Q: Why should pet owners take a holistic (more specifically homeopathic) approach to animal health care?

There is a common saying that pets should not eat “people food.” The myth is that feeding pets people food will not only give them diarrhea, but it will also turn them into beggars at dinner time. Depending on what kind of pet food you feed them and where, loose stools and begging can be avoided. There are some simple guidelines to follow when it comes to sharing the fridge and pantry with your pooch.

There is a lot of information these days about what kind of pet food you should feed your pets and why. Thankfully, the trend is moving toward healthy, natural pet foods. One theory that is gaining popularity recommends customizing a dog's protein source based on breed and geographic ancestry. In other words, Siberian Huskies evolved from a cold climate and a high fat diet including fish may be most appropriate, whereas a Beagle is likely to thrive more on lamb, rabbit, and chicken.

These days when it comes to finicky eating habits, cats don’t necessarily have a corner on the market. Many people find that dogs, and especially smaller dogs, have a tendency to turn their noses up at the food dish. Sure, some dogs would still eat a license plate (if you melted a little cheese on it). But more and more people are finding that dogs who used to have healthy appetites are suddenly eating like supermodels. And of course many cats are still eating like birds (pardon the pun).