Docu Wire

As you may know by now, a consumer alert has been released for contaminated Diamond pet foods for dogs and cats. Over 100 canine deaths have already been linked to Diamond pet foods contaminated by the potentially deadly toxin Aflatoxin.

Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxic chemical byproduct that results from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops. The fungus typically develops on crops during severe high temperature stress and drought conditions followed by high levels of humidity.

Aflatoxin is similar to another toxic byproduct, Vomitoxin, that was found in Nature’s Recipe brand dog food in 1995.

Dogs could experience liver trouble, liver failure and even death due to the contaminated food. Scientists say about two-thirds of dogs that show symptoms from the toxin have died.

While there have not been any reports of cat health issues or fatalities due to the recall, five Diamond cat food formulas have been recalled due to the presence of aflatoxin. 24 states and 20 pet food products manufactured by Diamond are affected by the recall.

Symptoms of potential illness in dogs can include a sudden and unusual loss of appetite; severe, persistent vomiting combined with bloody diarrhea; discolored urine; fever; and yellow whites of the eyes, yellow gums, and/or yellow in the belly or areas where hair is very thin.

If your dog or cat has consumed Diamond, Country Value or Professional brand pet foods and is showing clinical signs of aflatoxin, you should stop using that food and consult your veterinarian immediately.

From a Pet Health Standpoint

This is certainly a rare and isolated case in fact, it’s the first pet food recall by Diamond in over 35 years of operation but the Diamond Pet Food recall news is the latest example to underscore just how important the quality of the food you feed your cats and dogs food is — it can literally make the difference between a long, healthy life for your pet and an unexpected, needless death.

From a pet care and nutrition standpoint, there are several issues to consider regarding the contaminated foods in this case:

• Toxic mold on grains - Most pet food formula ingredient labels feature at least one variety of whole grain or processed grain, and many contain several types of grain. What the labels don’t list, however, is the source and quality of the grains. It’s important to research pet foods and select ones that only use grains purchased from major commercial suppliers and that have the grains tested and retested by specialized labs to ensure the highest possible quality — as well as to prevent the possiblity of toxic molds being introduced into the pet foods. While grain is often cheaper when purchased from smaller or less reputable operations, the risk of toxic mold is greater.
  
• Corn used in dog foods - The use of corn in so many of Diamond’s dog food is of some concern. While corn is a whole grain frequently found in cat food formulas, it’s more difficult to digest by dogs (as well as humans) and can cause allergic reactions in some dogs. The feline digestive system can better utilize corn, and corn also delivers important dietary benefits to cats and kittens, but in dog foods it simply serves as a low-cost filler, albeit one that many manufacturers like Diamond use in order to save money.

  Corn passes right through a dog, providing little to no nutritional value. If a dog food, such as Diamond’s Premium Adult Formula for Dogs, lists corn as the first or second ingredient on its label, the customer can expect to pay for up to 25% filler in that food.

• Best by dates - In general, foods will spoil without some form of temperature control or preservatives. While natural preservatives such as mixed tocopherols prevent foods from becoming rancid, they generally have a limited peak freshness of only six to twelve months in ideal conditions (stored in cool, dry environments). After six months — or much sooner if stored in hot or humid conditions — the product’s quality begins to quickly deteriorate.

  Chemical antioxidants like BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin can extend the shelf life and reduce fat spoilage (rancidity) in pet foods and pet treats, but they have been shown to frequently result in dry skin, allergic reactions, dental disease, and poor health, as well as stimulate adverse effects on liver and kidney functions.

  The fact that Diamond foods manufactured between September and December of 2005 carry “best by” dates between March 1 and June 10, 2007 — 18 months from the date of production — is concerning. The ingredients labels for many of Diamond’s pet foods show that mixed tocopherols are used in the formulas, but the listed “best by” dates contradict their use, or at very least, greatly overestimate the longevity of their efficacy.

• Meat by-products - While not directly related to the pet food recall, a quick glance at the ingredients of Diamond dog food formulas and those of other pet foods shows that animal byproducts continue to constitute a large portion of many pet foods. Meat byproducts are ground, rendered and cleaned slaughtered meat carcass parts such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, bones, heads, and intestines (and a small amount of feathers in the case of chicken byproducts) — yes, animal byproducts are indeed as gross and disgusting as they sound.

