Pet Health, Tips, and Helpful Information

Ga-Maleven

In this journal I’m going to give some tips on being a pet parent to cats and dogs, training tips, healthy diet tips, talk some on things to be wary about, and just helpful information. I have already discussed pet overpopulation, dog breeds, AKC, breeders, and some training, so check out that journal for more information if you haven’t yet. If there something I haven’t covered in this journal it’s probably in that journal. And if you have more questions on pets, feel free to ask me.

Diet:

Domesticated canines are omnivores and felines are carnivores. Due to the severe inbreeding of domesticated dogs, most have food allergies, sensitive bellies, and inability to digest their “natural” food. Domesticated canines need to eat food with plenty of plants in it to not only make it easier for them to digest, but also ensures they get all the nutrients they require. Experts claim that 60% of dogs will develop cancer. A study conducted in 2005 found that dogs who consume leafy, green vegetables (spinach, broccoli, etc.) at least 3 times a week were 90% less likely to develop cancer. Dogs fed yellow and orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pineapples, bananas, etc) at least three times a week were 70% less likely to develop cancer. Placing fresh produce in your dog’s food bowl with purchased or homemade dog food is ideal. Coconut oil is VERY rich in omega-3 (fish oil is a scam) and simply placing a tablespoon once daily into your dog’s food will thicken their coats, soften it, make it shinier, and help with skin health. It can also be applied directly to the skin if severe dry skin or allergies are bothering them. Cats can also consume coconut oil for their own coat health. Pumpkin is terrific to give to dogs. It contains lots of fiber and nutrients for a healthy digestive system, helps with bowel movements, and even helps with the anal gland health (no butt scooting!). Cats also may eat pumpkin for their own intestinal health, and also with hairballs. Hairballs should NOT be vomited up constantly. This is actually a misconception that cats need to vomit up their hair. In reality, vomiting constantly would deplete them of nutrients and starve them. On a healthy diet, hair can pass out with the feces, and pumpkin helps with this. The hairball formulas simply line a cat’s throat to make it slicker to vomit up, not actually help with the hairballs. Simply buy pure, canned pumpkin and either give it straight, or freeze it in ice trays and give one or two out a day depending on the size of your dog. Cats just need about a tablespoon, once daily.

What can you feed your dog? Spinach, carrots, pineapple (very good for poop eaters! Makes it taste bad so they no eat!), pumpkin, bananas, peanuts/peanut butter, sweet potatoes (can buy them as fries from any pet store), wheat grass, green beans, peas, watermelon, cantaloupe, broccoli, blueberry, apples, celery, cucumber, potatoes, cranberries (especially for UTIs), mango, oranges, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, coconut, and cauliflower are all safe to give your dog.

What NOT to give your dog: Grapes, raisins, onion, chocolate, asparagus, avocado, cherries, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, currants, RAW potatoes, apricot, rhubarb, apple seeds, dairy, corn, and grains (well, I’ll explain more on grain).

Cats are a little pickier when it comes to what they can eat, but they can eat many of the same veggies and fruits dogs can, such as peas, pumpkin, coconut, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and broccoli. They also can eat catnip. But don’t feed them anything you wouldn’t give your dog, especially don’t give them corn, dairy, or grains.

Just as dairy gives humans breast cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses, it does the same to dogs and cats, so NO cheese, milk, or anything with it in it. Bad for you and them. And corn is especially bad for cats and dogs. Avoid it entirely. As for grain, cats shouldn’t be getting it, but some dogs are able to process it due to the inbreeding. Now, dogs should not be consuming it as often as humans do, so do try to avoid it as much as possible. But a few treats here and there that contain it won’t do any harm. Some dogs do have grain allergies, so if allergies or a sensitive belly act up, cut out the grain.

Dogs being omnivores are VERY easy to put on a plant-based diet. Yes, your dogs can THRIVE as vegans. It’s not “abuse,” as some claim it to be, and many dogs need it because of their sensitive bellies or food allergies. Thanks to breeders, many dogs have allergies to chicken, beef, pork, and other animal products. But have no fear! There are many commercial vegan dog foods you can purchase, wet, dry, and treats, and they are all tasty, contain all necessary nutrients, and actually helps dogs live LONGER. Such as this dog who lived to be 27 years old. There are many vegan dog food options you can buy or make. Check out the below links.

