Bob Kerridge from the SPCA believes their Auckland team do twice as much on half the council’s budget – $6 million.

“The bulk of the council’s budget is spent on ‘staff and contractors’, which is salaries and employment-related costs for the council’s 51 animal control officers as well as payment to two contracted companies, DSS animal management and animal control services,” said Kerridge.

The total number of dogs in the Auckland region is estimated at 107,000 and currently there are 97,471 dogs registered with the Auckland Council. As a result, programmes to follow-up on dogs that have never been registered have resulted in increased dog registrations, the council said. Approximately 50% of dogs which are impounded are unregistered, the council said. The council expects revenue from dog registrations to increase by a third, from $7.3 million for the 2011/12 financial year to $9.7 million for 2012/13. Of the total number of dogs impounded between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011, 57% were reclaimed by their owners, 36% were euthanised and 7% were adopted or rehomed. An extra $3 million for animal shelters is being funded through general rates and spread over two years – 2011/12 and 2012/13.
(sourced from ONE News)

A while back I did some experimenting with fish oil on my Spoodle dog Teddy. The results were quite amazing, especially with regards to his coat. A big issue I have had with teddy is his coat went quite dull and started to feel coarse. Though a lot of that I have put down to his age, I started to look around wondering if there could be an issue with his diet. I take fish oil myself because of the huge health benefits that come with Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils. One day I took teddy to the beach and saw him racing around sniffing for something. To my horror I saw him grab an old dead fish and start to eat it. At the time I was angry at him, but later I started thinking about dogs being scavengers and wondered if fish would be a natural food for dogs. Could it be that a lot of diets we give our dogs lack important nutrients only found naturally occurring in foods like fish? From this I decided to give Teddy fish oil. The results were amazing and as a result I had being giving him fish oil with most meals daily. The issue came about when I ran out of fish oil and I hadn’t got around to sourcing more product for him for several months.

A few months ago I came across a product from a small local company who make a fish oil for dogs. They weren’t a large corporation and they source their fish oil from New Zealand Hoki which is sustainable sourced (which is a good thing with over-fishing a real problem in today’s world). I got a couple of bottles to try out on teddy to see what the results would be like and to get him back onto it.

The bottles were sent via courier and they came with a dispenser lid. This was the first difference I noticed since I had previously being using fish oil tablets. A benefit of the dispersal lid is that I could easily add the fish oil over his food rather than having to wrap a tablet in something like cheese or meat. Also I keep fish oil in the fridge so a bottle like this makes it easy to store and find.

With the courier pack I also got a card explaining who the company was and what they were doing. Their focus is on providing a sustainable source of fish oil for dogs which seems to be at an affordable price. Their fish oil has Omega 3, 6 and 9 which promotes glossy coats, helps with joint and cardiac care, and general wellbeing. I don’t have a medical background, nor the scientific results to say this product will definitely do this for certain however I do know from my experience previously with fish oil that Teddy’s coat did improve and their might have being other health benefits that couldn’t be seen.

I started to give teddy the fish oil and wasn’t expecting much until after a few months of use. During that time I observed how I found applying the Newflands Fish oil to his food and whether he enjoyed it. I chopped up his raw chicken wings and gravel beef on a plate and then added the recommended fish oil of two pushes on the dispenser lid. This was very easy to add to his food and I found it much like using a soap dispenser when washing your hands. Teddy had no issues with the fish oil in fact he really liked it, licking up the plate afterwards. The only downside I saw was that on that first meal I didn’t mix the fish oil with the meat and therefore he did get fish oil on his fur around his mouth. This meant I had to wash his face after dinner but this is no longer an issue now that I mix the fish oil into his food. I also now keep the fur on his face shorter.

The other thing I noticed was how much fish oil you get in each bottle. It’s a lot. It may not be as concentrated as fish oil tablets however I never did like giving teddy such strong fish oil tablets and now I feel much better giving him a more natural product. In the mornings I mixed Teddy’s biscuits with the fish oil and he really liked the mix so it definitely got the pass mark from Teddy’s taste buds.

Results

I didn’t expect any huge results however I was again really surprised the benefits I got from giving Teddy the Fish oil from Newflands. After about two months his coat got softer and also it seems like there is more oil in it. I think Teddy was lacking oil in his coat and I the fish oil seems to have helped to better this which in turn might have given his coat a more shinny look and softer feel.

I can only guess what other health benefits Teddy is receiving from a more varied diet and it’s possible previously he was depleted in something from his previous diet. I think it has worked really well for Teddy and again another positive result from Fish Oil. It is great to see a local New Zealand company getting behind fish oil supplements for dogs. I will be using this product on Teddy into the future and if you are looking at fish oil for your dog I would recommend Newflands fish oil product.

