Guest Post from Dr. Laurie S. Coger, DVM
While we’re getting one small taste of late winter today, spring is just around the corner. And spring is a great time to be a dog owner.
There’s more daylight for walks and play, and the dogs seem to have extra energy after the long winter. And doesn’t that sun just seem to make everyone feel good? However, spring also brings melting snow, mud, and shedding. As your best friend loses more hair than you thought possible and starts growing in that sleek summer coat, it’s the best time to start a skin and coat care program.
Many people believe the myth that dogs should not be bathed in the winter, or that frequent bathing will damage their dog’s skin. Dogs can and in many cases should be bathed year round. Simply put, clean is healthy. Whether you choose a professional groomer, a do it yourself dog wash facility, or the home tub, your dog should be bathed at least monthly. Shampoos and conditioners that are suitable for your dog’s coat type must be used. Your veterinarian or groomer can suggest gentle products that condition the coat and moisturize the skin. Therapeutic products are also available for specific conditions. (Note: Many therapeutic shampoos must be left on for 5-10 minutes, so be sure to follow all label directions carefully.)
Following the shampoo, it’s important to use a good conditioner, as directed on the label. Then fully dry the coat, using a towel and finishing with a dog dryer or human hair dryer on a low heat setting. High dryer temperatures that we use on our hair are too much for dogs. You may also use a “leave-in” conditioner or detangler. For dogs with long coats, this can make combing out a breeze.
After and between baths, regular brushing and combing removes dead hair and stimulates the skin. It also distributes the natural skin oils that are responsible for that healthy shine. Depending on your dog’s coat type, a plain comb, pin brush, or slicker brush may be preferred. Remember brushes tend to glide on top of the coat, while combs and coat rakes get down to the skin. To prevent matting, you need to comb the hair all the way to the skin level.
If your dog is shedding like mine, you have a lot of dead hair to remove. You’ve probably seen tools advertised that remove huge quantities of dead hair quickly. Most of these have a sharp, abrasive blade, and damage the hair shaft in the act of tearing out dead hair. I do not recommend these products. Gentler tools such as a shedding comb or coat rake are a better choice.
Bathing and grooming work externally to support skin and coat health. Feeding high quality food and using appropriate supplements work from the inside to support skin and hair growth. Many owners observe that their dog’s coats are dull and dry when fed light or senior diets. This is largely due to the decreased fat and protein contents of these foods. Portion control and exercise are better ways to control weight than using these foods. Supplementing a high quality diet with essential fatty acid supplements such as fish or salmon oil often improves skin and coat quality. The omega-3 fatty acids found in these products also are anti-inflammatory, which can benefit dogs with skin disease or allergies.
Many dogs suffer from hot spots, skin infections or skin allergies, especially as the weather becomes hot and humid. Excessive shedding, dandruff, and “doggy odor” are signs of unhealthy skin, as well as a nuisance for owners. Frequent grooming and bathing allows you to detect and address problems quickly. It will also make your dog’s skin more resistant to disease and help him look and feel his best.
Dr. Laurie S. Coger DVM is a well known holistic veterinarian who also blogs for Times Union at http://blogs.timesunion.com/petsandvets/
You can visit her web site at www.TheWholisticVet.com
Time to walk the Ox! A Guest post by author, Paula Brown
Welcome to the Chinese New Year 2009, the year of the Earth Ox. The year of the Ox is born on Monday, January 26, 2009 continues in festivities for 15 days. For the Chinese, this is a celebration of spring, which in China is still named the Spring Festival because it happens after the fall harvest and before the spring planting season.
Animals, animals, animals! Each year is characterized by the personality of one of the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. These twelve auspicious animals are in order as follows: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and boar. 2009 is the second Lunar Year of the Chinese calendar and therefore the year of the Ox! The Chinese New Year is characterized by the traits of the animal of which it is ruled.
“Ox” has a personality characterized by prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born in the year of the Ox (or Buffalo) are blessed to be stable and persevering. An “Ox” is tolerant and has a strong character. They are fierce and fearless in their resolution to accomplish a task. The Ox respects and shows hard work in business and at home with no “short cuts”. In doing this, they can be very stubborn as well! So, for 2009, lots of hard work, and a ‘keep on keep’n on’ attitude will produce prosperity and happiness for sure. Hard work with NO complaining (please) this year according to the Ox.
For millions of Asians, Chinese New Year is more than one special day. Families spend weeks preparing for the big event by a total house cleaning, painting doors and windows red, and preparing special foods and menus to name just a few activities. The people in china take weeks of holidays so that they can join their family and friends to celebrate with parades, ceremony and feasts on the eve of the New Year and the days after.
