If you’re considering cooking that perfect Thanksgiving feast for your dog or cat, make sure they’re getting good nutrition from the right ingredients. How about making them Halo Spot’s Stew, Thanksgiving-style?

Halo’s always given out its most famous recipe as a gift to those noble souls who cook for their pets. The original Halo Spot’s Stew calls for chicken (see the link below). But turkey and chicken have very similar protein, fat and calorie content. So they are interchangeable! So if you have some extra (or leftover) turkey, try substituting turkey for chicken in the recipe below. And Happy Thanksgiving!

Click here for the Original Halo Spot’s Stew recipe, and don’t be afraid to substitute turkey!

PetMD blogger Rick Tamargo kicked off the fanciful account of his yellow Lab Gordi’s transition to Halo with week 1 of an 8-part series with “Halo…Haute Cuisine Without the Guilt.” While fictionalized, the series is based on real-life Gordi’s actual transition to Halo Spot’s Stew (wet and dry mixed), treats, supplements and grooming products – all supervised by Dr. Donna Spector.

Told from Gordi’s perspective, Week 1 begins with the 8-year old “former paw model” reflecting:

“I started off this week feeling like I was going to burst with energy. It may just be my imagination, but I think I’ve lost an ounce or two since starting Halo last week. I’ve even started to notice some of the boys sniffing in my direction as I pass by.”

Click to read on!

If you missed the intro post, it’s here.

Q: How do I transition my dog or cat to a new food?

A: Most pets require 7-10 days to adjust to a new food because their intestinal tracts contain unique bacteria and enzymes that need to adapt to the proper digestion of a new food. It is recommended that dogs and cats eat a combination of dry and canned food every day. Their bodies are made of 75% water and they rarely drink enough water to support excellent hydration and organ function. I recommend that 25 to 50% of their daily calories come from canned food. You can feed it all at one time during the day or break it up into 2 meals…whatever is easiest for you.

Follow these guidelines for either dry, canned or preferably a combination of Halo food*:

Click here to read complete article.

Pig ears and beef hooves manufactured by Pet Carousel may be contaminated with Salmonella and should be avoided until further notice.

Keep current on human and pet food safety, food recalls, tips on how to handle food safely and news from governmental food regulatory agencies at Foodsafety.gov. This recently launched consumer website allows you to receive e-mail and RSS alerts on recalled or potentially unsafe food–for the health of your entire family!

2009 H1N1 Confirmed in an Iowa Cat

A 13 year old cat developed lethargy, decreased appetite and trouble breathing after several human members of its family became ill with H1N1 flu. Yesterday it was confirmed as the first case of H1N1 flu in a cat and the cat is recovering. To date, there is no indication that this cat passed the virus to any people.

In addition to people, at this point in the United States, 2009 H1N1 has been documented in pigs, two ferrets, and now one cat. Based on evidence available at this time, all infections were spread from people to these animals. It is unknown if pets can spread the infection to people. The USDA has begun posting documented infection in domestic animals at FINAL RESULTS 2009 PANDEMIC H1N1 INFLUENZA CHART.

Other influenza viruses have been known to cross species and all pet owners should take the same hygiene precautions against spreading H1N1 flu to pets as they would with humans. In addition, pets should be monitored for any signs of illness and a veterinarian should be contacted immediately if you have concerns. There is no H1N1 flu vaccine available for pets at this time.