With proper training, brushing your dog’s teeth can be an enjoyable time for both of you. Brushing helps remove bacteria left behind after your dog eats. If left to build up, plaque will form on the gumline, which can lead to tartar and, in severe cases, cause painful periodontal disease.

If you haven’t brushed in a while, first examine your dog’s mouth. His gums should be firm and a healthy color. If his gums are inflamed, recessed or bleed easily when rubbed, you should see a veterinarian for a professional assessment and cleaning before attempting to brush your pet’s teeth.

STEP-BY-STEP:

To begin brushing, use the following 4-step training process. It may take a couple weeks to complete, but it will help your dog view brushing as a positive activity.

You will need dog toothpaste that has a flavor appealing to your dog. Do not use human toothpaste, as it can upset your pet’s stomach. You’ll also need a dog toothbrush and small but special treat rewards.

Step One
Start training by placing a little dog toothpaste on your finger and let your dog lick the paste from your hand. Do this step several days in a row, and follow it with a treat reward and lots of praise.

Step Two
Place a little of the paste on your pet’s large canine teeth in front. This gets your dog used to having something placed against his teeth and gums. Do this step for several days, and again, follow it with a reward and praise.

Step Three
Now introduce the toothbrush you will use for regular brushing. Place some dog toothpaste on it and allow your pet to lick it from the brush. It will get your pet used to the texture – and of having the brush near his teeth and gums. Praise and reward your dog, and repeat this step for several days.

Step Four
In the final phase, you will actually brush your dog’s teeth. Gently hold back your pet’s lips and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gumline. Brush the outside of each tooth, moving the brush gently back and forth. Talk to your dog in a soothing voice and always follow brushing sessions with a treat. Brush just a few teeth the first time, and gradually lengthen the session each time until you’re brushing all the teeth.

When finished, be sure to reward him with lots of petting and praise. The rewards and praise will help him associate brushing as a positive, rewarding experience.

Ideally, you’ll brush your pet’s teeth every day – but at least a few times per week. If time is tight, give your pet’s teeth a quick cleaning with dental pads. They kill bacteria on the surface, leaving his mouth fresh. With just a couple minutes of dental care per day, you’ll go a long way toward preventing plaque buildup – and periodontal disease.

Information courtesy of drsfostersmith.com You can also find a video of how to brush your dog’s teeth by following this link!

Canine Atopic Dermatitis

Canine atopic dermatitis (allergic dermatitis, canine atopy) is an inherited predisposition to develop allergic symptoms following repeated exposure to some otherwise harmless substance, an “allergen,” such as dust mites or pollen. Most dogs begin to show their allergic signs between 1 and 3 years of age. Due to the hereditary nature of the disease, several breeds, including golden retrievers, most terriers, Irish setters, Lhasa apsos, Dalmatians, bulldogs and Old English sheep dogs are more commonly atopic, but many dogs, including mixed breed dogs can have atopic dermatitis. The incidence is increasing both in man and animals.

Atopic animals will usually rub, lick, chew, bite or scratch at their feet, muzzle, ears, armpits or groin, causing hair loss, and reddening and thickening of the skin. In some cases several skin problems can “add” together to cause an animal to itch where just the allergy alone would not be enough to cause itching. These problems include air borne-allergens (pollens, etc.), allergens in food, and allergens from parasites (fleas, etc.) and also bacterial or yeast infections of the skin. Eliminating some but not all of the problems may allow a patient’s itchiness to go away. Therefore it is important to treat any other problems that could be making your pet itch while dealing with allergy.

Diagnosis

Specific diagnosis of atopic dermatitis is based upon the results of intradermal testing and/or in vitro (blood) testing. Many medications can interfere with our ability to properly skin test your pet. Length of time that a medication’s effect remain in an animal’s body is highly variable; however, basic guidelines for withdrawal of medications are: At least 4 weeks off oral prednisone; 10 weeks after triamcinolone acetonide injection; 14 weeks after methylprednisolone acetate injection; 10 to 14 days off antihistamines; 10 to 14 days off topical steroids (ear drops, ear drops or medication for skin); 2 days off tranquilizers.

