Mites in grain-based pet foods could be making your pet itch: Dr. Alice Jeromine, a pharmacist and veterinary dermatologist in private practice in Ohio, has documented the presence of so-called "food storage mites" in pet foods containing grains. These mites are known to be present in human foods such as baking mixes, grains, and cereals- some people have been found to have an severe anaphylactic reaction just from opening a box of one of these products! As Dr. Jeromine reported in a recent issue of DVM Magazine, companion animals with this type of allergy will usually have severe itching, hair loss, and crusts around the head, especially the eyes, cheeks, and ears. Removing all dry and processed cereal based foods, cheese, and grains for a month is the best way to determine whether this could be a problem with your pet. (Of course, you need to have your vet make sure that other more common, problems - such as ringworm, fleas, mites, and such - aren't part of the problem before you try this). Dr. Jeromine's information certainly raises the question as to whether this is why so many animals improve on an all-meat diet...

Teens & drug abuse - it could be your pet's medication! The New England Journal of Medicine reports that use of illicit street drugs by teens is decreasing in popularity, while the non-medical use of prescription drugs is on the rise. While teen drug use peaked in the mid-to-late 1990's, today's 8th to 12th graders are reporting less illicit drug use. Further good news - alcohol use and cigarette smoking among teens is now at a historic low. But, use of prescription drugs found in the home is rising rapidly. Unfortunately, teens often regard these drugs as "safe" to abuse, since they were originally prescribed by a Doctor. And, the rise of advertising for such drugs on TV and in the media often portrays them as a routine part of daily life. Sedatives, narcotic pain relievers, and other drugs your vet may have prescribed for your pet should be kept out of the reach of teens - not just out of reach of younger children.

Diabetic cats do better on a high-protein, low-carb diet: As reported in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine by Dr. Kelli Weaver and associates, cats with diabetes feel better, stay healthier, and achieve better control of blood sugar levels when they eat a diet more natural to a carnivore and when they utilize one of the newer human-type insulins. While holistic vets have known for a long time about the problems associated with feeding cats a typical dry diet, it has been a relatively recent idea in the more traditional veterinary literature that diet can influence the course of many diseases. Dr. Weaver's study, in which the once-daily insulin Glargine was evaluated, found that it was possible for even poorly controlled diabetic cats to achieve good control of blood sugar with "appropriate insulin therapy and feeding a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet". This study also documented the problems obesity causes in the development and management of diabetes, and proved, once again, that fat cats are more likely to become ill and respond less well than their slimmer kitty counterparts.