Twitterview with Dr Patrick Mahaney on Going Green

May 3rd, 2012

Who better to host our Earth Month Twitterview than Dr. Patrick Mahaney, a holistic veterinarian who started California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness (CPAW) and is part of the Veterinary Cancer Group, an integrative veterinary medicine practice for  dogs and cats in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Patrick also writes a veterinary column and connects to animal aficionados worldwide through Q & A, videos, radio interviews, and Twitterviews this one. 

 

.@PatrickMahaney  Lets get started. Thanks so much for joining us today for an #EarthMonth chat, Dr. Patrick! #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q1 For pet owners that may not be aware of what “greenwashing” is – can you explain? How do YOU define “green”? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A1 #greenpetchat I define “green” as a lifestyle approach with maximal emphasis placed on minimizing daily exposure to toxins

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q2 What do you hear from clients are their biggest issues with looking for #green #pet products? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A2 #greenpetchat Understanding what products and ingredients are safe or potentially toxic for pets and why

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q3 You’re big on healthy #pet food. What should people be looking for where food is concerned? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A3  #greenpetchat Pet owners should focus on providing human grade based whole foods lacking pet-grade ingredients

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q4 If you have to shop the #pet food aisle at the grocery store, what’s your best bet? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A4 #greenpetchat If “stuck” w/pet foods, pick canned options lacking protein & carbohydrate meals, by-products, preservatives

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q5 How important is it to start your #dog or #cat on an organic food product at an early age? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A5 #greenpetchat I feel human grade & whole food is more important than organic & start during puppy- or kittenhood

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q6 What advice would you give to pet owners that are thinking of making their own pet food? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A6 #greenpetchat Work w/their vet to do a Univ CA Davis Veterinary Nutritional Support Services consultation. Worth the $$

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q7 Let’s talk shampoo. What should #pet owners be looking for where coat-care products are concerned? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A7 #greenpetchat Buy shampoo lacking fragrances, colors, sodium laurel sulfate (foaming agents), insecticides, steroids, etc

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q8 What issues have you observed as the result of NOT using an natural #pet shampoo product? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A8 #greenpetchat Salivation, vomit, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy result from shampoo ingestion/absorption via skin

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q9 How important is an eco-friendly #pet bed? What should people look for? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A9 #greenpetchat Beds made w/fabrics lacking toxic chemicals, including fire retardants, formaldehyde, phthalates, PVC, BPA

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q10 How can pet owners go green with their #pet bed without spending lots of money? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A10 #greenpetchat Comparison shop on-line or ask for referral for best prices from eco-minded pet stores

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q11 For pet owners making a change 2 green products, should they be worried about how their pets will adjust? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A11 #greenpetchat Watch for signs of illness (vomit, salivation, decr appetite, etc) in pets w/any product use or change

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q12 Should #pet owners also be considering green pet toys? Are mass-produced toys dangerous? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A12 #greenpetchat Choose non-toxic, natural material pet toys made in USA.  Mass produced toys possibly contain toxins.

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q13 Why is it so important to use green #pet products? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A13 #greenpetchat As diseases are multifactorial in their origins, reduce amounts of toxins entering or being applied to pets

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q14 What is the most important type of green product every #pet owner should have? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A14 #greenpetchat Always provide pet foods made from human grade, whole foods & fresh water lacking toxic chemicals

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q15 What is your best advice for #pet owners who want to go green, but don’t know where to start? #greenpetchat

.@CleanAndGreen A15 #greenpetchat Start by looking at your pet’s food & treat labels to eliminate pet-grade ingredients & non-USA made products

 

Simon and Quincy

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Green Pet Chat – 15 Answers on Housetraining Your Pet

January 20th, 2012

It’s important to house train our  pets properly as we introduce them into our homes.  The more work we do up front, the more we can enjoy our pets rather than cleaning up after them.  With this in mind, we asked Dr. Patrick Mahaney if he would share his experience and insights into house training.

