WATCHWORD "VEGETABLE SOUP"
by Linda Arndt
...this article is dedicated to my first dane Neige who I lost to
bloat at 12 months of age in 1973
Well, this one is gonna be a long one, so
take your phone off the hook, send the kids to the neighbors,
get a glass of lemonade, find a comfortable chair and take notes. Here we
go again.....Much of the information in this article is the foundation for my
presentation at the National in October 1993, but first I need to clear up a
reoccurring question regarding H.O.D. as previously discussed in my "Bone
Survey Update".
The bone survey is now in its seventh year and involves over 5200
cases of veterinarian diagnosed bone diseases in which people have responded to
my survey. However, the whole issue of hypertrophic
osteodystrophy seems to be most confusing, so at the
risk of "beating a dead horse", I have decided to represent this
discussion in a different manner.
I get phone calls daily from dog owners asking me what my opinion
is regarding the cause of H.O.D. (Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy). This is a very confusing disease
because there are other things that can cause the animal to appear to have
H.O.D. or H.O.D.-like symptoms.
First, it is my opinion (based on personal investigation only),
that true H.O.D. is caused by an excessive intake of calories in relation to
the amount of energy expended by the animal. It is simply intake versus
output. If you keep that in mind you will then understand why all dog
food brands and all protein levels can present a problem. But, we are
talking about cases of true H.O.D.. Also, keep
in mind when radiographing for diagnosis of H.O.D.,
there are several other things that cause "H.O.D.-like symptoms" and
these appear the same on the radiography regardless of the problem--there are polyarthritis and inflammation of the growth plate
areas. This is why the diagnosis of true H.O.D. is so confusing and it
must be done with consideration of many factors including breeding
(inbreeding/tight line breeding), exercise versus hours confirmed daily,
medications (antibiotics) and inoculation patterns. All of these can be
factors in diagnosing and treating H.O.D.
Symptoms: H.O.D. usually effects the
large and giant breeds between 12 weeks and 7 months of age, but can occur in
puppies as young as 6 weeks. First indications show a swelling in the
front joint area or the wrist which is the growth plate. This is
often hot and tender to the touch. This is then followed by a very close
or pinched rear movement because of an arthritic soreness in the stifle/knee
and hock/ankle. As the disease progresses there is a dropping in the
front patterns/wrist, splayed feet (toes spread or flattened in front and/or
back). The topline is often curvy (roached or curved like a greyhound) and the rear legs are
tucked under making mobility often strained and making the body look
deformed. The rear legs may appear to be very cow-hocked or close behind
when moving away from you and a "bowing in" in the front limbs.
In advanced stages, there is a high fever 104-106 degrees, anorexia
(refusal to eat) and polyarthritis (aching
joints). The animal is in extreme pain and often unable to get up, potty,
eat or drink. This disease can seem to come on overnight, although the
early stages were there but often went unnoticed.
This is a list of things that can cause true "H.O.D." or
"H.O.D.-like symptoms".
1) High protein/calorie dense foods consumed in a larger
amount than is actually needed by the puppy. These foods tend to be puppy
foods or even some maintenance foods. We have found these puppies do best
on a high quality, lower protein food (20-24% max) simply because their tummy
feels full before they over consume too many calories.
2) Additions of people food can raise the protein/calorie
level or imbalance the calcium and phosphorus ratio, particularly protein
sources such as meats, eggs, cheeses, and rice. If you want to add things
use fruits, nuts, herbs, vegetables, cereal grass powder or tablets or a small
amount of canned, fresh and frozen meat. There are things we can add to
enhance their diet, to "fill in the holes" without the fear of upping your calorie count that greatly. I will
add an updated (1994) feed program for your next generation, at the end of this
article.
3) The addition of vitamins is a problem when the vitamins
are from a synthetic form as opposed to a natural form or from whole
foods. 99% of vitamins on the human market are synthetics.
4) An allergic reaction to antibiotics, particularly the sulfonamide drugs (Tribrissin, Ditrim, TMZ and TMP/SDZ) and on occasion an allergic
reaction to the antibiotic reflex (CEFA-tabs, C-tabs, Cephalexin). Note: Primor
is also sulfa based so use it but keep an eye on the
puppies and stop if you see a problem. I have not had a problem reported
and I have used it on a puppy.
5) Post-vaccine syndrome, a reaction to inoculations.
Yes, this will frequently throw them into a H.O.D.-like symptom. This is
another area often over looked. (The use of Phyto-Sprout
Plus can help in this area. (1-800-937-1104).
6) Is the animal inbred or tightly line bred? These
animals tend to have more of a problem because it seems they are often more
sensitive to antibiotics and inoculations. I know you did not want to
hear that and I have avoided discussing this in other articles. But the
fact is that we need to start opening up some of these pedigrees in order to
get some vigor back into some of these lines.
