Friday 27 February 2015

TURMERIC SOME NEW BENEFITS

The amazing health benefits of turmeric
Aside from the holistic health community, Western medical practitioners have only recently come on board in recognizing the benefits of turmeric.
 
                                                   INEXPENSIVE GOLDEN POWDER
 This bag of gold helped my Greyhound Emma with her arthritis, just started putting it in her food a 1/4 teaspoon per 10 pounds. I do believed it helped her. Recently I read about another benefit of turmeric so I thought I would add this to this post and repost the article below. Turmeric is also being used to lower your dogs blood sugar and help prevent Diabetes. My dog did benefit from turmeric's anti-inflammatory abilities. I often think it broke the inflammation cycle giving the joints time to recover.
 
Turmeric, an orange-colored spice imported from India, is part the ginger family and has been a staple in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking for thousands of years. 
 
In addition, ayurvedic and Chinese medicines utilize turmeric to clear infections and inflammations on the inside and outside of the body. But beyond the holistic health community, Western medical practitioners have only recently come on board in recognizing the benefits of turmeric. 
 
Blocking cancer
Doctors at UCLA recently found that curcumin, the main component in turmeric, appeared to block an enzyme that promotes the growth of head and neck cancer. 
 
In that study, 21 subjects with head and neck cancers chewed two tablets containing 1,000 milligrams of curcumin.  An independent lab in Maryland evaluated the results and found that the cancer-promoting enzymes in the patients’ mouths were inhibited by the curcumin and thus prevented from advancing the spread of the malignant cells.
 
Powerful antioxidant
The University of Maryland’s Medical Center also states that turmeric’s powerful antioxidant properties fight cancer-causing free radicals, reducing or preventing some of the damage they can cause.
 
While more research is necessary, early studies have indicated that curcumin may help prevent or treat several types of cancer including prostate, skin and colon.
 
Potent anti-inflammatory
Dr. Randy J. Horwitz, the medical director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, wrote a paper for the American Academy of Pain Management in which he discussed the health benefits of turmeric. 
 
“Turmeric is one of the most potent natural anti-inflammatories available,” Horwitz states in the paper.
 
He went on to cite a 2006 University of Arizona study that examined the effect of turmeric on rats with injected rheumatoid arthritis. According to Horwitz, pretreatment with turmeric completely inhibited the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in the rats. In addition, the study found that using turmeric for pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis resulted in a significant reduction of symptoms.
 
“Raw is best”
Natalie Kling, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist, says she first learned about the benefits of turmeric while getting her degree from the Natural Healing Institute of Neuropathy. “As an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiseptic, it’s a very powerful plant,” she says.
 
Kling recommends it to clients for joint pain and says that when taken as a supplement, it helps quickly. She advises adding turmeric to food whenever possible and offers these easy tips. “Raw is best,” she said. “Sprinkling it on vegetables or mixing it into dressings is quick and effective.”
 
If you do cook it, make sure to use a small amount of healthy fat like healthy coconut oil to maximize flavor.  Kling also recommends rubbing turmeric on meat and putting it into curries and soups.
 
“It’s inexpensive, mild in taste, and benefits every system in the body,” Kling says. "Adding this powerful plant to your diet is one of the best things you can do for long term health.”


Thursday 26 February 2015

LIST OF DOGS THAT LOVE THE WINTER


LIST OF DOGS THAT LOVE THE WINTER

 ALASKAN MALAMSUTE

 SIBERIAN HUSKY

BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG

CHOW CHOW

GREAT PYRENEES

KEEHSHOND

NEWFOUNDLAND

SAINT BERNARD

SHIBA INU

TIBETAN TERRIERS
 

lf you’re a winter lover and spend a lot of time outdoors these are the dogs for you!

 

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Five Immune-Boosting Uses of Colloidal Silver

Many of the dog people I have talked to use this for everything. I always thought I should try it and never had. Some  researchers believe it does very little.  Read and research!

Newla  keeps getting minor ear problem , lots of scratching not much debris maybe allergies  I use white vinegar mixed with 50 % water.  Maybe I will try Colloidal Silver and see if there is an improvement?
 

