Feeds and feeding…

The title of the post is a takeoff from a Veterinary Technician course I had to take. It had to do with feeding livestock. I didn’t pay much attention in class because I didn’t think it would relevant. After all, I was going to work with small animals, not large animals. Well, guess what?! The first job I had was in a practice that consisted of 95% ranch cattle! Not that the ranchers would have listened to some young female just out of school! Guess it really didn’t matter that I paid only enough attention to get the grades… 

Susan sent the following, which may be of interest to some of you:

Do you by any chance find that the dogs need a bit more food as the
weather gets cooler?  Seems that my three are acting hungrier since the
season changed….
It took me a while to get Sammy to not be overweight, so I don’t want to
run any risks of overfeeding, but I also don’t want to be abusing them
if they need more to keep warm….

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
By the way, per your recommendation, they are on a fully raw diet now. 
Something called Nature’s Variety.  Each dog gets 1/4 patty twice a day,
which I think is 2 oz twice a day.  In the mornings they share 2 chicken
strips;  after breakfast they share 1/2 of a Jumbo Flossie; and at
bedtime they each get 1/2 of a dried chicken liver….

Oh, and they get a vitamin pill crunched up on their dinner and 1/2 of a
Synovi G3 (glucosamine, MSM, etc) soft chew with their breakfast

Timer just went off….their dinner is ready.
Thanks
Susan

Excellent! They’re all eating a raw diet. After reading Katy’s comments on the Budwig post, I bet you’re happy with the choice. And, I’m sure the dogs are! It’s great that we, as dog owners, have available products like Nature’s Variety and Oma’s Pride.

Also excellent that you’re aware of keeping their weight at an appropriate level. Too many of my grooming clients – the dogs, I’m referring to, not the owners 🙂 – are overweight. I simply don’t understand this. We control how much food our dogs get. Reduce the portion/s if the dog is putting on the poundage! I joke about starting a weight camp for dogs. Mostly it’s a joke… A good rule of thumb regarding each dog’s weight is to be able to feel the dog’s ribs. And, no poking through the fat to find the ribs doesn’t count! Place your hand over the dog’s back and move your hand back and forth. You should feel the backbone and the ribs with some ease.

My dogs do eat more as summer turns to fall. Over a week ago, I began to increase their portions, along with ‘cooking’ for them. Although I prefer a raw diet, this is not always practical in my situation. My dogs usually eat a combination of kibble and meatloaf from Oma’s Pride, mixed with any leftovers, including the water left from steaming vegetables. This way, if I’m gone, the dogs’ transition to a kibble only diet is easy. During those times, the dogs have kibble available throughout the day, taken away in the late afternoon. This is a manageable routine for Samantha, my kennel help. And, there’s not a huge transition for the dog when going to a forever home, no matter the new owner’s choice in feeding. During the impossibly busy weeks of August/September, I feed only kibble simply because of my time. Last weekend, I made the transition back to ‘cooking’. It’s perfect timing with the season change.

Dr. Johanna Budwig

Gail sent this information, which is of great interest.

Dr. Johanna Budwig

Dr. Johanna Budwig’s Diet and Protocol

Learn how to make the mixture

Lick Granuloma

Gail sent the following:

OK Debby, here’s one up for grabs….already have been to the vet twice this week…My tiny shih tzu was nicked on the foot by the groomer months ago….(I haven’t been there since) Of course, he licked his foot and then it turned into a lick granuloma…an ulcer….finally it healed…Then a week ago, he started licking again. We went away for two days. I came back and took him to the vet. Antibiotics and an e collar and topical antibiotic. He is a contortionist and got to his leg even tho the collar fit correctly…..So the sore looks horrible. I put another soft collar inside the e collar…and a sock on his foot…So it will be two weeks, I think, in this situation…I will feed him just raw food, I think,. to help the skin issues. I am frustrated. He is a compulsive licker (looking back)….calming herbs….fish oil will probably help his skin..Anybody have experience with this imbalance?

Learn about Lick Granulomas

Update from Rabies Challenge Fund

Greetings!

    An article was published by Reuters on September 7, 2007 that is of interest to dog owners:

U.S. Free of Canine Rabies Virus http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0741162020070907 

by Maggie Fox  (Health & Science Editor)  September 7, 2007

“The elimination of canine rabies in the United States represents one of the major public health success stories in the last 50 years,” CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said in a statement

For more information on the canine rabies vaccine http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org/page4.html and The Rabies Challenge Fund http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org/about%20the%20RCF.html

   Rabies Challenge Fund Reaches First-Year Goal:  http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=26297

    Pets: Rabies vaccine research may save some pain  http://www.newsday.com/search/ny-lspets5278482jul02,0,6559208.column

  The Vaccine Challenge http://www.animaltalknaturally.com:80/2007/05/01/the-vaccine-challenge-show-91/ 

   How Often Does He REALLY Need a Rabies Shot? http://animalwellnessmagazine.com/m/m86/main.htm;  

   Get Out Your Wallets, Rabies Challenge Fund a Reality http://www.mainetoday.com/pets/dogslife/007915.html. 

    Are We Overvaccinating our Pets?  http://www.spanieljournal.com/28lbaughan.html 

    Rabies Challenge Kicks Off Fundraiser: http://www.courierpub.com/articles/2005/10/12/lincolncountyweekly/local_news/4news.txt 

    Nationwide Campaign Launched to Fund Rabies Vaccine Study http://www.mainelincolncountynews.com/index.cfm?ID=14204; 

    Challenging the Rabies Vaccine  http://www.newsday.com/mynews/ny-lspets4432971sep19,0,1274963.column;

    The Rabies Challenge Fund  http://blogs.mainetoday.com/dogslife/002976.html 

    Rabies Challenge Fund & Master Dog Training at the Womens Podcasting Expo – Show #42 http://www.replay-video.com/guide/index.php?start_page=http://applian.com/guide/view_podcast_details.php?show_id=2156 .   

Anyone wishing to have a copy of the 1992 French challenge study data from a research team led by Michel Aubert in which dogs were demonstrated to be immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, or Vascellari’s study which documented cancerous tumors in dogs at presumed injection sites of rabies vaccine, please e-mail me at ledgespring@lincoln.midcoast.com .

Regards,  Kris L. ChristineFounder, Co-TrusteeThe Rabies Challenge Fund

http://www.RabiesChallengeFund.org

Anal Glands and yellow foam

Alma commented, “One more thing,  when I had J-Block the groomer would always say she emptied the sack in the back.  What is that,  is that something to be done or because Rhoadie is neutered, that is not necessay?   This  groomer says nothing about that.” And, “Roadie  is not eating as much, I think his stomach was a little upset yesterday as he brought up the yellow foam, and his  bowels were a little loose.   I saw him also scoot on the floor like he was itching back there.”

Read more about anal glands, including a description on how to express them yourself. Roadie being neutered wouldn’t affect his anal glands. There are different opinions among groomers (and veterinarians) regarding routine expression of anal glands. I always express anal glands when bathing a dog. Carol, my fellow groomer, only expresses anal glands if asked. Since Roadie is scooting, ask your groomer to express the glands each time he’s bathed.

It is not uncommon for dogs to throw up yellow foam. I don’t worry when my dogs do this. When I cared for Vickie’s Dante last summer while she and Alan went on vacation, she sent along milkbone style treats with instructions to give him one a couple of times a day ‘to keep away the yellow foamies.’ Maybe she can comment about that.