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Proper Pet Food Storage

April 22, 2016

Day 10 of our 30 Days to the Best Pet Home will be focused on proper pet food storage. Pet food storage may seem like a minor thing to consider. However, as a pet parent, it is vital to make sure that your pet’s food is stored appropriately to ensure quality AND is stored somewhere where they won’t overfeed themselves while you are away.

Why is proper pet food storage necessary?

  • Dog food can lose nutritional value if it is stored inappropriately
  • Moisture can cause your dog food to become moldy. Mold can cause stomach upset, or cause an allergic reaction if your dog is allergic to mold (WholeDogJournal)
  • Proper food storage can keep vermin and bugs out of your pet’s food.

Proper pet food storage is also dependent on the kind of food you feed your dog; dry food or canned food.

Dry Food

  1. Dry food should be stored in a cool and dry place off of the ground. This will prevent vermin, mold, or bugs from contaminating your pet’s food. According to Petcurean, avoid places like basements where temperature changes can create condensation.
  2. Food should also be consumed by the “Best Before Date” which is typically located on the back of the food bag.
  3. The storage container should be a food-grade storage container with an airtight seal. When using a storage container, you can do one of two things. You can leave the food in the bag and store the bag in the container, or you can pour the food directly into the container. However, if you pour the food into the container, you will need to wash the container between bags because the oils from the food can cause the plastic to become rancid.
  4. Always keep your bag! The dates and codes on pet food bags have valuable tracking information that can help you in the event of a recall.
  5. Dry food can be frozen in an airtight bag, but only for a limited time.

Canned Food

  1. Food should also be consumed by the “Best Before Date” which is typically located on the bottom of the food can.
  2. Once canned food is opened, it should be covered with the appropriate seal and placed in the refrigerator.
  3. Do not serve your pet canned food that is more than 3-5 days old. When I worked at the veterinary hospital, we would write the open date on the can to ensure we never served old food.
  4. If wet food is served (either canned or dry food with water), it should be eaten immediately or refrigerated.
  5. Canned food can be frozen, but it needs to be stored in an appropriate freezer container, like an ice cube tray.

What container should I buy?

Well, the criteria for the container is stated above; food-grade, plastic airtight container. The size of the container should be large enough to store your entire bag of food. Therefore, you may need to buy a larger container if you have a larger pet.

Even when you think you buy the right container…

When you are considering your pet food storage, please make sure that the container is stored in a place where your pet cannot help themselves. I have seen a few pets visit the veterinary hospital due to food bloat. I even knew a dog and cat team that worked together to get the food container open! If you don’t believe me, watch this video of a Border Collie helping herself to seconds.

I want to thank Petcurean for providing us with excellent information and resources for proper pet food storage. In addition to their amazing resources, they are also providing one of my lucky readers with 2, 25lb bags of their Go or Now Fresh Dog food!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I am a Petcurean Blogger Advocate. I have been compensated in exchange for providing my opinion. However, My Kid Has Paws only discusses products I truly believe in. In fact, I feed Petcurean to Rooney every day.

Also, if you are participating in our home challenge, I want to apologize for falling behind on the blog post schedule. I am doing my best and I feel it is more important to provide you with quality posts rather than rush them. Thank you for your patience.

Creative Ways to Protect Your Pet from Poisons

April 1, 2016

If you are reading this blog, you are probably heavily invested in your pet’s health and, therefore, know a lot about how to protect your pets from potential poisons.

However, the biggest threat to our pets might be the guests we bring into our home who don’t know what is, and is not, poisonous for pets.

When you have guests over for dinners or holidays, the last thing you want to be is stressed. Stressed the whole time because you are so afraid that someone will feed your dog a piece of the chocolate cake. Or, they have sugar-free gum in their purse, and your pet might find that snack when no one is looking.

To avoid stressing about your pet’s safety, or stressing your guests out, here are a few ideas to keep everyone informed and keep your pet safe:

Chalkboard Notes

Chalkboards are very popular in home decor right now, and I personally love the idea of using them to remind your guests not to feed your pet toxic items. You could write something as simple as “Please Don’t Feed the Dog”, or you could be more specific and say “The Dinner We Are Eating is Delicious, But Is Toxic to My Pup. Please Don’t Feed”.

