021 394 01720 common issues faced by pet owners that Heyrex can assist with
Puppies
1.) Separation anxiety and behavioural problems
2.) Ensuring adequate exercise – but no overdoing it
3.) Crate training and bedtime issues
4.) Fleas, mites and worms – an itchy problem
5.) What is your puppy doing while you are at work?
Adult dogs
6.) Overweight and obese dogs
7.) Subtle illnesses
8.) Lameness and decreased exercise tolerance
9.) Allergies, infections and parastites
10.) Stress, anxiety and sleep issues
Geriatric dogs
11.) Aged related disease
12.) Arthritis and joint issues
13.) Canine dementia (brain ageing)
14.) How is my dog doing on his or her medication?
15.) Assessing the good days vs the bad ones
All ages
16.) Explaining issues to your Vet by sharing your dog’s Heyrex data
17.) How was my dog this time last year?
18.) Being too busy to keep a close eye out for changes
19.) Getting the exercise amount right
20.) Prevention is better than cure
Puppies
1.) Separation anxiety and behavioural problems
New puppies are particularly prone to developing behavioural issues – especially in certain situations where owners are away for long periods of the day. In many cases, puppies can develop a behavioural issue called ‘separation anxiety’. This is a relatively common issue puppy owners face, and can continue into adulthood if not picked up early on. Ultimately separation anxiety can lead to destructive and whining behaviours whenever you leave your dog alone at home.
The Heyrex monitor will give you a full record of what your puppy has been doing all day. Has he or she been resting/sleeping throughout the day? Or has the day been full of activity while you are out? Having this record is invaluable to training your puppy. In cases where you need some external help via a canine behaviourist, the data collected by Heyrex can be so crucial to identifying and treating the problem.
2.) Ensuring adequate exercise – but no overdoing it
With any puppy, exercise and play are extremely important. Puppies learn so much just from play alone. Likewise the amount of daily walking and running a puppy gets is very important, however it is just as important not to overdo this. Large breed puppies in particular are more prone to certain skeletal issues if they are over exercised on hard ground.
Utilising the Heyrex monitor to check the amount of activity your puppy is getting everyday can help ensure he or she is getting sufficient amounts, but not overdoing it. If there is a large increase or decrease in activity compared to previous weeks, the Heyrex team will send you an email to notify you!
3.) Crate training and bedtime issues
Along with puppy ownership comes the joys of crate training and that nightly bed-time period. Crate training is commonly used to restrict a puppy’s access to the house, as well as to assist with getting him or her to sleep. When a puppy isn’t supervised at home, giving them access to the entire house often ends in inappropriate soiling and destructive behaviours. Many owners find crate training rather difficult and whining and barking behaviours can quickly develop if crate training isn’t carried out appropriately.
The Heyrex monitor will track your puppy’s activity while crated. Get an in depth overview of what your puppy was doing in his or her crate overnight while you were asleep. How long did it take for your puppy to settle and rest? Did he or she wake up and become quite active during the night? The Heyrex monitor will collect all of this data for you in the small hours of the morning, so you can rest easy.
4.) Fleas, mites and worms – an itchy problem
From the moment they are born, puppies are exposed to all sorts of canine parasites. Whether it is round or hookworms, fleas or mites, parasites are so abundant that your puppy is susceptible from day zip. Canine parasites can cause a wide range of issues, but the most common issue we see as pet owners is scratching and itching. Regular flea and worming treatments are so important in puppies (just as they are in adult dogs) and keeping up to date with these is crucial. Noticing episodes of scratching can be a bit of a natural alarm that something is up – and perhaps a call for further Veterinary intervention.
The Heyrex monitor collects data on your puppy 24/7 and assesses any scratching or itching he or she is doing. If there is a dramatic increase in scratching from one week to the next, you will receive an emailed notification from the Heyrex team. This could give you an indication that you may have missed a flea treatment, or that perhaps there is another issue going on with your puppy that is best followed up on by your Veterinarian.
5.) What is your puppy doing while you are at work?
We are all very busy people! Having a puppy is fantastic, but we can’t always be with him or her every single hour of every single day. You are at work, and your puppy is all alone at home. What is he or she up to? Having the Heyrex monitor on your puppy means that you can get an idea of what your puppy is doing while you are away! By viewing the info on your puppy’s Heyrex page, you will know whether your puppy is resting and sleeping, running around the house, or scratching!
