Category: Wellness

Mayo Clinic researchers say with a dog in the bedroom, both the humans and the dogs slept reasonably well

For most Americans, dogs are no longer relegated to the doghouse. According to the American Pet Products Association, an industry trade group, almost 60 percent of dog owners say they regard their pet as a child or member of the family. And many let their dogs snuggle up to sleep right in their human owners’ beds, often alongside their owners.

But is sleeping in the same bed with your dog a good idea? Wouldn’t they be disruptive to our sleep? According to a recent study, not really. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix studied 40 dogs (none were puppies) who slept in the bedroom with their owners. The humans were all generally good sleepers, with no known sleep disorders.

The dogs wore a device called a Fitbark, an activity tracker that attaches to the collar and records whether an animal is at rest and sleeping or active and at play. The people wore an Actiwatch 2, an activity monitor that records people’s movements and whether they are sleeping soundly or not. Both monitors were set to sample movement every minute, while the humans also kept a sleep diary.

Over seven days of testing, the researchers found that with a dog in the bedroom, both the humans and the dogs slept reasonably well. Humans had a mean sleep efficiency, or the percentage of time spent asleep while in bed, of 81 percent, while dogs had a sleep efficiency of 85 percent. Levels over 80 percent are generally considered satisfactory. People slept slightly better when the dog was off the bed; dogs slept the same whether they were on the bed or in another location in the bedroom.

“This goes against the lore that you should have the dog sleep elsewhere,” and not in the bedroom, said Dr Lois E. Krahn, the study’s senior author and a psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist at the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Her 6-year-old golden retriever, Phoebe, routinely sleeps on the floor in the bedroom — and in the colder months joins her and her husband on their bed. Both the dog and the people, she said, sleep fine.

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We need to develop a strong infrastructure of small institutions across the length and breadth of the country to specifically educate the masses right from the village level, says Dr Laxmikant Gode

Rabies, as we know it, is a most dreaded and fatal disease. The prognosis is grave once the symptoms of the disease are developed. No option. Let’s look into why it is 100% fatal. First, the causative virus is neuro-tropic in nature. Once it enters the nerve cell, it keeps on travelling towards the Central Nervous System causing nerve tissue damage. Second, there is no medicine which can kill this virus. So virus enjoys the dominance in the victim’s body.

The disease has two forms – Dumb and Furious. Dumb form progresses slowly to cause muscle paralysis to coma. In Furious form, the patient is hyperactive. There are painful muscle spasms, particularly in throat and larynx. On sight of water it becomes more painful and that is why it is also known as hydro-phobia. Patient is unable to drink water due to throat and larynx muscle spasm. There are other symptoms starting with fever and headache. The patient become aggressive and starts hallucinating. In both forms of Rabies, death is inevitable. And that is the major concern.

However, one cannot leave the patient of dog bite unattended. A dog bit case reported immediately or even late, must be treated. A well documented post bite treatment is recommended both in animals and human beings. National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) has given a guideline for the post bite treatment or Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).

Management of Dog Bite Wound

Washing of the wound immediately after the dog bite is very important to remove the virus from the wound. This would help to flush out virus from the wound and chances that patient can be saved. Antiseptic solution to be applied at the wound site to inactivate virus.

Passive immunization: Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG)

Immunoglobulin should be infiltrated in the depth and around the wound to inactivate the locally present virus. This needs to be followed by anti-rabies vaccine to develop active immunity.  

Active immunization: Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARV)

Active immunization is achieved by administration of safe and potent Cell Culture Vaccines (CCVs). In India, Nervous Tissue Vaccine (NTV) was used for post-exposure treatment in public sector. However, as this vaccine was reactogenic, the production was stopped in December, 2004. CCVs are now used for active immunization starting from day zero with a specific regimen of 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days.

Intra-dermal inoculation of anti-rabies vaccines (IDRV):

Intra-dermal regimens consist of administration of a fraction of intramuscular dose of certain rabies vaccine on multiple sites in the layers of dermis of skin. The vaccines used are same; however route, dose and site of administration differ. The use of intra-dermal route leads to considerable savings in terms of total amount of vaccine needed for full pre or post exposure vaccination, thereby reducing the cost of active immunization.

