Dog Feeding Myths and Facts

Although they've been proven false, there are various popular superstitions regarding feeding dogs that carry on to be handed down in families or given out by self-appointed authorities.

When you are raising your puppy, somebody might say to you not to give him milk since "milk makes worms." This couldn't possibly be true unless the milk bore worm eggs, which isn't likely. Puppies that are fed solely with milk after weaning could become debilitated from the compounding of short diet and worms they already have, but milk by itself doesn't produce worms. Unreasonable amounts of lactose, the sugar contained in milk, all the same, might produce diarrhea. Numerous dogs, particularly puppies, are not able to metabolize lactose properly.

 

A different old wives' tale is that raw meat would make a dog savage. The basis for this notion is hard to imagine. It's true that a dog fed nothing but raw meat will be getting an insufficient diet and, intrinsically, may not be in the best of spirits. But the raw meat wouldn't make him brutal or blood-thirsty. Meat that can be consumed rare by humans can be ingested raw by dogs.

 

Raw meat is oftentimes blamed as a cause of worms. A dog could get tapeworm from eating a rabbit he has caught, or perhaps from uncooked pork, but there's no other connection.

Another common notion is that feeding garlic or raw onions would "cure" worms in a dog. Worms are eradicated only by medicines that are made of stronger stuff than any amount of garlic or raw onions. Since worm medicines are potentially dangerous, you must turn a deaf ear to those who tell you your pup "just needs worming" every time he seems to be ailing. Your puppy may require worming, but on the other hand, he could be suffering from any of a dozen grave illnesses. Don't undermine him further by dosing with worm medicine. See your vet.

When anybody advises you to feed your dog raw eggs to make his coat shiny, assure them that the uncooked white of an egg ruins the absorption in his intestines of an important vitamin, biotin. The yolks of eggs can be given raw, but whole eggs must be cooked.

A lot of people worry when their dogs "wolf" down food. A dog's digestion does not start in his mouth as it does in humans. Eating fast and swallowing food whole is natural, and in all likelihood a regression to the time when dogs ran in packs and had to contend with others to get their share.

 

A block of sulfur set in a dog's water bowl is credited with everything from keeping off worms to curing skin diseases. Alas, sulfur has no medicinal or nutritional value, and is just an ornament in the water dish.

A popular belief is that dogs must not be given the smallest speck of leftover potatoes because "starch can't be digested by dogs." This fact was confuted years ago by scientific tests. Dogs can digest cooked starch much as people can. Carbohydrates, so all-important in the dog's properly balanced diet, come partially from starches. This doesn't mean, however, that a diet of potatoes, macaroni, or bread is commended.

 

By Tip Writer

What Stress Can Do to Your Dog

Stress for a pet can either be physical or emotional, just as with their human owners. Stress can be triggered by a change in the pets environment or what a pet perceives as a threat to their well-being.

Health problems such as infections, injuries, injuries from fights and changes in the amount of exercise can cause stress. Boarding in unfamiliar places, breeding, whelping, performing in shows, and travel can cause stress. A death in the immediate family of the owner which can cause a loss of affection can cause stress. Earthquakes, home fires, extra people in the home can cause stress. Sudden changes in the living area such as new furniture or a new home can cause stress. Age is also a factor with stress. Older pets do not react well to changes in their routine. They also become set in their ways. In older pets it is advisable to arrange a sitter rather than put the pet in a kennel if travel for the owner becomes an issue. The pets environment and routines will have only a minimal change. Usually a little more protein and fat are a good idea. For an amount specific to your breed consult your veterinarian.

Stress can cause a change in your pets behaviour. Changes can be aggressive behaviour or complete depression. Either scenario requires TLC (tender loving care). Keep yourself and your pet as calm, quiet and relaxed as possible. Provide comfort food, lots of water and a quiet place to rest. Having a portable kennel and a muzzle are also recommended. Consult your veterinarian prior to and after stressful situations for suggestions to prevent minimal stress and to ensure your pets health and recovery will have a speedy return to normal.

Stress causes an increase in your pets heartbeat and their muscles tense. Extra energy is needed to help cope with stress. Adding a little extra comfort food is recommended.

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Terrie Simpson has been involved in the dog world for over 28 years and has achieved numerous awards with her Springer Spaniels in tracking and obedience. Over that time, she has amassed a good amount of knowledge about how to keep a dog healthy. She is now happy to give back by sharing her experience with other dog owners.

Terrie is a contributing writer for the K9 Kourier - a weekly dog health care ezine. To sign up for the K9 Kourier and receive a free $47 gift visit The K9 Kourier Weekly ezine - everything you need to help you keep your canine happy, healthy and full of life - the natural way.

The Importance of Pet Vaccinations

When you were a child you had to have vaccinations at certain points in your life such as measles, tetanus, and other shots. This is important for your pets as well. We will specifically look at dog vaccinations, as they are a very common pet to have. Keep in mind during some of these shots are required for cats as well.

Dogs need to have vaccinations to guard against disease. When your dog is a puppy they will need a distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and corona combination between six to eight, nine to eleven, twelve to fourteen, and sixteen to seventeen weeks. They will also need these shots again every twelve months. The next vaccination is a bordetella administered at fourteen weeks and every six months. Rabies must be given at sixteen weeks and again every twelve to thirty- six months.

Vaccinations protect your dog and other pets from human diseases as well as other problems that could arise. Make sure you visit your pet on a regular schedule. A few more vaccinations are the giardia at fourteen and seventeen weeks, with a yearly dose. Lyme is another type administered at fourteen and seventeen weeks as well as yearly.

