Dog Grooming

Nice or Nightmare?

Grooming can be a pleasure for the dog and owner, or it can be a nightmare. A dog must be taught to be groomed and this is not always an easy prospect. Of course you would be much better off to start with a young puppy so that it becomes used to being groomed early on, but unfortunately this can not always be the case. Dogs who are older and are placed in adoptive homes from shelters, for example, may not have gotten used to this process at an early age.

Many owners will ignore the grooming when they find out that they can't control the dog to do it. (Or they will spend big bucks with a groomer). However, it is very important that a dog with a long coat or a double coat be groomed on a regular basis. The coat that has mats can block air from getting to the skin, causing hot spots. A dog that is not groomed is not pleasant to be around, it will either be smelly or it will drip shedding hair off onto the furniture or your clothes. Sometimes this is one of the reasons some dogs are banished to live outside rather than in the home! Furthermore, grooming the dog on a regular basis will stimulate the skin and keep the dog healthier, in the same way that a human must wash the scalp and brush the hair to maintain a healthy scalp.

Training a dog to be groomed is not too difficult if you make up your mind to do it and get the right equipment. Getting the equipment is a small expense compared to the expense of taking the dog to a groomer. A good pair of clippers is indispensable if you have a dog with a long coat. The usual cost for clippers is about $80.00. A comb, with both wide spaced and close spaced teeth is around $7.00. An undercoat rake is around $5.00, a pin brush, $12.00 and a slicker brush, $5.00. Then of course, there are nail clippers, which will run around $12.00. Dogs with short coats will not require as much, a grooming mitten or a slicker brush will be plenty. These products are just basics but are a good start and certainly will be paid for after only or two groomings at a professional groomers!

Some folks go all out and purchase a grooming table with an arm and a big fancy dryer. As a matter of fact, most "show people" with "show dogs" will have that and much more, but the average pet owner merely needs to make sure that they have the basics.

Once you have the equipment, it is necessary that you learn how to control your dog so that you can groom him. Here is where the "training" comes in. Both long coated dogs and short coated dogs should be trained to lie or sit quietly during the grooming process and should know to roll over and expose their bellies and should allow you to handle their feet and clean their ears. Start by putting the dog into a down position and follow through with the word "stay!" then simply start to brush the dog, gently. For heaven's sakes, do not start right off the bat with yanking out big mats. Simply start in places you know the dog will enjoy being brushed, usually just along the top of the back and the shoulders. Gradually work into the places that are more tender. Push or pull the dog as necessary into the positions you need to, but be gentle and firm and speak to him as you brush. Work through the coat gently and persuade the dog with a treat to distract him when it is going to be a touchy spot. When you do get to places where mats build up and the skin is tender, this is where the clippers can come in mighty handy. Simply clipping out the mats between the hind legs and behind the ears is way easier on the dog's tender skin and certainly works just as well if not better than yanking out those mats with a comb.

Building up to longer sessions is necessary. Keep the grooming sessions short and gradually make them longer. Grooming often, several times a week, a bit at a time, will get the dog used to being handled and combed. Just keep in mind that one step at a time will eventually lead to a dog that will love to lie down and get a nice grooming. It is a great time to bond with your dog and it is something that you can make the time for, if you just make up your mind to do it. Both of you will be happier, in the end.

Dog Food SECRETS™ gives advice on many aspects of dog care besides dog food, including dog grooming.

Click here to discover learn more..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.

10 Ways to Treat Your Dog Like Royalty

But on a Peasant's Income!

With a little imagination and perhaps a bit of elbow grease, you can spoil your dog with commonplace items found around the house, materials bought at a yard sale or just a good old big hug and a kiss. Here are 10 ways to help you spoil your dog.

1. There are many things that you probably already have around the house that will make a first-rate shampoo for your dog. A little bit of Aloe Vera gel in water works well for instance. It is very gentle on your dog’s skin and leaves their coat reasonably shiny. You can dilute a handful of Aloe Vera gel with water and then work the shampoo into your dog’s coat (it is best to apply this to a dry coat). Rinse thoroughly with warm water. If you prefer to have a frothy shampoo just add a little bit of baby shampoo to the mixture.

2. Doesn’t your dog deserve a festive season dog house party with some friends? You can bake doggie friendly treats, play games and hand out homemade gifts. Any season can be celebrated, Easter, Thanksgiving etc. Have a dog treat hunt and hide doggie treats around the yard or hide a piece of rawhide in the house so your dog can find it.

