Natural Balance Dog Food Review - Family - Pets

I started my dog on Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish Salmon formula a few months ago on recommendation from a local dog breeder. This was because I had had enough of seeing her suffer for months with pain in her nails which would split deformedly and then immediately break off. After a short while, my Greyhound stopped having this autoimmune problem with her claws and is now healthy and full of life and energy. I welcomed the prices of Natural Balance dog food products because it is nothing compared to what I had to pay in vet bills each time her broken claws resulted in bleeding.

Another great thing about introducing my dog to Natural Balance is that I have noticed that his stool is no longer runny, but is instead firm and normal looking. He is now not as restless and uncomfortable as before and also seems to sleep better at night.

Natural Balance Dog Food and AllergiesOur Doberman seems to also have taken well to Natural Balance as he doesn't suffer the allergic reactions he used to. He is less food sensitive and is showing signs of increased appetite. His coat is less dry than before and much shinier. In fact, we have been stopped several times in the park by other dog owners who want to know what I feed him. I'm even thinking of demanding a commission from Natural Balance for all the free marketing I've been doing on their behalf!

I guess the secret to Natural Balance's amazing dog food products is the fact that they use high quality ingredients which work well in combating common ailments such as allergies, skin problems and even chronic diarrhea. Moreover, my dogs can't seem to get enough of Natural Balance dog food and always lick their bowls clean when they are done.

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Natural Life Dog Foods - Family - Pets

Contain no chemicals and artificial preservatives. Natural life dog foods contain ingredients that are very essential for vitality and health of your dog.

Before you keep a dog, you should have sufficient knowledge about the type of food that you will be feeding your dog.

Proper dog food that contains essential nutrients is a must. Natural life dog foods are considered to be the best diet for your dog.

Natural life dog foods are nutritious and have a delicious taste. Your companion dog will definitely love the taste. Most veterinary professionals will recommend natural life dog food for your dog as hey made from high quality ingredients.

If your dog is allergic to soy, wheat, corn, yeast, dairy, beef or pork then you should your dog with natural life dog food products. Natural life dog food products are nutritious and are of premium quality.

These foods provide complex carbohydrates along with natural fiber. They also provide right quantity of omega fatty acid which promotes a shiny coat and healthy heart function.

Natural life dog foods contain the highest quality protein. These foods also contain wheat that is grown without using any pesticides.

Natural life dog food products never use artificial chemicals as preservatives. Only natural antioxidants are used as preservatives.

Dogs that are fed on natural life dog food have a lustrous, shiny skin. They are active and full of energy.

They look healthy. Natural life dog food is considered to be the best way to keep your dog healthy and fit. Natural life dog food products come in 8 lb, 20lb or 35 lb bags. These products are not costly and are affordable.

Nutritional needs of your dog will be definitely satisfied by these natural life dog food products.

Dogs who have extra weight and other health problems should try for weight management natural life dog food products. These products also contain less fat and protein.

If you are indeed serious about your dog's health then you must provide your dog with natural life dog foods.

Dogs especially puppies require protein for development and energy. Natural life dog food products are an excellent source of protein. Some natural life dog food products are specially designed for puppies with sensitive digestive tracts.

Some puppies are allergic to certain foods. In such a situation you should give them natural life foods.

Dogs that are fed on natural life dog food products are not vulnerable to diseases.

Even if you do is suffering from any injury or sickness, these foods will enhance the natural healing process. Natural life dog food will definitely make a difference in your dog's life.

All ingredients of natural life dog food products are fresh. There are no fillers, no chemicals and there is nothing artificial in it.

Natural life dog food ingredients include fish meal, chicken meal, carrots, spinach, apples and celery.

The ingredients are health promoting and truly superior. That is why these natural life dog food products are considered to be very safe and reliable.

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Natural Life Dog Foods - Family - Pets

Contain no chemicals and artificial preservatives. Natural life dog foods contain ingredients that are very essential for vitality and health of your dog.

Before you keep a dog, you should have sufficient knowledge about the type of food that you will be feeding your dog.

Proper dog food that contains essential nutrients is a must. Natural life dog foods are considered to be the best diet for your dog.

Natural life dog foods are nutritious and have a delicious taste. Your companion dog will definitely love the taste. Most veterinary professionals will recommend natural life dog food for your dog as hey made from high quality ingredients.

If your dog is allergic to soy, wheat, corn, yeast, dairy, beef or pork then you should your dog with natural life dog food products. Natural life dog food products are nutritious and are of premium quality.

These foods provide complex carbohydrates along with natural fiber. They also provide right quantity of omega fatty acid which promotes a shiny coat and healthy heart function.

Natural life dog foods contain the highest quality protein. These foods also contain wheat that is grown without using any pesticides.

Natural life dog food products never use artificial chemicals as preservatives. Only natural antioxidants are used as preservatives.

Dogs that are fed on natural life dog food have a lustrous, shiny skin. They are active and full of energy.

They look healthy. Natural life dog food is considered to be the best way to keep your dog healthy and fit. Natural life dog food products come in 8 lb, 20lb or 35 lb bags. These products are not costly and are affordable.

Nutritional needs of your dog will be definitely satisfied by these natural life dog food products.

Dogs who have extra weight and other health problems should try for weight management natural life dog food products. These products also contain less fat and protein.

If you are indeed serious about your dog's health then you must provide your dog with natural life dog foods.

Dogs especially puppies require protein for development and energy. Natural life dog food products are an excellent source of protein. Some natural life dog food products are specially designed for puppies with sensitive digestive tracts.

Some puppies are allergic to certain foods. In such a situation you should give them natural life foods.

Dogs that are fed on natural life dog food products are not vulnerable to diseases.

Even if you do is suffering from any injury or sickness, these foods will enhance the natural healing process. Natural life dog food will definitely make a difference in your dog's life.

All ingredients of natural life dog food products are fresh. There are no fillers, no chemicals and there is nothing artificial in it.

Natural life dog food ingredients include fish meal, chicken meal, carrots, spinach, apples and celery.

The ingredients are health promoting and truly superior. That is why these natural life dog food products are considered to be very safe and reliable.

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Dog Foods

When it comes to dog foods, you need to sit down and decide what is best for your own dog. Is it the stuff that is bought from the store that comes in a bag with a rich staple of filler? This could save you some money, but is it the best that you can do for your pet you cherish so much? You will want to consider all of the options when it comes to the food you are going to feed, so one of the options that you want to think about is making your own dog food.

Many Options

You will have many options when it comes to making your own dog foods, and if you are creative enough you could actually have a wide array of recipes to add to a book. You will be able to get a great number of wonderful recipes off of resources such as the Internet. There are many dog food companies that try to maximize their profits by thinning out the quality ingredients that they use. This does not do anything for the health of your animal, and you will often find that the dog will use the bathroom far more when eating their foods. When you make your own dog foods, you do not have to give up the good ingredients to save money. You can use the best ingredients that you can find, and actually split much of what you buy between the dog food and the foods that you feed the rest of the family.

Cook And Freeze

What is truly great about making your own dog foods is that you can actually cook and then freeze much of what you make. This will allow you to not only make a great deal of food to store; you will be able to add variety in the dog's life. This is because you will be making various foods and then freezing them. You will offer the dog the opportunity to experience what it is like to eat different foods on a regular basis, and this is far better than the everyday twice a day kibble routine. You could easily see why so many dogs simply do not want to eat what is put before them, when they have to eat bland kibble every day. Offering the dog variety in the manner is not only healthy for the dog it is also kind to your pet that you love.

All Quality

Everything that you make when it comes to making your own dog foods, are going to be of the best quality. This is because you will be using great ingredients, and many of which will most likely be fresh such as the produce that you use. If you are buying carrots and or potatoes for a recipe, you will want to buy the freshest you can find. The same can be said about the meats that you will introduce such as the: chicken, fish, and beef.

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Food addiction and treatment

Food addiction and eating disorders are extremely serious problems with severe health consequences and even though many people with an eating disorder may have relatively manageable lives or may not be in physical danger, food addiction is still a disease that is progressive and potentially fatal.

Eating disorders, ranging from compulsive overeating to problems like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are conditions that will worsen over time to a point where those with a food addiction will need help as their lives and bodies begin to fall apart.

Common eating disorders

Many people who suffer from a food addiction have unhealthy eating behaviours, like compulsive overeating disorder. Compulsive overeating is an inability to control consumption of food despite the consequences.

Compulsive overeaters are generally morbidly obese and have major health problems due to the excess weight. Secretive behaviour around food and eating, such as stealing food, lying about eating habits and severe weight gain, are key symptoms.

Bulimia Nervosa is a disorder in which the sufferer will binge on food, and follow this binge with some kind of compensatory behaviour to avoid weight gain. This behaviour usually takes the form induced vomiting, use of laxatives, excessive exercise and fasting.

While most addictive behaviours involve habitual overindulgence in a particular activity, anorexia nervosa manifests itself in obsessive avoidance of food. Anorexics have an obsession with avoiding weight gain, owing to an unhealthy self-image.

Pretending to eat and hiding food, excessive exercising in secret, lying about weight loss and eating habits, wearing baggy clothing to disguise a thin body, distorted body image and excessive obsession with food and calories are all habitual tendencies of an anorexic.

Treatment for food addiction

Food addiction and eating disorders like anorexia, overeating disorder or bulimia, need to be treated by professionals.

People suffering from food disorders need the benefit of one-on-one counselling and group therapy. A qualified therapist can help a patient to work through obsessions and compulsions and to directly address the psychological problems underlying these behaviours.

Counselling is designed to deal with self-esteem issues, low self-confidence, body image issues, depression, and any other events in the patient's past that may have contributed to compulsive behaviours.

As with other addictions, a 12 step recovery programme may be incorporated into the treatment regimen. This can be especially helpful with the self-esteem issues that are at the core of many eating disorders.

