Question:

My dog has ear infections continuously.  She is bathed weekly and is clean but she has a very bad smell and bad breath. She likes dry kibble. We had her on raw meat and she got very sick. What type of food and/or supplements do you recommend to help with 1 – ear infections and 2 – the bad body smell she has.

Answer:

Dear Jan,

Thanks for writing in.  The most common cause of persistent bad skin or ear odor is almost always some combination of bacterial skin infection (called pyoderma), yeast infection or a condition called seborrhea.  The fact that the condition is persistent (and you say she has ear infections continuously) is evidence that she has some sort of underlying skin disease leading to these recurrent infections.  Examples of possible issues include:  inhaled allergies (called atopy), food allergies, flea allergies, mange, etc.  Most often the infections will respond to appropriate medications and/or shampoos, but if you don’t address the real underlying problem..the infections will continue to come back and cause your pet to smell badly.  I advise you to see your veterinarian to discuss this further.  As far as bad breath.most often that is caused by periodontal disease (but can also be an indication of other illness).  Periodontal disease is very common in dogs-in fact, 80% of dogs are affected by it by the age of 3.  Plaque on the teeth contains bacteria and they can invade into the gums around the teeth and even the surface of the tongue-resulting in bad breath.  The best thing you can do is to visit your veterinarian to discuss a thorough cleaning and then start with at-home tooth brushing or whatever else your veterinarian recommends.

Good luck.

Dr. Donna Spector, www.SpectorDVM.com.

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QUESTION:

My question is simple. I am slowly switching my dog to Go! Chicken and rice formula from California Natural Chicken and rice formula. The man at the pet store told my husband to mix the kibble with water, which I have never done with any of his kibble. Is there a reason I should do this? My dog likes the food, so there is no problem getting him to eat it. Thank you for your time.

ANSWER:

Hi Barbara,

Thanks for writing in.  I cannot be sure why the man at the pet store made the recommendation to you…adding water to kibble is not necessary during a transition from one diet to another.  One thing that IS beneficial to all dogs eating dry food is additional water intake every day.  Dogs are similar to their human counterparts in that they do not drink enough water each day and many suffer from mild (sub-clinical) dehydration—just like us!  Dry food has only a 10% moisture content compared to canned food (usually with around 78% moisture) so I often recommend a combination of canned and dry food every day in order to supply dogs with the additional water they may not be drinking.  You can also get creative on increasing your dog’s water intake—give ice cubes for treats (no calories and great hydration), use free flowing water fountains, place numerous bowls of water around the house, use non-fat, no sodium broths to entice them.   Hope that helps.

Good Luck.

Dr. Donna Spector

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QUESTION:

Pancreatitus but under control. No flare-ups in several years.

CURRENT ISSUES: Collapsing trachea which just started a week ago (on meds); had knee surgeries (patellas) plus a torn ACL which is fixed. We stopped walking her due to the harness aggravating her trachea. She is now stiff and taps or carries her one foot; seems stiff with the other. Just started this yesterday. Ongoing allergies forever. Yeast in ears which is causing ears to swell. Using ear drops. Not helping. My question is that I would like to put her on a more natural diet. She is on ZD for her allergies, and I do not see this helping. Vet says that we have to watch the fat in her diet so the pancreatitus does not reappear. The leg stiffness is concerning. She is about 2-3 pounds overweight although I have decreased the amount of food she eats. She sounds like a mess, but I think a lot of this is due to diet. What would you suggest she be able to eat that doesn”t mess up allergies, pancreatitus, but yet helps her joints. Don’t know if trachea can be helped.

I love her very much! Thank you!

ANSWER:

Hi Linda,

This is somewhat complicated.  ZD is often used as a treatment for suspected food allergies, however, many times dogs are having adverse reactions to certain components of the food (such as preservatives, meals, etc) but are not truly allergic to an actual protein or carbohydrate.  Selecting a natural diet will eliminate your pet’s exposure to artificial colorings, flavors, preservatives and other harsh or synthetic chemicals which may be causing an adverse skin reaction.  Many natural diets are quite high in protein and fat, however, and may not be ideal for her pancreatitis issue.  Probably the best idea at this point is to make a home-cooked diet which would obviously put you in control of the quality of ingredients and amount of fat, etc. in your pet’s food—this is often very helpful for getting allergic-type reactions under control.  When making a home-cooked diet it is very important to work with a veterinary nutritionist to get the proper balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates and vitamin-minerals for your individual dog.

If you are interested in that option you might consider calling the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Nutrition Service at 530-752-7892 for more information and pricing.  As far as her arthritic joints, you might try a glucosamine.

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QUESTION:

Sir Winston has lost a lot of control with his drooling when he drinks water and sometimes just sitting quietly. I wondered if there was anything natural I can give him to control this better.

ANSWER:

Dear JoAnn,

Thanks for writing in.  Sounds like your Sir Winston is probably making quite a mess!  I would advise you to see your veterinarian as many times excess drooling is a sign of diseases such as mouth (bad teeth, periodontal disease, masses/tumors in the mouth or throat) or swallowing problems.

