Archive for August, 2009
Even though your pet enjoys the outdoors, he may tread on dangerous ground. You decide to take your dog camping with you. He loves being out in the woods or field but poisonous snakes can go with the territory. Dr. Fred Omi, a Veternarian at Kansas State University says that not all snake bites are alike. He says that only half of the bites given to dogs or cats by snakes are injections of venum. The rest are called “dry” bites where the snake bites but does not inject the venum into the dog or cat. Don’t overreact but never ignore your pets snakebite. Don’t attempt to administer pet medication yourself. See your veternarian right away, he will determine whether the bite needs further treatment.
Does Your Dog have Accidents in the House? Are you constantly using pet odor removal products?
Your dog is starting to have “accidents” in the house. You deal with this as best as you can and keep stocking up on cleaning and pet odor removal products. Is there a better way? If your dog is not that old, have your vet check to see if he has an infection. If an illness is not the problem, it could be hormones. Many unfixed males dogs with urinate to mark their territory. If you have a spayed female, leakage may be a problem while she is napping. Your vet has medication that could stop this. Whenever you are cleaning up a mess, make sure that you use a pet odor remover so that your pet won’t be attracted back to the spot by it’s smell. Try to discipline your dog if you catch him in the act by startling him with loud noises. If your pet does not have an underlying medical condition and you persist with discipline, the problem will probably resolve itself.
What you need to know about Feline vaccinatons – Pet Medication will not help certain illnesses!
You should take your kitten to start a series of vaccinations by the time he is eight weeks of age. All kittens should get vaccinated for Panleukopenia (Feline distemper) and other respiratory viruses and rabies. The American Associate of Feline Practioners say that indoor/outdoor cats or cats that are exposed to indoor/outdoor cats should also have the feline leukemia virus vaccination. These vaccines will protect your cat against these diseases which do not respond to pet medication. Panleukopenia symptoms come on very fast and include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. Many older cats that are exposed to Panleukopenia do not show symptoms however, young cats (3 -5 months) that are not vaccinated become seriously ill very fast. I once got a kitten from the local animal shelter. I took it home and it was fine for one day. That evening, he began vomiting, he became listless and by the time I could get in touch with a vet which was very early in the morning, he was gone. If you adopt a kitten, do not wait, take him to the vet immediately for his vaccinations. It was probably too late for my kitten because the animal shelter neglected to get him vaccinated. When adopting a pet, it is very important that you ask whether or not it had its vaccinations.
You just adopted a dog. What are the best dog leashes?
There are a wide variety of dog leashes to choose from. There are retractable ones that give your dog more space to roam, some are designed to walk two dogs at once and some are short to keep your dog close to you at all times. Leads are very small dog leashes that are about 14 inches long. They keep your dog very close to you if you are walking him in a very crowded, public place. The best type of leash depends on the kind of dog that you own, it’s size and personality and the area where you will be walking him. If you live in a city where there are lots of people around all the time, you should keep the leash short so your dogs does not disturb pedestrians and does not wonder onto a busy street. The strongest dog leashes are chain leashes. They hold up best if your dog is a chewer. There are different types of chain leashes. Links are thicker and stronger on some leashes which is good of you have a very large, strong dog. There are also nylon leashes which are very strong but won’t hold up if your dog has a tendancy to bite the leash while walking. A retractable leash is great while walking your dog is an open area. The leash housed in a small, plastic casing that is designed for easy manipulation. A button releases the leash allowing it to uncoil about 12 to 15 feet. If you are walking two dogs at once, two separate leashes can be awkward and they tend to tangle easily. The solution, get a leash that is made to walk two dogs at once. A single leash leads to a ringer where two separate leashes are attached to a “Y.” This keeps your dog friends from criss crossing or running ahead of each other.
Traveling in the hot summer weather with your dog. Is taking his dog bowl enough?
You’re about to leave on a much needed vacation. You are taking your dog along with you because you can’t think of leaving him in a strange kennel all by himself for a week or longer. You put him in his crate, fill his dog bowl with cool water and put him in the back of your SUV. When it comes to car travel, special precautions should be taken. Dogs do not do well in hot weather. You must be concerned with dehydration and stroke. I see this all the time – dogs in a car at a rest stop on a hot day with the windows basically closed. Last year, while coming back from my weekend place in Delaware, I stopped at a rest stop on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey. In the car parked right next to me was a poor dog, crying. The windows were closed, it was a hot day and the owners were nowhere to be found. My heart was breaking for this poor animal. What were his selfish or stupid owners thinking?? After about ten minutes, I went back inside the rest stop and had the owners paged. I waited there until they came out. I could see that the dog was panting in the terrific heat. They seemed concerned but it could have been too late. That dog could have died. I stress – NEVER not for one second leave your dog in the car in the hot summer!!!!! That couple could have taken turns going into the rest stop. One could have stayed with the dog in the car with the air conditioner on.
