Issaquah Grange Supply Undressed

Teeth Brushing 101

Photo curtesy of ΒЯІΑN® on Flickr

Eager to start brushing your dogs teeth, but afraid you’ll loose a finger in the process? Most dogs adjust to brushing easily enough, as long as you take care and move slowly, allowing them to adjust to the new situation.

Let’s get your dog used to having her teeth brushed!

1. The process starts with no brushing in sight. Sit down with your dog and start petting her. Then, start massaging her lips in circular motions for about a minute. Do this a few times a day for several weeks.

2. After she is comfortable with you around her mouth, move onto massaging her teeth and gums with the same, light, circular motion.

3. Once your dog is more comfortable with tooth and gum contact, add toothpaste to the mix. You’ll want to choose a toothpaste designed for dogs that is enzyme based. Human toothpaste is not safe for animals, due to the use of fluoride, which is extremely harmful. Also, toothpaste designed for dogs is flavored for their satisfaction.

4. Ok, so now your dog is comfortable with the massaging motions and comfortable with the toothpaste flavor. It is now time to introduce the canine toothbrush. I recommend using a canine toothbrush over a human style, because the bristles will be much softer on the canine brush. Spend some time brushing around your dogs mouth to allow some adjustment time to the toothbrush.

5. After your dog is comfortable with the brush, it is time to combine the brush and paste and get down to business. Brush teeth in small, circular motions. Work on one side of the mouth (lifting up the lip) before moving onto the other. Tartar builds up heavier on the side of the tooth that touches the lip, so focus your brushing there.  (Little tartar builds up on the inside of the tooth, so if your dog resists brushing there, don’t force the issue) In areas where the tartar is especially heavy, downward strokes can help break it down.

6. Congratulations! You just brushed your dogs teeth! Repeat once or twice a week and your dog will have sparkling, healthy teeth!

*Author’s Note: You can follow the same method to brush your cat’s teeth. But as a cat owner and lover myself… it’s always a bit more difficult with cats! =)

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National Dental Health Month

My baby boy Bowser, showing off his big mouth! (and teeth!)

February is National Dental Health month!

Oral Health is not just about teeth! When dental disease is present, the heart, kidneys and intestinal tract can also be at risk. The tartar and infected areas of the mouth contain bacteria that can spread to other parts of the body. Luckily, we can prevent most serious dental disease by brushing our animals’ teeth regularly and providing chew toys. In addition to satisfying our dogs instinct to chew, chew toys help strengthen teeth, massage gums and scrape off soft tartar.

Many animals show signs of dental disease early in life. Some common signs of a problem are:

-Bad Breath

-Tartar

-Excessive drooling

-Inflamed Gums

-Missing/Broken teeth

-Reluctance to play with toys or eat

Brushing is best! Most vets would like to see us brush our pets teeth twice a week. But, recognizing that such frequent brushing is unlikely, there are more options to help prevent and reduce dental disease. What Can You Do:

-Tooth Brushing (see my next blog for detailed information about how to brush your pets teeth!)

-Bones

-Chew Toys (Like FIDO dental chews)

-Dental Paste (Like PetzLife Oral Gel)

-Dental Chews (Like Greenies and Z-Ridge Dental Bones)

With some preventative maintenance and care, a lot of dental disease can be avoided. Look for my next blog, “All About Brushing…Teeth!” for more information!

Happy Dental Health Month!

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Holiday Stress in Your Pet

The holidays can certainly bring about stress- and not just for you. Our animals live their lives happiest when they enjoy the simple comfort of a steady routine. Holidays tend to pull people in every direction, most often away from the house. Remember to take a little time out for your animals each day.  A little reinforcement that everything is ‘ok’ will go a long way.

If you are having guests over to your house, be sure to provide your animal with a safe spot away from the commotion and new guests. But, if possible, it is best to allow your animal some interaction with the holiday events so they don’t feel banished from their home.

