MAY 2009 YOUR GUIDE TO CARING FOR YOUR COMPANION

Holistic food for dogs and cats

Established 1995 • American made • Never recalled! • Not in stores

Economical. On Viand, a 40-pound dog eats 1 cup daily. At about 75 cups in an 18-pound bag, that’s more than 2 months before you need

more! An adult cat eats ¼ cup daily. That’s 3 months from an 8-pound bag.

Visit viandpet.com/USAfor a discount on your first order.

Made predominantly of 2 meat sources! Viand is the only food you’ll ever need for puppies, kittens, adult cats and dogs and

seniors of any size or breed. Use better food, not many different foods.

Visit viandpet.com/USA

more! An adult cat eats ¼ cup daily. That’s 3 months from an 8-pound bag.

seniors of any size or breed. Use better food, not many different foods.

Holistic food for dogs and cats

Established 1995 • American made • Never recalled! • Not in stores

Economical. On Viand, a 40-pound dog eats 1 cup daily. At about 75 cups in an 18-pound bag, that’s more than 2 months before you need

more! An adult cat eats ¼ cup daily. That’s 3 months from an 8-pound bag.

Mseniors of any size or breed. Use better food, not many different foods.

MAY 2009 YOUR GUIDE TO CARING FOR YOUR COMPANION

Pet Lifestyle & Care

CONTENTS 2 A Shelter Pet

2 Keep Your Home Clean

3 Animal Insurance

4 Keeping Your Pet Flea-Free

5 How Safe Is Your Pet Food?

5 Benefi ts of a Raw Diet

6 Treatment of Feline AIDS

6 World’s Best Cat Litter

7 Never Leave Your Pet Home Again

PET LIFESTYLE & CARE

Publisher: Rocco Giordanorocco.giordano@mediaplanet.com646 922 1405

Writer: Jackie McDermott

Design: Carrie Reaghwww.carriereagh.com

Printer: VertisPhotos: ©iStockphoto.com

For more information please contact Kayvan Salmanpour, 646 922 1400kayvan.salmanpour@mediaplanet.com

This section was written by MediaPlanet and did not involve USA Today News or Editorial Departments.

www.mediaplanet.com

Try It. We Double Dog Dare You.SEE WHY CRYPTON’S PET PRODUCTS ARE MAKING SUCH A SPLASH.

Our pet accessories are machine washable, stain and odor resistant, and available

in rich coordinating fabrics. The Crypton Fabrics collection includes waterproof dog beds,

Throvers, pet Mess Mats, throw pillows, and accessories.

Visit or call for more information.

HumaneSocietyoftheUnited

States (HSUS), the nation’s

largest animal protection

agency,urgespotentialpetownersto

considerthebenefitsofadoption—to

themselvesandsocietyatlarge.

“Shelter pets are fabulous pets.

There isnothingwrongwith them,”

explains Betsy McFarland, senior di-

rector of the Companion Animals

sectionofTheHSUS.“Peopleassume

they are ‘damaged goods’ or that

they’vebeenabused,butanimalslose

their homes for lots of reasons. For

example, some are relinquished

becausetheirfamilieshavelosttheir

homesduetoforeclosure,orbecause

their owners have passed away.

Shelters generally do a great job of

assessingtheanimals,soifthereare

anyissuesthey’lleducateyou.”

Another misconception about

sheltersisthattheirvarietyislimited

and that they only carry mutts.

“Sheltershaveawiderangeofpets,

evenbirdsandguineapigs,andthere

are rescue groups for every species

andbreedyouareinterestedin,”says

McFarland.“Infact,one infourdogs

enteringsheltersispure-bred!”

Besidespayingmuchlessthanyou

would at a store, you’ll also save

money because shelters provide

the first round of vaccination and

sterilizationbeforeadoption.

Shelters are forced to euthanize

morethanthreemillionhealthydogs

and cats every year, so before you

shelloutthebigbuckstoabreederor

pet store, stop by your local shelter

andsavesomemoney—andalife.

Why your Next Pet should be...

63% of U.S. households have

pets, which means they are

working extra hard to keep

theirhomesclean.Thankfully,there’s

anarrayofproductsreadytoarmpet

owners for their sometimes seem-

inglyendlessbattle.

Carpets and furniture are stain,

hair and odor magnets, but thanks

toCryptonSuperFabrics’innovative

stain&bacteria-resistanttextilesolu-

tions, animal lovers have a fighting

chance.

