Lifestyle Changes

The great thing about making lifestyle changes for your dog is that they are within your control. They are not going to be easy to make, but keep in mind that pet dogs are like toddlers in that they are largely a reflection of their parents. Managing your dog’s lifestyle is almost completely your responsibility.

Here is what you should be focusing on:

Weight Reduction

This is a biggie! The target weight for an arthritic dog should be leaner than normal to ease the burden on his joints.

Aim for a gradual reduction in weight. Numbers are your friend in this: weigh your dog regularly and chart it; initially every two weeks, then every month. Once his target weight is reached, put him on the scales quarterly or semi-annually. Similarly, use a weighing machine or a measuring cup to ensure that his food intake is regulated.

As your dog gets older, his energy needs will reduce. If you continue to chart his weight, you should have no trouble noticing the weight gain and reacting to it.

A weight reduction program is a lot easier to write about than to implement. You must ensure that all members of the family realise the importance of the program. Table scraps have to be few and far between; better still, eliminate them completely. Your pet will not be happy during the period that he is losing weight. But, once his weight is stabilised, he will be healthier and happier than before.

Exercising Your Dog

Exercise is important for your arthritic pet. Not only will it help him remain at his target weight, but regular mild exercise has been known to improve the health and mobility of the affected joints. It reduces the pain of arthritis and the progression of the disease while maintaining good muscle mass.

The important part of any exercise program for arthritic dogs is that it is low impact.

Try to prevent him from jumping; also, avoid asking him to repeatedly climb up and down stairs. Remember that medications could mask his pain, thus allowing him to get more vigorous than is good for him. To prevent such ‘accidents’, it is best to exercise him on a leash.

Swimming is an excellent exercise for dogs with osteoarthritis. It encourages mobility in the joints, but without painful weight-bearing. Hydrotherapy also builds up muscle mass which helps to support the painful joint.

Medication and Nutritional Supplements

As well as help you with a weight loss diet, your veterinarian can prescribe pain relieving medication and suggest nutritional supplements that will make your dog feel better. Glucosamine and chondroitin are safe and effective at relieving joint pain and can be used in conjunction with prescription treatments. It’s very important that you give the correct dose of medications in the correct schedule as some drugs can have side effects. You may also want to consider other natural therapies such as acupuncture or laser treatment, which may help ease arthritic pain.

Supleneo flex is a nutritional joint supplement, which is suitable for all breeds, sizes and ages of dog and contains the key ingredients that can improve joint health, such as glucosamine.

In addition, Supleneo flex’s natural liver flavour means dogs love the taste, making it’s easy and fun to give them their supplement every day. It is low calorie, so you can give it to your dog, instead of a treat without worrying about weight gain.

For further information go to www.freedomtomove.co.uk

Conclusion

Canine osteoarthritis is not life-threatening, but it is progressive and can make your dog extremely uncomfortable.  With your help and support, there is no reason why he cannot enjoy a happy and fun-filled life.

For further information about canine arthritis and canine arthritis treatment, including an on-line symptom checker please go to www.freedomtomove.co.uk

Help! My Dog Has Canine Osteoarthritis, Should I Change His Diet? is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Feeding gluten free dog food to your canine friend would naturally lower its predisposition for diseases such as diabetes, celiac disease, allergies, and chronic and degenerative diseases.

As a gluten free diet is closer to that of what a dog would eat in the wild, the dog is able to process thier food more effectively, bringing about results such as increased energy and activity and decrease in arthritic pain and symptoms related to digestive system complaints.

One of the more common dog food allergens is wheat or, more specifically, the gluten in wheat. Dogs can have gluten allergies like humans as well. Luckily there are gluten free dog food products on the market that can alleviate this problem. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat.
Some people and dogs are allergic to this protein. There is also gluten found in rye and barely so if these ingredients are found in your dog’s dog food then your dog may also present an allergic reaction to those too.

Even though some firms call their dog food’s ingredients gluten-free if it doesn’t have wheat or grain, you really want one that’s oat, barley, and rye free too. Celiac disease – the inability to digest gluten) is more common in people and animals that formerly thought. Having raised a child with celiac, I have had to learn all about this.

A few years ago there was a huge pet food recall due to a contaminated form of gluten that contained a compound called melamine, which can be fatal to animals and humans.

It was a very tragic time as a lot of dogs that ate the infected food ended up dieting. Ever since then, the issue of gluten has become a very popular topic, and the question always arises of how beneficial gluten free dog food actually is. Humans are prone to a type of disease known as celiac disease, which is also less formally known as gluten allergies. What most people don’t know though is that dogs can develop celiac disease just as easily, which is why monitoring gluten intake is a very important aspect of your dog’s health.

Many dogs may also experience allergic reactions to corn. Symptoms of such reactions may include irritation of the skin, ear infections, bloating, inflammation of the kidneys and liver, head tremors, hair loss, hyperthyroidism and heart diseases. Moles and warts may also develop on the skin and even loss of hearing can occur. Dog foods that do not contain corn are also usually gluten free dog food and are rich in protein. When purchasing dog food, it is important to read the labels and examine the three ingredients that are listed first. These ingredients comprise of 75 per cent of the content of the food and as such are the most important.

Gluten allergies are not deadly, but they can be very debilatating for your dog, and if it is the case that gluten is the cause of the problem, a high gluten diet will obviously aggravate the situation. Many vets will prescribe a gluten free dog food for your dog, but it is quite possible to make your own using natural, gluten free ingredients.

 Gluten Free Further Reading

Gluten-Free Diet Fad: Are Celiac Disease Rates Actually Rising?

What’s Eating You? Maybe It’s What You’re Eating

Gluten Free Dog Food UK is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Ultimately, you'd be hard pressed to find any dog owner who didn't agree that giving their pet the longest, happiest, healthiest life is their single greatest aim.

