Know Your Dog

It seems like a simple enough statement…know your dog.  But I think sometimes it gets overlooked simply because we’re around our canine companions so much, we really don’t give it much thought.  At least not until something goes terribly wrong.  Maybe there were earlier signs, but we didn’t notice, because we weren’t really paying that much attention.  My rule of thumb is, if something seems even a little ‘off’…monitor the abnormality at least 24 hours.  If it doesn’t get better, then check into it further.  Now if it’s something major and very obvious, it most likely will require immediate attention. 

When we have a new dog in our home, whether it be a foster or an adopted dog, it can be more of a challenge.  Who knows what’s ‘normal’ for this recent arrival?  Well, that’s when observation mode begins…when the dog enters your home.  Take note of his/her habits…granted I’ve found with fostering that the ‘real dog’ doesn’t emerge until somewhere around three weeks in my home.  Monitor water intake.  Check the stool, most times just a visual will be enough…this can disclose a lot.  Size, texture, (too dry, too loose, etc.) even color. Do there appear to be any worms? They’re pretty noticeable.  Is there a fowl odor to it, does it really, really stink, like something ‘died’? Does the dog strain to urinate or does it cause any discomfort? Is mucus present in the stool? Blood? These are all signs that something is awry. 

Check your dog’s ears to see if any visible discharge is present.  Take a sniff…if should not have a bad odor at all.  Do his/her eyes appear healthy? There should not be any small ‘clumps’ of mucus draining out of the eye…an off color, like green or yellow could indicate an infection.  Is there redness? If it is possible, check your dog’s teeth and gums.  The gums should be a healthy pinkish/red color.  Your dog should not have a ‘snotty’ nose.  This could indicate allergies or an infection, even a blockage or cancer.  A clear, wet nose is typically not an issue.  There should never be any ‘color’ or ‘cloudiness’ to discharge.

If you don’t trim your dog’s nails, do check their nails in between trims.  Rough or broken nails can get caught on things and do further damage to the nail, or even hurt your dog.  Give your dog a gentle, but firm massage all over his/her body.  This will allow you to check for lumps, bumps or anything that doesn’t seems like it should be there.  Take extra care with smaller and older dogs or dogs with arthritis to not rub too hard.  My dogs love when I massage them! I usually get ‘thank you kisses’.  Also consider purchasing a brush to ‘massage’ your dog’s coat.  Even for short hairs.  I haven’t met a dog yet that didn’t like a good brushing! Carefully ‘work out’ tangles if your dog has long hair.  You want it to be an enjoyable experience for both of you!

Basically, if you can check your dog from snout to tail, it will give you a pretty good indication if something is amiss.  Early detection of a problem can many times keep an issue from becoming out of control.  This also familiarizes you with your dog’s overall condition.  Any concerns you have can be discussed with your veterinarian.  Get to know your dog…it can be a life-saver!

Recipe - Green Turkey

Green Turkey

1 pkg. lean or extra lean ground turkey

¼ cup zucchini squash (leave peeling on)

1/3 cup organic broccoli

¼ teaspoon dried organic parsley (can use fresh also, just double amount)

Put squash and broccoli through the food processor and cook in with ground turkey.  Sprinkle in parsley.  Allow to cool slightly and dish up for your dog with high quality kibble.  Yum!

‘Veterinary’, ‘Prescription’ Dog Foods

‘The above title of this article is a term that has somewhat confounded me over the past many years.  From the surface it sounds quite extraordinary and trustworthy.  It seems pretty impressive…but once one is past the ‘hype’, and digs into the real ‘meat’ (no pun intended…the meat’s not there anyway!), the truth is immediately exposed.  Perhaps not to the typical consumer purchasing the product, but to the educated and trained eye, it is quite evident. 

These dog foods are touted as ‘complete’, ‘balanced’, ‘premium’, and claim to be of benefit to your canine companion.  I researched close to a half dozen veterinary prescription dog foods to find out the real scoop on their reliability.  Sorry to say to you, but no surprise to me, I was not able to find one that would meet my criteria of a quality product.  Maybe there is one out there…should I happen upon it, I’ll let you know.

