Question about Dog pee pads

I just adopted a small dog with special needs. Because of her health problems, she cannot be walked regularly and thus has come to rely on wee-wee pads to relieve herself at home. But throwing them out and replacing them every day (even the ones made of recycled materials) seems wasteful and breaks my heart every time. Can you suggest a more sustainable solution?

Until your question arrived, I had not given much thought to the “wee-wee pad” issue. My personal experience with the world of wee-wee pads is (thankfully) limited, so I hope your fellow dog owners will chime in here.

The way I see it, this problem is akin to the diaper debate: Should you use disposables, which add heaps of non-biodegradable, plasticky waste to our landfills, or reusables, which require heaps of water and energy to clean? In fact, with 4 million babies born each year in America and about the same number of puppies, we have ourselves a startling parallel. Factor in dogs with special needs and others left indoors to do their business for various reasons, and we might be looking at a full-on wee-wee crisis.

Indestructible Dog Toys

Indestructible dog toys, is there really such an item in existence? One geared to withstand the onslaught of an animal with teeth equipped to chew, tear, cut and grind whatever is before him. I set out to find the answer; My dog toy tester, my six year old German Shepherd (Kenai).

The Mighty Kong: Introduced in 1976 this toy established the standard in the dog toy industry for durability. Enthusiastically endorsed by veterinarians, dog breeders, and dog trainers, Kong leads the market in dog toys. Able too last through years of vigorous play and action, Kong was created by a dog owner whose German Shepherd (Fritz) loved to chew on rocks. The rock chewing created wear- and- tear on Fritz’s teeth.

How to Choose the Best Dog Chew Toys

How to Choose the Best Dog Chew Toys 

Chewing is a natural behavior for dogs and you need safe dog chew toys to direct this behavior to appropriate items (and not your shoes or furniture!) Here are some tips to help you choose the safest and best dog chew toys.

Desirable Features in Dog Chew Toys

• Size – large enough that your dog can't “swallow”
• Safe
• Durable
• Easy to clean/wash
• Guaranteed 

Veterinarians Unleash Probiotics to Ease Doggie Discomfort

A growing number of veterinarians are prescribing supplements of friendly bacteria for dogs, but is there enough scientific evidence to justify it?

All dog owners who have had to clean up after their beloved pooches know that people aren't the only ones who experience gastrointestinal disorders. Many animals, including man's best friend, also suffer from both short-lived and chronic digestive woes. As a result, some veterinarians have begun prescribing supplements containing friendly bacteria, or "probiotics," to ease related symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, gas and bloating. But some animal experts say there is little solid evidence that the supplements are effective.

Gastrointestinal (GI) issues are the second-most common health problem in dogs after skin diseases, according to Richard Hill, a small-animal internist and clinical nutritionist at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville. He notes that common causes include parasites such as hookworm, whipworm and giardia as well as "dietary indiscretion," which could mean anything from gorging on table scraps to drinking from the toilet to raiding the garbage.

Dog Probiotics information

The world is full of bacteria; many kinds are harmful and can cause illness, but there are also beneficial bacteria. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract uses bacteria to digest food and to make certain vitamins. Most of these helpful bacteria live in the large intestine (colon). Stress, illness, medication, or change in diet can upset the balance of bacteria in the large intestine, which can lead to minor problems such as gas, or more major problems such as diarrhea. Having the right balance of bacteria helps your dog to make better use of food and can help prevent some GI illnesses.

Dog Probiotics information

Healthy Dog Food for Your Dog's Digestion

Healthy Dog Food

We all know dog food is essential for the health of our dogs. But what's more important is what is in the dog food. A dog's digestive system, which is mainly responsible for breaking down food, absorbs the nutrients from the dog food and distributes it throughout the body and prevents toxins from entering the bloodstream. In fact, research indicates that 70% of a dog's immune system lies in the digestive tract. So then, what are some of these ingredients in dog food that can help maintain proper digestive health for your pet?

1. Probiotics

What are probiotics? They are the "good bacteria" that help improve the digestibility of ingredients and are an essential part of the immune system. By feeding your dog food with live probiotics after it has been cooked and cooled (to assure maximum survival) reinsures you are re-inoculating the digestive tract.

2. Prebiotics

Prebiotics are similar to probiotics. However, according to the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), "prebiotic targets the microbiota already present within the ecosystem, acting as a 'food' for the target microbes with beneficial consequences for host." Basically, the prebiotic serves as the nutrition for the health and performance of the "good bacteria" in your dog's digestive tract. Some examples of prebiotic ingredients to look for in your dog's food include beet pulp, soybeans, raw oats and inulin.

