Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Written by Dr. Terry Durkes, D.V.M.
The gold beads are gold-plated magnets placed in specific points using sterile, surgical technique. Each point receives three to five beads delivered with a special needle that does not cut skin. The number of beads depends on the size of the patient and degree of pathology. Gold wire is sometimes also used but it is more expensive. Interestingly, silver beads do not have the same ionic affect on body tissues as gold.
Dr. Durkes theorizes that certain diseases are caused in part by a localized alkalosis, or a negative charge in body tissues. He speculates a negative charge to the tissue is caused by vaccines or diet. We know certain diseases, such as hip dysplasia may have some dietary causes. Puppies fed too much protein and calcium grow too fast and seem to be more affected. A radiograph of a dysplastic dog shows abnormal bone formation, but it is vital to remember that this is a static picture of a dynamic process. Calcium is constantly laid down and taken up inside the hip joint as dogs grow. Perhaps the ionic abnormalities cause this calcium absorption and re-absorption to be abnormal. The beads appear to give off positive charges and can normalize dysplastic joints especially in young dogs.
In wobblers disease and ventral bridging spondylosis, perhaps the ionic abnormalities destabilize the vertebra within the spine. In wobblers disease, the bone inside of the vertebral canal gets thicker in a desperate effort for stabilization. This compresses the spinal cord. The beads help tighten surrounding ligaments and connective tissues to stabilize the neck. The patient may feel better soon after implantation, but improvement might occur over several more months because it takes time for calcium to be re-absorbed and pressure to be lifted from the spinal cord. Success depends on whether the body can repair damage from pinching the spinal cord.
In the case of spinal spondylosis or ventral bridging of the vertebra, the body is also attempting to stabilize unstable vertebrae. The beads tighten the connective tissue and we believe give off positive charges to normalize ionic changes in the tissue. The patient feels better soon after surgery, but the X-rays might not show improvement for at least six months. We try to focus on the patient, not the radiograph.
Click here to go to the GOLD BEAD IMPLANT DIRECTORY
Gold Bead Implantation in Small Animals
- submitted by Terry Durkes, DVM
909 N. Western Avenue
Marion, IN 46952, USA
Tel: 1-765-664-0734
E-Mail : durkes1@mcleodusa.net
International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS) 25th Annual Congress
(reprinted with Dr. Durkes’ permission)
Introduction
Modifying the original technique started by Dr. Grady Young, we began gold bead implantation in 1975. The initial work was done on a group of 7 German Shepherds, all of which had hip dysplasia. When placing our gold beads, we did not know what to expect or what exact angle to use. Because there was no charge, the owners let us work with the dogs whenever we needed. Over a 6-month period we established a protocol which gave good results. Initially, we used only 2 gold beads/acupoint. Later we discovered that younger dogs needed more gold than older dogs. We then started placing 3 gold beads/acupoint used in our protocol for hip dysplasia.
In the initial protocol for hip dysplasia, we placed gold beads only in GB29, GB30, and BL54. At that time, we were having a success rate of about 75%. We started to expand the use of gold beads because of this success. Today the gold bead implant is our treatment of choice for hip dysplasia, osteochondritis and osteochondritis dessicans of the shoulder, arthritis of the elbow and knee, spondylosis of the back, wobbler disease, and epileptic seizures. It is used in all types of arthritis and chronic conditions, because these are conditions that all have excessive negative charge (localised alkalosis). The use of gold beads in a positive charged or acidosis condition only makes things worse. Gold beads should never be implanted when tumours are present or there is osteomyelitis.
For gold bead implantation, we strongly recommend that the initial implant be done under general anaesthetic and that the patient be clipped and surgically scrubbed over the implant area. Some veterinarians omit this and they have had some trouble with infections at the implant sites.
The implants can be done with 24-carat wire or by using Magraine gold beads on transparent tape. The 24-carat wire has the greatest positive charge because it is a purer form of gold, but it does cost a lot more. I use Magraine gold beads on transparent tape. It is much cheaper and we are getting good results. Magraine gold beads are actually gold plated magnets with a very low magnetic charge. We used to sterilise our gold beads before doing the implants, but we do not do it today. As long as we use gold beads that are placed on transparent tape, infection has not been a problem. We smear each gold bead with some antibiotic ointment and this may be why we have no trouble after implanting non-sterile beads. We have implanted several hundred thousand gold beads this way and have never had problems with infection. It is much easier to load the syringe with gold beads off of the transparent tape than from a sterilising solution or other methods of sterilisation.
In most situations, the gold beads are placed between muscle bellies and not into the muscle. The only exception is when placing the gold beads in some areas of the head, elbow, and knee. In many of these areas the gold beads are placed just under the skin. When placed there, it is easier for the beads to migrate from their proper locations. The placements of the gold beads are very precise. Misplacement by as little as 1/16th of an inch greatly reduces the clinical effect.
No blood should show when placing the needle into the acupoint, but some should ooze from the point after implanting the gold bead. Oozing should occur only after the needle is withdrawn from the acupoint. If blood does not ooze from the acupoints on withdrawal of the implantation needle, in my experience the implant gives poor results. In successful cases, from one to several drops of blood ooze from each point. The blood colour varies from red to very black, depending on the degree of congestion of blood and chi in the area. The darker the blood, the more the chi and blood is congested there, and the more pain is being caused from that point. When a point bleeds, it is important to let it bleed. Once the congestion is corrected, the bleeding stops.
Hip Dysplasia
This condition accounts for about 50% of the cases in which we implant gold beads. Our cases ranged from 4 months to 17 years of age. Most dogs were large breeds, or dogs >50 pounds body weight. We have treated 2 Pekinese dogs for hip dysplasia. The size of the dog does not have a bearing on the success of the gold bead implant. Age does have the greatest effect on the success of gold bead implant. We break the age group into 3 classes. Under 7 years of age we have a 98% success rate. From 7 to 12 year
s of age we have about 80% success rate and from 12-17 years of age we have about 50% success rate. The number one cause for our failures in hip dysplasia is secondary degenerative myelopathy.
Degenerative myelopathy is considered by most experts to be a totally separate condition, but I have never seen it show up as a condition by itself. There has always been another concurrent problem. In my opinion, degenerative myelopathy begins as a localised alkalosis in the hip joint. In a small percentage of the dysplastic dogs, the localised alkalosis starts to involve the local nerves and eventually spreads to the spinal cord. The alkalosis of the cord eventually causes demyelination of the cord. At some point we are unable to reverse the alkalosis and demyelination of the cord. When this happens, there is a progressive, irreversible degenerative myelopathy and the dog cannot walk. The gold bead implant will reverse the degenerative myelopathy in about 50% of the cases. We are not able to look at these dogs before the implant and know which ones we can help. We cannot help dogs if they are unable to support their weight and the rear legs are basically reduced to skin and bone with very little muscle. If the dogs still have some muscling and can intermittently get up, we can help about 50% of them.
An apparent but temporary success may follow gold bead implantation in a small group of dogs with degenerative myelopathy. They seem to be good for 3-9 months, but then they deteriorate. All such dogs have been about 9 years old. I have spent much time on degenerative myelopathy, but this is a major problem in small-animal practice. Let it not deter you from doing gold bead implants.
When implanting gold bead for hip dysplasia, we begin with 4 basic points: GB29, BL54, GB30, and GB33. These points need treatment in all dysplastic dogs. Other points that need to be implanted fall into 3 Zones. Zone 1 is dorso-anterior to GB29. Zone 2 is dorso-anterior and dorso-posterior to BL54. Zone 3 is dorso-posterior to GB30. GB31 and GB32 are the main exceptions to the rule; they need to be treated in some dogs.
