Dear JB,

I thought this question was going to be an easy one but then I searched the internet to get a feel for the topic and wow, there are lots of different opinions out there. Here are the facts as set forth by the NRC Nutrient Requirement of Dogs and Cats (the “bible” of feeding pets):

The discovery of biotin as an essential nutrient for animals was intimately linked with the demonstration that certain food extracts were able to reverse a condition produced by the feeding of raw egg white. Egg white contains a glycoprotein avidin that very tightly binds biotin, is resistant to intestinal proteolysis, and is biologically inactive. One molecule of avidin binds four molecules of biotin, and even heat treatment releases only 0-10% of the bound biotin. Spontaneous biotin deficiencies rarely occur in dog and cats in the absence of a diet containing raw egg white.

What this tells me is that feeding raw eggs (or at least raw egg whites) is NOT a good thing for dogs. In fact, feeding raw eggs could cause the very thing you’re trying to prevent by binding an essential nutrient (biotin) that dogs need for healthy skin and coat.

So my advice is to steer away from eggs and towards products that contain ingredients proven to support resilient skin and shiny coats such as fatty acids, gelatin (a source of protein), and biotin, a vitamin necessary for protein production. Take a look at our new SmartCanine Skin & Coat, which offers a correct balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids from a blend of fish oil, flax seed, olive oil and rice bran.

Of course, make sure you’re feeding your dog a high-quality, complete and balanced diet appropriate for his lifestage. Then include regular grooming and not too much bathing so you don’t strip his coat of healthy and protective oils. With attention like this to the inside and outside of your dog, he’ll be slick and shiny in no time!

Dear LB

Regular readers of this blog are probably tired of me covering this topic, but as long as I’m still getting questions about it, I’m still going to answer them.

You’ve probably heard the saying “cats are not little dogs.” Well, dogs are not little horses (but wouldn’t they be cute?) What I mean by that is that dogs should be given dog products, cats should be given cat products and horses should be given horse products. There are a couple of reasons why I take such a firm stand:

1. Toxicity—while dogs, cats and horses (and us) all have basically the same systems, there are a few differences in the way we metabolize certain compounds that mean a therapeutic substance in one species is a poison in another. Take Tylenol (acetaminophen) for example. Works great on people but is fatal in cats. Onions are the same way. The sweetener in gum (xylitol) can be life-threatening in dogs. So can grapes.

2. Dosing– a powder concentrated for a 1000lb horse might only require a scoop (two or three tablespoons) to have a benefit. Unless you have a pharmaceutical grade scale that measures in grams, it would be almost impossible to dose your dog correctly (especially a small breed like yours).

3. Formulation—a powder flavored with something attractive to horses like apple or cherry, or a pellet made from alfalfa or beet pulp on dog food may not get eaten. It makes more sense to stick with a treat or chew tab that has a yummy beef or liver flavor that most dogs love.

My advice is to choose a glucosamine/chondroitin product from among the many made specifically for our canine friends. SmartPak has just launched its own line of supplements for dogs, including SmartCanine Joint and SmartCanine Joint Ultra. But we also carry quality products from Nutramax, such as their popular Cosequin line, as well as the Glycoflex line by Vetri-Science, Grand Meadows products for dogs and many others. I’m sure you can find something your dog will love among these!

Dear KM,

You don’t say how old your puppy is, but if you’re beginning to think about switching her over to adult food she’s probably close to 12 months old. That means she’s already done most of her growing and less at risk for developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) like hip dysplasia. So I think you’re fine to gradually transition her to LiveSmart Chicken and Brown Rice Adult over the usual two-week period or so.

Before today, I wouldn’t even have mentioned DOD in a breed like a bulldog because I don’t think of them as a large or giant breed dog prone to growth disorders. The classic definition of a large-breed dog is one whose mature body weight exceeds 50lbs. American Bulldogs are right on the cusp of that so they should be okay, right?