3. Are you a firm believer in everything having its place, and that includes your dog’s meal time? Lay a vinyl or plastic placemat under the dog bowls. This not only identifies the doggie dining room but it also minimizes the quantity of food bits that land on the uncovered floor.

4. If you have the space, why shouldn’t your dog have a room of their own? This could be a small closet or a large spare bedroom. Why not turn that spare space into the dog’s room complete with all of their toys, their bed and somewhere to store anything else they have.

5. Provide your dog with a toy chest. You can use an oversized basket, an old fruit crate or even an old laundry hamper. Get your dog’s toys and place them in the toy chest. Your dog will quickly learn that toys come from a particular area in the house. You might be taking on too much if you think you will be able to train them to put the toys back though but it does cut down on lost toys and mess in the long run.

6. If we can have indistinguishable food made to look better by a pretty plate, why can’t our dogs? Finding good china that’s suitable and strong enough to be pushed around the floor can be a challenge though. You should be able to find something at a thrift shop, a church bazaar or a garage sale. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the range of nice tableware that can be found at such places.

7. Do you have photo albums? Your dog is part of the family so what about combining family photos with dog photos or even devoting an entire album just to your dog? Which ever way you look at it your photos will be preserved and ready for viewing whenever you want to look at them.

8. Another time of year when you should involve your dog is during the festive season. Whether you exchange gifts all in one day or you span it out for a week, why not include your dog in the festive giving. You can prepare a stocking filled with treats, little toys and a new leash.

9. Although this is not a substitute for you physically being there, by leaving the radio on while you are out helps to reassure your dog that he is not alone. With a little experimenting with the radio dial, you are bound to find a radio station that your dog will enjoy.

10. Patios are great. You can sit outside, have a bite and watch the world go by. Many restaurants with patios will allow you to bring your dog, call ahead to make sure that a particular restaurant’s patio is dog friendly. When you find a place, take your dog and enjoy a meal in the great outdoors together.

With a little thought and inventiveness you can build on these tips and come up with your own ways to spoil your dog while preserving the cash in your wallet.

Dog Food SECRETS™ has lot's of recipes and advice for a healthy dog -- your dog really treats you like royalty every day, so treat them with your greatest respect in return..

Click here to discover more..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.

Dog Ear Infections

Turning a Gentle Animal Savage!

Brian Kilcommons relates a terrible story about a beautiful golden retriever dog who was usually very gentle and kind with children. It's owners had a girl aged 3 1/2, and they normally got along very well. Then one day the little girl grabbed the dog's ear. It snarled and bit her face. She needed 47 stitches in her face, and they put the dog down. The parents had the dog euthanized without bothering to find out what had caused this sudden change in their dog's behaviour. The vet, however, did an autopsy, and found our that this dog was suffering not one but two severe ear infections that were incredibly painful.

Ear infections usually start out mild, and in the outer ear. This dog's health was effectively neglected by it's owners. And when their toddler grabbed the infected ear, the dog, already in constant pain anyway, reacted out of instinct. By not taking the time to properly care for their pet, these owners were in fact responsible for what happened to their child. And then blamed the dog. And probably out of ignorance or anger, or both, they had it killed. Their emotional response to what happened to their child as a result of their own neglect aside, I find this absolutely reprehensible. And the tragedy that happened to their dog when they chose to kill it instead of investigating further, as well as the tragedy to their child, was totally avoidable.

Unlike these owners, show your dog the same level of care and love you'd show your children. Become aware of the signs of ear infections, what causes them, and how to avoid them, taking dogs to get treatment when it seems like they have one.

Ear infections can be caused by any number of things. Wet ears not dried after swimming or bathing, a build up of ear wax, grass seeds and fox tails, untreated ear mites, using cotton tips to clean ears (which pushes things further into the ear), and growths in the ear canal, can all lead to ear infections. If your dog is scratching at his ears, rubbing them, holding his head to one side, or down, shaking his head, or if they look bloody or waxy or swollen, they should be checked out. And if he cries when his ears are touched, this is another sign of a potential ear infection.

When untreated ear infections progress deeper into the ear, the pain the dog is in increases sharply. The dog may hold his head as still as possible, and to one side. And opening his mouth, or touching his head, will cause him pain. Dogs can also become dizzy, with poor balance and coordination, when the infection progresses to the inner ear. Dogs may walk around in circles, and vomit.

