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be considered when chosing what side your dog will stay on:
"Since smaller dogs are intimidated by larger dogs with booming voices,
we require those more "talkitive", larger dogs to board with us in our 8 x 6
Gold runs. This will make the smaller, more nervous dogs' stay with us more
relaxing. Who the large dogs with big voices are will be determined by us
based on their behavior while staying with us."
Join us and Second Chance Greyhounds this weekend, May 16th, at
O'Neal Plaza in Douglasville for the Taste for Douglasville Arts
celebration.
I want to announce that a new greyhound adoption group has begun!
The new group is made up of several of our good friends, who have
been very active in greyhound adoption for many years, and is called
Second Chance Greyhounds. Great name, huh? And the amazing thing
is, they thought that up without my help! Second Chance Greyhounds
promises to be a very energetic group, and will, together with the other
"greyt" greyhound adoption groups in and around Atlanta, help spread
the word about the sweetest dog you could ever possibly ask for. If you
have ever thought about adopting a greyhound, or even if you haven't,
but are seriously thinking of adding an indoor pet to your home, now's
the time to do it! No, no, they're not too big to be inside; they're just
right. They're the cleanest, quietest, sweetest dog IN the world, and they
won't only become your best friend, they'll change your life...for the
better! Adopting a greyhound will put you in the middle of a group of
like-minded, conscientious, animal friendly people. I ought to know,
because Tina and I have been involved in greyhound adoption since
1993, and have had eight greyhounds so far. I'm absolutely positive that
number will rise in the future. Once you own one, you'll never be
without those beautiful eyes looking up at you. Second Chance
Greyhounds tells it like it is, too. They'll tell you right up front that, even
today, many, many greyhounds, when they are no longer deemed
profitable, are destroyed. Can you believe it?!! Some are sent to
adoption groups, those unlucky ones are killed. Believe me, the ONLY
thing good about the dog racing industry is that it makes one of the most
wonderful breeds ever created easily available. Help us, folks. Let's
save those beautiful dogs from a very undeserving death. By doing so,
you'll realize along about day two of taking one home: wow, this is the
sweetest dog I've ever had!
We are fostering a new male greyhound at this time, Starfire! Starfire is a
big, beautiful boy, and would be great for your home. Starfire had a
good racing career going, but suffered a slight leg injury that put him out
of racing. He seems to be find now, though, and is ready to become your
favorite dog. We will soon be getting a new foster, a female. We're
unsure of which female we will be getting, but we should know
something this weekend. In fact, we will be joining Second Chance
Greyhounds this weekend at the Taste for Douglasville Arts event in and
around O'Neal Plaza, Saturday May 16th. So come look for us, and you
will be able to see Starfire and the mystery female we will be fostering.
I was reading the current issue of Whole Dog Journal last night, trying to
get sleepy enough to turn the light out, and they have a paragraph or two
about buying "pet store puppies". Oh, I highly recommend that you
subscribe to this terrific publication! Tons and tons of important articles
on behavior, health and just general information on dogs that everybody
should know. Anyway, they tell it like it really is, concerning buying pet
store puppies. I know how cute they are. I know just how sorry you feel
for them. And I know that you want to, worse than anything, get this
cute little pup out of this terrible place. But do you know where that
puppy comes from? They come from puppy mills, plain and simple. A
puppy mill is a puppy farm, where they have dozens of mama dogs,
breeding them over and over until they can no longer use them. The
puppies are given none of the early socialization or training that puppies
need so badly to become great adult dogs. And even though your desire
to give this puppy a break is high and noble, by doing so, you help keep
puppy mills in business. Actually, they're counting on people letting
emotions take over and feel sorry enough for that little guy to go against
their better judgement, fork out the BIG bucks and give that puppy a
better home. And although some puppies turn out fine, the greater
number of them live a life of poor health, costing you, the new owner, a
fortune over its sometimes short lifetime. Puppy mills are hard to catch,
and existing laws don't lay a knockout blow on these sorry people. They
can be put out of business, then move to another location and start it up
again. Over and over, puppy mill people move and reopen. So the only
way to stop them is to be hardhearted and ignore that puppy in the
window. And when you are ready for a puppy, and you don't want to
rescue a deserving little pup from the shelter or some other rescue
organization, check and double check the purebred breeder you're
considering buying a puppy from. Make sure you see the mother, and
see where the puppies live and how they were raised.
