[aimee]

I disagree I see the advice that “petnutritionist” gave as being inappropriate.

[aimee]

Shasta,

In learning theory the term reward isn’t used, behavior is either reinforced ( becomes more frequent or more intense) or punished ( less frequent or intense) but in common use many people use the term reward for reinforcement. This is why when I first used the term I put it in quotations. I’m simply saying that the behavior served its purpose… space was increased between the scary thing and your dog. Removing the dog when he alerts (tense) but doesn’t react ( lunge bark) can help the dog to learn he doesn’t need to react to get out of the situation. In BAT the dog alerts but hopefully far enough away so doesn’t react and the trainer watches for a disengaging behavior (breaks eye contact with target, turns )then marks that behavior and leaves the dog. Following with food/toy serves to both classically change emotion and reinforce behavior.

When training Jack I used a squeeky ball. The squeek was used as a positive interrupter. To get the behavior of “disengage”. Squeek was taught to mean give eye contact and that was reinforced with toss of the ball. Real world training isn’t as clean as a controlled environment so I need a way to get his to break focus as we would often be over the ideal threshold when out and about in teh real world. Squeeky also triggers a positive emotional response( he loves fetch) which then became associated with the scary thing. Scary thing becomes a predictor of fun. Ceaser uses aversive interrupters. Neck jab, kick to haunch get the dog break focus.. but the dog then makes the association between scary thing predicts scary things. Not an association I want to make. This is why I don’t use Ceasar’s methods.

So what I have now is Jack sees something that he used to react to and instead of reacting he turns back to me doing a happy dance looking for his ball to be thrown.

[aimee]

The second class definitely sounds better for him than the first. I’ll share a few things I learned. For the scared reactive dog the function of the behavior is to make the scary thing go away so when the dog is removed from the situation or the other dog goes away while your dog is reacting the behavior is “rewarded”. If your dog “freaks out” in class and you remove him back to the room the “freaking out” behavior is rewarded. I’m not saying don’t remove him, I think it is the right thing to do in that emergency situation but do realize that it is reinforcing the behavior. This is why you want to stay “under threshold”. If sees the other dog and he doesn’t react than “mark” that non reactive behavior and take him back in the room (which reinforces the non reactive behavior) and reinforce with food/play. BAT is effective as it uses both a functional and operent R+ when the dog disengages.

I found that a calming cap, now called thunder cap, helped facilitate learning by dampening the visual stimuli. I still use this on Jack when I have to take him to the vet for example. I know he will be over threshold in that situation.

Other authors I can rec are Emma Parsons Click to Calm which shares her journey with her reactive dog Ben and Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt.

watch the videos found here http://dogmantics.com/free-video-list/reactivity-and-barking/
and scope you tube for stuff by Sophia Yin and Jean Donaldson and Patricia McConnell

Best of Luck

[aimee]

Several years ago I signed Brooke and I up for a park district training class to give us something to do over winter. I called the park district and was assured that the training methods would be pos reinforcement. Imagine my surprise at orientation that there was a slip chain on the table. I naively thought they must be going over why you shouldn’t use that type of training collar…wrong. This was a “yank and thank” class. Hmm…what to do. I asked if I could use a harness in class… nope. They did allow me to use a flat collar but said after a few lessons I’d be wanting to use a choke as my dog would “get so far behind”. I stayed in the class and foolishly thought that through example I could get the trainers to “cross over” to R+ training. I talked to the trainers after class and before class. I brought them the AVSAB position statements and papers linking use of aversives in training to aggression and decreased reliability. Ian Dunbar was in town and I offered to pay for them to go his seminars to talk to other trainers who “crossed over”. While they acknowledged Brooke was the “top student” ( they frequently used us to demo… I never gave them the leash) they said I’d never be able to train another dog that way. They just weren’t interested in any of it. So…… I got them fired. Yup I went to the Park District Board plead my case there, relayed the abuse I saw and got their sorry selves fired.

[aimee]

Anxitane is the brand name of the supplement the trainer is referring to. L Theanine is the active ingredient. It is in blends of other supplements as well at lower levels than in the Anxitane. Anxitane is my preferred product and I have seen it help facilitate behavior modification.

Desensitization and counterconditioning of dogs with profound anxiety is a process whereby attention to detail and keeping the dog below threshold is important. I know as I own such a dog. I don’t like to ever see reactive dogs on neck collars. Initially I used a head collar and/or front attachment harness. The most frequent mistake made is putting the dog in situations that he/she is not ready for. This takes time… a lot of time and realistic goals.

