Inappropriate Feline Elimination - Part 2
from Lifes Abundance May 2010 Newsletter
Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is the most common lower urinary tract disorder diagnosed in cats. Symptoms can include painful urination, urination outside the litter box and blood in the urine. Stress is a significant factor in the incidence of FIC. Veterinary researchers have determined that cats with highly sensitized nervous and endocrine systems are more prone to FIC. Research indicates that felines suffering from FIC may experience high levels of stress without exhibiting any noticeable symptoms. Fortunately, there are specific alterations to your home and changes you can make in your cat’s daily routine that can help to prevent mental and physical stress.
The first thing to consider for possible modification is your cat’s diet. Cats suffering from FIC typically have highly concentrated urine and are fed mostly dry food. Your veterinarian may suggest transitioning to a canned food, or adding water to dry food, but this may not always be the best option. Some cats simply prefer dry foods and may experience increased stress if forced to transition to a canned food. Luckily, the solution is simple - just offer canned food next to his typical dry food, in hopes of a gradual transition.
If after watching this video you believe your cat has FIC, please visit your veterinarian to rule out any other causes of urinary tract problems, such as an infection or bladder stones.
If your cat has previously been diagnosed with FIC, now is the time to take steps to minimize the chances of the disease reoccurring.
###
For a healthy, holistic brand of canned cat food, the author of this blog recommends Instinctive Choice from Lifes Abundance.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
So You Found a Pregnant Cat
So You Found a Pregnant Cat
by Dr. Jane Bicks, Lifes Abundance August Newsletter
Click Here to Subscribe Now to the FREE Dr. Jane and the Lifes Abundance Newsletter
Did you know that cats can become mothers in their first year of life?
While more and more pet parents spay their cats early in life, many good Samaritans have gotten more than they bargained for, after finding that the stray they adopted is pregnant.
As a matter of fact, we here at the Life’s Abundance office found ourselves in a similar situation when a sweet little stray showed up at our door a while back. Of course, food and water were the first order of business. After a few days, she began to trust us enough to pet her. That’s when we discovered that she was pregnant. To make a long story short, we took good care of her and her kittens, and now the whole feline family lives with their new adoptive parents.
If you have a pregnant cat, you may be wondering what to expect and how best to care for the expectant mother.
First, take her to your veterinarian for a full checkup. Your veterinarian will be able to determine how far along she is and if there are any health concerns.
Second, provide complete and balanced nutrition. More than any other factor, nutrition will influence the health of mother and kittens. Cats are pregnant for approximately 8-9 weeks. Like humans, cats gain weight gradually throughout their pregnancy. By the end of her pregnancy, your cat should be eating 25-50% more than her normal amount.
To ensure that she is getting enough food, the free-feed method is advisable, but be sure to measure the amount you feed daily and provide fresh food each day. Feed a diet that is nutrient-dense like Life’s Abundance Cat Food. Consider also feeding a high-quality canned food such as Lifes Abundance Instinctive Choice, to provide extra protein and water. Additionally, providing fresh, clean water is a must. You should not need to increase the amount you are feeding until the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy, and mother cats should not gain more than 15-25% of their body weight by the end of pregnancy. Remember, overweight cats can have a higher risk of difficulties during labor and delivery.
Pregnant cats lose 40% of their pregnancy weight after giving birth; however, they still require two-to-three times their normal amount of food after giving birth in order to produce enough milk to feed their kittens. The protein and fat concentration of their milk is very high, so good nutrition is critical not only during pregnancy but also until the kittens are weaned.
As we mentioned, continual access to fresh, clean water is also very important, as dehydration can affect the milk supply. Change the water out daily or provide a water fountain.
Mother cats should deliver in a quiet, familiar area where they will not be disturbed. Usually, a mother cat will choose her space - all you need to do is provide blankets or towels for her comfort, she will take care of the rest. Unfamiliar surroundings, noise or strangers may cause problems by impeding delivery or milk letdown, or even negatively affect the mother’s instinct to care for her kittens.
A day or two before birth, your cat may stop eating – this is a good sign that delivery is near and she has started stage one of labor. Stage one usually lasts 12-24 hours, and during this time she may become reclusive or restless and nest. If she doesn’t eat for more than a day and shows no signs of delivery, contact your veterinarian, as cats should not go more than a day without a meal.
