Does Your Dog Need a Halti Head Collar?

Meade at work

This is Meade.  Many of you know, Meade is a KSDS service dog in training.  Meade has been with me since she was 10 weeks old and will soon be going back to KSDS for formal (college) training and placement with her life partner.  As you can see by her photo, Meade is wearing a Halti Head Collar.  Quite frequently I get asked why my dog has a muzzle on, does she bite?  I smile and politely explain that Meade does not bite and her collar is not a muzzle, along with a brief explanation about head halters.  For Meade, the Halti is part of her working equipment and helps her stay focused and acknowledge that while she is wearing it, she is working.

A head halter for dogs is similar to a horse halter, and works by directing the dog's head from the nose vs that of conventional neck collars or harnesses.  While wearing these types of collars, the dog can still eat, drink, pant, bark and yes...even bite.

While many dogs need no more than a standard neck collar, there are many instances where a head collar can be helpful in overcoming specific training difficulties. It is a training tool, just as a choke chain or prong collar may be, however, it is much easier and kinder to the dog.  Many people do not use choke  and prong collars appropriately and can do much harm to their dog. 

I have recommended head halters for training problems such as pulling on the leash, jumping up on people, and fear aggression issues.  While it is possible to train your dog without a head collar, some dogs can benefit from the use of a Halti collar, because the collar works to direct the dog's head without placing undue stress on it's neck.  For pulling dogs, I certainly do not recommend harnesses, these collars   provide the dog with more pulling power...why do you think they put harnesses on horses and sled dogs?  

Before you decide to use a head collar on your dog,  I invite you to discuss it's uses with me and to allow  me to help you properly fit it for your dog.  You should also properly accustom your dog to the collar and learn how to properly use the collar.  

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

Every day more dogs are born into this world than there are people available to adopt them.  Every day thousands of dogs are euthanized because there are no responsible and loving homes for them.  October is the American Humane Association's Adopt-a-Dog Month.

Over the years, almost every dog I have owned has been either adopted through a shelter or been 'dumped' at my door step by some irresponsible person.  These dogs have been a delight to me.  My most favorite was Sophie, a female Rottweiler that my girls and I adopted from the Fort Scott Animal Shelter.  I lost Sophie a few years ago to bone cancer.  I miss her still.  She was great with my children and my grandchildren and a true faithful companion.

Why adopt a shelter dog?  First and foremost is that you will save a life.  Between 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United States simply because too many people give up their pets and too few people adopt from shelters.  There is limited space at shelters and many are euthanized for the lack of a home.

The initial cost is usually less than buying a purebred.  Many purebred pets cost hundreds of dollars.  Many shelters also have already vaccinated, spayed and neutered the animals in their shelter.  This again will save on some of your initial expenses.

From my point of view as a veterinarian, mixed breed dogs are often healthier with fewer inheritable disorders; this is due to hybrid vigor.  Many purebred dogs have inherited disorders such as hip dysplasia and allergies that lead to life long veterinary expenses.  This is not to imply that mixed breed dogs will never have any health issues, but I do see fewer of them.

My final notes on adopting a shelter pet.  When choosing a shelter be sure to pick one that practices good animal husbandry.  Do they vaccinate their inmates?  Are they well provided for?  Do they keep records for each pet?  Do they attempt to keep previous history records for the pet (i.e., previous owners, good with kids, housebroke, likes to play ball, behavioral issues?)  Do they spay and neuter at the shelter or offer financial assistance for your having this done?  Do they have a "if the pet doesn't work out for you return policy".  This policy is especially important if you are adopting an adult pet.  Sometimes a pet may not adjust well to its new home or you find it does not fit your lifestyle; does the shelter allow you to return the pet within xxx amount of days after adoption?


Shelters have the animals' best interests at heart. Animal shelters are either government or private nonprofit agencies. Their primary mission is to find the best possible permanent homes that suit the individual animals they shelter.

Most shelters, but particularly those well staffed with volunteers, become familiar with the disposition of each animal. If an animal has lived with a family before, then its history and behavior are also known. This knowledge helps the staff make optimal matches between homes and pets and helps you in making Pet adoption decisions.

