A Closer Look at Pet Anxiety & How to Treat It Holistically!

As pet parents, we are all vaguely aware that we should minimize the stress our pet kids experience. As a holistic pet consultant, I think it is important that we also comprehend the health risks of prolonged anxiety, too. The fact is, living in a fearful or anxious state for long periods of time can take a dramatic toll on the health of a companion animal.

Any time your pet feels endangered, whether the threat is real or imagined, the body prepares to defend itself by unleashing a torrent of stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, that have far-reaching effects on the whole body. These hormones release energy, increasing respiration while inhibiting digestion, the immune system, growth, reproduction and even pain perception. These hormones also decrease blood flow to areas of the body that are necessary for movement. This is appropriate for survival in a real crisis, but when fear, anxiety or stress continues chronically, negative health effects are a real possibility. These effects could include fatigue, hypertension, gastrointestinal problems, skin disease, as well as metabolic and immune problems. You might be surprised to know that pets can manifest many of the same conditions that we do!

Chronic anxiety and stress can even cause permanent damage to the brain. We know that animals staying in shelter facilities are at increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, including upper respiratory tract infections, litterbox problems, hair loss, and bladder inflammation. And that’s nothing compared to the extreme duress of prolonged fear experienced by dogs in puppy mills! We can see the effects of stress on dogs when they exhibit signs of stress colitis, an inflammatory GI condition that causes diarrhea - often seen after boarding, veterinary visits, or grooming. Stressed dogs suffering from separation anxiety can also be destructive, chewing carpet, baseboards, or scratching up doors. Dogs that are chronically stressed can lick themselves raw, creating skin conditions like lick granulomas.

Apart from the mental and physical distress, stress hormones also imprint any fearful situation firmly in your pet’s memory as something that was scary and life-threatening. These feelings can be recalled from something as seemingly innocuous as pinpricks from a vaccine needle, a person wearing a lab coat or the sight of nail clippers. Any memory of frightening situations can prove to be a powerful fear stimulus. When your companion animal encounters a similar sort of situation, the stress hormones are released and the fear cycle resumes all over again.

The effects of fear and anxiety can be profound and highly distressing. We need to recognize fear in our pets, do more to decrease their fear when possible, and prevent fear by associating potentially fearful situations with positive stimuli. As you can see, dogs and cats who demonstrate pathologic levels of fear or anxiety need our help, not only for their emotional well-being but their physical well-being, too!

Ask us about using 100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential oils formulated specifically for animals in our Animal Scents collection. Log onto:

www.NaturalLivingEssentialOils.com 

and search Product Categories for "Pets" to see our line of essential oils and essential oil- infused pet products. 

Animal Scents Care Collection (sold individually)

Individual Oils from the Animal Scents Care Collection

The Inside Scoop On Homemade Pet Food ~ by Dr. Jane Bicks

If you’re reading this, chances are it’s not the first time you’ve given some degree of thought to the concept of a homemade pet diet. Whether you regard this topic with interest or with repulsion, a series of pet food recalls combined with the ‘foodie’ movement have resulted in growing discussion among pet parents about the costs and benefits of becoming a personal chef for one’s pet kids.

So, what are some of the reasons pet parents turn to making their own pet food? While motivations can be deeply personal, they commonly fall into these categories:

1. Your veterinarian-prescribed food that your pet kid won’t eat
2. You have made specific dietary choices and want to extend them to your animal family members
3. You only trust food which comes out of your kitchen
4. You are hoping to alleviate the symptoms or severity of a medical diagnosis
5. You are ambivalent about commercial pet food and curious to see if you could get better results
6. A belief that you could save some money

While these questions provide some food for thought, motivation alone is not an assurance of health and wellbeing for pet kids. When deciding what to feed their companion animals, pet parent’s choices must be backed up by expertise and solid knowledge. So, what actually does go into the decision to take the plunge into homemade pet food?

Pet Parent Education: Intensive

In the era of Pinterest, there are loads of DIY pet food recipes and enthusiastic testimonials. Some of these recipes give the appearance of being well-balanced and reasonably easy, and may even have a cute name.

But chances are the vast majority of these will not provide pets with the nutrition they need. In an independent 2013 study of 200 homemade adult dog food recipes gathered from the internet, cookbooks and veterinarians, only five (2.5%) of them were nutritionally balanced. All five balanced recipes had come from veterinarians with advanced training in nutrition.

The takeaway here is that it is critical to involve a holistic or integrative veterinarian and/or a veterinary nutritionist to ensure the nutritional needs of your furry kid are being met.

Cost Analysis: Moderate - Intensive

If the financial bottom line is a priority, time should be spent doing an analysis of the daily cost to feed pet kids a balanced diet. With a quality recipe in hand, pet parents can take to the internet and local grocery stores to estimate the cost of the homemade meal before ever investing in buying the ingredients. The cost of any special equipment, like a meat grinder or food processor, and food storage containers, should also be factored in.

Ingredient Sourcing: Intensive

A balanced recipe from a qualified Veterinary Nutritionist is sure to include proteins, carbohydrates and a list of added vitamins and other nutritional supplements. As with any consumable product, there is great variation in the quality of all of these ingredients as well as variation in what is appropriate for different species. What many fail to realize is that improperly balanced nutrients can actually lead to a host of disease states, essentially creating toxicity within the body. To ensure maximum benefit, be certain that your nutritionist is explicit about cuts of meat and which supplements to purchase, and ensure that all of these questions are addressed:

~ What form should each supplement be in; liquid or powder? 
~ What source is okay for each supplement; synthetic, natural, purified, etc.?
~ Are there certain varieties of supplements that should be avoided; Cod Liver Oil or ~ Krill Oil vs. Fish Oil? 
~ Are your personal dietary requirements being met; grain free or vegetarian?
~ Which cuts of meat are optimal, acceptable and should be avoided; white meat, dark meat, lean or fat?

