tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60790930070808055342024-02-07T17:47:48.026-08:00Pet Health and NutritionA veteran of holistic veterinary medicine and nutrition opines on news and events related to our animal friends.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-49924942593536075782018-08-27T12:40:00.002-07:002018-08-27T12:40:53.501-07:00The DCM and diet connection?<br />
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What with all of the concern recently on the dogs who have developed heart disease, I've gotten a lot of questions on whether we know the cause and what to do about it. There are a couple of great summaries that I will refer you to, but the short answer from me is this - the problems seem to be associated solely with small companies or homemade diets. From what I can tell, none of the larger, very well established companies are involved. So that's the answer for now - I would try to stick with large, well established companies and not just one of them. I've always said that it's safer to rotate between a few different companies and this is a good example of why I recommend that.<br />
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That's not what this is about though - there has recently been some kerfuffle claiming that the reason for this crisis is plant lectins. I was curious and did some research myself. This is what I've come up with.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Lectins in Pet foods</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Susan G. Wynn, DVM, DACVN</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Antinutritional factors appear, as a whole, to benefit plants by
deterring predators and microbes. The varying degrees of toxicity to animals,
insects and microbes have been exploited in studies that explore medical
applications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Plant defenses include low molecular weight compounds (alkaloids,
terpenoids, tannins, and glycosides), and proteins (lectins,
ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), protease inhibitors, a-amylase
inhibitors, ureases, arcelins, canatoxins, antimicrobial peptides and
pore-forming toxins). The proteins tend to accumulate in vulnerable (i.e.
edible) parts of the plants - seeds and storage tissues.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The first toxic carbohydrate-binding protein - a lectin called ricin - was discovered in
the seeds of castor beans in 1888. Lectins have been reported in bean, tomato,
potato, banana and garlic. Lectins are ubiquitous among plants and to date,
several hundred have been identified. In addition to plants, animals, insects,
viruses, fungi and bacteria also synthesize lectins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lectins are globular proteins of non-immune origin that have specific
CHO-binding activity and have at least one non-catalytic domain that binds
reversibly with specific mono- or oligosaccharides without altering the
substrate. Binding is specific but diverse, with some lectins recognizing
monosaccharides (such as mannose, glucose, galactose, and fucose). However most
plant lectins preferentially bind oligosaccharides like N- and O-linked glycans. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Thus far, 12 lectin families have been described, based on sequence
similarities and evolutionary relationships.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Toxicity is, in part, determined by resistance to proteolysis by gut
enzymes. Lectin toxicity varies widely, from antinutritional activity to lethal
effects. Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) contain phytohemagglutinin (PHA)
which is highly toxic. In the gastrointestinal tract, lectins can act as toxic
allergens and hemagglutinins. If lectins bind epithelial cells in the animal
digestive tract, the activity at these receptors may have adverse effects on
the cellular morphology and metabolism of the stomach and/or the small
intestine, and can alter permeability and activate signaling cascades that
alter intermediary metabolism (Vasconcelos, 2004).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Most of our knowledge about the anti-nutritional effects of lectin is
derived from animal experiments, using purified lectins, with very few clinical
studies in humans. Short term experiments in rats have shown that purified
lectins from beans or soybeans damaged the epithelial cells. led to
enlargement of the small intestine, stimulated hypertrophy and hyperplasia of
the pancreas, and impaired the growth of rats in the studies. In addition to
disrupting the cell membrane, lectins can inhibit the activity of brush border
enzymes. If the activity of lectins is marked enough and not modulated by the
intraluminal food matrix, the potential toxicity is primarily interference with
protein and carbohydrate digestion and absorption. It does appear that lectins
must bind to the gut epithelium to cause damage, and any that pass through the
gut are harmless. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Phytohemagglutinins (PHA) from Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean
including black turtle bean, string bean, flageolet bean, kidney bean, pea
bean, pink bean, pinto bean, white bean, yellow bean, cranberry and borlotti
bean, and so on, have been studied extensively. PHA is a mitogen and has been
used in laboratory studies to stimulate cellular activity. PHA binds strongly
to the brush border of the small intestine, and disrupts normal development of
intestinal microvilli (in rats). Since lectins remain attached to the
epithelial surface, they may also inhibit plasma membrane repair resulting in a
net loss of cells.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Even endogenous lectins have been implicated in GI damage - several
galectins appear to be involved in the development and progression of
inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal tumors. Galectins are a group of
mammalian lectins which are involved in cell-to-cell adhesion, growth
regulation, signalling and cytokine secretion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A potential secondary toxic effect of undigested lectin in the small
intestine is to lead to overgrowth of coliform bacteria, possibly due to the
intraluminal changes in nutrient content induced by increased mucus secretion,
epithelial cell loss, serum protein leakage and reduced digestion of dietary
protein.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As additional adverse effect is stimulation of an allergic response. When systemically absorbed intact, PHA can lead to a Th2 response and a
Type I (IgE-mediated) allergy, at least in rat studies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">What isn’t understood is the physiologic and nutritional significance of
low level, chronic ingestion of lectins and other anti-nutritional factors when
taken in as part of the natural diet, cooked or raw, or even whether beans can
be considered a natural part of the canine or feline diet. Soy products, for
instance, retain 5-20% of the trypsin inhibitory activity originally present in
raw soybeans. While some have theorized that the amounts of trypsin and
chymotrypsin produced by a human could be completely inhibited by ingestion of
raw soybeans or 200 g of other raw legume containing 2 grams of inhibitors,
humans do not routinely eat raw beans.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lectins have been subjected to industrial and experimental processing
methods such as steam heating, autoclaving, extrusion and dry roasting in order
to study their antinutritional effects. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Although lectins are in general considered heat-resistant, it has been
well established that they can be inactivated after cooking (around 100C or
212 farenheit) for short periods of time (up to about 15 minutes), with an
improvement of the accessibility of the protein to enzymatic attack(Coffey et
al., 1992) (He 2018 p78). He (2018) reports that the navy bean (Phaseolus
vulgaris) hemagglutinin (HA) lectin “could be fully eliminated at 121C for 5
minutes after the autoclaving treatment, and white bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
lectin could be fully inactivated after steam treatment of 100C for 15 minutes;
extrusion treatment of 145C for 16 minutes resulted in 98% reduction in the HA
of small red bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectin, as well as 99% reduction in the
HA of navy bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectin observed with the dry roasting
treatment at 200C for minutes (Van der Poel, 1990; Shimelis and Rakshit,
2007)." Purified PHA was subjected to high pressure pasteurization (HPP)
and while low pressure (150 mPA) did not change the hemagglutinin activity,
high pressure (450 mPA) led to a ‘noticeable decrease in the hemagglutinin
activity”. To summarize, normal cooking temperatures for 15 minutes appear to inactivate most of the undesirable activity, as does high pressure pasteurization.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lectins may have biomedical applications and are being investigated for
potential anti-tumor activity. The antiviral, antifungal and insecticidal
properties of some toxic plant proteins has given them potential use in agriculture.
Lectins have been used to target malignant cells for specific drug delivery,
especially Concanavalin A and BSA. Some PHAs may bind human tumor cells and
elicit production of inducible NO synthasae which is anticarcinogenic. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">PHA has also been shown to inhibit HIV replication. PHAs have also been shown to enhance the immune response against infections in general as it stimulates lymphocyte replication.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Extracts of beans are marketed for weight loss with the premise that PHA inhibit carbohydrate absorption and metabolism. These effects are seen using isolated, uncooked plant lectin - obviously a plate of cooked beans would not have the same benefit!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Summary</b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">While lectins do have adverse effects on the Gi tract of rats when
administered as an isolated treatment, similar damage has not been demonstrated
when lectin-containing foods are ingested as a normal part of the diet in
humans. Reviewers have concluded that when properly cooked, lectin-containing
foods are unlikely to pose any risk to humans. While beans in significant
amounts are not a natural component of the feline diet, they may or may not be
a natural part of the canine diet. In pet foods, lectin-containing foods are
extruded or canned, which should destroy most of the antinutritional activity.
In addition, these foods are only one component in a recipe containing other
ingredients, which are usually meats. Vegan diets containing no animal protein
may have enough residual lectin activity to be of concern, especially if they
have been subjected to dry heat only, as wet heat is more effective. The recent crisis in dogs who develop
dilated cardiomyopathy is unlikely to be related to the lectin content of bean-
or lentil- containing foods because many kinds of foods have been implicated,
including some that contain no beans or other foods high in lectins. Further,
if lectins were causing mucosal damage, why would the metabolism or absorption
of taurine in particular be targeted? Damage from lectins appears to have a
much broader effect, resulting in a leaky gut that should theoretically have
much more systemic results. But probably only if you are a rat, eating pure lectin.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-27492592260646151552018-03-19T14:19:00.001-07:002018-03-27T12:05:04.260-07:00The “Myth” Of Complete And Balanced Nutrition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">A common theme heard from those who believe in paleolithic feeding claim that the “complete and balanced diet” is unnecessary. Their reasoning goes like this –</span></div>
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<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Humans don’t eat a complete and balanced food every day. We even raise children without a daily complete and balanced, all-in-one food like pets eat, and they do just fine, don’t they?</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Wolves and wild cats don’t eat complete and balanced foods every day. Not only does their native diet supply all they need, but the foods that they can hunt or forage varies on a day to day or week to week basis – this variety in the diet leads to a complete/balanced nutrient profile over time.</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Complete and balanced nutrition has not resulted in pets living longer lives – my childhood dog lived to be 20 years old!</span></li>
<li>·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">ONE complete and balanced food is not, by itself, able to provide complete and balanced nutrition over months to years.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Let’s look at these claims one by one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Humans don’t eat a complete and balanced food every day. We even raise children without bothering to balance every meal, and they do just fine, don’t they?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Actually, no. Both young and aging humans experience different kinds of illnesses than dogs and cats, particularly atherosclerosis, hypertension and metabolic syndrome, which are rampant in developed countries. And humans could be considered a sentinel population for the increasing problem of obesity, childhood diabetes, and preventable cancers. No, humans are not doing just fine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Wolves and wild cats don’t eat complete and balanced foods every day. Not only does their native diet supply all they need, but the foods that they can hunt or forage varies on a day to day or week to week basis – this variety in the diet leads to a complete/balanced nutrient profile over time. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The natural diet of wolves and African wild cats are perfect for repeated reproduction, not longevity. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> Wild animals eat diets that are high in protein and energy to support repeated production of offspring - as many and as much as possible. Repeated reproduction is associated with shorter life expectancy, and the body is worn out from optimal reproduction, there is no further use for that individual in the population, so they die from exhaustion and inability to fend for themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">We have different plans for our pets - we want them around for 15 or more years, and we know that neutering them and keeping them thin adds many years to their lives in comparison to their wild ancestors We also know that preventing nutrient deficiencies through development of complete and balanced diets has been associated with an increase in life expectancy. Paleolithic diets are too high in fat for many of our pets whose most intense exercise is a few 30 minute walks or play sessions a day. In order to achieve our goals for our pets, we may not always be able to feed a paleolithic diet, and balancing that diet appears to optimize an animal’s life expectancy.. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Complete and balanced nutrition has not resulted in pets living longer lives – my childhood dog lived to be 20 years old</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">If you don’t believe that pets are living longer, just look at the surge in old age diseases in the last 50 years. Veterinarians now treat more degenerative issues like osteoarthritis and kidney disease than ever before. And cancer! Yes, it’s possible cancer is on the rise due to environmental or other exposure issues, but pets are also living long enough to contract cancer. We just did not see as much cancer to treat 50 years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">In addition, we now have evidence for certain interventions that increase life expectancy – a great example is that of keeping dogs and cats thin -the increase in lifespan is up to 2 years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">There is evidence that life expectancy is greater in pet or domesticated dogs and cats than in feral or ‘wild’ dog and cat populations. The average life expectancy in pet cats (12–14 years) is considerably higher than the reported median lifespan in feral cats (4·7 years)<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">. </span>It is not known what factors contribute to this difference between feral and pet cat populations, however, accidents, diseases, parasites, food availability and stress due multiple and frequent pregnancies may contribute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">A study from Banfield showed that, over the past decade, average lifespan has increased by 1 and 0·5 years in cats and dogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Results from a yearly survey of UK households over a 34 year period, totaling 233,461 households, showed that the average age of dogs and cats increased by about 13% from 1960 - 1994. The percentage of both dogs and cats over the age of 8 years also increased. During this same time period, the feeding of "prepared pet food" increased from 49 - 69% for dogs, and from 64 - 90% for cats. Veterinary databases from academic sources also show greater longevity in dogs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">And those 20 year old beloved family pets? These are the pets who made it past deadly infectious diseases (for which there were no vaccines) and traumas (such as fights, vehicular accidents, etc). Those pets that died early were not remembered later in the owners’ lives, but the few who did lived on as beloved memories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">ONE complete and balanced food is not, by itself, able to provide complete and balanced nutrition over months to years.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">I don’t completely disagree with point 4 – feeding a single brand of complete and balanced food may indeed reveal some shortcomings of that diet over months to years. Or more precisely, reveal that the pet eating the diet has requirements that the diet cannot fulfill. These diets are formulated to supply complete nutrition for 99% of normal animals. However, even normal animals have individual nutrient requirements that may vary widely from “average”. Pet owners and veterinarians frequently note how a pet’s haircoat declines on one diet over time, and immediately improves after a switch to another over the counter diet. That pet just received missing nutrients of some sort, or conversely, got relief from an overdose of a nutrient that he or she couldn’t tolerate well. There might well be a perfect diet out there for every individual pet, but with thousands of brands available, finding that one diet is challenging if it exists at all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">There is another aspect to this observation that pets may respond very decisively to diet changes. Depending on how the food is formulated, there may be ingredients and nutrients present which are not considered essential but that do confer some benefit. Phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables are one example. Nutritionists formulate complete and balanced foods to supply optimal (not minimal) amounts of all the <b>essential </b>nutrients, but a food containing more biochemical complexity may benefit an animal’s metabolism in ways that are not obvious or easy to study.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">One of the most common areas for a nutrient deficiency or imbalance to show up is in the skin. I see sparse hair growth and flaky or greasy skin pretty commonly in animals that are eating deficient diets. However, we generally do not see classical nutrient deficiencies if a pet is eating a diet that is deficient in 1 or 2 micronutrients but contains plenty of protein, fat, calcium, etc. What we see instead is that if the pet becomes ill with another problem, that illness may be worse, or require more treatment or hospitalization than if the pet had been eating a complete and balanced diet. Those subclinical nutrient deficiencies leaves the patient wanting and without metabolic reserves when the system is stressed. The other relatively common situation is the sudden “appearance” of a nutrient deficiency that was developing for months to years while the animal seemed perfectly healthy. A particularly dangerous example is taurine deficiency in dogs* – a dog can motor along seeming perfectly healthy, but behind the scenes, the heart is proceeding into heart failure, and the owner doesn’t notice anything wrong until failure has occurred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Can you measure blood levels to determine whether a vitamin or mineral deficiency is present? In many cases, the test is either not very accurate or difficult to run so we don't typically do those tests unless special circumstances exist. On the other hand, if a pet is chronically malnourished or has been starved, we do see indirect indicators such as w protein and other laboratory values. But the physical condition often tells us what we need to know. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">To summarize, there are many good reasons to feed a complete and balanced diet, and no good reasons to avoid doing so. It’s easy to find foods of all types – complete/balanced homemade recipes, raw foods, grain-free foods, paleo foods, kibbles, cans, prescription diets -why take chances when it just isn’t necessary?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">*Taurine is not considered an essential nutrient in dogs, and yet some dogs develop heart failure due to taurine deficiency from certain diet formulations, including diets very high in fiber (we believe), or those composed of meats that are low in taurine. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">References</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Watson D. Longevity and diet (letter). Vet Rec 1996 (138) 3: 71<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Butterwick RF. Impact of nutrition on ageing the process. Bridging the gap: the animal perspective. The British journal of nutrition. , 2015, Vol.113 Suppl, p.S23-S<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;"> EJ Taylor , C Adams & R Neville (1995) Some nutritional aspects of ageing in dogs and cats. <i>Proc Nutr Soc</i> <b>54</b>, 645–656.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;"> Banfield Pet Hospital (2013) State of pet health 2013 report. </span><a href="http://www.stateofpethealth.com/content/pdf/banfield-state-of-pet-health-report_2013.pdf"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;">http://www.stateofpethealth.com/Content/pdf/Banfield-State-of-Pet-Health-Report_2013.pdf</span></a><span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;">.