my pet first

Please be “green” with your pet.  You can check out our Natural Cedar product that we carry. It’s harm-less to your pet. You can squirt it on their bedding, your rugs and your Pet. Smells good too. You can be confident you are treating your animal in a healthy way.
Never put a flea collar on your dog or cat. They are an irritant to the neck/body. Only put them INSIDE your Vacuum cleaner bag..it will kill any fleas that get Vacuumed up.

SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!!! It’s good news that we need to spread!

Canine Grooming Tips by Dr. Jane from Life’s Abundance

No one likes a bad hair day … and that includes your dog. Just like with humans, the skin is the largest organ of a dog’s body. Every day, their skin and coats are exposed to UV rays, pollution, infectious agents, drying heat or wind. Because it can contribute to a dog’s overall health, grooming should be an essential part of companion animal care. While bathing a dog, I think all of us have experienced getting wetter than your dog, being interrupted by phone calls, or, worst of all, a sudsy canine tearing off, leaving a wet, sudsy trail behind him. As a veterinarian with a good deal of grooming experience, I can tell you that planning ahead can reduce unwanted problems and stress, so here are a handful of my best tips.

BEFORE THE GROOMING SESSION

Unfortunately, bathing can be stressful for some dogs, as some just tolerate it better than others. For those pups who are particularly skiddish, consider brewing some chamomile tea to calm your dog. Thirty minutes before you bathe, give your dog a cooled cup of chamomile tea with honey, (and yourself) followed by a dog treat that’s rich in carbohydrates, like our Antioxidant Health Bars. The carbohydrates will help deliver the calming tea straight to your dog’s brain. Better yet, you can both sit down with some tea and play soothing music, to set a calming tone for your upcoming grooming session. You can also give your dog tea during the grooming session. As we’ve already mentioned, just make sure the tea has cooled off (no hotter than room temperature).

I recommend the use of a grooming apron with pockets that covers you from chest to mid-thighs, to protect your clothes. While you can always put your clothes in the laundry later, dog hair can be difficult to remove from a washing machine. A full apron not only protects your clothes, in the pockets you can keep treats, shampoo, conditioner and a brush. The treats you choose must smell appealing to your dog – like our Tasty Rewards Training Treats – and keeping them in your apron pockets will leave your hands free for grooming.

If your dog is of a long-haired breed, (Barbara has a cockapoo)  brush with a fine-tooth comb prior to bathing, so you don’t have to contend with knots while shampooing, potentially making a bad problem worse.

DURING THE GROOMING SESSION

Whether you bathe your dog in the tub or the backyard, sit on a low stool to prevent stress or injury to your back and knees. If you’re outside, I advise that you use a six-foot leash. Tie it around your waist or hook it on your belt to free up your hands and prevent your dog from slipping away for a sudsy romp.

If you’re using water from an outdoor hose, keep in mind that, while it might be warm outside, the water will feel cold to your dog, not always without substantial discomfort. If at all possible, use tepid water, either by running extension hoses from the sink in your house, or simply bathe your dog indoors in a tub.

When you apply the shampoo, make small circles with a hairbrush with plastic nubs to distribute the shampoo evenly through the hair and onto the skin. This will also exfoliate the skin and allow the herbs in the shampoo to penetrate the skin. Leave the shampoo on for about three minutes, but don’t allow it to dry as this can irritate the skin. Our Revitalizing Shampoo suds well, rinses easily, and features rosemary to help increase blood flow, ultimately contributing to healthier skin and hair.

Most animals really don’t enjoy having their heads washed, so I suggest that you simply wet the head using a wash cloth. That way, you’ll be sure to prevent shampoo from entering the eyes or ears, making the entire experience more enjoyable for your canine companion.

AFTER THE GROOMING SESSION

I recommend towel drying your dog versus using a blowdryer, which can excessively dry or even burn skin, and frighten some dogs with the sound. The best method for towel drying is by patting rather than using a circular motion, which can often lead to matting. BE careful!

In most cases, you’ll be able to see an immediate change in your dog’s appearance following a bath. You’ll know that you’re using a high quality shampoo when your dog has a shinier, fuller coat, less dander and no more “doggie smell”. With moisture-activated odor neutralizers, our Revitalizing Shampoo features antioxidants and organic extracts of rosemary and sage, nutritive herbs that penetrate into the hair shaft and promote coat health. Also included are kiwi and mango essences, selected because they too enhance the health of the skin, as well as leaving your dog’s coat smelling clean and fresh.

You should not bathe your dog more often than every two-to-three weeks. If your dog’s coat could do with some freshening in between baths, use Bath Fresh Mist to neutralize odors and condition the skin and coat. This product is so simple to use … just spray and brush into in the coat. You will love the aroma and your dog will love the attention!

