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GREATDANELADY.COM Linda Arndt ~ Canine Nutritional Consultant Email:  |
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Puppy Feed Program for Large Breeds |
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A
Word About Growth In Large/Giant Breed Puppies
I have found over that past 20 years, feeding the Blackwatch Feed Program for Puppies, that our Great Danes grow at a more appropriate rate and they are often less than 30 and 28 inches at the shoulder at 6 months of age. This has never been a problem for us, in the long run, because they reach their genetic potential at a slower and even growth rate. This "even growth" provides the muscle development to support the bone mass of the animal making them more sound and agile. Since bone cancer, specifically in the joints, is one of the top killers in this breed, it is my opinion that slow, even growth is critical to potentially avoiding any orthopedic disease or cancer problems down the road. So the moral is: Pet puppy owners - BE PATIENT and stop measuring and guessing how big your dog will be when grown. You can’t force an acorn to be an oak tree over night. For show people, let them be puppies first, you can finish them when the time is right - focus on training, manners and socialization. To show you that size is not determined by how tall they are at 6
months of age, take a look at our 2002 National Specialty Winners
- Winners Dog and
Winners Bitch and
Best in Furturity now
(37" and 35") and neither of them came up to the height
standard of 30 and 28 inches at 6 months of age as recommended in
the Great Dane Standard. Note: It is very common for puppies to do some knuckling over at early stages of development such as 6 - 9 weeks of age. Once they are 11-12 weeks of age, if this has not stopped, you might want to consult with me about your puppy(s). Do NOT panic and start messing with your protein levels and changing brands of foods which can only make matters worse if you are changing their dit too frequently. Get them on the Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program, in total, and give it 7 days and if there is no change, email me. Introduction This diet has 8 major components and this is it in summary form. I know this is a lot of information, but with this check list you can see what is involved, then go down and read the detailed information about amounts to use, WHY to use them and where to purchase products.
And other Nutritional suggestions for specific health problems The Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program Every component to this feed program has an important job to do, and is an integral part of keeping a dog healthy and preventing vaccine reactions and growth problems. Basic Diet I have provided a list
of better food at this website of what I consider better quality
foods, based on my criteria, which includes company ethics, guaranteed
analysis, independent laboratory tests and my own feed trials. I think the best food to use for your puppy is: Eagle Natural 23% protein 12% fat OR Eagle Large/Giant Puppy Formula 23% protein 12 %fat *Note - Eagle Holistic Fish and Oatmeal is not suitable for growing dogs! All Eagle products are made with human grade and
organic ingredients, a meat based (4) multiple proteins, yogurt cultures
(probiotics) digestive enzymes, prebiotics, glucosamine HCL for joint
support, high quality sequestered minerals which are critical for
proper growth and no bone diseases, no ethoxiquin, no BHA,BHT, only
naturally preservative, vitamin C and yucca and balanced Omega 6:3
fatty acids. To purchase Eagle Dog Foods:
Note: You can also call Eagle 800 -255-5959,
they now have the ability to ship food UPS from the factory in Indiana.
It goes out the day you order it. The cost of shipping will pay for
itself over the long haul, because you will have less health care
expenses than when you feed an inferior food. TO PURCHASE EAGLE ONLINE Petpals will ship Eagle - California based, but
will ship anywhere in the US VIP-Pets will ship Eagle - California based, but
will ship anywhere in the US. The VIP phone number is 714-VIP-PETS
(714-847-7387). Waggin' Tails Pet Essentials has Eagle REQUIRED FEEDING - Dietary Enzymes Nzymes - Dietary enzymes in a chewable healthy pet treat or granular form Enzymes are heat sensitive and lost in processing/cooking of all commercial foods or making home cooked diets.As owners we must put dietary enzymes back into the diet, in order to maintain proper wellness and not deplete the body of this important resource. This can be done by the addition to your diet with a product called Nzymes, a chewable pet treat, or granular form which can be sprinkled on the food to replace what is lost.In other words, Nzymes provide the body with the right nutrients to allow the body to make the chemicals necessary to detoxify (clean out) the body and repair itself. Nzymes helps with the following:
Nzymes are from sprouts (food) so they do not conflict with diet or any medications. I have used the Nzymes for 17 years for my animals and I take the human product and have seen remarkable changes our health. By incorporating Nzymes into the diet, you are putting back the "living component" into the modern processed and cooked diets. Website to order : http://www.nzymes.com/ - 877- 816- 6500 - 8:00-6:00 PST REQUIRED FEEDING - friendly bacteria/digestive enzymes First Choice Naturals 4 in 1 Probiotics - This is a combination product comprised of friendly yogurt like bacteria (probiotics) and digestive enzymes necessary for digestion. It fills the "holes in every diet", processed or raw. First Choice Naturals 4 in 1 Probiotics contains:
OR You and Use: "Filling N The Wholes" Does feeding a commercial, raw
or homemade diet leave you wondering if your pet’s diet is lacking
important nutrients, or getting optimal nutritional value from it‘s
food? If the answer is yes, then
"Filling N The Wholes" is the answer
to your nutritional dilemma.
