Here we go again… Diamond is involved in another recall.
Here is the report I just got from the FDA:
04/10/2012 12:30 PM EDTDiamond Pet Foods is voluntarily recalling Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice. This is being done as a precautionary measure, as the product has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported and no other Diamond manufactured products are affected.Here is the complete information from the FDA site:
Diamond Pet Foods Recalls Some Bags of Dog Food
Posted on April 10th, 2012 by Joy WardWatch Tip: Reducing Stress in Rescued Dogs
Posted on April 1st, 2012 by Trish Roman-Aquilino
Rescuing a dog from the street or adopting one from a shelter or rescue organization is a very rewarding experience. Often, rescued dogs may initially be stressed from their prior situation – kennel stress from the pound, anxiety from having lost the only family and routine they know, or sometimes they have been neglected and/or abused in their former lives. This means that more than likely one of the first things you will want to do when they arrive in your home, or need to do in some cases, is reduce their stress and anxiety levels, so that they can successfully and happily acclimate to their new environment and life. There are many different methods that can be utilized to attain this.
Signs of Stress.
First, understand the signs of canine stress. Physiologically, the stress hormones released can cause an elevated heart-rate, dilated pupils, rapid breathing. A dog that is under stress or anxiety may have difficulty learning new behaviors (the stress hormones initiate a “fight or flight” reaction that overtakes them and does not allow for new behaviors to be learned) and may also exhibit behavioral issues because of that stress – lapses in housetraining, reactivity on leash, overly-aggressive barking, snapping, growling, shyness, escaping, destructiveness, to name just a few. This can result in a newly-adopted or rescued dog failing in his or her new home and ending up at a pound, shelter, or on the street again. To avoid this scenario in your home, be proactive about relieving your newly rescued dog’s stress. First, have your new dog examined by a vet to ensure that they are in good health, with no illnesses or injuries. If they are found to be in good health, but exhibiting “stressed out” behaviors, or even if they are not, you will want to engage in “de-stressing” your rescued dog. While there are numerous methods that can be utilized to de-stress your dog, some of the more currently popular methods are listed here, with more detailed information in the links at the end.
Stress Relieving Practices and Remedies.
1. Exercise. Even small dogs, and sometimes especially the smaller breeds (an energetic Jack Russell, for example) need daily exercise in the form of a walk, jog or energetic play that lasts for at least 30 minutes. Not only is a “tired dog a good dog,” dogs need the mental stimulus gained from getting outside for a walk. Exercise needs to be included in every dog’s regimen, but especially for a dog that has stress.
2. Routine. Dogs crave routine, and getting them on a solid routine as soon as possible will give them a sense of security and confidence. Bathroom breaks, meals, bedtimes, walks should all be on a regular schedule that they can count on.
3. Good Diet. As with people, dogs flourish with a healthy diet. Read labels and try to avoid fillers like corn, soy, and wheat gluten. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t afford top of the line dog food products, but research and read about the ones in your budget and select the best that you can afford.
4. Dog Appeasing Pheromones. Some have had good results with DAP collars, or “Dog Appeasing Pheromones.” Some people report little luck. If your new dog is exhibiting destructive behaviors due to separation anxiety, it might be worth a try, and the pheromone can be purchased and applied via dog collar, room diffuser, or room spray.
5. Flower Essences/Holistic and Alternative Approaches. Rescue Remedy, and other similar flower essences have been marketed for some time as a “calming” treatment for humans, and have been found to work for animals too. There are also many holistic and “alternative” approaches to relieving stress in dogs, including Telling TTouch therapy, reiki, massage, acupressure and acupuncture that are gaining in popularity and acceptance.
6. Anti-anxiety Medications. Sometimes a dog’s anxiety levels does not respond to more traditional methods of relief, and at that point you should consider speaking to your vet about the possibilities of anti-anxiety medication, especially if your dog’s anxiety is causing aggressive, destructive, or self-harming behaviors. Many dog guardians are reporting good results with traditional medications such as Prozac (generic – fluoxetine) or Clomicalm (clomipramine). These medications must be administered with a prescription from your vet and under their care – do not attempt to administer these medications yourself, without consulting a vet.
