Nail trimming is essential for maintaining good health. If a dog’s nails are allowed to grow, they will curl over into a spiral shape; walking will become increasingly painful to the dog as they grow, putting pressure on the dogs toes (a bit like walking in shoes that are too small). Uncut nails may curl so far that they pierce the paw pad, leading to infection and debilitating pain. If one does not trim a dog’s nails on a monthly basis the quick will grow along with the nail, making it nearly impossible to cut properly. Owners may choose to trim nails themselves or may opt to take their pet to a groomer or veterinarian.

Nail trimming is done with a nail clipper. There are two main types of nail clippers, the guillotine clipper and the standard scissors nail clipper.

Normal food or “Diet” food?
Weight loss can sometimes be achieved by feeding less of your dog’s regular maintenance diet and this strategy is most effective in dogs that are only mildly or moderately overweight. Most regular maintenance diets are very calorie-dense and contain between 400 and 500 calories per cup or can—making it very easy to overfeed your dog and therefore, fail at weight loss attempts. For more seriously overweight or obese dogs, I recommend a food that contains between 250 and 350 calories per 8 ounce cup or 13 ounce can, is high in protein (30% or greater), has lower fat (ideally around 10%) and lower carbohydrate levels to keep the overall calorie count controlled. If you choose to feed a higher calorie food, you will find that you must feed very small amounts in order to achieve the reduced number of calories required for your dog to lose weight. This leads to a pet that may feel less satisfied and often begs more. In addition, there is a real health concern when we “skimp” on the amount of regular pet food given—one can inadvertently rob a dog of essential nutrients.

A high protein diet is ideal for weight loss for a number of reasons:

• Leads to increased satiety which usually means less begging—which means it is easier for pet owners to stick to the diet.
• Combats muscle loss which is common during dieting. When dogs (and people) diet, their bodies burn both fat and muscle for energy. While the goal of weight loss is to lose only fat, that is rarely the case and feeding a high protein food helps to preserve lean muscle mass.
• These higher protein, lower carbohydrate foods usually have less fiber than other weight loss formulas. Fiber is often added to a weight loss food to create the sensation of “fullness”. This often decreases food palatability and definitely increases stool volume. I prefer the sense of “fullness” that comes from the higher protein as compared to the fiber fillers.

 

DOG CARE

Sunglasses: Are They Really Necessary for Your Dog?

 

 

By Cheri Lucas

Who’s that behind those Foster Grants? Nowadays, it may not be the guy sipping his latte at the dog park…it might just be his DOG! You may find this look hip, cool, or downright ridiculous, but the question remains—do sunglasses provide actual protection for your dog’s eyes, or are they just a frivolous fashion accessory?

Those of us who love our dogs will stop at nothing to keep them happy, balanced, and healthy. In this day and age, there are millions of products available for dogs, from organic dog food to nontoxic nail polish. Our job, as a responsible pet owner, is to discern which products are necessary and which appeal to our tendency to humanize our dogs.

Let’s look at this first from the perspective of a veterinarian and healthcare professional. According to our veterinarian and my friend, Dr. Timothy Bell, very few problems in veterinary medicine are the result of direct solar exposure. “The exception is a solar-induced eye condition called Pannus, a problem that is not uncommon in German Shepherds. This condition is addressed with medication, not sunglasses,” says Bell. “If you notice any redness around the sclera (whites of the eye) or excessive tearing or mucus, make an appointment with your veterinarian right away.”

At a practical level, every breed of dog has a differently shaped head. Getting a pair of sunglasses to actually fit a dog properly is a challenge considering these variations. Additionally, most dogs dislike the unnatural feel of glasses, hats, and other paraphernalia and will struggle to remove them.

Dogs that are brachycephalic have short muzzles, small skulls, and protruding eyes. Some dog care professionals advocate the occasional use of goggles for this type of dog because the unnatural proportions of their features make injury to the eyes more likely to occur. However not allowing your dog to ride in the back of a pickup truck or put his head out the window of a moving vehicle will prevent debris from harming your dog’s eyes in the first place.

Keep in mind that one of the primary reasons we humans wear sunglasses is we have to face the sun while driving. Dogs on the other hand can simply turn their faces away if they want to avoid the sun’s glare, and they do so automatically.

My preference is to let my dogs be dogs, and I feel certain if given a choice, they would opt to go au naturel in lieu of wearing sunglasses. What do you think? Do your dogs wear sunglasses? And if so, why do you have them wear sunglasses?