Archive for October, 2009

What is a brachycephalic breed?
English bulldog is a good example of a bradycephalic breed. It means that this dog breed have flat faces, wide heads and pushed-in noses. As mentioned above they must have the folds of skin around their eyes and noses cleaned, often on a daily basis.


In addition, they are quite susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Thus, it is not a good idea to let your bulldog out in the sun for too long. Bradycephalic breeds have short air passages making it harder to release this heat. English bulldogs do not sweat they release heat through their nasal passages.

What is a brachycephalic syndrome?

Bradycephalic syndrome is a group of conditions that cause resistance to airflow through the upper respiratory tract such as the nose and larynx. It is very common in short-nosed breeds of dogs.

The cause of this syndrome is the anatomic abnormalities related to the shortened bones of these dogs’ compressed faces without the same proportionate shortening of the overlying soft tissues. The excess soft tissue leads to airway compromise.

How bradycephalic syndrome affects the respiratory system?

English bulldogs encounter usual conditions such as stenotic nares or pinched nostrils, overlong soft palate and everted laryngeal saccules. These physical abnormalities are present during birth but clinical signs of difficulty often start in the early middle age. When airway resistance increases over time, it can lead to progressive respiratory difficulty.

The larynx and trachea gradually gets weaker as the large negative pressure of the greater effort on inspiration continually draws them in. It will eventually collapse causing critical airway obstruction, cyanosis or blueness, and possibly death.

What are the signs of bradycephalic syndrome?

• Noisy breathing (especially on inspiration)
• Exercise intolerance
• Cyanosis (blue appearance of the gums due to lack of oxygen)
• Syncope (fainting)

How to diagnose bradycephalic syndrome?

Test to diagnose bradycephalic syndrome are based on the breed of dog and clinical signs. Other diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

• A complete physical examination, including auscultation or listening of the chest with a stethoscope. It will help exclude other causes of respiratory difficulty

• Thoracic radiographs (x-rays) to determine if heart or lung disease is present

• Visual inspection of the nostrils to determine the presence of pinched nostrils

• Examination (under sedation) of the mouth and larynx to diagnose an overlong soft palate and/or laryngeal saccules that are turned outward

What is the treatment of bradycephalic syndrome?

Mild cases can be managed conservatively without surgery. Mild cases or sudden bouts of airway obstruction though may be managed medically. It can relieve by tranquilization, administration of oxygen, hospital use of anti-inflammatory steroids. Though the risk for progression of severe airway disease remains to exist.

• Close monitoring of your dog for worsening of clinical signs is imperative.

• Surgical management before severe clinical signs develop is relatively easy and carries a much more favorable prognosis than attempted treatment for very severe signs. Possible surgeries (depending on which abnormalities are present in your dog) include removal of a portion of the nostril to allow increased airflow, shortening the soft palate and removal of the everted laryngeal saccules.

What home care can you do?
• If medical management is pursued, closely watch your dog for worsening of clinical signs.
• Keep your bulldog in shape, as obesity will make it more difficult to breathe easily.
• Avoid excessively stressful situations, such as exercise during hot, humid weather.
• Avoid using a neck collar. Use a harness instead.
• Visit your veterinarian immediately when your dog has trouble breathing, becomes cyanotic, or collapses.
• If surgical therapy is done no special care may be required once healing is complete; however, you should continue to monitor your dog for recurrence of clinical signs.

Are there other diseases that mimic bradycephalic syndrome?

Laryngeal disease. Laryngeal paralysis is a relatively common neurologic disorder of dogs that lead to inability to open or abduct the muscles of the larynx or voice box. Laryngeal collapse is a very severe, end-stage condition of the larynx caused by chronic increased inspiratory effort and subsequent weakening of the laryngeal cartilages that would normally hold the walls of the larynx out of the airway.

Upper respiratory cancer or mass lesions. Tumors, masses or foreign material lodged within the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx or trachea (windpipe) can cause respiratory difficulty as the air passage is partially obstructed by the mass.

