Dog Obesity and Overfeeding

Medical Update – The vet phoned dad and said that there was no indication of deep infection and to start the steroid prescription. Since then my groin has healed and the lumps on my chin and beside my nose have started to shrink in size. Unfortunately I'm still losing weight. Dad will be taking me back to see the vet tomorrow, so hopefully he can come up with a solution to the weight loss. (This is the exact opposite of today's blog topic, which as the title says is obesity.)

An alarmingly high proportion of dogs, these days, suffer from obesity. The primary cause of this is due to over eating and lack of exercise.

Most dog owners, now-a-days, have very busy lives with many work related and social responsibilities. As a result, their dogs don't get taken for as many walks as the should. Many days their food is either left down all day, like mine, or care is not taken in measuring out the proportions recommended for the size or breed of their dog.

Some breeds are more prone to becoming obese than others. Cocker Spaniels and Labrador Retrievers are two breeds which are very susceptible to obesity. On the other hand, Terrier breeds are the least susceptible breeds to becoming obese.

If your dog shows a tendency to having a weight problem, ensure that she only eats what you give her. Do not allow other family members or well meaning neighbours to give her treats or special tidbits. Please have your dog examined by a veterinarian (vet) before considering putting her on a diet as there may be an underlying medical problem that is responsible for your pet's weight gain. As mentioned last time, in multiple dog families, you have to be vigilant that food guarding or food gorging is not taking place. This is a jealousy or psychological type problem that needs to be discussed with your vet so that you can find a safe and satisfactory solution.

The one downside to having your female dog spayed, or your male dog castrated, is that hormonal changes take place which alter their weight regulating mechanism. This means that the same amount of food after the operation may result in weight gain. If this occurs, discuss it with your vet to arrive at a sensible solution. It may be necessary to reduce the number of calories in the food provided. This may involve switching to calorie reduced food, or adding more bulk to your dog's current food to make it seem more substantial.

One method that has proved fairly successful with a number of dogs is providing them with uncooked carrots as treats instead of dog biscuits. Uncooked carrots can also be chopped up and added to your dog's regular food to provide extra bulk when the amount of food is reduced to lessen the calories consumed. As well as reducing calorie intake, these vegetables are good for aiding the teeth cleaning process. Some dogs are satisfied with the carrots just being washed and the tops and tips being removed, while others prefer to have their carrots with the tops, tips and skin removed.

Since cold winter weather increases a dog's appetite, adding bulk without increasing calories is necessary at this time of year. Where I live in northern Canada, winter is long and cold – temperatures in the minus 30 to minus 50 degree Centigrade* range, often accompanied by a wind, makes outdoor exercise impractical much of the time. As a result, reduction of calories is essential or weight gain at this time of year is inevitable.

Until next time,

Teia

* Centigrade or Celsius temperatures are scales where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees – in the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. At minus 40 degrees, all three scales are in synchronization.

CURING YOUR CAT'S BAD BREATH

Bad breath in a pet is usually associated with dogs, however, if you happen to own a cat with bad breath, you will know that it smells awful. Usually, bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth which breaks down protein in your cat's food releasing sulphur compounds into the air. Since sulphur has a foul odour, when your cat opens its mouth this sulphur smell is released. The bacteria responsible for the release of the sulphur smell is the kind which is associated with a buildup of tartar on your cat's teeth. Tartar, which also forms on human teeth, is yellow or greenish yellow in colour and it is made up of minerals in the cat's saliva which adhere to plaque on the surface of the cat's teeth. Once the tartar builds up on your cat's teeth, it becomes very hard and it is difficult to remove. Severe cases will require professional removal, which is quite expensive. The best way to eliminate it is to catch it in its early stage when use of pet toothpaste with anti tartar enzymes can, if used daily, virtually prevent the formation of dental plaque which will, in turn, eliminate the formation of tartar because it will not have the plaque to anchor it to the teeth. There are now cat foods that are designed to reduce the buildup of tartar. Some cat treats apparently have enzymes that will dissolve dental plaque eliminating the formation of tartar. Before considering these foods and treats, consult with your veterinarian to ascertain that these enzymes do not cause other medical problems for your beloved pet.

