All Things Dog Blog

Showing posts with label Ask the Vet. Show all posts

Monday, August 25, 2014

Reviews, Giveaways, Advice:
My Readers' Questions Answered

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

I often receive emails and DMs about my reviews and giveaways. Likewise about my site's advice columns. It's time to come out of the closet. I'll try to answer all the questions I've been asked, but feel free to leave comments with other curiosities. I appreciate your interest!

Why I never have negative reviews: I only review products that I can recommend for at least some of my readers who fit a certain profile (long ears, big, small, older, younger, whatever!). I NEVER review and slam a product that I do not like. It's not worth your time or mine.
Selection of winners: Except in the case of a contest (I rarely do these), winners are drawn at Random.org. This is randomizer that selects a number from my total number of entries. If I have 87 entries and I place that number in the box at Random.org and it spits out number 43, that's the winner. And yes, sometimes that means counting down to the 43rd comment, Tweet, etc. #sigh
Treats and Food: I don't give away or review any food or treats that is not made in the U.S. #nuffsaid
Grab bags, surprise packages, gift packs and more: Sometimes I have assorted items that simply cannot all be given away using a category. These are assorted into packages and given away as assortments. Each package is likely to be enjoyed by most any dog owner, as products included in these are of a general nature, useful to most, if not all, dogs or their pet parents.
#PetCharityDonations: This is a Win-to-Donate program in which I draw names and donate specified products to a Petfinder rescue near me. This saves shipping and gas, while helping shelter pets. I am unable to ship many of these prizes to a shelter of your choice due to the cost of shipping. For example, the large dog crate that I gave away at the link above would have cost me $100 to ship. That cost would be prohibitive.
Advertisers, Twitter Party Sponsors and Sponsorships: When a company pays me to provide a social media service on their behalf, I only accept these jobs when I can, in my heart, share their product with you. Opinions provided in my articles about such sponsors are completely my own.
Article choices: I rarely share negative news about the pet industry unless it is a significant event related to pet health such as a recall. If the pet industry announced that peanut butter was deadly to dogs, I'd share this in an article to educate you. Otherwise, I generally share educational, fun, helpful topics. We are not a news blog.
Weekly Wag Bonding series: Each Saturday I share tips across a variety of areas that are all focused on helping you bond more closely with your dog. My #doga series is often included in the Weekly Wag postings.
Doga? My yoga series that promotes bonding with your dog while you workout at home is simply that--a yoga workout program. If you choose to include your pet, please do it at your own risk, using the knowledge you have about your relationship with the pet.I have addressed some helpful tips for getting started here. I highly recommend that you and your dog or cat get your doctors' permission before beginning a yoga workout regimine of any kind.
Ask the Trainer articles: Over the years I have had several trainers write the Ask the Trainer column. Each may have had a slightly different take on a specified topic; however, they all agree on one thing--positive training works better than negative. My own articles on training topics follow this same pattern. Visit the link to look for articles on topics that appeal to you.
Ask the Vet column: Likewise, All Things Dog Blog has had several veterinarians who have penned the Ask the Vet articles. You'll find a complete list of these healthcare articles here.
Organic pet food recommendations: Since day one I have fed and recommeded organic food for my readers. I only feed organic to my own dogs, in order to assure that they are not getting artificial ingredients, synthetic toxins, etc. I understand that not all of you will choose to go this route, and I totally respect your decisions. Take my thoughts and tuck them in your memory banks for later.
Fido's Freebie Friday: This giveaway event is a Blog Hop which allows other pet-related sites that are running pet product giveaways to link up and share their event with you. This weekly event opens at 4 PM each Thursday and closes at 4 PM the following Thursday, therefore making it a 24/7/365 event. Giveaways may be accessed by simply clicking on the thumbnail image to visit the post where the prize is described. You may enter to win each prize per the instructions at that specific post.
Photo Contests: Winners of photo contests are judged by a panel of at least 2 judges that are independent of this blog. In other words, they do not work for me, and I am not the judge. Judges' decisions are final. Additional rules apply to each event.
Rescuing Rover stories: These articles are written by my readers and published here to share their experiences. If you wish to submit a Rescuing Rover story, please send it to AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com, placing Rescuing Rover in the subject line.
Pup Profiles: This series allows you to share a photo of your pup along with a very short bio that follows a specific pattern you'll find in the example at the link.
Rainbow Bridge Memorial: Over the years I have published All Things Dog Blog, I have lost 3 pets and had many readers write to me about losing theirs. Some choose to share their pet's photo and a few words or a poem, as a way to memorialize their best friend. You'll find the memorial at the link. If you would like to include your own pet in our memorial, you need only write me at AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com with your pet's photo and the text you would like included. Don't forget Fido's name, and any dates you would like included.
Tanner's Story: A good while back it was suggested that I write an interview with my dogs. Here's the result for Tanner.
Oliver's Story: You'll find Oliver's interview here, and an update that includes the story about his latest skillset. It has been quite a ride!

