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http://blog.runboard.com/thedoggybloggy/| Free for Reprint Pet Nutrition Article(Things not to feed your Dog) | December 11, 2004, 10:28 pm GMT |
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and in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included and the web address' contained within is hyperlinked. Free Reprint Article 1 Things You should never feed your Dog Unfortunately, there are a number of household items which we tend to take for granted that are potentially very dangerous to your dog's health. It is especially important to be aware of this because as you know, dogs are essentially scavengers and will often eat just about anything they can sink their fangs into. I would say that my own dog is more like a mobile garbage disposal. It is also very important to be aware of these items since their sense of smell is so well developed that your pooch will be able to find what you may think is well hidden. One of these dangerous household items, it turns out, is simple chocolate. While chocolate has been reported recently to be high in human-friendly antioxidants, it appears to be potentially lethal for our pets, and particularly for our dogs. Cats are mostly unaffected since they do not care for the taste of chocolate, but dogs tend to be crazy about it. Certain breeds of dogs react differently to chocolate. The root of the problem is that chocolate contains various chemicals which are called methylxanthine alkaloids (some types have more of these chemicals than others) Sadly, relatively miniscule amounts of these chemicals are capable of causing such serious problems as constriction of the arteries and an increased heart rate. Large amounts may cause even more dire symptoms and a pound of milk chocolate could possibly kill a sixteen pound dog. If you find that your dog has eaten chocolate then by all means take note of the it's type and try to estimate the amount eaten. Then get on the phone with a veternarian or an emergency facility. Be sure that your children know how important it is to keep chocolate out of your dog’s reach. If you are not aware that your dog has consumed chocolate, the consequences could be severe. If consumption is not found within 4 to 6 hours without the right treatment, cardiac failure, seizures, coma and death could result, according to veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks. In addition to seemingly innocent chocolate, there are a number of other common household items that may seem safe for our dogs but that can be downright dangerous. Some mushrooms, for example, can produce abdominal pain, liver andd kidney damage and amenia. So be aware of wild mushrooms when you are out walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic may seem benign but can cause vomiting, liver damage, anemia and diarrhea so do not give your pet baby food since it can contain garlic. Anti-freeze can shut down your dog's kidney and they tend to love the taste. Miscletoe can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and depression. Onions can cause liver damage, anemia and diarrhea. Onion can also sometimes be found in baby food. Cats are actually somewhat more sensitive to this one so keep out of the reach of both. Coffee, like cocoa, is especially dangerous, and may cause heart rate increase, diarrhea, seizures, coma, death. Caffeine just does not have the same effect in dogs. When outside be careful around apple and cherry trees. While the fruit is safe, the leaves and roots are not. And be very careful about Moth Balls. it's primary chemical naphthalene is extremely toxic to dogs and can result in tremors and seizures. Concerning dog food, you should be looking for dyes and other chemicals, according to Dr. Jane BHA, for instance, which is one of the main synthetic antioxidant preservatives used to prevent food discoloration, has been observed to cause cancer in laboratory rats at certain doses. Small doses are as yet unclear but since dog food is eaten every day caution is advised. Many conventional dog food brands have large quantities of sodium to make them palatable, and this can be quite harmful to a dog. Other ingredients to wary of are dairy, by-products, chemical preservatives and artificial colors. Aaron Wilmont is an author and researcher in the fields of human and pet health. For more info. go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/ Free Reprint Dog Nutrition Article 2 Is Your Dog getting enouph Nutrition? In recent years, individuals have become more preoccupied with nutrition issues than ever before, so you would think that we should naturally have equal concern for our dogs and cats ... especially since we generally consider them to be a part of the family. We should want the ingredients in our pet food to be human grade or at least nearly so. If byproducts are shunned in our own food, why are they be allowed in our animals' food? Do we want them to live to their maximum lifespan? Of course we do. Nobody enjoys seeing their beloved pet, whom they have truly formed a bond with, get sick and slowly die. We are now seeing that our dogs and cats in fact need daily supplements the same way that people do, in order to take care of their bodies for the inevitable stresses of the aging process. In the span of an animal's life, an early start at good health ensures less vulnerability to certain degenerative diseases, joints that are less likely to creak with pain and a healthier heart. Holistic veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks claims that when studying dog food, one should be be on the lookout for dyes, and other chemicals as much as possible. For example, BHA, which is one of the primary synthetic antioxidant preservatives used to prevent food discoloration, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory rats at some doses. In lesser doses, the preservative does not show a cancerous effect but who knows what BHA can do to their bodies in small doses over a long time span. Dr. Jane states that the maximum life span of dogs is estimated to be between 25 to 30 years, but the average dog often lives no longer than 13 to 14 years. And she says that this difference is caused mostly by inadequate nourishment. Aaron Wilmont is an author and researcher in the fields of human an pet health. For more info. go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.info/ | |
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