Ear infections are also related to skin allergies, especially food hypersensitivity dermatitis and canine atopy. Dogs with these conditions often develop inflamed ears. The dog's ears become very itchy, which creates an 'itch-scratch-itch' cycle that in turn creates scabs around the ear, hair loss, crustiness, and raw skin. The ear canals become filled with a brown wax.

Some dogs are also allergic to some ear medications. A common one is an antibiotic called neomycin, but can be any ear treatment products including cortisone, nystatin, chloramphenicol, thiabendazole, gentamicin, miconazole, and clortrimazole.

One thing of concern in dogs that are professionally groomed is the practice of plucking the hairs out of the dog's ear. The serum which then comes out of their pores is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which is a common cause of ear infection. Vets generally don't recommend you allow your dog's ears to be plucked unless their is a good medical reason to do so. An example of a good medical reason is if there is a large mat of hair that is blocking air flow.

If the mats of hair are in the ear canal, they should be removed by a vet only. If they're not, first soak the hair in a coat conditioner for a few minutes to soften it. Then, with your fingers, separate as much of the mat as possible. You may be able to untangle the rest of the mat with a comb, but more likely you'll need scissors or a mat splitter. Be very careful if you're using scissors. Using a comb, position it under the mat to protect the skin. Hold the scissors at right angles to the comb, and cut into the matted fur in narrow strips. Very gently, tease the mat out, and then comb out any snarls that are left. Regular grooming, with the right tools, will avoid mats forming in the first place.

Always check your dog's ears after he's been playing in long grasses. If you think there is a foxtail in his ear, take him to the vet's and don't try and get it out yourself. Fox tails can really damage the ear. If when you press gently on the ear canal he cries out in pain, there's a good chance there's a fox tail in there.

Dog Food SECRETS™ teaches you how to clean your dogs ears.

It is also a recorded fact that unhealthy dogs are more susceptible to ear infection (or any kind of infection/infestation) than their healthy counter-parts. A healthy diet substantially increases your dog's immunity to many different types of infection.

Click here to learn more..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.

Dog Treats

Sound Advice

What makes you love your dogs? Is it because of the way he loves you in return and the eagerness that you feel when he attempts to please? This love can be more emphasized through dog training as it creates the firm bond between you and your pal.

One well recognized method of dog training is through the use of dog treats. But dog treats are not for positive reinforcement dog training alone. Most dog owners have used them as snack alternatives. This does not proceed pleasurable experiences but may also aid in maintaining your pal's health.

Like with other pet stuffs, there are considerations that an owner should first evaluate before allowing his pet to dog treats. Health components concerning with calorie content is on the priority list.

One of the growing concerns on dog health nowadays is obesity. Almost half of American dogs are overweight. Like with the case of human, obesity may lead to a variety of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

Overindulgence is thought as one of the contributing reason for obesity. This may be due to human factor. Most owners tend to give dog treats on an unregulated basis. For most, it doesn't matter how many calories does a single biscuit may contain. To resolve this issue, an owner needs to cut back on the daily calorie intake of his pet until he reduces some weight. Controlling the quantity of dog treats throughout the day may be of great help. You may also choose to lessen his foods gradually until he reaches normal weight. In line with this, it is ideal to stick with dog treats with low calories. The subject on obesity may further be resolved through consulting the vet and to implement a regular exercise regimen.

It is also an ill practice to give your dog commercially produced human foods. Some of which may contain elements that are not suited for your dog's health. Commercial foods are also often rich with fats and calories and low in nutrients and vitamins. Moreover, this practice is really not healthy for your dog's manners. This only encourages begging. Give him his dog treats in his own place instead but always bearing the thought of how healthy the dog treats you give are.

Dog Food SECRETS includes a list of 20 foods we love that you should never feed to your dog.

Tips on Dog Treats Selection

It is always best to buy naturally produced dog treats. These save you from unnecessary additives that may post threats against your dog's health. Fat and sugar-rich dog treats are complete no-no. look for dog treats that have high concentration of fibers and protein.

Dog treats that are primarily made from fishes are good sources of unadulterated health components. These are great foods for human as well as dogs. They are low in calories and fats.

Avoid giving dog treats before any major meals. If you are training him using positive reinforcement, cut back portions of his meals to balance his diet with dog treats.

There are dog treats that are especially made to optimize your dog's health. Working in the same principle as that of the vitamin supplements. These are aids to maintain your dog's health and may even relieve symptoms of certain diseases.

