Dog Breeds With Lower Than Normal Cancer Rates

Each dog breed has its own rewards and the following dogs have something special, less cancer than the average breed. If you've been heartbroken by having dogs die of lymphoma, sarcomas, or other cancers, consider having one of the following as your next pet.


Even with one of these dogs, you’ll want to feed your dog as close to the genetically natural diet as possible, avoid toxins, limit vaccines, maintain a good weight, and have fun every day.

• Akitas


• Bichon Frise


• Bloodhounds


• Bullmastiffs


• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels


• Chesapeake Bay Retriever


• Chihuahua


• Great Pyrenees


• Mastiffs


• Miniature Pinschers


• Newfoundlands


• Papillions


• Pekingese


• Pomeranians


• Saint Bernards

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Dog Breeds with Higher than Normal Cancer Rates

It's heartbreaking when our dogs develop cancer, and for pet families with one of the following breeds the incidence of cancer is higher than normal. If you have a dog that is genetically predisposed to develop cancer, work with your holistic veterinarian to decrease the liklihood cancer will develop.

• Beagles


• Boxers


• Cocker Spaniels


• Doberman Pinschers


• German Shepherds


• Golden Retrievers


• Miniature Schnauzers


• Poodles


• Rottweilers


• Shetland Sheepdogs


• Shih Tzus

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Saving Money at the Vets

I love rescue associations.
From the Burnaby Humane Society to RAPS in Richmond, PAWS in Point Roberts, and Turtle Creek, we are blessed with organizations that provide care for unwanted pets. Unfortunately, many rescues are overflowing. This occurs more often when the economy is not robust and for many Canadian and American families, that’s the case.

What we’re going to do this Saturday at WaterWorkz is discuss saving money on veterinary bills. We want to help pet families be able to provide great care for their dogs and cats without busting the bank.

Saving money on vet bills is the last presentation in our Summer Saturday Series. Come have this discussion with us so that you never need to relinquish your pet for financial reasons. Everyone is welcome.

We meet from 12 am – 1 pm
Waterworkz facility
3831 Still Creek Ave
Burnaby, BC
Call for more info: 604 435 0002

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How to Save Money at Veterinary Clinics

You love your pet; it's part of your family, and you want to provide it with good medical care but you have a limited amount of money. How can you spend that money wisely. That's what we're going to discuss in the last of our WaterWorkz Summer Saturday Series, How to Save Money at the Vets.

Join us and discuss saving money on vaccines, blood tests, titers, special diets, prescription medication, and dental care. Learn what’s necessary now and what you can put off for the future. There are times you'll want to spend money to avoid bigger costs in the future, and other times when your money should stay in your wallet.

Pets always cost money, but lets discuss spending money on the things that matter and avoiding unnecessary expenses. Everyone is welcome!

We meet from 12 am – 1 pm
Waterworkz facility
3831 Still Creek Ave
Burnaby, BC
604 435 0002

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Signs of Pain in Dogs & Cats

When dogs and cats are painful, their behaviour changes. If you see any of the following ten signs, get help for your pet:

1. Loss of appetite. Any pet that won’t eat has a problem.

2. Inability to sleep. Any pet that won’t sleep has a problem.

3. Circling many times before lying down. A joint that does not move doesn’t hurt. In order to lie down, the joint must bend and this flexion is painful for pets with arthritis. Often, pets with severe arthritis choose to fall down rather than squat before lying down. These pets need help.

4. Unusual posture, such as sitting with legs extended. You’ll see dogs sit with their hind legs straight out when they have knee problems, such as patella luxation or ruptured ACL. Cats can sit like this, too. Pets that sit with their rear legs extended often limp. They need help.

5. Licking or rubbing an area. Pets that are anxious or in pain often lick or rub an area, in the same way a baby sucks its thumb. Pets lick because repetitive licking releases endorphins, which will ease both pain and anxiety. If your pet is anxious, use DAP pheromone for dogs and Feliway pheromone for cats. If your pet is in pain, get help from your holistic veterinarian.

6. Limping or not bearing full weight on a limb. Easy to see if your pet walks in the sand. Also easy to see if the body lists to one side or the other.

7. Won’t play with toys. Pets in pain lose interest in even their favourite toys. If you have to beg your pet to play, look for a problem.

