Here are some highlights from recent blog posts:

Cool Gifts for Tripawds community

• Tripawd Chloe designed the first Tripawds Tribute t-shirt for Team Tripawds to wear at the Morris Animal Foundation K9 Cancer Walk in Los Gatos, CA on 10/10. Walk with Team Tripawds in spirit and order yours today.
• Get your official Tripawds Rule! Bandanna for the low price of whatever you can afford!
• Goldens, Labs and German Shepherds are now featured in our latest Tripawds propaganda.

Tripawds Nutrition and Health

• Strengthen your Tripawd’s bones with Synflex, a premium glucosamine arthritis supplement made in the USA.
• Learn how Wysong’s new starch-free, high protein kibble can help your dog fight cancer
• Aloha Medicinals has cancer care kits with items to help fight canine cancer care at home.

Gear for Tripawds on the Go

• Power Paws dog socks give better traction on slippery surfaces at home
• Forget the old school post-surgery satellite dish collars, now there’s better alternatives to the Cone of Shame
• Ease your dog’s weary bones and post-surgery swelling with Bella’s Pain Relief Pack, a hot/cold pack made just for dogs.

Download Useful Tripawd Tips and More

• Dr. Dressler, author of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide, has a free e-book about diet and nutrition for Tripawds with cancer.
• Did you know that chiropractic care can help your Tripawd live a more comfortable life? Watch Fortis get chiropractic care and read how it works for him.
• Why is it that some Tripawds come home from surgery with staples, and others come home with stitches? Learn more from our 2010 Tripawds Amputation Survey.

Bargains for Tripawds from Amazon.com

• Big dogs can save until 9/30 on Dr. Dressler’s Apocaps cancer fighting immune system supplement with a special coupon code redeemable at Amazon.
• Learn exercise and rehab tips with how-to dog massage and physical therapy books.
• Set aside some leisure reading time with Last Dog on the Hill, a book about a remarkable dog named Lou who will met your heart with his story of fearlessness and dedication.

These Tripawds blogs are here to help you make the best decisions about living life with your Tripawd. Since Tripawds can receive a small commission through products purchased via these blogs, they also help support this community. Even if you don’t buy the product we specifically mention but do end up buying something from that storefront, your purchase will still benefit Tripwds.

If you have any tips, product recommendations or news that you want to share with us, please do, and we’ll mention it the appropriate blogs. Thanks!

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

Do you have a pawesome veterinarian?

Does your vet know about the world’s biggest community for 3-legged dogs and their humans?

Whenever you meet a vet, or someone who works in a vet’s office, be sure to let them know about Tripawds, by passing along  a stack of Tripawds business cards, or one of these nifty countertop displays.

These cards and displays are pawsible thanks to everypawdy’s generosity during our Annual Tripawds Campaign. Thank you!

Tripawds’ motive with these outreach materials is to spread the word, but our other objective is to find veterinarians who can take a few minutes out of their day to help alleviate the more technical concerns of pawrents, in our Ask a Vet Discussion Forum.

Since 2008, TazzieDog has generously staffed this forum, but it would be fantastic if more vets could chime in to help free up some of her time. We know how busy vets are, and are grateful for any level of participation they might be able to offer, either in the Forum or in a monthly “Ask a Vet” Live Chat.

Next time you’re headed for a vet appointment, remember these Tripawds business cards and flyers you can print at home. Take some along and ask them if they’d like a display! If so, we would be hoppy to ship one to their office, along with more business cards, or you can feel free to contribute to the community by ordering a vet display in our Amazon Blog.

Then, don’t forget to gently persuade your vet to come visit our Forums and chime in occasionally! Thanks so much.

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

Get your rehab and general canine health questions ready! Dr. Jessica Waldman from California Animal Rehabilitation Center is dropping by. Dr. Waldman can answer just about any canine health questions you have: amputation, surgery recovery, exercise, mobility, alternative medicine, diet, aging and more.

Saturday, July 10

8:00 PM Eastern / 5:00 PM Pacific

In the Tripawds Chat Room

Jessica H. Waldman, VMD, CVA, CCRT

Dr. Waldman is co-founder of California Animal Rehabilitation Center, one of the few rehab centers in the country with both a doctor and a physical therapist on staff, both of whom are certified canine rehabilitation practitioners. Dr. Waldman speaks at veterinary meetings on the subject of Canine Rehabilitation and she has a special interest in neurological rehabilitation and in nutrition for all life stages. She loves to see her patients’ quality of life improve, and she counsels in nutrition utilizing a combination of Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine for the best possible outcome.

