Shedding, Healthy Coats and Your Pet
The splendor of summer is right around the bend. We are approaching the season when children, freed from studies, populate the neighborhood, friends and families hold cook-outs, and we find ourselves preoccupied with the health our pet's coats.
There's a reason for our annual fixation. Dogs usually begin to lose their winter coats in early spring, when it is gradually replaced by a shorter, lighter coat suited to the summer months. The amount of shedding varies widely from breed to breed. For example, the pet parents of German Shepherds will groan about the amount of shedding all year long, while those of us with poodles rarely have to get out the broom or vacuum, even with the arrival of summer.
While we've seen that growth cycles can be affected by mood, hormones, and nutrition, changes primarily occur due to fluctuations in the amount of daylight and temperature.
The length of daylight hours is believed to have a greater impact on the shedding cycle than temperature, which is why all pets shed during particular times of the year. Even artificial indoor lighting can have an effect, especially on companion animals who stay primarily indoors.
And companion animals experience big differences in temperature when leaving and entering your home, which is most extreme in the summer and winter months. These differences induce a constant state of change, setting up conditions that lead to increased shedding throughout the year.
And an unhealthy coat can have negative impacts on pet parents, too, in the form of allergies. Contrary to popular belief, hair is not the culprit of allergies in humans, but rather dander and proteins in the oil produced by glands in the skin.
For all of the hair support systems to function properly, they require a variety of nutrients, including fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. Additionally, a healthy coat requires a great deal of protein. Almost 95% of the protein that’s ingested is used by the body to support hair production and maintenance. Fortunately, nutritious foods like Life's Abundance and Instinctive Choice provide the protein content necessary to supply your pet's body with the protein necessary to help maintain a healthy coat.
Just as it is important to feed a high-quality, nutrient-dense food, it is also advisable to give your companion animals a balanced supplement that provides the additional nutritional support necessary to achieve the utmost in a healthy coat and skin.
HealthyPetNet's Skin & Coat Formula is a unique formula that provides a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These oils are certified-free of contaminants and are microencapsulated to increase absorption, so your pet receives the full nutritional benefit. Additionally, Skin & Coat Formula contains vitamins A, D, and E, all of which are necessary for the maintenance of healthy skin and a glossy coat. To ensure the highest product quality, Skin & Coat is manufactured in a human pharmaceutical plant. And, it has a delicious roast beef flavor that both cats and dogs love.
No matter the season, HealthyPetNet's Skin & Coat Formula can help to make your pet's coat healthy, glossy and beautiful – and keep it that way, all year long.
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Accidental Injuries Caused by Pets
Injuries resulting from losing one's balance from trying to avoid stepping on your cat. Falling over your dog on an afternoon walk. Slipping on a chew toy in the hallway. These accidents are much more common than you might expect.
A recent report published in the CDC's Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report in March highlights a heretofore un compiled data from medical reports filed at 66 different hospitals from 2001 to 2006. This collection of personal injury accounts from all across America indicates that we're surprisingly likely to injure ourselves because of our four-legged companions. Further, the data clearly shows that seniors are particularly likely to break a bone due to such mishaps.
The researcher who penned the study, Dr. Judy Stevens, suggested that the importance of training cannot be under stressed in the prevention of such accidents.
We would suggest that the adage, "look both ways before crossing the street" should probably be emended to "look both ways – and down – before crossing your living room".
Do You Have Pet Insurance?
Near-term costs. Long-term savings. That's exactly what pet insurance, just like your health insurance (if you're fortunate enough to be covered), offers pet parents. And in difficult economic times, pet insurance may be the answer to escalating vet bills.
Veterinary charges continue to rise, largely due to the fact that procedures once used exclusively for human diagnoses (like CAT-scans and MRI's) are much more commonly used for diagnosing companion animals.
Presently, only 3% of companion animals are insured in America. And yet, that's still a 50% increase in only one year.
