Katya Made it Through Surgery! … Like a Champ!

Surgery should never be taken lightly. Anything that involves anesthesia, cutting open the belly, among other things, is a serious matter. Many things could go wrong. Fortunately, Katya had the same veterinary surgeon, Dr. Morgan Miller, at Premier Animal Hospital. Because any deep-chested dog could be prone to stomach torsion which can kill a dog in 20 minutes (as in the movie, Marley and Me), and because Premier offers the additional stomach tacking at a nominal fee if your dog is already in for spaying, we opted for both surgeries for Katya, as we had done for Valentina.  (In the movie Marley and Me, Marley was too old to do the stomach tacking surgery when he had torsion.  If they have it once, they will usually get it again. That's what Marley died of.)  So, since Katya was young and resilient, it was best to do it while she was young.) I’ll admit, in spite of Dr. Miller being a great vet who did so well with Valentina’s surgery, I was still nervous for our precious baby. I shouldn’t have worried at all. Dr. Miller is so patient, meticulous, and very good at what he does. As busy as he is, he read everything I had included in my “pre-op” request papers. Katya has bounced back beautifully. She took all of her 3 medicines over 7 days, and because those “Elizabethan collars” usually given to dogs are so huge and scary for Great Danes, I made her a “vest” which covered the incisions so she couldn't get to them. The vest was fleece on the outside lined with T-shirt jersey knit on the inside. I used a pattern I had made from a commercial one, and lengthened it so it covered the incisions completely. Below is a copy of those “pre-op” papers I handed the tech.
Both of our Great Danes are very sensitive beings, so we felt it important to find a vet that would not require an over-night stay. Some vets require an overnight stay, so it's important to ask about the procedure, the pre-op care, and the post-op care before you schedule the procedure. 
One last thing: I found GreatDaneLady.com to be a great source of information. I know there are lots of sites on the internet with good information, so,...do your homework. :-) 

____________________________

Questions BEFORE the surgery

1.       Can she be given (either at home before leaving, or as she arrives) an anti-anxiety med?  She is terrified of the vet’s office.

2.       We have a 2-story house.  She loves to gallop up the stairs (about 4 or 5 steps at a time), so we are going to sleep downstairs on the sleeper sofa, with her bed next to us on the floor, and put a gate that will prevent her from going upstairs. How long before she can run up those stairs?

We have a ramp that we can put in the back – there are three steps she must go down to go outside to the back yard.

3.       I make ________’s food, so I will need to prepare it in advance. When can she start to eat again after surgery? And, how much, how often? The internet said, give them small, soft meals. She is a vegan, so I was thinking that we could  give her a can of commercial vegan food or mix some soft foods to start, such as:
sweet potatoes
basmati rice (white)
other grains like quinoa, or barley (well-cooked, soft)
black beans
garbanzo beans

(Mashed, and mixed together with a natural creamy peanut butter or almond butter?)

When the mix is cool, could I mix in a little coconut water?

4.       When can she have a spoon of natural coconut peanut butter spread? She normally  gets a spoonful every night in her Kong.

5.       Will you give her something for anti-nausea for after surgery? (And perhaps, something we can take home with us for anti-nausea, in addition to the pain meds and antibiotic)

6.       How soon do we give the first “round” of meds?

7.       She still gets hiccoughs at least once a day – is this going to be a problem for the stomach-tacking sutures? (In this case would she benefit from an anti-spasmodic?)

8.       Where is the drop-off door for the surgery?  Same front doors, or a different door?

_________________________________________________________

For the Day of the Surgery

Day: ______ Time: _____ Date: ________

PATIENT: Name ___________ (Dog’s name with your last name)

(Breed:______________, Male or Female, Age: ____________ )

VETERINARIAN/SURGEON: Dr. _________

SURGERY:  spaying and stomach tacking  (GASTROPEXY) with Dr. ________________

Dear Dr. _______and the people who will be assisting during surgery and recovery,

Please read the following before proceeding with surgery on ___________. These are important issues unique to giant dog breeds, especially Great Danes.

I have a lot of faith in the veterinarians and the staff at ________ Animal Hospital, but I’m sure you understand how difficult it can be to put the life of your precious companion animal in the hands of even the most capable professional.  I am sure that you will be doing the following anyway, without my request. But, I’m asking that you, and your assisting staff humor me and  read this BEFORE you begin. Thank you.

