Groovy Cats n' Dogs

It’s Here! Our Annual 12 Days of Christmas Sale

YvonneGCND — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:07:56 +0000

Every year, we count down the days until Christmas with our 12 Days of Christmas sale. Every day, starting on December 13, we have a different sale. Each day is different, each sale is different, but these are super blow-out deals!

Groovy Cats and Dogs 12 Days of Christmas Sale, Tampa, Florida

Black FUR Day Nov. 23 and Small Biz Saturday Nov. 24

YvonneGCND — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 04:30:44 +0000

Black FUR Day – Fri, Nov. 23 – 8a to 8p

Black Friday is the traditional kick-off to the holiday shopping season. At Groovy Cats & Dogs, we like to call it Black FUR Day, in honor of all of our furry friends. We are opening our doors from 8am to 8pm on Friday, Nov. 23 – that’s 12 hours of Groovy shopping! Here’s what else you can expect:

Pet & Family photos with Flash & Co. 10a – 6p
Special gift with purchase of $50 or more (valued over $100 – while supplies last)
40% OFF – Any single item in store (excludes food)
TOYS: Buy 2 / Get 1 FREE
TREATS: Buy 2 / Get 1 FREE

Small Business Saturday – Sat, Nov. 24 – 9a – 6p

In honor of Small Business Saturday, whether you carry an American Express Card or not, for every $50 you spend, you’ll get $10 in Groovy Bucks to spend like cash (no expiration). And we are extending our ONE DAY SALE as follows:

40% OFF – Any single item in store (excludes food)
TOYS: Buy 2 / Get 1 FREE
TREATS: Buy 2 / Get 1 FREE

Hope to see you this holiday season! And thank you for Shopping Small!

If you have an American Express Card, enroll your card to get $25 for shopping small at Groovy Cats & Dogs. For more information about Small Business Saturday, visit ShopSmall.com

ready for holiday shopping at Groovy Cats & Dogs

Halloween: Don’t Make it Scary for Pets

YvonneGCND — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 19:00:27 +0000

Happy Halloween! Are you scared? You can’t be too safe when it comes to your beloved pets, right? So, you may have seen or heard some of these tips before, but they are worth repeating. Always better to be safe than sorry, on a holiday like Halloween, when our most treasured traditions can scare the living daylights out of our pets! Booooooooooo!

Before we get to the business of what to do and not to do on Halloween, here are some ideas for making Halloween treats at home from our friends at The Honest Kitchen.

Here are some pet Halloween Do’s:

dress your pet in a safe costume – avoid small pieces that can become choking hazards
treat your pet with a Halloween treat made especially for pets
keep Fido away from the candy
avoid grapes and raisins
beware of macadamia nuts

Here are some pet Halloween Don’ts:

don’t allow your pet access to coins
don’t leave harmful objects in your dog’s reach
don’t let scary or mischievous people approach your dog
don’t leave your pet in a costume unsupervised
don’t leave your dog in the back yard unattended
DON’T let your cat outside on Halloween!

Some of these do’s and don’ts were excerpted from an article titled Doggie Do’s and Don’ts on Halloween from The Dogington Post.

Here are some additional safety tips from the Amercian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Keep your pets safe this Halloween!

Pup suffer from chronic ear infections?

YvonneGCND — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:20:12 +0000

There are several reasons that cause your dog to suffer chronic ear infections. Cats typically don’t suffer ear problems, except in the case of ear mites. Infections in the ear can be caused by one or several of the following: bacteria, yeast, allergies (environmental or food), or ear mites.

Chronic ear infections can cause a lot of pain and discomfort for your pet. The traditional veterinary route is to treat with antibiotics and/or steroids. Remember – overuse of antibiotics weakens the immune system and steroids, if used regularly, eventually take a toll on your pet’s organs, specifically the liver and the kidneys. We recommend a more natural approach.

Tips for preventing chronic ear infections:

It is important to keep your dog’s ear canals clean. Use a gentle all natural ear cleanser that removes the wax and debris and inhibits the growth of nasty gunk. We recommend: Cain and Able Ear Cleanser, Halo Ear Cleanser, Ark Naturals Ears All Right, and Ear Soothe by Gimborn. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, then find a reputable groomer and be sure to have your dog’s ears cleaned on a regular basis.
Consider a hypo-allergenic diet. Often, eliminating grains and potatoes (these contribute to yeast production) can help reduce the occurrence of ear infections. Dog foods that we recommend at Groovy that offer grain and potato free diets include: Nutrisca and Great Life. You may consider a raw food diet for your pet, as most pets on a raw diet do not suffer these chronic infections.
If allergies are suspected, use an antihistamine to help control inflammation and irritation in the ears. Try Quercetin – it is a flavanoid derived from plants – seen in certain fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains. It is a natural remedy that works much like Benedryl. Look for it at your local health food store, where they sell supplements.
Try ear cleaning products made by Zymox, that include plant-derived enzymes, and are very effective in fighting chronic ear infections.
Add a daily dose of coconut oil to your dog’s diet. Coconut oil is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral, so it helps your pet’s body fight off many types of infections, including ear infections. Just add a bit to your pet’s dinner bowl every day. Add 1 TSP per day for small pets (under 25 lbs); 2 TSP per day for medium size pets (25-65 lbs); and 1 to 2 TBSP for large pets over 65 lbs. If you are already using a fish oil, do not stop! Fish oil and coconut oil are complementary products, each working on different areas in the body’s system.

