Shaggy Dog Stories

Archive for the ‘health’ Category

Tracking down the triggers for canine food allergies has always consisted of equal parts of the process of elimination and downright experimentation. If you observe your dog scratching, chewing between his toes, or having problems with runny stools, it could indicate a number of things — food allergies being one of them. Off you go to the vet, who might not find anything obviously wrong with your dog. If you and the vet suspect a food allergy, the next step is usually an elimination diet, which takes many weeks of trial and error. Even then, you can’t always be sure whether your dog is allergic to multiple ingredients in his food. If he doesn’t seem to be strongly allergic to any one of them, maybe a combination of weak sensitivities are causing his symptoms.

Dr. Jean Dodds, founder of the non-profit Hemopet canine blood bank, Greyhound rescue, and diagnostic testing service, has just introduced Nutriscan, a new testing system for canine food allergies (intolerance and sensitivity). The non-invasive test analyzes saliva samples for the presence of certain antibodies, in response to a list of specific antigens. The more antibodies that the dog produces, the stronger the reaction. If your dog has weak reactions to some foods, you can remove those foods from his diet as well.

The original Nutriscan test covered some common foods such as beef, corn, cow’s milk, hen’s eggs, soy, and wheat. Sometime early this year, the test will be expanded into two panels of ingredients:

• Panel 1: beef, corn, wheat, soy, cow’s milk, lamb, venison, chicken, turkey, and white fish
• Panel 2: hen’s eggs, barley, millet, oatmeal, salmon, rabbit, rice, quinoa, potato, and peanut (peanut butter)

The second panel is particularly interesting, since ingredients such as rabbit and quinoa are often used in foods for dogs sensitive to more common ingredients such as beef and corn. Even raw feeders need to know what ingredients to avoid; if your dog is sensitive to chicken, raw chicken won’t work for him any better than chicken-based kibble.

These tests aren’t cheap — each one costs $130 and the whole enchilada costs $250, not counting the sample collection kit — but these days, it’s easy to rack up many times that amount in vet visits and lab work. You’ll have the information in hand much sooner, and you’ll be able to make better feeding decisions for your dog.

Dr. Dodds even has a YouTube video describing the test and showing the method of collection…

(Good dog, Atlas!)

For more information about Nutriscan, including a detailed FAQ, visit http://www.nutriscan.org, or visit the Hemopet Nutriscan page on Facebook.

Congratulations to Christa McChancy for winning the free copy of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide! Christa’s comment was chosen at random by comment number, using a number-picking script.

Are you bummed that you didn’t win this time? Don’t despair. We have more books coming soon!

Charlie Brown is officially a three-time cancer survivor at age 14 ½. He’s had spindle cell carcinomas, all of which were slow-growing and easily enough removed with good margins. Spindle cell carcinomas originate in the spindle cells in the muscle layer; his were relatively superficial. You might say that he’s a lucky dog. We can also credit good breeding (his parents were both long-lived, and at least one grandparent made it to 17), a healthy environment, plenty of exercise, and good quality food.

Because we have a survivor in the family, I eagerly accepted an invitation to review the second edition of The Dog Cancer Survival Guide. The book is already a best-seller on Amazon in both softcover and Kindle editions, and as part of the Dog Cancer Kit.

Veterinarian Dr. Damian Dressler and veterinary oncologist Dr. Susan Ettinger cram an astonishing amount of information, expertise, explanations, and even coping mechanisms into just shy of 500 pages. Don’t let the sheer size of the volume discourage you, though. The book has been written and formatted to resemble the popular “Dummies” books, and the information works much the same way. There is a lot of information to absorb, sure, but you’ll get it all in plain English.

If I had to distill the book’s instructions into two sentences, I might choose these: “First, do whatever you can to get a grip on yourself. Then, do everything within your power to give your dog the best life possible — and there’s a lot you can do.”

