Preventive Healthcare for Pets

Health care in the US is a real hot-button topic these days, but one thing is for certain... preventive care saves lives ... human or canine!

I'm proud to say that I have never missed an annual checkup with any of the Lapdogs.  After all, annual checkups are just as essential as food and love!  I find it absurd that a pet parent would even think of skipping one to save a few bucks or because they're too busy.  Preventive health care helps to ensure your pet leads the happiest, healthiest life possible.

If you've been a follower for awhile, you know that we have been dealing with a variety of health issues within the Lapdog pack as they age (still can't believe all four of my babies are now considered seniors... how did that happen?).  And, sure, several of these issues were not preventable, but so many are. 

We first discovered Zeus' elevated liver levels as during his annual checkup in 2012.  If we hadn't have run his blood work back then and found out, who knows what could have happened.  As a result of this simple preventive measure, we discovered his elevated levels early on, which lead to a few different tests to rule out causes such as Cushing's Disease.  After all was said and done, we never got a clear-cut answer as to why his liver levels were elevated, but we did start him on supplements which not only brought the levels done, but have kept them in check for well over 2 years now.

While the majority of my pet parent friends are responsible, loving pet owners who never miss an annual exam (in fact, many actually visit their vets for semi-annual or even quarterly exams due to their pet's age or health issues), there are so many folks out there who think if their pet is acting normal, they don't need to "bother" with an annual vet visit.  I've heard some people say they're saving money or just don't have the time.... REALLY?  And, yes, I do realize that many of those folks do indeed love their pets.  Perhaps they just have not been educated on the benefits of preventive health care for their fur-kids.  I hope that my post will aid in the education efforts... even if I reach just one of those pet parents, it's all worth it.

While annual vet exams are the first and foremost in preventive health care for our pets, there are several other steps you can take to ensure your dog or cat's healthy lifestyle.

• Vaccinations offer the best protection for many diseases.  
• Monthly heartworm preventative protects your pet from possibly deadly internal parasites.
• Proper nutrition and regular exercise will help your pet maintain a healthy weight and conditioned body.
• Routine grooming gives you a chance to notice anything unusual about your pets' coat - perhaps dry skin, or even ticks. 

Bottom line, if your pet hasn't had an annual check-up for over a year, please call your vet and schedule one today! 

Is Your Dog The #BestDogEver + Merrick Dog Food Giveaway

I hope everyone reading this exclaimed "Yes!" Not to brag or anything (well, maybe just a little), but I don't just have the best dog ever, I have four of them!  It's no wonder we were chosen to be a part of the Merrick #BestDogEver campaign, right?  

All kidding aside, we all know that every dog is the Best Dog Ever and they all deserve the best toys, treats, beds, and, of course, food.  The folks over at Merrick couldn't agree more. 

"At Merrick, we don't just make pet food.  We make the Best Food Ever.  For the Best Pet Ever. Yours."

I'm sure most of you have heard of, and many of you have tried, Merrick pet foods, but I bet you didn't know just how many high quality products they produce.  Fact is, Merrick has 125 dog food, cat food, and pet treat recipes!  (Did you all just say WOW with me?)  And, each one is specifically formulated to provide your pet with the best, most nutritious food they can get.

As part of the campaign, I got to choose some of Merrick's dog food for the Lapdogs to try.  I decided to focus on just one of my best dogs for this review and picked the Grain Free Real Buffalo & Sweet Potato recipe for Zeus.  Deboned buffalo is the first ingredient, helping to build and maintain lean, healthy muscle tissue.  Fresh produce such as sweet potatoes, peas, apples and blueberries are added to offer the benefit of sustained energy without upsetting grain-sensitive stomachs.

Zeus is a huge fan of the Buffalo & Sweet Potato recipe, as am I!  My big guy has mega esophagus, so in addition to getting the best nutrition possible for him, I also have to be very aware of the size of the kibble.  Merrick's all life stages kibble is a great size for him.

Zeus was one lucky boy and also got to try Merrick's Senior Medley canned food.  While he loves his Buffalo & Sweet Potato kibble, he loves this canned food!  We have always mixed in some high-quality canned food with all of our dogs' kibble, but have recently begun cutting back on the amount of kibble and adding more canned to Zeus' diet (we're now at a rough 50/50 mix).  Sure, all dogs love canned food... but this Senior Medley is like doggy crack!  Zeus can't get enough and his brother and sisters have been begging for him to share.  I guess it's the delish mixture of chicken, turkey, peas, carrots, potatoes and apples that's got them drooling!

As a dog Mom who's always looking for the best nutrition for my fur-kids, Merrick is a true stand out!  Not only is it grain free and natural, this high protein dog food is Made in the USA -- the most important thing to me when deciding whether or not to feed something to my babies!  I love that Merrick uses locally sourced and farm fresh ingredients.  Not only does it ensure the highest quality, it also helps support the local farmers. 

It's no secret that dogs thrive when fed quality protein and healthy fats - both of which are found in Merrick's natural recipes.  Now, how would you like to win a year's supply of dog food ($600 value)?!?!  Giveaway is open to US residents aged 18 and over.  Just follow the steps in the Rafflecopter below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out Merrick's Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram, and tell them why your dog is the #BestDogEver!

This post is sponsored by Merrick and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Merrick Pet Care and their Best Dog Ever Campaign, but Lapdog Creations only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Merrick Pet Care, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.

REVIEW: Fulcrum Gallery Animal Framed Wall Art

Fulcrum Gallery Animal Framed Wall Art

Where to Find: FulcrumGallery.com

 

I was recently asked to review an animal related print from Fulcrum Gallery - and of course I said yes!  

My first thought upon visiting the Fulcrum Gallery website can be summed up in one word... wow.  The options seem endless, even in the animal category that I was given to chose from.  Whether you're looking for some domesticated cuteness or exotic wildlife, you're sure to find something to fill that blank space on your wall.

After hours of perusing and procrastinating, I chose "Mark Stewart Dog Nap" pictured above.  Choosing the print I wanted was the most time consuming part for me - did I mention the endless choices?

Once you've settled on a print, you then have the option to order it as is or to have Fulcrum Gallery frame it for you.  If you chose to have them frame it, you then have several options which really allow you to completely customize your new piece of artwork.  

• Step 1: Decide whether to crop the print to the image or not.  I opted to have it cropped, which removed the white border per-built into the print.

• Step 2: Pick out a frame.  I chose Walnut Petite Rounded.  

• Step 3: Choose from 1, 2 or 3 mats for your print.  I opted for a single mat in the color Serene Cream.

The entire process was very easy and each time you click on a frame or mat option, the image on your screen changes instantly, allowing you to see exactly how the combination looks.  I really loved this!

Once you've completed all of the steps, the only thing left to do is check out and wait for your new artwork to show up on your doorstep!  Because Fulcrum Gallery frames each and every order themselves, it can take up to 1 week from order date for your prints to ship and then shipping times vary by your location.  I received my print just about 2 weeks after placing my order.  The packaging was remarkable - my print was well protected and very secure.  It arrived flawless and ready for hanging - and it's just gorgeous!

I highly recommend Fulcrum Gallery if you're looking for new artwork!  While I chose a very serene sleeping Lab print, if you're a lab fan check out the fun and whimsical Labrador Retriever wall art.  I'm still eying that Labrador Coffee Co. print, as well as the Home is Where My Dog Is one.... among many others! 

Disclosure: Fulcrum Gallery sent one framed print to Lapdog Creations, free of charge for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are my own.

Black & White Sunday: Happy Hounds

First of all, we want to send out a huge thank you to all those who serve, or have served, to protect this great land of ours... and to their families who make sacrifices at home!! 

With that said, the hounds hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend... Sophie says have an extra burger for her, Tut says make sure you drop some for him...



REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Petbrosia

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

 

Petbrosia Custom Blend Dog Food

Where to Find: Petbrosia.com

As a concerned pet parent of 4, I'm always reading dog food labels, comparing them over and over again, as I try to find the best nutrition possible for my furkids - and my wallet.  Each of my dogs has different dietary needs - whether it be due to allergies, age, activity level or even size of the actual kibble - so finding a "one size fits all" kibble can be tough...

Every pet is unique. Their food should be too. - Petbrosia

Enter Petbrosia, home of custom blended dog food.  When they approached me to do a review of their product, I immediately said yes. 

Petbrosia was developed, like most innovative dog products these days, out of a need for something different for the creators' own pets.  You can read their story here.  They use  veterinarian and nutritionist designed algorithms to understand your pet’s unique nutritional needs. Users answer a few questions about their pet - breed, age, weight, energy level, allergies, and other health concerns - and Petbrosia works their magic to identify your pet’s key nutritional needs.

When it comes to actual ingredients, Petbrosia uses "only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients, grown and raised by farmers across America, and carefully selected for your pet’s individual needs."  This includes superior proteins, premium fruits and vegetables, quality carbohydrates, Petbrosia's own mineral blend, vitamins and supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin, probiotic extracts, and essential fats and oils.

After some consideration, I felt Teutul would be my best test subject for a custom blend and I proceeded to fill out his Pet Profile on their website.  It was fairly simple and not at all time consuming.  Just a few days later, a box showed up on my doorstep, along with a print out of Teutul's Custom Blend information inside.  The information sheet includes everything you'd see on a regular dog food bag, including ingredients, content (fat, fiber, protein, calorie, etc.), as well as Tut's custom feeding instructions. 

The first thing I noticed about Petbrosia's food was how tiny the kibbles were.  This is a bonus for those of us with dogs who have this special need (or tiny furkids). The second thing I noticed was how interested Tut was in his special blend!  He sure seems to love it. 

While I do think Petbrosia is a fantastic idea, especially for those dogs who can't eat just any 'ole dog food, I have to say that at this stage, their options are still very limited.  I was disappointed when I found out that the only protein available when we ordered was chicken.  While that's okay (still not preferred) for Tut, I realize it's a big no-no for many dogs.  The good thing is I hear they are adding a fish protein very soon.  But... that still only leaves 2 protein options.  For a truly customizable dog food, I would like to see at least 4 or 5 proteins offered.

Then there's the price to think about.  Again, for those of us with special dietary needs, we already know and are more than willing to spend extra.  Petbrosia custom blends range from $2.99 - $4.98 per pound, depending on how much you buy.  Shipping is about $4.95 - $9.90, however if you sign up for their Gold Club (automatic delivery schedule), you'll receive free shipping on 5, 10 or 20 pound boxes.

Petbrosia does have amazing customer service!  They make sure to send you several e-mails to remind you the best way to switch your dog over to their food, and to check in to see how things going.  I also received a couple of phone calls, but I'll admit - I didn't answer the call or call them back.  The messages left were to check in to see if I had any questions, see how Tut liked his food, etc. 

GIVEAWAY TIME!
How would you like to try a Petbrosia custom blend for your dog?  We are very excited that we get to share the chance with all of you! 

To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us why you want to win.  Be sure you include a means to contact you, such as your email address. 

• One lucky reader will win a 3 pound box of your pet's own custom blend
• Winner will be chosen by random number generator on Thursday, May 29th
• Winner must live in the continental United States.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Wednesday... let's get wordless!

 

Black & White Sunday: That Belly

Happy Sunday!  I'm happy to say that Lola seems to be doing much better.  We started a second round of antibiotics (two different ones) and have put her on the same liver supplements that Zeus gets (samE and milk thistle) to see if that helps.  We have an appointment with Dr. C to retest her blood on Tuesday.  Please keep those paws crossed that we see improvements in her liver levels and red blood counts.

And, yes, she's still a little self cautious of that shaved belly.  In case you missed it...

Redefine Your Love with #HillsPets

As with many of my fellow pet parents, my fur-kids are my children.  They are my family and I'm not afraid to say, I love them more than most people.  I like to shower them with love as much as possible... cuddle time, play time, scratches, hugs, kisses, and yes, extra treats.  After all, for many of us, it's in our genes to associate love with food, right?  It can't be a bad thing...  

That is, until you end up with a "pleasantly plump" overweight dog or cat on your hands.  We want to shower our pets with so much love, that more often than not, the inevitable happens.  That "love" leads to excessive weight gain that can, over time, lead to a variety of health issues.

I'll admit, we've always given our dogs table scraps and let them conduct the "pre-wash" cycle.  That is, until we ran into a mega-esophagus issue with Zeus.  Since his food intake is more restricted, we've cut out the table scraps and over abundance of treats for all of our dogs (after all, you can't give to one and not all four).  While none of our dogs had a real need to loose weight, the benefits have been noticeable and I have been learning there are so many other ways to shower them with love. 

For many other pets, however, a diet is inevitable to aid in weight loss.  Is your dog carrying a few too many extra pounds?  Perhaps he's a little thicker around the middle?  Don't worry... you're not alone.  It's not easy to admit, especially if we think it's our fault and due to all that extra love we give them.

Even once we have admitted the problem, many pet parents are afraid to ask their vet for help.  They feel as though it will only lead to having to deprive their dog of love, and food.  Well, what would you say if there is an easy and effective way for your pet to lose the weight she needs to, while you still get to shower her with love?

Ask your vet about about Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution!  This special formula works by activating your pet's metabolism to regulate appetite and burn fat.  You will not have to deprive your pet of your love.  With Hill's, it's not about withholding love, its' about redefining love.  It's easy to embrace feeding a food that is beneficial to your pet, while still providing all the love that you always have - without the empty calories and extra pounds!

So... is your dog or cat looking a little pudgy these days?  Here's where the Lapdogs and I get to Pay-It-Forward and boy, do we love doing that!

In order to get Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Advanced Weight Solution for your dog or cat, you will have to visit your vet.  To help with that cost, Hill's is offering a $25 Wellness Visit Rebate, plus a $25 Rebate on this prescription food!   

That's an easy $50 put back into your pocket after taking the first step to a healthier, leaner pet! Claim yours now by clicking here!  Please be sure to type "Lapdog Creations blog" in the box at the bottom where it asks how you heard about this rebate.

Feel free to share the rebate information with your friends, family and co-workers who may have overweight dogs or cats.  And, let's all take the pledge to redefine love for our pets.

Extraordinary nutrition plus redefined love equals

YOUR PET AT THEIR VERY BEST!

This post is sponsored by Hill’s and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but Lapdog Creations only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this article.
 

Wordless Wednesday: What Next?

Well, it's Wednesday... and although there's a lot of stuff going on around here (2 dogs under-the-weather, car repairs, hectic race schedule...), let's get wordless....

Monday Mischief: A Bit of a Health Scare

Happy Monday.  We hope everyone had a wonderful Mommy's day.  I spent mine in a bit of a different manner than originally planned... (beware, semi-long story ahead, but maybe our story can be of help to others).

It all started just over a week ago, when Lola vomited in the middle of the night on the weekend.  It seemed like a little bug or upset tummy, as although she seemed a tad under the weather, it was a one-time thing and she was eating fine the next day.  Then, it happened again on Wednesday.  I got home from work and a couple hours later, she threw up her breakfast.  Thursday morning she had little interest in eating her regular food, and I made an appointment with our awesome vet.

Thursday evening we headed off to see Dr. C and while Lola seemed a bit under the weather, she sure was happy to go for a R-I-D-E. 

Dr. C thought she seemed a little quieter than usual, but was not too concerned.  Lola was not dehydrated at all, her abdomen felt good (i.e. no obvious obstructions, which was one of my initial fears), and her overall exam went well.  She felt as though it may just be a little gastro thing going on, and decided to try a bland diet, Pepcid and a course of antibiotics.  To be sure, she opted for a full panel blood work-up, along with a pancreatic test.

 

Unfortunately, our vet was leaving for a week vacation the next day.  She spoke with another vet on staff who was somewhat familiar with Lola's autoimmune issue, and asked her to call us with the blood work results and go from there.  

Friday came and went, no call.  I checked at the end of the day, but the results weren't back yet.  Saturday, I was getting ready to head to the race track and she called.... and it was not at all what I expected to here.  There were quite a few changes in Lola's blood since August.  The vet told us she was positive for pancreatitis, her liver levels were elevated, and what scared me the most, her red blood cell levels were below normal.  Normal range is 38-56 and my baby girl was at 34.  While I was trying to scribble down all these words and numbers, she uttered the words non-regenerative anemia. What?  My baby has is anemic?  What does this mean??  

Then... she started talking about possible causes of the non-regenerative anemia.  Could be from her 16-months on prednisone.  Could be anemia of chronic disease.  Could be a tumor on her spleen.  Then my heart sank.  And, if it is a tumor on the spleen causing the bleeding, it could potentially burst and she could bleed out in her abdomen.  My baby could die before we realized how bad it was.

Our next step was to do an abdominal ultrasound.  The specialist who performs these at our vet's office comes on Wednesdays.  That was 4 days away... and, because they never know when he'll actually show up, you have to drop your dog off first thing in the morning and let them sit there all day... waiting.  Zeus had one a couple years ago when we first started chasing the cause of his elevated liver levels and instead of dropping him off, I opted to hang out in the parking lot with him for hours... waiting (I'm sorry, but if you are working at a particular vet's office once per week, couldn't you at least set a schedule and follow it?). Instead, we decided to make an appointment (with referral) at a big vet hospital (complete with every type of specialist you could imagine, plus they're open 24 hours a day) for Sunday afternoon.  It's only 35 minutes away, so it made perfect sense to take her there. 

Sure, I spent most of Saturday at the race track, trying not to worry and to think positive thoughts.  And, yes, I asked for crossed paws all over social media.  Well, I think it worked...

The staff at the big vet hospital were all amazing.  Everyone was very friendly and the atmosphere overall was wonderful.  First we met with the vet tech who asked lots of questions, then she took Lola off to have her belly shaved (oh, the horror!) and get her ultrasound.  I think this is where I got most nervous... the thoughts running through my head for the past 24-hours began to pile up.  I was sure they were going to come rushing in telling us she had this big tumor on her spleen and needed emergency surgery to remove it.  

Thank you to all those who crossed their paws, fingers, toes and anything else!

The doctor who did the ultrasound found no tumors!  He did find that her liver was moderately enlarged, and her spleen was somewhat enlarged... but he did not see any tumors!  There were a couple other issues... a small adrenal gland (which could be from her prednisone), a thicker than usual wall of another organ (forgive me, I don't have the report in front of me and can't remember all the specifics off the top of my head)... but nothing major.  And, he did not see any signs of pancreatitis, which the other vet at our regular office was sure she had.  He couldn't attribute the enlarged liver to anything specific... could be something to do with her autoimmune disease, could be prednisone related, could be an infection, etc.  He suggested we meet with an internal specialist after talking with our vet.

As you may know, we've been dealing with Zeus' elevated liver levels for over 2 years now.  If that's what we're looking at, I'm happy.  I'm still a bit worried about the low red blood count, but looking forward to developing a plan for our next step with our vet when she returns from vacation.  I suspect she may have us meet with an internal specialist at the big vet hospital to get some further insight (we'd discussed this a couple of times in the past regarding Lola's autoimmune disease).  But for now, I can breathe much easier again and I think my heart has finally stopped pounding out of my chest.  

Lola may be a little ashamed of her shaved belly, but I'm pretty sure she thinks it was all worth it for another car R-I-D-E yesterday.  She even gave the ultrasound doctor a kiss before we left.

Black & White Sunday: Mommy's Day

Happy kick-back-and-relax Sunday!  We'd like to wish all of the Moms - of both 2 and 4 legged kids - a very Happy Mother's Day!  The Lapdogs send an extra special Woof out to their Grammy and Gramma-Sue.

PREVIEW: ScoreBig

Who doesn't love a deal?  Who doesn't loving scoring an item - perhaps tickets to a playoff game or the biggest concert tour of the summer - at a discounted price?

Introducing ScoreBig, where you can save on sports, concert and theater tickets - without any added fees or shipping charges!

ScoreBig.com is open 24 hours a day and is easy to use...

• You simply log on and either browse by event type, date, or location; or just type the event name in the search box.

• Once you've found your event, select the number of tickets you need and the seating area you prefer.  This is the one thing that can be tricky for some people.  ScoreBig does not allow you to choose specific seats, only an area of the venue.  They do guarantee that no matter how many tickets you buy, they will be together in the same row, next to each other - no back to back seats, or strangers sitting in between.

• There are 2 options for purchasing - either at a fixed price or by making an offer.  However, both options are not available on all events. 

I have been trying to score some seats through ScoreBig for a couple of weeks now, however have not made a purchase yet.  The events I've been looking at have only had the "Make An Offer" option available - so far, my offers have not been accepted.  Once I have made a purchase, I will then post my review of the ScoreBig process, from start to finish...  stay tuned!  In the meantime, take a look and see if you can ScoreBig!

Paws, Cars, Stitches and a Little Origami?

I'd start off by saying Happy Wednesday, but it's a rather blah morning after the Bruins loss last night in Montreal.... but, at least the sun in shining.  Let's get wordless.

 

Party On!

Excuse the post on the fly today (complete with some fun flash-back photos), but we hope you all have a fun - and safe - Cinco de Mayo!  

Zeus reminds you all to drink responsibly, and don't be that guy who ends up with an olive on his head...

Sophie wants you to remember to stay hydrated with a few tall glasses of good 'ole H20 in between those fun drinks...

Lola thinks you should make sure you dress for the occasion; the more festive, the better...

And, last but not least, Tut says it's perfectly okay to be lazy 'ole folks who stay in tonight, like us...