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Some pet caregivers still recall the huge 2007 pet food recall for melamine contamination from ingredients imported from China. More than 40 pet food brands, including some of the best known names, were involved in the 2007 recall. Have things changed? Not much. According to About.com Pet Supplies, not a month has gone by in 2013 without several recalls. Last month both Nestle Purina and Proctor and Gamble recalled products. The Veterinary Information Network reported health problems linked to sweet potato treats similar to those related to chicken jerky treats (also sourced from China) which they had reported earlier this year. The seemingly endless list of recalls leave people worried that the items they bought on Monday will be recalled on Friday. How do you determine which foods and treats are safe for your dog? Read the labels carefully, and PLEASE don’t buy ANY treats sourced in China. Not chicken jerky treats, chicken tenders, chicken strips, chicken treats, or sweet potato treats. Buying only food and treats made in the U.S. won’t remove all risk of winding up with a tainted product, but it will certainly improve your chances of keeping your pet safe. I recommend not feeding any commercial treats. Most of them are NOT healthy, and there are many great easy-to-make recipes for homemade treats.

Pet food/treat packaging usually has a toll free number listed on the packaging. Take the time to call, and be prepared for vague, unsatisfactory responses. Be polite but insistent about the source and origin of ALL ingredients, and locations of production facilities. (Being imported from a responsible place does not mean that they were not sourced in China, shipped to another destination, and then sent to the U.S. pet food companies.)

Human grade ingredients means that meats and everything, including the grains are USDA inspected. …ask for authentication of this claim. There are few regulations as far as the ingredients in pet food, and commercials show fresh chickens and whole grains. Realize that the green nuggets are NOT green vegetables…they are nuggets that are dyed green with very little vegetable content. Same with other colored kibble or treats. With much confusing, misleading info in pet food labeling and advertising, bear in mind that most of the ingredients in most pet foods, including meat by-products and meat meal, are at the low end of the food chain, and are NOT human grade: they come from whatever remains of the animal parts not deemed fit for human consumption.

The hallmarks of a high quality pet food or treat include:

*A whole meat source should be listed as one of the main ingredients. (Primary sources are listed first on labeling)

*Superior sources of protein. This means either whole meats or single source meats. Generic fats such as “animal fat” can be anything from recycled grease from restaurants to a mystery mix of various fats. What do you think is in “animal digest,” for example?

*Natural preservatives. No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. A healthy product with top quality ingredients shouldn’t need additives or extra sweeteners..

Choices have to be made regarding what to feed your companion animal, and cost doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best nutrition, and “premium,” “natural”, and “gourmet” are simply gimmicky marketing terms which are usually meaningless.. To find out how a specific food is rated, go to http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com; you can also request that they notify you of any new food or treat recall. With literally hundreds of different brands available, navigating the maze of canine nutrition can be overwhelming, but if your dog’s food is negatively impacting her health and well-being, changes need to be made….not easy, but possible!

Larsen can be contacted at Paw Prints, Box 373, Newell, Iowa 50568 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Late summer in Iowa is the season for deadly foxtail seeds to dig into your dog.   Most of us have seen foxtails along the road or in the fields, and at first glance, they look harmless…just seed pods looking for a place to put down their roots. .   Foxtails are pretty in the spring when the seed heads are soft and green—graceful  tail-like clusters of seeds on willowy stalks– but later in the season they are hazardous to dogs.   The clusters have sharp points designed to penetrate the soil once the cluster comes loose from the plant, enabling the seeds to take hold in the ground and produce roots.  To ensure that the seeds will take root,  the  barbs make it hard for the cluster to come loose from the soil once it penetrates.   The microscopic projections that attach to other surfaces  make foxtails a problem for dogs.  When a dog comes in contact with a foxtail, the cluster attaches to his fur and begins to move inward.  The barbs on the cluster keep the foxtail from falling out of the fur, and the enzymes in the foxtail’s bacterium begin to break down the dog’s hair and tissue.  The foxtail works its way into the dog’s hair, between his toes, into noses and ears,  just as it would work its way into the soil if it had landed on the ground instead of on your dog.      Dr. William Miller  of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine explains that typically a dog’s feet are involved first, but if the dog runs along with his head down ,sniffing, the foxtail can enter the nasal passages or ears.  “If he tries to pull the foxtail from his foot or runs through  grassy  areas with his tongue out, the foxtail can enter the mouth and stick in the tongue, throat or tonsils, and if  not removed, it will penetrate the skin or soft lining of cavities like the mouth and eyes and migrate deeply into the tissues.  Migrated foxtails can be found in the lungs, along the backbone, and in any number of different places, posing a serious health hazard.”