Dr. Waldman completed a certificate program from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute to become a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. She is also a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through the Chi Institute. She is one of the founding members of the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians.

If you haven’t already watched our blog post series with Dr. Waldman, check them out:

Canine Rehabilitation: Exercises and Stretches with CARE

Canine Rehabilitation: Amputation Recovery Advice with CARE

Canine Rehabilitation: Pain Meds and Supplement Tips from CARE

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

For years you’ve seen the Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul books, and you’ve probably seen the Chicken Soup pet foods too.

Perhaps you’ve wondered if their foods are as good as they sound. Well, rest assured, both Whole Dog Journal and our friend Mike Sagman, AKA, the Dog Food Advisor, think that the Chicken Soup For The Dog Lover’s Soul foods are good for Tripawds who can eat a grain-based diet.

Dog Food Advisor recently reviewed the Chicken Soup series and gave it four out of five stars. He said “Based upon the ingredients alone, this Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul product appears to be an excellent kibble.”

Enter to win a $20 Petco Gift Card

Dog Food Advisor’s review and Whole Dog Journal’s endorsement gave us the confidence we wanted in the Chicken Soup dog food, which is why we are holding a contest sponsored by the Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul people.

Chicken Soup For The Pet Lover’s Soul is giving us a $20 Petco gift certificate to award to one lucky Tripawd pawrent.

Entering the contest is easy. Tell us in 100 words or less:

“What is the funniest reaction you’ve heard from a kid who has just seen your Tripawd?”

To qualify, just share your story in the comments section below, by midnight on Tuesday, May 11th. All entries will be posted in the Tripawds News Blog, and a winner will be drawn at random by Tripawds Spokesdog Wyatt Ray Dawg.

Stay tuned for the winning entry!

This Ojibwe and a Choctaw meet in a bar. The Choctaw asks the Ojibwe about the three-legged dog by his side.

The Ojibwe says, “A dog this good, you can’t eat all at once.”

True story. Well, meeting the old guy was anyhow.

So, in honor of this funny old guy, my people finally put together this humorous Tripawds BBQ apron, because another important lesson I taught them in our travels is that laughter is indeed the best therapy.

From diagnosis through amputation and recovery, to hospice cancer care, people need to follow the lead of us dogs and make the most of each day, while laughing at any adversity life may throw your way.

We wanted to get a current picture on the status of how mushroom therapy treatment is doing out there in the real world, so we wrote to my oncologist, Dr. Marie Mullins, who led the K9 Immunity clinical trial that I participated in, when I was patient in 2008 at the Santa Fe Veterinary Cancer center.

With her permission to quote her, here is what Dr. Mullins said about the study:

“The results of the K9 Immunity trial have not yet been published. They were submitted to JAVMA* but rejected (they rarely publish articles on nutriceuticals). They were going to try to get it published in some international mushroom journal (not sure of the exact name) but I have not heard much since then (October 2008 time frame).

The data that I saw was all very preliminary (some of the dogs were still alive). At that point in time, it did not appear to significantly extend survival times but the case numbers were low and statistics lacking.

However, it seemed to overwhelmingly improve their quality of life and protect most of the dogs from untoward chemotherapy side effects.”

In our own limited knowledge about mushroom therapy, we recently learned that mushroom therapy isn’t just something being promoted for dog cancers only. A family friend who is a certified “ND,” a naturopathic doctor, in Washington state, and specializes in holistic cancer treatments, uses mushroom therapy for her own human patients.

It’s so hard to know what is fact and what is fiction when it comes to nutriceuticals, but by posting your stories and experiences with K9 Immunity and other canine cancer therapies here in our Eating Healthy Forums, we can try to help get the official verdict out to the public much sooner.

*Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association

UPDATE: The final results of the Santa Fe Cancer Care clinic’s K9 Immunity Study can be downloaded here as a PDF document.

