Firstly, for those who haven’t dealt with eclampsia before, also called milk fever or puerperal tetany (and touch wood you never have to), it is an acute, life-threatening condition that can affect lactating female dogs and most often occurs in the first few weeks following the birth of a litter.

What are the symptoms of eclampsia?

Initial symptoms of eclampsia include restlessness and nervousness. Within a short time, the bitch will walk with a stiff gait and you may notice she wobbles or appears disoriented. Eventually, she’ll be unable to walk, her legs may become stiff or rigid. She might also have a fever and her body temperature may rise. Respiration rate increases (that’s her number of breaths per minute) and at this point, death can occur if no treatment is given.

As you can image, it pays to be extra paranoid and seek professional advice from your Veterinarian if anything seems out of the ordinary.

When is a dog most at risk of eclampsia?

Eclampsia is more common in young, small-breed dogs who have whelped a large litter in the past 2 to 4 weeks and is especially common in toy breeds, although any age or breed can be affected. A bitch is also more at risk of eclampsia as a result of a difficult or longer than usual labour.

Nutritionally, a bitch is more at risk if she’d been given poor nutrition during pregnancy, is under stress, has underlying illnesses and/or is given excess calcium supplementation.

What can you do nutritionally to reduce the risk?

For a toy or small breed, Nutrience Small Breed Puppy is the best choice, however keep in mind to maintain her on a premium adult formula, like Nutrience Supreme Small Breed for the first 3 weeks of pregnancy.

Then between the 3rd and 4th week, slowly transition her onto Nutrience Small Breed Puppy to meet her and the pups increased nutritional needs as the pups develop.

Your bitch should not have her diet supplemented with extra calcium when she’s on a complete and balanced high-quality diet like Nutrience. Other than the fact that it’s not required as the food provides everything she needs, doing so can actually increase the risk of eclampsia.

For a bitch prone to eclampsia, many breeders now recommend returning to a maintenance formula, like Nutrience Supreme, the week just prior to whelping.

For most bitches however it’s recommended that you stay on the relevant puppy formula until the pups are weaned.

Again, we’d suggest seeking professional advice from your Veterinarian re your choice in adult vs puppy food and when to move between them. A fellow breeder with experience with eclampsia can also be a good sounding board.

Transitioning back to a high-quality maintenance formula allows the bitch’s physiology to adapt to retrieving nutrients from her body’s storage, which can otherwise be blocked or reduced if you provide all or more than is required in the diet.

This is thought to help nutritionally reduce the risk of both dystochia (difficult birth) and eclampsia (uterine exhaustion).

Remember however that diet is only a risk factor, not the primary or only cause or solution, so even if you’ve done everything right with diet you should still educate yourself on the symptoms of eclampsia in dogs and, in case you haven’t heard it enough yet, always seek Veterinary advice. Eclampsia is a condition that cannot be taken lightly.

The post How to reduce the risk of eclampsia appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

The number of premium and super premium pet foods saying yes to natural ingredients like oats is a trend pet owners are welcoming. After all, we look for natural alternatives in our food and for our children, so why should our pets miss out?

Let’s take a look at why you might like to consider feeding a pet food with oats in it next time you’re at your Vet or Pet Store…

Immune support

Oats are naturally high in beta glucans. These molecules have been nicknamed immune activators by human immunologists, due to the effect on boosting immune function. The technical term by the way is ‘biological response modifiers’.

Beta glucans have also been shown to help reduce the risk of infections.

A double-blind placebo controlled human trial of 34 patients, found patients who received beta glucans had:

• significantly fewer infectious complications
• lower requirement for antibiotics
• faster recovery, leading to a shorter hospital stay

The risk of serious post-surgery infections dropped by 39% (more studies into beta glucans can be found here).

With the potential benefits in fighting infections, boosting immune function and faster recovery after surgery; oats are of particular interest to breeders and owners of puppies and kittens, pets of any age who are prone to infections and for pets who have had surgery. Any pet under immune stress may benefit from the beta glucans in oats.

Stronger nails

Have you ever found it almost impossible to clip your dog or cats nails due to them being brittle and breaking off so you can’t get a clean cut? Stronger nails is another benefit linked with oats due to oats being naturally high in zinc.

There’s a reason you see zinc in so many human products, from supplements to shampoo; it’s even used to protect against diaper rash for babies. In shampoo Zinc is a common ingredient for its anti-dandruff benefits.

Zinc is an essential trace element required by plants and animals. The highest concentration of zinc in the human body is in the brain, muscle, bones, kidney, liver, prostate and eyes. Semen is also rich in zinc which will be of interest to cat and dog breeders in particular.

