PetMeds^® Blog

One of the most economic and useful supplements I’ve found in canine veterinary practice is the addition of the Be Well supplement (available for dogs and cats). While many have heard me discuss in other blog posts, the deficiencies in processed commercial pet foods, as well as even those who attempt to prepare home made diets, by incorporating the Be Well supplement, animal guardians are going a long way in helping provide their dogs with what is missing in most dog foods.

Rich in Omega 3 fatty acids from flax seed, fiber, as well as antioxidants from green tea, a sprinkle of this supplement replaces nutrients often lost in the processing of most commercial pet foods. Some of the wonderful potential benefits I’ve seen with continued use include less intense skin allergies and shedding, along with a healthy coat. As we are just learning the tremendous benefits of Omega 3 fatty acids in many chronic diseases, Be Well’s wonderful spectrum of nutrients is also helpful in maintaining a healthy heart, brain, and kidneys.

One of the most common vitamin supplements I recommend to many of my feline and canine guardians is vitamin C added to meals. Unlike humans, guinea pigs, and certain primates who don’t make their own vitamin C and need it supplemented to their diets, dogs and cats do manufacture their own vitamin C. However, because of immune stress and in many diseases, many canine and feline patients can benefit from some of the effects of supplemental vitamin C.

Several decades ago, a veterinary colleague named Wendell Belfield, DVM, studied and used vitamin C in quite high doses in treating many pets with chronic infections, as well as various inflammatory and joint disorders. He found that by first using high dose IV vitamin C therapy and then oral therapy, that he was able to treat many difficult cases. Most people are also aware of Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist named Linus Pauling, who also recommended high doses of vitamin C for people. And while I don’t personally recommend doses that high for dogs or cats, I do find that supplemental vitamin C in form of sodium or calcium ascorbate powder added to meals or dissolved in water, can boost the immune system of pets, as well as act as a mild natural antihistamine.

Vitamin C is also beneficial in helping strengthen collagen synthesis in pets, which is the glue that makes up the connective tissue of the joints and ligaments of the body. In pets suffering from urinary tract infections or certain types of urinary tract crystals or stones, vitamin C can help acidify the urine and has a mild antibacterial property. It is important for animal guardians to check with their veterinarian on a proper dose for their pet, as well as to make sure their pet does not have a pre-existing condition such as calcium oxalate urinary crystals or stones, in which case one would not want to add supplemental vitamin C to the diet. However, in the majority of cases, pets can indeed benefit from the addition of this antioxidant nutrient in my opinion and experience.

While many people are aware of calcium deficiency in people leading to osteoporosis, one of the most common chronic diseases in both woman and men, few animal guardians rarely give a thought to supplementing their pets with calcium. Calcium, as well as phosphorus, magnesium and other trace minerals are all involved with healthy skeletal, joint and oral health.  Even mild deficiencies over time can contribute to chronic degenerative disorders involving not only the structural components of our body, but major organ systems such as the heart, urinary tract, as well as enzyme reactions throughout the body.

There is even some evidence in the human literature claiming calcium deficiencies help lead to the development of kidney stones, rather than calcium excess. And while most processed commercial pet foods claim to have adequate amounts of both calcium and other minerals, I often find these minerals are either not in an easily digestible form for pets, or in the case of some minerals, are destroyed in the processing of bagging or canning the pet food.  That is why it is so essential to feed as fresh and minimally processed diet as possible.

Ideally this would consist of balanced homemade recipe diets such as those found in Donald Strombeck’s book as well as Richard Pitcairn’s book on natural health for dogs and cats, both of which can be found on the internet.  The next best choice would be natural minimally processed commercial diets such as Eat Great Be Well from 1800PetMeds, Pet Guard or Wysong as my other favorite choices. However, even in balanced recipes found in the above books, it is often called to supplement with additional calcium to insure adequate dietary supplies. This becomes even more critical in pregnant or lactating animals, which can rapidly become calcium deficient when fed strictly grocery or pet store quality commercial pet foods.

