Gluten Free Food for Dogs

Last weekend, I attended the Calgary Gluten Free Expo. Although I don’t have celiac, I have noticed a significant improvement in my sinuses, general gastrointestinal health and energy level whenever I do go gluten free.

When Maestro was diagnosed with canine arthritis and Intervertebral Disk Disease, his vets told me that Maestro can’t eat wheat. When I attended the GF Expo last week, it was for both of us.

Gluten Free Food for Dogs and People

Maestro was very excited to try some of the samples from the Calgary Gluten Free Expo. We both liked the oatmeal and granola by Bakery on Main.

However, I didn't notice the yeast in the Ingredients Listing on the Breton crackers. Maestro is a dog with yeast sensitivities. It was a rough couple of days for us until the yeast worked its way out of his system.

One of the “new to me” finds was MILA. As some health-conscious folk know, chia seeds boast numerous health benefits, including weight loss, decreased joint pain, anti-aging, heart health, and sleep.

It was a pricey purchase, at $60 for a 16-oz. bag. At least, it’s something that both Maestro and I can use.

It’s too soon to tell, and we haven’t been consistent. We’ll report in about a month of regular use how Maestro is doing. I have also found that my favourite neighbourhood supermarkets do sell chia seeds at a more attractive price point.

The other find was camelina oil, which I tried at the Three Farmers’ booth. They had three versions for sale: natural and flavoured with herbs. When cooking for your pet, it’s safest to go with the natural version.

The representative said that unlike olive oil, you can cook camelina oil at high temperatures safely. It is high in Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s, which is fantastic for joint health. You can buy camelina oil at your nearest health food store, and online at Amazon.

So, far, I have used camelina oil on our quinoa salads. Sometimes, I just drizzle a little bit into Maestro’s food. He doesn’t shy away from it, so that’s a good sign!

Gluten Free Dog Treats and GF Dog Supplements in Maestro’s Cupboard

Maestro already has several gluten free dog food and dog treats in his cupboard. Right now, he has the following:

• think! Dog Louisiana Alligator Dog Biscuts: Available at Amazon.com and Canine Aquafitness Rehabiliation Clinic. They might be at Pet Valu and Pet Planet.

• Head to Tail Vitamin+ and Hip and Joint: There are cat versions as well. We buy ours at Pet Valu.

• Fruitables pet foods: Many stores carry these treats, including Pet Valu, Pet Planet and, Petland. Online, you can order them online:

Gluten Free Dog Food on Amazon

Maestro and I like to cook together (he has a fine sense for what smells good together). We’ll share some of our latest recipes in the coming weeks.

Further Reading:

Mila Chia Seeds: Nutritional Claims and Facts

Novel Food Information - Camelina Oil

The Truth About Chia

Maestro's Continuing Adventures in Water Therapy for Dogs

Last week, Maestro completed his fifth water therapy treatment for canine arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc Disease. He has made steady progress. Each week, he walks approximately .1 mile more than the previous week. He also spends more time walking at .75 mph.

Last visit, he walked for about 20 minutes. Thankfully, Maestro doesn't complain as much as he used to.

Here are clips from Maestro's third and fourth sessions of water therapy sessions:

Week 3 Front View

Profile View

[Week 4]

Unfortunately, I left my phone at home during Maestro's fifth water therapy session, so I wasn't recorded.

One interesting tale from our last visit: there have been several “poopy patients”. In case you are wondering what happens when a dog defecates during an aqua fitness treatment, the tank is shut down for the rest of the day and subsequent appointments are rescheduled. The water in the tank has to be purified, while the water treadmill is sanitized from top to bottom.

In order to avoid the embarrassment of having your dog defecate during a canine water therapy session (and the “poop charge”), there are three things three things pet owners can do. First, owners should not feed their dog less than three hours prior to a session. Second, owners should let their dog relieve themselves before they enter the clinic. Finally, if a dog has diarrhea on the day of an appointment, the owner should reschedule the water therapy for dogs until the it is feeling better.

(Not to worry, Maestro wasn't a poopy patient.)

Dr. Catherine at the Canine Aqua Fitness Centre did mention that Maestro is ready to try swimming as part of his treatment for canine arthritis. He will start that portion of his water therapy for dogs next month.

