HEALTH / NUTRITION TIPS
DISCLAIMER:
The following health and nutrition tips are intended to improve the quality of life for your dog or cat. Only minor health issues are covered in this section and should not be taken as medical advice. It is imperative that you seek the care of a professionally trained veterinarian if any condition persists with your pet for more than a couple of days.
At Edgewoof Pet Bakery we firmly believe that a proper diet, sensible care management and working in coordination with your veterinarian will ensure that your pet will live a long healthy life.
ITCHY / FLAKY SKIN
Many factors can contribute to your pet experiencing itchy and or flaky skin (dandruff) including poor diet, environmental allergins and even weather. If the irritation is minor, (skin not broken and bleeding) switching to a quality food and adding a supplement of salmon oil or Dream Coat by Halo, Purely for Pets, will introduce EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids) and additional vitamins that promote a shiny healthy coat and skin.
For more serious cases consult your veterinarian to make sure your pet doesn't have a more serious allergy condition that requires medication.
MINOR CUTS / ABRASIONS
Clean the affected area with soap and water. An all natural healing salve like Derma Dream can be applied to promote healing.
Puncture wounds, or excessive bleeding requires immediate treatment by a veterinarian.
LOOSE STOOL / DIARRHEA
From time to time our furry friends can experience the unpleasantness of an upset stomach. For minor bouts of loose stool or diarrhea Holistic Solutions by Eagle Pack will help settle their digestive system. Applied directly to your pet's food, the fast acting natural enzymes and bacterias aid in restoring the balance needed in your pet's digestive system. Usually works within a day. Can be used intermittently to help control dogs or cats prone to upset stomach.
If condition persists, it could be a sign of a sensitive stomach requiring a bland diet, or other health issue. Diarrhea can quickly cause dehydration, especially in puppies / kittens or smaller breeds. Make sure there is plenty of water for your pet to drink. Consult your veterinarian if symptoms do not clear up in a couple of days.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR PET IS SAFE..DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO GET INTO CLEANERS OR CHEMICALS THAT COULD PRESENT A POISON HAZARD.
SENSITIVE STOMACH
Many dogs and cats have sensitive stomachs. Usually loose stool, and or vomiting are symptoms. Always have your animal companion evaluated by a veterinarian first. Most cases of sensitive stomach can easily be controlled wth a number of formulas on the market today. Eagle Pack Duck & Oatmeal, Eagle Pack Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon , Wellness Simple Solutions, Wellnes Fish and Sweet Potato, Nutro Chicken and Rice, and even raw diets by Nature's Variety are just a few of the products available to your pet that work in many cases, better than the Science Diet Prescription formulas sold by many veterinarians.
Although I personally believe that for most dogs and cats, the prescription diets marketed by Science Diet are NOT necessary, there are some some cases requiring the use of these foods.
As a responsible care giver to your pet it's up to you to discuss the various options with your vet.
NUTRITION
Boosting your pet's immune system is a great way to ward off potential sickness. Concentrated vitamin C powder for animals added to your pet's food is a natural way to increase their immune system.
Sometimes the nutrients in the food we feed our companions doesn't always get absorbed. Addng a daily vitamin formulated for cats and dogs will ensure they are getting their proper nutrition on a daily bases.
Joint and hip health is essential especially for large breed puppies and in senior dogs and cats. Glucosamine and chondroitin powders or tablets given to your pet on a daily basis will strengthen bones and maintain the all important cartiledge.
RAW DIETS
Feeding a raw diet to our companion animals has been gaining wider acceptance in recent years. The advances in nutrition knowledge for cats and dogs has paved the way for quality, healthy raw food that is easy to feed with only your pet's bowl to clean. Given the growing numbers of raw food producers today it's hard to destinguish high quality vs. lower quality offerings. Since feeding raw food is still unknown territory by a great number of people how can you be sure that what you're buying is really going to be beneficial to your dog or cat?
The best way to ensure that you're getting the best is to read the labels, do the research and ask questions. For example, Edgewoof Pet Bakery offers raw frozen diets by Nature's Variety -
The food is made in an EU (European Union) and USDA Certified Organic Processing Facility.
Formulated with 95% meat and 5% fruits and vegetables. There are no grains or fillers added.
All meat is anti-biotic and hormone free.
All meat comes from USDA inspected facilities.
Nature's Variety Chicken and Turkey Diet is the first and only raw diet scientifically substantiated as complete and balanced for all canine life stages with an AAFCO Feeding Trial.
Even with raw food advertising can be deceptive. Look out for labels that state chicken carcass as a main ingredient! Also, be careful if you're trying to avoid grains. Some brands do contain grains. Look to see if the food is processed in USDA certified / inspected plants. If you are looking for all organic, be sure that you can see the USDA Certified Organic Label,(see below) or ask the manufacturer if it can produce proof that the suppliers they are using are certified organic.
How does your pet benefit from a raw diet? As our customers will attest to, we do not push any one brand or food type over another that is sold here at Edgewoof Pet Bakery. In fact, we firmly believe that your pet is an individual and reacts to foods differently. Brand "X" simply may not work well for your dog or cat, but they may thrive on brand "Y". You may find that you'll have to try two or three brands before finding the one or ones that work best. But you can be assured that if it's sold by Edgewoof Pet Bakery it's good for your pet!
A raw diet is just another option for you, the customer, to choose from. If you're companion is having stomach issues, allergies or has low weight, a raw diet may provide the relief you seek for your pet. Some people feel that a raw diet is more appropriate biologically for their pet which is why we carry Nature's Variety brand frozen raw food.
FOR CAT OWNERS
The nutritional differences between cats and dogs are vastly different. Both belong to the class of "carnivora" but this is where the similarity ends. Dogs display omnivorus eating behaivors much like humans(From an email response to the question of dogs being looked upon as carnivorous or omnivorous in the newsletter of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition.) and can get nutrition from various sources. Cats on the other hand are true carnivors and need high meat protien diets to achieve the best nutrion. It's impossible to think that commercially made kibble (dry food) can be made out of 100% meat. It's just not possible unless you decide to go to an all raw diet. Grains are needed in order to form the kibble. DO NOT BE FOOLED it is true that there are quality differences between the dizzying number of brands on the market today.
Look for brands that use named meat or named meat meals; i.e. Chicken or Chicken Meal. Meal is the muscle meat dehydrated and ground up and is a good source of protien. If a formula contains multiple meat sources such as chicken, pork and fish then all the better. Try to incorporate canned food. Again, there are quality differences so read the lables.
