Pet Health Related Articles – Page 3

Pet Coverage: Is Pet Insurance Worth It For Your Dog?

Pet Health Articles

With more technology to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer and chronic pain, pet owners have a multitude of choices for care when their pet becomes ill. Though cost should be the last thing on the mind of a concerned pet parent, owners often face a difficult decision when an animal companion becomes ill or injured: go into debt to pay for the care the pet needs or euthanize.

This painful scenario can be avoided by purchasing pet insurance, a practice that many veterinarians recommend as a way for owners to be able to consider treatment options for their pets that they otherwise could not afford. In other words, owners can base health care decisions on their pets’ needs and the veterinarians’ recommendations rather than on the cost of treatment.

How Does Pet Insurance Work?

Unlike our health insurance which involves a contractual relationship between the insurance company, the physician and the patient, pet insurance is a contract between the pet owner and the insurance company only. It operates in the same manner as car insurance, with the insurance companies compensating pet owners for the costs associated with the treatment of illness or injury and sometimes routine care.

Thus, if a pet requires veterinary care, the owner pays for the services out of pocket, completes the necessary paperwork, and submits it to his or her insurance company. The company then reimburses the owner based on the plan that the owner selected. For some owners, this is a pro as care is not limited to in-network providers and they can pay the up-front expense with the promise of full to partial reimbursement.

Other pet owners do not have the funds accessible to pay for immediate treatment and must discuss payment plans with their veterinarian.

Which Pet Insurance Is Best?

Figuring out which pet insurance company and plan that works best for you and your pet may seem daunting. With factors to consider such as customer service, deductibles, coverage of congenital or pre-existing conditions, speed of repayment, and the monthly expense, some owners may forgo insurance for their dog and instead establish a monthly pet savings account.

Though still responsible for any out-of-pocket medical expenses, having a cushion in the bank for a medical catastrophe can help ease the financial pain of treating your pet. No doubt about it, even routine care can run into the thousands of dollars annually as vaccinations, parasite preventatives, good nutrition, and dental care are all critical to maintaining your pet’s health.

When evaluating insurance companies, it is important to consider whether veterinarians are employed by the company in arbitrating claims, the company is approved by the state insurance regulatory agency where policies are sold, and there is transparency in communicating policy limits, pricing structures, co-pays, deductibles, limits, and optional coverage or exclusions specific to your pet (i.e. coverage for annual wellness visits).

If your pet has a chronic condition such as seasonal allergies, will examinations be covered along with prescription medications?

Several breeds have higher deductibles; retrievers are notorious for ingesting socks and other foreign objects that require surgical removal and insurance companies know it! More recently, some employers have made it simple for pet owning employees to choose their insurance company by including pet insurance as an employment benefit.

Some pet insurance companies offer discounts, such as for veterans, making those plans most appealing. Whichever company and plan you choose; pet insurance will allow you to reduce veterinary bills but still provide the best possible care for ill or injured pets. It’s something to think about.

Sources:
Pet Insurance
AVMA Policies
Pet Insurance U

A Stinky Situation: Dog Anal Gland Problems

Pet Health Articles

There’s no polite way to introduce this topic: pet anal glands. These are mysterious, marble-sized, sacs that contain malodorous material and can be found at approximately 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock between your pet’s internal and external anal sphincter.

All dogs, cats, and carnivorous species (including humans) have them; you may know what anatomical parts I’m talking about if your dog has ever been frightened, scooted their bottom along your favorite rug, or had the unfortunate experience of developing an anal gland infection.

Anal Gland Problems In Dogs

Problems with your dog’s anal glands lead to lots of veterinary and groomer visits, though they do serve a purpose beyond providing job security. Sebaceous glands produce a liquid substance that has a foul, fishy odor which is yellow to tan in color and exists as means of identification and territory marking.

Normally, the liquid secretions are expressed when a dog defecates. The pressure of the firm feces allows the glands to complete empty.

No problem when this occurs outside! Where do things take a hard turn? If your dog has softer stools and the anal glands are not fully expressed naturally, was born with narrow ducts, produces excessive material, or has acquired damage to the duct due to perianal infections, trauma, allergies, or inflammation, they are more likely to develop anal gland impaction and infection.

Sphincter dysfunction and obesity also predispose a pet to anal sac disease. Certain breeds (usually on the small side) are also more likely to need monthly, manual expression of their glands: Chihuahuas, Toy and Miniature Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Lhasa Apsos, Basset Hounds, and Beagles top the list.

