July 25, 2007
Summertime Flea and Tick Tips
Summer is a great time for dogs! More time outside, chasing squirrels and birds, running through the grass chasing the kids and it’s also bug season! Be sure to have your dog and cat on the best flea and tick prevention, my personal preference is Frontline Plus, but Advantage is also good. I stay away from the over the counter products because they contain permethrin or pyrethrins, which do kill fleas at least temporarily, but they are strong pesticides and you need to be aware that many pets have adverse reactions to such drugs.
Flea and tick dips used to be a popular way to rid your dog of the pests and many groomers used to use them, however, there is a lot of evidence now of those same groomers having autoimmune diseases that they think may be due to years of using those chemicals and having them absorbed into their skin. In addition, some animals have extreme adverse reactions to dips and frankly, it’s not worth it. There are much better products available now and you are crazy not to use them. Quit wasting your money on flea collars, powders, dips, and shampoos. You can get Frontline Plus, or Advantage from your vet or you can shop online for them. I’m even told that Rural King in Lafayette now carries Frontline.
Many groomers now will insist that pets be on some type of flea prevention such as Frontline Plus or Advantage so they don’t have fleas in their salons, or have fleas jumping onto other clients’ dogs. That really ruins a groomer’s reputation! Nobody wants to take their pet to a grooming salon and have it come home with fleas!
Just because you don’t see fleas jumping all over you or your house, doesn’t mean you don’t have them. I have a cat that NEVER goes outside, yet I’ve gotten lax in her flea prevention from time to time and noticed her scratching, and after combing through her hair with a flea comb, found one or two. How did she get fleas? Well, that’s simple, we brought them in the house on us, after kids playing in the yard, or mowing the grass, or the dogs brought them in from outside, and they jumped onto the cat due to them having Frontline Plus on them. Poor cats are flea magnets!
When you treat one of your pets for fleas, it’s important to remember to treat ALL of your pets at the same time and remember that even though it’s summertime and all bugs are out where we can see them, there really is no “flea season.” Indiana winters are not harsh enough to kill them all, and even when we do get killing frosts, your dog or cat will go outside briefly and the heat-seeking fleas will say “Hooray! Here comes a dog we are saved! Let’s hitch a ride on his back and get warm, oh and by the way, lets lay some eggs in the house so we can have our 2,000 babies.” I use Frontline Plus all year round. Just like heartworm prevention, if you get in the habit of doing it once a month, you won’t have to worry about heartworm, or fleas and ticks. The money you spend now for prevention is worth it so you don’t have to hire an exterminator, then deal with tapeworm from the fleas, the steroids and vet bills from all the scratching and allergic reactions to the fleas. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars it costs for heartworm treatment that your dog may or may not live through!
You wouldn’t let your children continue to carry head lice and not treat them, even though they got them innocently enough from another child, and you know what a pain that is to take care of, washing all the bedding, clothing, and everything in the house just to rid your home of those nasty louse!
Well, flea treatment is the same way. Too bad we don’t have Frontline for people; believe me I’ve considered putting some on my husband after he’s been mushroom hunting and finding ticks on him! Yuck!
Don’t forget that Lyme disease is also very prevalent in this area as well and I have several clients whose dogs have had to be treated for Lyme disease.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the saying goes, and believe me it’s true for your pets health! Get out your calendar; write down when you need to apply your flea and tick prevention and heartworm medications. Do it when you pay your mortgage or rent, so you won’t forget! Remember that Frontline Plus works best if you apply it when the dog or cat hasn’t had a bath within at least 72 hours because it works through their oil glands and if you just bathed them, there is no oil and it won’t be as effective. Schedule your pet’s grooming appointments around your flea prevention so you won’t have to worry about washing it off immediately after applying it or the dog being freshly groomed and you have to wait 3 days to apply it.
Once you get into the habit, it will become automatic and you won’t have to worry anymore about fleas, ticks, or heartworm. Your dog will thank you for it!
July 11, 2007 In Loving Memory of "Bob"
July 11, 2007
In Loving Memory of “Bob”
We had a death in the family this morning. Bob the goldfish died. I know what you are thinking, it was just a goldfish. Actually, he was a .28¢ goldfish from Wal-Mart to be exact. Nevertheless, he was a pet, and member of the family. He even had his own Christmas stocking!
Most people would simply flush the fish down the toilet, however in this family; fish go out with a little more pomp and circumstance. They get a full-blown pet funeral. Complete with tiny little box, and buried in the backyard, grave marked with a flower.
A few years ago, we lost “Ben” the Betta. I tried to convince my son to flush him, but he indignantly informed me that “Mom! God doesn’t live in the toilet!” Now you know why they get a funeral here.
Our pets aren’t the only ones that we do funerals for, if my kids find any dead creature, a dead bird, a baby bird that fell out of the nest or even butterflies, we have to have the ritual, get a box so the kids can bury it in the backyard. Once they found a dead hummingbird, it was so beautiful and to see it close up was amazing. I was fresh out of check boxes, (those work great for coffins) but I did happen to have a little box from McDonalds, actually it held Chicken McNuggets, so the bird was buried in a Chicken McNugget carton, Kleenex lined, of course.
I know this whole story sounds funny and silly, but truly, I’m glad my kids have hearts so big. At least I know they have empathy for animals of all sorts, with the exception of bugs, or wasps at least. A wasp stung my oldest son several years ago, and he has never forgotten it. We were at a store in Carmel once, and when I went to put the packages in the back of my van, they noticed a wasp. I swatted it and knocked it to the ground, sure that I had saved them from the attack of the killer wasp, but that wasn’t good enough. My son jumps up and down on the poor thing yelling, “DIE! DIE! DIE!”
