One of our cats, a 2 year old neutered male named Pumpkin (picture attached), has not been eating well the past few days. He’s one of three cats (two boys and one girl, all siblings) who each eat a normal 5.5 oz can of wet cat food (Friskies) twice a day — totaling 6 cans/day– and the only one not eating the food. We have a variety of flavors so I thought it was a specific one and changed which one he was eating. Still not interested… Would try to take some bites but then walk away. His urine and fecal movements are okay and we do have water down for them, too. Out of frustration and desperation to get him to eat, I cooked up some ground beef and he’s had about 1 C worth over the past 24 hours. Also ate a vienna sausage (I use those to give my12 year old dog a daily pill — gave him one without a pill obviously), and some baked ham so I know he’s hungry. Turned up his nose to some turkey gravy (also opened up a can of this out of desperation), but I’ll try him on some chicken tomorrow — still frozen.

Fur feels kind of oily like it gets when they are sick but not overly oily — he’s normally a very soft (almost angora like his sister) and fluffy kitty. I had been adding in the oil of one fish oil capsule to the boys’ food as they were having a bad time with flea dermatitis (their sister doesn’t like the fish oil at all) so I’ve stopped that for the meantime. He’s really not changed behaviors, just a little sluggish at times. Just gave him some more hamburger and he’s happy — I’m just glad he’s eating! What else should I give him besides chicken? He’s the known butter thief in the family too — but I’ve had it locked up and he can’t get to it (room temperature butter for spreading on toast — locked it in the cabinet above the toaster).

I’ve also attached two pictures of plants I’ve recently brought into the house when these freezing temperatures descended upon us last week. Nearly killed my huge Aloe plant and HUGE Macho fern (forgot them on the front porch — we use the carport for going in and out), two bridal veil plants (dark green pots), and my jasmine plant which I had in the back yard in full sun. Not sure if he’s chewed any of those — though the aloe is suspect as it was weeping for a bit when it thawed out (and STUNK! I need to trim the bad leaves off now), and he did play a bit with the macho fern (likes to play hide and seek under it). I do know someone or all three of them have been munching on my artificial Christmas tree as I’ve seen urps with that stuff in it on the floor. Nothing like more cleaning of carpets…

We have recently changed (in Nov) all of their flea meds from Frontline to Advantage and I’ve seen such a DIFFERENCE in their skin. They’re not breaking out anymore! We’ve been vacuuming (which the vet’s tech — their daughter — said activates the hatching of the eggs with the vibrations) every other day and cleaning the carpets with HOT water every two weeks to keep on top of it. The cats are indoors only but we have the large dog (1/2 Boxer- 1/4 German Shepard 1/4 Labrador Retriever) and our daughter’s year old Australian Terrier who do go in and out. We do try to remember to spray the yard during the spring and summer but it’s been a very tough season here in the south for fleas.

I do wish we could afford the Weruva and Vectra for the cats and dogs but we also have a horse (5 year old American Quarter Horse, sorrel/chestnut, named Buster) so our pennies are stretched out very thin for animal upkeep, and my husband will be retiring from the Army this next year. I don’t work, do homeschool our youngest daughter, and we have a wedding for our eldest daughter next year to pay for in October. Her dog and horse will go with her too–so then I could possibly afford the Vectra. which I’d like to invest in as we live in a very sandy soil area (“sand hills” of North Carolina). I’ve also looked into the cost of making our own cat food and have found the supplements I’ll need online — just need to buy a meat grinder and find who has the best prices for the meat. That will be a gradual transition, too. Until then, bonuses of homemade meat balls once in a while are given to all of them (they like them raw and I don’t add anything to them).

