Veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, dispels the long-held myth that “table food” is bad for your pets.
Animals Like People Benefit From Live Foods
Veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, dispels the long-held myth that “table food” is bad for your pets.
Human, edible foods can be very healthy for your pets. Throw away the concept of “cat” food and “dog” food, and just think “food” — food that grows in the ground or comes from animal products.
A whole generation of pet owners is afraid to feed anything but over processed rendered food to their pets. But there’s no way you can create abundant health in an animal by providing only the minimum nutrients it needs for survival. Dogs and cats have a living food requirement, just like you do.
The food you feed your pet should be biologically suited to meet your dog’s or cat’s needs. Dog and cat chow may be nutritionally “complete,” but it is akin to your drinking a meal replacement shake three times a day for the rest of your life … or giving them to your kids in lieu of fresh foods.
Yet, many veterinarians will often recommend you feed your pets kibble or canned food for the rest of their lives. Some will go so far as to say that feeding your pet anything that doesn’t come from a bag or can will be harming your pet!
This is a paradigm problem, and one that can be very confusing for pet owners.
In reality, there’s no way you can give your pet the food it needs to thrive if you do not feed it a biologically appropriate diet that includes a variety of fresh foods.
In fact, a growing number of holistic-minded veterinarians state that processed pet food (kibbled and canned food) is the number one cause of illness and premature death in modern dogs and cats.
So how did conventional veterinary nutrition positions get so skewed?
Well, major dog and cat food manufacturers provide much of the veterinary nutrition information to veterinary students. It becomes engrained in many new vets’ minds that it’s wrong to feed pets “living” fresh foods.
This is a myth!
Your Pets Need Living Foods
Veterinarians tell you to never offer living foods to your pet. But your pets need living foods on a consistent basis to achieve optimal health.
So, yes, you can and should offer your pets some of the very same foods that you enjoy. And since those foods are at a much higher grade nutritionally than typical dog or cat foods, they may be the healthiest foods your pets have ever consumed.
As you know, I recommend you feed your dogs and cats an all raw, nutritionally balanced living food diet. In my opinion, the only viable excuse to not to feed your pets a species appropriate diet is cost. Feeding raw food cost more than dry food .However, raw fed animals have fewer health problems, which mean lower vet bills over a lifetime. If you cannot afford to feed your pet an all raw diet, don’t deny your pet’s access to living foods throughout the day, in the form of treats. Remember, treats (even really healthy treats) should not constitute more than 15 percent of your pet’s daily food intake.
Berries are one of the best treats you can offer. Bite size and packed with antioxidants. Many cats enjoy zucchini and cantaloupe. . My favorite training treats for dogs include peas, raw nuts (remember, the only nuts you should never feed your pets are macadamia nuts).
A salad without dressing, but with plenty of dark green leafy vegetables, is also good for your cats — your pets are chewing on your houseplants for a reason, after all.
Avoid giving your carnivorous companions biologically inappropriate foods, including grains, such as oats, soy, millet, , wheat, or rice. Dogs and cats do not have a carbohydrate requirement and feeding your pets these pro-inflammatory foods creates unnecessary metabolic roadblocks to health.
Furthermore, there are certainly some foods that are toxic to feed to dogs and cats such as grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts and onions. Never feed your pets these foods.
The Optimal Choice to Feed Your Pets
I highly recommend you give your dog or cat an opportunity to experience living raw foods like fruits and veggies as treats, and feed them a biologically appropriate, balanced raw diet the rest of the time.
Remember, your pet is resilient and can eat a variety of suboptimal, metabolically stressful foods on occasion and be fine, but because it’s my goal to provide a diet that most closely fits your companion’s biological requirements, I don’t recommend a lifetime of kibble or other “dead” over-processed food.
The goal is to provide a diet that mimics your pet’s biological nutritional requirements as closely as possible … in this case it means rethinking the “lifetime of dry food” or “canned food” theory.
If you are unable or unwilling to feed your pet a species-appropriate, nutritionally balanced, raw food diet, then I strongly recommend you compromise with the next best choice: USDA-approved canned foods (and supplement with raw)
My last choice would be a dry food (kibble), made from human-grade ingredients with little to no grains, and LOTS OF WATER.
But no matter which option you choose, remember that you can treat your dog and cat to berries, leafy greens, raw nuts and many other fresh fruits, veggies and meats on a regular basis.
I hope this insight will help you feel more confident offering foods and treats to your pets that are unadulterated and fresh. They deserve the same benefit of living foods that you get, and there’s no better way to start than by sharing some of these raw healthy foods with your dog or cat today.
We have always cooked for our pets, so always find it amazing, if not horrifying, that there really are pets who never get live food and who are doomed to eat the same dry food every day and that there really are pet owners who think that would be okay!! This myth created by the pet food industry and perpetuated by pet stores who just want to sell animals, regardless of whether the potential purchasers should be pet parents and then accepted by the “ME” generation, is another one of those practices like keeping your pets in a crate all day or all night, or shock collars, electric fences and collars with spikes etc that defy all common sense and really fall into a category of pet abuse or neglect, perhaps pet abuse light… but unacceptable pet parenting to be sure!!
Would you want to eat the same packaged food everyday? Would you want to be locked in a cage all day or all night? Would you want to have to wait to go to the bathroom all night or most of the day, until some lets you out and says it is okay? Would you want to receive an electric shock when you tried to talk or walk across a boundary area… or have spikes dig into you? Would you do these things to your kids?
When making decisions for your fur-babies, you should ask yourself, “Would I want to be treated this way? And would I make these choices for my human children?”, and then act accordingly!! As Dr. Laura would say… Use common sense and compassion and “then go do the right thing!”.
Posted: Just One More Pet
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Dogs In Danger – CA – Kathy is Almost out of Time…

Kathy – A0973693
Breed: Pointer
Age: Young adult
Gender: Female
Size: Large,
Shelter Information:
LA City Animal Services – East Valley
14409 Vanowen St
Van Nuys , CA
Shelter dog ID: A0973693
Contacts:
Phone: None
Name: ADOPTION STAFF
email: PLEASE COME TO THE SHELTER!
About Kathy – A0973693: ESTIMATED EUTHANASIA DATE. VISIT THE SHELTER ASAP – BRING DOG’S ID#. KATHY – ID#A0973693 My name is Kathy and I am an unaltered female, tricolor Pointer. The shelter thinks I am about 1 year and 6 months old. I have been at the shelter since Oct 07, 2009. Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, all animals will be sterilized prior to release.
If you know you or someone you know is looking for a pet please come to the shelter today.
Don’t adopt just because you feel sorry for Kathy – A0973693!
Adoption Should Be A Well Thought Out Decision, It’s A Lifetime Commitment.
email Kathy – A0973693 to a friend
If there is room in your heart… there is always room for must one more pet or a way to find them a home!!
Thanks to Dog in Danger for the Warning!!
Pets may be susceptible to swine flu virus
Thousands of Americans have been infected with the H1N1 flu virus, but that’s just counting people. This week it was announced a domestic cat in Iowa also was stricken with the virus — most likely transmitted by sick owners — as well as two ferrets in Nebraska and Oregon.
This sudden infection may have pet owners wanting to put their furry friends in line for an H1N1 flu shot, but state veterinarian experts say not to worry. (H1N1 or any type flu vaccines are a bad idea!! We are over vaccinating our pets, just like we are over vaccinating ourselves and our children.)
“Theoretically, you could pass it on to pets, but the chances are extremely low,” said Dr. Bob Ehlenfeldt, a state veterinarian in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture.
The reversal of pets transmitting the virus to humans is even less likely, he said.
The chances are so low, according to Ehlenfeldt, because the H1N1 novel 2009 flu virus is a human disease being transmitted and maintained in humans. It’s unusual for species other than humans to become infected because viruses tend to adapt to certain species, he said.
For example, the bird flu from a few years ago was highly adaptable to infecting birds, whereas this strain of the H1N1 flu is adept at people-to-people transmission, he said.
Besides the cat and the ferrets, the only other non-human species known to have been infected with the virus are about a dozen swine herds worldwide, and recently some turkeys in Chile, according to Ehlenfeldt and Dr. Jim Kazmierczak, a state veterinarian in the Wisconsin Division of Public Health.
The infection of the ferrets, however, didn’t surprise Kazmierczak because the lanky rodents are thought to be susceptible since they are used as laboratory animals and are sensitive to human strains of influenza, he said.
Also, since turkeys were infected, Kazmierczak said it could be possible for other types of birds to get the virus. So far, however, no incidents have been reported.
“The safe thing to do is to assume that while we know cats and ferrets are susceptible, we should assume dogs and pet birds are also susceptible,” Kazmierczak said.
Thus, owners infected with the H1N1 flu should still be careful around their pets and maintain distance from them as you would with other family members. It really is a matter of common sense!!!
For example, Kazmierczak said to relocate a bird cage if it is positioned in the room in which an infected person may be recuperating.
Also, wash your hands before handling or feeding the pet, he advised
By Hilary Dickinson – Published: Saturday, November 7, 2009 12:57 AM CST
hdickinson@beloitdailynews.com
Posted: Just One More Pet – Cross Posted: True Health Is True Wealth
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Adopt Just One More Pet and Save a Life!! – Sharing a Great Pet Adoption Pet Story!!
Sharing a Great Pet Adoption Pet Story!!
Our friends, Al and Andrea, in Corpus Christi moved there with 3 cats. Over the past five years, one… Maggie, has passed on and gone to kitty heaven. But during that time, they have rescued a black pug that had some health issues, a Black Ker (maybe) out of a litter of abandoned puppies and an orphaned Chihuahua. This was quite a feat for my friend, Andrea, who was basically afraid ‘or at least leery’ of dogs before they adopted their first one, Buddy, at Al’s urging. Then ‘she’ adopted the next two, Beau and Princess.
Then about 10-days ago they ran across, almost over, a kitten. The Calico kitty who looks like one of their older cats, Peaches, was running across the highway when they found her. They did more than their due diligence to find the kitten’s owners but she is now one of the family and has been named Kit Kat… along with Peaches and Bart makes three.
3 kitties and 3 doggies… a nice family now that the kids are grown!
If you are an animal lover 4 to 6 pets, throw in a bird, fish or pocket pet, perhaps making even 7 or 8 are a fun and manageable number for a couple or a responsible family teaching their kids the values and joy of taking care of another living creature and overall responsibility (under supervision). If you aren’t, it probably seems like a nightmare… but then you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog.
Adopt Just One More Pet and Save a Life!!
Posted: Just One More Pet
USA: Keep Pets Out of Laboratories – Contact Congress Today and Support ‘The federal Pet Safety and Protection Act’!! – ASPCA Alert

Dear Fellow Animal Advocates,
The federal Pet Safety and Protection Act would prohibit Class B Dealers and unlicensed individuals from selling dogs and cats to research laboratories.
Class B Dealers are people who collect dogs and cats to sell to the research industry. They sometimes obtain their animals through illegal or unethical means, such as by responding to “free to good home” ads in newspapers, falsifying records to keep the true origins of the animals unknown and stealing pets kept outside in yards. They also buy animals in bulk from “bunchers,” whose methods are even more questionable.
Eliminating Class B Dealers will also take away the profit motive of bunchers, providing a much-needed safety net to ensure beloved pets are not stolen or acquired under false pretenses and sold to facilities that test on animals.
What You Can Do
Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center Online to email your U.S. senators and representative urging them to support and cosponsor the Pet Safety and Protection Act. You may use the same link to read about this legislation in greater depth.
Thank you for supporting the ASPCA and America’s animals.
———
To: Your U.S. House Representative and The President of the United States
Started by: L. Swa_
THE PUPPY YOU SEE ABOVE WAS BURNED ALIVE – To test the effects of burns. It was done at a teaching hospital.
Please cosponsor the Pet Safety and Protection Act (H.R. 3907). This bill will ensure that companion dogs and cats will not be used in experiments.
Class B dealers collect dogs and cats from a variety of sources to sell to researchers. Some of these animals are acquired through fraud and deception (e.g., Class B dealers respond to “free to good home” ads, Craigslist (has a lot of free to good home dogs and cats,), and even steal them from people’s yards and trap cats. Lost companion animals whose families are searching for them may wind up being used in experiments.
Class B dealers routinely violate the Animal Welfare Act. They are required to keep records to show that they acquired the animals legally, but many falsify those records to hide the true sources of the dogs and cats they sell. The conditions under which these animals are kept are horrendous. The dealers fail to provide adequate food, water, veterinary care, and shelter.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act (H.R. 3907) will end this abuse-ridden system and give families peace of mind that their dogs and cats will not wind up in research.
Thank you for your compassion.
Please Sign Petition: Pet Safety and Protection Act (H.R. 3907)-Class B dealers selling companion pets for experiments | C
Posted: Just One More Pet
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Best Costumes Online Contest – Not Too Late to Get One For Your Pup (Supplies and Price are Going Down)
I know what you’re thinking…The Best Dog Costumes? In the middle of February? It’s not even close to Halloween! This is true, but I’ve been hording several dog costume images over the past couple years that I’ve been itching to get up on this site. If you’ve been reading my blog then you saw that Stetson was a Bumble Bee for Halloween. I also wore my Bumble Bee outfit on Halloween making us a swarm of bees. While I must admit, Stetson was an adorable bumble bee it pales in comparison to the originality of these costumes.
So here we are with the 6 Best Dog Costumes circulating on the internet. You can click on the pictures for a larger image (some are already at maximum resolution).
Number 6 – Spider Pug
Spider Pug…Spider Pug…Does whatever a Spider Pug can do…Have you seen the The Simpsons Movie yet? For some reason I’m drawn to Spider Pug. I know…it’s not too original…and you might say “I’ve seen better”, but for some reason the right color coupled with perfect length spider legs makes me love this costume.
Number 5 – The Golden Lion
He could be Azlan from The Chronicles of Narnia…or he could be the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. If you take a closer look he is part of our guide dogs of america group. You can see one of our guide dog puppy jackets on the left side of the picture. Bonus points for being a guide dog in training. Inspired by this costume we took a shot at building our own lion mane dog costume for Derby.
Number 4 – Mini Knight And His Loyal Steed
This little guy reminds me of King Arthur, Excalibur, and the knights of the round table. I wish I could get my father’s cairn terrier into a similar costume, but unfortunately I don’t think the knight would survive the day.
Number 3 – Fluffy The Three-Headed Dog
If you’ve seen or read the first Harry Potter Book then you know all about Fluffy the Three-Headed Dog. Or maybe you’ve seen the Harry Potter Movies. Anyways, I’m sure the little boy in the picture got plenty of attention with his three-headed dog.
Number 2 – The Dog Legend Of Sleepy Hollow
How can this one be number 2. What a brilliant costume! It should be number 1. The Headless Horseman rides again…brings back memories of the recent Tim Burton movie The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp as the odd Ichabod Crane and Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman. The headless horseman dog costume is definitely one of our favorites and I even see they have the costume listed on Amazon.com
for purchase (however, not nearly as cool as the one in hits picture).
Number 1 – Snoopy! Watch Out For The Gator!
I don’t really know if his name is Snoopy, but he is a Beagle. Why did I choose this one as the number 1 dog costume? It’s original, it’s humorous, it’s great!!! and it makes me laugh…An adorable Beagle getting eaten by an alligator. This alligator dog costume would have gone great with Derby’s lion costume. They do have some Alligator Infant/Toddler Costume
listed on Amazon, but I bet you could use your imagination and somehow make a similar dog alligator costume.
I hope you enjoyed the list. If you have any great dog costume photos please send them to me and I’ll try to post them on my next “Top List“. What do you think? Are these great costumes? Have you seen better?