Well, poor portion control of food could be the single biggest contributor to causing a dog to gain weight and, as we all know, obesity is a silent killer.

Link: Dog food & portion control.

The Importance of Portion Control & Dog’s Food is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Feeding Older Dogs: Nutritional Requirements

All dogs relish a tasty treat and they are an excellent way to reward good behaviour, but if overused your dog could end up suffering from obesity before you even realise you are spoiling him. It is important to pay close attention to your dog’s diet for many reasons, but particularly if your dog is overweight. A balanced diet is essential to keeping a dog fit and healthy.

Modern prepared foods contain an adequate supply of essential nutrients without too many calories, as do many home mixed diets. Complete, dry dog food is popular today, as it is an easy to prepare meal which contains a good supply of all the right nutrients. Commercial canned foods, whether mixed or on their own, are a good source of nutrition and are easy to prepare and store. Some dog owners favour a nutritional supplement to add to the dog’s meal, rice is a good source of carbohydrates and is easily mixed with other foods.

Feeding Older Dogs: Be Treat Aware

Certain treats make a nutritious supplement to a meal and also serve as a good reward for him, but dog biscuits alone to not offer adequate nutrition to be served as meal on their own.

The majority of young, healthy and active dogs are at a low risk of becoming overweight as most of their calorific intake is used during play but as they get older and their metabolic rates slow in conjunction with a decline in expended energy, the chances of calories leading to a piling on of the pounds grows higher every day.

If you have ever taken your dog off the lead in a large forest or field you will have noticed that they will always do more miles than you because they run off and come back as you are walking and thus for every mile you walk, they will normally RUN four!

This is one of the reasons that young, active dogs stay healthy whether their diet is perfect or not. But there will come a point in the dog’s life when he or she is unable to do as much exercise so it is important to control the diet accordingly.

Scroll down for some expert nutritional advice in our Q&A with Suzie from  Pawtions.co.uk about the benefits of portion control

Monitor Lifestyle Changes in Your Older Dog

During the more active years, it is still important to take care of your dog’s diet to ensure that they are receiving a good balance of protein and other valuable nutrients. Your vet will be able to advise you on this matter should any uncertainty arise.

You may not notice it at first, but should your dog become obese there are certain tell tale signs apart from the obvious physical weight gain. A diminished level of activity not conducive to their age is always a cause for concern, but a likely cause is that he or she has put on a little weight.

Another symptom is laboured breathing. If your dog struggles for breath after an activity which he or she could once perform effortlessly then perhaps it is time to get the scales out.

Avoiding Weight Gain in Older Dogs

As a dog owner it is often difficult to notice if your dog is putting on weight because you see them every day. Paying close attention to other elements of their physical state may enlighten you to any weight problems.

As the majority of dogs become less and less active in their later years it is often difficult for them to loose weight through increased exercise, so it is up to you as an owner to monitor and control what your dog eats. Prevention, as is so often the case, is better than cure, especially when it comes to a more senior dog and weight control.

A good way of monitoring weight is by simply reducing portion size. It is often the case that a regular portion of dry or complete dog food offers more than enough nutrition and therefore it is quite possible to reduce the meal sizes without affecting the nutritional intake of the dog. In this day in age, with the science behind many commercial pet foods, you may be able to find the perfect, balanced diet your breed of dog needs, relating to their age, on your supermarket or pet shop shelf.

Target Weight When Feeding Older Dogs

You should have a target weight in mind and plan thoroughly to ensure your dog does not err over or above it to any great degree. Your vet should be able to advise what your dog’s ideal target weight is – don’t go on breed averages – one Labrador could be as many as 10lbs heavier than another yet still be perfectly fine weight wise.

If your dog has put on a few too many pounds as they have gotten older, a diet is needed. Unlike us, a dog is unable to steal biscuits or cakes in the middle of the night so they are not reliant on their own will-power to lose weight, they are reliant on YOU ensuring they don’t become dangerously obese, so don’t give in to his pleas for a chocolate digestive every time you go to the kitchen!

As a dog owner it is important for you to be disciplined. Your dog will probably not notice the reduced size of his meals. But you will, so ensure you don’t sneak him a treat unless you have reduced a similar amount of calories from his main meal – it’s a balancing act of which you have complete control and your dog is relying on you to get right.

Older dogs have special needs in many areas and diet is one of the most important.

Don’t let your dog’s later years in life be ruined by health problems that can easily be avoided when it comes to weight, too many calories or general nutritional mismatch between your dog’s age and their specific daily nutritional requirements. If you feed a natural diet, monitor the volumes. If you feed a commercial pet food, make sure you have the most suitable one for your dog’s age, weight, breed and activity level. When it comes to feeding older dogs, the science is all there, you just need to follow it.

Expert Advice from Suzie, Pawtions Veterinary Nurse and Nutritionist

Why is portion control so important for dogs?

At Pawtions we believe that portion control is very important to maintain a healthy life for each and every dog. When faced with the massive choice of dog foods available to us, it is very easy to become confused when trying to work out how much food our dog actually requires. Feeding guidelines are often very generalised and can’t take into consideration your dog’s age, breed, level of exercise, or whether your dog has been neutered.

We often over-indulge our dogs out of love, but a quick treat a little too often or a bowl of leftovers from your own meals may lead to dietary problems or your dog becoming overweight. This can also upset the careful balance of nutrients provided by the dog food. By feeding a portion size which has been recommended for your individual animal – such as that provided by Pawtions – you know that you are providing enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals to meet your dog’s unique needs.

In their PAW report of the last year the PDSA assessed the weight and general health of nearly 30,000 dogs across the UK. They discovered that 35% of UK dogs are overweight. This is a very alarming figure, especially when we consider ourselves a nation of dog lovers. An overweight dog cannot possibly enjoy life to the full, is likely to encounter more health problems, which may sadly lead to an early grave.