Tracheal collapse. It is usually found in small breed dogs caused by weakness of the cartilage rings that normally hold the trachea open during breathing leading to a severe “honking” cough and dyspnea or difficult breathing.

Bronchial obstructions. These are caused by primary bronchial collapse that compresses the left bronchus (airway).

Heart failure. Heart failure develops due to the accumulation of fluid in the chest or lungs that leads to breathing difficulties.

Pulmonary (lung) disease. This is ineffective oxygenation of the blood caused by lung disease. It causes shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, including bronchitis, pneumonia and lung cancer.



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For those of you who regularly watch NatGeo’s “Dog Whisperer“, stay tune and watch out for a touching, new episode coming this Friday, October 23 at 9PM ET/PT.

What you will expect on “Dog Whisperer” on Friday

As an artist, Daniel Maltzman relies on inspiration, but he can’t inspire his 2-year-old Pekingese, Pekaso (Picasso), to eat or drink. Pekaso refuses dog food and gets freaked out by the ripples in the water dish; she’s even become so dehydrated Daniel had to take her to the vet. Cesar works to repaint this dog’s canvas. But the real surprise is what Pekaso’s owner does for Cesar and Daddy…it will move any long time fan of the show! Then, Daniel’s friend Brendi Blackburn has problems of her own with 5-year-old Chihuahua Valentino, who bites people. Can Cesar play muse and inspire these two to become true pack leaders? Then, Claudia Imson’s two chow mix brothers, Yogi and Smokey, pick fights with each other. It’s so bad that when the dogs are in the house, she has to keep them in separate rooms. Can Cesar put an end to this sibling rivalry?


Cesar gets the thank you of his life when a grateful dog owner immortalizes Daddy on the canvas.

(Special thanks goes to Minjae of NatGeo for sharing this update.)

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Beware of unwanted reactions for letting your sick dogs have their dose of vaccination. You are placing your beloved dog into grave danger.

All vaccine labels and inserts indicate that vaccines are intended for use in “healthy dogs only“. It does not, however, provide an explicit definition of “healthy“.

Knowledgeable vet agree that certain animals should not be vaccinated. The only exception to the rule is the urgent need to vaccinate such as inevitable exposure to a life threatening disease. These includes, but aren’t limited to, pets with autoimmune disease; pets undergoing chemotherapy; radiation or surgery including dental cleaning or neutering; pets with autoimmune disease, cancer, severe allergies and skin diseases; pets fighting an illness or parasites; pets stressed from shipment or a move to a new home; malnourished pets; and dying housebound pets. The case of vaccinating already sick dogs and pets is similar to adding fuel to a raging fire.

Vaccination is without a doubt a huge business. Dogs and cats alike need an advocate possessing common sense and firm will to stand up in behalf of their pets, which is you!

“Above All Do No Harm”

Vaccinating a stressed or ill dog violates our Hippocratic oath: Above All Do No Harm. When an animal is going in for surgery or chemo, or has an autoimmune disease or neoplastic condition [a tumor], or even a chronic immune challenge such as allergies or endocrine/metabolic diseases, they are at a high increased risk to an adverse reaction to any vaccine.



Why vaccinating a sick pet is a big no no!

Pets eventually develop adverse reactions when receiving vaccine shots during sickly time. It ranges from fever to seizures to autoimmune disease to anaphylactic shock, and even death.

Shots given to unhealthy animals may fail to render immunity. Furthermore, it gives you a false sense of security that your dog or cat is protected from diseases. Plus, the stress posed on the immune system may be diverted to handle the shot instead of fighting the existing illness.

Vaccine manufacturer Pfizer states, regarding precautions when using their rabies vaccine: “A protective immune response may not be elicited if animals are incubating an infectious disease, are malnourished or parasitized, are stressed due to shipment or environmental conditions, are otherwise immuno-compromised.”

According to the University of Nebraska’s “Understanding Vaccines”: “While it is common to vaccinate stressed animals, these animals are more susceptible to adverse vaccine reactions and frequently do not develop an adequate immune response. Immune stressed animals develop limited protection from vaccination.”

Drugs.com states, regarding the Rabies vaccine precaution, “level of performance may be affected by conditions of use such as stress, weather, nutrition, disease, parasitism, other treatments, individual idiosyncrasies or impaired immunological competency. These factors should be considered by the user when evaluating product performance or freedom from reactions.”

Humans are at risk if a rabies shot fails thus leaving pets infected with rabies. The danger of vaccinating sick and chronically ill pets that most, if not all, state and local health authorities allow a temporary or permanent exemption from rabies vaccination for these pets.

The gap between the last shot of vaccination and onset of adverse reactions develops over a few weeks or months. You may not be able to link the vaccine shot as the cause of the symptom, which can turn into deadly. Your vet probably won’t link it either.

What to do when your sick pet is scheduled for vaccination

Before you make that appointment, read my article 10 tips to get rid of unnecessary shots of your dog.

Your pet may not even need the recommended shots. If your dog needs vaccination for licensing, ask your vet to apply for a temporary or permanent exemption to the rabies shot.

Arm yourself with knowledge about vaccine duration of immunity. Talk openly with your vet about postponing shots until your dog is well. Find another vet if your request could not be granted.

Be bold and stand up for your pet especially when he or she is not feeling well. Just say NO to vaccinations and start researching and titer testing.



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More than half of America ’s pets are overweight. 

”Pudgy pooches and fat cats are now the norm,” states Dr. Ernie Ward, founder and President of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). “This is the first generation of pets that will not live as long as their parents. Even worse, the majority of today’s overweight pets will endure painful and expensive medical conditions – all of which can be avoided.”

Majority of today’s overweight pets will endure painful and expensive medical conditions that are easily preventable in the first place. This is the first generation of pets that will not live as long as their parents.

Cause
Excess carbohydrate is the main culprit to the obesity epidemic. Pets living in the modern world consume high carbohydrate and sugar treats that change their brain chemistry. It encourages them to crave these foods even more.

Cure
Almost everyone seek for a magic pill that will lose excess weight overnight. The most cheapest, safest and easiest cure is right there in front of us: eat less, eat healthier and exercise. Opt to let your pet snack on a high-protein alternative food instead of a highly processed carbohydrate-based diet. Make sure to give your pet its daily dose of exercise. Pet owners can also benefit with the daily walks with their pets. Your best workout buddy is your dog. They are more than wiling to go out for a walk and stretch their limbs.

Currently APOP estimates 50% of dogs and cats in the United States are overweight or obese (84 million). 44% of our canine companions are overweight or obese (33 million) and a staggering 57% of our cats are too heavy (51 million). 
 Pet Obesity Prevention will hold its third annual National Pet Obesity Awareness Day today, October 14th to raise awareness. Hundred of vets will gather data on the waistline of our nation’s pets.

Health Risks associated with Obesity in Pets
1. Osteoarthritis
2. High blood pressure
3. Type 2 diabetes (cats)
4. Insulin resistance (dogs)
5. Kidney disease
6. Cancer
7. High cholesterol
8. Respiratory disease
9. Skin disease
10. Increased surgical complications

About APOP and Dr. Ward
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention is an independent organization not associated with any veterinary pharmaceutical, pet food, or other veterinary industry organization. Dr. Ernie Ward is a licensed veterinarian, certified personal trainer, and USA Triathlon accredited coach. He and APOP help people and pets lose weight and sustain a healthy lifestyle by creating parallel weight loss and lifestyle programs.

Contact
Dr. Ernie Ward
910-579-5550

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Vaccination is important to prevent spread of diseases. Wildlife places your dogs susceptible to a wide variety of communicable sickness especially in South California.

Learn more about dog vaccination from the video below:

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All government and veterinary organizations diligently monitor and regulate pet vaccination. Think again!

English bulldog puppy blog features an educational video about rabies shots and why it is a serious medical procedure that could cost the life of your English bulldog or other dog breeds. Watch this.

