Valuable to know health concerns for pets about what & how to feed them

My pets can depend on me. What I am feeding them matters very much. They are family and I want to do what is best for them too. Their companionship and unconditional love enriches my life daily. I have been honored to have 2 dogs in my life who, I know without any doubt would throw themselves in harms way to protect me in a heartbeat. You simply cannot and should not take that kind of love for granted. Most of my pets have looked at me to be their protector.

I am concerned about the quality of pet food. No longer do I feed my dogs and cats corn based pet food. Corn is at risk for mites and mold when it is allowed to keep moisture and not handled properly. Bugs spread contaminants to the entire stock quickly, so this is not insignificant. This can lead to risks for pets, and possibilities of allergies to develop.

It is worth it to me to buy better quality food without corn and including better ingredients. I have found great choices for food that do not cost much more than the cheap stuff.

Dog concerns

You have probably heard the horror stories of pets that have died as a result of cheap food from questionable sources. This is something that really concerns me. We need to be informed on their treats as well.

Learn about the breed that you have. For example, did you know that Pugs and French Bulldogs have 2 very serious issues? Their eyes can pop out of the socket if they are jarred badly, and they may have anatomical breathing reduction in their airway that surgery can remedy. Floppy eared dogs need to have their ears cleaned regularly to prevent infection.

If you are aware of the health concerns for the breed. You can recognize symptoms for trouble, have an idea of the problem, and act quickly to rescue them. While this information is in terms of dog breeds, your mutt that you love may also be susceptible. There is a lot to be said for mixed breed dogs…they are strong and free of many breeding problem concerns. They are more of a question mark on concerns though. It can’t hurt to be informed.

Bloat

Bloat is a problem where the stomach expands after eating. This can crowd other organs, make it hard for them to breathe, or interfere with circulation. It is a problem for dogs that have deep chests. That means a long rib cage area, not wide chest. You should watch out for this problem for your mixed breed if it has this build.

The dog breeds at risk for bloat: Great Danes, Boxers, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, Weimaraner, Irish Setters, Gordon Setters, Basset Hounds, Akitas, Standard Poodles (the large ones), St. Bernards, and Newfoundland.

Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV)

This is very serious and a terrible thing to experience. It is a condition where the stomach that is full of food can rotate and become constricted around the food contained in it. There is a potential for tissue death. Breeds at risk for bloat are also at risk for this condition. It can be an added complication of bloat.

Certain breeds are very susceptible to this problem. These are the breeds that have a bad combination of attributes to their anatomy and their behavior. If you know that you have one of these high risk breeds, you can take the proper precautions to prevent this problem. It is a benefit for them to eat a number of small meals. Mainly, keep them from being active right after eating. Get them to stay calm and idle until after their meal is properly digested.

Bloat and GDV symptoms to watch out for

Bloat symptoms are: restlessness, excessive drooling, swollen stomach area, pacing, trying to vomit without any results. More advanced symptoms: pale gums (poor circulation), weakness, trouble standing, racing pulse, trouble breathing. If you suspect your dog is in trouble, please act quickly and get them to the vet.

Pets that eat very fast

I have battled this problem. This may be a point of concern for you as well. Having had a dog that ate so fast that choking was often a concern, I was even afraid he might break teeth. This is an issue that should cause you to consider the nugget size of the dry food you get for them. If the dog is large and the nugget size is small, they can be more at risk for choking if they are eating fast. Larger size nuggets will force them to chew up their food.

Slow them down – make changes in how you are feeding them

This can take time to remedy. Usually, it starts because of competitive feelings about another pet. For this case, try to separate them when they eat. You can try giving their food in small doses through the day. There are clever puzzle food dispensers and treat dispensers that force them to do more to get the food. Usually this is used for entertaining them, but in this case, it can slow them down on eating too.

Feeding our pet with our food

I think we are all tempted to share our food with our pets…especially when they are watching every bite we take with that look on their faces… You have to know what foods are safe and which ones are not. Some foods, like chocolate or grapes, have things in them that are toxic for the pet. Too much fat in their diet is as bad for them as it is for us. High fat diets can lead to kidney issues.

Feeding these to dogs or cats is fine:

Safe foods:

meat and eggs: cooked (raw meat has the same risks as it does for us, too much meat fat can damage them fast if the kidneys or pancreas are overwhelmed). cheese plain yogurt cooked oatmeal cooked grains: quinoa, wheat and other grains (if no allergies) vegetables RAW: carrots, bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, sweet potato, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, celery, fresh corn (small quantity), tomatoes (the plant leaves are very bad for them – contain solanine) vegetables COOKED: carrots, bell peppers, green beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, squash fruit: apple (avoid seeds), banana, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, or orange sections. cashew, peanuts, popcorn peanut butter coconut honey bread, pretzels, graham crackers, pasta (really not great nutritionally)

 

 

NOT safe for dogs or cats:

caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks are toxic) baking soda, baking powder (electrolyte abnormalities, congestive heart failure, or muscle spasms can be caused by large amount ingested) nutmeg (can cause increased heart rate and hallucinations) macadamia nuts (toxic for dogs and cats – not clear why) persimmon seeds, peach or plum pits – seed/pit is toxic, the fruit is OK rhubarb (toxic – Soluble calcium oxalates) avocado (fruit cause stomach upset, pit is toxic) grapes or raisins (toxic) chocolate (toxic) Xylitol (artificial sweetener that is toxic) wild mushrooms or toadstools (dangerous for all of us)[our mushrooms from the store are not a problem, but anything outdoors is dangerous] alcohol almonds (upset the stomach and intestines) garlic (toxic) or onions (toxic, can cause hemolytic anemia)

 

 

Should not have these :

milk, Ice Cream (can cause diarrhea, digestive problems) salt or sugar

Additionally there are grass plants that benefit cats

oat, rye, barley, and wheat grasses
catnip or grass (this one has a very strong effect – not too much)

Companionship

Here are the cases where you need a companion pet:

– Super athletic/high-energy – destruction issue
– Very intelligent – boredom issue & possible mayhem & destruction
– Miserable while you are gone – loneliness, separation anxiety, crying/howling

A companion pet makes you and your pet happier. They exercise and entertain each other. They prevent loneliness or boredom problems. Any problems that arise from having the companion pet are much easier to deal with…really! Make sure that they choose each other. They may not take to each other…especially when they are different species. But with work, you can make it work…read on.

