Spring Pet Care Advice

It’s been a hard winter for many of us, and that makes Spring smell so much sweeter. The birds are singing and nature is going through a renewal.

Animals lose their winter coats in spring so give them a good regular grooming to help get rid of their excess hair, this is good for your pet and good for your home.  Check out General Pet Care Tips for how to clean your house after your pets with tips on how to remove pet hair.

As new plants and flowers burst into life this spring, so too do the symptoms of hay fever. But humans aren’t the only ones who suffer. Blooming plants, grasses and flowers can trigger allergic reactions called atopy in dogs and cats.

The allergy is similar to hay fever that humans suffer. The animal reacts to inhaled particles such as mold, pollen, and dust. But instead of sneezing, pets typically have itchy skin and will persistently scratch, lick and bite to get relief. Like in human sufferers, the allergy is an inherited predisposition.

"If left untreated, dogs and cats with seasonal allergies will scratch or lick themselves constantly, in an attempt to relieve themselves, dogs and cats often create sores that become secondary infections."

If the signs of atopy occur for less than three months out of the year, oral medications (like cortisone) may be used to control itching. In more severe cases, pets are given a skin allergy test to pinpoint what allergies the animal is sensitive to. Your veterinarian can then give injections of the allergic material in minimal doses to build up immunities in your pet’s system. Other treatments for allergies include immunotherapy, antihistamines, steroids and medicated shampoos.

If you suspect that your pet may be suffering from seasonal allergies, please visit your veterinarian.

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Cat Health – Keeping Them Purr-fect

Hi Pet Blog Readers,

Please welcome guest blogger Lilly Sheperd!  Today she has a post that asks us to be proactive in regard to the health of our friendly felines.  She covers how important preventative maintenance can be for your cat and how crucial it is for them to engage in exercise and activity while also enjoying a good diet.  If you have any questions, comments or tips of your own for keeping your cats healthy please let us know in the comments section.  Thanks!

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Cats are extremely agile and active pets known for their curiosity. For this reason, many humans find they are easily humored by the feline species’ innate sense of independence, and enjoy spending time with these furry little beholders of big personalities.

It is no wonder, then, that cat owners want to do whatever it takes to help their animal companions live long and healthy lives. Promoting longevity in your pet is not achieved by any miracle cure, but rather results from consistent effort throughout an entire cat’s life. By combining a well-rounded preventative care regimen, an increase in the amount of exercise your pet experiences, and a boost to the nutritional value of your cat’s diet, you may be able to carry your pet through over a decade of play, laughter, and fun.

Preventative Care Starts Early: Preparing Your Pet for a Long and Healthy Life

One of the most important aspects of health maintenance for your cat is preventative medicine – and prevention begins the moment that a cat is born. Staying up-to-date on regular vaccinations, anti-parasitic medications, and other preventative treatments can severely reduce the risk of your beloved pet developing illnesses and diseases. Since regulations regarding what medicines are required of domesticated animals often change, consultation with your veterinarian on an annual basis is necessary to help you ensure that you stay in compliance with policy.

Another key facet of preventative care for cats ismaintenence of your pet’s dental hygiene – though it is often overlooked by pet owners. The process of taking care of your cat’s teeth and gums is relatively simple: with a small toothbrush and a pea-sized drop of toothpaste that is specially formulated for your cat’s mouth, gently massage the teeth and gum areas to remove plaque and any other buildup. Cats that are more finicky about the process of having their teeth brushed often can substitute crunchy dental health treats, designed to remove plaque as cats eat, for their brushing routine. Frequently serving crunchy dry food to your cat can also reduce the risk of buildup forming inside its mouth.

Achieving Regular Activity: Both Play and Exercise Are Critical to Cat Health

It is very important for cats to have access to toys and enough space for adequate play each day. Surely, stereotypes tell us that cats are fat, lazy, and lounge around all day – and veterinarians agree that it is healthy for cats to have relaxation time as well. However, play can help build the strength of your pet’s muscles, and staying active can prevent troubles with your cat’s joints and ligaments over time. It is far easier for active cats to maintain a healthy weight through engagement in exercise than simply through calorie restriction.

A Nutritious Diet: A Central Part of a Cat’s Healthy Lifestyle

Perhaps the most important part of a pet’s preventative care routine is the maintenance of a healthy, balanced diet. A cat should have a daily diet of healthy cat food. The ideal cat food brand has a high level of animal proteins, and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals that promote your cat’s health. Look for trusted brands that, unlike generic brands, have certification stamps of their safety, and use meats, carbohydrates, and other ingredients that are natural and of high quality. Access to a fresh bowl of clean water is also a key part of maintaining bodily health for a cat.  Get FREE Shipping on orders of $49 or more. Valid within the contiguous 48 U.S. states and to military APO/FPO addresses! Offer Ends Soon! Click here

Did you know that over 54% of the cat population in the United States is overweight? Veterinarians warn that extra weight is an early indicator of disease, and can lead to kidney failures, heart disease, and other kitty illnesses over time. Weight management is based in part on portion control, but also depends upon the food’s nutritional quality. For more information about what your pet’s particular dietary needs are, consult your veterinarian.

When to Consult a Veterinary Nutritionist

Most people know when it's time to see a specialist –– their veterinarian tells them! But it’s not always so simple –– especially when it comes to seeing a nutritionist.

Let me explain:

When pets suffer disorders like fatty liver disease, torn cruciate ligaments, severe allergic skin disease, and end-stage cataracts, practitioners like me recommend specialists like internists, surgeons, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists (among other specialty groups).

