I feel bad I have forgotten to tell everyone how much I really love the Cloud Nine herbal shampoo from Halo — I have tried soooo many different ones and it genuinely stands out as superior in every way. Here’s my further thought about it from the blog on the HALO site:
http://blog.halopets.com/2010/07/29/pet-travel-tips-tv-appearance/
–Tracie Hotchner
Did you catch the news splash about Uncle ChiChi, a rescue poodle from New York City appeared on Good Morning America this week because he may be the world’s oldest dog? His age is somewhat vague because he was adopted from a shelter around 2 years old, but deaf and blind as he is, the old guy is still going strong. When asked what the ancient but perky dog ate, the owner said, “He eats Spot’s Stew, made by a company called Halo and it’s really healthy stuff.”
I thought the funniest line as a throwaway comment when the TV host asked how long the owner Frank had had the dog. It has only been a few years because he had inherited Uncle ChiChi from a relative, who had inherited him from a previous relation. “He’s bee in my family since 1988,” Frank declared — as though the little poodle was a castle or a valuable piece of jewelry. It was really a sweet moment of pride of ownership.
Of course I was thrilled since my pooches eat only Halo kibble as part of the elaborate feast I serve them twice a day — and Scooby Doo, Teddy & Jazzy aren’t even 23 years old with all three of their ages combined! SO I am hoping Uncle Chi Chi’s wise choice of food will keep my guys going long and strong into their twenties, too!
Check out the story (and the Good Morning America video) in yesterday’s New York Times.
–Tracie Hotchner
I got a really great link to a non-profit website that is full of suggestions about how to find a lost cat. My book THE CAT BIBLE has many good suggestions on this topic (THE DOG BIBLE has them from the canine point of view) but sometimes it’s just more automatic to go to the computer. Jeanine, one of my CAT CHAT® listeners, recommended www.catsinthebag.org and it really may help bring your kitty-cat home.
–Tracie Hotchner
Hi Tracie,
We’ve just committed to adopting a rescue English Pointer with cherry eye, don’t know how long she’s had it; looks like the surgical options can cause dry eye, popping it in and suturing it is the other option.
She’s 1, currently living at a trainers facility in the Central Valley. She and 18 other dogs were sent there for training by a breeder who disappeared. She’s been there for 3 months, getting fed but not getting any
training or exercise as the trainer was being given funds.Anyway — we’re going to pay him to train her for 2 months then bring her home in September, he’ll have her eye taken care of. I’ll send him CLO and instructions tomorrow, do you have any other thoughts for optimal outcome?
It’s a swollen tear gland — I certainly wouldn’t think of giving advice without a vet seeing it and deciding whether antibiotics or surgery is the best treatment. I also would not leave that dog 1 day with a trainer. I would get her to your home ASAP and acclimate her to living with real people in a nice home. You should do all her training yourselves with a professional at home to guide you. Please get that dog home as quick as you can. The more time she spends in an institutional setting, the harder it is to adapt to home life. Also, long-distance pre-trained dogs often have a lot of issues as THE DOG BIBLE explains — it is no way to teach a dog because you will never know how the outcome was achieved — and you & she will not be getting to know each other WHILE training, which is part of the process. Good luck with her!
–Tracie Hotchner
P.S. If you do not yet have THE DOG BIBLE and want to get it, I can send you an autographed copy or if you buy it elsewhere, I can send you an autographed bookplate to put in the front inscribed to her.?
The Dog Bible
I got this letter recently from a pet sitter who works for Lydia Best in Leesburg Virgnia and attended the seminar on pet nutrition that I gave last year, sponsored by Nordic Naturals after they sent me to VA TECH veterinary school to talk to the students:
Dear Tracie:
I attended your seminar last spring in Leesburg, Virginia, sponsored by my employer, Everything and the Dog. I have to admit that I went into it a bit skeptical, but after hearing what you had to tell us about what is in most commercial dog foods I was appalled at the thought that I was feeding my dog garbage, or worse. I had been feeding her Science Diet Small Breed, and thought that I was giving her one of the best foods on the market. After attending your seminar, I learned how to read a label, saw what the ingredients were in that food, and we switched her to the dry version of Spot’s Stew.
