We all know that it is important for us, humans, to consume sufficient vitamins daily for our bodies to function properly. We all chose to take our vitamins differently; they could be taken by the food we eat, or even by taking supplementary pills. Both ways work fine and equally if consumed properly. Without vitamins, our bodies would have difficulties performing our normal daily tasks; such as fighting infections, building our immune system, thinking, laughing, running, smiling, working, sleeping and the list goes on.

As vitamins help us humans to be healthier and stronger, it also works the same way for our pets. Since pets are not able to determine what’s best for them, they rely on us to choose their own health decisions and it is essential to do what’s best for them. It is a proven fact that nutritional supplements can lead to a better health and a stronger resistance to diseases. Lack of vitamins, for both our pets and ourselves, could lead to long term illnesses. Pet supplements (Petaminz for cats and dogs) guarantees that your companion will daily receive the sufficient nutritional package that he or she needs for a great vitality and a strong quality of life. If your pet is sick, Petaminz helps boost up the immune system, fight off the disease and heal faster. If your pet is healthy at the moment, with this pet supplement your cat or dog will remain healthy and stay strong for a longer period of time.

Consult your veterinarian about any suspected health problems. If your pet suffers from lack of energy, unpleasant digestive system or vulnerability to infections; it is possible that it could be due to shortage of vitamins in your pet’s diet.

Just like there are foods that don’t agree with us and pills that we can take to make ourselves feel better, Our Dogs and Cats experience the same.

If your pet is suffering with discomfort or not feeling as good as they could be, they won’t be as happy or as energetic. This will become evident in their behavior and might even cause them to act out.

Vitamins and nutrients are essential to your pet’s diet. In most cases, the pet foods you give them contain sufficient levels of these. However, supplementing your pet’s diet with additional items such as Glucosamine is also an essential step in preventing joint deterioration and helping your pet live a happier, healthier and longer life. By reducing pain and inflammation, your pet’s overall demeanor can change.

A supplement specifically manufactured for pets, such as Petaminz, that contains sufficient quantities of glucosamine is a good start. If you have seen a change in your older pet’s behavior and you think it might be caused by joint pain, you might want to give Petaminz a try. Or, if you have a younger dog and you want to help keep arthritis at bay, Petaminz might be a good choice for you too.

Whether you are raising a puppy or caring for a dog into it’s last days of life, gaining an awareness and overall knowledge of the dog health issues will benefit you, and your best friend, in a variety of ways. Of utmost importance is learning how to best keep your dog healthy, as health problems can be progressively painful and equally expensive sometimes leaving the dog owner with the difficult choice of putting their dog down / to sleep / basically having to have their dog killed for not being able to afford whatever health care measures are needed to keep your dog out of pain.

Providing proper, well-rounded diet and exercise to your dog is the imperative first step to maintaining their long-term vitality. Just because the dog food you see in the grocery store says that it’s complete, or that it offers full nutrition, as there are no stringent regulations to this sort of advertising/labeling we advise you to guide your dog food choices with the assistance of a veterinarian so as to ensure that their nutritional needs are being fully met. Sometimes it is necessary to imbibe guidance from your veterinarian based on a specific dog health assessment as vitamin, mineral or enzymic supplementation may be needed to help prevent or treat certain dog’s health conditions. Insofar as exercise is concerned, having the correct balance of exercise needed for your dog’s breed, genetic disposition or health conditions (i.e. arthritis, anxiety) is also something from which you will likely benefit from professional veterinarian advice.

The best types of exercise that you can give your dog may include interaction with other dogs (social running and playing) as this can ease their anxiety in some cases. Some dog owners take their dogs running when they go running, and while this is convenient especially in the case of a cooperative dog this kind of exercise can be sub-par to play-central types. Furthermore, running your dog along side your running routine can in some cases over-exert your dog.