Heart health

Oats are also naturally high in the antioxidants called tocotrienols (pronounced to-co-try-in-noles). These antioxidants have been linked with cardiovascular health.

They help nutritionally lower blood cholesterol by trapping substances connected with ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) without lowering ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL). Accumulated cholesterol has been connected to many types of cardiovascular disease.

Some breeds are more prone to heart conditions than others, so as studies progress, watch this space for further developments on how tocotrienols may be of extra benefit for particular dog and cat breeds.

Diabetes

It’s also been suggested that oats may help reduce the risk of some forms of diabetes.

This is because beta glucans have been found to help control potentially harmful fluctuations in blood sugar levels. We already know that controlling blood glucose and insulin levels is essential is preventing many of the health complications associated with diabetes.

The way beta glucans help reduce dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar levels is by giving the digestive system more time to digest food, prolonging the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood stream which reduces the risk of sudden changes in blood sugar levels.

Weight control

One fascinating study found that children who frequently ate oatmeal were as much as 50% less likely to become overweight compared to children without oats in their diet.

Essential amino acids have also been linked with a longer healthier life in people, and oats have one of the best amino acid profiles of any grain.

It’s already been proven that staying slim helps increase life span; so with our pets being with us for such a short time as it is, anything that might help them live longer, healthier lives gets the ‘thumbs up’ in our books!

Chronic disease

The technical name for plant chemicals is phytochemicals, which have been associated with protection from chronic disease. Oats are a natural source of phytochemicals.

Essential vitamins

As well as essential fatty acids, oats are a good source of essential vitamins, including:

• thiamine
• folic acid
• biotin
• pantothenic acid
• vitamin E
• zinc
• selenium
• copper
• iron
• manganese
• magnesium

Does Nutrience include oats?

Yes, the brand new Nutrience formulas about to hit the shelves in New Zealand (expect to start seeing them late March 2011) now include oats.

So next time you’re at your local Vet or Pet Store, keep an eye out for a pet food such as Nutrience which is high in oats.

You’ll see a noticeable change in packaging between the new and previous Nutrience formulas by the way, however if you’re unsure just pick up the bag and check the ingredients and look for oats.

Your pet professional can help you select the best Nutrience formula for your pet’s health and condition, or feel free to call us on 0800 833 933 (toll-free, NZ only) for free advice.

IMPORTANT, please read:

Always consult with your Veterinarian on the health decisions for your pets. An impressive  as the benefits of oats are, it’s not okay to replace or reduce any treatment your Vet has prescribed with a pet food high in oats just because it offers similar benefits to the antibiotics or any other treatment your Vet has recommended for your pet’s skin, coat, heart or other health concerns. Always seek the advice of your pet’s health professional before making changes that may affect your pet’s health, especially if they have existing health concerns or are more prone to health problems.

The post Benefits of oats in pet food for dogs & cats appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Keeping your pets hydrated during the Summer months is very important. Pets need clean water every day to help ensure optimum health.

This quick 3 minute video is packed full of great tips for products that help keep your pets hydrated, including ways to encourage cats and senior pets to drink more in particular which can sometimes be tricky. 

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The post How to encourage your dog or cat to drink more water appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

This great 3 minute video is well worth a watch to discover handy tips for indoor cat owners to keep your cat as happy and healthy as possible.To keep your cat active, try tips such as hiding their food around the house, as cats love to hunt. There are also many toys that will satisfy their need to hunt, and stimulate all their senses.

A diet formula can help if you do have a cat that is less active and gains weight easily. Ask your local pet store for their advice on a good formula to feed.

You can also get indoor-specific formulas for cats. Look out for the ones that also help with dental care and hairball control.

Watch this quick video for lots more tips and if you have any to add please feel free to add your comments below…
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The post Keeping your indoor cat healthy appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Dogs that eat too fast can be more prone to certain health concerns – not to mention the concern it adds for owners trying to ensure your other dogs get their fair share! Treat dispensing toys are a great way to slow your dogs eating speed and offer the added benefit of helping avoid boredom and reducing separation anxiety by keeping dogs busy.

Health professionals have linked rate of eating and gulping too much food or water with a range of concerns from behavioural to health. Some connect gulping food or water with a higher risk of bloat (Gastric Dilitation-Volvulus or GDV). A slow-dispensing toy may therefore help reduce this risk. There are alot of great treat dispensing toys in stores, and this can be a great way to encourage your dog to use toys and be more active.

KONG Genius is a new range of treat-dispensing toys just release in New Zealand. These interactive treat-dispensing toys come in two shapes and can be used alone or connected like a puzzle to create new configurations for an added challenge.