It is affecting the immune systems, reproduction and longevity...but that is a
topic for another article.
7) Septicemia (blood poisoning) or septicarthritis due to a bacterial infection of blood from
a puncture or from tapping a joint. Tapping a joint should be avoided.
It can actually cause more damage in the long run and it is a decision never to
be taken lightly. It is a very last resort effort. In over 5200
cases reported to the survey only 2 were from blood poisoning.
Most of the time the H.O.D. cases reported to me are
due to feeding a high protein/calorie dense commercial dog food (puppy foods,
stress foods or performance foods...26%-32% protein) in amounts greater than
the animal needs. Actually, it is not the protein level that is the problem, it is the processing of foods at high temperatures,
which causes biochemical changes. The body metabolizes the foods
differently and canines in the wild eat 32%-37% protein, regardless of
age. But the diet is totally raw, whole, uncooked and unprocessed.
It is the processing that alters the food and causes problems. Also keep
in mind that youngsters in the wild get the least amount of food in a
pack. They are actually very lean and get less protein because they are
left with the scraps and bones because the dominant adults
doing the hunting and females having the new pups to feed, get the best
part of the killed prey. But what do we do? We take these puppies
past 8 weeks of age and feed them "high powered" diets so they will
grow big and strong because we have been told puppy foods are needed for
reaching their growth potential. There are enough studies done on
animals, mice and humans proving an underfed animal actually
lives longer than one that is heavy. I am certainly not
recommending keeping your puppies underfed. But keeping them well fleshed
but not fat is extremely important. I am also not recommending to feed a low fat diet for growth because fat is needed for
energy and making brain cells. But again, a high quality, moderate
protein/fat and moderate calorie diet seems to work the best for the giant
breeds.
I am frequently asked, "Which specific brands of commercial
dog food cause H.O.D. in growing puppies?" The answer to this
question is this: large and giant breeds
can develop H.O.D. when fed any brand name and/or type (senior, maintenance,
puppy, stress) of commercial dog food, regardless of quality and protein
content of the food.
A true case of H.O.D. is caused by consuming too many calories in
relation to the amount of expended energy or free exercise afforded an
animal. I know this is confusing, but the higher protein and fat foods
are consequently higher in calories. This is no different in
people. The more calories you consume, like that extra chocolate donut,
the more you need to exercise to make sure that donut does not become a
permanent fixture on your hips. It is my experience the higher
protein/calorie dense commercial diets (usually over 24%) tend to cause growth
pattern problems when fed to growing large and giant breeds. The reason
for this is because the puppies will consume more calories per cup of food than
if fed a lower protein/lower calorie maintenance type diet where the calories
are less per cup.
For the purpose of illustration only, let's pretend for a moment we
are using a food from the "Yummy Tummy" dog food company. This
company makes several different types of food based on a broad range of
protein, fat and caloric content. In this example I will show you how
your dog can develop true H.O.D. using any brand or type of dog food.
Do not use these figures for the purpose of calculating the amount
of feed or caloric intake for your animals. These numbers are only an
example and done for the purpose of illustration.
·
Let's pretend I have a 4 month old, 60#
puppy
·
Let's pretend it needs to eat 2,175
calories a day for growth
Now let's look at all of the types of foods that the "Yummy
Tummy" company makes and compare the different levels of protein, fat and
calories which will result in different amounts of calories per cup of food,
ranging from 500 calories per cup to 332 calories per cup.
I suppose by now you are thinking...well, I have never seen any
reference to the amount of calories per cup written on the side of the dog food
bag. Nor have I ever seen any reference as to how many calories are
needed daily for a dog to grow, or maintain or perform. You can get this
information from each individual dog food company depending on the type and
brand of food used, if they will provide it.
The following chart shows the differences in calories per cups,
amounts recommended to be fed on a daily basis. Please note that they are
all equal to the same total calorie intake per day. In other words,
if you are wanting to consume 2,175 per day for
growth, it can be achieved by consuming any of the foods on this chart simply
by adjusting the amount you are feeding per day.
|
TYPE OF DIET |
PROTEIN % |
FAT % |
CALORIES PER CUP |
AMOUNT OF FOOD |
TOTAL CALORIES |
|
Stress |
30% |
20% |
500 |
4 1/4 cups |
2,175 |
|
Puppy |
28% |
18% |
480 |
4 1/2 cups |
2,175 |
|
Show |
26% |
15% |
460 |
4 2/3 cups |
2,175 |
|
Maintenance A |
23% |
12% |
445 |
4 3/4 cups |
2,175 |
|
Maintenance B |
20% |
12% |
393 |
5 1/2 cups |
2,175 |
|
Senior |
18% |
8% |
334 |
6 1/2 cups |
2,175 |
*You can
achieve the same number of calories in each food simply by altering the number
of cups fed based on the calories per cup. When I visited different research facilities for feed trials, they seemed to have no
problems with any nutritionally caused H.O.D. when feeding stress or puppy
foods. It is my observation this is because they
have the facilities to weigh every two or three days and adjust their amount of
food and calories consumed, based on their weight and exercise.
