Prebiotics (no, it’s not a typo) nourish probiotics, the beneficial bacteria discussed last month that support digestive health, the immune system, and more. A prebiotic is defined as “a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon and thus improves host health.”
Prebiotics are soluble, fermentable fiber, a type of nondigestible carbohydrate, also called resistant starch. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are the most common, but other oligosaccharides, arabinogalactans, and lactulose are also considered prebiotics. Sources include inulin (a form of FOS extracted from chicory), larch (a source of arabinogalactins), pectins, beet pulp, gums (e.g., guar gum), and wheat dextrin (Benefiber).
Prebiotics are included in many probiotic supplements (the combination is called “synbiotic,” referring to the synergy between the two). Food sources of soluble fiber include legumes (beans, lentils, peas), whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes). Some commercial dog foods have added sources of soluble fiber, such as chicory. Soluble fiber supplements are also available.
Why Should Dogs Use Prebiotics?
Prebiotics support the growth of probiotics, which help keep bad bacteria under control in the dog’s gut. By supporting the good bacteria, prebiotics help to prevent disease, improve digestion and nutrient absorption (especially minerals), and enhance the immune system. Dogs fed prebiotics are less likely to get diarrhea caused by the overgrowth of bad bacteria, and soluble fiber also helps to prevent or treat diarrhea by absorbing water and slowing intestinal transit. Fed to females during pregnancy and lactation, prebiotics provide enhanced immune protection to the puppies through colostrum and milk, and the puppies have an enhanced response to vaccines.
Soluble fiber is fermented by bacteria in the colon to short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the primary fuel for the cells of the colon. Increased concentration of SCFAs and numbers of beneficial bacteria support gastrointestinal health and the immune system.
Prebiotics may be especially beneficial for dogs with immunosuppression or digestive disorders, and for all dogs following antibiotic therapy. Studies done on rats show that prebiotics may help correct hyperlipidemia (high blood triglycerides or cholesterol) brought about by diabetes and other conditions. Human studies have shown that prebiotics may reduce the risk of colon cancer and irritable bowel disorders.
Use Care When You Give Your Dog Fiber Supplements
Prebiotics included in probiotic supplements are unlikely to cause any problems. Fiber supplements, however, should be used with caution. Too much soluble fiber can lead to gas and loose stools. Insoluble fiber (roughage), such as cellulose, speeds intestinal transit time (laxative effect) and reduces mineral absorption. Both types of fiber bulk up stools.
It’s important that dogs drink enough water when taking fiber supplements (especially insoluble fiber); add water to food if needed.
Dosing Prebiotics
Probiotics and prebiotics are best given together. Follow label instructions when using products made for dogs. When using products made for humans, adjust the dosage based on the size of your dog compared to an adult human (e.g., give about half the human dose to a dog weighing 50 to 60 pounds, or one-quarter the human dose to a dog weighing 25 to 30 pounds). If using a fiber-only supplement, start with low doses and increase gradually. Decrease the amount or switch to a different product if you see signs of gas or diarrhea.
Recommended Prebiotic Sources:
1. Thorne Veterinary’s ArabinexVET, an arabinogalactan product
Bill and Marin Corby of Romeo, Michigan, feed a homemade diet to their two rescued Cockapoos. Max, estimated to be anywhere from 6 to 9 years old, has been with them for three and a half years. Max weighed 32 pounds when first adopted, but his current weight is a healthy 20 pounds. Mickey was four months old and very sick when they first brought him home, as he had problems digesting his food. The Corbys switched Mickey to a raw diet, and he’s now thriving at 20 months of age and 16½ pounds.
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The Corbys feed a raw diet with a lot of variety. They make the food in large batches, then freeze it in 7-cup containers that hold a few days’ food each and are thawed as needed. Amounts shown below are for the complete batch, which lasts 34 days. Most ingredients are pureed in a food processor, then mixed with meat, Sojo’s, and spices in a large, shallow Rubbermaid storage container.
Each dog gets 8.5 ounces of this recipe per day (the amounts shown in parentheses are the daily amounts per dog):
–17 pounds meat (4 ounces), comprised of the following:
–15 pounds ground beef (27 percent fat), OR ground turkey (7 percent fat), OR 10 pounds venison plus 5 pounds ground beef
–1 pound heart (turkey or venison)
–1 pound liver (beef or venison)
–1 dozen eggs with shells (1/3 ounce)
–32 ounces plain, low-fat yogurt (½ ounce)
–6 cups Sojo’s Original Dog Food Mix (about 7 grams or ¼ ounce)
–10 pounds vegetables (2.4 ounces), including sweet potato, green beans, kale, broccoli, spinach, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, acorn squash, and carrots. Each batch contains 2 pounds each of five different vegetables. The starchy foods (sweet potato, winter squashes, and carrots) are cooked.
