We  love our dog so much and we only want the best for him. We want to provide him the best shelter, clothes, toys and food. However, when it comes to food intake, there are certain foods that may be harmful for our beloved Fido. So before feeding your dog, make sure that you are not giving him anything that can be harmful for his health.

These are the top 10 food that you should not give your dog:

1. Grapes and raisins – it’s been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. Although this may not be applicable to every dog, small amounts eaten over a long period of time can result to an acute kidney failure. This means that the dog may not produce urine, which means that he cannot filter toxins out of his internal body system.

2. Chocolates – chocolate is made with cocoa beans which contain a chemical called Theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Different types of chocolate have varying effects on a dog’s health. Dark chocolate has the largest Theobromine, coming in at a whopping 450mg (compared to 1mg for white chocolate).

3. Fatty foods – fatty foods are hard for a dog to digest and can exhaust the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. This can threaten your dog’s health and is potentially fatal.

4. Nuts – Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact most nuts are not good for your dog’s health since nuts are high in phosphorus, which can cause bladder stones.

5. Mulch – mulch is not food, but this is one thing that is very tempting enough for dogs to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The cocoa bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine as compared to 1-4% in unprocessed beans.

6. Onions – onion powder especially raw onions have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs.

7. Potatoes – green potato skins have solanine which is toxic to dogs. However, cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for a dog because this is actually quite nutritious and digestible.

8. Artificial Sweeteners – Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugarless gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures.

9. Turkey – turkey skin is currently being regarded as a cause to acute pancreatitis in dogs, partly due to its high fat content.

10. Avocado – this is toxic for dogs because this is considered the only “fatty” member of the veggie-fruit family.

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

Having pets is probably one of the best ways to add happiness into your home. Pets can shower you and your family with love, loyalty and affection just like a family member.

Dogs and cats are perhaps two of the most loved pets in most homes all over the world. Dogs are more preferred because they are very affectionate of their masters and thus considered man’s best friend. On the other hand, cats are also adored because of their natural charm and sweetness towards their “parents”. However, given the fact that these adorable animals can be great pets, it is a very sad truth that some of these precious beings suffer cruelty even from their own masters.

We don’t need to see an injured or malnourished animal just to get a clue that they are being abused. This series of blog articles shall help us recognise animal cruelty when we see them and educate us on what to do if we see or suspect that an animal is being abused.

What is animal cruelty?

Animal cruelty is defined as the act committed by a human being towards an animal that results to suffering or sometimes death of the animal being inflicted upon. In detail, it can also be defined as the hitting, shouting at, or injuring an animal in a particular way. Sadly, animal cruelty is an alarming problem that still occurs today and is evident in many forms.

Understanding and Knowing its Negative Effects on Animals

Animal cruelty can result to a lot of negative effects on animals for a long period of time. For instance, if you impose physical or even verbal abuse on a dog, which are forms of animal cruelty, it is most likely that either of these will cause him severe psychological effect. In many cases, physical abuse or cruelty can cause the dog to be handicapped for life or live with severe health problems. Psychological effects are usually presented in the form of fear, aloofness or even aggressive behaviour in animals. An abused animal can exhibit fear by hiding under tables, beds and closets while aloofness happens when they reject any physical contact from humans. On the other hand, aggression can occur when they attack even innocent people. For dogs, you can see aggression if they growl at people without any apparent reason.

To be continued…

*Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

Given the fact that desexed pets are healthier and happier and that Australia has a pet overpopulation problem, what are some of the reasons people might give for not wanting to have their pet desexed?

“I want to show my children the miracle of birth”. You can teach your children about birth without producing a litter of puppies or
kittens which will face an uncertain and possibly tragic future. Buy your children a book or a DVD on the subject or get one from a library. Also, it’ll be a lot easier on them then experiencing the trauma of seeing the puppies and kittens being taken away. It is more important to teach your children about responsible pet ownership.

“Nature intended animals to have babies”. Possibly, but nature also intended for most of them to die early from disease,
starvation or becoming a meal for another animal before they reproduce. As pets, there are already more of them than there are homes to take them in.

“I can’t afford to have him or her desexed”. This is false economy. It costs far more to feed a pregnant bitch or cat plus her litter
twice a year. Also, if there are any complications during the birth, you could be facing huge vet bills, and your bitch or cat could die. In NSW, dogs and cats must be registered with your local council by the time they are 6 months old. The cost of registering an entire (not desexed) animal in NSW is approximately $120, whilst a desexed animal is $40. Ask your local council to refer you to rescue groups and charities which could help with the cost of desexing or do a web search to find the groups.