It’s not bad advice. If you’ve received a diagnosis from your vet with the word “cancer” in it, the natural reaction is to feel as though you’ve been punched in the stomach, and that your best friend is about to die in front of you. Dr. Dressler reminds you that your dog is still there with you, and in order to be the best possible health advocate and cancer fighter for your dog, you need to get past the emotions of that horrific word “cancer” and get ready to give the disease both barrels (in Dressler’s words, “Full Spectrum Care.”). He also gives advice on how to help your dog to be in the best frame of mind for healing.

Chapters of the book describe both traditional and alternative approaches in detail, including what to expect both before and after the therapy. There are herbs and supplements, a cancer-fighting diet formulated in such a manner as to reduce the environmental carcinogens as much as possible, simple (but potentially helpful) advice, such as not feeding your dog from a plastic dish (I’ve been a fan of stainless steel for many years), managing the side effects of treatment, and even links to some financial resources and ideas. The appendices are loaded with information on herbs and supplements, veterinary medical references, and scads of other helpful material. Some chapters, such as those that discuss quality of life and euthanasia, are hard to read, but they simply and honestly discuss what you’ll need to consider.

Dr. Ettinger’s chapters are essential, just-the-facts information about specific, common types of cancers: description, diagnosis, prognosis, common therapies, and, at the end of each, “The Bottom Line.” If you hear a diagnosis of cancer, these chapters are the ones to seek out first in order to fully understand your enemy.

A number of related web-based resources have sprung up around the book, including a site with over 40 special videos (with transcripts) on specific types of cancers, and the Dog Cancer Blog (where the original e-book first edition of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide was created and sold).

To be honest, the book is not without warts. Dressler uses the AR-icky term “guardian” to denote a dog owner — oooh, excuse me: “pet parent” — who loves his dog enough to be the dog’s best health advocate. The rest of you are mere “dog lovers.” Poo on you. Also a bit off-putting were the frequent and fervent testimonials planted throughout the book. Although some contained genuinely useful information, their presence (combined with the section on backlash from other members of the veterinary community) gives the appearance of approval-seeking from the reader — not what you really need from an authoritative reference. Unless one happens to be religious, the inclusion of prayer as a medical therapy leaves one wondering whether or not voodoo might be listed next. Use it if it works for you, but please don’t sell it as science. To Dressler’s credit, the numerous commercials through the book for his cancer-fighting supplement Apocaps are balanced by an honest discussion of the supplement’s contents and what each component does.

I worked for a while as a web developer for a virtual office company, creating marketing sites almost exactly like dogcancer.tv. The experience taught me a great deal about online marketing and sales, audience analysis, targeted use of free content, and how to keep a casual reader’s attention long enough to (hopefully) persuade that reader to become a customer — and after that, a repeat customer. One other thing it taught me was to be wary of any website that uses a lot of black and red text in the Impact font, centered, on white, with arrows and autoplaying video. Whether you know it or not, that site is out to sell you something. Just sayin’.

That said, the book itself genuinely lives up to its tagline, “If your dog has cancer, you need this book.” Don’t just read it once, though. Read it multiple times, as many as you need to be absolutely clear about what you’re going to do next. Refer to it again and again. The book is not intended as a substitute for a veterinarian’s care, but use it to work with your vet as part of your dog’s medical team. Even if you don’t agree with everything you read, there is enough genuine, helpful, simply stated information in the book to help you weigh all your options and decide on the best treatment plan.

Even if your dog doesn’t have cancer, you need this book — especially if you happen to have a breed (or mix of breeds) that is predisposed to developing cancer. Read it, and then keep it handy on your reference shelf. You never know when someone you know will need some common-sense advice on how to beat an all-too-common disease.

Want a Copy?

We’re giving away a copy of this fascinating sourcebook for your reference shelf! All you have to do is follow these Wicked Simple Rules…

Wicked Simple Rules

1. Like the Dog Cancer Survival Guide on Facebook. If you like, download the free Dog Cancer Diet e-book.
2. While you’re there, come on over and Like the Shaggy Dog Stories fan page.
3. Leave a comment on this blog saying why you’d like to have this book. Comments on Facebook are always appreciated, but they don’t count toward the entries.