Now’s the time to attract some good luck, joy and prosperity for you and your family by joining in the festivities this New Year! Go see a Chinese New Year parade and celebration to ring in the New Year from January 26th to February 9 th. There are wonderful dragons that dance through the streets and “eat” your dollar bills if you wish to feed them. Feed the dragons and have prosperity for the entire year! Yum, dragons love dollar bills. Join the feasts and celebrations with plenty of sticky rice and special dim sum. Be sure to get the blessings of the Chinese Master who appears at or sponsors the event.
Celebrate the Ox in bringing us greater stability this year by including your fur folks in the party! Great food, companionship, love and joy are all important to share with your pets at this time. This Lunar New Year the “energies” are present to support you and your animals in giving your pets wonderful new healthy balanced diets, exercise and joy. Our fur folks both eat to celebrate and celebrate to eat. Start them out strong with a good balanced diet filled with pure organic food with NO Short cuts from “The Honest Kitchen”…give them a New Year’s gift of meals that will make them grow strong and healthy.
You can gain greater stability and balance, stronger skills and knowledge, better partnerships and love for the new year of the Ox all by having fun with, honoring and loving your own pets and animals. Kick off the Chinese New Year of the Ox by discovering some ancient Chinese energy “insights” for you and your fur folk in my book “Fur ShuiTM. An Introduction to Animal Feng Shui.”
“Fur ShuiTM” shows you how easy and fun it can be to find these helpful energies and gain your new year’s desires all with the help of your animal friends.
Below are a couple of simple Fur Shui Chinese New Year tips using the ancient science of Feng Shui to get you started with your celebration.
Red is the color of good luck; all that is auspicious and positive for the New Year. Be sure to wear some red and also put that new red collar or ribbon, leash or coat on your fur folk. Wear the lucky color red for Chinese New Year and set your new year’s intention for a greater understanding, love and recognition of what all animals can and do bring to all of our worlds and lives! (You can even write your intention for you and your fur folks down and put in a traditional Chinese Red Envelope…make sure you place this in your “prosperity life space”.)
Falling on the last day of the Chinese New Year (February 9th) the Lantern Festival is traditionally the day for lovers. Give your fur folks some extra love that day with some special organic treats and good food along with maybe a new pink toy or comfy blanket (Pink is the color of love!)
“Gung Hay Fat Choy” (Happy New Year), in this year of the Ox. Celebrate the strengths, honesty and love all of our animals bring to us.
Paula Brown
Author / Illustrator
“Fur ShuiTM. An Introduction to Animal Feng Shui.”
www.furshui.com
Paula Brown
760.753.1954
www.furshui.com
A Guest Post from Tracie Hotchner
ICE PUPS –THE PERFECT TUMMY WARMER FOR A COLD WINTER’S DAY
Never mind the name! Or think of ICE PUPS as a delicious warm drink for your Icy Pups on these chilly winter days.
When you think of having a steamy cup of hot chocolate for yourself, your pooch can have a warm tasty Ice Pup beverage to chase away the chill and put a smile on his lips. My three snow-loving dogs fly in and out of the frosted dog door, chasing squirrels at the bird feeder or giving themselves a snow bath in the newly fallen snow. When they come inside with frosty ears and toes and snowflakes clinging to their whiskers I have just the right treat to warm their insides. Before they can settle down for a nap in front of the toasty wood stoves, I put a couple of small scoops of Ice Pups in their bowls and mix it with a cup of warm water. It dissolves in a minute and they slurp it up like nobody’s business, as they say. Their enthusiasm is really astonishing – it’s made me wonder if it’s better than my hot chocolate!
Lucy may have developed Ice Pups to be made into frozen tongue-coolers for hot California summers, but she probably had some idea what a great bonus it would be for après-walks in wintry climates. She has done it again with this formula because I have tried giving the dogs warm diluted broth (even with “Better than Bouillon” that is low sodium and has no MSG) but it doesn’t really interest them. However, the reaction to Ice Pups made into a warm beverage is universally enthusiastic: down the hatch it goes with energetic slurping.
The winter air indoors and outside can be really drying and it’s hard to make sure dogs get enough hydration when they don’t feel the heat of summer. The Ice Pups drink solves that: they not only get some warm liquid in them but along with it, some top-notch nutrition.
And what about the “sick bay?!” Another incredible use of Ice Pups is that it gives some nourishing satisfaction to you and your dog when her appetite is off. You worry about her having an empty stomach – and Ice Pups is something she’ll want even when she’s off her feed and doesn’t want solid food. Post-surgery it’s an absolute life-saver. Both of my Weimaraners had to have two molars extracted and food was out of the question for at least a day. Warm Ice Pups to the rescue! It not only makes your dog feel good, YOU feel good being able to give them this comforting treat.
Tracie Hotchner is the author of The Dog Bible, The Cat Bible and also the host of radio shows Dog Talk and Cat Chat. Learn more at www.traciehotchner.com
A Magazine just for Traveling Pets!
Susan Sims, of Fido Friendly Magazine, talks about her publication and resources for traveling with your pet.
I publish Fido Friendly, the Travel & Lifestyle Magazine for you and your dog.
