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Pet Connection Blog

The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press.

Dog guilt: I has it, or, yes, I’m going to brush Drew’s teethToday

Over the holidays I came to realize that Drew was eating a little more slowly. Once I caught on to that, I noticed a couple of other things, such as the fact that he took treats on one side of his mouth but not the other.

I realized that I had screwed up big time in not noticing these things sooner, and with no small measure of dread I lifted his lip to take a look. Tartar, not so bad, but gums red and swollen. Gingivitis, at the very least.

Bad mom. Bad, bad mom. Sorry, Drew.

No, I don’t brush his teeth. He’s 11 years old, and to be honest he hasn’t had any dental problems. He didn’t get his first dental cleaning under anesthesia until two years ago, and even that was for more tartar than I wanted to see, no gum or periodontal problems at all. Because my dogs mostly eat a home-prepared diet that includes some raw, meaty bones, their teeth stay in pretty good shape. And I’m usually pretty good about checking frequently for problems and dealing with little things before they get big.

But things have been very busy in the last year, both personally and professionally, so I just wasn’t paying as good attention as I should have been. And sweet little Drew isn’t as “in your face” as the big bounce of retrievery crazies, which means I have to remember to make special time for him.

Drew’s “special time” this t

How sweet it isn’t: Now China’s cheating on honeyToday

How many more reasons do we need to start cracking down on fraud and flat-out poisoning in food imports? Here’s one more from the Seattle P-I:

The honey business is plagued with international intrigue, where foreign hucksters and shady importers sometimes rip off conscientious packers with Chinese honey diluted with cheap sugar syrup or tainted with illegal antibiotics.

Click to read the entire series, including the problems with medicinal honey.

Do we really have to have thousands of American children die before we get serious about this? Isn’t it enough that fraud in Chinese ingredients has sicked thousands of Chinese children and killed thousands of pets wordwide?

Source and buy local. Send a message.

Need more information? Read Christie’s fantastic interview with “Pet Food Politics” author Dr. Marion Nestle.

FDA approves new option for treating dogs with Cushing’sToday

My dog Rebel was diagnosed a couple of years ago with Cushing’s disease, a disorder of the adrenal glands that causes them to produce too much of the hormone cortisol. Just like dogs on prednisone or cortisone, those with Cushing’s are constantly hungry and thirsty, urinate a great deal, gain weight, have a suppressed immune system, and can experience liver damage. And that’s what happened to Rebel, although we caught it so early his liver was unaffected.

My veterinarian put Rebel on a drug called trilostane, only available through a difficult importation process as it was not approved for use in the United States. Within three months he’d returned to his normal weight and behavior, and he’s been absolutely fine and symptom-free ever since.

As of this month, dog owners will no longer have to rely on imported trilostane, but can obtain the drug, marketed under its European name Vetoryl, in the U.S. From this week’s Pet Connection feature:

That’s good news for dogs, says Dr. Helen Hamilton, a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist in Fremont, Calif. “I’ve been prescribing it for years,” she said. “It’s my drug of choice for Cushing’s.”

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Some service animals may face Justice Department banYesterday

I blogged last week about Rebecca Skloot’s service animal article, which appeared in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine. It was a great look at the variety of animals that help people with disabilities, accompanied by the disquieting news that the Department of Justice is taking a second look at which animals would qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Now Skloot is reporting on her blog (h/t to Emily Bazelon on Slate) that a leaked copy of the new regulations will limit the definition of service animal to dogs only. I think we can all agree that would be a miscarriage of justice and a disservice to the many people who rely on animals other than dogs for social, psychological and physical aid. To read more and to find out how to contact the DOJ, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and your House and Senate representatives, go here.

It’s Elemental: Honda owes me, big timeYesterday

My friend Bob, the ultramarathoner who is so kind as to take my retrievers with him on his training runs a couple times a week, finally read the writing on the (auto mechanic’s shop) wall: His ancient VW bus was at the end of the road. It has been in and out of the shop for a couple of years, and finally refused to pass the smog check.

This morning he pulled up in his new car, a 2006 Honda Element. And yes, it’s all my fault.  I love the Element, and we named it the 2007 DogCars.com Best In Show DogCar of the Year. Since I got my first one to review and raved about it, I can count three friends who bought one, and about 20 readers.

Honda, you’re welcome.