September 2010

I love to teach and train employees, and explain medical issues to clients in words they can understand. I have had great fun giving classroom demos and helping with a veterinary science class at Gilroy High School.

I started making small videos to publicize Dog Dish Diet, but am thrilled by the number of people that view them and ask good questions about my job. If you want to know what blood tests show, or what a neuter, spay, or abscess surgery looks like, check out www.youtube.com/DRGREGDVM.

Let me know what you think.

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Non steroidal noninflammatory or as they have affectionately been named NSAIDS are helpful for acute and chronic injuries in most dogs. Be aware that some dogs can suffer mild to life threatening reactions to the drugs.

Anytime a dog starts any drug therapy and does not feel good, does not want to eat, has vomiting or diarrhea, or develops a yellow tinge to the pink skin or gum area, the offending drug should be stopped. NSAIDS like Rimadyl, Deramaxx, and Previcox have caused problems in the stomach, bowel, and liver that can be fatal in a few dogs. I recently gave my dog Tucker Deramaxx for a few days, but am aware of the problems and would stop the drug with any signs of a reaction

98% of the dogs I prescribe these drugs seem to tolerate them without incident, but a few labs and shepherds  have had mild stomach and bowel symptoms or elevated liver enzymes.(Stressed liver) I advised my clients to stop the drug when this has happened . All dog owners need to know this can happen with any NSAID. Read the following accounts currently circulating on the internet

On July 19, 2010, Brandy jumped from the porch, injuring her rear leg. Her owners promptly took her to the veterinarian to see exactly what was wrong and it was determined to be an injury to her rear knee ligament. The veterinarian prescribed Previcox for Brandy’s pain and the injured dog began taking the medication on July 20.

Initially, the Previcox, an NSAID manufactured by Meriel Pharmaceuticals, appeared to work wonders. Brandy, previously unable to stand without collapsing, was now mobile. Brandy did well for the first several days, but then something went horribly wrong.

On July 24, Brandy began to refuse food and water. Her owners suspected that the medication was to blame for her condition and they contacted the veterinarian with their concerns. Sadly, the vet clinic did not think that the medication was to blame, and the Parmelees were instructed to continue with Brandy’s regular dosing until her follow up visit on July 28.

Tragically, Brandy did not get another week of life. When she was brought home, she found her favorite spot by her owner’s chair, laid down, and died during the night – not even 24 hours from her visit to the vet clinic.

Devastated, and full of questions, the Parmelees began scouring the internet for information on Previcox. The couple quickly found a link to Rowdy’s Last Vacation, an account of a Labrador’s fatal encounter with Previcox in 2007. The story of Rowdy’s death was eerily similar to Brandy’s fatal encounter with the drug.

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What is the best vaccination schedule for your dog and cat?

Good question…every hospital and vaccination clinic seems to have different recommendations. There is a trend toward vaccinating less or offering a menu of vaccinations depending on your dog or cat’s possible exposure to viruses or bacteria (catteries, breeders, dog parks, training, dog parks, feral cat colonies, lepto, lymes areas), and vectors (things like ticks, mosquitoes, fleas, and sick dogs and cats that may carry the infective bugs from high density areas mentioned above.)

So if your cat never leaves your house it may need no vaccines after the first series and boosters. If you live in the country near a feral cat colony and rabies vectors like bats, raccoons, and foxes, you may elect to have your cat vaccinated yearly or every three years. The more exposure to bugs, the more vaccinations may be needed. The most important vaccines are those given before the first year of age.

Most vaccine schedules involve vaccinating more when the animal is young then less as they get older. In fact there is ample evidence that some vaccines over stimulate the cells around the injection in cats causing skin tumors called fibrosarcomas.

In some dogs yearly vaccinations with Distemper Parvo over their lifetimes can actually cause the over stimulated immune system to start attacking its owner. The crazed immune system may even make antibodies directed against its own blood cells causing a mild to severe anemia that can cause illness and death.

Talk with your vet about the trend toward fewer vaccines after adulthood in dogs and cats, and about what diseases and risks are prevalent in your area. You may even want to compare vaccine schedules in a few clinics to make a decision. Some veterinary hospitals and vaccination clinics have a big list of vaccines that they recommend (vaccines used to be the bread and butter of most practices).

On the opposite side of the fence holistic veterinarians, instead of vaccinating, are measuring titers to gauge where your pet is on the immunity grid. In other words, a titer will measure the amount of immunity your pet developed from the vaccine given.

