Learning About Sanitation

Learning about Sanitation
By Leah Morse

Sanitation to me is so important so I am going to go into great detail.

So now I have joined the many who feed their dogs a species appropriate diet of raw meat and bones. I want to make sure that I keep my dogs and my family as safe as possible. This new diet now means that I will be handling substantially more raw meat and all the potential dangerous germs that can be associated with that. However, let’s not forget that simple dog food has been found to contain both salmonella and E. coli. I wanted to make sure that how I handled, prepared and cleaned and sanitized afterwards were very thorough. As I work for a major health care insurance company, it has been completely ingrained in my brain the dangers of contaminated surfaces, improper meat handling and how germs are so easily transferred. I think about the commercial that shows how germs transfer so easy from your hands to every surface that you touch. This was going to be a dilemma as I am not a big fan of using lots of chemicals. I do care about the environment and how these same chemicals can soak into our skin and fumes be inhaled.

So I purchased some new spray bottles and filled one with 50% Bleach and 50% Water the other spray bottle I filled with 50% White Vinegar and 50% water. DO NOT EVER MIX BLEACH AND VINEGAR as it is a dangerous and potentially lethal combination. I was not happy with the bleach solution as I ruined my clothes and the fumes were something else. I also did not like spraying the kennels with it as sensitive as a dog’s sense of smell is, the bleach fumes did not seem to dissipate. I had researched (http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Kitchen-Sanitation/Detail.aspx ) environmentally friendly (and subsequently better for us) sanitizers. The best mix that I use is 50% White Distilled Vinegar and 50% water with a few drops of aroma therapy peppermint oil. The peppermint gave the staunch odor of the vinegar a more appealing fresh scent. Once the vinegar dried the smell seemed to dissipate.

I also purchased stainless steel bowls, which are better for our pets anyway as they can be run through the dishwasher and don’t harbor bacteria like porous plastic bowls do. After working in a vets office and hearing over and over again to use ceramic crock bowls or stainless steel to help prevent problems like canine and feline acne, it was not hard to transition to stainless steel.

I purchased 6 stainless steel bowls and 4 stainless steel buckets for water (water should be fresh, clean and always in a clean container), enough to be able to have at least 2 sets. This way I could put them all in the dishwasher to save time and have extra sanitation. After working in a vets office and hearing over and over again to use ceramic crock bowls or stainless steel to help prevent problems like canine and feline acne, it was not hard to transition to stainless steel.

I also purchased, from a local hardware store two remnant pieces of vinyl (5 foot by 6 foot) to put under their 4 foot by 6 foot kennels for easier clean up. The galvanized steel chain link was easily sanitized but the cement floor was not. Having the vinyl floor piece brightened up the kennel area for an added bonus.

Last but not least, I purchased nitrile disposable gloves to wear while I cleaned or handled the meat.

My procedure is to put on the gloves and measure out the meat, veggies and supplements for the meal. Each dog was then fed and allowed to finish. I always pick up bowls as soon as they are done. All go outside to lick and clean each other off, enjoy some sunlight and do their business then back inside. Meanwhile, I am cleaning bowls, cleaning the counter area with vinegar or loading the dishwasher and then quickly cleaning their respective areas with the vinegar solution. Everyone has a clean kennel to come back to and it literally only takes me a few minutes. From Preparation to clean up, it really only takes me about 20 minutes with 3 dogs in the morning and at night. It takes less time if I get it ready the night before. I am very conscience about what I touch and also making sure all surfaces are cleaned. I save used ziplock bags to enclose the meat packaging prior to throwing it away to help keep trash odor down. I also make sure to keep the dog run clean and I frequently am picking up what little my dogs are now leaving. Again it is substantially less (definitely not nearly the amount they are fed) and also seems to break down and decompose very quickly.

Next week: Where do I get the ingredients and what ingredients should I start with.
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Leah Morse is a certified canine trainer and the owner of Rocky Mountain Classic Canine (http://www.rmclassiccanine.com) Leah can also be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com