"Filling N The Wholes" is one way to know you are supplying valuable whole nutrition, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and critical micronutrients to your pet’s diet. Nutrients that are lost in processing, cooking, storage of foods, or simply neglected in the design of most commercial dog food. "Filling N The Wholes" is from derived from whole functional foods and is compatible with any diet and any breed. Using this supplement should not conflict with any foods or medicinal substances, because it is derived from whole foods. Ingredients This product comes in a two lb container which will provide you with a cost effective way to keep your dogs diet at optimal levels for wellness. To order http://www.firstchoicenaturals.com/Index/showroom.php/All_Supplements-Pet_Supplements-Digestive_Health/pid-2?gid=4 Required Feeding - Vitamin C
If you are using
the First Choice Naturals
4 in 1 Probiotics or
Filling N The Wholes (listed above) do not use any Vitamin C supplementation.
For more information on Vitamin C - www.belfield.com Joint Support Supplementation REQUIRED FEEDING Flexicose- Joint Supplementation If you are looking for a high quality glucosamine joint support product, I have used it with great success on my dogs and my elderly dogs respond well to joint nutritional supplementation. The amount of glucosamine in better dog foods is minimal, helpful nonetheless, but minimal, so a good joint supplement is ideal especially for any age or breed. I start my dogs during growth stages and continue throughout their adult life. With the large/giant breeds their joints have added stressed, so any thing that can help support them as they age is a positive thing in my opinion. For more complete information and ordering go to this website: Flexicose Growth Patterns - if you have written me specifically about uneven growth patterns additional MSM is helpful and the source I recommend is the Vita-Flex MSM - the best price is through First Choice Naturals at 800-937-1104 Required Feeding - Oxy-Drops Oxy-Drops are a safe liquid to be used with with your kibble and raw meat. It will kill pathogens: bacteria, fungus and virus. When feeding raw meat it is particularly important to use Oxy-Drops to help prevent problems with the pathogens in raw foods. Oxy- Drops will not kill the good bacteria of the gut and helps to encourage the growth of friendly bacteria. I believe Oxy-Drops is very important in helping to prevent bloat and systemic fungus infections. It can be use diluted (1 cup of distilled water + 1 teaspoon of Oxy-Drops) for a solution to clean out ears, eyes, to spray on skin or use as a colonic. It is very beneficial in systemic yeast infections as well. 1 drop per 20 lbs of body weight, added to some water (it must be diluted), stir into dog food. To order: contact Stan at Nzymes.com
877-816-6500 RECOMMENDED: whole foods, raw or lightly steamed I think it is important to incorporate some real foods into you dogs diet on a daily basis. Not only is this done for nutritional purposes, but because the dog gets bored eating the same thing day in, day out!! This is a list of recommended foods: yogurt, fruits and veggies, not necessarily in large amounts, a little is better than none. Berries melons, apples, banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini, garlic. NO raw onions, spinach, kale or grapes RECOMMENDED: Canned Dog Food I use canned Eagle dog food for variety, I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Since you are using this only to add variety to the diet, and not necessarily for nutritional purposes, there are several brands you can use, Eagle. Wellness, Nutro, Eukanuba, Nature‘s Recipe. I would try to steer clear from grocery store brands, they are full of preservatives and 4D meats (dead, diseased dying and disabled) and they give the dogs stinky gas. Homemade soups work well for variety too. The reason I suggest the use of a good canned dog food with kibble on growing puppies, is so I don’t disrupt the calcium and phosphorus ratio of the diet during growth period. Fleas/Ticks/Heartworm People ask me what I use for these problems. I use Interceptor as a heartworm preventative and for flea and tick problems I use a topical product- either Advantage, Advantix or Frontline products. I do rotate a different one each year. Because these are not systemic products, I feel a bit better about using them and because the dogs/cats and my self are also on Nzymes, which detoxifies the body, I am comfortable with using these products. Heart Disease If you have a breed (Danes, Dobes, Boxers etc. )that are prone to cardiomyopathy or other heart diseases, you may want to start supplementing these nutrients to your dogs diet as the start to grow - 12 weeks is what was recommended to me.These are nutritional substances from food sources and do not conflict with medications or each other and are good to use for heart disease.
