Would you like a vet in your pocket? #VetOnDemand #ad #sponsored

This post is sponsored by Vet on Demand, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the Vet on Demand App, but Tails from the Foster Kittens only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Vet on Demand is not responsible for the content of this article.

Vet on Demand™ connects pet owners with licensed veterinarians conveniently via an online video chat. You download the app, sign up with all of your and your pet's information and when you want to talk to a vet you can for $2.50 per minute. This is currently only available in iOS format at the iTunes store but they are looking to roll out an Android version soon

Now I know you are thinking, but why wouldn't I call my own vet or make an appointment if I have a question? What if you were traveling and weren't near a vet? What if you were in transition and hadn't found a vet yet? Some people are quite a distance from their vet and getting there takes a lot more effort than you might thing, like living on an island. Maybe a question would pop up in the middle of the night or on the weekend and you just know your local emergency vet is going to tell you to come on down and charge you a very large exam fee just for walking in the door.

Vet on Demand has the goal of having their app staffed 24/7, which could be very helpful to a lot of pet owners. Right now they have limited coverage, but as the app continues to grow they plan on getting more veterinarians to sign on.

In order to properly review the service, I was given 30 minutes of time with a vet. I was then given a time when a vet would be available and asked to check in. I had downloaded the app a few days before and entered my information. I have an old 4s phone and it worked well enough for me; I heard others used an iPad and connected in with it as well. Once I connected in, I had a small wait and I am not sure if that is because the vet was on another call or simply wasn't at his desk when I connected. The vets work off a computer and use a website and connect with you via a web cam, not with the app. I think that is very helpful for them because they will have both hands free and won't worry about having the camera face an appropriate angle while they might be looking something up.

Waiting for the vet to pick up

I spoke to a vet in Alabama, Dr. Phil Baxter, just as Glogirly did. I really didn't have any questions about my cats, but the one odd plaguing question in my life "Why is it Fleurp becomes anemic each Spring?" I had no real hope that the vet would have an answer because so many have not, but I thought it would give us something to talk about for a few minutes.  He was able to access her information, it only took him a moment to get the right screen up, he verified everything that I entered, her age, her gender, the fact that she is altered, and her history. He couldn't think of a reason why she would become anemic only in the spring, but suggested that good nutrition and a good multivitamin might help out. He speculated that maybe the pollen in the air might have something to do with it. When I pressed him for specifics he fell back on the SAV (Standard American Veterinarian) advice of Hills Science Diet for food, and some pet vitamins like you might find at Walmart.

Dr. Baxter. Like most video conferencing your image
is in the upper corner so you know what they are looking at.

I was curious what he expected from this app - what he was thinking the reasons why people might call. He thought it would be good for people who were far away from a vet or who had a very hard time getting the pet to a vet - cats who won't be caught, large dogs who are afraid of the vet, pets who get car sick - and also for second opinions.

You can turn the camera to the rear facing camera to show the vet something.
In this case it was blood work as we were talking about the option of giving a second opinion

I see some limitations with this app. Without being able to put hands on your pet, a vet is going to be hard pressed to tell if a cat is constipated or had a urinary blockage, or if that debris in your cat's ears is yeast or mites. A some states actually limit how much a vet can do without having an actual in house patient / client relationship. The vet I worked for years ago said there were legal issues for him if he hadn't physically put hands on a pet with in the past year.

The app costs $2.50 per minute, but they do offer a free five minutes with your initial download. This means if you have a 20 minute conversation the cost would be $37.50 with the code and $50 without.

I think of this app as being like having a vet as a good friend of yours, who isn't your primary caregiver. Someone you could go to and ask questions of when you are unsure if it is something you should be concerned about and you would rather get a real-time, reliable professional answer your question instead of relying on "Doctor Google" and hope you found accurate information. Someone you could turn to when other options just are not available to you, like those reasons I mentioned above.


When listening to the developers talk about their hopes for this app in the long term, I heard several options I REALLY like the idea of. They plan to implement a review system for the doctors so you can see what other people think of them. They also plan on allowing you to schedule time with specific vets, so if you want to do a consult with a holistic vet, that would be an option for you.

I think this app has a lot of potential and could service a need that so many people have. You can also check them out on Facebook.

A Natural Dry Cat Food Option by @onlynaturalpet #PawNatural #Sponsored #ad

This post is sponsored by Only Natural Pet®, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Only Natural Pet Feline PowerFood, but Tails from the Foster Kittens only shares information I feel is relevant to my readers. Only Natural Pet is not responsible for the content of this article.


Only Natural Pet contacted the BlogPaws network to get the word out about their new dry cat food. I hesitated a bit before signing up since I am such an advocate for species appropriate foods, but then I told myself that I willingly feed dry food to my foster kittens and I am all for 'know better, do better' approach to nutrition. I know a lot of people are still feeding dry foods for a variety of different reasons, and I think many of them would appreciate knowing there are options out there beyond the brands they can get locally.