  In many cases, byproduct meals are derived from “4-D” meat sources — defined as food animals that have been rejected for human consumption because they were presented to the meat packing plant as “Dead, Dying, Diseased or Disabled.” Additionally, ingredients listed as “beef, chicken, and/or poultry by-products” on pet food labels are not required to include actual meat, and “rendered meat” on pet food labels can refer to ANY rendered mammal meat, including dogs and cats!

  Despite their questionable quality, animal byproducts continue to be used in the majority of lower-grade pet foods and even many of the larger name brands that market themselves as “premium pet food” manufacturers for one simple reason — they are cheaper to use than higher quality, human-grade meat sources.

Your pet’s health and wellness depends largely on the food that you feed him or her. It’s important to research your pet’s food and ensure that you are using a pet food that offers the highest quality ingredients with absolutely none of the animal byproducts, unhealthy fillers, artificial additives and chemical preservatives of the typical cat and dog food brands.

To learn more about what to look for in a pet food, click to read our Top 10 Reasons to Make the Switch to a Healthier Pet Food.

Flint River Ranch wellness pet foods from A+ Flint River Ranch are all natural, oven baked healthy taste delights for your dogs and cats formulated with the highest quality ingredients.

Copyright A+ Flint River Ranch. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.

http://www.aplusfrr.com

It is a fact, dog groomers need to buy high quality products to use in their dog grooming business. Just like hair dresses buy high quality shampoos, conditioners, hairsprays and such, a dog groomer need to buy high quality dog shampoos to make sure their clients are happy with the results.

Did you ever think about creating a second income stream from those products you already buy anyway? Think about it : each time you go to your hair dresser, there is a nice showcase of expensive hair products on sale. Why? Because they know that if you like the effect the products had on your hair when you had them done there, you might be interested in taking some products home with you to continue to take good care of your hair.

Now, why not do the same in your grooming salon?

Ok, giving a dog a bath is not something you want the owners to do very often, because you want them to come back to you to do it. But that does not mean you can’t sell them some products!

The trick is to sell them products from the same high quality company, and make a profit from those sales. For example, the company I work with sells high quality dog shampoos, but they also sell a deodorizer, and breath control products made especially for pets. This could be a great line to use : you tell the owner you use the company shampoo, and you tell them they can take some home, or take some other hygiene products with them.

The result? Instead of making money on the grooming itself alone, you can now be making money from the sale of high quality health products your clients will enjoy!

It gets even better : if you take the time to select a high quality product line, you can be sure many clients will buy again and again, so with a single client, you could be making more money each and every month.

=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
Get more info at http://www.cutepuppydog.com/DogGrooming2.html
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~

It’s not a pleasant topic…but anyone with kids or pets will
face this seemingly daunting housekeeping task! So here’s some
good advice on how to clean vomit.

To make your life easier,here are some tips on how to clean
vomit, remove the stains and get rid oflingering odors caused by
the unavoidable accident of an animal or child.Note: Old stains
and stains that have been set by heat are in the
“difficult-if-not-impossible” category. That’s why it is so
important to act quickly after the accident occurs.

Being a parent or a dog or cat owner means you are going to have
to clean up vomit from your floor at some point, probably more
than once. When the crime has been committed on a carpeted area,
it’s usually possible to restore the scene to its original
condition. Read all the tips given and decide which one works
best for you.

1. Remove as much of the vomit as possible from the carpet (or
whatever area ) without spreading the mess.

2. Always sponge such stains promptly with cool water.

3. Sponge the stain in a solution made by adding half a cup of
salt to two quarts of water. Rinse with plain water. This simple
treatment will remove most of the stain. Or soak with cool water
for 30 minutes or more.

4. After sponging or soaking, work undiluted liquid detergent
into the stain and rinse.

5. How to clean vomit on nonwashable materials: sponge the stain
with cool water or put a sponge over it and squirt cool water
through the cloth with a small syringe or medicine dropper. If
this does not remove the stain, work liquid detergent into it
and rinse. A final sponging with alcohol helps to remove the
detergent, and the fabric dries faster.

