THE PURPOSE AND DIRECTION OF THIS BLOG

Most of you people out there who know me from the health food world are aware of the community-oriented information network that this blog represents. But those of you who are just bumping into this blog can only guess where this is headed. Well, I'll tell you...The intention of this blog is to be able to share all types of information that has to do with all aspects of wellness education for both humans and companion animals.

I can be reached through my e-mail at kathleenanddogs@yahoo.com

I am also a Reiki master/instructor, but I take on very few students.

The following is a partial list of topics that I hope to cover in my blog:

• The nutritional content of whole foods, especially super-foods.
• The temperature of the food and liquid that our bodies are designed to consume.
• The times of the day that are bodies are designed to consume/digest food, to assimilate food, and to eliminate wastes.
• The most natural, potent and useful supplements and herbs (for the money).
• Common nutritional misinformation revealed. (Can't wait to address the issues of mineral supplements [especially calcium] and vitamin B-12--not what you'd think.)
• Detoxification methods...especially the colon, which is the best place to start!
• Parasite removal.
• Water purification.
• What to feed your companion animals (dogs, cats and birds). I have already posted "What Kathleen Feeds Her Dogs" and "What's Really in Pet Food." I also plan to cover what to feed your cats and birds, and will provide: (a) a simplified version of menus for dogs, cats and birds for those with tighter budgets or less time, and (b) the nutritional reasons for what to feed or not to feed them. For example: why should we use "ABC" (already been chewed) fruits and vegetables for the dogs and cats? To mimic the predigested plant foods, complete with the digestive juices that the dogs and cats would have gotten from the stomach and intestines of their prey in the wild. Think that's gross? What do you think that human parents did before there were blenders and processed "baby food?" (Food is love, you know, and ABC food is even more love.) Note: finely grating the produce is the next best method, but a distant second to chewing and spitting it into their bowl. I feel compelled to say one more thing here...Never feed yourself or your animal cold food. It keeps the stomach from churning adequately and in turn, inhibits proper digestion all the way down the rest of the digestive tract.
• Companion animal detoxification.
• Much more on the dangers and fallacies of vaccination, especially the rabies scam, complete with the statistics that prove that dogs and cats rarely get or pass rabies. [Bats are the main culprits, not our pets!]
• Herbal and household non-toxic and effective flea control.
• Why a dog that is raised on a relatively "natural" diet will have no doggie odor and glorious hair and skin.
• How to prevent cats from vomiting up hair balls.
• The best places to get all of this healthy stuff at the most affordable prices.
• AND MUCH MORE!

PLEASE FEEL WELCOME TO COMMENT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS PROCESS OF SHARING INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCES, SO WE AND THE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE CAN ALL BENEFIT. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG.

BE WELL!

Kathleen

WHAT'S REALLY IN PET FOOD!

DEAD CATS AND DOGS USED TO MAKE PET FOOD

We see pictures of whole grains, prime cuts of meat and human grade vegetables on the bag, and we assume there's some chef in a pet food kitchen cooking up the best for our loved ones. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth. Most of what makes up dog and cat food comes from the rendering plant. To render, as defined in Webster's Dictionary, is "to process as for industrial use: to render livestock carcasses and to extract oil from fat, blubber, etc., by melting."When chickens, lambs, cattle, swine, and other animals are slaughtered for food, usually only the lean muscle is cut off for human consumption.This leaves about 50 percent of a carcass left over. These leftovers are what become what we so commonly find on pet food labels, such as "meat-and-bone-meal" or "by-products. "So basically, what pets eat are lungs, ligaments, bones, blood and intestines.Some other things that go into rendering to make your Cat and Dog Food are:

* Euthanized companion animals Cats and Dogs.
* Spoiled meat from the supermarket, Styrofoam wrapping and all.
* Road kill that can't be buried on the roadside.
* The "4 D's" of cattle: dead, dying, disease and disabled.
* Rancid restaurant grease

When dead animals from cow pastures are picked up, they may not be rendered until up to a week after they are dead. Because of this, it is estimated that E. coli bacteria contaminate more than 50 percent of meat meals. The rendering process destroys the bacteria, but it does not eliminate the endotoxins bacteria release when they die. These endotoxins, which can cause sickness and disease, are not tested for by pet food manufacturers.When all this comes to the rendering plant, it's put in a huge vat and shredded.Then it's cooked at 220 to 270 degrees for 20 to 60 minutes. After it cools, the grease is skimmed off the top. This is "animal fat." The rest is pressed and dried. This is "meat and bone meal."Dogs wouldn't eat this stuff in the wild, so why will they eat it out of their bowls? Their noses are tricked by the smell of it. The smell of animal fats for dogs and fish oil for cats is sprayed on the dry, bland kibble bits to make them appetizing. These flavors usually come from rendered restaurant grease, animal fat, or other oils unfit for human consumption.

VETERINARIANS AND PET FOOD

So, why don't vets warn people? The question should be, what makes veterinarians think they can recommend food. In Food Pets Die For, Ann Martin says, Our family physician doesnt display weight loss products in the reception room So why is this going on in our veterinary clinics that do not specialize in nutrition. She says she considers it unethical for vets to sell pet food unless they are trained in pet nutrition.The reason your vet thinks so highly of the pet food they sell probably has more to do with money than nutrition. In vet school, the only classes offered on nutrition usually last a few weeks, and are taught by representatives from the pet food companies.

