Care to Your Dog!

Animal massage can benefit all animals from companion pets such as cats and dogs to horses and livestock and even zoo animals. The benefits of massage for animals mirror those for people, including decreased stress and improved circulation.

For many, pet massage sounds like a luxury for pampered pets only. However, many canines receive massage to help recover from surgery or injury and athletes such as racehorses or agility dogs receive sport massage to improve performance. Service dogs and dogs used in police or military service have high stress jobs where massage can mean the difference between early retirement and more time on the job.

Many studies have been conducted to verify the benefits of massage. For instance, massage has been proven to lower blood pressure, increase appetite and reduce the perceived pain and discomfort of arthritis.

For those with aging dogs and cats, animal massage therapy provides one more tool in the management of age-related conditions and helps to improve the quality of their pet’s life. Pet health care has moved beyond the age of grocery-store dog food and once-a-year vaccinations. Today, pet health supplies include vitamins, specialty food and treats, hydrotherapy, acupuncture and chiropractic and, yes, pet massage therapy.

The focus of animal massage for many years was horses, particularly racing and show horses. The benefit of massage for horses is well recognized among horse owners. Massage certification has been offered in equine massage therapy for years, but only recently has the focused turned toward pet massage certification. With literally billions of dollars flowing into the pet care industry and pets living longer and more active lives, pet massage therapy is now being offered at veterinarian clinics, grooming salons and doggie daycare establishments all over the country.

One of the benefits of massage for animals mentioned was improved circulation. Better circulation can contribute to improved digestion and better metabolism, a tremendous benefit for the large number of pets suffering from obesity and gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, improved circulation can slow the degenerative process of arthritis and improve energy levels in geriatric pets. Better circulation means better immune function, helping to reduce the risk of infection or illness and assisting in the rapid recovery from injury or illness. Better blood flow also contributes to improve healing post-surgically.

Two of the most common conditions plaguing our dog population today are hip dysplasia and soft tissue injuries to the knee such as ACL tears (ruptures or strains of the anterior cruciate ligament in the stifle joint). Both are generally corrected by surgery and, particularly in the case of ACL tears, have a high rate of reoccurrence and post-surgical development of arthritis. Pet massage therapy can play a crucial role in optimal and rapid recovery from such surgeries and may play a role in reducing the risk of re-injury. Post-surgical confinement also causes boredom and restlessness for many animals and diminished the health of the immune system which is dependent on activity for optimal health. Animal massage can be used to reduce boredom, decrease stress and increase relaxation for dogs and cats during periods of confinement.

Equine massage therapy has a long history in the United States and abroad. For racehorses, massage can mean reduced recovery time between races and reduced incidence of injury due to improved flexibility of soft tissues. For investors, time off for recovery or lay-up due to injury is expensive and can reduce the career of a horse dramatically. In this case, the benefits of massage for animals is not only physical and psychological, it is also economical.

Even exotic species and wild animals have experienced benefits from animal massage therapy under the skilled hands of specialized animal massage therapists. The benefits of massage for animals in a zoological park fall under three categories: training, enrichment and health. Veterinarian staff can use massage to minimize the time that an exotic species spends in the hospital following surgery or illness, a critical element in the success of the animal’s return to the wild or onto exhibit. Specific massage techniques can be used to improve the production and movement of lymphatic fluid and assist in metabolism of anesthesia and related medications.

Animal trainers can use certain massage techniques as reinforcement for performed behaviors when food rewards are not safe or effective. Massage can improve nerve function and brain function as well, making training easier. Enrichment involves providing activities to captive animals that stimulate them physically and psychologically and improve their quality of life. Studies indicate that enrichment programs in zoological parks may contribute to the longevity of individual animals and may reduce safety concerns with animals that may become aggressive due to stress or boredom. Massage can be a valuable tool in enrichment programs for many species.

In closing, the benefits of massage for animals are as numerous and varied as those for people. In the last decade more and more people have added massage to their own health care regimen and seen tremendous benefit. Many of these same people have seen the power of massage add quality and time to the lives of their adored pets. Considering all that animals contribute to our lives through companionship, sport and service; a massage now and then serves as a powerful sign of gratitude.

Organic pet food is fast gaining popularity. The sale of organic pet food is increasing at a rate, which is three times greater than human organic food sale. People are getting aware that like humans, pets too need healthy and holistic food. Organic food means the food that is manufactured without the use of chemical substances like the preservatives, antibiotics, pesticides and hormones. Organic food is the healthier form of food, which contains 18 organic nutrients that are certified. Organic pet food has a positive impact on the health and the emotional well being of the pet resulting in increase in its longetivity.

