How To Brush Your Poodle’s Teeth

Brushing your Poodle’s teeth on a daily basis will help prevent dental disease, Gingivitis and Periodontitis. Gingivitis is reversible. Periodontal disease is irreversible and can lead to damage of the heart, liver and kidneys.

Get in the habit of checking your poodle’s mouth and brushing her teeth every day. Choose a time that will be convenient and become a part of your poodle’s daily routine.

When brushing your poodle’s teeth, use a soft-bristled pet toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs. Human toothpaste is not made to be swallowed and can cause stomach upset. Toothpastes made for dogs come in different flavors and are more appealing to your dog. Canine toothpaste is enzymatic so it works when it touches the teeth -the brushing action isn’t as important as it is with humans.

This video explains why dental care is so important and gives a good demonstration of how to brush a dogs teeth.

When you first introduce your poodle to having her teeth brushed, start by offering a taste of the toothpaste on your finger. The next time, offer a taste and then run your finger along the gum line of the upper teeth. Repeat the process with the tooth brush.

If your poodle won’t let you brush all her teeth, concentrate on the outside of the back upper teeth. This is the most important area in preventing periodontal disease.

At some point, your poodle will need a professional cleaning performed by a veterinarian. A Toy Poodle can require a veterinary dental twice a year and a Standard Poodle once a year.


Why Dental Care Is Important For Your Poodle

The American Veterinary Dental Society estimates that 80% of all dogs over the age of 3 have tooth decay and gum disease.

Gum disease is caused by poor dental hygiene. Food particles and bacteria remain in the dogs mouth and plaque forms on the teeth. Dental plaque is a sticky substance that covers the teeth. Plaque can be removed by brushing your dogs teeth. Plaque deposits can turn into tarter in about 3 to 5 days.

The continued build-up of tartar both above and below the gum line eventually leads to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease, is a very common infectious disease caused by bacteria that make up plaque. This results in inflammation of the structures that support the teeth and gum tissue.

Periodontal disease can lead to serious health problems. The infection can travel through the blood stream and damage the heart, liver or kidneys.

Gum Disease Can Be Prevented

Brush your poodle’s teeth daily
Provide a crunchy diet
Give your poodle dental treats and chew toys
Regular veterinary dental exams, once or twice a year
February is Pet Dental Health month. I am trying to start brushing my dog’s teeth every day from now on. So far, I have brushed their teeth 5 out of the last 7 days (it’s a start). I encourage you to join me and let me know how it goes.

Clipping Your Poodle’s Nail

A professional groomer will trim your poodle’s nails during the grooming session, but because these visits occur every 6 weeks or so, you’ll need to clip your poodle’s nails at home. How often your Poodle needs her nails trimmed varies with the dog. It is best to keep the nails clipped so they do not touch the ground when your poodle is standing.

With my dogs, Cleo and Piper’s toenails grow fast and need their nails clipped weekly. Nyka needs her nails trimmed once every two weeks.

It is important to keep your poodle’s nails short. Over grown nails that touch the ground, put pressure on the base of the nail and can be painful. In an aging dog, long nails can distort the paw and intensify the pain of arthritis. Walking may become so difficult, the dog appears lame.

Long nails can also get caught on things and be torn off, which is extremely painful for the dog and often requires veterinary attention.

To clip your dogs nails at home you will need:

Nail Clippers – There are different types and sizes of nail clippers available. Guillotine style clippers and scissor style clippers are the two most popular models. Small or medium-size clippers work well for Toy and Miniature Poodles, large or heavy-duty are better suited for Standard Poodles.
Styptic Powder – It is a good idea to have styptic powder, in case you clip too close and the nail bleeds.
Nail File or Emery Board – To smooth down rough edges. An electric pet nail grinder is another option.

About The Nail Quick

In the center of each toenail is the blood and nerve supply for the nail, called the quick. With white nails you can see the pink color of the quick. For dark nails you can shine a flash light behind the nail to locate the quick. Trim the nail as close to quick as possible without cutting into it because it will bleed and cause pain for your poodle.

The best way to avoid cutting into the quick is to trim the nails often. As the outside of the nail grows, the quick grows along with it. When the nails are trimmed frequently, the quick tends to recede. The more often you trim the nails, the farther back the quick recedes.

