Whenever we prepare food for our pets it is incredibly important to make sure you avoid making anyone ill. Often the problems arise when cooking, preparing and storing meat. A few basic precautions will ensure everyone stays healthy and happy. Today the meat that we prepare and eat is not as fresh as it once was. Animals are often kept intensively in overcrowded conditions. Meat travels for long distances, then sits on supermarket shelves or in the butcher before sale. There are many points during the pathway from paddock to plate where your food can be contaminated with bacteria like Salmonel ..read more

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, almost 60% of adult cats in the United States are overweight, and almost 30% of cats are considered obese. Unlike feral cats who are more active and tend to hunt for their food, house cats tend to be overfed and don’t expend a lot of energy when it comes to searching for their next meal. Also, many indoor cats live very sedentary lifestyles.  Overweight and obese cats are three times more likely to develop diabetes. They may also be at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, and joint disease like arthritis ..read more

The dog food market grows each year, with more and more food choices available. Pet owners are often unsure about what food is best for their pet.  Many companies use advertising, which compares domesticated dogs with their ancestors. They claim that wolves cannot digest grains; therefore, grains should not be in dog food. This information is incorrect. Dogs are omnivores; grains are beneficial for dogs unless they have certain health conditions. Common misinformation spread by these advertisements is that dogs cannot digest grain, which is hard on the digestive system, and grains are a c ..read more

  We are very excited to announce the launch of what we hope will help every pet owner out there with our PetsBeHonest Health app.  Our app lets you track your pet’s health and get specific recommendations and articles tailored to your pets needs. Join Beta    The inspiration for The PetsBeHonest app is from Cheyenne, the Australian Kelpie mix pictured above.  She was diagnosed with a disease known as CUPS (chronic ulcerative paradental stomatitis).  This condition, like many others, are difficult to manage, require ongoing monitoring and care and the best way to do this before was using a no ..read more

Our loyal canine companions often have way of being totally irresistible when it comes to food and it is difficult to ignore them. Treating your dog to a little snack of human food may seem kind and is often tempting, especially when they give you a longing look. However, there are some foods that are bad for dogs and can even be toxic and poisonous, so these should be avoided at all costs. If your dog does eat one of these foods, especially in a large amount consult a veterinarian immediately. The important thing to remember is that the toxic effects of many of these foods can be reduced if t ..read more

Ringworm is not a worm at all and is not just for cats either.  Ringworm is a fungal organism that occurs in humans and in animals. While fairly benign in most cases, children and immunosuppressed people are more susceptible. The following discussion on signs, diagnosis and treatment of ringworm will help you manage this problem in your pets. Ringworm is a fungal skin lesion in the dermatophyte family. It is not creepy little worm that lives under the skin, as the name suggests. It is common in cats and in people, and the spores can be found in most environments. Because it can easily be trans ..read more

Ferrets are cute, playful and inquisitive pets but they do have highly specialized needs. We explore the key considerations you take into account before bringing a ferret into your family. Whilst Ferrets are amusing and adventurous pets, they require deceptively large amounts of care for such small creatures. In particular, Ferrets require a large amount of time and training in order to prevent them easy to handle and to keep them out of mischief. Be sure to ask yourself these questions before you bring that furry ferret home. Do I have enough time to care for a Ferret? Ferrets require ample a ..read more

Teaching your dog to shake is a great party trick and one that is easily taught. You can even get the kids involved. Most children over the age of 7 years can be taught basic training techniques and in fact many children are more persistent than adults when it comes to training the family pet! What do You Need? Patience 1 dog preferably with at least 1 front paw Small tasty treats that don’t take long to chew (use something high value such as bbq chicken or liver treats if your dog is hard to motivate, or train when he is hungry) Just 5 minutes each day Steps to Teach ‘Shake’ Assuming your do ..read more

Ferret proofing your home is a little like child-proofing, only on a smaller scale. Making your home safe will go a long way to keeping your little bundle of fur happy, healthy and mischief free. If you take a worst case scenario perspective and imagine anything that could be knocked over, chewed, eaten, fallen off, sneaked through or hidden in, you will go some way towards protecting your ferret. The best approach to ferret proofing is to secure one room in your home and make this a place safe for your ferret to run around. If you are not 100% sure that your ferret is safe to be free-roaming ..read more

Regular visits to the vet can significantly improve the early diagnosis and treatment of issues which may impact on your dog’s health. There’s a commonly held belief that one year in a dog’s life is equivalent to seven years of yours. That isn’t exactly accurate, but it’s true that your dog does age faster than you do. This means that age related diseases may develop before you expect them, and take you by surprise. With recent changes to the vaccination schedule for dogs, you no longer need to have your dog immunized every year. You may think that this means you can skip the annual vet visit ..read more