Dog Walks at Spruce Meadows

Another canine patient and his owner told us about walking inside the stables at Spruce Meadows when it's cold outside. I heard that Spruce Meadows was a pretty dog-friendly place, but I didn't realize that we could take our dogs inside the buildings as well!

Jigs' owner said that the stables are nice, warm and clean; a perfect place to walk an elderly dog on a cold winter's day. One day when it was below minus 20 degrees Celsius, I took Maestro to Spruce Meadows.

It was a bit of an adventure. Maestro was frightened by the horse's size. In turn, the horses didn't like it when Maestro hugged the stable doors. Kudos to the horses for staying calm while they kept a wary eye on Maestro's progress. As frightened as he was, Maestro did manage to walk further than he usually does outside.

So long as you don't interrupt the horses and staff from their training, you can travel all over the grounds. Spruce Meadows is open to the public every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Here are some photos from our second visit to Spruce Meadows:

Many thanks to the owners of Spruce Meadows for opening up the grounds not just to Calgarians, but for making it a dog-friendly place in Calgary. Dog walks at Spruce Meadows is going to be a regular thing for us now!

Adventures in Water Therapy for Dogs

We've had several cold snaps this winter, which makes it tough for anyone to exercise, including our arthritic furry friend, Maestro. As a result, I've noticed an increase in the amount of stiffness in his movements. To combat this, we are exploring water therapy for the treatment of canine arthritis and IVDD in dogs. To give you an idea of Maestro's progress, this is a video that I took of Maestro's gait last month. He was in between his acupuncture and laser therapy sessions and it was a cold week. You can see how choppy is gait is and how he favours his left side:

Maestro's Water Therapy Treatment for Canine Arthritis

Maestro had his first water therapy session two weeks ago. The noises the water pump made as it filled the tank frightened him and I think he wanted to know what I wasn't going into the tank with him. He also wasn't keen on facing away from the door.

He quickly adjusted. I think he remembered the treadmill at home and started plodding along at 0.5 mph. Like the dry treadmill, he stopped to take breaks and would resume walking either when he reached the end of the treadmill or got a light bump from Louise (one of the fabulous staff members at Canine Aquafitness).

Here's a video from his first water therapy session:

He had his second session earlier this week. It went smashingly well. Maestro was happy that the treadmill was repaired and he could now walk while facing the exit.

Dr. Catherine, Emmanuelle and Louise have decided that Maestro doesn't need anyone with him next time. Here's some video from that treatment:

As you can see, his movements are much more fluid. He was bending his joints more and really getting into it. This time, he spent more time walking at 0.75 mph and travelled 0.16 miles (0.2 more than last week).

Maestro's monthly treatment plan at Canine Aquafitness now consists of weekly water therapy sessions on the underwater treadmill with one week of laser therapy. His acupuncture treatments are also going to go down to once every three weeks. Let's just say I'm glad there's pet insurance!

An Introduction to Water Therapy Treatment for Dogs

Water therapy is used as treatment for canine arthritis and Inter-vertebral Disc disease. The result will be increased mobility for our intrepid Canine Studio Assistant.

Water therapy can be used to treat other conditions in dogs.  For example: hip and elbow dysplasia, patella luxation, obesity, spinal injuries and post-operation rehabilitation.

Water Therapy for Dogs in Calgary

Dog owners in Calgary and the surrounding area are quite lucky. There are three veterinary clinics that specialize in canine hydrotherapy:

Canine Aquafitness (Okotoks, AB): This is where Maestro goes. His vet there is Dr. Catherine Pampligione, who received the Okotoks Chamber of Commerce 2013 Award of Excellence in Animal Care. In addition to water therapy for dogs, the Centre offers therapeutic ultrasound, electrical muscle therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatments, infrared therapy and cold laser therapy.

Canine Fitness Centre (Calgary, AB): The Centre offers ultrasound, light therapy, magnetic field therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, fitness conditioning, canine hydrotherapy and more.

Marda Loop Veterinary Centre (Calgary, AB): The Centre offers a wide range of canine rehabilitation services, including: chiropractic, acupuncture, water treadmill, extracorpeal shock wave therapy and more.

