Best cat supplements & vitamins according to redditors
We found 138 Reddit comments discussing the best cat supplements & vitamins. We ranked the 36 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 138 Reddit comments discussing the best cat supplements & vitamins. We ranked the 36 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
This information could vary depending on where you live, as for the United States. Make sure you’re familiar with your local laws on ferrets and your landlords policy before you commit to anything.You’ll most likely come across Marshall ferrets if you’re getting from a pet store. You want to look for the double dot tattoo on their ear that indicates they’ve been descented and spayed/neutered. You should always have at least two ferrets because they’re social animals and get depressed alone. They’re very social and need someone to keep them company whenever you can’t. You really can’t take the place of a second ferret playmate because you cannot play like a ferret and there will be times when they are without you and you can’t cuddle up in their hammock with them lol I find females are easier to train but boys can be very sweet too. They do bite and that needs to be trained out of them. It’s a good idea to research some training techniques before hand so you’re prepared and can be consistent from the start. They relieve themselves in corners so that can be used to your advantage when potty training them. Some people use litter boxes with pellets (never kitty litter), personally I use weewee pads and secure them in place with tape. If they’re not secure they will run away with them and tear them up lol. They do poop a lot and you have to keep up with cleaning it up. They’re super smart and energetic so they need enrichment. Tunnels, ball pits, and toys are a must. They also need lots of out of the cage time (minimum of 4 hours a day but the more the better) if you can dedicate a ferret proof section of your house that is ideal, my ferrets have their own bedroom so they are never confined to a cage. If they are roaming in a non ferret proof room they need to be closely monitored because they can be seriously injured if they chew on a wire, get stepped on, knock over something glass, or get into food that would be toxic for a ferret etc. As far as cages go I recommend a ferret nation cage, the double doors makes cleaning it easier and it’s an appropriate size for a ferret. Wysong digestive support is a good food for them. Grizzly’s salmon oil too. Be careful when picking a food because they cannot have vegetables, grains, or soy and many leading pet food brands do have them. They are strictly carnivores and should never eat dairy, sugar, fruits, vegetables, or grains/breads. They need their ears cleaned once a week and their hammocks and beds need to be washed. The majority of their musky smell comes from their ears so keeping up with that will keep the smell under control. They don’t need baths very often, frequent baths could dry out their skin. Their nails also need to be clipped and this is better off done as a two person job so one person can scruff ( held up by the skin on the back of their neck like a cat would hold a kitten in her mouth) and the other person can clip the nails. Make sure you don’t clip too fair back or you could make them bleed. You can usually see the vein in their nail and avoid it but it is something you need to be careful about and don’t want to do if they’re squirming. Another tactic is to try it right after they’ve fallen asleep so they’re docile enough to let you do it. or you can rub some salmon oil on their tummy so that they’ll be distracted licking it off. Don’t use ferretvite/ferretone/vitamin pastes marketed towards ferrets it contains harmful ingredients (sugar) for ferrets. Keep styptic powder on hand in case of an accident. Their teeth also need to be cleaned. Constant access to fresh water in a bowl (not a bottle) is a must. Don’t leave the lights on for them, the dark is good for their melatonin regulation which helps prevent adrenal disease. I would also recommend keeping an empty emergency kennel above their cage in case of a fire or any other event that would need you to evacuate quickly. It’s also important to have a vet on hand. If you get a Marshall’s ferret they’re usually all taken care of medically before you adopt them but you still need to keep up with routine vaccinations and they are sensitive creatures and are prone so certain problems like insulinoma and adrenal disease, they are also very accident prone and you don’t want to wait until something is wrong to look for a vet. Most conventional cat/dog vets won’t see ferrets because they are considered exotic. You should also familiarize yourself with blockage protocol. They live up to 8 years and take a lot of time, energy, love, patience, and commitment. They are a long term commitment so make sure you’re up for it and your schedule allows for it before you adopt. Good luck :)
