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Research has proven how important the benefits are from giving natural diets to our pets. You will see that brands are producing new food and treat ranges that can help everything from better looking coats to helping with your pet’s digestion needs. Professionals are choosing to recommend these healthier choices and as a result, we are starting to see a rise in contented pet’s and their owners.

We have chosen specially designed products to provide your pets with the best possible options to help keep them in good shape.

Making simple changes to their daily diet can help to alleviate pesky problems and give your best friend a nutritional increase for:

• Healthier skin
• Shinier coats
• Better Digestion
• Stronger Joints and Bones
• Improved Eye & Brain Health

For dogs to be kept clean and healthy a regular grooming is needed to enhance their appearance and to improve their odor.

Types of Brushes

Choosing the right type of brush for your dog can sometimes be a challenge, with many options available. Different brushes work best on different breeds, so asking your vet for advice is a great idea, before making a decision on which one to buy.

Pin Brushes Have metal pins with rounded ends to make it a comfortable groom for your dog. The longer the pins are on the brush, the better it is for longer, thicker coats. They are also good for smoothing out small tangles and removing dead fur from both the coat and undercoat.

Slicker Brushes Have short, fine hairs on a flat brush and are suitable for removing knots from short to medium coat breeds, or on dogs with curly fur. The pins are angled to avoid scratching the skin while brushing. Don’t apply too much pressure when using this brush, and it’s a good idea to look out for any pins that are sticking out at the wrong angle.

Rubber Brushes Are ideal for removing dead fur and massaging the skin to encourage natural oils to be released. This type of brush is great to use for making a dog’s coat look healthy and glossy.

Bristle Brush Is an ideal choice to finish off a grooming session, and it is an easy maintenance brush to use in-between brushes. This brush stimulates natural oil production whilst removing dead fur and dirt in the process.

Undercoat Rake or De-Shedding Tools Are fantastic for gently removing the dead fur from a dog’s undercoat and still achieving a good brush through of the top coat and removal of any dirt. If your dog is one that moults frequently then this brush would be a great asset to have in your collection.

Grooming Mitts Are a brilliant option for removing dirt and dead hair from short-coated breeds. This is not recommended for dogs with medium to long-haired coats.

Worming

Did you know?… most dogs won’t show any signs of a worm infection. But if left untreated intestinal worms can cause serious problems, and not just for your dog. Worms commonly found in dogs, such as tapeworm and roundworm, can also infect humans and cause severe disease including blindness in young children.

Young puppies are particularly sensitive to the effects of intestinal worms and a severe infection could be fatal. It is crucial to understand the signs of worms to look out for and the frequency in which to worm your dog or puppy in order to help and protect them and your family.

Signs of worms in dogs may include:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Weight loss
• Anaemia (low number of red blood cells)
• Pot-bellied appearance
• Visible tapeworm segments around the bottom (that look like grains of rice)
• Scooting or dragging their bottom along the floor
• Poor growth and development

What are Fleas?… and the Signs to look out for

Fleas are a type of external parasite. There are many different species of fleas, such as: dog fleas, cat fleas, rabbit fleas and human fleas, although many species of fleas can infest more than one host species.

A great way to check for fleas is to comb your pet using a fine-toothed comb held over a white surface, such as a piece of kitchen paper. Any fleas or flea droppings will be deposited on the surface. Add a few drops of water, and if the droppings turn reddish brown, it’s very likely your pet has fleas. If you’re still unsure if your pet has fleas or want to know what product to use, speak to your vet for the best advice.

Signs your pet might have Fleas

Having one or more of these could mean your pet has fleas.

