Why No Rawhide or Greenies?

We get asked every day why we don't carry rawhide. Here is a simple list of reasons we do not:
-Most rawhide is made in China. We don't carry ANY treats made in China. Even the rawhide made in the USA are dangerous.
-To get the flesh off of the hide, most manufacturers use either an Ash/Lye or Lime solution. They are VERY caustic and dangerous solutions. To get the Ash/Lye or Lime off of the product and to sanitize it, manufacturers use a BLEACH solution. At this time they also shape the rawhide. -During this process, rawhide shrinks. When your dog chews off a piece, it will swell in it's stomach. The gastric juices in a dogs' stomach will not break it down. If the piece is too large, it will get caught in the bowels and need costly surgery to be removed.

What about Greenies? Despite their healthy appearance, Greenies are not a healthy or safe dog or cat treat. It's widely known that Greenies, made of mostly unnatural ingredients, have caused the deaths of hundreds of dogs. Being undigestible, Greenies have a tendency to get caught in the throat or in the bowels of dogs, causing anything from mild coughing to needing emergency surgery to death. Click Here to read stories about some of the dogs that were injured by Greenies.

Sure, they've been reforumulated. But let's compare the new ingredients to the Terrabone, one of the dental chews we carry:

Greenies Ingredients: Gelatin, Wheat Protein Isolate, Glycerin, Soy Protein Isolate, Sodium Caseinate, Natural Poultry Flavor, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Vegetable Oil (Preserved with Propyl Gallate), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Lecithin, Ground Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Monostearate, Monoglycerides of Edible Fatty Acids, Choline Chloride, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Minerals (Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Maganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [source of Vitamin E], Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride [Vitamin B6], Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Folic Acid), Chlorophyll.

Terrabone Ingredients:
Organic Brown Rice PowderUSDA certified organic. Low in saturated Fat, and very low in cholesterol and sodium. It is also a very good source of manganese - an essential trace nutrient., Tapioca StarchGround up tapioca, which comes from a yucca plant. Tapioca starch is gluten-free, and is often added to gluten-free baking., Waterthe healthiest substance on earth., Vegetable Glycerinnatural ingredient, Natural Chicken Flavorhormone free , antibiotic free purified chicken liver., Organic Pea PowderUSDA certified organic. Very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin and Manganese., CarrageenanPurified extract made from red seeweed. Calcium Carbonatecalcium supplement that helps clean teeth., Tricalcium Phosphatenatural mineral that helps clean teeth., Lecithinan antioxidant that occurs naturally from soybeans., Brewers Dried Yeastcontains lots of B vitamins and tastes yummy., Parsley Powder100% natural & freshens breath., Peppermint oil100% natural & freshen breath. , Citric acidsource of Vitamin C., Rosemary oilnatural preservative. Rosemary is extremely high in iron, calcium and vitamin B6., Vitamin Eantioxidant and natural preservative..

First, let's notice that Greenies have a LOT more ingredients than Terrabones. I don't know what most of the ingredients are- Monoglycerides of Edible Fatty Acids? Wheat Protein Isolate? Sodium Tripolyphospate? Nope. I have no idea. I do know what Organic Brown Rice Powder, Tapioca Starch and Peppermint oil are, though! How many natural ingredients do you see in Greenies? I cound one. Chlorophyll. How many do we see in Terrabones? All of them. All of the ingredients, including tricalcium phosphate (a mineral which helps clean teeth) are natural.

What other chews are safe?
-Tendon treats including Bully Sticks, Flossies and Wish Bones are made of beef tendon and not only help clean teeth, but are 100% digestible.
-Terrabones and Z-Ridge bones are a safe and healthy alternative to Greenies, but have the same bone shaped appearance.
-Raw meaty bones. Cooked bones can splinter, but raw meaty bones have huge dental benefits. They're also great if you need to keep your dog occupied for a while! Throw 'em a Primal Beef marrow bone and they'll be happily munching on it and quiet.
-Sweet Potato treats! Dogs go NUTTY for sweet potatoes! Low glycemic, they're great for dogs with diabetes or weight issues. They're also full of fiber and great for sensitive stomachs. We'll be getting in new exciting sweet potato treats to add to our current selection soon!

Weruva

Since cats can be so picky, we're always searching for cat foods that will appease the most discerning palate. Weruva is proving to be just that! Made in a human food facility, Weruva is actually approved for human consumption! It looks good enough to eat, too!! Weruva is made with select cuts of antibiotic free, hormone free, free range chicken and beef. They hand place ingredients such as fresh vegetables, and many of their toppers which are unique proteins such as grilled skipjack, grilled tilapia, grilled red bigeye, calamari and shirasu. What does this mean? You can actually RECOGNIZE what's in your cat's food!