How Do I Know If My Dog Needs His Anal Glands Expressed?

Most pet owners are alerted to the discomfort of impacted glands when their pet drags their rear on the ground, bites at the tail base, excretes the tell-tale liquid (stinky) at times other than defecation, strains when defecating, or a red, hairless bulge is noted near the area of the anal glands.

When swelling is evident either on physical exam or during a visual inspection of the area, an anal gland abscess is present.

Bacterial overgrowth in the gland filled with abnormally copious, thick material causes swelling, pus formation, ultimately rupture and pain. Abscesses can be soothed with a warm washcloth applied to the area and must be treated with antibiotics by your veterinarian.

If your dog has chronic anal gland infections and you’ve ensured stools are firm with a high fiber diet, his weight is managed, exercise is adequate, and allergies aren’t leading to biting and trauma to the area, he may be a candidate for surgical anal gland removal or anal sacculectomy.

Surgery in this delicate area can lead to fecal incontinence and should not be done as a first step in managing anal gland disease.

Preventative care for your dog includes practicing good hygiene and grooming, awareness of these glands, and knowing the signs of inflammation. Most groomers will express your dog’s anal glands monthly as part of their service, especially if you own a small breed or your dog has a history of anal gland disorders.

How to Squeeze Dog Anal Glands

Squeezing the glands can be done with steady pressure to milk the secretions from the inside of the gland, and through the duct opening near the anus. Use latex gloves, lubrication, and a lot of paper towels, or let a professional handle the gland evacuation for a minimal charge. As in most things, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”.

Repetitive compression of the glands and ducts also causes a little traumatic inflammation at the site and can lead to impaction down the road. So, if your pet has not exhibited symptoms of distended glands, consider yourself lucky!

Portion Control: How Much Should I Feed My Dog?

Pet Health Articles

Portion control and regulation: it’s something we Americans sorely lack and not only do our children pay the price, but our pets do as well. While it may be difficult for humans to ignore the barrage of commercials and Happy Meal temptations, we have a clear and simple obligation to fulfill when it comes to feeding our dogs.

Since they solely depend on us feed them, we need to quiet the tiny voice that tells us food=love and make sure we’re feeding our dogs the right amount of food. Wondering how much should to feed your dog or how much is “too much”? We have some tips to help make sure your dog eats the right amount of food!

How Much Should My Dog Eat?

Breeds vary, activity levels fluctuate, stages of life such as puppyhood or gestation demand more calories, and health complications such as diabetes affect ideal type of food and caloric intake for your pet.

One commonality when it comes to healthy amount of dog food and nutrition and feed is that we all want our pets to achieve their ideal body condition, whatever other variables exist.

A good place to start in determining your pet’s healthy size is to reference the Purina Scoring Chart . Whether your dog is a Basset or a Malamute, participates in agility or is a couch potato, some basic rules to assess body condition include: ability to feel your pet’s ribs but not see them, observing some semblance of an hourglass “waist” when viewed from above, and noting the chest is deeper and lower to the ground then the abdomen. Your pet should be a 4-5 out of a 9-point scale.

Measuring Dog Food

Once you’ve established where your pet falls on the chart, assess whether the goal is weight loss and what percent, gain, or maintenance. Each point on the chart is the equivalent to a 10% change in body mass.

Start with a measuring cup, and by cup, I mean the same cup you would use to measure flour if you were baking. Not a Big Gulp cup, not an espresso cup. A cup or container that holds 8 ounces of liquid or dry material.

Because grams are a measure of weight, a cup of lettuce will not weigh the same as a cup of brown sugar, and the same concept can be applied to the variety of pet foods on the market. Likewise, every cup of food does not contain the same number of calories, which is critical in determining how much to feed you pet.

So, check your dog food label. Kcal/cup of food should be clearly marked or at the very least, an 800# to call to get that information must be visible. If it isn’t, what are you feeding?

Talk to your family. Everyone needs to be on board when it comes to portion control and getting your dog to its ideal weight.

Based on current body condition, the caloric content in the food you are feeding (and treats, which do count as additional calories and should make up no more than 10% of the overall caloric intake so factor them in), life stag, activity level, and goal, you can determine with your veterinarian just how much food to feed your dog or how many calories your pet needs in a day. Puppies grow, and their calorie needs and thus quantity fed will adjust over time.

