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February 2012

The reward of a well-planned and executed breeding program is the birth of healthy puppies. But whelping is not the end of the chores. In fact, once puppies arrive, the real work begins, and it’s also the time things can go wrong. If your lactating bitch becomes seriously ill, or if she dies, you become the caregiver to her brood. If you can find a bitch to take them on, your problems are over. If your search fails, it is up to you to rear the orphan puppies.

The Nest Box

The nest box must be designed to keep puppies warm and dry. It can be intricately made, or as simple as a cardboard pet carrier. Tall sides stop the puppies from climbing out and getting chilled. It should be closable so that pups can be in the dark.

Line the bottom of the box with towels covered with disposable diapers. Cut the elastic on the legs of the diapers so that they lie flat. You can change the diapers several times a day if needed.

The temperature of the nest box is very important. Pups die if they get chilled. An electric heating pad under half the box provides a warm spot at one end, but the pups can crawl to the cooler side if they get too warm. You can also use bottles filled with warm water put under towels at one end of the box. As soon as they turn cool, they must be refreshed.

Feeding

Puppies need optimal nutrition. Commercial formulas are preferred because they have all the nutrients puppies need. Besides fats, sugars, and proteins, they contain added amino acids to prevent the development of nutritional cataracts (opacities in the lens of the eyes). Cataracts used to be a common problem in puppies fed low quality commercial formulas and they still occur in puppies fed poorly balanced homemade formulas.

In an emergency, you can make a formula from ingredients on hand. Mix together one cup whole milk, one teaspoon salad oil, two eggs yolks and, if you have it, a drop of a multivitamin. It is not balanced and shouldn’t be used for long-term feeding.

The bottles and nipples used for human infants can be used with large breed puppies. Miniature bottles with tiny nipples are available for small pups. Warm the formula and put the nipple in the pup’s mouth. If the pup is slow to suckle, put your finger in his mouth to start him sucking, and then substitute the nipple for your finger.

Another way to get nutrition in a pup is to tube feed with a soft latex tube attached to a syringe filled with warm replacer. The tube is put in the mouth and pushed in so the pup swallows it. There is a simple way to make sure the tube is not in the lungs (milk put directly in the airway would cause aspiration pneumonia and death of the puppy).

Put a piece of tape on the tube, indicating the distance from the tip of the nose to the last rib. If you then have the tube in so that the tape mark is at the level of the nose, you must be in the stomach. It wouldn’t go that far if it was in the lungs.

Slowly depress the plunger, giving the stomach time to expand. Once the milk is discharged, crimp the tube before pulling it out to prevent milk leakage, milk that could be inhaled and enter the lungs.

Pups less than two weeks old need feeding every two to four hours. Drop to every four to six hours once they are over two weeks old. Their behavior can give clues for when they need feeding. If they are crying, it is feeding time. If they are sleeping and settled, their bellies are full. The quantity to give at each feeding varies from two milliliters (ml) for a small breed pup to six ml for a large breed pup.

To find out if you are giving enough food, use a postal or food scale. Puppies should gain 10 percent of their birth weight every day, consuming between 22 to 26 ml of formula per 100 grams body weight daily.

Some veterinarians are adamantly opposed to tube feeding. They suggest if a puppy is too weak to nurse, there are also no waves of contraction (peristalsis) in the stomach and intestines. This means milk given by tube will just sit in the stomach. Worse yet, it can go back up the esophagus and can be inhaled by the weak puppy. This can mean a fatal pneumonia. The better option, in their minds, is injections under the skin until the pup can nurse.

When the pups start biting and chewing the bottle instead of sucking (three to four weeks of age), they can be offered some pate-style canned food. You may want to mix it with a little formula at first and smear a little around the mouth to get them going. Once they are eating, solid food can be introduced.

Puppies also need help going to the bathroom. The bitch does this by licking the genital area, stimulating the pup to defecate and urinate. At the same time, she cleans the puppy. You can rub a wet gauze or a moistened cotton-tipped applicator (Q-tip) on the genital area to mimic her licking. Do this each time the puppy is fed.

No paper on pups is complete without a mention of fading puppy syndrome, which is a description, not a diagnosis. It can be applied to pups that stop eating, become chilled, and die before 12 weeks of age. They simply fade away and the mother rejects them.

Faders, if they die, should be analyzed so that a diagnosis can be made. Without knowing what the pup died from, you may lose more puppies. Once that is determined, you can treat the puppies with fluids, warmth, and specific treatment for the condition.

Treating Hypoglycemia

Neonatal pups have minimal fat reserves, so even a small time off food can result in hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). If severe, an intravenous injection of sugar, usually in the form of dextrose, is the best treatment. However, breeders can treat these pups at home if they are caught early enough.

If a pup is too weak to suckle, a warmed mixture of salt solution (Normosol or lactated Ringers) and five percent dextrose can be injected subcutaneously at a dose of one milliliter per 30 grams body weight. Alternatively, a warm nutrient/electrolyte solution can given by stomach tube every 15 to 30 minutes until the pup has the strength to suckle.

Normal Puppy Temperature and Chilling

The rectal temperature of a newborn pup ranges from 95 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit during the first week of life, climbing to 97 to 100 during the second and third weeks. By weaning time, the pup’s temperature is the same as that of an adult (roughly between 101 and 103 degrees Fahrenheit).

Chilling is a major hazard for puppies. If wet, or next to a draft or cold object, they lose heat rapidly. Chilling diminishes the drive to nurse. The lack of milk decreases their ability to produce heat and they become dehydrated. This leads to decreased heart function, poor circulation, and further chilling.

Chilled puppies are also more susceptible to infections because their infection-fighting white blood cells don’t function optimally. Bitches are reluctant to care for puppies with cool skin temperatures. They push them away and do not respond to their cries. Once a pup’s temperature drops below 90, there is little chance for revival. They become comatose, their heart rate plummets, and they die.

When treating chilled puppies, start by tube feeding with a sugar solution and then warm them by wrapping them in towels with hot water bottles. The towels prevent them getting too hot. Heat lamps are an alternative, but test the heat by putting your hand on the pup so you can feel how warm it is. You want to warm slowly. Too fast and the pup can go into shock.

For more information contact Dr. Jeff Grognet or Dr. Louise Janes at

Mid-Isle Veterinary Hospital
5-161 Fern Road West
Qualicum Beach, BC
Tel (250) 752-8969

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February 2012

When I first got into the Real Estate industry 22 years ago, I was told that 8.9% for a 5 year term was probably the best I would ever see. Having experienced the record high of 21% in 1981, I had to agree that 8.9% looked very good. Who would have thought that in 2012, buyers would be able to get a 2.99% fixed 5 term mortgage. Amazing!

But interest rates are not the only thing to consider. Payout penalties, annual lump payments allowed, variable rates, and amortization length are also important things to consider. No matter what the banks are currently offering, I always suggest that buyers consult an experienced mortgage broker before committing. Bank loan officers work for their bank and are usually under behind-the-scenes monthly quotas that may affect what you are offered. As well, each bank has it’s own restrictive policies that may not be the best for you. On the other hand, MORTAGE BROKERS WORK FOR YOU AND FOR FREE. They receive their fee from which ever lending institution they end up placing your mortgage with. The point is, that because they have access to many lenders but are employed by none, they can pick the best rates and terms that meet your particular needs. To me that’s a winning situation for the consumer.

Valerie Edwards
Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty
Ph: 250-477-9947
Email: valerie@valerieedwards.com
Website: www.valerieedwards.com

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January 2012

In my personal experience, and that of many advocacy groups for persons with disabilities, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is one of the least-well-known tax breaks available to many Canadians, and one that is significantly under-used. Even the government and the tax department admit that many Canadians who are likely eligible for it aren’t taking advantage of it.

Rather than discuss all the details of what it is, I’ll very briefly summarize the highlights, and then direct you to other sources for more detailed information. There simply isn’t room here for me to repeat basic information readily available elsewhere.

I believe I can offer more value by discussing, from my perspective of having dealt with many of these credits, some perspectives on the credit which are not addressed in the published literature.

First, I want to talk about what it is from a tax and social policy perspective, rather than from a tax rules perspective.

Canada’s government recognizes that persons with medical problems and disabilities face above-average costs of living. The DTC is one of many tax breaks intended to ease this extra-cost burden, particularly in an environment where broader social policy is unwilling or unable to directly fund the cost burden through direct medical or hospitalization payments. Specifically, the DTC is a tax credit available for persons meeting certain specific “disability” eligibility criteria – and here is where good policy runs smack-dab into the complicated tax rules!

First, it is important to understand that it is a credit available to reduce your income tax otherwise payable – it can not put money in your pocket if you pay no income tax, and it can not put more money back into your pocket than the income tax you do pay. And there is an annual limit to how much your tax is reduced; for about the past decade, that limit has been just around $1,400 per year.

Second, the eligibility criteria: here’s how they are defined (in part): the DTC is available to an individual who has “a [note: singular!] severe and prolonged physical or mental impairment” such that they are “markedly restricted” in one (note: singular!) of the activities of daily living, or who has one or more such impairments such that they are “significantly restricted” in two or more of the activities of daily living.

Whew! I’m certainly not much smarter after trying to digest that mouthful! Fortunately, you and I don’t need to interpret it. If you even think you might be eligible for the credit, ask your doctor. Your doctor will know, and in fact your doctor has to complete, verify and sign the application for the DTC. The application, when submitted to the tax authorities, is assessed by medical personnel in their employ – but your own doctor is the source of the original definitive medical opinion. In my experience, very few applications are rejected once approved by the required medical practitioner.

And I mean approved legitimately and in good faith by the medical practitioner – recent crackdowns by the tax authorities on fraudulent applications supported by bogus medical approval should not worry you if your doctor is above-board and trustworthy.

Finally, it’s worth emphasizing that eligibility for the DTC is required in order to be able to take advantage of other medical/disability-related tax benefits, particularly for claiming credits for nursing home care. There are complicated rules surrounding the interaction of several related tax credits or benefits, and eligibility for DTC is often a cornerstone of those rules.

OK, here’s where you go for more info: On the internet, start at CRA’s helpful website here http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/disability/, and follow the links as far as you like. No internet? Make an appointment with your accountant. This subject does get complicated, so there will probably be a fee for anything beyond a brief meeting to tell you the basics and/or give you an application form.

Now its time for a couple of non-tax / non-technical observations, or stuff you won’t find on the CRA’s website.

If you haven’t been claiming the DTC but now find you are indeed eligible, there’s a chance you might have been eligible for it earlier. When your doctor certifies your disability, he also has to indicate how long you have had it. And if it has existed for several years, you can make application for it retroactively – in fact, up to 10 years back! But a word of caution – discuss with your accountant whether there might be any hidden problems lurking in your past tax history that might be discovered in the process of filing the DTC retroactively.

Your DTC application should not be filed with your tax return. You can’t actually claim the DTC on your tax return until it’s been approved by CRA, which typically takes up to 3 or 4 months. Better to make the application way early, say by December, or after June. Otherwise it gets in the way of tax filing season and the delays in approval are longer. Remember, you can always adjust prior years’ tax returns retroactively.

If you search the internet for information, you will no doubt find many commercial services offering to guide you through the entire process of determining eligibility, filing the applications, filing prior year tax return adjustments, and monitoring their approval process – all for a contingency fee (I’ve seen it up to 30-40%) of your refund. Most of these services are reputable (do your homework — a few shady ones have uncovered and charged by the tax authorities!), but they are expensive. A reputable accountant will charge you a reasonable fee for doing the same thing, but it should be less than the contingency fee charged by the commercial services, especially if several years retroactive are involved. The downside is that an accountant will charge a fee for his time even if the application is denied, although a reputable accountant will not pursue obviously doubtful claims on your behalf.

In my years of dealing with DTC claims for eligible persons, I have frequently encountered two specific circumstances that are worth highlighting.

One is that an eligible “impairment” (i.e. one that makes the taxpayer eligible for the DTC) may not necessarily be evident to an outsider. This may be particularly so if the person’s condition is one that may cause them some embarrassment if it were more evident. I make it a practice to raise the DTC issue with my clients, if I see obvious signs such as blindness, frailty, difficulty walking, carting around an oxygen tank, etc. But I’ve been caught unawares a few times over the years because I don’t see, don’t think to ask, and the client doesn’t know to volunteer, that they are on dialysis, or have bowel or bladder function problems. Make it a point for you – or a family member or trusted friend – to make yourself aware of ALL the potential “impairments” that might make you eligible.

Closely related to that are impairments “in performing the mental functions necessary for everyday life”. These are often not used to trigger a DTC application because, surprise!, the mental functions are impaired and get in the way of making the application! That’s where a family member or trusted friend has to step in and help you.

But more important is the embarrassment factor – people are rarely shy about admitting they have difficulty seeing or hearing or walking, much more so about whether they have to carry a colostomy bag, but very often don’t want to admit publicly, and especially to their accountant, that they have trouble remembering or that they’re afraid they’re losing some mental abilities.

My advice here is that the DTC application can readily be kept private. Really, no-one but you (or maybe your family member or trusted friend) and your doctor (well, and the folks at the relevant tax department) has to know the circumstances surrounding your application. Your doctor can readily complete and mail the DTC application on your behalf, and all your accountant and others will ever know is that it was approved, but never on what basis.

I wish for everyone to be healthy and well – but if that isn’t always possible, I at least wish everyone to get all the tax breaks the law entitles them to for being less than 100% healthy and well.

Lotar Maurer, Certified General Accountant
107 – 663 Beach Road
Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 2H7
Email: lotar.maurer@islandcga.com
Toll Free: 1-866-352-9223
Phone: (250) 752-9223 | Fax: (250) 752-9218
www.islandcga.com/introduction.htm

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January 2012

All revolution must come from within. Each of us, whether we live in Canada, the Middle East, the United States, Russia, China, etc…each of us comes to this “place” quietly, with resolve and intention.

We may have arrived there after much contemplation, discussion with others, a concern that has grown as certain issues have evolved, a helpless feeling and a deep knowingness of un-fairness, imbalance and witnessing injustice and indifference.

When we arrive there…this place that “revolution” seems the only answer, and maybe action…what then?? I think that in North America this might be a shock to finally arrive to this conclusion…it begs the question. ..then what?? How do I make a change in this??…How do I take a stand?…Who will it impact? Positively or negatively?

Recently the event of “Occupy” has been a new phenomenon in our culture. It was long overdue and one wonders just how long the “power brokers’ and governments were watching and waiting to see just how far they could push the masses into the various corners.

The inequalities and imbalance has been obvious and prevalent for decades; yet no revolution. Why now???

Is it the “energy “ in the air as we witness the voices and slain bodies of the brave in the Middle East?

Is it that OUR government is dragging us backwards… to be a society that is one of meanness, distain, corruption, indifference and dis-honesty …all the while we can only stand by…hope for Spring, renewal and new leadership?

Again…as peacekeepers, as we once were known, it is difficult to shift from dialogue and discussion to action, talking a stand and raising your voice. Choose your topic/issue…explain (not defend) your point of view and be alert to where you can share and make a difference.

It all starts with each one of us…and you will be surprised and thrilled just how many people feel the same way and this is where revolution starts!

I, for one hope “Occupy” will grow, spread, flourish and infect every woman, man and child with a sense of empowerment, trust, fairness and equality for all !!!

WE are the change the world is waiting for…WE are the NEW HUMAN, that is sensitive, generous, empathic, fair, taking responsibility and making the difference (and sometimes the hard choices) for ourselves and our future generations.

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January 2012

Teeth after cleaning

Teeth with moderate tartar

Teeth with severe tartar

When was the last time you had a good look in your dog’s mouth? If he’s over three years old, there is a 75 percent chance that he has dental disease—plaque, tartar, and inflamed gums. However, besides causing bad breath and tooth loss, the infection in the oral cavity can spread to vital internal organs.

In cats, we can see tartar, but we often see resorptive lesions – holes in teeth that tell us the entire tooth has decayed and is painful.

Resorptive lesion showing hole in tooth and gum overgrowth

Small breed dogs are prone to tartar accumulation at very young ages. The result is they lose many teeth by the time they are 10 years old. It all begins with the formation of a thin, soft film of plaque (food and bacteria) on the teeth. Left undisturbed, plaque eventually mineralizes and hardens to form tartar.

Meanwhile, the bacteria in the mouth cause inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and recession of the gum-tooth attachment. A healthy sulcus—the natural depression in the gum next to the tooth—is at most a few millimeters deep. In dogs with severe gingivitis, gum attachments can break down to depths as great as 15 millimeters. As the gum recedes, there is a corresponding breakdown of supporting bone. The tooth becomes abscessed and falls out.

A small incisor that has just one root is lost very quickly when it’s abscessed because it has so little holding it in place. In contrast, a large carnassial tooth such as the upper fourth premolar (fourth tooth behind the upper canine tooth) has three roots. It takes much longer to fall out. Each of the roots must become loose before the tooth is released from its socket.

Larger breed dogs such as German Shepherds don’t collect as much tartar on their teeth so they are not as prone to gum recession. Though they can have problems with gingivitis and tartar, they are much more prone to tooth fracture. The tooth most commonly damaged is the upper fourth premolar (PM4).

When the outer surface of PM4 is cleaved off, the pulp cavity is exposed. Ultimately, bacteria invade and travel up to the end of each root, creating an abscess. This pus pocket causes significant pain.

Whether a dog has an abscessed fractured tooth or tartar and gum disease, the bacteria in his mouth can penetrate his gums and migrate via the bloodstream throughout his body—the heart, kidneys, and liver are particularly prone to invasion by oral bacteria.

In the heart, bacteria readily settle on the delicate valves, causing scarring that leads to valvular leakage. Eventually, dogs with leaky valves develop congestive heart failure—an inability of the heart to pump enough blood forward.

When bacteria land in the kidneys, they stimulate the formation of tiny abscesses which cause deterioration of kidney function. Over time, these changes result in chronic renal failure.

Many dogs with dental disease have elevated liver enzymes. In this case, the bacteria have migrated to the liver, causing infection and tissue damage. In cats, the big concern is kidney damage leading to failure.

How can you help our friends live a longer life? Look in his mouth regularly. If you can see his gums are cherry red, he has gingivitis. If you can smell foul breath, he has a bacterial infection—it might just be from plaque, but it could be from an abscessed tooth.

Something to remember is that it is difficult to assess your dog for oral pain. In rare circumstances, you will notice that he refuses a hard treat or that he chews on one side. In most cases, dental pain goes undetected. It isn’t until a problem tooth is removed and dogs experience increased vitality that an owner recognizes the agony their pet has been in.

When you detect a problem in your pet’s mouth, have him examined by your veterinarian. If he has minimal gum recession, a proper cleaning both above and below the gum line can help the gum re-attach. If you wait too long, the pockets become deeper (more than three millimeters), the roots become exposed, and tooth loss becomes an inevitable fact.

Oral disease can shorten your pet’s life. Veterinarians see the consequences of mouth infections daily—abscessed teeth, gingivitis, as well as weak hearts, failing kidneys, and stressed livers. Don’t ignore bad breath, discolored teeth, or red gums in your canine friend. Your dog needs diligent oral care from both you and your veterinarian to live a full and healthy life.

How Your Veterinarian Cleans Teeth

1. Removes gross tartar.
2. Removes tartar under the gums.
3. Polishes the teeth.
4. Probes pockets and searches for cavities.
5. Flushes out pockets with saline or cleansing solution.

Web Links

Dental Disease – The Hidden Problem

http://www.ovma.org/pet_owners/pet_health/dental_disease.html

Dental Disease (lots of information)

http://www.lbah.com/dent.htm

**********************************************************************

Excuses to Avoid Dental Work

Sometimes we recommend cleaning teeth and/or removal of a tooth (or teeth). Though we’d prefer to keep all the teeth in the mouth, just as we’d like to keep all our teeth until we die, sometimes extractions are required.

Periodontal disease, tooth fracture, and gum infections are common reasons we need to surgically remove a tooth. The end result is the difference between a healthy pet versus one that is plagued with illness and in pain.

Some owners have concerns about the process, and come up with reasons to avoid having dental work done. Here are a few of the common thoughts owners bring up.

He’s too old for an anesthetic!

Age is not a disease. We do blood tests, a full examination, and sometimes radiographs and ECGs to make sure there are no concerns for the anesthetic. If there are issues, we modify what we do to make it safe or not do it at all.

I don’t think the teeth are bothering him!

You can bet they are. The disease came on slow and subtly. The symptoms can be very general, such as decreased activity, guarding the affected side, or just the impression that the pet “is getting old”. Tooth and gum disease is painful, and the time we really notice this is when we eliminate the dental disease and the owner exclaims that their “puppy “ is back.

He’s still eating!

This line is used to suggest that the dental disease is not a problem. Because the oral disease has come on slowly, the pet learns to adapt. It must do this or starve. Even dogs and cats in severe pain still eat because they are hungry. Even if there is pain on just one side, you may not see difficulty chewing, but you might see more tartar on one side than the other. You might see a preference for soft food over dry food, but this is rare. In cats, a lack of grooming can suggest a sore mouth.

How will he eat with missing teeth?

The answer is—better than before the dental work. Getting rid of the pain means they can chew better. As well, we don’t ask our pets to bring down a deer and tear the flesh off the bones; we feed them!

Can he still carry a ball or stick?

Of course, and he can do it, and without mouth pain.

For more information contact Dr. Jeff Grognet or Dr. Louise Janes at

Mid-Isle Veterinary Hospital
5-161 Fern Road West
Qualicum Beach, BC
Tel (250) 752-8969

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December 2011

Tasmin having light treatment

John Denver was right when he said “sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy”. One of the reasons you feel better on a bright, sunny day is because sunshine, a form of light therapy, makes you healthier. As of August 2010, we have been offering a remarkable therapy to our patients. It is an Erchonia laser.

Light therapy stimulates healing on many levels. It is especially effective for musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, but it can also be beneficial to patients with organ dysfunction such as chronic kidney deterioration or liver disease. Even more exciting is the fact that dogs and cats with allergies, immune disorders and even some forms of cancer can experience beneficial effects from light energy healing.

