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6 Must-Haves for the Dog Parent

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We started this blog 4-years ago and since then I have been posting quite a bit on Canine health. It's a lot of information! This week, I decided I would consolidate some of the information into 6 "must-haves" for every dog parent. These are things that you should have in your pantry that can help not only your dog, but you as well. It's a win-win situation when two-legged family members and four-legged can share the same health benefits of a product! I have numbered them, but the list is not in numerical importance. Plus, I will have each item connected to a link. This link will give you more information on that specific item if you would like to learn more. Some of these items have a whole plethora of health benefits! Here they are: Organic Raw Honey can help with wound recovery, digestions, immune support, allergies and skin issues. Plus it tastes really good and has an abundance of vitamins, minerals, is anti-microbial, anti-fungal.... you get the point. ...

Kennel Cough

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It seems that an outbreak of Kennel Cough has hit the Bozeman, MT area and has dog owners (and daycares) in quite the panic. Kennel cough is often called "Bordetalla" after the bacteria Bordetalla bronciseptica , which dogs can get vaccinated. BUT Kennel Cough, aka infectious tracheobronchitis , is actually a term for an infection in the trachea and bronchial tubes that can be caused by bacteria or virus. This infection is highly contagious and has an incubation period of about 5-10 days after exposure. It usually diminishes after the first 5 days, but can linger for up to 10-20 days. Infected dogs can remain contagious for up to 14 weeks even after symptoms disappear. The classic symptom of Kennel Cough is a forceful, persistent cough. Infected dogs may also exhibit sneezing, runny nose and eye discharge. Luckily, here at Bark City, we have not had any cases of Kennel Cough in our daycare . We would like to keep it that way! In order to try our very best, we have taken...

Stinging Nettle for Canines

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I am really excited for this upcoming spring because I will be growing a weed in my garden! Not just any weed, but Stinging Nettles to be exact. I have been doing some extensive research on this plant and I think it will be beneficial not only to my dog, but also to my family and myself. Stinging nettle is famous in the herbal world as a natural anti-histamine as well as an anti-inflammatory. This means, it can not only help the seasonal allergies that run rampant in my family (two-legged and four-legged members), but it will also help my arthritis. But, that is not all.... Stinging Nettle is also considered to be one of those "super foods". It contains: That is a lot of stuff. For harvesting Stinging Nettle, it is recommended that you wear gloves, long pants and cut them with scissors, because of the stinging part (which is on the underside of the leaves). BUT, some people purposely sting themselves to help with joint pain. There are two phases of harvesting that sh...

Essential Oil Safety For Pets

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The other day, my neighbor came over with a catalog and a basket of essential oils. The aroma in my house soon turned into a wondrous rainbow of smells and it honestly helped the cold congestion everyone in my house had been feeling for the last week. While the aromas lingered in my household, it got me thinking about essential oils for pets. EO's have been around for a long time and lately their popularity is becoming mainstream. We all want something a little more natural.... a simpler way of doing things in our life. And let's face it, we all wonder sometimes if we really need all those tests our vet is pinning onto our bill (I still don't have the answer to that.) We love our pets. They are part of our family and we want the very best for them... Which is a happy, HEALTHY life. But are EO's safe for pets? I immediately started researching the topic and was surprised by results. For dogs and horses, there is a wide array of articles on how to use essential oils...