When the phone started to ring and my email started to fill, I knew something must have happened again in the world of dog and cat food. As of this writing more foods have been recalled and a few more ingredients besides wheat gluten have been added to the list of “not to safe.”

Evidence suggesting that a shipment of the ingredient “Rice Protein Concentrate” contained melamine has come to light. As reported by OregonLlive.com posted by The Associated Press and The Oregonian “Ingredients imported from China that went into recalled pet food may have been intentionally spiked with an industrial chemical to boost their protein content, federal officials said today.

That’s one theory being pursued by the Food and Drug Administration as it investigates how the chemical, melamine, contaminated at least two ingredients used to make more than 100 brands of dog and cat foods. Melamine has been found by U.S. laboratories in both wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate imported from China.”

Melamine, an ingredient in plastics and fertilizers could lead to kidney failure in animals.

Stephen Sundlof, chief veterinarian for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said melamine, which has turned up in more than 100 brands of cat and dog food, might have been used to falsely boost the apparent nutritional content of rice protein. Melamine can skew test results to make a product appear more protein-rich than it really is, Sundlof said.

You think when you are buying food that all pet food manufacturers have your pet’s best interests in mind …………..right? – After all, who doesn’t love your pets more? Current pet food regulations allow manufacturers to use ingredients that you would never knowingly give to your pet. For example: by-products used (feet, bones and intestines, etc.), or as some of you heard the 4 D’s, dead diseased, dying and disabled Chemical preservatives (BHA and BHT) should not be in your pet’s food. Look for grains that are often difficult to digest (corn, wheat, gluten and soy), which are often used as a protein source instead of meat, should be avoided

If you switch to premium dog food, switch your pet’s diet to premium treats, bones and supplements. Often times we over look what else we are giving them. Treats can contain the harmful and not so healthy ingredients as listed above.

Life’s Abundance premium pet food for puppies and adult dogs, cats and kittens is made using only fresh, human-quality ingredients. It is a nutrient dense food with high quality meat proteins and NO by-products, corn, wheat, gluten or soy. NO artificial flavors, colors, sugars or chemical preservatives.

Lori Matthews studies health, nutrition and wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit premium4pets.com premium, healthy dog food by Lifes Abundance for more information.

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Tags: dog food, healthy dog, kitten

If your dog has pancreatitis, he will be required to eat a specific canine pancreatitis diet. This special diet will help them control their disease and keep them more comfortable. Here is some information on pancreatitis and the diet your dog should eat.

Pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed. It begins producing too many digestive enzymes too soon. Pancreatitis can be either acute or chronic. Mildly acute cases are usually one time occurrences that have little lasting damage to other organs. Chronic pancreatitis is a reoccurring condition that is usually brought on by a high fat diet or certain medications.

Pancreatitis can range in severity from being very mild to being life threatening. Acute necrotizing pancreatitis basically attacks and dissolves first the pancreas and then surrounding organs. This type of pancreatitis is very dangerous, and can result in rapid death. Symptoms of pancreatitis include apathy, loss of appetite, irregular appetite, aggressiveness, and vomiting. Be aware of these symptoms and take your pet to the veterinarian as soon as you notice something unusual.

Pancreatitis is more common around the holiday times such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. The diet tends to lean towards richer, fattier foods. Resist the urge to give your dog table scraps. Feed them a diet of strictly dog food and dog snacks. This will help to avoid these problems. Some medications can also be the cause of pancreatitis. Other causes include trauma to the pancreas, middle age, and high risk breeds.

Pancreatitis is treatable in most cases, usually with a special canine pancreatic diet. It usually begins with a fast between 24-48 hours long. Then, a low fat dog food is fed in small quantities. Gradually, the amount of food in the canine pancreatitis diet is increased. Some dogs may be dehydrated and may need to receive fluids intravenously or subcutaneously. In some cases the dog’s former diet may be slowly reintroduced into the canine pancreatitis diet, but this is up to the veterinarian.

In addition to the canine pancreatitis diet, any offending medications should be discontinued. Antibiotics may be administered to stave off infections during the healing process. If the dog is in a lot of pain, your veterinarian may prescribe a pain reliever.