NOTE: You can have a calorie intake of 2,175 by feeding 5 1/2
cups a day of a 23% food or you can have a calorie intake of 2,175 by
feeding 4 1/4 cups a day of feeding a 30% food. Both feeds will get you
to the same point-growth, but why is it the 30% food is more apt to cause
H.O.D? The reason is, we do not monitor closely
the amount of caloric intake and cups of foods consumed on a daily basis, in
relation to their current weight on the puppy.
The quantity of food to feed a puppy should be guided by the
information on the package. You will notice there is an approximate
recommendation for feeding these animals. This guideline is based on the
premise that you will weigh your dog every 2-3 days and feed according to the
recommended schedule. From the breeder’s standpoint, after a certain
weight and size, weighing these giant puppies with any frequency is just not
realistic.
To complicate matters, owners want to make sure "Bubba"
grows to reach his full genetic potential and therefore "think" this
means eating lots of good food and, of course, purchasing a giant feed
pan. If I dump half of the daily ration in a 5 quart pan (holds 20 cups),
a common size pan to be used by Great Dane owners, the dog and I are both
convinced he is going to starve. So what do owners normally do remedy
this situation? Dump more feed in the pan and dog and owner are both
satisfied. Then over a period of time, due to excessive caloric intake,
your little Bubba comes down with H.O.D. and I start getting phone calls for
help.
The problem with all commercial feeds, particularly the
"premium" foods is they are "designed" to be calorie dense
which means, a little goes a long way. But this minuscule amount of
kibble in the bottom of a large pan has a psychological impact on the
owner--kind of like your new diet program--when you weigh and measure your food
and realize 1 oz. of everything is practically nothing. This is the
reason puppy foods and higher protein maintenance type foods get us into
trouble. Because they are calorie dense and we overfeed 99% of the time
when feeding a commercial food. These animals do better fed a lower
protein food because the portions are more normal in amount and the dogs fill
up before they over consume in calories.
Any animal can come down with H.O.D. even when fed a senior type
food if the animal is fed more calories than it can burn off
daily/weekly. Likewise, one can feed a puppy food or stress food provided
the animals are weighed 3-4 times a week, exercised and fed a restricted
diet. It is difficult for the average owner and breeder to strike the
correct balance in nutritional intake and amount of energy expended, when using
these commercial foods. This is why the lower and moderate
calorie/protein foods work better for the giant breeds in the management of
nutritionally caused bone diseases such as H.O.D. and Pano.
As for O.C.D. that is a different story. I am convinced O.C.D. has to do
with poor quality and crude form micronutrients (minerals) put back on the food
lost after processing. These forms are not available to the animal in
correct forms so they are usable. Oh yes, in the lab tests they are
present as stated on the bag, but quality and form are critical to prevention
of O.C.D. It is odd that almost all of the O.C.D. cases reported to the
survey are animals fed the same two specific commercial brands. Also they
always list minimum amounts of calcium not maximum, so who knows what they
are getting.
Animals in the wild eat higher protein foods. But remember,
they are whole, fresh raw and natural and the system uses these types of food
differently than the processed killed commercial foods with synthetic vitamins
and poor quality minerals added back to the diet.
It is also important to keep in mind when we talk about intake
versus expended energy there is even more of a problem with puppies burning up
calories when they are confined to a crate for 6-10 or more hours a day.
It is very critical to note that not every brand of low protein
food is appropriate to feed growing animals. Poor quality generic or
grocery store brands are a bad choice for numerous reasons. There are
only a few brands on the market that I am interested in recommending and if you
send a self-addressed, stamped business sized envelope I will be glad to
include brand names and the feeding program I give to my puppy buyers.
Here are some important questions you can ask the dog food companies in your
search for a quality commercial feed. This information is not on the bag
so you must communicate directly with the dog food company and ask very
specific questions. Make a list.
Questions to ask:
1. (Protein): What kind, grade and quantity of
meat sources are used. Ask if they use the
"4-D meats" (dead, diseased, disabled, dying) or do they use
organically raised or human grade meat sources. Meat meals should be your
primary source of protein in a food and listed as the first two ingredients.