As always, we use a random-number-picking script to find our lucky winnah by comment number.

Entries close on Monday, January 23.

Our friends at Pet365 have done it again! Their latest infographic discusses the dangers of obesity to dogs and cats. Thanks to Matt Beswick for sharing!

The graphic below is just the teaser banner. To see the Pet365 infographic in all its glory, click on the graphic.

Northern California-based EO Products is a family-owned company that creates Earth-friendly products from the highest grade natural and certified organic materials. EO’s products are all free of dyes and artificial fragrances, and the distinctive blue bottles are made from recycled plastic.

If you shop for soap and shampoo in stores with large “natural and organic” sections or in natural food stores, you’re probably familiar with their personal care and cleaning products in the distinctive blue plastic bottles. EO Products has now expanded the company’s offerings to include a line of high-quality pet care products.

The first thing you should know about EO Products is that EO stands for Essential Oils. Just open up the top of any EO product and inhale, and you’ll immediately understand the difference between essential oils and artificial fragrances. A lot of artificial fragrances end up smelling like old cigarette butts once the top notes have worn off — but these products smell absolutely wonderful, both before and after the bath.

The Big Test

We always seem to pick on 14-year-old Charlie for our shampoo and grooming product tests, but he just makes the selection process so easy. He loves to dig (and sometimes to eat dirt), so his face and feet are often browner than the rest of him. He loves to be wet (whether from rain or ocean), and the only thing he likes better is to be wet and muddy.

Anyway, lucky Chuckie ended up being our test doggie for our sample EO Products. Since I have to bathe him, we might as well use products that are kind to his old coat and skin, as well as to my skin.

I can’t speak for him, since he was less than thrilled about taking part in the experiment, but I absolutely enjoyed giving Charlie the EO Products beauty treatment. The gorgeous lavender fragrance filled the bathroom, the hall, and a goodly part of the house. The Natural Dog shampoo and conditioner worked exactly as expected, and Charlie emerged clean and sweet-smelling (if a bit less than thrilled). The shampoo and conditioner contain aloe, so my hands benefited a little, too. I didn’t need to run for the hand cream once I was done with the rinse cycle.

Charlie’s coat is clipped, so we didn’t really need to use the Natural Dog Groomer spray on him. I did give him a couple of spritzes just to sample the lovely citrus and mint fragrance. A real test would be to use the spray on him to freshen him up and add moisture to his coat in between lavender-scented baths. I’ll try that next, but in the meantime, Charlie looks and smells pretty durn good…

On Special This Week!

This week — November 14-20 — EO Products is offering a 50% off sale on these heavenly-smelling, earth-friendly, skin-friendly pet products! You can try the Natural Dog shampoo and conditioner for a mere $5 each, or the grooming spray for a pittance of $4. The Natural Dog grooming gift set, which includes one bottle of each product in a recycled cardboard and paper presentation basket, is only $23.77! If you’re looking around for gifts that any dog owner would appreciate, you can hardly do better than to stock up on all of these items at these prices, plus get free shipping for orders over $35 in the bargain! Heck, even I will be stocking up, and I never start my Christmas shopping early! (Not only that, but I loved the fragrances of the dog products so much that I need to try the people products next!)

How About Free? Is Free a Good Price?

If you’d really like to try before you buy, we can help. We’re giving away a Natural Dog grooming gift set just like the one we tested. All you have to do is follow the Wicked Simple Rules…

Wicked Simple Rules

1. Visit the EO Products website and tell me which other EO product you’d like to try. Make sure to leave the comment on the blog. We love and encourage Facebook comments, but they just don’t count toward the prize.
2. Like EO Products on Facebook. Once you’ve done that, come back to the blog and comment that you did so. This gets you one additional entry.
3. Follow EO Products on Twitter, and then come on back and comment that you did so. This gets you yet another entry.

We’ve moved to a random number picking program, so I don’t have to hassle my other half for random numbers every time we end a giveaway. This is why it works to your advantage to make separate entries for every comment.

Entries close on Wednesday, November 23.