Typically, owners may think it is ok to leave a dog in a parked car for a few seconds with the window slightly cracked open. They may not be aware that the car will become an oven! Temperatures will reach 120 degrees or higher in a few minutes. Bring lots of water and offer it to your dog at regular intervals. Dogs get distracted during trips and will forget to drink.
I would recommend to make sure that your car is air conditioned. Keep it running at all times while your are traveling with your dog. If possible, take along another person on the trip so that when you stop, have the other person sit with the dog in the car with the air conditioner on. Take turns going into the rest stop. This way your furry friend is cool and will not be frightened by being left alone. If it’s impossible to take someone else along, get the car real cool before you stop. Make sure that you park in the shade. If there is no shade, move on to another rest stop until you find shade! Crank the windows open and make your stop real quick. I mean no more than 3 minutes!!
How to tell if your cat is having kittens – to prepare, put her cat bed in a quiet place.
Sometimes cat owners choose to let their cat have one litter before getting them spayed. This is fine if you are confident that you will be able to find good homes for all of her kittens. Sometimes you wind up adopting an outside cat. How can you tell if she is pregnant. Gestation for cats is 65 days. At first, it is difficult to detect whether or not she is pregnant. As time goes on, you’ll be able to notice her stomach on either side getting bigger. Her nipples will be tender to the touch and larger than normal. As the time nears, you can probably feel the kittens moving around inside her. She will also be washing her back end alot. She will start to find a nest. Put her cat bed in a closet or a quiet place. Place a towel of soft, disposable blanket inside her cat bed. Do not let her outside at this point because you won’t be able to help her if you need to. Cats usually give birth without the need for help. Quietly check on her during the process. Make sure that her stomach looks normal (no unusual bulges) after she has finished giving birth. If you notice something odd like a bulge in her stomach, call you vet and ask for advice. This is rare but it can happen. Again, I stress that you find a good home for each kitten.
A Daily Dose of Exercise
Most pet owners would agree that cats and dogs require entirely different levels of human commitment. For one thing, dogs require much more attention than cats, and they need to be outdoors to get a regular dose of exercise. It’s unfortunate, then, that a busy owner’s work schedule can come into conflict with these doggie demands. The typical dog can grow bored while sitting in solitary indoor confinement.
On the other hand, the outside world presents dogs with plenty of unique sights and smells. By setting up a dog exercise pen in the backyard you can ensure that your four-legged friend gets plenty of stimulation. Just be sure to stock the pen with plenty of food and water. When you get home, your dog will be slightly less hyper and more willing to practice some patience before insisting on going for a walk.
A cute, small cuddley dog and a nice small dog bed would be best for your child right?….Wrong!!
Your may think that the perfect dog for children is a small cute one right? Not necessarily. Contrary to popular belief, tiny dogs usually do not like to be held and are not cuddley. Dr. Alice Finelly, an Animal Behaviorist at Tufts University says that you need to look for a dog that not only has a solid temperment and is relaxed but is physically sturdy and will be able to withstand interacting with children. If you still want to choose a small dog, Dr. Finelly says that Pugs, Boston or Norfolk Terriers may be the best choices. So if you have a small child and are thinking of adopting a dog, start thinking of a larger dog and of course when you’re shopping for dog beds, choose a larger one.
Tips for those who have pet allergies – cleaning the dog bed or cat bed won’t solve the problem.
You have a dog and a cat and suddenly you get a phone call. It’s your sister who is bringing her kids to stay with you for the weekend. One of the kids has asthma and is allergic to almost everything including your cat and dog. What luck! So what do you do besides tell them to stay in a motel? I would start by trying to keep your pets dander down by brushing them everyday. You should also wipe your pets daily with a damp sponge. You can try an anti shedding spray for your dog. This product is usually available at pet stores. Ask you vet about product that reduce allergins in dander and saliva. You can use a damp sponge to apply these to your pet coat. Shampoo your pets every two weeks with a mild pet shampoo. Vacuum the house including the dog bed and cat bed. Change the litter box often. Make sure that you do not do any of these things while your visitor is in the house. That’s about the best that you can do. Good luck and have a good weekend with your sister’s kids!
Heart Disease in dogs – Pet medication can help!
If you’re a dog owner, you realize that your pet is part of the family and it should be your goal to keep him healthy and happy. How can you tell whether or not you dog has heart disease? The answer is initially, you probably can’t. You should visit your vet regularly. If the problem is detected early, your dog can still live a long life.
There are two different types of heart disease in dogs.
1. The dogs valve can not longer close properly causing abnormal blood flow.
2. The muscular walls of your dogs heart become thin and weakened.
These conditions can develop over time and eventually cause heart failure.
This happened with my dog. There were no symptoms until he was about 11 years old. I noticed a cough and a lack of energy. I immediately took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with heart failure.
Pet medication did help for a while but I noticed that he was getting weaker and weaker. I had to carry him down and up steps. After going through extraordinary measures to keep him going, he eventually passed away peacefully. The earlier that heart disease is detected, the longer and more comfortable life your dog will live. Don’t wait for symptoms like I did, have your dog checked specifically for any sign of heart disease.