My Dog Has Acne!

by Fiona Young-Brown

No doubt many of us have unhappy memories of pimples during our teen years, but who knew our dogs could also get acne? As it happens, young dogs go through the trials of puberty too, and that may include dog pimples. I had never heard of such a thing until my husky pup Sam developed a small bald spot on his chin, covered in little pink pimples.

The condition is more common in younger dogs, usually appearing at around five or six months of age, however since the acne may also be cause by allergies or hormonal imbalances, it is not restricted to younger dogs. The larger the dog, the greater the chance of developing pimples, so your Great Dane or German Shepherd is more likely to experience acne than the Shih Tzu next door. As for what it looks like, doggy acne usually appears as little red pimples or pustules on the chin and around the lips.

Before going any further, it is vital to mention that under no circumstances should you use acne treatments designed for people on your pooch’s pimples. The levels of benzoyl peroxide will be far too high for use of animals.

It is always a good idea to check with your vet at the first signs of any skin condition. The vet may want to run a few tests to rule out other more serious conditions, such as mange and ringworm. If the pimples are being caused by an allergic reaction to something in your dog’s food, the vet may also be able to advise you. Once more serious illnesses have been ruled out, you can move on to treating it to ensure that the pimples don’t return. Common treatments prescribed by your vet may include skin wipes (with animal appropriate levels of benzoyl peroxide, a topical skin treatment), steroids, or antibiotics.

Understandably, not everyone feels comfortable using steroid or antibiotics treatments, and may prefer to reach the root of the problem. Fortunately, there are also a number of more natural remedies you can do at home. My dog Sam is incredibly inquisitive when he’s out and about and gets into all kinds of dirt and other things filled with bacteria,  so one of my first concerns was making sure the pimples did not get infected. Each day, I would hold a warm washcloth over the area to open the pores, then gently clean the affected area with a mild shampoo . If you have an aloe vera plant at home, a small dab of the gel can also help to ease any itchiness.

Another convenient option that doesn’t involved wetting the dog’s face with shampoo are pre-moistened wipes. Believe it or not the antibacterial ingredients in the Happytails Eyepads make them an ideal wipe for the entire facial area. They contain witch hazel, which is a gentle astringent, colloidal silver, a very effective natural antibiotic and golden seal which is a natural antimicrobial agent.

For a more long-term solution, an all natural or raw diet has proven to be helpful for avoiding all sorts of skin complaints. Common allergens in commercial food, including wheat, soy, gluten and corn, can all cause acne in some dogs. Switching to an organic diet of meat and vegetables, with some added salmon oil for essential fatty acids can help enormously.

Fortunately, puberty-related acne usually resolves itself after a few months, as your puppy’s growth hormones settle. In the case of allergies, an organic diet like the one mentioned above can have quick results but the diet must be continued to prevent recurring outbreaks. With a little care and attention, you can not only clear your dog’s skin of pimples, but also ensure that our beloved pet has a lifetime of healthy, beautiful skin.

By Kevin Fisher

 

As we bask in the afterglow of our 700 day, $2.5 Billion dollar presidential campaign we find the blogosphere obsessed with a single issue. Foreign policy changes? Economic crisis? Wall Street Bailout? No, the burning issue of the day is of course “What kind of dog should the next president get? “After putting an African-American in the White House it seems that our next job is to put a Canine American in the family’s quarters.

 

If you don’t know the story, President-elect Obama promised his daughters that after the election they would get a dog. (Already he’s demonstrating leadership and initiative; we all know that there’s nothing better than a bribe dog to keep the kids happy.)

 

The first family-elect is being inundated with opinions about the best breed of dog for them but being in the industry myself I thought I’d add my two cents. And being a contrarian I’ll discuss not the best dogs for the first family but the worst.

 

Smart Dogs.

Not a good idea to get a really smart dog. We’ve already seen with the Bush Baked Bean fiasco (the brand not the president) how one smart dog can subvert an empire. And I think most of us already know that Barney wins most of the tugs of war with the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

 

Foreign Breeds .

Also an iffy call. Surely we’d all feel more comfortable with a good Canine American in the White House. Think about it, Chinese Crested, Swiss Mountain Dogs, Australian cattle dogs all so closely affiliated with foreign powers! To have such foreign agents so close to the seat of power (probably even sniffing the seat of power!) may not be the best idea. How could we be sure of their loyalties, that they wouldn’t turn around and sell state secrets to their home countries at the drop of a hat? I know this sounds farfetched but mark my words- if you see the president walking through the Rose Garden with a West Highland Terrier don’t be surprised to discover that Scotland has the bomb and is not afraid to use it.

 

Politically Expedient.

On the other hand there are some foreign breeds that would help to strengthen ties with friends and allies. An Afghan Hound, Italian Greyhound or German Shephard would work wonders in restoring our image overseas and cost billions less than foreign aid. There is, as far as I can see, only one glaring exception to this rule; “Please Mr. President, I beg of you, Step away from the French Poodle”

 

Oh No He Didn’t.