Do you wonder how Beechwood Trails began? We have been asked
numerous times, so I thought I would give you a short explanation.
Trust me, I could talk for a day or two on how it all happened, but,
amazingly, I kept it short. How It Began
We want to let you know that we will begin offering puppy classes here
soon! After recently raising Spirit, Sierra, Gypsy and Cisco, our Carolina
Dogs - or American Dingoes - we realize the need for good, solid, very
positive manners training. This will be simple training that will head off
problems that show up as a dogs develop. 10 to 12 weeks is the best
time for pups to learn. I know that you have heard that puppies
shouldn't be taken out before they've finished their puppy shots, but by
fifteen to sixteen weeks, the narrow window for learning proper
socialization is beginning to close. So puppy classes given by folks like
us, who know to thoroughly disinfect the area the puppies are to train in,
is the best possible answer. Puppies are easy to aim in the right
direction, and the simple things that you do in their early weeks will
make your dog a joy to be with for its lifetime. So many dogs end up
turned in to Animal Control offices everywhere. Million upon millions
of dogs are destroyed each year, and the biggest reason is that they
became too much trouble to their owners. The reason they became too
much trouble is that they were never taught basic manners when they
were puppies. Just imagine the number of children today that haven't a
clue as to proper manners. And if people don't even teach their children,
they certainly don't do anything about their dogs. Then, when their dog
grows into something they can no longer control, either with barking,
digging, or worse, biting, and they don't want to bother with finding a
qualified behavior consultant, the most simple, but heartless, thing is
dispose of them. All of this can be prevented by simply teaching simple
manners to a very easy to teach puppy. We are being mentored by one
of the best trainers in the business, Anne Hudson, owner of Fun Pups in
Peachtree City. Anne is a good friend and has been training, using
positive methods for over 30 years. She has been encouraging us to
begin our own training classes. She has even offered to come help us get
started! So please let us know that you would like to get your puppy
started off on the right paw! Things that will be covered will be basics,
such as, loose leash walking, "sit", "down", "stay", "leave it", not jumping,
and a reliable "come". These simple obedience commands, although
helpful in managing puppies and dogs alike, pale in importance to
socialization. Poor social skills, toward people and other dogs, is the
one thing that causes the most problems in the dog/owner relationship,
and the most anxiety within the untrained dog. All will be done with
kindness, and with no force, no anger, no choke collars and NO shock
collars! Giving a puppy the opportunity to choose correct behavior by
rewarding that correct behavior and ignoring improper behavior will
grow their intelligence, rather than forcing them to do things in a
structured fashion. It's like a math teacher telling your child that
7 x 5 = 35, and not to worry how we got there, just remember the answer
is 35. If the child is taught WHY 7 x 5 = 35, their brain develops the
power to figure things out for themselves. Puppies need that ability and
opportunity to learn, not forced to do things at their owners bidding. So
please consider putting your young pup in what will be a fun,
light-hearted class it and you will enjoy.
We want to announce that after some long, hard consideration, we will
be changing what we feed dogs that stay here. We have been sold on
Canidae, one of the finest pet foods made, for years, but Canidae made a
formula change last year that has, in a small minority of the dog
population, caused system upsets. We have seen this in a very small
number of guests and in our own pack at home, causing us to change
these few dogs to a easier to digest food, which stoped the problem
pronto. We will, of course, continue to carry Canidae for our customers
who are happy with it and whose dogs do well on it.
In Canidae's place, we have ferreted out an exceptional food, that fulfills
everything we expect from a great dog food, and more. It's a small
company...for now, that we expect will do very well once it becomes well
known. The company is Nature's Select, and it's ingredient list reads as
impressively as any premium food on the market.
One of the things that told us that Natures Select is the "real deal", is our
greyhound, Windy. Windy is the member of our pack who has had
issues with Canidae's formula change, and after the very first, trial, meal
of Nature's Select, it "firmed" her up like we have never seen before.
Windy, being our guinea pig, after several days of Nature's Select, has
done better than we had hoped for.
So, alongside Canidae, we will offer Nature's Select here for sale. Come
in and take a look at this fine food, if you are looking to change your
dog's diet.
I know many of you give your dogs chicken jerky products as snacks.
Please read the information below. I checked the FDA website and
copied it here to our News Page. If you are like Tina and I, we pretty
much cull out anything, for our dogs or for us, made in China. I suggest
you consider doing the same.
Preliminary Animal Health Notification
December 19, 2008
FDA Continues To Receive Complaints about Chicken Jerky Products for
Dogs and Cautions Consumers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to caution
consumers of a potential association between the development of illness
in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as
chicken tenders, strips or treats. FDA continues to receive complaints of
dogs experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate
with consumption of chicken jerky products. The chicken jerky products
are imported to the U.S. from China. FDA issued a cautionary warning to
consumers in September 2007.
Australian news organizations report the University of Sydney is also
investigating an association between illness in dogs and the
consumption of chicken jerky in Australia. At least one firm in Australia
has recalled their chicken jerky product and the recall notification stated
the chicken jerky product was manufactured in China.
FDA believes the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with
the information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder
and animal health notification.
Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and
are intended to be
used occasionally and in small quantities. Owners of small dogs must
be especially careful to limit the amount of these products.
FDA, in addition to several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the U.S,
is working to determine why these products are associated with illness
in dogs. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive
cause for the reported illnesses. FDA has conducted extensive chemical
and microbial testing but has not identified any contaminant.
FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky
products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs
which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product: decreased
appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to the
exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea,
sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or
increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the
chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs
are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate
kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may
indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs
appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have
died.
The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem. Many of the
illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken
jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal
illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint
Coordinator
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html in their
state.
Web page updated by hd - December 19, 2008, 1:12 PM ET
Pet nutrition is SO important. Not only what's good nutrition, but
identifying what's bad. What should be stayed far and clear of is as
important as what you should, after paying attention to the ingredient
list, feed your pets. PLEASE pay attention to that ingredient list!!! That
is your only way of knowing what goes in your pet's stomach. Pay NO
attention to what commercials on TV, radio or in print, say. Pay NO
attention to what your neighbor feeds their pet, what your vet says to
feed your pet, or what I say to feed your pet. ONLY pay attention to
what that ingredient list says. Now, if, after understanding what goes
into your pet's food by reading that ingredient list, you decide that Brand
A is what you should feed your pet, and then you hear on the news that
they lied, it's being recalled, and really you've been feeding your pet saw
dust and corn chips, then you've got a legal beef with that pet food
company. But if that rare instance happens, you still made your choice
on good, clear and rational knowledge. To keep that from happening,
you need to listen to folks who make it their business to give good ,
precise information. Enter the Whole Dog Journal. These folks rate pet
foods, letting you know what's good, what's not so good and what's bad.
If your pet's dry food ingredient list begins with corn or any other grain,
you are feeding your pet a grain based diet. If your pet's canned food
ingredient list begins with water, you are feeding your pet mainly water.
Neither of these scenarios are good. Dogs and cats are carnivores. The
number one thing on the ingredient list should be meat! Throw in some
good, healthy and beneficial whole grains (corn shouldn't be seen) and
some vegetables, and the pet probably won't mind you sneaking them in.
Just don't tell them it's in there, cause dogs want meat! We're not just
trying to sell Canidae and Nature's Select Pet Foods; it's one of several
high quality foods on the market. But PLEASE feed your pet one of
them, after you've determined that what you do feed is junk food. How
can a pet owner know which ones are good? Subscribe to the Whole Dog
Journal, or drop by here and read ours.
NEWS
For those of you who have been by the Lodge lately, you've probably
noticed a new face here, joining Dottie as our little greeter. Since I was
discussing Lita and Jesse's puppies, and Carolina dogs in general, we
found a Carolina dog at the Douglas County Shelter. I saw her face in
Petfinder.com, and as soon as I saw her, I knew exactly what she was.
We rushed to the Shelter and saved her life. I sent her pictures to Dr.
Brsibin in Aiken, SC (the father of the breed), and he, like I, nearly
flipped. Sunny was apparently caught wild here in the Douglas County
area of West Georgia, giving us the notion that Carolina dogs may exist
here as they do in East Georgia along the Savannah River. Dr. Brisbin
keeps up with where Carolinas are found, so he's asked me to find out
GPS coordinates where she was found. So, because I just happened to
look at pictures of the dogs in the Douglas County Shelter on Petfinder,
Sunny will be a famous part of our Carolina Dog research. Sunny
appears to be a perfect Carolina dog, perhaps on the smaller end of the
breed standard. But, when you think about it, if these dogs have been
here for thousands of years, as Dr. Brisbin's research finding suggests, if
they are found here in the Chattahoochee area, as they are in East Georgia
along the Savannah, this group has been separated from their East
Georgia cousins for hundreds of years, which could very well explain
why Sunny may be slightly smaller. Just as New Guinea singing dogs
and Australian dingoes, both likely having the same origin, have been
separated for thousands of years explains how they evolved differently.
And, yes, if I look wet in the photo, I had just finished bathing Sunny,
and, well, she saw to it that I got as wet as I got her! Isn't she beautiful?!!
Friends, we are very lucky to have Carroll County Humane Society's
West Georgia Spay Neuter Clinic up and operating now! Offering low
cost spay neuter is a great way to battle runaway pet overpopulation.
Not only is this for folks who, because of the cost of doing so, would
avoid spaying and neutering their pets, but it's a wonderful place for all
of us to save a buck.
We need West Georgia Spay Neuter Clinic to stay in business, so please
take full advantage of their terrific prices! When I say terrific: to spay an
under 60 lbs female dog, it would cost you $65! Please call them and
schedule having your pet spayed and neutered. Too, if you know
someone who can't/won't have their pets "fixed", and they are constantly
having litters they need to find homes for, give them a much needed gift
of a "fixing". You'll not only help your neighbor, but you will do
wonders for your neighborhood. Call 678-840-8072 or go to
www.westgeorgiaspayneuter.com
You wouldn't believe how many people have come in to take a tour of
the Lodge, and tell us about having used West Georgia Spay Neuter, and
are SO complementary! We knew this was a great idea, and we're so
glad Carroll County has done such a bang-up job, and made something
we can all be proud of and use.
Please visit our new "Available Pets" page by clicking on its dog bone
button on the left if you are looking to make a big difference in a dog or
cat's life. There are so many deserving animals out there, and all they
need is for someone like you to give them a life saving break. Of all the
dogs I've had in my lifetime (mega numerous), both those I've bought
and those I rescued, looking back, those that I rescued have, by far, made
the biggest impact on my life, and have done more than nearly anything
else to shape who I am today. I will spend the rest of my life looking on
dirt roads for the next set of "Alabama Kids" (See our "About Us" page to
see the Alabama Kids).
Please join our SEGA friends at the Chapel Hill Road Petsmart on the 4th
Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon for SEGA's monthly meet &
greet. If you're thinking of adding a new friend to your household,
please consider an ex-racing greyhound! They make wonderfully sweet,
quiet, extremely clean and loving pets. You're going to laugh, but forget
about adopting just one. Go ahead, jump in with both feet and adopt
two right off the bat! You'll never be sad you did, and you'll get to watch
some of the wildest games of chase in your yard you've ever seen. Man,
can they fly! It'll put a smile on your face, I guarantee it.
"Since smaller dogs are intimidated by larger dogs with booming voices,
we require those more "talkitive", larger dogs to board with us in our 8 x 6
Gold runs. This will make the smaller, more nervous dogs' stay with us more
relaxing. Who the large dogs with big voices are will be determined by us
based on their behavior while staying with us."
Join us and Second Chance Greyhounds this weekend, May 16th, at
O'Neal Plaza in Douglasville for the Taste for Douglasville Arts
celebration.
I want to announce that a new greyhound adoption group has begun!
The new group is made up of several of our good friends, who have
been very active in greyhound adoption for many years, and is called
Second Chance Greyhounds. Great name, huh? And the amazing thing
is, they thought that up without my help! Second Chance Greyhounds
promises to be a very energetic group, and will, together with the other
"greyt" greyhound adoption groups in and around Atlanta, help spread
the word about the sweetest dog you could ever possibly ask for. If you
have ever thought about adopting a greyhound, or even if you haven't,
but are seriously thinking of adding an indoor pet to your home, now's
the time to do it! No, no, they're not too big to be inside; they're just
right. They're the cleanest, quietest, sweetest dog IN the world, and they
won't only become your best friend, they'll change your life...for the
better! Adopting a greyhound will put you in the middle of a group of
like-minded, conscientious, animal friendly people. I ought to know,
because Tina and I have been involved in greyhound adoption since
1993, and have had eight greyhounds so far. I'm absolutely positive that
number will rise in the future. Once you own one, you'll never be
without those beautiful eyes looking up at you. Second Chance
Greyhounds tells it like it is, too. They'll tell you right up front that, even
today, many, many greyhounds, when they are no longer deemed
profitable, are destroyed. Can you believe it?!! Some are sent to
adoption groups, those unlucky ones are killed. Believe me, the ONLY
thing good about the dog racing industry is that it makes one of the most
wonderful breeds ever created easily available. Help us, folks. Let's
save those beautiful dogs from a very undeserving death. By doing so,
you'll realize along about day two of taking one home: wow, this is the
sweetest dog I've ever had!
We are fostering a new male greyhound at this time, Starfire! Starfire is a
big, beautiful boy, and would be great for your home. Starfire had a
good racing career going, but suffered a slight leg injury that put him out
of racing. He seems to be find now, though, and is ready to become your
favorite dog. We will soon be getting a new foster, a female. We're
unsure of which female we will be getting, but we should know
something this weekend. In fact, we will be joining Second Chance
Greyhounds this weekend at the Taste for Douglasville Arts event in and
around O'Neal Plaza, Saturday May 16th. So come look for us, and you
will be able to see Starfire and the mystery female we will be fostering.
I was reading the current issue of Whole Dog Journal last night, trying to
get sleepy enough to turn the light out, and they have a paragraph or two
about buying "pet store puppies". Oh, I highly recommend that you
subscribe to this terrific publication! Tons and tons of important articles
on behavior, health and just general information on dogs that everybody
should know. Anyway, they tell it like it really is, concerning buying pet
store puppies. I know how cute they are. I know just how sorry you feel
for them. And I know that you want to, worse than anything, get this
cute little pup out of this terrible place. But do you know where that
puppy comes from? They come from puppy mills, plain and simple. A
puppy mill is a puppy farm, where they have dozens of mama dogs,
breeding them over and over until they can no longer use them. The
puppies are given none of the early socialization or training that puppies
need so badly to become great adult dogs. And even though your desire
to give this puppy a break is high and noble, by doing so, you help keep
puppy mills in business. Actually, they're counting on people letting
emotions take over and feel sorry enough for that little guy to go against
their better judgement, fork out the BIG bucks and give that puppy a
better home. And although some puppies turn out fine, the greater
number of them live a life of poor health, costing you, the new owner, a
fortune over its sometimes short lifetime. Puppy mills are hard to catch,
and existing laws don't lay a knockout blow on these sorry people. They
can be put out of business, then move to another location and start it up
again. Over and over, puppy mill people move and reopen. So the only
way to stop them is to be hardhearted and ignore that puppy in the
window. And when you are ready for a puppy, and you don't want to
rescue a deserving little pup from the shelter or some other rescue
organization, check and double check the purebred breeder you're
considering buying a puppy from. Make sure you see the mother, and
see where the puppies live and how they were raised.