The next set of points to be implanted are in 1-2 of three Zones around the hips. These points usually are Ahshi / trigger points. Zone 3 needs treatment least frequently. One rarely must use all 3 Zones. To find the next point, draw a line midway between GB29 and BL54 and go dorsal 0.5-1.0 inch. If a point is sensitive, place gold beads into it (A). Then search for point tenderness midway between BL54 and GB30. Go dorsocaudal to this area 0.5-1.0 1 inch. Implant gold beads into any sensitive point there (B). If point (B) does not show up, then there usually are no more points in Zone 3.
Then search for two sensitive points ventral and dorsal to point (A). Go halfway between GB29 and point (A) and search anteroventrally. Place gold beads in any sensitive point found. If there are no more sensitive points, move halfway between point (A) and BL54 and search anterodorsally. Implant any sensitive points found there. Implantation of the hips is complete when one can find no more sensitive points in the area.
When implanting gold beads for hip dysplasia, both hips should be treated at the same session. However, a single hip can be implanted in special cases. For example, some dogs have one normal hip and one bad hip. The bad hip may look like a dysplastic hip, but such hips were usually have been traumatised by their dam shortly after the birth of the pups. In those cases, only the bad hip needs treatment. Traumatic injury of one hip that has resulted in a femoral head resection or a hip replacement surgery may need to be treated with gold bead implant similar to hip dysplasia.
When we treat hips with gold bead implants, we see mostly local effects, and very little systemic effect. GB29, GB30, and BL54 work locally on the joint and the other trigger points work mostly on the surrounding muscle.
Vertebral spondylosis, stifle problems and hip dysplasia
About 30% of dysplastic dogs have vertebral spondylosis. On seeing a possible canine candidate for gold bead implant for hip dysplasia, always x-ray the back for spondylosis. For gold bead implantation to be successful in such cases, one must treat both the back and the hips.
One must also look closely at the stifles. Many dysplastic dogs tear the anterior cruciate ligament while trying to compensate for the hips. Even though they show radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, the major pain may be coming from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. This is usually the case when one hind leg has exaggerated pain. One must first repair the cruciate ligament and then also implant the gold beads at the hips at that time, or later. We usually repair the hips and knee at the same time.
Vertebral spondylosis
This is the second most common type of arthritis that we treat. Even though spondylosis occurs in cats and all sizes of dogs, most cases are in the larger breeds of dogs. Spondylosis of the back seems to be an especially big problem in Golden Retrievers. Other breeds commonly affected are German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Collies, Old English Sheep dogs, Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers. These breeds account for 95% of my spondylosis cases. Most of these have concurrent hip dysplasia. However, the incidence of hip dysplasia is very low in Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers. Therefore these two breeds usually have spondylosis only. Rottweilers are a special problem breed. If they have hip dysplasia or spondylosis, they most likely develop stifle problems and wobbler disease also. In Rottweilers, these conditions can arise at the same time, or may be spread out over several years.
When doing the gold bead implant for spondylosis, we treat the inner Bladder Channel and some points on the Governing Vessel. Start implanting the beads at BL13 and implant each point back to BL28. The Governing Vessel usually needs to be treated in the area of the greatest amount of spondylosis. One may also find trigger points between the inner Bladder Channel and the Governing Vessel; these may need to be implanted.
We see some dogs that have no ventral spondylosis but have arthritis of the dorsal articular surface of the vertebrae. These are implanted in the same way as for spondylosis of the back.
Elbow arthritis
This has many causes. The most common is failure to treat an ununited aconeal process. We see relatively few cases in dogs, but we can help most of them. The biggest problem is the long duration that the condition before help is sought. Severe ankylosis of the joint is present in 60-70% of the cases that we see. In those dogs, implantation can often relieve pain, but most continue to walk with a stilted gait. However, we can usually get them to walk normally if we can implant them before adhesions form in the joint.
It is difficult to say for certain if the anconeal process should be removed before gold bead implantation. We have implanted elbows that have not had surgery and elbows after surgery. Even though results in both cases were good, it is probably best to remove the anconeal process before gold bead implantation in very young dogs.
When implanting gold beads, one must treat both the medial and lateral side of the elbow. On the lateral side, the main points to treat are LU05, LI11, SI09, TH05, TH10. Also a series of trigger points distal to TH10 on the Triple Heater Channel need to be treated. They are all in the area of the elbow. On the medial side, the main points are PC03, HT03, SI08, and a series of trigger points proximal and distal to SI08. Many of the gold beads in the elbow area are placed just under the skin because of the reduced muscle
tissue in this area.
Osteochondritis and osteochondritis dessicans of the shoulder
These conditions respond well to gold bead implants. We tend to see these animals before secondary complications set in. When implanting gold beads on the shoulder, we only implant the lateral surface. If joint mice are present, it normally is unnecessary to remove them before implantation.
When we first started implanting the shoulder, we implanted only one acupoint, SI10. For about 10 years, we had 100% success; then we had some failures. Today we implant several points around the shoulder. I don’t know why we have to increase the number of points today compared to 14 years ago. Today the main points implanted with gold beads are TH14, TH15, LI15, LI16, SI09, SI10, SI11, SI12, SI14. Sometimes we have to treat LU01 and LU02.
Stifle arthritis
This condition also responds well to gold bead implants. However, it is very rare to get a pure arthritis of the stifle. Most stifle arthritis is secondary to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. If one implants gold beads on the stifle of a young dog with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, one may have to repeat the implant 2-3 times to have success. After critically evaluating the cases, we feel that acutely injured anterior cruciate ligaments need surgical repair as the method of choice. Later, one should implant gold beads, if necessary.
For stifle problems (arthrosis, stiffness, pain), gold bead implants must be done on the medial and lateral sides of the joint. ST36, ST35, GB34, GB33 and BL40 are the main points for treatment on the lateral side of the stifle. Sometimes we find many trigger points around this area; these need to be implanted also. SP09, SP10, LV07 and LV08 are the main points for treatment on the medial side of the stifle. There are also many trigger points on the medial side of the stifle; these need to be implanted also.
If dogs have a torn anterior cruciate ligament for 3-24 months, we repair it surgically and implant gold beads at the same time. Success in these cases has been 100%. Surgical repair is not done if dogs have a torn anterior ligament for a very long period, and there is much capsular swelling with or without ankylosis. In those dogs, we just implant the gold beads. Later, to achieve the best results, about 50% of these dogs may require a second implantation.
Carpal and tarsal problems
Those joints rarely need treatment with gold bead implant for arthritis. However, those that we have implanted have all responded.
Epilepsy
We implant gold bead implants in many dogs that have epileptic seizures. This is a very difficult area to work in, but the results can be very rewarding. The owners appreciate any improvement after therapy because there are few other successful options from which they can choose. Today, we see more complex types of seizure than was the case 15-20 years ago. Today most of our epileptic dogs have cluster seizures, whereas 20 years ago, cluster seizures were rare. The change prompted a change in our protocol for gold bead implant for seizures.
The clustering seizure patient is similar to a fibrillating heart; each seizure initiates from a different part of the brain. From the Channel viewpoint, different Channels are involved with each episode of seizures. Because of this, we treat all of the Channels instead of just one or two Channels, as was the case 20 years ago. In dogs with cluster seizures, gold bead implantation can terminate or reduce medication in about 25 and 50% of them, respectively but the remainder must continue their full doses of medication.
We see few problems in reducing the levels of phenobarb, primidone or dilantin. However, potassium bromide (KBr) is most difficult to reduce. The nervous system seems to become addicted to KBr and its reduction usually induces seizures in the patient. If, when reducing the KBr, the owner can tolerate the dog’s seizures for about 1 month, the dog usually stabilises. However, most owners can not tolerate their dog’s seizures, so we can not expect to reduce KBr levels in many dogs.
If a dog has a particular seizure pattern, such as a seizure every 4-6 weeks, one would gradually reduce the level of medication. After the initial dose reduction, one would wait for 8-10 weeks before further reducing the dose. One must ensure that the reduced dosage can still prevent seizures. If no seizures occur, the dose can be reduced some more.
