ANIMAL WELLNESS
AnimalWELLNESS For a long, healthy life!
Living pawsitive!
SPECIAL ISSUE: NUTRITION
BRAIN GAMES for
PROTEINS AND VEGGIES AND CARBS,
OH MY!
SHOPPING LIST
Get him eating HEALTHIER with this handy checklist of PREMIUM diets
DOGS
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TOP STRESS-BUSTING FOODS
Fighting
DOGGY DIABETES
over FIDO
Who gets the dog when couples SPLIT?
It’s more easily TREATED than you THINK
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HOW NIXING GAINS CAN SOOTHE
IBD
Tummy
TROUBLE
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Taking care of
TINA
A DISABLED FELINE WITH THE HEART OF A LION
ANNA EASTEDEN
THIS ASPIRING ACTRESS HAS A PASSION FOR KITTIES
VOLUME 14 ISSUE 5
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
BONUS FELINE SECTION NOW INSIDE! feline wellness
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Contents October / November 2012
features 18 Proteins and veggies and carbs, oh my!
How much protein is too much? Should my dog be eating carbohydrates? Education and moderation are important keys to balancing your companion’s diet.
22 Brain waves
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Your dog’s mental well being is as important as his physical health. Stimulating his mind will help him learn faster, feel happier, and can even prevent behavioral problems.
26 Top 11 stressbusting foods
Is anxiety making your dog antsy? This healthy and flavorful fare will help him chill.
31 Heart of gold
A pioneer in natural pet food, the founder of this company overcame challenges that would crush many others, and triumphed.
32 Fighting over Fido
When couples separate, deciding who gets the dog can often turn nasty. The law still regards animals as property, but there are ways to ensure a positive outcome for all parties – including the dog.
34 Mushrooms for immunity
They’re more than just tasty treats. These morsels offer many important health benefits – they help enhance the immune system and inhibit cancer.
44 Know about nutrigenomics?
It’s a new science that studies the connection between nutrition and genes – and how we can optimize health by designing diets for each individual’s genetic makeup.
48 And in this corner….
Dealing with a dog that attacks other canines can be frightening and stressful. Follow these 5 principles to help avoid or defuse fights.
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animal wellness
54 Doggy diabetes
72 Tummy trouble?
Is your pooch diabetic? Don’t panic. This common disease doesn’t have to be fatal, and in most cases can be easily and effectively treated.
Diarrhea is common in cats and has a variety of causes. In many cases, digestive enzymes and probiotics can help improve your kitty’s digestion and prevent upsets.
59 Herbs for his plumbing
74 Food shopping for Fido
Digestive and urinary problems are common in dogs. Take a look at how herbs can help resolve these issues.
65 Against the grain
Feeding your cat a high quality diet with little or no grain content can help stave off inflammatory bowel disease and other health problems.
68 Taking care of Tina
She seemed impossibly disabled when I first took her home over a decade ago, but this spunky stray showed a strong will to live. Here’s how I brought her back to health and have kept her going ever since.
70 Anna Easteden – cat lover
An aspiring actress whose passion for kitties spans two continents and an entire lifetime.
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The good news is there’s plenty to choose from when it comes to healthy premium foods. But that can make deciding where to begin more than a little bewildering. This handy shopping list will get you started.
76 She talks to the animals
An animal communicator to the stars who also has her own TV and radio shows, “pet psychic” Sonya Fitzpatrick has been conversing with critters since she was five.
80 The enemy within Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia may sound like an obscure disease, but it’s more common than you might think.
84 Food and fun
They’re his two favorite things. This innovative company combines them into mentally stimulating products that prevent boredom and enrich his environment.
56 columns 12
yakkity yak
40
warm & fuzzy
56
whats your breed?
67
feline wellness book reviews
86
passages
90
animal wellness book reviews
98
tail end
70
80 Departments 8
editorial
52
product picks
78
animal wellness resource guide
85
the scoop
88
amazing animals photo contest check out the winning shots!
