Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

Special Diets For Dogs: Your Veterinarian Has Something Very Important To Tell You

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Special diets for dogs are not only prescribed by veterinarians for the obese animal, but also for various health reasons.

For example, if your dog suffers from congestive heart failure, due to heartworm or other heart diseases, your veterinarian may want to put him on a low-sodium diet, along with the proper medications, which combined, may literally save your pet’s life. There used to be an old saying: “You are what you eat,” but your dog has no choice, “He is what you feed him” and his welfare is always in your hands.

A veterinarian once told me that over half of mature dogs alive have kidney disease. Your pet’s doctor may suggest that he be given a special diet that will not put a strain on his kidneys. This will often correct many problems and keep an animal from becoming seriously ill. All of the prescribed dietary foods must be given according to your veterinarian’s strict instructions.

What About The Puppy & The Pregnant Dog, Do They Need Diet Food?

This too is a question which must be left up to your veterinarian. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t, depending upon the physical condition of the animal. Physical and mental stress is sometimes a determining factor in the prescribing of a diet program for puppies or the mother dog.

Diarrhea & Loose Stools

If your dog has diarrhea, he may need a bland diet. The intestinal tract of a dog is similar to that of a human and when it is irritated, a change of food can sometimes correct the problem.

Allergies & Skin Problems

Does your dog have an allergy or dermatosis? It may be that he is being fed the wrong food. Many times the well-meaning dog owner will spray, bathe, or put ointments on their pet, when what the dog really needs is a special diet food. Your veterinarian is the person who can determine the cause of your dog’s itch, so don’t try to diagnose it yourself.

Take Responsibility For Your Dog

Animal nutrition has made giant strides during the past 30 years. Today it is said that most dogs who are fed regular commercial dog food have a better diet than an American child. However, I’m sure this is a debatable statement and a hot topic. But the day is long past when we threw the family dog a bone from the table and expected him to grow just fine on any scraps left over.

Whenever your dog is not eating properly or is overweight, consult your veterinarian. He may suggest that you put your dog on a diet and if he does, be sure to stick with it. Try not to overfeed your pet. If he gets more calories than his body size needs, based on how much he weighs and physical activity, you may become a fat pup. Our pets have a way of becoming part of the family circle, but we must remember that their dietary needs are not the same as that of the rest of the family.

Pet Insurance ? Lower The Cost Of Veterinarian Visits With Pet Insurance

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Bringing home a new puppy is the equivalent to adding a new member to your family, literally. With this new edition comes lots of love and excitement, as well as new responsibilities, especially in his first few weeks at the house. These responsibilities include feeding him well and providing the pup with necessary supplies such as a crate, blanket, toys, etc. Most importantly, you need to make sure that he is healthy and will stay that way throughout his life.

Finding The Right Vet

A very important requirement that many new pet owners tend to overlook is finding the right veterinarian for their pets. Taking your puppy to the vet right away, preferably within the first two days of bringing him home, is a must. This is to ensure that he is in perfect health and that he is getting all of the preventive caring needed, like vaccinations and regular routine exams.

Your family and friends may be able to recommend you to a nearby vet clinic. You may also do your own research by calling several clinics and setting up an appointment to see the place and find out first hand if it is the right one for you and your pet.

Veterinarian Expenses

For many pet owners, finding the right vet is not the problem, but rather the costs of veterinary care. Visits to the vet can be pricey, even with minor cases such as getting his yearly vaccination or a routine checkup. In addition, an illness or severe injury can occur at any time, and many dog owners end up having to pay a lot of out-of-pocket expenses to the vet clinic. This is why it is highly recommended that you get pet insurance as soon as possible.

Having pet insurance is the best way to ensure that your puppy is getting the best health care possible. Pet insurance is a practical way to lessen the cost of veterinary expenses, whether it is related to routine care, accidents, or injuries. Pet insurance also covers the cost of minor surgeries, major surgeries, treatments for illnesses and diseases, and other medical procedures such as neutering or spaying.

Finding the right, affordable pet insurance is as easy as picking up the yellow pages or searching online. Most pet insurance plans offer a monthly premium that is less than what you typically pay for your cable bill.

