Choline Supplements For Dogs

September 14, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Choline Supplements May Treat Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Choline Supplements for Dogs — designer491/iStock

Choline is a seldom talked about supplement, but is actually a powerhouse for your dog’s brain. From what I remember during my college nutrition course, choline was recently considered an essential nutrient and it’s commonly called vitamin B4. Choline is considered an essential nutrient in dogs too. Interestingly, the importance of choline supplements was reintroduced during a recent visit to my veterinarian and I want to share why.

What Choline Does to Your Dog’s Brain

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Older dogs with CCD have odd sleeping behaviors; they’ll wander around at night and sleep during the day. Sometimes, dogs with CCD lose control of their bowels, seem lost in their own backyards or even stare into space.

Choline supplementation can help reverse canine cognitive dysfunction. The supplement prevents CCD from happening. Research studies suggest “[Choline] is only moderately effective, [yet] clinical experience suggests that when used in older pets, it may actually prevent clinical signs of cognitive disorder” (Marsden, Messonnier & Yuill, n.d.). Interestingly, other studies have shown that choline supplementation decreased and even reversed CCD in older dogs (Marsden, Messonnier & Yuill, n.d.).

RELATED: Turmeric for Dogs

How Choline Supplements Helped My Dog

Many years ago, my 17-year-old Bull Terrier was acting oddly. She became agitated quickly and was restless at night. She’d get lost in our bathroom, and then panic when she couldn’t walk forward. She ate and drank normally, but stared at walls and didn’t seem engaged with us and our other dogs. I discussed her odd behaviors with my veterinarian, and my vet recommended Standard Process Choline supplements.

I was a bit skeptical at first, but I noticed a huge improvement in my dog’s behavior within a week of supplementation. Now, my dog was able to sleep through the night and her unprovoked agitation reduced dramatically.

Speak With Your Vet First

Before starting any type of supplementation, please discuss your dog’s behavior with your veterinarian first. Liver and eggs are excellent sources of choline for both dogs and humans, but choline supplementation works well too. Your vet will guide you in the right direction.

My Experience With Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

September 12, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Doggie Alzheimer’s happens in middle-aged and older dogs, and it creeps in slowly before you notice a huge change in your dog’s behavior. While I’m not a veterinarian, I’m a pet owner and dog trainer who works with dog behavior every day. Plus, I’ve shared my own home with dogs that have displayed canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) as well.

Hopefully, this article will help other pet owners recognize canine cognitive dysfunction symptoms, so they can jump-start their research. I’ll admit: this was a very difficult article to write, but I’m grateful I can share my experience with you.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Symptoms

Withdrawal

Fifteen years ago, my older Shepherd-mixed dog started acting peculiar. Magenta, named after the character in “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” started withdrawing from us around 13 years of age. When we’d settle down in the living room at night and watched TV, she’d slink off and sleep in the back spare bedroom. We assumed the TV was too loud, so we ignored her behavior. However, we noticed her hiding in the spare bedroom more and more.

We scheduled a vet visit immediately because I thought she may have been in pain. Our veterinarian thoroughly examined her, completed blood work profiles, took several X-rays to rule out arthritis, and thankfully all results were normal. Our vet suspected our dog was suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction, and told us there was nothing we can do.

Disengagement

Magenta slowly slipped away mentally. She still ate and drank normally, but she’d immediately retreat back to “her” bedroom after each meal. She completely disengaged herself from us and our other dogs. She was in another world.

Wandering

Magenta would get lost in our home. We set up her bedroom with several orthopedic beds, non-skid rugs, a water bowl, toys and chewies, but she still had full run of our home. A couple of times we’d find Magenta wedged between the toilet and bathtub, which caused her to scream and thrash around. We placed a baby gate in her bedroom’s doorway to keep her safely contained at night. I felt horrible containing her, so for the next couple of years, my husband and I would take turns sleeping in the spare bedroom.

It Got Worse

At 17 years old, Magenta was still healthy and pain free, but her mental health continued to decline. She lost control of her bladder and bowels, and became confused by simple things, such as which way a door opened. She stared at the wall; and if we tried to pet her, she became confused and screamed. We finally made the decision—it was time for her to cross the Rainbow Bridge. It was no longer fair to her and she passed peacefully.

Prevention and Possible Treatment

Research on canine cognitive dysfunction 15 years ago was limited, so prevention and treatment options weren’t available. Fortunately, researchers have recently discovered ways to reduce and even reverse Alzheimer’s in dogs, and I’ve witnessed these options work. For example, my middle-aged Bull Terrier was starting to act a bit odd too, so our vet suggested adding Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil and hemp oil and choline to Stella’s diet. The results were fascinating.