Adult dogs
Canine obesity is becoming a very common problem faced by dog owners around the world. The startling statistics currently point to around half of all dogs worldwide being either overweight or obese. No matter what our excuses are, pet obesity is always an owner issue. It is typically either that we feed too much, give too many tidbits and treats, or that we don’t exercise our pets enough. Daily exercise is so important in dogs for so many reasons. Not only does it help to keep a dog in excellent shape, but it also helps limit the chance of behavioural issues developing by keeping your dog mentally stimulated.
The Heyrex monitor will keep a very close eye on the amount of exercise your dog is getting. Compare the amount of exercise from hour to hour, day to day or week to week. If there is a dramatic decrease in exercise, then the Heyrex team will notify you via a friendly email. Also receive weekly statistics on your dog’s most active day, and least active day. This is a fantastic way to keep you motivated to keep your dog moving every single day. Regular exercise is one of the keys to helping stop the terrible stats of canine obesity, and it will also help to keep you trim as well!
As our canine companions move from puppyhood to adulthood, the chance of injury or disease increases. Sometimes it can be impossible to notice any changes in your dog until symptoms become more severe. By this time however, many diseases or injuries are much more difficult (or at least more expensive) to treat.
The Heyrex monitor will pick up these subtle changes. Has there been an increase in scratching over the last week? The Heyrex monitor can pick up a subtle increase in scratching that perhaps you wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. Has your dog been lying around more than usual this week? A weekly reported is generated by the Heyrex team that will notify you of any increase in rest, as well as the week’s least active day. An increase in rest could be a sign that your dog is lethargic, and this Heyrex notification alone may be enough for you to keep a closer eye on your dog for the next few days to see whether he or she is indeed more lethargic than usual.
8.) Lameness and decreased exercise tolerance
With time, and ongoing exercise and play, more and more stress is placed on the joints of adult dogs. In particular – large breed dogs are more prone to joint and skeletal issues and we could start to see this if a dog becomes lame or has a decreased drive to want to go for that walk around the park! The Heyrex monitor keeps a watchful eye on your dog’s activity level. Has there been a sudden decrease in activity and a sudden increase in rest? These important notifications, in combination with some signs of stiffness and/or limping, are a definite indicator to get your dog straight down to the Vet for a full physical and lameness examination. Identifying these problems early on dramatically improves the chances of a successful outcome.
9.) Allergies, infections and parastites
Adult dogs are much more prone to skin allergies. Whether it is an allergy to certain plants or grasses, mites or moulds, or certain foods, it is important to try and pick up on these as early as possible. Likewise, certain skin infections and of course parasites (in particular fleas, mites and ticks) can cause skin irritation and itching/scratching.
Let Heyrex carefully monitor the amount of scratching your dog is doing. Get comparisons to the amount of scratching your dog has been doing from day to day and week to week. The Heyrex graphs will also give you a clear idea of when your dog is primarily scratching throughout the day, and can also help to assess any treatment that your Vet gives your dog for scratching and itching.
10.) Stress, anxiety and sleep issues
Adult dogs are just as prone to behavioural issues as puppies are. Perhaps your dog is extremely scared and stressed during thunderstorms or fireworks. Perhaps he or she is very anxious whenever you leave home, or when a certain family friend or dog comes to your home. Perhaps your dog is up all night whining and barking.
The Heyrex monitor will assess your dog’s activity minute by minute, and you will be able to get a full breakdown of your dog’s activity in a 24 hour period. This can give you a clear idea of your dog’s stress and anxiety levels during certain, difficult periods. You will clearly be able to see whether your dog has been pacing all night during a loud thunderstorm, or whether he or she has been running around the house while you have been out shopping. Getting this data can help confirm whether your dog does indeed have a behavioural issue, and you can then follow up on this with conditioning training yourself, or get help from a canine behaviourist.
Geriatric dogs
Older dogs are much more prone to certain diseases and conditions compared to their younger counterparts. It is very important that we keep a close eye out for some of the primary symptoms of many common canine diseases. Keeping a watchful eye out for increased drinking, increased peeing, soft poop, weight loss and decreased appetite, is very important. Likewise – keeping a watchful eye out for increased resting and sleep, and a decreased willingness to exercise is just as important. The Heyrex team notifies you weekly to let you know whether your older dog seems to be resting or sleeping more than usual. Also compare the amount of exercise your dog has been doing from week to week to see if there has been a slow gradual decline in the amount he or she is willing to do.
