April | 2015 | Betty's Tips

Rattlesnake Vaccination

There is a rattlesnake vaccination for dogs. It technically works better in cats but as of now it is not available through vets.

A decision to vaccinate your dog should balance the risk and consequence of a venomous snakebite with the risk and consequence of vaccination. We recommend that you talk with your veterinarian about these risks.

If your dog is bitten by a rattlesnake then get them to the vet ASAP as it is an emergency – even if they already had the vaccine. Six weeks after being bitten your vet may administer the rattlesnake vaccination.

More information from Red Rock Biologics and Veterinary Pet Insurance.

Here are some tips from Cesar Millan on Avoiding Snakes:

Keep your dog on a leash in areas where snakes may reside — woods, marshes, grasslands, and near bodies of water. While in these areas especially, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your dog at all times. Don’t allow her to dig through dirt or riffle through leaves where snakes may be hiding.
When hiking and exploring outside, stick to paved trails where the visibility is better.
Avoid hiking or walking through snake-infested areas at night. Many types of snakes, including varieties of rattlesnakes, tend to be more active once the sun has set.
If your dog becomes startled by something, back away until you know what exactly he has encountered. If you hear a warning “hiss” or “rattling” sound, slowly retreat from the area as this could be a rattlesnake’s way of telling you to back off.

Hot Pepper Hand – Cure

I picked all of these lovely hot peppers from my Gardens last October and then cut them up. I handled all of them with bare hands and after I was done I felt like I had a horrible chemical burn that just stung very badly.

I tried Aloe Vera, several creams, cold water, ice, etc but got the most relief from soaking my hands in whole milk!

More Tips: use veggie oil, rubbing alcohol (or vodka), or a baking soda paste

Better Tip: wear food gloves when handling a massive quantity of hot peppers!

How to Freeze Eggs

Whole Eggs: Mix the yolks and egg whites together. Then, pour the egg mixture into an ice cube tray, and freeze. Two cubes is the equivalent of one whole egg.

Egg Yolks: To prevent thickening, stir in half a teaspoon of salt (or one and a half tablespoons of sugar, if the eggs will be used in desserts) for every one cup of yolks. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. One cube is the equivalent of two egg yolks.

Egg Whites: No special prep is required. Just pour the whites into an ice cube tray, and freeze. One cube is the equivalent of one egg white.

More Cube Equivalents:
2 cubes = 1/4 cup
4 cubes = 1/2 cup
6 cubes = 3/4 cup
8 cubes =1 cup

Using Frozen Eggs: Allow eggs to thaw in the refrigerator for a day before using.

Eggs will keep in the freezer for up to a year.

Seaweed Might Cure Dog Toothaches

In an article from the Portland Press Herald about Seaweed being the Ocean’s potion also mentions that it might help cure toothaches in dogs. Some of the medicine that is prescribed by vets for Dogs with tooth problems has the same ingrediants that comes from seaweed.

Read Full Article.

How to Ripen Avacados

Chart by CaliforniaAvocado.com blog site — click for full size

Tip 1: Place unripe avocados in a brown paper bag to ripen. This traps the ethylene gas they produce and helps them to ripen. A firm avocado placed in a paper bag will ripen at room temperature in about three to six days. As the fruit ripens, the skin color will darken.

Tip 2: Place avocados in a brown paper bag with a banana, (an apple or tomato works too), then leave the bag on a sunny windowsill for 18 to 24 hours.

Tip 3: Place 2 peeled, pitted avocados in a blender with 1 cup peas (fresh, or frozen and thawed); pulse until smooth. The peas will help soften the consistency of the unripe avocados but won’t affect the flavor.

Chart by CaliforniaAvocado.com blog site on the Five Stages that an avocado goes through as it is ripening.

What parts of a Scallion do I eat?

Have you ever wondered what parts of a Scallion (aka Green Onion) that you can eat? The green or white parts? Well, the answer is both but they are used differently depending on your recipe.

The white parts are firmer and can be used in a pan sooner but the green parts have a different texture and can get slimy if used too early in a recipe that involves pan frying. Most recipes will tell you which part to use.

Generally though the Green Parts are used for more of a garnish and are diced. The White Parts taste more onion like.

You can freeze Green Onions/Scallions but it will change the texture so its best to use them in stews, sauces or crock pot meals if they were frozen. I like to freeze the Green and White parts separately since some recipes call for only one or the other.

More Information on What Parts of a green onion can you eat by eHow and Healthy Eating.

How to freeze Green Onions by HGTV Gardens.

Heartworm Prevention Cats

Many cat owners do not realize how important heartworm prevention is for cats. Infection with adult heartworms nearly always causes death of the cat. Did you know one mosquito can cause a fatal heartworm infection in cats?

If you have a picky cat like we do then they might not eat the Heartgard pill. There are other options.

Interceptor Flavor Tabs are oral tablets that can be fed to your cat by hand or mixed with food and might be worth trying if your cat doesn’t like the Heartgard. It also can be given as a pill form.

Advantage Multi is a topical solution for application to the cat’s skin once a month.

Revolution is applied to the skin surface once a month. It has minimal absorption into the body but cats tends to lick their skin and this will increase absorption. Selemectin is the main ingredient and it might not be as effective as other products for heartworm prevention.

See your vet first to get a heartworm test before treating. It must be negative before you start any heart worm prevention.

This article by heartworm.com lists the best prevention products for cats along with some valuable information about heartworm prevention.

Foods Heated in Plastic

Studies have shown that heating your foods up in plastic can be toxic to your body.

Plastic leaches chemicals when heated and that they can be dangerous to our health. (source: NPR)
In a recent small study conducted at Stanford University it was found that chances of miscarriage increased to 80% from foods heated in plastic. (source: The Telegraph)
Phthalates and polystyrene (Styrofoam) have consistently made headlines as various studies have emerged solidifying the link between chemicals common in many plastics, and various health problems, including cancer, diabetes, obesity and the attention disorder ADHD. (source: Plastic Free Times)
A study from Harvard University has determined that bisphenol A , a chemical additive found in plastics, may be causing higher instances of birth defects and infertility. (source: Plastic Free Times)
Phthalates — Chemicals Widely Found in Plastics and Processed Food — Linked to Elevated Blood Pressure in Children and Teens (source: Science Daily)

Pledge to stop heating and eating out of plastic. And, to be safe, stop consuming food and drink out of all plastics!

C is for Cilantro & P is for Parsley

Do you have a hard time figuring out whether you have Cilantro or Parsley growing in your Garden?

Memorize this and you’ll never make a mistake again:

P is for Parsley and the leaves are Pointy

C is for Cilantro and the leaves are Curved

That’s easy to remember!

Upgrade your Water Bottle

Dr. Oz says to upgrade your water bottle to a Stainless Steel one. Stainless Steel is strong and doesn’t pose any health risks like BPA plastic bottles do.

LL Bean sells a great Hydro Flask bottle that keeps cold drinks cold and hot ones hot! Unlike some other water bottles there is no straw or sipping top. Some stainless steel bottles from other companies have plastic tops or plastic straws for drinking and they might contain BPA if not otherwise noted so it kind of defeats of the purpose of swtiching your water bottle if you are still getting BPA.

BPA is a chemical that is linked to brain and reproductive issues and is best to stay away from it entirely if possible.

Be aware of aluminum bottles – they might have a coating inside of them that contains BPA. Glass bottles are just as good as Stainless Steel but for obvious reasons most people don’t want glass around them when working out.

Betty's Tips

Month: April 2015