November Special: Stella & Chewy’s

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Brookside Barkery and Bath is running a special on Stella & Chewy’s dog food for the entire month of November! At the Barkery, we pride ourselves in carrying only the highest quality of food for your furry family member. This is why we are proud to offer Stella & Chewy’s products!

For the entire month of November, buy one large bag of Raw Coated Kibble, get one small bag free OR buy one small or medium bag of Raw Coated Kibble, get one free Stella’s Stew.

At Stella & Chewy’s they believe, “Selecting the best food is one of the most important decisions a pet parent makes. From our first delivery to the last batch crafted in our own USA kitchen, we are focused on making the highest quality pet food available.”

Stella & Chewy’s only uses quality ingredients sourced from farmers and ranchers that are recognized for their superior, human-grade quality ingredients and highest levels of food handling safety. All recipes are 90-95% meat, organs and bones and all animal proteins have no added hormones or antibiotics.

If you have yet to try Stella & Chewy’s – now is the time. Stop by the Barkery and pick up your bags of Stella & Chewy’s Raw Coated Kibble today!

Introducing Brookside Holistic Solutions!

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We’re excited to announce our new concept, Brookside Holistic Solutions, is now open in Lee’s Summit!

Brookside Holistics Solutions was created to provide holistic alternatives to synthetic health products so you can find a healthy balance. With a wide selection of all-natural wellness products that we have used ourselves, plus is an all-natural foods and drinks,we are honored to help you improve your sense of well-being and find alternative answers to prescription medications.

Whether you are in need of an all-natural solution for pain management, inflammation, or need help with ADD, ADHD, and anxiety, we offer a wide array of products to help you – and our staff are ready to guide you.

With your personal well-being in mind, Brookside Holistic Solutions carries:

  • Essential and CBD oils
  • Hemp products
  • EMF shields
  • Alkaline water
  • All-natural foods and juices from Rawsome Nutrition and a Kombucha bar featuring Teabiotics
  • And of course, we wouldn’t forget products for our four-legged friends!

Learn more about our products by visiting our website!

Founded by the same team who brought you Brookside Barkery & Bath, Brookside Holistic Solutions continues the practice of “better health through better nutrition.”

Visit us today, right next door to our newly remodeled Lee’s Summit Brookside Barkery and Bath:

819 NE Woods Chapel Rd.
Lee’s Summit MO 64064

We look forward to helping you achieve a healthier lifestyle!

Rad Cat Stops Production, Closes Company

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Brookside Barkery is sad to announce the closing of one of our favorite raw food vendors for cats – Rad Cat. They’ve tried incredibly hard to prevent this from happening, but due to FDA regulations and a couple of recent recalls, the losses piled up quickly and they are no longer able to keep the factory open that produces lifesaving foods for our favorite felines.

Although Rad Cat (and Brookside Barkery!) is hoping that this is only temporary, if your cats love the raw Rad Cat food, we wanted to suggest a couple of alternatives that Brookside Barkery carries to keep your kitties naturally happy and healthy!

Primal Pet Foods: They specialize in superior nutrition for your cat with a variety of raw and freeze dried recipes. Pets experience better digestion and absorb nutrients more easily when fed a diet based on natural eating habits in the wild: muscle meat, meaty bones, organs, and raw fruits and vegetables.

Stella & Chewy’s:Their raw and frozen food contains organic fruits and vegetables, and is minimally processed which makes it easy for your furry friend to digest. They believe that cats deserve to thrive on pure, simple, minimally processed food – the way nature intended. All of their food is made with select organic produce and raw, USDA-inspected meat.

Steve’s Real Food: The frozen nuggets allow you to simply pour and serve without defrosting, cutting up meat, or mixing foods. It’s 100% complete and balanced, and made from only the most superior ingredients on the market. Steve’s makes it easier to provide raw nutrition for all of your pets.

