Amy Shojai's Blog, page 101
April 2, 2014
Food Aggression in Dogs is No Laughing Matter!
Food Aggression in Dogs is No Laughing Matter!
Thank goodness Magic isn’t food aggressive–he even lets Karma munch from his bowl (but I do my best to keep ‘em separated at meals). Not good tempting fate. Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
This video that’s suddenly gone viral, makes me incredibly sad. Despite the “LOL!” shares and comments about “how cute” this behavior is, plain and simple this is a disaster in the making.
Resource guarding is NOT a joke! And the owner of these two dogs are incredibly fortunate the larger canine is willing to put up with this, or they’d have a bloody mess on their hands.
Let’s put this in perspective here. Instead of the the big dog–imagine him as a teasing/bullying ten-year-old little boy. And instead of the tiny pooch, imagine a three year old terrified little girl.
Waaaay funny, right? 
The owner has set up these dogs to practice bad behavior. Dogs that resource guard not only do this to protect food and toys from other dogs, they also often direct this behavior toward people–and toward children. Even a tiny dog this size can do damage should a child drop a piece of candy on the floor, and reach to retrieve it.
And a larger dog that resource guards food, toys, the car, the bed–the owner!–can be a huge liability if he uses his teeth out of fear. People get hurt. Property can be damaged.
And dogs lose their homes–and their lives. Who’s laughing now?
Learn more about resource guarding and what to do in this new article.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 31, 2014
Monday Mentions: Cat Wigs, Dueling Cellos and April Resolutions
Monday Mentions: Cat Wigs, Dueling Cellos and April Resolutions
Should I invest in a wig for one of the fur-kids? Image Copr. PlaneTrudy/Flickr
I couldn’t resist sharing this PAW-some picture. Seren would be offended if I presented her with such a thing, Magic would tolerate it but look like he’d been beaten.
And Karma? He’d EAT IT! That kitten hasn’t stopped eating. Wow. Before long he’s truly going to be in need of the Hill’s Metabolic Advance Weight Loss food discussed here.
I’ve sort of “pudged up” this winter, too. It comes from sitting many hours a day in front of the computer and exercising only my typing fingers. Oh, I have a desk treadmill now. Just need to use it more. So I’ve resolved to eat MORE of the right stuff (and stop skipping meals), and walk the treadmill daily as well. Soon it’ll be time to get the garden back in shape, too. How do you stay in shape when your job consists of sitting 8+ hours a day?
Anyone can make a New Year’s resolution. I’m making an April Fool’s resolution (so is it real, or not? *eg*) to be nicer to me, provide better food, healthier activity, and see if I can increase my energy levels. Because I have a boatload of writer-ly work to get done this spring, including the new thriller, at least one new nonfiction title, and another audio book. I’ll try to report in here weekly, and probably also will complain celebrate successes on Facebook, too.
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the amazing videos below, too! (Talk about a workout routine, LOL!) For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Content Bubble & 8-cent EBooks
Do You Know ALLi? find out more about this indie-author association
Do Poets Need Literary Agents? a great post by Writer Beware
Books Bound in Human Skin?! Ewww….at Harvard no less
Don’t SHOUT, Just LISTEN great tips for using social media from a professional actor
PET-ASTIC SCHTUFF
Cats with TB Transmit to People now this is a first–and incredibly rare–but also a great plot for a thriller, don’t you think? Probably you’re safe unless your cats are friendly with TB-carrying badgers, urk!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 28, 2014
How to Leash Train Cats
Seren feels calmer when wearing her harness. Image Copr Amy Shojai, CABC
Seren learned to walk on a leash when she was about five months old. I got her one of those tiny dog H-harness contraptions and had to adjust it down even farther. That of course was nearly 17 years ago, and times have changed. Today there are new options for kitty harnesses that are much more comfortable for the cat, and less likely for the pet to wriggle out.
So I took a look around when Karma came to stay. Although Seren only rarely went outside on walks and never without her harness and leash, I suspect Karma may be more interested in an occasional ramble. Why do this? Well, for a couple of reasons.
