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How to Improve Your Pet’s Dental Health with Their Food – Petcurean

March 3, 2018

February is National Pet Dental Health month. Which means, I couldn’t let too much time go by without at least briefly discussing Pet Dental Health!

Today, I am teaming up with Petcurean to share with you how choosing your pet’s food can affect their overall dental health.

Now, any veterinary professional will most certainly want me to reiterate that brushing your pet’s teeth is the #1 way that you can improve your pet’s dental health. However, many pet parents already brush their pet’s teeth, and are likely interested in additional ways that they can improve their pet’s dental health.

If you aren’t already aware, Pet Dental Health is imperative to your pet’s overall health and is wisely summed up in this quote from Petcurean:

Similar to humans, poor dental hygiene causes bad breath, plaque, tartar, gingivitis, periodontitis, and tooth root abscesses in dogs. At its worst, bad dental health can contribute to more serious health issues. Inflamed gums, for example, can cause bacterial infections that can affect organs such as the heart and kidneys with extreme cases being fatal.

Petcurean recently released a new brand of food specifically designed to help small dogs with poor dental health. Why small dogs? Well, generally speaking small dogs are more prone to dental disease.

[I]f you’re thinking of adopting a small breed, be prepared for more trips to the vet. With small breeds—generally anyone shorter than knee height—periodontal disease is a huge problem, says Dr. Donnell Hansen, a veterinarian with BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Blaine, Minnesota.

I know all my fellow Corgi Pet Parents out there are wondering; “Does this ‘small breed’ definition count for Corgis too?”. I have always thought of Corgis as “medium dogs with half the leg length”, which would actually mean that they aren’t as prone to periodontal disease as small dogs, but they certainly aren’t immune to dental health problems. According to the AKC:

“Small and large dogs differ in the type of dental disease they can encounter. Small dogs are especially prone to tartar formation, gum recession, and eventual loss of teeth… In contrast, large dogs are more likely to suffer from a fractured tooth from aggressive chewing. If the fracture exposes the interior of the tooth (the pulp cavity), infection travels down the tooth to its root, causing an abscess and loss of the tooth.”

Some of the research I read claimed that Corgis were prone to dental health disease, other articles didn’t include them on the list as one of the top breeds with dental problems. Regardless, we Corgi parents want to do everything we can to improve our dog’s dental health! If you still aren’t sure of the importance of dental health, perhaps this case study from VetWest Animal Hospitals can persuade you!

If Your a Pet Parent of a Small Dog (Defined as <25lbs by feeding Guidelines)

One of the ways your can improve your pet’s dental health is by changing to a food that supports pet dental health! If you are the pet parent of a small breed dog, the new Petcurean NOW FRESH Small Breed recipes are formulated with ingredients that help support oral health and fresh breath, including sodium tripolyphosphate, which binds calcium to protect teeth from tartar formation. Peppermint and parsley are also included as natural ingredients to promote fresh breath. In addition, the small clover-shaped kibble is one of the smallest in the market, contributing to high palatability, easy chewing, and effective digestion.

Every My Kid Has Paws reader can enjoy a $5 off coupon to try any Petcurean recipe using coupon code PAWSOME8 which can be redeemed at Petcurean.com/pawsome!

I wouldn’t classify Rooney as a small breed dog. Not only because I think he is a medium dog with short legs, but also because Rooney is 30lbs and lives and behaves much more like a medium dog, therefore, he wouldn’t necessarily benefit from small kibble.

If you are interested in reading more about Pet Dental Health, don’t forget to check out some of our top pet dental health articles here:

What You NEED to Know About Pet Dental Health – Interview with Dr. Burr from Trupanion

Why Do Dog Dentals Cost So Much?

February Challenge! 20 Days of Dental Health #MKHPFebruaryChallenge

Why Shouldn’t My Pet Have a Gentle Dental?

Disclaimer: I am a Petcurean blogger. I was provided with food and compensation so that Rooney and I could provide our honest opinion. However, Petcurean is the food we feed Rooney every day. My Kid Has Paws only shares reviews we believe benefit our readers.