GV20, GV14, GB20, GB14, BL04, BL06, and BL09 are the main head points for gold bead implantation for seizures. We may need to implant more head points (ST08, GV17, GV21, and GV23) occasionally. We also treat 3-4 paravertebral Shu-Association points that are specific for the Channels involved with the seizure. However, for dogs with cluster seizures, we treat all of the Shu-Association points, plus some Governing Vessel points along the back.
Because gold bead implants work slowly, dogs usually have some seizures during the first week post implantation. However, we see few seizures after one week post implant. Dogs that continue to have seizures must be reassessed, and further acupoints may need to be implanted.
We were unhappy with the outcome of seizure treatment in many dogs. However the owner was happy because our treatment was able to reduce the number, frequency and severity of seizures.
TESTIMONIALS
by Matt Fox
Hi There, I have been away this weekend, but was very glad to see this discussion thread getting some attention. I am Matthew Fox, owned by Ch. Toledobes Nairobi “Alyx”. I noticed her symptoms back in August of 2001, and I was heartbroken. At that time all I had heard was that when a dog was diagnosed with CVI or “wobblers” the end was near. It was horrid. She would cry out in pain when she would stand up or lay down. I put her on Rimadyl from the vet and that helped, but not much. They said the options were pretty much limited to spinal surgery at Ohio State University.
However, since I was working in an Orthopedic unit at the hospital at that time I was absolutely not a fan of spinal-fusion surgery. I have seen what it does to humans, a dog without the ability to understand why it should be still is destined for a horrible, if not impossible recovery, for what never seems to be a decent end result. I got on the internet and spent days trying to find an alternative. I located a website that described the same type of situation and I called the woman that created it. I wrapped Alyx’s neck in a towel and secured it with an ace bandage wrapped around that, to stabilize the neck and prevent further damage. She referred me to Dr. Durkes and I called and made an appointment for the next day. That was September of 2001.
I loaded Alyx up in the car and we drove to Indiana. Dr. Durkes took a look at her, confirmed my worst fear and said he would implant the beads the following morning. At 5 pm I picked her up the next day and brought her home. She didn’t do well at first with the neck brace, she hated it. She was unstable and uneasy and had to be assisted to do much of anything. HOWEVER, she needed no more Rimadyl and has not to this day, had to cry out in any pain since the DAY she had the implants.
As Judy can attest, after seeing her this summer, Alyx is completely recovered. She is in excellent health, (though JuD says she is a little fat, an old bit of contention between us-hehe, love ya JuD) and you would never know she had a problem. Unfortunately, it did seem to strike her son and two of her daughters also. Both have had the implants and both have improved dramatically.
Two things that I think are critical:
1) get it done immediately;
2) the BARF diet provides the proper nutrients and materials to facilit
ate healing. I spent days pre-preparing meals in ziplok bags for her – beef organs, chicken, veggies, etc. all ground up into a paste for her to easily eat without the danger of choking. It was kind of gross, but anything for her.
I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that even suspects wobblers…I am SO happy that this was the path I chose for her treatment.
I would be happy to answer any questions if I can be of any help to anyone facing this problem. Not that I am an expert, but my god I remember what a horrible feeling that was when I found out she had CVI.
Hope this helps someone.
Matthew Fox
by Phil Green
Hey, guys and gals, I sort of hate to come into a thread in the middle and without knowing what came before, but…
I took my black rescue bitch Sinead (the Dobergal of Santa Fe who arrived at my house with a broken leg) to a vet in San Diego (actually El Cajon) who was recommended highly by Vic Monteleon. Although he is primarily a horse vet, he spends one day a week doing acupuncture and gold bead treatments, mostly on Dobes.
Although he did NOT diagnose Wobblers, he did find a calcium build up in between two vertebrae high in the neck, which he treated with gold beads. In the days immediately prior to the gold bead treatment, Sinead was inappropriately yelping in great pain more than several times a day. After treatment (now a year ago) the yelps of pain immediately subsided to a point where she now has a minor episode of pain yelps every two weeks or so, sometimes not for a month or more. I
was initially sceptical, but am now a convert.
Vet’s name is:
Dr. Kevin May
El Cajon Valley Veterinary Hospital
(619) 444-9491
Phil Green
by Christy Waehner
by Pam Taylor
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
A NEW APPROACH TO TREATING ARTHRITIS/INFLAMMATION ?
It appears that a new product has been discovered to treat or manage chronic inflammatory conditions including Osteoarthritis and soft tissue injury.
This product is NOT a drug and is NOT a steroid, but believed to be an immuno-nutritional aid. It apparently relieves clinical signs associated with inflammation. It is intended for use as a nutritional aid for the management of chronic inflammatory conditions including musculoskeletal disorders in aging pets.
This product contains Microlactin, (dried milk protein) which has natural anti-inflammatory properties. Microlactin is a patented, milk derived, high protein product from hyperimmunized cows and has the ability to stop the inflammation process earlier.
It has no know side effects, is apparently safe for long-term use and may be used alone to manage inflammation or in conjunction with NSAIDS such as Rimadyl or corticosteroids. It also seems to have no evidence of stomach or bowel irritation. It has shown no toxicity in humans or animals in the studies done.
Each 2.4mg tablet of Duralactin Canine contains 1000mg of Microlactin (dried milk protein), dextrose, stearic acid, vanilla flavouring and magnesium stearate. All ingredients are food grade.
Dosage is as follows :
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Dogs 0 – 40 pounds : ½ tablet, twice daily
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Dogs 40 – 80 pounds: 1 tablet twice daily
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Dogs 81 – 120 pounds: 1 ½ tablets twice daily
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
written by Robert Hart, Vitality Science
Largest Recall Of Pet Foods In History: The ongoing pet food recall offers a glimpse of what is wrong with entrusting your pet´s nutrition (or your own) to corporations and government regulatory agencies.
Scary Ingredients Approved By The Government: Why is “gluten”, or “rice protein concentrate” even in pet food? Answer, there is a constant search by manufacturers to produce lower cost food that still meets government protein and nutrient requirements. Gluten and rice protein are not the only cheap and threatening additive approved by the government and added by manufacturers.
Dry Pet Foods are much like breakfast cereals. They are cooked in a mash, then extruded through nozzles at high heat and pressure. This process not only destroys nutrients, it makes much of the rest indigestible. If the ingredients originally had any nutritional value, the extrusion process is sufficient to destroy them. About the best things you can say about dry pet food is that they are “cheap and convenient”!
Feral cats and dogs would have to be starving before they would eat the ingredients found in dry pet foods. If for no other reason, these ingredients do not provide the nutrients they need to sustain life, let alone health.
Wet Pet Foods are made from the most distressed meat, animals with pus bags and tumors. Even though these animals are approved by the USDA for human consumption, some, but not all, manufacturers are reluctant to use them for humans. Even the meats that are not visibly distressed contain growth and fattening hormones, antibiotics, and highly questionable feed. Additionally, among many scary ingredients, pet foods may legally contain euthanized cats and dogs!
If you own a cat or dog, Google “Dog Food Secrets”. I was aware of much of what this book exposes, but it still left my mouth agape.
Pay Me Now, or Pay Me Later: GI and immune diseases are at an all time high. Humans and animals are on multiple medications. What are the common denominators? Fast, nutrition-less foods, chlorinated drinking water, not incorporating bioavailable vitamins, supplements and digestive aids into the daily diet, and lack of exercise.
GI disorders among cats and dogs is epidemic. Conventional medication treatment is archaic, potentially causing further damage to animals already weakened from lack of proper nutrition.
According to The Royal Society of Medicine Great Britain, “Fully 90% of all chronic disease is caused by an unhealthy intestinal system.”
It´s OK to Domesticate Cats and Dogs, but Not Their Diets
The original purpose of domesticating dogs and cats was cheap labor. Cats are used by farmers as mousers, dogs as herders, hunters, and protection.