What about vegan cats? Well, yes, they CAN be on plant-based diets. But cats are a little trickier. Cats are true carnivores and require flesh. But, some cats do have food allergies, sensitive bellies, or medical concerns that do make eating animal proteins hard on them. Not as common as with dogs, but it does happen. These cats do better on a plant-based diet since it’s easier on their tummies and they don’t have allergic reactions. Even cats who don’t have food allergies or medical concerns can eat a plant based diet, but there are cases of cats who simply cannot. There is still more research being done on the vegan cat diet, but dogs we already have “down to a science” since their omnivorous makeup makes it so easy. The primary complication with cats is the amino acid, taurine. Taurine is found in animal proteins, but doesn’t need to be given to the cat by meat only. It can be bought in powdered form and given with a vegan cat food to help ensure no allergic reaction or other medical issues. While research is still being done on vegan cats, there are MANY vegan cats that are healthy and thriving, and some simply HAVE to be on a meat free diet. Always consult your vet before making a decision and do a lot of research. ANY dog can be vegan and do BETTER on a plant-based diet. Cats really depend on the cat. But hopefully soon we will have more knowledge on this, and Supermeat will be here very soon that we can give just to the carnivorous animals in the care of humans, since us humans can’t eat animal products ourselves.

So, that’s the GOOD things to feed them. Let’s talk about the bad: Most Commercial pet foods. Most pet food brands are… Terrible. Simply that. MeowMix, Purina, Beneful (death toll is over 4,000 so far), Science Diet, Pedigree, Cesar, Mighty Dog, Kibble ‘n’ Bits, Bil-Jac, Authority, Iams, Friskies, Eukanuba, 9Lives, Fancy Feast, Whiskas, and Royal Canine are the WORST of the worst. If you are feeding your pets any of those brands throw it out the window right now. I’m not even kidding. These brands put harsh preservatives, dairy, corn, by-products, and even PLASTIC in their products. Do not go anywhere near them.

Good brands are Wild Earth, Earthborn Holistic, Orijen, Natural Balance, Acana, Fromm, Primal, Eagle Pack, Nature’s Logic, Primal, Pinnacle, Wysong, and Lotus. Just look at this study: The Best Dog Foods.

I also recommend adding natural supplements to their food for better health and fighting illnesses. Pet Wellbeing and NHV Natural Pet Products have great products that I use with my own pets.

Also, be careful of some peanut butter. Recently, some peanut butter brands have been putting a sweetener in called Xylitol that is toxic to dogs. I give my dog Earth Balance peanut butter. It doesn’t have that sweetener in it, but there are other brands you can check out as well.

Pet Gear:

As I said in my other journal where I addressed training, do NOT use prong collars, choke chains, or shock collars on dogs. This does NOT train the dog, it hurts them, and causes damage to their neck/trachea. When walking your dog use a harness and/or head harness if they pull. Head harnesses are best accompanies by a leash attached to a harness so if they pull hard suddenly the harness on their bodies takes the yank and not their head, which can cause neck injury. Harness are also useful because they make pulling a bit harder since their front paws lift off the ground, you have more control of their bodies, and they do not suffocate. Collars on dogs should only be used to hold tags. Dog necks are sensitive like ours. There are several types of harnesses so try several on your dog in the store to figure out which one fits best and gives you the best control.

A front attach harness is also great. These harnesses have the leash attach to the chest, giving you more control of the dog. When the dog pulls they feel almost as if they are falling down, causing them to cease pulling.

Pets should NOT wear harnesses or even collars when at home. Flea collars and calming collars are fine since they are made to be slipped off easily (keep them loose!), but harnesses and other collars can snag on furniture, make it uncomfortable to sleep, or cause irritation if worn too long. And choke chains, prong collars, and shock collars are especially dangerous to wear when not supervised (not that those should be used on dogs period) due to them strangling and tearing the necks much easier than a normal collar can.

