Holistic pet care is rising in popularity as a total body wellness for your pets. For those of us not well versed in the holistic approach, what exactly is this?
In simple terms (since that's how I think) the holistic approach for your dog or cat is simply - considering the whole pet, how they would function in the wild, natural, chemical free, mimicking how they would find food and nutrients on their own.
What would your dog eat if they were not feed the food you give them every day? Now compare this to what they are getting? Is this healthy for them? What are their dietary requirements beyond the standard protein, vitamins, and nutrients?
Most animals' domesticated diets don't even come close to their wild counterparts. They may (or may not) be nutritionally sound, but some ingredients may go against thousands (or millions) of years of evolution, simply because there is no way a dog would eat corn meal in the real world in the wild.
The holistic approach attempts to take into consideration what the natural fit for your pet would be, and to as closely as possible mimic that "natural setting". Now, if you stop to think about what that means, this can be extremely hard to give them that type of diet while ensuring they maintain their nutritional balance. There are also varying degrees that people can take this concept. For instance, people started considering the "in the raw" diet for their pets after the Menu Foods scare. They would cook meat for their pets at home, portion it out, and refrigerate the unused portions.
The main problem with the "cook-it-yourself" method is that most people simply don't have the time to do this every week. There are a number of good dog food brands out there that try and fill this niche. Taste of the Wild, Solid Gold Holistique, Canidae - all have foods that better fills this role.
I think most people fall in the middle somewhere in that they understand the concept, but need products that help them get "as close as possible" without driving yourself psychotic over it. There is a short list of things you can avoid to maximize benefit and minimize your effort level.
Some things to avoid:
Soy, Corn Flour, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Colors and Flavors, Rendered Meat Products, Meat By-products, Meals (as in chicken or beef meal), chemicals you cannot pronounce.
This is a common sense list. I'm sure there are more things you could avoid. Personally, I think there can be subtle side effects to eating meats that require such harsh chemicals to counteract weeks of unrefrigerated biological contamination. Studies show that even though bacterialogicals might be dead, their "dead bodies" are not completely benign.
Ingredients that I look for are:
Good sources of protein (Beef, Fish, Bison, Lamb), all natural ingredients I can pronounce, real vegetables - not bright colored shapes to look like vegetables, things that would make sense to be in a dogs diet.
So few people even look at the ingredients of their dog's food. Maybe they are afraid or just don't want to know.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Februrary is National Pet Dental Health Month
Most people don’t realize it, but February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Yep, animals have a month to increase their awareness too. Actually, it’s really to help owners realize how important dental health can be for your cat or dog. Here are a few facts most owners don’t know:
*Good oral health alone can increase your pet’s lifespan by 2-5 years
*80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the time they are 3 years old
*Dry food alone may not be enough to prevent tartar build-up
*Rawhides and other “hard” chew toys are the #1 reason for broken teeth in dogs.
*Dental disease isn’t just a mouth problem—it can affect the heart, liver, and kidneys.
*Severe dental disease leads to bad breath, painful mouths, inability to eat, and tooth loss.
Sounds bad, right? There are actually a lot of ways to combat dental disease, if you only know about them. The first and most important thing you can do for your pet is brush their teeth. Starting when they are puppies and kittens is best (you have those “practice teeth”), but even adults can learn to tolerate or even enjoy a good brushing. There several flavors of toothpaste specifically for animals. My personal preference is vanilla mint, since they have that lovely minty fresh breath after brushing, but you can also find poultry, beef, liver, and malt flavors. They even have tuna for the picky feline. As long as you are brushing at least 3 times a week, you are doing a great job at reducing bacteria and early plaque that forms the tartar.
So—not a chance of brushing teeth, huh? Well, you can try one of the many products developed for those problems animals that are either too painful or fearful to have their teeth brushed. There are the obvious dental treats, from Booda’s Talk to Me Bones to NutraDent chews, Nylabones, Greenies, etc… CET chews, available through your veterinarian, come in several varieties designed to be given daily. These are coated in an enzymatic formula to help kill bacteria that form plaque. The most important thing to remember with ANY of these products, whether digestible or not, is to supervise your pet! Just like a toddler, any of these chewable treats can be swallowed in a large piece and cause problems.
Another popular way to control bad breath and mouth bacteria is to add products to your animal’s water bowl. Think about it…every time they get a drink they are also rinsing their mouth with an antiseptic wash. It doesn’t have a flavor, and even cats will drink water with these additives. The most popular at the moment is CET Aquadent Solution, which contains chlorhexidine.
So—your pet’s teeth are already bad, now what? All hope is not lost! Make an appointment with your veterinarian and have your pet’s teeth evaluated. If there is significant infection your vet will probably prescribe some antibiotics to take for several days before the cleaning procedure. This helps to reduce the risk of a secondary infection. They will also evaluate your pet for any other health concerns that need to be addressed when anesthesia is used. Unfortunately, most pets feel about the dentist like we do---SCARED! This just means that light anesthesia is used to make sure that everything goes smoothly. The use of an endotracheal tube, which goes in their trachea, also minimizes the risk of putting any of that nasty tartar or bacteria in the lungs. Most pets go home the same day their teeth are cleaned with much better breath and more comfortable mouths.
An important consideration when cleaning the teeth is whether or not to add sealant, such as Oravet, to the teeth. Most of the time the enamel is already damaged, so you may notice the teeth looking dirty again within 6 to 8 months of cleaning. A sealant allows all of the small imperfections of the enamel to be protected, and you can go much longer between cleanings. This is especially important in older pets and in pets with another health condition, such as heart disease. Talk to your veterinarian about this new product.
And for root canals, braces, crowns---see your local veterinary dentist. That’s right—there are veterinarians who specialize in dentistry. Dr Bill Scott is a veterinary dentist located in Clarksville, AR, who can do cosmetic and surgical dentistry.
For more information about veterinary dentistry and how to help your pets keep their teeth in top shape, visit www.petdental.com. You can learn about diets, products and see demonstrations on how to brush teeth.
-- Courtesy of Dr. Vava Hooper from Rose Animal Clinic, Bentonville, AR. Rose Animal Clinic is offering $20 off all cleaning during the month of February.
*Good oral health alone can increase your pet’s lifespan by 2-5 years
*80% of dogs and 70% of cats have dental disease by the time they are 3 years old
*Dry food alone may not be enough to prevent tartar build-up
*Rawhides and other “hard” chew toys are the #1 reason for broken teeth in dogs.
*Dental disease isn’t just a mouth problem—it can affect the heart, liver, and kidneys.
*Severe dental disease leads to bad breath, painful mouths, inability to eat, and tooth loss.
Sounds bad, right? There are actually a lot of ways to combat dental disease, if you only know about them. The first and most important thing you can do for your pet is brush their teeth. Starting when they are puppies and kittens is best (you have those “practice teeth”), but even adults can learn to tolerate or even enjoy a good brushing. There several flavors of toothpaste specifically for animals. My personal preference is vanilla mint, since they have that lovely minty fresh breath after brushing, but you can also find poultry, beef, liver, and malt flavors. They even have tuna for the picky feline. As long as you are brushing at least 3 times a week, you are doing a great job at reducing bacteria and early plaque that forms the tartar.
So—not a chance of brushing teeth, huh? Well, you can try one of the many products developed for those problems animals that are either too painful or fearful to have their teeth brushed. There are the obvious dental treats, from Booda’s Talk to Me Bones to NutraDent chews, Nylabones, Greenies, etc… CET chews, available through your veterinarian, come in several varieties designed to be given daily. These are coated in an enzymatic formula to help kill bacteria that form plaque. The most important thing to remember with ANY of these products, whether digestible or not, is to supervise your pet! Just like a toddler, any of these chewable treats can be swallowed in a large piece and cause problems.
Another popular way to control bad breath and mouth bacteria is to add products to your animal’s water bowl. Think about it…every time they get a drink they are also rinsing their mouth with an antiseptic wash. It doesn’t have a flavor, and even cats will drink water with these additives. The most popular at the moment is CET Aquadent Solution, which contains chlorhexidine.
So—your pet’s teeth are already bad, now what? All hope is not lost! Make an appointment with your veterinarian and have your pet’s teeth evaluated. If there is significant infection your vet will probably prescribe some antibiotics to take for several days before the cleaning procedure. This helps to reduce the risk of a secondary infection. They will also evaluate your pet for any other health concerns that need to be addressed when anesthesia is used. Unfortunately, most pets feel about the dentist like we do---SCARED! This just means that light anesthesia is used to make sure that everything goes smoothly. The use of an endotracheal tube, which goes in their trachea, also minimizes the risk of putting any of that nasty tartar or bacteria in the lungs. Most pets go home the same day their teeth are cleaned with much better breath and more comfortable mouths.
An important consideration when cleaning the teeth is whether or not to add sealant, such as Oravet, to the teeth. Most of the time the enamel is already damaged, so you may notice the teeth looking dirty again within 6 to 8 months of cleaning. A sealant allows all of the small imperfections of the enamel to be protected, and you can go much longer between cleanings. This is especially important in older pets and in pets with another health condition, such as heart disease. Talk to your veterinarian about this new product.
And for root canals, braces, crowns---see your local veterinary dentist. That’s right—there are veterinarians who specialize in dentistry. Dr Bill Scott is a veterinary dentist located in Clarksville, AR, who can do cosmetic and surgical dentistry.
For more information about veterinary dentistry and how to help your pets keep their teeth in top shape, visit www.petdental.com. You can learn about diets, products and see demonstrations on how to brush teeth.
