Your Pet – Skinnier!

by Joshua Bub, DVM

“Wow, Alli’s gotten a little pudgy there Josh.” This was the first thing my sister said when she came to visit me a few years ago and saw my normally trim 54 pound dog Alli. I looked at Alli and then back at my sister in disbelief. “She doesn’t look any different to me,” I said. Sure enough, I weighed her that same day – 62 pounds. I normally consider myself very in tune to the weight of dogs (as most vets are), but this completely snuck up on me. Seeing my dog every day, I just didn’t see her ~15% weight gain over the course of the year. Obesity is one of the most common things we talk about to pet owners during their pet’s annual exam. My goal in writing this post is to make you more comfortable determining if your pet is at a healthy weight, and if not, helping you get your pet there.
Before I get started, it’s important to point out that obesity in pets is a common and serious problem. Recent statistics show that approximately 40-50% of pets are overweight. I’ll repeat that again because it is a shocking and important fact – 1 out of every 2 pets is overweight. That means 1 out of every 2 pets out there is at a significantly increased risk for arthritis or other joint problems, diabetes, etc. So, how do you determine if your pet is in the 50%? Looking at weight alone is largely unhelpful unless you’re comparing your pet’s current weight to previous weights. What veterinarians commonly look at is your pet’s body condition score. A body condition score (or BCS) looks at the distribution of fat, and appearance of certain parts of your pet’s body to determine if it is at an appropriate weight. At every exam, our veterinarians give your pet a score from 1-9 to determine if it is at a healthy weight. The scoring system (that was developed by Purina) is shown on the pictures below. A BCS of 5 (4 for some dogs who are prone to joint problems) is an ideal body condition. Using these pictures, you can grade your pet at home and determine if they are an ideal weight, underweight, or overweight. If you’ve determined your pet is a BCS 6, 7, 8, or 9, then read on!

The weight that pets gain or lose is usually a simple balance of calories ingested versus calories expended. The simple solution to weight loss is to either decrease the amount of calories fed, or to increase the calories expended. Increasing calories expended is the easiest to talk about because it is accomplished by exercising your pet more. For dogs, something as easy as a 20-30 minute walk every day can help burn calories that they aren’t burning if their normal day involves sitting around the house. Light, frequent exercise is better for overweight dogs than intense, infrequent exercise such as a 3 mile run or hike once a week. Exercising cats can be a bit more difficult. One tip is to hide some kibble from their normal meals (if on dry food) around the house in difficult to reach areas. This will make them be active and “hunt” for their food during the day. If your cat plays with toys, interacting with them to get them moving a few times per day is helpful. Laser pointers can also be great exercise for cats as well (use caution with dogs as I’ve seen dogs develop obsessive compulsive type behaviors). If you know your pet isn’t getting as much activity lately, the easiest and healthiest thing to do is exercise!
By far the most common reason pets are overweight is excessive intake of calories. It’s important to understand about how many calories your pet needs, and how much you’re providing with their normal meal. The following chart is a good approximation of the amount of calories required per day for an average (spayed or neutered) dog and cat. This can be adjusted up or down depending on your pet’s activity level.

Ideal Weight	Calories
10 lbs	250
20 lbs	410
30 lbs	575
40 lbs	740
50 lbs	900
60 lbs	1060
80 lbs	1400
100 lbs	1720
120 lbs	2050
Average Cat	250-350

