Pet First Aid Kit

At long last summer is here! That means you and your pet are becoming more active, you meet more pets out in the street, and the wild animals are out in full force.  Summer is lots of fun, but with all that extra activity, and all those extra animals that you and your pet may run into, the chances of injury increase; that’s why it’s very handy to have  a pet first aid kit either with you, or close to you (ie, in a car) at all times.  If you have one, not only will you be prepared if your own pet gets injured, but you can help other people’s pets, as well as strays and wildlife, if needed.

Before I get into the list, I’d just like to mention that a first aid kit is NOT a substitute for veterinary care; it contains materials that will help keep you and your pet as stable and safe as possible while en route to a veterinary clinic.  Also, I highly recommend taking a pet first aid course so that you know how to use the materials in your First Aid Kit properly.

What you need:

1)Bandage ScissorsàThese scissors have blunted tips which are important because they won’t stab into your pet if your hand happens to slip.  These are not just for bandages; they could be used to cut branches, leashes, seatbelts, or whatever your pet might get stuck on.

2)Tweezers and Tick Twisters

3)Bandage MaterialsàThis includes gauze, Telfa pads, 1” medical tape, roll gauze, and Vetrap.  Gauze is great for absorbing fluids, like blood, but it will stick to the wound if you leave it on, so if you have to bandage something, use Telfa pads.  Telfa pads are absorbent like gauze, but they won’t stick to the wound.

4)Latex Exam GlovesàOr, nitrile gloves if you are allergic to latex.  These gloves not only keep your pet’s wounds free from your germs, but they also protect your hands from your pet’s germs.

5)Rectal Thermometer and LubricantàThermometers are especially important in the summer because heat stroke becomes much more prevalent.  I specify rectal here, because you want to make sure the thermometer has a bendy, soft tip so that it is more comfortable for your pet.  Make sure to coat the tip in lubricant before using it; Vaseline works fine, or you can get small individual packets of a water based lube.  The normal temperature for dogs is between 37.5-39 degrees Celsius; the normal temperature for cats  is between 38-38 degrees Celsius.  Keep a chart of “normals” in your kit as well; after all, if you don’t know what “normal” is, you won’t be able to recognize “abnormal.”

6)Chlorhexidine WipesàThese wipes will help clean the affected area.  I don’t recommend using alcohol wipes because they can really sting, and hydrogen peroxide actually destroys cells, so obviously that’s not something you want to be using on a wound or incision site.

7)Self-activating hot and cold packsàUseful for hyperthermia, and hypothermia.  Be careful not to place the hot pack directly against your pet, because you don’t want to cause burns; have a small towel in your kit to wrap the packs in.

8)Large blanket or Thick TowelàThis is a multi-functional thing that you should not do without! You can dry off wet pets, restrain the angry ones, and use as a stretcher or sling to help you carry the ones who have decreased mobility.

9)Sterile SalineàThis can be used as a flush for both wounds, and eyes.

10)DiphenhydramineàCommonly known as Benedryl, this is a must have for minor allergic reactions, like facial swelling, stemming (most commonly) from bee and wasp stings; take a look at the medicinal ingredients to make sure that Diphenhydramine is the only active ingredient, and take a look at the non-medicinal ingredients to make sure there's no xylitol.  Make sure you are dosing it properly! This means you want to give 2mg per kg of body weight (it’s handy to have a calculator in your kit for figuring this out).  If you see no improvement (or if the condition worsens) in 30 minutes, then you can give another dose.  If there is still no change, see your vet.  For example, let’s say your dog weighs 15kg.  This means that he would need 30mg of Diphenhydramine (2mg/kg X 15kg=30mg).  Then you would take a look at your Diphenhydramine bottle to figure out how many mg are in each pill.  Often it’s 25mg/pill, so you would give your dog 1 pill (30mg / 25mg/pill=1.2, rounded down, to 1 pill).  ***IMPORTANT NOTE: If the allergic reaction your pet is having is causing vomiting, or difficulty breathing, DO NOT TRY AND GIVE IT A PILL!! Take it to the vet IMMEDIATELY***If you have given Diphenhydramine to your pet, remember to tell your vet how much you have already given***

11)Muzzles and LeashesàEven the friendliest, best behaved pet on the planet will bite when it is scared and in pain.  Have both cat and dog muzzles on hand, because it is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.  Your safety is important, too.  Many dogs that have been injured are also frightened, so having a leash on hand is helpful for catching and keeping dogs who may run away from you; don’t use leashes on cats because they will strangle themselves to death trying to escape, use your big blanket or thick towel to catch them instead.

