Sometimes we make it. Sometimes we don’t.

To save my sanity and my paper towel budget I always have canned pumpkin on hand. ALWAYS.

Pumpkin does double duty when it comes to either loose stool or constipation. The high water and fiber content acts to hydrate the intestines and their contents when dogs are suffering from constipation. Start with 1 tsp for smaller dogs and 2 tsp for larger dogs at the first sign of constipation. The water and fiber in the pumpkin will be absorbed by the dry stools in your dog’s intestines, and your pup should experience relief in a few hours.

Likewise, pumpkin can also be used to treat diarrhea. The soluble fiber in pumpkins actually helps absorb excess water in the bowels that the body didn’t absorb properly, thereby helping to calm diarrhea. Slowly, and adjust accordingly. For bad ‘blowout’ diarrhea, you can give a tablespoon every 20 minutes until your pet is able to control his bowels.

Not only does it help with occasional GI upset, it can also ease the transition from switching from one food to another and this remedy can be used in dogs or cats.

More Pumpkin-tastic facts:

•  Pumpkin seeds are high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants (good for overall healthy skin and fur)
• The oils in pumpkins’ flesh and seeds are believed to support urinary health
• Pumpkin is an excellent source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium and iron
• Pumpkin may even reduce the likelihood your pet will develop cancer
• Can be added to a pets diet who is trying to lose weight. The fiber helps them feel full without adding too many extra calories.

We carry organic pumpkin and sweet potato here at Paw Naturals as well as a weight-loss formula with oatmeal and a digestive version with ginger (great for nausea!).  So Give pumpkin a try! It might just save you from that frantic run to the elevator.

How do I clean his teeth?
What should I use?
How often should I do it?

Honestly, I’m glad people are asking. Dental health is so important as it connected to so many other systems in your pets body. A healthy mouth translates into a healthy heart and overall wellness.

A common misconception is that if you feed your cat or dog dry kibble, that will clean the teeth. Let’s just kill this myth right now – dry kibble does nothing for dental health.

The fact is its just not abrasive enough and does not have enough prolonged contact with the gums/teeth to be beneficial.  In fact, kibble tends to stick to the teeth and decay causing more rapid plaque and tartar build up than canned, dehydrated or raw food.  You don’t munch on crackers before you go to bed expecting them to clean your teeth, similarly kibble doesn’t clean your pets teeth either.

Most dogs or cats will need a professional cleaning at your vets office at least once during their lifetime. Recently, there has been a surge of companies offering “anesthesia free” dental cleaning. They basically scrape the surface tarter off with a dental scaler. The problem with that is while your pet emerges with whiter teeth they may be missing a deeper problem below the gum line.  For a thorough dental your pet will need xrays and a comprehensive cleaning below the gum line  that cannot be done while he or she is awake. Extractions might be needed to maintain the health and integrity of the mouth. This also cannot be done while the pet is awake.

You can do a lot of maintenance at home to either keep up the health of your pets mouth or maintain your pets healthy mouth in between dental cleanings.

A few years ago, pet toothpaste and a toothbrush were your only options for at home cleaning. Now, there are many products on the market that are effective and easy to administer.

Dental Chews – great for dogs who love to chew anyways. Let them do the work for you! Also good when used in conjunction with another cleaning method.

Dental Foam/Gel – applied directly to the teeth, these are good for dogs/cats who will let you in their mouths but do not like the action of a toothbrush.

Water Additives – Great for daily maintenance with minimal work. Additives last 12-18 hours in a bowl of water. Enzymes in the additive attack your pets tartar and plaque.

Food Additives – Used in the food, these enzymes work with your pets saliva to break down plaque and tartar.  Great for pets who will not allow you to apply anything directly in the mouth.

Sprays – Applied directly in the mouth 2 to 3 times daily. Works by mixing with saliva and breaking down plaque. Easy and freshens breath.

Raw bones can be a great addition to your dental arsenal too. The scraping action that occurs when a pet chews a bone cleans the teeth. Cats can eat raw bones too! I once had a cat that loved chicken necks. They were the perfect size for a cat and acted as natures toothbrush.

Whatever method you choose, we applaud you for taking steps to maintain your pets dental health! Its never too late or too early to start. Check out our selection of dental care products online and in-store.

Did you know puppies need to chew about 5 hours a day? That means if they’re not eating, sleeping, peeing or pooping, they’re CHEWING. Better to be prepared for the chew-monster that is your new puppy than come home to discover your couch half eaten.