Normal stage two labor is when the kittens are delivered! The entire delivery can take up to a full day, depending on the litter size. There should not be more than one-to-two hours between kittens. If it seems like delivery is taking longer, or if you have any concerns, call your veterinarian immediately for advice.
A single unspayed female cat and her offspring can account for the birth of 420,000 kittens in a seven-year period. There is an estimated 70 million homeless cats in the United States, and four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Spaying and neutering your pet is a proven way to reduce the number of homeless pets and ensure every pet has a family to love them.
Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for your dear companions.
Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM
***
For a healthy cat food click the following: Lifes Abundance Cat Food
For a healthy canned cat food click the following: Instinctive Choice Canned Cat Food
***
by Dr. Jane Bicks, Lifes Abundance August Newsletter
Click Here to Subscribe Now to the FREE Dr. Jane and the Lifes Abundance Newsletter
Did you know that cats can become mothers in their first year of life?
While more and more pet parents spay their cats early in life, many good Samaritans have gotten more than they bargained for, after finding that the stray they adopted is pregnant.
As a matter of fact, we here at the Life’s Abundance office found ourselves in a similar situation when a sweet little stray showed up at our door a while back. Of course, food and water were the first order of business. After a few days, she began to trust us enough to pet her. That’s when we discovered that she was pregnant. To make a long story short, we took good care of her and her kittens, and now the whole feline family lives with their new adoptive parents.
If you have a pregnant cat, you may be wondering what to expect and how best to care for the expectant mother.
First, take her to your veterinarian for a full checkup. Your veterinarian will be able to determine how far along she is and if there are any health concerns.
Second, provide complete and balanced nutrition. More than any other factor, nutrition will influence the health of mother and kittens. Cats are pregnant for approximately 8-9 weeks. Like humans, cats gain weight gradually throughout their pregnancy. By the end of her pregnancy, your cat should be eating 25-50% more than her normal amount.
To ensure that she is getting enough food, the free-feed method is advisable, but be sure to measure the amount you feed daily and provide fresh food each day. Feed a diet that is nutrient-dense like Life’s Abundance Cat Food. Consider also feeding a high-quality canned food such as Lifes Abundance Instinctive Choice, to provide extra protein and water. Additionally, providing fresh, clean water is a must. You should not need to increase the amount you are feeding until the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy, and mother cats should not gain more than 15-25% of their body weight by the end of pregnancy. Remember, overweight cats can have a higher risk of difficulties during labor and delivery.
Pregnant cats lose 40% of their pregnancy weight after giving birth; however, they still require two-to-three times their normal amount of food after giving birth in order to produce enough milk to feed their kittens. The protein and fat concentration of their milk is very high, so good nutrition is critical not only during pregnancy but also until the kittens are weaned.
As we mentioned, continual access to fresh, clean water is also very important, as dehydration can affect the milk supply. Change the water out daily or provide a water fountain.
Mother cats should deliver in a quiet, familiar area where they will not be disturbed. Usually, a mother cat will choose her space - all you need to do is provide blankets or towels for her comfort, she will take care of the rest. Unfamiliar surroundings, noise or strangers may cause problems by impeding delivery or milk letdown, or even negatively affect the mother’s instinct to care for her kittens.
A day or two before birth, your cat may stop eating – this is a good sign that delivery is near and she has started stage one of labor. Stage one usually lasts 12-24 hours, and during this time she may become reclusive or restless and nest. If she doesn’t eat for more than a day and shows no signs of delivery, contact your veterinarian, as cats should not go more than a day without a meal.
Normal stage two labor is when the kittens are delivered! The entire delivery can take up to a full day, depending on the litter size. There should not be more than one-to-two hours between kittens. If it seems like delivery is taking longer, or if you have any concerns, call your veterinarian immediately for advice.
A single unspayed female cat and her offspring can account for the birth of 420,000 kittens in a seven-year period. There is an estimated 70 million homeless cats in the United States, and four million cats and dogs—about one every eight seconds—are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Spaying and neutering your pet is a proven way to reduce the number of homeless pets and ensure every pet has a family to love them.
Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for your dear companions.
Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM
***
For a healthy cat food click the following: Lifes Abundance Cat Food
For a healthy canned cat food click the following: Instinctive Choice Canned Cat Food
***
Monday, August 9, 2010
Riding Out the Recession with Your Cat
Despite the struggling economy, sales of pet food have generally held strong as most pet owners remain committed to feeding and caring for their pets. According to the latest data, pet food and pet care supplies have risen 2% from 2008 to 2009 to a whopping $27.5 billion.
