Halo Purely For Pets Blog » Pet Health

ASK-THE-VET: WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDED TREATMENT FOR CANINE LICK GRANULOMA?

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:00:08 +0000

Question: What is your recommended treatment for canine Lick Granuloma? I have been told that they do not heal up and my dog has had a small one for about two months now with no significant improvement. It originated from either a bite or scrap because she does not habitually lick her legs or feet out of boredom. It has not gotten any larger but just not gotten cleared up. She has taken antibiotics and I just started applying a topical cream.

Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Lick Granulomas can be very difficult to treat—they often have a medical and a behavioral component to them. Often the granuloma is caused by an injury and then the dog continues to lick it (due to pain, irritation, etc) and they get a “high” so to speak from the licking process. So even if the underlying problem is gone, they continue to lick—essentially because it feels good. The most important thing is to make sure there is not a deep infection or an underlying problem causing the lick granuloma—a deep culture and even xrays are sometimes necessary to assess for draining tracts and bony changes. Most dogs require 4 to 6 weeks of oral antibiotics, the diligent use of an Elizabethan collar (head cone!) and possibly even topical creams. Even if your dog appears to not be licking the area—they must wear a cone—most dogs secretly lick the area (at night, when you aren’t home, etc).

Often there is no medical problem causing a lick granuloma—it can be just a behavior issue. Many of these dogs are very anxious and often there are environmental triggers that can be identified—such as separation anxiety, new children or people in the home, social conflicts with other animals in the home, lack of appropriate outlets for normal “doggy” stuff. It helps to identify and address any possible stressors. A gentle leader head-collar with a drag line should also be used to allow you to redirect your dog when he licks without punishing him and then rewarding him for the right behavior.

Hope these things help…keep us posted.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

ASK-THE-VET: DOG WON’T EAT VEGGIES

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:00:01 +0000

Question: I just bought Halo after doing online research of dog foods. I chose Halo for my 2.5 year old Beagle who will eat anything I put in front of him and my 1.5 year old basenji who is a picky eater. She won’t touch the dried peas, carrots, and cranberries so she only eats the kibble.

How much nutrition is she lacking from the food if she won’t eat the veggies? Are there other dogs like her in which ways have been found for the dogs to eat everything? Luckily, they both enjoy frozen pea pods and carrots so I use those for snacks instead. But still…any helpful information is appreciated! BTW, it is the wild salmon dry dog food I feed them.

Answer: Hopefully this will set your mind at ease…the kibble (without the additional dried veggies) meets—and in fact, far exceeds—the nutritional requirements of your dogs every day! It is great that they enjoy frozen pea pods and carrots and these make excellent non-fattening snacks. So, no worries!

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: DOG FOOD CAN FLAVORS

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:00:25 +0000

Question: We have been feeding him the chicken flavor, but they store was out of it! So we had to buy the Salmon flavor. My dog has been getting sick every day since. Could it be because of the flavor switch? Thanks for your help!

Answer: Some dogs are very sensitive to changes even amongst flavors as there are different primary protein sources and digestive upset can result.

Although this can happen with either dry or canned formulations it is particularly true when switching between the canned formuations as the salmon has quite a bit more fat and protein than the canned chicken formula.

I would obviously recommend getting him back on the chicken and call your store ahead of time to make sure they keep the chicken stocked for you.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: CAT KIDNEY DISEASE

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:00:48 +0000

Question: Hello, not sure if anyone reads these, but I thought I would give it a try. My 16 year old cat, Max, is developing early kidney disease. I was wondering if you could tell me what would be your most appropriate formula of canned food for his condition. Thank you very much for your time.

Answer: Thanks for writing in. I want to be clear that Halo does not make medical or prescription diets and you should ask your veterinarian about our diets as every cat with kidney disease is slightly different in their dietary requirements or restrictions. Cats with kidney disease often benefit from additional water for hydration and lower protein levels to decrease the work-load of the kidneys.

Our canned formulations are very high in moisture and can be quite good at maintaining adequate hydration. Our lowest protein cat foods are the canned lamb formula followed by the canned turkey formula and can be used successfully in some cats with kidney problems.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: MY CAT PREFERS DOG FOOD

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:00:07 +0000

Question: What do you recommend if our cat does not want to eat his own food? I tried to change his flavor (using the blue bag now) but he still seems to like the dogs food better?

Answer: Although your cat getting a nibble of Halo dog food from time to time isn’t bad (our dog foods are supplemented with taurine), I definitely don’t recommend routinely feeding them food formulated for dogs.