Beware of False Promises

While Stella’s symptoms have improved, they don’t completely subside. Now, she acts oddly at night once every two weeks rather than every night. She aggressively becomes startled one to two times a month instead of several times a night. Improvement is key, but be wary of miracle promises.

I’m sure we’ll learn more about canine cognitive dysfunction as science continues to uncover causes, but until then I recommend spending lots of quality time with your dogs. Their only fault is not living long enough. 🙂

How To Know If Your Dog Has Thyroid Dysfunction

September 6, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Testing for Thyroid Dysfunction

Thyroid Dysfunction in Dogs — LuckyBusiness/iStock

If you suspect your dog’s thyroid isn’t functioning properly, your dog will need a blood test to confirm exactly what’s going on. Before you agree to a routine thyroid blood test, I highly recommend asking your veterinarian for a detailed thyroid test instead. Allow me to share my story with thyroid dysfunction. I learned the hard way that it’s worth the extra effort and cost of a detailed thyroid test.

My Story

For years, I suspected my Rottweiler had hypothyroidism, but my vet disagreed. Sobek, my young Rottie, has had moderate to severe anxiety since he was four months old. Sobek stresses over anything and everything, and he has a hard time settling down. Thankfully, Sobek isn’t aggressive. He’s super friendly with dogs and people, but he just worries a lot. My dog training experience has taught me that anxiety is usually based on fear, but there was something else I couldn’t put my finger on.

Signs of Thyroid Dysfunction

At one year old, Sobek had routine blood work done to check for thyroid dsyfunction. His total thyroid level was 0.9, which is 0.1 below normal—low normal is between 1 and 2. Yet, my vet said his thyroid was functioning properly. I would’ve agreed if I were a normal pet owner, but I’m painfully aware that thyroid dysfunction in dogs can cause anxiety and aggression, so I pushed forward.

Sobek’s anxiety got worse over time, so we consulted with a veterinary behaviorist who prescribed medications. They helped immensely and controlled his anxiety, allowing us to train him using behavior modification. His anxiety still lingered though. His coat also felt coarse and he was missing hair on his chest.

Every year, we would test Sobek’s thyroid and the results would always be the same, falling a tad below normal. My vet persisted his thyroid function fell into the normal range (1-5), and he shouldn’t be supplemented. Then, Sobek experienced two focal seizures. That was it; I was determined to find a vet who would listen.

Finally, Someone Listened

We found a holistic veterinarian to whom I explained my concerns about Sobek’s lingering anxiety and low thyroid level. Our holistic vet agreed that something was off and decided to retest him. She sent his blood work off for a detailed thyroid report that would test all aspects of his thyroid and not just his total thyroid and T4.

His thyroid test results came back and Sobek was confirmed to have hypothyroidism. He started off with a thyroid supplement and his anxiety decreased within a week. After six months of supplementation, Sobek’s total thyroid became 1.9, which my holistic veterinarian says is perfect for him.

Hypothyroidism Effects on Dogs

Hypothyroid dogs are assumed to be fat, neutered, middle-aged and bald, but that’s not always the case. Sobek had a glossy black coat and he wasn’t neutered (check out this study about neutering Rottweilers and cancer). He was relatively healthy with the exceptions of a torn ACL at 2 years old, a couple of focal seizures and anxiety.

I researched everything about hypothyroidism, and thankfully I found Dr. Jean Dodds’ research. While reading Dr. Dodds’ articles, I felt like she was writing about us. Dr. Dodds is a veterinarian who has done extensive research on canine thyroid disease and allergies. She believes that several aspects of the thyroid should be tested before diagnosing thyroid dysfunction. In addition, thyroid dysfunction can cause anxiety, fear and aggression in dogs.

How to Test for Canine Hypothyroidism

Instead of sending your dog’s blood work off to a local lab, ask your veterinarian to send your dog’s blood work to Hemopet or Michigan State University (MSU) Diagnostic Center. Our holistic vet sent Sobek’s blood work to MSU and his six-month follow-up blood work to Hemopet (Thyroid Profile 5). While requesting a detailed thyroid test might seem excessive, it’s the only way to truly diagnose thyroid dysfunction.

Difference Between Hemopet and MSU

There isn’t much of a difference between Hemopet and MSU, but I found Hemopet was slightly cheaper than MSU. I highly recommend visiting Hemopet and MSU’s websites and printing blood work collection protocols before bringing your dog in for testing. One thing I really liked about Hemopet is Dr. Dodds would note if your dog was considered hypothyroid at the bottom of your test results. It took 10 days to receive Sobek’s results.

Asking Your Veterinarian

Bring your printed blood work collection protocols with you to your appointment and explain how you’d like a detailed report on your dog’s thyroid by having it sent to either Hemopet or MSU. So far, I haven’t had one vet push back on my request. Your vet will then collect your dog’s blood and mail it to Hemopet or MSU, and receive your test results when they come in.

