Xylitol is a low-calorie sugar substitute that’s helped diabetics and weight loss seekers get their sugar fix––in spite of dietary restrictions. And, just like chocolate and grapes, it’s natural, further disproving the claim that “natural is always safe.”

That’s because Xylitol, a sugar compound sourced from the Birch tree, has been recently discovered to be 100 percent lethal to dogs. In many cases, the quantity of Xylitol-containing food was small––as in a box of sugar-free Tic-Tacs (really), a Jell-O sugar free pudding snack or one sugar-free cupcake.
With Xylitol poisoning the most obvious sign is seizuring...as your dog's blood sugar levels plummet. Should she survive this phase, liver toxicity and clotting problems often result.  
As if that wasn't enough to strike fear into the heart of any dog lover, the additional danger in Xylitol is three-fold:

•     Only small quantities are needed to do serious damage
• Xylitol is found in an increasing number of consumer products and foodstuffs (kid’s vitamins, mints, gums, toothpaste, sugar-free baked goods, etc.)
• Most dog owners don’t yet know about it

As a veterinarian, the latter hazard seems most pressing to me. After all, if you have no idea that Starbucks mints contain Xylitol, you won’t be so careful about where you leave your purse. If you don’t know that a sugar-free cupcake contains it, you might not think twice about throwing a stale one your dogs’ way––or leaving the box on the counter.

Not until your dog starts seizuring, as her blood sugar drops, will you begin to wonder what could have led to her physiological free-fall.
This is really scary stuff. More so because many veterinarians are still in the dark about Xylitol, its effects and its prevalence. A seizuring dog? Could be from anything. Unless you’re asked about specific food poisons, you might not think to check if your gum is still in your pocket. You might have forgotten about the pastry, stressed out as you now are.
Which begs the question: Should these products be labeled “unsafe for canine consumption”?
 
Though I’d like that to be the case, it’s not happening anytime soon. After all, chocolates and grapes don’t host warning labels. Because ultimately, it’s up to YOU to know better. And now you do.
Spread the word among your dog-loving friends. Read your labels. Don’t buy these products unless you truly need them in your diet (until they switch to another sweetener choice). Inform your family. And, if you choose to use these products, be very careful where you leave them.

by Catherine O'Driscoll on February 24, 2012
Our dogs are in the midst of an epidemic.  It’s not an epidemic of viral disease, but of chronic ill health.  They’re besieged with itchy, pus-laden, scabby skin; vomit and diarrhoea are the norm.  One in every hundred dogs suffers from epilepsy, and an even higher number lives with painful arthritis.  Allergies are also reaching epidemic proportions: dogs are becoming allergic to life.

According to Dr Jean W Dodds, an eminent vet and researcher, both allergic and autoimmune diseases have been rising since the introduction of modified live virus vaccines.  Autoimmune diseases are where the body attacks self; they include cancer, leukaemia, thyroid disease, Addisons, Grave’s disease, autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, thrombocytopenia, organ failure, skin inflammations, and more.
We also seem to have a tremendous number of dogs with behavioural problems, largely due to over-vaccination and processed pet food.  Vaccines are known to cause inflammation of the brain, as well as lesions throughout the brain and central nervous system.  The medical term for this is ‘encephalitis’, and vaccine’s role is acknowledged in the Merck Manual.  Merck is a vaccine manufacturer.

Years ago, I was the typical ‘responsible’ dog owner.  My four Golden Retrievers were vaccinated every year, and they were fed a ‘complete and balanced’ pet food, recommended by my vet.  The red carpet was metaphorically rolled out once a fortnight, each time I visited with a dog suffering from chronic disease.  Eventually the problems became more serious: my dogs started to die years before their time.

Over the years, I’ve collected research documents to help me make decisions about my dogs’ husbandry, and to share what I’ve learnt with other dog lovers.  I also hoped that vets would take notice of the research, and stop over-vaccinating.  All medical interventions come with a risk – even the humble aspirin can be deadly.  So you have to do a risk/benefit analysis whenever you consider medications.  What, then, are the risks of vaccines?

Research by Frick and Brookes shows us that vaccines can trigger atopy (skin allergies).  (Am J Vet Res. 1983 Mar;44(3):440-5).  Dr Jean W Dodds tells us that retroviral and parvoviral diseases, and MLV vaccines, are associated with lymphoma, leukaemia, organ failure, thyroid disease, adrenal disease, pancreatic disease, and bone marrow failure.
 
http://www.RemediSussexSpaniels.org

Preventing Bloat Naturally
July/August 2011 Issue
By:  Peter Dobias DVM
 
Did you know that dogs that are fed processed foods are about five times as likely to suffer from stomach bloat and torsion than dogs fed raw or cooked food? There are many other factors that can help prevent this serious life threatening emergency naturally.
The general consensus is that GDV (Gastric Dilation Volvulus) affects mainly larger breeds and it is caused by twisting of the stomach and gas formation.
Some time ago, I decided to observe the patterns of dogs with a history of stomach problems as well as those who were lucky enough to survive this life threatening condition. After years of observation and clinical practice, I’ve developed these simple steps to help your dog avoid bloat.

