|
Service Spotlight
Misty Pines would like to take this time to tell you about our Dog Health Consultations with Kelly and/or Aimee. There are many cases where a poor diet and nutritionally bankrupt foods are to blame for health issues and even behavior issues. Some of the better known foods out there are full of sugar and food coloring that can send dogs into fits of uncontrolled behavior, similar to feeding children a diet consisting mainly of the same. Below are excerpts from an article about cancer being linked to diet:
One third of cancer deaths in people and dogs are preventable through diet changes
(NaturalNews) Here's good news for both you and your best friend: one out of three cancer deaths in humans as well as dogs can be prevented by simple, natural diet changes. That's the conclusion of research just presented by Demian Dressler, DVM, at the 2010 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo in Chicago, Illinois.
So how could so many fatal cancers be stopped? Dr. Dressler, known as the "dog cancer vet" because of his work in unraveling the intricacies of canine cancer, said the key is severely limiting snack foods for humans and dogs that contain ingredients rich in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s (found in cold water fish such as salmon and other foods including flax oil and walnuts) and omega-6s (found in meats and some widely used vegetable oils such as corn oil) are essential fatty acids (EFAs) that must be consumed for the body to function properly. Omega-6 fatty acids tend to increase inflammation, blood clotting and cell proliferation, while omega-3 fatty acids decrease those functions of the immune system. The problem is that the typical American diet -- for people as well as their pets -- tends to be overloaded with omega-6s and deficient in omega-3s.
The glut of omega-6s comes mostly from vegetable oils, such as soy oil, which are used in most of the snack foods, cookies, crackers, sweets, fast foods and -- in the case of dogs' diets -- doggie treats and many commercial dog foods. The result is an eating pattern that promotes inflammation. That, Dr. Dressler stated, creates an environment conducive to cancer in dogs and people.
Sherry Baker is a widely published writer whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Health, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Yoga Journal, Optometry, Atlanta, Arthritis Today, Natural Healing Newsletter, OMNI, UCLA's "Healthy Years" newsletter, Mount Sinai School of Medicine's "Focus on Health Aging" newsletter, the Cleveland Clinic's "Men's Health Advisor" newsletter and many others.
To read the article in its entirety, please visit www.NaturalNews.com.
Aimee and Kelly can help you find a food that is optimal for your dog and help you add years of quality life to your dog. There are quite a few ways to extend your dogs life near the end with the use of drugs, but the time you gain is not always quality. Start a healthy diet young and your dog will live years longer and have a happier, higher quality life. To learn more about our Health Consultations, please visit our Dog Health and Nutrition page.
|
Announcements
BYOB & D in Review
As many of you know, this summer we had numerous benefit events that we affectionately called "BYOB & D" which was an acronym for Bring Your Own Beverage and Dog. Through these cook-outs we were able to help some very noble, worthy causes raise funds to help dogs and others in need.
The Washington Area Humane Society, the Butler County Humane Society, Matter of Trust, Animal Friends, and the Airlift Research Foundation were the groups that were sponsored this summer. Next summer we hope to resume these fun nights out with our dogs and add more non-Profits to our list of recipients.
We really enjoyed these evenings with all of you. It was nice to have a chance to sit down and socialize with you all in a more casual manner than usual and get to know our extended family a little better. We hope that you all made some new friends and that your dogs made some new friends as well. Rob overheard a couple "Puppy Playdates" being made, so we hope that means there were some new friends made.
Though it was fun, we're done with them for the year. (we think) We are however changing our Customer Appreciation Day to a BYOB & D style cook-out. See below for a little more detail about that.
If you would like to see pictures from the BYOB & Ds, please visit our Facebook page. Keep an eye on our Events Calendar and our Facebook page to keep up-to-date on upcoming classes and events.
Customer Appreciation Cook-out
Friday, October 8th, 2010
6 - 9 pm
Please join us to celebrate you and your dog. We are grateful for your continued support and want you to know that you are appreciated all year long. We would like to remind you of that by hosting a Customer Appreciation Cookout that will be an evening for you to enjoy with good food, drinks, activities and friends. Misty Pines Dog Park strives to continually grow as a dynamic organization building valued relationships with our clients and providing exemplary services. We are the complete pet company that loves the company of people and pets.
Labor Day: September 6th
The Misty Pines office will be open from 8am till 10am on Monday, September 6th in observance of Labor Day.