I want to share with you a horrifying excerpt from a 1992
article by staff writer John Eckhouse, San Francisco
Chronicle, who was involved in a two-part expose entitled "Pet-food labels
baffle consumers" and "How dogs and cats get recycled into pet
foods." He writes:
"Each year millions of dead American dogs and cats are
processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials and road kill
by companies known as renderers. The finished
products-tallow and meat meals-serve as raw materials of thousands of items
including cosmetics and pet foods". The article goes on to state
"There were the usual denials by pet food executives. Yet federal
and state agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and medical
groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California
Veterinary Medical Association confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are
rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health
authorities and the end products find their way into commercial pet
foods."
Now, I have had first hand knowledge of this happening right here
in our town of Muncie, Indiana where a truck from a major dog food company has
come to the local shelter and loaded the dead animals on a truck and headed to
the out of state rendering plant to make more dog food! Once I got over
the initial emotional shock and disgust of the idea of pets consuming other
dead pets, I tried to be objective. After all, protein is protein.
So why should this matter? But the fact is it does matter. Barring
the whole idea is "pretty darn yucky". The real problem is the
fact that the toxic chemicals used to euthanize
animals "survives the rendering process without undergoing
degradation". In other words, they don't break down and remain in
the meat meal!
It is the cumulative effects of these intact toxins that are
the going into dog foods and they have a lasting effect on our living pets in
terms of disease, longevity, reproduction, etc. I have never been convinced
all these so called "food" allergies are due to actual foods. I
believe they are due to the "toxins" in the foods themselves.
This is why, in most cases, when we switch to a homemade diet or a natural diet
the animals clear up. There are only a small handful of dog food
companies I can ever recommend to people and this is one of the main reasons
why I am so adamant about using only a few foods on the market.
2. (Carbohydrates);
What kinds and grade of grains - are they whole grains or
fractionated (grade 1 or 2 grains are human grade). Are grains used as a
protein source instead of meat?
3. (Vitamins): Are they born (from the actual
ingredient) and do they use additional vitamins put on after processing. Are the natural vitamins from whole food concentrates or synthetic
vitamins. Yes, recent studies indicate there is a major difference
between synthetics versus natural. (An example: beta carotene (Vitamin A)
will convert to vitamin A if the body needs it. Beta carotene is a
natural source of vitamin A. Most vitamin labels state vitamin A which is
synthetic unless stated as beta carotene. It is easy to overdose on
vitamin A whereas beta carotene is only converted to vitamin A by the body if
needed.)
4. (Minerals): Are the minerals crude forms or
forms that are a usable form such as chelated or
sequestered. Yes, there is an important difference again. I will
address this importance in my Bloat article.
5. (Preservatives): Do they use ethoxyquin
preservative? If it is not listed on the bag is it still in the fats they
choose to use? If the fats are purchased from another source other than
the dog food company they do not have to list ethoxyquin
on the dog food bag. How do they preserve their foods and what is their
stand on the use of ethoxyquin?
6. (Vitamin C): What is their stand on vitamin C
as a nutrient. Is it in the food in ample
amounts? If so, how much per cup of food?
This question will "separate the men from the boys" so to
speak. I have never talked to a breeder that did not use and believe in
vitamin C with the exception of a handful of dog food companies. Most
think it is not important and totally unnecessary, but practical experience tells us vitamin C is extremely essential in their
diet.
7. (Probiotics*): Definition: Probiotics are "friendly". Living organisms - good bacteria. Yogurt has "friendly living"
organisms in it but there are others too.
Good bacteria are needed for major bodily functions, i.e.:
·
to fight off bad bacteria levels
(pathogenic bacteria)
·
to boost the immune system
·
to aid digestion and helps prevent bloat
or stop bloat in the process
·
to help to make an environment conducive
to reproduction
Yes, you read that right. Bacteria should be present in
normal levels in the reproductive system of the male and female.
Probiotics or good bacteria is
normally found in the tripe/guts of the prey animal in the wild.
But my point here is: re-establishing good bacteria into our diets
has been overlooked by all but a couple of dog food companies. Chances are most
companies won't have a clue as to what you are talking about.
8. (Digestive Enzymes* Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) ): Ask them if they use digestive
enzymes in their foods. How do they replace the enzymes that are killed
during processing? Digestive enzymes are normally made by the pancreas
and this is a drain on the body when we are not getting help with digestive
enzymes from whole fresh raw foods. Things they would normally eat in the
wild are missing from most commercial foods.
*The use of Probiotics and
digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase)
or (Biopet/N'zymes)
will be the focus of my talk in October at the National. These two items
are normally lost due to the heat and processing of commercial foods. I
will be talking about the need to reintroduce these two elements into the dog’s
diets and how probiotics and digestives can help in
the management of bloat and in torsion prevention.
9. (Other Enhancers): Ask them if there is any additional
salt, sugar, food coloring or synthetic flavor enhancers in the food.
