pet health : All posts

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Pets: 'Green' cleaning products are a good alternative, but care still needs to be taken when using them around pets

Flickr photo by admiller

For many households, the use of environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies has been the trend for several years, and using these items has been easy with the flood of products now available on the market.

This is great for those with pets; it's a boon because we want to keep them safe.

Although green cleaning products are a better choice in many ways than traditional supplies, they still need to be used with caution around pets.

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Pets: Honest Kitchen recalls specific lots of pet food formulas because of Salmonella

Sample-sized bags of Honest Kitchen's 'Thrive' (not full-sized boxes, like the one pictured here) are included in the recall, among other formulas.

Lorrie Shaw | Contibutor

While one company voluntarily pulled one batch of their raw pet food formula from the market after one consumer discovered small, clear plastic pieces in the bag of food, two other recalls stem from Salmonella.

An important thing to remember is that the sources of Salmonella contamination can vary.

A recall because of Salmonella posted here on Thursday stemmed from an ongoing issue with one company, resulting in recalling all of their animal-based products manufactured at one plant in Colorado.

The latest recall — this time from The Honest Kitchen — but the source of possible Salmonella contamination comes from a plant-based ingredient: human-grade parsley.

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Pets: Nature's Variety recalls single batch of raw pet food due to choking risk

Flickr photo by hatch m

One of several recalls this week includes a batch of a raw pet food for dogs and cats made by Nature's Variety.

The company, in a statement earlier this week stated that they initiated the recall because of a reason that you might not expect: a choking risk.

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Pets: Kasel Associated Industries recalls all products manufactured at Colorado facility

Flickr photo by tsuacctnt

This measure comes after previous recalls of their bully sticks and chicken jerky treats last fall.

Salmonella contamination is cited as the problem behind the recall.

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Pets: Piglet in wheelchair beats the odds and becomes an Internet sensation

Attitudes are definitely changing about pets with special needs, and because of that, many advances have been made to help them live more fully.

Whether it's vision or hearing impairments, or mobility issues due to injury, illness or aging, there seems to be no shortage of ingenuity and ideas to help animals, especially when it comes to challenges with mobility. Even pets in our own community have benefited from the use of devices like wheelchairs designed just for them.

One little piglet has a new lease on life thanks to his owner, Dr. Len Lucero, DVM. The Florida veterinarian set out on a mission to help the little guy, whom he adopted and named Chris P. Bacon.

The nearly 4-week-old pig was born with a stunted, non-functioning set of back legs. Lucero decided to create a wheelchair out of K'NEX, patterned after wheelchairs that are designed for dogs.

pets: Playing games with pets lessens anxiety and improves their health

Photo by Flickr User PetteriO

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Pets: When it comes to being touched, cats have a few rules of engagement to follow

Flickr photo by John Morton

This seems especially true when having close physical contact with them, as cats can seem so eager to nuzzle and invite petting at times — even doing something called "bunting", characterized by head-butting — but at other times your touch will seem abruptly unwanted.

Confusing, right?

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Pets: Monitoring a pet's stools can help you be a better caregiver to any species

Lorrie Shaw | Contributor

Being mindful of non-verbal cues is crucial in sharing life with pets, as most of us have learned, and implementing one habit can tell us volumes about them and their health: looking at their stools and waste.

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Pets: Cats routinely pick a diet that is consistent in protein, fat and carbs - if given the choice

flickr photo by SiLVeR13

It never does, as I’m not averse to adding any number of enhancements to a pet’s food to encourage them to eat or mix things up a bit. I do it for my own pets, so long as it’s something healthy.

Ironically, our cat Silver is not a picky guy, but I know that plenty of kitties are.

Is yours? You’ll be glad to know that they are not alone.

A recent study on a group of felines by the Waltham Center for Pet Nutrition indicates that cats — if given the chance — are mindful of what they were eating instead of just consuming whatever food is plunked down in front of them.

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Pets: FDA announces recall of some Claudia's Canine Cuisine dog cakes

flickr photo by fstop186

The cakes were sold at PetSmart stores in several states, including Michigan.

After stores reported moldy cakes, the company investigated and found that the cakes on one production run were packaged while they were still warm, causing extra moisture, and, in turn, the moisture caused the mold.

pets: Let's get physical: Veterinary examinations still the best tool for keeping pets healthy

Chi-Chi Lu photo by Brandi Truesdell

In a given week I may be a surgeon, an internist, an ophthalmologist, behaviorist, a dermatologist or many others. The key to being able to practice such a wide variety of medicine in multiple species is to be able to perform a high quality physical exam.