Do the Math

A little math is needed next. Convert your pet’s daily caloric needs to the number of cups they must be fed each day. For example: a cup of the diet you feed contains 300 kcals. Your pet needs 600 kcals a day. 600kcal/300kcal/cup= your pet should consume 2 cups of that food for the day. Use your measuring cup and put the dog’s daily meal and treats into a bag (s).

Now feed from this bag for the next 24 hours. Most animals thrive when fed smaller portions in 2-3 servings per day, so you can divide the bag’s contents into meals that will be satisfying but not indulgent. Small breeds and puppies may need to be fed more frequently to maintain blood sugar levels. Some dogs can be free-fed as long as they snack throughout the day and don’t gorge themselves in one sitting.

There a few tools I’ve used to help extend my dog’s feeding time, making it into an enriching game and allowing them to feel satiated. Toys like the Omega paw tricky treat ball, the Kong wobbler dog toy, or other treat dispensing puzzles can provide hours of amusement, mental stimulation, and aid in dispensing appropriate dog food portions.

Remember, exercise helps maintain a healthy weight too! Enjoy the last few weeks of fall.

Are Candles, Essential Oils, and Air Fresheners Safe For Pets?

Pet Safety Articles

Evoking memories of pumpkin patch visits, jumping in falling leaves, and eating apple cider donuts, the smells of fall are powerful triggers of times long past. It is about this time of year when we pull the blankets a little tighter and light the maple sugar or cinnamon apple scented candle.

Estimates are that our dogs have up to 100,000 times more ability to detect scent vs. their human counterparts, so what do they make of all the appetizing and botanical scents we surround ourselves with every day?

For some dogs, our scented candles, air fresheners, and essential oils, while masking noxious odors, may pose a health risk. Let’s sort out which products can be harmful, as well as determine how we can safely incorporate the heavenly scents of the season into our home environments.

Dangers of Candles and Essential Oils

Both scented candles and some aerosol or plug-in fresheners can release volatile organic compounds as well as toxins like lead, naphthalene, formaldehyde, and phthalates. Synthetic fragrances and carcinogenic soot from paraffin candles, a petroleum product, can exacerbate respiratory conditions such as asthma in humans and pets.

Phthalates, another airborne product released from burning candles, have been implicated in causing endocrine system disruption leading to diabetes, birth defects, and cancer.

In addition to the harm caused by the burning of candles and the release of artificial chemicals into the air, the delicious smells can entice dogs to nibble on candles, wax, or ingest oils. Ingestion of most candles will generally lead to nothing more than an upset stomach and diarrhea. Consuming or absorbing essential oils through the skin and mucous membranes can be a whole different matter.

Essential oils are the volatile organic compounds extracted from plants that contribute to their fragrance and taste. Pets are especially sensitive to these products and depending on the concentration and formulation, just a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil can cause severe illness; clinical signs can range from weakness, to depression, seizures, low body temperature, salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death.

It’s best not to apply any oils directly to the skin of your pet for this reason, and even diffusing some oils can trigger a cough or symptoms of allergy. Which oils should never be used around pets? Some suggest pine, wintergreen, cinnamon, citrus based oils, peppermint, camphor, clove, bitter almond, garlic, horseradish, mustard, and pennyroyal essential oils are dangerous to dogs and cats.

Safe Candles and Plugins

There are safe ways to coexist with the smells we associate with cleanliness and holiday cheer. When purchasing candles, look for those that are made from natural ingredients such as soy, beeswax, and bluecorn and are free from artificial fragrances. A wick made from cotton is cleaner to burn than those that have metal wires in the center which may emit heavy metals into the environment.

Sprays such as Febreze are perfectly safe to use in your home, though you want to avoid direct contact with your pet as they may be a stomach or skin irritant. If you choose to diffuse, monitor your pets for any respiratory symptoms. As no long-term studies have been conducted to verify safety of inhaling oils, let the buyer beware. Most importantly, keep all diffusers, candles, and sprays out of reach. Pets are susceptible to burns when lit candles and hot wax meet skin.

Purchasing wide based-candles and placing burning candles in a dish of water can decrease the potential risk of fire. When in doubt about any products you introduce into your home, keep the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center phone number (888) 426-4435 on hand to get safety data and toxicity information.

What Colors Do Dogs See?

Pet Health Articles

As we head into Fall, it’s a great time to go outside with your dog and enjoy the comfortable temperatures and beautiful colors this season brings. Vibrant reds, yellows and oranges decorate the trees; colorful mums and pumpkins are on display.

