Halloween Safety for Dogs & Cats

Halloween is so much fun for us that we forget it isn’t a great time for our pets. Among the reasons pets dislike this scary holiday are:

• strangers at the door



• wild, flapping costumes



• firecrackers and loud noises



• candy bowls and chocolate bars



• burning candles



• doorbells.

To keep pets safe

• Close all the windows so pets can’t become frightened and jump out.



• Put collars with ID tags on all pets.



• Confine pets in a room with a closed door when opening the front door



• Have pets on a leash when the door opens.



• Use lights rather than burning candles.



• Put all candy and chocolate in sealed containers.



• Don’t put way-cool costumes on pets unless they like dressing up.



• Let everyone know if they’re caught feeding candy to the pet, they will brush its teeth, and they will give up all rights to handling candy.



• Have a calming pheromone diffuser in the living room.



• Put a sign on the door that says, “Thanks for being kind and not scaring our pets.”

To help pets love Halloween

• Take a long walk so pets are tired and want to sleep during the evening.



• Keep tiny dog treats by the door and let each costumed kid feed one to your pets.



• Reward your pets for sitting during the visit by giving them a treat when the visitors have gone and the door is safely shut.



• Have your pets stay with friends who live in an area that doesn’t get Halloween visitors.

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Dog Food

Dog Food Should Be Whole Food - Not Breakfast Cereal Food
Feeding dogs has become complex and we veterinarians have been one of the causes of unnecessary complexity. Only a hundred years ago, all dogs ate handouts and what they caught in the fields. Today, they eat the equivalent of packaged cereal because we veterinarians sell it, and we tell folks not to feed table food. Consider what we’ve done to our pets with this advice—we’ve created dogs and cats without the fresh nutrients they need to be really healthy. Realizing this, some veterinarians recommend that pet families buy supplements, vitamins, fish oils, and protein products to boost the nutrient value of pet food. While many of these products are helpful, the real solution is to feed pets real food, just as we feed ourselves.

Pets are healthiest when they eat fresh meats, fish, vegetables, and grains, but it's important to make the switch to healthier foods gradually. Offer small amounts of raw, cooked, or pureed foods to supplement what you’re feeding now and gradually increase the new foods as you decrease the old.

Avoid giving vitamin and mineral pills thinking they will ensure what you’re feeding is balanced and complete. Vitamins and minerals interact in complex ways. For example, the absorption of iron is increased when it is given with vitamin C, but Vitamin C decreases copper absorption. Too much zinc also decreases copper and iron absorption. Too much Vitamin B1 decreases B2 and B6 absorption. Too much phosphorus decreases calcium absorption. Because of these interactions, it is always best to supplement with whole foods rather than with vitamins. Our pets evolved being able to extract exactly what they need, and in the right ratios, from whole foods.

If your lifestyle doesn’t allow home-prepared foods, use an excellent pet food (Azmira, Wellness, Canidae, and Solid Gold), then supplement with a little of the meat and vegetables you make for yourself. Your pet will love you for it, and it will have a longer, healtheir life.

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Dogs Marching Against the War

We know dogs are against war. They don’t like firecrackers, rockets, or their family members leaving home to join the Army. Although dogs are as against the Iraq war as we are, perhaps they should not participate in marches to express their political opinions.

We saw more than a dozen pooches in the San Francisco March Saturday, October 27, 2007, and few appeared happy. Among the canine expressions we saw were worry, fear, and hesitation. No dog had that relaxed little, open-mouth smile. None moved with a delightful bounce. Not one mirrored the hopeful expectation of the marchers. The elements that excited those of us marching appeared to overwhelm the dogs:
· beating drums
· blaring loudspeakers
· vibrating asphalt
· flashing costumes
· waving signs
· helicopters.

Despite the dogs’ willingness to walk with us, despite their being politely on leash, the march was not the place for them. There were no bowls of water or strategically placed garbage cans for dog waste. Given the noise and the fact there were no provisons for dogs, is it any wonder that there were no doggie smiles on the Golden Retrievers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Australian Heelers, Jack Russell Terriers, Shih Tzus, and mutts?

We march because we don’t have direct control on Bush, Rice, and Cheney, but we do have direct control over the lives of our dogs. We can give them the peace and security that we deny those in the Middle East. We can give them the environment they crave, lounging at home looking forward to the time we return from having done our best to make the world a better place.