Previous to surgery I am requesting:

·         Complete physical  examination

·         Good heart auscultation

·         EKG

·         CBC and serum chemistry panel (including a clotting profile)

·         Insert an IV catheter prior to surgery (as precautionary fluid therapy)

·         Pulse oximetry and cardiac monitoring

·         Blood pressure monitoring

I need to know if any of these cannot be carried out.

CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GREAT DANES:

1.       Temperature monitoring during surgery and throughout recovery: The dog must be kept warm when coming out of anesthesia and recovery. A drop in body temp can cause them to bleed internally, and they will bleed out even before you know they are bleeding.  AFTER SURGERY, DO NOT PUT DOG ON A COLD FLOOR OR SURFACE! It can be a death warrant. Great Danes are very vulnerable to drop in body temperature because of the ratio of body mass to body surface. A DROP IN BODY HEAT WILL CAUSE HER TO BLEED OUT INTERNALLY. Dog must be kept on a warm surface, with ample bedding under, and covered up with a comforter or blanket during the recovery process.

Preventive measures including: warming of IV fluids, placing the dog on a heated pad (circulating water heating pad, or other heating pad set on “low”, and covering the body and extremities with warmed blankets, towels, bubble wrap, or other protective covering post-surgery are VITAL in conserving heat. If needed, I can provide a clean bed and a blanket for her to keep her warm during recovery. I HAVE IT READY IN MY CAR.

 

Please read:

“ In a survey done 4/2007, done through a giant breed discussion of over 800 members, 1/3 of 800 individuals lost a Dane after common spay and neuter surgery. We have come to realize this is due to a drop in body temperature. It is imperative your dog not be left on cold cement in a kennel after surgery or they will bleed out and die. They must be kept warm – under the dog and on top. This is an enormous problem with large breeds, giants in particular because of the ratio of body mass to body surface. They can’t hold body heat very well so it is absolutely critical that we keep them warm during the recovery from surgery.  “ – Linda Arndt, “The Great Dane Lady”, and Canine Nutritional Consultant

 

 

2.     HEAD AND NECK MUST BE SUPPORTED AT ALL TIMES DURING SURGERY AND AFTERCARE. This is a major problem with Great Danes.

Do not let dog’s head and neck dangle off the operating table during surgery. I WANT THE HEAD AND NECK SUPPORTED ON EITHER SIDE  at all times WITH TOWELS OR A SURGICAL TROUGH.  This will avoid misalignment of the spine, a slipped disc, or wobbler’s syndrome diagnosis following surgery, which have no cure and may result in a requirement of euthanasia.

I want the veterinarian, Dr. _________, as well as his assistants and anyone who works with or helps transport the dog to know this.

(See also attached “Surgery Guidelines for Great Danes” [Found at:  http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/surgery_guidelines_for_great_danes_htm ]

And “Info to Share with Your Vet” – attached to this document.) [http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/allergic_reactions_to_antibiotics.htm

 (You may want to attach a copy of :http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/spay_and_neuter_information.htm ]

 

 

IMPORTANT ISSUES:

·         No dental cleaning at the time of surgery. [My personal bias – I know a couple who lost their Dane because of this.]

·         ALLERGIES: She is allergic to ________and possibly ___________. She had  a bad reaction. (Please see attached “info to Share with your VET” ) It explains that Great Danes frequently are allergic to  SULFONOMIDES, so please avoid those.

·         She still gets hiccoughs at least once a day – is this going to be a problem for the stomach-tacking sutures? (In this case would she benefit from an anti-spasmodic?)

·         NO ELIZABETHAN COLLAR! They are too large and awkward for a Great Dane – they bump into the door frames and frighten the dogs more than they help.  I have made some “vests” that work like a belly band, but cover the whole area on the chest and stomach from front to back legs.  (We also have two sizes of belly bands to use if necessary.) I will be with her, and watching her closely, 24 hours/day for the 7-10 days (or longer, if necessary) of recuperation.  I will bring one of the vests on surgery day, so she can wear it home.

·         Our cell phones are: Name ________ Cell No.: ________   and Name _________ No. _____ (Try these first)

·         Our home phone is __________________

We want to know how the surgery went at its conclusion, and any update on how she is doing post-op.

We will either be in the vet’s office or very close by, and ready to pick her up when you tell/call  us.

We want _________ to spend the night at home, post-op, because being at home, not having to spend the night,  she/he will heal faster, so we would like him/her to have the surgery early in the day.

Thank you for reading this, for doing everything for the safety and wellbeing of _________, your time, attentiveness and for taking such good care of our ____________.

