How you can include a dog in your wedding

Ever see your COLUMBUS — dog or cat pawing at their eye, or do their eyes always look red and watery? Well, it’s probably not because they’ve been crying over the season finale of “The Bachelorette.”

Pets can have a multitude of eye problems, and — like humans — cataracts and glaucoma are among the most c ommon.Bothcanleadto blindness if left untreated, said Dr. Eric Miller, assistant clinical professor and veteri- nary ophthalmologist at The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center.

A cataract — the clouding of the eye lens resulting in blurred vision — can be caused by genetics, trauma, infection or aging. “It’s a problem that most animals can run into,” Miller said.

And that goes for people, too. Cataract surgery is performed more than any other ocular procedure in the U.S., and more than half of all Americans develop a cat- aract by age 80, according to the National Eye Institute.

In dogs, there’s a rather strong link between diabetes and the development of cataracts, said Miller, adding that about 50 percent or more of the surgery case load at the Veterinary Medical Center involves diabetic dogs with cataracts. “The majority of them develop these cataracts within six months of being diagnosed with diabetes, and they progress pretty quickly.

Wedding season is in full swing, and many people like to include their four-legged friend in their big day. You’ll have to do some extra planning to ensure that your dog’s par- ticipation in the wedding will be smooth and safe, and a pos- itive experience for your pup.

The American Kennel Club offers the following tips for including your dog in your

I think a lot of people realize that veterinary medicine can present challenges different from those in human medicine. Certainly, our companions have some similar physiology and structures to our own, however the main challenge is that veterinary medicine patients are not as communicative as humans are with their physicians. I have seldom had a patient “tell me where it hurts.”

This challenge is one of the reasons, and there are many, why veterinary medicine is so fascinating. It is also the main reason diagnostics can be so important. This is especially important with some of the less mainstream species that some peop lechoose as companions. Lou is one of those species, a bearded dragon lizard.

Lou lives in a large cage and is well taken care of by Brandon. Lou is 5 years old and has been with Brandon for most of his life with no health issues. That no longer appears to be the case. Lou has decided he does not

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Cats with diabetes do not experience the same prob- lem, and most often develop cataracts subsequent to unrelated inflammation, he added.

In most cases, cataracts can be treated with surgery, which is performed essentially the same for animals as it is for people — making a small incision to the eye, removing the lens with the cataract and placing an artificial lens in its place to restore its original function, said Dr. Anne Metzler, clinical professor and veteri- nary ophthalmologist at Ohio State. Veterinarians at Ohio State perform roughly 100 cataract surgeries per year on dogs, cats, hors es and sometimes other animals, shesaid.

Glau coma — a change in eye pressures that results from inadequate fluid drainage — can be treated with either medication or surgery with an endoscopic laser, wedding:

Consider your dog’s temperament before making the decision.

If crowds, changes in environment or increased attention cause your dog stress, then a wedding might not be the best place for him.

Make sure your venue is pet-friendly.

Whether you’re getting married in a church or at another venue, make sure you get their approval before bringing your dog on the prem- want to eat. For Lou this is highly unusual as, according to Brandon, he usually eats every chance he gets. For the last 10 days or so, he has not touched anything Brandon has offered.

That is all the information Ihavetogoon,soitappears I am going to have to use one of my more primitive diag- nostic tools, my crystal ball. To be fair to Brandon, this is the single most common presentation for a reptile patient. When they are having health issues, they ge nerallydonot eat. This could be the result of a simple problem such as a sore mouth or as complicated and severe as terminal can- Spot page. The memorial will include a photo. For more information, call 937-223-1515 or email coh. classified@coxinc.com. which allows veterinarians to see d irectly i nside the eye, in more serious cases, Miller said. “All the time we’re finding new and better treatments.”

So how can you tell when these issues are forming if, like most people, you’re not bringing your pet to regular eyeexams?

Unfortunately, it can be hard to recognize loss of sight in dogs and cats as they’re quite good at navigating familiar spaces without sight, Miller said. “But maybe the furniture gets rearranged or you goonatriptoanewpla ce, like a hotel or a friend’s house. Then it starts to stand out that they’re having trouble finding their way around.”

In addition to apparent change in vision, some general symptoms of eye problems in dogs, cats and horses include: Redness Cloudiness Discharge Crustiness in corners of ises. Also, let the photographer you hire know that your dog will be part of the photos, and makesureheorsheiscom- fortable working with dogs.

Let guests know that your dog will be part of the celebration.

Realize that people with allergies or fear of dogs may not be able to attend.

Take a refresher obedience class with your pup.

You’ll want to make sure he can sit or lie down quietly dur- cer, the common symptom is they do not eat. Therefore, in Lou’s case and frankly in many cases of reptile illness, we start with the symptom of anorexiaandlooktoavirtually unlimited list of disease possibilities.

Brandon obviously will need to take Lou to his veterinarian for evaluation. I will share what I generally do when presented with an anorexic reptile patient, using Lou as an example. But every case has subtle and sometimes eyes Watering Redorwhiteeye lid linings And because the anatomy of pets’ eyes are slightly different than people’s, they can develop some unique conditions, such as issues with the nictitating membrane, or third eyelid. In both dogs and cats, the third eyelid is loca tedin the inner corner of the eye, serving to provide approximately one-third o ftearpro- duction and general eye pro- tection. Typically, it should notbeovertlyvisiblewhen the animal is awake.

