According to CNN, Hartz Mountain Corp. has issued a voluntary recall of nearly 75,000 bags of dog treats due to salmonella concerns, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The move came after random  testing by the FDA indicated the presence of salmonella organisms in one or more 8-ounce bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs.

The company, based in Secaucus, New Jersey, has not received any reports of animals or people becoming ill as a result of contact with the treats, and is investigating the source of the potential contamination.

The potentially affected treats are stamped with the lot code BZ0969101E, according to the FDA.

Hartz is urging dog owners who have purchased the recalled treats to immediately throw them away.

The FDA advises dog owners whose pets are exhibiting such symptoms as fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea to seek immediate veterinary assistance.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall should contact Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.

See the FDA release here.

Here is video from the

Piedmont Kennel Show in Charlotte, NC

See an Interview of a distributor of

Solid Gold Pet Foods and Supplements

Here is some footage of Steve Watson, talking about how long dogs lived before we started feeding them the typical store brand processed dog foods.  That is why you really need to think about what you are feeding to your dog.  You can add years to his life with the proper diet.

Please let me know if you have any problems.  You may reach me at info@thenaturallyhealthydog.com.

Thank you again and good health to you and your dog.

Feeding Digit:

Digit loves the natural diet – watch now…

How To Support Your Dog’s Immune System

Your Dogs Health: Are You Sure Your Dog Has A Healthy Immune System?

The immune system is a network of specialized tissues, organs, cells, and hormones. There are two main types of immunity. Innate immunity is a system built into the body to resist disease. Acquired immunity is the immune system’s ability to adapt as the body is exposed to pathogens through exposure, illness or vaccines.

Symptoms of a weak immune system are shown as skin infections, recurring parasitic infections, and mild infections or illnesses that develop into more serious health issues. This occurs because the body’s immune system is not strong enough to defend itself.

As I will always stress, diet is the starting point. It is the foundation of good health and the first line of defense against disease. Fresh food is the first step. A varied diet of fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables may require a little more time to prepare, but is well worth the effort in the long run.

It is important that your dog have a healthy gastrointestinal tract in order to get the most benefit from the raw diet. If your dog’s intestinal tract is weakened by allergies or digestive disorders, the nutrients even in a raw diet will be harder to process and absorb. Digestive enzymes, probiotics and essential fatty acids all contribute to your dog having a healthy digestive tract and proper digestion.

Two other contributors to a strong immune system is exercise and weight control. Exercise helps to build and maintain a strong immune system. Weight control is important because overweight dogs are more susceptible to chronic and acute infections and diseases.

An easy way to help boost the immune system is to use a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

Antioxidants are important because they help the immune function, by preventing oxidation of chemicals, and may help decrease the risk of infection and possibly cancer. They destroy free radicals which are reactive molecules that damage cells. Damaged cells leave the body susceptible to cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases. The most common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C and E and they are found in food.

Vitamin A is found in the liver and other tissues. It is most abundant in the fish liver oils. Carotene is found in plant material and dogs can convert carotene to vitamin A with an enzyme that is found in the intestinal walls. Vitamin A makes white blood cells which destroy viruses and harmful bacteria which help regulate the immune system. Vitamin A helps the skin, mucous membranes, and urinary tract.

Vitamin C is manufactured in the liver and kidneys of dogs and is the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Fresh fruits provide Vitamin C.

Vitamin E is in vegetable oils, cereal grains, greens, liver and eggs. It is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. It is very helpful in protecting against oxidation in fatty tissues

I wish you the best of life for you and your dog.

Sandra Bailey, who has raised dogs for over 50 years, is the author of “Real Dogs Don’t Eat Kibble!” She is a member of the National Center for Homeopathy and a Professional Member of the Animal Wellness Association. She is the owner of the website http://www.TheNaturallyHealthyDog.com, and blog http://TheNaturallyHealthyDogSeries.blogspot.com.
 

Top Ten Items Surgically Removed From Pets

Our pets are sure curious, and their curiosity can definitely get them into trouble sometimes.  Especially when they swallow something they shouldn’t have. Have you ever had to have something surgically removed from your pet?