2) Two amino Acids are critical to strengthen the heart -
Taurine and L-Carnitine Taurine doses 100 mgs daily At 12 months of age you can switch to the adult feed program at this website. USE TEPID TEMPERATURE WATER ON YOUR KIBBLE, IF IT IS TOO HOT IT WILL DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE NUTRIENTS AND YOGURT LIKE CULTURES ON THE FOOD. A Word About Barf A word about BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) and the giant breed puppies. The BARF diet seems to be difficult diet to manage during the growth stages of the giant breeds. Therefore, I suggest one stick to a high quality kibble, and other supplements I suggest. That combined with fresh fruits and veggies makes for a very high quality diet and does not compromise the animal in any way, yet avoids growth problems in the long run.
AMOUNTS
TO FEED LARGE/GIANT PUPPIES
This chart is base the assumption that a dog may be crated or less active during the day while the owner is at work. Use this guideline to help prevent growth diseases. The most sensitive time for growth problems is from 3-6 months of age. Giants (Danes,Newfies, Pyers, Irish Wolfhounds etc.), fed low - mid range to start with - this is a guide- but I have found it is pretty accurate. Note: Large breeds (Labs, Boxers, Collies, Goldens, Shepherds, Dobes, Rotties etc.), should be fed the low end amounts on chart up to 5 months, then at 5 months and up they tend to hold around 5-7 cups of food, unlike the giant breeds - so hold in this range of 5-7 cups -increase or decrease according to activity levels. You want them well covered, but with the last rib showing slightly. 2 months 2-4 cups per day - (divided into 3 meals daily)
No forced exercise, jogging or road-work, until the dogs are 2 year old and the bones are set. Puppies are just that until at least 18 months of age, when dealing with the giant breeds. They are fragile and need supervised free exercise in a fenced in area or daily walks with you. The key is moderation and common sense in raising these "exotic" animals. The amount of food calories is directly related to the amount of exercise the animal gets per day. Crates ~Your puppy should not be crated more than 6 hours at time during the course of a daytime, and less is better. They should have a very large crate, one that an adult male can stand up and turn around in. I prefer the Midwest Co. "colossal" crate over the "Dane crate" size. This is their den, and never punish and then put them in a crate; it should be their safe place. Their crate should be in a place where there is family activity so they don't feel they are being punished. If your puppy is crated during bedtime, and in the day time, 12 hours of his day is spent in a crate. If you purchase a puppy from me you will be required to have a colossal crate. You must keep that in mind when feeding. The amount of calories consumed and the amount burned off in the course of a day is directly related to the amount you need to feed (see chart below). For strong bones they need normal moderate exercise in order to develop the proper muscle to support the bone. NO FREE CHOICE FEEDING. (leaving food down all the time) or I will take your first born child! Some dogs over consume, some pick all day long and don't ever get hungry enough to consume the proper amount of nutrition necessary.
