Natural Pet Health

A special bond often exists between a child and their pet. It doesn’t matter if it is a cat or dog of pot-bellied pig. When a pet is a companion and confidante for the child, the connection they share is so sweet. A child receives love without strings and knows that their secrets, hopes and dreams are held in the strictest of confidence. This is what makes the death of a pet so devastating to a child.

Children will not always understand why their pet had to die and as the parent, it is your duty to try and help them. Whatever you do though, do not lie to them because they will eventually find out the truth about their pet’s death. Sometimes, the pet could have run away to die or the veterinarian may have had to euthanize it after a debilitating injury or illness. A parent’s job is a tough one, particularly when consoling a child who is devastated by a pet’s death.

In many ways, a pet is a valuable member of the family. They share in many memories and are often devoted constant companions. You might have perceived your pet as your “child” or they may have been your confidante and best friend. Therefore, it is perfectly natural and normal to experience grief at the loss of a pet.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve for your pet. As each pet and relationship is unique, only you will really know what’s best.

However, here are some helpful ways to help you with the grieving process:

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) — Some dog and cat owners frightened by a contamination scare are forsaking the pet-food aisle and grinding up meat in their own kitchens instead.

Sales of pet food recipe books have also shot up since the nationwide pet-food recall began two weeks ago.

Amy Parish, 40, stopped giving her two aging chow chows canned food. Instead, Parish mixes dry food with a mash of chicken, rice, oatmeal and cottage cheese that she prepares twice a week.

“I’m very suspicious of any large-brand manufactured dog food,” said Parish, who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Tucker.

But veterinarians warn that making balanced meals for pets can be complicated and should only be a temporary remedy until the scare passes.

NEW YORK (AP) — SuNae Martz is a 10-year-old jetsetter who’s crisscrossed the globe more than once. The catch: SuNae is a dog — a fluffy white coton de tulear, to be exact.

Her owner, Gayle Martz, takes her everywhere she flies, from Paris to New York to Los Angeles. But SuNae doesn’t fly in the belly of the plane like common cargo. She’s first class, in the cabin under Martz’s seat.

“I don’t check my jewelry, and SuNae is my most precious jewel,” said Martz, a former flight attendant-turned entrepreneur who created and sells a soft-sided pet carrier, the Sherpa Bag.

SuNae is one of a half-million pets that fly each year, according to statistics complied by the U.S. Department of Transportation. But not all airlines permit pets to fly in the cabin, and other policies vary too.