12)Flashlight and extra batteries

13)Cotton swabs

14)Noose LeashàThis is a great way to catch dogs that have no collar.  Do not use this on cats, because they will strangle themselves trying to get out of it.

15)List of phone numbersàThis list should include numbers for your regular vet, emergency vet, animal control, and local SPCA.

16)FortifloraàThis is a lovely little probiotic for when your pooch or kitty has some gastrointestinal upset.  If the symptoms has been going on for longer than 24 hours, bring it your pet into your vet’s office for an exam; if your pet is having diarrhea, bring a sample of that in too, for an analysis.

17)Emergency meds (if your pet needs them)àSome pets are on long term medication to manage their conditions.  Keep some stock in your First Aid Kit in case you run out, or in case you have an emergency.  For example, many people whose pets have epilepsy, have Diazepam on hand just in case their pet has a big seizure.

Boredom and Your Pet (Or: I was going to give you a pig, but I didn't want to boar you...)

~By: Lisa Horne, RAHT

            I just got back from a wild and crazy weekend.  My best friend’s bachelorette party included (among other things) dancing, a late night, and 3 hours at the gun range.  I had a ridiculous amount of fun, but I’m not 19 anymore, and my mind and body can’t bounce back from a lack of sleep and all that punishment like it used to.  As a result, I arrived back home on the Coast extremely tired, and extremely sore, with a whole bunch of laundry to do.  All I wanted to do was to curl up on the couch with some heating pads on my arms and legs, have an eight hour “nap”, wake up, eat, then go to bed for the night.  Lemon, my 10 month old puppy, had other ideas.  She was so excited that we were home, and that it was a beautiful day out, because that usually means a hike, swimming in the ocean, or at the very least, a quick game of fetch at the park.  After all, we hadn’t done much in the last week because I was running around doing some last minute shopping and planning for the party.  She kept bringing toy after toy to the couch, and I couldn’t even throw them for her because my arms were so sore.  Then she decided that jumping on me to start a wrestling match was a good idea, but that didn’t work because I just got angry (mostly because I couldn’t even defend myself at the time).  She looked at me with exasperation in her eyes, heaved a dramatic sigh of frustration, then ran off to chase the cat, to get smacked around by the rabbit, and to grab a few of my socks because that is guaranteed to get me up and chasing her. 

                Now most people would be kicking her outside by this point, but the truth is, I felt bad for her.  After all, I have books, movies, and TV to keep me occupied when I’m in need of a lazy day, but no matter how many toys Lemon has, they are just not entertaining for her unless I’m playing too.  She’s an excellent puppy, but even excellent puppies start to go a little crazy when they’re bored, and after 3 or 4 days of little interaction with me, and even less activity, I really couldn’t blame her for acting out a little. 

Try this experiment: Ask a toddler to lie very still in a room by himself for 8 hours with no games, no books, no TV, and no human interaction.  When you get home, tell the child that he can walk outside for 10 minutes, but then it’s back inside for the night.  Sounds ridiculous, right?  Not only would most people classify that as negligent parenting, but that kid would be bat-crap crazy.  Yet this is often exactly what we ask of our pets, and the resulting boredom can cause emotional stress, as well as both behavioural and health issues in many dogs and cats.      

                How many times have you come home to find that your dog has destroyed a piece of your furniture, a wall, or your clothing?  How many times have you come home to have your cat pounce at you from behind a door to shred your ankles?  Have you come home to a dug up yard, or had a neighbor march over to complain about that damn dog barking all the time?  Maybe your pet is just bored.  When dogs chew and dig, and when cats scratch, we are quick to label those activities as “destructive behaviors”, whereas in reality, they are natural, boredom-alleviating behaviours for our four-legged family members.  Maybe Fido has been chewing on the same Kong for weeks, and has decided that he needs to chew on something else to add a little variety to his life, so he chooses that fun looking chair leg.  Maybe Fluffy has itch to stalk, chase, and kill something, and the only opportunity she gets is when you come home, and those moving legs and feet yours are just too tempting to resist. 

