Dr. Alicia's Monthly Newsletter

September 2018

By: Dr. Alicia Marquart

Next month is Halloween (spooky!), so I hope you all get to celebrate some scare in your life. I continue to hope to provide information regarding pet healthcare to my readers through these monthly (or every couple of month) newsletters. My intention is to educate pet owners and enhance their relationship with me. Please inform me of changes you would like to see as I am always striving to improve. 

FACT or FICTION:

• There is at least one dog breed and one cat breed that is hairless. 
• This is true kiddos!! There are several breeds to choose from that have little to no hair. Our most common breeds we see are the Chinese Crested dog and the Sphynx cat. 

Chinese Crested (left). Picture from: http://www.dogwallpapers.net/wallpapers/chinese-crested-dog-onthegrass-photo.jpg

Sphynx (left). Picture from: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/11/08/article-1083983-025A12E4000005DC-701_468x311_popup.jpg

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that grain-free diets have recently been linked to heart disease in our canine (dog) patients?

        A few months ago, it was brought to our attention by the FDA that Grain Free boutique diets have been linked to a disease called Dilated Cardiomyopathy in our dog patients. This disease is where the muscles of the heart decrease in strength and the heart enlarges due to dilation of the chambers. They have seen dogs improve with diet change and others have progressed to the point where it is permanent damage. So, if you are feeding a grain free diet that has not been studied for a long period of time in our pets I recommend a slow transition to a well-studied diet we know is safe. Such food I recommend are Royal Canin, Purina Pro-Plan, and Hills Science Diet.

Here is a link to a news article going over the new finding:
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dog-heart-disease-linked-food-fda-says-n891011

IMPORTANT MONTHLY INFORMATION (RECALLS)

     Next month is Halloween! Make sure to keep you pet away from all that chocolate, as this can be extremely toxic. If your pet gets into some chocolate, call your veterinarian right away to know next steps.

Picture from; https://arkvets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Pets-dog-cat-halloween-pumpkin.jpg

Recalls:

1. Performance Dog frozen raw pet food due to potential contamination with Salmonella

2. Steve’s Real Food, Quest pet food due to an unspecified reasoning.

3. Dr. King’s homeopathic products for human and animal use for microbial contamination

4. Rad cat Rad Cat Raw Diet for potential Listeria Monocytogenes contamination

5. G & C Raw ground lamb dog food and ground turkey cat food for potential  contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes.

BEHAVIOR: HOW DO I PREVENT MY DOG FROM CHEWING

Picture from: http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/2.20.15-Dogs-Who-Are-Proud-They-Trashed-Your-House2.jpg

       It is a common occurrence for a dog to start chewing once they are teething (~4-6 months of age) and some dogs continue with this annoying behavior even longer. Cases of boredom, anxiety, too much energy, and curiosity can all be causes of increased chewing. So, what should you do if this is your dog?

1. Try to encourage your dog to chew on appropriate items - such as a Kong, Bust Buddy, Bento Ball, etc. Make sure these toys are throughout the house and are easily accessible. Reward your dog when you catch them playing with these toys - play with them, give them treats or just love them. 
2. Correct your dog quickly if you catch them chewing on inappropriate items. You can do this with a noise or quick touch (no aggressive behavior). Then give them a toy to chew on instead. 

It can take some time to treat you dog out of their chewing habit, keep at it and don't give up!

QUESTION OF THE MONHT: WHAT ARE SOME ALTERNATIVE DOG/CAT TREATS?

• Carrots
• Sweet Potatoes (cooked and peeled)
• Cucumbers
• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Pineapple
• Salmon/Salmon flakes
• Tuna
• Eggs
• Fish Oil
• Cantaloupe
• Chicken
• Pumpkin
• Cheese
• Lunch meat

All good things must come in moderation. You want to make sure that your dog and/or cat's main diet consists of their well balanced kibble or canned food. Also make sure you are watching your pet's weight closely to make sure you are not over indulging them in our tasty treats. 

PET(S) OF THE MONTH

There were no submissions for pet of the month. Please send me a picture or two with a small description of why your pet is so special. We would LOVE to show them off. 

Please send the picture and paragraph with the subject PET OF THE MONTH to drmarquart@brentwoodanimalhospital.com