The Question,

Hello- I know it will be hard to give me an answer over an email without seeing my dog, but I thought I would try and ask your opinion.  I have a Yorkie-Poo who has had gastro-enteritis since he was 5 months old.  He typically had bouts about every three months but since 4/26/08, we cannot get him stabilized.  I have gone from the vet’’s antibiotics which I feel only make matters worse by continuing to kill off good bacteria in his system to trying alternative options.  Through Vitality Science’’s products, we were making progress but he has relapsed again.  The vet thought he was allergic to grains because he stopped bloating when I switched him to the 95% meat, 5% veggies no grain canned food.  He did well on that food for about 8 months.  But he always seemed to take well to the foods he was switched to, and then the whole bloody diarrhea and vomiting starts up again.  He has lost 1/4 of his weight and I am extremely worried about him.  I was going to try a raw diet but was told that with his weakened immune state, that the salmonella risk was just too great for him.  So now I am wondering if I should try a vegetarian canned diet?  I ask this because when he was on a diet of weight loss maintenance because the proteins were not as high in it, he did better….for awhile as always and then the symptoms returned.  He has been on 6 different foods since he was 5 months old.  I just want to get him healthy and am beside myself over this.  Do you think it would be worth a shot to try him on a vegetarian diet?  The people at Vitality Science said not to switch his food again…but he can”t keep going like this either. I don”t know what to do.  Thanks!

~Tammy

The Answer,

HI,

Dr. Judy Stolz

Remember to keep sharing your questions with our experts

and your advice with our readers!

–verb (used with object)

—Idioms

It seems to me that dogs have a bit of a bad reputation in the dictionary…next time you see someone beautiful, make sure to say “What a Dog!”

An 8 year old dog named La China recently had a litter of pups in a small shanty town outside of Buenos Aires.  Close by and around the same time, a 14 year old girl gave birth to a premature baby.  She panicked and abandoned the babe in a nearby field.  La China came by, picked up the baby and carried him back to her own liter.

The dog’s owner hear the child crying and found him with the puppies, covered by a makeshift rag blanket.  The baby boy had a few bruises but no bite marks.

The child was turned over to the authorities.  The frightened mother came forward.

And this strange story was turned over to the media, who ate it up perhaps as a baby laps up milk.  The heroic dog is threatened by the attention and worried about her puppies.  La China’s owner is worried because she has stopped eating.

To me, this is an incredible yet expected story.  I wish they’d leave La China alone to take care of her pups. Let’s hear it for more dog food and less unwanted fame.

Whole Story

I recently visited a household with two dogs.

Not so strange, right?

It gets interesting.

I am always fascinated by the dynamics between dogs living together, the strange play of jealousy, dominance, friendship.  Throw in a cat and you have a drama that should grace the silver screen.

In this case, there were two dogs.  One was a male Labrador and the other one was female and half coyote.  We’ll call them Lucy and Ricky.  Lucy is seven and Ricky is a little over a year.  Lucy used to be the only dog of the house until recently when the new roommate brought his dog, Ricky, to live with him.  Both dogs are obedient and well trained, give or take a quirk here and there.

Most dogs living in the same house create a pack, an order, a hierarchy interrupted only by the rare brawl over food or affection.  In this house, there are two packs, each with only one member.  In the house, they stay on different sides.  In the yard, the occupy different corners.  They snarl and growl and wrestle with tails wagging.  They both have battle scars.  And after fighting viciously all day, they fall asleep on top of each other.  They have lived together for over a month and there is no sign of submission from either one.

Can two dogs agree to disagree?  Is the situation dangerous?  Is it just a matter of time before one gives in?

The owners are trying to allow the dogs to work it out themselves.  In the meantime, they have taught them the command “SPACE!” when they start to fight.  Most of the time, it works.  They separate and go brood.

Have you guys seen anything like this?  I know the owners are tired of playing referee and tending to wounds.

Tell me your thoughts.

First of all, I think Flossie is one of the cutest dog names I’ve ever heard.  Generally, celebrity curiosity just makes me feel creepy, but this is a beautiful picture.  Drew Barrymore rescued this pretty mutt from a Pasadena flea market in 1996.  A good decision.  In 2001, Drew Barrymore and boyfriend Tom Green were awoken by a frantic Flossie just in time to evacuate their burning mansion.