Food Preparation & Storage: Moderate – Intensive

If you’ve ever done batch cooking for your human family, you’ll have an idea what it’s like to make your own pet food. This exercise takes advance planning, time management, practice and possibly endurance depending on how large a batch is being made.

This time commitment will vary by recipe, quality of equipment being used, size of the batch being prepared, and with fine tuning over time.

Food Serving: Minimal

Home prepared foods are refrigerated or frozen and may require warming to room temperature to serve. At issue here is the commitment to the frequency of this task more so than the amount of time required.

Given the level of difficulty in preparing home meals, and the expertise to get the formulas right every time, this probably isn’t a viable option for most pet parents. If you’re seeking holistic nutrition plus convenience and value, I urge you to consider the premium nutrition offered by any of our Life’s Abundance pet foods.

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for companion animals.

TIRED OF PET FOOD RECALLS?

Choose Life's Abundance Dog and Cat Food! They have NEVER been recalled and the food is shipped fresh to your door within 4-6 weeks of being made. They have been in business since 1999! Choose a pet food you can trust! This food is only sold online to ensure you receive the freshest food possible. Click Here to order.

www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com

Life's Abundance Agility Formula for Dogs & Cats

Good joint health is crucial to your companion animal’s wellbeing. The ability to walk, run and jump represents a large part of your dog’s unique ability to express emotion. Unfortunately, aching and stiff joints are just as much a part of aging for dogs as it is for humans. In fact, there are an estimated 68 million dogs experiencing hip and joint challenges ~ that’s nearly 60% of the canine population! 

At present, there are several hip and joint formulas marketed for companion animals. Unfortunately, most of these products treat the joint as an isolated goal; it is for this reason that they do not work as well as they could.

Our Agility supplement is a holistic formula, which means that it takes into account the needs of the whole body, including all the parts that work with the joints.

This formula helps maintain healthy joint cartilage and connective tissue, and to aid in the production of healthy synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints.

This supplement features Glucosamine, MSM, sea mussels and hyaluronic acid. Agility Formula is a natural, holistic, multi-action joint support formula containing scientifically-tested ingredients.

Glucosamine helps maintain and promote joint and connective tissue health.

It has been shown to be essential in the healthy development and ongoing maintenance of connective tissue and synovial fluid. Research studies indicate that Glucosamine supports healthy joint flexibility, mobility and lubrication. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a natural source of organic sulfur, an element vital to the maintenance of healthy joints, bones, ligaments and tendons.

Sea mussels also contain Chondroitin Sulfate, which works in tandem with Glucosamine. And hyaluronic acid helps to keep cartilage strong and flexible to better cushion joints. These nutrients work synergistically with the other ingredients in Agility (vitamins E and C, boswellia serrata, alfalfa leaf extract, chondroitin sulfate, manganese and boron) to supply your companion animal with a comprehensive formula to help maintain the health of the entire musculoskeletal system.

And last but not least, this holistic formula has a delicious flavor that your furry friends will love! Join thousands of satisfied customers, and help your dog to live a healthier and happier life with Agility Formula. 60-count bottle (also available in 120-count bottle . . . contact Seller directly for additional info).

Pricing is per ONE (1) Agility Formula and includes Free Standard U.S. Shipping! The Gifted Pet prides itself on featuring these types of high quality products in our store. As always, we appreciate your business! 


Shop for Agility Formula HERE!

Shop ALL Life's Abundance HERE!!

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Raven is an engaging entrepreneur who encourages others to celebrate pets as part of the family, as well as keep them happy, healthy, and spoiled with her online specialty pet boutique (http://www.TheGiftedPet.com), and premium pet food business (http://www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com)

For more information, please visit her Facebook page to PM her (https://www.facebook.com/TheGiftedPet), or email her atRaven@TheGiftedPet.com

SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY! Bath Fresh Mist ~ Kiwi & Mango Scent

New Customers & Existing Customers:

Receive one entry for every product you order from our store from now until September 30th. So, if you order a case of canned food and a bag of dry food, you receive two entries! If you order a case of canned food, a bag of dry food, and a bag of treats, you will receive three entries! Simple as that!  

Sign up as a New Customers OR Refer A New Customer to me and receive double entries!  

Drawing will be held on Wednesday, October 1st.  Good luck to all! 

Open to U.S. residents . . . apologies to our international friends. 


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Bath Fresh Mist contains pure plant botanicals and natural fruit extracts for a strong, healthy and vibrant coat. Bath Fresh Mist is also enhanced with a moisture activated odor-fighter that safely absorbs and neutralizes odors, keeping your pet with a fresh "just bathed" feel and clean smell of Kiwi Mango longer. The perfect finish to a bath or a great between bath freshener, Bath Fresh Mist can also be used when you brush your pet ~ he or she will love the attention! Not just a cover up ~ actually neutralizes odors.


http://bit.ly/BathMist



To sign up as a new Life's Abundance Customer, and to place your order, visit our website here:

www.PremiumPetFoodStore.com