Karma is still adjusting to his halter-vest. Image Copr Amy Shojai, CABC
First, I want Karma to be comfy wearing the equipment–and it actually seems to calm him down somewhat so that’s a plus! Also, wearing a harness gives me added grab-icity (something to hang on to) if he decides to wriggle around. I’ve found this to be very helpful with Seren during vet visits as she’s not a very happy patient. Finally, because of the way Karma came to us–wandering up onto the back patio–there’s a chance he got away from someone. Yes, he’s now microchipped just in case that ever happens again. But ultimately, I want Karma to be very familiar with the immediate area surrounding our house, so he knows and can recognize HOME.
“Hey, I really can move in this thing!” Image copr Amy Shojai, CABC
Lost cats rarely run far away from their house even if they get out, but they may hide–and if chased by a strange dog or (gulp!) coyote, they might race far away from familiar territory. This actually was part of the plot point in my most recent thriller HIDE AND SEEK, where the main character hung up a variety of wind chimes around the house that also served as audio signposts to the pets.
Do your cats ever go outside on leash (or otherwise?). How do you ensure they stay safe? Have you created scented or audible or special visual signposts to aid a new pet to know that THIS is home? Does allowing them outdoor access “create a monster” so they beg to go out? I found that happens with some cats, but never has been a problem with Seren. We’ll find out about Karma. Here’s an article I wrote about leash training cats.
By the way, the first two times I put on his vest, Karma pulled the old OMG I’M PARALYZED! routine and fell over on his side and lay there. Even my standard technique of teasing him to move with cat wand toys failed to get him up and moving more than two or three wobbly steps. So I took off the leash, and walked into the other room for something and….IT’S A MIRACLE! he raced in after me, stopped as if caught in his act, and sauntered on into the room. Now he’s rocking his kitty vest!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 26, 2014
Why (and How) Pets Drink from Toilets
Why (and How) Pets Drink from Toilets
Do your pets drink from toilets? I found these videos and they were just too good not to share! I’ve written before about why they choose to slurp from that “porcelain thrown” but not the “how” it’s done.
Did you know that cat and dog tongues not only are designed differently, but they work in ways you’d never expect to drink. I suspect there’s a reason cats evolved as desert creatures able to manage to conserve their water–because they are NOT particularly efficient at drinking.
But neither are dogs. The video explains why some dogs make such a mess of drinking. I always thought they scooped water forward–but get a load of that slow-mo!!!
So are your pets messy slurpers? Do they drink from the toilet? Do tell!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 24, 2014
Monday Mentions: De-Coding Prairie Dogs, Bone Regeneration & Spam-alot Fun
Monday Mentions: De-Coding Prairie Dogs, Bone Regeneration & Spam-alot Fun
How about that picture?! Doncha love Photoshop? *giggle* Those paying attention may have already noticed the addition of a new kitten-on-lap in that upper-right-hand photo here on the blog but I wanted to show it off a bit more. Today, I’m also announcing the update to my website at www.Shojai.com. It’s cleaner, brighter, easier to navigate (and up to date!). It’s a balancing act to create a web presence that features all the furry hats that I (try) to wear, from fiction to nonfiction to performance. Let me know what you think.
This past weekend we presented the staged reading of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL and had a blast! Here’s the BIG news: we will hold open auditions this fall and produce the full show October 23, 24 and 25 at the Honey McGee Playhouse in Sherman. So if you have an urge to channel your “inner dog/cat” please come out for the show–I promise, there are parts for lots of “furry” folks!
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the amazing videos below, too! For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday. NOTE: you can still enter the FREE pet food give away for pudgy pets here.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Got Spam? if you’re a blogger/journalist who gets lots of unwanted “pitches” you have GOT to read this amazing response (do not drink beverages whilst reading…) Thanks to Caren Gittleman for sharing
Blogger Tips a round up of important info for pet bloggers (applies to everyone, though)
Killing Publishing’s Sacred Cows–Indies Can’t Get Into Bookstores
The Business Rusch more on running an Indie publishing biz
Stephen King’s “The Shining” On Stage
PET-ASTIC SCHTUFF
10 Signs You’re Obsessed With Your Dog
Jackson Galaxy Live Google Hangout 4-4:30 PST March 26 your chance to ask him cat behavior questions about your own “cat from hell!”
Animal Behaviorists Soon to Have Devices to “Talk” to Animals??? check out the prairie dog video below, too!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 21, 2014
STRAYS THE MUSICAL STAGED READING PERFORMANCE
STRAYS THE MUSICAL STAGED READING PERFORMANCE
Tonight our cast gathers at a recording studio to create a cast album of the songs from STRAYS, THE MUSICAL. Stay tuned–I’ll post some samples here on the blog as soon as they’re available!
