It’s hard nowadays to find a pet food brand (whether for dog or cat) or a dog treat brand that actually lives up to expectation; that actually helps what it promotes; that honestly lives up to its PR company’s hype.

Henry Checking Out the Turkey Jerky...

Well, despite all that, I believe I found the perfect mix of food and treats for our family’s dogs through K9 Cuisine. K9 Cuisine offers only the healthiest and most well-prepared, honest-to-goodness pet nutrition products you will ever find ANYWHERE. You can find wellness brands of food, treats, food toppers and more. I was TOTALLY surprised and thus impressed when our dog and my sister’s dogs – who are all SO PICKY AND STUBBORN – took so well to these healthy grain-free food and treat options. It’s truly a fabulous website with only the best products.

I’m talkin’… revolutionary product that will change the way people treat their pets in terms of nutrition. Just as Americans are becoming healthier in terms of eating habits, thus so should our best friends – our pets.

Rotations Sample

First, we sampled the Rotations Complete 3-in-1 Complete Nutrition System. It’s adult dry food that has various flavors. The boxed set offers you three different meal types – Premium Chicken and Brown Rice, Wild Salmon with Peas and Carrots, and New Zealand Lamb and Potatoes.

The idea is to rotate them so your pet doesn’t get bored with the same old food. They basically promote the “appropriate levels of proteins and fats to provide energy and maintain ideal weight.” Rotations dog food options are all balanced with fermentable fiber (as always, no corn, wheat, or soy) so your dog receives proper digestive support and gets a healthy overall body maintenance and performance.

ROTATIONS Pet Food is designed around the premise that a broader array of fresh natural ingredients provides pets with a more complete diet that can still be easily digestible and convenient for you. That’s why each box contains three distinctly different all-natural formulas in three separate re-sealable bags — to ensure that your pet will never be bored, undernourished or overexposed to one particular ingredient or flavor.

Benson LOVED the Chicken and Rice one and surprisingly ate the veggies in the other kinds too. We noticed after feeding him this diet for about 10 days that not only did he lose almost 2 pounds, but also he was FAR MORE active – acting and playing with the energy of a puppy again!

Rotations is by far the “cream of the crop.” Learn more about it on their site, which is chockfull of information on how to feed, what’s in the products, what the benefits are, and LOTS more.

K9 Cuisine also sent us the Wellness Pure Rewards Turkey Jerky. I don’t even know how to explain this… I’ll tell you that I let my sister’s Bassets try these samples out instead of Benson. I gave each Basset one and they each practically swallowed it whole. Ten minutes later (I was dog-sitting and in another room), one of them (had to be Henry – a 10-yr-old Basset trouble-maker who is shorter than the normal breed) actually jumped up and counter-surfed to pull

Turkey Jerky Wellness Treats and Free Wet Food Lid!

the treat bag down! The two of them then just went to town on the Turkey Jerky because they liked the flavor so much! So yeah – they ate a lot of them, but they had NO SYMPTOMS of stomach upset, diarrhea, etc , after eating a whole bag of treats in ten minutes… These treats get four (okay – paws up for SURE!! I have since bought many bags of these for them to bring when I come over to dog-sit…

Tons of Tasty Samples from K9 Cuisine

K9 Cuisine also let us sample the Go! Grain Free Chicken, Turkey and Duck wet formulas. These were also a HUGE hit with Benson. They didn’t upset his stomach and he “chowed” them right down (highly unusual for him as he is SO PICKY in his old age). The best part about this wet food is that it has human-grade ingredients, so your dog is tasting food similar to what your food tastes like.  (Not to mention it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and supplements like sunflower and wild salmon oils for Omegas, plus garden fresh vegetables, orchard fruits and lots of minerals!)

Next up from K9 Cuisine we tried the Real Food Toppers in Pure Beef

Even the Kittehs Checked Out the Samples!

Sirloin Flavor. After topping Benson’s food with these once, we realized we would use them as treats because he wouldn’t eat dinner without them that night!! He remembered that at breakfast he had a tasty topper! So we used them as treats for going potty in the proper area, sitting, lying down, etc.

Overall, I was seriously blown away by the products I got from K9 Cuisine. First because they are ALL grain-free, but in particular, the Rotations and the Wellness Treats are items that we have since re-ordered or purchased. I’ve also now moved my cat Sasha over to the Wellness brand wet food since she’s almost 10.

Benson's FAVORITE Thing EVER!

