Toxic Foods to Cats and Dogs

With people making the shift towards living healthier lifestyles, many people are becoming avid label readers and finding that a good number of commercial pet foods contain unhealthy ingredients and have shifted instead to sharing the refrigerator and cupboards. While natural, freshly prepared food is far healthier than processed pet foods full of byproducts and preservatives, keep in mind that the foods listed below are known to be toxic to cats and dogs because of the different ways the bodies of animals metabolize them.

Chocolate: Most people are aware chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats and wouldn't even consider giving them even a taste. However, it's something that is commonly left on a table or counter top. Dogs or cats may tear into a box of chocolate candy when the opportunity presents itself. When ingested, depending on the amount - chocolate causes coma and death. In lesser quantities, it will cause gastrointestinal problems including severe diarrhea which can lead to dehydration and death in some pets. The theobromine is the ingredient that is the most toxic to pets. The degree of toxicity to your individual pet depends on the weight of the animal and the amount and type of chocolate consumed. Semi-sweet and bakers chocolate, for instance, contain more theobromine than regular chocolate, making them even more toxic to animals. There are fabulous treats made with carob that will satisfy a dog's sweet tooth without the risk of toxicity.

Grapes & Raisins: Although it isn't exactly known why, grapes and raisins appear to damage the kidneys of both cats and dogs. Avoid giving bits of foods such as cookies or breads that contain raisins.

Garlic and Onions: It doesn't matter if they are fresh, cooked or dried and powdered. Onions and garlic have large levels of sulfoxides and disulfides and can damage the red blood cells in pets and cause lethal anemia.

Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts-no friend to your dog. These nuts are often used in cookies and they are very toxic to dogs. They cause severe gastrointestinal upsets, lethargy, vomiting and muscle tremors or stiffness.

Tomatoes and tomato plants: Tomatoes of all kinds are toxic to cats, as are parts of the tomato plant. Ingesting as little as a cherry tomato can cause severe gastrointestinal upset.

Other foods to avoid include raw potatoes, especially those containing green spots; cantaloupe can cause kidney failure in cats, turkey skin; nutmeg; and anything with caffeine, including tea.

Alcohol and hops should also be avoided as alcohol poisoning can lead to coma and death. Do not allow your pet to rummage through the trash, as moldy food contains toxins that can cause serious illness.

Since many of the signs of toxicity are similar, call your veterinarian immediately if your pet appears distressed, lethargic or in pain. Bloody stools or vomiting are also possible signs of toxic poisoning. Gastrointestinal problems can lead to gas build-up until the stomach becomes distended or bloated and hard to the touch. This is a painful condition that can cause the stomach to burst if not treated. The good news is that, in most cases, treatment for toxic poisoning can be successful if administered in time.

Feeding cats and dogs a healthy, balanced diet of natural foods as described by many veterinarians today is a great improvement over processed commercial pet food. By keeping in mind foods to avoid and feeding your pet a healthy and balanced diet; you can have help your animal companion lead a healthier and longer life.
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Sodium Bentonite: A Killer In Your Kitty Litter?

If you use a commercial clumping cat litter, you could be shortening your feline friend's life without knowing it. Most commercial cat litter contains sodium bentonite which is an extremely porous clay that has the ability to absorb water and expand many times its own original size. This is perfect for clumping litter but very bad for your cat.

Your cat can accidentally ingest sodium bentonite while she cleans her legs and paws. As the sodium bentonite travels through the digestive system it begins to absorb liquid and swells to over a dozen times it's original size. Sodium bentonite in your cat's system can:

* Absorb enough water to cause dehydration.
* Disrupt nutritional uptake in the intestines.
* Cause deadly bowel obstructions.

The sodium bentonite dust raised when your cat scratches also poses a deadly problem to her lungs. Since the lungs are a moist environment, the sodium bentonite dust breathed in by your cat is able to expand inside of the lungs, causing a respiratory infection that could lead to pneumonia in your cat.

You don't have to give up the convenience of clumping litter to make the litter box a healthier environment for your cat. Just use Scientific Professional Cat Litter. This formula offers clumping convenience without deadly sodium bentonite and is harmless to your pets. Additionally, this litter can let you know if your cat has a urinary tract infection building as it will turn pink at the slightest sign of illness.
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Pet Grooming - Very Necessary

Just as washing and brushing your hair is necessary to your overall good hygiene, grooming your pet is also important. Your cat or dog depends on you to keep their skin, hair, teeth, nails, fur and bones healthy. Professional pet grooming may seem like an unnecessary expense, but the majority of groomers do more than trim hair and brush teeth. They are trained to spot potential health risks before they become major complications.

