All Things Dogs and Cats

Bumpy Skin and Fur Loss?

2007-10-24T06:20:00.000-07:00

Pimples an fur loss are often the result of bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. These infections can lead to dry and flaky skin, itching and fur loss.

Licking will cause the skin layers to be vulnerable to infection. You can prevent licking be putting on an Elizabethan collar for your dog.Also assess if there is an increase in moisture in the places that he sleeps or plays in. Increased moisture in the environment could encourage bacterial and fungal growths. Your dog could also be allergic to the floor cleaner or detergent. Introduction of new treats or changes in the food could make the skin problem worse, too.

Massaging Your Pet

2007-10-11T08:04:00.000-07:00

When massaging, trust that your pet will let you know what he or she prefers. If your touch is too hard, they will move away. If your touch is too light, they will lean into you to get more pressure.

Step 1: Begin massaging at the head and neck using the flat side of your hand in long sweeping strokes. this will signal the start of the session and will increase its circulation and body awareness.

Step 2: Massage along both sides of the neck, continuing between the shoulder blades and running on either side of the spine all the way down the hind legs and to the base of the tail.

Step 3: Continue the massage all the way to the tip of the tail, which is the end of the spine.

Step 4: Ears are a wonderful place to massage your pet as they have so many pressure points. You may want to start at the base of the ear between your thumb and your index finger. Applying gentle pressure, rub in small circular motions and ten slide your fingers up an inch and repeat.

- Extract from Pets Magazine

Can Dogs Eat Pork?

2007-10-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

The first safety concern is that pork can give a dog worms. Trichinellosis is caused by eating raw or undercooked meat of animals infected with larvae of a species of worm called Trichinella. These worms travel through the intestinal tract, are absorbed into the bloodstream, and eventually end up in the muscles where they lay larvae in the muscle tissue. These larvae become embedded in the muscle.

Consuming raw or undercooked meat that has embedded larvae could result in infection of the dog with Trichinella. In general, these worms do not cause an outright infection and dogs do not exhibit clinical signs of disease. Cooking pork until it is no longer pink inside will kill the worms and make it safe for consumption.

Article by Dr Jill Cline, Research Nutritionist

Bladder Stones

2007-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

About 2 months ago, I noticed blood in Whiskey's urine. I brought him to the hospital as our clinic does not have the facilities to handle cases like this. We usually only see dogs and cats for simple cases like flu, cough etc. Anyway, x-rays were done at Mount Pleasant and the verdict was out. Whiskey had bladder stones which were too large to be dissolved. Surgery had to be done.

As it turns out, there wasn't one big stone but actually a lot of small and spikey. Below is a picture of just a few of the stones, and also the horrifyingly long stitches on Whiskey!

The stones were sent to a lab and diagnosed as struvite. Whiskey was then put on Hill's s/d. Previously, he was on Solid Gold's lamb and rice. During this period, I began reading up on bladder stones and somehow my research led me to find out more about commercial dog food. I was shocked to find out that trusted brands like Hill's and Eukanuba are actually of terrible quality. These are recommended brands at our clinic. I also came across this website
Dog Food Secrets
where I found out shocking things about commercial dog food. I never knew that they had such appalling standards.

Now I think feeding a home cooked diet would be better for Whiskey. Hopefully it will help prevent bladder stones from forming again. In the meantime, I'll be monitoring his urine ph level to see if he should continue on the home cooked diet. If anyone has any advice regarding his diet, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Pictures

2007-10-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

My friend's jack russell having a go at some home-cooked lamb and rice! She really loved it.

Handsome, my favorite cat.

My mini schnauzer, Whiskey.

Recipes Your Dog Will Love!

2007-10-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

I can't help but think that commercial dog food and treats are bad for my dog. You just don't know what crap goes in there. So, I've been looking out for recipes that I can try instead of simply buying from pet shops. At least I know what ingredients go in and that they are fresh and healthy for my dog. Here are recipes that you can try, too! Whiskey loves these treats.

ITALIAN BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1 package yeast
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
480 ml (2 c) chicken stock
30 ml (2 T) olive oil
150 ml (1/2 cup) parmesan cheese
150 ml (1/2 cup) dry skim milk
30 ml (2 T) parsley, dry
5 ml (1 t) oregano
10 ml (2 t) garlic powder
250 ml (1 c) whole wheat flour
150 ml (1/2 cup) rye flour
150 ml (1/2 cup) rice flour
250 ml (1 c) cracked wheat

PREPARATION & COOKING
Dissolve yeast in water, then combine with stock, oil, cheese, milk, and herbs. Gradually add remaining ingredients until stiff dough is formed. Move to floured surface and knead, then roll to ½” thickness. Cut as desired and bake at 160º (325º F) for 45 minutes. After removing from oven, glaze biscuits with mixture of 15 ml (1 T) milk, 1 egg. Bake for 30 additional minutes. Cool thoroughly before serving.

MOCK MILK BONES

INGREDIENTS:
175 (¾ c) hot water
80 ml (1/3 c) butter
150 ml (1/2 cup) dry milk
5 ml (1 t) salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
710 ml (3 c) whole wheat flour

PREPARATION & COOKING
Pour hot water over butter, then slowly stir in milk, salt, and egg. Add flour 150 ml (1/2 cup) at a time until combined, then knead for 5 minutes or until a stiff dough is formed. Roll to ½” thickness and cut into desired shapes or sizes. Bake at 160º (325º F) for 50 minutes. Cool overnight.

For more healthy treats your dog will love you for, take a look at this e-book. The recipes above were taken from here.
Dog Treat Recipes

If you're looking for meals instead of just treats, then I recommend this e-book. There are alot of recipes in this book and some are for specific purposes like repelling fleas.
245 Homemade Dog Food Recipes