Saturday, June 2, 2012

https://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/?fb_source=feed

Toyota is giving 100 cars over 100 days to nonprofits that could really use a new set of wheels. And voters like you help decide which one gets a new ride every day.

About the Program

Starting May 14 through August 21,Toyota is giving away 100 cars to nonprofits, and your votes will help us do it.
Each day for 100 days, online voters will choose which of five nonprofits will take home a new set of wheels. The organization who receives the most votes at the end of the day takes home a brand new Toyota.

Monday, May 14, 2012

To Vaccinate or not to Vaccinate

Voting For Better Canine Health Care.....to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?

by Dogs Naturally on May 14, 2012 · 3 comments
Post image for Voting For Better Canine Health Care
Earlier this month, there was an interesting conversation on our Facebook site. A recent subscriber and new puppy owner had asked what to do about her puppy’s itchiness. The 11 week old puppy had been vaccinated by the breeder and, ten days later, the puppy was very itchy and the owner was feeling fairly apprehensive about the second set of vaccinations. I had replied to her that at 11 weeks, it was pretty likely that the puppy had responded to the vaccine and that she ought to run a titer. If the titer was positive, there would be no further need for vaccination.
The puppy owner took this information to her vet who then strongly insisted that puppies need every shot in their series (not true, it only takes one vaccine to work), and that even a positive titer would be useless because the puppy could still be at risk from ‘death’ within a year’s time (also not true because once a puppy shows a positive titer of any amount, he is very likely protected for life). The puppy buyer was told this was the most progressive and modern veterinary clinic in her area and she posted to our page that she was feeling disheartened.
It’s true that many vets don’t understand all that much about immunology and will use scare tactics to get puppy buyers to come around to their way of thinking. I don’t see that as a reason to feel disheartened however, I see that as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to inform these vets that what they are doing is not only outside the guidelines of their veterinary association, but that it goes against every shred of research on vaccine effectiveness and duration of immunity. It’s an opportunity to let them know that their lack of understanding has cost them your business. Then you move on to a new vet. That may mean driving an hour or more away or using an excellent homeopathic vet via phone consult and letting him deal with your local vet. Either way, it’s putting your money where your mouth is.
It does no good to complain about what’s happening to our pets yet still support these vets financially. Paying them your hard earned money is akin to a vote of confidence and gives them every reason to keep on doing what they are doing. Nothing will change if we don’t stop supporting these practices.
The same goes for other members of the pet industry. When we attend dog training classes that require proof of unnecessary vaccination, not only are we voting for over-vaccination, we’re backing it with our money. When we vaccinate our dogs with bordetella before they go to the boarding kennel, simply because they request it, we are making a statement: that what they are asking is right.
We are all part of a movement away from damaging and suppressive disease management toward disease prevention through good health and nutrition. Some of us play a larger role in this while some of us play a smaller role simply by supporting the right vets or only purchasing products made from natural and ethical sources. It doesn’t matter how large a role we play as long as we play.
Make every decision regarding your pet’s health care count because you are part of a large and growing movement. Every decision you make will create a ripple, either pushing it forward or moving it backward. Don’t ever feel disheartened or that your voice won’t be heard; your voice will be heard, but you must be careful of what you are saying. Make sure you are supporting the right people and making the right decisions. We all play an important role in this movement, we grow it with our voices and we warm it with our hearts. That is how we will change the world. How will you make your voice heard?

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/voting-for-better-canine-health-care/#comments

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

~ Here in this house .... ~
by Pets Alive on Tuesday, 15 February 2011 at 22:59

Here in this house ... I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks of the other dogs "out there." I can sleep soundly, assured that when I wake my world will not have changed. I will never know hunger, or the fear of not knowing if I'll eat. I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from the heat. I will feel the sun's heat, and the rain's coolness, and be allowed to smell all that can reach my nose. My fur will shine, and never be dirty or matted.

Here in this house ... There will be an effort to communicate on my level ... I will be talked to and, even if I don't understand, I can enjoy the warmth of the words. I will be given a name so that I may know who I am among many. My name will be used in joy, and I will love the sound of it.