It’s not that general practitioners can’t treat these diseases. Rather, it’s that we know others are better qualified than we are to manage them –– at least in the acute phase, or when very specialized equipment or procedures are employed.

Yet as it turns out, not all areas of specialization are treated equally. Consider cardiologists, surgeons, and neurologists. They get plenty of our patients when bad diseases require fancy equipment and even fancier footwork. But nutritionists?

… not so much.

Don’t believe me? Go ahead, ask your own veterinarians for a list of specialty areas in companion animal medicine and I’ll bet nutritionists come very close to the bottom of the list. That is, if they remember to include them at all. (In case you’re wondering, I’m no exception to this not-so-collegial kind of memory lapse.)

Which is kind of sad, really, given the crucial importance of nutrition to the history of veterinary medicine and to pet health in general. After all, keeping pets in the home didn’t catch on until pet food manufacturers made pet-friendly diets cost-effective and convenient. And what’s more obvious to the maintenance of good health than what goes into our pets’ bodies?

Yet nutrition has gotten short shrift in veterinary medicine over the last decades. For plenty of reasons too numerous and complex to detail here, veterinary nutrition has arguably not kept pace with other veterinary disciplines –– and not just when it comes to collegial respect.

Indeed, veterinary nutrition is widely regarded as an industrial rather than clinical branch of vet medicine. And it’s precisely because newly minted nutritionist talent has long been channeled into the pet food manufacturing industry that plenty of veterinarians –– myself included –– have lost respect for nutrition as a clinical practice over the past few decades.

In other words, directly ministering to individual pets in need of veterinary assistance hasn’t historically been the focus of veterinary nutritionists. Fortunately, veterinary nutrition as a discipline has undergone a considerable shift in the past few years. To wit, far more modern veterinary nutritionists are committing their careers to treating particular pets rather than ministering to vast populations under the auspices of big-name pet food companies.

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Trouble is, too few general practitioners like myself have been made aware of this growing trend towards individualized clinical veterinary nutrition. Indeed, too few of us know that we can actually refer our clients to these specialists, much less know who they are or how to find them. Which is why too few of you have been referred to one and why too few pets have reaped the benefits of this growing font of knowledge.

Which brings us back to the point at hand: When should your pet see a veterinary nutritionist? Here are but a few brief reasons to help get your wheels turning on the subject of clinical vet nutrition as you seek newer and better ways to improve your pets’ quality of life:

You should consider a veterinary nutritionist when…
Your veterinarian recommends a specialized diet (aka, “therapeutic” or “prescription” diet) your pet doesn’t want to eat. Palatability is a huge issue.
Your pet suffers from two or more conditions that require different (and even competing) specialized diets.


It’s not uncommon for pets to require one diet for their body’s propensity to form urinary stones and another to help manage their diabetes, food allergies, and/or dietary intolerances. When this happens you shouldn’t stress. Consider it a perfect opportunity to consult a vet nutritionist!
You trust your own home cooking over that of any pet food manufacturer.


Though pet food manufacturers are actually very good at offering a safe and wholesome product (consider the many millions of pets they feed and the relative dearth of adverse events), it’s understandable that many of us would want to cook for our pets. And when you make that decision, how better to do it than to get a recipe from a bona fide nutritionist? This way you know for sure you’re offering a complete and balanced diet.
You make very specific dietary choices for your family and want to extend those to your pets, whenever possible.
There’s nothing specifically wrong but your pet doesn’t seem to thrive on any one diet.

In these cases, you have nothing to lose from consulting a veterinary nutritionist.

So go ahead, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation. And in case he or she doesn’t have one readily on hand, check out the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition’s website. There you’ll find plenty of resources, including individuals, vet schools, and other sources to help you find a veterinary nutritionist that’s right for you.

- See more at: http://www.embracepetinsurance.com/pet-care/when-to-consult-a-veterinary-nutritionist#sthash.317xJ6dm.dpuf

Why you shouldn’t feed your Pet a Supermarket Diet

Buying pet food from the supermarket is quick, convenient and often cheaper. Unfortunately, it's also a lot less healthy and nutritious for your pet, and may cause serious and expensive health problems in the long run.

We know that what we put into our own bodies has a direct impact on how healthy we feel and our resistance to disease. If you survive on a diet of fast food and chocolate, your health will deteriorate and odds are so will your teeth – probably at the same rate that your waistline will increase.

The same goes for our pets. Feeding your cat or dog a bad quality diet is likely to lead to poor health, bad teeth and preventable illness.

The truth is that dogs and cats can survive on just about anything we feed them. But will they thrive? Research shows that feeding a premium diet will help your pet live 30% longer, increase their quality of life AND save you money in the long run by improving their overall health.

It may sound like a huge generalisation, but for the most part supermarket foods are not that great for our pets. Simply buying a brand that is endorsed by your favourite celebrity does not guarantee its quality either!

A diet full of indigestible cheap fillers ends up mostly coming out the other end. That means more poo and flatulence, and less vital nutrients being absorbed by your pet’s body.

Pet nutrition has come a long way over the last ten years. Unfortunately, as a result, the collection of different brands, foods and feeding practices can be a little overwhelming. So what should you look out for when choosing what to feed your furry family member?

Good quality pet food should…

• have meat as the first ingredient

• include none (or very little) cheap fillers

• use good quality ingredients

• be based on sound nutritional research

• be made by a reputable company

Thinking about swapping to a premium pet food? Some of the brands recommended by our vets include Hill’s Science Diet, Petsmart.com

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