Hair loss in dogs

Allergies in dogs as well as growth hormone deficiency, adrenal sex hormone imbalance or overproduction of substances by the adrenals can lead to hair loss. The dog may also have dysregulation of the hair follicles themselves. Whatever the cause, it is not pretty to see you pet lose his/her hair. Chow Chows, Pomeranians, keeshonds, Samoyeds, Alaskan malamutes, Siberian huskies and miniature poodles are predisposed already to hair loss which can start at the back of the neck, tail and thighs.

Although many vets will try topical treatments, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and antihistamines to try and cure the condition, many dogs do not get better. If the cause is a flea or parasite infestation, these treatments may work. But if its caused by allergies, hormone imbalance or other trigger, you may not find much relief in traditional methods. We have discovered that green lipped mussel and deer velvet when combined with colostrum, porphyra (red algae) and thymus works great. But, this product is only available from a veterinarian and goes by the name Penta Genesis. Colostrum is effective in stimulating the immune system and is an antimicrobial, and the deer velvet is high in collagen, essential proteins, and constituents known to support joints. In a study, dogs who had been fed algae (kelp) daily for a period of six months had darker, thicker, and shinier coats. They also scratched less and their skin was not as dry.

We advise that if you have a doggie that is suffering from a skin ailment, please give your vet this article and have them contact www.nzdeervelvetproducts.com for more information (that is a vet only website).

before  Penta Genesis                            after

Green Lipped Mussel for joints.

New Zealand green-lipped mussel is used as a supplement with good results for improving patients with arthritis  joint swelling and joint pain. In a study of 31 dogs and another one with 45 dogs with arthritis, when giving the mussel they showed significant improvement.

In another study of 81 dogs with osteoarthritis that were fed the mussel for 50 days showed reduction of a composite arthritic score when compared to dogs fed different diets. When the NZ green-lipped mussel is included in a supplement with deer velvet antler it has a compounding effect and has shown to improve arthritic conditions and reduce joint pain.

According to Dr. P.J. Broadfoot in her book, The Efficacy of Velvet Antler in Veterinary Practice, “..velvet antler when combined with apparent synergists, such as green lipped mussel, thymus, colostrum and others, has helped animals to balance their immune system, recover from joint problems, restore normal skin function, enhance red blood cell production, and improve reproductive activity.”

Link to a velvet product for pets.

Link for veterinarians   (the velvet with the colostrum and thymus is available from vets only)

Enzymes – the key to a healthy pet!

Healthy animals as well as those distressed will always be dependent upon the enzymes existing in nature. Foods today contain less nutrients due to chemical additives, pollution, poor soil and water conditions and weather changes that continue to occur. Proper enzyme levels help animals detoxify poisons they must deal with from our environment.

Since each animal is born with more or less of an ability to produce enzymes at any given time, and their food is often devoid of enzymes due to processing, the best insurance policy you can buy for your animals is supplemental enzymes! Animals cannot talk so you really do not know what subtle changes are occurring prior to some health condition or an injury displaying itself.

Overall it is important for animal lovers to understand that every single metabolic function the body undergoes each day requires specific enzymes and in large enough amounts for it to complete daily functions of such things as repairing minute tissue tears from daily activity, keeping their arteries, circulation, heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys, eyesight, mouth, teeth, bones, muscles and elimination to name a few functions, in good order. Wellness has most to do with prevention. If you didn’t have a gauge on your instrument panel to tell you that your automobile was in need of oil, fluids, or other maintenance items you might find yourself stranded on a remote highway. Preventing the breakdown of bodily systems is paramount to good health, happiness, and longevity.

All animals lose the production of enzymes to a higher percentage when they are ill, injured, stressed emotionally, or mentally due to conditions in which they must live. The production of enzymes in animals begins to deteriorate when adult. As animals age even if they are generally healthy, they will not have sufficient enzymes to deal with complete breakdown and assimilation of foods. As greater quantities of nutrients are absorbed all bodily functions and bodily systems and organs have more nutrients available so there is less biochemical stress.

For more info click here

Is your dog an arthritis candidate?

 

Arthritis – big dogs more at risk.

