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Probiotics - what’s all the hype about?
Posted 3/8/2010 by Candace
Yesterday when I was walking through the grocery store, I noticed that a lot of food manufacturers are touting probiotics and prebiotics, especially in the yogurt section but also in snack foods. If you are like me, you probably find it hard to keep up with all of the nutritional information – What’s good? What’s bad? What’s all the hype about? Below is a brief introduction to probiotics.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria. Everyone has good bacteria living in their body. The idea behind consuming probiotics as part of your diet (or giving to your pet) is based on the theory of competitive exclusion. This theory is that there are not enough resources for both the good and bad bacteria to thrive in your body. So, if you replenish the good bacteria, they will flourish and will out-compete and eventually displace/kill off the bad bacteria. (Learn more about this theory at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitive_exclusion_principle.)
What is the difference between PRObiotics and PREbiotics?
Probiotics are the live organisms. Prebiotics are nutrient fibers that probiotics live on. So, when you take probiotics, you are ingesting live organisms. When you take prebiotics, you are taking nutrients to feed and help the probiotics already in your body thrive.
What ailments are probiotics supposed to help?
You will most often see probiotics used to optimize digestive health. My vet recommended probiotics when Able had chronic diarrhea. I noticed a HUGE difference. You may also see products that help with wounds as many infections are caused by an over-abundance of bad bacteria.
At Cain & Able Collection, we offer a dental product. Plaque is bad/non-beneficial bacteria that builds up in the mouth from the foods consumed. The spray replenishes the good bacteria in the pet’s mouth, which reduces plaque and prevents tarter. (Tarter is simply dead, calcified bacteria.) An added benefit of reducing plaque and preventing tarter is the prevention of bad breath and neutralization of odors.
Something else to consider…
If you decide that probiotics are going to be part of yours or your pet’s diet, make sure to find probiotics that are produced through a natural fermentation process that utilizes organic and natural ingredients. Look for the words Non-GMO, meaning that the product does NOT contain any genetically modified organisms.
I hope this blog answered some basic questions for you and aids you in your never-ending quest for a healthy lifestyle. - Candace
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No More Silent Nights
Posted 12/15/2009 by Candace
 This picture was taken by Kim Crisler at Gifty Idea. Cole was crying so hard and Able was so calm. Able loves the baby but goes to the living room to sleep on the couch when it gets a little noisy at night.
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It's a boy!
Posted 11/10/2009 by Candace
 Cole was born at 3:35pm on November 10.
Able LOVES his baby brother.
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What can we do to help our aging dogs?
Posted 6/9/2009 by Candace
Cain turns 13 on Halloween this year. When we take him to the dog park, he still acts like a puppy chasing all of the other dogs around and causing trouble. He is always up for a walk or a game of chase. But, where we notice his age is when he gets home. He is utterly exhausted – all he will do is sleep, sometimes even forgoing his food to try to recuperate. He is often very stiff after exercise, and when he yelps upon standing, we know his arthritis is really bothering him. Watching any loved one grow older is difficult and as pet parents, we want to do everything we can to eliminate or ease the effects age has on our dogs.
As humans and pets age, nutrition and exercise become more and more important. In addition to feeding your dog a healthy diet and keeping him/her active, here are 5 things you can do to help your aging dog:
1. Keep his/her teeth clean. If plaque is not removed from the teeth, it will eventually break off and be absorbed into the blood stream, which can lead to clogged arteries and accelerate the overall aging process.
2. Bathe regularly with shampoos free from harsh detergents, artificial colors, and synthetic perfumes. It is important to keep your dog clean because the skin of an older dog may lose its elasticity and become thinner, and thus more subject to injury and infection. However, you must be careful not to use products that will exacerbate the aging process. Harsh detergents, synthetic perfumes, and artificial colors can dry out the coat/fur, causing allergic reactions, eye irritations, skin rashes, and hair loss.
3. Brush your dog’s coat every day. As a dog ages, his fur/hair becomes thin and brittle (just like humans). They are also more likely to develop allergies and skin problems because the capacity of the oil-producing sebaceous glands diminishes, which can cause the onset of allergies. Brushing your dog more frequently will help stimulate the production of natural oils, which can keep their hair from becoming more brittle.