10. (SOY): Is
soy in the food? If there is, then is it whole soy or only fractionated
or parts of the soy? (Whole soy is not a problem if processed properly,
but to my knowledge there is only one company that can process soy and use it
in the proper context). Is it considered a protein source?
11. (Philosophy): Ask what sets their dog food
apart from all the other dog foods. Don't fall for that "small"
stools line, because small stools are not an indication of a highly digestible
diet and quality nutrition. The whole idea and sales pitch of a small stool
is a marketing tool.
I hope this helps clarify the question of true H.O.D. and gives you
some questions to help in the selection of a better quality food. Now I
would like to discuss ways in which we can enhance our animal diets without
disrupting the balance.
Heat and processing of "food stuffs" can kill or alter
the effectiveness of valuable nutrients, probiotic
cultures (friendly bacteria) and enzymes normally found intact in fresh whole
raw foods. Therefore, dog food companies spray vitamins and minerals back
onto the dog foods before bagging. Most of the vitamins are synthetics
and the minerals are in such crude forms the animals cannot use them.
Then there is the greater issue of getting each of these nutrients from
separate sources mixing them together and thinking they will work together like
they do when found in a natural state--wrong! This is why nutrients found
in whole raw foods are better for all of us. They work in concert with
each other. Probiotic (friendly bacteria
cultures), digestive enzymes, other enzymes and antioxidant enzymes have been
virtually ignored by the majority of physicians, veterinarians and health
experts. We are now just starting to hear about the importance of these
nutrients. These are not just important to your animals' diets.
These components are very important to our diets too.
The Reintroduction of Whole Living Foods to the Diet
These past two years I have worked to incorporate whole living
foods back into my animals diets without disrupting
the commercial foods. My lifestyle is such that I am unwilling to feed my
dogs as if they were living in the wild. This means incorporating other
things into the commercial diets in order to put back whole living food without
significantly changing the protein/calorie content or disrupting the balance of
the food by adding more synthetic vitamin and crude forms of minerals.
I have found ways to reintroduce whole living foods into the diet
in the form of:
·
Vitamin C (non acid type)
·
Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts
·
Cereal grasses (barley and wheat)
·
Enzymes (facilitators of body chemistry
and digestion)
·
Digestive enzymes and dietary enzymes Bioguard
(Dismutase)or (Biopet/N'zymes)
·
Probiotics
(friendly yogurt type culture)
·
Herbs
I would like to briefly discuss each of these food stuffs and
give a number for further information or to place an order. Understand I
do not sell any of these products. I only investigate the research
information, use the products, and then report my findings to other breeders
for their further investigation and possible usage.
In previous articles I have discussed the fact that heat and
processing kills the "living" elements normally found in foods such
as enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, to replace what has been destroyed, the companies "add back" vitamins and
minerals of a cheaper synthetic quality. These are not normally derived
from a whole food source but from a form of vitamins made in the laboratory
which are chemically supposed to be the same except, in my opinion, they are
not! When we extract the part from the whole it is not the same.
All the chemicals that make up corn can be made in a laboratory, yet corn made
in the laboratory wouldn't grow. It is all there except the most
important part, the part that is "living". Likewise the same is
true for vitamins which are not derived from whole food sources or minerals
that are in crude forms and unusable by the animal or human digestive tract.
This is how an animal would normally get these whole living foods
if it hunted and scavenged. Let's say our dog hunts and kills an
animal. He would then set about to gut it and consume the innards where
nutrients and minerals are concentrated in the organs (pancreas+digestive
enzymes, liver stores vitamin C). He would consume the pre-digested
vegetable matter from the stomach (fruits and veggies) and intestines (tripe),
home of intestinal flora and other enzymes. This is all followed by
consuming larger muscle mass and then the bones. Naturally some hide, fur
or feathers (fiber) would be consumed in the
process. This chart helps to show you how we can incorporate whole living
food back into the diet in a suitable compromise using commercial dog foods.
