Posts Tagged "pet health"

As home cooking for pets is increasing in popularity, we would like to share with you some basic information, tips, and a few recipes from our own pets’ diet.

Why Home Cooking

For many years pet owners have been advised that eating human food will upset a dog or cat’s stomach and that commercial foods are the surest way to a balanced diet. In recent years it has come to light through many books, publications, and epidemic poisoning cause by dog and cat food that commercial pets foods are actually terrible for the health of your pet. A few of the reasons are that these products are manufactured with ingredients that were deemed unfit for human consumption or cheap products such as cornmeal to which dogs and cats are actually allergic. Then the manufacturers add food coloring, salt, and unsafe chemicals to make the food look healthy and tasty. Dr. Martin Goldstein DVM even states in his book The Nature of Animal Healing that euthanized pets (collars, tags and all) and road-killed animals are sold to rendering plants as meat for pet foods.

Avoiding unnecessary ingestion of chemicals will reduce your pet’s risk of cancer, kidney disease and many other illnesses. When you say goodbye to commercial pet foods, you will at the same time say goodbye to doggy and kitty diarrhea. We also find that odor of dog poo is less offensive when our dogs eat fresh foods. [Read more →]

Tags: dog food, dogs, food, pet food, pet health

Here we offer a few tips and suggestions for your pet’s health and safety in relation to housekeeping practices.

• Baking soda
  Baking soda is useful for cleaning everything from teeth to ovens. Sprinkled in cat litter boxes and the corners of small animal cages, it can help reduce odor and bacteria. Use it to absorb wet messes such as urine and vomit, then sweep it into a dustpan. If you pet has kidney disease or conditions affected by sodium, avoid situations where he may ingest significant amounts (the fishy taste may attract him) or lick the baking soda from his paws.
• Choosing the location of your trash can
  If your pet scrounges or tips your kitchen trash, it is not only unpleasant for you but potentially dangerous for your pet. He can get sick from spoiled food, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, twist ties, and things you would never have thought of. Keep trash cans under the sink, in a small bucket on the counter, or hanging from the wall.
• Carpet Cleaners
  We have used Heavy Traffic Woolite carpet foam for years with great results. It is convenient for spot cleaning and can handle big dog diarrhea. Simply remove solid waste, spray a generous dose of Woolite on the area, work it in with a sponge mop, let dry, and vacuum. A few repetitions may be necessary in bad cases. A steam cleaner is also good for cleaning entire rooms. You can buy formulas especially for pet stains. Go over problem spots repeatedly from several directions. As with all chemicals, keep pets away from area until fully dry.
• Caution with bleach
  Bleach comes with a warning against mixing with products containing ammonia as the combination produces a toxic gas. Be aware that ammonia is also present in urine and cat urine is especially concentrated. If your pet has a good sized puddle accident, choose another cleaner or you may suffer stinging eyes, coughing, or worse.
• Keep dogs away from cat litter boxes
  Eating poo (coprophagia) is a natural behavior in dogs, but it is not sanitary if he licks your face and hands after servicing the litter box for you. He might even carry the contents onto your bed, rug, or sofa to savor slowly. This behavior increases the chance of parasites spreading amongst your pets. Place a dog barrier in the doorway or install a cat door to your kitty’s bathroom. There are also litter box concealers designed to keep dogs out.
• Preventive Grooming
  It is much easier to remove loose hair from a pet than to remove the same amount of hair from the entire house. Pet hair will stick to carpets, clog air conditioner filters, tangle in vacuum cleaners, and settle in your tea. Brushing your pet before baths will reduce the amount of hair clogging your drain. Your pet’s hair can be saved and sent to artists to be spun into yarn and woven or knitted into clothing and keepsakes for you.
• Your dog should wipe his feet
  Have a large doormat at your door. Whenever your dog comes from outside, command him to “Wipe your paws” and encourage him to tramp on the doormat—lead him in circles with your hand, leash, or a treat. Praise him when he has done it long enough. After your dog has grasped the command and performs it regularly, you might say it with a mildly scolding tone to communicate that he should be wiping his feet without being told. Many dogs however, will always need to be reminded, or else he may wipe his feet only when you are looking. You can also place a mat where your dog has his paper or pee pad and teach him not to track urine out of the bathroom.
• Wash your pet’s laundry twice
  When you launder your pet’s bedding or toys, run a second wash cycle without detergent to reduce the amount of chemicals your pet will ingest when he handles them with his mouth. Or at the least do an extra rinse cycle. For the same reason, do not use dryer sheets for your pet’s items.
• Common household poisons
  Many cleaning agents are actually dangerous poisons which are harmful to pets, children and even some adults. Whenever possible, choose natural alternatives such as vinegar or baking soda or use milder products such as dish detergent or hand soap. Bacause pets can learn to open doors and cabinets, keep really dangerous substances as drain openers in the garage (unless they are heat sensitive, explosive substances).
  • Discourage pets from eating treats on floors cleaned with disinfectants, polish, or carpet cleaners. Daily contact with small amounts of toxins may not be immediately fatal, but will cause long term damage to organs—lungs, kidney, liver, etc.
  • Try to use natural alternatives to clean floors and keep your pet from walking on floors before cleaning agents are fully removed or dried to prevent ingestion of chemicals while grooming themselves, which they will probably do immediately after walking on the stuff.
  • Devices that disperse perfume and scents in the air can harm your pets. Cats are especially vulnerable to poisoning by essential oils and airborne substances because they absorb these products through the skin. If you need to cover up pet and litter box odor, purchase similar products from a pet supply catalog.

