Tag Archives: pet health

50 shades of dog treats – which treats do we eat #SpotFarms | thepupdiary.com

21 May

Finally! It was just announced that Petco will stop selling dog and cat treats made in China by the end of the year. PetSmart followed suit and will stop selling China-made treats by March 2015. But why wait until the end of the year? And who is still buying treats made in China?! We know we aren’t!

Shopping for a pup can be overwhelming. In March we headed to Global Pet Expo and were a bit overwhelmed by all of the companies selling dog food and treats. We are loyal consumers when it comes to our food — Stella & Chewy’s and The Honest Kitchen — but we sure do like variety in our snacks! What’s a pup to do?!

Treat samples from Global Pet Expo

Treat samples from Global Pet Expo

Our friends at Spot Farms sent us a bag of human-grade, natural treats to try, and we are hooked! Below is what we look for in doggy treats — and how Spot Farms measured up to our high standards:

– Made in the USA – The Spot Farms bag even shows the U.S. farm location! The Turkey Bacon that we tried comes from Indiana. We asked Spot Farms about ingredient sources and here is what they told us,  “ALL our ingredients listed are made right here in the USA, and are USDA inspected and sourced from trusted farm partners. Further, all of our treats are made here in FDA inspected kitchens that are certified for human food production.”
– Human-grade ingredients  – We don’t want any animal byproducts in our food!  Spot Farms uses USDA inspected animals.
– All natural – We don’t want to eat artificial preservatives or flavors! And Spot Farms does not use corn, wheat or soy fillers either. Their protein is antibiotic-free and raised on family farms.
– Tastes good – Yummo!!!  We also like their variety and ease of use — the treats easily break into smaller pieces.
– Easy to find – Spot Farms treats are sold in Petco, Unleashed by Petco and Wag.com. A 12.5 oz. bag is $15.99 on wag.com.

Our advice to you when you are confronted with 50 different treats — read the label! Let’s demand quality products!

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Our $500 doggy manicure | thepupdiary.com

6 Sep

No. Not that kind of manicure. Although we do like the Warren London pawdicure polish pens!

Late Sunday evening mom found Cubby on the floor with a bloody foot, bloody snout and lots of blood tracked all over the room. On quick inspection it looked like Cubby had somehow injured her front leg near her dewclaw. She grimaced when mom tried to touch her leg or paw, so mom called the 24-hour emergency vet at BluePearl and off we went in our stroller into the night. (Reason #100 why we love our stroller: it is much faster than a cab in emergencies!)

Many dewclaws are removed when pups are babies

Many dewclaws are removed when pups are babies

Cubby was examined almost immediately and the vet suspected a dewclaw injury. He suggested sedation and removal of her dewclaw, and mom agreed. What is a dewclaw? It’s the pup’s innermost toe and is found up around the ankle. They don’t serve a purpose and some pups are even born without them. Evolution we guess! Ginger’s dewclaws must have been removed when she was a baby because we can only feel a tiny stump, but there aren’t any nails. In most cases the removal is considered cosmetic surgery.

Cubby must have snagged her dewclaw on something in the house and it turned into a bloody mess. Doggy nails seem to bleed a lot! Our vet bill was just under $500 – that is one expensive pawdicure! Thankfully we have PetPlan insurance . . . .

Lessons learned

-Keep emergency vet numbers handy – we keep important numbers in our phone and on our fridge

-Have a transportation plan since you can’t call an ambulance – we rely on our stroller

-Keep a credit card (or better yet cash) for doggy medical emergencies since you are expected to pay the day of service – we want to check out CareCredit for future medical emergencies

-Check out pet insurance – we will luckily be reimbursed for a portion of the $500 vet bill thanks to our PetPlan policy

-Take a pet first aid class

-Keep a good pet health book handy – The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook

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Tips and treatments from the Lyme-Aid benefit party | thepupdiary.com

23 May

Our vet told us there are ticks living in New York City. Yikes! In fact, Lyme disease has been found in all 48 contiguous states according to the “Lyme Disease and Your Dog” brochure we read recently. We are trying to avoid the pesky bugs, but we also need to be prepared in case one tries to lunch on our blood. We thought the Lyme-Aid benefit event, celebrating Lyme disease awareness month, was the pawfect place to learn more about ticks, Lyme disease prevention, and treatment. The event, held at Toyota of Manhattan in Hell’s Kitchen, featured vendors, doggy and human treats (luv the Yappy Treats Cart doggy frozen yogurt!), entertainment, goody bags, and more.