–5 pounds fruit (1.2 ounces), including bananas, berries, melon, and pears.
Supplements:
–1 cup molasses (¾ teaspoon)
–1 cup organic apple cider vinegar (¾ teaspoon)
–1 Tablespoon each turmeric, garlic, and ginger
–Each dog also gets one raw, skinless duck neck daily (averaging 3 to 4 ounces each), and a squirt (about ½ teaspoon or 2 grams) of salmon oil.
First Look I was pleased to see that this diet includes a wide variety of foods, with appropriate proportions of the various food groups: approximately 30 percent raw meaty bones, 33 percent meat (including 2 percent liver), 5 percent eggs and dairy, 20 percent vegetables, 10 percent fruit, and 2 percent supplements. It provides each dog with about 550 calories daily.
I winced, however, at the high-fat ground beef. Many homemade diets, particularly raw diets, are much higher in fat than most pets need. While dogs don’t suffer from clogged arteries the way people do, too much fat can lead to obesity, digestive upset, and even pancreatitis in susceptible dogs. It can also reduce the dog’s total nutritional intake because portions must be reduced to keep the dog from becoming obese.
I like to look at grams of fat per 1,000 calories (kcal), abbreviated GFK. A diet with 25 GFK, which is about 10.5 percent fat on a dry matter basis (DM), is considered low fat, suitable for dogs prone to pancreatitis or fat intolerance. A working sled dog might eat as much as 81 GFK (about 50 percent fat DM). Most pet dogs do well with 30 to 50 grams of fat per 1,000 calories (around 13 to 25 percent fat DM), depending on their activity level, how easily they gain weight, and whether they have any problems tolerating fat.
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An analysis of this diet showed it to be over 57 GFK (30 percent fat DM), which is too high. Using 85 percent lean ground beef would drop the GFK to 51 (26 percent fat DM); 90 percent lean beef would decrease it to 48 GFK (24 percent fat DM).
The only food group missing is fish. Fish supplies vitamin D, which must otherwise be supplemented using cod liver oil or a multivitamin. The National Research Council (NRC) recommends about 100 IUs vitamin D daily for dogs weighing 20 pounds. The recommended amount of vitamin D for humans has been increasing in recent years; the same will likely happen for dogs in the future as well.
Tinkering With the Diet Adding 4 pounds (drained) of canned pink salmon or jack mackerel (about 1 ounce per dog daily) to the recipe would provide enough vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids so that no supplementation is needed. These fish are also relatively low in fat, so 85 percent lean ground beef could be used with the recipe. Sardines are higher in fat than salmon or mackerel, so if sardines were used, I’d suggest combining them with 90 percent lean ground beef. I also recommend rinsing the canned fish if the amount of salt is a concern, and using sardines packed in water, not oil.
Using leaner beef reduces the calories in the recipe. To keep the daily calories the same, the Corbys need to increase the amount they feed by about 30 percent, to 11 ounces per dog daily. Caloric needs are always an estimate, so it’s important to keep an eye on the dogs’ weights and adjust the amount fed as needed to keep them slim and trim.
I don’t advise feeding whole eggs with shells. If the shells are needed to supply calcium, they should be ground to a powder in a clean coffee grinder to ensure that the calcium can be absorbed. One large eggshell makes 1 teaspoon of eggshell powder, which provides about 2,000 mg calcium. If the shells are not needed to supply calcium, it’s best to leave them out in order to avoid giving the dog too much calcium. Adult dogs have the ability to regulate their uptake of calcium, so excess amounts won’t cause the kind of orthopedic problems one might see in large-breed puppies, but calcium binds other minerals, so too much can reduce the nutritional quality of the diet.
There is no need to add calcium to this diet, since the duck necks supply more than enough. Without the raw meaty bones, they would need to give each dog 500 mg calcium daily.
The amount of Sojo’s mix in this diet is not significant; it would be fine to use oatmeal or other grains instead.
Poultry is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 essential fatty acid, so there is no need to add plant oils to this diet. The amount of salmon oil that the Corbys feed is about twice what their dogs need. When fish is added to the diet as described above, there is no need for added salmon oil at all. This would improve the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the overall diet and lower the GFK.
All the homemade diets I’ve analyzed have been low on vitamin E, and added oils increase vitamin E requirements, so this vitamin should always be supplemented. Recent human research, however, has shown that high doses of vitamin E may be counter-productive, negating its antioxidant benefits. I recommend giving 10 to 20 IUs daily to dogs weighing 20 pounds. This is most easily done using a canine multivitamin.