We know our furry friends appreciate the cooler weather and we like the changing fall colors, but what colors can dogs see? Learn more about our dogs vision and how they see!

Can Dogs See In Color?

To better understand our dogs vision, we need to know a little about the dog’s eye. The retina is a structure covering the back of the eye containing the light-sensitive cells called rods and cones.

Cones help both dogs and people detect color and small visual details while rods are necessary to see motion and objects in dim light. Dogs have only about one-tenth the number of cones as humans.

Their rod-dominated retinas are better at seeing in the dark and detecting movement but dogs are essentially red-green color blind. This means they can differentiate yellows, blue-violets, and variations in shades of grey but cannot distinguish red, orange, yellow, and green.

How Dogs Vision Help With Navigating

How then does dogs vision help with navigating across a busy intersection when the light turns green? They use other visual cues and senses such as position and brightness of the light, noise, and traffic movement. Their increased peripheral vision is an asset; dogs’ visual field is 200-240 degrees vs. humans’ 180 degrees. Visual acuity is not as strong.

Dogs typically have 20/75 vision though working retrievers bred for better eyesight may have closer to 20/20 vision. So, even if your dog had the mental ability to read, he wouldn’t be able to resolve the individual letters.

A better understanding of dog vision is necessary when considering training and behavior. A change in posture or movement is significant to a dog as are sounds and smells. Sweeping arm motions, clicker noises, and food rewards are often used in successful training programs.

Although dogs vision may not see the changing colors of the fall season, they undoubtedly love the crisp weather, the sights and sounds of geese heading south, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. Most of all, they like spending time with you. Happy Fall!

Puppy Shots: Important Vaccines Your Dog Needs

Pet Health Articles

What an exciting and exhausting time! You have brought your new puppy home and are handed papers detailing vaccination and deworming dates, feeding instructions, and maybe even your dog’s pedigree. The first call you should make is to your veterinarian. The veterinarian will be able to provide you with a puppy vaccination schedule and information to best protect your new friend from common diseases, viruses and infections.

Few issues in veterinary medicine are as controversial as the debate about administration of vaccines to our dogs and cats. Long considered part of the puppy as well as annual visits and credited with conquering some of the fiercest infectious diseases, vaccines are also suspected of creating vulnerability to certain illnesses and chronic conditions such as anemia, seizures, allergies, thyroid disorders, and cancer.

What Vaccines Should My Puppy Get?

To determine which vaccines are necessary and an appropriate vaccination schedule for your dog, you and your veterinarian must start with an individual risk-assessment. Questions you may be asked include: Will my puppy meet other companion animals in training classes, dog parks, grooming facilities, or in the neighborhood? Do we have wildlife in our area? How much time does my dog spend outdoors? Will I travel with my pet?

Vaccines, or “shots”, are traditionally divided into core, or essential, groups, and non-core vaccines. These determinations are based on the likelihood of exposure to the infectious agent, the severity of the disease contracted by infected animals (contracting Rabies is always fatal, kennel cough is not), and zoonotic potential (a disease that can infect humans as well as animals). It is recommended that most puppies receive core vaccines every 3-4 weeks though the first 16-18 weeks of life, with the need for non-core vaccines being determined on an individual basis.

Core vaccines, based on the American Animal Hospital Association’s recommendations are as follows: Distemper, Adenovirus/Hepatitis, canine Parvovirus, and Rabies.

Non-core vaccines include: Bordetella, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus, Lyme, Giardia, Leptospirosis, and Influenza.

How Often Should My Puppy Get Vaccinated?

Frequency with which to vaccinate is perhaps the most confounding decision we must make as part of the veterinarian-owner pet care team. This is where a basic understanding of the immune system and how it operates becomes critical. When exposed to natural disease or a vaccine, memory cells are primed to recognize the infectious agent should the animal become re-exposed and antibodies should be produced against the disease. If maternal antibodies are still present, the animal is ill, doesn’t respond to the vaccine given due to immaturity, or there is a problem with the vaccine itself, it is possible to have an animal that was vaccinated, but not adequately protected. This is the reasoning behind the 3-4 week puppy vaccination protocol; we want to catch that puppy’s immune system when maternal antibodies have disappeared, but before the puppy can get sick!

