Tag Archives: health

How to Protect Your Golden Retriever From Ticks

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Golden Retrievers are known to be tick magnets.  Some say ticks are more attracted to lighter colors, and a golden’s long fur is a great place for a tick to hang out and hide.

Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Due to factors like milder winters, an increase in white tailed deer, and fewer insecticides being used, 2013 is being predicted as a record year for ticks.  Ticks are a problem for animals and humans alike.  Tick species vary by location, and different species carry different diseases like Lyme Disease,  Ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Tick Population to Explode in 2013 – Veterinary Practice News

Adult deer tick, Ixodes scapularis.

Adult deer tick, Ixodes scapularis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  • Joint pain and stiffness similar to the symptoms of arthritis
  • High fever
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Neurological signs resulting in seizures and neck pain (infrequent)

- See more at: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/canine-anaplasmosis#sthash.9KsY5RIW.dpuf

  • Joint pain and stiffness similar to the symptoms of arthritis
  • High fever
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Neurological signs resulting in seizures and neck pain (infrequent)

- See more at: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/canine-anaplasmosis#sthash.9KsY5RIW.dpuf

  • Joint pain and stiffness similar to the symptoms of arthritis
  • High fever
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of appetite
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Neurological signs resulting in seizures and neck pain (infrequent)

- See more at: http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/canine-anaplasmosis#sthash.9KsY5RIW.dpuf

Now that we know this, lets talk prevention.  Here are some things you can do to help protect your golden from these pests:

  • Keep your lawn cut short.  Ticks and other critters love to lurk in long grass
  • Try to avoid long grass and wooded areas
  • Check your dog for ticks every time you bring him/her indoors.
  • Visit your veterinarian every spring to discuss flea/tick and heart worm prevention medications.
  • There are shampoos and collars on the market that deter fleas and ticks.
  • Try a holistic approach such as Dr. Ben’s Cedar Oil

bens

So you have found a tick on your dog.  First, you must remove it with tweezers or a Tick Twister.  It is not recommended that you burn it or suffocate it off with any type of substance, as this can cause the tick to inject more saliva into you or your pet.  Then clean the area with an antiseptic and put some antibiotic ointment on the site.

Here is a great video from Doctors Foster & Smith on removing a tick from your dog:

If your dog has been bitten by a tick, watch for signs of illness including stiffness, loss of appetite and lethargy.  Contact your veterinarian right away if you suspect your dog has a tick borne illness. Keep in mind these illnesses can lay dormant for several months before showing signs.

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Would You Use Medical Marijuana For Your Golden Retriever?

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Medical Cannabis Growing Operation in Oakland,...

Medical Cannabis Growing Operation in Oakland, California (Photo credit: Rusty Blazenhoff)

So your golden retriever has just been diagnosed with cancer and is very weak and lethargic, and in a lot of pain. If you knew there was an option to ease pain and increase appetite in a safe, chemical free way would you consider it? What if that option was marijuana, what many consider to be the root of all evil?

Marijuana is now legal in over 20 states in the U.S. and has been proven very effective for palliative care in humans, as well as treating many other illnesses.

Dr. Doug Kramer of California is a pioneer in the concept of using medical marijuana to treat dogs and cats and has his own clinic Enlightened Veterinary Therapeutics specializing in palliative and hospice care for pets. The marijuana is administered in the form of a tincture. Dr Kramer is not an advocate of feeding your dog “pot brownies” or blowing smoke in their faces. In an article from Vice he says:

“To me, it’s animal abuse, really. It kills me because it devalues what I’m trying to do. Especially in the early stages, starting the dialogue with veterinary medicine, the last thing you want is for people to do that. The dog doesn’t need the medication in that situation.”

Would you use medical marijuana to ease suffering for your golden? I consider it a herbal remedy and certainly would. Please vote! No email or obligation required…

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Why Your Golden Retriever Should Be Alkaline

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Here is a great article provided by TheDogMaOnline.com about the benefits of an alkaline diet.

Why Should Your Dog Be Alkaline?

by Valarie Marshall – TheDogMaOnline.com

“Our Gabriel”

How Does an Alkaline Diet Affect Cancer Cells? Studies have shown that in the test tube, cancer cells and tumors thrive and grow in a more acidic environment. When the level of acid is lowered, tumors grow much more slowly. If this behavior occurs in the test tube, it stands to reason that cancer cells in the body would also be detrimentally affected by an overall alkaline environment.

Raw Pet Food Will Keep Your Dog Alkaline

It would also make sense that if the body’s pH is acidic, then the growth of cancer cells and tumors would be encouraged. By eating mostly foods that make the body’s pH more alkaline, there would be less of a chance for cancer cells to develop and grow. So, by adjusting the diet, it is actually possible to create a less hospitable environment for cancer cells, thus improving a person’s/dog’s chances of experiencing good health.