Despite the excellent variety and proportions in this diet, an analysis indicates it’s slightly low in a few minerals (zinc, copper, and selenium) when compared to NRC recommendations. I’m never sure how significant this is, since the NRC bases their guidelines on commercial diets that are high in grains, and grains contain phytates that bind certain minerals. The amounts recommended by NRC may therefore be higher than are needed when feeding a homemade diet that is relatively low in carbohydrates. To be safe, though, it would be easy to give a canine multivitamin and mineral tablet to each dog daily. Most will meet requirements for vitamin E and the minerals listed above.
Summary of Recommended Changes
–Use 85 percent lean ground beef (90 percent lean if using sardines) in place of 27 percent fat.
–Add four pounds of canned fish (drained and rinsed) to the recipe and eliminate the added fish oil.
–Leave out eggshells.
–Increase total amount of recipe fed to 11 ounces per dog daily (new recipe should last 30 days). Adjust as needed to keep the dogs at their proper weights.
–Add vitamin E or a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
–Revised diet has 47 GFK (about 23 percent fat on a dry matter basis).
Mary Straus is the owner of DogAware.com. Contact her via her website if you would like to submit a diet to be critiqued.
Many raw diet proponents claim that the nutrients and/or chemical composition of a raw diet keeps dogs from developing gingivitis or periodontitis. We’re not aware of any studies that have proven these claims, but the persistence of the anecdotal evidence of this phenomenon (to say nothing of its evolutionary success) suggest that there are dental benefits to a diet that includes raw, meaty bones.
Interestingly, it’s not just the physical action of the chewing; many owners, who fear the potential for bone fragments to impact or perforate their dog’s intestines, use commercial food grinders to grind raw meaty bones into a fine paste before feeding them to their dogs. Many of them report the same dental advantages as those who feed whole raw meaty bones to their dogs.
Again, there are likely to be outliers – dogs whose teeth and gums develop disease even when fed a supremely healthy raw diet.
However, it’s been our experience that people are either open to the idea of feeding a raw diet (whether commercial or home-prepared) or not; the condition of their dog’s teeth may be a contributing motivation, but not the sole factor guiding the decision.
Many people think of chewing as “just a puppy thing” but the fact is, canines in the wild spend quite a bit of time every day chewing on bones, in order to extract every last calorie and mineral they need. Our dogs have a ready food supply, so they don’t have to spend every spare moment in pursuit of every last nutrient, but the chewing behavior is hard-wired in them, anyway. Encouraging the chewing habit by providing a steady supply of appropriate chew items can promote a dog’s mental and emotional health.
Chewing also helps keep the teeth and gums clean and strong, and encourages the flow of cleansing, antibacterial saliva through the dog’s mouth.
Pups who are given the private space and leisure time to chew on a raw, meaty bone or food-stuffed toys will quickly develop the habit of spending time by themselves, chewing contentedly – and are less likely to develop separation distress or anxiety.
When pups are raised from the earliest age with ample opportunity to chew on raw meaty bones, most learn to take their time and chew in a casual manner, without damaging their teeth or bolting down over-large bone fragments. There are always outliers, however – dogs who, despite being raised with a ready supply of raw meaty bones, chew so aggressively that they are in danger of breaking teeth or swallowing dangerous chunks of bone. (The behavior is far more common, though, in dogs who were denied the pleasure of bones early in life.) If your dog is an aggressive chewer or greedily bolts any fragment of bone he can break off, he should be given a safer alternative to bones, such as a food-stuffed rubber toy. This will allow him to experience the zoned-out bliss of chewing and licking bits of food out of a safe facsimile of his hereditary chew item.
From front to back: Incisors are the little teeth in the front of the dog’s mouth. Immediately behind these are the canine teeth (fangs); behind them are the premolars and then molars. Note how the dog’s premolars and molars are mostly peaked, not mostly flat like ours. Photo by Nancy Kerns
It’s funny: We share our homes with another species of animal, whose most dangerous feature is its teeth – and most of us know little or nothing about those teeth, other than the fact that we should probably be brushing them. It’s time to correct this situation.
First, some canine dental basics. Most animals (including humans) have teeth that reflect the diet they subsisted on as they evolved. Though we humans have a few mildly sharp teeth in the front of our mouths that we can use for tearing, most of our teeth are built for grinding plant-based foods so that we can better digest them. Conversely, most of the teeth in a dog’s mouth are built for tearing animal-based foods, with just a few teeth that crush their food before they swallow it.
Dogs’ teeth are not as sharp as cats’ teeth, but their teeth and jaws are much stronger. Their dental anatomy enables them to grab and kill prey animals that may be much larger than themselves, tear through thick hides, slice and pull flesh from bones, crack open small bones in order to consume the marrow inside, and gnaw on bigger bones to strip away and consume every bit of meat and connective tissue.