As mentioned above, if you catch it early enough, that is before the tartar becomes as hard as cement, you may be able to clean the tartar off your cat’s teeth at home. There are several toothpastes available for pets, in several different flavors, which are designed to prevent the formation of plaque and thus prevent tartar buildup. You can remove it with a basic toothbrush, but you will probably find that an electric toothbrush is much better, because the motion of these brushes is better at removing plaque. If you start when your cat is young and easier to handle, you will have more success. Brushing your cat's teeth will not be easy, but it will prevent the buildup of plaque and thus prevent the bad breath associated with the formation of tartar. Note! You must ensure that you use PET toothpaste. Human toothpaste contains chemicals that must be spit out. Since neither cats or dogs can spit like a human, they have to swallow the toothpaste. If you have ever accidentally swallowed human toothpaste, you know that it makes you quite ill. Doing so on a daily basis as your pet would have to do could lead to many very serious maladies.

Some of the bacteria that leads to plaque and tartar buildup can be found in your cat’s diet. Because of this, make sure you feed him premium food and that you brush his teeth or rinse his mouth out after he eats. This way, you’ll get the bacteria out of his mouth before it has time to build up on his teeth.

Another reason for consulting your veterinarian when you detect a bad odour on your cat's breath is that sometimes, in rare cases, the cause of the bad breath could be caused by either liver or kidney disease. So, if you notice bad breath coming from your cat, you should take him or her to your vet. Even though it may be something to do with tartar, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Your veterinarian can pinpoint the problem, let you know what the cause is and how you should go about fixing it.

Until next time,

Teia

How To Change Your Dog's Diet

As more and more new findings about diets for dogs come to light, many dog owners will begin to consider changing their dog’s diet to the best one available so that their dog will have good health and live to a ripe old age. However, it‘s very important for any dog owner to take precautions when trying to change their dog’s diet. The following steps are suggested as a way that it can be done without throwing the dog’s digestive system out of balance.

Step 1: When changing your dog’s diet, it should be done in stages by replacing 25% of the old food with the new. Most dogs will not notice any difference if the old and the new are mixed well enough. They should eat the new mixture the same way that they did the old diet. Although a small percentage may notice the difference and not be as enthusiastic about eating it, patience should be exercised to allow the break-in period to be completed. Once the dog has accepted the new mixture, for about a week and has shown no sign of an upset stomach, or any other adverse reaction to the new diet, then you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Mix and replace 50% of the old diet with the new diet and don’t be as careful to ensure that the mixture is completely blended. In this way the dog will get the odd bite of the new food without any of the old food mixed in. Do this for about a week, keeping an eye on the dog for adverse reactions to the new food. If the dog shows no sign of stomach upset or adverse reactions you can then proceed to the next step.

Step 3: This time mix 75% of the new food with 25% of the old one. Again, make an even lesser effort to hide the new food from the dog. Watch for upset stomach or adverse reaction. Also make sure that the dog likes the new mixture. Feed your dog this new mixture for a week and if everything is OK then you can switch completely to the new food. Keep an eye on your dog for a few days to ensure that there are no adverse reactions.

At this stage, your dog should accept this new diet without any fuss. If, however, the dog shows some reluctance to eating the new diet you can continue to mix a little of the old food in the diet and slowly decrease it or you can just use patience and see if the dog will take to the new diet in a week or so. The new diet should contain more nutrition than the old diet, so your dog may not need as much food to fill him up. A change of diet is a stressful thing for some dogs to go through and a lot of patience will be needed. In other cases you will find dogs that have no problems changing diets regularly. However, mom and dad have found that sudden changes in diet usually result in upset stomachs, diarrhoea and loss of appetite if the switch from one type of diet to another is done too quickly. Just like humans, dogs are uniquely different and some are bound to require more patience and attention than others. Therefore, don't become discouraged too easily when the dog is not fitting into the new diet in the beginning. After all, changing a dog's diet is often a time consuming process that should be done with care and understanding.