Scientists all over the world are working to find out newer ways of treatment of Rabies. But it is still unfortunate that the disease remains a big challenge world over because no treatment is effective. Once disease is developed in the body after incubation period, symptoms are visible.  And particularly in India, it is much bigger challenge than any other country considering huge human population, increasing number of dogs, mainly stray dogs, poor or no awareness of people about the disease, non- availability of the facility at most of the places, poor infrastructure, etc. Also availability of Immunoglobulin and vaccines at the right time at the right place makes it difficult for PEP.

So the question is when treatment of disease is ineffective in Rabies-affected patient and getting treatment at the right time at the right place is an issue, then what is most important so as to prevent and eradicate the disease?

The basic in strategic management of the disease in a country like ours is the willful awareness of the people about Rabies is very vital. And to make people aware of it, there is only one way: educate them. Each and every person should be educated about the disease, its spread, outcome and fatal effect. Once people know about it, management is to be taken to next level to educate them about prevention. It should include identification of rabid dogs and isolation of such dogs, importance of vaccination to pet dogs as well as strays.

What we need to do right now is to develop a strong infrastructure of small institutions across the length and breadth of the country only to specifically educate the masses right from the village level. These institutions should be based at the taluka or district level strategically and should have defined areas to cover regularly. They should be supported with the periodic training about Rabies as mentioned above along with training for first-aid in dog bite cases. They can coordinate with local medical and veterinary hospital / authorities to take care of dog bite cases both in human and animals. Involvement of school, colleges and universities would help to educate students and cover a major portion of society.

The task is big and challenges are bound to come. But that should not deter us as Rabies is a major concern in India where more than 15 million people are bitten by dogs and 20,000 people die from its. Let’s swing into action to make it India Rabies Free!

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A Zoo Tabor team studying longevity of Cane Corso Italiano and its relationship with hair colour finds out black brindle dogs live the longest, while the median lifespan of the breed is just 9.29 years, says Evžen Korec

The lifespan of most dog breeds has been described in the past. The most frequent causes of death, such as cancer, cardiac and urologic diseases and many others, have been described using statistical methods. Young dogs commonly died from gastrointestinal and infectious causes whereas older dogs died of neurological and neoplastic causes. However, the lifespan data of the Cane Corso Italiano wasn’t described using a well-defined study until now. But before we tell you about the ground-breaking study, we need to know a little about the breed. The Cane Corso Italiano is a direct descendant of Canis Pugnax, molossian dog breed known since ancient Rome and used in guarding and warfare. The breed didn’t disappear after the decline of the Roman Empire but it began to be used for hunting and guarding properties. Ancestors of today’s Cane Corso dogs guarded fields and homes of medieval farmers. After transformation and modernisation of agriculture, the number of Cane Corso dogs was constantly decreasing and the breed almost became extinct. Few dogs survived in Apulia (a southern province of Italy). A rescue of this breed began in the 70’s of the last century. Professor Francesco Ballotta and Dr Antonio Morsiani found 19 Cane Corso dogs and started with crossbreeding. The first breed standard was created in 1987, when about 100 dogs of Cane Corso Italiano breed were registered.

The Cane Corso breed was claimed as an Italian national dog breed by ENCI (organisation overarching Italian kennel clubs) in 1994. The International Cynological Federation (FCI), which unites most of developed countries (except USA and UK), officially recognised this breed in 2007. This decision made the Cane Corso dog breed one of the youngest breeds. Cane Corso breed is becoming more popular every year and number of breeders is increasing. This breed is the most represented molosser breed at international dog shows and belongs to 10 most represented breeds of all breeds. A median lifespan has been determined for most of the recognised dog breeds. A median age at death of Cane Corso breed was determined for the first time by our research group in 2017 and published in the international journal Open Veterinary Journal. In a cooperation with 25 kennels from all over the world, the median lifespan of Cane Corso dogs was determined for the first time on a statistically significant group of 232 deceased dogs. We obtained data on the deceased dogs from 73 kennels and individual owners from 25 countries. The collective sample of deceased dogs included 114 (50.22%) male and 113 (49.78 %) female Cane Corso Italiano dogs, 62 (26.72 %) were black dogs, 38 (16.38%) brindle dogs, 35 (15.08 %) black brindle dogs, 27 (11.64 %) fawn dogs, 26 (11.21 %) grey brindle dogs, 31 (13.36 %) grey dogs and 13 (5.60 %) other colour dogs. The possible relationship between median lifespan and hair colour within one breed has so far not been examined. The median age at death of Cane Corso dogs was found to be 9.29 years. The research showed a surprising result after determining the median age of different colour groups. Our research group determined that the longest living group are black brindle dogs (10.30 years), followed by brindle dogs (10.13 years), grey brindle dogs (9.84 years), fawn dogs (9.01 years), black dogs (9.00 years), grey dogs (9.00 years) and other colour dogs (8.09 years). The relationship between median lifespan and hair colour was published for the first time in a scientific literature by our research group. This finding has not only a significant theoretical relevance for a possible identification of genes responsible for longevity, but it is also very important for breeders who want to achieve a life prolongation of their dogs.