How To Cut Your Poodle’s Nails

Hold the paw firmly in one hand. Place your thumb on top of the foot and fingers underneath to spread the toes.
With your other hand, clip the nails, one at a time. If you are unsure, snip off a little at a time. If you do cut into the quick and bleeding occurs, apply a dab of styptic powder to the nail with gentle pressure until the bleeding stops.

Remove any sharp edges with a few swipes of a nail file or emery board.
Another options for keeping your poodle’s nails short is to use an electric nail grinder, which uses a rotating sandpaper bit. The video below is a demonstration of the Dremel Pet Grinder.


Whatever method you use, nail trims need to be part of your weekly grooming routine to keep your poodle’s feet in good shape. Nail clipping may be one of your poodle’s least favorite aspects of grooming, but it’s necessary. When the nails are neglected, the quick grows too long and it is very difficult to shorten the nails without severing the quicks.

Poodle Eye Care

Your poodle’s eyes should be checked daily. Because the eyes are fragile organs, neglect of minor irritations can lead to serious problems. Regular inspection of the eyes can help you notice potentially dangerous conditions at an early stage. Any irritation that does not clear up in 24 hours or causes your poodle to squint should be reported to your veterinarian immediately.

It is normal to find a little matter on the inside corners of the eyes from time to time. This can be removed by moistening a cotton ball with warm water and gently wiping at the eye corners. Be careful NOT to rub over the eyes with cotton; the fibers could scratch them.

The easiest way to flush out any foreign matter or loose hair is with a canine eye wash. An eyewash also help to clean the eyes and treat minor irritations. Raise your poodle’s head, gently open the lower lid and drop the fluid into the eye. Use a dry cotton ball to absorb the excess moisture from the eye corners.

Tear Stains

Daily attention to the eyes and the hair under them is the best way to control staining. White and light colored poodles, especially Toy Poodles, sometimes have stained hair under the eyes, which is caused by a discharge from the tear ducts. The discharge often makes the hair an unsightly reddish-brown and creates the effect of dark circles under the eyes. Excessive tearing can lead to skin irritation and infection.

The stained hair should be removed with clippers. After the hair has been trimmed, a daily program of cleansing the area with water or a Tear Stain Remover should help prevent further staining. Be cautious when using a product or home remedy for tear stains. These products should only be used on the stained hair and should not be used in the eyes.

Excessive tearing can be caused by many factors: heredity, allergy, improper diet, conjunctivitis, infection of the tear ducts, even from teething. Your veterinarian may be able to determine the cause and control it.

Proper Care

EXERCISE - Toy poodles are an easy dog to exercise. Most of the exercise they need they get while playing in the yard or in the house. Miniature poodles require slightly more exercise and are a little more active than the toy variety. Poodles do love to run though so be careful, they can get away from you. They also love to play so be sure to provide plenty of toys to play with so they do not mistake furniture and other house hold items as chew toys.

SOCIALIZATION - Poodles can sometimes be shy and timid (this is mostly due to their small size), it is very important that you take time to socialize your new puppy with kids and other pets that are in your home. If not properly socialized your puppy could become nippy and aggressive out of fear. Puppies get important socialization from their mother and human contact during the first 6-8 weeks of their life. Go slow when introducing your new puppy to children and other pets. Never force a relationship. This can cause the exact opposite of what you wish to accomplish.


OBEDIENCE - Poodles are very smart, eager to please, and easy to train. In fact they were used in the circus for years because they were able to learn many tricks and are very agile. Books can be a great way to learn to train your puppy or you can take an obedience class. Places like Humane Societies, Petco, Pet Smart and private trainers often offer a variety of classes. It is as important for a dog to have good manners as well as people. No one likes a disobedient dog! It can be fun for both you and your puppy. You will be amazed at what your dog can learn to do with a little training and a lot of patience. Often it is the owner that has to be trained as the puppy knows how to get what they want with various behavior techniques. The problem is, often it is not the behavior the owner wants. Ignoring unwanted behavior,turning your back on them, and then rewarding immediately when the behavior such as barking stops, even if only for a few seconds, can be very effective. Diffuse barking with a spray bottle of water. Spray when they bark and state in firm voice, “no barking.”