We have since moved onto our boat in Baltimore, anticipating that in a few years we will cruise to the Bahamas and other destinations for the winter months. We recently attended a “webinar” given by a veterinarian, and former cruiser, who spoke about all sorts of issues a pet owner may face while away from home. One of those issues was dog food. He stated that all commercial dog foods are garbage, and it didn’t matter whether you spent $10 on a bag of Purina, or $50 on a designer dog food, they were all the same.
Needless to say, we are now confused. Is Halo considered a “designer” dog food? At $40.00 a bag, it is expensive. At some point our cruising budget may not allow us to spend $40 on a bag of dog food, and this vet recommended that we start now, feeding her different types of dog foods to get her system used to eating whatever we can purchase in the Islands. I have even looked at Blue Buffalo, even though the only one recommended on your web site is the canned food. The dry food is a bit cheaper than the Halo.
My question then, is this: Is Halo in the dry form also garbage? Am I wasting money, where I could be feeding her something cheaper, something that may be easier to find off the beaten path?
Thanks very much for listening, and I enjoyed your seminar!
Toni aboard the S/V Peregrine with Schipperke Holly
Dear Toni: I am trying to recover from my dismay at this veterinarian spouting his own misinformed version of true garbage regarding the feeding of our pets over the internet in a webinar on sailing and pets. If he knew as little about sailing as he clearly does about the manufacture and philosophy behind premium small companies versus the big commercial ones — I dare say you all would have sunk your ships by now! There is no dispute in nutrition for either people or pets that we “are what we eat” and REAL meat or other wholesome protein ingredients and other healthy components of a pet food are key to the wellness of our beloved pets. HALO is completely different from other commercial dry foods. The biggest difference is the fact that it is made with human grade meat. They don’t use any rendered products to achieve their protein content. Doing a label comparison says it all and you did learn from me down in Leesburg last year how to read a label. It’s unfortunate that the vet that conducted the webinar is so cynical and jaded. All foods are NOT the same. Again, every label tells the truth of what they have slipped into those formulas. Pet foods based almost entirely on cheap corn by-products can hardly be compared to those using quality protein sources and real vegetables. There are many blogs posts on my website about good nutrition and I would also suggest you check out HALO’s website. Not only will you learn more about their philosophy, but you will also see the good ingredients that are used in the creation of their food. (If you’re still in touch with that veterinarian, I strongly suggest you send him both places as well for a little re-education). Remember: it’s a good use of your money to provide the best food you can for Holly. In the long run, a small investment of quality food can prolong her life and save you on Vet bills for illnesses related to poor nutrition. AND I certainly hope it wouldn’ be that vet you would be seeing, in any case!
Toni replied:
Thanks for the response. We plan to keep our Schip on the HALO food; she does very well on it, and I feel better after hearing back from you. I was a little concerned after the webinar that maybe we were “throwing good money after bad”! We really like the zipper close on the bag as well; what a concept!
Dear Toni: I’m so pleased to know that HALO with it’s nifty zippered bag will be on board the jolly ship Peregrine and that your lovely little Schipperke will be getting the high quality nutrition she richly deserves as your first mate (or is it deck hand?!) But now that I’ve set you on the straight course about a quality kibble, I hope you’ll also take to heart the fundamentals of my “nutrition seminar,” which is that an all-kibble diet is not balanced or healthy because even the finest kibble (which I believe HALO to be, based on the source of their ingredients) is still highly processed carbohydrates and Holly needs quality protein and fresh vegetables and even some fruits. So if you can balance out her kibble with an equal amount of protein from your own table like meat, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese and of course fish (which has to be easy when you’re sailing!) you’ll be giving her the optimal diet.
