In Clover Blog

The In Clover Story

"In Clover" ~ an old English idiom: Living a carefree life of ease, comfort, or prosperity, having good fortune; in a very good situation. 

In Clover seemed the perfect name for the journey I was about to embark sixteen years ago to create a company around making dogs, cats and horses more comfortable. 

After being immersed in researching and discovering why some women could live less than healthy lives and stay healthy, I turned my attention, and that same question, to dogs and cats.  Why are some dogs huge athletes with crazy jumps and rolls yet their hips remain as healthy and flexible as a puppies?  Several years of research resulted in a one-of-a-kind mix of 9 herbs and the 3 joint building blocks that make Connectin Joint Supplement for dogs and cats.  Connectin puts back what the body would make if it was healthy.  A University clinical study with dogs and the humans they own showed that Connectin gives back better mobility and weight bearing in as little as 15 days.  In Clover answers the question of how we can make the body work better and has created a line of supplements to address the top health concerns of our furry kids.       

Is Pet Insurance a Good Deal for You?

My rescue pup Floyd is a bit of a delicate flower.  I would do anything for Floyd’s health and well being.  However, I do not have any information about his roots or how he was taken care before he joined our family.  This led me to research pet insurance, something I have not looked at before.  To learn more I went straight to the expert at Embrace Pet Insurance.  I like Embrace for a lot of reasons including their practice of paying for alternative therapies as an adjunct to conventional veterinary medicine or as an alternative, the choice is up to their clients and their veterinarian.  That resonates with me.  This two part series helps to figure out if you are a good candidate for insurance and what questions to ask.   

 

Written by Lea Jaratz with Embrace Pet Insurance

 

If you have looked into insuring your pet, you will know that comparing pet insurance companies is an overwhelming task. Pet insurance is probably the least understood personal insurance product, but it’s also one of the most emotional financial decisions you can make. It’s important to understand all differences between the several companies offering coverage, so that you make an informed decision.

 

What is pet insurance?

 

In exchange for your premium, pet insurance reimburses a portion of your vet bills when your cat or dog is sick or gets in an accident. Pet insurance is in many respects like our own health insurance with deductibles, maximums, and co-pays, except that you can use any vet, as the insurance company reimburses you directly.  All pet insurance companies have some exclusions, such as routine care or pre-existing conditions, so be sure to ask lots of questions before you buy.

 

Why should I get pet insurance?

Even long-time pet owners can be surprised by how much a sudden vet bill can cost.  If you’re faced with an unexpected surgery or treatment for your pet, you might be shocked by how quickly the charges can add up.  Furthermore, veterinary inflation is rising even more quickly than the standard inflation rate.

This spike in vet costs comes with the advancing treatments that are now available for our pets.  A pet diagnosed with cancer would have had far fewer options than a pet today.  Chemotherapy, surgery, and long-term care have since replaced the grim alternatives.  Human medications are now being made available for pet care, too.  But with the increased care come increased costs.

 

Is pet insurance for me?

Pet insurance is not for everyone. Consider this: Are you the sort of pet parent that would take a second job, a second mortgage, or go without a vacation, just so that you could pay your pet’s medical bills?  Many people would opt to have their pet put to sleep at the first sign of a big bill, but then there are those pet parents that go to real extremes to make sure their pet gets the best treatment possible.

Some might say that instead of insurance you could budget a few dollars every week into savings, and then have a safety net if something should come up-but how many of us would actually put that money aside? And what if something comes up before your savings is sufficient, or what if there are two major events within a short timeframe?  Even something that is not life threatening can be costly.   A dog’s broken leg could rack up $1,000 bill pretty quickly, so even one major event could wipe out savings quickly.

NEXT WEEK- What to ask and how much does it cost. 

 

Is Salmon Safe for Your Pet?

I walked into my favorite pet store right after work, hungry. I was projecting my tastes as I selected the pet food flavors. The dog food package had a beautiful stream full of jumping salmon. The cat food label had an appetizing array of seafood, I chose the salmon. But then I remembered about “salmon poisoning”, salmon is not safe for pets, or is it?

Living inside some salmon is a parasite, a member of the trematode family that relies on the host salmon to live. Living inside some of these trematodes is another parasitic organism named Neorickettsia helminthoeca, this rickettsia is sort of like a bacteria. And this is where the problem begins. The rickettsia is what can cause infectious disease in dogs and cats who eat raw salmon. This may result in serious illness and death. However, your pet may safely eat salmon if it is prepared by cooking or freezing it first, this will kill the rickettsia. If your pet does eat an infected raw salmon, the symptoms of the disease occur about a week later. They include severe intestinal upset and inflammation. This is easily treated but you will need to give your veterinarian a history of what he has been eating since a routine blood test will look normal.

The name “salmon poisoning” is a misnomer. The salmon simply carries the rickettsia, and not by choice. So cook or freeze your pet’s salmon and bon appetit.

