About Laura Murphy Expertise Do you have a question about nutrition, including which food is best for your pet and which should be avoided? If you’re researching homecooked or raw diets, this is the place. I can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about raw feeding. Do you want to know whether or not you need to supplement your pet’s diet and, if so, which supplements are for you? I can help you with just about any question regarding canine and feline nutrition and feeding. Although I believe in the benefits of raw feeding, I respect anyone trying to do the best thing for their pets and will answer questions on any type of pet food.
I can address many areas of holistic pet care, including illness, homeopathic remedies, herbal remedies, and flower essences. We can talk about everything from vaccinating (and when not to), to skin problems, to cancer. Please note that I am not a veterinarian and any health-related information is from my personal experience and research, but I can be a good resource.
I can also answer your questions about pet rescue, including when to use them and what kind of pet is right for you. And I love controversial subjects like puppy mills and animal experimentation. If I don’t know the answer to your question immediately, I’ll research it for you.
Basically, if you’re got a pet question – fire away. Chances are, I’ll have something you can use.
Laura Murphy
Experience An animal lover and owner all my life, I spent years as a foster parent for a national rescue group and as a volunteer at my local Humane League. Many years ago, I began researching and using natural health care methods to treat both my pets and my family. I have worked with holistic vets to develop and provide custom homeopathic and Bach Flower Essence blends for their clients. In 2002, I started Pets By Nature to give pet owners who are seeking a healthier and more natural way to feed and care for their pets a reliable source of education, support, guidance, and products. Relying on honesty, integrity, and openness with respect to natural health care for companion animals, I am able to provide quality products, services, and information with the intent of helping interested pet owners learn about and practice a more natural method of pet nutrition and health care.
Education/Credentials I am a college graduate and full time Business Systems Analyst. I have written many articles for publication on my web site and throughout the local pet community. I have been a vendor at local dog shows and do public speaking on the topics of pet nutrition and holistic health care.
Past/Present Clients My clients range from new pet owners to 4th generation raw feeding breeders. I enjoy a wonderful professional relationship with several veterinary practices who refer my diets, supplements, and homeopathics to many of their clients. I ship supplements and flower essences all over the world, and provide a quality frozen raw food to the Central Pennsylvania area. Virtually all of my marketing is word-of-mouth referrals from my current clients and I consider them all my extended family.
Question My Yorkie is almost 6 months old. When I firt purchased him, the breeder had him on Pedigree so that's what I stuck with. The problem is, his breath smells horrible!! I've tried giving him the doggie mints but he doesn't like them and I don't know what to do. Could his brand of food be the cause? What can I do?
Answer Hi Jai,
Yes, bad breath is definitely diet-related. There are a couple of things you can do to help.
First, you can upgrade him to a better diet. Basically, the foods you can buy at the grocery store contain the cheapest ingredients and are mostly made up of poor-quality fillers. Pedigree is no exception. Upgrading to a premium dog food will improve not only his breath, but his overall health and you will notice a marked decrease in stools since most of what he's eating right now comes out the other end.
I am a raw feeder and believe that a natural, raw diet is the best thing we can do for our pets. As a matter of fact, many of my raw food clients are yorkies and they are thriving on their new diet. Not everyone is willing or able to provide a raw diet, however, and my second choice is a home-cooked diet. If that, too, is not feasible, for you, these are my top commercial food picks:
Dry Dog Food - Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, C&P's Organix, Solid Gold Barking at the Moon formula, and Wellness CORE formula.
Canned Dog Food - Canidae, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Innova EVO, Nature's Variety Instinct formula, and Wellness.
All of these foods have a minimum of fillers (some have none) and use much more natural protein and nutrient sources than what you've been buying. Changing him to one of these would be the first step.
Second, you can add digestive enzymes and probiotics to his diet. These come in pill or powder form and will greatly improve his digestion and overall health. A good digestive enzyme compound for dogs is Prozyme. For probiotics, you can buy lactobacillus acidophilus tablets at any pharmacy or grocery store. They are very inexpensive.
Since he's so young, I doubt that the breath is indicative of a dental condition, so it's not his teeth or gums. You could buy a product from Petzlife.com that will get rid of plaque and tartar, but at his age, that's probably not necessary. Improving his diet and adding the enzyme and digestive supplements will help enormously. If you still need additional help, alfalfa powder is loaded with vitamins and minerals and can help eliminate bad breath.
