Three Steps To A Better Life For Our Pets

Often times we take health for granted and don't really consider what optimum health means not only to us but our loved animal companions as well. Pet owners often feel that there is little they can do and are confused by all the available options and claims. We try to give pet owners a more natural approach to better health in our pets by only recommending solutions that are based more on a natural way to provide for our pets.

A good, solid three step approach is defined by: diet, nutrition and overall wellness. By following this guideline you can help ensure that you are doing everything you can to provide for the best possible life in our pets.

 

1. Diet

In nutrition, diet is the sum of all the food consumed by a person, animal or other organism. Dietary habits are the habitual decisions an individual or culture makes when choosing what foods to eat. Between the extremes of optimal health and death from starvation or malnutrition, there is an array of disease states that can be caused or alleviated by changes in diet. Deficiencies, excesses and imbalances in diet can produce negative impacts on health, which may lead to diseases. With respect to our pets they have very little say in what we feed them.

Do you really know what's in those bags and cans of food we feed them? Million dollar advertising campaigns tell us one thing but increased illness and shortened life spans in pets tell us another. Proper diet is something WE can control and whether it's a raw food diet or one that is more natural with the proper combination of ingredients we as pet owners need to take control of our pet's diets.

Cats and dogs are basically carnivores. They have a higher need for fat and protein than humans and that protein usually comes from meat, chicken, fish, etc... They naturally don't consume plant proteins like corn, wheat and soy, which can actually provide less than optimal protein. An interesting thing I read about cats is that they are inefficient drinkers. They derive their moisture from their pray and if fed only dry food they can become dehydrated and not able to properly flush their systems.

Providing the best quality diet for our pet's is the first step in making a better life for them. We feel that a natural diet using the highest-quality and freshest, human-quality ingredients is superior. There are alternatives that you can use such as a raw diet supplemented with extra vitamins and minerals, but let's face it, in our busy hectic lives we often have little time for extra food preparation. That's why we recommend the Life's Abundance Premium Dog Food and Instinctive Choice Cat Food which satisfies this first important step in a better life.

Life's Abundance Premium Dog Food	Instinctive Choice Cat Food
Sample Pack Information	Sample Pack Information

 

 

2. Nutrition

Ill health can be caused by an imbalance of nutrients, producing either an excess or deficiency, which in turn affects body functioning cumulatively. Because most nutrients are, in some way or another, involved in cell-to-cell signaling (e.g. as building block or part of a hormone or signaling 'cascades'), deficiency or excess of various nutrients affects hormonal function indirectly. Since they largely regulate the expression of genes, hormones represent a link between nutrition and how genes are expressed. The strength and nature of this link is continually under investigation, but observations especially in recent years have demonstrated a pivotal role for nutrition in hormonal activity and function and therefore in overall health.

Even with proper diet we may need to supplement our pet's food with additional nutrients to maintain balance in life. Also, the nutritional requirements for dogs and cats is different and depends on their lifestyle.

Dog Nutrition	Cat Nutrition

 

Active animals consume more calories and need to replenish vitamins, minerals and nutrients at a faster rate than docile pets.

With that said, how do you provide additional supplementation? There are so many choices and varieties to choose from, which is best? Look for a supplement that comes recommended by a veterinarian and has all of the key nutritional requirements for dogs and cats. One of the best supplements we've found is the Vim & Vigor daily nutritional supplements from Pet-Togethers. They are also recommended by Dr. Shaw Messonnier, a widely recognized integrative veterinarian who writes articles on pet care for print publications and hosts his own satellite radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio. (See our interview page for oral health in pets information from a recent interview we did for his show.)

He highly recommends these excellent, high-quality supplements in his practice and has seen incredible results from his patients who use them. They are formulated specifically for both dogs and cats and target their nutritional needs. They are taken twice a day and each formula is designed specifically for their needs during the day and at night.

This combined with a good diet as described above satisfies the second step in a better life for our pets.

PetCentrx 'Vim & Vigor' formulas for dogs	PetCentrx 'Vim & Vigor' formulas for cats

 

Dr. Shawn Messonnier Award Winning Author and Holistic Veterinary Heartily Endorses PetCentrx "Vim & Vigor" Wellness Formula For Dogs & Cats.

 

3. Overall Wellness

The third step is one of the most important and usually fun for both people and our pets. Our definition of wellness is a combination of not only proper diet and good nutrition, but also exercise, relaxation, stimulation, disease prevention and stress reduction/elimination.

Domesticated animals we keep as pets need an environment that allows for plenty of physical and mental stimulation to maintain good health. It's a time were we can bond with our pets and provide for their physical needs. A long walk, short jog, running in a open field, playing catch or just some sort of physical activity, especially for indoor cats, is essential. It not only strengths their joints and muscles it usually provides for some mental stimulation as well.

Along with exercise comes a time for relaxation. Rest is just as important to overall wellness as activity. This usually gives us time to further that bond between us when we can just kick back and pet our animals, rub their bellies or just lay beside each other. Domesticated animals still have that instinct to please the 'alpha' in the group which most pets consider us as the leader. Some people like to think our pets live to please us, but in some cases WE live to please THEM! Either way it's a good way to balance out our lives.

At times even with good nutrition and diet our loved companions will have health challenges. It's something we can try to prevent but when it arises we need to treat it immediately. I personally favor an integrated approach where we still seek the advice from our family veterinarian. There is a lot to be said for natural solutions to health challenges and I personally have seen some for myself. With the right combination of natural herbs and supplements our immune systems can work miracles.

Natural herbal remedies for pets can also be beneficial. These days, emotional and psychological problems like depression, anxiety, ADHD and behavioral problems are just as prevalent in pets as they are in their owners. Similarly, physical ailments such as diabetes, arthritis, chronic fatigue, digestive disorders, cystitis, kidney and liver disease, skin disorders, obesity, thyroid dysfunction and other problems are becoming more and more common in domesticated animals.

Many, if not most of these conditions can be prevented by helping your pets to live a healthier lifestyle. For pets already suffering from existing conditions, a combination of lifestyle changes and natural medicine can work wonders!

We are proud to offer a complete line of herbal remedies for pets. The PetAlive products are some of the finest herbal supplements available and are becoming quite popular with people looking for high-quality herbal remedies. Click the banner below to see all the wonderful products they offer, including herbal remedies for people.

With a commitment to diet, nutrition and overall wellness pet owners can now be satisfied that they are following this three-step approach to life doing the best they can to ensure a healthy life for the pets they love.

We wish you the best of health for you and your pets.

Top