If the dog is changing from one owner to another such as when you purchase a dog from someone else or you buy a new dog from a pet store or the local SPCA, make sure that you do not change the dog’s diet for at least a month. The change of ownership is stressful enough, without messing with the poor animal’s diet too. Let the dog settle comfortably into its new environment and then after he or she is fully settled and happily enjoying the new family, you can start at step one and change to a more healthy diet to ensure that your new family member remains a healthy and happy member of your household.

Until next time,

Teia

Unusual Pets - Turtles

Turtles can be a lot of fun to own as pets. It's amusing to watch them as they go about their daily activities in the home you provide for them.

However, you'll no doubt find it a lot more interesting living with your pet turtle if you know something about the particular species of turtle you purchased. For example, different kinds of turtles differ in size, preferred environment, coloration and living habits. The type of turtle that likes to live around water enjoys taking an invigorating swim and basking on a rock. When not swimming, your turtle might enjoy resting or walking slowly along searching for more food to eat. Of course, large desert turtles have entirely different lifestyles. And some species like snapping turtles can give you a nasty bite. So, make sure that you know what type of turtle you have, then you can do research, to learn all about it.

Turtles have some special strengths. For example, they see and smell surprisingly well. It's a good thing they do, because those senses help them to find their food. They don't have teeth but have sharp serrated ridges where teeth usually are located. Also, the edges of their beak are razor sharp.

Strange as it may seem, turtles experience something similar to humans as far as their emotions go. For example, if a turtle is unhappy, it withdraws physically into its shell and acts lazy. When people are depressed, they may withdraw into their "shells" too, emotionally similar to how a turtle withdraws.

Naturally, you want your turtle to live as long as possible. Therefore, exercise care in feeding it. Turtles can live for many years if they are cared for properly. Since some turtle foods are actually harmful, be sure to spend time researching what foods to feed your specific kind of turtle, because different types of turtles require different diets.

Many turtles should only eat vegetables. However, there are even some vegetables to avoid feeding your turtle, such as rhubarb leaves and spinach. Also, don't just feed your turtle lettuce because it doesn’t have enough nutrients to make it worthwhile. Be sure that you do not give your turtle salty or fatty foods, including processed meats. Also avoid feeding uncooked chicken or turkey to your pet turtle since raw poultry can be infected with salmonella bacteria and that could make your turtle sick. If your turtle is a meat eater, give him uncooked lean ground beef and remove any he has not eaten after one half hour as it starts to decay at that time and bacterium start to multiply.

Turtles can be intriguing and amusing pets, but you need to do your research, so that you can be a good pet owner for your little pal. Then you and your pet turtle can enjoy sharing one another's lives hopefully for a long time.

Until next time

Teia

Colic in Horses

Colic is one of the most common horse conditions for which you will need to call your Veterinarian. Colic is not a disease. It is a clinical sign of many possible diseases. Increasing your knowledge of this common condition of horses could save your horse’s life.

Colic means literally a pain in the abdomen. When a horse "colics," this means that the horse is acting painful and it appears that the pain is coming from the abdomen.

Horse colic can vary greatly in severity. Some colics will go away with just taking your horse for a walk, but other forms of colic will require surgery and can be life threatening. So if you think your horse has colic you should contact your Veterinarian immediately.

There are many possible causes of colic. One possible cause of colic could be from changing its diet. The diet could be too high in grain or maybe there is moldy hay in the feed. Another possible cause is when a segment of the horse's intestine twists in the abdomen. This happens quite frequently in horses. Generally your Veterinarian can diagnose this by ultrasound, palpation, or by use of a stethoscope. To cure this type of colic, surgery is often required. This means you have to take your horse to the Veterinary hospital. Colic surgery in horses is very expensive costing $2,000 at a minimum. In addition the hospitalization is rather extensive and expensive too.