Do you wonder how Beechwood Trails began? We have been asked
numerous times, so I thought I would give you a short explanation.
Trust me, I could talk for a day or two on how it all happened, but,
amazingly, I kept it short. How It Began
We want to let you know that we will begin offering puppy classes here
soon! After recently raising Spirit, Sierra, Gypsy and Cisco, our Carolina
Dogs - or American Dingoes - we realize the need for good, solid, very
positive manners training. This will be simple training that will head off
problems that show up as a dogs develop. 10 to 12 weeks is the best
time for pups to learn. I know that you have heard that puppies
shouldn't be taken out before they've finished their puppy shots, but by
fifteen to sixteen weeks, the narrow window for learning proper
socialization is beginning to close. So puppy classes given by folks like
us, who know to thoroughly disinfect the area the puppies are to train in,
is the best possible answer. Puppies are easy to aim in the right
direction, and the simple things that you do in their early weeks will
make your dog a joy to be with for its lifetime. So many dogs end up
turned in to Animal Control offices everywhere. Million upon millions
of dogs are destroyed each year, and the biggest reason is that they
became too much trouble to their owners. The reason they became too
much trouble is that they were never taught basic manners when they
were puppies. Just imagine the number of children today that haven't a
clue as to proper manners. And if people don't even teach their children,
they certainly don't do anything about their dogs. Then, when their dog
grows into something they can no longer control, either with barking,
digging, or worse, biting, and they don't want to bother with finding a
qualified behavior consultant, the most simple, but heartless, thing is
dispose of them. All of this can be prevented by simply teaching simple
manners to a very easy to teach puppy. We are being mentored by one
of the best trainers in the business, Anne Hudson, owner of Fun Pups in
Peachtree City. Anne is a good friend and has been training, using
positive methods for over 30 years. She has been encouraging us to
begin our own training classes. She has even offered to come help us get
started! So please let us know that you would like to get your puppy
started off on the right paw! Things that will be covered will be basics,
such as, loose leash walking, "sit", "down", "stay", "leave it", not jumping,
and a reliable "come". These simple obedience commands, although
helpful in managing puppies and dogs alike, pale in importance to
socialization. Poor social skills, toward people and other dogs, is the
one thing that causes the most problems in the dog/owner relationship,
and the most anxiety within the untrained dog. All will be done with
kindness, and with no force, no anger, no choke collars and NO shock
collars! Giving a puppy the opportunity to choose correct behavior by
rewarding that correct behavior and ignoring improper behavior will
grow their intelligence, rather than forcing them to do things in a
structured fashion. It's like a math teacher telling your child that
7 x 5 = 35, and not to worry how we got there, just remember the answer
is 35. If the child is taught WHY 7 x 5 = 35, their brain develops the
power to figure things out for themselves. Puppies need that ability and
opportunity to learn, not forced to do things at their owners bidding. So
please consider putting your young pup in what will be a fun,
light-hearted class it and you will enjoy.
We want to announce that after some long, hard consideration, we will
be changing what we feed dogs that stay here. We have been sold on
Canidae, one of the finest pet foods made, for years, but Canidae made a
formula change last year that has, in a small minority of the dog
population, caused system upsets. We have seen this in a very small
number of guests and in our own pack at home, causing us to change
these few dogs to a easier to digest food, which stoped the problem
pronto. We will, of course, continue to carry Canidae for our customers
who are happy with it and whose dogs do well on it.
In Canidae's place, we have ferreted out an exceptional food, that fulfills
everything we expect from a great dog food, and more. It's a small
company...for now, that we expect will do very well once it becomes well
known. The company is Nature's Select, and it's ingredient list reads as
impressively as any premium food on the market.
One of the things that told us that Natures Select is the "real deal", is our
greyhound, Windy. Windy is the member of our pack who has had
issues with Canidae's formula change, and after the very first, trial, meal
of Nature's Select, it "firmed" her up like we have never seen before.
