Pedigree "wire" in dog food. Do you REALLY know what's in your dogs food?

PEDIGREE DOG FOOD "WIRE" - PLEASE SHARE & READ ALL EVEN IF YOU DONT FEED PEDIGREE.
By now you have probably seen all the news and social media the reports of pieces of “wire” in Pedigree dog food. Well this wire is actually animal hair and is allowed by AAFCO. However, what I am writing about is far more concerning than pig hair, its what in our dogs food PERIOD and Pedigree definitely is not the only one! You would fall off your chair & be sick to your stomach if you knew what is in your dogs food and what AAFCO allows in man's best friends food!!  For starters, when you look at a bag of dog food and it shows that pretty photo of a nice piece of chicken and veggies, that is false advertising and could not be further from the truth. Lets start with rendering plants, do you know what a rendering plant is? what about rendered meat? or denatured 3D or 4D meat? Have you ever asked your butcher where all the bad meat goes and who picks it up after they denature it? Is it pick up in a refrigerated truck? It is left in its packaging when processed?  If not, you should because its in a TON of dog foods on the market, but there are a few good ones out there and I want you all to be in the know!  I know whenever I post these types of posts most of you just ignore them and makes me sad because I know how much your love your dogs and they depend on us for their health & nutrition!!  Like I have said over and over NUTRITION IS THE KEY TO HEALTH & LIFE for both us and our pets!  I am happy suggest to you all a better diet to fit within your budget and time. I am not telling you that you have to feed raw like I do.  I understand that many may not have the time, space, resources, education, or not within your budget. Although raw or cooked can be done for as little as $4-5 a day for a large dog!  For those that want or have to feed a dry, wet, dehydrated or prepared raw that is fine too, but let me suggest better and healthier options and ways to add value to your dogs food!  Learn how to read ingredients, even the ones that sound good are not at all what they seem..  The ingredients seen below are from Pedigree, this is an example of what should NEVER be in your dogs food and like i mentioned Pedigree is NOT the only one. Unfortunately most dog food on the market are far from cry from healthy and balanced.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Hippocrates

Kinston dog owner concerned about objects in dog food

dog owners claim to find wires in pedigree food

You think your are getting whats pictured on the bag but actually you are getting whats pictured below! This goes for majority of dog food!

For example, when Nami came to me as my foster she had horrible a ear infection, it looked like bloody cauliflower inside her ears, sorry its so descriptive :P,  her coat was dull, she was heavy,  smelled and not balanced mentally or physically.  Nami had been on Pedigree since she was a puppy... The second she came to me as my foster her life &health was was the start to a dramatic change!  I started imediately with a liver and blood cleanse, got her on some pertinent whole food supplements that her body was sp badly lacking and on a clean raw prey model diet. Within 2 WEEKS she looked and acted like a new dog!  Ears perfect, weight off, shiny, smells good, no bad breath, a new dog!!  When Sassa with the Rottie rescue came over to visit she could not believe the transformation.  I fixed it all without a single medication or vet visit.  If you look down I have posted the ingredients to the food she WAS on previous to me. Please read the ingredients, does this look healthy to you?  Does this look like what a carnivore should eat??? This is the furthest thing from healthy.  You want to know what kind of meat is in here??  Don't just take my word for it google RENDERING PLANTS or RENDERED MEAT, this is where that meat came from (i will not go into detail here because you will all be so upset what kind of meats are actually in rendered meat,   I also urge people to do the research themselves, education is the key!it!  Sadly, the MAJORITY of dog food out there is made of denatured 3D & 4D meat or rendered meat!  The dog food companies don't have to tell you either! ts truly horrifying and if you love your dogs you should know what your are feeding them.

PEDIGREE® Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken Flavor (NOTE CHICKEN FLAVOR!! NEVER EVER buy any product made with an anonymous animal ingredient!!  http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/adult-complete-nutrition-for-dogs.aspx  This is so disgusting and belongs in NO ANIMALS FOOD BOWL!

GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6 [PRESERVED WITH BHA & CITRIC ACID]), SOYBEAN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVOR (SOURCE OF MEATIER FLAVOR), CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, SALT, BREWERS RICE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, DRIED PEAS, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, ZINC SULFATE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, NIACIN [VITAMIN B3], BIOTIN, DRIED CARROTS, BHA & CITRIC ACID (A PRESERVATIVE), BLUE 2, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN B5], RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], RED 40, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], COPPER SULFATE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT
   
& THEN NOT THE COST 46lb!!  How in the world could anything be complete and healthy for that price!  Think of the cost on that maybe .10-15 cents a pound to make!!!  YIKES!! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pedigree-Adult-Complete-Nutrition-Dry-Dog-Food-50-lbs/42425073

In this story they go over other dry dog foods - If you are going to feed a dry dog food Orijen or Acana by Champion Pet foods is the ONLY dry dog food I would feed & also chosen on this clip.  But what is really important is that we add moisture to that dry food. So add Raw Goat milk or goat yogurt, bone broth, a farm fresh egg now and then, streamed or pureed veggies (must break cell wall), fresh meat, berries (not strawberries)... & alway make sure you dog had fresh water available in a glass or stainless bowl cleaned daily - NEVER PLASTIC
ABC On Your Side Finding Safe Food for Your Pet

Our sweet Oz featured on Black Beauty Breed Film page today

Our sweet Oz featured on Black Beauty Breed Film page today ♡ Our day would not have been complete without him.

From Black Beauty Breed "Beautiful. Our friends at Oz Rottweiler Lena Too shared their special day with their most loyal friend, Oskar. Oskar was their best man and ring bearer. This beautiful photo can also be seen in our Rottie Tribute montage at the end of Black Beauty Breed Film. The sweetest thing."

For the health of your dog feed WHOLE FRESH FOODS

Your vet is NOT responsible for the health of YOUR dog. YOU ARE! According to research conducted by the Canine Health Concern an international group of dog lovers, animal health care professionals & ethical vets that a change of diet represented an 85% DROP in vet visits & related expenses! Don't forget the nutrition is not part of Veterinary school curiculum.  ‪#‎livlovedogs‬ ‪#‎caninewellnesscoach‬

BLOAT - Do you raise your dogs dish? Do you let you dogs play after eating?

Be in the know about Bloat also gastric dilatation-volvulus/GVD , it could cost your dogs life!  Rottweiler are a very high risk breed.  PLEASE SHARE

 "Diet-related risk factors for Bloat also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs of 
high-risk breeds: A nested case-control study" by Raghavan, Malathi study Bloat Study
more on Bloat Study GVD

• Here are some breeds most at risk for Bloat- 
• Afgan, Airedale Terrier, Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Basset Hound, Bernese Mountain Dog, 
• Bloodhound, Boxer,Borzoi, Bouvier des Flandres, Bullmastiff, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, 
• Collie, Dachshund Doberman Pinscher, Great Dane, English Springer Spaniel, Fila 
• Brasileiro, Great Pyrenees, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Irish Wolfhound, 
• King Shepherd,Gordon Setter, German Shorthaired Pointer,  Kuvasz,  Labrador Retriever,
• Miniature Poodle, Newfoundland,Old English Sheepdog, Pekinese, Rottweiler, Samoyed
• Shiloh Shepherd, Standard Poodle, St. Bernard, Weimaraner

• *Understand any dog from a Greyhound to a Terrier can get bloat.  Although it is very 
• uncommon for dogs that do not have deep-chests to get Bloat/GDV.
• Purdue Bloat Study into GVD by Glickman
  
  These 6 factors are associated with increased risk of bloat in large breed dogs.
• 1. Did you know that raising your dogs food dish more than doubles their risk for bloat!
• 
  
• 2. How fast your dogs eat -Dogs rated by their owners as very fast eaters had a 38% 
• increased risk of bloat! Slow them down! You can use a  stainless steel muffin pan to slow 
• them down, or use the Omega Paw stainless ball.
• 
  
• 3. DO NOT EVER LET THEM PLAY or RUN for at least 3-5 hours after eating. 
• Dry kibble has a much higher incidence since it can take 17+ HOURS for them to 
• digest vs about 3 hours with fresh raw or cooked food.
• 
  
• 4.  Dogs age - This study found that risk for bloat increased by 20% with each year of 
• age. Owners should be more alert to early signs of bloat as their dogs grow older.
• 
  
• 5.  In addition new significant findings included a 2.7-fold (or 170%) increased risk of 
• bloat in dogs that consumed dry foods containing fat among the first four ingredients. 
• 
  
• AND Dry foods containing a rendered meat meal with bone among the first four
•  ingredients significantly GDV risk by 53.0%.
• 
  
• 6. Family History: Having a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or offspring) that had
• bloated increased a dog's risk by 63%.

"Approximately 30 and 33% of all cases of GDV in this study could be attributed to consumption of dry foods containing fat among their first four ingredients or citric acid, respectively. Owners can use these findings to reduce dogs' risk of GDV in these breeds."