Thanks to Jan Rasmusen for imparting her knowledge in this video. Buy her book on the link below.

Scared Poopless: The Straight Scoop on Dog Care


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Mark your calendars this coming Friday, October 9 at 9pm and tune in National Geographic for a new season of Dog Whisperer. The season premiere begins with Junior, a pit bull pup Cesar hopes will someday assist him with his toughest cases now that his trusted right hand Daddy is nearing retirement. Daddy and Cesar have been a team since Daddy was four months old, and any fan of Dog Whisperer knows Daddy accompanies Cesar on many of his hardest cases – including a visit with Oprah! But with age come limitations. So, in order to ease Daddy into retirement, Cesar adopted the first young puppy for his puppy project – Junior. Daddy and Junior were instantly attracted to one another, and thus Junior joined Cesar’s pack. Next Cesar selects a Labrador pup to join the pack. Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue brings two labs to Cesar’s Dog Psychology Center. Cesar is immediately drawn to the calm, submissive male, whom Cesar slowly introduces to the pack at the center. The pack mentality of all the dogs has never been clearer, as you can see firsthand how – with no human interaction – the pack slowly takes in the new puppy. Cesar eventually names this little guy Marley, after one of the world’s most famous bad dogs (the subject of last year’s hit movie “Marley & Me,” about the life of Cesar’s client and friend John Grogan).

Video “Bringing Up Puppies” – Just observing how a good mother dog looks after her puppies teaches us a lot about how to raise our own dogs.

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It is quite an irony for a vaccine to protect humans from infectious bites yet potentially make dogs sick and even cause their death.

A study is now in progress at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison to determine how long a new, more potent rabies vaccine protects dogs from the virus.

The Rabies Challenge Fund study, headed by veterinarian Ronald Schultz, aims to find out if the vaccine provides immunity in canines for as long as seven years. The vaccine’s name is withheld and marked as confidential, as it is yet to be licensed and is not yet on the market.

Most states and local authorities currently require owners to vaccinate their dogs every three years.  If this study proves the current law wrong then animal advocates whose pets were harmed by rabies vaccinations and helped raise money to conduct the study plan to make a nationwide push to extend mandated intervals for boosters.

The two-phase study should be completed in 2013 and 2015.

Jean Dodds, DVM, of Garden Grove, Calif., is one of the researchers involved in the study. She says allowing dogs to be given fewer rabies boosters during their lifetime would significantly reduce adverse the most common vaccine reactions, including seizures, rashes, tumors at the injection site and even death.

Doods reported that “a lot of people have not associated the sudden death or illness of their pet with the vaccination because they weren’t motivated to look at the association.” She added that’s why many veterinarians have not recognized the link between dogs’ death and rabies vaccine.

Currently 14 rabies vaccines for canines are on the market. Vaccines must be shown safe for use before a license is granted by the federal government’s Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), a regulatory procedure that’s been in place since 1922.

In a special report, however, published in April’s edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), veterinarian Timothy Frana and his colleagues said evaluations of rabies vaccines before licensure “may not detect all safety concerns” for a number of reasons, including insufficient duration of observation and interactions with products administered at the same time.

Based on the report, during a three-year period (from April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2007), nearly 120 million doses of rabies vaccine (for all species) were distributed in the United States. During that time frame, manufacturers of rabies vaccines received nearly 10,000 adverse reports concerning their products, according the JAVMA report. Out of the 10,000 adverse reports, 65 percent involved dogs.

Due to the large volume of reports, the paper’s authors did not review individual cases.
Instead, they turned their attention to 246 adverse event reports filed for dogs with the CVB during the same period, where rabies was identified as one of the products administered.

About two dozen symptoms were reported including, vomiting, facial swelling, injection site pain, lethargy and circulatory shock. In 12 cases, lack of consciousness and death occurred.

Still, the authors concluded the report’s findings “do not suggest a high frequency or unexpected pattern of adverse events associated with the use of rabies vaccines in veterinary medicine.”