General obedience classes may be inappropriate for your dog as many dogs are over threshold, Feisty Fido classes where the ratio of trainer to student is often one to one and they use screening between dogs to keep them under threshold until they are ready for contact can be helpful

You might want to buy Patricia McConnells book Feitsy Fido which is an excellent resource. If you are not familiar with BAT it is a useful technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WrseJPY09k

Working with a board certified vet behaviorist, a CAAB or a vet interested in behavior would be an excellent idea check here http://avsabonline.org/resources/find-consult

or hook up with a Karen Pryor trainer which you can find here: https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer?source=kpctnavbar

[aimee]

I completely agree that an inexperienced dog/trainer and any combination thereof is a reason not to use training collars. Considering that most training classes are composed of inexperienced trainer/dogs I feel strongly that these types of training tools should be avoided in training classes. Learning is stressful enough without the addition of slip and prong collars during the educational process.

Interestingly enough 2 papers were recently published that compared training methods. Methods using aversives, (leash tugs, prong collars, verbal reprimands etc) were associated with an increased risk of the dog acting aggressively to people and the dogs displayed increased stress signals and made less eye contact with their owners compared to dogs trained with pos. reinforcement methods.

Since I find no need for a collar for training and feel harnesses are safer as an emergency safety tool I’m a harness girl.

[aimee]

Guess we are all in good company! Yesterday am I saw a comment Dr. Mike left that Editors Choice was to be launched in a few hours. All day long I was monitoring to see how to join and late last night after clicking through several screens found a way to sign up. When I did it was $19.99. I just figured Dr. Mike decided to make the cost 19.99 instead of 14.99.

Now I’m reading about a video and a clock and 30 min sign up window. I saw nothing like that!

My renewal showed Sept. too when I checked it. Shrug

[aimee]

It was interesting to see what companies Dr. Mike chose for his list. There are some I agree with and others that I wouldn’t have included.

For example I looked at Grandma Lucy’s as a potential diet for Jack. I contacted them about the phos level in their venison diet and asked for them to provide it as a grams/1000 kcals format. From their website: Ca min 1%, phos max .45% ( As a side note This exceeds AAFCO max 2:1 ratio and since they are reporting Ca as a min and phos as a max it can only go up from there.) Using their max phos .45% and their caloric information I calculate a max phos of 1.08 grams/1000kcals. AAFCO min for maint profile is 1.4 grams/1000kcals. This is why I called them.

It took them days to get back to me and the number given to me was very very low… way below AAFCO min. for maintenance. I questioned that value as the AAFCO statement said it meets AAFCO nutritional profile for all life stages. When I questioned it, it again took several days for them to get back to me and they insisted they gave me the correct value. If I remember right they said it was .8 grams/1000 kcals. AAFCO min for ALS is 2.28 grams/1000 kcals. The Customer Service person didn’t have any explanation and was only able to repeat what she was told.

I also asked about the caloric information as it didn’t make sense either. They couldn’t answer the discrepancy, and said someone would contact me to explain it. But after e mailing repeatedly and never hearing back I gave up. They report 4144 kcal/kg, 17 cups/3 lbs and 470 cal/cup. If I calculate calories in a 3 lb bag by converting lbs to kg, 1.36 kg x 4144kcals/kg gives me 5650 kcal/3 lb bag. BUT if you use their figure of 17 cups/3 lb bag and multiply by their given 470 calories /cup 17 X 470 = 7990kcals in a 3 lb bag. Huge difference!

These discrepancies that the company was unable to explain led me to pass on this diet.

[aimee]

I’m a harness girl. My dogs have collars to attach ID to but leashes are attached to harnesses. It was explained to me that the reason collars are recommended high on the neck for training is because of the sensitive structures in this area. Collar pressure and “corrections” given with the collar in this position will be much more aversive (painful) as opposed to when the collar is lower on the neck.

I trained my first dog using collar high on the neck and leash “corrections” I still feel very bad about that.

[aimee]

Hi Sue,

My current dog possibly had/has pancreatitis as a part of his GI complex. The only definitive way to diagnose pancreatitis is biopsy, otherwise the diagnosis is based on a constellation of symptoms, ultrasound and supportive laboratory testing. Amylase and lipase levels in the blood can be low in the face of pancreatitis and high when pancreatitis is not present. Currently it is thought the best test is the Spec Cpl run by Idexx or Texas A and M or the Idexx Snap test. But even this test isn’t perfect. If the test results are in the normal range it is unlikely that active pancreatitis is present, but you an never completely rule it out. If the test is high the higher it is the more likely it is pancreatitis.

With my own dog he was having intermittent vomiting bloody stool and abd pain. At least that is when I assumed was the reason he’d spend the whole day in his crate looking miserable. His pancreas tests cpl amylase/lipase were always normal yet his ultrasound of the pancreas was supportive of previous inflammation-fibrosis.

