The Powers of High Vitamin Cod Liver Oil

Posted by & filed under Joint health, joint pain, other health concerns, Products We Love.

You may know that cod liver oil has been used for centuries to relieve joint pain and to treat rickets, a disease that causes fragile bones in children, but it actually has a myriad of other benefits.

Although cod liver oil is a fish oil supplement, it’s quite different than regular fish oil. Instead of extracting the oils from the tissue of oily fish, this oil is made by extracting oil from the the livers of cod. The liver is rich in fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A and D, which give it an impressive nutrient profile. Green Pasture’s Cod Liver Oil is a “high vitamin” oil, meaning this oil comes from a certain species of cod fished during the seasons when the nutrients are at optimal density, resulting in a nutrient content that is 2-5x greater density than other brands while maintaining the recommended ratio of Vitamin A to D. Green Pasture’s gentle heat-free fermentation process naturally maximizes nutrient bioavailability and reduces any contaminants in the food. Every lot is tested for PCB’s, metals, etc.

The Whole Dog Journal points out that “The vitamins in cod liver oil have been proven essential for growth, healthy bones, proper development of the brain and nervous systems, normal sexual development, and a strong immune system. In 2002, researchers in Wales found that cod liver oil’s omega-3 fatty acids disable enzymes that destroy cartilage. As a result, cod liver oil delays and even reverses the “irreversible” destruction of joint cartilage and inflammatory pain associated with arthritis. All of cod liver oil’s human benefits are also dog benefits, including improved memory function, reduced behavioral disorders, and enhanced immunity. America’s dogs are increasingly susceptible to obesity, insulin resistance, and adult-onset diabetes. Cod liver oil has been used in clinical trials on humans with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes. In both conditions, cod liver oil improved glucose response and other markers of the disease.” Cod liver oil’s vitamin A strengthens the immune system, fights infection, heals the skin, repairs the digestive tract, is essential to the formation of bones and teeth, aids in fat storage, stimulates new cell growth, and improves the body’s utilization of protein.”
Because cod liver oil is so nutrient dense, we consulted our favorite pet food nutritionist, Billy Hoekman,  about whether pet owners should be cautious when it comes to dosing for nutrients like vitamin D and A, especially if they’re feeding commercial foods that might already be supplementing with Vit D. He says, “In nature, vitamins A, D, and K2 assist each other in being metabolized. When it’s coming from a natural source like FCLO, there is really no reasonable toxicity level. With that being said, obviously a lot of kibble companies are using synthetic vitamin D in their formulas. I still don’t think the dosage is high enough in the FCLO oil to come close to that toxic level they are referring to, and most dogs (and people), whether they are kibble or raw fed, are too low in vitamin D.” When we asked him about proper dosing, he said, “Each tsp has 1,250 mg of omega 3. I would just compare those numbers to other omega 3 supplements. At those dosages it would be impossible to get a toxicity in any fat soluble vitamins, including D”.
Cod liver oil is 
best stored in a cool dark place. As Whole Dog Journal suggests, “we recommend you feed saturated fats like butter or coconut oil in combination with cod liver oil. The body needs saturated fat in order to absorb and assimilate the fat-soluble vitamins. An easy rule of thumb is to give equal amounts of cod liver oil and saturated fat, so for every teaspoon of cod liver oil, give your dog a teaspoon (or more) of butter or coconut oil.”
Most people find the taste of Cod Liver Oil to be offensive, but dogs generally love it!

NOTE: With any new supplement, we always recommend that you start with a very small amount and build up to the recommended dose to avoid any digestive surprises.

SAFE SEA GREEN LIPPED MUSSEL OIL!

Posted by & filed under diet and health, Green Tip, Joint health, joint pain, other health concerns, skin issues, specific ingredients.

Photo from Four Leaf Rovers

Fish oils are of course very helpful for skin and itch issues, as well as being very supportive to brain and eye health, and they’re good at helping to fight inflammation.
We do try to stock the most sustainable brands we can find, but the truth is that removing great quantities of fish and krill from the ocean leads to declining populations of larger sea animals and whales because they’re robbed of their food source. Big fish are also easily contaminated with mercury, PCBs and dioxins.
Safe-Sea’s Green Lipped Mussels from Four Leaf Rover are so sustainable! Grown in clean water in New Zealand, mussels grow along ropes where they soak up phytoplankton from the water. Phytoplankton grows from sunlight, so their mussels don’t have to compete for their food source with marine life. As a bonus, by controlling phytoplankton it in turn manages algae blooms.
While most fish oils only contain two fatty acids, Green Lipped Mussel Oil contains 30! According to a study published in “Inflammopharmacology” in 1997, the phospholipids in mussel oil make it 158 times more effective than fish oil. Green Lipped Mussels are one of the only generous sources of an important anti-inflammatory omega-3 called ETA, which can help regenerate cartilage in a dog with arthritis.
They pair it with Ahi Flower, which is a powerful plant, rich in omega fatty acids. One of those is omega-6 fatty acid called GLA which helps reduce inflammation and promotes good skin health. Ahiflower produces a precursor for EPA, which is an anti-inflammatory omega-3 in fish oil that also helps with hormone balance and supports your dog’s coat and skin. Astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant, gives it its beautiful ruby red color.