I want to introduce Dr. Patrick to you before we start the Twitterview.  Dr. Patrick  is a Univeristy of Pennsylvania trained veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist.   He advises clients on pet-safe environmental changes,  recommends dietary modifications, prescribes medications, dispense supplements and Chinese herbs. He also  makes house calls with the emphasis on pain management through acupuncture and musculoskeletal therapy. You can find out more about Dr. Patrick  via his blog http://www.patrickmahaney.com/blog/ or follow him @patrickmahaney.
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@CleanAndGreen Twitterview with @PatrickMahaney (@CleanAndGreen in bold)

 

.@CelebrityPetNws Lets get started – thanks so much for joining us today, Dr. Patrick! #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q1 Housetraining – everyone does it differently! What are your best tips for housetraining a new #pet? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA1 My tips for #housetraining are create consistent patterns & reward good bathroom behavior w/praise/treats. #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q2 Gr8 advice! What do you hear from clients are their biggest issues with housetraining their pets? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA2 Clients report greatest #housetrainingchallenge is not knowing how to train #pets from positive perspective#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q3 It can be frustrating! When should a #petowner be concerned about their pet “going” in the house?#greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA3 Owner should be concerned if #pet fails on path to appropriate #housetraining by having consistent bad days.#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q4 How can you tell when it is just a behavioral issue (vs. a medical issue)? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA4 Behavioral issues are diagnosis of exclusion when #medical problems are ruled out (fecal & urine testing).#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q5 What are some of the reasons for this type of behavior? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA5 #Pet owners not making time/effort to establish#housetraining patterns, refusing to crate train, etc #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q6 What are some ways to get the behavior to stop? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA6 Give praise/food treat to positively reinforce urinating & defecating in desired location (OUTSIDE). #greenpetchat#vet

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q7 For the millions of us who have #cats - what are some of the concerns around housetraining a #kitten ?#greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA7 Fortunately, #cat have instinct to urinate/defecate in private locations, like litter box, & to cover waste.#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q8 Do #cats have similar issues to #dogs in terms of how behavior issues affect their “housetrained” status?#greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA8 Yes, #cats have #behavior probs causing#housetraining #fail. Infrequent litter box cleaning, overcrowding#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q9 What are some of the medical issues at play when a #pet has trouble with #housetraining ? #greenpetchat

 

CleanAndGreenA9 #Medical reasons #pet #housetraining #failinclude gastrointestinal #parasites, food intolerance, urinary AbNs#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q10 Are there different issues for #cats than there are for #dogs? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA10 Yes, #cats/#dogs have different reasons for#housetraining #fail, but also can have similar/identical prob.#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q11 What can pet owners do to help address those issues? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA11 Schedule an exam w/#veterinarian, perform diagnostic testing, explore medical/behavioral treatment options.#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q12 Is there anything owners of younger #petscan do to help curb these problems early on? #greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA12 Yes, owners of juvenile #pets should start#housetraining ASAP & be consistent with commands & praise#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q13 Some of us have older pets, what are some of the causes around incontinence? #greenpetchat

 

A13 Urinary & fecal incontinence can be caused by loss of muscle strength/control, generalized weakness, arthritis pain, etc#greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q14 One of our team members has a dog with a weak bladder who leaks. What can they do to help the problem?#greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA14 Female spayed #dogs having #urinaryincontinence can benefit from #veterinary prescribed meds (DES, PPA). #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Q15 If u could tell everyone that is reading one thing to watch out for with housetraining, what would it be?#greenpetchat

 

.@CleanAndGreenA15 Re: #housetraining, if #pet repeat urinate/defecate in undesirable location, there’s often #medicalreason! #greenpetchat

 

.@PatrickMahaney I believe you have saved some good boys and girls some scolding! Thanks so much for your time, Dr. Patrick!#greenpetchat

 

.@cleanandgreen My pleasure! Anything to help #dog & #cats have better relationship w/owners. I love @CleanAndGreen products.#GreenPetChat

 

.@PatrickMahaney Thank you so much! Have a wonderful day. :-) #greenpetchat

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Thank you Dr. Patrick!

Simon and Quincy 

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Happy 2012 – Visit Your Shelter and Adopt!

January 3rd, 2012

Happy New Year to all!  May the 2012 be a better for you and your human and pet family!

