Aimee's Pet Health Journal

Holistic Veterinarians Endorse K-State Rabies Titer Test

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 15:32:00 +0000

Researchers emphasize that testing does not supersede local laws but could open the door to new policies.

A new test panel developed at Kansas State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has garnered the support of a national veterinary organization. The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has endorsed the lab’s rabies titer test, an antibody test that can measure an animal’s immune response to the rabies virus.

In animals with a history of two or more rabies vaccinations, a titer test measuring 0.5 international units per milliliter or higher would indicate the animal may only need a booster if bitten or exposed to the rabies virus, protecting pets from receiving unnecessary vaccinations, K-State lab officials say.

Read more

H/T: The Rabies Challenge Fund

Canine Influenza Outbreak: Keep Your Dogs Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 02:17:00 +0000

Dr. Jean Dodds tells us that limiting exposure to other dogs in public venues is the best way to keep your dogs safe from the canine influenza outbreak.

Cornell University issued a press release on April 12, 2015 that states that the ongoing canine influenza in the Chicago area is due to the H3N2 subtype of canine influenza, not the H3N8 subtype that has been seen in the U.S. previously. This is the first identification of the H3N2 subtype outside of Asia. At this time, it is not known if the currently available H3N8 vaccines will provide any cross-immunity to dogs exposed to the H3N2 subtype. I do stand by my statement that dogs should be restricted from dog-friendly areas and activities until we know more about this outbreak.

Rabies Challenge Fund: Five-Year DOI Study Results

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 00:26:00 +0000

It seemed a long uphill climb for the Rabies Challenge Fund in 2005 when it formed a 501(c)3 organization to privately fund a rabies vaccine duration of immunity study.

Rabies vaccine manufacturers would not take on the challenge; a study longer than three years "cost too much." The USDA, the body that regulates animal drugs, would not accept serum-based immunological studies that have demonstrated that rabies vaccine has a much longer duration of immunity than three years.

Rabies vaccine has been demonstrated to have a minimum duration of immunity of
seven years by serology by Dr Ron Schultz, and 4 years for cats and 5 years for dogs
by challenge by Aubert. Aubert’s study shows that the chances of a dog or cat
developing rabies in the United States that has had one rabies vaccination is less than one in eight million, (1:8 million)

Refs: Schultz, Ronald D, Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines: What We Know and What We Don’t Know, Proceedings – Canine Infectious Diseases: From Clinics to Molecular Pathogenesis, Ithaca, NY, 1999, 22
.
Aubert Michel F, The practical significance of rabies antibodies in cats and dogs, Scientific and Technical Revue, 11(3) 735, 1992 Paris, France

For pet owners who had experienced the loss of beloved dogs and cats because of adverse reactions to repeat rabies inoculations, the only solution was to fund the study for ourselves.

And so we have.

Ten years downstream, results are beginning to emerge.

Our conclusion from studies with the initial rabies vaccine is that the immunity conferred by that product, and assessed by the in vitro RFFIT, was excellent for the first three years, then declined during the fourth year, and continued to drop during the fifth. Nevertheless, the dogs that completed the five-year study who were given a second rabies vaccine (even those with rabies antibody titers that dropped below the RFFIT positive level), demonstrated boosted rabies titers, indicating the presence of an active immune memory cell response. The second vaccine group, which is now three years from vaccination, will remain on study for at least two more years.

Heartworm Prevention - Proceed With Caution

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:45:00 +0000

Dr. Jean Dodds, among the foremost pet health experts in the world, has weighed in on the pro's and con's of monthly heartworm preventative.

As a rule, most of these drugs are well tolerated by a healthy animal. But as a rule, heartworm disease does not affect a healthy animal. Why risk an adverse reaction. And there is a risk.

In her blog, Dr. Dodds states:

Some individual animals affected with autoimmune diseases and their immediate relatives have been shown to react adversely to commercial, monthly heartworm preventives. When an individual’s immune system is compromised, any regular exposure to particular kinds of drugs, chemicals or toxins can produce significant adverse effects, whereas these exposures are well-tolerated by animals with healthy immune systems that do not carry the genetic susceptibility to these disorders. It is important to emphasize that the licensed drug or chemical is safe unless used in a genetically or physiologically susceptible companion animal. These adverse reactions usually occur within the first 10-14 days after the monthly product has been administered and typically begin after an animal has had 2-5 doses. Occasionally, animals that have been taking monthly preventives for a relatively long time will develop subsequent product intolerance. This usually indicates that some underlying disease process has emerged to explain the problem. Based on cumulative data, it is my recommendation that dogs affected with autoimmune diseases and their immediate relatives receive only plain daily heartworm preventive (Dimmitrol = diethylcarmbazine). If heartworm disease is not prevalent where the animals live, routine use of heartworm preventives is not recommended. This is especially important for dogs suffering from chronic diseases of the skin, hair and coat, or those with bone marrow, thyroid or liver disease.

Please click through to the post to get her recommendations for administering heartworm medicine at a 45 day interval rather than 30 and only in those months when mosquitoes fluorish.

Her last note cautions dog owners about the use of Trifexis and Comfortis - marketed as both a heartworm and flea preventative.

