Blog with CAPS President Deborah Howard

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I am Danielle - the new CAPS blogger and would like to first introduce myself and what I will be writing about.
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Agonizing with Arthritis

Dear Carmen:

My name is Ty and I am an eleven year old Doberman.  I have arthritis in my hips and back legs and it is getting harder to walk around.  My mama took me to the Dr. and they prescribed me Rimadyl. My mama looked up side effects and is worried about giving me the stuff now.  What is the best thing for me to take? My Aunt Dawn said that Deramaxx is better, but there are nasty side effects there too. What is safer? Please help an old dog that still has pletty of pep just bad hips.

Thanks,

Agonizing with Arthritis

 

Dear Agonizing with Arthritis:

My 14 year old brother Freddie, who is a Chow mix, takes an herbal supplement called DGP.  He stopped running for a year but after starting this he was running up the stairs again and now can run 12 miles on dirt trails.  My Basset Hound sister Beatrice, who has deformed elbows, take it too, so she won’t get too stiff.

http://www.doggonepain.com/

Get off the Rimadyl.  And do not take Deramaxx.  We have had a complaints about dogs who died or got quite ill after taking it.  There was a lawsuit against Pfizer regarding all the dogs that died from taking Rimadyl.  It settled.

Please let me know if the DGP works for you.  Try a canine massage therapist, too.  Acupuncture also works well for dogs.

Buena Suerte, 

Carmen

Stinky Sata

Dear Carmen:

Hola Carmencita!

My name is Luchita. I am also a sata who lived on the streets of Puerto Rico for too many years. I have lots of food issues, too, as do my four sato siblings. It makes for some interesting canine conversations around the kibble container. But I want to ask you about dead stuff. We have five acres of land, and we are always finding cool things like dead possums, birds, and the like. Most of us like to roll in our "finds" first and then bring them in the dog door to our mamacita. Mamacita always does a little dance when we first bring in the dead stuff, and then she starts making faces and saying, "Oh, yuck. That is so nasty!" She never appreciates our efforts at finding the most fragrant carcasses! How come she doesn't know how good this stuff smells, and we do? Mamacita knows a lot, and we're muy feliz here in Arkansas, but the dead stuff question is a big issue. Thanks for your help. Que te vaya bien siempre!

Dear Stinky Sata:

Before I can answer your question, it is very important that you realize how impaired humans are when it comes to being able to detect scents in the world. They have almost no olfactory neurons compared to us. If you saw their brains after death - chuleta! - they are virtually missing the part involved in detecting scents. Worse yet, no matter ho much we roll around to compound the fragrance, they STILL cannot understand. I think they are to be pitied, no? And because of this, I do not think that we can tell them the whole truth about why we roll in dead stuff. The full beauty of this explanation will be lost on them. For now, I think that perhaps we can explain to them that by rolling we leave our scent and become one with the foreign scent. Humans are so focused on "ownership" that they may just be able to appreciate shared scents. Also, we learn about who has visited, what they ate, and possibly their health status.

For those of us who have been on the streets, this is important information to have. Finally, by coating ourselves with scents and substances, we may be repelling parasites and predators. These are the simple parts that humans could accept. Tell your mamacita only this much. Sharing the information about why this makes us so happy would just be wasted and might even cause your mamacita to doubt your sanity. Here is a case where the less said, the better. Yours in all things ripe and smelly, Carmen Translations: Sato - Puerto Rican word for street dog. Sata is the female version of the word. Mamacita - Little mother (expression of endearment) Muy feliz - Very happy Que te vaya bien siempre - That things always go well for you Chuleta - Literally means meat cutlet. Slang for smack or slap.

