Super-foods for Super Pets

What is a super-food? There is no clear definition for the word but it is common knowledge that super-foods are nutrient-rich foods considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.

They are often full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other life giving nutrients. We have all eaten super-foods such as berries, broccoli, kale, kefir, coconut oil, turmeric, bone broth, and many more. These foods are not only healthy for us but our pets can also benefit from them. Today I will focus on three of these powerhouse foods.

Lets talk about bone broth. Chicken soup is not only good for the soul but it is good for the body. Our grandmothers knew about the healing power in homemade broths, those you will never find in a can.

The benefits of bone broth apply to both people and pets, so you can make up a pot of soup for the Bone broth gets a lot of attention these days. Restaurants offer it on their menus and people are talking about all of its’ benefits. Bone broth is good for your joints, is rich in collagen and packed with glycosaminoglycans (glucosamine), chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid, which are known to help and Bone broth coats and protects the lining of the digestive system to aid in the healing of leaky gut syndrome & colitis. It is good for your hair and nails due to its high collagen properties. It is high in amino acids, helps with brain function, bolsters the immune system, and much more. In order to achieve its’ benefits, broth must cook for several hours, (24 hours for chicken bone broth). There are simple steps you need to take to make your broth a healthy success. Are you too busy to make bone broth? We sell Fermented Fish broth made by Answers Pet Foods. To learn more about this amazing product you can go to their website. http://www.answerspetfood.com/fish.html

Another great super-food is coconut oil. People have used coconut oil for thousands of years; it is one of the earliest oils to be used as food and as a pharmaceutical. There are many health benefits and it is a healthy oil to cook with; as a result, it is found in many kitchens today. Lauric Acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid, is responsible for many of the health benefits found in coconut oil.

It supports skin and coat health, is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and aids in the healing of wounds, hot spots, dry skin, bug bites. Pet owners report that dogs with itchy skin, allergic reactions, ear problems, contact dermatitis, or other allergic reactions typically stop scratching soon after coconut oil is added to their food. It is pretty amazing stuff. The taste is delicious and because it is a medium chain fatty acid, it doesn’t break down when you cook with it.

Not all coconut oil is created equal. It is best to buy coconut oil from a known and trusted source. The better coconut oils are organically grown, unrefined, virgin, GMO free, fully ripened when harvested, and processed in a way that assures that all healthy properties are retained in the oil. There is a wide range in the price of coconut oil. Just remember, if it is cheap, it probably is a low-grade quality. Those cheaper oils are great to cook with but will not be as useful if you are going to use it therapeutically. We carry a few trusted brands. Our very best coconut oil is Cocotherapy Coconut oil. This company grows the coconuts, harvests them, they process their oil holding to the highest standards, they package and label their oils. They are involved in every step of the process from the soil to the shelf. For more information go to their website. You will learn all that you ever wanted to know. http://www.cocotherapy.com

Another super food kefir. Kefir is a cultured (fermented) creamy product with super health benefits. It has also been around many years, dating back several centuries. It is believed to have been discovered by shepherds of the Caucasus Mountains. The early history of kefir was not passed down by written word but by the telling of its’ story. Milk is more commonly used to make kefir. For use in pets, raw goat’s milk is preferred over cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is easier to digest because the fat molecules of goat’s milk are one-fifth the size of those in cow’s milk. It is very easy on the tummy. Raw fermented goat’s milk provides over 200 strains of probiotics . Fermentation improves digestibility. In fact, kefir is known to aid in the treatment of ulcers due to its’ effective acid buffering capacity. It is also helpful in treating inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, colitis, and other intestinal issues. Probiotics in kefir have been shown to aid with allergic dermatitis, arthritis, cancer, yeast, kidney disease, kidney stones, diabetes, urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, respiratory infections, poor digestion, inflammation and more. Overall, probiotics improve the function of the intestine and the immune system. Kefir is a great way to rehydrate dry kibble and it is also a great milk substitute for puppies and kittens. I know that many of us have busy schedules with very little extra time. We sell a raw fermented goat milkproduct made by Answers Pet Food. We have seen amazing results with their products. To learn more about Answers fermented raw goat milk click on their link. http://answerspetfood.com/additional.html

The idea of super foods may be new to you, however, they are not new at all. Bone broth, coconut oil, and kefir are not some new fad. They have been around for centuries, and their healing properties are known to many around the world.

“Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure the patient with food.” Hippocrates

Resources from various publications, papers, and books written by: Dr. Karen Becker DVM, Dr. Doug Kneuven DVM, Dr. Melissa Malinowski ND, Dr. Bruce Fife ND “Coconut Therapy for Pets, Dr. Cate Shanahan MD “Deep Nutrition”, Dogs Naturally Magazine

* There are studies (2011 Stanford Study) that provide evidence that both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is an abnormal immune response. An article published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences claims that “consuming 40 mg per day of undentaured type II collegan may completely stop the abnormal immune process that afflicts individuals with arthritis”.

Grieving the Loss of a Pet

I decided last month that the next article that I would write would be about bereavement; grieving the loss of a pet. The reason why I wanted to write this article was because of the recent loss of a wonderful little dog that used to come to my salon and the difficult time that her owners went through. Every Thursday, she would come into the salon for her spa day. She was 4 years old and in good health. One Thursday when she didn’t come, we were concerned. I called to check on her and was told that she had become ill and needed surgery. Within 2 weeks she was gone. Her owners were devastated. I called to check on them and I could hear in the husband’s voice that he was having a hard time with this. He said that they felt alone. Their friends didn’t understand how they could be so saddened by this. After all “it’s just a dog” they were told. I thought to myself, ‘it is awful to go through something like this alone and then be given such hurtful advice from a well intentioned friend or family member’. No, she was not just a dog. She was a huge part of this couples’ life and they loved her dearly and now she is gone.

Dogs are pretty amazing; we form such close bonds with them. They have this unconditional love that we really can’t explain. They are a constant companion, with us through our ups and downs of life. They know when we hurt and offer comfort in their own little sweet way. They know when we are happy and they greet us, tail wagging, waiting to give love and get love. I have been focusing on dogs here but it is the same when we lose any pet. Pets are the only family some people have.

Grieving the loss of a pet can at times be more difficult than grieving the loss of a person because there isn’t the same kind of support available. When a loved one (person) dies we have caring people coming to our aid, ready to help in any way they can. They send flowers, cards, food, love, phone calls, and so much more. People gather and remember with love the one who has passed. This is all part of the healing process. When a pet dies, most people don’t have this same support.

Those of you who do not own pets may not be able to relate to any of this, but please know that while you may not understand what your family member or friend is going through that it is very real and the grieving pet owner needs you.

People often go through the same stages of grief when they lose a pet as they do when they lose a person. They go through denial, sorrow, anger, guilt, even depression as they struggle to find closure. It is difficult enough to go through this when you have support but even more difficult to go through it alone.

You may not know the words to say but here are some things that you can do to help. Listen to them. Let them talk and share stories or share how they are feeling. Take them to a movie or go get a cup of coffee together.

Send a donation to a pet charity in memory of their pet. Offer to help them with a memorial service or funeral if that is what they want to do. Send them a sympathy card. Let them know that you are there for them.

Now, I will tell you that last month when I decided to write this article, I had no idea that I would also be experiencing this. I lost my cat Athena of 14 years last Wednesday after a long illness. I wondered if this subject was too personal right now, too fresh for me to write about and I admit that I struggled with it. What I found out is that writing this article helped me in my own grieving process. I have a wonderful family and friends who are very supportive and they have made a huge difference but all the support in the world can’t take away the hurt.

Remembering that grieving is normal and that healing will take time is helping me get through this and knowing that the greatest Healer of all is God who brings me comfort and peace.

“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal” Proverbs 12:10 NIV

About the Author
Karen Ritacco is the owner of Cumberland Pet Grooming & Boutique. She worked as a licensed Veterinary Technician for many years prior to opening Cumberland Pet Grooming in 1989. She is an I.S.C.C. Certified Pet Stylist. Her passion is helping pets to be healthy inside and out by offering pet grooming and she also carries natural and holistic foods, supplements, treats, and more. Her salon is located at 300 Buffalo Valley Rd. in Cookeville (corner of S Willow). 931-528-7711 cumberlandpetgrooming.com

Pet Treats & Their Tricky Labels

Fall has arrived! The days are getting shorter and the holidays will soon be upon us. Halloween is the first of the three holidays. As pet owners we have a responsibility to keep our pets away from things that can be harmful to them. Holiday festivities are often a place where we have an abundance of yummy food and treats are everywhere. They are out on tables, on countertops, in candy bags, dropped on the floor, in the trash, and other places where our sneaky little furry friends can get into them. Candy is not only bad for our children but it can make our pets very sick. We all know that chocolate is poisonous to pets but did you know that raisins are also poisonous? Raisins and grapes can cause kidney failure in dogs and cats. Candy wrappers can cause bowel obstruction that could require surgery.

