Canine Nutrition Course

Last weekend we were on a Canine Nutrition course run by the Sheila Harper organisation, and taken by Sally Askew,Nutritionist/ holistic behaviourist.  A real eye-opener, we'd highly recommend this course.  We've added a couple of links if you're interested.  The big message is THERE IS NO DIET / FOOD TYPE THAT WILL SUIT EVERY SINGLE DOG!  And much much more.  Have a look on the Sheila Harper website.

IMPORTANT

Just to let you know that the kwiksurvey site is down at the moment, undergoing maintenance. We will let you know as soon as it is back up.
Sorry for any convenience

Abby goes from strength to strength

It’s about 10 weeks since our last visit to the vet with Abby.  We had been taking her  for – at a guess – around 4 months for monthly B12 injections and weigh-ins.  At the last blood test her B12 was up considerably  the vet told us, but they wanted to continue it as it wasn’t quite at normal level.  She wasn’t gaining any weight to speak of, and on the last visit had lost a little weight.  She was 22.5 kilos, pretty underweight for a Shepherd, with sticking-out ribs.  We discontinued vet visits for a number of reasons:  her B12 was well up;  after months of visits she wasn’t gaining weight and we were no further forward in knowing why; and the final straw was when we were made to feel extremely uncomfortable by the receptionist following a discussion in which we stated that we did not believe in boosters (for Cairid).

Since then Abby has continued on a raw food diet with cooked vegetables and fish oil.  We no longer give bromelain.  She no longer has runny poos and is no longer sick in the car, though this may be because she’s used to it now.  We weighed her today, and she is 27.5 kilos – that’s TWENTY-SEVEN AND A HALF KILOS!!  Good old raw tripe!  She looks not too bad for an old girl!

Your dog in Your home

I was stopped this morning by a gentleman who wanted to make a huge fuss of Cairid (well who wouldn't, he is a handsome big fella!).
He told me tearfully that he had to have his own dog put down recently. I asked him why. Apparently someone came in his back door to 'see what was worth taking' and the dog bit him. The result was that the dog had to be put to sleep. Surely not I thought, but this man was very upset.

On looking into it, its true, especially for Scotland. The Scottish Government was emailed for clarification of the matter, and we received the following reply :

'Many thanks for your email. While it would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment or intervene in specific cases, I can provide you with some general advice on this matter. Ultimately, the decision on whether a dog should be euthanised after biting an intruder/any person would rest with the court. The court has the power, on conviction to order the destruction of the dog if it is considered dangerous. An appeal procedure is built in to the provision to allow for a person to contest a disqualification order or a destruction order'.

Section 10 of the Control of Dogs (Scotland)Act 2010 amends section 3(1) of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 so that a dog owner or the person in charge of the dog for the time being can be held criminally responsible where a dog is found to be dangerously out of control IN ANY PLACE rather than only a public place or private place where a dog is not permitted to be.

All this seems to lead to the fact that it is fairly pointless to put up a sign on your door/gate etc saying 'beware of the dog' as this section contends that liability will be incurred IN ANY PLACE. That said, it would presumably help the case if these signs were in fact displayed in a prominent position on your premises.

Any thoughts on this subject?

Initial survey results

We have received around 160 completed surveys and thought that we would put some of the initial findings together. These can be download in pdf format from :

http://hotfile.com/dl/160006866/7a0c43e/Dog_Food_Types_Health__Behaviour.pdf.html

Obviously, we want to get more and more surveys completed and then do some in-depth analysis of the findings, so 'KEEP THEM COMING FOLKS'. (We have accosted people everywhere we go, including Dublin, Belfast, Manchester and Arnhem in the Netherlands - these is no hiding place from our cards requesting completion of the survey - you have been warned!!!!)

The link for completing the survey is still
http://kwiksurveys.com/?s=LIMNIL_d1108851 no longer valid - see new link above

IF YOU ARE COMPLETING A SURVEY FOR EACH OF YOUR DOGS - COMPLETE A SINGLE SURVEY FOR ONE AND SUBMIT IT - COME OUT OF THE SURVEY SITE - GO BACK INTO THE SURVEY SITE AND COMPLETE FOR THE SECOND DOG - REPEAT FOR HOWEVER MANY DOGS YOU HAVE
Once again, thanks to all who have completed it. It is much appreciated.

Updates on Pet Food

We received confirmation from the Food Standards Agency that only Category 3 animal by-products may be used in pet food.  Category 3 ABPs are the lowest risk category. 

Category 3 material

Category 3 material comprises the following animal by-products:

parts of slaughtered animals which are fit for human consumption but are not intended for human consumption for commercial reasons;

parts of slaughtered animals which are rejected as unfit for human consumption but are not affected by any sign of a communicable disease;

hides and skins, hooves and horns, pig bristles and feathers originating from animals that are slaughtered in a slaughterhouse and were declared fit for human consumption after undergoing an ante mortem inspection;

blood obtained from animals declared fit for human consumption after undergoing an ante mortem inspection, other than ruminants slaughtered in a slaughterhouse;

animal by-products derived from the production of products intended for human consumption, including degreased bones and greaves;

former foodstuffs of animal origin, other than catering waste, which are no longer intended for human consumption for commercial reasons or due to problems of manufacturing or packaging defects;

raw milk originating from animals that do not show any signs of a communicable disease;

fish or other sea animals, except sea mammals, caught in the open sea for the purpose of fishmeal production, and fresh by-products from fish from plants manufacturing fish products for human consumption;

shells of eggs originating from animals that do not show any signs of a communicable disease;

blood, hides and skins, hooves, feathers, wool, horns, hair and fur originating from healthy animals;

catering waste other than category 1.

