REVIEW: Honest Kitchen Sparkle, an herbal skin and coat supplement

Tags

allergies, burdock root, dandelion, dr. pitcairn, herbal remedies, herbs for pets, holistic veterinary care, honest kitchen, nettle, rose hips, skin care, sparkle, supplements, tilford & wulff, yeast

Product: Honest Kitchen Sparkle herbal supplement
Quantity: 3.4 oz
Price Paid: $11 [via the HK online store]
Ingredients: Dandelion leaf, rosehips, burdock root, nettle leaf, yeast flakes
Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude protein: min 18.00%
Crude fat: min 0.50%
Crude fiber: max 10.26%
Moisture: max 11.00%
Potassium: 2.24 ~ 2.49%
Magnesium: 0.29 ~ 0.34%
Iron: 140 ~ 170 mg/kg
Manganese: 59 ~ 74 mg/kg
Zinc: 46 ~ 54 mg/kg

Country of manufacture: Not clear, though the company claims that all of its ingredients are 100% human grade, a claim that has been cleared by the FDA
Company information: The Honest Kitchen; 145, 14th Street; San Diego, CA 92101; tel: 1-866-437-9729 / (619) 544-0018
Web presence: TheHonestKitchen.com, on Facebook, etc.

When Bowdu’s system was thrown out of whack owing to his hypothyroidism, one of the most obvious physical signs was his recurrent skin issues and out-of-control allergies. Last year’s summer of suffering has inspired me to explore alternative dermal health remedies, especially options geared towards long-term and holistic maintenance.

The Honest Kitchen was also founded on a philosophy of good health through optimum diet and natural care. For a number of reasons, including their high standards of quality, accountability, size of the company and apparent transparency, HK is probably one of my favorite pet-related companies out there. When I saw that they offer a skin supplement, Sparkle, I was happy to give it a go.

Here’s the product description from the website:

Proper pet nutrition is the first step to improving your dog or cat’s skin and coat health. For additional nutritive support, we offer Sparkle. After using this natural herbal supplement, all your friends will be in awe of your pet’s healthy, shiny coat!

Sparkle is an herbal nutritional supplement made with a selection of natural herbs, designed to support healthy skin and a shiny coat for both dogs and cats.

I was unable to find more specific information about the ingredients on the company site, so I consulted Gregory L. Tilford and Mary L. Wulff’s Herbs for Pets: the Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet’s Life (Second Edition, Irvine: Bowtie Press, 2009). I claim no expertise or special knowledge in herbal nutrition, and certainly not because I happen to have a couple relevant books in my personal library. This is just one ready reference that I like having on hand (though they could use an updated list of references, even if they are one of the pioneers in this subfield).

Anyway, here are some relevant passages from Tilford & Wulff related to the selection of herbs in this blend:

Dandelion leaf:

Dandelion is a “classic” and extremely common herbal remedy with a large range of benefits, including boosting the liver and optimizing waste elimination (aside from regularizing digestion, it can act as a diuretic). With long-term use, the whole plant is reputed to offer medicinal effects without taxing the body with harsh or excess chemicals and minerals. As far as its immediate benefits, I thought this was interesting:

In addition to providing your animal with many of the nutrients she needs, the leaves have what the herbalists call a bitter tonic effect: the body’s metabolism is ‘warmed up’ before the digestive system is forced to go to work. When a small amount of a bitter herb is taken into the mouth, the recipient immediately experiences a sudden increase in salivation. As the bitter herb reaches the stomach, bile and other digestive agents are then triggered into production. The result is more efficient digestion, reduced indigestion, better absorption of nutrients, and increased appetite.

Tilford and Wulff, pp. 95-6
In other words, dandelion leaf works primarily by maximizing the effects of an already-healthy meal; as with any dietary supplement, you have to start on a solid foundation. Dandelion is not an immediate choice for improving dermal health, but it would be a first resort if the aim, as described by the Honest Kitchen, is to detox and offer “nutritive support.”

Rose hips:

Rose hips, the heart of the bloom

This is another common herbal remedy known for being rich in Vitamin C and ascorbic acid (ibid., p. 172). All the better when it’s sourced from such a cute little fruit. This is hardly an obscure vitamin so I’ll trust that we all understand its many functions, and move on…

Burdock root:

Burdock root is a specific treatment for chronic acute psoriasis or eczema; it has a strong affinity toward the treatment of flaky, oily, or inflammatory skin disorders that can be traced back to liver deficiencies or a general overload of toxic substances in the body (usually the result of a poor diet). It is also useful in the holistic treatment of arthritis, rheumatoid disorders, inflammatory kidney and bladder diseases, and virtually any other type of metabolic disorder that may be the result of poor waste elimination. Adding to all of this is a diuretic action that helps in the elimination of waste materials from the body. In simple terms, burdock helps clean the body from the inside out.

ibid. p. 68
By this description, this herb is the most explicitly indicated for dermal care. Many of its functions overlap with that of dandelion, so again, it’s aiding in overall gastrointestinal health.

Nettle root:

Although the theories behind the medicinal actions of nettle are varried, we believe that part of the basis for nettle’s antiallergenic usefulness may lie in the plant’s histamine content, which may work in a like-versus-like manner similar to the concepts of homeopathy. What we mean is that by introducing a substance into the body that acts mildly as an allergenic antagonist, the body is triggered into protecting itself from what it believes to be an inevitable, all-out attack of allergens. In short, nettle may prompt the body into preparing itself. For animals with predictable seasonal occurrences of allergies, dietary supplementation with dried nettle leaf may help.

ibid., p. 154
This same principle applies to allergy shots and immunotherapy, but instead of injecting the body with a number of specific, targeted allergens, just nettle is used to increase the body’s tolerance to potential environmental irritants.

Nutritional yeast (yeast flakes):

Tilford and Wulff provide no information on this ingredient. However, nutritional yeast is the primary ingredient in Dr. Pitcairn’s “Healthy Powder” mix which is an essential component of the recipes in his book [cf. Richard & Susan Pitcairn, Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats (Emmaus, PA: Rodale Books, 2005) p. 53]. In this blend, I think these flakes add mere traces of additional vitamins and minerals.

1/2 tsp of Sparkle (that’s a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon, and 1/4 tsp pile below)

For 11 ~ 30 pound pets, the recommended daily dose is 1/2 a teaspoon twice daily (roughly consistent with recommended doses in Tilford & Wulff), mixed or sprinkled onto the food. That seemed like enough to significantly alter the taste of the food, which usually backfires when it comes to Bowpi. I ended up giving less than recommended — about three pinches per meal for Bowdu and two pinches for Bowpi, which amounted to about half of the suggested daily intake. It seemed reasonable to lean on the lower side of the spectrum, since too much of a couple of these herbs might trigger too much of a diuretic effect or overly loose stools, at worst. When the pups got raw meals, I would either sprinkle this into a side dish of pumpkin or mushed up sweet potato (preferred) or coat the meat as if preparing an herbal dry rub.

At this rate, the container lasted us about two months, a fair stretch of time.

What I like about Sparkle is that the ingredients give me a different set of dietary “tools” to work with by improving the skin in an indirect fashion. Sparkle works through the internal organs by improving modes of circulation (waste processing, nutrient delivery and absorption), instead of building the epidermal layer on a cellular level. Since we’re talking about a cumulative effect, I expected the results to be a little more subtle, prompting me to look a little harder.

Now the thing is both Bows already have fairly nice coats, so I can’t really proclaim any drastic changes. For Bowpi, who came to us with some dandruff and dry patches, improvements were especially dramatic when we started boosting her Essential Fatty Acid intake with fish oil (and Vitamin E) supplements at dinnertime and olive oil drizzles with breakfast. If you’re looking for a quick and observable improvement, load up those EFAs and you’ll definitely know there’s been a before and after.

4 October 2011

We crossed that threshold with Bowpi’s coat some time ago. Though she’s already pretty soft and glossy, I guess she does seem even plushier these days. Her skin is clean and supple. The rash that had broken out on her upper arms, already slowly on its way to improvement once we took her off the suspected culprit food, completely cleared up after we started using Sparkle. Most significantly, her injured eye has been less watery, an improvement I was not anticipating.

As all these observations have coincided with our continuous use of Sparkle, I will be generous in my assessment and say that it could be due to this supplement’s benefits — though it could also be due to other factors like seasonal and environmental changes.