Okay, maybe they aren’t THAT empathetic.
However, I do believe it’s important for children to understand death and dying, and funerals, at least for pets. They’ve yet to attend a human funeral, burying pets is traumatic enough. When your kids lose a pet, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you, have a heart, and let them grieve for it in their own way. Have a funeral for it if you can, and let them help prepare a final resting place. I’m reminded of the funeral scene in the movie “Cheaper by the dozen” when “Beans” the frog dies. Steve Martin gave a eulogy for him, “Beans was a good frog, he hipped and he hopped” . . . That still cracks me up! Let them work through their feelings; they may talk about it for a long time. Mine still talk about losing our pets from time to time. I think it makes them feel better to talk about them and I tell them how much I miss them too. It’s only natural.
While I don’t think Maus funeral home is in any danger of going out of business due to my sons’ pet “mortuary” service, maybe a pet cemetery isn’t a bad idea. I could see a line of children coming with their deceased pocket pets, and my kids making a coffin for them and providing a service. Guess I had better stock up on those disposable plastic containers for makeshift coffins; after all, God doesn’t live in the toilet.
In Loving Memory of “Bob”
We had a death in the family this morning. Bob the goldfish died. I know what you are thinking, it was just a goldfish. Actually, he was a .28¢ goldfish from Wal-Mart to be exact. Nevertheless, he was a pet, and member of the family. He even had his own Christmas stocking!
Most people would simply flush the fish down the toilet, however in this family; fish go out with a little more pomp and circumstance. They get a full-blown pet funeral. Complete with tiny little box, and buried in the backyard, grave marked with a flower.
A few years ago, we lost “Ben” the Betta. I tried to convince my son to flush him, but he indignantly informed me that “Mom! God doesn’t live in the toilet!” Now you know why they get a funeral here.
Our pets aren’t the only ones that we do funerals for, if my kids find any dead creature, a dead bird, a baby bird that fell out of the nest or even butterflies, we have to have the ritual, get a box so the kids can bury it in the backyard. Once they found a dead hummingbird, it was so beautiful and to see it close up was amazing. I was fresh out of check boxes, (those work great for coffins) but I did happen to have a little box from McDonalds, actually it held Chicken McNuggets, so the bird was buried in a Chicken McNugget carton, Kleenex lined, of course.
I know this whole story sounds funny and silly, but truly, I’m glad my kids have hearts so big. At least I know they have empathy for animals of all sorts, with the exception of bugs, or wasps at least. A wasp stung my oldest son several years ago, and he has never forgotten it. We were at a store in Carmel once, and when I went to put the packages in the back of my van, they noticed a wasp. I swatted it and knocked it to the ground, sure that I had saved them from the attack of the killer wasp, but that wasn’t good enough. My son jumps up and down on the poor thing yelling, “DIE! DIE! DIE!”
Okay, maybe they aren’t THAT empathetic.
However, I do believe it’s important for children to understand death and dying, and funerals, at least for pets. They’ve yet to attend a human funeral, burying pets is traumatic enough. When your kids lose a pet, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you, have a heart, and let them grieve for it in their own way. Have a funeral for it if you can, and let them help prepare a final resting place. I’m reminded of the funeral scene in the movie “Cheaper by the dozen” when “Beans” the frog dies. Steve Martin gave a eulogy for him, “Beans was a good frog, he hipped and he hopped” . . . That still cracks me up! Let them work through their feelings; they may talk about it for a long time. Mine still talk about losing our pets from time to time. I think it makes them feel better to talk about them and I tell them how much I miss them too. It’s only natural.
While I don’t think Maus funeral home is in any danger of going out of business due to my sons’ pet “mortuary” service, maybe a pet cemetery isn’t a bad idea. I could see a line of children coming with their deceased pocket pets, and my kids making a coffin for them and providing a service. Guess I had better stock up on those disposable plastic containers for makeshift coffins; after all, God doesn’t live in the toilet.
June 27, 2007 A Nursing Home for Pets?
June 27, 2007
A Nursing Home for Pets?
The Associated Press had a story about Japan getting its first nursing home for dogs, which has round-the-clock monitoring by vets and some puppies to help the aging pooches feel younger. The dogs are fed a special fortified diet. Owners pay $800 a month to keep their pets at this nursing home. Truly, it sounds like a nice place to be, and the dogs will be fed good food, medication, and have socialization with puppies. I don’t know about your dog, but mine had little tolerance for puppies. Actually, that would work two ways, the old dog would be a teacher for the pups. The pups would be taught manners and “disciplined” by the old dogs; my old dogs were always awesome teachers of puppies.
Well this just brings all sorts of questions to my mind.
So the owners are tired of taking care of poor “Poopsie”, are they in effect, abandoning their dogs at this place? Is the $800 like a boarding fee? Could it be that poor old “Poopsie” has become incontinent and the owners don’t want to deal with the mess anymore? What happens when the family gets tired of visiting “Poopsie” in the doggie nursing home? Do they just stop coming, sort of like the relatives of residents in human nursing homes?
I’ve had dogs that I’ve groomed that were old and I wanted to adopt them, because I felt like I could take better care of them than their owners did.