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Puppy Safety and Vaccines

Puppy Safety and Common Misconceptions about Vaccines
Some families try to protect their puppies by isolating them from other dogs until the pup has had a full set of vaccines. This is both harmful and helpful.

Harmful to Puppies
The pup’s brain is most open to socialization and new experiences when it is young so that depriving a pup of exposure to a wide variety of stimuli increases the likelihood it will be anxious around these stimuli as an adult. No other period in a pup’s life will be as significant in terms of socialization as it’s first few months of life. More dogs have trouble with anxiety and fear-based biting than have trouble with parvo or distemper.

Isolation to prevent infection prevents proper socialization and learning. This is harmful.

Helpful to Puppies
Isolation is helpful because it prevents a pup from being overwhelmed by bacteria and viruses from sick dogs or from infected secretions and feces of sick dogs. This isolation allows a pup’s immune system to mature so it is better able to fight any germs it comes across.

The compromise
To provide a pup with experiences it needs during critical period of social development, think of all the places it needs to see and experiences it needs to have in order to be a healthy adult. Then rank the places and experiences as likely to be germ-laden or free of pathogens. Consider the physical environment—soil, floors, furniture, carpets. Consider the animals—immature immune systems, weak immune systems, or healthy. Consider the people—healthy, happy, frail, immune-suppressed, or robust. The way you’ve ranked these exposures will help you generate lists like those below:
· Things to avoid
· Things to do.

Things to avoid to keep your pup safe
Protect your pup by avoiding environments that are potentially harmful, such as the following:
· pet playgrounds
· pet stores
· roadside pet areas
· vet clinic (Have the vet come to your home)
· puppy classes
· dog photo shoots
· parades
· SPCA
· Humane Society
· foster home with newly arrived foster pets

Things to do to keep your pup safe
Enjoy doing as many low-risk activities with high socialization potential as possible, such as the following:
· Visit the breeder and play with the parents if the breeder has only a few dogs (Don’t visit a breeder with so many dogs they are kenneled.)
· Visit your parents and their adult dogs.
· Have your neighbors bring their adult dogs over for play dates
· Visit places with animals and people, but few visiting dogs, such as a horse farm, you-pick orchard, or Christmas tree farm.

Enjoy
This is an ideal time to begin questioning many of the beliefs you have about puppies and health, vaccines, and germs. Life with your pup can be both safe and full of the joy of new experience.

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AKC Dog Breeds

AKC Dog Breeds Dying Out in the US
Although thousands of dogs are registered every year with the AKC, and many breeds, such as the Yorkshire Terrier, are increasing in number, some breeds are dying out. The following dog breeds may become extinct because each has fewer than 100 litters/year:

• Anatolian Shepherds


• Bedlington Terriers


• Belgian Sheepdogs


• Belgian Tervuren


• Black and Tan Coonhounds


• Briards


• Canaan Dogs


• Dandie Dinmont Terriers


• Finnish Spitz


• Foxhounds (American)


• Foxhounds (English)


• German Pinschers


• Greyhounds


• Harriers


• Ibizan Hounds


• Komondorok


• Kuvaszok


• Lowchen


• Miniature Bull Terriers


• Otterhounds


• Petits Bassets Griffons Vendeens


• Pharaoh Hounds


• Plotts


• Polish Lowland Sheepdogs


• Pulik


• Retrievers (Curly-Coated)


• Retrievers (Flat-Coated)


• Salukis


• Scottish Deerhounds


• Sealyham Terriers


• Skye Terriers


• Spaniels (American Water)


• Spaniels (Clumber)


• Spaniels (Field)


• Spaniels (Irish Water)


• Spaniels (Sussex)


• Spaniels (Welsh Springer)


• Spinone Italiano


• Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

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Pet Stress & Illness

We often neglect the effects of stress on pets, but isn’t that foolish. We know stress causes illness in humans, and all the following are acknowledged to be stress-induced human illnesses in many cases:
· Vomiting
· Diarrhea
· Spastic bowel
· Stress colitis
· Hives
· Headaches

When we see similar symptoms in pets, we should consider the stress factor, just as we do with human symptoms.

For example, pets that vomit when a family member dies or moves to college should be assessed for stress. Petsthat develop diarrhea after being kenneled should be assessed for stress as much as for bacteria or viral infection. Pets with red, itchy skin that looks like hives should be assessed for stress just as we assess their potential for allergies, flea sensitivity, drug reaction, mites, lice, and ringworm.