I was at the point of full exploratory with surgical biopsies as all other tests had been exhausted. since he was stable I did food trials with low fat one protein one carb diets. I tracked symptoms daily. With the first two diets combo home cooked and OTC there was no appreciable change. The third diet RC select protein Venison/Potato from the vet was the charm.

Best of luck to you and Patch

[aimee]

I read Dr Falconers report on the case of Mr Piggy, whom was diagnosed a year earlier with heartworms, and was being treated with a “slow kill” protocol. A critical evaluation leaves multiple questions.

The drugs used and the frequency given are not described except to say “had been trying her vet’s slow kill protocol with an antibiotic for six months” Did Mr Piggy have any drugs for first 6 months after the initial diagnosis 1 year ago? Additionally, I don’t know of any slow kill protocols that use antibiotics only and for a 6 month duration no less. All protocols I know involve using a monthly or more frequent dose of ivermectin or similar drug along with pulsed doxycycline. This leaves the reader to wonder what drugs did Mr Piggy receive and when did he receive them.

He reports “it didn’t work. He was still showing worms on his test” The test is not described. The only test I know that “shows worms” is an ultrasound. I’m guessing he is saying that worms are present because antigen was detected in his blood. Is that valid?? Antigen can be present long after the worms have died which is why testing isn’t done for 6 months after adulticide is given. Did Mr Piggy even have heartworms when presented to Dr Falconer?

Two months later he reports, “Bingo: Negative Heartworm Test this remedy hit the mark…..Mr. Piggy is… negative for heartworm!” Is it correct to say a dog is “negative for heartworm” based on an antigen test? I would argue that that is an incorrect statement. All we can say is no antigen was detected or the test result is below detectable limits.

Is it practical to conclude that heartworms died while Mr Piggy was in Dr falconers care? It is commonly reported to take 4-6 months after heartworm death for antigen to decrease to the point that it isn’t detectible on an antigen test. Mr Piggy’s test went from detectible to non detectible in 2 months times suggesting that the heartworm death preceded Dr Falconers care.

When looking at this critically what do we really know? Mr Piggy may or may not have had heartworms when coming to Dr Falconer and he may or may not have had heartworms when he left.

I think it is just as likely actually more likely that Mr Piggy was antigen positive and heartworm negative when he first came to Dr Falconer and over the course of several months the antigen level fell below detectable limits.

[aimee]

If you look at the NA ( nutrient analysis) of the Natures Logic “fortifier” you’ll see it is identical in nearly every way to the NA of Nature’s Logic diet’s. If you choose to add this to your dog’s diet it is a lot cheaper to buy the diet and substitute the kibble for the “fortifier”. Both will do the same thing, which IMO is essentially nothing.

[aimee]

Honestly,

I think your vet is probably the one best to advise you as to which blood tests are recommended. If that is what he ordered that I’d say you are likely good to go! Glad to read that the advantage multi dosing went down without any problems today.

[aimee]

When hwp were first licensed one dose after exposure would prevent infection. I think Heartgard and Sentinal are licensed that way. But we aren’t in Kansas anymore or maybe we never were : ) One dose post exposure isn’t always doing it. (Bayer tried to capitalize on this as one dose of topical Moxi prevented infection but one dose of ivermectin and milbemycin didn’t for the MP3 strain.) However, repeated doses of the preventatives DID prevent infection against those strains. When Trifexis was licensed it was licensed as 3 doses post exposure. I think this is because 1 dose didn’t meet FDA requirements but 3 doses did. Now the most recent HWP licensed, Sentinal Spectrum, is licensed as last dose 6 months post exposure.

I see this as different than resistance, I believe with the true “resistant” strains it doesn’t matter how many doses are administered, infection occurs. Hmm… I look at this kind of like the “slow kill” adult, one dose doesn’t do it but repeated doses does. This is why I do and will continue to give my dogs HWP for a min. of three months after the last possible exposure to heartworms. Giving doses multiple months post exposure isn’t about selling more preventative, it is about preventing more infections! Resistance of bacteria to antibiotics isn’t always all or none either. The bacteria may be resistant at dosage X but not at dosage Y

It is currently thought that the adulticide may not be as effective against young adult vs older adults which is why I think the current treatment protocol is to treat with prev for several months before the immiticide is given.

The Alkp and Alt are liver enzymes. Like Shawna it doesn’t surprise me to see a high end Eos count. I don’t know though that it has any predictive value.

[aimee]

I respect immiticide.. I can’t lie the drug scares me a bit. It is painful and is injected deep into the back muscles. When injected into legs it causes lameness. Rarely it has caused sterile abscesses and if it leaks and migrates and gets to the spinal cord very very rare cases of paralysis have been reported. I’ve heard of dogs having “allergic” ie anaphylactic reactions again very rare. As far as organ toxicity …it is a lot safer than what used to be used. Still knowing all that it is what I’d choose for my own dog if ever faced with a heartworm positive dog.

