Do animals have dental disease?

Sure they do! Dental disease is actually seen more  often in pets than it is in humans. Why? Because pets can’t brush or floss their teeth. So it’s no surprise that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of dental disease by the age of four.  In fact, dental disease is probably one of the most common health problems in dogs and cats.

In humans, the cavity is the most common form of dental disease, but in dogs and cats, it’s tartar buildup. Tartar causes irritation of the gums, loosening of the teeth, exposure of the tooth roots, infection, tooth abscesses, and, eventually, tooth loss. An untreated infection within the mouth may be picked up by the bloodstream and carried to other parts of the body. The result can be more serious health risks, such as kidney, liver and heart disease. Also, sore, painful and loose teeth can make your pet very uncomfortable and unwilling or unable to eat properly.

Won’t feeding my pet dry food prevent dental problems?

Most people believe that feeding their pets dry food is enough to ward off dental problems. Not so. Diet is probably much less important to prevent tartar buildup than most people think. Dry food is less sticky, of course, and does not adhere to the teeth as readily as canned food. But, eating dry food does not remove tartar from the teeth.  Certain chewing toys or strips (especially those that contain enzymes) designed to clean the teeth may help tartar buildup somewhat, but only a professional cleaning by your veterinarian can remove tartar once it forms.

What contributes to dental disease in pets?

One of the main factors is your pet’s individual mouth chemistry. Some pets need yearly cleanings; others need cleanings only once every few years. Breed also plays a role in your pet’s dental health. Small dogs, especially those with short faces (Pekingeses, pugs, etc.) are particularly prone to dental problems, as are Persian cats.

How can I tell if my pet has dental disease?

Well, bad breath is one obvious clue. But you may also see yellow-brown teeth covered with a barnacle-like hard substance and red irritated gums that bleed easily. You may even see loose teeth that are very tender to the touch. However, the best way to determine if your pet needs a dental cleaning is to have your veterinarian do a dental health checkup.

What does a dental cleaning involve?

If your vet determines that your pet needs a dental cleaning, here’s what happens. First, your pet must be completely anesthetized. It is not possible to thoroughly clean the teeth if your pet is awake. Your pet’s teeth will be cleaned, scaled with an ultrasonic scaler, and polished. A thorough evaluation of the teeth will determine if any of them need to be pulled. The vet will examine the entire oral cavity to look for abnormalities such as tumors or deep infections of the gums or jawbone.

After the cleaning, your pet may need to take oral antibiotics and eat a softer diet for a few days, particularly if there was a lot of infection or if many teeth had to be extracted.  When your pet goes home, you will be advised on the proper dental care program for your pet.

So, to keep your pet smiling, schedule regular veterinary dental exams!

By Virginia Clemans, DVM

Vitamin E is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. The concentration of naturally occurring vitamin E activity varies considerably in typical feeds used for horses. Fresh forages and immature harvested forages
contain the highest concentrations of vitamin E activity, ranging from 15 – 50 IU/lb. Grains, such as oats and corn tend to have lower concentrations, from 10 – 15 IU/lb. Vitamin E content declines over time in stored grains and
hay. For example, vitamin E in alfalfa stored for 12 weeks has been reported to decline 54 – 73 percent. Vitamin E intake will be extremely variable in typical, unfortified diets for horses. Therefore, choosing a formulated feed that is fortified with vitamin E will ensure adequate vitamin E intake. Fortification may be accomplished with synthetic or natural vitamin E sources. The natural source, alpha-tocopherol, is more readily absorbed and is more effective at improving vitamin E status in the body, but is usually more unstable than synthetic sources.

According to the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirement of Horses, the vitamin E requirements for horses have not changed since the NRC was last published in 1989. For a mature horse at maintenance the
requirement is reported to be 0.45 IU vitamin E/lb of body weight, which is 500 IU/day for an 1100 lb horse. The vitamin E requirement for pregnant and lactating mares is 0.9 IU/lb of body weight, or 990 IU/day for an 1100 lb
mare. Growing horses should also consume 0.9 IU of vitamin E per pound of body weight, or 540 IU/day for a 600 lb weanling.

