Author: Alex Valentino

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Itchy Skin & Allergies

Home remedies for dog dry skin & allergies

dog pitbull cute

by Cate Burnette, RVT

Expensive clinic visits and high vet bills – not to mention all those costly allergy medications your vet can prescribe – may be the reason why you put off taking your itchy, allergic pooch to the doctor. The constant itching and scratching can lead to hair loss, trauma, and skin infections…and, as loving pet parents, we don’t want to see our fur babies suffer.

There are all-natural, inexpensive remedies available to you, some of them as close as your pantry or refrigerator.

Vitamin E will work on your dog’s dry skin just like it works on your wrinkles. I like to break open a capsule and rub the oil directly on my dog’s dry, itchy areas. Not only does the oil feel good to her, but also the massage action warms her muscles and helps the Vitamin E penetrate faster to problem areas.

Feeding your dog plain, low-fat yogurt keeps the good bacteria in your dog’s intestines in balance and helps keep yeast infections at bay. A little bit of yogurt in your pet’s diet is not only a healthy treat, but can boost the immune system so that skin and ear yeast infections can’t take hold. When my itchy dog was a puppy, I would give her a teaspoon of yogurt daily to help build immunity and prevent diarrhea.

Chamomile tea, chilled in the refrigerator, can alleviate any minor skin irritations when sprayed on sensitive, itchy spots. The chilled tea kills yeast and bacteria on the skin and relieves inflammation. When Stella the Puggle, my itchy dog, starts gnawing on her paws, I like to either spray them with the chamomile or just have her soak her paws in a small tub of the cold tea. Warm chamomile tea bags can soothe itchy, irritated eyes for both you and your dog.

Ground oatmeal, poured into a bath or a shampoo, is an age-old remedy for itching, inflamed skin. You can either use the baby oatmeal cereal found at your local grocery store or grind it yourself in your food processor or coffee grinder. Your dog will love sitting in a warm bath containing oatmeal because it brings immediate relief to irritated area.

Epsom salt soaks and heat packs can reduce the swelling of itchy paws and inflamed sores. A bath of warm water and Epsom salt also speeds up the healing time for any small, open sores, particularly when combined with veterinary antibiotics.

Evening primrose oil, an essential oil,has active anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties. You can apply primrose oil directly to your dog’s skin to treat dry or itchy skin issues. Likewise, giving your dog evening primrose oil by mouth helps calm allergies and boosts the immune system – and it only takes a few drops on her food or in her water to do the trick.

If you would prefer to buy all-natural remedies instead of making them at home – and I must admit, sometimes it is much easier to go online and push a button than it is to find all the ingredients and actually put something together – then there are all-natural shampoos containing colloidal oatmeal available to help calm your dog’s itchy skin.

Additionally, there are targeted anti-itch sprays made with essential oils and herbs that can focus on specific itchy spots on your dog and bring immediate relief to irritation and inflammation.

Balms made with shea butter and other human grade ingredients specifically work on swollen, inflamed paws, and dry, cracked noses. They provide fast relief for hot spots and insect bites, and yet are non-toxic if your pup decides to lick them off

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Itchy Skin & Allergies

My dog has itchy skin but I can’t find any fleas. What’s wrong?

relief for itchy dog

by Cate Burnette, RVT

“My dog has itchy skin but I can’t find any fleas. What’s wrong?” That’s the question I started asking myself when my little rescue dog, Stella the Puggle, started uncontrollably scratching and biting at her skin once the weather warmed up. I searched every hair on her little body looking for evidence of fleas, but finding not one adult flea or even a hint of flea dirt, I knew her itchiness had another cause.

I suspected Stella had what veterinarians call “atopy,” an allergic reaction to airborne pollens that shows up when plants and grasses start blooming, and then goes away during cooler weather. I also know that dog foods containing grain can exacerbate the itching that goes along with atopy.

So the first thing I did was switch Stella’s diet to an all-natural, grain-free food specifically made for dogs with allergies. The fact that this food is manufactured with a bunch of vegetables, fruits and healthy fish proteins adds to its nutritional value for high-energy dogs. Since Stella runs everywhere and is not known for taking life easy, I felt like this would be the perfect food for her. The next thing I did was start bathing her with an all-natural shampoo containing colloidal oatmeal.

