Golden Paste: How and What For?

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Have you heard of “Golden Paste”? It’s a healthy and easily digestible paste made from turmeric that can help reduce inflammation, and skin irritations, and improve gut health in dogs and humans alike. 

Best of all, Golden Paste takes only minutes to make with ingredients most of us already have in our kitchens.  

Golden Paste is typically made with a combination of ground or fresh turmeric, coconut oil, and black pepper.

Turmeric, an herb belonging to the ginger family, contains several compounds, collectively known as curcuminoids. The most well-known is curcumin, which gives turmeric its orange color. Curcuminoids are known to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and possible anti-cancer effects.

Adding a small amount (½-1 tbsp) of Golden Paste to your pet’s bowl at meal time can aid in:

  • Reducing inflammatory processes, including pain
  • Relieving gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea
  • Improve heart and liver function
  • Minimize seasonal allergies

Golden Paste Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1-½ cups filtered water
  • ½ cup turmeric powder
  • 1 tbsp ginger powder (optional)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1-½  tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Combine the water, and turmeric in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until well combined. Continue stirring until the liquid begins to thicken (about 15 minutes).  Do not let the paste boil.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool until warm to the touch.
  3. Stir in coconut oil and black pepper. 
  4. Store the mixture in an airtight container for up to four weeks.
Dosing

Like any new food or supplement, we recommend gradually introducing Golden Paste into your pet’s diet. Turmeric has a very potent taste, and sometimes dogs will not want anything to do with it. Therefore, it is important to slowly introduce the new flavors to their palate. Once a dog has become accustomed to the paste, the recommended dosage is:

  • Dogs weighing less  than 20 lb s: ½ tbsp
  • Dogs weighing more than 20 lbs: 1 tbsp

Possible Side Effects

Turmeric paste can have some minor side effects and it is important to monitor your pet for any negative reactions.. If improperly dosed, dogs may experience gastrointestinal distress. If you notice your dog is showing any negative symptoms —like loose stool or diarrhea— decrease the dose and follow up with your veterinarian.

If you think your dog’s health may benefit from Golden Paste, give this easy recipe a try!  Even though your dog won’t experience instant results, you should see some positive changes in a few weeks!

Reference:

  1. Simple Turmeric Paste (Golden Paste). Alphafoodie. Published July 2, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2020. https://www.alphafoodie.com/simple-turmeric-paste-golden-paste/
  2. Curcumin, An Active Component of Turmeric (Curcuma longa), and Its Effects on Health.National Library of Medicine. Published September 2, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26528921/

The Perks of Pumpkin for Pets

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Pumpkin is a commonly recommended supplement for dogs and cats for everything from loose stool to constipation to an occasional bowl topper or a regular supplement. But what is it about pumpkin that makes it so great for your pet? Let’s find out what makes this sweet treat a favorite among vets and nutritionists! 

Reasons You Should Consider Adding Pumpkin to Your Dog’s Diet

#1 RICH IN FIBER

Pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber – both soluble and insoluble. 

  • Soluble fiber helps with weight management, lowering fat absorption, stabilizing glucose levels, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and feeding healthy gut bacteria. 
  • Insoluble fiber assists in preventing constipation and lowers the risk of diverticular disease. 

Because pumpkin contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, it can essentially help to normalize your pet’s stool, whether it’s too loose or too firm. It’s a win-win situation! 

As a preventative, pumpkin is an excellent source of prebiotics that feed the good gut bacteria- probiotics. This is a wonderful addition for any pet with a sensitive stomach as it can aid in the digestive process. Also, since roughly 80% of your pet’s immune system resides in their gut, a happy belly can mean a healthier pet!