</span><a href="https://scholar-google-com.proxy.lib.utk.edu:2050/scholar?q=4+Banfield+Pet+Hospital+(2013)+State+of+pet+health+2013+report.+http://www.stateofpethealth.com/Content/pdf/Banfield-State-of-Pet-Health-Report+2013.pdf." target="_blank"></a><u><span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;"> <o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="border: none 1.0pt; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; padding: 0in;">J Levy , D Gale & L Gale (2003) Evaluation of a long-term trap-neuter-return and adoption program on a free-roaming cat population. <i>J Am Vet Med Assoc</i> <b>222</b>, 42–46.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-50993624686013736412018-03-13T12:04:00.001-07:002018-06-15T08:45:27.489-07:00Paleo for all?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Recently many pet owners have become interested in the idea of paleolithic feeding - that is, feeding the paleolithic diet of cat or dog's ancestor. Paleolithic feeding does not mean the same thing to everyone, so some definitions are in order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Paleolithic diets are high in meat and fat, and low in starches and sugars - they <b><i>theoretically</i></b> mimic the ancestral diet of dogs (the wolf) and cats (the African wild cat).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Low carb diets are theoretically low in *digestible* carbohydrates such as starches and sugars, and high in meats. They should also be low in another type of carbohydrate - fiber - but this varies diet to diet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Grain-free diets contain no grains (such as wheat, corn, oats, rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, barley, etc). Grain-free diets are not necessarily low in carbohydrates, which are instead found as potato, tapioca, or pulses in these diet formulations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Raw diets contain raw meat, and are typically high in protein and fat. They may or may not contain starches, sugars, fiber from vegetables and fruits, nutraceutical additives, or vitamins and minerals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">In general, the increasingly popular trend is to feed a paleolithic diet. These high meat, high fat diets usually consist of muscle and organ meat, ground bone, and may or may not contain vegetables, or be complete and balanced<b>. It is important to note that these homemade and commercial combinations are not really paleolithic at all,</b> as wolves and feral cats would typically eat almost all parts of their prey including the toughest, least digestible parts containing primarily connective tissue*, nervous system; organs not available for consumer purchase like trachea, lymph nodes, spleen, etc; GI tract contents, etc. Commercially available meat has also been exsanguinated - blood was drained at slaughter, and blood is a very rich source of nutrients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Also, prey animals have generally eaten wild foods, which give their flesh a very different nutrient profile than that of store-bought meats. Wild grains (and therefore wild prey animals) contain higher levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and other types of plant compounds as well. Conventional meat used in raw diets come from intensively raised cattle and chickens with unhealthy fat (that causes atherosclerosis and heart disease in people!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">(*These poorly digestible, high connective tissue parts are known as by-products when found on a pet food label. Note that many pet owners consider “by-products” unhealthy, when they are, in fact, part of the natural diet.)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">More important is the question of whether domestic dogs and cats should eat a paleolithic diet at all. First, domestic pets are genetically different from their wild ancestors. Even the tiny amount of DNA that differs between dogs and wolves, or domestic and wild cats accounts for major variations in some visible traits, like the differences in size between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua, or the leg length of a munchkin cat, the ears of a Scottish fold, or the nose and haircoat of a Persian cat. The traits we cannot see, such as those regulating metabolic enzymes, differ just as greatly from those of wild animals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Next, evolution has different plans for wild animals than we do for our pets. Wild animals eat diets that are high in protein and energy to support repeated production of offspring - as many and as much as possible. Repeated reproduction is associated with shorter life expectancy, and when the body is worn out from optimal reproduction, there is no further use for that individual in the population, so they die from exhaustion and inability to fend for themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We have different plans for our pets - we want them around for 15 or more years, and we know that neutering them and keeping them thin adds many years to their lives in comparison to their wild ancestors We also know that preventing nutrient deficiencies through development of complete and balanced diets has been associated with an increase in life expectancy. Paleolithic diets are too high in fat for many of our pets whose most intense exercise is a few 30 minute walks or play sessions a day. In order to achieve our goals for our pets, we may not always be able to feed a paleolithic diet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Formulated diets that are lower in fat may be appropriate, and they may contain sources of carbohydrates (such as corn, lentils, rice, sweet potato, etc). These are not just fillers - they can contain low-fat sources of protein, as well as vitamins, minerals and good fiber types.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Finally, while raw and paleolithic diets can occasionally be used to feed sick animals, this is just as often not true, as we need to intensively manage some nutrients such as phosphorus or copper or fat. These ill animals have progressive illness that, without nutritional management, would kill them. In fact, in the wild, animals with these conditions indeed die an early death. We are able to keep our sick pets happy and well for much longer with controlled nutrition, whereas in the wild, they wouldn't have a chance, even if they were well enough to find food. <b>Geriatric, ill pets who live for months to years happily</b> <b>represent</b> <b>a</b> <b>very, very artificial situation</b>, and a natural diet is likely the worst thing that could happen to some of them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Raw and homemade fresh diets can be formulated to provide just about any nutrient profile required by your pet, and pets are individuals – some will do well on raw and paleolithic diets, and some will not. The ideal diet for your dog or cat is the one that produces the best <b><i>long term</i></b> (not just short term) results. I recommend that your pet's diet be balanced in calories, protein and other nutrients to maintain your pet's optimum condition, rather than conform to some standard that doesn't apply to his or her lifestyle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-36183993970413495402017-06-24T08:56:00.002-07:002017-06-24T08:56:13.155-07:00What is a Novel Protein Anyway, Or, Why is Chicken Bad for My Pet?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Recently I've had a spate of owners claiming that they've been told that chicken is bad for their dog or cat. Well……yes and no.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Like the game we played in grade school – Rumor – the real story has been lost in the re-telling, such that when it reaches me from the owner in my hospital, chicken has become the enemy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">It is not. So let’s talk about food allergy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Food allergy is believed by many to be a common cause of allergic skin disease. It is not – environmental allergies are by far the most cause of skin allergy. However, changing dietary ingredients may help improve the itching from environmental allergy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Food allergy is more likely to cause GI problems – intermittent or persistent loose stool, diarrhea, reflux, vomiting, gas, and noisy stomach. And just to return to skin allergy for a second, I usually expect that GI signs will accompany skin signs if food allergy is the cause. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Food allergy is a problem for animals who are genetically predisposed to it, or for animals who have had an insult to the gut resulting in inflammation. That inflammation can lead to a breakdown in the normal gut barrier, leading to absorption of substances into the body that would otherwise be kept safely inside the gut ultimately to be eliminated. This situation has a name – Leaky Gut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">When a leaky gut is present, the immune system gains abnormal access to food molecules, bacteria, and other protein-containing substances that lead to the development of immune response to “fight” this “foreign invader” that the immune system has never seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">The good news is that leaky gut is often treatable using a combination of diet changes, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory herbs, nutraceuticals or drugs. For even more good news, some of these food allergy cases turn out not to be permanent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Food allergy, if the conditions are right, develops because of exposure to that particular food ingredient. Chicken just happens to be the most common meat ingredient in the pet food industry, so…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">So, if an animal does in fact develop a sensitivity* to chicken, a change in dietary ingredients is certainly warranted, but that doesn’t mean that chicken is forbidden forever. In fact, it is not possible to definitively diagnose a food allergy in any way except for elimination and then challenging with that food ingredient. If a challenge test using chicken meat results in a reaction (GI OR skin), well, food allergy is usually the answer. But what we usually find is that on challenge testing, chicken is no longer a problem (or never was). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">By the way, this reminds me of the whole corn story from 10 or 15 years ago. Many dog owners were claiming that their pets were allergic to corn simply because they changed from corn-containing diets to diets that had none. There are many great reasons for significant clinical improvements to occur when we change diets, so I believed these owners. However, a true allergy to corn is even less rare than a true allergy to chicken. There was something else at work there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;">Bottom line – if your pet is itchy or has ear problems, it’s usually fair to try and change the dietary ingredients. But if your pet improves, we just can’t conclude that food allergy was the reason. Food changes are powerful for many reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-89910839010925329662017-05-31T10:09:00.000-07:002017-05-31T10:11:16.306-07:00<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>When a Vitamin isn't a Vitamin At All</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Pet owners ask me every day about supplementing a nutraceutical* for their pet's chronic condition. Some common examples are:</span><br />
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Heart disease - magnesium, Vitamin E, B vitamins, taurine, thiamin</div>
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Wound healing - zinc </div>
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Immunedeficiency - Vitamin A</div>
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Anemia - Vitamins B2, B6, iron, etc</div>
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Oxalate bladder stones - Vitamin B6</div>
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Asthma - Vitamin B6</div>
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Diabetes - magnesium</div>
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Immune-mediated diseases - Vitamin D</div>
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The difference between most people and most pets is that most pets are eating complete and balanced diets, and people do not. In fact, the majority of chronic problems experienced in the human population are likely due to some form of malnutrition, which may be why humans have a different set of common disorders than dogs and cats (such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension). Every one of the conditions with suggested nutraceuticals listed above are used in people to correct a dietary deficiency. </div>
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Generally, supplementing dogs and cats with nutrients doesn't make much sense if they are eating a complete and balanced diet - at least if that nutrient is used in the human conditions to treat a deficiency. Yes, you need to know a bit of physiology to evaluate these compounds for use as medication.</div>
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On the other hand, I've seen a rise in the number of people feeding unbalanced homemade diets, so perhaps veterinarians should give these kinds of supplements a closer look in pets eating unbalanced diets. Or just encourage the owner to get them properly balanced.</div>
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But nutrients can have other effects, activities that show up only when pharmaceutical doses are used. When nutrients are used at doses beyond what is necessary for nutritional maintenance, they are being used as nutraceuticals. And some do have interesting potential. One well known example is the use of Vitamins A, E, C, and pyridoxine as antioxidants. Another is the use of fish oil in higher than nutritional doses to suppress chronic inflammation.</div>
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Moral of the story - it's hard to decide if a nutraceutical will help a pet with a chronic problem without direct evidence, like a study involving that nutrient, for that condition, in a group of similar patients, compared to patients taking a placebo. But studies are expernsive, and we can't usually count on getting all of the studies we need. If the scientific support is lacking but the supplement seems safe and the mechanism makes sense, a veterinarian may choose to use a nutraceutical. But it's just not as simple as searching the web and picking the most common recommendations that can be found. </div>
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*A nutraceutical is a nutrient used at supra-nutritional doses. Herbs are not nutraceuticals. </div>
Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-64017779988136573252017-05-19T09:55:00.000-07:002017-05-20T07:08:34.044-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Plant Medicines</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A variety of plants, plant extracts, and complex herbal formulas have been studied in the treatment of IBD. Central to the problem of studying this condition is the lack of understanding about the cause. Bowel inflammation is believed to involve the following: <sup>1</sup><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">multiple genetic variations</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">alterations in the composition of the intestinal microbiota</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">changes in the surrounding environment</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>overreactivity<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> of the intestinal mucosal immune response</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Herbal treatments have been identified based on ancient traditional treatments for chronic diarrhea, vomiting and other GI complaints, while more scientifically based testing has been done based on the content of anti-inflammatory compounds contained in plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Experimental animal studies have indicated that a variety of herbs and herbal formulas may quell gut mucosal inflammation. These are established models for the human diseases known as IBD, irritable bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. Most recently, cannabidiol from the hemp plant has been shown to suppress mucosal inflammation as well as hypermotility.<sup>2</sup> A very small sampling of other plants shown in recent experimental animal studies to have benefit include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Zanthoxylum </span>myriacanthum<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> var. </span>pubescens<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 3</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A formula of Quebracho, Conker </span>tree<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> and M. </span>balsamea<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span>Willd<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> extracts 4</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Zataria multiflora Boiss 5</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Daucus carota (carrot) 6</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Boswellia serrata (conflicting results) 7,8</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Zingiber officinale (ginger) 9</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Cordia </span>dichotoma<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 10</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>Patrinia<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span>scabiosaefolia<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 11</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Vitex </span>negundo<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> 12</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Pistacia lentiscus 13</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Mastic 14,15,16</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Plantago </span>ovata<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (psyllium) 17</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Human clinical trials are naturally fewer, and there were virtually no clinical trials found in dogs and cats at the time of this review. A systematic review <sup>1</sup> from 2015 highlighted the following herbs. In all cases where adverse effects of treatment were tracked, herbs were deemed very safe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Aloe vera (1 trial) - significant maintenance of remission as compared to placebo</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Andrographis </span>paniculata<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (1 trial) - clinical </span>efficancy<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> similar to mesalamine though recurrence rate was higher</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Artemisia </span>absinthum<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> (2 trials) significant improvement over placebo in 1 trial but not </span>anotherj<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> smaller trial</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Boswellia serrata (3 trials) - treatment efficacy similar to sulfasalazine in 2 trials but not different from placebo in a third trial</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Cannabis sativa (THC extract, 2 trials, one not controlled) - significantly better results over placebo </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Curcuma longa (turmeric, 3 trials, only 1 controlled) - reduced clinical signs and relapses as compared to placebo group.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A modern Chinese herbal formula significantly improved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in a randomized controlled trial in human patients 18. This trial compared patients given placebo, individualized Chinese herbal prescriptions, and standard formula. Initially, both treatment groups improved significantly compared to the placebo group; at follow-up 14 weeks later, only those receiving individualized prescriptions maintained improvement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standard Chinese herbal formula in Bensoussan trial<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dang Shen <i>Codonopsis pilosulae</i> 7gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Huo Xiang <i>Agastaches seu pogostemi</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fang Feng <i>Ledebouriella sesiloidis</i> 3gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yi Yi Ren <i>Coicis lacryma-jobi</i> 7gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chai Hu <i>Bupleurum Chinense</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yin Chen <i>Artemisia capillaris</i> 13gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bai zhu <i>Atractylodes macrocephalae</i> 9gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hou Po <i>Magnolia officinalis</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chen Pi <i>Citrus reticulata</i> 3gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pao Jiang <i>Zingiber officinalis</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Qin Pi <i>Fraxinus rhynchophylla</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fu Ling <i>Poria cocos</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bai Zhi <i>Angelica daihurica</i> 2gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Che Qian Zi <i>Plantago asiatica</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Huang Bai <i>Phellodendron amurense</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zhi Gan Cao <i>Glycyrrhiza uralensis</i> 4.5gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bai Shao <i>Paeonia lactiflora</i> 3gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mu Xiang <i>Aucklandia lappa</i> 3gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Huang Lian <i>Coptis sinensis</i> 3gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wu Wei Zi <i>Schisandra chinensis</i> 7gm<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How might herbal medicines work to improve the clinical signs of, or even resolve, IBD? There are a variety of potential active compound classes contained in herbs, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins and essential oils. Importantly to the practice of herbal medicine, it may be the combination of components that is most effective as opposed the singular effect of one compound. Herbal medicines may exert anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, astringent, and mucosal protective effects, and may also alter the microbiome. Botanical medicines have also been used in IBD for their psychological effects, as the pain secondary to inflammation of the bowel may alter circulation and other functions of the gut.19<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Veterinarians who use integrative therapies will choose from a variety of approaches to treat this potentially deadly disease. A change in diet is a reasonable first step, and herbal therapies often come next, sometimes along with acupuncture. Many veterinary herbalists are consulted after conventional therapies including steroids (prednisone, budesonide) or stronger immunesuppressive therapies (cyclosporine, azathioprine, chlorambucil and even mycophenylate, leflunomide, etc ) are already on board and see an improvement when natural therapies are instituted. Patients can die of this disease, and herbal therapies are a reasonable addition at any stage in order to mitigate side effects and perhaps increase the chance of a remission. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">References<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 Algieri F, Rodriguez-Nogales A, Rodriguez-Cabezas ME, Risco S, Ocete MA, Galvez J.. Botanical Drugs as an Emerging Strategy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review. Mediators Inflamm. 2015;2015:179616. doi: 10.1155/2015/179616. Epub 2015 Oct 20.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Pagano E, Capasso R, Piscitelli F, Romano B, Parisi OA, Finizio S, Lauritano A, Marzo VD, Izzo AA, Borrelli F. An Orally Active Cannabis Extract with High Content in Cannabidiol attenuates Chemically-induced Intestinal Inflammation and Hypermotility in the Mouse. Front Pharmacol. 2016 Oct 4;7:341. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3 Ji KL, Gan XQ, Xu YK, Li XF, Guo J, Dahab MM, Zhang P. Protective effect of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum myriacanthum var. pubescens against dextran sulfate sodium-induced intestinal inflammation in mice.Phytomedicine. 2016 Aug 15;23(9):883-90<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 Brown K, Scott-Hoy B, Jennings LW. Response of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation patients administered a combined quebracho/conker tree/M. balsamea Willd extract. World J Gastrointest Pharmacol Ther. 2016 Aug 6;7(3):463-8. doi: 10.4292/wjgpt.v7.i3.463.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5 Nakhai LA, Mohammadirad A, Yasa N, Minaie B, Nikfar S, Ghazanfari G, Zamani MJ, Dehghan G, Jamshidi H, Boushehri VS, Khorasani R, Abdollahi M.. Benefits of Zataria multiflora Boiss in Experimental Model of Mouse Inflammatory Bowel Disease. eCAM 2007;4(1)43–50 doi:10.1093/ecam/nel051<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 Patil MVK , Kandhare AD, Bhise SD. Anti-Inflammatory Effect Of Daucus Carota Root On Experimental Colitis In Rats. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci, Vol 4, Issue 1, 337-343<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7 Madisch, A.; Miehlke, S.; Eichele, O.; Mrwa, J.; Bethke, B.; Kuhlisch, E.; Bästlein, E.; Wilhelms, G.; Morgner, A.; Wigginghaus, B. & Stolte, M. (2007). Boswellia serrata<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">extract for the treatment of collagenous colitis. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. International journal of colorectal disease, Vol.22,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No.12 (December 2007), pp.1445-14451.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8 Kiela, PR.; Midura, AJ.; Kuscuoglu, N.; Jolad, SD.; Sólyom, AM.; Besselsen, DG.; Timmermann, BN. & Ghishan, FK. (2005). Effects of Boswellia serrata in mouse models of chemically induced colitis. American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology, Vol. 288, No.4 (April 2005), pp. G798-808. ISSN 0193-1857 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9 El-Abhar, HS.; Hammad, LN. & Gawad, HS. (2008). Modulating effect of ginger extract on rats with ulcerative colitis. Journal of ethnopharmacology, Vol.118, No.3 (August 2008), pp. 367-372. ISSN 0378-8741 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10 Ganjare, AB.; Nirmal, SA.; Rub, RA.; Patil, AN. & Pattan, SR. (2011). Use of Cordia dichotoma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bark in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Pharmaceutical biology, Vol.49, No.8 (August 2011), pp. 850-855. ISSN 1388-0209<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">11 Cho, EJ.; Shin, JS.; Noh, YS.; Cho, YW.; Hong, SJ.; Park, JH.; Lee, JY.; Lee, JY. & Lee, KT. (2011). Anti-inflammatory effects of methanol extract of Patrinia scabiosaefolia in mice with ulcerative colitis. Journal of ethnopharmacology, Vol.136, No.3 (July 2011), pp. 428-435. ISSN 0378-8741 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">12 Zaware, BB.; Nirmal, SA.; Baheti, DG.; Patil, AN. & Mandal, SC. (2011). Potential of Vitex negundo roots in the treatment of ulcerative colitis in mice. Pharmaceutical biology, Vol.49, No.8 (August 2011), pp. 874-878. ISSN 1388-0209 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">13 Kim, HJ. & Neophytou, C. (2009). Natural anti-inflammatory 13 compounds for the management and adjuvant therapy of inflammatory bowel disease and its drug delivery system. Archives of pharmacal research, Vol.32, No.7 (July 2009), pp. 997- 1004. ISSN 0253-6269 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">14 Kaliora, AC.; Stathopoulou, MG.; Triantafillidis, JK.; Dedoussis, GV. & Andrikopoulos, NK. (2007). Chios mastic treatment of patients with active Crohn's disease. World journal of gastroenterology, Vol.13, No.5 (February 2007), pp.748-753. ISSN 1007-9327<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">15 Kaliora, AC.; Stathopoulou, MG.; Triantafillidis, JK.; Dedoussis, GV. & Andrikopoulos NK. (2007). Alterations in the function of circulating mononuclear cells derived from<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">patients with Crohn's disease treated with mastic. World journal of gastroenterology, Vol.13, No.45 (December 2007), pp. 6031-6036. ISSN 1007-9327 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">16 Al-Habbal, MJ.; Al-Habbal, Z. & Huwez, FU. (1984). A double-blind controlled clinical trial<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of mastic and placebo in the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology, Vol.11, No.5 (September 1984), pp. 541-544. ISSN 0305- 1870 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">17 Rodríguez-Cabezas, ME.; Gálvez, J.; Camuesco, D.; Lorente, MD.; Concha A,; MartinezAugustin, O.; Redondo, L. & Zarzuelo, A. (2003). Intestinal anti-inflammatoryactivity of dietary fiber (Plantago ovata seeds) in HLA-B27 transgenic rats. Clinicalnutrition, Vol.22, No. 5 (October 2003), pp. 463-471. ISSN 0261-5614 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">18 </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bensoussan A; Talley NJ;
Hing M; Menzies R; Guo A; Ngu M, 1998. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome
with Chinese herbal medicine: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA
11;280(18):1585-1589.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">19 </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lauche R, Cramer H, Klose P, Kraft K, Dobos GJ, Langhorst J. Herbal medicines for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD011223. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD01122</span><br />
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Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-8551022493001716952012-10-23T07:08:00.001-07:002017-06-13T07:35:40.879-07:00Canola oil safety?<br />
<br />
Recently I’ve received many questions about the safety of canola oil. The most comprehensive collection of concerns are presented on the Weston A. Price website.<br />
<br />
I formulate a great many homemade diet recipes with organic canola oil because it has a very good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. I am convinced of the safety and sustainability of the oil as long as it comes from a reputable organic producer (which is admittedly harder and harder to find - see this NYT article on organic companies being controlled by Big Ag - <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/business/organic-food-purists-worry-about-big-companies-influence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/08/business/organic-food-purists-worry-about-big-companies-influence.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0</a>)<br />
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Below are the concerns listed on the Weston A. Price page, and the real story if you dig further. I'm open to argument and learning differently on this subject, but you had better be able to produce meaningful peer-reviewed scientific references to back up your point of view. This means large epidemiologic studies or clinical trials in people or dogs/cats. Test tube and lab animal studies don't count.<br />
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<em>1. Canola oil is associated with fibrotic lesions in the heart</em><br />
a. The studies cited are all lab animal studies conducted in rats artificially prone to cardiovascular disease. It is well established that these kinds of experimental studies have limited applicability to clinical patients, especially considering the fact that dogs and cats do not develop atherosclerosis and other types of heart disease typically seen in humans and these experimental animals.<br />
b. In addition, the review of these studies specifically shows that the results are conflicting, and that the conclusion is that the critical factor in development of cardiovascular disease in these animals was the *balance* of fats in the diet, and not the mere presence of canola oil or omega-3 fatty acids. Almost all pet diets are balanced with saturated and polyunsaturated fats, containing a high level of animal fats (which are touted by Weston A Price as the healthiest of fats).<br />
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<em>2. Canola oil causes vitamin E deficiency</em><br />
a. All omega-3 fatty acids cause Vitamin E depletion in the body. A more powerful omega-3 fatty acid source - fish oil- depletes Vitamin E the even more rapidly. This is why all commercial omega-3 fatty acid supplements should be fortified with Vitamin E.<br />
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<em>3. Canola oil causes platelet changes</em><br />
a. Platelet changes are not unique to canola oil - fish oil and other omega-3 fatty acids also cause platelet and blood coagulation changes. This is actually utilized by cardiologists when they recommend fish oil for human cardiovascular patients to reduce the risk of stroke.<br />
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<em>4. Canola oil causes shortened life spans in stroke prone rats when it is the only oil in the animals' diet.</em><br />
a. Not only are these rats not in any way clinically relevant to people who develop strokes, much less dogs and cats, but the experimental situation was artificial - the sole fat in the diet was canola oil. This would be nearly impossible to replicate in any real-life management situation for dogs and cats, and certainly bears no relationship to the fat balance in normal pet foods or healthy human diets. In addition, no food formulator would attempt it as that would clearly lead to nutritional deficiencies in dogs and cats.<br />
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<em>5. Canola oil causes growth retardation</em><br />
a. This claim is not referenced and not explained in the report - they say only that experimental animals given soy and canola oil-based diets grew better when coconut oil was added to the diet. This is not the same as growth retardation and could be explained simply by supplying certain fatty acids in the coconut oil that are essential or conditionally essential in those animals.<br />
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6. <em>That all of these issues are mitigated when saturated fats are added to the diet and that the problems seem to be related to high levels of omega-3 fatty acids.</em><br />
a. Again, no food formulator would attempt to supply all dietary fat as canola oil or any other single source unless it was biologically appropriate. In dog and cat diets, a small amount of canola oil (in relation to the large amount of animal fat) supplies omega -3 fatty acid (ALA) that is essential in dogs and cats. This fatty acid is not available in the fat of animals raised by modern agricultural methods and so must be supplemented in the diet.<br />
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<em>7. The paper reports increased rates of lung cancer in women who cook with canola oil. </em><br />
The source is a Wall Street Journal article - this is not a scientific, critical look at actual epidemiologic associations and cannot be considered a credible claim.<br />
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<em>8. Processing of canola oil leads to the introduction of trans-fatty acids.</em><br />
It depends on the manufacturer – I would call them to get their trans-fatty acid analyzed levels.<br />
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<em>9.The report implies that the original development of the commercial plant was via modern GMO methods, which is untrue. </em><br />
"Seed splitting" is simply partitioning the harvested seeds so for analysis by gas liquid chromatography for certain genetic traits, and based on the results of that testing, the other half of seeds with the most desirable characteristics were selected for the breeding program. It is nothing but seed hybridization. The paper additionally claims that almost all canola oil is sourced from genetically modified plants. My understanding is that this is true, and I recommend ONLY organic canola oil for my patients.<br />
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All of this being said - we use canola oil for the nice balance of essential fatty acids. There are other sources of these fatty acids, depending on which ones are required to balance the diet and supply the animal's requirements. Some alternatives that may work (but you have to do the math!) are walnut oil, hemp oil, and others. On the other hand, it's problematic to use some of the more popular oils, like coconut or flax. Some don't contain any of the essential fatty acids at all, and some in such low concentrations that it's necessary to use a combination of oils. A nutritionist will try to tailor this essential part of a recipe to the animal's requirements and the owner's preferences.<br />
<br />Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-49856454537844854752012-08-12T20:00:00.000-07:002012-08-12T20:03:18.652-07:00Leaky Gut and Intestinal Hyperpermeability are sooooo different!<br />
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“Leaky Gut Syndrome” is a diagnosis coined by alternative medicine
practitioners in the 1970s. The syndrome
was especially considered in the context of a branch of alternative medicine
known as “environmental medicine”. This
field developed from the 1950s and espoused the theory that many modern chronic
diseases were due to a plethora of toxins in the environment and environmental
allergies<sup>1</sup>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Leaky Gut was and is said to be caused by damage to the gut lining which
allows abnormal absorption of bacteria, toxins and gut proteins, and leads to
development of a very large number of chronic medical conditions. Diseases that are said to be initiated or worsened
by a Leaky gut include environmental and food allergies, arthritis of several
types, eczema, chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic
disease, migraines, autism, celiac disease and gluten intolerance, and
fibromyalgia.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The gut is viewed as one important gateway for toxins and allergens
from the environment, and constant exposure to these irritants were thought to
cause gut pathology, leading to a vicious cycle of gut damage <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span> <b>absorption of toxins, bacteria and abnormally large intraluminal
proteins directly into portal and systemic circulation</b> <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span> <b>immune activation and immune-mediated diseases</b> <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span> <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">à</span>deterioration of gut barrier, and so on, over and over again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
The pathogenesis of leaky gut is said to include:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Altered GI microflora (due to repeated
antibiotic therapy as well as many other drugs and a poor diet). The intestinal microflora have many critical
functions, including detoxifying some xenobiotics, maintaining an intraluminal
environmental that discourages growth of pathogenic bacterial, maintaining the
gut’s tight junctions and barrier function, and dialoguing with the immune
tissues of the gut.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Overgrowth of the yeast, <i>Candida albicans</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Food allergies (which if not a primary problem,
becomes an associated illness once gut permeability is altered)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Damaged gut mucosal cells become unable to
digest food normally, or to detoxify environmental xenobiotics<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Drugs that cause direct damage to the gut
mucosa, such as NSAIDs and steroids, hastened the development of a
hyperpermeable gut.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Treatment involve any of the following: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Changing dietary components to reduce
allergenicity<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Supplementing enzymes to improve digestibility
of the food.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Supplementing probiotics<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Correcting possible nutrient deficiencies with a
variety of vitamins and minerals<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Treating yeast overgrowth<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Addressing the quality of fat in the diet to
emphasize less inflammatory fatty acids<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Improving gut cell production and turnover with
l-glutamine<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Just as environmental medicine doctors had reported, many veterinarians
using these methods noted dramatic results when pets were treated using the
same principles. The problem is that “leaky gut” was never documented as a
cause for these immune mediated diseases, and changes in the gut were not monitored
as patients got better (although these tests are available). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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While the role of leaky gut in such a wide array of chronic diseases is
still considered unproven and under the purview of alternative medicine, “
intestinal hyperpermeability” was becoming increasingly recognized by critical
care specialists in the 1980s as a primary initiator of multiple organ
dysfunction syndrome and death in critically ill humans <sup>2</sup>. And the final results are the same – invasion
into the bloodstream by gut microbes and activation of the immune system – but in
the case of critically ill patients, the course of the problem was more rapid
and easier to recognize.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A 1998 review of “intestinal hyperpermeability” - the approved name for the more acute condition
recognized by conventional medicine – reviewed the mechanisms behind
development of the condition. They are:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Oxidative stress<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Hypoxia<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Tissue acidosis<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Nitric oxide – an cell-signallying molecule that
influences circulation, and has been shown to have deleterious effects if
present in the gut in abnormally high OR low concentrations.’<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>Inflammatory cytokines – which are produced on
exposure to luminal antigens and bacteria, which can happen any time the
barrier is breached.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span>“Metabolic Inhibition” - a laboratory condition that causes chemical
changes in the tight junctions so critical for maintaining the intestinal
barrier. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When I look at this list, I see mechanisms that are active in chronic
disease as well. Let’s look at what I
would consider a typical veterinary patient who is a candidate for management
of a hyperpermeable gut.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This theoretical dog is an 11 year old Labrador with chronic
osteoarthritis and a long history of allergic otitis and bad skin. The dog has eaten the same diet for many
years, and eats well. A nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drug has been administered daily for the past year or so. And this dog is presented to me for
acupuncture to aid in pain control for the arthritis. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For the past 15 or so years, I’ve handled dogs like this one by
delaying the acupuncture, and recommending the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
1. Change the ingredients in the diet (making it essentially less
allergenic), and make sure that it contains antioxidants in the form of
vegetables and fruits. If the dog won’t
eat veggies and fruits, supplement a broad spectrum antioxidant containing
Vitamins A, E, C, selenium, flavonoids, carotenoids, etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
2. Supplementing digestive enzymes (not just because of leaky gut,
because there are those who believe that old dogs have decreased digestive
function, especially in the stomach, just as geriatric people with atrophic
gastritis do).<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. Possibly a probiotic supplement.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4. High doses of fish oil<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. Massage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
It’s amusing how many people attribute the improvement I see on a
regular basis to the massage, because it’s just so hard to believe that dietary
changes can be so effective in pain control!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
I’m simply reporting my clinical experience, and I’m not saying this is
right for every old arthritic pet. But I
see that conventional medicine and alternative medicine may be discovering a
convergence in one very important anatomical area and organ function. The gut is the largest immune organ in the
body. It contains more neurons than the
spinal cord. It maintains a very
delicate balance between the outside environment and the critical homeostasis
inside the body. And both conventional
and alternative medicine are postulating similar mechanisms for the role of the
gut in all disease. I hope this progress
continues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<sup>1</sup>Rogers SA, 1997.