Pet insurance remains a relatively inexpensive way to help families deal with the high costs of the best possible veterinary care. Policies are available through companies like Veterinary Pet Insurance, Pet Health, Inc., ShelterCare and others, both for cats and for dogs, and cover everything from annual exams to specialized treatments.
Before you buy a pet insurance policy, call your veterinarian office to find out what policies will cover costs there. After all, there's no point getting a policy if your veterinarian doesn't accept it. Additionally, you might want to discuss which policy will best suit your companion animal's needs with your vet.
Treat Me Right.. Or Else
Researchers at the University of Vienna have uncovered evidence that might startle non-dog folks, but it will probably come as no surprise to our pro-dog readers.
In several previous studies, non-human primates have demonstrated an unwillingness to commit to problem-solving tasks that yield unfair rewards for themselves compared to others in their group, even going so far as to "stage strikes" rather than support a program perceived as unjust. And now, with this newest piece of research, canines are now recognized as the first non-primate species to display sensitivity and awareness to inequality.
Investigators devised a simple experiment. Multiple sets of two dogs sat side-by-side (with their pet parents standing behind them), and were prompted to complete a known task (in this case, "shaking hands"). One dog was rewarded, the other was not. In nearly every case, after just a few instances of the unfair reward system, the dog not receiving the treat refused to complete the task. Additionally, scientists tried the same task-no-reward test when no other dog was nearby, and these dogs continued to do the requested task much longer than when in the presence of another dog. The observers noted that the outcomes were not altered when the food rewards were changed.
Pet parents already have some sense of their own dog's intelligence and personality. And now we can add resentment to a host of canine emotions.
The study was predicated on the claim that evolutionary progress has in part been fueled by cooperation and an ability to recognize the efforts of others in a given community and analyze the resultant payoffs and costs of said actions.
Source: "The Absence of Reward Induces Inequity Aversion in Dogs" by Friederike Range, Lisa Horn, Zsofia Viranyi and Ludwig Huber, published in a December issue of the Proceedings of the National Acadmey of Sciences.
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Being Proactive In Your Pet's Skin & Coat Care
Everybody knows that the cleaner the hair, the shinier and better looking it is. Not only that, but bathing removes loose, dying skin cells in the first layer of the skin, allowing healthy, new layers to grow. If you notice any excessive flaking, that's an indication that skin cells are dying prematurely and are in need of additional nourishment and support.
Personally, I recommend that cats be bathed two to four times each year. The life cycle of hair ends with shedding, and as the amount of hair shed increases, the more hairballs are likely to develop. And when a lot of hair is shed in a short period of time, it can become trapped in the healthy hair. This is exactly why a proactive hair and skin care routine can help to diminish the likelihood of hairballs.
Not only is it important to bathe cats in an effort to prevent hairballs, there is evidence to suggest that bathing cats can actually help to reduce the severity of allergies in your family, too. Research by the Cornell Feline Health Center showed that many people who suffer from cat allergies report fewer problems after their cats have been bathed.
Unless your dogs have problem skin, they should be bathed only about every two weeks. Even though we think of our little dogs like our babies, they definitely don’t need daily baths. If they are experiencing mild problems (dry skin, an excessively oily coat, noticeable odor, etc.), I recommend that they receive an effective combination of the Revitalizing Shampoo and Bath Fresh Mist, bathing every few days and using the mist on the in-between days. And these products are safe to use in combination with topical flea products, so you don’t have to worry about reapplying these treatments.
A good shampoo includes conditioners, which moisturize as the shampoo cleans. Inexpensive shampoos often have harsh chemicals which, while providing a rich lather, frequently do not contain conditioners that contribute to a healthy coat and better skin.
The formula for Revitalizing Shampoo was created specifically to help your pet’s coat be lustrous and healthy, all year long! I formulated our shampoo with fruit extracts, due to their antioxidant properties. The base itself is very mild, with a built-in conditioner. This delightful formula includes organic herbs, to provide your sweet companion with the very finest in care products. As soon as you apply Revitalizing Shampoo, the rosemary and sage begin to penetrate the hair shaft and rejuvenate the hair at the root. Used for centuries to care for hair, rosemary is a natural antiseptic that leaves skin feeling tingly and invigorated. Additionally, these organic herbs also help to stimulate the growth of new skin cells, resulting in healthier hair and a more luxurious and shiny coat.