The blend of Green Lipped Mussel Oil and Ahiflower create a super source of omega fatty acids making this a high quality oil for dogs.  (Note: Cats should not consume Ahiflower)

We always like to remind folks when starting any new supplement, to introduce it in small amounts, slowly building to the recommended dose.

Lumps and Bumps? Warts? Cancer? Medicinal mushrooms to the rescue!

Posted by & filed under Amazing Things You're Not Buying, Cancer, cat health, other health concerns, Products We Love, skin issues, specific ingredients.

photo by Christine Mallar

Among MANY other benefits, medicinal mushrooms are amazing for supporting the immune system and for shrinking growths. We’ve seen amazing results! Papillomas (warts with a cauliflower appearance) are somewhat common in puppies or animals with compromised immune systems (cats too). They are viral in nature and can be transferred to other animals. We’ve seen great results, shrinking/eliminating them with medicinal mushrooms. We’ve even seen dramatic shrinking of large tumors! (See photos below)These medicinal mushrooms are non-hallucinogenic and non-toxic.

We carry 3 brands of Medicinal mushrooms: Four Leaf Rover, Bixbi ,and we also carry Lazarus Naturals Calming chews with mushrooms(we’d suggest rotating between them).

These medicinal mushrooms are carefully grown and selected and they contain both the fruiting bodies and mycelium. They are well researched and are reported to have the following benefits: Helping to maintain a normal inflammatory response, antioxidant protection, helping to support liver and kidney function, helping to support blood sugar and blood pressure to be within normal ranges, helping to maintain normal histamine levels, and supporting seasonal skin allergies.”

Four Leaf Rover says, “The mushrooms in Immunity have been hand-picked to help support your dog’s immune system. Our double extraction process makes sure that the beneficial beta-glucans and triterpenoids are bioavailable and ready to help balance your dog’s immune system. You can expect high-quality from Immunity because all of our mushrooms are grown on real wood in greenhouses. This is not a common practice, as one might think. Most mushroom products are mycelium and grown in bags of oats, sorghum or other grains. This process is cheaper for the manufacturers and the whole mushroom (which is the source of  beta-glucans and other active ingredients) is never actually used. This results in a “mushroom” product that lacks highly rich components your dog deserves. Even though the FDA doesn’t allow mycelium products to call themselves “mushrooms” on their labels (because its lacking key properties), it still happens. Manufacturers get around this by adding trace amounts of the fruiting body just so they can call their product ‘mushroom’.

Bixby says, “We take the full spectrum approach with mushrooms. We include mycelium, extra-cellular compounds, primordia, and fruitbodies. BIXBI supplements are certified organic by Oregon Tilth. Our mushrooms are also great for cats!”

Here are a few testimonials about Four Leaf Rovers Immunity mushrooms:
“I bought this product for my aging dog, to help support her immune system and in the hope that it would help with her fatty lymphomas. Not long after buying this mushroom powder and adding it to her food every day, I saw a reduction in the size of many of her lumps. She had a lump about the size of an egg in her throat area for years with no change in size. Now….I can hardly find it. She had one on the inside of each thigh and now they are less than half the size they were before. She had one in the front of her ear that had continued to get bigger, but now it is completely gone. While I can’t prove that this product is responsible for the shrinking lumps….I don’t know what else it could be. She had the lumps for years with no shrinkage until I started this product”

“I Had a 10-month old GSP diagnosed with IMHA. There are a number of antibiotics she can’t take because of her condition. On 8/31 she developed a papilloma on her lower right lip. By 9/15 it had turned into a cauliflower. I started her on IMMUNITY on 9/20 and by 9/28 the papilloma was gone!”.

And a few more success Stories about Medicinal mushrooms:

“I have an American bull dog who desperately needed skin support. We changed foods, added supplements, changed laundry detergent, weekly bathing. Nothing seemed to keep it at bay. I started adding this to her diet and we started seeing improvements right away. I wish the dosing was a little easier but I did ask some questions from the website chat and the person I spoke with had a sharpei with bad skin, and medicinal mushrooms were AMAZINGLY helpful! I hope to try more products in the future! I am recommending this to all my grooming clients with seasonal allergy issues”.

