Do Pets Have Feelings?

 

While animal lovers recognize our pet’s unique personality and emotions, there are many people who still view pets as “just a dog" or "just a cat". Sadly, they are mistaken. Pets have feelings just like people do. A pet’s emotional and stress levels not only impact their behavior, but they can affect their health too. Cats and dogs want to be near us, they want to please us and they can get lonely and scared like we do. To the surprise of many people, cats and dogs perceive and internalize their owner’s feelings and behavior far more than their owners may know. They feel sad when we are sad, they feel stressed when there is discord, sickness, or fighting in the household and they know far more than people give them credit. Cats and dogs are creatures of habit, in-sync with their people and the everyday routines that go on in their households. Changes to your work schedule, changes to their feeding or exercise schedule, or introducing new people or pets to the home can create stress and anxiety for your dog or cat. Yes, pets have feelings and if your pet has anxiety, Ask Ariel’s calming drops: Happy Paws can keep your pet feeling content and stress-free.

National Dog Fighting Awareness Day

 

April 8th has been designated as National Dog Fighting Awareness Day by The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to help educate the public on the prevalence of dog fighting in the United States. Although dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states, it still can occur in every part of the country in all types of communities. Dog fighting is a horrendous blood sport that only exists for entertainment and gambling purposes. The dogs are "trained" under cruel and hideous conditions only to be pitted against each other to fight for their own survival.

Both dogs will come out of the fight with injuries, some dogs will succumb to their injuries and others (often the losers) will be discarded or killed when they are no longer useful for fighting. If you suspect dog fighting (or any type of cruelty) in your neighborhood, please report it to Animal Control in your area.

What Are Prebiotics?

Many of us have heard of the benefits of probiotics, but did you know that prebiotics are equally important? Probiotics provide friendly bacteria to support a healthy digestive tract and immune system, but they need prebiotics to stay alive and flourish. Just taking probiotics without prebiotics may not be nearly as beneficial. Your pet's gut contains micro-organisms such as bacteria (good and bad), viruses and fungi, all of which must live in balance. Prebiotics are plant fibers that feed the good bacteria. Pet-friendly prebiotics are found in flax seeds, berries and vegetables such as carrots, asparagus and green beans. Ask Ariel's Power Probiotic includes six powerful probiotic strains along with inulin, an effective prebiotic sourced from Jerusalem artichoke. By combining these ingredients, Power Probiotic is designed to provide the most complete probiotic supplement for your cat or dog. For more information on pet nutrition click here. 

How Often Should Your Cat Or Dog Get A Blood Test?

Time flies! That is why it is SO important to check your files to see when your pet last had a blood test and urine analysis. Sadly pets’ life cycles are more rapid than a human’s and if it has been more than a year for your dog for example, that is the rough equivalent of 7 years! Would you wait 7 years before having your lab tests done? Lab tests are very important because pets can have health issues without any outward symptoms. A classic example is kidney disease. Please look through your records & make a plan to bring your pet to the vet. Yes, it’s a hassle and it’s expensive - but early detection saves lives!

Supplements For Cats With IBD & Intestinal Lymphoma

We are so thankful to Lily’s Mom Kate for sharing her success story:

"I wanted to provide an update on my 7-yr old cat, Lily. In January, she was diagnosed with IBD and most likely colon cancer (intestinal lymphoma). A cytology of a thickening or mass in her lower intestine showed it was exfoliating spindle cells. The pathologist diagnosed it as very likely cancer, though the sample didn't produce enough of the spindle cells to be 100% certain. My understanding is that having any spindle cells indicates cancer of some degree.

The vet said that they could try exploratory surgery, but she might not survive it. The best thing to do was to wait until she got worse and then give her steroids to keep her comfortable. At this point, her weight was down from a normal 7 to 8 lbs to 4.7 lbs and she had chronic diarrhea, sometimes with blood or mucous.

After researching for anything I could try, I found Ask Ariel. I started her on the IBD Kit and Immune Harmony. I've given her the supplements as directed every day since. I'm thrilled that she can't detect them in her food, because she usually can sniff anything added out and won't eat the food, even things cats are supposed to like, such as salmon oil.

The first improvement was in only 2 days... the awful gurgling intestinal noises went away. After a few weeks, her diarrhea went away. I was so happy just to see normal poop in her litter box! The ruffled and spiky look to her fur has also improved quite a bit and her beautiful smooth coat is the norm now.

All in all, I'm thrilled with her improvement since starting on your products. I plan to keep her on them indefinitely! Thank you so much!! Kate S., PA

Does You Cat Have Mast Cell Tumors?

 

Did you know? Cats can get Mast cell tumors (MCTs) just like dogs? MCTS contain chemicals such as histamine and heparin, which are released during an allergic or inflammatory reaction. MCTs are found in connective tissue such as the skin, respiratory system and intestinal tract. ProAller Drops were developed as a detox treatment for allergies and allergic skin disorders. These spagyric drops (herbs fermented into a liquid) help calm the histamine response that can trigger mast cells. Some clients report that Proaller helps relieve allergic itching even when antihistamines don't. ProAller works most effectively when combined with NOT anti-infection drops.

What Vegetables Can I Add To My Dogs Food?

Do you ever wonder what vegetables you can add to your dog's food? Here are some veggie ideas for your dog’s meals. Shown: broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix, okra, green beans, spinach, a few bell pepper pieces, butternut squash, and zucchini. There are so many vegetables to choose from—all from the frozen vegetable aisle. The wide assortment of veggies with different colors ensures your dog is getting a wide array of prebiotic immune-supporting fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Added to the vegetable assortment for Legend: raw frozen rabbit meat patties, Amazing Omegas fish oil, flaxseed powder, and some canned food for flavor. How much time did I spend chopping, cutting, and preparing? NONE

Everything came already chopped frozen. Just lightly steam or microwave and you will add substantial nutrition to your pet’s meals. Always introduce new vegetables slowly, with just a small piece to start. For more information on pet nutrition click here.