Most importantly, patience is key. Just because you have lovingly opened your home to a rescued dog does not mean he or she will immediately understand that they are safe, that they have security, that they will be taken care of. There will be a certain amount of stress they will have just from being in a new home, and employing some or all of the above methods to keep them calm during the transition can help them get over that hurdle.
For more detailed information, please check out these resources:
Signs That Your Dog Has Stress – The Whole Dog Journal
How to Reduce Stress in Dogs – Adrienne Farricelli, certified dog trainer (CPDT-KA)
Trying to Ease Your Dog’s Stress – The Whole Dog Journal
Dog Stress Symptoms – VetInfo.com
Dog Food Ingredients to Avoid – TheDogFoodProject.com
“Dog-Appeasing Pheromone” to Calm an Anxious Dog – The Whole Dog Journal
Flower Essence Therapy for Dogs – The Whole Dog Journal
Watch Tip: Integrating a New Dog into a Household
Posted on March 11th, 2012 by Trish Roman-AquilinoAdding a new dog to the family, especially when there is already a resident dog or dogs, should be a thoughtful process, and should incorporate several crucial tenets:
- Preparation
- Patience
- Pack Management
Many humans require time and guidance to acclimate to new situations, learn new rules, understand each other’s ways of communicating, and to form bonds…why wouldn’t a new dog require the same kind of courtesies? (When deciding to bring a new dog into the family, proper introductions to a resident dog are a must – please read these tips and make sure your new addition will be compatible with your resident dog).
Preparation
Prepare your home ahead of time before the new dog arrives as much as possible. At a minimum, figure out where the new family member is going to sleep; have a collar, ID tag, bed, bowl, crate (if crate-training), and leash ready. Establish a “safe zone” for the new dog to stay in while acclimating – set your new dog up for success and don’t leave them to their own devices in room filled with expensive rugs, fragile furniture, or items dear to you, for instance. Also, plan on keeping the new dog separated from your resident dog for some time, especially when you are not home to supervise, to enable them to acclimate to each other slowly, even if both dogs are “dog-friendly.”
Patience
Whether you’re adopting a puppy or a mature dog, patience is key to integrating your new pet into your household. They will need to learn or re-learn housetraining, off-limits areas like couches or beds, and the unique routine of your household. Your new dog will be learning about you and your family, and you will be learning about your new dog. Establish a routine for your new dog right away, and do not put off their training. Training and routine will help them bond to you and your household, build confidence in dogs that have come from unstable and unsettled backgrounds, and teach them what to expect from their new digs. It is key to communication between human and canine. Dogs adopted from shelters and with unknown backgrounds may have separation anxiety initially, or have picked up undesirable habits along their way, and will need your patience and guidance to learn good manners, feel secure, and become good canine citizens.
Pack Management
Management is crucial to integrating a new dog into the household. Don’t listen to friends or family that say things such as, “just put them out in the backyard, and let them work out the relationship.” This kind of approach can lead to dogfights, and tense relationships, and no one wants to have to give up their new pet because they failed to establish a successful relationship between their animals. Always supervise play, feed separately, and do not leave toys and treats on the floor for dogs to compete over. Once your new dog is settled in, and you have a better idea of the dynamic between your dogs, you might be able to ease up on some of these rules, but for the most part, in a multi-dog household, it is much better to keep a lid on these situations that can lead to competition and fights. For the first few weeks, plan on keeping the dogs separate when you are not home to supervise. They will need time to establish a bond, and leaving strange dogs together can be invitation to trouble.
For more information, please check out these resources:
Humane Society of the United States – Integrating New Dog Tips
The Whole Dog Journal – Multi-dog Household Tips
The Whole Dog Journal – Multi-dog Training Tips
Adoptapet – 10 Tips for Welcoming a New Dog
Sharing this information with family, friends, and neighbors can make all the difference in the success of their new pet and creating a happy home for everyone involved.