-- Courtesy of Dr. Vava Hooper from Rose Animal Clinic, Bentonville, AR. Rose Animal Clinic is offering $20 off all cleaning during the month of February.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Poisons For Your Dog
With Valentine's Day coming up, I find it rather alarming that so many people feed their dog chocolate - even though it is highly publicized as a toxin for dogs. They say it never bothers them and they feed it to them all of the time.
While I don't choose to let my dogs live on the edge that far, I thought I would publish the ASPCA list of substances you shouldn't feed your dog, just in case you had an urge - and this is partly because I saw a post circulating around about raisins and liver failure for one particular dog. Raisins have been on the Do Not Feed list for some time now, and this is a case where this kind of information just doesn't reach enough people, or they choose to ignore it, because "it never bothered them before" and now it's too late. Hint Hint!
This list (which we consult all of the time) is the reason we don't have an oatmeal raisin dog treat. Also, the sharp reader will notice that garlic is also on this list, and some of our treats have garlic in them. While we don't just ignore this, most research points that garlic was added to the list primarily because they are in the same family as onions, and onions are very much toxic for dogs.
While garlic is a natural flea repellent, the amounts that it would take to do any harm would be several whole cloves in one sitting. We add a few tablespoons to a batch of 400 treats. I have family members that feed garlic suppliments to their dogs with no problems. I personally don't think garlic has any ill efects, but I imagine a few dogs can have reactions the same as people do - and no single rule works 100% of the time for everyone.
So, I guess the bottom line is that I can find a piece of research saying garlic is ok for dogs for every piece out there saying it is bad. Chocolate, on the otherhand, does not have any such backing - or raisons. So, do your homework - Here's the list:
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol
Warm Weather Hazards
- Animal toxins—toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost piles Fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming-pool treatment supplies
- Fly baits containing methomyl
- Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde
Medication
Common examples of human medications that can be potentially lethal to pets, even in small doses, include:
- Pain killers
- Cold medicines
- Anti-cancer drugs
- Antidepressants
- Vitamins
- Diet Pills
Cold Weather Hazards
- Antifreeze
- Liquid potpourri
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait
Common Household Hazards
- Fabric softener sheets
- Mothballs
- Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc)
Holiday Hazards
- Christmas tree water (may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach.
- Electrical cords
- Ribbons or tinsel (can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction—most often occurs with kittens!)
- Batteries
- Glass ornaments
Non-toxic Substances for Dogs and Cats
The following substances are considered to be non-toxic, although they may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some animals:
- Water-based paints
- Toilet bowl water
- Silica gel
- Poinsettia
- Cat litter
- Glue traps
- Glow jewelry
Courtesy ASPCA (http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_poisonsafe)
While I don't choose to let my dogs live on the edge that far, I thought I would publish the ASPCA list of substances you shouldn't feed your dog, just in case you had an urge - and this is partly because I saw a post circulating around about raisins and liver failure for one particular dog. Raisins have been on the Do Not Feed list for some time now, and this is a case where this kind of information just doesn't reach enough people, or they choose to ignore it, because "it never bothered them before" and now it's too late. Hint Hint!
This list (which we consult all of the time) is the reason we don't have an oatmeal raisin dog treat. Also, the sharp reader will notice that garlic is also on this list, and some of our treats have garlic in them. While we don't just ignore this, most research points that garlic was added to the list primarily because they are in the same family as onions, and onions are very much toxic for dogs.
While garlic is a natural flea repellent, the amounts that it would take to do any harm would be several whole cloves in one sitting. We add a few tablespoons to a batch of 400 treats. I have family members that feed garlic suppliments to their dogs with no problems. I personally don't think garlic has any ill efects, but I imagine a few dogs can have reactions the same as people do - and no single rule works 100% of the time for everyone.
So, I guess the bottom line is that I can find a piece of research saying garlic is ok for dogs for every piece out there saying it is bad. Chocolate, on the otherhand, does not have any such backing - or raisons. So, do your homework - Here's the list:
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol
Warm Weather Hazards
- Animal toxins—toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost piles Fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming-pool treatment supplies
- Fly baits containing methomyl
- Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde
Medication
Common examples of human medications that can be potentially lethal to pets, even in small doses, include:
- Pain killers
- Cold medicines
- Anti-cancer drugs
- Antidepressants
- Vitamins
- Diet Pills
Cold Weather Hazards
- Antifreeze
- Liquid potpourri
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait
Common Household Hazards
- Fabric softener sheets
- Mothballs
- Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc)
Holiday Hazards
- Christmas tree water (may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach.
- Electrical cords
- Ribbons or tinsel (can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction—most often occurs with kittens!)
- Batteries
- Glass ornaments
Non-toxic Substances for Dogs and Cats
The following substances are considered to be non-toxic, although they may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some animals:
- Water-based paints
- Toilet bowl water
- Silica gel
- Poinsettia
- Cat litter
- Glue traps
- Glow jewelry
Courtesy ASPCA (http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_poisonsafe)
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