NATURAL PET CARE BLOG

When it comes to our beloved pet companions, their health and well-being are of utmost importance. As responsible pet parents, we want to make informed decisions about their healthcare, including the prescribed medications. One commonly used drug for treating various gastrointestinal issues in dogs is metronidazole. In this article, we'll dive deeper into metronidazole, its uses, potential side effects, and natural alternatives that might be safer for your dogs and cats.

Understanding Metronidazole:

Metronidazole, commonly known as Flagyl, is an antibiotic that is often prescribed to dogs to treat conditions like diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and certain bacterial infections. While it can provide relief from these issues, it's essential to be aware of its potential side effects and consider safer alternatives to ensure your dog and cat's long-term health.

The Effectiveness of Metronidazole:

Metronidazole works by targeting anaerobic bacteria and parasites, making i...

As pet parents, we want nothing but the best for our furry companions. However, we often overlook the fact that our pets are exposed to a variety of toxins on a daily basis. Your pets will be exposed to over 85,000 toxins a year!

These toxins can accumulate in their bodies and cause health issues over time. That's why it's essential to detox your pets regularly. In this blog post, we'll discuss the internal and external sources of toxins, signs of congested detox pathways, how detox pathways work, and how to safely detox your dogs and cats using food and herbal remedies.

Internal and External Sources of Toxins

Toxins can enter your pet's body in several ways. One of the most common ways is through their food. Many commercial pet foods contain preservatives, additives, and artificial flavors that can be harmful to your pet's health. Kibble diets, in particular, are high in carbohydrates, which can lead to inflammation and obesity. Glyphosate, a herbicide commonly used in agricultu...

Dogs can be affected by many different types of lower urinary tract problems. Fortunately, there are many home natural remedies to treat your dog's UTI.

First, it's important to know when your dog may have a UTI and what are dog UTI signs you want to be monitoring for before we start using natural home remedies for an infection.

What are common dog UTI signs and symptoms? 

It can be hard to tell if your dog is in pain, because they may not show any signs at all.  However, if you’re seeing bloody, cloudy or their urine has a strong smell, you dog may have a UTI.

You may also notice straining or crying during urination, accidents in the house, needing to urinate more frequently, increased water consumption, or licking around their back end excessively after urinating, you’ll need to get them checked out by your veterinarian to rule out a UTI.

Also, if you have a dog that's all of a sudden not house-broken, especially puppies, it's important to get them checked out for a bacterial...

Did you know that there are numerous natural supplements for senior dogs to help them slow down the aging process?

Watching your pet slow down as they age is frustrating and can be overwhelming.  You want the best for them and to keep them feeling healthy and happy for as long as possible.

There are many areas that can be affected as your dog ages, from their cognitive function to pain and inflammation in their joints.

Fortunately, there are a lot of natural senior dog supplements and vitamins you can use to help your furry friend feel their best as they get older.  Keep reading to learn about some of the best supplements for your senior dogs.

When does your dog become a “senior”?

Let’s start with how to know if your dog is actually a senior.  

This will depend on their body size because smaller dogs tend to have longer lifespans than larger dogs.

But typically a large breed dog is a senior at 7 years of age, a medium-sized dog is a senior at around 8-10 years, and your sm...

Cats with urinary tract infections are no fun and can even turn into an emergency.  However, there are many natural home remedies for cat UTIs (urinary tract infections) that you can use to prevent and even help treat your cat’s urine problems.

What is a cat urinary tract infection?

A urinary tract infection can affect any part of the cat’s urinary system.

This can include the bladder, the urethra (where urine comes out of the body), or even the kidneys.

An important fact to know about cat UTIs is that it’s not always a bacterial infection.  Your cat may have inflammation in their bladder without an infection which is called cat cystitis or sterile urinary tract inflammation.

How does a cat get a urinary tract infection (bladder infection)?

There are a variety of conditions that cats can get that affect the urinary tract that is labeled a feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

A bacterial UTI occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract, usually by ascending up the ure...

