Oops!!! I really goofed!!

I messed up on the website address for this blog!!! The only way I could correct it was to start a new blog which I have done.

If you have this site bookmarked, please change the address to www.happyhealthydogs.blogspot.com

Sorry for the inconvenience and confusion. I will leave this blog as is but will do the future updates on the new and correct site......I have moved all of the content of this blog to the new site.

FLEAS!!!!!

This is one of the things most dreaded by pet owners. Once the fleas get into your house they become a nightmare for you and your pet.

Years ago the only options we had to fight fleas was to bathe and dip our pets. This was not only a lot of work but it was very messy and smelly. Also if your pet went swimming or got wet, then your protection was gone. The dipping was usually only good for 2 weeks so it was a constant chore. Luckily things have changed.

One of the easiest ways I've found to keep fleas from making your pet miserable and keep them from taking over your home is to use a topical flea preventative like Frontline Plus, Advantage or Advantix. The cheapest prices I've found on topical flea preventative is at Drs. Foster and Smith. The shipping on these flea preventatives is always free at Drs. Foster and Smith. Drs. Foster and Smith Online Pet Pharmacy. Join the thousands who trust Drs. Foster and Smith's online pet pharmacy.

If any of you have ever been to Florida, you know the sand fleas are terrible year-round. By using Frontline Plus I was able to keep my pets comfortable and my RV flea free. I did find out though that you need to rotate the product you use to keep the fleas from building up an immunity to the preventative. I used Frontline Plus for 6 months and then switched to Advantix for the dogs and Advantage for the cats for 6 months.

All 3 products are excellent but you need to remember that Advantix is not to be used on cats.

Diet

One thing I have always worried about when buying pet food was whether it had the nutrition my pets needed. A couple of years ago I started feeding Purina One to my pets and they all seemed to do well on it. I still wasn't completely satisfied that I couldn't do better without spending a fortune so I kept looking.

A few months ago I started researching natural diets and decided to give it a try. Beau, my 11 year old Shepard, was always difficult to get to eat anything. When I gave him the food I had cooked, he loved it!!! He still anxiously waits for me to put his bowl down and doesn't lift his head from the bowl until it is all gone. Katie, my 8 month old Heeler X, wolfs her food down and watches closely until Beau is done in case he misses anything.

Here is the recipe I use for those of you who want to try it:

1 can mackeral or 1 lb. lean ground beef

4 cups brown rice

8 cups water

1 cup frozen vegetables*

2 tbsp corn oil

Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours or until rice is done.

*Broccoli, green beans, peas, carrots, spinach or a combination of these

Beau and Katie did well on this but they seemed to be hungry all the time so I did start feeding them 1/4 cup of Purina One Lamb & Rice. Doing this seemed to keep them satisfied longer but I still wasn't satisfied with the nutrition they were getting.

After much searching, I found a vitamin called Be Well Dog at 1-800-PetMeds. Type "Be Well Dog" in the search box and you'll go right to it! After only a few days their stools were firmer and they were more active.

Of my 4 cats, 2 refused to eat the natural food so I had to go back to Purina One for them. I did start adding Be Well Cat to their canned food and they also started to improve.

Happy Healthy Dogs

Over the years I have shared my life with many animals and also worked as a vet tech. I have always strived to do the best I could afford for my pets.

Through all my travels I have found that there are a lot of people who want the best for their pets but do not know what they need or where to go for the information. Through this blog I am hoping to help anyone seeking knowledge about proper pet care and nutrition.

At this time I have 2 dogs and 4 cats with ages from 16 years to 8 months. In the past I have had as many as 4 dogs and 6 cats at one time. I have always loved animals and with having so many, I have found there are things we can do that will cut down on illnesses and help extend their lives.

Feel free to email me with any questions and I will help in any way I can. This blog is not intended to replace veterinary care. I only want to share my knowledge with you and help you understand the basics of sharing your life with a pet or pets.