Lyme-Aid tick testing kit

Lyme-Aid tick testing kit

What is Lyme disease? We checked Lymedisease.org to get information on the disease. Lyme disease is an infection caused by a spirochete that humans can get from the bite of an infected deer tick.

Do all ticks carry Lyme disease? The short answer is no. Lymedisease.org has a chart with creepy tick photos and descriptions. The Deer Tick transmits Lyme disease, but not every Deer Tick carries the disease. The CDC website has additional tick pictures and Lyme disease transmission information. The bacteria inside of the tick causes Lyme disease – the tick is just the transmitter.

What do we do if we see a tick on our skin? The key is to remove the tick and then have the tick tested for Lyme disease. Tick-SR is a non-toxic option using a treated wipe. You hold the wipe over the tick until it detaches. PetCareRx recommends the use of tweezers or a tick removal device and a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. The Tick Key bills itself as “the easiest-to-use tick removal device on earth”. You slide the tick into the key slot and pull the tick from the skin. Once you have removed the tick, use a new Lyme-Aid diagnostic tick testing kit to send the tick to the lab to be tested. The kit identifies the DNA of the pathogen in the tick. According to the rep at the event, the kit will be available at local drug stores soon and should be added to pet first aid kits.

How can we prevent ticks? The number one tip is to manually check your dog for ticks all the time. PetMD has an article on 10 ways to stop ticks from biting your dog. We use a spot-on treatment, Frontline Plus. We were introduced to Beat It all-natural insect repellent at the event. We will definitely give it a try! We received an Insect Shield scarf in our swag bag. The line of apparel has a built-in insect repellent that lasts through 70 launderings. This would have come in handy on Hilton Head Island with all of the bugs! There is also a Lyme disease vaccine for dogs.

A big thanks to Long Island Pet Professionals, Whitegate PR, and Nikki Knows Pets for organizing this fun and informational event. We loved seeing our friends from A Fair Shake for Youth and definitely enjoyed all of the doggy snacks from Dr. Harvey’s and Stella and Chewy’s. We won a cool CritterZone air naturalizer in the raffle!

Lyme-Aid benefit for Lyme disease awareness month

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Animal Medical Center’s Living Legends Luncheon | thepupdiary.com

7 May

The Animal Medical Center held their Fifth Annual Living Legends Luncheon this afternoon at the Harmonie Club on East 60th Street. Pet Expert, Charlotte Reed, hosted one of the tables at the invitation-only special event and mom was invited to attend. What a wonderful group of people who came together to honor some very remarkable pets and their human guardians. Of course the talented veterinarians who treated the honorees at The AMC were celebrated, too!

Animal Medical Center Living Legends Luncheon

Animal Medical Center Living Legends Luncheon

What started as a small gathering with a few people in a park 5 years ago has blossomed into a catered luncheon with over 200 attendees. “All event proceeds support The AMC’s mission to promote the health and well-being of companion animals through advanced treatment, research, and education.”

Three awards were presented this year to three very deserving animals; a Dachshund named Isabella, Magik the cat, and Pauli the Labrador who also serves as a guide dog. Each had a touching story and superior medical treatment at The AMC to help them through their illness and recovery.

Mom sat with the founder of The Good Dog Foundation, Rachel McPherson, and loved hearing her stories and commitment to animals. We will attend their annual A Fetching Affair gala on May 30.

And check out these very adorable purses by artist, Priscilla Snyder! We need one of these!!

Gorgeous custom purses by Priscilla Snyder

Gorgeous custom purses by Priscilla Snyder

The Animal Medical Center will hold their annual Paw Day pet wellness festival on May 18 this year in Carl Schurz Park at 84th Street and East End Avenue. Come out to meet some of the talented veterinarians. It is a great event with many activities!

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