KEEPING

YOUR PET
HEALTHY
How to Extend
the Life of Your Pet
 Table of Contents

Vitamins for Your Pet..................................................................................................3

Skin and Coat Vitamins...............................................................................................5

What Type of Vitamin is Best for Absorption?.........................................................7

When Do I Give My Pet Their Vitamins?....................................................................9

Can Pets Overdose on Vitamins?............................................................................ 10

Finding the Best Joint............................................................................................... 12

Supplements for Senior Dogs.................................................................................. 12

How to Choose the Best Joint Supplement............................................................ 13

How Soon Will I See a Change in My Pet Due to New Supplements?.................. 14

How Do I Tell if My Pet Needs Supplements?........................................................ 16

Keeping an Eye on Interactions With Other Supplements or Medications....... 18

Holistic Products: Are They Worth it?..................................................................... 20

Taking Your Pet With You........................................................................................ 22

Vitamins for
Your Pet
Vitamins and supplements have made a huge comeback
for not only humans but their pets too. One of the reasons
is that we enjoy treating our pets like children, because we
love them, and we want them to be healthy and happy.
If it’s good for us, it’s good for them, right? That’s the
attitude, anyway. But, do pets really need vitamins and
supplements? Do they really help?

The first thing you should do for your pet is to feed them right, give them lots of exercise, and play with
them and love them often. This will help your pet be as healthy as possible even without vitamins and
supplements.

Healthy Diet • Feed your pet commercially prepared food

that is highly rated and recommended by your veterinarian.
Don’t worry; if your vet recommends food that they sell in
their office, you can ask them what type of food can they
recommend at a store so you can spend less. There are less
expensive versions at Walmart and Target that are perfectly
healthy and nutritionally complete.

Plenty of Exercise • Most animals need lots of

exercise, which also includes sunshine. Even your
indoor cat needs sunshine; that’s why they love to lie
in any sunbeam they can find. Cats have a higher body
temperature and get cold more easily too, so that is
also another reason. Ensuring your animal gets plenty
of exercise can keep them very healthy.

Lots of Playtime and Love • Another way to ensure that

your pet is healthy is to spend plenty of time each day playing
with them actively. For dogs, it’s best to be out of doors; for
indoor cats, get out the laser light and play. If it’s possible for
your cat to be outdoors safely and they’ll cooperate, walking
them on a leash can help them get sunshine and fresh
air too.

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If your pet develops a condition that calls
for it, only then is a supplement necessary.
Some issues that can develop are below.

Failure to Thrive • Some baby animals seem healthy when they come home, but then they end up not
growing well. If this happens, it can be due to poor digestion or something else worse, but the answer is
the same. The vet will provide special food that has a lot of extra nutrition to help the baby thrive
and survive.

Food Sensitivities • Commercially prepared foods are designed with just the right amount of vitamins,
minerals, and nutrition, so you don’t need supplementation normally. But, if your pet is not able to eat it
and if you feed them homemade food, human food, or raw meat (which is sometimes the case with both
dogs and cats), you will need to supplement with the right multivitamins for that pet based on your vet’s
recommendation.

Sick Animals • Sometimes an animal develops a chronic illness that causes them to be deficient either
due to the medication they’re taking or genetic factors. If this happens, a blood test will determine which
supplements your vet wants you to give your pet. In this case, you’ll be giving your pet very specific
supplements and vitamins based on their illness. For example, a cat with feline herpes may need lysine
and a dog with hip dysplasia may need glucosamine.

Giving animals supplements carries the same

risks as it does with humans. It depends on
their health, what they need, the form it’s given
in, and how much. Most healthy pets who can
eat a healthy diet rich in the vitamins, minerals,
and nutrients they need and who aren’t sick,
do not need supplementation.

But if they do need them, they can work for

some pets according to many vets and pet
owners. However, your mileage may vary.

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Skin and Coat
Vitamins
Pets sometimes have issues with their skin and coat.
Just like us humans, they can get dry hair, dry and itchy
skin, and for some it’s worse than others. If your pet is
having issues with their skin and coat, you may want
to look for an appropriate vitamin that will help them
based on the type of pet it is and their problem. Here
are some alternatives.

FOR Is your dog’s coat dull, greasy, or thin? Is their skin itchy, and are they

DOGS
scratching a lot? If they don’t have an underlying condition such as a food
allergy or illness that needs mediation or vet care, there are options that
you can try.