“My dog does Parkour Now! Our Dog I wouldn’t consider “old” but he just turned 6. He’s a shihtzu mix. He’s has pretty bad seasonal allergies, skin issues etc.. not only did this immensely help his allergies and skin issues but now I can tell he has so much more energy. Not that he acted old or anything, but I can tell that now he is getting so many more nutrients that he is happier and has more energy to jump and play around! We have definitely noticed lots of positive benefits that we weren’t expecting. It’s crazy how much happier and how much better your dog feels after getting the proper nutrition. We will definitely purchase again and recommend to literally everyone!”

Our most surprising customer testimonial about medicinal mushrooms was  this doberman who had a large tumor on her back right hock/ankle. Now you can’t even see where it was on that ankle.(Photos from V. Harrer)

Another exciting change was seen  when a long time customer brought her dog Fibonnaci last year for help with calming products for the upcoming July 4th. We hadn’t seen him in  little while and while I was greeting him, I noticed a lot of little growths had sprouted since last time I’d seen him. Especially significant was the one growth that was right on his lower eyelid. She mentioned  to me that he was scheduled to be removed, as it was irritating his eye. We went over to our supplement area and I showed her the Lazarus Naturals Calming chews. It occurred to me that it was also a good product to pick out as there were also Medicinal mushrooms in that formula, which I thought couldn’t hurt.

Several weeks later she came back into the store saying that the calming part of the Lazarus worked nicely for the fireworks, and that the size of the growth near his eye had shrunk significantly! They were able to cancel the surgery!

Fibonacci's growth

Before and after

Remember:
– These recommendations shouldn’t take the place of a veterinary consult to get lumps and bumps diagnosed.
– Good reviews are many, but they don’t guarantee results for everyone.
– All new supplements should be started with a pinch and then build up slowly to the recommended dose to avoid digestive surprises.
– A little bit of canned food is a perfect way to make sure they get the whole amount of any supplement and also so that picky dogs agree to eat these new things.
– I take medicinal mushrooms myself, and I feel like they have kind of a strong flavor, but many reviews mention that their dogs love the taste!

Cool New Product – “Digest”

Posted by & filed under Amazing Things You're Not Buying, diet and health, digestive issues, Dog Nutrition, other health concerns, pancreatitis, specific ingredients.

Photo by Christine Mallar

Do you have an older dog?

Does your dog eat a heat processed food diet like kibble or cans?

Does your dog have a history of pancreatitis?

Does your dog have trouble digesting his food or frequent flatulence?

Does your dog have acid reflux or a rumbly tummy?

Digest might be for you!

Photo courtesy Four Leaf Rover

Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down food molecules into smaller pieces.

Enzymes help digest your dog’s food and kick-start most of the metabolic processes in your dog’s body.
Your dog can produce many of his own enzymes … but if he’s eating cooked/heat-processed food, he may not make enough which can ultimately strain the pancreas. If a dog consumed food in the wild like wolves and coyotes, its diet would be loaded with beneficial enzymes. But today, most heavily processed commercial dry or canned dog foods lack enzymes.
Enzymes are heat sensitive and deactivate easily when exposed to high temperatures. Adding digestive enzymes to your dog’s meals can help support his pancreas, organs and immune system.

          Veterinarian Dr PJ Broadfoot said in a 2018 paper:

“Supplemental enzymes are needed to replace those destroyed by cooking and processing food. Processing and cooking at any heat of approximately 118°F to 129°F (48°C to 54°C), for as few as three minutes, can destroy virtually all enzymes, which results in very little pre-digestion taking place in the stomach. Thus, what’s left of the food mass enters the small intestine largely undigested. This puts the pancreas and other organs of the endocrine system under tremendous stress, since they have to draw reserves from the entire body in order to produce massive amounts of the proper enzymes.”

Commercially made raw foods can contain more active enzymes than kibble or cans, but also could benefit from supplementation. Note: Fermented raw foods (like the Answers brand foods or their fermented goat’s milk, cow kefir or fermented turkey or fish broths) are richer in digestive enzymes and probiotics than typical raw food diets, and make a great addition to a processed food diet.

When a dog has had a case of pancreatitis in the past, it’s often helpful to supplement with digestive enzymes. If the pancreas isn’t working properly, it’s not going to produce the digestive enzymes your dog needs.

The pancreas is the main digestive organ of the body. While a small percentage of the pancreas produces hormones that regulate blood sugar; around 95% of it produces enzymes for digestion. When dogs have chronic pancreatitis (not the acute form, but continued symptoms of discomfort that come and go), they might benefit from digestive enzymes.  Over the course of years the inflammation caused by chronic pancreatitis can even lead to irreversible damage to the pancreas, including to the cells that secrete pancreatic digestive enzymes and the cells that produce insulin, which could lead to diabetes. It can also lead to Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).

Digest contains grass-fed New Zealand bovine pancreas, the purest source of enzymes. It’s a pure and natural source of the enzymes protease and trypsin (they break down proteins), amylase (which helps to digest carbohydrates; Dogs can make some amylase, but don’t make a lot of it because in the wild they wouldn’t have eaten starchy food), and lipase (digests fat).

