June 2010

Imagine yourself being cloistered away for several years before you were introduced to your own species.

In fact you could have been raised by a species  of a certain color or gender. One that may have long or short  hair, or wear accessories. They may have had other species in the house. There may have been offspring.

That is the way we treat puppies. We fear disease and so we isolate them till they are “fully vaccinated” for parvo-virus at 16 weeks or 4 months of age. This wold be like keeping children isolated till they are 10 years old.

Puppies can be introduced to other people, cats, beards, hats, long hair, car rides, loud noises, flashlights, adult nice dogs and cats , or  adult cranky dogs and cats. Then when they encounter the species or situation as teenagers and young adults, they are less likely to blunder and experience fear or an attack.

Where are young puppies safe from puppy-hood diseases? They can visit the homes of your dog-owning friends or family that have vaccinated adult dogs that are not aggressive. It is OK to be be reprimanded; not OK to be bitten or attacked. You should avoid parks, schools, groomers, and other public places where sick puppies may vomit or poop the virus on the grass, dirt, or sidewalk. The virus can survive in places like that for a few months to 2 years.

Certain breeds need more socialization than others. Pits, Rottweilers, and German Shepherds, are a few of the breeds that need extra socialization to diffuse the attack or guarding wiring that they are born with.Puppy classes are important and very good for these breeds. However, do not expect puppy classes to do the whole job! There are many more situations, types of people, and different ages and species in the real world to encounter!

A young Rottweiler came in for vaccines last week, and was extremely  nervous. I sat with her for ten minutes till she practically fell asleep on my lap. I was gently stroking her whole body and neck the whole time and was doing a health exam at the same time. I had completed my whole exam except for the mouth and teeth. I cupped the lower jaw and she immediately tried to bite me. Many guard dogs do not like their face and mouth touched. Help your friends, family, vets, and other dog owners out by making sure your puppy is  comfortable in new situations and with other people and animals.

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Our domesticated dogs came from a life in the wild, to our villages, our ranches, and finally our homes. Dogs are good hunters, helpers, and alarm systems. One night my own dogs’ alarm system alerted me to banging sounds coming from the backyard. Lonna was awakened also and urged me to go downstairs to see what was happening. On the way down the dark stairway heading toward the back yard and the noise, I considered defensive moves and several horror pictures I had seen that started with a similar scene.

When I peeked out the back door, the banging had stopped and I scanned the yard around the pool for movement. Fresh water trails around the pool deck attracted my attention and I followed them to a corner where a small shadowy figure was crouching. I could see slight movement that occurred with each breath. I scanned up and down the figure and caught the reflection of the quarter moon from its cylindrical head. I was sure that this apparition was the “close encounter” that I have always wanted. However on closer inspection, I discovered that the cylindrical head looked a lot like a silvery aluminum dog food can without the label on the body of a small mammal.

I knew I needed a way to restrain the hooded animal if it turned out to be wild, so I brought a towel out to the yard, snuck up on the creature, and covered it. It was breathing hard, was exhausted from its ordeal, and offered little resistance. I pulled and unscrewed the silver dog food can to reveal a very wet cat. Once its headgear was removed, it ran off into the bushes, climbed the fence and was gone.

I looked at the can, the crumpled towel, and the wet tracks around the pool, and then my recycle bin by the door. Suddenly I understood what had happened. A feral cat had found our recycle bin and was helping itself to the food remaining on the sides of the can. In an attempt to be thorough, and clean up everything, it put its head in the can then became stuck. It wildly ran around the back yard banging into things, waking up my dogs, then fell in the pool. It swam around the pool with the can on his head until he found the steps, and climbed out right where I found him. Scared, wet, exhausted, and looking like an alien.

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Puppies and Kittens that are found and not doing well are usually cold, hungry, infested with fleas and dehydrated.

You can really help them by warming them up, and giving them a small amount of warm milk with a tsp of sugar in it.

You can use a heating pad on low, and plastic bags (zip-loc) filled with warm water to surround them

They need stimulation with a warm wet towel to make them urinate and poop each time you feed

Once they start moving, you can feed them more of the mixture. Every four hours will satisfy them.

Puppy and kitten milk products can be purchased at pet stores, but a cup of milk and tsp of sugar will get them going till you can get to the store.

Abandoned puppies and kitten quickly get covered with fleas, and will become anemic very quickly. Bathe them in warm soapy water, and dry them, do not let them chill.

Some newborns suffering abandonment, or neglect may be defective, have pneumonia, or diarrhea from the stress and need to be treated with antibiotics as well as supportive care.

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Why is variety in the diet important? Just think about our diets. If we ate the same thing day after day, our digestive tract would become accustomed to those ingredients. A new food would cause a disruption in our digestive system, causing a stomach ache, indigestion, bowel cramps, or diarrhea. When we eat a variety of ingredients our digestive system “stays sharp” and will operate calmly and efficiently digesting different foods.

