The risks of the wrong type of oil

Most people are aware of the term Essential Fatty Acids (EFA's) and many raw feeders supplement their pets diet with oils, but is there a right and a wrong oil?

The answer unfortunately is yes.

Chemically extracted oils pose a risk for any animal consuming them. The process leads to a chemical reaction between n-hexane and lysine in the original material, this forms 2,5-dimethylpyrrole (DeCaprio, Olajos & Weber, 1982) which is toxic (DeCaprio, Kinney & LoPachin, 2009), degenerating first the peripheral and then the central nervous system.

The other issue is whether the oils you are using are balanced as far as Omega’s are concerned (3, 6 & 9), or if they have  negative effect on absorption.

Cod Liver Oil for example is so high in Vitamin A, that it has a negative effect on the absorption of vitamin D, this has a domino effect on the absorption of calcium, and all that can lead to.

The answer is to only use cold-pressed oils, the two oils recommended by us, and used by Healthful are, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Cold-Pressed Linseed Oil, because of their balancing effects and the fact that they are not as immune-suppressing as fish oils.

Zinc deficiency

A greying coat is "recognised as a clear sign of Zinc deficiency" (Burger & Rivers, 1989)

A lack of zinc is associated with atrophy of the thymus, Zinc is also necessary for cell regeneration including the lining of the intestines, creation of new skin cells, wound healing and healthy skin, coat and nails.

Therefore a lack of zinc can lead to a compromised immune system, un-healthy skin, coat and nails, digestive issues and retarded wound healing.

If you suspect a zinc deficiency, addressing your pets nutrition is essential for their health.

If "you are what you eat", what does that make your dog?

In our current ‘Nescafe Society’, the Western World wants everything at the touch of a button and convenience food is a number one best seller. The link between these foods and obesity, diabetes and heart attacks has clearly been made and the government are attempting to educate the public about a healthy lifestyle of food and exercise in their “Health for Life” campaign; their bias being to help reduce the NHS costs incurred by a citizens’ unhealthy lifestyle. Thus the question becomes, who is there to do this for our pets?

The pet food companies? – their bias is sales!

The veterinarians? – most of their information comes direct from the pet food companies.

Who then? and what is in our conveniently packaged, well advertised, pet foods?

Pet food labelling does not come under the same laws as that of human food, therefore can be somewhat vague, it may read: Meat and animal derivatives, derivatives of vegetable origin, oils & minerals – and little more. Some labels may be much more explicit, but appear to use a language all of their own i.e. ‘poultry digest’ ‘gluten meal’ etc. So how can the average pet owner discern the health qualities of each individual food?

Simply put, they can’t.

Pet food manufacture swept the nation after the world war, when cavalry horses were surplus to requirements and therefore canned and sold as pet food, but when the horses ran out, so did the high meat content and manufacturers found themselves needing a substitute.

Grains are cheap and have protein content and therefore made a logical replacement, in fact Britains’ best selling pet food is 50% grain.

Scientists worked out which were the ‘essential’ vitamins and minerals necessary to keep a dog alive and these became the premise from which a product can be labelled “Complete”. Minimum requirements of each of these, if met in the product, entitles it to be labelled “Balanced”. This leaves the average pet owner not realising that the “Complete” pet food he or she is purchasing, may well be lacking or overdosing on certain nutrients, leaving a pet nutritionally imbalanced or even starving in certain areas. Symptoms of which are often attempts to self-medicate via stealing human food or some form of coprophagia, soil eating, etc.

So, with this knowledge and a plethora of foods on the market, chose those which are both “complete” and “balanced” right?

If only it were that simple.

Not all of the pet food sold is Britain is made in Britain and therefore subject to British laws on ingredients or manufacturing process. Whilst the ‘Pet Food Manufacturers Association’ can assure us a certain quality of ingredients on 95% of British made foods, ‘Made in Britain’ is often a misnomer and actually only means that the item was packaged in Britain.

Outside of the UK “Meat and animal derivatives” can mean euthanized pets, that much beloved dog, cat or horse, still containing barbiturates and even wearing their identity collars or chemical infused flea collars, as these are not ‘intentionally added ingredients’, the law does not require them to be listed.

OK, so that’s what the ‘meaty chunks’ are?

No.

Often those ‘meaty chunks’ are processed soy, high in protein and made to look like meat.

But the packet says “with Chicken”!

Yes, that means that the product in question contains a minimum of 4% chicken.

Armed with this information, now which way do you turn?

