Welcome to DogAware.com!

DogAware.com exists to pass along what I've learned in more than a decade spent investigating canine nutrition and health. See below for Updates, News, and Seminars.

Information is divided among the following sections:

Diet offers information ranging from how to select the best commercial foods to homemade diets, both raw and cooked. Included are sections on supplements, adding fresh foods to a commercial diet, and raw food resources.
Health offers information on a variety of different health problems, focusing primarily on the use of diet and supplements, but providing additional tips such as new therapies. The sections on kidney disease and arthritis are especially detailed, as these are problems I've faced with my own dogs and to which I've devoted a great deal of time and effort learning as much as I possibly can about them.
Articles are ones I've written for the Whole Dog Journal on the topics of both diet and health. I also wrote the Cook's Corner column for Dog World magazine from January to December 2010. The column focuses on issues related to homemade diets. Copies of my articles and columns are posted on my web sit six months after publication.
Shopping provides links to places where I've found good products, service and prices for dog food, supplements, medications and supplies.
More Info includes Contact information, my About page, the K9Nutrition FAQ, and Useful Links.

I welcome feedback and am also willing to answer questions as best I can about your dogs. If you have any problems, questions, suggestions or comments, please

Updates

The May issue of Whole Dog Journal is out. It includes New Guides in Town, a short article I wrote about upcoming changes to AAFCO nutrient guidelines, which will be posted here in November 2013.

The April issue of Whole Dog Journal has an article I wrote about marijuana and dogs called Dogs Going to Pot? It talks about both potential toxicity issues from accidental ingestion, and the possible use of medical marijuana for pets. It will be posted on my site in October 2013. If you need information on medical marijuana before then, see Enlightened Veterinary Therapeutics.

The March issue of Whole Dog Journal has two short news items from me, which will be posted here September 2013:

The December issue of Whole Dog Journal is out with my article on the MDR1 mutation, Dogs with a Drug Problem. Learn how this mutation affects more than just Collies, and involves other drugs, not just ivermectin. The article will be posted to my site in May 2013, but let me know if you need to see it before then.

New items added recently:

Senior Supplements New supplements to help dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction.
Supplement Series: Probiotics, Prebiotics, Digestive Enzymes, Proteolytic Enzymes, Fish Oil, and Plant Oils .
Share the Feast Thanksgiving recipes for dogs.
The Best Treatment for Canine Lipomas (co-authored with CJ Puotinen)
Jerky Treats (and Others) Still Making Dogs Ill
Novartis Drug Shortages Continue
Hypothyroidism in Dogs, an article I wrote with CJ Puotinen.
Canine Diabetes and Diet and Diabetes, two articles I wrote with CJ Puotinen.
Cushing's Disease in Dogs and Addison's Disease: The Great Pretender, two articles I wrote with CJ Puotinen.
New Flea and Tick Products Hit the Market

Book reviews now available! All of my homemade diet book reviews written for the Whole Dog Journal are now available,

I've created a Facebook page for my web site. "Like" this page to find out when new articles or seminars are posted or any major changes to the web site are made.

News

Doxycycline is in short supply as of the Spring of 2013. Minocycline may be an effective replacement for treatment of heartworm infection and tick disease. More info:

Urgent action alert for California residents: A proposed amendment to lower the required age for rabies vaccinations from 4 months to 3 months in California passed the Assembly unanimously on April 25, 2013. It has now gone to the Senate. It is important to get the word out, and to contact your state senator and ask them to oppose this bill. See the Rabies Challenge Fund for more information, including how to find your state senator.

Vetsulin is back! Most authorities consider Vetsulin, known as Caninsulin outside the USA, to be the initial insulin of choice for treatment of dogs with diabetes mellitus. Manufacturing problems that go back to 2009 led to the FDA having it withdrawn from the U.S. market. These issues have finally been resolved and the FDA has approved the drug for release. It should be available by 4/24/13. More info: Vetsulin Insulin Updated and Approved For Release in USA

Another recall of Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables (heartworm preventative) in April 2013 due to product stability issues. Dogs at the top end of the weight range for the product may not be protected. See Virbac Recalls Six Lots of Iverhart Plus Flavored Chewables for more information. Also see information about a prior recall for the same problem in 2009: Iverhart Plus Recall.

Last year's drought is likely to lead to higher levels of aflatoxin, a dangerous mold byproduct, in corn. The first recall due to aflatoxin occurred in February 2013, and there will likely be more. Avoiding foods that contain corn will help to protect your dogs from this toxin. See the following for more information:

Updates on Cushing's Disease:

Low-Dose, Twice-Daily Trilostane Treatment for Dogs with Hyperadrenocorticism
A study published in 2011 found that giving smaller doses of Trilostane twice a day worked equally well while causing fewer side effects.

Bigger dogs may need less trilostane to control hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's Disease)
A study published in 2012 found that larger dogs may need less trilostane for their weight in order to control Cushing's disease.

See my article on Cushing's Disease for more information.

Omega-3 Fats May Help with Weight Loss in Pets
Recent studies in both humans and dogs have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, found in fish oil, promote weight loss and help dieters feel more satisfied. I recommend giving an amount of fish oil that provides about 300 mg EPA and DHA combined per 20 to 30 pounds of body weight daily.

ALERT Vets warn of new treats from China poisoning dogs
It's not just chicken jerky -- now dried sweet potato treats imported from China may be making dogs ill as well. There is even speculation that the problems may extend to pig ears and cat treats from China as well.
Also, Susan Thixton at Truth About Pet Food has uncovered some interesting information about melamine and a possible link to jerky treats that have been making dogs very ill: Is it Melamine Again? Also see my Recall page for background information.

California Spay and Neuter Specialty License Plate Program to provide funding for free and low-cost spay and neuter surgery programs across California are available for preorder. Cost is $50, with $40 going to the fund, all of which will be used for spay/neuter services (not overhead). As of February 2013, they have reached th 7,500 pre-orders needed to start the program. See The California Pet Lover's License Plate for more information.

See News Archive for additional news items.

Seminars and Talks

See Dog Seminars Directory and Puppyworks for listings of dog seminars on various topics around the world.

Acknowledgements

Eternal gratitude to web site designer extraordinaire , who got me started with Dreamweaver and helped spice up my web site design with color and graphics.

Thanks to Terry Journey, Wind Dancer Design, for my logo and banners.

Thanks to Nancy Kerns, editor of the Whole Dog Journal, for allowing me to use some of her wonderful photographs on my site.

Thanks to award-winning professional pet photographer Pam Biasotti, You Had Me at Woof Photography, for allowing me to use her wonderful images of my dog, Ella.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me. My name is Mary Straus and you can email me at either or