Source: Puppy In Training
Still Time or Order Costumes Online…
White Feather Angel Wings for Pets: Dogs/Cats Photo Props/Costume . FREE SHIPPING
Cat Costume
Cat Costume – Kitty Crusader Puss In Boots Cat Costume – Small
MEDIUM – SAVVY TABBY KITTY CRUSADER – Cat Halloween Costume
Disney Store Minnie Mouse Dog / Pet Costume
Casual Canine Black & Gold, Sequins & Lace Lil Witch Halloween Dog Costume with Hat Medium
X-Small Lil’ Stinker Dog Costume
X-Large Lil’ Witch Dog Costume
SHREK THE THIRD OGRE Pet Dog Halloween Costume Large (L)
Halloween Costume For Dogs – Football Fever (Extra Small)
Halloween Costume For Dogs – Football Fever (Small)
Halloween Costume For Dogs – Football Fever (Medium)
Halloween Costume For Dogs – Football Fever (Large)
EXTRA LARGE TUX WITH TAIL AND TOP HAT
LARGE TUX WITH TAIL AND TOP HAT
MEDIUM TUX WITH TAIL AND TOP HAT
SMALL TUX WITH TAIL AND TOP HAT
EXTRA SMALL TUX WITH TAIL AND TOP HAT
EXTRA SMALL WEDDING DRESS WITH VEIL
X-Small Lil’ Stinker Dog Costume
Large Lil’ Stinker Dog Costume
- Orange Witch Pet Costume – X-SMALL
- Orange Witch Pet Costume – MEDIUM
- Orange Witch Pet Costume – LARGE
X-SMALL – FIRE CHIEF – Pet Halloween Costume
EXTRA SMALL PIGGY POOCH COSTUME
EXTRA LARGE PIGGY POOCH COSTUME
Disney Toy Story Woody Dog Costume – Size Medium
Disney Toy Story Woody Dog Costume – Size Large
X-LARGE – Prison Pooch Dog Costume
Small Ketchup Hot Dog Costume Fits Dogs 3 – 8 Lbs – Just Discounted – $6.05
Halloween Costume For Dogs – Hot Dog (Mustard Small)
Dog Costume – Bumble Bee Dog Halloween Costume – X-Small (XS)
Bumble Bee Pet Costume – Large
Dog Costume – Flower Pet Halloween Costume – XXX-Large
XXS Chunky Black Metallic Knit Dog Sweater
XS Chunky Black Metallic Knit Dog Sweater
Small Chunky Black Metallic Knit Dog Sweater
Halloween Costume For Dogs – ER Doctor (Extra Small)
Pet Costume Mullet Wig (Brown) One Piece
Trick or Treat Spooky Halloween Scrunchie Dog Collar
Discount Corner – BEST DEALS – $2.99 – $8.99
Mini Ghost Dog Costumes – MINI GHOST DOG COSTUME – SMALL – $2.99
Mini Pumpkin Dog Costumes – MINI PUMPKIN DOG COSTUME – SMALL – $2.99
Zorro Costume SML – $4.82
Zorro COSTUME LRG – $5.67
Dog Costume Monkey – $6.50
Princess Dog Costumes – PRINCESS DOG COSTUME – SMALL
Ballerina Dog Costumes – PRINCESS DOG COSTUME – MEDIUM – $6.99
Ballerina Dog Costumes – PRINCESS DOG COSTUME – LARGE – $6.99
Dorothy Dog Costumes – DOROTHY DOG COSTUME – MEDIUM – Just Reduced to $7.49
Dorothy Dog Costumes – DOROTHY DOG COSTUME – LARGE – $7.49
Dorothy Dog Costumes – DOROTHY DOG COSTUME – X-LARGE – $7.49
Ballerina Dog Costumes – BALLARENA DOG COSTUME – SMALL – $7.49
Ballarena Dog Costumes – BALLARENA DOG COSTUME – MEDIUM – $7.49

Batman Dog Costumes – BATMAN DOG COSTUME – SMALL – $7.49
Batman Dog Costumes – BATMAN DOG COSTUME – MEDIUM – $7.49

Ladybug Dog Costumes – LADYBUG DOG COSTUME – SMALL
Ladybug Dog Costumes – LADYBUG DOG COSTUME – MEDIUM
Devil Costume Small – $7.99
Clowny Costume Small – $6.99
Clowny Costume Medium – $7.99
Clowny Costume Large – $8.99







































