How Important is it to Keep Your Corgi in Shape? – Petcurean

February 5, 2018

Disclaimer: We are part of the Petcurean Blogger Advocate program. However, we feed Rooney Petcurean every day. My Kid Has Paws only shares information about products we like and we believe our readers will enjoy.

A few months ago I was taking Rooney to a Corgi meetup in San Francisco and I heard someone say, “Look at that chubby Corgi!”. I wanted to turn around and say, “He’s just fluffy and his body condition score is perfect!”, but I refrained.

How Important is it to Keep Your Corgi in Shape?

Corgis are one of those breeds that can easily look overweight. With their fluffy double-coats and low-to-the-ground stature, it’s easy to seem chubby. Regardless of general appearance to the public, maintaining and managing your Corgi’s weight is one of the most important things you can do as a pet parent.

Obesity & Excess Weight

Obesity and excess weight are most commonly brought on by overfeeding, a lack of exercise, or both. Additionally, obesity and excess weight can lead to a variety of health issues for your Corgi including, but not limited to diabetes, arthritis, and a shortened life span.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for many life-threatening diseases that affect dogs and cats. For example, diabetes and obesity in cats often go hand-in-hand, and in dogs even a slight increase in weight has been shown to decrease their lifespan by about two years. – Dr. Jennifer Adolphe, Petcurean

For Corgis, proper weight management is especially important since they are prone to IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) and DM (Degenerative Myelopathy).

In dog breeds that are predisposed to IVDD, keeping them at a lower weight will help reduce the stress on their backbone and neck. – PetMD

Body Condition Score

The proper way to determine if your Corgi is at a healthy weight is by measuring their Body Condition Score. A good Body Condition Score is characterized by a distinct waist line from above and the side, as well as, the ability to easily feel (but not see) ribs and vertebra.


To see what a proper Body Condition Score looks like for Corgis, please visit Little Cooper Bear’s blog where Cooper explains what a Corgi’s body condition score should look like, with photos which are really helpful!

If you are unsure of your Corgi’s body condition score, you should definitely ask your veterinarian at your dog’s next annual exam.

via GIPHY

 

Keeping Your Corgi in Shape

Now that we have established the importance of keeping your Corgi in shape, let’s discuss ways to do so.

  1. Exercise: Regular and consistent exercise is the cornerstone of keeping your pet in shape. Rooney gets his exercise on frequent walks, weekend outdoor adventures, and weekly doggy daycare. Even when the weather is bad, don’t forget that exercise includes stretching, training, and engaging with puzzles.
  2. The Right Food: In college I used workout DVDs to stay in shape during the offseason. Every DVDs said that you could workout as much as you want, but you have to eat the right foods to stay in shape. The same is true for your dog. Make sure you are feeding them quality food designed to fuel their activity. We feed Rooney Petcurean GO! SENSITIVITY + SHINE™ Duck Recipe, and at 7-years-old people still say he looks and acts like he is 2! Enter code: PS141ZW997 to get $5 off any bag of NOW FRESH, GATHER or GO!
  3. Reduce Table Scraps: If you take the time and invest the money in feeding your dog the best food, it doesn’t make sense to then feed them non-nutritious table scraps.
  4. Hold Everyone in the House Responsible: If you are increasing your dog’s exercise and feeding them a balanced diet, and their body condition score isn’t changing, often, there is a family member who is feeding your dog something they shouldn’t (or it could be a sign of hypothyroidism). I hate to point fingers, but its really important that everyone is on a fitness journey with your dog.
  5. Supplements: If you haven’t already, consider adding supplements to your dog’s diet to support digestive and bone health as they age. Glucosamine and Omega 3’s are very popular among dog parents, but I recommend working with your veterinarian before adding anything to your dog’s diet.

How do you keep your Corgi in shape?

All photos of Rooney in this post are courtesy of Pawpawrazzi Pet Photography. 

What Do Heart Murmurs Sound Like?