The majority of lasers utilized by veterinarians and chiropractors are powerful lasers. They rely on strength and penetration to warm tissue and effect healing. These are useful for arthritis and inflammatory conditions because they run at 10,000 to 50,000 milliwatts (mW). The people and the patient must wear eye protection (as little as 1/10 second exposure can induce retinal damage).

Our laser, classified as low level laser therapy (LLLT), operates at 5 mW. It is safe (no goggles required) and does not “cook” tissue. It does, however, effectively trigger the body’s innate ability to heal itself by its frequency (the number of times it blinks each second).

It directs normal cellular function, repair, and reproduction through photon (light particle) communication. Because the body is made up of 70 percent water, it is easy for energetic messages to travel from cell to cell and tissue to tissue.

Cells become diseased when they lose their ability to communicate with each other. They stop functioning properly because they are not being directed or, worse yet, they start to function in an unwanted manner (the ultimate example of this is cancer cells that grow without response to physiological control mechanisms).

Re-establishing communication between cells can bring tissues back to health. This is the premise behind frequency-specific LLLT. By directing specific frequencies of light to diseased tissues, we can prompt communication. In fact, every tissue has a frequency that it responds to.

The light hits the skin and spreads like a wave through the body. Once it reaches the target tissue, it nudges the cells back toward normal function. The body is able to do what it does best, heal itself.

Though this is an energetic explanation, there is also a scientific basis to this technology. Frequency-specific LLLT has an impact on mitochondrial DNA. When damaged by disease or toxins, DNA becomes unravelled. The light emitted from our laser stimulates the generation of ATP which rehabilitates the DNA back to a functional 3-D shape.

Most patients need, on average, 13 light therapy sessions, but this will be determined by the severity and chronicity of the disease processes. Treatment is not stopped as soon as the symptoms resolve; it is continued until maximal healing has occurred.

The positive effects of each session are cumulative so the frequency of treatment is determined by how quickly we want or need healing – is the body in an emergency state, or are we dealing with chronic disease? If we need to get rapid resolution of an illness, we treat twice daily for three days, then once daily for three days, then twice weekly for 2-3 weeks.

In many cases, we follow a less intensive program that begins with two treatments the first day followed by another one within the week. Then we treat twice weekly for 2 weeks, once weekly for 4 weeks, and possibly twice a month for 3 months.

No matter what schedule is chosen, it is important that the first two treatments be no more than 24 and no less than 1-1/2 hours apart. These initial light therapy sessions stimulate 70 percent of healing. The beneficial effect of these two light therapy sessions may show up within hours or it may not appear until the middle of the second week.

Reference: www.vomtech.com/vetcoldlaser.html

For more information contact Dr. Jeff Grognet or Dr. Louise Janes at

Mid-Isle Veterinary Hospital
5-161 Fern Road West
Qualicum Beach, BC
Tel (250) 752-8969

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December 2011

Depends.

If it is a buyer’s market, which it is at the moment, December is a very good time to buy. The reason? The Christmas season is traditionally one of the slowest times for real estate sales. Sellers who don’t really need to sell often take their houses off the market so they can concentrate on the holidays. This means that sellers who keep their homes up for sale throughout the holidays are likely to be more committed to selling because they need to sell as opposed to want to sell. The difference between finding a seller who needs to sell as opposed to wants to sell could mean a substantially lower purchase price for the buyer.

If it’s a seller’s market or even a balanced market, it can be a very good time to sell. Again, since there are traditionally fewer houses on the market due to sellers taking their properties off the market during the holidays, sellers who are serious about selling have less competition.

If you need to sell, you need to sell whether it’s a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. You may not be able to change the market but get good advice so that you can sell your property as quickly as you need to while obtaining the best financial outcome possible.

Valerie Edwards
Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty
Ph: 250-477-9947
Email: valerie@valerieedwards.com
Website: www.valerieedwards.com

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December 2011

We all have them…we all make them…and the question is do we make them from love or fear?

At this time of year when we celebrate a birth of a child, the return of Light to the planet and the “idea” of peace and good will towards mankind”, we are eager and joy-filled with love and anticipation. Good wishes abound. Our life cycle returns year after year to this celebration and intention and then “the business of life “creeps slowly back in as the new year takes hold.

In this “taking hold’ we are back in the fear place of worry: re finances, the market, health issues, competition, how to get more, family and education requirements and a myriad of life necessities that demand our attention. We buckle down, suck it up, close our hearts…and get on with it.

Until…we again come to this special time in our yearly cycle that gives us reason and permission to celebrate, open our hearts and once again have hope, feel joy and release love and generosity.

Our cultures, religions and governments are built and nurtured on fears. We are spoon-fed fear from the crib…all in the name of love and protecting us.

