Pet Tips, Questions and Answers from Dr. Jane Bicks about Pet Food.

Dr Jane's Answer: Absolutely! I'd like to recommend you try our Agility Agility is safer than steroids and NSAID’s because it is an ALL NATURAL supplement that delivers special nutrients and herbs to the joint, bones and surrounding tissue. Agility is a safe alternative with no side effects. Steroids and NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can have medical disadvantages such as pancreatic disease, diabetes and liver disease to name a few.

Omega 3 For Pets

Dear Dr. Jane: I have two dogs and one cat. I am very well aware of the benefits of essential fatty acids in their diet, but would like to know what sets your formula apart from the oils I buy at my local health food store?

Dr Jane's Answer: Our Skin and Coat Formula for Dogs and Cats contains natural, wholesome skin & health support nutrients including fish oil (omega fatty acids) and vitamin E in a delicious roast beef flavor chewable (not in a liquid which goes rancid or a capsule). Fatty acids are microencapsulated for better absorption. Microencapsulation is an expensive, state-of-the-art process where oils/fats are made very small to promote better absorption in the intestines. This enables your pet to receive the full benefit of the oils. Our oil is certified to be free of contaminates such as mercury & lead. And, it's manufactured by a pharmaceutical plant that makes human products. This formula was tested on more than 200 dogs in 40+ veterinary clinics and proven to be effective. It has been sold for more than 8 years, and is non allergic.
Omega Fatty Acids: All oils are classified according to their chemical structure and their function in the body. Fish such as herring and salmon contain high amounts of Omega-3 oils, as do wild game. These oils are being studied intensively for their nutritional value throughout the body in humans, dogs and cats. Cornell Feline Health Center was one of the first to demonstrate the positive effects of Omega-3 oils in maintaining healthy skin and coat.

Differences In Pet Supplements

Dear Dr. Jane: My veterinarian gave me a daily supplement for my dog and cat when I brought them in for their yearly check up early this summer. She said that she recommends supplements for ALL pets. She was rather emphatic about it. I have almost finished them. What makes your dog and cat supplements different?

Dr. Jane's Answer: Both the dog supplement and cat supplement contain ingredients that support a healthy immune system. They also contain ingredients that support a healthy liver. While most supplements contain an array of vitamins and minerals, they don't generally include anything specific for liver and immune system. The liver works very hard to eliminate any toxins that your pets are exposed to. It also gets rid of the waste products that are formed in the body daily. I feel that it is such an important organ that it must be supported. You know, the vitamins and minerals in any supplement are there for general support of the body. However, there are specific nutrients that the liver requires and they should be part of a daily supplement. The same thing is true for the immune system.

Overweight Cat

Dear Dr. Jane: My cat is about 10 pounds too fat! What should I do?

Dr Jane's Answer: Unfortunately, most weight reduction foods focus on weight loss but not on sound health. These foods are formulated to deliver a diet of low protein, low fat, low calories and high fiber. While one would think that cat owners would be content with the weight loss, if there is any, they generally discard the diet food because of the consequences: itching and scratching, dandruff, excessive shedding, dull brittle coats, insatiable hunger, changes in personality and overall lack in vitality. Since older cats are generally the victims of this, one must be concerned about their already-frail immune systems. Unless your cat is extremely obese and/or under veterinarian orders to lose weight, the alternatives are: 1. Increase Daily Exercise 2. Feed a High Quality Food like.

Life's Abundance Health Food for Cats

Most owners of obese cats seek out a diet, light or senior food hoping that this will be the key to weight loss. Unfortunately, in most cases, a cat becomes obese simply because he is over fed. Since every nugget contains calories, some more than others, the key to a slim waist line for a kitty is to measure the amount of food being fed. Since every food contains different amounts of calories and is metabolized differently, one must follow the feeding directions for the selected food and then lower the amount if necessary. If the food is decreased by 25% and the kitty is not loosing any weight, then changing to a weight loss food may be necessary. A cat doesn’t have to stay on that weight loss food forever. Once a waistline returns, your cat can switch back to regular food. Measure out the food and don’t free feed. Spread the allotted amount of food into two to three meals per day.

