Friday, March 11, 2011

Apollo and Mama...

This is my beautiful boy Apollo.  This photo was taken this past Christmas by a great friend, Jan Gibson with http://www.petstoposies.com/ .  

You can't tell from the picture or even when meeting this whirlwind in person, but Apollo is 13 1/2 years young!   He is amazing!!!


Tammy and Apollo

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

News.....

Life sure does know how to throw you some loops! There has been alot going on in my life the last several months. Old things are slipping away and new situations are presenting themselves.

The Natural Pet Health Store will soon be offering Home Delivery Service in select areas!! How exciting is that! I have some wonderful friends, who have been by my side, supporting me through all of my turmoil lately. So, some new ideas are taking root for The Natural Pet....Stay tuned!!!!

-Tammy

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

APRIL 2010 NEWSLETTER: ARTHRITIS AND THE SENIOR PET

ARTHRITIS AND THE SENIOR PET

MANY OF US HAVE SENIOR DOG’S OR CAT’S THAT SHARE OUR LIVES. BUT, DO WE KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL AS THEY AGE? DO WE KNOW HOW TO ADAPT TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS?

BELOW ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS TO BE AWARE OF IN YOUR SENIOR PET’S, TO BETTER HELP YOU CARE FOR THEM IN THEIR “GOLDEN YEARS.”



WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN YOUR SENIOR PET:

DIFFICULTY RISING
RELUCTANCE/DIFFICULTY CLIMBING STAIRS
RELUCTANCE/DIFFICULTY CLIMBING INTO/OUT OF CAR’S
STIFF GAIT
RELUCTANCE OR DIFFICULTY EXERCISING
RELUCTANCE OR DIFFICULTY JUMPING, CLIMBING (ESP IN CAT’S)


TIPS TO HELP YOUR SENIOR PET:

· SLIP FREE FLOORS-USE AREA RUGS OVER HARDWOOD FLOOR/LAMINATE FOR A MORE SECURE FOOTING
· SOFT/WARM BEDDING-SENIOR JOINTS WILL GREATLY BENEFIT FROM A WARM, SOFTLY SUPPORTING BED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY BENEFICAL FOR THIN DOGS WITHOUT A LOT OF PADDING OVER BONEY JOINTS
· RAMPS- JUMPING INTO/OUT OF CAR’S, CLIMBING UP/DOWN STAIRS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND PAINFUL ON ARTHRITIC PET’S JOINTS. THINK OF ADDING RAMPS IN THE HOME OR ON BACK DECKS/PORCHES AND IN CAR’S FOR EASE AND LESS STRESS ON SENIOR BODIES.
· MEDICATIONS (NATURAL AND/OR CHEMICAL)-CONSIDER TALKING TO YOUR VETERINARIAN ABOUT AN ARTHRITIS SUPPLEMENT FOR YOUR PET. MANY NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS ARE ON THE MARKET NOW THAT SHOW REMARKABLE RESULTS WHEN DEALING WITH ARTHRITIS.
· CREATE A QUIET AND CALMING SPOT FOR YOUR PET-AS OUR PET’S AGE…THEY MAY BECOME MORE ANXIOUS, CRANKY OR LESS TOLERANT OF KID’S, OTHER PET’S. GIVE THEM A QUIET SPACE OF THEIR OWN WHERE THEY CAN “GET AWAY.”
· WEIGHT-KEEPING YOUR PET AT THEIR “IDEAL WEIGHT” IS CRITICAL..ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH ARTHRITIS. CONSULT WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN ON WHAT YOUR PET’S “IDEAL WEIGHT” SHOULD BE. ADDED WEIGHT PUTS MORE STRESS AND TRAUMA ON ALREADY SORE, TENDER BONES AND JOINTS.
· MASSAGE, ACUPUNCTURE, CHIROPRACTIC-CONSULT YOUR VETERIANIAN OR A LICENSED HOLISTIC VETERIANIAN ABOUT MASSAGE, ACUPUNCTURE AND/OR CHIROPRACTIC WORK FOR YOUR PET’S. SOMETIMES ALL THAT IS NEEDED IS SOME GENTLY HEALING MASSAGE WORK, CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT OR ACUPUNCTURE TO HEAL OR CONTROL MANY HEALTH OR AGE RELATED PROBLEMS IN OURSELVES AND OUR PET’S.
· EXERCISE-JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN OLDER PET WITH ARTHRITIS SHOULD NOT MEAN THEY DO NOT NEED EXERCISE. CONSULT WITH YOUR VETERIANIAN ON THE BEST EXERCISE REGIME FOR YOUR SENIOR DOG OR CAT…AND YES…CAT’S NEED EXERCISE ALSO.