MidWest Deluxe Ferret Nation Double Unit Ferret Cage (Model 182) Includes 2 leak-Proof Pans, 2 Shelves, 3 Ramps w/Ramp Covers & 4 locking Wheel Casters, Measures 36" L x 25" W x 62.5" H Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054U8UGW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ENuCDb2RWR1V5
Wysong Ferret Epigen 90 Digestive Support - Dry Ferret Food, Four - 5 Pound Bags https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019W9VYPY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cOuCDb9EA300W
Grizzly Omega Health for Dogs & Cats, Wild Salmon Oil/Pollock Oil Omega-3 Blend https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074N97RFP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wOuCDbJGSXZ2Y
https://holisticferretforum.com/care-and-enrichment/common-behavior-problems/ferret-bite-training/
https://holisticferretforum.com/care-and-enrichment/common-behavior-problems/litterbox-boot-camp/
https://holisticferretforum.com/health/blockages/blockage-protocol/
https://holisticferretforum.com/care-and-enrichment/cages-and-bedding/464-2/ferret-litters/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTvMXyhwVBu5TLnYSvGhqJqr_vE_-x_1BADF7dPwatwlB9l--m02ZN23FqvPNqp3v-n5cJyOuSssVfn/pub?fbclid=IwAR1-YBxbLHkIRRgR9JgFZUD6zaxtOYq0W0dxfcpdEXUB51q8aHu2A3PZ_H0
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ps63TeKhcYB9L7YUxxBkGTjXQHSkGjVu/view?fbclid=IwAR2v0jT04d3cTa0Ixv3JUATp7wTTbv0WIwDaumJICWULdWhrMiF_7zmL_KM
This is basically the run down I send to all first time ferret parents on here but to also answer your specific questions 11 hours is okay as long as they have at least 4 hours out of the cage (the more the better though). Raw diet is good but anticipate varying stools. If you want easy and consistency I would go with kibble. I have a ferret proof room where there are no accessible wires but if you can’t provide that duct tape and zip ties are a good idea.
Here is a list with cost estimates https://www.reddit.com/r/ferrets/comments/ao29zy/the_cost_of_owning_ferrets_2019_edition/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
You're right that a human going vegan has a bigger impact than a cat, but why not both?
What about Taurine (and other essential nutrients)?
Many people are concerned vegan diets lack essential nutrients for cats and dogs that can only be found in meat, like Taurine. Without Taurine, cats will suffer from retinal degeneration, cardiomyopathy, birth defects, and eventually death. This fear is heightened by anecdotal reports of owners who naively and cruelly feed an incomplete plant-based diet to their pets. However, many nutritionally complete dog and cat foods exist.
Evolution is one such vegan dog & cat food brand, you can see their ingredients here. Both dog and cat food contain (ethical & sustainable) synthetic Taurine, Lysine, Carnitine, and more. This is not unique to Evolution. Any AAFCO compliant vegan pet food brand will have all essential nutrients and healthy carb/protein/fat macro-nutrient ratios as laid out by the guidelines.
Some people worry that synthetic nutrients are less healthy than "natural" meat, or cost prohibitive. A common saying in the pet food industry is that "pets need nutrients, not ingredients". Almost all meat-based pet foods are just supplemented as vegan foods. The low-quality rendered meat is heavily processed in order to become edible flavoring, which denatures most amino acids and destroys other nutrients. You can see synthetic Taurine, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients in the labels of almost any pet food.
Can cats be vegan?
Yes. Cats require many nutrients that typically come from meat. In regular kibble, many of these nutrients are stripped away during processing and added back in from synthetic sources. These same sources are used to fulfill missing nutrients in vegan diets. Studies and anecdotal evidence support vegan diets as a healthy diet for cats.
Vegan dog and cat food has the same amount of carbs, protein, and fat.
There is one point of concern though. Vegan diets are typically more alkaline/basic (high pH) than meat based diets. Basic diets can cause FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease), especially in male cats. To combat this their food must be acidified.
