Rutherford Weekly

Page 16 - Rutherford Weekly 828-248-1408 www.rutherfordweekly.com Thursday, October 13-October 19, 2011 Quality Products & services For Your P ts! Quality Products & services For Your Pets! Is 'people food' so bad for dogs? Sarah Joplin Professionally Trained Groomer 828-429-8030 • 828-287-3525 727 East Main St., Spindale Now open in our new location in Spindale! Come by and see what everyone's talking about! As long as dog has been a companion to man, he has needed to be fed. If canines survived on scraps and bread before the advent of commercial dog foods, what's so bad about them enjoying some of those same foods now? The answer is not so cut and dry. There are some Please ask about boarding. 2011 Big Buck Contest 100 % Of Entries To 3 Winners Entry Fee $5.00 Entry Forms At Store Or ellenborofeed.com Ellenboro Feed & Livestock Supply Sat. 9am-3pm Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm 189 Depot St. • Ellenboro 828-453-8003 Store • 828-223-6362 Cell YOUR PET HEADQUARTERS 10% OFF Largest Selection In The Area! ON ANY SALTWATER LIVESTOCK PURCHASE Limit one per customer • Expires 10/22/11 With This Coupon PARAKEETS Only$ 1299 Lowest Fish Prices In The Area! Both Fresh & Salt! 1008 GANTT ST. SHELBY, NC 704-484-0600 Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10-7 CLOSED SUNDAY pet advocates who say that dogs should never be fed scraps, and only the balanced diet provided by a high-quality commercial dog food. However, these dog foods are often expensive and some may wonder how much of recommendation to use these products comes in the form of a fi nancial kick- back to those doing the rec- ommending. There are oth- ers who say they feed their dogs nothing but home- made foods, some of which are uncooked. No Scraps Experts reason that pet owners do not always know which foods can be poten- tially toxic to the animals. Fur- thermore, many of the foods people eat today are overly pro- cessed and may contain preser- vatives that are unhealthy to us and also the dog. Finally, back in the era when dogs were fed scraps and were al- lowed to scavenge for carcasses, dogs were seen less as pet and more as work companions. Less care was put into dogs' diets because these animals did not have the long life spans they enjoy today. There's another thing to consider. Wild dogs were not nearly as overbred or carefully bred as they are today. Our designer dogs may not have the inherent intestinal systems to be able to handle the rich foods of human diets. Therefore, even a few bites of scraps -- especially to small toy breeds -- can result in stomach upset and unwelcome "presents" around the house. Scraps Are Fine That isn't to say that all people food is bad. Instead of high-calorie dog biscuits, some vets recommend of- fering your pooch a baby carrot as a treat or a high- protein snack, like a piece of lean chicken. There are PETS - LIVE- STOCK LIVESTOCK PETS - AKC POMERANIAN, 8 mo old black male, house broken, vac- cinations complete, $250. Petite Paws Pomeranian. 704-477- 0855. WANTED: HORSES, Also hay for sale. 704-300-0366. GERMAN SHORT HAIRED Pointer puppies, pure bred, tails docked, dew claws removed, shots, hunting companion. $175. 704-876-2919. PETS - LIVE- STOCK LIVESTOCK PETS - AKC BOXER PUPPIES 10 wks old, 2 males, 1 female, tails docked, dew claws removed, health guaranteed, $175 each. 704-482-8085. CKC GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES, shots UTD, $250 ea. 704-472-1724, 828-429-8155. GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES AKC Reg, 8 weeks old. Shots & worming up to date. $150 each. 704-466-3135. Paul Hinkle, D.V.M. • Roger Tessneer Appointments Preferred • Walk-Ins Welcome 828-287-5899 467 West Street • Spindale HINKLE'S PET HOSPITAL October Spay/Neuter Special $ 25.00* $25.00* $10.00 off Dog Spay or Neuter off Cat Spay off Cat Neuter Companion Animal Laser Therapy essneer, D.V.M. • Jeff Smith, D.V.M. • Nick Schuett D.V.M other vets and pet experts who swear by homemade dog food or even a raw diet. They argue that the con- tents in many commercial dog foods are questionable. Dr. R.L. Wysong, a veterinarian and producer of canned raw meat for dogs, cats and ferrets, has written many articles on commercial dog foods. In addition to animal by-products, some actually contain refuse and feces. He also argues that it is a cruelty to force a captive animal to eat the same food at every meal. It would be like a person eating the same bowl of oatmeal every day. Foods to Avoid Should you choose to add some table foods to the pet bowl, be care- ful to select lean, low-calorie items that are not over-processed or full of grease. That means to skip the cheese puffs and opt for a few slices of sirloin instead. Keep in mind that people food also tends to be soft, which can stick to the gumline of dogs and contribute to dental decay. So it should not be the sole form of food for dogs; they need some crunch bones and kib- ble, too. Also, there are some foods and beverages that dogs should never eat because they can cause illnesses or even poisoning. • Alcohol: It can cause coma and death. • Bones: From fi sh and poultry; they can splinter and lead to obstruction or laceration in the digestive system. • Chocolate, coffee, tea, etc.: Caffeine can be toxic to the heart and nervous system. • Fat: Trimmings of fat can cause pancreatitis. • Dairy: Some dogs may develop diarrhea if given dairy products. • Grapes, raisins and currants: These fruits can dam- age the kidneys. • Meats (raw): The same bacteria that can harm a per- son can make a dog ill. • Mushrooms: They may contain toxins that result in shock and death. • Onions and garlic: They contain components that can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Courtesy of Metro Editorial PETS - LIVE- STOCK LIVESTOCK PETS - DOG GROOMING SALON locat- ed in Kings Mountain, convenient to Grover, Blacksburg SC, Besse- mer City and Shelby. By appt. 704-473-4727, Angela. Like my page - facebook/dogtails AKC & CKC GERMAN SHEP- HERD Puppies, $350 each. 864- 488-2023. 7 BEAGLE PUPPIES FOR SALE 10 wks old, rabbit dogs. 704-482- 4730, 704-482-5961. PETS - LIVE- STOCK LIVESTOCK PETS - AKC BOXER PUPPIES 5 wks old, 6 boys left. Fawn & white, Very flashy colors. Tails docked & dew claws removed. health guaranteed. $300 each. 704-482- 8085. SICILIAN JENNY DONKEY, $350. Miniature jack, 3.5 ft tall, $300 or make offer. Small mare, 5 yrs old, $200. 704-470-5888. LAYING HENS FOR SALE. Also, a few roosters. 828-287-4768. Full Service Vet Care Offi ce Hours Mon.-Fri. 7AM-9PM After Hours/Emergency Toll Free: 877-424-2034 et Care • Radiology • Boarding • Grooming • Surgery • Complete Health Care • In-House Laboratory • Dental Open til 9pm ©Community First Media ©Community First Media FINS & CRITTERS

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