Is Your Dog Getting Older? Arthritic?

From Daily Kibble:  Therapeutic Wares for Arthritic and Aging Dogs


Draper Canine Therapy is a new line of dog jackets, blankets and beds featuring the revolutionary material Celliant/Holofiber, which in humans has been proven to contribute to relief from soreness, stiffness and swelling, and even to increase energy and help muscles recover after exertion.


When Draper saw what it could do for humans, the company decided to create a therapeutic line using the same materials for arthritic and aging dogs.

We love this idea!  This is one of many good ideas for extending the quality of life of our older little buddies.  Take a look at this rig designed for Mr Peabody, who owns Lisa S. in Portland, OR.  At two shows in Washington State this month, Mr PB was trotting all over the place, visiting his major girlfriend (me) and making sure he was keeping up with all the activities on the show floor.

And for a really special treat at bath time or any time, give your dog a break from gravity by letting him soak in a large tub or pool of warm water to soothe his aching joints.  Toss in a couple handsful of our Anti-Dandruff Salt Scrub, made from Dead Sea salt, Epsom salts, and lots of other soothing ingredients, including Rosemary essential oil.  The salts will make your dog even more buoyant, will chase away pests and stimulate his skin, and the aromatherapy will delight you both.

Restrictions on Tick and Flea Products

EPA to Tighten Restrictions on Tick and Flea Products

By Kim Chipman, March 17 (Bloomberg) 

"The Obama administration said it will increase restrictions on tick-and-flea “spot-on” pesticides for pets because of a rise in adverse reactions in cats and dogs, including seizures and death.

“These are poisons,” Steve Owens, assistant administrator in the Environmental Protection Agency’s pesticides and toxic substances office, told reporters today on a conference call. “They are products designed to kill fleas and ticks.”

"The EPA will start reviewing product labels to determine which require more information and will develop more stringent testing and evaluation requirements, the agency said today in a statement. Names must be different for products to treat cats and dogs to avoid confusion, the agency said.

"Merck & Co.’s Defend, Merial Ltd.’s Frontline and Bayer Healthcare LLC’s Advantage products are among dozens of brand names registered with the government as of May last year, the EPA pesticide office reported."

     We have reprinted a portion of this article because we receive so many questions about this topic, specifically about the safety of flea and tick repelling products that are applied directly to the skin. While the  EPA states that most incidents or deaths result from inappropriate application (e.g., using a larger dose on a smaller animal), we have seen adverse reactions on many dogs even when the products are used according to the manufacturer's directions.

    Please read the full article for further details on this issue.  The fact that the EPA is interested in this issue is of great concern to us.  Consider carefully.  The risks of an infestation of fleas and the resulting diseases they can bring must be carefully weighed against the risks of using strong toxic chemicals to keep them away.  

     One recommendation we have for you is to place a few drops of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca) on the outside of your dog's collar. Do not let it touch your dog's skin directly.  It does not take much to be effective. We do not recommend this for cats.

    We wish you the best of good fortune as we move rapidly into flea season. 

Best wishes - Dr Adelia

The DERMagic System: total skin care for dermatitis in dogs

The story of DERMagic begins with Shenanigan, our three-year-old Yorkie who was about to be euthanized after six months of unsuccessful treatments by several veterinarians.  Shenani had a particularly nasty form of black skin disease, compounded with an underlying fungus, probably yeast.  She was never properly diagnosed.  The first prototype of DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion saved her life and restored her beautiful coat to show condition.

Now our story is about saving dogs and cats from miserable itch and painful skin conditions.  Watch our video and hear the heart-felt testimonials of three delighted pet parents whose pets are no longer tortured by itchy skin!

Are you using Atopica for your dog skin allergies?

If your dog is on Atopica, a prescription immuno-suppressant, read below what the vets know about it.  Allergies cause the immunity of dog skin to be depressed and this allows infections (both fungal and bacterial) and infestations (like mites) to enter and spread.  Atopica is another name for Cyclosporine.  




THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD

Atopic dermatitis is not only one of the most common skin diseases in dogs; it is also one of the most frustrating conditions seen by veterinarians.  Most vets do not know how to diagnose and treat this condition without prescribing harmful drugs.

