PETS AND ANIMALS

A lot of pet stores keep a wide range of pet foods. But to avoid preservatives and chemicals in your pet’s diet you can try giving them homemade pet food. The chemical composition and expiration dates of readymade pet foods can be quite a hassle.

For making homemade pet food you can make use of meat, green vegetables, milk, grains, starch and fruits. Also the pet food that you prepare at home has to be stored at proper environmental condition in a clean, air tight container. Before making homemade pet food, it is essential to discuss with a veterinary doctor about the ingredients of the homemade food and it’s processing techniques. By consulting a doctor, we get an idea about the type, age, growing conditions of your pet along with requisite diet and preparation techniques that can be used to prepare homemade pet food.

Normally, in the homemade nutritious pet diet includes 40 percent of meat, 30 percent vegetables combined with 30 percent starch with. Also do not feed your pet dog with raw meat which can have various types of germs, bacteria and impurities. It is very helpful for healthy growth of your pet, if your homemade food is incorporated with organ meats like kidney, liver and heart.

It is a suggestion of veterinary experts that commercial dog food is insanitary for pets and should not be consumed at any cost. Homemade pet foods consists of food material like blend of rice, carrot and ground turkey. You can make the homemade meals for your pet dog that has brown rice, ground beef, yeast and carrots. It is very significant for your pet to alternate the homemade food; this will take out the monotony of meal routines. By using the natural flea repellant like cooked garlic flavor to the homemade food, the dog will surely be benefited. Before using garlic, always consult a veterinary doctor because sometimes-spoiled garlic seems to be toxic for dogs.

As far as the starch necessity of the pet dog is concerned, the homemade food should be incorporated with oatmeal, rice, pasta and potatoes. By including the grinding of the eggshell in the meal, you can endow your dog with several kinds of nutrients. Always remember that preserving the homemade pet food in refrigerator for more than three days causes harm to the pet.

There are some tips and warnings that are recommended by veterinary physicians relating to the homemade food. Firstly, add some commercial pet food into the homemade food because it assists your pet to get familiar with taste of homemade food. Always ignore feeding chocolates to your pet. The homemade pet food do not contain large amount of garlic because it is poisonous to the pet animals. Also do not feed onions to the cats and do not add the salt in the homemade pet food because natural salt which is present in the pet food is sufficient for all the pet animals. Know that it is wise to check with your vet before switching to homemade dog food.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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Whether you’re greeted at the door by a furry four-legged friend or prefer another kind of pet, there’s no denying the importance a pet plays in your life. That’s why you should take special caution to keep your beloved pets out of harm’s way. Here are a few things you might not have even considered that can be harmful to your pet — and healthy alternatives!

Pet Food:

Most good pet owners know that the quality of the pet food you choose can determine your pet’s long-term health. Inexpensive foods can contain animal by-products, chemical additives, fertilizers and more that can be detrimental to your pet’s health. Consider purchasing organic pet food for your critter; Newman’s Own (www.newmansownorganics.com) has a line of pet foods specifically formulated for health — your pet’s and the environment’s. It even eliminates wheat and corn due to their tendency to cause allergies in some dogs and cats.



Insecticides:

If you’ve taken the time to read the back of the can of bug spray, you’ll discover that its contents may be hazardous to your family and especially your pets. Animals’ proximity to where you spray makes it particularly dangerous for them. That’s why companies like EcoSMART (www.ecosmart.com) have created organic, botanical formulas to keep your home pest-free without putting your pet’s health in danger. And, it’s been proven that EcoSMART’s plant oil formulas are both effective and have no known pest resistance. That way, you’ll rid your home of pests safely and effectively.

Additionally, using a product that’s safe for your pets means that you won’t have to find a place to put them after the insecticide is sprayed. Unlike conventional products, you can apply EcoSMART’s botanical products with your pets and family there in the room.

Household Cleaners:

Household cleaners are a particular risk for pets. Unlike humans, pets often have more exposure to these chemicals, even licking or eating off of the surfaces on which harsh cleaners have been used. Similarly, pets have a tendency to eat or drink the things they discover, whether it’s a treat or toilet cleaner.

Seventh Generation (www.seventhgeneration.com) is a company that provides natural alternatives for the household spills and stains that come along with pet ownership without the toxins other cleaners might have. With exciting, unique scents, Seventh Generation products can replace the smell of Fido with smells like lemongrass & Clementine.

Plants:

What’s a green lifestyle without greenery? Be careful, though. A lot of beautiful, ornamental houseplants can be hazardous or even deadly to your pets. By knowing which plants pose a threat, you can easily opt for a more pet-friendly alternative.