Treatment

1) Antihistamines: This medication works in 20% of atopic patients. Your pet can take antihistamines for life. The only side effect usually seen is drowsiness. Several types may be tried to find the one best for your pet. Topical antihistamines for the eyes can be helpful in patients with eye allergy (itchy conjunctivitis). Visine A® is one over-the-counter product that can be helpful.

2) Avoidance of the allergens: This can be helpful for house dust mite allergies. Pollen exposure can be reduced by using air-conditioning and air filters, avoiding the outside early morning and late afternoon, wiping down with moist cloths after going outside and frequent bathing.

3) Oral Steroids (prednisone, cortisone, triamcinolone, etc.): These drugs have many potential side effects and are reserved for adult animals, those with short seasonal problems or where other therapy is not possible or is ineffective. Typically, treatment is started at one dose and then tapered off to every other day usage.

4) Topical Steroids: Topical usage is safer than oral usage. It can be very helpful if itching is localized (e.g., eyes, ears). It can be used for more widespread disease in the form of leave-on rinses or lotions (ResiCORT®) or a triamcinolone spray (Genesis®).

5) Cyclosporine (Neoral®): This immunosuppressive agent can be used at low doses to treat allergy successfully in about 60% of patients. It can also be used to lower needed dosages of steroids. The major short-term side effect is gastrointestinal upset. The long-term safety is not completely known. The dosage can often be lowered after a few weeks of successful treatment.

6) Tacrolimus (Protopic® ointment): This drug is related to cyclosporine. It can be very useful for treating localized itchy areas in atopic dermatitis. It is applied once or twice a day at first, and then frequency is reduced.

7) Fatty acid supplements: Certain types of oils can reduce allergic symptoms in some patients. We can give fish oil capsules in conjunction with a low-fat diet or prescribe special prescription diets with the fish oil content raised. This therapy can help improve response to antihistamine therapy.

Allergen Specific Immunotherapy: This involves giving an allergy vaccine injection that is made up specifically for your pet, usually for the lifetime of the animal. After an initial series of injections, periodic boosters will be needed (every 1-3 weeks). 60% to 80% of animals will improve with the vaccine. Results may not be seen for 3 to 6 months. When results are not seen in 9 to 12 months, a re-evaluation is necessary.

9) Bathing: Atopic skin is sensitive and subject to drying. Only specially designed hypoallergenic shampoos should be used on your allergic dog. Rinsing should be thorough. Generally it is best to follow with a hypoallergenic cream rinse or spray to remoisturize the skin after every bath. Virbac’s Allermyl® comes as a shampoo or a spray and contains 1-rhamnose, which may reduce itch and inflammation.

By Dr. Carol S. Foil, DVM, Diplomate A.C.V.D., and
Dr. Sandra R. Merchant, DVM, Diplomate A.C.V.D.

Date Published: 9/15/2003 12:54:00 PM
Copyright 2003 – 2009 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

Please send all of your get well wishes for Jet’s fur aunt Millie! Millie is a 10yr old mix breed and has ingested a foreign body. Millie has spent the past two days in urgent care, another reminder to keep all those things off the floor because you never know what might look tasty to your pup!

The Itching Pet: Alternatives to Steroids

Excessive licking, chewing, and scratching can make a pet’s life miserable for month after month, even year after year. For rapid relief of itch and inflammation, nothing matches the corticosteroid hormones such as cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisone, dexamethasone, and others.) There are some animals that seem unable to live with any degree of comfort without these medications. Unfortunately, these hormones have widespread and potentially dangerous actions throughout the body when they are used for inappropriately long periods and it is generally desirable to minimize the use of these hormones when possible to do so. Ideally, corticosteroids are used for a few really tough itch weeks and other forms of itch management are used for general itch maintenance.

