Pacific Grooming

06/28/2024

Day 5 - Thursday, June 27, 2024:

RUBY IS GONE. 💔

After seeing little to no improvement over the last few days I contacted Bichon Rescue of Orange County (BROC) to let them know that I think we need bloodwork on little Ruby because she's not eating much and I'm not seeing any recovery. They authorized me to take whatever steps were deemed necessary.

I canceled my afternoon appointments and took her back to the vet for bloodwork and was informed that not only is her anemia off the charts, she's incredibly dehydrated and on the verge of kidney failure. I was told that she needs a blood transfusion and needs to be in critical care with IV hydration immediately.

BROC had me take her to VCA Yorba Regional and the doctor reviewed her records and the history I had with her and told me that she was in the end stages of kidney failure. I could choose to put her through life saving measures but that the damage from neglect, malnutrition, and bug infestation was too extensive and too far gone to recover from.

And just like that, she's gone. I chose not to let her continue to suffer. I wonder to myself when I saw Erica CM Doggeez post about her and decided to make an effort whether I should do it or not. I slept on it while on vacation, while she suffered in silence at the pound. Poor sweet baby who suffered at the hands of unspeakable heartless humans that forced her into this condition through no fault of her own. I reached out to BROC to make it happen and you've all seen the history.

What we all didn't know is that she was already too far gone. I tried. I did my best. I tried everything I could imagine to get her to eat. The vets said that kidney failure makes them feel nauseous all the time. I beseeched my friends and clients for money for her care, while I gave my own, because rescues don't own money trees to care for the avalanche of abandoned pets in need.

I never heard her voice. I never saw her wag her butt. I will never forget this sweet little soul that was treated so unjustly. I am SO heartbroken over this little angel suffering this fate. I hope I was able to bring her a few moments of comfort and tenderness on her last few days of life.

All I know is she did NOT deserve to be treated this way in life.

06/26/2024

Day 3 - Tuesday, June 25, 2024:

I'm very worried about Ruby, she's not eating much at all. I tried to give her breakfast; I made her a small portion of Honest Kitchen dehydrated with bone broth, she wouldn't touch it. I made her some beef, nope. I tried a scrambled egg cooked in the meat residue from the pan, didn't want it. Tried to give her Nutri-Cal, also refused. The only thing I could get down her throat was her liquid vitamins, which got me to thinking...

I remembered I had some frozen raw goat's milk in the freezer that could be used as a meal replacement and pulled that out for later.

I spent the day very worried and bought her some beef liver which I thought might entice her. By the time I came home, she ate half a tablespoon of the Nutri-Cal and readily accepted two syringes (4 teaspoons) of the goat's milk. 🥳 At dinner time I made her 4.4 oz of the liver cooked in coconut oil and she ate about 2.5 oz of it. It's not a lot, but she ate.

She is still wobbly and unsteady on her feet, but she walks around the house and seems to be resting as comfortably as she can.

06/25/2024

I saw this little girl's photo and knew I had to help somehow. I was on vacation in FL this past week and contacted my friends at Bichon Rescue of Orange County to see if they could help me save this little soul. I flew in to LAX Sunday and headed straight to the pound to pick her up. You can read her details here:
https://www.facebook.com/100093629490236/posts/343921288738852/?mibextid=JOZb8W

DAY 1: Ruby came home with me Sunday in incredibly rough condition. She couldn't open her eyes, couldn't stand, and was matted to the skin in many spots, with stickers and foxtails inside of them. Her nails were curled over and toes crossed due to the length of her nails.

I picked up a couple of puppy patties for her before I got her, figuring she would probably be hungry and it would serve as an icebreaker. She ate them with relish. When I got her home I gave her a bowl of water and she laid down and drank 3 bowls!! Then she slept till dinner time, and slept all through the night.

I really wanted to wait to groom her until she was stronger, but she smelled SOOOO bad and still had visible fleas, I just knew she would feel better if I got all of that off of her. Grooming her was like grooming a cadaver. She just laid there with her eyes closed, breathing. I did the best I could, as quickly as I could, to make her comfortable.

DAY 2: We went to the vet today....she actually weighs 9.8 lbs. 😟 She has a mammary mass, and whatever deworming she got at the pound did NOT work! They dewormed her again today. He said she has a long way to go. He also says she has alopecia, but I think that she is just a sparsely-coated terrier mix and extremely malnourished, resulting in that thin coat. We'll see what that turns out looking like. She is also not 12, I guessed between 7-10 and he said 8 or 9.