#2 ESSENTIAL VITAMINS

Pets need food that allows them to consume all their vitamins and minerals. Pumpkin is packed with essential vitamins and minerals:

  • Vitamin A and Zinc help strengthen your pet’s immune health, promote clearer skin and a healthier coat, and improve overall eye health. 
  • Vitamin D helps to grow and maintain strong bones by regulating and balancing the retention of calcium and phosphorus. It also works to reduce inflammation. 
  • Potassium is vital to pet health! It assists in the functioning of the heart, nerves, and muscles by aiding in transferring energy from the nutrients. 

Not only is pumpkin a great source of vitamins and minerals your pet needs, but it also assists with the absorption of these nutrients to improve many functions of their body.

#3 ADDED MOISTURE

Kibble-fed pets often live in a mild state of dehydration, as the body pulls moisture from itself to digest the dry food. Therefore, adding moisture to your pet’s kibble is essential. Adding moisture-rich pumpkin can help to keep your pet well hydrated. Added moisture is crucial for not only the digestive process but also… 

  • Weight control – Pumpkin is high in moisture and fiber, which helps your pet feel full. As a result, your pet is less likely to overeat and will be satisfied longer!  
  • Hairballs– Lack of moisture can lead to more frequent hairballs. An addition of pumpkin to your pet’s kibble will keep them well-hydrated, which means fewer hairballs for them and less clean-up for you. 
  • Low in glycemic index– Glycemic index is a measurement of the blood glucose response to carbohydrates. Low GI foods (such as pumpkin) contain carbs that are digested slowly, so energy is sustained for an extended period of time. 

Pumpkin is super versatile for your furry friends. You can include it as a treat, bowl topper, or toy filler. Pumpkin is worth the hype! With the holidays right around the corner, include your pet in the holiday festivities and try incorporating more pumpkin into your pet’s diet! 

*This article is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to provide medical advice or replace the advice of a qualified veterinarian.

Facts, fear, sales, CBD & COVID-19

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News Flash: The study in question is NOT peer-reviewed. It’s also strictly theoretical, meaning it may (likely) not work, or even be dangerous.

I could probably go on forever questioning why the media (and even some “reputable” associations) continue to share non-peer reviewed, non-verified information, but I won’t. We know a great headline catches clicks and shares. And before you go on and say this has absolutely nothing to do with pets, or pet food – it does! This is just parallel example about how bad science is used to propagate either a false sense of security, fear – and sell a product. I’m also not “anti” CBD, but that isn’t the point. There are several applications where it is useful for pets and people, but in this instance there simply an overabundance of bad information swirling around CBD preventing and/or treating COVID-19 that makes for a great example for my point: why it is so important to dive deeper into everything.

I hope that those who read this see it as an opportunity to learn how to challenge information and data. So often we look for someone to just give us “the answer” and it is just not that simple. Determining what is right for you and your pet in your unique situation will take some work. Take this article as an example of how to learn about how to do that work, vet your sources and arrive at an educated conclusion.

FDA Oversight & COVID-19

As a background to the entire discussion it is important to realize that an “era of speed to market” is upon us. The FDA has allowed some alternative testing methods while also accelerating the process for drug and vaccine development. While the FDA is still overseeing these processes, they are reviewing studies and data more efficiently given the current pandemic. Having said that, the FDA has also acknowledged that many companies are trying to take advantage of people’s fears by offering up solutions like X, Y and Z – and if you see CBD companies using this “study” to gain attention it is proof of just that. In fact, the FDA has been aggressively sending warning and cease/desist letters to companies making these claims because they are in clear violation of the Food Drug & Cosmetic Act.  You can see a lot of those warning letters for CBD companies here: FDA Issues CBD Warning Letters.

This isn’t the first time companies have taken advantage of a crisis, or preyed upon people’s fears and vulnerabilities. Manufacturers of colloidal silver products have also recently received warning letters for claims that it prevents and/or treats COVID-19. We can only wait for irresponsible CBD companies to make unsubstantiated claims coming off the heels of this “study”. One would hope that this prompts CBD manufacturers and marketing agencies to be responsible and transparent with their products.

Understanding Peer-Review vs. Non-Peer-Reviewed

The public largely doesn’t realize that research journals, some great and some not so great, are pre-publishing papers without peer-review. This is simply to share current research and information freely with other researchers for the sake of collaboration. Typically, a lot of this information is not as easily accessible to the public because many of these papers are somewhat gated through journal memberships, and/or with a pay-per-article download/view. Research manuscripts go through vetting processes which doesn’t eliminate, but at least filters out a lot of “bad science” before it makes its way out to the public and media outlets. This current “open access” of information is a great thing for the scientific community – however it is NOT a great thing to be circulating potentially harmful and incomplete information to the general public who generally does not understand if this information is verified, factual or theoretical – they simply  see “study” and think, it MUST be true because it’s “science”. Unfortunately humans make mistakes, manipulate data and come to flawed conclusions – either by error, omission and/or on purpose. Hence the need for peer-review.

Not Applicable to “The Real World”

The reality is that much of the information out there regarding Covid-19 prevention and treatment is inapplicable to the real world as they are preliminary experiments that were conducted in a controlled environment, on small scales and with measured variables – and many have not had peer-review. This will obviously change over time, but this is the current reality and the reason why so many people are working on this all over the world at warp speed. Am I Covid-19 or infectious disease expert? No. But I do know how research works and what the value of scaling research, test-retest repeatability and of course the value in peer-review and critical analysis– and much of the information out there has little to none of it.

The CBD/COVID-19 Study:

So, to finally summarize this COVID-19/CBD “study”; researchers acknowledge that SARS-CoV2 is transmitted through respiratory droplets, with potential for aerosol and contact spread. The virus uses receptor-mediated entry into the human host via angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) that is expressed in lung tissue, as well as oral and nasal mucosa, kidney, testes, and the gastrointestinal tract.

Having said that, the researchers hypothesize (educated guess) that a theoretical path for combating, or decreasing susceptibility, of this virus could be modulation of ACE2 levels in these gateway tissues. The researchers have potentially identified 13 high CBD-C containing C. sativa varieties of the hemp plant that have the potential to modulate ACE2 gene expression and ACE2 protein levels. Further, their initial data suggest that some C. sativa extract down-regulate serine protease TMPRSS2, another critical protein required for SARS-CoV2 entry into host cells. They theorize that these substances could be used as an active ingredient in a mouthwash-type product to reduce the incidence of viral entry via the oral mucosa.

It’s also important to note that all of the authors are employed by one or more start-up companies engaged in medical cannabis and disease research. While not always the case, this could lead to bias in the results. Again, this further highlighting the need for peer-review.

STUDY CONCLUSION: The authors recognize that their hypothesis needs further large-scale validation as a potential AJUNCT therapy (not mainline treatment) for COVID-19.

The Study in Context and the Media:

Unfortunately, we didn’t see the media articles explain the mouthwash as an adjunct treatment. Leaving the general public, the potential to assume that smoking or using other various marijuana and/or hemp products could help prevent and/or treat COVID-19. The sad thing is that people will read headlines at face value and think that smoking a sativa strain of the hemp plant may provide some protection or therapy against COVID-19. Worse, it may influence some to try using this for their pets. Regardless, we know that smoking is actually increases risk-factors for COVID-19 complications and other respiratory diseases. This just highlights the medias frenzy to distribute click-worthy information, without verification and obviously without regard for human (or animal) health or safety. If only the media visited preprints.org they would have found a highlight at the top that says “This version is not peer-reviewed” which is an indicator that it should not have been widely distributed.

In conclusion, it’s important to always vet the source of any information relating to health and nutrition. Find the original source of the information, in this case it happened to be a non-peer-reviewed theoretical paper which needs validation of said theory. While it may provide hope as an adjunct therapy for some, only a series of carefully designed scientific experiments, trials and validation methods will tell. Take that for what it is worth.

