Bloom Dog Wellness

26/08/2026

A quick word about freeze-dried food…

I love freeze-dried food. Dogs love it, too. And yes, many bags tell you that you can feed it dry or rehydrated.

I 100% believe it should be rehydrated.

Here's why: If you don't rehydrate freeze-dried food, your dog's body will. The body has to supply fluid during digestion to soften and reconstitute that dry food—and that moisture has to come from the body's own water supply.

I truly believe that repeatedly asking the body to do this, meal after meal and year after year, can contribute to dehydration over time. I'd much rather put that moisture back into the food before I feed it.

💧 Filtered water if you want to keep it simple.
🦴 Bone broth when you want to add flavor and nutrients.
🥛 Raw goat milk for flavor they love and even more nutrition.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to prepare freeze-dried food ahead of time. Portion it out at night, add your liquid and let it rehydrate in the refrigerator overnight—or prepare it in the morning for that evening's meal. That gives the food adequate time to rehydrate.

And if your dog absolutely refuses to eat it rehydrated? Feed it the way they'll eat it—but try offering a bowl of bone broth or raw goat milk on the side so you're still getting additional moisture into that meal.

However you do it, keep finding ways to add more moisture. Small changes like this can add up over a lifetime.

To read the entire blog post: https://www.bloomdogwellness.com/blog/moisture-matters-one-of-the-most-overlooked-keys-to-a-longer-healthier-life

21/08/2026

Hydration is about more than just water.

When we think about keeping our dogs hydrated, we usually think about one thing: Are they drinking enough water?

But water is only part of the picture. Minerals and electrolytes matter, too. They help the body maintain proper fluid balance and actually use the water we're putting into it.

Drinking water and being hydrated aren't the same thing. We want the body to actually be able to use and maintain the water our dogs are taking in.

This is especially something to think about if you use highly filtered or reverse osmosis water. RO does a great job removing things we don't want in our water, but it also removes most of the naturally occurring minerals.

That's why I like adding minerals back in.

One product I use and recommend is BEAM Minerals, and they have mineral and electrolyte products specifically for dogs and cats.

💧 Use code BLOOMDOG for 20% off BEAM Minerals.

I'm also hoping to have their pet products available through Bloom Dog Wellness soon!

We spend so much time thinking about food, supplements and everything else we can do to help our dogs live longer, healthier lives. Hydration is one of those foundational pieces that I believe deserves just as much attention.

To read the entire blog post: https://www.bloomdogwellness.com/blog/moisture-matters-one-of-the-most-overlooked-keys-to-a-longer-healthier-life

17/08/2026

Dogs didn't evolve eating dry pellets.

Think about this for a minute: What if we ate dry cereal for every meal, every day, for our entire lives—and expected a bowl of water on the side to make up for it?

Let that sink in.

One of the biggest things I try to help pet parents understand is that having a bowl of water available isn't the whole hydration story. Moisture in the diet matters, too.

Dogs were biologically designed to get a significant amount of their moisture through food. Prey naturally contains water—from the blood, organs, muscle and other tissues. Compare that to kibble, which typically contains only around 8–10% moisture.

A 2025 veterinary review on water loss and aging in dogs really reinforced this for me. Researchers discuss how dogs naturally lose total body water as they age, while changes in thirst response and kidney function can make maintaining hydration more difficult. They even suggest hydration should be considered a fourth pillar of geriatric nutrition, alongside protein, fat and fiber.

That's a big deal, especially when we start thinking about healthspan, longevity and quality of life as our dogs age.

So what can you do?
💧 Add filtered water or bone broth to meals.
🥛 Offer raw goat milk.
🥬 Add moisture-rich whole-food toppers.
🥒 In the summer, offer cucumber or watermelon snacks (minus the rind).

You don't have to completely overhaul your dog's diet.

Just start adding moisture. Every little bit helps.

I go deeper into moisture, hydration and healthy aging in my latest blog, including the veterinary study mentioned above. You can find the study and read the entire blog here: https://www.bloomdogwellness.com/blog/moisture-matters-one-of-the-most-overlooked-keys-to-a-longer-healthier-life

10/08/2026

Vida relaxing after her weekly acupuncture, chiropractic, and laser treatment. 🥹🩷

As our dogs age, they often need more support, not less.

Their bodies are changing. Arthritis may creep in. Mobility can change. Chronic disease may show up. Things simply don’t work as efficiently as they once did. And I’ve always believed this is the time to pour into them even more.

I choose to do maintenance with my dogs—not just because I want to keep them around as long as possible, but because I want them to feel good while they’re here.

