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ANIMAL WELLNESS

For a long, healthy life!

WELLNESS + 15 FOODS

NUTRITION ISSUE

CHOOSING THE

BEST PET FOOD

THAT FIGHT

CANCER

FOR YOUR DOG

LEASHWALKING

The key is quality!

LISTEN UP!

BASICS

NATURAL EAR CARE FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND

How to transform your pooch into a polite walking partner

ITCHY SKIN?

Moose Juniper

NUTRITIONAL STEPS TO ALLEVIATING HIS ALLERGIES

GOING NUTS OVER

COCONUT Health benefits you can share with your dog

THIS FAMOUS MALAMUTE MIX AND HIS FOXY “GIRLFRIEND” ARE CHARMING FANS WORLDWIDE.

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 Display until November 15, 2017

$6.95 USA/Canada

VOLUME 19 ISSUE 5

AnimalWellnessMagazine.com

BONUS INSIDE!

Contents ts October/November 2017

Features

18 A NUTRITIONAL APPROACH TO YOUR PET’S SKIN PROBLEMS

Following these 7 nutritional guidelines can significantly reduce your dog or cat’s itchiness.

22 LEASH-WALKING

BASICS FOR YOUR DOG

Is your dog an unruly leash-walker? Does he pull you off your feet every time something distracts him? These tips will help transform him into a polite walking partner.

24 TAKING CARE OF YOUR

PET’S EARS

Given how common ear problems are in dogs and cats, it pays to give regular attention to the state of your own pet’s ears, and to know how to keep them clean and healthy.

28 CHRONIC

INFLAMMATION AND YOUR PET  PART 2

In the second part of this article, we’ll look at the connection between chronic inﬂammation and cancer, and how dietary changes can help.

34 CANCER-FIGHTING

FOODS TO SHARE WITH YOUR DOG

From colorful fruits and vegetables to mushrooms and seaweed, these nutrient-packed foods can help reduce your dog’s risk of cancer.

40 PROBIOTICS FOR PETS

 A PRIMER

They’re not just for GI issues. Probiotics can help with a range of health problems and can also help maintain overall wellness in healthy dogs and cats.

46 MOOSE AND JUNIPER

Moose is a handsome Malamute mix who shares a loving home with some unconventional roommates – including his “girlfriend”, a domestic fox named Juniper.

Animal Wellness

46 50 DRY EYE IN DOGS

Also called keratoconjunctivitis sicca, dry eye is common in some dogs. Because it has many underlying causes, a proper diagnosis is essential before it can be effectively treated.

52 LEGALIZING CANNABIS FOR PETS

Making sense of the changing laws and regulations surrounding the use of medical marijuana in dogs and cats.

58 ADD THIS SIMPLE FRUIT/VEGGIE MIX TO YOUR DOG’S DIET

Whether you home-prepare your dog’s food, or give him a premium packaged diet, this easy-tomake veggie and fruit mix will add some extra nutrition to his meals.

66 CHOOSING QUALITY

PET FOOD FOR YOUR DOG OR CAT

Making optimal dietary choices for your pet is crucial to his health, happiness and longevity. The key is to look for the best quality you can afford.

74 BOTANICAL

TREATMENTS FOR MIDDLE EAR INFECTIONS IN PETS

Herbs and other botanicals are effective weapons against the bacteria and fungi associated with otitis media in dogs and cats.

78 WHAT YOUR DOG’S POOP CAN TELL YOU ABOUT HIS HEALTH

Looking too closely at your dog’s feces might be yucky, but reporting any changes to your veterinarian is an important part of keeping tabs on his overall well-being.

82 COCONUT AND YOUR PET

From oils and treats to shampoos and balms, the humble coconut is making its way into a lot of pet products. How does this popular tropical food benefit your dog or cat’s health?

90 WHY CATS CAN’T BE

VEGETARIAN

Your cat needs a meat-based diet in order to stay healthy.

94 DOES YOUR CAT HAVE WHISKER STRESS?

Food and water bowls that are too small can result in a feline behavioral issue called whisker stress.

97 WHAT'S NEW IN CAT BEDS?

Today’s cat beds are available in a huge variety of styles and designs, so you can select the features that best suit your kitty’s needs!