Spinosads are found in Trifexis, a monthly heartworm/flea preventive, as well as Comfortis for flea prevention. While I believe these are effective for flea prevention and killing, spinosads are contraindicated in epileptic or seizure prone dogs and should not be given to these dogs. Unfortunately, this is generally unknown and should be shared with your veterinarian, friends and family.

Is there a safer alternative?

My dog was one suffering so much chronic disease and make no mistake - allergies are a direct reflection of a compromised immune system - I chose to forego regular heartworm preventative. For one, it's not a preventative. The drug kills any heartworm microfilia that may be present. For another, heartworm disease is fast-acting. It's not going to kill your dog overnight. I had my dog's blood tested every six months for heartworm disease. Would he have been infected, the prevention was also the cure.

Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 18:31:00 +0000

Dogwise Publishing announces the release of "Canine Nutrigenomics - The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health" by W. Jean Dodds, DVM & Diana Laverdure.

"Obesity. Gastrointestinal disorders. Skin irritations. Chronic yeast infections. Behavioral issues. Arthritis. Autoimmune diseases. Heart disease. Cancer. These are just a few of the common health conditions plaguing our dogs in skyrocketing — and in some cases epidemic — numbers.

These conditions might not appear to share much in common, but they all result from inflammation that originates at the deepest level in your dog’s body—his cells. Where does this inflammation come from? Much of it stems from the lifestyles our dogs share with us, their caretakers—and especially from their modern diet. As you will soon see, many of the foods that are marketed to nourish our dogs actually wreak havoc on them from the inside out,resulting in rampant obesity and chronic disease (Dodds, 2014; Dodds, 2014a). But it doesn’t have to be this way. "

So opens the new book authored by Dr. Jean Dodds' Hemopet, Petlifeline, Hemolife & Nutriscan and co-author, Diana Laverdure.

A veterinarian for 50 years, Dr. Dodds is known worldwide for being at the forefront of veterinary science, clinical research and animal welfare. She has 25 patents and has authored numerous scientific papers, book chapters and two books. In 1986, she transplanted from upstate NY to southern California to start Hemopet, the first non-profit national animal blood bank. Today, Hemopet’s range of nonprofit services also include specialized diagnostic testing; consulting in clinical pathology; and teaching for animal health care professionals, kennel clubs, and pet owners on a variety of subjects including nutrition and holistic medicine (www.hemopet.org).

For advocates who want to exempt sick and senior pets from redundant rabies vaccination, Dr. Dodds has been a stalwart champion for reforming protocols for all dog and cat vaccination, basing her opinions in science rather than scare tactics. She has invested herself in The Rabies Challenge Fund, conducting a privately funded duration of immunity study that aims to extend the intervals between repeat rabies vaccinations. And she has been a storehouse of health knowledge, and the go-to resource, for state-of-the-art diagnostic testing for hypothyroidism in dogs.

This book opens a new chapter in her lifelong pursuit of animal health and an extraordinary opportunity for the dog and cat owner who is committed to creating a climate in which your family dogs can not merely survive, but thrive.

I learned so much after the health deterioration and deaths of my calico cat and my standard poodle.

Aimee suffered the negative effects of an unnecessary rabies vaccination which I thought would protect her. Combined with a biologically inappropriate kibble diet, this one-two punch set off chronic kidney failure and a roller-coaster 18 month decline.

Matisse suffered the negative effects of everything. Breeding. Over-vaccination. Environment. His immune system over-reacted to everything. While this hyper-reactivity didn't kill him in the extremes of Immune-mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) or Immune-mediated Thrombocytopenia (IMT), it did make him miserable. Patchy hair loss. Goopy ears. Runny nose. Gummy eyes. Racking cough. Barring steroids and their undesirable side effects, there was little available to alleviate his symptoms. I don't know if I will ever get past the profound sense of helplessness that I experienced in the last four years of his life.

After much trial, many errors and deep angst, I realized that feeding him a biologically appropriate diet was the only thing I could control. And to whatever extent, this resolved many health issues and improved his quality of life.

I know now what I did not know then:

Vibrant health begins in the cells. We have the power to transform a dog’s cellular health with nutrigenomics. Nutrigenomics (a combination of the words nutrition and genome) is the study of how the foods we - and our pets - eat “speak” to our cells to regulate gene expression, which in turn plays a huge role in determining whether a person or animal will live a life of vibrant health or one plagued by illness.

In this ground-breaking new study, authors W. Jean Dodds, DVM and Diana Laverdure reveal:

• How to tell which foods create optimum gene expression and vibrant health at the cellular level and which foods lead to chronic disease.

• The amazing healing power of functional foods.

• The “Three Keys” to easily creating a foundation diet for your dog based on the principles of nutrigenomics.

• How to use functional ingredients to treat, manage and even reverse a wide variety of chronic canine health conditions.

• The 10 “canine functional superfoods” and how they can supercharge your dog’s health by optimizing his gene expression.

• The signs of a food intolerance/sensitivity and how to stop it in its tracks.

...and much more!

Breeding. Environment. Health care. Animal control laws. There are many factors of pet wellness that are beyond our control. Nutrition does not have to be one.