A holistic treatment regime for food addiction that includes exercise and other steps contributing to a generally balanced lifestyle can help patients to work through the treatment process. Holistic activities, such as yoga or meditation, have been found helpful in attaining balance and getting the most out of treatment.

Through treatment in a nurturing environment, it is possible for people suffering from a food addiction or eating disorder to become empowered to make healthy lifestyle choices in being able to manage their addiction and to live a healthy and productive life.



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Harmful Ingredients in Dog Foods

Most of the dog owners even don't know about the ingredients that are included in the food they feed to their dogs. It is a very important matter to know because 8 out of 10 diseases in dogs occur due to lack of nutritious diets. So, here I am going to give some useful information on different types of ingredients that should be avoided as much as possible.

Grains: The grains such as wheat gluten and corn should be strictly avoided because they are the key allergens to the dogs.

Food coloring: Yellow-6 should be avoided because it causes tumors in animals.

Fats: If the dog food industry has not disclosed the animal source, then probably it's from 4Ds which include dead, diseased, dying and disabled animals. Avoid these kinds of foods as well.

Fiber: Cheaper fillers like corn bran, oat hulls, soybean, rice hulls and wheat mill run along with cellulose should be strictly avoided because they are not the part of natural dog food.

Fruits: Fruits are beneficial for dog's health but some fruits should be strictly avoided as it may harm them. Grapes are one such fruits which have no positive effect towards dog's health.

Flavorings: If you look at the label of the food pack, then you may see that it is made from enzymatic hydrolysis of undecomposed animal tissue along with 4Ds, if the animal sources are not disclosed. So, avoid them and get some natural food for your little friend.

Preservatives: Avoid BHT and BHA which have been already banned in most of the countries. The worst one is ethoxyquin which is actually a rubber stabilizer. So, avoid these kinds of preservatives as good food doesn't contain any of these.

Other Supplements: Little amount of salt, yeast and mineral oil is fine but if their amount is increased, then it may cause harm to dog's health.

Sweeteners: Sweeteners aren't bad for dogs but if they become addicted to them, then it might get difficult to feed them with their usual foods. So, avoid sweeteners as much as possible.

There are lots of other ingredients too which should be either minimal or completely avoided. For feeding your dog with healthy food, there are some good and natural dog foods such as:

Natural Balance California Natural Science Diet Merrick Evo



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Food Addiction

Yes, if you are gluten intolerant even the smallest bite of gluten or 1 piece of bread can do serious damage to your body. Thankfully, the body is an amazing thing and can usually repair damage resulting from gluten ingestion with proper care and feeding. The real issue here is: how to not take the first bite of foods that we know contain gluten? And how do we keep up our gluten-free lifestyles long-term?

I am going to step out on a limb here and call choosing to eat bread when you know you are gluten intolerant "gluten addiction." For many the idea of being addicted to food is new, but food addiction is a real and culturally pervasive problem that can have devastating physical, psychologically, neurological, emotional, and financial consequences-especially if you are gluten intolerant and can't stop eating gluten long-term. Many people with gluten intolerance are underemployed because of the devastating health consequences of gluten consumption.

I know first-hand how challenging it is to give up gluten when it is EVERYWHERE. I struggled to keep gluten out of my diet even after I got the test results that said I was gluten intolerant. It took me 3 months to string more than 2 weeks gluten-free together. I was constantly in a state of withdrawal and craving for those 3 months and suffering a lot of physical consequences not to mention the psychological suffering of thinking I was crazy for putting poison in my mouth.

There are many reasons why we choose to pick up the gluten poison. These reasons range from social to biological to emotional. On the social side, gluten is a socially supported poison that is marketed as 'healthy '; i.e. Whole Wheat Bread and we tend to unconsciously mimic the behavior of our social groups. Thus, if our friends and family are gluten eaters we are going to have a harder time giving it up. Many of us also have a emotional addiction to gluten products, for many of us the emotional dependence on foods starts when we are quite small. For instance, we may have had a rough time of things growing up and used food to comfort and numb intense, negative emotions. From a biological standpoint gluten contains exorpins which bind to the opiate receptors in the brain of gluten intolerant folks that results in a sense of well-being and numbs pain-similar to the impact the endorphins that your body naturally produces. When you are taking in exorphin containing foods your body's ability to produce endorphins is impaired, so you crave exorphin foods to make you feel good. A cycle of craving and addiction ensues, you need the bread or pasta to feel good and not having it results in pain. And if you are gluten intolerant and consuming gluten, your body is probably in a lot of pain.

How do we get off the gluten craving rollercoaster so the pain can stop and we can start feeling good? Here is what has helped me:

Flood your body with easy to digest nutrients!!! Instead of the bagel (even the gluten free variety) or the yogurt for breakfast, have a green supefood smoothie. Try out blended soups of brightly colored vegetables mixed with herbs, raw organic coconut oil, garlic and sea salt. These nutrient rich foods will stop cravings in their tracks and the blending pre-digests the food, making them very soothing to inflamed digestive tracks. That means the nutrients are more easily absorbed than solid foods that require more work for the digestive system to break down.

Eliminate dairy, soy, and sugar. These foods are highly allergenic and cause inflammation and pain in the body and also cause metabolic/hormonal imbalances. Further, Dairy contains exorphins making it highly addictive and also inhibits your body's natural ability to produce feel good endorphins. Replace dairy and soy with nut and seed milks, nut and seed cheeses/pates, and raw, organic coconut products. Replace sugar with stevia and/or teeny bits of raw organic agave nectar, and fresh fruit. These replacement foods are full of essential nutrients. Don't be afraid of the fats in the seeds and nuts. Your body needs the fat for energy to heal and many vitamins from foods are fat soluble, meaning if there is not enough fat in your diet your body won't absorb the vitamins and you will pee out all the vitamins from that expensive organic food. To replace ice cream, I suggest freezing ripe bananas and blending them with carob powder, cocoa powder, or vanilla. This banana cream ta stes just like soft serve.

Do EFT! This is a self-acupressure technique that works wonders for folks with all sorts of addictions. Go to for a full tutorial. This technique helped me finally kick my gluten addiction for good.

Exercise: Moving the body will flood your body with feel good chemicals so you are less prone to go after gluten to feel good. It also speeds up the detox process, which means fewer and less intensive cravings.

Get Outside: At least 30 minutes a day flood your body the sunshine and vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin by the way). You need an adequate amount of Vitamin D to maintain mental health and thus combat cravings and strengthen your willpower. Further, Vitamin D helps regulate blood sugar. Out of whack blood sugar is the cause of many uncontrollable cravings.

I recommend you go outside during non-peak sunshine hours so you don't have to apply sunscreen that is usually filled with toxic chemicals. I recommend Aubrey Organics as good brand of pure and gluten-free sunscreen (yes, they sometimes put oat derived products and wheat protein in sunscreen!).

Get Support: Find gluten free buddies. Check out my resources page for links to gluten free online and face to face communities. I have found a lot of support for living a really healthy gluten free lifestyle in the online raw food community. Check out some raw food blogs on my resources page and you will find a ton of naturally gluten, soy, dairy, and sugar-free recipes.

If you need support putting the above tips into practice, or aren't having the success you want going gluten-free, contact me.

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Dog Health Insurance Plans - Getting the Best Health Insurance for Your Dog - Family - Pets

A few decades ago, dogs could fend for themselves when it came to their health, helped along by the occasional trips to the veterinarian. These days, however, it's unthinkable for an owner to not get involved in every aspect of his dog's well-being. That's why dog health insurance plans are increasingly becoming available. Pet dogs are treated just like members of the family, so it's understandable that any dog owner wants to protect them and be sure that their needs will be taken cared of. Dog health insurance not only helps make sure that your pet can get the best available care, but it also keeps your finances intact and provides you with a ready means to fund your dog's medical expenses.

Veterinarian fees and medical costs are on the rise, and having a reliable dog health insurance plan is one way for you to be able to cope. Not only will you be able to have money set aside for your dog's medical emergencies, but this also means your dog can promptly receive medical attention when needed.

Getting a dog health insurance plan is much like getting your own health plans. It also comes with premiums, exemptions, and various coverage plans. Some plans are based on the dog's breed and size, and others may cover pre-existing conditions as well as annual checkups, so you have to check each plan's details thoroughly. Most dog health insurance policies usually start when the dog is already six to eight weeks old.

If you don't know where to look for dog health insurance, you can ask your vet. He or she might turn out to be a provider for a dog health insurance plan and may be able to help you make your decision. You can even turn to the Internet. Simply do a search for "dog health insurance plan" and you'll immediately see numerous results from insurance providers focusing specifically on pets. Once you've narrowed down your selection, you can contact the companies one by one and request a free quote. Be sure to ask the important questions, such as what each plan covers, if they require physical exams, any exclusions, and their maximum payout.

Finding the right dog health insurance plan is definitely something that you shouldn't take lightly. You're going to want the best possible plan for your pet, so make sure that every possible illness or incident is covered. After all, your dog deserves nothing but the best care from you.

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Dog Health and Your Responsibility - Family - Pets

There are many advantages to owning a dog. It gives you loyalty and love. Yet so many people neglect its health as a way to return that love and affection.

Preventative dog health care goes a long way to ensuring that your friend stays healthy for years to come. If you decide to get one, then do him a favor and become educated on how to protect his health.

Dog health begins the very minute you take ownership of your canine companion. Before you even think about beginning puppy training you must make sure that you know what type of medication it takes to ensure its health.

Shots such as Distemper, Rabies, and Parvo are absolutely essential to a long and healthy life for your pet. There are other medications such as heart worm medicine and flea medicines that are important as well.

If you are unsure as to what is involved in dog health, check out dog forums for answers on some common questions. The best advice before buying or getting a pet is to do a thorough research to determine if having one is right for you.