Watch Tip: Select Pets for Temperament
Posted on February 12th, 2012 by Anna NirvaAdvocate for choosing a canine companion based on rational criteria, not size or cuteness. Large dogs and little dogs generally take the same amount of daily care and training time. Learn the advantages of keeping large dogs in the family; they are often overlooked in shelters by would-be adopters, more of whom prefer small dogs.
Every dog and cat is an individual
If we could influence more adopters to select a pet based on temperament and lifestyle considerations, more large dogs and adult dogs might be chosen. Today there is more demand for small dogs and puppies. In some areas of the country, there are not enough small dogs in shelters and rescues to satisfy demand so would-be adopters purchase small-breed puppies instead of adopting. Also, purchasing puppies is often faster and easier than adopting.
At the shelter where I volunteer in Wisconsin, little and medium-size adult dogs are adopted at a significantly faster rate compared to large adult dogs. We see a sad phenomenon. Small dog adopters often appear to be more concerned about size, breed, color, and hair length before temperament. It’s almost a caricature; we observe this frequently. One comment made by small dog adopters is that small dogs are easier to care for. Many dog lovers who have broad experience with many breeds find that assertion truly puzzling. Read the rest of this entry »
Watch Tip: Finding My Old Companion
Posted on February 5th, 2012 by Joy WardWe have a guest blogger this week, Jeannette P. Ward, PhD. Jeannette is a retired physiological psychologist and animal behavior consultant. She lives with two older Weimaraners.
Well, it’s all good now. My companion and I are all snuggled up together on the big couch. It has to be a big couch because he is a really big boy. This happy story is about how I found my companion. You may find some of these points helpful.
A few months ago I retired from my job of many years. For awhile I was busy with farewell parties and lunches out with friends and relatives. But soon the retirement activities slowed and my little house got very quiet. Oh, there were still outings from time to time, but in between times, most of the time when I’m home alone, it is very quiet, even sometimes lonely. So it came to me that I needed a full-time companion, a 24-hour buddy. Read the rest of this entry »
Watch Tip: Doggy Dumpster Diving
Posted on November 9th, 2011 by Joy WardKeep those tempting garbage bins and cans fastened or locked, out of reach of curious pets. Inside garbage receptacles especially kitchen waste is very attractive to many dogs and cats. Enclose bins inside of closets or cupboards. Outside garbage can attract unwanted visitors too. Garbage can be highly toxic: spoiled foods, old cleaning containers, light bulbs, expired prescriptions. Prevent those preventable problems!
Dumpster Diving Doggy Style
We all have had that sinking feeling of walking in the house and seeing the overturned garbage can. There’s nothing like being met with the sight of banana peels and discarded food carton packages strewn across the kitchen floor to make you feel good about being home. But as bad as the sight makes you feel, doggy dumpster diving can make them feel MUCH worse. In fact, this bad habit can literally kill your furry friend.
Sure, those dinner leftovers can smell great to your dog. But yummy smelling garbage could contain things that could kill him. Things like chicken and turkey bones could stick in their throats or guts, causing them to bleed to death. Sharp items like broken glass and even staples can get eaten with discarded and old food. What about discarded home cleaners or other poisons? Your dog might not pay any attention to caustic cleaners when they are on your counter or under it but what happens when food residue gets mixed in with the garbage? Dogs may not notice the poisons as they go after the tasty bits. Then, just like poisoning mice with peanut butter your dog could take the deadly bait.
