Nutrition:
You are what you eat!
Dogs are carnivores so it stands to reason they benefit from a quality meat based diet.
While initially more expensive to purchase but because meat is more filling than grain, dogs tend to eat less therefore a bag lasts longer.
While Komondors are a healthy breed, many are susceptible to skin allergies. The leading cause of skin allergies in Komondors is corn. After years of battling "hot spots", I transitioned all my dogs to a holistic dog food.
Some studies suggest a correlation between bloat and diet.
What is Holistic Dog Food????
Holistic dog food recipes are believed to be much better for your dog's health than commercially produced dog foods, and there are certain foods that holistic dog food recipes tend to steer clear of. Artificial preservatives are one of those ingredients and also animal and poultry fats. Cheap fillers like corn or soy are also avoided and meat by-products that are deemed unsuitable for human consumption. Holistic dog food recipes use prevention as a method of promoting healthy dogs and it is thought if you avoid ingredients that may be harmful to dogs, the dogs general well being will be better off.
Educate yourself and read the ingredient list carefully. Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight.
All Kevilyn's Komondor puppies are weaned on BilJac Dog Food. Due due the soft kibble, the choking hazard is greatly reduced. Due to the corn content, I recommend switching to a Holistic Food by age six months.
Kevilyn's pack of Komondors are fed Diamond Natural Chicken and Rice formula. My time as a manufacturer's representative for a major dog food company taught me to read the ingredient list and gave me an understanding of why each ingredient is added, ingredients that serve a purpose and those that do not!
Knowledge is power!
Bloat (Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus)
Bloat occurs when the stomach of a dog swells due to excessive gas content. As the stomach swells, it may rotate or twist, trapping air, food, and water in the stomach. The bloated stomach obstructs veins in the abdomen, leading to low blood pressure, shock, and damage to internal organs. The combined effect can quickly kill a dog. It is the second leading killer of large breed dogs.
While there is conflicting information on what causes bloat, according to Purdue University's School of Veterinary Medicine the following conditions may be a contributor:
- Stress/Anxiety
- Rapid Eating
- Exercising after eating
- Activities that result in gulping air
Deep chested breeds of dogs are at a much higher risk, which includes Komondors.
Every owners of a Komondor should famaliarize themselves with the symptoms of bloat and seek immediate medical treatment if any of the following symptoms present.
- Unsuccessful attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful); may occur every 5-30 minutes. "Unsuccessful vomiting" means either nothing comes up or possibly just foam and/or mucous comes up.
- Doesn't act like usual self. Perhaps the earliest warning sign and may be the only sign that almost
always occurs
- Significant anxiety and restlessness
- "Hunched up" or "roached up" appearance
- Bloated abdomen that may feel tight (like a drum)
Linda Arndt, The Great Dane Lady has a terrific site that suggests that there is a relationship between bloat/allegies and a poor diet. A very interesting read!
A healthy puppy is a happy puppy!!!
Kevilyn's Blomidon Beauty at four weeks
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This is a great site on the FDA and current information on dog food recalls.
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Kevilyn's Blizzard Blowing
Photo by Wet Nose Photography
No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.
Louis Sabin
Pest Free:
Keeping your dog free of pests is equally important in the overall good health of your dog. Living in the South, fleas and heartworm are a year round problem.
Human grade Diatomaceous Earth is a great chemical free, organic way to treat your dog for fleas by lightly working the material into the hair of the dog. "Doggie areas" can be treated by dusting your dog's bedding and areas where he/she lays. It is also effective on ticks, lice, and can be used as an organic wormer by mixing it with your dogs food. Diatomaceous Earth is also effective in killing red ants!
Click on the logo to find out about the many uses of human grade Diatomaceous Earth!
Heartworms live in the heart and large adjacent vessels of infected dogs. Female heartworms can be up to 14 inches long (5.5 cm) and 1/8 inch (5mm) wide. The males are about half the size of females. A dog can have as many as 300 heartworms.
In my opinion, there is no excuse for not treating your dog monthly for heartworms. Heartworm infestation is deadly and can easily be prevented!!
The American Heartworm Society has a wonderful site dedicated to the prevention of Heartworms.
This page was last updated: January 20, 2012
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Vaccinations:
For the past 20 years studies have suggested that we have been overvaccinating out dogs.
In 2001 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Principles of Vaccination state that “Unnecessary stimulation of the immune system does not result in enhanced disease resistance, and may increase the risk of adverse post-vaccination events.”
It is recognized that most, if not all, currently licensed annual rabies vaccines given annually are actually the 3-year vaccine relabeled for annual use – Colorado State University’s Small Animal Vaccination Protocol for its veterinary teaching hospital states: “Even with rabies vaccines, the label may be misleading in that a three year duration of immunity product may also be labeled and sold as a one year duration of immunity product.” According to Dr. Ronald Schultz of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, whose canine vaccine studies form a large part of the scientific base for the 2003 and 2006 American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) Canine Vaccine Guidelines, as well as the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s 2007 Vaccine Guidelines, “There is no benefit from annual rabies vaccination and most one year rabies products are similar or identical to the 3-year products with regard to duration of immunity and effectiveness.”[3]
Immunologically, the rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse reactions such as polyneuropathy “resulting in muscular atrophy, inhibition or interruption of neuronal control of tissue and organ function, incoordination, and weakness,” [4] auto-immune hemolytic anemia, [5] autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are all linked to the rabies vaccine. [6] [7] It is medically unsound for this vaccine to be given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity, according to Kris Christine, Founder of the Rabies Challenge Fund
In 2011 the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Assn.) released their Canine Vaccination Guidelines which state that studies show an immunity can last for up to seven years and their recommendation at this time, is a three year vaccination. After the first annual vaccination given to a puppy, there is no need for an annual vaccination and the study goes on to cite that annual vaccinations can be harmful in many cases. The complete study can be found by clicking on this link 2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines
Dysplasia:
Hip Dysplasia is defined as the abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a genetic trait that can be affected by environmental factors.
Hip Dysplasia can be found in all breeds but the larger breeds are of particular risk and the Komondor is no exception.
Incidences of Hip Dysplasia can be greatly reduced by a simple radiograph or X-ray of the parents hips prior to breeding. The problem occurs when uninformed breeders are larger in number than experienced breeders and unfortunately the Komondor has fallen victim to this cycle. No breeder can honestly defend their reason for not testing their breeding pair with statements of "there is no dyplasia in my line" or " the grandparents/close relatives were tested and they were fine" or "my Komondor doesn't have dysplasia because he/she can jump fences and run in the fields". Not only is this belief reckless but it is simply not true. The parents must be tested prior to breeding. This is the only way to reduce the occurrence of hip dysplasia. There is no explanation as to why one dog can be active with hip dysplasia and show no outward signs while another is unable to rise.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals maintains a data base of dogs that have been tested for this crippling disease. You can visit this website to find more in depth information on hip dysplasia and why all breeding pairs must be tested.