I’d also like to extend an invitation to you to try a new way of feeding dogs called Proportions which was just developed based on my nutritional theories — at least get a free sample of two meals and see for yourself what you think. Although they have a nice selection of kibble you can choose for that portion of the meal. You can also choose to use your own kibble, as I do, since all three of my dogs are now on Proportions and I use my own HALO, which you could do as well. If you see how amazing the pouch of real chicken breast is and the packet of dehydrated vegetables — and the super convenience of it being delivered a month’s worth at a time, you would be able to stash the two little pouches for each of her meals right in your ship’s galley, next to your zippered bag of HALO’s finest.
–Tracie Hotchner
Dear Tracie,
I’m thrilled that the Weruva has resolved my cat Leo’s struvite crystal situation. However, for the last 3-4 months he has been biting the tip of his tail and chewing on his paws. The vet thinks he possibly has a food allergy to chicken, and offered steroid shots. To give Leo some immediate relief the vet gave him one shot. I do not plan to continue a course of steroids.
I also switched Leo to a limited ingredient diet on March 14th, feeding him Instinct’s rabbit, venison and lamb. There is no chicken or chicken liver. He did really well until last week when he started over-grooming and biting his tail and paws again.
I apply Advantage flea control every three to four weeks. I was hoping the change in diet would help, but he seems to have the same allergy symptoms. I would love your advice on what other things I can do to help him.
Laura
Here’s what I think is going on:
Leo needs omega-3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil. Nordic Naturals is my favorite because of its purity and freshness — it comes in pet capsules and you can puncture the capsule and squeeze a few drops on his paws every day for him to enjoy & lick off. These omega-3 oils are anti-inflammatory in general plus they nourish the skin at a cellular level.
You are so right to avoid the steroid shots — it creates a horrible cycle of dependence on them and it solves nothing — only deals with the symptoms and creates problems of its own
Food allergies are extremely rare and sorry to say I hear of vets who blame chicken all the time and then give shots — without any proof of why the animal is suffering — it’s ridiculous! I think you may still have fleas — one flea bite can create a terrible itchy reaction and the biting and scratching can cause more irritation.
The product you are using is based on older technology and cannot compare to Vectra for cats — which is far superior because it is the newest technology and kills off all 3 life cycles of the flea — which can live in your environment for years unless the life cycle is ended. Plus, it works efficiently for a full 30 days so there is no longer any reason to buy a product that you have to reapply too soon because it isn’t working anymore! Please go on my website and see the page about Vectra so you can figure out how to ask your vet to carry it. Otherwise, you can go to your nearest Banfield Vet Clinic — which has Vectra made for them under the name First Shield. This product is available only through vets, never online, to protect the quality and safety of the product.
P.S. About the crystals — to avoid them forming again you want Leo to drink as much water as possible — which cats are not inclined to do, especially if getting such good nourishment. So you have to make the water really tasty! In addition to giving my favorite canned cat food, Weruva, I urge you to buy a canister of ICE PUPS (just ignore the name!) from the Honest Kitchen. It’s finely ground chicken & herbs which dissolves in water after you stir it around and makes it really delicious. So you can put half a teaspoon in a shallow bowl of half a cup of water and see if you can get him to slurp up some of that, too! You can buy Ice Pups (and the new Honest Kitchen treats called Wishes, which are freeze dried little fishes!) from www.K9Cuisine.com, which despite the name carries Weruva and a whole lot of great cat treats. With a minimum order there is even free shipping.
Let me know how everything goes!
Dear Tracie,
You are so kind! This is great information. I Googled Banfield Vet Clinic and there is one near my house, so I’ll definitely check out Vectra flea medicine. I’ve been wondering about Advantage since I noticed that it wasn’t particularly effective. The kitties keep scratching and biting even after I apply it…. so I concluded their issue must be food allergies (thinking the product was killing the fleas).
I’m going to switch back to Weruva since they absolutely love it…. they eat rabbit and lamb, but they are not really crazy about it and they are still biting themselves. So… sounds like nasty fleas.
I’ll pick up some Ice Pups…. I’m sure they’ll enjoy another treat.
And then I sent Laura a few more thoughts from me (since I cannot be stopped)!
