Advice for your Fur Baby

 

How Many Treats Can Your Dog Have? 

We make our dog treats as healthy and low fat as possible and with no preservatives, but you must remember that they are treats only and should not be used as a meal replacement. Everthing in moderation is the most sensible approach.

 A lot of dogs these days are becoming sensitive to the amount of preservatives that are added to processed foods, such as can and kibble foods. We suggest slowly changing you fur childs diet to one that has a higher percentage of raw meaty bones and less of the highly preservative added processed foods for overall better health.

 If your dog already has a weight problem and you still want to give him or her a Zoe`s Doggy Treat our Vet recommends that you cut down the quantity of food you give to your dog in its daily meal and increase their daily exercise and always have plenty of fresh clean drinking water available.

 

DOGS ORAL HYGIENE

 Today’s choices of prepared food for dogs is overwhelming and it is easier for us to just purchase some tin or dry food for our dogs and think that we are feeding them the best we can, because that is how it is marketed to us. While all this processed food may be balanced and have added vitamins it is not a natural diet for our canine friends and may contain high amounts of preservatives, it should not be the only food they have. Like us a good variety is always best.

 A large number of dogs are being presented to vets with varying degrees of dental problems, mainly because they are only being fed these processed foods. Dogs require fresh meaty bones regularly; these massage their gums and help clean the tartar build up from their teeth.

 Good advice is to give your dog a fresh raw meaty bone every day to maintain optimum dental health. Small dogs need small raw meaty bones e.g. fresh chicken necks or lamb rib flaps, these require chewing and have a reasonable amount of meat.

 Larger breeds require larger raw meaty bones eg. Turkey necks, chicken frames, kangaroo tail or lamb necks.

 You should never give your dogs cooked bones and if fido tends to gulp and swallow never give them chop bones, T bones or any sharp pointy ones as these may splinter or get caught in their throat or intestines.

 If your dog is gaining weight, reduce the amount of processed food they have at meal  time but always maintain their daily raw meaty bone.

 Tough chewy treats such as pigs ears, snouts, jerkys and anything that requires a good chew for your dog can also be beneficial for their oral hygiene.

   

Skin Irritation Problems.

A lot of skin irritations on dogs may and possibly are caused by flea hypersensitivity. It only takes a couple of fleas to get the dog into a chew, lick and scratch cycle. The chewing and scratching inflames the skin and the licking leaves the area moist which encourages bacteria and mites to multiply. 

If you find you fur child has an itching problem it is best to eliminate fleas as a first step to solving skin problems. Start by bathing the dog using a quality flea wash/shampoo. 

Completely renewing the dog’s bed is also necessary at the same time, I would suggest the bed has a removable and washable cover, which is replaced on a regular basis. It is also wise to treat other areas for fleas around the house or outside where you dog may choose to lay.

Replace that old flea collar that you can’t remember when you actually bought it, or use a quality brand treatment that you apply on their skin. Keep the treatment up to date especially in the warmer months as this is peak season for fleas and ticks.

It may take several weeks to eliminate them, as the flea eggs will still hatch out, even if the adults have been killed off.

If you feel your dog still has skin irritations after the fleas have been eradicated, seek advice from your vet, there may be other reasons such as grass seed irritations, dermatitis or fungal infections. It is uncommon for dogs to suffer from food allergies.