See more detail on long-term corticosteroid use.

This is, of course, easier to write about than to actually do. When one’s pet is scratching and chewing raw spots on his or her skin, practical advice is called for. The following list includes assorted non-steroidal methods for relieving itch and reducing the amount of corticosteroid hormones needed.

Oral Medications

Antihistamine Trials
Histamine, a biological chemical, is the chief mediator of inflammation in humans hence the proliferation of antihistamines available for people both by prescription and over the counter. Histamine is not the major mediator of inflammation in the dog, thus these medications are not as reliable for dogs as they are for us.

The protocol recommended by this hospital is helpful to approximately 40% of dogs who try it. Four different antihistamines are used, one at a time, at least 2 weeks each, in hope of finding one that is acceptably effective. While the chance that an individual antihistamine will be helpful is small (about 15%), trying several antihistamines greatly increases the chance of finding one that works.

Antihistamines are not free of side effects; they are notorious for drowsiness in some individuals. Still, this is vastly preferable to the systemic disruption caused by the corticosteroid group.

Our hospital uses the following antihistamines in a typical antihistamine trial (click for more information):

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Clemastine fumarate (Tavist)
• Hydroxyzine (Atarax)
• Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)

In cats, antihistamines are substantially more reliable than in dogs so that the chances of a given antihistamine working are usually pretty good. For both cats and dogs, using antihistamines together with a corticosteroid hormone will decrease the amount of corticosteroid hormone needed to control the itching (i.e., less hormone is needed to get the job done if it is given with an antihistamine).

Fatty Acid Supplementation
The discovery of anti-inflammatory properties of evening primrose oils and fish oils in humans has led to similar products on the market for our pets. These products are not analogous to the oil supplements that are recommended as food supplements to make a pet’s coat shiny; instead; these are true anti-inflammatory drugs capable of relieving joint pain, cramps, and itchy skin.

The supplement alone is helpful in 10% to 25% of itchy dogs; we often recommend its use in combination with antihistamines to boost the efficacy of the protocol described above.

Cyclosporine (Atopica)

Cyclosporine is an immune system modulating drug originally developed for use in organ transplant patients, but which is also useful in other immune-mediated diseases.  Since allergy is an immune-mediated condition, cyclosporine was investigated as an alternative to corticosteroids and found effective for most patients.  Currently this medication is being marketed only for dogs and one dog in three will develop an upset stomach when starting the drug (though this resolves or is manageable with dose modification).

Topicals to Try
When using any dip on inflamed skin one should be aware that the use of cool water is considered much more soothing than warm water.

Colloidal Oatmeal Shampoos and Creme Rinse – At first, these products were only available for human use, as powdered soaks to pour into bath water. Once their value in itch management was determined, their use quickly spread to the veterinary field. Colloidal oatmeal actually pulls inflammatory toxis out of the skin, generally yielding 1 to 3 days of relief. The creme rinses are meant to yield longer acting relief. They are available plain or combined with local anesthetic forumlas to soothe itch.

Lime Sulfur Dip – This product kills parasites, ringworm fungi, and bacteria. It also dries moist, weeping skin lesions and helps dissolve surface skin proteins that are involved in itchiness. Many veterinary dermatologists recommend it regularly to control itch; however, it has several disadvantages. It smells terrible.  The sulfur ingredient smells like rotten eggs and this is how your bathroom or bathing area will smell during the pet’s bath. This dip can stain jewelry and clothing and will temporarily turn white fur yellow.

Other Shampoos
Itchy skin can be the result of skin infection, excess oil accumulation, yeast infection, even parasitic infection. The list goes on. The shampoo products listed above can be used against any itchy skin disease but it should be noted that there are many other shampoo and creme rinse products that can be used against the specific skin diseases listed. If some other type of shampoo product has been prescribed to you for an itchy skin disease, it is important that you use it allowing at least a good 10 minutes of skin contact time before rinsing.