There are some questions to ask yourself before you commit to owning a dog or any animal. The first is how much time do you have to devote to the pet? Do you have enough space to accommodate one? Is its health absolutely important to you? Do you have the money to devote to puppy training and to making sure that he or she receives regular veterinarian visits to ensure its proper health?

A dog is a big responsibility. If you are unsure of any of the above questions then now is the time to carefully ponder whether or not you are ready for a pet. Dogs cost money and this responsibility lies with the pet owner.

The puppy or dog is dependent on you for everything they need. This includes their emotional well-being as well. Humans and dogs are alike in that they need love and support. You, as the owner, must be that network of love and support for them.

Dog health is important to having a fully functioning family. Dog's can bring many things to their owner. They bring love and unfailing loyalty. They deserve to have that returned to them by an owner that truly wants what is best for them.

Before you go collect your new pet, take the time to become educated. You should talk to other pet owners and then make that life altering decision.

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Does Dog Health Insurance Really Exist - Family - Pets

Insurance for dogs has been in existence for close to twenty year. Its surprising then that many dog owners have never heard of dog insurance before. We normally associate insurance with people and not animals.

If you've used your money to pay for dog surgery or if you've ever put your dog to rest because your couldn't afford the medical fees, then you need to appreciate the importance of dog health insurance.

The costs associated with taking care of dogs are going up by the day. To make matters worse, if you have more than one dog then your finances are more constrained. To find out if you need dog insurance, ask yourself these questions:-

- Do you consider your dog to be a member of the family? - Will you be able to comfortably clear the bills should your dog develop cancer or needs long-term care. - Will it break you if you are to euthanize your dog cause you did not plan ahead for a crisis?

If you say yes to these questions, then please consider taking insurance for your dog before its too late.

Dog Health Insurance Types

There are many dog insurance products out there in the market. The higher the premiums you pay, the more benefits your dog receives. The average dog insurance plan starts at about $20 to $40 per month and comes with no annual benefit limit or if a limit exists then its approximately $15,000 - $20,000.

Most plans give you discounts for coverage of multiple dogs. Your deductible will be primarily be determined by the plan you choose, but the average is about $100 per year.

Since most of the expenses generated by dogs will be related to routine procedures, its a wise idea to get a dog health insurance plan that covers neutering, vaccinations, annual check-ups & dental. These seemingly lower budget procedures can put a huge dent in your wallet in the long run.

What barriers might come up when looking for dog insurance? For starters, if your dog is over a certain age limit, he might be denied cover. Even if you are to get the insurance for older dog, you will find restrictions in the plan. Also, most insurance policies will not cover for existing medical conditions or birth defects. If your dog has cancer it might not be covered.

In the process of comparing different dog insurance products, find out if there are any waiting periods on your dog policy. The waiting period determines when the dog's coverage will begin - Its not impossible to have waiting periods of up to 6 months. Once your plan goes through, you will have to choose a vet from their list of approved providers.

Are there any alternatives to dog insurance?

What happens if your dog does not qualify for dog insurance or if you decide not to buy a policy? Are there other options to go with?

There is a dog health care discount program called Pet Assure. When you enroll in this program, you are eligible to receive a discount on your animal's medical care so long as you patronize participating veterinarians. Other benefits you will get include getting discounts to prescriptions & also getting access to product coupons.

If you have a dog that is not insured and it needs urgent medical care and you don't have the funds available, ask the vet if their clinic offers any sort of emergency funding. Some vets do set aside funding for dog owners who cannot afford the medical expenses associated with dog care especially if the treatment does not involve long-term care and multiple visits.

Another option for dog owners without dog insurance is to go to the humane society (long shot) or a non-profit dog support group that offers financial aid. You will need to apply to access their money and in reality very few of those who apply actually receive enough cash to offset the medical bills.

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Your Dog Health Tips - Family - Pets

Your dog health tips will make you and your dog;have a happy and safe relationship.A healthy dog is a happy dog. While all pet owners hope that their beloved dog will never have any health problems, the fact remains that inevitably your dog will require some health care at some point or another, even if it is for a mild problem.

Therefore, it's best to know as much as you can about common dog health problems, and how to treat and prevent them; so that your dog can live as healthy and long life as possible.

Your dog health tips starts with one of the first things a prospective dog owner should understand about dog health; is that some dogs are more prone to certain health problems than others.Dogs that tend to suffer from specific health issues include poodles, German Sheppards, Collies, Cocker Spaniels, Dachshunds and Labrador Retrievers.

Your dog health tips include knowing the most common illnesses.Hemophilia for example is a common dog health problem.Other common dog illnesses include heart worms, rabies and parvovirusFortunately, dogs can be vaccinated against these illnesses.

Routine care and maintenance can help to decrease such problems.It is widely recommended that dogs be kept at their ideal weight and not allowed to become obese, particularly those who are prone to spinal problems and hip displacia.Fat dogs are far more likely to suffer from such problems.

Your dog health tips also include one very popular question, "Can my dog catch my flu."While it does not appear that dogs can catch the flu from humans, they definitely can catch the dog strain from one another.Dog flu is a dog health condition that tends to make the rounds among canines, very similar to the way human flu strains get around.

Another tip is that one of the most common medical signs that a dog has the flu is a dog or puppy cough, sometimes referred to as kennel cough.The dog may also suffer from fever and a lack of appetite.Owners should be aware that this strain of flu can turn into pneumonia.Pneumonia in dogs can be quite serious.There is no vaccine, but it can be treated with fluids and antibiotics.

Another important tip is natural pet food;it is so much healthier for your pet that Vets even stress how important this is.The Spirulina in Dinovite is a super nutritious, blue green, micro algae.It is a rich, plant protein source for your dog and contains cancer-fighting characteristics.Among all the other beneficial ingredients, Dinovite includes montmorillonite clay to help promote your dog's good health.A natural, high quality, healthy dog food can make all the difference in your pet's health and vitality.Your dog health tips will help insure you to have a happy healthy dog. Get Everything You've Ever Wanted Or Needed To Know About Your Dog In One Complete Ebook And Audio Book! /yqassk

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Dog Health, Dog Nutrition and Astaxanthin -- A Key to Excellence - Family - Pets

Most of us are more than aware today that many of the processed dog foods available at the local supermarkets have little to no nutritional value whatsoever, they leave an awful lot to be desired. However, these same dog foods continue to be sold by the truck load even though there is overwhelming evidence that they are the primary cause of poor dog nutrition and premature death for thousands of dogs each year.

There is much more awareness these days as to what we should be feeding our dogs to supply them with wholesome and nutritious diets but there are still millions of our precious pet dogs being fed processed dog foods because of either time constraints or a lack of education on the subject.

So why are these commercial foods killing our dogs? In one phrase, Free Radicals! Many of the commercial dog foods either lack anything resembling decent ingredients to start with or are cooked at such high temperatures that any nutrients or antioxidants they did have are killed off, and this is where major problems begin to occur. They simply provide little to no protection for our dogs whatsoever.

In the body, free radicals are produced when oxygen combines with complex metabolic molecules. Free radicals are highly unstable molecules ready to react with anything they can. When they react, the result is called "oxidation." Once the oxidation process begins, it can produce a chain reaction that generates more free radicals. Oxidation in the human and canine body is the same thing that happens to metal when it rusts. The rusting or oxidation can destroy a strong piece of metal in just a few years. By painting the metal or putting on a rust-inhibiting product you can prevent rusting. This is the same thing that antioxidants are doing to the "rusting" in our dogs' bodies--preventing oxidation and keeping them strong. Like the rust inhibiting product which prevents the metal's cells from oxidizing and degrading, antioxidants prevent our dogs' body's cells from oxidizing and degrading. Fortunately for their bodies (and their health), antioxidants are capable of joining wit h oxidizing free radicals, thus rendering them harmless.

Internally, free radicals damage tissue and can adversely affect our dogs' immune system which can lead to a myriad of canine health issues. They weaken and can destroy cells and the DNA in the cells. Scientists believe that DNA damage is a major component of the aging process. DNA is an amazing substance that tells cells when to divide, how to make enzymes and other proteins, and how to direct all the other cellular activities. If DNA is damaged, cells cease to function normally, causing a host of potential problems and diseases. Damaged DNA can be repaired, but occasionally the repair job is defective--in the worst case, a cancerous cell line can begin.

The good news is that there is an excellent answer to these potential problems, Natural Astaxanthin! After years of research in to Astaxanthin and its many canine health benefits it is truly amazing that this wonderful compound is still very much a secret as far as dog health and nutrition is concerned. It is also ironic that Natural Astaxanthin has been approved in the USA and many other countries, as a human nutritional supplement, for over 10 years and has been heralded the "best thing to hit the supplement market in 30 years!" So why is it such a secret as far as protecting our dogs is concerned? The answer is simple, it shouldn't be! But don't expect your local vet or pet food manufacturer to run down the street shouting about it, it won't happen unfortunately and we really should be asking why, the supporting evidence on the benefits of feeding Natural Astaxanthin to dogs has been there for the last 8-10 years!

The scientific studies and clinical trials provide overwhelming evidence that Natural Astaxanthin is a wonderful supplement for our canine friends and especially those that are still being fed processed foods, it provides them with excellent protection and helps them lead a longer, healthier and happier life. It neutralizes the free radicals caused by stress, exercise and the high level of contaminants we all live with today.

There is far more detailed information on exactly what Natural Astaxanthin is, the scientific study and clinical trial results and anecdotal evidence at but the below are just some of the canine health issues Astaxanthin has been known to help solve. It is a truly remarkable compound.

