Diet and Nutrition
Kitty Cuisine – Choosing the Best Cat Food for Your Pet
Jan 11th
Sometimes in looking at our sweet, lazy house cats we can forget that they are skilled predators under all that fluff. Before we embraced them as constant companions they were used for their prowess at ridding food stores of rodents that would otherwise decimate and contaminate the surplus. But while today’s domesticated felines may catch and consume the occasional bird or mouse, the majority of their diet and nutritional needs are in our hands. What foods offer the best nutrition for cats and how do you choose/supplement thier diet to ensure the best for your pet? More >
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Loading ...Pet Obesity
Jun 8th
Obesity in pets is becoming an epidemic and is a top health concern for pets according to veterinarians. It is estimated that 54 million cats and 34 million dogs in the US are clinically obese. Many pet owners struggle with keeping their pets at an ideal weight…it’s hard to deny those puppy dog eyes and we just want our pets to be happy, right, so why can’t they have a few extra treats if they want them? Unfortunately, a few extra pounds can be detrimental. The excess weight on our pets can cause a variety of other health problems, the same way obesity can have adverse effects on human health. A few extra pounds on a dog may not seem like anything to worry about, but the added weight can exacerbate arthritis, cause joint and bone issues, and it can greatly increase the possibility that your pet will develop diabetes or cardiac/respiratory disease. Thier immune systems can be diminished, making their ability to fight off other illnesses and disease. It’s best to learn how to prevent pet obesity before weight related complications arise, because even if your pet loses weight, the damage may be irreversible. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Pet Birthday Parties – Celebrating Your Best Friend’s Special Day
Apr 27th
Celebrating pet birthdays have been becoming increasingly more popular over the last few years. They can range from private family celebrations to full out doggie pool parties. Gatsby’s 2nd Birthday is just a few days away. His first year was a rough one and that’s when my husband and I decided to start celebrating our furkid’s birthdays.
Since last May, we’ve had 3 birthday parties for the dogs. We haven’t done anything too over the top, just a trip to the dog park, a dog-friendly birthday cake (with candles and singing, of course), and a present or two to share.
I’d like to share a recipe for the cake I am making for Gatsby this year:
PB & Honey Pup-Cakes
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup honey
1 egg
Directions:
Mix together flour and baking soda. Add remaining & mix well. Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and decorate with melted carob, shredded carrots & banana slices.
Maybe our little girl, Sara, will have a puppy pool party later this summer, it sounds like a blast! How will you be celebrating your pet’s birthday this year? Feel free to sound off in the comments section!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Pet Health – Boosting Immunity
Nov 9th
As we enter the cold and flu season for humans, we can sometimes forget that our pets can become sick, too. Canine influenza has become more and more prevalent over the past few years and can be devastating to some of our companions. So what is a loving pet owner to do? How can you boost your dog or cat’s immune system? With just a few simple changes in diet and behavior can build your pet’s immunity and general wellness. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Doggie Diets – How Homemade Pet Food is Worth the Effort
Sep 27th
A couple of months ago I switched my dogs’ & cats’ diets to a homemade one. Every Saturday I spend an hour or two in the kitchen cooking brown rice, vegetables, chicken, and various giblets. I measure vitamin supplements with care. Every week is the same: I cook, measure, mix, puree (for the cats), and generally stink up my house. I was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it. Sure, making homemade food is less expensive than buying a quality dog food that passed my rigorous inspection of the ingredients and nutritional content, but was it really worth all the effort?
In short, yes, I would say it is totally worth the effort. First of all, I know exactly what is in the food that I feed my animals. I know that the mean they are eating is a quality cut and that they are getting every bit of nutrition that they need. In the last few weeks I’ve noticed a lot of changes that justifies (to me) all the effort I put in to making my pets’ meals. The first changes I noticed were a reduced number of bowel movements, which were a smaller and a lot less offensive smelling. The dogs smelled better and needed bathed less frequently. Among other improvements I noticed Gatsby’s fur becoming less greasy and straw-like and much softer with less shedding. Who can complain about less shedding?
One change that I had hoped to see (but have not) was a reduction or end Gatsby’s repeat ear infections and itchy paws. I read that removing corn, soy, preservatives and other allergens while adding Omega 3 and 6 supplements to his diet might alleviate his frequent ear infections and other allergy symptoms. It hasn’t happened yet, in fact, Gatsby just had another ear infection last week. So, it’s off to the Vet’s office again to discuss our next move.
The cats didn’t take to their new food as well as I had hoped. They still prefer dry cat food. I switched them to a higher quality brand of cat food and continually try to supplement their food with fresh meat, fish and greens. Their fur is much softer, though they still shed enough hair to create a new animal every week or so!