Here are the top ten most common items surgically removed from pets, according to Veterinary Pet Insurance:

Socks
Underwear
Panty Hose
Rocks
Balls
Chew Toys
Corn Cobs
Bones
Hair Ties/Ribbons
Sticks

Other frequently ingested objects include nails, sewing needles and nipples from baby bottles.  But VPI has also received medical records for pets that have swallowed pagers, hearing aids, drywall, snail bait, batteries, rubber bands, toy cars, and sand with bacon grease poured on it.

“It’s no secret that cats are curious and dogs like to chew on things,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Unfortunately, those traits can motivate pets to chew on, bite, or swallow items they shouldn’t.  Some of these objects will pass naturally, but others have a tendency to become lodged in pets’ gastrointestinal tracts, resulting in pain, vomiting, or internal injury.  In those cases, surgery may be a necessity.”

The best thing pet owners can do to prevent costly foreign body removal surgery is keep a clean living space. This includes making sure that personal items are not left on the floor or within easy reach of pets and remaining aware of each pet’s chewing tendencies.

Certain objects may appeal more to some pets than others. Knowledge of a pet’s tastes and tendencies can help pet owners exercise caution when letting a pet near objects that could be accidentally swallowed. Also remember that table scraps can contain excessive grease, bones or other objects not easily digested by pets.

“Most of these incidents occur without the pet owner’s knowledge,” said McConnell.  “Pets can get anxious if left alone and start chewing on objects to relieve boredom or stress.  Never ignore the signs that a pet may have swallowed something inedible: continual vomiting, dry heaving and/or  coughing.  If these symptoms occur, your pet should be examined by a veterinarian.”
 

The Naturally Healthy Dog™

Raisin Toxicity

By Laurinda Morris, DVM

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet.  My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and  4:30 PM on Tuesday.

He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject.

We had her bring the dog in immediately.  In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me – had heard something about it, but….

Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids.

Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids.

At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well
as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic.  He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting.

Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220..
He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize.

This is a very sad case – great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin.

Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk.

Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's.

Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio

 

The Naturally Healthy Dog™

What is High Pressure Pasteurization?

Here is the information from their website:

High Pressure Pasteurization is a unique process that kills pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology. High Pressure Pasteurization is a USDA-approved, 100% natural process, and is allowed for use on organic and natural products.

How does High Pressure Pasteurization work?

Essentially, this technology “puts the squeeze” on food pathogens without cooking out vital nutrients or changing the fresh characteristics of food. During High Pressure Pasteurization, pressure is uniformly applied around and throughout the food product.

High Pressure Pasteurization can be conducted at refrigerated temperatures, which means the temperature starts low and stays low – High Pressure Pasteurization does not cause the heat degradation that happens during cooking. Because of this, High Pressure Pasteurization is known for being especially beneficial for heat-sensitive products, like meats, fruits, and vegetables.

Which Nature’s Variety foods use HPP?

As of 2/11/10, all Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets and Freeze Dried Raw foods utilize High Pressure Pasteurization.

Why has Nature’s Variety chosen to use High Pressure Pasteurization?

As always, we’re committed to continual product improvements, and we believe the use of High Pressure Pasteurization is an important step to further enhance our strict quality and food safety standards.

At Nature’s Variety, our purpose is empowering people to transform the lives of pets. We take pride in the quality of our foods “from farm to bowl” so that our ingredients, formulas, manufacturing protocols, and finished products are nothing short of superior – because that’s what our pets deserve. Using High Pressure Pasteurization is just one more step to ensure we’re living to fulfill our purpose.

Is High Pressure Pasteurization appropriate for natural and organic foods?

Yes. High Pressure Pasteurization is recognized by the FDA and USDA as an anti-pathogen treatment in many products. In addition, the USDA’s National Organic Products regulations provide for the use of High Pressure Pasteurization on organically labeled products.

Because High Pressure Pasteurization is the only scientifically recognized pasteurization process that does not use heat or irradiation to kill harmful bacteria, it is a safe treatment option that has little to no nutritional degradation of the products.

