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October 2011

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Feature Articles5 Grandpaw’s Spice Cookies

Yum... remember the trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s when you were a pup?

6 Trick for Treat!If you are trying to teach your dog a trick, offering him a treat (whichdoesn’t have to be food) may entice him to learn.

8 Cats and Gum Disease Periodontal disease affects 85% of all cats older than 3, according tothe American Animal Veterinary Dental Society.

14 Kitty Kat KornerBlack Cats — lucky or unlucky? It depends. Learn more about catmyths.

16 When We Know Better — We Do Better Positive training creates a stronger bond with you and your pet.

18 She Loves Life... and animals! and people! and country music!

22 My Adventures with a Squirrel on a StickA new toy for my friend’s pup, ended in a trip to the emergency room.

24 Cancer Touches Everyone Everyone knows a person or a dog who has died of cancer.

26 Hand Feeding Your DogWhy should you hand feed your dog? There are lots of reasons!

28 The Benefits of Feeding a VarietyVariety feeding is a holistic philosophy for nourishing your pet’s health and happiness.

31 7 Emergency Care TipsDo you know how to take care of your pet in an emergency? Here are some tips.

32 What is Osteoarthritis?This is a degeneration of the bones, cartilage and joint fluid.

In Every Issue

4 Fall into Fall — Have you seen the new pet of the day on Facebook?

14 Chip’s Corner — What do you know about cat myths?

Follow us on

24

Fall Fun Has Arrived!Finally — Fall has arrived! Cool weather and falling

leaves. Now is a great time to get outside and enjoyyour four-legged friends before it turns too cold.

If you are looking for a great fall activity to enjoywith your pet consider Dogtoberfest. Held on Sunday,October 16, this great outside event offers all types offun events, details on page 11.

If you are looking for a way to support Spay andNeuter Kansas City and meet TJ McEntire, plan forSaturday, October 22 in Westport, details on page 13and 33. This is a people only event.

And, on November 6, 2011, is the Puppy Up Walk, at the Belvoir Winery. Thiswalk supports the 2 Million Dogs Foundation. Read more about this incrediblewalk and the reason it was created in the article on page 24.

Pet of the Day ContestWe have a new contest! MetroPet has received so many photos for our

Pet of the Week contest that we now have started posting daily winnerson our Facebook page. If you have the cutest pet in Kansas City, thenenter the photo at metropetmag.com and ‘like’ MetroPet on Facebook— easy link on our website at metropetmag.com.

Are You Prepared for a Disaster?With all the recent disasters, we are reminded to be prepared. There are

some simple things you can do including keeping copies of pet records, anextra leash and tag, etc. A few minutes of planning time may save you andyour pet lots of heartache.

Want Copies of MetroPet at Your Office?We are adding corporate lunchrooms to our distribution. If you work for a

mid- to large corporation and would like MetroPet magazine delivered for youremployee lunchroom, please call us at 913-548-1433. Our complete distributionlist is at www.metropetmag.com.

Last but not least — Support our AdvertisersIf you read MetroPet magazine and use the services of an advertiser, please

mention that you saw their ad in MetroPet. If you are looking for a new productor service, support these advertisers. They are supporting this magazine withtheir advertising dollars — so please support them. Tell them, “I saw your adin MetroPet magazine.”

Barbara Riedel, Publisher

P.S. ‘Like’ us on Facebook and check out our Pet of theDay photo winners — they are too cute.

Publisher’s Message

Publishing Policy: Articles printed in the MetroPetMagazine express the opinions of the individual authors and donot necessarily represent the formal position of MetroPetMagazine. Acceptance of advertising does not necessarily con-stitute endorsement by MetroPet Magazine.

Articles: Readers are invited to submit articles for considerationfor publication to editor@metropetmag.com. All materials are sub-ject to editorial review.

© 2011 MetroPet Magazine. All rights reserved. Requestreprint permissions at info@metropetmag.com.

MetroPet Magazine is owned and published by ROI MarketingServices, all rights reserved.

Staff andContacts

PublisherBarbara Riedel

info@metropetmag.com

EditorDan O’Leary

editor@metropetmag.com

Magazine LayoutROI Marketing

816.942.1600 • roi@kc.rr.com

Web Masterwww.2Amarketing.com

Advertising Salesadsales@metropetmag.com

Deals of the Weekdeals@metropetmag.com

Contributing AuthorsMike DeathePat HennessyPatty Homer

Jerry KingHeddie LegerCynthia Smith

John Rowe, DVM, CVACheryl Waterman, CVPM

Contact MetroPetPO Box 480065

Kansas City, MO 64148Phone: 913.548.1433

Ad Sales: 913.548.1433Fax: 913.387.4313

Photo Credit:Terry Weckbaugh

ImageQuest • 913.262.4355

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Mix together honey, applesauce,molasses and egg in a bowl.

• In a separate bowl, combine flour, bak-ing soda and spices, then stir into themolasses mixture.

• Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto agreased baking sheet. Sprinkle a fewpeanuts on top and pat down gently withyour hand.

• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes then cool on arack before serving. Store in an airtightcontainer.

Recipe credit:

Three Dog BakeryCookbook

by Dan Dye & Mark Beckloff

Over 50 wholesome, healthy, sim-ple-to-cook recipes for your pooch,from Hearty Hound Loaf and BananaMutt Cookies to Hungry MongrelTurkey Burgers and Fiesta Bones.

GRANDPAW’S SPICE COOKIES

GrandPaw’sSpice Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup molasses3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 egg2 1/4 cups white flour 2 tsp baking soda1 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Yum... Remember the tripsto Grandma and Grandpa’s

when you were a pup?

Makes approximately25 golden-baked,

paw-natural cookies

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the “job done” by achieving the desired behav-ior, but it adds stress which is harmful to one’shealth and it certainly does not build trust.

STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

When we are put in stressful situations ourbodies automatically go into the fight or flightphysiology (shutting down the digestive system,pumping blood to the muscles and raisingadrenaline levels). Those dogs who cannot fleemay turn to fight and you could end up withaggression. For those dogs who cannot flee,and fight is not an option, a strong toll is takenon the body and the digestive system is mostlikely the first indication (not eating or notdigesting food). In this situation you could endup with a very fearful dog. Why risk the veryreason that you have a dog — the relationship!

An alternative to fearful or forceful trainingmethods is positive reinforcement training.Positive reinforcement methods date back tothe 1700s when hunters gave their dogs breadfor finding truffles (because pigs ate too manytruffles upon sniffing them out).

TRICK FOR

TREAT

“Trick or Treat” – the famous phrase that is uttered on AllHallows’ Eve (or Halloween as it is now known), conjures up images ofchildren begging for candy in spooky or silly costumes. The Americantradition of going door-to-door has its roots in the Great Depression.People used the holiday to vent their anger, turning harmless pranksinto costly vandalism. Households began offering bribes to neighbor-hood kids to distract them from their dirty deeds. After all, isn’t moneyor chocolate more rewarding than pulling a prank? Well that logic isnot lost on our canine companions either.