Dogs receiving the puppy series and a booster for Distemper-Parvo at one year that stay at home may not need vaccines or titers. Adult dogs rarely get a serious case of parvo. 99% of the parvo cases I see are under 1 year of age. My dogs are walked once in a while, but are lounging in my house and yard most of the time. I stopped vaccinated them for Distemper-Parvo after 4 years old because I feel they do not need it.

To simplify this confusing subject for you there are some generalizations that all vets agree on. Young animals need to be vaccinated a few times to build up immunity.

Breeders usually vaccinate puppies very young (6,8, 10 weeks of age) to prevent death from parvovirus. We group those as one vaccine because the immature immune system may not be fully able to mount a good response till 12-16 wks. Antibodies from the mother’s milk often interferes with development of immunity before 16 weeks.

The best single vaccine for puppies is distemper parvo when they are 8, 12, and over 16 weeks old. If over 10 weeks 2 doses at 12 and 16 weeks will do the job.

The “lepto” portion of the Distemper Parvo vaccine causes the most reactions in young puppies and is often left out in the puppy series for this reason. Puppies reacting to the vaccine can become nauseous or even in rare instances critically ill. There is controversy over the need or use of “lepto”. In thirty years of practice I have not seen more than one confirmed lepto case, so I do not push this vaccine in my area. Lepto may be present in your area and vaccination encouraged. Many vets recommend “lepto” every 6 months to yearly depending on the exposure to livestock and rodents that carry the bug. If your dog does not go around standing water, cattle, and wildlife, the risk of catching lepto is low. Since lepto is the most reactive portion, repeated vaccines may drive the immune system crazy.

Lymes vaccine should probably be used in areas with a high reported incidence of the disease. However marketing and fear causes it’s over use. If you live in a low risk area, just seeing a few ticks does not mean your dog is at risk for Lymes. The Lyme disease bug and the right tick have to be present to inject the Lymes bacteria into your dog.

Bordetella vaccine protects dogs against kennel cough: a bacterial infection passed from dog to dog in high density areas like at shelters, groomers, dog parks, or boarding facilities and day care. If your dog stays at home, it is not at risk. Most vets recommend this vaccine every 6 months to yearly for high risk activities. I think vaccinating for this annoying cough is a good idea for all dogs for a couple years. If your dog is active, groomed, or boarded, the vaccine is mandatory. My dogs lay around home most of the time and I do not vaccinate them.

Rabies vaccine protects us against infection with this virus. If your pet contracted the virus from a bite from a bat, fox, skunk, or raccoon, they could then infect us if not vaccinated. Rabies vaccine is usually mandatory. If your pet bites someone, it is at risk for euthanasia and rabies testing if not vaccinated. Many cat owners elect to not vaccinate indoor cats or cats that do not leave the yard.

Cats that roam in the suburbs or country may need protection from rabies or may need rabies vaccine to stay legal. Evidence shows that most develop strong titers from the other initial vaccines and yearly vaccines (FVRCP and FELV) that last 7-10 years. The trend is to vaccinate kittens 2-3 times, then at one year, then at one to three year intervals if desired. More for cats that get around or go to shows. I vaccinated my cats as kittens then have stopped vaccinating after the yearly boosters. After seeing vaccine tumors and weird immune problems that may have been caused by vaccines, I am a bit gun (or syringe) shy.

In summary

Is lymes disease or lepto prevalent in your area, or where you travel with your dog?

Do you take your dog or cat to high density pet places?

Do you feel comfortable with the trend to vaccinate every three years or less?

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Here is an email that I received yesterday and my reply:

Hi Dr. Greg,I really enjoyed your seminar on Sunday with Jas and the gang. It has been 2 weeks that HOKU ( Our 8 month old German Shepherd) has been on her new crock pot diet. She absolutely loves it and has gone through a growth spurt. Her coat is shiny and beautiful. Sharon and I have a question for you. What did the dogs in the wild do about there nails? Hoku tries to chew her nails to keep them short. Do you have any suggestions about keeping her nails in check without taking her to the Vet to have them cut?Mike & Sharon GenovesePS We love the book!!

What are toenails and claws in dogs and cats used for in the wild?

The toenail is a very tough tool dogs used to dig in the ground for food(small rodents), to prepare a hole in the ground  for many uses such as: a den for raising a family, keeping warm in cold weather, or caching parts of a kill for later consumption. Now dogs use claws to dig under fences, scratch owners, and hide chew toys and bones in previously beautiful flowerbeds.

