As most of my regular readers know I have a “mini-zoo” of animals that live in our home. We have five cats, a dog and a pair of Goldfish.
We love our pets dearly and do everything within our power to make sure they have happy and healthy lives. If you follow my blog you’ll recall all the medical issues and vet bills we’ve experienced with our cat Bella who has severe asthma, heart issues and yet undetermined thyroid issues (she needs more blood tests to get a conclusive answer). I’m happy to report that Bella has not had an asthma attack in 3+ weeks thanks to her daily inhaler. 🙂
It might seem like our cats get a lot of attention, but that is not the case. Our dog Espn is equally loved and spoiled just like the rest of them. He’s our only dog so he doesn’t feel the need to fight for our attention (he does get a bit jealous of the cats).
We almost didn’t adopt Espn (pronounced Es-pin) because of a comment the worker at the animal shelter made. Espn was one of a litter of puppies. I believe there were 7 puppies in total. Espn was the only white one and the only one with a lot of hair. His brothers and sisters all looked like Jack Russell Terriers (they were not but they looked that way). Espn looked like a rolly polly Panda. He’s black and white and when he was a puppy he was fuzzy.
The shelter worker told us NOT to adopt him because we would have to spend a fortune getting him groomed. We didn’t care and adopted him anyway. And yes, he was right. We do spend a lot getting him groomed. He’s a Rat Terrier/Maltese mix (so we were told). He can be really hairy.
Espn DOES look better (cuter) with some hair on him (not too much), but there is a lot of up keep involved. We get him shaved ever other month. Normally he looks a big goofy the first few weeks after he’s shaved but then about the 3rd or 4th week his hair looks perfect.
If we don’t get him shaved we have to give him baths and brush his coat otherwise it would be a mess.
Espn might not have a long, flowing coat like some dogs do (Irish Setters and Golden Labs have beautiful coats) but it has to be cared for nonetheless.
Did you know that caring for your pet’s coat is not only something you can do from the outside, but from the inside as well? What your dog or cat eats can have an impact on the condition of their coat/fur.
AvoDerm has set up a challenge for pet owners that I think some of my pet loving readers might be interested in participating in. AvoDerm would like you to switch your dog and/or cats food to AvoDerm for six weeks. They guarantee that you’ll see an improvement in their coats as well as softness, shine and healthier skin.
To be honest with you I have never heard of AvoDerm until now.
AvoDerm does have a unique name. I wasn’t sure what it was until I read up on the product. The “Avo” part comes from Avocados (“derm” is short for dermatitis which is the medical name for skin). Avocados are healthy for humans so it makes perfect sense that the can be equally as healthy for pets.
Avocados are rich in potassium, niacin, folate, essential fatty acids and other nutrients that are needed to promote healthy skin and coat for your pet. Avocados are also great for your pet’s over all health. Who knew Avocados could be so healthy for pets.
According to the AvoDerm website they have been adding Avocado meat and oils to their pet foods for over 30 years. Millions of cats and dogs all over the world have enjoyed their products and no pet owner has reported any adverse reactions to the Avocados used in making the food. That is great to hear because that is something I would worry about, especially with Espn because he has such a sensitive stomach.
If you would like to learn more visit the Why Avocados? page on the AvoDerm website.
Can a pet food really do that for my pet? I’m going to find out. I am taking AvoDerm up on their challenge. For the next six weeks I’ll be feeding Espn AvoDerm canned and dry foods. After the six weeks I’m going to see if I notice a change (improvement) in his coat. I’ll report my findings in another blog post.
If you sign up to take the challenge with your pet, AvoDerm will give you a $5.00 off coupon you can use towards a bag of AvoDerm dry food. All you need to do is enter your first and last name, zip code, email address and pet’s name.
In addition, if you complete the challenge you’ll also be entered to win a year’s supply of AvoDerm pet foods for your dog or cat. I would love to win that prize! What pet owner wouldn’t want a year’s worth of FREE food for their pet.
If you would like to sign up for the challenge and receive a $5.00 off coupon visit www.AvoDermNatural.com/Challenge.
I’ve already started Espn on the AvoDerm foods. AvoDerm sent me some dry and canned foods for Espn. We have to slowly ease him into the canned food (he has a sensitive stomach). So far he’s loving the dry food. He tends to be very picky when it comes to food so if he gobbles up a bowl of dry food that tells us that he really likes it.
AvoDerm has a special schedule they recommend if you want to introduce new foods to your pet. If you simply swap out their regular food with a new food you can cause an upset stomach, vomiting and/or diarrhea. This applies to any food, dogs and cats.
It’s too soon to tell if there is any difference in his coat. It’s only been a couple of days. Look for an update post in about a month from now.
To get you started on helping your beloved dog or cat get a shinier, healthier coat, AvoDerm would like to give a lucky She Scribes reader a $50.00 gift card and a four pound bag of the winner’s choice of either dog food or cat food. Thank you AvoDerm.
This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on May 26, 2013 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply or a new winner will be chosen in their place.