Most vegan and non-vegan cat kibble is acidified to prevent this condition. It's still a good idea to monitor your cat as it transitions foods to ensure its best health. On his website, Dr Andrew Knight says
> Based on his experiences with thousands of vegan cats Gillen (2003) states that 85-90% of vegetarian cats do not require attention to dietary content; however, for the remaining 10-15%, urinary pH and dietary magnesium concentrations (see following) require monitoring
The most relevant research has this to say on the matter
> The normal pH of a cat’s urine is 5.5–7, and the normal range for a dog’s urine is pH 5–7 [85]. A pH > 7 indicates alkalinity. A variety of dietary products (e.g., “Vegeyeast” from Harbingers of a New Age—see [26]) and additives can correct alkalinization, should it occur. Asparagus, peas, brown rice, oats, lentils, corn, brussel sprouts and yeast may be included in feline and canine diets, and are all urinary acidifiers [27]. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is also a urinary acidifier. The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Small Animal Formulary [86] recommends a dosage of 50–80 mg/kg every 24 h for cats and dogs. And for more serious cases, the amino acids methionine and cysteine may be used [13]. The BSAVA Small Animal Formulary [86] recommends a dosage of 200 mg/cat every 8 h. More detailed advice about urinary alkalinisation and corrective strategies is available via www.vegepets.info, or within veterinary medical texts.
> Increased urinary acidity, decreased urinary magnesium and increased water consumption all help to keep the urinary pH within a healthy acidic range, and help to prevent the formation of struvite crystals. However, acidifying nutrients, agents, or products should be used carefully, as excessive levels can lead to metabolic acidosis. Increased urinary acidity may also promote higher urinary excretion of calcium and lower excretion of magnesium, and magnesium is a natural inhibitor to the formation of urinary stones associated with calcium [87].
> "Urinary pH is the most important factor in determining the SAP [struvite activity product, which can lead to FLUTD]. Acidification of urine causes deprotonation of phosphates and increases the total proportion of urine phosphate existing as trivalent anions, reducing the SAP.6 Urinary pH and SAP have been reduced with both dietary modification and administration of urinary acidifiers.7 The solubility of struvite is maximized when the urinary pH is <6.4 ... acidification of the urine to <6.29 may increase the risk of calcium oxalate urolith formation...[Urinary acidifiers] should be considered only when the urine pH is >6.5 with ad libitum feeding conditions...A general recommendation for prevention of urolithiasis is to increase water consumption...Diets with reduced magnesium that maintain a urine pH between 6 and 6.3 are recommended despite lack of evidence of efficacy...Monitoring urine pH is recommended to assess dietary compliance and efficacy. Values between 6.0 and 6.5 may reduce the incidence of calcium oxalate and struvite crystal formation. "
So what should you do?
I got this from Amazon - and I put a little less than a pump (so it's about 2.5 pumps per day) on her dry food and shake it around in her bowl. She goes NUTS over it!
It's good for her, and her fur has gotten super shiny and soft since we've started using it. It goes a really long way, so it's definitely worth the price.
Salmon Oil
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Pollock Oil
Recommended Brand: Grizzly Pollock Oil
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Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
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Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
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Pre/Pro-Biotic
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Multi-Vitamin
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Turmeric
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There are likely others/other suggestions for brands, but this is what I regularly supplement with. I know many PMR feeders will avoid plant based products, but I don't mind them so much for supplementation.
man, all the anti-biotics must be fucking his stomach up. You might want to look into giving him some benebac. It's a probiotic for cats. The powder is good, but for you boy, you might want to get him the Gel syringe.
http://www.amazon.com/Bene-Bac%C2%AE-Probiotic-Syringe-Safety-Sealed/dp/B00NDOJV3C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418751592&sr=8-2&keywords=benebac+pet+gel+cat
Also, a nutraceutical called denosyl works wonders for heptic lipidosis. It's basically a supplement, so it has no side effects or threat of overdose.
http://www.pet360.com/product/6637/nutramax-denosyl-s-adenosylmethionine?utm_source=googlepla&utm_medium=pla&extcid=PLA&mr:referralID=5a3a4db8-854a-11e4-8d82-001b2166becc&gclid=Cj0KEQiAzb-kBRDe49qh9s75m-wBEiQATOxgwWKuQ1tSAq7n4urpaJY6U-m9b-tE--Mh8CwM6EP1t48aAo4O8P8HAQ
Hope he feels better.
my border collie had a real issue with dry itchy skin and flaking. i added this salmon oil to her food once a day and the problem cleared up after a few days. i cant speak to the welts, though.