Just as we inherited our genes from our parents, our epigenome also has a cellular memory that can be passed from one generation to the next (The University of Utah, 2014). This means that a mother and father’s lifestyle decisions — including the quality of their diet — will influence the epigenome of their offspring! Unlike the genome,however, we can alter our epigenome over time with new environmental signals, such as optimum nutrition. And that is exactly what you will learn to do with your dog’s diet!

State Veterinary Boards Reprimand Members for Over-vaccinating?

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sat, 04 Jan 2014 04:12:00 +0000

October 23, 2013 the Texas Board of Veterinary medical Examiners reprimanded a Vet for incorrectly telling clients that animals need an annual rabies vaccine when the animals had received three year rabies vaccines. As far as I know, this is the first time the Board has ruled that giving unnecessary vaccines is not dealing honestly with the public. Hopefully this opens the door to stopping misrepresentation of other vaccines.

The Missouri Board ruled that if a Veterinarian deviates from the AAHA guidelines or the AFP guidelines, they must have solid scientific evidence to support their recommendations.

Treatment Options for Ailing Animals: Can We Ever Speak for Spot?

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 19:46:00 +0000

As I listen to an interview of Dr. Nancy Kay with Terri Gross, NPR Fresh Air A Veterinarian Advises How to Speak for Spot, I am reminded of a line from the movie, Jerry McGuire: "First class used to mean a better meal. Now it means a better life."

Does first class means a better life for your dog too?

Advances in veterinary medicine offer a host of diagnostic procedures and treatment options that are amazing. Stem cell therapy regenerative medicine for dogs with arthritis. Chemotherapy for cats with cancer. Radiography. Biopsy. CT scans. MRI Just about any diagnostic procedure, treatment and drug that is available to the human animal is also available to dogs and cats. Their costs are equally astonishing.

Not everyone can afford them.

When it comes to making medical decisions you and your dog can live with, this adds another stage to grief: guilt. And it's all about money and the means to choose what's best for our pets.

I've labored on this post for weeks striving for objectivity. What would diagnostic tests have looked like for Matisse? What treatment options were available? What was the prognosis? Did I miss an opportunity to improve his quality of life? Did I make a mistake? Did I let him suffer out of my own inability to let go?

In the last three or four years of his life, he was plagued with symptoms of chronic disease - chronic bronchitis, laryngeal paralysis and otitis media, middle ear infection. Diagnosing and treating them started with anesthesia and ended with antibiotics, antacid, corticosteroidal drugs. Even with the best veterinary care available, the prognosis was uncertain.

Once permanent damage occurs in the airways, chronic bronchitis is incurable.

A surgical solution for laryngeal paralysis may have made breathing easier; it would not have stopped the progressive degeneration of nerves caused by Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis Polyneuropathy (GOLPP.) He would still have experienced hind-end weakness and generalized muscle wasting over several years. It is not painful and affected dogs are still bright, alert and happy. And it would have left him more vulnerable to bacterial pneumonia are common.

We'd been there.

The middle ear problem was a constant reminder of how utterly unknowable and uncontrollable the side effects of antibiotics. It began subsequent to a six-week course of antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia. We cured the pneumonia and left him with an ear oozing a river of pus. The protocol to diagnose it involves a general flush under anesthesia.

Let me stop you at anesthesia.

After Matisse was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, I simply would not take the risk of having him slip away without me at his side.

If that's being a Bad Mommy, so be it.

So why am I still belaboring this?

For many people, costs are a consideration. It hurts to own that. We may feel guilty that the decision comes down to cash. We may feel ashamed of our poverty or our selfishness. But financial resources are a fact.

How do we strike a balance between what we want for our companion animals and our own best interests?

Dr. Nancy suggests pretending you have all the money in the world. What would you do?

Once you are clear on this, you can figure out how to pay for the treatment plan. Finance it. Get a second job. Take out a second mortgage. Liquidate assets. Take on more debt. When all is said and done, you can tell yourself that you did everything in your power to relieve your dog or cat of its pain.

Certainly these are ways. Even if they are workable, are they wise? Are they even necessary?

First, throwing a lot of money at a problem may not be the best recourse for your dog or cat.

As Dr. Nancy points out in her interview, a cat that hates car travel may not be a good candidate for chemotherapy. Moreover, the benefit of investing upwards of $10,000 in surgery, radiation and chemotherapy may not out-weigh the risk. Feline vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS) is incurable. If you knew that you were only buying a year of life, much of it recovering from surgery, would you still put your cat through this?

I know people who have done this. They are not rich people, but wage earners who financed the treatment over five years. They lost their beloved cat before they paid off the bills. Without exception, they feel ill-advised by the veterinarians. Bitter.

Second, there’s often more than one right answer. This is the advantage of having a veterinarian partner on your health care team with a consultative approach rather than blindly following the advice of one who tells you what to do.

Should you give your dog antibiotics when there's no evidence of a bacterial infection? Perform a diagnostic test when it's not clear how the results might change what happens next? Vaccinate for "the works" without knowing which diseases he might be exposed to?