There were a couple of things I told Dee when she called into CAT CHAT® that night (she doesn’t have SiriusXM satellite radio but I told her anyone can call the toll free number 866-675-6675 between 8-9 PM EST any Wednesday night!) First, I think something is definitely up with Pumpkin — his greasy fur and change in appetite is a big tip off so I think a vet visit is need for a physical exam and blood work. Secondly, while I understand financial constraints, the science behind Frontline is 17 years old so it is markedly less effective than Vectra, which has been formulated and newly developed with the newest technology and research. Also, Frontline is now sold over the counter and on websites and there is no quality control and no way of knowing you are getting a genuine product (there are a lot of websites selling fake product), even if it is less effective than Vectra! (many people find it stops working after about 2 weeks so they put on another application which is really unsafe and unhealthy since it is a 30-day product, even if it does not work effectively for that long). The really awesome Christmas Stocking Stuffer news is that Dee is going to get some complimentary Vectra for her kitties from Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins (the Official vet of CAT CHAT® who is now the head of Vectra’s Veterinary Services — congratulations Elizabeth!) One reason why is that Dee knows about Vectra from me, would want to choose it over any other brand, and has budgetary concerns right now — we know she’ll one day be able to be a loyal and satisfied Vectra customer for her dog and kitty cats!

Lastly, if she wants to make food at home it needs to be chicken-based and the grinder she gets must be capable of grinding whole chickens, bones and all, with added organ meat. Beyond that, she is going to need to supplement with Platinum Performance for a fully balanced meal (taurine, etc.) and overall health benefits (Dr. Elizabeth and many vets I know suggest all their dogs and cats are on Platinum daily, as are my dogs and mini-donkey and my husband and I!) so there are monetary considerations in all this, too!

Here were Dr. Elizabeth’s comments on Pumpkin:

The Friskies is not a bad alternative to dry food if the owner can’t upgrade to whole chicken or similar. The Platinum only costs 5 cents/day/cat so that really shouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately, I doubt that cold weather is affecting this cat’s appetite. Hot weather can, but generally cats will eat more during cold weather. She doesn’t say how old this kitty is but I suspect there is something medical going on and if it persists, she will have to take him to be examined as it may be serious and it will be cheaper and easier to deal with the earlier she acts. The change in the fur is also troublesome so I think unless he snaps out of this soon, a vet visit is in order.

Here is a comment about Pumpkin from Dr Donna Spector, DOG TALK® and CAT CHAT® Official Second Opinion Vet (www.SPECTORDVM.com):

While the decreased appetite does happen to some cats… I wouldn’t necessarily want to just chalk it up to that. I took a look at the picture and he is looking a little greasy/unkempt. Being a young cat… they can get into a lot of things… sometimes GI foreign bodies look like this, pancreatitis, dietary indiscretion, etc. These are the questions I would ask of a client: with the holidays… do they have tinsel up or other decorations that he might have nibbled on? Does he have access to the tree / tree water? I once had a 3 year old cat who ate so many pine needles from the Christmas tree he was impacted from the stomach up to his mid-espophagus. No vomiting… just didn’t want to eat. So this isn’t necessarily something like that… but this can be a digestively stressful time of year… any parties? People who fed fatty treats? New treats recently?

I don’t think trying a different brand of food is a bad idea and in the short term (one or two weeks) she can home cook for him… especially if he is sick (like with a pancreatitis, etc) the very best thing would be lean meats she cooks at home. Sounds like he liked the burger she gave him and he actually ate a decent amount. But I think she needs to get the vet sooner rather than later.

Thank you to my wonderful veterinary colleagues who are so swift and generous with their time and knowledge! And wishing good health to Pumpkin, of course.

UPDATE: Pumpkin Pulled Out of It!

I was so happy to get this message back from Dee in North Carolina — who was ready to take Pumpkin to the vet, but was very glad not to have to!

Last night Pumpkin came and slept with us, something he’s not done in a very long time. This morning he ate an entire can of food (gave half with the others at breakfast and then the other half about an hour later), and again this evening he just ate a full dinner without any problem. His fur is feeling and looking almost normal again. Whatever it was it has passed (of course I was praying for him, too . I’ll still continue to monitor him and will call in tonight as promised.

I am so thankful for this gift of Vectra! Honestly it is a true surprise as I was not expecting anything but a suggestion of what to feed Pumpkin, etc. I am truly thankful to both you and Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins for this unexpected but very welcome gift.

We have two vets we use. One is the vet clinic on the Army base (Fort Bragg) where my husband is stationed and retiring from and they only carry Frontline for the cats. I take the cats there for their annual shots, but we can’t do much beyond regular check ups and minor things there. I can pretty much say it will be a no go for the military to add Vectra to their clinics — they’re extremely tough to get things changed there.