“The operation will hurt my pet”. The surgery is routine and simple. Your vet has probably done hundreds of them. For female pets, the vet will remove the ovaries and uterus, and in males the testicles are removed. Your pet will usually be able to go home at the end of the day and not stay overnight. Sometimes pain relief tablets are given. I many cases your dog or cat will be back to normal the next day or at most, the day after.

“Our pet is too young to be desexed”. Females can be desexed from around 4 months old. Don’t wait until your female is older than 6 months or you risk her getting pregnant. Males can be done as soon as their testicles descend at anywhere from 3 months old. Follow your vet’s advice. Don’t put it off. Your pet will be happier and healthier.

“The pound will find them a home”. This is the saddest myth of all. The fact is that they will not! Pounds have limited space and resources and far more dogs and cats coming in than people coming to adopt them. The majority of pets entering pounds get put down! Read more about the realities of dogs and cats in pounds at http://www.deathrowpets.net/

Read more about the desexing at http://tinyurl.com/desexyourpet

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

Petitude, in partnership with Dog Rescue Newcastle, will publish pet care guide and pet adoption articles until end of 2010. To learn more about Petitude’s new advocacy campaign and what you can do to help our less fortunate furry pals while doing your online shopping, please subscribe to our newsletter.

This can be an emotional subject but it boils down to two undeniable facts: (1) it is better for your pet and (2) it is better for our community. It is better for your pet because a desexed dog or cat is happier and healthier; and it is better for our community because you will not be adding to the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of homeless pets being put down in Australian pounds every year.

A puppy or kitten needs to be desexed (spayed or neutered) no later than 6 months old to prevent having a litter. The simple, routine surgery can be done as young as 3 months and up to any age. It’s never too late.

Happy and Healthier Pets

Male and female dogs and cats which have been desexed are usually more relaxed and settled than those that are not because they are not troubled by hormonal urges which compel them to go out and find a mate. Male desexed pets are often less aggressive, less likely to mark their territory with urine, less likely to perform “humping” behaviours, and less likely to roam and to try escape their yards.

When your female dog or cat is desexed you won’t have to deal with the mess of her period or the worry of having strange males trying to get at her. Female cats won’t yowl out for a mate.

Undesexed male and female cats and dogs get more cancers then desexed cats and dogs. Females can also develop the life threatening disease pyometra, which affects the uterus. Undesexed females also run the risk of complications and death from
pregnancy and giving birth.

Better for Our Community

Every year, 250,000 homeless dogs and cats are euthanised in Australian pounds, according to www.deathrowpets.net. Even if you think you can find homes for your pet’s litter (a litter of 12 is not uncommon), there is no guarantee they won’t wind up dumped in a few months or years. Also, many of your pet’s offspring will breed, and their offspring will breed, and the pet overpopulation problem will continue to get worse and worse.

Read more about the pet desexing at http://tinyurl.com/desexyourpet The next article in this series will address some myths about pet desexing.

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

Petitude, in partnership with Dog Rescue Newcastle, will publish pet care guide and pet adoption articles until end of 2010. To learn more about Petitude’s new advocacy campaign and what you can do to help our less fortunate furry pals while doing your online shopping, please subscribe to our newsletter.

Is my dog sick? This is probably one of the most common questions that dedicated pet owners often ask. So what are the signs that you should look for to tell if your dog is sick? Understanding how to check things like the body temperature of your dog, gum colour and your dog’s pulse can help you identify your dog’s condition.

Taking your dog’s temperature can be done rectally. A normal, healthy dog’s body temperature will be between 38.3 and 38.9 degrees Celcius or 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature outside of this range is an indicator that your dog is sick and that you need to seek the help of a veterinarian.

On the other hand, checking your dog’s gum colour can also help you determine if your dog is suffering from any illness. Normal gums should be a shade of pink. Abnormal gums, which are white, grey, blue or yellow in colour, can be indicative of internal bleeding, anemia or a disruption of normal blood flow, which prevents proper oxygenation of a dog’s blood or may result in a loss of red blood cells.

You can also look for signs of pain and distress in a dog. Symptoms include drooling, panting and restlessness. A dog’s heart rate can be a good indicator of distress and pain. However, the normal dog heart rate varies depending on the size and the age of the dog, but a consistently quick or slow pulse indicates distress and/or illness. A puppy has a heart rate of about 180 beats per minute. And adult dog will have a rate between 60 and 160 beats per minute. Small toy breeds can have normal heart rates of 180 beats per minute. It is also considered that the younger and smaller the dog, the faster his heart rate is.

