Cat feces contain several infectious agents such as the Toxoplasma gondii parasite which can cause toxoplasmosis.  People with strong immune symptoms may never experience any of the symptoms associated with toxoplasmosis. However, women that are pregnant, children and those who suffer from immunodeficiencies (such as HIV infection)are at an increased risk for this disease. For those who are at high risk, symptoms can be severe and may include brain, eye or organ damage. E. coli infection is another risk associated with cat feces. While most strains of E. coli are harmless, some can cause serious illness, especially in children under five.

With all of this said, a self cleaning litter box can reduce the risk of parasitic infection associated with cat feces. They also make cleaning litter boxes easier and more convenient than ever before.  They work very well with all types of litter including litter made with natural ingredients such as wheat and corn and also work well with clumping litter.  Self cleaning litter boxes can really help to reduce infectious waste because they are cleaning consistently.

A dog exercise pen is not really used for exercise because they are usually not big enough.  It is used more as a containment area that will keep your dog safe and in a protected environment. You should always exercise your dog regularly and use not this pen as a substitute for exercise. The pen links together to form an enclosure where your dog can play and relieve themselves without you having to worry about them escaping or coming to harm.

The main use of a dog exercise pen is for training your puppy and if you can’t be with him outside, it’s a place where he could get fresh air and remain in a contained environment.

Dog exercise pens come in all sizes. Don’t worry if you have a small yard, I’m sure that you will find one that will meet your needs. If you have a large yard, you may want to join two pens together to create a great space for your dog.

When purchasing a dog exercise pen, make sure that they fold away and that they don’t contain any exposed screws to harm your dog.  You should have separate access panel. You want to be able to have easy access to your dog and not have to climb over any panels. The door panel should have a good locking mechanism to prevent your pet from escaping.

You wake up in the morning and your dog or cat is right there waiting for you. They are always happy to see you no matter what has happened. Even if you were apart for just a few hours, they make you feel that you are the most important person in the world. Your dog is wagging his tail and jumps up to give you hugs and kisses. Your cat is a little more subtle but mine always get up from their naps to greet me. If I pick them up, they contently purr in my ear.

How is this for a gift, your pets give you undying loyalty, unconditional love, and everything good, honest and loving all wrapped up in a ball. It makes you appreciate your life and are glad that our pets are a big part of our lives.

Yesterday I saw a sign in front of the apartment complex next to mine that said (PET FRIENDLY). What a refreshing change from the constant signs that say “NO PETS”, “NO DOGS” etc. That always burns me up that these “hoity toity” complexes are too snobby to accept pets. The fact is that they are too lazy to create and enforce guidelines for residents that have pets so they just ban them. There is a guy in my complex. (I’m really glad that I don’t know him.) But I’ve heard that he walks around the complex counting how many cats he sees in the windows. Then he reports this to the board!! OOOH would there be trouble if I ever ran into him!!  I pity him because he has nothing better to do than pick on poor innocent animals. He is missing something “upstairs.”  He is indeed an empty man!

So reward your best friend with a dog or cat toy and be thankful that he is always there for you!

So after procrastinating, you’ve finally decided to put your overweight dog on a diet. Good for you! You are going to prolong his life and restore his health.  Then your dog looks up a you with those big brown eyes and begs “please just one little treat.” According to one of the veterinarians at Tuft University, now is the time to take action. She suggests that you should look to distract him and reward him with something else other than food. Maybe take him outside for a little extra exercise.  If you are not able to take your dog out at the moment, try giving him a healthy treat. Non starchy vegetables such as celery or carrots are good options but it’s OK reward him only once in a while with beef or chicken treats.

We all suffer aches and pains as we age and unfortunately our beloved pets suffer much the same as we do.  When we are looking for a dog bed for our aging dog, always look for a thick padding of at least 3 inches. I would prefer a 5 inch pad. The thicker the padding, the better.  The standard orthopedic foam is not as dense as memory foam or gel therefore gel or memory foam do not have to be as thick. If a bed is too soft, it will lack the necessary support that arthritic dogs need. The bed should always provide even weight distribution. Before purchasing a bed, consider the size and weight of your dog.  Make sure that the bed provides enough room for him to stretch out. Figure out where the bed will be placed. Consider a heated orthopedic bed or a thermo pet mat.  If your dog is incontinent, consider a waterproof bed.

