It is true that age is not a disease, but our beloved dogs and cats undergo many degenerative changes as they age. In addition to feeding a natural pet food, giving your elderly companion appropriate pet supplements can help slow this degenerative process and provide improved appetite, mobility and general vigor! Click here to read more about choosing a supplement for your older pet.

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Q: We live in an area which is high risk for Lyme Disease. Our dog has been on a major brand tick and flea medication year round. We purchased the medication at our vet. Last week he showed a strong positive test to Lyme disease and is now on an antibiotic. His symptoms were lethargy, fever and limping on right back leg. He is 4 1/2 years old and the breed is Old English Sheepdog.

Could you please suggest some Halo pet products to help during this health crisis?

A: Sorry to hear your guy isn’t feeling so well right now. Has he ever been vaccinated for Lyme disease? Many dogs test strongly positive because of the vaccine and not because of true Lyme disease. Your veterinarian can run a test (called a Western Blot) to make sure that your dog’s symptoms are truly a result of Lyme disease and not another form of inflammatory arthritis.

The Old English Sheepdog is very prone to a condition called immune mediated polyarthritis, and it also can cause lethargy, fever and limping and is treated differently than Lyme disease. Regardless of the cause, there are some Halo Pet Supplements that can help. Dream Coat has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which help with inflammation and the Hip and Joint Supplement contains glucosamine and chondroitin which can help lubricate his joints to make him more comfortable. The Hip and Joint should be used long term as many patients will have residual arthritis after the infection (Lyme) is over. Hope this helps.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

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Just wanted to take a moment to introduce you to Sandy, my beautiful five-year-old dog. She just celebrated her birthday – a miracle considering that her meager beginnings made it uncertain she would see age two.

I adopted Sandy four years ago from a shelter. I saw her picture on the group’s website and immediately fell in love with the barely one-year-old girl. I was very excited to bring home the new addition to my family and couldn’t wait to get her settled.

All was not well with Sandy, however. She was malnourished, and her coat was horrible. I did the best I could with her, and after numerous vet visits, I was finally able to get some weight on her, and she began to improve. Her coat was a mess for the longest time though; nothing I did seemed to help.

One day our vet asked if I had ever tried natural dog food and pet supplements like those offered by Halo. At the time, I hadn’t heard of the company, and I really didn’t know much about holistic dog food. I was already buying Sandy what I thought were the best pet foods, so I didn’t see how this would help. I was willing to give it shot, though, and I started Sandy on Spot’s Stew Adult Dog dry food, as well as the Dream Coat pet supplement.

Turns out she loved the food (Particularly the wholesome chicken flavor!), and I actually started to see a difference. Within a month, her coat was definitely improving, and after some time she had beautiful, shiny fur. Now I think she gives any show dog a run for their money – it’s hard to believe this girl started as a shelter refugee. Thanks Halo from me and Sandy!

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Dog Arthritis is a common painful joint problem affecting approximately 20% of dogs older than one year of age. The symptoms of arthritis vary tremendously and can range from mild stiffness to severe limping. If your best friend is slowing down, it may not be “old age”. Consider that arthritis may be the culprit and have your veterinarian perform a thorough examination for arthritis. Work with your veterinarian to create a plan for your dog’s diet, exercise and pain relief.

A diet like Halo natural dog food that promotes strong lean muscles and helps to avoid obesity is crucial to maintain health in dogs with arthritis. Low-impact exercise (e.g. swimming) is also essential to maintain muscle strength. When diet and exercise are combined with anti-inflammatory medication or natural arthritis supplements like glucosamine-chondroitin and pet supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids your dog’s joint health and quality of life can be improved greatly. Pain relief from arthritis can return your dog to his spunky self and give him a new lease on life!

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

Check your furry friend’s chin area…cat acne appears on the chin or muzzle as a skin rash, itchy or painful red bumps, pimples, blackheads, scabs or a swollen chin. The exact cause of cat acne is unknown but does not appear to be hormonal or confined to their adolescent years! It likely involves overproduction of oils, irritation or trauma to the skin and bacterial skin infections. Easy at-home treatments include Epsom salt soaks followed by application of human acne cleaning pads (benzoyl peroxide).

Fatty acid supplements for cats help improve healthy oil secretion to clear up cat acne. Prevent cats from rubbing their chin against you, the furniture or the floor to avoid unnecessary trauma to the area. Make sure your cat is eating out of metal or ceramic bowls. Even with the best cleaning, plastic bowls harbor bacteria in their nooks and crannies which can rub against the chin during mealtime. If your cat’s acne does not improve, see your veterinarian for a full exam.

Reference:
Muller and Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology, 5th Edition, Danny Scott, William Miller Jr., Craig Griffin, W.B. Saunders Company, 1995.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.