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Articles that apply dogs or are specifically written about dogs are here!

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 a baby sock that had been eaten by a cat!) However, there are some things that are actually worse coming back up than they were going down. In those cases, you should NOT induce vomiting by any method. These items include: Household cleaning products containing acidic or alkaline ingredients, which ...

2017-03-23T14:00:33-07:00
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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, high-volume clinic for the surgery. Had she (the dog) been at a clinic where a thorough history, pre-op exam, better equipment, IV line, constant monitoring, etc., were the norm, the story could have had a much happier ending. Dr. Karrh goes on to explain the difference between clinics, and why ...

2017-03-21T18:33:32-07:00
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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 made up 4.6% of total nicotine exposures (including tobacco cigarettes, nicotine gum, e-cigarettes, and nicotine patches), but in 2013, this number increased to 13.6%; and it's expected to continue rising. Nicotine is dangerous for pets, and e-cigarettes and refills can contain far more nicotine than regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes are filled ...

2017-03-21T19:21:26-07:00
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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 communicator for over twenty years and in that time have helped many people rekindle their natural abilities to open and receive information from non-speaking beings through their intuition. It is my belief that the heart is the seat of our intuition and innate wisdom. In order to access these, we ...

2017-03-21T19:22:08-07:00
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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 will keep them quiet so they don’t hurt themselves.” Even when veterinary organizations do acknowledge pain, they may still get it wrong. For example, the mission statement of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists (ACVA) says that the organization “believes that animal pain and suffering are clinically important conditions that adversely ...

2017-03-21T19:22:31-07:00
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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. Fox I posted my concerns last year about Bayer’s dog and cat “Seresto” anti-flea and tick collars that contain a nicotine chemical (imidacloprid) that can cause seizures, thyroid gland damage, mutations, abortions and birth defects, (and is a class of widely used agricultural chemicals implicated in the catastrophic demise of ...

2017-03-21T19:24:02-07:00
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Selecting a Good Commercial Pet Food

Updated December 2022 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 what's best for your animals? The most reputable manufacturers agree with holistic veterinarians that the very best diet for your animal companion is one that you make yourself. A homemade diet, carefully balanced nutritionally, and using raw and organic foods, is closest to what Mother Nature intended. ...

2023-01-13T23:34:30-07:00
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Grape and Raisin Toxicity

Beginning in the 1990s, veterinarians began seeing dogs who developed acute kidney failure after eating grapes, raisins, or currants. The cause has been a total mystery for decades. But in 2021, tartaric acid (which cream of tartar is made from) was discovered to be the part of grapes that cause them to be toxic to pets. The amount of tartaric acid can vary in grapes by their type, how they were grown, and how ripe they are, which could explain why some pets get very sick while others seem unaffected ...

2021-07-22T11:02:33-07:00
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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 do that, since we have survived as a species. As any parent knows, it is not essential to balance all the nutrients in each individual meal, but over time the intake of nutrients in a varied, healthy diet will be balanced. What parent would ever consider feeding their children only ...

2017-03-21T18:26:13-07:00
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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 seen statements on pet food labels referring to either AAFCO feeding tests or AAFCO Nutrient Profiles. In order to claim that they are “complete and balanced” for a given life stage (or all life stages), pet foods must meet one of those two standards. This is not a glamorous topic, ...

2018-09-17T09:44:39-07:00
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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 an international educational organization that brings science to holistic animal care--a desperately needed perspective! It primarily provides courses for veterinarians, but it isn't limited to just vets. For example, they offer courses that lead to certification as a Natural Animal Therapies Consultant. For anyone interested in working in the animal ...

2017-03-23T14:21:04-07:00
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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 body system as well:  PetMD: Optimal Nutrition Gives the Immune System a Boost "Supplemental arginine (an amino acid) has been linked to increased T-cell immune function. T-cells direct and regulate the body’s immune responses and/or directly attack infections and cancers. Because arginine levels do not have to be disclosed on a pet ...

2017-03-23T14:04:04-07:00
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