Monthly Archives: Juni 2022

Petco offering sustainable treats from Clif Bar and Earth Animal.

Australian government urges investors to consider Western Australia as another prime location for pet food business.

The government declared a plan to ban pet food imports and other „luxury“ goods.

Grounded Packaging announces new recyclable solution.

Beta Hatch opens North America’s largest protein hatchery.

Nourishing, dog-approved and oh-so-healthy.

Our Buddha Bowl recipe is your pup’s version of the traditional, healthy, modern salad bowl! We start with a layer of the healthy ancient grain, amaranth, and add our protein, chicken. We top it off with a rainbow of delicious veggies for a PAW-fect combination — because healthy eating and healthy living does not have to be boring!

The goodness that comes from the Buddha Bowl is in the ingredients and the nutrients they provide:

1. Amaranth: This ancient grain is naturally gluten-free and full of nutrients. It is revered for its highly nutritious profile of protein, carbs, fats, and minerals. It is a rare grain as it provides all of the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source. In addition, it is high in manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. 
2. Kale: Kale is well-known for its benefits in humans, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it’s also great for dogs! Kale is full of phytochemicals that offer up lots of health benefits. One cup of kale can provide more than the minimum daily requirements for vitamin A, C, and K. It contains powerful antioxidants that help to prevent cell damage and disease. Kale even has a good fatty acid profile that can help balance cholesterol and lipid levels. 
3. Squash & Carrots: These hearty vegetables provide more than just flavour. Both squash and carrots contain beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. These are important for vision and eye health, skin and coat health, and supports the immune system. 
4. Chicken: Chicken is a delicious and healthy complete protein for dogs. The chicken in our Buddha Bowl recipe is sourced from Canadian farms, is humanely raised, and is hormone and antibiotic free. Rest assured your pup will be getting all the protein they need for healthy body function and for building strong muscles!
5. Omega-3s: At Tom&Sawyer we understand the importance of fatty acids in the diet. Kale is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, we combine an omega fatty acid fish oil supplement and hemp seed oil to ensure an ideal ratio of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids for anti-inflammatory effects and improved fat metabolism. 

Every ingredient in the Buddha Bowl plays a role in supplying complete and balanced nutrition for your dog. And the best part? It’s delicious! 

See our full menu line up here.

Written by: Hannah Godfrey
Animal Nutritionist
BSc.H. | MSc. Animal Nutrition
www.tomandsawyer.com

Are pre-portioned meal plans right for your pet?

At Tom&Sawyer, we know that good nutrition and convenience go hand in hand (or paw!), and that’s why we’ve created the healthiest freshly cooked meals on the market, AND deliver them straight to your door. 

We also work with you to select the best recipes for your pet’s specific needs, whether they have allergies, need a low-fat meal, or are just plain picky.

One of the most common questions pet parents ask us, though, is just how much food their dog or cat should eat. This is where our science and knowledge of animal dietary needs come in. 

By working with top animal nutritionists — such as Dr. Kelly Swanson from the University of Illinois — we’ve learned that one diet definitely does not suit all pets, and that there is so much more to meal portioning than simply looking at your dog or cat’s weight. 

Think about this: when you look at the back of a dog food bag, does feeding your pet the recommended serving size for their weight make sense if they are on a weight-loss journey, are extremely active, growing, or even underweight? 

From a convenience standpoint – sure. 

From a nutritional and health standpoint – no.

We know that there are other freshly cooked pet food companies out there who pre-portion their meals so that all you have to do is pour and serve. While on the surface that may appear to be convenient, it’s NOT beneficial to your pet’s health. 

Here are a few reasons why: 

Your pet is special! Each and every dog and cat is unique, and their meals should be too. When feeding your pet, we help you take into consideration their age, breed, weight, activity level, and weight goals.

You can monitor your pet for signs of early illness. Sometimes pets may have underlying conditions if their food or energy intakes increase or decrease. By continuously monitoring your pet for physical activity and food intake, you may be able to spot signs of disease or illness early and address the issues early with your veterinarian before it gets worse. 

Weight management. Pet obesity is considered an epidemic, affecting over 50% of our pets. Chonky cats and pudgey pups can be cute, but it can have serious consequences to our animals by reducing both the length and quality of their lives. When we don’t take control of our pet’s portion sizes, we run the risk of overfeeding them. Click here to read more about weight loss for dogs. 

How much – and what – should you feed your dog or cat? Here’s what we recommend:

1. Feeding guidelines. When you complete our meal plan questionnaire, we recommend a portion size suitable for your pet’s current needs, knowing that their dietary requirements could change at any time. Our customer service team and in-house animal nutritionist are always happy to answer any questions you might have. 

2. Rotational feeding. What would you do if you had to eat the exact same thing every day? Our pets’ meals don’t need to be boring, and it’s okay to switch up your pet’s proteins, veggies and flavours! Read more about the benefits of rotational feeding.

