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If you communicate telepathically with your pet, then you don't need blood and urine tests. But, if you can't ask your pet how it's liver, kidneys, heart and other organs are doing, get annual blood and urine tests. This is especially important as your pet ages.A study done at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham in England, showed that 80% of dogs had an unrecognized health problems that could be identified with blood & tests. On average, each of these dogs had 7-8 significant laboratory findings—not just one simple problem. These were ordinary geriatric dogs whose families hadn’t recognized specific health problems. Still, families noted that about 1/3 of the dogs were sleeping more and 1/3 of the dogs didn’t hear well. Between 20-25% of the families noted increased vision problems, dental problems, stiffness & pain. By having the pets tested, families were able to address medical causes of the dogs’ illness.If you’d like to read the research, look for Geriatric screening in first opinion practice - results from 45 dogs published by the British Small Animal Vet Assoc in the Journal of Small Animal Practice Sept 2012.
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You don’t need vampire movies, because there’s real life horror tales in food. For the next few Caring for Pet blog entires, let’s discuss molds that may be present in food commercially available for dogs, cats, cattle, hogs and horses. Tomorrow, I’m going to see 11-year-old Mina who has developed a swollen vulva. So, let’s start our series on molds in pet foods with Zearalenone.Zearalenone is found in corn, wheat, rice, sorghum, maize--grains common in many pet foods. Zearalenone is also found in bread. It causes estrogenism. Pigs are highly sensitive to zearalenone, and it causes infertility and abortion. Farmers suspect zearalenone mycotoxicosis when pigs develop early puberty, or swollen vulvas, but are infertile. If the farmer's pregnant sows eat aearalenone-contaminated food, the piglets may be mummified, stillborn, or born with swollen vulvas and splay legs. Dogs are also sensitive to Zearalenone, but are not as severely affected as pigs are. The following abstract from Polish Journal of Veterinary Science 2004;7(1):59-66. 74 Refs. discusses effect of oral Zearalenone on bitches. Zearalenone applied per os provides adverse effects in structure of chosen parts of bitch reproductive systemM Gajecka1; E Jakimiuk; M Polak; I Otrocka-Domagała; T Janowski; W Zwierzchowski; K Obremski; L Zielonka; J Apoznański; M Gajecki1Division of Veterinary Prevention and Feed Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Health Protection, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Poland. gajecki@uwm.edu.plArticle AbstractBoth earlier investigations and complete formulas of pet food for dogs show that professionally prepared pet food is based in 30% on the material of the plant origin. Our own investigations prove that animal feeding stuffs of the plant origin are very often vectors of many undesirable substances (including micotoxins) that are unfavourable for carnivores. Zearalenone is a micotoxin, which frequently occurs among them. It was revealed in pet food in quantities from 5.0-299.5 microg/kg. It is a very dangerous xenobiotic because of its quick and easy absorption in the organism after per os application in monogastric animals. It is also a sterid and despite its plant origin it binds estrogen receptors in the reproductive tract and causes its hypo- and dysfunction. It is clearly visible in young, growing organisms and those during the menopause. In bitches, dysfunctions of the reproduction system, such as: endometritis-pyometra syndrome, prolonged oestrus, ovarian cysts and others are often found. It is supposed that specific for this species hormonal regulation of the reproduction processes based on the long progesterone and prolactin cycles, and on high sensibility to estrogens plays an important role in the etiopathogenesis of these dysfunctions. The application of hormones in bitches in therapeutic and biotechnical (contraception) purposes are the other factors, which should be taken into account in this aspect. There are some suggestions that therapeutic management, unfortunately connected with mistakes in the medical art, is often a cause of pathological condition in a reproductive organ in bitches. However, another reason of these disorders may be that bitches take zearalenone with the commercial pet food. The long-lasting intake of the feed with a low dose of this micotoxin may be the factor, which complicates hormonal regulation of the reproduction processes and is the cause of many disorders. Our own pilotage investigations showed that application of zearalenone at a dose of 200 microg/kg b.w. for 7 days leads to apoptotic-like changes in granule cells in the bitch reproductive system, atresia of follicular cells and oedema and hyperplasia of the oviductal and uterine cells. They could also indicate a follicular phase of the oestrus cycle in bitch. However, it did not take place. When I see Mina the little Yorkie with a swollen vulva, tomorrow, I’ll be looking for possible foreign body, bladder infections, urinary crystals, Cushing’s disease, and estrogen toxicity from zearalenone exposure. An exam, blood and urine tests will help eliminate the first four, but eliminating zearalenone exposure may be an impossible task.