There has been much discussion on the value of checking antibody titers to certain viral diseases such as Canine Parvovirus and Distemper. A titer is a measurement of how much antibody to an infectious agent is circulating in the blood at that time. Titers are expressed as a ratio and indicate how dilute the blood was made before detectable levels of antibody disappeared. A titer test does not measure immunity, because, as we know, true immune status of an animal is dependent on multiple variables. A high titer is strongly correlated with recent infection or good immunity, but a low titer does not necessarily mean the body won’t produce an effective immune response if challenged.

Dog Vaccination Schedule

What to do? Our practice has determined that considering all the information presented by the AAHA and after evaluating the duration of immunity studies conducted by the vaccine manufacturers, we recommend the following important vaccination schedule:

Healthy puppies will receive regular boosters every 3-4 weeks of core and select non-core vaccines beginning at 6-8 weeks.
After one year of age, dogs will receive a one-year booster for Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, and Parvovirus (4 in 1 or if including coronavirus 5 in 1 DAPPC) and a three-year Rabies vaccine; other non-core vaccines will be administered based on risk assessment.
At two years of age, dogs will continue to receive non-core vaccines and three-year DAP vaccine. In future years, they will receive non-core vaccines annually and DAP and Rabies as they come due on a three-year rotating basis.

Talk with your veterinarian and don’t miss those important vaccines!

Mushroom Dog Poisoning: Toxic Mushrooms to Avoid

Pet Safety Articles

As we know, summer and fall bring a unique set of seasonal scares for pet owning families. In addition to an increase in parasite exposure such as fleas and ticks, wild animal encounters, and dog park injuries, exposure to certain environmental toxins also peaks.

Toxic mushrooms are one such hazard and they multiply in the warm, wet weather season. Although they don’t do much to harm your lawn, be alert for signs of poisonous mushrooms and toxic plant growth as symptoms of toxicity can mimic other types of poisons and diagnosis can be challenging!

Watch Out For Toxic Mushrooms

There are four classes of poisonous mushrooms; the classes are based on the type and severity of symptoms they cause.

Additionally, mushrooms can be classified into groups, separated by the type of toxin they contain. Poisonous varieties include:

False Morels
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
Toadstool Mushrooms
Liver Toxic Mushrooms and those that cause gastrointestinal signs or are muscarinic containing species.

Identification of the type your dog has consumed can be difficult once they pass your pet’s lips; treat any mushroom ingestion as a poisonous species and call your veterinarian immediately.

Another after-hours alternative is to call the National Animal Poison Control Center hotline at (888) 426-4435. They are open 24/7 and 365 days a year and charge a nominal fee to advise you on how to manage your pet’s ingestion.

If a sample of the mushroom is available, consider contacting the North American Mycological Association to aid in identification.

Hepatoxic Mushrooms

The deadliest class of mushrooms are those that cause liver failure (hepatotoxic) with signs precipitating in 6-12 hours. At this point, inducing vomiting with hydrogen peroxide or slowing toxin absorption with activated charcoal given orally is fruitless.

Once an animal has started to show signs of poisoning, it is no longer safe or advisable to try to expel the offending agent. With names like “death cap” and “death angel”, liver cell death and eventual mortality can occur within a day or two, after being preempted by gastrointestinal upset.

These mushrooms are found throughout North America including the Pacific Northwest, parts of California and the northeastern part of the United States.

Neurotoxic Mushrooms

These affect the nervous system due to the compounds they contain and include psilocybin (“magic”), hydrazine and isoxazole mushrooms.

Magic or psychedelic mushrooms are often found indoors as part of a pet owner’s “pharmacy”. Others grow throughout the United States, but favor the West and Northeast. Symptoms of ingestion are typically seen within 30-90 minutes, but effects can last hours longer.

Varying from initial gastrointestinal upset to weakness, stupor, tremors, disorientation, vocalization and seizures, these mushrooms are typically less toxic but severity of illness depends on the amount ingested and the dog’s size and health status.

Gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting and diarrhea are seen early on after the ingestion of most mushrooms (15 minutes to less than 6 hours).

Muscarinic containing mushrooms not only cause mild to severe vomiting and diarrhea, but ingestion can lead to dehydration, excessive salivation, tearing, urination, slow heart rate and difficulty breathing depending on the type and amount consumed.

Nephrotoxic Mushrooms

Our last class of mushrooms, the nephrotoxic (kidney) varieties, are thankfully rare with poisoning reported in Europe. Signs of toxicity are delayed by up to 8 days as the kidney cells are destroyed.

