Grains like corn, rice and wheat are often seen in pet food in large amounts. These carbohydrates come in different forms, gluten meal, whole grain, flour, etc… Rice often comes in the form of brewers rice. Grain in any form is not a species specific ingredient essential for carnivorous diets, additionally corn is highly allergenic. No grain should be the main ingredient in your dog or cat’s food.  Dogs are somewhat omnivorous so a small amount of fruit and vegetables make up a part of their balanced diet. However cats are obligatory carnivores, high carbohydrate diets lead to diseases such as obesity, diabetes, liver disease and irritable bowl syndrome. Grain free diets are much more appropriate for both cats and dogs, see more here for a comparison between a high quality and a low quality diet. Often a raw is recommended as the best species appropriate diet for dogs and cats. It is very important to feed a balanced raw diet. Research and consulting a holistic veterinarian will help you decide what is right for your pets.

Our pets are what we feed them, we have an obligation to educate ourselves and provide them with a high quality diet so they can live a long and happy life!

In her blog, Mallery discusses both how and why positive reinforcement training works. As a professional with years of experience, she knows her stuff!

Enjoy and happy holidays!

Halloween can be a very confusing, and yes, scary time for our pets, especially those who are shy or not used to lots of activity. If your dog barks at strangers who come to the door or if your cat is skittish, it’s best to protect them from these stressful events right off the bat. Many pets escape from home on Halloween so the first precaution is to put them in a closed room, preferably one that is furthest away from the front door. Noise phobia can be soothed by having a radio on in the room with your fur kid making sure it’s loud enough to drown out the alien invaders that come for sweets. A favorite toy or blanket tops off the short term distraction created for maximum comfort on All Hallows Eve.

In addition to anxiety and stress, Halloween hazards for pets include food toxins from candy like chocolate and xylitol, opportunities to escape from home and susceptibility to cruel treatment by pranksters if outside. Plan ahead and Halloween can be both fun and safe for you and your fur family. Heck, your pet may even let you dress them up!

Diabetes mellitus can strike at any age but typically appears in the middle to senior years (5 and older for dogs, 10 and older for cats.) Symptoms may be hard to notice at first, learn to recognize the signs early and contact your veterinarian as soon as they are noticed:

First Signs Seen with Diabetes Mellitus

• Increased urination
• Increased thirst
• Increased appetite
• Weight loss, even though appetite is good or increased

Those are the first signs usually seen, your pet may exhibit one or many of them. Keep in mind they are also general signs of many diseases such as kidney failure or urinary problems, hyperthyroidism, Cushing’s disease and more. A trip to the vet is the only way to diagnose for sure.

Signs as diabetes progresses:

• Loss of appetite
• Sweet/chemical smelling breath
  *from ketones, by-product of fat breakdown, since sugar can’t be utilized
• Weak muscle tone and muscle wasting
  *cats may have “dropped hocks” walking crouch-like
• Cataracts (dogs)
• Seizures, coma, death

Treatment of diabetes involves controlling blood sugar with insulin as well as diet and exercise for essential weight control. The type of insulin your veterinarian chooses will be tailored to your pets specific needs to provide optimum regulation of blood sugar. A blood glucose curve will determine the right dose of insulin then curves will be done periodically to monitor your pet’s progress.

Literally hundreds of common plants, both indoors and out, have toxic effects on our pets causing everything from mild gastro-intestinal upset to death. Sometimes dogs and especially cats like to munch on grass and plants for a variety of reasons and sometimes for no reason at all. Try to keep poisonous plants away from your pets’ reach, a list of toxic plants compiled by the ASPCA, the Humane Society and the American Animal Hospital Association (AHAA) can help you determine if you have any poisonous plants around your home or yard.

If you think your pet has been poisoned contact your veterinarian or emergency vet immediately and the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center can be reached at one of the numbers below:
1-900-443-0000 ($45.00 per case. The charge is billed directly to caller’s phone.)
1-888-426-4435. $45.00 per case, credit card only.)
Follow-up calls can be made for no additional charge by dialing 888-299-2973.

