One of the most common questions a veterinarian will hear is “How will I know when it’s time to say goodbye?” This may be one of the most difficult questions you will ever have to ask your vet and it is certainly one of our most challenging ones to answer. There is no simple answer to this question, but rather a start to a conversation.

Our pets, by nature, have a shorter life expectancy than we do. They also, by nature, do not think about or fear death the way we do. They are too busy living. Animals experience life in the present moment. They sense what is going on in and around them in “real-time” and they are keenly sensitive to the moods, behaviors and emotional states of people, especially the people they love. So if you are suffering with thoughts of losing them, fearing the future, or worried about what to do, they will sense it and suffer right along with you, magnifying their dis-ease. When we pause to consider this time from our pets’ perspective, another more empowering question to ask might be, “How do I want my beloved pet to experience this time we have left together?” What would they want?

Unfortunately, we won’t always have the privileged of even asking these questions, and some will leave us before we’ve had the chance to say goodbye. But when we do have this chance, and we remember a simple truth that all life is transient, imagine this time you have left to share with each other as a gift, an opportunity to express your love and appreciation for them. They will sense it. Feeling your genuine love and gratitude will be the bridge you both need to ease the uncertainty of this time. This sense of love and gratitude will also ease in their transition, because when you are fully present with them, they are too. Then, when they are ready to leave the discomfort of their physical form, while remaining forever in your heart, you will know. They will tell you; just trust yourself to quiet your thoughts and listen with your heart.

Your veterinarian can assist you during this time by providing you with medical information about your pet that can help you understand what to expect. Ask your vet, and share how you are feeling, including what is contributing to any emotional conflicts that you may be experiencing. Remember, though, just like in any healing profession, individual veterinarians will have different capabilities and comfort in dealing with their client’s emotional needs. Your vet may be able to meet those needs, but if not, seek out other resources. New and growing areas in veterinary medicine include emotional support coaching for making difficult decisions and palliative-hospice care for in home management of pets as they approach their end of life. If this is something you are interested in, speak with your veterinarian to see if these are services they might offer or refer you for. Because ultimately, it’s about being present for your pet and remembering that when you love them in the moment, that is their experience too.

PET FOOD MARKET

The pet food market was valued at USD 74.9 billion in 2016. North America accounted for the largest share of over 35% of the global market in 2016. The second largest market is Europe, followed by Asia-Pacific with around 20% of the market share, thus, accelerating the trend of pet owners across the globe. In North America, the United States holds the major market share of pets and pet owners, which is expected to register a high CAGR, during 2017-2022 (the forecast period).

TASTES FOR NEW EXPERIENCES AND PORTIONS AS INDULGENCE ALIBI

Flavors and textures are becoming bolder, more complex, authentic, and specific. The correlation of pet food and the modern formats blending freeze-dried bits, with kibble or treats, for texture variations, is making pet owners choose from a range of variety of shapes, textures, and flavors. Moreover, clean labeling continues to grow. Health conscious consumers look for permissible indulgences, like the smaller portion sizes of treats or candies with healthier ingredients like chia seeds or yogurt. Pet treats are developing, in terms of ingredients with functional or other nutritional benefits, which is allowing pet owners to indulge their pets free from guilt. New dog food products comprised of 80% of the global launches in 2015. The launches from September 2015 to September 2016, are keeping the health-related trend intact in new products by category. The share for cat food was around 68% globally. This trend of health and wellness has made good sales for the manufacturers. A few instances in this context are Hill’s Ideal Balance, a new range of dog and cat food that combines natural ingredients with Hill’s perfectly balanced nutrition, is now available in South Africa. CORE® RawRev, a new high-protein grain-free product, is launched by Wellness CORE®, a family of grain-free, natural animal nutrition company.