Rewards can include healthy treats,dental chews, round small bones (these can be raw), dental chews, love and petting. Making statements like “good. no barking” helps. These are just some of the things that you can learn in classes, training dvds and books on training your dog. There are some good websites with training information, vets often have brochures, check your local library or bookstore.

FEEDING - Do NOT feed your puppy soft canned food for very long. The chewing of hard food helps to keep teeth clean and healthy. Canned food can also cause your puppy to become overweight. Try not to change your puppy's food unless absolutely necessary. It can hurt your puppy’s digestive system and can also cause diarrhea. If you decide to change food, do it gradually, mixing the old food with a little of the new and keep adding more and more of the new food and less of the old food over a period of time.

Puppies need to be fed 3-4 times a day. As your puppy ages, the number of feedings can be reduced to two times a day. I recommend that you follow the feeding directions on the back of your dog food bag.


Free feeding is not encouraged when trying to potty train your puppy to go outside, on a newspaper, etc. Put the food down, give plenty of time for the puppy to eat, and 10-15 minutes later, take the puppy outside to potty. Remember, dogs will pee and then look around for spot to poop so don’t bring the puppy in too soon. Some owners like to have an exercise pen in a certain spot in the yard, put puppy in their and then there is one set spot for pottying. As the puppy learns, the pen can be taken away and the dog will continue to potty there. ( if you live in a rural area or country, remember small puppies/adults look like small rabbits for large birds).

The food we feed our adults and puppies is Nutro Ultra small breed adult food after 6 months old. We feed the puppies a mixture of Nutro Ultra puppy food and the adult food. Then when time to wean from the puppy food, we put more adult food and less puppy food gradually so they adjust easily. Remember, no food dyes, gluten, additives.

The larger dogs such as the standards, are fed Nutro Ultra large breed puppy food. At six months, they are fed Nutro Ultra arge breed adult food.

PLEASE DO NOT feed your puppy human food! Dog food has everything your puppy needs for proper nutrition. The exception to this is cooked chicken breast pieces, some cooked hamburger, plain, natural yogurt, cottage cheese, and be added to food or used as a treat or reward on a limited basis. Brown rice is good for them also. Be careful, you can spoil the dog and then they don’t want to eat their regular dog food. I sprinkle less than a tsp. of Missing Link (available in pet stores and online websites such as PeT Edge) at am feeding. This supplement provides anything missing in the dog food. There is a definite difference in healthy coats, etc. when using this product.

HEALTH - Please remember your puppies regular immunizations. These are essential to good health. Especially PARVO shots. BEWARE! Some small dogs have adverse reaction to the chemicals in the shots. However we have never lost a dog from an immunization and this is not an excuse to not have immunizations. Most puppies just become lethargic and may have some diarrhea. This usually resolves itself within 24-48 hours.

Worming is important too. We use liquid worm medicine on younger puppies and mothers to be or nursing mothers. At 3-4 months, we use heartguard once a month. Give one dose at the same time of the month each month.

Your puppy/adult that we place in your home will be current on his/her vaccinations, worming. If they will be exposed to other dogs, then Bordetella given as a nasal spray should be given to deter kennel cough.
Remember, if your puppy should become sick at any time, please do not wait too long to see your vet. Regular brushing of their teeth, yearly professional dental cleaning, proper diet, and regular grooming, including cleaning ears and clipping toenails will help ensure that your new family member will be healthy and happy.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your puppy. Introduce your new pet to your vet and don’t hesitate to call him/her and ask questions if you have concerns.

Poodle Anal Gland Care

Anal Gland Care

Dogs have two anal glands. These sac-like structures are located just under the skin on each side of the rectum. Normally, the glands secrete a watery, brownish fluid that empties into the rectum during defecation. Occasionally, the fluid is not expelled completely and the sacs become clogged. The pressure causes irritation, which the dog tries to relieve by scooting across the floor on his hindquarters, or by constantly licking and biting at the base of the tail.

Though the signs can vary from dog to dog, common signs of impacted anal glands are:

• scooting on the rear end
• licking the area around the anal glands
• reluctance in defecating, resembling constipation
• discomfort when the area is touched

Impaction seems to be more common in Toy Poodles and other small breeds, than larger dogs. A regular check of the anal glands and expressing them if full, should be a part of the poodles grooming routine.