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If you’re like many canine companions who run and keep fit with their four-legged friends, you’d love canicross – a dog-powered sport – where the human is the driver, directing the dog from behind with voice commands, says Siddhartha Singh

First of all, you need a willing human who is ready to run. Secondly, you need a dog, and thankfully they are almost always up for fun, including running. Now you have the main components, so you’re almost ready to go. Canicross is the sport of cross country running with dogs and since it is dog-powered, so they are harnessed, attached to the human and run as a team. The human is the driver, directing the dog – or two dogs – from behind with voice commands. The runner typically wears a waist belt, the dog a harness, and the two are joined by a bungee cord or elastic line that reduces shock to both human and dog when the dog pulls.
Canicross not only is a great method to get a human and a canine fit, but works the dog’s mind and allows them to use their brain in a work mode. Originating in Europe as off-season training for the mushing (sledding) community, it has become popular as a stand-alone sport all over Europe, especially in the UK. Canicross is closely related to Bikejoring, where participants cycle with their dog and skijoring, where participants ski rather than run.

Originally, canicross dogs were of sledding or spitz types such as the husky or malamute, but now all breeds have begun taking part including cross breeds, small terrier breeds to large breeds such as rottweilers and standard poodles. As long as your dog is fit, healthy, of the right age and able to run, you can really canicross with any dog. Working breeds tend to be the more popular breed for this sport. Always consult your vet when unsure. Not only can all breeds run but people of all ages and abilities can take part, including children and the disabled such as the visually impaired. Some breeds are very well suited to not only running and pulling but running at steady pace over a long distance. It encourages people and their dogs to take part in outdoor activity and meet other like-minded individuals. Dogs can race after they reach 12-18 months of age, you can start some light training with them a few months before this to allow them to get used to being in a harness and to teach them their commands, then gradually build this up, always be careful not to over work the dogs when their joints and bones are still forming. For larger breeds it is important to wait a bit longer to build up greater miles. Again always consult your vet for advice. Equipment can be a bit of a minefield, it is like anything in life, there are options that work for one and not the other. The basic key factors for equipment are a good comfortable fitting harness, which is suitable for running. A bungee line/lead and a waist/hip belt for the runner.

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Dog theft is increasing, and canine companions suspect their beloved furballs are ending up on the table in Gurgaon

Hundreds of pets are stolen every year and sadly, only 10 percent are ever reunited with their human companions. Stolen dogs meet many ends. Some are sold to research labs, others are used by unscrupulous breeders in puppy mills, while still others are forced into dog fighting, among other very disturbing horrific purposes. Nothing, however, prepares a canine companion for the news that his beloved pet had ended up on someone’s table. Shocking and disgusting, but it’s true that a day after Gurgaon police filed a case of kidnapping and killing a dog named Brownie recently, a video circulated in the media showed at least 12 people inside a room, eating meat and consuming liquor. One of the suspects is heard saying they “ate doggy.” Barbaric, if it’s true. Killing a dog – who is valued as a family member – for dinner maybe allowed in Vietnam and China but it’s a subject that will always spur outrage in this part of the world. Even if you are not a dog lover, it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t take particular umbrage to man’s best friend being reduced to steak. It’s easy to conclude that any society that turns dogs into stew must be immune to the animal’s charms, or really desperate for some cheap nourishment.

Without getting into the debate of whether killing dog for food is cruel than killing of chicken, lamb or pigs, stealing someone’s pet and that, too, a dog or a cat that enjoy the status as members of the family is criminal and deserves harsh punishment. But the problem is although we have some of the finest provisions to safeguard animals in the world, killing a stray brings fine of Rs 50, while hacking a pet can land you in jail for five years. But we are yet to come across any punishment to the latter effect. Until the laws are amended for harsher terms, it’s better pet-owners remain on high alert for dog-nappers. Think twice before leaving your dog tied up outside a shop. You will make them a vulnerable and tempting target for opportunist thieves.

