Our guy’s name is Ivan – a beautiful boxer/mastiff cross that we fell in love with as soon as we saw him on the Camp Lotsa Dogs website. We met him and adopted him right away. To make a long story short, Ivan turned out to be HeartWorm “positive”. Regardless, nothing would change the fact that Ivan was a part of our family now and we’d do whatever we could to make him better. It was scary at first, knowing absolutely nothing about the disease .. but don’t let it scare you off .. HeartWorm is a fully preventable and treatable disease with no long term side effects to your dog. Here’s a little bit of information we have learned along the way with Ivan .. hope it helps!!

Our vet said he was only the second case of HeartWorm he has EVER seen in his whole career – so right away, we were terrified. After a LOT of research and back and forth with vets, Su and just about everyone else I could find, it was determined all we needed was a few treatments of HeartGuard, rest and some other medications! *PHEW* What a relief! Along with some medication, Ivan was also put on HeartGuard for a year (as opposed to the 6 months a year that vets reccommend) and he’s now as happy and healthy as ever and has recently tested NEGATIVE for any kind of HeartWorm both last Fall and this Spring. We wanted to get him tested just to be sure So every ounce of worm in him was gone thanks to the medication and proper treatment.

Now here are a few things we have learned along our journey with Ivan .. What is commonly called “heartworm disease” is not really a disease at all. Rather, it is an infection by adult parasites called Dirofilaria immitis, which live inside the pulmonary arteries, the right heart chambers and, in severe cases, the vena cava and veins of the liver. Properly treated, this disease is NOT fatal.

How do dogs get heartworms? Only by the bite of an infected mosquito. There’s no other way dogs get heartworms. And there’s no way to tell if a mosquito is infected.
It takes about 7 months, once a dog is bitten by an infected mosquito, for the larvae to mature into adult heartworms. They then lodge in the heart, lungs, and surrounding blood vessels and begin reproducing. Adult worms can grow up to 12 inches (GROSS, I know!) in length, can live 5-7 years, and a dog can have as many as 250 worms in its system.

There are also different treatments to treat HeartWorm. There is the injection (that Ivan recieved in Ohio – where he is originally from) and then there is also the slow-kill method. The vets are able to determine which is right for your dog based on the amount of adult and/or microfalaria (“baby” worms) in your dogs system. The levels of “baby worms” can be found through bloodwork. Chest xrays can also be done for adult worms around the heart. Luckily Ivan only had “baby worms” left in him after the treatment in Ohio, so he was just put on the proper medication.

I know HeartWorm seems scary and your vet may try to convince you to worry BUT that’s only because it is so scarce here in Canada. In the States, it’s VERY common and they deal with it all of the time. Our vet was GREAT during this time with Ivan as well. Innisfil Vet Hospital Dr. Saini – WONDERFUL. Do your own research – don’t let the vets scare you into something that they’re not even familiar with.

Also VERY important: After treatment – Why do you have to keep your dog quiet during the several months he’s being treated for heartworms? After treatment, the worms begin to die. And as they die, they break up into pieces, which can cause a blockage of the pulmonary vessels and cause death. That’s why dogs have to be kept quiet during the treatment and then for several months afterward.

So when you’re adopting a dog, don’t let the word “HeartWorm” scare you off Once they’ve been treated for it, just some medication, REST and you’ve got a happy, perfectly healthy dog again! If anybody has any questions, feel free to contact me. We’ve become our own experts on HeartWorm

I checked with OVMA and The college and THEY HAVE NO BLANKET POLICY IN PLACE altho they recommend it. Unless it’s in the vet act it is NOT LAW AND NOT REQUIRED.

VETS DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO DICTATE POLICY OVER YOUR WALLET OR YOUR PET.

According to the OVMA (see Harwood Pet Hospital email Jan 14) they RECOMMEND testing and BASE it on the AMERICAN Heartworm Association.  Americans have HW up the Kazoo cuz prevention is not used. HERE IT IS USED.