While we are incredibly sad to hear about Rad Cat closing down for now, Brookside Barkery is still just as dedicated as always to help you do what’s best for your best friend! Whether you’re needing to make the switch over from Rad Cat, or just getting started on a raw diet for your furry friend, our pet food experts at Brookside Barkery are here to help you find the perfect, well-balanced diet for all of your pets! Stop by either of our Brookside Barkery stores in Brookside or our newly expanded store in Lee’s Summit (It’s now double in size!) and speak to one of our all-natural and holistic pet food experts today!

*To learn more about Rad Cat’s experience with the FDA, click here.

Does Your Dog Need the Kennel Cough Vaccine?

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Vaccinating your dog is a serious medical procedure with several significant potential risks. Many veterinarians, kennel owners and day care providers say your furry friend MUST be vaccinated against kennel cough, but exactly how likely is this vaccine to prevent kennel cough? Did you know Bordetella vaccine can even produce kennel cough-like symptoms? According to the WSAVA Guidelines, “Transient (3-10 days) coughing, sneezing or nasal discharge may occur in a small percentage of vaccinates.”

For the most part, if your veterinarian, kennel owner or day care provider practices good hygiene and has a well-ventilated space, kennel cough shouldn’t be a concern. Kennel cough is very comparable to a human cold – spread from an infected individual in close contact with another individual with compromised immunity. Like a human cold, kennel cough Is also considered a mild self-limiting disease.

If your boarding service provider is worried that your dog may contract kennel cough at their establishment, offer to sign a letter of consent acknowledging you’ve been informed of the risk. This will waive legal liability for the boarding provider which is likely their biggest concern. This is generally more of a liability issue than a significant health issue for your pet.

If your service provider is more concerned about the potential of other dogs at their establishment contracting kennel cough from your unvaccinated dog, then do they really believe the vaccinated dogs have immunity? If the Bordetella vaccine isn’t protective, why insist all dogs are vaccinated?

Dr. Ronald Schultz, world-renowned vaccination scientist, says, “Many animals receive ‘kennel cough’ vaccines that include Bordetella and CPI and/or CAV-2 every 6-9 months without evidence that this frequency of vaccination is necessary or beneficial. In contrast, other dogs are never vaccinated for kennel cough and disease is not seen.

CPI immunity lasts at least 3 years when given intranasally, and CAV-2 immunity lasts a minimum of 7 years parenterally for CAV-I. These two viruses in combination with Bordetella bronchiseptica are the agents most often associated with kennel cough. However, other factors also play an important role in disease (e.g. stress, dust, humidity, molds, myoplasma, etc.), thus kennel cough is not a vaccine preventable disease because of the complex factors associated with this disease. This is often a mild to moderate self-limiting disease. Some even refer to it as the ‘Canine Cold.’”

Ultimately, it is your decision whether you want to vaccinate your dog for kennel cough. If you do decide on the vaccine, we suggest you make sure it is the intranasal form that is given as nose drops, not the injected version. The vaccine should be administered at least a week before your dog has contact with other dogs – for the sake of both your dog and the others!

Want to learn more about The Barkery’s take on kennel cough vaccinations and more related issues? Give us a call or stop by the Barkery today to speak to one of our pet-loving experts!

 

Information for this story courtesy of Dogs Naturally Magazine.

Bigger & Better Barkery in Lee’s Summit!

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Our Lee’s Summit store has been revamped!

After a long several months, we’ve officially completed our expansion in Lee’s Summit! We’re next door the the old space, and we’ve doubled in size. Now you can shop at the Barkery with a new user friendly layout specifically designed to create a better shopping experience for our patrons. This includes a new, bigger and better bathing area, and TONS of space for product with a great selection of our high quality meals for your pet.

We’re completing another renovation in the Barkery’s old space. Once it’s complete, we’re planning a huge celebration. Stay tuned to find out more about our grand re-opening!

Stop by today and check out the new and improved Lee’s Summit Barkery!