3. Mixing and matching. Our chefs prepare our delicious individual recipes, but your pets might like to have their meals combined. Adding some Classic Pork Stew, for example, to our Fisherman’s Best Friend recipe gives a delicious and unique balance of proteins and flavour. 

If you do mix and match, note that you may also have to adjust portion size based on calorie intake. If you’d like to combine recipes but don’t know where to start, email Hannah, our in-house animal nutritionist for her recommendations: hannah@tomandsawyer.com. 

4. Seasonal variation. For some pets, wintertime can mean fewer walks and more snuggles on the couch. But for other dogs (think Huskies) this is when their energy levels peak! Summertime is when some people may allow their cats access to the outdoors, and a cat’s physical activity can change as indoor temp and humidity vary. Because of these reasons, their food allotments should be adjusted accordingly. 

5. Get as accurate as possible. Use a gram scale or kitchen scale to weigh out food portions over using a scoop, cup, or the “eyeball method”. Using a cup has been shown to both over- and under-estimate food portions repeatedly (Coe et al., 2019) versus using a gram scale. This can particularly impact smaller dogs who can gain or lose weight with the slightest adjustment in portion size. 

6. Give your pet regular weigh-ins. This can be as simple as monitoring your pet’s weight every 2 to 3 weeks! If you notice weight fluctuations you can adjust either activity levels or food intake. Your local veterinarian will likely let you use their scale as often as you like. 

If you’d like more information on how much to feed your dog or cat, or what exactly they should be eating, you can book a FREE consultation with our in-house animal nutritionist to get all the answers to your questions.

Email us at info@tomandsaywer.com to book your consult, or find our Live Chat button on our website to speak directly with our team. 

Written by: Hannah Godfrey
Animal Nutritionist
BSc.H. | MSc. Animal Nutrition
www.tomandsawyer.com

References:

1) Brooks et al., 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats: https://meridian.allenpress.com/jaaha/article-abstract/50/1/1/177041/2014-AAHA-Weight-Management-Guidelines-for-Dogs

2) Case L.P. et al. Canine and Feline Nutrition: A resource for companion animal professionals 3rd ed. May 19, 2010

3) Coe et al., Dog owner’s accuracy measuring different volumes of dry dog food using three different measuring devices. 2019: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1136/vr.105319

4) Lund EM, Armstrong PJ, Kirk CA, Klausner JS. Prevalence and risk factors for obesity in adult cats from private US veterinary practices. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2005;3: 88-96. 

5) German AJ. The growing problem of obesity in dogs and cats. J Nutr. 2006;136: 1940- 1946.

6) German AJ, Holden SL, Mason SL, Bryner C, Bouldoires C, Morris PJ, et al. Imprecision when using measuring cups to weigh out extruded dry kibbled food. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2011; 95: 368-373.

Organic, ultra low fat, allergy friendly and guaranteed to put a hop in your pup’s step!

Our Kangaroo recipe may have limited ingredients, but it is not limited in its health benefits! 

Benefits of our Kangaroo include:

1. Pancreatitis: This recipe is specially formulated to be below the 20g fat per 1000kcal to ensure that it is within the appropriate levels for dogs with pancreatitis, minimizing the risk for a pancreatitis flare-up. Although this recipe is low-fat, we kept the good fats! This recipe includes a high level of essential fatty acids and the anti-inflammatory omega fatty acids to keep your pup happy and healthy.

2. Allergy-Friendly: Why limited ingredients? Pups who have food reactions or are sensitive to many ingredients can benefit from limited ingredient recipes as they reduce the likelihood of a potential allergen. On top of that, we have ensured the ingredients in this recipe are ingredients that rarely lead to allergies or intolerances. For example, kangaroo is a novel protein and we removed grains altogether by using sweet potatoes as our healthy carbohydrate source. Even dogs with environmental allergies might benefit from this recipe due to its high level of nutrients with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which work to soothe and reduce allergy symptoms. 

3. Weight Loss: This recipe has many components that make it a great diet for weight-loss. It is low-fat, and therefore has a lower energy density to prevent over-consumption of calories. Lots of antioxidants help to reduce oxidative stress that occurs with obesity. The inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties help tackle chronic inflammation that is associated with obesity. In addition, this meal is high in fibre, which has many reported health benefits, notably, its benefits in healthy weight loss. 

4. Healthy Aging: Our Kangaroo meal is antioxidant-rich. Its many anti-inflammatory properties come from omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. This combination helps to keep your pup healthy with age by maintaining skin and coat health, minimizing inflammation at the joints, reducing oxidative stress that occurs with age, and aiding in cognition.

5. Inflammatory Bowel: A low-fat meal can help reduce inflammation of the digestive tract, a common symptom for pups with inflammatory bowel diseases. In addition, our high-quality ingredients are highly digestible, which can help tackle the common issue with IBD in which nutrients are not well absorbed. Novel proteins and limited ingredients can also reduce the potential for adverse food reactions which can cause flare ups. This meal also contains fibres which can be beneficial in rebuilding and supporting the gut microbiome which is often in a state of dysbiosis for pups with IBD. 
   

