Greater Monroe Kennel Club 2015 Newsletter Editor: November 2015, Volume 15, Issue 11 Donna Otero 4975 Friendly Farms Road Greensboro, NC 27406 dotero7965@gmail.com GMKC by-laws state that the newsletter is to be distributed 2 weeks IN ADVANCE OF THE GENERAL MEETING. Therefore, ALL articles and information for the newsletter need to be submitted by the TUESDAY that is 2 WEEKS FOLLOWING THE GENERAL MEETING. For the December 2015 newsletter, I will need all your information by November 24, 2015. NOVEMBER MEETING CHANGE Next Meeting is Tuesday, November 10, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the Event Center. Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of GMKC either as a group or individually. Please plan to arrive early to help with setting up the agility ring. Pizza will be provided by GMKC. Advice or helpful hints should never be taken as substitutes for personal veterinary counsel. Board Meeting will follow after the regular meeting adjourns. Contact and referral persons are in no way guaranteed by the GMKC 2015 Officers and Directors President John Schoeneman Vice President Martha Milligan Secretary Janet Broome Treasurer Gene Hains Inside this edition General and Board Minutes Aug 2015 Page 2 Christmas Party Announcement Page 3 Karen s Korner Page 14 Board of Directors Beth Warren Lynn Rowell Pat Ginocchio www.greatermonroekc.org Page 1
GMKC Paw Prints August 2015 Meeting called to order 7:04 p.m. GMKC MEETING MINUTES October 8, 2015 Secretary s Minutes: Motion to approve minutes made by Pat Ginocchio, seconded by Betty Montgomery. President s Report: No report this month. Secretary s Report: No report this month. Treasurer s Report: No report this month. Membership Report: Twelve members present, no guests. Show Committee Report: John Schoeneman had mentioned that the filing for the March obedience needed to be completed; neither Carol Hamblin nor David Trone was there. Ruth Hoffman volunteered to get the Obedience Trial paperwork done and to AKC. John S was given Ruth s email (by Janet B) to contact her with the pertinent information and get it finished and filed in the next couple of days. November show: We need a Rally Judge Ruth Hoffman and Beth Warren will work on that. The Obedience Judges have been chosen and the Rally Judge may be used for Nov. could be Selena Edny or Nancy Davis Beth will look into that. They would prefer Nancy Davis she will check on her first. There was discussion about moving Obedience from Gold Hall to the Event Center, small dogs and toys could move to Gold Hall. Discussed moving Obedience to the grooming area, Beth will get with John to walk off the grooming and Obedience areas. We are concerned we will lose Obedience participants if we stay in a small closed space. John, Ruth and Beth will talk it over and decide whether and where to move it. Chris Brooks will be Trial Secretary for Obedience, Beth saw him this past week and he needs an American flag for the opening ceremonies. Laurene will do agility as before. Unfinished Business: Beth mentioned she had talked with Chris Brooks after seeing a B Match in Obedience. She thought it would be expensive to do and/or take too many people to run but Chris gave her an idea that would make some money and would be simple to do. B Match for Obedience for November: Use three rings one ring for Rally, two rings for Obedience. Chris said it would be simple to do with three people, using two people for rings, one person (a Match Sec.)to collect money. Charge $5 for 5 min. in the ring. They must leave the ring after 5 minutes. Have the Match on Friday night. Chris said a lot of people will pay this to have a little time to practice (using the B Match) to correct faults and work on commands before showing on the weekend. Only dogs that are signed up for the show are eligible. To do this, there should be a Match Chair & Secretary (same person), then someone to run the table and time for 5 minutes. Beth, Lynn and Ruth are volunteers to take care of this and run the B Match. Beth will do the paperwork for the Obedience B-Match. House for Classes: The house at Midland was not ready for classes. No water or electricity was turned on and the wires overhead in the back yard need to be fixed before we have people and dogs out. It s not safe. As a result, a decision was made to postpone classes until spring; there will be no flyers at the November Show for the dog classes in the spring. We will advertise it in the spring and closer to class times. Meeting adjourned 7:40 p.m. End of Meeting Report No Board meeting this month. End of Reports www.greatermonroekc.org Page 2
GMKC Paw Prints August 2015 GMKC Christmas Party December 9, 2015 at 6:30pm Rolling Hills Country Club, Monroe NC Bring a wrapped gift for Chinese Gift Exchange Details of a family from Turning Point will follow www.greatermonroekc.org Page 3
All articles in this section were submitted by Karen Phillips Fluoride Canine Study Stops Vision Loss Canola Oil Bad for Dogs and People What are Probiotics UTI s In Dogs Good For People Too What to Feed Your Dog 4