B Vitamins Vitamin C
These are important for a healthy coat. The Dogs make their own vitamin C but in some
most important B vitamin for a healthy coat cases, especially if they’re older with a dull
is biotin. If you can get your dog to eat green coat, giving them additional vitamin C won’t
veggies, peas, or nutritional yeast, that is a hurt and can bring back the shine. Add
good way to get more B-complex vitamins in berries, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower to
their system. their diet if you want to do it the natural way.

Vitamin A Zinc
This is a water-soluble vitamin known as This is a vitamin essential for skin health
beta-carotene that you can find in carrots and plus the formation of many other enzymes
sweet potatoes. Some dogs love snacking on in the body. It can be found naturally in high
raw baby carrots, which can help give them protein foods like eggs, beef, lamb, pork,
plenty of vitamin A. chicken, and fish.

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 FOR Many issues can cause problems with a cat’s coat and skin. Some cats are

CATS
allergic to certain by-products in the food you give them. Others are bathed
too often by their owners in an effort to cut down on allergens for the humans
in the household. But for the most part, a healthy cat who is well cared for,

brushed often and fed a healthy diet, should have a thick, shiny, soft coat without scabs or the need
to scratch.

If you’ve ruled out fleas (and just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they don’t have them) or
other issues, you can try supplementation for your cat’s coat.

Protein
Cats need a lot of protein to maintain a healthy coat, more than dogs. If the food you’re feeding
them is high in grain by-products they may be suffering due to it, even if there is also protein.
Consider supplementing your cat’s diet with an ounce of raw rabbit, chicken, or beef each day.

Fat Carbohydrates
Cats also need fat in their diet. Some generic foods The best carbohydrates for cats include
do not offer enough fat and can end up causing vegetables and fruit, not grains. Switch
problems with the cat’s coat and vitamin processing. to a grain-free food to ensure that your
A good way to deal with this problem is to supplement cat’s coat gets and remains healthy.
with fish oil like salmon oil. You can sprinkle it right Plus, if they’re itchy, this should cure it.
on your cat’s dry food.

Other issues that could interfere with your pet having

a healthy, shiny coat is obesity. Many house pets are
obese. If you’re feeding your pet table scraps, pet food,
treats, and more, that can be a serious issue for them.

Try feeding them the right food in the right amounts

at the right time, with plenty of fresh water, using vet
recommended supplements as directed. Within 12 to
15 weeks you should notice a huge difference.

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 What Type of Vitamin
is Best for Absorption?
There are a lot of choices today for pet supplements.
They have liquid, powders, pills, chews, and even sublingual
(fast dissolving) varieties for pets. Your options are many,
but some may absorb better than others.

Liquids
Often this is a great choice because if the pet will take it (either with a
dropper or directly on their food), they will get it all inside their digestive
tract faster without too much digestive work. But some people believe
that since it’s a liquid form, the highly acidic process that happens
through digestion destroys a lot of the benefit.

Powders
The good thing about powders is that they can be mixed into food
and hidden. However, some pets, just like with liquids, are wise to
it and don’t like the taste and will refuse to eat it. And you can’t do
anything else with powders except to put it in their food, so options
are limited. If they do ingest it, though, it will absorb fast since it’s
partially digested in powder form.

Chews
Often the preferred method of giving pets any type of vitamin,
supplement or medication, these are designed to taste good to
the pet. Therefore, they’re more likely to ingest it, which means
they’re more likely to absorb it. The problem is, like with any type of
packaging for a supplement or medication, what’s in it apart from
the supplement itself is important. Your pet may be sensitive or
allergic to it, which will interfere with the benefits.

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 Pills
Seen as the most difficult to give any type of pet, pills are
still often one of the best ways to ensure the animal gets
the vitamin in their system. Pills usually should be put
into the pet’s mouth as close to their throat as possible,
then hold their mouth closed and rub their throat so they
swallow. Due to the fact you can’t be wrong about whether
they took the pill or not, you can be sure it’s inside them.
So, if they’re not sensitive to the pill and it’s a high-quality
vitamin, it should absorb at a high rate.

Sublingual
This fast-acting delivery method looks like a pill, but it
usually dissolves practically on contact. Sometimes they
look like a thin sheet, other times a pill. These are known to
absorb very well if you can get it in them. It’s harder to tell
if the pet really took it since it does dissolve fast, though.

