You’ve probably never even thought about pancreatitis in dogs unless your pet has contracted the illness but it is considered to be a common canine disease.

What is it?

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas, either acute or chronic. The enzymes that normally digest food in the small intestine actually leak out into the pancreas and begin to digest the pancreas itself. It is a painful and serious disease. It isn’t well understood what causes pancreatitis but there are some known causative factors and some dogs are at greater risk such as dogs who:

• are overweight,
• have suddenly eaten a very high fat meal,
• have had an injury to the abdomen,
• are on cortisone,
• are diabetic or,
• are over 5 years old.

Schnuazers and terriers are at slightly greater risk of contracting pancreatitis.

Diagnosis

It isn’t easy to disgnose pancreatitis but some symptoms are loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, depression, diarrhoea, or abdominal pain. If your veterinarian suspects the disease (s)he will order blood tests and perhaps also x-rays or ultrasound. Because the disease is so variable the treatment will be based on the evaluation of the needs of your pet.

Most dogs who’ve had pancreatitis recover without long-term effects but owners need to be conscious of doing all they can to prevent a relapse. Owners of dogs that have had pancreatitis will need to monitor their fat intake. They should not ever be given high-fat treats such as pig’s ears. They also should not have any supplemental oils or fats. Their diet should be limited to 10% fat. Their medications may need to be changed and, if the dog is overweight, it is important to take off the excess kilos.

nat·u·ral, adj.  – present in or produced by nature; having undergone little or no processing and containing no chemical additives; not altered, treated, or disguised.

In other words, a natural product is one that you could make using simple mixing techniques in your own home with ingredients you already have, or can easily get. But you’ll notice that there is nothing in that definition about healthy, safe, nutritious, nourishing, or beneficial. “Natural” has become a term we equate with goodness, cleanliness, and almost next to Godliness. And advertising mavens are very aware of this. That’s why we see the word, natural, sprinkled liberally anywhere it is possible to use it. We do the same in our business. We sell an all-natural pet product and advertise the fact that it is all-natural. But does that make it safe or healthy or good? Nope, not by a long shot. We know our pet supplement is safe, healthy, and nutritious. It is beneficial because it provides nutrients necessary for good health in dogs but not because it is natural.

Let’s look at some all-natural products and decide if being all-natural makes them a good choice for us.

• Hemlock – a lovely plant that resembles Queen Anne’s Lace or fennel. It was used for ancient Greek executions and is famously known as the poison that killed Socrates.
• Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade – another beautiful plant, all parts of which are poisonous or deadly, even in small quantities.
• Oleander – If you have this plant in your backyard, beware.  This pretty shrub can cause nausea, vomiting, an erratic heartbeat, drowsiness, or even coma that can lead to death.
• Peanuts – can be lethal to those who are allergic to this naturally occurring, nutritious snack.
• Arsenic – A well-known deadly poison, as in “Arsenic and Old Lace”.
• Snake Venom and Scorpion Stings – Dangerous to deadly.
• Cyanide – found in apple seeds, cherry stones, and the kernels inside the pits of apricots, nectarines, peaches, pears, and plums. That’s the same all-natural apple that will keep the doctor away if you eat one daily. Just be careful not to eat those seeds. If you’re juicing or baking apples remove the core first.

There are some natural foods that are perfectly safe for humans but not for canines. Onions, garlic (in large quantities), macadamia nuts, chocolate, grapes, sultanas, and raisins are all poisonous to dogs. It isn’t known why but as few as six macadamia nuts can cause muscle weakness and pain in dogs. In fact dogs shouldn’t eat any nuts, including peanuts.

Here are more natural foods that are toxic to dogs; potato peelings and green looking potatoes, rhubarb leaves, alcohol, yeast dough, coffee beans or grounds, tea, large amounts of broccoli, tomato stems and leaves, and tobacco.

That list is a fraction of the hundreds of natural but dangerous products in our environment. And the reverse is also true.  From the mid-thirties for almost 50 years DuPont had an advertising slogan, “Better things for better living through chemistry”.  That better living they mention includes things like life-saving antibiotics for horrific diseases such as tuberculosis or smallpox, many of the high-tech products we almost take for granted such as mobile phones, computers, televisions, etc. Without chemicals the house you’re living in would fall in a heap and so would life as we know it in the 21st century.

