Food allergies are often difficult to identify unless you are aware of the symptoms. The main symptoms of food allergies in dogs include facial itching, limb chewing, belly itching, recurrent ear infections or skin infections.

Since the dogs consume lot of prepared food materials including various kinds of proteins, fillers, coloring agents and more; in the commercial food materials, the incidences of food allergies are more than one can imagine. Allergic reactions mostly involve the skin or the gastro intestinal tract.

If you come across your dog itching after the provision of specific food materials, then suspect the food allergy in this animal. However, conditions like fungal infections need to be ruled out in general before the conclusion of itching as a sign of food allergy.

There are many recorded incidences of allergies in dogs to corn or wheat. However, the food allergies vary from dog to dog. Read the labels carefully before feeding your dog. Too much colored food materials and/or chemicals should be avoided.

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From the May, 2008, HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance Newsletter:

Special Message from Dr. Jane

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Hyperthyroidism has become a frequently diagnosed illness in cats in recent decades. And new research implicates an environmental source.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE’s), chemicals used only in recent decades as a flame retardant, have been shown in research to cause injury to the feline nervous system, as well as interfere with the production of certain hormones. Scientists are concerned that these chemicals could also lead to similar symptoms in humans, too.

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Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM
HealthyPetNet Veterinarian Formulator

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Here’s wishing you and your companion animal a happy and safe Spring.

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Spring may just have started last week, but it was 90 degrees in Phoenix yesterday when we visited our kids for Easter. The hot weather will soon be on us in many parts of the country, which prompted me to write the following reminder.

If you live in a climate that has sticky, hot, summer days, you may find yourself longing for cooler days. Your pet will definitely agree! In warm weather, it is necessary for you to care for your pet’s health so that he or she does not become overheated. Remember, a pet is like a newborn baby—they cannot tell you that they are hot or uncomfortable. You have to notice warning signs and provide a good living environment so that your pet does not get too hot.

When you take your pet places during the summer, never ever let it inside of a parked car, even for a short time. Cars quickly become ovens in the summertime, even when you park in the shade, or even if you have the windows cracked. Your pet will not be able to alert people in order to get out of your car safely. In as little as ten to fifteen minutes, your pet could die from the heat in a parked car, and parking in the shade does little good to prevent this, since the sun continuously moves and the heat of the air alone will be bad for your pet. If your pet will be going with you, make sure they are allowed wherever you will be.

When the heat index is high, keep your pets inside. Pets that are not outdoors most of the time won’t know where the cooler places to hide are, or they may find these cooler places and not return home. Hot asphalt can also wreak havoc on a pet’s health, as it can burn his or her sensitive paw pads. If your pet does go outside, make sure that he or she is let back inside after only a few minutes on the hottest days of the summer. Basically, if it is recommended that seniors and children stay inside, it is good for pets to stay indoors as well.

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There are a number of medical conditions in cats that may seem like they don’t really harm the cat, but in actuality, they can really take a toll on a cat’s health. One such disorder is over-grooming, which is a stress-related condition that can be compared to obsessive-compulsive disorders in humans. Over-grooming can be very dangerous, so if you see symptoms of this disorder in your cat, talk to your vet right away to find out what you can do to help.

Over-grooming usually starts when there has been a big change in your cat’s life, such as a new baby or pet in the house or a move. Cats naturally groom themselves often, and this activity is like a massage that cats love to do. Therefore, if your cat is stressed out about a change in his or her life, your cat may groom as an attempt to remain calm. Over-grooming takes place with the cat excessively licks or pulls out fur, resulting in bald spots. Commonly, the areas affected by over-grooming at the inner thighs and forelegs.

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It’s no secret my Internet business, Wholesome Pet Supply, sells Life’s Abundance pet food from HealthyPetNet. I’m often asked, why is Life’s Abundance better for your dog or cat than the multitude of other pet foods on the market? I hope to answer that question in this article.

Life’s Abundance Premium Health Food for Dogs contains only fresh, natural, wholesome ingredients from human-grade, US-based, food processing facilities.

It provides 100% Complete Nutrition in accordance with AAFCO feeding protocols.

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Anemia is a reduced number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, or both. It is not a specific disease, but the result of some disease process.

If your dog is tired and listless, showing little stamina, and if your dog’s gums have lost some of their normal pink color, your dog has the symptoms of anemia. To verify this condition requires that some blood tests be performed.

There are several tests that are performed on the red blood cells. The most common test for anemia is the packed cell volume (PCV); it is also called the hematocrit. Thirty-five to fifty-five percent of the normal dog’s blood will be red blood cells. If the PCV is below 35%, the dog is anemic. Other tests to determine anemia include the red blood cell count and the hemoglobin count.

It is also important to know if the bone marrow is producing an increased number of new red blood cells. Often, this can be determined by a study of the stained blood smear. The presence of increased numbers of immature (young) red blood cells usually means the bone marrow is responding to the need for more red blood cells.

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As with dogs, cats look very different from people, but share many of our body’s characteristics. For example, they have a circulatory system to carry blood and a heart to move it, lungs to breath, and a digestive system to absorb nutrients and get rid of waste, etc.

Like dogs and people, cats come in many sizes and shapes and about 40 different breeds (ex., Siamese, Himalayan, Persian). Most of the cats we have in our homes are either domestic shorthair or longhair varieties and are generally mixtures of different breeds.

Cats have a rapid metabolism when compared to humans. They have a higher normal body temperature (101.5 degrees F, 38.6C), faster heart rate (120 to 140 beats per minute), breath faster (16 to 40 breaths per minute), and mature faster (average life span 12 to 20 years, depending on breed, diet, health care, etc.).

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