Unsung Heroes: MSM

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a natural source of sulfur. It is found in most plant and animal tissues, and  is an essential component of all living cells.

It is believed that sulfur has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It promotes joint and connective tissue repair. Sulfur is an important building block of living tissues. It also helps with absorption of other nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and detoxification.

Under normal circumstance our dogs would get sufficient amounts from their food. However, some scientists believe that it is lost in highly processed foods. It also seems that MSM levels decrease with age, resulting in organ degeneration and disease.

Sulfur deficiency hasn't been officially defined, but it could help explain the rise of some diseases our dogs are suffering with.

You might consider supplementing MSM if your dog suffers with any of the following conditions:

• arthritis and other inflammatory conditions
• digestive disorders
• chronic pain
• allergies
• ulcers
• poor circulation
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol
• autoimmune disorders

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1306+1448&aid=1356

Prolotherapy: Forerunner To Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy?

Prolotherapy was the first non-surgical option we were researching as a possible treatment when Jasmine got diagnosed with a partial ACL tear. It was suggested to us by an Australian veterinarian, who has been using it to treat arthritis but felt that it might work in our case as well. After further research and consultations we eventually decided to go with the stem cell regenerative therapy. Interestingly enough, we would have probably never found out about it if it wasn't for our research into prolotherapy.

Whether they share common roots or not, both  prolotherapy and stem cell regenerative therapy employ your dog's own healing mechanism to treat injuries, pain and chronic inflammation. One could say that stem cell regenerative therapy is a shortcut to what prolotherapy achieves indirectly. To understand how, let's take a look at the body's healing process.

Inflammation

Inflammation is body's response to injury. It serves two purposes. It is a body's attempt to remove a foreign object or pathogen, and it initiates regeneration of damaged tissue. Without inflammation, there would be no healing.

Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy employs targeted, controlled inflammation to stimulate healing where your dog's own healing ability fell short. A mild irritant solution is injected into the site of pain or injury. This triggers an inflammatory response that starts the healing process.

How does inflammation treat inflammation?

How do you fight fire by fire?

There are two types of inflammation. Acute and chronic. It is the chronic inflammation, such as arthritis, that is counter-productive. Acute inflammation on the other hand is a complex process in which body's resources are recruited to repair the damaged tissue.

Prolotherapy is not a new idea. First attempts to use injections of irritant solutions for therapeutic purpose date in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Prolotherapy versus stem cell regenerative therapy

Stem cells are at the root of any tissue regeneration. Prolotherapy triggers healing by means of inflammatory response. The inflammation recruits stem cells to start the process of repair.

Stem cell regenerative therapy delivers ready-for-action stem cells directly.

Both stem cell regenerative therapy and prolotherapy can be used to help dogs suffering from the same conditions, such as arthritis or orthopedic injuries.

I believe that regenerative stem cell therapy is superior to prolotherapy.

But I also believe in understanding all available options. If you cannot afford the stem cell therapy, or if your dog would respond poorely to anesthesia, prolotherapy might be an option to consider.

Is prolotherapy safe?

Prolotherapy is generaly considered very safe, though some veterinarians warn against the danger of bone infection when treating joints. I believe that any procedure can go wrong when it is not done properly, and the competence of your veterinarian will play an important role. I know veterinarians who have been using prolotherapy to treat dogs and horses for many years, with no ill effects.

Jana

Further reading:
A non-surgical option for weak and damaged ligaments
http://www.animalacupuncture.net/Prolotherapy/
http://doc4pets.com/blog/
Stem Cells For Dogs? Oh yeah, baby.

What's Up With That: Dog Nutrition and Grain

Here is another controversial topic for you. Should we feed grain to our dogs? Many dog food products have grain as the main ingredient.

There are experts who believe that feeding your dog grain leads to allergies, bad teeth and even cancer. Some veterinarians blame grain-based dog foods for diabetes, obesity, digestive problems, urinary tract problems and other disorders.

These trends have been addressed by some dog food manufacturers, so now you will find low -grain, grain-free, low-carb, or carb-free dog food products.

Some experts on the other hand believe that there is nothing wrong with including quality grain in a dog diet and that their digestive system has adapted to their digestion.

So who is right?

My question is why are we discussing this in the first place? Do dogs need grain in their diet? How much carbohydrates, whether from grain or other sources does your dog need?

The answer is none, zero, nil. According to the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), there are 36 nutrients essential for dogs. These include proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. They do not include any carbohydrates. There are no carbohydrates essential to a dog diet. AAFCO guidelines are the standard for commercial dog food production. And yet most dog food products are loaded with carbohydrates.

If dogs don't need any carbohydrates, why are we having discussions whether grain is bad for dogs or not? Is there any other reason to include them in the diet other than a  low cost?

Yes, grain contains other nutrients besides carbohydrates. For example grain also contains some protein. But plant protein is inferior and hard to digest.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy. But under normal circumstances, a dog would get his energy from fat. Fat is the natural source of energy to a dog.

Whole grain is also a good source of fiber. Fiber is important for your dog's health. But vegetables contain fiber also.

I didn't find any proof that grain provides any nutrients that are not available from other sources, such as meat, bones or vegetables.

How much grain would there be in a wild canine diet--assuming they are hunting their own food and not scavenging our trash?

So why are we having this conversation? I am still waiting for somebody to explain this to me.

