We Are The Cure Blog | Canine Cancer Information

I was really shocked to read a news item on high fluoride content in dog foods the other day.

An Environmental Working Group (EWG) through their research has found that foods like bone meals and animal by products have high fluoride contamination. It is in fact 2.5 times higher than the permissible limit.

So next time, you go shopping for pet foods, look out for items like chicken by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, chicken meal and beef meal.

There are also certain other things that you should never forget to check like the source of oil, the amount and quality of ingredients and the credibility of the manufacturer. Since our friends cannot speak, it is absolutely our responsibility to look after all their needs and give them a safe and secure world to live in.

Have you bought a puppy recently? How often do you take him for a stroll? They say, in puppies the period between 3-12 weeks is very sensitive for socialization. In the formative years of their life certain people and incidents leave an indelible impression on their minds. This play a big role in shaping up their behavioural patterns later on.

So from now on take him along more often when you go for a jaunt in the evening. You never know there might be hidden in your otherwise timid pet a very mirthful creature. Or if you can spare some more time take him to obedience classes. Even taking him to your friend’s place where he might come across another dog belonging to the same or different breed might work wonders.

So try and acquaint him as much as possible with all sorts of things that he may encounter in the journey of his life. It could be from different types of people, animals to unfamiliar noises on the road. If his initial reaction is a bit weird don’t panic. Give him some more time. He will automatically adapt himself to the vicissitudes of life around him.

As often is the case, we will have the horrible knowledge that it is just a matter of time before we have to make the choice of putting our pets to sleep. It is both a blessing and a curse. The one good thing is that we can really focus on quality time. We get a chance to say goodbye. We get to really connect.

Yet for anyone who does not get that chance, you must remember that they already know how much you love them. That is why they loved you so much.

If you lose your pet after you had to give them a shorter walk than usual, after you had to rush of to work without giving them the attention they deserved that day, remember, that is just life. There is no guilt meant to exist there. Think of your long term love, not just a moment you weren’t perfect. Your dedication, your love, your being loved, is what counts.

And, before we are put in the position of saying our last minute loving goodbyes, when we are in daily life with our healthy and happy pets, let’s make sure they know we love them.

This blog is contributed by Alex in Welderland from www.custompeturns.com. His Twitter contact is @CustomPetUrns.

Are you using one of the popular, ‘applied monthly’ flea products? Think about it…it can kill fleas because it is a form of poison. Some products contain strychnine. Others have the active ingredient, imidacloprid a nicotine-like substance which is rated as “moderately toxic” acutely by the WHO and the EPA and which causes thyroid lesions in rats. Is that really something you want to apply to your dog between his/her shoulders once a month to be absorbed by his/her skin until it’s able to also poison every flea that comes into contact with him/her?

There are wonderful, affordable essential oil combinations made especially for repelling fleas. Most contain oil of lemon and eucalyptus- very pleasant smelling.

If your dog does pick up fleas from another animal, a simple decoction of lemon peel poured over the dog will kill the fleas instantly. I love that solution! I mean, I’m not a scientist, but my sense is that lemon peel probably doesn’t cause cancer!

Diatomaceous earth and cedar chips are inexpensive, natural remedies for flea infested areas of the home or yard. Both can be found online.

This blog is contributed by Nadine M. Rosin, author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood http://www.TheHealingArtOfPetParenthood.com

We often forget, or we simply ignore, the stress that the loss of a beloved pet puts on us. Our hearts, our minds, and our spirits take a hard hit, and there remain a bruise left where that pain struck. We may not be able to see it, but we can definitely feel it.

To heal, we need to restore our souls back to that good place where it once was. Yes, we do heal on our own, and time greatly helps the journey, of course. But sometimes things get hidden, like splinters that have worked their way in and we don’t really realize they are there, we just feel the discomfort.

We can be the healthiest if we take action. After the grief, we need to give time and space for recovery. We can treat ourselves without asking why.

We need to shine a light on what has happened, allow ourselves to feel the pain, and then allow ourselves the time we need to heal it. This way, we can, and should, help ourselves through it, owing it to our loved ones, our own hearts and spirits, our mind and our other pets.

This blog is contributed by Alex in Welderland from www.custompeturns.com. His Twitter contact is @CustomPetUrns.

Laundry products: non-natural detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets… a little bit of internet research will convince you- there is all kinds of well-documented material about how very harmful the most common, best-selling brands are to our health. Keep in mind, between clothing, bedding, and towels, we are constantly exposed to and absorbing these poisons through our skin and so are our pets! If you launder any of their cloth toys, they are also ingesting those chemicals.

Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets: Reprinted with Permission from the SixWise.com Security & Wellness e-Newsletter

* Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
* Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
* Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
* A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
* Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list
* Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
* Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
* Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
* Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled

There are many natural, affordable alternatives to be found at stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and many online companies. Just because it smells pretty, doesn’t mean it’s not harmful. Please don’t assume that large companies put your health and well-being before their bottom line.

In my opinion, it is always wise to read the label of every product your animal is exposed to in and around your home.

This blog is contributed by Nadine M. Rosin, author of The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood http://www.TheHealingArtOfPetParenthood.com

We all want love. We all want to give it and to receive it. With our pets, we find it unconditionally. And once they are gone, we feel that emptiness. And we suffer. We can want to have it back so badly, and that can hurt so very much. The finality of death is so very difficult for us. I wish it wasn’t, but it is a truth we all have to face.

I wonder if we could feel the ‘enough’, would it relieve our sorrow. If we could appreciate the year, five years, 16 years, we had with our beloved pets, is there a point where we can be grateful for that time more strongly than wanting more of it? If we could celebrate that joy, that love, that togetherness that we had as the be all and end all of everything?

It is a huge challenge, but what a great way to walk through life, feeling we have enough. To focus daily on being grateful for what we have, what we have had in our past. I want to take this on, joyful in the ‘enough’ of life. Grateful and appreciative more that needy and wanting.

It is very powerful. It is very beautiful. And it is what our angels want for us.

This blog is contributed by Alex in Welderland at www.custompeturns.com. His twitter contact is @CustomPetUrns