Essential oils can be safe for your dog’s skin as a natural home remedy for wounds or to soothe your dog’s irritated skin.

It’s going to happen at some point.  Your dog could be running around outside and comes in and you notice blood.

Or maybe you have a dog that’s prone to itchy, red, hotspots.

These are all frustrating problems, and many times the conventional drugs only treat the symptom and not the actual cause of the problem.

But you can use natural remedies, like essential oils, to help resolve these problems to keep vet visits down and reduce the risk of side effects from occurring.

Having a first aid kit at home for when things like this happen is important.

In this short video, I’m going to cover what my top 5 essential oils are to have in your first aid kit and how to safely use them with your pets.

 When should you take your pet to the vet:

Now here’s my disclaimer.

If you’re ever questioning whether you need to go to the ER, just do it.

It’s always better to b...

Did you know that there are many natural homemade remedies for your dog’s ear infection?

You may be feeling frustrated with going back and forth to the vet clinic for the same problem and the infection keeps coming back?

Unfortunately, ear infections are too common for our dogs and cats, but especially dogs.

Common Ear Infection Signs

So what are dog ear infections signs?

• Ear pain
• Your pet shaking their head excessively
• Scratching and digging at their ear with their paw
• Black waxy discharge or even pus coming from their ear
• Head tilt with ear down
• Bad smell coming from the ear
• Redness on the inside of the ear flap

There are many different causes for ear infections, and they are not always the same, even if your pet has had an ear infection before.

Thus, if you’re noticing any of these signs, make sure you book an appointment with your veterinarian to figure out what is causing the irritation in your dog’s ear.

Common Causes Of Dog Ear Infections

What causes dog ea...

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on tackling dog allergies, itchy skin, and yeast infections. Contrary to popular belief, these issues often stem from a complex interaction of factors affecting not just the skin but also the whole body. Read on to find out how to holistically address these problems.

The Complexity Behind Dog Allergies and Itchy Skin

Dog allergies and itchy skin are not as straightforward as they appear. In many cases, they involve a combination of local and systemic factors, including the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. Because of this, many pet parents miss the root cause of why their dog's allergies are not improving and they stay stuck going back and forth the vet.

The Usual Suspects: Allergens Affecting Dogs

Allergies leading to itchy skin and yeast infections can come from many different areas.  Here are a few common reasons for itchy dogs that you want to make sure you don't miss:

• Insect Bites & Parasites

  : Such as fleas, leading to intense

  ...

As a holistic veterinarian, I often encounter pets with skin issues, from minor wounds to persistent itchy hotspots. While conventional treatments focus on symptoms, I advocate for addressing the root causes and treating the symptoms with natural remedies like essential oils while you are figuring out why the itchiness is there in the first place.

Gut health is commonly a main reason for skin issues, like hot spots, allergies and ear infections.  Make sure that you don't end up missing the root cause for why the symptom is there since many pet parents end up in a vicious cycle of only treating the symptoms.  Make sure to check out our blog post on healing allergies naturally at the root cause level.

In this post, I'll share my top 5 essential oils for dog skin health and how to use them effectively and safely.

When to Seek Veterinary Care:

Before we dive into essential oils, let's address when it's crucial to take your pet to the vet:

1. Injuries that penetrate the skin (e.g.
...

NATURAL HEARTWORM PREVENTION FOR PETS SUMMARY

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that can affect dogs and cats. While natural remedies may help manage heartworm infections, prevention is still the best approach to avoiding the disease.

It is important to assess the risk of heartworm disease in the region where you live before considering any treatment options. If heartworm disease is prevalent in your area, it is recommended to seek veterinary advice for the best preventative options, but make sure to watch the video for natural remedies that can also be utilized.

Herbal supplements such as garlic, ginger, and black walnut hulls have been shown to have anti-parasitic properties that may help fight heartworm infections. It is important to note that while these herbs may have some benefits, their effectiveness as a sole preventative method for heartworm disease has not been proven, but can be part of an integrative approach in a high-risk area...