Monday, January 14, 2013

Pet's RX. Pups For Profit. GMOs in Pet Foods. “All Natural” Cat Food. Food Allergies. First Constitution. Gold Standard.

 

For “Mammal Monday”:

Please Read This If You Fill Your Pet's Prescriptions at Retail Pharmacies

Pet Prescription

“In Oregon, over a third of veterinarians who responded to a recent survey had experience with retail pharmacy errors when filling veterinary prescriptions. The majority of errors involved an online or retail pharmacy changing dosing instructions or the medication itself without contacting the prescribing veterinarian.

Some of the errors veterinarians noted involved pharmacists substituting one type of insulin for another, overruling the DVM’s dosing instructions for anti-seizure medication, and a pharmacist who was unaware of the dangers of administering acetaminophen to dogs and cats.

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine offers suggestions for veterinarians to decrease the risk of dispensing errors, which includes avoiding use of abbreviations.  The majority of pharmacists who dispense human medications get little to no training in veterinary pharmacy. Pet owners who choose to use online or retail pharmacies should take precautions to insure their pet’s prescriptions are filled accurately and safely.”  Examples of Veterinary Prescription Errors:  Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/01/11/retail-pharmacy-errors.aspx

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Puppies for Profit: Stop Evil Commercial Breeding!

Ohio Mill Pups

“It's time we stopped profiting off of the misery of animals. Commercial dog breeders breed puppies for the sake of turning a profit — many times, without regard for the puppies at all. The breeders aren't interested in dogs' well-being — they simply want to keep the inventory moving, unconcerned with even basic humane standards.”  Please sign: http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=HR835PUPSAct

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GMOs in Pet Foods – Dogs & Cats, The new canaries down the mine.  By Dr. Michael W. Fox

“The metaphor of the proverbial canary down the mine shaft alerting miners to the presence of poisonous gas is eminently applicable in this modern day to our animal companions alerting us to hazards in our shared home environments when they become ill. One of the long overlooked external environmental factors that affect the health of our cats and dogs as well as our own, is the food we and they consume. Manufactured pet foods are not something separate from what we consume and provide for the rest of our families. What we and they eat comes from the same agribusiness food chain!

In my review of the risks of GMOs, (genetically modified food ingredients), present in most manufactured pet foods that are not Organically certified and which contain corn, soy, canola, sugar beet or imported rice, I give a unique perspective as a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. It is through this column, which I have been writing for over 40 years, and the thousands of letters received from pet owners concerned about their dogs’ and cats’ illnesses which conventional veterinary treatments were not always effectively resolving, that I was able to track changes in the kinds of illnesses seen in companion animals that coincide with and parallel the introduction of increasing amounts of GMOs in their diets.”

“Dr. Michael W. Fox believes the high number of skin and food allergies, and other allergies associated with GI disorders in dogs and cats are caused or aggravated by novel proteins and other contaminants found in genetically modified crops.

Even conventionally grown corn is not a biologically appropriate food for dogs or cats. Both corn and soy products are linked to a wide variety of health problems in companion animals.”

More at: http://www.dogs4dogs.com/blog/2012/10/24/gmos-in-pet-food/

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The Dangers of Genetically Modified Ingredients in Pet Food

Pet Food

“If you’re feeding your dog or cat a commercial pet food containing corn-based ingredients, chances are those ingredients are genetically modified. Over 60 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified.

Studies of rats fed GM corn show evidence of severe kidney and liver disease, negative effects on the heart, spleen, and other organs, massive tumors, and premature death.

While the impact of GM foods on dogs and cats has not been scientifically studied, many scientists suspect these products have some common toxic effects and may cause disorders of the liver, pancreas and kidneys in humans and animals.”  Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/11/14/genetically-modified-corn.aspx

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If a Cat’s Natural Prey is Mice, How Can a Bag of Kibble Be “All Natural?”

Kibble

“More and more commercial pet foods and treats labeled “natural” are showing up on store shelves these days, and the trend is expected to continue.

It’s important that pet owners understand there are no regulations governing the use of the word “natural” on pet food. AAFCO has provided a definition that includes as “natural,” ingredients that have been subjected to “… physical processing, heat processing, rendering, purification extraction, hydrolysis, enzymolysis or fermentation.”

Despite the misuse and abuse of the term natural, over 60 percent of consumers believe if a food is labeled “all natural,” it must be healthy.

Truly natural food for dogs and cats should closely mimic what they would eat in the wild. Freshly hunted prey animals are natural. Processed kibble in a bag is not … despite what the label may claim.

Knowledgeable consumers don’t fall for marketing hype, so we encourage every owner of a dog or cat to learn the true definition of natural nutrition for pets.”      Complete article at: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/01/07/commercial-pet-food-labeled-natural.aspx

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Supposed Best Dog Foods Often Cause Illness in Dogs

“Many dog owners who feel they are feeding the best food for dogs often don't realize that the food may be causing a host of dog health issues.