If your animal is particularly anxious with house guests, or you will be traveling or boarding, a calming aid might be the perfect gift. The Grange carries a variety of natural calming aids for dogs and cats, in several easy to administer forms. And, we’ve put calming aids from NaturVet and Homeopet on sale for the month of December!

Remember, if you are feeling the stress of the holidays, there is a good chance your pet is too. Take some time out to pet and play with your animals this season, I bet it will do you both a world of good!

Photo from FLickr and by Steven K Willi

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Harmful affects of ammonia

We have all walked into a barn and inhaled the familiar scent of ammonia. Even in carefully cleaned stalls, traces of this odor still exist. The source of this odor stems from the breakdown of equine waste, which produces ammonia. Ammonia is a harmful gas that could contribute to reduced performance and overall decreased health of your horse. The ammonia gas is not only unpleasant, it can be dangerous. The fumes are capable of burning and irritating the eyes and lungs. If you can discover the existence of ammonia gas by its smell, it is already twice the concentration at which it becomes harmful to any creature that breathes it or is constantly exposed to it.
Ammonia evolves by the decomposition of urine and manure. Horses expel excess protein, that is not metabolized during digestion, through urine in the form of urea. Because a horse can eliminate as much as 1-1 1/2 gallons of urine at a time, no amount of bedding can catch that much urine. The urine can leak into dark, hidden places and once that happens naturally occurring anaerobic bacteria feeds on the nutrients of the urea-rich liquid, with this process resulting in making ammonia. Straw bedding soiled with manure and urine tends to produce more ammonia gas than sawdust/shavings.
In a study by the Equine Pulmonary Laboratory at Michigan State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, they found that young horses, stabled during training, suffered respiratory distress when compared to pastured horses of the same age. While dust and mold in feed and bedding played a part in pulmonary problems, it is believed that exposure to ammonia also negatively impacts their respiratory systems. “Besides just being unpleasant in a barn, ammonia gas burns the delicate tissues of the respiratory tract and the eyes and increases mucus production. We conclude that stabling is associated with inflammation of both the upper and lower airway of young horses.”
The following are some steps that you can take to achieve your goal:

Keep your horse outside as much as possible. Fresh air, constant grazing and regular movement, have multiple benefits. Warm, closed up barns can create an ammonia problem by the heat encouraging bacterial growth along with agitating ammonia molecules and causing the gas to rise. Horses are healthier and happier outside.

Clean your stall on a regular basis. Clean your stalls daily or twice daily by removing visible urine and wet bedding. Choose a bedding with a high absorbency level to help lower the levels of ammonia in a stall. Straw is the least absorbent and not the best choice other than for foaling. Once the foal is born, strip the stall and replace with an absorbent bedding such as shavings.

Consult your equine veterinarian or nutritionist. While protein is important, consult your equine specialist about forming a diet specific to your horse’s needs and eliminate unnecessary protein, which contributes to excess urine production.

Make sure you have good ventilation. When you must stall your horse, make sure that you provide adequate ventilation. Tight barns do not allow the ammonia fumes to escape. Good ventilation provides areas where air can enter and escape the barn, allowing distribution of air evenly. This will help regulate temperature and moisture levels and contribute to the removal of odors and gases. You may have to consider some kind of forced air circulation to deal with the building levels of ammonia gases.

Eliminate the areas where urine collects. Try using interlocking or seamless stall mats and sealing them to prevent urine from escaping through the cracks. Bedding, mixed with a quality neutralizing product, can then be applied on top of the mats. The use of lime on the floor, after the stall is cleaned and before new bedding is put in, can help slow the growth of bacteria and reduce odors.
Ammonia gas can be significantly reduced if the right things are done simultaneously with available methods and management practices that involve ventilation, manure management, building cleanliness, and feed management.

The Grange Supply carries stall mats, pelleted bedding, shavings, PDZ and lime (neutralizing products). You can use the PDZ in your kitty litter box and small animal litter boxes as well!!

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Holiday Cleaning with Pets

The holidays are a time for food, family and friends. If you’re like me and hosting festivities this year, then the holidays are also about cleaning! For pet owners, holiday cleaning can be extra tough, partly because we may not notice odors that non-pet owners will quickly identify. 

For carpets and furniture that retain hidden odors, we carry a variety of natural odor removers. You’ll want to treat the area generously and remember that for whatever part of the stain you see, there is another 2/3 that isn’t visible. Make sure you use enough stain & odor remover to reach the sub-floor when treating carpet.

The holidays can inspire accidents in even the best trained dog. Between being left alone longer (late night holiday shopping?) and more guests and unusual activity at home, a potty accident is understandable. Picking up some stain and odor remover ahead of time will help you be prepared for any accidents that come up.

With visitors coming, a quick grooming session and bath might also be in order.  

After a little work in the house and a quick bath and brushing, your house and pet will be ready to greet your guests! And remember, if you are panicked about cleaning for the holidays, we have a range of natural and effective stain and odors products designed for carpets, furniture and litter boxes that will have your house refreshed quickly. Happy Hosting!

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Thank You Salmon!

Anybody that is familiar with Issaquah knows that Salmon Day’s is right around the corner. Issaquah is celebrating 40 years of Salmon Days and I am celebrating too! So let’s all celebrate the many benefits Salmon deliver to our dogs and cats diets!

Why Salmon Oil? Salmon Oil is rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Fatty Acids are one of four different fats that mammals obtain from food. Let’s take a look at what these Omega 3 Fatty Acids do!  

Skin & Coat Health: The health and condition of a coat reflects the balance of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in the diet. Omega 3s helps alleviate dry, flaky skin, itching, shedding and helps maintain moisture in the skin. It also helps the animal recover from hot spots and reactions to flea bites, etc.

Heart Health:  Omega 3 Fatty Acids help prevent heart disease. Omega 3s help regulate cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and stabilize heart rate. Breed’s that are prone to heart disease and animals that are overweight can particularly benefit from Fatty Acid’s.

Immune Health: Omega 3 Fatty Acids are also believed to help prevent disease. Diet’s high in Omega Fatty Acids have shown less risk for such conditions as heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.

Great Taste: I am sure your pet would want me to point out… Dog’s and Cat’s love the taste of Salmon Oil. There isn’t much better than a supplement your animal will LOVE to eat!

Be sure to stop by the Grange Supply in Issaquah during October. We will be celebrating Salmon Days with great deals on our Salmon Oils, Salmon flavored foods and some fun fishy toys too!

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Gallagher Electric Fence From the Home to the Range

How electric fencing works
An electric fence is a psychological barrier that keeps farm animals in and wild animals out – even over long distances.
A pulsed electric current is sent along the fence wire, about one pulse per second, from an energizer which is grounded. When the animal touches the fence it completes the circuit between the fence and the ground and receives a short, sharp but safe shock. The shock is sufficiently memorable that the animal never forgets.
Because the electric fence is a psychological barrier, it does not require great strength to be effective. However, it must be well designed and constructed to absorb some pressure from animals, snow and wind. The energizer must have enough power for the length of the fence and for the animals being controlled.
Uses and benefits
Animal control is perhaps the most widely recognized reason for power fencing. Not only does power fencing keep domestic animals and livestock contained, it has various other important uses, including:
• Keeping wild animals out
• Separating different groups of animals
• Allowing rationing of crops and pasture
• Fencing animals off from eroding areas, trees, rivers and roads
Power fencing has revolutionized pasture management techniques and better pasture management means better profitability for farmers. Permanent or portable power fences are used to subdivide pasture to ensure even distribution of manure over grazing areas. In this way, pastures are kept fresh, short and palatable which ultimately leads to increased milk and meat production. If you are interested in finding out more about pasture management techniques.
Other key benefits of power fencing:
• Affordable
• Easily constructed and maintained
• Durable, because of low physical contact
• Light weight and easily transported
• Easily modified
• Less animal hide and pelt damage
• Deterrent to trespassers and predators
For convenient, economical animal control, improved pasture management and more profitable farming, a Gallagher Power Fence System is the trusted solution.

supplied by http://www.gallagherusa.com/

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Rotation Diets!!