Your name(s) _____________________________________

 





My Dog Has a Tick! Help!

This morning after going outside to do her business, Katya came inside and jumped up on the chaise longue covered with a cotton throw  in the master bedroom. Valentina’s favorite place to nap is on our throw-covered sofa in the livingroom, but she has no desire to jump up on the chaise. She lies down on the orthopedic dog bed right next to the chaise, though, while Katya lies down on the chaise itself. Because they are not allowed on our beds that are too high anyway, Tom or I usually sit on the chaise and pet and talk to the pupsters in the morning. While petting Katya, I discovered what first looked like a tiny skin tag on her shoulder. It bobbed back and forth from its point of connection with her skin, and it appeared to be soft, just like a skin tag would be. I showed it to Tom, and he was sure it was a tick. The little tick had a soft little belly that was filling with blood.  Katya is definitely an outdoor dog. She would rather go into the yard and explore, sniffing everything, and rolling on the grass, so she is much more prone to getting a tick than Valentina. At four years old, Valentina still loves to explore outdoors a bit, but she also loves to stand or lie on one of the cushions on the terrace and peruse her kingdom below. In Mexico, although we only own one house and its surrounding lot, that “kingdom” appears to be huge as it includes an expansive view of the lake, and all that lies below our terrace. She watches the white egrets fly towards the lake's edge in the morning and back towards the mountain in the evening. She can see the small fishing boats as they move along the water’s surface all day. In the winter months she can see the white pelicans as they cross the lake on their way to the other side, as well as the many-colored songbirds as they perch in the trees, wearing their electric red, or neon yellow, or pearlescent green feathered outfits. She can hear the burros braying, the roosters crowing, dogs barking, various noises from the village below, and the gardeners walking on their way to and from work in the morning and evening.

 

The usual suggestion for removing a tick includes readying the following items:

• Gloves
• Tweezers
• Latex or rubber gloves
• Rubbing alcohol
• Antiseptic wipes
• Jar or container with lid

Frequently, articles will recommend using pointed tweezers. I disagree. (Disclaimer: However, I am not a vet.) Because I make jewelry, I have various tweezers.  I brought all of my tweezers to Tom and asked which he thought were best. He agreed that a special pair of tweezers would work best: tweezers with little rounded cup ends that would normally be used to cup and hold a round bead. He was right: the tweezers would firmly hold the tick and would also be less likely to puncture the dog’s skin. He also felt it would hold the heat more effectively.

 

Katya immediately figured out that something was awry, and began to get fidgety. Tom sat with her on the chaise and tried to calm her down, while I heated the ends of the tweezers on the stove. As soon as they were red hot, I quickly walked to the bedroom and grabbed the little critter with the tweezers. The tick backed out easily and quickly. Ticks can carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans. My mistakes were: I didn’t wear gloves, and I didn’t save the tick in a little jar of alcohol. I put it on a Kleenex and, following our inspection of it, quickly flushed it down the toilet. I now understand it’s best to save the tick in alcohol because if your pet starts demonstrating signs of an infection (lethargy, swollen lymph glands, fever, loss of appetite, etc.) it is recommended to take the dog to the vet as well as to show the tick to the vet.  Articles recommend pulling the tick straight back without twisting or turning the tick to avoid a part of the tick breaking off. The articles I read did not suggest heating the end of the tweezers, but I had heard  and had used that method before.  When grasped with a hot pair of tweezers, the tick usually will disengage from the skin just to get away from the heat source. The tick came out very easily, and as far as I could tell, and upon examination by Tom, the entire tick body had come out in the tweezers. He was a little guy, but it was obvious he was no skin tag. The tweezers never touched Katya’s skin. I rubbed the area with Neosporin to protect it from infection, and I added a tablespoon of ionic colloidal silver to their two water bowls, and also rubbed a colloidal silver gel on the tick puncture site to help guard against infection. (A lot of articles recommend alcohol for disinfecting the area.) If you are interested in buying the tweezers, Amazon sells several. (You might do a search for jewelry-making tweezers, round end, bead holding). Any craft store with beading supplies most likely has them, too. There are also several tick removal tools on the market, available at pet stores and on Amazon.

In my opinion, the goal is to remove the tick safely and painlessly. Katya was tickless in a moment, and didn’t even notice that anything had been done. As soon as the tick was grasped by the heated ends of the tweezer it released its grasp...and Katya was free! We will watch her for any signs of tick-born disease.