Website: Newflands Website
Facebook: Facebook Page

I give this product a rating of 9/10

Pro’s and Con’s with Teddy’s use:

Cons:

• Did get the odd time when Teddy’s fur on the face got fish oil on it.
• The odd bad breath day.

Pros:

• Teddy’s fur got shinier, smoother and also more oil within the coat
• Teddy loved the fish oil taste
• Was easily mixed into any of his food
• Easy to store
• Easy to apply with the pump lid dispenser
• Very Affordable Pricing and lasts along time

Fleas: The most common issue with dogs itching at this time of the year is fleas. Fleas might not live on your dog and therefore they might not be noticeable if you look on your dog. You will notice with fleas red bumps which get worse when your dog scratches. Often your dog will scratch so much they may cause the flea bite to turn into a scab. If you notice scabs on your dogs and redness then you will need to treat your dog with flea treatment. If the redness has turned more into a rash or is overly red you will need to take your dog to the vet and they should give you some cream which will help sooth the itch. If your dog reacts badly to flea bites they may have an allergy and as a result your vet may also give you some anti histamines which will help your dog recover. Once your dog is treated I would recommend giving your house a really good vacuum, making sure you get into the corners. Most fleas will live off the dog and only jump on once every month or so to feed. If you still have issues I would recommend also spraying your home with an insect control of some sort, there are many out there.

Heat: Due to different coats in dogs some may not be suited to warmer weather and as a result they may get irritated from overheating. It can be a good idea to reduce this by simply trimming their coat more regularly and keeping it short. If your dog is irritated they will start to scratch at their skin, from regular, constant scratching a dog can start to cut into the skin. If a cut develops and the coat is long it can be a good breeding ground for bacteria which can cause a scratch to turn into a “hot spot”. This is an infected cut which rapidly grows into a larger issue if untreated. It can be hard to see a hot spot when the coat is long and often you will feel a solid scabby mess on the coat. The only way to treat this effectively is to take your dog to a vet. The vet should give your dog anti-biotics and cream. They will also shave the fur away from the area to let it break. If can be a horrible site when discovered however with the right treatment they go away within a week or so. Hot spots come on very quickly but if you keep your dogs fur under control they should be ok. Common areas to check for hot spots are around the top of the head, under the arm pits and around the paws ( in particular between the toes).

Skin allergy: This is more common around the pollen seasons and also any plants and food your dog is allergic to. Allergies can be hard to work out but often they are contact allergies such as plants and sometimes it could be food related. During the warmer months there will be a lot of flowers out and they could cause your dog to suffer from sickness, tiredness, and skin issues. They are very hard to pin point due the number of plants that are out there and often the vet will treat the symptoms as they see them. It can be really hard to see your dog red all over and to put your finger on what the issue is however if you can workout the plant that is causing the issue you might be able to prevent your dog getting itchy in the future.
Here is a list of plants that maybe poisonous to dogs:

• Bulbs: Amaryllis, Autumn Crocus, Daffodil, Day Lily, Elephant Ears, Gladiolas, Hyacinth, Iris, Lily of the Valley, Narcissus, Orange Day Lily, Tulip
• Ferns: Aparagus Fern, Australian Nut, Emerald Feather (aka Emerald Fern), Emerald Fern (aka Emerald Feather), Lace Fern, Plumosa Fern
  Flowering Plants: Cyclamen, Hydrangea, Kalanchoe, Poinsettia
• Garden Perennials: Charming Diffenbachia, Christmas Rose, Flamingo Plant, Foxglove, Marijuana, Morning Glory, Nightshade, Onion, Tomato Plant, Tropic Snow Dumbcane
• House Plants: Ceriman (aka Cutleaf Philodendron), Chinese Evergreen, Cordatum, Corn Plant (aka Cornstalk Plant), Cutleaf Philodendron (aka Ceriman), Devil’s Ivy, Dumb Cane, Golden Pothos, Green Gold Nephthysis, Marble Queen, Mauna Loa Peace Lily, Nephthytis, Peace Lily, Red-Margined Dracaena, Striped Dracaena, Taro Vine, Warneckei Dracaena
• Lillies: Asian Lily (liliaceae), Easter Lily, Glory Lily, Japanese Show Lily, Red Lily, Rubrum Lily, Stargazer Lily, Tiger Lily, Wood Lily
  Shrubs: Cycads, Heavenly Bamboo, Holly, Jerusalem Cherry, Mistletoe “American”, Oleander, Precatory Bean, Rhododendron, Saddle Leaf Philodendron, Sago Palm, Tree Philodendron, Yucca
• Succulents: Aloe (Aloe Vera)
• Trees: Avocado, Buddist Pine, Chinaberry Tree, Japanese Yew (aka Yew), Lacy Tree, Macadamia Nut, Madagascar Dragon Tree, Queensland Nut, Schefflera, Yew (aka Japanese Yew)
• Vines: Branching Ivy, English Ivy, European Bittersweet, Glacier Ivy, Hahn’s self branching English Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy
• Others: American Bittersweet, Andromeda Japonica, Azalea, Bird of Paradise, Buckeye, Caladium hortulanum, Calla Lily, Castor Bean, Clematis, Fiddle-Leaf Philodendron, Florida Beauty, Fruit Salad Plant, Golden Dieffenbachia, Gold Dust Dracaena, Heartleaf Philodendron, Horsehead Philodendron, Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Mother-in-law, Panda, Philodendron Pertusum, Red Emerald, Red Princess, Ribbon Plant, Satin Pothos, Spotted Dumb Cane, Sweetheart Ivy, Swiss Cheese Plant, Variable Dieffenbachia, Variegated Philodendron, Yesterday/Today/Tomorrow