NO CALCIUM (MINERALS) OR VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS or I will break your fingers. The only exception to this rule is:
These items listed above only enhance the diet, and will not upset the balance of the diet. Heartworm Preventative. ~ Use a Heartworm preventative, for Danes use Interceptor. This breed is a cross between a sighthound and a Mastiff (hundreds of years ago). But if your puppy has a system like the sighthound side of the pedigree, they will be sensitive to many things. Interceptor is better for Danes than Heartguard, and it takes care of other worms except tapes. Never use a flea spray on a Dane, because some Danes can have very bad reactions to the pyrethrums in the spray, causing neurological damage. Treats ~ Watch the amount of "treats" you give your puppy, the calories add up. Break the Milkbone into several pieces instead of feeding 5 a day. Use carrots, a slice of apple, or a couple of berries as treats. This will not disrupt the balance of the diet nor add too many calories to the diet, which is important for growing dogs and geriatric animals. Feeding Time ~ Allow your puppy a safe, non stressful environment to eat in. I feed in a crate. Allow 10 minutes, if they do not eat in that time remove the food and throw it out. They will not starve, do not try to beg them to eat. You are developing a bad habit if you entice them into eating. Do not let them linger or be distracted. My dogs eat in less than 5 minutes. If they don't I know something is wrong, (in season, false pregnancy, pyometria, tummy ache). Monitoring their food this way is an excellent way of telling when they are not feeling well. Young females will often go off their feed during hormonal changes and likewise young. Males from 12 - 22 months. They are often lean, this is because their body has not fully developed yet they have long legs. They are the equivalent to a teenager so be patient. They do not reach their full growth until 3 years and for some dogs they will be 4. FORCE FEEDING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU ARE ASKING FOR BLOAT/TORSION BECAUSE THE FOOD THAT IS CONSUMED, IS DONE SO WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF HYDROCHLORIC ACID AVAILABLE TO THE GUT, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE GENERATED WHEN AN ANIMAL EATS ON THEIR OWN. Force feeding is extremely stressful on the animal, and does not allow for hydrochloric acid/digestive juices to kick in and digest food properly. Remember "stress" is the trigger for bloat and force feeding a dog means you are stressing this animal OR the animal is already stressed and therefore it does not want to eat. No matter what is the situation, this is the right conditions for bloat. Next time you force feed a dog, think how it would feel if you were not hungry, and someone stood there and shoved food down your throat. NEVER SOAK or microwave dog food, soaking a food does not prevent bloat, that is a myth and not based in any science. Soaking/cooking this destroys the nutrients and probiotics sprayed on the outside of the kibble and destroying these can cause a nutritional imbalance, suppressed immune systems and actually serious deficiencies in a diet. Feed and Relax ~ Do not allow lots of running and exercise for 1-2 hours after a meal. This will aid in digestion. This has nothing to do with bloat. It is just common sense, you would not eat a big meal then go out and jog......ugh!! That would feel awful. Well the same for your dog. Also, young growing puppies should not be running up and down a full flight of steps several times a day. This is very hard on their shoulder joints and can cause serious injury. Water ~Always keep lots of fresh water available outside and inside so the animal knows there is water around, and is less apt to over-consume being worried it won't be there at some point. Some breeders withhold water to house break a dog. This is cruel and ignorant. It sets up bad drinking habits (gorging) and bladder infections, potential dehydration which can cause muscle cramping. (and what is the largest muscle in the body?- the heart). I know of a whole litter of 5 week old puppies who died because the breeder was trying to keep their area clean and presentable for buyers, so she kept withholding their water. How would you like to not be able to get a drink when you wanted one? Again use common sense. If they are playing hard and start drinking, monitor them; tell them "hey, take it easy," just a little and when they have calmed down they can have a little more.......just like a horse, you don't water a horse until it has cooled down. I don't leave water in a crate with a puppy during the nighttime when they are sleeping, they always spill it. But during the day they have it available all the time, clean fresh non-slobber water. Amount to feed: This will be discussed per individual puppy or I have a chart in the Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program at this website. This is a guide for moderate protein/fat/calorie foods. A high protein/fat/calorie food does not mean a bigger