TEN MINUTES OF SKIN CONTACT IS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR ANY MEDICATED SHAMPOO. PREMATURE RINSING WILL NOT ALLOW FOR THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFIT TO BE REALIZED.

Other Topical Products

Colloidal Oatmeal Sprays and Lotions – Same principle as above. These products pull inflammatory toxins out of the skin. Oatmeal products have become very popular and are available as shampoos, creme rinses, soaks, sprays, and lotions.

Humilac Spray – This moisturizer may be applied as a spray or mixed in water as a dip. It is helpful for dry skin but can also be used in combination with lime sulfur as lime sulfur is naturally drying to the skin.

Witch Hazel – This product has a cooling effect on the skin that is soothing for both animals and for people with sun burn. It is available as a spray or lotion.

Aloe Vera Gel – If possible, obtain 100% aloe vera gel from a health food store. Products containing aloe are much more available but are generally not as effective and not meant to be licked away by a pet. Aloe vera gel comes from the aloe vera succulent and contains enzymes which break down inflammatory proteins and enhance healing. Pure aloe vera gel is not harmful for pets who want to lick it off.
Topical Steroids? – It seems clear that taking steroids orally may be harmful to the body with chronic use but are topical cremes safe for long term use? We now know that topical steroids (cortisone cremes and related products) are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream but the hormonal side effects with topical use do seem blunted. For small irritated areas (hot spots), topicals can provide excellent relief without the systemic effects of hormones.

Respect the Steroid
Severe itching amounts to a reduction in life quality. It is important not to develop the mindset that corticosteroids should be avoided at all costs. This would not be fair to the itching pet. Steroids are valuable tools in the relief of pain and suffering and have an important place the therapy of the itchy pet. The goal is not to avoid steroid use if possible but to avoid long term dependence on steroids if possible. Despite all of the above management tricks, some pets will still require long term steroid use to achieve any reasonable comfort. There are monitoring protocols in place for such cases. It should also not be forgotten that underlying allergies and recurring skin infections can be addressed specifically and that as these conditions are managed, the itch is also managed.

Steroid hormones have many side effects and, as helpful as they are for allergic skin diseases, it is best to reserve them for only the most itchy episodes.

It is our policy not to give dosing information over the Internet.

Date Published: 1/1/2001
Date Reviewed/Revised: 06/14/2007

Copyright 2007 – 2009 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.
Article from VeterinaryPartner.com

Colitis refers to inflammation of the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal bloating and increased intestinal gas. Colitis can be caused by a primary disease, irritation of the bowel, antibiotic use, parasite infestation or ulceration.

Two Major types of Colitis are Ulcerative Colitis and Ischemic Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease of the colon, the large intestine, which is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the innermost lining of the colon. Ulcerative colitis affects only the colon.

Research has shown that in ulcerative colitis, the body’s defenses are operating against some substances in the body, perhaps in the digestive tract, which the body recognizes as foreign. These foreign substances (antigens) may themselves cause the inflammation to begin or to stimulate the inflammatory process to continue without control.

Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis
The first symptom of ulcerative colitis is normally a progressive loosening of the stool. The stool is generally bloody and can be associated with crampy abdominal pain and severe urgency to have a bowel movement. The diarrhea may begin slowly or quite suddenly. In addition there may be skin lesions, pain in the joints and failure to grow properly.

Ischemic Colitis
An inflammation caused by interference with the blood flow to the large intestine.

Symptoms:
Severe abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, bright red blood in the stool, diarrhea and muscle pain.

Treatment for Colitis

Because Colitis can be similar to Irritable Bowel Disease and can be triggered by many factors, it is important to have a thorough examine done by a veterinarian. If you decide to seek natural methods, Purely Pets recommends a consultation with our on-staff nutritionist.

