The Canine Connection All Breed Sanctuary and Hospice

Copied this from a friend's timeline. Very important that we not just accept that all meds are created equal. Xylitol kills dogs, even in small doses.

When I first started the Canine Connection back in 2003, I was very big into gemmotherapy and homeopathy. I have fallen away from both over the years and I'm really not sure why other than I am tired and worn out maybe?

Posting this here as I personally know that most of this stuff works if given properly.

I'm going to try the Arnica first, then add in the Rux Tox, and then add the Ruta grav if I don't see results from the first two. This is for joint stiffness and pain. I feel I need to try it and see if it can help him as I know it won't harm him.

20 Natural Remedies For Dogs You Didn't Know About Bites, Breaks, Burns - there's a natural cure for that! Read and Keep this list of the 20 Natural Remedies For Dogs ... all tried and tested here at DNM!

Copying this from my personal page.

We all know about potential carcinogens in our food and in pet food, right? WRONG.
If you guys have been following my posts about Gabe going to the vet chiropractor to find out what is going on.... none of the SEVERAL expensive joint supplements I have put him on have helped. The last two have been making him sick.
I had no clue about TBHQ, which is a synthetic fat preservative that they use in thousands of human foods and in dog foods and treats and supplements to add shelf life to everything. As we all know it's all about the bottom line, not the mere fact that it is killing us, our kids, our grandkids and our animals.
I've tried several supplements, one being Jope... if you have not been bombarded by Jope advertisements online, you are a fortunate person. Helped Gabe for a little bit, but quit making a difference and this product is very expensive when you are dealing with a giant breed as the dose is based per pound of course.
Tried a few more, nothing really helped him. So, I fell for the online promo of PupLabs Dream Joint liquid supplement. Three days in, Gabe was lethargic, did not want to eat, drooling, and started wobbling. He limped a little before this, but never wobbled. So, I contacted the company and they said "send it back and we'll refund your money"... It was like $300 for a 4 month supply. I hope they are honest as I don't have $300 to just flush down the toilet.
So, last Friday, I took Gabe to a vet chiropractor. She was great! She was very complimentary of Gabe and said she felt he was from show stock as he exemplifies what a Great Pyrenees is supposed to be in structure and demeanor. Of course, I was beaming. She then watched us trot away and back to her a couple of times and she said "his pelvis is out of line, one side is higher, which resulted in one hamstring being larger than the other. She also felt that there was something amuk with his left front elbow, which his limping on the front (off and on) was why all this started. She worked on him a while and when we left his pelvis was flat on both sides.
I got talking to her about the supplement challenges and she said "I've been selling Actistatin to all of my agility clients and we are seeing really good results". So, as I saw a couple of containers there, I bought one in hopes that this would be the supplement that can help keep him moving and pain free. My heart aches when I see any dog struggling, but this guy has my heart and I can't not do everything I can.
Fast forward to Saturday, Gabe seemed happier and more active. He had had two chews on Friday and I gave him his 2 in the a.m. and one in the p.m. on Saturday.
Sunday morning I went out to let him out at 6:30 a.m. He was laying between his bed and the fence and looked as if he couldn't get up. He had drool all over his chest and front legs and I had to move the bed so he could get up, which took him a lot to get up. He was wobbly, lethargic, did not want to eat and looked green around the gills. He wears his heart and his overall being in his face and body, which really helps when you're trying to figure out if a dog is sick or not.
I'm like "this is not right, it's the same thing that happened before x ten)". Stopped that supplement immediately.
When I told Val about what was going on, she started investigating that supplement and the only thing she could come up with is the TBHQ preservative. Both of these supplements both said "give with food or right after a meal to avoid stomach upset". Further reading on the subject, I was shocked and dismayed as to how much it can harm any breathing creature. So many dog foods, treats, supplements and human foods contain this preservative. The most amazing thing is CHINA has banned this in their country because of its dangers. But, the US just keeps letting them kill us.
In the pet food lines, Science Diet foods seem to be the biggest culprit with that cancer causing/liver killing ingredient... So beware, don't believe that this company has the best interest of your pets in mind.
Here are the things you should be looking to avoid in your food and in your pets foods. Copied and pasted this information below.
We are going back on Friday for another adjustment. Hoping this will help Gabe and get his pelvis back in line.
The Bottom Line
Dogs are a captive audience. They have no choice but to eat what we put in front of them. The same food, consumed day after day. Week after week. Year after year.
For a lifetime.
It’s that cumulative exposure that keeps us up at night. That additive effect of using any artificial preservative relentlessly — especially when it’s suspected of causing cancer.
So, avoid dog foods made with artificial preservatives.
Here’s a list of some of the more common chemical additives…
Propylene glycol
Ethoxyquin
BHA
BHT
TBHQ
Propyl gallate
Who knows? Avoiding these dangerous dog food preservatives may just add years of good health to your pet’s life.