Creative Ways to Protect Your Pets from Poisons

Jackets & Purse Storage

It’s really important to make sure all purses are completely out of reach for your pets. I highly recommend clearing off a desk, table, or high shelf in a guest room for purses, which can have toxic items in them. Additionally, I would clear a space in your hall closet, or use hallway hooks to have people hang up their jackets so that you don’t have to worry about people having toxic items in their jacket pockets.

Bandanas & T-shirts

This idea came from Dr. Petryk from Trupanion pet insurance. (If you missed her tips on everyday toxic items, please check out our post here). Have your pet wear a shirt or bandana that reminds people not to feed them. For example, you could use a site like Etsy or Zazzle to customize a bandana or t-shirt to say “Please Don’t Feed Me” or “I Have a Sensitive Tummy”.

I designed this one for Rooney on Zazzle:

Creative Ways to Protect Your Pets from Poisons

Those are my ideas for keeping your pets safe. Please leave your ideas in the comments below.

Also, I want to thank everyone for participating in our March Challenge, and for taking the time to read this month’s themed articles.

Pet Poisons in Everyday Life

Pet Poisons in the Kitchen

Are You Planting Pet Poisons in the Yard?

April’s Challenge will be 30 Days to the Best Pet House, and the first post will be released this weekend complete with a calendar/checklist. Are you excited?!?!?

Pet Poisons in Everyday Life: An Interview With Dr. Petryk from Trupanion

March 29, 2016

Today we will discuss 6 pet poisons you never knew posed a threat to your pet.

Please note: This post is an educational resource for common pet poisons (i.e. not for emergencies). If you believe your pet has ingested something toxic, please visit the Pet Poison Helpline or ASPCA Poison Control site (includes horse toxicity information) for a more comprehensive list, or call them at 855-764-7661 or 888-426-4435 respectively.

Since this month is all about pet poison education, I was so delighted to get a chance to speak with Trupanion’s very own Dr. Denise Petryk, DVM about the most surprising pet poisons that can be found in everyday life!

Dr. Petryk was kind enough to share her 22 years of emergency veterinary experience with us today. So here are some of the most surprisingly harmful poisonous household items and stats provided by Trupanion regarding claims and costs!

Gorilla Glue

In Dr. Petryk’s experience, this type of toxicity was most commonly seen with curious puppies. The danger in the consumption of gorilla glue is that it expands in the stomach. This expansion in the stomach can cause bloating and a major threat to your pet’s digestive system. Therefore, the glue needs to be removed surgically from their stomach.

  • Since 2014, Trupanion has paid out $10,400 on gorilla glue toxicity claims.
  • There aren’t many, (5 claims since the start of 2014) but these claims are expensive, ranging between $1,300 and $2,300 and usually require surgery.

Read More

Pet Poisons in the Kitchen #MKHPMarchChallenge

March 24, 2016

Please note: This post is an educational resource for common pet poisons (i.e. not for emergencies). If you believe your pet has ingested something toxic, please visit the Pet Poison Helpline or ASPCA Poison Control site (includes horse toxicity information) for a more comprehensive list, or call them at 855-764-7661 or 888-426-4435 respectively.

This post was originally published on 9/3/2014 and has been updated to include more information for pet parents. 

So far for our March Challenge, we have learned about Pet Poisons in the yard. Today, I would like to talk more about common pet poisons in the kitchen. Of course, there is the most well-known kitchen poison: chocolate. However, there are other kitchen poisons that threaten your pets.

The below infographic from Vet-Medic discusses Treats versus Poisons. This infographic has been very popular ever since I posted it almost 1.5 years ago. So I thought it would be nice to expand on some of the items listed below.

Chocolate

Chocolate is one of the most obvious kitchen poisons. However, the question is not whether or not your dog has consumed chocolate, but rather:

  • What kind of chocolate did your dog eat?
  • How much did they eat?
  • How much does your dog weigh?

The combination of the above information will determine how at risk your dog is and whether or not you have a problem on your hands. Here are some helpful tools to help:

Chocolate Toxicity Meter from PetMD

Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661

Onions & Garlic

A lot of pet parents don’t realize that onions and garlic are toxic to pets. In fact, other vegetables from this family are also considered toxic to dogs and cats including, chives and leeks. The toxic ingredient in these items is disulfide, which causes oxidative damage to the red blood cells and gastrointestinal upset. Some symptoms of toxicity in this case include:

Grapes & Raisins

Grapes and raisins seem harmless for dogs, but the reality is that the ingestion of either of these foods can cause sudden acute kidney failure. It is important to note that toxicity from these types of foods is not dependent on the amount. Some symptoms of grape or raise toxicity include (Pet Poison Helpline):

  • anorexia
  • diarrhea
  • vomiting
  • acute renal failure

*Also toxic to birds!

