Category: Made In The USA

Splash Dog Shampoo From TopVet Review by Nikki Moustaki

10/16/2014

People who have dogs with a skin condition know that it’s a top priority to clear up the skin as quickly as possible. Pustules, inflamed skin, and skin raw from itching is not only uncomfortable for your dog, it also looks and smells terrible, and can promote infections.

I’m on my second set of dogs . . . before my current dogs, Schnauzers and a Poodle, I had two Schnauzers, one of which had awful skin. He was a rescue, and when I brought him home his skin was sloughing off, he had very little fur, his sides were bloody from scratching, and he had open wounds in his “armpits” and on his belly. I tried everything to clear up his skin, including tar and sulfur shampoos (which smelled horrible) and homemade skin creams I bought on the Internet. It took six months until his skin cleared up enough for some of his fur to grow back.

What I would have done for Splash Shampoo from TopVET! There was nothing on the market like Splash Shampoo back then. Now, many skin issues in dogs can be cleared up by simply bathing the dog with this product.

What’s so different about Splash Shampoos? Splash was clinically tested by veterinary dermatologists to help treat skin conditions in dogs, and it’s also moisturizing for the coat and skin, as well as being a great cleanser, eliminating dirt and fungus.

I have three tests when it comes to shampoos: the smell test, the lather test, and the doggy odor test.

Both Splash and Splash Plus pass the smell test with flying colors. Splash, the version in the blue label bottle, has no odor whatsoever. You have you really get your nose inside the bottle to smell anything. Splash Plus, in the orange label bottle, smells slightly antiseptic, which to me equals clean.

My dogs aren’t a fan of the B-A-T-H, and no shampoo is going to make it any more pleasant for them, but it stands to reason that a shampoo’s scent can play a part in “bathing comfort,” given that dogs’ noses are much more sensitive than ours. A strongly scented medicated shampoo has got to be more unpleasant to the dogs than one that’s neutral in odor.

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Also, I’m incredibly chemically sensitive, and it matters to me how I react to anything I’m putting onto my dogs, since I’m the one applying the product and snuggling them all day. I appreciate that Splash didn’t use a heavy hand in scenting their shampoos.

Splash was also a winner in the lather test. There has been a trend in the last few years with shampoos and soaps that don’t lather. I don’t know about you, but I like lather—it makes me feel as if I’m getting the dogs clean.

Splash also passes the doggy odor test. I have bathed my dogs once a week for a month with both of the Splash shampoos, and my dogs have no doggy odor whatsoever. Neither of my dogs currently have skin issues, but I believe that using Splash as a preventative will go a long way toward keeping the dogs in good condition. Also, the orange label bottle, Splash Plus, contains salicylic acid, which is known to kill fleas, ticks, and other parasites. For me, that’s definitely part of the “plus” in this product’s name.

Finally, I LOVE that Splash Shampoos are made in the USA. That’s a big deal for me, especially with pet products.

All in all, I really like this product and intend to continue using it. I’m giving Splash Shampoos from TopVET a huge paw’s up!

Check out Splash Shampoo on Facebook and Twitter.

From the Splash Shampoo Website:

Clinically and Dermatologist tested for use on sensitive skin, Splash reduces itching and inflammation on your pets!

Our unique cleansing properties provide equivalent or superior results to prescription cleaners, with less frequent application.

Splash is formulated to cleanse the skin to:

Remove allergens like pollen, dead skin, dander, mites and more. 
Remove scales and oils to get coverage and absorption with medication. 
Reduce odor, allowing the owner to see, feel and smell the difference with competing products.
Potentially improve antibiotic effectiveness due to more effective cleanliness of skin prior to application.

Product Highlights:

Effective combination of agents to remove oils, dirt and debris that can cause allergic reactions, irritation and odor. 
Conditioners to avoid dryness. 
Agents to clean effectively and to reduce odor. 
Agents to remove bacteria and other microbes. 
Controls growth of microbes and to reduce inflammation and irritation. 
Effective removal of oils, dirt and debris that can cause allergic reactions/ irritation.

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TELO-20 Longevity Supplement for Dogs Review by Nikki Moustaki

8/19/2014

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What if you could give your dog a chew that could make him live longer?

When I adopted my first set of dogs as an adult, a pair of Miniature Schnauzers named Pepper and Ozzie, and a mutt from the side of the road named Lulu Belle, I was still Pollyanna-ish about canine mortality. I didn’t think it was possible that they’d grow old and leave me—but they did. Losing Pepper and Ozzie within twenty-four hours of each other—of natural causes—was one of the most painful experiences of my life.

Now, with my second set of dogs, two Miniature Schnauzers, a Mini Poodle, and a chubby mutt from the pound, there’s not much I wouldn’t to do ensure that they lived as long as possible. I feel the same way about myself. I spent three years battling a nasty case of late-diagnosed Lyme Disease, so ill each day that I could not get out of bed. Aside from the medical attention I received, I believe that a large part of my healing from that illness was due to the research that I did on healing and health.

