Important Information for you dogs health and wellbeing

There are more fads and ideas when it comes to our pets than you can shake a stick at. A new idea, or method comes along almost everyday. One minute we are working on the pack theory and basing all out ideas and behavioural modifications on the Wolf, “dogs distant ancestors” and how they interacts with the rest of the pack Then Copinger comes along and tells us that its not as simple as that “who ever said it was simple”? .

After studying feral and village dogs he turned the Alpha theory on its head. Stating it is more like a democracy than an autocracy. We have clicker training, natural diets, harnesses, halti’s, training discs, positive reinforcement negative reinforcement, operant conditioning, and collars that squirt noxious liquids. All supposedly to let us live in harmony with our pets.

Most are excellent, several are overused, some are batty and a few are downright dangerous, rarely are they fatal with the exception of the BARF or Raw Meat Diet.

As a professional behaviourist and dog trainer I see lots of puppies and adult dogs, I also get to see the Breeder’s feeding recommendations, and these follow fads like there is no tomorrow. The BARF diet - Bones And Raw Food - involves feeding your dog the same types of foods he would apparently find in the wild. This feeding method recommends raw, meaty bones and raw human grade meats as a daily source of nutrients.

However this recommendation to feed raw meat, including chicken wings, beef, lamb pork and tripe is positively life threatening, the additives, antibiotics, preservatives, and toxicity in raw meats are nothing like you would ever find in the wild. We all know about Salmonella in chicken but who has heard of Neosporosis Caninum? Or Anthelmintics?

With regard to raw Tripe. Cattle are now routinely wormed with fairly potent concentration of Anthelmintics, usually Fenbendazol. This is administered via a Bolus which sits in the stomach and breaks down over selected periods of time into regulated doses.

I wonder what concentrations of the Anthelmintics in "tripe" is if the animal is slaughtered shortly after a release of the dose from the bolus? I certainly feel that the concentration may be far too much for small dogs and young puppies to cope with.

Raw Chicken is another area of concern. The amount of antibiotics pumped into them could surely have a culminative affect when fed to dogs over a period of time. Possibly creating a situation whereby our pets become immune to the antibiotics from our vets, resulting in enormous problems in post operative or even preoperative treatments.

I have recently seen a rise in the recommendation to feed both puppies and adult dogs on human grade lean raw mince. The thinking is that if it is good enough for human consumption then it is good enough for dogs. Neosporosis Caninum, a parasite that affects the brain and then works its way through the spinal cord, muscles and major organs, is a fairly recent discovery, up until 1988 it was misdiagnosed as Toxoplasma gondii.

It is almost always fatal and if your pet survives it will leave it blind, brain damaged, and paralysed. A recent case resulted from feeding some fresh raw mince bought from a leading UK Supermarket. The owner an experienced dog breeder watched Cilla a 16 months old pedigree Boxer deteriorate from a happy and healthy family pet to a disoriented, blind and paralysed wreck in just one week.

Dogs Trust Vet Director said: "It’s a pretty horrible parasite. The simple way to avoid it is to cook the meat – never feed it to your animals raw. Most people do not realise that it is extremely dangerous, you must always cook the meat you or your animals eat."

The Boxers owner is now determined to get the law on food labelling changed – and has already spoken to her MP. She says: "I really think it is something that needs to be addressed. it needs something obvious to warn people not to feed raw meat to their pets, to prevent more tragedies like this.” In reply a supermarket spokeswoman said: "Our meat is only meant for human consumption and should always be cooked. We label our products very clearly for humans. We have done a lot of research into what it says on the label and we are happy that they say everything that is needed." Tell that to Cilla!

Apart from the life threatening elements of feeding raw meat there is also the behavioural element, overdosing on protein affects behaviour similar to constantly feeding oats to a horse, then expecting a quiet and sedate ride.

My recommendation! Stick to a quality dry food not the latest fad and you can’t go far wrong.

