a Tail above, LLC

09/05/2024

Enjoying some Vitamin D!

09/04/2024

True!

09/04/2024

Yessssss!!!!!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE……if you can not stop your dog from running up to a person or another dog - keep your dog leashed!!!

Do NOT yell “ s/he is friendly!” I AM NOT (or won’t be when your dog gets in my dogs face!)

Have fun and be responsible!

09/02/2024

THE RUB ON EAR CONDITIONS IN DOGS...
As most of us know, an ear infection, be it bacteria or yeast-driven, can be a real nightmare - itchy, irritating and the inflammation in that narrow area is really sore.

Ear issues in dogs comprise around 10% of patients seeing the vet today (O'neill et al. 2014).

It happens that 70% of those cases may be associated with yeast, specifically Malassezia (Forster et al. 2018).

But it’s important to remember that Malassezia, in his normal state, isn’t a bad guy. He’s an essential part of the normal ear flora - keeping bad bacteria down, reducing ear wax by eating spare oil and consuming dead skin cells and it's likely involved with immune system modulation - a process whereby the immune system must learn who is friend and foe in there.

Until its numbers got out of control, he was going about his day, happily working alongside everyone, chatting with the immune system. But then something in the terrain changed.

This is a crucial point so often missed by today's conventional, pharma-or-bust health sector - something changed. Dis-ease occurred in the environment.

Healthy ears have healthy bacterial biomes consisting of a range of bacterial and fungal species all living together, relatively happily and contributing to a nice, clean, ordered, non-inflamed, sweet-smelling lug hole.

However, when that biome is disturbed all hell can break loose.

At all times, the various groups in there are jostling for space. If a gap is created, for whatever reason, one group is going to try fill it, like an empty plot of land suddenly appearing in a busy city.

Who wins? Well, the group that a) finds the new environment most inviting, b) are being fuelled correctly and c) aren't being repressed at the time.

To break these down:

A) The environment has to be right: has the pH change? The acidity? Or is there a new chemical addition in there upsetting things (new food preservative / increased stress metabolites / hormonal change / chemical wormer, on and on).

B) Are they being fuelled correctly? Eg bacteria and fungal group need food. Think about it, if you're standing in an empty field and you leave out carrots, you get bunnies. If you leave out meat, you get foxes. If you leave out cereal, you get mice. Some bacteria like meat. Some veg. Yeast LOVES carbs / sugar. It happens that if you eat high carb diets you have higher glucose coursing through your veins...and body exudates.

C) Aren't being repressed: bacteria keep yeast in check but yeast keep many bacterial groups in check. In this way, antibiotics clear a path for yeast and antifungals clear a way for bacterial groups. What you use in that sore ear WILL have repercussions.

In the case of a ye**ty ear, Malassezia has bloomed and now it moves from being a commensal or "friend" to a baddie. In fact, once in charge, it can even change form as well as the chemicals it produces (this is the subject of my forthcoming talk for Helsinki University!). It’s in "pathogenic" form when your problems start.

I really want people to understand this though - the word "pathogen" instantly shifts the mind to the need to KILL. To use powerful, broadspectrum, napalm-like ANTIbiotics or ANTIfungals.

And yet, we know today, with the rise of antibacterial and antifungal resistance, this approach is not working out for us.

Take E.coli, for an example. The whole world thinks he's a baddie, including your doctor and vet. But it's not, for the most part. The E.coli in your guts for example, consume oxygen. If they didn't, none of the anaerobes in there could exist. The vast majority of E.coli (there are more than 700 servocars detected so far) are either useful or benign to us. Only 6 are bad. And then, where did they come from? Those bad Ecoli largely come from our meat sector. But normally fed animals, it blooms when cows and chicken are fed grain, crap they don't normally eat. Their dysbiosis eventually ends up fuelling our dysbiosis but as ever, that has a cause and simple solution too - stop feeding farm animals crap!

Moreover here, E.coli also keeps yeast numbers down. Take an antibiotic that kills yeast, you get thrush. In the same way, take an antifungal to kill yeast, you get a growth in pathogenic bacterial colonies.

Those guys were always there. They usually help. They have just grown too much, gotten too much power and now are losing the run of themselves. Like politicians, they have forgotten who's in charge.