Mature exercising horses need between 0.72 and 0.9 IU/lb of body weight per day, depending on the workload. This calculates to 792 IU/day for an 1100 lb horse doing light work, to 990 IU/day for the same horse doing very
intense exercise. Some research suggests that very hard working horses, such as those running endurance races, might benefit from dietary vitamin E levels as high as 5000 IU/day. This has not been well duplicated in other
studies, but there are no reported adverse effects to intakes in that range. Most research supports the recommendation of 0.9 – 1.0 IU of vitamin E per pound of body weight for hard working horses. But, for horses
exhibiting some muscle stiffness or elevated muscle enzymes in blood work, the higher level may be of some benefit.

A diet of fresh pasture containing 50 IU/lb of vitamin E activity would well meet the vitamin E requirements of all horses mentioned, except possibly for those doing very intense exercise that may benefit from higher than normal recommended levels. However, when you harvest that pasture for hay or buy hay that has been stored for awhile, the vitamin E activity is greatly reduced. A horse eating fresh alfalfa hay will usually consume adequate vitamin E, but if hay is very mature when it is cut, or is stored for an extended period, another source for vitamin E may be necessary. Well-fortified commercial feeds should contain adequate amounts of tocopherols to meet the vitamin E requirements, even when the forage is not contributing a significant amount. Caution should be taken when adding a vitamin E supplement to a well fortified concentrate because most vitamin E supplements also contain selenium.  It is possible to over-supplement selenium to the point of causing harm, so contact your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist for help in determining if you need additional vitamin E supplementation and if the supplement you are using is safe to use with your current ration.

by Karen E. Davison, Ph.D., Manager-Equine Technical Services, Purina Mills, LLC

Careful management of pastures can result in green forage being available nearly year-round in many cattle producing regions.  Allowing cows to harvest the forage themselves from pastures is the most economical approach to forage management, according to the division.  At the same time, “forage stores as hay or silage will be necessary in most operations to support cattle during periods when pasture production is inadequate to meet livestock nutritional needs.”

Your forage-management decisions are always influences by the need to find acceptable compromise between yields and forage quality, says the division.  Forage yield and plant persistence are usually maximized when plants are harvested in a young, leafy stage of growth when forage is high in protein and digestibility and low in fiber.

Your challenge is to manage forages and cattle in a way that optimizes both forage performance and animal performance, according to the division.

A prerequisite when managing home-grown forages is the need to consider nutritional needs of the cattle being raised.  Depending on your situation, you may decide to match your forages to the desired cattle, or to match the cattle to the existing forages.

For example, production goals for a cow-calf operation might include maintaining the cow as inexpensively as possible while supporting good reproductive performance and milk production that supports high calf-waning weights.  Lactating cows require more nutrients than pregnant, non-lactating cows.

In general, young cattle, such as stockers, claves, or replacement heifers require higher quality forage than mature cows.

SUPPLEMENTATION

Event high quality forages from the best-managed grown systems may be deficient in some nutrients, according to the division.  “Accurate laboratory forage testing is vial to knowing exactly which nutrients are deficient so that appropriate and cost-effective supplements can be chosen to meet the nutrient needs of the class of cattle being fed.” the division said.

Forage also often lacks in one or more minerals.  These can be supplied easily in solid blocks or loose mineral feeders.

Purina’s 4-Square feeding program for your beef cattle is the culmination of more than 80 years of Purina tradition.  Purina has performed the in-depth research to develop programs to meet animal needs in all life stages during all four seasons.

Purina ensures top-quality products to work with your grass or hay in a complete diet.  These programs are designed to help you extract the most value possible from your home-grown forage resources by optimizing  animal performance while enhancing forage utilization.

Purina also offers a comprehensive line of beef cattle minerals in its Wind and Rain products.  Wind and Rain cattle minerals’ large particle size and special formulation keeps the mineral from blowing out of the feeder. Since the moisture from rain or snow passes easily through the mineral, cattle continue to consume it even after it’s been wet.  This reduces waste.

Talk to us here at Walden Farm and Ranch Supply about these and other economical beef cattle nutrition programs might fit with your beef cattle business goals.

