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October 11, 2023 What causes pet obesity? Obesity is mostly caused by an imbalance between the energy intake and usage — in other words, the dog/cat eats more calories than they can burn. Obesity is also caused by your pet not eating a biologically appropriate diet. For example, a dry food diet will always contain too many carbohydrates for your pets, and they have no biological needs for carbs. Obesity also becomes more common in old age because of the normal decrease in a dog’s ability to exercise, due to arthritis and/or other conditions. Neutering or spaying can lower your dog’s metabolism. And like people, genetics can be a factor. Is My Dog Overweight? How can you tell if your dog is overweight? The easiest way to tell is to see if you can feel his ribs. There shouldn’t be a layer of fat preventing you from feeling the ridges of his ribs. And he should have a defined waist that you can see from above and from the side. You should be able to see where your dog’s chest stops, and his stomach area begins. What To Feed Your Overweight Dog Here are the most effective foods to help your dog lose weight. Raw Diet A whole food, raw meat diet is the best option for your dog. You can buy pre-made frozen raw food. Most should be complete and balanced, and some will contain fruits and vegetables. Higher quality foods won’t have added synthetic vitamins and minerals. Instead, the nutrients come from the ingredients. My favorites are Answers Pet Food and Small Batch Pet Food Low In Starch Whether you feed your dog raw or home-cooked, leave out the starchy foods. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for starch to survive. A diet of protein and fat supplemented by some low-carb fruit and vegetables meets your dog’s... Read More
(Savings at end of Article) A lot of times when we get a dog or cat, we don’t think about their teeth until it’s too late. Keeping your pet’s teeth clean is as important to your pet’s overall health as nutrition, proper exercise and for some pets, routine grooming. Keep an eye on your pet’s teeth. Look at them regularly to avoid dental disease. To check your pet’s teeth, lift the lips all around the mouth, look at the front and back teeth as closely as possible. To start with, there are three kinds of dental debris… Food particles are easy to remove. Just drinking water can eliminate most of the free-floating fragments from around a dog’s teeth. But plaque and tartar are different. Plaque is the sticky biofilm that adheres tightly to every tooth surface. It requires physical scrubbing to remove it. Once cleaned away… plaque returns again within just 24 hours. Left along the gumline long enough, plaque slowly and inevitably turns into a rock-hard, barnacle-like crust referred to as calculus… and more commonly called tartar. Plaque is what you remove with your toothbrush. Tartar is the hard stuff your dentist scrapes away when you get your teeth cleaned. Once plaque builds up on the teeth, it turns into tartar or calculus. Bacteria grows in these areas and eats away at the teeth and gums. The bacteria can get into the blood stream and affect the heart and kidneys. If you find the following, you may need to contact your Vet: Bad breath, reluctance to chew/crying out when chewing, increased salivation, red and/or puffy gums, bleeding gums, tartar/calculus (hard coating on teeth that is usually brown or yellow; results from plaque build-up), missing and/or loose teeth, anything else about the mouth that appears unusual. There are several things... Read More
How diet can cause stress in dogs Unfortunately, dogs can’t talk about their problems so they often express stress in different forms, including: If your dog is showing some of these signs, they might not be getting enough high-quality nutrients to satisfy them. Some dogs for example can’t digest high levels of incomplete proteins and in turn don’t intake the necessary amino acids. On the other hand, dogs who are eating too many simple carbohydrates or sugars can become unfocused, agitated and difficult to train. Here is a good article by Dogs Naturally Magazine about your dog’s diet and his behavior—and why your dog may not be getting what he needs—even if you are feeding a high-quality dry kibble. How To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior With Diet By Julia Langlands ACFBA Last Updated: March 28, 2022 Raw meat and bones offer more than physical health and longevity for your dog. They offer amazing mental health and behavioral benefits too! The answer lies in the gut, your dog’s most underrated organ. Your Dog’s Gut Influences His Mood The gut contains many beneficial bacteria and chemicals that are essential for Knowing that gut influences mood brings diet into the spotlight when it comes to behavior. That’s why this fabulous organ is known as the second brain. The phrase, “You are what you eat,” has never been more relevant to dogs than it is right now. The rise of commercial processed kibble has brought with it a surge of behavior problems. Your dog’s food dramatically influences mood, feelings and actions – behavior itself! The Cycle Of Feelings And Behavior Behavior is a result of both internal and external factors, working together in harmony. Hormones and neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that have many jobs inside your dog’s body. One of these jobs is creating feelings. Feelings result in mood, and... Read More
When talking with our customers about their pet’s diet and dry food is the main food they feed their pets, I like to give some simple additions to make your pet’s diet better without breaking the bank. I understand that dry food may be the only option you can feed your pet due to the cost of a raw diet and that you may have large dogs and or several smaller dogs. Keep in mind that even the best dry food is not an optimal diet for your pet. It will keep your pet in a constant state of dehydration; it will not clean their teeth; it is hard to digest, and most nutrients are cooked out and then added back in either through a synthetic supplement pack or food-based supplements. Keep in mind that adding up to 20 percent fresh food can help tip the scales to provide a healthier pet. Your dry food is already too high in carbohydrates, so when supplementing their diet try to stick with more protein. When adding additional meat, only add up to 20 percent if it is not balanced. If you add a balanced raw or balanced lightly cooked diet, you can add more. If you don’t want your pet to gain weight, reduce kibble a bit. So, what are some easy things to add to your pet’s diet: RAW EGGS: They’re a complete food source. Eggs are one of the most complete sources available of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. By adding eggs to your pet’s meals, you’re boosting the protein in their diet. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse, with a wide range of nutrients, such as The health of the hen laying the eggs is very important. Ideally, you want your dog to eat eggs from organic, pasture-raised healthy chickens. Or source from your local farmer. If your dog will... Read More