8. Gaining weight due to inactivity. Pets that hurt don’t enjoy exercise. Nothing’s worse than being a pet and not wanting to move. For many dogs & cats so painful they don’t want to move, floating in warm salt water and treating with Adequan can help restore activity.

9. Ratty appearance. Pets with sore backs can’t bend and groom themselves. If your pet’s coat is unkempt, it may have back pain.

10. Change in temperament. Pets that become grumpy or asocial are may be in pain. We often see this in senior pets that have always been good with kids but now snap at them when the kids bump into them or try to pet them.

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Dog Food, Which Dogs Naturally Eat Fish?

Omega 3 Fatty Acids are essential for dogs and cats to develop normally. Omega 3s promote smarter, healthier pets, with shiny coats, healthy stools, good joints. The two common sources of Omega 3 fatty acids are fish and flax.

For all those dogs that evolved eating fish, it’s ideal for them to have fish. Feed these dogs sardines, salmon, and sea food when possible. Or, supplement with Nordic Natural’s Omega 3 Pet or Cod Liver Oil. If you want the best fish oil for your pet, hands down, it’s Nordic Naturals.

Dog breeds that evolved eating fish:
Akita
Alaskan Malamute
American Eskimo
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Bedlington Terrier
Belgian Malinois
Bichon
Bloodhound
Border Collie
Boston Terrier
Bouvier
Briard
Brittany Spaniel TROUT
Cairn Terrier
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Chinese Crested
Coton de Tulear
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Flat-coated Retriever
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer FRESH
Glen of Imaal Terrier
Ibizian Hound
Irish Terrier
Irish Water Spaniel FRESH
Irish Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Keeshond
Kerry Blue terrier
Labrador Retriever
Lakeland Terrier
Lhasa Apso
Maltese
Newfoundland
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwich Terrier
Nova Scotia Duck Toller
Otterhound
Pekingese
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pharaoh Hound
Pointer
Pomeranian
Miniature Poodle
Standard Poodle
Toy Poodle
Portuguese Water Dog
Samoyed
Schipperke
Shetland Sheepdog
Shiba Inu
Siberian Husky
Silky Terrier
Skye Terrier
Swedish Vallhund
Welsh Terrier
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

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Dog Food, Which Dogs Don't Naturally Eat Fish?

It’s common for us to have fruits, veggies, meat, and fish from all different corners of the world. We get kangaroo in Canada, ostrich in Ontario, avocados to the Artic Circle, but we did not evolve eating such a wide variety of foods.

For thousands of years, hundreds of generations, we and our canine and feline companions have only eaten what was available locally. We evolved and thrived on local cuisine. Thus, some of us and our dogs & cats evolved eating fish and some did not.

The following is a list of dogs that evolved in regions where they would not have been routinely fed fish. If your dog’s breed is on this list, it may be more natural for your pet to have flax as a source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids than to eat fish. If so, Missing Link is an excellent source of flax for cats and dogs. If your dog is on this list and you'd like Missing Link, come see us at WaterWorkz. We carry both the Puppy and the Missing Link Plus Professional Strength with 1000 mg glucosamine per tablespoon.

Dogs that did not evolve eating fish:
Affenpinscher
American Cocker Spaniel
American Foxhound
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Terrier
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Bearded Collie
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren
Bernese Mountain Dog
Black and Tan Coonhound
Border Terrier
Borzoi
Boxer
Bull Terrier
Bull Mastiff
Chinese Shar-Pei
Chow Chow
Clumber Spaniel
Collie
Dachshund?
Doberman
English Cocker Spaniel
English Foxhound
English Setter
English Toy Spaniel
Fox Terrier
German Shepherd
Golden Retriever
Great Dane
Greater Swiss Mountain
Harrier
Irish Setter
Irish Wolfhound
Komondor
Kuvasz
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Old English Sheep Dog
Papillon
Pug
Rottweiler
Sealyham Terrier
Sussex Spaniel
Tibetan Spaniel
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Terrier
Weimaraner
Vizsla??
Welsh Springer Spaniel
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier

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Dog Nutrition. What should your dog eat? Consider its genetics!

