How we love our dogs in the United States! We spend billions of dollars not only on necessities like food and medical care, but on luxuries such as clothing, carriages, and knick-knacks that our forefathers could never have imagined buying for an animal.
We believe that the pet industry has our animals' well-being as its number one priority. The sad fact, though, is that most companies that make and sell animal food and supplies really are concerned with one thing: making money from our devotion to our animals. Stark proof of this came earlier in 2007 when scores of American pets died due to a toxin added to pet food to boost the protein. This event has caused us all to be more skeptical of the commercial dog food industry.
What is in dog food anyway, and is it beneficial or detrimental to our beloved dogs? Any astute dog owner is wise to ask this question, and will most likely be shocked by the answer: lots of garbage, waste, fillers, and toxins go into FiFi and Fido's kibbles.
First of all, many dog foods contain grains, such as wheat, oats, rice, barley, and corn, as the main ingredient, rather than animal protein. Dogs are carnivores and were not designed by Mother Nature to digest and use large amounts of grains.
Carnivores' diets should consist almost exclusively of animal products. In the wild, you see wolves eating animals that are vegetarians. That is, given the choice, they kill and eat deer, elk, buffalo, and other hoofed mammals. They resort to smaller mammals like rodents and rabbits when large game is unavailable. Wolves just don't raid our gardens or destroy our wheat and corn fields.
Nature intended for canines to eat animal protein. Forcing our dogs to eat lots of grains causes all sorts of digestive problems and is thought to be a major reason why dogs develop allergies.
As bad as it is for our dogs to be subsisting on grains long-term, the animal products used to make commercial dog food are often much worse. Read the label on any dog food you purchase. You want to see the word "meat" first in the list of ingredients. That word can only be used to refer to the muscle tissue of cows, pigs, sheep and goats. So far, so good. After all, that's what humans are eating when we enjoy steak or pork chops, the muscle tissue of the animal.
Be aware that when you see the words "meal" or "by-product," your dog could be eating heads, hooves, organs, or any part of any animal. Now for the worst part: these two terms encompass not only beef, pork, or sheep, but may refer to road-kill, waste products (yup, feces), or even euthanized pets. Any number of poisons, toxins, and bacteria can be present in dog food that has been made using such waste and detritus. Don't feed your dog any food that lists meal or by-products in the ingredients! Your dog can suffer illness, poisoning, stomach upset, diarrhea, disorientation, or even death from ingesting these ingredients.
Finally, watch out for fillers and preservatives. These ingredients aren't even good for omnivores, like humans, who have digestive systems designed to handle variety. But for dogs, who are supposed to be eating only meat, these additives are unnecessary and unhealthy. Additives in dog food are good for one thing: to boost the bottom line of the manufacturer. They certainly aren't intended to enhance your dog's health.
For additional information on how to keep your dog healthy and happy, please visit http://www.dogearyeastinfection.com, a website that features helpful dog-related articles, information, resources, and E-books for health-conscious and loving dog owners who want the best for their canine companion
Monday
Is Dog Health Insurance As Stupid As It Sounds
I came across the following article which I thought you may be interested in. It puts forward the notion that as with humans, the costs of caring for your dog or other pets are getting so high that you will require medical insurance to meet the costs. I will post a comment later on what my take on this is. For now, just have a read through and let me know what you think...
You can insure your house, your car, your boat, and your life, and now, thanks to dog and cat health insurance, Fluffy and Fido can have their own protection, too. But what exactly is it, and is it really as stupid as it sounds? Maybe not. In fact, it could be quite sensible; read on.
This form of insurance isn't about paying you money if the pet dies; it's about giving the pet (or, more realistically, the person taking care of the animal) some money should you die. This option is particularly favored among the elderly, people who are fond of their pets, and know that there is a good chance that their animal will outlive them.
In essence, you pay a certain amount of money monthly to a trust, and, should you die before your animal does, the trust will then pay a certain amount of money monthly to the person designated your pet's guardian in your will. This is an especially desirable option if you already know who you want to look after your pet should you die--someone both you and your pet like--but you're concerned that they not be saddled with the cost of caring for your pet. This can be a wise investment choice for both you and Fluffy or Fido.
