Postings by Sedona

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Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Thu Sep 13, '12 2:11pm PST  I am so sorry to have read about this. I am sending many prayers, good vibes, and well wishes your furbaby's way and to you. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Tue Aug 7, '12 12:08pm PST  Hi I have fed my little Shih Tzu a homecooked diet for going on 8 years now, and I am so happy I have done that for her. Due to her yeast/allergy issues, we feed a LOW glycemic diet, so I do not add any grains or starchy veggies (no rice, barley, carrots, lentils, etc), so I can't help you with the ingredients you have listed in your "stew", but I can add that: 1/2 teaspoon of eggshell powder per POUND of "recipe" (as mentioned by Maxwell) is what we also use to balance her diet. That 1/2 tsp eggshell (calcium carbonate) is approx = 900 mg calcium. So, if you go to using a packaged calcium (either calcium carbonate, or calcium citrate, for example), be sure to use the "900 mg ca per POUND of recipe) as your measure. Each calcium type differs in the mg per 1/2 tsp. I often ALT between both types of calcium every month or so. When I'm not using "ground eggshells", I use NOW brand "Calcium citrate" powder. But again, the amounts you use for each type will differ, so pay attention to the "mg" of calcium measure on the label. I usually end up using more Calcium Citrate to get to the same mg amounts of the eggshell powder, for instance. ______________ Lew Olson's Diet for Arthritic Dogs Info: http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/joint-problems-arthritis / Her main newsletter index can be found here: http://b-naturals.com/newsletters I have used Lew's "Low Glycemic" homecooked recipes for my Shih Tzu the entire time. I can't say enough about how well my dog has done on it. I DO rotate the meats and veggies each recipe, so this type of diet is more about "balance over time" vs "balancing EACH meal for ALL nutrients". I prefer Lew's method, but I know a few people prefer the "balance at each meal" type. I think both can work IF you adhere to the directions (variety, supplements, etc). The one thing I DO balance "per recipe" is the calcium. Btw, according to Lew's info in the above mentioned article, ALL starchy carbs can be "inflammatory". I have also read this in regard to people's diets as well. You may want to consider researching this a bit further, and maybe take out the grains and starchy veggies. I don't know... I have also heard that "nightshade" veggies can also aggravate arthritis, so maybe also research that as well. Zinc: Plant based foods bind calcium, as well as zinc. You may want to consider either adding in zinc rich foods, or add in a zinc supplement. I give my Tzu a zinc supplement, due to all the "green" veggies she gets in her diet, plus it helped with allergy-skin and skin-yeast issues she was having. I believe the dose is "1.5 mg zinc gluconate per kg of dog's bodywt", but don't quote me on that. Google will have much info on it. My Tzu weighs approx 15 lbs, and she gets 10-15 mg of zinc gluconate every other day. I either use a zinc gluconate pill, added to her meals (do NOT give on an empty stomach!), or I use a "zinc fortified" omega 3 fish oil suppelement (Dr Foster & Smith's). We also added in omega 6, in the form of borage oil or primrose oil caps (this form of omega 6 has ANTI inflammatory properties, whereas most omega 6 are pro-inflammatory). Lew's recipes do NOT include adding in omega 6 (don't need to IF you feed fattier/dark meat poultry), but I mistakenly used only white meat when feeding chicken, and we had some issues. Now, I feed a 50/50 mix of white to dark meat when feeding chicken, but I still add in borage or primrose a few times per week. Lew lists ALL the supplements you will need (incl calcium amounts) needed. I used her Bertes supplements when I first began homecooking for Sedona, but I usually now just use "people" type brands so we can "share" probiotics, vitamins, etc. I have also used supplements from Azmira Holistic Animal (LOVE this brand! LOVE!). I hope that helps! Good luck! I think you are doing a GREAT thing for your furbaby! (btw, so as to not confuse.... I am NOT the "Sedona" that Maxwell mentioned in his post above. ) my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dog Health > Anal Glands

