Please be careful what you feed your dogs..

[Mary Lou M]

Please be careful what you feed your dogs.. This is the 2nd time I gave my dogs something and found out it was recalled..

The latest is Oinkies Dog Treats.. Yep.. the bag of Oinkies are all gone because my dogs ate them up.. I always find out AFTER they have eaten the bad food.. UGH!



You can find out the latest recalls here.. I am going to keep this page bookmarked for now on..

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recall/hartz-recalls-dog-treats/

 

[Charley]

Thank you for the warning and the link. I have saved it to my favorite links.

Our grocery also has empty shelves in one section of dog food. Don't know what was there but there were signs that it was due to a recall as the treats made by that company were not digestible.

Lois

 

[chandab]

Thank you for the link.

In the last several years, I've stopped buying any treats made in China, try not to buy pet toys either (but that's harder to do, as they are everywhere). I've never been a fan of Hartz products.

My MIL still won't quit buying the chicken jerky that has been on the internet over the problems its caused; because she doesn't buy the exact brand shown, she figures its ok, despite the fact most of the stuff is made in China.

 

[REO]

Thank you Mary Lou! All I'd heard about lately is Beneful dog food.

 

[Cupcake]

There have been warnings about dog treats from china for about a year (probably longer but a lot of them for a year that I know of) and it took these companies VERY long to pull them. A lot of them are sold at all stores including dollar stores and the front will say "american owned company" and on the back "made in china". Very deceiving for the customer. I only let my dogs have the big white bones with filling that they can't break. After witnessing my great Dane eat up an entire smoked (?) bone and luckily throwing it back up - the sharp edges would have cut him up inside - I will never buy those again. They get boiled chicken breast, frozen green beans or carrots for treats.

 

[Cupcake]

Also, I made the mistake to switch my dogs from nutro natural choice lamb to diamond chicken one time. My Dane had 2 seizures in the 2 months after the switch. Switched him back to nutro and no seizures since (it's been a year). And please always check expiration dates on your dog/cat food. You wouldn't believe how many bags are on the shelves that have been expired for 6-9 months! I know this for a fact!

 

[Supercilious]

I started researching dog food and treats after all the recalls. This is a handy site I found where you can compare and see reviews & I recommend it highly....http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

I order my dog food now as I chose EVO and it is not sold locally. The high end foods are way more expensive but they eat like 1/2 to 1/4 less of it and the stools are much much smaller also. In the long run you really aren't spending that much more and the peace of mind that you are feeding your dog the best & healthiest you can is worth the little higher cost.

I love my dog and want him here & healthy for as many years as is possible.

 

[Cupcake]

I started researching dog food and treats after all the recalls. This is a handy site I found where you can compare and see reviews & I recommend it highly....http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

I order my dog food now as I chose EVO and it is not sold locally. The high end foods are way more expensive but they eat like 1/2 to 1/4 less of it and the stools are much much smaller also. In the long run you really aren't spending that much more and the peace of mind that you are feeding your dog the best & healthiest you can is worth the little higher cost.

I love my dog and want him here & healthy for as many years as is possible.

Very good point. A lot of people don't know the difference between grocery food and premium food. The biggest companies with the most advertising is not always the best! Plus they confuse people when for example they put a Great Dane on the bag of "large" dog food, when really theyre giant breeds that should have way less protein in their diet than large breeds.

If its sold at your grocery store it's NOT premium dog food. And yes, they eat less, put out less and in the end there are less vet bills.

 

[minimomNC]

Also something people may not realize is that in big chain stores, pet food is set by how the quality really is. So whatever is first, usually Blue, from there it goes downhill, which is why you find grocery brands in the back of the store. Its very hard to find a good quality food that is affordable. The one thing I always heard about people that fed crap foods was, "But they love it" well yea, there is so much sugar and junk in them. I love McDonalds, but eating it everyday isn't good for me either. Also, dogs do develop allergies as they age. Tate never had skin issues until about 2 years ago. He just couldn't stop scratching and I do feed premium food. But what I found out is that he now doesn't handle grains very well. I switched him to Natures Recipe Grain Free Small Breed and within 2 weeks the scratching stopped. So if you pet is having issues, before you spend big vet bills, look at what food they are eating. It might be what is causing the issues and that includes bad ears, itchy skin, etc. As for treats, I feed natural treats and while they are crazy about the crunchy texture, they love the fruit and vegetable flavors, and so do I because yes, I tried one myself. If you want to give chicken or beef, then dehydrate it yourself. Its very easy. On one of the Food Network shows, they showed how to dehydrate meat or fruts with a fan and a/c filters. Very easy.

 

[Jill]

Thank you for sharing this, and I will make sure H sees this post as well because he also comes home with dog treats. These kinds of issues are why I started making our own "wet dog food" (there's another current thread about such). I don't think I need to tell ANYONE here that dogs are FAMILY and they mean a lot more than what you may have paid to bring them home.

My understanding is that IF you can prove this or that product resulted in the death of your pet, all that you will be compensated for is the cost of a "replacement".

I'm a professional asset manager so from two sides of the coin..................... Can I tell you that my dogs are the best investments we've ever made??? Let us have them for 24 hours, and at that point, those four legged BABIES are worth more than 100x what we paid to bring them home, or more!

Maybe one day, something good will happen and the legistlation will hold the product providers accountable for what happens to our sincere family members, and what they mean to us. I don't think many of us would trade $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for a dog we have brought into our family, but if the financial consequences were meaningful, then probably, we wouldn't be having our pets killed by the commercial foods and treats that we give to them.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

Thanks for sharing! I usually don't get my dog extra treats unless its Christmas or her birthday. Before I buy something, I'll be sure to check the labels!