But today she is feeling better! She's standing and walking around the house, eating well (she loves steak), drinking a lot, her eyes are open as normal and I'm going to call that an improvement! She's still sleeping a lot but is MUCH more alert and active, compared to just yesterday. She actually walks around the house exploring.

I would appreciate if my friends and clients could donate to Ruby's care. Even $5 would be appreciated. When she is stronger in a couple of months, she's going to get a dental with multiple extractions, removal of the mammary mass and a spay.

Please help me continue to help desperate souls by supporting the rescue I work with. You can donate directly to Ruby through Bichon Rescue at: https://bichonrescueoc.org/

06/08/2024

Here in the high desert it’s been over 100 degrees this week. That’s too hot to be taking dogs for walks. Sometimes people don’t think about their pups paws being too hot and burning. This is just a friendly reminder to be aware.

04/23/2023

Why rice is NOT good for dogs, even when their stomach is upset!

I have to admit I have some strong opinions. And I know some of my opinions are completely contrary to “everything you read on the Internet“. But there’s always a reason I disagree. So what am I talking about today? Rice. It’s everywhere. Even conventional veterinarians who are adamantly opp...

11/23/2022

Are you feeding your dog too often? ⏰🍗⏰🥩⏰🥕🐶

Dogs fed once a day are less likely to be diagnosed with age-related conditions than pooches fed more often, study claims.

In the largest largest study to date of feeding frequency conducted in companion dogs, University of Arizona-led experts analyzed data on 24,238 pet dogs from the US and found:

• Being fed once a day lowered the risk of nine types of canine health problems
• These included cancer, dental issues and either kidney or urinary complications
• Similarly, dogs fed only once daily scored lower on tests of cognitive problems
• But the team said it is too early to advise owners to change their pet's diets

“We view these results as an exciting first step of an ongoing exploration of the impact of diet on companion dogs living in human environments. Given the intense interest in, and popularization of, ‘longevity diets’ such as intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding, these types of studies in dogs are both timely and important. We believe these studies will ultimately offer insights into factors that promote health and longevity for both dogs and humans.” - The Dog Aging Project

The scientists and researchers we interviewed for The Forever Dog book agreed that one meal a day for healthy dogs is ideal, in terms of maximizing autophagy and minimizing metabolic stress.

To learn how to transition your pup to a new eating schedule and create an eating window (which allows your pup to receive the benefits of intermittent fasting while offering the same amount of food) check out the section in our book “Personalized Meals as Medicine” found here: www.foreverdog.com

06/23/2022

Bravecto, Bravecto Plus, Nexgard, Simparica, Simparica Trio, Credelio, Revolution Plus all contain Isoxazoline which is a neurotoxin! ☠️

It is only supposed to be toxic to the parasites however, data is showing the toxicity is NOT limited to parasites and we are seeing many adverse reactions in dogs and cats.

Some adverse reactions that my clients have seen include:
• Aggression
• Personality changes
• Seizures
• Disorientation
• Wobbling or unstable gate
• Sensitivity to touch
• Abnormal vocalizations
• Urinary or f***l incontinence
• Death
I have seen these adverse reactions happen immediately after administration, but I have also worked with cases where the pet parent noticed these reactions days, weeks, or even months later. Sometimes the reactions don’t occur until multiple doses of the medication have been given.

AVOID THIS DRUG!

📎 Here is my detox protocol: https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/side-effects-from-common-flea-and-tick-products?_pos=2&_sid=4f37b2d66&_ss=r
📎 Safer prevention options: https://drjudymorgan.com/collections/tick-and-flea
📎 Flea and Tick Prevention Article: https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/flea-and-tick-prevention-revisited?_pos=7&_sid=56a77806b&_ss=r

06/12/2022

Easily add some real nutrition to your pet's commercial diet.

The most controversial topic when it comes to feeding your pet! 😾🗯

Despite arguments against it, mixing raw with kibble is not only safe but scientists in Finland have found adding some fresh food to your dog’s ultra-processed food can add significant health benefits. Several studies have found adding a small amount of raw or fresh food to your pet’s bowl can reduce inflammatory markers associated with several diseases, including IBD, allergies, and cancer. So next time you're preparing a healthy meal for you and your family, add some fresh food from your refrigerator to your pet's bowl as well! 🐶🥩🥦

Today in the Inside Scoop, the Rawpetmedics (Dr. Nick Thompson, Dr. Brendan Clarke, and Dr. Conor Brady) are joining me to discuss the do’s✅ and don’ts❌ of feeding your pet a raw food diet and help dispel some raw food myths and fears.