We don’t have a special treat holiday for our pets. Many of us give goodies every day of the year so everyday is treat day. They certainly don’t suffer from a lack of treats. They could however suffer from eating the wrong treats.

There are so many treats to choose from and finding healthy treats is not always an easy task. A good place to start is by reading the ingredient label on the bag. The labels however can be confusing and even misleading.

Here in the USA, “country of origin laws” are weak at best. A label can say “Manufactured in the USA” or “Packaged in the USA”, “Made in the USA” or “Sourced in the USA” yet some ingredients in that product could have been manufactured in a country other than the USA. Did you know that the bulk of the worlds vitamins (Vit C, B12, A, and E) are manufactured in China? If vitamins were added to the treat, they most likely came from China yet there doesn’t have to be any mention of China on the package. That is one reason why I prefer that my pets get their vitamins from “whole foods” instead of synthetic vitamins.

We have all heard the horror stories about dogs getting sick or even dying from chicken jerky made in China.

These chicken treats are still on the shelves in some pet stores. Any reputable store would have removed these treats years ago when we first heard that there was a problem. So, once again buyers beware and remember that just because the label doesn’t mention China doesn’t mean it is free from ingredients that come from China.

Some treats have added fats and oils. Once again, if these fats and oils were purchased with Ethoxyquin or some other dangerous preservative already in the oils then the company does not have to list that on the label.

The next thing to look at is the other ingredients that are in the treat? It is best to stay away from carbohydrates,especially grains. While pets can usually tolerate grains, most pets do not digest them very well and some have
ongoing tummy problems from them. Many pets are allergic to some of the grains, with corn, wheat, and soy being at the top of the list of common allergens. If your pet suffers from chronic skin problems, grains could be
contributing to the problem or even be the cause of the problem. Cats should not eat carbohydrates. They are obligate carnivores.

Here is a list of some ingredients that you should stay away from that are in some very popular pet treats.

“Wheat flour, wheat bran, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten, Corn Flour, Whole Grain Wheat, Soybean Mill Run, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Oil, poultry by-product meal, synthetic vitamins, preservatives, to name a few”.

I am not going to explain all of these ingredients but I will explain one of them as an example. Chicken byproduct meal is the pieces and parts left after the good meat is removed from the chicken for the human food industry; what remain are byproducts. Byproducts can be feathers, beaks, feet, combs or worse. There also can be parts that are healthy like the heart, gizzards, etc. There’s no way to know what is in byproduct meal and because of that it is best to stay clear of byproducts.

So how can you as the consumer know the difference between a healthy treat and an unhealthy or even harmful treat? If you find a treat that you think your pet might like then do some research on that product and find out what the ingredients are and where they came from. You can ask the store if they know or better yet call the treat company yourself. I have made several calls and done much research to learn what is in some of these treats and where they were made and where the ingredients came from.

While you are checking into the treats that you feed your pets, it would be a good idea to take a look at the ingredient label on your pet food. The same applies to pet food as well.

There are many safe and nutritious treats available that pets love and whose labels are easy to understand. Find a great treat and your pet will thank you and will be healthier and happy as a result!

“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal” Proverbs 12:10 NIV

References: Pet Food (What You Need to Know) for Your Pet's Sake by Dr. Donna Spector, Your Pet’s Food, Exposing Manufacturers’ Dirty Tricks by Dr. Karen Becker, China-Free Dog Food? Don’t Count On It by The Dog Food Advisor

Dog Days of Summer

Keeping Fido Cool

When we hear the term Dog Days, we think of summer heat and lazy dogs laying around trying to stay cool. I was curious as to what the origin of Dog Days was so I did some research and here is what I found. According to Random House Webster’s College Dictionary “Dog Days, a noun, is the sultry part of summer when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises at the same time as the sun. It is also a period marked by lethargy, inactivity, and indolence.” Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and is in the constellation Canis Major (Greater Dog). The first known use of the term “Dog Days” was in 1538.

When we think of Dog Days we should be thinking about our pets and their comfort during this sweltering time of the year. We need to know ways to keep our pets cool and keep them from overheating. Here are some things that you can do to ensure that your pet is safe during the dog days of summer.

Dogs should have access to shade and to clean fresh water at all times.

Do not walk your pet on pavement. Pavement gets brutally hot and if you wouldn’t walk on it barefoot then neither should your pet.

Never leave Your Pet in the car in the summer time; not even for a minute. Leaving the windows partially down does not help a bit.

