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Labrador Friends of the South |
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A non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue and adoption of homeless Labrador Retrievers in Georgia, Alabama and the entire Southeast region |
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The Labrador News |
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Vol. 8, April/May 2008 |
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Lately we find ourselves talking to people about food allergies and diets. So I finally decided to dedicate two entire issues of the Labrador News to this topic: this month we talk about allergies, next month about food and weight. I want to emphasize that none of us is a veterinary specialist so all you will read should be taken as ideas drawn from personal experience rather than medical training. While I will mention a few different labels, we also do not endorse any particular food brand. Every dog is different but doing a little research can really pay off. We believe in it so much that we ran our own experiment. Read on to find out more. |
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Let’s Talk About Food Our Experiment Friends Fund Dog of the Month How to Choose Dog Food Deals of the Month Adoption Stories Last Months Adoptions
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27 lucky Labradors found their forever homes in March and April. 14 were adopted in March and 13 in April: Jet, Tango, Chavine, Daisy, Princess, Salsa, Malcom, Orion, Lisa, Gunner, Pandora, Athena, Cinnamon, Aphrodite, Sam, Pickles, Snow, Guinness, Sugar, Buckley, Gabby, Calypso, Kipper, Daisy, Adonis, Santana, SamSam-Dylan all have a new home.
Go meet he new additions on our available dogs webpage. |
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All about food— Part 1: Food and Allergies. |
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In 2007 we started the Friends Fund to recognize all the people that are helping us saving more and more dogs. Thank you to everyone who has donated this past two months:
Bronze Bone level: Beoncia Loveless and Kobe, DogWatch of Metro Atlanta in honor of Trey. Silver Bone Level: Elizabeth Fox and Dudley Gold Bone level: Donald Fritz. Platinum Bone level: Clare Ranney for Lily, Valerie Immele in honor of Forrest and Jennifer Spain with Tank, Susannah Overby and Georgia Diamond Bone Level: Ellen Star for Lucky. Where is your money going? The money you generously donated so far went to: · Spay, neutering, vetting and boarding of all our dogs. Each dog costs us on average over $500 (this year about $700 due to lower adoption rates). This is more than twice the amount we ask as adoption fee so your donations are essential for us to stay alive and help dogs ...thank you for the help!
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Eddie is a very handsome 2 year old black lab. He has been with us since 2006 so it is time for him to find a home. Don't ask us why he has not found the right family yet as he is one of the best dogs we have right now. Eddie is crate trained, gets along with other dogs, and has a great disposition. He had extensive training so he is very responsive to directions and loves to please. As most labs, Eddie needs someone to exercise him regularly and a fenced yard to play ball. He would love to have a young dog of similar size to play with. |
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Things Eddie likes: · To play ball and any kind of toy. · Kids, people and other dogs. · Going to doggie daycare at Camp BowWow (and they love him back). · Car rides. · Zaxby's chicken fingers.