Jana

Know Your Dog's Enemies: Overweight
A Word on Diet 
AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles Published in 2008

Dog Nutrition Quiz

How much do you know about your dog's nutritional needs?
Take a quick quiz.
http://www.funtrivia.com/trivia-quiz/Animals/Canine-Nutrition-10231.html

Jana

Underwater Treadmill

Underwater treadmill exercise is the best physiotherapy for dogs going. Hydrotherapy effectively reduces pain and inflammation, and it promotes muscle strength, range of motion and joint mobility.

Hydrotherapy offers minimal impact exercise that is invaluable for rehabilitation after surgery and injuries. The buoyancy of the water minimizes stress on the joints and promotes much greater range of motion that could be achieved on dry land.

Underwater treadmill exercise is a great supportive treatment for

• treatment of chronic conditions, such as arthritis
• hip and elbow dysplasia
• post-operative rehabilitation after fractures, ACL injuries, muscle or tendon injuries
• and more

Jasmine was getting hydrotherapy to deal with her muscle injury. We were able to get it healed without any drugs, with the underwater treadmill exercises and cold laser treatments alone. It also helped her to build up her muscle mass and stamina after her many health disasters.

She is still going for maintenance treatment once a month. She finds the exercise boring, but loves the jets.

Talk to you veterinarian about hydrotherapy.

Jana

http://www.canine-hydrotherapy.org/pages_info/benefits_hydrotherapy.html

A Word On Diet

What should we feed our dogs? That is definitely one of the most controversial and confusing topics today. The market is flooded with dog food products and the media hosts a war between proponents of different feeding philosophies.

To find some common ground, I suggest we start with something we can all agree on. Cheap dog kibble you can find at your grocery store is probably not the best diet choice for your dog. Simply because it is designed with price as the main factor. A dog can survive on it, but can it sustain him for a long healthy life? Not likely.

With that out of the way, what other choices are being recommended to us? There are the highly promoted veterinary diet foods. There is a large number of natural and holistic food products. There are proponents of home-made food, cooked or raw.

Diet is an important issue. Quality diet is the difference between a healthy vital life and a life hampered by disease.

We all want what is best for our dogs. But how do we know what it is when the experts cannot agree on any one thing? Well, I guess at least they care enough to have opinions about it.

I'll tell you how bad this gets. The other day I was talking to a friend in the dog park, and she mentioned that she spends one day a week preparing her dog's food. I asked her what she feeds, and instead of just telling me, she answered that I wouldn't agree with it.

Turns out she's feeding a raw diet. She tried feeding couple of the recommended veterinary diet formulas, but her dog wasn't doing well on either of them. She decided to switch to a raw diet. It seems that all the problems are gone and her dog is thriving on it. When I asked her why she was determined that I would not agree with it, she said that most people don't. Well, her dog clearly does.

After trying to weed through all the trends myself, here is a conclusion I came to. I believe that the closer the food is to it's original form, the better it is for my dog. And I believe that the closer the food is to what a dog would eat in the wild, the better it is for my dog. Most importantly though, I believe in making up your own mind. Whatever you feed your dog, do so because you believe in it.

I believe that making your own dog food, whether raw or cooked is great, if done with dog nutritional requirements in mind. I also believe that many of the natural dog food products out there are quite good.

After much consideration, and keeping her health condition in mind, Jasmine gets a home-cooked diet based on Hilary's blend. She's been on it for over a year now, and it seems to be working really well for her.

What do you feed your dog and why?

Jana

Further reading:
Readers Respond: What Do You Feed Your Dog and Why?

Do you know of any tips for saving money on pet food?

When You And Your Dog Click

While this article is about clicking literally, it applies figuratively also.

You probably noticed that there seems to be as many different training methods and tools as there are experts. With a closer look though you'll find that they often share similar principles. I believe it is important to become familiar with the different techniques before you pick one that best suits you and your dog.

There are four basic types of training methods and I will discuss each of them the later on:

• positive reinforcement
• negative reinforcement
• positive punishment
• negative punishment

Clicker training falls under positive reinforcement methods. What is positive reinforcement? Positive reinforcement simply means that when your dog does something you want, you respond by giving him something that he wants, most commonly a piece of food.

Your dog quickly learns which behavior comes with a reward and will start offering it in a hope of another treat. At that time you label it (sit, down, roll-over) and the label then becomes a command. It is important to make sure that you label the behavior while it's happening, in order for your dog to make the correct association. Once your dog makes the connection between the behavior and the word, voila, you've taught your dog a trick! You then reward it only when you asked for it. That teaches your dog that he needs to pay attention to what you want in order to get things.

So what is different about clicker training?

Your dog can learn things faster and with less frustration when you're communicating clearly. Timing and consistency of your feedback plays an important role in helping your dog understand what it is that you want him to do. And that is where the clicker comes in.

A clicker allows you to precisely mark the behavior you want. It is an effective way of letting your dog know yes, this is what I want you to do, reward is coming. It is the ability to provide a perfectly timed feedback that makes clicker training different and a great training tool.

The precision the clicker provides really makes a big difference. Dogs pick it up quickly and really enjoy their training. Once you master your timing, the sky is a limit to what you can teach your dog.

To get a picture of how well clicker training works, ponder this – even cats can be clicker-trained! It's true, our son clicker trained his cats.