Happy tails,

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Ask the Veterinatian About Coprophagia

by Julie Buzby, DVM

courtesy Dayland via Flickr.com
Looking Guilty

Dear Dr. Buzby,

How do we get our pups to stop eating their own, or other dogs, poop?

Thanks, Lori,

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Hello Lori,

You recently queried on AllThingsDogBlog about how to stop coprophagia in dogs. Great question, but I recommend not reading my answer while eating a meal. Coprophagia literally means “to eat feces”. This activity, like dogs rolling on a dead carcass, is something we humans cannot appreciate. Yet it is a very rewarding behavior for our canine companions.

For-Bid™ is probably the product most commonly recommended by veterinarians for this issue. It’s been around for years, and is fed to dogs for 5-6 consecutive days, then as needed. For-Bid™ is basically wheat gluten and monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is the active ingredient because it is broken down in digestion to make the stool taste yucky. Reviews are mixed on how well the product works, but I’m leary about prescribing wheat gluten and/or sodium glutamate to my patients.

Several over-the-counter products are also available, some with more “gentle” ingredients (such as digestive enzymes and probiotics), but they also garner mixed reviews for efficacy. Then there’s the list of home remedies, such as feeding meat tenderizer or pineapple, used for their enzymatic properties in digestion.

I need to point out that in a multidog household, if you are giving an oral product to address this problem, the product needs to be given to all dogs, not just the dog who ingests feces, so that all the accessible excrement is altered.

Unfortunately, in my experience, there is no magic bullet for coprophagia (though sometimes one of the above products or tactics will work for an individual).

The most reliable way to address this behavior requires diligent, hygienic management of the dog’s environment and access to stool. This means:

• strict supervision when the dog is outdoors

• immediate picking up of the feces to remove the temptation

• teaching the “leave it” command

• as a last resort, using a basket muzzle to prevent ingestion

It is important to note that this behavior is not only a problem from the standpoint of the “gross factor”, but is also a possible route of transmission of internal parasites and bacteria.

Please talk to your veterinarian about your concerns. Though coprophagia is usually just a behavioral habit, it can be associated with a dietary problem or even an underlying medical issue.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility.In her free time she serves on the Advisory Board for The Grey Muzzle Organization. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

Here are a few of her articles that may be of interest:

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Ask the Vet About Nail Care + Posture

by Dr. Julie Buzby, DVM

Buffer

courtesy ToeGrips.com
Nail Care the Right Way

During 2014, I’ve been contributing posts in a series titled, “Ten Tips for Fido’s Longest Life.” To date, we’ve covered topics such as weight management, dental care, nutrition, and vaccinations—all mainstream concepts.

This month we veer off into unconventional territory in the discussion of canine longevity: dog nail care.

“How can my dog’s toenails affect his life?” you ask with a healthy dose of skepticism.

This blog post will answer that question and hopefully convince you that frequent, appropriate nail trims are one of the best gifts you can give your dog!

As a general rule, our domestic dogs’ toenails are entirely too long. In their natural environment, dogs run, dig and climb. These activities wear down the nails and keep them short. In contrast, our canine companions live on fancy hard flooring, lounge around on the furniture, and get brief leash walks for exercise. This lifestyle sets up for obesity, behavioral problems, and long toenails.

Long nails are not merely a cosmetic concern. In truth, long toenails change the way a dog’s toes interface with the ground—impacting gait and posture. Dogs’ toes contain an abundance of proprioceptive receptors. These receptors feed information to the central nervous system about the body’s spatial position with respect to the ground and gravity. Long nails cause skewed input to be sent to the brain. The brain makes adjustments accordingly. The result is a dog who stands with chronic bad posture.

More specifically, a dog with long toenails won’t stand with his legs perpendicular to the ground. Rather, he will compensate by adopting the “goat on a rock” stance, where his front legs are “behind” perpendicular and the hind limbs must shift forward under him to prevent him from tipping forward. A lifetime of standing in this position causes chronic stress on the system and predisposes to injury.