OFFER A TREAT

If you are trying to teach your dog a trick, offering him a treat (whichdoesn’t have to be food) may entice him to learn it. If you are trying tokeep your dog out of trouble (tearing something up or nuisance bark-ing), redirecting him with something appropriate that will keep hismouth busy will be very motivating.

We all have different learning styles. Some of us prefer to read words.Some of us prefer to draw pictures (or diagrams). But we all like tohave good communication with clear constructive feedback about whatwe are learning. Moshe Feldenkrais (founder and pioneer of a teach-ing method which focuses on the relationship between movement andthought) discovered that, “we can learn more in one lesson in theabsence of fear or pain”. Therefore, we will concentrate and learnmore effectively with praise than if we have someone leaning over usand smacking us with a ruler if we get it wrong. Fear or force may get

by Pat Hennessy

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MOTIVATION WORKS

And unlike Halloween pranksters, using positive rein-forcement is not “bribing” our dogs. It is using a motiva-tor to stimulate learning. Give a dog a treat and he has onesnack, teach a dog how to earn a treat and you have a newlearned behavior. After you have built many of theselearned behaviors, then you have a vocabulary (and a lot of

options at your disposal). You want to use a high value treat –

something that is really special and usedonly for training exercises. Remember

when you would go through yourHalloween candy? Youalways saved out thegood candy to eat laterand the rest you werewilling to give up ortrade away. A high value

treat would be like gettinga caramel apple instead of a

piece of gum. You want it to bespecial and worth working for it.Training for your dog will be likeTrick for Treat every time.

Making training fun, andkeeping it short, willinspire your dog to want

to learn more.

TRUST

A relationship should be built on TRUSTand good communication skills. If you canteach your dog to think through a “request”and make an educated decision, then youare both winners. Learning to make theright choice is far more rewarding than justreacting to avoid punishment. If you want tohelp your dog learn quicker, you can use asignal that let’s her know she is “off track”by making a specific sound or using aword/phrase like “uh-oh”. That gives herthe “direction” she needs vs. a “correction.Then teaching your dog a new trick will belike the Hot & Cold childhood game, wherechildren are given guidance by telling themthey are hot (going in the right direction)vs. cold (heading off the wrong way).

This October, when the wind comes upand the moon comes out, and you hear thehaunting sounds………get yourself a bagof candy and get your dog a bag of livertreats — start teaching those new tricksand you will both be rewarded.

Pat Hennessy is the founder of N2paws, LLC, anorganization that provides a holistic approach tocompanion animal care through behavior educa-tion, energy work, and positive training methods.Pat is a Level 2 TTouch® practitioner, CPDT andmember of the IAABC, IAATH and AWA. You maycontact N2Paws via email pat@n2paws.com,phone 816-522-7005, or visit the websitewww.n2paws.com.

Book nowfor the

holidays!

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Let me give you a clue, the answer is the same for both questions!It is periodontal disease.

85% OF CATS AFFECTEDUnfortunately, periodontal disease affects 85% of all cats older than 3,

according to the American Animal Veterinary Dental Society. Yet onlyabout 1% of affected cats receive proper dental care, according to theAAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) Compliance Study. And,unfortunately, the diagnosis and control of this disease is often the ONEBIG THING that can make a difference in your cat’s overall health andwell-being.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITYYour first responsibility, as a good cat owner, is to make certain that

your veterinarian is doing a thorough and complete oral assessmentduring your cat’s annual or semi-annual wellness exam. He or sheshould be able to give you an assessment ranging from Grade 1 through

Catsand GumDiseaseQUESTIONS: • WHAT IS THE NO. 1 DISEASE SEEN IN GENERAL VETERINARY PRACTICE? • WHAT’S THE MOST UNDER DIAGNOSED AND UNTREATED DISEASE SEEN IN VETERINARY?

4, as to the level of dental disease in your cat’smouth. No. 1 being the mildest gingivitis toNo. 4 being extreme periodontal disease witha need for extractions. If your veterinarian isnot checking your cat’s mouth, ask him or herto do it and to give you some type of assess-ment.

Unfortunately, periodontaldisease affects 85%

of all cats older than 3,according to the American

Animal VeterinaryDental Society.

by Cheryl Waterman, CVPM

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IT IS A BIG DEALYou may ask “why is this such a big deal?” It’s a “big

deal” because periodontal disease plays a huge part inyour cat’s overall health. It can have a strong negativeeffect on not only your cat’s ability to eat pain-free andhis breath, but on his or her essential internal organs,such as heart, kidneys, and liver. Unchecked plaque inyour cat’s mouth (as in your own) allows harmful bac-teria to flourish and overgrow, which causes periodon-tal disease.

These harmful bacteria enter the bloodstreamthrough lesions in your cat’s gums. And the worst thingabout it is that it doesn’t always take the presence ofadvanced disease for this to take place. Of course, oncein the bloodstream, these bacteria travel throughout thebody, and can have an extremely harmful impact onyour cat’s organs. Kidney disease, heart disease andliver disease are all things we want to avoid, if at allpossible.

A HUGE IMPACT ON A CAT’S HEALTHTo illustrate my point that dental health is so impor-

tant, I want to share a story that Dr. Schomacker sharedwith me recently. As we all know, cats are extremelystoic animals and do not show symptoms or pain, evenwhen they may feel really bad. This particular patientwas new to our clinic, and in fact, had not seen a vet-erinarian in quite some time. The owner apologized forher kitty’s grumpy behavior, saying that he used to begreat, but since he’d gotten older he was getting verygrumpy. (By the way, we don’t look at old age as a dis-ease.)

Dr. Schomacker wasn’t concerned, she’s used tounhappy patients, however, she actually wasn’t able toexamine him without using a little gas anesthesia. Onceshe was able to proceed and began the examination, Dr.Schomacker, starting at the tip of his nose. She openedhis mouth and there she found that he not only hadsevere periodontal disease, but 8-9 teeth needed to beextracted. (A panoramic x-ray would show us exactlywhat was going on beneath the gum line and clarify anyquestionable need for extractions.)

The difference in his attitude? He was no longer in, what

must have been, horrendouspain! She was able to

examine his mouth with no problem whatsoever.

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The owner felt bad that theyhadn’t known he needed theprocedure, and promptlymade the appointment for thedentistry and extractions. Theprocedure was done and theowner was scheduled tobring her cat in for a follow-up exam. Upon seeing thatthis kitty, which had beentotally untouchable, wascoming in for his follow-uppost dental appointment, Dr.Schomacker was somewhatconcerned.

We really don’t like to haveto anesthetize a patient forjust a follow-up. However,when the owner arrived withher kitty and Dr. Schomackerwent into the exam room(expecting the worst), Mr.Grumpy had turned into Mr.Sweetie. He was walkingaround the room with his tailup, and immediately walked

over and began rubbing against Dr. Schomacker’s legs. The difference in his atti-tude? He was no longer in, what must have been, horrendous pain! She was able to

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Call Us With QuestiIf you have any questions regarding kittens or cats, please call the Cat Clinic of JohnsonCounty, 913-541-0478. We are always happy to help.