Sometimes inedible household items are eaten and intestinal obstruction is a danger. A foreign object can lodge itself in the intestinal track causing blockage and your pet may require surgery to remove it. Socks, rocks, toys, plastic, wood, metal, jewelry, coins, silver ware, and Christmas ornaments are just some of the items pets have ingested, the list goes on and on. Linear foreign bodies like string, ribbon, yarn, and rubber bands can get caught up and stretch or tear the intestines. Cats often play with and eat stringy items so keep them out of reach of your feline family. Go to your vet if your pet is lethargic, has a painful abdomen, is vomiting, having difficulty defecating or has any other signs of illness. X-rays often reveal the offending object. Some of the most amazing things I’ve seen while working for veterinarians are x-rays of foreign objects in the intestines of pets. You can never predict what a pet will eat, take a look at the x-rays here, I bet you will be amazed too!

Many pet owners know that chocolate is toxic and keep it out of reach. Sometimes the sweet temptation is too hard to resist and ends up being consumed despite our efforts to prevent it. When this happens a trip to the vet is almost always necessary. The level of toxicity depends on the size of the pet, how much and the type of chocolate ingested (dark, milk, unsweetened bakers…) Different types contain different levels of Theobromine, the toxic chemical in chocolate. Contact or go to your veterinarian as soon as you find your pet has eaten chocolate no matter how much or what type. I always tell pet owners who are unsure if they should make a trip to the vet “Better safe than sorry!”

Although once thought to be an urban legend, grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Many pet owners have used them for treats or snacks but the toxin, which is not known at this time, can potentially cause kidney failure. Some dogs may be more sensitive than others so the amount consumed can be a handful of raisins (more concentrated) or a pound of grapes. Some dogs will seek them out so keep them out of reach of your hungry hound!

The toxin in Macadamia nuts is also not known and, like grapes and raisins, the sensitivity of the pet to the toxin and the amount of nuts causing toxicity may vary. Signs to look for are weakness and inability to walk, especially in the hind legs, vomiting, staggering gait, depression, tremors and elevated body temperature.

Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener found in sugar-free gum and mints, nicotine gum, chewable vitamins, and oral-care products, can be fatal if ingested. In addition to causing a sudden sharp decrease in blood glucose, liver failure can occur within 12 to 24 hours of ingestion. Increasing use of the sweetener in our diets has of course increased the number of xylitol poisonings according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Seek veterinary attention right away if your pet consumes xylitol.

When in doubt, don’t feed it to your pet. We love to spoil them but when it comes to treats, pet appropriate ones help keep our fur kids happy AND healthy. As I always say, better safe than sorry!

Summer time means lots of outdoor fun and just like you, your pets need protection from the heat and sun. Pets can’t wear sunscreen of course and they don’t sweat through their skin like we do. Dogs regulate their body heat primarily by panting, as well as through the pads of their feet and their nose. If they are unable to expel heat quickly enough, they can suffer a heat stroke. Recognizing the following signs of heat stroke and can enable you to act quickly and help prevent an avoidable disaster:

• Increased rectal temperature (over 104° requires action, over 106° is a dire emergency)
• Vigorous panting
• Dark red gums
• Tacky or dry mucus membranes (specifically the gums)
• Lying down and unwilling (or unable) to get up
• Collapse and/or loss of consciousness
• Thick saliva
• Dizziness or disorientation

If the dog continues to overheat, breathing efforts become slowed or absent, and finally, seizures or coma can occur. ASPCA experts say taking simple precautions will help prevent your pet from overheating. Make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water and shade while outside. Keep them indoors when it’s too hot and limit exercise in extreme summer temperatures. You should never leave any pet unattended in a car at any time. According to the Humane Society of the United States, on a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels. On an 85 degree day, for example, the temperature inside a car with the windows opened slightly can reach 102 degrees within 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, the temperature will reach 120 degrees. Your pet may suffer irreversible organ damage or die. If you see an animal in distress in a parked car, contact the nearest animal shelter or police. You can also spread the word about the dangers of pets in hot cars by downloading fliers and posters at MyDogIsCool.com to distribute in your community.

Growing up in Texas I endured many a hot summer and have some of the best memories of time spent with my family and pets back then. Practice warm weather safety so you can have tons on fun in the sun with your pets too!

Happy Summer and stay cool!

For more information on pet obesity, Patty Khuly, DVM discusses giving your pet the gift of proper weight.

A similar project, the Wag’N O2 Fur Life Program, has provided over 1,550 pet oxygen mask kits to over 660 departments in North America since 2008. You can sponsor a department on this site as well. All over the US and Canada there are thousands of rescue vehicles that are still not equipped with kits. April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month, what better way to honor the safety of our pets than to donate pet oxygen mask kits?

Have a safe and happy Spring!