Symptoms of poisoning are typical of a dog in kidney failure and include vomiting, increased thirst, and urination; dogs can succumb if not treated aggressively with fluid therapy and hospitalization.

If caught within the first hours of ingestion, decontamination by inducing vomiting and delaying intestinal absorption, managing symptoms, and blood and urine sample monitoring are often successful at managing mushroom poisoning in dogs.

As always, be on the lookout in your yard for anything unusual underfoot!

Sources
Health Poison Control
Psilocybin Mushroom

Dog Food: What to Buy and Ingredients to Look For

Pet Health Articles

Over the weekend, I peered into our dog food bin and saw just a lone kibble sitting at the bottom. No doubt, my teenagers forgot to mention we were low on food. As I stood in the pet food aisle at the grocery store, I quickly understood the paralysis my clients feel when it comes to choosing a diet and best dog food for their pets; the variety of choices on the grocery shelves and refrigerated cases was dizzying. Let’s address a few common misconceptions and give you some general tips to choose healthy dog food for your own pup. As always, consult your veterinarian for advice as variations in breed, life stage, body condition, activity level, and health status should affect your purchase.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is a regulatory agency that checks to ensure dog foods meet the minimum standard of nutritional adequacy; the AAFCO label should be present on any food you are buying and includes key information such as identification of product, net quantity statement, manufacturer’s name and address, proper listing of ingredients by weight (including water), the guaranteed analysis, nutritional adequacy statement, feeding directions, additional label claims, and calorie statements. If the AAFCO label does not exist, the company may not have verified nutrient claims with laboratory testing. Call the business to find out. All pet food companies should be transparent and want to educate the consumer about their product.

Dog Food Ingredients & Nutritional Value

What is the minimum standard for an adult dog to maintain weight and good health? A food must contain at least 18% protein, 5% fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture. Some dog foods guarantee minimum levels of other nutrients such as calcium, phosphorous, sodium, and linoleic acid which are especially important for bone growth in puppies. Changes to minimum accepted levels of taurine will likely be included on future labels as a link between low levels of dietary taurine and heart disease in dogs was recently discovered in dogs eating certain pet foods containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes as main ingredients.

Let’s talk about pet food manufacturers. Mars, Purina, and Big Heart make 93% of all pet foods sold today. They invest billions of dollars, employ untold numbers of nutritionists, scientists, quality control experts, and veterinarians, as well as conduct feeding trials and test products for nutritional components to ensure your dog receives complete and balanced nutrition for every age and stage of life. Don’t rule their foods out and assume smaller companies make safer and more wholesome diets. According to Dog Food Advisor, 83% of food recalls over the last 5 years came from small manufacturers. Plan on doing more of your own research should you choose food produced by a mom and pop pet food company. Smaller pet companies are also more likely to outsource manufacturing and production. It is key to know where your dog’s food is made in order to monitor for food recalls and determine product safety.

What ingredients make up a quality food and from where should they be sourced? Ideally, companies obtain the raw materials for protein, carbohydrate and fat from local or regional sources with whom they have an established relationship and have strict quality control. Contamination from bacteria such as salmonella and listeria, mold, or toxins such as cadmium, lead and arsenic should be monitored by the supplier and and rechecked by the pet food company after manufacturing. Surprisingly, diets labelled grain-free were found to contain more toxins that those that contained grain.

Brokers on the open market and countries with inferior food quality standards may offer cheap ingredients that can be harmful to your dog but cost considerably less. Interestingly, many of these same countries make superior quality supplemental vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C that are found in most commercial pet foods. Pet foods with ingredients such as a clean meat source (turkey, beef, bison, duck…) instead of a meat meal which may contain horns and hair, fewer artificial preservatives, like BHT and ethoxyquin, and colors are preferred. Foods with labelled as “natural” and “super-premium” are not held to any different standards as those without such label claims. While natural may imply the diet was preserved with tocopherols (a Vitamin E source) vs. artificial chemicals, that isn’t necessarily the case; don’t be fooled into paying a higher price for these “superior” products.

Dry vs Wet (Canned) Dog Food

What’s the difference between wet and dry dog food? Which is better for your dog? Increased water content may make wet diets easier to chew for puppies and senior pets, more palatable, more filling, and can contain fewer artificial preservatives and flavors as they are sealed in air-tight containers. Often, wet foods contain a higher protein content and fewer carbohydrates compared to their dry counterparts which may be beneficial for animals needing to maintain lean muscle or that have medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus.