What do I need to clicker train?

Well, you need a clicker. A clicker is a small device that clicks. They come in all shapes and sizes, and you should be able to pick one up in any pet store.

You will also need some yummy bits of food.

And you will need to learn to watch your dog and practice your timing.

How do I start?

First thing you need to do to start clicker training is to introduce your dog to the idea. Sit down with your dog and a bunch of treats. Click and treat. Your dog will quickly make the association between the sound and the treat. Once your dogs stops looking at the hand holding the treats and starts watching the hand holding the clicker, you know the association has been made and you're all set.

Have fun. Watch your dog. When you see him do something you might want to turn into a trick, click and reward. If you're just starting to train a new dog, start with a simple sit or down command. Wait until your dog sits or lays down, click and treat.

If your dog already knows basic commands use your imagination or get a book for inspiration.

Keep raising the bar. Once your dog learns a trick, ask that he performs it more that once before you click and treat, or ask for sequences. To keep your dog interested, challenge him by treating only every other time. Eventually replace the treat by verbal praise.

Happy training!
Jana

 http://www.clickertraining.com/what_is_clicker_training

Veterinary Drive-Thru: Coming Soon To A Veterinary Hospital Near You!

In order to serve you better, veterinary hospitals will be soon offering drive-thru convenience!

Yeah, I'm kidding. (At least I hope so)

Seriously though, doesn't it often feel like you're in a drive-thru anyway? I understand that time is money, and that running a veterinary practice isn't cheap. But having to visit a vet repeatedly with the same issue just to be able to get  a message across isn't exactly cheap either. And more importantly, your dog remains suffering through that time.

Don't get me wrong, I love veterinarians. But it seems that they often let the business aspect get the better of them. Maybe it is because most visits indeed are routine, and there is no point to spending unnecessary time with them. Maybe it is because they don't want to get too involved with their patients to emotionally protect themselves. Whatever the reason, it can do harm if your visit isn't all that routine and your case not all that simple.

I find that often small practices are more likely to find the time for you than larger hospitals. Taking the time to listen can be more crucial to a correct diagnosis than state-of-the-art equipment. One of the reasons we really appreciate the vet we see now  is that he will take the time and he will put in the effort it takes. Do your dog a favor and find yourself one like that.

Let's show appreciation to all the vets who didn't forget to care. And to the rest of them – please try to remember why you got into this business in the first place.

Jana

Related articles:
Where There Is Smoke, There Is Fire!
Does Your Vet Listen To You?
It's Your Dog's Health!

Help! My Dog Is Purple!
A Praise To Our Dog House DVM
A Word On Pain

Veterinary Knowledge Quiz

Test your veterinary knowledge
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz98581241f8.html

Talk to Me About Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in dogs. One in five dogs will develop arthritis at some point in their lives.

What is arthritis?

As the word suggests, arthritis is joint inflammation. This results in stiffness, pain, and degenerative changes in the joint. In older dogs arthritis can develop as part of the aging process, but even young dogs can develop arthritis as a result of an inherited condition such as hip dysplasia, joint injury, immune or metabolic disorders, or infection. Larger breeds, and dogs that are overweight, are a particularly high risk group.

Arthritis is a progressive degenerative disease and it's a problem that won't go away by being ignored. It is a bad news in the canine quality of life department. While causes can be many, outcome is one and the same.

How can I tell if my dog has arthritis?

Some conditions and injuries, such as hip dysplasia, patella luxation or ACL injuries all come with arthritis hot on their heels. When dealing with these conditions you should also take steps towards dealing with the resulting arthritis.

Any degree of lameness or stiffness, reluctance or difficulty to get up, run or climb the stairs, decreased alertness and interest in daily activities, behavioral changes - these all can be signs of arthritis. Often these signs are thought of as normal aging. But do dogs really 'mature' with age, or do they slow down because of  pain? That's the question to keep in mind. Recently, in the dog park, I have seen a 13 years old collie who could outrun and out-jump any of the young pups there. I would have sworn he couldn't have been more that three years old. He certainly didn't know the rules of aging. So I believe that as a rule of thumb, if you're dog is slowing down look for pain.

How is arthritis diagnosed?

When you suspect arthritis, have your vet examine your dog. A combination of a physical exam and x-rays will provide the best diagnosis.

My dog has arthritis, what do I do?

When deciding what steps to take, I always consider severity of the situation. There isn't not much point to try shooting a fly with a cannon. On the other hand going after a bear with a slinghot will only get you in more trouble than you were already in.

If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, there are number of treatment options. As always, I encourage you to learn about all of them before making a decision. Here are some of the options, many of them can be used in combination.

• NSAIDs
  Most commonly, your vet might recommend NSAIDs to treat your dog's arthritis. The good thing about NSAIDs is that they deal with the inflammation and resulting pain reliably and fast. However, I believe that the most obvious solution doesn't always have to be the best one. NSAIDs are effective in controlling the symptoms, but don't address the underlying problem and can have severe side effects. I am listing them first because they are most common, but for me NSAIDs are the last resort.
  

• Stem cell regenerative therapy
  In my books, the best currently available treatment for arthritis is the stem cell regenerative therapy. Regenerative therapy for degenerative disease. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it? Stem cell therapy is addressing the root of the problem. It is not the cheapest option, and it does involve a minor surgery, but it seems to bring wonderful results. I'd say that for many dogs it can be the most effective treatment out there. Our Jasmine is a proof of that.