I remembered my mother putting oatmeal in my bath water when I had chicken pox as a kid, so I knew that it helped stop itching. I did some research on colloidal oatmeal’s anti-inflammatory properties and found out that it is one of the few all natural ingredients approved by the FDA to help with dry, itchy skin.  

Finally, even though Stella has a short hair coat, I began conditioning her skin with an ultra-rich conditioner made with colloidal oatmeal and shea butter. I  simply rubbed it into her itchy areas after I shampoo’ed, particularly concentrating on her hairless belly and her paws – those spots giving her the most discomfort. Within just a couple of weeks of changing her food and grooming products, the constant scratching and itching is lessened.

Stella still occasionally scratches after she’s been out in the grass for a long walk, so I just rub her feet, belly, and face with a pre-moistened wipe to get rid of the pollens she brings into the house.

And, of course, I’m still checking for those pesky fleas. But Stella’s itchiness is no longer a major problem and I know what to do to help her next year when the symptoms of her atopy come back in the spring. To get more tips on how you can stop your dog’s constant scratching, click below to get our free ebook. Written by vets and holistic pet practitioners, it’s jam packed with ideas and solutions to make your dog’s life more comfortable.   

itchy skin ebook lar2

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Itchy Skin & Allergies

What Kind Of Shampoo Should I Use For My Itchy Dog?

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by Cate Burnette RVT

Your dog’s dry, itchy skin is caused by a lack of moisture in the upper layer of the skin. The underlying reason for a lack of moisture in younger dogs is typically inflammation, the body’s response to some kind of allergy. In older dogs, a decline in hormones and the natural aging process can produce the itchiness.

When you’re the pet parent to one of those itchy dogs, finding a shampoo that cleans well, yet doesn’t further dry out the skin, can be a challenge. What many veterinarian dermatologists are recommending is that you find a shampoo containing colloidal oatmeal.

Colloidal oatmeal is an emollient/moisturizer that works by forming an oily layer on the first layer of skin that traps moisture. Oatmeal has been used for centuries as a soothing agent to relieve itch and irritation associated with various skin problems. Learn more about Colloidal Oatmeal.

Today, colloidal oatmeal is available in various dosage forms from powders for the bath to shampoos and moisturizing creams. It is the only all natural emollient that is approved by the FDA for over the counter use and whose preparation is standardized by US pharmaceutical companies. You’ll probably want to find a shampoo for your itchy dog made using only human grade colloidal oatmeal (oat solids in suspension) rather than oat extracts that some products use. Look for a shampoo containing botanical extracts such as peppermint (works as an antiseptic and natural insect repellent), burdock root (an anti-inflammatory agent), and calendula (an plant used for centuries to heal and soothe skin irritations). If your itchy dog needs further skin conditioning, try an ultra-rich deep conditioning treatment containing both colloidal oatmeal and shea butter. The added shea butter moisturizes and conditions your dog’s fur leaving dry, damaged coats shiny and silky. Keeping your pet’s skin and coat moisturized and healthy by using the right shampoos and conditioners helps you stay ahead of your “itchy dog” problem.

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Paws

Your Dog’s Leash Could be causing that Constant Paw Licking

dog walking on retractable leash

It never would have occurred to me that the type of leash I used to walk my dog could be the culprit of her excessive paw licking.

Something as simple as changing my dog’s leash stopped the paw licking. We went through tons of tests, elimination diets and antibiotics and it turns out that a $10 retractable leash was the issue. A quick trip to the pet store and problem solved!

Here are some questions to ask yourself to see if retractable leashes could be causing your dog’s paw licking:

1. Does your dog use a collar attached to a retractable leash?

2. Does your dog tend to pull on the leash?

3. Does your dog lick his/her front paws?

If the answers is yes, then the leash could be the issue.

According to the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal “the spring of the retractable leash causes a continuous pull that generates a degree of stress in the cervical region… And, when the dog gets to the end of the retractable leash, the sudden stop and jerk causes additional force… This causes spasms and inflammation in the inter-scapular region and nerve and energy meridian pathways are affected or impinged by tight muscles.”

The good news is that the solution is fast, cheap and easy.
1. Use a harness and a traditional leash.
2. Do not attach the leash directly onto the collar.

NEED MORE HELP?

Ask our vet! It’s free of charge. Just click here and you’ll be escorted directly to the vet’s office (but don’t worry, we won’t ask you to take out your credit card!)