Dr Ian Billinghurst (a Vet not a nutritionist) based in the Australian outback has made a fortune from his book “Give Your Dog a Bone.” He is the doyen/guru of the BARF diet. Depending who you speak to BARF either stands for Bones and Raw Food or is an acronym for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. With today’s cattle that is a contradiction in terms on a par with Military Intelligence or Social Worker. Unfortunately it is also an American and Ausralian word for someone who has vomited. Perhaps Dr Billinghurst is having the last laugh on his fanatical followers?

What amazes me is I am supposed to listen to the likes of Billinghurst who has nothing to do with nutrition yet I am accused of being a layman. As a Behaviourist. I deal will the effects of food on behaviour every day. By his own admission and I quote: “Dr. Billinghurst acknowledges that there isn’t any scientific data backing up his claims:" To date there have been no scientific trials conducted to determine if the re-introduction of dogs to the diet they all ate until about 60 years ago as having any benefit. Many veterinary specialists warn against the diet, arguing that Dr. Billinghurst’s claims aren’t substantiated with adequate if any medical research, and that the BARF diet actually has the potential to be life-threateningly dangerous.

Julie Churchill is a specialist in companion animal nutrition at the University of Minnesota She says “"I am very much against the raw food diets," Dr. Churchill said. "Many dogs can do well on a raw food diet. However, [the diets] have the potential to be life-threatening. Any food that can potentially kill even one animal is not worth the risk." Sarah Abood, assistant professor of small animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University’s veterinary school: Said "To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never seen anything in the veterinary literature suggesting a documented health benefit of raw meat diets."

Widely regarded veterinary textbooks, including Craig Greene’s Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat, have long held that animals—immunocompromised or healthy that eat raw meat are susceptible to bacterial infections. E. coli and Salmonella are among the more serious infections transmitted through meat that isn’t properly cooked. 2/3rds of all chicken in Britain has salmonella.

I hear the argument that dogs are basically scavengers and eat from our rotting waste, that may be the case with feral or village dogs, see Ray Copingers excellent book “Dogs” But it is certainly not the case of our pampered pedigree pooches. These village dogs are not eating meat full of additives, antibiotics from cattle with boluse stuffed down there throats s, the meat is not from animals that have grazed on land sprayed with insecticides and agrochemicals. The chickens are not stacked ten high with the top ones defecating and passing on salmonella and other noxious diseases to the ones below, they are free range.

60 years ago our meat products were not pumped full of chemicals and we actually used to eat things like steak tartar; you would not ever consider that alternative in today’s high pressure fast food market. We used to eat raw meat to do so today would result in us possibly becoming critically ill. Just look at the furore about brokered unfit meat that is finding its way into the human food chain that is bleached to mask the contamination.

The reason I recommend the foods shown on my site is because that is what I feed my dogs, and the reason I feed them that is they do not have added chemicals including ethoxyquin, they are even checked to make sure the sourced ingredients do not have added chemicals. I also recommend on my site many other aids from Homeopathies, DAP Diffusers, and even main stream drugs but I am not sponsored by them.

In conclusion it is important to understand that the BARF diet does have certain health and behavioural pluses unfortunately there are aspects and dangers that must be taken into consideration before embarking on this type of diet.

From the nutritional aspect. Any substance considered food can be used by an animal as a source of energy. Muscle meat alone does not fill those needs. A dog’s diet must be composed of other food groups to provide all the elements necessary to sustain good health, ie: dairy, fish, vegetables and legumes and perhaps someone can tell me where the calcium comes from in the BARF diet?

From the physiological aspect. Be aware of the dangers. Raw meat can contain parasites, bacteria, salmonella and e-coli. This is especially hazardous to puppies and elderly dogs whose immune system is not yet fully formed or has been depleted through age. The bone fragments found in raw feed can also be potentially lethal. Particles of bone can puncture the internal organs or become lodged in the throat and choke. To eradicate the dangers of contamination from raw meat, simply cook the food first before serving to your dog.