What are your key priorities when choosing the perfect plan for dogs from Pawtions?

We understand that all dogs are unique, so we make sure we have all the information we need to really help us to understand each dog better.

By asking the owner relevant questions about their dog, our veterinary nutritionist can work out the portion size for each and every dog individually. This takes the confusion away from the owner when trying to work out how much food their dog actually needs. It also means continuity in the household when the job of feeding pets is shared by several people.

In order to provide customers with a recommended feeding plan, we ask them to provide us with vital pieces of information including:
• age
• breed
• weight
• sex
• whether your dog is neutered
• daily exercise
• physique
• any special dietary requirements
• your preferred flavour

It’s very important that the information customers provide is as accurate as possible and also kept up to date. We recommend that owners regularly weigh their dogs so that we can change their portion size should their nutritional requirements change.

However, the Pawtions perfect plan isn’t just about the food! We also include treats, poop bags, flea and wormer treatment (just when they’re needed) and free gifts to provide a complete care package.

Do you think age and breed make a difference in selecting the right diet for your dog?

Yes, definitely! By telling us your dog’s breed we are able to check whether this falls into the recognised weight bracket. If the dog’s weight doesn’t fall within this bracket, we discuss this further with the owner, as all dogs are unique, and breed standards can very significantly.

We understand that small dogs may prefer a smaller kibble, and larger breeds a larger one. Also, different breeds are classed as puppies and senior dogs at different ages. Therefore knowing the breed allows us to decide when to recommend a change from a puppy diet to a maintenance one, or a maintenance diet to a senior one.

Puppies require very different levels of nutrients to adult dogs, so must be fed a diet that meets their specific needs. They also need more regular feeding, and we take this into consideration when calculating portion size.

However, as dogs age, their energy levels decrease, reducing their calorific need. Their nutritional requirements also change with the aging process and we believe the diet should change to support this.

What 5 top tips would you give dog owners who might be thinking about changing diet to a more portion controlled diet?

When thinking about changing your dog’s diet to a recommended Pawtions plan you should consider the following points:

1) If your dog has serious medical problems, we strongly advise you contact your vet before
you make any change of diet.

2) Provide us with as much information as possible so that we can recommend the right Pawtions plan for your dog.

3) It’s really important to make sure you gradually introduce a new food. The best way is to start adding a small amount to the current food. Slowly increase the proportion of new food to current food over the period of a week until a complete change is achieved.

4) We encourage you to weigh your dog regularly so that we can make any alterations to the diet as necessary.

5) If you have any questions regarding your dog’s health or diet, we encourage owners to ask, it could be important. We are here to help.

Lastly, tell us a little about Pawtions. Where did your inspiration to start the company and healthy menu for dogs come from?

The idea for Pawtions stemmed from our founder’s own frustrations with looking after and feeding Bella, his cocker spaniel. First he would have to drive to a supermarket or pet store and carry a big heavy bag back to the car. Then, once home he would have to find somewhere to store it. He found there was a tendency to be over-generous when the bag was first opened and the food fresh, whilst towards the end of the bag the food often become dried out and crumbly, losing its appeal. He also found that he would run out of food, treats and poop bags at the most inconvenient times.

But the biggest problem came with the inconvenience of deciding how much to feed, due to the vague feeding guidelines, and then weighing out the correct amount every day!

At Pawtions we know what it means to be lucky enough to own a dog and we want to encourage people to be more aware of their dog’s nutritional needs. Through our complete care package we hope to promote responsible dog ownership. The package includes wormer and flea treatment throughout the year, so you’ll never forget when treatments are due, free tasty treats, and free poop bags. Now and again we’ll also pop in a surprise toys as a little present for your best friend. All this is delivered to your door every 4 weeks.

To find out more about Pawtions and investigate a plan for your dog, visit www.pawtions.co.uk today!

Resources: Older Dogs

• Diet & Feeding of the Older (Senior, Geriatric) Dog
• Feeding Older Dogs
• All about Dogs: How to Feed, Train and Care for Dogs of All Breeds

Feeding Older Dogs is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Human digestion starts in the mouth. A human chews food with 32 teeth, which have flat surfaces for grinding and breaking down food. Enzymes contained in the saliva contribute to this breakdown of the food, which is being digested before it reaches the stomach.

Carbohydrates come in two forms, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates come from grains such as wheat, corn, rice, oats, soy and millet. They break down into starches and sugar when properly cooked. Complex carbohydrates come in the form of various fibers such as brans, hulls and peanut shells from the outside of plants. A small amount is needed for proper digestion and stool formation. Nutrients are obtained from both sources, but most come from simple carbohydrates.

If carbohydrates are a major part of your dog’s diet, the time and energy needed for digestion increase, the dog performs less well, large amounts of stool are produced, and a protein deficiency disease may develop. Dogs have evolved as meat eaters and although they need some grains, their health and longevity will be better served on a diet containing more animal protein than protein from grains.

Think about the origin of the dog. It is unrecorded in history that wolves lit fires and cooked grains picked in fields! But there were whole carcasses available that contained everything needed for wolves to survive, including predigested vegetable matter in the intestinal tracts of their prey.

The reason the majority of dry dog foods contain such large amounts of cereal grains is that grains are a cheap source of nutrients. According to the NRC guidelines, “Carbohydrates provide an economical source of energy in the diet of dogs.”

Allergic reactions to grains are common in dogs. The best diet for your dog matches that fed in the breed’s country of origin as the breed developed. Each dog is an individual, and if yours refuses to eat his food, check the grains listed on the package. The dog may balk because of an allergy to one of the grains in the food.

