Email this article to a friend

Printable Version

Articles Related to This Article: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising NaturalNews Store Specials: • Revolutionary new Hurom Slow Juicer at the lowest price on the 'net + FREE shipping! • Certified Organic Nutiva Hemp Seeds at a huge discount (+ FREE bottle of hemp oil) • Omega-3 rich Chia Seeds at under $5 / lb. See more at the NN store...

(NaturalNews) As much 'fun' as it is to clean the litter box or pick up the 'land mines' in the back yard, the clean up provides you with an opportunity to monitor your pet's health. The trick is to first learn what normal elimination behavior is, and then any changes in normal are an early alert to a possible problem.

I used to own a kennel in Louisville, KY that kept upwards of 40 animals every day. Let me tell you, when you are cleaning up after 40 or so dogs every day, you find some interesting things in what you pick up. The most amazing thing I found was a regular size, completely in tact Popsicle stick. Ouch! And I always found brightly colored remains from dogs that had snacked on crayons.

The cleanup provides you with all sorts of information. As my dog kennel experience proves, you can learn what your pet is having for their in-between-meal snacks. Busy lifestyles often prevent dog and cat owners from knowing exactly what their pet might snack on. Finding popsicle sticks, crayons, or anything else in the 'deposit' gives you information of what needs to be removed from their access around the house. And learning what you need to keep them away from could save you an expensive vet bill and possibly their life. A popsicle stick or swallowed ribbon can easily puncture the intestinal wall or become entangled and cause a dangerous obstruction. An obstruction not caught early can kill your pet. Monitor what is normally 'deposited' in the yard or litter box each day; any variation of the normal activity can be an early warning sign of a problem. The point is to know what is normal elimination for your pet.

If the above didn't give you enough encouragement to monitor what comes out of the back end of your pet, let me give you a little more. In this scary time of pet food recalls, tainted ingredients from China, sick/diseased slaughter animals processed into pet food, and so on -- regular litter box and back yard clean up could alert you to bad dog food or cat food. The body -- pet body and human body -- is a wonderful thing. Something bad goes in, often times the body knows to quickly get rid of the 'stuff' by any means possible. Loose stools could be a minor tummy ache or it could prove to be an early warning sign of a problem.

Get over the yucky attitude to cleaning up after your dog or cat. There's a great deal of information to be learned 'there'. It could prove to be a life saver!

Wishing you and your pet the best,

Susan Thixton

Share

About the author

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health • Interview with "Kevala" Karen Parker, master raw foods chef • Cigarettes, Lies, and Pet Food Advertising	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/023878_food_pet_health.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/023878_food_pet_health.html">Monitor Your Pet's Litter Box or Back Yard Deposits for Clues to Their Health</a>