I was standing in the kitchen talking to Peanut when I realized that the curtains were awry.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tag Archives: Animal
DogDaz Zoo: Helping Hiro – Understanding VKH
Hiro is the 2 year old love of my chiropractor, Marc. She is an Akita. About a year ago, he started noticing that she was having trouble standing and losing hair. She was diagnosed with VKH. I had never heard of this disease before. It primarly effects the eyes, causes virtigo and hair loss. Hiro is going blind. Marc has taken her to tons of doctors (just like I did with Sofie), and she lives on prednisone to slow the disease down.
Volt-Koyanagi-Harada’s Disease, better known as VKH-Like Syndrome (VKH) is an auto-immune disease, named after Drs. Vogt, Koyanagi and Harada. In dogs it is known as UveoDermatological Syndrome (UDS) but because it’s so like the human form it is referred to more often by the human equivalent VKH.
VKH is commonly found in many of the Northern breeds. It is auto-immune related, with hereditary implications. It is felt that any type of stress can trigger the disease. Symptoms are depigmentation, hair loss,and blindness. Sometimes there are no warnings, sometimes there are, like the depigmentation and conjunctivitis (whites of the eye, and rimgo red). Conjunctivitis will often be followed by a detached retina, which shows as a milky blue surface on the eye ball. This is a medical emergency. Without treatment, blindness will follow. The dog suffers great pain.
It has also been reported that dogs have been known to lose their nails. The disease affects mucous membrane areas such as the eyelids, mouth, anus, vulva and sometime the pads of the dog’s feet. There is a definite visible loss of pigmentation in these areas, often started by crustiness or blisters. The severity of the symptoms vary from dog to dog. An interesting point to note is that many dogs are often stricken at 18 to 20 months.
There is no cure, and there are no methods to test breeding stock for VKH. (Info source: http://www.akita-friends.com/special/vkh.htm)
I found this really interesting book called “Akita Treasure of Japan” and it included some holistic recommendations for nutritional suppliments. I am not saying that I know anything about what is right for an animal with this condition, but this looked interesting to me for anyone who wanted to add things to stimulate their animals immune system (wish I could find something similar for Sofie and Louise’s problems).
- Folic Acid 5 mg
- Vitamin B-12 1,000 mg
- Vitamin B Complex 50 mg
- Vitamin E 400 IU
See the book for further recommendations.
I am wondering if any of you have come upon this disease before, and if so, have you found holistic, homeopathic, or other additional remedies, besides heavy doses of prednisone, that might help. She still has half her site, so maybe we can find a way for her to keep the rest.
Thank you. All constructive comments welcomed.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Black and White Sunday: Handsome Is, What Handsome Does
Some cats are just so handsome.
Nine has V trained to give him treats any time of the day or night. Not me, I have strict rules about feeding, but V is a softy. Nine is really pushy to the right people and seems to always get a little kibble on the side. Maybe he does know how handsome he is and uses that to his cat-vantage.
Have a wonderful Sunday.
This is part of the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. Thanks to Dachshund Nola and Sugar for hosting.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: Something of Interest
Clearly, Mini Cooper and Nine has discovered something of interest down in the street.
Nothing like a good window to keep cats busy.
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: So Far, Sofie Good
The last few weeks were rocky, but I think Sofie has turned a corner!!!! So Far, Sofie Good.
With the addition of Melatonin to Sofie’s night time medicine, she is making it through without night terrors. Her sucking seems to be up a little, but she is getting more rest (and, of course, so am I).
I have been taking Melatonin for years to help me sleep and when I travel. It never dawned on me that it could help Sofie sleep too. The more I researched it, the more I found that it has been used for noise phobia, thunder phobia, anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy in dogs. And it helps horses and even cats safely. (I am learning about cat Chronic Dysfunction Syndrome (aggression against the owner, strangers, or housemates; inappropriate elimination; increased vocalization; disturbances in the sleep cycle; excessive grooming; and disorientation or confusion), but that is for another post.)
If you search on the word “melatonin” at The Whole Dog Journal you find a list of the following articles:
· “Reducing Your Dog’s Anxieties”
· “Chill Pills”
· “Stop the Panic”
· “Bring In Da Noise”
Why none of my vets, even my holistic vet, ever mentioned adding this to her mix, I don’t know. But I found it and SO FAR, SOFIE GOOD!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Nine is 5!
There has been so much going on that I forgot to tell you all that on Valentine’s Day, our baby boy turned 5 years young.
He is such a good little cat-man.
9 was the last number on his cage at the rescue, and he is our 9th cat, so that is how he became known as “Nine.”