GMKC Paw Prints August 2015 Penn study stops vision loss in a canine model of a severe blinding disease By Katherine Unger Baillie A team led by the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Scheie Eye Institute at the Perelman School of Medicine has shown that they can cure the canine form of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP), a severe blinding disease, over the long term, even when the gene therapy treatment is given after half or more of the affected photoreceptor cells have been destroyed. The work builds on earlier research that began treatment very early in the disease course, in a preventive mode or immediately after photoreceptor cells began dying. Now we ve gone further, showing that the treatment is long-lasting and effective even when started at mid- and latestage disease, says William A. Beltran, co-lead author of the study and an associate professor of ophthalmology at Penn Vet. Because the progression of disease in dogs matches up with the progression in humans, this gives us a lot of confidence about translating these results to eventually treat humans, says Artur V. Cideciyan, co-lead author and research professor of ophthalmology at Penn Medicine. Penn Vet s Gustavo Aguirre, the paper s senior author and a professor of medical genetics and ophthalmology, and Penn Medicine s Samuel Jacobson, a professor of ophthalmology, also closely collaborated on the work, which appears this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. XLRP arises primarily from mutations in the RPGR gene, leading to progressive vision loss starting at a young age. The Penn team used a gene therapy approach to deliver a normal copy of RPGR to rod and cone cells. While they had already reported success when dogs with XLRP were given treatment at 5 weeks of age, the new study began the gene therapy intervention at two later time points: at 12 weeks of age, which the researchers term mid-stage disease, when approximately 40 percent of the eye s photoreceptor cells have already died, or at 26 weeks of age, late-stage disease, www.greatermonroekc.org Page 5
when about 50 to 60 percent of the rods and cones were lost. The researchers were pleased to find that the dogs vision deterioration appeared to come to a stop in the region of the retina where the gene therapy was given, and there were some signs that the structural abnormalities in the rods and cones were reversed. Perhaps most promising, the dogs showed that the treatment improved their performance on tests of visual behavior, even up to two-and-a-half years after treatment in the late-stage group. The group hopes to employ similar strategies to develop interventions that would treat other forms of blindness caused by genes related to RPGR. WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS? What are Probiotics you ask? Probiotic literally means "for life," or supporting life. Our probiotic microorganisms are the essential "friendly" flora--especially, the "good" bacteria--that maintain the ecosystem in our pets (and our own) bowel, or intestinal tract. Compare this concept with antibiotic drugs, which are designed to be "against life." Because antibiotics destroy "good bugs" along with the "bad bugs" (the pathogenic bacteria), we need to add probiotics to our pet's diet. If we have resorted to conventional antibiotics to treat infection, or if the immune system has not been able to mount the necessary defenses to keep our pets (or ourselves for that matter) healthy. WeṀve heard this statement often, but what does it really mean? The answer lies in the vital role that intestinal tract flora play in over all health. Friendly bacteria including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifido-bacterium bifidum, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus are your pets (and your own) body s first line of defense against the all the potentially harmful microorganisms that your pet or yourself inhale or ingest. Probiotics are another term for these friendly bacteria that live and work in the gastrointestinal tract every day of our life. Think of them as a mighty bacterial army that defends the body against dangerous invaders. Having sufficient numbers of these friendly bacteria in residence can help prevent a wide range of health problems. Here is an excerpt from an article obtained from Dr. Beau Diskin about Probiotics: "Probiotics (Friendly Intestinal Bacteria) have many functions. These can be broadly classified into 4 areas: METABOLIC, NUTRITIVE, PROTECTIVE and ANTI-MICROBIAL. There are two types of bacteria, which colonize our bodies, good and harmful bacteria. Good bacteria, most of which are Lactic Acid bacteria ensure good health. They normally inhabit the intestines and are critical in maintaining the correct balance of our intestinal microflora. However, to achieve this they must be present in optimal numbers, types and ratio (85% beneficial to 15% non-beneficial)... Probiotics are live and beneficial bacteria. They maintain and restore a healthy gut. Probiotic are absolutely necessary to help: 6
1. Manufacture B group vitamins, biotin and folic acid. 2. Reduce blood cholesterol levels. 3. Produce natural antibiotics, which can protect against harmful bacteria such as salmonella, E.Coli and shigella. 4. Regulate and stimulate many aspects of the immune system. 5. Improve lactose intolerance. 6. Display significant anti-oxidant activity. 7. Inhibit the growth of some yeast (eg. Candida Albicans). 8. Detoxify harmful chemicals and carcinogens from the body via the intestinal system. 9. Increase energy levels. 10. Regulate and increase hormone levels. 11. Remove toxins ingested through foods (eg. Pesticides and Herbicides). 12. Absorb nutrients, antioxidants and iron from your diet. 13. Removal of toxins as waste products of digestion. 14. Reduce food intolerance (eg. Lactose and Gluten). 15. Reduce inflammation. 