 

photo: funny-animal-pictures09.blogspot.com

Arthritis is a degenerative disease and may stem from genetic predisposition, developmental challenges, or trauma to the bones or joints. Breeds that are more prone to arthritis are:

1. German Shepherds
2. Golden Retrievers
3. Labrador Retrievers
4. Dachshunds
5. Newfoundlands
6. St. Bernards
7. Rottweilers
8. Mastiffs
9. Great Danes
10. Old English Sheep Dogs

Some things you can do to help them include watching their weight. According to The Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, an Estimated 55.6% of US Dogs are overweight or obese. Exercise helps, but also watch what you give them as treats – most are carb laden and put on fat. Keep an eye out for ingredients on their food. Many brands are grain and carb-laden with little protein so make sure you investigate a healthy pet food and one high in omega 3 and 6s which have shown proven benefits for joint health, skin and coat, allergy conditions and brain function. Supplements also can help. Agility is one we like as its main ingredient is deer velvet (humanely harvested). This is high in trace minerals, glucosamine, chondroitin and hyaluronic acid which are all good for joints. It also contains green lipid mussel which is a good source of the omegas. For more info

Pet Food Killer Ingredients.

Organic or home-made pet food is the best for your furry family member. Many non-organic pet food brands use fillers made from corn, soybean and grains. These ingredients are often GMOs. Many companies advertise that they are GMO-free but if they feed their cattle GMO grain you are not getting GMO-free. Another hazard to your animals that is pet foods is carrageenan that is used as emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener. Carrageenan has been linked to intestinal inflammation according to research. Unfortunately, more than 70% of canned pet food contains carrageenan, and it is found even in “premium”, USDA organic, and prescription pet food. And it is also in a lot of human foods including whipped cream. And some healthier pet foods use this anyway.

Also watch out for preservatives like butylatedhydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylatedhydroxytoluene (BHT), propylgallate, propylene glycol, and ethoxyquin. My favorite to cause red flags is propylene glycol which is used as a de-icing fluid for airplanes and considered hazmat! Ethoxyquin, created by the Monsanto Company, has been linked to the damage of the liver, kidney and thyroid, as well as allergic reactions, reproductive issues, embryonic mutations, and carcinogenic effects.*Read the report 

What else is in pet food? Sodium pentobarbital is a euthanization drug that has been found in many more types of pet food then you would think. Short-term feeding studies found liver damage caused by this drug, long-term effects have not been studied. Also in cheap pet foods: road kill, shelter animals that have been euthanized and meat products from diseased animals. That’s right… your dog could be eating puppy meat.

So please, if you care about the health of your pet, stop buying cheap pet food and read labels. It may cost a little more to feed them but you will save on vet bills and heartaches.

Why your pet needs enzyme supplements.

Enzymes are those mysterious forces that convert substances in our body to useable nutrients. They are activated, energized protein molecules, and can be thought of as the construction workers in the body, that build the structure and keep it repaired. Unfortunately, a body can only call upon its enzyme reserves once in a while without overworking the pancreas. Enzymes that are used up in the digestion of food cause the enzyme storage banks to become depleted. Raw food contains its own enzymes necessary for digestion. When pets chew either raw food or prey, enzymes from that food are activated. After this initial pre-digestion, the food moves to the upper stomach where it continues to break down, remaining in this location for an hour before gastric secretions move in. At this point, the enzymatic action is disabled by the acids and doesn’t kick in again until the food reaches the small intestine, where pH is more alkaline.Cooked food contains no live enzymes. It is therefore a problem to feed pets cooked and processed food day in and day out unless you are supplementing their diet with enzymes.

If not enough enzymes are produced, then the food won’t digest properly, and not only could your pet get a stomach ache, but other effects of maldigestion could appear in the form of food allergies. The pancreas can produce digestive enzymes to digest the cooked food, although it was not designed to work overtime. Eventually, the pancreas loses the ability to make enzymes, and degenerative disease sets in. Adding enzymes to your pets’ diet helps their food to be assimilated. This facilitates the repair of organs, glands, bones, muscles and nerves. Any excess is stored in the liver and the muscles. Like any addition to the body, introduce enzymes slowly, so your pet’s body can make the proper adjustment to the extra help being given.

We’ve used many enzymes for our animals but the one we like best is RiteZyme

–extracted from the book, Super Nutrition for Dogs n’ Cats by Nina Anderson and Dr. Howard Peiper

What in the world did your dog eat?

So your dog either stopped eating, or throws up a lot or is lethargic and in pain. Did you consider that he/she might have eaten something that was not going to be digested? Doggies have a habit of being attracted to foreign objects. Some of those that the vets have recovered from surgery include: a whole bunch of golf balls, plastic toys, elastic hair ties, small plastic bottles, fishing weights, fishing line, balls, rocks, jewelry, stuffed animals, plastic bags and even coagulated glue from chomping on a tube of Gorilla Glue.

If you want to save vet bills, and in many cases the life of your dog, please keep these type of items off the floor or yard. And if you dog is used to retrieving your golf balls, please count them to make sure he hasn’t swallowed one. Cat’s too can eat things that can impair digestion such as rubber bands (a favorite of one of my cats), string, tinsel, pine needles, paper, etc.