By adopting a shelter pet you save a life and help combat overpopulation,The simple fact is that there are many more animals needing adoption than there are homes for. So when you adopt from a shelter, you become part of the solution to the overpopulation crisis. You give a deserving animal a new home. You free up cage space for another animal needing to be adopted. And your money goes toward the shelter's education and spay/neuter programs, which help prevent more unwanted animals from being born

Keep your Outdoor Kitties warm

Outdoor cats are often very opportunistic creatures in keeping warm and seeking shelter during colder weather.  One especially dangerous way they have in keeping warm is by crawling up under the hood of your car, especially after you have just come home and warmed up his newly discovered personal heater.

The downside to cats seeking out the warmth of a car is that often they will fall asleep there and still be there when you leave for work the next day.  You start up your engine and suddenly you cat is caught by the blades of the radiator fan.  Our office has seen cats with severe lacerations to their skin, amputated legs and tails and even has caused death.  Another pitfall for your cat's choice of warm shelter seeking, is they could also find themselves several miles down the road, riding fearfully under the hood, and once you have stopped, bailed out and find themselves somewhere besides home.

As colder weather approaches, be sure to check under the hood of your car for your heat seeking feline before you fire it up for your trip.  Help your cat avoid the cold by offering him other alternatives for shelter.  I saw this innovative idea for a cat shelter where they took extruded styrofoam insulation sheets and glued them together and placed rubbermaid type storage containers with openings cut in their sides for a creative outdoor condo for winter warmth.

Pet Dangers with cooler weather

As we move through Fall and into Winter, there are a good many dangers that our cats and dogs face.  Every year our hospital sees pets that has suffered from human preparations for winter.  The next few blogs will not only make you more aware, but hopefully will save us from having to treat any animals that fall prey to these mishaps.

As cooler weather approaches, many wild critters begin seeking out new warm homes.  Living in a rural area many homes become the new hang out for mice.  Unless you have good hunting cats or like me a ferocious vermin killing Jack Russell Terrier, these vermin can become quite the nuisance.  One easy and typical way that many combat this problem is to lay out mouse/rat poisons.  Known as rodenticides, these poisons are just as toxic to our pets as they are the mice.  Most are anticoagulant poisons, meaning they work by preventing blood from clotting.  The chemical name of some of the most common rodenticides are brodifacoum, difenacoum, diphacinone, chlorophacionone, coumachlor, warfarin and indandione.

Animals that consume these products lose blood, most commonly into body cavities such as the abdomen and chest.  Pets do not show symptoms for 72-96 hours after they have consumed the poison.  However, if you know or suspect them of having ate the poison, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Symptoms include:

• Bleeding is a common symptom of exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides.     Pets may bleed from their skin, gums, ears, nose, eyes, or other locations.  Blood may be noted in urine, feces, or saliva.  Blood may be noted on carpet or furniture in areas where the pet spends time.
• Bruising may occur as blood leaks into the skin.
• Blood loss often leads to weakness, lethargy, and decreased appetite.
• Bleeding into the lungs may lead to coughing (cats, dogs) or trouble breathing.
• The abdomen may become distended and rounded if blood fills it.
• Pale or white gums occur in animals that have lost significant amounts of blood.
• Signs of shock, including collapse, loss of consciousness, decreased respiratory rate and decreased heart rate occur when blood loss is severe.

Treatment:  An antidote to anticoagulant rodenticides, vitamin K1, is readily available.  All pets that are diagnosed with anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity must receive the antidote once or twice daily for a period of 4 - 8 weeks. Vitamin K1 can be administered orally or by injection. Veterinarians may cause a pet to vomit if they suspect that rodenticide is present in the animal's stomach.  Treatment with vitamin K1 is necessary even if most of the poison is eliminated in this fashion. Any pet that shows severe symptoms of blood loss may require hospitalization and intensive treatments such as blood transfusions until its condition stabilizes.

Pets that receive veterinary attention within 72 hours of exposure to rodenticides often do not show any symptoms of poisoning.  However, most rodenticides remain in the body for four to eight weeks.  Therapy with vitamin K1 must be continued until this time period has elapsed.

Follow-up blood tests are necessary for most pets during and after treatment with vitamin K1 to ensure efficacy of treatment.