Pet The World

Many individuals and companies place a great deal of emphasis on food products that are wholesome and natural in their composition in an effort to ensure that no artificial chemicals and other harmful agents are ingested by animals.

Companies like Nordic Naturals ensure that Omega3 fatty acids and all-natural vitamins A and D are included in cod liver oil products for animals, with 100% natural vitamin E and no artificial colors or flavoring. They ensure good health at reasonable rates, starting at $19. All nutrients and essential vitamins are taken into account by companies whose business is pet food.

Each animal?s body composition is kept in mind when a particular food item is prepared.

For example, a company called Prowl has ensured a diet for cats that is free of grains. It contains the right amount of proteins, fat, and fiber, the nutrients being derived from eggs, yam, zucchini, potatoes, spinach, flaxseed, honey, and cranberry. This can be a diet by itself or can be interspersed with home-cooked food. These provide effective safeguards against urinary tract infections and overall good heath.

For dogs, the protein is derived form meat, chicken, and fish with tapioca acting as a natural binder as it is a highly digestible gluten-free ingredient. Thanks to new research findings, there has been a thrust towards the development of pet foods with reduced carbohydrates and increased protein percentages.

There are many companies that make pet food. Each one ensures that the food they produce is precise in its composition and takes into account the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals, and that it ensures a wholesome meal each time. They also ensure that the pet’s digestive system works efficiently.

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Just like humans, almost all pets do benefit from a vitamin supplement. And just as there has been considerable controversy in the medical fraternity over whether humans need extra vitamins, so too do many vets dispute the need for nutritional supplements for pets.

The argument usually goes something like this: “The majority of commercial petfoods contain added vitamins. So even though your pet’s diet may be inadequate, the vitamins added to pet food compensates for this.”

Wrong! Many human breakfast cereals contain added vitamins - they’re sprayed on after the processing. And it has been established that you would ingest more vitamins by eating the packaging than you do by eating the cereal inside. It’s a gimmick. A gimmick to get you to buy the cereal and feel comfortable in the “knowledge” that you’re getting some vitamins even if you don’t eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. But guess what? It doesn’t compensate. Even the fruit and vegetables we buy today have very little in them by way of vitamins and minerals, by comparison to what they should ideally contain. Unless you’re buying organic fruit and veges direct from the farm and eating them the same day, you’re not optimising your vitamin intake from fresh food.

This is why many of us now routinely supplement our diet with vitamin tablets, even when we eat a balanced diet. If we don’t, we’re likely to be vitamin deficient to some degree. That’s why cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative conditions are at an all time high, and are still on the increase. A hundred years ago these conditions were unknown.

It’s the same for our pets. In fact, they’re generally in a worse position than us in relation to an adequate intake of vitamins. That’s because, contrary to what many of the so-called “authorities” will have you believe, the garbage that’s sold to us as pet food is causing your pet irreparable harm. So the fact that it may have some “added vitamins” is just a complete gimmick, and absolutely worthless from your pet’s health’s point of view.

It’s vital that you feed your pet something as close to its natural diet as possible, and in most cases that’s still not enough. Supplementation is essential.

Your pet’s natural diet is exclusively raw food. Is that what you’re feeding your pet? Or do you opt for the convenience of commercial pet food some or all of the time? Unless you can replicate what your pet would eat in the wild, you owe it to your pet to give a vitamin supplement. And who can replicate exactly what they’d eat in the wild? In exactly the same proportions?

No one. So you know what that means? You do need to give your pet a vitamin supplement.

For information on vitamins for pets, go to:
http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/Vitamins

Vitamins for pets have produced remarkable results in animals with specific health concerns such as allergies or other skin irritations, dull coat, lack of energy, as well as much more serious problems like cataracts, epileptic seizures, tumors and leukemia.

Naturally, you should ALWAYS consult your vet with ALL health concerns, but if your pet does have a serious health problem, ask your vet whether a vitamin supplement could help. And if your pet is already reasonably healthy, keep him/her that way by giving a vitamin supplement. It can’t do any harm! And you could well be ensuring that your pet has a longer life practically overflowing with health!

(c) 2004, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special report, click here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com

And to read some truly amazing stories on how vitamins can help your pet, go to: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/HPTestimonials

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Until he has been weaned, a puppy plays with his littermates and playthings aren’t necessary. They are even uninteresting and possibly dangerous. From the age of 6 to 8 weeks, he starts to take an interest in toys. Almost anything will do, as long as it cannot be swallowed, or cause injury. Puppies enjoy pulling things, shaking things, carrying things around in their mouths, and as soon as they are able to run without tripping, they enjoy chasing things. This is the moment to buy you pet a rubber ball.

Not just any kind of a ball, and certainly not the soft foam rubber type, (which can be chewed to bits and swallowed), not the inflatable children’s ball that can puncture with his sharp baby teeth. Buy him a hard rubber ball that is too large to be swallowed but small enough for him to hold comfortably in his mouth. Buy it, like all his toys in a pet store, not a toy store, there is a difference in the types of materials used.

A larger dog can be given a used tennis ball, but never give any dog a golf ball. Golf balls can be swallowed by some of the larger breeds, and they all contain a poisonous liquid core. Never give a puppy a stuffed animal, or an object of painted wood or flimsy plastic. Avoid toys resembling actual household objects like gloves or slippers, unless you are prepared to face the consequences of him going after the real thing. While children can be warned against putting harmful objects in their mouth, dogs are obliged to pick up everything with their mouth.

When a puppy is separated from his littermates, he misses them intensely at first. The best substitutes for his playmates are a few toys, (one is not enough), with which he can play alone, with children, or with you.

Try to schedule a regular daily playtime. Never right after a meal, because he needs quiet for proper digestion, and never after a long period of confinement, because the excitement of play will make him want to urinate. Before mealtimes is good, as well as before bed time too, but only if he is given an opportunity to empty his bladder before retiring for the night. Whatever the time, the 10 or 15 minutes you devote to playing with your puppy will be the high spot of his day.

During the puppy’s teething period, (from 3 to 7 months, more or less), you should provide him with chewing toys of digestible rawhide or, even better, a harmless nylon bone of suitable size. They will keep him occupied for hours on end. They will also prevent a lot of destruction. When you spot him gnawing on a chair or table leg, it is much more effective to say “NO” and immediately offer him the alternative of a chewable bone or ball.

Biting and chewing are perfectly natural and instinctive traits of all dogs. Trying to suppress this activity by scolding and not offering an alternative is useless. At teething time, it is not only obsessive but also very practical in dislodging baby teeth to make way for permanent ones. Like a child, your puppy will become attached to his old toys to those, at least that he hasn’t destroyed or lost. But as he grows bigger, you should think of replacing them with other more suitable to his size and strength.

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can read articles about anything pets as well as shop for the latest designer pet carriers, dog accessories, dog harnesses , and more for their best friend. Feel free to check out the site at http://www.joncopets.com

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