Buddy has a favorite toy tennis ball.
It is still not certain if some of us pets will die from kidney failure from eating these foods for much of our short pet years. My mom is sad because she once fed me a premium brand of dog food because she wanted the best for me. Now my mom is sad because she feels like she could have been responsible for harming me.
I am a simple dog. I need food, water, and love to survive. My mom had a talk with me about the dog food situation and her face was puzzling to me.
Buddy likes pet treats
Just look at the recall list and it is clear to see the foods listed are brands our pet parents trusted. I believe that monetary profits to the pet food companies is the driving factor in their purchasing cheaper grades of ingredients for the dog and cat food. My mom reads the cans of dog food and still there is the ingredient called animal by-products. What does that mean?
This is a link to the Federal Drug Administration site with the current list of pet foods recalled and other news about pet foods.
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/petfood.html
There is a website that is saying some scary things about the pet food industry. The site brings up questions about pet food and offers a book with pet food recipes. I hope that the things that Andrew Lewis says the pet food industry is doing to the pet foods are not true. I am disheartened to believe that bad things happen to good dogs and cats. This site links to news articles but I recommend you view it with an open mind.
http://www.dogfoodsecrets.info/List_of_Recalled_Pet_Foods_UPDATED_5_10.html
CHOCOLATE tops the list along with any foods or drinks that contain caffeine. Methylxanthine is the substance found in cacao beans that can make pets have tremors, seizures, vomiting, excessive thirst, excessive urination, hyperactivity, and sometimes death. Dark chocolate is worse that milk chocolate.
GRAPES and RAISINS are highly toxic to dogs. Even a few grapes or raisins can kill a dog or cat. This food can cause death by kidney failure. No oatmeal raisin cookies for Buddy.
RAW EGGS and RAW MEATS contain the bacteria salmonella and E. coli. Raw eggs contain this enzyme called Avidin that decreases absorption of a B vitamin called biotin. Lack of biotin can make your fur dull and your skin itchy. I eat grass which has some biotin.
Mom let me have this bone for a short time.
RAW BONES and even cooked bones can splinter and get lodged in a pet’s throat or other digestive organs. My VET told mom it was ok to give me a raw bone, the big bone from a cow. Mom let me have it for a while until I made these crunchy noises. Mom took the bone away from me. I ate all the meat off the bone and cracked into the bone which I think is why I had the bone taken away. Mom hugged me and said I could chew some other toys I have. I rather have bones, not the nylabone. We dogs know the difference and prefer real bones.
ONIONS and GARLIC in large amounts can cause red blood cell damage. Mom never gives me onions but seasons my food with a touch of garlic. Small amounts of garlic are ok for some dogs. There is a still a great debate about whether garlic is good for a dog. I am Buddy Rizzo, an Italian dog so a little garlic shouldn’t hurt, could it?
MILK can upset my stomach because I am a dog and have less Lactase in my body. Lactase is this enzyme that helps digest milk products. Milk products seem to be ok for some pets but never feed an animal too much of any one food.
RAW YEAST DOUGH or raw breads are bad because if a pet eats them the yeast continues to grow inside the stomach. This can make the pets stomach expand and hurt.
ALCOHOL is bad for pets. Some people think it is funny to give their pets alcohol and watch them act drunk. Those people are being cruel to animals and are not very smart people. If you see anyone give an animal alcohol tell them Buddy said “Bad Human”.
MACADAMIA NUTS can cause your pet to become weak, get depressed, and have tremors, vomit, and hypothermia. This will happen about 12 hours after consumption and symptoms last up to 48 hours.
AVOCADO contains Persin which can cause diarrhea and vomiting in pets. The seed and skin of the avocado are also bad for your pet.
My mom makes all my food now. At first it was difficult for her to cook all the foods needed to make a healthy dog meal. Now she has ways to save time and give me a tasty meal without worrying about my getting ill from commercial pet food.
There are many websites on the internet that give free recipes to make your own pet foods and pet treats. Mom is working on her pet recipes and will share them after she has tested them on me. Good luck to those who make their own pet food. There is something comforting in the home cooked meal whether it is for a human or your beloved pet.
Buddy gets to check out the dog foods at the pet store.
Buddy looks for pet treats.
Ultimately you have to decide what food to feed your pet. Hopefully the government will set stronger guidelines for the pet food industry. Thanks for reading my column. Share it with a friend and spread the Aloha Spirit.