Virginia's Recipe of the Month
Stuffed Shells
What You'll Need:
- 1 box Large Pasta Shells
- 1 pint Ricotta Cheese
- 1 jar of your favorite Spaghetti sauce
- 2 pieces of your favorite bread
- Garlic Bread Seasoning
- Seasonings for the Ricotta cheese stuffing
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Italian Bread Crumbs
2 days before making this recipe, empty the pint of Ricotta Cheese into a mixing bowl, add seasoning and mix thoroughly. Put Ricotta Cheese back into container and refrigerate. This makes the cheese absorb the flavor from the seasonings better. It's always good to add a little salt to enhance the flavors. Stirring occasionally helps to avoid "pockets" of seasoning.
Boil water. After water has boiled, add Pasta Shells and cook till "al dente." While shells are cooking, put bread in toaster on level 2. When toast is done, butter and add Garlic Bread Seasoning, spray a light coating of PAM on seasoned bread and put in toaster again and toast on level 2. When toast is done, cut into strips that will fit into the Pasta Shells.
When the Shells are done, remove from water and rinse with cold water. Get a ceramic dish to cook them in and line it with a thin layer of Spaghetti Sauce. Spoon seasoned Ricotta Cheese into the Shells. After the Ricotta Cheese, add one strip of the Garlic Bread to each Shell. Once all the Shells are stuffed and placed into the ceramic dish, sprinkle Italian bread crumbs across the Shells, then spoon a strip of Sauce across the middle of the Shells, top with Mozzarella Cheese. Bake at 350° for about 15 minutes or until Mozzarella Cheese is melted and starts to brown.
This is a little more time consuming than our usual recipe, but well worth the effort. This will be the ONLY pasta dish you'll ever eat that won't need a side of Garlic Bread. Enjoy.
Have a recipe you want to share? Send it in and when we'll share it. We're looking for SUPER easy recipes that take minimal amounts of money, time and effort. Thanks!
Kelly Bogel's Dog Photo Tip of the Month
If you are using a digital camera to photograph your dog, make sure you use the viewfinder on your camera if it has one. By holding the camera to your eye rather than out in front of your body, you stabilize the lens and have better control over your composition and focus. If your camera does not have a viewfinder, still try to hold it as close to your body as possible while photographing, and review your composition on the LCD screen in the shade to make sure you are satisfied with your photo.
| |
Fun Activities in Pittsburgh
Doggie Day Trek
Bring your canine companion for a social hike in the woods. We’ll start out by letting the dogs to get to know each other, and then we’ll cover 5-7 miles on various trails throughout the local parks, stopping for a snack along the way. The trails will be steep and rocky and we will hike at a steady pace with a few short stops (the dogs get impatient!). Please remember: only 2 dogs per person, dogs must have current vaccinations and leashes are required (off-leash time will be included). Bring dog food, water and bags to clean up.
The trip leader has asked VO to keep better track of how many dogs will be in attendance on Doggie Day Treks. After registering for the hike, please contact the office at info@ventureoutdoors.org or 412-255-0564 ext 21 with the number of dogs that you plan to bring on this hike. Thanks!
Date: There is no Doggie Day Trek for September
Location: N/A
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $10.00 non-member / $6.00 member
Organization: Venture Outdoors
Check out Venture Outdoors other great activities http://www.ventureoutdoors.org/
Walks in the Woods - Frick Park
Date: Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Locations: Frick Park
Cost: Free
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy sponsors a weekly walk in the woods from June through September, visiting a different regional park each week. Docents familiar with the parks and their neighborhoods provide a tour highlighting the history, ecology, and improvements to the parks over the years. Children and dogs on leashes are welcome.
For more information, call 412-682-7275 or visit www.pittsburghparks.org. Meet at the Visitor Center on Riverview Avenue.
Pup-Night at PNC Park
Enjoy a night of baseball and festivities with your pup on the Southwest Flight Deck.
2010 Schedule
- September 21st
All Games are Tuesday Nights at 7:05 PM
Purchase tickets for a single game, or purchase the 6-game pack and receive preferred seating! A portion of the proceeds benefits Western PA Humane Society.
BYODog to W(h)ine
Date: Friday, September 17
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Where: Animal Friends
Before the fall nights turn to cold winter evenings, join Animal Friends for the last W(h)ine tasting of the season. Bring your dog to Animal Friends a canine social while you enjoy sipping wines from around the world and a delicious spread of desserts. Try your luck at raffles and enjoy the autumn night! The request of a donation is $20 per person. This event fills up quickly and reservations are required.
Kong Recipe of the Month
Beefy Buffalo Burger: All hail the triumphant (and tasty) entrance of Bison!