12.) Arthritis and joint issues
Older dogs are almost always prone to some stiffness, decreased mobility and pain as they age. This is typically down to canine arthritis which is very common among ageing dogs. Your Heyrex monitor will quickly pick up a decrease in exercise and an increase in rest in these cases, which is a strong indicator that something is up, and enough of a motivation to get your dog along to the Vet. If arthritis is confirmed by your Vet, then some anti-inflammatory drugs, and perhaps some joint supplements, will be prescribed. The Heyrex monitor is a fantastic tool to assess how well these medications are working. If the pain relief is working effectively, you will soon see a gradual increase in your dog’s activity levels and a decrease in the amount of rest.
13.) Canine dementia (brain ageing)
Just as in humans, old dogs can become a little ‘senile’ and some behavioural problems can develop later in life. It may be that your dog begins to toilet inside, that he or she begins to whine for no apparent reason, or that he or she seems to pace around the house in the middle of the night! It can sometimes be difficult to pick up these changes early on, but with the Heyrex monitor you will be able to see your dog’s activity throughout the day and night. If your dog has been pacing the house while you are asleep, you will soon be able to see this on the Heyrex graph the next morning. Picking up these changes as early as possible can mean earlier supplementation with certain Veterinary products that can help with this issue.
14.) How is my dog doing on his or her medication?
Many older dogs are on different medications for different issues. It may be that your dog is on pain relief for joint pain and arthritis. It may be that your dog is on certain drugs for an ongoing skin issue or allergy. Perhaps he or she has a more serious issue that is currently being treated. With the Heyrex monitor, the combination of measuring the amount of activity and rest your dog has from day to day, as well as the degree of scratching they have been doing, can help assess the effectiveness of any of these treatments. You can then report back to your Vet regarding any important increases or decreases in the values you have noticed from your Heyrex reports.
15.) Assessing the good days vs the bad ones
As older dogs age further, it is important to keep a close eye on their quality of life. Every old dog will have good days and bad days, but often as owners we can’t be with them 24/7 to monitor these changes. The Heyrex monitor assesses the levels of rest and activity on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Subtle changes within a day can be easily seen on the day chart and 24 hour plot of activity, rest and scratching. The weekly report will notify you of any dramatic increase in rest and decrease in activity. Ultimately the Heyrex monitor helps you to give your ageing dog the best quality of life possible.
All ages
16.) Explaining issues to your Vet by sharing your dog’s Heyrex data
Have you noticed something interesting from the Heyrex charts for your dog? Perhaps there has been a dramatic increase in itching? Maybe your dog doesn’t want to exercise this week and seems to be resting a lot more than usual? Maybe you have noticed that your dog doesn’t seem to be sleeping during the evening, but is sleeping all day while you are out? Maybe a behavioural issue has popped up that you need help with. Your Vet will absolutely love to see the data you gain from your dog’s Heyrex monitor – in fact many Veterinarians are now using the Heyrex monitor in their clinics for certain canine patients to monitor the effect of medications or to carefully check their progress after a surgery. You show your vet your pups report for the day, or weekly in order to illustrate your concerns. This can often help make a diagnosis and/or treatment much more clear cut.
17.) How was my dog this time last year?
“I think my dog was a lot more active this time last year”. “I think my dog is scratching a lot more this summer compared to last summer”. “I think my dog was sleeping better during the winter months last year compared to this year”. How would you ever be able to confirm these thoughts? With the Heyrex monitor and graphs, now you can. Use the “Pick a Date” and “52 week history” to search through your dogs Heyrex data and begin making these comparisons!
18.) Being too busy to keep a close eye out for changes
We are all busy people with busy lives. Often our pets and their wellbeing can fly under the radar on a busy day. Thankfully with the Heyrex monitor this is no longer an issue. If you have been at work all day, you can still get an idea of what your dog has been doing all day. If it has been a busy week and you haven’t been able to keep a close eye on the amount of scratching your dog has been doing, you now have all of that information at your fingertips. You are going away for a month and have a house sitter for your beloved dog! With the Heyrex monitor you are able to see just how much exercise your dog is getting, and you can notify the house sitter of whether there are any issues with excessive scratching or insufficient exercise while you are away.
19.) Getting the exercise amount right
Insufficient play and exercise for your dog can quickly lead to him or her becoming overweight. Excessive play and exercise can cause certain developmental growth problems in young puppies, and can worsen arthritis and joint problems in adult and aged dogs. Getting that balance right can be difficult, but with the Heyrex monitor and a little guidance from your Veterinarian you can ensure you get it right at every stage of your dog’s life.
20.) Prevention is better than cure
In any case of disease or illness, prevention is better than cure! Keeping a close eye on the amount of exercise your dog is getting and ensuring this is kept up is very important. Likewise – identifying decreases in exercise, increases in rest and increases in scratching as early as possible, can help ensure the most successful treatment is utilised for each dog.
