Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

Most dogs love eating human snacks and table scraps. If your dog is food-motivated, you may have found yourself wondering about healthy snacks you can give them on a regular basis. Let’s talk about how we’re defining “healthy” dog snacks, what human snacks your dog should or shouldn’t eat, and other ways to keep your beloved pet healthy, happy, and thriving. Healthy dog snacks can have many different qualities. For example, you should aim to give your dog snacks with wholesome, nutritious, easily digestible ingredients. Some healthy snacks may even support digestive, skin and coat, and joint health! However, foods that are safe for your dog may not necessarily be healthy. For example, while dogs can technically eat cheese, this fatty and salty treat is not a healthy snack for dogs on a diet. Even one ounce of cheese can add about 100 calories to your dog’s daily diet, meaning a 20-pound dog should only eat 1/3 ounce of cheese as their only treat for the day. Similarly, plain nut butters are usually dog-safe, but tend to be high in calories and oil. If you’re giving your dog a nut butter snack, it’s especially important to choose as natural a brand as possible. Make sure it does not contain any xylitol, which can be highly toxic to dogs. If your pet needs to shed a few pounds, you should also avoid other high-calorie snacks like baked goods, sausages, jerky, or

As pet parents, we all wish our beloved cats could live forever and always fill our days with the content purrs, gentle rubs, and happy faces. As our cats get older, one way to ensuring they live at their healthiest is to recognize their changing needs with the right care and customized nutrition to ensure your cat enjoys a lifetime of wellbeing. At the age of 7-8 years onwards, most cats will start to transition into a more mature age category.  While this doesn’t mean your cat has suddenly become the equivalent of an 80- or 90-year-old human, it is easiest to think of this age as them being in their 50’s and 60’s. While still spritely and active, they also are starting to experience mild aging changes, and supporting these subtle changes with age-appropriate nutrition and extra care is a keyway to truly ensuring they enjoy a lifetime of wellbeing together with you. From 10-14 years onwards, you may start to see more signs of aging such as body composition changes, a lowered appetite, less activity, coat changes, mobility issues and even hearing loss or a decreased visual acuity. At this stage your cat would be moving from the mature life stage to that of a true senior, or golden oldie as we like to call them! Aging pets have reduced activity levels, a decrease in lean muscle mass, and an increase in the proportion of body fat. Some

Pet allergies are more common than you think with the incidence in pets increasing year over year. The most common kinds of allergies for pets include a reaction to fleas, upsets due to environmental factors (pollens, molds, grasses) and those triggered by food (certain proteins or carbohydrates). Looking specifically at the food reactions, it is estimated that these now account for up to 46% of inflammatory skin lesions in dogs making them a key issue to consider for all dogs who display with skin and coat concerns. A true food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies a particular food ingredient as harmful and subsequently commences an immune response. Estimated to be just 10% of all presenting allergies, clinical signs of a food allergy include intensive itching, paw biting, obsessive licking, redness and hair loss. Whilst the ingredients that trigger an allergic response vary on a case by case basis for every pet, studies have shown the top allergens for dogs to specifically include beef, dairy, wheat, chicken, eggs, corn, and soy.  Food intolerances, on the other hand, are non-allergic reaction to a food that presents as a digestive problem rather than an immune response. Intolerances can result from a pet being unable to properly digest certain ingredients such as dairy, grains, and artificial colors, artificial flavors, and chemical preservatives. The onset of food intolerances typically occurs suddenly within 2-48 hours after ingesting the offending food and clinical signs include loose stools,

Dehydration happens when there’s excessive fluid loss, but it’s not just about losing water. Dehydration results in being low on electrolytes, which are the essential minerals needed for organ function. Cats may become dehydrated for many reasons, with the most common being: Overheating Fever Illness Diarrhea Vomiting Metabolic disorders (such as kidney disease and diabetes) Some cats whose diets are comprised of dry food only, may not bet getting enough water as well. Since dry food has a very low moisture content (about 10%) as opposed to wet food (70-80%). There are a number of possible symptoms but here are five of the most common. Low energy. Even though cats are known for sleeping a lot, a dehydrated cat may appear listless. It’s crucial to pay attention to any change in your cat’s typical activity level. You know your cat – use that knowledge. Loss of appetite. It’s common for a cat to reject food because of feeling queasy and may even start vomiting. This can lead to even more severe dehydration. Panting. If your cat is panting it indicates overheating, pain or other underlying medical concern. Panting is not normal in cats. Pale, sticky gums/thick saliva. Normally, gums should be moist and pink, and the cat’s saliva is thin. When dehydrated, the saliva is thick and rope-like. The gums are also pale, dry, and tacky. If you gently press on the gums in a hydrated cat, a small white

