Category Archives: Ingested items
Tomato Thief
~ Who Knew?
Here is my tomato plant fencing…SOMEBODY snitches my cherry tomatoes once they begin ripening if I don’t put up a barrier! 
Knobby
~Our Emergency Vet Visit
Had to run Knobby to the emergency vet because he got into my daughter’s purse and chew up her gum package, she was sure how much he ingested so our vet said to take him to the emergency vet. Gum can be a bad thing because most sugar-free gum contains xylitol. Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs, even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), seizures, liver failure or even death.
Keep anything with Xylitol where your Weimaraner cannot snatch it–
After $399.59, the pet poison hotline and induced vomiting at the hospital he’s fine. Luckily that brand and flavor of gum didn’t have xylitol. They also found several paper towels, he must’ve got into the trash also and one partial dissolved Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic chew. He doesn’t get dinner tonight so hopefully he’ll remember, probably not. If you like gum and have pets, stick to Wrigley’s Extra Cinnamon. Oh and get pet insurance, I also have that too, now I get to learn how to bill to it.
Breeder Comment
Since we are virtually sugar-free at our home, we have Xylitol around. Anything baked with it, sugar-free gum, etc., must be kept out of reach of the Weimaraner. Click Here to get some idea of products that might be in your home that could contain Xylitol.
Pet Food
~ In The News
We are positive you have heard the news. Grain-free food is out. “Grain-free” (defined as having no corn, soy, wheat, rice, barley or other grains) is linked to Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). It is a type of canine heart disease that affects the heart muscle. Food for your fur family members is always a hot topic. Raising a concern such as this is the type of thing that makes a lot of good pet owners think twice about what they are feeding.
Click Here to Read the Report–and for your convenience here are the foods on their:
- Acana (67 reports)
- Zignature (64 reports)
- Taste of the Wild (53 reports)
- 4Health (32 reports)
- Earthborn Holistic (32 reports)
- Blue Buffalo (31 reports)
- Nature’s Domain (29 reports)
- Fromm (24 reports)
- Merrick (16 reports)
- California Natural (15 reports)
- Natural Balance (15 reports)
- Orijen (12 reports)
- Nature’s Variety (10 reports)
- Nutrisource (10 reports)
- Nutro (10 reports)
- Rachael Ray Nutrish (10 reports)
We believe all our Weim-loving folks are buying what they believe is in the best interest of their fur family member. You might wonder about our recommendation or what we are using. We like the two options we list below for our adults. Which one of these foods a particular Weimaraner eats depends upon their dietary need, age, etc.—Cliff makes that calls. They are not considered Grain-free, because they contain rice. The allergens that seem to cause the most issues in our beloved Weimaraner are beef, corn, barley, and wheat. Along with the food we use for the adults, we are also listing the puppy food we use as well.
- Diamond Naturals Extreme Athlete (5 stars) [M]
- Diamond Naturals All Life Stages Chicken and Rice [A]
- Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb (4.5 stars) [A]
Not Just Grain-Free
~Let’s Not Forget Recalls
While we are all in an uproar about the grain-free diet potentially causing health issue, let’s not forget all the recalls. Click Here to check out the list. Honestly, we don’t know if there is a company that has avoided a recall, but we believe the last time Diamond had a problem was in 2012. When you look at this list of recalls, it will put that into perspective. It was a minimal recall which didn’t affect the Pacific NW if I recall correctly.
Everyone is going to have to make up their mind about what to do. Keep in mind though–each company makes a variety of food–under various labels. Their less expensive food is often something you want to avoid–of course, But a more costly food doesn’t always mean it is the best choice for you fur family member. For example, the highly touted Diamond made Taste of the Wild is identified with a serious implications.
Just Putting This Out There
Nestle owns Purina–say what? Click Here to view the 15 companies making most of the pet food. For a quick reference, look below.
Mars –Altogether Mars Petcare owns 41 brands including Pedigree, Iams, Whiskas, Royal Canin and Banfield Pet Hospitals. Of course there are other foods made under different labels or brands: California Naturals, Catson, Cesar, Chappi, Dreamies, Eukanuba, Sheba and Temptations.
Nestle –it might shock you to learn that the second largest pet food producer is another candy company. Nestlé Purina PetCare brands include recognizable names such as: Alpo, Bakers, Chef Michael’s Canine Creations, Dog Chow, Fancy Feast, Felix, Gourmet, Kit & Kaboodle, Purina and Purina ONE.
Hills — Science Diet, Prescription Diet, Ideal Balance and Healthy Advantage.
Diamond — Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Diamond Naturals Grain-Free, Nutra-Gold, Nutra-Gold Grain-Free, Nutra Nuggets Global, Nutra Nuggets US, Premium Edge, Professional and Taste of the Wild.
Blue Buffalo — BLUE, Basics, Wilderness, Freedom, Life Protection Formula, Naturally Fresh and LifeSource Bits.
