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Archive for June, 2008
If you are seeking more information on homemade dog or cat food, then I highly recommend the book entitled, “Home Prepared Dog and Cat Diets” by Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD.
“Diet is one of the most important considerations in a pet’s care and that it is a major determinate of health and life expectancy”. This is a quote from Dr. Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD and Professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at U.C. (Gastroenterology). I found the book at Barnes & Noble stores and Amazon. Have a HOWLING good summer read!
There is no right or wrong answer here, if you use moderation in feeding your dog some liver. Liver is high in cholesterol so once per week is fine. Of course you will want to add it to their regular kibble or into their homemade meal with added vitamins.
We either puree chicken hearts or chicken livers once per week and add it to their oatmeal and peas (or green beans). Our Daisy is diabetic so we add it to oatmeal but you could add it to rice, sweet potatoes or wheat pasta. The combinations are almost limitless….so you can use your creativity to the fullest extent.
There is an internet radio show and podcast just for dog lovers and it is called DogCast Radio. The owner and has covered some very interest topics such as:
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- Coping with the loss of a dog
- Information on Breed Specific Legislation
- Crufts 2008 coverage – largest dog show in the UK, similar to our USA Westminister Dog Show
- Improving your dog’s diet
- Dogs with aggressive behavior
- And many more…
New episodes are posted twice per month (2nd and 4th Saturday of each month) and it is totally free by listening on the website, download to a MP3 device or link a podcast feed to your computer (you may need special software but you don’t need a device such as an iPod).
DogCast Radio has articles from experts on topics of interest to dog owners. I enjoyed learning from Dr. Paula Terifaj, DVM. For years, I have been looking for a vet who doesn’t believe that we must feed our pets commercial dog food in order for them to be healthy and she is it.
DogCast Radio covers on their website, dog breed profiles including temperment, dog owner interviews regarding agility & water training, professional dog trainers, listeners share their own experiences, puppy activities and they review dog related websites.
If you haven’t listened lately, check them out at http://www.DogCastRadio.com
Some pet owners think all pet food manufacturers have their pet’s best interests in mind but this is far from the truth. Current pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give your pet. You might even be shocked to learn what top brands of pet foods really contain. I was, when doing some research and found that all major pet food manufacturers use chicken feet and cow intestine, which is called by-products in the ingredients list. Along with by-products, these same pet food manufacturers add chemicals to presere the food so that it will last for over a year.
These top pet food manufacturers play on the busy lives of pet owners and use marketing that highlights the ease of feeding your pets with what they call “natural or healthy”. There is no regulation when using these terms on pet food packaging and there is nothing healthy about using by-products or chemicals.
Just as our society has found, humans gain weight and suffer from many high-risk health issues when our diets do not contain healthy choices. With last year’s pet food recall and the rise in pet obesity and diabeties, it is now being proven than our pets suffer from similar shortening of life.
So what is the solution to giving our pets a high quality of life without suffering from numerous health issues. We can make the decision to switch them from commercial pet food and either make their food from human grade ingredients or choose a raw diet. Don’t get me wrong, there are several high quality small pet food brands that you could choose but you must learn how to read the ingredients labels and what you want to avoid. I have found several that I would have considered but they contained garlic and our one basset becomes violently sick with any amount of garlic. So my choice was to make their food from scratch, so that I better understood what their diet contained. I am in the process of taping an instruction series (making dog food from scratch) for posting on ‘You Tube’ within the next month or so. I am looking forward to feedback from pet owners.
When I purchased The Gourmet Dog Bakery earlier this year, I wanted to offer dog owners with a low-fat choice in treats for dogs suffering from diabeties or pancretitis, at a reasonable price. When you have a dog diagnosed with diabeties, they always say “no treats allowed”. That suggestion is usually made due to the quality of commercial treats on the market. Find a small dog bakery that offers low-fat, chemical and by-product free treats, that does not negatively affect their blood sugar levels.
Keep in mind - dog treats should not exceed more than 10% of your dog’s calorie intake each day. With diabetic diagnosed dogs, treats should be used in moderation with a low-fat and low-glycemic diet.
Dog obesity is on the rise with 41% of dogs either overweight or obese.
There is definitely a rising obesity problem among dogs and with that comes pancretitis, diabetes, joint and hip problems, liver or kidney issues and even heart problems.