Now that all the presents have been opened and the holiday celebrations have passed, it is now time to turn to helping our pets once again.  As usual, the holiday’s are a time when people buy pets as gifts, only to return  them when they realize they’re not prepared to care for them.

As we know after adopting Simon, pets are traumatized when when they return to shelter cages, but  they can adapt to new home.   So, if you have been planning to bring a new pet into your home, this is the best time ever…and you’ll be helping to save a pet.

Happy New Year!

Quincy and Simon

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Loving and Lovable Pets!

December 19th, 2011

USA Today had the following headline, “Are Americans crazy for treating our pets like kids?” The writer also followed this up with the question, ” Is there something, well, weird about that?”

In the article, it also sited a Kelton Research survey commissioned by Milo’s Kitchen pet treats, that reported the following:

•81% regard their pets as full members of the family.

•58% call themselves their pets’ “mommy” or “daddy.”

•77% buy pets birthday gifts.

•More than half say they talk about pets more than politics or sex.

Treating pets like family is “especially pervasive … among empty nesters, singles and/or childless, and the homebound,” says Waco, Texas, psychologist Julia Becker. Those groups are growing because we’re living longer, and also because so many people aren’t having children. Her feeling about pet obsessions: “It’s fun for the people who do it. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Well, I am a mom with five human children and 1 dog child (Simon)…and I can say that these folks either don’t have kids and/or pets when they ask why pets are treated as one of the family.
Here is why Simon is treated as one of my favorite children:
  • Simon is always happy to see his Mom.  I can’t say that for the rest of my kids.
  • Simon never complains. I can’t say this for the rest of my kids.
  • Simon takes direction without a lot of argument.  I can’t say this for the rest of my kids.
  • Simon is grateful whenever he receives treats or presents. I can’t say this for the rest of my kids.
  • Simon always wants to be with his Mom.  Once my kids became teenagers, they didn’t want to be seen with us parents!
  • …and the list goes on.

And people wonder why we treat our pets like one of our children!  They love us all time…even when they are teenagers.

Quincy

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Simon’s Cone

December 6th, 2011

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Mad Cat?

December 5th, 2011

Do you know the difference between cat urination and spraying? You should cause it will give you a hint on what to do to stop it.

One way you can tell the difference is  by how and where cats deposit the urine or spray.  When cats urinate for elimination reasons, they normally do it on a flat surface like the ground or in a litterbox. When cats spray, they turn their backsides to the object, twitch their tails and spray urine on the vertical surface, usually at another cat’s nose level.

Cat spray smells much worse than just cat urine because it is a combination of cat urine and pheramones.  Cats produce pheromones on their mouths, chin, face, cheeks, ears, paw pads, anal area, and upper surface of the tail. They use pheramones to mark their territory;  when your cats rub up against you, or  furniture he is actually leaving a little trace of pheromones that say, ‘this is mine’, in a friendly way.

Spraying is a common way for male cats to release pheromone to say ’stay out!’   Male cats will mark the outside perimeter of their territory so as to section off the area that they will find a mate in.  Female cats  in heat will spray to attract a male.  Spaying or neutering your cat should be enough to stop him/her from spraying in this case.

Cats can spray due to illness. So before you start trying to correct spraying from a behavioral standpoint you may want to take your cat to the vet to rule out any sort of health problem that could be the culprit.

Cats also spray when they are stressed (e.g. new home, change in schedule, leaving them for a long time,  etc.) or the need to dominate or to stack his or her territory (e.g. a new pet in the house, a new baby in the house, etc.)

So, knowing the difference between urinating (accidents) and spraying can help you determine what to do to stop the problem!

Quincy

 

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A Dog’s Body Language – Don’t Approach!

December 2nd, 2011

I just read an article by Lilly Pritchard,  a dog trainer which made me stop and think.

When I see other dogs, I always ask the owner if it is okay to pet his or her dog.  Once they give me the okay, I proceed.  But, do I always wait for the dog to come to me before approaching?  On this, I have to say not all the time.