I too, highly recommend salmon oil for dogs. My pit had awful mange and skin irritation when we adopted him...this stuff, along with a healthy diet and Benadryl (when he seemed to be scratching himself excessively) worked miracles. It's been a year later and his coat is amazing and the mange has subsided...we give him a few pumps of salmon oil with his food everyday. Definitely purchase off Amazon you will probably not find a better deal anywhere else.
One of my cats has irritable bowel syndrome. This results in chronic diarrhea. We used to have her on a prescription food, and it helped, but here's what we found worked best, diet wise to control the diarrhea:
We give her a quarter can of Friskies Turkey with half a tablespoon of pumpkin purée - the stuff for pumpkin pie filling. It has a lot of fiber and works wonders. We also buy a cat probiotic from Amazon and follow the instructions on the jar, which is one scoop in with the food. We mash it all together, that's what she eats all day, and it's has changed her movements from pure liquid to a more solid "soft serve". We still wipe her bottom, but it's so much better.
As far as not using the litter, it can be a lot of things. We had an older cat who developed arthritis and could no longer step into the box we had so she started having accidents. A much lower box solved the issue.
She may not like the kind of litter you're buying. The box might not be clean enough for her. The box may not be in an area she feels safe going potty in. She may have a UTI or other health issues.
I'd start with fresh, new litter boxes that are nice and clean and in a low traffic, quiet spot. Throw away as much as you can that has been pottied on so the cat doesn't smell the mess and think "oh, this is my poopie place." Move up to trying the pumpkin if you can and maybe add in the probiotic. Try to get her to a vet if you can.
You're a good person and you're doing all you can. I wish you the best.
Edit : I saw someone mentioned fortiflora! That's what we were using! We didn't have much luck with it and so we switched to this probiotic because in the ingredients it had more active probiotics. We've had much better results, but you do your research and try what you think is best. And if you can get to a vet, of course listen to them! :)
Bathing a dog isn't solving the problem, it's just getting rid of the dandruff that's present.
As others have mentioned, start giving your dog some fish oil in his/her food. This is the one I get. It can be pricey, but it lasts quite a while. I put 1 or 2 squirts on top of the food each day. My dogs love it and their coats are great. I live in a very cold, dry climate too.
If you are going to shampoo your dog, use a shampoo with an oatmeal base. Something like this. As for frequency, you should refrain from bathing your dog as much as possible. In the spring, when it's muddy out I just rinse my labs with water in the tub. Once it starts to dry up outside, I give my dogs a good bath as they start to stink. That's probably the only bath (with shampoo) they get all year and they swim in a river everyday from April-October. Their natural oils will repel water and keep the stink off. The more your bathe your dog, the more you strip those oils and end up with a stinkier dog.
I have a kitten who also had goopy eyes and dirty ears, no matter what I did. Vet recommended this lysine supplement and it made a huge difference in his health. That jar will last you a year, after which time he shouldn't need it.
That's wonderful that you're committed to keeping this cat. I did a little digging in the hopes that there's a straight forward option you haven't yet tried.
Here are a few reasons some cats meow a lot. Some are physical causes and some are easily remedied, so it may be worth at least a quick read in case it leads to an "ah ha" moment for you.
If he's talkative at night and it's affecting your sleep, here's a training video, and one product that seems to have helped a lot of people: Night Owl Solution from Jackson Galaxy
My Cat From Hell did an episode on a non - stop meower. I couldn't find the "solution" half of the episode, but found a review and it sounds like they diagnosed the cat with separation anxiety. They moved his cat tree in front of the window so he could people and bird watch more easily, and prescribed regular play sessions with feather toys (I highly recommend Da Bird as an excellent toy). I'm not sure if there were other steps. But the owner has Crohns and was ending up in the hospital almost monthly because of cat induced stress, but they remedied the problem and got the cat to stop meowing. So there's hope!
I give mine these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006OCG4JY
There are also lysine treatums that your cat might like. My cat likes PetNaturals of Vermont L-Lysine chews and OptixCare L-Lysine Chews. Depending on the dose contained in the treat and the size of your cat, it can be 2-4 of the first treats per day, or 1-2 of the second kind.
I personally have never given it to rats, but my rabbit's pellets have it in them, and it does definitely help with odor, so I'm assuming it would do the same for ratties. I was googling, and
I happened to find this. It says it is for horses as well, and both horses and rats are hind gut fermentors (digestive system type), so it would be reasonable to say rats can also have it if horses can. If you can find treats that have Yucca that are for cats or dogs, it is likely rats could also partake in them. I found these but I looked through the ingredients and found citric acid, so the paranoid part of me says no since citrus is bad in boys, unless they are two different things of course. I admit I'm not the best at ingredients deciphering lol Humans can also eat Yucca, so I would imagine you could potentially just cook the stuff as you would normally and give them a little of the root. Here is an explanation I found on how to prepare and cook it. Sorry I'm not the best help. Maybe someone else will comment that knows more!
Well bummer! My girls really liked the Tomlyn Lysine but it's getting harder to find. Since it also has chicken flavoring and they appear to be allergic to poultry (vet discussion coming soon, oh goody) I just switched them to the NOW Pet Health Lysine instead. It appears to be totally flavorless, and both girls finished their entire bowl of canned food today, including the one who usually leaves half her meal for her sister. If the canned food is a little dry sometimes I mix a little bit of water in so it doesn't taste too powdery, especially since I add probiotics and digestive enzymes for them as well.
It's a supplement I mix into his food once a day. I had to do some research, we are visiting my parent's place and I forgot to bring it with me.
i had the same issue with my shib, i decided to add salmon oil to her food ( Kiwi Peak Lamb) and she has never "itched itched" again, she now just does the shiba itching every so often
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https://www.amazon.ca/Grizzly-Wild-Salmon-Oil-32-Ounce/dp/B0002ABR6E/ref=asc_df_B0002ABR6E/?tag=googleshopc0c-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292961957265&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16106996455925664204&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061009&hvtargid=pla-353309683625&psc=1
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I've found that salmon oil works well. Also, feeding your dog a grain-free diet could help. Dry, itchy skin is a common indication that a dog has a wheat allergy.
We use this oil and we just do a single pump per meal. It has some serving side suggestions on the bottle as well. Be sure to refrigerate it, as it can go rancid once it's been opened. I also recommend a smaller bottle (like 8 oz) for that reason as well, so you use it up before it goes bad.
We do about a teaspoon of coconut oil per meal as well. For reference, or Frenchie is about 22 lbs.
Salmon oil works wonders!
I put a squirt of this on my Aussie's dry food and his coat is beautiful.
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-All-Natural-Supplement-Pump-Bottle-Dispenser/dp/B0002ABR6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382825307&sr=8-1&keywords=grizzly+salmon+oil
I made food for 5 years. I used this mix to make sure its nutritional balance was right.
My cat loved it, and it suited him really well. I'm too busy now and have three cats, or I'd still do it.
You can try giving your dog fish oil or Salmon Oil. If you give your dog too much, then they can have diarrhea. I feed my dog 2 times a day, but only give it to them in in the morning.
Whatever you do, keep him on a wet food. There are ph strips you can buy to test at home. But if you've had urinary problems with your kitty before, you probably know the signs to watch out for, and know the cost involved with a blockage. So keep all that in mind. High moisture is important for all cats, not just ones who have had blockages in the past.