Environmental Medicine for Veterinary Practitioners <i>in </i><u>Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine: Principles
and Practice</u>, Schoen A and Wynn S, Eds.
Mosby, St. Louis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<sup>2</sup>Fink MP. Effect of
critical illness on microbial translocation and gastrointestinal mucosa
permeability. Semin Respir Infect. 1994
Dec;9(4):256-60.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<sup>3</sup> Unno N, Fink M.
Intestinal Epithelial Hyperpermeability.
Gastroenterology Clinics of North America 1998; 27(2):289-307).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-73210990526564690092011-06-02T04:07:00.000-07:002011-06-02T04:09:00.042-07:00a new fountain for catsA colleague turned me on to this new drinking fountain - it's mostly ceramic which is a big improvement over the plastic fountains that hold onto contaminants, bacteria and leach things like BPA.<br /><br />See it here:<br />http://glacierpointforcats.com/Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-7978612693073696812011-04-16T07:39:00.000-07:002011-04-16T07:59:52.781-07:00Preventing Weight Loss During ChemotherapyChemotherapy sometimes makes a patient sick. Unfortunately, it is in the nature of the treatment to maim and kill cells, hopefully more cancer cells than normal ones. But cells of the GI tract are often sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy, and cancer patients sometimes experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.<br /><br />Weight loss during cancer therapy is extremely common because patients either feel ill, cannot keep their food down, or cannot smell or taste it well. Significant weight loss is a poor prognostic indicator, at least in people, and presumably in pets as well. If you were to check out the web pages of major cancer centers such as M.D. Anderson in Texas, you'd find multiple references on how to maintain your weight during chemotherapy and radiation treatment. My personal belief is that we need to try just as hard in canine and feline cancer patients.<br /><br />Recently, one of my favorite patients developed cancer and his owner, an animal behaviorist, decided to start chemo. We discussed the challenges of maintaining his appetite and body weight, and using her comprehensive knowledge of animal behavior, she made certain he lost very little weight indeed.<br /><br />It involved alot of thought, and use of principles that most of us may not be familiar with or just don't consider putting into practice. I was so encouraged by her success that I asked her to share her methods. If your dog or cat has cancer, whether undergoingg treatment or not, you may want to check it out:<br /><br />http://www.susanwynn.com/uploads/Feeding_a_Pet_during_Chemotherapy.pdf<br /><br />Thanks a million to Allison Martin for sharing her insights, and to Brody for inspiring her!Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-89051798763901667232010-07-07T07:38:00.000-07:002010-07-07T07:41:14.582-07:00Cancer Diet Redux: When is the "Cancer Diet" not recommended?When should the "cancer diet" not be fed to veterinary cancer patients?<br /><br />We should begin by determining when the "cancer diet" *should* be fed to cancer patients. It is fairly universally recognized now that cancer cells exhibit increased glucose utilization compared to normal cells, and this metabolic defect is the basis for research to determine whether lowering glucose concentrations (by limiting simple carbohydrates in the diet) can improve cancer survival.<br /><br />Clinical proof that a low carbohydrate diet is clinically beneficial remains a little lean. A single clinical trial in dogs suggested that a low carbohydrate, high fat diet containing fish oil and arginine accelerated time to remission in lymphoma patients and may extend the disease-free interval. Every cancer is different, and test tube studies on human cancer cells suggest that different cancers respond differently to various nutritional profiles in their media. <br /><br />While a few million dollars has likely been spent on canine research in this area, billions have been spent in human nutritional oncology. And we still don't have definitive proof as to the best diet for cancer patients. In dogs and the cats, the usual recommendation is to feed a low carb diet simply because there is a physiologic rationale for it. In people, it is recommended that they eat the diet that helps prevent cancer - low in animal fat, high in vegetables, full of variety - and people should continue to get exercise. And while there is plenty of evidence in people that excess weight *loss* during cancer treatment worsens the prognosis, there is now emerging evidence that being obese while undergoing cancer treatment also worsens prognosis.<br /><br />The dietary key to influencing cancer proliferation is that the diet be high in fat - tumor cells are unable to use fat as an energy source, whereas dogs and cats can do this very efficiently. So the "low carb diet" for cancer patients is usually quite high in meat (which contains a lot of fat), low in starches and sugars, and contains added fat. A logical conclusion is that for pets with cancer only - no pancreatitis, no advanced renal disease, no obesity, etc - a low carb, moderate protein, high fat food makes sense. But for patients with these other disorders, the diet can not only worsen the prognosis but even make death from the other disease more imminent than death from cancer.<br /><br />I'd like to focus here on managing obesity in a cancer patient. Here's the thing - obesity leads to hyperglycemia - high blood glucose - and insulin resistance. This hyperglycemia is much more persistent than the elevated glucose load that occurs after any meal of any composition. In addition, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy can cause changes in endocrine functions that could increase the likelihood of development of metabolic syndrome (de Haas, 2010).Cancer itself is commonly associated with hyperglycemia (Heber, 2006). Whether this persistent hyperglycemia and insulin resistance leads to worse outcomes in veterinary patients is unknown, but glycemic control is routinely recommended in human patients when hyperglycemia is identified (Heber, 2006). This is both to control episodes of infection (made more likely through the use of immunesuppressive therapies) but also to prevent progression to metabolic syndrome and diabetes which is a risk factor for the development of other cancers.<br /><br />Obesity is also an 'inflammatory disease', as is cancer. Fat is now considered an organ that releases excess infl ammatory cytokines, such as tumor-necrosis-factor-α (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (de Haas, 2010). These cytokines are considered growth factors that can activate genes that control angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells.<br /><br />The obese cancer patient then gets a double dose of simple sugar in the blood, and more inflammatory chemicals already being produced by the tumor itself. These patients just have to be 'sicker' - whether or not they show it - than patients of normal weight. Hence the new evidence that some obese human cancer patients have worse outcomes than people of normal weight. This has been shown most frequently in breast, prostate and colon cancer (Ramos 2010, Sinicrope 2010, Komaru 2010, Siegel 2010, de Azambuja 2010, Lange 2008, Nitori 2009). Additionally, some recent trials suggest that overweight patients undergoing controlled weight loss during cancer treatment experienced improved prognosis (Freedland 2009).<br /><br />A diet that is low in simple carbohydrates and higher in meat protein will be fairly calorie-dense, depending on the proportion of meat to other ingredients. A homemade version of the low carb diet can be made to resemble an Atkins-style diet. This can work for weight loss in some patients but not necessarily for others, because meat comes with fat - even the lower fat meats. If I formulate a diet for an obese patient, I use a lower fat protein, such as tofu, often along with a small amount of a starch, and plenty of vegetables. These proportions are customized to the individual dog, and the vitamin/mineral levels are also changed as needed. The starch and sugar content is still quite low, and weight loss can be facilitated.<br /><br />I see many people who request the 'cancer diet' for their pet with cancer, and a few who refuse to believe that it is inappropriate for their particular pet. We have an increasing number of studies in people to suggest that customizing the diet for an obese patient improves survival, and only 1 study in dogs suggesting that the high fat low carb diet makes a difference in survival. The veterinary oncologist that investigated the low carbohydrate diet for veterinary cancer patients has repeatedly written "no one diet is right for every cancer patient". You can't believe that his research is right 100% of the time but that this opinion of his is wrong 100% of the time.<br /><br /><br />References<br /><br />de Azambuja E, McCaskill-Stevens W, Francis P, Quinaux E, Crown JP, Vicente M, Giuliani R, Nordenskjöld B, Gutiérez J, Andersson M, Vila MM, Jakesz R, Demol J, Dewar J, Santoro A, Lluch A, Olsen S, Gelber RD, Di Leo A, Piccart-Gebhart M.The effect of body mass index on overall and disease-free survival in node-positive breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel and doxorubicin-containing adjuvant chemotherapy: the experience of the BIG 02-98 trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Jan;119(1):145-53.<br /><br />de Haas EC, Oosting SF, Lefrandt JD, Wolffenbuttel BH, Sleijfer DT, Gietema JA. The metabolic syndrome in cancer survivors. Lancet Oncol. 2010 Feb;11(2):193-203.<br /><br />Freedland SJ, Aronson WJ. Dietary intervention strategies to modulate prostate cancer risk and prognosis. Curr Opin Urol. 2009 May;19(3):263-7.<br /><br />Heber, D. Assessing Endocrine Effects of Cancer and Ectopic Hormone Syndromes. Nutritional oncology. Elsevier, St Louis, 2006; p. 695<br /><br />Komaru A, Kamiya N, Suzuki H, Endo T, Takano M, Yano M, Kawamura K, Imamoto T, Ichikawa T. Implications of body mass index in Japanese patients with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy. Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2010 Apr;40(4):353-9. Epub 2010 Jan 10.<br /><br />Lange BJ, Smith FO, Feusner J, Barnard DR, Dinndorf P, Feig S, Heerema NA, Arndt C, Arceci RJ, Seibel N, Weiman M, Dusenbery K, Shannon K, Luna-Fineman S, Gerbing RB, Alonzo TA. Outcomes in CCG-2961, a children's oncology group phase 3 trial for untreated pediatric acute myeloid leukemia: a report from the children's oncology group. Blood. 2008 Feb 1;111(3):1044-53. Epub 2007 Nov 13.<br /><br />Nitori N, Hasegawa H, Ishii Y, Endo T, Kitagawa Y. Impact of visceral obesity on short-term outcome after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer: a single Japanese center study. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech. 2009 Aug;19(4):324-7.<br /><br />Ramos Chaves M, Boléo-Tomé C, Monteiro-Grillo I, Camilo M, Ravasco P. The diversity of nutritional status in cancer: new insights. The Oncologist 2010; 15(5):523 -530<br /><br />Siegel EM, Ulrich CM, Poole EM, Holmes RS, Jacobsen PB, Shibata D. The effects of obesity and obesity-related conditions on colorectacl cancer prognosis. Cancer Control 2010; 17(1):52-57.<br /><br />Sinicrope FA, Foster NR, Sargent DJ, O'Connell MJ, Rankin C. Obesity is an independent prognostic variable in colon cancer survivors. Clin Cancer Res. 2010 Mar 15;16(6):1884-93. Epub 2010 Mar 9.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-62717502690584595022010-06-09T06:01:00.000-07:002010-06-09T06:20:32.441-07:00How to choose a pet food<span style="font-family: times new roman;">As a nutritionist and integrative practitioner, I’m asked almost every day what pet food I recommend. It’s an interesting thought – that I recommend one pet food.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">At the same time, my nutrition training has led me to question authority. While the holistic folks like to vilify the big over the counter and prescription brands of food, my training has shown me that they employ some of the best – and some of the worst- company philosophies. And this is what I’m about today – choosing a company, and not a food.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Before I tell you what personal philosophies drive *my* company choices, I’ll paint a picture of the problem for you.</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;"><br /><br />Over the past decade, I’ve had occasion to ask for more detailed information about a food based on my patients’ needs. You see, the guaranteed analysis on the food label provides only the barest guide as to the nutrient profile of the food. And while I care about *ingredients*, I also care that my patients are being provided with essential *nutrients* they require for continued normal functioning. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I’ve needed to know if the protein content was able to meet the minimum needs for animals who required caloric restriction of a high fat diet. I’ve needed to know if amino acid profiles were adequate in a vegetarian diet with a suspicious ingredient listing. And I’ve been disturbed by the digital equivalent of a blank stare I got when asking for this information from some of the most popular makers of ‘holistic’ and ‘natural’ diets. The ones you are feeding your pets right now, and the ones your local pet store employee is pushing as new and improved.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Here is a sampling of the problems I’ve encountered when trying to obtain nutrition information from the ‘holistic’ pet food companies:</span><br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Labels with egregious mistakes showing either inaccurate information or terrible formulating errors.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Company leaders who do not know what a nutrient profile* is, much less how to provide one to a nutritionist.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Refusal by a company to provide nutrient profiles, stating that it is proprietary information (ok, but you will never hear me recommending your diet, especially if it is a certain new vegetarian diet). Honestly, the largest companies post their profiles on the web – do you really think it has cut into their profits?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Diets (raw and processed) that are not complete or balanced when nutrient profiles are submitted to detailed analysis. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">A company that refuses to deal fairly with a veterinarian who discovers a major problem with its food.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Companies that refuse to provide the names or credentials of their food formulators</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Naïve representatives making dangerous claims because they don’t understand the simplest feed concepts, such as dry matter conversions</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Company heads that misuse their meager knowledge of nutritional biochemistry and microbiology to make unfounded health claims and spread misinformation across the web.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Advertising claims that tout health benefits that were disproven years before.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Companies that for decades refuse to acknowledge new information and adjust their formulas, simply because people continue to buy their foods.</span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">So how do you choose a pet food? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">You don’t- you choose a company. So here are my criteria for recommending a food manufacturer:</span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">The company needs a track record. Even if it’s your best friend whom you consider knowledgeable, the company she owns or recommends needs to prove its ability to produce consistently safe formulations, hold onto the best employees, and is using profits to improve (and not just expand) the company.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">There should be a board certified veterinary nutritionist on staff. Not just a veterinarian – a veterinary nutritionist. I’ve seen some very questionable formulations even from companies owned by veterinarians. The only way the formulations can improve over time is if a nutritionist is constantly feeding updated knowledge into those formulations.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">The company philosophy fits with my clients’ standards** and my patients needs.</span></li></ol><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Once we settle on a few companies, I have these additional recommendations for my clients:</span><br /><ol><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Choose foods that carry an AAFCO feeding claim to be complete and balanced for the appropriate life stage of your pet. Some smaller pet food companies do not produce balanced diets, and others produce pure meat diets “intended for supplemental or intermittent feeding”. Nutritional deficiencies could result if any of these are fed long term.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Rotate between various companies (i.e. use various flavors , but also from different companies)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Avoid exotic ingredients like duck, rabbit, emu, pheasant, and venison. They aren’t necessary for healthy pets and we may need for them to be completely new to your pet when diagnosing or treating certain conditions later. There is plenty of variety to be had with chicken, lamb, beef, pork, turkey, fish, egg and vegetarian foods. It’s also easier to find organic versions of these ingredients. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Feed your dog veggies and fruits as snacks or to beef up the amount of food in his bowl. It is may help prevent cancer, and they are low in fat. Avoid grapes, raisins and onions, which can be toxic to pets. Choose all colors, including carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, squash, apples, melon, berries, etc). Feeding more meats and starches is rarely necessarily, especially if you are already feeding a premium or Paleolithic diet. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Don’t buy large bags of food for small animals- food should be used up within a month, especially if it is stabilized with natural preservatives instead of chemical preservatives.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Avoid dry foods in cats and if your cat is currently eating dry, make an appointment to talk to a nutritionist about why this may no longer be recommended and how to switch stubborn kitties to canned or homemade food. At the very least, for heavens’ sake, do not leave free choice dry food down – for dogs OR cats. Most just get fat on it!</span></li></ol><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Seems like a lot to remember, but here is the simple version: feed balanced foods, with healthy ingredients, from different companies. Give veggies and fruits instead of junky treats, and maintain a lean body weight. If you prefer homemade, get the recipe balanced, and stick to the plan. And of course, check in with your vet for regular physical and biochemical exams to find emerging problems early. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">Notes</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">*A nutrient profile shows the levels or concentrations of all essential nutrients in a food . This profile is compared to the nutrient requirements of a dog or cat to determine whether it is marginal, deficient, or replete for a particular life stage or condition.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">**Philosophies and standards are unique to each pet owner. Some won’t tolerate commercial diets at all, while others don’t care if they are commercial as long as they are (pick one – raw, natural, organic, made of human grade ingredients, etc). Some trust larger companies and care only that the correct *nutrients* are provided, while others don’t care about nutrients and consider *ingredients* most important, absolutely prohibiting by-products. A few clients believe that locally sourced ingredients are best (necessitating a homemade diet unless you happen to live near a company that uses ingredients local to *you*). If you really want to know, my philosophy necessitates a complete and balanced nutrient profile, identifiable ingredients (although by-products of some types are just fine with me considering the true natural diet of dogs and cats), a veterinary nutritionist on staff, and a company that balances the need for economy with the need to document the safety of their raw ingredients (usually requiring domestically sourced ingredients). The company should be transparent in its operations (some have allowed the WDJ editor to visit their plants, and some regularly invite veterinarians for tours, while others won’t answer phone calls). And of course, I think homemade diets are superior as long as they are balanced. I’ve seen some awful sick animals eating weird homemade recipes, and I’ve seen so many improve if we just balance while incorporating the owners’ preferences!</span>Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-33392175549941315932010-05-24T09:31:00.000-07:002010-05-24T09:36:08.256-07:00A corollary to discovering fraud: finding information on the webA corollary to the problem above is that of how to evaluate pet-related information. Those who rely on the internet are particularly at risk. There are two main types of sites - noncommercial (such as that from teaching hospitals, government agencies and foundations) and commercial (generally someone who wants you to buy their product). In health care, it is best to avoid commercial sites if possible, but some do contain good information. It takes some training to recognize the difference. Here is what to look for:<br /><br /><ol><li>Scientific references - these come from scientific journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine, The Cochrane Database, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Journal of the International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, Journal of Nutrition, etc. Scientific references do not come from newspapers, Time magazine, or Cat Fancy.</li><li>The references and information should be relevant to your pet – test tube studies and those in laboratory mice are probably meaningless to a dog in the real world. Human studies are somewhat more useful, but dog studies are best. (And cats are a completely different issue because they are metabolically very different from humans, dogs, mice and most other species we can think of). Testimonials are not useful at all – they can be ignored!</li><li>The people who write articles and formulate nutritional supplements should be clearly identified, along with their training and credentials. Contact information should be easily available.</li><li>If information on the site seems extremely optimistic or promises to cure chronic and terminal illnesses, please refer back to #1 - 3.</li><li>If the site promotes and sells brand name products, refer back to #1-4.</li><li>If the ingredients and amounts are not available, avoid purchasing from the company. “Proprietary ingredients” are secret ingredients, and there is no way to tell whether they may be toxic to your pet. </li><li>If the site sells veterinary products, the company should be a member of the National Animal Supplement Council (www.nasc.cc), an industry group that insures high standards of quality control and maintains an adverse event reporting system. We do use human products for animals as well, but the dose should be recommended ONLY by a veterinarian familiar with the supplement, and not by the company if they employ no veterinarians. </li><li>The site should have links to other sites, and these links should provide multiple ‘points of view’ about the issue or condition. Beware of sites that link ONLY to other alternative medicine sites, or conversely, those that link only to quackbuster sites. Use these other sites to verify that the information you are gathering is fairly well accepted and not the opinion of one well spoken company representative or lone practitioner who only sees a few patients a year!</li><li>The site should clearly indicate when it was last updated. Medical information is generally old after only a year!</li></ol><br />Finally, please do NOT assume that consumers and pet owners have access to the same information that veterinarians do. Our professional networks keep us informed of research before it is published, and of breaking news never seen in the newspapers or internet. Please verify your information with your veterinarian, or just skip all of the work above, and ask her first!<br /><br />I can recommend these websites to start your research:<br /><ol><li>Veterinary Partner (www.vspn.org) - database of in-depth articles on veterinary conditions and the conventional diagnostics and treatments recommended. Usually kept very well updated.</li><li>Healthnotes (http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/ and click on the link “Health Conditions A-Z” as well the links “Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs A-Z”). Information about human health conditions and the supplements commonly used for them.</li><li>The National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.org). The scientific database of peer-reviewed journal articles published from about 1960-present. You can retrieve abstracts of the studies and occasionally, the full scientific article. </li></ol>Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-13043262941355169632010-05-21T10:55:00.001-07:002010-05-25T08:13:48.706-07:00How to Identify and Avoid Phony PractitionersHow to Identify and Avoid Phony Practitioners<br /><br />Seems like everyone who wants to can be a doctor these days, no schooling required. A dictionary definition of a doctoral degree is:<br />• any of several academic degrees of the highest rank, as the Ph.D. or Ed.D., awarded by universities and some colleges for completing advanced work in graduate school or a professional school<br />• an honorary degree conferring the title of doctor upon the recipient<br />• a degree awarded to a graduate of a school of medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science<br /><br />It’s that second definition that is most troublesome, because it means that anyone can open up a virtual school and award doctoral degrees for whatever level of work – or dollars- they think sufficient.<br /><br />The field of naturopathic medicine is shot through with such fraud. Only 16 states license naturopathic doctors. The licensing process requires graduation from a 4 year naturopathic school with virtually the same curriculum as that of a medical school, with natural treatments substituted for drugs and surgery.<br /><br />These institutions have been accredited or are in candidate status for accreditation by one of the regional accrediting agencies approved by the US Department of Education. In addition, all of the naturopathic medicine programs of the member schools have been accredited (or are candidates for accreditation) by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME).<br /><br />On the other hand, the naturopathic schools that offer long distance education say that their courses are approved by the American Naturopathic Certification Board (ANCB). These graduates are not eligible for professional licenses. Strangely, the ANCB's website states "Due to ANCB's stringent application and certification requirements, ANCB is the certification organization preferred and recommended by the leading schools of Traditional Naturopathy, including Clayton College of Natural Health and Trinity College of Natural Health" [both are online diploma mills]. Does this seem a little incestuous?<br /><br />Now naturopathy has come to veterinary medicine. One online diploma mill requires a “recognized Master's degree in a natural health field” to enter ‘doctoral’ programs offered there, but no definition of what this means. The accreditation for this school is through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (Texas). That’s all.<br /><br />We even need to worry about people making up certifications on their own. I once taught a course online on herbal medicine that was open to veterinarians and veterinary technicians. A technician, after finishing the course, granted herself a “Dip.Vet.Bot.Med” on her website, where she was offering animal health consultations. This was new to me as the instructor of the course. Presto – certified in herbal medicine after a 4 week introductory course!<br /><br />So how do we judge the quality of the educational experience for practitioners of animal medicine? Let’s compare the curriculum and experience of the diploma mill to that of a veterinarian who is familiar with naturopathic principles:<br /><br />Veterinary education (in the U.S.):<br />• Requires an undergraduate (college) degree from a university or college accredited by the US Department of Education, with a concentration on chemistry, biology and physics.<br />• 3 years of full time, in residence schooling that includes about 6 hours daily of didactic lectures, labs and contact with instructors who hold advanced degrees or certifications in their fields<br />• Required textbooks are comprehensive specialized reviews of medical science<br />• 1 year of full time clinical experience under direct supervision of faculty who are specialists in their fields<br />• Regular competency exams culminating in national and state board examinations that must be passed in order to obtain a license to practice.<br />• Further education on herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy and other natural modalities requires well over 100 hours of study for certification each. A recent survey of 300 veterinarians who practice natural or integrative medicine revealed that 61% of veterinarians with at least 6 years of integrative practice experience have accumulated at least 250 classroom hours in integrative medicine. Of these practitioners, more than 30% have taken more than 500 hours of class room training.<br /><br />Diploma mill doctoral degree:<br />• 200-300 hours (claimed) of self study<br />• Faculty - just a few of the school’s own graduates - available by phone or email<br />• Required textbooks are simple compilations for pet owners, typically available at your local book store<br />• Final exam is 3-5 questions, open book<br /><br />Graduates holding a “VND” or “Doctor of Veterinary Naturopathy” degree have been taught that it is illegal for them to diagnose or prescribe in order to treat animal disease, so they position themselves as educators. Of course, the fact that they suggest treatment recommendations after learning symptoms, and the fact that they often sell just the natural remedies needed certainly could not be viewed as prescriptions (please know that I have on my most ironic smile right now). In addition, they make these recommendations without seeing the animal, which could vitally change the prescriber’s overall assessment. Yes, some veterinarians also do this, but most have medical records or direct communications from a veterinarian who has seen the animal, which solves that problem.<br /><br />Any veterinarian understands the pet owner’s desire for second opinions and to have a team behind their pet’s medical care. But you can do better by your pet if you stock that team with professionals who have received comprehensive and well rounded veterinary and natural medicine education. Look for the initials below:<br /><br />Veterinary degree: VMD, DVM, BVSc, MVB, VetMB or BVetMed, BVM&S or BVMS, Dr.Med.Vet<br />Natural medicine certifications (post graduate training offered only to veterinarians):<br />Acupuncture: CVA, FAAVA<br />Herbal Medicine: CVCH (Chinese herbal medicine), CVHM (Western herbal medicine)<br />Homeopathy: CVH, VetMFHom, CertIAVH<br />Chiropractic: cAVCA, IVCA, CVSMT<br />Physical therapy/rehabilitation: CCRT, CCRP<br />Chinese massage (tui na): CVTP<br /><br />Nonveterinarians holding the “VND degree” and those who follow them may well wonder why we can’t all just get along. The argument would be that they offer only information that is complementary to that of veterinarians, and that they are only educating pet owners on how to better care for their pets. The situation feels to me much like medical practice in the US in the early 1900s. There were many private medical schools and many different educational experiences, and people had many different types of practitioners to choose from.<br /><br />In the course of determining which type of practice and schools should be the recipient of grant money, the Rockefeller Foundation hired Abraham Flexner to thoroughly investigate all medical schools in the country for the first time. The report is eye-opening. Most of the naturopathic and homeopathic schools presented their students with very poor experiences – most did not require a college degree; none of the faculty was full time, and few of the students had access to actual patients in a mentoring atmosphere. Some of the schools were described as filthy, with libraries of only a few old books. By contrast, the schools that offered the best education required college degrees and 4 years of didactic and bedside education. If your mother developed a serious medical condition in the 1920’s, which type of graduate would you have wanted to see her?<br /><br />These are not complementary veterinary professions. And I can already hear the defense - 'those veterinarians are just worried about competition'. No we're not. We're worried about what happens to sick pets whose owners don't know the difference between in-depth veterinary and natural medicine knowledge and a fake. If they know the difference and choose a "VND", the pet still suffers, but the owner is making an informed choice. The trouble is - most owners don't. So if that internet expert with a Dr. in front of her name offers consultations and sells supplements, it's a good idea to look for those letters, then make your decision.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-21742851496301921142010-03-17T19:26:00.001-07:002010-03-17T19:28:43.792-07:00Can anyone tell me why the new generation of "vet skeptics" are so insistent on remaining anonymous? I've been reading "skeptvet" and "skeptivet" but cannot determine from their "about" why they are qualified to question the experience and recommendations of specialists with more scientific training. Can someone help me here?Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-32542552365549853972010-03-17T09:18:00.000-07:002010-03-17T09:20:30.642-07:00semanticsIt's "veterinary medicine" or "veterinary practice". That's a noun with a descriptive adjective, telling you what we do. <br /><br />"Veterinarian medicine" and "veterinarian practice" are incorrect. On so many levels. Don't do that.<br /><br />Kthx.<br /><br />Signed,<br />Grammar naziDr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-50774770613932957662010-03-09T11:46:00.000-08:002013-05-08T08:41:12.502-07:00Grains #2 - not as allergenic as you thoughtGrainless foods are popular these days. And sometimes rightfully so – I know many have seen a difference when they switch an ailing dog or cat from a standard grain-based food to one that is lower in "carbohydrates" (presumably starch). It’s wrong to blame the grains, though, in many cases <a href="http://vetnutrition.blogspot.com/2009/05/are-grains-all-bad.html">(I’ve talked about this here before)</a>.<br />
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Quick tutorial: Carbohydrates are essentially fibers, sugars and starches. Some (starches and sugars, mostly) are digestible, and are degraded from large molecules on ingestion to small molecules that are absorbed in the small intestine for energy. Grains like barley, wheat, corn, and oats contain digestible and indigestible carbohydrates in addition to fatty acids and proteins – they are more complex than a simple carbohydrate such as starch. Digestible carbohydrates are also contained in root vegetables like potatoes and yams, yuca (or tapioca), taro root, etc.<br />
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My biggest quibble with companies that tout a ‘grainless’ label on a dry food is that they are not carbohydrate-less, which is in reality what most pet owners think they are getting when they search for a Paleolithic, low carb (i.e. low starch) diet. I’m just saying, pet owner beware, because you cannot make a dry food without some carbohydrate, and these companies will simply substitute a starch from potato, sweet potato, tapioca or the like to do it. That’s not necessairly a 'low carb’ food.<br />