Bladder Health

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A pet’s nutrition is what supports organ function throughout the body, and the proper diet can make all the difference. Dietary magnesium is considered one of the main contributors to urinary struvite formation. The excessive amounts of grains and carbs in most generic dry pet food brands make it high in magnesium. (Contrarily, meat-based diets are high in phosphorus, which decreases urinary excretion of magnesium and can prevent stone formation). Especially for a carnivore, a diet low in magnesium and high in phosphorus promotes healthy bladder and urinary function.

Click here for more information.

 

Bladder Care Supplements by Herbsmith

 

Herbsmith’s Bladder Care contains ingredients to support a healthy urinary tract and is a great formula to support bladder health. By maintaining a normal bladder pH, Bladder Care may reduce the likelihood of crystal and stone formation. It promotes optimal bladder and urinary tract health and function by supporting healthy urine elimination. D-mannose, cranberry, and herbs support bladder health, which is key to developing the proper urinary environment.

Stop in your local Brookside Barkery & Bath and ask a nutrition specialist about Bladder Care for your pet today.

October Special: Farmina

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Brookside Barkery and Bath is running a special on Farmina dog and cat food all month long! Here at the Barkery, we pride ourselves in only carrying the highest quality of food for your best friend. Farmina dog & cat food is all-natural, nutritious, and scientifically validated. Using only the finest raw ingredients and following strict guidelines set by nutritional experts, Farmina is nature and science in perfect harmony. With nutrition as the basis of your pet’s well-being, all of Farmina’s recipes are scientifically designed according to nature.

Through the month of October, save big on Farmina dog and cat food:

  • $5 off large bags
  • $3 off medium bags
  • $2 off small bags

This all-natural food for your best friend contains only natural antioxidants, is 100% GMO-free, and grain and gluten-free. It’s also rich in high quality vitamins and has a low glycemic index. Stored in a protective atmosphere, Farmina food is exactly what your pet needs to feel happy and healthy.

Stop by either of our Barkery locations in Brookside or our newly expanded Lee’s Summit location and take advantage of this deal! Your furry friend will love you for it!

Special available October 1-31, 2018 only.

5 Beneficial Uses of Sovereign Silver for Pets

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If you are anything like us, your furry family members are just as important as your children. Even the healthiest of pets can get themselves into trouble with a cut snout or paw every now and again. Most of the time our pets are troopers while us loyal pet owners can tend to get a little paranoid. Before you jump to conclusions and call your local vet, consider looking into Sovereign Silver for Pets!

Sovereign Silver for Pets is a liquid antibiotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal that provides easy and safe immune support for your pet. It has been used to treat and prevent an assortment of conditions in animals. Take a look at these 5 beneficial uses of Sovereign Silver for Pets as seen in Dogs Naturally Magazine.

  1. Infection: Sovereign Silver is an all-around pathogen fighter for any disease – bacterial, fungal or viral in nature. It can also be used as a preventative when exposure to sick animals is unavoidable.
  2. Skin: Sovereign Silver for Pets can be used topically for skin infections to repair and sooth tissue damage such as wounds, burns and even ringworm.
  3. Ears: For a nasty and painful ear infection, Sovereign Silver for Pets can be directly dropped into the ears to help fight off yeast and bacteria while offering relief to your furry friend.
  4. Eyes: Treat your pet’s eye conditions including infections, inflammation, allergies and even tear staining. The best part? Sovereign Silver can be dropped directly into the eyes with no sting involved!
  5. Lungs: One of the most versatile natural immune system boosters – Sovereign Silver can be used as a mist with a nebulizer to treat a variety of respiratory problems including bronchitis and pneumonia.

Click here for more information on how to use Sovereign Silver for Pets. Be sure to stop by either of our Brookside or Lee’s Summit Barkery locations to speak with one of our pet experts and pick up your bottle of Sovereign Silver for Pets today!

Pumpkin for Treating Diarrhea in Dogs

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If you’ve asked for advice at the Barkery to treat your dog’s diarrhea, we’ve probably mentioned before that pumpkin is a good way to help resolve the issue. In this article by holistic veterinarian Dr. Jean Dodds, we’ll take a closer look at pumpkin, why it’s used for management of diarrhea, and whether it might make sense for your companion animal.