 

Nicole Cammack

 

Nicci is the owner of award-winning NorthPoint Pets & Company, in Connecticut. She is also the Founder & CEO of Undogmatic Inc. Her undergraduate and graduate education includes biology, chemistry, business, and nutrition. She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry on multiple R&D projects and has had the privilege to learn from leading international figures in the human and pet health industry. She regularly lectures at national conferences, including federal, state, and municipal K9 events. Her current research involves identifying pathogenic risk factors and transmission among raw fed pets through a comprehensive worldwide survey.

 

www.northpointpets.com
www.undogmaticinc.com

Why Your Pet’s Skin Issues Aren’t Always at the Surface?

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Grooming is an essential part of owning a pet. But have you ever asked yourself why? 

Regular brushing, bathing and nail trimming can assist with not only the overall appearance of your pet but also have some physiological benefits. Brushing your dog’s coat regularly removes the dead hair, prevents mats, and even allows their coat to breathe and grow new hair. Brushing your pet is also essentially a massage—and who doesn’t enjoy a massage? It provides great bonding time between you both.

One of the more common issues that bring dog owners to NorthPoint Pets is a dog’s skin. Allergies, itchy skin, flaky skin, hot spots and more—are all common complaints from pet owners. But rather than looking at the obvious symptom—the pet’s itchy skin—we want to figure out WHY your pet is itchy and that starts in the gut. 

Our pets have good (and sometimes bad) bacteria in their gut. This colony is called their microbiome which is in their intestines and gut. The microbiome is essential for immune health, which includes our pet’s skin and coat. When the microbiome is compromised, their skin is also compromised. This results in a dull coat, a stinky dog, and more. 

The best thing you can do for your pet is to feed a good diet with an addition of fresh foods. We can also recommend supplements to help your dog look and feel their best!

 

What’s the Best Way to Keep My Pet’s Coat Healthy?

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What’s the best way to maintain your pet’s coat? While grooming needs will vary from pet to pet, here are a few basics to consider. 

First, it’s important to note that your grooming regimen should be customized for your pet. Some pets simply require weekly brushing, while others may need daily brushing with the help of topical treatments to prevent knots and matting. The term “grooming” refers simply to topical maintenance of the coat and not necessarily a visit to the groomer. 

Routine grooming is essential to maintaining your pet’s healthy coat. A regular routine has plenty of benefits not only for your pet but also for you:

  • Helps keep coat fresh and clean
  • Reduces friction between hair follicles
  • Helps ventilate pores to reduce levels of oil buildup
  • Prevents knots and mats from forming
  • Familiarizes yourself with your pet’s body to determine any abnormalities
  • Builds a bond between you and your pet
  • Stimulates your pet’s brain from the interaction
  • Helps regulate body temperature with a well-brushed coat
  • Help find ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, etc.)

Knowing when to and how to properly brush your pet will help enhance these benefits. The frequency of brushing will depend on multiple factors, including your pet’s breed. Normally, we recommend short-haired pets to be brushed once weekly, and pets with longer-haired coats should be brushed roughly 3 to 4 times weekly. Long-haired coats need more maintenance as they are more prone to creating mats and/or knots if unkempt. 

Two products that may assist with your weekly routine are detangling sprays or grooming wipes. Detangling sprays are great because they leave your pet smelling wonderful and help reduce friction between the hair follicles, therefore causing less damage to the coat when brushing. Grooming wipes come in handy to spot clean dirty areas, wipe paws and faces, or just freshen up between baths. Grooming wipes are also excellent for pet owners who have allergies to things like pollen or weeds because you can wipe your pet down when they come in from outside to reduce allergens being carried in on their fur. 

Without Proper Grooming

When your pet’s coat isn’t groomed frequently enough, it can cause the buildup of dead hair and skin cells that will ultimately lead to painful mats. These problems can lead to mild or moderate itchiness, sores, or even severe wounds. They can even cut off blood circulation in severe cases. 

Coat Health through Diet and Supplements

If you notice itchy skin, dry patches, sores, hotspots, redness, or swelling on the skin, you may need to consider making changes to your pet’s diet regimen. Several factors come into play here because the food your pet consumes directly impacts the health of their gut microbiome, which reflects the skin and coat health. 

For example, cereal and starchy foods can often lead to inflammation which can cause itchiness. Sensitivities to other ingredients should be discussed to determine if a food change and/or elimination may be helpful. 

Another factor in maintaining coat health is omega 3’s. Omega 3’s are essential fatty acids that have great benefits for the skin and coat. Dogs and cats cannot produce their own, so supplementation through diet is key. Omega 3’s contain EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which are essential for anti-inflammatory purposes, growth development, heart function, brain function, and vision. 

Despite how crucial omega 3’s are, they are not required in commercial pet food. Therefore, it is recommended to still supplement your pet’s food with omega 3 capsules or liquid (we recommend Nordic Naturals). Visit us in-store to discuss appropriate dosing for your pet. 

References:

Solomon, Dr. Donna. “Fish Oil for Dogs and Cats: Six Benefits.” Animal Medical Center of Chicago, 15 Aug. 2018, https://www.animalmedicalcenterofchicago.com/fish-oil-for-dogs-and-cats-six-benefits/. 

Easter, Fanna. “Are Dog Wipes Worth It?” Dog Training Nation, 17 Jan. 2017, https://www.dogtrainingnation.com/equipment/are-dog-wipes-worth-it/. 

“A Wonder-Fur World: Why Pets Need Regular Grooming.” Ethos Veterinary Health, 29 Oct. 2021, https://www.ethosvet.com/blog-post/a-wonder-fur-world-why-pets-need-regular-grooming/#:~:text=Dogs%20can%20get%20greasy%20hair,irritation%20and%20other%20skin%20problems. 

Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “The Benefits of Brushing Your Furry Friend.” Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, 6 Jan. 2022, https://ontariospca.ca/blog/the-benefits-of-brushing-your-furry-friend/. 

Craig JM. Atopic dermatitis and the intestinal microbiota in humans and dogs. 

Veterinary Medicine and Science, (2016), 2, pp. 95-105 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, accessed August 26, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5645856/pdf/VMS3-2-095.pdf

 

Redefining Transparency: a dirty word

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Transparency rarely exists in the pet industry. Despite what marketing tells us. So how do we fix it?

There are a lot of products and companies that make health claims and clean sourcing that aim to provide a certain level of comfort to the consumer. However, most companies are not willing or able to prove it. Simple email requests for documentation of processes and testing from me, as a retailer, often go unanswered. The lack of response is sometimes from companies most pet owners know and trust. Believe it or not, some of these companies would surprise even the savviest pet owner.

So how did we get here?

There’s a widespread lack of data across food, supplement, and treat categories. For example, a lack of data exists to substantiate claims such as ancient grains prevent the risk of DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy or heart disease). Or that adding taurine to a product makes it heart-healthy. What about high-protein pet foods? There’s no benchmark to define what that means – or that it’s beneficial. Why? Because nobody has held these companies accountable for their claims. They’ve never needed to provide data to support these claims because nobody has ever really asked. One can make the argument that the lack of data from manufacturers opened the doors up for bad science behind the grain-free and heart disease debate to flourish. Simply, bad science won because there was inadequate data to support the effectiveness of grain-free food to provide adequate nutrition. Manufacturers were and still are silent because they are unable to stand behind their products and support the retailers who sell their products. Harsh, but true.

These are just some recent examples. Many products within the industry, including ones perceived as natural and high quality, lack actual measurable transparency and quality control. This means that their benefits, or claim of benefit, could easily be overshadowed by poor sourcing, toxins, and/or formulation.

What is measurable transparency?

