August 2010, Issue 22. What's New at AMVS Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists raises money for military working dogs

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1 Page 1 of 5 Having Trouble Viewing this ? Click Here You're receiving this because of your relationship with Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists. Please confirm your continued interest in receiving from us. You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our s. August 2010, Issue 22 In This Issue What's New at AMVS Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists raises money for military working dogs What's New at AMVS Puppy Feeding Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists (AMVS) is currently running a fundraiser for the United States Marine Corps (USMC) bomb-sniffing dogs. Marine handlers The six dogs are trained to smell an array of explosives and materials used to build improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The dogs go with the Marines everywhere, whether by foot, in helicopters, in armored Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, and in MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (MATVs). The handlers and dogs work closely with Afghan police forces to establish and maintain security of the area. The money collected will be used for Lactated Ringer's Solution (LRS) to be administered under the dog's skin to keep them hydrated in the extreme heat. The temperatures in Afghanistan can exceed 120 F during the In addition to our regular ER hours, AMVS is providing emergency and critical care services to your patients: Fridays, all day AMVS is:

2 Page 2 of 5 summer months. In addition to the supplies purchased, the money will be used for shipping costs and other items such as rawhides, toys, and all-weather booties for the dogs. "It takes a lot to help keep a working dog healthy and comfortable out here in this climate," says Staff Sergeant (SSgt.) Matthew Hill of Longmont, the battalion's Kennel Master. SSgt. Hill is responsible for the training and well-being of the dogs as well as their handlers. SSgt. Hill is with the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment and is on his 4th combat deployment. SSgt. Matthew Hill PACE certified, LEED certified, and a zero-waste facility. AMVS has collected over $6,000, which has allowed AMVS to send the first shipment. Six boxes have been sent, one for each dog (and handler). Each box contained six- one liter bags of LRS, six fluid lines, dog treats and candy, and a personalized note of gratitude. "What a wonderful gift this organization has given to our four-legged Marines," said Nori Jackson, the battalion's Family Readiness Officer. Jackson is the liaison between the battalion and their families. AMVS's immediate priority is with SSgt. Hill and his team of handlers and dogs. Any money that is remaining from this fundraiser will be used towards other working dogs in our community, such as our Search and Rescue dogs and Canine Police Officers. "We are so elated of the response we have had from the community," said Dr. Matthew Rooney, owner of AMVS. "It is amazing how much support we have received." Those wishing to contribute to this cause should contact Kelly Walker at or send checks payable to AMVS to 104 S. Main St, Longmont, CO All money will be used for purchasing and shipping the essential items and/or using the money towards other working animals in our community.

3 Page 3 of 5 Puppy Feeding by Felix Duerr, DVM, MS, DACVS, DECVS Surgical Specialist Key points: Puppies grow fastest during the 3rd-6th month of their life, making early client education extremely important since this is also the time where inadequate nutrition will have the biggest impact. Calcium is one of the key components for bone development and inadequate OR excessive intake can be detrimental and result in orthopedic problems as well as stunted growth. While certain (giant) breeds are more sensitive to inadequate calcium intake, 1-1.5% of calcium (diet dry matter) is considered safe and adequate for all breeds. Breed-specific commercial diets are ideal and calcium supplementation is not recommended/needed when using high-quality diets. A repeatedly discussed topic amongst breeders, pet-owners and veterinarians is the ideal feeding regime for (large/giant) breed puppies. Frequently, pet-owners are torn between breeders and veterinarians' recommendations regarding the ideal supplementation/feeding regime. The purpose of this article is to provide you with the facts available in the veterinary literature. As a general rule, smaller dogs complete their growth period much earlier (at approximately 7 months of age) while large breed dogs don't finish growing until at least 12 months of age. Interestingly, most giant breeds don't reach their final weight until months of age. The largest amount of relative growth is expected to occur between the third and sixth month of life.1 Therefore, this time period is crucial and ideal feeding is of utmost importance. Furthermore, many puppies are adopted right around this age and are presented for their first checkup/vaccination appointment giving veterinarians the chance to educate owners (especially of large breed dogs) on this (and many other) topics. Growth is influenced by energy intake and it has been shown that excessive feeding is detrimental.2 Excessive feeding is suggested by some breeders to achieve maximum growth, however, dogs will still reach their normal size even with restricted feeding. In general, puppies should be fed to achieve average (but not

