Is your Westie in Safe Hands?

As a dog owner, we all want to ensure that our furry friends receive the best possible care. Whether it’s dog walking, pet sitting, grooming, or training, finding reliable and professional dog services can be a real challenge. With so many options out there, it can be overwhelming to find the right service provider who meets all of our requirements.

That’s where PetMe comes in. PetMe is a platform that connects dog owners with professional and reliable dog services across the UK and was created to solve the problems that dog owners face when trying to find trusted dog services for their furry friends.

One of the biggest concerns for dog owners is ensuring that the businesses they are entrusting their pets to are legitimate and have all the necessary documents, such as insurance, DBS checks, licensing, and qualifications. PetMe provides a solution to this problem by only featuring businesses that have been verified by the Dog Walking and Sitting Association (DWSA). This partnership ensures that all businesses listed on the platform have met the necessary requirements to operate as legitimate dog service providers. PetMe is not only committed to providing a secure network of dog service providers but also a convenient and efficient process for dog owners. Another problem that PetMe solves is the hassle of having to wait for a response from service providers. With PetMe, dog owners can instantly book the services they need, without having to wait for a response from the business. This makes the entire process much more convenient and efficient for dog owners who are looking for services at short notice.

PetMe also solves the problem of finding professional dog services instantly across the UK. With a user-friendly interface and easy-to-use search function, dog owners can quickly find and book services that meet their specific requirements, whether it’s a dog walker in London or a pet sitter in Manchester. PetMe’s platform provides dog owners with a onestop-shop for all their dog service needs, making it easy to find and book reliable services that suit their requirements.

PetMe is not only a platform for dog owners but also a platform for qualified and professional dog service providers. PetMe is constantly searching for dog service providers who have all the appropriate documents, including insurance, DBS checks, licensing, and qualifications, to join their platform and start listing their services. By joining PetMe, dog service providers can expand their reach and connect with more dog owners across the UK who are looking for their services. PetMe provides a trusted network of dog service providers, making it a great opportunity for businesses to grow and thrive. If you are a dog service provider who meets all of the necessary requirements, PetMe invites you to become part of their community and start listing your services today.

In summary, PetMe is a platform that solves the problems that dog owners face when trying to find reliable and professional dog services. With a focus on security, convenience, and accessibility, PetMe ensures that dog owners can find and book the services they need, with complete confidence that their furry friends are in safe hands. PetMe is committed to providing a seamless process for both dog owners and dog service providers, making it a win-win situation for everyone involved.

In pursuit of the right diet for your Westie, you may have come across some common food supplements such as prebiotics and probiotics, but what exactly are these and should you include them in your dog’s regular diet?

As canine medicine becomes more researched and well-acknowledged, the information available about nutrition for dogs is now advanced. A healthy raw diet complimented with a range of other beneficial foods can really set your dog’s health on the right track. In pursuit of the right diet for your dog, you may have come across some common food supplements such as prebiotics and probiotics, but what exactly are these and should you include them in your dog’s regular diet?

To understand these terms, you must have a basic understanding of your dog’s digestive system. Just as humans, dog’s need food to survive for their basic energy needs to be able to function and complete their everyday tasks. Every function that happens in your dog’s body requires energy and dogs gain their energy from food. Dogs use fat as their primary source of energy, unlike humans; we use carbohydrates (sugars) as our primary source of energy.

The fat from what your dog eats is converted into energy and used to power cells in their body. Dogs do not chew their food, they swallow whole, and this food is passed down the oesophagus into the stomach. Your dog’s stomach acid is likely to produce up to 100 times the amount of acid than that of a human stomach. [1] The acid breaks down the food in the stomach and the vital nutrients are absorbed into your dog’s bloodstream.

Prebiotic fibres in food are not digested in the stomach, instead they are passed down to the large intestine where the trillions of natural bacteria are there awaiting the prebiotic fibres to ferment and use them for growth. Prebiotics are essentially the food for the natural bacteria in your dog’s gut and both are vital for your dog’s immune system. When your dog has a good balance of natural bacteria in their

1 https://vetericyn.com/blog/the-dogdigestive-system/ gut then they will have a strong functioning immune system and naturally be able to defend harmful pathogens and disease.

Dogs are prone to eating something outside that didn’t agree with them or they may contract a common virus, if your dog doesn’t have a good immune system then they will be more challenged to fight off disease. There are many ways to keep your dog’s natural bacteria in balance and it first begins by ensuring their diet is as natural as possible. A raw diet is best for dogs and if you are not sure what this means, then head to your local raw pet shop to learn some of the foods and brands available to support your dog’s diet.

Aside from eating raw, dogs should eat certain fibrous vegetables. These prebiotic fibres found in the vegetables are passed down to the bacteria in the large intestine to help the friendly bacteria multiply in numbers. It’s important to note here that not all vegetables are good for dogs and not all of them are considered prebiotic either. Consider including dandelion, chicory root, flaxseed, amongst others. These fibrous foods should be given raw, as heat can alter the fibre content within them.

This is important, do not be fooled by brands that claim a product is a prebiotic. If it has been processed with heat, then the fibres will have changed and there will be little to no health benefit.

Now we’ve covered prebiotics, let’s take a closer look at probiotics. As previously mentioned, probiotics are natural bacteria usually given in the form of certain foods or supplements. Natural bacteria grow and multiply when they go through a process of fermentation. Fermented foods are a wonderful natural source of probiotics and can provide your dog everything they need to keep their gut microbiome in balance. If your dog has taken medication such as antibiotics, then probiotics are essential to support your dog’s natural gut microbiome.

Antibiotics are amazing at killing infection, but antibiotics do not have the intelligence to kill only the harmful bacteria. Often, they will destroy other bacteria, particularly in the gut. Therefore, giving your dog fermented foods daily when they are taking antibiotics can support the balance of the natural bacteria, and fungi in your dog’s digestive system.

Some of the best fermented foods are sauerkraut, kefir, yoghurt, and kimchi (homemade where you can, otherwise chose a reputable brand to buy from). It’s important to note here that heating fermented foods will kill off all the bacteria. We know that heat kills bacteria, because that’s what naturally happens when we have an infection (our body temperature raises to kill the bacteria), so please do not cook or heat your fermented foods.

Gut health is a vital part of your dog’s wellness, so please do not ignore it. By choosing to feed your dog the right foods mean your visits to the vet will be less, and therefore costing you less. Prevention is always better than cure, so ensure that you include prebiotics and probiotics regularly in your dog’s diet. Don’t wait for them to be unwell before you take action.