ATLANTA — Often when pets are in pain their owners suffer and don’t know what to do.

Acupuncture technique involves using stainless steel needles inserted into specific points based on specific individual problems.

Dr. Steve Winkour practices veterinary acupuncture, which he began after mainstream methods did not work for some patients.

“I can understand how people need to see the hard core science behind it, but when you see the response and improvement, it’s hard not to believe,” Winkour said.

One pet owner, Jennie Medeiros, said she took her dog in for pet acupuncture after her dog, Buffet, stopped being active and stopped eating. Buffet was diagnosed with arthritis, but Medeiros turned to veterinary acupuncture.
To read more of this article on canine acupuncture click on www.cbs46.com

From dietary changes to medicines to acupuncture, there’s help for Rogue Valley dogs and cats with arthritis

By Meg Landers
Mail Tribune Oregon

Mark and Julie Hunter of Medford thought they’d have to euthanize their dog, Roxy, after the 125-pound bull mastiff developed debilitating arthritis in her spine and could barely move a year ago.

“She didn’t walk for a month,” said Julie Hunter. The X-rays revealed that their family dog had arthritic spondylosis, a degenerative spinal disorder.

“It’s fusing her spine together,” said Mark Hunter.

But with the help of their veterinarian, they put Roxy on anti-inflammatory drugs and other medication, began including glucosamine supplements in her diet, and began giving her massages.

Now Roxy is dogged by pain no more. Though she still has arthritis, the 5-year-old canine is able to walk to the park with them again.

“She is not on any medications anymore,” said Julie Hunter, although she noted that her husband does have to pick up Roxy to load her into their truck.

Arthritis is common in many dogs and cats, says the Hunter’s veterinarian, Dr. Michael Morrow of Crater Animal Clinic in Central Point.

But there are an increasing number of treatments available for young and old furry companions alike to relieve joint pain and maintain mobility.

Morrow will give a talk on managing arthritis in pets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Medford’s Central Library, 205 S. Central Ave., Medford. The public talk is free and refreshments will be provided. (Sorry, pets aren’t invited.)

Signs that a pet may have arthritis include stiffness after an activity or after lying down, limping and the inability to climb or descend stairs, he said. Arthritis commonly shows up in dogs in hips, knees and elbows.

“In cats we tend to see it more in the elbows and pelvic area,” he said, adding that it’s harder to notice in cats, and likely goes undiagnosed often.

Morrow suggests alleviating pain through dietary changes, keeping a low weight and exercise. There are also joint supplements people can give to their pets, and many pets respond well to acupuncture.

Robyn Stearns of Prospect said she took in Duke, a border collie, several years ago because he had a broken leg and his owner was going to shoot him. A veterinarian helped mend the Duke’s leg, but now the 8-year-old dog seems to have trouble with the leg.

“We’ve noticed in the last couple years he started to limp,” she said.

Medication, food supplements and acupuncture have helped, she said, but it’s not enough.

“He really hurts,” said Stearns. So Duke is beginning stem cell therapy this week, which uses stem cells extracted from the dog’s own fat.

Stearns, who rescues border collies and currently has 18 of them, has another, named Rau (pronounced “roo.”) Stearns said, after noticing a dramatic decline in Rau’s activity level, she learned the 7-year-old male had arthritis. The vet began acupuncture treatments and dietary supplements. They’ve worked.

“He’s running and he’s running sheep,” she said. “He’s even gotten to the point that he’s running cows.”

Morrow said acupuncture is an alternative therapy that seems to alleviate pain in some, but not all, pets.

April 23, 2008 — From Scientific American

WASHINGTON - U.S. makers of pet food and all other animal feed will be prevented from using certain materials from cattle at the greatest risk for spreading mad cow disease under a rule that regulators finalized on Wednesday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which oversees animal feed, said excluding high-risk materials from cattle 30 months of age or older from all animal feed will prevent any accidental cross-contamination between ruminant feed (intended for animals such as cattle) and non-ruminant feed or feed ingredients.

The new rule takes effect in April, 2009.