A consultation will include a personalized diet and holistic program suggestions, all custom-tailored to your pet’s personal needs. This is particularly imperative with pets suffering from Colitis.

The nutritional program and other recommendations outlined in this article are designed for pets that have been diagnosed with Colitis, but does not apply to every pet.

Feed What is Right for Your Pet
Good nutrition is essential in any chronic disease but especially in this illness, which is characterized by diarrhea and rectal bleeding that can rob the body of fluids, electrolytes, and nutrients. Maintaining proper nutrition is important in the management of colitis.

The most important thing to remember when choosing a food for your pet is to choose a food that is right for YOUR pet, not what other people think is right. Raw diets are great, and home cooking is wonderful, but if your pet doesn’t do well on it, don’t feel guilty.

Some pets suffering from Colitis do very well on a BARF (raw) diet, others do well on a home cooked diet and others only do well on dry or canned food. Every case is different, so it is a matter of experimenting and sticking to what works best. There IS NOT one diet that works for every pet.

However, when choosing a dry food avoid synthetic preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), propyl gallate, propylene glycol and ethoxyquin. Avoid animal fats (found in many pet foods), high fat treats, processed foods, spicy foods, sugar and diary products. These foods may aggravate the problem.

Eating the wrong combination of foods can trigger symptoms. For example, when proteins and grains are eaten together, the grains start to ferment and cause gas. Also, as the combination slows the process down, proteins start to putrefy and cause toxins to be released into the system. Therefore, you may need to eliminate grains.

In many cases, feeding a very simple diet helps. Diets that seem to be beneficial are chicken and one vegetable, or ground meat and one vegetable. Some pets only do well when brown or white rice is added to the diet. In other cases a dry food containing beet pulp is beneficial because it hardens the stool.

Structure Meal Times
Feed small, frequent meals instead of one large one. Offer all food at room temperature for best digestion.

Recommended feeding schedule:
Breakfast: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Lunch: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Midday: Light Snack.
Dinner: High quality pet food, raw or homemade food.
Before bed: Light snack.

Use Bottled Water
Toxic metals such as lead, copper, mercury, and aluminum are often found in drinking water and some pets are very sensitive to these metals.

Rule out a Parasite Infestation
A parasite infestation is a very common problem with dogs and cats. Symptoms of an infestation are — vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, inability to absorb nutrients, bad breath, skin problems, chronic ear infections, yeast infections, foul odor to the stool, and many other minor and major ailments.

GIARDIA does lead to Colitis and many other illnesses! Giardia is a gastrointestinal infection caused by a microscopic parasite called Giardia lamblia. This is a common parasite causing gastrointestinal illness. It is found in the stools of many animals, including rodents, dogs, cats, cattle, and wild animals.

A Giardia infection can be acquired when your pet ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the parasite. It then multiplies in the small intestine. The infection can also be spread person-to-person when hands, which are contaminated with an infected person’s stool, are brought in contact with the mouth. Swallowing as few as ten parasites can cause the infection.

Symptoms of Giardia are diarrhea, foul, greasy stools, abdominal cramps, bloating, increased gas, weakness, and weight loss. These symptoms are similar to Colitis, so it is essential that your pet be tested for this parasite. This test is normally not done by your veterinarian, so you need to request it. This simple and inexpensive test can save you hundreds of dollars and invasive testing.

Giardia is usually diagnosed through a laboratory examination of a stool sample. Your veterinarian will forward the stool sample to a laboratory that will use a microscope to look for the parasite. Several stool samples need to be examined to detect the parasite.

If your pet is diagnosed with Giardia, always thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water before meals, before preparing food, after having a bowel movement, after changing diapers, and after playing with your pet.

Eliminate Toxins in the House, Yard and on your Pet
Because Colitis can be triggered by stress, it is important to put as little stress on the body as possible by avoiding toxins that may deplete the immune system.