 
Many bags of dog food will list the amount of calories in each cup somewhere by the nutritional information. Let’s take a 40 pound dog for our example and a bag of dog food. This particular food contains 340 calories per cup (listed as kcal/cup) and the bag recommends feeding our 40 pound dog 2-2.5 cups per day. This gives 680-850 calories per day which matches up nicely to our chart. Now think about the extra things your pet gets during the day. Let’s give our 40 pound dog a pig ear today. That’s it, just a single pig ear. That pig ear has 230 calories. That’s equivalent to a normal human drinking 6 – 12 oz cans of cola at a whopping 840 calories. OK, that may be too much you think, how about a dental chew that you picked up from the store. Most dogs get something like this every day. At 90 calories, that’s equivalent to you eating a hot fudge sundae every day of your life, at an extra 330 calories per day. With even regular, moderate calorie treats; it’s easy to see how the extra weight can sneak up on your pet. It’s even more dramatic for a 10 pound dog, where even giving a single biscuit at 40 calories is like you eating 2 doughnuts. So my recommendation for helping decrease your pet’s caloric intake: eliminate the moderate or high calorie treats, stop feeding unhealthy table scraps, and try giving your pet healthier, lower calorie treats. See if your pet likes carrots, celery, or small pieces of plain rice cake. Try buying canned food and cutting it up into small bites and freezing it to use as treats. Some pets even like ice cubes! At the very least, look for a lower calorie treat, your pet probably won’t know the difference! The key is realizing that although we like to show love to our pets by giving them treats and table scraps, if given improperly, these are the things that contribute the most to pet obesity.
A quick word about diet foods – many over the counter foods are marketed as “light” or “healthy weight” foods. These foods may have slightly lower calories per cup and a higher fiber content to make your pet feel fuller, but simply switching to these light diets alone rarely accomplishes weight loss.
You’ll be happy to know that my dog Alli is now at 53 pounds and a BCS of 4.5/9, but it was so easy to lose track of her weight, how much she was eating, and her decreased exercise, and before I knew it she was overweight. So I encourage all of you to look at your pets, using the Body Condition Score, try to determine if they are overweight. Look at what they really eat during the day, look at the exercise they get, and see if you can make any changes. If you are unsure of things, have questions, or need help, call your veterinarian!

Aspirin?

by Joshua Bub, DVM

It’s the middle of the night and your dog Fluffy is acting uncomfortable.  She won’t settle down, didn’t eat her dinner that night, and you feel like you just need to give her something to help her feel better until you can get her to the vet the next morning.  You heard from one of your friends that dogs can take aspirin, so you decide to give her just a half of a normal adult aspirin to settle her down until the morning (you of course know to never give a dog or cat ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or other human anti-inflammatory medications).  The next day you bring Fluffy to see your veterinarian and recount what happened the night before.  When you tell your vet that you gave Fluffy an aspirin the night before, your vet noticeably pauses before letting you know that may have been a bad idea.  Let me give some you a glimpse of what went through your vet’s mind in that brief second.

What dose of aspirin did Fluffy receive? – The most common sized aspirin tablets are 81 mg tabs and 325 mg tabs.  Usually an overdose isn’t a problem with a single dose, but if Fluffy is a 10 pound dog and got ½ of a 325 mg tablet – that is an overdose.  Even at a normal dose, aspirin has been shown to frequently cause some degree of gastric bleeding in dogs and a single dose can significantly impair platelet function, causing the blood to clot less effectively.

What other medications is she on? – Aspirin is a drug, albeit an over the counter one.  As such it has interactions with many other drugs.  The most notable ones include: other anti-inflammatories, steroids, heart medications and diuretics, anti-seizure medications, and certain antibiotics.  Side effects from drug interactions can range from something as benign as prolonged duration of certain medications, to something as severe as gastrointestinal ulceration/perforation, liver failure, or kidney failure.

How does this affect what medications I can give her today? – This is probably the most common concern that vets have when their patient has taken aspirin.  Aspirin takes about 3-7 days to completely wash out of the system.  This limits our choices for treatment of your pet’s problem.  For example if Fluffy was unable to settle down because she has bad arthritis, we cannot start a safer anti-inflammatory medication for a few days without risking significant side effects.  If she ends up having a slipped or bulging disk in her back, we can’t start steroids right away for the same reasons.

How will this affect her current condition? – With certain diseases, aspirin is the last thing we would want to give Fluffy.  For example, if she was restless because she had gastroenteritis (upset stomach), aspirin would make the problem worse by making her more likely to develop gastric ulcers.  If she was restless because she had a splenic tumor that was bleeding (hopefully not!), aspirin may have made the problem worse by making it harder for the blood to clot.  Also, if she has a condition requiring surgery, the surgery will now be more difficult due to aspirin’s platelet inhibition.

Does Fluffy have any concurrent health issues? – If Fluffy has liver or kidney disease, aspirin can be very harmful and may worsen the disease.  If she has blood or clotting disorders, aspirin may make her spontaneously bleed from her internal organs.  Aspirin can even be dangerous in pets with asthma.