Contamination could occur during manufacture, transport or through the accidental misfeeding of non-ruminant feed to ruminant animals.

Canada and the United States banned the inclusion of protein from cows and other ruminant animals such as goats and sheep in cattle feed in 1997, following a mad cow outbreak in Britain.

The measure issued today finalizes a proposed rule opened for public comment in October 2005. It goes into effect on April 23, 2009.

The major U.S. safeguards against mad cow disease are the feed ban, a prohibition against slaughtering most “downer” cattle — animals too sick to walk on their own — for human food, and a requirement for meatpackers to remove from carcasses the brains, spinal cords and other parts most likely to contain the malformed proteins blamed for the disease.

Mad cow disease is a fatal, brain-wasting disease believed to be spread by contaminated feed. People can contract a human version of the disease, know as Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, or vCJD, which scientists believe can be spread by eating contaminated parts from an infected animal.

The United States has found three cases of mad cow disease, including the first one detected in December of 2003. Soon after, U.S. beef exports were virtually halted. U.S. official have been slowly working to resume beef shipments.

FDA bans certain cattle parts from all animal feed………..
To read the entire story, click Here

Toxic chemicals found in dogs, cats, study finds
By Doug Oakley
East Bay Daily News
Article Launched: 04/17/2008 08:27:40 PM PDT

Fire retardants, mercury and stain-proof coatings are just some of the chemicals found in the bodies of live dogs and cats in a new study by an environmental group pushing for more regulation.

The chemicals could point to an increase in cancer and hyperthyroidism in cats and dogs, according to the Environmental Working Group, which released the study at a news conference in Berkeley on Thursday.

The group tested blood and urine from 20 dogs and 37 cats in a Virginia veterinary clinic. It found 48 industrial chemicals were present.

The pets likely ingested the chemicals because they live close to floors and lick the ground and their paws, the group said. Infants and toddlers also are close to the ground and put things in their mouths, which puts them at the same kind of risk as cats and dogs, the group said.

That scenario underscores the need for state and federal legislation requiring proof that chemicals are safe before putting them in consumer products, said Bill Walker, vice president of the group’s West Coast operations.

“We need a better system of regulating toxic chemicals in this country,” Walker said. “We need to test the chemicals before they are allowed on the market. Our animals are trying to tell us something here.”

Gary Richter, a veterinarian at Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland who attended the news conference, said he is worried about household chemicals and their effects on pets.

“There’s been an increase in cancer in dogs and cats and hyperthyroidism in cats,” Richter said. “Household toxins are concerning. We hope the research community can determine if the causes are environmental.”

Richter said the high number of cases of cancer and hyperthyroidism in pets can be attributed to better diagnosing of the illnesses. The fact that cats and dogs are living longer means they get more diseases as a result, he added.

Kendra Borja, a spokeswoman for the American Chemistry Council, which represents chemical manufacturers, said she had not seen the animal study, but said tests of chemicals in humans can be misleading without some context.

To read the rest of this article visit mercurynews.com

Bring Your Mat, and Man’s Best Friend
Yoga for Dogs Is Becoming Increasingly Popular Around the World
By RYAN OWENS and MELIA PATRIA
April 1, 2008

For thousands of years, the ancient practice of yoga has led to peace and enlightenment for people wishing to unite their body and mind. While some techniques have changed over time, chances are the early gurus did not anticipate the newest set of devotees: dogs.

“We’re going to Om, but I want you to actually Om towards the dog,” said instructor Kari Harendorf in front of a yoga class for dogs and their owners. “Inhale, Ommmm, Ommmm,” she continued.

The latest fitness craze for dog lovers is called “doga” and it’s coming to a mat near you. In a typical doga class, owners help their pups facilitate different poses, and they also do their own poses using the animals as helpful props. Owners also perform doggy massage and acupressure to help soothe and relax their pets.

“This is about you and your dog, and time with your dog,” said Harendorf as she began the class and instructed the owners on how to gently stretch their dogs’ legs and paws.