With Bowdu, the only noticeable recent change has been in the scent of his skin and coat. He generally doesn’t have much of an odor anyway, but lately he’s been even more nuzzleable than ever.

Again, this could be due to seasonal changes, and my own desire to huff Shiba fur as the weather gets chillier.

Here at the House of Two Bows, where academic habits inevitably bleed into blogging, we typically stamp reviewed products with an A ~ F letter grade. Given all that I’ve written above though, it doesn’t seem fair to assign a letter grade. I know I’d like to give Sparkle an A grade based on how much I respect the company and how much I want to trust in the efficacy of a holistic approach. But honestly, I can’t say that even my own observations justify the high marks.

Would I purchase and use this supplement again? Sure! I think if we started the daily supplementation at least a month in advance of allergy season, that would be a more serious test.

Is Sparkle a required part of the daily diet for the Two Bows? Here, I’d have to say no. And since it’s not part of the core menu here, maybe it’s better to grade it on a pass/fail basis. Thumbs up or thumbs down.

To summarize —

PROS:

• high quality ingredients from a trustworthy company
• offers a natural, holistic alternative or complement to EFA supplementation
• attractive and handy packaging
• fair price for amount of product (especially if used conservatively)
• good for dogs AND cats!

CONS:

• results may not be immediate, demands consistency and patience over long-term use
• some animals may not enjoy the taste
• best when mixed into moist food, which not every dog gets all the time
• calling this a “skin and coat” supplement is somewhat misleading when the operating premise actually seems to be gastrointestinal management which ultimately results in healthier appearanaces

FINAL GRADE: PASS / SATISFACTORY

[Edit 9 April 2012: Related post, “Holistic treatments for pet allergies“

Fluffy and fit

Tags

allergies, hot spots, lick granulomas, pododermatitis, skin care, weight

I managed to get Bowdu onto a scale this week, and was shocked to find that he weighed in at…

28 August 2011

… 28.7 pounds. In other words, about 4 pounds less than his peak plumpness last year (33 pounds), and right at what I consider his ideal weight of 29 pounds, +/- 1 pound. I thought he’d been looking pretty good lately, but damn, I hadn’t realized just how fit he is. Fluffiness can be deceptive; I was still figuring his weight at over 30 pounds. In the above picture, I scrunched up a handful of fur on his hindquarters to indicate the thickness of his coat. You can also see his hotspot/lick granuloma on his front left leg, which is the worst it’s gotten all summer.

1 September 2011

12 September 2011. Flared up a little and got worse, but it’s going away again.

Compared to this time last year, the difference is pretty stark.

21 August 2010. His feet are oozy and bloody in a few places.

And again, another one from last year:

27 August 2010. His head is in a cone to keep him from mutilating himself.

It’s not just the effect of a better camera. It’s the result of better diet, better grooming, and more careful (and limited) medicine.

Allow me this moment to bask in feeling like a pretty good dog owner, as I haven’t always known what I’m doing in this regard. Right now, both Bows are in great shape, and I am flush with pride. And relief!

2 September 2011

Health update: allergies under control

Tags

allergies, canine atopic dermatitis, canine hypothyroidism, grooming, hot spots, skin care, supplements

This is a quick log of Bowdu’s dermal health, and to compare his summer allergies with almost the exact same time last year…

I’m happy to report that there’s not much to report.

24 July 2011

This year…

• Raw and home-cooked meals make up at least 50% of his diet.
• He’s on thyroid support (Soloxine).
• He gets more daily nutritional supplements (in addition to the ones we were already using last year) like yucca, grass/pollen combatants, Vitamin E, etc.
• He’s NOT on any prescription allergy drugs (though he’s been getting OTC antihistamines 1 – 2x a day).
• He’s NOT in a cone.
• He’s not licking his paw pads.
• He’s still licking the same spots on his front “wrists” and the top of his back toes, though the spots are a lot smaller.
• He still hates getting topical ointments rubbed on his parts, unless he’s in the car.
• His paws are wiped down after every walk through grass and dirt.
• He’s less smelly and his skin is less greasy.
• He’s gotten 3 or 4 baths since the beginning of summer, purpose not being to drench him but to wash away allergens and loosen some undercoat.
• He’s been brushed a lot less, though I will manually remove fur as I pet him, and I’m doing a lot more sweeping.