So don’t be taken in by the “it’s safe because it’s all-natural” claim. Be informed and know why that product you’re considering is beneficial or unsafe based on many factors but not just because it is called natural.

This article, the second in the series of pet itch causes and treatment will discuss the ways in which bacteria can affect our pet’s skin. Actually all skin, human and canine, is covered in bacteria all the time. But some types of bacteria, when out of control, cause a painful inflammation of the skin. Hot spots, moist eczema, summer sores are all common names for the same condition; acute moist dermatitis or acute moist pyoderma.
Hot spots in dogs (cats seldom get them) are usually painful, moist, often itchy, smelly, and warm or hot to the touch. Because the hot spots are sore and tender the dogs scratch, bite, and lick the area, exacerbating the problem, causing hair loss, and spreading the bacteria.  Hot spots can develop rapidly, often within a couple of hours, especially in dogs with thick or matted coats that are living in a hot, humid environment. One of the first things you may notice is an area of hair loss and reddened skin or incessant licking and biting of the infected area. One of your first goals is to dry the affected area and keep it dry since the bacteria thrive in a moist, warm environment, then treat to control the bacteria.
A word of caution before starting a hot spot treatment at home: since hot spot can be quite painful even an easy-going dog may be inclined to bite or nip if you try to touch the infected area so take precautions if necessary. Clip or shave the area around the hot spot to help keep the skin dry and to access the area for treatment. Begin by using an astringent liquid or ointment. Betadine lotion is a good option. It will help dry the skin and kill the offending bacteria. Or, a good homemade option is a solution of 2 ounces hydrogen peroxide, 2 teaspoons rubbing alcohol, and 10 ounces water. Gently dab the solution on the hot spot with a cotton pad every two to three hours for the first couple of days. Continue the treatment a few times a day for the first week. By then if you aren’t seeing improvement consult with your veterinarian. Follow this astringent solution with an antiseptic such as Betadine lotion or ointment. A compress of cold wet teabags may give the dog some temporary relief.
After treating your dog’s hot spot you’ll want to prevent a further occurrence. Ensure that your dog does not have fleas or ticks. Keep the skin and coat clean and in good condition. Work with your vet to alleviate any allergies. If hot spots are recurring despite your best efforts try a change in diet and include omega fatty acids or an oil based product designed to treat itchy skin. Hot spot is occasionally an indication of an internal problem such as hypothyroidism, another good reason to see your vet about recurrences of dermatitis.  If your dog has a thick, heavy coat, seriously consider giving him a summer haircut. This helps keep the skin dry and the dog more comfortable.
After all this care and attention hot spot will only mean a place by the barbeque with your happy dog at your feet waiting for a tasty tidbit to fall his way.

July 31st 2008 Posted to Dog Skin Itch Causes | Comments (2)