Limit their activity on hot days. Exercising your pet in the early morning or evenings hours is best. Although dogs do have sweat glands in the pads of their feet, their primary means of cooling their body is evaporation by panting. Dogs bring in cool air and exhale stored heat in the body. When the air temperature is too hot they cannot cool themselves. Also, if the humidity is too high they cannot cool themselves. When dogs pant hard they dehydrate.

Dogs sunburn so if you will be spending time with your pet outdoors then you will want to buy a sunscreen made for dogs.

There are several products that you can buy to cool your pet down. Cooling collars, cooling vests, cooling beds or mats, body wraps, to name a few. Dogs love playing in kiddie pools but remember to place it in the shade and keep the water clean. Some dogs even love playing under the sprinkler. What a great way for your dog and your children to get some exercise.

Let’s talk about fur. I am going to stay on this subject for awhile because we see lots of dogs who roast in the summer and freeze in the winter because of their fur.

What kind of coat does your dog have? Double coated breeds such as the Spitz, Great Pyrenees, Collies, Pomeranians, Chow Chows, etc (or dogs mixed with these breeds) require special care year round. The concept that a dog’s fur will keep him warm in the winter and cool in the summer is not entirely true; at least not for this kind of coated dog living in the south. Dogs with this type of fur have a thick undercoat that is needed as a barrier to the cold during the winter months but if that thick coat is not removed it will become a thick blanket causing the dog to overheat in the summer and possibly cause a heat stroke, or even death. In the summer, this undercoat must come out either by the owner raking, combing, and brushing it out or by taking it to a professional pet stylist/groomer to have a de-shed treatment. When this is done the longer outer coat is left and the fuzzy thick fur is gone. This is optimal for keeping the dog cool during warm weather. This works

very well in their homeland which is usually in the northern climates but what about here in the south? There are days in middle Tennessee where it is simply too hot for many of these double coated breeds to live outside.

These double coated breeds should not be shaved down. We have had to do this with dogs that have come into the salon and their coat was so thick and so matted that the only alternative we had was to shave the hair off.

Shaving this type of coated dog close can cause problems and sometimes their fur doesn’t grow back right.

Other dogs besides the double coated breed that are at a higher risk for over heating or heat stroke are:

 * Dogs with pushed in noses such Pugs, English Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, etc. These breeds are known as brachycephalic. They don’t pant as efficiently as dogs with long noses.

 * Older dogs and puppies

 * Sick dogs or dogs with health issues such as heart disease or lung issues

* Obesity

 * Hyperthyroid

 * Dogs not acclimated to the heat

 * Any healthy dog can overheat if left out in the hot weather

 * Don’t forget about your kitty. Persians and other cats with pushed in noses are also at risk

Summer is a great time of the year. The kids are out of school and have lots of time on their hands to play with their pets. Dog days are lazy days and best spent indoors hanging out with the family.

Happy Pet, Healthy Pet

The beginning of a new year is often ushered in with a desire to make new and healthy changes in our lifestyle and eating habits. We have just made it through a season of Christmas cookies, holiday meals, and party foods and our pets have probably enjoyed extra Christmas treats as well. So, now it’s time to get serious. After all, it’s not what we eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas that determines our health; it’s what we eat between Christmas and Thanksgiving. This is a great time to clean out, clean up, and get back into shape. I hope to share some tips to help you get your pet back on the track of healthy eating and maybe you can take a few more walks together to add some exercise to both of your routines.

What changes can you make to help your pets maintain good health? I have always loved this quote by Hippocrates. “Let Food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. We can keep ourselves and our pets healthy by making right choices in the foods that we eat. For your dog that means to feed a species appropriate diet.

Many households choose to feed a dry kibble to their pets. We have been taught that this is the best way to feed our pets. Is a dry kibble a species appropriate food? Historically, a cooked diet was never a part of the canine and feline diet. These dry cooked foods are relatively new having been introduced within the past 80 years.

Our dogs have been able to survive on commercial dry kibble foods but are they thriving on these foods? I do not believe that a dog or cat can thrive on a commercial dry kibble. The foods are over processed and cooked at very high temperatures of 200-500 degrees F. Cooking at this high temperature destroys nutrients (vitamins, minerals, and enzymes) and reduces the digestibility of amino acids. Synthetic vitamins and minerals have to be added back in to replace the lost nutrients and to make the foods AAFCO compliant. Many of these synthetic vitamins are originally sourced out of China.

My occupation has been working with dogs, cats, and horses for over 38 years. I have seen that chronic degenerative disease, allergies, autoimmune diseases, and cancer appear to be on the rise. We have to ask ourselves why?