I know what you’re probably thinking, that’s a lot of things to think about in a split second!  Unfortunately, we encounter this problem in practice more than we would like, and most of us have gone through this list in our mind many times.  My purpose with this article is not to scare you, because Fluffy is usually fine in this scenario, but the potential exists for some very bad things to happen.  Aspirin is not inherently a bad drug, it has many very beneficial uses, and many of our patients are on aspirin for various conditions and doing well.  However, its use should always be under the supervision of a veterinarian to make sure that side effects are monitored, drug interactions are accounted for, and an appropriate dose is given.  So my advice is the same as it is in every article I write, call your veterinarian (or in this case wait until the morning), we’re here to help!  Oh, and Fluffy was fine, it turns out she had an upset stomach from eating some “treats” from your cat’s litter box the day before…

Spring is Here!

by Joshua Bub, DVM

The weather is getting warmer, the snow is melting, and the days are getting longer; there’s no doubt that spring is here!  It’s a great time of year to get outside with your pet and enjoy all that Colorado has to offer.  However, with the warmer weather comes a new set of risks for your pet; heartworm disease, leptospirosis, and rattlesnakes to name a few.  I’m writing today to help increase awareness about some of these risks, and provide tips to help your pet stay healthy this season!

Rattlesnakes – In the West Denver area, we see the majority of snake bites occurring on Green Mountain and the Table Mesas, although they can occur anywhere.  There’s very little to know about rattlesnake bites other than – 1. keep your dog on a leash in areas where rattlesnakes may be present, and 2. If your dog is bitten, get to a veterinary hospital immediately.  There’s a saying that goes, “for a snake bite, the most effective first aid kit is a set of car keys and directions to the hospital.”  On route to the veterinary hospital, it is helpful to keep the area that was bitten below the heart, and take necessary steps to keep your dog calm and therefore keep his or her heart rate low to slow the spread of venom.  Rattlesnake bites cause severe swelling, pain, and tissue necrosis in the area that was bitten.  With proper treatment, few animals die from a bite, although there is usually an extensive hospital stay involved to manage pain and swelling, and prevent complications such as infection, blood clotting disorders, and heart problems.  Antivenin can be given within the first few hours after being bitten and can reduce the damage caused by envenomation.

Heartworm disease – Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitos who are infested with the larval stages of heartworm.   When they bite your dog (or less commonly, your cat), the microscopic heartworm larvae are deposited under your dog’s (or cat’s) skin and spend a few months migrating through the body and end up fully mature in the heart after 5-6 months.  Once there, the inflammation caused by the adult worms (which can grow up to a foot in length!) leads to significant lung disease.  Once a dog is infected, treatment is with a series of painful (and expensive) injections which kill the adult worms.  During the treatment and for 1 month afterwards, a treated dog needs to be confined in a crate to prevent the heart rate from elevating, which may dislodge the dying worms and kill the dog.  At the time of this writing, these injections are in very short supply, and are nearly impossible to find.  There is no curative treatment for infected cats.

Luckily, prevention of this disease is simple and involves a once monthly oral medication that kills any immature heartworm larvae that have entered your dog’s system.  This medication needs to be given once monthly as the heartworm larvae become immune to the drug after developing for about 45 days.  The medication also kills any roundworms or hookworms in the intestinal tract.  We’re fortunate in Colorado that heartworm disease hasn’t taken hold as strongly as in other areas of the country due to our light mosquito population, however it is still here.  At Mesa, we recommend starting heartworm prevention on June 1^st, and giving it once monthly for 6 months.  A heartworm test is required once yearly to check for heartworm infection to make sure your pet hasn’t acquired infection in the off months or during a lapse in treatment.

Leptospirosis – Leptospirosis is a frightening disease.  It is caused by an organism found in the urine of wild animals and can affect your pet if he or she drinks from contaminated water, eats or gets bitten by an affected animal, or even comes in contact with soil where an infected animal has recently urinated.  Leptospirosis is more common in the warmer, wetter months – usually late summer to early fall. Dogs are more susceptible than cats, and if infected they will enter acute kidney failure and liver failure.    If infected, your dog can transmit the organism to you through contact with his or her urine.  Leptospirosis causes illness in humans ranging from flu-like symptoms (in 90% of people), to kidney failure, liver failure, or meningitis (in 10% of people).