Good Luck.

Dr. Donna Spector

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Question:

I rescued this dog in January. She was an owner turn in. Great little dog. Three days after I got her, my vet did bladder stone surgery. We then put her on a UD diet. Her paperwork shows that she had the same surgery a year before. However, she was not put on special food. I was researching foods and wondered which of yours was for “stone” problems- if any.

Thanks, Theresa

Answer:

Hi Theresa,

Thanks for writing in. Unfortunately the information you have given is very limited. There are many types of bladder stones and many different reasons that dogs get bladder stones. There is not one “cook-book” diet for all stones, and each stone type has a very specific type of treatment strategy. One of the most important things to prevent dogs from getting any type of stone recurrence is to increase water intake every day. The easiest way to do this is to feed strictly canned food and to give additional water (adding more water into the canned food, free flowing water fountains, large bowls of water around the house, sometimes light salt, etc). You can check out my article on bladder stones here. Otherwise, we need a little more info about your dog’s stones. Hope that helps.

Dr. Donna Spector

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QUESTION:

My dogs itch alot and are showing signs of allergies. Is Go natural wet chick dog food causing this? They have been on it for years. I noticed it getting worse recently and we just hit the hot summer months in FLorida not sure if it is something they are eating or something external. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks, Dana

ANSWER:

Dear Dana,

Thanks for writing in. It would be extremely unusual for all 3 of your dogs to simultaneously develop allergies to a food they have been eating for years. While it is possible that a single bag of food could be spoiled, the most common sign a pet would exhibit in that situation would be digestive upset. A true allergy to a food developing in 3 dogs simultaneously would be almost unheard of!

It is much more likely that their itching is a result of an external issue and seasonal allergies are a HUGE problem right now! The big ones at this time of year are flea allergy, mange, other insect allergy (fly bite, mosquito, etc.), and inhaled allergies (molds, pollens, etc.). Other things to consider…have you changed the type of detergent you use to launder their beds? Other environmental changes?

You should see your veterinarian to check for things like mange. Make sure to be vigilant about flea control during these hot summer months. Check out my article Nix the Itch of Summer. Hope that helps.

Dr. Donna J. Spector

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In this photo, the new rabbit Splash is separated by a creative cube and an X-pen while Yukonn is on the other side with Teresa who has a hand on his shoulder and a solid relationship with the dog. You can offer both the rabbit and the dog suitable treats to help with the bonding.

What do we need to know about rabbits before making a commitment? Before we get that bunny, it is important to understand that they are not easy keepers. Bunnies adapt to their environment very easily and make great companions for they are social animals. They are not easy to care for, due to their special need and delicate digest systems. Bunnies are subject to a variety of illnesses when not properly cared for.

What about the breed? If you like small breeds, be prepared for a very active and feisty bunny! You will need to work with them for they need a lot of attention and training. The larger breeds, like the Flemish giant, are complacent and easier to manage. There are breeds that require special maintenance, like the Angora, and short hair breeds need grooming, for they blow their coats two or three times a year. You will need to brush them regularly which will keep their coat in good shape. Rabbits can not digest fur therefore they can form obstructions in their digestive tract.

How easy is it to care for a rabbit? Diet is extremely important and you can talk to a rabbit savvy vet about the basic diet. Rabbit’s thrive on proper nutrition and if they do not have a good diet, they become ill very quickly. Rabbit savvy vet can go over rabbit nutrition with you.

Rabbits need exercise, about 3 hours a day. It stimulates there mind and keeps their muscles and joints functioning. Regular exercise also keeps the digestive track and other organs functioning as well. Setup a pen or play in a rabbit proof room.

You can clicker train your rabbit which provides environmental enrichment along with approved toys see: chesterspetblog.com

Who should share space with a rabbit? If you plan on introducing your pet house rabbit to other pets in your home such as dogs or cats, you will need to spend time with your rabbit. Train your rabbit for success before introducing them to your dog or cat. This takes time, so please be patient. Rabbits are chewers, so provide chew toys, apple and willow twigs.

Slowly introduce your rabbit to your cat and dog. Never leave them alone together. Rabbits can become best friends with your dog or cat and become soul mates. It takes time and patience, so introduce them slowly. It is like any relationship, if it is forced it does not work nor last!

In this photo, DD is saying to Yukonn, this is my space, so don’t come in any closer. Yukonn has learned to speak rabbit; therefore he picked up DD’s message. Note: DD’s ears are flat back. This means stay away.

What do rabbits like and don’t like? Rabbits are a prey species, so picking them up could be viewed by the rabbit as a bird picking them up. You will need to work slowly in conditioning your rabbit to being picked up by you. If you work on the reward approach, your bunny will learn that being picked up will get a treat, they might look at it as a good trade off. Use this method for clipping nails, brushing and even cleaning out their condo.