Digest can also support the liver. It contains organic broccoli sprout powder, a natural source of sulforaphane, a powerful source of enzymes that trigger liver detoxification pathways.

 Digest o alshas the addition of a blend of soil based probiotics and natural prebiotics to make Digest a complete digestive aid for dogs of all ages.Other ingredients:

Photo by Christine Mallar

Organic Alfalfa juice powder: This green powerhouse is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and contains eight essential amino acids. It can support health conditions from detoxification to digestion, and can boost the immune system. It can also help to aid in the assimilation of protein, fats and carbohydrates in the body. It’s made by first juicing alfalfa grass which removes the cellulose that dogs don’t digest well, then making it into a powder.

Betain HCl: This nutrient and a source of hydrochloric acid is a naturally occurring chemical in the stomach that helps digest food by breaking up fats and proteins. It facilitates nutrient absorption, stimulates the flow of bile and pancreatic enzymes, and helps prevents bacterial and fungal over-growth. Essentially, it makes the stomach a little more acidic which makes it do its job better.

Nettle leaf powder: Nettle is abundant in fiber, protein, calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamins A and K.

Bromelain: is a group of enzymes found in the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant. A review of clinical studies found that bromelain’s anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties also make it an effective treatment for the pain, soft-tissue swelling, and joint stiffness associated with osteoarthritis.

Invertase: an enzyme that assists the breakdown of sucrose.

Nettle leaf powder: Contains many nutrients, minerals and amino acids. Also contains flavonoids, Beta-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin and other carotenoids (which have beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, protecting cells from oxidative damage that can lead to disease).

Ox Bile powder: Bile is a complex, vital, and unique fluid produced by the liver to aid in the digestion of fats in the small intestine.

Papain: This is an enzyme found naturally in the fruit of the papaya plant (Carica papaya). The enzymes help break down proteins. In alternative medicine, papain is touted as a natural pain reliever. It also may aid in the treatment of allergy, diarrhea, and indigestion.

Cellulase: an enzyme that breaks down the cell walls of plants. Cellulase is an enzyme that dogs can’t manufacture themselves. Because of this, dogs and cats are inefficient at digesting grains or plant materials.

Bacillus coagulens, Bacillus subtilis: these are probiotics. Bacillus strains are best at surviving stomach acid and making it to the large intestine.

With any new supplement, we always encourage starting with a pinch, and slowly building up to the proper dosage

Cool New Product – “Protect” Probiotics

Posted by & filed under Cancer, Chronic Yeast, digestive issues, Dog Nutrition, interesting, other health concerns, poisons and toxins, Products We Love, skin issues, specific ingredients.

Does your dog suffer from occasional or chronic loose stool? 
Does your dog eat dirt?
Does your dog eat poop?
Has your dog been on antibiotics or metronidazole recently?
Read On!

We’ve recently discovered an amazing company that sells unique products for dogs called Four Leaf Rover. They’ve made fabulous choices when it comes to ingredients that can truly help dogs heal from or prevent chronic health issues. I will introduce you to some of our favorites in separate blog posts so you can get acquainted with them and learn about why they might work for your dog.
Everyone knows that probiotics can be useful to dogs, especially after having to be on antibiotics or drugs like metronidazole that can damage the gut flora and lining of the gut. We’ve brought in 3 formulas of probiotic, each designed to support dogs in different ways. This one is the first that I’d like to tell you about: “Protect” Probiotics.

The basics:
Protect is an ideal daily probiotic. It’s perfect for using after a round of antibiotics, and is actually excellent for use DURING a course of antibiotics to protect the gut from antibiotic damage. It’s useful for intermittent or chronic loose stool. Additional ingredients are excellent for detox to get rid of free radicals and toxins. It’s perfect for dogs who eat dirt and poop.  Here are the details of how it can do all of those amazing things:

Cool things about Protect Probiotic:

Our friend Dr. Keith Weingardt DVM says that when dogs eat dirt, they’re not actually seeking minerals (though there may be benefit in those) but their bodies are likely craving soil based probiotics. The most common bacteria in soil based probiotics are Bacillus species. Bacillus strains have been shown to support both human and animal microbiomes. About 90% of your dog’s immune system lives in their gut. So these colonies are the foundation of your dog’s immune system, protecting them from disease. Humans benefit from soil based probiotics as well, but humans have largely moved away from being involved in food production and therefore aren’t exposed to as many natural ways to access these soil based organisms that might ride along in trace amounts of soil still adhered to vegetables. As a kid I remember popping pea pods into my mouth as I picked them, or pulling up a carrot, brushing as much soil off of it as I could and eating that carrot on the spot. My aunt and uncle had a cow and later some goats that they’d milk. Nowadays our food system has had to deal with more food born pathogens, resulting in the sterilization of our produce, as well as treating them with chemicals to reduce pests and weeds. Soil-based microorganisms are no longer living in the dirt of most farms. These practices have distanced us from the possibility of interacting with and ingesting small amounts of healthy soils from chemical free regenerative farming methods. Studies have shown that children that grew up on farms have stronger immune systems than kids that didn’t. Dogs do find ways to play in mud and interact with dirt, but compromised dogs can benefit from supplementation with specific Soil Based Organisms, unadulterated by lawn chemicals, etc.