Cats are obligate carnivores (they should never eat carbohydrates) and yet there are carbohydrates in many types of cat food. Dogs are also in the order carnivore and are opportunistic and scavengers. They do well on a diet of meat and they seem to have adapted over the years and are able to eat some vegetables, fruits, and starches. Although they can tolerate starches, they do not digest grains well. In fact many dogs are allergic to grains. Several popular dog food brands list their first ingredient as corn. This is hardly acceptable. Here is a list of some ingredients that you should stay away from that are in some popular pet foods and treats.

They are: Wheat flour, wheat bran, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten, Corn Flour, Whole Grain Wheat, Soy, Soybean Mill Run, Powdered Cellulose, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Oil, poultry by-product meal, synthetic vitamins, preservatives, and food dyes, to name a few.

Dogs and cats should be eating whole foods with a high quality meat protein source. Their main protein source should not be coming from beans, peas, or grains. Their vitamins and minerals should be coming from the whole food as much as is possible. Their food should be alive and rich with nutrients and moisture. Many pets stay dehydrated on a cellular level because they do not eat foods high in moisture. When you think about cats for instance, they eat mice and birds and other little critters that are mostly made up of moisture. When a dog or cat eats kibble, the digestive system must draw water from the rest of the body in order to help digest the dry kibble. I don’t think that I would want to eat cereal every day for every meal. Why would we do that to our pets? While I think that an owner can learn how to prepare a well balanced meal for their pets at home, keep in mind that the absolute worse diet you can feed your pet is a diet that is prepared at home by an owner who lacks knowledge about nutrition and balance.

There are high quality commercially prepared foods available in the form of freeze dried, dehydrated, air dried, raw, frozen, canned, and there are even some high quality kibble available that cook at a lower temperature or even bake their foods. If you decide to feed a dry kibble it would be best to feed it with water or broth or some other liquid added to it.

I do believe that we are what we eat and I know that a lot of disease can be avoided simply by providing the body with the right amount and the right kind of nutrients so that it can function the way it was designed to function. 80% of the immune system is in the gut so taking care of the gut is a giant step to better health.

I will briefly mention one more area that I have been concerned with since the 1980’s. I have done hours of research on this subject and have attended seminars by Veterinarians to better understand this subject of vaccination protocol. Back in the 1980’s I wondered why it was recommended to revaccinate our pets every year. I had a baby and after her baby shots she wasn’t required to go back for yearly boosters so naturally I wondered why my pets had to go back every year. It also didn’t make any sense to me that a 4 lb Chihuahua was given the same dosage as a 100 lb St. Bernard. This is what I was taught in school and this was what I was taught at the Veterinary clinic that I worked at. I did some research and I was surprised at what I learned about the matter. I am not going to go into depth on this subject today. I might save that for another issue. I will tell you that the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) set new guidelines several years back. Those guidelines are being taught in several of the Veterinary colleges including University of Tennessee. The guidelines for administering core vaccines DA2PP is to give puppy shots, a booster at 1 year of age, and then a booster every 3 years. The rabies is also a core vaccines and it is recommended to give at 16 weeks, a booster at a year, and then a booster every 3 years except where the county law may be different. Putnam County requires the rabies vaccine to be given yearly while
other counties such as Jackson and Overton County require every 3 years for rabies. If you would like more information on vaccinations and some of the research that has been done, I would recommend reading some of the information published by Dr. Jean Dodds DVM and or Ronald D. Schultz, PhD, DACVM. Remember vaccines should only be given to healthy pets. If you choose to follow the core vaccine protocol as outlined it certainly doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take your pet to the doctor for 3 years. Yearly check ups are very important. It is also important to have regular dental check ups for your pets. Excessive tartar build up will rot the teeth beneath, cause gum disease, can cause sickness in your pet, and can shorten their life. The tartar can produce toxins that are hard on the body and on the kidneys.

I have touched the tip of the iceberg here and now I challenge you to do some research on what it takes to keep your pet in the best of health. Learn how to read labels so that you can better understand what you are feeding your pet. We have numerous articles written by Veterinarians and magazines with articles on pet nutrition and pet health that we are happy to share with you. All you have to do is ask.

The world of health is huge. I hope that I have given you some insight and some direction so that you can do your own research on health and nutrition and make the changes that will add quality and longevity to your pet's  life.

Have a Happy and Healthy 2015.

“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal” Proverbs 12:10 NIV

* Resources from various publications, papers, and books written by : Dr. Karen Becker DVM, Dr. Doug Kneuven DVM, Dr Marty Goldstein DVM, Dr. Michael Fox DVM, Dr. Ronald Schultz DVM, Dr. Jean Dodds DVM, Dr. Jeanette Thomason.