The important thing is that you try each kind, and

different brands, because like humans every pet
is a little different in ways we’re not sure about
yet. That’s why sometimes one medication works
for one dog and not for the next. The biological
makeup of animals is just as complicated, if not
more so, than the human body.

Therefore, the short answer to the question

of which vitamins absorb best, is the one
your pet will take and that works for them.

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When Do I Give My
Pet Their Vitamins?
Most animal medications have instructions regarding
when to give them to your pet, but vitamins sometimes
don’t offer help. In general, you will want to give
your pet their supplements with food, based on the
instructions on the package. Here are some tips on
how to give vitamins and supplements to your pets.

Read the Label Ditch the People Food

The label will have a lot of information Some people like to put pills in hot dogs for their
about when and how to give the dog. The problem is, hot dogs are highly processed
vitamins to your pet. Some will say with with lots of salt and other ingredients that your dog
food, some will say between meals, and does not need. In fact, your dog only needs to eat the
some will say how many hours before food that is designed for them each day and no more.
or after meals to give it to them. One Therefore, if you want to give your dog their vitamin
thing you do want to ensure is that they with their food, put it inside real dog food. You can
have fresh water. use liquid vitamins to mix it undetected in their meal.

Get the Right Form It Depends

Every animal is different. Some will respond to If your pet has a very easily disturbed digestive
vitamins and some will not. But one thing is for tract, then giving your pet vitamins with food
sure; each animal has a preference of how they will usually help. But, in some cases, it can
will ingest the vitamins and supplements you cause more problems. So, you’ll need to test
want to give them. There are supplements in it. If the supplement label says with food or
chew (treats), pill, and liquid form. You may have water, try both to find out which works best
to try more than one type before you find a way for your pet. If it says absolutely with food,
to get your pet to take it. It depends on how picky then you’ll need to follow the label and serve
your animal is. it with their meal.

It’s important to discuss with your vet which vitamins you’ll be giving your pet so that you can
discuss how and when the vitamin will be given. It will depend on the form, too.

If it’s a treat such as a chew, they can usually be given alone, and since you should always have water out
for your pet it won’t be difficult. If it’s a liquid, most say to put into the food, which is what you should
do. If it’s a pill form, in some cases you’ll be required to stick the pill down your pet’s throat without food,
but typically they can eat right after. It simply depends on the supplement, the form it’s in, and how the
vitamin is absorbed best for your pet.

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Can Pets Overdose on Vitamins?
Sometimes people think that if something is good for their pet (or themselves), more equals better. But,
the problem with that idea is that it’s never true. Like humans, adults or children, animals can overdose on
too many vitamins and supplements. This can make them very sick and even cause serious complications,
including death. But, it depends on the vitamin or supplement.

Symptoms of Vitamin or
Supplement Overdose
If your pet has got into their (or your) supplements, the best
course of action is to immediately get them to an emergency
vet clinic - even if they have no symptoms yet. If they are having
symptoms, these will usually include digestive issues such
as diarrhea, vomiting, and painful gas. Most overdoses are
not intended. If you’re cognizant of what is in your pet’s food
before you supplement, and only give the recommended daily
amounts, it’s very unlikely to overdose your pet with too many
vitamins or supplements.

Probiotics
Typically, you can’t overdose a pet on probiotics. That’s
because they already exist in the body and gut and aren’t
a foreign substance. However, you need to ensure that the
probiotics you’re giving your pet have no other ingredients, as
the other ingredients can pose problems depending on what
they are. Even the capsule ingredients matter.

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Enzymes
Giving your pet enzymes can help cut down on the gas which
can cause stomach and digestion issues. Like probiotics,
enzymes are naturally present in the body; therefore,
you cannot overdose on them. However, again, checking
out the total ingredients is important, and only giving the
recommended dose is safest.

Vitamins and Minerals

Did you know that one reason for pet food recalls has to do with
the balance of artificial and synthetic vitamins and minerals
being off? The sad thing is that many of these problems
have to do with the chemical preservatives and carriers used
to distribute the vitamins and minerals. Like probiotics and
enzymes, how the supplement is made is very important too.

Supplementing Safely
The best way to ensure that you supplement your pet safely
is to not act on your own. Talk to your vet, get the right blood
tests for your pet to check for deficiencies (and overdoses),
and only use supplements that are made from whole foods
rather than manmade ingredients when possible.