animal. It may mean your puppy will develop nutritionally caused bone diseases (HOD, OCD or Pano). NO PUPPY or PERFORMANCE FOODS, other than Eagle Large and Giant Breed Puppy, as they are high in calories and promote accelerated growth. It is important these dogs grow slow and even, so the bone develops at the same rate as the muscle. If not they may have growth deformities and early arthritis. By the same token NO LOW PROTEIN FOODS, they are not high enough in calories. Toys/Bedding/Playtime. You have to think like a dog, which things are you more apt to get into trouble with here! I use fleece beds for my crates, never use carpet, they are attracted to the glue and a continuous loop carpet can cause their bowls to strangle if they eat it. No cedar, pine bedding it causes allergies. No detergent, Carpet Fresh, Lysol, fabric softener or anything that is a pine derivative. You are asking for allergies and respiratory problems. Wash bedding in a mild solution of bleach, it will dissipate when dry, leaving no residue. Same with cleaning crates, make sure you are well vented!! Use only dog shampoo, nothing else for a bath. No pig ears, cow hooves, raw hide, string toys, booda bones or cooked bones no tennis balls. Keep safe toys around so they are not eating furniture and your best shoes. The pet toy industry is not regulated so there are many things out there available to pets, which are a serious health hazard. For safe Dane or large breed toys I suggest you go to the Doglogic.com website for her recommendations. Why No Rawhide? First, the majority are processed with lye, something your dog does not need in his/her stomach. Also, they are not digestible and can lay in the stomach or intestines and not pass through, causing an obstruction or causing pathogenic bacteria to grow. Something we do not need with animals that are prone to bloat and gastric torsion is encouraging pathogenic (bad) bacteria to develop in the gut. They are also a very serious choking hazard. So to be on the safe side, for nutritional and safety reasons, I suggest something other than rawhide chewies. Why No pig ears/snouts/cow snouts and cow hooves? There are two reasons for not using these, Salmonella (bad bacteria) and the fact that the ears/snouts will splinter and can puncture an intestine and the same is for the cow hooves. Frequently, vets are removing them because they cause an obstruction. What is safe?
Edible Nylabones but if you use a similar or cheaper brand, make sure
they say NO PLASTIC! You do not need your animals gut cut up from
pieces of plastic which is not safe to eat. Their website: www.tfh.com
or 732-988-8400 These are easy to find at most pet stores or online pet supply businesses. Again.......Lynnie at www.Doglogic.com has a list of recommend products. Playtime
- do not play tug of war games, no chasing games or wrestling on the
floor games with your dog. These are all dominance games that will
only encourage the dog to challenge you at some point in their development.
Use common sense, do not act like a dog when playing with your dog,
act like the human who is the leader of the pack. No rowdy behavior
is allowed in the house, that is for outside with games of chasing
after a stick or a ball.
Antibiotic Alert
~ Two drugs you should avoid with Great Danes (this can apply to other
breeds) are the Sulfonamide Antibiotics (Ditrim, Primor, Bactrim,TMZ,
Tribrissin, TMP/SDZ etc.) and Keflex Antibiotic (Cefa-Tabs, Cephalexin).
The two are not related but I will not use any Sulfonamide drugs. If I have to use Keflex, which is a good broad spectrum antibiotic, I watch very carefully for any kind of reaction. The symptoms from antibiotic reactions are like HOD (fever, achy joints (polyarthritis) swelling of joints, animals in pain, lack of mobility, depression and anorexia.) If this occurs, it can happen from 24 hours up to 2 weeks. Depends on the animal. It is treated with Dexamethsone, and stop the antibiotic. Vaccines ~ Far to many Vets are giving rabies too early (10- 16 weeks) and it is causing severe immune problems in this puppies. The reaction mimics that of HOD symptoms, achy joints, high fever, lethargy. I choose to wait until my puppies their rabies when they are six (6) months or older and never given at the same time as the other vaccines. Make sure they are always on their Vitamin C and Nzymes product while going through the vaccine process so it helps prevent a reaction. (see below). See Blackwatch Vaccine Schedule below. YOU and the vet have to make the ultimate decision, but remember this is such a big problem in the breed that the Great Dane Club of America is helping to fund Vaccine Reaction research at Purdue University. So this is not to be taken lightly. Discuss this with your vet and have him contact Dr. Harm HoganEsch or Dr.Glickman at Purdue about appropriate vaccine protocols for the giant breeds. I do not give, Lepto, Corona, Lyme or Giardia vaccines. If you are in an area of the country with a big Lyme disease problem, do NOT to combine the Lyme vaccine with any other shot. Likewise your rabies. Later is better, because