Unfortunately, many dog foods, toys and environments are ridden with toxins that can have a negative impact on your dog's well-being. As the leader of the pack, it's our job to look out for our four-legged companions. Here's a list of things to consider to ensure your dog's health is optimized and they're not in need of a doggy detox.

Top 6 Considerations For Your Dog's Health

1. Dog Food: Organic vs Processed

Just like human food, our furry best friends thrive on a non-processed diet. Kibble that uses pesticides, fillers and/or meat by-products isn't the healthiest for dogs. We wouldn't do well if we only ate packaged, processed foods our whole lives, and neither does your dog. Using a dog food that is made with organic ingredients is the best option for your dogs health. Just like we thrive on organic material, so do our dogs. 

2. Dog Toys: Select Non-Toxic Materials

We love spoiling our pets with new toys. Toys help our dogs exercise, stimulate their mind and senses and are a good bonding tool. However, since toys go in your dog's mouth, along with everything else they find, it's important to choose toys that are made out of natural, non-toxic materials to ensure Fido isn't ingesting nasty chemicals. Always check that the toys are made from non-toxic, BPA-, Phthalate-, and latex-free materials and are FDA compliant. You can also choose toys made of other natural materials, such as loofah, hemp, food-grade silicone, rawhide-free bones and chews, and natural dog treats and toys that use cotton or vegetable dyes. 

Items and materials to avoid include: vinyl, plastic that's chemically contaminated, pig's ears, rawhide and nylon.

3. What They Pick Up Outside

While most dogs are curious about sniffing around outdoors, some breeds are more inclined to keep their nose to the ground. It's important to watch what your four-legged friend is picking up while in the park or on your daily strolls. Things to watch for are food waste, rocks, cigarettes, garbage, pinecones and chemically treated grass. All of these things can be extremely toxic or harmful to your pet's health. If your dog does enjoy eating grass, perhaps consider using a pet probiotic or get them a grass patch from the pet store to ensure they aren't ingesting lawn care chemicals along with their snack. 

4. Parasites

Knowing where your dog is drinking from and roaming around is important for parasite prevention. Whether you use a topical parasite and worm prevention, keeping your dog away from open puddles and stagnant water can help avoid the risk of parasites and disease. Using filtered water at home can also enhance your pooch's health and lower the liver's need to filter out toxins. 

5. Dogs Gut Health

Giving your furends gut a boost is an important part of maintaining their health. Pets gut health is just as important as humans. If it's in jeopardy, your dog can't absorb necessary nutrients, keep a health bacteria balance, or fully fight inflammation. Just like when our gut health is out of whack, our body can't heal other areas as well; the same goes for your dog. 

6. Popular Items That Are Toxic to Dogs

  • Sanitizer: Don’t let your pet lick your hands after applying
  • Certain Food Items: Chocolate, Grapes, Avocado, Onion, Garlic
  • Essential Oils: Tea Tree oil is very toxic to pets if ingested, applied topically, or inhaled. Other oils in the same family as tea tree are also toxic to dogs.
  • Chemical Cleaning Products: These get on your dog's paws, and they then ingest the material

Keeping chemicals out of your dogs reach will help them stay healthy and not overload their tiny organs. Providing your pet with the healthiest diet, toys and looking out for what they're picking up off the ground, as well as adding dog-friendly supplements to support their everyday health, can boost or support their organs and ensure your dog is thriving.