10

This story speaks foritself. I cannot stressthis point enough, ifyour kitty hasn’t hada thorough oral examin the past year, dohim or her a favor,

make an appointmentand get them into

your veterinarian assoon as possible.

examine his mouth with no prob-lem whatsoever.

STORY SPEAKS FOR ITSELFThe above story speaks for itself.

I cannot stress this point enough, ifyour kitty hasn’t had a thoroughoral exam in the past year, do himor her a favor, make an appoint-ment and get them into your veteri-narian as soon as possible. You willthank yourself, and your faithfulcompanion will be very gratefulthat he or she isn’t in pain anylonger. And, most important, yourcat will be living a healthier, happi-er life.

Cheryl Watermanis the HospitalAdministrator at theCat Clinic ofJohnson County anda long-time catlover. She has beenwith the Clinic forthe past 13 years,

and in 2007 received Certification inVeterinary Practice Management (CVPM)designation. She is a member of theVeterinary Hospital Managers Associationand the American Animal HospitalAssociation. You can contact her directedat the Cat Clinic of Johnson County, (913)541-0478.

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Submit your photo at metropetmag.com.

Pet of the Week

Winners

Romeo came to live with our family as a foster dog.We were just helping him get back on his feet, the 3he has left. Romeo had to have a front leg removeddue to abuse he had suffered before he was taken toa local shelter. After having Romeo for a short whileour family decided to adopt him. Romeo is happy andfull of life. He loves to run and play and keeps upwell with our other dogs. Romeo has been a greataddition to our family. Submitted by Megan M.

Sherwin enjoys chasingsquirrels out of our yard &chasing the cats around thehouse. Submitted by Stacy R.

Romeo

Sherwin

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Won anentry to

A Package from

www.broadmorekennels.com

12

Black Cat and Other MythsKitty Kat Korner

Myth #1 Black Cats bring bad luck... or do are they? It

depends on what continent or country you live in.If you live in Great Britain or Ireland andJapan, a black cat will be seen as one thatbrings good luck. In Scotland, it is believedthat a black cat’s visiting your home signifiesprosperity.

So where did all these myths originate? Thesupernatural powers ascribed to black catswere often viewed positively, for examplesailors considering a "ship’s cat" would wanta black one because it would bring goodluck. The idea of black cats being positivecreatures is attributed to theEgyptian cat goddessBast; Egyptian house-holds believed they couldgain favor by hosting blackcats in their household. Thisview continued until the early 17thCentury by the English MonarchCharles I. Upon the death of his treasured pet black cat, he is said tohave lamented that his luck was gone. True to his claim, he was arrest-ed the very next day and charged with high treason.

Myth #2Cats can have cow’s milk. While some cats love to drink cow’s milk,

it is not recommended. Many cats are lactose intolerant. Giving the catmilk can cause an upset stomach or diarrhea. This can be dangerousto kittens that can dehydrate quickly. Adult cats don’t need to drinkmilk at all. If you must give your cat milk, it is recommended you pur-chase special "cat’s milk" which has been formulated for cats to drink.

Myth #3Cats can have fish. While it is perfectly fine to give your cat the occa-

sional treat of fish, but it should not become a part of their regular diet.Feeding too much fish can lead to Yellow Fat Disease (steatitis), causedby Vitamin E deficiency.

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Myth #4Put butter on your cat’s paws when you move

to stop it from getting lost or roaming. Puttingbutter on your cat’s paws won’t stop it from get-ting lost when it moves to a new home. Thesafest way to keep your cat safe is to either keepit exclusively indoors or allow it to go out in apurpose built cat enclosure. Hold off for 2-3weeks before letting your cat go outdoors in astrange place and make sure your cat has amicrochip and the details are current.

Myth #5A female cat should have one litter before

being spayed. No, No, No, in fact it is better tohave her spayed before six months of age to pre-vent an unwanted pregnancy. With modern sur-

With modern surgery,cats can now besafely spayed or

neutered as young aseight weeks of age.

by Heddie Leger

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gery, cats can now be safely spayed or neutered as young aseight weeks of age.

Myth #6Cats always land on their feet? Not really. If the cat falls a

very short distance from the ground it doesn’t have enoughtime to right itself and can be seriously injured or killed.

Myth #7Declawing won’t hurt my cat. Declawing is more than sim-

ply removing the cat’s claws, the last bone on the cat’s clawis amputated. This is excruciatingly painful and not all catsfully recover. Many declawed cats are surrendered to shel-ters because of behavioral problems they developed afterbeing declawed including biting and refusing to use their lit-ter tray. Cats by nature walk on their toes, so after they’vebeen declawed, walking often becomes extremely painful tothem.

Myth #8Cats can fend for themselves. If you no longer want your

cat, just release it into a park or countryside. This is definite-ly NOT the case. Pet cats who find themselves stranded andalone will most likely die of injuries caused by fights withother animals, starvation, disease, or be hit by a car. If you

no longer want your cat then do the right thing, either find it anew home or take it to a shelter.

Myth #9You cannot turn an outdoor/indoor cat into an indoor only cat.

Yes you can, and my cats are a great example of this. They wereall indoor/outdoor but reverted to indoor only (with access to anoutdoor enclosure) with very little difficulty. It is easy to do aslong as you ensure the cat has enough physical and mental stim-ulation.

Myth #10Pregnant women should not own a cat. If a woman hasn’t had

prior exposure to Toxoplasmosis and becomes infected duringpregnancy, it can harm her unborn baby. Cats are the natural hostfor Toxoplasmosis, however Toxoplasmosis can also be acquiredfrom eating undercooked meat, improperly washed vegetables orgardening. Pregnant women should take precautions such asavoiding cleaning the litter tray, ensuring their meat is thorough-ly cooked, washing vegetables properly & wearing gloves whilegardening. There is no need to get rid of your cat just becauseyou’re pregnant.

Join us next month and learn more about Chip’s Kitty-Cat Corner friends

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Chip’s Corner

Pawzzleby Heddie Leger

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Across:

3. In this country a black cat signifies prosperity.5. Cats _____________ fend for themselves.9. If you live in Scotland a black cat is ________ luck.10. Declawing is actually part of the claw being _________________.13. True or False. A female cat should always have one litter before being spayed.15. The best way to keep your cat safe after moving to a new place.17. A beverage cat’s should not drink.18. Cats by nature walk on their __________.22. A disease cats can get from eating too much fish.23. Cats can be spayed or neutered as young as ________ weeks of age.24. You should never drop your cat from heights to see if it will land on its feet.25. What color cat brings many myths about its color?26. Cats need this to be happy indoors.

Down:

1. It is a very good idea to_______________ your cat in case itgets lost.

2. What type of goddess was Bast?4. Name of Monarch who was arrested for

high treason?6. Many cats are lactose _______________.7. Can be acquired by eating improperly

washed vegetables.8. Toxoplasmosis can be acquired by eat-

ing __________ meat.11. These men wanted a black cat on their

ship for good luck.12. After having claws removed walking

can become very ______________ to acat.

14. One way a cat can die if left out to fendfor itself.

16. If kittens get sick they can______________ quickly.

19. If you cannot keep or do not want yourpet cat any longer it is better find it ahome or take it to a _______________.

20. __________ women do not need to getrid of their pet cats.