January 19, 2018

This post was originally published on 12/22/2014, but has been updated to provide you with even more information. Welcome to another edition of Medicine Versus Mom where Carol Bryant from Fidose of Reality and I discuss veterinary medical issues experienced by pets and their families.

Today, I want to discuss heart murmurs. Heart murmurs can occur for a variety of reasons, in both dogs and cats, and can be a long term issue for your pet.

While working at the veterinary hospital I met quite a few pets who had heart murmurs. Some of which were so severe that you could even feel them once you knew what you were looking for. However, most heart murmurs are detected with a stethoscope. Today our goal is to provide you with clarity on heart murmurs and what you can do for your pet if they have been diagnosed with a heart murmur.

What is a Heart Mumur?

During my undergraduate degree, I was fortunate enough to take a physiology course. During that course, I learned that a heartbeat is actually the sound of two valves closing. When you hear a heartbeat, you may not actually distinguish that what you are hearing is not one sound, but two different sounds occurring within milliseconds of each other. The heartbeat is a lub-dub, not just a dub.

A murmur is an abnormal extra sound (which can sometimes drown out the normal sounds).  Murmurs most commonly occur between the “lub” and the “dub” and have a “shooshing” or “whooshing” quality. – Dr. Mark Rishniw, ACVIM

Understanding that a heartbeat is a series of sounds rather than one, will really help you understand what a heart murmur is, and what exactly you are hearing. The two separate sounds are the result of multiple valves closing as blood flows through the heart.

What Do Heart Murmurs Sound Like?

Photo Courtesy of http://philosophyofdog.com

The picture above provides a visual example of how blood flows through the heart.

Blood initially enters the heart in the right atrium.  The blood then passes through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle which pumps the blood through the pulmonic valve into the lungs to pick up oxygen (among other things).  The oxygenated blood then enters the left atrium.  Blood in the left atrium passes through the mitral valve to reach the left ventricle, which then pumps the blood through the aortic valve out to the rest of the body.  (Veterinary Partner).

These valves exist to keep blood flowing forward, and prevent it from flowing backward. When the valve is not opening or closing properly, this disturbs the blood flow and creates turbulence, which causes a murmur (Veterinary Partner).

A heart murmur is an extra heart vibration that occurs when there is disturbance in the blood flow (PetMD).

It is imperative to understand that a murmur is not an arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is defined by irregularity and possibly erratic rate of the heartbeat (Merck). Basically, if the flow of the blood is not disrupted, but the rhythm (lub-dub) sounds irregular, than you are dealing with an arrhythmia, not a murmur.

What causes a heart murmur?

According to PetMD, murmurs are caused by the following:

  • Disturbed blood flow caused by high blood flow through a normal or abnormal valve.
  • Flow disturbances identified by forward flow through abnormal valves.
  • Flow disturbances identified by regurgitant blood flow due to an abnormal valve.

According to Veterinary Partner, the most common murmurs in dogs are associated with leaky mitral valves. Sometimes, murmurs are caused by holes between two of the chambers in the heart, or narrowing of a chamber or vessel, or anemic blood.

What are the different kinds of murmurs?

  • There are benign (non-harmful) murmurs in which the cause of the murmur is not associated with a known heart disease. These kinds of murmurs are not usually found in adult dogs, but can be found in puppies and cats of all ages. Characteristically, they have a soft sound and tend to be intermittent. Heart murmurs brought on by anemia or excitement often fall into this category (Veterinary Partner).
  • Congenital Murmurs are present from birth. The defect that is causing the murmur is always there, but may not be heard until later than life (Veterinary Partner).
  • Acquired Murmurs are brought on throughout the course of the pet’s life, but they are often associated with a heart or valve disease (Veterinary Partner).

Grading Scale

Murmurs are classified on a grading scale. Grade of a murmur is determined by sound (time and intensity), configuration, and location (PetMD).

HeartMurmurs

What do they sounds like?