Substances That Scare Me, Part II: Canola Oil

·         It’s cheap (VERY). It has been used as a machine lubricant and as fuel in diesel fuel. It has been used as a pesticide and has been registered with the EPA as such. The plant it comes from from has caused fibrotic heart tissue and blindness and death in cows. Two studies with baby pigs resulted in dead piglets.

·         And… if you eat food prepared by someone else (as in restaurant or processed food), IT IS MOST LIKELY IN YOUR FOOD as well as in the ingredient list for most of the recipes in “healthy” cookbooks!

·         It’s used in a great deal of restaurants. It’s in most processed foods. (Note: Processed is usually defined as more than one ingredient in the product.) IT’S IN DOG FOOD (even vegan ones!)

 That can’t be true! Can it? Maybe this happens in other countries, but not in America.  Can an industry that makes food addictive by adding enormous quantities of salt, sugar and fat, loads it with cheese (now believed to have an opioid-like substance that is addictive), cheapens ingredients to increase the profit margin, adds chemical taste enhancers to fool the taste buds, be so thoughtless regarding the health of the American consumer? Certainly the American Food and Drug Administration would be vigilant in keeping the American consumer safe from all dangerous ingredients!

 This year (2017) I hit the 40-year mark as a vegan, and I am alarmed to find out what is “sold” to the American public as “safe” or even “healthy”. And then, who do you trust? Personally, I read every ingredient list… and that still does not safeguard me against all that is unhealthy.

If you do an internet search for “Canola Oil”, you may not find anything negative about it until the fourth or fifth  page. Those first pages are filled with positive propaganda and “official reports” about Canola Oil. Worse yet, it is advertised as a healthy alternative and a way to reduce weight and belly fat.  (Did you know that there are entire companies that for a fee do nothing more than push negative search entries about your company, or product several pages down the line, so most people will never see them?)

 A little bit further down the search entry “line”, you will find entries such as “Canola Oil Report” or “The Dangers of Canola Oil” or “The Facts about Canola Oil”, that tell a much different  story. From these articles you begin to understand how the expression “follow the money” plays a big part in understanding why you must be personally responsible for your own health. 

Canola oil is one of Canada’s chief export products. According to Dr. Rich Easterling, and other sources, the Canadian Government paid $50 million dollars to the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration to have canola oil recognized as GRAS. (Generally Regarded As Safe). “Animal studies showed fatty degeneration of the heart, kidneys, and endocrine glands. When canola oil was withheld, the deposits were shown to dissolve. The scar tissue, however remained on all the vital organs.” Chapter 20, "Erucic Acid: Toxic or Beneficial?" Location 2775, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, Udo Erasmus.

You will learn that there is no such thing as a Canola plant. Canola oil comes from a hybridized form of the rapeseed plant. Now, over 80% of canola oil comes from genetically altered rapeseed.  It cannot be labeled, certified, or called organic.₁ And yet, all the time I see bottles of “organic Canola oil” as well as products that contain Canola oil labeled as “organic” on the health store shelves.

"Food produces have learned from years of experience that if they present a poor quality food as healthy, it will become a best seller. That is the situation with canola oil. The truth is that canola oil is not a healthy oil. In fact, it is one of the unhealthiest oils you could ever eat and you should avoid anything and everything that contains it." (Dr. Bruce Fife, "Canola Oil, Good or Bad?")

Food grade Canola oil must be deodorized to remove the “terrible stink”. To do this it must be heated to at least 300 degrees F which would destroy any Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s). When EFA’s are heated to a high temperature they are transformed into trans- fatty acids. Enzymes are destroyed at about 118 degrees F.

 The original, unhybridized, unaltered  rapeseed plant contained at least 50% erucic acid. "Erucic acid is highly toxic to the heart and promotes heart failure." (Dr. Bruce Fife, "Canola Oil, Good or Bad?") Canola oil has been engineered to contain less of this toxic substance – 2%. (What worries me is that it still contains ANY erucic acid. Logic tells me that if I’m given poison at 50% of a lethal dose, that, if continually repeated over time, it will just take double the time to kill me.) Erucic acid is a long-chain fatty acid which has been associated with fibrotic heart tissue. A 1996 Japanese study and a second study (published in Nutrition Research, 1997, v17), verified that piglets given Canola oil became dangerously depleted of Vitamin E and died.