The point is, next time your pet does something damaging, take a step back and think about why that may have happened.  The vast majority of pets are not vindictive creatures; they do not do these things for revenge, or to get back at you for putting one less kibble in the bowl than usual, or for being 5 minutes late to clean the litter box.  Idle time is huge source of mental and emotional stress, and that may result in them doing whatever they can to alleviate that feeling of boredom.   Even if your pets are the best behaved things on the planet, boredom can still affect their health.  Many pets, especially cats, overeat when they are bored, simply because it’s something to do. Obesity is a major problem among our pets, as well as ourselves, and can cause other diseases like diabetes and osteoarthritis.

So what can you do to keep your pets entertained?  If you have a dog, you’ve probably been told that they need at least two 20 minute walks per day, and while that is certainly true, that shouldn’t be the only thing you do with your pooch.  When I come home from a long day at work, and I just don’t feel like walking, I take Lemon to the park and throw the ball for her for 15 minutes; she still gets the exercise she needs, and it’s less work for me when I’m feeling tired.  Learning a new trick or game is another way to keep your buddy entertained; the mental stimulation and the chance to interact with you more is an excellent way to keep Fido feeling sharp.  Don’t have time for more walks or to teach new tricks? Try toys like Puzzle Cubes; these toys enable you to put food or treats in different compartments, and your dog has to figure out how to get them out.  It’s analogous to when we sit down to do a crossword or put a puzzle together; it’s not physically active, but it keeps our minds occupied, and the Puzzle Cubes do the same for your pooch.  “Hang on a second,” you say, “My Frufru has at least 20 toys and she doesn’t play with ANY of them!”  Just like children, dogs can get overwhelmed and overstimulated by having too many toys at once.  Instead of just leaving them all out and letting Frufru pick which one she feels like playing with, put them all away, and take out one or two different ones every day.  If you keep rotating through the toys, it’s like Frufru's getting a “new” one every single day, and that’s more likely to keep her occupied.

All this is well and good for dogs, but what about cats?  I’m a huge advocate for keeping cats indoors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t teach it tricks, use puzzle cubes, or take them for walks.  You most certainly can leash train a cat, although I wouldn’t advise walking it around the block or anything, just in case you run into some dogs that are not cat friendly.  Instead, walk it around your backyard or up and down your driveway; this gets your indoor kitty some much needed exercise, and gives it a chance to explore.  I often put my cat on leash for a jaunt around the yard, and she enjoys it immensely, although usually she elects not to walk, and instead just lays down in a cushy patch of grass and sun; you may not think that laying around outside is any different than laying around inside, but the different surroundings provide her with some mental stimulation and a change of scenery can do wonders (anyone who takes a vacation to somewhere nice will tell you the exact same thing).  Cat toys are an endless source of amusement for both you and your cat; toys like cat dancers, laser pointers, and even wadded up newspaper, tap into your feline’s natural predatory instincts, and if you teach them to play-hunt those toys instead of you, you will both be much happier creatures.  When you are at work, you can still keep your cat’s mental faculties stimulated by spraying catnip on the scratching post every once in a while, and by leaving boxes out so your cat can play hide n’ seek n’ stalk n’ hunt while you are away.  Also, similar to the dogs, puzzle cube toys and toy rotations keep the boredom at bay.  Many people even make a screened outdoor play area on their porch so that their indoor-only kitty, can still go outside and get some fresh air and new scenery whenever they feel like it.

Even if you do every single thing I’ve listed here, there is one toy (for both cats and dogs) that they simply should not go a day without: You.  At the end of the day, no matter how many toys, boxes, puzzle cubes, outdoor areas, or walks they have, the time they have to interact with you directly is precious.  Remember that when you leave your home, you get to interact with co-workers, customers, friends, and family; your pet has nothing and no one to interact with, except perhaps other pets.   I cannot stress the importance of “Play” for both you and your pet; it is relaxing, fun, and increases the bond between you and your beast.  Even if you are bone-tired, you can still sit on the floor and throw a ball, wrestle, or click on the laser pointer and watch your pet’s eyes light up.  For most pets, even the Puzzle Cubes, with their splendiferous reward of food, is nothing compared to playing with their loved ones.