People who claim cats don’t show expression have just not spent time observing the many ways felines have mastered the art of communication. In addition to vocalization, visual marking, and scent communication, cats use body language. If you observe the way they express emotion through body posture, along with eye and ear movement, you’ll learn so much about what’s going on in those furry heads. Tail position is another valuable body language indicator that can provide insight into a cat’s mood. Here are general tips about some tail positions and movements. Note: when trying to interpret tail position communication, also take total body language into consideration as well as the immediate circumstances. The descriptions below are to be viewed as general. A tail held upright while walking or standing indicates confidence and a willingness to interact. If the cat also gives a little flick of the tail tip, consider that an extra happy greeting. The tip of the upright tail resembles a question mark. This is a friendly hello, as if the cat is saying I’m glad you’re home. A tail lowered to the ground indicates fear, uncertainty, and possible aggression. This is a signal letting you know it’s best not to interact. A cat will also have a lowered tail position when hunting or about to pounce. The tail is held even with the spine or slightly lower but the look is very soft. The tail usually sits in

If your dog suffers from food allergies or intolerances, you’re probably wondering, “What can I do for my itching and irritated fur friend?” We know, it’s ruff to watch your pup itching instead of enjoying a hearty game of fetch. Luckily, there are dog foods out there that are specifically designed to combat allergies. As a pet parent, you’ll want to find food for dogs with allergies that don’t contain symptom-inducing ingredients while providing optimal nutrition. Symptoms of food allergies and intolerances vary from dog to dog, but the most common ones include: Itchiness Red, irritated skin Rashes Flatulence Vomiting Diarrhea Anaphylaxis (rare) Food allergies come from the dog’s immune system overreacting to proteins and other molecules in the food, such as additives, coloring, and preservatives. Allergies can develop as a dog gets older, usually from prolonged exposure and contact. Common allergens include: Beef Dairy Wheat Chicken Corn Eggs Soy Food intolerance is different from a food allergy in that the dog’s immune system isn’t reacting to the food. Instead, the digestive system cannot break down foods. For example, lactose intolerance is a food intolerance where humans don’t produce the necessary enzymes to digest lactose, a milk sugar. Dogs can have the same intolerances to proteins and carbohydrates in their food. Beef Dairy Wheat Egg Chicken Soy While food intolerances are much more common than allergies, many of the symptoms and the causes overlap (notice the above two lists are

Many people assume cats can’t be trained. Not true! Cats are very trainable and can be highly motivated when using appropriate, positive, cat-friendly techniques. The best time to start training is when your cat is a kitten. Begin the process when you first bring your kitten home because she’s ready to learn. There are many things you’ll need to teach her, but here are six basic lessons. Your kitten is small and easy to hold now, but when she’s grown, you’ll need to pick her up and hold her for any number of reasons, such as medicating, nail trims, or safety. If you start training her now to accept being touched and held, it will pay off as she matures. Do several short training sessions per day where you pet your kitten and touch different body parts such as ears, tail, and paws. Touch her along the mouth and gently rub the teeth. Make training positive and don’t create frustration by trying to do long sessions. Many cats don’t get seen by the veterinarian often enough because cat parents dread the carrier battle. Being able to get your cat easily and safely into a carrier lowers her stress during travel, reduces your risk of being injured, and can save valuable time in an emergency. Teach your kitten to become comfortable with the carrier. Start by leaving the carrier out with the door open. A hard plastic kennel-style carrier typically works

Considering feeding a vegetarian diet to your dog or wanting the choice of providing them with their version of meatless Monday dinner plans? Vegetarianism has become increasingly popular in the human food world in the past 20 years, while historically, pet parents have been cautious to entertain a vegetarian option for their dog. But today, carefully balanced and scientifically proven plant-based options are becoming more readily available, making the importance of understanding what they are all about so key for pet parents. Vegetarian dog foods are crafted to contain no meat protein ingredients. Instead, they are designed with an abundance of plant-based ingredients such as legumes or potatoes and potentially other animal-based products, such as protein-rich eggs. While dogs, in general, can be classified as an omnivore (meaning they can do well living meat-free) it is especially important to ensure that when it comes to vegetarian recipes that they are carefully balanced by animal nutritionists and veterinarians to deliver the correct proportions of nutrients. To deliver the protein-rich nutrition that a dog needs, in addition to the potential inclusion of whole eggs, plant-based dog foods will often use legumes or potatoes as the main protein source which contain rich sources of protein as well as dietary fiber for digestive health and an abundance of vitamins and minerals for wellbeing. PROS: With ample research and careful preparation of meals, it is possible to get dogs all the nutrients they need without