In summary, he’s doing really well, and is infinitely more manageable this year. The pictures show that he’s not in perfect condition, but again, compared to last year… wow.

However, August has typically been his worst month. He’s also due for another thyroid check, so I’m still holding my breath until we get through the dog days.

I’ll have another update on Bowpi’s skin breakout later. She does appear to be getting better, but progress on her has been a lot slower than anticipated.

A long day for a whole lotta nothin’

Tags

allergies, skin care

14 June 2011

Hot days impede productivity. Makes Bowdu sprawl out on the hardwood floors and do a whole lotta nothin’.

Of course, “hot” here is… oh… a high of 83 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hey, I’m not complaining, just takin’ it easy.

On this day, the first day of summer, I thought it’d be worthwhile to step back and assess Bowdu’s dermal health.

Last year:

29 May 2010

He had already been on Temaril-P for a couple months when these pictures were taken.

And this year:

1 June 2011

eyes seem a little rimmed and crustier than last year, but they’re not too bad

While I don’t expect his skin to be perfect this summer, whatever we’re doing seems to be keeping last year’s skinrot at bay. If nothing else, we’re at least months ahead of where we were last year. I’ve been babywiping his feet after every romp through grassy spots since March. And he’s had NO need for prescription allergy drugs! I have, however, been dosing him with Benadryl (no more than once a day for the past couple weeks).

Surveillance

Tags

dermapaw, epsom salt, foot licking, foot soak, pennies in a can, skin care, sulfodene

Those tootsies don’t really look any better, do they? At least not from the underside.

For reference, this is what they looked like a week ago. Since then, I’ve been treating him with a new topical regimen.

After romps to the off-leash dog park (four or five times last week, I forgot), I apply Sulfodene in the car. He is perfectly compliant in the passenger seat and won’t so much as raise a lip, even when I’m massaging the funky smelling yellow liquid between his toes, whereas I can’t even get the cotton pad near him if we’re at home.

And then Epsom salt foot soaks EVERY NIGHT… well, at least four of the last seven nights. Honestly, sometimes I’m just too exhausted to climb in the tub with him, though he’s learned that this is a pretty good deal. Ooh, tub’s running. Now is the time that I stand in the funny-smelling water and they feed me fish snacks. Nom nom nom.

Target doesn’t stock Epsom salt — at least not around my parts! Walgreen’s has a lavender-scented variety — 3 pounds for $4.99. I grabbed one along with another 6 pound bag for $5.99, and mixed the two in the tub last night. Bowdu’s feet (and the whole bathroom) still smell heavenly, but I hope it’s not irritating him.

Finally, I resorted to a totally unknown, pig-in-a-poke purchase.

Image from DermaPaw website

I ordered a 2.5 oz jar of DermaPaw for $17.95, based on the abundance of information on their website and the strength of testimonials, including those on their Facebook page. No one has said flat out that it doesn’t work, but I also can’t tell how many online testimonials have been “planted” across the Internet.

Anyway, I’m holding my breath until we’ve had some more time with this product. We’ve only applied it after two baths so far. It complements the lavender smell nicely, and Bowdu does seem to appreciate its application, strangely enough. But as far as actually deterring his licking? Only pennies in a can seems to stop him for now (thanks Masako!), and that doesn’t work unless he’s under constant surveillance…

More thyroid numbers from Hemopet

Tags

canine hypothyroidism, hemopet, michigan state university, orijen, skin care, thyroids, vet

I didn’t mention that a couple weeks ago, we heard back from Hemopet, Dr. Jean Dodd’s veterinary institution and lab. I sent everything out on a Monday afternoon. We’re in the same state, so it didn’t take long for the sample to get there. I had results e-mailed to my inbox on Thursday.

Here are Bowdu’s numbers:

T4: 0.87 (reference range 0.80 ~ 3.80 μg/dL)
Free T4: 0.53 (reference range 0.55 ~ 2.32 ng/dL)
T3: < 10, verified by repeat analysis (reference range 30 ~ 70 ng/dL)
Free T3: 1.9 (reference range 1.6 ~ 3.5 pg/mL)
Thyroglobulin Antibodies: <1% (reference range: negative [?])

