Health

Pet pills are big business, raking in an estimated $3 billion last year and growing by 20 percent each year. Pharmaceutical companies have found they can modify human drugs for pets without much additional research expense. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 15 new behavior-altering drugs for veterinary use in the last year and a half. The two new canine drugs receiving the biggest ad blitz and the most mainstream media coverage, Clomicalm and Anipryl, both were adapted from human drugs.

Previously in Whole Dog Journal, we discussed the dog's complex immune system. We described what body parts and functions actually comprise the dog's system of immunity" and explained how this system acts to protect the dog from foreign agents including viruses

Enzymes are protein-like compounds that, in small amounts, speed the rate of biological reactions. Unstable, fragile, and easily inactivated, enzymes are produced within living cells to perform specific biochemical reactions. Enzymes exist in plants as well as animals. Without them, life as we know it would not exist. Enzymes cause seeds to sprout, flowers to blossom, plants to grow, autumn leaves to change color, and fruits to ripen.

Diabetes is a common and serious problem in pets. Formally known as diabetes mellitus (the sweet sickness), it’s a disorder of the pancreas gland. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, whose purpose is to drive nutrients, specifically glucose, or blood sugar, into the cells. It’s the body’s most important fuel molecule. Good management is the key to longevity for diabetic dogs.

Juniper suffered a brush with bloat