P.S. Means a lot to me that you hoped I would be one of the ones to reply.

[aimee]

Hi again… While I was answering the first set of questions I see you found more: )

The “slow kill” typically refers to not using immiticide and using preventative (ivermectin) with doxy and dosed more frequently

Initially immiticde was recommended as a 2 injection series for dogs without heavy worm burdens and 3 injections for dogs with heavy burdens. It is now recommended that all dogs undergo 3 injections; safer and more effective. It is a staged kill, not as many dead worms hit the lungs at the same time. Shelters typically don’t do this. They opt for 2 because of cost and time constraints. It is “faster” in the sense that it is a one month instead of 2 month treatment but it is riskier.

[aimee]

Hi losul,

First I’m so sorry for what you and your dog are going through. I myself have nightmares that I get that dreaded call in which I’m told my dog has heartworms. I know that giving less of the pill and less frequently than recommended is likely playing heavily on your mind. In actuality we don’t know what role that played as sometimes dogs on full prevention protocols come up positive too.

I’m sure this is scarey. I’ll try an answer your questions to the best of my ability.

Do you need a second opinion? If you want to look further, have a different type of test done vs a different vet who may be using the same brand test. There can be false positives on a heartworm test, but they are rare.

The fact that they saw microfilaria kinda clinches the diagnosis. There are other microfilaria that can be seen in blood, Dipetalonema comes to mind and a parasitologist can likely identify them for you. The sample may need to be sent to a university vet school. But really the chance you have both a false positive and a different type of microfilaria seems unlikely …I think you would be grasping at straws …

Should you consider slow kill? I’ll give you my opinion for what it is worth, I wouldn’t. I can’t put my hand on it at this moment. Will look for it if you want but as I remember in dogs treated with slow kill considerable ongoing lung damage occurred UNLESS the dogs were on complete exercise restriction for the entire duration. Your dog is young, I’m guessing active, and would be difficult to keep continually crated for nearly a year plus(?) of his life. There also is some speculation that slow kill may be contributing to resistance. Unless your dog is clear of microfilaria during a slow kill treatment ( meaning your dog has microfilaria because of your dosing and not strain) your dog will be infecting others with a resistant strain and spreading resistance.

Should you use moxidectin? So far as I know of only one study that compared efficacy head to head and moxidectin was more effective when given as a single dose. Time will tell if that holds: one study one strain. The moxidectin treated dogs didn’t develop heartworm with only one dose post exposure whereas dogs given 1 dose ivermectin or milbemycin did develop worms. Dogs given 3 monthly doses of milbemycin post exposure were also clear. As I recall this test was done with a strain thought to have resistance.

Moxidectin is also the drug in Pro Heart injections. Is a continuous yet decreasing amount of moxidectin as effective as monthly peak doses? I don’t have any answers for you, I think though it has failed whereas the monthly topical has not due to higher blood concentrations with monthly pulse doses.

I’ve noted on Trifexis (milbemycin) commercials it states to give for 3 months post exposure whereas Sentinal Spectum (milbemycin) has upped that to 6 monthly doses post exposure. For now my dogs get milbemycin, same day each month year round. If I lived in heartworm land… southern states where resistance is being seen I’d choose moxidectin. Likely if my vet was saying moxidectin topical I’d go with it trusting that he/she understands the local strains. I don’t mess around with heartworm prevention.

The preventatives I can think of are ivermectin ( heartgard and others), selamectin( Revolution) milbemycin( sentinal, trifexis,) moxidectin( advantage multi, proheart) diethylcarbamazine (daily still available???)

Should you vaccinate? This is beyond my ability to answer. I think your vet is the best person to answer this one.

Trembling/ fearful…. two things come to mind: pain and fear unrelated to pain. Fears can be to unusual scents, sounds (electrical equipment, ultrasonic, rodents etc ) Pain… any lip licking swallowing drooling that might help you pinpoint it?
.
Again I’m so sorry you are going through this…your vet is the best one to help you through this. The American Heartworm Society guidelines are written as they are for a reason…. If it was me I’d make use of them: 3 injections and doxy. Best of luck

[aimee]

Hi Pm3,

The third author on that paper, Zicker is a nutritionist for Hills. I believe the fortified diet used in that study was Hills B/D.

[aimee]

Hope your visit goes well

[aimee]

There are a lot of variables that affect thyroid levels. Making a diagnosis of hypothyroidism can be a slam dunk or it can be tricky. However, I don’t think Dr Dodds holds the golden key to that puzzle : ).

