Make Your Own Dog Food…Or Not…

Make Your Own Dog Food…Or Not…

 

 

Do you make your own dog food?  If so, you may want to read this article in detail.  It seems that most of the recipes out there are ‘nutritionally deficient’, meaning your pups aren’t getting all the minerals and vitamins and other nutrients they need for a healthy diet.

This study analyzed 200 recipes.  “They found that only nine of the 200 recipes —including eight of the nine written by veterinarians — provided all essential nutrients in concentrations that met the minimum standards established for adult dogs by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, while only five recipes — all written by veterinarians — provided essential nutrients in concentrations that met the National Research Council’s Minimum Requirements for adult dogs.”

 

This can be dangerous for your dog.  Of the 5 recipes four of them were written by board-certified veterinary nutritionists.  This study recommends that if you do want to make your own dog food you consult a board certified veterinary nutritionist.

 

This may sound daunting…I mean how many board certified veterinary nutritionists do you know?  However, Google to the rescue.   There is a lot of information out there.   You could also contact your local Vet School to see if they can assist you.  For us here in Iowa, that is ISU Vet School.  There is a school just for veterinary nutrition (American College of Veterinary Nutrition) and they could also give you some pointers.

 

Whatever you feed your pup, make sure it is good quality and follow up with your vet to make sure your pup is healthy.  If you do have questions, contact a veterinary nutritionist.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

What Extreme Would You Go To

I read this news story today and it made me wonder, what extremes would you go to, to save a pet in danger?  Would you stop traffic to save a dog or cat or even a goose and goslings in the road?  What is the most extreme thing you have done to rescue an animal in need?

I was driving home from a rescue event at our local Petco a few years ago.  My husband had just gotten me a satellite radio and I had to wait 15 minutes for it to program.  Since I was almost home, instead of turning left to go home, I turned right to drive down the road a bit and give the radio time to program.  As I was driving along I saw a large white dog running down the side of the road.  She was emaciated and, to me, obviously needed help.

 

 

I pulled up behind her and she stopped to look at me. When I got out of the car, she turned around and ran down the road. Another car that saw what I was doing pulled over in front of her and tried to stop her. She ran across the highway at this point right in front of another car. She made it across the road and I pulled across, driving the wrong way on the shoulder. I pulled up beside her and rolled down the window to talk to her. She looked at me and sat down.

 

 

I got out of the car talking to her the whole time. I slowly walked toward her and she hung her head looking scared. I got down on my knees and crawled the rest of the way to her holding out my hand. She sniffed my hand and licked my finders. As I got closer she scooted up to me and laid her head on my chest and looked into my eyes. She just took one big sigh and reached up and licked me on the nose.  That right there made me say I’m going to help this dog.

 

 

She had no collar and was filthy and starving. I went back to the car to grab a leash, all the while talking to her. I hooked the clip part through the handle and slipped it over her head. She was fine with that till I started walking her to the car. She started to fight with me then, just terrified. I got her calmed down and tried to coax her to the car. She just sat there shaking. Finally I picked her up and put her in the back seat.

 

 

By this time my radio was programed and I turned around to go home.  I called hubby along the way to give him a heads up about bringing home a stray.  He wasn’t too thrilled with me, until I got home.  He saw the condition she was in and we did our best to help her.  We took her to the vet and she only weighed 50 lbs. According to the AKC a Great Pyrenees should weigh about 85 to 100 lbs. The vet thinks she is less than 2 years old and has had at least two litters of puppies already.  He said that was why she was so small was because the calcium and nutrients she needed to grow were going to her puppies.

 

 

She was so sweet and so gentle, we decided to name her Tenderheart, after Tenderheart Bear from the Care Bears.

 

 

We started feeding her up and getting her healthy again.  A few months later a young couple came to meet her and adopted her shortly thereafter.  This was about 7 years ago or so.  She has a wonderful new family with a sister named Tegan and a brother named Burney.  They changed her name to Lexie, but I still call her Tenderheart.  She also has a couple cats and a new human sister named Emory also.  Her family is very proud of her…as you can tell by all the photos they sent me for this blog.  :)

 

Burney, Lexie (Tenderheart) & Tegan

Tegan, Burney, & Lexie (Tenderheart)

Tegan & Lexie (Tenderheart) helping Emory with her snack

Tegan & Lexie (Tenderheart)

Tegan, Lexie (Tenderheart) & Burney

 

This was my extreme rescue.  So what extremes would you go to?