• Acupuncture
  Acupuncture is an affordable, minimally invasive treatment. Often people turn to acupuncture when they find out that their dog cannot tolerate NSAIDs. Why not consider it first? I know people who used it to treat their dog's arthritis with great results.
  
  Note: those needles are very small and don't go deep. Many dogs actually seem to look forward to their acupuncture sessions, but if this is not the case acupressure may be the way to go.

• Glucosamine and Chondroitin
  Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements are becoming more and more popular for treating arthritis in both people and dogs. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are natural substances normally found in joints. Glucosamine is believed to protect cartilage and stimulate cartilage renegeration. Chondroitin sulfate is believed to help maintain viscosity in joints, protect and stimulate cartilage repair. They seem to work well for some dogs, while to others they seem to be of little benefit. Like with most supplements, it may depend on product quality and ingredient combination. However, they are safe with minimal adverse effects.
  

• Adequan/Catrophene injections
  Adequan (in the US) or catrophen (in Canada) is a product that works in much the same way as glucosamine but comes in the form of an injection. It can selectively target the affected joint(s) and for some dogs, these injections seem to be more effective than oral joint supplements.

• MSM
  MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a natural source of sulfur. Sulfur is believed to be an anti-inflammatory agent, antioxidant and a building block for joint and connective tissue repair.
  

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
  Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties and are believed to aid in reducing the activity of enzymes that destroy cartilage.

• Antioxidants
  Some studies have shown that antioxidants can be helpful in treatment of arthritis.

• Herbal formulas
  You might want to find a holistic or Traditional Chinese Medicine vet to talk to them about herbal arthritis treatments.
  

• Weight management
  Keep the weight down and reduce the stress on the joints. This helps when dealing with arthritis and can help to prevent it or at least slow its progression.
  

• Exercise
  You might think that the best thing a dog with arthritis can do is rest. Well, not exactly. Regular low impact exercise, like leash walks or swimming, will help to keep the weight down, muscles strong, and joints lubricated.

• Laser therapy
  
  
  In my mind, cold laser is acupuncture without the needles. Both acupuncture and cold laser work best when combined with chiropractic and physical therapy.

• Physiotherapy
  Physiotherapy helps to maintain mobility, strength and flexibility. 

• Massage therapy
  Massage can help relieve pain and improve mobility.
  
  
• Diet
  A Good quality diet can help prevent health problems and promote healing.
  

As you can see, treatment options for degenerative joint disease are plentiful. Learn about your choices and discuss them with your regular, homeopathic or TCVM vet. Know all your options before you make a decision.

Jana

A Word on Pain
Friends or Foes: NSAIDs
Stem Cells for Dogs? Oh Yeah, Baby
A Word on Diet 
Acupuncture Is Not Voodoo

Product Review: Smells & Stains

Dealing with messes is part of owning a dog. If you have a young puppy, you might have lot of messes to clean up. With an adult dog, you will still get the occasional mess to deal with when they get sick.

Since we started sharing our home with dogs, I have tried many different products. Some of them worked fairly well, but were loaded with chemicals. Some of them just simply didn't work at all.

I ended up using simple vinegar, which was safe and quite effective, but I hated the smell.

Then my natural pet store recommended Natural Chemistry's Smells & Stains and I decided to try it.

Smell & Stains is an all natural enzyme based biodegradable product. It is perfectly safe, hypo-allergenic and it doesn't require any rinsing. And the best thing of all, it works! I am really impressed with the results. Pet stains and odors are a thing of the past in our house.

Effective and safe. What else could one ask for?

Jana

Natural Chemistry Pet Products

The Most Powerful Dog Training Tool: The Easiest Thing I Ever Taught My dog

Earlier we discussed how dogs learn. Dogs learn from a feedback to their actions. The feedback can come from us, other people, other animals or the environment. Based on this feedback, dogs form associations, which then control their future behavior under that circumstance.

There are three conditions feedback must meet in order for a dog to include it in his learning process.:

• it needs to be immediate, for the dog to be able to form the correct association
• it needs to be consistent
  
• and it needs to be meaningful

This is what all the training methods, tricks and tools boil down to. This is also why it really makes no sense to scold your dog for something he's done an hour ago.

When I got Jasmine, she was my first puppy, and I have to say I had a very little idea what I was supposed to be doing. I started reading dog training books and trying out the things I learned. Some of them seemed to have worked better than others, particularly because Jasmine is a very smart dog.

The timing and consistency weren't that hard to figure out. Why were my attempts sometimes successful and sometimes not? Why, for example, she would always rush through the door first, regardless?

And then I saw the light. I have power over the door! I decide whether it opens or closes!

That day I taught Jasmine to wait nicely and let me out of the door first within half an hour. And that was all it took! We got ready to go for a walk. I started opening the door, and Jasmine was getting ready to make a break for it as usual. So I closed the door again. She sat with a puzzled look on her face. I waited for a bit, and reached for the handle. Again, she was about to dart out. And again the door didn't open.

It did take us half an hour to actually make it out of the house, but I led the way. Jasmine learned that letting me to go first was the only way for her to get through that door.

And I learned about the power of meaningful consequence.