Before we begin, however, please be aware that if your pet is experiencing diarrhea, a veterinarian should first determine if an underlying medical condition exists. Just like humans, pets can get diarrhea for many reasons, and you should know what you’re dealing with before trying to manage it. Severe diarrhea can also result in dehydration and loss of electrolytes, which can have serious consequences without medical intervention.

Once your veterinarian gives the “all-clear” to manage your pets diarrhea naturally, you can consider whether pumpkin is a viable alternative.

What is pumpkin?

Pumpkins are actually a fruit in the squash family. Like many fruits, pumpkins contain high amounts of fiber, which is important to digestive health.

What is fiber?

Fiber, also referred to as “roughage” or “bulk,” is any part of a plant that cannot be broken down and digested by the body’s enzymes (Mayo Clinic, 2012). Dietary fiber is found in all plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, beans, and seeds.

There are two types of fiber – soluble and insoluble – and most foods contain a combination of the two.

  • Soluble fiber – As the name implies, this fiber is “soluble,” or breaks down in water. Soluble fiber absorbs water from the digestive tract, forming a gel-like substance that slows down the digestive process. Soluble fiber is found in foods such as oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, psyllium, and pumpkin.
  • Insoluble fiber – This fiber adds bulk to the stool and tends to speed up the passage of food through the digestive tract. Insoluble fiber is found in foods such as whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, beans, and certain vegetables like cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes.

The soluble fiber in pumpkin slows digestion, which is beneficial in the management of diarrhea. And, since it absorbs water, it “bulks” up the stool, helping control the loose, water stools characteristic of diarrhea. Clinical studies show that soluble fiber helps regulate stool frequency and consistency in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

While insoluble fiber can benefit those suffering from constipation, it’s best to avoid feeding too much insoluble fiber to animals suffering from diarrhea, since it can act as a natural laxative.

Incorporating pumpkin into  your pet’s diet

Canned pumpkin is an excellent source of dietary fiber, with about 7 grams of fiber in a one cup serving, and it’s conveniently available at your nearest Barkery or grocery store. Just be sure that pumpkin is the only ingredient, you don’t want any added salt or spices.

Feeding your pet pumpkin has additional benefits. It’s packed full of nutrients, including beta-carotene, zinc, iron, vitamin A and potassium. And, since fiber provides a feeling of fullness, it can be used as a supplement for overweight pets when reducing daily caloric intake.

The amount of canned pumpkin you feed will depend on your dogs weight. We suggested working up to 1 tablespoon per day for smaller dogs and 2 tablespoons per day for larger dogs. However, be sure you don’t add too much too soon. Too much canned pumpkin can cause diarrhea, gas, bloating, and cramping. To avoid these effects, incorporate small amounts of pumpkin slowly and work your way up to the suggested dose. This will allow the bacteria in the digestive tract to adjust to the increased fiber.

The bottom line

If your dog or cat suffers from mild to moderate diarrhea, and your veterinarian has ruled out a serious underlying condition, the soluble fiber found in pumpkin may help relieve the symptoms. Just be sure to introduce it slowly and feed in moderation. Also, encourage your pet to drink plenty of fresh water. Proper hydration is key in helping the soluble fiber do its job.

If your pet could use some fiber in his or her diet, stop in your nearest Barkery and speak with a nutrition specialist today.

September Special: Steve’s Real Food

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Steve’s Real Food’s raw frozen formulas are the most convenient way to feed raw. Steve’s frozen nuggets allow you to simply pour and serve without defrosting, cutting up meat, or mixing foods. It’s 100% complete and balanced, and made from only the most superior ingredients on the market. Steve’s makes it easier and more affordable to provide raw nutrition for your pets.

This month, save on Steve’s Real Food for dogs & cats with:

  • $5 off 9.75lb boxes
  • $5 off 13.5lb boxes
  • $5 off 20lb boxes (now available to special order!)
  • $3 off 5lb bags

Raw feeding has never been easier with Steve’s Real Food. Learn more about the benefits of feeding raw & get started today!