Nebraskaland

OCTOBER 2015 • NEBRASKAland 33 Sandburs are common in parts of Nebraska, and can be especially bothersome to dogs with longer hair. Not only do they stick to fur like magnets, they also can cause skin irritation and infection. Some dog owners will choose to clip their dog's hair before hunting season. Field Treatment Feet – Check your dog's feet after every hunt. Look for redness and swelling between the toes, often draining with puss and frequent licking by your dog, indicating that a foxtail seed may have lodged inside. Seeds may be difficult to locate, and probing may cause your dog pain – muzzle your dog before investigating. If the seed is deep, break through the abscess with a hemostat and remove the seed. Apply antiseptic. Wounds should heal within three days. Eyes – While a dog is running through the field, a foxtail seed may get stuck behind the dog's third eyelid, indicated by excessive blinking and pawing. If untreated, this can lead to a corneal ulcer. If you can easily see the seed and it has not penetrated the cornea, carefully remove the seed with tweezers or a moistened Q-tip. If handy, proparacaine anesthetic drops will deaden eye tissues for easier access to the foreign object, stop pain and help decrease pawing. Finally, use a saline solution to wash out the eye. For objects buried deep inside the eye, do not attempt to remove them. See a veterinarian immediately. Ears – Symptoms include shaking of the head, scratching of the ear and head tilting. If you can see the seed, remove it with your fingers or tweezers. If you can't see it, see a veterinarian to avoid damage to the eardrum. Nose – A foxtail seed that has made its way into a dog's nose will cause violent sneezing. If not removed, it can cause bleeding and infection. If you can see the seed, pull it out with tweezers. If you do not, see a veterinarian. General anesthesia may be required. Hair – Examine your dog carefully, especially under the legs and abdomen. Carry a heavy-duty metal comb to remove sandburs from your dog's hair. For stubborn sandburs, use a detangler or cooking oil to help release the burs. Gunshot Wounds Occasionally, hunting dogs may be sprayed by gunshot pellets. Whether by careless shooting, not waiting for the bird to flush high enough or freak accident, "instances of long-range peppering by shotgun are usually not emergencies," Acker said, unless the injury involves the eyes. In extreme cases, pellets may penetrate through the abdomen and cause peritonitis. Field Treatment Look for holes in the skin with bruising around them, sometimes with hair inside the wound. With tweezers, remove hair from the wound and remove the pellet if possible. Wash out the wound and apply antibiotic ointment. If you can't find the pellet or want to ensure that you didn't miss any, have your dog x-rayed. Drowning Though rare, drowning may occur while waterfowl hunting. Unusually cold water, inclement weather and fatigue can cause drowning in hunting dogs. Use good judgement – consider the weather, the water temperature, water depth, your dog's physical limitations and the distance of the retrieve. Sometimes, an excited dog will jump in the water and try for a long retrieve that is unsafe. Sleet, snow and wind – weather that is characteristic of waterfowl hunting – do not help the situation. If your gut says no, call back your dog immediately. Field Treatment Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be performed on a dog that is not breathing and has no heartbeat. To check for heartbeat, lay the dog on its right side and feel for the heartbeat under the chest behind the left elbow. Before performing CPR, check for and remove any obstructions in the dog's mouth. If no heartbeat is detected, close the dog's mouth and breathe into the nostrils until you see the chest rise. Then perform four chest compressions over the heart area. Repeat one breath to four chest compressions "15 times per minute until dog regains consciousness or until five minutes have gone by," Acker said. Some hunters use flotation vests on their dogs. These vests are often made with neoprene that provides insulation and Flotation vests for waterfowl dogs provide extra warmth, buoyancy and chest protection while hunting in cold, open water.

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