Leptospirosis is increasing in incidence in Colorado; at Mesa we routinely see at least a few cases per year.  We consider every dog at risk, even if you live in downtown Denver and your pet only goes in your yard there are usually raccoons and squirrels present who can carry the disease.  Apart from not letting your pet drink stagnant water, there is little you can do to avoid the organism, the most effective method of prevention is vaccination.  The leptospirosis vaccine is given once yearly (a series of two vaccines is needed if your dog has never had the vaccine before), and it is given at a different date than other vaccines to minimize the chance of a vaccine reaction.

Intestinal parasites – With warmer weather comes more active pets and more active wildlife, and the potential for transmission of intestinal parasites increases.  The majority of intestinal worms (hookworms, roundworms) are transmitted through the fecal-oral route in dogs and cats.  These worms are usually not noticeable by pet owners since they live exclusively in the GI tract, and the only way they are detected is through yearly fecal tests.   The reason we get worked up about intestinal parasites is because of the risk they present to people.  Roundworm infestation in people can cause severe organ damage and blindness, hookworm infestation can cause extremely itching skin disease.   Luckily, prevention is as simple as giving your pet his or her once monthly heartworm preventative.

Tapeworms also live in the GI tract, and spread by breaking off small parts of their body which are defecated by the dog or cat and appear as small white “grains of rice” on the rectum; these are the most common worm that pet owners report.  They are generally spread by fleas or rodents, and treatment is with a single dose of a parasiticide as well as eliminating the source of infestation.

Ticks – The main concern with ticks is not the bug itself, but the diseases they can transmit.  Tick-borne disease can cause any number of signs from fever and lethargy to lameness and organ damage.  Ticks are most active during late Spring and early Summer, before it gets too hot outside.  If you go hiking or visit the mountains with your pet during this time of year, he or she will almost certainly be exposed to ticks.  There are multiple topical medications that can be effective, contact us to discuss the pros and cons of each preventative.

The best way to keep your pet healthy is through preventative medicine, and many of these risks can be easily prevented with a bit of knowledge and a bit of medication.  As always, our veterinarians are just a phone call away to discuss any of these issues and how they may relate to your pet!

Socializing Your New Pet

By Joshua Bub, DVM

Dr. Bub’s dog Emma as a puppy

Think about your fondest memories from when you were young – warm cookies fresh out of the oven that your mom made, Thanksgiving dinner with your family, opening presents on your birthday.  These were all very positive experiences when you were young and impressionable, and many years later, that smell of cookies still brings about good feelings.  Now think about your fears – heights, spiders, snakes, the dark, enclosed spaces – hopefully no one is afraid of all of those or I may have lost a few readers…  Our pets have the same types of feelings.  For my dogs – chew toys with squeakers, grabbing the leash for a walk, and putting on socks set off something inside their head that makes them burst with excitement (don’t ask me where that last one comes from).  Unfortunately my older dog Alli also has some fears that make her tremble – most notably loud noises, not being near me, and the dreaded nail trimmers.  At this time of year we see a lot of puppies and kittens that have found new families over the holidays, and so I thought it would be appropriate to talk about how to properly socialize your new pet to give it a good outlook on life!

Before you point to me as a bad example of how to socialize your puppy (or kitten), we need to discuss the socialization period and how it affects future behavior.  I rescued my dog when she was 6 months old, the main socialization period in puppies and kittens is between 4 and 16 weeks of age.  At 4 weeks of age (give or take a week), their brain and spinal cord have developed and matured and they have a natural motivation to approach unfamiliar objects and people.  Throughout puppyhood, there is a slowly increasing tendency to react fearfully to anything new.  At some point, usually 14-16 weeks, this fearful tendency will eventually outweigh their curiosity, and this is usually when the socialization period ends.  At this point, the experiences during the socialization period have formed such strong associations in their brains, that happy memories and fears are ingrained almost to the point of being an involuntary reflex.  There is a lesser period of socialization that occurs at some point during adolescence (some believe 4-6 months, some up to 12 months), but the main one happens at a very early age.  My dog already had some fears and phobias when I got her that likely developed during her socialization period.  All was not lost though, as I was able to help her (mostly) overcome these fears through other behavioral techniques (desensitization and counter conditioning – a topic for another article).