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We’re scaring ourselves by thinking about the molds that are found in pet food. We’ve discussed Zearalenone, which causes estrogenism, and now, let’s consider Fumoninsin. Fumoninsin is product of the mold Fusarium. Fumoninsin is found in moldy corn , wheat, and sorghum. It causes cancer, kidney and liver disease, cardiac disease, central nervous system disease (especially in horses) and respiratory disease(especially in pigs). In humans, fumoninsin is associated with high rates of esophageal cancer. On a cellular level, fumonisin releases free radicals that cause oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. In the developing fetus, especially when the mother is folate deficient, fumoninsin causes neural tube defect so babies can be born without brains or with spina bifida. In horses, fumoninsin causes softening of the tissues in the brain (leukoencephalomalacia). It can also cause apathy, changes in temperament, inco-ordination, walking into objects, and paralysis of the lips and tongue. When I see Gator, the Airedale, who had a sudden onset of head pressing after eating a grain-based treat, we’re going to consider fumoninsin toxicity. Blood and urine tests will help evaluate Gator's liver and kidneys. As bright as Airedales are, it will be difficult to pick up damage to her beautiful brain.
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CoQ 10, also known as coenzyme Q 10 or ubiquinol, is as fantastic for pets as it is for people. Research has shown that CoQ 10 is especially beneficial for the brain & heart . Some humans with heart disease who were taking CoQ 10 also had improvement in gum health, so possibly dogs & cats with gum disease may benefit. CoQ 10 Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatoryBecause CoQ 10 functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, the diseases it may help are those where oxidation and inflammation play a role: · Back pain · Bladder disease · Brain damage · Cardiac disease caused by diabetes · Cardiac fibrosis · Cardiac mitral valve disease · Chronic kidney disease · Cognitive dysfunction and senility · Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy · Kidney disease · Liver toxicity · Parkinson`s disease · Pulmonary disease · Seizures CoQ 10 Naturaly Present in FoodFortunately CoQ 10 is present in our diets, and whenever possible food is the best way to provide our dogs & cats with nutrient. CoQ 10 is present in meat, poultry, fish, nuts and in deeply pigmented fruit and vegetables. The problem is that if the food is processed, cooked or significantly heated, the CoQ 10 is destroyed. Thus, I recommend feeding a large portion of the diet that is raw, juiced, or lightly cooked. It is ok to warm the food to body temperature before feeding. In fact, it is ideal to serve most foods at body temperature. CoQ 10 SupplementsMore If, in addition to eating properly, your pet needs a supplement, then give CoQ 10 along with an oil as it is absorbed best in the presence of oil. Nordic Naturals has a fish oil CoQ 10 combination that is good for pets. Unfortunately, CoQ 10 is moderately expensive. Do not opt for the cheap forms because they are chemically derived rather than naturally produced. CoQ 10 Dose for Dogs & Cats Because lab studies have tried using enormous amounts of CoQ 10 (looking for cancer cures), we have research evidence that CoQ 10 is safe even at high doses. Humans have been given over 1000 mg without damage. A small dog or cat can safely take up to 100 mg and larger dogs, up to 400 mg. Do not think that if a small amount is good a large amount is better. Food is always best, and small amounts of a wide range of supplements is often safer than a large amount of any single supplement.