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But I want to talk about today is why some animals do better when switched from a high starch, or even moderate starch food, to a low starch food.<br />
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Many people go looking for alternative pet foods because they are forced to – they have a chronically ill animal (“chronically ill” pretty much defining a condition not amenable to conventional therapy). You would almost have to live under a rock to avoid the advice you’d get from fellow pet owners, pet store employees and websites that grain-free diets fix everything from skin disease to GI disorders to cancer.<br />
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In the case of animals with chronic conditions of many types, the central problem may be a sick gut. We used to (and still do) call this a leaky gut, but more recently gastroenterologists have come to agree that the condition exists, and call it a hyperpermeable gut. Chronic inflammation of the gut may appear due to food allergy or less well understood inflammatory processes like inflammatory bowel disease. Even a transient gastroenteritis or antibiotic therapy can lead to inflammation of the gut lining.<br />
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There are probably many arthritic dogs on long term therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as Metacam®, Previcox®, Deramax®, and Rimadyl® walking around with leaky guts, as well. The syndrome even has a name – NSAID enteropathy. For your edification, a review from the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science in 1999 stated unequivocally that in people, “NSAIDs produce inflammation of the small intestine in 40 to 70% in long-term users” (Davies 2000). And if you’re really interested, “Exposure of the small bowel mucosa to NSAIDs is thought to lead to the loss of intracellular integrity and increased permeability because the NSAIDs damage surface membrane phospholipids and cause an uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation” (Feagins 2010). Interestingly, NSAID use is also associated with lower numbers of Lactobacillus in the bowel (the good bacteria) which are known to improve gut mucosal integrity. (Mäkivuokko, 2009)<br />
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So chronic inflammation in the gut begins to erode the most superficial layers of the mucosal lining. The microstructure of the gut consists of tiny folds called villi, and the villi themselves have surfaces composed of enterocytes (cells of the gut mucosa) that have microvilli on the end that is exposed to the gut lumen. These cells actively secrete enzymes and other products that aid in normal digestion, absorption, and even immunity, and these products become more active as they mature, moving from the deeper layers of the gut to the tips of the microvilli. So what happens when the most superficial layer of the gut is eroded away due to inflammation?<br />
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One of the earliest theories from holistic medicine writers was that the gut immune system is exposed to abnormally intact molecules of food, and the animal (or person) subsequently develops food allergy or gluten enteropathy. Since the immune system can potentially become sensitized to any protein ingested, the poor patient experiences signs of food allergy constantly, including skin inflammation and diarrhea, and if you read the more esoteric literature, arthritis and a wide variety of autoimmune diseases.<br />
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But another circumstance suggests a simpler explanation for the inconsistent stool we see in some of these animals that eventually improve on a ‘grain free’ or low carb diet. In the ‘stressed’ enterocyte, mature digestive enzymes – disaccharidases that digest starches and sugars – are lost because of erosion of the luminal end – the part that is exposed to the GI contents, NSAIDs, etc. Examples of disaccharidases include lactase, maltase, sucrase, trehalase, isomaltase, and others.<br />
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So, disaccharides that result from digestion of more complex carbohydrates in the stomach and upper intestine flow down into the small intestine where disaccharidase enzymes would further digest them into a form that is easily absorbed. If they remain in disaccharide form, they are not absorbed and in fact pull water into the intestine. The result is loose stool, or diarrhea.<br />
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The problem is compounded the longer it exists. Carbohydrate malabsorption will lead to increased bacterial fermentation, which will cause gas and discomfort. Bacterial overgrowth (due to a surfeit of nutrition for them) can itself lead diarrhea.<br />
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So the neighbor comes along and recommends a grain-free diet, and the dog or cat gets better, and once again, the grains get the blame, when in actuality, the *starch* should get the blame. While allergy may or may not be a component of the reaction seen when grains are fed to these animals, the carbohydrate overload seems to be a bigger problem. And as I said before, carbohydrates are certainly common in ‘grain free’ diets - grain free does not mean low starch.<br />
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The good news is this – and I can verify that clinically this is extremely common – these ‘allergies’ aren’t permanent, unless the patient has a genetic disaccharidase deficiency (which is vanishingly uncommon in dogs and cats). In general, balancing the bacterial populations with probiotics, changing the diet so that it contains lower carbohydrate levels and sometimes different proteins, and addressing the cause of the initial bowel inflammation is all that is needed. Whether or not the owner wants to go back to feeding a diet higher in carbohydrates depends on other factors, like owner philosophy, financial capacity to buy the more expensive meat products, and whether the dog or cat has a weight problem (carbohydrates are used in weight loss diets to ‘cut’ the fat while still giving some bulk to the diet).<br />
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I just had to get this out there. Temporary carbohydrate intolerance is different from real food allergies. It's a much better diagnosis for your pet though, as there are no permanent food restrictions.<br />
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References<br />
Davies NM, Saleh JY. Detection and Prevention of NSAID-Induced Enteropathy.J Pharm Pharmaceut Sci 3(1):137-155, 2000<br />
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Feagins LA, Cryer BL. Do Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs Cause Exacerbations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease? Digestive Diseases and Sciences 2010;55(2):226<br />
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Mäkivuokko H, Tiihonen K, Tynkkynen S, Paulin L, Rautonen N. The effect of age and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on human intestinal microbiota composition. Br J Nutr. 2010 Jan;103(2):227-34. Epub 2009 Aug 25.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-69615318344452509552010-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:002010-02-16T05:27:47.885-08:00Teaching your dog to walk on a treadmillWe do alot of obesity management in my practice. With many dogs (and cats), there comes a point where calorie restriction isn't enough. We need to institute exercise programs both to burn calories and also to increase the ratio of lean body mass to fat mass (lean body mass has a higher metabolic rate and therefore burns more calories). The animals with orthopedic problems need special handling and we usually recommend underwater treadmills or swimming for them. For dogs with good joints and no pain, the owner's own treadmill can do a world of good.<br /><br />I was looking recently for information on how to train a dog to use a treadmill and found alot of them on YouTube. One was absolutely terrible - a guy simply gets on the treadmill and plops his dog on it, forcing the frantic dog to stay on it. In response to the variability of recommendations out there, I asked my technician, Vera, to research the issue. She wrote this and I think it's good:<br /><br />How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Treadmill<br /><br />1) Purchase a treadmill. Many owners use a human treadmill but special animal treadmills are also available. You can find animal treadmills on these and other websites: www.hammacher.com, www.frontgate.com, and www.dogtrotter.net.<br /><br />2) Allow your dog to get familiar with the treadmill in the room for a few days. Do not turn it on. <br /><br />3) Allow your dog to smell the treadmill. Reward your dog’s behavior if s/he goes up to the treadmill by offering small treats. Placing small treats along the length of the treadmill is also recommended so that s/he gets comfortable stepping onto the treadmill.<br /><br />4) After a few days, turn on the treadmill. Let your dog get familiar with the sound of the treadmill. Reward your dog’s behavior by offering small treats beside the treadmill while it is running. Do not place your dog on the treadmill at this time. Let your dog see you having a slow pleasant walk on the treadmill if using your own.<br /><br />5) Once your dog is comfortable with the sight and sound of the treadmill, it is time to get him on the treadmill. Ask the dog to step onto the treadmill and while giving a stream of treats, turn it on to the lowest speed. Start the treadmill at the slowest speed. Offer small treats to keep him on the treadmill. You may want to stand in front of the treadmill so that your dog stays in position. <br /> <br />6) You can use your dog’s leash as an aid, but NEVER tie your dog to the treadmill.<br /><br />7) Once your dog is comfortable walking on the treadmill, you can slowly increase to the recommended speed for your dog. <br /><br />You may be able to find instructional videos using a google search. Use search terms such as “teach train treadmill dog.” The following youtube videos may be helpful in your training: <br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I25QXJLXHNg <br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eXNOMkcFGc<br /><br />These trainers used various methods but what they have in common is a slow introduction to the treadmill, avoidance of force, and lots of treats.<br /><br />What do you think? Do you have a favorite method or success stories to tell?Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-46973217687189701372010-02-15T17:55:00.000-08:002010-02-15T18:01:12.548-08:00Thanks for the kudos to Bark Magazine!I'm honored! Bark Magazine gave me an honorable mention after their Top 100 best and brightest in the Feb/Mar 2010 issue. <br /><br />I'm in some really heady company - see them here: http://thebark.com/content/barks-best-brightest-honorable-mentions<br /><br />But look at the Top 100 - Bark Magazine, I think you got it right! (http://thebark.com/media/BestBrightest_58.pdf)<br /><br />Thanks!Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-1772260512445034942010-02-08T18:14:00.000-08:002010-02-08T18:26:24.102-08:00Diversion: 50 sushi tips for beginnersThis great article was posted on the MRI Technician Schools website (http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/50-sushi-tips-for-beginners/). <br /><br />'Cause where else would you expect to find the definitive guide to sushi etiquette?<br /><br />Seriously - answers some of my long standing questions like, here are the out-takes from the article:<br /><br />50 sushi tips for beginners<br /><br />3. Use the pickled ginger (gari) as a palate cleanser.<br /><br /> Almost all Japanese dishes come accompanied by both a wad of wasabi and a small pile of lively pink or ecru gari. Eat a slice between sushi pieces to keep the palate feeling fresh and clean. Doing so imbues diners with the ability to taste the full complex flavor of every different roll, wrap, nigiri, or other sushi style.<br /><br />[Article does not mention that pickled ginger has been studied for its ability to kill metazoan parasites. Not that they stop me from eating sushi - I'm just pointing this out for your edification).<br /><br /> <br />8. Order sake with sashimi. Sushi tastes best with beer or tea.<br /><br /> Because sake is made from fermented rice, most sushi connoisseurs consider drinking it with sushi a redundancy. It complements sashimi fine, but those hoping for a beverage best suited to accompany nigiri, maki, or other sushi dishes would do best to drink hot tea or beer instead. Try to avoid rice beers, of course.<br /><br /><br />10. Chopsticks are optional when it comes to sushi.<br /><br /> Sashimi should be eaten with chopsticks, but it is not considered rude to consume nigiri or maki sushi without any utensils whatsoever. There are several different accepted techniques to hold the pieces and keep them together with the fingers.<br /><br />11. Dip pieces of nigiri sushi into soy sauce (shoyu) topping side first.<br /><br /> Rice soaks up shoyu quickly, overpowering the delicate vinegar flavoring. While it may be awkward at first, turn nigiri pieces upside-down so that the sauce covers the topping instead. This allows diners better control of their condiments and does not compromise taste.<br /><br />12. Eat nigiri pieces upside-down.<br /><br /> Doing so brings out the complex, carefully balanced flavors in the sushi best. Eating nigiri rice-first may cause palates to predominately taste the light, starchy vinegar over the topping.<br /><br />13. Eat nigiri pieces in one or two bites.<br /><br /> Most nigiri comes with a subtle smear of wasabi between the topping and the pillow of rice. One to two bites ensures that the diner consumes the piece as it was meant to be tasted – with all ingredients painstakingly playing off one another. Three or more bites may mean missing out on all the itamae’s carefully constructed crafting.<br /><br /><br />15. Pour shoyu sparingly.<br /><br /> Again, prudently utilizing condiments minimizes waste, but cultural implications are also at play here. Pouring too much soy sauce may be interpreted as an insult to the sushi chef’s abilities, implying that his skills at balancing flavor are sub-par and require masking with liberal amounts of shoyu.<br /><br />23. Buy the itamae a sake or beer to show appreciation.<br /><br /> Doing so does not take the place of a tip, of course, but many enjoy establishing a rapport with the sushi chef and treating him or her to a sake or beer as a way of showing appreciation for an exquisite meal.<br /><br />24. If drinking from a carafe, dining companions should refill each other.<br /><br /> This typically holds for alcoholic beverages, but it also a nice, polite gesture when consuming tea from a shared container as well. Individuals must serve others before serving themselves, and wait patiently for their dining companions to follow suit when in need of more drink. Alternately, if serving oneself, be sure to offer others a refill first.<br /><br />26. Be sure to tip both the waitron and the itamae.<br /><br /> At sushi establishments, it is advisable to leave tips for the waiter or waitress as well as the chef. If there is not a tip jar available at the bar, simply add it to the bill and indicate the split.<br /><br />30. Do not eat raw freshwater fish.<br /><br /> Far more parasites are present in freshwater fish than those residing in saltwater because the majority cannot handle the high salinity of the latter’s environment. In fact, certain breeds of tapeworms explicitly thrive in the muscles of some freshwater species. Because of this very high risk of infection, it is never safe to eat raw fish from freshwater habitats.<br /><br />32. If offered a hot towel (oshibori), practice proper protocol.<br /><br /> Some sushi bars and restaurants proffer hot towels to patrons before or after a meal. Clean hands, perhaps lightly and subtly pat around the mouth, then fold the towel neatly before returning it to the waitron.<br /><br />33. Chopsticks should be set down in the preferred manner when not in use.<br /><br /> There are generally a few different ways to put chopsticks down when going unused. Some may elect to set them on their small saucer for shoyu, though sometimes special chopstick rests are available as well. At some bars or restaurants, the waiter, waitress, or sushi chef will create lovely origami knots from the paper chopstick holders for use as a rest.<br /><br />39. Feel free to slurp noodles.<br /><br /> Some diners may appreciate a side of soba or udon noodles to accompany their sushi meal. Slurping them is not considered taboo in Japanese etiquette protocol – in fact, it helpfully sucks in air to cool off the usually piping hot dishes. Soup, however, is generally enjoyed in a far quieter fashion.<br /><br />40. Miso soup may be eaten without a spoon.<br /><br /> Occasionally, sushi bars and Japanese restaurants will serve their soups without a spoon. This may seem unfamiliar to American diners, but it is actually not a mistake on the part of the waitron. If handed a bowl of soup that lacks any sort of utensil, simply lift it up and drink it directly from the bowl. This is not considered an etiquette violation in Japan, nor will it in an explicitly Japanese environment.<br /><br /> <br />47. Order pieces of nigiri in pairs.<br /><br /> The tradition of serving sushi two at once comes from a time when diners would have to cut their pieces in half to eat them without choking. Beyond that, ordering one piece of nigiri or ordering four of something have unfortunate etymologies attached to them in Japanese. It is generally recommended to order in pairs to avoid awkwardness.<br /><br /> 50. The only steadfast rule is practice common courtesy and politeness.<br /><br /> In the end, though, just about the only thing that truly matters in the sushi experience is whether or not patrons treat themselves and everyone around them with respect and courtesy. Being awkward with chopsticks or using too much soy sauce or flubbing pronunciations are window dressing, really – it will not carry any truly inescapable or demonizing stigmas. Relaxing, being polite, being nice, and having a great time is truly the spirit of eating sushi and eating it well.<br /><br />Who knew MRI technician school had a liberal arts component?Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-85011650798019090212010-01-31T14:45:00.000-08:002010-02-01T09:19:17.703-08:00Is Centrum toxic?Is Centrum Toxic?