Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
"Freedom" for some Charlotte Area Dogs...
Hello,
Saw this article yesterday and thought I would share:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/07/11/2444904/group-links-dogs-freedom.html
... Although fences are certainly no substitute for one-on-one, human-to-canine contact (i.e. play time and, most importantly, walk time), they are a great alternative to tethering (i.e. rope, cable or chain leads)!
If you'd like to find out how you can help this worthy cause, please check out their site at: http://unchaindogs.net/
In other news, here are a couple of the latest photos of some of our Best Friends...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Pig ear recall...
Pig ears recalled due to possible salmonella contamination
by THERESE on MAY 3, 2011
in PET FOOD RECALL,PET HEALTH
Pig ears manufactured by Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc. are being recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. From the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Illinois company is recalling pet chews made of pig’s ears because they could be contaminated with salmonella.
One illness, to a dog in Missouri, has been linked to the chews, called Pig Ears for Pet Treats. The product is being recalled by the Keys Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Paris, Ill.
Salmonella can affect animals, and there is risk to people from handling contaminated pet products.
The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Pets with salmonella may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea fever and vomiting.
The pet treats were distributed in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Consumers can return the pet treats to the place of purchase for a full refund.
I called the company to find out more but the guy I talked to didn’t know the details. I suspect there will be more info out tomorrow though because he said the FDA was scheduled to pay them a visit.
by THERESE on MAY 3, 2011
in PET FOOD RECALL,PET HEALTH
Pig ears manufactured by Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc. are being recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. From the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Illinois company is recalling pet chews made of pig’s ears because they could be contaminated with salmonella.
One illness, to a dog in Missouri, has been linked to the chews, called Pig Ears for Pet Treats. The product is being recalled by the Keys Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Paris, Ill.
Salmonella can affect animals, and there is risk to people from handling contaminated pet products.
The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Pets with salmonella may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea fever and vomiting.
The pet treats were distributed in Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
Consumers can return the pet treats to the place of purchase for a full refund.
I called the company to find out more but the guy I talked to didn’t know the details. I suspect there will be more info out tomorrow though because he said the FDA was scheduled to pay them a visit.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Another kitty, Macy, needs a good home...
Little Macy is 8-years old and is grey in color. She is a loving cat and is good with other animals....may be a little standoffish at first but comes around. She currently lives with 2 dogs. She is good with kids, too. She is timid and keeps to herself a lot. She likes to go outside some, but is mainly an indoor cat. Her front paws are declawed. Litterbox, dishes, bed will be sent along with Macy to her new home. Vaccinations are up-to-date.
Foster home needed for "cuddly citties" :-)
A client of ours has been deployed to Afghanistan for a year. He has 2 adorable cats. They are both 4 years old and very affectionate. They were previously in a foster home; but the foster parents cannot keep them any longer.
Our client has reached out to us; and we are reaching out to you all to find a new foster home for these kitties. They are current on all vaccinations; and our client will pay for their food, litter, et. al. every month.
If you can help -- please let us know!
We -- and the kitties -- THANK YOU!
Our client has reached out to us; and we are reaching out to you all to find a new foster home for these kitties. They are current on all vaccinations; and our client will pay for their food, litter, et. al. every month.
If you can help -- please let us know!
We -- and the kitties -- THANK YOU!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
50% of US dogs and cats are now overweight
The latest report from the Association for Pet Obesity prevention shows more than 50% of US dogs and cats are now overweight or obese, according to an article by Gwendolyn Bounds in the Wall Street Journal.
Conducted in partnership with Banfield, the line of pet hospitals owned by Mars, the survey also indicates pet owners deserve the main share of blame, Bounds writes, because they regularly overfeed their pets, don't give them enough exercise and are not educated about the serious health consequences of pet obesity.
The article goes on to highlight products designed to help combat the problem, including, of course, petfoods formulated to help reduce weight. But the focus is on owner awareness and education, because, as Steven Budsberg, director of clinical research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine is quoted in the article: "I never met a German Shepherd who could open the refrigerator or food bag and pour himself another bowl."
Which makes it all the more essential, I believe, for petfood packaging and labels to include calorie content information and -- perhaps even more importantly -- feeding directions and measurements that are clear and easy for the average pet owner to understand and follow. That means directions in terms of common measurements such as cups or portions of cans. (Let's face it, most people cannot interpret and apply things like kilocalories per grams.)
In January the Association of American Feed Control Officials moved one step closer to mandating that such information be included on all dog and cat food and treat labels, via an amendment to the AAFCO Model Regulations. The amendment still has several hurdles to clear in the AAFCO approval process; if it passes them all, the earliest it could be approved would be 2012. Then a grace period to allow manufacturers to comply would likely mean another year or two before the information was available to pet owners.