Therefore, I do see the reasoning behind the nursing home idea. However, what about how the dog feels to be separated from his family? I know dogs adapt to new situations well, but that’s just the human in me feeling sorry for them being left. They would probably have a better situation, be regularly medicated, and I’m sure the staff would love them. I would think if someone were paying $800 a month for the dogs care, they would at least go visit.
Although, I do know of a couple of dogs that are in a posh kennel in Rockford, IL, that have an airline pilot for an owner, he pays the kennel extra to play with the dogs. At the time of my visit, it had been over a year and a half and he had never come to see them. He just sent checks. My heart broke for those dogs, thinking it would somehow be better for them to live in a real house, with people who loved them. However, not everyone thinks like me. So often, I see “the family dog” tied up in the backyard. No attention, just food, water and a dog house if it’s lucky. The law says that’s adequate care. You couldn’t do that to a human.
I would imagine that Poopsie’s quality of life would be enhanced at the nursing home, he would get pain relief medications and any other medications he would need. Which is more than most people do for their old dogs now anyway. Pets don’t even complain when they are in pain. You’ll never hear a dog whining about his troubles and expecting you to cater to him. Most dogs are stoic about pain. You have to really “KNOW” your dog, to see if he’s in pain.
If your dog has trouble rising or walking, or starts walking stiff-legged, especially on those rainy days, it could be arthritis. How many of you have arthritis? Don’t you take medication for your pain? Why wouldn’t you give your dog medication for his? Many senior citizens are on heart medications, and many senior dogs have the same heart ailments as people. In fact, one of my dogs is on heart medication now.
Pharmacies always act so surprised when you go there to pick up a prescription for your dog. Why? They take most of the same medications we do and the vets don’t always have a supply in their shops ready for us to buy. Is it so surprising that we give our pets medication?
Now if only dogs would draw Social Security and Medicare benefits to help pay for the nursing home fees and medications, that might make it worth it.
What do you mean dogs don’t work? Dogs do have jobs you know. They just aren’t paid. My dogs have the job of watching the house (home security system), barking when people come (doorbell), playing with the kids (physical education instructor), barking when the boys are roughhousing (referee), in effect, telling on them. They are all therapists, you can tell them anything, and they won’t tell a soul. You can cry on them, laugh at them, play with them, cuddle with them and you get unconditional love. They act as pillows or blankets on the bed or couch. They make great throw rugs on the floor, although you do have to step over them and not on them. They make good babysitters too, now if I could only get them to do laundry they’d be perfect. Dogs are worth so much more than $800 a month, but for all they do for me, I feel it’s MY job to take care of them when they age and begin to have difficulties. Luckily, I can.
A Nursing Home for Pets?
The Associated Press had a story about Japan getting its first nursing home for dogs, which has round-the-clock monitoring by vets and some puppies to help the aging pooches feel younger. The dogs are fed a special fortified diet. Owners pay $800 a month to keep their pets at this nursing home. Truly, it sounds like a nice place to be, and the dogs will be fed good food, medication, and have socialization with puppies. I don’t know about your dog, but mine had little tolerance for puppies. Actually, that would work two ways, the old dog would be a teacher for the pups. The pups would be taught manners and “disciplined” by the old dogs; my old dogs were always awesome teachers of puppies.
Well this just brings all sorts of questions to my mind.
So the owners are tired of taking care of poor “Poopsie”, are they in effect, abandoning their dogs at this place? Is the $800 like a boarding fee? Could it be that poor old “Poopsie” has become incontinent and the owners don’t want to deal with the mess anymore? What happens when the family gets tired of visiting “Poopsie” in the doggie nursing home? Do they just stop coming, sort of like the relatives of residents in human nursing homes?
I’ve had dogs that I’ve groomed that were old and I wanted to adopt them, because I felt like I could take better care of them than their owners did.
Therefore, I do see the reasoning behind the nursing home idea. However, what about how the dog feels to be separated from his family? I know dogs adapt to new situations well, but that’s just the human in me feeling sorry for them being left. They would probably have a better situation, be regularly medicated, and I’m sure the staff would love them. I would think if someone were paying $800 a month for the dogs care, they would at least go visit.
Although, I do know of a couple of dogs that are in a posh kennel in Rockford, IL, that have an airline pilot for an owner, he pays the kennel extra to play with the dogs. At the time of my visit, it had been over a year and a half and he had never come to see them. He just sent checks. My heart broke for those dogs, thinking it would somehow be better for them to live in a real house, with people who loved them. However, not everyone thinks like me. So often, I see “the family dog” tied up in the backyard. No attention, just food, water and a dog house if it’s lucky. The law says that’s adequate care. You couldn’t do that to a human.
I would imagine that Poopsie’s quality of life would be enhanced at the nursing home, he would get pain relief medications and any other medications he would need. Which is more than most people do for their old dogs now anyway. Pets don’t even complain when they are in pain. You’ll never hear a dog whining about his troubles and expecting you to cater to him. Most dogs are stoic about pain. You have to really “KNOW” your dog, to see if he’s in pain.
If your dog has trouble rising or walking, or starts walking stiff-legged, especially on those rainy days, it could be arthritis. How many of you have arthritis? Don’t you take medication for your pain? Why wouldn’t you give your dog medication for his? Many senior citizens are on heart medications, and many senior dogs have the same heart ailments as people. In fact, one of my dogs is on heart medication now.
Pharmacies always act so surprised when you go there to pick up a prescription for your dog. Why? They take most of the same medications we do and the vets don’t always have a supply in their shops ready for us to buy. Is it so surprising that we give our pets medication?