A veterinarian that I worked for at Acorn Veterinary Clinic in Davis, California explained it to me the best. Dr. Jackman said that a heart murmur sounds like a washing machine as opposed to a lub-dub, this analogy would help me identify murmurs very well in the future.

The following videos are a series of audio clips, that show a view of the valves and how they are working with each type of murmur. Make sure to have your volume on, but I promise you this is very interesting. (I also want to thank Steven Farmer, DO for creating these videos).

First, this is the sound of a normal heart.

This second video is an Aortic Stenosis Murmur, which is defined but the AKC Canine Health Foundation as the narrowing of the aortic valve, or just above it. Listen for the “washing machine sound”.

This video is an Aortic Regurgitation Murmur, defined by Merck Manuals as back flow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle.

This last video is a Mitral Regurgitation Murmur (the most common in dogs) , which can be defined by VCA Hospitals as back flow from the left ventricle to the left atrium.

If you were able to hear subtle differences between these videos, then you have a great ear for heart murmurs. These are very challenging to distinguish, but will give you an idea of what your veterinarian is listening for.

Symtoms

If your pet’s murmur is due to a structural heart diseases, they may display signs of congestive heart failure, which according to (PetMD) includes: coughing, exercise intolerance, or general weakness.

What should I do if my pet has a murmur?

The short answer is, work with your veterinarian. There are so many different classifications and underlying causes for murmurs, that your veterinarian will need to help you determine if treatment is necessary, if there are any structural issues you should be worried about, and what you can do to help your pet.

Our dog Maui (who passed away in 2015) had a murmur since 2010, and lived a healthy and full life (she had epilepsy, but that wasn’t related to our knowledge). Maui was not on medication for any heart issues until she was diagnosed with heart failure in the fall of 2014. We miss you Mau Mau <3!

Maui

Have you ever had a pet with a murmur?

To learn more about heart murmurs, please visit Carol’s Fidose of Reality to hear her Mom perspective on this same topic!

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How to Administer Medication to Your Pet

November 30, 2017

Whether you are giving your dog medication temporarily or giving a pill for long-term treatment, administering medication to your dog is not an easy task. Not to mention, some dogs have become masters at avoiding medication and/or spitting it out when you aren’t looking.

As you can imagine, I have a lot of experience getting dogs (and cats) to take medication and there are a few things you can do to make administering medication just a little bit easier on you and your pet.

Food is your friend

If your dog is at all food motivated, the very first thing you need to know is that food is your friend when it comes to administering medication.

High Value Treat

If you have any experience training your dog, you may already know what they consider to be a high-value treat. For Rooney, it’s anything we are eating (he even gets excited about lettuce). However, for some dogs you might have to put in a little more effort to determine what they consider to be high-value.

Once you have determined your dog’s favorite high-value treat, you can use that information to help administer medication. For example, you could hide your dog’s medication in chicken or even some cheese. I prefer to use string cheese for small pills since you can stuff the pill into an already formed cheese stick. The more you coat the pill in the food you are giving, the more likely they are to eat the entire thing and the pill.

Make sure that you check ingredients before giving your dog medication in any non-pet food. I would avoid “diet” or “light” foods as they tend to use alternative (and sometimes unreadable) ingredients.

via GIPHY

Dog Safe Peanut Butter

Dog safe peanut butter is also a high value treat, and my go-to for feeding pets their medications. I mentioned dog safe peanut butter on my Facebook page a few months back and someone commented and asked what I meant by “dog-safe”. As it turns out, there are several peanut butter brands that contain xylitol, which is a very toxic ingredient for dogs (most often found in sugar-free gum). So make sure to check that your peanut butter doesn’t contain xylitol before giving it to your dog. Additionally, you can opt for an even healthier peanut butter option by switching to unsalted or homemade peanut butter (AKC).

The reason I like to use peanut butter to administer medication is because of the texture. It’s so sticky that dogs very rarely eat the peanut butter and spit out the pill because the peanut butter adheres together.