TOMORROW NIGHT is the big day! Saturday at 7:00 pm, please join us for the FREE staged reading of STRAYS, THE MUSICAL! My co-author Frank Steele and I have lined up a stellar cast to present the complete script and 11 original songs (with full orchestration). The actors portray cats and dogs, and that’s enough to get purrs rumbling and tails wagging, dontcha think? (Your kids will love this, too).
A staged reading (with script in hand) allows the playwrights and cast to figure out, with the help of the audience, what works and what needs finagling, so the show can be improved when it’s finally performed. That means YOU can be a part of the process. Besides that, it’s free!
Here’s a taste of one of my favorite songs, in which cats and dogs alternate singing verses that describe NORMAL behaviors that aggravate owners–it’s a jazz number with RAP section about how to fix the problems!
NORMAL
“Gonna match that scratch
Make my mark, mark, mark.
While they snatch to catch me
In the dark, dark, dark.
Can’t stop my paws–
From making claws.
Ba-a-ad kitty!
Tha-a-at’s Me-ee-ow!”
“Gonna start my diggin
Cuz I been figgerin’
How to dig a hole,
Cuz I been tol’
Ya need to do it,
So the bone’ll fit it.
Yea! Dig-gin’” . . .
So…if you were performing as a cat or a dog in the above lyric, how would you show the audience your character? No “ear and tail” costumes allowed…the actor must do the job and channel his/her inner pet :).
For the staged reading, our actors double up on parts with some playing cats in one scene and dogs in another, and even human owners in the final song. But the fully mounted show likely will include a larger cast including a chorus, and is appropriate for any age actor (or audience). We will mount the full show this fall and will hold open auditions for local performers to join the furry throng.
Thank you to Webster Crocker, the Administrative Director of Sherman Community Players and director of the Theatricks program. He’s opened up the calendar to give this original show its debut.
Please join Frank Steele, Amy Shojai, Gil Nelson, Johnny Flowers, Diana and Aaron Adair, and Lacey Wesson (running audio) Saturday evening March 22 at 7:00 pm at the Honey McGee Playhouse, 313 West Mulberry Street, in Sherman, TX.
Please SHARE this post with anyone who loves cats and dogs and theater. Hey, you may want this show to visit YOUR animal shelter fundraising event in the future!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 19, 2014
Poison Prevention Awareness Week
Poison Prevention Awareness Week
Actually, the whole month is promoted for getting the word out about poisons that can affect our pets. Cats and dogs can get into all kinds of trouble since they meet the world nose (and mouth) first.
I keep my book The First Aid Companion for Dogs and Cats within reach. Knowing what types of poisons affect pets, and what to do, can save their lives.
CLEANERS, INSECTICIDES & PEOPLE PILLS
Some poisons are obvious. Household cleaners, insecticides (especially misused flea products), and people medication top the list. Dogs tend to treat people pills as candy, and even cats may turn capsules into toys to be batted around and mouthed. Washing floors that pets then tread across and lick their pads can lead to ingestion of toxic substances, too. Cats are much more sensitive to some things than are dogs. And companion parrots and birds are even more sensitive than cat!
GARDEN DANGERS
With spring and gardens ready to burst into life, it’s also important to know what plants are safe for your pets. Keeping the “dangerous” plants out of reach in the house–and out of your yard–is the best practice. Pest baits for critters that are tasty for vermin can be tempting for pets, too.
Don’t forget the spiders and snakes, urk! At least three times, Magical-Dawg has had reactions to some sort of bug bite or sting, so I’m extra vigilant when all the creepy crawlies come out. Here in Texas we have fire ants, as well as tarantulas and a friend of mine just found a brown recluse.
Even something as innocuous as cocoa mulch (smells sooooo good!) can kill pets when dogs munch the chocolate-tasting stuff–it contains theobromine, too, the active ingredient in chocolate that’s dangerous for cats and dogs. Beware all those chocolate Easter bunnies hopping into your home in the near future and keep ‘em out of doggy munch range. There also are human foods that can cause problems in cats and dogs.