Occasionally state regulations will require a different administering chart. It is best to speak with your vet to gain the proper knowledge for your breed of dog as well as the correct vaccinations. Dogs are “man’s best friend” and thus it is important to give proper care that includes treatments.

Other care besides vaccinations can be proper baths, toenail clipping, and feeding your dog properly. Most health problems arise in a dog that is either genetically susceptible or environmentally exposed to human food. Human food because of its greasy qualities can block a dog’s artery. So proper nutrition is often found in dog food or cooking meals for your pet per vet guidelines if your dog has health issues.

Dogs also require a lot of attention and exercise. Breeds such as the Huskies or golden retrievers require special care. Huskies are breed as working dogs. They need to have a lot of exercise as well as play time with their owners. Golden retrievers are social animals, will feel lonely, and rejected if left alone for too long. Other breeds though social may not react in the same manners of the latter two. Other breeds can be content with a large yard and runner as long as they can play and eat.

Part of owning a pet, especially a dog is to provide it with love and attention just like you need. Proper care is very important on a day-to-day basis like having a routine feeding time or visiting the vet for the proper vaccinations. Vaccinations can determine the longevity of your dog just like a proper diet and exercise. While your vet has spent a lot of time, going to school for the proper care of animals it is always a great idea to be knowledgeable about your pets care. Vaccinations when not administered properly can harm the animal. I would stay away from ordering medications and vaccinations online if you are not familiar with the products and how to give them to your dog, this may cause some medical problems. Any pet deserves the care we would give ourselves and with today’s world, we are finding better ways to make going to a vet easier.

Dog Health Insurance for Your Pet

The word insurance is one of those words that just makes you cringe. Next to putting gas in your car it seems like the biggest expense you have and there is just so much that you need. You need to keep insurance on your car (it would have been really nice if somebody would have told how big a financial drain that was going to be), if you own a home you pay homeowners insurance, if you rent an apartment you have renters insurance, you struggle with the ever soaring cost of health care insurance, and if you are a really responsible family member you have life insurance. And now you find you are hearing that you should consider purchasing a health insurance plan for your pet dog.

You love your dog, he's more then a pet, he's a valued member of your family and probably your best friend. But health insurance? You can barely afford to put food on your table how are you supposed to be able to afford to insure your pet. Besides he's just a mutt, dog health care insurance is for fancy purebred show dogs, not your rescue pet.

The shoestring you’re probably living on is the very reason you might want to consider putting pet health insurance on your pet. The average dog owner takes their pet dog to the veterinarian approximately 2.3 times a year and it will cost you approximately two hundred and eleven dollars per year. My guess is that each time you pay the vet bill your budget is screaming for mercy.

What happens if your dog contracts a disease, or gets hurt? It doesn't take much to rack up some pretty serious vet bills. What if you have to leave town and can't take your dog with you? Can you really afford to leave your dog at a boarding kennel? You already know how much you have to pay for your prescriptions, do you really think that a dog prescription is going to be any cheaper.
Your dog is your best friend and a treasured member of your family could you really live with yourself if you had to put him to sleep just because you couldn't afford his vet bill.

It is possible to get health care insurance for your dog for approximately ten dollars a month. While it might not cover all of your dogs vet care needs it could help. If you shop around and read each plan carefully you should even be able to find a pet healthcare plan that will help pay for your routine vet visits. Some pet insurance plans will even cover some boarding expenses.
Some questions you should ask the pet health insurance company you are considering buying a pet health care policy from is whether or not your vet accepts that particular type of insurance, if there is a cap on treatments, how much is your deductible, and how will they handle any pre-existing conditions your dog might have.

Medical Problems Of Golden Retrievers

Epilepsy
Also known as seizures, epilepsy disorders normally occur from viral infections, and environmental factors as well. Even though an inaccessible seizure isn’t always a problem, dogs that have recurring seizures should never be bred. Vets can recommend medicines that control recurring seizures, although medicine isn’t always effective. Although epilepsy doesn’t affect the health of a Golden Retriever, it does have an effect on breeding. You can never tell if it is indeed heredity, therefore breeding is pretty much out of the question - to avoid passing it on to the litter.

Skin allergies
Skin allergy is the most common medical issue with Golden Retrievers. Skin allergy is normally the result of allergens such as flea bites, dust, airborne pollen, food, and even mold. Symptoms will vary, although they can include bits, scratching, licking, and even ear infections. Diet is extremely important here, as it can help to prevent a lot of these problems. If you consult with your vet, you can more than likely eliminate the risks your pet has of getting a skin allergy.

Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that causes the thyroid gland to malfunction. Golden Retrievers that are affected by this disease will normally show such symptoms as coat problems or obesity. This medical problem can also result in a lack of fertility as well. A lack of fertility can be a big problem for breeders, as it makes it very hard for the affected Golden Retriever to breed.

The treatment of hypothyroidism involves taking the oral supplement for hypothyroidism on a daily basis. Once it has been treated successfully, the prognosis will appear to be normal and dog will have a normal, healthy life span, providing there are no other medical problems. This condition is somewhat common with Golden Retrievers, and can be diagnosed by your vet.

Some Golden’s who suffer from hypothyroid problems will have seizures, although this will stop once they go on the oral treatment medicine. Even though the hypothyroid condition isn’t associated with epilepsy, you should monitor your dog to be on the safe side. You don’t want to take any chances with your dog coming down with epilepsy, which is why you should always have your vet do routine checks.

Even though medical problems are somewhat common with Golden Retrievers, you can help to prevent them by making sure your dog is healthy. If you do your part and make sure that you treat your Golden well, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Golden Retrievers are generally healthy dogs, although they can get ill from time to time. If you take your dog to the vet and get him treated as soon as he gets sick - he’ll be better and back to his normal self in no time at all.