Treat your Pets well
Posted by Kelli de Sante' on 8th Aug 2021
Treat your pets well.
From summer heat to processed foods, avoid the things that harm your pet.
We love our pets. They are members of our families. They are smart and affectionate. If pets are trained and cared for properly they give back to us the love we give them. While their bodies and immune systems react differently in many ways than humans, there are many parallels to us as well. Just as we care for ourselves, we need to care for our pets. They are trusting us to do the right thing, from keeping them safe, feeding them the right foods and recognizing when they are sick or in need of medical attention. With summer in full swing, and environmental allergies high along with food allergies affecting so many, let’s look at how we can do right by our furry companions.*
Watch the heat.
With record heat all across the country, there is great risk to your pets. It’s important to keep your pets out of the direct sun and make sure they have plenty of fresh water. If it is hot outside for us, it is also for our pets. Make sure they have shade, and bring them in if the termperatures are too high. They can get overheated and dehydrated. Hose them down, fill up a kiddie pool, or just give them a refreshing bath. They will smell better too.1*
Avoid hot pavement
Don’t over exercise them and beware of how hot the pavement is on their paws. We wear shoes, but the pads on their paws can get burned. Being so close to the ground, a dog’s body can heat up very quickly, so keep the walks to the morning and evening hours and try to keep them off of asphalt where heat is stored and rises. 1*
Don’t leave your pet inside a car.
It’s common sense to not leave your dog in a hot car, but still, every year hundreds of dogs die from being left in hot cars. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, “…The temperature inside your vehicle can rise almost 20º F in just 10 minutes, and almost 30º F in 20 minutes. The longer you wait, the higher it goes. At one hour, your vehicle’s inside temperature can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that’s 110 degrees inside your vehicle…” 2*
Lots of fresh water!
Make sure your pet has access to unlimited fresh water as they can get dehydrated quickly, just as we can when it is hot or humid outdoors. If you notice your pet excessively panting or having difficulty breathing, drooling, weakness, increased heart and respiratory rate, stupor, seizures, bloody diarrhea or vomiting, collapse…all these are signs that your pet is overheated or dehydrated. Get them medical attention right away. “…The AVMA warns pets can suffer heat strokes very easily and “must be treated very quickly to give them the best chance of survival…”(1,2)*
Pets are safer in kennels when traveling in cars.
According to the AVMA, “….just as you should always wear your seatbelt to protect you in case of a collision, your pet should always be properly restrained while in the vehicle. That means a secure harness or a carrier…” Loose pets can distract, get caught under petals and injured severely in collisions. They can get killed by airbags and be propelled out the window if not secured. While dogs love to hang their heads out windows to feel the wind in their face, be smart about when and where you allow this to happen. Sometimes it is better just to keep them safe and secure at home. 1*
Body Biotics™ Bio-Identical SBO Probiotics Consortia™ for pets
If your pet’s microbiome is out of whack, you might notice such issues as:
- Diarrhea
- Allergies
- Obesity
- Gas
- Cramping
- Bloating
- General poor health
- Upset stomach
- Bad breath4*
Adding probiotics to your pet’s diet can benefit their gut health, just as it does in humans. Providing healthful foods that feed their healthy bacteria will help their guts to thrive. You’ll see a difference in their skin, digestion, and overall health just as in humans. (3,4)*
Food allergies and intolerances.
Just as people experience food intolerances and allergies, our pets do too. Allergies and intolerances can cause upset stomach, itchy skin, and more. In addition to adding Body Biotics™ Bio-Identical Probiotics Consortia™ to their diets, it is imperative to examine what we are feeding our pets too. Much of the “processed” and heat treated foods we feed our pets are not easily tolerated by many animals. The high heat processing changes the molecular structure of meats turning it into something that the animals’ digestive tracts don’t tolerate easily. Over time, these foods that include animal byproducts, fillers, and other known allergy causing foods such as soy and rice build up in an animals’ system and can result in skin conditions, inflammation and reduced life spans. If processed food is not good for us….why should it be good for our pets? Next time we will examine this issue more closely and how to avoid food intolerances in our pets, as well as provide a research study that provides a practical solution.3*
Pets are important members of families everywhere and the love and care you put into them will be given back one hundred times over. Loved animals are loving animals. Mistreated animals become mean and obnoxious. Take good care of your family’s furry members.*
Healthiest wishes,
Kelli
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