Unfortunately, I did some digging and found some shocking statistics at www.offa.org, the website of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a not-for-profit dedicated to reducing genetic disease in dogs and cats. According to the OFA, who has maintained a database of test results for 40 years, the American Bulldog ranks #9 for elbow dysplasia and #16 for hip dysplasia (additional genetic diseases of the bulldog involve the spine and trachea). While the roles that genetics, nutrition, exercise and other factors play in developmental orthopedic disease are still unclear, a conservative diet is probably the smart way to go in your dog.

A conservative diet is one that doesn’t overdo the energy, calcium and Vitamin D. It’s also one that is not fed free-choice or time-limited. To quote from the “Nutritional Risk to Large-Breed Dogs” chapter in the November 2006 issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America—Small Animal Practice:

“Quantities of food offered should be consistently measured, divided, and offered at multiple feeding times.”

You may already be purchasing your food in PortionPaks, our unique feeding system. If not, I recommend you make the switch from bags to PortionPaks to protect her from overeating, which can lead to growth disorders, obesity, bloat and other health problems.

Dear MS,

Hardly ever will you see me recommend a horse product for a dog or the other way around. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, dosing can be extremely difficult. Not only can it be hard to figure out how much of a product for a 1000lb horse to give to a 60lb dog, sometimes the formulation for one species isn’t so easy to get another species to eat. Second, it’s hard for me personally to keep track of the ingredients it’s safe for one species to have but dangerous for another species to have so I avoid the risk by sticking to species-specific products.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me make some recommendations that should be safe for your dog and easy for you. You’re on the right track with gelatin, or, hydrolyzed (boiled) collagen. Collagen is simply a term for a certain group of proteins in the body. This group of proteins is the most abundant group in the body, and the most abundant group in connective tissue (such as toenails). It makes sense to supply the building blocks of toenails if you want them to grow healthier.

The next ingredient I would make sure to have on board is biotin. In the B-vitamin family, it’s a co-enzyme in hundreds of metabolic reactions, one of which is protein building. Horse owners have long recognized its value in growing strong, resilient hooves and there’s evidence to support its use in promoting healthy skin and coat in dogs as well.

Finally, make sure your dog is getting plenty of the anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids. Sometimes commercial diets are loaded towards the pro-inflammatory omega 6 fatty acid side and problems can develop on the inside as well as the outside.

Provide your dog will all three of these key ingredients—gelatin, biotin and omega 3 fatty acids—with our new SmartCanine Skin & Coat. Then just make sure your feeding a high-quality dog food and supplementing with fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy snacks, and your dog should be in great shape in no time!

Dear ML,

You’re right on both counts: that fruits and vegetables have health benefits to pets but that not every fruit and vegetable is safe to feed your pet. For example, garlic, onions and grapes have all been shown to be toxic to dogs. On the other hand, vegetables such as carrots, peas and pumpkin are wonderful additions to dry dog food diet as are fruits like apples, blueberries and bananas. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals, they also contain fiber, antioxidants and other beneficial agents.

If you wish to introduce fruits and vegetables to your dog, do so gradually and in moderation. Add just one to two new items each week and avoid unbalancing the diet by limiting fruits and veggies to 10 – 20 % of the total diet. Another suggestion is to lightly cook the vegetables, which helps release certain nutrients. Finally, visit www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/ to make sure everything you’re offering to your dog is safe.

SmartPak is a firm believer in the health benefits of fruits and vegetables to dogs, and has included a wide variety of both in its supplements as well as its food. SmartCanine Vite is a nutritional supplement that contains a tasty blend of fruits and vegetables along with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and digestive support. It’s designed to complement heavily processed commercial kibble.

Either way you choose to add fruits and vegetables to your dog’s diet—by home cooking them yourself or through the product mentioned above—you’ll be providing him with a healthier diet that also tastes great!