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Food

How Proper Nutrition Can Assist Dogs With Heart Disease and Diabetes

dog- yorkie eating kibble

How Proper Nutrition Can Assist Dogs With Heart Disease and Diabetes

by Cate Burnette, RVT

A veterinary diagnosis of heart disease or diabetes in your dog can be devastating for pet parents. Not only are you at risk for losing your beloved pet prematurely, often dog owners don’t know how to feed their pets so that they get the proper nutrition to avert some of the signs and symptoms common to the illnesses, increase organ function, and avoid the complications inherent in either disease.

Cardiac Disease

Many of the medications used to treat canine heart disease decrease blood levels of potassium, putting the dog at risk for heart arrhythmias and weaker heart muscle contractions. This can also decrease blood flow to other body organs, resulting in possible kidney or liver failure. Frequent monitoring of your dog’s levels of potassium and feeding her all-natural dog foods containing supplemental potassium,  you can increase levels of this needed mineral when necessary.

L-carnitine, found in high quality, all-natural foods, aids in the energy production of the cells, particularly the muscle cells of the heart. L-carnitine deficiency has been associated with heart disease in both humans and dogs and supplementation with the vitamin-like chemical suggests a beneficial affect for dogs with cardiac arrhythmias and thickening of the heart muscle.

As congestive heart failure progresses, the formation of “free radicals” (reactive molecules created during oxygen metabolism) increases heart cell damage. By supplementing your dog’s diet with foods containing Vitamins C and E, you can lessen that cell damage and increase heart function.

Diabetes Mellitus

Dietary control is of immediate concern to those pet owners whose dogs have been diagnosed with diabetes. A consistent diet is necessary to successful management of the disease through regulation of the glucose supply in the body, thus avoiding hyperglycemia and subsequent complications associated with diabetes. Additionally, a stable, ideal body weight needs to be maintained while the affected dog receives necessary nutrients.

You’ll want to look for foods high in protein with a restricted fat content. You’ll also want to find a food containing plenty of natural fruits and vegetables – “slow release” carbohydrates that provide energy and extra fiber. This type of food provides nutrients necessary for healing and cell growth without raising blood glucose levels.

Foods enriched with Vitamins C, E, and B-complex provide the anti-oxidant properties necessary for keeping diabetic dogs healthy, while an enhanced mineral content of manganese, calcium, and zinc help increase the immune system. Additionally, glucosamine and chondroitin-based, all-natural supplements can help with joint mobility as your diabetic dog ages.

Consult with your veterinarian on ways to naturally supplement your pet so that she can live a long, happy, relatively healthy life even with heart disease or diabetes.

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Food

How much should I feed my dog?

Are you over feeding your dog? Learn how much you should be feeding based on size, activity levels and environment

by Cate Burnette, RVT

Your adult dog requires sufficient nutrition in his diet to meet all his energy needs and support and repair all his body tissues. The amount you feed him should be based on his size, his weight, and his activity levels. These levels can vary significantly from dog to dog and play an important part in determining the kind of food he eats and his caloric intake.

Many pet parents attempt to show their love for their pets by overindulging them with big meals and tons of tasty treats, resulting in obese dogs prone to diseases such as diabetes, pancreatitis, and osteoarthritis. As a responsible dog owner, you need to hold off on the fatty, calorie-laden foods that can lead to health problems and indulge your four-legged companion with affection and nutritious, tasty meals suited to his particular needs.

If you have more than one housedog, you may notice that their activity levels vary widely. For the dog with a “normal” activity level, meaning at least 30 minutes of heavy play or exercise daily, “maintenance” calorie intake is necessary to sustain body weight and conditioning.  Your typical “couch potato” pooch requires 10 percent below maintenance levels, while active dogs that exercise regularly outdoors may require maintenance plus 20 to 30 percent.

Working canines – police dogs, cattle dogs, and guide dogs – have energy needs related to their work and/or stress levels. A dog with a moderate work load may need a 40 percent increase over maintenance levels, while a dog with high work/stress load may need as much as 70 percent over maintenance.

If the dietary needs of show dogs are not properly met, it shows up in their coat quality and energy levels. They may need as much as 20 percent more calories while on the show circuit. Once home and resting, maintenance levels of nutrition will suffice.

Dogs recovering from trauma, surgery, or suffering from a disease require more calories and nutrition in order to heal, repair, and fight off infection.

