Monday, August 28, 2017

Canine Nutrigenomics by W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Genre: Nonfiction Dog Health
326 p.
Publisher: Dogwise Publishing
Published: 1/13/15
Source: Library

Vibrant health begins in the cells. Learn how to transform your dog's cellular health with the power of nutrigenomics in this ground-breaking new book. Nutrigenomics (a combination of the words nutrition and genome) is the study of how the foods we and our pets eat "speak" to our cells to regulate gene expression, which in turn plays a huge role in determining whether a person or animal will live a life of vibrant health, or one plagued by illness. 
Scientists now know that while we can't change the genes we are born with, we can change how those genes behave, which is exactly what authors W. Jean Dodds, DVM and Diana Laverdure-Dunetz, MS show us how to do in, Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health from Dogwise Publishing.
 My thoughts:

I have been interested in dog health and especially dog nutrition for a long time now. I have had several dogs throughout the years with special needs and so I was forced into reading on nutrition. If you have had to forage into this area you know it can get confusing fast. Very fast. It is worse than human nutrition. What is bad in one book and should be avoided at all costs is celebrated in another. My biggest suggestion for those looking to improve health is to carefully read about the person giving the information and also research their background.

I've been following this vet for a while now and I have read many of her articles but none of her books. This was the first one I have read by her and I was not disappointed. In earlier articles by her I read a bit of her information on thyroid problems in dogs. I've had two dogs with that problem and one of them is my large doberman. Though her articles I have adjusted when I give the medicine to him and what foods to avoid. It seems very consistent with other nutritional veterinarians.

This book focuses on Nutrigenomics. It is has gained more popularity and was once considered pseudoscience. Not all agree that there is enough evidence to suggest that nutrition can influence how genes react which is the basis of nutrigenomics. It is in a sense using food as medicine. It has been gaining popularity and more papers and studies have been done. It is an interesting idea in both humans and animals. Plus, in my own experience I have physically seen how nutrition has changed my animals health throughout the years.

Dr. Dodds also runs a canine blood bank and has a test for food sensitivities which she promotes in the book. I would love to do it for my pups but it is very expensive (but some insurances do cover it but a veterinarian has to order it). It could end up being a money saver, however, if you have not gotten to the bottom of certain gastrointestinal disorders or even coat problems (like hot spots and excessive itching). It is at least worth a look if you have a pet that has issues that have not been helped conventionally. There is information on her site about this test and the book really tells you how the information you gain from this test applies. If you don't do the testing you can still gain some insight and knowledge on what to feed your dog.

I give this book 4 stars with my long winded review. The book can seem quite technical to some so I would try her articles first to see if it is someone that makes sense to you. I also suggest to library book this one (where I got my ebook copy) to see if it is something you want to keep or just something to get a few tidbits from to enhance your dog's food. Dr Dodds is at lest worth a look when you are trying to help your pet's health through nutrition.

Dr. Dodds Blog (you can also access their other services and information through the link as well).

🐕

43 comments:

  1. A good book for a doglover then :)

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    1. She also deals with cats (some of the tests are specifically formulated for cats) and also horses, but her main focus is dogs.

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  2. I never tried a book like that but it's an interesting topic that's for sure

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  3. oh my god, you just scared me into not having pets for a while T_T

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    1. Don't be scared. This is a specific type of book and may not be needed for the average dog owner.

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  4. Oh interesting! I didn't know they had books like this one. Glad you got something out of it!

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    1. There are a lot out there. Some good some really bad. :P

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  5. I haven't had a dog for years but good to know this kind of thing is out there if needed xxx

    Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

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  6. I will have to let my mom know about this one. She works with her dogs over the years and their health through their diet and has seen good results, too.

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  7. Interesting. I was not aware that books like these were available. This is a must for dog lovers/owners.

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    1. It may not be a must but it is good to know they are out there. :)

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  8. Perfect for dog lovers and owners. I need to get one!

    Vanessa
    Blushing Geek

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  9. Looks interesting. Very good advice about researching the person giving the information. That goes for everything.

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  10. This is quite interesting. I have a dog now and like to read new and interesting ideas.

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    1. Congraties on your pup! This one is an interesting idea. :)

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  11. I remember when I first started looking into nutrition for my first sheltie who had horrible behavior and skin issues.

    There was very little information out there but when it rolled around to my current dogs I was able to get so much help.

    So much can be resolved just from a good diet. Or it's a least a great starting point.

    For What It's Worth

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    1. I think my first foray into nutrition was a pittie who had hotspots. I also had shelties on diet specific food but I was lucky and had a friend who knew a nutritional vet at the time. You are right, so much more help is available now! Thanks goodness.

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  12. you mentioned hot spots and it immediately got my attention. Our mastiff has hot spot problems so now I am curious what the book says about it

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    1. My pittie when I was a kid had them and he was either allergic or sensitive to wheat (lucky find). The test she has identifies these problems so you can eliminate them from your pups diet. She states that it is so much more accurate than an elimination diet. If you have insurance, check with them and your vet about the tests and hopefully it will be covered.

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  13. We're hoping to get a dog in a few years, so I'll have to remember this one :)

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    1. Oh nice and future congrats! I would suggest training books first and just check out https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ if you are going to feed commercially.

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  14. What a delightful read and a great review. Nice of you to share.

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  15. This sounds like a very informative book. I've tried looking up "best of" when it comes to my pets and like you said, every site says something different.

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    1. Oh man... nutrition for pets is crazy! I've come to my own conclusions and I know others would disagree and agree! LOL

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  16. Oh I hope you find it applicable. She does give good ideas to include in the feed. :) You can also check out her blog!

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  17. Oh we are going through the food trials right now for allergies. Ugh. It's hard! lol. This sounds like an interesting read. :)

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    1. If you can get the test (through pet insurance preferably if you have it) then it is better than an elimination diet for those hard cases. ((HUGS)) Hope your girl gets better!

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  18. When i think how far things have come since we had our fur babies (both feline and canine). Not that we fed them any old thing but we certainly didn't have this kind of knowledge.

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  19. There is so much information out there and if you find a trusted source, it can make such an impact. And like Tracy said, when I was younger peopl just fed them and didn't think about stuff like this. Knowledge is good.

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  20. I'll definitely pass this info on to all my dog lover friends. I know some of them are dealing with health issues and this resource might help.

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    1. They also might glean something from her blog too. It sometimes comes across as less technical.

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  21. I've not had to do too much with the dogs over the years but the cats are similar. Everyone has an opinion and whew it can get complicated! Glad to see you enjoyed it!

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  22. She does do cats with testing as well. So there might be some good articles that may interest you. :)

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