(Could I look any goofier?)

This is a 3 part episode where I explain the benefits of feeding raw food to your pets, show you the new brands of raw foods I carry, and demonstrate how to make your own raw foods at home using Prize Choice meats. And no this is not a paid advertisement. I use these products and I’m seeing huge results so I highly recommend them. I’ve seen other raw foods out there and there were ingredients I wasn’t happy with (Brewer’s Yeast) but Nature’s Menu is guilt free feeding…

If you have any questions feel free to contact me via email or even call into the shop so you can see the products for yourself. Also visit our “Recipes” page to see all the yummy ingredients you can use to feed your pets and make them healthy and gorgeous.

• Brushing properly to remove/prevent mats and shed
• Brushing teeth to ward off invasive procedures
• Ear Cleaning
• and the Do’s and Don’ts of bathing your pet at home

Classes are Monday and Wednesday night starting July 19th and the cost is only €15 per class. You will also receive a 20% discount on all grooming products like Tropiclean Shampoos, Conditioners, and Cologne Sprays as well as Mikka and Vivog slicker brushes and 10% off any grooming appointments booked the night of the classes.

If you or anyone you know is interested in taking these classes please contact Tail Waggers to book your slot. And don’t forget to bring your furry friend along to practice on.

A customer stopped in recently to purchase a bag of Luath’s Chicken and Rice food for their dog. They informed me that they changed over to Luath’s 6 months prior and couldn’t believe how much it helped their dogs epilepsy. Apparently the dog had been suffering seizures on a regular basis but since changing to the Luath’s food it only suffered 2 in 6 months.

Most people don’t know that the diet alone can be the root cause of epilepsy in pets. Something as simple as a B Vitamin deficiency can cause seizures that no medication on the market can prevent.  Another cause of seizures, and not necessarily epilepsy, are substances called Excitotoxins. Excitotoxin, simply explained, is another way of saying toxics chemicals that cause small bombs to go off in the brain. Excitotoxins can also lead to debilitating diseases like Alzheimers and Multiple Sclerosis. Examples of Excitotoxins are Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and Sucralose. While these ingredients aren’t listed on the bag of dog food, if you see the words by-product or another vague term like this there could be just about anything in your pets food. In my research I’ve learned that pet food manufacturers can get away with putting inedible ingredients like heads, hooves, beaks, feathers, and even cancerous meats in pet food and putting the blanket term ‘by-product’ on the bag to cover it up. There is just no telling how many of these toxins get into your dogs diet everyday. And with by-products being anything they can put into the vat, every bag of food you buy will have different ingredients. So if you wonder why your pet is having a reaction to the same brand they’ve been eating for years, now you know. Every bag is different.

I had a conversation recently with the creator of Luath’s Holistic Pet Foods about ingredients he’s investigated in other pet food brands. I was shocked at his findings. He spoke about a few terms used for ingredients that I’d seen many times on several brands but never really understood what they meant. I had a feeling they weren’t very healthy and boy was I right. Here are a few of them.

• Vegetable Protein Isolate- What is it? It’s a mixture of crushed vegetable protein and water which is subjected to ultra-sonic energy. Dimethylformamide is added and cooked for about 1 hour at boiling point. Dimethylformamide is the organic compound whose name is derived from the fact that it is a derivative of formamide, the amide of formic acid. (Formic acid is found in bee stings)…yum?
• DL-methionine
  This is an essential amino acid normally found in protein sources. It’s inclusion in dog foods
  raise my suspicion about the quality of the included protein – Dogs need 2 essential amino
  acids to create Taurine – methionine and cystine. Without both they cannot create taurine.
• Beet Pulp
  Sugar beet pulp is the correct name for this product – it is the left over after the sugar
  has been extracted. It is claimed that it is a high quality source of fibre. Nothing could be
  further from the truth – it is a low grade and very cheap filler. It is very drying and allows
  for the inclusion of high levels of fat in dog foods. High fat creates very damp conditions
  but the beet pulp essentially soaks it up and prevent very soft stools. High fat in the
  diet will make the digestive system sluggish but it very slowed by the sugar beet pulp.

The list goes on and just gets less and less appetizing. So to sum up my rant of toxins and by-products do your pets a favour, read the ingredients and question anything you’re not sure of. And remember I’m here to help.

A few weeks ago a customer brought her two King Charles Spaniels in for their grooming appointment. I noticed they were scratching the second they stood still so I asked her about it. She told me they did that all the time and didn’t know why. A few questions later I realized it was their food causing it. Throughout the entire grooming session the dogs were scratching non-stop. I applied aloe to the skin to see if that would offer any relief but to no avail. When she returned to pick them up I advised her to change to Luath’s, the hypoallergic brand of food I carry, and to also give them a supplement that should cure the itching quickly. The supplement I recommended was called Quercetin.

Quercetin is a phytochemical that is part of the coloring found in the skins of apples and red onions. It has been isolated and is sold as a dietary supplement. It contains natural anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic effects.

I recommended she give each dog 1 capsule twice daily with food and to come back in 3 weeks for a follow up. When the dogs returned they didn’t itch once the whole time they were there. Their skin even looked better with no signs of dermatitis or dander. Needless to say my customer was very relieved and thankful.

Standard procedure from a vet is to inject the dogs with a steroid to alleviate the symptom. Not only are these injections are dangerous but they can lead to other health problems in the future and don’t actually cure the pet. It’s impossible to know all of your animals allergies so keeping a supply of Quercetin on hand is highly recommended. Give them 2 per day until symptoms reverse. Quercetin can be found at your local health food store.