Extreme hot or cold weather can also influence your dog’s energy needs. Both keeping warm and keeping cool require extra energy, so consulting with your veterinarian about changing your dog’s nutritional levels when the weather changes may be essential for his health and well being.

Most veterinarians recommend all dogs be fed twice daily with full access to free choice water. The best foods are all-natural, grain-free, and packed with amino acids, probiotics, fruits, vegetables, and multiple protein sources. They’re also manufactured to fit the needs of different dogs – from those pets that are a bit overweight and need fewer calories, to those with skin allergies or coat issues that require more Omega fatty acids.

Additionally, veterinary nutritionists suggest feeding treats in moderation, making any treat less than 5 percent of your dog’s daily caloric intake. All-natural treats made with peanut butter, fruits, and veggies can provide your dog with that extra bit of tastiness he craves without overloading him with calories.

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Food

Direct From Your Kitchen: Healthy Snacks For Your Dog

by Cate Burnette, RVT

Every dog likes a snack now and then, and, as pet parents, we love giving our furry kids the treats they enjoy. But what do you do if your pooch is overweight, needs a particular diet because of health issues, or you no longer want to feed commercial treats with artificial additives? Some of the best-tasting, most nutritious treats available for dogs can come directly from your kitchen.

If your dog likes the occasional ice cube or ice cream cone, substitute cubes of frozen low-sodium chicken or beef broth as a treat. Pour the broth into an ice cube tray or small muffin tin and freeze. When you’re ready to give the treats, run the bottom of the tray under warm water to loosen the cubes, and let your pup enjoy! The protein, vitamins, and minerals in the broth make a healthy supplement to your pet’s regular diet.

Homemade treats may be the answer for pet parents wanting to keep their dogs from ingesting the additives in commercial treats. Artificial preservatives such as BHA (butylated hydroxysanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), propyl gallate, and ethoxyquin have all been cited as creating specific problems in animals including organ failure and cancers. Recipes for homemade dog treats can be found online.

Raw or par-boiled vegetables can be a healthy alternative to store-bought treats. Carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, and zucchini are rich in Vitamin A, most of the B-Complex Vitamins, and the minerals your dog needs to stay healthy as he ages.

A piece of fruit daily can replace the artificial sugars found in commercial treats with Vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, anti-oxidants, and natural plant sugars that can help your pooch retain his youthful energy. Some of those fruits include bananas, melons (pulp only), peeled and sliced apples, and blueberries.

If your dog loves commercial chews, small bites of dried meat can be a tasty, nutritious treat for your pet…and you can make them at home. Thinly slice pieces of calf or chicken liver, beef, chicken, or fish and place them in a food dehydrator until they’re totally dry and chewable. As an alternative, lay the slices on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven for 200ºF until the meat is dried. The extra protein, iron, and minerals found in dried meats can be beneficial to your dog’s health.

Most dogs adore the occasional soft- or hard-boiled egg. This small package of pure nutrition not only tastes good to your pets, it also adds immense nutritive value to canine diets. Make sure you remove all bits of shell and leave the eggs unseasoned.

If cooking for your dog at home is just not something you have the time to do, look for all-natural treats made with fresh fruits and vegetables. Manufactured without chemical additives, DOGSTREAT Peanut Butter snacks contain no corn, wheat, or soy that can exacerbate your dog’s allergies. DOG for DOG, manufacturer of DOGSTREAT, was recently awarded the Best New Product Award at the Global Pet Expo 2014. Additionally, when you buy one bag of DOGSTREAT, another bag is donated to local and national animal shelters to help other dogs in need.

Please Note: Even though they may taste good to you, there are some foodstuffs that you should never give as treats to your dogs. Some of those foods include grapes or raisins, onions, avocado, milk products, pitted fruits including peaches and plums, and macadamia nuts. All of these products can result in stomach upset and other more serious symptoms including muscle tremors, weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters, vomiting, elevated body temperature, and rapid heart rate. ***Please seek immediate veterinary advice if your pet ingests any of these foods.

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Food

Ingredients to look for when choosing dog food

Because we love our furry family members and want them to live long and healthy lives, concentrating on their nutritional needs is an important aspect of good doggy care. Knowing what nutrients and foods work best for your dog can be a confusing and, often, contradictory task, so we have provided you a list of essential ingredients to look for in commercial dog foods. These same nutrients can be found in human food if you choose to go with a homemade diet for your dog.