When it comes to dried, tinned or moist foods, it is tricky. A small number of manufacturers have a “closed recipe” on their product, which means, that whatever happens, the percentages of all ingredients do not change, these manufacturers may be happy to send you a list of ingredients so that you can be somewhat more reassured as to what you are feeding your pet.

OK, so what do you do?

Personally, I prepare my pets food myself. After studying canine nutrition and digestion for over a decade I feel able to get the balance right and I know 100% what my dogs are eating, how it effects their digestive tract, DNA and each individual cell in their bodies. Friends of mine that do the same & I often hear the words “that dog eats better than I do” and in all honestly, never a truer word were spoken.

If you want to know more about preparing a healthy, “complete” and “balanced” meal for your pet, there are a great number of books on the market, but if that is not “Nescafe” enough for you, get in touch.

Immunity & proteins

Any mammal's inherant immunity is reliant on many factors, 'The Compliment System' being one of the first and most important.
'Compliments' bind to anti-bodies, creating a catalyst to speed up an immune response and faciliate anti-bodies in targeting certain bacteria.
These 'compliments' are to do with proteins.
Proteins are vital for cellular repair, cellular membranes and as building blocks.
It is therefore vital that every animal obtains the correct amount of amino acids from protein in order to keep these cells and therefore the immune system healthy.

Cooking de-natures proteins. (Pond, 2003)

Scare tactics regarding bacteria in raw food

Pet food manufacturers educate veterinary surgeons to tell you that there are major risks involved in feeding raw food with regard to bacteria. Thier scientists have identified bacteria in pet food and in the faeces of those pets fed it, however they do not inform you that a dog on a fully raw, non-grain diet does not get affected by these bacteria, here is why:

Bile and pancreatic juice released into the duodenum are

bactericidal for :

• E.coli
• Shigella
• Salmonella 
• Klebsiella

bacteriostatic for:

• Coagulase (+ & -)
• staphulocci
• pseudomonas

and inhibit candida albicans

National Research Council (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Washington DC The National Research Academic Press

Reasons not to feed corn or soy to your dog

Corn & Soy are made up of short-chain fatty acids, that are known to inactivate lipase, hydrochloric acid & pepsin (Brosey et al. 2000), this inevitably has a negative effect on digestion, especially of proteins and therefore the amino acids necessary for mood regulation.

Here's another scientific article about how feeding a high protein, no-grain diet, has a positive effect on behaviour: http://www.animalmedcenter.com/news-and-press/article/the-influence-of-nutrition-on-aggression

The Consequences of Bloat

This is Ruby, a few weeks ago she was rushed into the local veterinary hospital for Emergency Surgery due to bloat.

Upon veterinary recommendation she is now on dried food 4 times a day, is it any wonder that she isn't feeling very well?

Dissertation Poster

Bloat

Deep chested breeds of dog are highly susceptible to bloat, this can lead to emergency surgery and the possibility of the dog not surviving.

So how does your dog get bloat?

Bloat occurs due to a build up of gas trapped in the gastro-intestinal tract. This gas is created by microbacteria in the hind gut as a result of bacterial fermentation of starch.

Starch in the mammilian body is digested by amylase, however dogs produce very small quantities and therefore have no capacity to deal with the large amounts in commercial diets.

Therefore small amounts of starch can be coped with in the canine diet, large amounts of starch such as found in dried and tinned foods, from grains, cereals, rice & potatoes can and do lead to bloat and death.

How many times a day should you feed your dog?

The answer is once.

The dogs' digestive system is set up to eat only once a day. Canine stomach acid is much stronger than that of a human, hence they can digest bone etc., however putting anything in it, reduces it's strength and only time with an empty stomach can bring it back to it's full pH.

Therefore feeding more than once a day, or providing the ability to graze, actually reduces the dogs ability to digest what it is being fed.  With the gastro-intestinal tract being 80% of the immune system, multiple daily feeding has a negative effect on the immune system, increasing the likelyhood of illness.

Therefore feed your dog once a day, the occassional treat is fine, and a weekly starve day will help boost the digestive and immune system.

Teeth as an indicator of health

In a preliminary study the following was shown:

80% of dogs over the age of 3 on a commercial cooked diet had teeth like this:

80% of dogs over the age of 3 on a raw diet had teeth like this:



Debunking the "Little Red Riding Hood" Myth

The Story

When I first told my mother I fed raw to my dogs, as internally they were wolves, her instant reaction was to tell me to keep my pets away from small children and babies as they might be tempted to eat them. A number of other people have expressed the same worry.
This worry has been extrapolated from the story of Little Red Riding Hood, as there is not 1 documented wolf attack on record that was un-provoked.
The story of Little Red Riding Hood is not about weir-wolves or even about the dangers of wolves, it is in fact about the dangers of Rabies.
Think of it this way, a little girl gets taught to use a safe path to go visit her grandmother, on the way sees a rabid dog, but remains safe, gets to granny's who's been bitten by the rabid dog & tries to bite her (looking for all the world like granny gone mad).
That is much more logical and likely than the fairytale and a good lesson for children, unfortunately its lesson has been twisted over the years.