While it really is that simple, it doesn't mean that it is easy. Because it is not always as easy to control the situation as in this case.

If you ever tried teaching your dog not to jump on people to greet them, you know what I mean. It's nearly impossible to get people to cooperate. Even though all they'd need to do is to ignore the dog when he's jumping on them and reward him by attention when he sits nicely, I find that they always seem to do the opposite. And your dog is learning that jumping on people is the thing to do.

However, if you can come up with a meaningful consequence for your dog's actions, you can achieve anything.

Happy training!
Jana

If you have a success story, please share it with us!

Food For Thought: What's Good For Me Is Good For My Dog?

Even though in general sense this might be true, dogs have different nutrient requirements than people, and some of the foods we enjoy are poisonous to dogs.

I always thought that most people knew this, but I keep being proven wrong. It is important information to be aware of, so here it is again.

While it seems that opinions on toxicity of some foods vary, here is a list of foods that you definitely should keep your dog away from:

• onions
• chocolate
• caffeine
• grapes and raisins
• macadamia nuts
• wallnuts
• artificial sweeteners
• fruit pits and seeds
• alcohol
• avocado
• tomato plants
• nutmeg
• yeast dough
  

Jana


Calculator provided by Ask A Vet Question.

Reader Question: Extracapsular Repair Healing Time

The convalescence time after an extracapsular repair is six months. When researching the TPLO surgery option, we were also told the recovery time was going to be six months. During that time it is important to follow a strict post-operative care.

We combined the extracapsular repair with a stem cell therapy treatment. Three months after the surgery, when Jasmine's other knee failed, the operated leg was in a great shape and strong enough to support her through that. However, we believe it is better to err on the side of caution and follow through the full post-op plan. That's what we did after the second surgery.

Jana

ACL Injuries in Dogs and Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy

Jasmine, our female Rottweiler, was five and a half years old when, after persistent lameness, she was diagnosed with bilateral ACL injuries. It was found that she had a partial ACL tear in her left knee and a partial tear or a stretched ligament in her right knee.

The suggested solution, a TPLO to repair her lame leg, with a prognosis for a second surgery on the right knee in six months time, was quite a blow. This would add up to two invasive surgeries and a total of one year of recovery.

On a quest to find an alternative, we looked into all other options. (See Talk To Me About ACL Injuries). During our research we came across information about stem cell regenerative therapy for dogs.

We found that stem cell regenerative therapy has been used to treat tendon, ligament, and joint injuries in horses, and that it is available for dogs also. We decided to pursue this.

Unfortunately, a couple days before our stem cell treatment consultation, Jasmine's ACL tore completely, and a non-surgical solution was no longer an option.

Our final decision was an extracapsular repair for the torn ACL, combined with the stem cell therapy to assist the post-op recovery, and to see if it can save the right knee.

The healing effect on the operated leg turned out remarkable. The right leg was also looking good, and three months after surgery Jasmine had a bounce back in her step.

And then the ligament in the right knee went. It was a big disappointment. Back to surgery and back to rehab.

Fortunately though, her left leg was already stable enough to provide full support. That's why we decided to combine the second surgery with the stem cell treatment again. Another three months later, Jasmine was bouncing along and enjoying her life yet again.

The stem cell regenerative therapy is showing great results in treatment of arthritis, and many other conditions. However, it was not able to save Jasmine's ligament.

I believe this happened for several reasons.

• Stem cell treatment is a regenerative therapy that works with and enhances the body's own healing process. Different tissues have different ability to heal and regenerate. Bones and muscles, for example, have very good capacity for healing. Ligaments on the other hand heal poorly. They are subjected to a great deal of stress, and their blood supply is relatively low.

• I believe that Jasmine's ACL might have been partially torn or stretched in the past, but went undiagnosed by the vets at the time and didn't heal properly which left the ligaments weakened already.

• I think that the ligament in the right knee was likely stretched, and proper healing of a stretched ligament seems to be less likely than in a ligament partially torn.

• Jasmine's body was dealing with a number of additional health challenges.

Summary

We are very excited about the stem cell regenerative therapy. It provided Jasmine with great assistance with her post-op recovery and with her arthritis. Even though it didn't save her right ACL, if we could go back in time we wouldn't have done anything differently.

The results of using stem cell therapy for ACL injuries seem to be mixed and depend on the individual dog, the type and degree of the ACL injury and the underlying cause.

Stem cell regenerative therapy can work for partial ACL tears, but the results depend on number of variables. There are reported cases where stem cell therapy worked.

When the veterinarian does a full evaluation of the cruciate ligament by MRI or arthroscopy, they can tell how bad is the tear.  Some veterinarians then decide to use stem cells in smaller injuries instead of surgery and others will add it to the surgery to help in the healing. Consult with a veterinarian you trust. Ask for him to discuss your individual case directly with VetStem.

Note: VetStem technology is using adult stem cells extracted from the patient's own fat tissue. No embryonic stem cells are used in this procedure.

Jana

Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Stem Cells for Dogs? Oh yeah, baby.

Test Your Dog Care Knowledge

Test your veterinary medical knowledge against a vet nurse. Pay close attention as this information can help you become a better pet owner!
Veterinary Knowledge--Dog Quiz

Extracapsular Repair Failure

While checking my blog traffic sources, I found that I had a visitor searching for information on extracapsular repair gone wrong in a dog. My heart goes out to both the owner and the dog.