Dear JC,

The average length of pregnancy in dogs is 63 days or about 9 weeks. During the first six weeks of pregnancy, experts recommend continuing to feed her usual high-quality maintenance diet. By high-quality, I mean a meat-based commercial kibble for adult dogs or a home cooked diet that is complete and balanced. While a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement may not be necessary if she’s fed a premium diet, a small amount of fresh fruits and lightly cooked vegetables can be a healthy addition to any dogs’ diet. Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil  provide additional health benefits.

The pups grow the most during the last trimester, or three weeks, of pregnancy, so that’s when your dog will need extra calories, protein and minerals, like calcium. Gradually increase her daily food intake so that by her due date, she’s eating three times the amount she was before pregnancy. By increasing the amount of food she eats each day, she’ll not only be getting additional calories, she’ll also be taking in the additional protein, calcium and other nutrients the pups need to develop properly.

If you find that your dog simply can’t eat this much food, she’s losing weight, or you’re concerned that she won’t be able to keep up with the pups’ demand for milk, gradually switch her over to a food specially made for the pregnancy/lactation lifestage. Generally the same as puppy formula, this food concentrates calories, protein and calcium so your dog doesn’t have to eat as much to get the same nutrition.

Dear TV,

I would like to focus on your main question: is dog food okay for cats? The answer is an unequivocal NO. There’s no controversy here, no he said-she said, no websites to research because each “expert” has a different answer—cats cannot survive on dog food, period. Unlike dogs, which are classified as omnivores (eat both meat and plants), cats are strict carnivores. That means they must eat meat to live. The very chemistry and structure of their GI tract demands it! Here’s why:

1. Protein

For starters, cats have twice the protein requirement of dogs. Eighty percent of the food eaten by cats is used for energy and so they have a very efficient pathway for converting protein to energy. In fact, they can’t shut this pathway off like dogs, humans and other species can.

Next, while there are ten essential amino acids for dogs (meaning they must be supplied in the diet), there are actually eleven for cats. The additional one is taurine, necessary for healthy eyes, ears, heart, immunity and reproduction.

2. Fat

There are two essential fatty acids in dogs: linoleic acid (an omega 3) and linolenic acid (an omega 6). However there are three in cats. Because they lack the enzyme needed to convert linolenic acid into arachidonic acid, it is also required. Arachidonic acid is a kind of fat commonly found in meat but not plants, further proof that cats are true carnivores.

3. Carbohydrates

In general, cats have a lower concentration of the enzymes that digest sugars and starches. For example, they lack amylase (which breaks down the sugar amylose) in their saliva, an important first step in carbohydrate digestion for dogs and other species.

4. Vitamins

Since cats also lack the chemical pathways to make the B-vitamin Niacin as well as Vitamin A, these two nutrients must also come directly from the diet. Dogs, on the other hand, are able to convert the Vitamin A precursor beta carotene that comes from a variety of plants into the active form of Vitamin A so it is not dietary essential for them.

I hope these examples show why it is important to feed your cat food that is specifically formulated for her unique dietary needs. I also hope that you and your vet are able to find a food that your cat thrives on.

Dear TH,

For help with this question I turned to my ophthalmology instructor in vet school, Ralph Hamor, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVO, Clinical Associate Professor of the Comparative Ophthalmology Service of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Here’s his reply:

Eye color in dogs is related to their coat color. As most dogs have darker coat colors, their eyes are often some shade of brown. The eye color is related to the amount of pigmentation within the eye. Blue-eyed dogs have pigment just in the deepest layers of the iris so their eyes appear blue. Dogs with brown irises have more pigment scattered throughout their iris which makes it appear more brown with more and more iridial pigmentation. Multi-colored (merle) dogs can have multi-colored eyes . . . again all related to their coat color.

For more information on multi-colored dogs and their multi-colored eyes, visit www.ashgi.org/color/aussie_eye_color.htm. Did you know Australian Shepherd eyes can be golden, lemon yellow, amber, light brown, dark brown, green, orange or blue? I also learned from their website that research shows livestock are quicker to retreat from the predatory threat of a dark color dog with light eyes that to dogs with eyes that don’t stand out from their coat as much. Interesting!