Finally, the best way to make sure that your dog is always healthy and happy is to have a regular or an annual visit to the vet. It is also recommended that you give him healthy dog food, proper dog vitamins and supplements and daily exercise. Keep in mind that delaying care can make a toll on your dog’s health, causing any illness or disease to become more difficult and costly to cure.

The First 3 weeks

Allowed Foods

• Fish (This is the only animal derived protein allowed. Fresh, frozen or tinned) –or — another meat such as kangaroo)
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Starches: pasta, rice, potato, beans
• Small amounts of fish based dry dog food

Not Allowed Foods

• All protein from animal sources:
• Meats (chicken, beef, lamb, pork)
• Dairy products (cheese, milk, yoghurt)
• Eggs
• Meat based dog treats (i.e.: liver treats, pig’s ears)
• Table scraps
• Tinned dog food and other commercially prepared dog food such as dog roll
• Dry dog food biscuits other than fish based (as above)
• Nuts

Hints

Go to the grocery store and stock up on the following:

• Tinned fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, and sardines. All in oil or water, not brine which is salt water. Buy the supermarket brands to save money.
• 6 fresh fish fillets such as orange roughie or hake. No shellfish or prawns.
• 3 potatoes
• Bread crumbs
• Bag of small pasta such as elbow macaroni or soup mix (little alphabet letters)
• Bag of frozen mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, etc but no onion) or fresh veg
• Apples, bananas or other fruit your dog likes (no grapes or stone fruit)

Make a batch of Homemade Fish Cakes (containing only fish and mashed potato) and a boil a batch of Pasta and Vegetables to store in your freezer and fridge for quick meals for your dog. A typical meal might consist of fish cakes or tinned fish, plus pasta or rice, plus vegetables, and maybe chopped fruit.

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

It is estimated that approximately one in 10 dogs suffers from skin problems. Scratching, rubbing, chewing, biting, and licking of the skin and fur will make your dog’s life a misery. It is a sign that there is an underlying problem that needs treatment. There are medications which your vet can prescribe which will suppress the itching but these have side affects and shouldn’t be used long
term. The best solution is to discover the cause of the problem and eliminate it.

As noted in a previous blog article “Three Different Sources of Allergies in Dogs” persistently itchy skin in dogs can be caused by fleas, inhaled substances, and sensitivity to a particular food. In this article we’ll look at food sensitivity in more detail and suggest a diet which can determine which food is the problem.

Dog’s Allergy Elimination Diet

In order to find out which food is the problem you need to eliminate common problem foods your dog has been eating and replace them with an uncommon food for three weeks to see if the dog itches less. If the dog shows improvement after the 3 weeks,
then you can start adding back other foods, one at a time. If any food you add back causes your dog to start itching again then you know this is the problem food which you need to eliminate permanently from your dog’s diet.

If there is no improvement after 3 weeks, the allergen may be a grain such as rice or wheat (pasta, bread, most dry dog food). Continue with the Allergy Elimination Diet but eliminate grains for 3 weeks. If there is still no improvement, then food allergy
may not be a major problem. Talk to your vet about this diet and about Atopica medication and other treatment options.

The basic facts are:

• The foods most likely to cause an allergic reaction are animal derived proteins (meat).
• The proteins most likely to cause an allergic reaction are beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Do not feed these during the 3 week elimination period.
• Feed only one animal protein source for 3 weeks.
• Choose a protein which your dog has very rarely or never eaten before, such as: fish, rabbit, kangaroo, or goat.
• Fish is easiest because you can vary the fish given (i.e.: tuna, salmon, roughie, etc) and you can use fresh, tinned or frozen.
• Other non animal protein sources such as beans are allowed.
• Fruits and vegetables are allowed.
• Starches are allowed but not too much as these are the second most likely allergen.

Guest Author: After a long career in IT, Terri now divides her time between bookkeeping for the family business and volunteer work with Dog Rescue Newcastle.