4 Page 4 of 5 maximum) breed-specific growth rate. The ideal way to assess optimum growth is weekly weight and height measurement and comparing this data to ideal growth curves. However, since this is technically difficult it has been recommended to restrict intake so that the puppies are skinny. In this context, it is important to realize that most puppies fed excessively do not appear 'fat' but are rather long-legged and appear somewhat 'beefy'.1 Calcium supplementation is frequently recommended by breeders arguing that calcium deficiency leads to stunted growth, rickets, weak bones and other pathologic conditions. While this statement is true, calcium supplementation is outdated due to the high quality of commercial diets designed to fulfill the specific mineral requirements of (large breed) puppies. Furthermore, these diets also address all other components of a balanced diet. In a recent study from Switzerland, commercial diets were used to feed growing puppies and none of the animals developed a calcium deficiency. Interestingly, the daily mean energy requirement was generally estimated too high in this study population and the authors concluded that 80-90% of the requirements would have been sufficient.1 On the other hand, excessive calcium supplementation has been shown to have detrimental effects such as development of orthopedic problems and stunted growth. In one study, 11 Great Danes were assigned to one of two groups: a control group fed calcium according to NRC requirements and the experimental group receiving excessive calcium supplementation (2.5 times NRC requirements). The animals in the experimental group were found to have retarded maturation of cartilage with disturbances in enchondral ossification resulting in development of osteochondrosis, retained cartilage core, angular limb deformity and stunted growth. 3 It is important to realize that some breeds (such as the Great Dane) appear to be more sensitive to inadequate calcium intake than others. For example, studies have shown that providing approximately 0.59% calcium (with a calcium-phosphorus ratio of 1.2:1) is adequate for many growing puppies; however, this amount of calcium resulted in osteoporosis and pathologic fractures in Great Danes.4 Based upon all available studies, it is generally accepted that a diet containing below 0.55% calcium of the diet dry matter is likely to cause signs of calcium deficiency in many different breeds of dogs. Similarly, a diet containing in excess of 2.3% is likely to produce adverse effects. However, regardless of breed, no detrimental effects are to be expected at a calcium level of 1-1.5%. Hence, a balanced diet providing calcium within this range without supplementation of additional calcium is currently recommended to avoid nutritional problems when raising

5 Page 5 of 5 puppies. Finally, a quick note on raw meat diets: not only have they been associated with developmental problems when raising puppies 5 but they are also posing an unnecessary risk of bacterial infection for the dog and their owners 6 making it a less desirable choice. 1. Liesegang A, Fuglistaller C, Wichert B. [Puppy feeding in Switzerland.]. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 2009;151: Meyer H, Zentek J. Energy requirements of growing Great Danes. J Nutr 1991;121:S Hazewinkel HAW. Influences of Chronic Calcium Excess on the Skeletal Development of Growing Great Danes. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Assocation 1985;21: Hazewinkel HA, Van den Brom WE, Van TKAT, et al. Calcium metabolism in Great Dane dogs fed diets with various calcium and phosphorus levels. J Nutr 1991;121:S Taylor MB, Geiger DA, Saker KE, et al. Diffuse osteopenia and myelopathy in a puppy fed a diet composed of an organic premix and raw ground beef. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2009;234: Lefebvre SL, Reid-Smith R, Boerlin P, et al. Evaluation of the risks of shedding Salmonellae and other potential pathogens by therapy dogs fed raw diets in Ontario and Alberta. Zoonoses Public Health 2008;55: Thanks for your continued support! -Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists 104 S. Main Street Longmont, CO (p) (f) info@aspenmeadowvet.com Forward This was sent to info@aspenmeadowvet.com by info@aspenmeadowvet.com Update Profile/ Address Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe Privacy Policy. Aspen Meadow Veterinary Specialists 104 South Main Street Longmont CO 80501