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Dog foods with labels like "premium" and "natural" aren't always the best food for dogs. Depending on a dog's individual system, some supposedly healthy and even natural dog food can sometimes do more harm than good; especially dry dog food. In many cases, simply changing a dog's diet can eradicate persistent dog illness symptoms, because the dog was actually allergic to any number of ingredients in the original dog food.

Treating Illness in Dogs Rather Than Symptoms

Symptoms displayed by a dog with allergies include common occurrences that many pet owners wouldn't shake a tail at initially. Then, when ear infections start to smell, shedding and dog dandruff evolves into hair loss, or paw licking becomes excessive, a trip to the vet often results in a steroid prescription, such as prednisone, to erase the symptom rather than cure the problem.”     Read more at: http://suite101.com/article/supposed-best-dog-foods-often-cause-illness-in-dogs-a337526

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On This Day:

The first colonial constitution, Jan 14, 1639:

“In Hartford, Connecticut, the first constitution in the American colonies, the "Fundamental Orders," is adopted by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford.

The Dutch discovered the Connecticut River in 1614, but English Puritans from Massachusetts largely accomplished European settlement of the region. During the 1630s, they flocked to the Connecticut valley from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and in 1638 representatives from the three major Puritan settlements in Connecticut met to set up a unified government for the new colony.

Roger Ludlow, a lawyer, wrote much of the Fundamental Orders, and presented a binding and compact frame of government that put the welfare of the community above that of individuals. It was also the first written constitution in the world to declare the modern idea that "the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people." In 1662, the Charter of Connecticut superseded the Fundamental Orders; though the majority of the original document's laws and statutes remained in force until 1818.”

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Gold prices soar, Jan 14, 1980:

“After being released from government control, gold reaches a new record price on January 14, 1980, exceeding $800 an ounce.

Gold is scattered sparsely throughout the earth's crust and since ancient times has been treasured for both its scarcity and metallurgic properties. Before the 19th century, most nations maintained a bimetallic monetary system, which often included gold but consisted mainly of silver. Beginning in Great Britain in 1821, units of currency were redeemable for a fixed quantity of gold, a change that Britain hoped would stabilize its rapidly growing economy. As the Industrial Revolution spread, other countries followed suit, and by the late 19th century most industrialized nations were on the gold standard. In the new global economy, the common standard facilitated international monetary transactions and stabilized foreign exchange rates.

The reign of the full gold standard, however, was short. In 1914, the curbing of gold exports at the outbreak of World War I forced recourse to inconvertible paper currency. After the war, the gold standard returned, but economic growth in the 1920s overtook the gold reserves, and some nations supplemented their reserves with stable currencies like the pound and dollar, which like gold had obtained a measure of permanent abstract value in people's minds.

In 1930, the world economy collapsed and the gold standard with it. In response, most governments sharply limited the convertibility of paper currency. In the United States in 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt prohibited the circulation of gold coins; though gold was still used in defining the value of the dollar. In the United States and many other countries, currencies remained "pegged" to gold until the 1970s, when dwindling global reserves signaled the final death knell of the gold standard.

In 1971, the United States suspended the free exchange of U.S. gold for foreign-held dollars, then in 1974 lifted its four-decade ban on the private purchase of gold. At that time, gold bullion was being traded in European markets at highs approaching $200 an ounce. In 1975, the U.S. government began to sell some of its holdings on the open market and in 1978, along with most other nations, officially abandoned the gold standard. After being released from government control, the price of gold soared, with its most staggering increase recorded January 14, 1980, when the price jumped to more than $800 an ounce.”

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Yesterday:

Chris, the SPCA foster mom who lives near me, was coming over to give my foster kitten, Miss Priss, her second vaccinations.

When she arrived, I was outside figuring out what to do with the space where the RVport used to be for the best look, and curb appeal, for both my house and the guest house.  I had to go in and get a coat with a hood, as a chilly north wind came through.   The windows on three sides of the house were placed so that you see out of three sides of the house from my kitchen, and I wanted to keep it that way.  That meant that I couldn’t build anything tall in the space where the RVport was. 

When my house sells, my paint shed and attached lawn mower shed will go with it, so all the paints, nails, auto parts, caulk, garden tools, and mowers will have to be moved.  So I was trying to design an area that could be added onto my storeroom which is on the guest house’s property.

First, Chris took pictures of Miss Priss for her adoption webpage on Petfinder.com   Miss Priss didn’t like that, and put her ears back, so we had trouble getting her to look pleasant.  For our safety, I wrapped her up like a mummy in a towel, but we didn’t have so much trouble getting the vaccine in her eyes and nose this time.  This is a new way of doing it, as so many cats had allergic reactions to the shots.

The sun came out, but the cold wind didn’t go away, so I had to try to draw up the plans for the shed addition by looking out of a Grooming Room window from inside the house, but I think I got it figured out yesterday.

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