Dangerous Morsels for Our Pets

Our pets are  members of our family. When my daughter gets a snack she usually wants to share it with our dog Angel. When I tell her it is not a good idea then she will ask "If I accidentally drop something on the floor can she eat it?
Children love to share their treats with their best friend, but it is not always a good idea. I sat down with my daughter to explain to her that even though she may be able to eat certain food without a health concern, that those same food can be harmful to Angel. I thought I would share with you some foods that we should not give to our pets.

Foods not meant for our pets. 

1. Grapes. These might  be toxic to dogs and cause kidney concerns if eaten in large amounts.
2. Onions onion powder, and chives. They can create gastrointestinal irritation
3. Leftover Bones. Left-over bones can cause a choking hazard and they can also splinter and puncture your pet’s stomach and or intestine.
4. Sugarless candy that is sweetened with Xylitol. This can cause liver damage and possible death.
5. Chocolate, I think most of us know this one. Apparently the darker the chocolate the more toxic to our pet.
6. Coffee o.k. I would hope people would not be giving their pets coffee. We did foster a dog several years ago that would literally go after us when we had a mug of coffee in hand. If a mug of coffee was sitting on the table the dog would literally jump on the table to get to it. Apparently she liked  the taste of coffee. We never willingly gave it to her though.Coffee can cause vomiting,  and diarrehea.
7. Cat Food. Do not give your dog cat food. Cat food is generally to high in protein for dogs. Do not give cats Dog food.
8. Raisins. Dogs should not have raisins, they are dried grapes.
9. Macadamia Nuts They contain an unknown toxin, which can effect the digestive and nervous systems.
10. Milk and Dairy products. Giving kitty a bowl of milk is not considered a good idea anymore.
Some adult dogs and cats do not have enough amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea.
11. Dough containing yeast. Uncooked dough containing yeast can rise in your pets tummy and cause pain, gas and possible rupture of intestines and or abdomen.
12. Mushrooms: Mushrooms  contain toxins, that can cause shock and possible death.
13. Sugary foods. Sugary foods can cause obesity, and diabetitis as well as dental concerns.

 There are also several types of plants that can pose a threat to our pets 

1. Lilies
2. Sago Palm
3. Tulip/Narcissus bulbs
4. Azalea/Rhododendron
5. Oleander
6. Castor Bean
7. Cyclamen
8.. Kalanchoe
9. Amaryllis
10. Autumn Crocus
11. Chrysanthemum
12 Peace Lily
13. Pothos

I know with Easter around the corner many varieties plants are given as gifts. Remember to Keep out of reach of your curious pets.


If your pet ingests one of the above mentioned and is showing signs of toxicity. Vominting, dirarreha, and or
seizures you will want to seek immediate medical treatment. Posting your Vets phone number and emergency contact info somewhere accesible is a good idea.
If your pet is not showing symptoms, but you know that he or she may have digested something potentially toxic, call the ASPCA hotline at (888) 426-4435. The ASPCA is a great rescource for keeping our pets safe.

Peace

Unwanted Companions Giveaway !!!

Spring is on its way!! That means Flea and Ticks may become unwanted companions on our pets. Your pets would like you to choose the safest, healthiest product to eliminate these pesky free loaders. Harsh chemicals are truly not necessary. Our Joyful Canine and Feline products do the job, and will give you the peace of mind that you are making a healthy choice for your loved ones.

When you use a chemical laden flea and tick product on your dog or cat you are exposing them to toxins. These toxins can contribute to cancer, liver damage, allergies, and many other unwanted health concerns.

Choosing a natural product is just as effective as a chemical laden product. So why choose chemicals?

There are a few details you should know when choosing a  natural flea and tick product for your dog or cat.

Did you know that you should never apply products containing essential oils on cats? Cats and Dogs are very different in how they metabolize and excrete certain substances from their bodies. That is why we at Joyful Canine have very different products for our cats and dogs. Our cat products contain only floral hydrosols. No essential oils. Our dog products do contain essential oils. Another difference between Joyful Canine products and other natural products made for dogs, is we do not use Tea Tree essential oil in any of our products.

When doing extensive research about Tea Tree essential oil and pets we found many disturbing reports. Tea Tree essential oil is controversial. There are reports of fatalities due to liver toxicity. Since we believe that Tea Tree oil has not been proven to be a safe product to use, we have banned it from our ingredients. Why use an ingredient that may or may not be harmful? Why take the chance? There are many other essential oils that are just as effective as Tea Tree without the concerns.

Our Feline Flea and Tick spray is made with pure floral hydrosols. Hydrosols are made by a distillation process of plant material. The steam from this process is collected and bottled as a hydrosol.  Our product is effective and safe. Spritzing kitty daily will keep free loaders away. If your kitty already has fleas this product can be used to eliminate them.

Our Canine Flea and Tick products consist of a Flea and Tick Powder and a Flea and Tick Relief Oil.
Both effective both natural and both safe to use.They smell wonderful, your pet will be flea and tick free and be happy and healthy.

We have heard horror stories from our customers on the side effects and health concerns their pets endured by using chemical laden flea and tick products. Vomiting, lethargy, loss of appetite, seizures and some fatalities. Truly non of these are necessary to rid your pet or your home of fleas.

We have choices and it is our responsibility to make safe and healthy choices for our pets.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions concerning flea and tick removal. If you need help with ridding your house of fleas please contact us. We can give you chemical free choices.

