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Ultimately, osteoarthritis, or degeneration of the cartilage in the joint, is a radiographic diagnosis. Clinical signs in your pet may be very subtle or not cause you to immediately think about bony issues as the root issue. Consider decreases or abrupt changes in your pet’s appetite. Once very happy on dry food, you find yourself having to feed canned food to stimulate food intake. Versus considering your pet spoiled (or you very well-trained) consider pain in the joints of the jaw making it uncomfortable to continue breaking down dry food. If you find your pet is reluctant to approach the food bowl, instead laying down and looking at it sadly, consider that it may be painful to navigate across the kitchen floor and so he chooses not to eat. Try bringing the food closer. Animals with neck pain may be more apt to eat from an elevated food dish versus flexing down to eat off ground level. Age is not a clinical condition, and healthy dogs do not get older and suddenly become inactive. Changes in activity level can be indications of joint discomfort. The “old dog laying on the porch all the time because he is old” adage may not hold water when consideration is given to potentially painful joints. From clinical experience, proper management of such “old” dogs can magically make them feel like puppies again and the porch a lot less popular place to be. With chronic pain, pets, as people, can become depressed and show changes in attitude. Reluctance to want to play ball, go on walks, navigate stairs, or spend time with the family can indicate underlying discomfort. Perhaps the most obvious clinical sign of osteoarthritis is pain. While vocalizing, whining, or crying are obvious signs of discomfort, some animals may exhibit pain is much more subtle ways. Hiding, cowering, or whimpering when being approached may be signs of discomfort. Pain may also be exhibited through changes in social activity or sudden episodes of aggression. Consider these not-so-obvious clinical signs when assessing the current health status of your pet and consult with your veterinarian regarding your suspicions. Multiple modalities, from joint products to support the structure of the cartilage, pain medications to address discomfort, physical therapy to promote movement and muscular tone, and alternative therapies are available to support the well-being of your companion.

Your pet’s joints can take a pounding from a variety of daily activities – from diving for toys to jumping to high places, like perches or stairs. Much like humans, pets’ joints will change with time. But this doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to help support your pet’s joint health. Giving your pets supplements to support healthy joints and connective tissue may help discomfort associated with normal exercise and daily activity. Supporting joint health and connective tissue early in life is important to your pet’s future joint health. Here are some easy ways you can help keep your pet’s joints healthy for a more active, enjoyable lifestyle. Photo courtesy of flickr user Micolo J Take a few short walks during the day. Shorter walks put less strain on your pet’s joints and muscles. Try taking two 15-minute or three 10-minute walks per day to help your pet get the right amount of exercise without pushing his or her joints too far.   Create new playtime activities. What dog doesn’t love a good swim? Low-impact forms of exercise, such as swimming, can help stretch your pet’s muscles and support flexibility.   Give your pet a little TLC. There’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned massage to relax your mind and body. Massages can do the same for animals, helping relax muscles and stretch joints that may have stiffened during the night while your pet was sleeping or after a long day of active play. However, there’s no need to seek out an expensive pet masseuse. Just give your fur baby a good backrub in the evening.   Provide daily supplements for healthy joints. Try joint health supplements like Tomlyn’s Joint and Hip Chews for both cats and dogs to add beneficial vitamins, proteins and amino acids for joint and muscle support. Tomlyn even has a formula of Joint and Hip Chews made for senior dogs to help support their joint flexibility and mobility. Take the time to ensure your pet’s joints are cared for properly to keep your pet’s lifestyle healthy and happy.