6. Keep blotting with clean rag or sponge. Rinse rag or sponge
frequently.

NOTE: Some products like hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, bleach or
alcohol can actually bleach or change the color in some fabrics,
so be sure to test fabric in an area that is not visible. When
using any chemical or liquid on fabric you should PROCEED WITH
CAUTION. If you are unsure as to how your carpet or upholstery
might be affected you should call a professional cleaning
technician in your area.

More simple tips on how to clean vomit:

Steps: 1. Remove as much of the vomit as possible from the
carpet without spreading the mess. 2. Pour dry cleaning fluid
over the stain. 3. Blot the stain with a dry, white cloth. 4.
Apply a small amount of mild liquid detergent to the stain. 5.
Blot again with the cloth. 6. Flood the stain with water. 7.
Blot again with the cloth. 8. Pour a small amount of ammonia
over the stain. 9. Blot again. 10. Apply a little more detergent
to the stain. 11. Blot again. 12. Flood the area with water. 13.
Blot one last time. Additional tips on how to clean vomit 1.
Always test the cleaning solutions on an inconspicuous part of
the carpet before using them on a large area. 2. Use a white
cloth rather than a colored one to prevent any dyes from coming
off on the carpet. 3. As you blot, keep turning the cloth so
that you are using a clean, dry section to pick up the stain and
the cleaning fluids from the carpet. Don’t rub. 4. If using a
brush to help clean the stain, always brush from the outer edges
of the spill inward to prevent the stain from spreading.

One last tip: In a spray bottle, make a solution of 1/3 alcohol,
1/3 white vinegar and 1/3 cool water. Use this solution as the
cleaning agent. It generally works very well and negates the use
of chemical cleaning agents. Being the doting owner of two cats,
I always keep this solution on hand — and use often.

Dogs love to have fun and now they can join in on the good times by wearing their own pet Halloween costume. Take a look at some of these great costumes available online. Most costumes come in small, medium, large, with some in X-tra large.

==>Buycostumes.com >> $9 - $19

Star Wars Characters: Darth Vader, Princess Leia, and Yoda - now your pooch can get in on all the light saber action of Star Wars. The Yoda outfit will have you yapping with laughter.

Zorro - he’s cool, dashing, and ready to save all the ladies in distress.

Wonder Woman - don’t mess with this lady, boys–she’ll use her superpowers to send you to the pound.

==>Petco.com >> $11 - $16

Dracula - your dog will be a cute little blood sucker in this outfit, with its black and red cape, also includes authentic looking Dracula hair.

Frankenstein - other dogs will turn green with envy when they see your little monster strutting around in this outfit.

Pink Princess - she already knows she’s a princess, but she gets to show it off in this pretty pink dress and matching fairy tale hat.

==>DrsFosterSmith.com >> $12

50s Poodle Skirt - she’ll be bopping around the clock in this adorable pink poodle skirt with black and white striped top.

Rock Star - this white glam jumpsuit will conjure up fond memories of the Elvis Vegas era–for cool dogs who love the limelight.

Superman - faster than a speeding car, able to leap tall fences in a single bound, lookit’s superdog!

==>Amazon.com / Pet Friendzy >> $8 - $15

Muscles Bound Hound - time to show eveyone that pumping iron isn’t just a human sport–costume comes with built in plush barbells.

Pup Royale - for dogs who are a step above the “common folk”–regal red cape with spotted trim–and of course, a hat to give it the crowning touch.

Lil’ Scarecrow - fresh out of the cornfield, this little outfit is sure to scare up some doggie treats.

==>Glamourdog.com >> $16 - $44

Bumble Bee - they’ll be buzzing about how cute your dog looks in this honey of an outfit.

Prisoner - your little rascal will be a model prisoner in this black and white homage to inmate couture.

Pirate - the scull and crossbones says it alldon’t mess with this sea going ruffian.

Lady Bug - you’re bound for some good luck with this cute little lady bug scampering about your home.

Cheer Leader - three cheers for this C. U. T. E. dog costume.

Football Player - sporty dogs will get a kick out of this fun outfitthrow him a doggie treat and watch him run for a touchdown.

About The Author

© Donna Monday

Brownies, Cheesecake, Fudge and more . . .

http://www.best-brownie-recipes.com