Ancient dogs survived on whatever they could find or catch. If they managed to get more than they could eat in a sitting, they had to make sure it would be there when they came back to it later. “They stored spare food by burying it,” says Benjamin Hart, D.V.M., Ph.D., professor of physiology and behavior at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine at Davis. “It was a pretty resourceful way of keeping leftovers.” Dirt may be gritty and hard on the teeth, but it is also protective.

So why do dogs bury their food?

The temperature in the ground is cooler than it is in the air, so burying food helped it stay fresh longer. Buried food did not roast in the sun. It did not immediately get covered with flies and insect. All in all, burying food and juicy bones was a very good solution.

Dogs do not need to bury their food anymore. But when they have an excess of rations, they feel that old urge coming on. So they look for a secluded spot, dig a quick hole, and put some goodies away for a rainy day.

So now you know why dogs bury their food, if you have any queries about your dog’s diet and weight, visit www.dogweight.co.uk.

Homemade dog food is becoming a popular option, although hardly a new one, for many dog owners. Every dog alive today can be traced back to dogs who were raised on homemade natural diets. The dog food industry, in comparison to dogs themselves, is young – maybe 50 to 60 years – although canned meat was sold as dog food at the turn of the twentieth century. Originally, the commercial foods were meant to supplement homemade food.

With few exceptions, commercially made dry food is primarily cereal based with the major portion of the protein coming from grains and a dash of animal protein in the ingredients. An amazing number of dogs have been able to exist and adapt to these diets, which have made the dog into a partial herbivore instead of a carnivore. Canned diets, which usually contain more animal protein with a dash of cereal, are also popular, especially among toy breeds. Some people successfully combine these two.

photo credit: deovolenti

Many dogs cannot thrive on commercially prepared rations. However, they exhibit disease states, often mistaken for allergies, which are deficiency diseases caused by cereal-based foods. Dogs in a natural state would eat meat. Their teeth are formed to tear flesh from the bone, and they would share a carcass with a pack of other dogs.

The carcass would be that of a grass-eating animal – an herbivore. Along with the internal organs dogs would eat the predigested grasses and plants of the carcass. Those grasses and plants would consist of no more than 20 to 25 percent of the dogs’ total diet. They would raid nests from ground-breeding birds and eat the eggs, and they would catch the occasional insect. These dogs might forage on certain weeds and grasses.

In formulating a more natural diet we have stayed within these boundaries – with the exception of the insects. A natural diet follows as closely as possible what the dog would eat if still in the wild state. It takes into account the limitations of the dog’s short digestive tract, strong stomach acid and the enzymes the canine system produces to break down food. It consists of two meats: One is a cereal meal plus supplements, which makes up 25 percent of the total diet, and the other is a raw meat meal plus supplements, which is 75 percent of the total diet.

The advantages of a natural diet are many. Health and longevity are increased, there is resistance to disease and the diet can be tailored to individual needs. This is crucial for some breeds of dogs, especially imported dogs or relatives of imported dogs, who have difficulty in digesting corn, which is in the majority of prepared commercial diets. The diet allows individual ingredients to be substituted.

So, let’s get straight to the point. Can chocolate kill dogs?

The short answer is yes. Chocolate can indeed cause a dog to die if ingested in enough quantity.

A single, shop purchased bar of chocolate is not going to kill your dog. It’s unlikely it would even harm the dog in any great deal so let’s not get too anxious.

Your dog has to ingest quite a bit of chocolate to feel any negative effects. It is the caffeine and bromethalin in chocolate that is poisonous to your dog. Dark baker’s chocolate is most toxic to your dog since it contains a high amount of caffeine and bromethalin. Milk chocolate and white chocolate have lower amounts of caffeine.

Whilst chocolate has its fatally poisonous qualities when eaten by dogs, it’s by no means one of the biggest toxic dangers in your home.

Rat Poison: Rat poison can be found in city alleys and streets near garbage cans and dumpsters. Rat poison comes in pellet form – red or green. Rat poison is tasty to rats and, unfortunately, to dogs too.

If your dog has ingested some rat poison, call your vet immediately. Rat poison can cause your dog to bleed from his mouth, nose and rectal area. If not treated quickly, your dog can bleed to death. If your dog happens to eat a rat that has been poisoned, your dog can be affected depending upon the amount of poison the rat ingested. Play it safe by calling your vet immediately.