When the anal glands become clogged, they must be emptied by squeezing them to discharge the fluid inside. Expressing the anal glands is not a pleasant job, but it must be done to prevent further infection and serious medical problems.

How To Empty The Anal Glands

The best time to take care of the anal glands is right before you bathe your poodle.

If you are not going to bathe your Poodle and there is a pungent odor after you expressed the glands, moisten a cloth with warm water and a little shampoo, and then clean and rinse the skin and hair; otherwise the odor will remain.

Stand your Poodle on a firm surface, and hold up the tail with one hand. The anal glands are located at the 5 o’clock and 7 o’clock position, you will feel the glands as small firm nodules.
Cover the anus with a paper towel or wipe, as the accumulation may spurt out when the glands are emptied. Hold the wipe in your free hand and place it over the anal opening.
Place your thumb on one side of the anus and your index finger on the other, underneath and slightly behind the glands, then squeeze in an upward and outward motion.

The anal gland secretion can be any color from yellow to brown, ranging from watery to paste like, with a foul odor. The presence of pus or blood indicates that an infection is present. Infected anal glands require antibiotic treatment from your veterinarian.

If you can feel an accumulation and cannot expel it, you should call your veterinarian; because the glands can become abscessed and rupture.

Is Your Dog Ingesting Poison

Is Your Dog Ingesting Lead, Cadmium, BPA or Phthalates from the Garden Hose?


Oh-oh. Another thing we have to do to keep our dogs safe. Now it’s garden hoses that are causing problems for you and your dog. High amounts of lead, phthalates and the toxic chemical BPA were all found in the water of a new hose after sitting outside in the sun for just a few days, according to researchers at the Ann Arbor-based Ecology Center, who just completed a large study of toxic chemicals in gardening products.

Nearly 200 hoses were tested for lead, cadmium, bromine (associated with brominated flame retardants); chlorine (indicating the presence of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC); phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). Such chemicals have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals, among other serious health problems.

“Even if you are an organic gardener, doing everything you can to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, you still may be introducing hazardous substances into your soil by using these products,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director at the Ecology Center. “The good news is that healthier choices are out there. Polyurethane or natural rubber water hoses are all better choices.”

Highlights of Findings

100% of the garden hoses sampled for phthalates contained four phthalate plasticizers which are currently banned in children’s products.
Two water hoses contained the flame retardant 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH).
What Was Found in the Water

Water sampled from one hose contained 0.280 mg/l (ppm) lead. This is 18-times higher than the federal drinking water standard of 0.015 mg/l.
BPA levels of 2.3 ppm was found in the hose water. This level is 20-times higher than the 0.100 ppm safe drinking water level used by NSF to verify that consumers are not being exposed to levels of a chemical that exceed regulated levels.
The phthalate DEHP was found at 0.025 ppm in the hose water. This level is 4-times higher than federal drinking water standards. EPA and FDA regulate DEHP in water at 0.006 mg/l (ppm).
What You Can Do

Read the labels: Avoid hoses with a California Prop 65 warning that says “this product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.” Buy hoses that are “drinking water safe” and “lead-free”.
Let it run: Always let your hose run for a few seconds before using, since the water that’s been sitting in the hose will have the highest levels of chemicals.
Avoid the sun: Store your hose in the shade. The heat from the sun can increase the leaching of chemicals from the PVC into the water.
Don’t drink water from a hose: Unless you know for sure that your hose is drinking water safe, don’t drink from it. Even low levels of lead may cause health problems.
Buy a PVC-free hose to fill your dog’s pool or outside water bowl: Polyurethane or natural rubber hoses are better choices. Visit www.HealthyStuff.org for sample products.
Make sure your dog doesn’t get hyponatremia by drinking too much water in a short period of time: Another problem with hoses (and water sports in general) is that dogs can drink so much water that their electrolytes drop to the point of causing hyponatremia (water toxicity) causing their blood plasma to thin and their brain and other organs to swell.
PVC-free watering hoses:

Rubber
Commercial Premium Rubber Hose (GoodYear)
Premium Rubber Hose (Swan)
Industrial Hot Water Rubber Hose (ACE)
Polyurethane/Other
Flat Soaker Hose (Gilmor)
Green Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
Purple Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
Red Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
Taupe Coil Hose with Nozzle (REnew Room Essentials)
Soil Soaker (Tractor Supply)
Soaker Hose (Swan)
Heavy Duty Garden Hose (Flexon)
Sprinkler Hose (ACE)
Soaker Hose (ACE)

Throw out your vinyl dog toys

If you haven’t already done so, throw out all your vinyl dog toys because they probably contain lead.