I think you’re going to see a big improvement over time with the Nordic Naturals omega-3 fish oil, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps the skin and should also reduce their itchiness over time.
Goody gumdrops on getting Leo back on the Weruva! The Vectra is a lifesaver AND MUST BE USED MONTHLY YEAR ROUND because fleas have a long life cycle (most of it invisible to us) and they are always looking for their next meal.
–TracieHotchner
Thanks so much for putting Ruby’s photo on your website. She’s so cute — but eating rocks and vomiting them up at night. Hopefully that will stop!
I would love to have you sign my THE DOG BIBLE — believe it or not, it’s been passed around and around, getting a ton of exposure. My mother has it now, with Ruby. But it is SO informative I’ll pick up another one at the Bennington Book Store for you to sign and keep at my own house for reference and safety.
Tiffany
So glad the book is making a difference!
The rock eating will NOT stop and can cause a huge medical issue and vet bill — not to mention broken teeth. I need to bring you the brochure for Pets Best pet insurance with my listener’s discount code (AP 5252) because this is just the kind of behavior that can wind up in a surgical procedure if she does NOT vomit them up. You have got to keep her away from rocks or anything else she is swallowing — even use a muzzle if need be to keep her safe. You also need to find a few good chew items that will satisfy her teething and need to chew.
–Tracie Hotchner
The Dog Bible
From Christine:
I think it was Laurie G. that originally posted the info on the Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC). She might have triggered her memory because my agile Boykin Spaniel is one of the positively IDd for AFFECTED DNA. It’s listed in the OFA databank as Carolina’s Duck Duck Goose. Feel free to use him as an example if you want.
I have CC’d Paisley Stevens Knudsen, president of the Boykin Spaniel Club (AKC parent club) and also Terrie Tomlinson, Chair of the Boykin Health Committee. Terrie also has Labs and has a lot of knowledge on EIC. She was instrumental in identifying the EIC disease in the Boykin Spaniel — which until that point was mis-diagnosed as a variety of mystery illnesses. Terrie is also in direct, frequent contact with the University that does the EIC DNA testing. These 2 ladies might be of some help on the subject if you need anecdotes or other info.
I would be very interested to listen to the podcast sometime — please let me know when it will be available!
Christine Prince
Boykin Spaniel Club of America
Education & Communication Outreach Ad Hoc Committee
Dear Christine, Paisley, and Terrie:
Thank you for forwarding the email to me. I hope you will listen to Dog Talk® this Saturday (July 3) when Dr. Philip Padrid will be on the show to discuss this and other related topics. If you’re unable to listen on Saturday morning, a podcast will be available later in the day, on July 3. Click on the Dog Talk® link for more information.
–Tracie Hotchner
Tracie,
I had talked to you a few months ago right after Christmas and was on your show, regarding my Shepherd mix, Lucy, who died suddenly in my back yard the day after Christmas. Your time with me on the phone and being able to spill myself on the show briefly was a help. Today marks the 6th month to the day that Lucy passed, and while it’s still rough sometimes, I’ve come mostly to terms with it and how things played out.
Unfortunately, yesterday, I had to have my 2nd dog, Retriever-mix, Roxy, euthanized. She was Lucy’s companion for nearly 13 years, but finally her battle with Lymphoma and a heart illness took it’s toll and she was no longer able to perform basic functions. It was a sad ending for me, as while I loved Roxy dearly, in a way, she was also a living link to Lucy as well since they were literally like Thelma and Louise when growing up together. While Roxy lived, a tiny bit of Lucy lived on in her personality. With her death, not only did I lose her, but the last bit of “living” Lucy passed as well. It’s very sad, but at least unlike Lucy’s unexpected death, this time I had a heads-up on what had to be, and it was not unexpected.
My point in writing about all of this is that when I made the decision to have Roxy euthanized, I chose an in-home pet euthanasia service here in the Atlanta area, as there was no way I could take her in to the Vet’s office (which terrified her) to have this done on a metal table surrounded by strangers, and none of my local Vets will do house calls for this. Did some research and found one with some good customer testimonials. The cost was high for me considering my very basic income ($379.00), but it was very much worth it as the Vet and her assistant who came to my home were extremely nice, sympathetic, and caring. They took their time, checked Roxy first, agreed it was well past time for her, and gave me time to be alone before the shots were administered. They then stayed a while to make sure I was going to be ok before they left.