Now if only dogs would draw Social Security and Medicare benefits to help pay for the nursing home fees and medications, that might make it worth it.
What do you mean dogs don’t work? Dogs do have jobs you know. They just aren’t paid. My dogs have the job of watching the house (home security system), barking when people come (doorbell), playing with the kids (physical education instructor), barking when the boys are roughhousing (referee), in effect, telling on them. They are all therapists, you can tell them anything, and they won’t tell a soul. You can cry on them, laugh at them, play with them, cuddle with them and you get unconditional love. They act as pillows or blankets on the bed or couch. They make great throw rugs on the floor, although you do have to step over them and not on them. They make good babysitters too, now if I could only get them to do laundry they’d be perfect. Dogs are worth so much more than $800 a month, but for all they do for me, I feel it’s MY job to take care of them when they age and begin to have difficulties. Luckily, I can.
June 13, 2007 Is the dog food recall over now?
June 13, 2007
Is the dog food recall over now?
Funny you should ask, with all the news about Paris Hilton going to jail, getting out of jail and going back to jail, there isn’t much on the news about more important issues such as our pets’ food supply, or our human food supply. The fact is it’s not over. Still daily, I get email updates on the latest recalls and as of today, Sunday, June 10th, there have been 588 different kinds of dog food recalled…that includes, canned, pouched, dry, and treats! In addition, 378 different kinds of cat food recalled! Including the same, canned, pouches, dry and treats!
June 6th - Ol'Roy has SalmonellaMay 17th - Recall of "Lick Your Chops"May 12th - Royal Canin adds 15 itemsMay 11th - Natural Ultramix recalledMay 4th - SmartPak extends recallMay 3rd - Over 200 items recalled by Menu FoodsApril 30th - Sierra Products/Harmony Farms listedApril 27th - Natural Balance recalledApril 27th - Chenango Valley Foods on listApril 27th - Diamond Pet Foods addedApril 26th - American Nutrition and Blue Buffalo addedApril 26th - SmartPak Canine RecalledApril 19th - Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin addedApril 18th - Wilbur-Ellis makes recallApril 17th - Natural Balance, Natural Life, and moreApril 12th - Science Diet extends listApril 10th - Menu Foods Recalls 9 more brandsApril 5th - Over 15 brands add more productsApril 2nd - Dingo recalledMarch 31st - Del Monte Dog treats addedMarch 30th - Alpo pet food recalled
This information is from www.nationalpetfoundation.com; new updates are coming out every day. Subscribe to the "Recall Email Update List" to get additional recall information within the hour it is reported.
New Recalls Coming . . .
There is an investigation by the FDA going on now that has found acetaminophen in pet food, that is the active ingredient in Tylenol® that can be deadly to animals, especially cats. Here’s the interesting part, the FDA wont say which brands of food has acetaminophen in it. They aren’t “releasing” that information yet. Nice, huh?
According to the website www.itchmo.com, there are some private individuals who have had their pet food tested by a lab, and it has shown cyanuric acid, and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) were in the samples they had sent in.
And if that isn’t enough, even your pet Goldfish isn’t safe!
Sergeant’s Pet Care Products is recalling some production lots of Atlantis Goldfish Flake Food and Atlantis Tropical Fish Flake Food due to melamine being found in these specific products (approximately 20-80 parts per million). The fish food that is being recalled is for pet/ornamental fish and not used to feed fish intended for human consumption.
Here are the products that are being recalled:
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 2.25 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.75 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 2.15 oz.
Atlantis® Color Enhance Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Betta Food, 1.2 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
So, you thought you’d play it safe and give your dog some hamburger and rice to feed him, because the recalls of pet food have been scaring you. Guess what?
It has been announced the E.Coli has been found in ground beef, and over LOS ANGELES - Southern California meatpacker United Food Group LLC expanded a recall to include 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday.
Fourteen people in six Western states have fallen ill after eating the beef but all have recovered, the department said.
The beef was butchered and shipped in April, and is no longer on store shelves.
You can find that information on this recall on either of the previously listed websites as well.
Frankly, all these recalls are making my blood boil. What really “frosts my flakes” is that none of these recalls seems to be “news worthy.”
I keep talking to my clients, and none of them were aware the recall is still ongoing! I’ve had clients tell me “oh well I’m safe because I feed xyz brand…” then I pull out my fourteen page list of recalled dog food and my 12 page list of recalled cat food and show them that indeed their “xyz” brand is on it.
I know I don’t get to watch much television, or read any news, but I do hear about things from my clients, and my computer, and there just isn’t enough information out there. I’m still feeding my old faithful, mail order dog food brand that is made with human grade ingredients, and so far so good. People assume that because they feed an expensive brand of dog food, that they are safe. They couldn’t be more wrong.
This recall affects expensive brands, inexpensive brands, generics, popular brands, and the list grows and grows. You need to know, WHAT ingredients are in your pet’s food, WHERE it is manufactured, and IF it’s been recalled, or if it may be soon.
If your pet is showing ANY unusual symptoms, please don’t just assume that is because of old age. I have a client with a twenty-year-old toy poodle. They lost their other two dogs because they had been feeding them food that was recalled, but they didn’t know that at the time. When the twenty-year-old dog started going downhill, it was naturally assumed that it was because of his age. Luckily, they found out about the recalls, stopped feeding the dog pet food, and started cooking for him, the formerly lethargic, ancient dog that was dying, started to perk up. He runs around like a puppy now! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking or acting so good. In fact, he just turned twenty-one! She jokes that he can now go to a bar and have his first drink. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to drive home and end up like Paris Hilton.