Five Immune-Boosting Uses of Colloidal Silver

Monday 23 February 2015

Probiotics & Prebiotics for Dogs: 5 Reasons Vets Recommend Them



       By:Dr. Patricia Khuly

Probiotics and prebiotics for dogs have received a lot of commerical time and you commonly see those words on dog food bags. What are probiotics and prebiotics? Does your dog need them?

The most common reason probiotics and prebiotics are recommended is for regulation of the intestinal tract. "Irregularity" is often used as a polite euphemism for diarrhea and constipation, but which should by all rights include flatulence, too. In all of these cases, symptoms are accompanied (and sometimes even caused by) changes in an animal's gastrointestinal bacteria.

That's why veterinarians often recommend intestinal bacteria-modulating products for these dogs. But what exactly are these products and how do they work? Are they right for your dogs? What are their risks? Are you missing out if you don't use them?

Here's some background info to help answer these questions:

Background on Probiotics & Prebiotics for Dogs

Prebiotics and probiotics are as timeless as early agrarian societies and their soured goat's milk, yet these therapeutic food additives comprise a relatively new field of study for veterinary nutritionists.

That's partly because we have yet to understand the full impact of the microorganisms that live symbiotically within us. We know they help maintain the intestinal immune system, influence the proliferation of intestinal cells, and keep our body from expending too much energy in the extraction of nutrients from our foodstuffs. We've also recently learned that these bacterial populations have the potential to help or harm our health by aiding in many of the chemical reactions that take place in our intestines.

Which is what got veterinary medicine to thinking that we might be able to influence these bacteria by offering these simple oral additives, and by so doing improve our dogs' overall health.

How are Probiotics & Prebiotics Formulated?

So you know, intestinal prebiotics and probiotics are usually formulated as oral supplements. Some come as capsules, others as tasty chews. Others are powdered and packaged either in single-dose envelopes or sold in multi-dose containers. Still others are included in dog foods marketed "for intestinal health."

What Are Probiotics & Prebiotics for Dogs?

·  Prebiotics are fibrous food additives increasingly recommended by veterinarians. They're nondigestible fibers that are used by the colonies of the "good" gastrointestinal bacteria that live in the large intestines, in particular.

Two major classes of prebiotics have been proven effective in the treatment of infectious and non-infectious gastrointestinal diseases in dogs:

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) contain the sugar fructose, which is preferentially used as the source of energy for the beneficial bacteria known as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Bacteriodes. Because fructose isn't as well-used by less beneficial bacteria (AKA, the "bad" bacteria, which include E. coli, Clostridium, and Salmonella, among others), FOS compounds offer a reproductive boost to the "good" intestinal bacteria.

Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) work a little differently. They contain the sugar mannose, which limits the ability of "bad" bacteria to attach to the intestinal wall. As such, MOS allow the harmful bugs to be passed through the intestines without incident.

·  Probiotics work differently. Here's the current working definition of a probiotic according to the World Health Organization (WHO):

"[Probiotics are] live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host."

The idea here is that adding "good" bacteria will stimulate the production of more beneficial bacteria (the ones that are presumed to be associated with specific health benefits). In this way, the entire balance of the intestinal flora will be shifted toward the beneficial bacteria.

Which begs the question: Should your dogs be taking these supplements?

5 Reasons Vets Recommend Probiotics & Prebiotics for Dogs

To help you out with that, here are five great reasons I recommend probiotics and prebiotics for my patients:

1. For symptomatic treatment of simple ailments
- Many of my fellow colleagues now routinely recommend prebiotics and probiotics and for any dog who shows intestinal symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence. These irregularities, which are likely to be affected by a change in the microbial mix, seem most amenable to their influence.

2. For long-term management of chronic disease
- For others with more chronic or chronically-intermittent symptoms, however, pre and probiotics may serve well as a lifetime stop-gap for whatever underlying intestinal malady is ailing my patient.

3. Because they're so successful compared to riskier therapies
- They've been so successful - in many cases displacing the need for risk-fraught antibiotics and tricky food trials - that the trend towards using prebiotics and probiotics in veterinary medicine is ramping up.