Having a happy and healthy pet is the goal for most people who have pets. If you want to ensure that your
pet is in optimum health, don’t supplement just because someone told you to do it. Only do it when you
know for a fact that your pet needs it. You can find out from your vet exactly how much of any vitamin
and mineral your pet needs based on their breed, weight, and other factors. This will help ensure that
you never overdose your pet.

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 Finding the Best Joint
Supplements for Senior Dogs
Just like humans, older dogs often have bone issues like arthritis in their joints, which causes them pain
and limits their ability to play and have fun.

There are many different types of products being marketed to the older dog, so it can be hard to decipher
what, if anything, you really need when choosing the best joint supplements for them.

The main supplement offered both humans and dogs with joint issues, and that shows some promise in
studies, is glucosamine.

The Benefits of Glucosamine for Dogs

There are several benefits of adding glucosamine joint supplement to your older dog’s diet.

• Pain relief • Rebuilds lost cartilage • Easier joint movement

• Lowers inflammation • Improved joint function • Improved energy

In addition, glucosamine is inexpensive, has fewer risk than pain medication, and usually doesn’t
react with other supplements, food, or medications other than blood thinners.

The Drawbacks of Glucosamine for Dogs

Giving your dog glucosamine can have some drawbacks too.

Allergic Reaction • If your dog has a shellfish allergy, they

cannot take glucosamine if it’s not plantbased. Thankfully,
there are plant-based forms.

Blood Sugar Issues • Some dogs experience issues with

blood sugar disturbances when taking glucosamine. Your vet
will watch for signs of this.

Gastrointestinal Problems • It can cause gas, diarrhea, and

stomach pain for some dogs.

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How to Choose the
Best Joint Supplement
If you want to try a joint supplement like glucosamine
for your older dog, here’s how to choose:

Read the Labels

You should know your dog’s allergies and issues by now, so read all
labels. Most glucosamine comes along with other supplements like
avocado oil or fish oils rather than single ingredient glucosamine.
Buy the purest supplement that you can afford.

Know Your Dog

Some dogs are very difficult about you giving pills or even adding
things to their food. If your dog is like that, you may have to spend
more on getting a dog treat with glucosamine in it that your dog
likes. There are treats, pills, chews, powders, and liquids you can
choose from.

Third-Party Verification
The supplement industry is very underregulated, due to the fact that
there are few if any laws about them. Therefore, check for an independent
third-party testing verification to ensure that the ingredients on the
label are what’s in the supplement

Your Vet
Your vet will usually know the most expensive and least expensive
choices for you. If they offer something you simply cannot afford, ask
for less expensive alternatives and usually they can tell you about one.

There are plenty of options on the market, but it’s important that you always check with your
vet to ensure that you don’t give your dog anything that will harm it. It’s best not to give pets
anything made for humans unless your vet has confirmed that it is a good choice to make for
your older dog.

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 How Soon Will I See a Change in My Pet
Due to New Supplements?
When you change anything about your pet’s diet, including providing supplementation, the changes won’t
happen overnight. Like with humans, it can sometimes take weeks to find out if a medication is working
or not. Therefore, understand that although nutrition, supplements, and vitamins can sometimes help
your pet, it’s not an overnight solution.

Glucosamine
This is a supplement given to pets to help with arthritis and
joint pain. It can be purchased over the counter and some
veterinarians will also stock it and give it to their patients for
treating arthritis. While the evidence is not strong right now
that it works, some people swear by it. Most vets say to give it at
least six weeks before deciding if it’s working or not.

Fish Oil
Many people give their pets fish oil because they want them to
have a nice coat and fewer skin allergies. Dogs and cats don’t
have the same coronary issues that we have, so you don’t
need to give fish oil to them for that reason. It’s normally a trial
and error process to find out if adding fish oil will benefit the
coat and skin. Most veterinarians want you to give it at least 12
weeks to determine if any supplement is working on the coat,
depending on the breed and how fast their coat grows out.

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 Probiotics
These beneficial gut bacteria are often given to dogs and cats
when they have issues with their bowel movements (typically
runny bowels) even though they are otherwise healthy and
eating right. The studies now are inconclusive, although are
leaning toward them being beneficial for gastrointestinal
disease for humans, dogs, and cats. Typically, it only takes about
seven days to notice whether it’s going to benefit your pet.
Quality control is poor, so buy a well-known brand and check
the independent verification.