New cover photo is Lilah (left) and Gunner taken just now. She is the same height as Gunner, but must be sitting in that photo.... He's much thicker than she is, but I think that is to be expected with the genders. I got this shot of Gunner after and I am thrilled at how their coats are coming along...... Check that tail out! He is a good boy! He frets whenever I'm outside and he can't see where I am..... I like that. I used to play hide and seek with them, but they are too smart for that now, won't let me get out of their sight..... lol

Took Gunner, the 7 1/2 month old Great Pyr/Newfie pup to my vet today for a health exam and a rabies shot.

He was 75 1/2 pounds and in excellent shape. Heart, lungs, legs all checked out good and strong.

As some of you know I've been very stressed worrying about what will happen when Lilah (his sister) comes into heat. So I asked my vet what's your personal opinion on when a giant breed should be spayed or neutered. (This is why I really, really respect and like this vet)..... He said definitely well after the females first heat cycle, which with giant breeds can be as long as two years old. I'm hoping she holds off as long as possible as I'm not looking forward to the fun times with Gabe and Gunner lurking about with their boy parts.

He said something interesting to me.... males should be at least a year old and a lot of people believe that when they start to lift their leg to p*e, they have reached the age that they can be neutered safely without structural issues. I didn't want to say that Gunner has been lifting his leg to p*e for well over a month and I know this boy is a long way from being physically mature.

I really want to keep them both as they are so good together.... Gabe likes them both and they have warmed up to him.... I just know that when testosterone starts flying, that will not be a good thing for either of the boys and for their caretaker.

So Lilah, please don't be like Kenzie (the Bullmastiff girl)... She had her first heat cycle at 8 months and we waited until she was 2 1/2 to spay her so we suffered thru 4 heat cycles....

That won't happen in this case.

I told my vet that these dogs (the Great Pyrs) are the best guardian dogs I've ever had here and he said "don't you have Bullmastiffs"? I'm like yes, but they are house dogs...... Kenzie is protective, but these guys are tucked in their beds at 9:00 p.m.

GABE is the guy and I think he will teach these two what is expected around here. Heaven knows I'm not up for the task! lol

Gabe is going to a doggie chiropractor on Friday. She will look him over good and do an adjustment if needed. All the money that has been spent on these stupid supplements is just a waste.

The one I just spent $300 on (puplabs) was making Gabe sick... he started retching almost immediately after I started him on it.... I hope they honor their money back guarantee.

I've just learned that the rescue page isn't showing up on people's feed. Can you respond if you see this? I checked the settings and couldn't see any issue, but I need to know if we have a problem.

THANKS!

Andrea, did you get this?

Back to the dental stuff: I thought I remembered cheese for dental supplements, but it had been a long time. Here's the Wysong product I used to use before I switched to raw feeding in 2007.

It has all kinds of cheese ingredients....... didn't really help the little flat-nosed dogs I had back then, but these little dogs with their faces caved in and their teeth all smunched together is a breeding ground for bacteria and plaque/tartar.

Wysong Dentatreats:
Details

A tasty, effective, all natural treat for the oral health of dogs and cats
An alternative natural approach to maintaining pet oral health by utilizing the scientifically-proven beneficial properties of cheeses, probiotics, minerals, and other natural ingredients
Easy to feed natural cat and dog supplement can be sprinkled directly onto food, or it can also be used with a toothbrush as a tooth cleaning powder
Made entirely of safe, natural food ingredients and has no artificial colorings or flavorings
Helps to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis, remineralizes teeth, and discourages growth of bacteria that cause plaque and bad breath
A tasty, effective, natural dentifrice treat for dogs and cats. DentaTreat is an alternative natural approach to maintaining pet oral health by utilizing the scientifically-proven beneficial properties of cheeses, probiotics, minerals, and other natural ingredients.

Composed of a special blend of dental-active natural cheeses, minerals, apple polyphenols, and many other ingredients that help to maintain oral health, DentaTreat natural cat and dog supplement can be sprinkled directly onto food, or it can also be used with a toothbrush as a tooth cleaning powder.