“Food grade” rapeseed oil (canola oil) is not entirely erucic acid-free. It is illegal to sell rapeseed oil for human consumption if it contains more than 2 percent erucic acid by weight in the USA and more than 5 percent in Europe. Although most of the erucic acid has been removed, would you want to eat an oil that contains even a small amount of a toxin that attacks the heart? Studies have shown that even as little as 2 percent can have detrimental effects on the heart and circulatory system. This is one of the reasons why canola oil is not allowed as an ingredient in baby food. It is also not recommended for breastfeeding mothers because erucic acid is deposited in the mother’s milk fat. If canola oil is not good for babies, why would it be any better for adults?" (Dr. Bruce Fife, "Is Canola Oil Healthy?"  
  

 Although there have been studies carefully crafted by the Canola industry, independent empirical research studies on humans are limited. This would, permit the medical industrial complex to say truthfully, “there have been no studies on humans that show the toxicity of Canola oil.” Why? Because there have been no research studies on humans AT ALL!

 It’s important to note that Dr. Richard Easterling says that the effects of rapeseed are cumulative and take almost 10 years to manifest.  Dr. Easterling lists the following as directly or indirectly caused symptoms of Canola oil consumption:

·         COPD

·         Blindness in humans and animals

·         Anemia

·         Irritability

·         Constipation

·         Lung cancer

 According to the June 7^th, 1995 issue of Wall Street Journal, symptoms include :

·         Loss of vision

·         Disruption of the Nervous System

·         Respiratory illness

·         Anemia

·         Heart Disease

·         Cancer

·         Low birth weights

·         Irritability in Adults

 Canola oil is registered with the EPA as a pesticide.

 I was horrified to find out that my favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Austin uses canola oil in my favorite salad dressing, as evidenced in the ingredient list in their bottled salad dressing sold at the health food store. (I made the mistake of blindly trusting that they would make the healthy choice.)

 After reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s books,  Eat to Live, The End of Heart Disease, Super Immunity,etc. as well as T. Colin Campbell’s book, Whole, among others,  I have learned that any food in its extracted form is not healthy.  We should all be getting our fats from whole sources, like raw cashews, avocadoes, etc. as mentioned in Dr. Fuhrman’s books. (Dr. Fuhrman recommends “frying” food with water,  as does Udo Erasmus who says the best oil to cook with is water..)

“Oils, like other processed foods, have their fibers and most nutrients removed, are weight promoting, and do not have the health benefits of seeds and nuts. In fact, a recent study compared a traditional Mediterranean diet with one that substituted nuts for the oil and found that the atherosclerotic plaque regressed only in the diet containing the nuts; it did not regress in the control diet or oil-heavy Mediterranean diet.

“You will find that in the Nutritarian program the delicious texture and flavor of whole nuts and seeds are used to make dressings and sauces that taste even better than oil-based dressings and sauces. Best of all, the result is superior health.” (p. 149, Fuhrman, Dr. Joel, The End of Heart Disease)

 I love and treasure our two animal companions, and would not ever want to do anything that would jeopardize their health. Why, then would I ever feed them a product that contains canola oil? Why would I myself ever want to eat anything with canola oil? For now, I will continue to make my own dog food (and my own human food!). It will never contain Canola oil.

I am not a doctor, or a scientist, or a nutritionist, or a health care professional. I can only share my personal opinion formed on the basis of my internet and book searches. I do, however believe that my health is my own responsibility which I should entrust to no one, and what I am reading and hearing about Canola oil frightens me enough to stay far away from it.  I’ve lived long enough to know that what is purported to be perfectly safe by the powers-that-be may, in fact, be very dangerous :

(Thalidomide? Vioxx?, DES? See “35 FDA-Approved Prescription Drugs Later Pulled from the Market”, http://prescriptiondrugs.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=005528  )

Also, watch drug ads on MSNBC, followed by lawyers’ ads for Class Action Suits for the same drugs.)

 

I  have also lived long enough to know that when two substances are produced by two competing industries, they will try to discredit each other. (I remember that coconut oil and palm oil, among other food substances, were purported to be VERY bad for your health by the competing soy oil industry.): http://www.thealternativedaily.com/soybean-oil-vs-coconut-oil/  Then there was the demonizing  and discrediting of the experts who dared to bring the truth to light about the dangers of substances that were making  corporations a great deal of profit. (Among many others, “Dangers of Aspartame” Woodrow Monte, http://thetruthaboutstuff.com/ and more recently, Tom Valentine, Canola Oil )

 Below, you will find a few references I have found in my search for the truth about canola oil.

