Animals Unfolded

With each passing month, I take stock of what I need to be considering when it comes to the weather here in Michigan as I take the reins to care for the pets in my care, most of which are in fragile health. With four seasons, we see all manner of weather and after two decades in the rear view with this work, and with changing climate, it’s hard to ignore that things have unfortunately become less predictable. That means I need to extra mindful of what I need to be doing. While some dogs hate rain, or the wind—and especially storms—I need to mitigate the impact of all that. But as you might guess, the cold, snow and ice pose some special challenges. Truth be told, I don’t worry so much about any of that. Pets, especially dogs, tend to struggle more in the warmer months. And when you live in a state where you’re surrounded by water, the atmosphere can feel oppressive with the climbing humidity and temps that can reach the 90° mark for stretches of time. There’s no doubt: summer is tough ...

Flickr photo courtesy of Justin Baeder This heat wave that we are experiencing has reminded me of a condition that affects canines , and I think that it bears emphasizing as it hits one of the most popular breeds - and can be exacerbated by temperatures and humidity that are higher than the dog is used to . Exercise Induced Collapse , or EIC, is an inherited disorder that is characterized by onset of weakness in the hind limbs, (sometimes progressing to the front limbs,) an unusual gait, inability to coordinate limbs - to in some cases, inability to move at all. Symptoms are typically brought on by strenuous exercise, sometimes only after a few minutes. EIC is usually found to affect Labrador Retrievers (all colors and both sexes), Chesapeake Retrievers and curly coated retrievers. Although a pooch may seem in tip top condition and athletic, do not let this fool you - EIC can affect seemingly healthy dogs. Researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered the gene . Add...