But dog and cat health insurance must be handled carefully. Don't purchase it and then start looking for someone to manage the money and care for your pet when you're gone; greed may cause your animal to get the rotten end of the stick. Instead, find someone you trust. Discuss the possibility of their taking care of your pet when you die. If it's someone you feel comfortable with, and someone your pet seems to genuinely like, then you may wish to let them know that you've purchased pet insurance to help with the costs of pet care after you're gone. Before that, however, it's never a good idea.
A similar idea, with similar problems, is a pet trust, where a certain amount of money is put into a special savings account, with the interest going to help pay for pet care after your death. The same problems exist here as with insurance--namely, finding someone you can trust to care for the pet--but there are some significant differences. For instance, with a trust, a large lump sum is generally required to start the trust, with the option of adding to it later on; with insurance, you make monthly payments.
Over time they can add up to more than the trust would cost, but the money is spread out. Plus, depending on the interest rate you've gone with, you can have to come up with quite a large sum of money to begin with, just to make those cat food payments. With insurance, you're guaranteed the amount you signed up for, no matter what.
But, in the end, it isn't as much about trust funds versus dog and cat health insurance as it is setting aside a little something ensure that your best friend isn't forgotten after you're gone.
Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on pet insurance and pet medical insurance at http://www.petinsurancegroup.com
Let me know what you think about these pet dog health issues. Because I think that something is drastically wrong when you've got start insuring against diseases and disorders that are the result of incorrect feeding and poor quality dog food.
You can insure your house, your car, your boat, and your life, and now, thanks to dog and cat health insurance, Fluffy and Fido can have their own protection, too. But what exactly is it, and is it really as stupid as it sounds? Maybe not. In fact, it could be quite sensible; read on.
This form of insurance isn't about paying you money if the pet dies; it's about giving the pet (or, more realistically, the person taking care of the animal) some money should you die. This option is particularly favored among the elderly, people who are fond of their pets, and know that there is a good chance that their animal will outlive them.
In essence, you pay a certain amount of money monthly to a trust, and, should you die before your animal does, the trust will then pay a certain amount of money monthly to the person designated your pet's guardian in your will. This is an especially desirable option if you already know who you want to look after your pet should you die--someone both you and your pet like--but you're concerned that they not be saddled with the cost of caring for your pet. This can be a wise investment choice for both you and Fluffy or Fido.
But dog and cat health insurance must be handled carefully. Don't purchase it and then start looking for someone to manage the money and care for your pet when you're gone; greed may cause your animal to get the rotten end of the stick. Instead, find someone you trust. Discuss the possibility of their taking care of your pet when you die. If it's someone you feel comfortable with, and someone your pet seems to genuinely like, then you may wish to let them know that you've purchased pet insurance to help with the costs of pet care after you're gone. Before that, however, it's never a good idea.
A similar idea, with similar problems, is a pet trust, where a certain amount of money is put into a special savings account, with the interest going to help pay for pet care after your death. The same problems exist here as with insurance--namely, finding someone you can trust to care for the pet--but there are some significant differences. For instance, with a trust, a large lump sum is generally required to start the trust, with the option of adding to it later on; with insurance, you make monthly payments.
Over time they can add up to more than the trust would cost, but the money is spread out. Plus, depending on the interest rate you've gone with, you can have to come up with quite a large sum of money to begin with, just to make those cat food payments. With insurance, you're guaranteed the amount you signed up for, no matter what.
But, in the end, it isn't as much about trust funds versus dog and cat health insurance as it is setting aside a little something ensure that your best friend isn't forgotten after you're gone.
Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on pet insurance and pet medical insurance at http://www.petinsurancegroup.com
Let me know what you think about these pet dog health issues. Because I think that something is drastically wrong when you've got start insuring against diseases and disorders that are the result of incorrect feeding and poor quality dog food.
Saturday
What I've Just Learn't About Dog Health Care
Hi all,
If you have the time then may I suggest that you pop over to this Dog Health Care site. I've been reading up on what is in our commercial foods and it makes for very interesting reading.
The information here could literally save your dog's life.
I've always advocated feeding a natural and healthy diet to my dogs and the information here does a better job of convincing you than I could.
Have a great weekend and speak to you next week.
If you have the time then may I suggest that you pop over to this Dog Health Care site. I've been reading up on what is in our commercial foods and it makes for very interesting reading.