We too had a scare recently, when Jasmine, after she recovered from bilateral ACL repair, suddenly started limping on her left leg again. Fortunately it turned out to be a muscle injury, unrelated to the knee. That was a great relief.

If lameness occurs after the recovery period, I believe the first thing to do is to confirm whether the repair truly failed, or whether you're dealing with a different injury, such as muscle, tendon or meniscal injury.

When can extracapsular repair fail?

Fortunately, the chance of the joint failing after full recovery is rather low.

However, any of the ACL surgeries whether it's the TPLO, TTA or extracapsular repair can fail during the recovery time quite easily. That is why a strict post-operative care is important. If the joint is subjected to too much stress too early, things fall apart. One unfortunate jump of the couch can be all that is needed.

One of the reasons we opted for the extracapsular repair was, that the worst case scenario seemed to be starting from square one, should something go wrong. It is the least invasive option from the three.

It is believed, that the odds of failure are high in large breed dogs, simply because the stress on the repaired joint is too great. Jasmine is a proof to the contrary. Our surgeon uses an extra suture to stabilize the joint for larger dogs, and has very good results with that. Once recovered, the joint is kept stable by scar tissue and the suture is no longer needed.

What if it does fail?

Unless the reason for the failure was an accident that is not likely to happen again, you might want to consider one of the other surgeries, TPLO or TTA. The recovery time after TPLO and TTA is a bit shorter and not as strict. Keep in mind that every surgery requires a diligent rehabilitation though and things can go wrong with either of the ACL repairs.

Jana

Friends or Foes: NSAIDs

Today, NSAIDs seem to be the pain management drugs of choice for everything from injuries, post surgery pain management, to arthritis. Some veterinarians prescribe them left and right, and some are quite selective in their use.

Ultimately though,  it is your dog, and I believe that it is your responsibility to learn about the proposed treatment, potential side effects, and alternative options.

So are NSAIDs friends, or foes?

I believe, they can be friends. But they are the type of friends, who might get out of hand and really trash your party. It is important to know them really well before making a decision about what party you might invite them to.

What are NSAIDs?

NSAIDs is short for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They work to reduce inflammation, and the resulting pain. Thus anti-inflammatory. Great!

What does nonsteroidal mean?

Steroids, namely corticosteroids, are type of hormones that suppress immune response. They can be used to treat allergies, autoimmune disorders, and they are also very potent anti-inflammatory agents. So that is a good thing, right?

The problem with steroids is that they work by basically turning the immune system off. But the immune system is there for a reason. If your dog is on a steroid treatment, besides other potential side effects, his body is wide open to infections. And that is not so good.

So what do we do? Right, we come up with nonsteroidal drugs. And here we are, having anti-inflammatory drugs without all those dangerous side effects of steroids. Excellent!

Instead of turning off the entire immune system, NSAIDs only inhibit certain enzymes that are involved in the inflammatory process. Great, now we have it all figured out! But guess what? Those enzymes are there for a reason also.

So here we have all different drugs, with a potential for all different dangerous side effects, such as ulceration, bleeding, liver and kidney damage, and in extreme cases, death.

So should I give NSAIDs to my dog or not?

There are many dogs who greatly benefit from the NSAIDs treatment. But like with any drugs, there is a potential danger involved.

As a rule of thumb, I always recommend going with the lesser of the evils. Look at both the problem you're treating, and the treatment. It doesn't make sense to leave your dog suffering, but it also doesn't make sense to use a treatment that can potentially do more harm than the condition treated.

Learn about all options. Then make a decision. The less obvious solutions can be better than the obvious ones.

The usual scenario seems to be: my dog cannot tolerate NSAIDs, so I have to try something else. My suggestion is to reverse this process. How about considering something safer first?

Depending on the condition, there can be alternatives. I will talk about them in my upcoming articles.

I am not an anti-drug activist. Sometimes drugs are the best solution for your dog. I am however promoting education and caution. Our Jasmine almost died twice in the past year, and both times drugs were involved.

So before you take the easy road, think about your best friend. Are drugs the best solution for your dog? Or could he benefit from a safer alternative?

Jana

Doc on Call

Do you have an urgent veterinary question? Do you want a second opinion?

Ask a vet online.

JustAnswer has a number of veterinarians available at all times. I have talked to many of them. They are great people who know their stuff and always like to help.

Jana

Ask Veterinarians Now.

A Word on Pain

Is your dog suffering from pain? Would you know if he was?

It seems that there is a wide misconception of how much pain our dogs might have to be in for us to actually notice.

This is really important to realize. Dogs don't go around groaning, whining and complaining. Their instinct is to hide their pain. In a pack,  a dog showing weakness will  not only have to endure his pain, but also face challenges for his social rank. Clearly there is no advantage to that.

Yes, sometimes pain is clearly communicated by yelps, whimpers, and in case of excruciating pain even screaming. This is true for acute type of pain, as an immediate reaction to injury.

• you've heard your dog yelp when you stepped on his toe. This means: “Ouch! Hey, you stepped on my toe, and it hurt!” It is also a message to you, to be more careful next time.
  
  
• a whimper is both an expression of pain and fear. I read this as: “This hurts, I'm afraid, please stop, I give up!”
  
  
• a series of yelps, clearly a more intensive message than a single yelp, expresses a high degree of pain or fear. It also communicates surrender.
  
