How to Save $1000 by Feeding Your Dog Raw Meaty Bones

There are many health benefits of feeding your dog raw food and raw bones. Dogs who are fed raw often see an improvement if they've had arthritis in the past, digestive problems, allergies, or dull coat. There are dental benefits, too!

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What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that affects the tissues surrounding the teeth, gums and bone (alveolar bone). If left untreated, periodontitis will eventually lead to loosening of and loss of teeth and can also damage the kidneys, liver and heart.

Periodontal Disease

• has been a known problem in domestic pets for at least 70 years and affects 8 out of 10 dogs 3 years and older. It coincides with the advent of commercial pet food. Coincidence?
• is worse in smaller animals
• progresses with age
• causes loosening of and loss of teeth
• is very common in dogs fed soft diets who have little dental activity by way of cutting and tearing raw flesh and breaking and crunching bones
• leads to pyorrhoea (an advanced form of periodontitis), 100 % of the time in dogs fed soft diets if they live long enough

From Bad to Worse

Due to the vascular nature of the gums, secondary diseases can develop as bacteria from the mouth enter the blood stream and make their way to the liver and kidneys. The bacteria then colonize in these organs wreaking havoc! Bacteria reaching the heart can cause vegetative endocarditis (infected heart valves).

Diet is the Main Cause of Periodontal Disease

It should really come as no surprise that diet is the main cause of periodontal disease given that so many other ailments, canine and human, are as a result of subpar dietary practices.

Numerous studies have looked at the effects of hard and soft food diets on the oral health of domestic pets, all concluding that soft foods contribute to periodontal disease and that more abrasive hard foods (raw meaty bones), help prevent it.

Two groups of dogs were fed either hard biscuits or the same biscuits ground and mixed with water for 14 months. At the end of the study, the dogs eating the hard food still had healthy teeth gums, while the dogs fed soft mush developed gingivitis, plaque and calculus. (Burwasser and Hill 1939)

Another study compared feeding raw whole bovine trachea with attached oesophagus, muscle and fat, to the same food finely minced. Plaque accumulation and the onset of gingivitis were observed in the group of dogs fed the minced food. (Egelberg 1965)

“…periodontal disease may be uncommon in wild canids and felids, and suggestive evidence (alveolar bone disease) was found in only 2% of 1157 canid jaw bone specimens examined by Colyer (Miles and Grigson 1990).” – Undoubtedly because they eat non-processed foods in the form of meat, connective tissue and bone.

Plaque will form on teeth regardless of what types of foods are eaten. However, it stands to reason that softer foods can stick to teeth speeding up the formation of plaque, and that soft foods are inefficient in removing existing plaque from teeth.

Foods that require tearing, cutting and crunching (such as raw meaty bones), are nutritionally beneficial for your dog and are much more likely to be effective at keeping periodontal disease at bay by abrading teeth as they are consumed.

“Raw meaty bones have good characteristics to promote oral health….” – Australian Veterinary Journal Vol. 71. No. 10. October 1994

3 Ways to Help Prevent Your Dog from Developing Periodontal Disease

1. Take your dog for regular dental checkups.
2. Feed your dog size & type appropriate raw meaty bones on a regular basis, if not daily, especially if you feed canned food or kibble. Go here to watch a couple of dogs eating RMBs and a cat devouring a chicken wing. There are lots of options, but do your research.
3. Brushing may help, if your dog will let you do it, but remember, just like the dentist tells us, brushing won’t clean below the gum line.

There is no guarantee that feeding raw meaty bones will prevent an individual animal from developing periodontal disease, but feeding raw meaty bones is guaranteed to be less expensive than dental cleaning at your vet – with or without anesthesia.

For more Raw reading visit DoggyBytes.ca. Article courtesy of Jim McBean over at DoggyBytes. One note: The $1000 in the title alludes to the price that a veterinary dentist Jim consulted charged for a teeth cleaning.

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As always, check with your Vet before making any changes to your dog's diet.

- Jen
Natural and Raw Premium Pet Food Co.

Natural Dog Treats, Food, Supplements, Grooming Products and Organic Dog Toys
http://www.naturalandraw.com

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ASPCA’s List of Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2009

According to the ASPCA (and common sense should tell you), with various dangers lurking in corners and cabinets, the home can be a minefield of poisons for our pets. In 2009, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which included everyday household products. Don’t leave it up to Fido or Fluffy to keep themselves safe. Below is a list of the top 10 pet poisons that affected our furry friends in 2009.

Human Medications

For several years, human medications have been number one on the ASPCA’s list of common hazards, and 2009 was no exception. Last year, the ASPCA managed 45,816 calls involving prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements. Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor, so it’s essential to keep meds tucked away in hard-to-reach cabinets.