The information here could literally save your dog's life.
I've always advocated feeding a natural and healthy diet to my dogs and the information here does a better job of convincing you than I could.
Have a great weekend and speak to you next week.
So What's the Best Dog Health Food?
I just thought I'd comment on my last post. I am constantly having discusions with dog owners about the pros and cons of feeding a raw food diet. Virtualy every pet owner has bought into the advertising hype surrounding the so-called veterinary brand foods. They and their vets are so blinded by the advertising message that they fail to use common sense.
The facts are that if you visit a dog food manufacturing facility and watch your pets food being made, you'll see that it is cooked at high temperature and then is either coated with an oily substance or put into a negative pressure vessel where the oils are injected in. It stands to reason that most of the goodness is being cooked out of the food to start with and secondly the oxidation process starts the minute the oils are introduced to the cooked biscuit.
The product is denuded of it's vitimins and nutrients before it is even put in the bag! How many times have you heard nutritionist tell you to eat your fresh fruit and vegetables. The reason is that your body needs live healthy nutrients to survivor and fight off disease. Your pets are no different in this requirement. The only difference is that they are carnivores that require fresh meat and fat followed by small amounts of vegetable matter.
You'll know by now that I hate the idea of my animals eating dead, nutrientless cooked food. The answer is to feed them what mother nature intended. And that is raw meat, bones and vegetable matter. The resource I have found introduces you to the best dog health food. Go and take a look, your pets will thank you for it with improved health and extended care-free years.
Always bear in mind that your vet is not a trained nutritionist. He is most likely paid big money by the pet food manufacturers to market specific brand name foods. Try asking what the labels on the packet mean and you'll find, like did that he can't even answer the basic questions about why the ingredients are in the food and what they do. I'm not saying that they are all bad, all I'm saying is that commercial interests sometimes play a greater role in how your pet is treated than concern for their long term health and happiness.
Have a great day, thanks for reading and come visit again soon.
The facts are that if you visit a dog food manufacturing facility and watch your pets food being made, you'll see that it is cooked at high temperature and then is either coated with an oily substance or put into a negative pressure vessel where the oils are injected in. It stands to reason that most of the goodness is being cooked out of the food to start with and secondly the oxidation process starts the minute the oils are introduced to the cooked biscuit.
The product is denuded of it's vitimins and nutrients before it is even put in the bag! How many times have you heard nutritionist tell you to eat your fresh fruit and vegetables. The reason is that your body needs live healthy nutrients to survivor and fight off disease. Your pets are no different in this requirement. The only difference is that they are carnivores that require fresh meat and fat followed by small amounts of vegetable matter.
You'll know by now that I hate the idea of my animals eating dead, nutrientless cooked food. The answer is to feed them what mother nature intended. And that is raw meat, bones and vegetable matter. The resource I have found introduces you to the best dog health food. Go and take a look, your pets will thank you for it with improved health and extended care-free years.
Always bear in mind that your vet is not a trained nutritionist. He is most likely paid big money by the pet food manufacturers to market specific brand name foods. Try asking what the labels on the packet mean and you'll find, like did that he can't even answer the basic questions about why the ingredients are in the food and what they do. I'm not saying that they are all bad, all I'm saying is that commercial interests sometimes play a greater role in how your pet is treated than concern for their long term health and happiness.
Have a great day, thanks for reading and come visit again soon.
Friday
Pet Food Safety - Home Made Can Eliminate Uncertainty
The latest outbreak of dog food and cat food contamination has shaken the confidence of pet owners the world over, but nowhere as much as in the United States where illness and reported deaths took its highest toll of family pets. Now, in the aftermath of large scale pet food recalls, many are asking questions about the ingredients that they've always trusted to provide optimum health for their family pets.
It comes as no real surprise now that many pet owners are choosing to make their own homegrown variety of pet nutrition. When made properly, it has to be a better option than all that imported stuff with unknown ingredients of suspicious composition and origin. In fact, many say it's not too difficult at all and fairly inexpensive to make. But, a number of experts caution that homemade diets won't work for every pet or its owner. Some dogs and cats have a more difficult time adjusting to a new diet and the new process itself may simply be too labor intensive and inconvenient for many owners. The choice should be made only after careful consideration.
