What do you feed your pet? Who's advice do you listen to? Knowing what to feed your pet is one of those on-going debates, and one of the most important choices you can make for your pet's welfare.
Just like the modern day fast food fix that has proved less than healthy for human health, the convenience of mass market pet food brands available in all shapes, and sizes, promising tailor-made nutrition , may not be the best way to achieve optimum nutrition for your pet...and there are other solutions. The two methods that seem to feature more and more in this debate are "Raw feeding" and "Home-cooked diets". Before you run a mile at the thought of more time and more expense, it may pay in the long run to take a fresh look at your pet's dietary needs: a longer life and less visits to the vet? Worth a look at any rate.
Like most things regarding health, there is a need for research and expert advice, so here are a few sites you could look at:
You could also look at veterinary surgeon Dr Ian Billinghurst's bestselling book: "Give Your Dog A Bone. The practical Commonsense Way to feed Dogs For a Long Healthy Life"
I would also love to hear about your pet's feeding regime, especially if you have changed diets and noticed a difference!
Fleas could be on the rampage this summer, at least that is the prediction for the UK by a veterinary charity the PDSA (People's Dispensary for Sick Animals). Their experts say that every pet-owning household in the country could have around 20,000 flea eggs at any one time, and the flea population can increase up to one hundred times within the space of six months as they reproduce.
An even worse thought is that the PDSA's vets reckon that at the height of the summer attack, Britain's canine population, around 14 million, can lose as much as 2,200 gallons of blood every day to these bloodthirsty mites! Whatever the statistics are in the UK, the problem of fleas is one that affects pet owners everywhere, and these figures just reinforce the need for us to take comprehensive steps to rid homes and pets of these pests.
According to the PDSA senior veterimary surgeon, Elaine Pendlebury, "Flea eggs fall off your pet wherever it goes in particular where they sleep." (Not a nice thought if your pet likes to curl up in your bed at night!)
Pendlebury adds that "it is vitally important to use the correct flea treatments and dosage for pets. Using a dog flea treatment on a cat can result in fatal poisoning, as can exceeding the recommended dosage, so always consult your vet for advice on the best flea treatment to use. Remember too that treating your pet is only part of the procefure as you will have to treat your home and all of the pets within your household too."
"Everything the dog or cat comes into contact with should be treated with a product recommended by your vet or it is inevitable that the fleas will come back"
You might think that fleas only cause discomfort and repeated scratching to your pet, but in fact fleas can cause very serious health problems: they are one of the most common causes of skin disease in dogs and in severe cases, smaller animals, particularly kittens, can die from anaemia, due to blood loss from the feeding fleas.
Reading this made me scratch instantly! But needless to say the sensible thing to do is to visit your vet for up to date advice and information, your pet will be most grateful!
It is in fact National Flea Week in the UK 19th-25th May 2008, so if you want more information on fleas see www.nationalfeaweek.co.uk
It appears that economic woes due to consequences of the credit crunch, the increased cost of living and the escalating numbers of property foreclosures, are forcing people to abandon animals in numbers never seen before. Families desperate to find ways of cutting costs or who are facing foreclosure on their property, are rendering their pets homeless too. If you want to find out more about this dire situation have a look at the story in USA Today by clicking on the link below, and I will be writing more about this sad trend and the huge strain it is putting on shelters and animal charities on both sides of the Atlantic.
When I first saw the title of Cesar Millan's latest book, "Be The Pack Leader" I wondered if it was directed at me or the dog! You could be forgiven for thinking this was one of those self-improvement bibles or business guru guides to getting ahead, typically the ones you buy but never quite get around to reading.
Well according to Amazon's description "Bestselling author Cesar Millan takes his principles of dog psycology a step further, showing you how to develop the calm-****ertive energy of a successful pack leader and use it to improve your dog's life - and your own.
Filled with practical tips and techniques as well as real-life success stories from his clients (including the Grogan family, owners of Marley from 'Marley & Me' and his popular television show 'Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan), Cesar helps you understand and read your dog's energy as well as your own so that you can move beyond just correcting behavioural issues and take your connection with your dog to the next level.
The principles of calm- ****ertive energy will help you become a better pack leader in every area of your life, improving your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers."
Well if you are looking for new inspiration in your world and your dog's, this sounds like the book for you! Millan has a loyal following, his last book "Cesar's Way" made it onto the New York Times bestseller list, and judging by the reviews of Be the Pack Leader, it has been well received. I have ordered a copy and will let you know what I think.
Dogs Monthly in the UK selected it as this month's favourite title and says that the book answers questions such as:
* How to tell the difference between your dog's personality and possible instability
* The truth about dog behaviour tools (leashes and harnesses to clickers and treats), how they came into use, and Cesar's experiences with them.
*How to understand and fulfil the needs of your dog's breed.
*What is calm- ****ertive energy and how to use it with your dogs and others around you.
Well I am all for communicating calm- ****ertive energy in and out of the home, so perhaps there is no need to call a shrink when dogs can teach us how we can achieve this (with Cesar's help of course)!
For some time now I have been giving fish oils to my children, encouraged by the research that shows that the fatty acids called DHA and EPA found in oily fish can benefit the growing brain, aid concentration and the ability to learn. Well of course it is a no-brainer for kids and as we get older we could all do with a little extra oil in the joints!
But what about Pets? Well I was intrigued to see on a recent visit with Toffee to the vet, that alongside the normal pet vitamins and teeth cleaning chews, were also the same brand of fish oil that I give to the kids. Mine refuse to try the capsules but put up with the rather unpleasant taste of the oil...Toffee being a labrador had no problem with woolfing down the yellow capsule with her lunch!
The vet said that the oils were beneficial for dog's coats, but perhaps more importantly these fatty acids have been shown to work effectively in the same way for pets and humans alike.
Susan McKay, a canine nutritionist writing for Dogs monthly in the UK says that while' the EPA has been shown to be closely ****ociated with joint health, DHA plays an important part in the development of the brain and eyes, and is now identified as an ingredient that could help facilitate learning in young animals. So if you want to have a smarter, more alert and obedient pup, choose a puppy food containing DHA.
Mckay goes on to say that "Both fatty acids have been added into pet foods in such a way that they can exert optimal effects, both in terms of amounts and ratios with other fatty acids."
Well I remember being given cod liver oil as a child, revolting, but even then Granny knew it was 'good for us'. As Mckay says "Science is providing the justification for using more natural ingredients and allowing us to harness their benefits more effectively."
Well one thing seems clear, it can't do any harm, so it is worth a try...let's see if Toffee gets the best coat in town and can start helping the children with their homework...and if I take the Omegas,EPAs DHAs too perhaps I will be able to outrun her in the park!