Regular shots and vaccines for dogs

Dear Carmen:

i just took my dog for his so called yearly shots the parvo distemper ones and ever since those shots i have noticed a significant change of behavior that is more aggressive or upset growling. he is more irritable and also has a constant scratching of what might be called a hot spot now? i am wondering what the hell is in these shots and why are they so promoted to having our pets get them ? this does not seem like it is a good thing for him from what i am witnessing and now i am sorry i ever took him to get these shots that the goverment insists us on getting for our dogs encouraging that it is in our dogs healths best interests. can you guide me to any info about what is in these shots and the argurments against getting them for our dogs and maybe what i can do to now counteract what i have done to him. i do not like that he seems so quick to growl and get upset which he was not like prior to these shots. thank you for any info you can provide.

Audrey 

Dear Audrey:

Dogs aren’t supposed to have regular vaccines after puppy shots and one year booster.  Most vaccines last the life of a dog but usually at least 7 years.  Our dogs get titers to check for levels of the vaccine, so most of them haven’t had shots in a few years because their levels are still quite high.  Same applies to cats.

http://www.newvaccinationprotocols.com/

Dr. Bob Rogers is one of our sources.  He helped us to fight Ft Dodge (Wyeth) and Preheat 6.  After a lot of publicity around the country, the FDA finally recalled Preheat 6, a six-month heartworm preventative shot that killed and harmed many dogs.  CAPS had at least 300 complaints and the FDA had more than 6,000!

And our other favorite vet is Dr. Jean Dodd’s:

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

There are homeopathic remedies that can fight the toxins in vaccines.  Thug is one of them.  You can buy it at a natural foods market like Whole Foods.   Just give your dog one pellet in his water (it will dissolve) for a few days.  I urge you to see a holistic vet to take care of your dog’s immune system and fight off the toxicity of the vaccines.

http://www.holisticvetlist.com/

Type in your state and start looking for a holistic vet.

Please let me know what happens.

Best of luck to you and your dog,

Deborah A. Howard

Seeking Whiter and Brighter Fur in Memphis

Dear Carmen:

I'm a rescued pup that barely made the deadline from a West Memphis shelter. My fur has some terrible yellow stains. Now I've realized that I'm a princess, so I need to get rid of the stains. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks. Seeking Whiter and Brighter Fur in Memphis

Dear Seeking Whiter and Brighter Fur:

You need whitening shampoo. It is a blue or purple colored shampoo that helps whiten the coat. We love Cardinal products. The CAPS website has a link to their website (www.cardinalpets.com). Cardinal’s Gold Medal line has a whitening shampoo called Blue Diamond. My mamacita* used to buy gallons of Cardinal whitening shampoo for her red and white Cocker Spaniel (poor Rex died in 1994 at three years of age from a genetic liver disease; CAPS rescued me in Puerto Rico in 1996). She also uses whitening shampoo, every now and then, on Spencer, who has white fur with red ticking.

Spencer is my irritating Australian Cattle Dog mix (also known as a red heeler mix) brother who just wants to go running all the time and play games. He drives me crazy with all his energy! I have some white fur, too, but I just don't get dirty like Spencer does running on trails and swimming in the ocean. I am very meticulous about my appearance, but then again, I am a famous columnist and he is just a mere dog. You can look for whitening shampoos online. The products with natural ingredients are the best. You can also try pet supply stores near your house. They probably won't carry the gallon sizes, though. What kind of dog are you, other than lucky? You are very lucky that a kind person saved you from a shelter.

Best of luck in your new home, Carmen

13-14 year old dog is having more frequent accidents - should we be concerned?

Dear Carmen:

We have a 13-to-14 (we think) year old dog, a mix of about everything. (I wish I could be more descriptive about his breed, but Bouncer was a stray that showed up about 12 years ago and has lived with us since.) Recently we have noticed he is having more accidents in the home. When he urinates, the ammonia smell is overpowering...whew! When dogs get older, does urine odor get worse? Or does this strong smell signal something we need to be concerned about?

Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide!

Dear Accident -prone 13 year old dog:

It sounds like Bouncer might be creating a urine that is too acidic, or that he might have a low-grade bladder infection. The first step would be to have his urine checked by a vet. You can catch a sample in an old pie tin and pour it into a pill vial or even a Zip-loc bag. Also, at his age, you should consider having a complete blood profile run to check his kidneys, liver, sugar, etc. That would require a trip to the vet’s for him. In the meantime, make sure he has plenty of water to drink. Dogs do prefer bottled or filtered water, just like we do. You might try giving him antacid tablets, like Tums, two or three times a day. That has been a recommendation for reducing acidity in the urine.