And what about you? Do you have any “must-know” grooming tips that you’d like to share with your fellow blog readers? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals!

Dr. Jane Bicks

On April 13th I read on my Facebook page that this black Lab was found in LA laying in the road next to her dead companion, a dog. We all hope for such a friendship. It even reminded me of my last dog, Moki, that I rescued in 2002.  She was found in the Moab desert laying next to her dead owner (who had been dead for at least 3 days) after her owner had committed suicide.

On Friday the 13th of April, I re-posted and shared this story with FB, Friends, Family, etc. Always helping to spread the word on dogs that need to be adopted and rescued. Any animal, in fact.   I re-posted it to Haute Dogs in Long Beach and any place I thought it would get attention.  I also accessed my personal email of animal lovers. My neighbor, Ricci had a great idea.  She said let’s email KTLA, NBC and ABC and see if anyone will pick up the story and air it this weekend.

The story was very sad as this black Labrador lay next to her friend…NO ONE would stop and help the  two dogs. As you can see in the video cars kept driving by at a fast pace. That was more heart break on top of what had already happened.  One by-stander took the video and stated that an LA police officer was standing there chuckling at the sight of folks videoing, etc. Why didn’t he stop traffic? Not sure if that is fact, but I cringe to think if it was in fact, true.

KTLA and Channel 4 (in LA California area) picked up the story and after it was aired…tons of phone calls came in. “Grace” was adopted today and will be in her forever home. This feels so good to have a hand in this…and 3 cheers to my neighbor and dog sitter…Ricci!  It takes a village!

Let this be a strong lesson….Re post and share.  Build community.  Speak up and spread the word.  Let things or issues be visible on what is important to you and in your heart. We CAN MAKE a difference!    YOU can Make A Difference. Believe it and see it through. Even when you feel defeated, there is always more that can be done!

Even if you help just ONE LIFE, Friendship or have a positive effect, it adds to the greater good of us all. Yahoo!!!!!!

BEST PET FOOD-if you want to treat your dog’s system with the healthiest food, we even deliver to your door…

Be careful! and read labels.

Story at-a-glance

• Over four years and hundreds of sick and dead pets since their first warning to consumers, the FDA continues to proceed at a snail’s pace investigating just what the problem is with chicken jerky treats from China.
• Fed up pet owners have begun to involve their elected officials in demanding faster and more decisive action from the FDA. Pet owners have also teamed up to put pressure on retailers to voluntarily pull chicken jerky treats made in China off store shelves.
• An internal FDA document obtained by a major media outlet mentions three brands of pet treats contained in reports from pet owners and veterinarians.
• Predictably, the pet food companies in question and the FDA continue to insist there is no link between sick pets and chicken jerky treats.
• Under no circumstances should pet owners offer chicken jerky treats, tenders or strips from China to their dog or cat. Buy pet food products made in the U.S., or even better — make your own chicken jerky treats right at home

The FDA’s position is they will not implicate nor recall products until a specific contaminant has been identified. The agency maintains chicken jerky treat samples have been tested for drugs, poisons, mycotoxins, heavy metals and certain chemicals, yet the problem remains a mystery.

But while the FDA seems content to remain clueless about what’s causing the problem, pet owners and veterinarians in the U.S., Canada and Australia have their own suspicions. These include:

• Ongoing melamine contamination
• Irradiation of ingredients in jerky treats
• An as-yet unidentified chemical preservative
• Diethyelene glycol (a toxin)

Meanwhile, a grassroots group calling itself Animal Parents Against Pet Treats Made in China is working — with little success so far — to have retailers voluntarily pull potentially tainted chicken jerky pet treats off store shelves.

The Number of Sick and Dead Pets Continues to Climb

According to MSNBC.com, by February 10th of this year, the FDA had received 537 reports of sick dogs. That number included 353 from 2011 and 184 so far in 2012.

(Please note: The number of reported incidents varies tremendously depending on the source, thus I’m also seeing a total of 596 new reports just since the last FDA warning in November 2011ii . That would mean in about 4 months’ time there have been nearly 600 new reports of illness and death in pets who ate chicken jerky treats made in China. I’m not sure which sets of figures are correct. The situation is absolutely unacceptable, regardless.)

Symptoms include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), increased thirst and/or urination, and decreased activity.

Symptoms appear within a few hours to days after a dog eats the chicken jerky treats. Pets who become severely ill or have symptoms lasting more than 24 hours should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

Blood tests may show markers for kidney failure. Urinalysis may point to acquired Fanconi syndrome.

Fortunately, most sick dogs have fully recovered, however, an increasing number of deaths are also being reported.