The Science Bit

It has been shown that animals fed a raw diet are gentler than those on a cooked one, due to the higher accessability of nutrients needed to control the Amygdala (the area of the brain responsible for aggression).

Starch, malabsorption & bloat

Ever wondered why dogs get bloat? It's the Starch in their diet!

Most pet foods are grain based, even gluten free ones are either based on rice or potato.
These are very high in starch content. Amylase is what is needed to digest starch. Dogs do not produce amylase in their saliva, and only produce a very small amount from their pancreas.
The starch lines the stomach wall, having a negative effect on the pH of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach reducing the dogs ability to digest food. The only way starch can be broken down other than the very small amounts of amylase produced by the pancreas is via microbial fermentation in the gut.
This fermentation process produces large quantities of gases, which promote bloat & further reduces the ability of the dog to digest other food ingested.

Therefore the answer is simple, if you don't want to risk bloat, don't feed starch.

Pet food definitions: 100% Complete & Balanced

The definition of 100% Complete is that the food contains all the nutritients essential for life.
The definition of Balanced is that the food contains the minimum quantities necessary of all essential nutrients.
Therefore a pet food can be labelled 100% Complete, but not be able to sustain life without the pet having to eat large quantities of it in order to obtain it's minimum requirements; leading the owner to believe that the pet enjoys the food and the pet towards obesity.

Patrick, J.S. (2006) Deconstructing the Regulatory Façade: Why Confused Consumers Feed their Pets Ring Dings and Krispy Kremes.  [Internet] Available from: http://leda.law.harvard.edu/leda/data/784/Patrick06.html#fn77 (accessed 21/12/2011)

Pack behaviour and dominance

The words 'dominance' and 'alpha' have fallen out of favour with regard to behaviour, due to being misinterpreted by owners to mean that your pet is always trying to 'get one over you'.

Due to the fall from grace of verbage, there is now even more confusion about behaviour.

Dogs still have the minds of wolves, they still see you as their pack or family. They intuatively know that someone must be the pack leader if the pack is to survive, and if your communication tactics do not elicit this then they will feel that they have to take on this role.

The problem with this is that due to the way we keep our pets, we do not allow them to 'grow up' mentally, they are not allowed to learn to hunt or defend and therefore most of them are absolutely terrified of taking up this position, and haven't got a clue how to do it. This is when we tend to see behaviour issues as the dog takes on a role he/she has no idea how to do, gets very stressed performing it, but uses whatever previous knowledge they have at their disposal to attempt to cope.

Remember that out in the wild the pack leadership is always changing, so they need consistancy in communication letting them know that they need not take on such a stressful role, you have it covered.

There are many ways to achieve this, and we can teach you via one to one consultations. If you feel you could do with some pointers, please get in touch. http://caninehealth101.web.officelive.com/

Vaccine Labels for Annual Vaccines from Intervet

NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPv)

Merck Animal Health

Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus Vaccine

MODIFIED LIVE VIRUS

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

THIMEROSAL FREE

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPv vaccine is a modified live virus vaccine for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis) and adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), canine parainfluenza virus, and canine parvovirus. Data indicate the development of corneal opacity is not associated with the use of this product.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

- Burn vaccine container and all unused contents.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin as a preservative.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

- The age at which maternal antibody for canine parvovirus no longer interferes with the development of active immunity varies according to the bitch’s titer and quantity of colostral antibodies absorbed by the puppy.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPv) (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208228&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

_________________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPv +Cv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPv+Cv)

Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Coronavirus-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus Vaccine

MODIFIED LIVE AND KILLED VIRUS

THIMEROSAL FREE

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPv+Cv vaccine is a combination vaccine that unites the benefits of Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPv and Nobivac^® Canine 1-Cv in one vaccination.

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPv vaccine is a modified live virus vaccine for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), canine parainfluenza virus, and canine parvovirus. Data indicate the development of corneal opacity is not associated with the use of this product.