Gel filled orthopedic beds are  great for the aging pet or any dog that has arthritis or Hip-Dysplasia. They provide maximum support, comfort and great distribution of weight  This will allow your dog a much better sleep. As an added bonus, many of these beds can be thrown in the washer and dryer just as they are.

Memory foam was first developed by NASA years ago. These dog beds are also an exceptional choice of orthopedic dog bed since this foam conforms to your pet’s body while reducing pressure and providing comfort.

Make sure that the bed you purchase provides comfort and enough support for your pet.

You’ve brought a new cat home to keep your present cat company, just like I did five years ago.  Instead of making friends, they’re fighting! Cat fights are often turf wars over resources. Debra Horowitz, an Animal Behaviorist from Missouri suggested spreading water bowls, food dishes and litter boxes around the home. Both of my cats have separate food dishes and litter boxes. You can think of this situation like having college room mates. Sometimes you have college room mates that you like and some times you have college room mates that you don’t. Depending on how much you have to run into them will determine how harmonious it will be where you live.  Look for the triggers, fighting is treatable with training. Teach each cat to associate good things with the others presence.  Over time, the contentious cats will likely call a truce. So if your cats are fighting over everything, even their cat scratching post, it’s time to start paying attention and stop the fighting.

As I mentioned to you, I have two cats. Mollie is my older cat. She is 10 years old. Millie is my younger cat. There is resentment between the two of them. One problem that I’ve had is that Mollie would knock over the water bowl so poor Millie did not get any water. This is only one of her little schemes! I solved the problem by buying a strong ceramic water dish that she could not knock over. We must make sure that our feline friends always have plenty of water to drink.

So how much water does a cat need?  Cats need fresh drinking water everyday for optimum health. Water is essential for flushing out toxins from the blood. Water also keeps organs healthy and hydrated. Dehydration in cats can be very dangerous and can lead to death. Cats with kidney failure require treatment immediately. Fluids are usually replenished via an IV line.

Keep fresh water available at all times.  Watch for dehydration. A good test to do is to pull up the loose skin at the nape of your cats neck.  If it springs right back, your cat is well hydrated. If it’s slow to recede back, suspect dehydration. If he’s not drinking, try adding some water to his food or an ice cube to his water to make it more interesting for him.

Make sure that you know your cats drinking habits. If he suddenly stops drinking or begins drinking excessively, call your veterinarian right away.

Cleaning your dogs ears should only be done if your dog does not have an infection in them. If he does, wait for it to heal before attempting to clean them. Some things you will need is an ear cleaner for dogs. Most pet suppliers will carry herbal ear cleaners if you are more comfortable using this type of product. You’ll also need cotton pads. The circular kind used for removing makeup are the best.  Now, you will need patience. Make sure that you do this at a time when you are not rushing somewhere. If your dog is not used to getting his ears cleaned, I would recommend that you give him an ear massage first. Gently squirt some ear cleaning in his ear before massaging. Now, you must be patient. Some dogs hate this and will run away when you squirt the cleaner in their ears for the first time.   Gently use the pad of your fingertips around the edge of his ear until he relaxes for you. Your dog can now associate touching his ears with a relaxing experience.  As he relaxes, you can go further into the ear. Look at the curves and grooves in the ears to see how dirty his ears are. Just keep your fingers on the areas that you can see.

Take the pad and soak it with the ear cleaning solution. Once the pad is ready, gently slide it in your dogs ear until it stops. Once the pad is in the ear canal, fold the ear down and gently massage the area surrounding the pad. Rub the ear back and forth as best you can. If you do this right, your dog will probably love you for it!

Take the pad out and use it to swab the rest of the ear.

Dog auto barriers will keep your dog safe while traveling in SUV’s. Dog’s that can move around freely can endanger themselves as well as the other passengers. The barrier keeps everyone safe by creating a strong wall between the front and back seat. Your dog will stay safely in the back seat or cargo area even in your car stops suddenly. You no longer have to fear that your dog will wind up on the console by jumping through the seats. Unlike the hammock style back seat systems, the auto barrier can be left in place since the seat is still fully usable. It is important to make sure that you and your pet stays safe while traveling. I’ve heard of a dog  jumping onto to the console and actually put the car into neutral while rolling down the highway at 65 mph! Luckily this did not cause a major accident since the highway was not too crowded at the time and the driver acted quickly got the car back into “drive.” So protect you and your pet and consider an auto barrier.