It is my understanding, and I believe I have commented about this before, what little ‘nutritional’ training veterinarians receive while in school comes from representatives from the prescription dog food industry.  That’s why you see all those prescription dog foods available at your local vet.  I’m sure there’s a kick back for them to sell it.  Hmmm…a win/win situation for the vet and the prescription dog food manufacturers, but a losing situation in my opinion for the dog owner. I'm not faulting your vet, but I sure would like to give some canine nutrition classes in their office!

These ‘foods’, if I should call them that, many which contain chemical preservatives, unnecessary fillers and lack of protein (a mainstay in a canine diet), also have for the first ingredient such things as, corn, (if I find a reason your dog really needs corn, I’ll let you know) ground whole grain sorghum (a cereal grain) and brewer’s rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry and a low-quality grain)! ‘Whole grain’ sounds quite impressive….that’s got to be healthy for my dog, right? Well, there may be a reason somewhere down the line for its inclusion in your dog’s diet, but not as the primary ingredient. Whole grains (which is how all grain starts out), are very healthy for people, as long as they have not been refined to the point of removal of nutrients that are beneficial for a healthy diet.

In addition to the list we find chicken liver ‘flavor’? I question that. Where is the flavor derived from? Don’t know…that is not disclosed. It's probably not natural. Dried egg product?  'Product'? Is that some form of fake eggs? Don’t know…that’s not disclosed either.  Salt….you don’t need to add any extra in your dog’s diet. If there is a special need, and I come across it, I will let you know. They will get enough from the home cooked meals that include canned wild salmon, organic cheese and cottage cheese and that which occurs naturally in fresh vegetables.

Chicken by-product meal, another low quality protein source.  Fish meal, this is, in my opinion just bad overall.  Most fish meal contains ethoxyquin, which is used as a pesticide and is known to cause cancer in dogs among other maladies.  I found one particular prescription food that was a veterinary diet called GastroENteric.  It claims high digestibility, but yet the first three ingredients (are grains!), brewer’s rice, corn gluten meal (a low quality protein source, actually a ‘fragment’) and whole grain corn (there we go again with the ‘whole grain’).  ‘Enteric’ in the name implies that it does not break down in the stomach, but in the small intestine,  as supplements such as Vitamin C, garlic and even aspirin are sometimes enteric coated, meaning they do not dissolve in the stomach, but in the small intestine, as not to cause stomach upset for people with sensitive digestive systems. And by the way, a 6 pound bag of this, ‘on sale’ no doubt will set you back $18.49! Might as well be buying a top quality kibble with actual protein in it!

There is certainly more to be said regarding prescription and veterinary brand dog foods, as this article only scratches the surface.  I’m sure I’ve said it before…become a label reader! Be informed! Know what is in the product you are purchasing for your dog.  It could be the difference between a healthy dog and one that becomes ill with a disease later in life because of continual use of a poor quality food

Green Tea For Your Dog?

 By now many of us are aware of the health benefits of green tea for humans.  So could this be something that would profit our furry friends?  I decided to check into it.  I was not able to find a lot about it, but what I did find was very informative.

Of course, green tea in its natural state contains caffeine, and dogs cannot have caffeine.  Fortunately, it is available in a decaffeinated form.  It also contains natural fluoride in it leaves, giving it the ability to significantly reduce tartar build-up and bacteria, prevent cavities and fight gingivitis and gum disease.

So, what is it about these leaves that make them so special and so good for people and dogs? Green tea contains polyphenols, which are antioxidants found only found in plants.  Antioxidants protect against free radicals, and because of that, they help fight and keep away cancer.

It’s anti-inflammatory, making is useful for dogs with arthritis and skin issues.  It supports over-all health, strengthens the immune system, is great for older dogs and dogs who are chronically or terminally ill.  It can aid in weight control and is considered to be anti-bacterial and anti-viral.