The quality of the products, the care and study that goes into creating them,  and the all-natural REAL ingredients used in ALL of these cat and dog foods, really are top-notch, and totally worth spending a few extra bucks for shipping. I would not tell you to go and buy something if it wasn’t any good – you know me better than that. But K9 Cuisine has it all: the BEST brands, the HEALTHIEST choices, the most REASONABLE prices, plus they always offer free samples, discounts and shipping deals and other promos. Plus, the company’s founder –Anthony Holloway – designed these recipes himself after realizing that he knew what he was eating from his plate, but his dog didn’t know what he was ingesting, and neither did Anthony; thus, K9 Cuisine was born. (I just think that’s a great story and a little tidbit for you all to read and learn how dedicated Anthony and his team are to making exquisite, quality pet food.)

Dog Food Toppers and Go! Grain Free Wet Food

I genuinely hope that some of you will go ahead and order at least one of the products discussed here, and measure the difference in your animal’s coat, eyes, attitude, and energy level (or even their weight). K9 Cuisine is BAR NONE the best option for cat and dog food that I’ve come across thus far.

Visit the site and you can get free samples by clicking on the tab on the top right!

Every 6 Seconds a Pet Parent Gets a Vet Bill
for Over $1,000. Bow-Ouch!

I know how much animals mean to you—whether they live in the wild, on a farm, or in your own home. If you’re anything like me – they are your kids and you would do anything to protect them, right?

The concept of pet insurance is definitely a “controversial” one — some say it’s a waste of money while others thank God they had it when their dog was run over…

I feelthat it’s definitely necessary if you have an outdoor animal who roams free around the neighborhood (like my Sasha) – but I really am not sure about other circumstances.

I suppose if you have a gold ribbon/medal winning dog breed than he/she should definitely be insured for possible pt health problems… stemming from unknowingly poor pet nutrition, lack of care, or sensitive and likely to be injured bones and joints (for bigger breeds), etc.

Anyhow, for many reasons the HSUS has decided to team up with Petplan, the world’s largest pet insurance provider; to ensure that your four-legged family members live a long, happy life togethger. (And don’t have to worry if your pet gets severely ill and you can’t afford the vet bill… God I’ve been there and trust me, it’s NOT fun.)

Across the globe, Petplan is recommended by more veterinarians than any other pet health insurance provider and is consistently rated No. 1 in independent reviews by pet parents. Join over 1 million policyholders who already enjoy peace of mind with these benefits:

–   Covered for Life Guarantee™—once your pet is insured with Petplan, any condition they develop, including all chronic conditions, will be covered into their old age with no extra surcharges or riders.*

–  Coverage of all hereditary and congenital conditions—conditions such as hip displaysia, mitral valve disease, and luxating patellas are covered without dollar or time limits.*

–  Customizable coverage for your dog or cat—set your own co-pay and deductible according to your needs and budget.*

And when you get a quote, Petplan will make a $20 donation to our Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association’s Field Services program, which provides free veterinary care to pets in underserved communities. Be sure to use code “HSUS20″ when getting a quote to indicate that you’re an HSUS supporter & to receive an additional 5% discount!

Celebrate the animals in your life — and protect them for good so you can enjoy a longer lifetime with them…

Visit Petplan today to see if it’s right for your pets.

*Portions of this important pet health and wellness article courtesy Wayne Pacelle/HSUS . Photos courtesy Petplan.com

Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin

Earlier this summer, you may remember that P&G Pet Care (Proctor & Gamble, which owns IAMS/Eukanuba) announced a voluntary recall of TWO lots of IAMS Veterinary Formulas-Feline Renal.

The company announced a couple days ago that it is now expanding the pet food recall to include all IAMS Veterinary Formula Diets (dry), Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Sensitive Skin due to possible health risk. (Images of the affected products are posted on the right).
 
Any other IAMS or Eukanuba cat/dog diets, biscuits, treats or supplements are NOT included in this pet food recall & are safe & healthy for your pet.

The Procter Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG) is volunt

Eukanuba Naturally Wild

arily expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.  No salmonella-related illnesses have been reported. 
 
The following dry pet food products are included:

1. Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

2. Eukanuba Naturally Wild-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

3. Eukanuba Pure-all sizes and varieties. “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

4. Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin – All dry sizes: “Best Buy dates” on package are 01July10 – 01Dec11: includes ALL UPC CODES

Eukanuba Pure

From the press release:

“ The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada.  No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement.  A full listing of UPC codes can be found at www.iams.com. 
        