As part of our safe toy guarantee at happydogsplay.com, we have all the toys we carry safety-tested by Exposing Lead, an Atlanta company, using a sophisticated XRF analyzer. By screening all our dog toys using the XRF, we’re able to detect if any of them contain Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel, Antimony, Bromine and many other potentially toxic metals. WE’RE THE ONLY DISTRIBUTOR OF DOG TOYS THAT TAKES THIS PRE-CAUTION. When you buy toys from happydogsplay.com, you know they’re safe.

So we had all our toys tested earlier this week and shockingly, one of the new bungee dog toys that we were going to carry tested positive for lead because it had a vinyl nose. We bought this toy from a company that guarantees their toys are safe (we don’t buy from any manufacturer that doesn’t test their toys) but they had somehow missed this. But we didn’t. We notified the manufacturer and sent the toys back. And that’s exactly why you should buy your toys from happydogsplay.com–they’re really safety tested and we don’t let anything slip by.

Most vinyl toys aren’t safe even if they say “non-toxic vinyl.” You’ll notice that most of the toys you buy these days have the word “non-toxic” on their label. It doesn’t really mean anything but the manufacturers have discovered just what a powerful marketing word “non-toxic” is. We all want everything we buy to be non-toxic, right?

But vinyl isn’t safe.

We test all our dog toys to make sure they're safe.
We test all our dog toys to make sure they're safe.
This is from the April 08 issue of Whole Dog Journal: “In our opinion, the use of vinyl in dog toys is more dangerous than other applications. This is due to the number of mechanism that come into play when a dog chews a toy that can contribute to the release of toxic substances from the vinyl into the dog (chewing, saliva, warmth, digestion, skin contact).”

Safe dog toys matter because they offer one area where we can control what substances our dogs come into contact with. We can’t protect our dogs from everything in their environment but we can make sure that the toys they put in their mouths are safe and don’t harm them in anyway. Sometimes even the stores that sell premium dog food carry toys that contain lead and forget about even looking for a toy at Petco or PetSmart because there’s no telling what vinyl toys they’re selling.

Our dogs just don’t live long enough so we have to do everything we know how to keep our dogs safe from toxic products that may be in their environment. Besides buying your dog toys at happydogsplay.com, here’s a list that may help you take some chemicals out of home:

1. Use mild, non-toxic products to clean your home.
2. Provide spring or filtered water in your dog’s water bowl.
3. Use stainless steel feeding bowls or ceramic bowls that you know are lead-free.
4. Feed natural, human-grade food and treats that are free of preservatives and by-products.
5. Use safe, environmentally-friendly pest control products in your home and yard.
6. Throw out all the vinyl and plastic toys that are in your home.

Safe dog food and safe dog toys

An easy way to keep up with pet food recalls and to learn how to choose healthier foods and treats for your dog is through http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com. You can subscribe to their free TruthaboutPetFood newsletter.

Susan Thixton who writes this newsletter explains that “Pet Food is the only industry that is allowed to lie to consumers. Current regulations allow ‘direct unqualified claims’ on pet food labels and pet food advertising. ‘Direct unqualified claims’ can be a bold face lie…or it could be the truth. One of many problems with pet food is that we do not know what is true by reading the label claims, watching the television commercials, or listening to pet food radio advertising. Any pet food can claim it is ‘Healthy’ or ‘Provides Optimal Health’ or ‘Supports Healthy Weight’ yet these statements could be a ‘direct unqualified claim’ (a lie).”

For $17.95, you can also subscribe to Petsumer Report online. It provides subscribers with reviews of dog foods, cat foods and pet treats. Currently there are over 1600 different reviews available and new reviews are added monthly. You’ll find out which foods are Chinese imports, what companies use BPA lined cans and who uses risky chemicals and dyes.

