OC Raw Dog Food Recall

Pam
On May 15, 2015, OC Raw Dog Food issued a recall for 2,055 pounds of the company’s Turkey and Produce Raw Frozen Canine product. The recall was instituted after the Nebraska Department of Food and Agriculture detected the presence of Salmonella in the product while performing routine sampling. Sold at pet specialty retailers in Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, the recalled product includes: 5-lb Bulk Bags and 6.5-lb Doggie Dozen Patties of its Turkey & Produce Raw Frozen Canine Formulations. Both items have a lot number of 1511 and a “best by” date of 10/8/15. The company worked in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine… Read More Continue Reading

Diamond Dog Food: A Review

Pam
Diamond Pet foods is one of the leading pet food manufacturers in the company, making pet food for many brands in 4 facilities in the United States, including Taste of the Wild, Nutra, Bright Bites, Professional, and Premium Edge, all of which are listed on their website.  The company used to manufacturer for many more labels, but the many recalls associated with this company may have led a loss of business for the company (author’s personal opinion). Diamond dog foods are manufactured by Schell & Kampeter, Inc., headquartered in Meta, Missouri. The company has four plants located in Gaston, South Carolina,  Meta, Missouri, Lathrop, California, and a new plant in… Read More Continue Reading

Lyme Disease and Your Dog

Pam
Spring fever has people and dogs itching to get outside. Thawing mountain trails and meadows newly green beckon your dog to romp and explore, but new research on ticks and Lyme disease will have most owners tightening the leashes. Before you kill all the outdoor fun, however, let’s see what the facts are about Lyme disease in dogs. Lyme disease was first described in 1975 when an unusual outbreak of rheumatoid arthritis occurring in children was reported in Lyme, Connecticut. Lyme disease is caused by the corkscrew-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria are carried by ticks which transmit the infection when they feed on animals and humans. The disease is… Read More Continue Reading

Welcome to Gator’s Tale!

Pam
Gator is my nearly 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier. My blog is a mix of history, breed information and stories related to Gator and the boisterous breed known as the Jack Russell Terrier. Whether you are the owner of a JRT or another breed, you can appreciate the life and times of living with a dog. Gator’s story begins in a rural Pennsylvania farm town. My now husband decided to surprise me with a birthday gift..a dog; not just any dog, but a Jack Russell Terrier. He told me that he had run into a funny puppy while at work one day and decided we should get one. Bill… Read More Continue Reading

Champion Chewer?

Pam
Chewing is something I am sure we have all come across and is actually a very normal part of a dog’s behavior. If the chewing has become destructive there can be a variety of reasons so the first will be in diagnosing the issue. Puppies are a lot like babies in that until about six months they will still be teething. The chewing helps alleviate some of the soreness in their gums. Just like we give a baby a chew toy this is a great time to start teaching little Fido good chewing habits. Make sure he has plenty of attractive chew toys such as a KONG®, Squirrel Dude™, Twist… Read More Continue Reading

Wellness Dog Food: A Review

Pam
Wellness® dog food has been approved by the Whole Dog Journal, and has also been included in many “Top 10” lists of dog food formulas. At time of publishing Wellness® offers a bewildering array of products, including 35 dry foods, 40 canned foods, and a variety of mixers and toppers. Wellness® is owned by Wellpet LLC (owned by the Berwind Corporation), a company that combined Eagle Pack, the former Wellness® and Old Mother Hubbard. As of May 2012, at least some of Wellness’s foods were being manufactured by Diamond since they were included in the Diamond recall that month that featured a number of well-known brands. We have heard from… Read More Continue Reading

Puppy FAQs

Pam
Why does my puppy have hiccups? For a puppy, hiccups without regurgitation are generally not a sign for alarm. Puppy hiccups are usually a harmless, involuntary contraction of the diaphragm experienced by all breeds and sizes, with episodes lasting just a few minutes. Some unborn pups even hiccup inside their mother’s womb! Hiccups are harmless, however, regurgitation, which is the act of suddenly upchucking undigested food or water with hardly any effort by the puppy is a cause for concern and should be checked out immediately by your veterinarian. How important is heart-worm prevention? Heart-worm disease is a potentially fatal disease that is now found in most areas of the… Read More Continue Reading

Friendly Puppies

Pam
The first 4 to 5 months of a puppies life is a very critical period. They are growing up very quickly and taking in a whole new world. If bought from a breeder your new puppy was most likely introduced to outside stimulus and has already begun learning to socialize with other animals. If you have adopted a rescue dog then you may have a harder chore on your hand. Most of these dogs, if not found before the first 16 weeks, will grow up fearful of other adult dogs and new experiences. I had an abandoned bull terrier come to me once whose owners were concerned about her nipping… Read More Continue Reading

Your dog ate WHAT?

Pam
Pet parents often have common questions and concerns about things that the ‘dog dragged in.’ Dogs are closely tied to their genetic ancestors who survived by hunting, scavenging and eating, you guessed it, dead things. Some pet owners are concerned that their dog might contract an infectious disease chewing on a dead bird or roadkill, such as west nile virus or avian influenza. The truth is that even though they are high on the icky factor, dead birds are low on the risk factor. Even though west nile virus can cause death in birds, especially bluejays and crows, the risk of transmission of west nile is presumable very low in dogs. Avian influenza… Read More Continue Reading

Best Chew Toys for Dogs

Pam
Chewing is very important for your dog’s oral and mental health. It keeps his teeth clean, his body exercised and his mind occupied. Having your dog chew on a toy is also important to prevent behavior problems and chewing on inappropriate objects. A dog that has chewed for 30 minutes is busy, contented and then more apt to take a nap than gnaw on your brown leather shoes. However, everything your dog puts in his or her mouth has a potential for harm. He or she could break a tooth, choke, become allergic, get an infection, have trouble with digestion, and probably more things we haven’t even thought of. Despite… Read More Continue Reading