Better Dog Care - Sabine Contreras

23/02/2024

Claim: “If your dog needs to lose weight, simply replace half of her food with the same amount of green beans.”

This is not good advice. Yes, replacing part of your dog’s food with green beans will reduce calories and the increased fiber will likely leave the dog satisfied with the portion size, but please keep in mind that as you’re cutting down on their food, you’re also reducing intake of all important nutrients. Your dog will only get half the amount of protein, fat, essential vitamins, and minerals. Among others, the important amino acid taurine is of special concern here.

This is not a big deal for just a few days, but long term it can lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially in older dogs whose metabolism isn’t as efficient anymore.

For healthy weight loss, it’s much better to choose a base diet that is overall lower in calories (which does not automatically mean high in carbs!), but more nutrient dense – this way a sufficient supply is guaranteed. You’ll also want to keep protein intake up, so the body has enough resources to maintain and repair itself.

In my custom-tailored weight loss programs I make sure that your dog doesn’t feel deprived, and can still enjoy treats and snacks in addition to satisfying meals.

22/02/2024

Claim: “To determine the amount of carbohydrates in a particular pet food, use this equation: 100% - (% crude protein + % fat + % crude fiber) = % carbohydrates.”

False. First of all this formulation does not take the moisture content of the food into consideration at all, and moisture affects the concentration of all nutrients. Canned food typically ranges around 70-80% moisture, dry food around 6-12%, and fresh food around 65-70%. So you would have to subtract that much from your starting 100% because those percentage points are not carbs.

Second, another big factor in the analysis of a food is its ash content, which has been entirely left out here as well. Ash isn’t some nefarious ingredient added by pet food companies, it is what’s left over after a specific amount of it is incinerated in a laboratory, and represents the amount of minerals present. So for example a food that contains ground bone, bone-in meat, “meat and bone meal”or bone meal will be higher in ash content than something that contains boneless meat only. Overall, any food with a higher meat content, especially from concentrated sources like meat meal made from bone-in meats, will have a higher ash content. Products with a lower meat content, or with plant-based protein sources like corn gluten, will be lower in ash overall.

So a more correct formula to determine carb content would be
100% - (% moisture + % crude protein + % fat + % ash) = % carbohydrates.

So what happened to fiber? Well, fiber is a type of carbohydrate. Fiber can’t be digested by the body, but it has an important function for gut health and certain fiber types also serve as food for the beneficial gut bacteria.

So for the sake of determining the “digestible” portion of carbs in a dog food, you can subtract the amount of fiber from the total derived from the formula, and you’ll have the content of the other two types of carbs: sugars and starches.

Sugars are simple carbohydrates and come for example from food sources like ripe fruit, sweet veggies like sweet potatoes or carrots, or in the form of lactose in dairy products.

Starches are “complex” carbs and come from sources like starchy vegetables and legumes, grains, seeds, and nuts.

Need more help deciphering pet food labels? Take a look here:

This article will give you a quick overview about what the labels on a pet food tell you - and more important what they don't tell you. It is based on the FDA consumer information provided by the Center for Veterinary Medicine (parts are quoted in the grey boxes) and has my own comments added below....

21/02/2024

Claim: “Puppies need every bite of nutrition to be balanced as their bodies have very specific needs.”

False. It’s unrealistic to think that “every bite” needs to be “balanced”. That’s neither how the body, nor the digestive system works. It’s an artificial construct promoted by the commercial pet food industry, to guilt people into buying so called “complete and balanced” diets.

It is true that nutrient needs must be met on a regular basis, to provide the body with the building blocks for growing a puppy’s skeleton, teeth, and body tissues. It is also true that this can be accomplished by feeding whole, fresh, “real” foods – people have done this successfully for thousands of years before store-bought food even entered the picture. Case in point, we know that ancient peoples kept and bred dogs for very specific purposes, including as companions.

Granted, today we have much better, scientific knowledge about what it takes to support our dogs’ life- and health-span, and we have modern medicine to alleviate many conditions that would have led to a dog being euthanized even just 50 years ago.

That doesn’t mean we can’t give them the foods that are minimally processed and highly nutritious in place of industrially manufactured mass market feed.

What is important is to pay attention to meeting nutritional targets on a regular basis, and for that you’ll need to know the nutrient profile of the items you feed.

Turkey meat is not the same as duck, and duck is not the same as lamb.

A piece of beef liver is very different from chicken liver. A chicken liver is very different from chicken heart.

What’s the main source of calcium in your dog’s diet?

Is he getting enough vitamin D?

What food items are even safe to feed? (Hint: there are fewer unsuitable ones than you’d think!)

Interested in a personalized feeding plan? Contact me!

Consultations, Personalized Programs, Seminars: Canine Nutrition, Wellness, Fitness, Healthy Weight Loss, and More Your dog is very special to you. You want to provide the best care and do everything you can to keep him or her healthy. In today’s consumer culture, making the best choices for our p...

13/02/2024

Just want a better kibble?
* A basic assessment of your dog’s nutritional needs via online questionnaire.
* Kibble recommendations from different categories.
* Suggestions for enhancing nutritional supplements.
* Brief email follow-up: ask questions or get help making decisions.

https://www.betterdogcare.com/sabines-services/better-kibble/

21/01/2024

There seems to be another storyline emerging that is reminiscent of how the big melamine scandal of 2007 unfolded. Apparently dogs getting sick with bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and lethargy from commercial foods of different brands, made by different manufacturers, with no obvious link to each other. This includes “WSAVA Approved” products touted by certain vets in the aftermath of the DCM scare. I’m not going to name names here, mainly because I don’t have any first-hand reports, but I urge everyone who is feeding commercial pet food to be vigilant and not dismiss even small signs of something unusual or amiss. If your pet suddenly refuses previously well-accepted food, do not try to make them eat it by adding tasty extras etc.

