You’ve just welcomed a new pet into your home…or you’ve had this pet for a long time. Your pet might be furry, scaly, or feathery, and it might be large or small. Or medium-sized. You may have paid a lot of money for your pet, or perhaps, your pet was given to you by someone else. No matter what, you love your pet and it may be just like a family member to you. And you want it to have the best health and the best life possible.
What are some of the most optimal foods you can feed your pet? Are there supplements a pet should take? What kinds of things are dangerous to your cat or dog?
Healthy Pet Food
First, what you feed your pet is very important. Organic and natural foods, foods without artificial colors and flavors, will be best. Even though some pet owners also opt to make their own food to their pets, for others, it’s easier to buy pet food.
Pay particular attention to whether or not your pet might be experiencing any food allergies. We once had a dog who was allergic to corn and would get ear infections due to her allergies. Quite a bit of pet food contains corn in it, and my parents had to give her corn-free food. She thrived on a diet of homemade food, especially when she was experiencing problems with her ears. When my parents got her off of dog food with corn in it, she did much, much better.
Carefully check the ingredients in your pet’s food. Cats and dogs don’t usually even need to eat grains. Check to see which preservatives are in your pet’s food. Does it contain slaughterhouse byproducts like animal carcasses and animal waste? And just like us humans, pets don’t do well with rancid oils, so find pet foods that don’t contain oils that can go rancid easily (usually these are omega 6 oils).
If you are interested in making homemade pet food, the following links for dog food and cat food should be helpful:
Homemade Cat Food Recipe
If you are instead looking for natural pet food for your pet, please check the following links (we have a HUGE selection of healthy, natural dog food and cat food):
For pet food and treats, click here.
In addition to healthy food, pets need natural shampoo products. Instead of shampoos with harsh and toxic chemical ingredients, choose a shampoo that has natural ingredients. Click here for natural pet shampoo.
Natural Pet Supplements
Sometimes, pets need to supplement their diets. Here are some ideas of helpful supplements:
Probiotics can help your pet to have a healthy gut. Just like we humans, our animals need good bacteria to be healthy.
Phytoplankton is another option and it’s a great way to get omega 3 fatty acids into your pet, as well as chlorophyll and important vitamins.
Colostrum is also helpful in helping to strengthen your pet’s immune system…especially for puppies and kittens. Puppies and kittens also receive colostrum from their mothers when nursing as newborns. Older dogs and cats can benefit from colostrum supplementation also.
Otte Foods also carries pet supplements. Click here to find out what we have for natural pet supplements.
Natural Tick and Flea Treatments
Some flea and tick treatments like Pyrethrins and pyrethroids, which are applied next to your pet’s skin, can deliver toxic chemicals into their bloodstreams. There are natural companies like these ones that can help with flea and tick infestations. Also, cedar oil and other essential oils like lemon eucalyptus, geranium, lavender and peppermint can help keep pests away. Make sure you dilute the essential oils and do not put them onto your pet in their full strength.
Healthy Environment for Pets
Keep Your Pet’s Environment Healthy! Just like us, pets are affected by their environments. Are you using all-natural cleaners and products in your home? Are you vigilant about making sure you don’t use products that can be harmful to your pet?
Although they’re safe for us, some natural products and essential products are a no-go for pets also.
Click here to find out which herbs are safe for cats and which herbs are NOT safe.
This is a list of things that are poisonous to cats (this includes chocolate, chives, and garlic).
Here is a list of indoor plants and garden plants that are dangerous to dogs.
And click here to discover some spices that are unsafe for dogs.
A quick word about cat litter: Instead of regular cat litter, which contains silica and can increase the risk of cancer for your cat, you can buy products that use wheat-based litter, wood pellets or newspaper based litter. Here is a wheat-based cat litter that Otte Foods carries.
In addition to feeding your pet healthy food, good supplements and keeping your pet away from things that can pose any dangers, three things that will also help your pet to live a healthier and more content life are these:
Help your pet to get exercise. This is a BIG one. It’s commonsense to take dogs on walks and to get them outdoors whenever possible (which is good for you too!) You can help cats exercise by giving them toys and playing games with them. Birds can be given toys and taken out of their cages for some exercise and freedom. Fish usually get exercise by swimming around in their tanks, but you can provide them with toys, which will help them to be stimulated. When buying toys and supplies for tanks, make sure what you buy is safe and appropriate for the type of fish you own. We once had a bearded dragon that we would take outside with us and we let him wander around a bit and the benefits were wonderful. Hamsters and mice will also need plenty of ways to play and move around!
Give your pet plenty of affection and appropriate interaction. Dogs are pack animals, but even cats need love too.! Playing with your animals provides great interaction! Petting them is a great way to bond with them and help them to feel better connected and grounded.
Last but not least, pet training is very important. Setting boundaries helps to keep your pet safe and helps your pet to understand social interactions much better. Training helps you and the pet to know each other better. Training your pet also helps to create stronger bonds between you.
If you want to or need to find a holistic veterinarian for your pet, click here to find a holistic vet locator. You can also choose a vet based on the recommendations or suggestions from friends or family members.
If you want to find out more about holistic vets, this is a GREAT resource: https://www.ahvma.org/what-is-holistic-veterinary-medicine/
The post Natural Pet Care – 7 Ways to Keep Your Pet Naturally Healthy appeared first on Otte Foods.
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