I subscribed today. I feed Gracie, my dog, a combination of home-cooked organic meals and high-end, premium commercial dog food. She is going through cancer treatment right now and I know that it’s my job to provide her with the healthiest food that I can. I can’t control everything she comes into contact with but there are things I can control and I do my best to only buy the safe products. I did check out the safety of the dog foods I buy on PetsumerReports.com and none of them have any unsafe chemicals in them or came in cans with BPAs. Some of the ones I would think would be safe aren’t and that’s exactly why this website is necessary.

happydogsplay.com tests all our dog toys using the XRF device that's commonly used to test children's toys.
happydogsplay.com tests all our dog toys using the XRF device that's commonly used to test children's toys.
My business, happydogsplay.com, is also devoted to keeping your dog safe. We sell dog toys that are non-toxic, lead-free, phthalate-free, eco-friendly and durable. Not only do we get safety testing results from each of the dog toy manufacturers who make the toys we sell, we also test every toy ourselves to make sure that they’re free of Lead, Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium, Nickel, Antimony, Bromine and many other elements. We use exposinglead.com, a company right here in Roswell, GA to do our testing. (BTW, when explosinglead.com was here testing the dog toys, I had them test some of the products I use and found out that the dishes I had been using had lead in them so I replaced them all.)

The more we know, the better choices we can make. Our dogs certainly deserve the best.

What you can do for dogs with weak wrists
June 7th, 2010No comments
Gracie with her safety harness and Wrist Wraps on.
Gracie with her safety harness and Wrist Wraps on.
Gracie, my 13 year old dog, would sometimes stumble on her fronts legs when we went for walks and a few times, she even fell down. I watched her closely to figure out what the cause of the problem was and saw that when her legs gave out, it was because her front wrists buckled and they weren’t strong enough to hold up her body. She has had arthritis for most of her life; in fact, her left hip was replaced with an artificial hip when she was about two years old. Besides giving her all the supplements that I knew could help her from the inside, I started looking for a way to help support her from the outside.

I came across The Wrist Wrap from handicappedtpets.com and it seemed to be exactly what I needed to help support her weak wrists. It’s simple to use - you just wrap the neoprene brace around the front leg about 1 inch above where the wrist bends and fasten it securely with the Velcro part of the wrap. The instructions tell you to be sure that the brace does not interfere with the flexion of the paw and your dog will soon let you know the proper tension for support.

I got two of the Wrist Wraps for Gracie and I know they’re working because she actually stands still and waits for me to put the them on her before we go for a walk. She now hardly stumbles at all and I think the extra support helps eliminate the arthritic pain that she must have in her wrists.

The moral of this story is that there are products that can help keep your dog mobile. handicappedpets.com has many kinds of dog wheelchairs, lifting harnesses, pet boots, slings, leg splints, orthotic braces, dog ramps and dog steps.


The Wrist Wraps are easy to put on your dog because they have Velcro on them.
The Wrist Wraps are easy to use.

Safety information for everyone who cooks for their dogs: what fruits and vegetables are the most contaminated with pesticides and what are the least
June 3rd, 2010No comments
Dirty Dozen or Clean 15?
Dirty Dozen or Clean 15?
If you make your dog home-cooked meals, it’s always best to buy organic ingredients but did you know that with non-organic celery, you can get a dose of up to 76 different pesticides? According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) , if you’re eating non-organic celery, that’s the number of pesticides you may very well be ingesting. According to the 2010 edition of EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides, the top 12 pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables contain 47 to 67 different pesticides per serving.

Different pesticides have been linked to a variety of health problems, including nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system effects and skin, eye and lung irritation.

We all know too sadly that compared to humans, dogs live shorter lives. They also have correspondingly shorter latency periods for the development of life-threatening diseases such as cancer (Kelsey 1998). According to truth4dogs.org, 46% of all dogs dying of disease, will die of cancer.