Given the  destructive potential  of foxtails, it is important to avoid walking your dog in fields or on roadsides where  dry foxtails are present, and in the event that he comes in contact with foxtails,  go over him carefully to find any foxtails that may have lodged in his coat.  Examine his entire body, especially the undersides of the paws, the stomach, the armpits  and inside of the ears.

Signs that your dog has embedded foxtails include:

*Yelping when touched or petted on a specific part of his body

*Repeated sneezing or a bloody discharge from the nose

*Shaking his head from side to side or pawing at his ear

*Gagging or difficulty swallowing

*Watering eyes or an eye that is glue shut.

*Limping or licking a paw

*He may even move in a stiff manner when he walks.

 The best way to handle foxtails is to avoid them, but  If you suspect that your dog has  encountered a foxtail that  you can’t find or remove yourself, take him to your veterinarian immediately.  They can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, so awareness of the problem and  early intervention are  important.

(Written by Pauline Larsen; Larsen can be contacted at Paw Prints, Box 373, Newell, Iowa 50568 or by e-mail at [email protected])

Although we often use the term,  “Dog Days of Summer”, I  had to do a little research to discover what “Dog Days” really means.  The name comes from the constellation called Canis Major or “Big Dog” because the brightest star in it, Sirius, rises at the same time as the sun around this time of the year.  The Romans believed that this star was the cause of the hot weather and other bad things, like dogs going mad and people suffering various diseases.   According to Wikipedia, the Romans sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius.   The lectionary of the 1611 edition of the King James Bible indicates that the Dog Days begin on July 6 and end on September 5, but recent reprints of the 1662 edition of the Book of Common Prayer contains no reference to the Dog Days.

The phrase is mentioned in the short story, “The Bar Sinister,” by  Richard Harding Davis, when the main character, a street dog, explains, “but when the hot days come, I think they might remember that those are the dog days, and leave a little water outside in a trough, like they do for the horses.”  The Prologue of Tuck Everlasting, a fantasy children’s novel by Natalie Babbit, set in the month of August, says, “These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.”   This book received numerous awards including being chosen as one of the top books for children.   Tuck Everlasting was made into a Disney movie in 2002.

Surveys usually discover that many people believe the phrase is in reference to the conspicuous laziness of domesticated dogs, which is a myth.  Dogs lie around  on hot “dog days” because they are in danger of overheating.    In recent years,  the term has also been used in reference to the American Stock Markets.  Typically summer is a slow one for the stock market, and poorly performing stocks are frequently known as “dogs.”

Rather than focus on the negative aspects of “Dog Days”, why not take some actions to make them happy days for the dogs?  Your dog, your neighbor dogs, the lonely dog down the street, and the frightened shelter dogs would all enjoy a little extra attention.    Even if you don’t have a lot of time to give, consider volunteering as a dog walker once a week on your lunch hour.  Take the opportunity to stretch your legs as well as your dog’s.  Offer to be a socializer for a neglected dog.  Just a half hour interaction can make life better for an animal.   Provide comfy blankets  (they don’t have to be new) for the “outside dog”…sure, they will get chewed up and ruined, but for at least a short time, the dog will enjoy them.  Check regularly and replace them.   Ask your friends to sort out their old blankets, or stop by the local thrift shop.

If you or the kids like to bake, try a batch of sweet potato chips.  Quick and easy…cut them up and let them bake while you watch your favorite TV  program!

Slice 6 large whole sweet potatoes into rounds.   ¼ slices will create  crispier chips, and  ½ slices will made  chewier chips…the dogs will appreciate either .  Place on a foil lined baking sheet.   Bake for 250 degrees for about two hours, turning over once.  Allow to cool and store in an airtight container.

With a little effort, the “Dog Days of Summer” can be great days for both humans and canines.   

Larsen can be contacted at Paw Prints, Box 373, Newell, Iowa 50568 or by e-mail at [email protected]