Peaceful Paws

Stand by for an upgrade

2010-06-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving my old Wordpress blog behind and also will be posting some of my Examiner.com articles here as I have time over the next week or so. You will some some old info/stories and maybe some new ones you missed before. Let me know.

Better than American Express

2010-05-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Is there a need for holistic daycares?

2010-05-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

I mean, there's holistic everything else right. In a way it seems a natural extension for those of us whose pets are family members. If we treat ourselves naturally and holistically, why not them? On the other hand, there's just as good a chance I'd scoff if I saw a business declaring itself to be a holistic dog daycare, accusing it of riding the coat tails of the latest thing most of this country and the rest of the world is spending its money on.

Yet, I keep thinking that there really is a need, or at least a niche for such a thing. At least for me, how cool would it be to drop your baby off for a fun day of playing with other pooches, then getting some much needed hands on attention like massage, acupressure, reiki, etc? Then having the option once a month of having a visiting holistic vet check out any problems you're having or even get their teeth cleaned without anesthesia? There would also be services such as nutritional counseling, behavior assessment and training available.

Just call me Pollyanna. :)

Natura, what have you done?

2010-05-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Their website's subtitle is the healthiest pet food in the world. Many holistic pet food vendors, pet store owners and pet guardians are wondering how long that will last now that they have grabbed on to the multi-million dollar carrot Proctor and Gamble has dangled in front of them. The independent manufacturer of natural pet food out of Davis, California announced that it will be acquired later this month by the giant P&G conglomerate.

P&G probably expects to ride on the coat tails of the natural/holistic community with this latest addition to its stable of dog foods, which currently include Iams and Eukanuba. However there are murmurings growing about the expectation that they won't be able to leave well enough alone and it is just a matter of time before they change the formula of Natura's line of food, including Evo, Innova, Karma, and California Natural.

According to Long Dangerous Tails blog, however, If you do feed these products, you may want to consider saving a few labels so that you can do comparisons. Ingredient changes (i.e. substituting some lower quality fillers) are considered likely and may not be “announced” on the bags. This is especially important for dogs with sensitive tummies, allergies, or other digestive issues.

The financial world seems to be listening as well, since supposed P&G fell almost in half yesterday with over a billion shares being sold. The stock hit is being blamed on a computer error, however.

From another corner, there are people who have had Proctor and Gamble on their 'boycott' list for years due to their animal testing policy which has earned a webpage of its own. According to sources, this will also deflate Natura sales in months to come, even if the formula does not change, as these steadfast rebels will not support ANY product owned by P&G.

The latest news from Natura is a letter sent to retailers regarding the sale. The entire letter can be found at The Truth About Pet Food site. And two days after the sale was made public (today), marketprobe.com has initiated a survey which can be found here. http://www.marketprobe.com/q/8002L.asp?PIN=107282

When we tried to take the survey, however, we got an error message saying "I'm sorry, but the quota in which you fit has already been filled. Thank you for your time." Interesting.

One of the best holistic remedies for your dog is in your pantry

2010-04-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Apple Cider Vinegar article from my Examiner Alternative Pet Health column.

Includes a link to a free sample of ACV.

Heartworm prevention medicine linked to deaths

2010-04-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Somewhat old news, but a perfect example of why our vets and animal pharmaceutical companies DO NOT always know what's best for our dogs (and cats). Republished from the Holisticvetpetcare.com Toxic Alert page.

New Heartworm Prevention Drug Warning
Dr. Dodd’s Comment: Wouldn’t it be much easier, less expensive and a whole lot SAFER to stop giving dangerous drugs as parasite prevention and build a healthy body to withstand parasites? This is what I am dedicated to pass on to the public with this website. See new article on PARASITES I’ve written,(click on Disease Medicine link).
This alert was published in VETMED:
“I don't know how many of you use this product, but you might want to re-think this. This is definitely *not* a hoax - I have been following this story for sometime, ever since techs at my own vet's clinic told me they had 3 dogs die from it within a 6-week period.” Pat Miller.