Golden Retriever eating treat image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Denhulde
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Doggie Diets, Part 2 – Homemade Meals and Vitamin Supplements
Aug 17th
In Part 1, I explained how to choose a quality dog food from the plethora of brands and flavors on the market. The alternative to commercial diets is creating and preparing your pet’s food at home. This option has gained popularity in recent years with the contamination scares and movements to improve our own diet and health.
Feeding Raw or Homemade Diets
Before the invention of dog food, household pets were fed “people food”. These types of diets worked because they were as varied and nutritious as their owner’s diets, and foods were not filled with preservatives and other impossible to pronounce ingredients. We are now starting to see more disease, allergies, and illness in our pets, and it could have something to do with the quality of the food we are feeding our animals. I like to imagine how I feel when I’ve eaten badly for a few days - say nothing but pizza, chips, & soda. I feel run down and sluggish, my immune system is craving vitamins and nutrients that junk foods don’t provide. A diet like that can be compared to feeding a low quality pet food. Imagine going your whole life on nothing but junk food and preservatives. Thankfully, the pet food industry is following suit and has steadily been improving their offerings. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Doggie Diet, Part 1 – Understanding Pet Food & Pet Food Labels
Aug 10th
Commercial Dog food was first developed in the mid 1800’s and the pet food industry has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. With all the varieties, brands, and marketing messages being tossed around, it is sometimes difficult to know if you are selecting the right food for your pet. Selecting a quality pet food is essential for the health of your dog, and a balanced diet and regular exercise are the foundations for a healthy, happy pet. A quality diet can help prevent disease, alleviate allergies, More >
(+1 rating, 1 votes) Loading ...Iams, Eukanuba Issue Expanded Voluntary Pet Food Recall
Aug 3rd
Iams and Eukanuba form Procter and Gamble Pet have now expanded the voluntary recall of various pet food formulas distributed in the United Stades due to a salmonella contamination risk. You can find a complete list of the foods involved in the recall here. Salmonella can make your pet very sick and handling contaminated food can make you very sick as well. If you feed one of the formulas listed in the recall, DO NOT continue to feed to foods to your pet. If you suspect that the food you have may be involved in the recall, discard the remainder of the food and be sure to wash your hands with soap and hot water after handling. Dishes, bowls and surfaces that may have been in contact with these foods should also be cleaned thouroughly. Children, seniors and those with compromised immune systems should avoid handling the food at all.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Cool Treats for Hot Dogs – Tasty and Creative Frozen Snacks to Beat Summer Heat
Jul 15th
It’s the middle of July, and as we brace ourselves for the next heat wave, I’m thinking of ways to keep my pup cool, too. The evening news features footage of zookeepers serving frozen treats to captive animals – from frozen bananas and fruit juice to whole frozen fish and bloodcicles (awesome if you’re a tiger, I suppose) none of the animals deny a frozen treat for a few minutes of relief from these oppressive temperatures. So, what can we offer our pets at home? There are plenty of options. More >
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Balanced Diet – Feeding Guinea Pigs and Rabbits
Jun 8th
As popular as these pets are, understanding the proper diet of our guinea pigs and rabbits is often cause for confusion, especially in first time owners. I thought it would be beneficial to compose a break down of the foods required of guinea pigs and rabbits for the overall health of these fuzzy little eating machines!
Hays and Grasses
Pellets used to be the main (if not the only) food offered to guinea pigs and rabbits. Studies have shown however, that feeding only pellets can affect the health of the animal. Rabbits and guinea pigs are grazing animals that spend a lot of their day eating. So why aren’t they all round as watermelons? The grasses and shrubs that these animals feed on in the wild are very low in nutrition, so they must eat a lot of them to obtain the amount of nutrients needed each day. Since this grazing behavior is instinctive, our furry friends from the pet store continue to eat all day long just like their wild cousins, except captive animals are eating nutrient-concentrated pellets that can cause obesity if consumed in large amounts. This is why the main diet of any guinea pig or rabbit should be hay, primarily Timothy Hay, which is closest to what they would be feeding on in the wild. Large handfuls of hay every day will help keep your pet in grazing mode which will aid in alleviating boredom, wearing down teeth, and keeping the weight off. You can also occasionally offer Brome, Orchard Grass, Meadow Mix, and Alfalfa to mix things up. Fresh grasses from the yard are also OK (in small amounts) as long as the grass is collected from an area free of pesticides, runoff and pet waste. Be sure the picked grasses do not contain wild mushrooms or berries, and rinse it thoroughly before giving to your pets. More >
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