Most adult dogs have 42 teeth, though our genetic manipulation of the species has resulted in dogs with fewer or more. Reportedly, the gene that is responsible for hairlessness in the hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested, also modifies dentition, often leaving these breeds with fewer teeth. Doberman Pinschers often are missing molars.
Most adult dogs have six incisors (front teeth) on the top jaw and six on the bottom; two canine teeth (the largest “fangs”) on the top and two on the bottom; eight premolars on the top and eight on the bottom; and two molars on the top and three molars on the bottom.
The dog uses his front teeth – the smallest and most fragile teeth – for his most delicate operations. He uses these teeth to groom himself, pulling burrs and insects from his skin and coat. He also uses them when scraping edible tissue from the surface of bones. (This is likely the evolutionary basis for the behavior that many dogs engage in when they strip the “fuzz” off of tennis balls. Some dogs do this so persistently that they wear down the incisors if not prevented from access to tennis balls.)
While the term “canine teeth” is admittedly somewhat confusing (aren’t all the teeth in a dog’s mouth canine teeth?) the appellation is somewhat understandable when you realize that the dog’s “fangs” are the most distinguishing feature of his species. Whether it’s a Chihuahua or Great Dane, a dog’s canines are the ones that look most impressive when bared, and leave the deepest holes in a person they’ve bitten.
Few of us look far enough back in our dogs’ mouths to appreciate this, but dogs’ premolars and molars are far pointier than human molars. Many of us imagine that dogs are chewing and grinding their kibble much as we chew cereal, but in fact, dog premolars and molars can’t actually grind. Grinding requires an animal’s jaws to move sideways; think about how a cow or llama grinds its food, with extreme sideways jaw action. Dog jaws can’t move sideways! Instead, the dog’s strong jaws and large peaks on the premolars and molars are used to crush large chunks into smaller ones. Not much more physical processing of their food occurs in the dog’s mouth.
As much as dogs can be said to chew, most of the chewing action is provided by the premolars. The molars, located at the far back of the mouth – where the dog has the most jaw strength, like the base of a pair of pliers – are mostly used for extreme crunching.
Puppy Tooth Eruption
We can use the timing of the eruption of puppy teeth and adult teeth to help us estimate the age of a young dog, but after he’s about eight months old and has all his adult teeth, we have to use other clues to estimate his age, such as the amount of staining, wear, and accumulation of tartar on his teeth.
This pup still has her deciduous canines (the teeth people think of as “fangs”), and some of her deciduous incisors (front “baby” teeth). Some of her adult incisors are emerging, though. She’s probably between 3 and 4 months old. Photo by Nancy Kerns
Puppies are born without teeth. The “deciduous” or “puppy” teeth start emerging when pups are about 4 weeks old. First to arrive are the front teeth (incisors, six on top and six on bottom), which emerge when the pup is 4 to 6 weeks old; the canines (two on top and two on bottom) erupt when the pup is about 5 to 6 weeks old; and the premolars (six on top and six on bottom) erupt at about 6 weeks. There are no deciduous molars.
The deciduous teeth are incredibly sharp. It has been speculated that the sharpness of puppy teeth serves to further two important developmental processes: weaning and bite inhibition. Too-vigorous biting, during nursing or play, causes an abrupt end to the previously gratifying activity, teaching the pup, through trial and grievous error, to restrict the severity of his bite. (For more about the development of bite inhibition, see “A Light Bite: Teaching Bite Inhibition,” WDJ June 2010.)
Soon enough (although perhaps not soon enough for most puppy owners), the pin-sharp puppy teeth begin to fall out – or, rather, are pushed out by the eruption of the adult teeth. The puppy teeth are generally lost in the order in which they arrived; and the adult teeth erupt in the same order: first the incisors, then the canines, and then the premolars. There is more variation in the timing of the eruption of the adult teeth, a wider window through which they may first be glimpsed. The adult incisors generally erupt between 3 to 5 months; the canines usually appear between 4 to 6 months; and the premolars between 4 to 5 months. The molars emerge between 5 and 7 months.
Sometimes a single tooth or a few deciduous teeth fail to shed even as the adult teeth erupt, resulting in a crowded-looking mouth. When this happens, it’s best to have your veterinarian extract the unshed puppy teeth, to prevent them from allowing the adult teeth to develop in an improper position.
This entire process of tooth eruption, loss, and eruption, lasting for many months, keeps the puppy’s mouth in constant torment, and he has to chew on things to relieve the sensation – hard things, soft things, chewy things, gummy things, crunchy things, anything, and everything! Knowing this, the wise puppy owner makes certain that the pup has lots of “legal” chew toys, and toys in every category (hard, soft, gummy, chewy, crunchy, and everything in between). If you fail to be thorough in providing chew toys of all textures, he’ll be sure to explore anything that you don’t want him to have that provides that missing, novel chewing experience.