Two weeks ago, 14-year-old Charlie suffered a bout of vestibular disease (ODVD). The attack left him dizzy, nauseated, and listing to starboard due to the characteristic head tilt.

Fortunately, the disease itself is rarely serious; almost all dogs recover completely within a few days to a few weeks. The first few days were mighty worrisome, though. Charlie was too dizzy and nauseated to eat, and I had to force-feed him the seasickness pills we’d brought home from the doggie ER. He fell if he tried to stand or walk, and the nystagmus (twitching eyeballs) persisted for several days. He spent much of that time asleep on my bed or on the floor, in front of the box fan. I brought him food and water, and Greg carried him outside to take care of his bodily needs.

He mostly refused food, though he would drink water a few laps at a time. He even spat out the peanut butter I used to coat the pills. I ended up offering him canned Vienna sausages; they were the only thing he would eat. He turned his nose up at baby food, chicken soup, chicken meat, canned dog food, raw dog food — pretty much anything, really. If he ate more than one Vienna sausage at a sitting, I considered it a personal triumph. The old man had no fat reserves to lose; he really couldn’t afford to starve himself for too long.

By the end of the first week, his nystagmus had mostly subsided. He started gaining his strength back, and he took himself up and down the back stairs to hang out in the yard or take care of business. He still had a bit of the drunken sailor about him, but he fell much less often and started to care more about dog food. He finally started to eat canned food mixed with some kibble, and began to turn his nose up at the Vienna sausages.

Here at the end of the second week, Charlie is back to 95%, if not quite 100% yet. The head tilt seems to be fading away very gradually, though he still looks a bit like “His Master’s Voice” much of the time. He barks and bounces at mealtimes, eats everything on his plate and calls out for more, lets himself through the doggie door, and can jump up into the car without too much assistance. He even runs around in the dog yard from time to time. I’ll know he’s back to 100% again when I catch him digging another in his series of tunnels to China.

He still has some difficulty with a few fine motor tasks, such as taking a biscuit without dropping it, and he weaves a little bit if he takes a sharp turn. We’re hoping that time and healing will help with these last few challenges — but in the meantime, we’re glad to have our Charlie back.

On Monday, I was still mid-commute when Greg called my cell phone. “There’s something wrong with Charlie,” he said. “I need to take him to the vet.”

I quickly checked the clock on the dashboard. 5:30 PM. Our regular vet would be closed before he could get there. “What’s wrong with Charlie?” I asked.

“He’s at the bottom of the back stairs. He’s kind of walking in a circle and drooling, and his head’s tilted toward one side.”

“He might have ODVD or a stroke. Get him to the emergency vet. I’ll be right behind you.” I gave Greg a couple of contacts for two emergency vets within driving distance of our house. When he called back to tell me where he was headed, I set my GPS to get me there from scenic Middle-of-Nowhere, NH and gave him my ETA.

When I arrived at the emergency vet, one of the techs greeted me and accompanied me to the exam room where Greg and Charlie waited to see the vet. Charlie’s head definitely tilted to the right and he was drooling. His eyes twitched left and right. He kept trying to get comfortable on the thick quilt on the exam room floor, but he just couldn’t seem to find the right position or the right spot. He did seem alert despite the symptoms, and Greg was more distressed than Charlie himself was.

After a wait, the ER vet joined us. He agreed that Charlie more than likely had idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome (a.k.a Old Dog Vestibular Disease). He prescribed meclizine (also known as Bonine) for the “spins” and the resulting nausea, and mentioned that the imaging department would be able to fit Charlie in for a CT scan or MRI if he didn’t improve.

The first couple of days were mighty worrisome. Charlie spat out everything, from peanut-butter-coated pills to chicken. I ended up having to force-feed the pills. At least he could always drink water. He lurched crazily when trying to walk and sometimes fell. He needed to be held up when trying to poop, or he’d fall over.

