Not too long ago I posted an article about the dangers of our pets consuming the sugar substitute called Xylitol. It can be deadly to your dog. Now, in another article from Natural News comes this revelation; Xylitol is an ingredient in an oral health pet product. Read on....

AquaDent Pet Oral Health Product Contains Deadly Xylitol

by Susan Thixton, citizen journalist
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(NaturalNews) Many pet owners are aware that the sugar substitute Xylitol, found in many sugar free chewing gums, is toxic to dogs. However few pet owners would think to look for Xylitol listed as an ingredient in a pet oral health product; especially one that claims to be developed by "Veterinary Dental Specialists".

As ridiculous as it might be, the pet oral health product C.E.T. AquaDent lists as the third ingredient Xylitol; well known to be toxic to pets. AquaDent is sold by many pet retail outlets including 1800PetMeds.com. The 1800PetMeds website states "C.E.T. AquaDent is a drinking water additive formulated by veterinary dental specialists to help freshen your pet's breath and maintain oral hygiene in conjunction with regular home dental care for your pet." The ingredients in AquaDent are listed as follows: Purified water, Glycerine, Xylitol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium sorbate, Emilgase (enzyme), Zinc gluconate, Sodium benzoate, FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Yellow No. 5, Chlorhexidine gluconate.

According to Dr. Eric Dunayer, veterinarian and toxicologist for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, there appears to be a strong link between xylitol ingestions and the development of liver failure in dogs. It was previously thought that only large amounts of xylitol could result in problems for dogs, however recently even small amounts of xylitol can result in severe illness in dogs (and believed to effect cats and other animals as well). http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pa...

Snopes.com states that just three grams of Xylitol can kill a 65 pound dog. "Because the amount of sweetener used in sugar free chewing gums varies by manufacturer and product, the number of sticks of gum that would prove fatal to a pooch of that size can't be stated with precision. As a general rule of thumb, between eight and ten pieces of gum might be deadly to a 65 pound canine, but a smaller dog could easily die after ingesting far less (perhaps as few as two sticks of gum)."

The 1800PetMeds website provides the following warning regarding AquaDent Pet Oral Health Product: "Prepare fresh C.E.T. AquaDent solution every day and discard any treated water not consumed within 24 hours." The website provides no warning of Xylitol toxicity to animals.

To make matters a bit worse, not only does this pet oral health product contain the known dangerous ingredient Xylitol, it also contains dyes linked to cancer and numerous other health risks.

C.E.T. AquaDent is made by Virbac Animal Health (www.virbacvet.com). Virbac Animal Health produces a long line of pet health products; from antibiotics to heartworm preventatives (Iverhart) to pet vitamins (Pet Tabs). Virbac Animal Health was on the FDA warning letter list (December 10, 2008) for violations of current Good Manufacturing Practice regulations; "the documented violations cause drug products manufactured at your facility to be adulterated" http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/...

Virbac Animal Health's Heartworm Preventative, Iverhart Plus, was recalled 2/11/2004. From the FDA website (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/enforce/2...) "The firm is recalling 4 lots of IVERHART Plus Flavored Chewables due to contamination of Minocycline, a FDA approved human drug which has not been approved in species other than humans."
"VOLUME OF PRODUCT IN COMMERCE
1,179,840 tablets."

Why would a pet product, formulated by "veterinary dental specialists", contain an ingredient that is known to be toxic to dogs? It's illogical and reckless. The moral of the story is this, read the ingredients of every single product provided to your pet. Just because a pet product is "formulated by veterinary specialists" doesn't mean its safe.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton

about the author:
Susan Thixton has an international pet people following providing dog and cat lovers a trusted source for pet food and pet food ingredient information. She's been called courageous, perseverant, even "the Caped Crusader for Pets" for her 16 year study of pet food. Susan Thixton is the author of hundreds of pet industry articles and the 2006 released book Truth About Pet Food (currently being updated for a second edition). She developed and publishes the pet product consumer magazine Petsumer Report and is a frequent speaker and radio guest all over the U.S. and Canada with more than 70 appearances in the last 2 years.
If you are looking for straight forward pet food information that can have an almost immediate impact on your pet's health - subscribe to the free newsletter, and subscribe to Petsumer Report to see reviews of close to 700 dog and cat foods and treats (adding 40+ each month). Susan Thixton's 'truth' will help you find a safer, healthier dog or cat food that could add years to your pet's life. http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com

refrigerator revelation

Atop my fridge is a wine rack with a variety of mostly Ohio wines. To the left the remains of my homemade raspberry wine in a thrift store "genie" bottle and jars of surplus sugar and flour. To the right a vintage Japanese tea set that was in a $1 auction box lot.