Dear DM,

Luxating patellas are not an uncommon problem for small and miniature breeds such as miniature and toy Poodles, Maltese, Jack Russell Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Pekingese, Chihuahuas, Boston Terriers and others. It occurs when the patella, also known as the knee cap, dislocates or moves out of its normal position at the front of the stifle joint. This is usually due a defect in hindlimb conformation and is believed to have a congenital or hereditary component.

You mention that your dog “locks up,” which is another way of saying that one or both of her legs becomes fixed in an extended position. Other signs include an intermittent or on-again off again-rear lameness and an unusual skipping or hopping gait in the rear end. Sometimes the condition doesn’t appear until the dog is playing and suddenly pops the patella out of place, causing a cry or yelp and immediate pain and limping. Many times a dog that is in pain and unable to move pops the patella back into place on its own and is instantly able to run again with no discomfort.

Veterinarians diagnose luxating patellas by the owner’s history, by palpating the joint, and by X-rays. Based on how easily they are able to move the patella in and out of the correct location, veterinarians give luxating patellas a Grade I (mild, surgery not recommended) to Grade IV (severe, surgery recommended) scale. Because most cases get worse over time, and because arthritis of the stifle joint develops from the instability caused by this condition, surgery should be performed as soon as the problem is diagnosed, if your dog is a candidate.

Carefully follow your veterinarian’s aftercare instructions as the rehabilitation from the surgery is just as important as the surgery itself in determining your dog’s soundness and quality of life. Bandaging, cage rest, passive range of motion exercises, controlled leash walks, and even swimming may be recommended. Ramps or steps may be helpful both before and after surgery to limit strain on the joint and surrounding tissues. Medications to reduce pain and swelling may also be prescribed.

However, I recommend that you start your dog on a joint supplement that includes ingredients like glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, HA and MSM; herbs like Boswellia and Bromelain; and omega 3 fatty acids even before the surgery. Hopefully this will help manage discomfort and inflammation and possibly even protect the cartilage from further damage until the joint is stabilized.

Then it was Friday, and time for the Equine Neurology Wet Lab at a local mixed practice clinic. A “wet lab” is a hands-on teaching experience where veterinarians work in small groups with real patients, receiving one-on-one instruction by the facilitator to improve their clinical skills. We were thrilled to be able to bring in world-renowned Dr. Stephen Reed as the instructor.

I arrived back to the convention center just in time for the Welcome Address, Keynote Speaker, a few awards, and an opening reception in the Exhibit Hall. My favorite exhibit this year was Chesire Partners, who brought a remote control bird on a tricycle and startled attendees!

Illinois puts on an incredible state veterinary convention, so in addition to sitting in on a few of Dr. Reed’s equine neurology talks (herpesvirus, EPM, Wobblers), I also went to presentations on supplements in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine track and communication in the Business Practices track. But that still left a second Business Practices track, Exotics, three Small Animal tracks, three small animal wetlabs and a Vet Tech program. There’s just no way to get to them all!

For me, though, the highlight of Saturday (and in fact, the whole convention) was the ISVMA Annual Meeting, where the current president, Dr. Shelly Rubin, gave an address and turned over leadership of the organization to the new president (me!) What made this year’s installment particularly poignant was that Oprah (yes, Oprah Winfrey) heard about her personal veterinarian’s retirement and sent a taped message about how much she appreciated Dr. Rubin over the years.

During my president’s address, I thanked my husband, who had kindly informed me beforehand that his new title is the “First Gentleman.” As only the second female president of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association in its 127-year history, I am actually the first married female president (and youngest, but we don’t have to discuss age).

So the next year will be a busy one for me–attending regional meetings as well as national meetings on behalf of ISVMA, presiding at board meetings, reviewing the budget of the Association, developing a strategic plan, naming volunteers to committees, and so on–but it will be a fun one. Don’t worry though, I’ll keep writing blog answers as long as you keep sending in those questions!