Stress management for dogs..

Purina seems to have entered the Veterinary diet market, once the almost exclusive domain of Hill's Veterinary diets, in a huge way, producing specialized diets to help manage everything from overweight, to kidney function, to geriatric difficulties. I wasn't aware of this new departure until seeing an ad in "Field Trial Magazine" for a new supplement, apparently aimed toward the gundog market called FortiFlora.
This is a probiotic supplement for intestinal health in highly stressed dogs that I assume are prone to diahrrea. Whether it will be picked up on by the average gundog owner looking for any edge will be the subject of speculation, but I would not be surprised to see it be put to use whether medically called for or not.
I've had dogs get so excited the day of a hunt that they spend a fair amount of the morning trying to rid their bodies of loose stools.. In a dog that suffers this, maybe a product like this would be helpful.
In any case, it's always wise to be proactive and ahead of the curve when it comes to the health of our gundogs..
Is anything more important??

For those with an interest, and a few more questions, there is a list of FAQ here..

The banes of summer...

And another one has befallen us... Hotspots.
Sandy, our smallish English Setter, is currently suffering from them. She's been shaved in the problem areas, and currently looks like a patchwork quilt!
She previously had a minor spot on the ear. After a 4 day trip to the Adks, with free running and it's concommitment wetness and small skin lesions, many hotspots took hold in the matter of about a day.
An elevated temperature followed, so once again, it was off to the Vet's office for antibiotics and topical meds. She's looking a good bit better already, but she also needs another Lyme treatment also, so more antibiotics..
Summer never was my favorite time of year, but this just makes me despise it even more..
Next year, it's a complete shavedown for this little girl before the "dog days" strike!

Answer to an age old problem

Dogs have had fleas for, well, as long as there have been dogs. It's a problem that has dogged the dog, and it's human companions for millenia.
The latest crop of systemic topicals like Frontline and Advantix have virtually wiped out the scourge, and made living with pets in the home much more pleasant, but I've found that their powers against ticks less than spectacular.
All that may be changing, and dosing made a bit easier thanks to a new pill being studied. Once a month... Down the throat 'ya go! What's easier than that? and hopefully, with enhanced effectiveness to fight ticks, which would certainly be good news!
You can read all about it in Science Daily...
And thanks to our friends at A Piece of the Purest Challenge for bringing it to our attention.

We knew it all along

Here's some scientific validation of what we thought we knew about dogs all along...

It's not good to comfort Fido during a thunderstorm.. While it might make us feel better in the hope that we're trying to help, it does nothing for the dog according to scientific research.
I was always of the opinion that calming a dog's fears during these time did nothing more than prove to the dog that there actually was something to be frightened of, and that all the panting and anxiety was actually well warranted, and it appears that the time honored truth we learned is actually correct on all counts..

Comforting Fluffy during a thunderstorm might make us feel better, but it does nothing for Fluffy, and long term might actually be doing the dog a disservice..

Read the story here...

More evidence...

There is now more evidence to confirm the notion that we're just breeding our dogs too closely, and the dogs are paying a heavy price for our egotism.
Many breeds are suffering from congenital diseases suich as Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Gastric Dilation, Megaesophagus, and so many others.
The hand of man is wielding far to much influence over the direction our breeds are taking, for all the wrong reasons and with disastrous results!
Read the article from Science Daily about how an breeding within an extremely small gene pool has had deleterious effects on a small population on wolves on Isle Royale.
Maybe it's time for humans to give considerable thought to how our similar breeding practices have impacted "Man's Best Friend"... and to finally come to terms with the fact that a bit more genetic diversity might just be a good thing.

Eating dog.. Distasteful in more ways than one!

I understand that there are cultural differences at play here, but I believe that the vast majority of folks in the U.S. would consider the preparation and consumption of Fido abhorrent! I among them.
But, in Asia and during certain periods of the year, the practice is not at all uncommon, as much as we'd like to distance ourselves from these facts.
But, now another danger rears it's ugly head, and one that Westerners might consider completely appropriate for the offense. Consuming a rabid animal and falling victim to the disease as the result.

Some in this country might consider it poetic justice... Read all about it here at Science Daily..

Comin' back

It feels like it's been forever, but the M*A*S*H unit that was our bedroom is once again returning to normal.
The IV pole and infusion pump are gone along with the catheter, and Holly is on oral meds to treat the e-coli bacteria that invaded her body. She's still a bit sore from the large incision, and sleeping more than normal, but she's been through a lot this past week, and we're just babying her with lot's of TLC..

We're seeing the light at the end of what has seemed to be a very long, and dark tunnel.

I'd like to thank everyone for all the support we've received through this trying time....