All About Your Doggie Health

Oh dear friends... with all the health concerns in the world... who among us has not also worried about our own pet's health as well? Dog's are often susceptible to the same chronic diseases as humans (i.e. allergies, cancer,diabetes,) yet their care, often, is not as advanced as what we can seek for ourselves. With very limited options for treating these illnesses in animals... what can we do? For my dogs as well as my human family, the best option has to be preventive care. Obviously, the foods we eat play a large role in caring for our health long term. And once again, monetary concerns are evident when we choose the right foods. Organic and natural ingredients seem the best option but are often very expensive. So what's a Mom (doggie or people,) to do? Well, research... I submit... is the key to providing a quality, nourishing diet for your pack. So, as I research the best and most affordable options for our "pack" health... I want to show you what I have recently found.

Recently, I received a coupon in the mail for a free bag of Eukanuba puppy food. Many fellow doggie Moms swear by the brand (especially show dog Mommies,) and I have often considered the brand but, with money being tight... I have never bought. Eukanuba is a little pricey but the ingredients are outstanding. Veterinarians often carry the line in their offices and the company has specific formulations geared toward specific breeds such as "spaniels," or "retrievers." They are also carrying a line of food that simulates a "wild diet." Items such as salmon, (given to sled dogs in Alaska for countless years,) is one ingredient in their line... and we all know the benefits of Omega 3's no? So, with coupon in hand I headed to Petsmart for my free bag. I just started feeding it to my pups (yes I still consider Ruby a pup,) so I will have to give a later review of the food. We will see if it truly merits its price tag.

So, what if there is no Petsmart in your town in which to purchase these "boutique" brands of dog food?Certainly one can get good dog food at the Supermarket. But, if you are looking for organic ingredients or want a more holistic approach to feeding Fido then look no further than your own fridge, garden or backyard. In a previous article I explained why wheat is banned from our home but it might not be a bad idea to banish it from your dog's diet too. The two most common allergens in dogs are wheat and beef. So, even if your dog has no reactions to these products... one has to wonder if there isn't something completely unnatural about feeding these things to your beloved pet?Many dog lovers out there are opting to go with the BARF diet instead of buying their pup's food in the dog food isle. BARF is basically a "raw" foods diet that involves feeding your dog the things that would he would most closely be eating if he were a wild dog, in other words... natural. Groomer Ang at http://groomerang.blogspot.com/ feeds her pups with this motto and they are lovely specimens. It's always interesting to hear what's on their meal plan... liver, chicken etc. Obviously, dog cannot live by meat alone. BARF advocates suggest that your dog's diet, in order to be balanced, should be supplemented with fruits, veggies and whole grains such as oats and brown rice. All of these foods could be cheaply attained by harvesting from a backyard garden or hunting wild game or even picking them up at the grocery. With my own hounds, I implement some elements from this diet and feed them wild turkey, organic eggs, fruits, and veggies with their store bought dog food. This extends the dog food and gives them some extra anti-oxidant rich foods at the same time.

Of course we have the best of intentions for our dogs but it can sometimes be a maze of information on what's okay for them and what's not. Certain foods that are okay for people are not okay for dogs. If there is a question about what's good and what's not, you can always turn to the Humane Society,(hsus.org) for up to date info on what is safe and what isn't. The Humane Society also maintains a list of pet food recalls... always good to know. Information site, "Whole Dog Journal," is a good source for everything doggie and I understand that they provide an annual review of organic and natural dog foods, to help you get the most for your money. Also, another site that I am LOVING is http://www.thepetcenter.com/ This site gives access to all types of info for your pet which you might have to otherwise seek veterinary help for. They are like a WebMD for dogs and they even have a way to chat online with a veterinarian for any questions you may have. Think of the money that could save! So, I will let ya'll know how the new "free" food went down and until then... chow down hounds.

Feeding the Hungry Hounds

Everyday, my husband has the same question for me... "What's for dinner?" It doesn't matter if it's 8 o'clock in the morning, his mind is on what he most anticipates, "dinner!" This is reasonable since he works hard... he has an appetite and looks forward to the comforts of home. Funny too that our doggies function in the same way. The dawn of a new day brings breakfast, which Oliver is especially thrilled about (sending him into jumping and spinning fits, it's very cute,) and then after a long day of running romping and chasing... dinner awaits them too. Meal time around here is special. We love to gather in the kitchen, cooking together, (Wayne chops or grills, Jacob loves to make the salad, I cook stuff and the dogs Hoover up the droppings,) and spending time together eating. So, what IS for dinner? Well for us, and the hounds, it depends on what the meal plan has in store for the week.

See, I am a big believer in eating well! I value (especially true the older I get) quality food and healthy ingredients. With such high incidences of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and food allergies in our country... I have to believe there is a link to the food we are fueling our bodies with. Further, with these rates of disease also increasing in our pets... there must be a link to the foods they eat as well.

When Jacob (now 11 yrs old) was two, he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. For those who don't know, Celiac Disease is a condition in which the protein in wheat, barley and rye is seen as a pathogen by the body and the body... in kind... attacks. So, basically Jacob has to avoid these products in all forms. I was so sad when I found out and I went through a grieving process for all the things he would miss out on. How can a kid live without mac-n-cheese, pizza and cookies, right? Well as it turned out there were many other people living with this condition throughout the world. Because of this... the need for "gluten free" products was quickly met on the market and Jacob had his own mac-n-cheese, pizza and cookies that didn't make him sick. One of my thoughts about his future also included our dogs. Will he ever be able to feed them without washing his hands? Will he ever decide that keeping a dog is too much hassle and never learn the love of owning a dog? Well, just as the market caught up to our needs... so too did the dog food industry. What I have since learned is that the MOST common food allergen for dogs is... WHEAT! Eventually companies like Science Diet began introducing allergen free foods, geared towards dogs with allergies. Since my dogs had no known allergies however, I couldn't justify the expense of that food. But, a few years ago a company called "Blue" began selling "gluten free" dog food. It was available at Petsmart, and because one had just opened sort of near our home, I was able to purchase my first bag! It was sort of expensive, but the ingredients were so healthful and my son could feed the dogs without worry! Blue also includes a cute dog trading card in every pack... I love that! As time has progressed, other companies have started offering gluten free dog food options to their most popular lines. Currently we are feeding Iams Naturals, with the same ingredients as Blue but with 1/4 less cost.

But aside from food allergies, our family has to consider so many other related diseases when thinking of our collective health. Cancer, diabetes and heart disease are all a part of our collective family health history. So, we try to eat a lot of fiber and anti-oxidant rich foods around here. Some of the best sources are foods such as nuts, fruits and veggies. As we eat, so do the dogs! Some of our favorite dog treats are bananas, watermelon, cucumber,apples, broccoli, almonds and cashews. The dogs love them and they offer the same cancer fighting properties for them that they do for us. Every dish of dog food is given with a heaping scoop of plain non-fat yogurt for digestion and healthy tummys. (I was surprised when I first started doing this, how even the "overall" stinkiness of the Springer went away... it's good for ears and skin too.) Ruby, who is extremely energetic gets a raw egg, (organic and fresh to reduce bacteria risk,) and the occasional scoop of natural peanut butter. Generally what is good for them is also good for us. I will say to be mindful however of the allergies that dogs have and we don't such as, raisins, chocolate, macadamia nuts, onions and grapes. And as always, you can find a list of common toxins and poisons (such as some houseplants,) at:

www. hsus.org/pets/pet_care

So, what's for dinner tonight? I still don't know... but I better figure it out soon... the hounds are hungry!