 |
Hey, Katie K-9!KatieK9@readthecitizen.comwww.KTK9.com 651-429-5433 |
Hey, Katie K-9!
Hey, Katie K-9!
I have a pug that is 4 years old. Recently, our older cat died and now Pugsley seems very depressed. Can that happen? What should I do for him?
Thanks, Karen
Hey, Karen and Pugsley!
Yes, pets can become depressed from the loss of a twolegged friend or a four-legged friend. Cry together when you need to, but also try to be upbeat if Pugsley seems down. Go for more walks between the raindrops. Play games, teach him some tricks. You both will feel better. We all grieve differently: things will get back to normal soon.
Take care, and I'm sorry for your loss.
Katie K-9
Hey, Katie K-9!
I am an avid listener of your radio show every Sunday. My Boxer "Louey" has terrible allergies and skin problems. There are two books you are always advocating that dog owners read, to start "thinking outside the box" when it comes to vaccinations and allergies. I never have a pen and paper when you give out the names of those books. Can you please give them to me, so I can try to get a handle on my Louey?
Thank you, Dee Dee
Hey, Dee Dee and Louey!
The two must read books for ALL dog owners are: "Shock to the System" by Catherine O Driscoll, and "Pets at Risk" by Plechner and Zucker.
Just because we have done the same thing the last 50+ years does not mean we have been doing it right. When a dog overlicks his paws or legs, is chronically itching, experiencing ongoing ear problems or hot spots: these are all related to allergies. The dog's system is broken from the inside, and is now showing up on the outside. Most vets do not address why this is all going on: they just prescribe medications to mask the problems. As soon as the meds are done, the problems reoccur.
The biggest culprit is what we are feeding our dogs. New research indicates that dogs that are fed the same thing over and over will eventually develop some kind of allergy. What if we ate the same thing over and over?
Have you every wondered why a farm dog can literally eat anything and never get sick? It is called variety! In eating an array of things, some not so pleasant to us, dogs keep those enzymes in their digestive system, and are able to process most anything, good or bad.
If you do not want to start cooking for your dog, then you need to find at least three totally different recipes of dog food and rotate them. No dog food bag should last longer than 30 days. I feed four different ones. One is a chicken and brown rice base, then a beef and barley base, then a duck and potato, and then a venison and sweet potato base.
If you only change the meat and not the base, you are feeding the same thing over and over and problems will start popping up.
The first time you feed something different you need to rotate into it. Start with 50% of the old and 50% of the new. If your dog has a touchy stomach, start out lower. Take about a week to rotate over to the new food. Once your dog has had that food before and did well on it, when that formula comes back around, you do not need to rotate it in, as the dog's system has already adjusted to it.
You can have a happier, healthier dog with fewer vet bills by feeding a variety of good dog foods. Locally, the folks at Chuck and Don's Pet Food outlet (13 locations, one in Forest Lake by White Castle), Centerville Pet Foods and the Hugo Feed Mill can help you. The big box pet stores buy huge amounts of dog food at a time, so it is not as fresh as when you buy from the "little" guys, and many of the best dog foods do not sell to the big chain pet stores.
Things are changing so fast in the pet world, you need to read books, make a plan, work with your vet, if your vet "poo-poo's" your plan, find a new vet. Remember, it is your pet, and your money!
Keep asking questions until you really understand the bigger picture. For more information go to my Web site at www.ktk9.com. Here's to a healthier pupper!
Katie K-9!
Katie K-9 Obedience School is located in Hugo; for class dates and times, check out her Web site, www.ktk9.com. Send in your dog questions to "Hey, Katie K-9!" by mailing them to The Citizen, P. O. Box 393, Hugo, MN 55038 or emailing them to Katie at KatieK- 9@ReadTheCitizen.com. The Katie K-9 radio show is now on every Sunday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. on FM107.1