Dogs: Health and nutrition

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See also:
Dogs: General
Dogs: Books on single breeds
Dogs: Origins, canine evolution and wolves
Dogs: Puppy and manners training
Dogs: Advanced training, including working dogs
Dogs: Behaviour and training philosophies
Dogs: Breeding and kennel management
Dogs: Fiction and biography relating to dogs

The Gundog Veterinary Bible [Illustrated] (Spiral-bound)

Harvey Carruthers
Quiller Publishing Ltd; Spi edition (29 Jun 2009)
ISBN-10: 1846890500
ISBN-13: 978-1846890505

The Gundog Veterinary Bible a very useful manual for anyone who likes an active life with their dog, not just gundog owners. There is help on what to do in emergencies, such as when a dog has eaten something poisonous, or broken a leg. There is also advice on preventing problems, which is well worth reading, so that you do not have to use the advice for emergencies. The author is the vet columnist of Shooting Times, Harvey Carruthers MRCVS.

The book is very accessible, clearly written, with good illustrations. It is a handy size to take on journeys, and is also spiral bound, so it stays open on a car seat, which means that you can follow instructions and check on the dog at the same time. Very highly recommended.

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Home Prepared Dog and Cat Diets

Donald R. Strombeck
Iowa State Press
ISBN 0813821495

An invaluable resource for dog and cat owners who want to prepare food for their pets. This is a comprehensive guide from a professor in veterinary medicine, who specialises in small animals. So much has been written on home-prepared pet food, much of it questionable. This book is based on scientific research, and will help you to evaluate and devise recipes, gearing them to the individual needs of your cat or dog.

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Natural Nutrition for Dogs & Cats: The Ultimate Diet

Kymythy Schulze
Hay House
ISBN: 1561706361

This book is a very useful reference manual for people who want to give their cats and dogs home-prepared food. There is a lot of practical help, with information on nutrition, as well as menu plans, and a troubleshooting guide for dealing with health problems. It's an especially useful book for people whose pets have allergies, or have otherwise reacted to commercial foods. This is especially true in Europe, since we usually get precious little information on what goes into commercial pet food, compared to people in the US, and that can be a problem for people whose pets have food intolerances.

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Canine Nutrition: Choosing the Best Food for Your Breed, 2nd edition

William Cusick
Doral Publishing
0 9448 7550 5

This is a very useful book, especially for owners of breeds with special nutritional needs, such as giant dogs, because it draws on research on breeds and nutrition, making this accessible to owners. It is both useful for owners wanting to prepare food for dogs themselves, and for owners wanting to choose commercial pet food by deciphering labels. It is perhaps easier to read than Linda Case's 'The Dog', which is also useful for people whose breeds may have special dietary needs. 'Canine Nutrition' is more geared to pet owners, and it is cheaper. Linda Case's book is more geared to animal care students and professionals, and is more comprehensive, with information on health and behaviour as well as nutrition.

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Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food

Ann Martin
NewSage Press
ISBN 1 800 788 2123

Owners who would rather not worry about what goes into pet food should not read this book! Ann Martin could be described as an obsessive, though it's easy to understand why, given her account of her dealings with the pet food industry after she experienced problems with commercial dog food. At the very least, this book points to the need for pet owners to ask questions of pet food companies, such as what additives they use, and why, and to tell them about problems we have when we use their products. Owners often say they switch brands because one brand upsets their dog's stomachs. It's worth telling the companies about this in case they think we don't buy their food because it hasn't enough pretty colours! This book also points to a need to campaign for better consumer information on cans, so we can make informed decisions on our pets' behalf. This is a consumer issue. Most of us haven't time to make tasty dog meals, so we have to use what the pet food companies supply. Some owners might argue that Ann Martin is not 'scientific' enough. But even if you discount seventy five percent of what she says, it still leaves some awkward questions. Those readers who assume that the British market is better regulated, so British pets are always offered safe food, could maybe reflect on BSE and the debate on the human food industry!

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The Dog: Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health

Linda Case
WileyBlackwell; 2nd Edition edition (18 Jul 2005)
ISBN-10: 0813812542
ISBN-13: 978-0813812540 

Linda Case is a nutrition specialist, and an academic, as well as a trainer and dog behaviourist. This is an excellent reference book, both for animal care students and professionals and for ordinary dog owners. It is solid and well-researched, while being accessible to non-specialists. Owners with more than one dog, or who plan a lifetime of dog ownership, will find this book well worth investing in, both for the material on dog behaviour, and for the information on nutrition. There is also help with understanding canine physiology and preventing and dealing with health problems. This book is perhaps more suited to people aiming for a career with dogs, because you do need some commitment to get through the more technical sections, though the background understanding of canine physiology which she provides is useful for ordinary pet owners in understanding their dogs' health needs.

