Here's a great resource that I thought you'd find helpful. –Kim
American Holistic Veterinary Referral Search
"The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) explores and supports alternative and complementary approaches to veterinary healthcare, and is dedicated to integrating all aspects of animal wellness in a socially and environmentally responsible manner" (from the AHVMA Web site).
You can perform a simple or advanced search for natural or holistic AHVMA Vets in your area (including U.S. states, Canada and a few other countries) with the following online tool:
NOTE: Very few veterinarians are willing to provide consultation by telephone. Some will consult with your local veterinarian by phone, but they cannot offer you advice without having seen your animal. If you contact a veterinarian listed in this directory, and they tell you that they cannot consult by phone, please respect their wishes.
Alternately, you may use the Ask a Vet Online option, if desired. Just be sure they use natural or holistic methods, if that's what you're seeking.
Finally...All You Need to Know about Your Dog's Diet and Nutrition
Click below now to watch this short dog food video....
From Sharda Baker Monday 11 May 2009
Dear fellow dog lover, We have all heard the "horror stories" about the tainted, and sometimes toxic, dog foods on the market, AND ABOUT ALL THE DOG FOOD RECALLS.
Many of us are aware of the poor quality, sometimes useless, filler ingredients in many commercial dog foods and the dangers of many foods cooked in our homes for our dogs.
Even if you prepare your dog's food at home, there's the danger of feeding the wrong type of food.
They can rob your dog of… IT'S ENERGY, IT'S HEALTH, AND OF IT'S VERY LIFE ITSELF.
You are probably just like me, and like most responsible dog owners, just want the best for your dog within a certain budget, right?
Alarm bells first started ringing for me regarding dog food, several years ago, after seeing the pain an acquaintance, Sonia (not her real name) went through after losing her 2 dogs, one aged eight and one six and a half. One of her dogs died of pancreatitis and one of heart failure, both of which can occur as a result of poor diet.
It wasn't really her fault though...
It's not that Sonia was a bad dog owner, she just did what many dog owners do… And what I used to do, she fed her dog a standard dog food she found in the supermarket plus some regular table scraps.
Like many of us, she didn't understand how to make sense out of a dog food label. On closer examination, the dog food she had been feeding was one of the worst ones available.Simply understanding the label would have alerted Sonia not to use that dog food. Plus, the indiscriminate feeding of table scraps also contributed to her two dog's untimely deaths.
And that was just the beginning for me.
Ever since I witnessed the pain that can be caused by losing a pet at a young age, I started looking into dog food more closely. It's been quite a journey I can tell you. We all recognize deep down that our dog's diet is paramount to good health, just as our own diet is vital to our own good health. Yet, we are often unsure, or at worst ill advised, how to best manage our dog's nutrition.
To Keep Your Dog Healthy, You Must Discover What to Look For, and How to Properly Read and Understand the Deceptive Practices in Dog Food Ingredient Labels.
This information I have put together will show you what some dog food companies don’t want you to know.
I put together the "Complete Guide To Your Dog's Nutrition" ebook and audio package over the last 11 and a half months and inside you'll find:
12 OF THE BEST dog food brands for you and… It informs you of what is actually used in each of the dog foods. And clearly tells you why each of the12 brands are some of the best to feed your dog. It also discusses in depth home cooked dog food, the BARF diet plus much more.
Would you like to know which brands of dog food and which human foods are the safest to feed your dog?
Don’t you owe it to your pet to find out?
Can't we just trust what the dog food companies tell us in their glossy multi-million dollar advertising campaigns?
Unfortunately, often we can't!
I know you are a lot like me and want to be sure you are feeding your dog the absolute best diet… and best foods, within your budget.
All dog food is not equal in their nutritional values and there are many that are downright detrimental to your pet's health.
I have put together all the research that I and my team have carried out over the last 11 and a half months on dog food and health, into one big collection.
Some of the information revealed will shock you! The books and audios cover everything that you need to know about providing the best and most nutritionally healthy diet for your dog. You will quickly start to become a dog nutrition expert… learning how to make nutritional adjustments to help most of your dog's problems or maladies.
Here's a great resource that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it lots of fun! –Kim
Free Pumpkin-Carving Stencils of Favorite Dog Breeds Better Homes & Gardens
Let your friends and neighbors know which dog breed is best by carving a pumpkin that looks like your favorite canine. Click and scroll through 26 different FREE stencils (click the right and left arrows to scroll through them all).
Here's an informative article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim
Long-term Costs Add Up for Dog Ownership
By Jan Larsen for Sun-Times Media Jun 13, 2011
The price of dog ownership varies widely according to breed, size, age and luck. Some veterinarians have estimated owners could spend $20,000 over the life of a dog.
*Total over the life of a 50-pound, 12-year-old dog in the Midwest
(Editor's Note: I'm pretty sure that prices have gone even higher since the 2006 results above were released. It's something to consider when making decisions about a dog.)
When human beings die, they write their testament to leave their home and all they have to those they love. I'd do such, if I could write, to a poor desperate, lonely stray. I'd give him my happy home, my bowl and my cozy bed, my soft pillow and my toys, the so-loved lap, the tender stroking hand, the lovely voice, the place I had in someone's heart, the love that, at last, helped me to find a peaceful end, held firmly in a sheltering embrace. When I die, please don't say "I will never have a pet again; the loss is far too much to stand!" Choose a lonely, unloved dog and give him MY place. This is my inheritance. The love I leave behind is all I'm able to give. –Author Unknown
Here's a cute post I'm sure you'll find entertaining! –Kim
Bizarre New Dog Breeds (Humor) By: Maria Goodavage
Have you heard about the new dog cross-breeds? Dogster's Watch Dog sent me the following the other day, and I had to share it with you. The breeds are not exactly AKC approved, but I think that's a good thing, don't you?
They crossed a Collie and a Lhasa Apso. The new breed is a Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport.
They crossed a Spitz and a Chow-Chow. The new breed is a Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot.
They crossed a Pekingese and a Lhasa Apso. The new breed is Peekasso, an abstract dog.
They crossed a Labrador Retriever and a Curly Coated Retriever. The new breed is a Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of laboratory researchers.
They crossed a Pointer and a Setter. The new breed is a Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet.
They crossed a Irish Water Spaniel and a English Springer Spaniel. The new breed is a Irish Springer, a dog that's fresh and clean.
They crossed a Newfoundland and a Basset Hound. The new breed is a Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors.
They crossed a Bloodhound and a Labrador. The new breed is a Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly.
They crossed a Malamute and a Pointer. The new breed is a Moot Point, owned by...oh, well, it doesn't really matter.
They crossed a Collie and a Malamute. The new breed is a Commute, a dog that travels to work.
They crossed a Deerhound and a Terrier. The new breed is a Derriere, a dog that's true to the end.
They crossed a Bull Terrier and a ShihTzu. The new breed is a...uhh, I'll get back to you on that....
"The American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) explores and supports alternative and complementary approaches to veterinary healthcare, and is dedicated to integrating all aspects of animal wellness in a socially and environmentally responsible manner" (from the AHVMA Web site).
Visit "The AHVMA Member Referral Search"