IMPROVEMENT IN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK LEADS TO GROWTH IN PET FOOD SALES

The high internet connectivity available in the major countries is boosting the use on e-commerce sites as an effective distribution channel. The notions of convenience, affluence or exclusivity, safety, and market awareness play a very crucial role in the developing nations. The unreliability of local goods, as indicated by the recent scandals, is also making people rely on foreign goods. These are made easily available through the e-commerce, further making the sales high. Owing to the industry’s two pet superstores, PetSmart and Petco, the e-commerce channel is exploding with the pet product sales. The late embrace of the market connectivity in the minor markets of small economies, such as Vietnam, Thailand etc., is a cause of infrastructure lag and almost negligible product awareness. These stores offer the nascent market advantages of low regulations and competition. The companies, as the e-commerce is strengthening, are negotiating the ever-changing internet landscape with the factors such as dealing with giants like Amazon that is deciding to sell through similar e-commerce websites and mergers & acquisitions. For instance, in April 2017, PetSmart announced that it will acquire Chewy.com, which heightened the consternation in the independent pet retailers. In response, Tuffy’s Pet Food, a manufacturer to independent and family-owned businesses, announced pulling out its products from Chewy, as it would be owned by the largest US pet store chain. Though Tuffy’s reports a very positive response, not every company detaches itself easily from any large e-commerce sites.

“FREE FROM ALL” AND “FLEXITARIAN EFFECT” BOTH HAVING THEIR WAY TOGETHER

Though the consumers today are part-time vegetarians, they seem to do the opposite when it comes to pet food. The pet owners look for diet options, which focus on the carnivorous nature of dogs and cats, thus, driving the number of products with high and fresh meat claims. Despite the demand for carnivorous diets, veggies are still going mainstream and the producers are innovating their existing products. Free from” for all-the free from trend has been growing, since the past few years and has now hit the mainstream. Pet foods are being formulated with respect to the concerns of humans that include organic and non-GMO ingredients. These ingredients are used in low-carb recipes and have gluten-free claims on new cereal products that increased from one in 15 in 2011 to one in five in 2016. New product launches, with organic or GMO-free ingredients, are witnessing growth in the market. Organic and natural food sales are expected to increase 14.6%, annually, in next two years. For Petco and Pet Smart, organic pet foods are bought at a 7.1% and 5.6% rate, respectively, with organic purchases at veterinary clinics at 5.3%. Brands communicate more about the production processes, due to the rising consumer interest in natural plus authenticity and transparency. This is true for the buyers, too, especially, for the ones seeking products in non-traditional formats such as raw, freeze-dried, frozen and baked. Balchem Corp., a global health, and nutrition company, introduced a new line of specialty nutrients and unique processing additives. The Omega Plus range was launched in the South Island in September 2016, after the two years of continuous R&D. In addition, Bob Martin launched Simply+, a range of products marketed as “nutritionally advanced food that provides dogs with all the essentials of a healthy diet”.

CROSS-BORDER ZONE TO HELP MEET BUOYANT DEMAND

The domestic market is growing at an annual rate of above 30% in China and is poised to accelerate at the same rate by 2022, reaching CNY 150 billion and further, making it the third-largest market, worldwide. Moreover, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province inaugurated the first cross-border pet industry experimental zone in the city’s Jianggan District. The experimental zone will pilot the reforms on the regulation and approval of cross-border imports. It will explore the introduction of national standards in the industry and promote the exportation of domestically made products. Moreover, more than 35 enterprises, including the cross-border e-commerce sites like Tmall, Kaola Beibei, and related logistics & warehousing companies, have been established in the experimental zone. The zone, basically, enables one-stop services and aims to enroll open, transparent, and smart pet food import channels and regulatory policies. Similar efforts are being taken by the countries to focus on the growing pet population and trends. The market players are taking complete advantage of this situation and investing in R&D for innovative product launches.

NOTABLE MARKET DEVELOPMENTS

1. Nestlé Purina launched a new production hall at its facility in Bük, in Hungary’s northwest, making the plant the largest production center in Europe and opened the USD 86 million factories in Brazil. This step is expected to boost the Nestlé Purina for more growth than the domestic market.
2. Carna4: Formulas Inspired by Health Food Trends. This manufacturer takes inspiration from the human health food sector to formulate innovative and whole-food recipes for dogs and cats.
3. PetLife Supersedes Expectations for the Acquisition of Dr. Geoff’s Real Food for Pets. PetLife Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of a new generation of high potency veterinary cancer medications and nutraceuticals for pets, announced that it is acquiring Dr. Geoff’s Real Food for Pets™ and expansion plans for a national rollout.
4. German Company Entering Thailand. Interquell, a German-based dog, and cat food company, entered the Thai industry by forming a joint venture, named Happy Pet (Thailand) Co Ltd, with partner Technic Pet Holding, reported Pets International. Interquell holds 49% of the joint venture. Interquell owns the Happy Dog and Happy Cat premium brands.