• Scratching
• Areas of hair loss, bald or sore patches
• Spots or scans
• Redness and irritation
• Thickened skin in areas (e.g. around ear edges)
• Tiny dark specks in its fur, or small browny-black insects scurrying about
• Any unaccounted for insect bites on your body

Facts on Flea’s:

• Fleas only suck blood from their hosts as adults; Adult fleas have mouthparts that are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood from their host
• A flea can live from between 14 days to a year, and a female can lay up to 50 eggs in one day – that’s 1,500 in a lifetime!
• Some types of flea can leap more than a hundred times their own body length
• It’s estimated that 95% of flea eggs, larvae and pupae live in the environment, not on your pet

Most cats won’t have a problem tucking into their meals, but some may take a bit of coaxing to keep a healthy diet. Following these cat feeding tips when it comes to meal time will help to keep your pet in good shape. Both tinned and dried food will give your cat the nourishment they need, but dried food has the added bonus of assisting the cleaning of their teeth. It’s a good idea to maintain a good balance of both foods for your feline friend.

It’s very important you feed your cat a natural diet with no sugar or additives. At The Pet Pantry we only stock products that are natural, have a high meat content and contain no sugar. Feeding your cat these products will enable them to benefit from leading a healthy life. We are always happy to advise you on a product that will best suit your favourite kitty cat.

Feeding your dog dry food is a great way to exercise their chewing muscles with the added benefit of a mild cleaning effect on their teeth but giving them natural dental chews and treats are a great idea to include as well. These chews and treats consist of beef tendons, beef tracheas, pig ears, sterilised bones, deer antlers, yak bars, buffalo horns filled and unfilled, and vegetable based dental treats, which are all stocked in our store ready for your pet to enjoy. 

It is advised that you try to keep your dog’s teeth clean by brushing them regularly, which is a great place to start, but to enhance your cleaning regime, we stock a range of alternative products to help with this, such as: seaweed extract, water additives, tooth gels and mouth foams. Take a look at our stock in store and if you have any questions, we will be happy to help you.

• Cat beds
• Natural kitten food
• Food and water bowls
• A puzzle feeder
• Litter tray and cat litter
• Plenty of toys
• Scratching posts, mats, boxes or frames
• Cat furniture like cat trees
• A large, secure carrier for transport (one with a hard shell and an opening on top is best)
• A brush or comb for grooming
• Blankets
• Wormer and flea treatment
• Calming diffuser or sprays

Autumn and Winter

At this time of year, put out food and water on a regular basis. In severe weather, feed twice daily if you can: in the morning and in the early afternoon.

Birds require high-energy (high-fat) foods during the cold winter weather to maintain their fat reserves to survive the frosty nights. Use only good-quality food and scraps.

Always adjust the quantity given to the demand, and never allow uneaten foods to accumulate around the feeders. Once you establish a feeding routine, try not to change it as the birds will become used to it and time their visits to your garden accordingly.

Spring and Summer

During the summer months, birds require high protein foods, especially while they are moulting.

Only feed selected foods at this time of year. Good hygiene is vital, or feeding may do more harm than good.

These foods include:

• Black sunflower seeds, pinhead oatmeal, soaked sultanas, raisins and currants, mild grated cheese, mealworms, waxworms, mixes for insectivorous birds, good seed mixtures without loose peanuts,
• RSPB food bars and summer seed mixture are all good foods to provide. Soft apples and pears cut in half, bananas and grapes are also good.
• Some people use soaked dog or cat food and tinned pet foods, but these may attract magpies, crows and cats.
• Avoid using peanuts, fat and bread at this time, since these can be harmful if adult birds feed them to their nestlings. If you feel you must put out peanuts, only do so in suitable mesh feeders that will not allow sizeable pieces of peanuts to be taken, reducing the choking risk to chicks.
• Home-made fat balls can go soft and rancid in warm summer weather, and should be avoided. Commercially produced fat bars are suitable for summer feeding but discard any remains after three weeks.
• Temporary food shortage can occur at almost any time of the year, and if this happens during the breeding season, extra food on your bird table can make a big difference to the survival of young.
• Birds time their breeding period to exploit the availability of natural foods: earthworms in the case of blackbirds and song thrushes, and caterpillars in the case of tits and chaffinches. It is now known that if the weather turns cold or wet during spring or summer, severe shortage of insect food can occur, and if the weather is exceptionally dry, earthworms will be unavailable to ground feeding birds because of the hard soil. In order to help with this, buggy nibbles and mealworms can be provided during these times to prevent starvation.

Information courtesy of The RSPB – www.rspb.org.uk