Our cultures, religions and governments in the “name of protecting us” create, fund and encourage financial misdeeds on a massive scale, battles and wars that torture, maim, and kill in the name of keeping us safe from???, and create levels of “fear” alerts and language that is intended to keep us separate from our innate knowingness of love and that includes the feelings of when to be cautious, trust, relax, enjoy and live fully.

Choices= Freedom !!! When you give your choice to “something or someone” to make decisions in your name because you are afraid/don’t want to do the research to be better informed/too busy to take a stand/ or too lazy to vote (and that is a vote!) you will surely reap the consequences…the government you deserve…the job lost…the money absconded with…the relative/friend killed.

So… is it…..

LOVE: Birth, Breath, Life, Respect, Creativity, Joy, Empathy, Trust, Wholeness, Harmony, Compassion, Generosity, Causing & Creating No Harm

FEAR: Separation, Protection, Powerless, Ignorance, Arrogance, Weakness, Anger, Distrust, Bullying, Greed, Indifference, Apathy, Killing, Isolation, Power-over Behaviours

Life is challenging; and in this season of love and light…resolve to take your precious life back…from whomever/whatever you have given it to. Be the Love, the harmony, the kindred spirit, the good neighbour, the fabulous parent and the wise choice-maker you were born to be and protect that part of yourself for yourself and your world…from Love, in Love and with Love for All.

Contact Morganne at 250-923-0084 or nharmony@telus.net

www.wisewomennetwork.net

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November 2011

One of the biggest reasons empty-nesters tell me that they want to move from their existing home, is to get away from the stairs!  Yes, the stairs that used provide separation from eating and sleeping has now or is becoming a complete roadblock to easy living.  It’s not the stairs per say that are the problem.  It’s the hips and knees.  Some people have great working joints into their elderly years but others, who may have had injuries, overuse or whatever, find or will find having to climb stairs a pain in the…well, where ever it might be.

The solution of course is finding a one level home, whether it’s a rancher, townhouse or condo.  Even a house that has the master bedroom and laundry on the main level with extraneous bedrooms and other rooms on lower or upper levels will suit some folks.

Debunking a Downsizing Myth

If you are contemplating a move from your big family home, don’t assume that along with getting rid of the stairs and buying something smaller that you are going to come out with some extra cash.  Because of the lifestyle a rancher affords, they are in their own little world when it comes to market value. For instance, all other things being equal, a 1700 sq. ft. rancher can hold the same market value as a two-story 2700 sq. ft. family style house that’s right beside it.  It’s not the square footage you are paying for, it’s the privilege of having everything on one level.  Although you are downsizing, you probably don’t want to sacrifice quality.  Additionally, because there are fewer ranchers than two story homes, prices of nice ranchers tend to be almost the same as the big family home, which goes against the idea most people, have about downsizing.  Many factors contribute to pricing such as neighborhood and condition of the property, of course, but smaller square footage when coupled with a one-level layout will not necessarily translate into dollars saved.

Valerie Edwards
Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty
Ph: 250-477-9947
Email: valerie@valerieedwards.com
Website: www.valerieedwards.com

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November 2011

Jeff Grognet, DVM, BSc(Agr) & Louise Janes, BSc(Agr), DVM

Scalded grass due to dog urine

Grass Scalding

Urine. Some veterinarians call it “liquid gold” because it has incalculable value in determining a dog’s health status. However, puppy owners who have to clean it up call it a waste product. Likewise for people who take pride in their lawns. To them, dog urine is a force that wreaks havoc on their pristine green carpets.

Urine scalding of grass is so upsetting to some people that they won’t allow their dogs access to their beautifully manicured lawns. Others try to limit unsightly yellow urine stains by adding ingredients such as baking soda or apple cider vinegar to their dogs’ foods. These are seldom, if ever, effective.

To minimize urine damage to grass, it is important to understand the factors that affect it. The first is the makeup of the dog’s urine itself. The second is the natural resistance of the grass and soil to the effects of urine.

The sex of the dog also influences urine damage. Female dogs tend to urinate large amounts in one spot. Males urinate in little bits, and often not in the middle of the lawn. This makes urine scalding of lawns almost entirely a female dog problem.

Urine has three important characteristics – urine pH (acidity/alkalinity), nitrogen content, and salinity – that influence its effect on grass.

Urine pH is dictated by a dog’s metabolism. Typically, canine urine is slightly acidic, but diet affects it. For example, vinegar contains acid. Adding it to a dog’s food makes her body acidic. She responds by eliminating the excess acid in her urine, thereby lowering urine pH. Baking soda has the opposite effect. It is alkaline by nature so it raises urine pH. Tomato juice and vitamin C, other additives that supposedly ward off yellow spots, are mildly acidic.