Asked this way, these questions almost seem silly, but I must tell you that, as an internist who receives referrals and provides second opinions, I encounter situations where testing was performed or treatment administered that truly didn't make sense in the case at hand. If your veterinarian is prescribing care that, in your mind, doesn't "jive" with your dog's problem, I encourage you to question, investigate, poke, and prod, until things "click."

Dr. Nancy offers a laundry list of objective criteria to help you make your decision.

1. What are the facts? As Dr. Nancy points out, there is extensive information available about medical conditions, diagnostic testing and treatment plans. Merck Veterinary Manual, the same "bible" veterinarians access is available online for anyone to use. Information on drug benefits, risks and side effects is also available online. Research on canine and feline disease and treatments published in medical journals online. Ask Dr. Google. Then confer with your veterinarian. Yes, it's a foreign language. You can learn.

2. Does the medical plan make sense? Every shot, blood draw, drug or test has a risk and a benefit. Is it wise to vaccinate a dog or cat that is sick or stressed? Is it prudent to vaccinate a puppy while maternal immunity is still protecting its system? Is every diagnostic test under the sun necessary to formulate a treatment plan? Sometimes going to extremes is simply not necessary.

3. What does your dog or cat think about it? No one knows better the likes and dislikes of your companion animal than you. Dr. Kay advises to consider your pet's emotional response to veterinary care. My cat hated riding in the car. My dog loved it. Getting into that mindset, I suspect that my cat would have said, "Leave me alone. When I need something, I'll ask." and my dog? "Ain't no big thang, Mom." That's the difference between dogs and cats.

Dr. Kay raises more good questions to ask in order to support your decision-making. But in the end, it all boils down to what serves your peace of mind?

Every medical procedure and medicine has a risk as well as a benefit. Can you accept the outcome if it brings a worse case or the worst of all cases - death?

As the caretaker of family pets, our job is to give them what they need to thrive. Not just shelter, but habitat. Not just food, but nourishment. Not just exercise, but play. Included in this is medicine or medical intervention that helps without causing undue distress or long-lasting harm. To our animals and to ourselves.

It is neither germane nor fair to ask: what would your dog or cat say about this?

Dogs and cats live in the moment. Given they have no concept of past and no anticipation of future, they are living testimony of acceptance: "it is what it is."

When the possibility of laryngeal paralysis made its debut in 2009, we went from never hearing Matisse in the back seat on our car rides to only hearing him. Heavy panting. Roar (breathing like a freight train). Stridor (high-pitched squealing on exhale.) I was concerned. He was just happy to be riding in the car.

When his back legs no longer obeyed his will, meaning he could no longer jump onto the sofa to sit by me, I grew sad. He just adapted, putting his front legs up to signal that he'd have a boost now, Mom.

Throughout his final months, he may have felt punk; he never felt sorry for himself.

By domesticating them, we have made dogs and cats our responsibility. But just because they've adapted to co-exist with humans doesn't mean that they think or feel like humans.

Given their way, independent cats are perfectly content to hunt and scavenge as solitary creatures. They only hook up when nature calls. Social dogs find buddies and roam, hunt, mate and play as packs.

Everything we do for our companion animals' best interests is for us.

After we let Matisse go, I regretted that I had not pursued more information and said so to Dr. Bouloy:

"I should have done the tests."

He put me at ease:

"It would not have changed the outcome."

And therein lies the value of Dr. Kay's book.

As pet parents, we need the willingness to do our homework before agreeing to any course of action. We need the courage to question, challenge and say "no," if it feels wrong or too risky. Unless it's an emergency, there's always room for a second opinion. And we need the commitment to find a veterinarian we trust and respect, who trusts and respects us, and who's willing to work with us and whatever resources we have available.

And when they go, as they inevitably must, we need to make peace with our decisions. We did the best we could with the information and resources that were available to us at the time. But did we truly speak our companion animal's mind?

Somehow I don't think so.

Help for Dogs with Skin Allergies

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 19:10:00 +0000

Perhaps nothing makes a dog owner feel more helpless than a companion animal with skin allergies. Itchy. Smelly. Greasy. Hot spots. Patchy hair loss. Flaming red or blackened with oozing sores. The full range of allergy symptoms drive both beast and human half mad.

Cures are elusive.

As author, C. J. Puotinen, says in "Canine Allergies and Your Dog's Health, "Ask a dozen health experts about allergies and you’ll get at least that many theories about what they are, why they happen, and how to fix them."

Conventional veterinary treatment of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs often prove both expensive and harmful - especially when ear and skin issues can be attributed to an overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract.

When this is so, help is on the way.

To heal the digestive tract, Reinhardt recommends an improved diet with higher-quality protein and the elimination of soy, corn, wheat, and chicken fat. “Soy, corn, and wheat are at the top of the list of foods that irritate canine digestion,” she says, “and I like to stay away from chicken fat because it contains residues of whatever the chicken was exposed to in the way of drugs and toxins. Fat from organically raised, pastured chickens is fine, but that’s not what you’ll find in commercial dog food.”

Reinhardt then recommends three supplements that she considers crucial for rapid healing and recovery: Seacure, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.

Malaseezia pachydermatis is another suspect in ear and skin issues.