If you use Revolution, Sentinal, all those HW/FLEA/TICK meds correctly from june to november they are 100% effective. If by some fluke your dog does get hw anyway those companies WILL PAY FOR TREATMENT.

Why testing? The test is for LAST YEARS EXPOSURE. we have mosquitoes (HW carriers) from apprx may/june to frost in November. If you’re on prevention your dog won’t develope HW.

HW takes about 6 mos to develope adult worms and are easier to detect as adults. If your dog was bitten on DEC 1st (when no prevention used) he will test positive for sure by may/june when we test. Unless you travel to warm countries he can not get bitten by a mosquito when none exist here in the winter.

If your dog does get HW by the time you test in may HE WILL SHOW PHYSICAL SIGNS OF ILLNESS LIKE WEIGHT LOSS WHEN EATING AND EATING TO NAME ONE SYMPTOM THAT WILL MAKE YOU GO TO A VET AND GET TESTING DONE. If you’re dog is normal, even fat, the chances of him having heartworm are pretty much ZERO.

Many of you have tested year after year – have any of your dogs tested positive IF THEY WERE NOT ILL, IF THEY GOT PREVENTION THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND/OR WERE NOT A RESCUE DOG LAST YEAR OUR OF YOUR CONTROL?

So when you get tested just cuz of your vet’s ‘policy’ if you are one of 1000 clients of theirs who pay $30 per test you are putting $30,000 – yes THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS into that office for NOTHING. If you all want to give away $30,000 $30 at a time please, please send it OUR WAY cuz we sure need it.

More information

The raw diet is not just a hot topic for humans, but dogs as well. Although quite controversial in the veterinarian community, it was recently endorsed by Oprah’s vet, Dr. Marty Goldstein. We spoke with Susan Steiner, a purveyor of the raw food diet. Susan is the owner of Camp Lotsa Dogs, an overnight facility where dogs can vacation or be treated holistically for various health conditions. She feeds all of the dogs a raw food diet, with tremendous results, and her products are now available for sale.

1 ) Can you briefly explain the concept of raw food for dogs?

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food isn’t a new concept. It’s what dogs ate before  commercial food and convenience came along. Dogs were bred for jobs and most ate with their ‘masters’ out in the wild or whatever we ate at home, sometimes even cooked food. A dog’s digestive system hasn’t changed in over 3,000 years in spite of approximately 60 years of commercial processed food. They are meant to eat their meat, fruit, veggies, fish, raw. They can’t cook, can’t make a fire. They’re scavengers and always have been, so they eat and can digest whatever is available.

A dog’s immune system is compromised by poor nutrition, same as ours is. It is improved with good nutrition. It’s not that commercial food is ‘bad’ per se, the companies certainly add vitamins and supplements to it, but that’s the problem. The food has to have these things added because the nutrients are killed in the processing.

2 ) What general benefits would one see in their dog?

What they should see is a beautiful, shinier, softer coat within four days. They should see skin, ear, eye problems disappear completely. They should see hair growth where bald spots are within three days. People should see an increase in energy levels and a decrease in hyperactivity and anxiety.

3 ) What types of health conditions would the diet be good for?

All of them, from ear, skin to alopecia (we grew a full coat of hair on a Pomeranian with an “untreatable condition”), anxiety, digestive problems, immune problems, and allergies. I believe 100% that many dogs are reacting to the fillers, preservatives and additives in their food and frankly so are humans.

4 ) Any contra-indications for certain breeds, or other health issues?

No really, no. The diet can be tailored to any dog, any breed. Homeopathic supplements may be needed to kick start the immune and digestive systems again.

With the controversy over Menu foods and the sudden interest in a raw diet, what scares me is that a little knowledge IS a dangerous thing. Research is the key to do it yourself and yes, there is more conflicting information available out there, so much so that it kept me from doing it for years. Once you accumulate the information you need, ask people already doing it. Remember, you know your dog better than anyone.

5 ) Are you concerned about the possibility of salmonella or anti-biotic resistance?