Despite common beliefs, changing the pH of a dog’s urine has a very limited effect on lawn health. As well, after a short while on the supplement, the dog’s body adjusts and brings the pH back into the normal range.

Nitrogen content in the urine is the most significant factor that impacts grass health. The body excretes nitrogen in the form of urea which is then broken down into ammonia by soil bacteria. Ammonia at high concentrations is toxic to plants. It burns grass in the same way as excessive fertilizer.

Have you ever noticed how well grass grows around a urine-scalded spot? This is because the nitrogen eventually acts like natural fertilizer, promoting grass growth. When yellow spots are reseeded, they grow well the following season.

Urine salinity – the salt content – is the last factor. Concentrated urine has more salt (and more urea) than dilute urine. When the buffering ability of the soil can’t handle the amount of salt and nitrogen in the urine, the grass dies.

The negative effects of high nitrogen and salinity can be counteracted by diluting the urine with water. Thus, you can save your grass by following your dog around with a bucket of water and immediately splashing it over her urine spots. Alternatively, you can get your dog to drink more water to make her urine more dilute and less toxic.

However, the most effective way to combat lawn death from urine is to build up the soil’s natural buffers. This can be done by leaving grass clippings on your lawn or sprinkling compost, peat moss, or wood ashes on your grass. Under these conditions, the soil has a better ability to withstand a sudden dump of nitrogen, sparing the grass.

The last way to prevent urine scalding is to train your dog. Simply teach her to urinate in an area where scalding marks are of little consequence. This way, it won’t matter how often she urinates, whether her urine is acidic or alkaline, or whether it is too concentrated.

Urine Health

Have you ever noticed that your dog’s urine smells “stronger” if she has a bladder infection? And, if you have a lawn, the yellow spots on your lawn seem bigger? These are real changes and observant owners often wonder why they occur, but we can explain them if we look at what infections do.

Dogs with urinary tract infections have bacteria in their urine. And, many bacteria manufacture an enzyme (urease) that breaks down urea (a waste nitrogen product in the urine) to ammonia. Ammonia evaporates as a gas and is responsible for the unique (noxious) odor of “infected” urine.

Ammonia has another effect – it is toxic to grass. It kills lawn more aggressively than the urea in normal urine. If you suddenly see more dead, yellow spots on your lawn, your dog may be suffering from a urinary tract infection.

The conversion of urea to ammonia also makes urine more alkaline (has a higher pH). Veterinarians measure this on a urine test and use it for screening for infections.

Urine pH, in turn, influences what happens to minerals in the urine. Minerals that stay dissolved in normal urine (which is slightly acidic) can precipitate and form crystals (called struvite) in urine with a higher pH. In some dogs, these crystals readily coalesce into bladder stones. Thus, dogs with chronic bladder infections can develop stones.

The over-riding factor in treating and preventing stones is to keep infections under control but also maintain a dilute urine. Think of it this way – if you don’t drink enough, your urine becomes dark yellow. This concentrated urine contains lots of mineral. Obviously, this contributes to crystal, and possibly stone, formation.

If you drink a lot of fluid, your urine resembles water and contains very little dissolved minerals. Under these circumstances, crystals are less likely to form. Stones that are already present may even dissolve.

Urine concentration has a tremendous bearing on the occurrence of a second type of bladder stone – the oxalate stone. At one time, it was believed that acidic urine caused these stones to form, but we now know that oxalate stones can form in any pH. Also, cutting minerals in the diet has little effect. The best way to prevent oxalate stones is to stop the crystallization of minerals by ensuring the patient’s urine stays dilute.

To make your dog’s urine more dilute, her water intake must be increased. One way to do this is to feed canned food rather than dry food. Canned food is 75 percent water, so your dog takes in a lot more fluid while eating canned food compared to dry kibble.

Another way to promote water intake is to soak her dry food in water before feeding. If this is not enough (your veterinarian can do a simple urine test to see if the urine is sufficiently dilute), then dropping the dry food in the water bowl can help. She will lap water as she retrieves her food pieces.

Most bladder stones can be prevented by making your dog’s urine both colorless and odorless. The side benefit is that your dog will also be at a lower risk for urinary tract infections. She’ll produce a large volume of dilute urine that effectively flushes out the bladder regularly.

For more information contact Dr. Jeff Grognet or Dr. Louise Janes at

Mid-Isle Veterinary Hospital
5-161 Fern Road West
Qualicum Beach, BC
Tel (250) 752-8969

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