DentaTreat natural dog and cat treat is made entirely of safe, natural food ingredients and has no artificial colorings or flavorings. It helps to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis, remineralizes teeth, and discourages growth of bacteria that cause plaque and bad breath.

Specifications
Item Number 59025
Features Plaque Removal
Lifestage Adult
Breed Size All Breeds
Food Form Supplement, Food Topping, Treats
Product Form Powder
Close
Nutritional Information

Feeding Instructions

FAQ

That's Gabe showing his pretty teeth. Gabe does not eat raw period. He pukes it up and refuses to eat it. We went round and round two years ago when he first came here, and finally I tried lamb & rice kibble and lightly cooked proteins. He likes it and it agrees with him. BUT, I want to make sure those teeth stay healthy.

WHAT DO MY FRIENDS WHO FEED KIBBLE USE FOR DENTAL HEALTH?

I've spent hours reading online and quite honestly I'm not sure what is real and what is a scam anymore.... fake reviews everywhere.

So, if you do something specifically for dental care and IT WORKS, please tell me. I've been spending way too much money on joint supplements for him and I just can't spend anymore money on something that does not work.

Thank you!

Nose up, something is in the air! Tail up, definitely something in the area! Gotta love this dog!

Remember the post with the Standard Poodle xrays showing that he actually had no left hip socket, which we believe it was because he was neutered at a very young age..... I might have thought that this pup could have been born that way, but he wasn't. I saw xrays of his hips when he was 5 months old, one month before he was neutered.... This guy is a big boy, he's 85 pounds and could run like a gazelle, until one day he couldn't get up off the floor w/o struggling.

Just to show you how stupid some people are, and there's a lot of them out there. This woman decided to write me privately as she took exception with my post about juvenile spaying and neutering.

She said all of her dogs have been spayed/neutered by the time they were six months old and they are all doing well. Of course, they were small breed dogs, but she didn't seem to actually read the message I posted about large, x-large, and giant breeds.

She cussed me out and said I shouldn't be putting false information on the internet and then (wait for it) she sends me this bloop from the internet: (following paragraphs)

("No, the procedure is not painful. Well, it’s no worse than any other surgery, and it’s carried out under general anaesthetic, so they won’t feel a thing.

Your Great Pyrenees won’t become fat and lazy. Just because they’re not ‘at it’ doesn’t mean they’re going to pile on the pounds. With regular dog walks (thanks to Tailster 😉 )and exercise, they’ll stay slim and trim.

Don’t worry about age, the vet will ensure that your Great Pyrenees isn’t too young to be spayed or neutered. Female Great Pyreneess can reproduce as young as four months old, and male Great Pyreneess can as of six months.")

I believe all 3 paragraphs are flat out lies and could be something that certain areas of the canine world would use as a "go to" to convince people.

Has anyone ever had a 4 month old dog reproduce? I think that means they would have to come into heat at 2 months old? I've never had a dog, any size, come into heat before six months old.

As if there aren't enough things going wrong in this country, people have to butt their heads in where they do not belong.

If anyone agrees with that "quoted post" from the internet, let me know. I looked it up to make sure she pulled it from the internet and not out of her as$ just to pick a fight. It was there.....lol

So it is very obvious to me that Hannah and sister Layla are definitely demonstrating what even 1/4 Newfoundland in the bloodline means..... WATER DOGS!!!!!

I guess the pool was dry or occupied, so Hannah found the big water pan and decided to "cool her jets" in it! Good thing these pups have a big outside area they can enjoy and dry off eventually!

Della is experienced with Great Pyrs and most of them don't really care about the water that much, other than to drink a lot of it. I think Della is going to need a much bigger water pan!

I love that Hannah is getting to be a puppy and not worrying about what's going on with the two hooligans here! Lilah and Gunner play a lot together, digging is their thing..... they are getting to be puppies too, but were more worried about what Hannah was doing than being puppies.

This is a good situation for all of us! SO MUCH MORE QUIET NOW UP HERE!

I met up with Della and Matt today in Birch Run and I was early as usual, and they got delayed with two accidents and a lot of construction coming North. WAS IT WORTH ALL OF THE STRESS WITH GETTING HANNAH HERE AND THE CRAZINESS WITH HER TWO SIBLINGS? I so wish Lilah would have been happy with Hannah, but it wasn't meant to be.