To enter please leave a comment on this post and tell me how you keep your dog or cat’s coat (fur) healthy? Do you feed them special food, use a special shampoo, brush them frequently? Whatever you do to keep their coat healthy leave a comment and let me know. Or if you never gave your pet’s coat much thought let me know why you want to win the AvoDerm giveaway?
For extra entries you can use the Rafflecopter widget (below) but you must complete the initial entry requirement or the additional entries won’t qualify. Extra entries are optiona.
Kimberly
*I am participating in a blogger program sponsored by AvoDerm and received free products to review as well as compensation for my time. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Michelle H. says
I am about to get a new puppy. My last dog’s coat was kept healthy with the dog food we fed him. The better brands really did make a difference in the condition of his coat.
Wanda McHenry says
We give her Brewer’s Yeast and Fish Oil plus we have a prescription oatmeal shampoo
Tammy S says
I have two cats that I brush everyday. One of my kids loves to be brushed and will let me brush him for hours on end.
Carmen Van Deursen says
I have two cute shitzus and they get more grooming than I do. They go to the groomers regularly and their coat of fur is shiny and soft.
Ellie W says
We bathe and brush our dogs’ coats every week.
amy rouse says
I brush Mags hair every day but she doesn’t get bathed very often because her skin tends to be dry. Since she’s not really an “outside” dog, she really doesn’t need it that often (short hair chihuahua)
Patricia Wojnar Crowley says
WE have our dog groomed every month!
Margot C says
I’m not sure that I’m doing anything to keep my cat’s coat shinny. It’s sort of dull actually.
Natalie U says
We brush her a lot but she’s a Pom and is very hairy
pedidentalasst at yahoo dot com
debbie says
Daily brushing gives me chance to make sure there are no problems going on.
Catie says
We give our dog omega supplements to help with his coat!
Kelly Ann T. says
I give my dogs cod liver oil for their coats and I also feed them quality food.
Debra Hall says
i do a few things zena loves most fruits and veggies and i put a table spoon of sunflower oil in her food
Ashley says
Our older cat has wiry fur which is not soft at all…I would love to try AvoDerm for this
Heather Hayes Panjon says
Brushing Fur And Supplements Daily
Heather Hayes Panjon says
Facebook Share: https://www.facebook.com/heather.hayespanjon/posts/10200127986150074
melinda g says
We keep our pets on a corn free diet to help keep their skin and coats healthy.
kymi a says
One day we dropped watercress on the floor and noticed our cat eats greens lol I think that is why she has a pretty coat & she gets alot of TLC.
Melissa Hartley says
I currently live with my mom & she has a 6 yr old beagle named Sidney .. I know beagle’s aren’t supposed to be real shiny but he needs a little help with his dull coat .. would love to try this food 🙂
Thanks so much!
Kym Benton says
I put a Fish Oil capsule in my Boxers food & lotsa brushing
Louis says
we give him treats what promote a healthy coat
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
Heather Hayes Panjon says
I Shared On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.hayespanjon/posts/10200131162429479
Allison Downes says
I give mine fish oil, brush him daily, and feed him Blue Buffalo
thanks for the chance to win!
Shelley P says
My dogs go to the groomers regularly and I feed them high quality dog food.
carol says
I can’t honestly say I do anything special for our two cats’ coats! They are both rescues from bad situations, and are thriving here. I also foster kittens. I’d like to win to try it out on all my furry little friends, so far I have fostered over 100 kittens, and one of them I kept, I just couldn’t let her go. Thanks for the chance to win.
Austin Baroudi says
We give her food that promotes a healty coat and we brush her all the time!
Cynthia R says
wow I feel like a bad owner, haven’t thought much about their fur
Dalores Lounds says
I would like to try this food for my dog. Currently I give her Brewer’s yeast.
April Yedinak says
I try to make sure my cat’s get plenty of protein and healthy fats to keep their skin and coats nice.
mell says
We give her fish oil capsules, brush and bathe her regularly.
Jessie C. says
Brush daily and give him balanced meal.
Heather Hayes Panjon says
Facebook Share: https://www.facebook.com/heather.hayespanjon/posts/10200138805500551
Susan C says
My dogs have pretty soft coats – it’s the shedding that drives everyone nuts.
Jennifer says
I put eggs and avacados in my dogs food and he loves it!
Heather Hayes Panjon says
Facebook Share: https://www.facebook.com/heather.hayespanjon/posts/10200148266457069
Wild Orchid says
I brush my dogs regularly.
Entered the Rafflecopter form as “Wild Orchid”
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
Virginia Rowell says
I give my dog an oatmeal bath once a week. I also brush her daily.
Elena says
I have a dog and two cats and I keep their fur healthy by feeding them organic food
Martina W. says
I keep my dog’s coat healthy by brushing him every day and giving him frequent baths with oatmeal shampoo. It makes his skin super soft.
Ashley T says
We bathe and brush our 2 dogs regularly.
stephanie says
i always brush my dogs hair
Stephanie Grant says
We have a Boxer and as you probably already know that they have a very course and short coat. With that said I think it’s very important to keep Loki’s coat looking smooth and shiny so about once a week I mix a couple table spoons of warm cooking oil in with his dry food and it works great!!!