Is the dog food recall over now?
Funny you should ask, with all the news about Paris Hilton going to jail, getting out of jail and going back to jail, there isn’t much on the news about more important issues such as our pets’ food supply, or our human food supply. The fact is it’s not over. Still daily, I get email updates on the latest recalls and as of today, Sunday, June 10th, there have been 588 different kinds of dog food recalled…that includes, canned, pouched, dry, and treats! In addition, 378 different kinds of cat food recalled! Including the same, canned, pouches, dry and treats!
June 6th - Ol'Roy has SalmonellaMay 17th - Recall of "Lick Your Chops"May 12th - Royal Canin adds 15 itemsMay 11th - Natural Ultramix recalledMay 4th - SmartPak extends recallMay 3rd - Over 200 items recalled by Menu FoodsApril 30th - Sierra Products/Harmony Farms listedApril 27th - Natural Balance recalledApril 27th - Chenango Valley Foods on listApril 27th - Diamond Pet Foods addedApril 26th - American Nutrition and Blue Buffalo addedApril 26th - SmartPak Canine RecalledApril 19th - Blue Buffalo and Royal Canin addedApril 18th - Wilbur-Ellis makes recallApril 17th - Natural Balance, Natural Life, and moreApril 12th - Science Diet extends listApril 10th - Menu Foods Recalls 9 more brandsApril 5th - Over 15 brands add more productsApril 2nd - Dingo recalledMarch 31st - Del Monte Dog treats addedMarch 30th - Alpo pet food recalled
This information is from www.nationalpetfoundation.com; new updates are coming out every day. Subscribe to the "Recall Email Update List" to get additional recall information within the hour it is reported.
New Recalls Coming . . .
There is an investigation by the FDA going on now that has found acetaminophen in pet food, that is the active ingredient in Tylenol® that can be deadly to animals, especially cats. Here’s the interesting part, the FDA wont say which brands of food has acetaminophen in it. They aren’t “releasing” that information yet. Nice, huh?
According to the website www.itchmo.com, there are some private individuals who have had their pet food tested by a lab, and it has shown cyanuric acid, and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) were in the samples they had sent in.
And if that isn’t enough, even your pet Goldfish isn’t safe!
Sergeant’s Pet Care Products is recalling some production lots of Atlantis Goldfish Flake Food and Atlantis Tropical Fish Flake Food due to melamine being found in these specific products (approximately 20-80 parts per million). The fish food that is being recalled is for pet/ornamental fish and not used to feed fish intended for human consumption.
Here are the products that are being recalled:
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 2.25 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.75 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 2.15 oz.
Atlantis® Color Enhance Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.88 oz.
Atlantis® Betta Food, 1.2 oz.
Atlantis® Tropical Fish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
Atlantis® Goldfish Flake Food, 0.42 oz.
So, you thought you’d play it safe and give your dog some hamburger and rice to feed him, because the recalls of pet food have been scaring you. Guess what?
It has been announced the E.Coli has been found in ground beef, and over LOS ANGELES - Southern California meatpacker United Food Group LLC expanded a recall to include 5.7 million pounds of fresh and frozen beef that may be contaminated with the potentially deadly E. coli bacteria, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Saturday.
Fourteen people in six Western states have fallen ill after eating the beef but all have recovered, the department said.
The beef was butchered and shipped in April, and is no longer on store shelves.
You can find that information on this recall on either of the previously listed websites as well.
Frankly, all these recalls are making my blood boil. What really “frosts my flakes” is that none of these recalls seems to be “news worthy.”
I keep talking to my clients, and none of them were aware the recall is still ongoing! I’ve had clients tell me “oh well I’m safe because I feed xyz brand…” then I pull out my fourteen page list of recalled dog food and my 12 page list of recalled cat food and show them that indeed their “xyz” brand is on it.
I know I don’t get to watch much television, or read any news, but I do hear about things from my clients, and my computer, and there just isn’t enough information out there. I’m still feeding my old faithful, mail order dog food brand that is made with human grade ingredients, and so far so good. People assume that because they feed an expensive brand of dog food, that they are safe. They couldn’t be more wrong.
This recall affects expensive brands, inexpensive brands, generics, popular brands, and the list grows and grows. You need to know, WHAT ingredients are in your pet’s food, WHERE it is manufactured, and IF it’s been recalled, or if it may be soon.
If your pet is showing ANY unusual symptoms, please don’t just assume that is because of old age. I have a client with a twenty-year-old toy poodle. They lost their other two dogs because they had been feeding them food that was recalled, but they didn’t know that at the time. When the twenty-year-old dog started going downhill, it was naturally assumed that it was because of his age. Luckily, they found out about the recalls, stopped feeding the dog pet food, and started cooking for him, the formerly lethargic, ancient dog that was dying, started to perk up. He runs around like a puppy now! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking or acting so good. In fact, he just turned twenty-one! She jokes that he can now go to a bar and have his first drink. Let’s just hope he doesn’t try to drive home and end up like Paris Hilton.
May 30, 2007 Do dogs go to Heaven?
May 30, 2007
Do Dogs go to Heaven?
Losing a beloved pet is an unfortunate part of life. When our animals pass away it seems so soon, so unfair and why can’t they live longer? For many people, myself included, our pets are part of our family. I can’t imagine a house without my pets. When you lose a pet, that emptiness surrounds you and even though you are sure you will never want another one, when you least expect it sometimes, another pet finds you, and you start all over again.