TGAA CONFIRMATORY TEST INTERPRETATION
less than 10% = NEGATIVE 10 ~ 25% EQUIVOCAL greater than 25% = POSITIVE

Elevated TGAA levels confirm autoimmune thyroiditis. False positive results can occur if the dog has been vaccinated for rabies within 30 to 40 days. Thyroid hormone supplementation can decrease TGAA levels. Performed using the Non-Specific Binding (NSB) Method. 8/26/10

Dear [name of my vet]: Thyroid levels are too low here, and support the clinical issues. The very low T3 reflects concurrent non-thyroidal issue(s). Jean

Adult optimal levels:
T4: 1.40 ~ 3.50 μg/dL
FT4: 0.85 ~ 2.30 ng/dL
T3: 35 ~ 70 ng/dL
FT3: 1.6 ~ 3.5 pg/mL

X Thyroid levels are below minimal expectations for a healthy performing adult

X Thyroid levels are too low. Recommended 6 ~ 8 weeks of Soloxine (R) or equivalent product at 0.1 mg per 12 – 15 lbs twice daily (e.g. 0.2 mg BID), followed by retesting thyroid profile 4 – 6 hours post-pill to monitor response levels. Dose at optimum weight.

X Optimal therapeutic response should be in the upper 1/3rd to 25% above the upper limits of the resting optimal ranges at 4-6 hours post-BID thyroid medication.

To ensure proper absorption, thyroxine is best given by mouth, at least 1 hour before or 3 hours after a meal.

So there we have it. Nothing here came as a real surprise, except for the last bit about timing the thyroid supplements. I had specifically asked the vet if timing around meals mattered for this medication, and they said it didn’t. As I soon learned, thyroxine binds to calcium and soy, so slipping the drug in with food or treats impairs its absorption. Apparently, this is something that human physicians tell their patients all the time, but veterinary clinicians are generally ignorant of this property. Dr. Dodds recommended administering the drug with a tiny marshmallow, smooth peanut butter, or other soy and calcium-free snacks, like some kinds of German sausage.

I was initially disappointed by the brevity of the analysis, as I thought I would get more breed-specific information about hypothyroidism. So I e-mailed back with specific questions late on a Saturday night. The prompt response satisfied me in the end. Dr. Dodds wrote back on a Sunday, which I was not expecting. Aside from informing me as to why thyroxine is not to be given with meals, she also let me know that Hemopet’s database currently only contains about 100 Shiba Inu, which frankly isn’t enough to give a statistically accurate portrait of the breed as a whole. By contrast, there were at least 300 Shiba Inu in Michigan State University‘s Canine Thyroid Registry through 2005 — but I imagine the motivations for going to either lab are very different. My wild guess is that MSU’s numbers are tipped in favor of healthy dogs who are being registered by conscientious breeders, particularly for a breed like Shiba Inu whom are not typically tested or registered for thyroid health. Hemopet, on the other hand, seems to be a lab where concerned pet owners actively request to have their samples sent, and so may be skewed towards dogs that are strongly suspected to have issues.

In our case, hypothyroidism was never even mentioned as a possibility by my vet. I had to push for the thyroid tests myself. When I first asked for the blood sample to be sent to an “outside” lab, my request was met with considerable resistance. In the end, I was able to have my vet pull an extra vial of blood for me to handle on my own. Given how reluctant they were to deal with Hemopet in the first place, it seems like I would’ve been asking too much to ask them to prepare it for proper shipping — which is what so concerned the FedEx employee whom I first approached about sending out the sample. In her mind, if the sample hadn’t been packaged by a “professional,” I was sending out some kind of rogue specimen that must contain all sorts of unspeakable ills. Oh heavens!

The USPS clerk, on the other hand, was much more lenient. He did ask if I had anything “fragile, liquid, perishable, or potentially hazardous.” I couldn’t flat-out lie, so I started to go into detail about how I wrapped the vial in swathes of absorbent paper towel and how that bundle was slipped into a plastic bag, which was then placed in a padded envelope, which was then boxed up. The clerk was overwhelmed by my details, and interrupted to confirm that the item was not hazardous before he slapped the postage on my priority mail box and sent it on its way. I’ve heard that other USPS clerks have refused to mail out bio-specimens, or at least gave others a hard time, so I guess it’s luck of the draw.

