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.

With the upsurge of pet care as a popular interest, treating our pets with the same care we extend to ourselves or our children is becoming standard. This is fantastic for most caregiving trends, except for some excessive grooming that may secretly be driving our dogs and cats batty. Another exception is the trial diets and pet supplements being provided to our pets. It is great to have our cats’ or dogs’ well being becoming of paramount interest, though it is of utmost importance that changes – especially in diet – are executed gingerly and with the care / guidance of a veterinary professional. Otherwise, our best efforts could prove more harmful than we ever would have intended for our loved pets.

The interest in shifting our dogs’ diets from grocery store-available kibble, wet or semi-moist (generally junk) food is a very positive trend for pet care in general. It is important that any dietary changes are given in a slow, transitional manner so as not to shock your pet’s system. The dietary choices being made include pet supplements to round out the availability of pet’s nutrition, and also encompass a switchover to different core diets themselves. This is where a debate between raw and cooked cat and dog food comes in.

Raw foods for pets seem like a logical move because our pets were once carnivorous, predatory animals. Raw pet food can be good in some cases in that it provides necessary enzymes, though on the other hand it can present salmonella or E. Coli bacteria that can make your pet ill. Cooked food for our pets, though we may think it to be a balanced meal having vegetables, rice and meat, may not be at all providing what your pet needs nutrition-wise. So where does this leave the pet-owner in choosing the best pet food for their cat or dog? First, have your pet examined by a veterinarian and then utilize the consultation session to ask questions about how to tailor the best diet to suit their specific health, breed, genetically predisposed or age-needs. Often times you will be recommended a pet supplement to fill in what isn’t being provided in the suggested core diet. Making certain that your pet is receiving the best diet available is an investment in their future. Keeping your pet healthy may seem costly, though the vet bills that could be incurred by neglecting their dietary needs early-on in life could require more of a sacrifice.

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.

Is your dog tired? Is your dog showing signs of joint pain? Is your dog’s fur thinning, are they overweight, or is your dog’s health having any other slew of apparent health problems? Diet enhancement may be considered as a way to aid your dog’s failing health, and pet supplements are as key to rounding out their diet as is the case with human diet (as in how we take multi-vitamins, probiotics, etc.).

The term diet ‘enhancement’ is a misnomer as supplementation really should be considered as part of the core dog food diet. As a ‘human’ we know how difficult it is to meet all dietary needs as dictated by the nutrition pyramid without supplementation… the same principle applies to pet health and dog food needs as well! There are genetic predispositions, aging prevention measures and general health considerations that all can be addressed head-on with proper nutritional administration. Pet supplements play as key a role in replacing the missing nutrients – vitamins, minerals and enzymes – not found in your readily available dog kibble.

It’s best to provide your dog the diet necessary for health so as not to see these health issues come forth, though if you see your dog having skin or fur problems then fatty acids should be considered as a means to increase collagen production. If your dog is having pain getting up or veterinarian-diagnosed joint problems (i.e. arthritis or degenerative joint disease, etc.) the addition of glucosamine via dog diet supplementation may be necessary. Insofar as dog weight issues are concerned of course proper measurement of food is key. If your dog is tired this may be caused by many health problems, including joint pain (which as we just mentioned can be aided by the addition of glucosamine to the pet diet) though other causes may be at play. If you wonder ‘why is my dog tired’ there are many dog energy supplements available that will aid their general alertness and interest in life in general, however… unmet dietary needs are usually related to your dog’s lack of energy (just as we see in us humans). All dietary supplementation in dogs should be first reviewed with your veterinarian after first reviewing your pet’s health status and genetic history.

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.

As independent as they are by nature, the feline requires extra nutrient care in the form of mineral supplementation. Core meal cat diet most often does not contain all minerals necessary for optimal health and vital longevity. For this reason, we will take a look at just two minerals that the cat needs in this article, some which are present in normal cat food and others that need to be provided in the form of a supplement.

Calcium, with and without phosphorus, and phosphorus by itself are essential minerals for your cat’s health. The ratio/balance and quantified requirement varies with age and should best be administered with the advice of a veterinarian. Because those foods which are high in calcium are low in phosphorus and vice versa the providing of proper balance for your cat is very difficult and most often requires supplementation outside of the cat’s regular cat food diet. Not providing enough calcium in your cat’s diet, especially when they are developing, will effect the strength of their bones.

Phosphorus on the other hand is required to enable the absorption, or uptake, of calcium. Calcium sourced from Poultry, Lamb or Fish meal would need to be supplemented with Phosphorus as these meat meals do not provide Phosphorus and therefore the calcium content would not be absorbed as well otherwise. True meat, not meat meal, on the other hand can be used to source Phosphorus as well as Calcium. Another means of getting both Calcium and Phosphorus from a core-diet element is through bone meal.

There are many supplements available to provide Calcium and Phosphorus to the cat, for instance in chewable tablets. It is important that you check with your veterinarian to make sure that the proper ratio of these two minerals is being provided in whichever supplement that you choose to be best suited to your cat’s specific health needs (age, for instance).