RESOURCE: Dr Becker

Posted By: Dr. Becker , April 2012 |

Story at-a-glance

• Recently the Canadian government awarded a grant to a company that makes pet food ingredients from egg waste products.  Healthy?
• The company claims their powdered egg product has up to 50 percent protein, and their egg white binding agent is 80 percent protein. What they don’t mention, of course, is how much of this processed powdered protein is actually useful to the body of dogs and cats. Not every food high in protein is appropriate for canines and felines.
• Whole egg waste comes from egg grading facilities, egg breaking facilities, and hatcheries. Exactly how it is transformed into powdered egg product for the pet food market isn’t clear.
• “Egg product” is an ingredient in many lower quality commercial pet foods. It’s up to pet owners to guess whether this egg product came from eggs fit for human consumption, or egg waste products.
• Hopefully, by leaving pet foods containing egg product on store shelves, we are discouraging the practice of repurposing human food waste as nutrition for our beloved four-legged companions.
• Yes, good to USE the whole product and not let food go to waste but where is the limit? and when do we stop feeding the NOT SO NUTRTIOUS stuff to our animals?
• Make sure you are aware of the BEST and HEALTHY Pet food you are feeding your pet
• By Dr. Becker:    Last year, an economic development program in Canada awarded a large grant to help a former egg processing plant re-open as a business that converts egg waste into pet food ingredients.

The plant, which had been closed for four years, now processes whole egg waste from egg grading plants to produce powdered pet food ingredients.

It also extracts egg whites from discarded egg shells and produces liquid egg white that is used as a binding agent in pet food.

According to the company, the powdered egg product has up to 50 percent protein, and the egg white binding agent is 80 percent protein.

Government officials feel the grant is helping to turn “… something that was considered waste unto a usable product.”  They also hope the re-opening of the plant will benefit the community and create jobs.

I’m all for finding ways to make use of food waste products, for example, as an energy source or as fertilizer.

But I’m certainly not in favor of repurposing waste as nutrition for dogs and cats.

In the U.K., egg and egg products not fit or intended for human consumption are considered animal by-products.

They fall into the same category as manure and digestive tract content, hides and skins, wool, feathers, semen, ova and embryos, shellfish shells and “other products of animal origin.”

“Whole Egg Waste”

According to a U.S. pet food ingredient manufacturer who sells dried egg product, there are three main sources of the whole egg waste used in pet food: ‘Grader,’ ‘Breaker,’ and ‘Hatchery.’

Grader egg waste comes from egg processing facilities that sell to supermarkets. These eggs need to look appealing when grocery shoppers open the carton. Any egg with a cracked or dirty shell is tossed into an ‘inedible’ bin.

Breaker egg waste comes from facilities that use eggs in prepared or frozen mixes used by restaurants, bakers and other food service outlets. The waste that comes from breaker eggs is mostly egg white left after the yolk is separated.

These two types of whole egg waste are, according to the pet food ingredient company, collected daily, kept refrigerated, and dried within a day of collection.

Hatchery waste is liquid from eggs that didn’t hatch. It tends to lead to foul odors in the dried egg product, so it presumably isn’t used as often as the other two types of whole egg waste.

All three categories of eggs have been deemed unfit for human consumption.

How Does Whole Egg Waste Become Powdered Egg Product for Pet Food?

With the exception of hatchery waste, whole egg waste products don’t seem as objectionable as many other by-products found in commercial pet food.

Certainly fresh, whole eggs – preferably from organically raised chickens – provide a better source of nutrition. But egg whites and the fresh contents of broken or dirty eggshells aren’t in and of themselves problem ingredients.

However, in order to make use of whole egg waste in commercial pet food, it must be processed in some manner. It must become ‘egg product’ with a reasonably long shelf life. Remember the plant in Canada is producing ‘powdered egg product.’

AAFCO definition of egg product:

“Product obtained from egg graders, egg breakers, and/or hatchery operations that is dehydrated, handled as liquid or frozen. These shall be labeled as per USDA regulations governing eggs and egg products (9CFR, Part 59). This product shall be free of shells or other non-egg materials except in such amounts which might occur unavoidably in good processing practices, and contain a maximum ash content of 6% on a dry matter basis.”

Not surprisingly, it’s incredibly difficult to find out how egg waste product is processed for the pet food market. However, according to the American Egg Board, dried egg products for human consumption are typically produced through spray drying.

Before the egg white is dried, glucose is removed to increase storage stability, and sometimes ‘whipping aids’ are added. Sodium lauryl sulfate, used as a volume enhancer, is also added.

When long storage stability is required, glucose is also removed from whole egg and yolk products before drying. In some cases, glucose-free corn syrup and sucrose are added to improve storage stability.