Don't allow that dog treats may cover as much as ten percent of your pet's diet.

In choosing the ideal treat, it is helpful to rely on your best judgements. It is you who know your pet well enough but in cases of doubt, you may as well consult a veterinarian.

Dog Food SECRETS™ includes a bonus book of 23 hand-picked doggy snacks that dogs love, perfect for training or pampering your dog (but remember never to over-feed your dog).

Click here to discover more..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.

Dog Epilepsy

Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can be a most frightening experience. During seizures pets often lose control, fall over, chomp their teeth, salivate or drool, whine, paddle with their feet, and begin to urinate or deficate on themselves. Their eyes become large (dilated) and unresponsive. A pet caregiver feels panicked and helpless while watching it all happen.

Hopefully, you and your pet have never, and will never, have to experience this shocking event. But, if you have, or if you experience it in the future, this article will help you to understand what causes seizures, what you can do while your pet is having a seizure, and the various treatment options available.

What causes seizures? Epilepsy is one cause. Certain dog breeds are more susceptible to epilepsy. These include: cocker spaniels; poodles; collies; german shepherds; irish setters; golden retrievers; dachshunds, labrador retrievers, saint bernards, miniature schnauzers, siberian huskies, and wire-haired terriers. Veterinarians are not sure what causes this “hereditary” epilepsy.

In cats hereditary epilepsy is unusual. Vets can normally find the cause of seizures. These include chemical toxins (which includes chemical preservatives used in many pet foods), brain tumors, feline leukemia, feline infections, peritonitis, feline AIDS, head trauma, and problems with the liver and kidneys.

In dogs there are many causes of seizures besides hereditary epilepsy. Allergies to food and the chemicals, preservatives, and artificial flavors put into the foods can cause seizures. Other causes include liver and kidney disease, tumors, poisonings, and low blood sugars.

What can you do while your pet is having a seizure? Try to stay calm. This is hard to do, but using a calm, reassuring quiet voice will comfort your dog or cat. Move any furniture or other objects on which your pet could hurt itself. If you’re unable to move the object, place pillows or wrap blankets between the pet and the object. Slide something soft under your pet’s head, but be sure to keep your hands and face away from his head so that you don’t risk a possible bite. You can gently stroke his hip or side, but position yourself opposite the side of the feet and toenails as the muscle spasms make the feet curl into claws that can gouge or rake your skin. Dim the lights, and keep the environment as quiet as possible by turning off the TV and loud music.

If possible take notes about the seizure so that you can give details to your vet. Jot down the time of day it occurred, the length of each seizure, and the time in between each seizure if they are recurrent. Your vet will also want to know whether your pet urinated or deficated, if the seizure hit suddenly or progressed from mere body twitching, whether your pet regained consciousness, and how long it took before your pet appeared normal again. In addition, you’ll need to figure out whether there were any possible triggering events. These include loud noises such as fireworks, unusual items that were eaten, and excessive playing or exercise.

After the seizure, pets usually appear lost or drugged. This drugged state can last a few minutes to several hours depending on the severity of the seizure. Your pet may respond to you, but do so in a very slow manner. Since seizures are exhausting for your pet, he will probably want to sleep afterwards. It is best to allow him to sleep, but check in on him occasionally without disturbing his rest.

If this is your pet’s first seizure, call your vet as soon as possible. Some vets will want to see if another seizure occurs, while others will perform a variet of blood tests to check for anemia, liver & heart functions, calcium, glucose, & electrolyte levels. Your vet may even run a screen for possible toxins, take x-rays, or perform an electroencephalogram.

The test results may not indicate the specific reason for the seizure. In this case, your vet may wait to see if another seizure occurs or he/she may suggest medications. If the diagnosis is epilepsy, pets have an excellent chance to live a normal life as long as proper medical care and follow-up are provided.

If you discover the cause of the seizure, you may be able to eliminate future seizures by eliminating the seizure’s source. For instance, if the seizure is due to chemcial toxins, make sure your pet remains as free of toxins as possible. Provide human grade food and treats that do not contain chemical preservatives, fillers, or byproducts.

Dog Food SECRETS™ is the perfect resource to use for providing your dog with top grade healthy food that improves, prevents and cures many of the dog health problems caused by commercial dog food.

Clean your house with chemical-free products. Also, use more natural flea, tick, & heartworm prevention products as some of these products may lower your pet’s seizure threshold and make seizures more difficult to control. Avoid products containing organophosphate insecticides. For safer heartworm prevention, use products containing interceptor and filaribits.