Are Carbs Making Your Dog Fat? is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Small Breed Dog Food – Is A Specialist Diet For Small Breeds Worthwhile?

Small dog breeds have specific, specialist nutritional requirements. In the case of a small breed puppy, their stomach is not large enough to hold sufficient food in one feeding to provide his daily nutritional needs without causing stress to their system, so smaller, broken down meals are advised. This is why some commercial dog food suppliers are now providing dog owners with the option of specialist small breed dog food.

Small Breed Dog Food For Puppies

When a puppy graduates from mother’s milk to solid food at about six weeks of age, he will require three to four meals a day, with the exception of Toys, who may need four to six meals. When he reaches about four to five months old, twice-a-day feedings may be sufficient. He can graduate to once-a-day meals at eight to nine months of age.

A pup’s nutritional requirements for growth and development are greater than those for an adult dog. If you opt to feed your small dog breed pup a commercially prepared diet try to ensure it is a feed specially formulated for puppies and enables the youngster to get the full range of nutrients he needs.

Balanced Diet: Small Breed Dog Food

A small dog breed pup who eats a complete and balanced commercial puppy diet – whether it is a small breed dog food prepared diet or another puppy formulated specialist food – doesn’t need additional supplements. Adding supplements can cause nutritional imbalance as most modern commercial dog foods are prepared to contain all required nutritional elements your small breed puppy will require in this important growth stage. However, if you are supplying your dog with a home-cooked or fresh-diet meal plan, supplements may be necessary. Consult with a veterinary nutritionist to get further advice.

Dry food can be moistened with warm water to encourage puppies to eat. Milk can be used, too, but only in extremely small amounts. Goats milk for puppies is often favoured by many breeders. Cow’s milk causes digestive upset in some puppies and dogs. A tablespoon of canned food can be added to increase interest, as well. These are general guidelines for feeding your small dog breed pup; consult with your veterinarian for more specific advice. If your pup doesn’t appear to be developing as you believe he should, feeding small breed dog food without first consulting a specialist in the area of dog nutrition would not be advised as your dog may have underlying problems that need to be investigated by a professional expert first.

Small Breed Dog Food: Adults

Feeding Adult small dog breeds: The adult small dog breed is a mature dog, usually age one year or older. Healthy adult dogs who are not pregnant, nursing, or hardworking have somewhat low nutritional requirements. Feeding is fairly straightforward if you’re feeding commercially prepared kibble. Buy a complete and balanced diet made for the adult dog and give your dog the recommended amount once or twice a day. Add a tablespoon of canned food for taste if you wish. Adjust the amount according to the small dog breed’s activity level and body condition.

Feeding Hardworking small dog breeds: Highly active small dog breeds use a lot of energy. The hard-working dog can require two to three time more kilocalories per pound of body weight than what is required for normal activity. To maintain good body condition and keep up his stamina, the hardworking small dog breed must eat a high-energy diet.

Many veterinarians recommend commercially prepared “performance” diets for highly active dogs. Higher fat, higher-protein diets supply the working dog with needed calories. Because performance diets are higher in protein than maintenance diets, there s a misconception that the active dog just needs extra protein. However, all nutrients are required in greater amounts. Additionally, research indicates that moderately high-protein diets are unlikely to cause kidney damage – in spite of some breeders’ and owners’ beliefs that it does.

Feeding Your Elderly small dog breed: Older small dog breeds (those who have reached the last 25 percent of their expected life span) are usually less active than adult dogs and pups. Thus, their energy requirements are reduced and they can gain weight easily if fed too much or fed a high-calorie diet. Some veterinarians recommend “senior” diets; foods high in nutrients but reduced in calories to keep senior small dog breeds at a healthy weight.

Feeding Small Dogs

How Often Should a Small Dog Breed be Fed?

There’s no exact answer on how much and how often to feed your small breed because it depends on the size, age, and activity level of each individual small breed. Feeding amount and schedule also depend on which diet you’re using and how cold it is outside. (Dogs who spend a lot of time outdoors in cold temperatures require more food.)

Begin by following the feeding instructions spelled out on the dog food package. Realize that these instructions are a starting point, and apply to all breeds of a certain weight. Your small breed is an individual and every dog is different.

Following that, observe your dog’s body condition:

Is my puppy too thin?

An overly thin small breed will have visible or easily felt ribs and hip bones may be visible. The waist and belly are obviously tucked up when viewed from the side. Increase food. Speak to your vet to find out if there are any underlying medical conditions causing your dog to be underweight.

Just Right: The ribs should have just a little fat over them; you should be able to easily feel them with slight pressure. Your small breed should have a waist when viewed from above, and the belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.

Is My Dog Overweight?

Too Fat: If you can’t easily feel your small breed s ribs and can easily see fat covering them, he is too heavy. His waist is absent or barely visible when viewed from above, or his belly may hang. Decrease food.

How often you feed your small breed depends on how old he is and his (or your) personal preference. Pups must be fed several times a day, usually three..The average adult small breed can be fed once or twice a day, in the morning, evening, or both. Many owners like the idea of feeding twice a day, while others find it inconvenient and opt to feed once a day. Toy puppies have a very rapid metabolism and may require four to six meals a day to avoid hypoglycemia, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar levels. By six months of age, most Toy pups can cut back to three or four meals a day.

Dogs are creatures of habit, and seem to enjoy eating at the same time every day. Feeding your small breed pup at the same time every day helps establish eating habits and makes housebreaking easier. Pups usually need to urinate or defecate after eating. If you feed him at the same time every day, you can predict when nature calls.

Note: Free-feeding, leaving food out for the small breed at all times, is not recommended because it can lead to excess weight gain.