Simply connect your favourite Genius toys together, stuff with chew treats and watch the fun as your dog works it out. While it feels like a game to your dog, you’re actually helping their health and behaviour.

Watch the KONG Genius in action in this short video…

Share your tips for reducing your dog’s rate of eating by adding a comment below.

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The post How to reduce how fast your dog eats – it’s genius! appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Eating too much food, eating too quickly or starting a new food can all increase the risk of diarrhoea in animals with sensitive digestive tracts, such as young puppies, especially when they are already experiencing stress.

Is your puppy experiencing stress?

Here are some of the common causes of stress…

a) A change in environment, such as moving from breeder to a pet shop or to your home, or from pet shop to your home.

b) Your pup’s first visits and car travel to the Vet.

c) Adjusting to a new routine, new people, new water, new food etc.

d) Leaving their mother and litter mates.

New food can cause a sore tummy

A new food can also trigger diarrhoea – even if the food is better than what you, the Breeder or pet store was feeding before!

If your pup gets diarrhoea soon after changing their diet, it can be the change not the food itself that’s the cause.

If the new food is highly palatable (such as having more meat than the previous food your puppy was eating) it can cause some pets to overeat because it tastes better.

This is especially common if the previous food fed was of low quality and/or low palatability.

Take it slowly when changing diet

If the transition from the old food to the new is too sudden, the bacterial population in the digestive tract is not given enough time to adjust to the new food.

A sudden change in diet – or eating too much of a new food too quickly – are very common causes of diarrhoea, particularly in young puppies less able to handle the sudden change.

To help reduce the chances of diarrhoea caused by changing your puppy’s diet, take it slowly…

How to change your puppy on to a new food safely:

MIX FOR A WEEK: Mix the new food in with the old food for about 7 days. Transition slowly, mixing a little more of the new food into each meal while reducing the old food.

SMALL MEALS: If none of the previous diet is available to mix, feed small meals for the first 2 to 3 days. Feeding at least half the usual meal amount is ideal (so you might feed 6 small meals a day for the first 3 days instead of 3 larger meals).

SOAK THE KIBBLE: Soaking dry kibble can help your pup’s system adjust, especially if you or the breeder was feeding wet food before.

TIP: Nutrience Puppy formulas can be soaked without any problems as the high-meat formulation will not swell excessively. Just soak the food in hot water til it is soft (about 15 minutes) then mix it up until a baby-food consistency is reached and feed.

WAIT: Wait at least half a day when you first bring your puppy home before the first meal and ask your breeder or pet store to not feed your pup any closer than 2 hours before you pick them up. This can also help reduce the risk of being car sick.

If your pup does get diarrhoea, don’t feed a sore tummy. This usually makes it worse, not better. Give their system a break by skipping the next meal.

When you do start feeding again, just give them a small meal (about quarter the usual amount) to check if their system can handle it.

All going well you can continue with more frequent but smaller meals for the next day or so, slowly increasing each meal size until you’re back to the usual amount and frequency you feed and their tummy has settled.

Be safe

Be sure to always call your Vet if your puppy gets diarrhoea to check if you need to take your puppy in for a check-up.

Although puppies are very prone to diarrhoea, and most recover with no serious effects, diarrhoea can lead to serious health problems, especially if you leave it too long before you seek advice. Diarrhoea can also be a sign of problems that don’t relate to diet or stress, such as Parvo.

Your Vet will know if it’s ‘normal’ or something to worry about about and can give you the signs to look for if it’s serious.

Do you have any tips to share with other readers on what helped your pup recover from an upset stomach? Add your comments below.

The post How to deal with diarrhoea in puppies appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Check the label. “When it comes to feeding companion animals, always look at the ingredients in the food. So many pets are suffering skin, coat or stomach concerns these days. There are as many different causes of allergies in pets as there are in people and diet is only one of the areas we look at, but what is fed is one thing owners can easily control so this is an area easily improved.”

Check for allergens… “There are 4 common allergens present in a surprising number of pet foods. These are wheat, gluten, beef and dairy. If a dog or cat presents with less than ideal skin or coat condition or with a sensitive stomach, your first move should be to check the ingredient list and ensure the diet is free of these allergens.”

By-products: Another common concern in many foods is how many use by-products. By-products are the heads, feet and entrails of the animal. The top five ingredients on any pet food are the ones there are most of in the food. Presumably the reason by-products appear so far up many ingredients list is to reduce the costs of manufacturing that food. It certainly is not for improving the health of the pet!