How it’s Different
Infinia Holistic™ pet food is a holistic nutritional formula that knows no boundaries. Fresh, never-frozen chicken or turkey, or savory, natural bison or salmon is the first ingredient in every bag, followed closely by a variety of flavorful superfoods. In fact, it’s so full of goodness, there’s no room for unnecessary fillers. Every single ingredient works together for your pet’s health and wellbeing. The result? A recipe with ingredients to support immunity, vitality and longevity.

Holistic Nutrition for All Breeds and All Life Stages
There are two Infinia Holistic™ pet food recipes formulated for nutrition at all life stages. Though all are formulated to meet the needs of growing dogs, the all life stages recipes contain only natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin. The adult formulas contain natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin in addition to supplemental sources. No matter what stage of life a dog is in, there’s an Infinia Holistic™ pet food that can provide wholesome, holistic nutrition.

For All Life Stages and Breeds (Puppies through Senior Dogs):

• Infinia™ Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
• Infinia™ Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe

For Adult Dogs of All Breed:

• Infinia™ Bison & Potato Recipe
• Infinia™ ZenFood™ Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

Three Infinia™ formulas feature Infinia Holistic™ Superfoods. The ZenFood™ Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe uniquely features the Zensitive™ Blend. Discover what makes each unique.

What is the Difference Between Infinia Holistic™ Superfoods and the Infinia Holistic™ Zensitive™ Blend?

Infinia™ Holistic Superfoods
Infinia™ Bison & Potato Recipe, Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe and Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe are holistic blends with select ingredients and superfoods such as sweet potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, blueberries, spinach, kelp and parsley – chock-full of vitamins and minerals – together supporting immunity, vitality and longevity.

Zensitive™ Blend
The Infinia™ ZenFood™ Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe nourishes pets with savory, natural salmon, sweet potatoes, potatoes and peas. The Zensitive™ blend does not include common pet food ingredients like grains (wheat, corn & soy), dairy, chicken or beef. This unique approach offers peace of mind to nurturing pet owners who seek a unique blend or are careful to provide a diet tailored for their pets’ ingredient aversions.

Three Grain-Free Options
Many pet owners prefer protein-centric diets for their dogs. Others choose a grain or gluten-free diet for themselves and want the same for their pets. A small number of dogs have averse reactions to grains and thrive on grain-free recipes such as:

• Infinia™ Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe
• Infinia™ Bison & Potato Recipe
• Infinia™ ZenFood™ Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

All three blends are grain-free, meaning they have no wheat, corn or soy. Sometimes less truly is more. ]]> http://www.arkcountrystore.com/news-updates/introducing-infinia-holistic%e2%84%a2-pet-food-2-2010-07-1037/feed 0 http://www.arkcountrystore.com/news-updates/traveling-by-car-with-your-pet-2010-07-1022 http://www.arkcountrystore.com/news-updates/traveling-by-car-with-your-pet-2010-07-1022#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:25:42 +0000 admin http://www.arkcountrystore.com/?p=1022 Traveling with a pet usually involves more than putting the animal in a car and driving off, especially if you will be driving long distances or be away for a long time. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) offers these tips to help you prepare for a car trip with your pet and make it go a little smoother.

If your pet is not accustomed to the car, take it for a few short rides before the trip. This can help keep your pet from becoming nervous or agitated, and may lessen the effects of motion sickness. If, after a number of practice trips, your pet continues to cry excessively or becomes sick, consult your veterinarian.

Buckling up is an important safety precaution for your pet. Many states now require that pets be restrained while in a moving vehicle, and restraints have several advantages. They help protect pets in case of a collision, and they keep pets from running loose and distracting the driver. They also keep pets from escaping the car through an open window or door.

Cats and smaller dogs are often most comfortable in pet carriers, which can be purchased in various sizes at most pet stores. Carriers give many animals a sense of security and familiar surroundings, and can be secured to the car seat with a seat belt or a specially designed carrier restraint. There are also pet restraints available that can be used without carriers, including harnesses, seat belt attachments, pet car seats, vehicle barriers, and truck/pickup restraint systems.