Symptoms/What to look-

Hard or Distended abdomen

Whining/crying

Pacing
Attempt to vomit with no success
Belching or Retching without producing anything
Tired or Weak
Excessive drooling/salivation
Shortness of breath or labored breathing
Cold body temperature
Pale gums
Fast heartbeat

Seeking a hiding place

Foamy mouth or mucus

BOTTOM LINE IF YOUR DOG SEEMS OFF GO WITH YOUR GUT & GET HIM TO THE VET ASAP!!!

PHOTO CREDIT - THE ONE AND ONLY OZ

"The results are back.... its cancer"

Something none of us want to hear but its happens to 1 in 3 dogs these days. I also know we are suppose to trust our vets by doing right by your dog... But lets think about this for a moment is processed foods good for us? Then why is it good for our dogs? Would getting our baby vaccines every 1-3 years be good for us? Then why is it for our dogs? Are poisons that kill fleas or ticks on our pets healthy or safe? Are steroids good for us or our dogs? So we all can start helping our pets by just changing little things like one titer testing our pets for the vaccines antibodies, in 17 years I have never had to revaccinate any of my dogs since their puppy shots. Yeap! thats right they lasted a lifetime just like our baby shots, its called cell memory. Over the years in losing 2 of my beloved Rottweilers Ulla and Oskar I have only gotten more and more obsessed with studding cancer prevention, nutrition and overall wellness in dogs. Unfortunately even with doing everthing right we cannot always eliminate all the health issues but we can certainly stop most of them!! Can you imagine if a pediatrician prescribed your child with yearly baby vaccines for life and the same processed cereal with synthetic vitamins telling you not to ever change this or you throw off the health and balance and that WHOLE foods are BAD! You would run and never look back... But sadly our vets are doing this to our pets daily! Makes me so sad and angry. -Ursula Life with Oz
Quote from world renowned vet I am teamed with Dr Dodds in
“If you think certain people or animals are destined to get cancer as an unfortunate by-product of their inherited DNA, think again. Researchers estimate that only 5% to 10% of all cancer cases originate from genetic predisposition, while 90% to 95% are the result of lifestyle and environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins […] and diet.” – Canine Nutrigenomics Dr Dodds & Diana Laverdure

"If diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. If diet is correct, medicine is of no need." - Acient Ayurvedic Proverb

Photo credit Rodney Habib one of favorite Canine nutritionists - Find Rodney at Planet Paws on FB 

Is your dogs food "Natural" or "Holistic"?

This is exactly why I prepare my dogs and my foster dogs food since 2003.  https://youtu.be/rWklDeHz1Xc

Do you really know what your feeding when you pour that kibble in your best friends dog bowl? If you did you wouldn't be feeding it. The words Natural & Holistic are very abused words in both our own foods and our pets. If you cant read the ingredients or know what they are you should not be feeding them. Also know that 99% of the "meat" in dog food is denatured YIKES!!!! "A Graphic Description of what the FDA allows in Pet Food"  http://truthaboutpetfood.com/a-graphic-description-of-what-the-fda-allows-in-pet-food

BE IN THE KNOW. EDUCATE YOURSELF.

Great Article on Raw Food for dogs - 10 Germs That Shouldn't Scare You Away From Raw Feeding Your Dog

(This is my female Lena getting her breakfast - all my dogs including my fosters get a raw organic diet)


I am a raw feeder since 2003 & feeding your pets a raw whole food diet is the best thing you can do for your beloved pet. There are so many wonderful benefits of raw feeding like pearly white teeth, no more bad breath, small stool, healthier & happier dogs, shiny coat, no doggy smell, less shedding, just to name a few but the NUMBER ONE is for the HEALTH & LIFE of your pet. Although I am a HUGE advocate of raw feeding I do not suggest just winging it or cooking for your dog unless you know how to properly balance your dogs (or cat) diet like the back of your hand. I cant tell you how many clients and friends I have spoke to that are cooking or raw feeding and is not balanced.. Without a balanced diet there can be some major health problems with your pet in the long run. It is actually very simple to raw or cook for your pets but you must do you due diligence in research. There are a lot of great books, websites, FB groups but remember its the more you know the better. I will write more on Raw feeding later. Remember your vet does not learn nutrition in veterinary school, the education they receive is from the pet food industry and have no business giving nutritional advice. Whole foods is ALWAYS better than processed food. Just read the ingredients on you bag of dog food if you can't pronounce it or don't know what it is you should NOT be feeding it.

(photo credit to Kayak Schlebelle)

"RAW DOG FOOD
10 Germs That Shouldn't Scare You Away From Raw Feeding Your Dog
Pet foods in cans, boxes and bags have their own share of germs, so don't let fear of bacteria stop you from considering raw.