So what constitutes a good chew? Things that are edible in whole or part.  Bully sticks, tendons, pig or lamb ears and dried buffalo intestines are good examples of things that are edible in whole. These are chews that are usually dried but made to be consumed and digested.

Raw bones, antlers and dried bones are edible in part. They are made to be chewed on and are great for particularly aggressive chewers.  Eventually they will need to be thrown away when they get too worn down or are chewed into points or pieces.  Marrow bones can be reused once the dog extracts the marrow. They can be refilled with wet dog food or yogurt mixed with kibble and frozen for a brand new treat! Kongs also offer a whole host of options for filling. A smear of peanut butter or cream cheese can occupy a busy puppy while you check your email or take that much needed shower.

Things that are not good chew toys? Nylabone® (or bones made out of non-edible materials), ropes, plush toys. These have their place in your dogs life but do not fall into the “good chewing” category.

When picking a chew or toy, size does matter. Many owners are worried about their pet swallowing a bone or toy. My motto on that is “always go bigger.” This especially applies to raw bones. Many owners want to “start small” and will pick out a very small bone for perhaps a larger dog, which is not the best choice.  While swallowing bones is rare, it does happen occasionally, but its much harder for a dog to swallow something big as opposed to something small.  As with anything you buy for your pet, supervision is key. Once you know how your dog reacts to certain items you can feel more comfortable leaving him with his chew.

Chewing is not only a wonderful dog-sitter but it’s also provides your dog with a crucial mental workout.  It teaches the dog to release energy in a different way than running around the dog park for an hour – a skill that will provide a balanced life for your and your dog far into his adult years.  Many dog owners will report that their dogs go lie down for a nap after an hour of working on a raw bone.

Happy dogs and happy owners!

First and foremost, you need to know your pet’s weight. Is he at a healthy weight for his age? A pet that’s too heavy can suffer from a myriad of health problems, so while people think ‘fat pets are cute pets’ it’s not healthy or fair to the animal that relies on you to keep him healthy. Even more convincing, one study showed dogs fed to their ideal body condition lived 1.8 years longer than their overweight litter mates.

Your vet will be able to tell you if your pet is at a healthy weight and if not, give you a target weight to shoot for. Remember, a dog will need more calories as a puppy than he will at his full adult size. Similarly, cats need more calories as kittens than they do as adult cats. Calories may need to be adjusted depending on your pet’s activity level.

Now that you know your pets ideal weight you can now calculate how many calories he needs to consume in a day.

Let’s say your pet is 18 lbs but your vet would like to see him weigh 15 lbs.

Just follow this easy formula:

15 pounds divided by 2.2 = 6.81 kilograms

6.81 kilos x 30 = 204

204 + 70 = 274

274 x 0.8 = 219 calories

Your pet needs 219 calories in a 24 hour period to maintain a 15 lb weight.

If you feed your pet twice a day divide that total number in half to accommodate two feedings (which of course you are doing because we don’t free feed, right?) Remember that includes treats!

Now that you have your calorie goal, you can go back to the label on the food you’re feeding and see how much you really need to feed.

You’ll want to check the calories per cup (kcal/cup) on dry food. Raw food is usually listed as calories per ounce. Canned food varies – some brands list the calories, some brands don’t. You may need to go online to the brands website to find out the calorie content if it’s not listed. If you feed a homemade diet you’ll need to consult a nutrition site to find out the calorie content of what you’re feeding.

Most labels are figured in increments of 10 lbs which can be a wide margin if your pet is only 10 or 15 lbs to begin with.

If you’re trying to get your pet to lose weight, do it slowly. Roughly half a pound a month for a cat or 1 lb for a dog is a good steady rate that their bodies can adjust to.

This method is much more exact and you can swap between brands/flavors/canned/dry/frozen and know exactly how much to give to meet your pet’s needs.

Knowledge is power and now you have it!

Apple cider vinegar or ACV has long been used in farm animals and has been touted as an aid in curing many ailments from hot spots to poor appetite. It provides a rich natural source of potassium, phosphorus, sodium, calcium, iron and trace elements.

Poor appetite: 1 tablespoon in the food, two times a day for a 50 lb. dog. Cats can often be picky about changes in their food so a few drops on their front paws will help them ingest the ACV.

Itchy skin or hotspots:  put ACV into a spray bottle, part the hair and spray on. Any skin eruption will dry up in 24 hours and will save you having to shave the dog. If the skin is already broken, dilute ACV with an equal amount of water and spray on.