Have you ever seen a kitchen with a naked fridge in an occupied home? I can't say that I have.

On my fridge there resides:

• a picture of my great niece
• "all states of mind reproduce themselves" magnet
• a list of Ohio apples and what they're best suited for
• "When your heart is in your dream then no wish is too extreme"-Jiminy Cricket quote magnet
• last years garden layout (to remind me how much space and how many rows I can plant)
• "all that we are is a result of what we have thought" -Buddah quote magnet
• a picture ton from a magazine of some earrings I'd like to duplicate
• "when sleeping woman wake, mountains move" magnet
• a heart drawing by my grandaughter
  

• John Lennon magnet from the Rock Hall. The only time I visited was when they featured his life and work
• instructions for building a simple solar oven
• "remember, absent everything else, you are not" magnet
• a drawing by my great niece that depicts me and my cat Oden
• "What would love do now?" magnet
• a list of positive affirmations to aid healing
• "If the whole world were to follow you, would you be happy with where you took it?" magnet
  

• "we are all one" magnet
• a thank you card from my great niece with a very nice leaf mosaic
• a framed flower photo taken by my daughter
• kewpie magnets
• advertising magnet for septic cleaning that reads, "a flush beats a full house." Cute slogan, eh?
• "choose love" magnet.
  
• a picture of great grandson Tyler
• a "Happy Thanksgiving" card from grandson Luke

• mountain sunrise drawing by grandson Luke
• "to the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world" magnet

It appears a lot can be revealed about a person by their refrigerator decor. So dear readers, what's on your fridge?

Today

The sun is streaming in the south facing windows, offering us some radiant heat on the inside and the illusion of warmth outside. Birds have been feasting on the suet we’ve hung out back. Downy woodpeckers, titmice, junkos, chickadees, nuthatch along with a few species unknown to me as yet. I watch and wonder just how these tiny inhabitants manage to keep from freezing.

I am thinking about and looking forward to my daughter and granddaughter arriving before long. Terrible cold to have to travel the 85 miles today, but this is Destiny’s weekend with her father. Kandice will be staying the night here along with her little dog Cubby Bear before heading home tomorrow. A cozy evening awaits us. Perhaps a good evening to open one of the bottles of honey mead my son and his wife gave us for Christmas. Oh yeah.

From the kitchen sweet red peppers sit on the counter and wait chopping to be added to the egg casserole I’ll be putting together for tonight’s dinner. Sausage is thawing as well to be made into sausage gravy to be eaten over biscuits along side the egg dish. Apples will be peeled, chopped and turned into fritters. It’s a good day for cooking.

I am wearing gray blue sweat pants and a pale blue turtleneck, dark blue socks and warm slippers.

Yesterday I began and finished a crocheted basket with wood bead accents. (The wooden bowl is a recent thrift store find. I just love it.)

Last night I finished a crocheted purse. And right now I’m creating a million other things in my mind. Now if I would just get some of my creations listed on etsy I’d feel a much bigger sense of accomplishment.

I am reading Pickled, Potted, Canned – How the Art and Science of Food Preserving Changed the World by Sue Shepherd. It’s a fascinating history of food preservation, a much appreciated gift from my daughter. She knows me too well. I am also reading Blackwood Farm by Anne Rice, a gift from my twin. I have not read any Anne Rice books for some years simple because I seldom delve into fiction anymore, but I was once an avid fan of her tales of old New Orleans and her legendary vampires and witches.

I am hoping the weather warms up and it will. Right now I am just thankful for the sunshine.

I am hearing the furnace blower pushing wonderful warmth up though the metal grates in the floor. The computer hums along as well. My days are generally quiet unless Coop turns on the tv to catch the local weather or I have the stereo on.

Around the house things are in order. My work is caught up and nothing is demanding my time or attention at the moment. That creates a wonderful sense of peace and well being.

A few plans for the weekend include reading, crocheting and perhaps some blogging. I am sure there is more that will fill my time, but for now doing not doing seems to be the plan. :)

pretty in pink

Mom says I'm a natural. I'm not sure what that means but it sounds nice.