What can you do if your pet’s seizure condition cannot be cured and you realize you and your pet may have to live with the seizures? In the past, the only treatment options available were strong anticonvulsants that could have serious side effects. These still may be your only option. But, more natural approaches have been found to help some pets, either prior to stronger medications or in addition to them so that you may be able to lower the dose. There are a variety of treatment options that include a natural diet, acupuncture, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbs, and conventional medications.

As mentioned above, give your pet a human grade diet, free of chemicals and additives. Also, remove other toxins from your pet’s environment. Clean with natural products and use more natural flea, tick, and heartworm prevention measures.

Minimize stress in your pet’s life. Try to avoid sudden changes in his environment, loud noises, and other stressful situations.

You can also try herbs that act as sedatives. These include valerian root, kava, skullcap and oatstraw. Note that when using herbs and supplements, you may need to lower the dosage of other anticonvulsants.

Several supplements appear to help in preventing seizures. Try an antioxidant combination of Vitamin C, E, B-6, and selenium. Your vet can recommend the dosage for your pet. Magnesium and DMG (dimethyl glycine) are other helpful supplements.

Acupuncture is another helpful option which has helped to control seizures in many pets. Sometimes just placing an ear acupuncture tack in a dog’s ear will stop seizures, and this only requires one acupuncture visit.

If the ear tack doesn’t work, gold implants can be placed in different locations under a pet’s head. Or your pet can be treated with traditional chinese acupuncture.

As you can see, there are many natural approaches to treating seizures in pets. These should help your beloved pet to live a normal and comfortable life.

Click here to discover how you can use food to improve the health of your dog..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.

Tips For Treating Dog Diabetes

When a dog has canine diabetes, it is important to regulate their food intake. Not only do you need to watch how much sugar they are consuming, you also need to monitor the amount of food they get, plus how often they are fed. It is usually recommended that you feed them 2 to 3 smaller meals throughout the day rather than one large meal. The smaller meals helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, while one large meal can cause insulin levels to spike high, only to have them plummet 12 hours later. When the blood sugar drops too low, your dog could begin to suffer from hypoglycemia, a serious condition. If this should happen, you need provide immediate sugar to your dog (honey rubbed on the dog’s gums will work) and get your pet to the vet's office immediately. This is much like a human diabetic who carries around a cube of sugar or a chocolate bar with them for just this purpose.

So, what should you feed your diabetic dog? The following are some guidelines that will help toward keeping insulin levels normalized and in control.

Avoid Foods That Contain Sugar

This would seem to be an obvious thing to do. Yet, most dog owners really have no idea just how much sugar and carbohydrates are contained in manufactured dog food. (For the record, carbohydrates are converted into glucose by the body - in other words - sugar). Dry dog food, as well as those soft-moist foods (in those cellophane packages) are the worst culprits. Should you continue to feed your dog commercial dog food, switch to a high-quality canned food instead - and read the ingredients on the label!

The Best Dog Food Diet Is Homemade

Raw and homemade dog foods are the best solution. In this way, you will know exactly what your dog is eating and how much sugar/carbohydrates they are consuming. Feeding a homemade diet doesn't have to be hard or expensive. There are many books on the market that can help you with recipes and advice.

Choose Foods Low In Fat

The pancreas not only regulates insulin and blood sugar levels, it also works to produce enzymes in the process of breaking down fat. As you don't want to over-stress the pancreas, you need to choose meats that are low in fat. Stay away from ground beef and other red meats and cut off the extra fat from chicken and turkey. Some fat is obviously necessary for good health...but try to keep it to a minimum.

Certain Grains Are Beneficial

Although you need to be careful with the amount of grain given an animal (animals don't digest grains as well as humans due to their shorter digestive tract), some grains are better to serve than others when it comes to canine diabetes. Rice, millet and oats are usually the preferable choices to help regulate insulin levels and provide fiber. Some professionals also recommend cornmeal, however dogs sometimes have allergic reactions to corn, as well as wheat. It's best to keep in mind that grains are carbohydrates which the body turns into glucose to use for energy, so keep it to a minimum.