MOVING BEYOND TRADITIONAL THERAPIES

Traditional treatments have taken a quick-fix approach (e.g., steroids, shampoos, antihistamines, etc.) with unpredictable, far from ideal results. Many dogs continue to suffer, while their owners feel helpless and hopeless.

• 86% of clients have been frustrated by their dog's atopy*
• 64% have visited multiple veterinarians to treat their dog's atopic dermatitis*
• This product, although FDA-approved, is dangerous because it only relieves SYMPTOMS, but doesn't treat the CAUSE and does not treat the resulting infection.

As with all drugs, side effects may occur. In a field study, the most common side effects were gastrointestinal signs. Gingival hyperplasia and papillomas may also occur during the initial dosing phase. ATOPICA is a systemic immunosuppresant that may increase the susceptibility to infection. ATOPICA is not for use in reproducing dogs or dogs with a history of neoplasia.

What is cyclosporine (Atopica)?
Cyclosporine is a medication designed to suppress the immune system, to treat auto-immune diseases like psoriasis. Though powerful, it causes very few serious reactions when used for short periods of time (days, weeks, or a few months). It is considered a short-term treatment for psoriasis and is safest when given for less than one year.  Problems with kidney function, including kidney failure, and hypertension can occur in cases where the drug is used for over one year.

Please check our website and read about allergies and how to treat the manifestation of allergic responses, safely and with no side-effects with DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion.  Don't crash your pet's immunity to skin disease!  Rescue him from it with our all-natural, topical products that are 100% guaranteed effective, or your purchase price cheerfully refunded.


Be safe, and keep your pets safe and infection-free this season!
Dr Adelia

DERMagic Products Now Available in Canada

Good news for our beloved "neighbors to the north"!  It has been expensive for our Canadian friends to buy DERMagic products on our website.  We love our customers but we don't like this!  Our goal is to make our products available all over the world without costing an arm and a hind leg for shipping.  And we're getting there!

Meet our friends at Metro Pet Market in Regina, Saskatchewan.  You may contact them by phone, fax, email, or just drop in and take your four-legged buddies with you!

DERMagic Awarded FIDO FRIENDLY Top 100 Pet Products!

DERMagic Skin Care for Animals product line is awarded Fido Friendly magazine 2010 Top 100 pet products of the year!  Best skin care products for dogs and cats on the market.   Buy your issue now and read about Holly Madison and her dog Napoleon in the Vegas Hei$t!  www.fidofriendly.com

DAILY KIBBLE on Dog Skin Allergies

Does your dog have skin allergies?Or is it something else?
Dog skin allergies are becoming increasingly common. Food, carpeting, blankets, dust mites, mold spores in the air, pollen, plastic food dishes, and ornamental plants all have the potential to trigger allergies in dogs. In some instances, a highly allergic pet may be diagnosed as having several allergies at once. And the severity of allergies, which can be seasonal or year ‘round, varies greatly. The most common symptom of an allergy is intense itching (known as pruritus), which may be localized at spots or might be systemic, covering the pet's entire body.
Pet owners expect their dogs to scratch themselves now and then. However, excessive and persistent scratching, licking, biting and hair loss may be signs of an allergy. When a vet diagnoses a dog’s itchiness and inflammation as a potential allergy, there are some expensive vet bills and treatment costs awaiting this pet parent.
But what if it isn’t an allergy? Even if the condition began as an allergic response to something, the itching, scratching, chewing may be the result of a secondary infection that set in as a result of a crashed immune system either from the allergy or from the steroids administered to treat the symptoms. To learn more about steroid-free allergy care, click here.

The World's Cutest Ewok. Oh Wait! It's a DOG!

When it comes down to the decision whether to write a blog entry or to play with my dog, most of the time Koukla wins.  She's the Boss of me, after all, and I have to do whatever she says.  Just look at that face...  Who could resist it?

Koukla is a Shih Tzu, with all the skin problems that Shih Tzus can have.  We keep her skin in great condition with Darwin's Natural Pet raw organic food, but there's always a critter or a fungus lurking, especially this time of year with Spring springing all over!  Sure enough, something bit her on the neck and made her itch like crazy, so out came the DERMagic Skin Rescue Lotion!  The very next day, the booboo was scabbed over and healing, and not itching at all.  

Keep it handy!  Bug Bite Season is coming soon to a neighborhood near you!

Best wishes for an itch-free summer!

Dr Adelia