With the recent allegations on social media groups towards Purina, one of the largest pet food manufacturers, it is more important than ever to do proper research when choosing the right food to feed your furry friend!
Common Mistakes When Choosing:
Many pet owners select diets for their pets based purely on marketing as opposed to factual information. Just because the pet food claims to contain or actually contains ancient grains or superfoods doesnât make them the best options for your pet. So rather than selecting based on persuasive labels, check the ingredients list and do research into the manufacturer/pet food makers!
Try avoiding blindly following recommendations from the pet store, as employees may be promoting the food that has the highest profit margin, the storeâs own private label brand, or the ones with the best marketing. Again, do your own research beforehand but be cautious of which review sites you visit as well!
Good Guiding Principles:
Ensuring the health and safety of your pet is of utmost significance, so here are some suggestions that may help you make good decisions on your petâs meal plan.
Consult your veterinarian – If youâre receiving advice from anyone, your best option is a veterinary nutritionist, or even a general veterinarian. Aside from giving check ups and prescribing medication for pets, they are also the most optimal choice when it comes to meeting your petâs nutritional requirements. Whether itâs going into the office or receiving a virtual consultation, veterinarians can provide recommendations on a variety of meal plans based on your petâs preferences, food allergies, and medical conditions. Remember- your vet knows your pet best!
âDonât trust everything onlineâ – The same saying applies to making decisions for your petâs health. From social media to random websites online, you should always be weary of nutritional advice from the internet. While there are a lot of helpful resources on the web, it may be difficult to differentiate between reliable and false information. Instead of immediately implementing the suggestions on the website, make sure you check the credibility of the author and look for other research that has been done on the topic. To be safe, it may also be a good idea to ask your veterinarian about the validity of the information.
Question the safety and health of pet food (both dry foods and fresh food)- Pet food companies are required to provide information on the foodâs nutrition content and calorific value, so itâs important to look at the pet food labels and ingredient lists on packages for a basic understanding of the food. However, that shouldnât be the only thing youâre looking for. For example, information pertaining to the qualified nutritionists involved or the quality control practices implemented during food development may not be included on the label. Instead of disregarding the importance of those factors, you can reach out to the manufacturers to confirm the safety and health of the product.
Pet insurance is often overlooked by pet owners. However, having a policy can help save you from unexpected costs in the case that your cat or dog has needs emergency care or other medical care. Just as with insurance policies for humans, not all pet insurance policies or pet insurance companies are the same and understanding the differences and the types of coverage is extremely important for guaranteeing your pet and your walletâs well-being!
Types of Pet Insurance:
An accident-only plan for vet bills related to accidents such as broken bones or swallowing foreign objects.
An accident and illness plan provides broader protection but at a higher cost, including infections, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and allergies.
Routine wellness or preventative care plans provide reimbursement for things like immunizations, flea treatments, and spay/neuter.
How Does Pet Health Insurance Work?
Pet health insurance works mostly on a reimbursement basis, meaning you pay the vet up front and file a claim for a reimbursement on the eligible veterinary care expenses. The amount you get back, like most other insurance policies, depends on your deductible, and the reimbursement percentage (usually 70-90%) and annual limit amount you chose, which all impact your monthly or annual premium. Some insurance companies offer an unlimited annual limit option.
What Does Pet Insurance Not Cover?
Although it would be great to have unlimited pet insurance coverage, there are several costs not covered by insurance, such as pre-existing conditions (medical conditions that started before insurance went into effect), non-vet related costs, and routine care. The most common examples of services excluded from pet insurance are pregnancy, DNA testing exam fees, accidents/illnesses caused by intentional violence (i.e. fighting, racing, cruelty, neglect), elective & preventive care procedures, and experimental treatment (a clinical trial where the treatment is not guaranteed to work).
Unless you purchased a wellness or routine plan, you will still have to pay for regular care and the other costs of owning a pet, such as grooming, toys, pet food, vitamins, and boarding fees. However, there are multiple carriers/pet insurance companies, such as Embrace and Fetch, that can cover wellness and boarding fees in certain instances.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?