I will look into the Platinum Performance supplement Dr. Elizabeth mentioned, and the fish oil was normal human fish oil by Sundown Naturals (1000 mg). Obviously I have listened to you about fish oil but thought this would be as good as Nordic Naturals and even more obviously now I have a LOT MORE to learn! My cats have been off “kitty crack” since March and I will look more into what would be best for them at the level that I can afford. If it’s staying with Friskies then so be it unless there is something better out there which is better and pretty comparable in price. I can say our cost for cat, dog, and horse food/litter/meds is pretty expensive each month, but I love them all as I do my children. They are my furry children! I’ll be calling in tonight, I promise. Thank you, again, for all of your generosity and helping me get them on the right track.

I replied:

Dear Dee — It was terrific that you called into CAT CHAT® tonight – wonderful to get to know you in person! I have three things to straighten out for you which I didn’t have time for on the air.

1)   The vet on the base is WAY “OFF BASE”! No cats should be getting annual shots of any kind — holistic vets and health-conscious vets of any kind have known for years that yearly vaccinations are unnecessary and possibly harmful. The AVMA (which is the organization all vets belong to) has a stated policy that vaccines should only be given every 3 years (although many of the more educated vets would say that is often overkill for many pets). So you can save some money and definitely some potential harm to your kitties right there!

2)   WERUVA, my favorite cat food, is definitely costly because of the very high quality ingredients it contains, but they also make BFF (Best Feline Friend), a less costly yet high quality cat food. Both these foods and even the Friskies your other kitties eat and many brands both value-priced and premium can be found at my newest sponsor www.PETLFOW.com! With a minimum $60 order you will pay NO SHIPPING even for litter (all the Dr Elsey Precious Cat litters are there and imagine how nice to not have to lug them home but let the UPS man bring them without charge!) Simply put dogtalk (one word) in the code box at checkout and you will not be lugging stuff home from the market anymore! Also, Petflow.com carries the kibble I feed my own dogs — HALO — which I’d love you to try because you can feed less of it because of the high quality of the real meat they use to achieve the protein level. The brand you have been using was recently part of a pet food recall and instead, I’d love to see your dogs getting the highest quality nutrition from a company that does no advertising and instead uses that money for charitable contributions through www.Freekibble.com (you should sign up for their daily quick quizzes — it’s seriously fun and HALO food is donated even if you get the answer wrong!).

3) Other fish oils are definitely NOT like Nordic Naturals — for you, or your pets. There is no comparison between the seriousness with which the Norwegians treat their oceans and responsibly choose the fish they will use for their omega-3 oil — it is a country with a centuries old tradition of making fish oil in a safe, sustainable and healthy way. The oil is filtered with the highest level of care and is third-party tested for purity — one of the worst things you can put in your body or your pet’s body is oil that is tainted with pollutants or has become rancid, both of which would do more harm than good. So please get Nordic Naturals — you can puncture one capsule and squeeze a few drops on the cat’s paw each day to lick off — for the dogs, each pet capsule is dosed for 20 lbs of dog, so feed accordingly. If you are going to make the really good decision to include the anti-inflammatory and overall health benefits of omega-3 fish oil in your diet and that of your pets, an important use of your resources is to make sure you have a really fresh, pure product or it’s better not to do it at all (but I do definitely recommend doing it!)

–Tracie Hotchner

Given the vast and growing body of scientific research proving the many health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, we know that fish oil is important in the diet. However, a recent law suit in California with regard to a state law about proper labeling known as Proposition 65 has cast a doubt in the public’s mind on whether fish oil is really safe because these supplements could contain toxic contaminants. In this law suit, PCBs were singled out as the culprit. To put things into perspective, PCBs are ubiquitous within the environment, which means that all fish, whether they are caught for food from the ocean or a river or are used to make fish oil, will contain at least trace amounts of PCBs. In fact, since whole fish filets are not purified before arriving at the store, there is a much greater chance that our fish dinner is higher in PCBs than our fish oil supplementation.

Fish oil is safe but some fish oil is purer than others — not to mention fresher, better tasting and sourced with greater respect for the environment. But how can consumers know that they are buying a high quality fish oil supplement?