If your dog is feeling pain or not healthy, it can be difficult to know – especially since they can tend to try to hide any ailments due to their animalistic nature not wanting to reveal weakness to possible predators. This can make it difficult for the pet owner to know if their pet needs treatment or a change in diet, and can be dangerous even if rigorous exercise is forced upon the discreetly unhealthy dog. Overall, your best bet with keeping your dog’s health in tip-top shape is to steward him or her with the close guidance of a trusted veterinarian. Build a relationship with a local veterinarian who takes the time to answer questions, and you can help assure that your dog’s and your relationship can be as long-term and happy as possible.

Is your cat or dog showing signs of inactivity? Sometimes this is a sign of their joints not working properly. Joint pain, as is the case in humans, can be aided by the addition of glucosamine to the diet. The availability of Glucosamine and Chondrotin Sulfate can be supplemented to your pet’s diet so as to aid in the joint and overall physical health of your pet.

Glucosamine is key in the formation of pet’s cartilage as well as collagen production, the absence of which leads to health problems in your pet’s joints and skin. Joint health is essential to upkeep in order to keep your pet pain free. The cartilage between our bones acts as a shock absorber when we walk or run, and if it’s deteriorating or not properly lubricated pain can ensue due to arthritis. If your pet is in pain, they will not be able to exercise and will likely gain weight as a result, which in turn can lead to even more health problems.

There are no foods that contain Glucosamine, it’s a naturally occurring amino acid in the body. If your pet is diabetic, the provision of supplemental glucosamine must be given with care as a risk is posed. As is the case with all dietary supplementation, the guidance of a veterinarian must be sought in order to ensure that the proper type and amount of Glucosamine is being provided. Glucosamine should always be given to your pet along with a meal to ensure proper absorption as well as to reduce digestive problems including nausea or indigestion.

While many dog health issues may go unnoticed until they have manifested as painful, some health problems are very apparent in the form of a mangy, spotty fur coat. Unhealthy dog fur, in the form of hair loss or thinning as well as skin eruptions, can be a sign of larger problems that most often can be tackled with a dietary change or dog supplement.

Sometimes loss of fur can be caused by an allergy or irritation, not related to diet (i.e. if your dog fancies rolling in fluffy though fiberous insulation). Matting (think dredlocks) on the other hand can often-times be ’solved’ with proper grooming, either by the owner occasionally taking a brush to the dog’s fur or taking the pup to a professional groomer. There are mobile groomers in many areas as well who bring all grooming accoutrements (i.e. bath, clipping, etc.) right to your home. If taking these precautions to both properly groom your dog, and to make sure they aren’t getting mixed up with insulation or other allergic-response triggering environments then the cause of their lackluster coat may be rooted in a dietary insufficiency.

Dog fur problems such as dandruff and shedding may also be solved by the addition of missing nutrients to your dog’s diet. Dog coat supplements can be administered in the form of a liquid that’s added to the dog food (i.e. flax seed oil), and there are also dog supplements to help the health of their fur available in the form of treats or (the more difficult) capsules. The essential Omega fatty acids 3, 6 and 9 are most often suggested to help heal dog’s fur and skin, though there are other supplements available. Brazil nuts and Flax Seed Oil have also been recommended for the treatment of dog’s fur problems. It is imperative that any nutrient supplementation be reviewed with your dog’s veterinarian, as should your dog’s diet so that it’s best tailored for their specific health needs.

Given that the regularly available dog food available is simply dehydrated carbohydrate and protein meal sprayed with vitamins and minerals, the availability of enzymes is generally nullified. Enzymes, as well as probiotics, are essential for promoting proper digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals in your dog. Here we will look at the importance of both enzymes and probiotics in promoting dog health and longevity.

