Genevieve, our Golden Retriever will celebrate her 12th birthday on Sunday October 12th. If you're in Santa Barbara, please join us at the Three Dog Bakery on State Street at 2 PM. After that, on to the Summerland beach. Please reply in the affirmative if you will attend. We'll have healthy treats for all the dogs and we're sure they will all have a lot of fun! (The photograph of Genevieve among golden aspen trees was taken 9/27/03 at the Rock Creek Lakes Basin, near Mammoth Lakes, CA).

PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, asked us to share the horror stories they have unearthed over the past two years at the IAMS pet food manufacturing facilities. IAMS use to make a fairly reputable food product until the company was purchased by P&G (Proctor and Gamble makers of Crest toothpaste), and perpetrator of some of the most heinous experiments on animals. We would encourage our readers to visit: http://www.peta.org/feat/iams/ or http://www.peta.org/feat/iams/iams.html to learn the grim facts about IAMS and Menu Food. It is hard to believe that a company making pet food would keep and treat dogs and cats in a totally inhumane manner in the name of "testing" its food.

FLUTD (Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease) was formerly called FUS (Feline urological syndrome) and is a very common bladder disorder among cats. The exact cause of this disorder is unknown, but it is thought to be associated with feeding cats processed food causing an alkaline urine and resulting struvite crystals. Many of the better cat foods on the market use ingredients promoting a slightly acidic urine, that is, with a pH balance between 6.0 and 6.8. In a personal email from Jim Flint (the founder and president of Flint River Ranch) we were informed that: "As noted in our product catalog - Cat food pH is always less than 6.4, usually about 6 to 6.2. Magnesium is less that 0.08% and ash is less than 4.5%. All more important in cats than in dogs. pH in dogs is 6.4 - 6.5" This product information does not appear on the labels of any pet foods; however it can often be obtained directly from the company making the food.

Cranberry extract and CoEnzyme Q10, both beneficial to humans as well, are among some of the natural treatments for this condition, which occurs most often in cats eating only dry food. If your cat exhibits increased frequency of urination, painful urination or excessive licking at the genitals it's important to have your veterinarian examine your cat as soon as possible to diagnose the problem. Also, many cat owners think their cats are constipated because they spend a lot of time in the kitty litter when suffering from FLUTD, even though true constipation occurs only rarely in dogs and cats.

Flint River Ranch Customer Satisfaction. In September we had a record number of new customers for our Flint River Ranch dog and cat foods and treats. Many responded about the positive results they had experienced with their pets, in many cases mentioning that their pets actually needed to eat less of the food, which is to be expected, with a quality food. One cat owner responded that her cat "grabbed the cat treat package and dragged it all over the house, and wouldn't let go!" We go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. All Our Pets answers many readers' food and diet related questions every day. We process all orders received each day to ensure that our customers get the quickest delivery possible on their food. Flint River Ranch ships direct to your home in all 48 contiguous states from its regional distribution centers, so you can be assured that the food does not spend much time in transit, and since it's baked three times a week it is always fresh. Any new customer placing an order between October 1st and October 5th will receive 21% off that order. All the rest of the month first orders receive a 10% discount.

Dog and Cat Beds from PETsMART. We're offering a good selection of beds for dogs and cats as well as kennels and crates for dogs through PETsMART. It's really important to have quality beds and containers for your pets as the colder weather approaches. Check out our links from All Our Pets Home Page.