EASTER CAUTIONS
Speaking of Easter, at my house we keep Easter lilies far, far away. Lilies are toxic to pets, especially cats–check out the video of a few year’s back. The information still applies.
Have your pets ever suffered from poisoning? What did you do? How to protect your cats and dogs from temptation? Do tell!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 17, 2014
Monday Mentions: Coyotes, Tigers & Green Dawgies
Monday Mentions: Coyotes, Tigers & Green Dawgies
“Am I an Irish Sitter now?” Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY! With my Scotch-Irish heritage, I’ll be speakin’ with a bit of a brogue and/or lilt to me voice and wearin’ a wee bit o’ green. Magical-Dawg offered to help out with the “greening” of the blog. And he’s not taking any blarney from $%^&*(O! coyotes.
That picture on the left isn’t terribly clear, but is a view out my back patio window yesterday late afternoon. Remember the path that little Karma took to find his way to our home? Well, a pair of coyotes trotted down that same pathway, beautiful, elegant–lethal. This one stood looking back at me for several minutes, long enough for me to snap a couple of pictures through the doorway.
Living on 13+ acres in North Texas gives us a close-up view of wildlife. And as much as I admire the hummingbirds and deer, feel aggravation toward the armadillos digging up the roses, and appreciate the raccoons, bobcats, owls, hawks and even snakes, I have a healthy respect for the predators. We share this ecosystem and I can’t fault them for their nature–to survive at all costs. But I also must respect that they can make a snack of my cats and possibly Magical-Dawg if he’s lured out to where several of ‘em can gang-attack.
For puppies, small dogs, and kittens, the threat is even more apparent. Be aware that a fenced yard may not offer the safety needed. Pets have been snatched with owners only feet away. You can learn more in this article I wrote for my puppies.about.com site on animal attacks. (It applies to any small pet, including cats.).
Monday Mentions is the mash-up-day of all the neato-torpedo writer links and videos, pet schtuff and bling and writer-icity crappiocca collected over the past week. Check out the fun video below, too! For new followers to the blog, welcome! and you can expect more cat and dog specific schtuff later in the week on Wednesday and Friday.
WRITER-ICITY SCHTUFF
Platform vs Brand, Which Is Better?
ITW Round Table Discussion: Moral Protagonists–Rebels or Visionary?
How To Buy Your Way To Bestseller-dom!
Discoverability (Again) on Samples from The Biz Rusch
HILARIOUS Book Covers! such as “Castration: The Advantages & Disadvantages” and “The Practical Pyromaniac” (c’mon, gang, hit me with your best/worst potential titles in the comments!)
Amtrak Residency Program Examined by Author Beware
Tigers get lymphoma, too. Check out this incredible story from UC-Davis
THIS SATURDAY, 7 pm is the FREE Table Read for STRAYS, THE MUSICAL! at the Honey McGee in Sherman, TX
The Fussy Librarian today features COMPETABILITY(CATS)
FREE FOOD for Slimming Pudgy Pets
LET IT GO sung by all sorts of characters–PAW-some!
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 15, 2014
Battle of the Bulge? #HillsPet Has Your Pudgy-Pet Answers
Battle of the Bulge? #HillsPet Has Your Pudgy-Pet Answers
“I’m on a see-food diet…I see food, I snarf.” Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
These days, Karma-Kitten is a bottomless pit and thank goodness I don’t have to worry about cat weight loss…yet. The first few days after he showed up on the back patio, he couldn’t eat enough. Every bowl got emptied, and then he tried to sneak mouthfuls of Seren’s therapeutic kidney diet (oh no!) and even got into Magical-Dawg’s food bowl (yikes!). He’s since figured out he won’t go hungry and isn’t quite so frantic. The kitten-esque tubby tummy has begun to subside but in less than a month he gained TWO POUNDS and is now 10 lbs 2 oz. Me-wow. And while I’ve never had problems keeping 17-year-old Seren svelt (now at 6 pounds, she’s gained half a pound, yay!) or worry about dog weight loss in 91-pound Magic, Karma’s a chunky monkey kitty I fear may very easily tip over into the tubby tabby range.
Oh, chubby pets are soooo cute! Right? Here’s a statistic that should get everyone’s attention about overweight cats and why weight loss in dogs is so important. Tubby Tabbies and Pudgy Pooches die about two years sooner than lean pets. Ouch!