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Thu Jul 26, '12 7:09am PST  Hi Until you can figure out the underlying cause for the anal gland issues (food allergy to the kibble, or seasonal allergies, or topical allergies, or yeast issues, or thyroid issues, etc), there are a few things you can do to help give your dog some relief and help the anal glands express more easily: 1- www.azmira.com They make a great fiber powder for pets called "NaturFiber". I use it for my little Shih Tzu. I homecook for her, so I am not sure if you can add it to kibble, but since Azmira DOES make their own kibble dog food and canned, I'm guessing you can. Call them to find out directions. You may even consider switching to their dog food to see if the food switch helps your dog's issues. 2- Also from azmira... They make "Rejuva Spray" which you can use as a warm compress solution. Soak a small towel in VERY warm tap water. Spray anal area with Rejuva Spray, and hold towel firmly against anal area for about 10 min ....re-soaking towel with VERY warm water and spray, as needed during that time period. IF your dog has THICK anal gland fluid and cannot express the gland on his own, try this (in addition to the above): 3- Pet Alive -- "AnalGlandz" formula http://www.nativeremedies.com/petalive/products/analglandz- cat-dog-anal-glands.html This seems expensive, BUT man is it worth every penny! My Tzu started with VERY bad seasonal allergies (also had yeast overgrowth and bacterial overgrowth as secondary to the allergies), and they started to be almost ALL year round. Her anal gland excretions became VERY thick. She was unable to express her glands by herself, as she usually had done. We had to go to the vet to have them done. For the next 6 mos, the liquid was always thick thick thick! The vets could not explain the cause for the thick fluid, ...just said "it happens with some dogs". UGH I researched and found this product. I was super skeptical. Frustrated that nothing else was working to help my pup, I decided to try it. I applied it daily by adding "5 drops to 2 oz of VERY warm water. Soak a cotton ball and apply it with firm pressure to the anal area. I also (sounds strange, but...whatever! lol) tried to poke a bit of the cotton ball into her hiney hole. I just twisted the end of the cottonball enough so that I could dribble the liquid INSIDE her anal area a bit. I just couldn't see how only rubbing the cottonball on the outside would do anything. I think my method worked, because.... After 2 weeks of doing this, her next vet visit was remarkable! The vet said the fluid was normal in consistency! The product had thinned out the fluid. I'm a believer in this product. And I now use it on her 1 x week, just as maintenance. She has NOT needed her glands expressed since then. It's been about 3 mos now. But, I am going to continue with this product, just as a preventative. The bottle is small, BUT at only 5 drops a pop, it will last a long long long time. _______________________ ps: After speaking to a holistic vet, I was told that anal gland issues can often arise from allergies of any kind (food, seasonal, topical, etc). If you suspect a food allergy, maybe you can try a homecooked "12 week food elimination diet trial"? I've done it before (that is how we ruled out her having a food allergy vs seasonal one). It's a lot of work (lots of supplements, note taking, etc), BUT very well worth it! OR, at least try switching to a different kibble. Though we haven't tried it on our pup, I have heard great things about the Azmira kibble and canned foods. But, if your dog is allergic to grain or has yeast issues, you will definitely want to move to homecooked with only LOW glycemic veggies, or move to a premium grade grain free dog food. JMO. Good luck with your pup! I hope his anal glands get under control. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Puppy Place > When do pups sleep through the night?

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Wed Jul 25, '12 9:00am PST  Hi! Sedona was about 16 weeks old before she could hold it from bedtime (11pm) to wake up (6:30am). I think it all depends on how strong their bladder muscle control is, and I'm sure it's different with every dog. I agree with the poster who said to increase the interval time gradually. If she has an accident, cut the time back and give it a week or so. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Home Prepared Food & Recipes > homecooking and teeth health

