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. 

Recall | Iams Cat Food, canned

I'm so relieved that Proctor & Gamble bought out Natura/Evo.

They are recalling some cat food for deficiencies :

The following Iams canned cat foods are included:

Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food – all varieties of 3 oz, 5.5 oz cans
Date stamped 09/2011 to 06/2012

This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America.  No other Iams pet food is involved.  

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss.  In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures.  Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs.  If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it.  For further information or a product refund, call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).

Pet Food Institute to NYTimes : kibble is awesome

Don't take my word for it (it being be aware of what you feed, and why) - take Duane's word for it that pet food  on the grocery store shelves is just awesome and wonderful.

What does Duane advocate? Here's his website. He's the voice of the pet food industry. And he wants you to remember, always, that grocery store pet food is prem-o!

benefits of a grain free diet

check out this simple, to-the-point article

treats | instinct grain free

very cool!

my local feed store just introduced Nature's Variety Instinct Grain Free (guilt free) biscuits!

We grabbed two boxes, duck and rabbit. Many are alarmed that the rabbit source in Nature's Variety comes from China, which they are up front about, so feed only what you are comfortable with.





Duck Ingredients:
duck meal, tapioca, garbanzo bean flour, sweet potatoes, pork fat, pumpkinseeds, montmorillonite clay, natural vegetable flavor, dried egg whites, cinnamon, guar gum, inulin, mixed tocopherols with citric acid (a natural preservative), rosemary extract, direct-fed microorganisms (dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product)

supplement | colostrum

Since my foster dog took a turn for the worst in his fight against demodex mange (and staph infection) I've been researching for immunity boosters non-stop.

A universally recommended one seems to be Colostrum : the "liquid gold" that comes in before breast milk.
Why 'liquid gold'? Before the development of antibiotics, colostrum was the main source of immunoglobulins used to fight infections, such as polio.

So - for our foster dog we're currently looking to
a. reduce stress
and
b. boost his immunity

For now we've settled on Pet Natural's Calming Formula treats.
Active Ingredients Per 1/4 Teaspoon (1.25 ml):
Thiamine (Vitamin B1) . . . . . . .31.25 mg
L-Theanine (Suntheanine® brand) . .10.56 mg
Colostrum Calming Complex . . . . . 5.28 mg


A bit more about colostrum:

What is Colostrum? 

Colostrum is the pre-milk fluid produced from the mother's mammary glands during the first 72 hours after birth. It provides life-supporting immune and growth factors that insure the health and vitality of the newborn. 

Does Colostrum Help With Cuts And Burns? After Surgery Or Accidents?

Colostrum's immune factors are highly effective anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents to help reduce and eliminate infections in external injuries (cuts, burns, abrasions and surgical wounds). Colostrum also contains epithelial (skin) growth hormone that stimulates accelerated healing and powerful anti-inflammatory agents that can eliminate swelling and pain. Open the capsule and mix with sterile water or a saline solution to form a paste. This can be applied directly to the affected area. Bandage if needed. Reapply two to three times daily until healing is complete.

What About Pets? 

Bovine Colostrum is not species specific and works wonderfully with cats and dogs and other mammals. Open capsules and sprinkle in pet dish...most pets love the taste of Colostrum. Encourage them to drink water along with it.

More Chews as Nylabone Alternatives

Terrabone

From bestbullysticks : 

Terrabone is the world's healthiest and safest edible dental chew bone for fresh breath. The #1 ingredient in a Terrabone is USDA certified organic brown rice. Unlike other edible chew bones, Terrabone contains no animal by-products like gelatin or animal glycerin. 
Ingredients:



Sam's Yams "Veggie Rawhide"

Ingredients are simply:



They look, smell, and I suspect taste just like the sweet potatoes I bake for the dogs:

Shop at Petsmart?

I was on a mission last week to find decent treats and/or chews at Petsmart.

I don't know why the disconnect - but of the chain stores, it seems that Petco has embraced more of the natural/grain free way of feeding dogs and cats when compared to Petsmart.
(where natural means less corn, wheat, soy, salt, corn syrup, etc)

I find, however, you'll always win at a local specialty dog boutique. But, if all you can find is a Petsmart - here are two suggestions.

1. Treat - So Natural Bison. Made in the USA
Ingredients: Bison Recipe: Barley, bison, oat flour, peas, rye, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), cranberry, carrots, apples, tomato pomace, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress.



2. Chew - Health Smart Dog
They were almost identical to Health Bones/Berry, but smaller. Here's a link to the ingredients - our dogs enjoyed both the super berry & the pumpkin/carrot.