we're out!

I just wanted to briefly post and let any readers know that I will not be posting any longer on this blog.

I think I've sort of exhausted the food topic and have explored a great deal (along with pics!) on this blog.
It will still be here, with all topics covered in the bubble on the right - feel free to dive in and share.

Think of it as a launch pad for you - the conscious dog owner. Go out, discover... and watch how marvelously your dog will be thriving.

Thank you for reading, and happy feeding :)
Jen

recall | pro-pet adult daily vitamin

United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio is voluntarily recalling all unexpired lots of its PRO-PET ADULT DAILY VITAMIN Supplement tablets for Dogs due to possible Salmonella contamination.  The Food and Drug Administration is aware of this recall.

The product was sold nationally at various retailers.  The product comes in 100-count white plastic bottles with a light blue label, and UPC code 26851-01800.  These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets.  The affected products are those with expiration dates on or before "06/13". The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.

Laboratory testing has revealed that one Lot of this vitamin product was contaminated with Salmonella.  The company is recalling all unexpired Lots of the product out of an abundance of caution.

Consumers who have purchased the product are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-800-645-5154 ext. 3, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.

good deal | merrick's hungry dog

Our former foster dog was a seriously aggressive chewer.... he could get through most bones within an hour.


So, I thought I'd try Merrick's Hungry Dog grab bag to see if it would last us longer than investing in a handful of bully sticks/rawhides/chews.

It is considered a "grab bag" so you'll never get the same mix twice. Our bag was a pretty good mix of one snoozle, tons of texas toothpicks, one small flossie, two corporal caps, and what looked to be ears  :


It wasn't a great deal, but it was a good deal at $9 via heartypet. Bestbullysticks also has them at $10.

fun find | ethnic markets

Ethnic markets can sometimes be a conscious pet feeder's best friend (especially if you feed raw!)

A mere 6 blocks from my door is an Asian market that sells a plethora of fantastically fun items that I like to eat, and some that I can feed my dogs. No where else can I find CHEAP fresh, frozen prawns, frozen anchovies and frozen duck necks!

I've started to utilize everything I've learned about my dogs and their nutritional needs - and I'm finding things that maybe a few years ago I would have never fed that I do now.

For example : Dried, lightly salted fish snacks


It's actually a fairly large bag and would last a while as a once in a while snack (due to salt content)


And they don't smell that bad, but just enough to entice the dogs


(p.s. this is the last pic you will see of Vander the pibble sampling my food discoveries. He got adopted!) 

raw feeding - not just a fad, pt 2

The Dick Van Dyke show (of all things!)

Minute 10:20 - listen to the "houseguest" dog's menu:
Chunk horse meat... lamb's liver... tripe!

Recall | Natural Balance Chicken & Sweet Potato

From Natural Balance:

Our 5 lb. and 28 lb. Sweet Potato & Chicken Dry Dog food, manufactured on December 17, 2009 with a “Best By” date of June 17, 2011 is being voluntarily recalled. A random sampling of this product tested positive for Salmonella by the FDA. In my mind, I asked, “How can this happen? I spent over $900,000 putting in our laboratory to test our products before we release them.” We tested samples from the production run when it was manufactured six months ago, and the results came back negative.

Upon hearing from the FDA, I immediately went to our Director of Customer Service, a licensed Registered Veterinary Technician, to check call logs for any complaints with this product. Our Customer Service department closely tracks and monitors complaints for any potential issues; and I heard no reports in our weekly meetings, so I was not surprised when I found we did not have a single complaint about this product. Next, I immediately pulled the retention samples for this product to be sent to an independent third party laboratory. The samples were sent to Zoologix, a laboratory that does real-time PCR testing, the most sensitive type of testing for Salmonella. Those test results also came back negative (CLICK HERE to see results). I reported our test results and call logs to the FDA, but due to the positive result they had found, they recommended a recall.

Vander's new food

Vander seemed to be having a tough time adjusting to Wellness Super5 Mix Lamb/Barley (which he was transitioned to from EVO Herring).


I suspect, though haven't tested the theory, that he may be sensitive to the grains in the formula.
Wellness Super5 Mix Lamb/Barley Ingredients:
Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Rye Flour, Tomato Pomace, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Salmon Meal, Rice Bran, Tomatoes, Ground Millet, Natural Lamb Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Chicory Root Extract, Garlic, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products.

Vander is now switched (cold turkey) to Taste of the Wild High Prairie

Ingredients:

Bison, lamb meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, roasted bison, roasted venison, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried fermentation products of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

We switched him from EVO for three reasons - 

1.  EVO (natura) sold to Proctor  & Gamble :( 

2. TOTW is more cost efficient for a dog his size, and easier to obtain should he be adopted. 

3. I think he needed a red meat based food (zinc!) because he already gets fish oil supplements. 
And bonus, it's still grain free.