 “Stop Using Canola Oil Immediately”, Dr. Josh Axe,

http://druglessdoctor.com/wp2015/wp-content/uploads/Stop-Using-Canola-Oil-Immediately.pdf

 “The Facts About Canola Oil”, David Lawrence Dewey,  October 10, 1997 (Updated  February 21, 2001, February 22, 2010, May 5, 2010) www.dldewey.com/columns/canola.htm

 “Canola Oil”, Dr. Rich Easterling, Oct. 29, 2012, www.realpurity.com/blog/canola-oil/

"Is Canola Oil Healthy?" Dr. Bruce Fife, http://www.fertilegroundwellnesscenter.com/images/IsCanolaOilHealthy.pdf 

 Fats that Heal and Fats That Kill, Udo Erasmus

 “Canola Oil: Is It Healthy?”  Bruce Fife, N.D., Wellbeing Journal Vol. 21, No. 6, November/December 2012

"Canola Oil: Good or Bad?, Bruce Fife, Dr. http://www.jctonic.com/include/healingcrisis/21canola_oil.htm  

 “Canola Oil Report - The Straight Dope on Canola Oil – HBC”  www.customers.hbci.com/~wenonah/new/canola.htm

 “Oil of Olé”  (http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp )

Canine Anal Impaction Emergency. . . Say What?!!!

We spent Thanksgiving and Christmas 2016, and New Year’s 2017 in Mexico this year, and Valentina came up with a health challenge that I had no experience with: one of her anal glands was impacted.  When I let her out to do her business, I noticed from a distance that she had something red close to her anus.  On closer examination, it looked like a little red balloon ready to burst.  I took to the internet immediately and it was not too difficult to discover that anal impaction was not rare in dogs.  Most of the resources cautioned that if the gland burst, it could be more serious, and, it could become infected.  I acted fast and started putting warm compresses of salt water on the area. The swelling went down only a little, but it was not responding very well to the treatment.  I began to think that I needed to get her in to our local vet.  I went back to the internet and happened upon a veterinarian’s site that said everyone needs to know how to treat an anal impaction.  Apparently they are quite common. She said that two things are vital if you have a dog with an anal impaction: Epsom salts and homeopathic Silicea 6X. I found the homeopathic remedy immediately. Like Europe, Mexico has always been very supportive of alternative therapies. There are numerous homeopathic stores in the Lake Chapala area.  The Epsom salts were a little more difficult to find. The dictionary translates Epsom salts as “epsomitas”. That didn’t work. So, I translated what Epsom salts really are – magnesium sulfate.  After going to about three pharmacies, I finally got results with my new translation: “sulfato de magnesio”. The package, however, contained only about 2 tablespoons.   The pharmacist only knew Epsom salts for internal, gastrointestinal treatment, so you can understand why   I got a strange reaction when I asked them for all they had – about 10 little triangular-shaped  packages. When I explained I wanted them for warm compresses for my dog, they were less worried. I explained that Epsom salts could also be used  for warm compresses as well as to soak tired feet after a long day’s work.  The pharmacist got a dreamy look on her face, imagining how luxurious that might feel,   and said in Spanish, “Oh. That must be wonderful.  I’m going to get some for my feet.  They really hurt by the end of the day.”

Finally after a few more stops at other pharmacies, my husband suggested that I stop at a pharmacy located in an area where there are a lot of Americans.  He was right. I was able to get a package of 250 grams.

How did it work out? It was nothing less than miraculous. I started with the treatment of warm compresses (using clean terry cloth rags dipped in warm water with Epsom salt) on the anal gland, and with the Silicea 6X  as soon as I got the first packages of Epsom salts. As instructed by the lady at the homeopathic store, Valentina   got 3 Silicea 6X tablets ground to powder between 2 spoons, poured on her tongue,  three times a day and several  (at least 5 to 6) warm compress treatments of 5 to 10 minutes each per day.  The next day, a lady at the Ajijic Tuesday organic market who sells extracts and sprouted legumes suggested I add some Calendula extract to the warm Epsom salt water to help soothe the area.  The little taut red balloon on her butt went away in a day and a half! It took a little longer for the skin to completely return to normal texture, and I followed the internet advice of the veterinarian and continued the compresses and the silicea for two weeks.  I also put 2 tablespoons of colloidal silver in each of their water bowls every day  to help with any infection that may have occurred.   I was just about out of colloidal silver and stopped in at Dr. Garcia’s office, a local homeopathic-naturopathic doctor just down the street from the organic market to get some more. (It’s very good quality and made in Guadalajara, Mexico, by the way!)  He mentioned that homeopathic treatments work very well on dogs, and other animals, and suggested another treatment which would prevent further anal impaction in the future.