21. Declawing a cat can cause this badhabit. O

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L ife is full of change andprogress. Since the beginning ofhuman civilization, progress hastaken us from caves and fire tohomes with many comforts andincredible technology. The way weinteract and treat animals has alsochanged over the years. In my opin-ion, our awareness of other crea-tures as living beings that deserveour respect, kindness and under-standing is one of the human race’sgreatest advancements — and thisincludes how we teach our pets tolive harmoniously within ourhomes.

CHANGES IN DOG TRAININGDog training has made an incredi-

ble progression over the last 15 –20 years. Dog trainers that havebeen practicing for more than 15years probably started out withsome pretty aversive methods. WhenI entered the training world, dogtraining consisted of harsh methodslike leash jerks and ear pinches.These methods taught dogs through fear, painand intimidation. Training was not fun, dogsdid not enjoy being jerked around, yelled atand dominated and many people were injuredwhen the dog decided they weren’t going totake any more abuse.

To explain why traditional training methodswere harsh, you have to understand why thesemethods were used to begin with. Formal dogtraining started around the time of the firstworld war, when the military needed dogs to

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When We Know BetterWe Do Better

by Patty Homer, DVM, CVA

One of the sidebenefits to

teaching dogsthrough positive

methods is it creates astronger bond

between teacherand student.

MMEETEET HEART! HEART! There is a not-for-profit group in Kansas City called HEARTland Positive

Dog Training Alliance (www.trainerswithheart.com).HEART has trainers located from Lawrence to Pleasant Hill and from North

KC to Harrisonville. There are approximately 40 trainers in this group andthey are all vetted and adhere to a strict code of conduct. The group meets6 times a year and at each meeting, they provide educational presentationson topics relating to pet care. The group is not just for professional train-ers; HEART has members that are pet owners, rescue organizations andother pet professionals. HEART’s mission is to educate the community andpet professionals about the benefits of using positive reinforcement training.

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assist in combat and needed them quickly. The militaristicapproach to training worked quickly to get more dogs intoservice, but these methods were used on dogs specificallybred to work and still, many of these dogs could not finishthe intense training, breaking their spirit and ruining theirwillingness to work with and for the humans.

A NEW ERAThen a new era arrived with trainers like Ian Dunbar who,

in 1982 taught the very first off leash puppy class focusingon positive reinforcement instead of the traditional methodsand Karen Pryor who worked with marine mammals in thesixties and in 1987 started teaching seminars to dog train-ers on the benefits of positive reinforcement training withthe use of a clicker.

In 1976 the American Veterinary Society of AnimalBehavior (AVSAB) was founded with the “commitment toimproving the quality of life of all animals and strengtheningthe bond between animals and their owners.”

DOG TRAINING HAS PROGRESSEDEvery time I see Maya Angelou’s quote “I did then what I

knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better,” I thinkabout how far dog training has progressed. After learningabout positive reinforcement dog training and the benefitsof teaching both humans and other animals through positivemethods, my eyes and my mind opened up with wonder-ment, followed closely by the thought of “Why did it take solong to discover this?”

When you teach with respect and kindnessfor the pupil, no matter what species thepupil is, the pupil learns eagerly, retains theinformation longer and readily comes backto learn more. One of the side benefits toteaching dogs through positive methods is itcreates a stronger bond between teacher andstudent. It creates a happier, less stressfulenvironment for dog and owner and teachesyour dog what you want him TO DO as wellas what NOT TO DO.

POSITIVE MESSAGESTraditional (aversive) training includes the

use of devices that reinforce the “domi-nance” theory (you must be alpha at alltimes) and only teaches the dog what NOTTO DO.

The dominance theory has been disprovenby repeated research done by legitimateresearchers in the animal behavior field.Many trainers, including me, believe that theuse of dominance devices can make behaviorworse or suppress a behavior causing frus-tration that can build to the boiling point.

When you hire a trainer, ask them what methods or trainingequipment they use. If they use the dominance theory or any ofthese devices, they probably have not studied dog psychology,learning theory or the science behind dog training.

The AVSAB (www.avsabonline.org) has very specific positionstatements on dominance theory and punishment in dog trainingand the adverse effects. They also have set guidelines on how tohire a dog trainer. Please take a look at these before you choosea trainer. The Humane Society of the United States(www.hsus.org) says “Training techniques should neverinvolve yelling, choking, shaking the scruff, tugging on the leash,alpha rolling (forcing the dog onto his back), or other actionsthat frighten or inflict pain.”

Patty Homer has worked as a vet tech for 10 yearsand has been training pets for over 20 years. Sheoffers in home training, behavior consulting and pri-vate obedience classes for dogs and cats as well as PetFirst Aid and CPR classes. Patty is certified throughthe Certification Counsel of Professional DogTrainers (CPDT-KA) and is the founder and presidentof HEARTland Positive Dog Training Alliance. Herexperience in the veterinary field as well as training gives her a uniqueapproach to dog training, considering the mind, body and spirit of each petshe works with. You can find her at www.goodpupkc.com, pattythepup-pypro@gmail.com, 816.699.2260 and follow her on facebook.

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he lohe lovvesesSLife!

and animals!and animals!and people! and people!

and country music!and country music!

Q 104’sTJ McEntire

As with most professionals, TJ didn’t start out with her dream job. She startedworking at a small radio station. She worked hard. Then she had a chance tocome to Kansas City and join the staff of Q104. She said yes — she was home.

CHANGES IN RADIOWhile much has changed in radio through the years, including the owners of

Q104, TJ says her role as DJ has stayed the same. Her “job” as a DJ is to play cur-rent hits and help launch new music from new and current groups.

In 2001, Q104 was one of the first stations to play music from the new groupnamed Rascal Flatts. She remembers hearing them play the song Praying ForDaylight in the station’s lunch room. Since that time, this single has sold millionsof CDs. It is exciting to be on the cutting edge and hear new music from popularartists. It is also really fun to hear songs from new groups. She feels a sense ofresponsibility to help them reach listeners.

She loves her listeners and can’t wait to get to work each day. But, work isn’t justbeing on the radio from 3-7 pm, Monday – Friday, she is also the music director.So when she isn’t on the air, she is listening to the tons of new singles that comein to the station, talking to record promotion people, doing music logs, handlingproduction, and voicing or writing & voicing commercials. It is a heavy workload.

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TJ found a stray dog roaming theneighborhood. Like many of us, she begged

her mom to let her keep him. In the end,Mom relented. The dog was hers.

I f you live in Kansas City and havelistened to the radio at anytime duringthe last 18 years, then you have heardthe voice of TJ McEntire. She is theafternoon DJ on Q104, the NumberOne station for new country. While TJloves country music — she also lovesthe two furry friends that greet herwhen she comes home. Meet TitoMcEntire-Simmons and SkitchMcEntire-Simmons!

A LIFETIME OF LOVING

ANIMALS!TJ McEntire was born on April 8 in

Independence, MO. TJ had a regularchildhood. Her love for animals start-ed as a child. TJ found a stray dogroaming the neighborhood. Likemany of us, she begged her mom tolet her keep him. In the end, Momrelented. The dog was hers.

