Mary K...

Well put!!!....I couldn't have said it better!

The power must be taken away from these greedy "dirt-bags"!!!!!......and to do that, we have to start empowering ourselves.....and to continue doing it is even more important!

Hello Everybody!!!!

Sorry I haven't been around for awhile......long story!

But one thing that I CAN tell you.....I'm still feeding my "babies" from home!

Yup!....i HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN......that my pet's safety is MY responsibility.....and I would be a fool to think that these pet food companies have changed. My dogs are super-healthy....and, I am proud to say, that I have NOT bought ANY pet products (I make my own doggie cookies too!)....at all since I changed their diets.

I hope everyone is doing OK.....Therese..sorry to hear about your dog.........

I don't know when I'll be on here again.......but just know that I hold this forum close to heart.....without it...my dogs could still be eating commercial dogfood (if they lived this long!!).

Best wishes to you all......and of course, your "fur-babies"!.......take care!

Actually...my doggies get quite an assortment of veggies and fruits...as snacks (carrot slices,green beans...apple slices, bits of banana) as well as steamed veggies in their home-cooked that I make.

But the day before he got constipated....I think I gave him too much in the "raw" dept...

I'm still new at this.....and I think I'm going to have to invest in a small scale to weigh out things (as said at the raw dog ranch site)....instead of just giving them things here and there! I now realize the importance of balance and I suspect I will have to give him less % than my other sheltie baby........and I'll always have some canned pumpkin on hand!!

One thing is for sure.....I refuse to go back to commercial again! I certainly understand that home-cooking is not apprpriate in everyone's situation....but as long as they are doing well (I will be getting their blood and urine analized regularly).....then I'm going to keep with what I'm doing........more balanced of course!!!.... ....

Thanks to you all!!!.....Hope everyone and their fur-babies are doing well!!!!

Cindy!!!

It worked!!!......Yee hah!!!!.....

Thanks for the advice!

TAZ.....

Excellent advice!!!........Now that you mention it, I would indeed keep the original copies.

And...sending by registered mail will also work in your favour, as the receipts that you get by sending it registered may also come in handy as they will be proof that you DID send the info to them......and it will also have the date sent on the receipt!!

Some legal counsel....maybe JoAnn has a friend with this expertise.....would be helpful if she is not sure about what she is signing! Never sign anything if you are in any doubt EVER!!!!

Good luck!!!

Sounds like a plan!!!........

Thanks Cindy!

I just get a littled worried about if it's going to hurt when it comes out! I know that HUMAN constipation sure isn't a pleasant experience!

I try not to stress too much because I know that he knows when I'm even a teensie upset.....he will always lay right close to me (um....kinda like he is right now...right at my feet as I type away!!)....he's such a dear soul!!

Well....I have plenty left for his breakfast.....so that should fix him right up then!!! There I'm all better!!!.......*takes a deep breath!*......

You're such a sweetie!....I can't thank you enough for the reassuring words!! That's what's so great about these forums!!! ....Great people with great "cyber" shoulders!!!....

I'll keep you posted!....

Oh thank you Cindy!!!

I have just done the "pumpkin fix" a couple of hours ago. My "Willy" weighs about 35 lbs.....so I gave him 3 tbsps twice this afternoon. The Vet said that it should work in a few hours......but nothing yet.

Do you know how long it usually takes to "kick in?".....I know situations are different, but do you have an approx. idea of how long it should take?

Thanks for the feedback BTW......you have no idea how much it is appreciated!!!.............................

JoAnn.....

My dogs were not affected (Thank God!.......at least accutely ayways!) by foods eaten around the time of the recalls.

However.....I'm curious, are you filing a claim of any kind for reimbursment? Myself, and I speak only for me....I would make sure that they first supply you with some claim forms. Then, if at all possible, make sure that you get a sample of the food tested INDEPENDANTLY.....

When you have the results back (which only takes 5-7 days I hear)....then....make copies of the results and THEN send a sample of the food along with the results from the independant testing Lab (try Accutrace) and your FILLED out Claim forms!

But...very important...before you send ANYTHING....make sure you have copies of EVERYTHING as the Petfood Co.s don't  seem to be very organized these days and have been losing things!....And should that happen. you will have ready at your disposal copies from your vet reports, your filled out Claim forms, testing results of the food .....you'll just need to send some more of their garbage food back to them!

Good luck to you!....I don't know your situation, but a little legal councelling would be helpful too, before you send ANYTHING to them!

Once again, best of luck to you!......

Greetings Everyone!!!!

I have a question that I hope someone will be able offer advice on.....

One of my Shelties (Willy).....hasn't "pooped" for over a day....he usually does so in the morning, like clockwork! He gets into the "pooping position" but, alas, nothing comes out. I believe that he's constipated.....first time in a VERY long time!

Now, I understand that some dogs will get constipated from the bones in the raw diet....my question is this...