Dr. Jane Tips for Washing Our Pets

Dear Dr. Jane: Can you give me some tips on the best way to bathe my dog please?
Dr. Jane's Answer: Sure! Here are some great tips for washing our pets.
1. Don't wash your pet outside unless you've found a way to get warm water out there. Cold water is not as enjoyable to pets as it is to us.
2. Don't use the bathtub. It can hurt your back and it's hard for your pet to get a grip. Instead, use the shower or the laundry room sink. The bigger the sink, the better.
3. Put towels on the floor before washing, because the floor will get soaked and you may slip.
4. If you're in fact using the sink or shower, put a rubber mat in it.
5. Use treat-giving to teach your dog to stay in the sink and to behave properly. This may not work with a cat.
6. Use an eye ointment in your pet's eyes to protect them from the suds. If soap gets in the eyes, you can use a human eye rinse.
7. Make sure their coats get really wet, especially water breeds and dogs with thick coats that are meant to repel water. A nice wet coat also helps the shampoo to lather up more luxuriantly. Use a curry brush in a circular motion to work the shampoo and exfoliate the skin.
8. When washing, don't go above the neck to prevent the ear canal from becoming an actual ear canal…. full of water. If you really want to wash the head, use a moist wash cloth only. Remember to wash under the tail, which is a frequently forgotten area.
9. Avoid using a hair dryer, which can burn or irritate your pet. Use a towel for drying… that is, after your pet does its instinctual, infamous water-shake.
10. Remember to take your time. Make sure you carve out meaningful time on a weekend to do this bonding activity with your pet. Have a radio on with some soothing music to calm both of you down, and talk gently. If you are erratic and rushing, your pet will feel it.

And One More Important HealthyPetNet Tip…
When it comes to washing your pet, you shouldn't use baby shampoo or human shampoo. Different types of shampoos are formulated for specific skin types. Instead, you should use a shampoo formulated especially for dogs and cats, like HealthyPetNet Spa Scents Revitalizing Shampoo for dogs and cats.

Dear Dr. Jane: I have recently moved and both my dogs and cats are allergic to something! It never happened before, but now they bite at themselves and scratch almost constantly. The vet said they could be allergic to fleas. Even though I use a flea product, I was told that fleas still land on animals and that’s enough to cause an allergy. The vet also said that since I relocated and the environment is new, there could be something in the air that is bothering them. Either way, I don’t want them on steroids and anti-histamines. Do you have any product that may help us?

Dr Jane's Answer: I have a few products that I can suggest. The first one you can try is our
Skin & Coat Formula. It contains a special mix of fish oils and other oils. Many vets recommend a combination of oils and support nutrients to soothe itching from the inside out. Our Skin & Coat Formula has been tested in over 200 veterinary clinics and has been sold for about eight years. I am happy to report that we have many customers who use the delicious tablets every allergy season!

Canned Food VS. Dry

Dear Dr. Jane: Is canned food better than dry? It looks more like real food.Dr. Jane’s Answer: Canned food contains 75 to 78% water. That doesn’t leave very much room for nutrients and thus your pet has to eat a great deal of food to get its nutritional requirement. Dry food is a more concentrated source of nutrition with about 10% water, leaving 90% for nutrients. Canned food may look like meat, but it can consist of textured soy that is colored and flavored to taste like meat.

Potatoes vs. Wheat in Pet FoodDear Dr. Jane: Why do you use potatoes rather than wheat in your pet food formulas?Dr. Jane’s Answer: For starters, wheat has a lower digestibility than potatoes. Wheat can be contaminated with mold spores. Certain types of molds that can grow in wheat will and has killed dogs. Huge companies have had to recall their food because of it. It is the companies fault because they should test every batch but we are all human. Every batch of Life’s Abundance is quality control tested. The wheat contamination comes from the way we store it in America. Corn can have the same problem. When I formulate, I look at everything - not just the nutritional merit or a formula but possible ramifications from the individual ingredients. I will not use that in my biscuits or food because the chance I take can mean death to animals. Potatoes can get mold but rarely a type that would harm an animal.