Pet companion

Cats are a special problem when it comes to new companions. They can become extremely upset by this! Even if you feel like you have started out wrong, it can work.

The easiest way to bring in a new pet is to rotate rooms. The cat and the companion pet switch rooms. Putting one of the them in a carrier/cage while leaving the other free can also work. The cat smells this new animal in the house environment without a physical encounter. Do this until the cat is comfortable with the scent of the other. Then when they meet, it is a comfortable acquaintance and goes better. This method works on dogs too.

My Experience with feeding cats and dogs

I found that my pets were healthier and happier on dog food that contains no corn. It was easier to gauge the effects with the cats though. They were not throwing up nearly as much. That was a very big deal to me. Both the dogs and cats had great appearance to their coats that shows proper nutrition. While they are willing to eat cheap food, quality food is beneficial for them.

My choices

I think life is easiest if I can feed high quality dry food to my cats and dogs. This has the proper nutrition for them. It also has the hard texture that helps to clean and utilize their teeth more like their wild ancestors. They get treated to quality canned food and our food as well. I like to do things like make pumpkin treats for the dogs.

Giving bones to dogs – applies to cats too

German Shepherds are the beautiful dogs that I grew up with in my family. I saw the many times that we had to take them to the vet for rescue from the ravages of chewing up bones. My mom did not believe that this was a problem for them at first… When they chew up bones into little pieces, these brittle pieces can become like sharp shards that pack into the digestive system, clog them up, and cause pain. I do not recommend letting them have these.

If bones are cooked they are hard and brittle. When they are raw, they bring all the dangers associated with raw meat from our modern meat sources. Wild ancestors of dogs chewed up bones. The bone marrow is something that is beneficial. If the bones are flexible and not brittle (uncooked), then they are not a concern. This is why I do not give bones to dogs. If you have the facts, you can decide what is right for YOU.

Feeding fat trimmings

This is the other bad experience for their food that I saw as a child. My family would give the dog the fat that was trimmed off our meat after dinner. They love this added to their food. This led to kidneys failing from too much meat fat in the diet of our earliest dog. She had to eat special food after that and her condition declined badly. Please do not make this mistake with your pet.

I had a Rhodesian Ridgeback

My Rhodesian Ridgeback thankfully never had bloat issues. He was extremely high-energy and full of light and joy about life. I was his fourth home. He had terrible separation anxiety. Although he was cage trained already… I wanted to get him out of there as much as possible. I had him pick out a companion dog for himself from our well-run local pound. They were both active and played together in our fenced yard every day.

A pet that is high energy can be very destructive because they need to burn that energy off. When you combine this with separation anxiety, this problem can be even worse. They need lots of exercise to calm them down and keep them healthy. A companion also calms them and gives them a happier life, especially when you are gone. This is the easy solution.

Eating too fast became a problem

Our companion dog had gone through hard times on the street, had experienced hunger, and she never forgot. I know this because she was very concerned about not having food.

She was so concerned about food that the Ridgeback picked up on it. He also became that way. They both came to eating too fast. I could not seem to change this, so I left their food out all the time. They were high energy and active, so this solution worked well for me. If yours battles with weight issues, you can try the tools I have discussed.

The hilarious moment in this bad behavior came when I saw him taking their blankets and hiding a dish of their food underneath. Then when she ate the food that was not hidden, he was the one panicking… He didn’t remember where he hid the other bowl of food. Luckily this was a brief thing.

Vet visits

One thing that I was lucky on with my Ridgeback was that he loved riding in the car. This guy loved trips to the park for “walks”. Actually it was him either running around or moving fast enough on a leash to make my strides phenomenally long… LOL. He loved the trip to the vet too. This dog loved car rides so very much that his companion dog overcame her fear of them. She figured there had to be some reason he loved this…

A dog CAN like going to the vet

I was lucky that the vet was just an animal magnet and unbelievably fair on costs. He always gave a couple of really, really small cookies. This just added to the reasons to love vet visits for my Ridgey. Training dogs is all about repetition and reward. If you give them some small treats when they go to the vet and behave well…their attitude towards going to the vet will become a positive one.

Cat trips to the vet…you make do

Unfortunately for cats, this is a different story. Each case will be unique, I think. My experience is either they tolerate it alright or really badly and I have had both types. I have always used carriers with them to keep it safe and under control. I have seen people carrying a cat that panics and runs, avoid this situation.

Almost every cat I have had has done well with this task. I had one, however, that became like she was possessed. After 20 minutes in the car, she is making strange and eerie sounds, then spewing out of both ends…it was like the Exorcist… If you have a one like this, I truly sympathize.

When you have a cat that travels this badly, you have to plan ahead and prevent them from eating on the day prior if it is for reasons other than sickness. When they have this reaction, they pretty much always will. Your vet may need medication to help on anxiety and motion sickness that you can give them before traveling.

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