Owner: You're feeding me WHAT? URL:http://petfoodreport.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:02:34 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Here you will find the inside "dirt" on what is really in commercial pet foods, what to look for and what to avoid. There are also recipes for homemade dog food and treats, health tips, and rescue information. Site statistics:Click here
Merry.....Happy.........something...? 2007-12-21 11:20:30 Print PageMerry
Christmas, Happy
Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Ramadan, Happy Diwali, Merry Yule.......Did I miss any?No matter how you say it or what you believe, may everyone have a blessed holiday season and a wonderful new year. Peace and good wishes to all, man and beast alike.Terri Read more:something
Warning! Grapes and raisins toxic to dogs! 2007-11-23 09:05:40 I read this on the forum of one of the golden retriever groups I belong to. I checked it out, and it is true. Pass this on to anyone you know. (Below written by a vet) This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxic
ity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM. I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about i
Time out for a soapbox sermon! 2007-11-23 09:05:11 Okay, guys. I'm taking a break from my pet food information postings to write about a current issue that has me both sickened and outraged.Most of you are probably familiar with Atlanta Falcon's player, Michael Vick, who was indicted on charges of interstate commerce with intent to fight dogs, running an illegal dog fighting ring, and more. He has, of course, lied and denied all of this, blaming his family for taking advantage of him. Oh please. Others involved have talked, and the details listed in the indictment are gruesome. Dogs were cruely mistreated to make them mean and want to fight. Losing dogs, or dogs that didn't show enough "fighting spirit" were executed. Yes, executed. They were shot, hung, thrown from buildings, strangled, electrocuted, or body slammed against the ground unt
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 4: Fiber 2007-11-23 09:04:30 FiberFiber is the part of carbohydrates that can not be digested by the dog. Depending on nutritional goals, varying levels of dietary fiber with different properties are necessary to make a highly processed food source like commercial kibble "work", since a dog's digestive tract is not designed to process a diet with such high levels of carbohydrates - most commercial dry foods contain 40-50%, low quality ones even more.Depending on the inclusion of ingredients that are naturally high in fiber (e.g. brown rice, oats, certain fruits or vegetables), a food may or may not include specific, isolated types of fiber. (more.....)Beet Pulp, the isolated fibrous material from sugar beets, is another ingredient that has an undeservedly bad reputation. It is a very gentle, beneficial source of fiber Read more:Fiber
My TV interview about pet food ingredients 2007-11-23 09:03:06 This is a story that was on our local news regarding what is really in pet food. I was interview
ed, along with several others. The cute goldens and the hound dog in the video are mine. I hope you find it informative. I think they did a pretty good job. (click on the link above to watch the video)
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 5: Fruits and Vegetables 2007-11-23 09:02:34 Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables add vitamins, minerals and various phytonutrients. They are nice ingredients but by no means necessary and mostly only included in insignificant amounts. If a brand of food contains high quality protein, carbohydrate and fat sources but no fruits or vegetables, it's still a better choice than one with less ideal main ingredients that does have a few pieces of blueberries, peas or carrots added to make the ingredient list look more impressive. Sharing some of the fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables you eat yourself will add much more nutritional value to your dog's diet - just please do not give onions, grapes or raisins. (more.....)Here are some of the better ones:Carrots: Natural source of beta carotene (precursor to Vitam Read more:Fruits
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 6: Preservatives 2007-11-23 09:01:55 PreservativesQuality products are preserved naturally, but sadly there is almost always a possibility of products containing hidden preservatives and additives, since manufacturers only have to declare ingredients on the label that they have added themselves. If they purchase for example fish oil and meal, fats or other prepared ingredients from suppliers with stabilizers and other additives already added, these do not have to be listed.The higher the ingredient quality, the less effort must be made to delay further degradation of the product, making natural antioxidants like rosemary extract and vitamin E very effective. Any chemical preservative should not be trusted. Some of them are even banned from human consumption in some countries outside of the U.S. due to their questionable side
A Letter from Heaven 2007-11-23 09:00:24 This was sent to me in an email today. I have no idea where it originated, but I love the story and thought I'd share it. There are good folks still out there.Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month.The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her.She dictated and I wrote:Dear God,Will you please take special care of our dog, Abbey? She died yesterday and is in heaven. We miss her very much. We are happy that you let us have her as our dog even though she got sick. I hope that you will play with her. She liked to play with balls and swim before she got sick. I am sending some pictures of her so that when you see her in heav Read more:Letter