“Protect” Probiotics contain two Bacillus species of soil based probiotic organisms.  Research confirms Bacillus species can produce nor-epinephrine and dopamine to support healthy brain function.
Bacillus strains in soil-based probiotics play especially important roles in the immune system, including strong antibacterial action, potent antioxidant to repair cellular damage, and Immune cell regulation.
Feeding soil-based probiotics also helps the immune system build antibodies. Studies show soil-based probiotics increase production of immunoglobulin A (IgA), which helps repair pathways protect your dog’s gut lining. In the livestock industry, they’ve even found Bacillus can boost pigs’ immune function by improving intestinal mucosa structure and tight junctions. So, soil-based probiotics can help prevent immune-damaging leaky gut.
Soil-based organisms are especially useful if you’ve given your dog antibiotics or vaccinations. You should also feed SBOs during stressful times like travel or competition.

Note: It’s important for animals not to take probiotics that have lactobacillus right after having had antibiotics. Lactobacillus has great benefits at other times, but when they’re given during or after antibiotic use, Lactobacillus probiotics can delay the microbiome’s recovery. This can leave your dog susceptible to even worse health problems.
“Protect” can actually be fed at the same time as antibiotics as Bacillus spores actually shield them from antibiotic damage! So you can give them to your dog at the same time as antibiotics … without worrying the antibiotics and probiotics will interfere with each other! This practice can help to reduce damage to the gut from antibiotics.

Bacillus’ antioxidant support helps your dog’s body fight cell damage from oxidation. Oxidation leads to premature aging and a weakened immune system. But SBOs (Soil Based Organisms) can help repair damaged cells. Research has found that certain Bacillus strains can promote intestinal tissue repair and antioxidant activity.
Soil-based probiotics are potent tools against inflammation. Research on rats showed that SBOs can protect against and manage rheumatoid arthritis. Systemic inflammation can lead to cancer, IBD, etc. Researchers have found anti-cancer effects in many Bacillus strains. One study showed novel Bacillus strains inhibited ovarian and colorectal cancer cells, and Bacillus subtilis can also inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells. Soil-based probiotics have also been shown to improve the benefits of other nutraceuticals given at the same time. That means your dog will get the most out of all of their cancer supplements. Even if your dog does not have cancer, the fact that 50% of all dogs will have some sort of cancer in their lifetimes should make us focus on prevention.

Free radicals in the body can come from toxins your dog gets exposed to. Your dog can be exposed to toxins from all kinds of things in their life, like:
Vaccines (some of which may have heavy metals)
Heavily processed dog food (acrylamide)
Medications
Flea, tick and heart worm preventives (pesticides)
Yard chemicals (herbicides and pesticides)
Household cleaning products
Radiation treatments or radiation in the environment (radon)
Dioxins found in the air, fish and dairy products (fish can also have other contaminates)

Other cool Ingredients in Protect 
(many of them are aimed at detoxing the body from these toxins):

—Blueberries have the most antioxidants of any fruit. They’re full of vitamins like A, C, E, K, folate and choline. they deliver some minerals too … like manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium. They help to fight free radicals that can lead to cancer, etc and Studies show that blueberries control inflammation, which reduces the risk of chronic disease, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Studies show blueberries have strong effects on brain health and memory, eye health, and have found that blueberry supplementation can improve the gut microbiome … and even help heal leaky gut syndrome! Anthocyanins are part of the reason for this effect … because of their anti-inflammatory properties. In one study, sled dogs ate blueberries to boost antioxidant levels and they discovered that they could recover faster after competition, as blueberries helped reduce post-exercise oxidative stress.

– Bentonite clay Bentonite is a negatively charged, highly absorbent clay. It can help digestive    disturbances like constipation, bloating, gas, Skin and allergy issues, and recovery from vomiting     and diarrhea. Its effectiveness is due to its negative charge. This allows it to pull positively charged toxins from the body. Then together they are eliminated through your dog’s stool.