As for Lemon, my housemate was kind enough to take her for a long run; she came back exhausted, and happy.  I should note that I did feel a twinge of guilt.  I was so tired and sore that I just couldn’t find it in me to play with her, even a little bit, but even though she was just as tired as I was after her run, she still brought me her favourite toy and made the effort to play with me before she passed out for the night.        

 

 

The Truth About Dog Kisses

We’ve all heard the line “dog kisses are healing” at some point or another.  The truth is, as therapeutic as it is to have a dog by our side when we are sick or injured, a dog’s tongue is not a medical device.  Some people don’t like being licked, and some people love it; that’s personal preference.  A few years ago, a discovery was made at the University of Florida where they isolated a protein in the saliva of mice called nerve growth factor.  Following this discovery, they found that nerve growth factor (purified and isolated), when applied to wounds, resulted in faster healing times.  There were many conclusions drawn, but the most publicized was “dog kisses heal wounds”.

While I rarely get offended when my patients lick me during appointments, I will never advocate the use of dog saliva as a healing agent.  Firstly, if you were to base your argument on this study, you’d have to have pure isolated nerve growth factor from MOUSE saliva.  I’m not sure where you get that.  Secondly, there have been no studies that actually link dog, cat or human saliva (complete with all its non-nerve growth factor ingredients) to better wound healing.  Thirdly, dog saliva can be potentially pathogenic.   If you still need another great reason not to impregnate a wound with saliva: we live in a lovely world with readily available soap and water.

The dangers in dog saliva are abundant and variable.  They can range from parasites to bacteria to viruses .  If you cultured the saliva of a dog, you would be able to isolate many bacteria populations.  Some of these are pathogenic, some not.  In the case of a normal immune barrier (intact skin and a good immune system) these bacteria are unlikely to cause disease.  In the case of an open wound, or a person with a less competent immune system (the very young, the elderly, people on certain medical therapies), these bacteria can infect a wound.  Aside from the bacteria, it is possible for dogs to pass parasites, perhaps the most common being giardia (“beaver fever”) and roundworms.  Roundworms in particular can result in visceral migration throughout the body (this is one of the main reasons why we recommend internal parasite control programs aka dewormer).  It is highly unlikely for rabies to be present in a dog’s saliva if they are up to date on vaccination and haven’t been exposed to rabies, but licking open wounds is just as dangerous as a bite if a pet had rabies.  These problems are not common, but still possible. 

The best thing you can do to prevent any of these diseases from being transmitted is to wash your hands.  It is also a great idea to discuss your situation with your veterinarian to know what is best for your family.  In medical school, physicians study humans, but in veterinary school veterinarians study animals and public health, so they are the best to discuss this with.

So, as far as cleaning your wounds go, my advice would be the following: If you have a competent immune system, no access to fresh water or soap, and you can’t find a mouse, I suppose a dog kiss would be an OK last resort, but as soon as you get home, I’d wash with soap and water.

Dr. Heather James

P.S.  One of my favourite resources for finding out about common dangers to us from our pets is from Dr. Scott Weese and the University of Guelph.  You can access his website at www.wormsandgermsblog.com

DId you feed the dog spaghetti?

 

Little worms, big trouble.

(Roundworms, round here?)

 

Roundworms are one of the most common parasites in dogs and cats. Seldom seen, but often lurking inside your pets intestines, roundworms are round and light tan in colour. The reason these worms are rarely seen in that the adult worms live inside the intestines and for the most part only their microscopic eggs are passed in stools. We often hear people say that their pet does not need to be dewormed simply because their “stools look normal” and they “haven’t seen any worms in their dog’s stool”. Unfortunately looking at stools with the naked eye is simply not an accurate way to find intestinal worms. Most commonly roundworms are diagnosed from routine stool testing that can be done at your veterinary clinic. A special solution is used to float the eggs and collect them on a microscope slide and they can then be seen under microscope. Rarely, some “lucky” owners will get the pleasure of finding roundworms which have been vomited up onto their floors.