|
FROM THE KILLED PREY |
THINGS EQUIVALENT WE CAN FEED |
|
Pre-digested
vegetables/fruits (Biopet/N’zymes) |
Cereal grasses,
herbs, enzymes, Bioguard (Dismutase)
(800-926-5100) or non-acid vitamin C, fresh fruits, chopped vegetables |
|
Carbohydrates
in pre-digested grains/nuts |
Nuts |
|
Enzymes/friendly bacteria (probiotics)
found in innards-tripe |
Probiotic or yogurt-type friendly cultures and
enzymes-digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) (800-926-5100) or (Biopet/N’zymes) |
|
Blood and organs where vitamin C and minerals are
concentrated |
Non-acid vitamin C, trace minerals, Coenzyme Q-10, cereal grasses
such as barley or wheat grass. A
micronutrient product “Source”. |
|
Protein (meats) amino acids for muscle mass |
Reintroduce small amounts of raw meats into diet (see diet at end
of article) |
|
Bones (calcium/phosphorus) |
Generally ample amounts in commercial foods and ratio, type and
amounts regulated by law. Can give
uncooked knuckle or shank bone for natural way to keep teeth in good shape. |
|
Fur/feather and hide is the natural fiber
source |
Provided in dog foods, in any fruit and veggies given |
Each of the whole living foods listed above can be added back to
the commercial diets in an effort to "fill in the holes" from what is
missing in the processed foods. Yes, I know the manufacturer tells
us these diets are 100% nutritionally complete. But the fact is,
nutrition is a relatively new science and no one knows 100% about nutrition,
let alone what is a 100% nutritionally complete diet.
What we have in the commercial dog food diets are subsistence
levels of nutrients. Since I am looking for optimum health, quality of
life and longevity for my dogs, I am interested in whole food concentrates that
can be added to the diets and not disrupt the balance or increase the calories
or protein significantly. Whole food concentrates are natural substances
and what the body does not need it expels in the stool and urine.
There
is now a product available on the market called Daily Greens Plus, a simple way
to combine all of these nutrients into one package, eliminating opening up four
different containers. The combination of these items will not alter the
caloric or protein properties nor will they disrupt the balance of the dog
foods. Remember when you introduce anything new to a diet go slowly and
if a loose stool occurs, back off and reintroduce gradually.
I use
Daily Greens Plus on dogs from weaning age to adulthood and it is suitable for
all breeds of dogs or cats. Dosage: 1-2 scoops A.M. feeding and in times
of stress I use again in the evening feeding.
To order Daily Greens Plus call: Healthy Tek,
Inc. 1-800-937-1104
I'd like to discuss in more detail the benefits of each of the
components in this product because I know a lot of breeders already incorporate
these items into their feeding programs.
Vitamin C: Only a few commercial dog foods
companies feel vitamin C is important enough to use in their diets for nutritional
purposes and not just as a preservative. More and more we are realizing
the extreme importance of the role of vitamin C in the production of collagen
for the prevention of hip dysplasia, development of
good pads and ear leathers as well as boosting the immune system.
The use of non-acid vitamin C is very important for mom and puppies
during gestation, at the very first day of birth and at all growth stages and
throughout the life of the animal. I have found an excellent source for a
non-acid vitamin C with collagen drops for newborn puppies and powdered non-acid
vitamin C for older puppies and adults. The non-acid vitamin C is pH
balanced for the system and I use the liquid vitamin C with collagen drops from
the first day of birth through weaning and then switch to a powdered
product. I suggest the use of some vitamin C even if you are feeding one
of the few foods that choose to add it to their commercial product. I
want to know the form I am using is being "used" by the animal.
The vitamin component in Daily Greens Plus is non-acid.
To order liquid non-acid vitamin C drops and powder:
Orthomolecular Specialties,
Cereal grasses (wheat grass/barley grass) are both nutritionally
the same and using either of these in a powder or tablet form is the best way
to get your and your animals daily dose of dark green veggies (pre-digested
vegetation). 3-10 tablets or 1/4-1 teaspoon of powder daily will do the trick.
The cereal grasses are the best way to add lots of living enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes),
micronutrients and the healing benefits of chlorophyll. Much research has
been done on the blood building, immune boosting, detoxifying healing effects
of chlorophyll. One of my fellow colleagues at the University has been
researching boosting immune systems with the use of cereal grasses.
He found that within a short time of daily use, blood tests showed an increase
in the immune system. I have recommended its use for demodectic
mange cases since it is effective in boosting the immune system rather rapidly.
It is well worth investing in this product for our puppies and adults and it
will not affect the balance of the dog foods. For more information, there
is an excellent book which compiles much of the latest research on the
topic. This book, Cereal grass, what is in it for you! and
the product can be purchased at: Pines International 1-800-642-7463 (ask for
Phil). I have used this myself for the past 4 years. I use 6-8
tablets daily and have reduced the number of yearly colds and respiratory
infections to practically nothing. I give it to the dogs in the form of
the Daily Greens Plus.
