necessary precautions to be safe during the hurricane.  Wind and rain can cause extensive damage. 

The following are five advantages that we dogs have over humans during a hurricane:

1. We love eating cold food out of a can
2. We don’t worry about our hair in the wind.
3. We don’t worry about the toilet flushing.  We just go out in the yard.
4. We don’t mind playing or swimming in flood water.
5. Lights out means what I do best…sleep.

Here is a real-time update for your information. 

It is one hot day today. The temperature is going up to 100 degrees today with a heat index of 119 degrees. That is one heatwave. I guess that is why they call July and August the Dog Days of summers. But don’t blame us dogs for this heat.

Please apply the following precautions against heat stroke, dehydration, and other heat related challenges:

• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your time outdoor. Drinking soda will not hydrate you the way good old water will.
• Minimize your time in direct sunlight. If you must be in the sunlight, put on sunscreen, where a hat, and put on sunglasses.
• Save the exercising for evening and morning when it is cooler.

Please apply the same principles to your pets, dogs, and beagles. For a great article to protect your dog or beagle from heat stroke, go to Heat Stroke.

This Crazy Beagle is staying inside today. This is one day this beagle is not looking for a walk outside.

Stay Cool!

It’s another beautiful summer day, and it’s time for this crazy beagle and my fellow dogs to go outside. Beware! There are many hazards that we dogs need to be aware of so that we can enjoy many healthy days in the summer.

The following are five hazards that we dogs need to be aware of and how to overcome them:

•  Heat Stroke/Exhaustion – Don’t underestimate the occurrence of your dog having a heat stroke. Heat stroke can cause a serious risk to dog’s health and in some cases, it can be fatal. Restrict your pet’s exercise during the hottest hours of the day. Treat your dog well by taking them for an early morning or late evening walk and/or exercise during the summer. Make sure your pet is well hydrated, take them to a shady area to cool down, and relax. Give your dog a treat and provide opportunities for your dog to swim.

Nothing makes this beagle crazier than seeing my fellow dogs sitting in a hot car during the summer. Never, ever leave us dogs in the car for any length of time. Many dogs die annually in hot cars. Even if your windows are cracked, or you park in the shade, heat can build quickly in a car in the summer, turning it into an oven. If it’s 90 degrees and you leave your windows cracked, the temperature in your car may still rise as high as 108 degrees. This is a recipe for disaster for your dog. If you must leave your dog in the car for any period of time, put the air conditioning on.

• Parasites – Fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes, oh my! Summer is the season for fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes to present a minor discomfort to your dog at best and at worst may be life threatening. Improve your dog’s immune system by feeding them a high-quality diet without preservatives or chemicals so that your dog can build a resistance to parasite infestation. Use a wide variety of preventatives on the market such as chemical spot-on treatments, repellent shampoos, essential oils, and flea/tick collars. Consult with your vet to see what they recommend for your dog. Frequently clean your house and keep your dog well groomed so that the risk of parasite infestation will decrease.
• Dehydration – Water, water, and more water is the key to keep your dog hydrated during the summer. This crazy beagle says one of the best ways to keep your dog safe in the summer time is by providing lots of cool, clean, fresh water. This crazy beagle loves when he receives ice cubes in his water. Keep the water coming for your dog!
• Hot Dog Paws – During the summer sun, sidewalks and streets can burn a dog’s paws. To avoid scorched paws, walk your dog very early in the morning or in the late evening when the streets have cooled off. If you must walk your dog during the day, dog booties can protect his feet or try to walk on grassy or shady areas as much as possible. Test the asphalt by putting your hand on the asphalt for about thirty seconds. If you can’t stand the heat it is too hot for your dog to walk on without hurting his paws.
• Seasonal Allergies – Watch to see if your dog is allergic to seasonal items, which include fleas, grass and various plants, and mold. Visit your vet if you suspect your dog may have seasonal allergies. If your dog is scratching and perhaps losing fur, a visit to your vet is recommended.

The Crazy Beagle says invest in paying more attention to your dog during the summertime so that summer can be an enjoyable time for them. Apply the five summertime dog health tips so that your dog can avoid the above-mentioned dog hazard.

The Crazy Beagle says enjoy the summer!