Pumpkin seeds — Nature’s Vermifuge

Posted on by TayBham

So, this bout of diarrhea was apparently due to worms, which were apparently caused by the aforementioned fleas.

Fighting fleas sans application of, or filling my dogs with, chemical pesticides presents a challenge, and is a topic for another day.

So back to the worms. How much good would it do to dry up the runny poo if I didn’t get rid of the worms?

Here’s you some vocabulary words to toss out at your next cocktail party (b/c the topic of intestinal parasites comes up over a glass of wine all the time):

Anthelmintic

Vermifuge

Both are terms for herbs that destroy and expel worms and parasites from the intestines.

Some examples include Aloe, chaparral, cloves, wormwood, garlic, pomegranate (the white rind), rue, and black walnut hull.

I had some garlic, but I’m still a little uneasy about how much to use given the prolific warnings that abound on the Internet about feeding garlic to dogs. I didn’t want to dive into that without additional guidance, so I kept looking (because I didn’t have any of the rest of that list either. Surprise, surprise).

Turns out, pumpkin seeds are anthelmintic. And guess who has two thumbs and a massive stash of dry roasted, ground pumpkin seeds from all that treat-making back in the fall? This kid!

I knew there was a reason I was holding onto all that in my fridge. I needed it for deworming!

WOOT!

I researched side effects and found none. So I just added a little sprinkle to their meals twice each day for 5 days.

And it worked.

No more worms.

BOOM!

Every time I find a way to stay out of the doctor’s office through something as simple as a pumpkin seed, my heart grows three sizes.

Word to the wise: Anytime you adopt an herbal regimen designed to address a specific ailment (like deworming) as part of your routine, you risk reducing the herb’s effectiveness for that ailment over time. So it’s best to treat the ailment until the body heals, and then discontinue usage. So I will not be adding pumpkin seeds to their food as a matter of course. But I will keep my stash in a cool, dry place until needed again.

Lovin’ this way of life!

pugs & kisses,

Folks, we have ourselves a winner!

Posted on by TayBham

I’ve been trying to come up with an all-natural, wHOLe food dog treat for the past few weeks. Since I make breakfast and dinner every day for Pearl and Truman with fresh, local produce, I thought I should try my hand at treat-making.

Turns out- not so hard to do.

Pearl’s Pumpkin Poppers are scrumptious yummies made with fresh, local, organic ingredients.

I used the wHOLe pumpkin –seeds & all– apples, cinnamon, and McEwen & Sons rolled oats.

Simple, healthy, fresh, and DElicious!

…I ate one. It was Yum…promise…

Shout out #1: Follow @Scottishgyrl on Instagram for some of the most awesome cakes ever. Thanks for the recipe advice!

Shout out #2: Take your dog to Just Happy Hounds (www.justhappyhounds.com) for boarding, daycare, training, & grooming.

My friends at Just Happy Hounds will be giving away Pearl’s Pumpkin Poppers THIS WEEKEND!!

  • Where: Bark in the Park, Veteran’s Park, Alabaster, AL.
  • What Day: Saturday, October 4
  • What Time: 9am-2pm
  • What For: Shelby Humane Society

Come by for a free sample of these little drops of awesomeness.

And, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to meet the star herself, the special girl who started us all down this road, the one and only: Pearl!

(She’s so cute. You’ll love her. Not biased. #truth).

pugs & kisses,

To Feed or Not To Feed?

Posted on by TayBham

That is the question.

I’ve been talking to a lot of people about this raw, wHOLe food diet.

Everyday, after they get past the raw meat series of inquiries, the next thing people ask is:

So, in addition to raw meat, what do you feed them?

Since I’ve given you the short list of WNTF (what not to feed), I’ve compiled a longer list of what I have fed my dogs over the course of the past month. I have experienced no negative physiological reactions so far, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.

Every dog is different. Word.

Some of it they love; for some of it, they turned up a smushy-faced nose & said “Nuh-uh.” 

Disclaimer: Please feed responsibly. I am not responsible for your errors in judgment. There are risks. Consult with your vet. Proceed with caution. Make sure what you’re feeding is clean & fresh, free of contaminants & pesticides. Give your dog time to transition. She could have an allergy that you are not aware of. Try one new food at a time in case there’s a bad reaction, then eliminate that from the diet. Use common sense.

Now that’s over, here goes:

Fruits & Veggies                         Raw Meats

  • Watermelon                             Chicken tenders
  • Cantaloupe                              Chicken thighs (bone in & filets)
  • Honeydew                               Chicken liver
  • Blueberries                              Beef tips
  • Strawberries                            Beef liver
  • Apples                                     Beef short ribs
  • Pears                                       Catfish filet
  • Bananas                                  Cod filet
  • Plums                                      Tuna filet
  • Peaches                                  Tilapia filet
  • Tomatoes                                Raw, cage-free chicken eggs
  • Pineapple
  • Broccolini
  • Broccoli                                    Other
  • Bell Peppers
  • Green Beans                            Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Corn                                         Raw, local Honey
  • Lima Beans                              Organic Molasses
  • Green Peas                              Unbleached Sea Salt
  • Carrots                                     Organic Coconut Flakes
  • Cucumber                                 Organic Coconut Oil
  • Zucchini                                    Yogurt (plain)
  • Sweet Potatoes                        Cottage Cheese
  • Idaho Potatoes                         Oats
  • Pumpkin                                   Chia Seeds
  • Butternut Squash                     Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Impressive, huh?

I think so.

pugs & kisses!

HOL lotta Orange

Posted on by TayBham

Orange is the new … well, it’s the new black, of course, but it’s also def the color of right now.

I mean this time of year.

Fall.

Orange is everywhere.

Orange leaves. Orange candy. Orange football jerseys. Orange home decor.

My neighborhood Rite Aid puked orange all over an entire aisle.

And in my weekend food-prep adventures on Sunday, I realized why orange is the color of autumn. All the veggies I’m working with right now are ((… drum roll…))

ORANGE!

Pumpkins, butternut squashes, sweet potatoes, carrots, bell peppers.

Beta carotene as far as the eye can see! (and we need it in order to see, so there you go. Complete circle).

The body converts beta carotene into Vitamin A, which we (dogs included) need for healthy skin, eyes, vision, and immune system. When it comes from dietary wHOLe foods, the body only converts as much as it needs.

But wait! There’s MORE!

The veggies I mention are also full of FIBER and other nutrients that are vital for good health.

Even if you’ve not gone wHOLe raw for your dog, add a little pureed pumpkin to her kibble and watch her suck it down. Especially if you’ve got a dog that needs to shed a few LB’s, adding some extra fiber can help with that.

Warning: your dog may come down with a good case of the toots after all this fiber. Granddaddy called sweet potatoes “music roots” for a reason. Good news, tho. There’s an app for that. Apple cider vinegar normalizes stomach acid levels, and helps reduce intestinal gas, but that’s a topic for another day.

Recipe Alert!

Bake 3 sweet potatoes in the oven for 90 minutes at 350-degrees.

Let them cool & peel the skins off.

 Dice a 1.5-lb butternut squash and 3 large carrots

Toss in coconut oil and roast in a 375-degree oven for 40 minutes.

Dump everything in the blender together, add enough water or broth to get it going & puree till smooth.

Orange orange bo-borange, banana fanna fo forange, me mi mo morange. Orange! (Ok. I’ll stop singing).

Pugs & kisses,