From the psychological aspect. By continually feeding your dog a raw meat diet, you are instinctively activating its natural prey drive or excitement hormones. Raw meat increases the levels of testosterone, adrenalin and cortisol. Thereby adding to the motivation to chase or hunt other creatures and become more aggressive. A very risky situation if you live in a neighbourhood with other family pets and small children.

If you want to do the “right thing” by your dog’s diet, commercial food definitely provides all necessary daily requirements. Be selective, read the contents of the packaging. Look for human grade ingredients and descriptions such as ‘whole ground brown rice’ instead of just ‘rice,’ and for ‘beef’ instead of ‘beef by products’. Keep in mind that premium pet food suppliers have completed extensive research and have formulated and nutritionally balanced their products to meet the highest standards. If you are still not convinced that high quality commercial pet food is the way to go, consider home-prepared meals of cooked meat, cooked offal, cooked vegetables, brown rice and oats. Just leave out the spices and seasonings like salt. Add some canned tuna or salmon for variety and flavour

Fireworks and your Dog

Safe Dens

Dogs by their nature like dens! Creating a 'safe den' to enable your dog to cope with the situation is the first step. Preferably sited in the middle of the house (better insulated), i.e., under the stairs, or if that's not possible, an indoor kennel/crate cover this with a blanket which will deaden noise and make it more den like and safe.site this in a quiet corner of a room. The area needs to be only big enough for the dog to be able to stand up & turn around & lie fully stretched; any larger & it may not have the desired effect. THE DOG MUST NOT BE SHUT IN THIS AREA!

The 'den' needs to be created a few weeks in advance of the firework season & the dog taught that it's a safe place to be. This can be achieved by feeding the dog solely in the under stairs area/indoor kennel & any treats usually given to the dog must be given in this area also. Hiding his favourite toys/treats in the area will also help create a positive association. If using an area under the stairs, the door to the area will need to be secured open just enough for the dog to get in & out. If using an indoor kennel, this must be covered over.

When the fireworks start, encourage (but do not force) the dog into the designated area. Close all curtains & put on the TV. or radio, whichever the dog is more used to (research has been carried out which suggests 'Classic FM' has more of a calming effect on dogs in a rescue kennel environment than other radio stations!).

Dogs must not be walked off lead during the firework season. Many dogs that are usually very sensible when walking off lead near busy roads have been killed during this time of year, due to panic. Dogs must also be walked much earlier in the evening, to hopefully avoid them being out once fireworks are being let off.

The use of a DAP diffuser (available from veterinary practices) does help with some dogs, but not all. For those of you that use aromatherapy oils, there are some that say a few drops of lavender oil on the dogs bedding may help.

Giving your dog something to chew can also help. The action of chewing alters a dog's brain chemistry & helps to increase the flow of calming brain chemicals.

Never ever try & reassure your dog when he is showing any signs of nervous/anxious behaviour (not just in the firework season, but in any situation). The dog does not interpret what you are doing in the way you think. From his perspective, he is being praised for displaying nervous/anxious behaviour. If you remain confident & cheerful in situations he finds stressful, it will help him to feel more secure.

British Pet Obesity Problem Still Growing Strong

Veterinary surgeons across the UK are warning of a huge increase in obese pets, plus a general decline in pet health, according to a study by leading pet insurer MORE THAN. The study, which interviewed approximately 100 vets and 2500 British pet owners found that almost 80% of vets surveyed are seeing increasing numbers of obese pets.

Britain's pet health problems and stress related illnesses are on the rise despite increases in sales of life-stage pet foods and pet healthcare products.

The MORE THAN survey found:

8 out of 10 vets are seeing increasing numbers of obese pets, yet 90% of pet owners believe that their pets are not overweight.

Excess levels of salt and fats found in pet food.