Kibble diets or commercial diets never varied set up a dog for stomach or bowel upsets when introduced to different ingredients. This is why some dogs have trouble when introduced to “people food “at first. I recommend very small pieces of a new food ingredient for a couple days before feeding a bigger portion.

In Dog Dish Diet, I use the practice of feeding a variety of human foods and avoiding known allergens to keep your dog healthier, and out of the veterinary clinic. If you dog is overweight , has itchy skin all the time, constant ear infections, chronic stomach or bowel problems, bladder problems, or seizures Dog Dish Diet may be able to help by changing the diet. This practice has worked in Gilroy Veterinary Hospital to keep thousands of dogs healthier without the need for frequent visits, expense. and medications .Dog Dish Diet is not a cook book, it is a guide that helps you make decisions for feeding the right commercial food, holistic food, raw food, homemade food, and people food, and treats to your dogs. The suggestions may also help keep  your dog’s teeth cleaner without expensive veterinary dental cleanings.

Since the incidence of poisoned food, and pet food prices escalating, this practice not only saves you money, but decreases the chances of chronic ingestion of contaminants in the diet.If you feed only commercial diets, be sure to add “people food”and mix up the ingredients for the health of it!!

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I wrote Dog Dish Diet because I have had more success in the past 15 years advising dietary changes than I used to have when I just used medications on chronic skin, ear, stomach, bowel problems, and seizures. I have found that nutrition has the power to heal , while medicines only patch the problem for a time.  In my  entertaining, easy to read book, I will help you keep your dog out of the veterinary hospital. This is not hype, or a gimmick. My own pets taught me what I was doing wrong in my practice and I figured out how to keep them healthier and happier. I want to share my experiences with you.People are amazed how simple, economical changes to the diet can often help in as little as a week and save a ton of money in the process.Every dog owner should have the power to keep their pet healthy by electing to feed them as individuals.Not all dog food is good for every dog. The following testimonials are the reasons I keep on spreading the word

“Thanks, Dr. Martinez. Once we identified the cause of Baxter’s allergic reaction, we changed ingredients in his diet and his ear problems cleared up. It’s remarkable to witness just how powerful the connection between nutrition and good health really is. It really is all about ingredients.” - Supervisor Donald Gage, County of Santa Clara, San Jose, CA

“I have noticed several changes in Sammy since I started feeding him ‘The Dog Dish Diet.’ One of the biggest differences are his eating habits…when I was feeding him dry dog food, he had little or no appetite.  He ate barely enough to keep him alive. Now, he wants to eat 3 times a day and I’m sure he’d eat more if I let him!!!  Another big change is his coat…his fur used to feel dry and brittle, and now it feels healthy and soft.  Finally, the last change is one that I hesitate to mention because it’s not usually a topic for polite company…but he seems to poop less!  I love making his food for him and knowing that everything in the food is something that is good for him. ” - Robin Nye

“Dr. Martinez truly understands his clients and their pets’ nutritional needs. I have two Golden Labs and a mutt. My 18-month-old Golden, CJ, has had problems with hotspots from 6 months on. I was taking him to a different vet before changing to Dr. Martinez. The other vet said he was hyper-sensitive to fleas, even though I had him on Advantage and bathed and sprayed him weekly. The other vet suggested (after $900.00 of vet visits) that we have his blood and thyroid tested. This could have cost me another $2500 to $3000. On the suggestion of a friend, I changed vets and took him to see Dr. Martinez–a second opinion just like you would do for yourself.

“Thanks for advising us to change the way we feed our chocolate lab, Trousers. You remember him? He got the name when he ate a clothes item and you made him vomit it up to prevent a surgical problem. He used to vomit a lot, but when we changed to better ingredients in the food and treats, the vomiting stopped. It is wonderful to use nutrition instead of lots of medication to clear up medical problems.” - Anthony and Angeline Ruggiero

“After asking me a series of questions, Dr. Martinez suggested we change his diet. I took his advice and changed to an allergen-free diet. Amazingly, in the last 6 months, CJ has not had one hotspot break out. Now all my ‘kids’ are on the same diet and, as a result, my 5-year-old Golden has lost 10 lbs and is healthier than ever.” - Mary Cortani, Gilroy, CA

“Thanks for telling us how certain ingredients in dog foods and treats may cause seizures in some dogs. Once we made allergens and glutens were not in the dog food, Sassy’s seizures stopped after a few months, and we were able to take him off the anti-seizure medication. He hasn’t had a seizure for almost 2 years.” - Heather and Andrew Angell

My dogs love your treat ideas like string cheese instead of dog junk food biscuits. They are slim and trim using your suggestions from Dog Dish Diet

Nicole Bellamere

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