Puppy Mills ? Learn The Shocking Truth About Pet Stores

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Pet stores are a very popular place to shop for young puppies and other animals of your choice. There is practically a pet store in almost every city. And it is hard to resist that cute and desperate looking puppy caged up waiting to be taken home. But before you make this decision you really should know a little bit of “insider” information about these pet stores and the origins of the puppies they sell.

Have you ever heard of puppy mills?

Do you know where most of these puppies come from that you see being sold in pet stores? There are certain breeding centers that cater to high-volume puppy production which sells them to pet stores, which then is sold to you. They are called “puppy mills” and are probably the most disgusting form of dog breeding practices that I have seen.

Disclaimer: Let me be clear on one thing: Not every pet store gets their puppies from puppy mills, but enough research has been done to find that a large majority of stores in the United States do in fact use puppy mills as their resource for pets to sell to the public.

What exactly are puppy mills?

To put it in simple terms, a puppy mill is a farm that is found most often in the Midwestern part of the United States. These farms breed animals for profits, mostly dogs. That may not sound that harsh but imagine these puppies being bred in high volumes and mistreated in the same way that cattle or chickens are.

If that doesn’t give you a disturbing vision, then imagine cages stacked upon cages with these small adorable puppies, all suffering and ignored. Now picture rows and rows of these dog filled cages, all with minimal human contact and the only care they are getting is enough food and water to survive. You can easily find pictures by doing research online which would absolutely break your heart.

What is so bad about buying a puppy that originated from a puppy mill?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking home one of these puppies, and it is definitely a positive choice to make. On the other hand, many of these dogs have what is called “early stress syndrome” and may grow up to be nervous and frightened dogs which are very hard to instill confidence with training. Of course there are exceptions to the rule with these puppies, however, before you spend your hard-earned cash be sure to know all there is to know about where your puppy came from when considering purchasing from a pet store.

Backyard Party ? How To Host A Successful BBQ With Dogs In Mind

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The next time you decide to put on a small barbecue party in your backyard during the warm, sunny summer months, make considerations for your dog and other guest’s dogs. Most friend and family gatherings are planned and entertained without a single thought of providing an atmosphere where both dogs and people can enjoy themselves together.

And consider for a moment just how more pleasant the atmosphere will be with your close friends and dear family members enjoying themselves with a drink and a good hamburger on the deck of your house, while just off the corner of your eye your dog is having the time of his life, chasing and being chased by other guest’s pet dogs.

Not only will your BBQ appeal to everyone attending, but how cool would it be to tell them that they can bring their family pet along for fun and games? So during your next backyard event, take some time to plan ahead and include these animals in the plan.

Plan For Success

According to the Hearth Patio and BBQ Association, the backyard party trend has blown up into a $55 billion dollar per year industry. Houses are becoming smaller and more and more families look towards their home for fun and relaxation. Lawn chairs, picnic tables, and cooking facilities are all designed to bring the inside party “out”.

What you want to avoid is having your dog or someone else’s dog jump up into people’s laps begging for food and annoying the guests. Such behavior can ruin a good time, especially when drinks are spilled and dog paws just ruined your best friend’s shirt

The key is to single out those guests that have dogs and other dog lovers from the group. A good host for such dog-planning would have new toys that can be played with between your guests and the dogs. Many people love to play fetch and tug-of-war with friendly dogs so why not offer this activity at your BBQ?

Provide a common area for both dogs and your guests. Invest in a fenced-in enclosure where the dogs can play with each other without annoying the rest of your guests. And for the dog enthusiasts of the party who would love to take a break from mingling and head over to the doggie hangout, a perfect common area keeps the fun and games in harmonious order.

Consider the seating arrangements you have made. Think about where each person will be seated and make sure that the dogs are secured in an area that faces the party. Your pets want to be in on the action, even if it’s just to see what’s going on.

If you are hosting a backyard party at night, consider the safety of your animals. Should you allow them to run free, attach a small flashlight to each of the dogs’ collars. This is a perfect way for your guests to see them coming without an accident by stepping on the dogs. You can also attach a bell that jingles which will give people more warning before a dog is approaching.