Pet owners in Calgary can find out more about water therapy for dogs at an information session hosted by the Shawnessy Pet Valu on Saturday, March 15, 2014. For those of you outside of the Calgary service area, you can visit the International Association of Animal Massage & Bodywork / Association of Canine Water Therapy's website to find a canine hydrotherapy centre near you.

On dog boots and dog socks

Winters in Canada can be quite harsh, not just for humans but also pets. Think about it for a minute, we wear insulated boots with grips when we walk the dog. Our furry friends have...paw pads. That’s fine most of the time, but when it’s -20 degrees Celsius or colder? When you’re walking on paths covered in non-pet and non-child friendly de-icing mixes? The concept of dog footwear - dog boots and dog dog socks - doesn't seem so strange after all.

Maestro really loves this dog jacket by Bailey & Bella. Photo by R-M Arca.

Dog boots for winter

I discovered dog footwear when Maestro was just a few years old. At first, I balked at the price of Muttluks dog boots and bought him a cheaper brand name. They didn't stay on very well. In the end, I bought Maestro Muttluks  (approximately $50 CAD). He doesn't keep them on all the time but at least they don’t slide off as often as the knock-offs did.

The soles are leather, which is great when it’s below freezing. It’s a completely different story when the snow is melting. Those boots get soaked - fast!

Since buying the Muttluks, different models have come out. You can now get the leather sole, but you can also buy the fleece-lined model and the all-weather model.

On a recent visit to Pet Valu, Maestro and I watched a Corgi try on a set of Ultimate Trail Boots by Canine Equipment ($70 CAD). This is, by far, the best set of dog boots I have ever seen. There are grips on the soles and the hind paw boots are sized differently from the front paws’. Unlike the Muttluks, CE’s dog boots are water resistant, yet still breathable.

This company makes good quality dog accessories with thoughtful designs. Our family has several dog accessories by Canine Equipment, including the Ultimate Trail Pack, a harness and walking collar. Guess what Maestro is getting for his birthday?

Help! My older dog keeps slipping on hardwood floors

Maestro has always slipped a bit on hardwood floors, but when we visited relatives this Christmas, I saw that he was having a harder time standing up and moving around. He was more stiff than usual and oftentimes, seemed to plant himself in one spot and his expression clearly said, “I’m not moving. You’ll have to pick me up if you want me to move.”

I remembered hearing that other dog owners purchased dog boots or dog socks because their dogs kept slipping on hardwood floors. From the recesses of my memory, I recalled seeing dog socks with grips, so went to Pet Valu in search of these. We first tried Pawks by RC Pets ($10.99 CAD), primarily because I balked at the price of the Pawz dog boots ($19.99 CAD).

I went with medium because that was what was recommended. That was a failed experiment. One of the other dogs in the family tried (successfully) to pull off Maestro’s Pawks. They really didn't stay on well. By that point, Maestro stained the Pawks so I couldn't return them. That meant that I had to go and buy a small set of Pawks. They stay on better than the mediums, but he occasionally pulls off his hind ones when he sits.

In the end, I also broke down and bought Maestro a set of Pawz. I appreciate that there are three sets of reusable dog boots in the package.

Seriously, I need to remember not to go with the cheapest solution. I usually wind up spending two to three times as much.

Anyway, Pawz are ideal for the hardwood floors. Maestro has great traction when walking hardwood. They are also perfect at the vet’s office and pet stores. He gets decent traction on snow.

They stay on pretty well, too. The other dogs don’t try to pull them off, while Maestro rarely pulls them off when he sits on them.

The only thing is you can't keep them on for long periods of time. Remember, dogs "sweat" through their paws.

Where to buy dog boots and dog socks

Most pet stores carry at least one type of dog footwear. However, if you are looking to buy online, check out my affiliate links:

Muttlucks on Amazon

Ultimate Trail Boots on Amazon

PAWks Dog Socks on Amazon

For your first set, I strongly recommend that you buy locally. Bring your dog in so that he or she can try on dog footwear for correct sizing and fit.

Having canine arthritis, Maestro will always move with some stiffness. It varies depending upon the weather. At least I can make his life a bit easier by putting on his dog boots or dog socks so that he can walk on hard surfaces and stand up from a prone position more easily.