So the real issue, after you have cleared the current yeast overgrowth naturally with ProPythium, the very best product for the job, in my opinion, is working out the WHY. Why is this happening? You have 3 dogs. They all have hangy-down ear flaps, they all walk in the rain, why is that one fella getting them repeatedly?

That is the core of holistic medicine, the path to healing. Sadly, it seems modern health practitioners are pathologically unaware of this simple practice.

09/02/2024

The three amigos. ❤️❤️❤️

09/01/2024

The best food out there-mix the NDF2 with the protein of your choice.

If you are not ready yet to switch from Kibble, maybe consider adding Volhard Endurance to your dogs current diet. It’s like a kibble booster! It adds back in some of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients missing from your dogs processed food.

Also-VOLHARD’s Pork Liver treats -no dog can resist. I have had so many picky dogs come to me for training who are not treat motivated, but I’ll tell you what -they are as soon as they get a taste of these!

Looking for the best way to nourish your dog? The folks at Volhard Dog Nutrition have put years into developing and testing their products. You can trust this diet too.

08/31/2024

These three are getting along well! Yay!

08/28/2024

They boys are back in town! ❤️ Bailey and Fitz!

08/24/2024

DOES APOQUEL AGGRAVATE CANCERS? THE WEBSITE SAYS SO...
Did you enjoy last night's RPM on tick adherence, times to bite and time to transmission of various infections?! I certainly did, particularly the stuff on chemical spot-ons.

My God, the level of side effects (more likely than not, that statement alone...) and the fact that those side effects are never, ever discussed with the pet owners in clinic is truly worrying.

Dr Victoria was great. Soon, it's hoped, we'll get her back to talk about Apoquel, based on something she casually said in Patreon (the extra 15-20mins we do for folk that donate to the show).

Here's the low down - our T cells are a vital component of our immune system. They attack pathogens and constantly scrutinize and destroy tumour cells.

Very handy, we're all agreed.

Apoquel, for inflamed dogs, works by reducing their T-cell response.

And it does work to relieve itch, no doubt. The problem we this side of the fence (folk with questions) have is that, aside product safety, what is the CAUSE of that itch. As conventional vets never seem to realise it's usually kibble / gut / gut flora / yeast related, the worry is that this powerful drug becomes a FIRST response as opposed to a last.

Because there are obviously side effects to immune suppression.

By decreasing your pets system's ability to neutralise cancer, many vets, specifically dermatologists, are concerned by the increasing levels of cancers they have observed in animals on the drug, that Apoquel (and drugs like it) may be fuelling this cancer growth (just may not necessarily INITIATE it).

Side effects listed on the product insert include "vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, anorexia, dermal masses (unspecified), decreased leukocytes, decreased globulins, and increased cholesterol and lipase. Low numbers of dogs in the studies developed demodicosis, NEOPLASIA, pneumonia, bloody diarrhoea, skin and ear infections, UTIs, and histiocytomas".

In fact, the Apoquel website states

"Apoquel may increase the chances of developing serious infections, and may cause existing parasitic skin infestations or pre-existing cancers to get worse."

So what do you know about Apoquel and its cousin, Cytopoint, the cruxes of the atopic response by the conventional veterinary sector?

About as much as me I bet. So we'll be scheduling a show on them soon. As ever, any dirt you have, you know where to find me. In the meantime, I went looking for some. Every single vet website that discusses the drug mentions the fact there is a study showing it DOES NOT cause cancer.

This study was produced by Zoetis, the charming multi-billion manufacturer of said medication.

So rest assured!!

That's Zoetis, with 1.4/5 stars on TrustPilot.

That's Zoetis, manufacturers of other drugs like Librela which are currently under investigation for (potentially) causing more harm than good, fuelled by a 2024 article in the Wall Street Journal article titled “What Killed Their Pets? Owners Blame Meds, but Vets Aren’t Sure". The article states "Health regulators in the U.S. and Europe have received thousands of reports of side effects and are currently conducting reviews".

That's Zoetis, currently under investigation by EU antitrust regulators as it (may have) blocked the market launch of a rival pain medicine for dogs, a move that could result in a hefty fine for the U.S. pet products maker.

Sure why wouldn't you trust a little study they produce that supports their main cash cow.

The fact that study is enough for the entire veterinary profession to turn off their radars and keep on recommending this drug, sort of tells you where we are.