“What is the best food to feed my dog/cat?” “What food should I feed my dog/cat?”

These are the two questions I hear most often when talking nutrition with my customers. The reality is, there is no bestfood. At The Grange, we have a wide variety of foods chosen for their various merits. We have selected foods that contain a variety of elements key to great nutrition- human grade ingredients, probiotics, chelated minerals, no artificial ‘gunk’. Every food has benefits and the most important thing is to find foods that address your animals’ specific needs and performs well.

I think a lot of people walk into a store feeling that they need to pick a brand of food and stick with it. But that’s not the case! I want to blog about Rotation Diets.

So what is a Rotation Diet? I like to think of rotation as a mindset. You can use any brand. Feeding a rotation diet means feeding a variety of protein sources and forms. How you do this is up to you. Maybe each time you buy a new bag you rotate between protein sources. Maybe you incorporate canned food into your animals meal once a day or once a week. Maybe you blend two protein sources to provide your pet with a custom mix. The choice is yours.

Why Rotate? Well, you don’t eat the same thing every day…why should your animal? Rotation diets have so many benefits- 

• Reduced risk of allergies: Allergies can develop over time as a specific protein is overfed.
• Reduced risk of sensitivities: A long time ago, some clever marketing man started telling people not to switch their animals’ food because it would make them sick. This was simply brilliant- People who did switch often saw their animal have loose stool and diarrhea so they stuck with what they had been feeding. Why did this happen? The same reason vegetarians get sick from eating meat. The vegetarian isn’t allergic to meat… but their body is trained to not process meat. When your dog eats only “this” the body starts limiting its ability to digest… so when your dog gets into the trash or your cat eats the canned tuna, it gets sick. Rotating your animals diet keeps the body in “fighting mode” ready to digest everything!
• Reduced pickiness: Animals that become accustomed to a certain texture, smell or flavor are less likely to try new foods. Animals that eat a rotation diet are ready and willing to try new foods- and they are ALWAYS excited to see what their next meal brings.
• Hydration: Many health problems come from long term dehydration (our animals don’t drink as much as they should!) In the wild, our animals (cats especially) get the majority of their moisture from their food- fresh kills. Offering canned food brings a higher moisture content to our animals diet helping to alleviate potential health concerns caused by dehydration.
• Nutrition: Of course a key benefit to food is nutrition! A rotation diet offers your animal a more diverse nutrient uptake.

This is the approach I take when feeding my animals and I really believe it is the secret to getting the MOST out of your pets commercially prepared diet. Start out by finding a kibble that your animal performs well on and then expand from there. You can try mixing in some canned food, alternate your protein sources and keep evolving your animals diet. Since you control the rotation, you can find a mix that is right for your lifestyle and right for your animal.

Next time you are at The Grange in Issaquah, take a look at our pet food selection. We have a great variety of kibble…and even more canned. Let’s create a rotation diet for your best friend!

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Tear Stains

I know a lot of people who complain about the tear stains their animals develop. While there is no quick fix, the best course of action is to find the problem, treat the problem and watch the symptom clear away!

In a normal animal, tears are made and drained out of ducts in the eyelid that run out thru the nose. However, sometimes the tear ducts can be blocked, forcing the tears to run out of the eye corner and onto the face. The stain is created when the tears react with the bacteria found on the skin and coat.

So what are the causes?

Small breed dogs tend to have prominent “buggy” eyes that cause the eyelid to be stretched tight. The eyelid actually cuts of the drainage duct, forcing the tears out of the eye and onto the face. In cases like this, aside from surgery there is little that can be done to prevent the tearing.

