Like people, many of the chronic health conditions that pets develop are associated with a poor diet and too little exercise. One reason for this is that people often buy food for their pets based on what is convenient or least costly rather than considering their nutritional needs. It's also important to take special health considerations into account, such as a sensitive stomach, allergies, or chronic joint pain. Another common issue is feeding pets food not meant for their age or species. Examples include giving dog food to a cat or feeding food meant for an adult dog to a puppy.

Best Practices When Buying Pet Food
Many pet owners are surprised to learn that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides very little oversight of pet food manufacturing and sales. For this reason, it's important to look for food with endorsement by the American Feed Controls Office (AFCO). This ensures that it meets the agency's minimum requirements for ingredients, packaging, quality, and nutrition. Dog food should contain carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water at a minimum. For cat food, look for fiber, fat, and antioxidants. Additional AFCO endorsement requirements include: 
 

• Feeding guidelines 
• Guaranteed analysis, including the percentage of each     main ingredient 
• List of ingredients 
• Manufacturer's name 
• Net quantity statement 
• Nutritional adequacy statement 
• Product name

It’s that time of year again. Love, hugs and chocolate are on everyone’s mind. For your pet, the first two come out way on top! (Chocolate is a no-no, but you already knew that!)

Dental disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats, affecting 78% of dogs and 68% of cats over the age of three. Although most dogs and cats will develop some sort of dental disease, small dog breeds, such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Dachshunds and Toy Poodles, are more prone to developing periodontal disease than larger breeds.