Brushing Your Dog’s Teeth: Yes, You Need To
Here’s what most dog owners really want to know about their dogs’ teeth: “Do I really have to brush them?”
Although veterinary dental specialists would prefer that all owners brush their dogs’ teeth, the fact is that some dogs need it more than others. Whether it’s due to their genes, diet, chewing habits, and/or the chemical composition of their saliva, some dogs go to their graves with clean, white teeth and healthy gums with absolutely no effort put forth by their owners. Others develop tartar (also known as calculus) at an alarming rate.
The accumulation of plaque (a “biofilm” on the teeth that contains bacteria) and tartar (a mineralized concretion of plaque) is not just unsightly, it’s unhealthy. Tartar buildup at and under the gum line enables the entrance and growth of bacteria under the gums. Most dogs who have bad breath also have gingivitis – swollen and inflamed gums, usually bright red or purple, and which bleed easily. Unchecked, these bacterial infections in the gums slowly destroy the ligament and bony structures that support the teeth (periodontitis). Because of the ample blood supply to the gums, infections in the mouth can also poison the dog systemically, potentially causing disease of the heart, kidneys, and/or liver.
If your dog’s teeth are free of plaque or tartar, and his gums are tight and free of any signs of inflammation, you are one of the lucky ones. If, however, his gums are noticeably more red at the gum line and he has any visible tartar buildup on his teeth, you need to have his teeth cleaned by a veterinarian and then maintain the health of his teeth and gums with regular brushing and veterinary cleaning.
This poor dog’s dental hygiene has been severely neglected. The thick layer of tartar on her teeth has led to severe gingivitis (note the swollen, purple gums). Her incisors are practically falling out, and she’s likely to feel chronically ill from the bacterial burden she’s bearing.
If you are one of the unlucky ones, and your dog’s teeth and gums need your intervention to stay healthy, how often do you really need to brush your dog’s teeth? Put it this way: the more you brush, the less frequently you’ll need to pay for a veterinary cleaning. Whether you would prefer to invest your time in patiently training your dog to enjoy having his teeth brushed or would prefer to invest in your veterinarian’s time is up to you!
A Few Dog Tooth Brushing Tips:
– Start out slow, and be patient. Don’t try to brush all of your dog’s teeth on the first day. Use a circular motion, gently scrubbing plaque away from the gum line. Reward your dog frequently and richly with treats and praise.
– The “brushes” that you wear on your fingertips don’t tend to work as well as brushes with softer bristles – and they make it much easier for your dog to accidently bite down on your finger. Look for very soft-bristled brushes with long handles, so you can make sure you reach the molars. For larger dogs, soft brushes meant for adult humans work fine; baby human toothbrushes work well for smaller dogs.
– If your dog will tolerate it (or you can positively and patiently teach him to accept it), electric toothbrushes work great! For some dogs, however, these whirring, vibrating brushes are a deal-breaker, no matter what kind of treats you offer.
– Use a toothpaste designed for dogs. They come in flavors that are meant to appeal to dogs (meaty, not minty) – and they are free of fluoride, which can be toxic to dogs. (Remember, dogs don’t know to spit the toothpaste out!) Look for products that contain antibacterial enzymes, which help discourage bacterial growth and resulting gingivitis.
– Dip the brush in water frequently as you brush, to help rinse the plaque away from your dog’s teeth, and to facilitate a thorough application of the antibacterial enzymes in the toothpaste.
Get to a Veterinarian
It can be painfully expensive, but the value of having your dog’s calculus-encrusted teeth cleaned at your veterinarian’s office is incalculable! The only way all of his teeth (even the molars) can be scrubbed completely of the tartar, above and below the gums, is under general anesthesia. This must be done at a veterinary clinic.
Whether due to the cost or the perceived risk of anesthesia, people want so much to believe that there is another way to get the dog’s teeth clean. Once a dog has a lot of tartar on his teeth, though, the only effective treatment is a professional cleaning under anesthesia. Once his teeth are clean, you can prevent the need for further veterinary cleaning only through scrupulous home care (brushing) – but you just can’t brush a tartar-encrusted mouth back to health. For one thing, you can’t (and shouldn’t try) to brush under the dog’s gums; this area is cleaned at the vet’s office with sterile instruments and with the use of a fine mist of water, which washes the bacteria out of the dog’s mouth. The ultrasonic (vibrating) tools available to the technician are also much faster and more accurate than any tool you would have access to.
What about “anesthesia-free” cleaning? Witnessing a veterinary cleaning, with the dog under anesthesia, is pretty much all you need to realize that no one is capable of doing what needs to be done to get a fully conscious dog’s teeth really clean. The most cooperative dog in the world just isn’t going to lie down on a table under necessarily super bright lights (so the technician can thoroughly examine the teeth for any signs of chips or painful fractures) and allow a vibrating, misting tool to be employed on his molars.