Should You Seek a Second Opinion?

Asking for another vet’s opinion on your dog’s thyroid is difficult, but understand that you’re your dog’s health advocate. If you disagree with your regular veterinarian, ask for a copy of your dog’s thyroid test results and bring them to another vet. I highly suggest locating a holistic vet, as this has worked well for me in the past.

Keep pushing and be your dog’s health advocate!

DIY Comfy Alternative To The Cone Of Shame

August 18, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Homemade Dog Cone Alternative

Sooner or later, it’s going to happen. One day, your dog will need to wear the dreaded cone of shame. Honestly, I think an Elizabethan collar (plastic dog cone, cone of shame, e-collar, etc.) has earned a bad reputation. It’s all about perspective, right? In our home, we call dog cones “party hats” because we make them fun to wear. If your dog absolutely hates wearing a plastic dog cone, give this homemade dog cone alternative a try.

Disclaimer: Hands down, a plastic Elizabethan collar works best. There’s no comparison. Always follow your veterinarian’s advice. If you decide to try a towel dog cone alternative, partner with your vet first.

Meet the Towel Dog Collar

Last year, my Rottweiler chewed a couple of hot spots between both front paw pads. As part of our vet’s recommended treatment plan, we were told to focus on preventing my dog from licking the area. He’s pretty happy wearing a plastic dog cone, but I wanted to try a dog cone alternative—something that would be more comfortable while sleeping. I call this DIY dog cone alternative a towel collar and it works really well.

When designing this homemade dog cone alternative, I used the Bite Not Collar as inspiration. This dog collar resembles a human neck brace. It prevents dogs from turning their necks from side to side or downward, but this collar wasn’t perfect. The bottom edges would dig into my dog’s shoulders—ouch! Hmm, I thought maybe I could make something a bit better.

Using the Bite Not Collar design, I rolled up a thick towel and taped it into place. It took several days of trial and error, but I finally figured out how to keep the towel securely in place without putting too much pressure around Sobek’s neck, head and shoulders. Also, since the dog cone is a soft towel, no edges dug into my dog’s shoulders!

How to Create a Towel Dog Collar

You’ll need a thick towel, duct tape, smeared plate of peanut butter, friend to hold the peanut butter in front of your dog’s face and, of course, your dog. When picking peanut butter, make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol. If your dog is unable to stand still while you wrap the dog cone towel around his neck, check out these easy tips that will keep your dog happily standing still.

Step One: Choose a Towel Size

Depending on the size of your dog, choose a thick towel that can easily be folded into thirds and covers your dog’s neck area only. For my large Rottie, I used a super thick full-sized towel (a beach towel was too long). Several friends tried this method successfully using a kitchen towel for smaller dogs and a washcloth for very tiny dogs (under 10 pounds).

Step Two: Fold Towel

Fold the towel into thirds lengthwise. This way you can wrap the towel around your dog’s neck slowly.

Step Three: Don’t Wrap Too Tightly

Have your friend hold a smeared plate of peanut butter in front of your dog’s mouth, as you start wrapping the towel around your dog’s neck. When wrapping, make sure the towel isn’t too tight. Otherwise, your dog may choke or experience neck pain or breathing issues. Once wrapped, make sure your arm can easily fit between the wrapped towel cone and your dog’s neck.

For smaller dogs, make sure your hand or at least two fingers can easily slide all the way down between your dog’s neck and towel. If it’s too tight, rewrap until it’s just right.

Don’t worry. It will take a few tries to make sure the towel fits correctly, and hence the benefits of a smeared plate of peanut butter to keep your dog busy while you experiment.

Step Four: Tape in Place

Mimicking the Bite Not Collar straps, cut three pieces of duct tape to wrap 2/3 around the towel. Place one tape strip at the top edge of the towel, place the second strip at the bottom edge and, lastly, wrap the third strip around the middle of the towel collar. Stick your hand between your dog’s neck and the towel to ensure the towel dog cone wasn’t pulled too tightly while taping.

Was My Dog OK Wearing This Dog Cone Alternative?

Thankfully, my Rottie, did well with his homemade dog cone alternative; and it stopped him from chewing on his front feet. He was able to sleep, eat, drink and potty comfortably, and he looked adorable wearing it too. 🙂

Every day, I would remove the towel dog cone and rewrap it. If you don’t rewrap it each day, the towel will lose its fluffy thickness and your dog will be able to turn his neck around. Throughout the day, make sure the towel doesn’t twist and tighten. If the towel gets dirty, take it off and wrap a new towel in its place; it’s super easy.

If you decide to give this DIY dog cone alternative a try, supervise your dog for the first few days of him wearing it and always partner with your veterinarian first. If your dog has neck pain during or after wearing his towel collar, remove it and contact your vet immediately.

