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Allergies, allergens, allergic reactions and intolerances – the what, the why and the where Itchy rashes in dogs can be so frustrating.  Trying to pinpoint the exact allergen that is causing the rashes is no mean feat!        I’m often advising people about the foods and the difference in the brands, which are ‘clean’ foods and which are not. I frequently have people asking me what type of food I’d recommend for an itchy dog. Most recently, a customer came to me as he could just not work out why his itchy dog was itchy all over with no...

Is euthanizing the dog really the right answer? One year ago this month, this little fella was terrorizing the neighbourhood; chasing, killing and eating chickens! Meet the 7-month-old Foxie cross. All I can say is that I was thankful for two things: that he lived near me and that he was not a chained dog At least he was free to express himself and without training, rules and regulations, express himself he did! Now this wasn’t his fault – he didn’t know you weren’t supposed to kill nor chase chickens – he was just having some fun and found a...

Have you heard of Xylitol? In our age of low sugar and no sugar, new alternatives to sugar have popped up all over the place! As one of them, Xylitol is dangerous to dogs,  I thought it was time to highlight it. Particularly when it is used as an additive. Although Xylitol is not a new product it has been recently embraced in the food sectors in NZ along with other countries and is being included in many foods. The Dangers   While Xylitol is relatively safe to all other species it is highly poisonous to dogs. Canines are the...

Sometimes we just can’t seem to pinpoint the actual reason  we have an itchy dog! They might be red, rashy, itchy or balding or some dogs can just be itchy all over without displaying any further symptoms. The constant itching can drive you and your pets nuts, it’s stressful not being able to help your itchy pet. Having an itchy dog is no fun! We often think of the common allergens that can affect our dogs – things like grasses, grass seeds, wandering dew and foods. But really the list is extensive and again the problem can be exasperated when...

Pancreatitis - what it is and what causes it.  A little known fact that EVERY pet parent needs to know! Christmas is a time when we eat lots of foods and rich foods.  Eating leftovers is the symbol of Boxing Day!  Which are generally all-good for us humans but not so good for our pets. As it is the Christmas season, I wanted to bring to your attention the dangers of certain types of foods to our pets. This is not about the usual chocolate and grapes but something far more serious that can be fatal. Met Mia – the...