Pork and chicken provides the protein necessary for all aspects of your dog’s growth and development, important components of cellular structure, and contribute to a healthy immune system. They also deliver essential amino acids not manufactured in your dog’s body, including arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. A deficiency in any of the amino acids can cause health problems.

Turkey contains selenium, necessary for a healthy thyroid and immune system, and Vitamins B3 and B6, needed for a healthy coat and bone growth.

Salmon and ocean fish lower cholesterol with their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and have been shown to help lessen the effects of canine senility in senior dogs.

Brown rice, a whole grain, provides complex carbs for energy, and fiber for intestinal health.

Oatmeal is rich in fibers, Vitamin B1, and minerals promoting bone and muscle growth.

Flax seeds are great for fiber and full of the omega-3 fatty acids that aid in cardiac health.

Eggs are the perfect blend of no carbs, high proteins, and saturated fats that can provide energy without adding unnecessary calories.

Canola oil works as a light coating for upset stomachs.

Blueberries and cranberries are full of fiber and the Vitamin C necessary for a healthy immune system.

Apples are rich in Vitamins A and C, and the mineral potassium, making them a great supplement for dogs with heart disease.

Celery is a rich source of antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and potassium. It is known to lower blood pressure, prevent age-related vision loss, and have anti-cancer properties.

Beets are high in antioxidants and are a good source of Vitamin C and manganese. Beets are also rich in folates, an important B vitamin for a healthy heart and normal tissue growth. They also contain the essential minerals iron, potassium, and magnesium.

Parsley contains high levels of the mineral potassium that is good for the heart, is rich in calcium needed for bones, and high in the Vitamin A that encourages good eye health. Parsley also helps your dog’s breath smell better.

Spinach is high in beta-carotenes, Vitamins A and C, and the antioxidants that increase immunity from disease.

Lettuce contains good fibers for a healthy digestive tract, breaks down cholesterol in your dog’s body leading to a healthy heart, and is rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Vitamin A encourages good eye health and works for overall skin and coat health.

Vitamin D3 is important for healthy bone formation, boosts the immune system, and promotes proper muscle and nerve control.

Vitamin B12 is essential for energy

Vitamin E works to boost the immune system and protect your dog from disease. This vitamin is essential for maintaining a healthy skin and hair coat.

Zinc promotes cell growth and replication, skin function, metabolism of proteins and carbs, and assists in wound healing.

Manganese is essential for the metabolism of enzymes in your dog’s body, promotes healthy neurological functions, and increases bone development in puppies and traumatized animals.

Calcium regulates the heartbeat, is necessary for building bone and tooth tissue, and aids in blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve transmissions.

Niacin (Vitamin B3) aids in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the body. It lowers cholesterol and helps with the synthesis of hormones, including testosterone and estrogen.

Finding a good, all-natural commercial dog food can be a trial if you shop at your local grocery or pet store. We recommend DOG for DOG manufactured devoid of the additives found in most commercial dog foods and free of corn, wheat and soy. DOG for DOG contains all of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed to keep your dog healthy and happy, and was recently awarded the Best New Product Award at the Global Pet Expo 2014. Additionally, when you buy one bag of DOG for DOG, another bag is donated to local and national animal shelters to help other dogs in need.

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Food Puppies

How Nutrition Affects Your Developing Puppy

You will need to make sure your puppy is eating the right amount of food at all times, because small young dogs are particularly susceptible to bouts of hypoglycemia – or low blood sugar. This condition, if left unchecked, can cause your puppy to suffer acute organ failure, go into a coma, and die.

When a puppy is born, its nutritional requirements consist mainly of mother’s milk. Newborn pups must consume colostrum (the mother dog’s first milk) within the first 12 to 24 hours after birth in order to receive the full benefits of her antibodies. These specialized cells in the immune system recognize organisms that invade the body and provide protection against disease. A healthy mother dog passes this special immunization to her puppies in her milk.

At around 3 weeks of age – a fairly early stage of puppy development – you can begin feeding your pup a bit of dry puppy food mixed with water in a thin gruel several times a day. Gradually reduce the water content of the gruel so that by 4 to 6 weeks of age your puppy will be eating as much dry food as she does mother’s milk. She will still be suckling on the mother until around 8 weeks of age when she is ready to be weaned and placed on solid food.