These working relationships no doubt led to some close relationships. Over time, working animals (or more likely their offspring) were sold or given away to city folk. Today, over 90 million suburban households own an average of 1.67 cats or dogs, or over 150 million domestic cats and dogs.
Wild or feral animals hunt and eat fresh kill. They also instinctively eat grass and dirt for the micronutrients and soil-based organisms needed to properly digest the meat.
When they kill an herbivore they first consume its´ entrails which usually contain plenty of greens and digestive enzymes needed to break down, digest and eliminate the flesh. The closer pet owners come to replicating the diet of their feral relatives, the healthier and happier their domestic pets will be.
Genetic Predisposition at The Blink of an Eye
Without healthy foods, even healthy animals will decline genetically within several litters.
The best way to assure that your pet lives a long healthy life is to know how well the breeder cared for the mother, and the mother´s mother. Pets are capable of having multiple litters within their lifetime. This is common in feral animals and commercial breeders (mills). Each subsequent generation inherits the weaknesses of the previous generations. Today, many millions of kittens and puppies are predisposed to an unhealthy life.
Resorting or Maintaining Pet Health: The good news: Animals that are predisposed to diseases are less likely to develop them when fed a healthy diet. Genetic predispositions can be bred out over several generations of proper feeding.
It is up to the pet owner to take responsibility for the health and wellbeing of their pets. Like food choices, choose your “professionals” carefully. Veterinarians that recommend a raw food diet combined with supplements and digestive aids- before medications- have your pet´s best interest at heart!
Local bookstores, libraries, and the internet offer a wealth of knowledge regarding proper care and feeding. The American Holistic Veterinarian Association website has a national directory.
TEASER COPY: The recent pet food recall offers a glimpse of what is wrong with entrusting your pet´s nutrition to corporations. When it comes to Pet Food, it seems there is no Consumer Advocacy Group looking out for pet owners. You Can Domesticate Cats and Dogs but Not Their Diets.
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Imagine yourself driving down the highway in your Rolls Royce. You peek down at the gas gauge and see your machine is getting hungry for fuel so you pull up to the service station. There are five pumps marked like so: Premium $1, Regular $.75, Diesel $.80, Natural Gas $.60 and a final pump marked “Leftover Crap” $.10. What do you do? It’s a Rolls for goodness sake! Of course you put in the Premium. What’s the point in buying a $180,000 machine and putting in a fuel that either reduces its performance such as Regular would do or damages the machine (such as the other choices would do)?
Our dogs’ bodies are machines, and the work we train them to do is the performance we expect from their machines. And if we are expecting high levels of performance, then we must give them the right fuel to achieve that.
But choosing the right fuel can be more difficult than you think. Look back at your Rolls Royce. Some choices are obvious, some are not. It doesn’t take a lot of grey matter to realize that the mystery brew “Leftover Crap”, made up of a bit of Regular, a bit of Diesel, a bit of water and a bit of dirt just isn’t going to allow your machine to work right. But your other choices – Diesel and Regular – they aren’t “bad” fuels. They are simply not what your Rolls was designed to take.
What fuel was your dog’s body designed to take? There are lots of clues. Look at his teeth. Fangs, designed to seize and kill prey. His molars are sharp wedges to shear bone and connective tissue, unlike yours which are flat blocks to allow grinding. Look at his intestine: short, to process small amounts of highly concentrated foods (compare that to herbivores which have long digestive tracts to process high volumes of foods low in nutrient concentration). Look at what his wild relatives, feral dogs, wolves and coyotes, are eating. The conclusion is that our dogs are carnivores and their diet consists primarily of the bodies of other animals. That is: muscle, fat, bone, brains, organs, eyes, eggs and the like.
Now look at the label of the dog food you are feeding your carnivore. Rice, wheat, corn, bran, beet pulp, with a little meat or meat by product thrown in. Now, don’t get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with rice or wheat – I eat them all the time. But then, I’m not a carnivore. And there is nothing wrong with diesel … my neighbour’s tractor runs just fine on the stuff. But it’s not a Rolls Royce.
I ask you to start from this basic, self evident proposition: Mother Nature knows best. We have been telling our dogs for a very long time now that in fact we know best. We know that balanced nutrition is important, and we know we can achieve that balance predominantly with the inexpensive grains rather than those expensive meats and fats. Or at least the National Research Council and the pet food industry know. And they in turn have trained our veterinarians on pet nutrition, so now our vets know. But no matter how much we tell this to our dogs, they remain unconvinced.
You see, we animals all consume six key nutrients: water, fat, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals. The one thing we all have in common is that we should have ample and unrestricted access to water. After that, the agreement breaks down, with each species thriving on different combinations of the other five nutrients than any other species. Let me give you an example. We humans with our moderately long digestive tracts need a moderately high level of fibre in our diets. So for years you’ve been told by doctors and dieticians: eat more grains and veggies. And of course we don’t want our doggies to get colon cancer so we make sure they get a solid 4 or 5 % – or more – of fibre too. But their digestive tracts are unlike ours; they are short and not prone to cancer. Yet we are stuffing more than thrice as much fibre down them than is typically in our own diets! And not only don’t they need it: the presence of all this fibre is actually an irritant to their carnivorous guts. So once again we are back to the initial principle: don’t feed tractor fuel to a Rolls Royce.
I’ve read dozens of pet food labels and they almost always tout the quality of their carbohydrates (rice, wheat, other grains) as a good source of energy with which to fuel activity. But carbohydrates, like proteins, contain only four calories of energy per gram. Where do you think a carnivore is going to naturally look for his energy: grazing on five pounds of cud or stripping one pound of fat from his prey?
But what about that nasty cholesterol and heart disease that we are all afraid of? We don’t want that for our dogs, do we? Well of course not. But again, we cannot blindly assume that everything about our omnivorous bodies is the same for the carnivorous bodies of our canine friends. And indeed there is a significant difference on this very point. Their digestive system is far more adapted to handle fats than ours is, and they do not suffer from these same dietary restrictions (cholesterol and dietary heart disease). Research has shown no ill effects on dogs routinely fed diets as high as 65% fat. (You or I would live to a ripe old age of 6 on such a diet, but dogs thrive on it.) That same research has shown that dogs fed fat-rich diets enjoy more endurance than dogs fed low-fat diets such as the pet food companies make.
And what about all those valuable carbohydrates (which makes up 50 – 60% of pet food, or more)? Research has shown little need for them in our dogs’ diets. They are pumped into dog food for one reason: food energy (i.e. – calories). (Okay, maybe one more reason: they’re cheap, waaaay cheaper than fat). But as already discussed, fat is a dog’s preferred energy source. In nature, wild canines eat relatively little material from plants (the source of carbohydrates) and speculation is that most of that small amount they do eat (berries, stomach contents of their prey) is consumed not so much for the carbohydrate and those 4 calories per gram but instead for the vitamins which those plants offer.
Another key ingredient in diet is protein. Unlike either fats or carbohydrates, which are primarily fuel sources to the body, protein is a structural component and more. While it can be used as a mere fuel to produce 4 calories of energy per gram, it’s primary roles are instead to: make muscle, blood, bone and organ tissue; create enzymes which facilitate the myriad of chemical reactions needed to sustain life; comprise hormones which regulate body functions; and develop the immune system that protects the dog’s body from disease and infection.
Protein is actually not a single “thing” but a bunch of related “things” more properly called amino acids. There are 23 amino acids, and like us our dogs can make some but not all the amino acids needed to perform the various functions of proteins. In fact the dog cannot make 10 of those amino acids but must instead obtain them from the food he eats. Those 10 are called essential amino acids. (Human adults have only eight essential amino acids and children have nine.) And essential amino acids can be derived from either plant or animal sources. But Mother Nature has told our dogs that they should get most of their amino acids from animal sources. Why? Because:
- eating a lot of plant material irritates and can injure a carnivorous digestive tract; and
- animal protein is a higher quality source of protein.