Xylitol or Artificial Sweetener

This toxin is found in a variety of kitchen items including; candies, gum, and mints. Not to mention, it is also an ingredient in mouthwash and toothpaste. Xylitol toxicity can have a sudden or delayed onset. However, if xylitol toxicity is not treated, it can be fatal. Symptoms of xylitol toxicity can include (VetStreet):

  • vomiting
  • lethargy

What You Have in Your Purse That Will Harm Your Pet

Caffeine

Caffeine is another item I would like to add. Caffeine is a cousin to the ingredient in chocolate that is poisonous to pets. Even just a few sips of coffee or tea, or even the ingestion of a diet pill, can cause high toxicity levels in pets. Additionally, if these symptoms are left untreated, it can be fatal. Symptoms of caffeine toxicity include (Pet Poison Helpline):

  • vomiting
  • elevated heart rate
  • seizures
  • high blood pressure
  • tremors
  • collapse

Avocado

Some resources state that avocado is toxic to dogs and cats, but upon further research, I believe it is only mildly toxic. Meaning, you still shouldn’t feed it to them and in large amounts it can be harmful, but the real risk is a foreign body due to the consumption of the pit. If this is the case, keep your eyes out for vomiting, diarrhea and a lack of bowel movements. Additionally, avocado is highly toxic to birds! Symptoms for birds include the inability to perch and heavy breathing (Pet Poison Helpline).

*Also toxic to birds!

Once again, we are looking at a long list of things that are in your home that threaten your pet. What is a pet parent to do?

  1. Training: In order to prevent toxicity, the best thing you can do is teach your pet kitchen manners. If your dog or cat spends less time in the kitchen, then they are that much less likely to accidentally ingest something that they shouldn’t.
  2. Build a Barrier: Sometimes the temptation to be in the kitchen while you are cooking is too great even for the most well-trained dogs. In this case, you might want to look into building a gate for them. For a list of plans & supplies to build your own Doggie Gate, I will defer you to Yellow Brick Home: Doggie Gate DIY. (P.S. I just found this site and if you like Home DIY projects and pets, you must check it out!)

So what do you think? Was there anything on this list that surprised you? How do you keep your pet safe from poisons in the kitchen?

 

medic.com/blog/2014/08/infographic-treats-vs-poison”> alt text

Can Pet Parents Prevent Cancer?

March 14, 2016

The dreaded “C”word.

I heard this word all too often while working in the veterinary hospital. Too many of my patients were diagnosed with various types of cancer, and it was terrible.

Each prognosis left pet parents wondering; Was there more I could have done to prevent cancer?

The answer is always, “Of course you couldn’t have prevented this cancer!”. While I firmly believe that absolute prevention is not possible, providing the ultimately healthy life and doing everything we can as pet parents can help. Every person or pet’s health, and how we can help them, is based on two major factors: their genetics and the environment.

Genetics

Under most circumstances, we do not know our pet’s genetic health history. Truth be told, most people don’t even know their own genetic health history. Of course, responsible breeding plays a role in whether or not pets become diagnosed with cancer due to their genetic composition. However, you as a pet parent rarely have that information. For example, I know that Rooney was bred to be a show Corgi. However, we adopted him through a breed specific rescue, and, therefore, have no contact with the breeder. If we don’t have an opportunity to stay up to date on the health status of Rooney’s relatives, my knowledge regarding his genetics is limited.

However, when it comes to protecting your pet against the potential downfalls of their genetic composition, knowledge is power.

If you don’t know your pet’s genetic history here is what you can do to make sure you proactively help your pet beat cancer:

  1. Stay in touch with your breeder. Responsible breeders (for more information on how I define responsible, please see this post on the difference between common breeder categories) keep track of their dog’s health history and remain involved and communicative with pet parents to avoid long-term genetic problems and to educate other puppy parents on possible symptoms.
  2. If the breeders information is unavailable to you, stay in touch with your puppy’s siblings: Sometimes breeders choose not to play an active role in the lives of their puppies. However, with social media and other forms of constant communication on your side, you can make a strong effort to stay in touch with the pet parents of your pet’s siblings. If one sibling is diagnosed with a disease, this can be powerful information for the other sibling’s pet parents.
  3. Genetic Testing: If you don’t have the option to contact your pet’s breeder, or you have no idea where your pet came from because you rescued your pet, you now have the option to genetically test for diseases. Products like Canine HealthCheck can help you protect your pet against possible genetic diseases. As many of you know, I had Rooney tested about 6 months ago and it turns out he carries the gene for degenerative myelopathy, a disease that cuts short the lives of too many Corgis. With this information, I made myself ultra familiar with the symptoms, and I take the steps below to hope that his environment doesn’t add to the risk.

