Meet Kona, Alo’paw’s Inspiration
It all started with my little gal Kona, which means lady in Hawaiian, and also the place where my favorite coffee comes from. My brother and I adopted her the day after Thanksgiving 2009. She small black Labrador who’s previous owner could no longer care for her. The minute she came into our home we were in love. Quiet, sweet, gentle and beautiful. She was under weight with her little hips and ribs clearly visible, but our family is great at fattening anything up. As days went by she seemed unlike any other puppy. She didn't chew on anything, she didn't make a sound and soon she started not having any energy at all. She wandered around the house rubbing her body along the wall as she went. There was no life in her eyes, she wouldn't eat, she wasn't interested in fetching anymore and her mouth hung open. After one extremely bad night spent in the emergency vet and several more trips to her regular veterinarian it was determined that Kona had been born with a congenital condition called a liver shunt.
What in the world is a liver shunt?
When a puppy is in the womb, the mother filters everything they receive so their livers are non-operational. Shortly after birth, the shunt, or tube through which the nutrients and blood pass, should close on it’s own. However in some breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers, Irish Wolfhounds and Labrador Retrievers, a congenital defect could exist that prohibits this closure from taking place in some puppies. If you are ever in the market to purchase or adopt a puppy of one of these breeds, there is a simple test called a bile acid test that your veterinarian can conduct to make sure that they are free and clear of a liver shunt. Food that is ingested by a puppy with a liver shunt goes from the stomach straight into the blood stream without having the toxins filtered out by the liver. The kidneys are also bombarded and because of this become enlarged. Smaller dogs generally have an external shunt, which can be viewed easily and clamped off. Larger dogs, like Kona, have a shunt, or multiple shunts, hidden within the liver. The procedure to correct these involves working with a CAT scan and inserting a coil through the jugular vein. The surgeon then works the coil down through the stomach and into the liver. This new method
is far less traumatic to the dog’s system yet still comes with great risk. A second operation is sometimes needed to adjust the coil or insert a smaller one to block off the flow. The procedure must be done within the first year of life. Any longer than that and the medical interventions begin to fail and the liver deteriorates.
What does this have to do with dog treats?
For now Kona is on a pretty strict low protein diet, which includes prescription food five times a day. Kona also requires antibiotics and a laxative three times a day to help keep the toxins from creating neurological problems. She goes to UC Davis once a month for a check up and tests, including ultrasounds, to check on her growth and the condition of her liver and kidneys. Because of the shunt, her liver is smaller than it should be while her kidneys are enlarged. This also means that a low phosphate level is needed to keep her kidneys from having to work anymore than they already have to. On top of the emotional and financial questions an illness like this brings up, what the heck am I supposed to feed a dog that can’t eat meat?! In the bacon and sausage brigade that is your local pet treat isle every part of every animal can be smooshed into a pet palatable shape. Sure dogs love bacon and peanut butter, even I do, but there has got to
be a better way to go about it.
Vegan?! But I’ve got a red blooded all American macho man dog!
Yeah dude, so do I. She can jump over a couch from a sitting position, rip a sprinkler system out of your backyard in a single afternoon, or run down and take out a 6 foot tall man, she’s not even fully grown yet. Remember Popeye and his spinach?
Dogs are omnivores, but like their owners can also be vegetarian and vegans, some by choice and others by necessity. The best thing about vegan treats is that everyone can enjoy them, no matter what their dietary need or philosophy requires. Alo’paw treats are cruelty free. Come on, that’s gotta make your heart a little warmer.
No Wheat, No Corn, No Gluten, No Meat, No Dairy, Low Fat, Low Protein, Low Phosphorus, is there anything in these treats?
Tons of my favorite things including juicy tropical fruits and farm fresh vegetables, potatoes, all natural creamy peanut butter. This is stuff your mom would be proud of you for eating, stuff that’s good for your little fur babies.
Twenty percent of itchy and scratchy dogs have food allergies. The top culprits are beef, dairy products, chicken, lamb, fish, chicken eggs, corn, wheat, and soy. Guess what’s not in Alopaw? Besides gluten not being a natural part of a dog’s diet and something that may cause allergic reactions, may people suffer from celiac disease and cannot come in contact with products that contain it either. Alopaw treats are not only gluten and meat free for the animal’s benefit but for the benefit of their owners as well. Owners should be comfortable serving their pet’s something that they would be comfortable eating themselves. Kona and I personally taste test each batch of our products. Don’t get creeped out. They’re good! Plus they are made from high quality human grade ingredients. Take a little nibble. I wont tell anyone.