Sadly, Prana recently passed away after a courageous battle with pneumonia. She will be missed dearly. Her Mom wrote this great post for us, before Prana went to the Bridge. We publish this story in tribute to this amazing girl. May her spirit fly free.

Here is Prana’s inspawrational tale . . .

If you’re wondering what the secret is to ensuring a long healthy life for your dog, Yvonne Gonski has two words: “raw foods.” And although many of you Tripawds are battling cancer and might be avoiding raw foods right now, we thought your pawrents still might find these general concepts about home made dog diets to be useful.

“I have been raising German Shepherd dogs for the past 28 years. My journey of learning to provide my dogs with alternate methods of care began 15 years ago, following the passing of my three male German Shepherds.Although two of them died from age related conditions, I started to question the commercially prepared food I was giving them and the conventional vaccines and medications they received over the years.

One of the books that got me started was The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, by Juliette de Bairacli Levy A strong advocate of a raw foods diet and the use of herbs to treat most canine diseases, she bred Afghan Hounds for over fifty years.

Her lines are virtually disease free and many of her dogs typically lived into their twenties. Her book has become my bible for feeding and treating my dogs with herbs when they are ill.

What Does Prana and Vahana’s Raw Diet Look Like?

Following her guidelines and recommendations, I feed my dogs raw meat, using:

• leg of lamb
• turkey
• lean beef, including calves liver

For the morning meals I use a combination of:

• rolled organic oats
• rye and barley flakes
• some cooked brown rice or bulgur wheat
• ground nuts and/or seeds (flax, sunflower)
• grape nuts cereal
• small amount of grated white cheese with a tablespoon of flax seed oil

On two nights per week, my dogs get a rest from meat and get a semi-vegetarian meal including:

• tuna fish
• wild salmon with brown rice
• organic sweet potato or beans, which I break up in a food processor.

One day a week, they get a complete fast with only water or honey mixed in water.

Fasting is extremely important as it gives the body a rest and allows it to remove toxins that accumulate over time. On their fasting day they receive antiseptic herbs, which help to remove toxins from the body.

My Shepherds have done extremely well on this diet. My older bitch, Prana is 14 years old, going on fifteen. Vahana, her sibling, is going on seven. With all of the physical problems and illnesses Prana has encountered over the years, I attribute the raw foods diet to her longevity.

Raw Diet and Natural Healing Mentors

I have encountered many teachers along this journey, two of which I will always be indebted. I learned of Marina Zacharias through an ad she once placed in “The German Shepherd Review,” published by The German Shepherd Dog Club of America. Marina has a web site www.naturalrearing.com where she sells supplements, homeopathic remedies, glandular products and the herbal line developed by Juliet Levy who I mentioned above. Marina is very knowledgeable in most canine disorders and is always available to help her clients through difficult times. She once helped me with one of my dogs who was gravely ill when no other vet could.

Marina is the one who referred me to Dr. Marty Goldstein when my Shepherd, Prana, was a year old and was exhibiting signs of some serious hormonal disorders. Some readers of this site may already be familiar with Dr. Marty Goldstein, who has a practice, Smith Ridge Veterinary Center in South Salem, New York. “Dr. Marty,” as he is known to his clientele, is God’s gift to the veterinary profession. He had the courage and the audacity to practice “outside the box.”

When I first brought Prana up to see him in August of 1995, he told me the most poignant thing I have ever heard from any clinician, human or veterinary. He said “look, I can’t heal her, only she knows how to heal herself. I can give her supplements to stabilize the organ systems in her body, but only she knows how to heal herself.”

It took a while for this to sink in, but with all the literature he provided and many discussions over the years, Dr. Marty has taught me all I know about veterinary medicine. He taught me to look at disease in a different way. He placed Prana on a program of various supplements, glandulars, homeopathic remedies and one day, after seven years, she suddenly changed. She gained weight, all of her coat grew back, her appetite improved.

Prana was born with defective adrenal glands, has hypothyroidism, developed Pannus at age 8, which is an autoimmune disease of the eyes, a genetic “Shepherd thing,” pancreatic insufficiency, another “Shepherd thing” and for the past two years is battling degenerative spinal myelopathy, the canine equivalent to multiple sclerosis. She is still on Dr. Marty’s program and despite all of her medical challenges, continues to take life, one day at a time.