TJ named the dog Pepperoni. Sheisn’t sure why she chose this name,but Pepperoni was just one of manychildhood pets, including bunny rab-bits, gerbils, and more. She was sur-rounded by them and just loved it.

Whether Pepperoni started her lovefor animals or just expanded her love,is a moot point. TJ’s love of animalsis huge. She enjoyed having pets inher life and she has fond memories ofher childhood pets.

OFF TO COLLEGEBut life changes and TJ went off to

college, and the pets stayed at home.While she missed them, school wasthe priority. It was here that she firstconnected with radio. A supportiveteacher listened to her read aloud inclass. He suggested that she would bea good radio announcer. So she vol-unteered at the college radio stationand found out she loved it!

After graduation, TJ found a job inradio. Now, she could talk and peoplewould listen. She could be happy,have fun, and get paid to do it! It did-n’t get any better than that — TJ’scareer was launched!

CREATING A FAMILYAs soon as TJ felt comfortable in her

career and at home at the studio, shedecided it was time to create a home thatshe would love as much as her work.Creating a family is not just buying ahome and selecting comfortable furni-ture. It means surrounding yourself withthe people and animals you love.

Finding just the right pet to fit you andyour lifestyle takes time and patience.And, as many pet lovers know, the rightanimal often finds you — at exactly theright time.

FINDING THE PERFECT FITAs she searched for the perfect pet, TJ

learned more about the different breeds.She also learned more about the localshelters and rescue groups. She becamean advocate of adoption. She decided tovolunteer her talent and time to helpthese groups raise money to rescue alltypes of animals.

In the past few years, she has helped withevents that support the Greater HumaneSociety of Kansas City, including the KansasCity Pet Telethon and Dog-n-Jog.

TJ’s early experi-ence with animals

taught her that ani-mals are amazing.

They give youunconditional love

— all the time.They wait patiently

for you to comehome and greet you

at the door withhugs and kisses.

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The first event is a 3-hour pet telethon held early in theyear, February or March. The telethon is telecast onChannel 38 on a Sunday evening. This event invites viewersto call in and pledge money to support the Greater HumaneSociety of Kansas City. Last year this event raised over$150,000 and represents an essential part of the thisgroups budget.

The second event is Dog-n-Jog. This event is held on theCountry Club Plaza in June. Dog lovers bring their dogs tothe Plaza and walk, stroll and run through the course. Thisyear, Dog-n-Jog raised more than $50,000 for shelter ani-mals through registration fees, sponsorships, day-of activi-ties and pledge collections.

“Dog-n-Jog is so much fun. You have people and dogs allover the Plaza for several hours on a Sunday morning! It isjust fun,” says TJ.

A NEW HOME FOR TITOWhile she was working as a volunteer, Tito found TJ.

When Tito came into her life it was love at first sight. A lov-able boxer, he wasn’t just a family member, he also is herprotector. When Tito is around, he is checking out theperimeter, pacing the room, and only barking when neces-sary. When he is convinced all is safe, he will settle downand rest.

Early in the relationship, TJ had Tito neutered. She is astrong proponent of spay and neuter. “Why wouldn’t you? Itis not only better for their health, but there are plenty ofanimals born each year, there is no reason to add to the petpopulation.” Says TJ.

Tito is very sensitive to humans. TJ remembers a timewhen the young child of a good friend was terrified of dogs.Tito was just a pup. He calmlywalked over to her, put his chin onher leg and waited for her to accepthim. In less than a week, the littlegirl was in love with Tito and notafraid of animals any longer. Titohad showed her the power of ani-mals.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE +PATIENCE = UNBELIEVABLE

As her relationship with Tito grew,TJ realized he was lonely. Sheworked long hours. When she wasaway from him he was lonely. Heneed company, a best friend. So,along came Skitch. Skitch is anadorable Cavalier King CharlesSpaniel. Skitch is larger than mostCavalier King Charles — but no lesslovable. When you first meet him, his

personality is apparent He rarely speaks. He just spreadslove. And he sticks like glue to TJ. So not only did Tito gain abest friend, TJ gained another member of her family.

As the relationships with Tito and Skitch solidified, TJ mar-ried the human love of her life — Matt Simmons, onDecember 12, 2008. Now her family is complete.

ADVICE TO OTHERSAs a child, TJ learned a lot about animals and their amazing

talents. As she grew to adulthood, she took her time to findthe right animals for her lifestyle. Being a responsible petowner, means finding the right pet for your lifestyle, beingfinancially prepared to take care of the animals and making along term commitment to the animals, who become part ofyour family.

With time and patience, Tito and Skitch helped TJ create theperfect family. Along the way, TJ used her talents to help otherpets find their perfect home.

With TJ what you see is what you get — she is an openbook! And, something she won’t tell you — she talks to herdogs like they are actual people!

Her advice to others: “Take time to find the right pet(s)and be a responsible pet owner. Adopting an animal is a greatway to expand your family. When you are ready, do yourresearch and then make the commitment. You will neverregret it — I love my life!”

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Cancer touches everyone. Most of ushave lost a friend, coworker, family memberor pet to this dreaded disease. It seems likeeverywhere we turn someone is talkingabout their experience regarding cancer.More people and pets are surviving due tothe efforts of research, but there is a greatneed for more support and awareness. It ispossible to find cures for cancer.

The mission of the 2 Million DogsFoundation is to foster awareness of theopportunities that exist in discovering thecommon links between canine and humancancers through comparative oncologyresearch.

CancerTouches Everyone

by Heddie Leger

~Cancer is not alwaysthe end of life, but oftenthe beginning of a new

way of living~

2 Million Dogs is doing this through Education and Awareness. Thefield of comparative oncology is relatively new. By educating people aboutits tremendous potential through a global campaign of strategic partner-ships, seminars, speaking engagements, social media, events, broadcasts,and other forms of media 2 Million Dogs is bring awareness to a higherlevel, by taking it to the streets.

Through The Puppy Up! Walks, pet owners are building the largest petand people cancer community in the world. People from all walks of lifeare being empowered and mobilized, including business people, teachersand artists, house wives, college students, scientists and humanitarians. Apartnership forged with a single purpose of finding cures for this deadlydisease is bringing people of all walks of life together.

2 MILLION DOGS WALKING ON THE SAME DAYThe story of the 2 Million Dogs began with a man named Luke

Robinson, and his two dogs, Hudson and Murphy, who embarked on a walk

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from Austin, TX, to Boston, MA.Inspired by the loss of his GreatPyrenees, Malcolm, to cancer, theywalked from town to town sharingMalcolm’s story and educating peopleabout cancer in dogs. As they built anationwide grassroots movement, Mr.Robinson had a vision: 2,000,000 dogswalking simultaneously all across theUnited States for cancer. If 2 dogs couldwalk over 2,000 miles surely it waspossible!

That’s how the 2 Million DogsFoundation was born and the legacythat started out with just a man who losthis beloved dog continues... The fundsraised from these events will be used tofund canine cancer and comparativeoncology research. 2 Million Dogs 2Miles, Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) non-profitorganization.

