It’s been a year and a half since the FDA prematurely (and erroneously) blamed a rash of heart disease on grain-free dog foods. We’re no closer to the truth today, despite FDA’s “investigation” and a few hastily-researched papers in veterinary…
Category: Dogs
Articles that apply dogs or are specifically written about dogs are here!
Grain-Free Dog (and Cat) Food, Taurine, and Heart Disease
Updated 9/23/19 NOTE: This is a very fluid situation right now, with a lot of conflicting interpretations and ongoing research. I will update this article as needed. This already involves hundreds of dogs. FDA now admits that cats have also…
Hemp Oil and CBDs
As a veterinarian (and a big fan of actual science!), I have been very cautious about using or recommending any form of marijuana (Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and hybrids) for pets. Dogs and cats can become extremely ill from consuming…
Sleeping with Pets
Many thanks to Kellen Smith at Tuck.com for allowing us to reprint this excellent article. As a lifelong insomniac, I really appreciate this thorough exploration of pros and cons, as well as the other helpful articles on Tuck.com. Many of…
Improve Microcirculation for Health and Healing
Updated 6/30/19. The body’s circulatory system is the key to healing. Every modality, from surgery and drugs to massage, herbs, aromatherapy, homeopathy, and all forms of detoxification, depends on this vast, miles-long network of blood vessels to deliver oxygen, remedies, and…
Dr. Becker’s Homemade Flea & Tick Repellent Spray
My good pal Dr. Karen Becker has homemade recipes for flea, tick, and mosquito repelling spray… you can mist them directly on the fur, or spritz it on your hands and stroke on the fur. Shake well before applying. Store in the…
Indoor Air Pollution
This might surprise you: it’s very likely that the indoor air in your home is more polluted than the air outside! There are many factors, most of which are totally within your control. Some factors present a serious health hazard for…
Pets, Tobacco, and Marijuana Smoke
By Guest Author Chloe Bloom and Jean Hofve, DVM For many years now, we have known how dangerous tobacco smoking is to health. The list of ways it can harm smokers seems to grow longer every year, as more and…
Paleo Dog
Paleo Dog: Give Your Best Friend a Long Life, Healthy Weight, and Freedom from Illness by Nurturing His Inner Wolf is the latest book by award-winning authors Jean Hofve, DVM and Celeste Yarnall, PhD.* Paleo Dog is your guide to…
Pet Food Contaminants
Updated 3/23/18 As part of my duties as an AAFCO advisor and member of several Working Groups, I attend numerous webinars and teleconferences. In one group, the discussion centered around the use of 4D meats and other rotten junk in…
Homeopathic First Aid: The Ten Best Remedies to Keep at Home
Homeopathy is a system of medicine developed more than 200 years ago by German chemist Samuel Hahnemann. It is a form of “holistic” medicine, in that it takes into account the “whole” organism—its physical, mental, emotional, historical, and environmental conditions.…
Holiday Safety for Cats and Dogs
The holidays can be a stressful and even dangerous time for our cats. Normal routines are upset, visitors come and go, and overly tempting smells may be coming from the kitchen! The Christmas tree is the first item of great…
Please Don’t Give Pets as Gifts
It’s a wonderful thing to give, and we all have good intentions when shopping for truly special gifts for our loved ones. You may have visions of one you love opening a beautiful box with an adorable kitten inside, or…
When You SHOULD Induce Vomiting
We recently discussed when NOT to induce vomiting after your pet has eaten certain harmful items. Today we’ll look at common situations where you should induce vomiting (how-to instructions below). Rodent poisons often contain anti-coagulant (blood-thinning) drugs such as coumarin…
Rabies Vaccine Reality Check
Thanks to my good friend Dr. Karen Becker at Mercola.com for this incredibly important article! By Dr. Becker I have some encouraging news to share about rabies vaccines, or more specifically, how pets with out-of-date vaccinations that are exposed to…
Halloween Safety for Pets
Halloween is already upon us, so it’s time to remind folks how to keep all pets (most especially black cats!) safe at this time of year. Many thanks to Kimberly Jackson (A to Z Petcare) and Kate Solisti (KateSolisti.com) for…
When NOT to Induce Vomiting
Cats and dogs can get into a lot of trouble! If they’ve eaten something they shouldn’t, the common advice is to induce vomiting by giving them syrup of ipecac or hydrogen peroxide. (My favorite item recovered by this method was…
The Difference in Cost of Veterinary Care
Today I’m posting an article written a few days ago by a colleague, Dr. Carolyn Karrh, who was sad and frustrated after a dog died after being spayed. The dog was a high risk patient, but was brought to a low-cost,…
E-Cigarettes: Dangerous for Pets
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/a-warning-to-pet-owners-who-use-e-cigarettes?Wt.mc_id=facebook The ASPCA Poison Control Center says that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) often contain high concentrations of nicotine, which is a dangerous poison for dogs and cats. Nicotine exposures are increasing, and the types of exposures are changing. In 2012, e-cigarettes…
Pet Food Labels Don’t Match Ingredients (Part II)
Multiple studies have revealed that pet food manufacturers aren’t careful about handling their ingredients; and some are deliberately fraudulent. This has serious implications for pets with food allergies.