Further, in most states, it’s illegal for anyone to use a scaler on an animal’s teeth except under the supervision of a veterinarian. While there are many technicians and groomers who may be capable of removing some dental calculus from your dog’s teeth, only a veterinarian is qualified and equipped to recognize, diagnose, and treat any related (or unrelated) conditions the dog may have, such as fractured teeth or oral cancer. If his periodontal disease is advanced, x-rays will be needed to evaluate the supporting structures of the teeth.
Of course, in order to safely anesthetize your dog, your veterinarian will likely require a blood test in advance of the cleaning appointment, to evaluate your dog’s kidney and liver function. If his function is reduced, extra precautions and perhaps a different anesthetic protocol can be used.
Depending on your dog’s age and condition, your veterinarian may also administer intravenous fluids to your dog during the procedure, which can help regulate the dog’s blood pressure. The presence of an IV catheter and proper hydration levels also make it possible for a veterinarian to immediately administer life-saving medications in case of an adverse reaction to the anesthesia. In an emergency, the use of calcium, epinephrine, and/or atropine needs to occur as quickly as possible; having an IV in place makes this possible.
Finally, veterinarians can prescribe and dispense antibiotics to help your dog fight off any bacteria that was dislodged by the cleaning and absorbed into his bloodstream, as well as provide any sort of consultation or aftercare needed. The price tag of all of this can be large – and it can vary a lot from vet to vet, ranging from $400 to $1,400 (or even more if the dog requires tooth extractions).
After all this, you’ll probably be motivated to give that toothbrushing a try. Do it now, while you’re good and motivated; it could add years to your dog’s life.
Earlier this week, with no warning or context, I posted on WDJ’s Facebook page that I was visiting the Hill’s (Science Diet, Prescription Diet) research and development campus in Kansas, and would also be visiting two of its production facilities. I was excited! And up until almost the hour that I left for the airport, I had been finishing the April issue of WDJ – I hadn’t had a chance to post something to let you know in advance about my trip and the reasons for it. I was just so psyched to be there! Historically, Hill’s was a very private company, which limited communications with non-veterinarians. A new wave of management appears to be changing that policy.
The first reason for my visit: I’m working on an article about the research that some pet food companies do as part of their research and development as well as for nutritional adequacy and palatability testing. So, as part of the research for that article, I toured the facility where all the Hill’s cats, kittens, dogs, and cats live, and got to see how they are cared for and spend their time. Two years ago, I toured the equivalent facility, with equal access, for Procter & Gamble, to see where that company does all the research on its Iams and Eukanuba diets. About five years ago, I was able to tour the much smaller facility where Natura (not yet owned by P&G) tested its diets (for palatability and digestibility) on its own colony of dogs and cats, right next to its production facility in Nebraska. And I’ll be working to find out what other companies are conducting similar work, and how.
The second reason for my visit: I was invited, along with a number of other journalists and pet bloggers, to visit Hill’s R&D facility. Hill’s offered to pay for my flight, transportation, and lodging. My publisher’s policy, which we’ve never broken, is that we cannot accept any such sponsorship. I flew, drove, and stayed at a local hotel on Belvoir Media Group’s dime – though I did accept (as part of the group) two dinners and two lunches that were offered by Hill’s (and got to talk to Hill’s upper management, nutritionists, formulators, and veterinarians at each meal). Hill’s can confirm I was the last one sitting at the tables with the Hill’s staff at every meal 😉 For me, the meals were the perfect unstructured opportunity to really talk to these folks.
As you know, I’m not a fan of the type of ingredients that Hill’s uses, and that’s not going to change. But I had an opportunity to discuss – directly from the two people currently most responsible for what goes into the Hill’s diets – why they use what they use, and it was interesting. I’ll be sharing that information with you over time. Remarkably, both were familiar with WDJ’s food criticism, and both shared with me what their views were about my coverage of dog food. It was a very honest, highly productive, and useful discussion. I don’t think any of us changed our minds about anything, but we certainly understand each other’s opinions and motivations better and are respectful of those positions.
When the opportunity to see the Hill’s R&D facility was offered to me, I indicated that I would interested, but would only commit to the trip if I could also see one of Hill’s food production facilities. I’ve seen more than a dozen dog food plants now, but I’ve never seen one run by one of the corporate giants, dedicated to making only its diets, and I’ve yearned for that opportunity so I could compare what I’ve seen at smaller facilities and co-manufacturing facilities. I was aware that Hill’s had recently built a new dry food production facility in Emporia, Kansas, and knew that it was about an hour away from Topeka (where the R&D facility is located). The company readily agreed to the request. (A side note: I knew there were two other food production facilities in Emporia. One was recently sold, and its management is a bit up in the air. I tried to gain access to the other, a wet food co-packing plant I’ve wanted to see for a decade now, but was denied access.)