Enzymes
Giving your pet enzymes can help cut down on the gas which can
cause stomach and digestion issues. Like probiotics, enzymes are
naturally present in the body; therefore, you cannot overdose
on them. However, again, checking out the total ingredients is
important, and only giving the recommended dose is safest.

Multivitamins
One of the more controversial issues - there are no studies that show whether vitamins work for pets
or not, nor whether they really need them. The main reason for this is that most commercial pet foods
are nutritionally complete, making supplementation unnecessary for pets who can eat commercially
prepared food.

However, if you feed your pet an alternative method, you may need to use multivitamins for pets to
ensure they are getting balanced and proper nutrition. But once again, quality control is poor so check
for independent verification and only get vitamins approved for your type of pet.

Lysine
Many cats are infected with the feline herpes virus (FHV-1). It’s very common for shelter cats as it’s very
contagious. Most cats overcome it, but a few will not. The symptoms are runny eyes, respiratory issues,
and a runny nose. Some cats act tired and unwell. There is an inoculation that cats can get that can lessen
symptoms, but it will not prevent the virus.

The treatment right now is to wash the eyes, put in over-the-counter eye drops (ask your vet which kind)
and supplement with lysine. It’s supposed to work by blocking the uptake of a certain amino acid,stopping
the replication of the FHV-1 virus. One problem is that this supplement can cause arginine deficiency. If
this supplement is going to work, you must try it for the long term over about six months.

As you can see, supplementation is not an overnight success and studies are sparse. But if it won’t hurt
your animal and it might help, there is nothing wrong with giving it a try under veterinarian supervision.

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How Do I Tell if My Pet
Needs Supplements?
We humans like to take supplements to help improve
our health. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they
don’t. The same can be said for your fur babies. Just as the
research conducted on supplements for humans is sparse,
so is animal research for supplements.

But, vets will try supplementation for pets when nothing

else seems to work, and some pet parents claim relief, so it
can often be worth trying on a case-by-case basis depending
on the problem.

Failure to Thrive
Sometimes a pet will suffer from a failure to thrive no matter what type of food the pet parent is
providing. When this happens, veterinarians will look to supplement a pet on the types of nutrients
they need. If this happens, you will have to manually provide vitamins, minerals, and calories to the
animal to prevent deficiencies.

Cat Herpes (FHV-1)

The feline herpes virus is very common in shelter
pets, although most pets have no symptoms
and need no treatment. Some cats will have
symptoms such as respiratory issues, runny
eyes, nose, and even bronchial issues. The
vaccine can help lessen symptoms, but it will not
cure it and doesn’t even prevent the disease. In
this case, cats are often prescribed eye drops,
daily eye washing, and the supplement lysine.
Lysine is thought to inhibit the replication of
the FHV-1 virus to reduce symptoms. You must
be careful about how much you give your pet
and follow the vet’s recommendation, because
it can cause other deficiencies.

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Digestive Issues
Like humans, pets can experience an imbalance in
their digestive tracts which can cause runny stools
or constipation. When this happens, often vets will
change the food recommendations and ask that
you include short-term probiotic supplementation
to try to bring the animal’s body back into
alignment. It can be very effective when given in
the right amounts for the type of pet you have.

Blood Tests Showing Shortages

When your animal gets their annual physical, most vets do regular blood, stool, and urine testing.
These tests will sometimes show that your animal is deficient in a specific vitamin, mineral or amino
acid. If that happens, the vet will prescribe just the right supplement to make up for the shortage and
try to determine why there is a problem in the first place.

Old-Age Issues
Just like humans, animals experience issues with old age such as problems with their joints. If your
pet displays issues with their joints, most veterinarians will prescribe glucosamine to help with the
inflammation pain.

It can take a few weeks to notice if the supplement is working for your pet or not. If it’s not, other
alternatives may need to be explored. It’s especially difficult with cats, because cats can’t even take
NSAIDS which are often used to treat joint problems in dogs and humans.

Most veterinarians want you to have a happy, healthy pet. When you have any problems with your
pet, the best person to go to is your vet. The vet is up on all the studies and can honestly let you know
what may or may not work, based on your pet’s age, condition, and type.

