Best Friends Veterinary Hospital

08/29/2024

These babies need to find their furever homes!!!! They are very sweet!!!❤️❤️ Come in and fall in love and adopt one of these sweet babies!

08/26/2024

I neutered my first male calico cat today!

08/22/2024

Look who joined our team! We think everyone is going to really like her!!!!!

08/22/2024

September is Dental Month

Call and schedule your dentals in the month of September and get 15%off!

Best Friends Veterinary Hospital Staff

07/06/2024

The holy grail of longevity foods, protecting your dog like a suit of armour.🫐

Blueberries are an awesome source of prebiotic fiber and are chock-full of polyphenols. Studies have found that blueberries delay the aging process by promoting the repair of DNA strands.🧬 Diets supplemented with this blue antioxidant powerhouse can potentially sustain the body’s antioxidant levels and protect against oxidative damage💥, making them one of our top recommendations you can share from your refrigerator!

We use a lot of frozen blueberries as training treats, when fresh blueberries aren’t in season. But be forewarned: more than one blueberry for every two pounds of body weight a day (i.e., five blueberries for a ten-pound dog) can lead to completely benign dark blue p**p, so feed a few, then move on to other Longevity Foods, found in The Forever Dog LIFE, as healthy rewards.

06/28/2024

These sweet babies are looking for their furever homes! Come by to visit and see who you want to take home!❤️❤️

06/13/2024

Hello friends, do you have old bath sized towels you would like to find a new home for? We would happily take them and put them to good use.Just drop them by the clinic.

05/13/2024

05/09/2024

Pita got clothes put on this morning and he is not very happy with us…

05/02/2024

Sorry our phones and Internet are down!

04/22/2024

The clinic will be closed Friday May 3rd. We look forward to seeing you Monday! Have a great weekend

03/23/2024

03/23/2024

Home made diets can be great, but they need to be done correctly. The book The Forever Dog Life is full of recipes for balanced diets

Your dog & cat’s microbiome🦠 is EVERYTHING. Literally! If you aren’t diversifying food groups🍄🥛🥩🫐🥕 for you and your pets, this WILL stunt the development of the gut biome diversity and overall immune health. Science is clear about that.

With so many myths🙅🏼‍♀️ about what’s good and what’s bad, “pet nutrition experts”🧑🏻‍💻 have vilified some amazing plants that have documented incredible health benefits for pets, forcing pet parents to revert back feeding ultra-processed foods by confusing the life out of our choices. Shameful, and with no scientific justification. 🤯

Quotes like: “the group I’m in says to never feed root veggies because they’ll kill my pet, they are too starchy to feed a carnivore and will cause inflammation & pancreatitis.” Um, what? In contrast, the Dr Cave study showed how quickly a dog’s microbiome crashed when no prebiotic veggie fibers were included. Carnivores need a lot of fiber, but they don’t need starch! With mountains of animal science showing the benefits of fiber from plants, these self-proclaimed “dog health experts” have caused tremendous food fears in the pet world, pushing folks to feed completely fiber-free diets that are creating havoc with our animals’ guts, causing serious GI problems resulting in vet visits, with vets concluding all fresh food diets are AWFUL and are so poorly formulated they create unnecessary disease 😖😭😤🤬. How about we just do things right, based on science?! How about following the latest gut research and literature, telling us what dogs and cats need to create a healthy microbiome?! For instance, when it comes to turnips and other cruciferous vegetables — a lower risk of cancer because they contain DIM (3,3′-diindolylmethane). They also contain a compound called sulforaphane, which plays an integral role in cancer prevention. Sulforaphane interferes with the function of histone deacetylase, an enzyme that plays a role in the progression of cancer cells.
Join me and Mama Becker tomorrow, for a Science Saturday LIVE in the The Forever Dog Learning Lab where we’ll show you how to make our Root Veggie Super Stew recipe to super charge your pet’s gut! See you, live, tomorrow❣️🐾🥕

03/20/2024

You might know that humans have enjoyed tea 🫖 for millennia, but did you know it’s also a magnificent (and budget-friendly) way to share the medicinal benefits of plants with your pets 🐾?

While pets can’t have caffeine, there are a multitude of tea options for dogs 🐶and cats🐱. Decaf green and black tea provide theaflavins, antioxidants that relieve stress. Herbs 🌿and edible flowers 🌸 can support digestion, brain health, detoxification, sleep, and more.

