Last year, the RSPCA in South Australia prosecuted a man whose dog was found to be very weak and unable to walk. Our vets found it be in severe and chronic pain with a broken/dislocated spine. X-Rays revealed that at some stage, all of its ribs had broken and its bones showed significant de-calcification. The owner was found to be a committed animal rights activist and vegan. When interviewed over the neglect of his dog, he claimed it was fed a diet of bread, peanut butter and vitamins - which might well explain its bone abnormalities!
There is a worrying trend emerging of animal-activist vegans promoting their own choice of diet to owners of dogs and cats with the claim that these animals can be safely converted to a vegetarian or vegan diet. They see this as distancing themselves from any sort of animal farming and consumption, which they consider to be intrinsicaly cruel.
Dogs are naturally omnivorous, and a vegan diet, if nutritionally balanced for dog metabolism, is quite possible (although difficult), but cats are true meat eaters and the idea of a vegan diet for cats is dangerous.
The premise of some of these obsure cat food manufacturers that their vegan diets meet 100% of a cat’s nutritional needs has not been supported by independent scientific dietary analysis. When meat is eliminated from the diet of obligate carnivores like cats, the potential for nutritional deficiencies increases, because specific essential nutrients are scarce or limited in plant matter (such as taurine, arachidonic acid, niacin, vitamin A, arginine, lysine and sulphur-containing compounds such as methionine and cysteine).
Modern commercial dog and cat foods are carefully balanced to ensure they meet the nutritional needs of these animals. The best advice is to choose a product that is recommended by your veterinarian.
June 18th, 2007
A little brown cross-bred terrier was found cowering under a bush by our Rescue Officer in March 2007. He was very nervous, very thin and had a bad flea allergy, with virtually no fur on his back. It appeared that one back leg had been recently operated on because the paw had no toes and the pad had been moved back. The leg was also badly infected and he seemed to be accustomed to walking on three legs. His owner did not claim him. Our visiting Vet thought amputation of the leg would ultimately be in the dog’s best interests.
We named him “Bronte” and arranged to have his rear leg amputated. He was desexed, vaccinated and microchipped at the same time. Bronte was then placed with one of our dedicated foster carers, where he stayed and recovered for the next 9 weeks while gaining the confidence to live with other animals. During that period Bronte’s personality began to blossom, and he became a healthy, lively and happy dog who coped very well on his 3 legs.
In May 2007 we came upon a lady who had recently needed to put one of her pets to sleep and her remaining dog, a young Maltese Terrier, was now lonely and needed a companion. The lady was told of Bronte’s story and she wanted to meet Bronte with her dog. All three got on very well and they now live together by the beach where Bronte loves to play and run with his new family.
June 6th, 2007
The temperature is steadily falling, there’s an extra blanket on your bed and the winter woollies are making their way to the front of the wardrobe again. Everyone is gearing up for the chilly months ahead - but have you thought about your pet?
If you have an outdoors dog or cat you need to ensure it has a nice warm sleeping spot free from cold draughts and protected from the elements. It’s a good idea to elevate your pet’s sleeping quarters - even just a little - so cold and damp can’t creep in from the ground. A few old blankets and towels for bedding, and your pet should be snug and happy while sleeping.
If you have more than one ‘indoor’ pet you know the spot near the heater is a hotly contested one! As long as it’s safe, a bed near the heater is good, or if they’re very lucky a spot on the bed with their owner with the electric blanket is, for the pet anyway, even better! Do be careful though, some dogs (especially with long hair) can get too hot in a heated house, and may need somewhere cooler (a tiled floor is good) to lie down in your home.
Both cats and dogs love to soak up the winter sun, so during the day getting them outside is ideal. Natural heat is always great, and just like humans, it gives your pets vitamin D.
Depending on what kind of dog you have, it may benefit from a dog coat. Dogs with sleek coats and little fat, like Whippets and Greyhounds, definitely need a coat’s extra warmth in winter. A wool-lined coat is excellent as it’s a natural insulator that also breathes.
Bad weather and a shortage of daylight can make exercising your dog in winter a challenge. But it is important (for both you and your pet!) to give your dog a run, especially larger or more active dogs. You can use a dog coat to keep your dog dry during a walk in the rain but be sure to remove a wet coat from a pet as soon as you get home. Ensure dogs don’t stay wet after being outside by drying them off with a towel or hair-dryer. This also goes for baths - ensure the pet is well dried before going outside.
If it’s muddy outside, regularly check between dogs’ paws to make sure balls of mud haven’t built up as this can make it painful for them to walk. Grooming in winter is as important as ever - especially if your dog has long hair. Mud and long hair dogs are a bad combination - it can be messy and uncomfortable for your dog to have mud tangled in their coats.
Colder days are more painful for humans suffering arthritis, and the same goes for pets. If your pet is having trouble moving freely and looks to be suffering with stiff, aching limbs, take them to the vet for a check-up. Your vet can prescribe medication to ease their symptoms and advise you on how to care for your pet in the winter months.
A pet’s diet can also become an issue in the winter months. If you have a dog who spends all of it’s time outside and it has a fine coat, some extra food may be a good idea. This will help them build a thicker layer of body fat. If your dog is mostly an inside dog, wearing a coat when outside is a good option. Of course, if your dog is exercising less in the winter (which it really shouldn’t be!) do make sure it’s not eating as much. If he or she is less active, and eating the same amount they will put on unwanted weight.
June 4th, 2007