How to setup a safe environment? Here are some ideas on bunny proofing a room, but please does your research before bringing home a bunny:

1. Setup a large condo. For small rabbits, you can use a medium size dog crate. You want to make sure they have more than enough room to move around.
2. Setup a litter box with litter, like hard wood stove pellets which is very absorbent material and safe for a rabbit. Recycle paper is another good choice. Investigate the various litter options and you can then decide which one both you and your rabbit like.
3. Rabbits need habitats, such as cardboard boxes, or little houses like the one’s you see in pet shops.
4. Exercise pens are great, for it allows the rabbit to play outside their condo and get exercise and mental stimulation. They must be supervised! Do not forget they can jump! You can place a blanket over the top of the X-Pen for security. When the bunny is litter trained, you can expand the space they can play in.
5. Take your time in introducing the rabbit to your other pets. Once your pets are not overly excited with the rabbit and they have been conditioned to share space, then you can start bonding them. This is an article all by itself.

Did you decide if a bunny is right for you? If not and you your family can support rabbits by donating money to a rabbit rescue in your area. You can help out by volunteering and educating the community on rabbits needs and caring requirements.

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I must say upfront that I am very selective about where I take Chester and if I will allow him to play in the dog park.

Benefits of Off Leash Walking and Training

Off leash walking and training is a great way to physically and mentally exercise your dog. It gets their heart moving and is great cardiovascular exercise. One hour off leash is equivalent to about 2 to 3 hours on leash. It keeps your dog slim and they are very tired when you get them home. A tired dog is a happy dog!

There are no restrictions when you take your dog off leash which builds trust between you and your dog – but that doesn’t mean there are no rules. It is important to always work with your dog and give them the tools they need when introducing them. They look to you for guidance as they play with the other dogs. You need to watch your dog and the dogs they are playing with as their body language will let you know if they have had enough.

Steps to Get Your Dog Ready for the Dog Park

If your dog is not calm and not exercising self control, that is NOT the time to take your dog into the dog park. If you do enter the dog park with your dog wired or not calm, you are only inviting trouble. When a dog that is NOT calm enters a dog park, other dogs may be forced to correct rude behavior. This is not fair to the dogs and dog owners.

Before going to the dog park, play ball with your dog or go for a long walk or walk to the dog park. If your dog is still not calm, go for another walk. Do not let your dog out of the car if they are not calm. You will be only rewarding bad behavior. You want to get your dog into a calm behavior with self control through the entire process including entering the gate to the dog park. If your dog is not listening to you, then work with your dog and take training lessons with a dog trainer. Then look into taking your dog to a dog park.

Does the Dog Park I Go To Matter?

There are differences in dog parks. Some dog parks are fenced with two sections, one for small dogs and one for large dogs. There are other dog parks that are not fenced or divided. When I go to the dog park, I only go to where the park is divided and fenced. I will always watch the dogs and pet owners before entering to determine, if I will allow Chester to go in and play.

If this is the first time going to a dog park, walk around the dog park. Observe the dogs’ body language in the park as well as how the pet owners interact with the dogs. If you do not like the dogs’ body language or pet owner interactions with their dogs, or the humans are not watching their dogs, you do not have to go into the dog park.

If this is your first dog and have not started dog training classes, you should get some basic training and control over your dog before you attend a dog park. I believe that we all need to know how to speak dog. If you do not understand what the dogs in the dog park are saying, that is not the time let your first puppy or dog run in the park. You have a few options here:

1. Go for a walk with your dog.
2. Go home and play ball in your backyard.
3. Go to the same dog park at the same time daily. People are creatures of habit. If you find a time and day where you like the dogs’ body language and the pet owners, than always go at that time and day.

In summary, remember, that not all dog parks are the same and may not be right for your dog. Just because a lot of people go, does not mean that going to the dog park is right for you and your dog. The safety and the fun all depends upon the pet owners in the dog park. You are the caretaker of your dog. It is your responsibility to watch and observe what is happening around you. If your dog lets you know when he is uncomfortable and if you are questioning what is happening around you, it is time to go home. Have fun and be safe at the dog park this spring!

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This article was provided by By Wendy Gould, Owner of Chester’s Pet Shoppe.

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K9 Cuisine is a provider of premium dog food. We’re committed to providing our customers with the knowledge, and the products, to help their faithful friends be the best they can be.

Picture credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/ / CC BY 2.0

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Chance was infested with fleas. It took almost an hour and a half to get all the fleas off of him. His gums were white, and he could barely stand. His tail and back end were covered in fire ants, and in his weakened state, he wasnt going to last much longer.

In a time where good news and happy endings are in the news much – its always great to hear when there is one. Chance was rescued and found a good home.  He was cleaned up, given nutritious food and veterinary treatment, and he was a new puppy with a new lease on life.

You don’t have to be a professional, anyone can rescue an animal and make a difference.  Are you ready?

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K9 Cuisine is a provider of premium dog food. We’re committed to providing our customers with the knowledge, and the products, to help their faithful friends be the best they can.

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