How did the High Pressure Pasteurization technology originate?

The origin of the High Pressure Pasteurization concept is as natural as the process itself. Over a century ago, scientists began investigating the fact that harmful bacteria found at sea level were actually not able to survive at deep sea levels (under high water pressures).

Within the last decade or so, advancements in technology have allowed for the duplication of this interesting phenomenon for use on natural and organic foods to kill harmful bacteria while preserving taste, enzymes, and overall nutritional integrity.

How does High Pressure Pasteurization maintain the nutritional integrity of the food?

High Pressure Pasteurization affects only the cell level. Pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7, and Listeria Monocytogenes are single-cell organisms present in small numbers and therefore ARE affected and destroyed by High Pressure Pasteurization by rupturing their cell walls. Beneficial bacteria are also present in very high levels in raw food, so, while some may be lost during High Pressure Pasteurization, there are still plenty remaining at the conclusion of the process.

High Pressure Pasteurization does NOT affect the molecular level. Proteins, enzymes, nutrients, prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals are molecules and, therefore, are NOT affected by High Pressure Pasteurization. Because proteins, enzymes, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals are unaffected by High Pressure Pasteurization, the nutritional value of the food is not sacrificed by High Pressure Pasteurization.

High Pressure Pasteurization causes minimal to no effect on nutritional value, vitamins or minerals, flavor compounds (taste), or pigments (color).

Does High Pressure Pasteurization affect the food’s naturally occurring enzymes?

No, High Pressure Pasteurization causes little to no effect on the food’s naturally occurring enzymes. Food enzymes are very resistant to pressure and require very high pressure for their inactivation. Many enzymes in our foods remain active up to 140 to 176°F, yet our High Pressure Pasteurization processing temperatures will not exceed 90°F and will typically peak in the 78 to 89°F range. For example, the following raw food enzymes remain active far beyond the temperature used in our High Pressure Pasteurization process:

Alkaline Phosphatase – active up to 140°F
Lipase – active up to 143°F
Catalase – active up to 145°F
Peroxidase – active up to 165°F
Xanthin Oxidase – active up to 186°F
Acid Phospatase – active up to 188°F

Where can I go if I want to learn more about High Pressure Pasteurization?

You can learn more about High Pressure Pasteurization through these helpful resources:

Click here to watch a video about HPP on Iowa Public Television
Illinois Institute of Technology’s website: http://www.iit.edu/
American Pasteurization Company’s website: http://www.pressurefresh.com/
Avure Technologies website: http://www.avure.com/ "

To learn more, go to http://www.naturesvariety.com/ and go to their resources section. Then click on Learning Center and then FAQ's.

I hope you find this article useful.

Good Health to your Dog!

The Naturally Healthy Dog™

Music Therapy For Dogs?

How does your pet react to music?  Does he howl to make you stop singing? Or does she start tapping her toes and dances even better than you dance?

Music has always been used as therapy for humans, and now there is a group of  harpists around the nation that is using the power of music to help animals.

Aliana Boone, a harpist, said, “The structure of the harp is considered to be the most healing instruments next to the human voice.” Boone plays for family pets that are sick and produced a CD “Harp Music to Soothe the Savage Beast.”

Boone has even played her harp for hospitalized canines at a vet clinic, and the music sessions immediately began to lower the heart rate, anxiety and respiration in many of the dogs.

All sorts of animals seem to benefit from the power of music. Cassie, a cow at a farm sanctuary, had anxiety-related behavior issues. One of the volunteers played a CD of harp songs, and within 20 minutes, Cassie dozed off and was at peace.

Diane Schneider, a harpist who produced “Harp of Hope: Animal Therapy Edition”, said music doesn’t work for all animals, but for the animals that it does work on, it works really well.

Schneider said pet owners have stated that her CD has helped arthritic dogs  fall asleep and calm anxious cats.

She recommended that pet owners play music before a stressful situation like going to the vet or grooming appointment.

