NOVADog Blog

Tippy Peterson before (left) and after her participation in the NOVADog Magazine Canine Fitness Challenge.

Hi I’m Caroline, Amy’s daughter, and I’m the one who submitted Tippy for this challenge. Her final weight is 57.9 pounds, which means she lost a little over 5 pounds! I am so proud of her! She did a better job than I ever could have imagined. I have to admit that at first I wasn’t so sure how well she would do, considering that she is such a scaredy cat. But, now (to our amazement) she likes going on walks and does very well on them too. She still enjoys taking naps throughout the day, but when its time to go for a walk she doesn’t hide like she used to. This challenge has been nothing but a positive experience for her. Not only is she in great shape now but she is also a much more relaxed and happier dog in general. I’m so glad I decided to enter her in this challenge! We could not have done it by ourselves and we will definitely be keeping up with her exercise and nutrition routine. A huge thank you to all the sponsors for letting us be a part of this challenge.  Especially our walkers at DogOn Fitness, Rachel and Heather, Carol and Lesley.  Megan the ever patient photographer with Paws and Claws and Janelle at NOVADog Magazine, who kept us all connected.  Thank you also to Canine Caterers who gave us the nutritional guidance and Bark ‘N Bubbles where we kept her clean and shiny.  We had a great time!

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant said that Tippy had about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which ran through March of 2010.

I’m a girl from the deep south who prefers my winters on the mild side (in Mississippi we pull out our turtleneck sweaters when the thermometer hits 70 degrees).  Apparently Tippy is a southern girl too.  By the time we lost our sidewalks to all of the snow Tippy had had enough. She did not like walking on the streets and proved to be a bit difficult.  Rachel, our DogOn Fitness walker, handled her tempermental behavior like a pro by changing up her routine to help with the anxiety.  Unfortunately Tippy’s tempermental behavior was apparent when the photographer, Megan from Paws and Claws, came to take her picture.  All we wanted was a picture of Tippy standing up so you could see how trim she looked but Tippy refused to cooperate.

Thankfully spring weather appears to be on the way (yeah!) which means this challenge is coming to an end.  When I took Tippy into the vet to be weighed last week her weight had to ticked up slightly to 58.4 lbs.  I am not disappointed.  That is a reality of weight loss whether you are a dog or a human. We are determined to finish this challenge on a high note.

Now that my teenagers activities have ended I have put them on more dog walking duty to help keep Tippy moving.  We are still watching Tippy’s calories by using a mix of dry dog food and green beans with no added salt and Tippy has an appointment for a check up with the vet next week.  I am hoping that the vet will be excited about Tippy’s weight loss.  My fingers are crossed for good results at the last weigh in but either way we are so happy for the goals that have been accomplished.

Amy Peterson and her family live in Herndon, VA. Their dog Tippy, was chosen as the winner to participate in the NOVADog Fitness Challenge. Our vet consultant says that Tippy has about 12 pounds to lose during the 6-month Fitness Challenge, which runs through March of 2010. We invite our readers to check back often to follow her progress and read interesting articles about canine health, fitness, and nutrition.

Janelle Welch, Publisher of NOVADog Magazine is interviewed by the Alexandria Animal Matters TV show.

By Caring Hands Animal Hospital Staff

Did you know that dogs are also susceptible to the same seasonal allergies as humans?  These seasonal allergies are caused by inhaled allergens, among them dust, dust mites, mold, mildew, house dust mites, and tree, grass and weed pollens.
Seasonal allergy and “atopy” are terms used to describe the same type of allergic skin disease. The majority of atopic dogs experience itching during certain seasons, when flowers or trees are blooming and producing pollens.

What are the symptoms of allergies in dogs?

The main inhaled allergens are tree pollens (cedar, ash, oak, etc.), grass pollens, weed pollens (ragweed, goldenrods, etc.), molds, mildew, and house dust mites. Many of these allergies occur seasonally, such as ragweed, cedar, and grass pollens. However, others such as molds, mildew, and house dust mites are year-round. Humans inhale these allergens and the allergy manifests mainly with respiratory signs - runny eyes, runny nose, and sneezing (”hay fever”). But in dogs the result is itchy skin (pruritis). Due to these clinical signs, the condition is also called “Inhalant Allergic Dermatitis”. The dog may rub its face, lick its feet and scratch the underarms.

How are allergies in dogs treated?

Treatment depends largely on the length of the dog’s allergy season. It involves three approaches:

Anti-inflammatory. Treatment with anti-inflammatory medications such as corticosteroids, or antihistamines, will quickly block the allergic reaction in most cases. Fatty acid supplementation of the diet can improve the response to steroids and antihistamines in some cases.

Shampoo therapy. Frequent bathing with a hypoallergenic shampoo can be soothing and helpful. The bathing may also rinse out allergens in the coat that could be absorbed through the skin. Some therapeutic shampoos contain anti-inflammatory ingredients that may further benefit your pet.

Hyposensitization therapy. The third major form of allergy treatment is hyposensitization with specific antigen injections or “allergy shots”. Once the specific sources of allergy are identified by allergy testing, very small amounts of the antigen are injected weekly. This repeated dosing has the objective of reprogramming or desensitizing the immune system. Results are sometimes good but success is variable. Approximately fifty-percent of treated dogs will see significant improvement in their clinical signs while approximately twenty-five percent more will see a decrease in the amount or frequency of corticosteroid usage.

Caring Hands Animal Hospital offers an open and friendly environment helping to ensure that everyone is comfortable with every aspect of each visit.  Each of their locations are fully accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association, which is well known for its high standards in veterinary clinics and quality pet care.  Services include wellness care, vaccinations, comprehensive dental care, puppy and kitten care and a welcoming and knowledgeable staff.  For more information, visit www.caringhandsvet.com.