No matter what kind of restraint you use, be sure that it does not permit your pet’s head to extend outside the car window. If pets ride with their heads outside the car, particles of dirt can penetrate the eyes, ears, and nose, causing injury or infections. Excessive amounts of cold air taken into lungs can also cause illness.

While packing for your trip, remember to throw in a few of your pet’s favorite toys, food and water bowls, a leash, and food. You should also carry a first aid kit for your pet, and know basic pet first aid. If your pet is on medication, be sure to have plenty for the trip — and then some. Dr. Walt Ingwersen, AAHA veterinarian in Whitby, Ontario, points out that veterinarians cannot write a prescription without a prior doctor/patient relationship. This means that in order to get any drugs, your pet will need to be examined first by a new doctor. This may be inconvenient if you need medication right away. Also, if your pet is on a special therapeutic diet, bring along an extra supply in case you can’t find the food in a strange area.

Stick to your regular feeding routine while traveling, and give your pet its main meal at the end of the day or when you’ve reached your destination. It will be more convenient to feed dry food if your pet is used to it. Dispose of unused canned food unless it can be refrigerated. Take along a plastic jug of cold water to avoid possible stomach upset the first day, as new areas can have minerals or bacteria in their water supply that pets need time to adjust to. Give your pet small portions of both food and water and plan to stop every two hours for exercise.

Remember that your veterinarian is a good source of information about what your pet will need when traveling. Consider having your pet examined before you leave as well, to check for any developing problems. If an emergency occurs while you are on the road, you can call the American Animal Hospital Association at 800/883-6301 or visit our hospital locator for the names and phone numbers of AAHA veterinarians near you. Have your current veterinarian’s phone number handy in case of an emergency. Also, be sure to travel with a copy of your pet’s medical records, especially if the animal has a difficult medical history.

Some pets travel better while tranquilized. Tranquilizers can lessen agitation and motion sickness in pets traveling by car. Discuss this with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may suggest giving your pet a tranquilizer three to four weeks before your trip to check the dosage and adjust it if necessary.

Find hotels, motels, and campsites that accept animals and book them ahead of time. “Vacationing with Your Pet” by Eileen Barish is a directory of pet-friendly lodging throughout the United States and Canada. Copies can be ordered by calling (800) 496-2665.

Learn more about the area you will be visiting. Your veterinarian can tell you if there are any diseases like heartworm or Lyme disease and vaccinations or medications your pet may require. A health examination following your trip should be considered to determine if any internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, heartworms) or external parasites (ticks, fleas) were picked up in contaminated exercise or wooded areas. Also, be aware of any unique laws. Some places have restrictions on exotic animals (ferrets are not allowed in some cities), and there are restrictive breed laws in others, such as no pit bulls allowed. Your pet could be affected by these laws, so call ahead to the city or travel information bureau for more information.

To avoid losing your pet during a trip, make sure your pet is wearing an I.D. tag. To be doubly protected, consider having your pet tattooed or having a microchip implanted. “The more methods of identification, the better chance that the owner will be found,” says Dr. Ingwersen. Microchip databases are specific to the United States and Canada, so register your pet in both countries if you will be driving from one to the other. Dr. Ingwersen also suggests owners register the name and phone number of a relative who can identify the pet in case the owner can’t be reached while traveling.

It’s important to carry health and rabies vaccine certificates, particularly if you will be crossing the border into Canada, the US, or Mexico. All three countries allow dogs and cats to enter if they meet stringent entry requirements. Depending on the country, exotic pets may be allowed to enter, though they may need further documentation. Call the Agriculture Department or embassy of the country or state to which you are traveling for information on the vaccinations, documentation, fees, or quarantine that may be required to bring your pet into the country.

Most importantly, try to plan ahead for unusual or emergency situations. What you don’t need in the middle of a trip is one more thing to worry about. “People get into a panic if they don’t have enough medication for their pet, no appropriate documentation for travel to other countries, or money to pay for border fees,” says Dr. Ingwersen. “Be prepared by bringing a copy of your pet’s medical records, proper documentation and medication and knowing the laws going into the new city or country.” Preparation is the most effective way to help ensure a smooth, enjoyable trip for you and your pet.