82 22

Columns

12 Yakkity yak 60 Rewind 63 Business proﬁle –

Redbarn Pet Products

70 Passages 72 To the rescue 81 Lucky's world 88 Tail end

Departments

96 Business proﬁle –

Product picks

Animal Wellness resource guide

The scoop

Tips, contests and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine

Marketplace

News, events, and tips! @ AW_magazine

Events calendar

Tips, pet photos, and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine

Classiﬁeds

85 Book reviews

Forever Litter Trays

Social media Crafts, laughs, and more! AnimalWellness

Editorial

October/November 2017

D gs Cats By Patrick Mahaney, VMD, CVA

Taking care of your

PET’S EARS Given how common ear problems are in dogs and cats, it pays to give regular attention to the state of your own pet’s ears, and to know how to keep them clean and healthy. Ear problems are among the most common reasons cats and dogs are taken to the veterinarian for evaluation and treatment. Yet many of these problems could be prevented or minimized with an awareness of how and why they manifest, along with some practiced cleaning effort. With the right knowledge and techniques, you can keep your dog or cat’s ears healthy for life.

WHAT TYPES OF EAR PROBLEMS AFFECT PETS? All species’ ears are basically an extension of the skin into the skull. As a result, many skin problems also impact the ears. Seasonal and non-seasonal environmental and food allergies, infections, cancer, exposure to hot or freezing temperatures or solar radiation, toxic reactions, trauma, and other factors can all damage your dog or cat’s ears. Infections with bacteria, mites and yeast are some of the most common contributing factors to pet ear problems. These organisms may already live on the surface of the skin, or they can enter from an outside source (plant awn, soil, another animal’s mouth, etc.) and flourish in the dark moist environment inside the ear. Internal organ abnormalities often cause changes to the skin and coat. This means the ears can be negatively impacted by glandular conditions like diabetes mellitus (deficient pancreatic

Animal Wellness

insulin production), hyperthyroidism (over-functioning thyroid glands), hypothyroidism (under-functioning thyroid glands), hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease, or over-functioning adrenal glands), kidney and liver disease, among others.

HOW ARE CANINE AND FELINE EAR CONDITIONS DIAGNOSED? Most ear problems in dogs and cats primarily affect the outer ear (otitis externa), are relatively easy to diagnose and treat, and cause mild to moderate clinical signs. Middle and inner ear ailments (otitis media and otitis interna, respectively) are more likely to cause moderate to severe clinical signs and are a greater challenge to diagnose and treat. Besides visually assessing the outer ear and smelling for an unpleasant odor, your veterinarian should use an otoscope to permit examination of the vertical and horizontal canals (see sidebar on page 26) and the tympanic membrane. He or she should also perform a full-body physical exam. If any abnormalities like ear discharge are found, a sample can be collected for cytology (microscopic evaluation) and culture/sensitivity. Pending the pet’s overall health status, other diagnostics like blood and urine testing, x-rays, or other evaluation may be needed. Since disorders of the ear often cause

discomfort, a pet may need to be sedated or anesthetized to better assess and treat particular conditions.

WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE? Conventional treatment for otitis externa includes flushing with an ear-cleaning solution and applying topical antibiotic, anti-fungal or anti-inflammatory medications. More severe ear disorders, like otitis interna and media, may require oral or injectable medications or surgical treatment. Holistic treatment focuses on treating the ear from the inside out. It includes dietary supplements that reduce tissue damage and offer an anti-inflammatory effect, such as fish oil-based Omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants (e.g. vitamins C and E) herbs (e.g. turmeric, ginger) and probiotics, all of which improve whole body health and therefore skin health. (Editor’s note: for more info on how herbs and other botanicals can be used to treat otitis media, turn to page 74.) Additionally, many patients suffering from ear and skin disorders potentially related to food or environmental allergies improve when transitioned from highly-processed commercial pet food to high quality whole food diets with simple natural ingredients. Food allergies to certain proteins and carbohydrates can contribute to skin inflammation that also manifests in the

CLINICAL SIGNS OF EAR PROBLEMS IN A DOG OR CAT • Scratching around the ears, face, or neck • Head shaking or tilt • Ear flap or canal redness, swelling, discharge or odor • Mass-like skin lesions (cancerous or non-cancerous masses) • Not wanting the head or ears touched • Lethargy • Decreased appetite • Vocalizing • Ataxia (loss of balance)

ears, so food elimination diets, in which a single protein and carbohydrate source not previously consumed replaces options previously eaten, can be of benefit. Food elimination trials take six to eight weeks to yield results, and any cheating by feeding protein or carbohydrate sources not matching the options chosen for the trial can negate the benefits of this approach. Continued on page 26.

October/November 2017