I recently purchased a Platinum Pets Triple Dinner Stand pet feeder from Amazon. I was rather excited about it because it looked cute in the picture. I thought it was perfect for Mia. She could finally have a bowl for food, water, and goats milk! It was also going to take up less room than the crazy set up I currently had going. It was also VERY affordable (I got it for about $10).
What drew me to this product?
Where do I start?
The bowls are stainless steel, which means there is resistance to bacteria growth. They are also powder coated with wonderful bright colors, dishwasher safe, and they do not collect calcium deposits or get hard water marks. There are many colors to choose from! I went with the "Bubblegum Pink" bowls and black stand.
A little more reading indicated that this product is made in the USA! To me, this is a huge deal. Most of the pet bowls I have come across are made in China. I don't like products from China. There are many reasons for that.
Here is one:
The first set of bowls that I bought for Mia were made in China. A few weeks after purchasing them, the very same bowls were recalled because they contained Cobalt-60. What is Cobalt-60? It is a RADIOACTIVE material that many companies use in their gauging equipment. That was my first lesson on buying pet products made in China. I have since learned many valuable lessons on that topic. This is why I ALWAYS look for products "MADE IN THE USA".
The next feature that I liked about this product is that it is elevated. Why is this important? Overall, elevated feeding stations make it easier for pets to eat. There is less stress on their joints because they do not have to lean down. This is a plus for pets with arthritis or old injuries!
Another reason elevated feeding stations are important is because they reduce the amount of air that your pet swallows while eating. This will help cut back on gas and the chances of your pet developing bloat (click here for more information on bloat - the 2nd leading cause of death in dogs next to cancer).
The last important feature of this product is that it comes in four sizes:
8oz bowls (3.5" high)
16oz bowls (5.5" high)
32oz bowls (8.5" high)
64oz bowls (11" high)
I got the 8oz (3.5" high) size. It was perfect for Mia who is about 6lbs.
So, was it WORTH IT?
In my opinion, yes. It seems to be of very good quality. The legs of the stand have little rubber covers so you don't need to worry about your hardwood floors getting scratched up. What you can't tell from the pictures is that the bowls actually have little paw prints raised up in the steel around the lip of the bowl. There is also one large raised paw print in the bottom of the bowl. I thought that was a cute little detail that I didn't see mentioned prior to purchasing. The bowls also come clean very easy. I guess only time will tell now how great this product truly is at this point. Will it hold up? I don't know, but after about 2 weeks of use, it seems like it will. I HIGHLY recommend it!
After checking out the manufactures website, I found that they have a wide variety of products (leashes, collars, accessories, pet apparel, and tags) . They all come in bright colors! I think this line of products it worth the look. Have you tried any of their products? If so, tell us about your experiences below!
*NOTE: I WAS NOT PAID TO ENDORSE THIS PRODUCT. THE REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS.
Did you know that food intolerance has been listed as the THIRD most common sensitivity in cats and dogs? I can believe it. Why you ask? Because our Mia suffers from multiple food intolerances and sensitivities. A food intolerance can manifest itself in a number of ways that often seem unrelated. For instance, Mia often had bouts of vomiting and sometimes exhibited loose stool. However, she also often suffered from ear infections, skin infections, itchiness, paw chewing, and anal glande problems. I had long suspected issues with food and connected it with the vomiting a loose stool, but I never considered it could be the cause of the rest of the issues. So how did we figure out the problem and remedy it? We did a NutriScan test at the suggestion of our holistic vet (CHAI)!
What is Food Intolerance?
The NutriScan website defines a food intolerance as " a response to a particular food or compound found in a
range of foods. It can result from a variety of reasons including the
absence of specific chemicals or enzymes needed to digest a food
substance. It may also happen from an abnormality in the ability to
absorb certain nutrients. Gastrointestinal reactions such as an
irritable bowel (also called “leaky gut”) syndrome can be due to
malabsorption or other abnormalities."
What are the Symptoms of a Food Intolerance?
Anything from:
- chronic ear inflammation
- gastrointestinal problems
- chronic
diarrhea
- chronic gas
- licking their feet
- itchiness
What is NutriScan and How Does it Work?
The NutriScan test was developed by Dr. Jean Dodds who is a world renowned veterinarian. This test checks for 24 of the most common foods that are known to cause intolerances or sensitivities. The test is completed by obtaining a saliva sample from your pet. You can do this yourself at home, or you can have it completed in a vets office. You then send it off and get the results in two weeks.
The 24 foods included in the test are:
| Beef |
Corn |
Wheat |
| Soy |
Cow's Milk |
Lamb |
| Venison/Deer |
Chicken |
Turkey |
| White Fish |
Pork |
Duck |
| Chicken Eggs |
Barley |
Millet |
| Oatmeal |
Salmon |
Rabbit |
| Rice |
Quinoa |
Potato |
| Lentil |
Sweet Potato |
Peanut/Peanut Butter |
The NutriScan website states that the "test measures the IgA and IgM antibodies to certain foods in dog or cat saliva. High antibody
levels indicate that the dog has a food sensitivity and intolerance to that food or foods. These antibodies are critical to determining food sensitivity
and intolerance in saliva -- not in serum. No one else does this.
NutriScan's focused salivary testing -- using the clinically relevant
antibodies -- provides scientifically proven, novel veterinary
diagnostics."
So, Does it Work?
In July 2014, we elected to have the Nutriscan test completed for Mia. We felt like it was our last hope. The saliva sample was collected in our vets office and sent off. We received our results in about a week (sooner than the two week wait time that was given). Mia had a reaction to 22 of the 24 items tested.
Below you can see her test results:
We used these test results as a guide to formulate her diet. We had some hiccups along the way, but we eventually got it sorted out. Here we are a couple of months in on this new diet and her intolerance/sensitivity symptoms have disappeared. She no longer spends half of her day chewing on her feet and scratching. There are no more ear infections, runny eyes, or full anal glands. I have also noticed that her skin is now white, whereas before it had a dark pink tint to it. The vomiting and loose stool has stopped (after also having to treat an ulcer that was brought on by the food intolerances). Overall, I would say the diet change has been a success and HIGHLY recommend the NutriScan product to anyone who suspects their pet has a food intolerance or sensitivity. It is a little pricey ($280-$300 depending on if you do it at home or the vets office). However, it is cheaper than other food sensitivity/allergy tests and yields great results. So does it work? It did for us.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
*NOTE: I WAS NOT PAID TO ENDORSE THIS PRODUCT. THE REVIEW IS BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS.
