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The *OTHER* Use for Pumpkin…

Is it a Trick or a Treat?

As a pet owner you may have been faced before with the occasional canine or feline sick tummy. Upset stomachs can be just as uncomfortable for pets as they are for humans except there isn’t an over the counter remedy that is safe for them like there is for us. Or…is there?

One of our rescue kitties, Ruby, had a severe, and I mean severe case of diarrhea. Ruby was dewormed and checked out by the vet to make sure there was nothing else wrong. The vet gave her an injection to help but within 12 hours it returned with a vengeance! Since it was then after hours, I called our local emergency vet to get their suggestion. Since Ruby was stable and did not show signs of dehydration, the vet tech told me to give Ruby a teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin twice a day. Sure enough, by the next morning ‘business’ was getting back to normal!

Come to find out, many people use canned pumpkin for their pets’ digestive upsets – whether it be diarrhea or constipation. The plain canned pumpkin is full of fiber and good stuff that helps to regulate the digestive tract. Of course, if your pet has chronic tummy upsets they need to be seen by a veterinarian asap as this could be a sign of something serious going on. However, for the occasional occurrence or when nothing else seems to be helping, the plain canned pumpkin just might do the trick.

For kitties it is recommended to give 1 teaspoon twice a day until stools start to firm and the recommendation for medium dogs is 1 – 2 tablespoons. A general guideline could be 1 teaspoon per 10-15 lbs. of body weight. Be sure to use PLAIN canned pumpkin, and NOT pumpkin pie filling, there is a big difference.*

The verdict is in - I say Treat!

Michelle Brockman

Jonah’s Place

* Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian and this article should not be used as a replacement for veterinary care or advice. This article is based solely on my personal experience and is for informational purposes only. This Disclaimer serves as notification of indemnity of Michelle Brockman and Jonah’s Place, Inc. for any results due to following this article and any advice contained therein.

**Warning** The Lethal Food Lurking in Your Pantry!

I had a recent scare with our dog Jake which reminded me of a time when I was very naive about what was, and wasn’t, toxic to dogs. Jake is a canine trash can. If he can eat it he will eat it. Not even to our approval, just because that’s what he does. He eats. Hydrogen peroxide induced vomiting has become the main staple in my first aid routine. Have you ever had a dog like that? That just eats everything? Now, a little disclaimer: we are very responsible pet owners and do not encourage or condone this behavior. Sometimes animals just act like, well….animals!

 

A few days ago Jake heard the sound of commotion in the kitchen and decided to come check things out. Before we even realized it, the bag of grapes that was one second ago on the kitchen counter, was now on the floor. I’m sure you can imagine what happened. Jake grabbed the bag and inhaled the grapes. I am so thankful that I knew how toxic and downright deadly grapes (and raisins) are to dogs (and cats)! I immediately administered hydrogen peroxide and within ten minutes or so Jake threw up his loot. Did you know that grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and cats? If not, pay close attention!

This is what PetMD has to say about the matter:

“Grape and raisin (dried grapes) toxicity is well documented in dogs. Although the exact substance that causes the toxic reaction is not yet known, it has been shown that even small amounts of grapes or raisins can prove to be fatally toxic for a dog. Dogs of any age, breed, or gender may be affected.”

Again, this does not just apply to dogs. If you have animals you must be very careful to ensure that they do not have any opportunity to ingest this yummy but deadly fruit. After Jake’s last counter diving episode, my husband and I decided that the consequences of our dog’s potential grape and raisin eating just weren’t worth it and they will no longer be on the grocery list. Yes, we love our pets that much.

Snack on!

Michelle Brockman

Jonah’s Place, Inc.

Reference:

PetMD

http://www.petmd.com/dog/emergency/digestive/e_dg_grape_raisin_toxicity#.UkOXRD95GSo

The Dirty Truth About Cat Litter

 

Most of us look at the sandy little grains of cat litter as just a necessity of kitty ownership that we  really don’t need to or want to think about any further than ‘Did I scoop it today?’. Well let me tell you, there are some serious and scary things hiding in that litter – and I don’t mean the clumps!  In my quest to find the healthiest ways to care and provide for my felines’ needs I came across some interesting facts about the clay litter I was using. What I found made just as concerned for my health as I was for their health.

Let’s start with clay cat litter, shall we? Clay cat litter contains sodium bentonite which is a clumping agent that causes the litter to expand to 15-18 times its dry size when it gets wet. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Well, have you ever seen your cat grooming (licking) itself after using the potty box? Can you imagine what that expanding cat litter and its remnant dust is doing in your kitty’s body? Yeah, not so pretty! You especially have to be cautious when using this litter around kittens that have a tendency to eat things out of curiosity – litter not excluded. The ingestion of this litter can potentially cause an intestinal blockage and have deadly consequences (not to mention what it must being doing in the lungs of anything that inhales a whiff of the dust it creates!).  

The potential hazards do not just apply to cats – does your dog ever venture over to the litter box for a ‘snack’? Now, I know my canines are not the only ones on the planet that do this. What do you think that litter is doing inside their gut? Holistic animal care specialist and PhD. Lisa S. Newman reported on a fatal case of canine bloat, “When his stomach was opened, it was full of clumping cat litter! Some dogs have been known to root around in the litter daily, creating respiratory conditions (from gel coating of the lung tissue), eye irritation, colon distress and even mal absorption of nutrients.”

 

Lucky for us, there are many widely available alternatives to clay cat litters like World’s Best Cat Litter, Feline Pine, Yesterday’s News and Blue Buffalo Naturally Fresh Litter, just to name a few. This of course is a matter of personal choice and preference – just know that what your precious feline is pooping in may be more sinister than what meets the nose.

 

I must tell you that there are no official scientific studies concerning bentonite toxicosis, only many anecdotal reports from former clay litter consumers. I don’t know about you but I certainly do not want to take that chance and I can tell you that I personally feel a lot better now that I am not breathing in a clay dust cloud during litter duty.

 

 Happy Scooping!

Michelle Brockman for

Jonah’s Place

 

References: PetsgoNatural.com; Lisa Newman, Carefreepet.com