Cats are fastidious groomers. They typically spend 30-50 percent of their day engaged in self-grooming. There are several reasons for a normal amount of grooming, such as: A way to cool down Removal of dead hair External parasite removal To remove scent traces of prey/food To create a familiar, identifying scent To clean debris from coat/general coat maintenance Displacement behavior Grooming becomes a problem when the cat spends an excessive amount of time at it, resulting in bald patches. Skin sores can also result from the constant licking from the cat’s rough tongue. Because cats groom so much, cat parents may not realize it has become excessive until they notice hair loss or see an increased number of hair balls. The cause may be medical or behavioral. Psychogenic alopecia is the term used for excessive behavioral grooming. This type of grooming is a stress coping mechanism for cats. A normal amount of licking as a temporary displacement activity to self-calm is common. When it becomes ongoing to relieve unrelenting stress, it’s an obsessive/compulsive behavior. Grooming causes an endorphin release that creates a feeling of calm so the behavior is then constantly repeated. It’s essential to first rule out underlying medical causes before assuming the problem is behavioral. A visit to the veterinarian is the first step in addressing a cat’s over-grooming behavior. Underlying health conditions could trigger a cat to over-groom. If the skin is itchy, the cat may not

We all love seeing our dogs happy and healthy and for most pet parents, giving their dog a chew treat is a guaranteed way to see that joy. What you may not know however, is when we give our dog’s that special treat to keep them occupied, it’s not only designed to keep them busy and chewing for a long period of time, but it also delivers an added health benefit of providing our dogs with calming and mental health benefits. Dogs are part of our family and when it comes to their wellbeing, we know they are at their happiest when they can engage in their innate species-specific behaviors, such as playing, chasing, smelling, chewing, and scavenging. These daily activities are often intertwined with the moments you share together such as that walk after work, the game of chase in the yard, or even the treat puzzle mat you give them on the weekends. By encouraging your dog to engage in these behaviors on a regular basis you will not only be assured more tail wags, but this also allows them to be physically, emotionally, and mentally satisfied which are all key to promoting their lifetime of wellbeing. It goes without saying that chewing a long-lasting treat is an exciting and delicious activity for our dogs. Their focus on working the different angles with every bite keeps their minds busy and their taste buds happy. But what pet parents may not

Ear cleaning is part of keeping your dog groomed and healthy from nose to tail. Dogs rely on their ears for hearing, balance, expression, and more. Cleaning your dog’s ears helps support their health and happiness and prevents pain and other problems. Like humans, deaf dogs can live perfectly happy and healthy lives with the right care and support system. However, it’s best not to let your hearing dog go deaf due to entirely preventable causes, like wax buildup or untreated ear infections. These causes can turn hearing loss into a confusing, frightening, or even painful process. Keeping your dog’s ears clean and healthy is vital whether they have hearing or not. Dog ears can be highly sensitive, and they are important for more than just hearing. Learning how to clean dog ears will help your beloved pet thrive happily. You may see different guidelines regarding how often to clean your dog’s ears. Some resources recommend cleaning them once a month, twice a month, or at some other intervals. In reality, the best frequency of ear cleanings depends on your dog’s specific needs. Some dogs are more prone to ear infections and debris buildup than others, such as dogs with hanging or floppy ears, like Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, and Beagles. However, all dog breeds can develop ear problems. Here’s a general guideline to help you determine how often your dog needs an ear cleaning: Ask Your Vet – Pet

Feeding a wholesome, nutritious, tasty diet to your dog is a huge priority for a loving pet parent. Whether you’re new to having a dog or have been a dog parent for a while, you may have some questions about improving your dog’s diet. Keep reading to learn about our 5 tips to achieve the best dog diet for your canine buddy! There are plenty of reasons to think about your dog’s diet, even if your dog has been part of the family for some time. Here are a few examples: Recently adopted a new member of the family Thinking about switching your dog’s food Feeding a picky eater Learned about a new dog diet Supporting your dog through life events or changes, like growing older or losing teeth Noticed some digestive issues, appetite changes, or other issues Need to help your dog lose weight or eat better Whether any of these reasons apply to you, or you just want to make sure you’re feeding your dog right, use our five tips below to help improve your dog’s diet! Before you buy dog food, make sure to check the nutrition label to learn about what you’re feeding your dog. Nutrition labels list ingredients in the order of largest to smallest amount used. Do you recognize the ingredients, especially the first five? Is protein listed first? Adult dogs need a complete and balanced diet containing these nutrients: Protein Vitamins and minerals