All that may be admirable, but fleas on your pet or in your household aren’t. Fleas can cause reactions in your pet varying from a mild skin irritation to a severe allergic reaction. Because fleas feed on blood, an extreme infestation can cause anemia or even death in animals. All cats and dogs, and other mammals, too, are susceptible to flea infestations, except for some that live in high elevations or in extremely dry environments.

Whether or not you actually see fleas on your pet, they may be there. Scratching, scabs and dark specs, or “flea dirt,” found on the skin can all be signs that your pet has become the unwitting host for a family of fleas. Fleas can carry tapeworms, too. If you notice small white rice-like things in your pet’s feces or in the hair around his anus, your pet probably has tapeworms, which means he may also have fleas. In extreme cases, an animal may be lethargic and its lips and gums pale.

To battle flea infestation requires patience and perseverance, so put on your armor and get to it! Because the life cycle of a flea is three to four weeks, it will take at least that long to completely rid your pet and its environment of the enemy. Different flea control products work in different ways, have varying levels of effectiveness and kill different flea stages (eggs, larvae and/or adults). You’ll need to use a combination of products at the same time to be effective.

Dips, shampoos, powders and sprays will usually kill the adult fleas on your pet. Using a flea comb regularly will help, too. But more adults may be lurking in your home or yard, and eggs or larvae may be lying in wait, as well. You’ll need to rid your house of fleas by vacuuming and washing your pet’s bedding once a week, and using a disinfectant on washable surfaces and an insecticide or insect growth regulator in cracks and crevices (sometimes foggers are recommended) every two to four weeks. When using chemical products to control fleas, be very careful. You may be providing too much of a potentially toxic chemical if you use, say, a flea dip and a fogger with the same chemical ingredient.

If yours is an outside pet, you’ll need to tackle the yard, too. Sunlight kills fleas, so concentrate your efforts in the shady areas of your yard especially. You can spray your yard with insecticide, or you can battle fleas with their natural enemy, nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic worms that kill flea larvae and cocoons. Apply them to your yard once a month until the fleas are gone. Check with your veterinarian or your pet supply or garden stores to find out more.

Flea control has reached new levels in recent years. Today, there are products on the market that you can treat your pet with once a month that will help keep those annoying little jumpers away. Insect growth regulators, or IGRs, are safe and act like flea hormones to interrupt the life cycle of the flea, preventing them from maturing into adult fleas. Lufenuron is one example of an IGR. It inhibits flea egg production, but doesn’t kill adult fleas, so flea bites can still occur. Others, such as imidacloprid and fipronil kill adult fleas, and the latter works on ticks as well. Depending on the product used, you may be giving your pet a pill, spraying his coat or applying a liquid substance to one area of his skin; the substance will spread to cover his body. These treatments are available only from your veterinarian and are given once a month. Be very careful to use the products as directed; some may be effective for dogs, but toxic to cats. Consult with your veterinarian before implementing any flea control program.

Now that you’re armored with some information, you can help your pet win the war against fleas.

Land O’Lakes, Inc.

The term exertional rhabdomyolysis is the scientific description for tying-up, and simple means muscle cell death from exertion.  First identified int he late 18o0’s as Monday Morning Sickness or azoturia, it

was observed in working horses given the weekend off, confined in stalls and fed their full grain ration.  When brought out to work on Monday morning, affected horses would suffer severe muscle cramping, profuse sweating, rapid breathing, and possibly pass dark reddish-brown urine.

We now know that horses tie-up for a number of different reasons, including dietary electrolyte imbalance, high body temperature, unusually intense exercise or stress.  These situations occur in otherwise normal horses and are remedied by correcting the electrolyte balance in the diet or maintaining a more consistent exercise program and avoiding highly stressful situations.  Other horses have a muscle disorder, Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (EPSM or PSSM), which makes them more prone to tie-up.  EPSM is found in all breeds, but appears more prevalent in Quarter Horses, Arabians, draft breeds and Warmbloods.  It has been documented in horses from 3 months to 29 years of age.