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 Keeping an Eye on Interactions With
Other Supplements or Medications
Just like many people today are learning that their bodies are deficient in certain vitamins and minerals,
we are also concerned about whether our pets are getting enough in their diets to keep them happy and
healthy. Therefore, pet parents often introduce various supplements, vitamins, and medications to their
pets without thinking of the long-term consequences.

Our best friend, our vet, or someone else said that it was good for the pet, so we buy it and use it - not
realizing that things we add to our pet’s body can interact together and cause problems, just like in
people. What’s worse is that pets cannot tell us about their side effects, so we may be completely
unaware of a problem until it’s too late.

The Supplement Industry

The supplement industry is a 15-billion-dollar industry
which has very powerful advertising and marketing
that affects our choices.

As many as 30 percent of pet parents give their pets

some form of supplementation, and usually they do
it on their own without talking to their vet.

This can be very dangerous since even if it’s

safe for you, it may not be safe for your pet.
Their systems are different from ours.

Since supplements aren’t regulated like the drug

industry is, and often have horrific quality control,
there could be issues with the supplement that you
don’t know about.

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Pet Food Is Nutritionally Complete
Another thing to think about is that commercial pet
food today must be nutritionally complete. If you’re
feeding your pets nutritionally complete commercially
prepared pet food, there is no reason to offer any type
of supplementation of vitamins or minerals - unless a vet
has performed blood tests which show that your pet is
deficient in something.

One exception is supplements for older dogs for joint pain which your vet can recommend and usually
provide, although you should be able to find over-the-counter products that work which are less expensive.

Drugs Interact with Vitamins and Supplements

Even though supplements are supposed to be “natural”, they can and do interfere and interact with drugs
and other vitamins when combined erroneously. If your pet has an issue that you believe will be helped
with a supplement, and they’re on any type of medication, always call the vet first to find out if there is an
interaction with their meds, food, or vitamins.

Many Vitamins Are Toxic to Pets

Besides the other issues that have been mentioned, there
are many supplements and vitamins that are toxic to pets.
It depends on what type of pet you have, but before you
give your pet anything that is not recommended by your
medical school trained veterinarian, you may want to stop
and think.

It’s not worth your pet having a reaction and a problem

that could have been prevented without experimenting on
them. As much as you love your pet, they’re not human,
and they should not be treated as human.

Buy Reputable Supplements and Vitamins That Have Been

Independently Tested
You’ve likely seen the news recently with all the problems with supplements not having in them what
people think is in them. Often, they’re nothing more than a gelatin capsule. Therefore, it’s imperative that
you ensure that the products you buy have been tested and shown to contain exactly what the label says
they contain. That information can be hard to find, so you may have to call the company and ask them.

No matter how much you want to help your pet, be aware that the vitamin and supplement industry has
very little regulation on it and you don’t always really know what you’re giving your pet when you buy
questionable supplements that haven’t been independently verified and tested. Your vet will have the
right information to help you choose. Be sure to tell them about anything you feed your pet.

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 Holistic Products:
Are They Worth it?
Holistic pet care products may be very good for your pet, or
they might not be. It depends on the company. One thing
to remember is that a lot of words that are used to market
products are just the words that the audience is attracted
to when searching for products. Therefore, if being holistic
is important to you, that’s the type of product you’ll search
for, find, and buy for your pet.

What Are “Holistic” Pet Care Products?

Let’s start by talking about what holistic pet care products mean to the consumer. First we need to
backtrack and talk about how commercial pet food was even invented. Grain mills needed to find a way
to use up the waste from the process, and someone smart came up with the idea of using it in pet food
since the rules for making pet food were very lax.

Pet owners are a lot savvier today and felt kind of cheated when they learned how pet food was made
commercially. So smart entrepreneurs decided that it was time to create a better version of pet food
using a different process without using waste, and a lot of grains in pet food and other pet products
soon followed.

They decided to call these “holistic” products because they’re made differently. However, therein lies the
problem. There are no rules in place for what can be called holistic and what cannot be called holistic.
So you could still end up buying waste from grain mills even if the product says “holistic”.
In terms of the words holistic, it means absolutely nothing and is only a marketing ploy to get loving pet
owners to purchase.

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Claims Made by Holistic
Pet Care Companies
Many holistic pet care companies make a lot of
claims about their products that sound good but
may really mean nothing. For example, the word
“natural” can be used to describe the food as if that
means something good. But natural can be waste
products, bone mill, or all sorts of additives that
may or may not be healthy for your pet.