When it comes to choosing fish oil supplements, whether in liquid form, soft gel or effervescent form, there is a wide range of quality markers and standards. Making an informed choice will ensure a better experience in terms of efficacy, dosage, compliance, and planetary impact. Don’t fall prey to marketing language — be it from the supplier or the manufacturer.

There is one simple way for you to be confident that the product you are buying will provide the health benefits you are looking for and deliver the quality markers discussed above: third party testing. Any responsible fish oil manufacturer will commission an independent testing organization who does not benefit financially from the test results to test their product. The test results should be listed on the company website or made available to you by email even if the company is not manufacturing the oil themselves. Sometimes you will find test results on public websites like www.ifosprogram.com. By comparing the test results for purity and freshness levels from different brands, you can differentiate lower quality from higher quality fish oil, thereby ensuring safety and efficacy.

Follow these guidelines to get to the basics:

• Purity from contaminants and toxins is a top priority. Dioxins, PCBs, Mercury and Lead are a few of the contaminants that must be avoided in quantities that are harmful to humans. Though all food substances, including fish oil, could contain some level of these contaminants, look for brands that test to very refined levels and find no detectable levels when tested at 10 ppb for mercury and lead and .5 ppt for PCBs and dioxins. In addition, raw material should be harvested from healthy and abundant waters, processed to eliminate environmental contaminants, and then third-party tested to ensure that the finished product exceeds international pharmaceutical standards. Some internationally-accepted quality standards include: CRN (Council for Responsible Nutrition), WHO (World Health Organization) and IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards). It is important to note that some heat is required to extract the oil from a fish and to remove environmental contaminants. Despite what is being said in the market, fish oil must go through a cleansing process that uses heat. This can easily be done using low heat without injury to the oil. A method such as molecular distillation is effective for ensuring purity levels.
• Exceptional freshness levels are absolutely essential and ensure product integrity and biological efficacy. Oxidized (rancid) oil is not healthy for the body, and is the cause of the fishy smell, taste and burps that many people have experienced with fish oil. Companies have been known to try to mask smell by using flavoring, so check for third party test results for peroxide levels (current oxidation) and anisidine values (past oxidation). Freshness is measured by anisidine and peroxide values, which combine for a TOTOX or total oxidation value. Look for a TOTOX value of less than 26.0 meq/kg — the lower the number the fresher the fish oil. This value is put forth by CRN, IFOS and GOED.
• Look for processing methods that do not include the presence of oxygen, excessive heat or chemicals. Processing the oil in a nitrogen environment and without oxygen will prevent oxidative rancidity. Mild heat is necessary, and as long as there is no oxygen present, heat does not pose a threat.
• Dosage is key with fish oil so read the supplement facts panel on the product. For general maintenance, a daily dose would average about 500 mg of EPA and DHA. This can often be accomplished with one soft gel or 1/4 tsp of a high quality concentrated fish body oil or ½ tsp of cod liver oil. Products containing a lower concentration of EPA and DHA mean that you have to take more soft gels to get the required amount of EPA and DHA. That’s why a less expensive bottle does not necessarily mean a good bargain! You must read the label.
• Great taste is important to ensure compliance. Exceptional freshness will ensure good taste. And be sure to choose a supplement with only natural flavorings and preservatives.
• Purchase from a reputable company that has an excellent track record for: environmental sustainability with regards to fishing practices, a strong corporate/social responsibility profile, community involvement, and respect from the medical and health professional community.
• Since most packaging does not give the whole “fish” story, go to the website or call the customer service department to fill in the blanks. A quality company will go out of their way to make sure you have this information.

I received the bookplate packet of samples and brochures. What fun! Thank you so much! Can’t wait to read all the info. I feed one of my dogs The Honest Kitchen — Thrive and Force – but have wanted to try Preference and you sent me a sample of it! I give a small amount of Halo dry food with THK. I have been giving Nordic Naturals to both dogs; their coats are so shiny and soft. Pumpkin has hypothyroidism and he was scratching and biting himself pretty bad: he has practically stopped now. I am going to ask my vet about Vectra and will show him the pamphlet; I would like to try it. I also wanted to try Platinum Performance and I got that too! I had a question: is it ok to give Nordic Natural fish oil and Platinum Performance or should it be one or the other? Can’t wait to put the bookplate into the book. Thank you so much. It is really wonderful to have someone so informed and trustworthy to help me keep my furry friends healthy and happy.