The Spoon Method

This recommendation is based on nothing but my experience. When I give Rooney a pill in peanut butter or cheese, I put it into a spoon. I find that when he has to bite down to get the food, which he does when I give it to him in a spoon, he tends to eat the pill a lot faster, and easier, because he isn’t licking the peanut butter or cheese out of a bowl for example, and carefully leaving the pill behind.

Pill Pockets

Pill pockets are designed to put a pill into the “pocket” of food and then easily close the food around the pill to make it more palatable for your dog. While I have never used these for Rooney, I had many clients who swore by their effectiveness and ease of giving their pet medication.

Make it Fun

If anyone has given their pet pills over a long period of time, they know many dogs will find a way to eventually leave the pill behind. Even when the most high-value treats are involved. Rather than handing your dog a random treat (with a hidden pill), and then moving on, you could make a training session or game out of it, which takes your dog’s concentration off of the treat and hidden pill.

Animal Behavioralist Patricia B McConnell suggests making the process of giving your dog medication fun. She suggests the 1, 2, 3 game outlined below.

The One Two Three Game: First, encase the pill in some highly palatable food, perhaps a piece of chicken or some peanut butter. Put it aside and give the dog a treat with no pill. Then give the dog a second treat. Next, pick up the treat-encased pill and put it right next to your dog’s nose, but don’t let him eat it! Pull it away, as if to tease him. Move it within an inch of your dog’s nose/mouth again and snatch it away a second time. Move it a third time toward your dog’s mouth and let him eat it. Follow it up with a fourth treat, this time with no pill. Unless the pill is truly noxious, this works really well and makes the entire exercise great fun.

I love the idea of getting your dog to play with you as part of administering medication rather than making it a forced situation. She also suggests using natural competition to your advantage if that motivates your dog, and is an available option for you. Dr. McConnell further outlines that process in her blog post here.

Opting for Liquid or Chewable Medication

A lot of medications can be compounded these days which allows you to give your dog flavored medication on top of their food (this is also a great option for cats), or as a treat. Unfortunately, not all medications can be administered in liquid form, so this isn’t an option for every one, but definitely something you can ask your veterinarian about.

Other Methods

Manually Giving the Pill

You can give your dog a pill by placing it as far back in their mouth as you can. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you have taken the time to try other methods, none of which have worked for you, and you are now in a situation where the medication is imperative to your dog’s health and well being and, therefore, you need to give the pill manually. If you are going to do this, make sure that you get a demonstration and further instruction from your veterinarian or veterinary technician. They will be able to show you exactly how you should administer the pill to your pet, so that you can avoid some common mistakes that pet parents make.

Stay Positive

If you can, try to stay positive about the experience. While giving your pet medication can be difficult, and at times, frustrating, rely on your veterinarian and their team to help you develop a solution. If you are going to give your pet a pill often, you don’t want them to have a negative experience. Adding food and positive reinforcement wherever possible will definitely help.

For more info on how to give your pet their medication, hop on over to Fidose of Reality for Carol’s Dog Mom perspective.

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The Difference Between Obesity and Hypothyroidism

September 5, 2017

Welcome back for another edition of Medicine Versus Mom. While working at the veterinary hospital, I can’t tell you how many overweight pets we had as patients. Statistics would tell you that at least 50% of our patients were overweight and had a poor body condition score. While some pet parents seemed oblivious that their pet’s weight was not ideal, others knew that their dog was gaining weight, but felt that they were doing all the right things (not overfeeding, and providing regular exercise). This issue among pet parents is so common that Carol Bryant from Fidose of Reality and myself thought we would discuss it here today.

Specifically, we want to talk about understanding the difference between canine obesity and hypothyroidism. While both of these diseases are highly treatable in dogs, they do have similar symptoms which could lead to misdiagnosis or assumptions from pet parents about how to improve their dog’s health. I believe that by understanding hypothyroidism and it’s symptoms, you will be able to better understand when your dog needs to have endocrine testing versus needing diet and exercise changes.

What is Hypothyroidism?