Cats (as strict carnivores) require higher levels of protein and fat than dogs and Halo foods are designed accordingly. Halo dog food just doesn’t have the right balance for cats to reach their optimal health level.

You can try adding our fatty acid supplement (Dream Coat) or some of the Halo Dinner Party protein sprinkle on top of his food to spark his interest. Also adding a small amount of warmed canned food on top of the dry can entice even the pickiest eater.

Good Luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: MY DOG LIKES TO EAT GRASS

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:00:21 +0000

Question: My dog likes to eat grass. Is this okay for him to do?

Answer: Pets that eat potted plants or grass may not be getting enough greens in their diet. In the wild, animals would consume fresh prey that could have eaten herbs, plants or berries.

Your dog is a good candidate for VitaGlo Daily Greens. This product provides him with healthy phytonutrients which should satisfy his green food nutritional needs.

Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: A FINICKY CAT

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:00:12 +0000

Question: I have a finicky cat that doesn’t want to eat any nutritional canned food, other than the meat byproduct stuff. Can you recommend one you think she might eat?

Answer: I am assuming you have tried the Halo Spot’s Stew for cats….some cats find it a bit too brothy and chunky. I have had success with those picky kitties by putting it briefly in a blender to reduce the chunk size. You can also try heating up the food a bit…some cats really love the aroma that the fresh wholesome ingredients give off.

You can also sprinkle Halo’s protein powder (called Dinner Party) on top to make it more appetizing! Another diet you might try is the Evo 95% canned cat food line. Many of my pickier cat friends like that one.

Hope that helps. Take care.
Dr. Donna Spector

ASK-THE-VET: CAUSES OF DIARRHEA IN DOGS

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:00:54 +0000

Question: I need help my dog only eats your dry dog food but now all of a sudden she has diarrhea what can I do?

Answer: Thanks for writing in. There are many causes of diarrhea in dogs. If a dog gets changed to a new food (even a high quality food like Halo) abruptly, they can develop diarrhea. Read my article “How do I transition my dog or cat to a new food?”.

This is also a time of year when we see a lot of parasites (whipworms, roundworms, tapeworms and Giardia) or bacterial overgrowth—even in healthy dogs—and I would recommend that you take a fresh fecal sample into your vet to have it analyzed.

Some dogs develop diarrhea because they actually require more fiber in their diet or sometimes it is a sign of a more serious intestinal disorder. Talk to your vet about what might be happening in your dog.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector

TRACIE HOTCHNER – FLEA PREVENTION WITH BETTER QUALITY DOG FOOD

Tracie Hotchner — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:00:27 +0000

I got a comment on one of my daily tips on DOGSTER.COM and wanted to share it with you here…

It’s certainly true that lower quality dog foods can cause adverse skin reactions in dogs, but it isn’t just about an allergy to wheat (which is actually pretty rare in dogs). It’s more likely a reaction to the artificial colors, flavors, chemical preservatives, and generally dubious quality even of the protein source in the food. So you want to switch to a truly natural food free of all that artificial stuff and with the word of the named protein source as the first ingredient (chicken, beef, salmon).

While there are many premium dog foods, I have chosen HALO Purely for Pets kibble for the dry portion of my own dogs’ meals. I have confidence in the integrity of the company and Halo’s commitment to using the highest quality protein sources for their kibble, while avoiding all the cheap fillers and nasty additives present in so many dog foods. .

Click over to my original blog on “Better Quality Dog Food but Flea Prevention, Too” for the whole story!

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

ASK-THE-VET: CAN CATS HAVE HEARTWORM DISEASE?

Dr. Donna Spector — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:00:54 +0000

Question: Can cats have heartworm disease? Is there a pill cats can take? My girlfriend just told me her cat died after 5 years of heartworm?

Answer: Thanks for writing in. Yes, cats can and DO get heartworm disease. Heartworm is present in every US state and kills dogs and cats every year. Most owners have only heard about heartworm in dogs but the incidence in cats—even INDOOR cats—is increasing dramatically.

Many cats that were previously thought to be asthmatic because of coughing and wheezing may actually have lung inflammation from heartworms. If your cat has any respiratory signs, ask your veterinarian about heartworm disease. Cats must be tested with both a heartworm antibody and antigen test (dogs only need the antigen test).

Your dog and cat (even if only indoors) should be tested every year and kept on preventative year-round to stop heartworm disease dead in its tracks! Many of the same preventatives used in dogs are effective for cats but you must get the ones properly sized/dosed for cats.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector