In the era of enrichment and keeping our dogs busy, things can get overwhelming. Conversations with fellow pawrents often reveal common reasons for not engaging in enrichment activities. Concerns include the impact on dogs’ diet, disruption of potty routines, time constraints, and the challenge of keeping ingredients on hand. Having tried various methods to occupy my anxious dog, who has weight gain issues I can relate. I discovered a few key lessons: My dog dislikes pumpkin and it upsets his stomach. It’s okay to create simple 2-ingredient treats. Dogs find joy in frozen water. Freezing enri ..read more

Most of us want to be involved in our pet’s health care.  Ultimately, we are responsible for Fido and Fluffy, and participating in their well-being empowers us and gives us a sense of satisfaction. If I had a dollar for every caring pet owner who said, I’ll do anything for my pet, I would be a rich woman today. This loving sentiment is especially important for pet parents whose cat or dog is suffering from heart disease because, with your vet’s assistance, there are some significant steps you can take that will make a difference in your pet’s prognosis. When many heart diseases are diagno ..read more

For those of us who like to pamper our pets, Lake Dog and their people, 117 N. Main St., Eufaula, is the place to do it. Take them there to be groomed and washed and shop for a variety of nutritious meals. The latest offering for the pampered pet is a gourmet food section. Healthy food that will help you maintain healthy dogs and cats. Kangaroo (from Australia), duck, rabbit (France), beef, chicken, lamb (from New Zealand), trout, whitefish and salmon. Not to mention beef, bison, and lamb liver; chicken, duck, and turkey necks. Lake Dog owners Shari and John Wilkins began stocking a gourmet fr ..read more

There are veterinarians and then there are veterinarians! If you are fortunate to have a holistic or integrative veterinarian to care for your pet, you have an invaluable ally in your quest for excellent pet health. If you use a conventional veterinarian, you are going to have to educate yourself and put in some effort for your pet to thrive. In general, conventional vets treat disease symptoms while holistic vets try to find the root cause of the symptoms and cure the underlying disease when possible. Whichever vet you choose, that veterinarian is the best resource to promote your pet’s heart ..read more

Not Just Pet Food…Pet Nutrition! History of Pet Extravaganza Opened 19 years ago by Terry and Lynne who still run the store today alongside their son Wade. They had been showing dogs for 30 years before taking on the venture of opening up their own pet store, but a twist of events ended up with both of them laid off at the same time. They wanted to do something they both liked together – which was working with dogs. This is what started Pet Extravaganza. They didn’t know a whole lot outside of they loved dogs but they just started and continued to learn along the way which propelled them forw ..read more

Often referred to as ‘the silent killer,’ heart disease affects about 10% of our dogs and cats, and because cardiac symptoms can be subtle, we may be unaware of the illness in our pets until serious damage has already begun. Often early symptoms are mistaken for natural aging processes, not thought of as a disease state  and consequently not mentioned to our vets. EARLY SYMPTOMS OF HEART DISEASE* Decrease in appetite General slowing down Increased respiratory rate Coughing tired Occasional vomiting MORE ADVANCED SYMPTOMS OF HEART DISEASE* Weight loss Weak, unable to do normal exercise ..read more

If you are already feeding your dog or cat a complete and balanced raw food diet, good for you and plenty good for your cat and dog! But are you in a feeding rut?  Do you run into your pet supply store, grab a bag or two of freeze-dried raw and a frozen bag, chat with the clerk as you pay and dash out?  Sure, we all have those hectic days when a quick trip is all we can manage at the pet store, but if that is your regular pattern, you may be missing out on some valuable new products. Let me introduce you to some of my pet’s favorites. The concept of adding a topper to your pet’s food ..read more

If you live in a cold climate, you wouldn’t dream of driving your car in the winter without antifreeze and snow tires. Yet many of us don’t take rudimentary precautions with our beloved pets when the temperatures turn icy. I am going to assume that most of us reading this article have indoor cats and dogs, but if you are feeding stray cats, working dogs, or taking your dogs for marathon winter hikes you will need to provide adequate shelters and/or climate-appropriate clothing in those circumstances. For most of us, when the days darken and chill, dog walks get shorter, and kitty’s brief outdo ..read more

No matter how we may long for safety guarantees for our well-loved pets, life offers few guarantees. Or as my father used to say, “Death and taxes are the only sure things in life.”  However true that might be, there are certainly sensible things we can do to reduce the risks inherent in life without hysterically dwelling on hypothetical or vastly overblown hazards. Do toys for pets represent a safety hazard? Yes.  Should we ban pet toys from our homes? Absolutely not! During the holidays, gift-giving is an enjoyable part of our celebrations, and, of course, we include our pets in th ..read more

One of our favorite parts of holiday celebrations is the special foods associated with the festivities. Treats of all kinds abound, and often we are tempted to share our human goodies with our beloved dogs and cats. A simple note of caution – don’t do it. Most human treats are far too sugary, too spicy, too fatty, and even potentially deadly (chocolate for example) for our cats and dogs’ carnivore digestive systems. Let’s face it, none of us wants to end our celebrations at the emergency vet clinic with a sick pet. So here’s an idea on how to safely include your pets in yummy holiday fun Befor ..read more