Well Pet — Sojos, Wellness Natural Pet Food, Holistic Select, Old Mother Hubbard Natural Dog Snacks and Eagle Pack Natural Pet Food.
Merrick –Backcountry, Backcountry Raw, Before Grain, Classic, Good Buddy, Grain Free, Lil’ Plates, Limited Ingredient Diet, Natural Ultramix, Organix, Purrfect Bistro, Treats and Whole Earth Farms.
Ainsworth — Dad’s, Rachel Ray Nutrish, Better Than and Kibble Select Complete.
Dear friend, if you to write us about what to do, you will get a link to this Blog. We have gotten several Emails from concerned Weimlovers. We understand. Honestly–there is a lot to consider when selecting any pet food. We are not Licensed Veterinarians, or Licensed Vet Techs, or Canine Food Scientists. The only thing we have to share is what we read and our experience. If you have been feeding a Grain-free diet, you might want to rethink your food situation. I believe you are going to see a huge shift away from grain-free pet foods.
Remembering Dusty
~A Few Photos
Of course, he sired the litter that produced Jan Magnuson’s Willow–who could forget all they have accomplished? Then too–he was the Maternal Grandfather of the first Russian Blue–Gabriel. Along with Storm–our first Longhairs arrive. What a surprise that was–we had no idea that he or Storm carried the fluffy coat recessive trait–commonly called the Longhair.
There were a lot of firsts with Dusty–including the first time we had a dog eat a rock. (OMG) Weims do ingest anything and everything. They call it Pica–eating rocks and whatnot. He got an intestinal blockage which nearly took his life, but after a piece of his intestine was removed he bounced back.
Don’t worry–we have Dusty’s lineage weaved throughout our DNA pool. Most of our current girls have him on their pedigree–which is why we had to bring in a fresh Stud Dog, not too long ago. We don’t breed back to the same lineage.
Every Breath You Take
~ Sounds Like
I often wonder how we do it. You know–raise a puppy. We bring the little bundle home and hover over them. It is essential to do the hovering thing–otherwise, how can you accomplish the housebreaking, etc.? But this obsession with our new fur baby runs deep–some of this never goes away.
Their every sound–a rattling, a snore, a hacking sound is cause for alarm. We watch breath-abated wondering if we need to run to the Vet. Ah–it is hard to know sometimes. We always suggest you wait and watch a bit–possibly take their temperature. Remember that a pet’s temperature is much higher than ours–typically around 101 degrees. Anything above 104 degrees is emergent. Of course, if you were monitoring their temperature and it was 102 degrees and then within an hour 103 degrees, there might be cause for alarm. Always err on the side of caution–but rushing to the Vet for everything is probably not necessary. In fact, your alarm will be internalized by the puppy increasing the stress-factor. Try to stay calm.
A lot–and I do mean a lot, of our concerns, are for nothing. Puppies can cough, they snort, the sneeze, they can reverse sneeze (something we recently learned), they choke, and create a myriad of noises. Many of which are concerning. Most of which are in the end nothing at all. Thank goodness.
Keep your eye on them. A pup can ingest something in quick order–so despite saying not to overreact, there is vigilance. Recently, Henri went under my recliner and came out with a packet –that must have been attached underneath the chair. We didn’t realize it was there, but Henri found two–probably toxic packets. Oh my gosh–it is good we heard the crackling sound and asked what she had. We retrieved each package and tossed them in the trash. Thankfully they were not broken open.
A Penchant for Paper!
~Naughty Maizie, Or Not!
You wouldn’t believe that this little beauty, MAIZIE, age 6.5, has a penchant for paper!
You can file this in a chapter of “Weim Crimes!” Yesterday, we left the house for an hour. Maizie stayed home. Usually always on our return home, she happily greets us—smiling, chattering, nibbling, wiggling with glee. Yesterday she did not greet us. Uh oh. (She doesn’t greet us if she’s been naughty). I found her laying in her living room sofa bed—ears back and shivering! Uh oh. Major telltale guilt! We did a search of the house to find the “evidence” and came up with nothing! We assumed then that she was just “thinking” about doing something naughty—reason for her guilty behavior. That was, UNTIL…..
…..I went to make dinner! Before we left home, I had printed a new recipe, Martha Stewart’s “Bacon-Mushroom-Leek Galette.” It printed out on 3 pages. I had left it on the dining room table. It was nowhere to be found!
BUSTED! She didn’t leave a trace! I had to reprint it to make dinner! This is why we close our office door when we leave the house, can’t leave mail on the table, or leave a package in sight! This girl’s got a penchant for paper!
Linda ❤️🐾
Breeder Comment
We cannot believe how smart this girl is, and as I replied–this is not her first paper raid you told us about. Old habits die hard. I guess the good news is it is paper—just so she doesn’t take to eating cash or important documents. (OMG)
Pie Anyone?
Maybe you noticed Nancy’s post regarding Luna and Tikka’s clever pie snatching –or maybe I should say sampling trick. It is too good to not borrow, so I asked Nancy for her permission. (Haha) It seemed like a good Sunday post.