Headaches in pets
Assessing pets for headaches is tough because we have no method of confirming a pet has a headache, but logically we know they will have under many circumstances. I personally consider headaches a possibility for any pet that doesn’t have a healthy energy or expression coming from the eyes. I’m sure you’ve seen the same thing many times and might also have considered the possibility of headaches. These pets just ain’t doing right (ADR), even though we can’t find problems on lab tests or x-rays. Some of our ADR pets probably have stress headaches.

Treating stress
What should be done for ill, stressed pets? First go with the comfort food: Serve warm, easily digested chicken broth or beef broth. Then plug in an atomizer that emits calming pheromones. Put calming flower essences in the water, or give a calming homeopathic medication. If your pet is ill enough to need veterinary care, have your vet outline an anti-stress plan along with a plan to treat illness. Our pets recover so much faster when psychological factors are addressed with the physical.

Preventing stress
How can we prevent stress and stress-induced illness? The next time your pet faces a potentially stressful circumstances, use the anti-stress pheromones, flower essences, and homeopathy before the event. Pre-emptive calming products decrease the stress of the event and prevent illness. Using pre-emptive products, we’ll save money in the long run, and our pets will love us for it.

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Mammary Tumors in Cats

Sadness of Living With Pets That Have Cancer
We are living with a pet with cancer and recognize the great sorrow and joy that comes to those with a pet ill that has a disease we cannot cure. For us, the best solution is to make treatment choices based on conventional and holistic research and the wishes of our pet. We intentionally "consult" with our sick pet and ask how it would like to be approached. No amount of academic information gives the same level of faith and hope that we find when communicating with the pet we’re focused on helping. Together we make the right choices for treatment.

Mammary Tumor In A Friend's Cat
Our friends have a cat with tumors along the mammary line. About 85% of cats with mammary tumors have metastatic cancer. This is different than with dogs where only half the cases of mammary tumors are metastatic.

Conventional Treatment for Mammary Tumors in Cats
The conventional treatment for feline mammary tumor is surgical removal and chemotherapy. The holistic treatment is to change the energy that caused tumor to occur in the first place. For example, change quality of food, toxins in environment, stress, etc.

Statistically, cats that have tumors removed surgically do not live longer, but they have a longer “disease-free” interval. We estimate how long a cat will live—this is called a prognosis—based on overall health, whether the cancer has spread (metastasized) to lymph nodes or to the lungs, and how large the tumor is:

· If the size of the tumor is greater than 1 ¼ inch (3 cm), cats live about 6 months.
· If cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes, cats generally die within 6 months.
· If tumor is less than 1 inch (2 cm), cats can live for several years.
· If the tumors are not spreading, about 90% will live for at least another year.
· If the tumors are proliferating, 12% may live for another year.

Focusing On What's Important In Life
We extend our love and support to our friends, their cat, and all who have pets with cancer. Make the best of whatever time you have with your pet, be upbeat and positive. No cat wants to live with a family that’s focused on what’s wrong with it. Cats want to live surrounded by peace, slurping up great food, awash with fun toys or outdoor adventure. When cats become sick, it’s their way of telling us to refocus on what’s important in life.

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Disc Disease & Acupuncture

Acupuncture For Dogs With Disc Disease, including Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels, Poodles, and Pekingese
Research on Benefits of Acupuncture
Hope for dogs with disc disease is clearly described in The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) September 15, 2007 article on acupuncture. Many families have been told that their pets cannot recover from severe disc disease without surgery costing $4,000-6,000. Unable to afford surgery and afraid that their pets will not recover, families have chosen to euthanize pets with disc disease. Clearly, there are other options.

The research by Drs. Ayne Murata Hayashi, Julia Maia Matera, and Ana Carolina Brandao de Campos Fonseca Pinto shows that acupuncture should be considered before euthanasia, and perhaps before surgery. The study used two groups of dogs with similar levels of disc damage that ranged from mild to severe. Dogs in both groups were given regular veterinary care with pain medication and anti-inflammatory steroid injections. Dogs in one group were also given electroacupuncture, which sends electrical impulses through the acupuncture needles.