Here in this house ... I will never be a substitute for anything I am not. I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves. I will be loved because I am who I am, not someone's idea of who I should be. I will never suffer for someone's anger, impatience or stupidity. I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved by all. If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my teacher for blame.


Here in this house ... I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch ... knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me. If I am ill, I will be doctored. If scared, I will be calmed. If sad, I will be cheered. No matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful and thought to be of value. I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough. My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought. I will learn that humans can almost, sometimes, be as kind and as fair as dogs.



Here in this house ... I will belong, I will be home.


Author unknown

Saturday, February 12, 2011

My first Blog Post 2/12/2011

As surprising as it sounds, many foods that are perfectly safe for humans COULD be unknowingly poisoning your 'best friend' by giving them table scraps, tidbits and other foods such as grapes, sugar free candy, and chocolate.

Some common foods that can cause serious health risks in even small amounts include:

A xanthine compound 'theobromine', found in chocolate, is the ingredient that makes it dangerous for dogs. Unsweetened baking chocolate has six times more Theobromine than milk chocolate.

Some large dogs seem to be able to handle a small amount of chocolate but for smaller dogs, the same amount can poison or even kill them.

Cocoa bean mulch used in gardens also contains Theobromine and is poisonous to dogs. Unfortunately, many dogs find cocoa bean mulches wonderful chocolate smell irresistible. Never feed any chocolate to your dogs regardless of your dog's size or the type of chocolate.

Grapes and raisins can cause fatal kidney failure in some dogs. For some unknown reason, there are dogs that grapes and raisins seem to have no ill effect on while others become very ill after eating only a couple. Although the exact toxin is unknown to date, the first symptom of illness from grapes and raisins is vomiting, followed by fatal kidney failure.

Many sugar free candy and gum contains a sweetener called xylitol, also known as wood or birch sugar. Sugar free gum or candy eaten in large amounts by your dog could result in a rapid blood sugar drop in the dog. Signs that often develop rapidly include coordination loss, depression, and seizures. Seek veterinary treatment immediately if your dog displays any of these signs.

Feeding your dog fatty foods such as turkey skin and ham fat could overtax the pancreas causing pancreatitis. Symptoms of inflammation of the pancreas include stomach pain and vomiting. Immediately take your dog to the vet if he displays any symptoms, as this is definitely a medical emergency. Never feed your dog fatty foods such as ham fat or turkey skin as it is better to be safe than sorry.

Alcohol poisoning could occur in your dog if he eats bread dough containing yeast. It can release alcohol in large quantities when it ferments in your dogs' stomach.

You should avoid feeding your dog most nuts due to their high phosphorus content and definitely never feed macadamia nuts to your dog. These could cause temporary rear leg paralysis in your pet.

Raw eggs should be avoided in the dog diet as they can cause in the body to be unable to absorb biotin resolution in skin and coat problems as well as
cause salmonella, or decrease the rate and amount of absorption of biotin - leading to poor quality coats and hair problems in adult dogs and puppies.
  Cooked eggs are an excellent source of protein and can be a great addition to the diet in small amounts.

Avoid feeding your dog any type of cat food as it is very HIGH in protein, fats and sugars that can be very serious in dogs with diabetes.

Dairy products such as milk and cheese can be problematic for lactose intolerant dogs resulting in diarrhea and vomiting.

A dog's diet should never exceed 10% of the total amount as table scraps or human food. In addition, never give a dog HUMAN vitamins or supplements as they can cause health concerns.

Cooked bones of any kind can easily splinter in the dog's mouth and cause damage to the gums, throat, and lining of the stomach and digestive system. In addition, the bones can lodge in the throat and cause severe damage. Raw meaty bones are the best for dogs, and should be removed when the meat is removed.

Salt may cause electrolyte imbalances and dehydration in dogs. It should be eliminated from the diet as much as possible. Onions and garlic contain sulfoxides and disulfides that can lead to anemia in dogs.

Avoid feeding your dog any cat food or other type of pet food. Cat food is designed for cats, and they have different dietary needs than dogs. Cat foods tend to be higher in sugars and proteins, and this can cause complications for dogs as they age.

So as you can see there are many common food items that though healthy for humans, can cause serious illness to your dog.



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