BY JEAN HOFVE, DVM, AND CELESTE YARNALL, PHD Share on email Share on stumbleupon

Adapted from Paleo Dog by Jean Hofve, DVM, and Celeste Yarnall, PhD
Much is made of the issue of bacterial contamination in the meat likely to be used in homemade raw diets—for example, meat from the grocery store. And the naysayers have a point: There's no doubt that the U.S. meat supply is pretty dirty.
Meat safety falls under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system; unfortunately, it more or less leaves cleanliness up to the people who run the slaughterhouses. You can imagine how successful that method has been! A new system of irradiation is being introduced to kill the gazillions of pathogenic bacteria on all of those feces-smeared carcasses—because preventing feces from being smeared all over them in the first place would be too much trouble.
Perhaps the risk associated with zoonotic disease (disease that is passed from animal to human) was summarized best by Kahrs et al.: "The transmission of pet-borne zoonoses is complex and usually requires close contact between susceptible human beings and animals or their excretions. Such contact frequently involves lack of common sense and gross breach of sound hygienic practice." We believe our readers have good sense and will understand the importance of sound hygiene and meat handling procedures.
On the flip side, there are multiple studies showing that raw meat diets for pets are more digestible than heat-processed foods. A board-certified veterinary nutritionist who was previously a researcher at a major pet food company stated that she had studied raw diets and that animals did better on raw diets than processed ones.
Let's look specifically at all the nasty things in raw meat that veterinarians worry about.
More from Rodale News: Is This Sneaky Ingredient Sickening Your Pet?
Salmonella
These notorious bacteria are a very common contaminant of raw meat, raw poultry, and raw eggs. They have been well studied by many researchers. According to one study, "Salmonella was isolated from 80 percent of the BARF [bones and raw food or biologically appropriate raw food] diet samples. Dogs fed raw chicken may therefore be a source of environmental contamination." However, no dog or human illness was reported, despite confirmed contamination of the food. This has consistently been the case with nearly every analysis of raw foods: They contain plenty of pathogens, but nobody is getting sick. The literature supports the fact that zoonotic transmission of Salmonella from pets to people is extremely rare.
The same cannot be said for commercial pet food. There have been dozens of recalls of dry dog food due to Salmonella contamination. In one 2012 outbreak, more than four dozen people became ill from merely handling dry dog food. That's pretty hefty contamination, if you ask us.
Dogs themselves appear to be quite resistant to illness due to this ubiquitous bacteria. The evidence clearly shows that Salmonella, the most common pathogen of raw-meat diets, is not a significant threat to human or animal health.
More from Rodale News: The 5 Worst Ingredients in Pet Food
Campylobacter
This bacteria is also a very common contaminant of U.S. meat and poultry. However, no alarm was raised about it until someone developed a test for it—then, lo and behold, it was everywhere!
A study on Campylobacter states that "if a person and a pet have concurrent campylobacteriosis, the veterinarian must consider whether they both obtained it from some other common source (for example, food or water) or if the pet obtained it from the human being." The authors conclude that dogs and cats are unlikely to be the source of human infection.
Toxoplasma gondii
This protozoal parasite may encyst in raw meat. Adult dogs are rarely infected, although puppies are more susceptible. The primary cause of human toxoplasmosis is humans themselves consuming raw or undercooked meat, milk, or shellfish.
In Canada and some other countries, Toxoplasma is a common contaminant of pork. However, raw diet proponents (ourselves included) do not recommend feeding uncooked pork, and no raw diet studied to date has contained pork.
Clostridium perfringens
These bacteria, commonly found in decaying vegetation, are common and contagious causes of gastroenteritis in dogs and cats. Infections are usually self-limiting. One study states, "No associations between C. difficile, MRSA, or VRE and consumption of raw meat were detected." So, not only is C. perfringens not a serious issue, but also neither is the more virulent C. difficile.
Clostridium botulinum
Long before Botox became a miracle anti-aging drug, the toxins produced by this organism were better known for causing a degenerative paralytic and usually fatal disease called botulism. It has been documented in hunting dogs, and in another case, two dogs from the same owner were referred for suspected botulism. Those dogs had been fed expired canned food (canned goods are a common source of botulism); they were also allowed to roam and may have eaten a contaminated carcass.
E. coli
The U.S. meat supply, particularly beef, is highly contaminated with E. coli. The organism is also ubiquitous in the environment. People commonly carry it. In the vast majority of cases, E. coli is a harmless commensal (part of the normal bacterial population) of the gastrointestinal tract. A study that looked for a pathogenic strain, E. coli O157, in dogs fed raw meat and in their environment found none.
Listeria monocytogenes
This is a very common cause of food poisoning in humans. Virtually all human listeria is due to consumption of contaminated foods such as meat, cheese, or milk. However, contamination occurs during the processing of these foods for cold cuts, hot dogs, and similar products. The literature reports listeriosis in one dog, source unknown. There is no evidence that any human or pet has ever contracted listeria from fresh, raw meats.
Staphylococcus aureus
These enterprising, toxin-producing organisms can be found in raw meat as well as commercially prepared foods, among many other places. They may proliferate and produce toxins if the food is allowed to sit out. This is why we recommend that meals be left out for only a short period of time.
Many digestive upsets of dogs may be related to bacterial growth in moist food put out for dogs and left for many hours before being eaten. Moreover, many people mix water, broth, or other liquids with dry dog foods; this is clearly risky, given the level of bacteria known to inhabit the surface of dry food.
In the United States, Staph contamination of meat is thought to come from food animals themselves and not their processing. It's documented to occur in pigs in the United States and elsewhere, and to infect workers.18
The possibility of transmission of S. aureus between humans and dogs has been investigated. The organism was found in the nasal cavities of 24 percent of the people but less than 9 percent of the dogs, and there was a strong association between the person being in a health-care-related occupation and the presence of S. aureus. This bacteria is also a common cause of skin infections in dogs. However, there are no reported cases of dogs contracting S. aureus from raw meat.
Bacillus cereus
One researcher conducted tests on more than 40 brands of dry dog food. Every food sample tested positive for B. cereus. The study's author attributes most cases of "garbage gut" to B. cereus, not to Staph.
Yersinia enterocolitica
This mild-mannered relative of Yersinia pestis (the infamous cause of bubonic plague) is considered a normal commensal in dogs and is widespread in the environment. Raw meat is not likely to be a significant source of infection."

