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HOW WE CARE FOR OUR CHIN
Adults In our experience, we have found that our chin do best with a combination of traditional and holistic health care.
Below are the general routines that we use here at Chiyoko to keep our chin healthy. We hope that it may be helpful for you and your chin. If you would like to discuss any of our care tips, please do not hesitate to contact us. |
PLEASE NOTE We share how we care for our chin for information only. We are not veterinarians and recognize that each chin is an individual, what works for one may not work for all. If your chin is ill - take them to a veterinarian for care! |
DIET & NUTRITION
We feed BACK 2 RAW Complete Chicken Combo with Healthy Life Blend, it is a complete feed which is nutritionally balanced (we prefer this as it takes away the guess work of nutritionally balancing their meal). Our adults range from 4 to 10 pounds so our chin eat between 60 to 120 grams a day. We split this into 2 meals a day, generally at 6am and 6pm. Our puppies eat the same raw chicken blend however have their daily portion adjusted as they grow and split into 3 to 4 meals a day. We always add a little water to the meal simply because a little extra hydration never hurts.
We feed BACK 2 RAW Complete Chicken Combo with Healthy Life Blend, it is a complete feed which is nutritionally balanced (we prefer this as it takes away the guess work of nutritionally balancing their meal). Our adults range from 4 to 10 pounds so our chin eat between 60 to 120 grams a day. We split this into 2 meals a day, generally at 6am and 6pm. Our puppies eat the same raw chicken blend however have their daily portion adjusted as they grow and split into 3 to 4 meals a day. We always add a little water to the meal simply because a little extra hydration never hurts.
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The combo pack includes a Chicken Recipe and a Chicken Blend with Tripe, both have the Healthy Life Blend added. The ingredients are as follows: Chicken Recipe - whole chicken, giblets, hearts, liver, eggs with shell. Chicken Blend with Tripe - whole chicken, green beef tripe, beef lung, beef heart, beef spleen, beef kidney, beef liver, eggs with shell. Healthy Life Blend - organic kale, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic blueberries, organic cranberries, organic Atlantic kelp. The food contains no antibiotics, is hormone and grain free and does not have additives, preservatives or fillers. It is made right here in Ontario. We do not feed chicken necks, legs, etc. We tried it... It's gross, made a mess of our dogs coats and they didn't take to them.
We only use steel bowls for both food and water as they are easy to clean. When using a lixit water bottle we only use glass. |
BACK 2 RAW Complete Chicken Combo with Healthy Life Blend, plus a little water
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DIGESTIVE SUPPORT
We use the following holistic products to support digestive health as needed, generally when we have a new rescue come in:
Your Go 2 by Adored Beast - a first response homeopathic combination to address pain, shock, trauma, fever, disease, inflammation, and more at the initial onset (this product also works well for anxiety)
Fido's Flora by Adored Beast - a biologically species-specific probiotic
Gut Soothe by Adored Beast - a proprietary blend of anti-inflammatory herbs, nutraceuticals, and pre and probiotics that soothe and replenish the lining of the bowel, fight yeast, and combat unhealthy bacteria
TREATS
We limit our treats to those with known ingredients only and dried treats such as dried chicken, liver bites and beef chews. If we don't understand all of the ingredients listed, we don't feed it.
We use the following holistic products to support digestive health as needed, generally when we have a new rescue come in:
Your Go 2 by Adored Beast - a first response homeopathic combination to address pain, shock, trauma, fever, disease, inflammation, and more at the initial onset (this product also works well for anxiety)
Fido's Flora by Adored Beast - a biologically species-specific probiotic
Gut Soothe by Adored Beast - a proprietary blend of anti-inflammatory herbs, nutraceuticals, and pre and probiotics that soothe and replenish the lining of the bowel, fight yeast, and combat unhealthy bacteria
TREATS
We limit our treats to those with known ingredients only and dried treats such as dried chicken, liver bites and beef chews. If we don't understand all of the ingredients listed, we don't feed it.
ORAL HEALTH
Chin are notorious for having crooked, or jammed together teeth which increases the likelihood of them requiring dental surgery. We find that feeding raw and healthy treats, using an oral health additive in their water (we like Vetradent or Love Bugs by Adored Beast), brushing with an enzymatic toothpaste or rubbing teeth with a Love Bugs mixed with coconut oil paste, and having their teeth hand scaled are all measures that help to dramatically reduce the need for dental cleaning and extraction surgery. We try to avoid surgery as much as we possibly can due to the harmful side effects.
Chin are notorious for having crooked, or jammed together teeth which increases the likelihood of them requiring dental surgery. We find that feeding raw and healthy treats, using an oral health additive in their water (we like Vetradent or Love Bugs by Adored Beast), brushing with an enzymatic toothpaste or rubbing teeth with a Love Bugs mixed with coconut oil paste, and having their teeth hand scaled are all measures that help to dramatically reduce the need for dental cleaning and extraction surgery. We try to avoid surgery as much as we possibly can due to the harmful side effects.
GROOMING
We brush out our chin at least once a week, sometimes twice, to ensure they remain mat free and remove loose hair. Chin shed a little year round and a lot in spring and fall, regular grooming is absolutely necessary to maintain their gorgeous coats. There are a lot of grooming products on the market, we basically use a comb, pin brush, slicker brush (for those really thick coats), detangling spray/powder, scissors/clippers (very sparingly for hygiene), nail clippers and nose balm. For general maintenance, any good dog shampoo and conditioner that has a detangler and deep conditioning will work. The most important things to remember are: brush to the skin to remove all the loose coat, rinse shampoo and conditioner well and trim nails, including dew claws, regularly.
