Dog Health Blog

Author: Patrick & Katie Moran

Human grade meat v. non-human grade meat

Pet grade meat is meat not fit for human consumption. Well what
does that mean? What is in there that might make me sick? I
don’t know, but I sure don’t want my girl eating it. It could
include the diseased-ridden (e.g. salmonella-infected) rejects
or the dreaded 4D animals (dead, dying, diseased, disabled).
They were only recently banned for human consumption and are
still legitimate ingredients for pet food. How scary is that?

Meat and meal vs. by-product and by-product meal

By-products are just that — the excess that is left when the
entire usable product is taken. They are ground, rendered parts
of the carcass of slaughtered animals, such as necks, beaks,
feet, udders, heads, hooves and intestines. Yes, that is all
technically protein, but very low quality and is all unfit for
human consumption.

Ethoxyquin, BHT, and BHA vs. natural tocopherols.

The USDA lists ethoxyquin as a pesticide. Need I say more? BHT
and BHA are carcinogenic. Need I say more? But I shall anyway!
These chemical products may also be associated with dry skin,
allergic reactions, dental disease, poor health and degenerative
organ dysfunction. What you do want is to see the food preserved
with natural tocopherols.

But it’s so much more expensive!

I use the analogy of a consuming a small power bar versus a
whole fast food meal. High quality pet foods are so densely
packed with good bioavailable nutrients that you feed your pet a
fraction of what it would eat of lesser quality food. And a
bonus to this to those who clean up after our babies. Less going
in means less coming out. Their little bodies just suck in all
the good stuff, that there is not much excess that is left over.
And it smells less too!

What about this Raw diet?

Honestly, I’ve never tried it nor do I know anyone personally
that has, but I must say the thought of feeding my girl any raw
meat makes me a little queasily nervous. Weren’t we always
taught that raw meat was a breeding ground for bad bacteria
(salmonella, e. coli, etc)? So it may be okay for others, but
not for me.

End of Part 2

About the author:
Patrick & Katie Moran
Pet Food & Supplements
www.monstergiftstore.com

Patrick and Katie have been around dogs
all their lives. Patrick is an ex-musher from Canada who has had
to turn dogs into four-legged athletes. Katie has always lived
surrounded by 4 or more

—————————————————————————–
Real Dogs Dont Eat Kibble! This Book Is About The Natural Raw Diet For Dogs And Why It Should Be Fed To Create Optimal Health For Your Dog. Good Book Due To Pet Food Recall!
Click Here!

—————————————————————————–
by Patrick & Katie Moran

Totally confused about what to feed your pets? Don’t know whom
to trust anymore? You want to give the best possible food, but
how do you know what is good for them? What are good
ingredients? What are bad ingredients? Is it all just chemical
gibberish on the back of the bag? You’re not alone. Here are few
helpful hints about what you want and don’t want to see listed
on that pet food bag. (Obviously at this point in time I would
suggest staying away from wheat gluten, rice protein, and corn
gluten.) They say, oh your dog can eat anything. It’s a dog
after all. Well, actually a dog’s intestinal tract is pretty
short, so it doesn’t have a great amount of time to absorb
nutrients. So we want to have food that is easily digestible
with nutrients that are highly bioavailable for our dogs.

Oven baked ingredients vs. extrusion

You want to look for food that is oven baked. Baking changes
the hard-to-digest molecules of “raw” starches into easy to
digest dextrines. This process acts as a “pre-digest” of the
kibble food, resulting in less strain on the dog’s digestive
system and produces a greater degree of food absorption. A dog’s
intestinal tract functions in the most efficient manner when the
food is concentrated and can be quickly digested. Lower quality
pet food uses a cooking process called extrusion. This process
involves rapidly steaming the food, then extruding it under
extreme pressure through a metal die. This process expands the
food with air (air?! yes, air) and does not produce the highly
digestible food that your dog’s system requires. This extruded
food, because it is cooked in a very short time is usually
almost “raw” and requires the addition of chemical preservatives
(ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT, see below) to maintain a reasonable
product shelf life. These altered proteins may contribute to
food intolerances, food allergies, and inflammatory bowel
disease.

First couple of ingredients on the list

You want some kind of meat whether it is chicken or lamb. You do
not want the first ingredient to be corn or some grain or a
by-product. (We all know what happens when we eat corn. It tends
to not be digested too well, because we end up seeing it again,
don’t we?)