Here is my girl Penny. You can’t see the staining, but you can see the constant moisture around the inner eye. While there is nothing I can do to prevent it (she has buggy eyes- so cute!) I am careful to keep the area clean. Constant moisture can be a breeding ground for infection if not kept clean!

Hair sometimes grows at an odd angle and can irritate the eye, causing it to water more and pull the tears down onto the face. Cutting the hair can alleviate this issue.

Allergies (food & environment related) can show in several ways, tear stains being one. If we determine that allergens are a likely cause of your animals tear stains, we can find and eliminate the problem sources. (Allergies are a vast and complicated subject, so we’ll leave that to another blog!)

If you are suffering from your animals tear stains, stop on by The Grange Supply in Issaquah. We can look at what the likely causes of your animals tear stains are… and what we can do to fix them!

As you can see, most of these issues are minor and easy to address. However, there are a few more serious conditions that can cause tear stains. Remember, tear stains are very common and likely caused by one of the above, so don’t panic.

Infection can be a culprit. If you see staining around the eyes, mouth, paws and genitals, this can be a early sign of an infection. In this case, a trip to the vet is in order where an evaluation can be done and the animal can be treated.

Ulcers and Inflammation can also cause excessive tearing which lead to stains. If the excessive tearing develops suddenly and does not clear up, a more serious medical concern could be at fault and a trip to the vet is needed.

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Joint Pain in Your Dogs & Cats

I think it is safe to say that a vast majority of animals suffer from some sort of joint pain or stiffness as they age. Depending on the animal, this can range from occasional stiffness to full on osteoarthritis. Some signs of joint pain are:

• Difficulty playing, walking, going up stairs
• Difficulty standing up or lying down

The ”good news” about joint pain is that we have wonderful tools that work really well- and are really affordable!

I bet you have heard the terms “glucosamine,” “chondrotin” and “MSM,” and “boswellia” a lot. In this blog, I am going to explain what these powerful resources are…and how we can use them to improve the lives of our cats and dogs- easily!

Glucosamine: occurs naturally in in cartilage and synovial fluid. Glucosamine is a normal part of your animal’s glycosaminoglycans… let’s call this the base structure of the connective tissue. In a body that works perfectly, glucosamine is created in quantities great enough to keep the joints working smoothly. However, with age and deterioration, the body’s production of this important source is slowed. Supplemental glucsosamine is extracted from the shell of crustaceans.

Chondrotin:occurs naturally in cartilage. In a body that works perfectly, the cartilage is damaged with daily wear and tear but the body consistently produces new, complete cartilage. With age and deterioration, the body’s production is slowed. Supplemental chondrotin is extracted primarily from bovine trachea, however shark and whale cartilage is another source.

Boswellia: is taken from the resin and gums of the Boswellia Serratta tree. It is a powerful and effective herbal anti-inflammatory. The active ingredient, Boswelic Acid, stops one of the biochemic pathways involved in inflammation.

MSM:is a naturally occuring sulfar produced by kelp. MSM (methylsulfonylmenthane) is believed to help enhance the structural integrity of the connective tissue. It also helps block pain perception in certain nerve fibers.  

 At The Grange we carry supplements that combine all of these powerful resources into easily administered and affordable relief for you animal! 

It is important to note that these products work best when used to prevent degeneration, not cure! I think that large breed dogs should start a glucosamine supplement at 3-4 years to prevent damage. Small breed dogs and cats should start at 5-6 years. However, it is never to late to start a treatment for your animal! Not only will a glucosamine supplement help slow down the progression of joint disease, it will also repair some damage. After starting a treatment, you can expect to see results in as little as 10 days. Severe cases can see results in 30 days.

Stop by The Grange in Issaquah and start a relief system for your animals joints- today!

(These naturally occurring resources are neutraceuticals and are classified the same as vitamins. The body is a vast and complicated thing- the explanations I have provided are brief overviews. There have been countless studies performed on the healing effects of these sources; and tons of wonderful information is available online. )

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