A visible third eyelid may indicate several medical problems such as eye injury, inflammation or a neurological disorder, among others, said Miller, adding that “cherry eye,” a prolapse of the gland, is commonl ys een in bloodhounds, pugs, cocker spaniels and others.

Also, fear not if your pet has tear-stained fur, as it’s “uncommonly more than a cosmetic issue” in which the ways that the corners of the eyelids are built don’t allow tears to correctly flow into the tear ducts, Metzler said.

There are many other eye conditions that pets can inherit or acquire, such as retinal detachment, which is common in Shih Tzu’s and other breeds, corneal ulcerations and ocular tumors, but the symptoms should be fairly recognizable if you take the time to meet them at eye level.

“Seeing the change in these animals whenever we restore vision is one of the coolest things that we do,” Miller said. “You can see how much more relaxed they are, and they’re finall y paying attention to things around them.” ing the ceremony and will follow directions when called.

Designate a member of your bridal party as the official “handler.”

During the cer- e monyhaveyourdogsit with a family member or a pet-sit- ter in the audience while you recite your vows. This person should be armed with treats and baggies for cleanup

For more tips on dog ownership, visit the AKC online at www.akc.org. not-so-subtle differences so the thoughts I share may not translate to other lizard cases with the same symptom of anorexia. (The disclaimer!)

Physical examination is always an important diagnostic step and Lou is no exception. Through this process, we can sometimes fine tune our approach to the necessary diagnostic steps toward uncovering Lou’s problem. Again with no clues in this particular case, I will be a bit more generalized.

I recommend Lou have some radiographs taken to “look inside” his little body and a blood panel drawn to check organ system functions. A fecal examination for parasites is also warranted.

These steps will provide a good overview of what might be going on w ith Lou and hopefully direct us to the next step be it further diagnostics or treatment based on an illness discovered from the tests.

As stated, the best advice is to take Lou to his veterinarian.

When my husband, Ed, and I adopted Teddy in 2014, we received numerous “dog” books from famil yandfri ends. The books ranged from understanding behavior (American College of Veterinary Behaviorists “Decoding Your Do g”)tod og games and tricks (Soph ieCo llins’s “Fun Games for a Smarter Dog”).

Naturally, confusion abounded.

Didn’t the gift bearers remember Ed and I experienced the fun of growing up with dogs? W eb oth had miniature schnauzers.

Fritz was Ed’s childhood companion. The pooch jumped into more trouble than Ed. Which, according to Ed’s mom, is saying a lot.

Marking his territory on the living room’s silk curtains was one escapade. Jumpin goutofacar’swindow when the car was in motion was another.

Maxie, my family’s dog was a bit more tame. She only ate non-edible stuff.

Eati ngthebotto m row of ornaments on our Christmas tree is still a favorite famil ystor y. W e picked up “sparkly” poop for days.

As a married couple, we’ve had two other dogs before Teddy.

Our first dog, Mocha, a miniature schnauzer was perfect. She didn’t chew up our stuff. She didn’t have accidents.

Mocha believed she was human and acted accordingly. Lucy, our mixedbreed second dog, was a bit of a mess.

As a younger dog when she was stressed, the pup chewed up anything in her reach. That pooch was funny and loving and loyal.

That brings me back to the “gifts.”

The book-giving frenzy had nothing to do with us and everything to do with Teddy.

Our family and friends are gaga over that pooch.

So of course, the weekly questions soon followed after the unwrapping of the gifted books.

Have you had a chance to read the book Ig ot you? Gained any insight on Teddy’s personality? What new tricks has Teddy learned?

Apparently, these folks expectedmeorustoread these books.

Choosing which one to read first was pretty easy. Dog games and tricks are fun.

Collins’ book, “Fun Gam esfo r a Smarter Dog,” was a surprise.

Balancing a treat on Teddy’s nose was always something I’ve wanted him to do. A real party showstopper.

Tedd yandIworkedon this trick before I read the book. We weren’t successful.

Collins explained that for most dogs this trick is difficult to master. The book offered an easier version.

Teddy was told to lie down then I placed a treat on his front paw.

The pooch was then told to wait. Finally, he was told to “Watch me.”

After about 10 seconds, Teddy was given the “OK” and he promptly gobbled up hi s reward.

The next book I tackled was “Decoding Your Dog.”

Above the bo ok’stitle its purpose was clearly stated, “Explaining Common Dog Behaviors and How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones.”

Teddy barks at cars, trucks, bicycles, anything that passes by the front of our home. It’s annoying. The chapter authors simply said to shut the curtains or limit Teddy’s access to the window(s).

Now when Teddy and I enter the study to work, the windows’ bottom shutters areclos ed.

This simple solution has cut hi s barking by a third.

The three remaining books’ spines still haven’t been broken. I promised my family and friends that the other books would get read. Eventually.