4. Give your dog vitamins and/or supplements. Talk to your vet about your dog’s particular issues for recommendations. My dogs, Cain and Able, currently take a daily multi-vitamin and a supplement called Boswella, which is a natural anti-inflammatory made from Frankincense and helps with achy joints.
5. Give your dog lots of love and attention. Since older dogs tend to be less playful, we play with them a lot less often than when they were pups. Older dogs may want attention in a different way than they did when they were pups, but they crave it and need it nonetheless.
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Pyrethroids – what are they anyway?
Posted 3/18/2009 by Candace
I was born and raised in the South so I intimately (and unfortunately, I do mean intimately) understand the need for pest control. This especially holds true if you have pets in the house, which tend to attract fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. (I think it’s because they are so sweet.) But, where do you draw the line? What is worse – the chemicals used to repel them or the pests themselves?
A pyrethroid is a common insecticide used in many spot-on flea and tick products. The chemical causes the insect to become paralyzed. It is usually combined with another chemical (piperonyl butoxide), which prevents the immune system of the insect from removing the toxin from the body. The combination of the two chemicals is lethal to the insect. These chemicals have been approved by the EPA, but have also been linked to pet poisonings, kidney failure, brain damage and death. There have been many cases where the brain was damaged and it caused anorexia- type symptoms – the dog quit eating and drinking, which eventually led to death. Some cats and dogs have a genetic pre-condition to be highly sensitive to these chemicals. There is no test to find out if your pet is one of these.
A recent article by The Center for Public Integrity (http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/1090/) states, “At least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot on treatments with pyrethroids were reported to the EPA over the last five years.”
If you have more than one pet in the house, you should be extra careful, as pets tend to lick and groom each other. Pyrethroids are very dangerous when ingested internally. Oh, and don’t forget the environment…pyrethroids are toxic to fish; so, don’t let them wash down your drain into the local water supply. In addition to killing the insects we refer to as pests, they are also toxic to the insects that are beneficial – like dragonflies and bees.
I think the better solution is finding a natural, plant-based insect repellent, like Citronella. In a 60-year period, the EPA has had no reports of adverse effects of using citronella as a topical insect repellent. Citronella is an essential oil that comes from the leaves and stems of Cymbopagan. It is non-toxic; so, while it does not kill insects, it repels them from causing irritation in the first place. Citronella oil also has an added benefit – it has very strong anti-fungal properties. We use citronella oil in all of our shampoos listed at www.CainAndAbleCollection.com and www.DirtyAndHairy.com.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Also, I always love to hear ideas for future research and posts. Learning how to take care of pets safely and naturally is my passion.
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Your Dog’s Ears: A Gateway to Infection
Posted 2/20/2009 by Candace
When you take your dog for a check-up, the Vet will ALWAYS check the ear canal. Ever wonder why? It is because the ears are one of the first places you can see signs of infection. Symptoms include redness, odor, discharge, pus, and bulging of the ear canal.
When Able was a young pup, he frequently developed yeast infections in his ears after he went swimming. Because his ears flop over (which makes him so darn cute), they don’t get much air flow to dry out moisture. This warm, dark environment is perfect for bacteria and yeast growth. Not only was the odor foul, but he was miserable – always shaking his head and rubbing his ears on the carpet. (Note: even dogs with upright ears but with a lot of hair in the canal can have problems.)
Infections can also develop due to ear mites, food allergies, and microbe growth.
It is imperative that you keep your dog’s ears clean to maintain good health. Here’s how:
1. Always dry them out after swimming
2. If your dog has floppy ears, use an Ear Cleanser after EVERY swim and bath (at a minimum). Check out our All Natural Ear Cleanser here - https://secure.cainandablecollection.com/BathProducts.asp?ID=1030
3. Even if your dog’s ears are open and get good air flow, use an Ear Cleanser at bath time to prevent wax and dirt build-up.
With all this focus on keeping moisture in the ear at a minimum, I must mention that you should be careful not to use a product that will be too drying. Use a product that also provides nutrients back to the skin. If you don’t, the ears can become too dry, leading to flakiness and redness, which can also cause itching and scratching.