Front left paw (left) and right paw (right), pictured above, with notes

So here we are, weeks later, still nursing him along. As of Aug. 30th, we’ve switched Bowdu to Orijen Six Fish in the morning and Primal Raw in the evening, with various supplements in both meals. This is mainly for the sake of convenience now that school has resumed, but I don’t think food is really our focal problem anymore. If we can continue to give him a good diet to boost his skin barrier functions, all the better. Hence, lots of Omega-3s in the form of fishy fish (which is probably his favorite meat anyway) and Omega-6s as well. Unfortunately, I guess hypothyroid dogs experience a thinning of the epidermis (visible on a microscopic level) and slow healing of lesions. So even though he’s on thyroid supplements, those scabs on his paws persist.

REVIEW: GreenTree Septiderm-V Skin Care Bath & NaturVet Skin Care Lotion

Tags

grooming, lotions, septiderm-v, shampoo, skin care

PRODUCT: GreenTree Septiderm-V Skin Care Bath
Volume: 8 FL. OZ. (240 ml)
Price paid: $9.99 (avail. on Amazon for $6.99 ~ $17.48 for 16 oz. bottle)
Packaging description:

For Problem Skin, Relieves Itching & Deodorizes, Excellent Grooming Aid for Dogs & Cats

Helps relieve itching due to skin problems that may be caused by hot spots, flea bites, dermatitis, rashes, and skin allergies.

Septiderm-V Skin Care Bath is a shampoo for use on dogs, cats and horses.

Regular bathing, plus the use of Septiderm-V Skin Care Lotion on all areas where inflammation, hair loss, or sores are evident, will provide relief from the intense itching of bacterial skin infection.

In addition to relieving itching, it is a very effective deodorant shampoo and an excellent grooming aid.

Septiderm-V Skin Care bath provides thorough cleansing action and removes dirt without stripping natural oils. It rinses easily and helps to control static electricity on the coat.

Contains: n-Alkyl (50% C₁₅, 40% C₁₂, 10% C₁₆), Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride 1.0%, Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide 0.1875%, Ethanol 0.35% in a compatible surfactant base.

---

PRODUCT: NaturVet Septiderm-V Skin Care Lotion
Volume: 4 FL. OZ. (120 ml)
Price Paid: $5.99 (avail. for $2.67 ~ $8.99 on Amazon)
Packaging Description:

For Problem Skin — Paws — Skin Folds — Deodorizes — For Dogs & Cats

Septiderm-V Skin Care Lotion Spray [?] is a soothing, non-greasy lotion for use on dogs, cats, and horses over the age of six weeks.

It may be applied as often as necessary and is recommended to be used in conjunction with regular bathing with Septiderm-V Skin Care Bath. Excellent for all skin related problems and as a deodorant lotion.

Contains: n-Alkyl (50% C₁₄, 40% C₁₂, 10% C₁₆), Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride 0.106%, Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide 0.040%, Ethanol 0.040% in an emollient lotion base containing emulsifiers and essential oils.
Company information: NaturVet, manufactured by GARMON CORPORATION; 27461 Via Industria; Temecula, CA 92590; (888) 628-8783

---

Photo taken 7 August 2010

I sometimes wish hadn’t been a math and science center [almost] flunkout, especially when it comes to chemistry and understanding the ingredients that go into these supposedly “natural” pet products. My biggest complaint about these two items is that they don’t smell natural at all or appear to be made of ingredients that I ultimately feel comfortable using. As I was trying to figure out what the ingredients are, I kept coming up with links describing the compounds (such as Alkyl Dimethyl Benzyl Ammonium Chloride [ADBAC]) as anti-microbial household cleaning products, pesticides, and low-risk toxins… but toxins nonetheless.

We’ve bathed Bowdu in the shampoo/Skin Care Bath several times over the past year now, and I think that it is moderately effective in relieving some of his itchiness. It doesn’t really lather, making application difficult. I think the lack of lather is actually okay in dog shampoos, but for a double-coated shiba, you end up having to use a LOT of it at a time, ideally allowing some time for the chemicals to penetrate into the skin for maximum effect. So expect lots of lingering in the tub, huffing shampoo fumes together with your pet. It’s a kind of bonding experience, right?

