This post was sponsored by Side By Side as part of a Two-Post Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Hello from the City of Angels. I’m about to head out and see a couple of rescues out here but before I go, I wanted to update you on Rawlings’ life. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Rawlings’ diet and her tummy issues. Last week, I was able to catch up with Marney Prince of Side by Side to give an update and got a few more tips!
Since my last post, a lot has changed. First, we’ve switched little Rawlings’ diet from turkey to duck. If you’ll recall, Marney spoke to me about cooling vs warming foods. Traditional Chinese Medicine identifies foods based on their impact upon the body. Marney and I determined that Rawlings ran warm because she would pant, seek shade, and she was anxious. Turkey is a warming food so we switched her to duck, a protein that would cool her body.
Since switching her to duck, we’ve seen a great improvement in her overall health. She pants less, she’s a bit calmer, and overall she seems more comfortable. If you’re interested in warming and cooling foods, you can check out Side by Side’s website.
Maybe even more notably, we transitioned Rawlings from kibble to wet food. She still gets a bit of dry but we’re looking to switch her to wet food full time in the coming weeks. Rawlings has been on the wet food for a little less than a month and the results have been pretty fantastic. First, she is way, way, less gassy. I know, it’s not the cutest to talk about flatulence, but it was even less fun to be around.
When I told Marney this, she wasn’t shocked. Marney explained that dry food is really hard for our pets to digest. Kibble is highly processed and usually has more preservatives in order to prolong shelf life. Dry food also goes through a process called extrusion (or baking), which naturally strips out many of the nutrients. So much so that nutrients are then sprayed on the kibble once it is extruded. Um, that doesn’t sound natural at all. Wet foods don’t go through the same process because they are sealed in airtight containers. Generally, wet foods are more nutrient, fat, and moisture rich. Now that Rawlings is on wet food, her body doesn’t have to work as hard and less gas is produced. It’s a win for everybody.
While canned food can be more expensive than kibble, I feel so much better with giving Rawlings food that agrees with her system. Canned food is a nice step between kibble and raw/whole food diets. It’s also worth every penny not to have her clearing the room every 45 minutes.
Lastly, Rawlings has been trying out the Side by Side Belly Balance. Spoiler alert, I’m about to talk about her potty issues so feel free to stop eating now. We’ve been trying to firm up her stools so Marney sent us Belly Balance to give to her. It’s a probiotic that helps to balance the GI Tract. She gets two capsules a day which we break open and sprinkle onto her food. She’s now been on Belly Balance for ten days and I’m proud to say we’re picking up solid stools. My husband and I do a happy dance every time she goes, it’s really invigorated our marriage.
Jokes aside, I feel like we’re finally getting Rawlings to a place of comfort. While picking up solid stools is nice, it’s even better knowing her body is feeling better. Feeding her foods and supplements that work with and not against her body is key. I’m extremely thankful to Marney for helping us get our Rawlings feeling her best. Between the hookworms, Giardia, and stress of moving, it’s been a process. Marney and Side by Side are a huge asset to anyone looking for answers. Their motto is feed love, feed life and I felt that in every conversation we had.
For more information about Side by Side, visit www.sidebysidepet.com. If you want to learn more about your pet’s nutrition, take their pet assessment and see how you can make your dog’s diet work for them. You can use the code “STYLE” for 25% off your order.
xoxo,
Christine
