Kidney Disease Archives - Edie MacKenzie

Glucosamine For Dogs Can Improve Your Dog`s Health

September 7, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

Treat your dog as he deserves to be treated and offer him whatever he needs to keep him healthy. Your dog not only needs food, he also needs your love together with supplements for dogs, to keep him healthy. Fatty acids are the most widely used pet supplements to treat both dogs and cats. Fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega 6 can be found on the market. It’s been proven that fatty acids can be a substitute for medicine in the treatment of inflammation.

Fish oil is a supplement that has fatty acids in it and that is why it is used for its positive effects in helping people and pets with certain ailments. Fish oil supplements have only one minor inconvenience; a slight fish scent on the breath and/or the skin. If you give your dog the recommended dosage, your dog will not bleed. If you smell a fish odor after you have given fish oil to your dog, you should lower the dosage so that the odor disappears. There are some dog owners who wander if fish oil supplements are likely to create problems for already overweight dogs but the answer is no.

If your dog is suffering from allergies, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease or cancer, you should think about using fish oil for dogs. You can also use it in case of depression. It is also recommended if your dog has allergic skin disease. You can find it packaged as gel caps or liquid for easy digestion.A fish oil for dogs supplement contains a special combination of natural nutrients, known for their positive health effects on a dog’s skin and coat.Being the largest organ of a dog’s body, the skin deserves special attention. Its role is to protect a dog’s body and to regulate a dog’s body temperature. That’s why fish oil for dogs is regarded as an important daily nutritional pet supplement.

As your dog ages, he will most likely develop a problem with his joints, ligaments and tendons. This problem can really affect its livelihood. Some dogs develop arthritic conditions because their owners feed them red meat and forget to feed them vital nutrients such as Glucosamine for dogs to improve their health. Glucosamine is very important, because it can be found in the cartilage and synovial fluid and having a glucosamine deficit can cause your dog to have serious pain.

Veterinarians agree that oral glucosamine is absorbed directly into the joint tissues because it has anti-inflammatory properties, which means that is also good for osteo-arthritic conditions. Pet owners should definitely consider introducing Glucosamine supplements to their dogs alimentation if they see their dog having problems moving and/or if they have joint pain. Your dog will not be harmed when taking Glucosamine for dogs. Rather, your dog will enjoy the healthy life he deserves in his old age.Experts agree that natural remedies have been used for hundreds years to support both human and animal health.

Special Diets For Dogs: Your Veterinarian Has Something Very Important To Tell You

June 27, 2009 by admin Leave a Comment

Special diets for dogs are not only prescribed by veterinarians for the obese animal, but also for various health reasons.

For example, if your dog suffers from congestive heart failure, due to heartworm or other heart diseases, your veterinarian may want to put him on a low-sodium diet, along with the proper medications, which combined, may literally save your pet’s life. There used to be an old saying: “You are what you eat,” but your dog has no choice, “He is what you feed him” and his welfare is always in your hands.

A veterinarian once told me that over half of mature dogs alive have kidney disease. Your pet’s doctor may suggest that he be given a special diet that will not put a strain on his kidneys. This will often correct many problems and keep an animal from becoming seriously ill. All of the prescribed dietary foods must be given according to your veterinarian’s strict instructions.

What About The Puppy & The Pregnant Dog, Do They Need Diet Food?

This too is a question which must be left up to your veterinarian. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t, depending upon the physical condition of the animal. Physical and mental stress is sometimes a determining factor in the prescribing of a diet program for puppies or the mother dog.

Diarrhea & Loose Stools

If your dog has diarrhea, he may need a bland diet. The intestinal tract of a dog is similar to that of a human and when it is irritated, a change of food can sometimes correct the problem.

Allergies & Skin Problems

Does your dog have an allergy or dermatosis? It may be that he is being fed the wrong food. Many times the well-meaning dog owner will spray, bathe, or put ointments on their pet, when what the dog really needs is a special diet food. Your veterinarian is the person who can determine the cause of your dog’s itch, so don’t try to diagnose it yourself.

Take Responsibility For Your Dog

Animal nutrition has made giant strides during the past 30 years. Today it is said that most dogs who are fed regular commercial dog food have a better diet than an American child. However, I’m sure this is a debatable statement and a hot topic. But the day is long past when we threw the family dog a bone from the table and expected him to grow just fine on any scraps left over.

Whenever your dog is not eating properly or is overweight, consult your veterinarian. He may suggest that you put your dog on a diet and if he does, be sure to stick with it. Try not to overfeed your pet. If he gets more calories than his body size needs, based on how much he weighs and physical activity, you may become a fat pup. Our pets have a way of becoming part of the family circle, but we must remember that their dietary needs are not the same as that of the rest of the family.

Special Diets For Dogs: The Overweight Dog

June 3, 2009 by admin Leave a Comment

“Should I put my dog on a diet?”

The answer to that question is Yes, but only if your veterinarian recommends it. The same care, consideration, and advice should be taken when your dog needs to be put on a special diet program, as you yourself would get from your personal physician if you were put on a diet. You cannot diet your dog properly without expert advice, and in this case, as in most problems with animals, your pet’s best friend is always his veterinarian.

Your veterinarian has at his disposal many compounded special diets. There is one for the overweight dog as well as the dog with heart trouble or kidney disease. Manufacturers also supply him with prescription dietary foods for puppies, pregnant dogs, the allergic dog, and dogs with intestinal upsets.

There are dry, as well as canned, diet foods. The canned foods come in various sizes to meet the needs of the small dog and the large dog. Your pet’s doctor may recommend mixing several foods together. Special diets are often fortified with mineral and vitamin supplements. So if your veterinarian suggests that you put your dog on a dietary program, you know that he will be getting the best nutrition possible.

The Overweight Dog

Now let’s look at the most common reason why a diet is typically instructed by the veterinarian: the overweight dog. There are no “crash diets” for the obese dog. If your dog is overweight, you are the one who is responsible for it. The overweight dog is very much like a fat person. He is short of breath and is often called a lazy dog. Exercising is just too much for him. All the energy he can muster is used carrying that extra weight.

One also must remember that it is the fat on the inside of the animal that causes the most trouble. The last time I spoke to a veterinarian about this issue, he explained to me what excess fat can do to the body. There may be fatty tissue surrounding the heart, the lungs, or the digestive tract which could cause these organs not to function properly.

The overweight dog needs low-calorie food for weight reduction. Your veterinarian will weigh your pet and determine how much he needs to lose. He will then prescribe the amount and type of dietary food he needs. Your full cooperation is needed if the diet program is to be a success. Do not feed him snacks in between his allotted meals, or any tidbits from the table for that matter.

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