With much appreciation, Christine.

You’re doing wonderfully! I myself feed The Honest Kitchen at every meal with a small serving of Halo kibble good choices! So glad the Nordic Naturals fish oil is a success — it makes me so happy when my advice really helps! Yes, you can give the Platinum Performance supplement along with the Nordic because one is a marine-based (Nordic is all fish body and liver oil) while Platinum Performance used plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, So all that remains is for you to get Pets Best insurance I sent you a brochure for (and believe me, if you think you cannot afford it, you certainly cannot afford the costly choices now available to diagnose and treat ailments. Oh! And the Vectra and Vectra 3-D for flea and tick control — if your vet does want to get the free samples, great. Give me the name and number and I’ll pass it along to Dr. Elizabeth. BUT if your vet decides not to carry Vectra, you only need to find a Banfield vet clinic (by going on the internet) and after just a question or two about your pets heath they will sell you First Shield, which is the name for Vectra at Banfield — it’s made especially for them.

Tracie

Hi, this is Bobbie, we have a dog named Chucho he’s 3 and he’s a Havanese. We feed him a raw diet he seems fine with it, but right after he comes back from the groomer he’ll start biting himself around hips. But lately he’s been doing it even though he hasn’t been to the groomer for a while. Do you know what we should do?

P.S. love the show!

For sure Chucho needs an addition of an omega-3 fatty acid in his diet — we are all lacking in it. Nordic Naturals pet oil capsules are high quality pure fish oil from the Norwegian sea and there is a whole page for them on my website. After a week or so you should see an improvement in his skin, but keep giving those oils throughout his life because they have many health benefits. Also, I think the groomer is using a harsh shampoo which is drying or irritating his skin, which can last long after the grooming. You need a non-detergent shampoo. Smartpak Canine.com has some lovely quality shampoos ones with low cost shipping — that way you can bring your own shampoo to the groomers next time. Smartpak Canine also carries a good salmon oil capsule (get fish oil ONLY in capsules or it can rancid) from Wholistic Pet Organics so you’d only have to pay one low shipping cost.

Tracie

Hi Tracie!

I just wanted to thank you SO MUCH for the many things you have done for myself and Caring Hands here in Kansas! Making my dogs the ‘Dogs of the Month’ on DOG TALK® has been a great honor and I’m so proud of my babies being on your web page… and grateful for featuring us on your show as well! I’m not sure of the following you have, but I’m sure it’s great and the exposure to shelter animals (especially ours that day!) is MOST EXCELLENT! I cannot thank you enough! I hope many people will adopt from a shelter or rescue as opposed to the puppy mills breeders, etc!

I love my Dog Talk® baseball cap, by the way! It’s a great fit. I also wanted to let you know, I am going to purchase the Platinum Performance additive – it’s PERFECT for my older dog Missy. Not that it isn’t perfect for them all, but we are still adjusting to the financial changes of adding a 5th human to our already large family! In time, I’d like to have them all on it. So thank you for bringing that to my attention. The fact that it has Glucosamine in it is an added bonus! Forcing pills down an old stubborn lady’s throat is no fun! I’m grateful it’s in the ground up form and she loves it! (You sent me a trial size awhile back.)

I just want to thank you for the honor it was to be featured on your show and website. Thank you for this opportunity!