We’ll also be covering topics like:
🔥How to get started with raw
🔥Balancing with whole foods vs supplements
🔥The impact of bad quality meat on dogs and the environment
🔥How to make your pet’s water better

Whether you’re new to feeding fresh food or you’re an experienced raw feeder, you won’t want to miss this episode! Join us today at noon ET for this lively discussion! Looking forward to seeing your questions in the chat! 🙌

👉If you haven’t joined our subscription group of 2.0 pet parents and want to learn more, just head over to the Planet Paws page and click the blue "Subscribe” button to join our weekly Livestreams + Archives! On some devices, you may find the button under the “About” tab.

https://www.facebook.com/becomesupporter/PlanetPawsMedia/

05/19/2022

Taking your pets for a walk is great exercise and an enjoyable sensory experience for them. Please be aware of ground temperatures on hot days though.

04/30/2022

SO JUST HOW LONG DO YOUR PET’S SHOTS LAST?

Definitely longer than a year!

According to the top pet immunologist (aka vaccine expert) in the world, Dr. Ronald Schultz, Ph.D. – “ Annual revaccination provides no benefit and may increase the risk for adverse reactions.”

What the heck are adverse reactions (or side effects)?

Well according to the other rock star pet immunologist Dr. Jean Dodds:

“Side effects from dog vaccinations can occur anywhere from instantly up to several weeks or months later. Vaccines can even cause susceptibility to chronic diseases that appear much later in a dog’s life (Dodd, 2001).

Severe and fatal adverse reactions include:

•Susceptibility to infections.

•Neurological disorders and encephalitis.

•Aberrant behavior, including unprovoked aggression.

•Vaccines are linked to seizures. Distemper, parvovirus, rabies and, presumably, other vaccines have been linked with poly neuropathy, a nerve disease that involves inflammation of several nerves. (Dodds,2001)”

SO HOW LONG EXACTLY DOES YOUR PET’S VACCINE LAST?

According to the recommendations of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), (basically the dudes who set the standards for the vets): “Among healthy dogs, all commercially available [core] vaccines are expected to induce a sustained protective immune response lasting at least 5 yr. thereafter”

Here’s the breakdown of the core vaccines from Dr. Ronald Schultz:

Minimum Duration of Immunity for Canine Vaccines:

Distemper- 7 years by challenge
Parvovirus – 7 years by challenge
Adenovirus – 7 years by challenge
Canine rabies – 3 years by challenge

The moral of the story here, if you have no idea when your pet is due or has been vaccinated, then just run a titer test and this will confirm if you are due, rather than over-vaccinate your poor pet, setting the stage for future problems!

What’s a titer test?

A titer test (pronounced tight-errr) is a laboratory or in-house veterinary test measuring the existence and level of antibodies (necessary to fight off disease) in your pet’s blood. Basically, it’s a test that will tell you whether or not you actually need to vaccinate your pet.

It’s also super useful when making a decision about vaccinating a pet with an unknown vaccination history, or for determining if pets have received immunity from vaccination.

Vaccinating your pet is super important so don’t lose the overall message here: VACCINATE, JUST DON’T OVER-VACCINATE!

According to Dr. Dodds:

“Vaccines have achieved many important benefits for companion animals, and has saved more animals' lives than any other medical advance.”

Want more on titer testing? Check it out:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153271303942028&set=pb.509362027.-2207520000.1461100680.&type=3&theater

Rodney Habib

"An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!"

04/30/2022

Kitten season is in full bloom and our Foster Department needs your help! Bottle babies, just like this little guy here, need around-the-clock care including soft bedding, warm rice socks, KMR milk replacer, and more. We are always in need of supplies, specifically formula and 6ml syringes, to help these adorably tiny kittens get healthy and strong! Interested in donating? Our Foster-specific Amazon wishlist has all of the items these kittens need, and Amazon makes it easy to donate online with just one click! Every donation makes a difference in the lives of these vulnerable bottle baby kittens!

The link to our wishlist can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DG3XO0KCHFI5/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1

Thank you to all who continue to donate to help our Foster Program and to our dedicated Foster Caretakers who help get these kittens healthy and ready for adoption!

04/29/2022

What a great idea!

