A while back I posted about  five surprising foods that can be harmful to dogs that many people don’t know about.

Dogster member Mr. Henry had sent over the info because he wanted to make sure all his pals stayed healthy.  In the article garlic and onion are mentioned as being potentially dangerous, something I hadn’t realized until I read about it.

I just received a message from Bo’s friend Angel Mica letting me know she just found out about the danger of those foods.  I thought if she didn’t know there may still be many others who don’t and the message is worth repeating.

Here’s a list of  several natural and seemingly healthy human foods that are  harmful or even toxic to dogs.

Garlic & Onion: Though treated as a health food and often taken in supplement form by humans, garlic (along with its alliaceae cousins onions and leeks) is toxic-sometimes deadly-for pets, with reactions ranging from stomach damage to acute dermatitis to asthmatic attacks. Pets By Nature reports the story of a Pennsylvania woman who lost her Newfoundland to garlic poisoning: “Within two weeks of feeding a popular garlic supplement available at most pet stores and over the Internet, her Newfoundland developed a bleeding ulcer and perforated intestine.” The dog did not survive.

Grapes & Raisins: While not as toxic as members of the onion family, consumption of grapes and raisins can cause vomiting, dehydration and, in large quantities, kidney failure. The exact toxin present in grapes is not known, but scientists have established that both commercially and privately cultivated grapes, as well as raisins, present a risk.

Avocado:

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This week’s tip is the typical Thanksgiving food warning, but we’ve added a holiday shopping tidbit that can save you money while helping  Sunbear Squad.

Watch Tip Week of November 23:

Watch for pets sickened by eating rich holiday leftovers or cooked turkey bones.

If you Christmas-shop using “iGive”  a percentage will automatically be forwarded to Sunbear Squad to fund their programs. Go to the iGive.com site to find out how to get good deals for yourself and give back at the same time. A win-win for all.

THANK YOU!

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Thank you to our friends at Sunbear Squad for teaching us how to be good Samaritans for animals.

Watch Tip Week of Nov. 15:

Watch for collars, chains, dog houses, and kennels that are too short or small for growing puppies. Call the authorities!

Below is a story sent to Sunbear Squad showing the importance of this week’s tip.

Who needs to spend good money on a dog collar when you have a piece of barbed-wire?

A reader sent me a story last week about a Great Dane female rescued with a barbed-wire collar embedded in her neck. A “backyard” breeder in Portage, Wisconsin kept her in an old garage. The breeder didn’t need a real collar because he never let her out of that garage. He wrapped her neck in barbed wire when she was young. She grew up into an adult and that collar grew into her like a wire grows into a tree trunk. Read the rest of this entry »

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It’s hard to believe but the holiday season is officially here. A lot of people will be traveling by car to their destination, many with the family dog. While some pets enjoy riding in the family car, others find it stressful.

The American Humane Society has provided us with a great list of tips, whether traveling by car or air, to help minimize stress. Making this an enjoyable trip for both the two and four legged family members.

General Tips for Safe Travel With Pets:

1. Properly identify pets with ID tags and microchips — Make sure your pets have ID and current rabies tags and are microchipped. To be extra cautious, give your pet an extra tag with the address and phone number of where you will be staying for the duration of the trip, in case they get lost after you arrive.

2. Train pets to travel in their crates — Whether you’re heading to your holiday destination by plane, train or automobile, getting your pets used to their crates will make the entire traveling experience less stressful. Even when not at home, pets still view their crates as a safe haven from stressful situations. With a crate, size does matter — Crates should be large enough for pets to stand and turn around in comfortably. Remember to keep water inside the crate or allow for breaks every 3 hours where your pet can drink and stretch. Stainless steel water containers that hook onto wire crates are easy to use and clean up well.

3. Never leave your pets unattended – Just as you would never leave a child unattended, never leave your pet alone in a car.

4. Bring their health records– Many of us can’t remember the last time we got a tetanus shot, let alone remember all the shots and medications our pets have had. Take your pet’s health records just in case he needs to see a veterinarian during your trip. Be sure to check with your veterinarian to see if they would recommend heartworm prevention or treatment for fleas or ticks for the area you are traveling.

Air Travel: Read the rest of this entry »

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I received a very sad email yesterday from Dogster member Minika Hall.  She wanted to share her recent tragedy at the dog park, which resulted in the loss of her beloved dog Miles’, as a warning to other dog owners.

Miles’ was an adorable Yorkie who loved the dog park, and Hall enjoyed taking him there on a daily basis.  On Sunday they went for a visit but this time Minika did something she had never done before, brought him into the big dog side of the park.

Here are the details from The Buffalo News.

Miles, an eight-month-old Yorkie who frequented the park with his owner several times a week during the warmer weather, was enjoying a late-October romp.

But Hall made a decision she will always regret. She let her five-pound pooch make his first visit to a separate running area that generally accommodates larger dogs. Until Sunday, Miles had always frolicked in an adjacent area reserved for dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds. On this evening, the special area was empty, and she wanted Miles to have company.

“Miles wasn’t afraid of big dogs,” said Hall, her voice shaking. “He loved to play with the bigger dogs.”

The Yorkie was playing with several other dogs, none of them very large or aggressive, according to Hall. She said what happened next is a blur, but she recalls Miles being stepped on and instantly falling to the ground.

At first, she thought he just had the wind knocked out of him or — in a worst-case scenario — was paralyzed. But after she and another Barkyard patron rushed the dog to an emergency clinic, reality set in. Miles’ tiny neck had likely been crushed as the dogs played, she said. Read the rest of this entry »

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