Tammy Starkey
The Natural Pet Health Store
919-837-0020
goldenhalo72@aol.com
www.thenaturalpethealthstore.com

Friday, March 12, 2010

March 2010 Newsletter..The Benefit's of Pumpkin

Newsletter

THE NATURAL PET HEALTH STORE
March 10, 2010, Issue #2


HEALTH BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN

Did you know?
Pumpkin is a wonder food for adding into our cat’s and dog’s diets!

Pumpkin supplies the body with Vitamin’s C, K and E, as well as Beta Carotene, Fiber, Antioxidant’s, phyto-nutrients, essential fatty acids and other specific minerals. An added benefit, most dogs and cats love the taste!

It is also a “wonder cure” for both common diarrhea and constipation. That’s right; it works wonders for both of these problems in our pets. If your pooch has eaten something that does not agree with the tummy: try giving a bland diet for a few days and add PURE, 100% pumpkin to the food. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING, the canned pumpkin ingredient list should only contain one ingredient…100% pure pumpkin.

DOSAGE:
For my bigger guys (45-75 pounds) I use between 1-2 tbsp per meal and if the problem is more severe….I will give them several tablespoons in between meals.

For smaller dogs or cats, I would recommend between 1-2 tsp, also with a bland diet.

Cat’s who have regular hairballs may also greatly benefit from the added fiber in the pumpkin. Simply mix with their regular food or they may even lick it right from the spoon.J For hairball control, you may start with ½ tsp per day and adjust accordingly.

Please remember: With any diarrhea or constipation issue, it is best to first consult with your Veterinarian before beginning any regimen. Diarrhea or constipation accompanied by vomiting, lethargy, inappetence or blood could be a more serious issue and needs to be addressed by your Vet immediately. Always keep in mind, ongoing diarrhea can lead to dehydration, so if symptoms do not clear up within 1-2 days, please consult your Vet. Smaller pets, puppies, kittens or compromised pets should be immediately taken to your Vet BEFORE trying this remedy.

For more information on the benefits of pumpkin for our pet’s, as well as for a yummy pumpkin treat recipe, check out these sites:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2602/2
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1817/
www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/dogtreatrecipe.html



UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE NATURAL PET HEALTH STORE:





5TH ANNUAL DOGGONE EASTER EGG HUNT
SATURDAY MARCH 27TH 1PM-3PM
(raindate April 11th 1-3pm)


6 WEEK DOG TRAINING CLASSES
BEGINNING MARCH 6th WITH TRAINER LISA MAYHEW
CONTACT: Lisa Mayhew at attagirlk9@gmail.com for more information

ANNUAL HOLISTIC AWARENESS DAY
A DAY LONG HOLISTIC EVENT
COMING IN MAY . . . more details to follow



Thanks to everyone for the wonderful responses to my first
Newsletter in February entitled: “Chronic Dehydration in Cat’s.”
If at any time, you would like a copy of any of my newsletters to share, just send me an email.


goldenhalo72@aol.com
Tammy Starkey -

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Snow.....

YUCK! WAY too much snow and cold temps in NC this winter!!

The electricity went out at our house about 1am this morning, all the poor cat's were huddled wherever was warmest. A few were on their heated beds, wondering I am sure, why they were not warm:(

Miracle, our oldest cat at 10 yrs was huddled under the bed covers most of the night and morning.

The Goldens don't seem to mind the cold at all. Though, poor hairless Samuel is NOT amused!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Apollo and The Wart....

Well, Apollo has had a small, benign, slow growing wart in the corner of his right now for about 1 1/2 years now. We had already decided that unless it really increased in size and begun affecting his vision, that we would leave it alone. Apollo is almost 12 1/2 yrs old and we do not want to put him under for something an small as this...so, we have left it.

