Hairballs! Yuck!

Cats get hairballs. They just do. Ok, so what to do about them? First, make sure you're feeding a high quality kibble, canned or raw diet. Fiber is the key to less frequent hairballs. In the wild, cats took care to add fiber with yes, feathers and fur while eating their prey.  Today, if your feline is indoors and not out hunting make sure to add fiber to the diet if you are having frequent hairball issues. Read the cat food label to look at the fiber content within the guaranteed analysis. 8% is a good number. If you are wanting to add more fiber to the diet you can accomplish that with pumpkin (canned with no sugar, please) or veggies. Although, most cats are not into veggies (kinda like the kids). Cats are carnivores and as meat eaters that is what excites them. If all else fails, there are natural supplements on the market today to help. NutraVet makes a hairball gel that works. If you have any questions, just let us know we're here to help! Furry Friends Inc.

Rotational Diets

The pet food nutrition experts are talking a lot about rotational diets for dogs. This means you want to change up the diet as often as you like   If you ate the same food everyday you might become bored and you would most likely not get all the nutrients the body requires for optimum health. Changing up your dogs diet means changing the protein source or keeping on the same kibble and adding some high quality canned food or raw food to their diet.  This allows your dog to get excited every time you feed him.

Try and stay with more common protein sources like chicken, lamb, pork and beef. A dog can get an allergy to anything at anytime. Chances of getting an allergy is when you are feeding that same diet all the time. Mixing it up is a good thing. If at all possible, try to stay within one manufacturer food sources. The basic ingredients are typically the same and there is less of a food transition concern. If your dog has a sensitive stomach try some canned pumpkin during the switch  or use the Fruitables product called Switch. Don't try the more unique protein sources like duck, rabbit or kangaroo. If your dog has already been exposed to these protein sources the allergy may extend to all of those and you will be out of luck if and when an allergy strikes. Remember, the common signs of an allergy include hot spots, ear infections and licking paws. If you see any of these symptoms, it's time to change the diet as there may be a food sensitivity.Check out the new interactive feeder

What's New At the Zoo?

I just got back from Super Zoo in Vegas where we walked four football fields of new vendor products looking for just the "right stuff."  I also attended some great educational seminars by leading industry speakers. I went to seminars on weight control for pets, skin and coat issues, and nutritional reviews by leading scientists and veterinarians. In the coming blogs, I will be sharing this info with you. Today, let me share with you what was new at the Zoo! First, let me tell you about the awarded best products. There is a new feeding "bowl" that doesn't look like a bowl at all. It is made of a hard material that sits up like grass. The pet food is poured into the bowl and it truly slows the pet down while eating. There is a video showing a dog eating in a few minutes with an old style bowl and now the new bowl takes the pet about twenty minutes to complete a meal. Now, that is an effective product.
The next product that won first place is called ifetch. Ifetch is a ceramic container with two holes.  The first hole is on the top for putting balls into and the second hole spits the ball out to throw the ball for your dog. How about that?  It plugs in or uses batteries. It is in its infancy stages right now and going to manufacturing. It was a lot of fun and your dog can actually learn to play ball on his own. Of course,it's no fun to play by yourself. Moral of that story, get out and play with your pet.

Allergies or Yeast?

Seasonal Allergies? Or Yeast Infection?

Allergies can get pretty expensive with testing, changes in foods, supplements and the list goes on. But, is it really an allergy? Does it appear in the spring and then go away in the fall? You might want to consider yeast being the culprit. Check out the symptoms of a yeast infection: chewing or licking the feet, scratching the ears, or head shaking, cyclic manifestations of symptoms, hair loss (especially on the tail and upper back), Speckles, like black dots on the underbelly, a foul smell and/or greasy hair, baldness and black skin when associated with hair loss. All of these symptoms point to yeast, and when it happens the local immune system doesn't function properly and yeast starts to bloom and invade the body. Veterinarians often miss these early signs of yeast infection. We often recommend a product called DerMagic Skin Hot Spot Salve. It is an all natural product that heals and absolutely makes your pet a happy camper again. So, before you spend all that money and think your pet has allergies try a natural way. Check out DerMagic here

I've Tried EVERYTHING And My Dog Is Still Fat!

I hear that comment on a daily basis. Every dog is unique and every dog can benefit by a custom diet. Just like us people, we don't all respond to the same thing when it comes to losing weight. So, experiment...try a lower calorie kibble, or switch to a raw diet or both. Most importantly, check out the REAL number of calories your furry friend should be eating every day. Feeding a couple of times a day helps the blood sugar stay at an even level which helps a dog feel satisfied and content. This also helps with a dog that has a food anxiety. Rule of thumb, feed twice daily. 
Now, let's talk about that raw diet. I'm not talking about going to the store cooking chicken and adding rice. This can really backfire on you because your dog is not getting the right nutrients. We want a complete and balanced diet that has all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs daily. Check out Nature Variety's line up which we carry at the store and online. Check out a good raw diet here If you have any questions, let me know. We're here to help.

Should I Switch Dog Food?

Today there are several brands, flavors, sizes of kibble, protein sources and variety of dog foods. Sometimes you have to wonder should my dog eat the same thing every day of his life? The short  answer is probably not. Rotational diets have become popular today for good reason.  Dogs eating the same thing all the time can develop allergies or food sensitivities. One of the common protein food sensitivities is chicken.  Today we carry chicken, lamb, duck, turkey, wild boar, duck, bison, venison, whitefish, salmon and the list goes on. Each source provides different nutrients to your furry friends like it does for our human bodies.  Some folks like to stay with the same kibble and add some high quality canned foods. Remember, no sugars and no chemical preservatives. If your dog has a sensitive stomach go extra slow transitioning to a  different food. There are also products available like Switch which makes transitioning to new foods easy. It is a combination of different types of pumpkin and ginger. Check our new foods here
Let me know if you have any questions and mix it up your furry friend will appreciate it.

Where Did All The Chicken Jerky Go?

Safe USA Chicken Jerky Treats

We've had several clients come into the store recently wondering where their dog's chicken jerky treats have gone to. They go to the grocery store and just can't find it anywhere. Let me solve that mystery for you. The FDA continues to get reports of sick dogs sometimes resulting in death from these chicken treats made in China. If you are feeding treats made from China (check the very fine print) you need to reconsider and throw them away. It is not worth the risk!  We have heard of dogs in kidney failure and bouts of pancreatitis that can kill your dog.
If you are feeding duck treats or other treats from China-throw them away!  The FDA cannot seem to find the cause however, there have been some discussions of the glycerin being the culprit in these treats. Whatever the cause, please buy USA treats. Yes, you will pay more, but knowing the safety standards from these treats far outweigh the cost.  I have a few clients dehydrating their own chicken however, I caution that you do that process correctly. One woman came to us telling us she almost killed her own dog when she did not cook the chicken properly. She spent a lot of money at her vet getting her sick dog well.
Please make sure to read the source of the treats. Some companies are putting "packaged in the United States" on the packages however, it does not say MADE in the US.  I know your furry friend is part of your family. So, just like our children be careful and don't be fooled by high level marketing.  Come to our store or look online at our safe and healthy treats for your pet.