Good Luck, Don Allen, DVM

Liking Leftovers in Longmont

Dear Carmen:

When my family adopted me, I weighed 10 lbs. I now weigh more than 13 lbs. Every morning, my dad feeds me his leftovers from breakfast: French toast, pancakes, waffles, bacon and sausage. Sometimes, we are healthy and share cereal. Spending this time with him is very special. I love the food, too. I eat so much that I usually have no room left for my regular breakfast. My veterinarian is worried about my weight. She says that a gain of three pounds is too much for a small dog. My dad and I both have potbellies, although he has the larger stomach.

The vet told my dad to stop feeding me leftovers. She says I should be eating dog food for breakfast, preferably light dog food. She also says that I should exercise on a regular basis. I like going on walks, but my dad is too lazy to take me. Every night, he reclines in the easy chair with the remote control, a beer, and me. He likes to watch television all evening. Shouldn't he be exercising, too? What should I do?

Dear Liking Leftovers:

I can sympathize with you. I really enjoy leftovers, too, especially since I had to rely on them while I lived on the streets of Puerto Rico. I ate plenty of Vienna sausages and pizza in my day. Even though I have quite a comfortable life now, at the back of my mind, I am still worried that I am not going to get enough to eat. I love to beg (don't we all?). Since I tend to gain weight, my veterinarian has me on a strict diet. I am only allowed to eat low-fat healthy snacks. My Abuela (Grandmother) takes me for long walks. It is not healthy to be overweight, though.

I consulted CAPS board member, Dr. Don Allen. He said that overweight dogs are more prone to diabetes, arthritis, heart failure, elbow calluses, pressure point sores and skin conditions. Lean dogs even live longer (Purina study of two groups of Labrador Retrievers from birth to death). Dr. Allen recommends that you eat light food until you lose the three extra pounds. If your dad has to give you a snack, Dr. Allen suggests light dog biscuits (but go easy), and healthy human food like fruits and vegetables. Your dad should take you for a walk every day for at least 30 minutes. If you haven't exercised in long time, Dr. Allen advises that you gradually build-up the duration of your walk.

Your dad can also take you for fifteen minutes walks twice a day. Walking would be good for your dad, too. Overweight humans are also at risk for diabetes and heart disease from high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Exercise can also reduce stress and help with weight loss. If your dad really doesn't want to get out of his comfortable chair, tell him to hire a dog walking service or pay a responsible neighborhood child or adolescent to take you for a walk. If you have a local dog park, he may want to take you there. Just be sure that you run around while at the dog park. I am not partial to the dog park myself because I don't like being run-over by larger dogs. Buena Suerte, Carmen

Can a cat's teeth be filed?

Dear Carmen:

Can a cat's teeth be filed? My cat chews thru wires and everything that is not above her reach. If I can’t file down these destructive jaws, how can I stop this behavior? I have tried the bitter gel, but it doesn’t seem effective on everything. She has even chewed my glasses! I can’t see red, because I can't see. Help!

Dear Cat who chews wires:

I'm assuming this is a young cat, i.e., less than one year old. If the cat is teething, they do tend to chew on a lot of things during this period. If an adult, it is just a bad habit. Also assuming she has plenty of toys to chew on and play with. My two young cats (just a year old) do tend to chew on things and have bitten through elastic cords connecting their bouncy toys. You do have to "cat proof" your place in some cases, to keep cats from pulling over lamps and knocking things off counters, too. The one thing I recommend above everything else is to paint hot pepper sauce on some of her favorite chew items and leave them out for "bait" to teach her it's no fun. I just hope she's not a Cajun! Filing or cutting down the fangs is a serious last resort. Besides, much of the chewing is done with their premolars and molars, which act like scissors.

Sincerely, Don Allen, DVM

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