Common sense says there are some breeds that would be a definite no no. Imagine the scene at the first White house press conference when the reporter stands up and asks in a strong clear voice “Mr President, is it true that you have a Giant Schnauzer” (And it would be even more embarrassing if they had chosen the Miniature Schnauzer)

 

 

Whichever Dog the Obama’s Choose

I’m sure they’ll be wise enough to adopt a rescue dog and take care of it with only the best products. Like other celebrities and world leaders they’ll probably choose happytails Canine Spa Line to make sure that the presidential dog is never scratching or licking in inappropriate places and that he (or she) always looks, feels and smells his/her best.

 

I’m no lawyer, but I think the Constitution mandates that after the Vice President and Speaker of the House, the president’s dog is next in line for the job. So pick carefully Mr. President your dog will be only two heartbeats and a butt sniff away from the presidency.

 

 

Your Dog’s Constant Scratching Could be a Habit

I have two dogs that both eat a healthy no grain, raw diet. One is a constant scratcher, the other rarely scratches.

Brie, the itchy dog, is a Westie mix. True, this breed is notorious for their itchy skin but with many dogs what starts out as a real problem, develops into a habit even after the underlying cause is cured.

We discovered that Brie had sand fleas. We live at the beach and she plays on the sand every single day. Since we wash her at least twice a week and were well past flea season, we didn’t suspect fleas were the cause of her distress. Once we found out what the problem was, we treated her immediately with a whole host of remedies until every last flea was gone.

Weeks went by and she was still scratching. We double checked and there were no fleas. But she scratched with determination and could hardly walk down the street without stopping for a scratch. She would even wake us up at night with the sounds of her biting, licking and scratching. Finally she started to develop actual lesions from the constant scratching, which only made her want to scratch those areas more.

It seemed to be a never-ending cycle until I noticed that Brie seemed to forget about her discomfort when she was playing, eating or chewing on a bone. Distraction seemed to be an excellent method- so we gave her a full schedule of bone chewing, game playing and toys to occupy her time.

Restraint is also another tool we used. You could try an e-collar (if you do look up Comfy Cones for a softer alternative) but what I did is purchase a a soft pair of inexpensive booties ($5.99) so that if she did scratch her paws wouldn’t have direct contact with her skin.

In addition, when she woke up at night and started scratching, I gave her Sleepytime Tonic , an all natural herbal blend that helps to calm dogs. This relaxed her enough so that she forgot about the itch and went back to sleep.

Amazing! Between her full agenda of bones and bully sticks, Sleepytime Tonic and her booties, scratching levels are down to a few times a day!

Flea Season’s Over! Why is My Dog Still Itchy?

As we head into the cooler months (it’s actually quite cold in many places already) we can finally rest knowing that flea season is finally over – right? Unfortunately, for many pups out there, the itchy skin they’ve suffered from during flea season only continues at the same itchy level past flea season. Why can’t these poor dogs get any relief?

There are numerous reasons that dogs continue to have itchy skin past flea season . From a poor diet to other health conditions such as allergies, many dogs will continue to suffer from skin ailments throughout the year. Many dogs also suffer skin allergies that cause them to scratch and itch all of the time. There are a variety of irritants that can cause a dog to itch including mold, food allergies and even skin infections. Some dogs will itch excessively due to stress as well. However, one reason that many people simply don’t realize is that their dog might just have plain and simple dry skin!

It really makes perfect sense when you think about it. As the days get colder, does the water in your daily shower get hotter? I know I begin cranking up the heat when it gets cold outside. The same is true for my house as well. I’m a cold natured person, so the heater gets cranked when the days get cold. But, the effect that I and other people suffer from during this time of the year is dry skin. The hotter showers dry your skin out and the heater in your home sucks the moisture out of the air. This leaves us with dry skin and dry skin itches!

The same is true for your dog. As the days get colder and you crank up the heater, your poor dog is losing moisture out of his or her skin. If your dog is suffering from allergies, not only might they have dry skin, but they are also suffering from other ailments that cause them to be itchy. This itchiness may be even worse if the dog has flea allergies as well. The problem with all this itching and scratching is that the skin is constantly irritated and never has a chance to heal. No matter what the cause if of the itchiness, this can cause your pup to develop a secondary skin infection as well.

Now, how do you remedy your dry skin? How does a nice shea butter lotion sound? Or, what about a bath of an oatmeal based skin conditioner? There are products similar to these that are designed for your dog and provide the same relieving effects that you seek in your lotions and bath conditioners.

Colloidal oatmeal products provide a variety of benefits to pets year round and not just during the winter when they have itchy skin. Colloidal oatmeal products can be used year round should your dog find himself bitten by bugs or in a patch of poison ivy. This is because colloidal oatmeal is capable of pulling out irritants that get into the skin and hair. After a warm oatmeal bath, pets begin to feel the effects of the colloidal oatmeal in no time. They will also benefit from smooth skin and smell better afterwards too. However, when you do use these products in your pet’s bath, be certain that you don’t make the water too hot! A lukewarm bath is ideal to sooth irritated, itchy skin.