Nah, Like this...
My Maine Coon goes crazy for it.
A lot of people use this salmon oil that you squirt on your dog's food.
It's this stuff: http://www.amazon.com/Plaque-Off-Cats-40g-Formulation/dp/B004EA2OBK
I bought it somewhere else but this is the brand :)
Get some l-lysine it helps immensely with feline herpes. Our cats both have feline herpes and they get about an inch of this paste a day that they lick from our fingers http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0012GWCPM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1417163820&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40
After a couple days the symptoms should improve and almost disappear. Keep them on the l-lysine regularly for prevention.
This lysine is cheap while this one is more palatable. Each would be 1/4 tsp on food twice a day. And for a single cat either container would last a long time.
This happens to my english bulldog. We've never gotten a straight answer as to why, but somedays it looked like he pulled a muscle. Some days got so bad he couldn't put any weight on his back leg.
After a few vet visits that turned up nothing, we started giving him Salmon Oil in his food. http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-All-Natural-Supplement-Pump-Bottle-Dispenser/dp/B0002ABR6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405375839&sr=8-1&keywords=Salmon+oil
He has only been "sore" once in the year that we've had him on it. Worked for us.
55lb female, Nutro Lamb and Brown Rice dry kibble, 1.25 cup twice a day, with some salmon oil poured over it. Plus misc. treats - she gets one Blue Buffalo dental chew a day, and a few misc. Orijen whole prey duck treats as rewards when she behaves. That, and table scraps, she's really got the puppy dog eye look down.
I had initially tried feeding her Blue Buffalo Grain Free Chicken, but we ended up discovering that she has a chicken sensitivity and it was making her sick. I went to visit my parents about when we were realizing Sapphire was having an issue; they feed their little Shih Tzu the Nutro Lamb and Rice, and Sapphire kept ignoring her food and stealing Coco's food instead, and she seemed to stomach it better. I later got into contact with her previous owners (I got her as an owner surrender at a shelter), and found out they had been feeding her lamb and brown rice (albeit a walmart brand) from puppyhood.
The fish oil makes a huge difference, btw. She almost never gets sick to her stomach any more since she started getting that.
im wondering if he is having some PTSD issues. i bought some herbal drops from Petsmart for my cat when he was feeling anxious and stressed . Something like that might help.. or these from Jaxon Galaxy https://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Galaxy-Solutions-Trauma-Free/dp/B00OUAGB1S
you can also buy thundershirts for cats...that might help as well
PM aid a private message on here, no worries! Takes time to get the jargon if you’re new to reddit lol. And you’re very welcome, I know how much of an adjustment and commitment these animals are.
I’m glad he likes the yolk bc it’s a good healthy treat! They say once a week is good and during the shedding season (October-November in fall, March-May/June in spring) you can feed them yolk twice a week and it helps reduce hairball blockages.
I am also OCD and the smell is something I’ve been trying to work around. I have cage wipes and Kaytee Cage Cleaner and I use those whenever I feel is necessary. I have a playpen for mine and after they’re done playing and I go to work for the day I spritz it so it can dry and it helps the smell of their pen. For the cage, I use blankets/towels and I change them daily sometimes twice a day if they’re wet or smelly (mine love to tip their water bowl and get everything wet so there’s that)
I use care fresh for litter, I tried yesterday’s news for them, and I would use the pellets at the bottom and use care fresh at the top, (I felt the pellets weighed down the box so they would move it less) they ended up burrowing with the pellets more than using it for litter but when I would use pellet the pee would break it down so much it started smelling like ammonia. It was HORRIBLY STINKY, so I stopped using the yesterdays news and only use care fresh now, it honestly doesn’t smell that bad but I’ve read that walnut shavings (I would be careful if you do this and Deff look into it and make sure the walnut shavings are a good/safe brand meant for ferrets before just buying any old shells) help reduce smell tremendously. Something about the natural aroma and the ferret smells mask it well, that might be something to consider if the smell is bothersome for you. But just be really on top of cleaning the basics ! 3x a day I clean their litter and before I put them back in their cage I take everything out and clean up any water, food, amiss litter and all of that and honestly you can’t even tell I have ferrets when you walk into my room. I’ve also read an air purifier is a godsend for the smell as well (which might be something I have to do in the winter when my room is stuffier, I have my air conditioning on all day for them so I think that helps the air flow for my situation)
Hope all of that helps!