A good balanced diet can improve the health of your dog. Raw foods, meats, vegetables, fish and eggs can all contribute to a varying diet which gives your dog the variety that it needs.

Teddy’s diet
Teddy, my dog, has a diet which consists of dry food in the morning and raw food at night. I looked at the package of the dry food and saw that it was filled with all sorts of nutrition which I just assumed would fill any lack of nutrition gap. At around age three I noticed that teddy’s coat started to fade and also get quite coarse. His skin would become quite dry and often he would have issue. I read around on the internet on dry skin and found that it might be a lack of oil in the skin due to a not so good diet. Naturally I thought that this couldn’t be an issue with Teddy as his diet is quite good. On reading further they started to talk about fish oil tablets and omega 3 for dogs. I know humans can take fish oil tablets but never really thought dogs could. Reading about how they can improve a dog’s skin and coat I thought I would give it a try, since I did have a spare case of fish oil tablets in the fridge no one was using.

The results of Omega 3 Fish Oil tablets on dog
I gave teddy one whole fish oil tablet every morning with some cheese. Naturally I didn’t expect much to happen as I don’t totally believe this would be a miracle fix to his coat. After one week not a lot had happened and I thought this must be another one of these alternative healing articles which claim more than they deliver. I continued on with the fish oil every morning as I did have 100 tablets and thought I might as well give this a good shot. After a while it became habit to give him a tablet and I soon forgot about his coat. After about a month I was stroking him and I thought his coat feels softer. It was at this point, I wondered if this was the fish oil. Now 3 months on his coat still feels softer than before, its actually quite amazing and didn’t really expect this. I can’t say for sure that it was the omega 3 tablets however it’s the only part of his diet I have changed. Whenever I catch fish now, especially Kahawai I make it a point to feed some to him. I can’t say for sure that Omega 3 fish oil will definitely soften your dogs coat or improve his skin, however on Teddy the results have being very promising.

The main and practical reason we groom dogs is to improve there coat and health.

- Grooming takes away loose hair and dead skin, improving air circulation within the fur and allowing it to breath.

- With regular grooming you can keep an eye on any skin conditions your dog may experience before they get out of hand.

- You will notice any bite marks from fleas or see ticks on your dog. This means you can get proper, effective flea and tick treatment before it gets out of hand.

- Grooming stimulates the lymphatic system, which works similar to a massage in humans.

- Grooming increases the blood flow to hair follicles. This means a healthy shinny coat.

- You can also get a chance to check your dog’s paws and pads out. This can be a common place for grass seeds, cuts and knots.

- Grooming is a great way to bond with your dog.

In today’s world it can be very hard to find time to groom your dog. Lucky for us we have Professional Groomers.

There can be a variety of issues which cause this however most likely the cause is fleas. Often you won’t see them on your dog however you might notice red bites. The reason you might not see fleas is because they often live off the dog in cracks in your home. A flea only needs to feed once every three months, so a dog with many bites could be caused by only a few fleas. Ongoing bites will mean you have a good number of fleas living in your home. Humid conditions, especially after rainfall then a period of sun, will result in eggs hatching and thus more infestation.

Best treatment is first to apply flea control from your Vet. They are the best to advise you because it varies according to your dog’s size and type of coat. The next step is to vacuum your house and often. Make sure you clean your dogs sleeping area and vacuum well where the wall meets the carpet. If you have cats make sure you de-flea them because they are often a cause of bringing fleas into a home. If you own a dog with a non-shedding coat it can also be a good idea to trim its fur shorter than normal. If a dog is able to chew at the flea bites they can swell up into large red marks and cause even more irritation. In very bad cases you can visit your vet and they can provide you with a cream which sooths the itchiness. If flea treatment isn’t working you may need to consider buying a puppy spray and soaking the whole coat. I have had to do this a couple of times with my spoodle and it works very well. Some dogs are allergic to flea bites and they can break out into a rash. You need to watch this as it can lead to anaphylactic shock in worse cases. Other causes of itchiness are toxic plants, splinters (especially on decks), pollen allergies and other insect bites such as spiders. If you are unsure take them to the vet for a quick check