Like a Good Boy Scout…Be Prepared

Have you ever experienced a pet emergency? Doesn’t it seem to happen in the middle of the night or on the weekend when your regular vet is closed and you don’t have any idea of what to do. Your dog or cat is in pain, you are a wreck and finally…several hours later and several hundred dollars poorer you are back at home….very familiar at this point with the emergency vet in your area. Thank goodness for those 24 hour veterinarians! They save pets’ lives everyday. But what can you do to be prepared for these stressful moments? To potentially save your pet’s life prior to seeing a doctor? Well, there are a few things you can do to be ready. To begin, speak with your veterinarian about how they handle pet emergencies. Some vets may say go straight to a 24 hour facility if it is after hours and others may encourage you to contact them directly. Whatever the case, always have your veterinarian’s number handy and in a few locations. Next, know the injuries your pet is prone to. Do you have a dog that is at a high risk for bloat (gastric distension)? If so, know the signs…and with this condition, do not pass go, but head straight to your vet or one that is available. Have an indoor/outdoor cat that may have been in a scuffle or two in the past? He will most likely sustain injuries relating to flexing his muscle. If you have a dog that is a mini Hoover and consumes everything in sight, she will be more prone to eating something poisonous. You get the idea. **If your dog has a chronic illness or reoccurring condition discuss with your vet the symptoms of a potential emergency. With this knowledge, you will be better prepared to handle any situation. How do you learn to administer first aid in the midst of a crisis? There are a few ways to do this. First, read a book. A few recommendations are: Dog First Aid and Cat First Aid by the American Red Cross and The Safe Dog Handbook authored by Melanie Monteiro. These three books are complete guides to prevention, protection and will prepare you to apply first aid techniques. Visit www.redcross.org/store to purchase Red Cross material and The Safe Dog Handbook can be found in stores. If you want to take it a step further, take a class. The American Red Cross offers Pet First Aid classes a few times a month. Visit www.redcross.org and find your local office. Here’s an example from the Dog First Aid book by the American Red Cross: Abrasions to the Skin What to do: -Wash your hands and put on disposable, non latex gloves. -Apply a sterile, water soluble lubricant so hair does not contaminate the wound while you trim the area -Clip hair around the wound gently, grooming scissors are recommended -Flush the wound with warm water or saline solution to remove the lubricant -Clean wound with warm water or saline solution to remove remaining debris See the vet if the wound does not begin to heal within 2-3 days, the wound is larger than a quarter, it is oozing yellow or foul smelling discharge, it is red or seems painful or if you simply aren’t sure of it’s depth or severity (Dog First Aid, Be Red Cross Ready, Safety Series Vol. 2) Keep a Pet First Aid Kit well stocked and available at all times. You can purchase kits already made from a pet store or online Prices range from approximately $20-$60. Or, you can make your own. According to peteducation.com, a complete kit should include a variety of items. Some of them are: 1. Phone numbers including: your vet, emergency vets and poison control centers 2. Muzzle 3. Scissors 4. Disposable Non Latex Gloves 5. Tweezers 6. Towel 7. Slip lead 8. Benadryl 9. Hydrogen Peroxide 10. Gauze For a complete list go to www.peteducation.com and type in first aid. Remember, first aid is NOT a substitution for your veterinarian but can see you through a crisis! Be Prepared! © 2010 Jennifer Fadal. Jennifer is a Pet Wellness & Lifestyle Expert. She is a frequent contributor to the South Tampa Community News as well as other Tampa publications. She can also be seen on Daytime’s pet segments, a lifestyle show on NBC. Jennifer owns Wag Natural Pet Boutique on Davis Islands and can be reached at jennfadal@yahoo.com or www.jennfadal.com.

St Patty’s Dog Adoptions!