Extermination: When your house is being exterminated, ask your exterminator what is a safe amount of time to keep your dog from the rooms that are being treated. Keep your dog from walking in areas that may still be slightly wet with pesticide. The pesticide can get on his paws which will get into his mouth if he starts licking them.

Household Cleaners and Disinfectants: If your dog has ingested household cleaners or disinfectants, then read the instruction label on the back to see if vomiting needs to be induced. You don’t want to induce vomiting on certain products because this can irritate the esophagus. You can induce vomiting by putting your finger down your dog’s throat, if you are comfortable doing this. Otherwise, give your dog a hydrogen peroxide solution (one tablespoon per 30 pounds of your dogs body weight).

House Plants: There are numerous household plants that are toxic for your dog. Some of the popular houseplants that are toxic include philodendrons, azaleas, rhododendron, Easter lilies, amaryllis, fox glove and Japanese lilies. Consult with your vet if you have any questions about house plants that you may have in your house.

All You Need To Know To Keep Your Dog Safe – Are Grapes Safe For Dogs & Other Poisonous Pet Food

Some of the most common pet injuries and accidents that can occur in your home are choking, electrical shock, household chemical poisoning, puncture wounds,and fractures – all of which can be prevented by applying simple, common-sense actions. Below is a list of ways to prevent injuries to your pets.

First and foremost, it is important to keep in mind that in an event of an emergency, even minor situations, you should always call your veterinarian and have your dog examined to ensure that you didn’t miss a serious problem.

In addition, make sure that he is getting his yearly check-up so the vet can check for any problems to take care of it before it gets worse.

Electrical Hazards – Puppies and dogs are attracted to electrical wires and may chew on them, causing a severe burn in their mouths. Make sure that all wires are safely put away, secured with a duct tape, or out of your dog’s sight. Food

And Exercise – Table scraps are usually loaded with fat and should not be given to any dog. The best diet for your dog is homemade foods that are recommended by your veterinarian or a high-quality commercial dog food. In addition, make sure that his bowl is always filled with fresh water. Wait at least one hour after this meal before taking him out for exercise.

Also, do not exercise him for too long or too hard. Depending on his breed, a 15 minute walk each day may be all that his body needs. Consult your vet if you are unsure about the amount of exercise your dog requires. Toxic Chemicals

And Poisons – Keep your dog away bleaches, detergents, cleaners, polishers, and all household chemicals. Houseplants should also be out of your dog’s reach. Several plants can make your pet sick, severely ill, or even lead to death. In addition, keep all medicines out of reach. Below is a list of some of the foods that should not be given to your dog:

1. Alcoholic beverages and caffeinated foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, and chocolate. 2. Dairy products such as milk and cheese. 3. Raw fish and raw eggs. 4. Tobacco. 5. Raisins and grapes. 6. Vitamin supplements for human that contains iron or too much liver. 7. Vegetables such as mushroom, onion, garlic, and potato. Rubbish – Keep waste containers tightly closed both inside and outside your house. Restraint – Keep your dog on lead when you take him out in public. Traveling In The Car – Have a carrier or a kennel that is securely placed in the car. Do not put him in the back of a pickup truck and do not let him stick his head outside the windows.

Foods That Are Toxic to Dogs: A Warning
Saturday 7th July will be a day I will never forget. I woke to sunshine and what I deemed to be a perfect family day – visit the park with my fiancé, our little boy and our dog – Oojie.

Little did I know what Oojie had been through in the night until I came downstairs to what looked like a murder scene. There were faeces, urine, vomit and blood throughout the lounge and our dog was cowering looking very timid. We assumed a case of vomiting and diarrhoea and began to clean up the mess, but within the hour Oojie appeared to have worsened and his condition deteriorated dramatically. Still vomiting he was now shaking and dribbling considerably as well. It was at the point I rushed him to the vets.

Saturday 7th July will be a day I will never forget. I woke to sunshine and what I deemed to be a perfect family day – visit the park with my fiancé, our little boy and our dog – Oojie.