I think it isn’t the lab that should be taking into account the individual dog, so much as it should be the vet who has examined the animal, knows the history and then interprets the results in light of all of that information. Remember any one test is just a snapshot in time.

[aimee]

Hi Dori,
I wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that your vet “doesn’t even know the correct way to administer this medication”. If Dr. Dodds recommends to give the meds one hour before or three hours after a meal to avoid interference with food an assumption is being made that the stomach is indeed empty/near empty at those times. Is that assumption valid? I don’t see that it is as stomach emptying in the dog and cat can be very prolonged, well over 12 hours.

The drug label reads “Soloxine tablets may be administered orally or placed in the food.” I think this idea of giving replacement on an empty stomach is more of a human thing and may not be all that clinically relevant to the dog.

Certainly if the dog doesn’t seem to be absorbing the meds well, based T4 levels measured after taking the pill, it is reasonable to try giving the meds after a 12 hour fast and seeing if that makes a difference.

TSH measurement isn’t used much in dogs for monitoring treatment. I don’t think the test is as accurate/valid as it is in people. I don’t think there is any real value in running it.

[aimee]

Hi Adrien,

If the ingredients in canned k/d are not within your comfort level than home cooking is an option. (Personally I’d have no concerns with canned k/d, or the dry either for that matter.) For home cooking your vet can approve a recipe from balanceit. com. Balanceit and petdiets. com are services from board certified veterinary nutritionists. I’d avoid recipes found on line/in books as most were found not to be balanced properly. Balanceit makes a dry diet that looks to be geared to kidney patients. Rayne nutrition offers a fresh diet. Your vet would have to decide if either of these are appropriate.

You also have the option of having a vet nutritionist custom make a diet specific to Brody. There are a number of services that do this. The balance it site provides contact information for this service.

Best of luck to you and Brody

[aimee]

I’ve come to look at this issue differently. I’m open to the idea that the criteria PhD nutritionists and veterinary nutritionists use to evaluate foods leads them to conclusions that may differ from our own. Veterinarians may be following the lead of these specialists. For example Susan Wynn DVM, an integrative/holistic practitioner, board certified in nutrition, recommends Hill’s Science Diet http://susanwynn.com/Literature.php click on large breed puppy nutrition.

When zoo nutritionists choose to feed commercial foods Hill’s is often on the menu. Some on this site have suggested that zoos use Hills only because they get the food for free. However, the Hills rep I spoke to said as far as she knew Hills has never had a zoo feeding program. Additionally, she confirmed that many zoos have accounts with them. The local zoo said they purchase Hills from the manufacturer.

When surveying vets, all 5 reported that their nutrition classes were taught by PhD’s and DVM’s without any food industry ties. Three said the only contact from Hills was a free copy of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition which was left on a table to take if they wanted ( the book was not used in any formal way in their classes). The 4th said in addition to the book she could purchase food at a reduced rate. The 5th said that Hills reps were at the school for free lunch/ presentations. She said faculty attended too and afterwards they led discussions on how to critically evaluate the material presented.

After evaluating the education of these vets, talking to zoos (I spoke to 2) and finding recommendations for Hills SD from people highly educated in nutrition I’m finding I need to be open to the idea that those highly educated in nutrition use different criteria to evaluate diets.

[aimee]

Getting proper nutrition into a kidney patient can be tricky and best tailored to your dog individual needs. For a homemade food, a consult with a veterinary nutritionist is likely the best option, but perhaps a semi-customized recipe could be used from balanceit.com. Your vet has to approve its use.

[aimee]

I’ve owned several Labs and used to show in conformation and obedience. I love the breed. I do think 6 weeks is too young to remove from the litter. Any chance the breeder will keep the litter together for at least another week?

The time to start puppy classes is about a week after the first vaccination so well before 12 weeks. The key is that the exposure is to other healthy vaccinated dogs in a controlled environment. You can find some good information at dogstardaily.com The information is broken down into what you need to know before you get your pup, first week home, first month home etc.

As for feeding, in addition to appropriate calcium levels I only feed foods that have passed feeding trials during the growth period. I raised my last two Labs on Pro Plan large breed puppy. In addition to HDMS list you can find food suggestions here /canine-nutrition/hip-dysplasia-dogs/#comment-510071572

and here:/canine-nutrition/hip-dysplasia-dogs/#comment-513500240

[aimee]

Here is a link to a chapter about flatulence. Hope you will find some information that will help you resolve the issue. https://s3.amazonaws.com/mmi_sacn5/Chapter+65+-+Flatulence.pdf

[aimee]

Dr Dodds has contributed greatly in the field of hematology and I think she is a lovely person. However, when it comes to thyroid… I’d use MSU over Dr. Dodds.