THE ANSWER IS YES, ABSOLUTELY!

I'm so excited and my heart is "singing with joy"! I'm always worried when I hand a dog over, but I had a second sense about this young woman Della. I felt like I had known her forever and I trusted her with not only the first pup, but now Hannah! I knew I had made the right decision when Hannah immediately rolled over on her back and gave Della her belly.... She had not done that here as I think she was just so nervous with the other pups so close by, or she just knew Della was meant to be her new mom?

Yes, I was worried there might be some issue with reintroductions, but it's only been a bit over a week since they were together and my nervousness was put to rest with the following photos:

Hannah was a big water dish player..... gotta be the Newfie in them! Didn't take her long to figure out the pool! Looks like her sister Layla is as well!

It's much quieter here now and I so glad I followed my gut to give this girl a chance at a life with other dogs her age and kids!!!!

Thank you Della and Matt for opening your hearts and home to both of these girls, but especially my Hannah! I think she will have a new name, but she will always be Hannah II for me!

That's Hannah in the pool and Layla photo bombing.... haha

HANNAH UPDATE: Hannah will be headed to her new home tomorrow. She will be reunited with her sister that was adopted last Sunday. Those two got along fine while at their puppy home, so fingers crossed all will go well. This family has lots of kids and she should get a lot of love and attention which this little girl needs. She is sweet, but needs security and training!

So for now, Gunner will stay. I wish I could in good conscience just spay Lilah and get on with it, but I can't do that. I just can't rescue a dog and then harm them by juvenile spaying/neutering. Small dogs mature much more quickly, but even with the small breeds, I still like to wait until they have their first heat cycle --- boys at least 9 months to a year. Studies have been shown that early spaying/neutering cats does not seem to affect them negatively.

Here is a current example of what juvenile spaying/neutering can do. This is a four year old Standard Poodle, who's breeder health tested her adults (x-rays, etc.) and no one has hip dysplasia and this pup was x-rayed at 5 months old because they thought he may have swallowed a sock (which he didn't thank God)..... his hips were fine at that time.

The breeder and I told the new owners they needed to wait until this boy was 1.5 to 2 years old to neuter. It went in one ear and out the other as their vet said "hey, he's old enough at 6 months and that way he won't be p*eing in your house when he matures".... OMG.... so they did it. He is the only dog in that home, which makes this even more stupid.

Now he is 4 years old and his left hip socket is destroyed. This dog was a true athlete and could run like a Greyhound until one day not too long ago, he could not get up off the floor without horrible pain.

Rushed him to their vet thinking he had injured himself... X-rays showed he has no left hip socket to speak of..... ALL those hormones that they have naturally are needed for bones and joint development. Taking those away causes the bones to grown too long which not only makes them weaker, it can destroy the joints.
So now he is on Meloxicam daily until that doesn't help him and then it's an early death.

Here's his x-ray which shows how the hip joint disintegrated as the long bone grew too long and destroyed the joint.

His vet said "he was born that way, nothing you could do"... OMG.

So, no juvenile spaying/neutering for large and giant breed dogs until they are physically mature for me, and I hope for those who care enough to want the best for their four-legged family members.

We just have to be careful and diligent in the potential accidental breedings... if that happens, then you can spay once the heat cycle has concluded, as at least they will have one heat cycle after the unthinkable happens!

I snuck up on Lilah and Gunner playing just now.... not sure who was rolling who, but all of a sudden, they stopped, noses up in the air and they followed it right to where I was hiding behind the weeds. Beautiful puppies and so full of life and joy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQKUkUYTGVY

Can someone say "QUIET"? Happy to report that although we're not ready to mix and mingle, we have went from 75% chaos to 25% chaos. Big improvement in the bickering between Gunner and Hannah......As of right now, I have no clue what I will do, but I am taking it one day at a time.... having a tough time thinking about moving Gunner... Lilah and him are so breathtakingly beautiful together... when I watch them running around outside, it actually takes my breath away!

I will do what is best for each pup, but I need some time to figure out what it is and what I can live with.

Later!

LAST PUPPY ON HER WAY TO HER NEW LIFE! So happy for everyone involved.... Stephanie only has the 3 altered adults left, which will be a lot easier for her and her son while she is traveling with her new job.... AND, so happy for a great person I met because of these puppies! Della! She googled GP rescue puppies and she found our posts! So excited for this baby girl to have a great life now and she has a senior GP boy to teach her the ropes!

My work is ALMOST DONE! lol