To read more of the ABC News article click on abcnews.go.com

Warming Recipe for your Dog

We all know there is nothing like a nice warm home cooked meal on a cold damp winter night. Here is a recipe for those dogs who suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia and other ailments made worse by the cold damp.

This is the recipe I used for my dog Merlin, a German Shepherd who suffered from hip dysplasia. He received regular acupuncture treatments, took Chinese herbs and had home-cooked congee for his meals. Merlin lived to be almost 15 years old.

Recipe for Merlin’s Magic Congee

Grains should be thoroughly cooked for animals, as they don’t really chew their food. Congee is a Chinese dish made from rice, meat and vegetables that is slow cooked and easy to digest

In a crock pot or heavy pot with lid add:

* 5 cups of spring or filtered (not tap) water or free-range chicken broth.
* 1 cup of grain.
* Several pieces of frozen or fresh organic chicken or turkey.
* 1 cup or more of chopped or frozen veggies such as carrots, celery, sweet potato, yams, parsley,string beans.

Use brown rice during the cold winter months. Use white basmati rice for spring or summer.

If cooking in a crock pot, set on low and cook for 4-6 hours. If using a heavy pot on the stove, set the flame or electric burner on the lowest setting, and cook for 4-6 hours.

New York Times
By MICHELLE SLATALLA
Published: March 13, 2008

WHEN my dog Otto was a puppy he behaved like an idiot, even for a Labrador retriever.

We haven’t been invited back to the Hamptons since the time he stole a cheeseburger from the hand of a child. Then he jumped into the pool, climbed out and shook himself off on the guests. That was probably forgivable. What came next — joyfully vomiting pool water, grass and ground beef at the host’s feet — was not.

I would like to say this behavior was atypical. But Otto was a spirited dog. He once toppled an elderly neighbor after he snouted her crotch too enthusiastically.

How I miss those days.

Now Otto is a slow-moving 9: X-rays show that he is arthritic, with swollen elbows. His orthopedist recently said he had a bulging disk. Despite every treatment known to modern veterinary science — from glucosamine tablets to prednisone to monthly injections designed to protect the cartilage in his joints — the only thing Otto throws himself into these days is our other dog’s food bowl.

Nobody is happy about Otto. A few weeks ago, he watched dejectedly as my husband and I set off on a hike without him.

Then, at the very place on the trail where Otto once rolled happily on the carcass of a dead mouse, we suddenly heard a rhino crashing through the bushes.

A crazy-eyed, burr-covered retriever emerged. We would have mistaken the dog for the ghost of Otto’s youth if not for its white, old man’s muzzle.

The dog’s owner appeared on the trail a few seconds later.

“How old is he?” my husband asked, absently picking a burr from behind the dog’s ear.

“Twelve,” the owner said.

“He’s in great shape,” my husband said.

“He used to be barely able to walk,” the owner said.

What helped relieve the dog’s arthritis and joint pain? Acupuncture, the owner said.

We were skeptical. “Otto would pull out the needles with his teeth,” my husband replied.

“No, it doesn’t bother them,” the owner insisted.

We watched his dog grab a 10-foot branch at the side of the trail and wave it dangerously, like a scimitar. Just like Otto used to.

“Any minute now, he’ll put out someone’s eye with that sharp tip,” I said wistfully.

The next morning, I Googled “veterinary acupuncture.” That is how I learned that this version of the ancient Chinese therapy that calls for inserting needles into specific locations on pets is gaining steam, even outside Northern California.
To read the rest of this article click on newyorktimes.com

Please do not give your pets tap water!

AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water

By JEFF DONN, MARTHA MENDOZA and JUSTIN PRITCHARD – 4 hours ago

A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe.

But the presence of so many prescription drugs — and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen — in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.

In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas — from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.

Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public “doesn’t know how to interpret the information” and might be unduly alarmed.

How do the drugs get into the water?

People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies — which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public — have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.

“We recognize it is a growing concern and we’re taking it very seriously,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Members of the AP National Investigative Team reviewed hundreds of scientific reports, analyzed federal drinking water databases, visited environmental study sites and treatment plants and interviewed more than 230 officials, academics and scientists. They also surveyed the nation’s 50 largest cities and
A vast array of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones — have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.