What to Do about It
Instead of falling for advertising and marketing hype, the best thing you can do to ensure that your pet
gets the right food is to feed them the correct food according to their breed upon your veterinarian’s
recommendation, and also to read the ingredients. If the ingredients are what you want to feed your
animal based on your research, then it’s fine to purchase. If the ingredients aren’t what you expected,
then buy something else.

Follow Your Budget

There is generally no reason, outside of bad allergies, that you need to be that picky about your pet’s food
or their other care products. Read the ingredients, ensure that it has enough nutrients in it, and ask your
vet if you’re not sure. Most vets, unless they sell pet food as an added income, will let you know what you
can buy at any department store for your pet that is healthy for them. Whether it says holistic or not won’t
really matter since, like the word natural, it has no real legal meaning in terms of the products you’re
buying. It’s only a word to use to imply that it’s better than something else.

Pets are part of our family and are very important to us. We want to do the best we can to take
care of them so that they live long, happy lives. But, there is no reason to break the bank trying to
buy “natural” or “holistic” pet care products or pet food.

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Taking Your Pet With You
Studies have shown that when pets are forced to stay home, especially when they’re alone, the pet is
more likely to suffer from anxiety, obesity, and behavioral problems. Likewise, when their owners take
them to as many places as possible, pets get more exercise, more mental stimulation, and the added
benefit of making new friends! By going on walks and joining you when you’re out and about, your pet
socializes with people and other pets, and learns new tricks and behaviors. These activities can help to
improve your pet’s physical and mental health, reduce anxiety and lower the risk of health problems.

Physical Activity
The physical activity that pets get on walks makes them healthier
and stronger. Long walks or runs promote bone development
and help keep your pet’s muscles strong. When pets are more
active, their weight is better regulated. This will decrease the
onset of obesity, diabetes, and other health conditions that are
known to be associated with weight problems.

Mental Stimulation
Pets get lots of mental stimulation when they travel with and spend time with their owners. When
pets visit new places, they have the chance to encounter new things like cars, other people, or other
animals.
In addition to having your undivided attention, when your pet is by your side, they can observe their
surroundings and learn about (and smell) new environments. This is beneficial for their development
when they are young, and will help your pet stay sharp as they grow older. Mental stimulation is
healthy for pets because it allows them to have a variety of new experiences. Not only do they gain
awareness of their surroundings and environment, they can also learn new behaviors. One of the
most important benefits of mental stimulation is that pets will have better brain function as they
age. Pets that are stimulated through physical activity and regular interaction with people and their
surroundings, have better physical and mental health as they age. This means more good years and
time to spend with your older or senior pet.

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Socialization
Besides having a chance to see new things and meet
new people, your pet will also have the opportunity
to socialize with other pets. Dogs are social creatures,
so being introduced to others is crucial for their
development and well being. . Puppies or dogs who
haven’t had the opportunity to socialize, can become
anxious or overstimulated at new and strange sights
and sounds. Keep in mind though, that reassurance,
patience and treats from their favorite human will
help! The more friends your pooch makes, the more
comfortable he or she will be in all kinds of situations,
including dog parks or doggy day care.
Pets are vulnerable to social isolation, so it’s important
to take them on as many adventures outside the home as possible. A bored pet is more likely to
develop anxiety, depression and underlying health conditions, so regular activity and stimulation is
key. If your pet is more suited for the great indoors, making sure they have the space and toys to
play with (or that they have other furry friends around) goes a long way to keeping them healthy
and happy. Stimulation is important to your pet, but so is spending quality time with their favorite
human or humans.

Get Your Pet Approved as an ESA

The best way to make sure your pet can leave the
house often and join you when you run errands, go
to work, or just wander around your city, is to get
them approved as an Official ESA®. Once your pet is
approved as your Official ESA, you’ll be able to keep
tabs on your health and theirs, even more easily!
Getting your pet approved as an Official ESA® is
simple. Just click here to start the process. After
a quick questionnaire to prequalify, place your
order and Support Pets doctors will review your
information right away. You’ll receive your ESA
approval documents via email within 24-48 hours.
You can then print those documents out and take
them to your housing provider, where they will be
able to grant your pet access to your rental, condo
or apartment with no pet fees or deposits!

Click here to help you and your pet become healthier and happier
this year, by making sure your pet is your Official ESA®.

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