 

Now let’s give you an idea of how common roundworms are. A survey has found that a third (30%) of puppies less than 6 months of age carry roundworms, and that one quarter (25%) of cats are infected with roundworms. Dog and cat roundworm infections are not restricted to certain geographical regions, but are common throughout North America. Raccoons also carry their own type of roundworm which is a little more regional, the West coast being one of the most prevalent areas. Roundworms are therefore a parasite of significant concern to us here on the Sunshine Coast.

 

So how can my pet pick up a roundworm? Puppies and kittens can get roundworms directly from their mothers either in utero (puppies) or while nursing (pups and kittens). Mature dogs and cats in general will pick up roundworms by ingesting eggs from contaminated soil or eating prey species which are infected with roundworms. This may not seem like that much of a threat, especially if you think your pet doesn’t eat other animals stool or eat prey animals. However, roundworm eggs are hardy and can remain infective in the environment for years! Once the eggs have contaminated the soil they can’t be removed or destroyed without extreme measures such as complete removal of topsoil, controlled burns or steam treatment. This makes it easier than you think to pick up a roundworm from the local park, beach or even your own backyard.

In adult dogs and cats the symptoms of roundworm infection are often mild, such as diarrhea with mucous. In puppies and kittens they are more likely to cause slow weight gain, poor hair coat, pot bellies, and severe infections can even cause death.

 

Roundworms are not just a concern to your dog or cat. Roundworms are one of the parasites that can be picked up by humans too! Most commonly it is children who pick up roundworms from playing in contaminated dirt or sandboxes and then ingesting the infective eggs. Roundworm infections in children can be quite severe, causing issues as varied as liver problems, neurologic problems, and eye disease.

 

The best way to prevent infection and spread of roundworm infection is to deworm your pet regularly, have your pet’s stools checked for roundworms, and wash yours and your children’s hands regularly and especially before eating. The current recommendations are to deworm your puppy or kitten from 2 weeks of age at 2 week intervals until they are 6-8 weeks of age, at which time they can be started on a monthly deworming control product. Having a stool sample examined for parasites once or twice a year is recommended even with regular deworming. There are lots of deworming products available to treat roundworms so feel free to give us a call to discuss which product will best meet your pet’s needs.

TERNERSHBERLS!!!

                We’ve been having some gorgeous weather here on the Sunshine Coast, and that means that the trails are rife with roaming Rovers, and the parks are full of frolicking Fidos.  There are few things in this life that I find more contenting than taking my dog, Lemon, through the trails and to the park for some hiking and play-time.  One of Lemon’s favourite games is Fetch, and every time I throw the ball (with my trusty Chuck-It) she explodes into an all-out run that inevitably results in over-shooting the ball, tripping herself into somersaults, and then the triumphant joy on her face when she finally gets a hold of it.  Unfortunately, Lemon doesn’t always understand the last part of that game; sometimes she brings it back to me, but more often she lifts the ball up in the air as if to say “I got it!” only to drop it back on the ground and come running back to me without it.  As a result, and because we often play this game in the bush and by the ocean, we lose a lot of balls.  Lemon gets the Chuck-It Whistle Balls and the Ultraballs, which are not exactly a dime a dozen, so when we lose them, it’s a little frustrating.  Some people tell me to just stop playing in the bush or by the ocean, but seeing as that’s where Lemon has the most fun, I figure that a couple of lost balls is an acceptable consequence.  The other option I am most often presented with is: Just buy tennis balls.  They’re cheap, they float, dogs love them, so why spend extra money on a fancy rubber ball?

                Here’s why: tennis balls are bad for a dog’s teeth, are a possible risk for a foreign body, and are a possible risk for choke. 