Also, don’t leave your dog alone in the car, even for a few minutes. Thieves can easily break into your car to steal your precious pet. Make sure your dog is microchipped and that you keep your contact details up-to-date, especially if you move house or change your telephone number.

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The earlier your puppy gets used to grooming appointments the quicker he’ll adjust to them, and that’s not a bad thing

Even if you have a short-coated dog, there comes a time in his life when you say: Pew! What stinks in here? OMG… it’s the dog!” It’s time to visit a professional groomer, so that your pup looks and feels his best. But a trip to the groomer is more than just a costly bath. It can also include nail clipping, a hair trim or shave, and skin exfoliation. And chances are your dog isn’t used to this kind of five-star treatment. If you want your dog’s visit to go as smoothly as possible, here’s what you need to do before taking your dog to his first professional groomer visit. But remember, during the first ​grooming session, the main idea is to familiarise puppies with the process. As mentioned previously (and this cannot be overemphasized) a pup’s initial experiences at the grooming salon can set the stage for how he responds to being groomed for the rest of his life. So it’s important to make the experience as pleasant as possible.

Early Start

If you get your puppy acquainted with the grooming salon at a tender age, it generally is easier on him in the long run. The strange sights and sounds of new places can be anxiety-inducing in doggies, and the younger they experience something, the better. Being professionally groomed entails a lot of contact with an unfamiliar person, and an early start can make it almost second nature in your pup. Just remember to reward your puppy with a yummy treat immediately after his appointment is through — you want to establish that pleasant association, after all.

Vaccinations

Good salons insist on it but even if your neighbourhood pet groomer doesn’t for want of some quick money, remember it can be harmful for your canine’s health. Before your little one ventures out into the world, make sure he’s gotten all of his necessary puppy vaccinations, no exceptions. Consult with your veterinarian to make sure that your pet is A-OK in this department. If your puppy visits a grooming salon without having all of his vaccinations, it puts him at risk for all of the potential infections that could be floating around — not good. Protect your precious pooch by not scheduling that appointment until he’s gotten all of the appropriate shots, as his health is priceless. Puppies generally are through with all of their puppy shots by 6 months in age if not sooner. As soon as your puppy has received his third set of shots, start looking into grooming salons in your area.

Right Salon

dog so happy to be groomed

Since a puppy’s first impression of grooming is so important, call the salons you’re interested in and inquire about possibly getting a quick tour of the place. Do not book an appointment at any salon that doesn’t leave you feeling completely confident and at ease. Glance around the salons, and take a whiff to judge whether they appear and smell fresh and hygienic. Look at the interactions between the groomers and their canine clientele, and note whether the dogs appear to be relaxed. Speak to the specific groomers who may service your dog. If he or she is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about giving you the information you want, you might just have a winner.

DIY Grooming

If your young pup isn’t through with his vaccinations, it’s still important for you to do some regular grooming of him by yourself at home, like regular brushing. This is especially helpful if your pet’s coat looks a little unkempt: Say he got into something messy and now has a little pesky matting. Not only is brushing your puppy’s coat a good way for you to bond with him, it can help set the stage for his later grooming appointments. If you have any questions regarding coat trimming, talk to a professional before you proceed. How often you need to groom your dog depends on his size, breed, and type of coat.

Brushing

Several brushing sessions a week will keep the average dog neat and clean; daily attention is even better. Brush all the way down to the skin, letting the massaging action stimulate blood circulation and loosen and remove flakes of dandruff. The kind of equipment you need depends on your dog’s coat texture and length. Longhaired dogs need pin brushes, which have long, round-ended stainless-steel or chrome-plated pins. Short-, medium-, and some long-coated breeds need bristle brushes. There are also slicker brushes for removing mats and dead hair; rubber curry combs to polish smooth coats and remove dead hair; clippers, stripping knives, rakes, hair dryers, and other grooming tools. When brushing, always check for burrs and other stubborn plant material; mats, which most frequently form behind the ears and under the legs; and any cuts or scrapes on the skin itself. All dogs shed, though some definitely shed more than others. Regular brushing will help keep shedding under control.