Just over a quarter of pets have suffered from stress or behavioural problems.

Three-fifths of vets are reporting a growing number of 'human style' illnesses and disorders such as diabetes and arthritis.

MORE THAN blames the obesity problem on over-feeding, followed by lack of exercise and poor diet. In contrast, the company says, only one in ten pet owners believes their cat or dog to be overweight. A worrying gap is developing between the opinions of owners and pet health experts, which, if not addressed properly, could lead to the health of Britain's pets deteriorating even further.

The survey also highlights an increase in conditions that are often associated with humans - just over a quarter of pets have suffered from some form of behavioural problem such as hyperactivity, stress and depression. People spending more time away from the home and changes to lifestyles such as a new baby or an additional pet can be causes of these behavioural problems for both cats and dogs.

Sophie de Pelet, Veterinary Advisor for MORE TH>N comments:

"The key thing for pet owners is to understand their animals and not to misinterpret their behaviour. Pining by a cat or dog is often read as a sign of hunger, and hence owners feed them, rather than recognising that it is more often than not a call for attention. Pets begin to log these traits and play up to their owners, and as a result, without even realising it, owners could be increasing the risks of obesity and related illness such as diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure."

She continues:

"Obesity and behavioural symptoms are significantly on the increase as the health of the nation’s pets is in decline. A lot of attention is paid to the impact of factors such as poor diets and the stress of family break ups on humans and their health, yet what we are seeing is that our pets are suffering in a similar way. Diet is the biggest issue as many pet foods and particularly treats contain too much sugar and salt and the fact that most owners are unaware of this is something that needs to be addressed.

"Until now, the connection between human behaviour and its affects on pets has not been noted so significantly. This study not only highlights the typical complaints vets are seeing on a regular basis, and how treatments are changing, but it also shows that pet owners may be unaware of possible serious problems."

She concluded:

"As vets, we are now able to treat a wider range of illnesses than we could ten years ago, yet the state of pet's health in the UK is deteriorating. Not only can the traditional methods of medicine be applied, but alternative treatments and dietary advice can now be prescribed."

Sophie de Pelet highlights a number of steps for pet owners to follow:

1. Take your pet for regular health and weight checks, which can be carried out by a veterinary nurse at your local surgery.

2. Monitor food consumption carefully, remembering to account for titbits and treats.

3. Ensure your pet has daily exercise, which is vital for its general and mental health.

4. Be aware of your pet's ideal weight (breed standards can be helpful or ask advice from your pet health professional). An unaccountable increase or decrease in weight could be an early indication of inappropriate feeding or illness.

For further information, go to MORE TH>N's 'Healthy Pet Guide' at www.morethan.com/pet.

Pet Insurance

MORE TH>N’s research shows that 95% of vets believe pet insurance is a responsible thing for pet owners to have. Insurance provides pet owners peace of mind that they can afford the vet's bills should their animal become ill.

Yet another dog has died recently. That is the 3rd I know of locally just this year. Many others have had horrific injuries. What happens is the dog runs along with the stick in it's mouth, something distracts him he turns his head to look at the distraction and then back, BANG! the stick digs into the ground and is propelled down the throat or up through the soft palate and into the brain.

A client has just contacted me for behavioural therapy because a bamboo cane splintered in her puppy's throat, after numerous operations the Puppy is now fearful and anxious of handling and is showing initial signs of aggression because of the trauma.

On top of that when chewing sticks they can inhale the small fibres, this can cause lung problems. Once you start your dog with sticks Mother Nature takes over and scatters them everywhere. Therefore the key is ignore dogs and puppies with sticks and stimulate them with something else like a frisbee, ball, or special retriever dummies.