–Chlorella is a single-celled, freshwater green micro algae that is getting a whole lot of attention from researchers. And that’s because chlorella has been linked to a variety of potential health benefits.Chlorella is an immune booster, detoxifier, gastrointestinal aid and more. Researchers looked at the effects of chlorella on blood lead levels. It reduced toxicity by 66.03% when supplemented during exposure. Other studies looked at chlorella’s effect on cadmium and mercury. In both studies, chlorella helped reduce the amount of heavy metals stored in the body. In 2001 researchers extracted chlorophyll (plant pigment) from chlorella. The chlorophyll effectively stopped the absorption of dioxins and increased their removal. In 2016, researchers successfully used chlorella as a detoxifier for radioactive strontium. 
Chlorella is a prebiotic that feeds good bacteria so they can restore and maintain a healthy gut. And according to one study, it can help increase the growth and survival rates of probiotics. Chlorella contains a powerful compound called CGF (Chlorella Growth Factor). CGF contains nucleic acids in the form of RNA and DNA ,which support cellar regeneration. When your dog eats food rich in nucleic acids it helps protect your dog’s RNA and DNA. This protects his cells so that they’re better able to fight off disease and illness. We should all be ingesting more micro algae like Chorella!

–Dandelions are a great way to strengthen your dog’s liver. They are also a good source of magnesium, (low magnesium may contribute to chronic inflammation and joint issues. It’s also an important part of collagen synthesis.) It also contains calcium (which is good for reducing inflammation in joints), iron, and zinc (to help collagen synthesis). It’s also a good prebiotic.

–Burdock root contains active ingredients in its root system that can remove toxins from the bloodstream. Studies show “potent inhibitory effects” on cancer growth caused by cancers like pancreatic carcinoma. One study found burdock root significantly interfered with cancer cell growth. It’s also a great source of trace minerals and is a good prebiotic.

–HumicSure  contains more than 70 micronutrients in biologically up-takable form. (The deficiency of minerals and micronutrients can block the function of enzymes and vitamins responsible for transforming nutrients into energy and biochemical building molecules). These Humic substances were formed during the decomposition pathway of plant biomass over millions of years. Humic acid cannot be absorbed from the intestinal tract but plays a very important role in buffering the pH, in the absorption matrix preventing the absorption of toxins, bacteria stimulation, and nutrient uptake. In short, Pure Humic Acid is very effective at cleansing the colon, and blocking the absorption of toxic materials into the body.

–Saccharomyces boulardii is a probiotic yeast – It helps fight diarrhea and yeast infections and unlike other probiotics, it can’t be killed by antibiotics. That means it can be given during antibiotic treatment.

– Bacillus coagulans & Bacillus subtilis which are the actual Soil Based Organisms/probiotics

With any new supplement, we always encourage starting with a pinch, and slowly building up to the proper dosage

Notes:
Protect Probiotic can be used together or alternated with Bifido For Fido and Gut Repair.

All probiotics are better protected by storage in the refrigerator

Check out the reviews about Protect Probiotic on their website here (scroll down towards the bottom)

Beware of Foxtails

Posted by & filed under dog safety, other health concerns, Pet Safety, Useful.

 

In spring and summer, especially on the West Coast (and most especially in California), be on the lookout for foxtails and be aware of their tremendous potential to seriously harm your pet. Dogs do encounter them in Oregon, and the problem will likely increase as weather patterns are shifting. Foxtails are a kind of grass seed – many grass seeds have a similar look, but not all are as harmful as some. Dogs seem to be particularly at risk for complications from interacting with foxtails. The reason that some species are so dangerous is that they can quickly make their way into your dog’s body through literally any orifice, including the nose, eyes, ears and mouth, and they can also puncture the skin. Between the toes is a very common place for a foxtail to embed itself. The trouble is, the way the foxtail is designed, When it matures the foxtail head breaks apart into individual little barbs that are designed to both catch onto an animal’s coat and hitch a ride to a new location, and then allows it to burrow itself into the soil. If  you touch any grass seed, it will be easy to stroke it from bottom to top, but from top to bottom you’ll feel a rough resistance. It manages to travel, and can only travel forward, not backwards. Once inside your dog’s body, foxtails can move relentlessly forward through the tissue and through the body. They can create abscesses, damage tissue, and cause an infection known as grass awn disease. They can migrate from inside your dog’s nose to its brain. They can dig through skin or be inhaled into — and then perforate — a lung. They can even slip into the crevices of a penis or vulva. They’re serious business.
Things to watch for if your dog has been running through dry grasses:

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Attention Kibble Feeders: New Health Problem Reported

Posted by & filed under Amazing Things You're Not Buying, cat health, Cat nutrition, diet and health, Dog Nutrition, Heart Health, other health concerns, pet food ingredients, specific ingredients, Whole Food Toppers.

Note: This was the article we posted when the first news of the alleged link between grain free foods and heart disease. It has since been proven that there is no link between grain free foods and cardiomyopathy. That being said, we still feel this article has valuable and important information about processed foods such as kibble, and how they are in fact still compromised nutritionally when it comes to the fragile amino acids that dogs and cats rely on for a healthy body. Educate yourself about how some companies “cheat” when it comes to proteins, and easy and inexpensive ways to amend your pet’s diet to ensure they’re getting these amino acids and other nutrients that will support their health and longevity. Read On!