91
events calendar
92
animal wellness marketplace
96
classifieds
animal wellness
5
11 1 Is anxiety making your dog antsy? This healthy and flavorful fare will help him chill. BY AUDI DONAMOR mANy yeArS AGO, I DeALT WITH A DOG in a rescue situation. He was
so stressed that he started pulling his hair out with his teeth, and he was covered with sores. Luckily, he got the help and love he needed, and found a home where he could unpack all his “baggage”. One of the things that assisted him on the road to physical and mental recovery was a selection of power foods that helped manage the impact of stress on his body, and supported his immune system so he could regain his strength and eventually his confidence.
1 bLueberrIeS A whole foods diet that includes fresh blueberries can be a great way to provide your dog with mini-powerhouses of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which help protect him from the effects of stress. Wild blueberries have even more valuable polyphenols than cultivated blueberries do. Simply add a few to food before serving, or mix them with some goat milk yogurt.
2 kALe Leafy greens like kale, as well as spinach and Swiss chard, are packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, b6, C and k, along with calcium, manganese, copper, potassium and iron. Kale is a great source of fiber, and is loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients and carotenoids. The beta carotene and lutein in kale help protect against oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and even cancer. Isothiocyanates made from the glucosinolates in kale play an important role in these preventive, stressprotective qualities.
3 SWeeT pOTATOeS Sweet potatoes are one of the world’s healthiest foods. They are packed with antioxidants and are a terrific source of vitamin e. Sweet potatoes also contain many other important nutrients, including vitamins A, b6 and C, calcium, iron, folate, potassium, copper, thiamine and iron. They are rich in beta carotene, which may be a significant factor in reducing the risk of certain cancers.
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animal wellness
Some foods act as stimulants while others act have a calming influence. it’s really amazing, but by simply choosing certain foods and adding them to your dog’s diet, you can help alleviate any stress and anxiety. here are the top eleven stress-fighting foods, along with some tasty recipes you can use to integrate them into your companion’s meals.
They offer complex carbohydrates to help regulate blood sugar levels and even insulin resistance. The potassium in sweet potatoes helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance, which is good news for maintaining healthy heart function and reducing stress. sweet potatoes are also a good source of dietary fiber, helping to support a healthy gastrointestinal system.
4 BEEf Did you know that beef is a natural antidepressant? The b vitamins it contains can regulate stress levels. beef is very rich in folic acid, and also contains pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin b5, which is great for anxiety. This vitamin enables the production of anti-stress hormones in the adrenal gland that controls the release of cortisol. And increased presence of pantothenic acid reduces blood cortisol and dulls the body’s response to stress. beef liver is a great source of pantothenic acid.
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5 Turkey If your dog seems overly anxious in the evening hours, you may want to consider adding turkey to his diet. It’s a good source of L-tryptophan, an amino acid often associated with the regulation of sleep. Tryptophan also produces what researchers call “feel good chemicals”; it is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps both humans and dogs feel cool, calm and collected.
6 Oily fish We have all heard about the “fight or flight” response. Research has demonstrated that consuming Omega-3 fatty acids can help suppress the production of adrenaline that leads people and dogs to “fight or flight”. Too much adrenaline can cause anxiety and even aggression. That adrenaline rush can be slowed down simply by eating whole foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in wild salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna. Fatty fish have something else in common. They all contain vitamins A and D, which help battle stress. Salmon is extra special because it also contains L-tryptophan.
7 Hemp seed oil has been recognized as the most balanced vegetable oil in the marketplace. Not only does it contain Omega-3, it also contains Omega-6 and 9. Its fatty acid profile is closer to fish oil than any other vegetable oil. It is also a valuable source of gluten-free protein, contains vitamin C and E and chlorophyll, and has an excellent amino acid profile. Unlike soy and other legumes, hemp seed oil does not contain trypsin inhibitors and oligosaccharides, the gasproducing substances found in many legumes, and it is never genetically modified.
7 Hemp seed oil
8 Whole oats/whole brown rice
Hemp is a super food that eases joint pain and inflammation, supports cardiovascular health, conditions the skin and coat, and acts as a digestive aid. Overall, it is a terrific way to support your dog’s immune system and alleviate stress.
Fiber rich complex carbohydrates slow down the rate of digestion and enhance the absorption of tryptophan, which in turn is used to manufacture serotonin. Keeping serotonin production nice and steady helps prevent spikes