So, here is the part where I scare you a little bit (my hope is a little scare will motivate you to go the extra step to insure your dog is healthy). Here are things that can happen if you DON’T keep your dog’s ears clean:
- Infections can move toward the inner ear canal and cause permanent hearing damage
- Inner ear infections can lead to balance issues
- Offensive odor and/or discharge will prevent you from loving on your dog as much as he/she deserves.
- Matted hair in the ear canal will prevent your dog from hearing as well as he/she should.
- Outer ear infections can lead to middle ear infections, which can cause drooping eyelids, facial paralysis, and difficulty swallowing.
- Middle ear infections can lead to inner ear infections, which can cause balance issues, downward head tilts, and even ruptured ear drums.
- Like children, once they get an ear infection, they are prone to infections.
Now for the good news: Almost ALL ear infections can be prevented with routine cleaning!
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February is Pet Dental Month!
Posted 1/26/2009 by Candace
Brushing Your Dog's Teeth - It is Mandatory for a Healthy Pet!
February is National Pet Dental Health Month. There are so many aspects of keeping your dog healthy, but in my opinion, none is more important than brushing their teeth. The American Veterinary Dental Society (AVDS) estimates that eighty percent of dogs have periodontal disease by the age of three. A few years ago, the idea of brushing your dog’s teeth was nearly unheard of. While it is gaining popularity, the majority of pet owners still do not brush their dogs’ teeth on a regular basis.
Objections to tooth-brushing:
1. I only give her dry dog food so I don’t need to brush her teeth: Unfortunately most dry dog foods have high starch content. Sugar and starches combine with the bacteria in the mouth and produce acids. These acids can eat away at the enamel on the tooth in addition to causing plaque build-up.
2. My dog doesn’t like it: When I was a kid, I didn’t like brushing my teeth, but it wasn’t a choice. It is part of a healthy lifestyle. If you let your dog make all the decisions in your house, it would be a disaster!
3.I don’t need to; I give them bones and chew toys: This is an equivalent approach to only chewing gum for your personal dental hygiene. You won’t find a dentist that recommends that approach! It is a nice addition but can’t do the job alone.
4. I just put an additive in the water: This is an equivalent approach to only using a mouth rinse for your own personal hygiene, except not even as good because your dog isn’t gargling and rinsing. Again, a nice addition but not sufficient by itself.
If you don’t brush your dog’s teeth, plaque will build up on the teeth, break off, and be absorbed into the bloodstream. This can lead to blockage in the arteries causing heart disease and kidney problems.
Hopefully, now I’ve convinced you that brushing is imperative. Here are some things you should know:
1. Brush at least three times per week to get maximum benefits.
2.Don’t use human toothpaste unless you have taught your dog to spit! Look on the back of your toothpaste. You will most likely find a statement that it should not be ingested. This is because it contains soap. Soap creates foam, which gives people the perception that the product is cleaning but is not indicative of the cleaning power of a product (it is for marketing purposes: perception is reality). Toothpaste designed specifically for pets does not contain soap; it won’t foam up; and it can be swallowed safely.
3. Replace the toothbrush when the bristles become frayed or every 3 months, as the brush will start to harbor microorganisms.
4. Follow teeth brushing with praise and an award so he/she looks forward to it next time.
The American Animal Hospital Association says, “proper dental care may add as much as five years to your pet's life!" (http://www.healthypet.com/library_view.aspx?id=142). It only takes about one minute. Isn’t increasing your dog’s life expectancy worth a few minutes per week?
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New Intern
Posted 3/11/2008 by Mike
Yup, got me a new unpaid intern. Wears the "official" warehouse uniform and all!
And he works cheap - all he wants is cookies. 'Course, he can't really wrap baskets very well, but he can pull a cart.
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Happy New Year!
Posted 1/2/2008 by Cain & Able
Refreshed and ready to go - isn't that how you are supposed to feel after a nice long break?
It's too cold to go to work ;-)
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Happy Halloween!
Posted 10/31/2007 by Candace
Cain, Able, and I dressed up and brought treats to everyone at our office and in the business complex. Aimee surprised us by dressing up, too.
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