The shampoo’s fragrance isn’t altogether unpleasant. But I find it only neutralizes superficial stinks (like dead carcass scent rolls or pungent, rainy day dog park mud). When bathing him the other day, I worked the shampoo into Bowdu’s skin and his undersides, but his musky smell came back within a day. Obviously it’s not effective if the problem is hormonal or subdermal. In fact, I would suspect that the suggested semi-weekly or weekly baths, or regular “monthly” bathing recommended by the manufacturers, would do more to exacerbate natural skin oil production in my shiba. Like most dog shampoos, I’d use it sparingly, and only to alleviate mild to moderate conditions.

The Skin Care Lotion, on the other hand, is pretty intolerable. It smells like something that belongs in a janitorial closet. I can’t get over the feeling that I’m wiping down my dog with something that might be better diluted into a spray bottle and spritzed onto a kitchen counter top. Maybe that’s why the packaging inaccurately describes the product as a spray, when it didn’t come with a pump for that mode of application. Or maybe it just indicates that they didn’t put that much care into their packaging.

One final note on information gleaned from the company homepage… The Garmon Corporation offers something called “Private Label Opportunities,” where anyone can start their own line of pet health supplements with the help of their manufacturing plants.

You are probably already aware that the fastest growing segment of the pet industry is natural pet supplements. Pet supplements offer more profit per linear foot of shelf space than any other products in a pet store. So why not get a piece of the action? Whether you are already selling supplements or looking to start, why not capitalize on this with maximum efficiency. If any of the above benefits sound good to you, then private labeling might be your answer to increased profits and customer loyalty. Let your name be the name customers remember and thank.

Now, I find the language of profiteers to be repulsive and crude. That is partly why I allowed myself to be a math and science center near-flunkout, and am now pursuing a far less lucrative degree in the humanities. While my capacity to decipher complex chemical formulas is limited, I am keenly attuned to information that’s caught between the lines, lurking in the background, or hidden in those corners where the average reader (in this case, consumer) just doesn’t go. So what I see here is a company that follows the logic of the dollar to the extent that anyone is invited to pay and play. Personally, that doesn’t inspire my confidence in their quality control or company ethics, no matter how many oversight agencies they claim to be chummy with — because, um, they helped found them in the first place. Some might define this as a conflict of interest. I certainly question the transparency of this oversight process if the industry standards are established by those who trumpet their interest in profit margins and industry efficiency, with nary a statement of commitment to animal health.

At any rate, the company’s website was a reminder of the reality of corporate structures that underlie the whole “natural” and “holistic” pet care industry. Certainly, a company that makes a good product deserves to make a profit. But my money’s on the smaller, more independent brands available to me. I would rather explore such options or try homemade remedies before purchasing another bottle of these products.

Final Grade:
Skin Care Bath: B
Skin Care Lotion: C+

Taking stock

Tags

allergies, foot licking, plaqueoff, skin care, supplements, yogurt

Photos taken 26 July 2010

Looking better every day, especially his front paws! Bowdu’s spending most of his time outside of the cone now, though he still can be a neurotic and obstinate little squirt about licking when there’s nothing better to do.

Bowpi seems unimpressed with all the attention he gets from the camera these days. Her coat, after all, is lustrous and soft. When she arrived, her coat wasn’t terrible, but it was a bit dull, and she had a crusty rim around her ears and quite a bit of dandruff, which is now completely gone. Maybe it was a seasonal thing. But overall, she has clearly benefited from an improved diet and the battery of supplements that we give to both dogs.

Left to right: plain yogurt, about 1.5-2 tablespoons in the morning on a separate dish; apple cider vinegar, up to 2 teaspoons mixed in with their kibble also in the morning; fish oil, one 1200 mg pill split between the two of them in the evening (sometimes more, but they both get fish in their current food); Plaque-Off, a seaweed extract that’s supposed to help with tartar buildup (just started using this about 2 weeks ago, mainly for Bowpi — nothing yet to report).

Not pictured: one raw egg every few days or so, beaten and mixed in with food; about 2-4 dried Japanese sardines given as daily treats, a trick I learned from this post which was an inspiration for starting this blog.