Frequently
Asked Questions
Information on this page is added as I encounter questions requesting solutions and information, and therefore is forever in flux!
Are you a vet? No, but I'm willing to play one on TV. The closest formal education I have related to the medical field is Neural Antatomy and Psychoactive Pharmacology. My education focuses mainly on social science research in the field of Psychology (although I also have Architecture and Art degrees and have worked in art related fields, go figure!) I was raised by a doctor. I do have many years of experience dealing with several personal medical disabilites and those of several dogs. I have researched any tips I pass on.
Why are you qualified to give out advice? I do not diagnose or prescribe any treatment. This site is meant to share information learned from personal experience, share professional resources and to share information about hazards to dogs with similar problems. Also included is some general information on things to AVOID that can hurt your dog. The only thing you have to lose by taking the advice is that you may avoid injuring or killing your pet.
Why should I believe what is written here? You don't have to. If you find it here, check it out yourself. Everything has been confirmed by multiple, reliable sources. Asking your vet is not always the best way to confirm everything though. Not every vet is a good vet, not every vet stays on top of information. After I lost my vet of 25 years, it took me a long time to find one that I could trust. What I like most about him is that he checks information with other specialists! If you find pertinent information that is not listed here, send it along!
My animal was sick, the vet could not find out what was wrong. A friend of mine gave me a recipe of home-made food consisting of rice, spirulina and garlic After two years of feeding this to my animal he got better. But you say garlic is toxic? How can this be? I have researched several medical databases and so far there seems to be no data on the levels of garlic that may be toxic. But even the ASPCA lists it, and animals at risk for AIHA are more sensitive. Cats are more sensitive. However, some animals may be less sensitive, case in point: While we know smoking causes cancer, some can smoke and never get it..or...some people who are bitten by poisonous snakes that are lethal to most, have survived. I still would not recommend getting bitten by the snake! This is also fitting for..I give my animal garlic, onions, chocolate (or any other known toxin) all time and he has never been sick. The friend you recomend this to may not be so lucky. Garlic has no factually verified benefits. Those that are supposed, can be gained in other, safer, TESTED ways.
I think the garlic in the "special food" cured my animal (from scenario above). In research we call this the "man-who" theory. "I know a man who..." so it must be right (or wrong). In research, you must have a practical design that is repeatable with the same results and one that none of the variables can be the source of fluctuations in your data. So....... I am experiencing stomach trouble because I am allergic to citrus, which is a regular part of my diet. I go on a month long diet of nothing but Kool-ade and Snickers bars and the stomach trouble goes away. This does not mean that my stomach trouble was "cured" by Kool-ade and Snickers! In fact, if I am diabetic (which I am) but able to control it without medication by limiting carb and sugar intake (which I do), my new diet may have some very dangerous effects! Over a two year period whatever was bothering the animal may have taken care of itself, or whatever the cause was may have been coincidently been removed. If the animal had gone along eating whatever it did and the garlic only was added to the diet, there might have been a little more cause to hope it had some curative power. More than likely the causes for recovery were: bland diet, time to heal naturally and the addition of spirulina (very nutritious, full of all sort of healthy stuff!) Whenever you "test" something where there are several factors that may be responsible for your outcome, your testing is sloppy and essentially worthless. DItto, if you test on just one or a few cases, have no control cases, and cannot repeat your testing with the same results repeatedly.
Why did you want to "fix" Rosie's leg, I hear three-legged dogs get along just fine? While three-leggers do get along wonderfully and lead full lives, they have increased risk for muscle strain and joint disease. Dogs were meant to walk on four legs. Putting all their weight on just three increases risk for spinal and leg damage and joint disease such as arthritis in the healthy legs. Also, losing one leg means that an injury to another leg could be more devastating later in life. When I set out to save her leg, I was positive that it could not be made perfect, although lack of perfect outcome was an excuse some vets used to avoid treatment. All I wanted to do was give her the chance to use her leg as much as she could, for as long as she could. Hopefully, it will reduce the risk and severity of disease that usually comes with age anyway. Most importantly, she is able to sit, stretch, balance and do all sorts of things that she was not able to do before. She uses her special paw all the time now! Putting weight on it while walking with her brace helps to keep it healthy. We may be able to do more for her, she may still have to lose it someday. But there is no doubt that she has benefitted greatly from from having the use of it.
How do you decide if it is right to help a disabled dog? This is a question that involves personal attitude, dedication and ability. It also involves assessing an ethical approach to each individual situation. As there is no magical answer to any question in life, it takes thought and energy to arrive at an answer. You will have to live with it. Fortunately or unfortunately, so will the animal; so take your time, think carefully, and chose wisely. I advise that you start with hope and work from there. If you start without hope, your outcome is guaranteed and you might as well not even bother with the journey. Have faith and search for answers, but be willing to accept all possibilities. Check out some of the links on the resource page, read statements and musings on ethics in myths and some of the other writings here. Hopefully there will be some guidance and some inspiration.
Why is what my vet says and what I read on the internet different? No matter what the subject, you will always find conflicting views. You have to learn to use your head and resources to sort out what is best. A veterinary license, just like an M.D. does not come with an assurance of quality and ethics. It even sometimes comes with more ego than dedication to animal care. I cannot stress enough how important it is to find a good vet and develop a relationship, now, before you NEED one.
How do I find a good vet? This is the biggie. There is no magic formula. No guarantees. Short of a crystal ball, I have some "guidelines" I can offer. These are based on several criteria: Experience (especially with rescue, disabled and special needs dogs), common sense, formal education in Business Psychology, statistical research data and personal preference. None of the guidelines will guarantee a good choice, but they should increase your chances.