Nancy writes, “When I got back in my truck and checked the pie (that I had hidden under the blanket) “Oh good, the lid’s still on!” “Good girls!” … Upon closer examination, I realize that they weren’t good girls, just clever girls for somehow getting the lid back in place!”
What To Do?
“Here’s what you do with pumpkin pie that the Weims have sampled.”
Breeder Comment
Well, Nancy, this is perfect example of so many things Weimar related.
- How the Weimaraner can find a way, to get their way.
- How on the surface things look okay until you find it is not.
- How the experienced Weim-person figures a way to make something positive out of what is left. (Haha)
I seriously expect that Tikka and Luna had the pie leftovers. So things worked out for them. I think it is amazing they didn’t eat the whole pie.
Turkey Talk
Thanksgiving
~What We Don’t Want
The emergency Vet Vist probably tops our list. It is the quickest way to spoil our celebration. Nonetheless, is there a time when our attention is more divided? The snatch and grab Weimaraner could abscond with some spectacular finds. They are everywhere–the counter, the dining table, the plates, and possibly on the floor. One thing you might overlook–the rising bread dough or rolls. Bread Dough Toxicosis can prove life-threatening. Maybe a toddler is waving a turkey leg. Is that an invite? The opportunist Weimaraner will make the most of this food-driven holiday gathering.
The humans at your table–they are a significant threat to the Weimaraner. Who doesn’t want to sneak the pup a treat? But too many sneaks and the gut can become overloaded even with acceptable food. The sensitive Weim might have a bout of pancreatitis from too much fatty food. Then there are the cooked poultry bones–be sure if you throw them out it is where the Weimaraner cannot steal them.
You Might Consider
What if you made a plate for the Weimaraner that everyone could help share? This plating idea might work. Here are some excellent choices.
- Turkey — no bones
- Green beans (plain)
- Squash or Pumpkin (plain)
- Apple slices (without the seeds)
Avoid These
~ to mention a few
- Mashed Potatoes
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Corn on the Cob
- Nuts (pecans and Macadamia)
- Grapes and Raisins
You can bake a Weim cookie or a Weim pie that forgoes the seasonings. Eggs and pumpkin and a tiny bit of milk will bake up nicely. You could make the crust using treats. Possibly make them in a silicone cupcake pan or cupcake papers. We are not saying it cannot be a lot of fun for the Weimar too. However, no one wants the unthinkable to spoil all the fun.
Remember, it is all good and fun until the unthinkable happens!
Here’s to an excellent Thanksgiving Day Celebration for all our Weim-loving Friends!!
What About
Worms
~and Other Parasites
This topic (of worms) is not one we like to discuss unless we are talking about putting the fishing worm on the hook–even then, to many it is a nauseating thought. Nonetheless, worms and parasites are opportunistic. They find ways to survive inside your pet as well as in extreme environmental conditions. Dog’s Naturally has posted some natural solutions that you might find helpful. Here is their article —click here to find out more.
Signs of Worms
Some worms cause more obvious symptoms than others. I’ve provided more specific symptom information below along with information about the different types of worms (See Types of Worms below) … but here are a few clues your dog may give you that could mean he has worms:
- Intermittent or frequent diarrhea or vomiting can be signs your dog has worms.
- Your dog may have a fever.
- He may scoot and lick his rear (though scooting can mean other things too).
- Your dog may be off his food or be a little lethargic; his coat may look dull.
- You might see stools that are coated in mucus (but otherwise look normal).
- Or you might see squiggly worms or “rice bodies” in his stool.
But some worms can’t be seen with the naked eye, so if your dog’s showing some of these signs, you might want to get a fecal sample analyzed by your vet.
Cliff and I suggest you keep your eye on the pooh–I know it doesn’t sound lovely, but getting a fecal check can help you avoid some of the more unpleasant scenarios. A loose stool doesn’t always mean there is something amiss, but when something like that happens, you want to keep watch. Of course, we love adding the pumpkin (or even banana squash). We are planting Banana Squash in our garden. Right now I only have two hills ready to plant. I would like more, but we have to see if we can make more room. Last year, I baked the banana squash and frozen it in chunks for easy serving. The Weims love it!
Pushkin
Roadtrip
~Coping with Excess Energy
Pushkin and I are preparing for a long road trip to Arizona to move my mother into an assisted living facility. Once that has been taken care of we are going on to the Chaco Canyons of New Mexico. It is the oldest Anasazi site in the U.S. In preparation for the trip to Arizona, we took a trip from Salem to Kennewick to see my grandchildren.
What I learned on the drive was that we had to stop quite often, not because Push had to “potty” but because he needed exercise. Once he was out of the car and we walked for a bit he settled right down when we started up again. At every rest stop, someone would comment on what a beautiful dog he is. I have attached some pictures for you. The man is my son, the children are obviously my grandchildren. I am not sure who that white-haired old woman is, could it be me?😏
What a great dog he is!Marie
Owyheestar Weimaraner's News 