Palliative Care for Pets

"Courtesy of Life's Abundance"
Dr. Sarah discusses palliative care. Not a subject that is always pleasant, however learning about it can bring a sense of peace to both pet parent and pet.

New area of vet medicine: palliative care

Emerging field to keep pets comfortable not as a cure – providing relief

Some have heard a vet say you are out of options – so consider euthanasia but learn more about this care and how it can help you and your pet

Also good for the pet parent to help cope and

Doesn’t mean this is for everyone

Watch the video to learn about web sites to visit for more information about palliative care

TIPS for New Pet Parents

Wishing everyone a Happy Memorial Day!

We appreciate Dr. Jane and Dr. Sarah as they share their knowledge to help us become the best pet parents we can.

From the Life's Abundance May Newsletter:

Are you a new pet parent? Are you thinking about adopting a new dog or cat?

In this awesome video Dr. Sarah goes over SO MANY tips for new pet parents and things to consider even before you adopt: "Courtesy of Life's Abundance"

Some points:
Use your heart AND your head when you see that cute puppy/kitten
Do you have children? Is the pet age appropriate?
Do you have the financial means?
Do you believe in spay/neuter?
Are you sure how you should train your pet?
Vaccinations – the debate continues. SOME are necessary and some do save lives
(Dr. Sarah discusses core vaccinations!)
Did you know Titer tests the immunity to the disease?
Re-active or Pro-active to your pets’ health?
and so much more

and of course I recommend to start you baby with Lifes Abundance dog food

Canine Hypothyroidism

"Courtesy of Life's Abundance"

Canine Hypothyroidism
Some snippets from the video from Dr. Sarah, Life’s Abundance Staff Veterinarian:

It is very common

A prescription medication is called Levothyroxine (synthetic thyroid hormone) can be given. It is fairly inexpensive.

Blood test should be given to ensure your dog is dosed properly as too much thyroid supplements can caused hyper hypothyroidism

Proper dosage should show within a week of treatment within regular activity.

Normal body weight within 8 weeks.

Hair re-growth can take several months

Tend to be over weight and can have a hard time losing weight.
A healthy weight loss food is important

Watch this video for more information on canine hypothyroidism plus nutrition and what to stay away from as far ingredients and more!

Chemical preservatives

More on vaccinations and more!

Puppies and Cold Winter Weather

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

We know the holidays are a time when many people decide to bring a puppy into the family.
Dr. Sarah gives wonderful tips in the video below about your new puppy and the cold weather!

"Courtesy of Life's Abundance"

How to Clean Your Dog's Ears

In this Issue of Pet Talk Dr. Sarah shows how, why, when and more on how to clean your dog's ears

"Courtesy of Life's Abundance"

Some snippets:

Ear infections can be common in canines.

Cleaning them is part of your dogs’ over all ear health regimen.

How often?

Depends on your babies current ear health and length of ear and if your pet will let you.

You can ask your vet and/or groomer how often you should clean.

Long ears maybe once a week

Less often for short ears

Make sure your clean with a solution that has no alcohol

Your vet may tell you a formula to use.

Should be ph balanced.

Don’t use synthetic cotton

And more!

Senior Pets Care

From the July Life's Abundance Newsletter:
" So, who qualifies as a senior pet? While there is no hard and fast rule, most veterinarians agree that a senior canine is one in the last third of his or her life expectancy. Keep in mind that smaller breeds tend to live longer, meaning that they become seniors later in life than large or giant breeds. For example, the expected lifetime of Miniature Poodles is 18 years; therefore, they are designated as seniors at age 12. In contrast, the typical life expectancy of a Great Dane is around nine years, so they are considered seniors at age six! In general, cats begin to experience age-related physical changes from seven to ten years of age."
"Courtesy of Life's Abundance" Dr. Sarah

Senior pets and Caring for them:
Some tips in this video:

As we age we have to adjust our lifestyle and so do our pets
Senior pets need complete and balanced diet
Feed a high quality diet as they have higher nutritional needs 
Give a nutritional supplement
Schedule regular veterinarian visits (pets age more quickly so senior pets should see the vet more often) 2 check ups a year for seniors; so you can catch any issues early


Cats hide issues very easily so check- ups are a must

Monitor pets for change: increase drinking, increase in urination, inappropriate urination
Overly dry or running stools

Weight gain or loss
Change in appetite

Your vet may help you sort with normal aging and not
Dental care is important

This video is great, please watch the whole presentation!

Dog Eating Poop

From Dr. Sarah, Veterinarian, Life's Abundance

From the
"According to Wikipedia, coprophagia is the consumption of feces, from the Greek κόπρος copros ("feces") and φαγεῖν phagein ("to eat"). Many animal species practice coprophagia as a matter of course; other species do not normally consume feces but may do so under unusual conditions.

It is a fact of life: many of us know and love a dog that practices this disgusting gustatory habit, and many dog owners are pulling their hair out trying to get their pet to stop!

Yes - dogs eating poop

You may or may not know that for canines in the wild, this is a natural instinct and not at all odd. Dogs are scavengers, after all, and this might be within the range of scavenger behavior. Wild canines may also be trying to prevent the scent from attracting predators. For domesticated adult dogs, however, this is usually not a normal behavior.

Most of the time, there are valid medical and psychological conditions that can contribute to the practice of coprophagia. Some causes include attention-seeking behavior, anxiety or stress. Health problems, such as pancreatitis and intestinal parasites, can cause coprophagia, and dogs will move heaven and earth to get to “kitty tootsie rolls”! (Apparently, dogs really like the taste of kitty poop.)

If you have a dog that eats poop, this all may sound too familiar, but do not worry. Even if your dog has done this their whole life, it is possible for them to stop, and there are training methods and products available to curb and possibly even end the behavior."



As Dr. Sarah said in the video, a check-up to your veterinarian to rule our any parasites or medical condition is important.
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Note from blog owner: I personally recommend as a balanced diet, Lifes Abundance Healthy Dog Food