I should explain these pictures. Three dogs are pictured here.

Hot Spots

• One is of a schnauzer, two or three years old, "Cloe" with corn related hot-spots on her rear and lower part of the back. She is currently on steroids and has been for some time due to allergies. This is a very common reaction to corn. I have shaved her body to where the hair on her back is about the length of a 5 O'Clock shadow or a two day beard. You can see the sore skin and bare spots full of fever. She can't reach these areas herself to scratch but she can chew on these sites. I see this every day. Cloe's mom reports she eats Pro-Pac. This is my review for Pro Pac made by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc.

9634 Hedden Road

Evansville, IN 47725

Head Shaking and Sore Ears

• The second set of pictures, is of a Shih Tzu Mix, four years old, "Smokey". He has corn related fever in his ears. You can tell the ear leather is two to three times the thickness of a normal, healthy ear. No hair has been removed from the underside of the ear leather. The loss of hair is a result of the "hot spot" produced by consuming corn. Looking inside the ear you can tell, what hair is actually there, is sticky and wet due to the endless drainage from the ears. One of the pictures shows this drainage well. Smokey's ears were cleaned not 30 minutes before I took this picture. Smokey always shakes his head due to the pain. His mother treats him daily with ear drops and Benedryl. Smokey eats Purina Dog Chow Healthy Morsels. My review

Tumors, Blindness, and Deafness

• The third dog is of a female Schnauzer about 12 years old. She has been coming to me for five years. Her troubles began with failing eye sight and hearing. Now she has developed countless tumors across her body. There is no way to tell if this is actually pet food related but many say this could be a result of a poor diet. This dog's owner told me he has had her on nothing but Ol'Roy since he got her as a puppy. This dog has suffered no outside injuries but simply "developed" these problems as she aged. I don't really think you need to see the review for Ol'Roy. I'm pretty sure you know it is anything but good. I chose these pictures since I asked the owners what the dogs were eating.

There are a couple of interesting things about the Ol'Roy schnauzer...In the pictures where she is being groomed the effect of the hump is better viewed by looking in the mirror at the grooming station. My son, Luke, is the groomer. There is also a "guest appearance" from someone YOU know. I'm grooming the poodle in the background.

Ask Susan Peters

Ah, but you have to look in the mirror to see me! LOL

Enjoy,

Susan Peters