Even if you are able to provide your dog with the best pet meal available, if ample required enzymes and probiotics aren’t also provided then the nutrients you are attempting to provide them with a superior diet cannot be absorbed thus rendering your higher-quality diet as useless as most mainstream kibble for benefiting your dog’s health. Raw dog diet’s generally do contain more enzymes than the dry or wet processed alternatives that have been stripped of necessary dietary requirements due to overprocessing. Enzymes in dog food are necessary to enable nutrient absorption, as we already mentioned, as well as maintaining energy levels, immune system strength, healthy weight and white blood cell production. Providing enough enzymes to aid your dog’s digestion also can prevent degenerative diseases as well as cancer. Reduced cholesterol and artery plaque, as well as increased ability to shed toxins from the body, are also seen with the addition of required enzymes to the dog’s diet. There are many other benefits seen with enzyme supplementation. Not having ample enzymes in your dog’s diet will require their body to draw on any stores they have in their body, putting further pressure on their health.

Probiotics on the other hand, or Microflora, are bacteria that live inside your dog’s intestines the presence of which is required for maintaining health. They kill bad bacteria and fungus and enable proper nutritional absorption as seen with the enzyme dog diet requirement. The term ‘Probiotic’ literally means ‘for life’, and is the case with all nutritional needs normally not met by regularly available diets they are popularly supplemented with the guidance of a veterinarian to ensure that your dog’s diet is properly rounded out so as to maximize their health.

Here we are going to take a look at two of the most popular questions asked of dog and cat owners in regards to their furry friend’s health, well-being and long-term health. These are by no means all issues that a pet owner need learn about when taking the role of animal stewardship, but it’s a start. The internet is a fantastic resource for dog and cat owners to learn how best to care for their pets though this information should always be reviewed with a veterinarian to assure the best facilitation for the animal.

What are main concerns when raising a puppy or kitten?
Of paramount importance is pet diet especially when in the first few days of life when collistrum is needed in milk so as to ensure a healthy immune system can develop and protect your pet throughout it’s life. After eight weeks of life the consideration of vaccination should be reviewed with a veterinarian or pet health clinic. Vaccinations are available for the prevention of a wide variety of pet health conditions, and are often needed to be given in intervals over a span of about four weeks as is the case in the Rabies vaccination for cats and dogs. Spaying or neutering is done to pets to prevent them from reproducing, which is of utmost importance if your animal is going to be an ‘outside’ pet. This prevents your pet from impregnating neighborhood pets or strays, which sadly results in more strays which often are unfortunately brought into shelters and killed for lack of a home. Spaying is the removal of ovaries in the female cat or dog, and Neutering is the removal of testicles. If you are adopting your pet from a shelter they most likely will be released to you having already not only been spayed or neutered, but also microchipped or tattooed for identification purposes should they ever be lost. It is important that you keep your contact information current with the microchipping or other pet recovery system so that you can be contacted should your pet be lost, found and then ‘turned into’ a shelter.

What parasites can harm my dog or cat’s health?
There are different parasites that can host on your pet, both internal and external, and steps should be taken to prevent their interference with your pet’s health regardless of whether your pet is allowed to play or roam outside or if they are strictly an ‘inside pet’. Tapeworms are very common, which are actual worms that are unable to be seen by the naked/unaided human eye. Sometimes you can see them though, actually, as segments of the large worm that has infected your pet’s insides. If you see white, moving bits the size of a grain of rice around your pet’s tail then your dog or cat may have worms. Tapeworms are caused by the ingestion of fleas or mice and they reside in your pet’s intestines. Another sign that your pet may have worms is if they do a strange scoot of their bottom across the floor, which is their way of ’scratching the itch’ caused by the segments of Tapeworm irritating their bottom. Fleas are an external parasite which as we just mentioned can cause tapeworm. Most notably fleas are a nuisance in that they feed off of your pet and cause irritation and itching. A home that has a pet with fleas will most likely see the humans being affected as well, with flea bites that leave itchy welts. There are many over-the-counter remedies for preventing or repelling flea infestations though the most reliable methods can be obtained via your veterinarian. Another external pet parasite is the tick, which can be repelled / prevented with some pet products. Ticks can cause Lymes disease in both humans and dogs so it is best to take measures to prevent infestation. Heartworms are another parasite, internal, which affect the dog and they are caused by mosquitos. They are parasites that infect the dog’s heart and can only be detected via blood test. Again, prevention is key with this parasitic pet infection and this can be obtained with a once-a-month tablet administration.