Internal ph balance: ACV is credited with maintaining the acid/alkaline balance of the digestive tract. To check your dog’s pH balance, pick up some pH strips at the drug store, and first thing in the morning test the dog’s urine. If it reads anywhere from 6.2 – 6.5, your dog’s system is exactly where it should be. If it is 7.5 or higher, the diet you are feeding is too acidic, and ACV will re-establish the correct balance.

URI: ACV can help with mild upper respiratory infections and watery discharge from the eyes. A tablespoon in the food should do the trick.

Ear health: Since ACV is both acidifying and drying (two things yeast hate) it makes a perfect addition to your pets ear grooming routine. Use a few drops in the ear then wipe out any excess with a cotton ball. Beneficial for both cats and dogs.

Fleas, ticks and more: Fleas, flies, ticks and bacteria, external parasites, ring worm, fungus, staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, mange, etc., are unlikely to inhabit a dog whose system is alkaline inside and out. After shampooing and rinsing your dog or cat use a 1:1 ratio of ACV and warm water as a final rinse. Allow the dog or cat to drip dry. This ratio can be used in a spray bottle and sprayed on the pet before going outside if you’re worried about picking up fleas. This method has also shown to be effective in treating ringworm in cats.

Here at Paw Naturals we just received a shipment of great human grade ACV from Hilton Herbs. We encourage you to try some of these uses for ACV on your own pets and let us know your results!

As pet owners we have a special responsibility to the planet. Not only do we need to watch what we put in the garbage on behalf of ourselves but we also need to watch what we dispose of on behalf of our pets. Even if you reuse all those bags hiding in your drawers to pick up pet waste or dispose of cat litter, they’re still ending up in a landfill.

An average pet owner picks up after their pet twice a day, every day, 365 days a year. That’s two bags a day multiplied by an average canine life span of fifteen years. Everyone get out your calculators….

…that comes to a total of 10,950 plastic bags. PER. DOG.

When you take into account that roughly 72 million pet dogs and nearly 82 million pet cats live in the U.S*, that number multiplies exponentially.

I challenge everyone to try and curb the plastic bag addiction and strive for reusable bags for your shopping items and biodegradable bags for your pets.

Let’s make the planet a better place for future human and animal generations alike!

Source: AVMA U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (2007 Edition)

A sample analysis of green tripe found it to contain protein at 15.1%, fat at 11.7% an it contained the essential fatty acids, Linoleic & Linolenic, in their recommended proportions. Also discovered, was the presence of Lactic Acid Bacteria. Lactic Acid Bacteria, also known as Lactobacillus Acidophilus, is the good intestinal bacteria and is the main ingredient in probiotics.

If fed whole, in it’s natural rubbery state, it also is a great “doggie dental floss” and jaw exerciser.

Don’t be fooled by the bleached tripe you see at the grocery store. While that might be good for menudo soup, it’s not what you want for your dog. That’s the tripe that’s been cleaned of all the “good stuff.”  For canines, you want green tripe. It’s not been cleaned or bleached so it still has all the amino acids and digestive juices intact. Yes, it smells. Yes, your dog will go nuts for it.

Tripe is especially great for picky eaters. The naturally strong smell is irresistible to pretty much any dog I’ve ever met. It’s also great for senior dogs and dogs with less than perfect digestion.

What’s that? You want to feed tripe but don’t want to haul a 20 pound cow stomach home from a local farmer, cut it up and store it in that extra fridge you have in your garage? Ok, fine take the easy way out.  Luckily, we carry Tripett. It’s green tripe in cans and its only moderately stinky.

Don’t miss out on this superfood!

Salmonella up close.

Ever since the last major pet food recall in 2007 that sickened and even lead to the deaths of some animals, pet owners have become more conscientious about what goes into their pets’ food.

Recently Salmonella has been the word on everyones tongues.  Several large companies have recalled both dog and cat food formulas due to potential salmonella contamination.

Salmonella is a bacteria typically found and transmitted through infected food products – both human and pet. It can make humans sick with symptoms such as diarrhea  and stomach pain but has to be ingested in large numbers to make a healthy adult sick. However, this bacteria can cause major problems in infants, children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

A common myth is that raw food has a higher instance of salmonella, when in fact its typically larger more mass produced kibble foods that are more regularly recalled. In any case, pet owners should follow some easy tips to keep both their pets and families safe from this and other food-borne pathogens.