Yet to me, it's good to know at least the movement is still under way. I understand some people and companies in the industry have what they consider valid reasons for fighting this amendment. But can you really argue against a 50%+ overweight/obesity rate in companion animals?
It's true that providing the information is no guarantee that pet owners will follow it; you could argue that human food labels have been required to include information on calories, fat, sodium and all sorts of other substances for a while now, and the overweight/obesity rate in humans (at least in the US) keeps climbing, too. But unless and until such data is available for petfoods, veterinarians, other experts and conscientious pet parents trying to combat pet obesity are fighting without what could prove to be the most valuable weapon of all: information.
Conducted in partnership with Banfield, the line of pet hospitals owned by Mars, the survey also indicates pet owners deserve the main share of blame, Bounds writes, because they regularly overfeed their pets, don't give them enough exercise and are not educated about the serious health consequences of pet obesity.
The article goes on to highlight products designed to help combat the problem, including, of course, petfoods formulated to help reduce weight. But the focus is on owner awareness and education, because, as Steven Budsberg, director of clinical research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine is quoted in the article: "I never met a German Shepherd who could open the refrigerator or food bag and pour himself another bowl."
Which makes it all the more essential, I believe, for petfood packaging and labels to include calorie content information and -- perhaps even more importantly -- feeding directions and measurements that are clear and easy for the average pet owner to understand and follow. That means directions in terms of common measurements such as cups or portions of cans. (Let's face it, most people cannot interpret and apply things like kilocalories per grams.)
In January the Association of American Feed Control Officials moved one step closer to mandating that such information be included on all dog and cat food and treat labels, via an amendment to the AAFCO Model Regulations. The amendment still has several hurdles to clear in the AAFCO approval process; if it passes them all, the earliest it could be approved would be 2012. Then a grace period to allow manufacturers to comply would likely mean another year or two before the information was available to pet owners.
Yet to me, it's good to know at least the movement is still under way. I understand some people and companies in the industry have what they consider valid reasons for fighting this amendment. But can you really argue against a 50%+ overweight/obesity rate in companion animals?
It's true that providing the information is no guarantee that pet owners will follow it; you could argue that human food labels have been required to include information on calories, fat, sodium and all sorts of other substances for a while now, and the overweight/obesity rate in humans (at least in the US) keeps climbing, too. But unless and until such data is available for petfoods, veterinarians, other experts and conscientious pet parents trying to combat pet obesity are fighting without what could prove to be the most valuable weapon of all: information.
Cats prefer food similar to their natural prey
Research finds cats prefer food similar to their natural prey
Cats self-regulate protein, fat, carbohydrate intake
Release Date: February 28, 2011 Comments(2)
According to research carried out in collaboration with Professor Steve Simpson at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia, and Professor David Raubenheimer at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand, healthy pet cats regulate their protein, fat and carbohydrate intake to mimic the types of food they would eat in the wild.
The research, carried out over a two-year period at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, demonstrated that cats have an intake target that equates to approximately 52% of their daily calorie intake from protein, 36% from fat and 12% from carbohydrate. “This is a fascinating discovery and we are intrigued to know more about why cats have the ability to do this,” said lead study author Dr. Adrian Hewson-Hughes. “It is particularly remarkable that, even after thousands of years of domestication, cats still select a diet nutritionally similar to their natural prey.”
Waltham intends to pursue further research in this area and will now focus on the selection of these key nutrients in other cat lifestages including gestation, lactation and growth, as well as in dogs.
Cats self-regulate protein, fat, carbohydrate intake
Release Date: February 28, 2011 Comments(2)
According to research carried out in collaboration with Professor Steve Simpson at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia, and Professor David Raubenheimer at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand, healthy pet cats regulate their protein, fat and carbohydrate intake to mimic the types of food they would eat in the wild.
The research, carried out over a two-year period at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, demonstrated that cats have an intake target that equates to approximately 52% of their daily calorie intake from protein, 36% from fat and 12% from carbohydrate. “This is a fascinating discovery and we are intrigued to know more about why cats have the ability to do this,” said lead study author Dr. Adrian Hewson-Hughes. “It is particularly remarkable that, even after thousands of years of domestication, cats still select a diet nutritionally similar to their natural prey.”
Waltham intends to pursue further research in this area and will now focus on the selection of these key nutrients in other cat lifestages including gestation, lactation and growth, as well as in dogs.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wellness Recall!