[aimee]

I don’t have any experience using it. The posted nutrient analysis is nearly exactly the same as their foods (some nutrients are below AAFCO) so it is puzzling how this supplement would “fortify” anything.

I think you’ll get the same “benefit” by buying the food (at a significantly lower cost/ounce ) and adding a few kibbles /day to your dog’s diet as you would by adding a teaspoon of the “fortifier”. In other words I think it is way overpriced for what you are getting.

[aimee]

That is really interesting Patty!

[aimee]

Patty,

I wonder if that would be true with just a short dosing period. If a “normal” dog is supplemented than feedback mechanisms would shut down natural production and the gland would atrophy. This would take time then to recover. With just a few doses I don’t think it would take as long.

If the initial testing was really recent the lab may still have the original sample as they “bank” samples in case the Dr. wants to add additional tests.

[aimee]

Allergy testing is considered totally unreliable for food allergies, so you may have other options available to you. The only way to diagnose a food allergy is by dietary trials.

Here is information on how to do a dietary trial. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2499

[aimee]

Hi weezerweeks,

I found this site which may be helpful, you can look up explanations for various changes in the blood and urine tests. http://www.2ndchance.info/dxme.htm

It looks like high neutrophils can be from stress/ excitement, inflammation, or infection.

It says increased basophils are not common and can be seen with allergies, parasites.

Regarding the protein in the urine I found this on that site “High specific gravity (very concentrated urine) makes small amounts of protein leakage appear greater than they really are. The opposite is also true; protein of any amount in very dilute urine is a more worrisome finding than the same amount in a concentrated urine sample.”

I found this article on diagnosing thyroid disease, but it is pretty technical.

http://www.idexx.com/pubwebresources/pdf/en_us/smallanimal/snap/t4/sah-thyroid-roundtable.pdf

It sounds like if the T4 is normal it means the dog doesn’t have a thyroid problem but if it is low it means other tests should be done to confirm if there really is a thyroid problem. According to this article if your dog is sick it can lower the thyroid hormone making the dog look like it has a thyroid problem when it doesn’t. “Euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) refers to a condition in which dogs have a nonthyroidal illness (NTI) that suppresses the concentration of circulating thyroid hormones.”

Hope your dog gets well soon.

[aimee]

Thanks for keeping us updated. Hope he continues to do well.

[aimee]

Hi Molzy,

I don’t know if you came across this as possibly being a seizure disorder but I found a few references describing behavior like you are seeing that were diagnosed as a form of seizure. You may want to ask your vet about this.

“Clinical signs commonly associated with sialadenosis included retching and gulping…… Response to treatment with phenobarbital was rapid, although most dogs required continuous treatment to prevent recurrence of clinical signs.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22570898

The dog’s pupils were dilated, and it protruded and retracted its tongue frequently while swallowing or gulping(“glugging”). The dog ingested clumps of hair and other debris lying on the floor and tore up and ingested a portion of the linoleum flooring in the kitchen.

Bouts of the behavior had increased in frequency in the 2 months preceding examination and
tended to occur in the evening….. provisional diagnosis of partial seizure disorder was made on the basis of the clinical signs.

http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/pdf/10.2460/javma.2004.225.1339

Hope this helps Good Luck

[aimee]

I recently found a reference regarding the digestion of cassava starch ( tapioca) which was done in the dog. In an uncooked state (raw) 57.6% is digested before reaching the colon. In the cooked state ( as would be found in kibble) 97.4% of the cassava starch is digested before reaching the colon.

Recueil de Medecine Veterinaire (Mai-Jun 1998)
Foecal and ileal digestibility of diets rich in wheat or tapioca starch in the dog.
Wolter, R. (Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d’Alfort, Maisons Alfort (France). Unite Alimentation Nutrition); Pereira do Socorro, E.; Houdre, C.

[aimee]

I found this resource from Tufts Vet school that has links to lists for lower sodium OTC foods and treats.

http://vet.tufts.edu/heartsmart/diet/reduced_sodium_diet.

And here is some additional information as well: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2515
Good Luck

[aimee]

Hi Alshasta,

The effect of food components on the pH of the urine can be complex. The sulfur amino acids cysteine and methionine are acidifying and I believe they are found more often in animal based proteins vs. plant protein which is why “meat” is considered acidifying. I’ve also read that corn protein is relatively higher in sulfur AA. However, sulfur AA are only one contribution to the resulting urine pH. Other players are calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium which are alkalinizing and phosphorus and chloride that are acidifying.