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Lucky Kitten, Momma Cat, and an Eskie Reunion

This is the story of a very lucky kitten and a momma cat.  I wrote this blog last week venting about a kitten that had been dumped in the weeds in front of our house. If you read that blog, you will see why we call her Lucky Kitten.

 

 

Lucky Kitten

 

When my husband first went out to get her, he thought it was just her.  Later that evening when we came home from an evening out we saw a black cat on the grill behind the shelter.  She was meowing in the window and the kitten was meowing back to her.  I immediately thought 'I bet she’s the momma cat'.  We found evidence where she had been trying to get into the back window of the shelter.

We attempted to catch her to see if she was the momma and needed help, but she eluded us.  We tried for quite a while to get her, but she wasn’t having any of it.  So we left out a bowl of food and water and went to bed.  All night and the next day we could hear her meowing to the kitten and the kitten meowing back to her. 

Later the next morning I went out to water my flowers.  I could tell it was going to be a hot day.  As I was winding up the hose I heard momma cat.  She was under my husband’s van.  When I walked toward her she came up to the fence and was rubbing up against it.  I reached through the fence and she let me pet her and was rubbing up against my hand.  I stood slowly and reached over the fence.  She let me pet her again.  I loved on her for a bit and then made my move.

I grabbed her and picked her up to give her some loving and she let me.  When my husband came around the corner she flipped out and fought to get away.  She has a full set of claws, but never once used to them to scratch me and never bit me.  She just turned into this wriggling maniac until she finally got loose.  She took off into the woods. 

A few hours later she was back meowing to the kitten.  I went outside again and slowly approached her.  She let me pet her again and again I was able to catch her.  This time she wriggled from the beginning, but I got her into the shelter and when she saw the kitten she stopped fighting.  I held her up to the kennel we had the kitten in and you could tell they were momma and baby.  I put her in the kennel with the kitten and she was a happy momma cat again.

 

 

Momma Cat

 

It’s been about 4 days since then and we have been trying frantically to find homes for Momma Cat and Lucky Kitten.  We are a dog rescue and are just not set up to rescue cats.  We couldn’t bring them in the house because they would not be safe.  We have a couple of dogs that do not tolerate cats.  So they stayed in the shelter in a kennel.  I’ve been sending out pleas via e-mail and Facebook to try and find a home for these two and finally have safe places for them to go.

Lucky Kitten has been adopted locally and will have a great home.  Momma Cat though is not going to a new home.  We worked with the Nebraska Humane Society, Omaha NE last year to save a little Toy Eskie named Tinkerbell.  They have agreed to take in Momma Cat and have assured us that she will be safe until she can find a new home of her own.

 

 

Tinkerbell helping load Momma Cat

 

On Friday I drove out to the Atlantic Hy-Vee to meet a wonderful volunteer who has agreed to overnight Momma Cat until she can be taken to the shelter in Omaha.  This is the same volunteer who told us about Tinkerbell and fell in love with her. They also wound up adopting another dog several years ago who went from Illinois to Montana and then back to her in Nebraska when Montana didn’t work out.

So even though Momma Cat isn’t staying in Iowa, she will be safe until she can find a home of her own.  Sometimes we have to look farther away to rescue dogs and in this case, cats.  Transport is a part of what we do and it’s nice when we find volunteers to meet us part way. 

 

 

Group shot of all the volunteers at the Atlantic, IA Hy-Vee

 

We met up at the Hy-Vee in Atlantic, IA.  Our volunteer had also brought two of her Eskies with her, Luke and Princess Penny.  She had also rescued them from the NHS in Omaha.  So now along with a rescue transport for an abandoned cat, we had a full blown Eskie Reunion on our hands.  Our volunteer’s son had a special bond with Tinkerbell, so she came along on the trip.

