ANIMAL WELLNESS
For a long, healthy life!
ALLERGIES
VITAMIN D
and skin health
– is she getting enough?
Soothing
HERBAL REMEDIES for her skin
BUILDING A beaut iful COAT
Training
TIPS
for safe
off-leash runs
– from the inside out
SUPER SEED
RECIPES
you can share with Fido
INDOOR
allergens
Crusoe THE celebrity DACHSHUND
This whimsical wiener dog has taken the world by storm with his wardrobe of quirky costumes
Find out what’s making him itch
feline WELLNESS Hip, cool and healthy!
Does she have
APRIL/MAY 2015 Display until May 11, 2015
DIABETES? Find out how diet and acupressure can help her cope with her condition
Cat
$6.95 USA/Canada
grass
A variety of fresh greens can give him a super health boost
The
latest in
LITTER BOXES There’s something for even the most finicky kitty!
VOLUME 17 ISSUE 2
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
MEET
Monty
A birth defect left him with a remarkable face, but this famous feline doesn’t let appearances get in his way.
BONUS INSIDE!
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Contents April/May 2015
Features 20 ALLERGENS IN YOUR HOME
Mold, dust mites and household cleaners are the three biggest indoor triggers of allergic reactions in your companion.
24 VITAMIN D – IS HE GETTING ENOUGH?
It’s known as the “sunshine vitamin”, but your dog or cat can’t get it from spending time outdoors. Find out if supplementation is necessary.
28 SUPPLEMENTS FOR A GORGEOUS COAT
If you want him to have rich, healthy hair, you have to build his beauty from the inside out.
32 EXCESSIVE
PAW LICKING
It’s natural to assume it’s allergies, but this common canine habit can also be caused by referred pain.
34 TRAINING THE OFF-LEASH DOG
Safety and reliable recall are the two most important factors when it comes to keeping him out of trouble.
38 CARING FOR A
PARAPLEGIC CANINE
There are many reasons a dog might suffer limb paralysis – and just as many ways to help him overcome his disability.
45 HERBS FOR HIS HEALTH
The mountains of Montana are the perfect setting for a company specializing in handcrafted herbal remedies for your dog or cat.
48 HERBS FOR ALLERGIES
Is he scratching himself silly? These simple herbal solutions will ease the itching and discomfort.
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52 52 COVER STORY CRUSOE’S COSTUMES
This celebrity dachshund has a taste for adventure, and is most famous for his whimsical wardrobe of imaginative outfits.
60 LOOKING FOR A
LITTER BOX?
From basic trays to high-tech automated models…it’s easier than ever to find something that will suit you and your cat.
76 ROOIBOS TEA
Added to his food, incorporated into recipes or used topically, this healing brew offers a range of benefits.
82 LIVER SHUNTS
This insidious condition is difficult to diagnose, but it can be managed with nutritional therapy and nutraceuticals.
85 TOP 7 SEEDS YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR DOG
62 FELINE COVER STORY
From chia to hemp to sesame – they’re packed with goodness. Give these healthful recipes a try.
Born without a nasal bone, this affectionate and sociable kitty is showing the world that appearances don’t matter.
These energy-based therapies have a place in many holistic and integrative approaches.
MONTY – RARE AS A DIAMOND
90 “NEW AGE” HEALING MODALITIES
64 CAT GRASS
Learn why quality and variety make all the difference when feeding fresh greens to your feline.
65 FELINE DIABETES
Find out how diet and acupressure can help manage this common disease by supporting his digestion.
70 PEST CONTROL –
OUTDOORS AND IN
Keep Fido and Fluffy safe this spring by replacing chemicals with non-toxic alternatives.
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24
28
Columns
14 Yakkity yak 46 Warm & fuzzy 68 To the rescue 88 Passages 93 Book reviews 98 Tail end
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Departments 8
Editorial
51
The scoop
56
Animal Wellness resource guide
74
Social media
78
Product picks
Tips, contests and more! Like us /AnimalWellnessMagazine
92
Events calendar
Updates, news, events! @ AnimalWellnessMagazine
94
Marketplace
Product reviews and tutorials! AnimalWellnessTV
97
ClassiďŹ eds
Social media
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D gs Cats
Allergens in your home By Amberly Scott Hindler
Fleas, pollen, certain foods…these are just some of the potential culprits that spring to mind when we’re dealing with allergies in our dogs or cats. But we often overlook indoor environments when we’re trying to pin down the cause of an animal’s itching or sneezing. Fact is, several things found inside your home can trigger allergic reactions in you or your companion. They include dust mites, dander, mold, and many household cleaners. They typically cause skin problems, but respiratory issues can occur as well. So if your dog or cat has allergies, it’s a good idea to look at what he’s coming into contact with inside your home as well as outside, and to take steps to make your indoor environment safer and more comfortable for him.
OFFENDER #1: DUST MITES AND ANIMAL DANDER If you’ve ever watched a beam of sunlight slanting into your home through the window, you may have been surprised at how much dust and hair is drifting through it. We often believe
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our air is pure because we normally can’t see anything in it, but it isn’t as clean as we think. It’s impossible to completely eliminate dust or dander, but regular and thorough vacuuming and dusting can help minimize their effects. And don’t forget to groom your animal at least weekly, and keep his skin and coat healthy with a quality diet and supplements (turn to page 28 for more information). Dust mites are another source of allergies inside the home. These tiny creatures feed on organic substances such as flakes of shed skin. Their feces are a common cause of asthma and other allergic reactions in people and animals.
Veterinarian Dr. Mark Newkirk says that dust mites and animal dander can trigger sneezing and itchy red eyes in animals, much as they do in people.
OFFENDER #2: HOUSEHOLD MOLD Mold is a particularly unnerving allergen because it can be so insidious. Even if you don’t see an obvious moldy patch on your basement wall or bathroom ceiling, black mold spores could be in the air without your even realizing it. Veterinarian Dr. Cindy Kneebone knows the horrors of household mold all too well. She has seen two cats die from black mold over the years. “One cat died from lung cancer by sitting over a furnace vent every winter,” she says. To avoid such tragedy, Dr. Newkirk suggests “cleaning the vents if you have forced air heat, and frequently changing the air filters in your heating system.” He recommends Hepa filters.
DUST MITES and ANIMAL DANDER can trigger sneezing and itchy red eyes in animals. Mold likes to grow in humid places, which means it can turn up in bathrooms, kitchens and basements, as well as on window sills, shower curtains, tile grout and other surfaces subject to dampness. Patches of black mold should be cleaned up as soon as they start to appear. Wear rubber gloves, and use non-toxic substances such as vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Try to improve dryness and ventilation in areas where mold keeps reappearing. Exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom can help.
OFFENDER #3: HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS Regular cleaning is a big part of maintaining your home, especially if you have animal companions, but take a second look at the products you’re using. “Many commercial cleaning products pollute the air inside your home by off-gassing toxic fumes that can be very hazardous, not to mention irritating, to your pets,” veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker writes in an article entitled “Safe Household Cleaners for Homes with Allergic Pets” (healthypets.mercola.com). “Many cleaners also contain antibacterial substances that are not only unnecessary, but can actually help bacteria become stronger and more resistant to killing agents.” Continued on page 22.
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