         These products are made in a single, specialized facility.  In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination.  As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.
        
         Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should

IAMS Veterinary Formula Canine

 discard them.  People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product.  Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

IAMS Veterinary Formula Feline

        Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.  If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting.  Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.
 
For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST).”

Yes- you can actually CREATE YOUR OWN PET FOOD, and even name it! Only with Red Moon brand though – and this stuff is amazing!

Sasha, my sweetheart black cat, is THEE PICKIEST EATER ON THE PLANET. This is a new development, like over the last 6 months. Yes - she does have some health issues and has been suffering from rapid weight loss, dehydration and vomiting, etc, but the vet keeps telling me to feed her whatever she’ll eat and not vomit up. (Lovely, I know….) (She’s had multiple blood and other tests and so far everything is kosher – she’s just gettig older and pickier like Theodore got at her age…)

nyhow, so I created an awesome mixture for Sasha that I knew she would LOVE at Red Moon Pet Food.  They let you CUSTOMIZE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR ORDER! It is so cool and so much fun!

You can choose:

"Sasha's Solution" from Red Moon Pet Food

- whether it’s for cat or dog

- the pet’s energy level

- kibble size range

-  base flavor (Chicken and Turkey, or Salmon-based for cats, or High, Moderate or Low Protein bases of Lamb & Potato, Chicken & Potato, Chicken & Pea, etc. for dogs)

- bag size

- PLUS two free nutrients or vitamins you want to add (I gave Sasha the anti-furball supplement and the Perfect Fur, Skin and Coat Makeover additive.) For cats you can also choose from Digest-Ease, Kidney/Urinary Health, Breath Helper or Joint Renewal. For dogs you can choose Antioxidant Immune Booster, Oral Health Support, Joint Renewal, Joint Reviver Plus, High Gloss Skin and Coat Makeover, or Digest-Aid.

It DID take Sash awhile to adjust to the new food but I gotta admit I HAVE seen a difference in her coat and she is vomiting less!! Hooray!!! I haven’t tried their dog food but based on our experience with the cat, I think this is a reputable brand of pet food, that takes pet nutrition into account, not to mention your pet’s age, special needs, and energy level. They base their formulas off those things, which is SO important if you have a particularly high or low energy dog breed or special cat needs like I did. In terms of pet nutrition, I give Red Moon Pet Food a 10 out of 10 – which is extremely rare for me. (Just being honest…. no one usually nails it 100%)

Also, all of Red Moon’s products are grain and gluten free — so forget about those nasty fillers you don’t want your pet to have, and they have FREE SHIPPING ALL THE TIME!!

So go out there and make your own trial size order today: I bet your pet will like it!!

From Red Moon’s site: 

As an owner, no one knows your pet better than you. That’s why RedMoon gives you the ability to create a food specific to your pet’s individual needs. We offer the only fully customizable pet food on the market, and we pack it full of healthy and fresh ingredients. From juicy lamb to whole blueberries, it all comes fresh from regional sources. Contact us with your questions or comments.

As a fellow pet lover, I want to let you know about two recalls involving pet products that were announced last Friday, July 2.

The recall involves :

-10 oz bags of Merrick Beef Filet Squares made by Merrick Pet Care

- nutritional supplements and powdered form products made by the United Pet Group and sold under the Nature’s Miracle, Excel, Petco, DDS, Drs. Foster & Smith and Pro-Pet brands
1. Merrick Pet Care Recalls 10oz Bags Of Merrick Beef Filet Squares

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling 86 cases of its 10oz “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” pet treats (ITEM # 60016 LOT # 10084TL7 BEST BY MARCH 24, 2012) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

Consumers who have purchased 10 ounce packages of “Beef Filet Squares for Dogs” are urged to return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Information about the recall can be found on the company’s web site: http://www.merrickpetcare.com/about_us/news_article.php?tid=430. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-664-7387 M-F 8:00 – 5:00 CDT.

2. Nature’s Miracle, Excel, Pro-Pet, Petco, DDS and Drs. Foster & Smith Nutritional Supplements and Powdered Form Products

United Pet Group has recalled a variety of nutritional supplements for dogs and powdered form products for dogs and cats. THESE PRODUCTS ARE SOLD UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES AT DIFFERENT RETAILERS.  Please check the FDA release for a complete listing of products affected by this recall  here is the link: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm217999.htm

The products involved in both recalls are very popular, so it is important that we get the word out to fellow pet lovers.  Please let your followers and readers know about these recalls by Tweeting, Digging or re-posting this post on Facebook or your blog or website.