“Ifyourdogsitsonyoursofa,you

areprobablygoingtofreak,butnotif

youhaveCrypton.Thenallyouwould

do is wipe off the surface,” explains

co-founderRandyRubin.“Ourfabric

is beautiful, durable and the only

disinfectableproductofitskind.Say

you had a sick dog recently, you

can spray your disinfectant on your

furnitureandbedonewithit.”

Thereisalargevarietyofcleaning

products on the market. Jackie Re-

sillez,brandmanagerforUnitedPet

Group,Inc.’sstainandodorcategory,

offerstipsforconsumers.

Resillez describes the three types

ofstainremovers:“Oxyformulasare

great for non-protein based stains,

while the enzymatic and bacteria-

based are great for organic stains,

suchasbloodorurine.OurNature’s

Miracle Advanced Stain & Odor

Removeractuallyhavebothbacteria

andoxygenboosters.”

Your stains may be gone, but if

you’vegotapet,yourcarpetprobably

stillhaspethair.TheiRobotRoomba,

an automated vacuum that can

independently navigate your floors,

makes cleaning any home easy;

but V.P. of Sales & Marketing Matt

PalmadiscoveredthattheRoombais

especially desirable to pet owners

who are “constantly challenged to

keeptheirfloorsclean.”

“We decided to create a line

especiallyforthismarket.TheiRobot

Roomba�32PetSerieshasspecially-

designedrotatingbrushesthatreally

digintocarpetfiberstodrawoutpet

hair,a largercapacitybinanda low

profilethatcangetunderbedsand

otherplacesthatyoudon’ttypically

vacuum, but where dander still

penetrates,”explainsPalma.

TheRoombaallowspetownersto

removedirt,litterandhaireffectively

and more frequently while actually

freeinguptheirtime,butwho’dwant

to use that time cleaning the litter

box?Catownersoftencitekittylitter

asasourceofodorandmesses.The

Litter-Robot(www.litter-robot.com),a

self-cleaninglitterbox,maymakeeven

thatcomplaintathingofthepast.

“I don’t really enjoy having to

cleanthelittereveryday.Iusuallyjust

separate my mind from my body

beforethetaskandracethroughitas

fastas I can,”admitsMarcRaybin,a

catownerfromNY. Iteliminatesthe

daily task of scooping and large

waste drawer, which can go days

without being emptied, prevents

mold-growth,eliminatingthatfamiliar

“cat”smell.

Puuurrfect Ways to Keep Your Home Clean

a “Shelter Pet”!SaveMe!

pet lifestyle & care

2

Both of these little guys will clean your floors, but only one was meant for the job.With the iRobot Roomba® Pet Series Vacuum Cleaning Robot, you can leave the playing to the puppy and the cleaning to the robot. Just one push of a button and Roomba goes to work on all the food, hair and dander your pets leave behind—helping maintain cleaner floors every day and giving you more time with your best friend. Welcome to iRobot. Less chores. More life.

To order, visit www.irobot.com/goodrobot or call toll-free, 1.800.727.9077 and mention promo code: GOODROBOTFor a limited time only, take $40 Off Roomba 562 plus get free shipping.

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Free Economy Ground Shipping in continental U.S. only (excludes Alaska, Hawaii, PO Boxes and APO/FPO addresses) only. Offer valid only at http://store.irobot.com on iRobot Roomba 562. Expires midnight (ET) on June 12, 2009.

Emergency surgery for your

pet could cost thousands of

dollars.Whenyouinvestinpet

insurance, you’re protected against

theunexpected.

“For the vast majority of owners,

especially those with multiple pets,

beingabletoreplacethecostofthe

unforeseenwithamonthlybudgeted

itemmakessense,”saysMarkWarren,

president & CEO of Pethealth Inc.

“When you are talking to your vet

about treatment options, you don’t

want have to include financial

considerations in your decision-

makingprocess.”

“You may want more accident

coverageifyourpetgoesoutdoors,”

advisesWarren.“If you have a large

dog, you probably want coverage

thatincludescongenitalandheredi-

tary problems, too. Consider what

you can afford monthly and what

yourvetcharges.Ifthequalityofcare

isunbelievablebutcostly,youmight

wantmorecoverage. Ifyou’vebeen

seeingthesamevetfor3�years—the

equipment isn’t modern, but you’re

satisfied and it’s affordable—you

mightnotneedasmuchcoverage.”

Of course, be sure to confirm

that your veterinarian accepts the

insurance you are considering. You

can even ask him or her to recom-

mendapreferredplan.Premiumsare

typically$10to$70dollarsamonth,

andsomecompaniesofferdiscounts

formultiplepets.