Cats are best walked on harness as well, and NEVER use retractable leashes for those can cause rope burns, give NO control over the pet, and can wrap around limbs cutting off blood or in worse cases, cutting off limbs. Cats especially should not wear anything when inside, unless a flea collar, just because they are more likely to get into something they shouldn’t and get stuck.

Training Tips:

As said above, NEVER use choke, prong, or shock collars on dogs as they are simply abusive and create fear in dogs. Shouting at dogs also creates anxiety, as dogs do not speak any human language, they speak dog. You have to be able to properly communicate with your dog despite this language barrier. Use positive reinforcement training ONLY. To learn what this is in more detail, visit Victoria Stilwell’s website, but what it is is rewarding someone for when they do what you want. When you are rewarded for good behavior you want to do that more so you keep being rewarded. Negative enforcement, such as hitting, shouting at, and punishing, only creates fear, it doesn’t show that good behavior leads to good things. It just shows that if you mess up you are hurt mentally or physically. This is why hit t ing children is abusive, and the same applies for other animal species.

When potty training puppies take them outside often and reward this with treats and praise for going potty outside. If they have an accident indoors ignore it. Clean it up using proper cleaning products, and take them outside. They will learn that going potty inside is boring, but when going outside they get fun things.

Training takes a LOT of time and work, so find a good dog trainer. If a dog trainer uses prong, choke, or shock collars (they will call them E-Collars to hide what they actually are) run away. Terrible examples of these trainers is Cesar Milan who has kicked and abused dogs to “train” them for his TV show “Dog Whisperer.” When searching for a dog trainer make sure they specifically say they use positive reinforcement training only, and they work with your dog’s personality. Do research to ensure they are accredited. PetSmart, Petco, and other pet stores have real dog trainers work with them who are positive reinforcement based. That’s a great place for a start.

For more advanced training you may want to do some digging. Many of the trainers who work at these pet stores often are the advanced trainers trying to reach out to more people, so ask them. If they are not, use them to help you find a proper highly advanced trainer. Especially if you want your dog to be a service dog, rescue dog, etc.

Training dogs in specialized skills is a LOT of work that requires a lot of time and patience. So, be ready if you are seeking this.

Flea Collars:

Topical solutions for keeping fleas, ticks, and other pests away are not always the best option. Some topical have caused severe rashes, skin cancer, and in some cases death. Flea collars are less potent, plus they don’t sting, so I highly recommend sticking to them, especially seresto. You can always always make natural parasite repellents to spray on your pets. But make sure to keep them inside and check over them daily for ticks, fleas, and lice. A flea comb is terrific at removing fleas. Just brush and dip it in soapy water after each stroke. Fleas will drown in water ONLY if it’s soapy. Using flea shampoo and giving baths is also wonderful and can be done more than once. Fleas like to make their home in carpet so vacuum often, especially in corners and edges. Leaving a lamp on over a bowl of soapy water at night will help to remove fleas since they jump to the light, but end up falling into the soapy water. Catnip can be grown outside to deter fleas. And chickens naturally eat ticks and other bugs, so can keep a clean backyard. Opossums eat 400 ticks a week so letting them come by is also recommended. They are harmless. When scared they simply play dead, unless it’s a momma opossum, then just clear of her. Opossums only come out at night so keep your pets inside and there are no worries about them.

Some More Tips:

Don’t let dogs play with sticks. Throwing them they can get lodged in the ground and stab your dog as they run. Chewing on them can cause gum damage and splinters in the mouth. Avoid rawhide at ALL costs. They use glue, bleach, and other harmful chemicals in it. It can also clog intestines, is hard to digest, and can give dogs cancer. Seek healthy alternatives such as Whimzies. Do NOT get pets high on ANY drug. No breathing marijuana into their faces, or anything else. It can harm their bodies from the drugs, and they can hurt themselves when high. Second hand smoke can give pets cancer just like it does humans so avoid smoking around them and go outside. Keep them safe!

Pet insurance is real and should be gotten! Embrace and many other pet insurances exist. Ask your vet which one they recommend. And if you’re having trouble with vet bills seek out local rescues for help and talk to your vet. They may give you discounts or connect you to a local rescue. Pets are VERY expensive sometimes, especially as they age. This is why feeding them a healthy diet will save on vet bills. May be a bit more expensive at first, but you save thousands in vet bills.