Some plants that are toxic to house pets according to the Humane Society of the United States include azaleas, day lilies, English ivy, holly, mistletoe, wisteria, and more. Visit http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/protect_your_pet_from_common_household_dangers/common_poisonous_plants.html for a complete list.





By: EcoSMART

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If your pet animals are suffering from food allergies, then there is the prescribed trial of the hypoallergenic pet food material containing some essential ingredients which will enhance the diet of your pets.

For verifying the skin problems of the pet animals, which are caused by food allergies or intolerance, hypoallergenic pet food diet is carried out for a particular period. If you see progressive improvement in your pet’s condition, the previous diet is carried out for 15 days to analyze if the condition relapses. If there is the feeling of revival from the test diet and itchiness from the previous diet, then the veterinary doctor either makes a diagnosis of the pet animal to the test diet or prescribes any suitable hypoallergenic pet food.

As far as the varieties of the hypoallergenic food are concerned, it consists of two types. In the test diet, there is the inclusion of the food material, which is non-allergic to the pet animals. The protein and resource of carbohydrate material used in the traditional kind of method can contain food material that is very unfamiliar to pet animals.

The need to supply the hypoallergenic pet food to the pet is very important to keep the pet animals safe from various kinds of food allergies. The allergies suffered by pet animals are generally considered to be caused by parasites and dirt which stream in the atmosphere. However, the pets largely suffer from the food allergies. Pets suffer a lot from different types of allergies which makes them physically scrawny, and become more traumatic towards particular incidents and places. However, most of the pet animals suffer from allergies of foods, which are unconditioned or unsanitary.

If these symptoms are ignored then they can lead to various types of brutal type of wounds and impediments to pets. Sometimes, pet foods contain heavy substances like enzymes and proteins, which are not safely absorbed by your pet if it has some allergies. Hence, it can cause critical skin problems like soreness, exasperation and suffocation.

Therefore, for relieving the stressful conditions of your pets, hypoallergenic pet food can be used. The hypoallergenic diet is instrumental for the pet dogs, who are suffering from the allergic conditions like pancreatic deficiency, hyperlipidemia, tenderness, dermatitis, gastroenteritis.

We find a wide range of hypoallergenic pet food products that can be brought from local pet store. The contents of such type of pet food have been made from recipes in which aliments that tend to incite allergies are gotten rid of.

By using hypoallergenic chemical like lice shampoo which are generally non-toxic, pets can be made free of parasites, bedbugs, nits, and ticks. Hypoallergenic pet foods contain enzymatic contents that are pH balanced, hypoallergenic, pesticide free and eco-friendly. So for sensitive pets, such hypoallergenic pet food proves to be safer and more trustworthy.



By: Muna wa Wanjiru

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Where to start on pet food is what I’m going to say, there are so many different types of pet food out there for any kind of pet you have. You will want to know exactly what pet food your pets are going to like, as well as this you will want to know exactly what is in the pet food you are going to be feeding your pets.

People say aren’t all pet food healthy? Well no the answer is that they just simply aren’t. There are so many different ingredients that are put into a lot of pet food which can be very dangerous. They are packed full of preservatives and chemicals that can and probably will damage your pet.

Pet food can be cheap but is that the way that you really want it to be, if these cheap pet foods are slowly killing your pet, why buy them? There are many different factors that need to be considered when buying pet food, for example all meat diets are bad for both cats and dogs and same again for all fish diets.

Next we need to know what is essentially needed for most kinds of pets, all animals need energy and nutrients. Energy can be supplied through proteins and fats that put into pet food. There are also some nutrients that are needed for your pet, these include water, minerals and vitamins. Water is the most important nutrient which all animals need.

You will want to find a pet food that contains the above essentials, but you will not want to give them too much of certain nutrients and too much energy. High energy pet food is usually good for animals but a constant high energy intake is not good for your pet as the food will be giving your pet too much and energy and can result in your pet having obesity issues which can later lead on to diabetes for your pet.

Also if you are using a pet food that contains a lot of the same nutrients it can make the food become toxic which can be very dangerous for your pet. When pet food is processed the nutrient availability is reduced which can cause nutritional deficiency. Also certain nutrients need to be in the correct proportions otherwise they can cause a nutritional imbalance even if they meet requirements for each individual amount.

When buying a pet food look for the ones that have “COMPLETE” written on, these are the pet foods that contain all the nutrients that are essentially needed for your pet. If it has “COMPLEMENTARY” written on the product then that pet food does not contain all the essentials. If you find out which essentials these do not contain then you should add them in with the food

The best place to find out what you should be feeding your pet is your veterinarian who will be able to advise you properly on which pet food your pet will be best off with as he can make a visual and thorough test which will all in all help your pet a lot.



By: Tony Savour

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