Since 1999, Lifes Abundance and HealthyPetNet have been gaining their share of the ever-growing, multi-billion dollar pet food market. Cat and dog owners are thankful to know about healthier alternatives and are eager to make a switch for better holistic and natural food. When people become educated about what's actually in their pet's food, they almost always switch to a healthier more nutritious food such as Lifes Abundance Cat Food and Lifes Abundance Dog Food.
There are 3 questions that will help you decide to start Lifes Abundance as an awesome homebased business opportunity:
1. Do you have a pet or know anyone who has a pet?
2. Do you know anyone with a pet who doesn’t feed them?
3. Do you know anyone with a pet who wants to feed them old, spoiled, non human quality products intentionally?
The answer is an easy astounding YES! People want to do the best for their cats and dogs. They want to keep their best friend around for a very long time and it has been scientifically proven that people that feed their pets with superior nutrition make less trips to the Vet.
Here's two more reasons to look into the Pet Food Business - most pet owners say that they take better care of their pets than they do themselves.
That being the case, do you see an opportunity here?
Here's a simple illustration. Imagine if more than 40 years ago a little known company such as Purina came to you and said, “If you will recommend our pet foods to every pet owner you meet, we will pay you for that sale and every sale thereafter residually and for life (just like royalties on a hit song or movie)”. Where would you be financially right now? That would be a revolutionary concept in pet food sales, right? Well, that is exactly what the Lifes Abundance Pet Food business can do for you.
Visit the following website and get started:
Lifes Abundance Pet Food Business Opportunity or
HealthyPetNet Business Opportunity
###
Since 1999, Lifes Abundance and HealthyPetNet have been gaining their share of the ever-growing, multi-billion dollar pet food market. Cat and dog owners are thankful to know about healthier alternatives and are eager to make a switch for better holistic and natural food. When people become educated about what's actually in their pet's food, they almost always switch to a healthier more nutritious food such as Lifes Abundance Cat Food and Lifes Abundance Dog Food.
There are 3 questions that will help you decide to start Lifes Abundance as an awesome homebased business opportunity:
1. Do you have a pet or know anyone who has a pet?
2. Do you know anyone with a pet who doesn’t feed them?
3. Do you know anyone with a pet who wants to feed them old, spoiled, non human quality products intentionally?
The answer is an easy astounding YES! People want to do the best for their cats and dogs. They want to keep their best friend around for a very long time and it has been scientifically proven that people that feed their pets with superior nutrition make less trips to the Vet.
Here's two more reasons to look into the Pet Food Business - most pet owners say that they take better care of their pets than they do themselves.
That being the case, do you see an opportunity here?
Here's a simple illustration. Imagine if more than 40 years ago a little known company such as Purina came to you and said, “If you will recommend our pet foods to every pet owner you meet, we will pay you for that sale and every sale thereafter residually and for life (just like royalties on a hit song or movie)”. Where would you be financially right now? That would be a revolutionary concept in pet food sales, right? Well, that is exactly what the Lifes Abundance Pet Food business can do for you.
Visit the following website and get started:
Lifes Abundance Pet Food Business Opportunity or
HealthyPetNet Business Opportunity
###
Friday, August 6, 2010
Vitamin E and Antioxidants
Vitamin E and Antioxidants
by Dr. Jane Bicks, HealthyPetNet Newsletter, May 2010 Online Issue
As a holistic veterinarian, I feel it is incredibly important to take the whole animal into consideration when it comes to nutrition. And, whenever practical, my preference is to provide nutrients, minerals and vitamins in their natural forms. In this post, I’d like to talk to you specifically about vitamin E, to review both the strengths and weaknesses of natural and synthetic forms.
Vitamin E is an incredibly complex and important nutrient that, among other things, functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are naturally occurring nutrients that promote health by slowing the destructive aging process of cells (a breakdown called “peroxidation”). In peroxidation, damaged molecules known as free radicals steal pieces from other cells, like fat, protein or DNA. The damage can spread, damaging and killing entire groups of cells. While peroxidation can be useful to destroy old cells or germs and parasites, when left unchecked, free radicals produced by peroxidation also damages healthy cells. Antioxidants can help to stem the tide of peroxidation, thus stabilizing free radicals.