She also says not to let my charm and good looks fool you.
Maybe you can tell me...what is "a little devil"?

longing for green

Outside it’s cloudy and cold with no warm up in the days ahead according to our local weather folks. We’re talking sub-zero nights. We're ready to hunker down and stay indoors for the next few days.

I feel as if if I've been neglecting my blog and I hate that. I have lots to talk about but seem to not be focused well on organizing my thoughts and actually sitting down and writing something. I have been feeling run down and lacking in ambition recently. I think it’s the cold and lack of sunlight. January is my worst month. I know this. I start getting cabin fever, can’t seem to get focused and feel discontent. I keep having visions of and the yearning for summer and green. (sigh) So.........

I planned the spring garden the other day. At least what we will plant. The plan is to keep it simpler this year with fewer and the most reliable varieties. Still, it will be a good sized garden, just with more of what I know will thrive. Again, primarily planting tomatoes, beans, peppers and squash. This year we may add corn and definitely potatoes. I’ll be ordering seeds within the next two weeks.

So I think it will go something like this:

* signifies a new variety we’ll be trying this year.

Tomatoes:

Brandywine for fresh eating. The good old fashioned true tomato flavor of these heirloom beefsteak tomatoes cannot be beat.

Amish Paste for canning, sauces, salsas, ketchup. I have had better luck and bigger crops with this paste tomato than any other plum tomato I’ve ever planted.

Cherokee Purple for juice, canning and fresh eating. These do very well with high yields. They are sweet and juicy, especially good for juice making. They’re great for fresh eating as well.

Peppers:

Tam Jalapeño for salsas and fresh eating s well as freezing and preserving. We love homemade poppers with cream cheese and bacon. They are awesome. This type of Jalapeño is milder than others.

*Pepperoncini for pickling.

*Buran, a sweet pepper that is said to be nearly sweet green as it is when it turns red. These will be for summer eating, stuffing, freezing and for in my sweet relish.

Beans & Beets:

Blue Lake bush beans for fresh eating, canning, freezing. These have proven successful for us and to be higher yielding than some varieties we’ve tried. We love ‘em!

*Cylindra beets are my choice this year for easy peeling and slicing. They grow in cylindrical shape rather than round. These come highly recommended by Fanny, our Amish friend. I can them, but have frozen them as well. Beets freeze extremely well and taste like fresh. Just thaw and eat if like me, you enjoy cold beets. Yum, my mouth is watering now. I do love beets!

Squash:

Waltham Butternut, my all time favorite. It’s a great keeper and meatier than Acorn IMO. I like to cook some up for in the freezer, too, just for convenience.

Zucchini is just a summer mainstay. We eat tons of it fresh throughout the summer. I admit I have a weakness for breaded fried zucchini dipped in ranch dressing. OMG, why am I torturing myself this way?! I freeze zucchini plus it’ the main ingredient in my sweet relishes. I also use it for making into pickle chunks and slices. I don’t even bother with cukes anymore.

Summer squash is a definite as well because we just love the flavor. I think it’s just a bit more flavorful than zucchini. It’s Coop’s favorite.

Along with these we’ll plant potatoes as mentioned, probably two varieties. I’m considering planting some corn this year since I’m limiting varieties and may have the room for a few rows. And of course, onions, lettuce and some herbs. I imagine by the time I send the order in something more may be added to the list. :)

a little Friday funny

A cat died and went to heaven. God met her at the gates and said, "Because you have been such a good cat all these years, you may ask for anything and it's yours."

The cat thought on this for quite awhile and then said, "I have been a farm cat, always sleeping on hard wooden floors. I think I would like a soft, fluffy pillow to sleep on."

"Say no more!" said God and a fluffy pillow appeared instantly.

Just a few days later six little mice were killed in an accident and all arrived in Heaven together. God met them at the gates with the same offer he made the cat.

"Well," said the mice, "we have had to run all our lives from cats, dogs and even humans. If we could just have some little roller skates then we would never have to run again."

"It is done." replied God and immediately the six mice had beautiful little roller skates."

A week or two later God decided to check in on the cat. She was sound asleep on her pillow. God gently nudged her awake and asked. "How are things going, have you been happy?"

The cat replied, "OH my, it is wonderful! I have never been so happy as I am here. The pillow is magnificent and those little meals on wheels you've been sending over are just delicious!"

*Read in the Ohio Dairy Farmer newspaper.

good times with my girls

whatever it was that we were laughing about...

it just got funnier...

and funnier!

(Thanks sis for taking these and bringing those smiles to my face again.)