It’s never easy losing a pet. Facing the thought of euthanasia is daunting to most people. The guilt of playing executioner looms over us. Yet, it is humane and kind and ends suffering. I recently had the honor; yes, it was an honor, to help a friend who just could not take her dog on that last trip to the vet. I took him and stayed with him until the end. He was held gently and loved. He was kissed and spoken to softly, and told how much his family and I loved him. He passed quietly and peacefully. I know the pain of losing pets, and I know how hard it is to make that final trip. It was an act of love for him and for my friend. I gave her a card with “The Rainbow Bridge” poem on it. Rainbow Bridge is a place pets go to wait for their owners when they pass away. When the owner passes away, they are reunited with their beloved pets so long from our memory but never long from our hearts and they cross the bridge together into Heaven.
Do pets go to Heaven? There is no definitive answer in the Bible to say for sure, that is really up to us to decide. This is what I choose to believe:
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.
He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white, stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road, which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.
There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing,” the traveler said, "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too!"
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Well, doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” the traveler asked.
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
Author Unknown
Do Dogs go to Heaven?
Losing a beloved pet is an unfortunate part of life. When our animals pass away it seems so soon, so unfair and why can’t they live longer? For many people, myself included, our pets are part of our family. I can’t imagine a house without my pets. When you lose a pet, that emptiness surrounds you and even though you are sure you will never want another one, when you least expect it sometimes, another pet finds you, and you start all over again.
It’s never easy losing a pet. Facing the thought of euthanasia is daunting to most people. The guilt of playing executioner looms over us. Yet, it is humane and kind and ends suffering. I recently had the honor; yes, it was an honor, to help a friend who just could not take her dog on that last trip to the vet. I took him and stayed with him until the end. He was held gently and loved. He was kissed and spoken to softly, and told how much his family and I loved him. He passed quietly and peacefully. I know the pain of losing pets, and I know how hard it is to make that final trip. It was an act of love for him and for my friend. I gave her a card with “The Rainbow Bridge” poem on it. Rainbow Bridge is a place pets go to wait for their owners when they pass away. When the owner passes away, they are reunited with their beloved pets so long from our memory but never long from our hearts and they cross the bridge together into Heaven.
Do pets go to Heaven? There is no definitive answer in the Bible to say for sure, that is really up to us to decide. This is what I choose to believe:
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years.
He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white, stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like Mother of Pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.
He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"
"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.
"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up."
The man gestured, and the gate began to open.
"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.
"I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets."
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road, which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed.
There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. "Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there." The man pointed to a place that couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."
"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump." They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it.
The traveler filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," was the answer.
"Well, that's confusing,” the traveler said, "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too!"
"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."
"Well, doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” the traveler asked.
"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just happy that they screen out the folks who'll leave their best friends behind."
Author Unknown
May 16, 2007 Dog Walking 101
May 16, 2007
Dog Walking 101
While taking my son to 4H dog obedience this year which is his second year in it, I was quietly observing the kids in the class and noticing some things about how they handled their dogs. At the end of the class a little girl was struggling with her large chow mix dog that was dragging her all over the place. Her mother told me how softly she speaks and she doesn’t want to hurt the dog, yet I couldn’t help myself and just had to jump in and show her a few tricks to help make her a better handler.
I began by placing the dog’s choke collar very high on his neck directly under his jaw so she would have more control and the dog wouldn’t choke himself literally by pulling so hard on the chain across his trachea. Next I didn’t say a word to the dog; I did all my speaking through the leash. We walked around the ring, the instructor gave commands and I simply followed along not having any problem whatsoever with this dog. When I halted, he sat as he was supposed to do. He didn’t whine and whimper and carry on with me like he did with her. He didn’t drag me. I gave a little tug on the leash to encourage him to sit, stay, heel or down and he listened immediately.
The little girl’s mother was in awe. Then I gave the little girl the lead and showed her where to put her hands. As she was walking along, I saw her hands riding up higher next to her waist. I told her to relax her arm and only give him a tug to correct him if he pulls ahead, otherwise relax. She did as I told her and she was surprised to get the very same results that I did with her dog. Her dog quit making noise as well. This was a two minute lesson! The trick I told her was do not talk to the dog with your voice, but only through the leash. When she saw how he responded she instantly gained confidence and I gave her some other hints that I swear by such as you go in and out of doors first, the dog must sit and stay until you say “ok” and then he is to come out. That little bit of body language puts you in the leadership role in your dog’s eyes. Her dog wasn’t a disobedient dog; he just did not view the little girl as a leader so he didn’t respect her. After she gained a bit more confidence, her attitude changed, and so did her dogs! She thanked me as if a miracle happened before her eyes.
