Are you ready for Dental Health Month?

As cute as your little kitten or puppy’s chewing on toys may be, they are involved in the serious work of easing out their baby teeth and breaking in new chompers. Just like humans, kittens and puppies are born with a set of baby teeth which fall out to make way for adult teeth. Also like humans, the retention of such teeth can cause problems. Your veterinarian will check on the progress of tooth loss and re-growth and suggest appropriate actions, such as surgical removal of a retained tooth, if necessary.

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand kitten and puppy formulas contain all natural ingredients designed to support your baby’s growing needs, such as Vitamin A Supplement to promote healthy tooth development. Also the texture and ingredients in these formulas help to reduce plaque and clean your little one’s teeth!

As always Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand suggests checking with your veterinarian for more detailed information specific to your kitten or puppy’s needs!

Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand cat food formulas contain all natural ingredients. Available in a variety of special formulas such as kitten or senior cat, you are sure to find a formula that works for your cat’s specific needs. Cats can be finicky eaters, so any change in diet could cause them to avoid eating, or upset their stomach. If you do decide to change your cat’s diet, take it slow to avoid to trouble! Here are a few ideas:

Offer the new and old food in separate bowls at the same time during feedings, and then gradually remove the old food.
Don’t ever “starve” your cat into eating the new food. Cats can develop problems with their liver if they go without food for even just 2-3 days.
Flavor the new food with a little bit of canned food, water from a can of tuna, or even microwave the food for a few seconds to release the aroma.

Remember it is critical that you make the transition slowly! If you notice your cat losing weight, a change in their stool or vomiting consider slowing the transition or reverting back to the old food completely until the symptoms improve. As always Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand suggests checking with your veterinarian for more detailed information specific to your cat’s needs!

Training your puppy or young adult pup can be a trying and frustrating process but the rewards for you and your dog will last a lifetime. One tactic that you may be using is rewarding your pup with treats. This is a great method, but if done incorrectly it can create a demanding, overweight and/or disobedient pet.

When using treats in training avoid the following common mistakes:

Using high fat “people” food such as cheese or lunch meat
Providing a treat without verbal praise and petting
Rewarding when the desired behavior is not performed
Using large treats such as a whole biscuit

In order to ensure that your puppy or dog is receiving high quality nutrition in line with his regular diet, use small pieces of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand Dog Treats. These tasty treats contain all natural ingredients that help to support and maintain your dog or puppy’s health, even when they are being trained or treated!

It is important that the treat reward is given at the appropriate time during training. You can present the treat while giving a command such as “sit” and actually give it to him when he performs the desired behavior. Refrain from giving the treat when he does not fully complete his task. As he improves and progresses in training, you can start to gradually remove the treat from the process, rewarding him with praise and petting.

This time of year resolutions are made and goals are set. One common goal is to lose weight. This may also be helpful for your dog or cat. Determining if your pet is overweight may be done at home (see instructions below), but before you start a weight loss program for your pet, consult with your veterinarian.

To determine if your pet is overweight examine his or her body shape. There should be an indentation between the ribs and hips (a waist) and the ribs should be very easy to feel but not visible. If your pet has lost their waistline and you have to press through fat to feel the ribs, there is some weight to be lost. From the side, your dog or cat should have a tucked up abdomen (that fat swinging under your cat’s belly should not be there).

Just like humans, excess weight puts your pet’s health at risk. Dogs and cats both suffer from joint pain or arthritis, breathing difficulties, and skin disorders. Cats can also suffer from diabetes (just like some overweight people).

Diet and exercise play important roles in returning your pet’s physique to ideal lean body condition. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ has a light formula dry dog food and a light formula dry cat food with key ingredients to help your pet get into great shape. One important ingredient is L-Carnitine which helps the body to burn fat.

A sound plan of regular exercise (cats will often chase feathers tied to a stick or laser pointers and will climb if offered a sturdy structure) and a reduced diet that the whole family sticks to, will improve the looks and more importantly, the overall health of your pudgy pet.

Cats and kittens alike have been known to damage many surfaces when stretching and scratching their nails. More than likely they will seek out a cloth, leather or wood surface, such as furniture or your favorite bag. Although declawing is an option, it is not recommended as a first choice.

Declawing is a surgical procedure where not just the nail – but the claw section of each digit is removed. Essentially it would be akin to removing a human finger tip at the base of the nail. The necessary use of anesthesia and the significant recovery time elevate the level of risk associated with this procedure. Unfortunately this elective surgery does not appear to provide a significant benefit to the cat. Some important functions of the claws, such as climbing and self-defense will be lost.

The health and care of your cat or kitten’s nails is important and you can ensure that he or she and your furniture remain in great shape without declawing. First, provide a specific scratching surface such as a sisal or carpeted post. Another option is to have a groomer or veterinarian clip the nails regularly. You can also use a cat-specific nail clipper at home. Your veterinarian will gladly teach you the proper procedure. The earlier you start the better, as they will quickly become accustomed to being groomed this way. To make this process more enjoyable for all – consider using a few pieces of dry kibble or wet food to reinforce positive behavior during the trim.

Diet is another way to maintain the health of you cat or kitten’s nails. Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul™ brand pet food provides a balanced diet that supports overall health including the nails.