The Maltese, originally coined the “Melitaie Dog” and known throughout the centuries by a slew of other names, is a small, toy thought to have originated from Asia. It’s theorized, though debated, that the term “Maltese” refers a time in history when women from Malta took a liking to this dog’s looks thus resulting in domestic popularity in this region. The first written reference of the Maltese dates back to Greece around 350 BC. Through cross-breeding it’s size has been reduced in some cases to the size of an adolescent rabbit or squirrel, and it’s ‘cute’ look makes the Maltese a sought-after breed to this day.

The Maltese is a small (3 to 7 pounds), long-haired dog with very dark eyes and short, floppy ears. Their hair is groomed at full length though for ease of care is often cut short into what is referred to as a ‘puppy-cut’. Without enough sunlight exposure their normally black nose can fade to lighter shades, even to pink, a ‘condition’ that has been coined “winter nose”. Any digression from pure white in the Maltese coat is regarded as an undesirable trait.

In addition to their adorable, stuffed-animalesque cutesy looks the Maltese has an equally desirable temperament. Bred to be all cuddles they are attention lovers who maintain an interested, active personality even into old age. Unfortunately the Maltese are reputed barkers, maybe due to their need for incessant attention. For this reason it is important to make sure that when purchasing a Maltese they will be in a home with ample attention and the companionship they desire as well as are considered for training to stave off yapping spells. Noted so much for their barking they are unfortunately often given away from their owners. They do not hardly shed, so regular grooming is essential to ensure their coats do not mat or become dred-like.

As is common with similar breeds to the Maltese, their tears often stain the pure-white fur surrounding their eyes and if not tended to can leave the dog with brown-red fur covering down to their snout. Distilled water may reduce the red staining, as does the avoidance of dog foods that contain dyes. There are numerous reasons why the red-tear staining occurs in the Maltese, including problems with eye ducts such as blockages or excess tearing. Ear infections and genetic predispositions also play a role. In some cases pet diet, dog treats, mineral-level of water. In most cases the red tearing is resultant from irritation or allergies. The red that you see in the tears is actually a sign of bacteria being present in the tears.

To control the bacteria that causes the red tearing there are many dog diet supplements to be considered. Colloidal Silver is popular among show-dog owners as it works as an antibiotic and is used on the surface to remove the stains caused by bacteria on the facial fur. Omega 3 essential fatty acid added to the Maltese diet has also been touted as a solution for preventing the bacteria at the root. If your Maltese tears excessively there are drops available to slow the tear generation and therefore controls the environment in which the red-staining bacteria normally thrives. If the tearing is caused by ear infections, there are ear drops to assuage the infection thereby clearing up the tearing that’s normally caused by ear infections. There are many other options available, including dietary pet supplements and topical agents for both cleaning and clearing your red-tear-stained Maltese, though unless they are suffering from an allergy which is causing the cosmetic affliction it’s not required for their well-being that the staining is treated.

As with all nutrient intake, ingesting too much or too little will result in imbalances in the body and health issues may thereby manifest. Having the intake of essential fatty acids balanced is equally important to stave off health problems. Here we will take a look at the role, and necessity of balance, of essential fatty acids Omega 6, Omega 3, and Omega 9 play in dog and cat health. We will first examine the notion of preventative healthcare vs. supplementation to simply assuage the health effects that often-times result from an unbalanced lifestyle/diet.

Modern diets have much evolving to do, especially when caring for pets who by nature are unable to articulate complaints of ailments and who therefore may have health problems that go unnoticed for longer without treatment. All in all, pet health is approached at this time in a way similar to the way human health longevity is attempted to be preserved – in a reactionary way. In other words, only when we see a health problem manifest is care taken to help resolve the issue. Preventative human healthcare is relatively new to the mainstream, which takes the approach of trying to balance lifestyle and dietary needs before rectification of discomfort becomes necessary via medication and/or dietary supplementation. This same issue of preventative vs. reactionary health care for pets is also present in our society, though pet supplements are becoming increasingly popular in the interest of pet owners desiring a longer, carefree life for their pets which are normally considered part of the human family.