When I was a kid, all of my childhood dogs eventually “went to a farm” when their muzzles turned gray. I envisioned rolling green hills and a big red barn where they’d laze in the afternoon heat after a day of limping after gophers in the farm lady’s tomato garden. As I matured, I realized that this idyllic farm was where Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny summered, and where the Tooth Fairy had a cozy little cabin. I hoped they took good care of my dogs.

This is when I discovered TELO-100 through a friend. It’s a supplement made by Telomere Biosciences that includes natural telomerase-activators to target the major causes of telomere shortening.

What’s a telomere and why should I care about it, you ask? Good question. I’ll try to explain telomeres as I understand them.

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of each chromosome in every cell in your body, kind of like those little plastic tips at the end of your shoelaces. Each time a cell divides, the telomeres on the DNA get shorter. When the telomere gets too short, the cell can no longer divide, causing it to become inactive. That’s what causes aging and eventually, death. If you can stop the telomeres from shortening, or if you can lengthen them, you can effectively slow down the aging process. This is what TELO-100 does for humans.

Help Your Dog, Help a Rescue: Telomere Biosciences is committed to giving back to help dogs in need! From August 19 - October 1, for every single bottle of TELO-20 for Dogs you purchase, they will donate $5 to Fresno Bully Rescue. FBR is a non-profit, no-kill rescue and shelter dedicated to rescuing bully dog breeds, from Bull Terriers to Bull Dogs.

Imagine my thrill when I discovered that the same company that makes TELO-100 has launched a canine version of their product, TELO-20 for Dogs, and that it's made in the USA. I immediately asked for samples. I am already sold on the technology of telomere lengthening, so I just wanted to make sure that my dogs would eat this chew (which looks and smells like a doggie treat). Pearl, the chubby mutt, would eat a rubber tire if it had sauce on it, so I wasn’t worried about her, but I was concerned that Jasmine, my picky Poodle, would reject it. Pearl scarffled the first chew I gave her, no problem. Jasmine sniffed at it, then daintily plucked it from my fingers and took it to her bed to devour it. Mission “Dogs Living Longer” has commenced!

The directions for TELO-20 for Dogs say that it should be given to dogs over five years of age. Pearl is over five, and though Jasmine is just four, I asked the company if the supplement was OK for her, and they said it was fine. I feel good about getting a jump on her longevity.

If the word “telomere” sounds made up to you, you’re not alone. But I researched it (Google is a wondrous thing), and it turns out that the scientists who discovered telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, both of which function to protect chromosomes, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 2009 for the work they performed on this subject at major institutions, such as Yale University. Not too shabby.

TELO-20 for Dogs directions for use: Each bottle contains 60 chewables. Dosage is one chewable tablet per day per each 30 pounds of dog. If you have a 30 pound dog, one bottle for $49 will last two months. If you have a 15 pound dog, you can split the tablet in half, and one bottle will last four months. If you have a tiny dog, you can give him a quarter of a tablet. For those with dogs heavier than 60 pounds, two tablets per day is the recommended dosage, or one tablet per every 30 pounds of dog per day, or one bottle per month.

I’m thrilled to have found a canine longevity product from a company that I trust. Because I take Telomere Biosciences’ TELO-100 telomere product for humans, it’s a no-brainer for me to give TELO-20 for Dogs to my furry pals on a daily basis. The science behind this product is convincing.

Paws up for TELO-20 for Dogs! It’s part of my "insurance" that my dogs don’t go to the “farm” for a long, long time.

From the TELO-20 for Dogs website:

The first Telomere-Lengthening Nutritional Supplement in the world for dogs based on the breakthrough health and wellness benefits of Nobel Prize-winning Telomere science to promote healthy aging and longevity in dogs aged 5 to 15+.

TELO-20 for Dogs is formulated to:

1. Help Maintain Existing Telomere Length and Slow the Rate of Telomere Shortening, to Help Preserve the Functional Lifespan of Cells, and Help Slow the Aging Process at the Cellular Level.

2. Help Maintain Existing Levels of the Telomere-Lengthening Enzyme, Telomerase, especially in Stem Cells and Immune Cells, to Help Preserve Telomere Length, Regenerative Capacity, and the Functional Lifespan of these Critical Cell Types.

3. Activate the Enzyme Telomerase, through Multiple Natural Telomerase-Activating Compounds, to Help Lengthen Telomeres to Help Maintain and Extend Cellular Function and Lifespan.

Important Health & Wellness Benefits of Telo-20 For Dogs:

Help Maintain & Promote Healthy Aging and Longevity.
Help Maintain & Promote the Health, Regenerative Capacity & Functional Life Span of Critical Stem Cells.
Help Maintain & Support the Health of the Heart and Circulatory System.
Help Maintain & Support Bone Health and Metabolic Health.
Help Reduce Oxidative Stress and Inflammation.
Help Maintain & Promote the Health and Appearance of the Coat and Skin.