According to PetMD: 

“Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition resulting from a lowered production and release of T4 and T3 hormones by the thyroid gland. It is common in medium to large-sized dogs, with some being more predisposed than others. “ 

When the production of the T3 and T4 hormones decreases, it causes the processes and the functions of all organ systems in the body to slow down. Including, your dog’s metabolism. Hypothyroidism is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 4 and 10 years old, and some breeds (listed below) are more prone to the disease than others:

  • Golden Retriever
  • Doberman Pinscher
  • Irish Setter
  • Miniature Schnauzer
  • Dachshund
  • Cocker Spanial
  • Airedale Terrier

What are the symptoms associated with Hypothyroidism?

According to the Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health, the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism include:

  • Lethargy
  • Unwillingness or inability to exercise
  • Weight gain
  • Dry coat or skin
  • Excessive shedding
  • Hair thinning or hair loss
  • Reoccuring skin infections

What causes Hypothyroidism to occur?

According to PetMD, hypothyroidism usually occurs because the thyroid gland has been destroyed by an abnormal immune reaction. In most cases (95%) hypothyroidism is due to the destruction of the gland itself, however, in a small number of cases it is due to a tumor of the pituitary gland (Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health).

How is Hypothyroidism diagnosed?

Traditional diagnosis requires endocrine testing (measuring the amount of thyroid hormone your dog has available) of the T3 and T4 hormones.

What is the treatment for Hypothyroidism?

Traditional treatment for hypothyroidism requires providing your dog’s body with the synthetic version of the hormone they are lacking.

The deficient hormones are given in synthetic form, with the dosage adjusted occasionally based on your dog’s individual physical condition and progress. Most clinical symptoms will resolve after a few months, but only your veterinarian can determine whether your dog’s medicine dosage should be adjusted or changed. To avoid complicating the condition, do not change the type or dosage of the drug yourself, and never give anything new to your dog without first consulting with your veterinarian. This caution includes the use of herbal remedies.- PetMD

How to know when its just weight gain…

When I was studying Animal Science at UC Davis, I specifically remember learning that Hypothyroidism, while not a rare disease, was being over diagnosed in veterinary medicine. In an article written by Dr. Patty Khuly in 2008, she alluded to the over-diagnosis of this disease mostly based on the idea that people didn’t want to admit that their pets were simply gaining weight.

Not only do I find this disease of slow-metabolism to be one many of us humans wish we had (especially when at a loss to explain why we gained so much weight over the holidays)—hypothyroidism is an illness pet owners increasingly want their overweight pets tested for.

I can’t blame pet parents for wanting their dogs to be tested for hypothyroidism, especially when they feel that they have done all of the right things to care for their dogs. But, if your dog’s hormones are balanced, we don’t want to give them medication they don’t need.

So, how can you be sure that your dog is receiving the right diagnosis?

According to Dr. Jennifer Coates, if your dog has symptoms associated with hypothyroidism, and bloodwork has revealed low thyroid levels, and all other clinical signs have been ruled out, then it is appropriate to tentatively diagnose your dog with hypothyroidism. The true test will be your dog’s responsiveness to the medication. If repeat testing shows that your dog’s hormone levels have returned to normal, than your dog is truly hypothyroid and should continue on the medication per your veterinarian’s recommendations.

Misdiagnosis can occur for a variety of reasons:

Because dogs that are sick with diseases completely unrelated to the thyroid gland often develop low thyroid hormone levels. The condition is called euthyroid sick syndrome, and it does not require thyroid hormone replacement therapy. What is really needed is an accurate diagnosis and treatment aimed at the underlying problem, but this is sometimes easier said than done!

In conclusion, it is important for pet parents to be honest with themselves. Is your dog gaining weight? Or are there other symptoms on this list your dog is experiencing? Have you tried adjusting their diet and exercise? Is someone else in your house overfeeding your dog (you would be surprised how often this happens)?

If you truly feel that your dog is experiencing symptoms of Hypothryoidism, definitely take them to visit your veterinarian and be prepared for bloodwork testing.

I highly recommend visiting Fidose of Reality to hear Carol’s Dog Mom perspective on this topic!

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