Symptoms of ODVD

The symptoms of ODVD can appear suddenly in an affected dog, and include:

• Weakness and dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Nausea
• Head tilt
• Rhythmic eye twitching (nystagmus)
• Unable to get up or stand, or lurching in circles in the direction of the head tilt
• Inability to eat or drink unless hand-fed

I find this video hard to watch because Charlie has just gone through the same thing, but here is what the characteristic head tilt looks like.

Other conditions can have the same or similar symptoms as ODVD, including inner ear problems, cancer affecting the cerebellum or the inner ear or some lymphomas, brain trauma, or blood clots/stroke.

Causes of ODVD

ODVD is largely idiopathic, which is a fancy term for “we have no idea.” It is thought to be an irritation or inflammation of the nerves that connect the inner ear to the cerebellum (here’s a good diagram).

The nausea and dizziness can prevent a dog from wanting to eat or drink — and affected dogs might lack the fine motor control to eat unless they’re hand-fed.

At least the prognosis is good. Fortunately, almost all dogs recover from ODVD after a few days or a few weeks — so if a dog diagnosed with ODVD doesn’t appear to get better, an X-ray or CT scan might be the next step toward finding out the real problem.

Charlie Today

Charlie continues to improve. He has always been able to drink water, so keeping him hydrated has not been a problem. He will eat some soft foods, but will turn his nose up at others. (On the Paws Up list: canned Vienna sausages, cereal with milk, leftover pizza. On the Paws Down list: canned dog food, potted meat. Still to be tried: baby food, chicken soup.)

He still has a slight list to starboard, but his head tilt appears to be less drastic, and his eye-twitch appears to be lessening. He can hold himself upright to answer Nature’s call, and he can walk up stairs mostly unaided. He wanted to try going down stairs this morning, but Greg helped him down. It’s still a long way to fall.

Best of all, Charlie seems brighter, more interested in the household goings-on. He’ll go to his crate during mealtime, even if he won’t eat in there. He eats more every time he is offered food from the Paws-Up list. This morning, he demanded a dog biscuit (though I’m not sure whether he actually ate it; hard food still seems to be difficult for him).

We know a number of old dogs who have suffered bouts of ODVD and managed to recover completely. It might take him a few weeks to get there, but we’re pretty sure that the old brown guy will do the same.

Unless you own a pet supply store, you probably haven’t heard of PetAg — but you’re probably very familiar with one of their best-known products. PetAg makes Esbilac®, the iconic bitches’ milk replacer for newborn puppies.

To combat the growing problem of canine obesity, PetAg has introduced the DogSlim® line of products. (There’s a CatSlim® line as well, but my samples are for the canine members of the family. Our cat is on a very strict diet.) DogSlim Treats are oven-baked and formulated from healthy fruits and veggies, such as pumpkin, oat bran, cranberries, apples, carrots, and strawberries. They contain a high percentage of dietary fiber and are low in fat. The Sweet Potato & Rice Snack Bites are also gluten free.

Mind you, low-fat treats will not a slim dog make. You do still need to visit your vet for checkups, make sure your dog gets some exercise, and watch everything else that goes into your dog’s mouth. If (like me) you’re inclined to share your own goodies with your dogs, try sharing carrots and apples rather than Cheetos and suchlike. Even then, make sure they’re not getting too much. Low-calorie foods still have some calories.

We decided to try the Nutrition Snack Bites, which are made of pumpkin, oat bran, apples, and cranberries. Because I’m picky about what the Gang of Four gets to eat (even if they’re not as selective), I checked the ingredients list on the back of the package. The first ingredients are (in this order): pumpkin, whole wheat flour, buttermilk powder, oat bran, and water. The treats look like the one-bite brownies that beckon to us humans from the bakery section of the grocery store.

Upon opening the package, we all caught a whiff of an aroma straight out of the local bake sale — I kid you not. The pumpkin-based Nutrition Snack Bites smell good enough for people to eat. In a blindfolded sniff test, I’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference between these dog treats and pumpkin human cookies. They’re soft and chewy, and the Gang of Four just went crazy for them. The younger three just snarfed theirs, and Seamus (Chow Hound Extraordinaire) looked around with his famous “Wait! Isn’t there more?” expression. Charlie, the old man of the household, took some time to savor the chewy treats. I’m not sure the other three knew they were to be chewed first before swallowing.