Results for dogs receiving regular care and acupuncture:

• 8 of 10 dogs with inability to urinate properly recovered full or partial urinary control.
• 24 of 26 dogs with inability to know where their feet are (proprioceptive deficit) recovered full or partial proprioception.
• 25 of 26 dogs developed full or partial ability to walk.
• 88.5% of dogs were successfully treated.

Results for dogs receiving regular care and no acupuncture:
• 6 of 12 dogs with inability to urinate properly recovered full or partial urinary control
• 13 of 24 dogs with inability to know where their feet were (proprioceptive deficit) recovered full or partial proprioception
• 14 of 24 dogs developed full or partial the ability to walk
• 58.3% of dogs were successfully treated.

Treatment occurred over a 1-2 month period with dogs most severely affected receiving the longest care. The rate at which dogs improved and were able to walk was significantly faster for those receiving acupuncture (10 days) than for those not receiving it (21 days). Recovery to walking within 10 days is the best that is achieved in dogs undergoing surgery, the “gold standard” of care for disc disease.

Dog Breeds That Develop Disc Disease
Dogs most likely to develop disc disease were involved in the study: Dachshunds, Cocker Spaniels, Springer Spaniels, Poodles, and Pekingese. Other dogs with long backs and short legs are also at risk for disc disease and should note these results. Wouldn’t it be wise to look for a holistic veterinarian who does acupuncture before emergency treatment is necessary.

Want To Read the Research?
For more information on the study, look in PubMed at www.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/ for “Evaluation of electroacupuncture treatment for thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease in dogs” by Ayne Murata Hayashi, Julia Maia Matera, and Ana Carolina Brandao de Campos Fonseca Pinto in JAVMA, Vol 231, No 6, September 15, 2007.

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Joint Injury in Dogs & Joint Medication

Joint Injury in Dogs--Best Treatment Is Injectable Joint Medication
When dogs have a severe joint injury use an injectable joint medication, such as Adequan, rather than an oral medication.

Medication for Acute Joint Injury
With sudden or severe injury, injectable medications are better than oral joint medications because they reach the joint quickly and do not rely on absorption through the stomach and intestines. Some oral joint medications are difficult to absorb so our pets receive very little benefit from them. Although injectable joint medications are expensive prescription drugs, you can keep the cost down by giving the injections yourself—if you have the training. Products such as Adequan do not sting and can be given easily under the skin or into the muscle with very tiny needles.

Repair Versus Pain Relief--Disadvantage of NSAIDs
Because of the advertising done by pharmaceutical companies, many pet owners think the best medication for sudden injury is a on a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). NSAIDs help control pain, but they also delay healing. Instead, it is better to use a medication that actually helps repair the joint. Also, rest your pet, put ice on the injury, and elevate the limb.

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Joint Supplements for Dogs

Most joint supplements for dogs contain chondroitin and glucosamine. Chondroitin is made from processed cattle tracheas (the windpipe) and glucosamine is made from processed crabs or shellfish. Thegoal of processing is to break down the trachea and shell material so it forms small, absorbable molecules. Unfortunately, not all processed glucosamine and chondroitin has been broken down into molecules small enough to be absorbed. If unabsorbed, the glucosamine and chondroitin pass through the intestines and out of the body providing no benefit to our pets—and wasting our money.

To spend your money wisely and help your pet, evaluate joint products carefuly before you purchase them. Discuss joint the products with your veterinarian to learn how to tell which are truly beneficial.

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Microchips and Cancer in Dogs

Microchips Are Metal Implants
Some years ago my sister Teresa was a racehorse jockey. She was thrown by a young horse, fractured an ankle, and had screws inserted to stabilize a trimaleolar fracture. At that time. I researched everything I could about screws and metal implants, and it was already well known that implants, even inert stainless steel, increased the incidence of cancer. My advice to Teresa was to have the ankle repaired with screws and have the screws removed when the ankle was stable.

Microchips, Inflammation & Cancer
Microchips for pets will, like bone screws, cause inflammation, and inflammation sets the stage for cancer. For this reason, I do not recommend microchips for all dogs, only for those for whom the risk of dying from being lost is greater than the risk of dying from cancer. For pets that stray, travel, or are so highly valued they may be stolen, the benefit of microchips outweighs the small odds that cancer will develop.

Reducing the Risk of Cancer Caused By Chips
We can reduce the risk of cancer in microchipped pets, and in all pets, with proper food, which means lots of fresh foods and not a diet of kibble. Even kibbles sold by veterinary clinics should not be the main diet of pets at risk for cancer.