 

 

Eskie Reunion & Rescue Transport

 

So this is the story of Lucky Kitten and Momma Cat.  Fortunately this tail of dumping turned into a success story, but it doesn’t always work out so well for dumped pets.  A few days ago I saw this story online stating instances of dogs being shot have increased lately.  What kills me about this story is that it was a vet who shot the dogs.  But what really kills me is that he refused to treat the dog after he shot it. Grrr

Long story short…don’t dump your pet.  It is not always a happy ending.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

 

Watch Your Pets for Heat Stroke

Photo from www.pet360.com

The temps have been staying steadily above 90º here in the Midwest and above 100º in the southwest and even in the northwest.  My husband and I were at the Good Guys Car Show in Des Moines on July 5^th and we saw a couple walking two small rat terriers that were obviously over heated.  I decided to write this blog on the signs of heat stroke in pets and how to treat it. 

 

The key to saving a pet suffering from heat stroke or heat exhaustion is immediate treatment.  Pets do die from being over heated.  If you are going to take your pet out on hot days like this, please keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t get over heated.

Signs of heat stroke include (but are not limited to):

 

• Excessive or exaggerated panting
• Lethargy
• Weakness
• Drooling
• High fever
• Dark red gums
• Rapid heartbeat
• Unresponsiveness to commands and surroundings
• Vomiting
• Collapse
• Staring/anxious expression
• Warm/dry skin

photo from pitbullmixed.com

If you suspect that your pet is over heated, take them immediately inside to an air conditioned room or in front of a fan or if you can’t get indoors to a shady spot.  It is important to remove them from the source of the heat immediately.

Cool them down by pouring cool water over their head and body.  You could also use a garden hose by gently spraying them with water.  Put your pet in front of a fan and spread their fur with your fingers to help cool them.
 

Photo from blog.northjersey.com

When they come around give them a small amount of water to drink.  If you have it you could also give them a pediatric electrolyte solution.

Call the emergency vet for assistance.  If your dog is not coming around immediately take them to a vet or emergency vet clinic.  After your pet is recovered you should still visit your vet for a checkup just to make sure there isn’t any internal damage.

Photo from www.bordervetgoondiwindi.com.au

 

Remember to keep calm as you are treating your pet.  If you are panicking your pet will feel that and will be stressed out even more.

Remember during these hot summer days not to leave your pet in a parked car.  Even with the windows cracked and parked in the shade the inside temperature can get to 90º on a 70º day.  On a 90º+ day, even with the windows cracked, the inside temperature can get to 150º+. 
 

Photo from www.thepetdoctorinc.com

Also, if you have an outside dog, make sure they have plenty of fresh water and plenty of shade.  Especially if your dog has a thick coat of fur or is used to northern climates.  Black pets are also in more danger because dark colors absorb heat.

Breeds of dogs and cats with short snouts will be more prone to heat stroke because they have a more difficult time breathing.  You want to be especially aware of heat stroke in breeds like Pugs, Boston Terriers, and Persian cats.

Remember that dogs cannot sweat like we do.  They do sweat through their paws and pant to release excess body heat.  Cats sweat through their paws also and groom themselves to help keep cool.  The grooming wets their fur and cools the cat as it evaporates.  If you notice your cat panting, they are too hot and it is time to take them inside to cool off.

Photo from lifewithchcats.com

 

Best rule of thumb, if it’s too hot for you to be outside, it’s too hot for your pet to be outside.  Keep your pet inside or in a shady spot with plenty of fresh water to help keep them cool.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri

Pet Friendly Fireworks Display

My husband did a more pet friendly version of our local fireworks display last year for anyone that would rather stay home with their fur kids and keep them company.

It is 3d so you can watch it in full screen and set the volume level so the dogs won't get scared :)

Feel free to share with other pet lovers :)

Be Well & Be Happy,
Pet~Pourri

So You Want to Give Up Your Pet

This post is a rant as well as educational...I hope.  This morning someone dumped this kitten in the weeds in the ditch in front of our house.  I don't think the two 'ladies' who dumped it saw my husband standing in the yard watching them.