Nail Trimming

Nails must be kept short for the feet to remain healthy. Long nails interfere with the dog’s gait, making walking awkward or painful. They can also break easily. This usually happens at the base of the nail, where blood vessels and nerves are located, and precipitates a trip to the veterinarian. If you can hear the nails clicking on the floor, they’re too long. To trim your dog’s nails, use a specially designed clipper. Most have safety guards to prevent you from cutting the nails too short. You want to trim only the ends, before the “quick” which is a blood vessel inside the nail. (You can see where the quick ends on a white nail, but not on a dark nail.) Clip only the hook-like part of the nail that turns down. Many dogs dislike having their nails trimmed. You can make it a painless procedure by getting your dog used to having his feet handled in puppyhood. Start trimming gently, a nail or two at a time, and your dog will learn that you’re not going to hurt him. If you accidentally cut the quick, stop the bleeding with some styptic powder. If you find it impossible to clip your dog’s nails, take him to a veterinarian or groomer.

Ear Cleaning

You should clean your dog’s ears once a month, more if he’s prone to ear problems. Clean the outer part of the ear only, using a damp cloth or a cotton swab soaked in mineral oil. Never force anything into the ear. Some dogs need the hair plucked just inside the ear to keep air circulating; ask your veterinarian if this is necessary for your dog.

Eye cleaning

Clean slight discharges with a moist cotton ball. Do not put anything irritating in your dog’s eyes.

Tooth Brushing

Clean your dog’s teeth frequently with special toothbrushes and toothpaste desgined for dogs. If your dog balks at having his teeth brushed, get him used to it by rubbing his teeth and gums with your finger. Then put a little of the toothpaste on your finger and let him sniff and lick it; do the same with the toothbrush. Make sure to provide chew toys that will help clean his teeth. As your dog gets older, he may have a buildup of tartar that requires special cleaning by a veterinarian.

 

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An ounce of prevention is worth a pound is true in case of ticks, the possibly fatal pest known to be carriers of many blood-borne bacterial pathogens

We have all heard of them. Perhaps some of us have had the displeasure of finding one of these little critters attached to the skin of our pets. The very thought of these ectoparasites sends shudders up the spine for the simple reason that the parasite can lend your pet into real trouble, sometime fatal. Yep, I’m talking about ticks – tiny arachnids, a class that includes spiders and mites that characteristically feed on the blood of host animals. It’s an external parasite that embeds itself in the skin of animals. Once it lands, it inserts its mouthparts into the skin and that single tick has the potential to pass on multiple diseases. Ticks lay eggs that give rise to the larval life stage. The larva will then develop into a nymph stage and ultimately grow to become an adult. Every dog harbours external parasites like ticks, fleas or mites. Some of them are responsible for superficial skin infection while others manifest systemically. Tick fever is a serious systemic infection caused by Ehrlichia and Babesia species in canines and these organisms are carried by ticks from infected dog to healthy dog, just like malaria parasite, where mosquito acts as a vector. What can we do to protect our furry little from ticks and the diseases that they carry? Try to control the parasites. Prevention and early detection are the best ways of protecting your pets against tick fever. The intent is to stop it before any symptoms appear. Should the disease progress, symptoms can include stiff, painful and swollen joints, and a limp that comes and goes, often appearing to switch sides. Some dogs have an arched back and a stiff walk. More serious, however, are fever, difficulty breathing and kidney failure. When bitten, the skin of some pets may become red and irritated around the site, while others may not even notice the parasite attached to them. It is imperative then, that you inspect your pet regularly and thoroughly. Should you find a tick on your pet, it must be removed very carefully to ensure that the mouthparts are fully removed. If left behind, they can abscess and cause infection.

EARLY SIGNS

• Long period of inactivity or disinterest
• Increased shredding
• Limping from rear legs
• Tired after a short playful activity

The strangest fact about tick fever is that fever is rarely present in the dog and it is mostly diagnosed accidentally. The canine looks apparently healthy and the above listed signs are milder in appearance, so most of the times it’s missed by owners.