  
• screaming, as you might guess, is an expression of extreme pain or fear and I hope that you'll never get to hear that.

Ok, so detecting acute pain seems rather straightforward. How about chronic pain though? You might be shocked how much pain your dog could be going through without showing it. That's why it is up to you to look for clues.

Some signs are easy enough to figure out. If your dog's leg is hurting - you might notice lameness. Often though, you need to look for more subtle messages:

• changes in posture or gait
• reluctance to get up, use the stairs or jump in the car
• panting and pacing
  
• asymmetry in the body (Do shoulders appear broader than normally? Is one leg more muscular than the other?)
• any changes in behavior or routine

Pay attention to small changes in your dog's behavior or actions and  don't shrug it off. It is my sad experience, that is something doesn't seem right, it most likely isn't, and it needs to be figured out.

Unless we understand that, we might inadvertently leave our best friends suffering.

Jana

Further reading: Pain and Pets

Product Review: Canine Cooler

Most dogs get hot easily, and not only on a hot day. You might find them  moving from a soft comfortable bed to a bare floor to cool themselves. But the floor is hard and uncomfortable, and it does warm up eventually. So they move back on the bed, or go searching for another cool spot.
There is always the decision to be made. Comfortable, or cool?

With Canine Cooler Thermoregulating Pet Bed your dog can have both. Since we got it, we hardly find Jasmine laying anywhere else. I tried it myself. It is really comfortable. And it does cool.
The interior is made of foam core, so it doesn't feel like a water bed, though you do need to fill it with quite a bit of water.

Hasn't leaked yet, and we had it for over a year now.

Apart from keeping your dog cool and comfortable, it also provides great orthopedic support.
The fluid-cool, memory foam conforms to your dog's pressure points and provides extra support to help with pain, swelling, discomfort and stress.

Canine Cooler can provide help and support for dogs suffering from the following conditions:

• Hip Dysplasia
• Cushing’s Disease
• Hygromas
• Allergies
• Calluses
• Post Surgery
• Senior Canines
• Post Chemotherapy
• Skin Conditions
• Elbow Dysplasia

Cool comfort - it doesn't get any better than that. Canine cooler receives thumbs up from our dogs.
Jana

Know Your Dog's Enemies Part II: Overweight

It is interesting to note that the older generations, such as my grandmother's, believed that being thin was a sign of poor health, and being nicely fattened up was a sign of well-being.

I can understand that. They lived through times when food was hard to come by, and many people indeed did suffer from poor nutrition.

I am not saying that malnutrition isn't a health risk. But, seriously, how many undernourished dogs have you seen lately? And how many dogs do you see that are overweight?

Here is the kicker. Do you know that your dog could be overweight and yet malnourished? But that is material for an article unto itself.

OK, so is being overweight a sign of well-being or not? Well, as the word itself suggests, it is not. It is just a sign of your dog getting more calories than he can use for energy.

Why is being overweight a problem for your dog?

Being overweight is not an immediate threat, you won't rush your dog to the emergency with that. That is also the reason why many owners don't take it seriously.

This not the type of enemy that will come charging and roaring. This is the kind that will creep up slowly and quietly, while plotting the attack.

Being overweight puts your dog in a greater risk of number of serious health problems:

• heart problems, circulation and breathing problems
• heat stroke
• arthritis
• cruciate ligament injuries
• hip dysplasia
• diabetes
• liver disease
• pancreatitis
• cancer (yeah, seriously)
  

How can I tell if my dog is overweight?

I think the term is bit misleading. It is not really about how many pounds your dog weighs, but about how much of that is fat. A healthy dog in a good condition can actually weigh more than an overweight dog, simply because muscles are heavier than fat.

There is a simple way how you can examine your dog to tell whether he's at optimal weight:

• you should be able to feel your dog's ribs under his skin
• his belly should be tucked in towards his back legs
• looking from above, your dog should have an indentation just behind the ribs, towards the hips

How did you do?


My dog is overweight, what do I do?

The remedy is in the why. Why did your dog become overweight? Well, let's face it, the problem is most likely you. Overfeeding, low quality food, and not enough exercise are the most common causes of obesity in dogs.

In my opinion, the best way to get your dog to lose weight is by exercise. While putting your dog on a diet might work, I believe that the weight lost by dieting is much easier to gain back. Of course quality food in a reasonable amount is a must. Low quality foods have very little nutrients and  they are high in calories.

Exercise will burn the fat, and it will build muscle. I believe that is the healthiest and most efficient way to weight loss.

Note: In some cases, your dog might be overweight as a result of a health condition, such as hypothyroid. If you feel that your dog is getting plenty of exercise, not overeating, and still gaining weight, you might want to have that checked.

Jana

Does Your Vet Listen To You?

One of the things that make our new vet so amazing, and why we travel a long way to see him, is that he listens to what we're telling him. Is that a big deal? You bet it is.

By listening I don't mean letting you talk, I mean actually listening to what you are saying and taking it into account. Your vet knows the medicine (at least you'd hope so) but you're the one who knows your dog. You know things you vet cannot, unless he finds out from you.

Listening is a lost art, and veterinarians don't seem to be any exception. My observation is that they often quickly jump to the most obvious conclusion, make up their mind, and shut down to anything you might have to say.