Windy, being our guinea pig, after several days of Nature's Select, has
done better than we had hoped for.
So, alongside Canidae, we will offer Nature's Select here for sale. Come
in and take a look at this fine food, if you are looking to change your
dog's diet.
I know many of you give your dogs chicken jerky products as snacks.
Please read the information below. I checked the FDA website and
copied it here to our News Page. If you are like Tina and I, we pretty
much cull out anything, for our dogs or for us, made in China. I suggest
you consider doing the same.
Preliminary Animal Health Notification
December 19, 2008
FDA Continues To Receive Complaints about Chicken Jerky Products for
Dogs and Cautions Consumers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to caution
consumers of a potential association between the development of illness
in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as
chicken tenders, strips or treats. FDA continues to receive complaints of
dogs experiencing illness that their owners or veterinarians associate
with consumption of chicken jerky products. The chicken jerky products
are imported to the U.S. from China. FDA issued a cautionary warning to
consumers in September 2007.
Australian news organizations report the University of Sydney is also
investigating an association between illness in dogs and the
consumption of chicken jerky in Australia. At least one firm in Australia
has recalled their chicken jerky product and the recall notification stated
the chicken jerky product was manufactured in China.
FDA believes the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with
the information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder
and animal health notification.
Chicken jerky products should not be substituted for a balanced diet and
are intended to be
used occasionally and in small quantities. Owners of small dogs must
be especially careful to limit the amount of these products.
FDA, in addition to several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the U.S,
is working to determine why these products are associated with illness
in dogs. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive
cause for the reported illnesses. FDA has conducted extensive chemical
and microbial testing but has not identified any contaminant.
FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky
products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs
which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product: decreased
appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to the
exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea,
sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or
increased urination. If the dog shows any of these signs, stop feeding the
chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs
are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate
kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may
indicate Fanconi syndrome (increased glucose). Although most dogs
appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have
died.
The FDA continues to actively investigate the problem. Many of the
illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken
jerky. Veterinarians and consumers alike should report cases of animal
illness associated with pet foods to the FDA Consumer Complaint
Coordinator
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html in their
state.
Web page updated by hd - December 19, 2008, 1:12 PM ET
Pet nutrition is SO important. Not only what's good nutrition, but
identifying what's bad. What should be stayed far and clear of is as
important as what you should, after paying attention to the ingredient
list, feed your pets. PLEASE pay attention to that ingredient list!!! That
is your only way of knowing what goes in your pet's stomach. Pay NO
attention to what commercials on TV, radio or in print, say. Pay NO
attention to what your neighbor feeds their pet, what your vet says to
feed your pet, or what I say to feed your pet. ONLY pay attention to
what that ingredient list says. Now, if, after understanding what goes
into your pet's food by reading that ingredient list, you decide that Brand
A is what you should feed your pet, and then you hear on the news that
they lied, it's being recalled, and really you've been feeding your pet saw
dust and corn chips, then you've got a legal beef with that pet food
company. But if that rare instance happens, you still made your choice
on good, clear and rational knowledge. To keep that from happening,
you need to listen to folks who make it their business to give good ,
precise information. Enter the Whole Dog Journal. These folks rate pet
foods, letting you know what's good, what's not so good and what's bad.
If your pet's dry food ingredient list begins with corn or any other grain,
you are feeding your pet a grain based diet. If your pet's canned food
ingredient list begins with water, you are feeding your pet mainly water.
Neither of these scenarios are good. Dogs and cats are carnivores. The
number one thing on the ingredient list should be meat! Throw in some
good, healthy and beneficial whole grains (corn shouldn't be seen) and
some vegetables, and the pet probably won't mind you sneaking them in.
Just don't tell them it's in there, cause dogs want meat! We're not just
trying to sell Canidae and Nature's Select Pet Foods; it's one of several
high quality foods on the market. But PLEASE feed your pet one of
them, after you've determined that what you do feed is junk food. How
can a pet owner know which ones are good? Subscribe to the Whole Dog
Journal, or drop by here and read ours.
