“Dog owners are not mushrooms – we don’t need to be kept in the dark and thrown manure from time to time! “ Myth No. 1 Vaccines protect our dogs against disease, helping to ensure they live long, healthy, happy lives. Wrong! Vaccines only sometimes protect our dogs against disease (if at all). …
At the recent American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Conference, I discovered that I am not the only one questioning the use of grains in commercial and home-prepared pet foods. Grains, such as oats, wheat, rice, barley, etc, are composed mostly of complex carbohydrates. They also contain some protein, fiber, B-vitamins …
The term Pre-Colombian refers to artifacts and cultures that existed in the New World (Western Hemisphere) before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, a.k.a. Christobal Colombo, a.k.a. C. Colón. It has been my great pleasure to judge and lecture in such places that have pre-Colombian art and architecture, from the Caribbean’s …
(One woman’s fight against GSD Myelopathy and the apathy of the GSDCA) August 4, 1998 Perhaps I have led a charmed life, for nothing in my life could have prepared me, on that infamous day, for having to euthanize my companion of 13 years, my sweet German Shepherd Dog, Jack Flash. I knew Jack was …
Denny Kodner has unfortunately given us cause for using mixed metaphors: she has not only missed the boat, but she has gone off the deep end in doing so. She should have learned better after 50 years of exposure to the breed, but her dedication (some would say prostitution) to the …
Revised December 2011. The pup the Smiths bought was a very promising individual with a great pedigree. Here, they hoped, was the foundation of their successful showing and breeding future. But in a matter of a couple of weeks, a previously unnoticed cowhocked condition developed and worsened. They shrugged this off, having heard that dogs …
Hypothyroidism is a common and serious genetic problem in purebred dogs.There is virtually no breed of dog unaffected. The scope of the problem cannot be accurately defined because of a lack of complete statistical information; however, it is certain that veterinarians are seeing and treating a lot of thyroid cases. Because of a degree of …
Revised December 2011. (This is PART 1 of a series on canine digestive-tract disorders in several breeds, including megaesophagus, polyps, pancreatic Insufficiency, and torsion/bloat (volvulus). Megaesophagus (Gastric Dilation) After skin problems, the next most common and next most frustrating set of disorders to the dog owner and the diagnostician are those of the alimentary canal, …
Revised December 2011. Continued from PART 1 Torsion Commonly called bloat, sometimes described as gastric dilation/volvulus (GDV), this is a terrifying and usually fatal emergency disorder that German Shepherds and many other deep chested dogs experience. A twisting of the entrance and exit to the stomach traps the food and gas. As the stomach swells, …
Revised December 2011. Continued from Part 2 OTHER DISORDERS Intussusception — In very young pups (and other animals including humans) the intestine can invaginate (one part slips inside another). The condition, also referred to as “telescoping intestines,” also occurs in adults, but not as frequently. Most common immediate causes include worms and other parasites, and …