(Part 4 of our Toppers Are Important Series)

So there’s a lot of information bouncing around the internet recently about grain-free foods contributing to heart disease in dogs. Like most things on the internet, much of this information is good, yet some downright irritating with its bad advice and misinterpretation of the facts. I thought I’d chime in and try to distill it for anyone that it’s interested. Truthfully, all kibble feeders should be interested. Please remember, I’m not bashing kibble per se, but those that feed it should be aware of its shortfalls. The good news is that its very easy and not expensive to provide excellent protection against these shortfalls when feeding a dry kibble diet!

So here’s the thing with this recent issue:
U.C. Davis reported an increase in heart disease (specifically dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM) in dogs eating grain free kibble, and when tested, they have low taurine levels.
Some breeds of dogs (like boxers, dobermans, cavaliers, etc) have genetic predispositions to cardiomyopathy (a serious weakening of the heart muscle making it harder to pump blood through the body), but there’s a recent increase in cardiomyopathy in other breeds as well, linked to Taurine deficiency. Golden Retrievers may be especially vulnerable to this. The amazing news is that recent research is showing that when you improve their taurine levels through nutrition, they rapidly and significantly improve their heart function (even with other heart problems like murmurs and arrhythmias) Yay! 
Here’s what we do know: This definitely points to a nutritional problem with their diets.

Remember as you read other articles: Some dogs showing low taurine levels were eating food with grains. Some dogs with DCM didn’t have low taurine levels. There hasn’t been a formal study yet, this is still just an FDA investigation into reports of a handful of dogs that aren’t considered genetically predisposed to DCM presenting with the disease. More here
The good thing about this event is that FDA and the vets that are collaborating with them are suggesting that there may be a strong correlation between diet and Taurine deficiency. We concur!

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A Discussion Of FDA Disparity in Raw vs. Dry Pet Food Safety

Posted by & filed under Cat nutrition, diet and health, Dog Nutrition, dog safety, other health concerns, pet food ingredients, Pet Safety, raw foods.

This week we had to tell our customers about another voluntary recall of raw pet food. The Rad Cat Company was notified by the FDA and the Ohio Department of Agriculture after several tubs of multiple varieties of Rad Cat Raw Diet were purchased and tested. All samples tested negative for E. Coli and Salmonella but two tested positive for Listeria Monocytogenes.

Outdoor cats likely encounter Listeria frequently, as Listeria is a common presence in nature, found widely in such places as water and soil, leafy vegetables and animal products. It could however be a danger to some animals who eat it, and especially to the people that might handle the food without washing their hands or the surfaces exposed to it after feeding it.

We believe Rad Cat when they say that their third party inspections have come back clean. We’ve been in their kitchens and have never seen a facility so tightly controlled for cleanliness and safety. Their sourcing is impeccable. They use High Pressure Pasteurization to kill any bacteria that might be found on the poultry products before they are processed into their formulas, and they test the finished product with a third party lab, doing a full aerobic plate count. They then hold the food for a time before shipping it and it is tested again before releasing it to the distributor. The temperature is controlled through every step of its journey and even tested here at the store upon receipt to ensure that it was maintained as it traveled to us. More details here. If only our human foods were handled and controlled for safety as strictly as the foods made at Rad Cat! We feed it with confidence to Otis, our senior cat. If I were pressed to name my favorite of the more than 4,500 items we carry, Rad Cat would be in my top two.

It might be an opportune time to mention our frustration with the disparity between how the FDA treats raw foods vs. how they treat other pet foods like kibble.
Raw food is under intense scrutiny, but the facts point to a significant lack of scrutiny towards kibble based foods, despite the fact that in past years dry food recalls have far outpaced raw food recalls, and the most significant recalls, complaints of illnesses, and death have all resulted from contaminated dry pet foods.

A Few Examples:
Over 100 dogs died in 2005 from aflatoxin Poisoning (a very dangerous, carcinogenic grain mold, most commonly found in corn but is also possible in ingredients like peas). Surveys done in 2016 show that aflatoxin has been found in higher amounts than ever (A total of 387 corn samples and 79 distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) samples from across the U.S. were tested. Results revealed that 90 percent of corn samples and 100 percent of DDGS samples were contaminated by at least one mycotoxin, and 96 percent of the DDGS samples contained more than one), yet there have been no aflatoxin recalls since 2013. We must assume that FDA must not be testing regularly for aflatoxins.