Pet Food Recall: Are These Pet Food Manufacturers Purposely Killing Your Animals?

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We all want the best for our beloved dogs, especially when it comes to the foods they eat. We want to give them only the healthiest food available to make sure that they will live a long and healthy life. But what if the so-called “healthy pet foods” that are being sold in the market today are not reliable anymore?

What do we do when we can no longer trust the food manufacturers who is supposed to provide us with safe and healthy foods for our animals?

When The Food Is Killing Your Pets, Something Has To Change

The widespread recall of pet food has created a scare to all dog and cat owners who rely on commercial brands to feed their pets. All over the country, contaminated pet food has caused many dogs to become severely sick, while a large number of them have died.

In March alone of this year, Menu foods, an Ontario based manufacturing company, recalled more than 90 brands of “cuts and gravy” moist foods (both dog food and cat food) after more than 14 animals died from eating them. A few weeks later, the same company added 20 more varieties of their brand to be taken off store shelves.

It was later discovered that wheat gluten, an ingredient found in the said pet foods, was contaminated with rat poison. The risk of Salmonella contamination has also been the cause of a recall for two brands of pig ear dog treats.

Cases of toxic pet foods go back to December of 2005, when several dogs died and dozens fell ill after eating kibble manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods. It was later found out that the food was contaminated with aflatoxin; a naturally occurring chemical produced from fungus and can be found on crops such as wheat, corn, rice, and beans. This chemical is also toxic to domestic animals, livestock, and even humans. Other pet food recalls during this past decade also involve the risk for Salmonella contamination.

Are These Pet Food Companies Breaking The Law?

FDA regulations state that pet foods should be manufactured similar to the way human foods are manufactured. They should be processed under a sanitary environment, do not contain any harmful ingredients, accurately labeled, and safe to eat.

All pet food manufacturers are expected to comply with these regulations to ensure that the food is safe and healthy. However, due to limited resources, the FDA can only inspect pet food issues after consumer complaints are made or if the FDA has a reason to believe that there is a threat to animal health. A recall is then announced by the FDA or the manufacturer if a defective product is found.

House Training: Is Your Dog Refusing To Follow Your House Training Rules?

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Some dogs just absolutely refuse to become house trained. No matter how long and hard you have tried to implement techniques to get your dog to use the bathroom in the proper areas, he still chooses to be “vengeful” towards you by not following your instructions, right?

Wrong! The common misconception that your dog is trying to be vindictive and countermine your housetraining efforts by refusing to follow the rules is a complete myth.

Dogs only have the capacity for simple, direct emotions, such as being happy, sad, or scared. Their minds are not capable of plotting ways to seek revenge for that swat on his rear, or how you scolded him an hour ago.

Dogs do, however, remember and draw upon past experiences that they associate with current situations. But it is important to understand that these associations only create an emotion in which they will feel when going through a similar experience.

In other words, lets say that you punish your dog for urinating on the front porch. If you continue to scold him for this behavior then eventually your dog will become fearful of using the bathroom outside. All he knows is that he is “outside”, not on the front porch. Your efforts will countermine your housetraining goals.

For this reason alone, it is important never to punish or yell at your dog when he uses the bathroom inside the house. Most housetraining problems actually stem from owners who completely instill fear in their pets when they go potty on the floor. This creates enough trauma to completely halt all of your housetraining efforts.

The key is trying not to react. Instead, remove your dog from the room and take him outside in a very calm and relaxed manner. Be sure that he does not see you cleaning up his mess. Quietly clean the area and be sure to use an enzyme-containing house cleaner. Vinegar or liquid soap will do just fine as well. By completely removing all of the older, this helps reduce your dog’s need to urinate and mark the same spot over and over.

Tip: Avoid using ammonia because the smell is very similar to that of a dog’s urine and can stimulate him to pee in the same area.

When all else fails, schedule a visit with your veterinarian so that the doctor can do a complete health checkup of your dog to make sure that there is not a health-related reason for his inability to become house trained.

Some dogs can be harboring illnesses that may prove to be the cause of not having the ability to control their bowel movements. Such illnesses could be caused by ticks, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or the most common reason: a urinary tract infection.

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