The core of puppy and kitten socialization is exposing animals to novel stimuli in a positive and non-threatening manner, and avoiding negative stimuli.  An important point to make is that socialization is not just about keeping your new pet away from bad things, but exposing them to as many new things (in a positive manner) as possible.  It’s not enough to have your friends come over to the house, or to bring other pets around your new puppy or kitten, they need to be exposed to EVERYTHING!  A puppy or kitten that has not been exposed to, let’s say, a tall man, or a nail trimmer, may react fearfully to that thing when they are older, even though they’ve had no prior experience with it.

To give you a good example of what kind of things you can do to socialize your puppy (or kitten), I’ll go through what happens during a typical day at puppy and kitten socialization at Mesa.  Typically, our assistants will bring the puppy around to meet everyone in the hospital.  While meeting us, the puppy is usually wagging its tail, running from person to person, and loving life (and the treats we give).  They will be exposed to the sights, sounds, and smells of other dogs in the hospital while doing this, along with other pets here for socialization.  They will get their nails trimmed, ears cleaned, listen to a soft thunderstorm CD, all while getting attention and treats.  If at any point the puppy seems scared or is not enjoying things, the attention is scaled back so as to not overwhelm the puppy.  These experiences have now formed a positive association in their brain, so powerful that they may even enjoy coming to the vet in the future!

When you get your new pet, I would encourage you to begin socialization right away, but in a controlled environment.  I believe the benefits of socialization far outweigh the risks (such as exposure to infectious disease), as long as we minimize the risks.  Do not bring your pet to uncontrolled areas such as the dog park, pet store, or any area where unvaccinated and non-dewormed pets may be present; there is a risk of your pet catching something.  However controlled environments such as certain puppy classes, a friend’s house, or even our hospital, are excellent opportunities!  Bring your new pet in the car with you frequently and give it treats, give it a bath at home and spread treats around the edge of the tub, touch its feet and ears while giving treats; did I mention you should buy lots of treats?  After all, food is the number one motivator in dog training.  Make sure you back off and give your pet space if it feels overwhelmed.  I also encourage new pet owners to give your pet some “me-time”.  Have a crate or safe gated area with toys (food stuffed toys are best) where your new pet can learn to entertain itself and develop some self-confidence.  This can help prevent over-attachment and separation anxiety issues in the future.  Continue this socialization program even past 16 weeks of age as dogs and cats are always able to learn.

Socializing a new puppy or kitten is hard work, but having a well-behaved and socialized pet pays off in the end, not to mention that a few months of work gives your pet a great head start to a happy life.  If for some reason you’re not able to devote that much time to your new pet, I highly recommend bringing it in to Mesa for socialization; playing with puppies and kittens is one of the harder parts of our jobs, but we’ll make the sacrifice!

Beware of Coyotes

by Joshua Bub, DVM

     I received a frantic call from my wife while at work last month.   She was walking our dogs on the trail behind our neighborhood when they started getting agitated, sniffing the ground and pacing back and forth along the trail.  Our older dog, Alli, started pulling on the leash trying to head in the direction of a dog that was on an adjacent trail, about 20 yards away.  Problem was, it wasn’t a dog, it was a coyote.  My wife started walking quickly with the dogs back to the neighborhood, but the coyote followed, slowly closing in.  This was about the time I got the phone call.  As I was talking to her (and she was picking up rocks to put in her pocket) she made it back to the neighborhood, but the coyote still followed.  It actually followed her all the way to our house, when it finally disappeared.   Many small dogs look like a perfect meal to coyotes, the thing is my dogs are 50 and 70 pounds, and were on leash with my wife right next to them.  The very next day at Mesa, we heard two similar stories about coyotes, and within the next month saw a few coyote attacks and had a few owners report their dogs missing.

     We all know that coyotes are out there, but at Mesa we are seeing a trend towards coyotes becoming more aggressive and more daring than they have been in previous years.  They are smart, adaptable predators, and if hungry enough will venture into neighborhoods and civilized areas, and lately have shown no fear in approaching humans or larger dogs.  I have heard stories of coyotes luring dogs away from owners by acting playful and when they get close, attacking.  They have been known to jump fences and carry away small dogs and cats that are unattended.  And more often than not, when you see one coyote, its pack-mates are waiting close by.