Some common treatments for mild colics could include products that relieve the pain like analgesics such as Banamine or Aspirin. Also, mineral oil is used sometimes if it is thought that extra lubrication in the intestines would help the pain pass. Sometimes in severe cases, intestines can rupture which usually leads to death. But, with proper feeding and care you can prevent most cases of colic.

Usually when calling your Veterinarian about your horse having colic, they will advise you NOT to let your horse try to lie down and roll over. If they are in pain, many horses will try and lay down and roll around on the ground trying to relieve the pain. It is important to prevent this, as a horse can do even more damage to themselves rolling around while in this condition.

A secondary problem often overlooked when a horse has colic is that lameness could develop. This is a disease of the feet which is also a very common problem of horses.

If you think your horse has colic you should contact your Veterinarian immediately, even if it's late at night. When your horse has colic, minutes and hours count toward finding a resolution to the problem.

Another important thing to be aware of, is that some horses are more prone to colic than others. This is a question you should ask a horse owner if you are thinking about buying their horse.

By becoming aware of the common disease conditions in horses you can catch them earlier and provide relief earlier. If you have more questions on colic, contact your Veterinarian.

Until next time,

Teia

Suggestions to Help Prevent Your Cat from Getting Hairballs

Cats are fastidious animals. They prefer clean things and apparently the one thing they like really clean is themselves. Because of this, they spend an excessive amount of time grooming themselves. The act of licking themselves helps to untangle and remove loose hair. Their tongue is specifically made for the task. It is covered with little bumps and toward the center of the tongue are tiny barb-like bumps that act to snag the hair. Unfortunately, this habit of grooming can lead to the formation of hairballs in your cat’s stomach.

Cats cannot digest the hair they swallow. However, they are able to pass the hair through their digestive system in small amounts. A problem occurs when the cat does not get enough fiber in its diet to push the hair through its system and out with its stool. When this occurs, the hair builds up and forms a hairball.

The distressed cat begins to cough and attempts to vomit the hairball up. For the loving cat owner, the gagging and retching is worrisome not to mention the annoying cleanup afterward. While the occasional hairball is probably nothing to be too alarmed about, frequent hairballs could be a cause for concern because they can result in digestive track troubles such as loss of appetite, constipation and in rare instances complete blockage of the intestinal tract.

You cannot prevent your cat from swallowing its loose hair. However, there are things that you can do to lessen the likelihood of hairballs forming. There are also natural remedies and commercial products that you can use to help the cat pass the hair through its digestive tract before hairballs form or break them up before they become too tightly packed. The best way to prevent your cat from swallowing large amounts of hair is to comb or brush your cat regularly. If the cat is well groomed, there won’t be very much loose hair for the cat to swallow. Long-haired cats should be combed or brushed daily and shorthaired cats once or twice a week.

If your cat needs assistance with its hairballs, there are commercial products that can be applied to the top of its front paws. These products are available from your veterinarian or better quality pet stores. The cat will lick these products off their feet and when swallowed these products will assist the hair to pass through the digestive system. Some people have reported that they have used lubricants such as Crisco All Vegetable Shortening, mayonnaise or butter as substitutes for these commercial products. Before you consider using these home made remedies, check with your veterinarian because the use of these products could cause other digestive problems. A few people have even used Vaseline, but it is not something that I would recommend. As previously stated, if you feel that your cat needs assistance eliminating hairballs from his system, check with your veterinarian as he or she is in a better position to determine the severity of the problem and what product would work best for your particular cat.

You may also feed your cat specially made cat food diets and treats that are intended to prevent the development of hairballs. Another interesting solution that I have heard about, but cannot vouch for its effectiveness, is to mix in about a teaspoon of canned pumpkin to your cat's normal food. Another suggested preventive method is to feed your cat grass a couple of times a week. I have no idea if this works or not, but I do know that dogs frequently eat grass when they have digestive problems. Again, check with your veterinarian. If he says it is acceptable, then you can consider growing the grass indoors. Rye, wheat or oat grasses are the best types to use and can be purchased at pet stores or on the Internet. Do not feed your cat grass from a chemically treated lawn it could be fatal to your cat.