4. Because they're so safe
- Because prebiotics and probiotics aren't approved drugs and don't undergo pre-market approval, data supporting quality, safety, and efficacy might be lacking. Nevertheless, these additives are widely considered to be harmlessly ineffective at worst.

5. Because dog owners love them
- It's a win-win-win. Vets love them, dogs tolerate them and respond well, and their humans are happy to have something to offer that actually sounds appealing. ("What, no drugs, no side-effects, and you say my dog will do even better than on some of the other stuff? Sign me up!")

And when dog owners love something, you can be sure veterinarians will line up to offer it. There's nothing we love more than a happy and compliant dog owner!

Sunday 22 February 2015

9 Games and Activities You Can Do with Your Dog BY DR. BECKER




By Dr. Becker
Variety is the spice of life, not just for us humans, but for our four-legged family members as well. Neighborhood walks and dog park visits are fine, but for his overall well being and quality of life, your canine companion should be offered a wide range of games and activities that challenge his mental and physical abilities.
Rather than the same old boring daily walk with your dog, why not incorporate a few of these simple, fun activities into your routine? You can do several of them indoors, so winter weather is no excuse!

9 Games and Activities You Can Do with Your Dog

  1. Hide and seek. A game of hide and seek doesn’t have to be limited to the two-legged kids in your family, as many dogs enjoy playing, too. Hide and seek challenges your pet’s obedience skills and provides both mental and scent stimulation. ‘Here’s how to do it: grab a few treats, and give your pet a sit-stay command. Go into another room to hide, and once you’ve tucked yourself out of sight, call your dog. When he finds you, reward him with praise and treats.
  2. If you’ve taught your dog a find-it command that sends him in search of something, you can also play hide and seek with objects or food treats. To play, show your dog what you’re about to hide, and then do a sit-stay or put him behind a closed door so he can’t see you. Hide the object or treat, then go to your dog and tell him to find it.
    Unless your pup is whip smart or has played the game awhile, you’ll probably need to give him verbal cues as he gets close to, or farther away from the object. You can also give physical hints by pointing or moving toward the hiding place until your dog catches on to the game. When he finds the hidden object or treat, be sure to make a huge deal out of it with lots of praise and a few additional treats.
  3. Word recognition. With time, patience, and plenty of practice, most dogs can learn to associate certain words with certain objects. Here’s how to start. Give two of your dog’s favorite toys a name – something simple, like “ball,” “bear,” or “baby.” Remove all other toys from sight to help your pet focus. Say the name of one toy and throw it so she can retrieve it. Do this a few times, repeating the name of the toy as you toss it. Then do the same with the other toy.
  4. Now put both toys on the ground, and say the name of the first toy. Each time she goes to it, reward her with praise and treats. If you want to add a level of difficulty, have her bring the toy to you for her reward. Repeat this with the other toy. When you’re sure your dog is consistently identifying the right toy by name, you can try expanding her vocabulary using additional toys or other objects.
  5. Play find-it on walks. On your daily walks with your dog, after he’s done his business and checked his pee-mail and the two of you are just strolling along, you can use the time to stimulate his mind. Give him a sit-stay, show him a treat, and then place it on the ground out of his reach. Return to your dog and give him a treat for holding his sit-stay, then give him the find-it command to get the other treat.
  6. Repeat this a few times, and then make the challenge a bit more difficult. Place the treat under some leaves, behind a tree, or on a rock. Stop at several spots as though you’re hiding the treat there, but hide only one treat. If you’re playing the game off-leash, make sure you’re in a safe area, and don’t hide treats beyond your line of vision. Keep your dog in sight at all times.
  7. Frisbee fetch. Agile, athletic dogs can be taught to catch flying discs. It’s a good idea to start small, by rolling the Frisbee on the ground toward your dog. Once she’s picking up the disc as it’s rolled to her, try tossing it to her at a very low level. If she’s able to catch or at least stop it in mid-air, you can gradually increase the height and distance you throw it. If the Frisbee seems to hold your dog’s interest and focus, you’ll obviously want to teach her to bring the disc back to you so you can continue throwing it for her.
  8. Step aerobics. If your dog is fully-grown (her joints are fully developed) and you have stairs in your home, this game is a good way to get her heart pumping. Go to the bottom of the stairs and put your dog in a sit-stay. Throw a toy up to the landing, then give your dog the nod to go after it, ascending the steps as fast as her legs will carry her. Allow her to come back down the stairs at a slower pace, to reduce the risk of injury. Ten or so repetitions of this will get your dog’s heart rate up and tire her out. I use stair exercise, in conjunction with Dr. Sophia Yin’s awesome Treat&Train system all winter at my house.
  9. Flirt stick. Also called a flirt pole, it’s a simple pole or handle with a length of rope tied to one end, and a toy attached to the far end of the rope. You can buy one or make your own homemade version, just be sure to use regular rope and not flexible or bungee cord.
  10. Flirt sticks appeal to the prey drive in dogs, and they’re a fun way to exercise your pet in your backyard (or in the house if you have the space or your dog is small) without overly exerting yourself. The game is simple -- you drag the toy on the ground in a circle, and your dog chases and tugs at it.
    The flirt stick can be a fun way to help your dog with basic commands like sit, down, look, wait, take it, leave it, and drop it. It’s also useful for helping him practice listening while in a state of high arousal, and cooling down immediately on command.
  11. Water hose fun. If your dog isn’t afraid of spraying water or getting wet, on warm days you can turn your backyard hose into a fun chasing toy for your dog. It’s best to have a nozzle on the hose that shoots out a jet of water.
  12. Make sure the force of the jet isn’t too much for your dog, and take care not to spray her in the face. This can be accomplished by standing a good distance away from your pet. Move the jet around for your dog to chase.
  13. Obstacle course. If you’re up for it, setting up an obstacle course for your dog and teaching him how to navigate the course can be very mentally stimulating for your pet, and fun for you.
  14. Items to consider include a sturdy crate or stool, a chair to jump on or run under, a box with open ends to crawl through, a pole attached to two stools or boxes to jump over, a hula hoop to jump through, and a disc or ball to catch.
    Tailor the course to your dog’s physical ability, focus, and attention span. Teach him to handle one obstacle at a time, and make sure to offer lots of praise, treats, and other high-value rewards each time he conquers an obstacle. This should be all about fun, not work.
  15. Nose work with treats. Your dog, like all dogs, has an incredible sense of smell, so teaching her to find treats using only her nose is wonderful stimulation for her. Place four or five boxes or opaque containers on the ground upside down and next to each other. Place a treat under one of the containers while your dog isn’t looking, then bring her to the boxes and encourage her to smell them. When she (hopefully) stops at the one containing the treat, lift up the box, praise her enthusiastically, and let her eat the treat. Keep adding more boxes and place them farther apart to increase the challenge as your dog’s nose work abilities improve.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

