Tips to Keep Your Morkie Cool in the Summer

(c) Tonya Mickelson 2014

by Tonya Mickelson 

Your Morkie probably enjoys being outside in the summer as much as any dog. These small dogs are also prone to overheating on hot days, and we need to protect our pups on these days. My Morkie, Mila, loves running around in the yard when the weather is nice, but she tends to get hot easily. Here are some ways we keep our Morkie cool in the summer.  

Give your Morkie cool summer treats

Mila's favorite summer treat is frozen green beans. I don't feel guilty giving her two or three on a hot day, because I know they are healthy, and she gobbles them up in an instant. If you have a toy with a hole in the center that you can stuff with treats, place some peanut butter inside and freeze it for a few hours. Mila loves to lick the peanut butter out of the center. Another idea is to freeze healthy treats in an ice cube tray with some water or broth; the idea is that your Morkie can lick her way to the treat in the center as a way to keep cool in the summer. 

Keep your Morkie's hair cut short - but not too short

These dogs have hair that grows and needs to be trimmed every six weeks. It can be difficult to maintain a short haircut, whether you take your Morkie to the groomer (which can be costly) or do the grooming at home. We groom Mila's hair at home, and it's a several-hour-long job. However, summer is a good time to keep up on your pup's haircut. Just be sure not to trim too close; after all, dogs can get sunburn too. 

Leave your Morkie indoors on hot days

On the hottest summer days when you plan on spending a lot of time outdoors, it may be best to keep your Morkie indoors for most of the day. If you do take her out, be sure to provide a shaded area where your pet can keep cool. Of course, place a dish of water where she can easily access it when needed. It is easy for dogs to get dehydrated on hot summer days, just as we can when we go for long periods of time without anything to drink.

Teeth Cleaning Tips for Your Morkie

 
Do you clean your Morkie's teeth? I bet he or she doesn't really appreciate it!

I don't like getting my teeth cleaned because my mouth is really small and toothbrushes are really big, but it is still important to take care of your Morkie's mouth. Why? Well, we small breeds are even more susceptible to oral disease than bigger dogs.

But how can you get into the habit of brushing your pup's teeth?

1. Start your Morkie teeth cleaning from the beginning. Not only will brushing her teeth as a puppy help keep them healthy, but doing so will help her get used to having them cleaned. This will make it easier on you and on your dog later on. In the beginning, place a drop of toothpaste on your finger and let your Morkie lick it off. This will allow her to get used to the taste. As for a toothbrush, we like to use one with two sets of bristles to reach both sides of the teeth in one swipe. 

2. Brush your Morkie's teeth with flavored toothpaste. Some dogs can be difficult when it comes to brushing their teeth; they often despise the taste. I enjoy any flavor, but some dogs might prefer a poultry paste. They will likely consider it a treat, which will make this task easier on you. Whatever you do, never use human toothpaste on a dog - it could be toxic. 

3. Give your Morkie dental care treats to help keep teeth clean. It's difficult, if not impossible, to reach every area of a dog's mouth with a toothbrush. And, understandably, life gets busy and we forget teeth brushing at times. Dental treats and rawhides - anything hard or crunchy - will help keep your Morkie's teeth clean in the meantime. 

Even though you might have made an honest attempt to keep your dog's teeth clean and healthy, it is easy to forget about it and slack for a while. If you notice discoloration and signs of gum disease, the only way to reverse it is to bring your Morkie to the veterinarian for a professional teeth cleaning.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Dog

Hi, guys! I'm back, as promised, with a post on ideas for doggy Christmas presents.

Christmas is almost here, and I'm anticipating all kinds of yummy treats in my stocking. Are you looking for Christmas gift ideas for your dog?

Doggy bed

A dog needs a comfy place to call his (or her) own. Personally, I prefer to snuggle up on the couch with my mama, but sometimes she is busy working, and then I like to curl up in a soft doggy bed close by. Look for a washable pet bed that is filled with soft, ultra-comfortable recyclable material to truly pamper your dog.

Cozy carrier

One year for Christmas, I got a fabric travel carrier that is much more comfortable than the hard, plastic one I usually sleep in. This one is much better for traveling, because I don't slide around as much, and if I bump the side, it is soft and doesn't hurt.

Stocking stuffers

Personally, I have no interest in toys, and prefer a good rawhide over a stuffed animal. Is your dog the same? Perhaps you will find some good ideas for stocking stuffers for small (or any size dog, really) in this article written by my mama.

What are you planning on getting your dog for Christmas this year? Right now, I have anything I could ever hope for (except maybe some more treats)!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season,

XOXO
Mila

**Disclosure: Although this post may contain affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Hello, everybody - I'm back!

Hi, everybody! I'm back...yes, it's me - Mila, the Morkie.

I'm so very sorry for my absence over the past couple years (my mama has been hogging the laptop, and I couldn't figure out how to turn it on while she was gone to work...okay, okay - I'm just making excuses). Anyway, I'm all grown up now, and ready to get back into blogging.

Sorry to those of you who have left comments that I haven't replied to, and I kindly thank you for visiting.

What have I been up to over the past couple years? Oh, boy, where do I start? We have moved to several new houses, and finally bought a house in South Dakota, so I guess that's where we'll be for a while now.

We have had a couple Christmases, and I got all kinds of yummy treats in my stocking. Now, it's almost Christmas again, and I'm sure excited to see what I get this year!

Other than naps and treats - oh, and snuggling! - I suppose I don't have much going on right now. I'll have to think a bit and come up with something exciting to post on my blog. For now, I'll leave you with a grown-up picture of myself:

Later,

XOXO Mila

Does your dog have lymphoma?

by Tonya Hillukka

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that even dogs can develop. Has your pet recently been diagnosed with lymphoma?