Catering waste

Category 1 catering waste is defined as catering waste from means of transport operating internationally.

A DEFRA leaflet PB11268 lists pet food plants (among others) as possible recipients for the disposal of uncooked meat, fish and eggs.

It is reassuring to know that road-kill and euthanased pets from shelters are NOT included in this list, contrary to many people’s understanding.  However, we understand that packs of hunting dogs and zoo animals have a different set of feeding standards, as will horses and rabbits who are not considered “pets” because they are sometimes used for human consumption.

Wallace

The following is a heartwarming story from Gillian of German Shepherd Rescue Scotland about the progress of a dog with pretty severe problems.................

Wallace came into German Shepherd Rescue Scotland in August 2010, he was 10 months old and had been diagnosed with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) at 7 months old. His problems started at the age of 4 months just shortly after his second vaccination, and his family were struggling to cope.

EPI is a potentially life threatening condition where the part of the pancreas that produces digestive enzymes no longer functions properly, when this happens food can no longer be digested. This is why an EPI dog will literally starve to death without proper treatment. Although EPI is common in German Shepherds it is found in many other breeds too. There is no cure for EPI but it can be successfully managed, and dogs with EPI can live long, happy and active lives.

What are the symptoms?

·         'Cow Pat' stools that can look greasy or oily and smell awful

·         Diarrhoea that won't go away

·         Weight loss

·         Ravenous appetite

·         Voluminous & frequent stools

·         Eating stools

·         Gurgling and loud digestive noises, wind and burping

·         Eating non-food items e.g  wood, paper,

·         Change in temperament

How can EPI be managed?

The aim in managing EPI is produce normal looking stools this is done replacing the missing enzymes with powdered enzymes or enzyme granules. There are a few options available here in the UK, and sometimes some trial and error is required to find the best enzyme for each dog.

There are 4 main factors consider when stabilising an EPI dog.

·         Diet – Most EPI dogs do best on a grain-free diet, although some do tolerate rice. Fibre content should be no more than 4%.

·         Enzymes – These are required with EVERY meal. All food must be treated and dogs with EPI shouldn't be given treats.

·         B12 Deficiency - 82% of all EPI dogs have insufficient B12 levels, if this is not addressed then they won't gain weight. B12 injections are required to keep the dog's B12 levels in the upper ranges of normal.

·         Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) - SIBO is caused when bacteria accumulate and ferment undigested food. A tell-tale sign of SIBO is a slimy, mucous coating on the stools. Most dogs will have SIBO when first diagnosed with EPI, treatment is a 30-45 day course of antibiotics. However until a dog stabilises SIBO can be on ongoing problem so sometimes a longer course of antibiotics is required. SIBO's bad bacteria use B12, which can cause B12 deficiencies, so if not treated properly a vicious cycle can form.

Wallace was placed in a foster home so that his foster Mum could get to grips with his EPI and stabilise him ready for his new family. She did well with the 'tweaking' of food, enzymes, B12 and antibiotics, he soon gained weight and lost his 'sad' look, dogs with EPI are often in pain until they are stabilised and you can see the pain in their faces. It wasn't long before he was running around with his doggy brother and sister, happy and healthy. But then she failed miserably at being a foster Mum, Wallace fitted in so well that she couldn't give him up!

German Shepherd Rescue Scotland supports Wallace, his enzymes aren't cheap and because he was given up to the rescue his insurance was no longer valid. The rescue pays for all of his enzymes and vet visits, he's one of our 'Supported Dogs'. He costs around £3000 per year for enzymes and B12 injections, this is a lot of money, but he deserved a chance. Sadly we can't support every dog with a medical condition but we do our best to help when we can.

Wallace will be 3 years old in October 2012, he has the odd setback but for the main he is stable and he loves life. He's a real wee character with a lot of love to give, he loves to be his Mum's shadow and trips her up constantly! He has a few wee quirks but then most EPI dogs do!

Thank you to.....

Everybody who has taken the time to complete the survey. We have had a decent response but would really like some more completed. So if anyone knows anybody that 1) has a dog or dogs and 2) has access to a computer, please ask them to complete it.

Special thanks to Rob & Catherine at Canine Health Concern and Gillian at German Shepherd Rescue Scotland, for putting the link up on to their websites and circulating it amongst many people. Much appreciated.

Once we have more completed questionnaires we will commence assembling the information and see what trends are emerging and publish the findings on the blog.

Will you take part in our survey? (Please!)

We have compiled a survey that we would like dog owners to complete.

We are interested to hear what owners are feeding their dogs and any health issues that their dogs are having.

It will only take a few minutes of your time to complete.

Once we have sufficient replies, we will correlate the information and publish the results on this blog.

http://kwiksurveys.com/?s=LIMNIL_d1108851 No longer valid - see new link above

Thank You

Something nice from 'How to Speak Dog' by Stanley Coren

A lovely extract from the book, interpreting the breathing of his dogs and what it says to him -

'I am here for you', the dog's breath said. 'We will face this life together. There is no beast or intruder that can steal up on you undetected because I am here, and I will be your eyes and ears. No harm will come to you because I am at your side to warn you, and to defend you if need be'.
'We will hunt together tomorrow. We will herd together tomorrow. We will share the sunshine tomorrow. We will explore this world together. We will play together, even though neither of us is any longer a child'.
'If luck turns bad, then when you grieve, I will comfort you. You will never need to be alone again. I promise this. As your dog, I will sing this promise to you, and whisper it to you at night, every night, with my breath'

Listen to your own dog at night and get the peace that his or her rhythmic breathing brings to you.....