DIY Network

Dr. Karen's Tips Dr. Karen offers advice on small dogs, Staffordshire terriers and dietary supplements. From "Barkitecture" episode DBAR-111

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	Small dogs need toys and exercise to release energy.
	A harness is good for controlling Staffordshire terriers.
	Vitamins will help make a dog's diet complete and balanced.

Small Dogs

Small dogs like Luby tend to have a few behavioral problems. Barking, chasing and chewing on things are not uncommon. They need a lot of toys and exercise to get out that energy. Dr. Karen points out that these dogs may not be the best starter dogs due to their need for a lot of attention.

Staffordshire Terriers

Staffordshire terriers are not for the inexperienced. They are great with people and kids, but they tend to be a little aggressive with other dogs and smaller animals. When Luby was adopted, he was just a puppy...and there aren't dominance issues with puppies. Dr. Karen points out that the harness that BJ and Amy are using on Boss is a good way to help control him.

Dietary Supplements

Vitamins are a type of nutritional supplement, and not all dogs need them. Vitamins are very important to use if your dog is on a vegetarian diet, or a homemade diet. They will help make the diet complete and balanced.

One type of nutritional supplement is a glucosomine-condroiten sulfate. These medications are used particularly for dogs that have joint problems. Dogs with arthritis get a lot of swelling and inflammation inside of their joints and the neutrasuticals have been shown to reduce the inflammation and to slow down the progression of joint disease.

Another supplement that you can add is fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are found in flax oil, sunflower oil and fish oils. They reduce the amounts of inflammation in different parts of the body including the skin. They are often recommended by veterinarians for animals that have itchy skin or dry hair coat, or are also on an unbalanced diet.

Some neutrasuticals are used in dogs that have liver disease. You want to make sure that if you use neutrasuticals that you have the recommendation of your veterinarian. They are not safe for all pets. One very important thing to know about all of these medications is that they are not regulated by the government and therefore you can't be absolutely sure about the content.

RESOURCES :

Young-Williams Animal Center
Website: www.knoxpets.org

The American Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Website: www.aspca.org

Petfinder.com
Website: www.petfinder.com