Use tea as a polyphenol-rich meal topper, as the fluid base for broth, or freeze for a frosty treat.🧊

In the Teas section of The Forever Dog LIFE you’ll find a long list of herbs and plants (from the market or your garden) as well as pre-packaged tea varieties that make terrific additions to your pet’s bowl. You’ll also find tea recipes to address your dog’s (or cat’s) specific needs.

👉 Already reserved your copy of the book? Head over to the The Forever Dog Learning Lab group and download our Tea Tonics Guide to get more of our favorite tea blends...Anxiety levels rising? 😰 Pour some Calming Tea Tonic. Plus common medicinal herbs that can be made into teas for your dog or cat, with tips on how to serve. Harness the power of this ancient health hack today!

03/20/2024

03/12/2024

Is tap water bad for your pet’s health? 💦

Your tap water may not be as safe as you think.🚰 In addition to the known health risks associated with "forever chemicals", research out of the University of Wisconsin found that dogs with bladder cancer are more likely to live in areas where tap water contains higher levels of the forever chemical - total trihalomethane, a reactive byproduct of disinfection chemicals (especially chlorination) used in municipal tap water. Studies also found pollutants in tap water increase the risk of other cancers like lymphoma in dogs. 😞 The good news is, these studies also show filtering tap water could decrease the overall incidence of these cancers. ☺️

👉Here are 5 tips to reduce your pet’s exposure:

1. Request an Annual Quality Report from your municipal water utility (the company that bills you monthly). You can also check the EWG Tap Water Database for your area. This report will list the detected contaminants, the potential source(s) of those contaminants, and the levels at which those contaminants were present in the water supply.
3. If your municipality doesn’t test for PFAS or you get your water from a private well, purchase a home water test kit (you can find one through a variety of retailers online).
4. Once you know what’s in your tap water, you can select the appropriate type of filter to remove the contaminants in your water supply. Activated carbon and ion-exchange resin filters can significantly reduce PFAS. Do your research and find the right filter for your water and budget.
5. Don’t use bottled water - it is not necessarily any safer and can still be contaminated with PFAS.
6. Avoid plastic water bowls and food storage containers. Many plastics contain PFAS that can leach into your pet’s food and water. Switch to glass or high quality stainless steel bowls, and glass or silicone containers are good choices for food storage.

📘 In The Forever Dog LIFE book, we cover not only water filtration options, but also tips for minimizing your Forever Dog’s 🐶(and Cat’s!🐱) exposure to toxins across the board: how to choose the safest food and water bowls 🥣, DIY recipes for nontoxic home 🏡 solutions (to protect your pet and the water supply), foods 🌿 that support the body in the face of unavoidable pollutants, and much more!

02/11/2024

“Raw coated” dry food, “minimally processed clusters,” “gently air dried raw” 🤯…

Going LIVE on Rodney Habib’s page at 10am ET to discuss what makes these food categories different 🤔and how to navigate the confusing world of pet food marketing terms 😵‍💫🐾.

02/05/2024

Do your dogs teeth resemble these? Does their breath about knock you over? February is Dental Month, so we can take care of those teeth for you and help your dog or cat be healthier!
Call and schedule in February and get 15% off the cost of dental and preanesthetic bloodwork.

02/01/2024

Thinking of adding Brussels sprouts to your pet’s meal? Great idea! 😍

It’s one of the many safe veggies I highly recommend for dogs (and cats, if they’ll eat them), as it contains assorted health-boosting nutrients beyond sulforaphane. 🌟💚

Discover more about how Brussels sprouts can benefit your pet’s health here: https://bit.ly/48NbiyN

01/29/2024

We do offer vasectomies and o***y sparing spays.

Here’s a free downloadable PDF about the hormonal effects of neutering. Know more, sterilize wiser 😻

https://foreverdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Dexsexing-pdf.pdf

01/28/2024

🥦 If you’re not preparing broccoli this way, you’re not helping to prevent cancer, according to science!🔬

If you want your dog (or cat!) to reap all of the longevity benefits inside this cruciferous veggie, how you prepare it makes a BIG difference.

Many people cut broccoli into florets or bite-size pieces, cook it, then serve it - to themselves and their pets. And yes, of course, there is a whole host of beneficial nutrients and fiber in broccoli prepared this way.

But with some small but very significant changes to the way you prepare broccoli, you can put a lot more of the powerhouse bioactive sulforaphane into the bowl, along with the fiber and nutrients.