When comparing the nutritional analysis of wet vs. a dry diet, be sure you are comparing them both on a dry matter basis. The FDA has a guide on how to perform this calculation. Dry foods can assist in the mechanical removal of plaque, improving dental hygiene. They also are easier to store and are usually less expensive. Ultimately, the decision to feed wet or dry food is between you and your veterinarian.

Get started on your search for the best and healthy dog food for your pet to ensure a proper dog diet and avoid overfeeding. Best of luck out there and may you never be stuck utterly perplexed at a grocery store on a lovely night!

Other sources:
FDA Pet Food Labels
Animal Food Recalls & Alerts
Clean Label Project Pet Food

How Lyme Disease Affects Dogs: Symptoms and Causes

Pet Health Articles

We’ve previously talked about the presence of fleas and ticks in the environment, and both local and national news have drawn attention to the fact that this year we are seeing an even greater abundance of these pesky parasites. Fleas and ticks cause topical irritation at the site of the bite, there is the huge “ick” factor of knowing these parasites are out and about, but the primary concern is the diseases they transmit to unknowing hosts. Lyme disease, in particular, has drawn broad attention from organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and American Veterinary Medical Association. The CDC reports that there are over 30,000 new cases of Lyme disease reported every year. In dogs, we are seeing upwards of high number of cases of reported Lyme disease. The term “reported” is important here, as many cases of Lyme disease are not identified in both humans and canines. A great pretender, signs and symptoms can be subtle, shift, and diagnosis and treatment can be confounding.

Symptoms and Causes of Lyme Disease

Lyme is caused by the transmission of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi from the deer tick or black-legged tick species. The tick requires two years and a blood meal at each stage to complete their life cycle from egg to larvae to nymph to adult. The source of the first blood meal can be a mouse, bird, or other small mammal and if infected with the bacteria, will pass the disease on through the blood to the host tick. If the affected tick then bites a human or dog and attaches for over 48 hours, the unsuspecting animal may become infected with the Borrelia organism.

In dogs, only 10% of dogs infected with the bacteria show signs and symptoms of Lyme disease illness; owners may be surprised by the results of their pet’s annual screening test. Often incorporated as part of a yearly preventative protocol that may include fecal and other blood testing as well as an examination and any recommended vaccinations, testing for the presence of antibodies to the lyme bacteria is recommended. In New England, 50-75% of dogs may test positive for lyme antibodies (independent of lyme vaccination) according to MSPCA.

Signs of Lyme disease typically occur 2-5 months after infection. They may include enlarged lymph nodes, lameness in one or multiple limbs, lethargy, anorexia, and fever. Lyme can also affect the kidneys, heart, and nervous system. These complications seem to be over represented in dog breeds such as Retrievers, Shelties, and Bernese Mountain dogs. Treatment is usually successful requires the administration of amoxicillin or doxycycline antibiotics.

Lyme Disease Rise in the US

The surge in Lyme disease in the US can be attributed to several factors. Habitat range expansion is the movement of the ticks’ hosts to areas not previously inhabited. Because mice and deer are the primary hosts, their shift into previously unoccupied territories leads to transport of the tick population, as well. Climate change and movement of the human population are the two major factors contributing to the relocation of deer and small mammal population. An abundance of resources such as food (acorns) for mice leads to an increase in their population numbers and expansion to new areas; ticks numbers increase and expand as a result.

Adult deer ticks are on the move when temperatures exceed freezing. With an extension of seasonal activity due above normal temperatures, female adult ticks have an extended season to gorge on a deer, dog, or human and drop off to lay up to 2000 eggs in late spring. Eggs hatch in the summer, and larvae will feed on a small animal or bird and re-emerge the next spring (or late winter as ambient temperatures are on the rise) as a nymph.

With movement of people and dogs to areas that ticks favor such as campsites and wooded trails, as well as human population growth and expansion into previously unpopulated areas, there is an increase in opportunity for ticks to feast. The nymphal stage of the tick, no bigger than a poppyseed, is especially active in May through August and unknowingly attaches to out of the way locations such as the scalp, groin, or armpit. This increase in human and canine exposure is also responsible for the surge in Lyme transmission.

Sometimes the bacteria cannot be completely eliminated and symptoms will return at a later time; this makes the lyme organism especially terrifying and tick prevention and an integrated pest management program essential to ensuring the health of your dog. As previously mentioned, clearing brush in your yard, applying a topical preventative such as Advantix, Vectra, or Frontline Gold, or administering a oral pill like Simparica, Nexgard, or Bravecto all aid in eliminating potential tick vectors. Thoroughly examining yourself and your dog after spending time outdoors can identify ticks hitching a ride before they have a chance to attach to your pet!

