Saturday, January 22, 2011

Bad breath ...more than just a faux Paw


Barks Fellow Canines!
the following is by guest blogger...My Mom!


Hmm,
Eat some dry kibble or reach for the Crest and the toothbrush, for most of us this is a no brainier.

But when it comes to Fifi and Fido there seems to be some confusion.
Many pet parents seem to feel feeding dry kibble and giving a dental chew now and again will result in movie star dog smiles.
In general, dry kibble does out-perform wet food when it comes to Fido or Fifi’s dental health. However since dogs use their back teeth to chew this leaves about 32 other teeth not being scraped at all with that dry kibble


Increasingly we seem to be finding out how established medical care is just as beneficial for our pets as for us. Why should anyone be shocked to learn that brushing a dogs teeth (or not) has the same consequences as it does for our own? Yet many of us bulk at the notion. Spare The Tartar...Enjoy Better Health!
Much has been documented on the detrimental effects of poor dental care on the overall health of our best friends.
Proper dental care isn’t just a matter of keeping your dog’s breath fresh — it’s critical for his overall health. Dogs don’t usually get cavities, but they’re susceptible to periodontal disease. Without proper dental care, approximately 75 percent of all dogs develop this condition by age 4.
With the growing selection of doggie dental care products, It's Never Been Easier to Care for your best friends Teeth .

Dental chews ,treats , biscuits continue to improve rapidly and help control plaque This is the same with rawhide and specially designed chew toys. Dental sprays, gels snd water additives can reduce plaque and tarter ,think of these as the equivalent of Us human ‘s Listerine and freshen up gums, all useful in a game plan for healthy teeth and gums , but not a replacement for brushing.
There is still no substitute for good old fashioned brushing and although Doggie dentures are now a possibility, I don’t imagine your pet is going to enjoy them nor your wallet.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Health Advantages of Pet Ownership

There are those that question are we humanizing dogs too much?

Expensive outfits, designer collars, organic treats and feed, human grade vegan grooming products…

When this question is in reference to outfitting our pets in pink, frilly dresses or designer matching outfits, I having for the most part shared my life with Dobermans, German Shepherds and other large breed dogs, cute, frilly or matching designer outfits are not my accessory of choice, but an occasional collar charm, a decorative bandanna, some holiday bling are not out of the question, and if the dogs decked out in pinks and frills enjoy some oohs, aahs and extra attention because of it …why not?

When it comes to health care, I do have a strong opinion and that is I feel dogs deserve the best health benefits and treatments that pet owners and science can provide them. Every day their presence in our lives is scientifically proven to provide us with numerous life enhancing and medical benefits. Why would we not want to provide them with the same?





As science begins to recognize not only the long known and accepted emotional advantage of pet interaction but also the documented evidence of how the companionship of our pets lowers our blood pressure which in turn helps to prevent heart disease ,the health and wellness factor of pets is leading to even more proven in-depth benefits to human health care.
According to an article by the editor of Your Dog, American Association of Pet Product Manufactures, Pet interaction can even ultimately lower health care costs. Since stress has now been identified as one of the leading causes behind many diseases and scientific research has proven that pets lower stress levels.

Service dogs that can sense oncoming potentially life threatening medical conditions can alert their human in time to prevent a potentially more costly health crisis. Other studies our showing that autistic children are benefiting from close interaction with specially trained dogs.

So when I hear someone ask,” are we going to far by integrating human grade organic treats , natural chemical free skin care products or holistic health care alternatives into our dog’s lifestyle?” I have to reply, with the many ways in which they enrich our lives, are we going far enough?
All Dogs Big and Small