It was really nothing more than being assertive and demanding respect. Learning how to properly walk any dog will change their attitude and behavior at home immensely! I have groomed some really large and obnoxious dogs that outweigh me and can definitely out muscle me and ended up soaking in a hot tub that night and waking up very sore the next day. Recently I decided that the next time I have an unruly dog that we would be teaching walking 101 for dogs before I groom them to save my aging body. Well I had the pleasure of doing some training for some really big dogs lately and it was a huge success! Within five minutes of walking the dog decided, “Oh, so you are the leader I get it now”. When we got back from our walk the dog calmly walked into my shop, I was leading of course, and the groom went off without any fight at all. Suddenly the dog respected me and realized that I was the leader and they couldn’t lead me and they became so cooperative! I wish I had time to do that with all the dogs that I groom! I may institute this new rule with new clients or old clients with unruly dogs. It sure made my life easier and of course when the owner came to pick up their dog they got a mini lesson in dog walking 101 so they could get the same results. You may have heard Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer” refer to learning the walk on his show. I can honestly say that the walk is the foundation of everything you teach your dog. Walking your dog is leadership and once your dog understands that you are the leader, the rest is easy. So now that the weather is nicer, get your dog out of the house and take him for a nice long walk, with him by your side and not ahead of you. Lock those flexi-leads into a fixed position so they can’t keep pulling on them. Make sure your dogs collar is up high on his neck just under his jaw and take off with your head held high, chest out, looking ahead, don’t watch the dog, just look ahead and your four-legged companion will soon turn into the best walking buddy you have ever had!
P.S. Don’t forget the baggies to clean up after him just in case . . . be a good neighbor and a good walker!
Dog Walking 101
While taking my son to 4H dog obedience this year which is his second year in it, I was quietly observing the kids in the class and noticing some things about how they handled their dogs. At the end of the class a little girl was struggling with her large chow mix dog that was dragging her all over the place. Her mother told me how softly she speaks and she doesn’t want to hurt the dog, yet I couldn’t help myself and just had to jump in and show her a few tricks to help make her a better handler.
I began by placing the dog’s choke collar very high on his neck directly under his jaw so she would have more control and the dog wouldn’t choke himself literally by pulling so hard on the chain across his trachea. Next I didn’t say a word to the dog; I did all my speaking through the leash. We walked around the ring, the instructor gave commands and I simply followed along not having any problem whatsoever with this dog. When I halted, he sat as he was supposed to do. He didn’t whine and whimper and carry on with me like he did with her. He didn’t drag me. I gave a little tug on the leash to encourage him to sit, stay, heel or down and he listened immediately.
The little girl’s mother was in awe. Then I gave the little girl the lead and showed her where to put her hands. As she was walking along, I saw her hands riding up higher next to her waist. I told her to relax her arm and only give him a tug to correct him if he pulls ahead, otherwise relax. She did as I told her and she was surprised to get the very same results that I did with her dog. Her dog quit making noise as well. This was a two minute lesson! The trick I told her was do not talk to the dog with your voice, but only through the leash. When she saw how he responded she instantly gained confidence and I gave her some other hints that I swear by such as you go in and out of doors first, the dog must sit and stay until you say “ok” and then he is to come out. That little bit of body language puts you in the leadership role in your dog’s eyes. Her dog wasn’t a disobedient dog; he just did not view the little girl as a leader so he didn’t respect her. After she gained a bit more confidence, her attitude changed, and so did her dogs! She thanked me as if a miracle happened before her eyes.
It was really nothing more than being assertive and demanding respect. Learning how to properly walk any dog will change their attitude and behavior at home immensely! I have groomed some really large and obnoxious dogs that outweigh me and can definitely out muscle me and ended up soaking in a hot tub that night and waking up very sore the next day. Recently I decided that the next time I have an unruly dog that we would be teaching walking 101 for dogs before I groom them to save my aging body. Well I had the pleasure of doing some training for some really big dogs lately and it was a huge success! Within five minutes of walking the dog decided, “Oh, so you are the leader I get it now”. When we got back from our walk the dog calmly walked into my shop, I was leading of course, and the groom went off without any fight at all. Suddenly the dog respected me and realized that I was the leader and they couldn’t lead me and they became so cooperative! I wish I had time to do that with all the dogs that I groom! I may institute this new rule with new clients or old clients with unruly dogs. It sure made my life easier and of course when the owner came to pick up their dog they got a mini lesson in dog walking 101 so they could get the same results. You may have heard Cesar Millan, “The Dog Whisperer” refer to learning the walk on his show. I can honestly say that the walk is the foundation of everything you teach your dog. Walking your dog is leadership and once your dog understands that you are the leader, the rest is easy. So now that the weather is nicer, get your dog out of the house and take him for a nice long walk, with him by your side and not ahead of you. Lock those flexi-leads into a fixed position so they can’t keep pulling on them. Make sure your dogs collar is up high on his neck just under his jaw and take off with your head held high, chest out, looking ahead, don’t watch the dog, just look ahead and your four-legged companion will soon turn into the best walking buddy you have ever had!
P.S. Don’t forget the baggies to clean up after him just in case . . . be a good neighbor and a good walker!
May 2, 2007 It's SPRINGTIME!
May 2, 2007
It’s SPRINGTIME!
Yes it’s that wonderful time of year, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, everything is green and beautiful and we have our lovely spring rains. Our dogs are eager to play outside and go after all the new little bunnies, squirrels, and other creatures and some dogs love to DIG in the ground for them!
Well this means only ONE thing; you open your door to a dirty, wet, smelly dog! Most people can manage to wipe off Fido’s paws as he comes in the door or towel him off after his romp in the wet grass. In extreme cases Fido may need a bath, no problem, pop him into the tub and scrub him down. Unfortunately if Fido has a longer coat you may then discover something you hadn’t notice before this bath; matted hair.
You dig out your grooming tools, find the dog brush and brush away but you notice that those matts are not coming out or you have managed to brush the entire top coat OVER the matts so they are now less noticeable. Hmmm, better call the groomer you say to yourself. You dial your groomer and you get her answering machine, so you leave her a message. She calls you back but you aren’t home so she leaves you a message to call her back. This scenario goes on for a few days. Meanwhile, Fido continues to go outside and play in the mud and comes back inside and after toweling him off you notice something else. Tiny little ticks embedded in Fido’s skin! Uh oh! Well what did you expect? It IS mushroom season in Indiana now.