Pethealth Inc.’s subsidiary 24Pet-

Watchoffersarangeofpetinsurance

options for cats and dogs. Their

programsarethenumberonechoice

forNorthAmericanpetowners.

Twooutof threepetswillexperi-

enceaserioushealthproblemintheir

lifetime.Withthoseodds,whyriskit?

Insurancemakessense—foryourpet

andyourwallet.

Animal Insurance: Dollars a Month Could Save Thousands a Year

pet lifestyle & care

3

pet lifestyle & care

4

Keeping your Pet Flea-Free Americans will spend an

estimated$4�billionontheir

petsthisyear,buyingevery-

thingfromfood,veterinarycareand

grooming/boardingservicestoover-

the-counterpestcontrolremedies.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a

petownerwhohasn’thadaproblem

with fleas, ticks or mosquitoes,” says

Tradewinds’CompanionAnimalBusi-

ness Unit Manager Brian Reardon.“I

always stress the importance of an

integrated flea control program.

There’s no single magic bullet. You

needtobeproactiveanduseaspot-on

orsqueeze-ontopicalproductalong

withpremisesprayssoyoutargetthe

indoor and outdoor areas as well as

theanimal.”

Fleabitescanleadtohairlossand

skinproblemsinsensitivepets.Some

animals are allergic to flea saliva,

thusavisitfromasinglepestspawns

severe discomfort. Flea infestations

canalsoleadtotapewormproblems.

When grooming themselves, pets

mayingestaflealarvathathasswal-

lowedatapewormegg,whichisthen

released and free to develop in the

host’sintestine.

Notallremediesarecreatedequal.

TriForce, a Tradewinds, Inc. product,

killsandrepelsticks,mosquitoesand

fleas,aswellastheireggsandlarvae,

unlike some other treatments that

onlytargetfull-grownfleas.

The EPA regulates products like

TriForce,butownersshouldstillkeep

certain safety tips in mind. Reardon

emphasizestheimportanceofreading

product labels: “Some active com-

poundsaresafeforbothfelinesand

canines,butsomedogfleaproducts

are dangerous to cats, so be sure to

readthepackagecarefully.”

pet lifestyle & care

�

Download a list of pet

food products that

have been recalled

since March 2007 from the

FDA’s website and you’ll find

yourself perusing a spread-

sheet cataloging hundreds

of products from 20 different

manufacturers. An array of

companieshavetakenfood—

fromdogchowtoferrettreats

tofishflakes—offtheshelves.

Pet foodsafetyusually falls

undertheFDA’sjurisdiction.As

aresultofrecentrecalls,includ-

ing the Peanut Corporation

of America’s voluntary recall

of peanut butter at risk for

Salmonellacontaminationlast

January, consumers and con-

gressmen alike are clamoring

for a more effective food

regulatorysystem,forhumans

andanimalsalike.

Northwest Naturals (NWN),

a �0-year-old family-run

company, opts to use USDA

ratherthanFDAinspectedin-

gredientsinitspetfood.Their

employeesabidebythesame

rigorous safety procedures

whether producing food for

animalorhumanconsumption.

“The USDA monitors meat,

poultry and processed egg

products. You might see an

FDAinspectoronceeveryfew

years. It’s an under-funded

agency with a huge area to

cover.WeseeourUSDAinspec-

tor daily,” explains Michael

Morasch,presidentofNWN.“In

the future, I think we will see

additional products falling

underUSDA’sjurisdiction.”

FDA inspectors currently

lack the ability to mandate a

recalloftaintedfood.TheFood

and Drug Administration

GlobalizationAct, in-

troduced in

Congress earlier this year,

would increase the FDA’s

authority.Itsgoalistoimprove

the safety of food, drugs and

cosmeticsintheglobalmarket,

and it includes proposals to

generate more revenue to

support the FDA’s efforts,

increase inspections and

improvetraceability.

StevenMorasch,co-founder

ofNWN,supportsmoreeffec-

tive government inspection.

“There’sbeenalotoftalkabout

these changes in the field.

EvenourownUSDAinspectors

haveheardthattheymightbe

taking on new responsibility.

We may see the creation of a

‘new’FDAorpartofitfunctions

incorporated into the USDA.

The authority of the USDA is

much greater in terms of its

abilitytomakeimmediatecalls

forrecallsandplantclosuresin

theeventofseriousconcerns.”

You can track the bill’s

processbysearching“H.R.7�9”

atwww.opencongress.org.

Just as people aim to eat

thefoodsthatwillmake

themlookandfeeltheir

best, pet owners must con-

sider their animals’ diets to

ensure they live the longest

andhealthiestlivespossible.