So hop to the freezer and add our healthy Kangaroo recipe to your pup’s menu today.

See our full menu line up here.

Written by: Hannah Godfrey
Animal Nutritionist
BSc.H. | MSc. Animal Nutrition
www.tomandsawyer.com

Summer is here! It’s paws-down the best time of year to be outside enjoying some quality time with our loyal companions, swimming, hiking, picnicking, and catching some rays.

That said, we all the know the uncomfortable feeling of being too warm. Yuck! The same uncomfortable feeling can happen to our dogs, too. As pet parents, it’s important to know the signs of dehydration or heat exhaustion through these summer months so we can keep our fur-babies safe.

Check out our top 5 tips to keeping your dog safe in the summer heat:

1. WATER: Whenever you stop to rest make sure your dog has lots of fresh water, or even a cool, wet towel to relax on. A wet towel on their belly and pads can help to regulate body temperature, too. When helping a dog cool down try to wet the areas with the least amount of fur – armpits, belly, paw pads and between the hind legs. You can also wrap a cloth around their neck or invest in a cooling band for them to wear when playing in areas without swimming water.***If your dog is bordering on heat stroke, don’t throw them into cold water. Changing their temperature too abruptly may result in further heating of their internal organs and worsening the overheating of the body’s core. Instead, get their pads in cool water and splash water on their bellies. Let your dog cool down slowly and allow them to drink water at a moderate pace. Chugging water will result in them throwing it back up and being more dehydrated than before.

2. FROZEN TREATS: If you bring along frozen treats, your dog can have a refreshing snack and you can help regulate their core temperature. Freeze their water bowl and top it up so the water is always ice cold. Ice cubes are a great way to keep your pup hydrated and it’s also a fun crunchy treat.

You can also offer your pup flavoured ice cubes: Tom&Sawyer has two healthy bone broths that can be divided into ice cube trays or made into pupsicles for a frosty treat. Our bone broths are full of moisture and high in flavour, and your pampered pup will be requesting them on every outing.

You can add our bone broths to your Tom&Sawyer meal plan or find them at a retailer near you.

3. CHECK FOR SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION: Dogs don’t sweat like we do, but they have many other ways to tell us they are in need of water. Some signs of dehydration in dogs include vomiting, lethargy, a dry nose, excessive panting and sunken eyes. Here are three tests you can do to check your dog for dehydration:

• The Elasticity Check – Pinch the excess skin on the back of your dog’s neck and pull upward, and see how long it takes to bounce back. If the skin stays raised and bunched then slowly drops back down, find a shady spot where your pup can lie down and get some water. If the fur bounces right back your dog is well hydrated! When a dog is dehydrated and in need of moisture their skin takes longer to bounce back.
• The Gum Check – Push on your dog’s gums and then release. His gums should start out white but colour should immediately rush back into the gums. If the gums remain white or colour returns slowly, it means your dog is in need of water. Note: This method may not be easy for every owner if your dog is sensitive to being touched inside his mouth.
• Irregular Behaviour – If your dog seems anxious, is panting more/faster than normal, or seems dizzy or disoriented, immediately get him to the shade and apply water to the hairless areas to cool him down. Sometimes your pup will not want to drink water if extremely dehydrated, so do what you can to encourage them to drink. Try splashing water on their tongue or break out a frozen snack or ice cubes to entice them.

4. SHADE, TIMING & MORE WATER: Try to be in the shade as much as possible and if you can head to an area with water for playtime, even better! A beach, lake or a dog park with small cooling pools are the best places for them to play. You can also bring your own collapsable pool and fill it up using the drinking fountains in the park, or set one up in your backyard. Bring a spray bottle on your walks and mist your dog’s cool down zones frequently. Time your play sessions and walks accordingly so you are not out with your dog at the hottest points of the day.

5. DO NOT SHAVE: People often think shaving their dog will help to keep them cool. This is a common misconception. A dog’s coat actually helps to keep them cool, regulates their body temperature and protects them from a sunburn. If your dog has an undercoat you can give him a brush out to help get rid of the winter fur, but never shave the top coat. People also have an urge to soak their dog in water when they really need to cool them down. But, if your dog has a very thick coat it can actually weigh their fur down, allowing less air to circulate, making it much harder for their body temperature to regulate. When cooling your pup down it’s best to lightly mist their pits and belly and soak their pads instead.

As you can see, water, when used appropriately, is a dog’s best friend in the summer heat. These 5 tips will help you and your dog enjoy those amazing summer moments in the safest ways possible. And, the more you know the safer your pup can be. Remember that dogs don’t always know how to self regulate or when to take breaks, especially when having the time of their lives. We need to monitor our fur-babies closely this time of year so we all get to have some fun in the sun.