You can call the companies of the food you are interested in and ask what the average pH is of the urine of dogs on their diet. But many companies don’t track health parameters of the foods they produce. You can also predict pH based on the amounts of the previous mentioned components ( there are equations to do this). But the best information will be gotten from your own dog by measuring urine pH over various times of day while on a particular diet.

Increasing water intake to decrease urine concentration can also help decrease crystal formation. I’ve read that Apple Cider Vinegar increases urine pH because it has an “alkaline ash”. I don’t think I’d use Vit. C. I know it was tested in cats and it didn’t have an effect on urine pH but I don’t know what dose was tested.

[aimee]

Hi Crazy4cats,

In regards to white meat vs red and the advice for humans to limit red meat consumption I’m assuming you are referring to recent reports of an increased cancer risk in people correlated to red meat consumption.

There is only a few publications I’m aware of that looked at this risk in dogs and a higher incidence of cancer was correlated with red meat consumption. “Other significant risk factors were a high intake of red meat, especially beef and pork, and a low intake of chicken. …. In the multivariate analysis, older age, obesity at 1 year of age, and a high red meat intake were independently and significantly associated with the risk of developing mammary tumor and dysplasias.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9595373

“a habitual diet based on home-made food (rich in beef and pork, and poor in chicken) as opposed to commercial food, are also associated with the occurrence of mammary tumours.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10976622

Both of these were likely pulled from the same data as they have authors in common.

Really though I think it is far far too early to know. This was only one cancer type that was evaluated and like any study each has strengths and weaknesses.

[aimee]

Very interesting information James! I have to believe that all proteins/fats used in the production of kibble have preservative in them and as consumers we have no idea what they are because they don’t have to be listed on the label.

[aimee]

Hi James Bailey,

To put this in perspective, when you were investigating potential chicken meal suppliers for use in the production of your dog treats, what other companies did you contact and what prices are other suppliers charging?

[aimee]

Hi Mary Lou!

Sorry for the late reply.. I was out of town for a few days. Glad the link helped!

[aimee]

I came across this paper which I think is a well done objective look at feeding dogs a vegetarian diet.

http://www.une.edu.au/ers/staff-profile-doc-folders/wendy-brown/brown-raan-2009-vegetarian-dog.pdf

[aimee]

Hi KC,

I’d recommend you go to http://www.itchnot.com This is a website from a veterinary dermatologist and has loads of good information. On the left sidebar click on CE notes. The combination of “ears and rears” is apparently one of the hallmarks of food allergy! So when you mentioned that your dog’s belly and privates are very dark that rang a bell with me. You may want to see if your vet thinks a food allergy may be the problem.

Here is some info on doing a food trial. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2499

I did one with my dog.. his problems were GI related but we cleared the problem. Oh… when tested I found out that a lot of the “limited ingredient diets” you can purchase in stores have tested positive for proteins not on the label whereas the vet versions tested “clean” So If you are going to do a trial I’d use a vet version. Good Luck

[aimee]

Hi riverratdad,

I agree with Hound Dog Mom. Here is a link to a balanced homemade recipe based on chicken. I use Tums as a source of calcium carbonate.

http://susanwynn.com/Homemade_Diet_Recipe.php

[aimee]

Melissa,

WOW, what an amazing story! I hope your guy continues to recover. As you said we will never know what role any drug played in the recovery, or if they even played a role at all. I’m just glad he is doing better. If my comment somehow played a part in his recovery that’s awesome!

[aimee]

Hi Mellisaandcrew,

I found this on Cerenia : “Cerenia is labeled only for treatment of nausea and vomiting, but can potentially be used extra-label for pain, inflammation, GI disturbances, allergies and immune diseases, bladder inflammation, CNS and spinal cord injury, and mast cell diseases.”

I Couldn’t Live Without: Cerenia

Maybe it is of benefit as an anti inflammatory early in the course of pancreatic inflammation ?????

[aimee]

Hi James Bailey,
Here is a link to WDJ that has information on research facilities. I’m not aware or any requirement that the animals be in cages.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_6/features/Pet-Food-Companies-Animal-Research-Practices_20547-1.html

[aimee]

Hi Dr. Mike,
Quality control testing is indeed important. Scary thing is we have no way to know if it is being done properly. It was because of a company not following their own testing protocols that approx. 100 deaths resulted from aflatoxin. The excessive Vit. D recall came about because equipment wasn’t cleaned between running a high Vit D concentrate and the next run. Basic stuff is skipped and it is our companions that pay the price. Looking at the reasons behind a companies recalls and any FDA reports give clues here.

You bring up a good point about the min. fat content on a G.A. On a recent post I had calculated that the actual fat in the diet was near 26% while the G.A. min fat was listed as 12%.

I’ve found some companies run an actual N.A. and others only provide a calculated N.A. Either way a N.A. does give us more information, but a lab N.A. is always preferable. A calculated N.A. assumes that the actual nutrient content of their sources are known. This may not be true.