"Only Natural Pet Feline PowerFood Dry Cat Food" (You can pre-order here, but it currently says available after May 26th, available for purchase exclusively on onlynaturalpet.com, Pet360.com, and Petfooddirect.com starting on April 1st! ) was created with the help of holistic veterinarian Dr. Jean Hofve. Dr. Hofve who is a part of the website Little Big Cat which was instrumental in getting me started down the road of proper cat nutrition. Prior to my finding that website most of the nutritional information I consumed about my cats came from my vets and I had no idea that my vets had very little nutritional training when it came to the needs of cats and I saw no need to change what I was feeding my cats even when someone I knew online mentioned she as going to try raw food for her cats. When I saw Dr. Hofve's name attached to this food, I said sign me right up! I was accepted and I was given the Poultry Dinner to test.

Only Natural Pet wants you to know that this food is grain and soy free and has no corn, wheat, oats or potatoes.. all great things and it can help make it an allergy-friendly cat food. It is also 76% animal-based ingredients. Each piece of kibble is infused with their proprietary Powerboost Blend™ which is a special coating of mussels, pumpkin, sea cucumber, probiotics, and enzymes. The first three ingredients in both the poultry and the Fish & Foul recipes are animal based. I like that they focus on protein and fat to help the cats thrive.

And of some importance.. it is made in the USA. Only Natural Pet believes in manufacturing in small batches so the food is never sitting around for long periods of time and they are taking steps to be planet friendly; from the use of 100% wind power to a zero waste initiative..

This food arrived just as I was taking on my new foster kitty, so I brought the bag of kibble down to her to give it a go. I had previously given her some Wellness kitten kibble and she wasn't that interested in it. When I offered the PowerFood, she dug in and ate some right away, which she did not do with the Wellness. Over the course of the days she has gone back to it, but she has not finished off the first bowl; she has been very picky. She has scoffed at a few of my attempts to get her to eat foods she was not interested in. Right now she is all about the kitten food, and since she is producing kittens, I'm all for feeding it to her.

I thought you might enjoy some photos of my cats checking out the food. Fortunately Jack was sleeping in front of the fireplace so I didn't have to worry about his getting any, since I'm still so paranoid about his getting any dry right now.

One nice thing about Only Natural Pet, is they are currently offering this food in one pound bags so you can give this a try without a huge commitment. They offer one pound bags for $3.99 but they are currently on sale for $1.99 and ten pound bags for $29.99 on sale for $23.99. Shipping is $6.99 but it is free if you spend $79 - which I am sure would be very easy to do since they sell a wide variety of treats and toys and holistic vitamins and supplements as well as litter and grooming supplies. Or if you are in Colorado, you can stop into their store!

And of course, you can always check them out on social media! They are on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube.

and if you are bipetual, this brand also makes a dog food.

#CatDentalHealth with @PetSmart and Authority Dental Cat Treats #Ad #Sponsored

This post is sponsored by PetSmart, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. 
I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Dental Health Month, but Tails from the Foster Kittens only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. PetSmart is not responsible for the content of this article.

National Pet Dental Health Month was founded in 1994 as a way to highlight the need for caring for our pet's teeth. This year ®PetSmart wanted to team up with bloggers to highlight this need and provide options.

There are a wide variety of ways to help a cats keep their teeth clean. Some say chewing on raw meat and bones will keep them clean, some say using a pet tooth brush and pet toothpaste, but these are generally options people are unwilling or unable to do for their pets. Enter the dental treats! We were asked to promote the Authority brand dental treats. They come in several flavors: Chicken, Duck, Tuna and Salmon. We chose chicken.

I know we would all like to do what we can to help ensure our cat's long lasting good health. Taking care of one's teeth can help more than the pet's mouth and the smell of their breath. Plaque can build up and cause a great deal of inflammation and even infection which can have long term health consequences if left unchecked such as microscopic changes in the heart, liver, kidneys*. Brushing your cat's teeth daily is ideal, but do not let perfect become the enemy of good. Most cat owners want their cats to be happy, and brushing rarely brings out the happy purr in our kitty..

Okay Muffin, which option do you like best?

Really Mom? is that even a question?

Can I haz the treats??

Can you 'brush' our teeth too?

Dental treats claim that they promote chewing action that helps reduce plaque and tartar. They are made in unique or larger shapes that encourage chewing. If the cats chew the treats (sadly most of my cats ate them whole) the fibers in the treat are aligned to scrape the tartar off the teeth. A lot of people still think that feeding regular kibble will help keep a cat's mouth healthy, but that is actually been proven as untrue and many cats who eat regular kibble need cleanings just as often as those who eat other types of food - with the exception maybe of food formulated specifically for dental health.

So if your kitty has breath that could peel paint off the wall, consider scheduling a visit with a vet to discuss your options. It is never too late to start doing something in regards to your pet's dental health, and while we would all love to be able to brush their teeth daily, do not let the fact that you can't do that stop you from doing something.