You head for your vet and pick up some Frontline Plus for fleas and ticks, you figured it was so cold out last week you wouldn’t need it before now. Au contraire! Haven’t you learned yet that there is one thing you can count on in Indiana that is the weather changing all year long, balmy and sunny one day, rainy and cold the next, snowing the next day, 74 degrees the next. When you do your laundry you discover shorts and tanks, sweaters, coveralls, mittens, hats and bathing suits.
Your groomer finally manages to reach you but she’s booked up for the next month! Wow! You didn’t have that much trouble getting an appointment in the winter, why is she so busy now? Why? She is busy because it is spring and all the dogs are shedding their winter coats, getting filthy and hot! You asked to be put on her cancellation list just in case she gets some time to squeeze you in. So you apply your Frontline Plus to Fido and a week later the phone rings and it’s your groomer calling to tell you that she had a cancellation for TODAY and she can get you in. Whew! What a relief, Fido’s odor was really beginning to get to you and all that hair to wipe off day after day was wearing you out washing all those towels. You look outside and it’s raining. If you get Fido all cleaned up today he’ll just go outside and mess himself all up again. You briefly consider not taking that open appointment, but then look at poor Fido and his long matted hair and decide that it’s the best thing for him, besides can you stand him another 3 weeks?
Fido gets groomed, looks great, smells great, and now thanks to you getting Frontline Plus he has no more ticks. The moral of this story is, we live in Indiana. If there is anything consistent about Indiana it’s the weathers inconsistency. So what’s a person to do? My advice is this: stay on a schedule all year round for grooming appointments, flea and tick control, (yes even in the winter!) and heartworm medication then you won’t be caught off guard by the sudden emergence of long matted hair, fleas and ticks, and groomers who are too busy to squeeze you in. If you pretend it’s spring all year round you’ll always have a clean, parasite-free pet, and it’s really time to put your New Year’s resolution into effect about getting organized. Get out your calendar now, make your appointments, stock up on your pets’ flea and tick control, and take Fido for a walk in the woods and start looking for mushrooms!
It’s SPRINGTIME!
Yes it’s that wonderful time of year, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, everything is green and beautiful and we have our lovely spring rains. Our dogs are eager to play outside and go after all the new little bunnies, squirrels, and other creatures and some dogs love to DIG in the ground for them!
Well this means only ONE thing; you open your door to a dirty, wet, smelly dog! Most people can manage to wipe off Fido’s paws as he comes in the door or towel him off after his romp in the wet grass. In extreme cases Fido may need a bath, no problem, pop him into the tub and scrub him down. Unfortunately if Fido has a longer coat you may then discover something you hadn’t notice before this bath; matted hair.
You dig out your grooming tools, find the dog brush and brush away but you notice that those matts are not coming out or you have managed to brush the entire top coat OVER the matts so they are now less noticeable. Hmmm, better call the groomer you say to yourself. You dial your groomer and you get her answering machine, so you leave her a message. She calls you back but you aren’t home so she leaves you a message to call her back. This scenario goes on for a few days. Meanwhile, Fido continues to go outside and play in the mud and comes back inside and after toweling him off you notice something else. Tiny little ticks embedded in Fido’s skin! Uh oh! Well what did you expect? It IS mushroom season in Indiana now.
You head for your vet and pick up some Frontline Plus for fleas and ticks, you figured it was so cold out last week you wouldn’t need it before now. Au contraire! Haven’t you learned yet that there is one thing you can count on in Indiana that is the weather changing all year long, balmy and sunny one day, rainy and cold the next, snowing the next day, 74 degrees the next. When you do your laundry you discover shorts and tanks, sweaters, coveralls, mittens, hats and bathing suits.
Your groomer finally manages to reach you but she’s booked up for the next month! Wow! You didn’t have that much trouble getting an appointment in the winter, why is she so busy now? Why? She is busy because it is spring and all the dogs are shedding their winter coats, getting filthy and hot! You asked to be put on her cancellation list just in case she gets some time to squeeze you in. So you apply your Frontline Plus to Fido and a week later the phone rings and it’s your groomer calling to tell you that she had a cancellation for TODAY and she can get you in. Whew! What a relief, Fido’s odor was really beginning to get to you and all that hair to wipe off day after day was wearing you out washing all those towels. You look outside and it’s raining. If you get Fido all cleaned up today he’ll just go outside and mess himself all up again. You briefly consider not taking that open appointment, but then look at poor Fido and his long matted hair and decide that it’s the best thing for him, besides can you stand him another 3 weeks?
Fido gets groomed, looks great, smells great, and now thanks to you getting Frontline Plus he has no more ticks. The moral of this story is, we live in Indiana. If there is anything consistent about Indiana it’s the weathers inconsistency. So what’s a person to do? My advice is this: stay on a schedule all year round for grooming appointments, flea and tick control, (yes even in the winter!) and heartworm medication then you won’t be caught off guard by the sudden emergence of long matted hair, fleas and ticks, and groomers who are too busy to squeeze you in. If you pretend it’s spring all year round you’ll always have a clean, parasite-free pet, and it’s really time to put your New Year’s resolution into effect about getting organized. Get out your calendar now, make your appointments, stock up on your pets’ flea and tick control, and take Fido for a walk in the woods and start looking for mushrooms!
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