Thursday, August 26, 2010

National Dog Day Do's and Don'ts

National Dog Day on August 26 offers the opportunity to celebrate not only your pooch, but also dogs everywhere.

While National Dog Day founder Colleen Paige worked as a paramedic in Los Angeles, she saw many dogs requiring better care. Paige, now an animal behaviorist and author, created National Dog Day to highlight what we can do to help support, rescue and protect dogs in need.

“It’s a day to be grateful for all the wonderful things dogs bring into our lives … the unconditional love, the companionship,” says Paige.



How You Can Celebrate National Dog Day
Paige and other experts offer these suggestions:

Plan an outing. Host a barbecue or picnic that includes other “dog friends.” Your dog will enjoy your undivided attention. Feeling ambitious? Try a getaway to a dog-friendly hotel or resort.

Shop for toys. Dogs can be rough on their toys, and tattered toys pose a risk to your dog’s health, says Paige. Make a habit of tossing the old toys and replacing with a new batch of intriguing toys each National Dog Day.

Prepare for emergencies. Show your love by taking a pet first-aid course, advises Melanie Monteiro, author of The Safe Dog Handbook: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Pooch, Indoors and Out. Also, spend five minutes updating your cell phone contact list to include the numbers for your veterinarian, an after-hours veterinarian and poison control center. Plug your dog’s microchip number into your cell.

Volunteer. Rescue groups and shelters need your help, even if you can’t make a long-term commitment of time or money. “Think locally,” says Sherry Woodard, resident animal behavior consultant for Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. “Find a way to help your local shelter or rescue group. There are struggling individual rescue groups across the country.”

Donate. Honor National Dog Day by giving $5 to your local shelter. Many shelters and rescue groups also list needed items, such as blankets and toys, on their websites.



What You Shouldn’t Do
National Dog Day also offers an opportunity to review activities that are detrimental to the well-being of dogs, says Paige. Here’s a checklist:

Don’t put off spaying or neutering your dog. “A lot of people think, ‘If my dog had one litter, it will be OK,’” says Woodard. Don’t contribute to the overpopulation problem, which leaves so many dogs in need of a home.

Don’t leave your dog in your car. Many dog owners underestimate just how quickly a car can heat up in the summer. “I passed out at the grocery store and was taken to the emergency room,” says Suzi Carragher, blogger at RedDogInn.com. “Had my dogs been in my car, they would have been in trouble.”

Don’t drive with your dog unsecured. Too many dog owners still travel with dogs roaming free in the back of pickup trucks. It’s also not a good idea to travel with a dog loose inside your car. If you stop suddenly, your dog may get hurt or interfere with your driving.

Article written by Kim Boatman

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Make Sure Your Pet's Food has the Ingredients You're Looking For

What ingredients make up your pet food?

Walking around a store to find good food for your pet then you saw: Tuna Cat Food, Tuna Dinner For Cats, Cat Food with Tuna and Tuna Flavor Cat Food, which one will you get? Here are keywords you should look for when you buy pet food: “dinner”, “with”, and “flavor”.

If a food label is named after a particular type of meat, it means that the food must contain at least 95% of that named meat. For example, Tuna Cat Food must contain at least 95% of tuna by food weight. If a food label is named Chicken and Salmon Dog Food, it must contain at least 95% of chicken and salmon combined and chicken must be the main ingredient. If somehow the food contains more salmon than chicken then the food must be called Salmon and Chicken Dog food.

Next, we have “Dinner”. If a food label is called Tuna Dinner, it must contain at least 25% of tuna. By AAFCO's rules, the word Dinner can be used only when pet food contains at least 25% of the named meat. So the number is getting smaller and smaller. Under the same set of rules, a label like Cat Food with Tuna means that the food must contain at least 3% of Tuna by weight. If the meat does not meet 3% of food weight, the food can't use “with (meat)” as its label.

The last one is “Flavor”. AAFCO only requires just enough flavor of that named meat to be able to use the word Flavor on the label. If you have Chicken Flavor Dog Food, it doesn't means that the food contains chicken meat in it. Chicken flavor can come from chicken-by-product or chicken digest as long as the food tastes like chicken.

These naming conventions are applied to both cat and dog food, no matter if it's in a can or kibbles form. Now you know the secret. Next time when you buy pet food, look for these words to get the best for your pet.

Article provided by Krazy For Pets Newsletter. Thank You!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Four Tips for Adopting a Pet

When you're ready to open your heart and home to a cat or dog, consider the following:

1) Visit an animal shelter first — even if you're looking for a purebred. At any given time, 25 percent of the dogs in a shelter are purebred and awaiting adoption alongside their mutt counterparts.
2) Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Ask your vet or contact local breed clubs to find the most reputable in your area. Be sure to visit the facility to see where your cat or dog was born and raised.
3) Don't buy your dog at a pet store or online — it's most likely from a puppy mill. Dogs born in puppy mills tend to have more health and socialization problems due to poor conditions.
4)Talk to a breed rescue group. Even if the nearest group is cross-country. Oftentimes, they'll help arrange transportation in order to get the animal to you.

Thank you to Angie's List for these useful tips!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Pet Fod Recall

We want you to be aware of the following expanded product recall from P&G:

P&G Expands Voluntary Limited Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk

CINCINNATI, July 30, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ —
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE: PG) is voluntarily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported.


Product Name

Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas All dry sizes
and varieties 01Jul10 - 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Naturally Wild All dry sizes
and varieties 01Jul10 - 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Pure All dry sizes
and varieties 01Jul10 - 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin All dry sizes 01Jul10 - 01Dec11 All UPC Codes

Reminder:
Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause illness in people and pets. If your pet has eaten the product(s) mentioned above and is experiencing diarrhea, fever, or vomiting, please make an appointment for an exam as soon as possible. If you or one of your family members has handled any of these products and is experiencing any symptoms, please contact your physician immediately.

Remember, washing your hands before and after handling any food products is a great way to reduce your risk of contracting infection.