Dog Health Food: Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Dry Dog Food

An outbreak of Salmonella has been linked to contaminated dry dog food for the first time ever, said officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC officials said dry dog food may be an under-recognized source of illness in humans, and they are unsure how the bacteria got into the dog food. Usually, Salmonella comes from undercooked meats and eggs.

“They are a number of possible ways that that could happen,” said Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC epidemiologist, who co-authored a report on the finding. “That’s something we are still trying to figure out.”

Humans became infected with Salmonella in 2006 and 2007 from dry dog food produced by Mars Petcare in Pennsylvania. Dogs were not affected, according to the May 16 issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, but a number of those affected were infants.

"The most important thing is to wash your hands right after you handle any dry dog food, any other pet food, pet treats, even supplements or vitamins," Barton Behravesh said. "In addition, keep infants and other young children away from pet food, because kids tend to want to see what their dogs are eating and grab at the pet food and play with it or even put it in their mouth."

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356203,00.html

Dog Health: How To Help Build & Maintain A Healthy Immune System In Your Dog

An easy way to help boost the immune system is to use a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

Antioxidants are important to dog health because they help the immune function, by preventing oxidation of chemicals, and may help decrease the risk of infection and possibly cancer. They destroy free radicals which are reactive molecules that damage cells.

Damaged cells leave the body susceptible to cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.

The most common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C and E and they are found in food.

Vitamin A is found in the liver and other tissues. It is most abundant in the fish liver oils. Carotene is found in plant material and dogs can convert carotene to vitamin A with an enzyme that is found in the intestinal walls. Vitamin A makes white blood cells which destroy viruses and harmful bacteria which help regulate the immune system. It helps the skin, mucous membranes, and urinary tract.

Vitamin C is manufactured in the liver and kidneys of dogs and is the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Fresh fruits provide Vitamin C.

Vitamin E is in vegetable oils, cereal grains, greens, liver and eggs. It is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. It is very helpful in protecting against oxidation in fatty tissues.

Dog Health Care Homemade Food

Health is always the major concern for our dogs. And to ensure dog health care, the food that they eat should be a priority. Dog breeds has to follow special diets in order to maintain their muscular strength and form. The easiest solution for this would be homemade health dog food recipes. To make sure they are eating the right food right from your own kitchen.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Recognize the type of food best for your dog. Large dog breeds need much more protein-rich food than other types of breed. This is best suited their bones and muscles. Dogs love tasty beef, pork, liver, and fish. Make sure you stock up with these meats. Simply sauté the meat and your dog will enjoy all the homemade health dog food recipes you prepared.

2. Salt is not advisable on dog health. It is not good on the dog food. Actually natural foods are the best food for our pets . Dog will surely love your choice of homemade health dog food recipes. All you really have to do is to cook it right.

3. Dogs need the vitamins and minerals in vegetables to keep them healthy. Make sure you add enough of them every meal.

There are a lot of dog health food recipes over the internet. Make sure that you pick up the right one to ensure you dog health.