(its kind of fun writing celebrity posts, i get to say mansion instead of house, use full names, say things like “then boyfriend,…)

And the best part is, Flossie has no idea she’s famous and if he does, he doesn’t give a cat’s tail about it.

“Meaty Natural Mammoth Bone -  We make “No Bones About It”; we know bones and our bones are some of the best. Our FREE RANGE meaty, marrow-filled bones are from Brazilian cattle that are grass fed only resulting in lean meat and lower fat throughout. Typical beef bones need to be boiled and/or cooked at a high temperature which unfortunately can cause stress cracks in the bones and a more likely chance of splintering. Raw bones are popular but can quickly become rancid and bacteria laden. Our 100% natural, low-fat bones are slow roasted at a low temperature which is the happy medium and a perfect choice for your pet.”

Imagine.

The centerpieces are perfect, stylish and creative. The appetizers (does anyone know how to spell horderves?) wait on silver trays, the perfect temperature and flavor. The radio is playing Buddy Guy or Shakira or Etta James, and your hair is blessed by the gods, not too frizzy or flat or confused. A bottle, several bottles of wine, rest on the immaculate counter.

You sigh a content sigh, the kind that tells the world nothing can go wrong.

And sure enough, the peace is shattered by a bark. Its coming from the ground. You look down and there is your 3 month old puppy, eager to play.

Parties can be a lot of fun for people, but don’t forget about your dog. Doing so can be a nightmare for the both of you.

I spent the last couple days helping celebrate my friend’s wedding and amidst the chaos, the dog was definitely overlooked. It’s her first dog and her first wedding. In between the two, I’m sure she learned a lot
of valuable lessons. As an observer, I did too. Enough, in fact, to be inspired to make a list of tips. What should the dog owner keep in mind when throwing a party? Cats are easier. They can hide under the bed for even longer than most five year old. Dogs, however, are curious, mischievous, and yet still overwhelmed by large groups of laughing humans.

1) This is probably the most important tip. Make time before the party starts to take your pup on a long walk or to the dog park. Let him get plenty of exercise. With any luck, he’ll sleep through the whole thing.

2) Place his kennel in a quiet room away from the noise.

3) If your dog is well behaved and enjoys strangers, allow him to come play. But, make sure your guests know the rules you try to maintain. (no jumping on the furniture, begging, etc.)

4) Party foods are often rich and greasy. Make sure your guests know what they can and can’t share with your dog. Keep an eye on the floor, making sure that there are no toxic crumbs.

5) Stick to your guns about obedience and training. It’s easy to get lax at a party, but its’ also very important that your dog listens to you in a chaotic environment.

6) Explain to any children present at the party that your pet is not a toy. It is a living creature and should be respected. (No throwing things at the cat!! or Waking the dog so you can play with him!)

And lastly, if you don’t think your dog will be well taken care of (too many children, too much to do) find a friend he can stay with for the night.

K9 Cuisine has really beat the odds by its success and growth.  It’s not easy being a small online retail business, but I am proud to say K9 Cuisine has not only survived but thrived!  Ultimately though, it’s not that much of a surprise when you consider the incredible passion that Anthony runs his company with.  I mean that.

Success Story:

” Being small is hard enough. But being small and in retail? That’s like having two strikes against you before the game even begins. From setting up relationships with banks, to finding trustworthy suppliers, to building a loyal customer base, being a small retailer is a challenge many businesses can’t meet. And if you’re an online-only small retailer? Well, that adds a whole new set of pros and cons into the mix.

K9cuisine.com is one such business that’s so far been able to meet all the challenges of being a small, internet-only retailer. The nine-employee company sells premium pet foods and accessories from a warehouse in the remote town of Paris, Illinois — about 100 miles west of Indianapolis and 200 miles south of Chicago. Owner Anthony Holloway launched the company in May, 2007, because he was frustrated with trying to find quality dog food locally and online. After opening K9cuisine.com, he learned there were a lot of other pet owners sharing his frustrations. “Our business took off quickly and has grown at the rate of 50% each month for the last year,” Anthony says. The web site, he says, currently gets close to 5,000 unique visitors per day, and has generated about $2.5 million in sales in the last 12 months…..”

Read The Rest

When asked if she will ever have children, Oprah replies that she already does.  A chocolate cocker spaniel named Solomon and two golden retrievers, Luke and Layla.  She has lost two dogs.  Sophie, a 13 year old cocker spaniel, died of kidney failure.  Gracie, a 2 year old golden retriever, died by choking on a small ball.