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Tue Jul 24, '12 7:43am PST  Hi! I've been homecooking for my Shih Tzu for 8 years now (she is 10 yo now ). Our routine: To keep her teeth clean, I have always brushed them -- ever since she was a puppy. The dentist is amazed at how good her teeth and gums look at each visit, and she's never had to have them cleaned at the dentist's. Just make sure to use a doggie toothpaste (never use the people type). I usually brush her teeth daily, but sometimes I have gone every other day. I use a cool toothbrush made for dogs, that has 3 sides (2 side brushes, and 1 top brush) -- I love this toothbrush! I believe it's made by TriplePet? I used to give her raw hides to chew on (while supervised), but I read that many raw hides contain toxic chemicals, so for the past few years I only give her an occasional raw carrot stick or celery stick to chew on. Works great to help massage her gums. I only give her these about once per week. Tartar Tip: Because Tzus have such little mouths (and the triple head toothbrush is fairly large), it's sometimes a bit hard to get waaaaaay back to the furthest tiny molars in her mouth. To reach those teeth, I will sometimes use a "children size toothbrush". If I see any type of yellowing back there (indicating the beginning of tartar buildup), I use a homeopathic remedy called "Fragaria Vesca -- 3X". It comes in pellet form. I let 3 pellets dissolve in 1/4 cup of bottled water, and I then use that water to brush over her already brushed teeth. After a few days, the buildup just flakes off. It's amazing. I was told about this by several Shih Tzu show dog people years ago who swore by it. I needed to use it a few years back after a back injury left me bed bound for several weeks. Hubby does well with brushing our furbaby, but teethbrushing? Not so much... but he tried! The Fragaria Vesca worked like a charm. Just know that the FV is not a substitute for regular brushing with toothpaste. We purchased FV from elixirs.com. They have instructions on how to use this for dogs. hth! my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Mon Jul 23, '12 10:46am PST  I don't give my Tzu raw hides anymore because many of them have chemicals. I won't give her raw bones, etc due to a few friends/neighbor's dogs having had serious injuries. She won't be bothered with nylabones. Instead, I give my Tzu a carrot or a stick of celery to chew -- while I supervise. Works like a charm. She also gets her teeth brushed every day. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Small Dogs > Collars & Leashes! What do you use?

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Mon Jul 23, '12 10:41am PST  Hi We use a Puppia harness on Sedona. I love them! We've used them for over 7 years and they still look new (machine washed & hung to dry). They are very durable and look super cute. The main reason I chose Puppia mesh harnesses over the "strap" type is because it distributes the impact of the tugging over her entire chest vs where straps would lay. She doesn't usually tug, unless a squirrel crosses are path. As for the lead, we use a retractable one. While on a walk in the neighborhood, we have it in a short, "locked" position (to mimic a standard leash). But while in the yard (we do not have fences), we leave it unlocked, so she can romp around for a bit. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dog Health > Jewel had a Vac. reaction.

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Fri Jul 20, '12 9:37am PST  Hi! I hope Jewel is doing better! Maybe try contacting a holistic vet specializing in Homeopathy in your area? They can advise you of the specific homeopathic remedy needed for Jewel's specific reaction issues. Here is a link to find a certified holistic vet: http://ahvma.org/Widgets/FindVet.html For most vaccines, Thuja is the recommended remedy (and Milk Thistle helps to detoxify the liver as well), BUT the rabies vaccine is different. It really does require a vet's recommendation for the proper remedy (usually "Lyssin 30C, BUT not always! And it's really important to get the correct remedy when dealing with a rabies vaccine reaction). I've had great success both personally as well as with my little Shih Tzu when using homeopathic remedies to help detoxify the system from vaccines, flea meds, heartworm, etc, ....but luckily for us, I have not had any rabies vaccine issues. I think homeopathy can help your dog's rabies vac reaction. my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

New to Dogster/Tips & Tricks > I want to change the backgrounds of both of my Shelties with pitures that I have taken

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Thu Jul 12, '12 1:14pm PST  Hi! I tried to follow the css code on the tutorial page 3, but it looks as if the image I chose was used only 1 time -- at a very BIG size, so that the background looks blurry. The image is a seamless tile, and I thought it would "repeat". Is there a different code I'm supposed to use to make the "seamless tile" actually "repeat" instead? I'm so confused. (I haven't purchased the tile yet, so I do not have it showing on my pup's page right now -- I was only using it to test with) my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

Sedona It\'s Tough- Being A Spoiled- Puppy!     Barked: Thu Dec 1, '11 1:47pm PST  Hi Everyone! Long time no post (healing a bad tendonitis injury in my wrist ) , I wanted to post a long overdue UPDATE, in case anyone looking for info on the Nina Ottosson toys came upon this thread. It's been quite a few months with the Dog Magic Toy, and Sedona still LOVES it! She did finally master the game almost immediately, once I sat down and watched the cd on how to train her correctly. Seriously, IF your dog is having problems learning this game, just watch the cd. It's like....MAGIC (just as the name says! lol). She never tires of this game even though it's easy for her to find the treats...just so long as the treats are YUMMY! lol Her favorite treat for me to use is Cheddar Cheese. I'm getting ready to purchase her another one for this Christmas. I'm torn between the Brick and the Twister. The toys are pricey, but they are very well made and the main thing is that she LOVES playing the games with me. Thanks for ALL who responded to my thread, and MERRY CHRISTMAS (OR HAPPY HANNUKA), AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! my posts | my page | msg me | gift me | become pals [notify]

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