Last week we discussed the common health problems and diseases in dogs during Winter. Now we will tell you how to deal them. Below are some helpful tips:

• How to prevention dog arthritis- always ensure that your dog has plenty of physical exercise. However, make sure that he doesn’t do too much strenuous activity unless he is very hyperactive. Give him dog vitamins for the joints and make sure he eats food that is recommended for his diet.
• How to prevent dog burns- make sure that you keep any heat source away from your dog. If this is not possible, make sure that you keep an eye on him whenever he is near a fireplace, lamp or heater to prevent him from getting burns.
• How to prevent dog obesity- stick to his normal diet and avoid giving him extra treats during this season. Always feed your dog with the highest quality (read: nutritious) dog food to ensure healthy coat and extra energy for the cold winter months.
• How to prevent dog dehydration- always make sure that your dog has plenty of fresh water on his feeding bowl to prevent him from being dehydrated.
• How to prevent dog flaky, dry skin- avoid bathing your dog too often during winter because this can cause severe drying of the skin. You can also add a quality skin and coat supplement to your dog’s food or give him syrup directly a couple times per day. Skin and coat supplements work incredibly well to eliminate itchy, dry, flaky skin in dogs by moisturizing the dog’s skin from the inside. Dog shampoo and conditioners containing moisturizers will also help prevent your Fido’s skin from drying.
• How to prevent dog hypothermia- Protect your dog from the cold using dog clothes, dog jackets, hoodies, coat, dog shoes and socks. A warm and cosy dog bed will also allow him to get a nice sleep. If you must take your dog outside, a pet pram, dog stroller, pet bag carrier will protect him from the elements.

Keep in mind that prevention is always better than cure so make it a habit to prevent any disease or health problem in your dogs by immediately determining their causes. Remember that a happy dog is a healthy dog, so make sure that your precious pal is always healthy and protected to keep him happy all throughout the winter season.

Just like humans, dogs are also prone to allergies. Allergies manifest in your dog based on his reaction to certain allergens. Among the most common types of allergens are flea saliva, inhaled substances such as pollen and dust, and certain ingredients in their dog food. To help you understand each of these allergens and how it can unfavourably affect your dog’s behaviour and health, please refer to the list below:

1. Allergy caused by fleas - the most common allergen that your dog can encounter is flea allergy dermatitis, which is a condition of hypersensitivity to the protein in flea saliva. It’s most commonly diagnosed after the age of 2 among dogs. This kind of allergen is considered most severe from midsummer through the autumn season and would require veterinary care. In warmer climates, it can be a year-round plague.

Flea allergic dogs will scratch and bite themselves, with most of the intense itching and biting occurring near the base of the tail. If your dog is experiencing this kind of allergy, take him to the vet immediately for proper medication. It is also advised to do a flea control in your home as well as on surrounding areas. Finally, regular grooming, brushing, and thorough bathing for your dog are essential for the prevention of flea allergy.

2. Allergy caused by inhaled substances - certain substances like dust, pollen and danders that are inhaled by your dog can cause them to have an allergic reaction. Dogs that are allergic to these inhalants rub their faces, muzzles and eyes, scratch their armpits and ears, bite their feet and legs, and may develop red and swollen patches on their skin. It is important for you to remember that your dog may have some allergic reaction to some elements in his environment, like carpet fibres, bedding, cleaning agents, plastics, or fertilizers. So be very aware on these aspects. Make sure that you avoid letting them inhale substances that may come from such elements.

3. Allergy caused by ingredients in their food - similar to inhalant allergies, allergies in food can also cause itching, which can make the dog scratch, rub, chew, bite, and lick his skin. The most common ingredients that can cause allergies in dogs are beef, pork, chicken, milk, eggs, fish, corn, soy, and preservatives. So be conscious in giving commercially prepared food to your dogs. As much as possible, read the label of the dog food to know its content and nutritional value. Ask your vet what types of dog food is best for the health of your dog and refrain from buying cheap dog food products because it is most likely that it contains extenders that may harm your dog’s digestive system.

Probably one worst case scenario that you wouldn’t want your dog to suffer from is cancer. Unfortunately, cancer is real and it can happen to your dog, and the sad thing is that it is not easily detected. In this regard, it is always best to make sure that your pet dog has annual check-ups. This will help you ensure that he is always in great shape and well-being. Daily healthful supplements and vitamins are also a great help to keep your dog healthy.

Although cancer cannot be easily detected, there are some helpful signs on how you can somewhat identify if your dog is suffering from cancer:

1. Changes in bowel or bladder habits;

2. A sore that does not seem to heal;

3. Unusual growth of bumps or swelling;

4. Chronic vomiting or frequent diarrhea;

5. Difficulty in eating or swallowing;

6. Easily fatigue and difficulty in breathing;

7. Bleeding (gums, mouth, blood clotting on skin, etc.);

8. Bad mouth odour;

9. Sudden lack of appetite;

10. Weight loss;

11. Severe coughing and frequent colds;

12. Suddenly becoming inactive or sluggish;

If you see these signs in your dog, better consult your vet as soon as possible because it could really mean that something is wrong with your pet. Always remember that prevention is always better than cure. So before cancer starts to ruin your dog, get a hold of it and find means to halt its effects.