It's Maria's MutS and Stuff. What a great idea. Fun I heart radio. Welcome to Maria's MutS and Stuff, and with me she is. She's actually the goat because she is my fifth time guest, doctor amberkar Wacky. Thank you so much for once again joining me. I'm Maria's MutS and Stuff because you always are chock full of such great information about our pets. Well, thank you for having me again. I love being here. I know
you do. I know it's so much fun. Well, we're in the month of May and the weather is sort of getting better in a sense. Right, it's not summer yet, and I guess it means it's time for those of us or oh, don't exercise their pets as much as they should. Now it's a good time, right to get our pets out and get exercise. It also helps us too, right, we'll walk your dog,
take your cats out, not really take your cats out. Let's talk about that, um so so obviously with dogs, it's really good to walk your dog, right for the obviously, you know, for the exercise and everything else. And I always tell this to people and tell me if I'm right in thinking this, because I just remember like from a first dog many many many many years ago, when dogs go out and they sniff like that is
sort of it's mentally stimulating and it's like they're reading the newspaper. So that is almost that is as good as physical exercise, if that makes sense.
Is that a fact with dogs? That is? And like there there'll be some trainers that talk about, like if you can paying a weight where you're living and whatnot, to let your dogs kind of just follow their nose as there as the walk and they can like see where they want to go, versus me like you have to walk this way now in the city the whole herd, right both you're like outside like a field or trail, like letting them kind of follow the sense where they want to see and have their own
little adventure right right. And it's interesting because I live in the city, but I do out with my dog because sometimes if I want to go one direction, but I could tell like he he smells something, say, you know, on the corner of a building and it's going to a different block, So I just let them do that. That's good to do, correct, Yep, that absolutely is, because that's that's letting them like explore their world, and it's don't even use their scenting abilities, which are much better
than what we do. So it's something stimulating for them to do. Right. So okay, so that obviously is good for dogs to get them out walking. What else could listeners do with their dogs, because I know we have to go into cats too, So let's let's do dogs first. So dogs, depending on the where you're living, along with walking hiking, if you can go into like the wooded areas or like the mountains or what not,
that's something different in a lot different sense for them. For the older dogs or those that are having joint problems, swimming is wonderful as well because it takes the weight off for their joints allows them to use them. But the biggest thing you to watch if you're doing in like a lake or a pond. One if you're in an area where there's like algae in the ponds,
that is no good because they can't drink that water. Which you also want to watch like the branches or the tree limbs that might be under the surface that they can get caught on or stuck on. So you want to know what they're going into, right right, Okay, what about if it's an older dog, like, because I know it's still good for them to walk, but it's okay for them to not walk or do as much like just say, your dog, it's swimming before, is it? Like do
you gradually introduce it to them? Like what's best for like senior dogs? Yeah, so you can gradually introduce this something. If your dog likes water, they absolutely hate water, just don't push it because that's adding just additional stress to their life. Walking for the older dogs is good. I usually tell those owners like, let your dog dictate how far this walk is going to go, and when they want to turn around, listen to them because
they're going to be tired. And then for them there is you can do like yoga and stretching for them. Obviously it's not the same as us. They're not going to get up into tree pose not that would be amazing when when someone does. I would love to see the too. But you could do like stretching and like range of motion, like taking their limbs and like stretching them out and then bending them back. And just if you're not sure, just ask your vetinary, like how's a good way to stretch my dog's
limbs and whatnot. So that keeps them kind of like motion going and their muscles you know, limber and whatnot for them. Right, is it good and okay to give your dog like or your cat too, like a little I always call it a massagy, but like a little massage like say down their spine or their back legs, right, because that probably feels good like
it does to us. Yes, yeah, as long as you're not doing like hard pressure, no no hot stones or anything like that that we love to get right, right, but just doing it like yep, gentle massage is good for them. Wow. And the same for cats too, yes, yep, yeah, as long as the cat likes being kind. There are some cats that just don't are like the no touchy cats all right, don't do that right, So if your cat is the one that likes to be touched, then then it's good too. So what are some exercises or
things to do? Because I know, you know you're not going to put a leash on your cat and walk it around. So what's good for a cat um just to you know, to keep it healthy. Some exercise or some different things to do. Now that the weather's getting nicer. Yeah, So for them. Um, if you have a house where you can do it. I do it for my Kiddosum. I put birds feeders at different windows so they havenitly go around to the different windows to see where the birds
are. Um. And they love that to see that at by squirrels. They hate the squirrel right right at him. Oh that's fine, okay. Or you could do like the wand toys are like the laser point is where you're interacting with them, but it gives them something interactive to chase. Right. Um, they're actually going for the toy or the laser pointer or something like that for them, right right, Okay, So that's good too. So between cats and dogs, these are these are good tips to get out
and to get them exercised. What are some of the things that we should be careful about with the weather getting you know, some parts of the country it's getting warmer, faster or whatever with and this I guess pertains more to dogs than cats, since cats for the most part, unless they're an outdoor cat, but yeah, they're inside. But yeah, so for inside, but yeah, for outdoor. What are some tips or some things that the
listeners should keep in mind. So watching like the heat. So if it's too hot for you to go outflow run or like a long walk, it's the same thing for your dog, and especially the dogs we call them the break east of fox, the short nose dogs like your pugs, your bulldogs, your Frenchies and whatnot, because they can't breathe as well as everyone else.