If you think this would benefit your canine friend, check with your veterinarian, especially if your dog is on prescription medications or is suffering from cancer and is undertaking chemotherapy or is taking cancer prescription medications.

Check out ilovedogs.com; they have a green tea supplement you can purchase that is decaffeinated that is liver flavor.  You can read more about it there.  A 60-day supply for a small dog is $31.99.

It is amazing how much is out there that can help and is natural.  I chose to use natural, herbal, organic whenever possible, especially over man-made, chemical containing drugs, it is far better for your dog, and that’s what we want!

Ground Chicken Super Meal

Ground Chicken Super Meal

1 pkg. ground chicken

¼ c. organic baby carrots

¼ c. organic green pepper

½ c. organic brown rice (already cooked)

¼ teaspoon dried organic parsley

Put carrots and green pepper through a food processor.  Pour in with the ground chicken in the skillet.  Add parsley.  Cook until meat is done.  Remove from heat and stir in brown rice.  Put in your dog’s dish and mix in with kibble.  Add a dollop of cottage cheese on top.

Note: I always include egg powder calcium in my dog’s food. (Check my May 6^th, 2012 blog for the recipe) For an extra added benefit, sprinkle about 1/8-1/2 teaspoon on the meat mixture and stir in before adding kibble.

Exceptions To ‘The Rules’

 

Happy, healthy dogs…everybody wants one…but not everybody has one or gets one.  There are so many issues that can arise…genetics, diet, environment…these all have an impact on our furry companions.  Generally speaking, my dogs do not have any serious health issues, and I feel very blessed.  We deal with an occasional bout of diarrhea…or one of them drinks too much water at one time that causes a non-serious ‘effect’…but on the whole…they’re pretty healthy…and I feel most people would agree about that in reference to their own dogs.

I am finding more in my research and study in regards to canine nutrition, there are ‘exceptions’.  That can be expected…so I want to make that clear in how I present my blogs, because I want every dog to benefit from what I post.  As I find these ‘except….’ situations, I will blog about them, so you will have the best information for those special circumstances.

Just as with people, what works for one person may not work for the next, is also true with dogs.  And dogs who have disease and illness may have different needs from those of a basically healthy dog.  Knowing how to handle this, what to do and how to adjust to best assist their needs can be paramount in quality of life and even add years to their lives, worthy years.

Foods that I would suggest you don’t feed your healthy dog…a dog suffering from a specific illness or disease issue might actually benefit from it.  It is possible.  In that case, I want you to know.  I want what is best for my dogs and for yours…and most likely, somewhere down the line that will differ.  I hope you will go back and re-read and review the blogs I have posted.  There is a lot of information, and you may find yourself in a situation that warrants a change…an article that didn’t pertain to you in the past, may now.

I hope you are finding these blogs to be helpful.  I welcome questions, comments and suggestions.  Please pass along the blog link to family and friends who have dogs so together we can reach as many dogs as possible!  I’m an ambitious individual…I want to help them all!

                                                                                                          

 

Digestive Enzymes

As our dogs age their digestive tracts have to work harder at assimilating the nutrients in their food, and sometimes the process doesn’t work very well.  Even a dog with a healthy diet could benefit from the use of digestive enzymes, as they aid in the absorption of nutrients and support healthy digestion.

Perhaps your dog suffers from skin issues, a dull coat, bowel problems, lack of energy, allergies or itchiness.  All these can be signs that your dog’s system is out of balance.

There are many kinds of enzymes.  There are four that stand out to me…lipase, which aid in fat breakdown…amylase for starchy foods, protease to break down proteins and cellulase which helps break down fiber from your dog’s diet.  Without these working properly your dog could experience poor digestion, which can lead to gas, diarrhea and other health issues.

Digestive enzymes are available mostly in powder form.  I did find one in a vegetarian capsule form.  You can expect to spend anywhere from about $10 to as much as $46.

I am just beginning to learn about digestive enzymes, and I feel it would be an excellent addition to every dog’s diet.  I will be blogging more in the future about this.  Stay tuned!