Bordetella Vaccination for Dogs

I have not given Bordatella in years, thankfully the kennel I take my rotties to over the holidays knows it is not effective and just more poison for our dogs. In addition the kennel has been in business 14 years and never a single case of kennel cough. They board also board the SARS (Search & Rescue dogs) and other working dogs. Education is key.

"There are at least forty agents capable of initiating Bordetella so vaccination might appear to be prudent if it weren’t for the fact that only two of these agents are contained in the intranasal vaccine. This poor percentage truly makes the Bordetella vaccine a shot in the dark. The lack of efficacy is well summarized by noted immunologist Dr. Ronald Schultz: “Kennel Cough is not a vaccinatable disease”.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordatella-vaccination-dogs/
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/three-critical-problems-kennel-cough-vaccine/

One Dog Death Every 3 Days for 8 Years - Do you feed your dog Jerky treats to your dog?

A very popular and deadly dog treat you need to know about!

One Dog Death Every 3 Days for 8 Years

written by Susan Thixton

"The FDA just released a very minimal information jerky treat investigation update. For more than eight years, pets have been dying and sickened from Chinese jerky treats. And the FDA still can’t determine why.

Since early 2007, the FDA has received reports of sick and dying pets relating to Chinese manufactured jerky treats. The ‘adverse event reports’ total more than “5800 dogs, 25 cats, three people, and include more than 1,000 canine deaths.”

As reminder – based just on what was reported to FDA – on average…

For the last 8 years, 1 dog has died every 3 days linked to Chinese manufactured jerky treats.

Based just on what was reported to FDA –

Every day for the last 8 years, 2 dogs have become ill linked to Chinese manufactured jerky treats.

This recent report from FDA states for the six months between October 2013 to May 2014 – the agency received 270 complaints of sick or dying pets linked to China sourced jerky treats. Some of the brands mentioned (during this time frame) are Kingdom Pets, Waggin Train, Cadet, Milo’s Kitchen, and Beefeaters. Several diagnoses are confirmed Fanconi syndrome.

The new FDA announcement states “The agency continues to caution pet owners that jerky treats are not required for a balanced diet, and encourage them to consult with their veterinarians, both prior to feeding treats and if they notice symptoms in their pets.”

China made jerky treats have killed 1 dog every 3 days for 8 years – and the FDA only issues this marshmallow caution. To the contrary, FDA issued the bold warning “Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet“. Raw pet food is declared “dangerous”, yet China made jerky treats linked to more than 1,000 pet deaths is only cautioned because they are not required for a balanced diet.

And finally, the latest update from FDA states “The FDA continues to devote significant resources to this investigation…” As of today (February 20, 2015)…2,971 days have passed into this FDA investigation of Made in China jerky treats. It’s an FDA record – the longest investigation in FDA history without a resolve.

Unacceptable.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food

What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 2500 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com

The 2015 List
Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here"

for more info go to http://truthaboutpetfood.com