So if it's really hot outside or humid, we want to limit their walks like the morning or the evening and the cooler hours, and making sure you have a water bottle for them, just like you have a water bottle for you, right right, Okay, And are there certain and I'm sure there are, because now that things are blooming, are they certain types of bushes or flowers that we should keep the pets away from because it could be
poisonous or just not good for them. Yeah. I mean I usually kind of runs to stay away from everything, but then you know, the dog is very curious. Yeah. The one big one, depending on where you are in the country, the crocus all and bloom where I am at,
those are definitely poisonous for the dogs for them. Majority about the or plans, So okay, if you're not sure what it is, I would just keep your dogs away from them, because especially if you can't identify it and something does happen, then you know, the veterinarian we're sing going, Okay, what do I have to do to treat your dog when I don't know what's going on or what exactly he ate? So sure best to avoid? Yeah, yeah, no, that makes sense, especially like if you're doing
your gardening. It's nice to have your dog around, but you really should keep your dog away from that because you're right, if they dig up the bulbs and everything, like I would assume like any type of bulb is probably bad for them, right, can be bad? Yeah, especially if they saw a whole could we go a foreign body? And then um, it was a sad a while back. I don't know if it still as they had the chocolate mulch with cocoa powder in it. Oh my gosh. Every
vet just went ballistic over that, going you did what? Now? I know, Like I don't understand why would why? Who came up with that? Obviously someone who doesn't have pets, But I mean why because it smells like I don't understand. Oh, it's smell good, I don't know, look good for the ground. But then the dogs are eating and getting chocolate poison Texicity, and it was like major because the more cocoa that it's in
chocolate, the worst it is for the dogs. So they're just like please, just just could we just cannot get Yes, No, it's true, it's true. I remember when that happened. I was like, oh my god. I mean, yeah, it smells good, but you know what make hot chocolate in your house? And that smells but you know what I mean, buy a candle by candle exactly, buy a chocolate candle. Oh my goodness. So also, I guess too this time of year because I'm
trying to think of all the things that happened now that it's springtime. Um, people putting fertilizer down on their lawns. Yep, yea furlizer or the pesticides is they have the pesticide person coming out. Usually they steaked along, which is good after twenty four hours, especially with the pesticides. I don't it might be longer for fertilizers because they stay in the grass longer. You're usually okay for your dog to walk on the grass. You just don't want
them eating the grass, okay. So you know, if you see the steaks, you know, saying that things have been done, because if the pesticide company comes out, they have the steak and show that it was there. The homeowner though, can remove it very quickly as they wanted to. So definitely, if you see the steaks, keep your dog away from the
y as precaution. But just I say rule soun. Just assume everyone put fertilizer or pesticides down and just you know, get them in the habit of not eating grass or picking things out of like dirt and stuff like that so
they're safer. Yeah, no, that makes sense because I know sometimes I mean I just remember like years ago in my mom's neighborhood, some people would go would have the lawn guys put fertilizer down, but they didn't put like notes, you know, sometimes sometimes they flag it, so like how do
you know? So it became like, okay, just don't have the dog walk on that grass because I don't know, and kind of assume that you know, oh it's a lawn and all the lawn guys are back out doing their jobs, so you know, it's like yeah, yeah, and especially I guess too, it's bad right if the pets, if the dogs get it on their paws and they go home and they lick their paws. That's
bad too, yep, yeah, yeah. And if you're not sure, if you think you're a dog might have stepped in something you're not sure of them, just doing a quick footwash would just plain water should be all you need to do when you get inside. Isn't just to get that off of him? Oh that's good. Okay, No, that's good. That's a
good little nugget of advice. So this is a silly question, and I mean, I'm assuming that it is correct, but just like because they're talking about how pollen is so bad because we had such a pretty much of a mild winter throughout the country. Um so everybody is sneezing and coughing and all allergies our pets get are affected the same way. Correct, Dogs and cats are yet affected by pop. Yeah. Yeah, they don't sneeze and whatnot like we do, or get the rain noses, but they get itchy and
they can get like skin infections and ear infections. This is the time of ear. I double up on like my applicle, which is the prescription allergy medication and whatnot, because I know my allergy kids are about to hit my door and want their medicine. So I do see an uptick every springtime because they do. They have the allergies to the pollen and the grasses and the