the immune system is starting to build and can handle these vaccines better, especially if one at a time. Personally, I would never allow a Rabies at the same time as the other shots, and this will often mean a battle with the vet. In many states the law states it must be done at 12 weeks, so the decision is between you and your vet. All multivalent vaccines, when given together are compromising the immune system on your dog, so you and your vet have to determine what is best to do. Here is an option I provide for my puppy buyers. Recommendations for Vaccine Reaction Prevention: Vaccine reactions or vaccine mediated responses are nothing new in dogs. Vaccine manufacturer's refuse to acknowledge there is a problem and we are losing Great Danes daily to adverse reactions to combination vaccines, and rabies given to soon. Over the past two years I have come to learn how far reaching this problem is in other breeds as well as my own. This regime is what I recommend to my puppy buyers. The combination of these two things give us a much better chance of avoiding vaccine reactions, nothing in life is a guarantee, but this is a step in the right direction. The Purdue Vaccine Research has shown us the carrier in vaccines is recognized by the body as a toxin and therefore, Vitamin C and Nzymes act to detoxify these toxins and help prevent a reaction. I have used this combination for 17 years and had no vaccine reactions in my animals. Again, nothing is a gaurantee, but at this time, this is the only thing I know of that has a high success rate. These two products together work synergistically to help prevent vaccine response.
Again, there is no guarantee, but hopefully this will help prevent vaccine reactions. A Word About Giardia Giardia is a protozoa, and it is an enormous problem that goes unnoticed by owners and vets. Giardia is a waterborne protozoa (parasite, but not a worm) which is very difficult to detect. Anytime you have a dog that will not gain weight, is on/off their feed or with intermittent loose stools or diarrhea, you should automatically treat for Giardia first, before you start looking for other health problems such as IBD. Giardia is in all systems, when there is overgrowth in the gut, the system can't manage it and that is when there is evidence of loose stools, weight loss and not eating. Once a dog has it, it often reoccur . It is important to use a diet that makes an environment that is not conducive for proliferation and overgrowth of Giardia in the gut. This diet will help manage a reoccurring Bloat, Giardia or IBD problem. Use something your vet suggests for Giardia, (Panacur or Flagyl ) and at the same time:
Put Oxy-Drops in their drinking water or pour over food - see instructions at their website. Oxydrops are a safe, stable, inorganic, liquid compound that has demonstrated efficacy as a bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal agent. It works well to clean up the gut from fungus overgrowth, giardia or other pathogens. If you are going to use raw meat in your dogs diet it is very beneficial to use the Oxy-Drops, to help prevent any pathogens and help to keep the pH balance of the gut in balance. It is important to use a probiotic product like the BacPakPlus Fortified when you use Oxy-Drops. Read more about the benefits of Oxy-Drops in my article Suggestions for Controlling Yeast-Fungus Infection. Nzymes Oxy-Drops
for Pets and People Using Oxy-Drops Here is their to order website: Three Common Puppy Problems Puppy Acne, Vaginitis and Demodectic Mange All three of these health problems are generally seen in young puppies and are really a "red flag" that something greater is going with the immune system. These opportunistic conditions are due to your puppy having a weak or underdeveloped immune system, which is very natural from 3 - 7 months of age, particularly in the large and giant breeds. These are not genetic conditions, but are based in diet and environmental factors. So in this article, rather than treating the symptoms, we look deeper at the cause and how to treat and feed for repair and prevention of these conditions. Puppy Vaginitis - Vaginitis is normally in puppy bitches from 4 - 7 months of age and although it is often treated as an infection (which it is not always), it is simply a condition caused by the normal sloughing off of cells and part of hormonal and developmental changes. I will not use any antibiotics internally for this problem, instead I treat it with a douche to readjust the pH balance. This is only a temporary condition and will pass as she matures. How to Handle Puppy Vaginitis First, the MOST important thing you can do follow the Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program - the complete program - do not cut corners or skimp this is very important. Order on line: OxyDrops - www.nzymes.com I use ½ teaspoon of OxyDrops + I cup of warm distilled water and make up a douche. Draw some of the mixture into a 12CC syringe (minus the needle, of course!) take her outside and give her a little squirt (in the vulva, not the fanny, this is not an