Over her entire life, Prana has become a master healer. Dr. Marty was right; it took seven years, but eventually the intelligence in Prana’s body shed the toxins, diseased tissue and was able to heal many of her disorders. There are some she is still working on, but I always tell her “just do the best you can.”

To gain a full appreciation of Dr. Marty’s work, especially with cancer, you must read his book The Nature of Animal Healing. I had the privilege of learning of the book’s contents first hand during our visits to him over the years. To truly appreciate the miracle of healing especially in animals, Dr. Marty’s work stands alone.”

Our deepest condolences go out to Yvonne and Vahana. Thank you for being an inspawration to us all, may our dogs live long happy healthy lives just like Prana did.

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

Since we just updated my cancer dog health tips page and finally wrote complete details of my cancer care diet, it is only fitting that we remind you how dog food is best served for three legged dogs.

The healthiest diet for your three legged dog is best served from the Tripawds Large Pet Bowl.

This and many other cool products that help raise awareness and support this website are available in Jerry’s three legged dog store. Got your 2009 Tripawds Wall Calendar yet?

FYI: Don’t forget to raise your dog’s bowls up off the ground to reduce strain! Read our updated health tips for more canine cancer and amputation recovery advice.

Join the forum discussion on this topic.

Please note: this information is just based on my own experience, and is not meant to replace advice given to you by your vet or other canine health professional. To read about what other pawrents are feeding their tripawds, please visit our “Eating Healthy” Forums.

Before I got sick, I used to eat a half “BARF” diet (Bones and Raw Foods), and half premium Innova EVO kibble* diet. I  was lean and healthy, and my system was used to good food already. That’s because when I was about four years old, my Mom found out what’s really in commercial dog food. After that, she never fed conventional dog food to me again – that stuff’s bad.

When we learned I had cancer, we wanted to make sure my diet was as healthy as possible. To point us in the right direction, my Mom did more BARF research and attended a BARF class. She also got a great book called Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats that helped her find the right combination of a human grade, meat and veggie diet for dogs with cancer.She and Dad decided to focus on a few select type of foods and supplements, which we describe below. There are many other choices out there, please do your research and learn what’s best for your dog’s unique health picture.

After I got sick, I still ate a half-BARF, half kibble diet, but some BARFers don’t advise giving dogs kibble and BARF foods simultaneously, because they say kibble slows down digestion of raw meats. My Mom tried to give me a 100 percent BARF diet for a while, but found that I was getting too skinny.

She started feeding me small amounts of Innova EVO kibble* with supplements mixed in. As an entree, I got various types of raw meat. I never had a problem with digestion, and once I started eating this way, I maintained a perfect weight of 75 pounds.

Please keep in mind that we are not experts, and your dog’s own nutritional needs may be different. We recommend  talking to a holistic nutritional expert and/or learn all you can about BARF before attempting a diet change for your Tripawd. *Also, since the time of this writing, Evo kibble, made by Natura, has been sold to Proctor and Gamble, and we can no longer feel 100 pawcent confident in this grain-free kibble.

My Dog Cancer Diet

My daily regimen changed over the two years I fought cancer, just like the cancer within me evolved. In my case, the osteosarcoma progressed exactly as textbooks describe it. My diet changed at three distinct times while I fought this disease.

Diet Phase 1: November 2006 to March 2008

After Amputation

I was still happy and spunky after amputation, and had a hearty appetite, but I was slightly slower due to the challenges of one missing front leg. I did not have IV chemotherapy. My pawrents believe that my amazingly good health and longevity was due to my healthy diet, before and after my diagnosis.

My routine was always eating one meal a day, so we kept it that way after I was diagnosed. This is the feeding method that worked for me at this time:

Rise & Shine:

Supplements:

• 1 Fish Oil Pill

• 1 Glucosamine pill

Evening Supper

“Meat Nights”:

• 1 Cup cottage cheese, OR a few Tbsp. plain yogurt

• One raw “above ground” veggie: like leaves of a dark leavy green (kale, chard, collards, or spinach), chopped fine, OR shredded zucchini or broccoli

• One raw “below ground” veggie, like some shredded carrots

• Fresh parsley and garlic

• 1.5 cups Innova Evo Kibble

• 1/4 Can Innova Evo

• Some pieces of raw, meaty chicken, beef or turkey, with bones

“Fish Nights”:

• Chunks of cooked fish, like salmon or mackerel

• 1 Cup cottage cheese, OR a few Tbsp. plain yogurt

• One raw “above ground” veggie: like leaves of a dark leavy green (kale, chard, collards, or spinach), chopped fine, OR shredded zucchini or broccoli

• One raw “below ground” veggie, like some shredded carrots

• Fresh parsley and/or garlic

• 1.5 cups Innova Evo Kibble

Nightly Supplements:

• 1 Tbsp. Flax Seed Oil*

• 1 Tbsp. Kelp Powder*

• 1 Tbsp. Alfalfa Powder

• 1 Vitamin C pill*

• 3/4 Tsp. Synflex Glucosamine Supplement for Pets
  

Nightly Medication:

• Metacam (on food, as needed for pain)

Diet Phase 2: March 2008 to September 2008

Metronomic Therapy Cancer Diet for Lung Mets

In March, 2008, sixteen months after I was diagnosed, my pawrents learned I had lung mets.

Soon it became clear that the lung tumors were affecting my stamina, and I went on the Metronomic Protocol. About the only side effect I had from this type of chemotherapy was that I could no longer stomach fish more than once a week. I also ate less dairy products.

Because I was much slower, managing my weight became very important. My food proportions decreased, but I still had a good appetite.

We fought the tumors more aggressively, through the Metronomic Protocol, additional diet supplements and K9 Immunity and K9 Transfer Factor, which I was lucky enough to be in a clinical trial for.

Here’s what my diet looked like …

Rise & Shine:

Morning Supplements:

• 3 Salmon Oil pills
• 1 Glucosamine pill
• K9 Transfer Factor with peanut butter and a healthy treat

Morning Medication:

• Cytoxan chemotherapy pill, every other day, (by mouth)

Evening Supper:

“Meat Nights”:

• 1 Cup cottage cheese, OR a few Tbsp. plain yogurt
• One raw “above ground” veggie: like leaves of a dark leavy green (kale, chard, collards, or spinach), chopped fine, OR shredded zucchini or broccoli
• One raw “below ground” veggie, like some shredded carrots
• Fresh parsley and garlic
• 1.5 cups Innova Evo Kibble
• 1/4 Can Innova Evo

• Some pieces of raw, meaty chicken, beef or turkey, with bones. I had fish about once a week.

Nightly Medication:

• Metacam (on food)
• Doxycycline (half hour before dinner)

Nightly Supplements:

• 1 Tbsp. Flax Seed Oil*
• 1 Tbsp. Powdered Kelp*
• 1 Tbsp. Alfalfa Powder
• 1 Tsp. Super Greens Supplement
• 1 Vitamin C pill*
• K9 Immunity
• 3/4 Tsp. Synflex Glucosamine Supplement for Pets

Diet Phase 3: September 2008 to October 2008

When I Stopped my Metronomic Therapy

At 22 months past my diagnosis, I showed signs of slowing down, had increased coughing and my appetite decreased too. In September, an x-ray of my lungs confirmed what we already suspected: the lung mets had grown exponentially. My lungs were irritated from coughing, which also contributed to my lack of appetite. What was most important at that point, was for me to start eating again. On the recommendation of Dr. Mullins, Mom and Dad discontinued the Metronomic Therapy, since the Cytoxan was no longer keeping the tumors from growing. Also, as a way to get my appetite back, my pawrents cut out most of my supplements, including the K9 Immunity. I was also given various medications to help me feel better. People here also gave great new diet tips. At this point in dealing with a dog’s bone cancer, some people might choose a different approach, like fighting it even more aggressively. But my pawrents and I decided that at this point, it was all about my quality of life and enjoying my food again, instead of continuing to desperately trying to beat the cancer. It wasn’t always easy to get me to eat, and we had a lot of challenges together at this time. Some days, like this one, were better than others. Here’s what I my diet looked like: Rise and Shine Morning Supplements:

• 3/4 Tsp. Synflex Glucosamine Supplement for Pets (it’s beef flavored, so I didn’t mind)

Morning Medication:

• Baytril Antibiotic (only for 14 days…my lungs had become irritated from the coughing, and the doctor thought I could have an underlying infection from it)
• Prednisone corticosteroids, 20 mg. (my pawrents didn’t want to put me on this, as they are aware of the dangers of corticosteroids, but the good doctor suggested that a very low dosage would help alleviate lung irritation, and keep my coughing under control. She was right).
• Carafate & Pepcid AC (for 7 and 14 days, to help any irritation my stomach might be experiencing from the switchover from Metacam to Prednisone. Risks in immediately switching from an NSAID to a Steroid can include gastric irritation and stomach ulcers, and the Pepcid AC can help alleviate any early symptoms).
• Tramadol, 100 mg. (to help calm me down from the increased panting I was experiencing).
• Robitussin DM (sugar free, to help control my coughing)

Lunch:

• Treats, like freeze dried liver
• Robitussin DF
• Tramadol as needed

Evening Supper:

• MEAT: Some pieces of raw, meaty chicken, beef or turkey, with bones (at this point, my stomach couldn’t handle fish any more)
• 1/4 Can moist, stinky food, like venison, elk, or even cat food!
• 1.5 cups Innova Evo Kibble

Nightly Medication:

• 3/4 Tsp. Synflex Glucosamine Supplement for Pets

Bedtime: Nightly Medication:

• Prednisone
• Pepcid AC
• Tramadol
• Robitussin DF

This was my routine until October 3, 2008, when my spirit was set free. We hope you find this information helpful.

Important Notes about My Canine Cancer Dog Diet

• Feeding a high quality, no-grain / low-carb food like Natura’s Innova Evo line is good for cancer patients.
• Kelp, alfalfa and green foods in general are great for dogs with compromised immune systems. Kelp has many essential minerals, and binds with toxins in the gastrointestinal tract to prevent their absorption in the body.
• Fish oils have Omega3 fatty acids, which can help with arthritis, make me more flexible, and keep my cardiovascular system in top shape.
• Vitamin C should not be fed at the same time as fish oil. Give separately (i.e.; morning and evening)
• Organic Cold Pressed Flax Seed Oil is best.
• If your dog has arthritis like Jerry, they may find yummy relief with Zuke’s Power Bones. Zuke’s makes a treat with glucosamine and chondroitin, and they also contribute to the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund.

Save on Supplements – Shop Online:

• See our Syn-Flex glucosamine supplement for dogs product review.
• Kalyx.com: Herbs and All Natural Supplements
• Click to save on quality herbs, vitamins, and natural beauty products from Botanic Choice!
• Shop at MotherNature.com for thousands of all-natural Health & Wellness products.

Further Reading: Canine Cancer Diet Health

• Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats
• Earl Mindell’s Nutrition & Health for Dogs: Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy with Natural Preventative Care and Remedies
• Dr. Jane’s Natural Care for a Healthier, Happier Dog
• The Ultimate Diet : Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats

It’s estimated that thousands of cats and dogs died from the recent outbreak of contaminated pet food. How could so many animal lovers let this happen to their beloved pets? The sad truth is, they just didn’t know any better. Until my own dog got sick from a diet of cheap food, I didn’t know either.

Like most people, at one time I put a lot of faith in the big brand pet foods. I believed the claims about how nutritious their food would be for my dog. In the first years of Jerry Dog’s life, I chose his food by buying whatever seemed better than the generic bulk stuff at Winco. Jerry ate it up, and grew into what I thought was a healthy adult dog. But when he got to be about 5, his teeth started yellowing, and his skin turned flaky. Then he started having seizures. After some expensive trips to his vet, I started doing my own research. All I had to do was Google “commercial pet food ingredients.” What I found, horrified me, and it should scare you too.

Why be afraid? Because if you’re not careful, you can end up feeding your pet road kill, moldy grains, pesticides, and ev cancerous flesh cut from slaughterhouse leftovers. If the pet food industry told the truth about what’s really in their food, the ingredients would read like something out of a horror movie. For example;

Do you think your pet is getting real meat in that bag of kibble? Think again. It’s nothing like the meat you would put on the table for dinner. The biggest source of animal protein in ordinary store bought pet food comes from what the industry refers to as “4-D Animals”. What are the four Ds? They are: Dead, diseased, dying or disabled animals. The meat from these 4-D animals comes from dead stock removal companies that supply rendering plants. Whatever can’t get sold as human grade animal protein in food operations, gets sold as pet food. What’s even more alarming, is the American Veterienary Medical Association and the FDA have confirmed that some of these 4-D processors have supplied euthanized cats and dogs to the plants. And although that practice isn’t encouraged, it’s not against the law.