For supplements, few companies do inbound testing on their raw ingredients or at least make those results public. Such testing would verify that the ingredient is what it says it is. It should also screen for toxic contaminants and ensure each ingredient has verification of origin and quality supply chain. In today’s pandemic economy, a company should be able to claim AND certify ingredients within their supplements or products that are not sourced from China. That final product should also have an analysis that confirms the targeted levels of active ingredients and reconfirms the lack of toxins.

When it comes to toxic screening, CBD is of particular concern, because it can be a highly toxic plant. This is because hemp performs a process called phytoremediation. Meaning that it absorbs heavy metals and many of the agricultural chemicals in the soil such as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Inbound raw ingredients should always be tested for these toxins – in addition to the final product. CBD and other supplement companies should openly provide this information – however the majority can’t because they do not conduct these tests.

For treats – the same applies. Do the inbound raw ingredients have quality control measures that allow the company to be fully transparent? Will that company shares those reports? These same transparency concerns also apply to pet food. We also see a general lack of transparency and accountability leaving both manufacturers and retailers open for potential problems. Establishing accountability simply starts with both pet owners and retailers asking these questions and demanding improvement. Change won’t happen overnight, but improvement has to start somewhere.

How do we redefine transparency?

It’s clear how transparency across nearly all pet categories is lacking. Transparency has become a feel-good word for those who don’t know any better. However, for those that do, it’s become a cringe-worthy tagline that is an Achilles heel.

The reality is that asking these questions and holding companies accountable is a path that most are hesitant to venture down. However, gone are the days of blind trust in manufacturers. Blind trust has cost the health and lives of many pets too many times to count. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. As pet owners and advocates, we need to start asking the tough questions to demand accountability for the betterment of the industry, and most importantly our pets.

Asking the tough questions:

The following is a general, but not complete, list of questions to ask for food, supplement, and treat manufacturers. Keep in mind that most companies will be unable to provide all the answers and that the goal is to encourage actual, rather than perceived, transparency. It will take time, but change will require asking these questions and ultimately basing buying and retail stocking decisions on the availability and willingness to provide satisfactory answers.

  • Do you have verification of your supply chain and the origin of your ingredients?
  • Do any of your raw materials come from China?
  • Do you conduct inbound testing for active ingredients, pathogens and toxins for your raw materials?
  • Do you conduct a 3rd party analysis of the active ingredients/nutrients contained within the final product?
  • Do you conduct digestibility tests on all your final products? Just select formulas? Or none at all? Are those reports public?
  • What is the digestibility of your final product?
  • Do you conduct testing for pathogens and toxins for your final product? Do you hold those products from release until testing results reveal it is safe to do so?

 

 

Should My Pet Switch to Raw Food?

Should My Pet Switch to Raw Food?

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Switching your dog or cat to raw food can bring many positive benefits to your pet, but there are important factors to consider.

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Nicci’s Secret Hack to Help Your Cat Drink More Water

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Do you know how much water your cat is drinking in a day? For most cat owners, the answer is going to be “not enough.” Find out Nicci’s easy trick to help your finicky feline stay well hydrated during the blistering days of summer.

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5 Important Tips You Need to Know About Pet Hydration

5 Important Tips You Need to Know About Pet Hydration

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Water is vital for life. In both humans and our pets, water helps regulate body temperature, supports cell function, keeps skin and joints healthy, aids in digestion, and cleanses the body of various toxins. Optimizing our pet’s daily water intake is critical to their well-being and longevity. 

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3 Simple Ways to Improve Dry Kibble

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Dry kibble is often the convenient food choice for dog owners. However, kibble isn’t always as healthy as the commercials lead us to believe. What if there was an easy and inexpensive way to make your pet’s kibble more tail-wagging exciting?

  1. Add a splash of water
  2. Add fresh food: green beans, broccoli, carrots (grated) blueberries, watermelon, leafy greens, etc.
  3. Add quality canned or freeze-dried food