In the end we are still relying on the manufacturer to give us accurate information, and they may not. For example, I asked a company what was the actual level of phos in their diet on an energy basis. They did promptly answer my question, however, they insisted it was a level that was far below the AAFCO min. The AAFCO statement said that the food was formulated to meet AAFCO and using their own min % phos posted on their website I came up with a level exceeded the AAFCO min. Who knows what the actual phos level in their food really is ??

I suppose to some this is nit picking, but if I find multiple inconsistencies it speaks volumes about the company to me.

Anyway on to the label.

The first thing I look at is the AAFCO statement. I’m looking to see for what stage the food is formulated for (is it marketed as adult but is ALS? ) and how the requirement was met. I did find one food labeled as “Puppy” whose AAFCO statement said the food was formulated to meet maintenance levels. At min. I think this would be an illegal label. Was the food suitable for growth or not?? Who knows! But I’m not feeding it. Even a year later the labels said the same thing.

Feeding trials are not a guarantee of quality but I do look favorably upon them. However, I wouldn’t pass on a food for an adult solely based on not having a feeding trial. I have no idea what they cost but if a company is international I’d think the finances would be there. I understand all the limitations of trials.

I look at the guaranteed analysis. I like to see the protein at 2-3 times the fat level. Then on to the ingredient panel.

I personally put no stock in added probiotics, or enzymes, I see it as window dressing. Chelated minerals may be of benefit .

Ingredients: Well…I don’t vilify ingredients. I do look for animal sourced ingredients. I think fresh ingredients do have some advantages over meals. I prefer named over unnamed ingredients, if I have questions I call the company. By-products on the label don’t concern me too much. I think of nearly everything that goes into pet food as being a by-product of the human food industry. I prefer whole ingredients over fractionated but having some fractionated ingredients are fine. I pass on foods that have added dyes and sweeteners.

The ingredient list can only tell me so much as I really have no clue as to the quality of the ingredients, ( calling the company may clarify this) how they were handled and processed, or how digestible they are.

The final test is the food itself and how my dogs do on it.

[aimee]

Hi Mike,

I don’t see myself as requiring expensive testing. I just like to see some basic quality control being in place. Additionally, I don’t think a nutrient analysis is out of reach for even the smallest of companies. I like to see feeding trials but don’t require them (though during growth I do choose to feed diets that have underwent trials) nor do I think they are a measure of quality. There are foods that have passed feeding trials that I would not choose to feed. If the company invests in research it is icing the cake. There is plenty of opportunity for small companies to fit my bill.

Honestly, though a lot of companies don’t make it past the website evaluation. I just can’t bring myself to financially support a company that has egregious errors here.

[aimee]

Hi Dr. Mike,

The first thing I look at when evaluating a food I may feed is to evaluate the company that made the food. I often start with the website. I think of it as a resume. What is my first impression?
Are there spelling and grammar errors? A few typos are Ok.. but if a pattern, that shows lack of attention to detail.

How much padding is there? All companies put a bit of spin on their products. But If I’m getting dizzy that’s a bad sign. So I look at the health claims if any. Do they jive with current nutritional knowledge? Does the company understand basic principles of science and nutrition?

Out comes my calculator. I don’t look fondly upon the company if the information provided doesn’t add up.

If the resume passes than I’ll interview. I’ll contact the company. I want to know who formulates the diets and what are their credentials. (Preferably they have a veterinary nutritionist in their employ). I’ll ask about their quality control testing. (I’ve gotten answers that ranged from detailed step by step testing that is done to a company that actually asked me what I thought they should be testing for. SCARY! ) I’ll ask for a nutritional analysis (I’ve had companies ask me what this is 🙁 )or some type of detailed nutritional information. If the company can’t give it to in a timely fashion or says it is proprietary those are a bad signs. I’ll ask about their ingredient sourcing. Is the company forthcoming or vague? (I prefer domestically sourced ingredients) Do they manufacture their food , contract out or both. (I prefer a company to have their own manufacturing plants but as we have seen that is not any type of guarantee of quality).

I like to see companies that invest in research, and conduct in house feeding trials.

Then I do a bit of sleuthing. I look for FDA warnings. I want to see how the company has handled recalls. If a company has repeated recalls and recalled only after a problem is identified in the field ( human or animal illness/death) that may be a problem. If the company downplays the problem, that is a problem. I don’t think a company with out recalls is better than one that has recalled. Maybe the company without recalls doesn’t do any post manufacturer testing to identify when/if the food is out of specifications.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things… If the company passes then I look at the individual food they make. I’ll post later with what I look for on a label.

[Author]

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