, Heaven
Bless the Animals 2007-11-23 08:59:40 I'm not Catholic, but I really like this. St. Francis seems to feel the same way about animals as most of us do. I figure a few extra blessings and prayers, no matter who you pray to, will certainly never hurt."A tool in your hands I am, dear God, the sweetest instrument you have shaped my being into. What makes me now complete-feeling the soul of every creature against my heart. Does every creature have a soul? Surely they do; for everything God has touched will have life forever. And all creatures he has held." St. Francis of AssisiPrint Page Read more:Bless
, Animals
Flavorings - Yum or Yuck? 2007-11-02 18:52:44 High quality foods do not really need any flavorings, but natural ones are harmless and may even add a little nutritional value. The sole purpose of flavoring agents in pet food is to make the food palatable to the pet.The food that comes from the manufacturing plant is often so rancid that no dog would touch it. So why does your dog come running when you open a new bag of commercial pet food? Because that overpowering odor wafting from the bag smells like dinner to him. Fat is sprayed directly on the morsels of food, and that is what you and your dog smell. The fat that entices him to eat is gathered from the rendering plant, restaurant grease, and other sources of fats and oils that are too rancid for human consumption. The restaurant grease is gathered from various establishments and st
Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, First Step Towards Protecting Pets, and Us, From Tainted Foods 2007-10-10 08:59:14 This is great news! We are pleased to announce that we have the first new law passed that will help with the pet food problems. H.R. 3580, in conference, was passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the President. In particular, it is Title X (the last section), that has bearing on our issues. This new law mandates the FDA come up with new labeling and production standards for pet food within 24 months. It also requires that the FDA set up a pet food registry and notification process similar to the one the CDC uses for human pathogens. We still have more work to do, in particular regarding foreign import restrictions, but this is the FIRST MAJOR STEP.You can view the bill here: H.R. 3580Specifically, TITLE X - FOOD SAFETY, Sec. 1002 pertains to pet food. The rest of this part of th Read more:Administration
, First
, Protecting
, Tainted
, Foods
Now it's toxic TOYS! Where will it end? 2007-09-20 11:28:00 I honestly don't think this is ever going to end. The list of "toxic
" items, both food and otherwise, grows exponentially each day it seems. Here is the latest from Itchmo....Expertox, a Texas lab, claimed that they found elevated levels of lead, chromium, and cadmium in two Wal-Mart pet toys. But Wal-Mart said the lab has “severely misinterpreted” the results. Expertox stands by their findings and said their results are “rock solid.”Here is a link to the full story:News for cats and dogs - Pet Industry Responds To Lab Finding Lead, Other Toxins In Wal-Mart Pet ToysAlso, for those of you feeding a RAW diet, here's some recall news that may affect you.Bravo! Raw Diet has announced a recall of certain varieties of its poultry products for pets. Here is the press release dated Septemb
AVMA warns of potential new threat to pets 2007-09-15 09:47:12 American Veterinary Medical Association Announcement"The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has recently been made aware of several complaints from pet owners and veterinarians that multiple brands of jerky treats manufactured in China have been making pets sick. Symptoms of illness have included vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. To our knowledge, no deaths have been reported.The AVMA posted an alert on its Web site to inform its members and the public about what was known. Today, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) issued a statement saying it also has become aware of an unusual number of dogs presenting similar symptoms and abnormal test results associated with consumption of some jerky treats.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently testin Read more:warns
, threat
Riches to Rags.....I love it! 2007-08-18 12:59:15 ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Humane Society said they are receiving donations from across the country -- and you’ll never guess what people are sending.More than a dozen Michael Vick jerseys have been sent to AHS, and they are putting them to good use.“When I first saw them, I was kind of shocked. I was like, ‘Why do they have Vick jerseys here,’ said Julie Sentner.Vick is innocent until proven guilty, but his association when men pleading guilty to federal dog fighting charges makes the number 7 jersey an unexpected find at the Atlanta Humane Society. (more.....)“At first we were like, ‘I wonder what we’re going to use this for,” said P.J. Smith with AHS.And the jerseys kept coming. About a dozen or so jerseys were sent from people wanting to make good from a bad situation. In f