PetAg also included a couple of packs of their Eco-Friendly Rawhide chews. These chews are made from grass-fed beef that is antibiotic- and hormone-free, made and packaged here in the USA, and come in a recyclable netting bag. The Gang of Four has a collection of larger bones to enjoy, but only under supervision. Badger’s a bit of a bully, and I will only give raw bones and chews when I’ve minimized the likelihood of squabbles breaking out.

Rawhide isn’t for everybody. You should supervise your dog when chewing, and if you find your dog tends to like to rip off large chunks, remove the treats immediately. Any treat or toy can be hazardous if your dog likes to swallow more than he likes to savor. If you do give rawhide, it’s best to give it from domestic sources, and ensure that it’s as chemical- and stain-free as possible.

You can find the DogSlim treats and other products at PetSmart and Petco, both online and in the stores — or locate a retailer near you.

And Now, the Giveaway

Because we like to share the wealth, we’re giving away a package of DogSlim Fruit & Veggie Snack Bites (made with apples, carrots, and strawberries as well as wheat, corn, and oat flour) and a bag of Eco-Friendly Rawhide chews. The rawhide chew bag contains one bone with patented Safety-Knot™ ends, two Twist Sticks, and 6 Natural Chunky Chew Chips. These treats are better suited for smaller dogs; medium and large dogs would probably snarf them.

If you’d like to win this package, just follow the usual simple rules:

• Visit the real shaggystories.net blog and leave a comment. Comments on Facebook, while always much enjoyed, don’t count.
• In your comment, tell me why your dog(s) would like to have these goodies, and whether you’ll wrap them as holiday gifts or just hand them out when they arrive.
• As usual, the winner will be drawn at random by comment number. I have Greg pick a number between 1 and whatever. Since he has no idea who has which number, he’s about as neutral a party as one can find.
• The drawing will take place on Saturday, December 4. We have a rally trial that day, so it will happen sometime in the evening.

Good luck — I hope you win! If you do, please leave a comment on the blog to let me know how your dog(s) liked the treats.

We still have some November left, after all — so there’s still time to get in on the National Canine Cancer Foundation‘s National Dog Wash fundraiser.

For a mere $5 minimum donation, you can receive the following:

• Foil sample packets of John Paul Pet Tea Tree and Oatmeal Shampoo. John Paul Pet is the pet-care arm of Paul Mitchell Products.
• A We Are the Cure window sticker for your car, featuring a pink pawprint.
• A link to a coupon for a free can of Halo Spot’s Stew. There’s also a store locator on Halo’s site if (like me) you need to find a place to redeem the coupon.
• A link to a 30-day trial membership in Trupanion Pet Insurance. They don’t serve the state of Maine, so this portion of the packet was useless to us, but they were awfully nice about saying so. (We’re used to people thinking Maine is in Canada. Our local phone company thinks so, too.) If you happen to live in one of the states where Trupanion does do business, they’ll make an additional $5 donation to the NCCF for every new policy.
• In addition, Freekibble.com will donate a meal of Spot’s Stew to an animal shelter to feed a hungry dog.

Once you receive the packet — and NCCF ships them out pretty quickly — you’re welcome to upload photos and/or videos of your dog receiving a luxury bath using the John Paul Pet products. I spotted a Beardie girl and a three-legged Old English Sheepdog in the photo gallery. Will your dog be next?

Here’s a photo of Charlie that I posted to the National Dog Wash photo gallery:

Charlie doesn’t much care for baths, but he’s a cancer survivor. He had a spindle cell carcinoma removed from his right side last year. As cancers go, this one wasn’t the worst one to have; the vet was able to remove it surgically with good margins all around, and there was no need for follow-up radiation or chemo. Still, he had cancer. If we can eradicate this horrific disease from dogs, maybe we can also eradicate it from humans. I lost another dog to hemangiosarcoma and my mother to pancreatic cancer. Another dog might have had a brain tumor, but we never did the necropsy to find out. Come to find out, another dear friend’s service dog has been diagnosed with mouth cancer. This evil, horrible disease can not be erased from the planet soon enough to suit me.