 

[Mary Lou M]

You cannot always go by 5 star dog foods as being safe.. Some of those best dog foods had recalls.. We feed Taste of the Wild Wetlands (5 star)..(and I do give them treats). I now will keep myself updated on the recalls. I sure do not want my spoiled babies sick.

 

[Danielle_E.]

I am lucky that my dog "Fuller" hates those dog treats and won't eat any. I make his dog treats so I know exactly what is in them. He also gets skin allergies if fed anything with corn, which is in most grocery store dog food brands you find. The best I have found for him is "Orijen" and he is thriving on it and loves it!!! Now mind you it's pricey but it's so worth it.

http://orijen.ca/

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I am lucky that my dog "Fuller" hates those dog treats and won't eat any. I make his dog treats so I know exactly what is in them. He also gets skin allergies if fed anything with corn, which is in most grocery store dog food brands you find. The best I have found for him is "Orijen" and he is thriving on it and loves it!!! Now mind you it's pricey but it's so worth it.

http://orijen.ca/

I used that for a couple of bagfuls, but my little terrier really started to gain weight. He needs something a little less calories that gives him more crunching time. I use Drs Foster & Smith; he's been on it for a couple of years and does really well with it. No corn or wheat in it. It is a very good dogfood, though, especially for a picky eater.

 

[susanne]

Just out of curiosity, what HEALTHY treats do your dogs like (and you feel good about)?

Danielle, do you have a recipe (or an approximate) for your homemade treats?

 

[Cupcake]

Mine love boiled eggs, boiled chicken, I add it to the food when they get picky. Peanut butter for taking pills and the stuffed big white bones keep them busy for days/weeks. I also add flax seed oil to their feed, they love it. There are tons of recipes online for making your own treats. I also bake mine dog cakes for their birthdays

My cocker loves raw baby carrots, bananas and apples.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I have the meat market slice a roast into jerky strips and dehydrate it. A roast lasts my dog several months. I just break off little pieces for the treats, reward or training. That is the only treat he gets, besides lamb ears for chewing. I have to order those online.

For a big dog, it would be expensive.

Could you use the Oaties horse treat recipe for a dog treat and just add an egg into the dough? One could substitute brown rice flour for the wheat flour.

 

[Carriage]

Glad you asked that question Miss Susanne,

Canine nutrition is how we started , oh my, almost 30 years ago? Canine fitness was a natural follow for us as nutrition reigns supreme and fitness is a very close second.

Those making treats are to be commended. However what is the base of the treat? As corn and wheat rank as the number 1 and 2 allergens in dogs I would recommend one of the numerous "ancient" grains instead.

Hailing from the B.A.R.F. camp, I would also recommend any meat given is best given raw and in its natural state. If you have a concern re. Salmonella, you can submerge meat in a lemon water bath, BUT in general this is not necessary at all. If bones are given (and I believe that they should be) they must be given raw, NOT cooked. If the meat was cooked, so is the bone. Cooked bones splinter, uncooked bones crumble.

How about vegetables as treats? Oh my, yes. However, they should be cooked as that carnivore lacks the enzyme to break down vegetable matter and must have it done for them. Whatever vegetable we were having that night, we put on extra for the dogs. Pea's especially, were pretty serious around our place. How about keeping a bowl of cooked vegetables in the fridge for the dogs? Treating with a cooked carrot was just as appreciated as other store bought treats. The bio-availability of nutrition in a cooked carrot over an uncooked carrot is very significant.

As to base kibble, I have been out of the food industry for many years now and have not kept up. However there are some basic rules for protection.

Please stop buying food from China. They have for years been showing a willingness to poison us and our pets. Yes for years. Support the American maker of the diet that chooses the best and most wholesome ingredients. Choose a naturally preserved food with NO man made preservatives. Careful about the fat and its origin. Usually the fat comes to the diet maker from a rendering plant. In the past, any preservative used by the render-er did not have to be listed by the diet maker. While tochopherols (sp?) are :"ok", it is far better to preserve with them AND Vit. C. In general, the first 4 ingeds. give you a general idea of the diets make-up. Always be aware of excess protein in a diet. Less is needed than most folk think. Unless that dog is truly working hard and for hours, choose less protein than more

Also the right sources of fat are good and necessary. Older or more sedentary dogs still need those great sources of fat, just less.

Then, don't forget the work or play which will complete the nutritional cycle. That should be the most fun part of feeding or building your own diet.

Bb

 

[HGFarm]

I dont buy anything made in China, and am really picky about what I feed my dogs. A good treat I found is the stuff you get in the refrigerated section- FreshPet. I buy the Vital. It's all cooked 'real' food and not only does the dog love it, my cats FIGHT over it! LOL It's also great to give dogs pill medication in. Doesnt have a bunch of chemicals, preservatives and crap in it. It has no grains and is at least 80% meat. They make other products too. They have their own plant, so the products are not from China, or through Diamond, which has had tons of recalls.

http://freshpet.com/our-brands/

 

[Cupcake]

I dont buy anything made in China, and am really picky about what I feed my dogs. A good treat I found is the stuff you get in the refrigerated section- FreshPet. I buy the Vital. It's all cooked 'real' food and not only does the dog love it, my cats FIGHT over it! LOL It's also great to give dogs pill medication in. Doesnt have a bunch of chemicals, preservatives and crap in it. It has no grains and is at least 80% meat. They make other products too. They have their own plant, so the products are not from China, or through Diamond, which has had tons of recalls.

http://freshpet.com/our-brands/

Be sure to check the expiration date there too - if the store doesn't have a reliable rep who rotates out the product in time you may find expired ones.