Food » Scottsdale Pet Expert

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WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF…. The story of a “friend” who pet sits.

I had a really great lunch yesterday at Christopher’s at the Biltmore. If you have not been there yet – I would suggest you try it! It is fabulous, AND they allow pets on their shaded posh patio called Crush! www.christophersaz.com

While enjoying our delicious lunch (might I recommend the Lamb Lollipops?) I had a stomach workout from laughing so hard when I heard a pet sitting story from one of the gals, because it was just so funny.

It seemed as though her friend asked her to care for her pet while she was gone for a week. “Of course!” she said. Well each day she arrived all the dogs’ food and water were gone. This was alarming to her and she felt bad for the dog because she didn’t want him to go hungry. So she dragged the bag out of the closet, tore it open and said, “Here doggie, eat as much as you like.” She then took the hose outside and left it on very lightly thinking that the pet would drink from the hose instead of his water bowl.

My friend returned a few DAYS later to find that the backyard was flooded and the dog ate all the food. She was mortified, thinking – how can this dog eat that much?!?!? She went to find out what kind of food it was so she could buy more, but the dog had chewed through the bag and scattered it all over the yard. So she went into the pet food store and just chose any brand, thinking they are all pretty much the same.

This friend of my mine then told her friend that she had “indulged” her pet and “spoiled” him because she didn’t want the dog to go hungry. Never really telling her the whole truth.

Now this is a pretty funny story from the outside looking in. However, this could have resulted in numerous EXPENSIVE consequences:

The dog could have eaten so much that his intestines could have flipped or bloat could have happened. Both are life threatening.
The water could have seeped into the home and flooded the house, or even the neighbors home! Water damage equals LOTS of DAMAGE resulting in LOTS OF MONEY!
The pet could have eaten something ELSE and choked or it could have been toxic.
The water seeping out of the yard could have been an alert to burglars that the house was unattended and they could have broken in.
…and much more.

With Bella’s House & Pet Sitting we are pet EXPERTS that care properly for your pet. Their health and safety are two of the most important things to us. The security of your home is crucial while you are away and when you travel. Professionals should be caring for these important parts of your life – Not a friend, neighbor, or the kid next door. They are not qualified.

People food that can harm dogs

The holiday season is almost upon us, and we can all look forward to sitting down at the table with friends and family and enjoying our favorite delicacies. There’s a good chance your dog will want to be part of the festivities. While you may think that a few morsels of “people food” can’t hurt, the fact is that some foods can be harmful—even lethal—to dogs. Older dogs and overweight dogs may be especially vulnerable to these food risks.

Foods You Should Never Give Your Dog

Grapes and raisins—Though it isn’t clear to scientists just what makes grapes and raisins toxic to dogs, even a relatively small amount can damage their kidneys.

Onions—At certain levels, this common food can destroy a dog’s red blood cells and lead to anemia and breathing difficulties.

Chocolate—Chocolate contains theobromine, which can be fatal to dogs if eaten in large quantities. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. But any chocolate, in large enough amounts, can poison a dog. Note: An ounce of chocolate can be toxic to a 30-pound dog, and many dogs can consume more than this.

Mushrooms—Various species of mushrooms are toxic to dogs, and can cause shock and death. Effects will differ depending on the type ingested, but you should play it safe and avoid feeding any type of mushroom to your dog. You should also examine lawn areas where your dog plays. Be sure to remove any mushrooms that may be there—and check regularly to make sure they don’t sprout again.

Candy and sweeteners—Sugary foods can cause obesity. Candy products containing Xylitol (a common sweetener found in some diet products) can cause a sudden drop in an animal’s blood sugar, loss of coordination, seizures, and even death.

Caffeine products—Coffee, tea, or any product that contains caffeine stimulates a dog’s central nervous and cardiac systems. This can lead to restlessness, heart palpitations, and even death, depending on how much the dog consumes. Many also contain theobromine substances, causing issues similar to those with chocolate.

Milk—Although dogs may like the taste of milk, many dogs do not always produce enough lactase, the enzyme needed to break down the lactose in milk. In addition, milk-based dairy products may cause digestive difficulties in dogs.

Tomatoes—Green tomatoes are toxic to dogs, as are parts of the tomato plant. Even a small cherry tomato can cause severe gastrointestinal upset.

Despite all the precautions you take to keep your dog safe, accidents do happen. That’s why it’s smart to keep the telephone numbers of your local veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) right in your kitchen. For detailed safety information about a long list of human foods, please visit http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_ask_peoplefood.

Feeding your pet quality food cost less!!!

To read the full report of this email visit www.TruthAboutPetFood.com/SaveMoney.html

This is one of those things that nobody is going to believe at first glance. Many will probably dismiss it completely as a hoax. But if you are a pet owner AND if you want to save money, this is something you will find very interesting. Pet owners can save BIG feeding their pet a high end, high priced dog food or cat food. Many of you are already aware of the health benefits from feeding a high end pet food – you’ve witnessed the changes happen right before your eyes. I’ve taken the ‘benef it’ issue one step further. I’ve been worried that because of higher gas prices and grocery prices that pet owners might be turning to the seeming discount brands of pet foods to save a few bucks. What I discovered is jaw dropping amazing. I’ve been studying pet food for many years now and never took the time to examine what I spend – per day/per year – to feed my dogs and cat. Then I compared that cost per serving to feeding them one of the highly advertised pet foods. I save hundreds of dollars a year feeding them high priced, high quality foods – I’m not talking about the savings in vet bills – just the actual cost of the pet food. So here’s the story…

Dog and cat owners have the overwhelming task of deciding between hundreds, if not thousands of different types of dog foods and cat foods. They all look similar; similar pictures of happy pets and healthy ingredients on the bag, and all claim 100% Complete Nutrition, Premium, and/or Choice. With higher gas prices, higher grocery prices many pet owners are turning to what appears to be the most economical, lower priced dog foods and cat foods. However you might be surprised – pet foods that appear to be cheaper according to the price of the bag or can, actually cost far more than the highest priced, high end pet foods.