If you think your pet is affected, file a report with the FDA here:
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/report-problem/how-report-pet-food-complaint
You should also report the issue to your vet and the pet food company in question, but if they ask that you send them the affected product, send them only a small amount and keep the rest of it for yourself and store it in your freezer in its original packaging. You want to hold onto the original packaging with its UPC code, lot number, expiration date etc. - do not relinquish this.

Keep an eye on recalls here, although be aware that updates may not be timely:
https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/recalls-withdrawals

22/11/2023

Public Health Investigating Respiratory Disease in LA County Dogs

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Veterinary Public Health Program has received multiple reports of dogs experiencing a sudden respiratory illness of unknown origin, similar to case reports in other states. Symptoms include cough, nasal discharge, sneezing and lethargy in dogs. Currently, Public Health is in case-finding mode to determine if and to what extent there is a new respiratory illness impacting dogs in Los Angeles County. As additional information becomes available, we will update the public.

Since Thursday, November 16, 2023, we have received ten case reports from veterinarians of dogs that have respiratory illness but tested negative on the respiratory panel that tests for common viruses and bacteria seen in dogs with similar symptoms. Owners are being contacted to determine where the dogs may have become infected. We are communicating with federal and state entities to ensure coordinated efforts as we learn more from our ongoing investigations.

This respiratory illness is currently known as Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease (aCIRD). Cases are currently defined as having a negative canine respiratory PCR test panel, which tests for common viruses and bacteria identified in dogs with similar symptoms, PLUS one of the following clinical scenarios:

· Chronic mild-moderate respiratory infection that lasts more than six weeks that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics;

· Chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics; or

· Acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to poor outcomes in as little as 24-36 hours.

Given the lack of knowledge about the cause of this disease, veterinarians and dog owners are advised to be on the lookout for symptoms such as cough, sneezing, nasal discharge, and lethargy (lack of energy) in their dogs.

If a dog is experiencing these symptoms, owners should take the following steps:

1. Contact their pet’s veterinarian so the pet may be evaluated, and, if indicated, the appropriate tests and medications may be provided.

2. Isolate sick dogs at home for a minimum of 28 days past the first day of the onset of illness. Dogs exposed to the sick dog should quarantine at home and away from other dogs for 14 days to monitor them for signs and symptoms of illness.

3. Clean regularly and disinfect surfaces, doorknobs, keyboards, and animal equipment. To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution.

4. Keep the dog home and away from day care, boarding kennels, grooming facilities, and dog parks.

5. If a dog becomes ill after being boarded or being in a facility, owners should take it to a veterinarian for evaluation and they should also notify the facility about the illness.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Veterinary Public Health Program has received multiple reports of dogs experiencing a sudden respiratory illness of unknown origin, similar to case reports in other states. Symptoms include cough, nasal discharge, sneezing and lethargy in dogs. ...

02/06/2023

Recently an inaccurate post about Benadryl gel caps from a few years ago has gone viral again. Please help combat this misinformation!
The most important part of the post reads "On Sunday night our dog Remi was bit or stung by something.. we sadly still don’t know what.. " Let that sink in for a moment. They don't know what bit or stung the dog, so they can't possibly know what the dog reacted to, and how delayed such a reaction might be. Further, Benadryl "dye free liqui gel caps" do NOT contain xylitol. Feel free to verify this for yourself on Johnson & Johnson's Benadryl website. Below is a current (as of 06/01/23) screenshot of the list of "inactive ingredients" in this product. Sorbitol is not the same thing as xylitol, and is widely used in many dog treats, supplements, and diarrhea remedies.

25/05/2023

The Better Dog Care email and website are back up and running as of this morning. Thank you for your patience if you encountered any delays, and please email me again if you haven't received a response yet.

23/05/2023

Please excuse the unscheduled downtime. Unfortunately on Sunday morning there was a fire at the facility where my web and mail server is hosted, and we are working on bringing services back up. Right now if you need to reach me, please send email to betterdogcare at gmail dot com!

10/10/2022

I'm always happy to read updates from my clients!

15/09/2022

Veterinarians are encouraged to call the Laboratory if they have any questions about sample collection, submission, or diagnostic options and contact MDARD if unusual or reportable illnesses are seen.

21/07/2022

In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, acting on input from a group of veterinary researchers, began investigating whether the increasing popularity of grain-free dog foods had led to a sudden rise in a potentially fatal heart disease in dogs, dilated cardiomyopathy.

03/01/2022

Happy New Year from Dax and me!

As of today bookings for 2022 are open, and I'm back to normal office hours.

02/10/2021

FROMM FAMILY FOODS is issuing a voluntary recall of approximately 5,500 cases of Fromm Shredded can Entrée dog food due to potentially elevated levels of Vitamin D

21/07/2021

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05/06/2021

Always be prepared!

June is ! Having the essentials packed in advance will keep your pet happier, healthier, and less stressed during an emergency evacuation. Learn more at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Animal-Evacuation/