Let me tell you a sad story of two beloved dogs and a Thanksgiving dinner. A few years ago a friend of the family had two very loved Weimaraners. He and his wife had friends over for Thanksgiving and planned the usual extravagant feast. The only problem was that the friends didn’t like dogs. (No accounting for taste I guess). So his wife made the family friend put the two dogs in the backyard. That would have been the end of the story except that there was one other item in the backyard with the dogs – the garbage can. In the rush and excitement of the feast the family left the garbage can in the yard with the dogs. No problem until after dinner when the wife put the turkey carcass in the can. The Weims took the opportunity to get the carcass and they paid the ultimate price for it. Cooked bird bones are extremely dangerous because they can splinter in dogs’ guts. These did and the family was too slow in getting the dogs to the vet to save them.
With just a little more thought to keep the dogs and the garbage safely separated the dogs would have lived many more years and Thanksgiving could have continued being a happy time for all.
The point is, keep your dogs and your garbage safely separated. Save yourself the heartbreak of a preventable death. Keep your garbage behind a locked fence, closet door or put a chain and lock on the garbage can. Don’t discard attractive things like dinner leavings or old food in a garbage can that is easily turned over by dogs or other household pets. Teach children in your home that they must be careful too, and not throw things in the garbage that could hurt their furry family members. Make sure that compost piles are protected from pet incursions as well. Odiferous old food could be a real temptation to a nosy dog.
With just a little planning you can keep your floors garbage-free and your dogs safe for many holidays to come.
Financial aid and assistance programs for pet parents suffering hard times
Posted on November 6th, 2011 by Trish Roman-AquilinoThe United States is still reeling from a recession so severe it’s been dubbed the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and Arizona was one of several states hit especially hard with foreclosures and job loss. This has translated into some dire consequences for pets and their parents. Inability to keep up with vaccinations and routine care, much less emergency care, is widespread throughout the country.
There has been a decent amount of communication about options for aid and assistance for pets in need, but the subject bears repeating, as there are still masses of people out there suffering fiscal hardship, and their pets are suffering along with them. Rescues are seeing a huge uptick in sick and injured animals being surrendered to the county shelters – because of the owner’s inability to provide medical care for them.
Please share these links with others, and keep them handy for the day that you might need assistance yourself – don’t hesitate to reach out for help for your furry friend; there is no reason that they should suffer because of man-made economic ills – they are relying on you to seek out solutions to their healthcare needs!
National resources for assistance with veterinary costs:
Watch Tip: Pets in Costume
Posted on October 22nd, 2011 by Trish Roman-AquilinoWatch for pets out in costumes that constrict, restrict, or impair them in any way. Pets that are stressed out by their costume or the festivities should be removed to a quiet, safe place, and their costumes removed. Set the example by making sure your own pet, if dressed in costume, is outfitted appropriately and is tolerating the ensemble well.
Halloween costumes on pets can be a hazard if care is not taken.
Halloween is a favorite holiday for many a pet parent, and there are few things that are more adorable than your furry friend dressed up as a pirate, a clown, or Yoda.
But just as you would exercise caution while dressing two-legged children, you want to exercise caution dressing up four-legged ones. Some tips to keep your pet safe:
- If your pet is participating in a costume contest or some other type of Halloween event, definitely have them try on the costume beforehand – check to see if your pet shows any signs of being distressed or allergic to their costume. A distressed pet can chew or tear at their costume, and ingest pieces of it, making them sick. If they do not respond well, or have an allergic reaction, maybe a festive collar or bandanna would be a better choice.
- Costumes should not restrict your pet’s ability to move, see, breathe, or hear.
- Ensure that the costume does not have temptingly small, dangling, or easily chewed pieces that could be a choking hazard, especially if they are prone to chewing.
- Make sure your pet’s costume fits appropriately, and will not get twisted on external objects or your pet, possibly leading to injury.
- If your pet has never worn a costume, teach them to enjoy it, the way you would teach them to enjoy anything new – by getting them used to it a little bit at a time, reinforced with yummy treats. Put it on them for short increments of time, praising them and treating them to make it a positive experience.
- Always supervise your pet at all times while they are in costume – if you will not be able to do so, remove the costume.
- No matter what they are wearing, do not remove their ID. If something spooks them and they get away from you, they will absolutely need their identification, and make sure your contact information is up-to-date.