The organic pet food helps in improving the skin conditions and allergies of your pet. This is because the organic food is manufactured using high quality grains and sources that are high in protein. Organic food also helps in increasing the immune system of your pet keeping away health problems like the skin infections. In addition, since the organic food is free of chemical substances, your pet is not affected by the health problems due to these chemicals.

The organic pet food is also low on fat and therefore, organic food does not create weight problems in your pet. It is studied that cats and dogs with greater weights are more likely to suffer from back problems, organic failure and hip dysphasia. Since, the organic food contains high nutrition per ounce of food your pet does not tend to over eat and gets satisfied with small amount of food does maintaining his body weight.

The organic pet food is conveniently available for dogs and cats. Though the organic food is expensive as compared to the non-organic pet food, they provide higher benefits to the pets. Organic dog treats are also available for the dogs, which are hypoallergenic and also free of wheat gluten. The advantage of organic pet food is that the organic food is easy for the pet to digest, as there are no chemicals added, which results in the absorption of all the healthy nutrients present in the food.

To cut down on the cost one can even make organic pet food at home. While preparing the organic food at home it is very essential to choose only the fresh ingredients including the poultry products like the beef, turkey, and chicken. It is advisable to use vegetables like the carrots as it contains beta-carotene, which is very useful for the pet.  It is also recommended that the meat be thoroughly cooked and blended together with the help of a food processor. The vegetables and the meat must be mixed and cooked together with the use of brown rice for the binding purpose. Thus, your organic homemade food is ready to be served to your pet.

The organic food made at home needs to be stored in an airtight container and should not be stored more than four to five days. Serving of the home made organic food should be done as earlier, practiced with the ordinary food. For example, if your dog is in a habit of eating one cup of dry food a day then the organic food must be served in the similar quantities. The home made organic pet food can be prepared once a week.

Food plays a major role in keeping your pet healthy and ensures their proper growth. There are different brands of pet food available in the market. One of the popular pet food brands is the Merrick pet food. The Merrick pet food was founded in mid 1980’s and is a family owned business. The Merrick pet food is ranked as the second highest best selling pet food company across the U.S. The Merrick pet food is made using simple processing steps, which helps in retaining the natural benefits, avoiding any kind of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, thus offering simple, nutritious and healthy food products for your pet. The Merrick food product truly delivers the comfort for the soul of your pet with their healthy meal and treats. All the different types of the Merrick pet food features canned wet food, dry kibble diets, high-quality treats and long lasting chews.

Merrick pet food provides canned and dry food for the dogs, while canned food for the cats. The Merrick pet food, which is canned, is no less than a five star treat for your pet.  Every Merrick pet food is high on nutrition with farm fresh ingredients, vegetable and fruits. The Merrick pet food is manufactured using all the human grade ingredients along with fresh vegetables and fruits, with rich protein content. The specialty of the Merrick dog food is their use of apples in their dog food. The dog food contains a perfect blend of Fuji, granny smith, golden delicious and different varieties of the red apple, which is sure to provide your canine with the perfect taste and optimum nutrition. Some of the canned food for the dogs also consists of sweet potatoes, beef, carrots, green beans, granny smith and apples.

The canned food for the cats and kittens is sure to provide them with the required nutrients to maintain their activeness and healthy growth. If your cat likes seafood, then Merrick pet food has the right option for your cat. Apart from the farm fresh ingredients like the chicken, the Merrick pet food for the cats also serves specialized seafood products, especially for the cats. This canned seafood includes fresh stock of white fish, lobster, crab, shrimp and sardines, which are all blended perfectly together. To enhance the taste and the health, this seafood special cat food also includes fresh potatoes, carrots, fresh snow beans and delicious red apples.

The dry dog food is easy to store and serve. The dry food contains a home cooked feel, which is sure to be loved and enjoyed by your canine pals. The dog food contains of turkey, duck, chicken mixed with farm fresh vegetables. The Grammy’s potpie dry food for the dogs contains peanut butter cookies, cold pint of milk, which is sure to become your dog’s favorite food.

Merrick pet food also features treats for the canines, which are useful for keeping the different parts of the canines healthy like for the dentals, ears, bones, tendons etc. The other includes chews, hooves, sausages, rawhides etc. The treat consists of steak wafers, liver snaps and jerky squares, which is the most popular among the canines.