In some cases, the canine pancreatitis diet may not be the answer. If the disease progresses or develops complications, there may be alternative treatments available. Things like a pancreatic ulcer would require surgery. If a dog develops pancreatic insufficiency he could literally starve to death without treatment. Unfortunately, these treatments are usually life long and expensive.

Pancreatitis is a serious, potentially life threatening disease that should be caught early to achieve the best prognosis. Usually a special canine pancreatitis diet can control the episodes and get the pancreas functioning again. Recognizing the symptoms and taking swift action can save your pet a lot of pain and may even save his life. Always consult your veterinarian.

By Howard Dabrawsky II

Were you affected by the dog food recall? How does your dog food compare?
Get more info at squidoo.com/caninepancreatitisdiet squidoo.com/caninepancreatitisdiet

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Tags: dog food

When you own a Pug one of your biggest concerns will be how to feed your Pug. Ensuring a healthy diet for your Pug can be a challenge. Each breed has its own special dietary requirements. Because he Pug has a tendency to overeat – its essential to monitor his/her diet closely.

Many Pug owners complain that their Pugs often gobble their food too quickly. There are some ways that you can encourage your Pug to eat a little slower. ….

Consider feeding your Pug a homemade diet of freshly prepared foods. There are some problems with the many commercial foods because every dog’s nutritional requirements are different; many of these foods don’t take into account your pugs unique nutritional requirements.

The Pug originated in Tibet; their diet only consisted of that which they could easily find or hunt. Mainly rodents, goat, boar, deer or even Yak’s. They probably also ate the barley, rye or mountain corn growing freely. Their diet originally had a high fat content and even today their diet needs quite a large portion of fat.

Proper feeding can save you a fortune in Vet bills. Many of the most common illnesses can be avoided with a good diet. Try choosing a dog food company that is large and reputable. Never skimp on the dog food!

With so many varieties of dog foods to choose from the Pug owner can become quite bewildered! Choosing a recognized dog food brand will minimize the risk of leaving some of the most essential nutrients out of your dog’s diet.

Experts disagree on what kinds of benefits Pugs experience from nutritional supplements. It is possible that vitamin supplements can cause kidney or liver damage so try to limit the supplement intake. If you have a high quality dog food then it should sufficiently cover the most important nutrients. You can give your Pug vitamin C supplements.

Pugs often suffer from infestations in the face and ear area; adding a tablespoon of yogurt to counter-act yeast buildup.
The Pugs fast eating can cause many problems for Pugs and their owners. The Pug is notorious for farting as a result of the swallowing of air. Feed your Pug twice a day to minimize this smelly problem!

Don’t give your Pug raw hide treats. Because they eat so quickly, they are more prone to choking on large pieces. There are many Pug owners who have learnt the hard way that pugs and raw hide treats don’t go together. Rather buy your Pug a treat that is softer and smaller. These bite sized treats are much safer for your Pug.

Feeding your Pug the proper foods can ensure a longer life and lifelong happiness for him and your family

Steve Allison loves writing about dogs and manages the website

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Tags: dog food

If your puppy gets excited and wets herself, especially when you have company or when you first arrive from being away from her, this is called “submissive urination.” This kind of urination is different from breaks in house training. Puppies often outgrow the problem as they do not have good bladder control. The older dog that does this may be lacking self-esteem.

Although dogs do not have the intelligence like a human in some areas such as being spiteful and mis-behaving, they do have some psychological aspects to their behaviors.

In a case such as this it helps if the owner will try to become deliberately less threatening. Avoid directly staring at your dog. Kneel down closer to his level rather than standing over him and encourage your dog to come to you rather than reaching out to get her. Your tone of voice should be soft and coaxing. Never, never punish a dog for submissive urination. Your dog is already submitting to you, “over-submitting,” and you want to try and reverse some of this.

If any of your guests or family members have been agressive with your shih tzu, protect him and ask that they not approach him because of this problem of submissive urination you are experiencing with him.