Small Breed Dog Feeding: Conclusion

Dog owners are fortunate to live in an age where there is an increasing awareness about proper dog nutrition. We understand that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to feeding dogs. Specialist diets, such as small breed dog food, large breed dog food and dog foods specialist formulated for active/working dogs allow us to match our dog to a nutritional plan that perfectly matches their age, weight, breed and overall lifestyle. If you are considering feeding a dedicated small breed dog food, it makes sense to first understand the basic principles of why your breed would benefit for a tailored feeding plan.

As with humans, dogs all have varying degrees of dietary requirements. Olympic athletes may require double the volume of calories in comparison to an ‘average’ person even if they are the same age, weight and height. On this basis, feeding a dog on the wrong diet could lead to weight gain, weight loss or even more serious health and behavioural problems. Dedicated diets can be a great benefit to owners who are keen to make sure their dog is receiving the right nutrition to match their breed’s individual requirements. On this basis it would be worthwhile to investigate the options when it comes to selecting small breed dog food that has been specifically formulated to provide the proper nutrition for your dog.

Small Dog Breed Resources

• Toy Group
• Small Dog Breeds
• Top 10 Small Breed Dogs

Small Breed Dog Food is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

A) Firstly, you should always get in touch with your nearest vet and seek immediate professional advice on an issue this serious.

When Your Dog Is Vomiting

The dog vomits with ease, seemingly at will, and often without apparent cause. One thing that almost never causes a dog to vomit is eating too fast. Bolting food is the natural way for a dog.

Eating too much, however, is another matter. The capacity of a p stomach to hold food is phenomenal. Life Magazine once ran a story about a five-pound puppy that ate a five-pound ham, all but the bone! Such examples, of course, are the ultra-extreme. Adult dogs, on the other hand, can hold only about one and one-half ounces of liquid for each pound the dog weighs. Some dogs may even hold as much as two ounces per pound of body weight, but any quantities above this almost always produce vomiting.

Vomiting, like diarrhea, is often seen in puppies. Dogs at this age have the exasperating habit of eating such things as dirt, stones, sand, bedding, toys, foil, paper, socks or almost anything else they can get into their mouths. Vomiting also occurs in adults from eating bones, sour food, garbage, carrion or feces. In these cases, vomiting is a sign of gastritis, which is an inflammation of the stomach. Gastritis is rapidly produced by such things as garbage, carrion or caustic chemicals. Most older dogs eventually learn that the foreign materials will make them sick, and stop eating them. The same dogs never seem to realize that garbage, buried bones or sour food may do the same thing – and neither do many owners!

One of the most serious consequences of vomiting is that, once begun, vomiting can persist, even though the cause no longer exists. The usual course in such cases, if uncorrected, follows a characteristic pattern. The dog has a more or less violent seizure of vomiting that ordinarily eliminates the causative substance or object. The vomiting continues, but in a somewhat less violent nature, giving the appearance that the dog is improving.

The loss of fluids and electrolytes in the vomiting causes an imbalance and a noticeable thirst develops. Mild depression develops as well as anorexia, and the vomiting begins to become more severe. Thirst is exaggerated, loss of fluids and electrolytes is accelerated and depression becomes marked. The vomiting becomes more and more violent and the continued loss of fluids and electrolytes creates a critical imbalance. If the situation is allowed to continue uninterrupted, the dog eventually dies from electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.

To help with your dog’s vomiting problem, liquid foods should be fed first. Such things as beef and chicken broth not only supply a few calories, but are excellent tor establishing many of the electrolyte balances that have been disturbed by vomiting. Within 48 hours it is usually possible to finely chop a little hard-boiled egg into the broth. If this does not cause a return of the vomiting, then a little cottage cheese, some vanilla ice cream or a little toast and milk can be offered. Resumption of the regular diet can commence as soon as the bland foods are tolerated for at least 24 hours.

Why Is My Dog Being Sick? is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

A chubby puppy may look cute and cuddly, but he is at great risk of developing joint problems or a bone disease. On the other hand, a puppy who is not eating his required daily meal may be experiencing an illness by type of food he is eating. If you have a large-breed puppy, he should be at least 2 years old before you can see a dramatic growth in his size.

Determining The Size/Ideal Weight Of Your Puppy

Obese puppies lead to obese dogs. The best way to find out if your puppy is overweight or underweight is to feel his ribs. The correct way to do this is to position your puppy on the table. Place one hand on his right shoulder and the other on his left shoulder.

Next, feel his ribs by applying a gentle press using the palm of your hand. You should be able to feel his ribs with just a little bit of fat and muscle. If you are having difficulty locating his ribs, then your puppy may need to shed some pounds. On the other hand, if you have no trouble finding every single rib in his body, you may have to add a little bit more calorie to his diet.

Worried Your Puppy Is Too Thin? Check With Your Veterinarian

If your puppy needs to lose some weight, the best way to handle the situation is to make an appointment with your vet. Your vet will give you specific instructions that you must implement on a day-to-day basis. Your puppy will probably be given a special diet designed specifically for weight loss, one that is going to satisfy his appetite and contain required nutrients that his body needs while helping him lose weight at the same time.  Your vet may also recommend regular exercise to help those extra calories. These include walking, occasional running, and lots of playing.

Is My Puppy Too Thin? is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

The UK’s pet owners are warned today that they are killing their pets with kindness, as new PDSA figures show dog obesity is rising at a dramatic rate!

Dog Obesity Map

Leading veterinary charity, PDSA used the first day of Crufts to reveal its dog obesity map. This ties in with the launch of its ‘Long Live Pets’ campaign, the PDSA’s biggest ever pet health initiative, designed to promote a healthy life for all pets and starts by addressing the weighty issue of obesity.

PDSA has also developed its own version of Body Condition Scoring to help owners learn more about a healthy body shape and to help them identify when their pets are piling on the pounds.