[It is] a yeast commonly found in the ears and on the skin of dogs. Held in check by the immune systems of healthy dogs, it can multiply until it becomes pathogenic in susceptible dogs, resulting in itchy, oily, or scaly skin, hair loss, redness or blackening of the skin, thickening of the skin, and an offensive greasy odor.

A search of holistic treatments for Malassezia produced recommendations identical to holistic treatments for candidiasis.

“You’ve discovered exactly the point,” says Dr. Wynn. “And if you look further, you will discover that the treatment is very much like what we recommend for any chronic allergic or immune-mediated disease, many of them centering on abnormal gut permeability.

“To wit, we have diseases that respond to diet changes, probiotics, and various herbal tonics or specifics, and we can only document the presence of fungi in some cases, so we look for a different cause. This is why so many veterinary practitioners look at chronic yeast infections as a problem that pops up in immunocompromised animals and not as the primary disease. Holistic treatments like improved diet and probiotics work, but they work directly on the immune system, strengthening the body so that it resists yeast, rather than by killing the yeast directly.”

Herbs can also effect a cure, especially for hot spots.

Dogs are well known for finding their own treatments when given the opportunity. Renee Votta, an herbalist in New Braunfels, Texas, adopted a mixed-breed dog she found. “We had just had a huge flood, and many animals were homeless due to houses being destroyed and animals being caught in the river. I looked for her owners but no one claimed her.”

Votta named the dog Bonnie and took her to a veterinary clinic for spaying and to have the open sores on her legs treated. “She licked at them all the time,” says Votta. “Most were an inch wide and an inch long, some smaller and a few larger. The vet said they were caused by contact dermatitis having something to do with the grass, weeds, and green things that grow here all year. The vet said we would have to live with them because it’s the kind of problem that keeps coming back.”

That winter, Votta experimented with topical treatments. A mix of aloe vera, vitamin E, and olive oil worked best, but even though the sores got smaller, they never went away and new sores often developed.

One day, Votta realized that Bonnie, standing in a weed patch, was carefully harvesting cleavers (Galium aparine). “I couldn’t get over it,” she says. “Bonnie was ignoring all the other weeds. At that moment I realized that her condition had nothing to do with external factors. Her problems were inside her.”

Votta encouraged Bonnie to eat all the cleavers she wanted from the yard, plus she made cleavers tea to add to the dog’s water. She also added minced cleavers and raw garlic to Bonnie’s dry food.

Within a month, all of the sores on Bonnie’s legs cleared up and in the eight years since, she has never had another open sore. She continues to graze on cleavers, especially when the plants first emerge in the spring. “Eating a few strands of them every so often is enough to keep her healthy and her blood clean,” says Votta.

Read Canine Allergies and Your Dog's Health at Whole Dog Journal.

CA ALERT: AB272 Zombie Rabies Bill That Endangers Puppies Just Won't Die!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 17:03:00 +0000

Thanks to Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola Healthy Pets, for this story at-a-glance on the zombie rabies bill that has been resurrected yet again in the California legislature.

California Assembly Bill AB 272 is proposing new vaccine legislation that will require puppies in California to receive the rabies vaccine at 12 weeks rather than 16 weeks. Analysis of the bill indicates significant important factual errors have been conveyed to legislators about the impact of the bill on California's dogs if it passes, and the motivations behind its introduction.

Dr. Jean Dodds, Dr. Becker, other members of the veterinary community and countless pet owners are very concerned about this proposed bill, for the sake of California’s puppies, and also because other states often follow California’s lead.

A primary concern is that too-early rabies vaccination can interfere with residual maternal antibodies, with the result that puppies presumed to be immunized against the disease, will not be.

Another concern is that adding the rabies vaccine around the same time dogs receive their “puppy shots” can significantly increase the risk for serious adverse vaccine reactions.

Dr. Becker and Dr. Dodds encourage pet owners to get informed and involved by visiting the Rabies Challenge Fund website.

Can we say one more time: there is absolutely no good reason for this amendment to California rabies law and considerable potential risk to puppies under 16 weeks of age.

Read all about Risks of Too Early Rabies Vaccination at Dr. Becker's site.

Dog Ear Infections - Stop Plucking!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 00:45:00 +0000

I am pleased to see this article “Ears: What Every Groomer Needs to Know” by Dr. Heide Newton, DVM, DACVD.

Contrary to what you may have been previously taught, requested, or commanded, the current advice from veterinary dermatologists is that plucking ear hair can do more harm than good. Rather than prevent ear infections, this procedure can actually create a greater likelihood of infection by damaging the tender inner ear tissue and allowing a foothold for bacteria to thrive.

There was probably no worse sign of allergy in my dog than gunky ears. Dark, waxy discharge started when he was a puppy soon after his first round of shots. They never stopped giving him fits.

We tried everything! Oti-Cleans. Otomax. BNT Oitment. Xymox. These were among the vet-endorsed medicines. When these failed, I desperately tried "Blue Powder" a home-made concoction of gentian violet and witch hazel which all the groomers recommended. The less said about that, the better. . Subsequently, I concocted a gentler treatment of my own - a blend of almond oil, lavender oil and neem. It may have soothed his ears. It never healed them. They were sometimes better, sometimes worse, sometimes the left one was inflamed and oozing, then when that one responded to treatment, the right one took up the discharge. Simply, he suffered "poodle ear" made worse by allergies. A long, dark, damp canal covered by long flaps were the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. And they were absolutely at their most troubling to him after the groomer plucked them.