The PetsitUSA Blog
Pet Food Recall: Wellness Canned Cat Food
Posted: 01 Mar 2011 06:49 AM PST
New recall, this one’s from Wellness, due to insufficient levels of thiamine in their canned cat food:
WellPet is committed to delivering the very best in pet food nutrition, as nothing is more important than the well-being of our dogs and cats. So when we found through product quality testing that specific product runs of our Wellness canned cat food might contain less than adequate levels of thiamine (also known as Vitamin B1), we decided to voluntarily recall them.
Please know, the vast majority of products tested had the appropriate levels of thiamine; however, with the number of recipes we offer, we did not want to make this more confusing. Therefore to avoid confusion and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all canned cat products with the specific date codes noted below. Cats fed only product with inadequate levels of thiamine for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.
Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.
The lots involved in this voluntary recall are:
Wellness Canned Cat (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;
Wellness Canned Cat Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with best by date of 10NOV13 and 17NOV13.
If you have cat food from these lots, you should stop feeding it to your cats. You may call WellPet at 1-877-227-9587 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.
You’ll find the info on the Wellness website here.
Thanks, Wellness, for not waiting until Friday evening to post this recall! You done good.
Pet Food Recall: Wellness Canned Cat Food
Posted: 01 Mar 2011 06:49 AM PST
New recall, this one’s from Wellness, due to insufficient levels of thiamine in their canned cat food:
WellPet is committed to delivering the very best in pet food nutrition, as nothing is more important than the well-being of our dogs and cats. So when we found through product quality testing that specific product runs of our Wellness canned cat food might contain less than adequate levels of thiamine (also known as Vitamin B1), we decided to voluntarily recall them.
Please know, the vast majority of products tested had the appropriate levels of thiamine; however, with the number of recipes we offer, we did not want to make this more confusing. Therefore to avoid confusion and in an abundance of caution, we have decided to recall all canned cat products with the specific date codes noted below. Cats fed only product with inadequate levels of thiamine for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.
Though the chance of developing this deficiency is remote, withdrawing these products is the right thing to do and we are removing it from retailers’ shelves.
The lots involved in this voluntary recall are:
Wellness Canned Cat (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;
Wellness Canned Cat Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with best by date of 10NOV13 and 17NOV13.
If you have cat food from these lots, you should stop feeding it to your cats. You may call WellPet at 1-877-227-9587 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.
You’ll find the info on the Wellness website here.
Thanks, Wellness, for not waiting until Friday evening to post this recall! You done good.
Friday, February 4, 2011
What's your dog eating for breakfast?
"Pet Food: A Dog's Breakfast" will premiere on Thursday, February 10th at 10pm and will repeat that evening at 1am.
The documentary will also repeat on Sunday, February 13th at 10pm.
When a major recall rocks the $16 billion dollar pet food business, pet owners and governments take notice. "Pet Food: A Dog's Breakfast" takes you inside the industry and looks at what caused 50,000 pets to fall seriously ill in North America. "Pet Food" shows you what is being done to regulate what our dogs and cats eat and tries to answer the ultimate question, is your pet's food safe?
The documentary will also repeat on Sunday, February 13th at 10pm.
When a major recall rocks the $16 billion dollar pet food business, pet owners and governments take notice. "Pet Food: A Dog's Breakfast" takes you inside the industry and looks at what caused 50,000 pets to fall seriously ill in North America. "Pet Food" shows you what is being done to regulate what our dogs and cats eat and tries to answer the ultimate question, is your pet's food safe?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Bosco the Boston Terrier
Hi!
One of our clients, Bosco the Boston Terrier, is in need of a new home. BTW: Bosco, in case you haven't guessed, is the little guy on the right.
If you, or anyone you know, is interested, please contact us here at Walkin-n-Waggin.com for more information.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Walkin-n-Waggin Dog Walking & Pet Sitting Services update...
MERRICK PET CARE RECALLS JR TEXAS TAFFY PET TREAT (ITEM # 27077, ALL LOTS UP TO AND INCLUDING 10364) BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK
01.30.2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 28, 2011 – Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling the Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat (ITEM # 27077, UPC # 02280827077, All Lots up to and including 10364) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Merrick Pet Care has made the decision to recall all Jr. Texas Taffy pet treats in the abundance of caution. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.
Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
The Jr. Texas Taffy was shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
Consumers who have purchased the Jr. Texas Taffy are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm CST.
01.30.2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 28, 2011 – Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling the Jr. Texas Taffy pet treat (ITEM # 27077, UPC # 02280827077, All Lots up to and including 10364) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Merrick Pet Care has made the decision to recall all Jr. Texas Taffy pet treats in the abundance of caution. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the treats can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers immediately.
Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
The Jr. Texas Taffy was shipped to distributors and retailers throughout the US. These individuals have been notified and have activated their recall procedures.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
Consumers who have purchased the Jr. Texas Taffy are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00am – 5:00pm CST.
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