The root of all evil (get comfy folks....this is a LONG one) 2007-08-08 14:57:46 Okay kiddies......time for me to get up on my soapbox and preach a little sermon here! Our sermon today is called "Greed: When the Almighty Dollar matters more than the health of a nation". Perhaps you've all heard of the pet food recalls that began back in March? Some of you, like myself, have done a lot of reading on it and are pretty well up to date on what is going on. I would bet most others aren't aware of even half of what is going on, thanks to sadly lacking media coverage for most of it. Well, you're about to get the "Reader's Digest condensed version" of the story. To quote one of the characters in Jurassic Park..."Hold on to your butts!" (more......) When the story first surfaced, it was thought that some rat poison had gotten into a supply of wheat gluten (a protein source) Read more:folks
Poisons, Poisons, Everywhere! 2007-08-08 14:49:13 By Deb M. Eldredge, DVMThe ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center recently released a list of the ten most common poisons that dogs ingest. What is immediately striking about the list is how ordinary each of the poisons is—most of us have these compounds in our homes or garages. The list is a reminder that it is important to keep medications and potentially toxic items locked up or stored safely away from our pets.Here is a list of the toxins that you need to keep out of your pet’s reach: (more......)Ibuprofen Ibuprofen is a widely used human non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. In dogs, this medication can cause stomach and kidney problems and even impact the nervous system causing symptoms such as depression and seizures. If you drop a pill, be very careful to find it before your dog
You know you're a dog person when..... 2007-08-08 14:48:40 You know you're a dog person
when.....Signs that you are a dog person: (and yes.....guilty as charged) All of your clothes have dog hair on them, even when they come back from the laundromat or dry cleaners. Every gift you ever get has something to do with dogs.Dog hair in food is just another condiment. Books and movies are ruined for you if the dog references are incorrect.All kinds of things around the house are in need of repair, but the injured dog you rescued by the side of the road requires immediate surgery and out comes the checkbook. Anyone can look at your (pick all that apply) --- T-shirt - sweatshirt - coffee mug - keychain - beach towel - cooking apron - couch throw - tote bag - computer - screen saver/wallpaper/mousepad/wristpad/monitor frame - gift wrapping paper - photogra
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 1: Proteins 2007-08-08 14:48:19 Dog food labels are very confusing if you don't know how to read and interpret them. Things are not always as they appear. Here are some tips to help you make informed decisions on what to feed your pets. (from an article by Sabine Contreras).The Pet food industry is a very competitive multi-billion business, and the manufacturers of most popular brands spend millions on advertising alone every year, trying to convince consumers that they are offering the best, most nutritious product. Of course they all claim that they use only the best quality ingredients, but there is no legal requirement that such statements must be truthful. It's your responsibility as a pet owner to look past the pretty pictures of fresh cuts of meat and juicy vegetables, the cute commercials and the misleading, bias
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 2: Carbohydrates 2007-08-08 14:48:00 CarbohydratesCarbohydrates are useful to dogs for readily burnable fuel for all kinds of muscular and metabolic activities. Cheap and easily produced sources of carbohydrates are such items as rice, corn, wheat, barley and soy. Hmmmmmmm... sounds like what some pet food manufacturers are commonly using as their first choice for a diet’s foundation.It is common knowledge and generally agreed upon by experts that dogs are meat eaters and have evolved through the ages primarily as meat eaters. Although now "domesticated", our pet dogs have not evolved rumens along their digestive tracts in order to ferment cellulose and other plant material, nor have their pancreases evolved a way to secrete cellulase to split the cellulose into glucose molecules, nor have dogs become efficient at digesting
Just what IS in my dog's food? Part 3: Fats 2007-08-08 14:47:38 Fats and OilsDogs need a certain amount of fats and oils in their diet, mostly for skin and coat health, but also for proper brain development and other critical processes in the body. In this regard some are more valuable than others. As food ingredients they should be specifically named and of high nutritional value. Beef tallow and lard make foods highly attractive to dogs, but they are high in saturated fat and low in valuable fatty acids. (more......)Fats are highly digestible, very palatable, and are an energy dense nutritional ingredient. Unlike humans, dogs don't suffer from various diseases related to high fat intake - they metabolize fat the way humans metabolize carbohydrates. Since fats provide 2 1/4 times the amount of calories per gram compared to proteins or carbohydrates, i
Take a bite out of Vick!!!!! 2007-08-06 11:11:31 This is priceless! Check out the following:The Official Vick Dog Chew Toy Is it different you ask? You bet it is! The Vick Dog Chew Toy is made of state of the art "dog" material. The Vick Toy Doll is so strong and flexible, it will challenge even the most aggressive breeds. Especially Mike's Favorite Breed, The Pit Bull.Unlike Vick, the manufacturer is so sure of its durability they guarantee it against the most aggressive dog destruction. It Bends. It Bounces. It Flies. It Floats. And best of all, it lasts through the whole season and more!The most rewarding part of The Vick Dog Chew Toy is that a portion of the proceeds are being donated to the Jacksonville Humane Society to help spread awareness of this terrible phenomenon. Want one?