We’ve all got special ways of spoiling our pets--toys, treats, going to the park, splurging for the raincoat or kitty stroller. Most of us have got the love & play corners covered. But, are we also gving our pets the best nutrition they could have? Nutrition is important not just because it’s a pet’s first interest but because food strongly influences health. Here are my recommendations for providing excellent dog nutrition.

Consider genetics
Not all dogs should eat fish. Not all dogs should eat beef. Not all dogs can eat grains. How do you know what’s best for our dog? Start answering that question by considering what your pet’s ancestors ate. Our pets’ ancestors didn’t have foods shipped in from around the world, they thrived by eating what was available locally. For the hundreds of years over which they developed, our pets’ ancestors ate locally. This type of food is what our pets should still be consuming.

Let’s have some examples:
Tibetan Spaniels
Tibbies evolved eating rice, barley, sweet potatoes, soy, and tubers. They had little beef or fish, and no tomatoes.

Chihuahuas
Chihuahuas evolved eating tomatoes, avocadoes, pork & poultry.

Border Collies
The Border Collie evolved eating wheat, corn, lamb, fish & poultry, but no avocadoes or tomatoes.

Australian Shepherds
Aussies evolved in Western US from Spanish herding stock. They ate beef & lamb, but not much fish.

Staffordshire Terrier
The Staffy or Bit Pull, which was bred in Florida ate a high fiber diet of corn, beef, poultry and some fish. They usually tolerate citrus fruits better than Samoyeds and Northern breeds.

Yorkshire Terriers
Yorkies evolved eating beef, wheat, rye & barley. No salmon, corn or soy.

Golden Retrievers
Goldens evolved eating, you guessed it, fish. They also ate wheat, corn, poultry, but only small amounts of beef.

Labrador Retrievers
Labs evolved eating fish, poultry, lamb and vegetables, but only a little beef.

After considering what a pet’s ancestors ate, consider your pet’s medical needs. For example, if your pet has arthritis, it shouldn’t eat potatoes, egg plant or tomatoes. That’s because these vegetables are in the Solinaceae family which predispose pets (and humans) to arthritis. Thus a Chihuahua with arthritis should not be given tomatoes even if that was a common food for its ancestors. Labs with arthritis shouldn’t have duck & potato diets. The Golden, Border Collie, and Aussie with arthritis shouldn’t have potatoes.

Want to learn more?
We’re discussing nutrition in depth this week at the WaterWorkz Summer Series. Every Saturday we cover different topics, and we’ve been asked to repeat the discussion on nutrition, so that’s what we’ll do this week. Come and discuss what food and supplements your pet should have. Bring what you’re feeding and we’ll evaluate it for the ability to nourish your particular pet.

Everyone welcome!
Saturday August 13 from noon to 1 pm
WaterWorkz
3831 Still Creek Ave, Burnaby, BC
Call for more information: 604 435 0022

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Pet Euthanasia, When it’s time to let go

I am so sorry when pets are suffering. It is heartbreaking to realize that a situation develops over which we are powerless. We may be powerless because the pet’s illness is untreatable; other times, we’re powerless because we do not have the money to pay for treatment. Yes, there are times when money makes a significant difference in a pet’s health, but often no amount of money will change the outcome.

Whenever we’re feeling powerless it helps to remember that our pets have chosen to belong to us. They would rather belong us and have us love them than to belong to the richest person in the world.

As a holistic vet, I often get letters from folks whose pets are critically ill. The pet’s family finds it difficult to think clearly and make the right decisions. The same thing happens to me when my pets are critically ill. What helps me is to view the pet’s circumstances as nature would view it. In nature, pets that are not mobile, or cannot feed themselves, cannot defecate, cannot clear waste from their blood, or cannot interact with other creatures, are quickly eliminated. Because creatures with chronic illness did not survive, our pets have not evolved with skills to help them cope with chronic illness.

As I`ve watched dogs & cats & birds, most of them have been anxious and ill at ease when chronically ill. This is unlike humans, and perhaps elephants and whales, who have developed strategies for chronic illness. We have evolved to care for and to be cared for when chronically ill. Pets have not evolved with this approach and are often distraught when they cannot move about or care for themselves. Nature would not have allowed them to get to the point where they experience long periods of distraught helplessness. They would have been eaten or would have died quickly from their illness.