<br />By Susan G. Wynn, DVM and Heather Vogl, DVM<br /><br />I formulate a lot of homemade diets and a source of vitamins and minerals, usually as a multivitamin, is critical to prevent deficiencies. My default multi is Centrum for two reasons: 1. it has a nice balance of vitamins and minerals without too much of any and 2. it is obtainable all over the country in small towns and large ones. <br /><br />Occasionally I get complaints because someone wants a 'healthier' multi and while it usually results in a much more complicated diet, I can do use those. I can't argue with this inclination as I, too, prefer a whole food-extracted multi rather than a synthetic, but there is no proof that one is better than the other. The synthetic vitamins and minerals are well absorbed and can fulfill the needs for these essential nutrients. The complaints I've gotten are apparently based on one website: <br /><br />www.centrumistoxic.com<br /><br />The author of the website (which was apparently written in 2006 and has not been updated since) uses a few techniques to scare readers. For every ingredient, the manufacture is described in detail, apparently to scare readers with unfamiliar chemical names. The author consistently claims that inorganic forms of minerals are toxic and inappropriately active in the body, but these claims are not referenced. The toxicity studies cited in general describe trials where very high doses were used, rather than normal dietary doses. The circumstances are often different as well, quoting epidemiologic studies reporting widespread environmental contamination.<br /><br />It also is not a critical review, as references cited are selected to show the author's bias, and do not analyze the literature as a whole or even fairly describe study conclusions (look at calcium carbonate, below, for instance). Finally, the site is completely anonymous - even the "about us" page lends no clue as to who the author is and whether they work for other companies or have some similar conflict of interest, or even knowledge enough to interpret the data quoted. <br /> <br />Below are specific analyses of the author's claims.<br /><br />Magnesium Oxide is claimed to be "biologically inactive, and is not found in this form in foods". Magnesium Oxide can cause a pronounced laxative effect in higher amounts...(how does it have a laxative effect if it is biologically inactive?). The Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) cited refers almost entirely to toxicity from inhaling particles of magnesium oxide. The toxic dose for an adult human is stated by the Hazardous Substances Dtabase as "0.5-5 G/KG, BETWEEN 1 OZ OR 1 PINT (OR 1 LB) FOR 70 KG PERSON (150 LB)". That's a minimum of 35,000mg. Centrum contains 50mg. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Potassium chloride is stated to have "one of the highest salt index ratings (116) among commercial fertilizers and can cause injury to plants which is known as "burning." (so does table salt and dog urine). The site says "Potassium toxicity involves the following symptoms: gastrointestinal distress, e.g. nausea, vomiting, abdmoninal discomfort and diarrhea." (prunes can have the same effect). People with kidney problems should be especially careful when ingesting potassium that is not from a food source.(actually, Noni juice has caused toxicity in this group of people as well). Come on people - potassium chloride is *salt substitute* which is sold as a condiment. People can eat 2000-3000 mg/day of this stuff. Centrum contains 80mg. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Microcrystalline cellulose - this is what the website has to say “The safety of ingesting this synthetically produced chemical has not yet been unequivocally determined. We do not yet know if it is a carcinogen, ground water contaminant, has developmental or reproductive toxicity, or is an endocrine disruptor. Nonetheless, evidence exists that it is toxic in mammals.(intravenous application of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), in a dose of 5 mg/kg twice weekly for 10 weeks,1979)”. The study quoted is the only one apparently published, and the experimental design was based on administering microcrystalline cellulose intravenously at a high dose. The equivalent dose for a human of normal weight is 350 mg. There is no listed amount on Centrum, but it cannot contain more than about 30mg if you calculate the weights of the other components in each tablet. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Ascorbic Acid: The site says “although not known to be directly toxic, there is growing evidence that ascorbic acid causes a mild physical dependency, whereby removal of this chemical causes vitamin c levels in the blood to drop below baseline. Its use has also been correlated with increased incidence of kidney stones, and may be indicated in other problems caused by calcification of soft tissue.” (no references given). The development of oxalate stones may be increased with ANY form of vitamin C. I don’t even know how to evaluate the ‘mild physical dependency claim’ since no reference is given. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Ferrous fumarate is inorganic iron. The website claims that it is “pro-oxidative, stimulating the damaging effects in the body of substances known as free radicals.(1) There is evidence linking high inorganic iron intake to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Excessive iron accumulates in the liver, and may feed bacterial and viral infection.”. The studies cited used 120 mg of ferrous fumarate in people with Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease. The Crohn’s paper actually states in the discussion that these patients probably absorb more iron due to their deficiency status and possibly the state of the gut itself. Centrum contains less than half the amount used in those studies. From the Wikipedia link on page: Humans experience iron toxicity above 20 milligrams of iron for every kilogram of mass (that would be 1400 mg daily), and 60 milligrams per kilogram is considered a lethal dose. Overconsumption of iron in children is usually due to eating large quantities of ferrous sulfate tablets intended for adult consumption, which is a preventable toxicity. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) lists the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for adults as 45 mg/day. For children under fourteen years old the UL is 40 mg/day. Centrum appears to contain exactly the amount of elemental iron required by menstruating women (L Hallberg and L Rossander-Hulten. Iron requirements in menstruating women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 54, 1047-1058). Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Calcium carbonate - the site claims “risk factors associated with inorganic calcium ingestion, i.e. calcification of soft tissue, osteoarthritis, constipation, kidney stones, hypertension and various other side effects of poorly utilized calcium. Lancet and the British Medical Journal, recently published the results of two extensive clinical trails [sic] which concluded that calcium plus Vitamin D does nothing to prevent bone loss”. Actually, these studies note that calcium/D3 DOES benefit bone mineral density and that other studies show that it does prevent fractures.... both new studies had significant compliance concerns, with only 60 percent of respondents taking their supplements more than 80 percent of the time by the two-year mark. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />dl-Tocopherol is biologically unprecedented and may have adverse side effects. New research demonstrates that taking only 1 member of the E family, which includes 4 tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta tocopherols) and 4 tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, gamma tocotrienols), may cause a deficiency of the other members. It is believed that the ingestion of dl-alpha tocopheryl in isolation may cause a deficiency of the heart-protective form known as gamma tocopheryl, hence adversely effecting the functioning of the heart.” Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Ascorbyl Palmitate - The site’s evidence for toxicity includes a link to one in-vitro study (enhanced uv damage in keratinocytes) and a lab animal study on bladder stones and retarded growth. (For every in vitro study suggesting damage, there are multiples of that number suggesting a benefit from the antioxidant activity.). Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />BHT is claimed by the site to be “suspected to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. BHT has been banned for use in food in Japan (1958), Romania, Sweden and Australia. The US has barred it from being used in infant foods”. In a comprehensive review of toxicity studies done over the years, (Lanigan RS, Yamarik TA. Final report on the safety assessment of BHT(1). Int J Toxicol. 2002;21 Suppl 2:19-94), doses used on rats and mice ranged from 50mg/kg of BW to 1500mg/kg BW. Interestingly in some of those studies, the test animals lived longer than control animals. At any rate, the dose of BHT in centrum is a tiny fraction of 1 mg/kg BW. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest reprentation of toxicity studies.<br /><br />Chromic chloride – from the site: “Although trivalent chromium like Chromic Chloride is far less poisonous than the hexavalent form, it is definitely a toxic substance, known to exhibit genotoxic, mutagenic, teratrogenic (reproductive hazard) and is on the Hazardous Substance list. ( no reference given). Centrum contains 120 mcg (.12 millgrams) of chromic chloride, which according to Federal Drinking Water standards is above the 100 mcg per Liter limit for safe consumption”. The reference here is not given, so I don’t know if it refers to 100mcg of chromic chloride or 100mcg of elemental chromium (I suspect the latter). Human beings are supposed to drink 2 liters per day, resulting in a top dose of 200 mcg daily of elemental chromium. Centrum contains 35 mcg of elemental chromium, right in line with recommendations for adequate daily intake. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Calcium stearate is stated as "may be toxic" with the following justification - "It is entirely synthetic, and does not occur in nature. No toxicological studies have been carried out on this substance to date." Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, completely made up ‘toxicity’ claim.<br /><br />Crospovidone – “Very little research has been done on the toxicity of this biologically unprecedented synthetic, however, animal studies showed this substance was carcinogenic, caused inflammation, pneumonia, and other adverse effects”. I was unable to studies of oral toxicity on this compound – most reports were when surgical antiseptic solutions were used to lavage body cavities. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Cupric oxide is said to be “ generally considered a toxic substance in its unbound form. Virtually all copper in the body is present as a component of copper proteins. Unbound or inorganic copper produces oxidative stress in the body, catalyzing highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. Centrum contains 2mg of cupric oxide, supposedly 100% of the RDA. And yet, Federal EPA drinking water standards consider anything above 1.3 mg per Liter to be a health risk” The site does not define whether they think Centrum contains 2 mg of cupric oxide or elemental copper, but Centrum actually contains 0.5 mg of elemental copper. The human water requirement is about 2 liters per day, making the safe upper limit for an adult human 2.6 mg/day. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency<br /><br />Cyanocobalamin – “ human studies have reported allergic reactions to skin testing, and mice given 1.5-3 mg/kg body weight experienced convulsions, followed by cardiac and respiratory failure”. It is important to keep some perspective here – FOOD causes allergic reactions in many, many people, and the lab animal study used a low dose of 1.5 - 3 mg/kg of cobalamin, - the usual human dose is 0.006 mg/kg). The site also says that because “some people lack the proper enzyme to actively detoxify and convert cyanocobalamin, or are overwhelmed by the ingestion of too much cyanide, it can accumulate in the body resulting in toxicity”. This occurs at very high doses and in people with congenital abnormalities – and certainly not at the dose provided in Centrum. Our conclusion: logical inconsistency, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />FD&C Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow) according to the site “has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction. It is associated with ADD and ADHD. (no reference given) This colourant is prohibited as a food additive in Finland and Norway. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, ‘The chemicals used to create colour are energetic molecules, many of which are capable of interacting with and damaging DNA. Anything that deranges DNA can injure the immune system, accelerate aging, and increase the risk of cancer. Indeed, many synthetic food dyes once considered safe have turned out to be carcinogenic’." Remember, natural food items cause allergies. References were not provided here, but it is true that the European Food Safety agency is concerned about reports of Sunset Yellow causing hyperactivity in people. The recommended top daily dose is 1 mg/kg of body weight. The dose in Centrum is something less than 0.1mg/kg of body weight. <br /><br />Hydroxylpropryl Methylcellulose is “used as an excipient in drugs and supplements like Centrum.There are no long term toxicological studies available on this synthetic substance”. And yet this site labels it as “may be toxic”. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, completely made up ‘toxicity’ claim<br /><br />Magnesium Borate is “may have adverse antibiotic action vis-a-vis intestinal flora”. Link given about ‘borates and their uses and toxicity’ is dead. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Magnesium Stearate is “used to make large scale production tableting of supplements and drugs possible, this chemical excipient is produced through reacting sodium stearate with magnesium sulfate, in a way similar to the production of other hydrogenated oils (a component of the diet of most people). potentially dangerous substance whose Hazardous Substance Databank Number is: 664”. The link to non-human toxicity studies does not function. According to the MSDS form: Chronic Health Effects: This product has no known chronic effects. Repeated or prolong exposure to this compound is not known to aggravate medical conditions. Acute Health Effects: This product is not listed by NTP, IARC or regulated as a Carcinogen by OSHA. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Manganese Sulfate/MnSO4H2O - According to this site: “Toxicological data indicates it is tumorigenic, mutagenic and teratogenic”. The conclusion of the study cited was actually: Under the conditions of these 2-year feed studies, there was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male or female F344/N rats receiving 1,500, 5,000, or 15,000 ppm. There was equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity of manganese (II) sulfate monohydrate in male and female B6C3F1 mice, based on the marginally increased incidences of thyroid gland follicular cell adenoma and the significantly increased incidences of follicular cell hyperplasia. The doses given to the test animals ranged from 60-7400mg/kg of body weight. Centrum contains a total of 2.3 mg of manganese, or about 0.03 mg/kg BW. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Nicotinic Acid (Niacinamide) - According to this site: “large doses are known to cause liver problems as severe as liver failure.“ Nicotine has a half-life of about 60 minutes, and the liver is equipped to break down remaining amounts of nicotine. The toxic dose of niacinamide is 3000mg/day (M. Knip, I. F. Douek, W. P. T. Moore, H. A. Gillmor, A. E. M. McLean, P. J. Bingley, E. A. M. Gale and for the ENDIT Group. Safety of high-dose nicotinamide: a review. Diabetologia 2000; 43 (11): 1337–45.). The dose in Centrum is 20mg. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Nickelous Sulfate is described thusly: “classified within the National LIbrary of Medicine's "Hazardous Substances Data Base" (HSDB) as an animal and human carcinogen. It is classified by the National Institute for <br />Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as "immediately dangerous to Life and Health," and a potential occupational carcinogen.” One link cited does not work, and the other supplied link states: An increase in mortality was not observed in chronic studies in rats or dogs fed nickel sulfate in the diet at doses up to 188 mg/kg/day for rats and 62.5 mg/kg/day for dogs (Ambrose et al. 1976). Centrum contains 5 micrograms (0.005 mg) per tablet per their website. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Polysorbate 80: “Polysorbate 80 is produced using ethylene oxide (which is known to cause cancer in rats). “ The issue here is the polysorbate, not the ethylene oxide. Polysorbate is used in ice cream to maintain its consistency, and IV medications such as amiodarone to keep them in proper form for administration. According to a study in the periodical Reproductive Toxicity, In Europe and America people eat about 0.1 grams of polysorbate 80 in foods per day. The study cited is a test tube study, which has no relevance to a living system. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Potassium Iodide “Chronic overexposure can have adverse effects on the thyroid”. The very study cited concludes : The results of our studies suggest that excess KI has a thyroid tumor-promoting effect, but KI per se does not induce thyroid tumors in rats. In this study, the intake of potassium bromide was 55 mg/kg of body weight daily. The dose in Centrum is about 0.3 mg (providing 0.15 mg iodine), or 0.004 mg/kg of body weight. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Pyridoxidine Hydrochloride (B6). Site states: “Extremely large doses in range of 2 to 6 g/kg (2000-6000 mg/kg) produce convulsions & death in rats and mice. Lower doses (50mg injections) have interfered with the endocrine system of rats by suppressing pituitary secretions.” The lowest dose here is about 25-30 mg/ kg of body weight. The total dose in Centrum is 2 mg, or 0.03 mg/kg of body weight in a person. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Silicon Dioxide - Site states: “ Although this chemical is known to have extensive acute, subchronic and chronic toxicities in animal studies, silicon dioxide is considered an acceptable food additive by the FDA.” Silicon is a vital trace mineral found in many foods. The author states This is primarily because of a lack of understanding the difference between silica found in food, or mammalian tissues, and inorganic forms. The qualitative difference is profound, and though theelemental silica content may be the same in a chard of glass and a piece of celery, the biological difference is as profound as the difference between life and death.” There isn’t a single supporting bit of science for this claim. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Sodium Aluminum Silicate. Site claims “known to be a neurotoxin for over 100 years, and today it is known to be a major causative factor in diseases like Alzheimers.” No source is cited. Nobody knows what causes Alzheimer's. The Material Safety Data Sheet states that this chemical is only a mild skin irritant and if inhaled fresh air should be breathed. <br /><br />Sodium ascorbate – the site states: “sodium ascorbate may affect genetic material (mutagenic) based on animal tests”. The link provided on the site clearly states: Ascorbic Acid and Sodium Ascorbate were not genotoxic in several bacterial and mammalian test systems, consistent with the antioxidant properties of these chemicals. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Sodium Benzoate – the site states: “Sodium benzoate is a synthetic preservative which has been shown to have an antibiotic effect on the essential friendly gut flora. The link provided on the site states: Benzoic acid is produced by many plants as an intermediate in the formation of other compounds (Goodwin, 1976). High concentrations are found in certain berries (see section 6.1). Benzoic acid has also been detected in animals. Benzoic acid (chemically equivalent) therefore occurs naturally in many foods, including milk products (Sieber et al., 1989, 1990). Sodium benzoate IS toxic to cats, at doses of at least 50mg/kg. It is AAFCO-approved at 14mg/kg (0.1% of the diet). The dose in Centrum is less than 10mg total, or 2mg/kg for a cat (0.15mg/kg for people). Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Sodium Borate - the site states: “Definitely toxic” but does not supply a reference. MSDS information: Acute oral toxicity (LD50): 2.66 mg/kg [Rat.]. Acute Toxic Effects on Humans: Ingestion of 5-10 grams has produced severe vomiting, diarrhea, shock and death. Chronic Effects on Humans: Not available. That is a huge amount compared to the amount in Centrum (<2% of tablet per label). And I cannot find it in the ingredient listing in Centrum anyway. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />Sodium Citrate – the site states: May be toxic with no source cited. “an unhealthy liver may have difficulty with this substance potentially resulting in an accumulation of bicarbonate (the metabolic derivative of citrate) which can cause metabolic alkalosis.” The MSDS states that topical contact is only slightly hazardous and to wash hands. Ingestion of large doses may well cause metabolic alkalosis, but Centrum contains less than 10mg total which is far from a dangerous dose. Our conclusion: lack of supporting references.<br /><br />Sodium Metavanadate is stated to be “a form of vanadium with known toxicity when ingested or inhaled. It is a skin, eye and respiratory irritant.” In the study cited, the lowest dose given to geese and ducks was 10mg/kg of body weight. My calculations suggest (based on sodium metavanadate containing 42% elemental vanadium) is that Centrum contains 0.023 mg of sodium metavanadate, for heavens’ sake! Our conclusion: lack of supporting references, dishonest representation of toxicity study.<br /><br />You know, I’m tired of doing this. I’ve spent 1 ½ days debunking the claims made here, and the author of this website is so consistently wrong that I’m not going to finish with the rest of the list.<br /><br />So would I take Centrum? Yes, if I felt I really needed a basic multi and nothing else was available. But is Centrum toxic? Resoundingly no. Just another example of why you need to learn what constitute good information, and to check out claims made by Internet sites, your chiropractor and if you are really skeptical, your doctor or veterinarian.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-43035263326269995842010-01-27T05:14:00.000-08:002010-01-27T05:26:27.201-08:00low protein diets and long term well beingOK, this is making me crazy. <br /><br />I'm getting questions from both veterinarians and pet owners based on bad information from the 'holistic' websites. Essentially, the rumor is that low protein diets used for kidney disease lead to muscle atrophy long term. <br /><br />These diets (examples are Hill's K/D, Royal Canin LP, and Purina NF)contain protein levels that are more than adequate for maintenance and can even sustain growth. (Not that you would want to try that on your puppy or kitten). That's PLENTY of protein to maintain muscle mass when all else is normal, like calorie intake and exercise.<br /><br />The reason chronic renal patients lose weight and muscle long term is that *they are not eating enough*. They are starving. When they don't get adequate food, they don't get adequate calories or protein. Starvation leads to fat and muscle loss.<br /><br />If your kidney patient is losing muscle mass, the thing to do is find out why he or she isn't eating well enough, and correct that problem.<br /><br />Really - the low protein diets are not the problem!<br /><br />Not that some would believe a veterinarian trained in nutrition above a random self taught expert on the internet, but that's another issue. Rant over. Thanks for listening.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-50496143265973363782010-01-15T08:18:00.000-08:002010-01-15T08:20:53.230-08:00U.S. Opens Inquiry Into Monsanto - Wall Street JournalAntitrust Enforcers Probe Business Practices Surrounding Biotech Soybean Seed<br />By SCOTT KILMAN And THOMAS CATAN<br /><br />The U.S. Justice Department has opened a formal antitrust investigation into crop-biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. as it contends with the loss of patent protection on its blockbuster soybean in 2014.<br /><br />Monsanto on Thursday received a formal demand from the Justice Department for information about the St. Louis company’s business practices surrounding its Roundup Ready soybean, the nation’s most popular genetically-modified crop.<br /><br />Roughly 90% of all the soybeans grown in the U.S. contain a Monsanto gene that helps the plant survive dousing by Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller. Introduced in 1996, the Roundup Ready soybean seed allows farmers to chemically remove weeds from their fields without damaging crops.<br /><br />With that seed losing patent protection in four years, Monsanto is trying to get farmers to switch to a second generation of Roundup Ready seed that still will be protected.<br /><br />Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona confirmed Thursday that antitrust regulators have begun a formal investigation of the seed industry. She refused to identify the investigation’s target or provide specific details.<br /><br />In the wake of Monsanto’s disclosure, the company’s shares fell $1.16, or 1.4%, to $82.79 in 4 p.m. composite trading on the New York Stock Exchange.<br /><br />Controversy over Monsanto’s plans for Roundup Ready soybeans grew so heated across the Farm Belt last year that the company declared that it wouldn’t stand in the way of farmers using off-patent seeds.<br /><br />“We’re confident that a thorough review will show that all of our business practices are fair, pro-competitive and in compliance with the law,” Monsanto spokesman Lee Quarles saidThursday.<br /><br />Monsanto has been in regulators’ sights since the Justice Department said in August it would take a hard look at economic concentration in agriculture as part on an increased emphasis on antitrust enforcement.<br /><br />Farmers and seed companies that license genes from Monsanto have long complained about the prices it can command. The price of a bag of soybean seed has roughly quadrupled since the biotech-era dawned in 1996.<br /><br />The Justice Department’s inquiry appears to mirror complaints filed this month by Monsanto’s archrival, the Pioneer Hi-Bred seed unit of DuPont Co., for a nationwide series of hearings the Justice and Agriculture departments plan to hold on farmers’ competitive concerns. DuPont, which pays to use Monsanto’s first-generation Roundup Ready technology in the seed it sells to farmers, has complained that Monsanto is trying to force seed companies to prematurely switch to the second-generation technology. “The effect of this campaign would be to eliminate any prospect for the emergence of generic competition,” DuPont has said.<br /><br />DuPont, of Wilmington, Del., several months ago received a demand for information from the Justice Department for information about the seed market. A DuPont spokesman said the company believes the investigation isn’t aimed at DuPont’s behavior.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-78873330582053015462009-12-17T04:40:00.000-08:002009-12-17T04:42:52.247-08:00for Atlanta locals - nose workThe American Bouvier Rescue League presents<br />K9 Nose Work Scenting Workshop<br />Canton, Georgia<br />February 27-28, 2010<br /><br />“You’re hooked as soon as you see your dog’s face when he realizes that<br />he will be rewarded for using his nose.” –from “Your Dog Nose No Bounds,” Whole Dog Journal, August 2009<br /><br />Join us for the southeast’s first “K9 Nose Work” seminar featuring nationally renowned K9 Nose Work co-founders and Certified Nose Work Instructors (CNWI) Ron Gaunt and Amy Herot. They’ll join us from California to teach us<br />more about this exciting new sport, suitable for energetic and timid dogs alike. Ron began training dogs for police work in 1970, and among his many accomplishments are multiple national certifications in detection, both Explosives<br />and Narcotics. Amy is a professional detection handler and trainer with certified teams in Narcotics and Explosives for the private sector and law enforcement and has earned first place finishes in national detection competitions.<br /><br />Why Nose Work? Our dogs have an amazing sense of smell and a natural desire to hunt. This detection-style sport is designed to develop your dog’s natural scenting abilities by using their desire to hunt and their love of toys, food, and<br />exercise. A great way for your dog to have fun, build confidence, and burn lots of mental and physical energy, and possibly even compete one day in a scent work trial. The sport was featured in the Whole Dog Journal, August 2009.<br /><br />WHEN:<br />Saturday, February 27, 9 am – 1 pm OR 2 pm – 6 pm<br />“Introduction to Nose Work.” Choose from morning or afternoon session. 10 working (with dog), and 20 audit (no dog) slots are available per session. This introductory workshop will concentrate on the basic concepts and<br />foundation skills for dogs and handlers. $75 to work, $50 to audit. Dogs work one at a time.<br /><br />Sunday, February 28, 9 am – 5 pm<br />“Introduction to Odor,” is for Saturday attendees to gain more advanced learning. Pre-requisite: Attendance at Saturday session. Sunday’s session advances the dog’s scent discrimination skills taught in the basic nose work<br />class and includes an overview of techniques and tactics for building better dog/handler teamwork. Good session to audit. 10 working (with dog), and 20 audit (no dog) slots available. $100 to work, $60 to audit. Includes lunch.<br />Dogs work one at a time.<br /><br />WHERE:<br />The Canine Ranch, 165 Doug Smith Lane, Canton, GA 30114<br />This workshop is being sponsored by the American Bouvier Rescue League;<br />please do not contact the Canine Ranch with questions about the seminar. They will not be able to answer them!<br /><br />WHO SHOULD ATTEND:<br />Any breed of dog can participate, with any level of training. Dogs must tolerate the instructors coaching the team, many people watching in the audience, and dogs in the area, and should be comfortable and quiet being crated or<br />kenneled out of your sight. Dog-reactive and timid dogs are welcome, but please leave people-aggressive dogs at home.<br /><br />QUESTIONS? NEED REGISTRATION FORM?<br />Contact Lisa Rodier, bouv329@gmail.com or (770) 521-8690. Or go to www.abrl.org and click on Nose Work link.<br /><br />To learn more about our highly credentialed workshop leaders, Ron Gaunt and Amy Herot, K9 Nose Work Co- Founders/Instructors, go to www.k9nosework.com and www.nacsw.net.<br /><br />The American Bouvier Rescue League (ABRL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of Bouvier des Flandres dogs. Visit us at www.abrl.org. Any event proceeds will be donated to the ABRL.<br /><br />Registration Form<br />K9 Nose Work Scenting Workshop<br />Canton, Georgia<br />February 27-28, 2010<br />Sponsored by the American Bouvier Rescue League<br />On Saturday, we will hold the same workshop twice; please indicate your preference of the morning or afternoon session. To work a dog on Sunday, you must also have worked the same dog on Saturday. Working slots are limited to 10 dogs per session to allow ample time for each dog to work. 20 auditing slots per session are available.<br />Registration is first come, first served.<br /><br />NOTE: Working dogs will be crated behind a visual barrier when not working. Your dog must be able to remain quietly in his crate out of your sight. A limited number of indoor/outdoor kennel runs will be available for day use at a rate of $10 with advance reservation through the Canine Ranch. For kennel reservations ONLY, contact Chris at chris@thecanineranch.com or call (678) 493-8040 and reference “Nose Work.”<br /><br />I. SATURDAY: Introduction to Nose Work (indicate 1st and 2nd choices of session time and choose working or audit)<br />Morning: 9 am – 1 pm Working (with dog) @ $75 Audit (no dog) @ $50<br />OR<br />Afternoon: 2 pm – 6 pm Working (with dog) @ $75 Audit (no dog) @ $50<br /><br />II. SUNDAY: Introduction to Odor (pre-requisite: Intro to Nose Work)<br />9 am – 5 pm Working (with dog): @ $100 Audit (no dog): @ $60<br />Lunch will be included on Sunday. Check here if prefer Vegetarian option:<br /><br />TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED: $ (make checks payable to ABRL)<br />Name<br />Address<br />City St Zip<br />Email Home or cell phone<br />Breed/name of dog (if working):<br />Send check, made payable to “ABRL” to:<br />Lisa Rodier<br />615 Gantt Road<br />Alpharetta, GA 30004<br />Questions? Email Lisa at bouv329@gmail.com or call (770) 521-8690.<br />Registration closes February 13, 2010. No refunds two weeks prior to event.<br />UPON RECEIPT OF REGISTRATION, YOU WILL RECEIVE EMAIL CONFIRMATION ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL<br />INFORMATION SUCH AS DIRECTIONS, WHAT TO BRING, DOG FRIENDLY HOTELS AND OTHER DETAILS.Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6079093007080805534.post-82809433820535776412009-12-04T14:23:00.001-08:002009-12-04T14:52:50.847-08:00why kidney patients won't eatI'm asked frequently to formulate homemade diets for dogs and cats with chronic kidney disease. The main reason is that they won't eat their prescription diets. While I'm all for trying a homemade food and some pets (usually dogs) accept them better, these patients are trying to tell us something. Switching foods is ultimately a failing solution to the anorexia thing, unless we address the reasons they won't eat. <br /><br />Here are the top reasons these patients don't eat:<br />1. Dehydration, dehydration, dehydration - this is most common and occurs because the kidney cannot conserve body water. Dehydration is uncomfortable!<br />2. Gastrointestinal ulcers (this is due to elevated gastrin levels, a hormone that increases acid secretion). This will result in nausea, vomiting and pain.<br />3. Uremia (elevated levels of urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, etc).<br />4. Anemia (due to the kidney's inability to produce erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to make blood precursors)<br />5. Hypertension which, in people, can cause headaches and dizziness, among other problems.<br />6. Infection, especially urinary tract infections to which these animals are more susceptible than normal animals<br />7. Acidemia - high levels of organic acid that accumulate from the metabolism (and inadequate elimination) of protein.<br />8. Side effects of drugs (and don't forget herbs and nutraceuticals here either)<br />9. Other conditions present at the same time - especially pancreatitis<br />10. Food aversions - usually from offering more and more foods when the pet is feeling nauseous.<br /><br />So that's a lot to stack against a new diet! I have taken to giving my clients this list as a 'checklist' when the appetite goes south. To address the checklist, we usually need to get blood and urine for a biochemical profile, cbc, urinalysis, and urine culture at least. Checking blood pressures on a regular basis is a good idea too. I'm also a proponent of calcitriol, an 'activated' form of Vitamin D that is deficient in kidney patients. I'm told that it does help some animals have a better appetite - we use this if the calcium and phosphorus levels are normal, and preferably after checking parathyroid hormone levels.<br /><br />I make sure everyone knows how to check for dehydration, and teach them how to give fluids to correct it. Since we are not using endoscopy to look for ulcers during office visits, we may start long term pepcid at any of these visits just in case they are a factor.<br /><br />My best pet owners bring me a current written list of all their drugs and supplements at every visit too - this is so that I don't rely on my medical records and possibly misunderstand changes that have gone on at home - people sometimes add things or change doses on their own, or run out of drugs and forget to refill them. That list is a big help to all of us so we can check the most recent regimen and analyze the doses for the potential for side effects. <br /><br />Check list complete? NOW we can try a new diet!Dr. Susan Wynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09673334170143376314noreply@blogger.com2