Sometimes it's about time. They want you in and out as fast as possible. Sometimes it's simply because they believe that owners don't know anything.

So why does it matter? How can they reach the right conclusion without all the information? They cannot. In routine situations they can get away with it with no harm done. But what if things are not so simple? You end up with misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis - and neither is going to help your dog.

It seems quite likely that Jasmine's recent ACL injury wasn't her first. But when we took her to her vet at the time, we were sent home with “it looks like some soft tissue injury...”.

When we took her to the vet because I was convinced that something wasn't right with her mouth, we were told that nothing was wrong. Guess what? It was – as we found out much later.

When we kept taking her to the vet because she was having episodes of distress of some kind, and a battery of tests didn't lead to any diagnosis, I felt that one of the important signs might have been that she was trying to bury her pee. I said that to the vet. He replied that it is normal. I was trying to explain that she is not scoring the ground (which is normal) but that she's trying to cover it up by pushing dirt over it with her nose. But the vet already wasn't listening.

Next time we came in with the same issue, which kept getting worse, and still with no diagnosis, I mentioned it again. Guess what? He replied that it is normal. So I tried to explain the difference again, but I never got through to him.

When Jasmine was in an ICU as a result of severe hyperthermia (reaction to medication), she was in such a bad shape, she couldn't walk. Her mobility didn't seem to be improving, which worried me a lot. They were subscribing it mostly to her recent bi-lateral ACL surgeries. We were trying to explain, that before this trauma, she had full use of her legs, and was walking, running and jumping with no problems. But they already seemed to have made up their minds that the knees were the main reason and, again, turned off to what we were saying.

And I could go on ...

Today, while still work in progress, Jasmine is doing great. But could the path to it have been much shorter were the vets listening to us?

How can one fix something without taking the time to find out what is really going on? Listening to what you have to say is an important part of it.

Does your vet listen to you?

Jana

Related articles:

Where There Is Smoke, There Is Fire!

It's Your Dog's Health!
Help! My Dog Is Purple!
Veterinary Drive-Thru: Coming Soon To A Veterinary Hospital Near You!
A Praise To Our Dog House DVM
A Word On Pain

Book Review: How To Speak Dog

How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication
by Stanley Coren

Miscommunication is at the root of many failed relationships. It can lead to many heartbreaks and disappointments.

We all love our dogs. But do we really understand them?

Can we really have a fulfilling relationship with them if we don't?

I believe that How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication is one of the must read books for anybody who is serious about understanding their best friend.

Stanley Coren truly loves dogs. In How To Speak Dog he sheds light on all aspects of the dog language. Explained in detail, head-to-toe, you will learn the full range of the dog vocabulary.

This was one of the first books on dog language I read, and it gave me a great foundation to build on.

Happy communicating!
Jana

How Well Do You Know Dog Language?

Take a short quiz to test your knowledge of Dogish.
http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz179562115e8.html

Unsung Heroes: Probiotics

I think that we all have some idea of what probiotics are. Well, at least we've seen enough yogurt commercials.

But it seems to me that their benefit to our dogs is often overlooked.

Give Me Some 'Bugs'

Just as is true with us, a healthy dog's intestine is home to a large number of useful microorganisms, most of which are bacteria. When the helpful bacteria are lost, bad things start happening.

How do they get lost?

There are a number of reasons, but the most common one is antibiotic use. Antibiotics work by destroying the bad bacteria that made your dog sick. But in the process a lot of the helpful gut bacteria are lost also.

For one reason or another, I believe that most of our dogs do not have as many of these good bacteria as they need for their optimal health. That is when supplementation is needed.

So what does these good bacteria do?

The main and most obvious job of these bacteria is to help with proper digestion. That by itself is pretty important. Your dog's body needs nutrients. No matter how well you feed your dog, he cannot make use of the nutrition that you give him without an ample supply of probiotic bacteria.

Another—probably not as well known--benefit is that as long as the good bacteria flourish, they can protect your dog from harmful organisms, such as Candida, E.coli and Salmonella. Here is why - the bad and the good bacteria are in competition. One of them will win and one will lose. And you get to pick whose side you're on.

Probiotics also seem to have a positive influence on the body’s immune response. They help strengthen the immune system and may help with treatment of allergies and other immune conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Probiotics also seem to have antioxidant properties.

So, to me, they seem like friends worth having.

How do I know when to supplement?

I think that most dogs, and people, could use probiotics supplementation.

If your dog has had an antibiotic treatment, it is a good idea to consider supplementing. If your dog has digestive issues, such as diarrhea, probiotics might help. If your dog has problem with allergies, or other immune system issues, I would discuss possible benefits of probiotics with a vet.

In any case, probiotics can do no harm.

'Feed My Bugs': Prebiotics

Supplementation will help to re-introduce the friendly bacteria back into your dog's system. This is where prebiotics come in. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients, such as some types of dietary fiber, that help good bacteria multiply and prosper. A good example is beet pulp. Think of prebiotics as nourishment for your dog's friendly bacteria. Prebiotics are your dog's friends' friends.

Whether your dog has a healthy population of good bacteria on his own, or if you supplement with probiotics, you might want to make sure that his diet provides the prebiotics needed to support his friendly bacteria.

Summary:

Not all bugs are your dog's enemies. Some are very important friends. Know your dog's friends.

Jana