     Without sounding too sensational, if you live in Colorado, even in a city, your pets are at risk for being attacked or killed by a coyote.  I recommend not leaving small dogs in the yard unattended, especially during the dawn and dusk hours when coyotes are most active.  While on a trail at these hours, keep your dog close and if not on a leash, be ready to leash them if necessary.  Any cat who spends time outdoors is at risk.  By taking the proper precautions, and being aware of the dangers, we can hopefully reduce the number of wounded and missing animals we see and hear about at Mesa, and keep your pet safe.

Your Pet Can’t Tell You His Tummy Hurts

By Joshua Bub, DVM

     My wife, a resident physician, is always telling me how caring for her pediatric patients must be very similar to my job as a veterinarian.  Her patients are brought in by their parents, they are usually terrified to be at the doctor’s office, sometimes they get bribed with lollipops or candy when getting vaccines or procedures done, and occasionally she will get bitten by one of them.  While similarities do exist, the one thing I always tell her is that our pets can’t tell us when their tummy hurts, at least not in the way children can.  When kids feel sick, they let you know, if not by actually telling you they don’t feel right, then by waking up in the middle of the night, having the sniffles or a cough, or vomiting all over the carpet (well I guess that one is the same).  Pets are much different; by the time you’re able to tell they are not feeling well, it may be something very serious.

     To understand why pets and people are so different, we need to look back tens of thousands of years ago, back before the domestication of our household pets.  Animals are programmed to hide weakness and illness in nature.  The weak animals are the ones that are preyed upon, or shunned out of the pack.  Humans are much more social, and we are programmed to complain when something is wrong and seek the assistance and comfort of our family and friends.  So not only can your dog or cat not speak to you if they are ill, they may not show any visible signs until they are so sick that they simply cannot hide it anymore.

     Enter the veterinarian.  Our goal is to catch disease early, before your pet shows any signs he or she is sick.  You see, we have a secret language that allows us to communicate with your pets, it’s called the physical exam.  By putting our hands on your pet once every year (and twice every year in their senior years) we can find out if your pet’s “tummy hurts.”

     Unfortunately, we don’t see some pets every year and as a consequence, preventable diseases are on the rise.  A recent review of the medical records of around 2.5 million dogs and cats showed the most commonly diagnosed conditions are dental disease, ear infections, and obesity, and they have all become more prevalent over the last few years.  In addition, the diagnosis of diabetes has increased by about 30% in 5 years!  These are diseases that can usually be prevented by a regular visit to your veterinarian.  In addition to a regular exam, yearly blood work is very beneficial in screening for diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, thyroid illness, etc.

     Understandably, the most common reasons that regular exams are neglected, are economic reasons.  As veterinarians, we also commonly hear, “I don’t get an exam every year, why should my pet?”  The average dog or cat ages about 4-7 years (depending on breed and life stage) for every equivalent human year, the average child sees their doctor at least once a year for a checkup, the average adult once every few years.  Waiting 2 years in between veterinary visits is like waiting 8-14 years between seeing your doctor!   Without a doubt, the pets I see that haven’t been to a vet in 2 or more years almost always have medical problems that could have been prevented if caught earlier, and it is almost always more expensive to treat conditions in their advanced stages.  The severely arthritic dog could have benefited from weight management, exercise advice, nutraceuticals, and medication before his disease progressed.  The cat who is constantly thirsty and is diagnosed with kidney failure at an exam could have been managed on an outpatient basis and now needs to be hospitalized, the list goes on.  These aren’t just extreme examples, written to instill fear into the minds of pet owners and have them start flocking to see their veterinarian; it’s a fairly common occurrence.

     The obvious message here is to bring your pet to the veterinarian regularly for an examination.  But the message is deeper than that.  Your pet will be healthier, live longer, and you’ll actually save money, by keeping up on your pet’s veterinary examination.  