- Know your pet: does he or she have the temperament, patience, and personality for getting dressed up and actively participating in the craziness of Halloween? Be realistic, and don’t put your pet through the stress of dressing up if they are not up for it – no matter how fun you think it would be.
In addition to the above costume safety tips, remember to always keep candy out of your pet’s reach, keep stressed pets safely crated or in a quiet room away from the hubbub, and make sure they do not have the opportunity to escape during the constant flow of trick-or-treaters at the door. Happy Howl-o-ween!
Watch Tip: Microchip Pets
Posted on September 17th, 2011 by Trish Roman-AquilinoWatch tip for week of September 18
Aside from a collar and identification tags, having a microchip implanted is one of the most important methods one can employ to ensure the return of a pet, in the event a pet is lost. Set an example in your community and have your pets microchipped and communicate with your neighbors, family and friends about the benefits of doing so. A chip is the size of a grain of rice, and does not harm or hurt pets when injected. Once implanted, be sure to adhere to three rules – register, re-scan, and rechip.
Follow the Three Rules of Microchipping
Register…your pet’s chip with your current contact information. Chipping your pet alone does not ensure their safe return; you must register your pet’s chip along with your contact information. Be sure to add a second contact that will be available to pick up your pet for you, in the event you are out of town, or somehow unable to retrieve your lost pet from the shelter or individual that finds them. Most shelters will not release an animal to an individual that is not listed on the registration, and if you are unable to retrieve your pet prior to the shelter’s “hold” period, your pet runs the risk of being euthanized if it is a “kill” shelter. If you adopt a pet and do not know if the pet is chipped for certain, take him or her into your vet to have them scanned, so that you can register the chip with your contact information.
Re-scan…have your pet’s chip scanned and read from time to time, to ensure the chip is working, and to keep yourself informed on potential chip-reading issues. A woman in Phoenix, Arizona recently had her dog’s chip scanned at her vet, just to confirm its working condition, and found that her vet’s scanner did not pick up the chip’s information. Since she volunteers at the local shelter, she took her dog to the shelter that afternoon and asked them to try scanning. The shelter’s scanner indeed located the chip and was able to read it. Types of chips and chip readers can vary in use, but universal scanners are becoming more widespread and utilized to address this issue.
Rechip…find out what type of frequency your pet’s chip operates on, then find out if your local pound or shelters utilize scanners that only work with a particular frequency. Chips emit a frequency that scanners can read, and vary in frequency emitted from 125 kilohertz to 134.2 kilohertz, depending on manufacturer. If your pet is chipped with a 134.2 kilohertz chip, and your shelter’s scanner only reads 125 kilohertz chips, you should rechip your pet with a chip that is compatible with your shelter’s capabilities to avoid any potential problems. Be sure to update the contact information for both chips whenever necessary. Also, if you have moved here from abroad, chances are the chip your pet has will not be read by U.S. scanners, and you should rechip with one that is compatible.
Although no method of identifying your pet is fail-safe, microchipping raises the chances of your pet being returned to you. According to an American Veterinary Medical Association study in 2009:
“…more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time, whereas microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time. Cats without microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time, whereas microchipped cats went back home 38.5% of the time.”
In cases where pets were not reunited with their owners, most often it was because the owner had not updated the contact information for their pet’s chip and were unreachable.
The benefits of chipping definitely outweigh any potential issues or problems that may be encountered by chipping, and when combined with a collar and current identification tags, practically ensures your lost pet’s return to you. Remember—your pet, once lost from the safety of your home, has no way of getting back to you except for whatever identification you take the time to give them. They cannot tell anyone where they live or who they belong to—that is your responsibility.
Helpful Links:
http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/
http://public.homeagain.com/
http://www.petlink.net/us/cms.spring?path=/welcome.html
http://www.akccar.org/
http://www.petparents.com/show.aspx/products/resq
http://www.avidplc.com/petowners/about-pettrac-microchip-database.asp
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