WebCanine.com

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today is announcing the approval of Slentrol (dirlotapide), a prescription drug for the management of obesity in dogs. Slentrol reduces appetite and fat absorption to produce weight loss. A veterinarian will determine whether the dog should be treated, based on the dog’s weight and general health. Continue Reading »

Because of the Food Recall by Menu foods, we encourage any dog or cat owner to consider carefully their food choices. Some people have begun to feed their dogs a homemade diet. Unfortunately, many of these are no more than feeding what the owner thinks a dog needs or wants and are not nutritionally balanced. Dogs like the diets because they are palatable however, just like a toddler, dogs are not able to make correct long term feed ingredient choices.Resources for learning about feed formulation for canines:

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Diet, Exercise, Stimulating Environment Helps Old Dogs Learn
http://www.nia.nih.gov/NewsAndEvents/PressReleases/PR20040118Dogs.htm
According to conventional wisdom, old dogs and new tricks aren’t a good match. But a new study of beagles finds that regular physical activity, mental stimulation, and a diet rich in antioxidants can help keep aging canine—and perhaps human—brains in tip-top shape. Continue Reading »

Raisin Toxicity

Around 1989, the APCC ( Animal Poison Control Center) began noticing a trend in dogs who had eaten grapes or raisins: Nearly all developed acute renal (kidney) failure. …In all of the cases, the ingredients for potential acute renal failure were the same. ” Continue Reading »

BARF Diet Mythology

Steven E. Crane

A very small segment of pet owners have accepted the opinions of a vocal fringe minority of individuals who are currently proponents of feeding raw foods. The diet is commonly called the BARF diet, (Bones And Raw Food). Individuals within this group often make unsubstantiated claims that sound plausible but are typically unsupported in fact. The barf diet is extolled based primarily upon several myths claimed to justify the feeding of this diet. Continue Reading »

Canine and human breast cancer share several important clinical and histologic features. A case-control study of nutritional factors and canine breast cancer was conducted at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1984-1987 by interviewing owners of 150 pet dogs diagnosed with breast cancer, owners of 147 cancer control dogs, and owners of 131 noncancer control dogs. Continue Reading »

This may be amended. Five year prospective study of 200 dogs at Purdue found the following:

http://www.rottweilerhealth.org/grants_funded.html

GRANT
Incidence and Breed Related Risk Factors for Gastric Dilation-Volvulus in Dogs
5-year prospective study by Larry Glickman, VMD, Ph.D., Purdue University

Participating breed clubs Akita, Bloodhound, Collie, Great Dane, Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Standard Poodle, Weimaraner and the AKC/CHF.
Method

Investigator measured dogs at dog shows and the owners completed a detailed questionnaire concerning the dogs medical history, genetic background, husbandry and eating practices, personality and diet.

Five years later, the investigator called and conducted a follow-up on each the dog.
The incidence of bloat (GDV) was calculated for each breed.
Risk factors were compared to dog measurements and questionnaire responses to determine any correlation.
STUDY COMPLETED
Results for the Rottweiler
(Data based on 200 dogs)

* Of the 11 breeds tested, the Rottweiler had the lowest incidence of Bloat (1%).
* “Happy/easy going” dogs were found to be less prone to bloat. Rottweiler was listed as the easiest going/confident dog of the 11 breeds surveyed.
* Overweight dogs were less prone to bloat.
* Dogs that are feed 2 - 3 times a day are less prone to bloat.
* Restricting water before or after eating, or elevating the dogs food bowl increased the incidence of bloat.
* Bloat incidence was found to increase with age.
* Giving dogs anti-gas medication on a regular basis, increased the incidence of bloat by 66%.
* Do not breed any animal if there has been a relative that has previously bloated.