Vet students may also receive free food for their own dogs and cats at home. They could get an Company A notebook, a Company B purse and some free pizza.The companies also hire students to be representatives for the company and to promote their products to other students.This issue was even placed on the agenda for an Executive Committee meeting at the vet school at Colorado State University. According to the minutes discussion was held on how to handle dealing with pet food companies and their donations of pet food to the university. It was agreed to put together a task force to discuss this issue, investigate the possibilities, and make suggestions to the Executive Council on how to work with the numerous pet food companies that want to donate to CSU. There was no further mention of this topic in meetings since.

In May 2000, a large pet food company made the announcement that in an effort to help university, veterinary hospitals provide optimal nutrition recommendations for dogs and cats, the large pet food company is funding three new veterinary diet technician positions. They donated $100,000 to support these positions for the first year. How would you feel about a company that paid your salary?

CHEMICALS IN PET FOOD

Because the ingredients in pet food aren't exactly as pure as consumers are made to believe, not only is the food unhealthy, it may also be poisonous.When the "food" comes out of the rendering plant, there's no way it would be bought by a consumer or eaten by a dog. To make it more pleasing to the eyes of owners and the mouths of animals, the producers of pet food add a myriad of chemicals.To keep the food fresh, the first thing added is a preservative. The bags of food must stay fresh through shipping and on the shelf. There are several synthetic preservatives out there:

* Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
* Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
* Propylene glycol (also used as automotive antifreeze)
* Ethoxyquin

Their is little known about the effect these chemicals may have on an animal. Some experts and veterinarians claim ethoxyquin is the best and safest preservative on the market, others claim it is a potential carcinogen, causing skin problems and infertility in dogs.Some other things that may be added to your dog or cat food are:

* Coloring agents
* Drying agents
* Flavoring agents
* Lubricants
* Nutritive Sweeteners
* Texturizers

IS THERE CAT AND DOG IN PET FOOD?

Reporter John Eckhouse was one of the first people to discover the practice of sending euthanized pets to the rendering plants.He quoted an employee of Sacramento Rendering as saying, "Thousands and thousands of pounds of dogs and cats are picked up and brought here every day."When a vet tells a grieving owner that they'll "take care" of their dead loved one, they usually mean sending it off with the disposal company for rendering. This is all perfectly legal. Many veterinarians and especially shelters don't have the money to bury or cremate animals.Although many in the pet food industry deny that they use euthanized animals, proof that the practice goes on continues to surface.

Also: Do you know what is in 'meat meal' - the major constituent of dry dog and cat food? Urine, fecal matter, hair, pus, meat (from animals, afflicted) with cancer and T.B., etc."

A MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUL

I leaned over the arm of my chair to touch a most beautiful dog who was staring up at me, and through our eyes, our souls spoke...

She said, "Ahh...my mama, from whom comes my way of life. You coddle me, protect me, feed me, play with me, and comfort me when I get scared."

Then I said, "Ahh...my baby, from whom comes my reason for living. You make me want to stay in this scary world."

WHAT TO ASK YOUR VET ABOUT THE RABIES VACCINATION

• Which rabies vaccine(s) do you use? (Imrab 3?
  
• Imrab 3 PS? Pfizer?)1 or 3 year?
• Killed or weakened?
• Do you watch for and keep track of adverse reactions? If so, what are your observations/statistics?
• What is in them?
• What is the method of inactivating (killing or weakening) the vaccine (heat, passage thru cells, or chemical disinfectants)?
• If it is passage thru cells, what types of animal cells? (This is where disease roulette comes in.)
• If it is a disinfectant, what is it and how much is in it? Is it formalin/formaldehyde? Beta propiolactone (BPL)? How much?
• Does it contain other “preservatives”? How much?
• Does it contain other “stabilizers”? How much?
• Does it contain other chemicals? Heavy metals? Thimerosal/mercury? How much of which?
• Does it have aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant? If not, is there a different adjuvant? Which one and how much?
• Does it have antibiotics? If so, what are they?
• If you don’t know some of the answers to the above questions [such as how it is killed or weakened—not likely to be on the MSDS sheet], can you find out? I ask this because it may be only given out to a vet.
• Can you give me a copy of the MSDS sheet?
• Do you keep records of adverse reactions to vaccines and which lot numbers were used—keep in mind that there is also much variation within lots. (With vastly differing amounts of several toxic ingredients in vaccines [especially aluminum hydroxide], reaction to one vaccine cannot scientifically predict the reaction to others.)
• What general procedures are taken by your practice when an adverse reaction occurs?
• Have you invested a significant amount of time in studying vaccine ingredients and their adverse reactions?
• Do you make exceptions for animals that have had previous adverse reactions or compromised immune systems?
• If they pass the rabies titers test, will you treat my dogs if I choose not to vaccinate? What if they don’t pass the titers test?
• DO YOU ONLY VACCINATE “HEALTHY” ANIMALS [for which they were intended]?