If you watch a cat or kitten with a stuffed toy, or a catfight you can see what claws can do. They also are very useful climbing tools. Before we entered the picture, cats used their sharp claws to snag prey, climb trees in search of nestlings or to escape enemies like the wolf. Now the same claws hurt when our cats are making biscuits on our chest or belly, or a young kitten runs right up our legs or back.

Why do they grow long in the dog and why are they so sharp in the cat?

Depending on how curved they are, nails wear differently. Nails that curved toward the ground will stay shorter if they have a surface to grind them down. Our household floor coverings do not wear down nails and housedogs that do not have access to rough surfaces will grow longer nails. Walking a dog on asphalt, gravel, or concrete is good exercise for the both of you and trims the nails naturally.

Cats shed the outer layer of their claw to keep it sharp. Cats scratch on fences, trees, and furniture to scent mark their territory and remove the dull outer nail layers. Cats are not shredding furniture to be hateful, it is a natural activity they use to keep their weapons in order and to claim the area as theirs.

Is it better to let them wear naturally, or to trim them?

That depends on the temperament of the dog or cat. If your pet accepts a trim graciously, then go for it! Most people trim their dogs’ nails monthly and cats’ nails once or twice monthly. Dark nails are harder to see the “pink quick” or where the blood vessels and nerves extend down to. Some dogs and cats are nearly impossible to trim, whereas others are not bothered at all. There seems to be a great difference in pain, and tolerance to it.

Do soft claws for cats work?

I had had some clients love them and some say they do not work. It really depends on whether your cat will leave them alone or not.

Is declawing cats bad?

This is a hot subject. Millions of cats lose homes for this activity and yet there is a feeling it is cruel and unusual punishment. I have seen many declawed cats live a normal happy life. They can even climb like a telephone lineman using the back claws. Many feel they have lost their major defense. The best defense is escape, and they can still move. However, most people keep them inside.

Is a broken nail an emergency?

Dogs that limp and do not bear weight on a limb are commonly found to have broken nails. Caution because pushing or pulling a broken nail can get you bit. If you inspect the nails and find a broken one you can gently wash it with warm soapy water, apply Neosporin, and give the painful one an aspirin. Dosages and a free home download are at www.dogdishdiet.com.

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Hi Doc Greg,

Fantastic book, I blogged all about it and put in on Facebook and Twitter and your FB wall too.

I have a question for you. It seems my Golden Retriever Koa who is almost 6 months old has a flea sensitivity allergy to fleas, I am being diligent about using non toxic chemical free ways to combat the fleas (on his coat and in his diet both) but still 1 flea bites him and he is in much discomfort I am finding out recently..poor boy what do you use on your dogs to combat fleas? Thanks for your advice on this.

Sophie Robbins,

Pet Lifestyle Expert & Animal Communication Specialist

Sophie,

Saw all of your wonderful testimonials to my book. Thanks so much.

I used to use Advantage monthly, then as needed when I see fleas, however now I haven’t needed flea control in over a year for my three cats or three dogs.

There is an oral flea medication called Comfortis (which reduces topical exposure to humans) ,and did you know you can use a large tube of advantage and split it up between dogs and cats (advantix cannot be used on cats). I no longer use or advise flea control all the time, unless in a high density flea or tick area. I now recommend flea control medication for a few months straight during your area’s flea season.

Natural products include citrus sprays, flea egg eating nematodes, and food grade diatomaceous earth.

Food grade diatomaceous earth (pool grade diatomaceous earth is not healthy for lungs) cuts and dehydrates flea larvae in a short time. Food grade diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled on your home carpeting, in cracks and corners, and applied to pets bedding, and under cushions in furniture.

Nematodes are tiny worms that are predators of baby fleas and other pests. They help control infestation in your yard and garden.You can buy them on-line and apply them to flea infested areas.

When you feed your animals differently and their skin and coat looks and feels better, it may be better able to repel fleas. With more skin oils from increased omegas in the Dog Dish Diet, my dogs coat smells different and I wonder if the body makes a natural repellent. Millions of years of a parasite and host interacting would certainly provoke natural defenses from the skin. I think a diet with healthy oils may help the skin defend against fleas. The musk we smell may be a natural, healthy, oily defense against parasites.

I have had many clients tell me that adding garlic to the diet helps control fleas and ticks on their pets.The dose is 1/4 medium clove for a small dog, 1/2 clove for a medium and large dog several times a week. Garlic is often listed as a toxic product, and it may be in large amounts,but small amounts in the food are healthy and helpful.

Dr Greg

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