Question: Can cats eat Halo dog food?

Answer: Although your cat getting a nibble of Halo dog food from time to time isn’t bad (our dog foods are supplemented with taurine), I definitely don’t recommend routinely feeding them food formulated for dogs. Cats (as strict carnivores) require higher levels of protein and fat than dogs and Halo foods are designed accordingly. Halo dog food just doesn’t have the right balance for cats to reach their optimal health level.

Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Question: My 7 year old Russian Blue, Suzi, has sneezing fits that really knock her for a loop. This has been going on for about 6 months or so…we had her to the vets and he gave her clavamox for a URI. She seemed better for a while and it started all over. I use to use a corn based litter and changed to a clay base…thought that may have something to do with it, so I have now gone back to the corn based litter. She is having smaller episodes…but when she does have them…she will have white “snots” that come out from her nose. Last night when I was holding her I could hear that she was “stuffy”…but she didn’t have any sneezing fits. Could she be asthmatic?

Answer: Sorry to hear that Suzi is so congested. What you are describing (congestion, snots, sneezing) are not signs of asthma, but of rhinitis. Rhinitis is inflammation in the nasal passages and can be caused by many things: allergies, infection (cryptococcus, viruses, etc), benign polyps, cancer (lymphoma) are the most common things. Antibiotics often appear to work for a short time because the nose is filled with bacteria and the medication cuts the numbers, however, rarely is the real problem a true bacterial infection. The most common (and most frustrating) is allergic rhinitis (which is similar to hayfever or other nasal allergies in people) and is a problem cats often have to deal with periodically throughout the year. A thorough workup includes checking Suzi for the things I listed above and doing a nasal scope with biopsy. Ask your veterinarian what the next steps would be for Suzi.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Question: I have a 10 month old Siamese male kitten that all of a sudden does not want to use the toilet to urinate. He also seems like he has a hard time pooping, he strains. I feed him Eagle Pack Holistic Select Chicken formula for Cats and Kittens. One of my students recommended Halo chicken dry food for indoor cats. I tried wet food but he does not like it much. He seems like he is drinking enough water though the day. Any suggestions?

Answer: Thanks for writing in. The reason your cat may not want to use the litterbox to urinate may be one of a few reasons. Many cats that experience painful defecation or constipation will shy away from the box for urination as well because they recall it as a “bad” or painful place. The Halo dry food can be an excellent choice for pets with constipation as it contains fiber-rich vegetables, prebiotics and probiotics to support intestinal health. See my article about natural remedies for constipation in cats, Natural Remedies for Constipation.

The other very common urinary ailment of cats is a condition called interstitial cystitis. This is a sterile inflammation of the bladder that causes pain and avoidance of the litter box. Increasing water intake (try fountain waterers, etc) and enriching their home environment (see www.indoorcat.org) can help with the condition dramatically. You should see your veterinarian to make sure he doesn’t have issues like stones or other bladder problems.

Good luck.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Question: Why does my dog have so much gas? She is eating a high-quality supermarket brand of food and seems healthy…but phew, that smell!! Can Halo help?

Answer: Gas production is a natural part of the digestive process (and some dogs produce a lot more than others!) but excess gas can also indicate intestinal trouble or point toward an inferior diet.

Try feeding a high-quality diet and follow my tips on getting rid of gas. If your dog is still having a problem, consult your veterinarian as there may be something else going on. Good luck!

How Halo may benefit dogs with gas:

• Halo is made with high quality whole meat proteins. The digestibility of these proteins is much higher than rendered meat or meat meals (like chicken meal) and dogs will produce less gas.
• Halo contains no rice or corn or excess amounts of carbohydrates that frequently cause gas.
• Halo promotes intestinal health by choosing fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains.
• Halo has no artificial dyes or colorings. Some dogs have bad digestive and/or allergic reactions to these additives found in commercial dog foods.
• Halo includes prebiotics and probiotics in the dry food. This is a natural way to cut down “bad” bacterial populations in the intestine which are the gas producers.

Tips to decrease gas:

• Slow down how fast your dog eats…fast eaters gulp a lot of air and produce a lot of gas.
• Feed your dog from elevated bowls. This way they swallow less air and produce less gas.
• Exercise your dog after meals to aid digestion and works out the gas while outdoors!
• Limit your dog’s intake of certain foods such as fatty or spicy foods and gas-producing vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and green peppers.

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Question: I read the e-mail (blog) about spots stew… and can’t help but keep thinking about fleas and chemicals, and their side effects on everyone around them..

I’ve been wondering for some time how food could be a way to help prevent fleas on my cats.. what food, how much.. and why it works.. I’ve tried several things so far. with little success.. a few of the cats enjoy the spicy foods strangely.. what should I be looking for? how do I prepare it? I would love to not have to use chemicals.. it’s hard enough to get them a bath in just water and mild soaps.. but as soon as they smell the flea treatments.. its one heck of a fight…they don’t like it, and i don’t want to feel forced to put it on them..the fatigue and loss of appetite afterwards also concerns me…

Answer: You may find several references about the addition of Brewer’s Yeast or garlic into pet’s food to naturally repel fleas and insects….but these things do not consistently work for every pet.

The safest adult flea control for your cats is daily flea combing. Look into environmental treatment options that include borate powder as a more “natural” alternative to pesticides.

Also boosting your cat’s natural immunity with the use of a high-quality natural diet and daily vitamin-mineral supplement is recommended. Consider a product like Halo’s Herbal Dip as a natural alternative to chemical dips –you can apply it on their collars or use it as a spray on bedding or even in their shampoo.

Hope this helps.
Dr. Donna Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.