Lori S.
Kennel Manager, Animal Behavior & Training Consultant, Foster Home Coordinator
Caring Hands Humane Society, Newton, Kansas

I saw your website and thought I’d email. Our 12 yr old lab was diagnosed w/stage IV or V lymphoma this week. We haven’t decided for sure, but are thinking the price and toll of chemo is too great for the limited benefits (our vet said 6 – 9 months) in return. Still waiting on the details, hopefully tomorrow. We have used SmartPak for our horses for years and are well aware of the power of supplements. Do you have any suggestions for a dog with cancer? I have seen several of the cancer diets for dogs on the internet and plan on implementing those and I know about fish oil (we use Wellpride for the horses). What about other “Smartpak” options for a daily supplement to help her fight this? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I passed along your question to the staff vet at Smartpak, Dr. Lydia Gray, who kindly put together quite a comprehensive answer. I have some comments to add afterwards but must say I think it is admirable that the Smartpak staff vet would take this time to be helpful in your hour of need:

First of all, while chemotherapy can be expensive, it generally takes less of a toll on animals than it does in people. For example, hair loss is common in people but uncommon in animals. So if the side effects of chemotherapy are a sticking point for making the decision to treat, this should relieve some of their anxiety. If they still do not want to pursue chemotherapy, they should not completely stop veterinary care but seek medical attention from a holistic veterinarian who will recommend complementary and alternative therapies. These may not be as effective as conventional treatment, but they may improve quality of life and gain some time. In the meantime, here are my suggestions for diet and supplements:

DIET - Every form of cancer in people and animals is different and has its own chemistry, rate of growing, tissue preference, etc. Fortunately the form of cancer their dog has, lymphoma, has been extensively studied. Research has shown that a diet high in protein, high in fat, and low in carbohydrates “starves” the cancer but feeds the body.

SUPPLEMENTS - Glutamine is another amino acid that is beneficial for dogs with cancer. They already know to feed omega-3 fatty acids, preferably from a fish or algae source that contains DHA and EPA. They should introduce fat to the diet gradually, however, to avoid GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea.

If they decide to try chemotherapy, they may want to provide additional support to their dog with ginger, peppermint or other ingredient for nausea and vomiting. Pre- and probiotics are also good choices to maintain a healthy GI tract. Milk thistle and SAMe support the liver (which is doing the bulk of the chemical detoxifying) while CoQ10 supports other tissues. B-vitamins will encourage the dog to continue eating. All of these supplements are very safe.

There is controversy over the use of antioxidants such as Vitamin E, Se, Vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid and others. When dogs are undergoing chemotherapy, some experts feel these ingredients protect the cancer cells from being killed. So it’s probably okay to supplement during times when the dog is NOT being treated.

I’ve heard that people are also trying garlic, curcumin (turmeric), green tea, aloe vera, mushrooms and many other substances but there’s very little safety or efficacy research on these particular ingredients and are best used only on the advice of a veterinarian knowledgeable in this field.

Lydia F. Gray, DVM, MA
Medical Director/Staff Veterinarian, Smartpak

So Gena – The first thing I would urge you to do is to get a second opinion by contacting the Official Oncologist of my radio shows, Dr Alice Villalobos, who has a whole page on my website. She is in California and if you or your vet arranges with Dr. Alice’s assistant Ronnie to see all your dog’s lab tests, she can help you decide what sort of extended or quality of life you might expect from chemotherapy. That may help you make a more informed decision. As for Dr. Lydia Gray’s advice, I think it is excellent but want to emphasize that a home-cooked high protein (from quality sources) diet is really important. If you insist on giving any dry food I urge you to use Spot’s Stew which has a 33% protein content derived entirely from meat that is “fit for human consumption” along with their canned food which has equally “clean” ingredients. When your dog is fighting cancer he cannot tolerate the highly processed poor ingredients in most commercial foods. As for the omega-3 fatty acids, I recommend to everyone to stick with Nordic Naturals which is a 100% pure fish oil from Norway which is pure and fresh so you will get the most reliable anti-inflammatory effects.

Tracie

The Dog Bible

MANY thanks for the lovely, lovely goody bags from your fabulous April 24th event! They are fantastic and I’m sharing the wealth with my friend Oceane who has a kitty (I rescued from my farm in the remote part of KY) and can definitely use the kitty stuff in the bags. Briga, however, is greatly enjoying the Omega-3 supplements and the treats. I’ve noticed that since she’s been taking the Omega-3, she’s been scratching less, which is a common occurrence among cockers. Also, I’ve noticed her skin is less dry and flaky. I’m pretty certain the fish oil is lubricating her skin. If I’d only known before!

Also, many thanks for the great book . . . I love it and will be sure to consult it often!