Guide To Feeding Wild Meats:

Picture Taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiepes-bodegon_aves_y_liebre.jpg

Commercially raised meats found in grocery stores undergo strict regulations that make fresh meat edible. This is why we, and our carnivores, can eat the meat without having to freeze it first and not fear getting an unwanted parasite.

However, wild meat cannot be eaten safely without freezing it solid for the appropriate amount of time to kill off all harmful parasites.

Wild game:

 

Wild game must be frozen solid for 3-4 weeks. There will be a link under Resources with a list of different meat you can feed.

* It’s not advised to feed a carnivore to other carnivores.

Fish:

Wild-caught salmonids and Pacific Northwest Fish should be frozen for 3-4 weeks to kill off parasites and also eliminate Salmon Poisoning.

Other Fish should be frozen solid for 1-2 weeks.

* Fish should be frozen as fresh as possible and fed frozen. Unlike meat, fish does not age well and can make your pet sick when it begins to get old. Scombroid Fish Poisoning is caused by inappropriate refrigeration. After you pet is finished with its meal but has not eaten all the fish, put it back into the freezer (not the fridge) to eliminate this problem.

Healthy Fish to Feed:

Picture taken from http://www.groundtruthtrekking.org/Graphics/MercuryFoodChain.html

Not all fish are the best to fed as some are lower in omega 3’s and have higher mercury levels. The link below shows you a chart that will help identify the healthiest fish to feed your pet. 

http://www.allthingsgym.com/seafood-infographic-omega-3-vs-mercury-levels/

* Eliminate the option of cod liver oil. For humans, it’s okay, but for our pets, it is high in vitamin A and raw fed dogs get the correct amount from the liver they consume. They do not need more of it because of the risk of vitamin A toxicity.

 Remember, feeding fish is not the most important part of your carnivore’s diet. For variety and omega 3’s it is fine, but red meat should be your main focus.

Resources:

http://puppybutt.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/9/2/7692088/beginners_guide_to_prey_model_raw_rv.4.1.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonidae

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1009464-overview

Destiny Practising Workplace Safety

Before and After Raw Feeding

Wow, this is incredible! Only 11 weeks difference from the first picture and the second on a Prey Model Raw Diet. Amazing, isn’t it? Thank you Jessica, for allowing me to share such wonderful success with your raw fed dog. Beautiful teeth to match a beautiful dog.

Over Vaccinations: Why You Don’t Need Boosters

Picture taken from http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine#mediaviewer/File:Smallpox_vaccine.jpg

Today is not a topic between core or non-core vaccines. I will write about the difference and importance of those in another post.

 

In my personal opinion, I truly believe there is a place for vaccines. They are important for the safety of our pets as they help in the attempt to minimize and eradicate the threat of lethal viruses. Without them, the cases of sick or dying pets’ would be much greater, just as the cases of sick or dying humans would be greater around the world. Vaccines are effective; it is why we use them. They are the reason smallpox has been eradicated worldwide.

 However, over vaccination (administering booster vaccines) is an issue that is occurring in vet offices needlessly. When your pet is young, they undergo a series of vaccine shots, this series is important to complete. Young animals have not had the time to develop their immune system and this leaves them vulnerable to lethal viruses which is why introducing microbes of the dead viruses in a way they cannot actually contract it, is a smart and effective way to protect your pet. 

As said above, it is important to complete these series of shots; giving one shot of each vaccine is not enough to guarantee immunity against the virus you wish to protect against. Because the body’s immune system is young and not developed, it must learn and match the appropriate T cell with the virus to build immunity within the body. This is why completing the series of shots is needed,; after one shot, the body does not always ‘take’ fully to the vaccine leaving your pet still vulnerable to potentially contract the virus.

After the puppy or kitten series are complete, your pet is immunized. Many of these have an average immunity duration of 5 to 7 years or more. Within those years, if your pet’s body is challenged with the any of the virus’s you immunized against, then the antibodies in the blood will increase again which allows your pet to have more years of immunization against the viruses. In many cases, your pets will be immunized for life without ever having to give “booster” vaccines. If the average duration of vaccinations are 5-7+ years, than it makes absolutely no sense to vaccinate (boost) the animal every year. 

Some people like to titer their pets every year or every other year after the completing their series of puppy or kitten vaccinations. Titers tests the level of antibodies in the blood at that given time. It does not test for T memory cells that help the B cells create antibodies. 

*I would like to note that just because a pet’s titer count is low, it does not mean the pet has low immunity. That just means the animal’s body has not been challenged recently causing the antibody count in the blood to reduce over time. 

If the pet were to be challenged recently before you did the titer, that same low titer would no longer be low anymore because the memory T cells have recognized the virus and alerted the B cells to start producing more antibodies in the blood to kill the virus before you even knew you dog or cat was ever sick with the virus again. That increase in antibodies in the blood will give you a higher titer count. This same process goes for humans.