Egg Waste Isn’t a High Quality Protein Source for Pets

My greatest concern with egg waste product in commercial pet food is that it is commonly used to cheaply inflate the amount of protein contained in the formula.

And I suspect not only the powdered egg product is being used to inflate protein percentages, but also the binding agent derived from egg whites.

In Life’s Abundance Pet food,k the digestibility of the protein your pet is fed is key. It doesn’t matter how high the protein percentage in a certain food is if your dog or cat can’t digest it and make use of it as high quality nutrition.

Bioavailability is the measure of how efficiently food nutrients (the amino acids in protein) are absorbed and used by the cells of the body after digestion. The bioavailability of a whole egg is 100 – the gold standard for bioavailability.

The bioavailability of egg waste product is … who knows? So while the egg waste product manufacturers boast protein amounts of 50 percent and 80 percent, how much if any of that processed egg waste protein actually benefits your pet … is unknown.

Egg waste products are not a source of egg shell membrane, the recently discovered joint protective agent that many people are finding beneficial for their pets. In fact, no one really knows why ethical pet food manufacturers would choose to use egg waste product in their pet food, other than to provide a cheap way to bolster protein percentages on the pet food label.

Generally speaking, it’s easy to find dried egg product on the list of ingredients in lesser quality commercial pet foods. The better the food, the less likely it will be to contain this ingredient.

My recommendation for those of you who feed commercially available canned or dry pet food formulas is to skip anything with egg product on the ingredient list. There’s just no way to tell what it is, exactly … or where it came from … or how it was processed before being mixed into your pet’s prepared food.

If you want to feed eggs to your healthy dog or cat, I recommend going with whole fresh eggs, preferably locally raised. You can feed them either raw or lightly cooked. If you cook them, leave the yolks intact to preserve the omega-3 fatty acids.

If the commercial food you serve your pet is a brand you like and trust, and it also contains egg product, you can give the manufacturer a call or send them an email and ask where they source their egg product. It may or may not be egg waste product, and the response you receive may ease your mind about the quality of the nutrition you’re feeding your dog or cat.

References:

• defra
• 3D Corporate Solutions LLC
• American Egg Board
• Dr. Becker

Three Toothsome Tips for Canine Dental Health

I took my dog to Seal Beach Dog Park (March 25^th 2012) and saw this incredible sight.

Julie, the English Pointer, was focused on a gopher hole. Suddenly I saw the gopher pop up and Julie was mesmerized. Keeping her focus on that cute little critter. This gopher would touch her nose to the dog’s nose. What???? A connection? Friendship? ADORABLE!!!

The dog’s owner said that Julie has killed the gophers in his backyard…but NOT at this park. He joked that this gopher is “Julie’s Pet”.      I was in awe. Gotta watch this!

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR PRODUCTS PAGE for great items…Especially #1 pet food and it is delivered to your door! healthy, holistic and never on recall list!

RAWHIDE is deadly. They should be taken off the shelves!
Rawhide is not digestible and it expands in the stomach. The compressed rawhide is just as bad.

My friend’s dog died from Rawhide twisting in her intestines.

Never give a dog any lamb bones. They splinter into vicious shards. We stay safe as we can, no bones of any kind, and definitely no rawhide.

The best is to buy them raw bones from the butcher, they are very cheap. Messy yes, but the dogs love them, they are highly digestible and good for their teeth. Never give a dog chicken bones either. Especially if they are cooked as they splinter and get stuck in the soft palate and the esophagus.
You can also purchase the natural smoked bones.

Make sure it is Digestible and best to keep an eye on them…so do it when you are around. Play it safe. If you leave them with something to OCCUPY themselves, best to fill an empty bone or kong with peanut butter and a Treat stuffed inside.

Bully sticks are also good if you dog needs something to chew on to keep him/her occupied.

The Red Cross offers pet CPR classes for both cat & dog. I highly recommend every pet owner take this class!!   You can also learn pet CPR on Youtube.

Just Passing this on from my neighbor in LB. I know if a dog is “fixed” they are less likely to display extroverted behavior. But always educate yourselves  (and be as mindful as you can to warrant any situations that could occur) as any Pet Responsible Parent should do.

“The article below was written by my good friend Tia Maria Torres (Founder, Villalobos Rescue Center and Animal Planets “Pitbulls and Parolees”)

Even though this article focuses on Pit Bulls, it pretty much applies to any breed of dog that has exhibited the behavioral issues described below. You know, the behaviors that most people write off as “He/She always does that” or “He/She is just playing”, etc. Believe me, I see this all the time

Bottom line, people will bring Pit Bulls to a dog park; therefore, just wanted to give you some food for thought.

Cathy
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