For starters, you can have your family vet or a recommended veterinary nutritionist put together a starter diet for you to try. On the other hand, if you prefer, do the nutritional research yourself. It's unfortunate, but the rap against vets today, is similar to what doctors experienced in years past, that they know a lot about medicine, but were never taught much about nutrition. And, the veterinary nutritionists are accused of being little more than puppets, with the pet food manufacturers pulling the strings. There may be an element of truth to both, but in any case you'll have to use your own judgment. However, having a few sample diets to follow while getting started will most likely be helpful.
The most responsible advice is to suggest paying close attention to your dog or cat. You know your pet better than anyone, so you should quickly notice changes in the quality of their health, such as energy levels, condition of their coat and stool texture. So, keep a close eye out for any subtle changes during the transition, as you would with changes to any food. When you decide to begin with your homemade dog foods, do it gradually by mixing the new food into the old food for a couple of weeks. Slowly increase the ratio of new to old each day as you monitor your pet's adjustment.
Another trend of late has some owners feeding their pets a diet based largely on raw meat, vegetables and fruits. In fact, many people believe it's the most natural and therefore the healthiest choice for pets. Melinda Miller, president of the North American Raw Pet Food Association recently stated, "There are a wide variety of benefits. Animals with arthritis and longstanding gastrointestinal ailments or a dogs skin problems often improve significantly after being placed on grain-free raw diets".
For those who might be concerned about introducing contaminants into their own diets, it's important to note here that the more common phobias and issues related to food borne microbes, such as salmonella are largely unfounded, with no real evidence of actual cases of illness to animals or humans when the meat is fresh and handled in an appropriate manner. Melinda Miller added, "no study has ever correlated human illness with raw-fed dogs or cats." Raw food diets are popular in Europe and have gained significant interest in America over the past twenty years, so it can be considered yet another possible alternative over the store bought brands.
A Word of Caution:
Don't just think that you can feed your pet table scraps and assume it to be a viable nutritional alternative. It's not! Pets have special needs just as we do, so do your homework. There are many online resources, and even pet food cookbooks to help make things a lot easier. But, in the meantime, don't just feed them what you're eating. At the very least, they won't be getting the nutrition they need, and the things you're giving them could make them sick or even kill them.
Here's a short list of foods that can be toxic for animals and should always be avoided, even in small quantities: chocolate, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, leeks, chives, grapes, raisins, potato peelings, tomatoes (cats) and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. The list for your particular pet may include other dangerous or sickening foods, so think before you toss.
Making your own pet foods can certainly be a loving and caring way to guarantee that your pet gets the healthy nutrition it deserves and without the risk of unknown contaminants. But, do your cost/benefit research first as to ensure a situation that you're comfortable with including dollars, time and balanced nutrition. Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages for both you and your pet before deciding on this trendy alternative.
For more information regarding the care, development and safety of the family pet, please visit
All About Dogs.
Copyright 2007 Harry Monell. All rights reserved. Please feel free to share the entire contents of this article with your friends or post it on your site as long as it is left intact with all links unchanged, including this notice.
It comes as no real surprise now that many pet owners are choosing to make their own homegrown variety of pet nutrition. When made properly, it has to be a better option than all that imported stuff with unknown ingredients of suspicious composition and origin. In fact, many say it's not too difficult at all and fairly inexpensive to make. But, a number of experts caution that homemade diets won't work for every pet or its owner. Some dogs and cats have a more difficult time adjusting to a new diet and the new process itself may simply be too labor intensive and inconvenient for many owners. The choice should be made only after careful consideration.
For starters, you can have your family vet or a recommended veterinary nutritionist put together a starter diet for you to try. On the other hand, if you prefer, do the nutritional research yourself. It's unfortunate, but the rap against vets today, is similar to what doctors experienced in years past, that they know a lot about medicine, but were never taught much about nutrition. And, the veterinary nutritionists are accused of being little more than puppets, with the pet food manufacturers pulling the strings. There may be an element of truth to both, but in any case you'll have to use your own judgment. However, having a few sample diets to follow while getting started will most likely be helpful.