Do NOT leave your pets outside. Take them for supervised walks only. They shouldn’t live outside and if you think they should don’t get one. They get cold and hot just like us, and out in the elements they are susceptible to heat stroke, hypothermia, diseases, and predators. You can also build a catio for your cats, which is an outdoor enclosure that keeps them safe, and they can go in and out as they please. Do not leave them in cars in the summertime for it will get hot VERY quickly and they will die. Never restrict water (unless vet says otherwise), never hit or yell at them, and be careful of sidewalks being too hot. Burnt paws can happen more often then you think.

And, no, eating poop is NOT a sign of lacking nutrients. Female canines eat feces to clean up their babies, and adult dogs also consume poop to remove it and put their own down to mark. Sometimes dogs decide they like the taste and so become poop eaters. You can train them out of this. And feed them pineapple to make their poop taste bad.

Fireworks scare pets so during the Fourth of July or any celebration with them going off make sure you pets are indoors with either the TV or radio on to help drown out the sound. Thundershirts are also great to use because they feel like they are being held, and even provide somewhere for them to hide under or inside of, such as a kennel with a blanket over it, or making a hiding spot in a closet. There are silent fireworks, so if you are shooting your own try to purchase those, but keep your pets indoors still for other people shooting off regular fireworks. The Fourth of July is when most pets are lost, and not all of them are able to be found and returned to owners. While I also believe fireworks should be banned due to how they also cause triggers for combat veterans, and all the people who use them to hurt others (several cases of people forcing fireworks into an animal’s mouth and taping it shut, or even using them on children). Or make it harder to purchase them with an age restriction and ensuring you aren’t a criminal or something. Fireworks are literally explosives that can cause serious injury or death. They simply are not safe in the wrong hands.

And never let your pets eat food from the streets. Recently, food with poison and even nails has been dumped on streets in several states. Some people just love to kill dogs for no reason.

And for helping a dog to lose weight, do NOT restrict food. While some dogs may be getting fed too much, cutting back food constantly is not the answer. That’s not doctors recommend humans to lose weight, and neither is it good for non-human animals. Instead, ensure you are feeding them a healthy diet and they consume only the amount of calories that they burn off. A great way to lose extra weight is to replace one cup of their food with a can of green beans. The green beans fills up their tummy so they aren’t hungry, but it has very few calories so they lose weight. I also recommend a fruitables pumpkin weightless cans. Simply replace some of their food with this canned wet food and they feel full, but lose weight. Great for doggies who don’t like green beans! And for dog who need to GAIN weight, give them pasta, coconut oil, and food made for puppies and/or high active dogs.

And always ensure your pets are vaccinated. Even if they don’t go out much, they can still catch something whether from a parasite biting them, drinking out of a shared water bowl at the dog park, or eating something they shouldn’t. While over vaccinating can happen from vaccinating too often, you can take your pets to get Titer tested. Once you find out which diseases they have immunity for, you can vaccinate for the ones they don’t. Always ensure rabies is up to date. There is no cure for rabies and the death is slow, painful, and miserable. It is also required by law to vaccinate for rabies, and some states/countries require other vaccines by law. But do what your vet recommends. And Always give your dogs their heart worm medication. Not all dogs survive from that, and my own dog had to go their a procedure of having arsenic pumped into her in order to save her life when she got them.

Bloat is a serious condition for larger dogs that happens when they inhale air into the stomach and causes it to flip over. Larger dogs with deep chests are most prone to this. Use a raised feeder for their food and water and if they eat too fast switch out their bowl with a slow feeder. These can be found at any pet store.

Make sure you exercise your dog a LOT. Regardless of “breed” all dogs need a lot of energy and things to do. A walk every day, hikes, adventures into nature, dog parks, and games at home. A bored dog is a destructive dog. If a dog is destroying something at home it means you need to find more things for them to do. Snuffle mats, toys that hide treats, puzzles, etc. are great alternatives for them if fun outside is not an option. Otherwise, take your dog out as much as possible!