Sadly, dogs, like humans, are failing to win the battle of the bulge, with many owners putting their animal’s lives in danger by feeding them chocolate*, ready meals and fatty foods. One in three dogs seen by PDSA PetCheck nurses are overweight.

Dog Obesity Health Problems

This means that the life ‘pet-spectancy’ of many beloved UK pets will be cut short as a result of this obesity epidemic, warns the charity for pets in need of vets. An overweight Labrador for example, could have its life cut short by as much as two years and is more likely to develop chronic diseases such as arthritis when younger. Overweight pets are more likely to develop conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart and kidney problems.

PDSA Chief Veterinary Surgeon, Richard Hooker, says: “Our Long Live Pets initiative will address key pet health issues, starting with pet obesity. It is our biggest ever pet health campaign, and our objective is to implement a number of pet health care initiatives such as our Pet Fit Club slimming competition and national sponsored dog walk, which will raise awareness and hopefully achieve positive results for obese pets and address the burgeoning waistlines of the UK pet population.

“As the UK’s leading veterinary charity we provide over 1.8 million treatments to sick and injured pets every year, which means we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise on important pet health issues. As such, we have a duty of care to educate owners about the health and lifestyle needs of their pets to ensure they have the best quality of life possible.”

PDSA pet health checks of more than 9,000 dogs** during 2006 and 2007 reveal which UK regions are home to the portliest pooches. Nationally, PDSA data also shows a dramatic rise of 9 per cent in the number of overweight dogs seen in 2007 – 30 per cent of dogs health checked in 2007 were considered overweight, compared to only 21 per cent in 2006.

When applying PDSA’s 30 per cent overweight figure to the entire UK dog population (around 6.5 million) it means that around 1.95 million UK dogs are overweight! And, if each of those pets was carrying just one extra inch around their waist that would make for one gigantic waistline – stretching the length of more than 500 football pitches!

The PDSA study also shows that hotspots for overweight pets are areas where people are more likely to be obese. PDSA found the number of fat pets in the Midlands stood at 29 per cent in 2007 compared to 19 per cent in 2006. Recent human obesity figures*** showed the Midlands had the largest number of people classed as obese. Meanwhile, the lowest dog obesity figures were in London at 19 per cent. Human obesity is also low in the Southeast. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all score poorly on dog obesity with 30 per cent classed as overweight by PDSA veterinary staff. The overall worst region for dog obesity is the Northwest where 31 per cent of dogs seen are overweight.

Interestingly, child obesity figures also mirror PDSA’s dog obesity statistics with one in three Year 6 children classed as overweight or obese.****

Richard Hooker, adds “Kindness can be misplaced and feeding any animal too many treats can have serious health consequences. The research we have done shows that there is a real need for owners to help their overweight pets lose those excess pounds. Controlled portions of pet food and regular exercise are vital to ensure a healthy life for all our pets. In a nutshell, exercise, nutrition and body awareness are key.”

Case study:
PDSA pet slimming success story, Scooby, will be the star of Crufts after losing 2.5kg and four inches from her waist while taking part in PDSA Pet Fit Club, a 100 day diet and exercise programme. A table will be laid out with the food Scooby ate before her diet including fish and chips, curry, pizzas and ice cream. Scooby now enjoys a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and has continued to lose weight in recent weeks.

At the start of her diet, Scooby was carrying 81% extra weight and 8 inches too many around her waist! If all of the overweight dogs in the UK were carrying Scooby’s extra inches, that would mean 15.6 million excess inches or 246 miles of dangerous flab, nearly twice the length of the M25! And this is probably just the tip of the iceberg as most dogs in the UK are a lot bigger, and wider than Scooby.

Thanks to her weight-loss, Scooby now has a much improved quality of life and will no doubt live a lot longer than she would had she remained dangerously overweight.
For more information about PDSA visit www.pdsa.org.uk

Obesity is one of the most common health related problem to affect dogs, especially older ones. An overweight dog is generally an unhappy dog and subsequent health problems can drastically reduce a dog’s life and render his later years void of any real quality.

Dog Obesity Kills Silently

All dogs relish a tasty treat and they are an excellent way to reward good behaviour, but if overused your dog could end up suffering from obesity before you even realise you are spoiling him. It is important to pay close attention to your dog’s diet for many reasons, but particularly if your dog is overweight.

A balanced diet is essential to keeping a dog fit and healthy.

Modern prepared foods contain an adequate supply of essential nutrients without too many calories, as do many home mixed diets.

Complete, dry dog food is popular today, as it is an easy to prepare meal which contains a good supply of all the right nutrients – provided you do your research and select the most appropriate food for your particular dog and their individual lifestyle.

Commercial canned foods, whether mixed or on their own, are a good source of nutrition and are easy to prepare and store. Some dog owners favour a nutritional supplement to add to the dog’s meal, rice is a good source of carbohydrates and is easily mixed with other foods.

Certain treats make a nutritious supplement to a meal and also serve as a good reward for him, but dog biscuits alone to not offer adequate nutrition to be served as meal on their own.

The majority of young, healthy and active dogs are at a low risk of becoming overweight as the majority of their calorific intake is used during play.

If you have ever taken your dog off his lead in a large forest or field you will have noticed that he will always do more miles than you because he runs off and comes back as you are walking. This is one of the reasons that he is so healthy. But there will come a point in his life when he is unable to do as much exercise so it is important to control his diet accordingly.

However, during his more active years it is still important to take care of his diet to ensure that he is receiving a good balance of protein and other valuable nutrients. Your vet will be able to advise you on this matter should any uncertainty arise.

You may not notice it at first, but should your dog become obese there are certain tell tale signs apart from the obvious physical weight gain. A diminished level of activity not conducive to his age is always a cause for concern, but a likely cause is that he has put on a little weight.

