Live Well
The official Blog of Wellness Natural Pet Food

We’re excited to formally introduce you to Wellness Natural Pet Food veterinarian, Dr. Danielle Bernal. Dr. Danielle travels across the United States and other countries where Wellness is sold. In each place she visits, she educates pet parents on the role that premium, natural nutrition plays in pets’ health and longevity. We were able to catch up with Dr. Danielle for an interview. Keep reading to get to know Dr. Danielle: I grew up in Sydney, Australia on a hobby farm with a backyard full of pets. Having always wanted to be a veterinarian, I completed my Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree at the University of Sydney before working at an equine and small animal clinic. I absolutely adored the life of a veterinarian. Each day was different with unique challenges. Whilst it could be exhausting, it was also so very rewarding. My role at WellPet is to educate our customers, consumers and internal sales and marketing teams about the importance of natural pet nutrition and how our WellPet brands are crafted to support the optimal health and wellbeing of dogs and cats around the world. When I am not helping WellPet customers choose the best products for their pets, I am often found on the sidelines of my 3 young boys’ sporting activities be that surfing, track and field, swimming or football. And my husband and I adore travelling, triathlons and taking our Border Collie Megs down to the

National Kids and Pets Day is on April 26th. It’s both a day to celebrate the bond children and pets share but also a day to remember safety where our pets and children are concerned. It is important to remember that small children as well as pets may not know their limitations and should not be left alone. Supervision is essential to prevent injury. 1. Chores teach responsibility. Giving your children age appropriate tasks for your four legged family member helps build their self-confidence and is a perfect opportunity to reinforce their independence.  As parents, we know enthusiasm can dwindle when it comes to any chore so don’t be afraid to pull out the sticker chart to help! 2. Live an active life. Walking a dog is a fabulous hands-on experience for kids who love pets. With parental accompaniment to ensure their safety, a daily walk can be a rewarding time together with the added benefit of getting some fresh air and exercise for the whole family. 3. Companionship beyond the physical. Pets can fulfill so many psychological needs for children. The unconditional love and affection that pets give children not only boosts their self-esteem but it also helps them make emotional connections of their own. Studies of school-age children in fact have shown those with a pet, tended to be more empathetic and altruistic than those children without a pet, making dogs the perfect teachers of kindness. 4. Understanding

Lyme disease is the most common tick-transmitted disease. The effects of this bacterial infection has varying degrees of severity and can lead to major health problems including kidney failure and death. Keep your dog safe by learning what Lyme disease is, the signs and symptoms of it, how to treat it, and when and where it’s most likely to strike. Lyme disease in dogs is a bacterial infection transmitted to dogs, horses, some cattle, humans, white-tailed deer, and some rodent species via blacklegged ticks, a particularly small, almost impossible-to-see breed of tick. The disease occurs all over the world but was named after Lyme, Connecticut following a tremendous outbreak in the eponymous location in 1975. It is still common in this part of the U.S. According to the CDC, 95% of all confirmed Lyme disease cases stemmed from 14 states: Connecticut Delaware Maine Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont Virginia Wisconsin Confirmed cases of lyme disease in dogs have also been reported in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. When a host is bitten by an infected tick, the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi infiltrates the tissue and can cause multiple health problems. Infection does not enter the blood stream until after the infected tick has been attached to the dog for at least 24-36 hours. While it is easy to detect Lyme disease in humans because of the circular red skin rash that appears, it

A pet first aid kit is a collection of materials useful in a medical emergency. These resources are helpful for minimizing the effects of an incident before you seek professional medical help from your veterinarian or emergency vet. While pet first aid kits come pre-assembled, the benefit of building your own is that you know exactly what is in it and where the items are. Paperwork & records such as your pet’s ID card with your name and address, the veterinarian’s number, the emergency vet clinic’s number, and the number for animal poison control (888-426-4435), a copy of your pet’s medical history, and list of vaccinations with dates Remedies such as medications, flea treatments, sterile saline eye wash, dish soap for removing toxins from the skin and fur, milk of magnesia for absorbing poison, and hydrogen peroxide (3%) to induce vomiting (note to contact the vet or poison control center before inducing vomiting or administering treatment for poisoning with milk of magnesia) Wound supplies like wound spray, Q-tips, gauze bandage, nonstick bandages, adhesive tape for bandages, wipes, and a Ziploc bag Tools like a flashlight and tweezers, an emergency muzzle (nylon hosiery works well), a nylon leash, eye dropper for flushing wounds or giving oral medication, digital thermometer, and scissors for cutting tape It also doesn’t hurt to have treats on hand or as part of the kit to soothe a pet that has been traumatized by a situation that