Owners sometimes don’t know the signs that their dog is stressed.  So here are the obvious and not so obvious signs for owners and those of us who love to interact with other people’s dogs:

What does a stressed dog look like:

Obvious signs:  Hiding from you.  Tail tucked.  Snapping.  Lunging.  Biting.

Not so Obvious signs:  Body weight shifting to the back legs. Yawning.  Lip licking.  Panting.  Drooling.  Dilated pupils, Lowered ears.  Lowered head. Sweaty pads.

Quincy

 

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Overweight Kids & Pets in the US

November 30th, 2011

According to a story in Slate, official’s  in Ohio’s Cuyahoga County  removed an eight year-old boy from his family’s home last month because they considered his mother’s inability to get the child’s ballooning weight under control a form of medical neglect.  The boy was over 200 pounds, more than triple the 60 pounds that government growth charts deem a healthy weight for boys his age. He is at risk for diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and high blood pressure. 

The mother says , “ “Of course I love him. Of course I want him to lose weight. It’s a lifestyle change, and they are trying to make it seem like I am not embracing that. It is very hard, but I am trying.”

Now, I know that trying to put your child on a diet is really difficult, especially when your child will not cooperate; I know, my mother tried with me when I was ten and 50 lbs overweight.  It wasn’t until I decided to lose the weight (at 12) that it actually happened.

This article made me think about the overweight dogs and cats in the US.  Did you know that 50% of US dogs and cats are overweight?   It isn’t healthy for them and causes all sorts of health problems….Now, it is much easier for us to control the weight of our pets because they can’t really sneak food for themselves.

So for all you pet caretakers out there with overweight dogs and cats, what will you say when asked why your pet is overweight? Will you say, “Of course I love him. Of course I want him to lose weight. It is very hard, but I am trying?”

Quincy

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10 Most Common Toxicoses in Dogs – #10 Hydrocarbons

November 29th, 2011

Here is # of 10 for the 10 Most Common Toxicoses in Dogs – Hydrocarbons

Hydroc10arbons are in numerous products, including paints, varnishes, engine cleaners, furniture polish, lighter fluid, lamp oils, paint removers, and fuel oil (e.g. acetone, xylene, kerosene, gasoline, naphtha, mineral oil). GI signs such as vomiting and diarrhea are common in dogs ingesting hydrocarbons. Mild to moderate eye irritation and reversible ocular injury may occur after contact with most hydrocarbons.1 Acute but prolonged skin exposure to some hydrocarbons can result in dermal burns and, occasionally, systemic effects.

Low-viscosity, highly volatile hydrocarbons (e.g. those found in kerosene, gasoline, liquid furniture polish) are aspiration hazards. Pulmonary damage, transient CNS depression or excitement, hypoxia, inflammation, and, potentially, secondary infection (pneumonia) can occur. Hepatic and renal damage have been reported from a percentage of both experimental and field cases of hydrocarbon poisoning. Some hydrocarbons are also apparently capable of sensitizing the myocardium to endogenous catecholamines, resulting in arrhythmias and even complete cardiovascular collapse.

This information is from the “Toxicology Brief” ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Bottomline – Hydrocarbons are not only bad for the environment, but they are bad for our dogs!  Keep these locked away or sealed and use natural, green products in the house.

Simon and Quincy


10

Because of
the risk of aspiration, emesis is contraindicated in patients ingesting products
containing hydrocarbons. Dilution can be recommended. To treat topical exposure,
bathe the dog with a liquid dishwashing detergent. Flush the eyes copiously with
saline in cases of ocular exposure. Closely monitor patients for aspiration
pneumonia, particularly in vomiting dogs.16 Treatment is supportive
and symptomatic .

 

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FDA Issues Warning about Chicken Jerky Products

November 23rd, 2011

The FDA sent out an alert about Chicken Jerky products from China a few days ago.

Here is the alert:

FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.

FDA, in addition to several animal health diagnostic laboratories in the U.S., is working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. FDA’s Veterinary Laboratory Response Network (VLRN) is now available to support these animal health diagnostic laboratories. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA continues extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified a contaminant.

So, if your Mom gives you a chicken jerky treat, don’t eat it…I know that is going to be hard but better to be safe than sorry!

Simon

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