Once in Topeka, I was given a bundle of information about Hill’s and learned that Hill’s sole North American wet food production facility is located in Topeka – something I hadn’t been aware of. I’ve seen far fewer canning facilities than dry food production facilities and REALLY wanted to see Hill’s canned plant. On Tuesday morning, I asked whether I could add also see that facility – and the company agreed.
Now that I’ve seen those facilities, I can (and will) report on the differences I’ve observed about these high-volume plants that are dedicated to one company’s products. They were pretty impressive — though, again, I’m not a huge fan of some of the ingredients used in Hill’s diets – the cleanliness and quality control at these plants (even the 106-year-old wet food plant) exceeded anything I’ve seen before.
All in all, it was a highly educational trip, and I’ll be sharing everything I learned with you.
I recently wrote an article about canine dental health; it will appear in the April issue of WDJ. I discussed the need to examine your dog’s teeth on a regular basis, and to keep them clean and healthy. Tartar-encrusted teeth lead to gum infections which lead to systemic infections that severely affect the heart, liver, and kidneys.
If you are lucky, your dog’s teeth stay white and healthy with absolutely no help from you at all; my previous dog, a Border Collie named Rupert, had perfect teeth throughout his lifetime with zero maintenance. In contrast was the long-haired Chihuahua Mokie, who used to be my sister Sue’s dog, stayed with me for four or five years, and has been living with my sister Pam for many years since then. He has to have his teeth cleaned at the vet’s every two or three years.
Writing the article inspired me to do what I’ve advised WDJ’s readers to do: to take the opportunity to thoroughly examine my dogs’ teeth.
Apparently, my luck ran out with Rupert. Otto is only about 4 ½ years old, but his teeth already have a little tartar on them. I need to start brushing his teeth; if I get right on it, I may be able to prevent the need for a professional cleaning for another year or so. I also looked at Tito’s teeth for the first time; he needs a cleaning ASAP, darn it. The first thing that popped into my head was the old line from the Pink Panther movie (Peter Sellars, not Steve Martin), “But it is not my dog!” But whether he’s our dog or not doesn’t matter: he’s living here indefinitely, and his teeth (like many Chihuahua and other tiny dogs with crowded mouths) are already (at age 5) very encrusted with tartar – to the point where his gums are inflamed. I’ll be calling around to price the procedure at various vets; this is one procedure where you will find a particularly wide range of prices.
The purity of your pet’s drinking water is a serious consideration. In his book Pet Allergies, Alfred Plechner lists contaminated drinking water as a common cause of health problems. The simple act of replacing tap water with distilled, bottled or filtered water can bring surprising, dramatic improvements.
Water is the only thing to which your pet should have unlimited access. Animals know when they’re thirsty and they should have free access to clean containers of pure, healthy water.
Municipal water contamination has become a national concern now that chemical pesticides, fertilizers, industrial solvents, road salt, bacteria, parasites and heavy metals have found their way into kitchen faucets. Whatever you can do to improve your drinking water is worth the effort. Your own health as well as your pet’s health will improve.
Excerpted from long-time Whole Dog Journal contributor CJ Puotinen’s incredible resource, The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care. This 500+ page volume is everything you need to know to ensure good health and long life for your dog.
I don’t know how this could have escaped my consciousness – probably because I don’t own a puppy – but I just learned that the veterinarians in my area (including several neighboring towns) routinely tell puppy owners not to take the puppy anywhere for the first six months. ANYWHERE, including puppy kindergarten classes, to friends’ homes, or for walks in their neighborhoods. Never mind the fact that so many dogs die as a result of being euthanized in shelters due to behavior problems traceable to a lack of training and socializing – let’s keep advising dog owners to carry on with the same practices that lead to those behavior problems, as long as we keep them safe from parvo and distemper. Argh!
Of course parvo and distemper and other communicable diseases are a threat to the health of every unvaccinated or not yet completely vaccinated puppy. But I’d bet my house that the number of dogs who are surrendered to shelters and euthanized in shelters far, far exceeds the number that die as a result of parvo, distemper, AND every other communicable disease.
It gets worse! When I blustered about this to a friend, she told me that this “keep the puppy at home until he’s had all his shots and is six months old” advice is repeated by the folks at the front counter at our local shelters, too – including the shelter where I volunteer. I’d think that shelter staffers who receive animals daily at a shelter would know better, what with owner after owner bringing adolescent dogs to the shelter for surrender while saying, ”He’s just gotten to be too much for us…He jumps up, he’s rough with the kids, he growls at strangers, he goes crazy when he sees another dog on leash…”
I’m not saying we should take every puppy everywhere. While we’re in the process of immunizing them against communicable disease in a series of repeated vaccinations, we have to show some discretion. Don’t take puppies to dog parks or trails where dozens of dogs are walked daily – but do take them to the homes of friends whose dogs are healthy and well cared-for. It can be difficult in cities where there are LOTS of dogs in every neighborhood (and peeing on every tree and hydrant), but try to find less-trafficked places to walk them. And above all, find a trainer who offers puppy socialization sessions and puppy training classes (and screens the participants for vaccinations and practices good sanitation) and enroll for as much as you can afford!
