New Year, New Resolutions for Your Furbabies

New Year’s resolutions – many of us make them. We all want to make our lives better, easier by saving more money, losing a few pounds, stopping smoking, and even enjoying more time with family and friends. However, have you ever thought about including your furbaby in the resolutions?

Just like us, pets can benefit from a happier, healthier 2020. It could be as simple as adding extra walking time or getting creative with exercise such as agility training or just playing more. Adding more bonding time is beneficial for you and your furry one, too. Spending just a few minutes more a day petting, brushing or cuddling with your pet can turn any bad day into a good day instantly. And, who would want to turn down a little a cat nap? Not us!

There are other ways to make your pet’s life healthier in 2020. We asked a couple of local pet experts their thoughts on how we can help our furry ones in the new year.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Sometimes, feeding our furbabies quality food isn’t quite enough. Sometimes, you have to do more. The furry one may be experiencing skin allergies or bad breath. They may have severe gastro problems or stiff joints. It’s not really their fault, they just need a little help from you. The big question is where do you begin? In addition to a quality food, you may want to add supplements to your pet’s diet as part of your pet’s New Year’s resolution.

“I love the idea about setting a New Year's resolution for my pet. Each year, I learn more and more about nutrition, pet products production, exercise, real research versus press release information, and more,“ says Cindy Baccus, a local pawTREE petPRO.

According to Baccus, the most important to starting and maintaining your pet’s New Year’s resolution is to start small and then build upon that. For instance, with pawTree products, she suggests using their Superfood Seasonings, which can be easily sprinkled on your furbaby’s current food. It has eight superfoods that help increase the vitamins and minerals your pet needs and is not getting from their food. You’d be surprised with the great results you will see in a short amount of time just from that simple addition to your feeding plan!

Baccus also suggests having a consistent exercise plan. Backyard play, toy playtime, walking around the neighborhood, dog parks, and play dates can all be a great opportunity to keep our pets healthy, plus we benefit from it as well.  It is very important that our furbabies have time to work their muscles, so let’s get moving!

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PET MASSAGE & AROMATHERAPY

RannaLynn Perdue, founder of Hippie Houndz, is an animal naturopath who specializes in canine massage and The Healing Touch For Animals®, and a member of Veterinary Medical Aromatherapy Association. She believes that setting a New Year’s resolution is very important.

“Our pets connect with us energetically at a soul level, so your stress becomes their stress, and many times they mirror our lifestyle and conditions,” says Perdue.

She also encourages pet massages. (Can we all do a collective ‘aaaaahhhhhhh’ right now?) Like in humans, pet massages release positive hormones such as endorphins and oxycontin. These hormones reduce stress and decrease or relieve physical effects of stress in the body. Decreased stress improves immunity, improves the circulatory system function, and promotes an optimal environment within the body for natural healing to occur. Adding safe and effective aromatherapy only multiplies these benefits, especially on an emotional level. 

Perdue further states, “Start thinking of your pet’s health not only in the sense of the body, but the mind and spirit, as well. Seek out and educate yourself on more holistic modalities proactively like chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, and integrative medicine BEFORE your pet needs it. A well-balanced body has the ability to heal itself.”

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ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Not only does Kaitlyn Lackey have a doctorate in human chiropractic, she also has advanced training from the Parker University Animal Chiropractic Program and is certified by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association,  Daily, she provides chiropractic care at In Stride Chiropractic on horses, dogs, and cats.

Regarding the new year, Lackey states, “Resolutions are a great launching point for people and pets to start new healthy habits. Whether you are starting something new for the oncoming year or want to start as soon as possible, I always encourage people to make new, healthy decisions - whether it be for themselves or their pets!”

Chiropractic plays a huge role in promoting health, but Lackey believes a true healthy lifestyle is multifaceted. Proper diet, exercise, and self-care are critical to living an active and pain free lifestyle.

“When it comes to pets, I can't tell you how many people think chiropractic is only for pain relief or small boosts in performance. In reality, getting adjusted is for the spine what brushing or flossing is for your teeth.” Chiropractic care, whether you are a person or a pet, helps your body get back to performing and working at 100%. It's the missing piece to most human and animals’ healthcare routine.

So, what is an adjustment? An adjustment connects the brain and the body. The brain in animals is just like ours: It controls everything! When the bones of the spine get stuck in improper alignment or aren't moving properly, the brain cannot communicate to the rest of the body because the nerves are not stimulated correctly. It's like trying to type on a keyboard that isn't plugged in or trying to talk on a cellphone with no service. You need connection in order for the system to work. If this connection is restricted or disrupted, the body will adapt, but only up until a certain point. Then, it will lead to many of the symptoms and diseases we, and our pets, experience everyday: tight muscles, joint pain, arthritis, organ dysfunction, etc.

The biggest advice Lackey can give pet parents for this new year is to start with one or more of the following: establish a relationship with a vet that aligns with your personal health care philosophy, find a pet trainer that aligns with your needs/goals (whether it be for obedience or behavioral correction), find an exercise routine that you and your pet enjoys, look into healthy well-balanced foods for your pet, and start saving money for a rainy day just in case the unexpected happens.  

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• Website: http://www.instridechiropractic.com/
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FOOD & HYDRATION

Okay, we are all guilty of it – giving a few pizza bones to our pets, breaking off a piece of cookie when our dogs sit or do a trick, and feeding them leftovers because, well, it’s leftovers. But, as much as we love our pets, are we doing the right thing?

“Nutrition is a key component to your pet's overall health. Giving your pet a healthy, nutrient-dense pet food is vital to keeping them healthy and happy long term," states John Rainey of Nature's Select Pet Food.

Rainey further adds, “When it comes to giving our pets treats, some of us just don't know when to stop. It's hard turning them down when they just look so cute 24/7! If you are someone who likes to reward your pet with treats, try cutting back with how many you give and look for a low-calorie treat option.” Just like humans, snacking daily can add up in calories. Be mindful when giving treats and try to do so only as a reward for being good.

Purchasing foods and treats that contains natural ingredients and plenty of fruits and vegetables, like Nature's Select Pet Food, is very important. You can check sources like Dog Food Advisor to see where your current pet food stands on the list and see if you need to make a change.

One other tip from Rainey -- don’t forget to keep your pets hydrated! Drinking water is an essential part of being healthy. Be sure to keep a fresh water supply at all times for your pet and change it out multiple times a day if you have a pet who is a messy drinker. If your pet is highly active, be sure they are drinking more than usual and keep an extra supply for walks.

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Maybe accomplishing your pets’ New Year’s resolutions will even inspire you to keep yours this year. Here's to a healthy and happy 2020 for both you and your furbabies! Cheers!