Improve The Health Of Your Pet

Current statistics show that the pet market in the Europe/UK is worth in excess of 34.4 billion and in the United States is worth over $69 billion. That’s a lot of money and therefore a lot of competition for your pet dollars. Every manufacturer of pet food, pharmaceutical company and pet accessory supplier is working to present their particular product in the best possible light all of which leads to a ton of conflicting information for you, the pet parent.

Every pet parent wants only the best for their companion animal and I’m sure you’re no exception. But how do you know what the ‘best’ is? How do you sift through the latest fad or the latest ‘research’ to find what is exactly right for your furbaby?

The answer is obvious to me. Ask them!

But then, I’m the animal translator and I can communicate directly with your companion animal. I can discover what might be causing a problem and what adjustments are necessary to ensure the best health possible for your pet.

As a pet parent you will already have an understanding of how intelligent your animal is. You will have seen them stop to listen, to respond to your words and tone of voice and to sense your moods. There is nothing more comforting that having your beautiful companion cuddle up to you when you feel sad or ill.

Have you ever wondered how they know?

Animals are highly intuitive and are connect to us in many ways. But their intuition is not limited to sensing what’s happening with you. They are also acutely aware of what’s happening with them. They know when something is wrong or can be improved and they can tell you!

But before we look at your animal individually, I want to introduce you to five general areas where you can improve the health of your pet.

1.        Nourish them with the appropriate diet

The most effective way to help your animal live a long and happy life is to provide them with the right nutrition. For optimal health your dog or cat needs quality protein, fats and a small amount of vegetables. Feeding them with fresh unmodified moisture dense food is the fastest way to a shiny coat, clear eyes and a healthy body. Avoid any food that includes grains, fillers, artificial preservatives, colours, chemicals, additives, soy, by-product or genetically modified (GMO) ingredients. Check the nutritional information on the back of any food you’re looking to buy and if it contains any ingredient that ends in ‘ose’, this is code for sugar which your animal definitely does not need (ingredients are listed in order of how much is contained so check that the biggest ingredient is appropriate for your animal). And remember, animals are just not designed to live on a diet of dry food from a packet.

2.        Keep your animal at optimal weight

Improper diet is one of the biggest contributors to your pet being overweight or obese. Your pet needs to eat a foundation diet of animal muscle meats, organs and bones but many of the most readily available and affordable pet food is packed full of grains, carbohydrates and fillers – in essence everything that your carnivore animal is not designed to eat. Not only does biologically inappropriate food create obesity but it also contributes to a long list of diet related illnesses along with chemical toxicity. Daily exercise is also vital if your animal is to live a happy and healthy life.

3.        Check your animal regularly

Unfortunately, many animals suffer for a long time before strong physical symptoms are noticed and treatment is sought. Prevention is always better than treatment so becoming aware of subtle changes in your animal is a great way to ensure a long and healthy life. Take note of your pet’s moods, behaviour, coat quality and eye brightness on a regular basis. Small changes could indicate the beginnings of illness or pain that can be simply treated with traditional medicine or with the help of an animal translator or healer. Taking a holistic approach to wellness is far better than playing catch up when things go wrong.

3.        Vaccinate sparingly

We are taught that animals need to be vaccinated regularly to protect them from various diseases but over vaccinating is potentially damaging to the short and long term health of your animal and has been linked to cancer, autoimmune and other life-threatening diseases. Instead, develop a habit of conducting an antibody titer test every three years to check immunity levels. This is far less expensive and less damaging than costly vaccination top-ups.

5.        Correctly accessorise

The things that surround your animal also have an impact on their health and wellbeing. Here’s a few things to consider when purchasing accessories:

 

• Choosing a food bowl for your animal might seem like a small thing but it’s an important one. Plastic can seem convenient and of course it’s light but the petrochemicals that are used to produce plastic leach out and contaminate your beautiful animals food and water. Metal is also light and sturdy but many animals find the loud sounds that are created when they’re eating, very disturbing particularly if they are wearing metal tags on their collar. Some animals are so disconcerted by the noise that they take their food away to their bed to eat it. The best type of food bowl is ceramic. It may be more fragile than the other choices but it is inert and sound friendly. Sometimes the little things make a big difference.
• If you’re a dog parent then making smart choices when it comes to collars, leashes and harnesses is vital. Many people take their dogs for a walk with only a collar and leash but if your dog is of the exploatory nature, purchase a harness that has a vertical belt over the chest to avoid movement of the sternum and protect them from possible skeletal problems. This is particularly important if your dog is a puppy as it takes time for them to learn the rules. 

There is a big difference between treating illness and maintaining wellness. In a world of conflicting information, making the right choices for your animal can be a challenge for everyone.

So why not simply take the time to ask your animal what works best for them?

Let them tell you if a problem exists, where the problem is and what treatment or prevention they prefer. They are completely in tune with their body and already know what they want for themselves.

You simply have to ask.