Heartbreak and Hounds 2007-07-31 14:57:10 I feel sick. I feel sad. I feel sort of shell-shocked.I worked with the local Humane Society tonight at an adoption fair we were having. It was great to see several puppies get new homes, but hardly anyone looked at the adult dogs. They sat in their cages watching people walk by, wagging their tails and hoping for some attention. Most people didn't even look at them. They went to the pen with the fat, playful puppies in it. These are all great dogs that have been cast aside for one reason or another. At the end of our adoption fair, back to the shelter they went. Some may be adopted later. The majority will be euthanized. I fell in love with a little female beagle mix whose eyes were half blue and half brown. She was the sweetest little dog and just wanted to be cuddled. She went back to t Read more:Heartbreak
Will you help me??? 2007-07-30 20:47:17 There are many lost, abandoned and neglected pets in our world. Far too many of them are killed simply because no one wants them. Please consider working with a rescue group, volunteering at your local animal shelter, fostering dogs in need of homes, or adopting one yourself. There is always a need for money and supplies, too. There are rescue groups for every size, breed and type of pet. Please help them find a loving home like they deserve."Rescue Circle"Once I was a lonely dog just looking for a home.I had no place to go, no one to call my own.I wandered up and down the streets, in rain and heat and snowI ate whatever I could find, I was always on the go.My skin would itch, my feet were sore, my body ached with pain.And no one stopped to give a pat or gently say my name.I never saw a lo
A follow-up to my "Heartbreak and Hounds" post 2007-07-30 20:44:23 (this is Enna)About a week ago I wrote about the difficulties of working to get homeless pets adopted and how heartbreaking it can be at times. I also wrote about a little beagle mix that I fell in love with at our adoption fair that day. I am happy to report that Enna, the little beagle mix, has found a new home! I volunteered at the Scott County Humane Society booth at the Scott County Fair last week, and this wonderful couple fell in love with Enna just as I did. They filled out their application, and I got to take her home that night and keep her until they picked her up the next day. She is such a sweetie. I gave her a bath and trimmed her nails, and she slept in the bed with me for a while. It was hard to hand her over on Saturday, but I know she is going to be pampered and loved Read more:Heartbreak
LOVE it! 2007-07-30 20:40:44 Okay, this has nothing to do with dog food, but I can't resist posting this cartoon from Steve Breen that was in the San Diego Union-Tribune.Good dog, Lassie! Good dog!My sentiments exactly!Print Page
Warning! Toxic Mulch! 2008-06-04 21:03:53 WARNINGS - DO NOT USE COCOA MULCH IF YOU OWN PETS (This was verified on Snopes.com)Here is the email I received:"Yesterday one of our dog agility friends experienced a tragedy and wanted me to pass a special message along to all of my dog loving friends and family. Please tell every dog owner you know.Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use
snopes.com: Xylitol Deadly to Dogs 2008-07-02 21:46:58 Check out this article on Snopes about xylitol poisoning in pets.snopes.com: Xylitol Deadly to DogsIf you suspect your pet has eaten a food or candy containing Xylitol, call your local emergency vet immediately to let them know you're on your way, and go straight there for urgent treatment. You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for advice, on (888) 426-4435 but it is crucial not
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