reading pet food ingredient label

Morgan’s VMX Recap

/

I recently attended the 2023 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Fl. and came back with a treasure trove of science and information we can use to help improve the health and wellness of our pets.

Read more
Miminally processed diets for pet allergies

Our Top 3 Greens to Add and Why

/

Green vegetables contain important nutrients and fibers that can help to support the growth of healthy…

Read more

2 Simple Tips for Mental Enrichment: Straight From a Dog Trainer

/

As everyone is going back into the office or back to school, our dogs will soon be home alone and left to…

Read more

Are You Calculating Your Pet’s Age Correctly?

/

Have you ever wondered how old your dog is in “human” years? You might be surprised to learn that the…

Read more

The Good, Better, and Best Dental Care for Your Pet

/

Your pet’s dental health is an important piece of their overall health and wellness. Oral disease can be caused…

Read more

An ‘FDA Warning Letter’ is not just a ‘Warning’

/

If you’re just catching up, Midwestern Pet Foods (manufacturer of Earthborn, ProPac, SportMix, CanineX…

Read more
How to engage cat in play for health

Does Your Kitty Love Catnip?

/

Have you ever wondered why catnip has such a powerful effect on cats? Find out the science behind…

Read more

Keep Your Pet’s Heart Healthy. Without Changing Their Food

/

When your pet is diagnosed with a heart dysfunction or heart disease, you want to take immediate action to support your pet’s health and well-being. In addition to specific recommendations from your veterinarian, here are some tips to help keep your dog or cat’s heart healthy — without modifying their main diet.  

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Your pet’s weight plays an important role in heart health. One of the main contributors to heart problems is obesity. Being overweight adds unnecessary stress to your pet’s joints, muscles, internal organs, but also to the heart itself. 

Help your pet maintain a healthy weight by giving him the right amount of food for his size, breed, age, and reproductive status. 

In combination with a proper diet, daily exercise is vital. Walks, runs, and active playtime improve the strength and endurance of the heart’s ability to circulate blood, but also burn excess calories that can lead to obesity.

If your pet has been diagnosed with heart disease, please consult your veterinarian before starting any exercise program with your pet.  Certain heart conditions dictate no exercise while others allow for lower-intensity exercise sessions that include monitoring duration, intensity, and external temperature. 

Feed the Beneficial Treats

When searching for heart-healthy treats, look for single-ingredient, nutritionally dense, minimally processed products.  These types of treats are typically lower in sodium and other unhealthy preservatives that may aggravate a heart condition. My favorites are freeze-dried hearts, any fish treat (since fish is high in omega 3’s), or any treat containing no or low-salt additives.

Additional Supplements

Supplements can be an important part of your pet’s heart health plan. Although supplements should never replace a well-balanced diet, they can provide a nutritional boost that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, manage weight and improve overall well-being. 

When a Simple Switch for Hades Meant Big Changes

/

When our loyal customer, Brandon shared his “raw story” with us, it was too heartwarming not to share! The below is Brandon’s first hand experience with switching his picky German Shepherd to a minimally processed diet…

“I was surprised with my best friend “Hades” 5 years ago by my girlfriend Chelsea and how can anyone forget that moment? A box was checked off the bucket list as we prepared ourselves for a great future with the little guy (a thirteen week old German Shepherd).

Although, things changed drastically. When we had picked up Hades, he was actually within the progressive stage of Kennel Cough into Pneumonia. Tough, I know but luckily after immediate veterinarian assistance and a few weeks to recoup, Hades tackled Pneumonia and made it out okay. We were warned though that he most likely not grow to the normal size of a GSD and certain attributes (lungs, heart…etc) would not develop fully. Then we met Nicci and her staff at NorthPoint.

Hades was a VERY picky eater when he came home from the hospital and we struggled big time when it came to getting him to eat. Numerous bags of dry food went to waste because he seemed to have become bored with it, as well as wet food. We found it tough to gain back the weight he had lost when he got sick, too.

Luckily enough I had discovered NorthPoint Pets & Company in the middle of this dilemma and a simple 10 minute conversation with the staff re-directed my mind state from kibble to raw. We gave raw a shot and I’ll tell you what, we’ll never switch back. Instantly, Hades was hooked. Not only was it a simple switch but the benefits showed immediately.

 

Not only was it a simple switch but the benefits showed immediately.

 

After starting raw, his plate was licked clean every time and he started to finally show some weight gain! His hair started to shine and we started seeing all of the typical signs of a 4-6 month old puppy we were warned about! Hades’ energy was up and boy did he start filling out (he even did so well on hiking trails I had to quit smoking to keep up!). My favorite thing when we started to feed raw and even to this day was that as he developed, the adjustments on how much to feed and when to feed, became natural. He was kept lean throughout his puppy stage (by vet recommendations due to certain hereditary possibilities like hip displaysia) and then bulked up with ease as he grew older and older. Well, 100 lbs later, I believe the initial diagnosis from the vet was proven wrong. I credit all of that to raw. No joke.

 

In my opinion, raw has set Hades up for the best physical and mental condition that he can possibly be in.

 

In my opinion, raw has set Hades up for the best physical and mental condition that he can possibly be in. He is currently 5 years old and has not eaten kibble since he was 13 weeks. Good luck getting him to eat anything else… he won’t even go for one of those whipped cream doggy drinks from that fancy coffee place!  Thank you, NorthPoint for everything you have done for Hades and all of the raw education you have shared! Hades says thanks too!”

 

This is why we do what we do. This is what drives our team to continue our research, to provide the most up-to-date information, and further our education in everything we do. Thank you Brandon for sharing your raw story with us! 

 

We want to hear from you! If you have a success story to share with us, send an email to info@northpointpets.com.

Don’t Let Your Dog’s Behavior Get the Best of You

/

Frustrated with behaviorial issues like incessant barking and neverending separation anxiety? Get the practical advice you need to understanding and managing these common dog behavioral issues. Find out how to identify the potential causes of these issues, and how to best respond to create a harmonious home environment for your four-legged friends.

READ MORE