THE WALK CONTINUES ON

NOV 6November 6, 2011, the 2 Million Dogs

March Continues! This year there willbe 30 Puppy Up! Walks across thecountry. We invite you to join a walknear you.

For more details on the walk inKansas City, please visit this website:https://2md2m.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/2011LibertyMOPuppyUp

Walk/tabid/288350/Default.aspx

Heddie is a Certified Humane Educator. Sheis the recipient of the 2011 Excellence Awardfrom the International Association of Animal

Behavior Consultants. She is a CommunityTraining Partner for Best Friends AnimalSanctuary and the local Kansas City AreaRepresentative for the Animals and SocietyInstitute. Her compassion for animals extendsto all species. You can reach her at thePawZone In-Home PetSitting (www.thepaw-zone.com) and The DogSpot TrainingCenter.

WHAT IS COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY?Just like humans, companion animals, that is cats and dogs, naturally develop

cancer and just like humans:

• Pets are exposed to many of the same environmental risks as people

• The cancer cells are biologically comparable

• There is a large population of cats and dogs with pre-existing cases of cancer

• Cancer occurs in pets within years compared to decades in humans

BENEFITS OF COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY

Veterinarian Oncologists believe there are between 4 and 8 million new casesof cancer in companion animals every year. Most of those never receive ade-quate care or treatment.

Increasing the number of comparative oncology studies means more andmore cats and dogs will have access to the latest drug candidates.

Furthermore, grants from private and public sources will help subsidize thecosts helping more families afford treatment.

It’s important to note — comparative oncology studies are NOT animaltesting. The companion pets that participate have naturally occurring cancerwhich means one of the potential long-term benefits of these studies could bereducing our reliance on animal testing.

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When my beloved Golden Retriever Wishbone died ofcancer in 2010, I couldn’t imagine my house without a dog. Ithad been 13 years since I had a puppy and I wasn’t sure Icould handle that much activity. I know play is an importantpart of their development, but I am no spring chicken.

A NEW ADVENTUREMy new Golden Retriever, Samson, was extremely active by

6-months of age, and in my effort to keep him busy, I thoughtI’d pick up some tips from watching Animal Planet. VictoriaStilwell is an English dog trainer who can walk into yourhouse and change your dog’s behavior in about five minutes,which really irritates the pet owners.

In one episode, she recommended that the owners exercisetheir dog using a squirrel on a long stick that looks somethinglike a fishing pole. You twirl it around, drag it on the groundand the dog chases it and gets exhausted in no time.

Just what I needed, so I purchased one online. Samson wentcrazy and we had a great time in the backyard. Upon seeingthe joy Samson had playing with the squirrel on a stick; Iimmediately thought about my friend Connie and her 7-monthold Golden Retriever puppy named Finn.

FINN AND A SQUIRREL ON A STICK! Finn is built like a Mac truck,

with feet the size of pie plates. Heis big, strong, fast and magnifi-

cently beautiful. Here is wherethings go terribly wrong.

Apparently, a squirrel on astick is like crack cocaineto a Golden Retriever. As I

stood in my friend’s back-yard swinging the squirreland twirling it around to

My Adventures withMy Adventures witha Squirra Squirr elel

on a Stickon a Stickby Cynthia Smith

As I twirled around to keep frombeing run over, I fell off my clogs,

and just as I was falling to theground Finn took me out like a300 pound linebacker with 10

seconds left on the clock.

keep the fuzzy toy away from our two young dogs, I noticed theywere jumping higher, chasing it a lot faster, and were on such ahigh that it would have taken a firefighter’s hose to break theirconcentration. They were in the zone. As I twirled around tokeep from being run over, I fell off my clogs, and just as I wasfalling to the ground Finn took me out like a 300 pound line-backer with 10 seconds left on the clock.

Now, I am on the ground and both dogs are attacking me toget their hands on the squirrel which happened to be wedgedunder my body. I might as well have had a pork chop tiedaround my neck. I can't get up, and Connie is screaming andcan’t get them off of me. I have no idea how I got up. I crawledacross the yard to safety, leaving the squirrel to meet its demise.

MY TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOMI told Connie I was okay, even though I could hardly walk and

my foot had swollen to twice its size before I left her driveway.For the next hour or so, I sat on my couch watching my foot turnblack. About 9 pm, my son came home and I said, “Do you thinkthis looks bad?” Off to the hospital we went, and I spent theentire trip trying to figure out how I was going to explain this toa doctor.

How can I say I was attacked by a dog who was trying to getmy squirrel on a stick? How could I call my office in the morn-ing and tell them I couldn’t come to work because my foot wasbroken in an accident that involved a squirrel on a stick.

I don’t look crazy, but my life some-times indicates otherwise. I am sure theincident provided another great story forthe emergency room staff at ShawneeMission Medical Center. And, you knowthey have seen a lot of weird stuff. Eightweeks later, I was back in my clogs andthe squirrel was safely put away in thegarage. Every time I see it, I burst outlaughing. I guess the moral of the story is“Don’t play with a squirrel on a stick, andif you do, keep it to yourself.”

Cynthia Smith isPresident of Wayside Waifs,the largest no-kill AnimalAdoption Center in KansasCity, MO. Smith has hadmany animals over theyears. She recently wrotethe book Dogs Get CancerToo. She is a first time

author, but a seasoned journalist. She is a two-time Emmy winner and a former news anchor forWDAF-TV in Kansas City. She also served asPresident and CEO of Sunflower House, a ChildAbuse Prevention Center. She can be reached atWayside Waifs at (816) 761-8151 or visitwww.waysidewaifs.org. O

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I always get one particular question from folks when they findout I am a dog trainer. “What can I do to make my dog pay attention

to me?” Well that’s a bit like asking whata person can do to get bet-

ter gas mileage. Trustme, there are more

than just one or twoanswers. That beingsaid, there is one thing Iwish all dog owners would do.And of all the things I could teach them, the onething that will produce the fastest and biggestchange in a dog’s behavior is to hand feed your dog.

Okay, I know many of you are wondering if Mikeyhas finally lost it, but I really mean it. When you handfeed your dog, you make yourself more important, youteach bite inhibition and you get your pooch to paymore attention to you, all without being mean to yourdog. Let’s break this idea down into the three smallerpieces to get the whole picture!

MAKES YOU MORE IMPORTANTThe first thing that hand feeding your dog does

is make you more important in your dog’s eyes.Some trainers call this “being the pack leader”others call it “being the alpha dog.” I simply call itmaking yourself the most important or necessary thing inyour dog’s life. To be honest, I don’t put any credence in the ideaof pack theory or could care less who the “pack leader” is in myhouse (unless you are referring to my wife!) The way I look at lead-ership with my dogs is that if I control all the really importantresources in Fido’s world, who is really going to be calling theshots?

So, if I could get people to hand feed every piece of food to theirdog for at least 30 days, the dog is going to very quickly understandthat without Mom or Dad, Fido might not get fed! This is not only agreat way to bond with and build a better relationship with any dog,but it works even better when the dog is new to the family.

by Mike Deathe

HOW TO FEED YOUR DOGSo how does hand feeding impactbite inhibition? I believe that all

dogs need to be taught to becareful with their mouths andteeth when interacting withpeople. There is no better way

to get this point across than byhand feeding.

