We all feel excited and lucky to have the opportunity to be able to develop a food for cats and welcome any suggestions or requests. While we have an idea of where we are headed with the Feline Recipe, we are still in the beginning stages and if we have an overwhelming response one way or another, we will definitely take your comments and suggestions into consideration.

We want this cat recipe to be like just like our dog food.  A palatable and healthful alternative for those humans or animals where a raw diet is not an option. The team at Natasha’s Food for Paws thanks each and every one of you for your continued support! We love what we do everyday and have you to thank!

Best,
Natasha

This recipe was originally designed because their was nothing on the market that was similar to the quality meals that dogs benefit from when their owners cook for their pet.  Although many people, beyond the home-cookers have come to use our product too.  Our food can be used as the sole basis of your pet’s diet or it can also be mixed in with a high-quality kibble.  It can also be used as a special treat a few times a week.  I am of the opinion that as long as our animals are getting some food in their diet on a fairly regular basis, then we are doing a lot better than we have in a long time. 

There are many wonderful kibble on the market today and it makes me so happy to see a variety so that we actually have a choice of some really good diets.  Although nothing will ever take the place of real, unprocessed food.  Imagine if we lived on a cereal based diet?  I bet we wouldn’t feel so great on a day to day basis!!  Please feel free to contact us anytime at info@foodforpaws.com or 707.765.5770.

Woof, Wags and Wiggles!

Natasha

Visit this site and please share any feedback or suggestions you have in helping to live a more sustainable life.  I just started composting our food waste and it feels so much better than throwing it in the garbage.  I love that my daughter is being exposed to it at such young age too.  Hopefully it will be a part of her everyday life forever, just as recycling is for my generation.

My best to you, your family and friends!

Natasha

Understanding the serious affects of obesity is the first step.  Educating ourselves on how to identify obesity and what to do about it is the next step.

Our dogs depend on us to take care of them and this is one of the many ways that we can.

Obesity can cause osteoarthritis, cruciate and spinal injuries, respiratory and dermatological conditions, cardiac disease, compromised immune function, and increased susceptibility to many other infections, injuries and illnesses.

If you cannot see a slight narrowing between the rib cage and the rump when standing over your dog, then chances are there are a few too many pounds on your loved one.  Another good indication is tactile; feel his or her ribs, is it easy to feel each individual one?  If not, it’s time to take some action!

The best ways I know to help shed the pounds is:

1) Split the meals into two feedings, morning and night. 

2) Decreasing the amount of food by 1/4 cup to start.

3) Increase activity, a little at a time and in whatever way works best for you and your dog’s lifestyle.

4) Add fiber to your dog’s diet.  A little canned pumpkin is a nutritious, inexpensive and easy way to do this.

It may take a little effort, change and commitment is not easy!!!  But you will have a healthier and happier pet in the end.  Your vet bills may decrease as well and that’s always nice!!  If you have a pet that struggles with weight and you are going to give it a shot, I wish you the best.

Natasha 

It is of my opinion that kibble is not depended on as a proper dental care regimen, our dentists don’t recommend cereal or other hard foods as a proper way to clean our teeth, so why would the same be for animals?  What cleaned their teeth in nature were the bones they got from their diet.

Following are the things that I have found to be good methods of prevention:

Raw Bones

The enzymes and friction combined provide a good cleaning. It is also a nice treat for your pet to enjoy.

 Brushing

This can be difficult if your pet doesn’t easily allow but with persistence and positive reinforcement, it can be done!  It also requires a dedication and commitment on the owners’ part.  Making this a part of a regular routine is the best way to achieve such a goal!

 Adding a zinc solution to their water

This can be a positive way to tackle the prevention on a regular basis.

 Greenies or other dental chew treats

This can be good but need to be supervised as if big pieces are swallowed, bowel obstruction is possible.  It may also cause some upset to pets’ with a gentle stomach.

 Professional Dental Cleanings

Your pets’ veterinarian can provide a deep cleaning that cannot be replaced by anything we can do for them.

The Tracking Dog’s Nose

How K-9 Drug Sniffing and Scent Detection Works

© Joy Butler

Apr 21, 2008

200 million scent receptors in the dog olfactory system help sniff out drugs and explosives, locate termites, gas pipeline leaks, and other things you may not know about.

Jobs for the Canine Nose

The canine’s extraordinary sense of smell serves humans in many ways. Most people know about dogs who track missing people and about drug-sniffing dogs who search out explosives, guns, and other contraband as well as cadaver material. According to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, US Customs and Border Protection employs more than 800 canine teams that work with the US Dept of Homeland Security. Its Canine Enforcement Program uses a variety of breeds including German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, mixed breeds, and the celebrated Beagle Brigade to detect prohibited items at ports of entry.

However, these nasal powerhouses also help us locate gas pipeline leaks, water leaks, building molds and winery molds, endangered species, termites, bedbugs, weeds that are hazardous to agriculture, and fruits and vegetables that may ship dangerous insects and diseases into the country. Medical research even indicates that cancer sniffing dogs may be useful in identifying cancerous tumors.

How the Dog Nose Works

The canine olfactory system consists of soft tissue, bones, nerves, and parts of the brain. The soft tissue and bony structures make up the cavities into which odor particles flow. These cavities are lined with scent receptor cells which connect to olfactory nerves that connect with the olfactory lobe of the dog’s brain.