🐸🦎

04/21/2022

THE TOP 10 MOST IMPORTANT FOOD MEDICINES ON THE PLANET

By now, I’m sure you have heard of all the super awesome benefits to adding coconut oil to your diet and, of course, to your pet’s as well.

Today, you will see organic virgin coconut oil being added to almost everything as a source of good fat and/or to make herbs and oils more readily available for you and your pet, i.e. turmeric root and omega-3 fish oils.

(Note: Coconut Oil is to not be confused with omega-3! Coconut oil is not an omega-3 or omega-6 fat).

Ranked in the top 10 most important food medicines, coconut oil is a must-add for everyone! However, there is still some controversy swirling around this super nut. So let’s weigh in on the scientific evidence that is currently available, shall we?

Coconut oil contains monolaurin, lauric, capric and caprylic acids, all of which have anti-bacterical, anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-fungal activity.
Hence the nickname: nature’s antibiotic. An added benefit is that there are none of the harmful side effects that drugs normally offer.

Because of its bacteria and fungus killing properties, coconut oil is being used holistically to help prevent and kill off yeast problems ailing a pet.

“Killing off yeast problems?” you ask.

Yeast is a fungus that’s always present on pets as part of the normal flora of the body, both internally and externally. When the immune system becomes overburdened, or when the dog is fed starchy foods, the yeast will proliferate in the hair follicles and throughout the body. The result? A giant outbreak of itching and scratching with red-hot looking skin!

By adding the acids found in coconut oil to your pet’s diet (lauric, capric & caprylic), the acids attack the cell wall of the yeast fungus causing the cell wall to disintegrate which, therefore, kills off the yeast.

This is not a new concept! Coconut oil has been used for bacteria-bashing and wound-healing for thousands of years.

FUN FACT: Now current research is shedding some light on the possibility of flea prevention with the association of coconut oil!

“In this study we show that the twice daily application of a herbal repellent based on coconut-oil (Zanzarin), is highly effective in preventing sand flea disease in a heavily affected community in Madagascar. The attack rate became zero immediately after starting the application of the repellent.” -The European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

Coconut oil is not only great for helping kill things like yeast on your pet, but it also has many other benefits according to leading researcher Dr. Bruce Fife:

• Improves digestion and nutrient absorption
• Aids healing of digestive disorders like inflammatory bowel syndrome and colitis
• Reduces or eliminates bad breath in dogs
• Aids in elimination of hairballs and coughing
• Regulates and balances insulin and promotes normal thyroid function
• Helps prevent or control diabetes
• Helps reduce weight, increases energy
• Aids in arthritis or ligament problems

The recommended dosage for feeding coconut oil to your pet is:

• ½ teaspoon for every 10lbs of body weight daily

Or, if using topically, just rub the oil on your hands and apply to your pet’s coat. (Remember not to over do it!)

Studies in dogs show that coconut oil fed as 10% or less of a dog’s diet poses no digestive or other health issues. (Aldrich, 2009)

HOWEVER, A WORD OF CAUTION:

When sourcing organic virgin coconut oil, be careful. Some manufacturers can extract the coconut oil using hexane, a petroleum product made of crude oil, which is super toxic!

FYI - Hexane evaporates during processing and the FDA doesn't require it to be listed on food labels. Source organic and look for cold-pressed products.

Rodney Habib Pet Health Media

"An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!"

Check out some of the rockstar studies sited by Yeast Infection:

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effect: In 2010 by Thai scientists published a report where they studied pharmacologic properties of virgin coconut oil. They found moderate anti-inflammatory effect, moderate pain-killing (analgesic) effect, and fever-reducing (antipyretic) effect in rats with acute inflammation.

Liver-protective effects: A 2011 study from Malaysia reported the liver protecting role of virgin coconut oil against paracetamol induced damage of liver in rats. As a higher dose of VCO was needed to show liver-protective effect, it is thought that either VCO exerts this effect through the molecules that escape digestion or due to higher concentrations of other compounds in the oil.

Skin moisturizing effects: A randomized double-blind controlled trial from Philippines published in 2004 showed that coconut oil had comparable moisturizing effect as mineral oil. The study found it to be safe and with added advantage of being antiseptic in nature.

Antithrombotic effect: A study showed that a coconut-oil based diet lowered the dangerous clot formation in blood as compared to a diet with high mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids.

