{"id":383,"date":"2020-01-30T15:51:30","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T15:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=383"},"modified":"2020-01-30T15:51:30","modified_gmt":"2020-01-30T15:51:30","slug":"february-2020-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/february-2020-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"February 2020 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Importance of Keeping Your Pet\u2019s Teeth Clean<\/a>
\nPossible Dangers of Rawhide Treats and What You Need to Know<\/a>
\nHow to Choose a Good, Nutritious Food for Your Dog<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>The Importance of Keeping Your Pet\u2019s Teeth Clean<\/strong>
\nAlways remember to brush your teeth. It\u2019s something we\u2019ve all heard since childhood. But what about your pets? Did you know that it\u2019s also just as important for your dog and cat to have good dental hygiene? <\/p>\n

Just as with humans, if you don\u2019t take care of your pet\u2019s teeth, it can cause other health problems. \u201cYour pet\u2019s teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by your veterinarian to check for early signs of a problem and to keep your pet\u2019s mouth healthy,\u201d according to the article, \u201cPet dental care\u201d at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA.org). <\/p>\n

The most common dental condition among dogs and cats is periodontal disease, most often seen by the time your pet is 3. Prevention, of course, is the best medicine. If not, the disease will get worse with age, which can cause more serious health problems. These include issues with kidneys, liver, and heart muscle.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cDental Cleaning for Dogs and Cats,\u201d at Vetstreet.com, \u201cA professional veterinary dental cleaning is the only way to remove tartar from the teeth and under the gum tissue to protect your pet\u2019s health.\u201d And, while there is no cure for periodontal disease, keeping up with cleanings and brushing your pet\u2019s teeth can help.<\/p>\n

A dental cleaning is done under anesthesia and can include:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tRemoval of visible plaque and tartar from teeth and under the gum
\n\u2022\tAssessing dental disease
\n\u2022\tRemoving or repairing infected or fractured teeth<\/p>\n

Have your pet\u2019s teeth checked during regular vet visits. Also, see your vet when your pet has bad breath, is pawing at the mouth, or has difficulty chewing.<\/p>\n

Remember, February is National Pet Dental Health Month, so make the call for your pet\u2019s dental and overall health.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Possible Dangers of Rawhide Treats and What You Need to Know<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s always a great idea to do research when it comes to the food and treats you give to your dog. The more you know about ingredients and where things come from, the better for you both.<\/p>\n

If you provide rawhide treats, first find out what it is and whether it\u2019s actually safe.<\/p>\n

Rawhide treats are made from the inner layers of horses or cows. According to the article, \u201cRawhide: Good or Bad for Your Dog?\u201d at Fetch by WebMD, \u201cDuring manufacturing, the hides are cleaned and cut or ground. Then they\u2019re pressed into chewable dog treats of different shapes and sizes.\u201d Then flavorings such as beef or chicken are added for more appeal.<\/p>\n

Dogs have a natural instinct to chew, so many people provide rawhide. However, the article said there are risks:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tMay contain small amounts of toxic chemicals
\n\u2022\tPossible digestive issues; rawhide is not digestible
\n\u2022\tCan cause choking or blockage with serious situations leading to surgery or even death<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cThe Dangers of Rawhide Chews,\u201d at Petful, rawhide treats can also cause infection, and food poisoning for people and pets. \u201cThat chewy treat your dog chows down on has been soaked in chemical preservatives, ash-lye, chemical puffers, bleach and then colors and flavors,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

To reduce incidents, the Petful article offers safety advice:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tAlways wash your hands after handling rawhide.
\n\u2022\tUse the correct size chew for your dog.
\n\u2022\tSupervise your dog when he\u2019s chewing rawhide.
\n\u2022\tWhen the chew is small and can be swallowed, remove it and discard.<\/p>\n

For alternatives to rawhide, the Petful article suggests things such as:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tVegetables, including carrots and green beans
\n\u2022\tNylabones
\n\u2022\tChew toys
\n\u2022\tDental chews<\/p>\n

Whatever you decide, before giving your dog rawhide, do your own research.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Choose a Good, Nutritious Food for Your Dog<\/strong>
\nThere are so many dog food choices. You want to ensure your dog gets the best nutrition for good health, but which food is best for your dog? <\/p>\n

Cost may be a factor. But remember that you usually get what you pay for, so there is a way to strike a balance.<\/p>\n

Check ingredients so you know what\u2019s in the dog food. According to the article, \u201cHow to Choose the Best Dog Food,\u201d at PetMD.com, \u201cKeep in mind that ingredients are listed by weight. Ingredients that contain large amounts of moisture (such as beef, poultry, chicken, or fish) are likely to be at the top of the list because of the moisture content. Ingredients further down the list may offer even more key nutrients such as protein but may weigh less because the water has already been removed for a dry pet food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other ingredients can include grains and gluten. Grains are a source of carbohydrates. \u201cDogs can easily metabolize these carbohydrates and use them as an energy source,\u201d the PetMD article said. There are people who avoid grains due to allergies. Others try to avoid gluten. However, allergies to gluten are not very common in dogs.<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cWhole Dog Journal\u2019s Approved Dry Dog Food List,\u201d at Whole Dog Journal, ingredients to avoid in dry dog food includes:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tMeat by-products
\n\u2022\t\u201cGeneric\u201d fat source
\n\u2022\tArtificial preservatives, colors, and flavors
\n\u2022\tSweeteners<\/p>\n

While not all nutritional experts have the same ideas on dog food, they know that a good, balanced diet means good health for dogs. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe healthiest dog foods contain high-quality proteins and whole, unprocessed grains and vegetables,\u201d according to the Whole Dog Journal article. Buy food with high-quality proteins and stay away from ingredients with \u201cvague wording\u201d or anything that reads \u201cpoultry meal\u201d or \u201cmeat meal.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Importance of Keeping Your Pet\u2019s Teeth Clean Possible Dangers of Rawhide Treats and What You Need to Know How to Choose a Good, Nutritious Food for Your Dog The Importance of Keeping Your Pet\u2019s Teeth Clean Always remember to brush your teeth. It\u2019s something we\u2019ve all heard since childhood. But what about your pets?… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":384,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions\/384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}