Nobivac^® Canine 1-Cv vaccine (feline enteric coronavirus) is a killed virus vaccine for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine coronavirus infection. The coronavirus has been chemically inactivated and combined with an adjuvant designed to enhance the immune response.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

- Burn vaccine container and all unused contents.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin as a preservative.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

- The age at which maternal antibody for canine parvovirus no longer interferes with the development of active immunity varies according to the bitch’s titer and quantity of colostral antibodies absorbed by the puppy.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPv +Cv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPv+Cv) (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208229&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

______________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPvL2 (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPvL)

Merck Animal Health

Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus Vaccine

MODIFIED LIVE VIRUS

Leptospira Canicola-Icterohaemorrhagiae Bacterin

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPvL₂ vaccine is a modified live virus vaccine which is combined with an inactivated Leptospira canicola and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae bacterin for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), canine adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), canine parainfluenza virus, and canine parvovirus and against Leptospiral disease due to L. canicola or L. icterohaemorrhagiae. Data indicate the development of corneal opacity is not associated with the use of this product.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

- Burn vaccine container and all unused contents.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin and thimerosal as preservatives.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

- The age at which maternal antibody for canine parvovirus no longer interferes with the development of active immunity varies according to the bitch’s titer and quantity of colostral antibodies absorbed by the puppy.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPvL2 (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPvL) (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208230&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

______________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPvL2+Cv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPvL+Cv)Merck Animal Health

Canine Distemper-Adenovirus Type 2-Coronavirus-Parainfluenza-Parvovirus Vaccine

MODIFIED LIVE & KILLED VIRUS

Leptospira Canicola-Icterohaemorrhagiae Bacterin

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPvL₂+Cv vaccine is a combination vaccine that unites the benefits of Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPvL₂ and Nobivac^® Canine 1-Cv in one vaccination.

Nobivac^® Canine 1-DAPPvL₂ vaccine is a modified live virus vaccine which is combined with an inactivated Leptospira canicola and Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae bacterin for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), canine adenovirus type 2 (respiratory disease), canine parainfluenza virus, and canine parvovirus and against Leptospiral disease due to L. canicola or L. icterohaemorrhagiae. Data indicate the development of corneal opacity is not associated with the use of this product.

Nobivac^® Canine 1-Cv vaccine (feline enteric coronavirus) is a killed virus vaccine for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine coronavirus infection. The coronavirus has been chemically inactivated and combined with an adjuvant designed to enhance the immune response.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

- Burn vaccine container and all unused contents.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin and thimerosal as preservatives.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

- The age at which maternal antibody for canine parvovirus no longer interferes with the development of active immunity varies according to the bitch’s titer and quantity of colostral antibodies absorbed by the puppy

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Canine 1-DAPPvL2+Cv (formerly Galaxy™ DA2PPvL+Cv) (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208231&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

________________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® Puppy-DPv (formerly PROGARD^®-PUPPY DPv)Merck Animal Health

Canine Distemper-Parvovirus Vaccine

MODIFIED LIVE VIRUS

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

THIMEROSAL FREE

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Puppy-DPv is a modified live virus vaccine containing attenuated strains of canine distemper virus (CDV) and parvovirus (CPV). This vaccine is for vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of disease caused by canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C (35°-45°F).

- Do not freeze.

- Shake well before use.

- Use contents promptly once reconstituted.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

- Burn vaccine container and all unused contents.

- Contains gentamicin and amphotericin B as preservatives.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Puppy-DPv (formerly PROGARD^®-PUPPY DPv) (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208246&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)
_________________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® LYME

Merck Animal Health

Borrelia Burgdorferi Bacterin

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE, OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Lyme bacterin contains two inactivated isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacterin is for the vaccination of healthy dogs as an aid in the prevention of subclinical arthritis caused by Borrelia burgdorferi.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin and amphotericin B as preservatives.

- Transient soft tissue swelling may occur at the injection site.

- The use of this biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® LYME (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208044&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

_________________________________________________________________________________

NOBIVAC® Canine Flu H3N8
Merck Animal Health

Canine Influenza Vaccine

H3N8, KILLED VIRUS

For veterinary use in dogs only

IN THE ABSENCE OF A VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP, U.S. FEDERAL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT THE RELABELING, REPACKAGING, RESALE OR REDISTRIBUTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL CONTENTS OF THIS PACKAGE.

THIMEROSAL FREE

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Nobivac^® Canine Flu H3N8 is recommended for the vaccination of healthy dogs at 6 weeks of age or older as an aid in the control of disease associated with canine influenza virus infection. The type A, subtype H3N8 virus has been chemically inactivated and combined with an adjuvant designed to enhance the immune response. The vaccine has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence and severity of lung lesions, as well as the duration of coughing and viral shedding.