We would like to help keep your pet free of fleas and ticks this season, NATURALLY!

We will be giving away 1 Flea and Tick Repellent Kit Joyful Canine OR 1 Flea and Tick Repellent Kit for Joyful Feline.

The Joyful Canine Kit contains 1 Flea and Tick Aromatherapy Shampoo   and 1 Flea and Tick Powder

The Joyful Feline Kit contains 1 Flea Repelling Aromatherapy Spray   and 1 Flea Repelling Shampoo
Just follow the instructions below! Winner will chose only 1 kit

We have a winner! Julie! Thank you for entering this contest is now closed.

Mandatory Entry: You must do this first or all other entries will be deleted!
Become a Follower of Joyful Canine and then leave a comment letting us know. If you are already a follower leave us a comment that you are. 


Additional Entries: 


2 entries: Subscribe via email to Joyful Canine then leave a comment letting me know. If you are already a subscriber let me know that in a comment as well.


2 entries: Checkout Joyful Canine Etsy Shop
let me know in a comment a product your are interested in.

2 entries: Become a follower of Joyful Girl Naturals Blog  
leave a comment letting me know your user name. 


 Contest is open to US and Canada residents 18 years of age and older. Contest ends on 3/28/2010 11:59 p.m. EST Winner will be chosen using Random .Org Winner will be notified via email, please make sure your email address is visible in your blogger info or in a comment. Winner will have 48 hrs to respond to notification. 

Fun Feline Toy

I was just going thru my daily blog reading and found that KiddiesCorner Deals is sponsoring a great giveaway.

You can enter to win a FrolicCat Bolt Interactive Laser toy for your pets. I know Smokey and Adjanta would love this. Adjanta is bored very easily. She is trying to get the Vacuum to play with her. LOL This would be a perfect toy for her. Here she has Smokey pinned to the floor. I think he would appreciate me purchasing this toy as well. Maybe Adjanta would then pounce on the laser light and not him.

I like the idea of the FroliCat Bolt Interactive Laser Toy because you can turn it on and place it on the floor or table, and walk away. This would be great for times when you are trying to keep kittys from getting under foot as you get things done around the house.

I entered the giveaway, you should too! KiddiesCorner Deals is sponsoring the giveaway and it ends on March 5th.

How to Clean and deodorize your cat box

How you clean your litter box can impact your cat's health and the environment. Cleaning your cat box can be done safely and effectively. All you need to have is hot water ,white vinegar and baking soda. I pour about 8 ounces of hot water into a spray type bottle then I add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda, attach spray top, shake gently. I then use this to spray down my cat box. Then wipe out with a cleaning cloth. Then dry box . You can then sprinkle the bottom of the box with a natural deodorizer. Like this one Joyful Feline Litter Box Deodorizer
Then you can add your eco /pet friendly litter. You will have a happy healthy kitty!

Cat litters are not created equal

Cat litter,a substance we pour into our cat boxes for elimination. Are they created equal? There just a filler for the cat box right? How diverse can cat litter be?
There are many litters that can be harmful to your cat as well as the environment.

Unfriendly cat litters are:

Clay Litter: clay litter is strip-mined and this causes environmental damage during extraction. The dust that flies thru the air after kitty tries to cover up her mess is bad for your cat's lungs. This dust can cause asthma and respiratory concerns.

Clumping Litter: Clumping litter contains sodium bentonite and this is mined just like the above clay litter. It is damaging to our environment. There is some speculation that this type of litter can get into your cat's lungs or intestines and cause damage.

 Scented Litter: The fragrances in scented litter come from several undisclosed combinations of chemicals. Which can contain phthalates. Phthalates are hormone disruptors. Fragrances can trigger allergies in pets and humans.

Healthier Greener Litter
Cat litter made with wheat, corn, ground corn cobs, alfalfa pettets and wheat. These are all good choices.

There are pine litters and cedar litters these can be good choices as well. There is some research indicating that some cats maybe allergic. If you use this type and your cat sneezes everytime he uses the litter box, you may want to swith to another type.

Some brands you may like are:
Naturals Corn Cat Litter I think they sell it exclusively at Petco
Worlds Best Cat Litter is made from corn and 100% natural
Swheat Scoop Natural cat litter
Feline Pine (remember just to be mindful if kitty sneezes after use he/she may have some allergy to pine)

Hope these tips help you to decide on a healthy choice of cat litter for your cat and the environment.

Welcome to Joyful Canine

My daughter Liz and I decided it was time to start a Joyful Canine Blog. Joyful Canine is a subdivision of Joyful Girl Natural Products. Joyful Canine offers Natural and Organic products not only for your dog but for your cats too! We make herbal remedies that include flea and tick repellent, ear mite relief, teething relief and many more natural products for your pets.
My daughter Elizabeth heads Joyful Canine. Elizabeth has a college degree in the business world, but has dedicated her living to the health and natural healing of animals. We are here to offer information on organic skin care for your animals as well as on herbal remedies.
I hope is to be able to encourage pet owners to look at the products they are using on their pets and to look up the ingredients and the health concerns they may create in your pet. Making the choice to use natural and organic products on your pets will contribute to a healthier and happier pet.
Please visit Joyful Canine at http://www.joyfulcanine.etsy.com for product information. Elizabeth is always willing to answer your questions or guide you in making appropriate choices when purchasing from our store.
The pictures posted here are of  Elizabeth's dog Chuck.