Antioxidants like vitamin E are crucial to the health of companion animals of any age. They can improve the quality of the immune response and the effectiveness of vaccines in young pets, and help maintain a vital immune system in seniors.
Vitamin E occurs in one of two forms, either natural or synthetic. Natural vitamin E is a collection of eight chemically unique compounds that are derived from plants, including four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. More commonly used and less expensive, synthetic vitamin E is one compound – alpha-tocopherol.
For me, the choice of using natural or synthetic vitamin E in my formulas couldn’t be clearer, and neither could the evidence. The synthetic form of vitamin E is not as active or easily absorbed as the natural form of vitamin E. The molecular structure of vitamin E determines how well the body can utilize it. In human trials, researchers found that proteins in the liver specifically select the natural form of vitamin E and largely ignore the synthetic form. In a Japanese study, scientists found that it took three times the amount of synthetic vitamin E to equal the blood levels of natural vitamin E. In the U.S., researchers found that body tissues and blood retained far higher levels of natural vitamin E versus synthetic. In addition, synthetic alpha-tocopherol vitamin E has only half the vitamin activity of the natural alpha-tocopherol vitamin E.
Why is there such a difference between synthetic and natural forms of vitamin E? The key to understanding how the body absorbs these two types differently lies on the molecular level. The cellular structure of mammals more easily recognizes natural forms of vitamins. And cellular proteins and blood plasma bind to natural forms more readily than their synthetic counterparts. Unfortunately, synthetic vitamins are cheaper and, therefore, are more prevalent in many products on the market today.
So, how can you determine if the products you are using contain the synthetic or natural form of vitamin E? Simply check out the ingredient labels! Natural vitamin E is listed as a-tocopherol acetate, d-alpha tocopherol, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate or d-alpha tocopheryl succinate. Alternately, synthetic forms of vitamin E are labeled with a “dl-“ prefix.
References:
Kiyose C, et al. Biodiscrimination of alpha-tocopherol stereoisomers in humans after oral administration. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 (Mar); 65 (3): 785-9
Burton GW, et al. Human plasma and tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations in response to supplementation with deuterated natural and synthetic vitamin E Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 67: 669-84
Traber MG, et al. Synthetic as compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially excreted as a-CEHC in human urine: studies using deuterated a-tocopheryl acetate FEBS Letters 1998 (Oct 16); 437: 145-8
Yu W, Jia L, Wang P, et al. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of anticancer actions of natural and synthetic vitamin E forms. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008;52:447-456.
Blatt DH, Pryor WA, Mata JE, et al. Re-evaluation of the relative potency of synthetic and natural α-tocopherol: experimental and clinical observations. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 2004;15:380-395.
Weiss WP, Hogan JS, and Wyatt DJ. Relative bioavailability of all-rac and RRR vitamin E based on neutrophil function and total α-tocopherol and isomer concentrations in periparturient dairy cows and their calves. J Dairy Sci. 2009;92:720-731.
Lauridsen C, Engel H, Jensen SK, et al. Lactating sows and suckling piglets preferentially incorporate RRR- over All-rac-α-tocopherol into milk, plasma and tissues. J Nutr. 2002;132:1258-1264.
Sen CK, Khanna S, and Roy S. Tocotrienols in health and disease: The other half of the natural vitamin E family. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 2007;28-692-728.
Hayek MG, et al. Dietary vitamin E improves immune function in cats. In: Reinhart GA, Carey DP eds. Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition, Vol III: 2000 Iams Nutrition Symposium Proceedings. Wilmington, OH: Orange Frazer Press, 2000; 555-564.
###
The author of this blog recommends: Lifes Abundance Cat Food. We believe that a healthy cat that is fed the proper nutrition makes less trips to the Vet. The expense of providing proper nutrients pays off in the long run.
###
by Dr. Jane Bicks, HealthyPetNet Newsletter, May 2010 Online Issue
As a holistic veterinarian, I feel it is incredibly important to take the whole animal into consideration when it comes to nutrition. And, whenever practical, my preference is to provide nutrients, minerals and vitamins in their natural forms. In this post, I’d like to talk to you specifically about vitamin E, to review both the strengths and weaknesses of natural and synthetic forms.