The most responsible advice is to suggest paying close attention to your dog or cat. You know your pet better than anyone, so you should quickly notice changes in the quality of their health, such as energy levels, condition of their coat and stool texture. So, keep a close eye out for any subtle changes during the transition, as you would with changes to any food. When you decide to begin with your homemade dog foods, do it gradually by mixing the new food into the old food for a couple of weeks. Slowly increase the ratio of new to old each day as you monitor your pet's adjustment.
Another trend of late has some owners feeding their pets a diet based largely on raw meat, vegetables and fruits. In fact, many people believe it's the most natural and therefore the healthiest choice for pets. Melinda Miller, president of the North American Raw Pet Food Association recently stated, "There are a wide variety of benefits. Animals with arthritis and longstanding gastrointestinal ailments or a dogs skin problems often improve significantly after being placed on grain-free raw diets".
For those who might be concerned about introducing contaminants into their own diets, it's important to note here that the more common phobias and issues related to food borne microbes, such as salmonella are largely unfounded, with no real evidence of actual cases of illness to animals or humans when the meat is fresh and handled in an appropriate manner. Melinda Miller added, "no study has ever correlated human illness with raw-fed dogs or cats." Raw food diets are popular in Europe and have gained significant interest in America over the past twenty years, so it can be considered yet another possible alternative over the store bought brands.
A Word of Caution:
Don't just think that you can feed your pet table scraps and assume it to be a viable nutritional alternative. It's not! Pets have special needs just as we do, so do your homework. There are many online resources, and even pet food cookbooks to help make things a lot easier. But, in the meantime, don't just feed them what you're eating. At the very least, they won't be getting the nutrition they need, and the things you're giving them could make them sick or even kill them.
Here's a short list of foods that can be toxic for animals and should always be avoided, even in small quantities: chocolate, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, leeks, chives, grapes, raisins, potato peelings, tomatoes (cats) and drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. The list for your particular pet may include other dangerous or sickening foods, so think before you toss.
Making your own pet foods can certainly be a loving and caring way to guarantee that your pet gets the healthy nutrition it deserves and without the risk of unknown contaminants. But, do your cost/benefit research first as to ensure a situation that you're comfortable with including dollars, time and balanced nutrition. Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages for both you and your pet before deciding on this trendy alternative.
For more information regarding the care, development and safety of the family pet, please visit
All About Dogs.
Copyright 2007 Harry Monell. All rights reserved. Please feel free to share the entire contents of this article with your friends or post it on your site as long as it is left intact with all links unchanged, including this notice.
You'll Find Info on Dog Training, Dog Food and Dog Health Problems Here
Hi and thanks for visiting. I have always been surrounded by my pets, especially my dogs. They provide hours of joy and attention not to mention being good security. I want to let you know all about the resources I've found to help look after your pet. These resources include books, courses and products that will help you keep your dog healthy and safe.
I came across an excellent resource to help with feeding your dog the right food. With all the problems we have seen lately in the pet food manufacturing industry, it is easy to loose sight of the fact that a large number of diseases and problems that our animals are experiencing are as a result of the pet food industry themselves. Ask a your vet and he or she will tell you that 20 to 30 years ago most of the cancer and problems they deal with didn't exist or were very few in number.
With the poisons, bad quality ingredients, use of corn and other allergens in the manufacturing process and not to mention the fact that it's been a long time since I can remember coming across a pack of dogs have a BBQ or cooking up some porridge for breakfast ;-).
I can really recommend this book on dog food. It is packed with information that you can use right now to reduce your feeding costs yet give your pet the food and nutrients they really need.
Until next time,
I came across an excellent resource to help with feeding your dog the right food. With all the problems we have seen lately in the pet food manufacturing industry, it is easy to loose sight of the fact that a large number of diseases and problems that our animals are experiencing are as a result of the pet food industry themselves. Ask a your vet and he or she will tell you that 20 to 30 years ago most of the cancer and problems they deal with didn't exist or were very few in number.
With the poisons, bad quality ingredients, use of corn and other allergens in the manufacturing process and not to mention the fact that it's been a long time since I can remember coming across a pack of dogs have a BBQ or cooking up some porridge for breakfast ;-).
I can really recommend this book on dog food. It is packed with information that you can use right now to reduce your feeding costs yet give your pet the food and nutrients they really need.
Until next time,
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