The physical exam is without a doubt the most useful and important tool in the veterinarian's kit. In vet school I was told over and over again that "you miss more by not looking than by not knowing," and I have found this to be true on many occasions. The more you check, the less you miss!

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Pets: Carolina Prime Pet announces recall of bullstrips over Salmonella risk

Many dog owners indulge their pets' craving to chew with various rubber and synthetic toys, bones and other popular products like tracheas, tendons and antlers.

One pet product company is recalling one of their products — bullstrips.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, Carolina Prime Pet is recalling their Priority Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips, after finished product had been shown to have been contaminated with salmonella.

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Pets: Charlee Bear Products recalls specific lots of Protein Crunch Bars because of Salmonella risk

According to Charlee Bear Products of Madison, Wisc. they are recalling some of their Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars because of possible Salmonella health risk.

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Pets: Do you have a surplus of pumpkin this season? Here are some dog-friendly ideas

flickr photo by the Polon Team

The seeds are yummy for us humans, but the flesh can seem bland and leaves much to be desired for some beyond pies. It seems like a waste to toss it out — and it is — considering all of the recipes that you can use it in. If you have dogs, it's even better, because it's not only yummy to them, but healthful.

One of the best things besides the price of these yearly delights, is the fact that they are low in fat and are high in fiber — a boon to the canine species.

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Pets: Weeds called Foxtails are common in Michigan and can pose a special risk to dogs

An example of foxtail.

flickr photo by crystalline radical

This is my favorite time of year to walk dogs. Abundant sunshine and cooler temperatures lend themselves to a fun outing with your dog out in the woods — a great way to get exercise and spend time together. Most dogs like to run and dart off into the brush, sniffing as they meander around.

It's important when fun time is over to examine your dog thoroughly. Looking for ticks is crucial, of course, but there is another caveat to outdoor fun, especially for long-haired dogs, like Golden Retrievers. A wild grass called foxtails are notorious for hitching a ride and embedding themselves easily into tangles of fur, but they can pose a bigger risk: digging into openings in the skin. If this happens, big problems can ensue. and surgical removal may become necessary.

Three common places foxtails enter the body are the ears, nose and paws, so if your pooch spends a lot of time outdoors in fields or brushy areas, examining these areas is very important.

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Pets: Frozen yogurt dog treats linked to contaminated peanut butter are being recalled

flickr photo by _tar0_

One flavor of their Yoghund frozen yogurt dog treats, Organic Banana & Peanut Butter, are the focus of the recall, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The recall was initiated as a precaution — as these products contain organic peanut butter linked to recent recalls of products that use the ingredient sourced by Sunland Inc.of Portales, N.M. — for possible Salmonella contamination.

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Pets: Pet car safety restraints found to be less-than-effective in recent study

Pets have become so imeshed in our everyday lives, and it's not uncommon to see a dog with his head peering out of an open window or, much to the dismay of many, riding in the back of a pick up truck.

With more willingness for so many people to try and keep their four-legged friends safe when partaking in activities alongside them, it wasn't long before pet product companies took notice. They've carved out a pretty nice niche in that area, with gear designed for plenty of different activities - seat belts and car harnesses included.

There's been much talk in recent months about the safety of pets while riding in vehicles, with one state, New Jersey, being a pioneer in making the push for a safety harness use law.

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Pets: Pig ears sold at Target stores recalled because of potiential health risk

This pooch is tired out from chewing on a rubber chew toy designed for dogs. They are a relatively safe choice because they do not inherently contain salmonella. With any chew toy, dogs should be supervised during play due to the choking hazard.

flickr photo courtesy of vmiramontes

Another purveyor of the treats is at the center of another voluntary recall due to a possible health risk to your pets.

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Pets: Nature's Recipe recalls dog treats because of possible risk to pet's health

According to the Food and Drug Administration, Nature's Recipe is voluntarily recalling their Nature’s Recipe Oven Baked Biscuits with Real Chicken because of possible salmonella health risk.

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Pets: Local vet weighs in on chubby pets on National Pet Obesity Awareness Day

flickr photo by rcourtey

Like it or not, we are a society that loves to overindulge and our waistlines show it.

But, we're not the only ones affected by a weight problem; it's an epidemic that is costing pets and their humans alike. Pets have health issues, injuries and even shortened lifespans as a result — and it hits their caregivers in the wallet.

It's estimated that more than 50 percent of pets in the United States are considered overweight or obese. That's a very sobering number.