Posts filed under 'Health and Nutrition'
by Anu Maurya
Ingredients
1 organic egg
1/4 cup freshly pressed peanut butter (unsalted)
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup organic honey
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan.
3. Mix flour and baking soda, keep aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg, and then add the peanut butter, melted butter (make sure is at room temperature) and honey. Mix well.
5. Stir in the carrots and mix thoroughly.
6. Sift the flour and baking soda mixture slowly into the cake mixture and fold.
7. Spoon the cake batter into prepared pan.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Test the center of the cake by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clear, the cake is done.
9. Let the cake cool in pan for 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing
Whip up Low Fat Cream Cheese. I used 3-4 packs of cream cheese to cover the entire cake and make the decorations. Make sure the cake is at room temperature before icing. After icing, keep the cake refrigerated.
Variations
• For larger cake molds, like the bone shaped cake, you can double the ingredients.
• Create a layered cake by baking two cakes and layering peanut butter in between.
• Add organic unsweetened apple sauce to the cake batter. I am still experimenting on the proportions, stay tuned for my final analysis!
Warnings
May cause loss of appetite of daily routine dinner.
May cause eyes to get larger and droopier, which may result in “The Puppy Face”.
Sources:
Original recipe is posted on numerous dog websites.
Icings, variations, photos and modifications to the recipe are added by me.
November 1st, 2008
By Anu Maurya
Vet hospitals and clinics make most of their money from prescriptions and vaccinations. Studies show that these vaccinations weaken the natural immune system, which can leave the dog prone to other illness in the long run.
The antibodies from booster vaccines can stay longer in the dog’s body than the recommended time-period. Blood tests, called “titers” help check the dog’s blood system for these antibodies – if there are enough antibodies still present, then a booster isn’t required.
“Vaccinations represent a major stress to the immune system. They can not only cause side-effects and allergic reactions, they also contribute significantly to long term chronic disease. Chronic health problems frequently appear following vaccination including skin allergies, arthritis, leukemia, upper respiratory infections, irritable bowel syndromes, neurological conditions including aggressive behavior and epilepsy, auto-immune diseases and cancer.”
–
The Truth About Pet Vaccinations by Dr. Larry Siegler
Titer Test
Titer test measures the amount of antibodies in the blood. These antibodies attack and remove antigens (bacteria, viruses, any foreign substance to the body) that are present in the body
In a titer test, a blood sample is collected and checked for the level of immunity. The test determines the strength of the body’s immune response to a disease. If the dog has a normal level, then the dog has a good immunity and doesn’t need a vaccine for that year. If the results are abnormal, the dog isn’t adequately protected from the disease and a booster vaccine will be required.
These tests should be performed yearly to ensure the levels are normal and the dog is well protected from the disease.
Most states require all dogs to have a Rabies vaccine. If you are interested in doing a titer test for your dog, I would suggest you do it for DHLPP. In my experience, it’s best to do titers for an adult dog that is due for the 3-year DHLPP vaccine. Puppies that receive their 1-year booster usually don’t have enough antibodies present in their body after the 1-year time period is over. This will also help offset the costs, as titer tests tend to be more expensive than booster vaccines.
Related articles:
Vaccinations: More Harm Than Good?
Vaccinations…Too Many, Too Often?
Are we vaccinating too much?
March 1st, 2008
By Anu Maurya
A dog had ingested some unfamiliar substance which shortly put the dog in acute distress with liver toxicity and almost facing death. With immediate medical attention, the dog was treated and survived this horrible ordeal. The unknown substance was later identified to be wild mushrooms and human breath mints.
Wild mushrooms are very toxic, but human breath mints are also fatal to dogs — it can cause hypoglycemia, liver failure and even death in dogs. The culprit ingredient in the breath mints is Xylitol.
Xylitol is a substitute for sugar, an artificial sweetener used in sugar-free human edible goods, such as mints, chewing gums, candy, toothpaste and even baked goods. According to the Associate Content’s website, there is a significant rise in xylitol poisonings in dogs over the past years.
The high demand of low calorie, sugar-free products in the human food industry contributes to this dramatic increase in xylitol poisonings in dogs
Some symptoms of xylitol poisonings in dogs are — sudden drop in blood sugar, seizers, distress, vomiting and loss of coordination. These symptoms can appear within 30 minutes of ingesting xylitol or after several hours. Immediate medical treatment is crucial for a dog with xylitol poisoning.
Other foods that are toxic to dogs:
- Grapes/Raisins:
“Around 1989, the APCC began noticing a trend in dogs who had eaten grapes or raisins: Nearly all developed acute renal (kidney) failure.” Read more ›
- Chocolate and Caffeine
- Macadamia Nuts
- Mushroom
- Onion
Sources:
www.associatedcontent.com
www.aspca.org
February 1st, 2008