"What should I feed my Weimaraner?" is a common question heard by Wolf Creek volunteers. As feeding our Weimaraners constitutes one of our largest expenses and since dogs come to us having been fed all different types of food, we do have some experience with selecting a good food for our dogs. It is worth noting that Wolf Creek Weimaraner Rescue does not have any exclusive relationship with a particular food manufacturer. We are thankful for the support of several manufacturers.

Many of the Weimaraners that have entered our program have sensitive stomachs and we have found that investing a little more money in a premium food tends to decrease our overall healthcare expenses and improve the dogs' general health. Feeding a high-quality food can provide some very immediate and noticeable results. Simply by changing foods, we have seen dogs' coats drastically improve, significantly decreased skin irritation and itching, and significant reduction of GI upset including a reduction in diarrhea and vomiting. It is also the case that there is not one food product in the marketplace that will work for every dog. Some of our Weimaraners with hypersensitivity to some food products actually develop additional sensitivities over time. We have seen dogs start out great with a particular brand of food but develop a sensitivity to one of the components in that food and have to change brands entirely. While uncommon, that does happen. If your dog does begin to show signs of increased GI upset, we encourage you to consult with your vet as there could be other underlying causes that require medical treatment. It is also worth noting that seemingly sudden sensitivity to a particular food does not necessarily mean that the manufacturer has modified the ingredients in the food, but is worth inquiring about. Food sensitivities can be difficult to pinpoint, so any information that can help identify what specifically the dog's stomach can not tolerate is beneficial.

Looking at your pet's health long-term, nutrition plays a vital role. Providing the necessary trace elements and a balanced diet can keep your Weimaraner at a healthy weight, reduce the chances for chronic diseases like diabetes and arthritis, and even keep your dog's vision healthy as he or she reaches adulthood and becomes a senior pet. Again, before making any changes in your pet's diet, we encourage you to discuss nutrition with your vet. Pets with certain diseases like diabetes and renal failure generally require prescription diets that are dramatically different than commercially-available over-the-counter diets.

So what do we recommend feeding your Weimaraner? Unfortunately there's no easy answer to the question of what food is best for Weimaraners. We can tell you that the vast majority of our dogs have had excellent results with Canidae products. Especially in dogs with sensitive stomachs and some skin conditions, we have seen consistently good results with Canidae. The company is committed to quality and uses consistent manufacturing processes and ingredients. Representatives from the company are more than willing to answer any questions about their products and offer excellent customer service. Some pet owners find that a raw diet works well for their dog. There are several manufacturers of balanced, easy-to-feed raw diets. Some of our dogs have had good results with Stella & Chewy's products. There are many good pet food products available. To help narrow the field, we have only mentioned two that have shown very good results. Typically, retailers that carry the products mentioned in this article will have several high-quality products to choose from. A good knowledgeable retailer can provide you with more side-to-side comparisons and work with you to select a food that works well for your pet.

Again, any time you consider modifying your pet's diet, we encourage you to discuss with your vet first. Because nutrition is such an important component of your pet's health, your vet should be willing to discuss general information with you openly and not insist upon feeding your pet the brand that is available in his or her office, unless your pet has a special dietary requirement that necessitates a prescription diet. Most of today's high-quality foods are well-balanced and your pet should not need to frequently change diets. Unnecessarily changing diets can actually cause more problems than it solves! If you do decide to change your pet's diet, remember to gradually make the change. Start by feeding your pet 75% of their old food and 25% new food. After several days of no stomach upset, increase to a 50/50 mixture and see how your pet responds. Wait a few more days and change the mix to 75% new and 25% old. After several more days at this ratio, if your pet shows no signs of stomach upset, it should be fine to entirely phase out the old food.

Most importantly, find the right product for your pet. Every Weimaraner is different, so it is impossible to say with certainty what the best food for your dog is. Do your research, look for quality and consistency, and remember that too much of a good thing is a bad thing! Just as important as selecting the right food is feeding the right quantity to keep your Weimaraner at its ideal weight.

View the Today Show's video featuring Pfizer's novel oral chemotherapeutic treatment for mast cell cancer: Palladia.

Canine Heartworm Disease

Dogs are considered the definitive host for heartworms ( Dirofilaria immitis). When a mosquito carrying infective heartworm larvae bites a dog and transmits the infection, the larvae grow, develop and migrate in the body over a period of several months to become sexually mature male and female worms. These reside in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels. As mature adults, the worms mate and the females release their offspring (microfilariae), pronounced: (micro-fil-ar-ee-a), into the blood stream.Canine heartworm infection is widely distributed throughout the United States. Heartworm infection has been found in dogs native to all 50 states. All dogs, regardless of their age, sex, or habitat, are susceptible to heartworm infection.

Treatment

The treatment to kill the heartworms is expensive ($250-700 per dog) and is very tough on the dogs. 

Preventives

While treatment of canine heartworm disease is usually successful, prevention of the disease is much safer and more economical. There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection, including monthly tablets, chewables and topicals. These products are extremely effective and when administered properly on a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be prevented.

IN ADOPTING A WEIMARANER FROM WCWR, WE REQUIRE CONTINUATION OF HEARTWORM PREVENTATIVE.

WHAT IS IT

"Hip dysplasia" simply stated means an "abnormal formation" of the hip joint. Think of the condition first as a looseness in a joint that should be snug - then most of the problems attendant to hip dysplasia are a result of this "looseness".  

The normal anatomy of the hip joint is a classic Ball and Socket joint.  The head of the femur (the "Ball") is supposed to match the acetabulum (the "Socket").  A good hip joint has a neat, snug fit between the ball and socket - that is, the head of the femur should not be slipping and slopping around somewhere in the neighborhood of the acetabulum!

Symptoms:
Less energy and movement; difficulty rising; lameness in the back legs; reluctance to use stairs (particularly to go up); reluctance to jump or stand on hind limbs; swaggering gait, bunny-hopping gait; soreness after lying down; soreness after heavy exercise.

Treatment:
There are conservative, or non-surgical, methods for treating hip dysplasia, such as pain medications, weight loss programs, controlled exercise, and physical therapy. These methods can be very effective in certain cases. However, conservative treatments do have their limitations.

The other option is surgery. There are two surgical approaches for dealing with hip dysplasia: prophylactic procedures, which are designed to prevent the progression of arthritis, and therapeutic procedures, which aim to treat or salvage already arthritic hips.