At almost 17 years old, Vida still runs around, gets excited, has fun, and genuinely enjoys her life. There is no greater joy than watching your senior dog feel good enough to act young again.

I believe so much of that comes from the foundation we’ve built over the years—the food I feed her, the supplements and herbs I use to support her body, and finding the modalities that her body responds to best.

My best advice? Start early. Make good nutrition the foundation and support the body as a whole. Don’t wait until they’re seniors to make changes. The earlier we build that foundation, the more resilient they may be as they age—and the better their golden years can be. I’ve seen the difference with my own dogs, and it’s why I’ll never stop talking about it.

My senior dogs are one of the reasons I started the Bloom Dog Wellness online store. I wanted to create a trusted little online apothecary where pet parents could find supplements and products that truly support dogs at every stage of life, and especially as they age.

If you haven’t checked out my online store yet, go take a look! (Link in bio) And if you’re overwhelmed trying to figure out what your dog needs, reach out. We can schedule a consult and deep dive into your dog and how to best support them.

Let me just say, I’m so grateful for the wonderful ladies at Bonded Hearts Veterinary Care for always taking such good care of my dogs and helping me support them through this stage of life. I’m especially thankful for the love and care they pour into my little girl. 🥰

The goal isn’t just more years. It’s more good years.✨

20/07/2026

I've been following this lawsuit very closely because I believe it has the potential to answer a lot of questions that many of us in the holistic pet community have been asking for years. I also believe it's going to shine a light on some of the concerns many of us have been raising about the grain-free/DCM narrative.

As the manager of a holistic pet food store, I feel like I have this conversation almost every day. It's one topic that just won't die. In my opinion, many veterinarians and specialists continue recommending grain-inclusive foods as the solution based on information that just might not be the whole truth.

Thankfully, the appeals court recently ruled that key portions of KetoPet Naturals' lawsuit against Hill's Pet Nutrition can move forward. That means these claims deserve to be examined in court rather than dismissed outright. I think that's significant, and I'm grateful the case will continue so the evidence can be fully explored.

Personally, I hope this case brings transparency to how the grain-free/DCM narrative developed and whether the science and marketing behind it truly supported the conclusions that were presented to veterinarians and pet parents.

I've never believed the answer to preventing heart disease is simply feeding inexpensive grain-inclusive diets loaded with corn and other fillers. It just doesn't make sense to me. There are so many factors that influence heart health, and that's what I spend my time teaching clients every day.

I'll definitely be watching this case very closely as it unfolds.

The lawsuit alleges Hill's Pet Food planned a major pet food deception.

20/07/2026

You can start making changes today that will influence and impact your animal’s health (and yours) in the future!

30/06/2026

As we celebrate America's 250th birthday with family, friends, cookouts, and fireworks, let's not forget about the members of our family who don't understand what's happening or why we're celebrating this incredible milestone.

For our dogs, fireworks aren't a celebration—they're sudden, unpredictable explosions that trigger a very real fight-or-flight response. That's why the Fourth of July is one of the busiest times of the year for animal shelters, as frightened pets panic and run.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your pet this Fourth of July is a sense of safety.
🐾 Let your dogs do their business and get them inside well before dark. I don't recommend leaving dogs outside during fireworks, even in a fenced yard.
🐾 Get in a nice walk or play session early in the morning before the heat of the day. A little physical and mental exercise beforehand can go a long way.
🐾 Create a safe place in your home where your dog naturally feels comfortable, and leave on calming background noise like soft music, nature sounds, or a relaxing movie or TV show—just avoid anything with explosions, gunfire, yelling, or intense action.
🐾 If you're having friends or family over, make sure everyone knows to be extra careful opening doors so your pets stay safely inside.
🐾 Double-check that collars, ID tags, and microchip information are up to date.

If your dog struggles every Fourth of July, don't wait until the first firework to decide what you're going to do. I always recommend starting your calming protocol 24–48 hours beforehand, whether that's herbs, homeopathy, C*D, or another combination that works for your dog. Starting early helps support the nervous system before the fireworks begin instead of trying to calm a dog who's already in full fight-or-flight mode. Last year I shared a blog with many of my favorite calming tools and strategies that have worked well for my own dogs and for many of my clients (https://www.bloomdogwellness.com/blog/fireworks-and-fear). Every dog is different, so finding what works best for your dog ahead of time can make all the difference.

My husband and I will spend time with family and friends during the day, but when evening rolls around, we'll be heading home early to be with our dogs. We'll feed everyone, settle in for the night, put on a good movie, and simply enjoy a quiet evening together. I truly believe our calm energy helps our dogs feel more secure.