If you choose to groom your pet yourself, one major benefit of grooming your pet on a regular basis is the bond that you can develop. When your pet allows you to brush him or her, this shows complete trust.

Regular grooming will help stave off unnecessary problems. For example, a dog with unclipped toenails may not be able to walk comfortably, which in turn discourages her from exercising daily. An unbrushed cat may develop more hair balls throughout the day, leading to overnight distress. By performing simple pet grooming tasks, an owner can prevent serious health complications down the road.

Many times, a health concern is discovered through the act of grooming. Parasite infestations such as fleas or ticks are often found during bathing or brushing sessions. Matted fur could be hiding skin diseases or outside irritants such as clinging plant pods or thorns. Tumors can be found early since you are touching every inch of your pet when you groom them. Observations you make during routine pet grooming can uncover problems that would have remained undetected until they were at the point of being untreatable.

In short, regular pet grooming is an huge aspect of pet ownership that should not be ignored. Make the time at least once a week to properly groom your cat or dog. If you learn to do it yourself, you save money as well as form a very strong bond with your pet.
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Helping Your Dog with Panosteitis

Panosteitis is a painful bone condition found in some breeds of large dogs. It is mainly found in Dobermans, Retrievers, Great Danes, Labradors, Basset Hounds, and German Shepherds. For some reason, the disease strikes male dogs more often than females and tends to happen in dogs with higher bone densities. There are no warning signs to allow pet owners to seek care before the painful condition sets in. Even x-rays cannot catch the disease before it begins.

In most cases, the dog's front leg bones are affected by panosteitus early on in the disease. The pain can be so severe that your dog may be unable to walk at all. Then the disease will move to the back legs and hip area. The inability to move without extreme pain are often the first sign the pet owner gets that something is very wrong with their pet.

Most panosteitus cases occur after the age of 8 weeks. The condition will come and go after that which makes it extremely difficult to treat. Most dogs are given pain relievers to reduce the amount of pain and make it manageable. Anti-inflammatory medications help some dogs; making it easier for the dog to get around is a big plus when the disease flairs up. If your dog enjoys going out, steps to get in and out of your vehicle will help your canine friend get in and out of your with ease.

Currently, there is no known cause for panosteitus but research had shown that the disease may be caused by a viral infection and other studies point to a genetic link due to the high incidence of the disease in German Shepherds. The disease also became prevalent in the canine population after the distemper vaccine was released on the market. Since this vaccine is made from bone tissue, some experts think the bone tissue from the vaccine may interact with the dog's bones and lead to the condition. No matter the cause, there is currently no cure for the condition and all that can be done is to make your dog as comfortable as possible when there is a flair up of the condition.
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The Truth About Bark Collars

If you have a dog that barks, you may have been advised to put a bark collar on your pet. Bark collars are used by many owners to control their dog's barking. If a dog barks excessively or at inappropriate times, barking collars are seen as a solution for some pet owners. The way a bark collar works is when the dog begins to bark, a battery powered device within the barking collar will be activated via microphone. The device will stimulate one of many forms of "correction". Methods of correction built into dog collars include sprays with citronella based fluid that dogs find very disagreeable or a static shock and last is sonic sound that dogs find annoying and will stop barking.

There are much better ways to teach your dog not to bark excessively. First of all, you need to get to the root of the problem of your dog's barking. A dog that is fearful or experiencing separation anxiety will bark and sometimes excessively so. Frequently used, a bark collar will "train out" all instinct to bark and will leave you with a dog afraid to bark. If you find the reason for your dog's barking is separation anxiety, you can easily train your dog that he doesn't need to bark to bring you home. Start by using the key jingle method. When you are about to leave, jingle your keys and then tell your dog you'll be back and then go out the door. Most dogs will bark for about 3-5 minutes then quiet down. When he quiets down, jingle your keys then come in. Praise your dog for quieting down. Do this twice a day for about a week and you should have your barking dog under control.

If you remember to jingle your keys, your dog will associate that sound with you leaving but also with your return. Another good way is to give your dog a command to stop barking, and then praise and reward him for doing so. Initially, using treats is a great way to give your dog incentive to stop barking. Using a combination of both treats and praise and then use praise mostly and treats occasionally once your dog is following your barking command.

In order to train your dog not to bark, you must discover the reason for his barking. Normally you can train your dog yourself to quell undesirable behavior without the use of borderline cruel gadgets like bark collars.
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