Vitamin E is an incredibly complex and important nutrient that, among other things, functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are naturally occurring nutrients that promote health by slowing the destructive aging process of cells (a breakdown called “peroxidation”). In peroxidation, damaged molecules known as free radicals steal pieces from other cells, like fat, protein or DNA. The damage can spread, damaging and killing entire groups of cells. While peroxidation can be useful to destroy old cells or germs and parasites, when left unchecked, free radicals produced by peroxidation also damages healthy cells. Antioxidants can help to stem the tide of peroxidation, thus stabilizing free radicals.
Antioxidants like vitamin E are crucial to the health of companion animals of any age. They can improve the quality of the immune response and the effectiveness of vaccines in young pets, and help maintain a vital immune system in seniors.
Vitamin E occurs in one of two forms, either natural or synthetic. Natural vitamin E is a collection of eight chemically unique compounds that are derived from plants, including four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. More commonly used and less expensive, synthetic vitamin E is one compound – alpha-tocopherol.
For me, the choice of using natural or synthetic vitamin E in my formulas couldn’t be clearer, and neither could the evidence. The synthetic form of vitamin E is not as active or easily absorbed as the natural form of vitamin E. The molecular structure of vitamin E determines how well the body can utilize it. In human trials, researchers found that proteins in the liver specifically select the natural form of vitamin E and largely ignore the synthetic form. In a Japanese study, scientists found that it took three times the amount of synthetic vitamin E to equal the blood levels of natural vitamin E. In the U.S., researchers found that body tissues and blood retained far higher levels of natural vitamin E versus synthetic. In addition, synthetic alpha-tocopherol vitamin E has only half the vitamin activity of the natural alpha-tocopherol vitamin E.
Why is there such a difference between synthetic and natural forms of vitamin E? The key to understanding how the body absorbs these two types differently lies on the molecular level. The cellular structure of mammals more easily recognizes natural forms of vitamins. And cellular proteins and blood plasma bind to natural forms more readily than their synthetic counterparts. Unfortunately, synthetic vitamins are cheaper and, therefore, are more prevalent in many products on the market today.
So, how can you determine if the products you are using contain the synthetic or natural form of vitamin E? Simply check out the ingredient labels! Natural vitamin E is listed as a-tocopherol acetate, d-alpha tocopherol, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate or d-alpha tocopheryl succinate. Alternately, synthetic forms of vitamin E are labeled with a “dl-“ prefix.
References:
Kiyose C, et al. Biodiscrimination of alpha-tocopherol stereoisomers in humans after oral administration. Am J Clin Nutr 1997 (Mar); 65 (3): 785-9
Burton GW, et al. Human plasma and tissue alpha-tocopherol concentrations in response to supplementation with deuterated natural and synthetic vitamin E Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 67: 669-84
Traber MG, et al. Synthetic as compared with natural vitamin E is preferentially excreted as a-CEHC in human urine: studies using deuterated a-tocopheryl acetate FEBS Letters 1998 (Oct 16); 437: 145-8
Yu W, Jia L, Wang P, et al. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of anticancer actions of natural and synthetic vitamin E forms. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008;52:447-456.
Blatt DH, Pryor WA, Mata JE, et al. Re-evaluation of the relative potency of synthetic and natural α-tocopherol: experimental and clinical observations. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 2004;15:380-395.
Weiss WP, Hogan JS, and Wyatt DJ. Relative bioavailability of all-rac and RRR vitamin E based on neutrophil function and total α-tocopherol and isomer concentrations in periparturient dairy cows and their calves. J Dairy Sci. 2009;92:720-731.
Lauridsen C, Engel H, Jensen SK, et al. Lactating sows and suckling piglets preferentially incorporate RRR- over All-rac-α-tocopherol into milk, plasma and tissues. J Nutr. 2002;132:1258-1264.
Sen CK, Khanna S, and Roy S. Tocotrienols in health and disease: The other half of the natural vitamin E family. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 2007;28-692-728.
Hayek MG, et al. Dietary vitamin E improves immune function in cats. In: Reinhart GA, Carey DP eds. Recent Advances in Canine and Feline Nutrition, Vol III: 2000 Iams Nutrition Symposium Proceedings. Wilmington, OH: Orange Frazer Press, 2000; 555-564.
###
The author of this blog recommends: Lifes Abundance Cat Food. We believe that a healthy cat that is fed the proper nutrition makes less trips to the Vet. The expense of providing proper nutrients pays off in the long run.
###
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