Every detail of the instrumentals are specifically arranged to promote peace and relaxation in animals. Schneider added, “I’m hopeful that there will be a great increase in the use of this benevolent therapy. It is a very cost-effective, beneficial, soothing, calming intervention for animals and the people who love animals.”

Source: MSNBC

Good Health to your Dog!

The Naturally Healthy Dog™

"Nutro Modifies Advertising Claims For Lite Pet Food Products"

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (NAD) recommended that Nutro change their advertising for its "lite” pet foods to conform to industry standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Hill’s Pet Nutrition challenged Nutro’s claims on their “lite” pet food because Hill’s said the pet food products exceeded the maximum calorie allowance for lite pet food according to industry guidelines.

Nutro said that AAFCO had no standards for “lite” pet foods when the    company introduced Natural Choice Lite 13 years ago. The company called the pet food “lite” because it contained less fat and protein than their other dog food products.

After reviewing the products and evidence, the NAD concluded that Natural Choice Lite and Natural Choice Small Bites Lite did not meet AAFCO’s standards for “lite” pet food products.

NAD recommended that Nutro immediately stop labeling these products as “lite” until they have taken the steps to ensure that the products do not exceed AAFCO’s calorie limits.

The company disagreed with NAD’s findings that their “lite” pet food exceeded AAFCO’s guidelines, but Nutro said, “[We will] take all of NAD’s suggestions into account for [our] future advertising and make any necessary modifications in accordance with NAD’s recommendations so that [our] Natural Choice Lite product continues to comply with AAFCO guidelines.

Source: PetAge

I hope you find this article useful.

Good Health to your Dog!

The Naturally Healthy Dog™

July 4th and Your Dog!

July the 4th is a day to celebrate our freedom.  And many of us celebrate with backyard barbecues, picnics, family gatherings, parties, and fireworks. But, our four-legged friends don’t understand all the clamor and hoopla. Some pets even have noise phobias, especially with fireworks. People may enjoy fireworks displays, but all that racket and commotion can create real terror in our pets.

Some animals don’t seem to mind the noise, but others become very frightened and act in strange, unpredictable ways. Certain cats and dogs have full-blown anxiety attacks. Symptoms of anxiety include shaking, trembling, barking, howling, drooling, attempting to hide, refusing to eat, and trying to leap a fence or escape from an enclosure, yard, or home. Many animals end up lost, hurt, or seriously injured.

Unlike us, animals have an acute sense of hearing, and the explosion of fireworks can cause alarm. Even pets that haven’t reacted in the past, or haven’t reacted in years, can suddenly become fearful or anxious. Older pets may be even more sensitive to loud noises.

Animal shelters see a huge increase in strays around this holiday. Dogs and cats will panic and bolt through doors, windows, or other enclosures, trying to run from the noise. It is absolutely critical that all pets have some form of current identification on them.

All pets should be kept indoors in a small, safe, sheltered area where they cannot hurt themselves. Turn on the TV or radio to help muffle the sound of fireworks or have calming music playing. Be sure to include their favorite toys, beds, food, and water. Try spending more time with them. Distract your nervous pets by playing with them or keeping them active doing something they enjoy. It seems contradictory, but do not stroke, pet, or reassure your cat or dog when they are nervous or frightened. This can actually reinforce their anxious behavior and make it worse.

Do not leave pets outside unattended. Even dogs that are tied up can get hurt trying to escape by chewing, choking, or strangling themselves on their leashes. If you take your pet outside, make sure they have a sturdy leash or are secured in a carrier

Educate children about not scaring pets with sparklers or firecrackers.

If your pet has what is called a noise phobia, give them something to help calm their nerves and keep them from injuring themselves. Pets may jump through plate-glass windows, tear up their surroundings, or even self-mutilate when they hear fireworks.

Plan ahead. Do not wait until the last minute to get something to help them.  I recommend Bach’s Rescue Remedy.  It is a natural flower remedy, you cannot give them too much, and it will help.  Give it to them before the fireworks start.

 Good health to your dog!

  Thank you again and good health to you and your dog.