Some research suggests

that a raw diet consisting of

all-natural, uncooked meats

and vegetables is preferable

for cats and dogs, as it emu-

lates what they would eat in

nature. Because canines and

felines did not eat cooked

food in the wild, their diges-

tive systems do not process

them as efficiently as raw

ingredients.

Dr. Francis Pottenger, Jr.

concluded from his research

inthe1930sand‘40sthatcats

kept on a raw diet were

healthierthanthosefedpro-

cessedfood.Eachsubsequent

generationofcatsonacooked

fooddietexperiencedincreas-

inglyseverehealthproblems

at earlier ages, according to

hisobservations.

Rawdietadvocatesempha-

size the importance of living

enzymes—proteinsthatassist

thedigestivesystemandhelp

the body function, but are

almost entirely killed when

foodiscooked.Whenthepan-

creas overworks to produce

enzymes on its own, health

problemsmayarise.

Northwest Naturals (NWN)

manufacturestheoriginal“raw

nugget diet,” pet food made

fromablendofhuman-grade

vegetables, fruits, and meats

thatiskeptfrozentopreserve

itsingredients.SteveMorasch,

co-founder of NWN, explains

the diet’s health benefits:“A

rawnaturaldietwillgiveyour

petacleaner,shiniercoat.Skin

irritation problems clear up

and teeth become healthier.

Weightcontrolissuesareeasier

tomanagebecausepetsnatu-

rally eat less food, since they

feelfullfasterduetothebio-

available nature of the nutri-

entsinarawnaturaldiet.”

Arawdietshouldincludea

little organ meat and raw

bone,anaturalsourceofcal-

cium.NWNusesfreshground

bone, maintaining its natural

ligament tissues, as opposed

tobonemealfromrendering.

NWNrecommendswashing

your hands before and after

touching any food product.

Also, be sure to research the

appropriate feeding amount

for your pet, as the recom-

mendedquantityvarieswith

size,ageandactivitylevel.

For more information, see

www.rawnaturalpetfood.com.

www.onlynaturalpet.com

Vitamins, Supplements, Food, Treatsand Everything Natural for Your Pet!

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How Safe is Your Pet Food?

The Benefits of a Raw Diet

pet lifestyle & care

6

Sureyouloveyourcats,butthat

doesn’t mean you want your

hometosmelllikethem!

World’s Best Cat Litter’s™ unique

compositionofcornandplantderiva-

tiveshelpsmasktheunpleasantodors

that come with the territory of cat-

ownership.

“Thelastthingyouwantistowalk

intoyourhomeandsmellcatwaste

orurine,”remarksGPCPetProducts’

DirectorofSalesandMarketingPaul

Zobel.“World’sBestCatLitter™iscre-

ated through a patented process

using whole-kernel corn that forms

small micro-holes that absorb and

cover the ammonia odors. Most of

the time it works so well you don’t

even know there is a cat in the

house!”

The company’s scientific testing

foundthatcorn’snaturalproteinsand

fiberseffectivelybindtocaturineand

odor; so a whole-kernel corn-based

litter,inadditiontocurbingunpleas-

antscents,preventsurinefromseep-

ingorstickingtothesidesofthebox,

anditclumpsefficiently.

“Thelitterclumpsquickerandbet-

terthananyother,”saysZobel.“You

don’twanttobecleaningyourlitter

boxtwiceadaywhenyou’dratherbe

doing other things. Because of its

clumping ability, it is easy to scoop.

Becauseitabsorbsmoisturequickly,it

alsolastslonger,soyoudon’thaveto

useasmuch.”

World’sBestCatLitter™customers

oftenreport that theyuse less than

they would with other brands. The

litter is septic-safe, so it can be dis-

posed of easily by flushing. It’s al-

lergy-friendlyandsafeforhumansto

ingest—anespeciallyimportantcon-

sideration to those with small chil-

dren.

It’s also all-natural, chemical-free

and completely biodegradable and

renewable. A testament to its eco-

friendliness, it was included in gift

bagsthatweredistributedtoplanet-

friendly celebrities last month in

honorofEarthDay.

So you’re trying to live “green”?

Now you can monitor your carbon

paw-print,too!

®

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Find a Camp Bow Wow or Home Buddies near you!

OR, join the largest and fastest growing pet care franchise!

UntilLTCIhitthemarket,therewaslittle

hope for the estimated 2.�% of cats

intheU.Sthathavecontractedeither

Felineleukemiavirus(FeLV)orFelineImmuno-

deficiencyvirus(FIV).