                Now what on earth could a tennis ball do to a dog’s teeth?  It’s soft and squishy, so there’s no risk of tooth breakage, and it’s covered in fuzzy stuff, just like any other toy.  Right? Wrong! The fuzzy covering on a tennis ball is there for several reasons, but the main one that concerns us here is: Friction.  Tennis ball fuzz is very coarse and helps the racket “grip” the ball for better control; dimples on a golf ball provide the same effect.  That same fuzz that helps grip the racket can also act like sandpaper on your dog’s teeth.  This isn’t something that will happen overnight, but over the course of several months or years (depending on your dog’s chewing style) the teeth will wear down until the pulp becomes exposed.  The picture on the left shows a relatively mild case.  The pulp of the tooth is where the blood supply and nerves live, so if that becomes exposed, it can be painful, and it can provide oral bacteria with direct access to the blood stream which puts Fido at risk for local infections (like tooth abscesses) and systemic infections (like septicemia).

Tennis balls are also relatively fragile, and dogs have very strong jaws, so it’s pretty easy for a determined chewer to rip the ball to pieces.  If the dog can rip it to pieces, he may also decide to swallow it, and that piece of tennis ball is indigestible.  Instead of getting broken down in the digestive tract like food does, it will pass through intact, and may end up getting stuck in the intestinal tract somewhere.  This is a very serious condition that requires emergency (and life-saving) surgery.  The picture on the right shows half of a tennis ball that was swallowed whole, and is now stuck in the intestines.  Even if the dog is unable to actually rip a tennis ball apart, they can still compress it in their mouths and that may result in choke.  If the compressed ball pops open in the back of the throat it can become lodged there, and cut off the airway resulting in respiratory distress and death.

So does this mean you should run home right away and have a big bonfire in your backyard to get rid of any trace of these menacing tennis balls and their diabolical green fuzz?  Of course not.  You just need to be smart about it.  Make the tennis ball exclusively for the game of fetch; this means the dog runs, picks it up, brings it back, and drops it in front of you.  There should be no games of “keep away” and it should not be an unsupervised chew toy.  Make sure the tennis ball is an appropriate size for your dog.  It’s unlikely that Floofy the Pomeranian will be able to rip a tennis ball apart or aspirate it, but Butch the English Mastiff could easily do both those things, so make sure the tennis ball (or any toy for that matter) is size appropriate.    

A better alternative is to replace your tennis balls with Kong, Chuck-It, or otherwise dog-friendly, size appropriate toys.  Yes, you may be cringing a bit when your pooch loses something that is more expensive than a tennis ball, but it will be better for your dog's well-being in the long run.  As for me, I will continue to buy and lose the Ultraball for the ocean because it floats and is super bouncy, and the Whistle balls for the park because…well, because they whistle when you throw them, and when you have a dog with radar dishes for ears, it’s really amusing to see the ears follow the ball before the rest of the dog does.

Lemon seems to think that whenever she loses a ball, that it magically comes back to me… ~By: Lisa Horne, RAHT

 

Bully for You!

Are you feeding your dog bully sticks as a treat? Do you know what they are? More importantly, do you know how these treats fit into a healthy diet?

Bully sticks are a popular treat for dogs but few people know what they’re made of. They are actually the uncooked, dried penises (Penii? Penes?) from bulls and steers. You read that right! You’re feeding your dog a dried penis.

If that makes you squeamish, go wash your hands and then consider the fact that dogs are notorious for eating nasty things and rolling in dead animals, not to mention licking their own “privates” as a hobby.  So the fact that a dog readily eats a bull’s dried penis is not that incredulous. What is amazing is the amount of calories packed into those 6 inches of deliciousness (yuck!).

Researchers from the University of Guelph and the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tuffs University recently published a study in the Canadian Veterinary Journal that states bully sticks are not a skinny treat, despite all appearances. In testing over 26 different sticks purchased in the US and Canada, the average product contained 8 to 22 calories per inch of treat, amounting up to 88 calories per 6-inch stick.

Although this was a very small (ahem) study of just 26 treats,  veterinarians and pet food stores cannot guarantee that bully sticks are a healthy treat for your pet.  Regardless of the joy experienced in these 6-inch treats, they really pack a dense punch:  9 percent of a 50-pound dog’s daily caloric requirement and a whopping 30% of a 10 pound dog’s daily calorie needs in just one stick. The pleasure may not be worth the pain, especially considering the wide-spread incidence of obesity.