Apparently, Apollo decided that he could easily remove it for us:) The other evening, Rob and I were in the kitchen and Rob noticed suddenly that the wart was GONE!!!! After looking closely at Apollo's eye, I remembered seeing him earlier in the evening rubbing his face with his paw and then rubbing his face on a chair. Hmmm......just call him DOCTOR APOLLO!!!

I've kept an "eye" on his eye since and you cannot even tell where the growth was.....LOL...GO FIGURE!!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

FEBRUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER

THE NATURAL PET HEALTH STORE
February 10, 2010

CHRONIC DEHYDRATION IN CAT’S

DID YOU KNOW, CAT’S THAT EAT DRY FOOD AS THEIR MAIN DIET HAVE A HIGHER INCIDENCE OF DEVELOPING URINARY TRACT ISSUES AND KIDNEY PROBLEMS?

CAT’S, UNLIKE DOG’S, DO NOT CONSUME LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE FACT IS: CAT’S AS A SPECIES, JUST DON’T DRINK A LOT OF WATER, PERIOD. SO, WHEN A CAT IS FED STRICTLY OR MAINLY A DRY DIET, THEIR BODIES TEND TO STAY SLIGHTLY DEHYRATED. THIS FORCES THE KIDNEYS AND BLADDER TO WORK HARDER TO RID ITSELF OF TOXINS FROM THE BODY.

A CAT THAT IS ALLOWED TO EAT RAW PREY (MICE, RODENTS, RABIBITS, ETC), A RAW DIET, COOKED DIET OR CANNED DIET HAS MORE WATER INTAKE VERSUS A DRY FED CAT. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT CAT’S RECEIVE ONLY ABOUT 10% WATER WHEN EATING A DRY DIET, WHEREAS A CAT GIVEN RAW PREY, RAW FOOD, COOKED OR CANNED INCREASE THEIR WATER CONSUMPTION TO 75-85% AND A CAT THAT WAS LIVING IN THE WILD WOULD ALSO HAVE A WATER INTAKE OF AROUND 75-85%.
THIS HIGHER WATER INTAKE HELPS KEEP THE KIDNEYS AND BLADDER FLUSHED OF
HARMFUL TOXINS AND KEEPS THE URNIARY TRACT HEALTHY.

IF YOUR CAT EATS MAINLY A DRY DIET, THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE WATER CONSUMPTION ARE: SWITCHING HE/SHE TO A CANNED, COOKED OR RAW DIET, ADD EXTRA WATER TO THEIR DRY DIET, CONSIDER BUYING A FREE FLOWING WATER FOUNTAIN, AND KEEP MULTIPLE FRESH WATER BOWLS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.

YOU MAY THINK…MY CAT EATS ONLY DRY FOOD AND I SEE HE/SHE DRINKING WATER REGULARLY?? THIS MAYBE THE CASE, BUT JUST CONSIDER THIS….IF YOUR CAT WERE GETTING THEIR REQUIRED 75-85% OF WATER INTAKE IN THEIR FOOD EACH DAY, THEN THEY ACTUALLY SHOULD BE DRINKING LESS WATER, BECAUSE THEIR BODIES ALREADY HAVE CONSUMED THEIR REQUIRED AMOUNTS IN THEIR DIETS.

THOUGH A WORD OF CAUTION: IF YOUR CAT IS DRINKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER (NO MATTER WHAT DIET THEY ARE EATING), PLEASE CONSIDER HAVING A THOROUGH PHYSCIAL EXAM AND POSSIBLY BLOODWORK AND URINALYSIS DONE. EXCESSIVE THIRST, URINATION COULD BE SIGNS OF A MORE SERIOUS HEALTH ISSUE. OF COURSE, BEFORE BEGINNING ANY DIET CHANGE, CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CHRONIC DEHYRATIOON IN CATS, CHECK OUT THESE SITES: WWW.CATINFO.ORG/ WWW.PROFESSORSHOUSE.COM/ WWW.CATSFROMAUSTALIA.COM
-TAMMY STARKEY (THE NATURAL PET HEALTH STORE)