Sources: PetMD, Vector Disease Control International

What You Should Include In Your Pet’s First Aid Kit

Pet Safety Articles

It’s 7 pm on a Sunday evening and you walked into the kitchen just as your retriever polished off a bag of chocolate chips snatched from the counter. You think, “Isn’t chocolate supposed to be poisonous for four-legged critters?”. What do you do? Who do you call? In your haste to help your dog, you are unable to summon a rational thought. If only you had taken the time to put together the pet first aid kit your veterinarian had recommended, you could have had all the supplies and information you needed at your fingertips!

So you don’t have to experience the angst that accompanies the above scenario, I recommend assembling a basic first aid kit filled with the supplies and information you need to deal with any dog emergency. Most of these tools are available online or at your local pharmacy. For dosing recommendations, check in with your veterinarian as breed, size, and pre-existing conditions may determine a safe amount to administer.

What Should Be In My Dog’s First Aid Kit?

Most canine medical emergency kits should include a list of important phone numbers. You’ll always want to be in contact with an animal health professional before taking matters into your own hands; a knowledgeable voice can be a great reassurance. The phone numbers at the top of your list should include: your regular veterinarian, a local 24/7 emergency clinic, and the ASPCA’s Poison Control Center (1-800-426-4435) or the National Animal Poison Control Center at 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435), the Emergency Disaster Information Line (1-800-227-4645), and the Pet Travel Hotline 1-800-545-USDA before traveling across state lines.

You should have your dog’s medical records readily available, so you can answer questions about previous reactions, currently administered medications, and vaccination status. I also like to add the addresses of a few online sites where you can reference emergency dosages, toxicity calculators, and other information needed to perform basic first aid on your dog. VetCalculators will allow you to determine an appropriate action to take should your dog ingest various types of chocolate, PetMD alerts updates pet owners on current food recalls, and AVMA has a wealth of information on CPR basics, traveling with a pet, basic first aid procedures, and handling injured pets.

Basic Supplies For Pets First Aid Kit

A few necessary items in your pets’ first aid kit should include:

Flexible digital thermometer
Gauze for wrapping open wounds or to use as a muzzle for painful pets
Non-stick bandages and adhesive white tape for covering wounds (or a self-adhesive bandage material)
Blanket or large towel as well as a rigid board or stretcher for transporting an injured pet
Leash
Eye dropper or needless syringe for administering medication
3% hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting
Baby aspirin
Adult or children’s Benadryl for allergies (diphenhydramine)
Saline eye wash
Activated charcoal for absorbing toxins.

Tweezers as well as good old soap and water can be used to remove a tick or foreign object from a paw and to flush wounds. I like to keep a gallon of nursery water on hand for that purpose, as well as to help rehydrate an animal or cool a pet suffering from heatstroke. Pedialyte or another electrolyte solution will replace salts and minerals that are important for proper hydration, blood pH and nerve conduction. Simple sugars such as honey or maple syrup can be rubbed on the gums of dogs given too much insulin, having a seizure due to low sugar, or to puppies that may have a difficult time maintaining blood sugar due to illness or stress and are lethargic.

Sterile lubricant helps to cover a break in the skin barrier or ease passage of the rectal thermometer. Cornstarch or quik-stop can stop an actively bleeding nail and a nail clipper (Miller’s Forge, orange handle) to trim a torn nail back to healthy tissue is needed. Most creams and ointments as well as Band-Aids or other small adhesives are easily consumed by dogs. It’s better to keep an E-collar handy to prevent self-mutilation. Clippers aid in the removal of hair around a cut or laceration. Be sure to apply lubricant to the area to prevent the introduction of additional debris and clipped hair into the area.

As gentle and loving as your dog may normally be, an injured pet will often react out of fear and pain towards a caregiver. Using a muzzle when handling pets (except for those that are vomiting) is always prudent. An improvised muzzle can be created using gauze, a necktie, or strips of fabric and should be considered when assembling your dog’s emergency kit. Towels or blankets can help to restrain a pet comfortably. You can only help your pet by staying healthy, calm, and safe.

Always remember that any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. A portable carrier for smaller dogs will aid in safe transportation. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet’s life until it receives veterinary treatment.