Proper pH Will Improve Your Pet’s Quality of Life. Tissues in the body are prone to disease of all sorts, including cancer, if they become deficient in oxygen. To understand why, it is helpful to understand the nature of acidity and alkalinity. Cancerous tissues are acidic, where healthy tissues are alkaline. Water (H2O) taken into the body eventually breaks down into H+ and OH-. When a solution contains more H+ than OH- it is acidic. When it contains more OH- than H+ it is alkaline.

When oxygen is introduced into an acidic solution it will combine with H+ ions to form water. Oxygen helps neutralize acid, but acid also prevents oxygen from reaching the body’s tissue. Acidic tissue is devoid of free oxygen as tissue needs oxygen to remain healthy.

The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. The blood, lymph and cerebral spinal fluid in a dog’s body are designed to be slightly alkaline at 7.0 – 7.5 (6.1 – 6.4 for cats). At a pH slightly above 7.4, cancer cells become dormant and at pH 8.5 cancer cells will die while healthy cells will live.

The following list indicates which foods are acidic and alkaline. The left side of the chart indicates acidic foods, or foods that are more harmful. The right side of the chart indicates alkaline foods, or foods that would be most beneficial. It is important to understand that we are not talking about stomach acid or the pH of the stomach. We are talking about the pH of the body’s fluids and tissues, which is an entirely different matter.

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Kibble Formulated To Be Alkaline based. Canine Caviar Chicken and Pearl Millet ALS Dinner 12 Pound is a complete and balanced kibble formula intended for moderately active dogs, growing puppies, and breeding animals. Chicken and Pearl Millet ALS Kibble is the most nutritious food your dog will ever need and is the ideal diet for large and giant breed puppies.  This kibble is the  only food in the USA formulated to be alkaline based. Cancer cells can not grow in an alkaline environment. Perfect for large- and giant-breed puppies!

Acidity:

• Increases anaerobic activity.

• Reduces amount of oxygen in the blood.

• Cancerous tissues are acidic and devoid of oxygen.

• Leaches calcium from bones & is released into the kidney, resulting in stone formation before being excreted.

• Acidosis is excessive consumption of protein, which is metabolized “acidically” because of sulfur content.

• Without enough oxygen the DNA self-repair mechanism will not function causing free radical damage.

Thank you to Canine Caviar. TheDogMaOnline.com, 678.460.6DOG

DIY Tips for Massaging Your Golden Retriever

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Your dog wants a massage. Trust me, I know this.  Try it and watch them drool and turn into a bowl of jello.  From bonding to lump locating, there are so many benefits to massaging your dog and Life and Dog Magazine has created a great article and printable infographic with some tips on DIY dog massage that you can do at home.

Life and Dog Magazine

Life and Dog Magazine

Infographic:  The Benefits of Massage

Liz Rizzo and her dog Buddy from Hawaii demonstrate for us in this YouTube video

I just had to add this video from TheDeafeningWhisper.  It’s a YouTube channel of relaxing sounds.  Just for the guy’s voice alone.  watch as he gives golden retriever Eddie a massage and brushing.  Just watch the first minute or so, and you will get the idea!  It drives me nuts that he only does one side of the dog!  Eddie, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to mind.

Here is a more in depth article from The New York Times on Pet Massage and in some of the larger cities there are Workshops that may be offered in your area!

Dog Massage? – Isn’t Petting Enough?  – Jennifer Bleyer – New York Times

And just for fun, here is a bunny massaging a golden retriever

Golden Retriever kisses good for Toddlers

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Did anyone have any doubt?  Really?  Science has proven that children with pet dogs suffer fewer coughs and ear infections and required fewer antibiotics.  One example is Lily Williams who owns two Golden Retrievers.  Little does she know, but these dogs are helping her fight infections.  New research published in the American Academy of Pediatrics this week revealed these findings.

Nine-month-old Lily Williams with the family’s golden retrievers. Picture: Ian Munro/The West Australian

According to the article in TheWest.com.au  children living in houses where dogs spent part of the day inside had the lowest risk of infectious symptoms and respiratory tract infections.  Lily’s parents report she is a healthy baby, with only one recent earache.

Golden Retriever Lifetime Study

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Golden Retriever Lifetime Study

If you are from the continental United States, and you own a Golden Retriever, you may be eligible to participate in a lifetime study, dedicated specifically for the breed.  They are looking for approx 3,000 golden retrievers, and the study will last 10-20 years.  I cant wait to see what they find.  I am Canadian, so unfortunately I do not qualify for the study, but here is where you can get the information

https://www.caninelifetimehealth.org/#About/GoldenRetrieverLifetimeStudy