Further research of silicea, also known as silica, taught me that it is useful, among other things for treating  abcesses, boils, swollen glands, helping the body to push out the toxins.  It is helpful with abcessed teeth.  Silica is the most common element in the earth. It is present in our bodies, and helps with formation of bone, hair and nails.

Problem solved.

So far, Valentina has been anal impaction-free.

To Crate or Not to Crate

We started out with a nylon crate with both Valentina and Katya.  The first crate that my husband ordered  for Katya was too small, eventually. I found and ordered a jumbo-sized crate from Amazon when it was obvious the smaller one would no longer work for Katya.  We moved the smaller one downstairs, and used it for keeping Katya safe and out of mischief when we both left the house. Katya determined when she would no longer be crated downstairs by ripping out the main "screen door" in the crate.  A few weeks ago, we decided to stop crating Katya at night. We left the crate in the bedroom, with the screen up. The first night that Katya was allowed to be free, she quietly stayed on one of the dog beds in the bedroom, almost as if she thought she was getting away with something. We did have a couple of accidents. A couple of nights she got up, forgot to come over to the bed to let us know that she had to go out, wandered downstairs, got flustered when no one answered the bell, and peepeed or poopeed on the tile floor close to the door. But, that's all in the learning curve -- she is doing very well during the day, and we feel we just have to give her a little leeway while growing and learning her body system. We have a strip of jingle bells on the door with a small bell attached at the bottom of the strip. We thought that perhaps she got downstairs, did ring the bell, but we didn't hear her while we were sleeping upstairs. Enter, the brainchild of my husband.  He ordered a baby monitor from Amazon, set it up at the back door downstairs and by the side of our bed. It was pure genius -- not only can you hear the bells ring, you can hear every lap of water from the water bowl, AND you can even hear Katya scratching at the outside of the door to get in.  Problem solved.  I've read all the positive information about crating dogs, but I still don't buy it. I'm sure it really depends on the personality of the dog. Great Danes are extremely intelligent, and if left in boring environments, they can go looney. One person told us that his son and daughter-in-law had a Great Dane that destroyed the entire set of backyard furniture. I asked if the dog was left alone most of the day and night, and the answer was "yes." I've seen description of constructions of Great Dane-sized crates, (essentially chain-link fence inside of a laundry room) and I find it a little ridiculous. I do understand that many people work jobs that keep them away from home for 8 to 10 hours a day. When I had my first 2 Danes, I worked (taught school) only 5 blocks away, so I could rush home to check on the Dane and Dalmation during lunch. I did give them the run of the back yard during good weather conditions.  They had a dog house and lots of trees for shade. This was in Arizona, but even in Arizona, it can be cold a few weeks in the winter and very hot in the summer, so they were inside the house in extremes of weather. I have retired from school teaching in secondary education and higher education, and I work on my writing from home, so the dogs stay inside with me most of the time. Great Danes are very sensitive to temperature extremes. I know they are big guys, but they are not built for the cold, or for hot extremes. I'm not sure if I would have gotten a Dane if I had worked away from home, and were unable to go home at lunch. I know what is said about a dog crate being a protective cave for the dog.  We leave the jumbo crate in the bedroom, but Katya never sleeps in it now that we don't zip her in. (We plan to continue using the jumbo crate in the hotel for a while when we travel. Last trip we had the crate set up in the van for the actual drive as well as in the hotel, but next time we will not set up the crate in the car, and will use it only in the hotel.)  We have dog beds (lots!) in the bedroom, but the pupsters' favorites are two large dog beds placed in a line against the wall, separated with a  king-sized pillow  and rimmed with pillows on 3 sides, against the wall, used as bolster pillows. Valentina still grumbles at Katya if she tries to sit on her or jump on her while she is sleeping, but she never grumbles about Katya's company in the adjacent dog bed. They have become regular buddies.