I’m sure the NYC/Long Island areas have these services, and hopefully they are all staffed by caring people as well. I just wanted to pass this story on to you because in-home pet euthanasia might be a topic you may wish to discuss as an option for pet owners on your show if you’ve never done it. I feel it’s well worth the money to do it, as the pet can pass in the most comfortable environment possible, and it’s much less stressful for the Pet owners as well. I have one remaining dog and should she have to be euthanize at some point due to illness, this is the route I’ll take with her as well.
Greg
Dear Greg,
Thank you for the email. I apologize for the delay in responding. It’s a rather hectic time!
First and foremost, I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. The loss of a pet companion is always difficult. You’re in my thoughts.
While it’s wonderful that Roxy was able to remain at home as she lived out her last days, I’m surprised to hear that your regular veterinarian did not perform the euthanizing. So many Vets today do provide a house call service under such circumstances and often times it’s done for free.
All pet health issues are expensive. Have you considered pet insurance? It’s such a good investment and has saved pet owners literally millions of dollars. Most insurances will also cover the cost of euthanizing a pet which can be costly. If you log into my website, you’ll find information about Pet’s Best Health, which is the company I use.
Wishing you the best,
–Tracie Hotchner
Been meaning to tell you, we had talked some about flea control. I may just be lucky or I may be on to something. But I put one drop (only one drop) of Palo Santo essential oil on Diego’s rump once a day, and we have not had a flea problem all season. The oil I use is made by Young’s Living. I read about it online, that Palo Santo oil is a natural flea repellant. I have the Frontline as a backup in case this fails me, but it may be a great tip for your other listeners. One drop only! Diego is 50 pounds Portuguese water dog. He goes to daycare 3-4 times a week, is around a TON of other dogs, haven’t had a flea issue which in most cases would be highly unusual without other chemicals on him. For what its worth! Keep up the great work!
Steve A.
Please read some of my blogs about how Frontline is no longer effective due to 17 yr old technology and I recommend using Vectra 3D monthly year long — that essential oil (IF it is working at all) cannot reach the head, chest & neck which is prime tick area — many ticks attach and drop off unseen, transmitting diseases which are so serious.
Please spend some time on my website reading about it. Your beautiful boy may seem okay but I believe all dogs are in extreme jeopardy without proper coverage.
–Tracie Hotchner?
Hi Tracie:
I have been a listener of your Cat Chat® show for many years, & I also have your book The Cat Bible. I received an email the other day from you & it mentioned your new food.
I drove about 12 miles to buy it & I bought many of the different flavors, but when I read the can at the very bottom, it says, “product of Thailand”.
I was very surprised because I thought it also says it is produced in a human facility. I thought it was made here in the USA.
Thank You,
Patty C.
So glad you got in touch so I can help clear up this frequent misunderstanding we Americans have about whether what is produced in other countries is good — or inferior to our own products. I think we all need to keep in mind that China is a country whose products have proven over and over to be either suspicious or dangerous — but that does not hold true for the rest of Asia by any means. Thailand, in fact, holds itself to the much HIGHER European standards. Plus it’s important to note that Weruva is made in a human food facility (which makes many of the foods eaten in restaurants across America). Once you know that, you can feel a whole lot better about letting your kitties enjoy Weruva. And rather than driving 12 miles, you can order Weruva from PetFoodDirect.com and get a special discount as a Cat Chat listener. Use discount code CATCHAT20.
I used my site’s Google search box to find a previous Blog I did about Weruva and the Thailand connection, so please take a moment to read this, too.
Best,
Tracie
P.S. if you’d like an autographed bookplate inscribed to your kitty to put into your THE CAT BIBLE please send your cat’s name & your mailing address and I’ll pop it right in the mail.
The Cat Bible