Is there anything NATURAL (food etc...) that I can give him to "clean out the pipes" so to speak? It must be very uncomfortable for him.....and although I know what to give him should he get the "runs".....I'm at a loss when it comes to constipation!

Anything that anyone could offer, would be SOOOOO appreciated by me...but most of all..Willy!

Thanks in advance!.....

Thanks for the feedback folks!!!!!!....

Keep it coming!!!!.....I really appreciate any comments!

I'm still preparing my dog's food at home.....It has made e world of difference!

I started this new diet on April 11th...( I document everything!.. ..)...and then started introducing raw meat about 2 weeks after that.

I have a butcher accross the street who I've trusted for 11 yrs. so I'm OK with the raw meat they get...which is an assortment of veal or beef shank, chicken backs and beef liver, chicken hearts and giblets. They also get some raw veggies for snacks (carrots) or apple slices.

They get a LITTLE bit of grain (either brown rice or cous-cous) mixed with ground up eggshells, cooked egg and olive oil. Some days I'll add either canned salmon or sardines to the mix (which I have allready made and stored in freezer baggies which I'll pull out the night before)....

The change in energy is undeniable!!!.....And their teeth!!!!..Omg! It's amazing! At the beginning, their gums would bleed when chewing on the bigger bones...last night, I was watching them enjoying their shank bones (which have lots of marrow in them too!)....and after awhile of chewing....still no bleeding!! So, not only are their teeth cleaner...but their gums are also much healthier!!

Anyone out there reading this.....let me know what you think of this diet I'm feeding my dogs as this truly is a learning process for me. I've done PILES of research, and some things I've seen contradict each other....for example regarding eggs......some research indicates to give your dog raw egg....while another says to cook the egg.

Anyways....I look forward to advice or input from anyone!....Thanks!...

Hello Everybody!!!!

Sorry I haven't been corresponding on here too much lately!.....This week has been crazy for me!

Just thought I'd take a couple of minutes to let you guys know that I haven't fallen off the planet!...

Regarding Vets not being at the Forum.....I know my Vet was planning on going....don't know what happened. But I did notice that there was a young lady who was asking some questions about better testing (maybe mel & Kathleen will recall her).......anyways, my guess is that she was a University student, probably from Guelph.....just a guess!

If that's the case, then hopefully we have some "Vets of the Future"....taking in the issues that need dealing with.....such as Dr. Hodgkin's ideas for for more stringent testing of Petfoods as well as the labeling concerns.

I wish I'd have known about this Hill's guy before going....if it's the guy that I'm thinking it was, I would have kept an eye on him for reactions and posturing to what was being said that night...

BTW.....mel.....I'm glad Carol told him where to go! KUDOS to her!!!!!!....

Hope everyone and their fur-babies are doing great!!!....I'll be back!...

Hi mel t!!

Great meeting you too!!!

Btw....I didn't realize we had so many..."special"...visitors at the forum last Friday!!! How very interesting!!!.......

I think I know which "representative" (ahem....)....from Hill's you were talking about!..I remember a tall guy leaving from the back long before everyone else..bet it was the same guy you're talking about!

And reps from the CFIA???....omg!!...That's hilarious!....They must have loved all the information that Olivia Chow brought to the table regarding regulating petfood!!....That's wonderful!...

Glad to hear from you....it has REALLY brought a smile to my face hearing all this juicy stuff!!!!.......    

Therese!....

No problem!

It started with Dr Hodgkins.....speaking on her experiences in the PFI etc....she went on to basically explain what she would like to see happen as far as regulations go...giving some analogies here and there as to why it has gotten to it's sorry state these days (PFI).

Then the floor was open for questions.....of which mine, was to do with the 6 month lag in label changes even if there has been a change in the ingredients. She had been saying earlier...that we need to know more about the food we are buying by reading the labels (which I do agree with)......my point was, that no matter how astute that we become on what we feed our pets...they can turn around and change the formula and are given, according to the existing regulations, 6 months in which to change the label......what would happen if something were put in that my pet were allergic to? I wanted to know if they are at all currently addressing that.

She agreed with me on that point...and I believe that she said that and how the food is tested would have to change...and then Olivia Chow (MP) added something to that...can't quite remember what was said verbatim.

The Q & A session was pretty emotional at some points....but they were some who had lost pets...were angry and upset.....and they needed to be heard...and they were. One thing I found admirable about this Forum....it was FOR the people, and when they had a question or remark, they truly had the floor and were allowed to speak without interruption...which I thought was so cool!

As things drew to a close....there was some mingling...Dr. H made herself quite available to those with more questions and chit-chat.....I had my son take some pictures of mel t, Kathleen, Dr. H and myself together! It was great!.....Like I said, it was great to be in the same room with a bunch of folks with the same concerns!

There was talk about plans for a 2nd Forum.....to which there was an explosion of applause! Us Canucks are "ready to rumble!".....