Healthy Pets Mobile Vet, NC

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Yesterday we had two wonderful Golden Retrievers, ages 6 and 2, come in for elective surgical procedures. Both dogs had a history of eating a well-known and popular grain free diet for several years. In one dog, an arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) was detected so an x-ray of his chest was taken. His heart was enlarged, so an echocardiogram was scheduled for that afternoon. An x-ray was also taken of the other dog's chest as a precaution, and his heart was also enlarged. He was able to get an echocardiogram same day, as well.

The reports on both dogs just came back, and both of these gorgeous, otherwise perfectly healthy dogs have Dilated Cardiomyopathy. The cardiologist suspects that in both cases it is related to their diet. Thankfully, this condition was caught early, and when fed a traditional diet, their condition should hopefully reverse. Their cases are being reported to the FDA, along with the thousands of others from across the country.

There is no evidence to support feeding grain-free. Most pet allergies are related to environment (pollens, etc) or protein sources. Grain allergies account for a tiny fraction of all food allergies in dogs. Unfortunately, many dogs are becoming very ill or even dying from eating so-called "BEG" diets (boutique, exotic, grain-free), and the terrible thing is nutritionally mediated dilated cardiomyopathy is 100% preventable. There have been zero reported cases of NMDCM in dogs eating foods that meet WSAVA guidelines, currently made by Purina, Hill's, Iams/Eukanuba, or Royal Canin. We strongly suggest if you are feeding a "BEG" diet that you change your dog over to one of the brands listed above. If you have any questions specifically related to your pet, please call us.

We are so hopeful we caught this disease in time for our two beautiful patients to reverse their disease. Their very caring and dedicated owners have already changed their diet to one that meets WSAVA criteria. The articles below will help explain this disease, WSAVA guidelines, and why grain-free was more marketing than science.

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/11/dcm-update/
https://www.wsava.org/WSAVA/media/Arpita-and-Emma-editorial/Selecting-the-Best-Food-for-your-Pet.pdf

http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/06/grain-free-diets-big-on-marketing-small-on-truth/

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/dogs-fed-some-popular-diets-could-be-risk-heart-disease/

It’s Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy Dr. Freeman provides an update on diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs

My lilies are blooming which made me think about sharing this with those of you that love your

PSA: We adopted our dog, Rowdy, from the shelter 5 years ago. He was already an adult dog, so we estimate he is about 11 or 12 years old at this point. I love this dog. He is the sweetest soul and my BFF. For the past week or so he hasn’t been acting like himself. He licked a raw spot on his foot. He was panting constantly. He was pacing. Sunday morning, the pacing and panting got so bad, and I was REALLY nervous that there was something seriously wrong with him. For 45 minutes, he panted like crazy and constantly paced back and forth. He was keeping his tail tucked down all the time. His ears were pinned back. He would not settle down and he wouldn’t eat. We tried everything. I ended up giving him a trazadone that he takes sometimes when he goes to the groomer. It seemed to take a little bit of the edge off, but not much. He still wouldn’t eat and still wouldn’t settle. I took off work on Monday so I could take him to the vet. We did bloodwork and x-rays. Knowing he is a senior dog, I was trying to prepare myself for the worst case scenario. I was glad to see his bloodwork was great except for some elevated liver enzymes. The x-rays showed he was a little backed up but no major issues. He got an anti-nausea injection and some Gabapentin to help with some tenderness in his back and to hopefully help keep him calm. When we got home, he was ok for a little bit, but eventually started pacing and panting again. We walked around the neighborhood for a long time and he used the bathroom a lot. He seemed pretty happy about that and was in good spirits until we got home and he refused to come back in the house. Every time I took him out that evening, he would hunker down like he didn’t want to come back in the house. When my vet called and I gave her the update, she suggested there may be some new electronic device in the house that was emitting a high frequency noise that is hurting his ears. We had just put new smart outlets in the house about a week ago. His pacing and panting were worse when the lamps were on, so I unplugged all the smart outlets. He stopped panting, stopped pacing, and ate his food. His tail was even up and wagging again. When I plugged the smart outlets all back in and asked Alexa to turn on the lamps, he immediately started panting and pacing again. My husband used an app to test the frequency of the smart outlets. It was off the charts. We've left the outlets unplugged for two days and have confirmed that it is definitely the smart outlets that are causing his stress and discomfort. He's back to being a totally normal dog now. I really thought this was the end for Rowdy based on the way he was acting. I am so thankful for Dr. Newell at BoonesCreek AnimalHospital for figuring out this simple solution. If your pets are exhibiting similar symptoms, you may want to consider checking your electronics first. I cannot express how relieved I am that he is ok now. 😭♥️🐶

Please Adopt/Rescue rather than pay a breeder!

Wake animal shelter no longer set to euthanize animals after community responds to call for help WRAL News is still waiting to learn from Wake County if any animals will be euthanized after this new support for the shelter.

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Dogs are so smart and talented!

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From Pet Food Advisor:

Easter is upon us and, for many people, it’s a reason to tuck into chocolate, ham, lamb, hot cross buns and, well, anything we like.

Similar to the Christmas holidays, we might give ourselves an ‘indulgence pass’ over the weekend, intending to stick to salads and water until June to balance things out.

That’s because we control what we eat. Our dogs, however, do not. Most will eat what they’re given (and still want more). This means we’re responsible for their weight — and we’re not doing a great job.

A 2018 report by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention found that 56% of dogs in the U.S. were overweight. And the Banfield Pet Hospital group saw a 108% increase in the percentage of dogs visiting its clinics diagnosed as overweight or obese between 2011 and 2020.

Obesity is one of the biggest killers of dogs out there. It can contribute to heart disease, skeletal conditions, diabetes, and cancer — to name but a few nasty conditions. Not only does it make your dog's life worse and shorter, it can cost you a fortune in vet bills, especially if you don't have pet insurance.

Luckily, it's something we can remedy. So, how do we do that? Well, there are a few ways, but the basis is: fewer calories, more exercise. Here are some tips.

You can have better portion control. Adjust the amount you feed your dog until they maintain a healthy weight. Many fresh food brands will tailor the amount they send to your dog’s needs.
You can use dog food specifically designed for weight loss. These tend to contain above-average protein, below-average fat and below-average calories.
You can feed your dog fewer — or healthier — treats. (And by treats, I’m including that last piece of your cheese sandwich that you gave up to some puppy eyes.)
And, of course, make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise. They need to burn off that fuel.
And you should talk to your vet if you think your dog is overweight or underweight.

Recall Alert

Stratford Care USA, Inc Recalls Omega 3 Supplements Due to Elevated Levels of Vitamin A Complete details of the Stratford Care USA, Inc recall as reported by the editors of The Dog Food Advisor.

From Dog Food Advisor:

You know, there's one thing on which we can ALL agree. Dogs don't live long enough.
Am I right?
I stumbled upon a shockingly simple feeding strategy that has the potential to extend the life of any dog.
And best of all…
It has absolutely nothing to do with special ingredients or recipes.
It's based on a 14-year landmark study by veterinary scientists that uncovered a simple feeding method…
That can add an average of 1.8 years to any dog's life.
Think about it.
That's nearly 2 extra years of life.

So… What exactly is it?
It's feeding the amount of food that keeps your dog at what scientists call "ideal body condition".

So… Why not use the exact same system used by savvy vets to determine a dog's weight?

See chart below!