Of all that I learned by caring for Matisse about homeopathy, hygiene, keeping him safe, the one thing I would simply not repeat - plucking hair from the ear canal.

How Cats Tell Us When It Hurts

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 15:26:00 +0000

Adverse reaction to vaccine, traumatic injury, illness and aging may all subject your precious kitty to some form of pain. Regrettably, you may not recognize that a cat is hurting. As Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola, puts it: Your Kitties Are Masters at Hiding Chronic Pain.

To make an accurate assessment of your cat’s condition, it’s necessary to know the difference between stress- or fear-related behavior, and behavior that could signal a painful condition.

According to Dr. Sheilah Robertson, former professor of anesthesia and pain management at the University of Florida and current assistant director of the AVMA’s animal welfare division, part of the observation process involves not only looking for signs of abnormal behavior, but normal behavior as well. If your kitty spends a lot of time in a crouched posture or can’t seem to get comfortable in any position, it could mean she’s uncomfortable.

If she’s stretching out or rolling over on her back for a tummy rub, it’s not likely she’s in pain. A cat that is retreating or hiding obviously needs a second look.

Signals of acute pain in cats include changes in posture, activity level, attitude, vocalization, appetite, facial expression and reaction to being touched or handled. There may also be noticeable changes in the eyes, ears and whiskers of a cat in pain. Dr. Robertson advises veterinarians that observing a cat’s appearance and behavior before a painful procedure may provide information after the procedure about whether the cat is comfortable or needs additional help to control pain.

Vaccination for Kennel Cough: Not!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 02:57:00 +0000

Dogs Naturally Magazine gives dog owners the low-down on bordatella vaccine. Does it truly prevent the canine cold? Not so much.

For a vaccination to make sense to use, it’d have to pass the usual gold standards of inquiry:

Does it work?

Is it safe?

The kennel cough vaccine can’t answer either question with a resounding yes. It’s really pretty much a weakling in the vaccine world.

Efficacy is another way to ask, how well does this work? Turns out it’s a lousy immunizing combo, with at best a very short lived protection against only some of the bugs known to cause this canine cold.

The efficacy of preventing kennel cough in your dog by giving a vaccination is so lacking that noted immunologist Ronald Schultz, PhD says,

“Kennel cough is not a vaccinatable disease.”
That’s not to say its not preventable, but this is a top vaccination authority’s judgement about the value of using the vaccine to prevent this cold in dogs.

Veterinarians and Vaccines - A Slow Learning Curve

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 00:30:00 +0000

Dr. Nancy Kay shares her frustration about veterinarians slow pace adapting to current vaccine science.

Vaccinations are so much more than simple shots. They truly qualify as medical procedures because each and every inoculation is associated with potential risks and benefits. While adverse vaccine reactions are infrequent and most are mild, every once in awhile a vaccine reaction becomes life threatening. As with any medical procedure, it is only logical to administer a vaccination if the potential benefits outweigh the risks. Giving a three-year vaccine once a year defies this logic in that the patient is exposed to all the risk of the procedure with absolutely no potential benefit. How in the world does this make sense?!

At the bottom line, the veterinarians who continue to administer core vaccines annually do so for two reasons: a) they judge pet owners as too lazy or dumb to bring animals in for an annual well check and b) for practice income.

Read Veterinarians and Vaccines a Slow Learning Curve at her blog, www.speakingforspot.com

California AB 272 Amended Sort Of

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:56:00 +0000

Final. California dogs may be vaccinated against rabies at three or four months of age.

AB 272, as amended, Gomez.

Rabies: vaccinations. Existing law imposes various requirements upon dog owners in rabies areas designated by the State Public Health Officer. Any person who violates these requirements is guilty of an infraction, and is punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000. Violation of these requirements also results in impounding of the dog by the local jurisdiction. Among the requirements imposed under existing law is that a dog 4 months of age or older be vaccinated against rabies. This bill would require that a dog 3 or 4 months of age or older be vaccinated against rabies. By expanding the definition of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

I am hard-pressed to understand the thinking behind this amendment. It looks like Committee wants it both ways. Go with Assemblyman Gomez. Go with the public who protests lowering the age a dog must be vaccinated against rabies. Also note in the full text that a rabies medical exemption waiver is available.

Success, I guess.

Distemper Vaccine: One Shot Provides Lifetime Immunity

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 31 May 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Recent vaccinology studies suggests that one distemper vaccination between 12 and 14 weeks provides immunity for a dog's life. Dogs Naturally Magazine reports on this new study from Dr. Ronald Schultz, University of Wisconsin Veterinary School:

In a study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, renowned veterinary infectious disease expert Dr Ronald Schultz vaccinated puppies with just one dose of distemper vaccine just four hours prior to placing the puppies in a room with distemper infected dogs. All of the puppies (which were vaccinated at 12 weeks), were protected against distemper in this challenge study.