Most puppies grow to their full size in under a year, so they require a high-protein, all-natural diet with balanced Omega fatty acids to allow for developing coat, muscles and bones. Look for those products that are corn, wheat and soy-free to help stop any symptoms of food allergies before they begin.

Puppies of different sizes have different nutritional needs. For your medium-sized puppy – such as a Border Collie or Australian Shepherd – a high-quality puppy food is probably sufficient according to veterinary nutritionists. However, large or giant breed puppies, as well as the small and toy breeds, may need a size-specific diet to help them through all the stages of puppy development.

Large and giant breed puppies – like Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, Saint Bernards, and Irish Wolfhounds – tend to grow extremely fast in their first year, with some dogs gaining 100 pounds in a matter of months. This rapid growth puts a huge strain on growing bones and developing muscles, causing these large dogs to suffer from serious orthopedic issues including hip dysplasia and arthritis as they age.

Traditionally, pet parents were urged to feed their large-breed puppies food high in fat and calories and to give calcium supplements to help their pups develop into big and strong dogs. Modern canine nutritionists have found that these types of foods actually increase your large puppy’s growth rate, causing her rapidly developing bones to become less dense, weaker, more porous, and more prone to degenerative conditions.

Other scientists prefer that you feed your large breed puppy an all-natural food lower in calories, yet full of the antioxidants necessary to support her growing immune system and free of any grains that may later cause allergic reactions. Protein and calcium levels vary by manufacturer, however, so you need to check with your veterinarian about which, if any, brand of puppy food to feed your growing little pooch.

Your small and toy breed puppies – like Chihuahuas, Bichon Frises, and Yorkies – have their own set of special nutritional needs. Because of her smaller size and higher metabolism, your small breed puppy needs to eat more often and consume food higher in fat and calories than a larger breed puppy. Feeding her a nutritious, all-natural treat bar made with organic peanut butter can get her through those hungry times until her next meal.

For the first 3 or 4 months of her life, your toy puppy needs to be fed 3 to 4 times a day. You can gradually decrease the amount as she matures until she is receiving her daily allowance of calories in twice-a-day meals. Even as an adult, she should continue to eat twice a day to cope with her high metabolism. Make sure not to overfeed her, however, because just a few extra bites of kibble can translate into excessive weight for a tiny dog.

It’s important to remember that how your puppy feels physically can determine how she behaves. A hungry dog is going to be more food aggressive than one that is receiving the right amount of food. A puppy that is eating the proper amounts and types of her needed nutrients will have plenty of energy to play and learn. Using all-natural treats made with fruits, veggies, and a bit of organic peanut butter can be just the ticket to help your pup focus during training exercises.

Just like your school-age children, your puppy can’t learn or be trained if she goes to “school” hungry or tired.

DOG for DOG is an all natural dog food and treat company with a mission to help dogs in need. You buy one we give one! 52,000 pounds were donated in 2013

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Anxiety & Nervousness Arthritis & Hip Dysplasia Old Age

Medical Marijuana for Dogs?

Medical Marijuana for Dogs

by Cate Burnettet, RVT

Please Note: This article is not an endorsement for medical marijuana use in pets, and is only intended to provide pet owners with information on a possible new veterinary therapy.

With 20 states enacting laws that allow humans to consume medical marijuana with a doctor’s prescription, the veterinary community is looking into the possible use of the plant in the treatment of various illnesses for pets.

Dr. Douglas Kramer, a small animal veterinarian in California, admits to using marijuana to help his cancer-stricken Siberian Husky. “Nikita was wasting away, and she’d stopped eating,” he recalls in the article. “I’d exhausted every available pharmaceutical pain option, even steroids. At that point, it was a quality of life issue, and I felt like I’d try anything to ease her suffering.”

Dr. Kramer started feeding Nikita a small amount of marijuana daily and he reports that her appetite returned and she seemed to be much less painful during her final months.

Because of his own experience, and the tales from a number of his clinic clients, Dr. Kramer is pushing to bring veterinary medicine into the debate regarding the use of medical marijuana. He believes the evidence is clear that marijuana can be successfully used as an alternative or adjunctive treatment for pain and palliative care in animals. “The veterinary community needs to address the issue, but we don’t want to talk about it, even though it’s clear our clients are giving marijuana to their pets, with good and bad effects,” he says in the JAVMA article.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association provides anecdotal evidence that marijuana may be proving to be effective as an analgesic (pain relieving drug), an appetite stimulant and an anti-nausea medication in dogs with cancer and osteoarthritis.