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A-Z of Dog Diseases and Health Problems

Dick Lane and Neil Ewart
Ringpress
ISBN 1 86054 002 3

A general guide to the health and husbandry of dogs, and doggie ailments, set out in three sections. There are 86 pages on health and husbandry, 24 pages on signs of disease, and a long third section of 160 pages with an A-Z of problems, diseases and treatments. This book may be better suited to those taking up dog care as a profession than to the average dog owner. It would be helpful for animal care students, veterinary nurses, or people who work in kennels, for example, because it is concise and covers a lot of ground. Ordinary pet owners may prefer a clearer 'idiot's guide' to deciphering canine symptoms, and fewer pictures of sad looking sick pooches. If you can steel yourself to the sick dog pictures, and take time to study the layout of the book, it is a very useful reference book for a committed pet owner, however. It's easy to find the information fast in an emergency if you have got the hang of the layout. This book can help you to prevent illnesses, decide whether to call a vet, and help you understand what the vet is talking about.

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The British Veterinary Association Guide to Dog Care

David Taylor
Dorling Kindersley
ISBN 0 86318 403 0

This dog care guide is organised in three sections, the first being a 21 page guide to general care (equipment, training, grooming, bathing and the like), a seven page section on feeding, and a 63 page section on health care. There are useful diagnostic charts showing when to seek help from a vet, and descriptions of different types of disorders. The language used may appear a little too technical for some readers, especially those in a hurry to work out what is wrong with their dog. It is worth familiarising yourself with this book before your dog falls ill, because the stress of having a sick dog may hamper your ability to take in new terms! Animal care students and other professionals working with animals will appreciate the book's conciseness, and it is a fairly gentle introduction to technical terms, which can help non-specialists understand 'vet-language', and take in more when the vet is explaining their dog's condition and treatment .There are also useful mentions of disorders that particular breeds are prone to.

The advice on 'choosing a dog' is only two pages long and is too short to be of much help for a novice or an experienced owner. It also includes a misleading discussion of neutering, with the comment 'both sexes can be surgically neutered, but there should always be a valid reason' (p11). This could be understood to mean that the ideal state for a bitch is for her not to be neutered. However, Taylor himself mentions two good reasons for spaying bitches: unspayed bitches can suffer from pyometra (pus in the womb), and are more likely to suffer from breast tumours (p73).

Owners of unspayed bitches also have to be super-vigilant to ensure that they don't produce pups that may later have to be put down because no responsible owner can be found for them. You may have lots of takers for appealing little pups, but unless they go to good homes, the pups may turn into unwanted problem dogs. Rescue centers sometimes have to put down, or turn away, perfectly nice dogs, that no-one wants. Cuddly pet programmes on British TV may give the impression that all homeless dogs can be found a kind owner, but talk to anyone who runs a rescue centre, and you'll find that this is sadly not the case. Spaying involves risk, as with any procedure involving a general anaesthetic. It is best done after the first heat, to help prevent incontinence, which is more likely if a bitch is spayed too young (Lane and Ewart, 1996: p256). A sensible diet avoids any predisposition to obesity (ibid). Delaying spaying long after the first heat means the bitch takes longer to recover, and is more likely to suffer tumours, womb trouble, and get pregnant.

This book would be more useful if the first section were either rewritten, or left out. The strengths of the book are in the third section on health care, for those readers prepared to spend time familiarising themselves with the technical terms

Reference: Dick Lane and Neil Ewart, 'A-Z of Dog Diseases and Health Problems', 1996. Lane and Ewart's book is also reviewed here.

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Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook

James M Giffen and Lisa D. Carlson
Howell Books
ISBN 0876052014

This is an excellent dog-owner's veterinary guide though it is geared to a US market. It's easy to use, and has clear explanations, rather than trying to blind you with science. It's no substitute for a vet, but can help you make better use of your vet's advice, and help with emergencies, while you wait for a vet. It covers far more ground than Taylor, or Lane and Ewart, and it provides as much information as the average dog owner is likely to need. No vet book designed for non-vets to use is perfect. Kennel owners or dog breeders may need a more comprehensive work, but this is probably the best vet book of those which are easily understood by non-specialists.

