I think most people question what they should be feeding their dogs. It was a big question I had when adopting Maci. There are so many different brands and I was clueless on what would be best for her. There are 3 different kinds of dog foods you can feed your dogs. There is raw, which is the best option but is expensive for most dog owners. Then there is dry or soft food, each has their own benefits depending on your dogs needs. I'll be addressing dry food, since that seems to be the most commonly used for dog owners.
When determining a pet food brand make sure you look for a few things.
- Make sure the first 5 ingredients are not fillers (corn, by-products or wheat gluten. To fill you in on by-products, it's things other than meat (not used for human consumption) such as eyeballs, tendons, lungs, spleen, kidneys,brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low-temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hooves. This is according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials.
- Although corn is not considered toxic for your dog, there have been reports of allergies and behavioral issues related to dogs who consume corn. I stay away from it since people can't even digest it properly so why would a dog...but that's my 2 cents.
- Just remember, the more fillers, the more clean up on the other end. Maci only poops once a day...Meeko about 3 times, but he's much smaller. Maybe too much information for you but it shows you that with a good dog food, you don't have as much to clean up.
- Any meat should be named...such as "beef", "lamb", "chicken", etc. Do not buy a product that just has "meat" as the listing for the meat ingredient.
- Never buy a product with “by-product meal” or “meat and bone meal.” The quality of these meals can vary from batch to batch and are not a reliable source of nutrients for your animal.
- Try and find a brand that is labeled “AAFCO guarantee". This means the company has either met a list of nutrients or contents or passed an actual feeding tests. Feed tests are actual clinical studies, although not guaranteed, it is the preferred method to go by.
- Avoid store or generic brands. These are rejects from the larger manufactures that contain poorer quality and cheaper ingredients.
My thought is, dogs use to forage on the land. Do you think they ate grains and fillers before they would eat meat? The sad fact of the matter is, most dog food is made out of dead, dying or diseased animals. Traces of pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug, is found in most pet foods. The common myth of dead cats and dogs in pet food is no longer the case, but it was common practice years ago.
So what do I feed my babies? They are fed Life's Abundance Premium Dog Food. It is shipped right to my house...I even have autoship so I don't have to remember. I know that it hasn't sat in a warehouse, then on a truck and on some store shelf for months before it gets to my dogs. That whole process can take months! No, I don't get any sort of kick back for mentioning this product. I just really like the product. It follows all the guidelines listed above, minus #3, but I did do research and this company has never had a recall on their food. That is huge for me! I guess the little bit of extra cost for dog food is worth it since I know it will save on health related issues down the road.
What are some other things you look for when buying your pet's food?
Tick season is in full swing here in the Midwest. So what can you do to help protect your dogs and cats?
First, you need to make sure that you have a good tick preventative. Frontline and K9 Advantix are two of the better known monthly topical treatments. I've found a cheaper option that works just as well called, BioSpot. You can buy it at Fleet Farm for around $13 for a 3 month supply. There are other treatments you can try such as tick collars, herbal supplements, dips, sprays and powders. I find the topical treatments to be the easiest to administer though.
Ticks aren't just gross and irritating for your dog, they can carry deadly diseases that pose serious threats to your pet. The following are 2 of the most common tick-borne diseases.
- Lymes Disease, which is carried by Deer Ticks and most prevalent here in the Midwest, is the most common of the disease passed by these nasty buggers. Symptoms include, arthritis, loss of appetite, fever, swollen lymph nodes, lethargy and change in their gait. If left untreated, kidney failure can occur with is often fatal for your dog. My Aunt's dog Molly (Rest in Peace) went deaf after contracting Lymes disease.
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another disease transmitted by ticks. This disease, can show similar signs of Lymes disease symptoms but can also cause more serous issues. Some dogs have had seizures, pneumonia,& hemorrhages in the retina and may also develop blood in the stool or nose. Renal failure is also a major concern. Symptoms usually occur within 2-14 days after the tick bite.
Second, make sure to check your dog regularly for ticks. Although most ticks live in forested or tall grassy areas, your dog can still pick them up in your back yard or on a walk. Check around their head, ears, neck, feet and skin folds extra carefully as this is where most ticks like to hang out. If you do find a tick on your dog do not just pull it off. The proper way to extract a tick is;
- Apply rubbing alcohol to the tick and pull straight off with a tweezers.
- Do not twist or squeeze the body of the tick as this may cause bacteria and disease containing material to be injected into the site. Be sure to take care not to allow any of the blood from the tick to come into contact with your dog's skin. This could transmit any diseases to your pet.
- After removing the tick, place it in a container filled with alcohol to prevent it from reattaching to your pet or yourself. It is a good idea to save the tick for a few weeks in case your dog starts to show any symptoms of illness. The tick can then be examined for identification of any diseases it may be carrying.
Finally, be sure to start your tick prevention treatments right away in the Spring and continue into the Fall. Colder weather does not kill ticks. In fact, Deer tick numbers are at their peak during September through November so this is the prime time to contract Lymes Disease. If you live in warmer climates, you will need year round treatments...as I'm sure you already knew. If you do live in an area where Lymes Disease is an issue, you can have a Lymes vaccination given to your dog. This is something you would want to talk with your Veterinarian about.
As for cats...don't worry, I didn't forget about them. They have their own line of products. Never ever give a cat the same treatment you would give your dogs. In fact, if you are using Advantix for your dogs, make sure to keep your dog and cat separate for 12 hours..or until the oil has completely dried. The reason is, Advantix contains permethrin which is toxic to cats. This ingredient can be metabolized by dogs but not cats, which is why you can safely use it on your dogs.
The biggest tick-borne disease spread to cats, besides Lymes Disease, is called Cytauxzoonosis. In most cases this disease is fatal and symptoms include; anorexia,lethargy, fever, dehydration and enlarged lymph nodes. Symptoms will show about 3-7 days before death occurs due to massive organ failure and bleeding disorders.
If you have an indoor cat I wouldn't really worry about a tick prevention. But, if you have a cat like mine, who likes to escape when ever given the chance, it's best to protect them....just in case. Same rules apply as for dogs, but find the cat friendly substitutes for the topical treatment. Be sure to check them every time they come back into the house and remove ticks properly as soon as you find them.
Please feel free to add any other suggestions that you use to protect your fur babies.