How to put this delicately? Dogs lick their butts, eat garbage and drink from puddles. Seems to me they have a pretty good built in system for killing bacteria. WE have to wash our hands and wipe the counter. I use human grade and I honestly don’t believe our food is so antibiotic packed anymore so why would they become antibiotic resistant? My dogs haven’t been on any antibiotics for two years now, they don’t get infections that require them because their immune systems are working. I give them probiotics (the good bacteria from yogurt) in the food. Rotten anything, spoiled dairy – that can kill them and us.

6 ) What is involved in preparing raw dog food at home?

First and foremost – Research. It isn’t slap some meat in a bowl. There’s a balance of meat to fruit/veggie/fish, there’s nutrients dogs need which I cover with Udo’s Pet Essentials or Dogs & Udo’s 3,6,9 oil. I use these products because we can easily miss things in the variety of foods we make for them.

Second, buy your meat in bulk, fresh then bag it into portions you can use up in 4-5 days. Stay away from ‘trim’, that’s just generally fat, muscle, stuff you’d never eat in a million years. If it’s labeled ‘dog food’ it’s likely swept up off the floor. Fruit/veggie/fish/supplements – all can be done in a food processor, bagged in proportion to your meat and frozen. Defrost, scoop & serve – like dry commercial only wet. It isn’t rock science and it isn’t hard.

7 ) What food should be avoided?

Grapes of any colour and onions. Don’t mix meat with melon or citrus – it rots in their stomachs and causes gas and diarrhea. Melon they can have as a snack when you do. Other than that, any thing in season, canned with no sugar, is fine.

8 ) What are your own dogs’ favourite foods?

I have 2 labs and 2 papillons. They eat anything I eat pretty much and people are shocked to see them eating Caesar salad or apples, peaches, whatever I eat. What’s important to note is that there are people and books that can tell you about raw diets, assess the various problems, and a tailor a recipe for your dog. If your dog has a problem then you can be  certain there are at least 1,000 other dogs with the same problem. They shouldn’t have to suffer and we have to start questioning everything.

Download full article (PDF)

The originating story can from a client and volunteer here who also uses one of the same vets i use so i know it’s verified.

I imagine most of you don’t use Hartz but as vets and products become more expensive and we see 1-800- petmeds with cheaper products we can’t get we turn to cheaper products in our petstores and petstores DO CARRY THIS SHIT altho the ones i talked to say they ‘don’t recommend it to anyone’ – well if you’re actively ‘not recommending it’ how about you DON’T CARRY IT EITHER??

People – YOU REALLY DO GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR so please be careful – if it’s ‘cheap’ it’s likely cheap quality too

From Stephanie:

Hartz Flea and Tick Drops.  Almost killed our pets.

We usually use Advantage Plus for our 3 dogs throughout the summer months to avoid fleas and ticks and we don’t need anything for our cats as they stay indoors and with the dogs treated our cats can’t get anything. We have never had a flea in the house. We have always been advised by the vet that once the colder weather arrives we no longer need to treat the dogs.

This year by mid September we were having frost at night, but we had a vey hot and humid summer that I didn’t take into consideration. I didn’t bother going to the Vet and getting another box of Advantage, once the frost hits fleas die outside so our flea season is over.

Monday night watching t.v with a cat on one side and a dog on another I felt a mosquito like bite on my ankle. I looked and it was a FLEA. I flipped out and went to the only place open at that time at night, 10:30pm to get something to address the issue. Well Wal-Mart it was, sine it was the only place that was open that late.

I have never used over the counter flea or tick prevention before as I thought that it was not as effective as the Vet products. I have always seen Hartz products in the pet stores so thought I would give it a shot since if you can buy it, it must be safe as long as you use it correctly. We also have 6 cats that needed to be treated now and the cost of Advantage is high so I picked up the flea and tick shampoo for cats and dogs and then the Ultra Plus flea and tick drops for both cats and dogs. I totally thought that I got a deal, so much cheaper then the Vet stuff and problem solved. We got home bathed all the pets, when they dried off we applied the Ultra Plus Flea and Tick drops to all the cats and dogs. I thought that all was ok and went off to bed. We followed the instrctions on te box to a tee.

