Not only do these two breeds have their own booklets, they have their own stores! Whether you live with one of these dogs or are considering getting one, you owe it to yourself and the dog(s) to check the stores out.

As you may know, these booklets are focused on being proactive in the care of your dog. They provide an overview of genetic diseases in your breed, symptoms, most common treatments, what a good vet will check for, and how dietary measures and supplements can help to prevent some problems. The dietary information applies to all methods of feeding (commercial, cooked or raw). Being proactive can truly impact quality of life and these booklets are our combined effort to help you do just that. Rather than pointing to specific diets, we believe that certain dietary principles and specific supplements can be the key to having healthier dogs.

If you’ve been following breed booklet announcements and don’t see you breed listed, we thank you for your patience. Dr. Cormier and I will have your booklet ready as soon as possible. We’ve already written about the Airedale Terrier, Akita, Alaskan Malamute, American Staffordshire Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Basset Hound, Beagle, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bichon Frise, Border Collie, Boxer, Bullmastiff, Cairn Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Doberman Pinscher, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Maltese, Miniature Poodle Newfoundland, Portuguese Water Dog, Rottweiler, Saint Bernard, Shetland Sheep Dog, Shih Tzu, Siberian Husky, Standard Poodle, and Toy Poodle.

Myth of The Month
Pork causes pancreatitis

Pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) can be dangerous or even deadly. The cause of pancreatitis is not certain, but involves obesity, genetic disposition (Miniature Schnauzers are an example), some drugs (prednisone and antibiotics, for instance), other diseases that alter fat metabolism (Cushing’s tops this list), trauma, and diets that are high in fat. This last point is somewhat debatable because in many cases, dogs with pancreatitis have consumed a high fat food, but it may also be that the food was laden with bacteria. We know that bacteria can reach the pancreas, and in fact, dogs with this disease are given antibiotics to address this part of the problem. Nevertheless, dietary fat is almost always a culprit, so it may sound reasonable to suggest that pork should not be fed even to healthy dogs. However, it is not true. There is no literature to support the claim. Pork is no more dangerous than chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, etc. As part of a balanced diet, pork is fine to feed. In fact, since it’s not a food that’s often fed to dogs, I’ve used it as a novel protein for some dogs with allergies.

Even if your dog is sensitive to dietary fat, certain cuts of pork are lean. Trim visible fat from butterfly chops or consider the lean strip of tenderloin. To give you an example, 3 oz of roasted pork tenderloin provides about 25 grams of protein and 6.8 grams of fat. The same amount of lean (10% fat) broiled ground beef provides about 24 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat.

If you’re concerned about pancreatitis, keep your dog slim, know genetic predisposition, and feed a balanced, low or moderate fat diet. Pork in and of itself is not a problem.