I think that some dog owners feel guilty by leaving their dogs at home alone during the day but with this guilt, comes an overindulgence with commercial treats and the convenience of commercial dog food. Owners are actually killing their dogs with this kind of behavior. Commercial treats and food has wheat gluten (even after several pet food recalls), high fat content, sugar additives, chemicals for preserving the product on the store shelves for around a year, large amounts of salt and artificial dyes and flavors.
Some owners think that by giving table scrap, they are not feeding them chemicals or preservatives but on the contrary, they are feeding them high fat, low fiber and probably garlic and onions in some form. Onions and garlic contain thiosulphate, which is toxic to dogs and especailly to cats. Onions are more of a danger because of the amount of thiosulphate but some dogs become violently ill after ingesting garlic.
Commercial treats are full of preservatives, chemicals, wheat gluten, and additives amongst other high fat ingredients. For example, milkbones are one of the best sellers within the commercial dog treat industry, yet dogs that develop allergies, are usually allergic to the Brewer’s yeast that is a main ingredient in milkbones. I have had quite a few dog owners explain to me that their vet says their dog is experiencing allergies. I usually followup by asking if their dog is eating milkbones and you would be surprised at how many say ‘yes’. After I explain about Brewer’s yeast and allergic reactions in dogs, they decide to remove that treat from their diet. Small, independent dog bakeries are trying their best to create dog treats that do not contact yeast, preservatives or chemicals.
We, at The Gourmet Dog Bakery, have the responsibilty to develop recipes that are low-fat, low-glycemic ingredients and we never use garlic. We adapt human diabetic recipes suitable for canine tastes. We limit the use of honey and oil but some is beneficial to the health of your dog, as shown in recent studies. We have shopping categories by the type of issues you are facing, such as ‘Diabetes’ or ‘Skin Allergies’ at http://www.TheGourmetDogBakery.com.
We are currently developing a new treat named Pug Buns, that are carob and cinnamon buns. Soon our newsletter mailing list will receive notification of all new treats that are developed and announced by The Gourmet Dog Bakery staff.
As each day passes, we witness another unbelievable event involving commercial pet food. Today, the FDA posted a press release about their request to seize various commercial animal food products at the PetCo Distribution Center in Illinois. The press release describes insanitary conditions for storing the food products, such as rodent and bird infestation. More information can be read at the FDA website (link provided below).
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01854.html
Substitute 3 TBSP. of carob powder (sometimes called carob flour) for each square of chocolate that your recipe calls for.
If your recipe also calls for sugar (which most human desserts do), substitute the sugar for honey. Use equal amounts of honey for sugar (up to 1 cup) and lower the baking temperature by 25 degrees F. Watch it a little more closely because honey does make a recipe brown quicker. If your recipe calls for a cup of sugar or more, you should find another recipe. More than 1/4 cup of honey is not healthy for dogs in treat recipes.
Tip: Always spray (with a spray oil) the measuring spoon or cup when measuring honey. The honey will not stick to the spoon or cup and you will get the exact measurement needed in the recipe.
Check with http://www.TheGourmetDogBakery.com for dog treats that contain limited amounts of honey. Half of our treats do not contain any sugar sources. We try to use low-glycemic vegetables that help maintain a healthy blood sugar level in all dogs whether they are healthy or dealing with health issues.
If you have a diabetic pet, you may not know that you should carry a small packet of honey with you. If your pet’s blood sugar level becomes too high and they go into diabetic shock - just rub some of the honey inside their mouth and seek a veterinarian immediately.
This is similar to a diabetic person carrying a chocolate candy bar. Animals cannot eat chocolate so honey will have the same effect on their blood sugars.
Currently, the Basset Buddies Rescue of TX has 10 rescued basset hounds that are sitting in boarding kennels due to lack of available foster homes around Houston, TX. These hounds need the TLC that only a foster family can give them - please don’t leave them waiting all alone in a cage! Fosters provide our rescued hounds food, shelter, and love - we pay for the medical bills until they are adopted.
Please foster a hound today! They deserve a loving and safe foster home until their FOREVER home has been found.
Please learn more at: http://www.Basset-Buddies-Rescue.org
My sister and I were treated to Frosty Paws last night. We had the peanut butter flavored frozen dog treat and it was HOWLING good. On their website, you can join their Birthday Club and you will receive a Birthday greeting and a coupon for a free box of Frosty Paws frozen dog treats. My Mom checked out their section on party planning ideas, the photo contest and some of the party kits that they have for sale. Check it out at:
http://www.frostypawstreats.com/frostypaws/default.aspx?tabid=43