The next morning my boyfriend is screaming for me to come see the cats. I was horrified to see that 3 of our cats look like they are having a seizure. Poor things are curled up twitching and shaking uncontrollably. I put them all in the carriers and rushed to the vet. When I arrived and told the Vet Tec that we had used Hartz products on them, they rushed me in to see a Vet ASAP.  The Vet took one look at my 3 little ones and told me they were all suffering from TOXICITY. I was stunned. He told me that Hartz products are terrible for pets and can cause DEATH to both cats and dogs. Cats and small dogs are especially sensitive to these cheep products. I was in a state of shock.

I had to leave all three cats at the Vet for 3+ nights for them to do blood work and put them on IV fluids to get the toxins out of their system. That was $585 per cat. the Vet instructed me to go home right away and wash all the pets with anything but Hartz soap even if I didn’t see any troublesome signs, as we might see signs within 24hrs.

As I was filling out the paper work, the Vet Tec told me that a woman was in the week before with 2 cats that had the same issue, she used the Hartz flea drops on her cats. Unfortunately she waited too long to bring them in and they died as they were trying to set the IV drips.  The vet tec also had told me that this year they have seen the most cats and dogs with serious side effects with Hartz flea and tick products.

We have not had an issue with our dogs or other cats and our cats at the vet are ok NOW….Thank God!!! We do have a $1755 + tax bill that I have to pay tomorrow when I pick up may cats. Plus another $250.50 for Advantage Flea Prevention for all of the pets.

If I had any idea that these products were not safe, I would have not even considered using them.  After this terrible ordeal we went through, I had found so much info about Hartz products.

I hope this story will help all pet owners when purchasing over the counter flea and tick remedies.  Just because they are there on the shelves of our trusted pet retailers doesn’t mean they are safe.

-Stephanie Jackson

Hartz pet products are sold over the counter everywhere from grocery stores, Wal-Mart and our well trusted pet retail stores.  Hartz products are NOT vet approved and have been causing terrible side effects and/or death to cats and dogs.

Side Effects of Hartz products

Always carefully read the instructions before using. Make sure the product is for a cat, kitten, dog or puppy this is determined by age and weight. Do not use dog products on cats. Keep the receipt for the product. Also, keep the packaging and container. These are important to keep for a few reasons: Proof of purchase, the batch designation code and contact information.

Known Adverse Reactions -
Crying or howling
Excessive drooling
Depression
Vomiting
Dizziness or symptoms related to balance
Convulsions or seizures
Tremors of the extremities, twitching,
Hypo or Hyperthermia Disorientation
Difficulties breathing
Paralysis In extreme cases
Death may result from prolonged seizure activity or respiratory failure.

Recommended Actions For Owners-
Always monitor your pets when you have applied any flea product closely for the first few hours and then check at 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours

If you notice you’re pet starting to act differently after applying any flea and tick product you must try to get as much of the product off as possible. Bathe the pet with a mild dish soap such as Dawn. Make sure to get all the soap out of the coat and dry the pet to prevent chilling. Avoid extremes in temperature of water. Hot increases absorption and cold increases toxicity.

Have someone call your Vet while you are bathing your pet.
Get you’re pet to a Vet as soon as possible. Take the packaging from the product with you.

Possible Emergency Vet Treatment
Seizures are controlled with anticonvulsants/muscle relaxants. If necessary, the patient’s airway is secured and is ventilated. Intravenous fluids are administered to maintain hydration and blood pressure. Treat hyperthermia.
LENGTH OF HOSPITAL STAY:
Most animals recover within 24-48 hour or longer depending on the animal
Vet Costs
Usually from $100.00 to $1000.00 per pet and may be more depending on the required treatments

CURRENT INFORMATION FOR FILING COMPLAINTS- Hartz and Over the Counter Flea Treatments

