 |
 |
 |
Happy Holidays to You and Your Precious Pet ! |
||
| It's finally December folks. This is the time of year we cherish the people in our lives that have been with us through thick and thin: our family, friends and co-workers. We celebrate the ones we love, help the less fortunate, maybe even adopt a pet in need. Speaking of pets, they too have been with us through thick and thin. They possess an uncanny talent of loving us unconditionally through all of our ups and downs. They loved us regardless of our surly moods and quick tempers. Heck, they may have even made us crack a few smiles in the thick of it all. This issue is dedicated to celebrating our pets. Let's stop and think about what makes them unique and beautiful. And since it's the holidays, we included a holiday survival guide to help you and your pets get through the rest of the holidays safe and sound. Our pets give us so much every day of the year. The holidays are a wonderful time to give back. HealthyPetNet Gift Baskets make great gifts for your pets and your "pet friends." Take one to a party and surprise a furry friend! | ||
"Gift Basket for Dogs" |
"Gift Basket for Cats" |
|
| A cuddly and super soft plush animal toy that squeaks ... either a reindeer, floppy eared dog or teddy bear, all absolutely adorable and all super snuggly. Plus, an assortment of delicious and healthy treats just waiting to delight your dog's taste buds!Including: Wholesome Hearts Low Fat Treats (heart-shaped sensations), Gourmet Dental Treats (honey peanut), Antioxidant Health Bars (deliciously nutritious), two Porkhide Dog Bones, a Dental Chew and one yummy Porky Puff Dog Chew. The tasty treats are nestled in a lovely reusable holiday painted basket with the plush animal on top and it is beautifully packaged with a colorful ribbon and a cute gift card that you can personalize. (Basket design and plush animal may vary.) | A delightful variety of playful toys that will keep your furry feline happily occupied during the holidays. The toys include a whimsical Whisker Holiday Mouse filled with catnip, a soft Chenille Ball, a Catnip Pillow just waiting to be swiped and batted around and a Faux Fur Holiday Mouse to chase. For the proud cat parent, we included an adorable hand-painted cat photo frame so you can proudly display your cat's photo. You can use it as an ornament or it stands on its own. And last but not least, we included a bag of Purr-fectly Natural Gourmet Cat Treats (Hairball Formula). The toys and treats are nestled in a lovely reusable holiday painted basket and it is beautifully packaged with a colorful ribbon and a cute gift card that you can personalize. (Basket design, toys and frame may vary.) | |
- - - LIMITED QUANTITY - - - |
||
| Healthy Treats versus Table Scraps . . . We "Beg" to Differ | ||
|
Be honest. Are you a treat giving parent or do you give more of a table scrap kind of love? This is the time of year when this question is most relevant. Guests are coming into our homes and feeding our pets plenty of clandestine table scraps. Truthfully, most of us are guilty of sneaking a morsel or more to our pets during dinner and though there is nothing inherently criminal about this, we want to be careful about starting trends that we can't stop. | |
| For instance, once you reward begging with table scraps, you can expect to see those same yearning eyes the next night and the night after that. It's really difficult to "untrain" pets from expecting a table treat. And who can blame them? The question is: do you want a dog that sings the "No Food Blues" at your feet and a cat that uses your dinner table as a trampoline every evening when you sit down to supper? Here are some more reasons why you may want to reconsider your penchant for table scrap giving: Table scraps are the turnpike to weight problems. Our pets often end up with that hunk of fat from our plates that we neglected during dinner, greatly contributing to weight gain. Scraps don't offer the supplemental nutrition pets need—nutrition that well-balanced treats can provide. Much of table scraps are empty calories. Table scraps are the leading cause of digestive disorders. The richness and fattiness of our foods can do a number on your pet's digestive tract. The more simple and consistent we keep our pets' diets, the better. Mary Shelley created a monster, you may create a thief. If a pet is used to getting food from the table, don't be surprised if you catch him devouring the leftover turkey that you left unattended on the kitchen table. A head in the garbage bag is not uncommon either. You may create a finicky eater. If you get your pet too used to human foods, he/she may not even want to eat his own food. But if you insist on giving table scraps… Remember that table scraps should be used as treats, not the main course. As far as scraps go, we suggest: meats without bones, cooked and deboned fish, cooked or raw veggies, cooked grains, cooked eggs and brown rice. Let's not forget dairy…cats especially love milk. Fortunately, lactose intolerance is generally not found in pets. These scraps are a no-no: Chocolate (has toxic chemicals), fatty meats (causes pancreatic problems), stuffing with raisins, raw eggs when baking (watch out because cats love them!), fish with bones (such as trout), cooked and raw bones (they can choke your pet and puncture the digestive tract). |
||
December 2005 Dr. Jane Bicks
|
|
Healthy treats give Our Antioxidant Health Bars look great in a crystal bowl! |