Happy Birthday, Nine!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Happy Birthday, Mr.s Presidents
When Mom was a kid, she used to get both Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays off as school holidays. It is no fair that at some point the Federal government decided to combined them into one holiday instead of two. We want both days off!!!! Happy birthday Mr.s Presidents. We appreciate the February break. At least Mom gets one 3 day weekend. Extra walks = yahooo!! – Louise and Sofie Bear
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: My Pets – My Heart
I am not sure that I would know how to be in the world without the love of my pets. They ground me. They force me to be present and caring. They love me at my lowest, at my highest, and even when I have not brushed my teeth or combed my hair. They keep me honest and they make me smile. I am a better human because of my pets. Thank you Louise, Sofie Bear, Noel, Nine, Stella, and Mini Cooper for letting me be your caretaker. You are my furry heart.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Caturday: Sweetest Heart
Love = Cat = Noel
I cannot imagine a life without cats!
Just another CATDogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo: Why Adding ‘Human Food’ Is So Important
HERE’S WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO ADD FRESH “HUMAN FOOD” TO YOUR PET’S KIBBLE
Today, ninety-six percent of pet owners around the globe are feeding dry commercial pet foods. Of those 96%, there is a large majority that believes dried commercial pet food is really all their pet needs and would never stop to consider the benefits of adding fresh “human food”.
(“Human food” definition in this article: clean sources of meat-based proteins and some organic plant matter, not beer and nachos 😉)
There are many reasons why some of these pet parents feel this way, however the most popular reason today seems to be the 50-year-old rumor that is in existence and still spreading.
You know the one: “Giving your animal table scraps is bad!”
How or when did this terrible rumor start?
Well, if we go back in time, research shows that shortly after the invention of processed pet foods, manufacturers were having a hard time convincing pet parents to make the switch from foods in their refrigerators to their commercial pet foods.
So in 1964, the pet food industry, along with the PFI, joined together with a whole bunch of marketing dollars and launched one of the most influential campaigns the pet world had ever seen: the “Ban All Table Scraps from your Pets’ Bowls” campaign!
Through thousands of newspapers, magazines, and news stations, the public was warned about the dangers of table food scraps or “human food” and the importance of feeding “processed” commercial pet food. From there, the giant smear campaign took off!
Not only did this clever campaign work, but it was so impactful that now, 50 years later, folks are still in fear of offering anything that is not labeled pet food.
SO IS IT A GOOD THING TO ONLY OFFER YOUR PET DRIED KIBBLE?
Not according to ongoing research it isn’t, especially with today’s cancer rates being 1 in 2 dogs!
In a 2005 study conducted at Purdue University on Scottish Terriers, the results showed that adding fresh vegetables to dry commercial kibble actually prevented and/or slowed down the development of transitional cell carcinoma (aka bladder cancer)!
In the study, dogs ate a diet of dry commercial pet food, while some got an assortment of vegetables added to the mix at least 3 times per week.
When the study was concluded, according to the researchers, they weren’t really shocked by the results.
Here’s what they found:
Dogs that ate any green leafy vegetables, like broccoli, had reduced the risk of developing bladder cancer by 90% and the dogs that consumed any yellow – orange vegetables like carrots reduced the risk by 70%!
Seriously! A lousy carrot helped smash the potential of cancer.
( http://ilarjournal.oxfordjournals.org/content/55/1/100.full ) (Raghavan, Knapp, Bonney, 2005) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16013542/
Yes, of course cats are obligate carnivores (must have meat to survive) and our dogs are facultative carnivores (carnivores with omnivorous potential if circumstances demand) so offering clean meat-based protein sources should always be top priority and essential.
However, because today’s world is ever-so changing due to factory farmed livestock being fed genetically modified grains and our planet being contaminated with every type of pesticide, fungicide and larvicide, the importance of fresh, organic plant matter to help detox the body couldn’t be more crucial.
So if the “cancer reducing benefit” doesn’t tickle your fancy enough to convince you to add any “human fresh foods” to your pet’s bowl, then maybe think of it this way:
How bad would it suck if someone forced you to eat dry processed foods your whole lIfe?!
writen by: Rodney Habib – Pet Nutrition Blogger
———————————————————————————-
DogDaz Note: Louise and Sofie get canned veggies, greenbeans (Lulu’s favorite), peas, carrots, and sometimes mixed veggies, with NO SALT. I open the can and rinse the veggies under water, even if it says no salt, because I don’t trust the canning process. Louise likes her veggies mushy. Somedays, they get pumpkin instead.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
DogDaz Zoo 