Police Killing Dogs:

Last thing I will touch on is the recent string of police officers killing dogs for no reason other than them existing. While most often happening to the so called “dangerous” breeds, such as pitbulls, rottweilers, doberman, etc. other breeds have been victims of this. If you engage a police officer, hopefully they are the better ones, but to be safe keep your dog in another room away from them. Recently, a court order has made it legal to shoot someone’s dog if the dog does anything but sit. Don’t take the chance. Even old dogs have been killed.

Airports and Travel

Flying with your pet can be dangerous. While there are airplanes specifically just for non-human animals, many of the time if you travel with your pet they will have to ride in cargo. This is very dangerous. The cargo area has no air conditioning nor heating. The uncontrolled climate can cause your pet to suffer from heat, and the stress caused can also harm or even kill them. The way they are handled is often rough. Many animals are killed or lost when traveling via plane. This is due to there being no regulations on how to handle non-human animals on planes and treating them like cargo. It is safest to drive with them if they are too large to stay with you in the passenger area of the plane. When driving, ensure your pet is either in a carrier with blankets and/or a bed, or are properly seat belted. Never let your pets run around the car or not have proper safety.

Lost Pets and Finding Lost Pets

The most important way of preventing lost pets is microchipping them. It doesn’t hurt them (minus a little pain when getting it put in) and ensures they always have a form of identification if their collar comes off. Fences and keeping your pets indoors at all times is also important. But if they do get out the best way of finding them is contacting the local shelters and rescues that your pet is missing with pictures. Most people when finding a lost pet will go to the shelter first. If the shelter is aware of your lost pet, they will be able to call you if they are dropped off with them. Put pictures of your lost pet on flyers around your neighborhood, at local vet offices, pet stores, grocery stores, churches, and street corners. Contact your neighborhood facebook page, website, or watch to also send an alert out, and go to your neighbors and let them know. Posting in facebook groups for your area is also good. There are even websites for neighborhoods that you can post missing pets in. The more people you reach, the better it is you will be reunited with your lost pet. Put a large sign in front of your house. Often, when people find a lost pet they go driving around the area. If they see that you have a sign in front of your house saying you are the one missing that pet they will know to bring them there, especially if you’re not home when they go looking.

If you find a lost pet, do what you would do if you lost one. Contact shelters and rescues, put up flyers, but do NOT put the pictures up of the found pet. Often times people will claim that is their pet when it is not. Say that you found a cat or dog, and when people call about them ask them to then describe the pet. If they are able to, then it’s theirs. If not, they are probably collecting bait animals for dog fighting or selling animals for profit. Always take a found pet to the vet immediately to check for microchips and ensure they are not sick. It is best to keep the lost pet until you find their home, but if you are unable to try to avoid taking them to a kill shelter. Rescues or even friends are a best bet than a kill shelter that may put them down after only a couple of days of holding.

Losing Your Furbaby

When the worst time comes and your beloved furbaby, scale baby, or feather baby passes away, you mourn the same over them as if you lost a biological child. There are many ways to process the grief and handle the body. The body is yours, no matter if human or not, and you don’t have to give it to anyone. Make plans of what you want for your funeral and that of your non-human baby’s. The body upon death is not filled with deadly diseases (as these are in the animal before death hence why flesh from animal agriculture is disease ridden but not your pet), and you can safely handle it. Hold a wake for them, using ice in baggies to slow decomposition. Make sure they die at home where they are comfortable. NEVER leave them to die at the vet office. If they are to die there, stay with them. It’s hard on you, but imagine how hard it is for them. They are losing their life, and all they want is you by their side in their last moments. Make that wish happen. You’ll be glad you did. Veterinarians are begging you to do this for them.

I have lost three daughters and for all of them I made sure to have pawprints, keep some of their fur, cremate them, have them die at home in my arms, spend time with them after death, take them to the crematory myself, and keep them in beautiful urns. They now sit on a lovely shelf with fake flowers, pictures of them, poems, and stay close to me.

I recommend looking up “Ask a Mortician” on Youtube as she gives advice and informs you of your death rights to not just human family members, but pets as well. She has a video solely dedicated to pets where she talks about what she did for her cat, and other options you have.

I also recommend Perfect Memorials for urns. And some ink pads for pawprints as well as the clay ones the vet gives you. And these picture frames are the ones I got for my daughters.