The owners of Hartz Mountain-
Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA)
President and CEO Michihisa Shinagawa
EVP and CFO Masato Sugimori
Media Relations Masao Miyamoto
There Amerciacn offices- New York (Headquarters)
Sumitomo Corporation of America
600 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016-2001
Tel: 212.207.0700 Fax: 212.207.0456
Web site /http://www.sumitomocorp.com/
Email contact atlhttp://www.sumitomocorp.com/contact.html

Hartz Mountain Corp-
Call Hartz at 1-800-275-1414 and make a complaint.
Follow that with a written complain.
Consumer Relations Department
The Hartz Mountain Corporation
400 Plaza Drive
Secaucus , NJ 07094 USA
Email http://www.hartz.com/Contact%20Us/index.asp
Web site http://www.hartz.com/

Hartz Canada INC.
1125 Talbot Street, ST Thomas,
Ontario N5P 3W7
Tel: (519)631-7660
Toll free number is 1-800-275-1414
Rosemary Tini is their Consumers Relations Department.

EPA-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs (Mail Code 7509C) Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20460
E-mail: opp-web-comments@epa.gov
When contacting the EPA directly (provide them with the EPA Reg. # of the product, which is printed on the packaging)

EPA National Pesticide Information Center
(NPIC): 1-800-858-7378, seven days a week excluding holidays,
from 6:30 AM to 4:30 PM Pacific Time – or fax them on (514) 737-0761 –
Email at npic@ace.orst.edu
They maintain a database of pesticide-related illnesses for the EPA. The EPA uses this database to determine if dangerous pesticide products need to be removed from the market.

FDA
Have your Vet or Vets Assistant file a complaint.They may submit an adverse reaction report by contacting the Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug Administration at the web address: www.fda.gov/cvm/contactcvm/contactCVM.html

Center for Veterinary Medicine -
“Report a Drug Reaction”. You can also submit an adverse drug reaction to the by telephoning 1-888-332-8387.

HSUS-
The HSUS would also like to keep track of these cases.* Please send your contact information, the product name, a brief description of the health problem, and a brief summary of your veterinarian’s findings to The HSUS at the following address:
The Humane Society of the United States
Companion Animals Department: Flea Products
2100 L St. NW Washington, D.C. 20037

2. We cannot clash with any collar you might choose either! Ditto for bandanas. Accessorize us!

3. Ease of vaccuuming! You can quickly spot the areas of most urgent need.

4. Excellent night walk protection, the “bad guy” won’t see us til it’s too late!

5. We hide dirt well (doesn’t mean we don’t need that bath after a messy play, but your guests won’t be able to see it so quickly).

6. We make an excellent “backdrop” for a second, more colorful dog if you choose to have more than one.

7. Availability! We are available now at every shelter you can imagine, in every age bracket, no long waiting lists, no long search!

8. Status symbol potential. Black pearls are the most costly you know….

9. No annoying queries “what kind of dog is that” people are content with “big black dog” and don’t ask!

10. We need you!

This message brought to you by the thousands of big black dogs who will die today because nobody realizes our wonderful potential!

“Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog.”
- Sydney Jeanne Seward

Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog*
1. Older dogs are housetrained. You won’t have to go through the difficult stage(s) of teaching a puppy house manners and mopping/cleaning up after accidents.
2. Older dogs are not teething puppies, and won’t chew your shoes and furniture while growing up.
3. Older dogs can focus well because they’ve mellowed. Therefore, they learn quickly.
4. Older dogs have learned what “no” means. If they hadn’t learned it, they wouldn’t have gotten to be “older” dogs.
5. Older dogs settle in easily, because they’ve learned what it takes to get along with others and become part of a pack.
6. Older dogs are good at giving love, once they get into their new, loving home. They are grateful for the second chance they’ve been given.
7. What You See Is What You Get: Unlike puppies, older dogs have grown into their shape and personality. Puppies can grow up to be quite different from what they seemed at first.
8. Older dogs are instant companions — ready for hiking, car trips, and other things you like to do.
9. Older dogs leave you time for yourself, because they don’t make the kinds of demands on your time and attention that puppies and young dogs do.
10. Older dogs let you get a good night’s sleep because they’re accustomed to human schedules and don’t generally need nighttime feedings, comforting, or bathroom breaks.