In the most recent report, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association stated that the average monthly cost of accident policies for cats and dogs in 2021 was $49, while the monthly cost of illness policies was about $29.
Although these insurance policies may seem pricey, there are several pet insurance companies that provide cheaper alternatives. Lemonade, for example, offers an insurance plan for dogs and cats, which cost a monthly payment of $19.44 and $11.00, respectively.
However, the price of pet insurance plans/pet insurance quotes vary depending on a range of factors. Some of the leading factors include your zip code, your petâs age/breed/size, the company you choose, the reimbursement percentage, the annual deductible, the type of coverage plan you choose, and any optional additions you select.
Many people think that dogs and cats, or any animal for that matter, is better at enduring cold than a human being. While this may be true, this varies widely between the thickness of your petâs coat, and harsh winters can still put your pets at risk of developing complications. Young, old, or thin furred animals are especially susceptible to cooler windier temperatures. A hunched posture, shivering, barking, or whining are all possible indications that a dog is too cold. Here are some things you can do to protect your pet from cold weather!
1.Wearing Warm Clothing – Perhaps the easiest and most effective way to keep your pets warm outside is to buy them a winter coat or jumper to help retain their naturally produced body heat. Not only is it super cute, but provides a much needed extra layer of warmth and protection from the wind and cold temperatures. When looking for pet clothing, pay special attention to reviews regarding their comfort (tightness, itchiness, etc.) so that your pet doesnât feel the need to take it off!
2. Building an Insulated Shelter – If your pet lives outside of your home in the backyard, make sure that their home is well insulated and protected from the winter outdoor elements. This means using sufficient padding such as straw and cedar shavings, and having fleece lined beds and blankets. Also make sure that there are no leaks in the roof so that their home can stay dry!
3. Staying Well Fed – During the winter months, your pet requires more energy to keep themselves warm. The increased expenditure of energy may cause your pet to become hungrier, so itâs best to adjust their meal plan so that they have a sufficient amount of calories to regulate their body temperature during colder periods of the year. However, if pet obesity is of concern, it is best to consult a veterinarian to get a second opinion on your furry friendâs nutritional needs.
4. Winter Grooming – Your petâs coat becomes more important during the winter season than ever before, serving as their main source of warmth and protection from cold temperatures. Contrary to a common misconception, growing your petâs coat will not ensure insulation. Instead, you should consider implementing a winter grooming plan to maintain the condition of your petâs fur. Doing so will not only fight against skin problems and reduce shedding, but will also ensure your pet is comfortable throughout the season. Itâs also important to note that outdoor pets will be more exposed to mud, puddles, and wet grass, which may potentially cause dirtier coats. Fighting these unsanitary and disagreeable effects means staying consistent with your petâs grooming and bathing routine, preferably washing your pet monthly and cleaning them with warm water.
5. Additional heat sources – Despite following all of the suggestions listed above, your pet may still require additional heat sources to keep themselves warm in colder weather. Possible heat sources include heat bricks, heat lamps, and space heaters. While these additions are generally recommended for indoor spaces, they are also effective in particular outdoor settings. When used in either location, make sure that the heat sources are away from flammable materials and are not left unattended for extended periods of time.
A new unknown respiratory illness in dogs seems to slowly be making its rounds around the continental United States, with patchy reports coming from the states of Oregon, Colorado, California, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Washington, Vermont, Maryland, Idaho, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Veterinarians are comparing the symptoms of this infection with âkennel cough,â a term used to describe virus or bacterial infections that cause sudden severe coughing. While a majority of dogs are not being infected with this new pathogen, the ones that do are not responding well to typical treatments and often deteriorate quickly. Strange illnesses like these remind us of the health dangers around us and how we and our pets need to be mindful about the environments we find ourselves in.
