Due to stomach acidity, dogs and cats are not normally susceptible to Salmonella or many of the other food poisoning agents that effect us, so the pet food companies don't have to try to control them. Now with the new focus on pet food safety, I expect we'll see stricter rules. It's always been a bad idea to handle dog food without washing your hands after, because of the salmonella danger. From a dog who carries the bacteria (about 36% of all dogs & 17% of domestic cats) you can be exposed by saliva or feces. Your DH needs to be very careful. 30+ years ago when I was in college we did testing on this same subject so I've been aware of it for a long time. I'm cautious with pet food and, of course, with their droppings. But I foolishly still kiss my dogs!

I have a small (4 qt) electric PC--it was a gift. I never use it. I GREATLY prefer the stovetop models. I have a 6 qt Kuhn Rikon and a Fagor 'Splendid' set with an 8 and a 4 qt pot with a lid that fits them both (about $99 on Amazon, $90 this week on Overstock). They work fine on induction (I have an induction hot plate and I've tested them) as well as gas. You can get a Fagor 10 qt 'Splendid' PC for $80 at Amazon or their 'Elite' for about $90...yes, that's not cheap but IMHO it's a quality item and worth the $$$. I doubt that you'll find an electric PC with that capacity for that price. I do a lot of pressure cooking, and I think Fagor is a very good value--and the models I've used work fine on either gas, electric or induction. Here is a link that might be useful: Fagor PC

The funny thing that got me ready for motherhood the most was that while I was pregnant with Rhiannon and couldn't get a teaching job, I worked in a nursing home. I did just about anything, and towards the end I did mostly baths. After changing all the adult undergarments a babies diaper was nothing. Also learned lots of tricks about putting on clothes on those who aren't cooperative. But the biggest thing was that we had residents that couldn't eat solids so every meal that they served, they would put in a blender. It could be a ham sandwich, pizza, roast, apple pie, broccolli, anything that the regular meals consisted of was purreed for the residents who needed help eating or didn't have teeth or other problems. I learned so much about respecting the elderly and have such an appreciation for them now because of my experiences. Stacie

I just posted this in one of the other treads This is a recipe for a meatloaf for dogs. They also have a vegetarian version on the site Mable's Meat Loaf - meat eater's version (makes two large loaves - 24 slices) 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef , Venison, Chicken or Turkey 2 cups cooked & pureed Beans and/or Lentils- I use Pinto Beans 2 cups Corn Masa Harina Flour (corn flour)- Masa Harina is a fortified, fine ground corn flour that has been partially precooked in lime water (which makes it easier to digest). It is usually used for making tortillas and tamales and can be found in the ethnic (Mexican) section of most grocery stores. If you cannot find it, you can substitute regular corn meal. 1 cups Rolled Oats (I buy in bulk) 4 cups cooked rice (I buy in bulk) 1 cup wheat germ (I buy in bulk) 1 - 2 cups liquid (water, milk, whey, stock, etc) - This amount will vary depending on the moisture content of your other ingredients. 2 eggs 2 cups (1 lb.) vegetables, pureed - You can use any vegetable. It's good to vary ingredients because variety in diet contributes to good health. I usually use frozen mixed vegetables, peas or broccoli. I buy them is a really big bags (it's cheaper that way) , thaw, puree in my food processor, divide into 2 Cup portions and refreeze for future use. 3 tsp. garlic (granulated) 3 tsp. Calcium Citrate -OR- 6 tsp. egg shell powder - a source of necessary calcium 1/2 tsp. salt substitute (potassium chloride) - a source of necessary potassium - you can find this in any grocery store where they sell salt. 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 1/4 cup ketchup (optional- not for use with diabetics) 6 tsp. Herbal Nutritional Supplement (optional, but highly recommended) other optional supplements if necessary such as Arthritis & Joint Support mix, Glucosamine, MSM, Kelp, etc. (Mable got 1 1/2 tsp. of Glucosamine & 1 1/2 tsp. of MSM - Note: reports now suggest not giving glucosamine to diabetics) It is important that your dog should also receive a good dog multi-vitamin each day (a vitamin formulated specifically for dogs, not humans), either as a powder mixed into this loaf, or a tablet given as a treat. In a very large bowl. Using your hands, mix all the ingredients together very well. (Since ground meats differ in consistency, you may need to add more liquid). Put into two large loaf pans and spread out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool and store in the refrigerator. Makes 12 slices per loaf. To serve, slice and cut into bite sized chunks. You can also slice off servings, put in ziplock bags and freeze them for later use. Measurement of the loaf pans I use: measurement taken from bottom of pan: 8 1/4" X 4 1/4" measurement taken from top of pan: 9 1/4" X 5 1/4" height: 2 3/4" I bought my pans at Wal-Mart. Serving amount: You will have to adjust to fit the caloric needs of your own dog. See the Daily Caloric Requirements for Adult Dogs chart. Mable, who was a 60 pound Basset Hound got two slices, twice a day (a breakfast and a dinner for a total of four slices per day). She also received other nutritionally adjusted home made foods (such as Mable's Peanut Butter Bones) throughout the day which contribute to her proper daily caloric intake. Nutritional Breakdown for four slices (one sixth of total recipe) (made with ground beef) (this recipe makes two large loaves total and I divide it into 24 slices) Calories in four slices: 837 (one slice would have 210) 20% from Protein 33% from Fat 48% from Carb Vit C 7 mg Phos 659 mg Calcium 1849 mg Iron 10 mg Protein 41 g Sodium 534 mg Potassium 1350 mg Tot Fat 31 g Magnesium 179 mg Sat Fat 11 g Zinc 9 mg Mono Fat 12 g Copper 1 mg Poly Fat 4 g Manganese 4 mg Carb 100 g Selenium 64 ug Fiber 15 g Vit A 2739 IU Ash 5 g Vit E 1 mg ATE Cholesterol 167 mg Thiamin 1 mg Vit B6 1 mg Riboflavin 1 mg Folate 268 ug Niacin 13 mg Vit B12 3 ug Pantothenic Acid 2 mg Here is a link that might be useful: Molly's Herbals