Helps prevent canine cancer, Reduces tumor size, Promotes cardiovascular health, Improves immunity, Prevents diabetes, Increases stress resistance, Inhibits H. pylori bacteria, Reduces gastric ulcerations, Aids the liver in detoxification, Prevents cataracts, Protects the eyes and brain, Decreases pain, Increases endurance, Improves fertility, Reduces stillborn deaths, Prevents DNA damage, Prevents cell membrane damage, Prevents enlargement of lymph nodes, Improves growth rate in young animals, Improves survival rate, Excellent anti inflammatory. The list continues to grow!

Over the last 3-4 years we have seen firsthand on a daily basis what Natural Astaxanthin is capable of with dogs so it is very disturbing that major corporations in the pet food industry have not picked up on it. This is especially so as an extremely large American pet food manufacturer successfully applied for a patent on Astaxanthin years ago and to our knowledge, has done absolutely nothing with it. With the close relationship many pet food manufacturers have with veterinarians it begs the question why this is the case?

It would appear dog owners are very much on their own as far as dog nutrition is concerned, if you are worried about your dogs' health and diet or simply want to enhance the life of your pet take a look at the research on Natural Astaxanthin, the evidence is now overwhelming and your dog will most certainly thank you for it.

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FAQ About Dog Health - Family - Pets

Many new dog owners often have questions regarding the proper care of their new canine friend. Not everyone has a vet on call 24 hours a day so it can sometimes be difficult to find the right answers right when you need them. In this article we're going to take a look at a few of the frequently asked health questions new dog owners have asked and need to know.

One of the most popular questions asked by dog owners is how often should they take their dog to the vet? Typically a dog should have a yearly check up and an update on all his or her vaccinations. This is different for puppies. Puppies require more vaccinations and booster shots so they should definitely go more than once a year, but as they grow and get older you can reduce it down to one time a year. Dogs age more quickly than humans, so as a dog gets up in age you will probably need to take him to the doctor two or three times a year at that particular point in your dog's life.

Another frequently asked question deals with the issue of neutering your pup. The simple and short answer to this question is that if you plan on using your dog to breed then you obviously should avoid that procedure. However, if you are not planning to use your dog for breeding purposes it may be a good idea to have him neutered. There are quite a few health benefits involved in having your dog neutered, such as less aggressive behavior. This procedure also greatly reduces your dog's chance of having testicular cancer.

A lot of new pet owners ask about how to recognize when their dog is getting ill. It really pays off to know your dog well and his personality and behavioral patterns as this will be a main indicator in determining whether or not your pooch is sick. Pay close attention and watch for changes in his behavior, his eating and drinking habits, and his sleep pattern. If your dog seems to be urinating a lot more than usual that is a pretty strong sign something isn't right. So is vomiting and sudden weight loss. Watch and notice for any limping, or maybe even a vocal indicator such as a whimper.

One question that gets asked a lot is about getting your dog to stop eating the lawn. Many dogs when they are let out to use the bathroom have a bad habit of eating grass. There are many suggested theories as to why this is, but none are conclusive as to why dog's do this. The only thing that is known for sure is that when a dog munches on some grass he usually throws it back up. One of the best ways to keep your dog from doing this is to get some specially made grass that you place on your dog's dog food that is supposed to help your dog stop eating the grass outside.

There are many more questions that new dog owners ask that just won't fit into the body of this article. These are just a few tips and pointers to help you make sure you are taking care of your dog correctly and are helping you to help your new friend adjust to his new home. It can be easy to get overwhelmed at first when learning how to care for a pet, but in due time it will become natural to you, so don't sweat a thing. Just hang in there and enjoy your dog!

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Dog Health Problems - Family - Pets

The diseases that affect dog health should be prevented not only to save the dog but also to save the public. So, whenever the health of your dog is in doubt please consult your veterinarian. To save dog health, keep a check on their diet. Just like humans unhealthy food causes obesity, diabetes, heart and digestive problems. If the dog is loosing hair, the shine of the skin is gone, and if it refuses to play, jump or walk then diet is the problem. If you are feeding your dog the normal dog foods then it will definitely develop some diseases because the dog foods are jam packed with chemicals like synthetics to improve taste, powders, additives and colorants. It is just like human, when we buy some packed food from the market which is packed with chemicals and accumulates in the system and undermines the body from inside. Sometimes, the dogs get infected so badly that their organs stop functioning. Generally dog suffers with joint diseases like arthritis, hip dysplasia, an d other degenerative diseases with the shoulders and hocks. Genetic diseases also affect dogs. Other common diseases are:

Periodontitis-The main symptom is inflammation of gum tissue and periodontal ligament. It is caused by microbial infection. It is the leading cause of tooth loss in dogs. It can be seen in almost any age of dogs. So, watch for bad breath, tooth loss, loose teeth, and gum recession.

Canine Parvovirus- Causes gastro intestinal infection. It is spread through infected feces.

Heartworm Disease- Caused by microbial infections, main symptoms are coughing, intolerance to exercise, and anemia. Heartworms are caused by mosquitoes. When they bite the dog it takes around six months to reach their blood vessels and lungs. Affected dogs should be kept in cage to limit their activities.

Bordetella Bronchiceptica-It causes kennel cough.

Gastroenteretis- The main characters are vomiting and diarrhea. Can cause extreme fluid loss and electrolyte disturbance.

Ringworm-Infection of skin, hair or nails.

Eye diseases- These are common in dogs like cataract and entropion.

To keep your dog healthy proper nutrition and preventive care is required. Other important thing to do is whenever you see any change in behavior without any reason, try to find what is irritating it, check its mouth, examine it physically, look for any swelling, cuts, etc. Once you are done with all these things consult your veterinarian.

The diseases that affect dog health should be prevented not only to save the dog but also to save the public. So, whenever the health of your dog is in doubt please consult your veterinarian. To save dog health, keep a check on their diet. Just like humans unhealthy food causes obesity, diabetes, heart and digestive problems.

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Dog Food Nutrition - 5 Lies You Have Believed

The most important decision you will make regarding your dog's health is the food you choose to feed him. More than any other factor, this choice will impact his health the most. Virtually all degenerative diseases that are seen in humans and dogs can be linked back to nutrition. As responsible dog owners, we want to choose the healthiest food we can for our dogs. But if you are like me you may have noticed how confusing this choice can be.

The marketplace is cluttered with claims from dog food manufacturers. Each one claims to be better or healthier than the one before. If our primary concern is the health of our dogs, feeding your dog dry food only is not the answer. We need to be discerning when choosing dog health food for our loving companions instead of just blindly believing what the marketers are telling us. Lies you have been told:

Complete balanced diet: Most manufacturers of dog dry food will insist you only need their certain food to provide a 100% completely balanced diet for your dog. Have you ever really considered what this claim really implies? First of all, it implies that they (the dog food manufacturer) actually know what a 100% balanced diet is. Second it implies that all dogs are exactly the same and require the exact same nutrients on a daily basis.

Dog Food Allergies: Pet owners are scared into believing that their dog has specific food allergies so they should not be exposed to that particular food. Allergies generally indicate that the immune system is being compromised or that the pet is receiving too much of one particular food. That is why variety is necessary and the key to pet nutrition. Food needs to be fed that will enhance the immune system.

Ingredient Game: Did you know that commercial dog food companies are allowed by the regulatory agencies to include polyethylene roughage replacement (plastic), undried processed animal waste products, hydrolyzed leather meal and other bizarre ingredients in your pet's food. However, they are prohibited from adding proven beneficial natural ingredients such as spirulina, bee pollen, L-carnitine, glucosamine that are readily available for human consumption. Because the regulators are concerned with having a certain percentage of this or that in the product, they really do not care how those percentages are achieved.

Inciting Fear: All a pet food marketing company has to do is put "No....corn, wheat, or whatever" on their label and we as consumers will automatically assume that the specific ingredient is bad and our pet should not have it. The marketers and pet food companies use this as a scare tactic so you will feel led to buy their product.

Heat Processing: The most dangerous threat to human health and canine health today is feeding yourself or your pet exclusively heat processed foods. Heat processing which includes cooking, baking, freeze drying and extruding all cause a multitude of molecular changes to the natural food. The heat process destroys many nutrients and it changes many components of the original food into dozens of toxins. The presence of these toxins added to the fact that many vital nutrients have been destroyed in this heat process can begin to show us why so many people and animals are acquiring these degenerative diseases. All dog dry food on your store shelves uses this heat process during production.

The truth is your dog needs dog health food. It may seem easier to grab that bag of the store shelf, but in the long run feeding your dog dry food exclusively will damage his health. Dog health food consists of fresh, natural food that dogs are biologically adapted to in order to maintain health.

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Essential Pet Travel Needs for Holiday Trips - Family - Pets

Yuletide season is just around the corner and its perfect time to break away and relax on holidays. Just because you are traveling for the holiday does not mean your best friend dog and pets have to stay home. As per experience, having pets on travel and vacation is far lot different and exciting. Traveling with pets is easy and comfortable now with lots of innovative and reliable pet travel products.

This Pet Street Mall will guide you through the essential and must have pet needs that will ensure safety and comfort for your pet while traveling. Weather you are traveling these holidays by car or plane, we are confident we have the pet travel item for you. Check out this list of top pet travel needs every pet should have.

Airline Approved Pet Carrier. Traditionally known as Porters, Taxis, Carriers, and Kennels; they are now known as pet cages or crates. Airline Approved Pet Carriers are sturdy covered door posts for a durable long lasting product. They have strong wire mesh doors to keep your pets secure while creating a comfortable air flow. These fashionable pet carriers come in variety of colors and sizes and are 100% Airline approved so you won't experience any costly mishaps and delays. When choosing, always make sure your pet fits well in its crate. The pet should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably in the cage. It is essential too to properly train & orient your dog to use the pet carriers and discourage any aggressive behavior in the kennel like biting, chewing, licking, ramming, or pawing.