According to the article, a senior Labrador Retriever-type dog named Miles was diagnosed with advanced splenic cancer and given 2 months to live. His veterinarian prescribed Tramadol to relieve his pain. But, Denise, Miles’ owner, did not like the residual effects of the Tramadol on her dog.

“Every time we gave it to him, he would just sleep; he wouldn’t even move. He’d just lay there like he was dead,” said Denise, who asked that her real name not be used in the article.

When a friend suggested that she give Miles a tincture of marijuana sold as a pet medicine in legal marijuana dispensaries throughout southern California, Denise tried it, thinking it could not be any worse than the drugs he was already taking.

Within an hour of ingesting the medical marijuana, Miles’ appetite was back, he was no longer vomiting and within a couple of wees he was running at the beach and back to his old self. “It couldn’t have been a coincidence,” Denise says in the article.

In the same article, other pet owners have reported similar results when giving their pets medical marijuana for chronic pain. Ernest Misko, who noticed the palliative effects marijuana had for his own back pain, used the same tincture as Denise on his 24-year-old arthritic cat, Borzo. Within a few days, Borzo was walking better and appeared to be pain-free, reports Misko.

Becky Flowers’ 20-year-old Paso Fino horse Phoenix was diagnosed with a degenerative ligament disease that was so painful she eventually could no longer walk and had stopped eating and drinking. None of the conventional veterinary pain medications helped for very long. In desperation, Flowers gave her horse a small amount of marijuana to eat, and, according to Flowers, within an hour Phoenix was up walking, eating and drinking. She continues to feed Phoenix a marijuana-laced butter once a day and says the horse is “doing incredible.”

At this point, however, the AVMA has not come out in support – or rejection – of the medical benefits of marijuana in animals citing a lack of statistical research. Dr. Dawn Boothe, director of the Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology notes that veterinarians shouldn’t discount marijuana’s potential therapeutic effects simply because it is a plant or a controlled substance. Morphine is both, and its effect on humans and animals has been thoroughly studied. Dr. Boothe says that has not happened as yet for marijuana, and owners who give the drug to their pets may be unintentionally putting their animals at risk.

In Colorado, where recreational marijuana use is now legal, veterinarians are seeing a definite increase in the number of pets being brought in to clinics and emergency hospitals suffering from marijuana poisoning after ingesting pot-laced edibles.

An ABC News Report quotes Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald of the VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver as saying that since 2010, the number of poisoning cases seen at the hospital have grown from “roughly two cases a month to one every other day.”

Dilated eyes, drooling, and appearing drunk are all symptoms that your pet might show with an overdose of marijuana. Eaten in high levels, it can lead to seizures. In even higher levels, death has been known to occur.

“There’s no antidote for marijuana,” says Fitzgerald in the report. “The only way we treat is just be supportive, we watch for seizure and measure body temp and then put them on fluids to try and expel it quicker.”

After noticing that some of her animal patients were overdosing on their owners’ attempts to use medical marijuana for pain and nausea, Seattle veterinarian Sarah Brandon has spent the last five years developing a hemp-based product that has many of the same beneficial compounds as pot, but without the THC that causes the problems. Called “Canna-Pet” and sold at $1 a pill, the compounds feature all the natural components of marijuana, without the high.

According to Brandon, the results have been dramatic. “We’ve had a 100 percent positive reaction. We’re seeing cats and dogs experiencing discomfort walking or even moving around significantly improve.”

For dog ownerswho don’t live in areas where medical marijuana is legal, or who are averse to giving pets an unfamiliar drug, you can try an all-natural herbal tonic developed to relax and calm anxious, nervous dogs. With just a few drops of tonic in your dog’s mouth daily, the compound begins to work in about 20 minutes. Used in conjunction with veterinary analgesics, you can help your painful dog unwind enough to allow pain meds to work quickly and more effectively.

For dogs experiencing painful arthritis, hip dysplasia and luxating patellas, you might try an all natural herbal tonic also containing collagen. This mixture can help patients in as little as a couple of weeks.

What do you think? Should veterinarians be allowed to provide medical marijuana to their patients or is it too risky?

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