Follow Telo-20 for Dogs on Twitter @telo20fordogs and Facebook. Here's a link to TELO-20 for Dogs' official press release.

Great post on TELO-20 for Dogs on PetsWeekly.

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Minties by VetIQ Review by Nikki Moustaki, Nikki Knows Pets

7/27/2014

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My dogs have eaten shoes, cell phones, and poop--hence the need for Minties!

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There’s give-and-take in every relationship, even with our pets. Dogs give us so much—their love, their affection, and their exuberance for life. They give us companionship, joy, and a distraction from the woes of the world. They also give us dog breath.

I’m now on my “second set” of dogs, Pearl the mutt, Jasmine the Poodle, and Zoey and DiDi the white Miniature Schnauzers. They are all fairly young, between two and eight years old. Their breath is pretty good—but there’s a reason for that. I remember when my first set of dogs were aging, two Miniature Schnauzers named Pepper and Ozzie and a mutt named LuLu Belle, and their breath became something out of a horror movie. Heavy breathing on the part of these lovely creatures could clear a room.

I think the breath issue for my beloved “first dogs” was largely due to the fact that I didn’t do much in the way of their oral hygiene. I didn’t brush their teeth. I wasn’t diligent about giving them dental chews. I also think that aging dogs simply get smellier. Just an observation.

I’m determined to do something differently with my “second set.” I’d like for them to have sweet breath—or, at the very least, extremely tolerable breath—as they age. I’ve been feeding them Minties by VetIQ after I discovered the product at a pet trade show in Las Vegas and Minties sent me a few samples. Once I saw my dogs’ reaction to these dental treats, I—and they—were hooked.

They are hooked largely because Minties probably taste great. I haven’t tasted them, obviously, but they smell like delicious mint candy, but a little less sweet. Dogs, for the most part, will eat anything. My dogs have eaten shoes, cell phones, and poop (hence, the need for Minties!). However, my Poodle, Jasmine, is very picky and will literally spit treats out. She’s a discerning girl. I was actually kind of surprised when she trotted her first Minties bone-shaped chew to her bed and started chewing on it like a dainty princess. Pearl, on the other paw, scarfed hers and came running back for another! I realized that I needed to offer her a bigger size (she’s the largest dog I have) so that she could take some time with it.

I like Minties because the limited ingredients include five natural breath fresheners, some of which I regularly juice for myself using my Omega juicer: peppermint, parsley, fennel, dill, and alfalfa. These are all plant materials that are known to not only freshen breath, but to boost immunity. Minties doesn’t claim the latter, but I know it to be true, at least for humans.

The Minties bones are hard enough to give your dog a good chew, thus helping to remove tartar, but soft enough that they don’t damage teeth. They are completely edible and contain other nutritious ingredients, such as brewer’s yeast and a source of Vitamin D.

All of Minties products are sourced and manufactured in the USA, which is a big plus for me, and gives me the confidence that Minties stands 100% behind their product, as they say they do. Not only does feeding my dogs a product made in the USA give me peace of mind, but when you buy American you preserve and create American jobs. Just sayin’.

The bottom line: I’ve noticed that Minties does help with doggie breath. I'll keep using this product, much to my dogs' delight. Big paws up for Minties!

Minties chews come in four different sizes: Tiny (under 10 lbs), Small (10-19 lbs), Medium (20-39 lbs), and Large (over 40 lbs). It’s recommended that you give your dog one per day.

From The Minties Website:

Made in the USA
Helps maintain healthy teeth and gums
Freshens breath using 5 natural breath fresheners: peppermint, parsley, fennel, dill and alfalfa
Removes plaque and tartar
Digests easily
Ingredients: Rice Flour, Vegetable Glycerin, Water, Natural Chicken Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Lecithin, Garlic, Tricalcium Phosphate, Brewers Dried Yeast, Chlorophyll (Sodium Copper Chloraphyllin) Parsley, Fennel, Dill, Peppermint, Cholecalciferol (Source of Vitamin D3), Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Source of Vitamin E).

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Dogs

Splash Dog Shampoo From TopVet Review by Nikki Moustaki

TELO-20 Longevity Supplement for Dogs Review by Nikki Moustaki

From the TELO-20 for Dogs website:

Minties by VetIQ Review by Nikki Moustaki, Nikki Knows Pets

From The Minties Website:

Dog Product Revews & Dog Information

Categories

Dogs ﻿

Splash Dog Shampoo From TopVet Review by Nikki Moustaki

TELO-20 Longevity Supplement for Dogs Review by Nikki Moustaki

From the TELO-20 for Dogs website:

Minties by VetIQ Review by Nikki Moustaki, Nikki Knows Pets

From The Minties Website:

Dog Product Revews & Dog Information

Categories

Dogs