What you're gonna need:
- Raw BISON Medallions
- Ground Beef
- Bread Crumbs
- Cottage Cheese
- Ritz Crackers
- Baby Carrots
Alrighty. Thaw the meat products if necessary. Mix the meat together with some of the bread crumbs. Roll the meat into a cylinder a little smaller than the hole in the Kong. Crumble the Ritz crackers pretty good and then roll your meat log in the cracker crumbles. Place on waxed paper and put in the freezer.
When mostly frozen remove from freezer. Use some remaining meat (or pinch some off the log) to stop up the small hole at the top of the Kong. Lay the log next to the Kong with the tops even with each other. Cut the log at the top of the first level of the Kong and shove the top piece of the log into the Kong. Spoon in some of the cottage cheese.
Next, place the remaining log under the Kong and cut it right to left as wide as the circumference of the largest part of the Kong. Push the cut part of the log into the Kong and then turn it sideways so that it can't fall out of the Kong. Use a mix of bread crumbs, cracker crumbles and cottage cheese to spoon around the log and then shove the baby carrots in place around the log to make it harder to remove. Once sufficiently filled, toss the whole thing in the freezer for a few hours.
This is a last fling during the "summer" months when it will be hot enough that Dawg will need something to help keep cool. Pretty soon we'll be giving them hot cocoa outside!
Remember:
"Put it all together and shove it up your kong."
|
Gastric Torsion: A Horribly Unhealthy Kind of Twist
Torsion, gastric torsion, gastric dilatation-volvulus, GDV; these are terms you never want to hear applied to your dog. They all mean the exact same thing- your dog's stomach is distended with gas and has twisted on itself. Emergency surgery offers the only hope for saving his life. Here's a visual aid to help you understand what happens when a dog develops gastric torsion. Picture a fanny pack in your mind. The pouch of the fanny pack represents your dog's stomach. One strap of the fanny pack is the esophagus that transports food from your dog's mouth down into his stomach. The other strap is the upper small intestine (duodenum) that transports food out of the stomach. Now hold one strap of the fanny pack in each hand and twirl the pouch until it twists on itself causing the straps to crimp. This is what happens when gastric torsion occurs- the stomach twists on itself, cutting off normal blood flow to the stomach and surrounding structures. Additionally, gas and fluid continue to accumulate within the stomach and cannot flow out via the crimped esophagus or duodenum, so the stomach progressively distends. A dog in this situation quickly lapses into a state of shock and surgical "decompression" or untwisting of the stomach is the only way out of this nightmare. Time is of the essence- the longer the stomach remains twisted, the greater the likelihood of irreversible devitalization (death) of the stomach tissue.
Initial symptoms of gastric torsion include a bloated appearance through the midsection (the ribs look like they are expanding outward), drooling, nonproductive retching/vomiting, restlessness, weakness, shallow breathing, rapid heart rate (if it can be felt through the chest wall), and pale gum color. If you observe such symptoms, quickly make some phone calls to find the closest veterinary hospital capable of performing immediate surgery on your best friend. The sooner surgery can be performed the greater the likelihood of a successful outcome. Irreparable damage to the stomach tissue is often the deal breaker if the torsion is not corrected quickly. At the time of surgery, not only is the stomach derotated, it is tacked (attached with stitches) to the inside of the abdominal wall to prevent a repeat spinning performance. Additionally if the spleen or portions of the stomach wall appear devitalized (deprived of normal blood flow for too long) they will be removed. If surgery is successful, the dog typically has a minimum two to three day post-operative stay in the hospital for round the clock monitoring for post-operative complications.
Truth be told, we really don't know much about what causes gastric torsion. Clearly, there is a breed/conformation association- large deep-chested breeds such as Great Danes, Irish Setters, Standard Poodles, Irish Wolfhounds, Boxers, Dobermans, Weimaraners, and Rottweilers are particularly predisposed. Affected males definitely outnumber females. One study documented that elevating the food bowl actually predisposes to gastric torsion. Other studies have indicated that the following factors may also be part of the recipe that results in gastric dilatation-volvulus: eating only one meal per day, exercising in close proximity to exercise, eating rapidly, eating dry foods that list oils or fats among the first four label ingredients, exercising in close association to mealtime, being underweight, and being of an "anxious" rather than "happy" personality type. The only known way to prevent gastric torsion from occurring is by performing a prophylactic (preventive) gastropexy procedure (sutures are used to tack the stomach wall to the inside lining of the abdominal cavity). This does not prevent the bloating (stomach distending with gas), but does prevent the life threatening twisting part of this miserable disease process.