Avoid the following:
Carpet powders
Air fresheners
Plastic bowls – All plastics release some undetectable fumes, especially when heated. This out-gassing means the fumes can pass into the foods that are served or stored in the bowl or container. Stainless steel or glass bowls are recommended.
Cheap ceramic bowls – Cause the same problem as described above.
Fumes from all bathroom cleaners.
Fumes from bleach.
Fumes from dusting products.
Toxic flea products – If the product states “Hazardous To Humans And Domestic Animals”, it is hazardous to your pet.
Toxic shampoos
Toxic flea collars
Paint fumes
Paint chips from lead based paint.
Rawhides – Many are dipped in a solution of salt and bleach
Cheap painted pet toys
Red food dye
Ethoxyquin

Supplements
Purely Pets does not recommend discontinuing traditional medications cold turkey or discontinuing them at all. This is YOUR decision based on how the following program works. We highly recommend you work closely with your veterinarian.

Although medications can be very effective, some may cause side effects that can eventually lead to other symptoms. Many pet owners are now looking into other methods for treating Colitis. A more natural approach is outlined below.

Supplement Recommendations:

Giardia & Parasitic Cleanse
Provides an excellent compound containing bitter principles which activate digestive secretions. Can be used safely to clean out the colon, when parasites are suspected as a trigger.

Digest Zymez
Since Colitis can be triggered by an inadequate amount of digestive enzymes, adding them to your pet’s diet cannot be stressed enough. A lack of enzymes can lead to decreased energy, excessive gas, allergies, poor skin condition, loose stool, consumption of their own stool, foul breath and/or body odor. Without digestive enzymes even the most nutritious foods will not be of any use to the body.

Digest Zymez are capsulated enzymes which can be fed orally or opened and mixed directly into the food. This product reduces intestinal gas and cramping and is very helpful in treating Colitis.

Yucca Intensive
Yucca is a natural steroidal supplement containing steroid saponins which are nature’s most powerful anti-inflammatory agents. This product reduces pain without gastric side effects and is effective for arthritis, bone and joint problems, soft tissue swelling and digestive and bowel problems.

Mega Pet Daily
This is our most outstanding multiple nutritional supplement. Higher potency, easy to feed gel cap provides daily support of important vitamins and minerals, including the A’s, B’s, Selenium, Chromium, Zinc, and Choline, all the vital nutrients for optimum immunity and health.

Exercise Your Pet Daily
Exercise increases the efficiency of the immune system and helps with muscle development, digestion and overall health. A well-conditioned body will work and perform better and increase the ability to carry blood and oxygen to muscles. Exercising burns fat and increases your pet’s metabolism.

Be sure your pet gets at least an hour of exercise everyday. However, age, health and weather should be taken into consideration when exercising. Do NOT over exercise older pets, or pets suffering from hypoglycemia, epilepsy, heart problems, during bouts of diarrhea, etc. Pets suffer from exhaustion just as humans do.

Conclusion and Tips for Treating Colitis

1. Feed what is right for your pet.

2. During bouts of diarrhea, Pedialyte and baby food may help. Plain yogurt replenishes the intestinal tract with friendly bacteria and does help in some cases. Rice can be helpful for bouts of diarrhea, but this is not true in all cases.

3. Large breeds that eat off the floor from a bowl are forced to gulp down their food and this may cause bloating and slow down digestion. Raising the food bowl for them eases the digestive process and causes less discomfort.

4. Feed small, simple meals throughout the day.

5. Test for Giardia and other parasites at least 3-4 times.

6. Eliminate any food or supplement which seems to upset the digestive tract or aggravate the symptoms.

7. Exercise your pet regularly as this helps with digestion.

8. Give supplements to strengthen the immune system and most importantly give digestive enzymes before or during each meal.

9. Avoid using toxins on or around your pet.

10. Offer only bottled water.

11. Last, it is important to keep a positive attitude, as your problems and your stress level will affect your pet.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Purely Pets!

Article Copyright to Purely Pets