NEWS
For those of you who have been by the Lodge lately, you've probably
noticed a new face here, joining Dottie as our little greeter. Since I was
discussing Lita and Jesse's puppies, and Carolina dogs in general, we
found a Carolina dog at the Douglas County Shelter. I saw her face in
Petfinder.com, and as soon as I saw her, I knew exactly what she was.
We rushed to the Shelter and saved her life. I sent her pictures to Dr.
Brsibin in Aiken, SC (the father of the breed), and he, like I, nearly
flipped. Sunny was apparently caught wild here in the Douglas County
area of West Georgia, giving us the notion that Carolina dogs may exist
here as they do in East Georgia along the Savannah River. Dr. Brisbin
keeps up with where Carolinas are found, so he's asked me to find out
GPS coordinates where she was found. So, because I just happened to
look at pictures of the dogs in the Douglas County Shelter on Petfinder,
Sunny will be a famous part of our Carolina Dog research. Sunny
appears to be a perfect Carolina dog, perhaps on the smaller end of the
breed standard. But, when you think about it, if these dogs have been
here for thousands of years, as Dr. Brisbin's research finding suggests, if
they are found here in the Chattahoochee area, as they are in East Georgia
along the Savannah, this group has been separated from their East
Georgia cousins for hundreds of years, which could very well explain
why Sunny may be slightly smaller. Just as New Guinea singing dogs
and Australian dingoes, both likely having the same origin, have been
separated for thousands of years explains how they evolved differently.
And, yes, if I look wet in the photo, I had just finished bathing Sunny,
and, well, she saw to it that I got as wet as I got her! Isn't she beautiful?!!
Friends, we are very lucky to have Carroll County Humane Society's
West Georgia Spay Neuter Clinic up and operating now! Offering low
cost spay neuter is a great way to battle runaway pet overpopulation.
Not only is this for folks who, because of the cost of doing so, would
avoid spaying and neutering their pets, but it's a wonderful place for all
of us to save a buck.
We need West Georgia Spay Neuter Clinic to stay in business, so please
take full advantage of their terrific prices! When I say terrific: to spay an
under 60 lbs female dog, it would cost you $65! Please call them and
schedule having your pet spayed and neutered. Too, if you know
someone who can't/won't have their pets "fixed", and they are constantly
having litters they need to find homes for, give them a much needed gift
of a "fixing". You'll not only help your neighbor, but you will do
wonders for your neighborhood. Call 678-840-8072 or go to
www.westgeorgiaspayneuter.com
You wouldn't believe how many people have come in to take a tour of
the Lodge, and tell us about having used West Georgia Spay Neuter, and
are SO complementary! We knew this was a great idea, and we're so
glad Carroll County has done such a bang-up job, and made something
we can all be proud of and use.
Please visit our new "Available Pets" page by clicking on its dog bone
button on the left if you are looking to make a big difference in a dog or
cat's life. There are so many deserving animals out there, and all they
need is for someone like you to give them a life saving break. Of all the
dogs I've had in my lifetime (mega numerous), both those I've bought
and those I rescued, looking back, those that I rescued have, by far, made
the biggest impact on my life, and have done more than nearly anything
else to shape who I am today. I will spend the rest of my life looking on
dirt roads for the next set of "Alabama Kids" (See our "About Us" page to
see the Alabama Kids).
Please join our SEGA friends at the Chapel Hill Road Petsmart on the 4th
Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon for SEGA's monthly meet &
greet. If you're thinking of adding a new friend to your household,
please consider an ex-racing greyhound! They make wonderfully sweet,
quiet, extremely clean and loving pets. You're going to laugh, but forget
about adopting just one. Go ahead, jump in with both feet and adopt
two right off the bat! You'll never be sad you did, and you'll get to watch
some of the wildest games of chase in your yard you've ever seen. Man,
can they fly! It'll put a smile on your face, I guarantee it.