  [Read more →]

Tags: dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety

Water is vital to good health. One can survive without food for days to weeks at a time, but not so with water as a body simply cannot function without sufficient hydration.

Make sure your pet has access to fresh water at all times.
Give your pet filtered or purified water whenever possible to reduce the amount of chemicals and contaminants ingested. The less your pet’s system needs to work to process and eliminate toxins, the longer it will last.
Wash water bowls using an antibacterial detergent at least once a day and rinse with hot water.
During cold weather warm up the water a little if your pet is not drinking much because he is cold.
If your pet does not drink enough, add a little bit of meat broth to water to give it a little flavor and make it more appealing. (Use broth from cooking meat and not from a can as those often contain preservatives, onion powder and other additives.) Dispose of or refridgerate broth and water mixture if not drunk promptly.
If your elderly pet has a hard time moving around, place several bowls of water in easily and conveniently accessible locations throughout the house.

Tags: Pet Care Articles, pet health

Give yourself some peace of mind now and during possible emergencies by having everything you or someone else will need to take care of your pet in a ready-to-grab bag. You may need to evacuate your home with little warning in a fire or natural disaster or be forced to place your pet in the care of an inexperienced person because of accident or illness. Your pet’s survival kit should be pre-packed in a bag that is easy to carry (with handle or shoulder strap), or a backpack your dog can carry himself should you have your hands full. Keep this kit near the door, so you won’t need to go out of your way to get it.

Here are some suggestions for basic things to put in your pet’s kit:

1. At least 3 individually packed meals. These meals should be non-perishable. If you use canned food, buy ones with pull-open lids or be sure to include a can opener in the kit. You can also put in unopened bags of dry food or biscuits, but be sure to put in a large clip to keep the bag shut after opening. Drs. Foster and Smith offers healthy canned and dry foods that would be a good option. Check your kit regularly to make sure insects have not invaded the food and replace with fresh food now and then.
2. Bottled water. Buy sealed bottles of drinking water. Bottles filled at home contain bacteria that will multiply in the container and may reach levels that make your pet ill.
3. Dishes. Disposable plastic lidded containers are ideal for food and water. You can cover leftovers and won’t have to worry about washing dishes. Buy 4 or more. They can be stacked compactly when empty.
4. Medications your pet requires. Include labels and prescription information in case you or your pet’s caretaker need to consult a vet who doesn’t know your pet.
5. Instructions for the care of your pet. Write down basic information as well as your pet’s special needs in case you need to leave him with someone who has little or no experience with animals. Innocent mistakes can be fatal to pets. Be sure to include a list of toxic foods that your pet cannot have.
6. Contact information for your vet and maybe include the phone numbers and addresses of several other vets in your area.
7. A blanket and toy if your dog is used to having these things.
8. Extra set of leash, collar or harness. Even if your cat or dog does not usually use these items, it is extremely important that you do not risk losing you pet during an emergency. Cats are especially prone to panicking and hiding from their owners and should be kept on harness and leash. Do not use a choke chain or training collar as your emergency collar. You may need to tie your pet and he can be fatally strangled by a choke collar even if unattended for only a few minutes.
9. Extra identification. Have a second ID tag engraved with your name and contact information to have on hand in case your pet loses his original one. You can also buy plastic tags (with safety reflectors) into which you insert contact information.
10. Contact information for yourself and a few close friends and/or relatives who can take over the care of your pet should it become necessary.

[ad#default-links]

[Read more →]

Tags: dog, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety

Here is a list of common foods that are generally safe to feed your dog. Just remember that any kind of food in large amounts is not healthy for dogs or humans.

Starches

• Rice
• Pasta
• Oatmeal (good for sensitive stomachs)
• Potato (green parts, eyes, and sprouts removed)
• Wheat Flour

Meats

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pork
• Beef*

*It’s up to you to determine the chances for E Coli. and/or Mad Cow Disease. Ground meat is more likely to contain parts carrying Mad Cow. Our cats and dogs have only eaten free-range New Zealand Beef.

Vegetables

• Green beans
• Cabbage
• Green Peas
• Spinach
• Celery
• Carrots (best if cooked)
• Lettuce

Fruits [Read more →]

Tags: cats, dog food, dog treats, dogs, fruits, homemade dog food, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety, vegetables

We are often horrified by the vast amount of misinformation concerning toxic foods passed around on internet pet website forums. For instance, we once read a post by a cat owner telling everyone that she fed her cat grapes all the time, when in fact grapes can be fatal to pets, causing acute kidney failure. We’ve seen many similar posts where pet owners tell others that their pet just loves a certain type of fruit or vegetable and that it is absolutely safe for other owners to feed it to their pets.

So here we have compiled a basic list of common foods that are toxic to house pets. Some of these foods may jsut make them ill while others are very poisonous and are downright fatal. Please note that this is not a complete list but just some of the more common items; just because something is not on this list does not mean it is not dangerous to your pet. We recommend visiting the ASPCA Poison Control Center and veterinary websites for more information. We have found that different sites offer different information, and below are the most common items found.

Tip: While many foods are not dangerous, it is a good idea to avoid feeding large amounts of any one food item.

[Read more →]

Tags: dogs, food, Pet Care Articles, pet food, pet health, pet safety

Your dog may be hot even at temperatures that are comfortable for you. Help him stay cool with cold snacks and meals. After exercising or outdoor activity, wait for your pet to cool down a bit before offering cold water or food. If your dog is very hot, spritzing him in the mouth with a spray bottle is healthier than gulping down water.

• Frozen peeled bananas
• Refrigerated sliced apples with cores and seeds removed
• Hard boiled eggs (chilled)
• String cheese – Skim milk mozzarella
• Cold salad with a tiny drizzle of oil (keep to the basics – lettuce, tomato, cabbage – no onions)
• Peanut butter sandwich
• Jello— Not the colorful sugary kind, make your own with natural flavoring and Knox gelatin

[Read more →]

Tags: dog food, dog treats, dogs, food, fruits, Pet Care Articles, pet health, summer, vegetables