It gives me the perfect opportuni-ty to focus on giving pieces of kibble,

one or two at a time, and teaching thecommand “gentle.” If the dog touches myfinger with teeth, I can squeal “ouch,”

with a calm voice use the command, “gentle,”and withhold the food for, let’s say 10-15 sec-onds, then repeat the process. Before you know

Hand Feeding Your Dog

Why You Should!

When you hand feedyour dog, you make

yourself more impor-tant, you teach bite

inhibition and you getyour pooch to pay

more attention to you,all without beingmean to your dog!

it, the shark you have been living with is now the polite andpatient dog you wanted in the first place. In fact, if you doit right, you will find that when you say “ouch” anytime atooth is felt, most dogs will actually begin licking you as away to express their own apology and realize they got toorough. So simply by feeding our dogs by hand, we areteaching mouth skills (or bite inhibition) with humans whothey need for the stuff they want. But wait there’s more…

PAY ATTENTIONIt makes sense that hand feeding your dog would help get

your dog to pay attention to you, right? But why does thatmatter? Regardless of whether you are dog or person, weall tend to pay way more attention to the person in our lifethat doles out the rewards, paychecks or praise.Unfortunately, the opposite can be said for those who pun-ish, write up or take things away (we avoid them like theplague!) So by simply looking at the relationship betweenyou and your dog, and determining who controls theresources, you can put yourself right at the top of Fido’s listof people he/she needs to survive in this big old world.

I hope as you are reading this article you are starting toinventory all the resources that your pooch has and howyou can use them in training. I do want to share with you avery critical distinction and mistake many people makewhen trying to control resources with a dog; they think thatcontrol has to be in some way negative. Think of it thisway... spoiling a dog or child is thought to be a bad thing;but what if the spoiling only occurs when the dog or childhas earned it? The ultimate goal is to be necessary in theirlife, not control that life. So, get out there, and hand feedyour pooch and see the differences it will make!

Mike Deathe is a stay-at-home dad whofound his passion as a dog trainer in 2008. Theauthor of the Keep It Simple Stupid (K.I.S.S.)Pet Blog. Mike has had dogs since he was fouryears old! In 2009, he and his wife Kate found-ed Muttz “R” Us, a t-shirt and pet product com-pany with a philanthropic motto of “Adopt a

Pet, Save a Life.” In 2010 Muttz “R” Us also launched KEEP IT SIMPLESTUPID DOG TRAINING. He is a charter member of Heartland PositiveDog Training Alliance and just earned his CPDT — KA credential! Visithim at facebook or twitter or follow the blog @http://muttzmem-bers.blogspot.com/ or check out the website muttzrus.com fordetails about shirts.

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Regardless of whether youare dog or person, we all

tend to pay way more atten-tion to the person in our lifethat doles out the rewards,

paychecks or praise.

WHAT IS VARIETY

FEEDING?Variety or rotational feeding

is a holistic nutritional philoso-phy for nourishing your pet’shealth and happiness. It meansvarying both food proteins(chicken, beef, lamb, etc.) andfood forms (raw, cans, dry,etc.) offered to your pet. Inessence, the simplest way tothink of variety feeding is tothink about your own diet. Doyou eat the same meal everymorning and every night? No,of course you don’t. Humanshave the ability to choose dif-ferent foods every day. Chancesare, if you ate chicken and ricefor every meal, you wouldbecome bored with the flavor.Similarly, if you ate soup forevery meal, you may get tired ofthe texture. Variety feedingallows pets to enjoy variety intheir diet, and enables them toexperience different flavorsand textures for health and happiness.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITSAlthough we believe there to be many health and behavioral

benefits to feeding pets a variety of proteins, the four majorbenefits are the following.

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The Benefits

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of Feeding a Variety

Most premium natural petfoods are complete and

balanced. However, everyfood ingredient has a

unique nutritional profile.

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MORE COMPLETE MICRO-NUTRIENT INTAKE, BOTH CANINES

AND FELINES (ROTATION OF PROTEINS )Most premium natural pet foods are complete and balanced. However, every

food ingredient has a unique nutritional profile. This includes amino acid ratios,fatty acid profiles, and micro or trace nutrient compositions. For example, oat-meal is a great source of beta glucans, while brown rice is rich in manganese.

Variety in your pet’s diet delivers different food ingredients and promotes awell-balanced nutrient intake from a wide array of foods. For example, feedingInstinct® Duck Meal and Turkey Meal Formula, supplies your pet with a highlevel of the amino acid tryptophan. Feeding Prairie® Salmon Meal and BrownRice Medley, provides high levels of omega fatty acids from fish. Both are excel-lent and complete diets that can be fed with-out rotating, but rotation allows your pet toexperience the benefits of both.

INCREASED WATER CONSUMPTION

(ROTATION OF FORMS)Water is critical to life. Without adequate

water intake, our cells experience detrimen-tal effects and begin to die. However, not allpets will drink water, especially cats. Theancestors of our pet felines drank very littlewater because they ate fresh prey, which con-tains over 70% moisture. Many health prob-lems that veterinarians see in their clinics arerelated to water imbalance. Urinary tract dis-ease (stones, crystals), liver disease, kidneydisease, and constipation are all indirectlyrelated to water balance. Typically, the symp-toms of these diseases can be alleviated byfeeding a high moisture diet such as cannedor raw frozen foods. Once the body is prop-erly hydrated, the liver, kidney, and bowelshave the opportunity to function correctly.More importantly, the urine becomes moredilute which prevents crystals from formingor turning into stones. The first line ofdefense against urinary tract disease is notalways feeding a special diet – generally vet-erinarians will first suggest that their clientsincrease water consumption.

INTEREST AT MEALTIME, BOTH

CANINES AND FELINESSome pets become accustomed to certain

textures, flavors, and even brands; theybecome less inclined to try new foods ormay become uninterested in their meal.With a variety of food choices, your pet willalways be excited about the foods in his orher dish, anticipating the excitement meal-time brings.

Water is critical to life.Without adequate water

intake, our cells experiencedetrimental effects and

begin to die.

PETS OF ALL BREEDS AND ALL AGES

BENEFIT FROM VARIETY FEEDINGIdeally, feeding a variety of proteins should start as

soon as your puppy or kitten can eat solid food. Startingwith various flavors of canned and kibble, mixed withraw frozen diets, is an easy way to introduce your newfamily member to the benefits of a natural, variety-baseddiet. Eventually, the amount of raw food you feed your petcan be increased so that your pet is eating all 3 forms.These 3 forms need not be fed at the same meal — somepeople mix kibble and raw or kibble and canned whileothers feed kibble for breakfast and canned or raw fordinner. Any of these combinations are acceptable — theidea is simply to offer a variety.