Chris Pike, VP of Marketing and Promotions for the NCCF, sent me a link to the press release for the event and added, “If you read Kiara and Skyler’s story, you’ll see why I’m passionate about this. It’s not a job to me…”

Whether or not your human or canine family has been visited by the spectre of cancer, you can still help to make a difference to dogs and people in the future — and end up with a clean, sweet-smelling pupper in the bargain. Really, how much fun can you have for $5 while also doing good?

Here’s the link to the National Dog Wash. November might have been designated National Canine Cancer Awareness Month, but we need to be aware of this menace all year round.

Now that you’ve met Maryann, here’s a copy of the article I asked to reprint. Since apples and pumpkins are plentiful at this time of year, this article is particularly timely. Thanks, Maryann!

You can see Maryann’s other articles on her website.

 

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Health care has come a long way for people and animals; there are so many innovative tools and new medicines to diagnosis and treat disease. However, more does not always prove to be better. The overuse of antibiotics has contributed to the rise of multiple drug resistant bacteria, and often the side effects of medications can actually be worse than the symptoms that are being treated. Perhaps you’re a minimalist or maybe you’re an advocate for a more natural and organic way to treat your Beardie. Before you reach into the medicine cabinet, take a look into your kitchen pantry for a safe and simple way to help your Beardie get better.

Got a Pumpkin?

Some say it is for constipation and others say it is for diarrhea, but the truth is pumpkin can and does relieve both symptoms. Puree of pumpkin is a good source of fiber and has a high water content that will help either the constipation or the diarrhea. The water will hydrate the intestines to relieve constipation, and the fiber will absorb excess water that causes the loose stool from an agitated colon. By adding canned pumpkin to your dogs’ food the symptoms may be alleviated in a few hours (make sure you do not get pumpkin pie filling by mistake). Pumpkin is safe to give to puppies and pregnant bitches and most dogs seem to enjoy the taste.

The puree of pumpkin can be incorporated into the evening meal on a regular basis since this allows the pumpkin to go through the system while the dog is sleeping. Remember diarrhea is a symptom, not a disease. Vomiting and diarrhea together require a different plan of care, so please consult your veterinarian as needed.

How much pumpkin to feed? Use this as a guideline:

• Under 20 lbs.: 1-2 teaspoons
• 20-50 lbs.: 1-2 tablespoons
• 50-100 lbs. 2-5 tablespoons

Really want to be natural and make your own pumpkin puree? Avoid field pumpkins, which are bred for perfect jack o’ lanterns, they tend to be too large and stringy for baking. Use sugar pie pumpkins or other flavorful varieties: small and sweet, with dark orange-colored flesh, they’re perfect for pies, soups, muffins and breads. A medium-sized (4-pound) sugar pumpkin should yield around 1½ cups of mashed pumpkin. This puree can be used in all your recipes calling for canned pumpkin.

There are three ways to transform an uncooked pumpkin into the puree:

Baking Method

Cut the pumpkin in half and discard the stem section and stringy pulp. Save the seeds to dry and roast for yourself. In a shallow baking dish, place the two halves face down and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for about 1½ hours for a medium-sized sugar pumpkin, or until tender.

Once the baked pumpkin has cooled, scoop out the flesh and puree or mash it.

Boiling Method

Cut the pumpkin in half, discarding the stringy insides.

Peel the pumpkin and cut it into chunks.

Place in a saucepan and cover with water.

Bring to a boil and cook until the pumpkin chunks are tender.

Let the chunks cool, and then puree the flesh in a food processor or mash it with a potato masher or food mill.

Microwave Method

Cut the pumpkin in half, discarding the stringy insides.

Microwave on high power for seven minutes per pound, turning pieces every few minutes to promote even cooking. Process as above.