Edit: I should also add I vacuum at least twice a day around their cage too. I used to be more of a slob during my day to day basis but the ferrets have kept me on top of all their cleaning needs and I spend like an hour before work and 2 hours after work cleaning after them, so it’s like 3 hours a day I spend on making sure they live a perfect life lol, just a part of the beauty of having these lovely creatures sharing your home!
Edit 2: with the salmon oil what brand is it? There is a person on this sub who recommends a certain brand, grizzly omega, that animals up to 12 pounds can have half a pump of that one (details on amazon if you want to see for yourself I’ll link it here: Grizzly Omega Health for Dogs & Cats, Wild Salmon Oil/Pollock Oil Omega-3 Blend https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074N4XWVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n5krDbB4HAW8M)
If he hates it, he hates it! They are notoriously finicky eaters. I definitely need to buy a bottle bc my babies do not respond well to scruffing and my boy is very anxious about nail clipping and baths, so I need to distract him. You should see my hands, they are covered in scratches from his nails, my good friend is a vet tech and she has cut their nails for me about 2 weeks ago but she went on vacation and now I’m struggling bc I want to do it but I’m scared of hurting them ! Especially bc he’s fussy as heck
Pet Naturals of Vermont makes a cat treat called Smelly Cat that is supposed to help with poo reek. It worked really well for my Abysinnian, but my MC is never interested in eating them.
I started giving my dog some Grizzly Salmon Oil about 2-3 months ago. It took several weeks to have a noticeable effect, but now the amount that she sheds has decreased pretty sharply and she seems to be much softer and her coat is much brighter.
sorry for the late response, sounds like you've got a good grasp on indie's diet. Here's what we supplement our boys' diet with, plus pumpkin 2x a day, in case you wanted to check it out:
http://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Glucosamine-formerly-Liquid-Health/dp/B000VKA93C/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1464040965&sr=8-3&keywords=k9+liquid+vegetarian+glucosamine
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-All-Natural-Supplement-Pump-Bottle-Dispenser/dp/B0002ABR6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464041095&sr=8-1&keywords=grizzly+salmon+oil
Dr. Mercola
My pit bull had mange when we adopted him and also gets skin irritation sometimes--the vet recommended a Benadryl, 1mg for each pound your dog weighs. My dog is 70-75lbs so we give him (3)25mg tablets a day if he's having issues. Also, just a few pumps of salmon oil a day has done wonders for him and he has an amazing coat now. The cheapest I've found is on Amazon
Yeah it might be, poor thing. In my experience, managing the flair ups is pretty doable, I just feel so bad when they're stuffed up. I've used the following three brands - if you have a picky cat, the Vetoquinol Enisyl-F is the one all 3 of mine have consistently liked, and was given to us the first time by a vet. Problem is it tends to run more expensive than the others. I've also used the Vetriscience lysine treats, only word of warning are these are sort of big and 'chewy' so the two of my cats who like these prefer them broken down into smaller pieces. This last one I know I've used before, but I can't remember anything about it and I haven't kept using it. One of my cats is very picky though so that's probably why.
First, congratulations! I'm excited for you. Reminds me of my first time and the excitement it brought. Here's a list of things I learned to keep on hand for my Dobbie:
 
 
 
 
Our cats are carriers but don’t have the full blown infection. We treat them with Lysine with great results. Once in the morning, once in the evening.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012GWCPM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_HPuUBbNFGXR08
This is the one I take:
NOW Foods blah blah blah words
$20.25 / (.750 * 180) = $0.15 per gram
If you really care about the price, you can buy fish oil as a dog food supplement. I found this gem while looking for fish oil for my dog. It's not molecularly distilled like most human fish oils are, but the mercury and pcb levels are below detectable levels, if the company is to be believed.
linky link
The only source I could find for epa and dha levels.
