A Pawsitive Planet

THE INVISIBLE SLIMY MONSTER IN THE WATER BOWL

Ever rub your fingers on the inside of your pet's water bowl and you feel a slippery slime of sorts? Well that invisible goo is called Biofilm.

Biofilm is a collection of organic and inorganic, living and dead materials collected on a surface. It is made up of many different types of bacteria bound together in a thick substance that acts as a glue to both hold the bacteria together and adhere it to a surface.

Biofilm can often be good bacteria but there is also the bad!

Biofilms provide a safe haven for organisms like Listeria, E. coli and legionella where they can reproduce to levels where contamination of products passing through that water becomes inevitable.

Bad Biofilms have been found to be involved in a wide variety of microbial infections in the body such as urinary tract infections, middle-ear infections and bladder infections.

Many pet parents are guilty of simply refilling the water bowl over and over without a wash and this becomes a wonderful environment for biofilm to soak around in.

How to reduce Biofilm:

Remember to clean your pet’s water bowl at least once a week if you can and change water daily.

For pet daycares where a host of different bacteria float around in water bowls, wash daily!

For best results, run your water bowls through a hot cycle in the dishwasher with an eco friendly, non-toxic soap to really clean out the biofilm!

Rodney Habib Pet Health Site

"An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!"

(P.S. - I am going to get lambasted over the "wash once a week at least" concept. However, after a wonderful discussion with a well known pro-active veterinarian/scientist, when she studied the bacteria looming in pets' water bowls she found if you have a healthy beast, biofilm can actually be full of wonderful, healthy bacteria. It's like playing in the mud as kids and having good bacteria all over you! So sometimes cleaning regularly can wash all the good stuff away. ;) )

BEFORE TOSSING OUT YOUR EGGSHELLS, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FIRST! (which can help heal you and your pets' joints!)

“An egg is known to be a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals in both its yolk and white, but the membrane that surrounds a developing embryo may possess even more amazing qualities that can benefit health and well-being.” - The Alternative Daily

What is the eggshell membrane?

The most annoying part of the egg when trying to peel it, of course! The rubbery membrane, which can actually be the extremely beneficial according to researchers and their studies!

“A 2009 study published in the Journal of Clinical Interventions in Aging found that a supplement of natural eggshell membrane was effective for reducing knee pain and stiffness related to the condition without causing side effects that are known to result from long-term use of traditional treatments, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.” - Livestrong

However this membrane needs to be offered at the raw, uncooked stage and not the boiled stage as heat can destroy the beneficial properties.

“Eggshell membranes contain substances with known benefits to joint health, including glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin and collagen.”- published on the Insider Health, February 2011.

To further stroke this membrane’s ego, according to Dr. Karen Becker:

“Eggshell membrane contains a number of natural substances for today’s pets, including:

• Collagen - A fibrous protein that supports cartilage and connective tissue strength and elasticity.

• Elastin - A protein that supports skin, cardiovascular, cartilage, and spinal health. Elastin gives tissue its elastic tension and ability to resume its shape after stretching.

• Desmosine and isodesmosine - Two little-known amino acids responsible for elastin’s elastic or “rubbery” properties.

• Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) - Includes glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid - vital polysaccharides that are structural components of connective tissue, interstitial fluids and skeletal structure.

• Transforming growth factor-b - A protein that plays a crucial role in cellular differentiation and immune function.”

The tricky part of course is actually peeling the membrane away from the eggshell. Crack the organic egg from your local farmer, use it as normal, and then attempt to peel that white rubbery skin-like membrane away from the eggshell. Then feed it direct to your pet or fire on top of their food!

The peeling may seem tough at first, but with a little bit of practice, you can turn what normally goes into your trash into a super nutritious healing machine for you and your pets.

Rodney Habib Pet Health Media

"An educated, informed and well-researched community of pet owners can only put more pressure on the pet food industry to be better! When pet owners know better, they will only do better!"

Version 3 of our herbal dosage chart with some new additions! :)

Rodney Habib

I have seen this herb save so many lives, literally drop elevated liver enzymes🩸 by half in just a few weeks!!

According to multiple studies, if you have a dog (or cat) with liver issues and you aren’t already giving your pets’ milk thistle (silymarin), you are missing out on the most important liver-restoring, “life-saving🆘" herb on the planet!

Just released last week, a new study on milk thistle showed the herb had incredible hepatoprotective properties when fed to dogs. “Hepatoprotection” is the ability of a substance to prevent liver damage.

Not only does it help to regenerate a damaged liver, but it’s also anti-aging according to longevity researchers!

In our new book, The Forever Dog, Dr. Karen Becker and I have it listed in our “Supplemental Habits for a Long and Healthy Life” section as one of our most important supplements to rotate into a dog’s🐶 diet plan. We also list the best “detox” dose🥄 to give a dog using the latest research. Available for pre-order now: https://foreverdog.com/about/

Rodney Habib