Antioxidants in Foods Help Protect Pets From Cancer
At one time we thought antioxidant vitamins helped prevent cancer, but research has shown that humans taking antioxidant vitamins die at a younger age than those not taking antioxidant vitamins. On the other hand, those eating foods rich in antioxidants live longer than those not eating antioxidant foods. Sources of natural antioxidants include decaffeinated green tea, blueberries, carrots, broccoli, fresh ground flax seed, and all deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables.

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Allergic Dogs & Bathing

Bathing Allergic Dogs Relieves Symptoms
Medicated shampoos, conditioners, and sprays help allergic dogs.
Just washing your dog weekly helps decrease allergy symptoms because washing physically removes pollens, bacteria, and yeasts that contribute to itchy skin and allergy-induced hot spots.

Benefits of Bathing
In addition to the physical benefit of washing, which removes antigens, shampoos and conditioners medicate and soothe the skin. The most useful products for allergic dogs contain fatty acids, emollients, and steroids. It is much healthier for dogs if these medications are applied directly to the skin than if they are given as pills or injections. With pills and injections, especially if they contain steroids, the entire body is affected in order to treat the skin.

Ingredients For Allergic Pets
The following are some ingredients used in soothing or medicated shampoos, conditioners, and sprays:
aloe
balm mint
burdock
calendula
chamomile
comfrey
cranesbill
fatty acids
hops
hydrocortisone 0.5%
lanolin
lavender
lemon peel
oatmeal
Pramoxine HCl
sage
tea tree oil (melaleuca oil)
thyme
yarrow.

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Dog Urine—How Much Should A Dog Pee?

Dog Urine—How Much Should A Dog Pee?
Watching how much a dog drinks and urinates helps us know when there are problems. Dogs that drink too much and pee too much can have:
· Kidney disease
· Diabetes
· Addison’s disease with aldosterone deficiency
· Diabetes mellitus
· Diabetes insipidus
· Behavioral problems.

So, what is normal and when should you ask your veterinarian to check your pet to see if there is a problem?

Drinking
A dog normally drinks less than 90 ml/kg (40 ml/lb or 1.3 ounces/lb).
· A 10-lb dog would drink less than 400 ml or 12 ounces.
· A 50-lb dog would drink less than 2000 ml or 2 liter, about 8 cups.
· A 100-lb dog would drink less than 4000 ml or 4 liters, about 16 cups.

Urinating
A dog normally urinates less than 45 ml/kg (20 ml/lb).
· A 10-lb dog would urinate less than 200 ml or 6 ounces.
· A 50-lb dog would urinate less than 1000 ml or 1 liter, about 4 cups.
· A 100-lb dog would urinate less than 2000 ml or 2 liters, about 8 cups.

Urine Specific Gravity (USPG)
Measuring the concentration of particles (osmotic concentration) in the urine reflects how much a dog drinks and how often it urinates. The lab tests that measures the urine concentration is called urine specific gravity or USPG. The urine of a healthy dog should not be extremely concentrated or extremely dilute but be in the range of 1.012 and 1.060.

When the USPG is dilute, that is in the range of 1.008 and 1.012, we are concerned that the dog cannot concentrate its urine. This is called isosthenuria. Urine that is isosthenuric can indicate that the pet is drinking excessively or has a disease, such as Polycystic Kidney Disease, Addison’s disease, Diabetes insipidus, or a behavioral problem. Blood tests reveal whether there is a true problem, or just a tendency to drink excessive amounts of water.

When the USPG is concentrated, that is in the range of 1.030-1.060, the dog may be concentrating the urine normally, may be dehydrated, vomiting, have diarrhea, or may have a disease, such as Diabetes mellitus. Blood tests reveal the cause of the high specific gravity.

Normal human USPG
Normal human USPG is similar to that of dogs: 1.002-1.028.

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Human-Animal Bond

Human-Animal Bond Statistics from Bizate Research

56% of women feel their pets are more affectionate than their partners.
45% of women think their pets are cuter than their partners.

73% of females say they are more likely to date or marry someone who also has a pet.
72% of women say their pets make them happier than their jobs.
60% of men say their pets make them happier than their jobs.
70% of women say their pets reflect their personalities.

Hartz Human-Animal Bond Survey
76% of pet owners say their pet is a loyal companion and part of the family.

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