Life's Abundance Weight Loss Formula For Dogs and NO Weight Loss

Dear Dr. Jane: I’ve been feeding Life's Abundance Weight Loss Formula For Dogs to my over-weight dog, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Can you tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Dr Jane’s Answer: It takes about one month for the hormones to regulate. You can give apples, celery and green beans as treats if your dog gives you those ‘hungry’ eyes, but no other people food of ANY kind, including carrots or biscuits as they equal FAT. One wrong treat, even given by another family member behind your back, can throw off hormonal balance instantly. Our Wholesome Hearts are delicious, healthy treats that you can give your dog and it will not affect weight loss. Also remember to feed according to the guidelines for your dog’s present weight, not desired weight. He’ll starve otherwise!

Felines and Water

Dear Dr. Jane: My cat doesn’t drink a lot of water. My vet told me that I have to make sure he gets enough water, but if he doesn’t go to the water bowl, what can I do? How much water does my cat need?

Dr Jane’s Answer: The amount of water needed by cats will vary dependent upon unique factors, such as age, diet, weight and environment. However, we know that when cats hunt in the wild, their prey contain anywhere from 40% to 80% water. This is part of the rationale behind recipes for canned food, which typically has between 76% and 80% water content.

Although there is no true formula for feline water intake, we do know that cats generally will not consume enough water on their own to sustain optimal organ functioning for a long and healthy life. This is because cats evolved as desert animals, so their sense of thirst is not nearly as acute as that of other mammals. In fact, cats will only drink an average of two milliliters of water for every gram of dry food eaten. This is part of the reason why when some cats eat a diet of only dry food, they can form crystals in the urinary tract.

Based on the physiology and evolution of the cat, we recommend that cats be fed canned food to ensure that they get enough water. Water is not only necessary for a healthy urinary tract – the body requires water to metabolize food and for all other chemical processes occurring on a cellular level. Cats are incredibly proficient at using the water they consume. According to a study by Wolf in 1959, cats can re-hydrate by drinking seawater!

The problem with eating canned food alone is that cats require a great deal of protein and nutrients. Since most canned food can only have about 20% dry matter, it takes a number of cans of food for the cat to get all its nutritional needs met. In fact, in order to fulfill the nutritional requirement of a 7-9 pound cat, the majority of supermarket canned foods recommend feeding three cans per day! As any cat owner knows, very few cats are capable of consuming that much food on a daily basis. This is the fundamental question in formulating canned cat food – how to balance the nutritional content and the water necessary to fully hydrate the body. To solve this, Dr. Jane formulated Instinctive Choice. The nutrients in this recipe are almost all-protein, as this is the true source of feline nutrition. And the water in Instinctive Choice is infused with nutrients from meat and fish sources, mimicking the water found in prey – Dr. Jane calls it “biological water”. Think of biological water as a nutrient-dense broth that delivers both the fluids necessary to sufficiently hydrate the body and the additional nourishment to support the functions of a healthy body.

Your sweet house cat is a true carnivore, requiring a diet consisting primarily of meat to satisfy his or her specific and unique nutritional requirements. Instinctive Choice is a new premium canned food that is scientifically-formulated to provide your cat with a meal that is similar in nutrition and moisture to wild feline diets. Instinctive Choice is rich in protein, containing organic chicken, turkey, chicken liver and shrimp. Now you can finally give your cat what he or she truly craves!
Instinctive Choice, The BEST Choice for your cat or kitten

Grape Seed Extract and Grapes In Dog Food

Dear Dr. Jane: I have two young, male Bichon Frises. My question is about the Life's Abundance dog food that you created. All of the research that I have tried to do on Life's Abundance shows it to be an impressively high quality food but I have one nagging concern that I haven't been able to find reassuring info on. The food includes Grape Seed Extract in it's ingredients. I know that Grape Seed Extract is a powerful antioxidant for humans but I also know that grapes are very toxic to dogs. Is this a safe ingredient to have in a dog food? How can Grape Seed Extract not damage my dog's health if the grapes that it comes from are so dangerous? Please educate me. I would appreciate any info that you can give me.