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Dog First Aid: A Field Guide: Emergency Care for the Hunting, Working, and Outdoor Dog (Field Guide)

Randy Acker, Jim Fergus, Christopher Smith (Illustrator)
Wilderness Adventures Press
ISBN: 1885106041

This is an excellent short guide to first aid for your dog, which is very useful for anyone taking a dog hunting, camping or on long walks in the middle of nowhere. It is clearly written, with helpful illustrations, so is easy to use in an emergency. It's well worth taking this book with you if you go on holiday with your dog.

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Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals

Don DVM Hamilton
North Atlantic Books
ISBN 155643295X

This is an easy to follow guide to homeopathic care from Don Hamilton, who is a vet who specialises in homeopathic care. He explains homeopathy and the processes of disease, as well as providing remedies for a number of common afflictions, such as flea trouble, gum disease, digestive and respiratory problems. He also provides help for people whose pets have behavioural problems. There is enough in this book to interest those who already have a knowledge of the subject, as well as people who know little about homeopathic remedies for pets. Don Hamilton's book deals with homeopathic care of cats as well as dogs, and this helps give a broader understanding of homeopathy, though this book is a bit more expensive than George Macleod's book.

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Dogs: Homeopathic Remedies

George Macleod
CW Daniel Co
ISBN 085207218X

A very popular, comprehensive guide to homeopathic remedies for dogs. George Macleod is a vet who has built up a vast amount of expertise, treating different animals with these remedies, often being successful when conventional medicines did not work. It's a guide that is easy to read, and you don't have to be a 'natural dogs care nut' to find it useful - homeopathic remedies can be used alongside conventional remedies, in consultation with your vet. As vets are starting to take homeopathic treatments more seriously, you may find that your vet has read the book, or wants to borrow it from you!

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Dr Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats

Richard H. Pitcairn
Rodale Books
ISBN: 0875962432

This is a very popular and accessible guide to holistic cat and dog care. There's a lot of help with both diet and health care. Some of the recommendations on nutrition are controversial, but there are many good ideas for improving your pet's diet. All aspects of care are dealt with, including exercise, grooming, and tackling emergiencies. Much of what Dr Pitcairn says about commercial pet foods and vaccinations is not new, but the detail he gives for alternative approaches is very helpful, especially for owners of pets prone to allergies.

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The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog,

Wendy Volhard
Howell Books
ISBN: 1582451532

This is a revised edition of a thorough and fairly comprehensive guide to holistic health care for dogs. It's more demanding than Richard Pitcairn's book, which is perhaps easier for most people to start off with, unless they have special veterinary knowledge. Topics covered include diet, vaccinations, homeopathic remedies, allergies, and understanding lab tests. Canine diet is a highly contentious area, and not everyone agrees with Volhard's recommendations, but she does explain the rationale behind what she recommends, and it is up to readers to decide. Any pet owner with an interest in holistic medicine is likely to find this an invaluable resource.

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Control of Canine Genetic Diseases

George Padgett
Hungry Minds Inc
ISBN: 0876050046

A very useful book for anyone who wants to breed from their dog and cares about producing healthy pups. It is geared to the US market, but the practical advice given is helpful for UK breeders as well. Padgett provides a clear explanation of how diseases can be inherited, and how to analyse pedigrees, without overwhelming you in theory.

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The Genetics of the Dog

A. Ruvinksy, J. Sampson
Cabi Publishing
ISBN: 0851995209

This is a book for people with a particular interest in dog genetics, either as breeders, or because they are more generally interested genetic issues relating to dogs. It's quite technical and expensive and is very thorough - not a book for most pet owners! There are nineteen articles which examine different aspects of canine genetics, such as origins of dogs, the impact of domestication, and genetic issues relating to disease and behaviour. The book is as up to date as is possible in a fast changing field, since it came out in 2001. It's a key text for students of canine genetics.

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Veterinary advice on Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

Gary Clayton Jones BvetMed, DVR, DSAO, MRCVS
Ringpress Books
ISBN 1860542271

Hip dysplasia is sadly a common condition that most dog lovers have at least heard of, if not lived with.

This book is aimed at pet owners who may be either living with a dog who is already suffering from the symptoms of hip dysplasia or researching breeds that are particularly prone to this condition.