This kitten can't be more than 2 months old.  She was just sitting there trying to figure out where she was and which way to go when my husband went out to get her after the 'ladies' left.  About 15 minutes later the county came by mowing the weeds on the sides of the road.  They do this about twice a year.  If my husband hadn't seen these 'ladies' dump this poor baby she could have been killed.  To dump an 8 week old kitten on the side of the road in the country is just the same as murder in my book.  What were you thinking?!?!?!

Dear Readers, please, if you want to give up a pet, take it to the shelter.  Most of them will wave the surrendering fee if you can not afford to pay it.  Do Not Dump Your Pet on the side of the road in the country.  You may think, oh, its in the country, a farmer will take it in or it can hunt for its food.  I can guarantee you that 95% of the pets dumped in the country will die.  Either from exposure, starvation, being hit by a car, or, yes, even shot by the farmer you thought would take it in.  If you dump your pet on the side of the road, you are a murderer!

Seriously, how is an 8 week old little kitten supposed to survive?  We have coyotes out here.  We've seen one running through our yard just this week.  8 week old kitten equals meal to a coyote.  Most farmers will shoot stray dogs they see running on their property.  For all they know it could be the dog YOU dumped that is killing their chickens.

Several years ago on New Years Eve we received a phone call from a person who said someone dumped a kennel with a dog who had just given birth in a trailer park where they live.  We dropped everything to go out and meet these people to save this mother and her pups.  Turns out the people who called were really the owners of the dog.  They told us they lied because they didn't think we would take them if they told us they owned the dog.  Click on the photo below to see the WOI News Story about this.

Please, I'm begging here, if you can not keep your pet, no matter what the reason, please take it to a shelter or a rescue.  Do not drive them out to the country and dump them.  Give them every chance they can get to find a new home.

By the way...this kitten is available for adoption if you are interested.  We have been calling her Lucky.

Be Well & Be Happy,
Pet~Pourri

Vacationing With Your Pet

We are at that time of year when people go on vacation.  Being in rescue, I can’t tell you how many pets we have taken in because the owners were going on vacation and wouldn’t take their pet with them or board them.  Traveling with your pet is really not that difficult, if you plan ahead.  If you know where you are going, do some research to find pet friendly lodging.  You could even plan your vacation around your pet.

 

The key to a fun vacation with your pet is planning and research.  Last minute travel with your pet could cause headaches…so plan ahead.  I found this website while researching this topic called Pet Hotels of America.  It helps you find pet friendly lodgings, restaurants, parks, beaches, etc…  This is an excellent tool to use while planning your vacation.  Here is another blog I wrote back in March regarding flying with your pet.

The number one rule while planning your vacation is that your pet needs to be comfortable.  Pets are most comfortable in familiar settings, so traveling will be exposing them to new settings.  Make sure you take what you need to make your pet comfortable while traveling.  Bring some favorite toys, blankie, food, food dishes, etc…  Here is an article I found that gives some great tips for traveling with your pets. 

 

Another thing to remember is safety.  Especially if traveling by car.  Accidents do happen and we’ve had many instances where a family was traveling with their pet, got in an accident, and the pet was lost.  Make sure your pets are safely kenneled while traveling.  Make sure they have collars on that have your current contact information (Especially your cell phone number if you are traveling).  And please, please, please microchip your pet before you travel.  If something does happen and your pet is found, they can be scanned for a microchip and returned to you very quickly.

 

Also, take copies of your pet’s medical history with you.  Just in case something happens and you need to take your pet to a vet, you will have the information with you that they will need in order to treat your pet.  Also take a pet first aid kit with you.

If you are taking your pet on a boat, make sure you have a life vest for your pet. These are fairly inexpensive and can be found at most pet stores. 

 

If you are leaving your pet in a hotel room while you go out, make sure you have a kennel with you that you can leave your pet in.  You don’t want to come back to a room that is torn apart because the pet is stressed by the new environment you left them in.  The hotel wouldn’t appreciate it either.

 

Traveling with your pet can be fun, easy and enjoyable if you plan ahead.  Hope you all enjoy your family vacations.

Be Well & Be Happy,

Pet~Pourri