Colloidal oatmeal is not the same as the oatmeal you eat for breakfast. This is oatmeal that has been ground into a fine powder. When you add it to water, it creates a milky dispersion, rather than congealing as regular oatmeal would. Colloidal oatmeal has a specific anti-itch property to it that makes it perfect to relieve your dog’s itchy skin during the winter months. When your dog’s skin is itchy and irritated, the skin has a high pH level. Colloidal oatmeal helps to lower the skin’s pH back down to normal and it takes away the need to itch. So, not only will your dog benefit from having the irritants removed from their skin, they also lose that urge to itch. Not itching provides your dog’s skin time to heal and recover from whatever has been irritating it.

There are several products available that contain all of the healing effects of colloidal oatmeal. One of those products is Fur Butter. This product is ideal for dogs with long hair and helps to control itching and irritation. Fur Butter also utilizes shea butter to moisturize the fur. Another product is Comfy Dog . This shampoo is ideal for those dogs that really suffer from dry and irritated skin. This shampoo helps to relieve swelling, inflammation, hot spots, and insect bites in addition to the itchy skin caused by the winter months. Both of these products are ideal natural steps that you can take to relieve the itch of winter and you can keep using it when flea season comes back around as well.

The Pet Industry May Not be

Recession-Proof After All!

Making the Move from Luxury to Multi-Functional Products

by Xiomara Iraheta

It’s no surprise that amidst these tough financial times consumers are rethinking their shopping patterns, especially when it comes to their dogs. Recent pet manufacturing trends show that consumers are honing in on the move from “glitzy to green,” that is, they are no longer shopping for luxurious or flashy pet items but instead high-quality, healthy products that solve a problem.

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Inc. (APPA) reports that the average dog owner spent just under $500 on their dog for food, grooming products and toys in 2006. But we may see that average drop as consumers learn to manage their dog expenses valuing quality and function over Paris Hilton style “bling”.

Bo Nelson, owner of Wholesalepet.com, has been selling to upscale branded pet products pet stores for 15 years. “Over the past several months we have noticed more conservative buying patterns. Pet Boutiques are still purchasing clothing, jewelry and frivolous items but in smaller quantities,” Nelson said.

“We have seen less of a drop-off in the sales of treats, toys, collars, beds, bowls and spa products. Overall it seems that sales for items people and their pets use on a regular basis are faring better than items people and pets only use on special occasions.”

Sheri Scarborough a pet industry veteran and owner of Gotorovers.com concurs. “Buying decisions are more focused on price point than ever before.” She adds, “ Retailers are adding more holistic, organic, and raw food lines as well as products made in the USA and made from recycled material.”

For years as the pet industry was growing in double digits, business owners claimed that the pet industry was recession proof. According to recent articles in Pet Product News this may not exactly be true. Very expensive high end items sit on the shelves longer while quality well-priced items continue to sell well.

Stretching your dollar and keeping Fido safe and happy doesn’t have to be a contradiction. Weighing in on the situation, Lorna Paxton, owner of happytails Canine Spa Line says, “in order for products to sell they have to solve a problem, they have to actually do what they claim to do, and it helps if they perform more than one function."

You don’t want to lower your standards as far as quality products go and risk safety or comfort for your dog. Therefore, consider the following tips when shopping for products under these three categories.

Grooming and Bathing:

• Problem/solution based products: If your dog has itchy skin, find an oatmeal shampoo
• Multi-functional: Combined shampoos & conditioners and other products that can perform more than one function
• Holistic: Products that focus on the overall health of the dog, not just the outside appearance
• All natural
• Made in the USA

Food :

• Grain Free Food: Not only will your dog be nourished but the food could help with itchy skin
• Read the labels! Experts say to protein should be at about 30 percent and fat to be at least 18 percent.
• Read the Whole Dog Journal which often publishes reviews of every food on the market.
• Seek deals: Register your e-mail address on your manufacturers’ website and you may get coupons sent to you via e-mail or a heads up on specials

Treats :

• Functional treats: Like a treat that has supplements for joint support, vitality or other health concerns
• All natural and made in the USA
• Treats that are not fattening (if your dog has weight issue)
• A treat that takes some time to eat. Maybe it’s hidden in a toy and takes a while to get to. This is entertaining and stimulating for the dog
• One that your dog loves. You can use them as bribes and training tools!

Toys:

• Ones that you can hide food in
• That engage your pet’s interest whether it be a bouncing ball or squeeky toy
• Toys with longevity: If you purchase toys that are made from good materials you can get even more use of it by rotating them weekly. Making one or two available to your dog for one week and switching it with a different one the next can seem like their getting new toys all the time.