Pet Food Labels Don’t Match Ingredients (Part I)
Tests show that pet food labels aren’t always truthful. One study found that, “Only in two pet foods… did the results of both analyses match the ingredients listed on the label.”
Canine Flu Outbreak
There have been numerous media reports on an outbreak of “canine influenza” that began in Chicago, and could spread to other areas. The original dog flu virus that was characterized a few years ago is known as H3N8, and there is…
Animal Communication
Many thanks to our guest author, animal communicator Kate Solisti! The art of listening to an animal and actually receiving something back from them is based on two things: (1) Love and (2) Intuition. I have been a professional interspecies…
Animal Pain
That idea that animals suffer pain that needs to be treated is, believe it or not, still not completely accepted by veterinarians. In fact, not so long ago, veterinarians deliberately withheld painkillers from animals post-surgery, on the misguided philosophy that “the pain…
Mars buys Iams, Eukanuba, and Natura
In a bid for world domination, the Martians…oops, I mean, Mars Petcare (the pet food arm of the candy giant)…is acquiring all of Procter & Gamble’s pet food brands for a mere $2.9 BILLION. It had been rumored for several…
Flea and Tick Product Dangers
A big thank you to my dear friend Dr. Michael Fox (www.drfoxvet.net) for allowing me to reprint this urgent bulletin! BAYER’S NEW CAT, DOG, HOME & YARD INSECTICIDALS: WHAT IT MY PORTEND FOR THE EARTH COMMUNITY By Dr. Michael W.…
Selecting a Good Commercial Pet Food
Packaged, manufactured pet food is a great convenience to dog and cat guardians. But responsible consumers who want the best for their animal companions have a bewildering array of foods and claims to choose from. So, how do you know…
Grape and Raisin Toxicity
Beginning in the 1990s, veterinarians began seeing dogs who developed acute kidney failure after eating grapes, raisins, or currants. Despite extensive research, the component that caused the problem was never identified; it couldn’t even be narrowed down to any particular…
10 Reasons Why Dry Food Is Bad for Cats & Dogs
Strictly carnivorous cats preferentially use protein and fat for energy, and these pathways are mandatory. Felines can digest and absorb carbohydrates, but those carbs mostly turn quickly and directly into fat.
Homemade vs. Commercial Food for Cats and Dogs!
By Jean Hofve, DVM Preparing a home-made diet for one’s pets is a bit of a challenge. However, it is no more difficult than feeding one’s children a balanced and nutritious diet. Most human beings seem to be able to…
New Pet Food Standards – Finally?
The standards by which pet food are made are set by an organization called AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). AAFCO provides model rules and standards that most states have adopted, and that pet food companies abide by. You’ve undoubtedly…
College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies
by Jean Hofve, DVM Before last week, I had never heard of the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT). But I am tremendously excited about this organization, and I think a lot of our readers will be interested to learn about it. CIVT is…
PetMD claims soy is good for carnivores
On a PetMD.com blog, Dr. Jennifer Coates discusses how nutrition impacts the immune system. No argument here, of course what you, your cat, your dog, or your pet elephant eats has multiple effects on the immune system and every other…
Are Dogs Really Supposed to Eat Corn?
by Jean Hofve, DVM Purina was the first to trumpet the results of an letter in the journal Nature reporting an in-depth study of the genetics of dogs vs. wolves. Their findings suggest that dogs have adapted their DNA to…
Pets in Pain–Don’t let them Suffer
We are honored to have a wonderful guest blogger today, Dr. Shelley Brown of Harmony Veterinary Center, Arvada, CO. Dr. Brown practices integrative veterinary medicine, including acupuncture, cold laser, and homotoxicology. She is a member of the International Veterinary Academy of Pain…
Urinary Incontinence
One of the more unpleasant conditions that pets may develop is urinary incontinence. This means that involuntary passage or leakage of urine occurs. It’s a relatively common problem in dogs, but uncommon in cats. Usually, you’ll first notice a wet…
Filling Pet Prescriptions at Human Pharmacies
I recently came across a very disturbing article in a veterinary publication about the errors being made by human pharmacists when filling prescriptions from a veterinarian. The Oregon Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) conducted a survey to determine how often mistakes are…
What Your Vet Must Tell You about Vaccines (but probably won’t)
Many thanks to our good friend Jan Rasmusen for the following video and information. Click here to browse her vast resources on vaccines and more. Please be sure to sign this petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/veterinarians-fully-inform-us-before-vaccinating-our-dogs-and-cats The Darker Side of Pet Vaccination: A Video…
AVMA vs Raw Food
The AVMA recently adopted a policy position against raw meat diets for pets. Their reasoning is wrong and their science is unfounded. Here is my reasoning on why AVMA (as well as the AAHA which adopted the same policy almost as…
Green Cleaning
Mercola.com has a very good article on “green” household cleaners–and why the ones you buy at the store (even those that claim to be “green” or that you get from the health food store) may actually be no safer for you…