Heartworm Medicine Linked To Sickness, Death
FDA Receives More Than 5,000 Adverse Reaction Reports
POSTED: 3:21 pm CDT May 25, 2004
A new heartworm medication called ProHeart 6 has been linked to a number of dog deaths, an NBC 5 investigation finds.Since it was approved in May 2001, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received more than 5,000 reports of adverse reactions -- 491 of them deaths.Now, the FDA is investigating. Debra McMullen has other dogs now, but says none can take the place of Sassy, the Chihuahua who moved across the country with her."She was my baby. I don't have children, so she was my baby," McMullen said. After using monthly heartworm prevention tablets she sometimes forgot, McMullen asked her veterinarian about the six-month injection called ProHeart 6. She wondered if her 11-year-old dog was too old."And he said, 'No, that shouldn't matter. She's fine.' And he gave her the shot and the very next day she started having breathing problems," McMullen said. Two weeks later, Sassy was dead.
Chief was dead just days after his only ProHeart 6 injection, according to his owner. Eric Williams raised the 9-year-old Rottweiler from a pup."For a completely healthy dog, in the space of three or four days, to go through what I saw Chief go through is not right," Williams said.
Canine Heartworm Medication Adverse Reaction Comparisons
(Source, FDA, As of 5/03/2004)
Drug Total Adverse Reactions Total DeathsYear ApprovedAvg. ReactionsAvg.
Deaths From ProHeart 6
(Moxidectin):449941520011500 138 Injection
Revolution
(Selamectin):86951811999173736 Topical
Interceptor
(Milbemycine oxime):19228419952149 Oral
Heartguard
(Ivermectin/Pyrantel):2840511996355 6 Oral
Sentinel
(Milbemycine oxide/luferon):8922519992336 Oral
FDA figures show the number of ProHeart 6 adverse reaction reports of deaths to be much higher than monthly heartworm medications -- an average of 138 a year compared with as few as 6 for Heartgard and Sentinel.
Chief had tested positive for heartworms before receiving ProHeart 6 in May 2002.
Manufacturer Fort Dodge Animal Health has since strengthened label warnings against using the preventive on dogs already carrying the parasite.
During the past two years, the FDA has ordered three label changes and two "Dear Doctor" warning letters about possible adverse reactions.Experts say the concern is that the medication is a highly concentrated, microencapsulated drug that must be mixed in suspension for time release inside the animal's body. "[It] needs to be administered properly. It needs to be prepared properly," said Dr. Bert Childers, a veterinarian with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Childershas used ProHeart 6 in the past without trouble, and still considers it safe. But his SPCA clinic does not dispense it, in favor of monthly treatment. "You can stop, and you don't have another 4 months left in the body that you have to contend with," he said. The company says dogs would be in greater danger missing heartworm treatment.
According to Fort Dodge, adverse reaction reports are less than one percent of more than 14 million doses given, and that most death reports are not actually proven to be from ProHeart 6.In fact, Sassy and Chief were cremated. Their owners can prove nothing with only their ashes. And both their veterinarians told them ProHeart 6 was not the cause. However, independent veterinarians told NBC 5 that the symptoms suggest otherwise.
"This is probably an adverse reaction from that," Childers said. "Stop the sale until they find out what's going on," Williams said. Meanwhile, the FDA says it is "actively" investigating. The FDA also recommends that pet owners should talk to their vet and read current warnings carefully before deciding which treatment to use.
For more information, or to report adverse reactions, please refer to the links below.
Resources
On The Net: FDA Veterinary Adverse Reaction Reporting
On The Net: Current ProHeart6 Product Label
On The Net: ProHeart6 FAQ
FDA-Required "Dear Doctor" Letters From Fort Dodge:
Letter 1 | Letter 2
On The Net: FDA ProHeart 6 Application Information
On The Net: FDA ProHeart6 Supplemental Information
On The Net: Heartworm Information
Pass this on to your family & friends & those that are important in your life"

Take this poll

2010-03-09T13:30:00.001-08:00

It's for research. yeah! :) Even if you're not a Great Dane owner, if you have knowledge of them you want to share, answer this poll.

What is the biggest difference between a Great Dane and any other breed of dogs?

The future looks brighter for dogs with osteoarthritis

2010-03-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

I guess because I'm a writer for examiner.com, I received a press release last week from a company called Osseus about this great new breakthrough for the treatment of osteo-arthritis and other join ailments, including trauma related injuries. I'm putting a link to the full report I posted on Examiner below, but I want to add some personal commentary, which is usually frowned upon when writing subjectively.

Because this therapy is still considered experimental, pet insurance doesn't cover it yet, which is exactly why I haven't jumped in with Vala, submitting her for their current clinical trial. At $800, plus any x-rays that need to be taken, it's undoubtedly a good deal for us, since we spend approximately $150 a month for meds to treat her pain. Plus, after talking with Sherry, one of the partners and a registered nurse, we suspect her LS joint has dropped, which is probably causing the occasional bowel incontinence she's experiencing (and which is so embarrassing for her). I believe having this option available to pet parents is a big step in getting our pets off the mega doses of anti-inflammatories, wind-up pain drugs and general bufferins that we're having to give them just to keep them out of pain. And unlike these other drugs and treatments, IRAP has no side effects except for a slight stiff soreness from having the serum injected into your dog's joints. I can live with that.

I know with Vala, they're not really helping her condition. They just make it so she can function and move around okay. So, I hope that it becomes an accepted treatment soon so my insurance will cover it. I'm sure it's too late for Vala to take advantage of it, but my future Danes will certainly be happier.

The deets on IRAP therapy. ( INTERLEUKIN-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein)

Welcome and Namaste

2010-03-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

This blog will be my soapbox, my classroom, my sounding board and safe haven. I hope you come often to see what I've been learning, what I can teach and, if you are really bored, what I think about pets, pet health, rescues and alternative modalities. I'm sure it will all wind up here sooner than later.