Little did I know what Oojie had been through in the night until I came downstairs to what looked like a murder scene. There were faeces, urine, vomit and blood throughout the lounge and our dog was cowering looking very timid. We assumed a case of vomiting and diarrhoea and began to clean up the mess, but within the hour Oojie appeared to have worsened and his condition deteriorated dramatically. Still vomiting he was now shaking and dribbling considerably as well. It was at the point I rushed him to the vets.

Upon initial examination he clearly had a slowed heart rate (just 56bpm) and some abdominal pain and the Vet made the decision to keep him in for monitoring and to rehydrate him on a drip – just as a precaution.

No more than two hours after I left the Vets I received a phone call – Oojie had a massive internal bleed and had a suspected case of rat poisoning or something similar. He was not responding well and was not given a very good chance of survival with a potential case of DIC which would mean his body shutting down very quickly overnight.

I spend the next few hours racking my brains as to what he could have eaten that could have poisoned him. All medications were kept well out of reach, cleaning products locked away, no chocolate in the house and all anti-freeze and such chemicals kept in the garage. I checked with our neighbours to find out if anyone had used rat or mouse poison and since no one had the source of the poison remained a mystery.

As it happened, despite renal failure, significant blood loss and a dramatically slowed heart rate Oojie made it through the night, still vomiting however and seriously ill numerous blood tests were run that Sunday and a suspected case of Addison’s crisis was suggested. Oojies blood cells were breaking down and the haematology of his bloods meant that the Vet was unable to run the tests he needed on the equipment at the surgery – they needed to send them to a specialist laboratory but since it was the weekend we had to wait another crucial 24 hours for this to be done. The vet continued him on the drip and was closely monitored – although stable, he was still proving a mystery case and his chances still looked bleak.

A long and emotional few days drifted past with Oojie showing no signs of improvement. Now bear in mind that he is a 2 year old Cairn/Westie cross who has always been very healthy and full of beans, loved playtime, adored a cuddle and enjoyed his home cooked treats of roast beef, liver and a drop of milk. Now I was faced with a dog that couldn’t eat, had barely enough energy to lift his head to greet me and was showing all the signs of a chronic illness. But I couldn’t give up on him – not yet.

Oojie continued on the drip and was given medication for Addison’s disease incase that was to be the diagnosis. He was having blood taken each day and all we could be told was that he had a form of renal failure. The drip was effectively dialysis flushing the kidneys through and until he was well enough to come off the drip there would be no way of knowing if it as acute of chronic failure.

May I just mention that stupidly we didn’t have Oojie insured and so then came the predicament with the uncertainty of his condition, how much we could afford or indeed should spend before making the decision to remove the drip and see how he coped and indeed if he would survive? It was the Vet who suggested that two weeks was a realistic treatment time and therefore an estimate of £2000 to cover medication, hospitalisation and investigation.

The following weekend and exactly one week after he first collapsed and Oojie seemed to be deteriorating and now refusing to eat despite the vomiting having stopped; he was now depressed and anaemic as well. But we had agreed two weeks and I was not about to give up on him. I was visiting twice a day taking him out into the yard to soak up some sun and trying to encourage him to eat by hand feeding him. He loved his cuddles but unlike the dog we know so well was still happy to go back to his kennel and lie down at the end of my visit.

I will never forget the relief though on Thursdays visit (12 days after hospitalisation) when I say Oojie prick his ears up as I said hello and he jumped into my arms – he was pleased to see me but not only that was interested in playing and even managed to eat some of his food.

Come Saturday he had continued to improve and as agreed with the Vet we removed the drip and bought Oojie home. It is only now that we will find out the extent of the damage to his kidneys. He has to continue to be closely monitored indefinitely with regular blood test to check the haematology within his blood. We may never what caused his kidneys to fail, whether it was a deliberate poison, or whether he ate something toxic or even the possibility that he has a kidney disease all his life. The vet has suggested that he could have eaten grapes or raisins (something our son eats regularly). As few as 7 raisins can be enough to cause this near fatal crisis to his body. Many people give their pets raisins as a treat and could infact be unknowingly killing them.

I want to raise awareness of these foods which can be toxic to dogs and can cause effects as mild as a single vomit, as severe as Oojie has suffered or in the worst case scenario can be fatal.

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