Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe During the Warm Weather Months
While summer is a time of outdoor fun for both people and their dogs, it can also be a time of additional hazards. Here is a list of summer safety tips for pets to help owners keep their four-legged companions happy and healthy all season long:
- Take a pet first aid/CPR course to be prepared for a crisis in any season.
- Water safety is key – Never force or throw a dog into the water. Also, never allow a dog into a pool or lake unattended. If possible, put a floatation device on the dog prior to him entering the water.
- Never allow a dog to drink water from a pool or lake, and rinse him off well when he comes out of the water. Pool water contains chlorine, which will make him sick, and lake water is full of bacteria that can cause illness. Similarly, salty ocean water will cause a dog to get sick, as well.
- Just like people, pets can get sunburned, especially hairless breeds and those with light hair, pink skin, paw pads and/or noses. Use a pet sunscreen product and make sure the dog has a shady place in which to go. Read more…
Put On A Happy Face
Can dogs pick up on your facial cues during a training session? According to research conducted in the United Kingdom, the answer is yes. A study by Dr. Kun Guo and a team of researchers at the University of Lincoln says using a phenomenon called “left-gaze bias,” dogs can read the emotions on human faces in much the same way we do.
The “left-gaze bias” theory says when people meet strangers, their gaze tends to shift to the left to watch the right side of the unfamiliar face, because human faces are lopsided when it comes to displaying emotion – the right side of a human face is more expressive than the left, because of the differences between the two hemispheres of the brain – and moods such as anger, pleasure and fright are expressed more clearly on the right side.
Dr. Guo and his researchers videotaped 17 dogs as they looked at images of human faces, dog faces, monkey faces and inanimate objects. Analysis of the tapes revealed when dogs were shown human faces, they consistently exhibited “left-gaze bias,” yet when non-human faces were shown, the researchers detected no real reaction from the dogs. Prior to this study, “left-gaze bias” had never been seen in non-humans.
The study suggests that over thousands of years of domestication, dogs have developed the “left-gaze bias” as a way to gauge our emotions. So the next time you go into a training session, be sure to wear your “game face”… your canine friends will be watching!
Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Diamond Recall Now Includes Cat Food
Now Diamond has quietly added cat food to its growing list of products being recalled due to possible salmonella contamination, which poses a serious risk to pets and people. Diamond brands include, Chicken Soup For The Cat Lovers Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Premium Edge, Professional, 4 Heatlh, Taste of the Wild, Apex, Kirkland Signature and Kirkland Signature Natural Domain.
Two shelter cats have already died as a result of eating some of this food, and a third is sick. The article in this link has much more detail about this latest recall, along with the most updated list from Diamond and a link to Diamond’s recall web page - http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/never-ending-pet-food-recall-diamond-cat-food-latest-culprit
Go Ballistic!
New Additions to KONG’s Ballistic Toy Line Are Made for Rough and Tumble Play But Show Their Softer Side
The KONG Ballistic Football has an elongated shape with seams designed for easy gripping.
GOLDEN, Colo. – They may look like ordinary soft and cuddly fleece-covered toys, but make no mistake – KONG’s Ballistic toys are tough and can take whatever dogs can dish out. And now the heavy-duty design that combines the comfort of a soft plush toy with the strength and durability of ballistic nylon comes in two new shapes – Football and Cookie in medium and large, and a new medium size for the Bone. With their multi-layer design, industrial grade nylon webbing and eight rows of stitching with heavy-duty thread, these Ballistic toys are KONG tough.
The new shapes add even more thrills to the Ballistic line, which includes Boomerang, Ring, Tug and Bone shapes. Dogs love playing with balls of all shapes, which is one of the reasons KONG developed a Ballistic Football. The unique elongated toy is shaped like a traditional football, but the textured seams provide more gripping surface for both the dog and the owner. The addition of a medium size in the Bone shape allows smaller dogs and large-breed puppies to experience the enjoyment and durability of Ballistic toys in a more appropriate size. Read more…
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula Dry Food Added to Recall
May 18, 2012
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula samples, 6 pound and 18 pound bag sizes, manufactured on Aug. 26, 2011, have been added to the limited voluntary recall, due to potential exposure to Salmonella. No illnesses have been reported.
The product was distributed in the following states, further distribution through other pet food channels may have occurred:
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Wisconsin
Production Code & Best Before Dates:
DSL0801, 26-Aug-2012
DSL0801, 26-Aug-2012
DSL0801, 27-Sept- 2012 (Product manufactured on Aug. 26, 2011 and packaged on Sept. 27, 2011)
DSL0801, 18-Oct- 2012 (Product manufactured on Aug. 26, 2011 and packaged on Oct. 18, 2011)
DSL0801, (Samples)
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, or who would like replacement product or a refund, may contact Diamond Pet Foods via a toll free call at 1-866-918-8756, Monday through Sunday, 8 am – 6pm EST.
Diamond Pet Foods apologizes for any issues this may have caused pet owners and their pets.
Pretty Poisons
Tips from Cardinal Pet Care to Protect Your Pet from the Hazards in Summer Gardens
Fragrant, colorful flowers and lush greenery delight the senses this time of year, but summer’s beautiful foliage can also pose a hazard to your pet. Some of our most popular garden plants and shrubs can be highly toxic to a dog or cat if ingested. The sprays and chemicals used to treat lawns and gardens are another potential poison threat for pets during the warm weather months. Cardinal Pet Care wants to ensure the season is happy and fun for pets and their people, and offers the following advice from the ASPCA to prevent poisonings and what to do if owners suspect their pets have been poisoned.
The website for the ASPCA (www.aspca.org) has a searchable database of plants that are toxic to pets, and some of the most common ornamental summer plants can be harmful – or even fatal – if ingested by pets. There is even an iPhone app that owners can download so they always have the database at hand.
Some of the more common hazardous plants are:
- Japanese Yew
- English Ivy
- Hibiscus
- Easter Lily (toxic to cats; non-toxic to dogs)
- Geranium
- Rhododendron
The concern is not necessarily having the plant growing in a garden, because most pets aren’t just going to start chewing on the plants. The issue is with the clippings that get left behind after trimming and pruning. Pet owners should make sure to clean up all clippings after trimming the shrubbery or flowers to ensure dogs and cats don’t accidentally ingest any part of a potentially poisonous plant. Read more…
The following information is from the FDA website:
Correction to Date Code in Natural Balance Pet Foods’ Voluntary Recall Dated May 4, 2012 Due to the Potential for Salmonella Contamination
Contact:
Consumer:
(800) 829-4493
Media:
Daniel Bernstein
(310) 902-2554
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 11, 2012 – On May 4, 2012, Natural Balance Pet Foods announced a voluntary recall of certain dry pet food formulas manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods at their Gaston, South Carolina facility. Link to original press release: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm303042.htm
The original press release contained a typographical error in the Best By Date of one of the products listed. It stated a Best By Date of March 12, 2013 when it should have been March 13, 2013.
The incorrect Best By Date listed was:
5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog UPC# 7-23633-88650-5
Lot Code NBH0103 Best By Date: March 12, 2013
The correct Best By Date is:
5 LB Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Venison Dog UPC# 7-23633-88650-5
Lot Code NBH0103 Best By Date: March 13, 2013
Natural Balance Pet Foods apologizes for any potential confusion this may have caused.
Pet owners who are unsure if the product they purchased is included in the recall, or who would like replacement product or a refund, may contact Natural Balance Pet Foods Customer Service at (800) 829-4493 (8am – 5pm, PST). Consumers may also go to www.naturalbalanceinc.com 
for more information.
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