3. Natural fiber

If you've ever had issues going to the bathroom than you probably know what fiber has to offer. Fiber promotes the digestive regularity by helping to move food waste from your dog's digestive tract through the colon at an optimal speed. While it may not be pretty, your dog will thank you. Common sources of natural fibers in healthy dog food include flaxseed and oatmeal. You can also find some sources of fiber that can serve as prebiotics too, such as beet pulp.

4. Digestive Enzymes

Your dog breaks down the food in much the same way you do — with digestive enzymes. Produced by organs such as the pancreas, digestive enzymes break down the food so that the intestinal tract can absorb all those great nutrients, which are then distributed throughout your dog's body. When digestive enzymes are added to dog food, it helps to increase digestibility and reduce the stress on your dog's bodily organs.

5. Phytonutrients

Phytonutrients are found in the skins of vegetables and fruits. They act as powerful antioxidants and are known to help neutralize free radicals in order to keep the cells of the body healthy. They are few other natural dog food ingredients that enhance the immune system and help protect a dog's body like phytonutrients.

So next time you're buying dog food remember this … Feeding your dog healthy food that contains probiotics and prebiotics, natural fiber, digestive enzymes and phytonutrients will help maintain a healthy digestive tract and a strong immune system.

Human Probiotics for Dogs

Dogs can benefit from probiotics in yogurt and cottage cheese.

Human Probiotics for Dogs 

Probiotics are as beneficial to a dog’s digestive system as they are to his owner’s health. These friendly bacteria promote regularity throughout the intestinal tract. Dogs are especially vulnerable to gastro-intestinal troubles because canines typically devour anything they find on the ground, which may include toxins. Some pet foods are supplemented with probiotics, but you may also share human foods with your pet that are enhanced with these living microorganisms.

Yogurt

About probioticsfor dogs

"How You Can Help Keep Your Pet's Digestive andImmune System Happy and Healthy"
Total Probiotics formula benefits your pet with 14 beneficial bacterial strains.

When it comes to the health of your pets – especially keeping their sensitive digestive systems happy and working well – there is one option that is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

It's a solution that provides the gastrointestinal relief and daily support your cats and dogs need to help maintain their active lifestyle.

And, it's a healthy choice that gives you the peace of mind you deserve because you know you're taking the best care of your animals as possible.

But, getting here hasn't been easy...

The Answer to Your Pet's Bowel Health

That Many Traditional Vets Don't Recognize

It's a fact: Bowel health is one of the top 10 reasons owners bring their pets to the vet for healthcare.

I see cats and dogs with less-than-optimal bowel health every day.

But, it doesn't have to be this way...

You see, for years, holistic veterinarians like me have argued that supplementing their diet with probiotics is an essential way to help maintain and promote your pet's optimal gastrointestinal health.

With a healthy GI system, your pet can potentially:

• Achieve peak strength, fitness and vigor
• Maximize optimum health and wellbeing no matter what stage of life they're in
• Fully enjoy a rich life of companionship with you

Alternatives to neutering your male dog

Alternatives to neutering your male dog:

Owners who do not elect to get their dogs desexed often request other ways of preventing or managing the breeding, behavioural or medical problems faced by their entire pets. Which preventative measures and treatment options can be offered really depends on what the owner is trying to achieve. Owners just looking to prevent their dog or dogs from breeding can make use of a range of birth/pregnancy control measures available (sections 10a-10f). Owners looking to control or manage testosterone-mediated behavioural or medical problems (e.g. prostate hyperplasia, perianal adenomas) can look at option 10g. The reality is, however, that no one of these alternative measures alone will manage all of the problems of overpopulation, behaviour and testosterone-mediated health issues like desexing will. Additionally, many of these alternative solutions do come with significant side effects and health risks of their own. Desexing is always the best choice.

IMPORTANT: Check your local state and regional laws before opting for any of these alternatives. Animal population control laws are changing and increasing all the time. It may be illegal for you to keep a non-breeding-purposes (i.e. an entire male "stud" dog not owned by a registered breeder) entire male dog on your property. 

The cost (price) of neutering a dog

The cost of neutering a dog:

Much as I would love to be able to do so, to attempt to place a flat $ figure on the costs of desexing a dog would be grossly irresponsible of me and quite impossible to do. The cost of desexing male dogs is greatly variable and varies from place to place and region to region. It depends on many factors including: the size of the vet clinic, the competition the vet clinic has, the nature of the clinic (e.g. is it a shelter clinic), the suburb the clinic is located in, the size (weight) of the dog, whether the animal is a cryptorchid or not and so on.

In this section, I will give you an idea of the costs and the range of prices that may exist in one town/city when you are considering getting your dog neutered in Australia. (The principles discussed here will most likely to apply to any city in the world). I will outline the ways that vets arrive at these prices and discuss ways that you can source lower cost and discount neutering.