Pet Travel Crates. These containment systems are designed Specifically to fit "Side-by-Side" in SUV & Van Rear Compartments. They are portable, has safe & secure slide bolt latches and surely tough yet easy to clean ABS plastic pan. Finished in a long lasting Black Epoxy Powder and comfortable plastic carrying handle already included. PetStreetMall offers free shipping on all pet crates and their premier customer service department has not only helped customers nationwide select the correct crate.

Dog Vehicle Barriers. They are mainly used in Sport Utility Vehicles to safely secure your dog in the rear of the vehicle. This will keep your dog safely away from the driver and other occupants. Dog vehicle Barriers are offered in either a tubular or mesh design. If an extension can also be purchased if needed. They come in small, medium and large tubular barriers for all SUVs and Mini-buses. Soft Net Vehicle Pet Barrier is also available, made with micro-mesh material which is actually easier to see through than metal tube-style barriers.

Pet Travel Bowls & Dog Food Bags. Travel bowls are collapsible food dishes that is perfect for traveling, hiking or when simply visiting parks. Dog food bags are collapsible food containers too for much easier and less mess food containment.

Dog Car Seats. Pet car seat provides a safe and secure place for dogs on car while traveling. Dog Car Seat will limit pets from wandering inside the car, yet it provides him with a comfortable place to enjoy the ride. While providing your dog with his own special seat in your car, it will also keep your car seat clean and damage-free. With dog car seats, you wont have to worry about the safety of your dog while enjoying the out of town trip.

Pet Seat Belts, Buckles and Dog Car Harness. Like people, dogs also need the same kind of security when they are about to travel. Dog seat belt is the proper restraining of your dog in a safe area inside the car. It is also important to place your dog in a secured seat for him to enjoy the beauty outside while having a ride. Pet buckle ensures that your dog will behave properly while enjoying the ride and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when theres a sudden stop. And once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car.

Car Seat Covers and Pet Cargo Mats. Having a seat cover is definitely one of the best techniques in keeping your vehicles interior in good condition. Aside from protecting your car seat, your dog can comfortably lie on this cover because of the soft materials used. If ever the seat cover is already dirty, all you need to do is to remove it and wash it right away! Aside from the beauty and cleanliness it brings to your car, dog seat cover is used to provide superb comfort to your pet. Your dog can snooze and rest on this smooth seat cover during travel. For SUV cars, high quality pet cargo mats will keep your car stain and grime free even if you always bring your dog with you. SUV cargo mats are easy to sanitize and can be the best protection of your dog against any kind of weather.

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Essential Pet Travel Needs for Holiday Trips - Family - Pets

Yuletide season is just around the corner and its perfect time to break away and relax on holidays. Just because you are traveling for the holiday does not mean your best friend dog and pets have to stay home. As per experience, having pets on travel and vacation is far lot different and exciting. Traveling with pets is easy and comfortable now with lots of innovative and reliable pet travel products.

This Pet Street Mall will guide you through the essential and must have pet needs that will ensure safety and comfort for your pet while traveling. Weather you are traveling these holidays by car or plane, we are confident we have the pet travel item for you. Check out this list of top pet travel needs every pet should have.

Airline Approved Pet Carrier. Traditionally known as Porters, Taxis, Carriers, and Kennels; they are now known as pet cages or crates. Airline Approved Pet Carriers are sturdy covered door posts for a durable long lasting product. They have strong wire mesh doors to keep your pets secure while creating a comfortable air flow. These fashionable pet carriers come in variety of colors and sizes and are 100% Airline approved so you won't experience any costly mishaps and delays. When choosing, always make sure your pet fits well in its crate. The pet should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably in the cage. It is essential too to properly train & orient your dog to use the pet carriers and discourage any aggressive behavior in the kennel like biting, chewing, licking, ramming, or pawing.

Pet Travel Crates. These containment systems are designed Specifically to fit "Side-by-Side" in SUV & Van Rear Compartments. They are portable, has safe & secure slide bolt latches and surely tough yet easy to clean ABS plastic pan. Finished in a long lasting Black Epoxy Powder and comfortable plastic carrying handle already included. PetStreetMall offers free shipping on all pet crates and their premier customer service department has not only helped customers nationwide select the correct crate.

Dog Vehicle Barriers. They are mainly used in Sport Utility Vehicles to safely secure your dog in the rear of the vehicle. This will keep your dog safely away from the driver and other occupants. Dog vehicle Barriers are offered in either a tubular or mesh design. If an extension can also be purchased if needed. They come in small, medium and large tubular barriers for all SUVs and Mini-buses. Soft Net Vehicle Pet Barrier is also available, made with micro-mesh material which is actually easier to see through than metal tube-style barriers.

Pet Travel Bowls & Dog Food Bags. Travel bowls are collapsible food dishes that is perfect for traveling, hiking or when simply visiting parks. Dog food bags are collapsible food containers too for much easier and less mess food containment.

Dog Car Seats. Pet car seat provides a safe and secure place for dogs on car while traveling. Dog Car Seat will limit pets from wandering inside the car, yet it provides him with a comfortable place to enjoy the ride. While providing your dog with his own special seat in your car, it will also keep your car seat clean and damage-free. With dog car seats, you wont have to worry about the safety of your dog while enjoying the out of town trip.

Pet Seat Belts, Buckles and Dog Car Harness. Like people, dogs also need the same kind of security when they are about to travel. Dog seat belt is the proper restraining of your dog in a safe area inside the car. It is also important to place your dog in a secured seat for him to enjoy the beauty outside while having a ride. Pet buckle ensures that your dog will behave properly while enjoying the ride and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when theres a sudden stop. And once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car.

Car Seat Covers and Pet Cargo Mats. Having a seat cover is definitely one of the best techniques in keeping your vehicles interior in good condition. Aside from protecting your car seat, your dog can comfortably lie on this cover because of the soft materials used. If ever the seat cover is already dirty, all you need to do is to remove it and wash it right away! Aside from the beauty and cleanliness it brings to your car, dog seat cover is used to provide superb comfort to your pet. Your dog can snooze and rest on this smooth seat cover during travel. For SUV cars, high quality pet cargo mats will keep your car stain and grime free even if you always bring your dog with you. SUV cargo mats are easy to sanitize and can be the best protection of your dog against any kind of weather.

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Dog Health Problems - Symptoms of Common Dog Ailments - Family - Pets

It's important for every dog owner to recognize dog health problems and symptoms as your furry pal relies on you to be his or her "first responder" when they have a problem. You can tell when they aren't feeling all that well but do you really know what to do? Listed below are the symptoms for some common dog health problems ranging from the everyday to the very serious.

Dog Diarrhea

The symptoms of this condition are pretty obvious. Your canine buddy is probably going to express some pain when defecating because that strain is just magnifying the pain in his stomach. The stool will be runny and may be an abnormal color. The odor will be more intense.

Diarrhea in dogs is quite common thanks to a dog's complete lack of discrimination in what he eats. If it smells okay and doesn't hurt his mouth then it is potential food. As a result they eat stuff that makes them sick.

Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Dogs

Lyme disease is a bacterium known as Borrelia which is transmitted to your dog through a tick bite. Unfortunately, there are no symptoms until weeks after the infection and when they do show they are often mistaken for other ailments.

The most common symptom is one that appears to be arthritis. Joints and lymph glands can become swollen making it very painful for the dog to walk or even get comfortable laying down. Your pal will become listless, may refuse to eat because the effort hurts too much, and may revert to using the inside of the house as his bathroom rather than going outside.

The giveaway that this is Lyme's and not arthritis is that the affected limbs will change. When arthritis develops it doesn't move around. With Lyme's disease one side of your dog can be affected one week and then suddenly it heals and the other side is affected.

Symptoms of Distemper

Distemper is an airborne virus that is highly contagious and affects the dog's respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Distemper will first show itself with cold like symptoms with watery eyes, runny nose, a cough and sometimes diarrhea. Later in the development of the disease the dog will suffer from disorientation, twitching and even convulsions. Unfortunately there is no effective treatment for this disease.

Symptoms of Ear Infections

These infections are fairly common particularly with dogs that have heavy earflap like Bassets and Dachshunds. The infection is caused by bacteria or yeast that appear when there is a change in the dog's ear like an infestation of ticks or mites. Symptoms of an ear infection include the shaking of the head, a pawing of the ears, pain and a foul odor coming from the ears.

Of course there are many more ailments that can affect your canine friend but the thing to remember is prevention. It's really not so different from taking care of a kid. Keep their shots up to date, keep them well fed and clean and provide clean bedding. Parasites cause most of the problems and if you can limit your dog's exposure to strange dogs you are limiting the possibility of exposure to disease. If you notice dog health problems that do not go away after a few days, take your pal to the vet.

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Beneful Dog Food Coupons, Smart Shopping On Dog Food - Shopping

Having a dog is a long term commitment, and keeping your pethealthy throughout their life is important. We all know how importantour pets health and well being are to our families.While there are numerous high quality choice when it comes to feeding your pet, Purina's brand "Beneful" has been a staple of quality.Beneful is a premium quality, nutritious food that helpsensure your pets health and vitality, keeping them strong for life.A premium quality dog food usually costs a little more but we don'twant to feed our pet a sub-standard brand either. That's where using Benefulpet food coupons is a smart choice. We aren't sacrificing quality for alower cost food. By using Beneful dog food coupons, we can give our doga premium food for around the same cost as a lesser quality brand.The savings makes the difference in knowing you're feeding your dog oneof the best foods available.

How do you find Beneful coupons? An internet search for the officialPurina or Beneful websites is a good start. They will have useful informationabout pets, an assortment of pet products,coupons,free trials, and FAQ'S. Alot of special offers they have will be printable directly from their website.The next place I would look would be pet coupon websites. They are more gearedtowards offering coupons and basic information on the brands if that's really allyou need. You can print and clip coupons there to redeem at your localsupermarket.Vets and pet stores may have a supply of Beneful couponsthat you can use during your purchase as well. Weekly newspaper inserts and monthlyclipper magazines could offer coupons too.