PRECAUTIONS:

- Store at 2° - 7°C.

- Do not freeze.

- Do not mix with other vaccines.

- Vaccinate only healthy, non-parasitized dogs.

- Use new, non-chemically sterilized needles and syringes.

WARNINGS:

- Contains gentamicin and amphotericin B as preservatives.

- Do not vaccinate pregnant bitches.

- The use of a biological product may produce anaphylaxis and/or other inflammatory immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions. Antidote: Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines may all be indicated depending on the nature and severity of the reaction.

Source: Merck Animal Health (2011) NOBIVAC® Canine Flu H3N8 (Internet) Available from: http://ispah.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view&id=1208226&key=label (accessed 09/10/2011)

Lung Worm

Lung worm can initially present as a cough, but have far more reaching side effects that it's initial symptoms. Lung worm in dogs is caught by eating slugs or snails, licking the trails of slugs or snails, or eating infected fecal matter.
In cats lung worm can be caught by consuming whole birds or rats which are infected.

Lung worm grows in the intestinal tract and migrates to the lungs, where they are often coughed up and re-ingested. Respiratory tract infections ensue often followed with or accompanied by pneumonia - current recomendations are long term antibiotics. (Merck, 2011)

Opposed to recent veterinary implications lung worm cannot be caught by ingestion of human grade meat obtained from a butcher with no lungs or intestines attached.

Merck (2011) (Internet) Available from: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/120700.htm (accessed 02/10/2011)

Pack behaviour & teenage males

First let me dispel a myth, your domestic pet, fur-kid, best friend, whatever his breed is mentally a wolf, and 99.8% wolf genetically. Therefore he thinks like a wolf and you and your family are his pack.

The way you and your family communicate with your pet is (generally) in human and the way it is interpretted is in wolf, which causes a problem, as we tend to greet a dog upon being re-united (human social behaviour) which is interpreted as the human being subordinate & a confirmation that the dog is alpha.

This causes all sorts of problems & similar mis-interpretations happen in very many ways throughout the day.

When the male dog reaches a certain age, they feel the need to take over pack leadership as they are either approaching or in their prime for reproduction. This inevitably leads to issues within the pack.

The dog is very intelligent and can prove his superiority over you without you even realising, due to your interpretation in human.

i.e.
1) Dog gives paw - you automatically take it - dog has proved you'll do what he tells you to
2) Dog sneaks his head under your hand - you automatically pet him - he's just proved his superiority again
3) Dog leans on you - you think he's giving you a cuddle - he's proved you are a subordinate

There are hundreds of tricks your dog has to prove his superiority, but here is the problem:

If the dog is superior, he is alpha and therefore superior to all pack members, this is an extreamly stressful position to be in, as the alpha must feed and defend the pack, but how is he to do this when he isn't allowed to hunt, gets locked indoors and really doesn't understand the human world around him?

Teenage boys do this much more than those of other ages, due to their hormones telling them they should.  This causes not only problems with their humans, but problems with other pack members, especially elderly ones, who in a natural wolf pack would be killed by a new alpha.

Bearing in mind that stress has been proved to supress the immune system, you can see why it is despirately important that your pet is never put in this position.

Consultations are available in your own home to show you how to be pack leader, reduce your pets stress & consequently your own. http://caninehealth101.web.officelive.com/

Annie the 13 year old raw fed labrador

Meet Annie, the 13 year old black labrador, she is raw fed, take a look at her incredibly shiny coat and her very white teeth. What does that tell you?

Lets talk Shit!

Not the nicest part of pet ownership, but a necessary evil, it struck me this morning how different it is between commercially fed and raw fed dogs.

That from Commercially fed dogs, is large, generally soft if not runny, stinks, and is dark brown to black in colour.

However that from raw fed animals is small, hard, bearly smells and is cream to white in colour.

This is quite important as the colouration of scat is obviously dependent on food, but also on dead blood cells.  Raw fed animals generally only produce something black and possibly runny if fed too much Liver or Heart (both extreamly high in blood).  However commercially fed dogs pass scat that colour all the time. Bearing in mind that the contents list assures us that there are not high quantities of blood in the commercial food, then it is more likely the dogs own dead blood being passed.

If this is the case then commercially fed dogs are killing off their own blood cells at a phenominal rate, much much higher than raw fed animals.

With so much energy having to go into new blood production, these dogs are much more likely to have a lowered immune system.