Another symptom is laboured breathing. If your dog struggles for breath after an activity which he once could do effortlessly then perhaps it is time to get the scales out. As a dog owner it is often difficult to notice if your dog is putting on weight because you see him every day. But paying close attention to other elements of his physical state may enlighten you to any weight problems.

As the majority of dogs become I their later years it is often difficult for them to loose weight through increased exercise, so it is up to you as a dog owner to monitor and control what the dog eats. A good way of doing this is by simply reducing portion size.
Be careful about overfeeding a dog on treats

Be careful about overfeeding a dog on treats

It is often the case that a regular portion of dry or complete dog food offers more than enough nutrition and therefore it is quite possible to reduce the meal sizes without affecting the nutritional intake of the dog. You should have a target weigh in mind and plan thoroughly the weight loss programme so you can monitor his progress. One advantage of a dieting dog is that he will never sneak a biscuit on the sly so you can keep an exact record of what he has eaten.

As a dog owner it is important for you to be disciplined. Your dog will probably not notice the reduced size of his meals. But you will, so be sure not to sneak him a treat and hope it does not affect him, because it will, and you will be doing him no favours. So no matter how hungry he looks it is imperative that for him to loose weight you must stick religiously to the diet, or there will be absolutely n point in even starting it.

* Chocolate can poison dogs and other pets, because of the toxic effects of theobromine – a common component of chocolate intended for humans. In dogs the effects of chocolate poisoning appear within 4 to 24 hours of ingestion and can have fatal consequences.

** Results are based on over 9,000 dogs given PDSA pet health checks between March and October 2006 and March and October 2007.

*** Human obesity research by Southampton and Portsmouth Universities on 18,000 adults. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=454673&in_page_id=1770

****Results from the National Child Measurement Programme launched in 2005

Dog Obesity Warning: Overweight Dogs Die Young is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide

Raw dog food, natural dog food, the BARF diet – all gaining in popular appeal amongst dog owners. In this detailed report Carol O’Herily examines the impact of feeding raw on your dog’s health, behaviour and more.

To BARF or not to BARF – that’s the bone of contention at the moment in the dog world.

Australian vet Dr Ian Billinghurst’s book Give Your Dog A Bone, which introduced the BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet for dogs, threw the cat among the pigeons when it was first published in l993.

While we long ago discovered the physical benefits of feeding this species-appropriate diet to our own dogs, we didn’t see it as our place to interfere with or try to convert those people who were happy with the convenience of feeding their dogs a commercially produced product.

Raw Dog Food: Is it Natural?

After all, dogs are scavengers and will try to pick up nutrients from pretty well anything that even remotely resembles food – sticks, stones, faeces, wood, grass, garden plants, coal, soap, dog food. It’s when they start on other things like the kitchen walls, skirting boards, carpets, the remote control, the post or the family’s pet rabbit that their owners start to think about calling in professional help for a behavioural problem.

The catalyst for one dog owner calling us for help was when she came home from work to find that her new dog had dug up her old dog and was blissfully feeding on its rotting corpse in the garden. It took a lot of talking to get the lady to understand that what her dog did, though horrific from the human viewpoint, was perfectly normal and instinctive behaviour for a scavenger short on nutrition.

Most dog owners try very hard to do the right thing by their pet. They take it to an obedience class and put in a lot of work in an effort to have a well-behaved dog. It can be soul destroying when the dog’s behaviour is great in class but atrocious at home.

BARF Diet for Dogs

Frustrated owners often re-home these badly behaved dogs. Some are destroyed because they breached the bounds of human decency by biting somebody. People have come to accept that horses bite. So do cats, hamsters, birds, pigs and rabbits. When a dog bites a person, we kill them rather than try to understand what happened. Dogs and humans are two totally different species trying to live together as friends, but each species has vastly different rules for survival.

What we have come to understand after dealing with numerous problem dogs is the link between diet and bad behaviour. We’ve found that a lot, if not all, of the dog behavioural problems we treat happen for the most part as a direct result of the desperation and stress suffered by dogs when owners innocently give them a diet which is inappropriate for their species.

However, it is simplistic to say that all bad behaviour can be cured by diet. This is not a cure all. Dogs need to be treated individually, not only in relation to diet but also according to their environment, pack, breed and history. However, suitable rehabilitation of problem dogs can be achieved very quickly if re-training is combined with sensible feeding.

Owners are told that their dog will grow out of bad behaviour such as chewing, digging up the garden, jumping up and weeing all over the house. The good news is this is correct. The bad news is that some dogs can also grow into bad behaviour.

The connection is food. Pups are generally fed multiple meals from a variety of ingredients and they are usually very happy little creatures. Something happens between happy puppyhood and out-of-control adulthood. A once happy puppy can become desperate and very badly behaved if its nutrition diminishes at the same time as its growth speeds up.

Frequently the onset of bad behaviour can be traced close in time to when the frequent feeding regime was changed. If the feeds are reduced before the pup’s growth slows down, the puppy will instinctively seek to supplement its diet by trying to find edible items either in the house or garden. Unfortunately they don’t have a reference book of edible items, so they try anything and everything within reach.

These young dogs can become quite loopy in their search for nutritional supplements. One of the symptoms of this desperation is hyperactivity. The owner then tries to do the right thing and take the dog for long walks ‘to use up its energy’. This can actually make matters worse as the dog expends the energy needed for growth.

CASE HISTORY: We work closely with a small, private shelter called Just for Dogs in Derbyshire. Margaret and Doug Smith who run the shelter followed our suggestion and took on the BARF diet for one of the young dogs at the shelter whose behaviour was so atrocious that people would sidle gingerly past her enclosure when they were viewing dogs. No one in their right mind would want Sasha in their home.