I’ll be rounding up every speck of literature that supports these recommendations and providing them in some form to first, my shelter staffers, and then the local vets. I’d be grateful for suggestions for any resources you’re aware of.
Everyone who knows me well knows my running gag about puppies. When I see an adorable roly poly irresistible puppy, I say scathingly, “Oh, a puppy. I hate puppies. Who likes puppies? Nobody.”
Of course, by the time my final line is delivered, I’m mauling the puppy affectionately. I actually love puppies. Who wouldn’t? The breath, the paws, the widdle noses?
But neither do I want one. Maybe ever. And a recent puppy-sitting stint, for all of two or three hours, stiffened my resolve. I promised my fellow shelter-volunteer and friend that I would care for her foster-pup, a four-month-old brother to the older, adolescent pup I’m fostering, while she ran some errands the other day — and I was exhausted by the time she came back. The foster pups are Cattle Dog-mixes, and the little one was super energetic and barky (the one I’m fostering is much more shy and withdrawn, i.e., quiet!). He barked at Tito, the growly Chihuahua; he barked at a Blue Jay, squawking outside; he barked at the microwave’s “finished” tone; he barked at Otto, who was as unamused as me. I kept offering him toys to chew – in order to fill that barky little mouth, but then the toy would roll under the couch and he’d bark at that.
He also wanted to chew everything in sight. My office is dog-friendly – but not puppy-proofed. I’ve got power cords, important mail, cardboard boxes full of products . . . just oodles of things I don’t want chewed, all over my office. The adult dogs are happy with chews and dog toys; puppies have to put their mouths on everything.
And then there is the potty-training anxiety. Does he have to go? Why did he just get up? Let’s go outside, everyone, even though we all just got settled down again. Let’s go outside and bark at the birds and not potty, because it turns out we’re in need of relief of boredom, not needing relief from a full bladder. How do you get anything done?
Puppies have their place, and of course, they grow into dogs and I love them. But I’m very happy with my adult dogs – and even the wild adolescents. My puppy days are well behind me.
How about you? Is your next dog going to be a puppy?
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I’ve been thinking about how, when it comes to our spare time, we all find different things to become involved with – different causes grab us for different reasons. Some people get into local, state, or national politics, due to strong feelings about abortion, or gay marriage, or the treatment of our soldiers. Some people volunteer with charitable groups after being affected by cancer, heart disease, diabetes, drug addiction. Even us dog people find widely disparate causes to occupy our spare time and dollars. I have one good friend who volunteers annually for animal rescue organizations in Asia; another who devoted years to a breed rescue; and still another whose mission in life is to shut down or improve conditions in puppy mills.
I’ve found myself being strongly affected by the plight of unwanted animals in my community, and wracking my brain to find ways to improve the dog adoption rate at my local shelter; that’s my cause. Of course, there are also plenty of “cat people” volunteering at the shelter. But even among the people who volunteer at my shelter and who share an interest in dogs in particular — we all get “grabbed” by different individual animals and their stories. One person is trying to improve the reputation of pit bulls in society and concentrates on training the pits and pit-mixes. Another person is drawn to the many Chihuahuas and Chihuahua-mixes, and has a knack for finding the unique traits that distinguish one tiny dog from the next.
This past week, I’ve been working closely with a friend, who, like me, has a soft spot in her heart for those “soft,” shy, or under-socialized Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and cattle dog-mixes. The county animal control officers recently brought in a little family of three cattle dogs: a friendly and pettable (and pregnant) mom, a 4-month-old blue pup who wagged his tail at people but was otherwise untouchable, and a 9-month-old pup who is a ringer for the mama dog, but terrified of being near humans. And different dogs in this group of three grabbed the hearts of my friend and me. She was strongly attracted to the blue puppy from the start, and after spending hours at the shelter getting him to accept a collar and handling and veterinary attention (vaccination, deworming, flea treatment), she took him home for a week or two to teach him the ways of life in a human habitation. I brought the mom dog to my house for the long weekend, so she could recover from her spay surgery in comfort. But I’m totally itching to literally get my hands on the worst-case pup, who, without a major behavioral intervention, would surely be slated for euthanasia. Why? Why bother with that hard luck case and not this other one? I don’t know – but it’s fascinating to me.
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