URGENT NEED FOR FOSTERS

URGENT NEED FOR SAFEPET FOSTERS
EITHER DOGS OR CATS




SAFEPET Ottawa fosters companion animals for Women and their Children who need to exit from domestic violence into the safety of local Violence Against Women(VAW)Shelters.
We are Veterinary Clinics, Fosters, Behaviourists and sometimes your next door neighbour.
 
We provide necessary Veterinary intake and long or short-term fostering for the duration of a woman’s stay in Shelter.
 
Upon exiting from Shelter, we re-unite owners with their pets: so that they can move into a better future together.
 
In Ontario, 48% of women who should be exiting from situations of domestic violence delay leaving-or do not leave at all. They are afraid to leave their companion animal behind, lest it become their proxy at the hands of the batterer.
 
Delay can be deadly. Please consider becoming a SafePet Volunteer or Foster
SafePet saves lives.
For more information: http://safepetottawa.com

Monday 16 February 2015

Saturday 14 February 2015

Friday 13 February 2015

PUPPY LOVE TRADE SHOW NEW VENUE

PUPPY LOVE TRADE SHOW NEW VENUE
FEBRUARY 14 10:00 AM TO 3:00
AT  ART NEWMAN'S
 THE ALL DOGS SPORTS CLUB
5459 THIRD LINE NORTH
NORTH GOWER
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!