posted by Tess on Dec 28
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1/4 cup soy flour
* 1 teaspoon catnip
* 2 tablespoons wheat germ
* 1/3 cup powdered milk
* 1 tablespoon molasses
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons
* vegetable oil
* 1/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients together, then add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Mix well until dough sticks together. Roll dough out on a floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into small pieces and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and store in tightly sealed container.
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posted by Tess on Dec 26
* 2 cups whole-wheat flour
* 1/2 cup wheat germ
* 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 3/4 cup water
* 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
* 1/4 cup cornmeal, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place first 4 ingredients in medium mixing bowl. Blend with a whisk. Add oil, honey, water and peppermint extract. Mix well. Knead for at least 1 minute. Sprinkle 1/8 cup cornmeal listed over a sheet of wax paper. Place dough on wax paper. Sprinkle remaining 1/8 cup cornmeal on top of dough. Roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with desired cookie cutter or with a sharp knife and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool and store in tightly sealed container. Makes 22 to 25 treats
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posted by Tess on Dec 22
To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:
To All Non-Pet Owners Who Visit & Like to Complain About Our Pets:
1. They live here. You don’t.
2. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That’s why they call it “fur”niture. )
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it’s an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn’t speak clearly.
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posted by Tess on Dec 20
Remember: In many ways, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:
1. Eat less
2. Don’t ask for money all the time
3 Are easier to train
4. Normally come when called
5. Never ask to drive the car
6. Don’t hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don’t smoke or drink
8. Don’t have to buy the latest fashions
9. Don’t want to wear your clothes
10. Don’t need a “gazillion” dollars for college.
And finally,
11. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.
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posted by Tess on Dec 18
By Sue Martin
Please be wary of any animal practitioner or supplier of essential oils claiming that their products or techniques are completely safe to use with cats: the statement is both inaccurate and unsafe. No matter what their claims say, nothing will change the unique physiology of a cat.
Generally, essential oils consist of hydrocarbons or monofunctional compounds from mono-and sesqui-terpenes, together phenylpropanoids and other volatile aliphatic and aromatic substances.
Many terpenoids are rapidly absorbed orally and dermally by the cat’s system and are metabolized in the liver. Due to their volatile nature, inhalation of essential oil components is also possible, and these enter the bloodstream via the lungs, also to be metabolized in the liver.
The terpenoids and their metabolites are often conjugated with glucuronic acid (glucuronidation) and glycine depending on the type of terpenoid and animal species involved. The conjugated metabolites are usually more water-soluble and are easily excreted through the kidney and feces.
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posted by Tess on Dec 15
Respiratory infections in pets
If you have noticed signs of lethargy, coughing, sneezing, fever and runny eyes or nose, then your pet is probably suffering from a cold or upper respiratory infection. This is an infection of the nose, throat and upper airways similar to when humans get a cold or flu. Cats are particularly prone to respiratory infections, but dogs can also contract them, including the common problem of kennel cough.
You may also notice that your pet has stopped eating; this happens particularly to cats because their appetites are primarily driven by smell. If a cat’s nose is blocked and he cannot smell, he will probably become more picky about what he will eat or stop eating altogether for a few days.
Like humans, pets are also susceptible to secondary sinus and chest infections that can result from an untreated cold or initial upper respiratory infection.
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posted by Tess on Dec 14
More and more people are realizing the many benefits of using essential oils with their dogs. Essential Oils help strength and regulate the immune system, they assist with healing a variety of ailments and are helpful for emotional upsets. As with people, all animals are different, so what works for one pet may not be beneficial for another. Experiment with a variety of oils to see what will assist your pet. What is important is to use a high quality, pure essential oil.
How to use essential oils with your dog:
Massage
Add one drop of essential oil to to 1/2 tsp. carrier oil, such as jojoba oil, sweet almond oil or olive oil. Massage into hairless or least hairy area of the skin, such as the armpit, groin or inner thigh. Massage gently for 3 - 4 mins. Do not apply undiluted essential oil directly to your pet’s skin.
Diffuser
Add a few drops of essential oil to the water in a diffuser. Leave your dog in the room with the diffuser for about 30 mins, twice daily, while the oil is evaporated into the air your dog will breath it in.
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posted by Tess on Dec 13
Humans are not the only species to be suffering an obesity epidemic in certain parts of the world. Our pampered pets are also getting fat, with some estimates putting the level of obesity amongst dogs and cats at around 25%.
It is accepted that being clinically obese can lead to medical problems in humans, and this too is true for our pets. Arthritis, heart disease, bladder problems and diabetes are just some of the ailments our pets can suffer from if they are predisposed to it by their weight problem. Also, obese pets experience fatigue, exercise intolerance and heat intolerance leading to a poor overall quality of life.
Quite often overweight owners will have overweight pets. For dogs, this derives from 3 likelihoods:
1. The owner is relatively inactive, and the dog does not get walked as much as it should, burning off less calories.
2. The owner eats regularly throughout the day, meaning the dog is more often begging for treats and probably getting them.
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posted by Tess on Dec 11
Sinus infections
The sinuses are bony cavities in the skull that meet up with the nasal cavities and are prone to infection, especially after a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection.
In cats and dogs, sinus infections may be caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses and are sometimes even associated with tooth abscesses. Sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses) may also be caused by non-infectious ailments such as allergies.
How will I know if my pet has a sinus infection?
Typical signs of a sinus infection are sneezing, discharge from the eyes and nose, coughing or gagging and a postnasal drip. If your pet has never had such an illness before, it may be wise to have your vet investigate with X-rays or other tests to confirm a sinus infection.
If your pet has had sinusitis before, you will probably recognize the signs. Cats with a sinus infection may stop eating due to a decrease in their sense of smell.
How are sinus infections usually treated?
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posted by Tess on Dec 6
Fatty acids, especially oils from coldwater fish, have been recommended in people for lowering triglycerides, reducing secondary cardiovascular disease (and probably primary disease,) decreasing heart arrhythmias, decreasing blood pressure, and improving rheumatoid arthritis. They are also possibly helpful in preventing stroke and treating cancer, allergies, and mild depression. Since fish oil taken for many months can lower vitamin E, most products contain added vitamin E.
In pets, fish oil may be beneficial for heart disease, cancer, allergies, arthritis,kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases. I use high doses (2-4 times the label dose) in my patients and most can have their conventional medications lowered.
Side effects of fatty acid supplementation are rare. Fish oil may decrease platelet aggregation and prolong bleeding time. Contamination of fish meat (not oil) with methylmercury can occur. The human literature reports that fish oil may slightly increase LDL (bad) cholesterol although this does not seem to be common or of any significance in most cases. The human literature also reports multiple cases of bleeding (in the brain) when high dose doses is combined with ginkgo. I have not seen any side effects in my patients except the very rare case in a few dogs that smelled fishy.
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