CONSULT A VET

Your vet will perform a complete blood count or CBC to check for anemia and decreased platelet count. Accordingly, the doctor will put your dog on oral or intravenous medication and the treatment lasts for up to 21-28 days. Again the CBC is repeated after three days and then after a week to check for improvement from the previous results.
Next the CBC is repeated after a month and then after three and six months intervals.
Remember, if your dog is infested by ticks every now and then, kindly get your dog checked for tick fever. Many a times, it’s hard to believe for owners that even dogs need regular blood tests for diagnosis of various disease conditions, but it’s true! A long time of inactivity can be alarming! Don’t take tick infestation lightly as it can prove to be harmful for your pet. Various anti-tick or anti-flea sprays, pour-on solutions and collars are available so with the help of a vet get your dog protected before the beginning of parasite infesting season.

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If you love your pets and would do anything to give them the most excellent health possible, try home-cooked food that can give your faithful friend a healthier, happier – and longer – life

Most pet food brands have hard-to-understand, highly-processed ingredients, which usually means the food you’re feeding your pup isn’t as fresh, healthy, or balanced as you might think. And with every brand claiming to be the best, it’s hard to find the one that will supply your dog with the right balance of nutrition to keep their tail wagging for a long time. Here’s where home-cooked food come in. There is nothing complex about cooking healthy, wholesome food for your four-footed family members. That, too, at a fraction of the cost of high end commercial pet food! “Feeding a dog is no more difficult than feeding a child,” says the much experienced veterinarian, Brig K. V. Rappai (Retd). “It’s easier for people to cook for a dog,” he says. “They’ll eat what you give them for the most part.”What he means to say is cooking for dogs is no rocket science. So don’t take any pressure from the veterinarians and there is no need to get cornered over all these numbers — milligrams of calcium, percentage of protein etc. “Just like what we eat is crucial to our long-term health, it’s the same for the dogs,” he adds. But how many of us pause to extend that logic to our dogs?

Dogs need a balanced and varied diet. There is good research to show that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, fruit and vegetable diet is the optimum way to feed them. The best way to achieve this is with a mixture of shop-bought wet food, raw food and home-cooked grub.

DITCH THE DRY FOOD

If you can only do one thing for your dog, I recommend you cut down on the amount of kibble you give or even ditch it entirely. The process by which dried pet food is produced involves refining the carbohydrate content. Refined carbohydrates can play havoc with your dog’s blood-sugar levels and irritate their gut. In addition, some brands contain raw starch, which can be harmful because the bad bacteria in the gut thrive on it, overwhelming the good and leading to problems ranging from bad breath and wind to colitis and skin problems.
As we’ve seen, the wrong kind of diet can cause many problems for our canine companions. Cooking your dog’s meals from scratch gives you the advantage of being able to select ingredients he likes, while avoiding those that set off problems. And as you’ll be feeding your dog more nutrient-rich food, he’ll need less of it. Overall, home-cooked food can make a massive difference to your pet’s health, especially if you’re switching from shop-bought food.

CAN THEY EAT LEFTOVERS?

Another divisive topic is whether to feed your dog leftovers, so here’s a guide to what you can sensibly feed them…
They can have…
■ Meat – with all the fat, skin and bones removed.
■ Fish – with no bones.
Potatoes – a bit of leftover mash is fine, as is a boiled potato, but steer clear of fried potatoes.
But they can’t have…
■ Fatty meat or fatty foods. These can cause pancreatitis in dogs.
■ Foods with added salt and pepper. Remove any seasoned skin from meat.
■ Stews and casseroles. Fat, salt, wine, Worcestershire sauce and onions are all bad for dogs.
■ Gravy, even home-made, contains too much salt for pets. Just say NO.
■ Fast food. No surprises – this is also a no-no!

FOODS TO AVOID

Some human foods are dangerous for dogs. Here’s what they cause…
■ Chocolate: Seizures, heart arrhythmia, death
■ Alcoholic drinks: Depression of central nervous system, slow respiratory rate, can be fatal
■ Onions: Damage the red blood cells – anaemia
■ Raisins and grapes: Diarrhoea, dehydration, kidney failure
■ Avocado: Upset stomach. The stone can cause obstruction if swallowed
■ Coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks: Seizures, heart arrhythmia
■ Milk, yoghurt, cream: Dogs can be lactose-intolerant causing stomach upset, diarrhoea, itchy skin.
■ Sweets, chewing gum, diet foods, toothpaste: Rapid drop in blood sugar caused by increased insulin release. Disorientation and seizures, liver failure
■ Fat trimmings from meat: Liver and kidney problems, pancreatitis

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