Doggy Dental Challenge Averted with Colloidal Silver and Manuka Honey (UMF 20+)

I noticed that Valentina had become grumpy lately, and she seemed to not have as much energy as usual. Vet exams showed that she was okay, but I sensed something was amiss.  Checking her teeth, I noticed some tartar that was not too bad, but then noticed a dark spot at the gum and top of the upper right canine tooth. She also had bad breath. I've heard several horror stories about canine dental cleanings. A very sweet couple that brings their two Great Danes at the dog park told me the story of the death of their previous Great Dane who was healthy, went in for a dental cleaning, was given no antibiotic in advance, and became deathly ill from all the bacteria released into his body at the time of cleaning. The vet started the dog on antibiotics later, but the infection had advanced too far, and the dog died FROM THE DENTAL CLEANING! I was determined to avoid anything of the sort, so I started researching the subject. I found entries at curezone.org, as well as many other references to dog dental health. I always keep colloidal silver around -- it is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal -- all in one. Putting colloidal silver in the dog's water was suggested by several sources. By the way, it also takes away tartar.  Also several sources suggested the use of Manuka honey. Because of my vegan lifestyle, I've always avoided honey.  This is a continual controversy among vegans -- some eat honey  and some don't. But, after reading up on  the curative powers of Manuka honey, and knowing I had to take action, I ordered a jar of UMF 20+ from Amazon. Using a vitamin bottle top, I mixed a little ground Ceylon cinnamon and a little clove powder with the Manuka honey (1 to 5 parts = 1/8 to 5/8 tsp.) and started rubbing the Manuka honey on the infected area of Valentina's gums and teeth, three times per day. We have two water bowls inside that Valentina and Katya share, and I put one tablespoon in each water bowl each day, for a total of 2 tablespoons per day. Valentina became a puppy again, chasing Katya around in the yard, and returning to her playful self, after a week. I'm still applying the Manuka honey, and I keep about 2 teaspoons colloidal silver in the water bowls, and I insert 1 teaspoon colloidal silver twice daily into Valentina's mouth using a baby medicine syringe. Several sources recommend putting a little colloidal silver every day into dog water bowls because it keeps the water sanitary. The dark spot on her gum and tooth turned into a tan spot on her gum and no spot on her tooth, and now the tan-colored gum tissue has fallen off and healthy gum tissue is growing in where the tan spot fell off.

Note about Manuka honey:
Manuka honey comes from New Zealand and is made by bees that collect the nectar of the Manuka tree. The honey is said to have great curative powers. The UMF number is the most reliable when seeking a Manuka honey that is most potent. My research shows that a UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) number of 15+ is recommended for any healing of infection etc.  Methylglyoxal (MG) is a curative substance found in most honey in different concentrations.  It is very high in Manuka honey.  People use it to get rid of sore throats, colds, flu, and it is rubbed on the gums and teeth to heal gum infections and to remineralize teeth and fight cavities. Do a search for "Manuka honey uses" to see all the applications of this medicinal honey.
Remember not to give honey to puppies.
I am not a medical doctor or a veterinarian, so always check with your vet.

Valentina's New Sister Puppy, Katya

This was one of the first pictures I saw of Katya. I found her on a puppy website. The ad must have been placed the morning I found her, and we called immediately to hold her.  We waited until she was 8 weeks old before we (Tom, Valentina and I) picked her up from a breeder outside of Houston. She was born on May 1, 2016 in Baton Rouge. Louisiana. We forgot a lot of what we had experienced with the puppyhood of Valentina. The nylon crate we had used for Valentina had a ruined zipper and was long gone. The first two nights were nearly sleepless as Katya ran back and forth to the various dog beds in the room, jumping on poor sleeping Valentina while we tried to sleep. The nylon dog crate arrived the third day, and we quickly set it up and placed a comfortable dog bed inside. The third night was very restful. All four of our pack got a good night's sleep. Katya Frederika pranced into our hearts and has completed our pack. The name Katya means "pure", and the name Frederika means "rich peace". She is a loving, affectionate and peaceful puppy.  She always brings a toy in her mouth to offer you when she approaches. She's a little over 5 months now. And is growing like a weed! When she was three months we went to Mexico, and she traveled so very well. We put the crate in the van with a bed and a small-sized potty grass inside. Over these last few months, she has figured out housetraining, and just recently has mastered the Dog Park. Just like Valentina, she was entranced with her yard and home in Mexico. As soon as she had all her vaccinations, we started to socialize her. Austin is a dog-friendly city, and Lake Chapala is amazingly dog-friendly with a large number of restaurants that are open air. Katya is a very friendly puppy, so she makes friends easily. Valentina and Katya get along well.  The only thing that turns Valentina into Ms. Grumpy is when she's sleeping and Katya pounces on her. Valentina is quite patient with her new sister most of the time.  I think they're going to be great pals.