MuchlikethehumanAIDSvirus,felineAIDS

attackscats’ immunesystemsand isprimarily

transmitted via blood or saliva. Lymphocyte

T-CellImmunomodulator(LTCI)isthefirstand

onlyapprovedtreatmentaidforFeLVandFIVto

begrantedaconditionallicensebytheUSDA.

“Thetwocriteriaforaconditionallicenseare

safetyandreasonableexpectationofefficacy,”

explainsTradewinds’CompanionAnimalBusi-

nessUnitManagerBrianReardon.“Thismeans

thedatapresenteddemonstratedboth.Thisis

a viable treatment—very encouraging news

forcatowners.”

Tradewinds and ProLabs are divisions of

AgriLabs,Ltd.LTCI,marketedbyProLabs,encour-

agesthevetandpet-ownercommunitiesalike.

“Inthepast,a lotofcatshadtobeputdown

becauseoftheirdiagnosis,sothisisveryexcit-

ingtechnology,”saysReardon.

Feline AIDS is most prevalent in male feral

cats, so some vets suggest keeping your pet

insidetoavoidinfection.

A Breakthrough in the Treatment of Feline AIDS

What Puts the Best in World’s Best Cat Litter™?

Pets deserve vacations, too!

Whyleaveyourbelovedcom-

panion behind when there

are airlines, hotels and products all

gearedtowardsmakingpettravelas

easyandanimal-friendlyaspossible?

TheCat’sPride®KatKit®,anOil-Dri

Corporation of America® brand, is a

single-use, disposable cat litter kit,

perfectforlongcarrides,hotelvisits

or your home, should you have to

leaveyourfelinebehind.“It’sallabout

convenience,” explains Oil-Dri’s

ManagerofMarketingandProducts

Jayne Weiske. “It’s portable and

recyclable—a disposable tray with

freeclaylitterinside.Allyouhaveto

doiscutawaythetopandleaveitfor

thecattouse.Thenyouthrowoutthe

wholeproduct.”

“Cats don’t like change and are

kindoffinickywiththeirlitter,sothis

is particularly good for people who

alreadyusetheclay-basedkind,”adds

Lisa Mak, senior product manager.

The KatKit® is lightly fragranced,

anotherimportantfactortoconsider

as overbearing odors can cause

rejection.

Weiskesuggestsbringingafewof

yourpet’sfavoritetoysonthetripto

provide a sense of home.“Cats, like

someofus,wanttheirowncomforts

ontheroad. Ialsosuggestbringing

your pets’ records with you and

makingsureyourhotelispet-friendly.”

Pets Welcome (www.petswelcome.

com)providesalistofanimal-friendly

lodging,searchablebycityandstate.

Onceyou’vedeterminedyourhotel

ispro-pet,youcanconsidertranspor-

tation.Whentravelingbycar,donot

letyourpetridewithitsheadoutthe

window,asdustanddirtcouldcause

infection.Carriersshouldbekept in

the back seat, in case the air bags

should deploy. Before departing,

makesureyourpetiswearingidenti-

fication,andcheckwithyourveteri-

nariantoensurevaccinationsareup

todate.

Manypetownersconsiderairtravel

the most stressful of transportation

options,butthismaychangeonJuly

14, when Pet Airways, the first

pet-onlyairline,takesflight.Petswill

fly incarriers inthemaincabinofa

19-personpassengerplanereconfig-

ured with special safety straps.“It’s

aboutsafety,comfortandcare.Once

thepetparentdropsoffthepet,itis

alwayscaredforandmonitoredand

never left alone,” says Alysa Binder,

co-founder.

Forconvenience,travelerscandrop

off their furry friends at the “Pet

Lounge”upto72hoursbeforethetrip.

Anattendantmonitorsthe“pawsen-

gers” throughout the flights, which

are currently limited to select U.S.

cities,althoughBindersaystheyplan

to expand their destination choices

downtheline.Checkoutwww.petair-

ways.comformoreinformation.

Ifyouhavetotravelwithoutyour

pet, be sure to weigh your lodging

optionscarefully.“Catstendtoprefer

their own home, so I recommend

askingagoodfriendorneighbor,but

ifyouhavetouseaboardingfacility,

make sure it’s a reputable place,”

advisesWeiske.

Butthankstoconvenienttravelkits

and pet-friendly hotels and airlines,

man’s best friend may never be left

behindagain.

Never Leave Home Without your Pet Again

pet lifestyle & care

7

Travel Kit.Whether you’re traveling, cat-sitting or just looking for convenience,

KatKit® is the ulitimate disposable, portable, no-mess litter box solution!

WWW.catspride.com© 2009 oil-dri corporation