As we say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015, families around the country will be celebrating New Year’s Eve in their own ways - at home watching the ball drop in Times Square, attending a party, watching fireworks or popping their own. Of course, you want your four-legged friend with you to ring in 2015, but loud noises and changes in environment can cause your pet to be stressed. Here are seven tips to make sure your pet can enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebration, too! 1) Exercise Before the evening celebration commences, make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise. Besides having many health benefits such as weight control and reducing digestive and behavioral problems, it also helps your pet become less anxious and more peaceful at night after the celebration. 2) Try calming or stress-reducing supplements New Year’s Eve preparation and celebrations can bring big changes that can have a significant impact on your companion. Some signs that your pet may be stressed include excessive vocalization, isolation and a decrease in appetite. Calming aids, like Tomlyn's Relax & Calm Chews for Dogs and Cats, are a great way to alleviate pet stress. This product uses natural ingredients and is perfect for dogs and cats that are exposed to loud noises (like fireworks), traveling, large crowds or any change in environment.  3) No fireworks If possible, keep all pets away from fireworks displays, both when they are being lit and afterward. In addition to the loud noises being harmful to their ears, they can also be deadly if ingested at any time. Even a “burnt out” firework is not safe for your furry friend! If you do choose to pop fireworks in your yard, try to collect any of the leftover shells before allowing your pet in the yard the next day. 4) Safe haven If you're leaving for the evening or celebrating at home, providing your furry friend with a safe haven in your home is essential. Dogs that are crate trained will most likely be comfortable in there with their favorite toy, treats and a shirt or towel with your scent on it. Cats can be kept in bathrooms with water, food and their litter box. A nice, quiet room where your pet feels comfortable is also an option. 5) Music therapy Studies have shown that music and other soothing sounds can help pets with anxiety and behavior issues. Their internal organs speed up or slow down to conform to external rhythms. Playing music can calm your pet down, as well as block out the sounds of fireworks. 6) Tags Fireworks really scare dogs because they have sensitive hearing and sounds are magnified. They are known to jump fences, dig holes and run to escape these loud noises. Make sure your pets have up-to-date tags, a microchip and a fitted collar so they can be found just in case they do go missing. Better yet, bring your dogs or cats inside for the night!  7) No pampering If your pet hears loud noises, they may become distraught. Experts say that coddling your dog can reinforce their scared reaction. Instead, try to distract them with a game or a toy. Remain calm and collected, and it will help your pet do the same.

The changing of seasons brings with it environmental allergens and irritants that can affect the eyes, nose, skin adn other body systems of both people and animals. Most companion canines and felines will be able to adapt to these seasonal changes. But, for those animals that are not quite able to self-adjust, pet owners must intervene with baths, conditioning rinses, eye/ear drops, or other medications and supplements to help our four-legged friends get through the season. A pet’s ability to adapt to environment allergens is based on a variety of factors and to help prevent these allergens from affecting your pet’s immune system, here are a few tips to keep in mind: Keep your home low in allergenic potential. Vaccum alll carpeting and upholstry and wash all pet and human bedding at least every seven days. Keep windows closed and run an air filteration system on a year-round basis. Change filters on both heating and cooling systems per manufacturer guidelines. Bathe your pet every seven to 30 days (once weekly or once monthly) or as your pet’s veterinarian suggests based on your pet’s skin and coat needs. Use an eye irrigating solution, like Tomlyn’s Sterile Eye Wash – Opticlear™. This will help clear any discomfort and itching. Schedule a physical examination with your veterinarian every 12 months or more frequently depending on your pet’s age and health. Provide a freshly prepared, whole food-based diet with human-grade protein, vegetables, fruits, fats and fiber. Avoid ingredients lacking in protein and grain “meals and by-products” with artificial colors or flavors or other feed-grade components. Commit to readily resolving or managing disease conditions, like inflammation associated with illness that can negatively impact immune system health. Maintain your pet’s weight (ideally three out of three on the Body Condition Score) for the lifetime of your pet. If your pet is obese or overweight, this could cause unnecessary stress on all body systems and contribute to inflammation, which can cause serious health problems.