What is meant by saying that animal protein has more quality (i.e. – “higher Biological Value”)? Well, lets say the food manufacturer learns of a pharmaceutical company that is going out of business and this pharmaceutical company has tons of the essential amino acid tryptophan. So the dog food company buys it and that is its source of protein in the diet. And let’s say they put enough of it in each bag that they can honestly say on the label: 30% protein. Sound good? Sure it does. The only problem is that your dog will soon be dead. It is not enough that the
food have a certain amount of protein; it has to have it in a proper balance of each amino acid to every other amino acid. That balance is reflected in proteins derived from animal sources; it is not reflected in proteins derived from plant sources. Yet 40% or more of the protein contained in the PREMIUM BRANDS of dog food (and don’t you get me started on the other feeds) is derived from plant sources. Now it is possible for the plant and animal source proteins to be balanced and result in a food with a high Biological Value (putting aside all concerns about all that plant matter which will irritate the dog’s gut) but how are you going to know if your feed manufacturer did this balancing act or just threw in “22% protein”?
Lastly we come to the bit players: vitamins and minerals. I say “bit players” not because they are unimportant but because just a little of them goes a long way. Vitamins do not provide either fuel energy nor structural components for the body. They act as catalysts, instigating essential chemical reactions in the body without actually becoming part of the reaction. Minerals have a less specific role, some acting as structural components (e.g. – calcium being used in bone development), some as catalysts, some as regulators. Like amino acids, minerals demand a balance amongst themselves and inadequate or excessive amounts of one will create a systemic imbalance of the whole array of minerals.
The proportions of these nutrients required by our dogs is not only different than the proportions required by us but, like us, also varies depending on the age and activity of the dog. Therefore the pet food industry is right about having different formulas for growth, maintenance, athletic performance, and seniors. (Whether they have actually formulated them right is another matter entirely.) It seems that puppies need considerably more protein, for example, than an adult dog. Their little bodies not only are doing all the reactions that adult bodies are, but also building the muscles, hormones, enzymes and immune systems that contain those reactions. An athletic dog, on the other hand, needs slightly more protein than a sedentary dog (not much more, contrary to popular myth) but far more energy (preferably fat and not carbohydrates). There are all kinds of tables I could reproduce that show the exact proportions, except for one thing … I don’t trust those tables. You see, those studies are based upon consumption of commercial dog foods with their high vegetable content, low fat content and questionable protein sources. I am not aware of any tables which are based on more objective sources, such as diets of feral dogs, wolves and coyotes.
Let’s look at the growth phase, for example. Research says that feeding puppies energy rich diets is undesirable. We are routinely told to underfeed our puppies, because to do otherwise leads to rapid growth. Rapid growth in turn is closely linked to undesirable decreases in bone density, higher body weight and eventually dysplasia. But it turns out that the subject of these studies was puppies whose exercise was restricted. Now, can you imagine a less natural condition than a group of puppies not allowed to run and tumble and fight and do all the things that burn calories and prevent puppies from getting fat? And what do you know: when these studies were recently reproduced EXCEPT the puppies were allowed to play and exercise at will, there was no such accelerated growth rate, no fat puppies and no bone disorder. So my query is this: how can we trust the existing numbers (X% protein, Y% fat and Z% carbohydrate) when they are based on studies of how to economically feed dogs on pre-existing commercial rations rather than studies on what canines naturally eat to achieve and maintain a healthy condition?
A nice little example is the long standing warning against feeding your dogs too much protein for fear of overworking the dog’s kidneys. You see, protein (amino acids) contains nitrogen at its core. Any excess nitrogen (“excess” meaning it is not needed for the building blocks but used instead as a mere energy source) has to be removed (the process is called deamination) by the kidneys and excreted as urea in the dog’s urine. Now ultimately this information is true. But our preconceptions, based upon our own omnivorous diets, of what level of protein consumption is ideal, has little applicability to a carnivorous canine. This information can only be obtained from studies of our canine friends. And such studies as have been done have focused on commercial diets which bear no relationship whatsoever to to what a dog eats when he has other choices, such as protein from animal sources. And, keeping in mind that it is the whole spectrum of animo acids that a dog needs and not merely a bulk quantity of “protein”, what proportion of protein is ideal will vary widely depending on the quality of the protein (with egg protein being the ultimate, various meats being good, and plant sources being less valuable no matter how much “protein” they supply).
Another kink in the question of “how much of each nutrient should I feed my dog” centres around puppies. New research on the growth phase has found that nutritional requirements differ by “type”. That is: toy breed puppies have different requirements than giant breed puppies. What is suitable for one type of puppy, then, is not necessarily suitable to another puppy which, at adult size, will be substantially larger than the first puppy.
Another problem facing us is that research has centred around processed foods rather than the foods that our dogs are naturally happy with. Who knows the effect of cooking on the quality of the nutrient to the dog? And what about the dyes (like Red Dye 40 which is banned for human use) often used in dog food to make us buy it because of its attractive appearance? Related to this is the manner in which nutrients are preserved. Most common are synthetic preservatives like:
- BHA and BHT: used to preserve fat and linked to liver and kidney failure, birth defects, allergies and various other afflictions;
- Ethoxyquin: also used to preserve fat (and the unrelated use as a rubber hardener) and linked to immune system disorders and cancer as well as a list of other disorders.
In reaction to public concern over such additives many lines have come up with the idea of using the natural preservatives of vitamins C and E. Unfortunately, what they haven’t told us is that it appears that the vitamins rapidly deteriorate the moment the food is exposed to air (i.e. – once the bag is opened).
As if all this wasn’t enough to give you a headache, consider some other dirty tricks allowed in the pet food industry:
- While the ingredients are supposed to be listed in descending order of quantity, some such as whole chicken are now apparently allowed to be listed on a fully hydrated basis. That is, chicken may be first on the list but that’s with all the water still in. When it gets to you all the water is out and that chicken may be more appropriately the fifth or sixth ingredient,
- Not first; some manufactures may list, for example, corn meal, kibbled corn and corn oil as ingredients 5, 6 and 10. But what are all three of them: corn. And when you lump them together like any normal person would do … ta da: ingredient #1 is in fact (though not on the label) CORN; there is no apparent regulation of “meat by products”, so some reputable manufacturers may be using quality by products like brains and eyes, while others are using feathers and manure.
I am afraid I have more questions than I do answers, but I hope that if nothing else my questions will make you look at your dog’s diet and wonder: is this the best I can do for my friend?
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
is a disease of the heart muscle which causes the heart to enlarge and not function properly. The occurrence of DCM usually increases with age and typically has an age of onset between 4 and 10 years. The cause is still unknown although many factors strongly suggest a genetic cause.
It usually affects both the left and right sides of the heart with either side being more severely affected. Typically both the lower chamber and the upper chamber enlarge and the lose their ability to contract and pump blood out to the body or the lungs. The consequence of this can be compared to a simple mechanical pump, which, if it fails, water backs up into the basement. Therefore, if the left heart fails, fluid backs up into the lungs and if the right heart fails, fluid backs up in the abdomen or in the space surrounding the lungs.
Long term prognosis varies considerably. Most dogs survive from weeks – 24 months of age upon diagnosis of DCM.
Treatment is aimed at improving the heart’s function and controlling the signs of congestive heart failure. Drugs such as Lanoxin, Digoxin and Digitalis are used to help the heart contract better. Diuretics such as Lasix (Furosemide) are used to help control and prevent accumulation of fluid in or around the lungs. Vasotec, Enacard, Zestril, Prinavil, and Lotensin are used as well to help the heart pump more effectively against the pressures of the arteries and veins. You and the dog will need to see your regular veterinarian in 7 to 10 days, in 4 weeks and then every three months to assure that kidney function is preserved. Drugs that control cardiac arrhythmias (electrical disturbances in the heart) are used as well.