If your dog has dreaded, unrelenting itching, when it started your first question was probably, “What will stop the horrible itching and scratching?” And the second question may have been, “What caused this skin problem?”
I’d like to talk about the second question, and address only one possible cause. If you have not seen your veterinarian about this problem that is your first step. Often the cause of skin itch is diabolically difficult to diagnose but there are tests and procedures that will eliminate some causes of pruritus (the high-brow medical term for skin itch).
The first possible cause of itching and scratching is fleas. Don’t think your dog does not have enough fleas to cause his or her desperate scratching. Dogs (and cats) are quite often allergic to fleas and a bite can cause a reaction very much like the reaction humans have to a mosquito bite. If you imagine many mosquitoes on your body biting you all over you can imagine how a flea-infested dog may feel. If your dog is not fully protected from fleas that is your first step and should be taken immediately.
First, give the dog a thorough bath with a pesticide-free shampoo designed for flea control.  Do not, under any circumstances, use products like kerosene or Dettol or any other product not designed to be used on the skin of a pet. And don’t be misled by the word, “natural”. Many natural products can be irritating to your dog’s sensitive skin. Peppermint oil, to name just one may smell good but it is a skin irritant and not a good choice if your dog has skin problems. Many human products can also be damaging for our pets who have different skin pH from ours. If your pet has been furiously scratching for a while his skin is sore and sensitive. And sensitivity is what he needs from you in considering the treatment.
You’ve taken your first step. You’ve bathed your dog in a quality flea shampoo but that is only the beginning. If there are fleas in the house get everyone out for a few hours, go for a picnic, and set off some flea bombs before you leave. Your precious pooch should be feeling better already after that visit to the park for a picnic.
Now it’s time to think about the permanent banishment of fleas from your life and the lives of your pets. There are many choices. Your lifestyle and belief system will kick in here to influence your choice. But that’s fine because there are many solutions. If you want ease of use and peace of mind you may choose Frontline Plus, Revolution, or Advantix. If you want something more natural you may choose an essential oil product, perhaps one with ti tree oil. And don’t forget about adding garlic to your pet’s food. It is not only good for keeping fleas at bay, it is also a healthy food supplement.
For the ongoing health of your pet do consider not using an organophosphate product and now is a good time to be consulting with your vet because the right choice can also prevent ticks that can lead to tick paralysis and death.
By now your beloved pet must be swooning with joy not to have creepy-crawly, jumpy,  egg-laying fleas on his body and in his bedding. Once you have overcome the initial infestation you’ll find it easy from then on. Just a little on-going attention is all you’ll need and you’ll once again have a happy, healthy itch-free pet.
This business of eradicating fleas is a little bit like planting a flowering tree. There is some effort in the beginning but it rewards you and your pampered pet for years to come.

July 13th 2008 Posted to Dog Skin Itch Causes | Comments (1)

Today I’ve been thinking about the value of diet for my 3 doggies. I’ve always bought the top dry foods for them but eased into a complete change of diet while desperately searching for a solution to Jessie’s skin itch affliction. The first thing we did was try a dry food without any grains or unnecessary chemicals. That didn’t help at all in our case. The next thing to try was a homemade mixture of meat, and vegetables. That also didn’t seem to do anything to alleviate Jessie’s itching but I felt like it could only help the dogs’ overall health. Since then we’ve only had variations on a theme. I believe the formula we make up ourselves is excellent for their health. It is based generally on the BARF dog feeding concepts and the recipe is on our website.
But lately I’ve been working almost 50 hours a week and needed to pare down the time spent on household chores. We found a local supplier of a natural meat-based high protein food. She delivers to our door and we freeze enough food to last until she’s back again. That works well but we’ve also found a supplier of the BARF foods in Australia here and if you are interested in BARF and live in the U.S. you can look at BARF World. In the morning we feed one of the formulas just described and in the evening they get raw (always raw) bones.
Joan Weiskopf who wrote Pet Food Nationis an advocate of cooked food but I’m still leaning toward the raw diet. It’s only an intuitive thing but we are the only animal on the planet who cooks food so I continue to believe the raw diet is safe when done with common sense hygiene and that nutrients are retained more completely when the food is not cooked.
I cannot imagine ever going back to a dry formula dog food, especially after reading Pet Food Nation and the many other comments and essays written by authorities around the world. And, of course, my dogs would agree if they could speak. They love their raw meat diet. I’m just glad I don’t have to have they same thing they’re having.

J.B. has a dilemma that I can relate with. I saw in a newsletter this morning that J.B. wants fulfilment in what he’s doing, that he has financial success but doesn’t know his passion. I understand so well what he’s talking about because I was there for years and having come out on the other side of that grey space I have a thought or two about that kind of thing. Not a pat answer but some notions about what happened with me. Of course no one is asking for my advice about how to find their passion and I don’t blame them. I’m not an expert or a psychologist. But I am a person who for years was aware that I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life or where I wanted it to go.
To go off on a bit of a tangent I’ve always been somewhat in awe of people who combine disparate talents and abilities, such as architects. The good ones combine a well-honed artistic and aesthetic sense with a grounded, practical ability to know what will work in the real world. The good ones aren’t designing a pie in the heavenly sky. Their buildings may soar skywards but they are rooted in the earth, they work, and they don’t fall down. I wonder and marvel at what must be going on in their heads (the architects, not the buildings).
Web designers are another example of opposing capabilities. The good ones can make a site look pleasing and inviting and also understand all that practical, numerical mumbo-jumbo that goes on behind the scenes.
In the end my passion came from two quite different life-long interests. I can’t say I found it because I didn’t. It found me after a long period of time and after I quit looking for it. All my life I’ve been intensely passionate about animals and wildlife. And for all of my adult life I’ve been a keen advocate of nutrition and natural health. So, when Jessie‘s extreme itch misery began, two of my great interests meshed to help me create the product to give her relief. And because of my great love of animals I wanted to do the same for other dogs. So Petology just evolved.