Some over-the-counter shampoos indicate that you use a large amount of the product. As a result, rinsing can take a very long time. Sometimes pet parents, even after several minutes of rinsing, still feel residual soapiness in the coat and on the skin. With a rich formula, Revitalizing Shampoo lathers quickly, generates loads of foamy bubbles, and takes only moments to rinse clean. The fragrance is vibrantly fresh, with a pleasingly tropical mango scent – no overpowering perfumes like those used in some shampoos. The aroma is just wonderful!
If you have a dog, you know that even when you bathe them, they can frequently have the same dirty smell the very next day. Yech! Our Revitalizing Shampoo has a special odor-control ingredient called Ordenone™, which effectively eliminates foul odors for four-to-five days. With a proven safety record in many personal care products, Ordenone™ is a unique compound that traps odor-causing molecules odors and permanently encapsulates them. When you rinse away the suds, you also rinse away the unpleasant odors. In addition to eliminating everyday odors, Ordenone™ has no effect on the normal microbial processes of the skin, helping to ensure the health of your pet’s skin.
Unfortunately, both dogs and cats can have problems with matting fur. And often, washing them will only aggravate the problem, making the mats tighter and harder to deal with. Using scissors to cut the mat can be dangerous, and therefore I don't think they are a good way to get rid of mats. This is exactly why I created Bath Fresh Mist … simply spray this coat conditioner onto the mat and carefully comb it out. It takes a little bit of patience, but it’s better for your lovable companion.
Bath Fresh Mist is made with the same fruit extracts and has the same odor-fighting molecule as the Revitalizing Shampoo. This spray-on coat conditioner and skin nourisher is an excellent in-between bath solution, keeping your dog or cat smelling fresh. Additionally, it's effective at removing kinks, which helps to prevent mats. This lovely scented product is an easy and effective way to keep coats lustrous and smelling great.
And remember, both of these products are safe to use in combination with topical flea products, so you don’t have to worry about reapplying those treatments.
Give your sweet companion a healthy helping of relief this spring, and all year long, with the skin and coat combination of Revitalizing Shampoo and Bath Fresh Mist!
As always, I thank you for all that you do to make the world a better place for companion animals.
Very best regards,
Dr. Jane |
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Revitalizing Shampoo
Pamper your precious pet with an infusion of certified-organic herbal extracts, pure plant botanicals and natural fruit extracts. This Revitalizing Shampoo naturally untangles, nourishes and conditions coats, leaving them soft and pleasantly fragrant. Moisture-activated absorbers neutralize even the strongest of pet odors. The luxurious lather cleanses without stripping natural oils. After use, the coat retains the delicate aroma of our unique blend of natural fruit extracts. Natural antioxidants from organic rosemary and sage help prevent damage from changes in the weather and other environmental factors.
• Certified-Organic Rosemary & Sage
• Essences of Mango & Kiwi
• Grapefruit, Lemon & Palm Kernel Oils
• Coconut
Bath Fresh Mist
Our rich and potent conditioning mist is naturally infused with a harmonizing blend of certified-organic herbal extracts, pure plant botanicals and natural fruit extracts, all of which helps to untangle hair and eliminate mats. And, Bath Fresh Mist is enhanced with moisture-activated odor absorbers that actually eliminate odors rather than just covering them up. With every application, you'll be nourishing the coat, helping to make it strong, healthy and vibrant. The perfect finish to a bath or a great between-bath freshener, this formula can also be used when you brush your pets – they will love the attention!
• Certified-Organic Rosemary & Sage
• Essences of Mango & Kiwi
• Grapefruit & Lemon Oils
• Aloe Vera
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