There are many excellent options for adding supplemental calcium to a pet’s diet, including Osteoform calcium phosphorus for dogs, which is wonderful for those pregnant and lactating animals, along with the excellent multivitamin Vitachews.  I will often use both of these along with essential fatty acids such as Nordic Naturals Pet Cod Liver Oil with Omega 3 fatty acids to both pregnant and lactating animals.

During today’s difficult economic times, many vet clinics are receiving numerous phone calls each day from animal guardians looking for at-home suggestions for simple acute problems, as opposed to paying for costly veterinary exams and workups.  In the last pet owner misconceptions article, I reviewed some statistics and a few medical examples of how certain conditions can often resolve on their own, or with just supportive care at home.  Two of the most common areas of phone inquiries revolve around acute digestive upset in their pets or skin/ear allergy flare-ups.

In both of these broad conditions, one of the most important things I’ll often tell clients is to fast their pets for 24 to 48 hours, offering fresh water several times daily and/or chicken or vegetable broth. That’s unless the pet is a diabetic or has some other chronic disease like cancer, where consultation with their pet should be done first before fasting.   However, often fasting a pet like this and then reintroducing a bland, cooked, lean white meat turkey and sweet potato or rice diet after a 48 hour fast will often calm the digestive or skin symptoms. In addition, over-the-counter Pepcid AC or Famotidine (at a dose of 1/2 mg per pound) once daily can often help settle a sour stomach or vomiting pet.

If a pet is suffering from diarrhea, short term use of Imodium or Lomotil can sooth an irritable bowel, along with use of slippery elm from the health food store.  An excellent probiotic called Fast balance by Vetriscience also can quickly calm either diarrhea or vomiting symptoms in either dogs or cats.  For the common hairball vomiting problem in cats, Laxatone or Petromalt Hairball Remedy can help soothe an acute flare-up of vomiting.

As for skin or ear allergy problems, including allergic hot spots and focal areas of intense itching and dermatitis, this can often be soothed by topical sprays, creams or oils. Some products I recommend include the all natural Be Soothed from 1800Petmeds, Dermaguard, or Genesis spray.  During allergy season itching, shampooing every few days with products like 1800PetMeds Aloe Vera and Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner can also help alleviate skin symptoms.  Excel Hydrocortisone Shampoo can also be very effective. Oral treatment with antihistamines like Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or Chlorphenirimine will also help to ease itching symptoms in many cases.  I’ve seen the wonderful product Zymox Otic HC work miracles in those pets with acutely inflamed ears.  Of course if symptoms intensify or worsen, or if you are ever in doubt, a veterinary exam and consultation is always best.

Over the past 18 years in my veterinary practice, I’ve been using trustworthy and reliable nutritional supplements and have been quite pleased with the clinical results. Often I’ve found that when using supplements it’s possible to use fewer or lower doses of prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)  early in degenerative joint disease, arthritis, and back pain cases in my patients.

The important point that animal guardians need to understand regarding the use of such products, is that because of inadequate regulation of the supplement industry not all supplements are created equal. And although a label may say that a particular supplement has a certain amount of product, such as glucosamine or chondroitin sulphate in them, one can never be sure of the exact amounts in a particular product. That’s why it’s important to obtain product recommendations from reliable sources and veterinarians who are more familiar with those companies who put out trustworthy products.

In my practice I often use a combination of good quality glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplements such as Super Joint Enhancer from PetMeds ^®. I’ve also found that using Omega-3 fatty acids, such as Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet, along with joint supplements can enhance clinical response. With most of my patients I’ll also prescribe an antioxidant such as Proanthozone, which assists in reducing pain and inflammation by decreasing free radicals produced during development of arthritis.  In addition, all natural Yucca Intensive by Azmira can also help because of its natural plant based sterols that are powerful anti-inflammatories.

Through such a multipronged approach and the judicious use of NSAIDs when needed, most pets can indeed live an enhanced quality of life when suffering from arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or spinal disc problems.