We brush out our chin at least once a week, sometimes twice, to ensure they remain mat free and remove loose hair. Chin shed a little year round and a lot in spring and fall, regular grooming is absolutely necessary to maintain their gorgeous coats. There are a lot of grooming products on the market, we basically use a comb, pin brush, slicker brush (for those really thick coats), detangling spray/powder, scissors/clippers (very sparingly for hygiene), nail clippers and nose balm. For general maintenance, any good dog shampoo and conditioner that has a detangler and deep conditioning will work. The most important things to remember are: brush to the skin to remove all the loose coat, rinse shampoo and conditioner well and trim nails, including dew claws, regularly.
Our grooming kit at the moment.
TRADITIONAL VETERINARY CARE
ANNUAL EXAMINATION
Our chin see our veterinarian for an annual physical, even when they do not require vaccines. The physical examination evaluates overall health including body condition, skin and coat, oral/dental, eyes/ears, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, urinary system, gastro-intestinal tract, musculoskeletal, neurological and genitalia, all of which is recorded on a detailed form for us. We will also run early detection blood screening on our seniors and do x-rays and/or ultrasounds if our veterinarian feels something is not quite right.
VACCINES
Vaccination is always a worry, for ourselves as well as for our canine family members. We always try to find that delicate balance to keep them safe. The vaccination schedule that has worked for our chin is as follows:
DAPP vaccination - this vaccine protects against Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus. Puppies have their first DAPP vaccine at 8 weeks, second at 12 weeks, third at 16 weeks and then an annual booster at 1 year and 4 months of age. We do not give annual vaccinations thereafter, every three years is sufficient.
Rabies - if required in your area - should not be given before 6 months of age, and not within 6 weeks of any other vaccines. Like the DAPP vaccine, we only give rabies every three years, not annually.
Rebalancer - Following the receipt of a vaccine, we give our chin a rebalancer to help with the removal of associated vaccine side effects without removing any vaccine benefits. We use a product called Anti-Vaccinosis by Adored Beast.
DEWORMING
We deworm our puppies at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age with a small dose of Strongid, it is a gentle dewormer for mom and puppies. Puppies are dewormed with Interceptor at 12 weeks of age to treat for additional types of parasites. Our adults are dewormed on an as needed basis, identified by annual fecal tests.
FLEAS & TICKS
If we see a flea or tick we will treat all of the chin with K9 Advantix II immediately and once again in a months time. If in our weekly grooming we do not see fleas or ticks, we do not routinely treat. We have been very lucky and have not had any infestations, likely because all of the beds, blankets, furniture covers and our personal bedding (as they sleep with us) are washed weekly with bleach, hot water and dried in the dryer. Also, our chin are primarily in our house or backyard. Our backyard faces south, it's hot in the summer, the heat combined with maintaining the grass short does not create an environment for fleas and tick to thrive. Also, our chin do not have an active outdoor lifestyle, nor visit dog parks, boarding facilities nor groomers as other dogs may, this also helps us limit flea and tick exposure.
HEARTWORM
When we first got into chin, we gave Bravecto as recommended by our veterinarian. Unfortunately we had a couple of chin react so now we test annually instead of automatically giving heartworm medication. So far the chin have been negative. We do not give our chin oral medication for heartworm on a regular basis and caution others to only give oral medications if it is absolutely necessary.
ANNUAL EXAMINATION
Our chin see our veterinarian for an annual physical, even when they do not require vaccines. The physical examination evaluates overall health including body condition, skin and coat, oral/dental, eyes/ears, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, urinary system, gastro-intestinal tract, musculoskeletal, neurological and genitalia, all of which is recorded on a detailed form for us. We will also run early detection blood screening on our seniors and do x-rays and/or ultrasounds if our veterinarian feels something is not quite right.
VACCINES
Vaccination is always a worry, for ourselves as well as for our canine family members. We always try to find that delicate balance to keep them safe. The vaccination schedule that has worked for our chin is as follows:
DAPP vaccination - this vaccine protects against Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus. Puppies have their first DAPP vaccine at 8 weeks, second at 12 weeks, third at 16 weeks and then an annual booster at 1 year and 4 months of age. We do not give annual vaccinations thereafter, every three years is sufficient.
Rabies - if required in your area - should not be given before 6 months of age, and not within 6 weeks of any other vaccines. Like the DAPP vaccine, we only give rabies every three years, not annually.
Rebalancer - Following the receipt of a vaccine, we give our chin a rebalancer to help with the removal of associated vaccine side effects without removing any vaccine benefits. We use a product called Anti-Vaccinosis by Adored Beast.
DEWORMING
We deworm our puppies at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age with a small dose of Strongid, it is a gentle dewormer for mom and puppies. Puppies are dewormed with Interceptor at 12 weeks of age to treat for additional types of parasites. Our adults are dewormed on an as needed basis, identified by annual fecal tests.
FLEAS & TICKS
If we see a flea or tick we will treat all of the chin with K9 Advantix II immediately and once again in a months time. If in our weekly grooming we do not see fleas or ticks, we do not routinely treat. We have been very lucky and have not had any infestations, likely because all of the beds, blankets, furniture covers and our personal bedding (as they sleep with us) are washed weekly with bleach, hot water and dried in the dryer. Also, our chin are primarily in our house or backyard. Our backyard faces south, it's hot in the summer, the heat combined with maintaining the grass short does not create an environment for fleas and tick to thrive. Also, our chin do not have an active outdoor lifestyle, nor visit dog parks, boarding facilities nor groomers as other dogs may, this also helps us limit flea and tick exposure.
HEARTWORM
When we first got into chin, we gave Bravecto as recommended by our veterinarian. Unfortunately we had a couple of chin react so now we test annually instead of automatically giving heartworm medication. So far the chin have been negative. We do not give our chin oral medication for heartworm on a regular basis and caution others to only give oral medications if it is absolutely necessary.