The truth of the matter is the discount pet food brand is actually more expensive per serving than many of the highest priced brands. Yes, you read that correctly. The explanation for this is found on the feeding instructions and the ingredients in the pet food itself. Every pet is different, and the amount of food your pet eats per day also varies with age and activity level. But according to the feeding instructions as researched and recommended by each pet food manufacturer, you will probably be surprised at the cost per serving.

I did a little experiment – a math experiment. I compared four different dry dog foods, four different canned dog foods, four different dry cat foods and four different canned cat foods. The comparison shows you the first five ingredients of each food, gives you definitions of the pet food ingredients, tells you if ingredients are from U.S. only sources or if imports are used. And then you see price per serving of all these foods.

Here is what I learned… According to the web site of one of the most popular brands of dog food sold in the U.S. – the feeding instructions tell you that a thirty pound dog would need to eat around three cups of food per day. The cost of this pet food breaks down to being about $.67 per cup. So that means Fido would eat $2.01 worth of dog food each day according to the recommended feeding instructions on the label.

But on the other hand from the web site of a high end, all human grade ingredients, all U.S. ingredients dog food – the feeding instructions tell you that a thirty pound dog would need to eat around 1 ½ cups of food per day. The cost of this food is about $1.16 per cup. This food seems to be about twice as expensive as the popular brand. However, according to the recommended feeding amount, Fido would eat $1.74 worth of dog food each day. That’s a savings of $.27 per day to feed your dog a high quality, human grade ingredients, no risky imports dog food. A savings of $98.00 per year feeding a thirty pound dog high end, high priced dog food.

Interesting huh! Now, let’s look at canned cat food. Again, from the label of one of the most popular brands of canned cat food sold in the U.S., the feeding instructions recommend a fifteen pound cat to eat five – 3 oz cans per day. At $.80 cents per 3 oz. can – Fluffy would be consuming $4.00 worth of cat food each day according to the recommended feeding instructions on the label.

But with a high end, all human grade ingredients, all U.S. ingredients canned cat food, the feeding instructions tell you a fifteen pound cat should eat three 5.5 ounce cans per day. At a cost of $1.29 per 5.5 oz. can ($.26 per ounce) – Fluffly would be consuming $3.87 worth of cat food each day. That is a savings of $.13 per day to feed your cat a high quality, human grade ingredients, no risky imports cat food. A savings of $47.00 per year feeding the high end, high priced cat food!

Then I looked at my own pets, and the savings I have feeding them one of the highest priced, highest quality pet food. Two dogs, one cat – I save over $868.70 per year. No I don’t buy in bulk – no I don’t use coupons or frequent feeder programs. I buy twenty pound bags of dog food and six pound bags of cat food – AND I pay shipping charges (UPS) to have it delivered to my door. I still save over $850.00 a year compared to one the cost of one of the most popular, highly advertised pet foods sold – a cheaper pet food when you look at the cost per bag. To be fair, I feed my senior 97 pound German Shepherd less than what the pet food recommends. That’s due to his age (not as active), but it’s also credit to the high quality ingredients in the food. My other pets eat just about exactly per day what the food recommends.

Feeding amounts do vary from pet to pet. However each pet food manufacturer has done extensive research and testing to know how much food needs to be provided each day to your dog and cat. The recommended feeding amounts provided on each pet food bag or can is fairly accurate.

Please don’t look at the price of the bag or can of pet food when considering what to feed your pet. Look at the ingredients and consider cost per serving. Avoid pet foods with ingredients like by-products and chemical preservatives (BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin). Learn if ingredients are from U.S. sources. The actual savings of purchasing high quality dog and cat foods goes far beyond dollars per year – the true savings could be years added to your pet’s life.

To try this test yourself here is how you calculate cost per serving of pet food…

Dry Food
XYZ Dog Food sells for $12.00 for an eight pound bag.
Eight pounds into $12.00 = $1.50 per pound
Two cups (estimate) per pound = $.75 per cup.
Multiply suggested feeding amount (cups per day) X cost per cup = Cost per serving.

Can Food
XYZ Cat Food sells for $19.00 for a case of 24-3 oz cans.
Twenty four into $19.00 = $.80 per can
Multiply suggested feeding amount (cans per day) X cost per can = Cost per serving.

The full report of ‘Save Money on Dog Food or Cat Food – Buy Expensive’ was too long to publish here. If you’d like to read it, and see the chart comparisons visit www.TruthAboutPetFood.com/SaveMoney.html.

Compare ingredients and cost per serving of your pet’s food – you might be very surprised.

By the way, it is best to feed adult dogs and cats twice a day. The nutrition provided in just one meal a day is difficult for your pet to utilize over a 24 hour period. If you currently only feed one meal a day – split the amount of that one meal into two meals. If you change pet foods – especially for dogs – switch slowly. I always recommend ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to 7 days, then ½ to ½ for another 4 to 7 days, and so on. The moisture content in canned foods is especially beneficial for cats. Cats just don’t drink enough water. But because of the high moisture in canned pet foods – more of the food needs to be eaten to provide the correct nutritional requirements. And make sure the canned food does not contain BPA in the lining. Save yourself some money…buy high quality dog foods and cat foods.

Wishing you and your pet the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth About Pet Food
Petsumer Report
http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/

This information has been provided to you via Bella’s House & Pet Sitting in Scottsdale, AZ