enema), although you can use a stronger solution (1 tsp OxyDrops + 1 cup distilled water) as an enema for parvo and digestive upset. Do this a couple of times a day for 2-3 days then once a day for 2-3 days and it will take care of it. Again, better to treat internal environment than disrupt the environment of the gut with a systemic antibiotic. Demodectic Mange This type of mange is also a problem of the underdeveloped or weak immune system, and it is not genetic, nor is it contagious. The mite is on all animals at all times, and when the system is suppressed, the little critters have a field day. Once the immune system is function, they go back to a state of dormancy. (for lack of a better explanation). Demodectic Mange is very common at 3 - 7 months of age. This is the worst time for puppies due to teething, growth, vaccines, hormones, wormers and cropping, training and being sent off to their new homes. A couple of things you can do before you rush off to the vet and have this puppy bombarded with dips and medicines. How To Handle Demodectic Mange First, the MOST important thing you can do follow the Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program - the complete program - do not cut corners or skimp this is very important. At the Health Food Store Purchase:
Online order: Nzymes and OxyDrops www.nzymes.com Now do this:
If you don’t see results in 14 days of being on this "total" program, seek professional advice. Puppy Acne Puppy acne is very common and you normally see it from 3 - 7 months of age especially in the giant breeds. It shows up on the chin and lips, sometimes the vulva area, and in chronic cases you will see pimples along the back and rump. Normally it is treated with an antibiotic, usually Cephalexin (Keflex or Cefa-Tabs) which can be a real problem in this breed. (Seeantibiotic reactions). How To Handle Puppy Acne The best way to treat puppy acne at first is NOT internally with an antibiotic, but by altering the outside environment and boosting the immune system. The if that does not do it, you can resort to an antibiotic. Again the one they want to use is normally Cephalexin which can be a problem for this breed. The antibiotic destroys the integrity of the beneficial bacteria that grows in the gut and protects the lining of the intestines so if you have to resort to an antibiotic, you MUST use a probiotics twice a day on their food. First, the MOST important thing you can do follow the Blackwatch Puppy Feed Program - the complete program - do not cut corners or skimp - this is very important. At the Health Food Store Purchase:
Online Order: Oxydrops and Nzymes www.nzymes.com Now do this:
So why is this puppy acne (staph infection) so common? Staph infections are only the tip of the iceberg. Staph is a secondary infection because of a weak or immature immune system. At first puppy’s immune system is very week and will gather strength with age provided their body is given the nutrients necessary to do this job. But just as it starts to develop we knock it back down with an onslaught of vaccines, wormers, cropping and antibiotics. At the same time the rapid growth, hormones and teething of the large and giant breeds, and this is more than the poor body can handle at this young age. When the immune system becomes weakened, the good bacteria of the gut does not grow and multiple, protecting the lining of the gut from pathogens (bad bacteria, yeast, fungus etc.) and then we start to see the a domino effect such as Puppy Acne, Vaginitis and Demodectic Mange. Why Are Probiotics So Important? The use of beneficial bacterias (probiotics) are critical to maintaining a strong immune system, so if using an antibiotic you must ALWAYS feed a probiotics at the same time, to keep the gut reseeded with good bacteria. The antibiotics will kill off the good AND the bad bacteria, but as you reseed the gut with good bacteria (probiotics), it will take hold even though some is lost due to antibiotics. Give probiotics AM and PM when you are on an antibiotic. (See Puppy Feed Program) An Illustration: Think of it
this way….you have a new apartment with few nice pieces of furniture,
and the longer you live there the more you will add to your collection
of nice furniture to make an environment of harmony and balance. This is like the environment of the gut…in the beginning it has a few good bacteria (probiotics) living there, gaining strength and multiplying in harmony and balance. Then along comes other factors like stress, vaccines, antibiotics, diet, and rapid growth, teething, all making demands on the body, it can’t handle all this at once and there is chaos on the weak immune system. The role of good bacteria is to keep the bad bacteria (pathogens) and the yeast/fungus in check, and stops them from causing chaos in the form of secondary infections or a systemic yeast infection, therefore keeping a good balance within the digestive tract. The best preventative measure is always a sound feeding program and the use of functional foods such as Nzymes, Oxydrops and Probiotics.
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