Because a premium quality dog food like Beneful costs a few dollars more, usingBeneful dog food coupons can balance the cost so you can feed your dog a healthy,nutritious food.

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Why Pet Owners Should Use Pet Food Coupons - Business

Pet food is expensive -- every pet owner knows this -- but with the use of dog food coupons, it can become a very affordable thing indeed. For example, you can often find dog food coupons in a variety of magazines. With the use of dog food coupons, you'll be saving enough money that you can then afford to get your special pet the little toy or playhouse that you would not have been able to afford before.

If you use the coupons as a guide for purchasing food for your pet, you can even discover better brands that you wouldn't have tried otherwise. Whether you're dealing with pets or with any other product, a good sale can often get people to buy something new. Your pet may thank you when you come home with a new type of dog food that you got because of the coupons.

You can save a lot of money on your pet's food by entering and participating in a food company's promotional sweepstakes. Of course, cat food companies sponsor these contests as a way to market to a larger group of people. The personal information you provide in order to take part in these contests will only end up providing you with information about more products that can make feeding and caring for your pet a much easier process. The marketing aspect becomes much less sinister when this is considered, and many people enter the contest in order to get better prices on pet food.

If you are observant, you've probably discovered that your pet will prefer one kind of cat food over another, and this may make you reluctant to try a new kind of cat food when you have one that already works. When you've been perusing the grocery store, though, you have probably run across a new kind of pet food that you thought your pet might enjoy eating. You're more liable to give a new type of pet food a try if you have been giving the key to a discount (i.e. a coupon).

For a customer, a coupon may provide either a small bit of savings or a great quantity. Some coupons are designed to just give you a small discount on a type of food you would buy anyway. If it is a new brand of cat food or it is a more expensive kind of food, then companies will cut multiple dollars from the purchase price in an effort to get you to buy their brand of dog food.

As you can see, you can really save a lot of money by using pet food coupons. It's not even a difficult process, as you can take a look in any pet magazine, circular, or store catalog and find all sorts of coupons for all sorts of brands. If you pay too much for pet food, the blame can only rest on you. There are available dog food coupons.

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Essential Pet Travel Needs for Holiday Trips - Family - Pets

Yuletide season is just around the corner and its perfect time to break away and relax on holidays. Just because you are traveling for the holiday does not mean your best friend dog and pets have to stay home. As per experience, having pets on travel and vacation is far lot different and exciting. Traveling with pets is easy and comfortable now with lots of innovative and reliable pet travel products.

This Pet Street Mall will guide you through the essential and must have pet needs that will ensure safety and comfort for your pet while traveling. Weather you are traveling these holidays by car or plane, we are confident we have the pet travel item for you. Check out this list of top pet travel needs every pet should have.

Airline Approved Pet Carrier. Traditionally known as Porters, Taxis, Carriers, and Kennels; they are now known as pet cages or crates. Airline Approved Pet Carriers are sturdy covered door posts for a durable long lasting product. They have strong wire mesh doors to keep your pets secure while creating a comfortable air flow. These fashionable pet carriers come in variety of colors and sizes and are 100% Airline approved so you won't experience any costly mishaps and delays. When choosing, always make sure your pet fits well in its crate. The pet should be able to stand up, turn around, and lie down comfortably in the cage. It is essential too to properly train & orient your dog to use the pet carriers and discourage any aggressive behavior in the kennel like biting, chewing, licking, ramming, or pawing.

Pet Travel Crates. These containment systems are designed Specifically to fit "Side-by-Side" in SUV & Van Rear Compartments. They are portable, has safe & secure slide bolt latches and surely tough yet easy to clean ABS plastic pan. Finished in a long lasting Black Epoxy Powder and comfortable plastic carrying handle already included. PetStreetMall offers free shipping on all pet crates and their premier customer service department has not only helped customers nationwide select the correct crate.

Dog Vehicle Barriers. They are mainly used in Sport Utility Vehicles to safely secure your dog in the rear of the vehicle. This will keep your dog safely away from the driver and other occupants. Dog vehicle Barriers are offered in either a tubular or mesh design. If an extension can also be purchased if needed. They come in small, medium and large tubular barriers for all SUVs and Mini-buses. Soft Net Vehicle Pet Barrier is also available, made with micro-mesh material which is actually easier to see through than metal tube-style barriers.

Pet Travel Bowls & Dog Food Bags. Travel bowls are collapsible food dishes that is perfect for traveling, hiking or when simply visiting parks. Dog food bags are collapsible food containers too for much easier and less mess food containment.

Dog Car Seats. Pet car seat provides a safe and secure place for dogs on car while traveling. Dog Car Seat will limit pets from wandering inside the car, yet it provides him with a comfortable place to enjoy the ride. While providing your dog with his own special seat in your car, it will also keep your car seat clean and damage-free. With dog car seats, you wont have to worry about the safety of your dog while enjoying the out of town trip.

Pet Seat Belts, Buckles and Dog Car Harness. Like people, dogs also need the same kind of security when they are about to travel. Dog seat belt is the proper restraining of your dog in a safe area inside the car. It is also important to place your dog in a secured seat for him to enjoy the beauty outside while having a ride. Pet buckle ensures that your dog will behave properly while enjoying the ride and prevents him from hitting the hard interior of your vehicle when theres a sudden stop. And once a dog car harness is worn on your pet during your long road trip, you will have the peace of mind knowing that your pet will not roam or create damage inside you car.

Car Seat Covers and Pet Cargo Mats. Having a seat cover is definitely one of the best techniques in keeping your vehicles interior in good condition. Aside from protecting your car seat, your dog can comfortably lie on this cover because of the soft materials used. If ever the seat cover is already dirty, all you need to do is to remove it and wash it right away! Aside from the beauty and cleanliness it brings to your car, dog seat cover is used to provide superb comfort to your pet. Your dog can snooze and rest on this smooth seat cover during travel. For SUV cars, high quality pet cargo mats will keep your car stain and grime free even if you always bring your dog with you. SUV cargo mats are easy to sanitize and can be the best protection of your dog against any kind of weather.

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Commercial Dog Food - 10 Realities You Need To Know - Other

A large number of dogs is going to eat almost anything that's submit front of them and in addition, simply like people, they happen to be precisely what they eat. Countless at present experience just what are generally preventable conditions...did we learn that 46% of every dogs die of cancer, 40% are really overweight not to mention scores a lot more suffer everyday from allergies, ear infections, skin conditions, tooth issues and some other problems... When you discover the actual awful reality regarding the particular toxic elements in a lot of commercial dog foods it is going to shock and in addition sicken we not to mention, when you fully understand the fact of the wellness benefits within feeding a dog a homemade eating plan, you should create some sort of immediate change. Should you eliminate feeding merely commercial dog foods to the dog about a daily basis, slowly introduce fresh meats and in addition veggies immediately after which prevent commercial dog foods completely, you'll protect them from useless suffering and in addition save oneself a mountain of veterinarian bills, too. At this point, here are really a few of the realities about several commercial dog foods and additionally also a few of the advantages of feeding a dog a healthy homemade diet plan... 1. Reality: Do you know which a bunch of commercial dog food typically is truly dog "junk" food? In case burgers, fried chicken, french fries, etc., eaten as a steady eating plan, may result in serious health problems with regard to humans, precisely what does dog "junk" food" do for dogs? In most cases, a canine's hereditary makeup and health specifications resembles which of humans. If perhaps we're damaging our own wellness by eating "junk food", exactly what may be in progress to our dogs whenever we feed them the similar, "junk" commercial dog food? 2. Reality: Have you figured out that the actual foods we all people eat tend to be as well a healthy choice for the dogs ? Regardless of what otherwise you have heard, the particular same healthy, nutritious foods you eat are really a great choice for dogs. Still, right now there tend to be certain variations between human plus dog health requirements thus you will need to be able to understand precisely what they happen to be when you require with feed your own dog a healthy diet plan. 3. Reality: Do you know which in the event that your vet produces dog food it in addition might not be such a good choice? Simply like our medical practitioners, veterinarians aren't taught too very much about nutrition with regard to school. A lot of precisely what the two understand typically is taught with them by the actual representatives associated with the pet food companies these as, about staff business vets, sales reps (do you think maybe the two improve their own goods?) or else from various studies, articles, plus seminars. It's definitely not surprisingly likely which your vet realizes the real dif ference between advantageous and even bad food when they personally have not studied about it or alternatively tried raw or alternatively homemade diets them. Exactly what can be in progress is he and / or she is working about obsolete data or"old wives tales". A bunch of vets even income from marketing a certain brand of dog food plus which could terribly well prejudice them against different companies or some other forms of feeding a dog, these as house cooked dog food. 4. Reality: Are you aware which some processed commercial dog foods can in fact be hazardous in order to your individual dog's wellness and even may result in countless medical problems? It's legal for dog food firms with include "4D Meat" ("Dead, Perishing,Diseased and also Disabled" ranch or alternatively neighborhood animals). With regard to addition, the two frequently add road kill (dead raccoons, possum and even alternative animals destroyed by vehicles, pickups or simply disease), dogs as well as pet s euthanized by vets, picked up by animal control workers as well as brought to dog food companies' renderers for processing, powdered mill factory floor dust (the two contact it"grain") and also precisely what they contact "corn" (typically ground left over husks) that's contaminated alongside quite high amounts of pesticides. What several pet food producers are really placing back into dog food and disguising because "ByProducts" is borderline illegal! It almost all makes a recipe for the worst potential mix of elements we all may ever feed to the dogs. As well as yet, countless number of you do so, unknowingly! Keep in mind...the particular cheaper the meals...the particular cheaper the particular ingredients...the actual more painful the diet...the actual more dangerous, additionally deadly it a particular be! Always learn what is with regard to the food, when you're feeding a dog! Read all the about commercial dog food with regard to depth within my future articles. Ple ase note: not "all" commercial dog foods usually are made from bad high quality elements and in addition cheap byproducts. Dog food producers as well as the ingredients the two employ vary greatly. My objective with regard to many of these articles is actually to offer you because a great deal information and facts potential, thus you can create your "informed" decisions about what typically is or simply is not wise food for your own dog. I'll receive into a lot greater detail about different "quality" dog food manufacturers, ingredients and just how in order to read dog food labels throughout future articles...so return typically. 5. Reality: Did you know it's an error to think that kibble cleans dog's teeth? This particular myth was actually circulated a while ago with a research which implied kibble "may" be much better than canned dog food (definitely not "is" better) for cleaning teeth. Exactly what have to it be suggesting with you which virtually every single dog over the particular age of 3 which has dental illness consumes kibble! Certainly not difficult to figure which 1 out! 6. Reality: Have you any idea that the actual expression "Complete and also Balanced"(used by a few commercial dog food companies to be able to promote their products) refuses to absolutely imply "Optimum". Generally there usually are appreciable differences: food meeting merely the actual "assumed" needs for the particular wellness of an average dog can easily be advertised because "Complete not to mention Balanced". When these foods happen to be included throughout feeding studies, the two usually are very often only tested for items such as lead and additionally some others are generally tested only on a tiny amount of dogs for an especially short time. It's certain which adequate compounds, essential for our very own dog's health, won't be included inside these treatments. It certainly typically is better than "not" complete and additionally balanced at just about all, nevertheless only "optimal" levels of balanced nutrition are generally everything you ought to be interested in. We will be providing you alongside information on precisely what optimal balanced diet is actually in a later on post. At times a quick glance at the particular label will tell a person whether or not the dog food is actually manufactured standard elements or perhaps not, inside some others it takes more knowledge about all of the ingredients in order to be able with tell regardless of whether which food can be greater. Of course each maker is actually going to state they are utilizing just the best ingredients. Having said that, the constitutional right to flexibility of speech could not require these statements with be honest.