Jaime

Proctor and Gamble (who owns IAMS) is voluntarily recalling Iams Canned Cat (wet) Food because of insufficient amounts of vitamin B1 (also known as thiamine). 

(Really not that big of a deal to me — it’s not like your cat could die because of this. I give IAMS props though for recalling a cat food simply based on the lack of one little nutrient…)
 
Here are some important points about the issue:
 
** P&G is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Iams canned cat food in North America as a precautionary measure.  Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats. 

** This recall is limited to only Iams canned cat food distributed in North America.  No other Iams pet food is involved. 

Affected Products:
Product Name/Date on Bottom of Can
Iams ProActive Health canned Cat and Kitten Food: all varieties of the 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans marked: 09/2011 to 06/2012.

** Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency. 
** Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss.  In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures. 

**Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs.  If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.
** Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it.  For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST). 

A representative from IAMS told me: “We are very sorry that this has occurred. And we thank you for your help in sharing accurate information pertaining to the Iams Canned Cat Food recall.”

So obviously they want to get the word out. Please Tweet and spread this post around where ever possible okay? The more kittehs who know, the better.

I recently received samples of Holistic Select: Select Actives for both my dogs  (I split it between our dog and my sister’s Bassets) and my cat — historically picky eaters…all of them. So trying a holistic, healthy, natural recipe meal made me a little nervous at first.

Made with natural ingredients, including different sources of proteins, grains, fibers, fats and oils, and vitamins, Holistic Select isn’t just your ordinary healthy dog and cat food. It’s top-notch, the best of the best.

I am shocked, yet pleasantly surprised to reveal, that both my Golden Benson, the Basset Hounds AND my kitty Sasha LOVE the Holistic Select foods chosen for them! Sasha actually smelled the food through the bag on the floor after I received it and somehow managed to bite her way through it in the middle of the night and helped herself to a midnight snack! I woke up the next morning and found little teeth and tear marks on the side of the bag and little crumbs on the floor!!

For Sasha, I tried the Feline Select Actives Radiant Adult Health with Anchovy, Sardine, and Salmon Meals. It’s a premium fish meal blend for high digestibility, has 32% protein and 20% fat, naturally Omega 3 rich fish oil for shiny coat (which IS noticeable – especially with her long hair), and added taurine for eye and heart health. She chowed it down!! And getting Sasha to switch from her dry diet of Fancy Feast (which I know is SO bad and packed with fillers but she’s just so damn picky) was quite easy once she tried Holistic Select.

As for Benson (and the Bassets), we tried the Radiant Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon Meal Recipe. It has 22% protein, 12% fat , a premium fish meal protein blend so it’s highly digestible, and naturally occuring Omega 3 rich menhaden fish oil for coat and skin health.

We actually started by mixing this food in with the boys’ regular food before fully switching them over and it worked like a charm.

This food is SO much healthier that what they were getting — and they were on PRESCRIPTION diet food. In my opinion, this just goes to show you that some of these holistic pet food companies and natural/organic food recipes are just as good as the ones you can pay an arm and a leg for at the vet…

I would highly recommend that you at least try a bag of Holistic Select for your dogs and cats – I bet they will love it. They will feel and act healthier, and you will notice the difference.

To learn more or become a member of the community, click here. To locate a store where you can find Holistic Select, click here.

We all know the importance and joy of leading a healthy and happy life and for many, heading to the gym each morning, getting their fruits and veggies, along with getting the necessary shut eye, tops your own To-Do list. 

Aside from achieving and maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, some may be forgetting to shed some health focus onto their pet’s own health. Keeping your pets happy and healthy should top on your list of importance, too. 

We are so happy to have connected with our friends at OVitaminPro.com and discover their line of pet vitamins and supplements by Pet Naturals of Vermont. 

OVitaminPro.com wants your pooch’s tag to wag day in and day out — and what better way then keeping them in the shape and health they deserve?  Offering supplements to support skin and coat health, to digestive support and hip and joint, if you pet is experiencing the discomforts of these conditions, try out the line of Pet Natural of Vermont at OVitaminPro.com. 

To all our pet owners out there, take a peek into the line of pet supplements and vitamins that OVitaminPro.com has to offer.  Be sure to tell them hello for us while you are there!