Related Links:

http://www.solgar.ie/details/211/speciality/quercetin-complex-vegetable-capsules-50

http://nutrition.about.com/od/phytochemicals/p/quercetinprofil.htm

This is the latest press release for Petchums, The Community for Pet Lovers. And this is Barbara, the Managing Director of the website. Read below about her fantastic social networking website for pet lovers everywhere. Visit the site and become a member to share your funny pet stories and add us as friends!

‘’ Fun loving, friendly and fully vaccinated Golden Retriever seeks playmate for walks in the park, chasing games and lazy afternoons on the sofa’’.

Lonely pets everywhere are logging into www.petchums.com, a website created to allow pet owners co-ordinate meetings with other pets in their local area for dog walks, pet sitting and even play dates! ‘’Play dates are very important for the social development of dogs and cats’’ explains Barbara. ‘’Besides it being fun for your pets, it is a great way for people to connect’’. Founded by Barbara Hanly, petchums.com was launched to connect pet-lovers and provide them with a sense of community. Whether you’re away on holiday and need someone to mind Fido or seeking a play buddy for Fluffy, check out Petchums.com for a helping paw.

Petchums.com is free to use and members can create profiles for their pets, upload photos, videos. Other additional pawsome features include groups, expert advice, park descriptions, and discussion forums. Since its launch last October, the site has grown from a young puppy into a thriving online community with over 800 members from the UK & Ireland. Join now today, you’re one click away from a new network of pet adoring friends!

In this episode I take you into my grooming salon and show you how to properly brush out and de-mat your dog prior to bathing them. I also give you some tub tips to help with during and after the bath as well. If you have any questions or comments we’d love to hear them.

Dogathon is a fundraising fun walk in aid of COPE Galway, for dogs and dog lovers along the prom in Salthill in Galway City and is taking place on Sunday 18th April 2010 at 12pm. Visit their website for more information like…

What is the timetable?

What time do I need to be there at?

Where do I go to start?

and any other questions you might have.

Tail Waggers will have a table set up selling loads of their fun toys, treats, and pet accessories so be sure to stop by and say hello.

Most of the pet foods on the market don’t provide even the most basic of nutrients, one of course being EFA’s. As noted in a previous post about hyperactivity in pets, EFA’s are necessary for proper brain development as well as moisturizing the skin and coat to keep that vital topcoat from shedding out. Supplementing EFA’s like Cod Liver Oil or Sunflower Oil are a great way to provide proper nourishment but it’s best if the food already contains one of these oils as that may mean the food itself is healthier.

Luath’s and Robbie’s from Land of Holistic Pets is the only food I recommend. I could carry any food on the market right now but that is the ONLY one I will sell as I swear by it. It’s reversed, dare I say cured, so many problems in the pets I’ve put on it that I’ve lost count. Problems like unseasonal/topcoat shed, eczema, pancreatitis, dandruff, hotspots, yeast related ear infections, eye drainage, dull dry coat, and even insulin dependent diabetes in a cat. No joke!

Getting your pet to a groomer on a regular basis, every 4 to 6 weeks, will help keep your home furball free when the shedding season begins.

Grooming will also take your dog from looking like this…

…to looking like this…

See how happy she looks. Show your pet you love them by keeping them healthy on the outside as well as in. (:o3

Related Sites:

http://www.landofholisticpets.co.uk

Many people think that if their puppy is hyperactive that it’s just being a “puppy”. The fact of the matter is if a dog is hyperactive, at any age, there could very well be a nutritional deficiency affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and brain function.

The CNS is nourished mostly by B Vitamins. Nervines like Chamomile, Valerian Root, and Rhodiola are also great herbs for tonifying the CNS. If the food you’re feeding your pet is lacking in essential B Vitamins they will inevitably show symptoms of a deficiency.

The brain is 60% fat. So one of the most important ‘foods’ your brain needs are essential fatty acids (Omegas). Essential fats like Sunflower and Olive Oil are 2 of the best, and cheapest, sources of these fats. Other great sources are Hemp Oil, Flax Oil, and Cod Liver Oil. All of these oils help nourish the brain and, with B Vitamins, can help prevent hyperactivity.

A well balanced kibble for your pet should contain all of the following:

• At least one source of Omega Fatty Acids like Sunflower Oil
• A high quality meat source (no animal derivatives, preservatives, or allergens*)
• All Vitamins and Minerals essential to pet health
• Vegetables

Other excellent ingredients are spirulina, seaweeds, oregano, and thyme.

You can even supplement the kibble with raw meats like chicken, fish, lamb, or duck and vegetables like green beans, carrots, broccoli, and potatoes. It’s always a good idea to add whole foods to a kibble if a complete raw foods diet isn’t in the budget.

The brands I recommend are Luath’s and Robbies by Land of Holistic Pets. See my Products page for flavors and sizes.

*allergens include corn, wheat, soy, beef, dairy, and pork products

Here are a few stocking stuffer ideas for your furry family members…

• Tropiclean Shampoos, Conditioners, and Colognes for healthy skin and coat.
• ISPCA Candy Cane Rope Chew Toys
• Coachies Training Treats
• KONG Rubber Teething Sticks and Balls (All Kong 25% Off)
• Scallywags Treats
• Veggie Lights Chew Bones
• Diamante and Lupine Collars and Leads
• Catnip Toys, Mice, and many other toys for your feline family members too!

And the best gift of all……A Tail Waggers Gift Certificate!!!

Happy Holidays! (:o3