It must be noted that cats will vomit for various reasons other than hairballs. Some of these may be from serious underlying conditions. Therefore, before attempting any of these remedies, it is advised that you consult with your veterinarian to rule out any other illness and to see which, if any, of these solutions should be tried. Along with your vet's help and one or more of these suggestions, it is possible that your cat will be able to live virtually hairball free. And remember, regular grooming of your cat will do much more than cut down the chances of him getting a hairball. It will allow you to remove dead hair, keep him clean, check for fleas or hidden injuries and allow you to bond more closely with your beloved pet.

Until next time,

Teia

Basic Nutrition for Pet Birds

My mom and dad have had numerous birds. They have had canaries, a cockatiel, two parrots and a blue and gold macaw and as a result, I have been able to watch what they do and the wonderful success they have had with these birds. Cisco, the cockatiel is twenty-seven and a half years old. Bird experts claim that the maximum lifespan of a cockatiel is twenty-five years, but that most die before their tenth birthday.

Pet birds can be great companions but you need to provide proper nutrition in order to keep your bird healthy. An all seed diet should not be fed to your pet bird because seeds lack all of the vitamins and other nutrients that are essential to keep your bird healthy.

An all seed diet could end up making your bird sick. Lack of essential vitamins and nutrients is one of the most common nutritional problems seen in pet birds. Birds need a variety of quality foods to stay healthy just like you do.

Feeding a variety of foods is the best way to ensure that your bird has the greatest chance of consuming all of the proper nutrients. You should also consider supplying vitamin and mineral drops in your bird’s water.

If you are currently feeding an all seed diet you need to gradually reduce the amount you are feeding and gradually introduce other foods to your bird’s diet over the course of several weeks. If at any time your bird has not eaten for a few days, you should take it to see a veterinarian. Because of their high metabolism, birds cannot go very long without food or they will become ill. Also, if your bird starts to vomit or has diarrhea, that is another sign of problems and you should seek a veterinarian’s help as soon as possible.

Great things to feed your pet bird include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables. Also provide egg pellets, which are available in the bird area of your local pet store, as a protein source for your bird. As a treat, in addition to the treat seeds, get dried fruits from the pet store. Coconut, mango, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are great dried fruits. Cooked frozen peas, carrots and corn will provide some of the needed nutrients (note-it is best to remove the skin from these vegetables after they have been cooked as the skin is hard for the bird to digest properly). Fresh celery, broccoli, apples, oranges, nectarines, grapes, etc. (with the skin removed) can also be supplied on a rotating basis every second day. In this way your bird will get a balanced diet and provide you with years of enjoyment.

Be sure to always provide a clean source of water for your bird. Proper sanitation is also another must to keep your bird healthy. By cleaning the food and water bowls every time you refill them, (at least once a week for the food bowl and every second day for the water bowl) you will keep disease away. Bacteria can easily build up on food and water bowls causing your bird to get sick.

Three things that you should never give your bird are parsley, avocado and chocolate. These items are extremely toxic to your bird and should be avoided.

Some people suggest that the simplest way to provide complete nutrition for your bird is with pellet food. Mom and dad have never had a bird that would eat pellets, so they had to use the seeds, vegetables, fruits and drops mentioned above. A large number of veterinarians recommend bird pellets so be sure to try them. Maybe your bird will like them. Before picking one, read the label carefully and be sure that it is one that contains a complete and balanced diet. Like all things nowadays, some don’t have everything that is needed.

If your bird does eat bird pellets, just remember that it could become bored with a pellet diet, so be sure to supplement the pellet diet with fresh fruit, vegetables and seeds and don’t forget to put the supplemental drops in the water. Speaking of water, don’t forget to give your bird a bird bath and change the water in it and wash it out every second day just like you do with his drinking water container because if he is anything like the birds in our house, he will drink his bath water too.

By providing some variety in your bird’s diet you can keep him healthy and happy. Providing a complete and balanced diet for your bird is easy if you follow the basic suggestions above.

Until next time,

Teia