Judging from the number of recalls for Salmonella in raw foods, it

would lead you to believe that there is a significant risk of salmonella in raw foods, and in fact the FDA even issued a warning about the risks of salmonella in raw pet food. However, from 2010 – 2015, 78 types of kibble pet food were recalled due to salmonella contamination, vs. 27 for raw foods. What this number doesn’t even capture is the sheer quantity of kibble that was recalled during this time, vs. raw foods with single lot numbers/single flavors. In the 2013 the Natura recall was massive – millions of pounds – and included all of its many formulas including treats (“All Lot Codes, All UPC’s, All package sizes, All expiration dates”). The recall for salmonella in the Diamond foods that were produced at their South Carolina Plant in 2012 resulted in the recall of all of their brands and stopped ALL production for a time. The Taste of the Wild part of this recall alone resulted in over 10 million pounds of food being pulled from store shelves.

No Warnings About Dry Foods
Neither the FDA or the AVMA has ever issued a formal warning about the risk of salmonella in all pet foods. In fact, the same week that the AVMA issued a warning to consumers about the risk of salmonella in raw pet foods, there were (according to the CDC) a total of 49 individuals (47 individuals in 20 states and two individuals in Canada) infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Infantis related to this salmonella recall at Diamond foods. This included at least 10 people hospitalized. The FDA has announced regular testing for raw foods, but not for dry pet foods. In fact, they have not appeared to test any dry pet foods recently, as there have been no salmonella recalls for dry pet food since 2015, which is in stark contrast to many years before this time.

A class action suit was dropped against Beneful in 2016 stating, “The Court rejects Plaintiffs’ position that a reasonable jury could find Beneful unsafe based on the mere fact that 1,400 dogs ate Beneful and got sick or died thereafter. This is insufficient evidence of causation.” So many complaints of illness and death had been reported by Beneful consumers to the FDA that they did do some testing. Some samples came back positive for Melamine (the same thing found in that terrible 2007 recall that resulted in hundreds, possibly thousands of deaths), and some samples came back positive for ethoxyquin, a euthanasia drug so recently implicated in that Evanger’s recall that killed a dog. Beneful also refused access to the FDA to records and didn’t allow them to photograph their manufacturing plant. Yet the FDA did not issue any warning nor was there any sort of a recall. Can you imagine a brand of raw food with 1,400 allegations of sickness and deaths without repercussions?

We certainly do not mean to minimize the risks of any pathogen in any form of pet food, especially to the humans that handle these foods and are not as well equipped as their carnivorous pets to stay healthy when exposed. We just wish the FDA, AVMA, and Big Pet Food would hold all pet foods to the same standards of safety.

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Some tips for Chronic Yeast Overgrowth

Posted by & filed under Chronic Yeast, diet and health, digestive issues, other health concerns.

Daphne came to her new owner with terrible yeast issues. It was a treat to watch her heal! Photos property of Green Dog Pet Supply

Chronic overgrowth of yeast can result in a bad smell from a dog’s skin and chronically infected ears causing terrible discomfort and hair loss, as well as digestive issues. Unfortunately it can be very challenging to treat. Healing from yeast takes time and a whole body approach. Two key parts of the solution are to remove what’s feeding the overgrowth of yeast and to heal and support the lining of the gut, as this is where 80% of their immune system lives. Antibiotics, immunosuppressive drugs like prednisone, and anti inflammatory drugs can help some symptoms of itching temporarily, but can actually create chronic yeast overgrowth and start a vicious cycle by damaging the lining of the gut and the good flora normally found within it. Without beneficial bacteria and a healthy gut lining, the yeast can take hold and grow out of control quickly.  Here are some quick tips:

Diet Tips for Chronic Yeast

Eliminate as many carbs as possible
Yeast is fed by starchy sugars – a fresh raw diet is ideal as it doesn’t need the starchy binders that all kibbles use, and it will best support healing of the skin. Find a balanced raw food that focuses mainly on meat, bone and organs without a great deal of additional veggies and fruits (perhaps something like Vital Essentials or Answers brand) Get tips on making a safe balanced diet at home here. Starve that yeast!

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Toppers Are Important Part 3 – Hearts

Posted by & filed under cat health, Cat nutrition, diet and health, Heart Health, other health concerns, Products We Love, raw foods, Whole Food Toppers.

Hearts are high in natural taurine and make an excellent treat or topper!

Taurine  Dr Karen Becker DVM says, “Taurine, especially essential for cats, is an important amino acid for liver and gallbladder support. It’s essential for optimal blood flow, eye health, cardiovascular health, and the production of bile in both cats and dogs. Pets with less-than-optimal levels of taurine may be at greater risk of adverse effects from toxins. Although a minimal level of taurine is included in most commercial pet foods, taurine is easily depleted in stressed pets”.

Taurine can be found naturally in milk, eggs, meat, and seaweed, however, amino acids like Taurine are easily damaged by high heat cooking, which is why you’ll generally see kibbles and cans supplemented with synthetic taurine for cats, and with cysteine and methionine, which are the building blocks for taurine synthesis in dogs). If cats don’t get enough taurine from the foods they eat they can die, but many holistic vets believe that it’s incredibly important for dogs as well.  (more…)