Dogs have large folds of mucous membranes inside their nose containing more than 200 million scent receptors compared to smaller areas of mucous membranes containing about 5 million in humans. Their olfactory bulbs are also about 4 times larger than ours. However, some breeds are better suited for scent work than others. Longer muzzled dogs have more scent receptors than do short nosed dogs such as the Pug and Pekingese. The long ears of dogs such as hounds tend to scoop up more scent particles. Even more scent is caught up in the wrinkles of such breeds as the Bloodhound.

According to Dr. Gary Settles, professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State, when a dog sniffs, he uses a different route of airflow than for normal breathing. A structure just inside the nostrils called the alar fold, opens allowing air to flow through the upper area of the nasal passages. A bony pocket traps odor molecules and they are dissolved in the mucous covered scent receptors where signals of this chemical change travel from the receptor along the olfactory nerve to the olfactory bulb at the end of each nasal passage.

When the dog exhales, the alar fold closes off the upper part and pushes air down and out through the slits on the side of the nose, which stirs up even more scent particles.

Odor molecules emanate from the source in a cone shape. Depending on environmental factors, odor molecules will be denser at the source and thinner as they disperse into the air. Scent detection dogs will scan this scent cone as they trail the source, often making a ‘whuffing’ sound.

Training and Accuracy

Training for scent detection dogs is kept positive and fun. These dogs consider their job a game. Depending on training and experience of the dog, skill of the handler, and a number of environmental factors, accuracy rates may range from 60% to 95%.

Sources:

Cadaver Dog Handbook by Andrew J. Rebmann, Marcella H. Sorg, Edward David

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts

You can find more on this and other info by visiting Sabine Contreras’ website, www.dogfoodproject.com

Many woofs to you!!

Natasha

Calendula is most well known for its healing properties for our largest organ, skin.  It is known to aid in healing cuts, burns, rashes and abrasions.  But the beneficial properties don’t stop there.  Calendula can be added to your dog’s diet (fresh or dried) as a digestive aid, may be perfect for the dog with a sensitive stomach; brewed as a tea and used as a first aid rinse, great for sores or granulomas that can be very difficult to get to heal, especially if you have an active dog; or an oil/salve for skin irritation, including paw abrasions and hot spots.

It’s always nice to learn about helpful home remedies.  I worked for a vet for years and when reading this article it made me think of all the hotspots, granulomas, abrasions, infections and sores that I saw come through our door.  Hearing the testimonials of the different pet owners that have seen such great results with this herb, it’s too bad that this type of information isn’t so readily available for all pet owners.  What I found most impressive was the fact that when using a calendula based herb solution or salve on your dog, the worry of him or her eating it isn’t of concern like it is with a lot of the skin medications that you would get from your vet. 

Hopefully we won’t need to use this information…but good to have if you need it.

Happy April!!!

Natasha

Autoimmune diseases in dogs follow an almost similar pattern as in humans. Just as autoimmune diseases in humans are suspected to be related to a genetic predisposition, certain breeds of dogs are more vulnerable than others.

The immune system is the body’s internal and natural self-healing system of reciprocation that comes into action as soon it recognizes an intrusion of foreign bodies. We call a disease as immune mediated when some underlying cause has caused the immune system to stop recognizing foreign substances. The immune system stops creating antibodies for combating the invasion and produces an autoantibody that starts destroying normal cells. Such a disease may be restricted to a single organ or region or the whole animal.

Autoimmune diseases have far reaching consequences depending upon the extent to which they have affected the body of the dog. The pathological signs of multiple autoimmune diseases are normally seen in the same animal since the animal becomes more vulnerable to infections due to a weakened immune system. For example, symptoms of liver disease in dogs as well as feline liver disease are common once the immune system’s automatic responses are restricted.

Typically autoimmune diseases occur due to four types of actions that take place within the body:

• An autoantibody targets a specific organ. For example, autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurs when an autoantibody targets blood cells. In Addison’s disease the target is the adrenal gland.
• Antibodies that target different proteins in the body are produced. These circulate through out the body and cause multiple organ autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus. Rheumatoid Arthritis is caused by complex immunoglobulin class molecules that are deposited in the lubricating fluid in the spaces between joints.
• Sometimes antibodies and T-cells act together to restrict the activity of an organ. T-cells are one of the two types of cells that carry out an immune response. Autoimmune Hypothyroidism is an example of disease caused through this mechanism. The thyroid receives a large number of T-cells and also antibodies programmed to destroy thyroid cells.
• Autoimmune diseases also arise from deficiencies in the complement system. For example liver disease in dogs restricts production of complement serum enzymes that have to be activated to carry out an immune response.

Due to the innate nature of the disease, autoimmune disease has multiple symptoms that depend upon the organs, body systems that are being targeted. As most of the symptoms tend to confuse and mimic other conditions it requires proper investigation through blood, urine and other tests to confirm whether the condition is immune mediated or not. Some of the symptoms in dogs, reported prior to diagnosis, include:

• Diarrhia and colitis: with or without traces of blood
• Lethargy, Depression and intolerance to exercise
• Muscle wasting and weakness in legs
• Skin sores, mouth ulcers, lesions, especially nasal and anal lesions
• Stiff joints, alteration in gait tending to lameness and stiff limbs
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Anemia
• Seizures
• Loss of appetite and weight
• Body odor
• A marked change in bark
• Weight gain if thyroid is affected

A weakened immunes system fails to do what it has been programmed to and starts rejecting body’s own tissue as foreign. This exposes a dog to repeated attacks by infections that further deteriorate an already serious condition. It is now coming to light that many well known diseases like Hypothyroidism and Diabetes may be immune mediated and caused by rejection of hormone producing cells.