Would you like to participate in a study to learn more about why dogs develop gastric torsion? If your dog has ever bloated (distention of the stomach without rotation) or has experienced gastric torsion, I encourage you to take this survey http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WS2VKFP. It is being conducted by Dr. Cynthia Otto from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in collaboration with researcher, author and lecturer, Dr. Carmen Battaglia. A summary of the results and findings will be posted at www.breedingbetterdogs.com in November, 2010. If you and your dog did have direct experience with a gastric torsion, I sure as heck hope yours was a happy ending.
If you would like to respond publicly, please visit http://speakingforspot.com/blog/?p=1070.
by Nancy Kay, DVM ©
Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
Website: http://www.speakingforspot.com
Joy riding is not always full of joy.
In anticipation of end of summer Car Cruises, County Fairs and last minute trips to the beach (Erie here we come!), let's talk about getting our dogs used to riding in the car and getting them used to being around crowds of people and other situations that they are likely to encounter.
First, we'll touch on my least favorite subject, riding in cars. I get sick too, so I'm always a little sympathetic to dogs that have a hard time riding in the car. We first need to establish whether the reaction is due to the motion of the car or whether it' s a reaction to an anticipated destination, such as the vet. While mentioning that, don't just use the car to take your dog to the vet and other places that the dog won't particularly like to go. Use the car to visit the park, a dog bakery (yes, they're out there), dog friendly stores and restaurants and other fun places. This will help your dogs to have a positive association with the car and not a negative one.
To determine this, place your dog in the car and don't turn on the engine. You'll probably get a reaction, but give it a few minutes and see if the reaction wears off or if it continues. If it continues then it is purely emotional, in anticipation of an unfavorable destination. This can be cured with determining and training. If the reactions goes away, it is probably due to the motion of the car and may need to be treated medically. Some natural remedies for car sickness are real mint and ginger. Flavors don't do anything, it's the actual plant/root extract that delivers the benefits.
Training fear out of the dog, whether with cars, crowds, the vacuum cleaner or anything else comes from creating a positive association with that particular stimulus. As a good dog trainer I'm sure that you always have food treats in hand, pocket or bait bag, therefore all you have to do is to start introducing some really good treats into play when that stimulus is present. You may need to switch to a better treat, such as hot dogs or cheese, and that's fine. Sometimes we need to overcome a big fear with a big reward. Begin by placing food all around the car for a few days. Maybe even feed your dog next to the car. Next you'll begin leaving the doors open and putting some good treats all over the car and then move to feeding your dog in the back seat or wherever your dog will most likely ride. Next you'll add the engine being turned on, but leave the doors open and don't go anywhere. Next you'll close the doors then when you see no stress, feed the dog and go for a ride around the block. Pretty soon you'll see that stress and fear subside. Same thing with everything else.
Oh yeah, you'll probably want to start putting that car harness on at random times and during feeding before starting with any of the other car training. They need to have a good association with the harness or they'll start to stress as soon as you put it on and that will breed a whole nother level of anxiety that you'll have to deal with later.
Time to take that training on the road. Head out to a park or some place where there won't be any distractions and play ball or have some type of fun with with your pup. This will get your dog to enjoy car rides because the final destination will be something they are looking forward to. Now to up the ante. Let's go somewhere that will have a little bit of an attendance and make sure to have some good treats on hand. When you get there, be sure to be treating a lot and especially to praise and reward big for any type of positive reaction. Better to create that positive association first than have to correct a negative one later, so again, be sure to treat even if you don't see a "fearful" reaction at first. There may be some slight hesitation that isn't being displayed physically yet.
Therapy Dog Visits
Once your dog has passed their Therapy Dog International certification, it's time for the fun to begin. These places are always looking for registered therapy dogs to brighten the day of the patients and residents:
Odyssey Health Care
Cliff Mine Rd., Pittsburgh
Contact: Barbara Coulter 1-800-861-8584
Pristine Pines (Sewickley or Wexford)
Contact: Debbie Gordon 724-935-1075 ext. 103
VA Hospitals in Pittsburgh
Activities Director: 412-688-6000 ext. 3682
Country Meadows (South Hills)
Activities Director: 412-257-4566
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Volunteer Coordinator: 412-690-6508
Animal Friends also coordinates a Pet Assisted Therapy program that visits multiple locations. To join their therapy group contact:
Ann Cadman: (412) 847-7031
pettherapy@animal-friends.org
Allegheny General Hospital
Jennifer Kopar: 412-359-3067
jkopar@wpahs.org
|