Tying-up is the most obvious symptom of EPSM but there may be many more subtle symptoms.  Horses with EPSM may show a lack of energy, decreased performance, back soreness, abnormal hind leg movement, stiff gait, loss of muscle over the topline and hindquarters, muscle tremors following exercise, episodic colic and/or general irritability and bad attitudes while being groomed, saddled and ridden. Symptoms can suddenly appear in a horse that has never tied-up before.

The underlying cause for EPSM is a defect in muscle metabolism and how these horses store an utilize energy in the muscles.  They often respond well to therapy, including diet changes and regular exercise.  Response to therapy is a good indication of the disorder, but a muscle biopsy provides the more definitive diagnosis.  A complete veterinary exam is recommended to differentiate between EPSM and  other conditions with similar symptoms.

Diet changes for EPSM horses involve adjusting the caloric sources in the diet.  Typical diets of oats and other grain mixes provide calories primarily from starch and sugar, but EPSM horses may benefit from diets that provide more calories from fats and fewer calories from starch and sugar.  There does not appear to be a one-size-fits-all diet, since horses with EPSM can have variations in starch/sugar sensitivity and the level of fat needed to help alleviate symptoms.  Finding the diet that best manages an individual horse may take some trial and error.

For horses suspected of having EPSM, changing from a grain or grain mix to a pelleted feed with lower starch and added fat is the initial step.  Horses seem to have an individual tolerance level for fat in the diet and, as fat is increased, some horses may back off feed.  Therefore, small, gradual adjustments may be necessary.  Higher fat, lower starch feeds such as Purina Ultium make these diet changes easier because the fat is already included in a palatable, nutritionally balanced pellet.  When you add oil to existing feeds, additional supplements may be needed because increasing fat typically reduces total intake and increases the requirements for nutrients.

Some researchers recommend total fat intake up to 1 lb. of fat for 1000 lb horse, and reducing starch and sugar as much as possible.  To calculate total fat intake, multiply the percent fat in the product times the amount fed.  For example: 8 lbs of Ultium with 12.4% fat provides 8X0.123=1 lb of fat.  There are also good fat supplements such as Purina Amplify which has 30% fat, so 3.3 lbs provides a pound of fat.  One pound of fat could be provided by 2 cups of vegetable oil or 5 pounds of rice bran, but these fat sources do not provide balanced nutrients, so the total balance of the ration might be compromised and require adjustment.

After changing to a higher fat, lower starch diet, it may take four months to see significant changes in a horse with EPSM. However, if there is any improvement in symptoms during this period it is likely the horse will continue to respond well if maintained on the new diet. Some horses show an increase in energy level, sometimes to the point of “bouncing off the walls” during the first few months of diet change.  This may be due to changing the metabolism of muscles to burn fat, and finally delivering energy to previously energy-starved tissues. These horse generally settle down after they  adapt, and show improvement of EPSM symptoms on the new diet.

In addition to diet therapy, horses with EPSM are best managed by providing regular exercise and plenty of turnout time.  It is important that they not be stalled for days without exercise.  If they must be stalled without exercise, reduce their grain intake or eliminate grain altogether and instead feed a low starch concentrated protein, vitamin and mineral supplement, such as Nature’s Essentials Enrich 12 or Enrich 32.  Horses with EPSM will always have the disorder, but adjustments in diet and management may help them continue to perform at very high levels.

The goal in all of these is to reduce starch and sugar and increase fat, which can be tough due to some of them not working hard enough to eat many calories.

Some of the programs we have that will work include:

1) Ultium
2) Enrich 32 + Amplify (horses with lower calorie needs)
3) Enrich 32 + Horse Chow + oil (for horses with higher fat needs, Horse Chow soaks up oil well, but not real high calorie requirements, Horse Chow can replace part of the hay)
4) Equine Senior + 1-2 pounds of Amplify or 1-3 cups of oil.
5) Strategy + 1-2 pounds of Amplify or 1-3 cups of oil.
6) WellSolve L/S + 1-2 pounds of Amplify or 1-3 cups of oil.

It will take a trial and error to find the program that works to manage each horse, as there is no “one size fits all” diet.  Keep in mind, we can only offer to help better manage these horses, which means we can help reduce the incidence and the severity of the symptoms (tying-up episodes) but the horse has a condition that they will always have; it cannot be cured with feed alone.