Each stage of hip dysplasia is clearly explained, with clearly drawn diagrams and x-rays. More complicated medical terms are spelt out for the reader within the context of the sentences where they appear, and you are guided through from the understanding of how a healthy hip should work; how hip dysplasia affects the joints; possible causes and contributing factors; diagnosis and treatments; and finally the author looks forward to prevention and control of the disease in future generations.

Although all medical names and terms are well-explained as they appear, I still felt that for a ‘medical book’ aimed at owners of pet dogs, a glossary at the back of the book would have been useful. On a few occasions when they reappeared, I had to stop and remember what the some of the words meant, and I could have found them faster with a glossary.

Of course, if you suspect your dog might have this condition your first port of call should be to your own veterinary surgeon for diagnosis and advice specific to your own dog’s needs, but this book fills in all the little gaps, answering questions about why your dog might need a particular type of treatment, questions your own vet might not have time to answer. It can also help you ask the right questions when you go back to your vet, and it can help you understand what your vet needs. Quite often, when we first hear a sad diagnosis we are too shocked to take in what a doctor or vet is saying, so it can help to go back and listen to the vet again, when we have had time to reflect and find out more from sources such as this book.

As a reader with first hand experience of a dog who suffered with hip dysplasia, I personally feel that this book is an invaluable resource and would strongly recommend it – I only wish it had been available when I was in the position of making difficult decisions for my dog.

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Veterinary Advice on Skin Disorders in Dogs

Nuttall, Tim
Publisher: Ringpress Books Ltd
ISBN: 1860542328

Skin disorders are very common in dogs, and this short book is an extremely useful quick reference tool for people needing to understand common canine skin problems. The author, Tim Nuttall, is a specialist in veterinary skin disorders, and his treatment of the topic is deft and lucid. He explains the main causes of skin disorders, how to treat them, and how to prevent them.

This book is especially useful for people with dogs that are susceptible to skin problems, and for owners who have dogs with chronic skin conditions. Skin disorders are very visible, so they can be particularly distressing for owners. Vets may not take skin problems as seriously as owners, since these disorders are not usually life-threatening. Vets may hesitate to recommend tests because they feel that owners would be unwilling to pay for them, while owners may prefer to be told of the options. Owners who have this book to hand can discuss their dogs’ problems more easily with their vets, and are better able to ask whether it might be worthwhile testing for a particular condition. If you are friendly with your vet, and he or she is not a specialist in this field, you may find that your vet would like to borrow the book.

The format of this book is that of a quite dense, slim, reference manual. Readers who are not vets need to work quite hard to bring together the material on prevention, because it is part of the description on each disorder. Many preventative measures, such as strict hygiene, and keeping dogs cool in summer, can help with a range of conditions. It would help readers if there were a short section on how to prevent skin problems in general, and on treatments that owners can implement, which may help, and which are not likely to harm dogs. Quite often there is more than one cause for a skin condition, for example a dog may suffer from flea bites and heat, and many preventative measures will help with all skin complaints, so it would be useful to bring this information together. I would also have liked more information on diet and skin disorders, for example on ways in which deficiencies in diet may be linked to skin problems.

This book is certainly good value for money, and is well worth investing in. It has more information per page than most dog reference books, and contains more information on skin disorders than most general vet books available to the public.

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A Colour Handbook of Skin Diseases of the Dog and Cat

Richard G. Harvey, Patrick J. McKeever
Manson Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 187454560X

This reference book is a bit gruesome and pricey for the average cat or dog owner, but is an extremely useful resource for any breeder, vet, or veterinary nurse. It's a practical help to diagnosing and treating common skin disorders in cats and dogs. These disorders are often very distressing to owners, because they are so visible, and they may cause distress to the animal. The book deals with 125 diseases, and classifies them according to what they look like, which helps enormously with diagnoses. There's also help with explaining to owners what is happening with their pet, as well as references for further reading. Every vet should have a copy - and if you are a pet owner and your vet doesn't have access to this book, but just scratches his head after the third treatment for your pet's skin trouble has failed to give a result, nudge him or her in the direction of this book.

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Dog Anatomy: A Pictorial Approach to Canine Structure

Peter Goody
J A Allen & Co Ltd
ISBN: 0851316360

This is a fascinating illustrated reference manual for students of canine anatomy, which is helpful for people in different fields. Vet nurses and students will find it very useful, as well as people involved in dog shows and breeding. It's also a very useful book for anyone who wants to draw dogs, since the focus is on what can be seen and felt, and how this relates to internal structures. People studying canine evolution and links with wolves will also find it useful.

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