• Hand washing. So simple yet oh so effective! Wash your hands with soap & water after handling pet foods or treats and after picking up after your pet or emptying a litter-box. Make sure to use warm water and really get that lather going for a good 30 seconds.
• Feed your pet separately. If possible, prepare your pets food and feed your pet in an area separate from where you cook your own food.  This will minimize the risk of cross contamination.
• Store food separately. Ideally your pet would have its own fridge for storing raw foods. Since that’s not always possible, thaw foods out in Tupperware containers to catch any liquid. Keep kibble in airtight containers out of the kitchen.
• Keep kids away. Toddlers love to put things in their mouths. Gate off the area where your pets eat so that curious toddlers do not come into contact with food or bowls. This will also give your pet a stress free place to eat without the chance of a misplaced bite.
• If it seems ‘off’ it probably is. If the smell, color or texture of the food seems out of the ordinary, better to toss it rather than feed it. Many animals will instinctively avoid contaminated food, so if they’re suddenly turned off by their favorite food they may be trying to tell you something.
• Disinfect. To make a sterilizing solution for household use,  dilute 1 oz  of household bleach in one gallon of tap water and then adding 1 oz of 5% distilled white vinegar. Disinfect the countertops, the fridge/freezer handles and any other surfaces that may have come in contact with the food. This solution can be used on pets bowls as a pre-wash.
• Use stainless or ceramic. Plastic bowls can harbor bacteria. Stainless or ceramic bowls do not and can be easily sanitized.

Be smart about kitchen safety and you and your pets will remain happy and healthy. As always, we’ll keep you informed about any recalls that might arise. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Traveling by car:

• Make sure your pet’s ID tags are up to date with a current cell number. Update any info with your pets microchip company as well. If your pet doesn’t have a microchip consider getting one.  According to HomeAgain.com,  90% of pets without a microchip never return home if lost.
  

  Car trips can be a blast with the right preparation!

• Consider your food options. Are you going somewhere without refrigeration? If your pet normally eats raw but its just too difficult to do while traveling there are some good options. Ziwi Peak offers a complete raw diet in a dry form.  Honest Kitchen, Sojos, and Grandma Lucy’s Artisan offer dehydrated diets which are easy to travel with. Freeze dried diets also are travel friendly. K9Natural and Stella & Chewy’s also travel light.  Make sure you bring more food than you think you’ll need in case of delays.
• Make a dog friendly area in your car. Fido may love to ride shotgun in your lap but its not safe for either of you. It’s distracting while you’re driving, can limit range of motion and dogs can be injured in accidents or unexpected stops. Safer options are booster seats for smaller dogs or hammocks for larger dogs or multiple dogs.
• Where will you stay? Petswelcome.com has a searchable database of national pet friendly hotels. You can search by city, state or route.
• If you’re traveling across state lines its a good idea to have a Health Certificate. The health certificate must be signed by a veterinarian after your pet has been examined and found to be free of disease. Your pet’s vaccinations must be up to date in order for the health certificate to be completed. If you prefer to vaccinate less often, talk to your vet about writing a waiver.
• If you will be camping make sure to bring flea/tick repellent. There are some great natural options for both. Tick Keys are extremely helpful when removing ticks from your dog or yourself.
• Is boating or swimming in your plans? Keep your dog safe with a life jacket.  Even dogs who are strong swimmers appreciate the extra buoyancy.

Traveling by plane:

• Advance planning is key! If you’re leaving the country start planning at least 4 weeks in advance of your departure. Be sure to check with the destination country to see what their current requirements are. They change often without notice and can include (but are not limited to): USDA Health Certificates, rabies titers, flea/tick prevention and tests to ensure the animal is not infected with parasites.

Fly the Fido-Friendly Skies!

• Call the airline. What do they require for travel? Are there breed/size restrictions? Do they restrict travel to certain times of year/day? Better to be informed than surprised at the airport.
• Talk to your veterinarian about feeding schedules. It is usually recommended that pets fly on an empty or nearly empty stomach. The pet’s age, dietary needs and size, and the time and distance of the flight should all be taken into consideration.
• It is recommended that you DO NOT give tranquilizers to your pet when traveling by air because it can increase the risk of heart and respiratory problems. Short-nosed dogs and cats sometimes have even more difficulty with travel. That said, many  herbal calming products we carry such as Herbsmith Calm Shen are mild and can be given when traveling.
• It is best to purchase an approved crate prior to travel  so you have time to let your pet get used to the crate and be comfortable. If your pet is small and can fit comfortably in an airline approved carrier, your pet may be able to travel with you in the cabin.

If your pet tends to get motion sickness, ginger can be a lifesaver. Fruitables Pumpkin with ginger can settle a nervous stomach.

With a little advance planning your pet doesn’t have to be left out. Safe travels!