Dr Jim Zarowny DVM

Veterinarian and developer of Nutrience Super Premium Petfoods

The post What makes a good pet food? appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

1. Always start with a high quality dry kitten kibble designed to reduce the risk of bladder problems.

2. Keep food and water bowls in areas where the kitten can be away from any canine members of the family. Elevation is fine.

3. Plenty of fresh water is a must, even though you may not notice your kitten drinking a lot.

4. Kittens may play with their food & water, so safe, secure dish styles are essential.

5. Small, frequent meals are better than singular large meals.

6. Remember your kitten and/or cat is an individual. Feeding instructions are only guidelines. Quantities will need to vary with activity levels & specific weight gain patterns.

7. Supplements are not necessary if you are feeding a well balanced, premium diet.

8. Treats should be kept to a minimum. Use them as intended…as a reward.

Nutrience Junior for kittens is carefully balanced to meet a kitten’s unique nutritional demands during growth. It contains:

1- Immune Complex to support the kitten through growth and is specially formulated to ensure optimum development of bones, teeth, muscles and brain.

2- DHA—well known as “brain food”, a fatty acid shown to help support optimal mental development, to help them reach their full adult potential every step of the way.

3- Immune Complex incorporates marigold extract and microencapsulated organic acids for immune support through growth.

4- A specially balanced combination of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals to promote optimum growth and support bone and muscle development.

5- A unique blend of organic and humic acids that nutritionally promote a healthy intestinal environment and subsequently firmer stools.

The post What to feed a new kitten appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Domestic dogs and cats are living longer, healthier lives thanks in large part to advances in medical care and nutrition. Their longer lives mean we’re seeing more senior pets at the clinics, and that means more joint issues along with other dog problems. At the other end of the scale for dog health are the babies. Large and giant breed puppies are in a high-risk group for joint and bone problems such as hip dysplasia. For the youngsters and the golden oldies, Glucosamine and Chondroitin are a very promising treatment for bone and joint diseases.

For stronger Cartilage in Puppies we recommend glucosamine and chondroitin to help the body build stronger cartilage during growth. Some dog breeds are more prone to bone problems than others, such as Labradors and German Shepherds. Glucosamine and chondroitin work together to actually strengthen bones and joints which reduces the risk of bone problems for selected breeds.

If the bones or joints are already damaged and you have a senior pet, glucosamine and chondroitin have been proven to be a big help. They support the body’s natural process to actually rebuild damaged cartilage. Inflammation is also reduced, which helps ease the pain. That means pets gain lost mobility and can get around more easily. For pets that are badly affected by bone or joint problems, glucosamine and chondroitin can improve their quality of life.

Glucosamine and chondroitin can be obtained in supplement form or fed as part of your pet’s diet, although supplements can be costly. Some Nutrience formulas include glucosamine and chondroitin, look for the Junior Large Breed Puppy formula, Senior Cat and Senior Dog formulas.

When they are young, it’s important to feed large and giant breeds a diet to match their growth rate to further reduce the risk of bone problems, Nutrience Puppy Large Breed is perfect for optimal nutrition.

Alternatively if you notice your senior pet developing weakness, limping or stiffness after naps, it could be time to move from your current adult dog food formula to Nutrience Senior.

The post Dog walking and joint care appeared first on The Pet Food Files.

Increased dietary fibre works, as it always has, to decrease intestinal transit time, increase the water content of the stool, and to increase intestinal mucous content. These latter two features do aid in relieving constipation, a concern often motivated by hairballs that enter the intestinal tract. The problem with long term, high fibre diets is the cats tend to defecate excessively and owners start to dislike this side effect. Additionally, by increasing the speed at which the food moves through the intestinal system, there is commensurately less nutrient absorption. Animals will often “stay hungry”, another side affect owners come to resent.

There are a couple of “tips” we can offer to feline owners to help enhance satisfaction.

1) Identify if a cat has a possible constipation problem prior to purchasing a hairball formula. A proper feeding schedule should have a pet owner feed the higher fibre only as required. This may mean every second bag, every third bag or possibly some reformatting of the weekly feeding regime. Perhaps some cats might benefit from every fourth or fifth meal being higher in fibre for instance. Whatever approach, the idea will be to alleviate constipation, reduce nausea, and limit stool volume as much as possible.

2) Finally, new hairball formulations often contain Bromelain to aid in the prevention of the actual hairball. Nutrience Elite contains bromelain which is a digestive enzyme found in pineapple. It aids in the breakdown of the protein that bind hair together. This allows the ingested fur to pass through the stomach, and be excreted. Bromelain is often advised as a routine digestive aid, complete feline diets may benefit from this addition.

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