You can refrigerate your fresh pumpkin puree for up to three days, or store it in the freezer up to six months, enabling you to enjoy fall pumpkins for months to come.

Next up — Apple Cider Vinegar!

Every home with dogs should have apple cider vinegar. It’s a remedy with multiple uses for dogs: alleviating allergies, arthritis, and establishing correct pH balance.

As written in an article by Wendy Volhard:

“…If your dog has itchy skin, the beginnings of a hot spot, incessantly washes its feet, has smelly ears, or is picky about his food, the application of apple cider vinegar (ACV) may change things around. For poor appetite, use it in the food — 1 tablespoon, two times a day for a 50 lb. dog. For itchy skin or beginning hot spots, put ACV into a spray bottle, part the hair and spray on. Any skin eruption will dry up in 24 hours and will save you having to shave the dog. If the skin is already broken, dilute ACV with an equal amount of water and spray on.

“Taken internally, ACV is credited with maintaining the acid/alkaline balance of the digestive tract. To check your dog’s pH balance, pick up some pH strips at the drug store, and first thing in the morning test the dog’s urine. If it reads anywhere from 6.2 – 6.5, your dog’s system is exactly where it should be. If it is 7.5 or higher, the diet you are feeding is too alkaline, and ACV will re-establish the correct balance.

“After your weekly grooming sessions, use a few drops in his or her ears after cleaning them to avoid ear infections. Other uses for ACV are the prevention of muscle weakness, cramps, feeling the cold, calluses on elbows and hock joints, constipation, bruising too easily, pimples on skin surfaces, twitching of facial muscles, sore joints, arthritis and pus in the urine. There are also reports that it is useful in the prevention of bladder and kidney stones.

“Fleas, flies, ticks and bacteria, external parasites, ring worm, fungus, staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, mange, etc., are unlikely to inhabit a dog whose system is acidic inside and out. Should you ever experience any of these with your dog, bathe with a nice gentle herbal shampoo — one that you would use on your own hair — rinse thoroughly, and then sponge on ACV diluted with equal amounts of warm water. Allow your dog to drip dry. It is not necessary to use harsh chemicals for minor flea infestations. All fleas drown in soapy water and the ACV rinse makes the skin too acidic for a re-infestation. If you are worried about picking up fleas when you take your dog away from home, keep some ACV in a spray bottle, and spray your dog before you leave home, and when you get back. Take some with you and keep it in the car, just in case you need it any time. Obviously for major infestations, more drastic measures are necessary. ACV normalizes the pH levels of the skin, makes your dog unpalatable to even the nastiest of bacteria and you have a dog that smells like a salad, a small price to pay!”

Help for Nails

Did you ever trim your Beardie’s nails and accidentally cut the quick? In a panic you search for the styptic powder to control the bleeding. Cornstarch, flour and powdered sugar are natural products that are just as effective. Unlike styptic powder, they are non-toxic. Of all these natural substances, cornstarch should be the first choice. When the dry substance is combined with aloe gel, it is even more effective. Aloe not only helps to stop bleeding, it helps the dry medium (such as corn starch) to adhere to the bleeding nail. It also has antibacterial properties that may prevent infection, and best of all from a Beardie’s point of view, it stops pain quickly! Make a paste of aloe gel and cornstarch to apply to a broken nail, or the aloe gel can be applied directly to the nail before applying the cornstarch.

Deskunking

It never hurts to repeat the recipe for getting rid of skunk odor. All of the ingredients can be found in your home.

• 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide
• ¼ cup baking soda
• 2 tbsp liquid dish detergent

Mix everything in a large plastic bucket (you are basically making an oxygen generator and the mixture will start to foam). Wash the dog while it is still foaming, since it is the oxygen which reacts with the thiols (the smelly oil in skunk spray) to neutralize the odor. If it’s not foaming, it’s not working. The brew will also work for clothes, humans, furniture and carpets. Do not make ahead of time, since the mixture will explode if kept in an airtight container.

And Remember…

Always remember to consult your veterinarian for serious or chronic conditions.

Maryann Szalka