On top of that, this dog will move with an altered gait. Walking with long toenails can be likened to walking in oversized clown shoes. When presented with a new patient, after taking the history, I generally begin with an effective (and pain-free) toenail trim because it will instantly change the dog’s gait and stance. Then, when I gait the dog to evaluate for lameness and body mechanics, I can focus on deeper issues, not compensatory problems from long toenails.

The moral of this post is that nail care is drastically undervalued. It’s a surprising confession, but I’ve concluded that a simple pedicure is one of the most valuable changes I make for my patients, and a nail trimming tutorial is one of the most valuable gifts I give my clients. A ten-minute, short-nail makeover is the fastest, least expensive way I know to help a dog stand and walk better instantly.

Just like humans, there is individual variation on how fast nails grow, but most grow fairly quickly. I trim my own dog’s nails every 1-2 weeks, and recommend a maximum interval of 4 weeks for my patients.

Need some tips? Here's a video created by Dr. Julie to educate dog owners about proper nail care:

Here are a few of her articles that may be of interest:

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Ask the Vet: Bones as Fido's Dental Care

by Dr. Julie Buzby

Buffer

courtesy Photonquantique via Flickr.com
A Little Help Please

Dear Dr. Julie:

Thank you for the wonderful tips. Do you have any thoughts on the use of raw beef marrow bones for dental health. I'd like to hear the pros and cons. Also, which of the products such as Greenies would you recommend?

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Dear All Things Dog Blog readers:

It’s great that you’ve framed the question as an evaluation of pros and cons, because both must be considered. In the pros column, chewing is a rewarding activity for many dogs, and can indeed be beneficial for the teeth and gums. In the cons column, chewed items can cause fractured teeth, pose choke or obstruction hazards, flare up food allergies, and supply unwelcome calories to a dog’s diet.

Bones, particularly with meat still attached, can help clean teeth. That has been my personal observation, and was demonstrated by at least one scientific study. But, overall, I have to give “beef marrow bones” a thumbs down. Even though my patients who chew on bones often have pearly whites, in my opinion, the risks outweigh the benefits.

Bones are notorious for cracking the crowns off the big upper 4th premolar (or carnassial) teeth in dogs. If you lift your dog’s upper lip, you can identify this tooth on each side, because it looks like a miniature upside down mountain range, and is the biggest tooth in the mouth. The only way to address these fractured teeth is with a major dental procedure under anesthesia—generally extraction. Left alone, a fractured crown is an abscess waiting to happen and is very painful.

Bones can also cause esophageal or intestinal obstruction, perforation, and constipation.

Similar to bones are antler chews. I have a personal vendetta against antlers. They seem to be very popular lately as “natural” chew toys, and I bought into the propaganda. My own young dog, with immaculate healthy teeth, cracked the tips off of five of his premolars in a matter of hours gnawing on an antler. They are absolutely just too hard.

One of my colleagues says that chewing on bones and antlers is like playing in traffic. You may get away with it for a while, but eventually something bad will happen.

Water additive: My recommendation for dogs is Healthymouth™. It is recommended and sold by numerous board certified veterinary dentists and has been proven successful in many clinical trials. This anti-plaque product contains no alcohol or xylitol, and has seven seals of approval from the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC).

Greenies: Though don’t stand up very long to tough chewing, Greenies can be a fun treat for dogs and are proven to help reduce plaque and tartar. They have also been awarded the VOHC Seal of Approval. For a pet on a weight loss program, beware that that they do contribute calories.

As a general rule, rubber chew toys are considered safe, but I recommend using all chew toy products under “adult supervision”.

As a final note, it’s important to understand that these items may be helpful for plaque and tartar control, but are not able to treat dental disease. Rather, they are part of a comprehensive oral healthcare program that should include daily teeth brushing and regular professional examinations.

Here are a few of her articles that may be of interest:

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Doggie Dental Health for a Long Life

by Dr. Julie Buzby

Buffer

courtesy Photonquantique via Flickr.com
Brushing is Best

Though no scientific studies have been done to prove that appropriate dental care will extend your dog’s lifespan, I am convinced that it will.

Dental disease is perhaps the most common malady seen in dogs today, especially small breed dogs. This is not just about “dirty teeth”. Dogs with periodontal disease suffer from infection and inflammation that can lead to tooth loss, gum disease, and significant pain. Bad odor coming from a dog’s mouth is not normal. The smell comes from bacteria and is my first clue that a dog has an unhealthy mouth.