16. Digestion of food." The Royal Society of Medicine of Great Britain reported that 90% of chronic diseases are caused from an unhealthy intestinal system primarily the colon. There exists a connection between imbalance in the intestines and the following: Arthritis, Candida/Thrush, Chronic Fatigue (does not relate to dogs or cats), Asthma, Hayfever, Food Allergies, Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne, Irritable Bowel, Celiac Disease, Indigestion, Constipation, Lupus, Low Immune System. If we wish our pets (and ourselves)to maintain a healthy body, we need large quantities of friendly bacteria. This is easily done by taking supplements of good bacteria to help us counteract the harmful bacteria. Live bacteria supplementation, as opposed to freeze-dried or liquid preparation (yogurt, etc.) tend to have a greater effect on the re-colonization and re-balancing of the gut microflora. Several things can destroy the intestinal bacterial balance in a pet s gut. Overuse of antibiotics destroys good bacteria as well as bad. Moreover, stress, poor diet, pollutants, environmental changes, and prescription drugs can also deplete beneficial bacteria. Other killers of good bacteria include chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and soil sterilizers in agriculture which damage the soil ecosystem and the natural flow of bacteria found in the food chain. These chemicals, as well as chemicals in the water supply, reduce the good bacteria in the gut. This allows harmful bacteria to multiply and produce large amounts of toxins and carcinogenic agents. These toxins inhibit the normal function of the digestive system and increase the demands placed on the liver and kidneys. Consequently, this speeds up the aging process and leads to various diseases and digestion problems. Has your pet recently been on anitbiotics? Does your pet have digestion problems, diarrhea, skin problems, food intolerances, or other chronic health problems? Supplement with a high quality pet probiotic such as Fastrack to restore your pet s healthy gut, and chances are you ll improve your pet s health. Pets with large amounts of beneficial bacteria are better equipped to fight the growth of unhealthy organisms. So, if pets are to maintain a healthy body, they need large quantities of friendly bacteria. Supplement a well-balanced diet with a high quality pet probiotic and give your pet the health that he most certainly deserves. 7
FLOURIDE Water straight from the tap is a very bad idea. It contains synthetic flouride which is known to contribute to a host of health problems in both people and pets. Flouride is a class 2 environmental toxin and like arsenic, it is a biochemically reactive poison that causes cancer. Recent studies of flouride ingestion indicate that it causes a whole host of illnesses including dental disease (it's doing more harm than good with toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.), bone weakness, bone loss, bone cancer, kidney disease, osteosarcoma, hormone problems and cognitive issues. While we're making tremendous strides in our pet's health by providing better diets; it's equally important to provide a water that is free of toxins. If you haven't done so already; invest in a water filtration system for your kitchen sink. It's safer for you and your older dog. Helping your old dog live longer, naturally! WHAT TO FEED YOUR DOGS If your older dog suffers from urinary tract infections, kidney stones or crystals; dry dog food aka kibble of any kind or brand is a very bad choice for your old friend. Foods that contain moisture are one of the best choices for dogs AND cats - PERIOD! But, for dogs with any type of kidney related issues; diets containing moisture are critical. When diets lack moisture, the kidneys and liver become stressed and your dog's body will then pull the necessary moisture from body tissue. It is believed by many holistic vets that kibble diets contribute to the high rate of kidney and liver problems in dogs. Kibble is a diet of convenience for dog owners, but not the best choice when it comes to your dog's health. Most dogs that eat kibble as their regular diet will consume lots of water afterwards in an effort to provide the body with the moisture it needs; but to no avail. There are some excellent moisture based foods today that can reduce the stress on the kidneys and liver. We recommend either a freeze dried or dehydrated formula of food for dogs UTI s in Dogs - Good for People Too Did you know that many dog's, specifically older females suffer with reoccurring urinary tract infections? These are painful and irritating conditions. Unfortunately, antibiotics act as a double-edge sword; on one end the antibiotics may clear up the infection 8
temporarily, but on the other end, they continuously weaken the dog's immune system causing vulnerability for future infections. Illness and genetic predisposal are the main reasons for reoccurring UTI's. D-Mannose with Cranberry is a natural, homeopathic remedy that's been known to work well for dog's suffering with reoccurring urinary tract infections due to bacteria sticking to the urinary tract. A good quality probiotic should accompany the D-Mannose for optimal results. These two natural remedies typically make a difference. ` CANOLA OIL BAD FOR DOGS AND PEOPLE Many people aren't aware that canola oil aka "rapeseed" oil is man made and by no means "healthy". It was given the name Canola to avoid negative reactions to it's real name. I can't tell you the recipes and dog foods out there that include this oil and claim how healthy it is. Canola (Rape) is a semi-drying oil used as: 1. a lubricant 2. fuel 3. soap 4. synthetic rubber base 5. illuminant for all those slick color pages you see in magazines Rape oil was the source of the infamous chemical warfare agent, mustard gas that caused blistering of the lungs and skin during WW1! It's NOT a cooking oil, but rather an industrial oil and not meant to be ingested by us or our pets. If cooking for your dog, stick with olive oil. However, don't forget that your older dog MUST have a healthy source of daily fatty acids for skin, coat and organ health. 9