Current Research:
When the very first reports of this new illness cropped up, researchers immediately began looking into the potential causes. After sequencing the DNA and RNA of the pathogen, they found no match to anything already known. The DNA does appear to be closely related to a small obscurely known bacteria, Mycoplasma. While work is ongoing to learn more about this mystery bacterium, no one can say itâs the culprit just yet!
Safety Tips:
Staying informed: Before doing anything, you should contact your petâs veterinarian or stay updated with your local news to figure out whether or not an outbreak of this respiratory illness is occurring in your area.
Disease detection: Look out for any symptoms of the illness, such as coughing, sneezing, lethargy, and runny eyes. If you think your pet has the disease, you can ask your veterinarian to conduct diagnostic testing and detect the disease.
Social distancing: Similar to Covid-19 and other respiratory infections, this mystery outbreak spreads in public areas, such as grooming shops, dog parks, and daycares. Itâs recommended that pet owners stay cautious and distance themselves in these social areas, especially if their pet is more at risk of developing the illness.
Vaccination: The best way to keep your pet safe is by frequently visiting the veterinarian and ensuring your pet is up to date on all vaccinations. Whether thatâs vaccinations against canine diseases, such as canine influenza, parvovirus, or kennel cough, these precautions ensure the health of your petâs overall immune system.
Travel precautions: During the holiday season, traveling becomes commonplace. If you decide to bring your pet along, make sure they arenât traveling with any symptoms or illnesses that may get exacerbated by the current outbreak. Itâs also important to consider the dangers of air travel since environmental factors such as heat and stress can leave your pet more vulnerable to this new respiratory disease.
During the holiday season, hosting or attending holiday parties become commonplace. And we all know these events wouldnât be complete without tables of festive appetizers and decadent desserts. While bringing your furry companions to holiday celebrations may seem like a great idea, there are several precautions you may need to take so your pet doesnât obtain any toxic holiday scraps from the dinner table. We have come up with a list of foods that are both safe and dangerous for pets to ensure you have a healthy, stress-free holiday feast.
Safe Foods
There are several foods that are both delicious and nutritious for your furry friend. Dogs and cats enjoy a number of fruits such as pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apples, melon, berries, and bananas. Your pet may be less inclined to eat them, but vegetables such as corn, green beans, spinach, carrots, peas, and squash may also be an ideal choice due to their anti-inflammatory and digestion benefits. Foods that are still acceptable, but should be fed in smaller amounts consist of cooked egg, plain yogurt, low fat cheese, peanut butter, and salmon. While these foods are all safe to eat, make sure that none of these options contain seeds, stems, cores, or other elements that act as a choking hazard. It may also be tempting to give flavorful food samples to your pet, but itâs important to refrain from overly seasoning the foods as it can cause upset stomachs, abdominal pain, bloating, and digestive issues. Instead, opt for the naturally flavored foods listed above, or commercial pet treats. Remember, though, that a large amount of non-toxic and âhealthyâ foods may still present health issues, so make sure to consider moderation when feeding your pet seasonal scraps!
Questionable Foods
Although turkey and chicken are completely non-toxic towards pets, be mindful of any bones or excess amounts of fat left on the meat before feeding it to them. Countless numbers of pets each year are rushed to the emergency room following the ingestion of bones, and eating even small amounts of fatty food or oily food, such as turkey skin, gravy, or bacon, can cause stomach upset or inflammation of the pancreas in your pets. So being mindful in these cases is extremely important! Other popular foods like nut-based butters such as peanut butter can also have artificial sweeteners in them, namely xylitol, which can be incredibly harmful to your pet if ingested. It is therefore best to generally stay away from any sort of sugar free or âliteâ sweetened foods.
Unsafe Foods
Many foods that are unharmful to humans should never be fed to your pet and should always be kept a safe distance away from them. Common foods like chocolate (especially baking chocolate), coffee, avocado, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, garlic, onions, and alcoholic beverages, are all poisonous to dogs. Ensure that all of your guests are aware of these toxic foods so that they are extra mindful not to sneak a piece of it to your pet under the table!
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