The thing is, how do you know if your pet is at an ideal weight? Fond glances color human perceptions so we’re likely to overlook what might be obvious to an unbiased person–or your veterinarian. “He’s a big boned doggy” or “He’s just a fluffy-muffin kitty, not fat.” Or perhaps we realize he’s put on table muscle and do everything right, find a low-cal food, increase exercise, cut out the treats–and the Pooch-aholic or Kitty-kins swipes food from the other pets. (Sounds like what Karma would do!).
I have a desk treadmill because I hate going to the gym or running in too hot/cold weather outside. And I still don’t use it often enough. Our pets are no different–and when they turn on those sad kitty/puppy eyes to declare I’M STARVING! most of us give in. You’re normal. And you’re not alone. Get a load of that lovely cat in the video, below. Strikes a chord, doesn’t it? 
According to surveys by Banfield Pet Hospitals and the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in the US, 53% of dogs and 55% of cats are now overweight or obese. Over the last five years the incidence of overweight dogs has increased by almost 40% in the US, while the cats have more than doubled that incidence to an astonishing 90%.
Well, there’s a new fat-sheriff in town ready to slim some overweight tails. It’s called Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution, comes in dry, canned and treats, and is available for both cats and dogs. This ain’t the “traditional” diet food, either, and has some way-kewl-science behind it.
Hill’s is celebrating the successful one-year anniversary of this formulation by asking me and other bloggers to spread the word and offer a chance for your (ahem) “fluffy” fur kids to try it out. Here’s the legal stuff: This post is sponsored by Hill’s, and I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but I only share information I feel is relevant to my readers. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.
With that kind of increase in pudgy pets, you can bet your tubby tabby I believe this info is relevant! Get this–You don’t have to change HOW you feed your pets–just swap out what goes in the bowl, and you’ll see a leaner, more playful pet in just 60 days. In fact, a bunch of pet parents just like you and me got to test the food in a blinded study that included a mix of 314 dogs and cats. They didn’t even know it was a “diet” food or that it was made by Hill’s. And at the end of the two-month trial, 88% of pets had lost weight!
Of course, all your pets care about is if the food tastes good, or if they’ll feel hungry. According to the above trial, the answers are “yes, it’s tasty” and “no tummy rumbles” but you can try it out for yourself to see.
It’s free for 10 lucky winners to try who have overweight dogs or cats! (see below, for details)
Karma has some serious tummy-muscle these days. Since he’s only 7 months old and still growing, I expect most of that pudge to turn into svelt adult cat. Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
TRADITIONAL VS WOW-APPROACH
Some time ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Todd Towell of Hill’s Pet Nutrition about nutrigenomics, the science of utilizing nutrition to potentially change gene expression. Wow, right? That’s been implemented with Metabolic Advance Weight Solution with great success.
Traditional weight management foods use a variety of methods to dilute calories–adding water, or fiber or “puffing” up the kibble, for example. Instead, Dr. Towell says the Hill’s food scientists looked at changing the metabolism of overweight pets.
“As a consequence of becoming overweight, the pet’s cells don’t normally metabolize energy from the food they consume,” says Dr. Towell. Lean cats and dogs are programmed biochemically to store fat, but energy metabolism is turned down in obese pets in the same way a rheostat dials down a light switch. Metabolic Advance Weight Solution adjusts the ingredients to change the pet’s profile from fat-storing to fat-burning.
“If the pet eats a combination of specific foods you can actually trick those cells, and turn them back to being like they were when the pet was lean,” says Dr. Towell. “Pets eating Metabolic burn their excess fat as an energy source and therefore more effectively lose weight by losing fat, and maintain their lean muscle mass.”
She says it’s not one magic-wand ingredient (darn! I wanted to try it myself!) but rather a combination of everything in the food. “Metabolic has a higher fat content than traditional foods but it’s a healthy fat (such as coconut oil).” She says the profile of nutrients is similar to the human Mediterranean diet with lots of phytonutrients (natural chemicals that come from plants), vitamins and antioxidants that come from fruits and vegetables, a balance of soluble and insoluble fibers, and a moderate amount of high quality proteins.