I hope you all have a safe, fun, and memorable Fourth of July as we celebrate 250 years of America! ❤️🤍💙🐾

11/06/2026

A few weeks after losing Tink last August, I got a little paranoid about Eli’s health.

I scheduled a full workup, hoping everything was okay.

Instead, we found a mass on his spleen.😞

Thankfully, he had no symptoms, no signs of internal bleeding, and was acting completely normal.

Of course, my mind immediately went to hemangiosarcoma, as it seems like an epidemic in dogs at this point. If you know, then you know. But after the initial panic, I did what I always do when it comes to my dogs—I started researching and got to work building a plan to support him.

Since then, we’ve done extensive bloodwork, ultrasounds every few weeks, and built a very intentional protocol focused on quality of life and supporting his body naturally.

At 15 years old, I chose not to put Eli through a splenectomy. Instead, I chose to support him through fresh whole food, Chinese and Western herbs, medicinal mushrooms, full-spectrum h**p extract, ozonated glycerin, and much more. We have an amazing veterinarian, and I have sought support from professionals in the industry whom I deeply trust.

We repeat ultrasounds and bloodwork, including cancer risk markers, inflammation markers, and vitamin D levels.

He’s happy, stubborn, opinionated, has a huge appetite, and is still very much himself!

Recently, it does look like the tumor may be spreading. He also became anemic, so we’ve focused on supporting red blood cell production naturally—and thankfully, we’re seeing improvement.

Right now, we are winning. 💙

None of us know how much time we get with the ones we love. But right now, Eli is here. He’s happy. And I plan to enjoy every minute of it.

This world can be harsh and heavy, and somehow dogs come into it without any of that… just unconditional love, loyalty, joy, and a peaceful presence that changes you forever. ✨🐶

I strongly believe our dogs choose us.

And I’m so honored Eli chose me. 🥰

No matter what comes next, right now we’re focused on continuing to enjoy every single day we get together.

The dishes can wait. The laundry can wait.

Go spend a few extra minutes with your dog tonight. Even when they test your patience, don’t forget how lucky we are to have them. ❤️

04/06/2026

Mushrooms don’t get enough attention when it comes to itchy dogs and seasonal immune support.

This time of year, we’re not just dealing with environmental exposure—we’re dealing with how the body is responding to it.

That’s where medicinal mushrooms can be incredibly supportive.

They don’t just “boost” the immune system. Many medicinal mushrooms help regulate and modulate the immune response, which is important when the body is overreacting to things like pollen, grass, mold, and seasonal changes.

They also support multiple systems at once, including the gut microbiome, inflammation levels, skin health, and overall resilience in the body.

And this is one of the reasons I believe mushrooms deserve a place year-round—not just during itchy season.

I like rotating different mushrooms depending on the dog and what support they need most.

Two of my favorites this time of year are Turkey Tail and Tremella.

Turkey Tail helps support immune balance and the gut microbiome, while Tremella is incredibly supportive for skin hydration and overall skin health while also acting as a prebiotic.

And one of the most important things to understand about mushrooms is this:
Consistency matters.

You’re not always going to see overnight changes, but over time many dogs become more balanced and less reactive as the body becomes more supported.

Mushrooms are one of those tools that do more than just one thing—and that’s exactly why I love them.

Find out more in my blog: bloomdogwellness.com/blog

01/06/2026

Gut health is not optional when it comes to itchy dogs.

If you only focus on the skin, you’re going to stay stuck in a cycle.

The gut and immune system are deeply connected, and many dogs are reacting more intensely because their internal balance is off.

When you zoom out, the pattern often looks like this:
gut imbalance → increased immune activity → skin irritation → barrier breakdown → more sensitivity → repeat

And it’s not just about digestion.

The gut helps regulate immune responses, influences inflammation throughout the body, impacts stress and reactivity, and determines how well nutrients are actually absorbed and utilized.

When the gut is compromised, everything becomes more sensitive.

This is why dogs with chronic loose stool, food sensitivities, inflammation, a history of antibiotics, or highly processed diets are often the same dogs struggling with itching, redness, ear issues, poor stress tolerance, and recurring yeast problems.
And yeast deserves more attention in this conversation too.

Yeast is a huge driver behind symptoms people often blame on “allergies.” It can contribute to intense itching, greasy skin, chronic ear issues, inflammation, and that classic “Frito feet” smell.

This is why calming the skin without addressing the gut rarely creates lasting change.

Some of my favorite ways to support gut health include:
soil-based probiotics
colostrum
collagen
medicinal mushrooms
fermented vegetables
digestive support
targeted gut-soothing support when needed

The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is creating a more balanced and resilient body over time.

For more detailed info and product suggestions, check out my blog: bloomdogwellness.com/blog