Preventative Care and Supplements

 Remember your grandmother’s saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” We all know she meant that if we take care of ourselves, we’ll stay healthy and avoid seeing the doctor.  The same is true for our pets. Instead of apples, however, a good diet, exercise, and supplements will keep pets healthy and may reduce vet visits.

 

A quality food is the first step to better pet health. A good food can give dogs and cats more energy, a healthier skin and coat, better digestion, and more fully-developed muscles.  When a good diet is combined with regular exercise, pets will more likely maintain a healthy weight, reducing chances of obesity and the health issues that accompany it.

 

Supplements also help dogs and cats remain active, vibrant and healthy. In Clover’s premium natural supplements help support the most common health concerns that lead to trips to the veterinarian.

 

• Joint Health: Connectin - complete formula showed results in 15 days*

• Digestive/Immune Health: OptaGest:  4 enzymes plus FOS

• Dental Health: Grin Daily Treats with green tea for tartar control

 

*data on file

photo above is at In Clover offices and where our office pets can run and play. 

Can Canine Massage Help Your Dog?

By:  Paula Bindrich, Canine Massage Practitioner

 

The benefits of massage for your dog are countless. No matter what the age of your dog, keeping his muscles and joints as fluid as possible helps your dog move more easily and keeps him more balanced throughout his life. Easier movement means more fun for dogs.

 

 

Massage helps release endorphins and enhances circulation. Endorphins are the "feel good" chemicals in our bodies. They help with general well being and can help with pain management. Enhancing the circulation both moves out "stagnant" build-ups of toxins and brings good flow of oxygen to the tissues. This helps keep tissue healthy and rebuilds damaged areas, even helping sick dogs recover faster.

 

 

Massage also brings balance. If one part of your dog’s body is injured, he will compensate by shifting weight to another part of their body. This puts undue pressure on healthy joints and muscles, which could cause further problems down the road.

 

 

As a Canine Massage Practitioner, I've worked on dogs of all ages. Show dogs and other competitive dogs look in better conformation and perform more easily when balanced. With massage, older dogs are better able to move because muscles are looser, less painful and joint health is improved. Even pups benefit from the socialization and relief of pains that they can experience as they grow. Finally, massage can help abused or neglected dogs rebuild trust with humans, so they can become happy companion animals again.

 

 

Massage therapy can help dogs in many ways. Whether alone or in conjunction with other complimentary practices, massage can truly enhances your dog's health and well- being.

 

Tips for Pets that Fear Fireworks

By Donna Cox, CVT 

 

It’s that time of the year again, when fireworks fill the skies. They may be from a professional display or the kid next door in his driveway. Whatever the source, the noise can be terrifying for some pets. Behavior modification is an excellent way to condition the pet so they are less anxious, however this close to the 4th, that technique is not practical. Different strategies will help pets get through 2009, while pet-parents look more long-term for 2010.

 

Many dogs attempt to hide when they hear the noise from fireworks or thunderstorms. A comfortable crate, preferably located in a quiet, dark location, is very helpful. Adequate crate training is necessary. Soothing background or "white noise" can also be beneficial.  However, some pets prefer to stay as close to their owners as possible. This is the M.O. of Duffy, my 4-year-old Boarder Collie.  Allowing them to be with you, if you are home, is very comforting to them. I try to frequently feed Duffy treats in his crate, just in case I need to use it. He can be destructive if "freaked" and left alone.  I would not hesitate to use anti-anxiety drugs on healthy pets, since fireworks can be so terrifying to some.  Owners should consult their own veterinarians regarding this, as the drug(s) of choice can vary with breed, age and individual health concerns. 

 

 

Natural alternatives are also an option, and I recommend Rescue Remedy, a flower essence therapy, or Pro Quiet, an L-Tryptophan supplement. Lavender has been shown in studies to be calming with travel anxiety, though I know of no studies with noise phobias.

 

 

A new approach is to use dog appeasing pheromones, or DAP. Female dogs secrete pheromones that comfort and reassure their nursing puppies. These "appeasement" pheromones have the same calming effect on adult dogs. DAP mimics these appeasement pheromones to reduce stress in dogs of all ages.  The natural remedies may be adequate for mild anxiety or may reduce the amount of pharmaceutical treatment needed. Personally, I prefer to have the option of at least having the medications on hand in case Duffy needs them.

 

 

Looking toward July 4, 2010, the best defense against Fourth of July problems is a good offense. Professional trainers and behaviorists start socializing dogs and making every potentially negative experience -- such as fireworks and thunderstorms -- into something rewarding.  One way to help your pet is to expose him or her to commercial recordings of thunderstorms or fireworks (http://www.legacycanine.com/store/index.html ) and play them at gradually increasing volume. Be sure to start at very low volume, since a pet's hearing is very acute. Give lots of praise and treats. As the volume and duration are increased during subsequent sessions, give them tasty treats so they have the expectation of a repeat treat. Initially, play the recording for five minutes, eventually leaving it on during daily activities as "normal" background noise. As always, be sure that your behavior and voice remain calm and unstressed.

Donna is a Certified Vet Technician, Lakewood Veterinary Hospital, Lakewood, CO and Duffy's Mom.