Currently in stock are:

Paw Lickin' Chicken- Grain free chicken

Green Eggs & Chicken- Chicken, peas and eggs

On The Cat Wok- Beef, veggies & white rice

Marabella Paella- Mackerel, Calamari, Shrimp & Mussel

Meow Luau- Mackerel & Aloe

Polynesia BBQ- Grilled Skipjack, sardine & tuna

Ziwi Peak!

We were super busy the past few days getting ready for all of the new products we have in! Ziwi Peak dog & cat food is as close to a biologically appropriate food you can get without going raw. It's grain, corn, wheat, soy, preservative, color, chemical and sugar free! What's in it, then? Meat! Ziwi Peak closely matches the diet dogs & cats would eat in the wild. What are the advantages? It's easy to digest, it helps control weight issues, will reduce stool volume & gas and much more! It also contains Green Lipped Mussels, which helps promote healthy joints. Because it's such a concentrated food you have to feed very, very little. Parker is going ga-ga for the Lamb formula and Rosalie, store kitty, loves the Venison cat formula with Fish and Venison canned Ziwi Peak on top!

Canned Ziwi Peak, just like the dry food, is high in meat. It's great to help hide pills (like Bebe's thyroid medicine!), stuff in a kong, as a dry food topper or as a stand alone diet.

Ziwi Peak treats are GREAT for training! Since they're so high in meat dogs really want to work for them! Cats, being obligate carnivores, also go crazy for Ziwi Peak.

Another Recall

From the Sun-Times:

Salmonella scare prompts Jewel to recall dog biscuits

January 24, 2009
FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
Jewel Food stores announced Saturday that due to the recent Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter products, the store has recalled Happy Tails dog biscuits.
Although no pet illnesses have been linked to the biscuits, the grocery store has recalled the product as a precautionary measure, according to a release.
The Happy Tails multi-flavored biscuits may contain peanut butter, which has “the potential to be contaminated with salmonella,” the release said.
The Peanut Corporation of America voluntarily recalled all peanut butter and peanut paste products produced in its Blakely, Georgia processing facility following multiple reports of salmonella-related illnesses linked to the products, the release said.
Signs that your pet may have ingested Salmonella are diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting, the release said. Some pets experience decreased appetite and abdominal pain. Well animals can carry the illness and pass it on to humans or other animals.
Although salmonella bacterial infection is most commonly associated with raw meat, eggs and produce, it can also grow in uncooked processed foods.
Salmonella bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of many animals and are generally transmitted through contact with feces from an infected source. Typhimurium is the most common of nearly 2,500 strains of salmonella bacteria.
Customers who purchased the biscuits can bring the product back to their local Jewel-Osco store for a full refund or exchange, the release said.

None of the treats we carry have been recalled. We have been in touch with our manufacturers and they are safe.

Taste of The Wild!

Today we got in a new food, Taste of The Wild. Grain free and all life stages, Taste of The Wild has 3 dog formulas and one cat. High Prairie canine formula is made with roasted bison and roasted venison. Pacific Stream canine formula has salmon & sweet potatoes. Wetlands canine formula has roasted quail, roasted duck & smoked turkey. Rocky Mountain feline formula is made with roasted venison and smoked salmon.

All Taste of The Wild formulas are easy to digest and good for dogs with allergies. Each formula also has probiotics to help support the digestive system and antioxidants to support optimum cellular health. With unique proteins like venison, quail and salmon, it's a great addition to any food rotation.

We're excited to add TOTW to the many foods we carry at Parker's Pets. Come in today for free samples!

Deli Fresh!

We're happy to announce we've just begun carrying Deli Fresh dog food & treats! Gently cooked without the use of preservatives, Deli Fresh is great as a stand alone food or topper. Because it's high in meat content, it's great for picky eaters or dogs with sensitive stomachs. Always fresh and never frozen, Deli Fresh comes in a roll and is simple to feed- just slice and serve!

Deli Fresh makes two different types of treats- Fresh Bites and The Loved Dog by Tamar Geller. Both come in beef or chicken. Fresh Bites, similar in shape and texture to a meatball, are Parker's favorites. They're certified by AAFO as a complete diet, so you don't have to worry about feeding too many to your dog! The Loved Dog treats by celebrity trainer Tamar Geller (as seen on Oprah) are super tasty and great for training.

Come and give Deli Fresh a try! We have LOTS of free 1lb rolls!