This is why I truly feel boosters are not needed and can be more harmful than beneficial for you pets.  I've listed resources below that help explain immunology, titers, vaccine protocols, and even the risk of over vaccinations.

Resources:

http://www.itsfortheanimals.com/DODDS-CHG-VACC-PROTOCOLS.HTM

http://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/34024828409/dodds-canine-vaccination-protocol-2012#.U57cmyhpm68

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/31/what-your-vet-didnt-tell-you-about-all-those-puppy-and-kitty-vaccines.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/03/31/high-cost-of-pet-vaccinations.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/08/04/when-it-comes-to-vaccinating-your-pet-less-is-more.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/07/03/new-pet-vaccination-protocol.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/08/20/pets-over-vaccination-disease.aspx

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/27/new-canine-vaccination-guidelines.aspx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwMYpTYsNZM (series of videos that explain immunology)

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/vaccinations/a/FALC_vacctiters.htm

http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/dog-health-anti-vaccine-vaccination-ignorance-bad

The Benefits of Milk Thistle For Heartworm Medication

Milk thistle is a flower that has been used as medication for thousands of years as a way to help detoxify the liver (Naturally, 2014). This is beneficial today because it reduced the stress load on the liver when harmful chemicals, and the like, enter the body. Since the liver is what is taking the brunt of filtering out all the negative toxins in the body, it is a good idea to make the liver’s job a little easier. Milk thistle not only helps detoxify, but it also helps repair the liver by protecting the liver cells from damage caused by toxins (Taylor and Becker, 2011).

I use the brand Now.

 

Milk Thistle for Heartworm Medication

As stated in my previous post, Heartworm: What You Need To Know, heartworm medication is a poison meant to kill microfilaria and parasites which is toxic to our pets bodies. Because of this, it can be damaging and taxing on the liver to filter out the toxins from the medication. If you have decided to administer heartworm medication after reading and learning about the lifecycle of heartworm, then it is a very good idea to give milk thistle for one full week after administering heartworm medication. Dosing milk thistle varies by body weight.

Dr. Karen Backer’s dose recommendations are very vague:

-          ½ capsule a day for small dogs and cats (Taylor and Becker, 2011)

-          1 capsule a day for medium dogs (Taylor and Becker, 2011)

-          1 capsule twice a day for large/giant dogs (Taylor and Becker, 2011)

Other's have a more accurate dosage recommendation:

-          <5lbs: 10% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          5-10lbs: 15% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          11-2lbs: 20% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          21-4lbs: 30% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          41-7lbs: 50% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          71-100lbs75% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

-          >100lbs 100% of adult daily dosage (Hofve, 2002; Mastiff, 2005-2009; Petz, 2011)

Resources for further information on milk thistle for heartworm medication and more:

http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/MilkThistle.html

http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/milk_thistle.htm

http://milkthistlefordogs.org/

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/milk-thistle-for-your-dog/

http://www.tibetanmastiff.net/Heartworm.html

Bibliography

Hofve, J. (2002, July). Milk Thistle. Retrieved June 25, 2014, from Canine Epilepsy Guardian Angels: http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/milk_thistle.htm

Mastiff, T. (2005-2009). Timing Heartworm Preventative. Retrieved June 25, 201$, from Tubetan Mastiff: http://www.tibetanmastiff.net/Heartworm.html

Naturally, D. (2014). Milk Thistle For Your Dog! Retrieved June 25, 2014, from Dogs Naturally: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/milk-thistle-for-your-dog/

Petz, J. (2011, December 13). Milk Thistle (Silymarin). Retrieved June 25, 2014, from Canine Epilepsy Resources: http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/MilkThistle.html

Taylor, B., & Becker, K. S. (2011). Dr. Becker's Real Food For Healthy Dogs and Cats: Simple Homemade Food. Natural Pet Productions.

Handsome Boy

Baxter, a 7 month Rottweiler x German Shepherd mix. He loves to cuddle and chase sticks. What a sweet boy!

An Easy Way To Check For Ticks

Dogs with hair are typically easier to check for ticks as many pet owner in the hot, summer months shave their pets down. But what about the dogs that do not get shaved down in summer?

Balto has a double coat which means he has A LOT of fur to get through and a lot of fur ticks can hide in.

Solution:

Hair dryer. Putting the dryer on the highest speed possible parts the fur allowing you to easily check the skin for any unwanted visitors. It also cuts the time in it takes to check your dog in half. My hair dryer has a cool setting on it which I use to check him since he gets hot pretty quickly on the normal setting. Balto loves it; he falls asleep with the cool air while I’m racking my fingers through his fur.

You can use this method on cats and ferrets too. However, keeping your cat still during the whole process may prove to be a bit tricky. Good luck.

Tick Identification Chart:
http://www.doverlyme.com/information/ecology/tick-identification-chart/

How do you check your pets for ticks?