Unfortunately, lymphoma is not uncommon in dogs; in fact, it accounts for ten to twenty percent of all canine cancers. It is a malignant form of cancer that involves the lymphoid system. Lymphoma in dogs is heterogeneous, meaning it has varying clinical signs, depending on the location of the cancer. The diagnosis of this type of cancer in dogs is usually simple and can be obtained by either a cytologic or a histopathologic evaluation of the affected organ system. 

Symptoms

Lymphoma symptoms typically appear as swollen “glands”, or swollen lymph nodes, under the neck, in front of the shoulders or behind the knee. Besides swollen glands, you may notice that your dog is vomiting, has diarrhea, a loss of appetite, weight loss, difficulty breathing, increased thirst and urination, and may seem to be lethargic. Cutaneous lymphosarcoma can cause redness and flakiness on the skin, ulcerations, itchiness and lumps under the skin.


Stages

Stage I: Solidary lymph node or lymphoid tissue is involved in a single organ (i.e. nasal cavity).
Stage II: Several lymph nodes are involved in the same general area.
Stage III: All peripheral lymph nodes involved.
Stage IV: Liver and/or spleen and/or anterior mediastinum are involved in the chest.
Stage V: Bone marrow is involved.

Substages


Substage A: No systemic signs of disease (no symptoms).
Substage B: With systemic signs of disease.

Treatment

Chemotherapy is the most common type of treatment for lymphoma. It is usually given in a combination of oral and injectable drugs, the amounts depending on the financial resources of the dog’s family. Also, bone marrow implants have been done experimentally in dogs over the decades. Now they will be offered by Washington State University to dogs with cancer--and families that can afford the procedure. 

Prognosis

If left untreated, the life expectancy for a dog with lymphoma is around four to six weeks. The dog may be given oral prednisone to reduce swelling and discomfort, but it will not increase the dog’s life span. Pets that undergo chemotherapy generally have an extended life span, depending on how well they respond to the treatment. More than 75% of dogs that have lymphoma are expected to achieve a complete remission with chemotherapy. Fortunately, treatment for lymphoma is considered one of the more successful cancer treatments, and is well worth the money spent.
 

Being one of the most common types of dog cancer, lymphoma in dogs should not be taken lightly. It affects the lymphoid system and is often discovered with swollen glands. However, since it is so common, treatment has been nearly perfected and your pet can be expected to recover completely with the first round of lymphoma. However, with each remission, your dog has a lower chance of survival.

References

Lymphoma in Dogs, http://caninecancer.com/Lymphoma.html

Canine Malignant Lymphoma, http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/10500.htm

**Note: Tonya does not claim to be a veterinary professional. If your dog seems to be displaying symptoms of lymphoma, please consult with your veterinarian immediately.**

Do Morkies adjust well to a new home?

I finally figured out what's going on. It took a while, but I think I get it.

Mom and Dad were packing up all our stuff for a long time, and boy, was the place a mess. What was going on? They started moving everything out of our apartment. Over a few days, it got emptier and emptier.

Then this weekend, they brought Loki and me over to the place where all our stuff was. We stayed there overnight, and the next night, and we are still here. I think we are living here now.

Do Morkies (Maltese-Yorkies) adjust well to a new home?

As a two-month-old puppy, I think I adjusted pretty well to my new home. After a couple days, I could barely remember what my life had once been like. Of course, I loved going for car rides and seeing new places, but I remembered where home was.

After living in one place for most of my life, I think I have adjusted pretty well to my new home. Of course, all Morkies are not the same. I have a very outgoing personality. I have been called a social butterfly...although I do still get nervous when there are lots of people or strange animals around.

Most dogs and cats do adjust pretty well to living in a new place. Just give them a couple days to get used to their new surroundings and get their bearing. They will feel right at home in no time.

But I have a feeling this is only temporary... Where is the next place I will call 'home'?

Socializing Your Morkie

We went to the park last week. Not just any old park, though -- it was the dog park. It was my second time going there, and it was a lot of fun at first. But then a whole lot of dogs started to stroll in. It made me kind of nervous, so I hung out by Mom and Dad most of the time.

I'm not used to playing with little dogs. Most of my cousins are bigger than me, and we don't play much. I prefer playing with humans.

But my parents tell me it's good to 'socialize' with other dogs. They say they should have started bringing me to the dog park when I was a puppy, because it wasn't enough to just visit a lot of people and their bigger dogs.

Toward the end of our visit, I got a little braver and started to wander off on my own a little. Lots of dogs came up to me and sniffed my behind. They tried to play with me, but I was a little nervous about that. But I tried my best to fit in.

If you plan on getting a Morkie puppy -- or any kind of puppy, for that matter -- it's always a good idea to find out where the local dog parks are and to start bringing your puppy there as soon as s/he has all the required vaccinations. We are going to be visiting the dog park at least once every week from now on.

Tips for visiting the dog park:

• Do not bring your dog to the park while she is in heat. It is against most park rules.
• Bring water for your dog, especially if it is hot outside, and a water dish.
• Bring a leash to the park, even if it is an off-leash park. It will help when it's time to leave.
• Bring your dog into the appropriate area of the park according to size. Large dogs should not be in the small dog area.
• Pick up after your dog. Parks usually provide baggies for doing so.
• Supervise your dog. We don't want anyone to get hurt!
• Most of all, let your dog have fun. All the dogs will play and wrestle, but don't intervene unless someone is getting too aggressive.

Do you have any other tips for visiting the dog park?