In fact, the distemper vaccine works so well, that it can even be given up to three days post exposure to healthy puppies and still offer protection.

Reduce Indoor Pollution With Safe Household Cleaners

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:33:00 +0000

Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola discusses many safe household cleaners to reduce chemical pollutants that aggravate pet (and people) allergies.

Generally, use white vinegar in water to replace ammonia for windows and floors. 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water. Use baking soda instead of chemical-laden and abrasive powders to scrub kitchen counters, sinks, toilets.

A combination of mostly water with a little hydrogen peroxide is straight-up the best solution I've found to remove pet stains from rugs. It's the homemade version of Oxyclean. Use 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide to 1 quart water in a spray bottle. Sprinkle pet stains with baking soda to absorb wetness and odor. Then soak with water / hydrogen peroxide. Not lightly spray. SOAK. Use a soft, white cloth to blot up the moisture. Blot. Blot. Blot. Blot. Until there is no more stain on the cloth. Cover the area with a dry cloth until thoroughly dry to avoid attracting dirt when you walk. A color test in an unobtrusive corner of the room is well advised for any stain remover.

Your companion animals will thank you. So will your wallet.

Dog Allergies: Common Symptoms

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Tue, 28 May 2013 02:42:00 +0000

ACTION ALERT: Tell CA Senate Health Committee to OPPOSE AB 272

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:32:00 +0000

It's baa-ack. From the Rabies Challenge Fund, an update on CALIFORNIA AB 272 which seeks to lower mandated rabies vaccination in dogs from four to three months. This bill will be heard JUNE 5th by the Senate Health Committee.

Listen up, California pet lovers. You've heard all the arguments against here. According to expert opinion, this is an unnecessary and imprudent law that threatens both public safety and the health of puppies.

That it keeps coming back is an example of legislative sausage-making; it's a long, grinding process.And one I suspect that legislators do not think we're watching.

That this amendment to rabies prevention and control ordinances has come this far tells me that the powers that be are simply ignoring the advice of knowledgeable veterinarians as well as the encouragement of "we the people" to trash this ill-considered legislation.

From their perspective, which is who does it serve and how much does it cost the state, there is simply no good reason not to pass it. Rabies vaccination can't hurt. Public safety can't be too careful. Government spending to enact is nothing. Damn the torpedoes. Full speed ahead.

It's up to us to correct that erroneous perception. At the risk of becoming strident, make your voice heard!

Contact Chair Sen. Hernandez (916) 651-4024 Fax (916) 445-0485 senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov, Sen. Anderson (vice-chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036 Fax (916) 447-9008 & com. members below to OPPOSE AB 272. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_272_bill_20130520_status.html

Itchy Skin Tops Reasons for Veterinary Care

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:05:00 +0000

Dr. Will Falconer, well-known homeopathic veterinarian, tells us why Itchy Skin Wins Big, A Mystery to Vets after a pet insurance company reports the top 10 reasons for our companion animals' vet visits.

VPI’s policyholders spent over $58 million last year treating the top ten conditions listed below, and the winner, itchy skin, received more than 68,000 claims. The average claim fee for those itchy dogs? $96 per visit.

That math adds up to around $7 million spent last year! Can you say, “cash cow?”

The Top Dog Plagues in 2012

Atopic or allergic dermatitis
Otitis externa
Pyoderma/hot spot
Benign neoplasia
Gastropathy
Osteoarthritis
Enteropathy
Cystitis or urinary tract infection
Periodontitis/dental disease
Soft tissue trauma

The top three are all related to itchy skin, which has been observed for years, in those who care to look for it, as being associated closely with vaccinations. #4, the growth of tumors, has been bedfellows with vaccinations for as long as vaccines have been out.

While I appreciate the effort Will made in writing this, Dr. Patricia Jordan sums it up:

"Everything we [veterinarians] see is vaccinosis."

(Now if only I could recall where I saw her quote.)

Dr. Patricia Jordan Launches Pet Wellness Website

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:05:00 +0000

Holistic veterinarian and author of "Vaccinosis: Mark of the Beast," Patricia Jordan DVM, has recently launched a new website which is sure to become a prized resource for pet owners interested in avoiding or remedying adverse reactions to over-vaccination of companion animals.

Dr. Jordan offers valuable information and education on pet nutrition, herbal treatments, Reiki and other holistic methods. This information is rounded out by reports derived from extensive study of the cause and treatment of vaccinosis, the symptoms of an immune system damaged by over-use of vaccines in companion animals.

In addition, she is available for consultations as well as speaking engagements.

Have a look.

ACTION ALERT: CA Pet Owners Tell Your Representatives to OPPOSE AB272

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

According to The Rabies Challenge Fund, CALIFORNIA AB 272 to lower mandated rabies vaccination in dogs from four to three months was assigned to Senate Health Committee.

It's hard to say why this California law to vaccinate puppies against rabies at 12 weeks is still in play.

It's the first bill introduced by freshman Gomez so it may be perceived as innocuous. You can see in the video below the procedural yuck-yuck-yuck it caused as his colleagues sent it back to committee to school Assemblyman Gomez and rename it "Cujo's Law."

