About Me

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Hello, my name is Beowulf. My human named me for the epic warrior because she loves the tale, as well as mead. My sister(Ursula) and I love the delectable treats she bakes, as well as our homemade meals! We are likely two of the most spoiled and well-fed dogs around, so if you need any tips, tricks, or recipes for dog fabulousness you are in the right place! You ask, I answer. And just so we are perfectly clear, I will not "candy-coat" anything!

October 24, 2014

ACAI IS TOXIC FOR DOGS!!! (Important message from my human!)

   Please do not feed Acai berries/products to your pets!!! As a raw feeder, I usually add a little juice or pulp from my juicer to my dog's food which may include both fruits and veggies. Recently, I had some Acai juice and tried a bit to see if they liked it. After all, it is very high in antioxidants! Unfortuneately, it is also very high in "theobromine", the same toxin found in chocolate! Although my dogs are OK now, I did have a scare when Beowulf started drinking and urinating like a race horse! At first I suspected he might just be anxious, showing signs of aging, and just a little dehydrated. Then he actually peed on the floor indoors, while just laying down! He had just been out a couple of hours earlier and never has "accidents".
   Needless to say, I was very upset and started thinking the worst! I jumped on the computer and did some research, realizing that he didn't show any other signs of illness(No blood in urine, no loss of appetite/energy, no pains). So I started giving him extra coconut water(electrolytes and potassium) to see if it might rehydrate him. I also added extra organ meat to the food to strengthen his kidneys. Over the course of a couple of days, his excessive thirst and urinating had subsided.(Whew!) I tried to discern a possible cause, and finally discovered the Acai juice! I had inadvertently poisoned my dog!!! (As the little one showed no symptoms, I believe that age also played a factor). Fortunately, I caught early what may have become acute renal failure! I also learned a very important fact about those "fabulous" berries, and can now warn other pet owners about the danger. Apparently there has not been much research on the issue, but I got some info from Wikipedia:
 "Serious poisoning happens more frequently in domestic animals, which metabolize theobromine much more slowly than humans, and can easily consume enough chocolate to cause chocolate poisoning. If large numbers of filled chocolate candies are consumed, another serious danger is posed by the fat and sugar in the fillings, which can sometimes trigger life-threatening pancreatitis several days later.[citation needed] The most common victims of theobromine poisoning are dogs,[3][4] for which it can be fatal."
   My one wish is for all of our loving animal companions to live happy, care-free lives, which is why I do so much research on canine health and nutrition. Just one valuable piece of info can literally save a life! Please share this article with your pet-loving friends and family, and always check to be sure that new food or "treat" is safe.
                                Happy Tails to All!!!