As many of you may have heard or seen on social media recently, the FDA put out a warning advising dog owners that there appears to be a link between grain-free, exotic ingredient or boutique diets and a dangerous heart condition called Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Given how many people feed their dogs these foods, this has the potential to be a VERY big issue!

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean we’re not occasionally embarrassed or downright disgusted by some of their habits. From rear-sniffing to rolling in anything with a repulsive smell, nothing seems to be quite as offensive to dog lovers as coprophagia—that is, eating poop.

Did you know? According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, more than half of the pets in the United States are overweight or obese.

Overweight pets are at risk for a variety of health problems, including skin infections, high blood pressure, heart disease, immune suppression, diabetes, orthopedic and arthritic disorders, and even some forms of cancer, as well as increased surgical and anesthetic risk.

We know it can be an icky subject to talk about- but there is a lot about your pet’s stool that can be an indicator of their health. Not only is it important to monitor what goes into their body, but it is also necessary to keep an eye on what’s coming out.

Not everyone has time to cook meals for their dog, but with a little effort, you could try adding some healthy toppers to their dry food that you already give them! Here are the top 5 foods we suggest to give a try:

Does your fido or fluffy have bad breath? That offensive odor could signify serious health risks for you beloved companion. February is National Pet Dental Month; which is a good time to paws & consider getting your dog's teeth or cat’s teeth cleaned!

Obesity is an accumulation of excessive energy stored by adipose (fatty) tissue sufficient enough to contribute to disease. It is the most common form of malnutrition in our companion animals and it is growing in frequency due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle coupled with highly-palatable, energy-dense food sources.

Obesity can significantly increase the risk of various diseases and can negatively impact both the quality of life as well as the life span of our pets.