This month’s Q&A; is with Dr. Brian McLaughlin, one of Tomlyn’s veterinarians who specializes in the know-how of our products and how they’re beneficial to your furry friends. This Q&A; focuses on puppy and kitten health and how Tomlyn’s products, Nutri-Cal® Puppy, Nutri-Cal® Kitten, Puppy Drops and Milk Replacer for Puppies and Kittens can help provide your pet with needed nutrients in the early stages of their lives. Q: How long have you worked with Tomlyn? Tell us more about your role at Tomlyn. A: I’ve been with Tomlyn for a little over two years now. My role as a veterinarian is to provide technical support to our representatives in the field and product managers in the office. On a daily basis, I work mostly with our representatives and clients in the Western and Central regions of the U.S., thoroughly answering questions submitted by our customers or providing support to our representatives. Q: How important is it for pet owners to include vitamins/high-calorie supplements in their pet’s daily routines?   A: First and foremost, it’s important to feed your pets a complete, balanced diet for growth and/or maintenance. The goal is to feed your pet food that is rated at least either four or five stars by the Association of American Fed Control Officials (AAFCO) during growth and adulthood. Supplementing with vitamins and high-calorie nutrients is important, specifically if there are signs of deficiency. Puppies and kittens have lots of energy and also use that energy quickly. If you notice your pet going into lull moments frequently, it is likely there is a drop in blood sugar, and they may need high-calorie supplements after consulting with your veterinarian. Q: Thinking about puppy and kitten health, why is a product like High Calorie Nutritional Gel for Puppies/Kittens (Nutri_Cal) beneficial? What does it offer for pet growth and development? A: These products provide a quality source of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and calories.  Your pet may need more energy or help with growth and development, and the vitamins in these products will help your pet develop properly. Across the board, it depends on the specific situation of the puppy or kitten or the weaning time period. For example, small-breed puppies tend to get low blood sugar and may need additional supplements to get through their first few months until they can become dependent on their own. This would be a great time for Milk Replacer for Puppies. At any age group, depending on what your using it for, Tomlyn has the product to supplement your pet during low-nutrient times. Q: Why do you suggest the use of a product like Puppy Drops? Aren’t there enough vitamins in the food I feed my pet? A: Our Puppy Drops offer several important vitamins, including iron to help support red blood cells, immune systems and development. The majority of foods made for pets contain adequate amounts of vitamins for optimum development. However, the use of Puppy Drops is necessary for situations where perhaps your pet is not eating enough, like after weaning or if overcoming an injury. If your puppy is sick, this could be another time where pet owners could use this product to assist in providing important vitamins and minerals. Q: What are the main differences in Nutri-Cal Puppies and Puppy Drops? Do they complement on another or should pet owners only use one or the other? A: The main difference is delivery of both products – one is a gel formulation and the drops are liquid based. It’s important to know that each product has subtle differences that both provide vitamins and minerals to support growth and development. One of the primary differences is that Puppy Drops contain more iron. Because there is some crossover with the ingredients, I would suggest only to use one at a time and not combine. Your veterinarian also will be able to let you know which product is best to use for your puppy. Q: What are the key things pet owners should consider when it comes to puppy and kitten health? A: First, provide adequate nutrition through a balanced, growth diet. It’s also important to focus on their behavioral health, providing exposure to other kittens, puppies, adult cats and/or dogs and people to help socialize them. Next, make sure you’re getting your pet on a schedule for proper feeding, vaccines, deworming, parasites, etc. If you’re noticing lull in energy, consider using supplements that provide your pet with quality nutrients and consult your veterinarian. Q: Tell us more about the Milk Replacer. Is it to supplement nursing puppies and kittens or to be used in the absence of a nursing mother? A: The Milk Replacer is a nutritionally complete milk replacer to be fed as a nutritional supplement when the supply of mother’s milk is inadequate or as a sole ration in the absence of the mother’s milk.  Tomlyn’s Milk Replacer contains colostrum, optimized levels of protein and fat, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from cod liver oil, and arginine. The product is also formulated with probiotics, which establish a normal bacterial population in the digestive tract.  When indicated, Milk Replacer may be used to supplement the mother’s ration in late gestation or early lactation to meet increased nutritional requirements. Q: What are the drawbacks of not using a supplement for my pet, if any? A: The uses of supplements for a pet are based on situational need. A lot of foods on the market provide adequate nutrients. But, if your puppy or kitten is in need of more nutritional support (again, correlating to weaning, energy reduction, illness, etc.), that’s when a product like Nutri-Cal Puppies or Nutri-Cal Kittens and Puppy Drops could be used. If a puppy is hypoglycemic or has low blood sugar a supplement may be needed to assist with these conditions. Q: Finally, tell us the most important thing to remember about owning a new puppy or kitten? A: When getting a new puppy or kitten, preventive health care is certainly important. Establishing your pet with a veterinarian and having a set schedule or health care plan to make sure your puppy and kitten is covered from diseases they may be exposed to over the first year and after is vital for their health. Nutrition for developmental growth and correcting behavioral issues are also important to consider when your puppy or kitten is still young.   Have other questions about puppy and kitten health or the products mentioned above? Contact us! We’re always available to offer insight into our products. Just send us a message at tomlyn@tomlyn.com.