Especially during the holiday season, keep all tree trimmings well off the floor where pets can’t feast on them. And, especially if you see they are exhibiting strange eating behavior or are throwing up a lot, call the vet. The earlier you remove the object the better chance they will recover.

If you have a story about what your dog ate that was removed by the vet, please share in the comments section.

 

Traveling with your pet for the holidays?

Many folks take their doggie with them to grandma’s house, so we’ve offered a few things you can do to help them make it a happy trip.

Since many pooches get anxious during the trip you might start them on a homeopathic for stress a day or two prior. Also see if they have one for motion sickness too just in case. Hopefully you will keep your pet in a crate so they won’t get hurt by sudden stops. Or you can put them in a harness that attaches to the seat belt. Many of us like to let our doggies ride with their head out the window. This is not safe, especially with all the toxic air on highways and the occasional bumble bee that may hit them in the eye (southern travelers only during winter).  For a week or so before the trip you might get them used to being in the crate inside the car so do a few short runs and then give them a treat afterwards.

Make sure you pack water, food and a pooper scooper and bag when you travel with your dog, unless they are really good at ‘holding it’ until the rest stop that has an area for the doggies to do their business. Stops should be scheduled at least every two hours or less. If you must feed them during the trip, give them some time between food and getting back in the car or else you may have to clean up after their motion sickness.  Also make sure you bring water from home (or whatever they are used to drinking). Sometimes ‘strange’ water can upset their digestion.

Cats are a little easier to carry in the crate, but most will give you lots of vocalization for the whole trip letting you know they are not happy about this. But with cats or dogs, make sure they are secured before you open the door. Harnesses are in order if you are taking them outside. Holding cats is not a good thing as most will claw their way to freedom and if that is outside the car you just may spend your vacation searching the woods for them.

There is a good booklet put out by AAA on traveling with pets: www.aaa.com/petbook.

 

Velvet Antler and Immune Support.

Sometimes we come upon an immune booster that we like and give our own animals. This one seems to help them achieve old age (my last cat lived to 23) and helps to prevent or mitigate joint problems and arthritis because of the high levels of glucosamine-chondroitin and hyaluronic acid found in the antlers. A well-know DVM, PJ Broadfoot collaborated with me on a book for veterinarians “The Efficacy of Velvet Antler in Veterinary Practice” and I thought I’d share the part on immune boosting here:

Velvet antler (humanely-harvested racks from deer) compounds are listed in the pharmacopoeia of the former USSR Health Ministry as “tonic drugs.” In clinical studies, New Zealand scientists at AgResearch Invermay, near Dunedin, proved that velvet can stimulate or can down-regulate the body’s immune system thus stimulating increased production of white blood cells. This response – immune-potentiation in scientific terms – is the body’s defense mechanism. Increased numbers of white blood cells are produced to fight “intruder” bugs.  This means that if given to pets, (especially older pets or those immune-compromised) the antler is an effective bio-regulator that makes the immune system more balanced.

If you want a free download of the book (some of it is a little technical because it’s for vets) http://www.nzvel-pets.com/

Beware of mineral deficiencies in our pet’s diets.

Mineral deficiencies may appear in pets as sickness or allergy. Lack of zinc, for instance, can cause vomiting, conjunctivitis, debility, and retarded growth in cats. Proper levels of zinc give skin and coat protection. Zinc also protects molecules and tissues against free radicals, thereby representing an essential component of antioxidant enzymes. Zinc is required for the activity of over 100 different kinds of enzymes in animal health. Calcium deficiencies in dogs result in osteoporosis, hip dysplasia, gum erosion and teeth loss, easily broken bones, and reproductive failures and in cats, nervousness, lameness, thin bones and unfriendly behavior.

Copper deficiencies present symptoms such as loss of hair pigmentation and bone abnormalities. Low potassium contributes to muscle weakness, poor growth, listlessness, irregular heartbeat and lesions in the kidneys. Manganese deficiencies can contribute to reproductive dysfunction, weak tendons and ligaments, impaired bone formation, anemia, neuro-muscular dysfunctions, and glandular swelling.

A similar unbalancing of minerals can occur with exces­sive intake of single vitamins, either by producing a deficiency or increasing the retention of a particular mineral. A high intake of vitamin C decreases copper’s absorption and will contribute to a deficiency. Too much zinc can unbalance copper and iron levels in the body. Iron deficiencies can cause anemic conditions, weakness and fatigue.

We advise giving your pet a trace mineral liquid supplement in their water rather than a vitamin/mineral pill. The trace minerals are better absorbed by the cell and leave no residue that can be lodged in joints facilitating arthritis later in life.

For more information read my book, Super Nutrition for Dogs ‘n Cats. http://amzn.to/1LRXXmY