If your pet is older, introducing him/her to rotationfeeding may take a little bit of patience. Older animalstend to become imprinted on certain foods. It is mucheasier to transition younger animals to raw diets than itis for older animals. For these cases, some owners findit useful to gently take the “chill-off” the raw food andserve it with canned or kibble. Likewise, cats that havebeen fed solely canned food may not like the crunchy tex-ture of kibble. It is often recommended that smallamounts of kibble be blended into the canned food toaccustom your pet to the new texture of a dry food.Alternatively, some owners pour a natural chicken brothover the kibble.

Each pet is unique and there may still be some flavorshe/she does not like. Interestingly, when disliked fla-vors are re-introduced after a few months of feeding avariety of proteins, many pets readily accept the oncedisliked flavor. Or perhaps your pet has developed afood intolerance or allergy to certain ingredients. Inthese cases, any degree of food rotation will be benefi-cial. Food allergies or intolerance are slightly differentand may require a stricter diet. However, once the food-related symptoms are under control, many ownersreport that their pet is able to tolerate small amounts ofthe once problematic ingredient, though not always.Raw frozen diets are excellent for pets with food-relat-ed allergies.

At Nature’s Variety, our passion is the health and happiness ofyour cherished cat or dog. We are proud pet parents, just like you!So we understand that your pet has a special place in your fami-ly, in your life, and in your heart. Nature’s Variety is a natural petfood company located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our team is passion-ate about providing proper, holistic nutrition for your beloved dogand cat. Details about the entire product line, including retailerscan be found at http://www.naturesvariety.com/about

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Visit www.metropetmag.comfor upcoming events

30

small pets such as cats, rabbits or hamsters. Ifyou suspect fractures, a board can be used like astretcher. Remember, even the most friendly petmay bite when in pain. A thick towel wrappedaround your arm and hands can help. A tie or softrope can be used as an emergency muzzle orleash.

6Clean the wounds. Clean wounds canbe washed with calendula herbal tincture(available at most health food stores),

10-20 drops in tepid water. Infected wounds canbe safely cleaned with tepid salt water. Use asmuch salt as will dissolve in water.

7Carry supplies. Always carry a tube ofHP Healing Cream for external applica-tion onto wounds, cuts, bruises, burns,

and bites, as well as HP Trauma/First Aid, forinternal use for shock, sprains, injury, andswelling.

One of the most distressing events for pet owners to encounteris witnessing their pet being injured in a road traffic accident, or someother type of mishap that causes injury. When your pet does becomeinjured, here are some tips to increase your pet’s chance of a speedyrecovery.

1 Get your pet out of harm’s way. If your pet was involved ina road traffic accident, move the animal to the side of the road,using slow, deliberate movements. You don’t want to scare the

already frightened animal or worsen any injuries that your pet may havesuffered.

2Call a veterinarian. Add your veterinarian’s telephone num-ber into your cell phone speed dial in case of an emergency, orif you are traveling, the number of a local veterinarian. Do not

administer fluids or food to the animal in case an anesthetic is needed,unless instructed by the veterinarian, as in the case of a diabetic withlow blood sugar.

3Stop any bleeding. To stop heavy bleeding, apply firm pres-sure with a clean towel or cloth. This is usually better than atourniquet, which can lead to tissue death from lack of oxygen.

To stop a graze bleeding, apply powdered pepper or turmeric, whichare easily available and wonderfulclotting agents.

4Keep the animal warm.If an injured animal feelsice-cold due to shock,

wrap a plastic bottle filled withwarmed water in a towel to avoidburning or overheating the animal.Never put a hot water bottle direct-ly against the animal. The animalcan also be wrapped in insulatingmaterial such as a rug, a thermalblanket, or even bubble wrap. If ananimal is in shock, a quiet, dimly litspace can be helpful.

5Use a large rug or boxto transport the ani-mal. When a pet has been

badly injured and is not easilyhandled due to pain, use a largerug to transport dogs, or a cage(or box) lined with a towel for

7 Emergency Care

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Tips for Injured Pets

S i m p l yput the ongo-ing degenera-tion of cartilageand joint fluid invarious joints overtime. It occurs ineveryone to some degreewith the aging process. Bothgenetic and environmental fac-tors play key roles in its progressionand prevention.

SIGNS OF OSTEOARTHRITISMany pets are slow to rise after sleeping or rest-

ing. Stiffness in the legs and back may lessen withmovement. Short stilted gaits and sore muscles areoften observed. Cats may simply choose not to jumpas high or as often. It is important to note that mostdogs and cats will now cry out in pain. Some mayexhibit subtle grunts and groans, while others maybe agitated or grumpy.

It is important to note that most dogs and cats willnot cry out in pain. Some may exhibit subtle gruntsand groans, while others may be agitated orgrumpy.

WHAT IS AFFECTED?Any pet can be affected by OA. Seniors, athletes,

those with breed or genetic predispositions andindividuals who have suffered traumatic injuriesare most commonly impacted. Seniors most often

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by Dr. Rowe

What isOsteoarthritis?

Weight control is paramount. Exerciseand diet can actually

prevent arthritis!

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come to mind, but most pets begin the process much earlier inlife. Some changes can be seen radiographically by six monthsof age! That is why prevention is the key.

WHAT CAN WE DO?Weight control is paramount. Did you know that the heavier

you are the more inflammation you have in your joints? Newresearch has found that inflammatory mediators are producedin your fat reserves and cause inflammation throughout thebody. Exercise and diet can actually prevent arthritis! If yourpet is already overweight, we can easily reduce weight usingproper nutrition, probiotics, and healthy products likeSlentrol® to manage appetite more naturally.

SUPPLEMENTSVitamins, antioxidants, glucosamine/chondroitin, omega-3

fatty acids, and chondroprotective agents (Adequan®) areessential for the healing proves to occur. As inflammatorymediators and free radicals damage cartilage and joint fluid,these agents reduce and remove free radicals and stimulatenew cell growth. Not all supplements are created equal. Pleaseask us for our recommendations

NSAIDS Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs have long been used for

arthritis pain and inflammation. Many people avoid their use fortheir pets, thinking they are unhealthy. However, research hasshown that judicious use of NSAIDS in low doses consistently canslow down and reduce arthritis through time. It is important tonote that human NSAIDS are not safe for use in pets. Veterinaryformulations, such as Rimadyl®, is thoroughly tested for longterm use as needed.

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ACUPUNCTURE AND LASER THERAPYMany people are unaware of the tremendous bene-

fits of these modalities. When using acupuncture andlaser therapy as part of a preventative health program,we simply use fewer pharmaceuticals! We can natural-ly reduce pain and swelling, stimulate circulation andhealing, and enable the body to rehabilitate muchquicker than using conventional methods alone. Talkto us. We are here to help.

KEEP MOVING!Strong muscles mean more healthy joints and better

flexibility. Using a “whole body” philosophy whilecombining contemporary and alternative medicine iskey in the preventative health and management ofevery pet. Your involvement is very important to yourpets health. Together, we can live longer, healthierlives.

Dr. John Rowe received his veterinarydegree from Kansas State University in1990, and has been the proud owner ofAid Animal Hospital for over a decade.Today, Dr. Rowe is an accomplished sur-geon, certified veterinary acupuncturist,and medical practitioner. The hospital islocated at 8343 Wornall Road and Dr.

Rowe can be reached at 816-363-4922.

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