The Pampered Pet Corner

Hey, it's summer, here come the fleas!

2008-06-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Consider yourself lucky if your pet doesn't suffer from flea problems. I live by woods, so my major concern is ticks. The flea, however, is a large problem for most people. It starts with the female flea, who after feeding on blood, lays her eggs in batches of about 20. They usually lay them on your dog or cat and then they can easily roll off onto the ground or your rug. The eggs hatch and in about 2 days - 2 weeks and then they proceed to take over your house.

Make sure you are set for the summer with your anti flea agents so your pet doesn't suffer needlessly. There is Advantage, Frontline, K9 Advantix and the new Promeris that are available at your veterinarians office. There are also other products such as Biogroom Repel, Biogroom Flea and Tick Spray, and Zodiac to mention a few. Help keep your pets comfortable. Follow directions carefully.

Other things you should avoid giving your Dog

2008-04-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Item Reasons
Alcoholic Beverages Can cause intoxication, coma, and death
Baby Food Can contain onion powder, which is toxic to dogs
Bones from fish, poultry, Can cause obstruction or laceration of the
Or other meat sources digestive system.

Cat Food Generally too high in protein and fats

Chocolate, coffee, tea, Contain caffeine, which can be toxic and
And other caffeine affects the heart and nervous systems.

Citrus oil extracts can cause vomiting

Fat trimmings can cause pancreatitis

Grapes and raisins contain unknown toxin which damage the kidneys

Human vitamin supplements can damage the lining of the digestive system
Containing iron and toxic to other organs including liver & kidneys

Large amounts of liver can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.

Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Marijuana Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting and changes heart rate.

Milk and other dairy products Can result in diarrhea. Use Lactose free milk products for pets.

Mushrooms Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock and result in death

Onions Can damage red blood cells and cause anemia

Potato Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous and urinary systems. More of a problem in livestock

Salt If eaten in large quantities, may lead to electrolyte
imbalances.

String Can become trapped in the digestive system

Sugary foods Can lead to obesity, dental problems and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Tobacco Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous
systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

I hope you and your dog live a long, healthy, happy life together.

The Pampered Pet Corner

2008-04-01T07:13:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago, I had the opportunity to attend a holistic health fair. I was excited as I wandered from lecture to lecture, listening intently, learning about Reiki, Raw Diets and the like. The last lecture I sat down to listen to happened to be a lecture about Dog Food and the actual breakdown and cost of a can of dog food that then cost approximatley a dollar a can. The speaker went on discussing the cost of themanufacturing of the can, the cost of the label, the cost of advertising and the cost of transporting the finished product. The speaker informed the group that these costs amounted to approximately 78% of the cost of this particular product as he wrote on the blackboard. Then, he turned around, looked at the group of mesmerized "students" and said "What do you really think is in that can for 22 cents??? I can tell you, it's not good!". He didn't get graphic, but left a lasting impression on me and that prompted me to do some investigating for myself and my own dogs. So, now I want to share some of that investigating with you, if you're not aware, so your precious pet can benefit.

Upon investigation I found that Commercial Dog Food contents are often made from the following:

Dead animals Road Kill or Euthanized Pets from shelters
Diseased animals Downed animals from farms
Drugged animals Hormones and antibiotics
Deadly preservatives Ethoxyquin, BHA and BHT
Corn or Wheat Gluten Highly indigestible fillers that cause stress on kidneys
By Products Parts of animals (feathers, beaks, and heads) that are not
fit for human consumption
Old or spoiled food not fit for human consumption
Fecal matter from euthanized pets from shelters

Ethoxyquin causes kidney, stomach, bladder and colon cancer.
BHA causes enhanced stomach and urinary bladder carcinogensis.
BHT causes urinary bladder cancer.

Many commercial dog foods can contain up to 6 chemicals there were banned from human
foods because they cause:

Kidney cancer
Bladder cancer
Skin cancer
Stomach cancer
Spleen cancer
Leukemia
Liver dysfunction
Major organ failure
Immune system collapse
Severe allergic reactions
Birth defects
BLindness
Chronic Diarrhea
Hair Loss and
Behavior problems, including increased aggressiveness.

That's not good if you have children around.

Most commercial dog foods are deficient in key nutrients. Also, commercial pet foods can sit on the shelves in a warehouse up to 18 months, without temperature control (because of all thos bad preservatives). This is also not a good thing.

I want you to know that there are dog food manufacturers that have taken a dogs nutritional needs into consideration and that Artemis is one of the few and is the best food for your pets. Artemis is properly balanced with select human grade meats, vegetables & fruits, and is fortified with vitamins & minerals. Dogs are omnivores and eat both meats and vegetables. Artemis ranks highly consistently in dog food analysis and that wan you want for your dog.

I do believe I lost my 2 previous dog due to commercial dog foods. They both died from cancer. I was lucky this time, I was not using any of the tainted foods during the big commercial pet food recall this time, but my heart goes out to those people that have lost a pet du eto the contaminated foods. Over 4000 pets died from the tained food.

Feeding your dog a good nutritionally balanced diet with human grade ingredients that can be found in Artemis can put the bounce back in your pets step, give them a shiny coat and extend their life by years. yes, I said "years"! Did you know that animals have the genetics to live into their 20's? Yet, most die by 15 due to nutritional requirements not being met. Be good to your best furry friend and feed him properly. By feeding your pet commercial pet food you may be dooming them to an unhealthy life and a painful death.

Quick Tips for picking a good food:

1. Meat should be the first ingredient
2. Avoid if it say's "bone meal" - that's usually the remains of deceased animals
3. If you can't pronounce the ingredient, you probably should not buy it

You have to option of buying a good, nutritionally balanced pet food like Artemis or you can also cook for your dog. Pet Food Recipes are available. Do what you need to do so you can avoid the premature death of your best furry friend.