It is important for you to monitor your dog’s overall attitude and outward signs so that if you notice any heavy/labored breathing, coughing, fainting spells, restlessness or profound lethargy, arrangements can be made to see your regular veterinarian quickly. Your observations the administration by you of the prescribed medications is what will help your dog the most. You know your pet the best.
Please feel free to check out the links supplied below:
Cardiomyopathy in the Doberman breed
by Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
When Peggy Adamson wrote of the 7 sires all dying of Cardiomyopathy she wrote of the popular dogs on the East coast that were being used and were in many many pedigrees. However, many people were importing dogs from Germany. Some went to the West coast and a great many went to the Midwest.
If we only had 7 sires to use, the breed would be so inbred that if they all had or died of Cardio, no Dobermans would have been around several generations later.
One of the bigger Kennels was Ponchartrain in Detroit. They did use a couple of the 7 sires but they also imported many dogs. In Chicago there were many kennels that imported dogs. Few used any of the 7 sires.
We only hear of the males that were imported but a great many bitches were also imported and few of them went back to the 7 sires.
We do have lots of dogs and bitches who live to 12 and some to 15. The larger the dog (breed) the shorter the life span. Toys live into the late teens time and again.
A Doberman of 12 is an old dog. Am Ch Toledobes Serenghetti aka Sera lived to be 12 but her 2 litter brothers died at 8 from cardio. One of her aunts lived to be 17. I´ve also had a few live to 15.
I think now that we have methods of freezing semen, we should do it on any of our 2 year old dogs. By then you should know how good they are. If they live beyond 10 use them, but you can still have Cardio on a 10 yr old although the chances are good that you might get lucky.
There are no more LINES of dogs in this country. In the early years everyone linebred or inbred. That´s partly why no dogs look alike due to their genes being spread wide so that you have no idea what you´re going to get.
A few kennels have had a couple of good dogs and then they linebred and inbred them until they started going backwards since there were no more genes bringing in good qualities and they had to go completely out so now their dogs look like everyone else´s.
The dog that I know that died of Cardio and produced it because he was so line bred was Prince Kuhio. Many of his get DID live a long time but many died early. Then people in Ohio started breeding everything to him and then kept doubling up on him, so eventually their dogs started dying early of DCM. I´m sure if you trace your pedigrees back far enough, you will find him back there. Not in ALL pedigrees but enough of them to be able to pinpoint where a lot of DCM came from and yet, he does trace back to a couple of the 7 sires at least through Uranus.
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
by Ms Dany Canino
Too Much Of A Good Thing Can Be Hazardous To Your Pet
Every pet owner has one main objective in mind for their pet; to give the pet the very best and, at the top of this list is, “food”.
Unfortunately, far too often pet owners tend to overdo in this area. They feel that the animal needs a lot of protein for energy, stamina, and general nutrition.
Protein does offer energy and stamina to the pet, but just how much energy does the pet need?
If this is an animal that is working on the farm alongside his owner for 6 hours a day, then that animal can utilize a good amount of protein in his system. If this animal is a working sled dog he will burn up any excess protein. If he is a working Police Dog he will utilize high amounts of protein through his work and the stress he´s under.
Most family pets spend their days lazing in the backyard or on a couch. An excessive amount of protein offered into their system lies dormant, in other words, un-utilized. Therefore, one of two things can occur: 1) the pet gets fat and/or starts scratching a lot therefore, causing the pup to irritate his skin. 2) When the animal eliminates this food, it might tend to smell like undigested food and the animal will start a nasty habit of eating his stool.
Animals eat for caloric intake. If you are feeding a good quality food that has been purchased from a reputable pet supply store, your dog won´t need as much food as he would if he were to be fed a commercial dry food purchased from the supermarket. Most supermarket dog food has a lot of sugar in it, so the dog is enticed to eat. It also tends to have a lot of salt in it, so the dog is thirsty after eating and drinks a lot of water. This gives him a sort of “false full”. However, as most owners have discovered, dogs fed this way tend to go to the bathroom very frequently. This means that they are left with very few nutrients in their system to keep them healthy and hardy. This dog always seems hungry so you feed him more and more. “Good food” satisfies the dog´s needs in smaller amounts.
Puppies need more caloric intake and protein than adult dogs do to help in proper growth. Pregnant females need more calories and protein because the puppies inside her are taking up a lot of her nutrition. However, in either case these animals should not need more than about 26% to 28% protein for short periods of time. Prolonged use of this diet could be detrimental.
At about 6-8 months of age the puppy can be changed over to adult food with a protein level of about 20%-24%. (Myself and other breeders have switched pups over to adult food as young as 5 months without any ill-effects whatsoever.) There´s no proven data to attest that pups need to be on puppy food past 5-6 months, nor is there any data to prove that the dog´s growth is inhibited by taking him off puppy food before 1 year of age. If your pet is on a good puppy or adult food you shouldn´t have to add any vitamins to this diet. The exception to that would be if this were a pup that was teething. The calcium he might need for other parts of his growing body would be used up for his new teeth to come in. Therefore, at this time you might want to add some good “oyster shell” calcium as a supplement. You can purchase this at any drugstore or health food store. (Oyster shell is one of the best sources of calcium available.)
One vitamin you should consider offering to your dog lifetime is Vitamin C. Dog´s do not produce this vitamin in their system so we need to offer it into his system. It´s a vitamin that helps to ward off infections, helps your dog to assimilate his food and, some breeders feel it aids healthy bone and joints. I prefer a natural vitamin C (ascorbic-acid) given in powder form, but you may also give it in pill form. On a large dog you can give as much as 1000 mg as it is a water-soluble vitamin and any excess will be eliminated through the dog´s urine. Ask your local pet supply dealer about this product. If your household is a smoking household this vitamin is absolutely necessary because secondhand smoke affects an animal just as it affects a human.
A dog should be switched over to senior food (or less active) at about 6 ½ years of age. This is usually when their activity level wanes. By doing this, your dog´s pancreas doesn´t have to work as hard to digest the protein intake.
Moist food is a fine additive to your dog´s food but this too, is usually given in excess to a dog. Moist foods should mainly be given for flavor. These foods are usually only 25% nutrition and 75% water. Therefore, moist food should never be used as a staple food. Large dogs should only be given about 2 tablespoons. Medium sized dogs should only be given about 1 tablespoon. Small dogs should only be given 1 teaspoon. “Just Think Of The Savings”! By feeding a good quality dry food that you can feed less of and, by adding only enough moist food to flavor, you´ll easily save as much as $10.00 a month. Remember, you don´t have to add moist food. However, if you prefer to feed just dry food, moisten the dry food with water before feeding so that you reduce the chances of torsion bloat in your dog.
There is a medical condition in dogs that has become all too common. That problem is “hypothyroid”. Having your Veterinarian run a simple blood test on your dog for a “T3 – T4”, easily discovers this malady. This will determine if your dog has this problem and will enable the Vet to prescribe medication to control this problem. Some symptoms of this problem are: Lethargy – Weight Gain – Hair Loss – Drastic Change In Disposition. If you dog has exhibited any of these symptoms you would be wise to have him tested. (Certain breeds are prone to hyperthyroidism. Ask your dog´s breeder or your Veterinarian if your dog´s breed is a candidate for this problem.)
You really need to learn to read the labels on the food your dog is going to ingest. The old adage is true that; “you are what you eat”. If you see words like; “ethoxoquin” (a chemical preservative) – “sodium” (salt) – “sucrose or dextrose” (sugar) or an excessive amount of “BHA” (another chemical), and if these products are shown to contain an excessive amount, you need to look for another food. The best rule of thumb to follow is that the first four ingredients are the most important things in determining what you´re feeding your pet.
So feed your dog a good nutritional diet (2 meals a day for life is best) and take him for walks, or give him some other type of exercise so that he can utilize the food you´re feeding him. He´ll be healthier and live longer.