TOPICS COVERED IN THE REPORT

• How will face-to-face interaction boost the pet food market in Digital Age?
• Is low thiamine cat food the cause for Australian cat deaths?
• Gluten free foods, GMO foods making their mark in the pet food industry.
• Edible insects creeping into pet food popularity.
• Humanization and premiumisation on peaks in the pet industry.
• Will the US and China continue their dominance in the pet food market? What are the emerging markets?

Will growing market connectivity in Asian countries of Vietnam, Thailand etc. boost the Asia-Pacific pet food market?

You want to keep your Fido happy and healthy as always. Isn’t it true? Right. But spending at arm’s length may be also not possible for you. And, you are always on the run to save few bucks wherever possible. As per the data collected from different sources, the estimated expenditure of every pet owner is around $1500 a year for each of their pet, and that too varies depending on the size of the pet. However, there are ways applying which you can easily save a little more on every necessity of your furry pal.

Go through these tips and see how much can you save on your pet as well as keep your Fido in good health.

Make Half-Yearly Or Yearly Vet Visits Compulsory

Normally, pet parents in order to save money most times miss vet visits. But when it comes to health whether it is you or your pet, it is crucial to have a health checkup at least once or twice a year. Your vet may give vaccination necessary for the prevention of certain diseases in your pet. They can also diagnose for any of the problematic health conditions in your pet. Therefore, a yearly visit can save huge bucks by keeping your pet in good health. Missing vet appointments may sometimes lead to a development of some chronic diseases, which could have been preventive in a case of regular vet visits.

Don’t Skip Preventive Treatments

Pet parents are least aware of the importance and benefits of the preventive treatments. Mostly they only prefer to treat their pets when they see that the furry pal has been infected with parasites in which flea and tick infestation is most common. Many times due to lack of preventive treatments like Heartworm Prevention and Flea and Tick Treatments, pets are badly affected and sometimes the situation even turns out to be worst. They suffer from health complications and when infected with diseases such as heartworm, they are even at the risk of losing their lives. Therefore, it is better to treat your pet with flea and tick treatments as well as heartworm preventives in order to protect your furry friends from preventive diseases.

Ensure Proper Dental Hygiene

Most health conditions are the result of poor dental care. Brushing your pet’s teeth regularly boost his overall health. In lack of dental hygiene, there is a build-up of tartar and plaque leading to periodontal diseases. Moreover, the bacteria in the gums travel through the blood to the various vital organs such as heart, lungs, liver and kidneys and badly infect them. This can even end up into emergencies. To avoid such critical situations, it is always in the favor of your pet and your budget to provide proper dental care.

Regular cleaning with Pet Dent Toothpaste and Toothbrush along with Pet dent oral rinse can help your pet dental health to be at optimum.

Look For Affordable Pet Supplies And Food/ Treats

People get swayed away by those big advertisements of pet supplies and pet food on those local pet stores, that pushes you to buy only certain brand of pet supplies or pet food and treats for your furry pal from them. In reality, you can get these high-quality pet supplies and top brand pet food and treats from online pet stores at cheaper rates. Normally, these neighborhood stores sell pet items at higher prices whereas same supplies you can purchase at affordable prices with big discount, and at some stores like Pet Care Supplies or Budget Pet World, you can even get Free Shipping for any of your pet products.

Be Watchful For Signs Of Something Wrong

Pets are a bundle of joy and happiness, and they are least vocal to tell you about their pain or what health difficulty they are undergoing. That’s why it is paramount to be always watchful to look for any suspicious signs that can direct you that there is something wrong with your furry pal. While grooming, move your hands all around your pet’s body to find about the existence of any lumps or warts. Part the fur and check for the presence of ticks. Look for flea dirt or flea eggs in your pet’s surroundings. Notice the movement of your pet, whether he is swift in his movement or taking a time to get up or jumping. Whether he is limping or reluctant to walk. This can direct you that whether he has got some injury in his leg or may be facing a problem of arthritis. At the notice of any unwanted signs on your pet’s body, consult your vet for further diagnosis or treatments. This greatly lowers the vet bills due to treatment of diseases in advance stages.