AVOID GRAIN-BASED PET FOOD AND IDEALLY ANY KIBBLE

The digestive tract of the dog is ideal for digesting protein. Unlike humans, the dog’s gut has a very acidic pH, making it well equipped to resist pathogenic bacteria but not to digest grains. I have never seen wild canines grazing in a field of grain, and it is not a natural food choice for most carnivores.
If you feed your dog processed food, you may be increasing his risk of bloat. Most commercial foods are highly processed and when your dog eats kibble, it turns into porridge. The stomach doesn’t need to work very hard to digest it, and over time, its wall muscles become weak.
A weak stomach is much more prone to dilation and gas build-up which happens especially with carbohydrate rich foods. In my opinion, kibbles, especially grain-based formulas, are one of the main sources of stomach bloat.

FEED THE RIGHT RAW BONES
Feeding your dog poultry, lamb or other small to medium size raw bones makes the stomach wall and muscles stronger which will prevent distention. Any gas build-up is much easier to burp out or move downwards into the intestinal tract when the stomach wall muscles are strong.
Feeding bones is, from my point of view, one of the most important steps in preventing GDV.

BE CAREFUL ABOUT FEEDING FRUIT WITH PROTEIN
If you feed your dog fruit, it should never be fed together with the protein meal, because they digest very differently. Fruit digests in the stomach quickly and it will ferment if it remains too long.
To prevent bloat, feed fruit at least one hour or longer before a meal and at least four hours after meals.

EXERCISE
The general consensus is that dogs should not exercise after eating. This applies to dogs fed both raw and processed food. When the stomach is full, it is more likely to flip and twist with sudden movement, jumps or turns, creating torsion. Never exercise your dog vigorously within three to four hours of feeding.

PROVIDE THE RIGHT NUTRIENTS
Vitamin and especially mineral deficits may have a negative effect on muscle function and digestion, which can lead to GDV. It is important to make sure that your dog’s diet is not lacking in essential nutrients.

ENSURE GOOD SPINAL ENERGY FLOW
I like to compare the body’s energy network to a watering system where the spine provides the main water or energy supply and the branches lead to various garden beds or the organs.
If you constrict a hose, the water will not flow and the carrots will not grow. The body is not much different – if one of the spinal muscle segments becomes impinged or blocked, it will affect the organs related to that segment. One can recognize these blocks by a spinal exam or a hand scan and energy flow changes will be noticeable.
Through years of observation, I created a surprisingly reliable body map of relationships of spinal segments and organs. In the process I have found a very close connection between the stomach and spinal point at the thoracic lumbar junction, the transition between the last thoracic and the first lumbar vertebrae.
I have also noticed that dogs that are prone to stomach problems show congestion, inflammation and sensitivity exactly at the thoracic-lumbar junction.
When I discussed this with several emergency vets, they didn’t seem to be aware of the connection between this spinal segment and GDV until I asked if they saw any signs of vertebral degeneration, arthritis or spondylosis in this region of the spine when they took X-rays of bloated dogs. Indeed, they confirmed that those changes are frequently present in dogs with bloat which only confirmed what I thought. Back injuries are likely a predisposing factor to GDV.
If you want to prevent stomach bloat, you definitely have pay attention to your dog’s spine. A regular monthly assessment and treatment of your large dog’s spine is one of the most important factors in GDV prevention.
The modalities I find especially helpful are physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage, intramuscular needle stimulation (IMS) and acupuncture.

FITNESS
The spine and the flow of energy in the whole body can be clearly influenced by the level of exercise a dog enjoys. A low fitness level can create energy stagnation, but this problem is not as frequent as over-exertion and burn out.
Many people continually throw balls and toys for their dogs and do not know that the dog’s body is designed only for short periods of sprinting and not for 20 or more non-stop minutes which leads to injuries.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT BLOAT
Remember that simple panting is not a sign of a bloat. Panting is the canine way of sweating and is considered normal if your dog looks comfortable.  If you see signs of severe distress – the gums are pale, there are signs of hypersalivation and the stomach is distended – rush your dog to the nearest vet or emergency clinic immediately.
If safe, light sedation and a stomach tube will be done first, followed by X-rays and very possibly an emergency surgery. On the way to the hospital, I recommend giving a homeopathic Nux vomica 200C or Carbo vegetalis 200C.

PREVENTIVE SURGERY – GASTROPEXY
Gastropexy is a preventive procedure where the stomach wall is attached to the rib cage to prevent the stomach from flipping. I must say that I am not comfortable with attaching the stomach and restricting its natural movement and function. Any surgical intervention affects the body’s energy channels and the unnatural stapling of the stomach to the rib cage decreases its mobility.

SUMMARY
On the basis of my practical experience and observation, I believe that the best way to prevent GDV is to feed natural non-processed food, feed raw bones, provide the right nutrients, feed fruit separately from the protein meals and ensure that the spinal energy flow is good.
Dr. Peter Dobias has been in veterinary practice since 1988. In 2008, he decided to sell his thriving holistic veterinary practice in Vancouver, BC, Canada to dedicate his future years to disease prevention and transforming the face of veterinary care to less invasive and more natural treatment methods. He believes that we can create a healthy and long life, naturally. For more information, questions and articles visit www.peterdobias.com
 
 
http://www.RemediSussexSpaniels.org