I suspect finding a passion cannot be forced or demanded. It seems to creep up on you when you’re least expecting it and wriggles its way in. For me everything finally came together in the right way at the right time and the right situation. Looking back I am stunned at how flawlessly it all went. Friends left the country so I had the time. BJ was also finding new energy and interests after a long illness. Jessie presented the problem that led to the solution. It all has gone so smoothly I feel like a fish running with the tide and I definitely believe this is a gift from the Universe to be treated with total respect and love.

I can easily sympathise with people who are struggling with their life’s direction. For years I listened to the gurus exhort us to do what we love, to become the person we were put here to be, to live our life’s dream. But I wasn’t feeling my life’s fulfilment. If I was lucky I knew what I wanted to do tomorrow, forget the rest of my life’s journey. I was only feeling inadequate in the face of all these strident pleas. I felt more like I was someone sitting on the back row of the seminar who may at any moment jump up and break into loud song, asking Alfie what its all about. And I had a suspicion that walking over hot coals wouldn’t help me find “the true me” either.
But in the midst of this earnest searching daily humdrum life goes on. And some of the daily experiences are more dramatic and weighty than others. One of my most important and immediate goals not too long ago was to find, at just about any cost, a solution to Jessie’s itching. To back up a bit Jessie is not my life partner but my constant, adoring companion, my Australian Terrier. For thirteen years any time I’ve looked down, if I’m at home, I’ve seen my Jessie at my feet. That degree of devotion, especially to a person who has no idea at all what its all about deserves some pay back. And again I was experiencing that familiar feeling, inadequacy. I was not finding any solution to Jessie’s itching. And I didn’t know what it was all about.
But when we search long enough and diligently enough our persistence is usually rewarded. It was a red-letter day for both of us when, after so much trial and error, I found a solution to Jessie’s itching, misery, and bald skin. Petology gave Jessie new healthy skin and gave me a new life direction. Now we are both enjoying our daily lives and I have no need at all to question Alfie about The Meaning of Life. Its a good thing too ’cause I don’t think Alfie ever answers.

Some years stand out more than others for the impact they have on our lives. 1984, the year we moved from the U.S. to Australia was one of those. The year we married, the years our children were born, are others. They often change who we are or how we live our lives. Accidents, celebrations, grandchildren, house moves, graduations, are such big events that the year they happen is forever a marker in our memories. And they often become part of our family lore. If I say October 10th, 1984 to Bob I’ve really said a whole lot more than just those few words.

Sometimes a year can be quite life changing without our realizing it until later, until we look back on it. For me 2007 was one of those years even though I wasn’t so much aware of it on a daily basis. I think I’ll mark 2007 as a year of independence for me. It also feels like a year of separation but I don’t want separation from my family, friends, home, from my life so I’m going with a year of independence instead.

In 2007 Bob was still recovering from an illness and focused inwards. A dear friend left for Abu Dhabi for a year. Two friends went west for a year to build a motel. Another close friend left for Asia for a year and isn’t in communication. Three friends went to work and couldn’t attend our bi-weekly coffee club so it fell apart for lack of attendees. I was spending far more time than usual on my own.

These things and a few others left me standing a bit isolated. Not entirely but enough to be noticeable. And because of that I was more reflective. And if it hadn’t been for that time to think I’m sure I never would have discovered and formulated the product that made Petology a viable company. What I’ve become thankful for today are the things that could have caused the mopes. Instead 2007, my year of change and independence, has become, in 2008, the year of new beginnings. Petology was born and I am hopping with excitement.

April 12th 2008 Posted to Uncategorized | Comments (1)