The study also looked at bacterial contaminants present in these types of treats. They found that of the 26 sticks tested, one stick contained Clostridium difficile and another, the dreaded methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (known as MRSA).  If these contaminants sound bizarre, perhaps you’re more familiar with e-coli. Several dried penis treats contained e-coli, with more than one being resistant to tetracycline; an antibiotic commonly used in both human and veterinary medicine.

A safer bet would be to “abstain” from the bully sticks and offer your dog a veterinarian-approved low calorie cookie that has been produced in strict accordance with health and safety guidelines. Ask your veterinarian about safe treats that are still fun to eat.

 

By: Jennifer Cates, AHT

                                                                                                                                                                                          

It's become a dirty word....

~ By: Lisa Horne

Today I’m going to talk about something that has become a very sensitive subject.  It’s become one of the dirtiest four letter words that you can say, even worse for you to eat, and it starts with a “C”.  Here it comes:

Corn.

So many people these days are up in arms about corn being in their pet’s food.  “It’s just filler!” they say.  “It’s a very common cause of allergies!” they say.  “Corn is not appropriate for carnivores!” they say. 

Well, luckily, I’m here to speak out in defense of the much maligned maize and it’s commendable kernels.

Common Misconceptions about Corn:

1)    Corn is not digestible.

Everyone knows about “corn poops” so most people assume carnivores and omnivores cannot break down the grain during the digestive process, and therefore, cannot benefit from its nutrients; however, in dog and cat food, the kernel is already broken down by grinding during the manufacturing process.  This means that the parts of the kernel (the germ, starch, gluten, etc.) are accessible and readily digestible.  In fact, when broken down, the corn is over 90% digestible!

2)    The incidence of food allergy to corn is high.

This is false.  Studies on food allergies (and not just the ones performed by the veterinary pet food companies) show that corn is equivalent to, or less allergenic, than other proteins such as beef; chicken allergies are actually more common than corn allergies.  Food allergies are responsible for less than 1% of all dermatological conditions in pets, so don’t be so quick to blame the grains and corn; environmental allergies are a much more common cause.

3)    Corn is just a cheap filler.

False again! Fillers have absolutely no nutritional value, but corn has many!  The germ of the corn is a source of essential fatty acids, like Omega 6, which promotes a healthy coat and skin.  It’s a good source for Vitamin A and B which are involved in healthy vision, skin regeneration, and the enhancement of immune and nervous system function.  Amino acids, which are the building blocks for protein, are also found in corn; these are used to support muscle mass, growth, and immune system function.  Methionine, an amino acid found in corn, is also a natural urinary acidifier which can reduce the likelihood of struvite crystal and stone formation.  Antioxidants are big in the nutritional news these days because of their ability to reduce damage caused by free radicals and to support ocular health; these are also found in corn!  Corn is also an excellent source of fibre which, among other things, promotes gastrointestinal health and motility.  Last but not least, corn is rich in essential minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, and selenium, which are required for maintaining skin integrity, bone and cartilage quality, and cellular function.  Clearly, corn has a lot more to offer a diet than any filler.

4)    Carnivores don’t do well on a high grain diet.

Believe it or not, this is also false.  The definition of a carnivore is not “eats only meat”; it’s an animal that requires certain nutrients in their diet that are more commonly found in animal sources.  This means that if the nutrients can be found in less common sources (ie, corn and grains), then the animal can be maintained very nicely.  Many all meat diets are unbalanced and can lead to vitamin and mineral excesses and deficiencies, which can result in both organ dysfunction and orthopedic problems, and an all grain diet can result in the same thing.  I can still hear the outcry: "But dogs are descended from wolves and that means they're meant to eat only meat!".  If we go by that logic, then that  means that humans should eat only meat as well, because we are descended from Neanderthals who subsisted on a mostly meat diet.  If we go by this logic, then vegetarians and vegans shouldn't be able to exist, yet many of them not only continue to exist, but they thrive!  The key here is balance and moderation.  Almost any food can be detrimental if eaten to excess or if cut out of a diet completely.

Clearly, corn is not the devil hiding in the diets that people make it out to be.  Instead, it is a highly nutritious, valuable ingredient that is a great building block for your pet’s nutritional health.

Please, can’t we give corn a chance?