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.

Dandruff may simply be caused by dry, poorly hydrated skin. Make sure your pet gets enough water by adding canned food to his/her diet and encourage water drinking throughout the day.

Dandruff can also be an adverse reaction to a poor quality diet or even indicate a dietary deficiency of essential fatty acids.

Choosing a high quality natural diet and an excellent fatty acid supplement can help moisturize your pet’s skin and minimize flakiness.

Check out this article on dry scaly skin and ask your veterinarian about other natural remedies to help your pet.

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.

Please avoid fatty foods and treats – they only lead to digestive trouble. Even though you may feel tempted to have your dog share in the bounty from your kitchen, please don’t include anything too rich or fatty.

Some of the items that do not belong in your dog’s mouth are poultry skin, bacon, and baked goods full of butter and sugar and fried foods. None of these do a dog any good and in fact just the opposite – they may upset his digestive tract and can even lead to serious illness if there is an ongoing fat-rich diet.

Thanksgiving and other holidays are a great example of the dinner table offering temptation to share – but turkey gravy; skin and even sometimes the meat (if it’s been basted in butter or oil) can set off a big tummy upset. Even though you may want your dog to join in the festivities when you have company and lots of extra food, don’t think you’re doing him any favor by feeding him rich foods.

Foods that are high in fat can cause a dog to throw up or get diarrhea – no fun for him or for you! And there’s the more serious problem that in some dogs, over-indulging in fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, which can require hospitalization and can even be fatal.

Tip of the day: you can make your dog just as happy – and much healthier – by offering a Halo Liv-a-Little in any of the delicious flavors of lean, pure protein. Not only are you eliminating any fat in that treat, but Liv-a-Littles are pure dehydrated chicken, salmon or beef so they have absolutely no carbohydrates, which we want to keep low in our dogs’ diets.

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

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.