With preventative care, dietary needs must be properly met in order to help ensure imbalances that lead to health problems do not occur. Nutritional supplementation, both in humans and pets, can be dangerous as often-times it’s a lifestyle-route that’s administered in excess. Worried that your pet may develop poor skin or fur due to the main diet you feed them being sub-par and you can’t afford raw, natural core, holistic diets for your pet? Many pet owners will consider an addition to their pet’s diet with fatty acids due to this fear, the supplementation of which is generally quite inexpensive (think flax seed oil, one bottle can last 6 months or so for a pet if not longer and this costs $10 on average… if you can’t afford a high-quality diet then this supplementation is logical). The problem is proper balance with current diet, as that care is taken that over-administration is yielded against.

Giving Omega fatty acid 6 and 3 in equal proportions to your dog, for instance, can result in health problems. Omega fatty acids must be added to your pet’s diet such that Omega 6 is given in a higher amount than Omega 3 in a ratio between 5:1 and 10:1 – and you see, this already is complicated enough that the advice of a veterinarian is needed to asses your pet’s specific breed, genetic predispositions, age and current health issues (if known) so that you can best regulate the fatty acid balance necessary. On the other hand, if not enough of these essential fatty acids are given to your pet you can see a slew of deficiency-related health problems arise, including but not limited to: fur loss, delayed would healing and susceptibility to infections, skin eruptions, male sterility, liver problems, miscarriages, any one of the spectrum of arthritis-related pet conditions, kidney failure, heart health deprecation, physical growth and learning retardation, gland issues and weakness. In short, it’s essential that fatty acid intake is guided and balanced as with all nutritional supplementation in your pet.

In addition to exercise, proper diet and general nutritional dog supplements canine health can be rounded out in such a way that’s catered and tailored. For instance, there are some health issues that plague dogs later in life that can be helped with certain dietary dog supplements that cater to specific health needs. Here we will look at some of the most common dog health issues and the dog supplies that can be provided to help ease, or altogether avoid, these problems thus enriching your dog’s health late into life.

Arthritis in dogs is as common with old age as it is with humans, and with similar symptoms. And although the dog cannot speak, per se, to complain about this ailment, it will be evident that they are experiencing pain. Further confusing is that there are about twenty different types of arthritis that can plague your dog, each with their own symptom and having an affect on a different part of the dog’s body. Some types are general, affecting the entire body (Inflammatory Arthritis, Degenerative Joint Disease, Auto Immune Arthritis etc.) and others are joint-specific (Knee Arthritus, Hip Dysplasia, Shoulder Degeneration etc.). A supply that can supplement your dog’s diet is Glucosamine, which serves to ‘lubricate’ the joints thus easing the ailing affects of dog arthritis.

Digestion issues in dogs can be abated with the addition of yoghurt and Kefir, homeopathic dog supplements, to your dog’s diet. These supplies contain ‘good’ bacteria which aid in your dog’s digestive process. Kefir, for instance, has bacteria that will colonize in your dog’s digestive track thus reducing intestinal disorders by reducing gas and improving solid wastes (and also removal) making for an overall promotion of proactive dog health. This supply can also aid your dog’s coat and skin health, as well as assuage anxiety issues.

Skin and fur health in dogs can also be aided with the addition of fatty acids to their diet. There are nearly 70 fatty acids available, and all play an important role in the structure of cell generation and many chemical body reactions (such as hormones and overall dog energy). The dog’s liver and other tissues can produce many of the required fatty acids, though the one the dog cannot make on it’s own is Linoleic Acid (Omega 6 fatty acid). This one fatty acid that is missing from the dog’s inherit nature is called an essential fatty acid as it’s supplementation is necessary to ensure optimal dog health. Omega 6 can be supplemented by certain dog supplies found at reputable dog stores, or naturally in fish or Flax Seed oil, for instance.