32oz: $24.50/(.675*267) = $0.14 per gram
64oz: $41.55 /(.675*267*2) = $0.12 per gram.
All calculations do not include shipping. I have amazon prime so I do not pay shipping on these.
note I don't know much about epa vs dha and therefore i was only trying to maximize dha+epa.
I got this one from Amazon and it's lasted months and months. My dog gets 3 squirts a day and this bottle should last me at least 4 more months.
If he suffers from dry skin try giving him fish oil. My dog had dry skin and dandruff and I started giving him fish oil and it went away. I use this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ABR6E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My cat had perpetual soft poops which sometimes had a small amount of mucousy blood. I took her to the vet and she went through two rounds of meds and nothing changed. I eventually tried adding probiotics to her food once a day and now she has totally normal poops! this is what i use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RKQF6QA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I used to have a similar problem with one of my cats. Then I read an article saying it's not "normal" for a cat to throw up all the time. According to the article, even the usual reasons are not valid, such as "food is too rich", "he eats too fast", etc. The author claimed that cat food, especially dry cat food, lacks certain nutrients (don't remember what). And because of that, cats can end up with some kind of liver failure; with vomiting being a symptom. I don't remember all the details.
I'm not sure I agreed with everything the article said. But one thing it suggested was giving the cats a feline probiotic to give them the additional nutrients I guess. I figured I'd give it a try.
I sprinkle the probiotic powder on everything my cats eat... dry food (shake it up in a baggie), wet food, treats... it all gets a healthy sprinkle of this stuff. Vomiting has gone WAAAY down. Nowadays, mostly the occasional fur ball (despite lots of combing). I do give more than it calls for on the label, so it can get expensive. But worth it to me.
Ty! I make a fresh batch once a week. I’ve been doing it for 8 years now. It’s more expensive than cheap kibble, but much much cheaper than any high quality food.
Here’s my recipe (vet approved)
1/3 by volume cooked protein (salmon, ground beef, beef stew meat, chicken thighs, pork loin, almost anything)
1/3 cooked quinoa (if cooking the meat makes broth, use it to cook the quinoa)
1/3 cooked ground vegetables (green beans, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, greens, any healthy nonstarchy veggie)
Low phosphorus calcium. I use this.
Here’s my weekly:
6 lbs meat
4 1/2 lbs veggies (usually frozen)
3 cups quinoa cooked using 6 cups water
1 tsp of the calcium per lb of food.
I also give them a doggie vitamin, a squirt of fish oil (I use this.
I split it into thirds and freeze 2/3, just to keep it fresher.
The dogs love it, and their coats glow. They get scrambled eggs twice a week for breakfast instead. Vet says to keep doing whatever I’m doing.
We used http://amzn.com/B005IW1GOY
We don't use it nowadays and just stick with plain greek yogurt every morning with his kibble.
Switch to a better food.. I use taste of wild wetland.. Go to trader joes or a organic food store and pick up a jar of coconut oil.. I say trader joes because that's where I've seen it the cheapest.. Mix a tablespoon in to its food once a day.. Start slow tho.. With like a teaspoon then work your way up to about a tablespoon in a half through a couple weeks.. Some dogs if you mix to much in at first will get a belly ache..
Also brush the dog then rub some coconut oil on the problem area.. I rub a little all over them helps with smell and keeps him soft.. Then brush one more time to work it through.
This helped a lot for my dog.. I recently started adding salmon oil once a day too his food.. His skin is even better and much shiner.. I use
http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-All-Natural-Supplement-Pump-Bottle-Dispenser/dp/B0002ABR6E
Hope this helps
http://www.amazon.com//dp/B0000CEPDP
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E8GHP50
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ABR5K