The Truth About Nutraceuticals

by Joshua Bub, DVM

     Glucosamine, fish oil, milk thistle; there’s no denying that nutraceuticals and dietary supplements are a hot topic in medicine these days. Doctors and veterinarians will commonly recommend these supplements in combination with other medications to aid in combating disease. Over the last decade, there has been an explosion in companies entering into the nutraceutical manufacturing field. A quick look for a glucosamine supplement on your local pharmacy shelf or online will bring you a slew of different brands to choose from. In choosing which of these products to purchase for your pet, how do you decide? Many will base their selection on price, hoping to save a bit of money while still providing their pet the health benefits of said nutraceutical. Others will look for reputable brands thinking that the quality should be better from a name they trust. What most people don’t know is that nutraceuticals are not regulated like prescriptions are, and many times what you see on the label may not be anywhere close to what is in the bottle…

     Before we get into why these products can be so misleading, a little background on nutraceuticals is needed. A nutraceutical is classified by the FDA under the broad category of dietary supplements. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was signed into law in 1994 and governs the safety and labeling of nutraceuticals. Under this act, the manufacturing firms themselves are responsible for determining if their product is safe and if it does what it claims to do. These firms do not need FDA approval for their product, and in fact the only FDA oversight on these products is when the ingredient itself is first presented to the market. In other words, if glucosamine as a supplement were to be newly introduced into the market today, the FDA would review it to make sure it wasn’t harmful, but companies who then manufactured glucosamine into a pill would not need to have their product reviewed by the FDA.

     So let’s look at a fictitious glucosamine and chondroitin supplement and see what we can believe and what we can’t on the label. Let’s call this supplement BubFlex manufactured by the BubCo nutritional supplement company. BubFlex’s label states that it is a nutritional supplement designed to improve mobility and joint health in your pet. Each pill contains 800 mg glucosamine hydrochloride, 600 mg chondroitin sulfate. The instructions are to give your 30 pound pet one tablet by mouth once daily. Under other ingredients, cellulose, and titanium dioxide are listed. BubFlex looks pretty official, it’s exactly what’s been recommended for your dog, so it should be good, right? Maybe. Not one thing on that label has been confirmed by the FDA.

• The claim that BubFlex is designed to improve mobility – this comes from BubCo.
• The ingredient list claiming that 800 mg of glucosamine and 600 mg of chondroitin are in each pill – this comes from BubCo.
• Even the instructions – give one tablet by mouth once daily – this comes from BubCo.

     So what you have to ask yourself when buying this product is, do you trust BubCo? You are taking this manufacturing company entirely at its word that what it says is in the bottle, and what is appropriate for your pet is true. Each BubFlex pill may only contain 100 mg of glucosamine and 50 mg of chondroitin, allowing the company to turn quite a profit since they are charging you for 800 mg and 600 mg. In addition, BubFlex may contain mercury, or other toxins, and it may use inferior sources for the glucosamine and chondroitin that are not even able to be digested by your pet. In fact, if I were a less ethical person, I could make BubFlex, throw in a tiny bit of the main ingredient, combine it with a ton of fillers and by-products that I could get for cheap, and be able to undercut the entire market on price and make a fortune; and it would be legal. But enough with this fictitious company, can things in the real world really be that bad?

     Yes. ConsumerLab.com is an independent testing agency that investigates nutritional supplements to evaluate the label claims I described above. You can subscribe to this company’s site for about $2.50/month and see the results for yourself. I’m not allowed to post the specific products and their results from this site, but the results are shocking. Many of the products from companies that you think you can trust routinely test at less than 50% of what the label claims. In rare cases, contaminants detrimental to your pet’s health can be found. These companies also frequently use substandard ingredients that your pet cannot digest, and there is no oversight to prevent them from doing so.

     So moving on from the scare tactics, what can you do to ensure that the supplement you give your pet will actually help, and do no harm? Ask your veterinarian. We are here to help you and your pet, and the only way we succeed is if our recommendations prove true and your pet benefits. We can recommend supplements that have tested well and that we have had success with in the past. Additionally, we carry many of these supplements in our hospital. The only reason we carry them, is because we trust them. Supplements such as Dasuquin made by Nutramax have undergone extensive independent testing at the expense of the company to provide the proof that what you see is what you get, and that what you get works. Otherwise, look for products that are USP certified. This is an independent testing company that analyzes nutraceuticals for many of the qualities that I discussed above.

     So do a bit of research before you buy these supplements, look at independent testing sites, ask your veterinarian for advice, and you can get a supplement that will truly provide health benefits to your pet. Or if you prefer, I have a few bottles of BubFlex for sale…