Here’s a photo of lambs ears that have been dyed using ‘human grade’ food coloring for Christmas. I have deep concerns about using coloring agents in dog (and human) foods.
For example, some dogs may be allergic or sensitive to the coloring agents. We know that the use of these additives can cause excitability since coloring agents have also been linked to hyperactivity in children.
Food colors are chemicals – they are just chemicals that have been tested by the FDA to ensure they are ‘safe’ for human consumption. Colors are added to make food more appealing and marketable.
Since our dogs have limited color vision and lack photoreceptors in their eyes to ascertain shades of red and green, the color added to dog treats is to appeal to the dog owner and not the dog. Dogs will decide if something tastes good!
How about some natural alternatives? Here’s a photo of my Chicken & Cranberry Holiday Crunch (a special for the holiday season). The red color is totally natural and comes from the whole cranberries that are part of the recipe.
Chicken and Cranberry Holiday Crunch
I recommend that you feed natural products whenever possible and avoid highly colored dog treats.
And remember that no more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake should come from treats!
Kind regards,
Kathleen Crisley, dog masseuse and nutrition adviser, Canine Catering Ltd
When you own a senior dog, it’s important to understand that they experience discomfort from arthritis, aching joints, and muscle tension.
A supportive dog bed is essential.
In Daisy’s case, she now sleeps on a total of four mattresses, one of which is memory foam and acts as the ‘boxed spring’ layer. I call this her Princess and the Pea look.
Posted in dog care
Tagged Dog, dog beds, elderly dogs, muscle tension, old dogs, pet beds, support
A courier came to the door this morning to deliver several parcels. She said, “What’s cooking – it smells great!” And I replied, “I’m cooking a casserole for my dog in the slow cooker.”
This particular casserole is made with fresh broccoli, lamb heart, lean beef schnitzel, and fresh ginger.
After a brief pause, she smiled and said, “Lucky dog.”
I feed a combination of raw, homemade and commercial foods. It’s important to feed a nutritionally complete diet and so homemade diets will most likely need supplementation.
I consult with dog owners who want feeding advice and I incorporate Traditional Chinese Medicine assessment techniques for food matching. I am not affiliated with any dog food manufacturer and so my advice is completely independent.
Need to know more? Get in touch with me via my company website.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
Posted in dog care
Tagged commercial foods, diet, homemade diet, nutrition, raw food, raw food diet
This holiday season, the Humane Society of the United States would like to share its 7 steps to a happier pet:
One of the things I try to do through this blog and my column in NZ Dog World magazine is to educate dog owners. This item, from ABC News in the United States, gives you some food for thought.
The key messages are:
1) Be an educated dog owner about health care
2) Ask knowledgeable questions about recommended procedures (including vaccinations)
3) Understand that some practices market procedures (up-selling) to increase sales
And the subtle one for me is really to develop a working relationship with your vet. I believe that most vets are ethical and are willing to have an intelligent conversation with you. But, it’s up to you to be the steward of your dog’s care. You are the one who says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to all treatments given to your dog.
Is Your Veterinarian Being Honest With You? | Video – ABC News.
I had a lovely email this evening from a new massage client. She says ‘Ash was very happy after her treatment and has not had any bad falls (i.e. the ‘Bambi’ ones which are really bad for her hips.)’
You know what she means, right? If not, here are a few examples:
Copyright Disney Studios
Copyright Disney Studios
Copyright Disney Studios
Does your dog fall like Bambi? Landing like Bambi when you are an older or mobility-challenged dog can really hurt. Please take care!
Tagged Bambi, Disney Studios, elderly dogs, falls, massage, mobility challenged, senior dogs
Canine parvovirus is a highly contagious worldwide disease that involves both domestic and wild canines. It can be fatal in immuno-compromised dogs or puppies that have not been vaccinated.
Photo courtesy of Kansas State University
The molecular diagnostics team led by Richard Oberst, Professor of diagnostic medicine, at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Kansas State University has developed a newer, more effective test that can detect an emerging 2c strain of the virus while also detecting the existing 2a and 2b strains.
“Canine parvovirus is a very severe disease,” Oberst said. “Usually dogs who have canine parvovirus are already immune suppressed, not only because of their young age and having immature immune systems, but also because of having intestinal parasites.”
Canine parvovirus causes hemorrhagic enteritis resulting in bloody diarrhea several days after exposure to the virus. It spreads from dog to dog through contact with feces. The virus infects lymphocytes and causes immune suppression and it also can cause dogs to bleed to death through their intestines.
Often, survival rates depend on how quickly and accurately the virus is detected. Commercial tests for veterinarians are not as effective at detecting newer strains of the 2c virus, Oberst said, and have resulted in some false negative results.
The team has developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, test to detect the 2c virus strain and the 2a and 2b strains. “With this test we can now test all strains simultaneously and differentiate which strains of the virus might actually be causing the infection,” Oberst said. “That’s a unique aspect to this test.”
To send samples for testing at the diagnostic laboratory, dog owners are encouraged to work with their veterinarians, who can send samples to the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Kansas State University.
Okay, New Zealanders and other Antipodeans – summer is just around the corner and we are already experiencing clear, warm and sunny days.
And every year, sadly, dogs die from heat stress because their owners decided to leave them in a parked car ‘just for a few minutes.’
This video by Dr Ernie Ward illustrates just how quickly the temperature in a car increases in hot weather. Imagine what is is like for a dog that can’t open the door and escape the heat!
It is best to leave your dog at home during summer if you have to make any stops and ensure that you use your car’s air conditioner to keep your dog comfortable when driving.
Pay attention to the thermometer that Dr Ward uses. You can clearly see the temperatures in Celsius on it, although he talks in degrees Fahrenheit
Posted in dog care
Tagged Dog, Dr Ernie Ward, Ernie Ward, heat, heat stress, heat stroke, parked cars, summer, sunny days, warm and sunny days
DoggyMom.com 