Besides the effects on the gums and teeth, dental disease can cause problems in other body systems. In people, there is a conclusive link between heart disease and periodontal disease. Longstanding inflammation and infection in the mouth set up for bacteria being released into the bloodstream. The kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart can all be damaged by this bacterial shower.

Many of my clients are surprised when I point out problems in their dog’s mouth on a routine physical exam. A thorough oral exam is one of the most important parts of my examination. Most dogs will develop some degree of periodontal disease during their lifetime depending on breed, age, genetics, and home care.

Now for the good news: periodontal disease is preventable and treatable. As for prevention, we can’t change your dog’s DNA, but home care is a vital part of keeping your dog’s mouth healthy. I recommend daily teeth brushing, ideally beginning as a puppy. It takes less than 12 hours for bacteria to attach to a tooth's surface. The bacteria then absorb calcium from saliva and become mineralized, forming tartar. This is why brushing is recommended daily, to continually break this cycle. While any type of toothbrush is fine, do not use human toothpaste, as it may cause tummy upset and the fluoride can be toxic.

There is simply no substitute for brushing, because it mechanically breaks up the plaque, but there are other home care options when brushing simply is not possible. Ask your veterinarian to help you develop a custom dental home care plan for your dog.

Based on what is discovered during your dog’s oral exam, your veterinarian may also recommend a professional dental procedure, which will involve cleaning the teeth, and possibly dental x-rays and extractions. For many dogs, these therapeutic dental procedures are like a drink from the Fountain of Youth. Clients are stunned by the dramatic positive changes in their dog’s attitude and vitality after pain and infection in the mouth have been resolved.

While it’s my opinion and observation that a healthy mouth will extend a dog’s quantity of life, it is a fact that a healthy mouth will enhance a dog’s quality of life. That should be enough to make all of us take dental care more seriously!

Here are a few of her articles that may be of interest:

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ask the Veterinarian:
Insight on Friendship Changes

by Dr. Julie Buzby

Scent May Change Your Pet's Playtime Dynamic

Hi, I have a female 10 month old Lhasa Apso puppy who has a best fur friend who is a 6 month old sheltie mix. These puppies have played together from day one of meeting each other. My puppy was spayed at 6 months. After recovery the two went on to have play dates and be the best of fur friends. Recently the sheltie puppy was spayed, so after her recovery we made a play date. To my surprise my puppy reacted very different towards her. It was like she didn't know the Sheltie. My puppy treated her as she would a strange dog. After being with her about 15 minutes she started to warm up to her again but still wasn't the same way with her. Does a dog's scent change after being spayed?

Johnna

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Dear Johnna, My first year in practice I received a call from a distressed client after I’d examined her Siamese cat and taken a routine blood sample. The cat shared a home with 2 other felines, who wouldn’t come near my patient after she’d returned from her excursion to our hospital. The housemates, displaying classic signs of fear aggression, hissed at the Siamese and treated her as if she was an alien teleported onto their turf.

There is debate whether unfamiliar odors, subtle visual cues, pheromones, or a combination of factors cause these reintroduction issues, but this problem is not uncommon in multicat households. My hypothesis is that this cat carried home, on her coat, foreign scents from the veterinary hospital. Rubbing alcohol had been applied to her fur in the process of collecting a blood sample, but I’ve also observed the phenomenon in cats who had not been exposed to alcohol. The “clinical” potpourri of smells that envelopes animals in the hospital environment seems to be enough to cause problems in certain situations.

I have to confess, I’ve only seen this happen in cats, but a dog's sense of smell is many times more powerful than a cat’s. To answer your question, yes, I do believe the Sheltie’s scent changed after being spayed, but I don’t think it was because of hormone/pheromone changes that your Lhasa acted strangely towards her. I think the offending scent was a combination of the disinfectant used to prepare her belly for the spay, rubbing alcohol used to place the IV catheter, and other “medicinal” odors that could have been harbored by the Sheltie’s long-haired coat.

I trust the relationship is back to normal by now, but for future reference, it’s best to go very slowly in reintroducing animals exhibiting this fear-based behavior. Unfortunately, it can take days, weeks, or even months to resolve.

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Photo courtesy andylangager via flickr.com

All Things Dog Blog

Monday, August 25, 2014

Reviews, Giveaways, Advice:
My Readers' Questions Answered