Keep Your Pet Moving

A healthy pet is always in a good shape and fit and fine. As to keep yourself in proper shape you exercise daily, it is also imperative to make your pet exercise. A regular exercise helps to keep your dog healthy and fit. Keeping your pet moving, not only keep his weight under control but also boost immunity, digestion, mood and behavior. A tired dog gets a good sleep and stays happy. This is a good way for you to keep your furry friend in great health.

Grooming your dog at home is also a great saving. Taking your pet to spa or grooming salons can be quite expensive, however shampooing, brushing fur, trimming hair and clipping nails at home save you few bucks.

Having a family of four dogs, I always look for cost effective pet supplies. Working on these steps, I have seen that I can save a little extra on pet products and provide the best care to my pets.

Choosing between a cat and a dog isn’t always a straightforward process. In short, cats are generally cheaper to own and easier to care for because of their independent nature, while dogs are more social creatures, but require a lot more money, attention and time. Here are a few things to consider before introducing a cat or a dog to your home:

Cats

Cats are a perfect choice for people in search of an independent pet or those with a busy lifestyle and limited indoor space. Most cats are able to entertain themselves and will be happy to be left alone to sleep. The ability to venture outside and explore by themselves means there is no need for walking. This is certain to benefit the pet owner that is less active. However, cats do enjoy being played with and like social interaction so shouldn’t simply be left to their own devices at all times. A certain degree of care is required for cats, especially long-haired breeds. Some need daily grooming to avoid issues with matted coats.

Cat owners do not need a lot of space inside the home. However, a safe garden or similar area is certain to be appreciated. A cat can stay content even if kept in the home provided it is given a clean litter box and fed an appropriate diet. Also, they are easier for a neighbor or friend to look after when you are away for a few days. Overall, cats can make the entertaining, relaxing, affectionate and loving pets.

Dogs

Dogs are a practical choice for the active and energetic person or simply those that love to spend a lot of time outdoors. A dog needs regular walks, fresh air and stimulation. Any home with a safe and secure garden is certain to be ideal, although easy access to open spaces like local parks it just as well. Also, dogs are great when traveling and on days out. But, it is important to give appropriate training. This should include being comfortable when traveling in a vehicle if needed. Dogs are a solitary animal, so cannot be left alone all day like cats. They need a lot more attention, so this can impact those with the long and demanding jobs. A further time related issue is putting in the effort to provide proper training and grooming.

Also, individual differences in dog breeds must be considered. Dogs vary in relation to size, hairiness, temperament and shape, so careful consideration is needed to identify the perfect companion.

Fall is one of the favorite seasons for furry pals due to its crisp air, colorful foliage and sweet aroma of the seasonal plants lingering in the environment. Though the season is welcoming, it has potential health hazards for your furry pals, about which you may not be knowing. It is essential to learn about these dangers and protect your pet from the unconditional situations.

Let us look into some of the major things that you need to take care of in Fall.

Less Hours Of Daylight

Shorter days mean fewer hours of daylight and we have to cut-short some of our day activities when visibility is poor. Dog owners have to take their furry pal on walks either during the dusk or dawn. This brings in the added risks of accidents due to low visibility.

During winters, when taking your furry pals on walks in the darkness of early morning or evening, it is crucial to be careful of your pet. Reduced light means it is challenging for drivers to see animals, which may lead to accidents at times. Therefore, it is crucial to keep a close observation on your pooch on a walk and control by having a leash and collar or chest harness. Make him wear reflective collars as well as a tag with a microchip for a safe return in case of missing incident.

Leaves – A Catastrophe to Handle

It’s a pleasure to just move around and listen to that rumbling sound coming out of the dried leaves. Dogs love to run about the foliage and have fun time. But the furry animals are not aware of the danger of this debris. These dried leaves are the source of toxicity if your fur pal lick any substance from the ground or their paws.

There may be fleas, ticks as well as bacteria and mold growth on these leaves. And, if your pet ingests any of these micro-organisms, it would be creating dangerous condition including vomiting, diarrhea, sickness or even tapeworm infection.

It is better to remove the foliage and cut short the dried grass in the lawn to keep away those nasty parasites. Moreover, ensure that your pet remains indoors, separate from the yard work.

Plants and Mushrooms

Mushrooms and other toxic plants are seasonal plants of the Fall and they are wildly found during this time. Your furry pal may succumb to toxicity if any of the part – leaves, stem or flower, any of these is ingested by them. Mushrooms are wildly found in yards. Though most of the wild mushrooms are non-toxic, there are a few which are highly toxic, and when ingested cause challenging situations.

Therefore, try to remove any unwanted plants and mushrooms from your yard and avoid your pet from moving around in the yard until you remove it.

Fatality due to Rodenticides

Falling temperatures drive rodents out of their shell in search of shelter for cold into your homes. People mostly use rodenticides to kill these creatures and keep them away from their homes. However, at times your dog or cat are likely to feast on these chemicals, and may encounter grave danger. Rodenticides cause critical conditions like hemorrhages, uncontrolled bleeding, and blood in vomit.

If you suspect that your cat or a dog has ingested rodenticides and find any toxicities, immediately contact your vet or poison emergency center for immediate help.

Before your dog or a cat fall to any of the dangers of the season fall, ensure all the care and take precautions to avoid any unfaithful circumstances.

If you are planning to go out of town for a weekend getaway or for a much longer vacation and are not able to take your pet along. The best thing is to ensure that during your absence your pet’s stay is enjoyable and easy as much as possible. You can do this by hiring a pet sitter. But before you get one it is better to prepare for a checklist for hiring, so that during your absence your furry pal has the best comfort available. Some of the things that need to be kept in mind include:

Vacation itinerary

This would include the time and date of your departure and expected arrival.

Contact information

Ensure that you give your cell phone number, hotel information and room number in case you need to be contacted by the person you have hired.

Contact numbers of your immediate family members

There may be a possibility that the pet sitter might not be able to contact you. In such a situation, they should have an emergency contact number of your immediate family members who can take responsible decisions in your absence.

Key & security alarm information

Ensure that you provide requisite information to the pet sitting professional about the security of the house during your absence.

Primary vet information

Include the name of the practice and veterinarian they can contact providing clinic address and phone number.

Emergency vet clinic information

If there is an emergency with your pet after the primary vet’s office hours, the pet sitter should have an emergency animal hospital’s information which can get the pet treated quickly thereby easing the tension.

Feeding & walking schedule

As a pet owner, you know the feeding and walking schedule of your furry companion. In your absence, this task needs to be done by the person you have hired. Hence, provide him with the requisite information so that he/she can maintain the schedule of the pet in the best possible way.

List of treatments and usage instructions

If your pet is undergoing any treatment specify the instructions, so that the treatment can be given on time. This ensures that your pet does not miss out on the dosage in your absence.

List of food & treats

Although you might have made an arrangement of pet food in your absence it is always better to tell the pet sitter where they can procure the pet food in your absence. If your flight gets delayed or due to unforeseen circumstances you are not able to reach home on time, he/she should know where to procure pet food for the furry pal.

List of pet care items

Give the detailed directions about where have you kept different pet care items like brush, food, cleaning pads, sweater (if it is cold outside) and leash.

Favorite toys

Inform about the favorite toys of the pet so that the pet’s mind can be diverted easily.

Dangers Along Walking Route

Always specify if there is any unfriendly pet around in the neighborhood or if a neighbor yells if your pet pees in the yard. By telling them these things you can ensure that the pet sitter knows how to handle the situation if there is a need.

Room and furniture limitations

Provide a list of rooms or furniture that your pet is not allowed in or on.

Visitors

Always inform about the estimated date and time of visitors in the house like a house cleaner, lawn care company or pool person. This is particularly important so that your pet sitter does not think that your house has been broken into.

When your pet is well-cared off during your absence you will have a more enjoyable and carefree trip. The pet sitter will also have an easy time taking care of your pet. So, the next time you decide to go for a vacation without your pet do not forget to prepare a handy checklist for your pet sitter.