If any of these occur you should seek veterinary assistance immediately. But you should first cool the dog by using cold water, either with towels soaked in cool (not cold) water, using a hose, or even a cool bath. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation. Ice packs or cool towels can be applied to the dog’s chest, neck and head areas (only). You can give them sips of cool water or a few licks on ice cubes. A trip to the vet could save your dog's life. Always provide a source of drinking water. Make sure it is fresh and cool.

Remember, dehydration can occur with dogs just like with humans. Your dog gets rid of heat through panting, or through the pads of its feet. Also - if you leave water in a bowl, consider a spill proof bowl. Avoid walking or leaving your dog on hot surfaces such as sidewalks, asphalt or sand. These tend to reflect heat, and also may burn the paws. Not all dogs are swimmers - make sure yousupervise your dog if near a lake. Also remember that your dog may drink dirty water and become ill from parasites or other undesirable contaminants.

Drinking sea water (salt water) can be deadly in quantity. Some lakes and most pools get blue algae in prolonged hot weather this can be deadly if ingested whilst drinking. Dogs can get sunburn just like humans. Use sunscreen, there are products available for dogs, but a good hypoallergenic product can be used on noses and other exposed areas. You may also wish to consider products for the coat which protect from harmful UV exposure ( they will prevent damage to the coat as well).

There appears to be an outbreak of Kennel Cough, I have now had 9 clients in the last few weeks reporting it. there may be many more that haven't told me yet. The posh name for Kennel Cough is "Canine infectious tracheobronchitis" sounds nasty?

It is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in dogs. Fortunately, the majority of cases are not serious resolving on their own in 1 to 2 weeks . But because some dogs develop life- threatening complications, you should take precautions to prevent your dog from becoming infected.

Kennel cough can be caused by a number of different airborne bacteria (such as Bordetella bronchiseptica) and viruses (such as canine parainfluenza) or a mycoplasma (an organism somewhere between a virus and a bacteria). Typically, more than one of these pathogens (disease-causing agents) must bombard the dog at once to trigger illness. Such a multifaceted attack is most likely to occur when a dog spends time in close quarters with many other dogs. Dogs that attend dog shows, travel frequently, or stay at kennels have a higher risk of developing kennel cough than dogs that stay at home most of the time.

The primary sign of kennel cough is a dry- sounding, spasmodic cough caused by pathogens that induce inflammation of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (air passages into the lungs). At the end of a coughing spell, a dog will often retch and cough up a white foamy discharge. Some dogs also develop conjunctivitis (inflammation of the membrane lining the eyelids), rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane), and a nasal discharge. Affected dogs usually remain active and alert and continue to eat well. But if you suspect your dog has kennel cough, isolate it from other dogs and call your Vet

Your Vet can typically diagnose kennel cough from a physical exam and history. The cough is very characteristic and can be easily elicited by massaging the dog’s larynx or trachea But if the dog is depressed; feverish; expelling a thick yellow or green discharge from its nose; or making abnormal lung sounds, your vet may want to perform diagnostic tests such as a complete blood count (CBC) chest x-ray, and laboratory analysis of the microorganisms inhabiting your dog’s airways.

These tests can help determine whether the dog has developed pneumonia or another infectious illness such as canine distemper.Immunization can be an important part of a kennel- cough prevention program and is recommended . But since the illness is caused by multiple organisms - making effective immunization difficult - you should focus on minimizing your dog’s exposure to the disease-causing organisms themselves. Don’t share your dog’s toys or food and water bowls with unfamiliar dogs. And if your dog is in an indoor kennel or show, make sure the indoor area is adequately ventilated so airborne organisms are transferred outside.If your dog is diagnosed with kennel cough, your vet will likely prescribe an antibiotic to help prevent any secondary bacterial infection and a cough suppressant. We have found in those persistent cases of kennel cough, the use of a relatively new antibiotic, azithromycin, to be effective. This medication is very effective in the treatment of the mycoplasmal forms of tracheobronchitis. Again, before any treatment is administered, is it is imperative that a proper veterinary examination and appropriate diagnostics be performed.