Now in our 8th year, each bimonthly issue includes edit on hotel, city and state reviews along with the latest lifestyle trends for you and your dog. We can be found at Borders, Barnes& Noble, Petsmart, pet boutiques and Fido-friendly hotels nationwide. Our website features a map locator with Fido-friendly hotels and products being added daily. www.fidofriendly.com
We also have launched the Fido Friendly Travel Club. Simlar to AAA, members receive discounts at close to 1,000 affiliate hotels, products and services, along with a year service to 1-800-help-4-pets, a pet recovery service, and a one-year subscription to Fido Friendly magazine. www.fidofriendlytravelclub.com
For those of you looking for apartment living with Fido, you can also check out our Fido Friendly Apartments website. www.fidofriendlyapartments.com where you can search for just the perfect apartment home for you and Fido to hang your hats. Well, your hat anyway, maybe his leash?
Our upcoming issue, May/June, features the top 46 Fido-friendly Hotels around the world plus our first ever SPAW for Fido editorial. More and more hotels are rolling out the red carpet for Fido and including pet amenities along with canine menus and massage. Don’t miss one issue of Fido Friendly, the only magazine dedicated to the travel lifestyle of man’s best friend, and the one magazine, your dog will thank you for! (May/June on sale date 5/15/08, check your local bookstore or the March/April issue still on sale or subscribe today by calling 888-881-5861 or simply log on to subscribe: www.fidofriendly.com)
Publisher Susan Sims also hosts a monthly radio show on Animal Radio about dog travel. Animal Radio is syndicated to 2 million listeners, nationwide. Sims lives along the Snake River in Idaho with her husband of 25 years and her 2 Labs, aka; Directors of Barketing for Fido Friendly magazine. She travels quite extensively with her family to sniff out hotels for purpose of review and is currently in discussion for a potential TV series. www.fidofriendly.com. Or you can email Susan at Susan@fidofriendly.com.
Food Pets Die For – A Guest Post by Ann Martin
About eighteen years ago my two dogs got very sick after eating a well-known commercial pet food. This led me to begin questioning what goes into pet food, who manufactures the pet food, and what kind of regulations or government oversight of pet food companies exists. What I found out was shocking, and I realized I had to share this with other pet owners. Seven years later I wrote my first book, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food. At the time most people thought I was “crazy” or “paranoid” and refused to believe that the multi-billion dollar pet food industry is basically self-regulated and can dish up the dregs of society and sell it as “pet food.”
In 2007 the pet food industry faced the largest recall in its history with more than 60 million cans and bags of pet food recalled by the FDA. Now, a growing number of consumers are asking the hard questions and educating themselves about the importance of good nutrition for their animal companions.
Everyday I get emails from people asking about pet foods and what to do. For the skeptics, I usually begin with the question:You would not feed your child (or yourself) something from a can or box every day, so how can you feed your pets this way and expect them to be healthy?
My basic advice is to cook for your pets or buy pet foods that contain organic grains and meats, as well as fruits and vegetables that are fit for human consumption. These foods may cost a little more, but you will save in veterinary bills if your pets are eating a wholesome diet.
I’ve always told people that if they are going to feed kibble or canned food to add some human-grade ingredients such as fresh vegetable and fruit or meat and even things such as oatmeal. You will find that your pet enjoys these additional foods and will be much happier.
As consumers learn to read labels on pet foods, they will see that there are numerous mystery ingredients that are harmful to pets. For starters, avoid feeding foods that contain ingredients such as meat meal. Meat meal can be derived from sources such as road kill, zoo animals, euthanized companion animals, garbage from supermarkets and diseased material from slaughterhouse facilities. I go into great depth in my book about what these mystery ingredients really mean and where they come from. I also offer healthy natural alternatives.
Many people don’t have the time to cook for their animal companions. I understand. Fortunately, there are some very good natural pet foods now available. There are a handful of pet food companies, including The Honest Kitchen, that produce quality pet food that I would feel safe feeding my pets.
Since 1990 I have fed my dogs and cats a homemade diet consisting of meat, grains, and fresh vegetables. All of them have lived long lives and have done extremely well eating human-grade food. My giant breed dogs have lived 14 years or more when the life span of the giant breeds are usually eight years. My cat, Simon, is nearly 23 years old. Last year, my Siamese, Yakkie, died at the age of 27 years! I view their long and healthy lives as a testament to eating healthy, human-grade foods. If you eat healthy food regularly, and you experience the benefits of good health, so will your dogs and cats. Bon appetit!
Ann Martin
Ann Martin is recognized internationally as an authority on the commercial pet food controversy. The Third Edition of her bestseller, Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food, was released July 2008. Her second book, Protect Your Pet: More Shocking Facts(NewSage Press), delves into other health concerns for dogs and cats. You can read more about her books at: www.newssagepress.com. You can email Ann Martin at: anmartin1@rogers.com.