These tips will help resolve chronic ear infections in the majority of cases. If you try all of these and an ear infection persists beyond 4 weeks, take your pet to see your veterinarian.

Pet Portraits and Halloween Costume Contest!

YvonneGCND — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:28:21 +0000

Pet portaits by Flash & Co.

Sunday 10/21 11a – 4pm
NO Sitting Fees!
Photos start at $20 Call 813-265-1333
to schedule an appointment

Costume contest at 2:30pm. 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes awarded
for most original costumes. Register your pet by 2:00pm
$5 registration entry fee goes to Talulah’s medical /nutrition fund.
Talulah is being cared for by Pit Stop Bully’s Rescue.

Does your pet like to dress up for Halloween?

Groovy’s Natural Paws-a-Palooza Saturday October 6th!

SCS Admin — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:41:35 +0000

Come to Groovy Cats & Dogs this Saturday, October 6th for our 3rd annual Natural Paws-a-Palooza! Click the image below to view the event flyer, and call Groovy Cats & Dogs 265-1333 for more details-see you Saturday!

The NEW GroovyCatsnDogs.com is LIVE!

SCS Admin — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:53:25 +0000

Groovy Cats n’ Dogs is happy to announce the re-launch of our newly redesigned website!

We will be featuring helpful information about our events, specials and helpful tips on caring for your pet to come in the very near future. Please check back for more soon!

Rotate your pet’s food for long-term good health!

YvonneGCND — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:11:33 +0000

Pet parents are generally reluctant to switch up their pet’s food. That’s because we’ve been conditioned to believe that changing your pet’s food can make them sick. Not true! Just think about it. Does it make any sense? If you were to eat the same thing, day in and day out, how do you think your stomach would react? Try eating the same exact thing every day for an entire year, then try something different. Of COURSE your tummy will be upset! It doesn’t mean that changing food is wrong – you just need to try it more often. Some pet owners have their pet on the same food for their entire life! Can you imagine how boring that is?

Food rotation can discourage allergy development

Rotating pet foods can be very good for your pet and actually benefit their long term health. Providing different proteins offers a nutritional boost because different foods provide different nutrients. Mixing things up also discourages allergy or food sensitivity development.

Sensitive tummy? Digestive enzymes can help…

Have a pet with a sensitive tummy or irritable bowel disease? When introducing new or different foods just go very slow (little bits at a time) and consider adding a digestive enzyme supplement and/or a daily supplement of canned pumpkin to help your pet’s digestive process. The better your pet’s digestion, the better his health will be. And, the more well-rounded your pet’s diet is, the better your pet’s chances for living a long and healthy life!

Best tip for keeping your pet’s teeth clean?

YvonneGCND — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:14:44 +0000

Many pet parents who struggle with their pet’s bad breath and yucky teeth are surprised when I tell them what I think is the best way to keep their pet’s teeth clean. Raw meaty bones. Yep. Raw meaty bones are hand’s down the best way to clean your dog’s teeth. It still shocks me to see the surprise and wonder on a person’s face when I tell them… “What? I thought you weren’t supposed to feed your dog bones!”

What you should NEVER feed your dog or cat is cooked bones because they can break and splinter. But raw bones are softer and provide an excellent opportunity for your pet to do what it knows to do instinctively – tear and rip meat off of a bone. The gnawing of the bone towards the back of the mouth is what helps keep plaque and tartar under control.

Oh by the way – raw meaty bones are also an excellent recreational activity for pets. Keeping busy by chewing on a bone provides a great deal of mental stimulation and well-being for your pet. This is why sometimes we call them recreational bones…bcause it provides them with an activity to keep them busy and out of trouble! Raw meaty bones also help a great deal with your pet’s digestion.

Raw meaty bones can be found in many shapes and sizes – for little dogs and cats, chicken necks are perfect. Turkey necks and beef marrow bones are good options for bigger dogs. And for giant breeds, femur bones – a.k.a. leg bones – are good.

CAUTION: Never leave your pet alone with a bone of any kind. Any time your pet is chewing on something (even a toy), you need to stay close by to monitor the activity. Should your pet get over zealous with the bone (or toy), be ready to take it away so they won’t get into trouble.

Kibble: Do you know what’s in the bag?

YvonneGCND — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 12:44:17 +0000

Can you tell the difference between good quality pet food brands and industry hype? Right now, you see a big push for grain-free kibble. Kibble is the dry, crunchy food in a bag that has become the main staple in the diet for most American pets. Several companies are promoting their kibble as “raw kibble.” Some argue that while a few brands of kibble are superior to most on the market, kibble is still kibble…a highly processed form of pet food.

What does that mean for you? It is important for you to understand that no matter what they say about the food on the outside of the bag, or in an expensive TV commercial or magazine ad, what’s most important is what is inside the bag. It’s something you hear us talk about often at Groovy Cats & Dogs…understanding how to read nutrition labels.

Dr. Karen Becker’s Article: A Raw Food Kibble?

So, how do you break through industry and marketing hype? By understanding nutrition / ingredient labels and learning more about the basics of nutrition. Dr. Karen Becker, an integrative wellness veterinarian, takes the time in her recent article, A Raw Food Kibble?, to explain how to break down what’s in a bag of kibble. She also talks about how kibble is made and what she calls “species-appropriate nutrition.” Dr. Becker’s article is a good read. She takes a confusing subject matter and puts it in to easy to understand terms. Enjoy.