The Dirty Dozen (Most Contamination)

1. Celery
2. Peaches
3. Strawberries
4. Apples
5. Domestic blueberries
6. Nectarines
7. Sweet bell peppers
8. Spinach, kale and collard greens
9. Cherries
10. Potatoes
11. Imported grapes
12. Lettuce

The Clean 15 (Least Contamination)

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet potatoes
Sweet onions

Notes from the EWG:

1. The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. Use EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to reduce your exposures as much as possible, but eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

2. You can lower your pesticide consumption by nearly four-fifths by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables and instead eating the least contaminated produce, according to EWG calculations. When you eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables, you’ll be exposed to an average of 10 pesticides a day. When you choose fresh produce from the 15 least contaminated fruits and vegetables, you’ll consume fewer than 2 pesticides per day.

3. Just washing your produce isn’t the answer. The data used to create the Guide is from produce tested as it is typically eaten. This means washed and, when applicable, peeled. For example, bananas are peeled before testing, and blueberries and peaches are washed. Because all produce has been thoroughly cleaned before analysis, washing a fruit or vegetable would not change its rank in the EWG’s Shopper’s Guide (i.e. washing a conventional apple will not make it is less contaminated).

Again, you can download the complete guide or iPhone application so you have it with you when you go shopping.

Natural flea control for dogs (when we knew better, we did better)

I took the big leap this summer and am using only natural flea control on Gracie, my wonderful dog, instead of the horrible spot-on pesticides that the EPA is investigating. Every summer I start out using natural products until July hits and the fleas here in the South get out of control. Then, reluctantly, I would put Frontline on my dogs because it was the only thing that worked. But not this summer. I’ll never use those products again. Ever.

Using only natural products for flea control, Gracie does have a few fleas and does itch more than she used to on Frontline. And it’s a lot more time-consuming for me to flea comb and spray everyday but I truly believe it’s worth the effort. To me, it’s really not even a choice. Gracie is going through chemotherapy right now for a growth on her tongue and in her brain. She’s already gone through surgery and radiation and there is no way that I would put any pesticide on her when her immune system is already being pushed to the max. Why I thought it was ever OK to put poison on my dogs is a question I keep asking myself.

According to Jan Rasmusen on her blog, Dogs4Dogs.com , “46% of dogs and 39% of cats dying of disease will die of cancer. Pesticides are proven to increase your dog’s (or cats) chance of getting cancer. A University of Pennsylvania vet school study showed topical insecticides (aka preventatives) “significantly increased” bladder cancer risk, especially in overweight dogs. Other studies have shown cancer risks from herbicides. Some products meant for pets can even increase the chance you and your children will become ill.”

So this summer, I’ve been experimenting with different formulas and methods to naturally control fleas and have not settled on which one works the best. Along with daily flea combing, I’ve been trying four different things:

1. Lemon Spray Repellent: Add a lemon that’s been sliced thin to boiling water and then let it steep overnight. Spray your dog in the morning.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Spray: Put half water/half vinegar in a spray bottle and spray away. Be prepared for the smell of vinegar to take over your whole house.

3. Rosemary Flea Dip: Steep two cups of fresh rosemary in boiling water for 30 minutes. Once it cools, you can use it as a dip or spray. So far, this has been the most effective spray.

4. Diatomaceous earth: comb it into your dogs coat and the fleas who come into contact with the razor-sharp silica in the DE , become dehydrated and die within a day. When applying DE, you should wear a mask and keep your dog’s face protected with a towel because the silica can be inhaled and can irritate the throat and lungs. I use this once a week.

Please let me know how you’re controlling fleas this summer because we can’t do it the old way anymore. I’ll keep you posted on which of my methods is working. We all know too much to go backwards.

Flea combs and the Ticked Off Tick Remover and now available at happydogsplay.com.

Photo of Gracie by Sisters Pet Pics.

Toxic chemicals in flea control products

When the EPA warned that some spot-on flea treatments are toxic, they only listed seven products.

Not all essential oils used to treat pet pests are safe for pets or people. Herbal or natural products that
contain cedarwood, lemongrass, peppermint, rosemary and thyme are likely safer. Use herbal or natural products
containing citrus, cinnamon, clove, d-limonene, geranium, tea tree, lavender, linalool, bay, eucalyptus,
and rue oils sparingly because they can cause allergic reactions in people—and severe reactions in cats and dogs have been reported.

Avoid the use of any flea or tick product containing pennyroyal oil. It can cause seizures, comas,
and even death in animals.