June 30, 2004

By: Elena Lowery
Website: http://www.1st-in-pets.com

Healthy food and exercise incentives: Wellness products for pets

The way to the heart is through the stomach Dog owners know they can take the heart of their four-legged friend by storm with a tasty titbit. House cats can also be most effectively tempted out from behind the fire with a delicacy.

However, today's snacks must not only be delicious, but also healthy. In the same way that people make increasing efforts to protect their own health - with healthy food, wellness treatment or sport, they also pay more attention to the all-round well-being of their pets.

Organic is therefore all the rage at Interzoo 2004: Besides premium food for all the life phases of pets, the pet food industry offers food from certified organic cultivation, reduced-fat snacks for overweight animals, functional drinks, dressings based on life cycles, organic sausages for dental care and all kinds of vegetable food supplements such as Bach flower mixtures.

The common feature of healthy food products is that they contain no non-natural additives like chemical dye, scent or flavour additives or preservatives and are manufactured with natural ingredients.

Manufacturers can also increasingly eliminate the addition of preservatives etc., because ever more modern sterilization processes and new hygienic packing systems are used in the production of pet food.

Wellness, sport and safety The current wellness trend is also noticeable in the accessories segment: Examples are biodegradable cat litter or a drinking fountain with cleaning filter, from which the cat or dog can always lap fresh water. For sick or sensitive pets, there are cushions that are easy on the joints, sofas with extra thick upholstery or dog beds for animals suffering from arthritis or other bone structure diseases.

Many product innovations are intended to encourage pets to exercise. Toys like seesaws, swings or balls keep cage and aviary birds and small mammals fit and clockwork mice, soft animals, frisbees and balls invite cats and dogs to romp around. To improve fitness there are also mobile devices for fungility, the new sport trend for dog owners, or a fun scooter for both man and his four-legged friend.

To ensure safety during walkies or when travelling, the industry is continually expanding its range of leads and collars with safety reflectors or stop and lock controls, safety belts for the car or transport boxes for pets.

Grooming from head to foot The care products for pets are also being improved. A dental care series, including finger brush, gum massage, sponge and spray, will help make sure that even old dogs can still get their teeth into things.

Standard products for grooming pets' coats are brushes, cleaning combs, hair oil or tick forceps; for horses there are also hoof scrapers, tail combs and sweat combs. Various products for vermin control are also presented at Interzoo, including organic products that contain no poisonous additives.

Technical highlights Ornamental fish, frogs, lizards or snakes have special requirements in terms of food, care and environmental conditions.

The aquaria and terraria industry therefore brings increasingly sophisticated technical articles onto the market, including filters, pumps, lights, heaters, protein skimmers, etc. CO2 systems are now also available for larger aquariums up to 500 litres.

The manufacturers are just as innovative in the segments of food and therapeutic remedies for ornamental fish and reptiles. The focus here is on biologically valuable food that approaches the animals' natural food and food treatments intended to strengthen the immune system, produce intestinal flora and prevent illness.

A new care aid, for example, is a pond plant fertilizer that passes into the aquarium water via the filter and there are pollutant-free products available for controlling algae in ponds. For more information, see natural pet foods .

About The Author:

Elena Lowery is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-pets.com.  Pamper your pet and get up to date information on pet health, food, accessories, behavior, gifts and toys.