The only people who don't get the humor are veterinarians knowledgeable about the potential risks of such a law and California pet owners who ought to be fed up with the political hay-making in the California State House at the expense of our companion animals.

Listen as Dr. Jean Dodds and Dr. Karen Becker discuss the potential risks for adverse reaction in puppies as well as the risks to public safety in this video.

Then make your voice heard.

Contact the representatives below and urge them to OPPOSE AB 272. Send Assemblyman Gomez to procedure school on something that isn't life threatening to your companion animals.

Contact Chair, Sen. Hernandez at (916) 651-4024
senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov, Sen. Anderson (vice-chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036 and members below to OPPOSE AB 272

SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE:

Ed Hernandez (Chair) senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4024
Joel Anderson (Vice Chair) senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4036
Jim Beall senator.beall@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4015
Kevin de León senator.deleon@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4022
Mark DeSaulnier senator.desaulnier@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4007
Bill Monning senator.monning@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4017
Jim Nielsen senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4004
Fran Pavley senator.pavley@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4023
Lois Wolk senator.wolk@senate.ca.gov (916) 651-4003

We'll never be taken seriously until we demonstrate that we are a force to be reckoned with.

Is Your Pet Allergic to Dust Mites?

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:09:00 +0000

Kitty got acne on her chin? Puppy got the itchies and can't stop scratching? Fleas, food and seasonal allergens are the usual suspects. But they are not the only culprits. Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola Healthy Pets, reports that "House Dust Mites Can Drive Your Dog or Cat Nuts."

From 30 to 80 percent of allergic dogs and cats test positive for dust mite sensitivity. Pets that once lived primarily outdoors can develop sensitivity after they’ve lived indoors for a period of time.

In dogs, signs of a dust mite allergy include bacterial skin infections; itching, especially around the face and on the feet; recurrent ear inflammation or infections; and seborrhea (a red, itchy rash with white scales).

Kitties with a dust mite allergy may develop something called eosinophilic granuloma complex that results in skin lesions; itching; acne on the chin; recurrent ear inflammation or infections; and a disease of the foot pads called plasma cell pododermatitis, or “pillow foot.”

What to do when common dust mites attack your companion animals? Attack back! Yes, you do have to vacuum more than once a month. If possible remove carpeting altogether. And bathe those fur babies often.

Dr. Becker advises, "hold off on powerful drugs that shut down the immune system in favor of dealing with the animal’s environment first, in conjunction with some other safe, common sense steps.

These include regular foot soaks and bathing to wash away allergens and soothe irritated skin; feeding a species-appropriate, anti-inflammatory diet; providing fresh, good quality drinking water; and avoiding over-vaccinating/over-medicating to insure your pet’s immune system remains strong and resilient.

You can also consider investing in an air purifier to control dust mites, and switching to non-toxic cleaning agents to lessen your pet’s overall toxic load."

Read the whole article.

Lawn & Garden Chemicals - An Ounce of Prevention

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sun, 05 May 2013 15:45:00 +0000

The British Columbia SPCA advises residents to prevent pets from licking pesticide off their paws after walks this spring and summer.

Pets, like children, are at greater risk from pesticide exposure because they are closer to the ground. Worse, though, is the fact that animals can easily consume the chemicals used in products that kill weeds.

“If your dog or cat steps on grass that's been treated with pesticides, the next time he licks his paws he is ingesting poison," says Geoff Urton. “Or imagine a mother robin pulling a pesticide-covered worm from your lawn and feeding it to her newly-hatched offspring.”

It’s estimated that 25 per cent of B.C. households with a lawn or garden still use cosmetic pesticides. Until a pesticide ban is in place, take precautions to protect the animals in your care:

Pay attention to “keep off grass” and avoid areas where pesticides may have been used.
Wash and wipe your pet’s paws when they come in from outside.
Pay particular attention to between the pads where substances can become trapped in fur, and the undersides of claws, where chemicals can also become embedded.

Lawn and garden chemicals are just as damaging in the United States as Canada.

Of the 30 most commonly used lawn-care pesticides, 19 are linked to cancer in humans, 15 are known for neurological toxicity and 27 are sensitizer/irritants, i.e., they exacerbate allergic reactions in individuals with weakened immune systems.

In addition to curtailing the use of pesticides in your home and lawn, it takes just a moment to wipe away lawn chemicals gathered on daily walks.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
More information about commonly used chemicals that negatively affect our pets, read Polluted Pets, an eye-popping study prepared by the Environmental Working Group.

Traveling With Your Dog: Play It Safe

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:22:00 +0000

Even though Austin has unseasonal cold and other parts of the country are still seeing snow, it's not too soon to play it safe when it comes to traveling with your dog. Even with outside temperatures as mild as 70 degrees, the inside of a car heats up fast. And because dogs have no sweat glands, they are more susceptible to overheating. When it doubt, don't leave your dog in a closed car.

ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to Support Veterinary Mobility Act

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela Picard) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:38:00 +0000

Stricter regulations from the Drug Enforcement Administration threaten a veterinarian's ability to provide pain management or humane euthanasia to an animal that is too injured, ill or infirm to move to a clinic. Urge your representatives in Congress to support the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act.

Read on to learn more and send an email now.