TIPS 'n' TALES on www.AngelScribe.com

Pet
TIPS 'n' TALES©
Celebrates People and Pets
Mary Ellen and Miss Wings
Mary Ellen & Miss Wings

Protecting
Your Pets' Foods

Dear Pet Parents,

There are currently no official FDA pet food recalls. FDA's Pet Food News Releases and information www.fda.gov/cvm/petfoods.htm

Whenever a pet shows signs of vomiting, consider their food source and seek a veterinarian's opinion. Or it may not be the food, but something they ingested while outside.

Not all boxes and cans of one pet food brand may be "off" or compromised, even when another is, so it is important to research.

Mary Koepfle, owner of Farmhand Feed suggests, "If you feel your pet's food maybe in question, contact the pet food company with the serial number. Their phone numbers are on the Internet and the back of some products.

Ask the company for an independent study on the product in question. This way they will learn if there is indeed a problem, and can act on it faster. Often, it is the consumers who alert them to a situation."

Karen, a Tips n Tales reader, emails pet food recall alerts.
Join her mailing list, airwaves@bigplanet.com

Recently, the Humane Society emailed Consumer Affairs information, announcing illnesses that appear connected to a brand of pet food.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/04/pet_food_recalls93.html

If your pet loves its food, then it is most likely good food.

If your pet picks at its food, then consider that the food may be "off" or somehow compromised, since your pet is just as picky as you would be with stale, rancid or bad food.

Never force your pet to eat something that it does not want, as it may be wiser than you about the food quality.

Do not purchase pet food that sits in front of a store's window. The heat from the window turns the food rancid. Your pets won't eat it, no matter how much you paid for it!

Would you purchase your family's groceries that were stored in front of a store window?

Pay attention to your pet's eating habits and you will both benefit.

When purchasing large quantities or sizes of pet food, store them in a cool/dark place.

If you open a large bag, divide the contents up into smaller air tight containers or zip lock bags to maintain freshness.

Your pet won't eat a stale bag of food, anymore than you would an unsealed package of crackers.

____________

Readers Respond

Julie, a Tips 'n' Tales reader in Santa Rosa, California writes, "Thank you for mentioning about pet food. Two months ago, we switched our cat, Bob Kat, from one food brand of cat food to another.

Since then, she is listless and doesn't eat all of her food, she only picks at it.

I looked at the brand name on the front of the can and found the back of the can has a different Big Brand name!

We am going to Trader Joe's to get Bob Kat back onto what she was eating before. Tips 'n' Tales saved me from further worries, and possibly Bob Kat's life."

_____________________

Linda, a Tips 'n' Tales reader in Westland, Michigan writes, "Our Boxer, Harley, has been vomiting. We thought it was because he was drinking too much water after he ate. On occasion, he wouldn't even eat his food.

We thought he was being fussy. We should have known that he knew his food wasn't good. This proves, pets know what's good and bad. I feel terrible, forcing him to eat something he knew was bad. Thank goodness for Tips 'n' Tales informing us to pay attention to their food!"

___________________________

Mary Ellen, author of Tips 'n' Tales, "When five cats won't touch their food...you know something is up. If it was one cat, you would assume it is fussy, but not all five!

Our five indoor cats started to throw up after switching to a new type of a food, in the brand we were feeding them.

The third day, we looked at the small print on the open can and saw the other cans that they loved were made in the USA, while the one they threw up came from Indonesia.

We promptly returned all the Indonesian cans to the store."

Pet Adoptions

www.PetFinder.org