Enzymes - Dietary and Digestive
Enzymes are present in all living matter and they are necessary for
proper digestion. For our pets to obtain proper digestion, they need
enzymes which are normally made by the pancreas (digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes))
and should be found in the things they would normally eat (dietary
enzymes). I say should because the enzymes Bioguard
(Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes)
used to be in the food stuff before the manufacturers heated and processed the
food which destroys 100% of the enzymes. This forces the animals' body to
depend entirely on its own pancreatic output of digestive enzymes for digestion
of the food. This is stressful on the system over a long period of
time. Dietary enzymes such as the product Prozyme
are extracted out of plant sources for the purpose of adding all of the lost
food enzymes back into the food. Prozyme is not
a drug but classified as a food supplement and is normally sold by
veterinarians. This product consists of four basic digestive enzymes:
proteases, which breaks down protein; lipases, which breaks down fats or
lipids; amylases, which breaks down carbohydrates (principally starch and
sugars); and cellulases, which breaks down vegetable
matter, including fiber.
The object of "breakdown" is to improve digestion by
increasing the availability of nutrients. A faster breakdown of food
means the animal can process the food much quicker so it is not laying in their
stomach possibly starting to ferment (one of the problems I think is related to
this bloat issue). The canine digestive system has a short intestine for
the digestion of a raw meat based diet. Therefore, it is important for
the food to move on through and not linger in the stomach which cereal based
foods tend to do. Again, I incorporate digestive enzymes into my dog’s
diet through the use of Daily Greens Plus.
It is my opinion digestive enzymes Bioguard
(Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes)
in combination with probiotics (friendly yogurt-type
bacteria) may well be the key to reducing or eliminating the possibility of
bloat and gastric torsion. These two extremely important elements are
missing in the vast majority of commercial dog foods.
There are only a few commercial food companies who believe
digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase)
or (Biopet/N'zymes)
and probiotics are crucial to an animal's diets and
choose to put these items back on to the food after it is processed. This
is an important step in the right direction. But I add additional
digestives and probiotics to all my animal's diets,
in small amounts, on a daily basis, as an added measure of insurance.
This is no guarantee, but it is certainly more help than we have had so far in
this struggle to control bloat and gastric torsion.
There are numerous other enzymes and if you are interested in
reading more about them I suggest a book called Enzyme Nutrition by Dr. Edward
Howell. There are two dietary enzymes I am particularly interested in
that I have studied and written about in previous
OTHER DIETARY ENZYMES (ANTIOXIDANTS)
The first enzyme I will talk about is called superoxide
dismutase and it is one of the antioxidants.
These antioxidant enzymes are necessary to neutralize toxic by-products of
oxygen metabolism called "free radicals". The older we get the
less we are able to produce our own adequate level of these antioxidant
enzymes. Therefore, one way to provide these enzymes is through a whole
food antioxidant supplement called (Phytosprout Plus).
This is an organically grown "special" leguminous sprout that comes
in a capsule or granular form. Some of the uses associated with this
product is its ability to favorable enhance vitality
in the animal in relation to arthritis, hip dysplasia,
muscle-skeletal decline, wobblers, gastric torsion, and cancer to name a
few. One of my first experiences with this product was on a severely
arthritic dane who I was
going to have euthanized because she could not get up
and potty herself. Within days of using the (Phytosprout
Plus) enzyme, she was walking, playing and it extended
her life by 4 years. Today I have my three 10 year old Danes on this
enzyme and they are in outstanding shape and extremely active. I
attribute their health, vitality and lack of arthritis to the use of the (Phytosprout plus) enzyme. I personally use 6 capsules
a day for me and 1 teaspoon a day per animal sprinkled over their food.
In addition, (Phytosprout Plus) is extremely
useful because it has properties that help flush liver toxins and with our
continual use of heartworm preventatives, I have found this particular product
extremely important because of its potential cleansing properties.
A note about reproduction problems.
I know several breeders that have managed to regulate their bitches seasons and
get males with a low sperm count and poor motility back on track through the
use of the Phyto-Sprout Plus product. So before
you resort to drastic measures and you have one of these problems, you may want
to talk with me about this product.
We noticed when we put our puppies on the (Phytosprout
Plus) before cropping, during inoculations and any surgery, they come out of
the anesthetic faster and they heal so much
quicker! I think the (Phytosprout Plus) product
is a must for animals going through major surgery, particularly after torsion
surgery. I use this product myself and I can't tell you the number of Dane
breeders that are using the (Phytosprout
Plus) for themselves and their dogs with arthritis and having amazing
results. Once again, if we and the dogs ate a more varied, natural, raw,
whole food, we would be getting these important components in our diets.