Studies show that sulforaphane - found in high levels in broccoli - has potent anti-cancer effects. So if your dog or cat is fighting cancer, or if you’re proactively doing all you can to prevent it, adding sulforaphane is a smart move. In addition, sulforaphane can decrease inflammation, prevent type 2 diabetes, and detoxify heavy metals, mycotoxins, and Maillard reaction products (MRPs). These MRPs are often found in ultra-processed pet food, so you can substantially improve a bowl of kibble by adding broccoli.

💡Here’s the trick: you can dramatically increase the sulforaphane content with two simple kitchen hacks!

How it works: When you buy fresh broccoli (and the fresher, the better when it comes to sulforaphane), the sulforaphane hasn’t been “unlocked” yet. Instead, its precursor, glucoraphanin, is waiting to combine with an enzyme called myrosinase. Damaging broccoli cells (by chopping, grinding, chewing) activates the myrosinase so that it can convert glucoraphanin into sulforaphane.

🔪Step 1: Finely chop fresh broccoli and activate that myrosinase! (Researchers found that chopping broccoli into 2 mm pieces maximized the myrosinase activity). In a rush? Whiz it up in a food processor.

⏱Step 2: Let it rest. Studies also show that letting the chopped broccoli sit for 90 minutes or longer tripled the sulforaphane levels, compared to serving the broccoli right away.

🌱But what about frozen broccoli or broccoli sprouts? For even more hacks on what you can do with your broccoli…head over to the Forever Dog LIFE Learning Lab and watch our recent session. This FREE masterclass community group is available now if you have pre-ordered our upcoming second book, The Forever Dog LIFE. We're covering more hacks, tips and recipes from our new book! To learn more www.foreverdoglife.com/learninglab

01/21/2024

Please let us know if you would be interested in getting one of these fleece jackets with us? The order needs to be placed by 1/31. Please let us know! It will come with the clinic name on the right side front, but we are also offering it without the clinic name- be sure to let us know if you do NOT want the clinic name. Cost is $35.

01/21/2024

What all-natural substance can prevent stomach ulcers🔥, improve stool consistency💩, decrease inflammation⚡️ and even act as a topical antibiotic against certain bacteria while speeding wound healing?🩹

Marshmallow root! 🌱

Not to be confused with marshmallows - although those were once made with the help of this wonder-herb, because of its high mucilage content that helped provide structure to the puffs - marshmallow ROOT is a botanical that has been used for millennia to calm irritated GI tracts.

Those mucilage polysaccharides in marshmallow root combine with water to form a jelly-like substance that coats and soothes the stomach as well as helps to firm up loose stools for those occasional bouts of GI upset. For many dogs and cats, this can be a good alternative to slippery elm powder, when sustainable sourcing is hard to find.🌳🌎

But the powers of marshmallow root don’t stop there! A study in animal models found that marshmallow root applied topically was effective against Staphylococcus aureus🦠, a common bacterium found on the skin. At the same time, the herb sped up the process of wound healing.

👉In Forever Dog LIFE we give you inspiration to concoct more teas to support and delight your beloveds - including our Tummy Tea, which includes marshmallow root and other herbs in its stellar lineup.🍵 In addition try our Low-Fat Turkey Bites, a special treat for pets with sensitive stomachs.

🔗 To learn more about the many new how-to’s our second book offers up, visit ForeverDogLIFE.com

BASIC MARSHMALLOW ROOT TEA DIRECTIONS:
· Place dried marshmallow root or powder in a jar or tea strainer
· Add cold or room temperature broth or water.
· Stir well
· Cover and let steep at room temperature for 4 hours, ideally overnight
· Strain through a fine mesh strainer or remove tea strainer
· Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.
· Use within 48 hours

Feeding Amount: 1/8-1/4 cup per 10 lbs, divided 2-3 times daily

📚Rezaei M, Dadgar Z, Noori-Zadeh A, Mesbah-Namin SA, Pakzad I, Davodian E. Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of the Althaea officinalis L. leaf extract and its wound healing potency in the rat model of excision wound creation. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2015 Mar-Apr;5(2):105-12.

01/10/2024

Rethinking the Role of Carbs in Your Dog’s Diet 🐕❓

Kibble is full of carbohydrates, which dogs have no (zero) biological requirements for. Yet, the majority of dogs in North America are fed lots of carbs in ultra-processed pet food. 👎 Veterinarians Dr. Chris Zink and Dr. Donna Raditic took a deep dive into kibble, and discovered it’s not only the carbs, but how they’re processed that can create disease in canine companions.

Discover more about their study findings in today’s free article: https://bit.ly/48HOEri

12/23/2023

A special thank you to Santa Claus for taking time out of his busy schedule to help us with pet pictures!