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Try To Avail For The Best Dog Food - Health - Supplements and Vitamins

Dog food is an essential item to consider when talking about pet health. Proper food can help to eliminate several pet diseases and allow your pet stay healthy for several years to come. Food does not mean the left over foods which you have after human eating. Proper dog foods are prepared both commercially and also at home keeping in mind the overall healthy condition of the animal. Thus, you can go about making your own dog food recipe or you can buy prepared and processed items from the market and at the same time you can also offer raw foods to your dog.

Dog food which you buy from the store are either available in the dry form or they come in processed cans. All types contain require moisture content for the convenience of eating of the pet. Most pet owners prefer to have dry for convenience of eating and also because of low price. You can keep a bowl of dry food outside so that the pet can come and have the item according to its ease. Still, most pet owners as a part of perfect pet care prefer to feed their dogs with fresh foods twice a day.

There are some item which are available in the wet form. These are essentially dog canned item with high moisture content. Canned moist dog food comes in the sterile form and this may not be the case with other moist foods for the pet. A wet food possesses more of protein content in comparison to the dry varieties. Canned are mostly suitable for dogs and in several cases protein gels and gluten are used in order to create artificial meat masses.

Nowadays, some recent types of foods have emerged in the market. These are much different than the commercial pet food available in the bazaar. You even get non-alcoholic beers for dogs. This is a common practice in Netherlands. Frozen or freeze-dried foods for dogs are often available for the animals in the raw form. The frozen form does not allow the items lose its nutritional value and in this way the food can retain its original form for the largest span of time. Dehydrated dog foods come in both raw and cooked form. In this case the item is made to dry in order to lessen bacterial attacks. These foods look very similar to dry kibbles and before serving this item you can add warm water to the eatable.

You may also get hold of fresh and refrigerated dog food products. These are foods which are slightly cooked at first and then they are sealed in vacuum packing. The item is kept cool until they are served to the dog for eating. Manufacturers take all possible care in maintaining the standard and the condition of the item for pet health reasons. If you do not take proper care of the food it can indeed cause severe pet diseases. So be extremely sure about the freshness and the nutritional value of the dog food items.

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Dry or Canned Dog Food - Which One is Better - Other

Should I give my dog canned food or dry food? This is a question that bothers many dog owners throughout the world. If you are trying to decide what food is best for your dog, see if you can schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. You can then discuss your choices specifically geared towards your dog.

The one advantage of canned dog food is that your dog will most likely eat it with out any problem. Most dogs are not picky when it comes to canned food at all. But it can lead to tartar build up on your dogs teeth which can lead to tooth decay. That is where the dry food shines. It helps remove any build up of tartar and plaque, and keeps your dogs, oral health in top shape.

So whatever choice you make, make sure to talk with your veterinarian about it. Canned food is excellent for dogs that are picky or if they experience chewing when getting older. Some older dogs might not have the strength or teeth to chew dry dog food. Both types of food provide great nutrition for you pet, which is the most important thing.

Selecting a good quality dog food for you pet is important to make sure it lives a long healthy life. A healthy dog food will include all the needed vitamins and minerals that your dog needs to maintain optimum health throughout his lifetime. Some dogs that are very active or maybe sick might need extra nutrition that can be added with supplements. Speak to your veterinarian about any supplements that your dog might need. Some people feed their dog fish oil to help combat arthritis which is common in older dogs.

Putting your dog on healthy diet will help him maintain his optimum weight. Avoid extra treats that can add to his food intake and might cause him to gain weight. So by feeding your dog a good quality food that supplies all the needed nutrients, you are giving him the opportunity to have a long healthy life. A dogs diet affects every aspect of its life.

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Recommended Dog Food - What is Best? - Family - Pets

Good food for your Dog - 9 Rules for Healthy Nutrition

Dog nutrition has always been a popular topic among dog lovers and animal health professionals alike. The importance of the matter has lead to better understanding of the problems associated with nutrition as well as to changes in dogfood products standards. Unfortunately, manufactures are not inclined to make the best food for your dog.

There is no doubt that adequate nutrition is essential for the proper development, health and longevity of dogs. However, many dog owners find it difficult to decide which dog food ingredients and products are beneficial for their pets.

Although there is no universal characteristic of what is good kibble, there are several useful rules that can help dog owners in providing their pets with healthy dog food.

1. Do not "humanize" your dog's diet. Canines are carnivorous animals and they have unique nutritional needs. Assuming your dog can eat the same food as you is wrong and potentially dangerous. Wrong diet can ruin your dog's health and even reduce his or hers life span. This is why you need recommended dog food recipes that are reviewed by a vet or authority on the subject. Something someone else just posted may not be good...

2. Make a list of safe dog food ingredients. There are foods a dog can eat, foods that are unsuitable and foods that are strictly forbidden. Dogs can eat any type of meat (chicken, pork, beef, lamb, game meat, and fish), dairy products (cheese, butter, milk, and yoghurt), grains (corn, wheat, rice, etc.) and vegetables. Sugar, cocoa, chocolate, alcohol, coffee, onions, garlic, moldy foods, some fruits and nuts must not be included in a dog's diet. They can be toxic for them!

3. Stick to hypoallergenic foods. Food-related allergies are common among dogs. They can occur in canines of perfect health without any warning. Although there are no real rules for prevention, certain foods are less likely to cause allergy than others. A diverse diet including varied protein sources also helps keeping allergies away.

4. What is healthy dog food? Good dog food is not only food that contains safe ingredients but food that is well balanced and nutritional. Each meal must consist of 30% meat, 30% grains and 30% vegetables. This balance as well as the amount of daily food consumption must correspond to the dog's breed, age and any specific health conditions (such as pregnancy, lactation or disease).

5. Homemade vs. commercially manufactured food. There is no rule about which type of food is better. Homemade and ready-made dog foods can be equally beneficial, if they contain dog-friendly ingredients and meet your dog's nutritional needs, or dangerous, if they are made of low-quality ingredients and are not well-balanced. A healthy dog diet usually consists of a combination of home cooked meals and ready made food products. Though, more and more vets and breeders are jumping on the homemade food band wagon. I can tell you from our experience, Tiny and Mr. Peanut only eat homemade dog food. It's simple, cheap and healthy without question.

6. Say NO to dog treats. In dog's world, junk food would be called dog treats - dogs love them but they can hardly be considered good dog food. Usually dog treats contain chemical ingredients, preservatives, sweeteners, aromas, flavors and colorants that have deteriorating effect on dogs' health. If you want to spoil your dog with a little tasty snack, prepare it at home.

7. Be careful with dog food recipes. Unfortunately many of the dog food recipes you are likely to come across contain unsuitable and even dangerous ingredients or are not well-balanced and thus will not be able to provide adequate nutrition. Make sure the recipe is safe prior to preparing the meal and feeding it to your dog. You should use only home made recipes that have been reviewed by a veterinarian.

8. How to buy good dog food. The key to finding the best food for your dog is in selecting several products suitable for his or hers breed and age and comparing their ingredients. Usually the first five dog food ingredients can indicate whether or not you are looking at quality package of dog food. Avoid foods that contain any chemical substances, artificial flavors, colorants or sweeteners. (Reliable Homemade food has no artificial chemicals). This is not easy to do and most people who discover what they have been feeding their pet begin down the road of preparing it themselves, especially when you look at cost. We all know it's cheaper to do it yourself 99.9% of the time than have someone else do it and make a profit from it as well.. It's the way the world works.

9. Create a healthy eating regime. Regardless of its quality, excess food usually leads to excess weight gain, especially in less energetic or older dogs. Weight gain can be avoided by giving your dog only the amount of food it actually needs once a day or divided into several meals.