Can Pet Parents Prevent Cancer?

Environment

Although genetics play a large role in whether or not our pets will experience a certain disease, their genetic composition is out of our control as pet parents. Specific to genetic makeup, all we can do is educate ourselves about symptoms and communicate those symptoms to educate other pet parents. However, when it comes to protecting our pet’s environment, that we can control.

Many of the items listed below are not perfect solutions to preventing cancer. However, they will help you provide your pet with the healthiest possible environment, which can help.

  1. Invest in Quality Food: There are certain ingredients in food that cancer cells can use to grow. Dr. Becker specifically recommends removing processed grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits that are high in fructose from your pet’s diet (Mercola). The elements of these ingredients can provide food for cancer cells and, therefore, put your pet at risk. If you are unsure about the composition of the food you are currently feeding your pet, discuss some high-quality options with your veterinarian.
  2. Don’t Overfeed Your Pet: Many pet parents make the mistake of investing and purchasing the healthiest food available, but then they overfeed their pet. In addition to putting pets at risk for diabetes and other complications associated with obesity, overfeeding also puts pets at a higher risk for cancer. Studies have shown that providing only the necessary amount of calories for your pet can prevent or delay tumor growth (Mercola).
  3. Don’t Forget About Supplements: Omega-3 Fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body. As of today, research supports that cancer is a disease of inflammation. Therefore, reducing inflammation in the body can ultimately prevent cancer (Mercola).
  4. Make Your Environment Chemical Free: Too many cleansers, pesticides, and other toxins plague our environment. These toxins may seem harmless when you are disinfecting the bathroom or doing your laundry, but the chemicals in our everyday life add up. Where you can, make an effort to eliminate chemicals from your pet’s environment. You can start by doing the following today:
    1. Stop using harsh chemicals in your daily cleaners and sprays. (more research and future blog post on this)
    2. Don’t purchase cheap flea & tick medication. Make an effort to educate yourself on the ingredients associated with each brand, and even consider a natural alternative.
    3. Switch to using natural soaps and detergents to wash your pet’s blankets and toys.
    4. Do your research on outdoor chemicals and toxins.
  5. Come Up With a Healthy Vaccine Protocol: I definitely believe that vaccines are necessary. However, I also believe that over-vaccination is possible. Discuss the alternatives with your veterinarian when you first adopt your pet. Many people don’t know that there are alternatives when your pet becomes a senior, and many vaccines are only necessary if your pet leads a certain lifestyle.
  6. Daily & Annual Exams: I have known dogs who have survived cancer because their pet parents knew every inch of their pet’s fur and were able to quickly detect abnormalities that were removed before the cancer became too big. I have also known pets who survived cancer because abnormalities were detected on their pet’s annual exam. Daily exams at home and regular veterinary exams are critical to your pet’s health.
  7. Provide Your Pet with Clean & Filtered Water: Of course, this step becomes increasingly important in areas where tap water contains more chemicals and minerals. Educate yourself on your local water quality and look into purchasing a water filter (Only Natural Pet). Talk to your veterinarian about the right water fountain and filter for your pet.
  8. Adequate Exercise: Not only does exercise prevent your pet from suffering from obesity and other diseases associated with being overweight, but it also boosts the immune system and reduces stress levels in your pet, making them overall happier and healthier.

No matter what action items you currently take to prevent cancer, it is important to know that everything you can do falls into the following categories; being knowledgeable and being proactive. If you keep yourself educated, and you have your pet evaluated regularly, your pet can benefit from early detection and treatment.

Additionally, I want to state that you can do all of the above, and your pet still might get cancer. I have seen too many pet parents beat themselves up because their pet has been diagnosed with a disease. It is not your fault. However, I write this post because I think all of us want to do what we can, even if we can’t protect our pets from everything.

For some fantastic ideas from a dog mom’s perspective on this topic, please visit Carol from Fidose of Reality.

medicine versus mom

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