WATCH: How to DIY Dog Cone Alternative

https://youtu.be/M4LzVp3vLMI

Dog Urine Sample: How To Collect Your Dog’s Urine For Testing

August 17, 2016 by Fanna Easter

Collect a Urine Sample From Your Dog With These Tips

Sooner or later, you’ll need to collect a urine sample from your dog to rule out illness or to bring to your dog’s annual exam. Of course, your vet’s office can collect your dog’s urine sample, but sometimes it’s a bit more difficult if your dog is easily excited or fearful—that’s where the pet owner enters the situation. Believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to collect a urine sample from your dog and you won’t even have to touch his urine! I promise.

Check out these simple tips on collecting a urine sample from your male or female dog!

First, Be Prepared

To make this procedure as simple as possible, you’ll need to plan ahead and use the right tools. You’ll need a container to collect your dog’s urine while he or she is urinating, and then transfer the collected urine into a sterile urine sample cup. As a veterinary technician, this is how I was taught to collect urine and I still use this method today. 🙂

What You’ll Need to Collect a Urine Sample

Sterile Urine Sample Cup

Ask your veterinarian for a sterile urine sample cup first. The urine sample cup is used for pouring your dog’s collected urine into it. You label it with your dog’s name and time his urine sample was collected, and transfer it safely to your vet’s office. Trying to collect a urine sample with this cup is next to impossible. If you’ve tried using it before, you know the struggle. 🙂

Urine Samples Have a Short Life

If you’re wondering how long you can keep a dog’s urine sample before testing, it’s best to collect your dog’s urine right before a vet visit because urine has a short life once collected. For best results, urine samples should be tested within 30 minutes of collection.

Urine samples that sit at room or warm temperature for longer than 30 minutes may produce unreliable test results. However, I’ve also found old urine samples that have been sitting in the refrigerator for more than 30 minutes may still provide unreliable results, so time is definitely a factor.

Usually, I bring my dog potty in our backyard, collect the urine sample, place the sample in an insulated bag containing plastic bags of ice and head straight to our vet’s office. Sometimes, I’ll arrive at our vet’s office early and collect a urine sample in their parking lot, but I’ve noticed most dogs get really excited in a new place, which can make collecting a urine sample challenging.

Dog Leash

Always leash your dog when trying to collect a urine sample, and shorten your dog’s leash to 3 feet. That way, when your dog starts to pee, you’re right there to collect his or her urine. Keep movements slow and calm. Any fast moments will cause your dog to stop urinating.

How to Collect a Urine Sample From Your Dog

Collecting a Urine Sample From a Female Dog

Collecting a female dog’s urine is pretty straightforward and simple. Since female dogs squat to urinate, you’ll need a narrow and flat collection surface with sides to prevent urine from spilling out and grass or dirt from getting into the urine sample.

For large to medium female dogs, I use a saucer plate with sides. If your dog is small, try using a plastic container lid; make sure it has edges to prevent urine from spilling.

Bring your female dog out to her favorite potty area on leash, and walk behind her while holding the saucer. Once she squats to urinate, slide the saucer under her vulva to catch her urine. Remove the saucer as she stands up, being careful to move slowly as not to startle her. Moving the saucer as your dog is standing prevents her from stepping into the urine sample. Now, take the urine sample and pour into the sterile urine sample cup provided by your vet, label it with your dog’s name and time of collection, and head to your vet’s office.

Soon, you’ll be a pro at collecting your dog’s urine!

WATCH: How to Collect a Urine Sample From a Female Dog

https://youtu.be/zlflG8sNaCQ

Collecting a Urine Sample From a Male Dog

It’s a bit tougher collecting a male dog’s urine. You would think it would be easier, but that’s not always the case. A soup ladle is the best and easiest way to collect a urine sample from a male dog. Just make sure to clean the ladle cup with alcohol before using.

Leash your male dog and bring him out into your backyard to potty. Shorten your leash and walk behind your dog while holding the soup ladle in your hand. Now, think of the soup ladle handle like an arm extension; you need to keep the handle flush with your wrist and move it slowly or else it will distract your dog. The moment your dog starts urinating, place the soup ladle cup in your male dog’s urine stream and remove once he stops urinating. Once urine has been collected, pour it in a sterile urine sample cup, label it with your dog’s name and information, and bring it to your vet’s office immediately.

A Word About Soup Ladles

Personally, I find plastic soup ladles are easier to use as a urine collection device than stainless steel versions. When a male dog urinates into a stainless steel ladle, it makes a loud sound, which can startle the dog. A startled dog will stop urinating and possibly refuse to urinate while you’re holding the ladle. I’ve had it happen to me many times. 🙂

WATCH: How to Collect a Urine Sample From a Male Dog

https://youtu.be/f3IC5FUTyjg