For more information and to order: Phyosprouts
Plus or (Biopet/N'zymes)
enzymatic product click: (Biopet/N'zymes)
COENZYME Q-10
Another enzyme derived from a whole food source
is one called Coenzyme Q-10 or CoQ-10. This enzyme is proving to be one
of the most exciting discoveries in nutritional science. There is a
considerable amount of information available regarding the 32 years of
scientific research on the enzyme CoQ-10 and it is now viewed as a breakthrough
in health and nutrition and instrumental in helping the body produce
energy. Specifically, CoQ-10 has been found to have profound and lasting
effects in the following areas:
·
boost energy levels, increase stamina
and endurance
·
strengthening and protecting the heart
against cardiovascular disorders and heart disease
·
improve the effectiveness of the immune
system
·
reversing periodontal disease (teeth and
gums)
·
normalize blood pressure
·
acting as an antioxidant by protecting
against free radicals
I have used this on my ancient whippet and have noticed a
tremendous improvement in his periodontal disease, and one elderly bitch who was diagnosed with the beginnings of heart disease at
eight years of age. After being on CoQ-10 for 3 months it reversed and
retarded the deterioration process and she is now 12 years old and going
strong. For those dane
owners with elderly animals I highly recommend the CoQ-10 enzyme as well as the
Phyto-Sprout Plus. They have made a major
difference in the quality of life for my elderly animals.
To purchase CoQ-10 call Healthy Tek
Inc. 1-800-937-1104
PROBIOTICS
This particular discussion regarding probiotics is of utmost importance to anyone owning breeds
who have a tendency toward bloat and gastric torsion.
Probiotics (pro-life) are microorganisms
and probiotics are the opposite of antibiotics
(anti-life). Over time man and microbes have reached an intricate state
of coexistence through mutual adaption. In
fact, all warm-blooded animals are profoundly dependent on the microbial
world. Despite the inclination to regard microorganisms
as the enemy, the essential truth is that the majority of these life forms favor cohabitation and cooperation--not conflict.
While some microorganisms represent villains and are
pathogenic bacteria, other microorganisms called probiotics (good or friendly bacteria) play a very
beneficial role in maintaining health (particularly in the digestive tract),
boosting the immune system, inhibiting pathogenic bacteria growth, and
decreasing disease recovery time.
Some examples of common microbes found to enhance nutrition and
health:
·
Lactobacillus acidophilus
·
Lactobacillus lactis
·
Bifidobacterium bifidum
·
Streptococcus faecium
Probiotics, commonly called friendly bacteria or
intestinal flora, are found in the digestive tract. But stress, seen or
unseen, kills off the good intestinal bacteria because stress alters the pH
balance of the system causing bad bacterial to flourish.
Stress can be caused by:
·
sudden food
changes, use of antibiotics, emotional trauma, psychological stress, ingestion
of chemicals in food or water (chlorine, preservatives, sulfites,
nitrites, etc.)
·
pollution,
excessive noise, travel, sudden change in environment, continual artificial
light, shipping, showing, family upheaval, boarding to name a few.
Like
people, some animals are able to handle stressful situations while others show
outward signs of stress. It is the animals who internalize their stress
that are the primary candidates for bloat and torsion.
Many
breeds as a whole do not handle stress well. That is why using these
nutrients are important as well as using our head about the selection of stable
breeding stock for each succeeding generation.
It is my opinion that it is critical to supply these animals with a
daily dose of probiotic cultures and digestive
enzymes to help keep the pH balance where it should be and reduce your chances
of bloat. Daily doses of probiotics will help
re-establish that which is lost in normal daily activity and stress. I
will be discussing this at length at the National and for those who do not
attend I will give you my daily feeding program. If you have a dog that
has bloated and not torsed and you catch this in the
early stages, we have found if you tube a dog and pour probiotic
and digestive enzyme powder (2-4 tablespoons) mixed in cool water down the
tube, the stomach will go down. If there is excessive foam dump a cup of
grapefruit juice down first to break up the foam followed by your probiotic mixture. This will at least buy you time
and hopefully ward off the torsion. Yes, you heard me right,
nothing breaks up foam like grapefruit juice. We always keep canned
grapefruit juice on hand and in the dog show bloat kit. Fortunately in 22
years we have never had to use it on our own dogs.
I recently came home after 5 days to notice my dog sitter had fed
my elderly dogs the wrong brand of food. I had a different food in for
feed trials and she just reached into the wrong container. My 10
year-olds were in bad shape and one was trying to bloat for 2 days. But
we stabilized him by feeding him 3-4 tablespoons of probiotic/digestive
enzyme powder mixed in 1/3 cup yogurt and spooning it
down him. I repeated this 4 times a day and used injectable
and tablets of reglan according to my veterinarians instruction. This animal had not gone
into full bloat and there was no torsion so we were able to reverse the process
in a couple of days and it survived for months and died of old age.
This is what I use on a daily basis for my dogs:
·
23% protein 12% fat dry food with no
preservatives. This particular food has probiotic
cultures and digestive enzymes sprayed on it already. However, I have
come to learn this breed needs more.
· In A.M. I use 2 scoops of the Daily Greens Plus (which gives them vitamin C (2800mg), veggies, fruit,