Dr Jane's Answer: Excellent question. I use a grape seed extract called Activin. I do not use the grape, or the skin or most of the seed components. There are many components of the seed that are extracted (by water, no chemicals). The only component I use is the proanthocyanidins which are the active antioxidants. It is very easy for a company to identify plant components by using sophisticated chemical analysis machines that map out the chemical look of each component. There are many companies that are not willing to spend the money to extract just one compound. When you go to the Activin site and see the 60 papers and presentations on Activin’s role against cancer you will understand why I have included it in the food. There is no doubt in my mind that this product helps to make the Life's Abundance Premium Health Food For Dogs And Puppies as successful as it is.

Large Breeds and High Protein

Dear Dr. Jane: I have a large breed (Great Dane) 8 month old puppy. We have been advised by
many Great Dane Groups, that Adult Food for Great Dane Puppies contains too much protein, etc. that
would cause the dog to grow too quickly causing bone and joint problems. Do you have a LARGE BREED PUPPY formula? If not, how does your company address this issue with your adult food line?
I would be very interested in your product, but I am concerned about this issue. He is now on Nutro
Natural Lamb and Rice Large Breed Puppy Food and seems to be doing fine, but I am concerned with
the recall which also included some Nutro Products. His food was not included in this recall, but I still
have concerns. Thanks for any information you might be able to provide.

Dr Jane's Answer: The only thing that a large breed puppy needs different from a smaller puppy is less calories. Bone problems are due ONLY to genetics and gaining weight too fast and playing Frisbee. Manufacturers like to have many items on the shelf because the more there are, the better the chance you will buy them. Thus, they have small breed puppy, large breed puppy, adult regular, adult mature, and the list goes on.

Life's Abundance Premium Health Food For Dogs And Puppies is 100% nutritional according to AAFCO for all life stages.

All studies of large breed puppies show that they should have no less than 26% protein, which we have. Why would one limit protein in a big dog when you need it to grow skin, coat, kidney, lungs, brain, and the list goes on? There is a lot of misinformation out there.

HealthyPetNet Instinctive Choice Canned Cat Food vs. Hill's Prescription C/D

Dear Dr. Jane: I recently adopted an adorable male Himalayan-mix (Paddy O'Toole) who the vet believes to be 5-7 years. I took him to my vet a couple of weeks ago as he was straining when peeing. His urinalysis was normal, his urine culture was negative. The vet initially saw some "debris" or small "crystals" in ultra-sound. She put him on a an anti-smasmodic med and a pain med pending the results of the urinalysis and urine culture. She believes he may have FLUTD, which may be chronic or may not occur again. She requested him that I put him on Prescription Diet c/d Multicare food (wet). He is doing quite well. Previous to the flare up with FLUTD, I was feeding him Innova dry food and a variety of wet foods - Wellness, Innova, Merck, PetGuard, Wysong, etc. My question is: Is the Instinctive Choice comparable to C/D? My vet wanted to get his Ph level lower and it was a bit on the high normal end of the scale. A good friend of mine has a male kitty who had the same sort of problem and she had him on C/D for about 3 months and now has him on Instinctive Choice and he's had no problem. I appreciate your attention and suggestions regarding this issue.

Dr Jane's Answer: If the pH is not acid enough then let's wait it out a few months with the C/D. Please understand that the C/D is really not nutritious. Explain to your veterinarian how important nutrition is and show him/her the ingredients in C/D. The only thing that it does is keep the urine pH more acid, and if it is canned, adds water.
You will start with the Instinctive choice. Your vet will teach you how to take the urine pH herself. If we can't keep it down then you can stay on C/D. 2 - 3 times weekly (dry) and then our Instinctive Choice. Last - it is genetic and it is due to not enough water.

Life's Abundance Dog and Cat Food Processing

Dear Dr. Jane: The order was received. My dog and two cats all seem to like their food. If you could give me any more info on how the pet foods are processed I would appreciate it. Thanks for all of your help.

Dr Jane's Answer: The food is made in a USA plant that is APHIS certified for the European market. That means that there is additional inspections and that the ingredients must be human grade. All ingredients are called "just in time" which means that they arrive and we use them. There is no storage to save money. We extrude (similar to pressure cooking) at about 214 degrees for 16 - 18 seconds. We are proud of our fast cooking.

Questions and Answers By Dr. Jane Bicks

Life's Abundance Weight Loss Formula For Dogs and NO Weight Loss

Questions and Answers
By Dr. Jane Bicks