Nonetheless, Shawn Messonnier who is a holistic veterinarian in Plano, Texas, looks forward to the new study’s results and a time when dogs can undergo dramatically fewer rabies vaccinations in their lifetimes.
“It’s important to determine the maximum duration of effectiveness so that we do not over-vaccinate pets,” he said.

(News courtesy of Maryann Mott, Special to LiveScience)



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IT’S PUPPY TIME!
From bundle of LOVE to full-grown CANINE,
Cesar shows How To Raise the Perfect Dog
for Sixth Season Premiere of EMMY-NOMINATED Dog Whisperer
Premiere episode DOCUMENTARY companion to cesar’s new book
30 New Episodes Begin Friday, October 9, at 9 PM ET/PT – New Season Includes Episodes From Down Under in Australia Plus a Trip to the Lone Star State

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEPTEMBER 16, 2009) In five seasons and more than 100 episodes, Cesar has seen every canine case imaginable – red-zone aggression, fearful anxiety and just plain weird. But never before has he shown viewers how they can avoid these problems from the very start! In the sixth season premiere of DOG WHISPERER WITH CESAR MILLAN: How to Raise the Perfect Dog, Cesar goes back to the basics, adopting four adorable pups and filming them living with him and his pack for their first eight months to show viewers how to avoid problems from the very start.

I realize I may actually be putting myself out of business with this episode,” joked the three-time Emmy nominee. “But I wanted to adopt four different breeds and work with them in my pack from the very beginning, showing that if you prevent bad behaviors in puppyhood, you can steer clear of canine nightmares down the road.”

The season premiere is also the documentary companion to Cesar’s fourth book – “How to Raise The Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond” – being released nationwide by Harmony Books, a division of Random House, Inc., on Tuesday, October 6.

How to Raise the Perfect Dog begins the sixth season of Dog Whisperer with 30 all-new episodes. This year Cesar also goes international, searching out problem dogs down under in Australia! Plus, he takes a road trip to Texas, works with NASA astronauts, visits “The Biggest Loser’s” Jillian Michaels, helps former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum and much more.

The season premiere begins with Junior, a pit bull pup Cesar hopes will someday assist him with his toughest cases now that his trusted right hand Daddy is nearing retirement. Daddy and Cesar have been a team since Daddy was four months old, and any fan of Dog Whisperer knows Daddy accompanies Cesar on many of his hardest cases – including a visit with Oprah! But with age come limitations. So, in order to ease Daddy into retirement, Cesar adopted the first young puppy for his puppy project – Junior. Daddy and Junior were instantly attracted to one another, and thus Junior joined Cesar’s pack.

Next Cesar selects a Labrador pup to join the pack. Southern California Labrador Retriever Rescue brings two labs to Cesar’s Dog Psychology Center. Cesar is immediately drawn to the calm, submissive male, whom Cesar slowly introduces to the pack at the center. The pack mentality of all the dogs has never been clearer, as you can see firsthand how – with no human interaction – the pack slowly takes in the new puppy. Cesar eventually names this little guy Marley, after one of the world’s most famous bad dogs (the subject of last year’s hit movie “Marley & Me,” about the life of Cesar’s client and friend John Grogan).

For the next two puppies, Cesar selects a miniature schnauzer, Angel, and an English bulldog, Mr. President. The goal is to raise four balanced pups of different breeds, and to make the most of each breed’s characteristics. For the next eight months, our cameras are there as Cesar shows viewers how to raise the perfect dog.

Cesar begins by setting rules, boundaries and limitations early on – a mantra familiar to any viewer. As the new pack demonstrates, Cesar isn’t the only one setting the rules – it takes only a hint of a growl from Daddy to send Junior, Angel, Marley and Mr. President into Daddy-pleasing mode.

Cesar walks through how to deal with overexcitement, common in many young dogs, and how to overcome this type of behavior from the very beginning using calm, assertive energy. Cesar goes through the important rituals such as mealtime, and how to start them young with a routine. Next up is housebreaking – which can become an owner’s worst nightmare, or, if done right – Cesar’s Way – comes with no drama.