Termed as man’s best friend, dogs have long been taken up as the member of the family who like anyone else needs all the attention and caring in the world. For those who have dogs as pets, the health of latter seems one of the most important things on the list. Animals have unique physiological structures, and therefore need specific food and nutrients to keep them in optimal health.

Science has advanced a lot when it comes to nutritional supplements for pets. But just providing expensive supplements is not enough. It is imperative to know the exact dosage, based on the diet, age and breed of the dog before providing them with pet supplements. Excess of anything is bad and the same applies to supplements that are given to dogs.

Here are some of the general supplements, and their right dosage:

Fish Oil: Loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids, this supplement can be considered as one of the most important ones for the dogs as it helps in building the immune system, the nervous system, the heart, and help stop inflammation, such as in arthritis and allergies. They also support brain development of puppies and fetuses. Omega 3 is found primarily in fish oil. Most fish oil gel caps have 300 mg EPA and DHA combined large dog formula has 890 mg EPA/DHA in 1.5 grams of oil.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E also has a number of benefits for the dogs and should be given in the right dosage in order to have its actual intended effect on the dogs. Healthy dogs, particularly those eating a fresh food diet, 1-2 IUs per pound of body weight daily (or an equivalent amount less often) is likely plenty. Healthy dogs eating kibble, especially small dogs, might benefit from slightly higher amounts.

For dogs with a variety of health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, cataracts, allergies, skin problems, arthritis, and other diseases involving inflammation or the immune system, and for dogs receiving high doses of polyunsaturated oils (PUFAs) such as fish oil or vegetable oils, dosages up to 3-4 IUs per pound of body weight daily for large dogs, 3.5-4.5 IUs per pound of body weight for medium-sized dogs, and 5-7 IUs per pound of body weight for small dogs, may provide additional benefits.

Apart from these the dogs should be given probiotics and digestive enzymes regularly that have a wonderful effect on their health. It helps in giving them a healthy gut and provides a number of other benefits.

Thinking of having a puppy that wags its tails and runs to you joyfully at your every beck and call? Or, thinking of having that cute little ball of fur called a kitten running about playfully in your house? Thinking about going to the nearby pet store to buy one? Stop your pet search then and there, and think, “Why should I spend my money on buying a pet when I have the option of adopting one?”

Makes sense, right?

Well, as you will see, besides saving your bucks, adopting a pet comes with tons of other advantages.

1. As mentioned above, pets for adoption generally cost less than the ones available for sale in pet shops.
2. A pet available for adoption may have already been trained to respond to basic commands like come, sit, go, etc., and hence it reduces the trouble of training them from scratch.
3. Pets available for sale in pet shops are reared for the purpose of selling, keeping profit in mind rather than the health of the pets and are therefore, often sick and behaviorally troubled. Pets for adoption are not reared for commercial purposes. They are available for adoption because their previous owners had to give them up due to certain unfortunate reasons for which the animals are not responsible. Since, before being available for adoption, they had an owner who took care of them, they are generally healthy and well behaved.
4. Pets for adoption come in every size, age, breed, and color and thus you get a wider variety to choose from.
5. Most pet shop owners keep the animals in horrible conditions and the elderly female animals are treated as breeding machines. They have no genuine concern for these animals. Without purchasing from them, you can feel self righteous as you have not given them a dime.
6. Most of the older animals available as pets for adoption have already been vaccinated. So you don’t have to bear the additional task of getting them vaccinated.
7. By adopting a pet, not only are you giving it a home, but also you are helping provide shelter to another homeless animal which will be taken in, in place of the animal you have adopted.
8. Having an animal as a pet has been found to be psychologically and emotionally beneficial to their companions. Not only this. The feeling that you have saved an animal by adopting it also gives you self-satisfaction and makes you feel proud of yourself.
9. When you adopt a pet from a pet shelter, they inform you in advance about the “do’s and don’ts” so that you become well aware of what your pet loves and what provokes it.
10. Last of all, you can brag in your social circles about having adopted a pet!

Now that you are convinced about the benefits of adopting a pet, make a pet search on the internet and find out the nearest pet shelter from which you can adopt your pet.

Pets are a blessing to humans. They act as great companions and great friends. So give them the love and care that they deserve.