Add Brewer's Yeast

A natural chromium-containing substance called “glucose tolerance factor” is found in regular brewers yeast. Its main function is to help assist the body in using blood sugar more efficiently. Try adding one teaspoon of brewers yeast to your dog's food with each meal.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a natural supplement that helps to reduce the need for insulin in the body. Providing your dog with a Vitamin E capsule once per day is suggested. Recommended dosage is between 25UI and 200 UI, depending on the size of your dog.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

Raw fruits and vegetables are ideal in providing vitamins and nutrients, while helping to keep blood sugars stabilized. The natural occurring sugars shouldn't throw insulin levels out of sync, unlike refined processed sugar.

Fruits are a great idea for a treat between meals; however don't include them with the main meals as the fruit could ferment in your dog's stomach when combined with meats, grains and vegetables.

Most vegetables can be served raw; however a few should be cooked, such as winter squash (good for diabetic dogs), dandelion greens, and potatoes. Raw foods such as alpha sprouts, parsley and garlic (capsule or fresh) are wonderful choices for this disease. Carrots can be either raw or cooked. (By the way - garlic helps to stimulate the digestive tract and is an excellent choice to serve your pet, regardless if the dog has diabetes or not).

The above dietary guidelines are just that - guidelines. It's important that you speak with your vet about a canine diabetes diet and also to serve the foods that your dog can tolerate well. Stay away from baked treats made with flour and sugar, as well as table scraps as these can cause insulin levels to become erratic.

Dog Food SECRETS™ teaches you exactly how to provide a healthy diet for your dog.

Click here to discover how..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training

Dog Diabetes

Dog Diabetes: A Serious Dog Disease That is Completely Manageable

Canine diabetes is a serious disease that causes there to be too much glucose in the blood. If your pet has any of the signs, a dog health exam will help you find out with certainty. Canine diabetes symptoms usually include the following:

- drinking excessive amounts of water
- frequent urination
- weight gain (or weight loss in some cases)
- increased lethargy during the day

A simple blood test can tell the vet if the glucose counts look suspicious. You should have a full physical exam done on your dog annually, even if he seems perfectly healthy. Be sure to ask your vet to include a full blood work-up, to rule out diabetes (as well as many other diseases). It’s well worth the added cost!

If your pet has been diagnosed with canine diabetes, don’t panic. While it is a ‘special needs’ issue that will influence many daily decisions, it is a manageable disease in dogs. You just have to learn some simple steps and stick to a schedule.

The first goal after a canine diabetes diagnosis is to get the glucose levels down to a normal (or only slightly elevated) level. This will not require thorough dog health exams like the original blood test. The vet can draw some blood and test the levels fairly quickly, with minimal cost to you.

Canine diabetes means someone must administer insulin injections (in most cases). They are easy to do and will quickly become routine. One person in the family should be responsible for the shots, but everyone should know how to give them (age teen and up) in case of a dog health emergency. I highly recommend posting a printout of how to give the injection to your pet in every room in your house, just in case.

In our house, where we have a diabetic dog, we made a canine diabetes “Dog Health Cheat Sheet” for potential problems, like these:

- too much insulin is accidentally injected
- the needle breaks off while in the dog
- there’s a seizure (not common, but can happen occasionally)

The cheat sheet includes the vet’s emergency number and some basic actions to take in each scenario. We made several copies to be posted all over the house, but especially by the phone, the fridge (where the insulin is kept), and the bed (where our dog hangs out a lot).

The other goal with canine diabetes is to maintain the glucose level (with your vet’s help). It is crucial to take your pet periodically to the vet for a whole day (8-hour period at least) so they can check blood sugar levels throughout the day. Just as in humans, blood sugar levels fluctuate in your pet throughout the day. Having your vet monitor and take several blood readings during a longer stretch of time helps ensure that your diabetes treatments are actually working as intended.

It’s a little more work to care for diabetic dogs, no doubt about it. But our pets are family members and we love them dearly. Right? They give us their devotion, protection, and love, so the least we can do in return is give them proper health care, especially if they have problems like canine diabetes. Going the extra mile for them will help them live happier lives with less pain and more enjoyment. Can there be a nobler goal?

Commercial dog food companies have created this epidemic sweeping the US and other developed country dog populations. Their processed food has high levels of sugar to make it more palatable to the animal. The benefit to them is increased sales because dog owners see their beloved canine woof down the food like its the best they've ever eaten and consequently make the decision to keep buying it.

Dog Food SECRETS™ teaches you how to use food to prevent canine diabetes and other many other diseases associated with commercial dog food through a balanced and natural diet.

Click here to discover how..

May your dog have a long and happy life,

Andrew Lewis

Click here to learn the truth about Dog Training.