To be sure, the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals are tiny, measured in quantities of parts per billion or trillion, far below the levels of a medical dose. Also, utilities insist their water is safe.

But the presence of so many prescription drugs — and over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen — in so much of our drinking water is heightening worries among scientists of long-term consequences to human health.

In the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas — from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.

Water providers rarely disclose results of pharmaceutical screenings, unless pressed, the AP found. For example, the head of a group representing major California suppliers said the public “doesn’t know how to interpret the information” and might be unduly alarmed.

How do the drugs get into the water?

People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

And while researchers do not yet understand the exact risks from decades of persistent exposure to random combinations of low levels of pharmaceuticals, recent studies — which have gone virtually unnoticed by the general public — have found alarming effects on human cells and wildlife.

“We recognize it is a growing concern and we’re taking it very seriously,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator for water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

To read the rest of this article click on ap.google.com

If your dog is elderly or sick you may want to make sure he wears a coat while outside in extreme weather.

Make sure your dog’s bed is away from any drafty areas in the house.

Clean your dog’s feet after a walk to remove salt, ice particles and road chemicals. They are not any easier on your dog’s feet than they would be on yours.

Hypothermia and Frostbite

Hypothermia is the drastic drop in body temperature which can result from prolonged exposure in extremely low temperatures. Leaving your pets out unprotected for several hours in freezing weather can be fatal. Hypothermia may cause heart problems, kidney failure and neurological problems.

Signs of hypothermia are:
• Shivering
• Dilated pupils
• Pale or blue mucous membranes
• Unconsciousness
• Coma
First Aid for hypothermia:
• Immediately remove the animal from the cold.
• Check for shock.
• Administer CPR if needed.
• Wrap animal in blanket.
• Place warm water bottles next to him.
• Go to the nearest veterinary hospital.

Frostbite is caused by the freezing of exposed skin or a body part. Body parts of dogs and cats are most susceptible to the tips of their ears, their tails and the pads of their feet.

Signs of frostbite are:
• Skin discoloration.
• Skin may turn pale or black.
• Lack of sensation or pain at the affected
First Aid for frostbite:
• Get the animal out of the cold.
• Gently apply a warm compress to the area.
• Spray the affected area with warm (not hot) water.
• Go to the nearest veterinary hospital.

By Joan Gralla
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) -

Captain gets it to ease his arthritis and it helps Mishaka’s bad back, but with fangs and claws they are not your typical acupuncture patients — they’re dogs.

The ancient Chinese system of therapy that has helped to soothe the aches, pains and ailments of people for thousands of years is now doing the same for canines.

“She is so happy, she relaxes, her tail wags and she just plops herself down to get her treatment. She likes it,” said New York resident Sissy Stamm, about 12-year-old Mishaka.

The Caucasian Ovcharka, who tips the scales at about 120 pounds and was bred to guard sheep, doesn’t seem to mind having needles inserted into her limbs during her weekly acupuncture sessions in Stamm’s apartment.

The traditional medicine treats a wide range of illnesses, from skin problems to heart conditions, according to Vikki Weber, the executive director of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in Fort Collins, Colorado.

At least 2,000 vets in the United States practice acupuncture, although no official statistics exist on how many animals undergo the procedure. Prices for the average visit for a cat or dog run around $50 to $85, added Weber, whose group runs courses for vets around the world.

The treatment, which vets can study at schools such as Colorado State University and the Chi Institute in Gainesville, Florida, is also very popular in the horse racing industry.

Captain, a high-strung 10-year-old Dalmatian, enthusiastically greeted Dr. Jeffrey Levy, the New York vet who treats him for arthritis.

“He gets all excited, he runs out in the hall and then tries to stick his face in the bag Dr. Levy brings and pull all the treats out,” said his owner, Elizabeth Kumin, a Manhattan professional.

She turned to acupuncture for her pet after two anti-inflammatory drugs and a cortisone shot failed to help. When scheduling problems halted his acupuncture treatment Captain grew worse, she said.

To read the rest of this article click here.