Antibacterial activity: Coconut oil at 5-40% concentration, incorporated in a cream base and applied to skin, has been observed to have microbe killing activity. While virgin coconut oil does not have antibacterial activity on its own, its components (lauric, capric and caprylic acid) do – this has been shown by a 2013 study from USA.

Researchers from Nigeria published an article in 2007 that described an in-vitro experiment showing candida killing properties of 25-100% coconut oil. When coconut oil was used undiluted, all the candida strains they tested were killed. In comparison, fluconazole was unable to kill all the candida strains at highest concentration.

A study from Nigeria, published in 2010 showed that coconut oil at 5-40% concentration, incorporated in a cream base and applied to skin, killed candida apart from other bacteria. This effect was attributed to monolaurin (but could also be due to other fatty acid components of coconut oil) which disrupted the microbial cell membranes with enhanced effect due to surface active agents used as emulsifiers in the cream formulation.

An article published in 2012 by Japanese researchers described how capric and caprylic acid could inhibit the filamentous growth of candida even at very low concentrations. They tested the effect of these two fatty acids on mice and found that the symptoms of oral candidiasis improved significantly. When they studied the tissues of the mice, they found that these fatty acids suppressed the filamentous growth of candida on the surface of the tongue.

A 2008 research by Indonesian scientists showed that VCO with added zinc stimulated the immune system of patients with vaginal candida infection and helped them fight candida infection. They recommended a dose of 1 tablespoon of zinc containing VCO per day for vaginal candida infections. Thus, apart from the direct action of VCO fatty acids on candida, coconut oil also boosts our immunity against it.

04/09/2022

EAT & FEED BLUEBERRIES!

In a study conducted on sled dogs, blueberry supplementation elicited significantly elevated antioxidant status in the dogs.

This suggests that dogs fed blueberries should be better protected against oxidative damage. -

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16520073

Aside from being classified as antiangiogenic aka anti-cancer, blueberries contain a compound called pterostilbene, a derivative of resveratrol.

These little blue powerhouses are good antioxidants because they contain phenolics that preferentially react with free radicals.

So, offering your furry companion blueberries can help protect them against cancer!

- Rodney Habib

02/15/2022

We at BROC are committed to helping you keep your pets safe and healthy. Did you know that peanut butter, a favorite treat of both canines and humans alike, can be toxic to your pet? It can...if it's sweetened with Xylitol, a sweetener also used in some chewing gum and sugar-free foods! Xylitol is fine for people but toxic to dogs, and it's being used more often these days, so read the food labels. Here's a list of other common human foods and ingredients that are not safe for your pets to consume.

01/25/2022

Meet Minnie. Isn't she just the cutest little girl?

12/16/2021

12/05/2021

This is just amazing!!

12/01/2021

07/29/2021

HOUSE RULES

07/02/2021

This tiny little man is Ari. His personality is about, I don't know, 10,000 times bigger than his perfect little ~4 lb body. He is such a sweet little puppy, and about as handsome as they come!

06/06/2021

This is a timely explanation on the mechanism of flea preventatives by one of my most revered veterinarians. 💖

05/20/2021

I said goodbye to my darling Chloe yesterday....she was my first Golden Retriever client. Of all the clients I've ever had, I believe she loved me the most. She would drag Mom to meet me in the driveway and wiggle her whole body and vocalize in joy to see me. She did this EVERY single time I visited her, including yesterday.

Chloe was diagnosed with Horner's Syndrome about a year ago. It started off slowly and in the past couple of months, it has accelerated to the point where she has severe neurological damage and loss of quality of life and mobility.

I LOVE all of my pet clients, but the bond Chloe and I shared was very special. She was SO sweet, smart and loving - it always felt so good to know she enjoyed being with me as much as I enjoyed being with her. I am deeply grateful for the many years I was able to share with her, and even more grateful that her Mom was kind enough to let me know in advance so I could say goodbye to my darling girl. I will miss you terribly Chloe, but I know I'll be seeing you again in the future when we're both young and beautiful again. 💔

05/19/2021

!! 🦴
Want an 87.8% reduction in dental tartar in less than 20 days?! Check out the raw bone research:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26814157/

!! 🦴
Want an 87.8% reduction in dental tartar in less than 20 days?! Check out the raw bone research in the comments! ⬇️

04/16/2021

Can you help save a life by fostering?

BROC DESPERATELY NEEDS FOSTERS!
Sofia went shopping for fosters and only found groceries. She is asking everyone to please share; BROC needs fosters in Orange County! We cannot save pups without foster homes.