GIVE IT A TRY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE? (pun intended…)
Image Courtesy of Hill’s Pet Foods
Image Courtesy of Hill’s Pet Foods
For your pet’s opportunity to try Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution for free we’re giving away10 Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution trial kits with your veterinarian’s authorization. It’s a $70 value!
To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment and tell us about your pet (a CAT or a DOG) who can benefit from Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution. Be sure to include all of the required information below:
What is your pet: dog or cat
Pet’s age
Pet’s current weight or close guess
Your name
Your email address
Just like us, before starting a weight loss program a doctor should be consulted. Your veterinarian’s authorization is required before starting Hill’s® Prescription Diet® Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution food.
Now then…ready, set, POST YOUR COMMENTS! Is your pet too “pudgy?” What have you tried to slim ‘em down? Is your dog or cat a candidate for the new food? I’ll use Random.org to choose winners, and remember, your veterinarian must give approval for your pet to try the food since it is a therapeutic diet.
This giveaway is limited to one winner per household and is for U.S. residents only. Be sure to use a valid email when leaving your comment so we can contact if you are chosen as a winner.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
March 14, 2014
7 Considerations for Picking Pet Insurance
7 Considerations for Picking Pet Insurance
At 17, Seren gets prime sun bathing ops. Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
I’d planned to take the rest of the week off but instead, I wanted to share this latest article with y’all. After seeing the health care my friend received in the hospital, I know that probably insurance made much of that possible, even as she ultimately lost her battle. With the state of health care in this country under scrutiny, it’s not a bad idea to also take a look at pet insurance coverage for pets–especially if you have a roughneck young pup or devil-may-care kitten. Babyhood and old-fogy pets have the highest care costs of all.
This past week, 17-year-old Seren had another schnorkle flare up, and stopped taking her Lysine treats that help ward off the upper respiratory issues. She choked so much on Wednesday morning that I rushed her to the veterinarian and (thank the cat gods!) was NOT in respiratory failure. The antihistamine that we’d used before makes her foam and become ill, so a new gel-type of L-Lysine HCI offers a better option. She’s eating her “kidney” diet even better now that she can breathe and sniff more effectively.
Magic loves cat toys—that’s a blockage waiting to happen! So yep, being very diligent these days (despite kewl photo ops!). Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
The first year we had Magical-Dawg, he managed to rip open his paw once, tear a claw (both times requiring sedation), and twice needed treatment for allergic reaction to some sort of bee sting. He’s since had a couple more issues with unexpected health issues. Once, he had a “sterile abscess” caused by nothing the veterinarian could find–other than perhaps a bruise. Only my dog seems to have these “rare” situations.
Karma has discovered the sink. Hoo boy… Image Copr. Amy Shojai, CABC
Karma-Kitten is still in that clueless go-go-go adolescent stage. So far for him, it’s been routine neuter and vaccinations. But he’s at the best age to sign him up for pet insurance, to get him into coverage, before any “pre-existing” conditions develop. Because just like human health care, pet insurance may not cover health issues that your pet already has.
So do you have pet insurance for your fur-kids? To date we’ve “self insured” our pets, but I’m debating whether to sign up now we have three. Proper care can become pricy, and I don’t ever want to have to forgo needed care due to finances. Pet health insurance is something that even if it takes ten or fifteen years for you to use it, you will.I just finished an article on How to Choose Pet Insurance here for my Puppies.About.com site. There are 7 considerations for choosing your top pick:
Early Age Enrollment (age of pets)
Accident Limitations (preexisting health issues)
Illness Limitations (costs per incident vs per year vs per lifetime)
Exclusions (genetic/heritable/breed specific limitations)
Picking Your Vet (can you use your vet or only group approved vets)
Alternative Care (not all allow for “holistic” or high-dollar experimental treatments)
Check Deductibles (cap limits)
So what about you and your furry family? Have you considered pet insurance, or do you have it? Was it worth the premiums? Do tell! And to see more details and a list of various pet insurance plans and other neato options, read the full article here.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered–post in the comments. Do you have a new kitten and need answers? I’m a new Brand Ambassador for The Honest Kitchen and you can get FREE samples here, check it out! (Karma loves this!). Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, check out weekly FREE PUPPY CARE newsletter, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book give aways and appearances related to my THRILLERS WITH BITE!
AMY SHOJAI'S Bling, Bitches & Blood - Pet-centric Writer-icity & Thrillers With BITE!
