For most people, their pets are not just pets, but a member of the family. This means that they want to give their pet the best care possible. From the right food to bathing to taking care of illnesses and other issues, keeping your pet healthy is a big priority. There are natural alternatives that you can use to take care of your pet in the healthiest way possible. Where do you start?
Finding the Best Pet Food
Whether you have a dog, cat, horse or another pet, the food that you feed them can make a big difference in their health. Pet food can be found in a wide variety of price ranges, but it is important that you consider much more than that.
You want to be sure that the ingredients are things that you recognize, rather than chemicals. In dog food, you want to steer clear of pet food where the first ingredient listed is corn, as it is more of a filler. Instead, look for a dog food where meat is listed as a first ingredient….and always avoid byproducts.
The best cat food will have protein, such as beef, chicken, lamb, or fish, as one of the first three ingredients. Check the guaranteed analysis to ensure that it offers the correct nutrition levels to keep your kitty healthy and spunky.
Taking Care of Their Fur and Skin
There are plenty of low-priced choices to bathe your pet, but these may not be the healthiest choices for your pet’s skin and fur. Polyethylene Glycol or PEG is a common ingredient in many pet shampoos, but it is a petroleum product that can actually take moisture from your pet’s skin. This can lead to itching, scratching, and other issues. For that reason, you want to be sure that you look for shampoos without that ingredient and more natural ingredients, such as glycerin, vinegar, and herbs/essential oils.
Using essential oils can be a great way to relieve skin irritation. Some that you want to consider are rosemary, lemon, and geranium, as they are known for beautifying the skin and having antioxidant properties.
Prepping Your Home
While you may think that your home is perfectly safe for your pet, there are some commonly used household chemicals pets need to avoid. Some things that you want to put up away from your pets include fertilizers, antifreeze, human medications, toys with movable parts, pest control products, and more. You want to evaluate what they can get into. This may mean that you need to get down and look, or it may mean that you need to think about things that are on counters, depending upon the size and dexterity of your pet.
Pet Illnesses
There are times where your pet will not be feeling up to snuff or have various issues. There are many herbs for pets that you can use for everything from fleas to stomach issues to watery eyes and more. By doing your research, you can find an herbal remedy that you can use for your pet, or consult your pet care provider to see what natural options will work. Some that you will want to be sure that you have on hand include aloe vera, goldenseal, ginger, milk thistle, and chamomile.
When you have a pet, you want to be sure that you take care of it properly. Keeping this special member of your family healthy doesn’t mean that you have to go with chemically oriented products. All natural pet remedies and care products can help you to keep your pets happy and ensure that they have a great quality of life with you.