Getting healthy is not just a choice in food or treats, but also adopting lifestyle changes that minimize exposure to harmful chemicals. Following are my guidelines to a few Halo products that can help your pet avoid unnecessary chemical exposure.

• Natural chemical-free grooming aids — pets should have a regular grooming and bathing routine for optimal skin and coat health. Products like Halo Herbal Shampoo with natural botanicals oils and extracts do not strip your pet’s skin and coat of vital oils and leaves no harsh chemical residue. Learn how to properly clean your pet’s ears and eyes and how Halo Herbal Ear Wash and Herbal Eye Wash are an important part of weekly maintenance.

• Stain remover — keep your home free of harsh chemicals. If your pet has an accident, Halo’s Holisticlean Super Stain and Odor Remover can come to the rescue safely. It is made with natural enzymes and biodegradable cleaners that completely eliminate pet stains and odors and is safe to use in areas where pets live and sleep.

• Other tips to help decrease your pet’s exposure to chemicals:
1. Minimize usage of lawn and garden chemicals and pesticides
2. Wipe down your pet’s coat, feet and legs every time they come in from outdoors to decrease their chance of ingesting chemicals
3. Choose bedding that is not treated with flame-retardant chemicals and avoid stain-proofing furniture, carpets and car upholstery
4. For more tips

I just had another stomach-ache health scare with my younger Weimaraner, Teddy. Because Weims and other deep-chested large breed dogs are at a high risk for the life-threatening condition called bloat, I go into High Alert Mode the moment I see that Teddy is having gastro-intestinal discomfort. I have had to take him to the emergency vet clinic twice when I saw he was in distress so I wanted to jump right on and deal with the problem as quickly as possible.

I even check my own book “The Dog Bible” in case there is something I am forgetting in my anxiety, but he exhibited all the classic signs and symptoms of a doggy tummy ache: drooling, stretching like a cat, inability to get comfortable lying down, gurgling stomach sounds and then going outside to find grass to eat (even though it was a ridiculously cold single-digit day in Vermont – I thought he was trying to eat snow which was bad enough for a sensitive stomach, but I didn’t realize that a dog could feel sick enough to find grass in the dead of winter). One thing I learned in researching my book is that occasionally eating grass is fine for a dog who is well, but once a dog has an upset stomach the grass his instincts drive him to eat will only further irritate his gut so you have to make sure he eats and drinks nothing until his stomach settles down.

Even though it was a Sunday my vet came into the office to examine Teddy to make sure he was not in the process of “bloating” or developing pancreatitis and if not, if there was something she could do to alleviate his suffering. It wasn’t until he threw up in the office that I saw what a massive amount of grass he had found under the snow and swallowed, which triggered the vomiting.

My vet listened to his stomach and saw that his temperature and heart rate were normal – she determined that the pain he was experiencing was from intestinal gas that was trapped. She gave him a shot for pain and for nausea/vomiting and then recommended that I walk him around to get the gas to move inside. I asked whether I could give him some of the gel caps I had at home for people that break up intestinal gas; she looked up the safety and dosage and said to go ahead and try it. She also said to start him on some food to help move things along in the digestive tract – in fact she said getting some food in Teddy in frequent small portions would be the best remedy. Chicken and rice are always what vets (and my own book) recommend – but it’s usually a mad dash to the supermarket for chicken breast with a drooling sickly dog in the car!

I was grateful that I had some shredded roasted chicken meat in the freezer so I rushed Teddy home and boiled some basmati rice, which cooks quickly, and stirred in the chicken. But Teddy would not touch it. I added a little cottage cheese for enticement. No go. I offered just a piece of chicken but he turned his head aside. He was stretching and twisting in pain. I felt so terrible. I knew that if I could get him to eat something it would get that painful gas to start moving inside him. I lifted the lid off the dog biscuit jar (where Liv-a-Little biscuits are kept to reward the dogs for returning from far away ramblings) and Teddy looked up with curiosity in his pain-filled expression. I broke one in half and held it out to him – he took it gingerly between his teeth and chewed uncertainly, as if he wasn’t sure it would go down okay. Then he looked up for the second half. He chewed that one with more confidence. I was so relieved!

I offered him one biscuit after another and he kept on accepting them (my other two dogs came around in no time, having heard the biscuit jar lid being removed so I had to give them a few, too, which made the whole even Christmas morning all over again for them). For Teddy, the Liv-a-Littles must have been like crackers are to a person who feels sick – and boy was I glad I had them to help him feel better. From now on I don’t have to knock myself out to make chicken and rice that doesn’t even appeal to a guy feeling lousy. Now I know I have his own secret remedy right in the biscuit jar! (but I’m also going to start giving him an acid-reducer pill every night before bed – just to see if that helps avoid another scary belly event).

Tracie Hotchner, author of The Dog Bible and The Cat Bible, guest blogs here every Thursday on healthy, natural choices for pets.

Have you made a resolution to make healthier choices this year? You can start by choosing Halo! If you are new to Halo a few products you might want to consider for your pet include:

• Natural pet food — Halo foods contain no synthetic chemicals, artificial colors or preservatives and never contain rendered meats (such as “chicken meal“). The right food may help eliminate problems with allergies, intestinal problems, obesity, diabetes and other food-related diseases.

• Healthy treats — Like the food, Halo’s treats are also made with the highest quality natural ingredients and lack artificial ingredients or additives. Both the Liv-a-Littles Protein Treats and the Healthsome Baked Treats are low in calories and each package is labeled with daily recommendations to avoid “over-treating” which can lead to problems with weight gain and obesity. Read my articles on Smart Treating for cats and dogs.

• Supplements — While Halo foods are well-balanced for achieving optimal health, daily supplements may be something to consider. If you have one pet that challenges another for food, or a pet with a picky or poor appetite, these pets may not be receiving adequate nutrients. Supplements act as a daily nutrient insurance policy that each of your pets is getting everything he or she requires every day. Even if a pet is eating a high quality diet in adequate amounts, the additional nutrients coming from supplements may benefit many age-related conditions. For example, supplemental fatty acids may improve skin suppleness and minimize itchiness and shedding. Vitamin B may help counter fatigue and improve appetite and vitamin C enhances immune function.

We at Halo would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Frank Pavich, Janet Puhalovic and their family for the lost of their beloved pet of 24 years, Uncle ChiChi, thought to be the world’s oldest dog. Frank and Janet shared this letter on ChiChi’s Facebook page:

Dear friends,

With love,
Frank & Janet

We would like to give thanks and appreciation to Frank and Janet for sharing their story with us and allowing Halo to be a part of Uncle ChiChi’s life.

You can read more about Uncle ChiChi on the New York Times and here on our blog: “World Oldest Dog Eats Halo” and “World’s Oldest Dog’s Secret? Halo Spot’s Stew!“.

Watch this video clip of Uncle ChiChi with Frank:

Bus riders in Bridport, Dorset England often have an unusual companion on their way to and from work each day – an adventurous, 15-year-old cat named Artful Dodger.

Dodger, a beautiful orange tabby, regularly boards the bus at the stop near his house and takes a 10-mile round trip, much to the amusement of the bus passengers and drivers. Sometimes, Dodger even hops on a lucky rider’s lap for a cuddle.

The bus drivers and regular passengers know Dodger, and always make sure he gets off at his stop at the end of each journey. Some passengers even bring Dodger food and treats each day.

Click here to read the complete story.