Holli Thompson

Healthy pets = happy pets

I’m not a dog-person or a cat-person; I’m both. Don’t make me choose. We have an invisible sign above our farm, seen only by stray dogs and cats, that says “WELCOME”. They all seem to find me.

When I studied health and nutrition, I not only made changes for my husband and my son, but for my dogs and kitties too.

The discovery process was startling; similar to our human food system in America, I found that our pet food industry is broken as well. Allowing ingredients like animal by-products (not fit for human consumption), and a laundry list of chemicals and preservatives, as well as cheap grain fillers, I did the research and made changes.

This might inspire you to take a look at what you’re offering your precious furry friends, too.

Here are some of my personal tips to help your pets keep their glow.

1) Probiotics: In the same way that our immunity depends on a healthy gut, our pets also benefit from strong digestive health. In fact, bowel health is one of the most common reasons for vet visits. Do yourself, and your furry friend, a favor by picking up a high-quality probiotic from the pet story on your next visit. Or, allow your pet a serving of organic yogurt a day. They’ll love it!

2) Organic pet food: Pets benefit from an organic diet with a strong immunity, a shiny coat, greater longevity, and more. Organic pet food avoids the things that you should avoid in your own diet; factory farmed meats full of pharmaceuticals and excess hormones, chemicals and preservatives, and fillers that are not allowed for human consumption.

3) Water: Pets need 2.5 times more water than food. Make sure it’s fresh, filtered, and readily available.

4) Thunder shirt/Lavender Essential Oil: Does your dog experience anxiety during a storm, or when there are a lot of visitors at your house? My good friend’s Pyrenees, Lucy, loves her (pink) thunder-shirt. It helps Lucy get through any storm that comes her way. I recommended she dab some lavender essential oil on the inside for an extra-calming effect. You can also spray dog beds with a mixture of lavender oil and water. It not only calms them down, but it helps keep fleas away.

5) Love: Here’s an easy one. Pets respond to touch and affection in similar ways to humans. You can make sure they know they’re loved by petting them, holding them, and giving them one-on-one attention. They’ll repay you with their own love and loyalty. Aw!

Likewise, exercise will help them maintain a healthy weight, sleep well through the night, reduce digestive problems, and more. Dogs needs about an hour of exercise a day, and cats at least 15 minutes of engaged play.

What are some of your favorite ways to keep your pets healthy?