Maria is a graphic designer at WellPet. When she isn’t working and cuddling with her Siamese Mogwaii, you can most likely find her at a concert or local Pure Barre studio. Breed variations include Blue, Chocolate and Lilac Siamese cats. Mogwaii is a Lilac Point Siamese. The gene that causes the pointed color pattern is all responsible for the blue color of the eyes that is one of the characteristics that makes Siamese different than other breeds. Known as total chatterboxes (for good reason), Siamese cats are known to strike up conversations over just about anything! In fact, their long, drawn-out meows sometimes sound like a human baby’s cry. Here, Mogwaii’s letting me know that he wasn’t pleased about his recent trip to the veterinarian: Well isn’t this the truth! Mogwaii gets pretty creative in telling me that I’m ignoring him by knocking all my stuff down and unplugging my laptop: True to what the professionals say, I’ve experienced that Siamese cats form extremely close bonds with their primary caretaker–in this case, me! Mogwaii will follow me from room to room and needs to be involved in anything and everything I’m doing. Siamese cats are known for their intelligence; they are highly trainable. Their behavior is described as being more dog-like than cat-like. Unfortunately, Siamese cats are prone to asthma and bronchial illnesses. True to his breed, Mogwaii has been diagnosed with asthma. We treat his asthma using an inhaler with a special attachment for kitties. Since

Spring is here and nothing is more wonderful than the warmer weather, amazing flower blooms, open grass fields, trips to the park, long blissful walks and runs, and Easter! There is just something about Easter that brings a sense of warmth, color, and vibrancy to the air. I love the bright color decorations, the beautiful spring colored décor, and of course all the flowers. As a small animal veterinarian, I know too well how much our beloved pets love the outdoors and holiday festivities. As pet parents, it is so important to be aware of which flowers are safe and which ones can be toxic for your pets, as well as other potential dangers associated with Easter. As the holiday approaches, I wanted to discuss the dangers of Easter for our pets and how we can protect them. Let’s get started: Lilies from the Lilium or Hemerocallis plant are toxic for cats. Easter lilies belong in this family and are a common decoration during the holiday season and on sale in every store. Easter lilies are a threat to your cat and can be fatal if ingested. All aspects of the flower (petals, stems, leaves, and pollen) have the potential to harm your cat. The toxic effects of Easter lilies result in severe gastrointestinal upset, but if left untreated can result in kidney failure and death.  Although Easter lilies are the most common type of lilies during this time of year,

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month. There are many foods, chemicals, and other materials around your house that are safe for you but not for your pets. Print this one-page at-a-glance guide and hang it on your fridge for a year-round reminder of the foods and substances to keep away from your pets. Foods & Beverages Alcohol Chocolate Coffee / Caffeine Citrus leaves, peel, seeds, and stems Coconut and coconut oil Grapes and raisins Avocados Macadamia nuts Milk and dairy Nuts Onions, garlic, and chives Undercooked or raw meat Raw eggs Bones from meat Snack foods The sweetener Xylitol found in candy, gum, baked goods and tooth paste Yeast dough Common Plants Aloe Vera Baby’s Breath Ivy Hostas Sago Palm Tomato plants Poinsettia Lilies Gladiolas Carnations Begonias Tulips Daffodils Mums Ivy Wisteria Lantana Yew Azaleas Hydrangeas Boxwoods Elephant ears Angel trumpets Castor bean There are over 1,000 plants poisonous to pets. These are some of the most common. A best practice is to assume all plants are poisonous and to research the effects on pets before putting them indoors or growing them outdoors. Other Indoor & Outdoor Poisons Human medications Overdose of pet medications Insecticides Rodenticides Fertilizers Weed killers Cocoa mulch Compost piles Antifreeze Pool cleaning chemicals such as chlorine Self-cleaning oven odors Lead paint chips Linoleum Indoors cleaning chemicals Bleach Detergent What to Do if Your Pet is Poisoned If your pet is poisoned, you need to be able

When pet owners travel, they cannot always take their four-legged family members and when such occasions arise, pet owners need to be able to have a reliable caretaker available for their pets if they do not want to board their pets. Many pet owners rely on neighbors to watch their pets while they are away for extended periods; however, a neighbor, friend, or family member usually don’t have the time to spend taking proper care of your pet, which is why you should consider hiring a professional pet sitter. Professional pet sitters are more than animal lovers; they are knowledgeable, accessible pet care providers who are also certified by the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) or Pet Sitters International (PSI). Professional pet sitters: Administer medications to pets Understand how to recognize when a cat, dog, or other type of pet is ill or has a parasite Are familiar with ailments common to certain breeds Have experience walking pets on leashes and know what kind of leash and harness is appropriate for different sizes of dogs Knowledgeable in pet first aid Often are trained to respond if there is an accident or unexpected loss. Professional pet sitters also conduct themselves as professionals; for them, pet sitting is a business, which means whatever schedule you and the pet sitter arrange for your pet’s care, they adhere to. Truly dedicated professional pet sitters will also send you photos of your pet while you

