Homemade Treats

I have acouple recipes handy for some homemade goodies. I have made them both and my dogs LOVE them. At first I only made them on special holidays, but the dogs love them anytime I find the time to make them.

Banana Mutt Cookies
1 1/2 c ripe mashed bananas
1/2 t. vanilla
3 c. oats
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional and any kind)
1/2c. applesauce

Mix all ingredients together and drop by spoonful unto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 min.  cool on a rack and store in airtight container.


Shar-Pie

filling:
1 large sweet potato (baked and peeled)
1/2 c. honey
1 egg
pinch of nutmeg
pinch on cinnamon

crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. veg. shortning
3-4 T. iced water

Directions:                Preheat oven to 350

Mix sweet potato with the rest of the filling ingredients and set aside.

Crust:
cut shortning into flour and honey until mixture is crumbly. Add water a tablespoon at
a time until mixture binds together.  Knead until smooth.
Roll out dough and cut into four  5 inch circles.
Pour sweet potato mixture into crusts and bake for 25 minutes. cool before serving.

hope your babies enjoy these wonderful treats.

Gorilla Glue

Now I know this sounds like an odd topic but we all know that some dogs will eat or chew on ANYTHING. Those of you who have dogs know if you have one of these. In my profession I have seen alot of things that we have had to surgically remove from dogs belly's or intestines. One dog ate a baby doll and when we emptied the stomach contents it looked like a scene from jaws. There were little hands sticking out and pieces of the dolls arm. One dog ate a teddy bear and the arm had become lodged in the intestines creating a blockage and they had to have emergency surgery.
 All of that leads to this. A dog will and usually does chew on anything and this particular product is a VERY bad problem. Those of you familiar with this product know the attribute of this glue is that it expands greatly when it dries. It will do this in the stomach also. I have seen wads of glue removed from the stomach of a dog that was about the size of a cantaloupe.
The seriousness of this, is that it becomes a blockage issue because the dog is unable to eat and the foreign body doesn't move so the animal will start to vomit. It is a life threatening issue and the animal will require emergency surgery.
So please make sure that when you  do household projects and you use some gorilla glue that you keep it up high and put it away as soon as you are done. If you notice that the bottle has been chewed on have your pet x-rayed immediately.

Diabetes

Yes my friends, dogs and cats can be diabetic. Being overweight is one of the predispositions. That is why vets and their staff try to talk with you when your pet is overweight. you can find out if they are diabetic one of two ways.  The first is through routine office visits where they start running blood work on our older patients, the other is because they are very sick and the owner is scared.  They can go into diabetic shock, become ketoacidotic all the fun things that humans can run in to. If your pet is diagnosed as diabetic you will be shown how to give insulin shots and to watch for signs of too low or too high glucose. Both of those conditions can be another vet visit.
 The expense of having a diabetic animal is not as bad as the demand on  your time. They will need to have a very set schedule for feeding and insulin injections. I personally know of one diabetic dog that has lived a very full life and still kicking.  She is a pug, they have been treating her diabetes now for 4 years. Cataracts have developed in both eyes, but she knows her house and her yard and gets around very well.
 It can take up to a month to get them regulated on insulin, that is to find the correct dose for them and the major food manufactures have developed diets specifically for diabetic animals that can actually reduce the amount of insulin they need. It really helps if you find yourself the caretaker of a diabetic animal to train acouple people in your household just in case you are unable to be home at appointed time. I would also make sure they are trained in recognising the characteristics of too little or too much insulin.
 Watching their diet and making sure they are getting the correct dose of insulin is the main thing to do. Staying in contact with your veterinarian and let them know of any changes in their behavior or appetite can help to prevent serious problems.
The signs of diabetes in animals is very similar to people. They will drink alot of water and urinate frequently, sometimes large amounts. The doctor will need to run blood work and a urinalysis to make the diagnosis.
 They can live a very full life and still brings lots of love and kisses when they are diabetic. Take the  time to learn as much as you can about the disease and their diets. Knowledge is power.