Join us on Saturday, March 20 for Dog Adoptions!  Labrador Rescue of Florida and Dogma Rescue will be here from 11am-3pm with their adorable pooches!  We will have treats for pooches and people!  Visit them online:

www.dogmarescue.org

www.labradorrescue.net

Pet Food Facts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pet Food Facts

Feeding a biologically appropriate diet to your pet will promote overall health.   Benefits can include:

1. Longevity
2. Weight Management
3. Healthy Skin & Coat
4. Disease Prevention
5. Proper Bone and Joint Development

Unfortunately, most brands found in grocery stores and big box stores are truly unfit for a healthy pet.  Foods are filled with processed grain such as corn, wheat, soy, and glutens.  While this might not sound so bad to you,  consider that dogs and cats are carnivores and require meat in their diet. 

What is a Carnivore?  A carnivore, meaning ‘meat eater’ (Latin carne meaning ‘flesh’ and vorare meaning ‘to devour’), is an animal that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of vertebrate and/or invertebrate animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging. …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore

Read your pet food ingredient labels!  This will give you a clear picture of what your pet is eating.  The first FIVE ingredients are the most important and the first TEN ingredients will tell you everything you need to know.  Ingredients are weighed prior to being cooked and the heaviest ingredients are listed first.

Good Ingredients include:

Chicken, Beef, Salmon, Herring, Duck, Turkey, or any other whole protein source

Chicken Meal, Beef Meal, Salmon Meal, Herring Meal, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal or other high quality meal source

Brown Rice, Barley, Oats, Oatmeal, Quinoa or other whole grain

Fruits, Vegetables, Vitamins and Supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Bad Ingredients include:

Corn

Wheat

Soy

Gluten

Meat (unspecified)

By-products

By-product Meal

Animal Fat (unspecified)

Salt

Sugar

Artificial Colors and Flavors

*Corn, Wheat and Soy are common causes of pet allergies. 

The first two to three ingredients in a pet food should be whole meats or high quality meat meals.  Whole meat followed by a meat meal is the best situation.  Since a whole fresh meat will lose most of its water weight after being cooked, a meat meal will ensure that a good portion of the final weight is derived from meat.

Why are corn and corn derivatives used in commercial foods?  Corn and Corn Gluten Meal have high protein counts.  Many commercial pet foods use corn products to bump up the protein count in pet food to inexpensively meet AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Standards.  As carnivores, dogs and cats do not require corn for protein but high quality MEAT!

So, what do all of these terms mean? 

Click here for AAFCO definitions of pet food ingredients:  http://www.braypets.com/FRR/aafcodef.htm

Interested in knowing how your pet’s food stacks up? 

Visit www.dogfoodanalysis.com and find out!

Can you afford to feed your pet a healthy diet?  Absolutely! 

1.  Since dogs and cats will absorb and digest so much more of a high quality food..less will be fed.  For example, if you are feeding 4 cups of a commercial brand dog food a day you might only need to feed 2 3/4 of a high quality food.

2.  Many holistic/all natural foods have a buy 12 bags and get a 13th bag free program. 

3.  Feeding a high quality food may result in less visits to your vet!!

You can do it!  Canidae is a premium pet food and you can feed a 50lb dog for $.62 a day on Canidae ALS.  Don’t you think your pet is worth it?

Income Tax Deduction for Pet Care Expenses

The US House is taking up legislation to allow pet owners the ability to deduct up to $3,500 for pet care related expenses (including veterinary care).  House Bill 3501 Humanity and Pet Partnered Through the Years Act would allow such deductions if passed.   This bill is being sponored by Rep McCotter and has currently been refered to the House Ways and Means Commitee.  In order for this legislation to become a reality it must make it out of the SubCommitte of the Ways and Means Committee, the Full Committee, then make it to the floor.

Contact your representative today to regarding this import piece of legislation. Representative List

Aggressive Chewing Dog

I have a big dog that is an aggressive chewer.  What would you recommend to both occupy her time and is safe?

Dirty Dog Ears

My dog continues to have dirty ears, so much so he itches until they are red and bleeding.  What is causing this and how can I get them healed quickly?

Hurricane Season Prepareness

How should a pet owner prepare for Florida’s hurricane season?