This year, you may be working towards some health and fitness goals. But what about Sparky? You may not know, but our dogs and cats are now larger than ever before. What we may consider cute and cuddly is fast becoming an alarming statistic. 54% of dogs and 59% of cats are classified as overweight or obese, making diabetes more common. A few simple changes can help your pet be in their best health so they can share many more years of wags or meows with you. Here are my top tips: This is the best way of having a complete nose-to-tail health check to get the expert’s opinion of what your dog or cat’s current health is and if they need any area of particular focus to help them be the best they can be. A good idea is to tie this in with your pet’s annual vaccinations. The same goes for Sparky. Make 2018 the year to feed your pet better. You will see the difference in their well being and in many cases what may seem like it costs more in the beginning will save you more in the long run with vet bills. Natural whole food nutrition is the way to go. Fresh, real ingredients that avoids all the “nasties”. Look for fresh meat as the first ingredient with named protein meals like turkey meal or chicken meal but avoid any with by-product meals. Let me explain the difference

From the day you bring your puppy home to the day you celebrate their first birthday, your new puppy’s growth and development is nothing short of impressive. Starting as a tiny bundle of fluff that can barely open his eyes and growing into a whirlwind of puppy energy that never seems to sit still, a puppy in their first year achieves what it takes humans over 15 years to accomplish! Needless to say, the first couple years of your pup’s life are pretty important! Knowing what to expect as your puppy develops will prepare you for the challenges ahead, and ensure your pup grows into a well-adjusted adult dog. Just like humans, remember, each puppy is an individual. No two puppies will grow exactly the same, even if they were from the same litter. Hence, don’t fret if your pup doesn’t hit milestones by a set date. One important consideration—when it comes to puppies, size really does matter!  Large and giant breed puppies develop and mature much slower than smaller breeds. Small and medium size breed dogs reach adulthood at one year. Large breed dogs take 18 months (24 months for giant breeds) before they reach maturity. Born with their eyes and ears closed, here is what to expect with newborn dogs: Can touch and taste at birth but not much else, very dependent on mother At around 5 days old they start a slow crawl By day 10-14 their

A well-trained puppy with great social skills in guaranteed to have a great social life because good manners opens doors ensuring he will be welcome everywhere. It’s important to start young. Dog trainers say that the puppy stage between five weeks and twenty weeks is critical because that’s when the dog sets its attitudes towards how it reacts towards other dogs and people. Positive interactions and experiences at this impressionable age means you are giving your dog great social skills that it will be able to carry forward into adulthood. A good book on raising puppies will offer lots of excellent tips but it’s also a great idea to enroll him in a puppy class with a professional trainer. Not only will your pooch learning the basics but it’s a great opportunity to make friends with other dogs in his class. When it comes to training, puppy basics actually apply to the person on the other end of the leash too. So, it’s important to be consistent and re-enforce what you have learned in class in your home environment. This means that one member of the household must be the designated in-house trainer. Re-enforcement and encouragement should be in the form of verbal praise such as phrases like “good job!”  and “well done” and further reinforced with a yummy training treat. Remember treats have calories and should be a portion of your dog’s daily diet. So be sure to manage

In 2017, the top diagnosis made by US Veterinarians for dogs was dental disease, a problem so widespread it now affects 4 out of 5 dogs over three. Contributing to this epidemic is the lack of daily dental care for dogs, the increase of small breeds and older dogs that are more predisposed to dental issues and the assumption that visible signs of dental disease, like bad breath, are normal. Dog owners used to believe that occasionally giving a dog a bone to chew was all the dental care dogs needed. Today, we know so much more about the importance of oral care for dogs and understand that a dental health program that includes both professional veterinary care as well as at-home daily dental care is crucial to a healthy mouth and a happy dog. There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding upon oral care for your dog. Here’s the latest scientific evidence and everything you ever wanted to know about your dog’s teeth, including those questions which you may have been too afraid to ask before: Tooth decay is not common in dogs: Dogs do not typically develop cavities from tooth decay like people because of the shape of their teeth, the pH of their saliva, the type of bacteria in their mouth and the types of food they consume. Periodontal disease is very common – 4 out of 5 dogs! Dogs are very susceptible to