NOTE: I always add a small can of vegetables to my dog´s food. I use carrots, green peas, green beans, and sometimes a little pumpkin. Dogs love this tasty addition to their food and it´s also quite healthy. For treats and snacks I give my dogs whole carrots instead of cookies and rawhide.
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
written by Robert Hart, Vitality Science
Man´s best friend tends to have a strange palette. Rarely will a dog pass up eating a bug, or a funky morsel: the funkier, the better. Should you happen to catch them in the act, they will often gulp it down before you can extract it from their vice-like grip. No telling how many different kinds of bacteria such morsels are harboring.
However, their palette is not restricted to bugs and food morsels. Food wrappers, aluminum foil, tinsel seem to be enjoyed by dogs. One has to wonder if part of the driving force behind CDs and DVDs was eliminating cassette tape. This, too, shall pass.
Such indiscrete eating habits often lead to diarrhea. Many times, you only the effects of what they ate. And where do they throw up?
It seems like your most expensive throw rug is the flooring of choice- of course. But they look up at you with such sad eyes (do you think they practice it when you´re not home?) it´s hard to scold them.
Other possible causes:
Diet Change
Merely changing brands of dog food can cause a few days of vomission. Many commercial dog foods contain high levels of indigestible protein. But any change, even to raw, should be done gradually to avoid the problem.
Eating Too Much and Too Fast
There are a number of reasons why dogs eat too fast. Competition from other household dogs and dogs not fed frequently enough may vomit undigested food soon after eating. Smaller dogs should be fed less food, but more often. If they are part of a pack of dogs, feed them in a separate room from the bigger dogs.
Table Scraps
Most table food has more nutritional value than most commercial pet food. However, dogs should not be given spicy scraps or rich foods. Both go down fast, but come up just as fast.
Water
Municipal water in the US contains chlorine and possibly ammonia. They are necessary to make sure any bugs in our water are dead, but… you don´t want to drink them because they can kill the bacteria in the intestinal tract that is necessary to maintain balance. You must be mindful that water free of disinfectant can quickly breed bacteria, which can also cause diarrhea.
Cleaning Products
If you by concentrated cleaners and do not dilute them sufficiently, your dog can breath in toxic fumes. Also, strong cleaning agents can burn a dogs pads. They will lick their pads to stop the burning and ingest the chemicals which can also kill the bacteria in the GI tract, causing diarrhea.
Remedies
Vomiting can be curative in itself, in that it purges spoiled food and toxins from the stomach and intestine.
A large dose of an all-natural laxative will help move the material to move through the colon.
A natural remedy gaining popularity is to administer soil-based organisms (SBOs).
Monitor your dog´s demeanor and stools carefully for seventy-two hours to be sure the material passes and their energy improves.
If after giving them SBOs or an all-natural laxative, but do not see an improvement in demeanor and energy, make an appointment to see your vet.
Limit your dogs´ food to clear fluids and begin gathering stool and vomit samples. Time date them for your vet. You might want to store them in a cool place, like a cooler.
If your dog has strong digestive odors, it could have an intestinal obstruction.
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Link:
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
written by R.M. (Bug ) Russell
The dilute colors (fawn and blue) do have coat and skin problems and there is a ton of available information on them. There is one major problem called CDA (see below) that is an alopecia (hair loss) directly related to the coat color. The granules of material which provide the color of the coat are located in the hair shaft…in blacks and most reds and fawns and blue who don’t have CDA the material is evenly spread through the hair shaft. In the CDA dogs it is found in clumps…the clumping evidently makes the hair shaft fragile at that point and prone to breaking. When this happens below the skin line in the follicle itself it can “kill” the follicle so no new hair is produced. That’s the abbreviated version of the major problem.
Dobes in general are rather prone to staph infections…their immune systems are rather slow to mature…in a black and most reds this may be a problem in puppies and may result in temporary hair loss but in blues and fawns it can be a disaster coupled with CDA.
The rarity of seeing these colors in the ring is due in part to the difficulties in keeping them in good coat. Barbara Russell, who sort of specialized in dilutes, specifically blues, had blue Dobermans that generally had good coats she states that was that even with good blue coats she had problems and keeping blues in show condition as far as coats went was a full time job.
There are definitely some judges who aren’t fond of the dilutes and a few that wouldn’t put one up under any circumstances. In the ’60s it was harder for reds to win than blacks…I think that is about where the dilute situation in the ring is now…it’s harder to win with a dilute but not impossible if the dog is a good specimen of a Doberman.
The dilute colors are produced much less often than reds or blacks. Genetic statistics say that fawns comprise about 6% of all Dobermans born and blues somewhere between 12 & 15%…all the rest are black or red but I can’t remember what the stats are for them).
Thin coats on the dilute colors are not usually due to allergies and the dilutes don’t seem to have any more skin problems, with the exception of CDA, than blacks or reds do.
If the coat looks good from 2 or 3 feet away it probably is good but most puppies in dilute colors have decent enough coats the thinning due to CDA takes place over time so a dog who had a decent coat at 10 months might well be bald at 5 years.
The dermatology texts say that over 90% of all blues will at least have thinning hair and many will thin to the point of being bald over most of the body. Fawns seem to have a better chance of retaining their coats with about 75% of the fawns having extensive hair loss due to CDA.
The literature also says that the darker the coat color in a dilute dog (steel blue in blues and carmel in fawns) the better the chance they will retain most to all of their coats. This seems to be the case in the blues and fawns I’ve known over the years.
There are a few dilute dogs whose coats are fine, who don’t lose hair, don’t have CDA and never go bald but they are few and far between.
COLOR DILUTION ALOPECIA
By Teri Dickinson, DVM
Alopecia (hair loss) related to dilute coat color is a recognized condition in dogs. The currently accepted medical terminology for this condition is Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA). The condition may affect any dilutely pigmented dog, regardless of coat color. This condition was previously known as Blue Balding Syndrome, Blue Doberman Syndrome, Color Mutant Alopecia, Congenital Alopecia, etc. The term Color Mutant Alopecia arose because dilutes were at one time mutations from the deep pigment occurring in wild canines. Dilutes are now a regularly occurring form of pigmentation in many breeds and have been for hundreds of years. The term mutation is therefore not applicable to dilute individuals. References to Doberman Pinschers or blue hair coats arose because the condition is common in blue individuals of this breed, but it is not limited to either blue dogs or Dobermans. The term congenital means present at birth, but CDA affected dogs are born with normal hair coats.
The dilute (also known as Maltese) gene also appears in both mice and cats, and interestingly enough, is not associated with any abnormal coat conditions in those species.(1) Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) has been recognized in dilute individuals of many breeds of dogs including Chow Chows, Dachshunds, Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes, Irish Setters, Italian Greyhounds, Standard Poodles, Salukis, Whippets, and Yorkshire Terriers.((2),(3),(4),(5)) Dilute individuals carry a recessive genotype of dd and are characterized by blue, bluish-grey, lavender or flesh-colored noses, lips and eye rims. The coat colors may include blue, fawn, blue-fawn, bronze, taupe or some variation of these. These dogs are usually easily distinguished from their deeply (non-dilute) pigmented counterparts. Deeply pigmented individuals carry a dominant genotype of Dd or DD and have black or liver noses, lips and eye rims. Coat colors may include black, red, red-fawn, liver or variations thereof.
CDA is characterized by loss of hair from dilutely pigmented areas. Coats are normal at birth, and onset of hair loss usually begins between six months and three years of age. Hair loss usually begins along the dorsal midline (middle of the back) and often spares the head, tail and limbs. The pattern seems to vary from breed to breed. It has been suggested(6) that darker colored (steel blue) individuals are less likely to be affected, may be less severely affected or may start to lose hair later in life than lighter colored dogs. This suggests that the severity of the disease may be related to the amount of dilution present. Deeply pigmented or white areas of coat are unaffected. In blue dogs with tan points (Yorkies and Dobermans) the tan areas retain a normal appearance. In piebald (white spotted) individuals, the white areas are unaffected by the hair loss. The hair loss may be total or partial and any remaining hairs are usually sparse, rough and easily broken or removed. The skin in the affected areas is usually scaly and may occasionally develop bacterial infections. Pruritus (itching) is usually absent, unless a bacterial infection has set in.