Fortunately, we can be kinder to our pets than nature would be by choosing to euthanize in a humane manner. From my experience with euthanasia, pets feel immense relief at being allowed to pass from this earth when they are ill. Euthanasia is often the kindest step we can take for the chronically ill pet that is in pain and there is no significant, enduring method of relieving their pain.

All holistic veterinarians are saddened by pain & suffering, but we are comforted by the ability we have to end a dog or cat’s suffering in a manner that honors them.

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Cat Vital Signs, What’s the normal feline heart beat, respiration & temperature?

Normal Vital Signs for Cats
• Cat respiration: 20-30 breaths per minute
• Cat heart rate:130-240 beats per minute
• Normal cat body temperature Fahrenheit: 99.5-102.5
• Normal cat body temperature Celsius: 37–39.2
• Skin turgor: skin springs back from a pinch in less than 2 seconds
• Capillary refill time: Press on the gums and they turn white. Normal color returns to the gums in less than 2 seconds.

Cats are smaller than dogs and have faster metabolism than dogs so the cat’s vital signs will always be faster than a dog’s. That’s because smaller creatures have higher metabolic rate and burn energy faster than larger creatures. The smaller the creature, the more surface area it has and the more heat it loses through the skin. So, the smaller the creature, the faster it loses heat and the faster its cells work to burn fuel. Thus, the faster heart beat and faster respiration in cats than dogs.

Kittens have faster metabolism than adults; thus, kittens’ hearts beat faster and they breathe faster than adult cats do.

Even though cats have hearts that beat more often than those of dogs, and cats take more breaths per minute than dogs do, cats bodies don’t wear out as fast as dogs’ bodies do. Cats live many years longer than dogs do, and housecats can live into their twenties. Feral cats don’t fare as well, and most die before they are 10 years old.

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Dog Normal Vital Signs, What’s the normal canine heart beat, respiration & temperature?

Ever wonder what's a normal heart beat for your dog or how fast it should breathe? Well, there's a wide range of normals so it's best if you get familiar with how your dog's heart usually beats, and how your dog usually breathes. Then, you'll know if there is a problem. Below is a list of normals. If your dog isn't in the normal range, let your veterinarian know.

Normal Canine Vital Signs
• Large dog respiration: 10-34 breaths per minute
• Small dog respiration: 20-30 breaths per minute
• Large dog heart rate: 60-110 beats per minute
• Small dog heart rate 100-140 beats per minute
• Normal dog body temperature Celsius: 37–39.2
• Normal dog body temperature Fahrenheit: 99.5-102.5
• Skin turgor: skin springs back from a pinch in less than 2 seconds
• Capillary refill time: Press on the gums and they turn white. Normal color returns to the gums in less than 2 seconds.

There is variability in how fast a normal heart will beat and how fast a normal dog will breathe. The smaller the dog, the faster it will breathe and the faster its heart will normally beat. So, Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese have hearts that normally beat faster than the hearts of Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers.

The same is true for respirations: Yorkies and Maltese normally take more breaths per minute that Labs and Goldens.

Puppies have faster metabolism than adults; thus, puppies’ hearts beat faster and they breathe faster than adult dogs do.

Even though little dogs take more breaths and have hearts that beat more often than large dogs, the little dogs live years longer. Amazing.
 

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Pet Emergencies, When Do You Need To Go To the Vet Immediately?

Emergency or Not?
When do you need to take your pet to the veterinarian immediately for emergency care, and when can you treat your pet at home? Our discussion this Saturday, April 13, at noon, covers this vital topic.

We'll discuss what’s an emergency, and what isn’t. We’ll review normal vital signs for dogs & cats and how to tell if your pet’s heart is circulating blood efficiently.

There is a handout listing medications to have on hand for emergencies. The handout also contains suggestions for meds to use to prevent problems from becoming emergencies. Many of the medications are non-prescription items you can pick up without a prescription.

Everyone is welcome. We meet in the comfortable WaterWorkz lobby at 3831 Still Creek Avenue, Burnaby, BC from 12 – 1 pm. Phone if you’d like more information: 604 435 0002.

Last week, WaterWorkz was full to bursting with folks interested in the presentation on TTouch. We look forward to having you all for this vital information.

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