End of Part 1

About the author:
Patrick & Katie Moran
Pet Food & Supplements
www.monstergiftstore.com

Patrick and Katie have been around dogs
all their lives. Patrick is an ex-musher from Canada who has had
to turn dogs into four-legged athletes. Katie has always lived
surrounded by 4 or more

Author: Gina Sarento

Our pets are amazing creatures. They offer us companionship,
comfort, and unconditional love when we need it most. That’s why
most of us will do almost anything to make sure they are
comfortable and healthy. We make sure they have all of the same
comforts we do: good food, excellent dental and physical care,
lots of fun toys, and a safe happy place to live. Still there is
more we can do for them. Have you ever considered stress
reduction for your pet? Remember back to the last thing you did
to ease your own stress… how relaxed and happy you were
afterwards. There is a tool out there called Quantum Biofeedback
that can be used as stress reduction for both you and your pet.
Quantum Biofeedback is a technologically advanced interface born
out of traditional biofeedback that can ease the stresses that
face almost all pets: environmental conditions, weather
exposure, food additives, emotional issues, and a great dislike
for any major change like travel or their owner being gone all
day at work.

Quantum Biofeedback uses a highly sophisticated device called
the SCIO/EPFX to read your pet’s physiological reaction to the
frequency of over 9000 different items. This safe, non-invasive
process takes place at your home while your pet goes about their
daily routine by way of a “virtual” session with a Certified
Biofeedback Specialist. The Specialist runs the program from
their office, calibrates to your pet and the session can last
anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. After the “testing” phase is over,
the SCIO/EPFX returns the findings to the Specialist who then
acts as an analyst and coach informing you about the stresses
your pet is undergoing and what you can do about them while also
delivery stress reduction therapy to your animal. You see,
everyday both you and your pet are exposed to stresses of many
kinds: emotional, spiritual, magnetic, electrical, and
nutritional just to name a few, but most of us live life unaware
of the strain these things put on our immune systems and the
natural functioning of our bodies and minds. With the SCIO/EPFX,
there is a way to administer amazing therapy that can bring the
body and mind of your beloved furry friend back to a healthy
balance.

Because our pets cannot verbally communicate with us how they
are feeling or if they are stressed out, the SCIO/EPFX is truly
a window into what is going on in their little world. Owners who
currently use Quantum Biofeedback to reduce the stress in their
pet’s lives find that the therapy is so beneficial to the
overall quality of life of their pets they often try a session
for themselves if they are not already clients. They report more
calm, less erratic behavior in their animals and are happy that
they are able to do one more good thing for their most loved
companions. If you’re ready to give it a try and treat your pet
to better health and less stress, contact a Certified
Biofeedback Specialist today for a Quantum Biofeedback session.

About the author:
Are you tired of pills and drugs? Why not try Alternative therapy
as a way to heal your body. By using Biofeedback
you can eliminate unhealthy aspects of your body.

Keeping Your Pet Safe In The Warm Weather Months
Copyright © Laurie Raphael
http://dogadditions.com

The hot summer months can pose a real threat to pets. Cats and dogs simply cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. As a responsible pet owner, you need to make sure that your pet is safe during these warm weather months. Here are some tips to help you and your pet.

Never leave an animal in a car: All pet owners should know the dangers of leaving any pet in a hot car, even if it is just for a few minutes. This especially applies to dog owners. Dogs love riding in the car and it is very tempting to let your dog ride to the grocery store with you. However, pet owners should never leave cats or dogs inside a car during hot weather. Even with the windows open, a car parked in the hot sun can reach sweltering temperatures. Pets left in hot cars can die within minutes or can suffer from severe dehydration. The best rule of thumb is the leave your pet at home in the cool air conditioner during the hot weather. You should also know that if you are a dog owner that allowing your dog a ride the bed of a truck could be very dangerous for a dog at any time of the year. One jolt can send your dog flying out of the bed of the truck, resulting in injury or worse. Even putting your dog unsupervised in the bed of a truck in a public place can be a recipe for disaster. Be extra careful with your pet during traveling. If you must travel with your dog or cat, secure your pet in the car and leave the air conditioning on at all times. Let your pets take frequent breaks on long trips and give them a chance to get a drink of water.