It might be helpful to invite a cooperative friend or family member to sit on the floor and quietly talk with you. At first, ignore the shih tzu. If your shih tzu has not urinated at this point have the friend or family member speak a few words very quietly and gently to the dog, but from a distance. If the dog still does well, repeat the exercise the next day. If things still continue to go well, ask your friend or family member to pay just a bit more attention to your shih tzu and get just a little bit closer to him. Continue having these sessions, gradually increasing the visitor’s and your contact with the dog. If the dog urinates, backtrack and reduce the time spent. As the dog matures submissive urination should get better and as the shih tzu learns he does not have to be extremely submissive to you.

Tips On Sanitation:

The best way to pick up and dispose of dog feces in an urban area is to scoop it up with one of the many pooper scoopers available and put it in a freezer type bag, then tie it closed or simply flush it down your sewer system. With small dogs such as the shih tzu the stools are small and even smaller and less if you use a good quality dog food like HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance All Natural Dog food and treats. If you are out walking, you can carry along paper towels, or a hand full of toilet paper to do the actual picking up (and you probably want to keep some plastic gloves handy for this purpose as well). Carry along some hand sanitizer to clean your hands afterwards. There are commercial products you can purchase, or you can use freezer bags or the bag your newspaper comes in.

In some areas there may be rules against putting feces in your trash. In this case, you can flush it down your sewer system or….after you have tied it in the freezer bag and placed it in another sturdy trash bag, this should be enough to keep the odor away and use a good quality dog food like HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance All Natural Dog Food to keep the smell of feces down. That way, your garbage pick-up people will be less likely to complain if the odor is contained appropriately. Remember to wash your hands many, many times throughout the day when you live with pets and use hand sanitizers. Always wash your hands before you eat or do anything with mouth or nose contact. I keep hand sanitizer in the pumps out all over the place so that I can quickly pump a scoop in my hands and then as soon as possible I also wash my hands with a good anti-bacterial soap for at least two minutes each time, scrubbing under my nails and up on my wrists. You should advise all children in a household with pets to do the same.

Connie Limon publishes a FREE weekly newsletter. A professional newsletter with a focus upon health and wellness fro you and your pets. Discounts on shih tzu puppies are offered to subscribers. Weekly updates of available puppies. Sign up at: stainglassshihtzus.com stainglassshihtzus.com

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Tags: dog food, shih tzu

When it comes to preparing homemade dog food, it seems so difficult and unachievable, especially with the type of busy lifestyle we live in this modern age. As a matter of fact, preparing homemade dog food can be easy and provide good nutrient for your dog as well provide you know what you are doing.

If given a choice, I’m sure your dog would prefer natural dog food prepare by you rather than funny size, unrecognizable commercial kibble that are not as healthy. The main problem with most commercial kibble food is that they contain too much low quality protein that contains a high quantity of ammonia producing agents.

A good healthy replacement would be foods that contain eggs, real meats with a low fat content such as white chicken meat, and low fat dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese. Such foods are high in moisture and provide high quality protein that dogs need for good health.

One high quality and quick homemade meal that you can provide for your dog would be:

Ingredients:
Cottage cheese
Egg
Chicken (Baked, steam fish, or canned fish)
Cooked Oatmeal
Canned Pumpkin (plain, no spice type)

The cottage cheese, egg and chicken should make up to about fifty percent of the meal, oatmeal thirty percent, and twenty percent pumpkin. Barley and whole wheat bread can be used as substitute for the carbohydrates. This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and your dog will love it! On the surface, this meal might appear to have high protein content, nevertheless, the protein are of high quality and your dog would have no problem digesting them.

Vegetable based biscuits are another easy to prepare dog food that can be stored for later in the refrigerator or freezer:

Ingredients:
An Egg
1/3 cup of applesauce
Tablespoon of brewer’s yeast
A Cup each of cooked brown rice, mashed or grated vegetables

Mix well and drop small dollops of the mixture on a greased cookie tray and bake for about 10 to 13 minutes in a 350 degrees heated baking oven. These biscuits can be served as a treat or as part of your dog’s daily meal.

Preparing your dog food at home is not really difficult and time consuming. A search on dog food recipes online can give you many good dog food recipes also. If you are good at it, you can even provide better nutrition for your dog and save some money along the way.

Moses Wright is the founder of

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Tags: dog food