ANIMAL WELLNESS
For a long, healthy life!
WELLNESS
holiday issue!
6PAIN
WAYS TO KNOW IF YOUR PUP’S IN
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
DOGGIE PLAYTIME How to organize
inside
TIPS FOR
a playgroup
WHAT’S REALLY IN
PET VACCINES? Here’s what you need to know about vaccine additives TOP TIPS FOR FINDING THE BEST
STRESS-FREE GROOMING
SHOP FOR A
CAUSE
– how to help animals in need this holiday season!
DOG BED DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019 Display until January 14, 2019
$6.95 USA/Canada
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 6
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
BONUS INSIDE!
Contents December 2018/January 2019
Features
18 CRANIOSACRAL FOR YOUR CANINE COMPANION
Most dogs are active and love to play and run. But injuries can happen and cause problems down the road. CranioSacral Therapy can help prevent these problems.
22 GETTING THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS FOR YOUR PET
Health problems in dogs and cats are sometimes missed or diagnosed incorrectly. Arriving at a correct diagnosis involves good teamwork from you and your vet.
26 TOP TIPS FOR FINDING
THE BEST DOG BED
Your dog’s sleeping arrangements can help or hinder his well-being, so it’s important to buy him a bed he loves! Here are a few tips to help you in the hunt.
28 ADDITIVES AND
ADJUVANTS IN ANIMAL VACCINES
Most vaccines for dogs and cats contain additional ingredients that can raise the risk of adverse reactions. Let’s look at what they are, and how you can help keep your pet safe.
33 HOLIDAY SHOPPING
THAT HELPS ANIMALS IN NEED
Chances are, you’ll be doing some holiday shopping this season. Why not put those hardearned dollars toward helping needy animals at the same time?
44 DOGGY PLAY DATES
Want to join or organize a playgroup for your dog? Take these tips and tactics into consideration before setting your first date.
46 ACUPRESSURE FOR
EASING HOLIDAY STRESS – IN YOU AND YOUR DOG!
The festive season can be stressful – and if you’re feeling tense, your dog is too. These simple acupressure sessions can help you and your best friend stay relaxed and balanced.
4
Animal Wellness
18 50 KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE AND SOUND!
From heavy duty harnesses to high-tech ID tags, products designed with your dog’s safety in mind are everywhere.
56 HOW IS ELECTROPOLLUTION AFFECTING YOUR PET’S HEALTH?
Electromagnetic radiation from cell phones, power lines and more are having an adverse impact on the health of our dogs and cats (and ourselves!). Learn how to protect your pet.
66 6 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOUR DOG IS IN PAIN
By understanding something about canine body language and behavior, you’ll be in a better position to know when your dog might be experiencing pain or discomfort.
72 DOGS CAN GET BREAST CANCER TOO
Breast cancer is most often associated with humans, but dogs develop this malignancy as well. The good news is that there are many steps you can take to reduce the risk in your own canine companion.
75 HOW HOMEOPATHY
HELPS TREAT SEIZURES IN PETS
Unlike conventional medications, which only control seizure symptoms in dogs and cats, homeopathy offers the possibility of a genuine cure in the majority of cases.
78 SAFE TRAVELS WITH YOUR DOG
If you’re traveling with your dog this holiday season, help ensure his health and safety by being aware of some often overlooked hazards that could spell trouble.
80 MAKE GROOMING A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR DOG
Trips to the groomers don’t have to be stressful. These tips will help ensure your dog stays calm and collected so he can come out feeling as well as looking his best!
91 6 FLOWER ESSENCES FOR STRESSED CATS
Flower essences are a safe and effective way to calm and balance nervous or fearful kitties.
94 CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOYS FOR YOUR CAT
Cats need to play as much as dogs do. Help keep your cat happy and healthy by selecting toys that satisfy her natural instincts and encourage her to exercise.
96 CHOOSING A CARRIER FOR YOUR CAT
Most cats run the other way when they see their carriers. Buying the right model for your kitty, and helping him acclimatize to it, will encourage him to feel a little more comfortable.
94
72
33
Columns
12 Yakkity yak 40 Rewind 61 Warm & fuzzy 82 To the rescue 84 Book reviews 89 Spot the difference 98 FW Book reviews
78 Departments 8
Editorial
54
Product picks
64
Animal Wellness resource guide
70
The scoop
86
Marketplace
Tips, pet photos, and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine
87
ClassiďŹ eds
Crafts, laughs, and more! AnimalWellness
88
Events
Social media Tips, contests and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ AW_magazine
Animal Wellness
5
Additives and Adjuvants in
ANIMAL VACCINES By W. Jean Dodds, DVM
M
OST VACCINES FOR DOGS AND CATS CONTAIN ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS THAT CAN RAISE THE RISK OF ADVERSE REACTIONS. LET’S LOOK AT WHAT THESE INGREDIENTS ARE, AND HOW YOU CAN HELP KEEP YOUR PET SAFE.
The core vaccines you give your puppy or kitten contain antigens that mount an immune response against infectious diseases such as parvo or FIV. But vaccines also contain a variety of additives and adjuvants that can increase the risk
28
Animal Wellness
D gs Cats
of adverse reactions to the shots. It’s important to know something about these additional ingredients, to talk to your vet about any concerns, and to help protect your pet by avoiding unnecessary vaccination wherever possible.
WHAT ARE VACCINE ADDITIVES AND ADJUVANTS? These ingredients include the carrier molecules and immune stimulants (these are the adjuvants) that are intended to improve the efficacy of vaccines. They also include excipients, the inactive ingredients in vaccines that are present in only very small amounts. They include preservatives like thimerosal (mercury) to prevent contamination; stabilizers (such as sugars or gelatin) to preserve vaccines during storage and transport; and adjuvants like the salts from metals such as aluminum and mercury. Adjuvants act to accelerate, prolong or enhance the immune response when used together with specific vaccine antigens (e.g. the viral proteins of infectious diseases). While adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost their immune-generating effects, this also increases the risk of adverse autoimmune and inflammatory events following vaccination. Lastly, vaccines contain residual trace amounts of the cell culture materials used to grow the antigens, such as egg protein, human serum albumin, fetal calf serum, yeast proteins, and other culture media; as well as ingredients like formaldehyde to kill viruses and inactivate toxins, and antibiotics (e.g. neomycin and gentamicin) to prevent bacterial contamination.
WHAT KIND OF ADVERSE EFFECTS ARE KNOWN TO OCCUR? Adjuvants have been used relatively safely in human and veterinary medicine for decades, but the debate and controversy about their efficacy versus their safety is not expected to be resolved in the foreseeable future. Adjuvants can produce numerous adverse effects. But because vaccines are viewed as inherently safe and non-toxic, toxicity studies are often excluded from the regulatory safety assessment of vaccines. Young animals are especially at risk as they are more vulnerable to toxicity than adults, and are regularly exposed to more adjuvants with the typical vaccination series they receive as puppies and kittens. Adjuvants impact the central nervous system at all levels and can do so by changing expression of the individual’s genes. Further, adjuvants are now known to strongly affect the nervous system-immune axis, which plays a key role in brain development and immune function. The autoimmune (auto-inflammatory) syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) was first defined in 2011. Presently, it includes four conditions that share similar signs and symptoms, one of which is from the effects of vaccination. Continued on page 30.
Animal Wellness
29