Be Careful Walking the Dog: There are many areas where the temperatures soar in the warm months. In places where the temperatures reach an all-time high, it is a good idea to walk your dog either in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are lower. During the summer, temperatures will be at the highest during midday. You should refrain from walking your dog during this time. Not only will you and your dog become hot and dehydrated, the hot concrete can burn your dog’s sensitive paws. When you do walk during hot weather, take along water for your dog and stop frequently to let your dog drink. Your dog will thank you for this.

Practice Proper Pet Grooming: It is always a good idea to keep your pet properly groomed, but it is especially important during the summer months. If your dog has very long fur, it is like wearing a fur coat in 95-degree weather. It is not comfortable to your pet. Also, keep an eye out for pets that have much of their fur trimmed off, such as poodles. Longhaired dogs can quickly overheat in the high temperatures. Poodles and other breeds with short cuts can get sunburned. Sunscreen does not protect dogs. With long haired dogs, regular brushing also helps remove the winter undercoat and can help your dog better regulate body temperatures during hot weather. Regular clipping of long hair can also help keep your dog cool. Even longhaired cats can benefit from a summer clipping. Longhaired cats are easily overheated, even if they do stay indoors.

Watch for Insects: Insects can be bothersome to your pet during the warm, summer months. Spring and summer are when fleas and ticks are the highest. Mosquitoes are also out during this time of year. It is always a good idea to make sure your dog and cat are getting their monthly flea and tick preventative. Your dog also needs to stay current on heartworm preventative, as mosquito bites can cause heartworms. Also, keep a first aid kit on hand for bee or wasp stings.

Outdoor safety: Summer is often when people spend a lot of times outdoors. Whether it is working in the yard, visiting the lake or swimming in the pool, you need to take extra caution when your pets are with you outside. If you mow your yard or put chemicals on the grass, be sure your pets are indoors and away from the dangers. Also, if your dog enjoys the water, keep a close eye on your pet. Most pets can swim instinctively, but it is always a good idea to watch. If you enjoy taking your dog out boating, you can buy life preserver vests for your dog to wear. You can never be too safe when it comes to your beloved furry friend.

About the Author:

For your dogs health:
http://DogAdditions.com
—————————————————

Author: David P Lee

As a dog owner, you want to be sure that you establish a healthy
and happy relationship with your new friend. Understanding how
to do that is the key to enjoying your pet. In this article, we
will discuss the five things that you as a dog owner should know.
After reading this article, you will have everything you need to
start creating the relationship you want with your dog.

First ‘need to know’ - Vet Visits

First of all, you are going to have to visit a veterinarian
sometimes. That is a given. Your new dog will need vaccinations,
checkups and he might get sick sometimes. Vets cost money and it
might be a good idea to check out pet insurance. The cost
depends on what procedures or treatment your dog needs. The main
thing is to realize that you will have to spend money on your
pet. So find out what you can expect to spend every six months
on vet bills, vaccinations, flea control products, etc and start
saving!

#2 Tip - Who’s The Top Dog?

Dogs do like to pretend to be in charge of everything but the
truth is that you are the boss so you have to set rules
consistently and enforce them. Dogs are intelligent creatures
and are able to follow rules. They are also able to casually
break them and pretend not to know better. If you are not strict
with them over some misbehavior, they will continue behaving in
that way. In some ways, you can treat a dog like a child. Be
patient but firm.

Third ‘need to know’ - Routine Is King

Dogs like routines. They like habits and they like things done a
certain way. They know what time they get fed, what they are
expected to do and when they can expect a walk. Meal times
should be consistent and the dog needs to sleep in the same
place every night. Even if you find routines dull, your dog
finds them comforting.

#4 Tip - Exercise and Food

We require food and exercise and so do our dogs. You should feed
your dog healthy food and not too many treats or table scraps.
Save those for a special occasion or to reward your dog for
something special. Your dog needs exercise to maintain a healthy
body and stay free from diseases.

#5 Tip - The Excited Puppy

Watch your puppy, if you have ever had a toddler, you will
notice the semblance. For puppies and dogs, everything they can
get their mouth on becomes a chew toy. Shoes, clothes,
television remotes, electrical cords, and anything that is
within their reach becomes a new chew toy. It is important to
keep these things out of their reach and teach them that their
actual chew toys are the only acceptable chew toys. Be sure that
you keep a healthy supply of chew toys available for your dog.

About the author:
David Lee is the owner & designer of several pet sites. Find
info on dog food recall, German Shepherd puppy or cat furniture.