Insecticides

In our effort to battle home invasions by unwelcome pests, we often unwittingly put our furry friends at risk. In 2009, our toxicologists fielded 29,020 calls related to insecticides. One of the most common incidents involved the misuse of flea and tick products—such as applying the wrong topical treatment to the wrong species. Thus, it’s always important to talk to your pet’s veterinarian before beginning any flea and tick control program.

People Food

People food like grapes, raisins, avocado and products containing xylitol, like gum, can seriously disable our furry friends, and accounted for more than 17,453 cases in 2009. One of the worst offenders—chocolate—contains large amounts of methylxanthines, which, if ingested in significant amounts, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination, hyperactivity, and in severe cases, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures.

Plants

Common houseplants were the subject of 7,858 calls to APCC in 2009. Varieties such as azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, lilies, kalanchoe and schefflera are often found in homes and can be harmful to pets. Lilies are especially toxic to cats, and can cause life-threatening kidney failure even in small amounts.

Veterinary Medications

Even though veterinary medications are intended for pets, they’re often misapplied or improperly dispensed by well-meaning pet parents. In 2009, the ASPCA managed 7,680 cases involving animal-related preparations such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, de-wormers, antibiotics, vaccines and nutritional supplements.

Rodenticides

Last year, the ASPCA received 6,639 calls about pets who had accidentally ingested rat and mouse poisons. Many baits used to attract rodents contain inactive ingredients that are attractive to pets as well. Depending on the type of rodenticide, ingestions can lead to potentially life-threatening problems for pets including bleeding, seizures or kidney damage.

Household Cleaners

Everybody knows that household cleaning supplies can be toxic to adults and children, but few take precautions to protect their pets from common agents such as bleaches, detergents and disinfectants. Last year, the ASPCA received 4,143 calls related to household cleaners. These products, when inhaled by our furry friends, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.

Heavy Metals

It’s not too much loud music that constitutes our next pet poison offender. Instead, it’s heavy metals such as lead, zinc and mercury, which accounted for 3,304 cases of pet poisonings in 2009. Lead is especially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including consumer products, paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.

Garden Products

It may keep your grass green, but certain types of fertilizer and garden products can cause problems for outdoor cats and dogs. Last year, the ASPCA fielded 2,329 calls related to fertilizer exposure, which can cause severe gastric upset and possibly gastrointestinal obstruction.

Chemical Hazards

In 2009, the ASPCA handled approximately 2,175 cases of pet exposure to chemical hazards. A category on the rise, chemical hazards—found in ethylene glycol antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners and pool/spa chemicals—form a substantial danger to pets. Substances in this group can cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, respiratory difficulties and chemical burns.

Prevention is really key to avoiding accidental exposure, but if you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.

Keep your furry friend healthy in 2010 by keeping these known poisons away from your pet.

- Jen
Natural and Raw Premium Pet Food Co.

Natural Dog Treats, Food, Supplements, Grooming Products and Organic Dog Toys
http://www.naturalandraw.com

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January is Train Your Dog Month!

Hundreds of thousands of dogs have been turned into animal shelters because their owners didn’t know how to deal with behavior problems and couldn’t find a reliable resource to help them. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers thinks that it is long overdue to dedicate a month where we can bring awareness to the importance of socialization and training, and most of all, to inform the public that training your dog can be simple and fun! The APDT has selected January as the perfect month because, as we all know, so many dogs and puppies are adopted and brought home during the winter holidays. Our desire is to help these new pet parents start off the new year with their newest family member in the best way possible.

The APDT is planning a variety of events in January 2010 to celebrate National Train Your Dog Month. We hope everyday dog owners you can see how easy and fun training can be, and how patience, consistency and a deeper understanding of your dog’s behavior can lead to happier, healthier and harmonious households. We have a wide range of topics that we’ve covered and provided a great deal of information to promote using methods that are kind gentle and that have an emphasis on building a relationships with your dog.

In addition the APDT has more than 5000 members who are willing and able to help dog owners who need help with their dogs. If there is one thing that current television shows about dog training have taught the public it's that there are solutions to help dogs with behavior problems and there are alternatives to try before giving up your dog.

Need some extra yummy training treats for your dog? Check out the wild game dog treats from NaturalandRaw.com!

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers

The APDT is a professional educational organization of trainers who are committed to becoming better trainers through using positive, dog friendly methods based on sound scientific principles. With over 5,000 members worldwide, the APDT provides professional dog trainers with a respected and concerted voice. The APDT promotes caring relationships between dogs and people and works to increase public awareness of dog-friendly training techniques. For more information, visit the Web site at www.apdt.com.

- Jen
Natural and Raw Premium Pet Food Co.
http://www.naturalandraw.com

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