Diagnosis of CDA requires first ruling out other causes of hair loss. Diagnostic tests should include fungal cultures, skin scrapings to check for parasitic mites, etc. CDA often closely resembles endocrine (hormone related) hair loss and the dog should be carefully examined for any other abnormalities, and tested for normal thyroid function. Presence of dilute pigment and a characteristic course of disease also aid in making the diagnosis. Microscopic examination of hairs and\or skin biopsies can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
There is no cure for CDA. Treatment is limited to controlling the scaliness and any associated pruritus with various shampoos or topical treatments.
The cause of CDA is not clearly understood. Microscopic examination of hairs of dilute individuals reveals that the pigment (melanin) forms large granules (macromelanosomes) which are rarely found in deeply pigmented hairs. In dilute individuals with normal appearing coats, these macromelanosomes are not grouped or clumped and cause no distortion of the cuticle (outer covering) of the hair. Dogs with CDA have many large groups or clumps of macromelanosomes which tend to distort the cuticle of the hair. It is hypothesized that this distortion of the cuticle causes the hairs to break easily, resulting in the short stubby hairs commonly found in affected individuals. (See Drawing). It is further hypothesized that the rupture of the hair releases by-products of pigment formation, which are toxic to the hair follicles. Re-growth of broken hairs is reduced because of damage to the follicles caused by
th
ese toxins.
Why in some dilute dogs the macromelanosomes are clumped and in others they are not, is an interesting question at this time. The relationship between dilute pigment and hair loss is clear, but why are some dilute individuals unaffected? Weimeraners as a breed are dd, all individuals are dilute, yet the disease is unreported in this breed. In Dobermans, the dilute individuals comprise only 8-9% of the breed, yet 50-80%6 of the dilute dogs have CDA. In Italian Greyhounds, many individuals are dilutes, yet the IGCA health survey reported only 71 affected individuals among the approximately 2200 dogs included in the survey.(7) If half the dogs included in the survey were dilutes, the incidence of CDA in IG’s would be around 7% of the dilute population, as opposed to the 50-80% affected dilute Dobermans.
A third allele (dl) which is associated with CDA has been proposed.6 While this is a long way from being proven, it could help explain why some dilute animals are unaffected. Dogs with a genotype dd would be normal coated dilutes, ddl would be intermediates (mildly affected?) and dldl would be CDA affected. A genotype of Ddl should represent deeply pigmented dogs which were carriers of CDA.
Breeder/Exhibitor Ed, Health
Prior to 1938, Colloidal Silver was commonly used to combat up to 650 different microorganisms associated with diseases.
Colloidal Silver appears to be a very powerful, natural antibiotic and preventative against infections. It acts as a catalyst disabling the enzyme that one-celled bacteria, viruses and fungi need for their oxygen metabolism by suffocating the microorganism. The pathogen or micro-organism dies within minutes and is flushed out of the body through the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems.
Pharmaceutical antibiotics destroy beneficial enzymes such as those in the intestine which are the natural or good bacteria, whereas colloidal silver leaves all tissue cell enzymes intact.
Colloidal silver has a long medical history that is well documented with a broad antibacterial, antifungal and immunosuppressive properties. It is also effective on many parasite eggs as well because the parasites usually have a one cell egg stage in their reproductive cycle.
Modern antibiotics kill perhaps half a dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills about 650 thereby not allowing resistant strains to develop. As well, silver is virtually non-toxic. Most of our `super-bugs´ or `super-germs´ today are caused by the microorganisms becoming resistant to modern antibiotics because of overuse of antibiotics. It is believed that single celled germs or micro-organisms can´t mutate into silver-resistant forms.
Antibiotics absorb so slowly that they travel to your intestines killing many of your normal, healthy, friendly bacteria, whereas colloidal silver is absorbed into the blood before it reaches the intestines.
Ionic Colloidal silver is the premier immune system booster, plus it is a proven immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory NATURALLY.
| Below is a partial list of some different uses for Colloidal Silver for both humans and animals and plants : |
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| acne |
AIDS |
allergies |
| arthritis |
athlete´s foot |
UTI’s |
| boils |
burns |
cancer |
| candida |
cholera |
colitis |
| conjunctivitis |
cystitis |
dermatitis |
| diabetes |
diarrhea |
eczema |
| fibrositis |
gastritis |
hay fever |
| herpes |
impetigo |
indigestion |
| leprosy |
leukemia |
lupus |
| lyme disease |
malaria |
meningitis |
| parasitic infections : viral, fungal, and bacterial pneumonia |
pleurisy |
prostate enlargement |
| psoriasis |
pruritus ani (itchy anus) |
ringworm |
| sinus infections |
septic conditions of the eyes, ears, mouth and throat |
septicemia |
| shingles |
skin cancer |
staphylococcus |
| streptococcus |
stomach flu |
thyroid |
| TB |
toxemia |
tonsillitis |
| warts |
yeast infections |
whooping cough |
| stomach ulcers |
canine parvovirus |
fungal and viral attacks on plants |
| soothes skin conditions |
cleans wounds |
cleans eyes and ears |
| maintains a healthy digestive system |
juvenile pyoderma |
bug bites |
| apply directly to cuts, open sores or on a bandage |
for warts |
spray pet bedding & let dry |
| dab on cuts, grazes, rashes, sunburns and razor nicks |
mix a little into the dog´s drinking water, birdbaths and cut flower vases to prevent water from forming algae or growing bacteria |
helps reduce tooth decay, mouth sores and bad breath by eliminating bacteria deep in the back of the throat and on back of tongue |
| add to human and pet shampoos for disinfectant benefits |
spray onto burns for rapid healing without scarring |
use to sterilize toothbrushes or washing brushes |
| spray on rubbish to prevent decay odours |
use on kitchen cloths and sponges to wipe down countertops and cutting boards |
dab onto acne |
| add to bath water, gargle and nasal spray |
spray in shoes, between toes, on skin to give relief to itching, athletes´ foot, fungi |
aids recovery from colds, flu, pneumonia, respiratory infections and viruses |
| spray plant foliage to help prevent plant diseases like mold and rot |
wipe around toilet seats, bowls, tile floors, sinks, door knobs |
kills persistent odors |
| excellent as underarm deodorant because most underarm odor is caused by bacteria breaking down substances released by sweat glands. |
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High concentrations of silver apparently do not kill germs more effectively than the safe range of 3-5 ppm (parts per million). If micro-organisms are killed off too quickly the body´s five elimination systems or channels (liver, kidneys, skin, lungs, and bowels) may be temporarily overloaded, causing flu-like symptoms such as headaches, extreme fatigue, dizziness, nausea, or aching muscles. If this happens, reduce the amount of colloidal silver a little and increase the amount of distilled water intake. Regular bowel movements are important to relieve the discomforts of detoxification. Reduce sugar and saturated fats from your diet.
For pets : 1 – 2 teaspoons daily either directly from a dropper into the mouth or in drinking water, or both. It can be used directly on the skin to clean cuts, soothe eye or ear infections.
For humans : 1 – 4 teaspoons daily in considered a nutritional amount and is safe for extended periods of time whereas higher doses are considered to be `therapeutic amounts´ and should be used only occasionally. It should be used in proportion to body weight. There has never been a drug interaction reported between colloidal silver and other medications.
When the possibility of germ exposure is higher, colloidal silver can be taken by mouth (orally) daily or applied topically (on the skin) when there is a skin problem.
Colloidal silver is tasteless and won´t sting even a baby´s eyes and won´t upset the stomach. It promotes rapid healing with less scar tissue, even with severe burns.
Digestion has been reported as far better.
The ideal color of colloidal silver should be a golden yellow.