For further information on good dog foods, we suggest you check out the highly recommended Dog Food Recommended by Vet's. Click Here to check it out.

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What Is The Best Dog Food for Your Canine? - Family - Pets

Do you choose canned food or dry food? What brand? There are so many different brands, all shapes and sizes of pet food to choose from and pet owners are provided with very little information to base your decisions on (other than advertising) - it can get so confusing! Well, buckle your seatbelt depending on how much you know of the pet food industry, this could be a bumpy ride! You are about to learn seven secrets - well kept secrets - of pet food. Sit back, brace yourself, and keep reading.

Secret #1...

All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though few of them actually use premium or choice ingredients in their food. The 'secret' is that per the rules of the pet food industry, no pet food can make any claims or references on their label or advertising as to the quality or grade of ingredients. You see, the word 'premium' when it's related to pet food DOES NOT mean that the ingredients in the food are premium. With pet foods, premium does not (can not) describe the food nor does it (can it) describe the quality of the food. It is a marketing term and that is all. Per the pet food industries own rules and regulations, "There are no references to ingredient quality or grade" (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are just marketing or sales terms. They should not be interpreted as terms describing the quality of the food.

Now why wouldn't a pet food label be allowed to tell a prospective customer the quality of their ingredients? Doesn't a pet owner deserve to know what they are buying? This leads me to the next secret...

Secret#2...

If I can compare 'people' food to pet food for just a second, we all know there are different qualities of people food. There is White Castle (I'm guilty here, I love the little guys!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for under $3.00 you can get a couple of hamburgers and an order of fries. While at Outback you can get a steak and baked potato for around $16.00. Both serve beef and potato - yet you already realize that there are huge nutritional differences between a fast food hamburger and a steak...right?

The problem in the pet food industry - is that most pet owners don't think in the same terms when it comes to pet food. They don't think in terms that there are fast food types of pet foods and there are sit down restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. In fact, several years ago a young man tried this very experiment with his own diet - eating nothing but fast food for 30 days. In just one month of eating fast food three meals a day, he gained a great deal of weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels sky-rocketed. Now, imagine your pet eating this type of food its' entire lifetime.

OK, so back to our two meals...if a chemical analysis of your meal at White Castle was compared to a chemical analysis of your meal at Outback - both would analyze with a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Regardless whether you consider a steak at Outback a higher quality of protein than the burger - it would still analyze as protein. The analysis doesn't measure quality of protein.

So here is the secret...All pet foods come with a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture in the food. The REAL secret lies in the quality of the percentages of protein, fat, and so on.

In a chemical analysis of a pet food - chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides very little nutrition. And as well, a cow that was euthanized (put to sleep) because of a disease that made it unfit for human consumption - would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those things - chicken feet and a euthanized cow - are allowable ingredients and commonly used in pet food. You see the secret within the pet food industry is manufacturers have a WIDE OPEN door to where they obtain their ingredients. The only strict rule they must follow is an adult dog food must analyze with 18% protein and an adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to acquire those particular percentages range from a 'human grade' meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations in between.

Pet food labels do not have to tell - are not allowed to tell - the sources they use to obtain that required 18% or 26% protein. And to make matters worse...quality minded pet food manufacturers - the companies that use 100% human grade ingredients - are not allowed to tell customers or potential customers that their products are quality, human grade ingredients.

So how can you know if your pet's food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or if it contains human grade ingredients?

Secret #3...

If the words premium and choice mean basically nothing with regards to the quality of pet food, and if some pet foods use chicken feet and euthanized animals in their food - how can a pet owner know what they are getting in their pets' food?

This big secret is found in ingredient definitions. Unlike 'people' food where you can pretty much look at the food to determine the quality, pet food is far different. All 'people' food must meet particular USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. The same is not true for pet food. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are NOT allowed in people food for obvious reasons - they have no nutritional value or they could be dangerous to consume. The same is NOT true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet's food is to know what ingredients they can be used in.

The common pet food ingredient 'Meat and Bone Meal' is basically a combination of many different discarded left-overs from the human food industry. Components of 'meat and bone meal' can be anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and dogs and cats from veterinarian offices, animal shelters, and farms. And along with those euthanized animals the pet food also contains the drug pentabarbitol that was used to euthanize the animal. 'Meat and bone meal' can also contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut away from slaughtered animals. In other words, this commonly used ingredient is a mix of highly inferior and potentially dangerous left-overs from the human food industry.

The pet food ingredient 'Meat By-Product' or 'Meat By-Product Meal' is pretty much the same thing as 'meat and bone meal'. It is a highly inferior pet food ingredient containing literally who-knows-what.

Another similar ingredient to the above is 'Animal Digest'.

As to the chicken feet I mentioned earlier - this item can be found in the ingredients 'Chicken By-Product' or 'Poultry By-Product' or 'Chicken By-Product Meal' or 'Poultry By-Product Meal'. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division - including but not limited to chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are found in these ingredients. It does NOT matter as to the health of the bird - sick, healthy, dead, dying...all is included in these ingredients.

So here is what you need to do...BEFORE you purchase any pet food, flip the bag over and closely examine the list of ingredients. The above mentioned ingredients would be listed within the first five or ten ingredients. If you see ANY of those ingredients - it is my suggestion to NOT purchase that food. Remember - chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That is all that is required in pet food - just the correct analysis.

Another little trick some pet food manufacturers use in this category is using grains and chemical additives to grain products to boost the protein percentages. Which is exactly the cause of the pet food recall that began in March 2007 - chemical proteins. Two different chemical additives - that have NO nutritional value to pets, but that analyzed as protein - were added to a grain product (wheat gluten, corn gluten, or rice gluten) solely to provide a cheap protein. Thousands of pets died and countless others became ill because no one counted on the problem of the combination of these two chemicals would cause kidney and urinary blockage. Again, their secret is the product has to analyze as having a particular amount of protein - no one is required to provide a quality meat protein.

It is my recommendation to avoid any pet food that contains corn, wheat, or soy in ANY variation. The risk is simply too high.

Secret #4...

I've got more suggestions for you to look for in the ingredient listings...chemical preservatives. A very well kept secret of the pet food industry is their common use of chemical preservatives. BHA/BHT are very popular chemical preservatives used in pet food and science has linked them to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin which has known risks to cancer. Ethoxyquin is ONLY allowed in human food in some spices because of the very tiny proportions. However it is allowed in much higher proportions in pet food.

If you scan the ingredient listings, you will be looking for BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin listed anywhere. Commonly BHA/BHT is used to preserve the fat in the food which usually is found higher on the list. And also look for any of these chemicals towards the end of the ingredient listing. Personally, I wouldn't touch a pet food that contained these chemical preservatives. You want a pet food that is preserved naturally - common natural preservatives are 'natural mixed tocopherols' or 'vitamin E'.

Secret #5...

The very best food to provide to your pet is a well made food using human grade ingredients. That should be simple enough...How do you find that? You already know that pet food manufacturers are NOT allowed to make any statement as to quality or grade of ingredients, the only way you can find out the grade or quality of your pets' food is to call the manufacturer and ask them.

Now, let's say you call the ABC pet food company and ask the question "Is your Premium dog food and Premium cat food made using human grade ingredients?" It could be that you get the response yes, we use human grade ingredients - when actually only a couple of ingredients are human grade. Here's the trick to asking...ask them if they are APHIS European certified.

Pet food manufacturers that are APHIS European certified assures you that ALL ingredients in their pet food are human grade. APHIS - Animal Plant Health Inspection Services - is a division of the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet food manufacturer with the opportunity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods from the US, European countries demand that all ingredients are human grade and thus require this certification. Most pet food manufacturers that have APHIS European certification do not ship their products to Europe - they simply use this as a means to assure their customers to the higher quality of their ingredients.

Again, you WON'T see this listed on the label - it's not allowed. You must call the manufacturer and ask. Often times the representative of the pet food won't even know what you are talking about when you ask about APHIS certification - if that's the case, you can assume they are not APHIS European certified. APHIS European certification is a bonus to pet owners - it is not required or even suggested that any pet food manufacturer go through the extra steps to obtain this. This is a special effort some pet foods go through to tell their customers they REALLY CARE about the quality of their products. Personally, I would NOT buy a pet food that doesn't have it.

And by the way, if you can't reach the pet food manufacturer, or they do not return your call within a short time frame, lose their number! Any company that does not place a priority on answering customers questions - doesn't deserve your business!

Secret #6...

Minerals are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for our pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are common minerals found in pet foods. Just as they are - copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very difficult for anyone or any pet to utilize. Science has developed several ways to introduce minerals into the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the individual far more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it's been around for years. Through the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% better than just the minerals alone.

This secret is spotting the minerals in your pet food to see if they are chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet food label, way down on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read 'copper proteinate' or 'chelated copper'. If you see just the mineral listed, your pet is sort of like Charlie Brown at Halloween saying 'I got a rock'. If you want your pet to have the best, chelated or proteinated minerals are part of the best foods!

Secret #7...

This secret is called 'friendly bacteria'. Although 'friendly bacteria' sounds a little scary, the reason for it lies in your pets' intestinal system. A large portion of your pets' immune system is found within the intestinal system. Keeping the immune system healthy helps to keep the animal itself healthy. This friendly bacteria is similar to what's found in yogurt, however in pet food it is introduced in a fashion so that the cooking process doesn't destroy it. Looking at the fine print on your pet food label, this time you are looking for lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. If you do NOT see these words or some very similar, that pet food is not addressing the care of your pets' immune system. And again, if you want your pet to have the best, you want 'friendly bacteria' in their food.

There are your seven very secrets to help you find the absolute healthiest and best pet food for your four-legged friend. Armed with those secrets - you now have the knowledge to find your pet the best food possible!

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