08/21/2024

Thank you to all my clients (and those waiting to hear from me) for your patience. I hope to be back to work soon.

08/13/2024

Catching up on Jeopardy in the dog lounge while Bear works on the Place command.

He is doing really well, but I’m still kicking his butt at Jeopardy! 😊

08/13/2024

❤️

We like to focus on fun and facts here ( law facts of course!), but there is one fact that we sometimes don't mention and that is we have a lot of followers who are either grieving or are having anticipatory grief as their dogs go through treatments for life threatening diseases or have recently passed away. If you are going through something like that, please know that you are not alone. We want to make sure you and your pet are honoured and respected. ❤️

08/09/2024

……and then there was one! (Well, plus Dante & Charlie!)

Our best buds, Bailey and Fitz just left for home, and they are already missed.

Bear and I went out to work a little - it is still hotttt!

Then, a quick game of fetch and romp for my two.

Now it’s relaxing time while Charlie, the Boxer pup, learns more duration on Place. Major breakthrough- he got off once and I was able to send him back to his Place without getting up. Whooo Hooo!

He is a smart little guy! He catches on very quickly and he as also learned that jumping on Auntie Ann is not part of our exercise plan, ha ha.

What a great group I’ve had here.

I am very blessed to have the job I have, and im so grateful to all my amazing clients.

08/09/2024

My two boys, waiting their turn for breakfast. ❤️

08/09/2024

Bailey: HURRY UP with our breakfast already!”
Good job on Place, though boys!
❤️

08/09/2024

Sorry-I reposted information that appears to not be true. This was not the fault of the women who posted it, she was a victim, reposting it as well.

I’m grateful to know that no xylitol has been used in the making of the Benedryl products, as it is poisonous to dogs.

Sorry for any confusion-I usually do check facts first. I need to do better!

Xylitol, a sugar substitute that can be found in some human foods and dental products, can be poisonous to dogs, according to the FDA.

08/09/2024

Bear….patiently waiting on a Place for Breakfast. Good job, Bear!!

08/08/2024

Bear off leash recall !

08/08/2024

Yes!

08/06/2024

UPDATE 08/08/24: "Bleu" is home safe

8/6/24 MISSING- from the Olde Dennis Approach South Dennis area. "Bleu" is an 18yr old, female, petite, cat that's a little shy with a recent grooming/shave of most of her body. She also has a white spot on her nose, paws, chest and tip of her tail. She went missing on Friday, 8/2. Please check your sheds and basements especially if you're seasonal and only her on weekends. If seen please contact Dennis Animal Control at 774-352-1400.

08/05/2024

Odie went home today. He was so happy to spend time with his family, Bailey and Fitz while here, and he even allowed Charlie to join in. ❤️

08/05/2024

Bear: What? You didn’t know I was part goat?
(❤️ Bear…..he never fails to make me laugh).

08/04/2024

I learned of Harly’s passing. His human is an amazing person, and this pic makes me so happy.

Someone commented to me, when I bought these shoes while I was in Paris, “Where will you wear those on Cape Cod!”.

Well…..ummm…dog training, bien sur!

Here’s to Harly. Thank you for being the Christian to my Louboutin!

08/03/2024

Bear’s human brother is playing with the Sharks team in today! I asked what he thought about the Sharks….what does he think?

08/03/2024

Ha Ha

🤣🤣🤣

08/03/2024

Please -it’s not to late to support the Pan Mass Riders! Please click and support Billy D and his amazing team. It’s SOOOOOO hot here on the Cape today. Let’s help him cross the line meeting his goal!

I have the family dogs here while Billy and his team ride on this INSANE heat.

Come on, doggies! Let’s support Bailey, Fitz and Odie’s family by donating.

Woof! (That’s thank you from the dogs).

Thank you for visiting my PMC profile. I am a proud supporter of the PMC because it is leading the charge to beat cancer. This will be my 15th year riding in the PMC, and I will be riding with my son; Rory, son-in-law; Matt and cousin; Shawn. We will once again be riding this year to honor my Step D...

08/03/2024

Great pups!

08/02/2024

What a crew. Melly’s back for a visit, along with Odie-joining Rocco, Bear, Bailey, Fitz, Dante, and freshly groomed Charlie ❤️
Dog days of Summer!
It’s a wicked scorcha out there today. Stay hydrated.