At the end of each year, we tend to reflect on the year’s highlights and look ahead to the new year. Here are some noteworthy and popular posts from 2012.
FEEDING YOUR DOG RAW EGGS: GOOD OR BAD?
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about raw feeding and it seems the poor egg is often dragged through the mud as a dangerous food for dogs. Opponents of eggs claim that they are too high in cholesterol, they pose a risk of salmonella and that they cause a biotin deficiency. To that, we say nonsense! Eggs are not only a cheap and safe source of raw food for your dog, they are one of the most complete and nutritious meals you can choose!
WAGGIN TRAIN VICTIMS
We have been receiving dozens of emails from pet owners dealing with the loss or illness of their pets. There have been a few foods implicated but we’ll deal with Waggin Train stories in this post. We also have plenty of affected dogs from other pet products.
If you think your dog has been affected by tainted food, regardless of the brand, please contact us and we will post your story here.
WHY I DON’T VACCINATE MY DOGS AT ALL
Our dogs are in the midst of an epidemic. It’s not an epidemic of viral disease, but of chronic ill health. They’re besieged with itchy, pus-laden, scabby skin; vomit and diarrhoea are the norm. One in every hundred dogs suffers from epilepsy, and an even higher number lives with painful arthritis. Allergies are also reaching epidemic proportions: dogs are becoming allergic to life.
THINK YOU CAN AVOID PET FOODS MADE IN CHINA? THINK AGAIN!
Hundreds of consumer complaints are aimed at dog food manufactures so far in 2012 and dozens – perhaps hundreds – of dogs are dead. Does this sound like deja vu? Could there be another massive recall like there was five years ago? The answer is, it is likely happening now.
Fortunately, pet owners have become wiser since the melamine poisonings and massive recalls from 2007 and many are making decisions that will protect their pets. They have learned that quality control and food safety standards are shabby at best in many overseas and Chinese manufacturing plants and that even in the US, manufacturers have few safety and testing requirements. Pet owners are wisely avoiding treats and foods made in China and that’s good. But despite avoiding these products, their dogs continue to die and become ill. How can this happen when the food label says ‘made in the USA’
ATOPICA: A DANGEROUS PATH TO TAKE
Nothing seemed to be helping Buffy – an affectionate buff colored Cocker Spaniel. His owner was interested in holistic avenues. She was referred to a dermatologist after she had tried everything, (even steroids) and nothing had helped. The dermatologist prescribed Atopica for Buffy and the improvement was almost immediate. She couldn’t understand why her holistic veterinarian and her local veterinarian (who was aware of her holistic leaning) had not prescribed Atopica.
WHY VETS ARE GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER
How’s that for a title? If it got your attention, then that’s good because this topic needs your attention. It used to be that dogs visited the vet pretty rarely. They only needed a couple of vaccines, they weren’t eating veterinary prescription diets and they weren’t continually loaded with heartworm preventives, flea and tick meds and shampoos, dewormers, pharmaceuticals and more. Thinking back, maybe that’s why they didn’t need to go to the vet all that often.
TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THE LUXATING PATELLA
A luxating patella occurs when the knee cap moves out of its natural position. The patella (knee cap) lies in a cartilaginous groove at the end of the femur at the stifle. The patella in dogs is shaped like an almond and its purpose is to assist in knee extension. The patella resides in the tendon of the quadriceps muscle group which attaches to the bone below the femur, the tibia. When this muscle group contracts, it pulls on the tendon and the knee cap, thereby extending the stifle. If the patella is pulled out of its normal groove with knee extension, this is called a luxating patella.
BOOSTING YOUR DOG’S IMMUNE SYSTEM
Our dogs are constantly exposed to environments and substances that can compromise their health. Whether you live in the city or the country, pesticides can be difficult to avoid as neighbors and farmers spray their yards and fields. Many dogs live a relatively boring and inactive lifestyle and that can create stress. Other dogs are exposed to viruses, bacteria and parasites in vet offices, training buildings, dog parks and even open parks and fields.
BORDETELLA: DOES YOUR DOG REALLY NEED THE KENNEL COUGH VACCINE?
Your veterinarian, kennel owner, day care provider or groomer says your dog should/must be vaccinated against kennel cough, but you’re trying not to over-vaccinate. What should you do?
THE BENEFITS OF DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
Diatomaceous Earth is a dirt cheap way to control external and internal parasites in your dog.
Diatomaceous Earth is a non-toxic, safe substance made up from crushed fossils of freshwater organisms and marine life. Crushed to a fine powder and observed through a microscope, the particles resemble bits of broken glass. Diatomacous Earth is deadly to any insect yet completely harmless to animals.
Thank you for your support in 2012 and we look forward to providing you with many more information posts in the new year!