There is no such thing as FDA oversight when it comes to pet food processing inspections; the federal government leaves it up to the states, which are doing a lousy job so far.

Commercial pet food manufacturers are allowed to put a slew of preservatives into their food, including known carcinogens like BHA, BHT and even an insecticide that’s been linked to liver cancer. In fact, the average dog can consume as much as 26 pounds of these “preservatives” every year from eating commercial dog foods.

There are other ingredients in pet food that might not be as shocking, but they can be just as bad for your pet’s health. In fact, the primary ingredient in these foods are fillers comprised of nothing more than the leftovers of cereals and grains produced for humans. These wheat byproducts have little or no nutritional value, and are the cause of many pet allergies and skin conditions, like the flaky skin that bothered my dog Jerry.

We all know someone who has a dog or cat in poor health, with some kind of hard to treat ailment. But it hasn’t always been this way. Studies proove that until just a few decades ago, animals rarely went to the vet, and they lived longer and healthier lives. So, what’s changed?

Well, mass produced pet food hasn’t always been around. Before the 1950s, pets used to eat table scraps every night. But by the 1960s, food manufacturers saw how cheap it was to repackage waste ingredients and call it “pet food.” They sold the public on the convenience of a dry kibble diet for Rover, and it wasn’t long before the pet food industry took off, and people forgot what animals used to eat in the old days.

It’s taken a few decades, but the rise in pet health problems has a direct correlation to we’ve been feeding them. The saying “You are what you eat” holds true for people, and studies prove that it holds true for our pets too.

When a pet is growing, it’s not easy to see the effects of this poor quality food right away. The symptoms are gradual, and might start with high strung behaviour caused by high salt content found in many pet foods. My own dog started out healthy and seemed to be growing fine by eating Purina dog food. But it finally caught up with him by age 5.

Like many people, I waited until he was obviously sick to make a change. After drawing the connection between his food and his health, I completely changed his diet and opted to follow what’s known as a “BARF,” or “Bones and Raw Food” diet. This diet is one of the healthiest diets a pet can eat, and is what I highly recommend for anyone who cares about their pet’s health.

The BARF diet means that instead of “mystery meat” from a can, our dog now eats raw chicken, beef and turkey. Raw you say? Yes, Raw. It makes sense if you consider what animals ate before they became domesticated. In the wild, they hunted, killed, tore apart and devoured every bit of their prey. Sure, our pets are far from the killer hunters they used to be, but their digestive systems have not changed. Now, I don’t have a lot of time to get into this, but my handout has some great websites you can visit to learn more about this and other high quality diets that will change your pet’s health for the better.

Once I switched to the BARF diet, Jerry’s seizures stopped. And, I thought we were safe, until last year, when he was diagnosed with bone cancer. Honestly, I really can’t help but think that the poor quality food we fed him in his puppy years had something do do with it. He’s successfully beating the cancer despite the loss of a leg, and he has outlived the vet’s prognosis. I know that his ultra healthy diet is helping him win the battle.

I really hope that you and your pet never have to go through what we’ve gone through with Jerry. The best way to avoid this, is to start feeding your pet a better quality diet from day one. The best type of food you can feed your pet is food you make yourself. It’s really easy to do, and only takes minutes a day. By feeding your pet a combination of certain raw meats and vegetables, and being aware of a few nutrition guidelines, you’re giving your pet the best diet possible.

But if you’re hesitant about trying out a homemade diet, look for your closest premium/natural pet food resource that can help you make a switch to a premium, store bought pet food diet. These stores only carry premium and “human grade” foods that don’t contain wheat by products or fillers. You won’t see this stuff at Safeway. They even carry frozen raw foods for your pet.

Sure, premium food costs more, but pound for pound, you get more out of it in the end. As the saying goes, you’ll either pay now or pay later; by investing in your pet’s diet now, you’ll avoid costly trips to the vet in the future.

So, if you truly care about your pets health, don’t fall for the heartwarming commercials with talking kittens and puppies. Know what you’re putting in their mouths.