trees just like we do. So if it's a high pollen day, similar to the foot bath, you know, you could just take like a wet paper towel and just like wipe your dogs flow down, like just wipe his whole body down to get that additional pollen off of his coat. So that way he's not it's not in contact with them longer than it needs to be. Oh, that's a good idea. And I guess maybe wash the dogs beds maybe a little bit more often. Yeah, especially if you have your
windows open. Try to keep like their beds aways from the windows and things like that as they lie near the window or like my cat slipt away in the windows kind of out of luck. Right, They're not going to change, No, it's true, So you just have to be like more aware of it and stuff. I guess, um, yeah, And not every dog or cat reacts to pollend. So if your dog's not showing any signs,
your cat's not showing any signs you're good. They're just like not every human reacts to pollen the same way, right, But but it's so you said, the dogs, they don't they won't be sneezing like we do. They usually, yeah, they usually don't sneeze. They get itchy, so you'll see them like licking their paws or scratching accessively, or like rubbing up against like the sofa or you or the carpet um, but less the sneezy for them. Wow, Okay, And so I guess, and I guess
this will be true as it gets warmer. It might even be better to just keep the windows closed and put acon, I guess, instead of the fresh air. I I don't know. You know it's like half of one, you know, six of one, half a dozen of another, because you're like, oh, fresh air, it's so healthy, But maybe it's not. Yeah, it's like it's an end your dog. Like I do spring allergies myself too, so like I'm on my allergy meds right now.
So if your dog doesn't allergies but it's control on allergy medication, then you can leave them open. Orchard does not affect it at all. If your dogs like severely affected and has trouble even with allergy medicines on board, then I would consider that like keeping the windows closed your acods. That way the filtration is there for them. Oh okay, oh that's good. That's all.
These are all very good little pieces of advice. So one last piece, because I know we touched on it earlier when you said about you know, let the dog follow its pattern, like where it wants to go to walk and sniff and all that. Um, what if it's somebody? And this always makes me crazy, but I know there are people who don't take their dogs out on walks. They just let them go in the yard and go to the bathroom and come back in and just say they're listening to this
and go, okay, it's a New Years spring. Let's take Fido out for a walk, even though he hasn't really walked so much? Is there like not that there's a limit, but how much like how how much should the person start a dog who hasn't had any and whatever the ages? I mean obviously not a puppy, but if it's like a young adult or a senior, how how long first for lay ten minutes and then increase it or is there a set time. Yeah, so I don't only have set tens.
It turns on your dog because like I don't one of those people. I don't walk my dogs a lot, but I have a huge backyard and like you run them in it. They have an agility course out there, so they're many. Yeah, they rub a lot. So like my dogs I could take out on a walk and they could probably do a fair amount without tiring. Yeah, so one of us like watching your dog, is
it hot out and stuff like that? Watching dogs those sides like if they go two blocks and they're like, I'm done right, then let's head back to the house because and ease into things like I say, like maybe go like ten fifteen minutes, see how they're doing. Just like we wouldn't go right out and run a marathon. That's crazy, right, So same for them. So you know, go a few blocks, go like ten minutes. If your dog's like, hey, I'm still gearing to go, keep
on going. If your dog's like blowing down looking at you like really really we're going, then we turn around. Then you turn around, right, And so yeah, just knowing, I mean it's like for anything else, just watch your animal and they will give you the sign like right, because if they're panting a lot, it's like I'm done yeah. Or they started really fast and within five minutes they're like like going really slow and dragging their
seats. They're done right exactly. Or they start to turn around to go back towards where you live. Then you're like, okay, looking back, like it's back there, it's back there, right, why aren't we going that way? So well, I really appreciate all your time and all your tips. These are great, great tips. Um uh so, Doctor Amber karwacky of heart and paw. Thank you once again, my fifth time guest. You you lead, you are if it was the Olympics, you are
the gold winner. So I'm sure I'll find a reason to talk to you again soon. But I really do appreciate all your knowledge and your time to let me and my listeners know about pets and the right thing to do. So thank you. No, Paul, I love being on here and talking with you. Never been a great operator. And just see you later. Mordicator