As always, I’d love to hear from you on your most burning pet related questions, comments and whatever else is on your mind. You may end up in a future issue of Baggins’ Bites!

In this month’s issue:
I.Rosemary coat treatment
II. Cake recipe
III. Are we overvaccinating our pets? The great vaccine debate

I. Is your dog getting a good scrub for the spring? What to treat him/her to a natural at home conditioning recipe? Here’s a spring treatment that will have your dog smelling and feeling great!

Natural Herbal Conditioning Rinse for your Dog
1 Qt. water to boil remove from heat
Add 2 Tsp. dried rosemary and ½ lemon,
cover and steep 10-15 minutes

Let tea cool to room temp. strain Bathe your dog, then pour the tea over her and towel dry.

Rosemary promotes shiny coat
Lemon repels parasites (including fleas)

Recipe

II. Recipe
Spring Cake!
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 c. unsalted peanuts
¼ oil
1/3 honey
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. rice flour
1 egg
5 tsp vanilla
1 cup grated carrots

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine flours, baking soda and peanuts and mix in egg, oil, vanilla, honey and carrots until well mixed. Pour into a greased and floured cake pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Your dog will love this cake!

Invite some pup friends over on a Spring afternoon and remind yourself of the good things in life

III. Overvaccinating?

Many in the dog health community have been discussing the possibility that we’ve been over vaccinating our pets. That rather than yearly vaccines for lots of diseases, maybe some shots are necessary only early in your pet’s life to keep him happy and healthy with more frequent updates for rabies and bordetella.

Side effects of over vaccination could be serious, skin problems, allergy problems, even a depleted immune system.

So, the opinion of some professionals is that like humans who receive vaccines for things like measles and mumps as kids and are protected for life, our dogs may also be protected for life for certain diseases or at least for a longer duration than a year. Depending on risk factors, such as exposure to certain diseases, maybe a more individualized approach should be taken instead of a “one size fits all” mentality.

I’m at the beginning of researching the pros and cons but these findings do make me think I should rethink the annual vaccination.

American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has new guidelines for canine vaccinations are available online http://www.aahanet.org/About_aaha/About_Guidelines_Canine06.html

Here's a piece from a veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin. Apparently 27 veterinary schools have changed their recommendations. http://www.news.wisc.edu/8413.html

As with any research, recommendations will develop over time as more studies are done.