Because she was housed in a kennel with a cement floor, she was deprived of her ability to forage and supplement her diet. Also, the stress factor associated with kennelling further depleted her of vital nutrients. She consequently became unmanageable in her desperation to supplement and survive. Her behaviour changed dramatically with proper feeding and Sasha is now happily doing much better.

After this experience, Doug and Margaret gradually adopted the BARF diet for all of the rescue dogs in the shelter. Their feeding and veterinary expenses have markedly reduced and the previously unwanted dogs are being d very quickly. It is easy to re-home a placid, well-behaved dog.

Most people have been through the pangs of dietary excesses and deficiencies at some stage. You may not consciously recognise it as such but you will probably relate to standing in front of an open refrigerator, wanting to eat something but not knowing quite what you want. Mothers of teenage boys will recognise this behaviour. At times of stress and change such as during the teenage years, pregnancy, lactation, grief, loneliness or excessive exercise, our bodies crave different nutrients.

Dogs are no different when some nutrient is missing from their diet. They are even more attuned to their body’s needs than we are and develop all sorts of ways to supplement their diet. They don’t stand in front of an open refrigerator, but they do raid food cupboards and feast on table legs, tissues (particularly used ones) and anything else that comes within teeth range.

Listed below are some common behavioural problems and a brief outline of how the problems link to diet:

• barking – to call the person who supplies the food (or) ‘stay away from my food supply’
• chewing – trying items to find out if they supply nutrients
• destructive behaviour – looking for the elusive “something” to satisfy a dietary deficiency
• digging – searching for nutrients
• pulling on the lead – on the hunt
• inappropriate toileting habits in the adult dog – marking areas in the house where food is regularly eaten
• food stealing – dogs are opportunists, especially when chronically hungry for appropriate nutrition
• obsessive behaviour – often relates to the obsessive need to satisfy a craving or an expression of frustration when stopped from foraging to supplement the diet
• sibling rivalry – the leader gets first go at the food
• separation anxiety – their only source of food supply (owner) has gone
• jumping up – to stimulate vomiting which produces food in the animal world

Any or all of these problems can and do create havoc in the home of dog owners who just want their dogs to behave like the dogs on television.

People Aggression

The more desperate the dog, the more desperate the behaviour. If dogs knew that biting whilst living with us in our world would result in them being destroyed they wouldn’t do it, particularly since all their actions are about survival. So why do they do it?

If you have ever embarked on a weight reduction diet with determination and have been very good for weeks eating all the right things and seeing results, you will know that there comes a time when you would happily rip the arm from someone to get a chocolate bar.

Inappropriate dieting can produce aggression in the most amiable of people. This can happen also with the sudden withdrawal of previously often-taken substances such as nicotine, alcohol, barbiturates or sugar. Quite a lot of commercially produced dog food contains addictive ingredients, some as innocent as sugar. The rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels has a lot to do with dogs that have ‘a mad half hour’ either before or after eating.

Left to their own devices, dogs will forage all day and feed on a large variety of plants, insects, bacteria and animal matter. They will roll themselves in all sorts of smelly muck. They come home and spend hours “cleaning” themselves. They pick up a lot of nutrients this way and can become quite aggressive if owners try to wipe them clean or bath them. It’s not that they don’t want to be bathed, but more that they see your behaviour as robbing them of the vital dietary supplements they have managed to pick up and bring home on their feet and fur.

CASE HISTORY: Stroller, a fourteen-month-old Blue Roan Cocker Spaniel was booked in for destruction when the owner contacted Bark Busters. He had attacked his owner. In unravelling the story, we found that Stroller had jumped up on the table, snatched a tissue and run under the table guarding his trophy aggressively. What Stroller didn’t know was that the owner’s engagement ring was inside the tissue. She naturally went under the table to retrieve it and Stroller attacked her. She was heartbroken because she thought that Stroller had turned on her.

He was brought to Bark Busters’ head office farm for rehabilitation. One of the first things we noticed about him was the putrid smell from both ends. This is one of the signs of dietary stress that we look for. We started him on the BARF diet immediately. Over the next four weeks, the smell disappeared and so did his aggressive possessiveness with items. He took naturally to the diet as do most dogs and that, with a combination of training, exercise and manipulation, produced an absolute treasure of a dog that anyone would be proud to own. He doesn’t now need to ‘hunt’ to supplement his diet, as he was doing when he snatched the tissue. It would have been so easy to destroy him for his ‘aggressive’ behaviour.

Dog or Food Aggression

Dogs also learn to jealously guard areas where they regularly collect minute dietary supplements. This can lead to what appears to be dog aggression if a dog from another pack approaches what they see as their hunting grounds. They have no idea that the area they’re guarding is a public park.

Dogs that are regularly fed from a bowl placed always in the same place can become aggressively protective of the bowl since they see it as their only source of food.

They are particularly driven by food, as are most animals. If you want your dog to be well behaved, study what dogs are meant to eat and feed it to your dog. Don’t just take our word for it. Do your research. There is a huge groundswell of change happening as people become more and more aware of how diet affects behaviour.

Zoo keepers go to great lengths to supply food which animals in their care instinctively eat in a wild situation – bamboo shoots for the giant pandas, leaves from the eucalyptus tree for koalas, fresh fruit and vegetables for the monkeys. Zoo keepers go to these lengths because they know that this ensures their animals remain happy and healthy.

We are our dog’s keepers. Why then would we not feed them a diet which is biologically correct for their species? We should try to ‘listen’ to what they’re trying so desperately to us with their ‘bad’ behaviour.

About The Writer:
Carol O’Herlihy is a director of Bark Busters UK www.barkbusters.co.uk
She is an experienced dog trainer and has helped to rehabilitate many dogs with behavioural problems.

BARF Diet For Dogs is a post from: Dog Nutrition Guide