And of course, no Cesar boot camp would be complete without the all-important ritual of exercise. For the new pups, Cesar looks to swimming as a key element. Surprisingly, all the new puppies take to the water except one – Marley, the only real water breed. Cesar shows Marley how to overcome this fear early.

Finally, Cesar addresses socialization – bringing the new puppies to the dog park – and a message very important to Cesar about spaying and neutering your dogs. We join Cesar as he takes Mr. President to the doctor to get fixed.

At the end of the eight months, Cesar proudly passes Marley, Angel and Mr. President on to new homes. And Junior is a permanent member of the Millan household – and on Dog Whisperer.

About Dog Whisperer

Each episode of Dog Whisperer follows dog behavior specialist Cesar Millan as he goes directly into the homes of dog owners – without any prior information about the dog’s case – and documents the remarkable transformations that take place under Cesar’s calm, assertive guidance.

The hugely popular series has grown into a pop culture phenomenon, including parodies on “South Park” and “Saturday Night Live”; references on popular shows including “Jeopardy!” and Bravo’s hit series “Work Out”; appearances on “Oprah,” “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Martha Stewart,” “Today Show,” “The View” and “Live with Regis and Kelly”; and a guest star role for Cesar on the hit series “Ghost Whisperer.”

The series celebrated its landmark 100th episode in September 2008 with a grand reunion of many of the past guests – and their dogs. Dog Whisperer has also been nominated three times for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program.

About Cesar Millan

With more than 20 years of experience working with canines, Cesar has been called a “Dr. Phil for dogs,” and for good reason. He has a unique gift of rehabilitating dogs and training their owners. His talent with dogs first developed on his grandfather’s farm in Mexico. Now, at his Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, he receives as many as 100 calls a week from owners desperate for help and confronting a crisis with their beloved pets. He is their emergency responder, and often their last resort. Often, the dogs Cesar works with are “red-zone cases” that trainers or veterinarians have told the owners to put down. Cesar believes every dog deserves a chance at rehabilitation before such drastic measures should even be considered. His pack of dogs at the center are largely dogs no one thought should be left alive – and they now live in harmony as part of Cesar’s pack, and make frequent appearances on the show.

Millan was made an honorary member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and was presented The Michael Landon Award for Inspiration to Youth Through Television at the 28th Young Artist Awards.

Cesar has published three best-selling books, and launches a new magazine, Cesar’s Way, this fall. Other things Cesar include: the first four seasons of Dog Whisperer are available on DVD; Cesar and his wife Ilusion have founded the nonprofit Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation, providing financial support and rehabilitation expertise to shelters throughout the United States; Cesar has an exclusive product line available at Petco; and he is giving online seminars, “Sessions with Cesar,” an interactive coaching course. Additionally, Cesar’s new magazine – “Cesar’s Way” – from IMG Publishing is available on newsstands now and will feature celebrity dog stories and everyday dog lovers who have built a lifestyle around their companions. More information can be found at www.cesarmillaninc.com.

Dog Whisperer is produced by MPH Entertainment and Emery/Sumner Productions for National Geographic Channel. For MPH Entertainment MPH Entertainment executive producers are Jim Milio, Melissa Jo Peltier and Mark Hufnail. For Emery/Sumner Productions producers are Sheila Possner Emery and Kay Bachman Sumner. For the National Geographic Channel executive producer is Char Serwa; senior vice president of production is Michael Cascio; and executive vice president of content is Steve Burns.

Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is a joint venture between National Geographic Ventures (NGV) and Fox Cable Networks (FCN). Since launching in January 2001, NGC initially earned some of the fastest distribution growth in the history of cable and more recently the fastest ratings growth in television. The network celebrated its fifth anniversary January 2006 with the launch of NGC HD which provides the spectacular imagery that National Geographic is known for in stunning high-definition. NGC has carriage with all of the nation’s major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available in nearly 70 million homes.

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