Go to our available dogs webpage to learn more about Eddie. Eddie is a wonderful dog. Help us finally find him a home. |
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Our Guinness found the perfect home, with many new four legged brothers. Good Luck Guinness! “Guinness is doing very well. He decided to become a squirrel hunter and has already brought us a squirrel “gift”. On the left is a picture of him with Fletch who acts like his father instead of brother.’’ |
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Food allergies account for a large percentage of all the allergies seen in dogs and cats. It is the third most common cause after flea bite allergies and atopy (inhalant allergies). With the advent of lamb and rice diets many people feel that they are preventing or treating food allergies; the fact is that nothing could be further from the truth. The quality of the food you feed your dog is what determines your dog's reaction to his food. Educate yourself and always read the ingredients on the bag's label to assure a healthy, allergy free diet. For more on how to choose good food, read the Dog Tips box below. Of course you may also want to check with your veterinarian on what to do but, before running expensive allergy tests, it may be worth looking into the food you are feeding your dog first. Studies have shown that the primary ingredient in dog food should be meat-based protein, not corn meal, flour or corn gluten meal and that the food should be made from human-grade ingredients like meat, whole grains, and vegetables. A better quality dog food results in a healthier coat, fewer digestive and allergic problems, and firmer stools. Most commercial and store brand dog food, while being cheap, includes by-products like wheat, corn, soy, and/or various other animal products, which may cause allergic reactions and can be difficult for your dog to digest. So, if your dog is showing any signs of allergies like skin redness, chronic ear infections, or intensive itching you may want to think about changing the food. While with cheaper food you may be saving on a monthly basis, you may be paying more later with trips to the vet and possibly strong medications that may have dangerous side effects in the long run (glucocorticoid for example, often given to dogs with chronic allergies, is one of the leading causes of Cushing's disease). Of course, always make sure your dog gets the recommended quantity of food (more on dogs and weight in the next newsletter). Bottom line, premium dog food is important because good nutrition is essential for a long, healthy life. You can either do some research on your own or ask for advice from dog stores which specialize in quality products. Two such stores are The Pet Basket in Alpharetta or Inman Park Pet Works in Atlanta. There are also a few more around town, look around your neighborhood. Remember that you do not have to buy prescription food from your vet to get quality food. There are even better options out there.
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About one month ago a young couple contacted us to surrender their dog because they could not afford his allergy medications and cure. We took him in, his name is Kipper. His skin was completely red, he was itching all over and his ears were constantly infected.
Here is Kipper the day he arrived on March 8th. The poor guy was in a lot of pain. The first question we always ask in this situation is "which food are you feeding the dog?". I don't want to name a brand, but let's say that Kipper was eating a popular brand that you can buy at any local grocery store. With the supervision of our vet to document the progresses, we decided to run an experiment to prove our ideas about food and we immediately put him on a new regimen. As of March 8th Kipper has been eating Nature's Variety Grain Free Duck and Turkey Meal Dry Dog Food. This food has no wheat, no byproducts, no chicken. For treats he gets either Natural Balance Potato & Duck Dog Treats or Dogswell Breathies Duck Breast Dog Treats . For the first two weeks he was bathed every 3 days with ChlorhexiDerm Shampoo (good thing he is a lab and loves the water). After that a bath every 5 days for three weeks and from then on as needed. No other treats, food or shampoo were allowed.
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Here is Kipper on March 29th. His ears are completely clear, he is not itching and he is a much happier dog. Was it worth it? You tell me. As you can imagine this type of food is more expensive than the average grocery store food as it does not contain by-products. Kipper's food costs around $48 for a 25 lb bag and he will have to be on this or similar food for the rest of his life. At the same time, no more ear medicines, no more trips to the vet, no more dangerous cortisone shots. You do the math. |
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Kipper's food is probably one of most expensive food on the market but his allergies are extreme. There are also some very valuable alternatives who are less expensive while still being by-product free. My dogs are on Solid Gold food mixed with some Nature's Variety. Their coat is so healthy that they are always soft and shiny and I rarely have to bath them. One of them also had chronic ear infections that I do not have to cure anymore. There is a lot of good information on this topic out there. Do your research and decide for yourself if it is worth it. We think so! |
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Fergie and her sisters getting ready for bed. |
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Gunner smoking a cigar... |
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Sam and Sierra helping mom at work. |
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Laney helping dad cook... |
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Stevie relaxing after a hard day. |
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All about food, Part 2: Food and weight How to know if your dog is overweight The importance of keeping your dog in shape Colby’s story Adoption stories
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We're On Doodie! |
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We're on Doodie is a full service pooper scooper company dedicated to cleaning up after customers pets to ensure a clean and healthy environment for the entire family. We’re On Doodie works with residential and commercial properties, and Home Owner Associations in the Atlanta area. Tired of cleaning your yard? Then call Mike at 770-780-0072 or come to one of our adoptions to meet him. |
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Mention Labrador Friends for a 10% discount. |
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Don’t forget that one of the easiest way to help us is by doing your shopping through our affiliates links. Your prices are the same, we get a small percentage.
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