*Adapted from Labrador Retriever Rescue’s “Top Ten Reasons to Adopt a Rescue”

These allergies don’t respond to changes in food (other than lessening some) and even benadryl isn’t effective. Your vet will want to give them prednisone and yeah, that could work but it also stays in their organs forever and ever so i won’t even go there.

In my dogs, Gizmo & Nikos I’ve seen it the last 5 years (thats how long i’ve had them) and same thing end of every august, they chew themselves pretty raw,  Nikos losing the hair around his eyes even. I went nuts the first 2 yrs of this happening, even going so far as to use advantage on Gizmo thinking he was still allergic to fleas even tho i know he had none.  It’s not a flea or food allergy.

I started asking people if their dogs had the same problem and YES a lot DID!!

I’ve gone the homeopathic and alternative ways – Benedryl (works some) and i foudn that TRAUMEEL  and Apis Melifica from the health food store works the best. I get both in liquid (absorbed by the body faster) and put them in a spray bottle so i can squirt it in their mouths and on their itchies easily and in their food and on pieces of bread as needed.

They are lower to the ground than us and the environment AFFECTS THEM  i think faster and more severely than us.

A couple of clients also have dogs with this yearly reaction so that’s why i’m writing about it.  Most have purebreds (Gizmo is too altho a puppy mill dog) but Nikos is a mix and the only mix i know of so far to be so affected altho mixes are suffering the same as purebreds on shitty commercial foods.

I’m also writing because maybe we can’t ‘fix’ everything and to let others know you are NOT ALONE with your dog’s problems. If we talk about things that our dogs do, things that affect them, things we see in our dogs, maybe we wouldn’t be feeding the $4 billion dollar pet industry so well for no results?

I rescued a human today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me.

I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

Written by Janine Allen CPDT, Rescue Me Dog’s professional dog trainer. Janine’s passion is working with people and their dogs. She provides demonstrations for those who have adopted shelter dogs, lends email support to adopted dog owners that need information beyond our Training Support Pages, and aids shelter staff and volunteers in understanding dog behavior to increase their adoptability. Copyright 2009 Rescue Me Dog; www.rescuemedog.org

Many pet products that has glucosamine in it does not have ENOUGH glucosamine ot make it work any better than using nothing at all?

I used to think glucosamine didn’t well for dogs as i saw no real imporvement in older, arthritic dogs (and you KNOW how many dogs i see and that are at my disposal for checking things out).

With some research i found that they can legally claim their food or suppliments have glucosamine in it cuz it does. What the DON’T have to do is add ENOUGH to make any appreciable difference.

Since we rely on vets and pet food companies to tell the truth and help us keep our pets healthy (WellI don’t anymore) they can IMPLY anything they like and we ASSUME it’s correct or GOOD for our dogs.  NOT!

The homeopathics i’ve been using along with food have given awesome results but i’ve also been looking for products for thos of you who can’t or won’t do raw that will upgrade the foods and make it absorbable and healthier.

I’ve found BG and Orijen for kibbles to be better than most and I have been adding Dr Clarkes Hip formula to my raw for the older or damamged dogs like Molsyn, Rufus, Cocoa b4 she left, Belle. and even my Hank who is 9 now. It has right AMOUNT of glucosamine in it – as well as some other good stuff i would use homeopathically – and you sprinkle a little on their food once per day.

All the dogs are moving better but the most astonishing one is Molsyn who is a 6 yr old, 105lb Cane corso. First, they usually only live til 8 yrs so she’s technically OLD and she has TWO bad legs – muscles & knees. She wobbled when she came, could do little physically and even short times walking in the yard would make her back legs shake something aweful.

She is now running and even jumping up on me for a kiss. No we haven’t reversed the damage but we’ve improved her enuf to be a little less in pain and enjoy life more – same for the other dogs.

We are adding Dr Clarke’s to our product line and anyone who would like to buy it can contact me for shipping or pick up.