Holiday parties and all of those strange visitors can be awfully stressful to the family dog. Here are four ways to help your dogs with stress.

• Reduce temptation – whatever comes into the house whether it’s food or gifts, keep it safely out of reach of your dogs teeth.
• Make sure that you enforce a “please don’t feed the dog” rule  for all of your visitors. This even includes close relatives like grandma.
• Don’t neglect your pets daily exercise, not matter how busy you get. Remember your dog is relaxed when he’s tired.
• Try to manage your own stress or at least don’t let it show.

The holidays make us all crazy so give your dog a hug, it could help!

Remember, pets are family!
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Our cat Millie is almost 18 years old and every Christmas we get her a gift. Over the years she’s received all kinds of the stuffed toys, scratching posts, balls and stick toys that you can imagine. We have pile of them in the corner collecting dust. Older cats slow down and sleep a lot. They usually show little interest in toys. So what kind of gift is appropriate for a cat that has everything? This year we will probably get our Millie a comfortable, colorful blanket, some treats that she loves, We may give in and get a toy that is stuffed with some cat nip.

Millie has so many cat beds that she doesn’t even use. She sleeps in the bed in the back bedroom and the chair in the living room. If your cat still enjoys a cat bed, your may consider getting him/her a new one. Remember, you really won’t be able to change a senior cat’s behavior. They are very set in their ways.

So don’t stress on the gifts for your pet. Just enjoy the holidays and remember that the greatest gift is love which you have provided for many years/

Remember, pets are family!

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There are several answers to this question. In my opinion, if the person knows that are getting a puppy and are prepared for it, then it would be fine. If it’s going to be a surprise, then in my opinion, it is simply not a good idea.  Many times, the recipient is not prepared for the responsibility of house training and caring for a puppy. Another reason is that the person may not be able to handle the financial obligations of dog ownership.

The breed of dog that a person wishes to own is more of a personal preference. Certain breeds are better suited for certain people. Some dogs are good with children and some are not. You can’t simply go out and get a puppy for a person as a surprise and expect them to be able to love and care of it properly without even knowing anything about the dog.

Christmas puppies are chosen hastily and given quickly. The person getting the dog will not even have any of the equipment necessary to handle a new dog. Things like a dog crate , leash, food etc are very important. Most of the time the puppy will end up back at the shelter or the store where they were purchased from. This is not at all fair to the animal. My advice, don’t do it!

Remember, pets are family!

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Cats love lights and anything that shines. They are also very inquisitive when anything new is introduced to the household.  It’s that time of year and you will spend many hours decorating your tree and it’s possible that your cat may put a damper on all of your hard work. Here are some tips which may help keep your cat and tree safe.

1. Consider the tree. Real trees can be more dangerous to your cat than artificial ones. The needles are sharper and could pierce or puncture the skin of your curious cat.
2. Select a very strong base for your tree.
3. Select the proper place for the tree. Make sure there is enough space around it and it isn’t too close to anything that your cat can climb on and potentially do damage to your tree.
4. Consider waiting a few days before decorating the tree. Let your cat become familiar with it. This may reduce his desire get into it after it’s decorated.
   • If you’re still concerned prior to decorating the tree, spray it with a product called Apple Bitter. This will deter her without leaving a noticeable odor to human noses. Or, you might try a citrus spray, as cats are repelled by citrus odor too.
   • If it’s a plastic tree, a small amount of Citronella oil shaken into a bottle of water and misted on to the tree makes it smell unpleasant to the cat but fresh and citrus-like to you.
   • You could also place orange peels under the tree to make your cat less likely to go near it. (Cats also dislike the smell of rotten apples but then you probably won’t like that smell much either!)
   • Spray some pine cones with Citronella and pile them around the base of the tree. Cats do not walk on pine cones! (Pine cones also have the same effect in the base of your houseplants.)
5. Decorate your tree with your cat out of the way.
6. Choose ornaments that are less attractive to your cat. Buy non breakable ornaments and place them on the bottom of the tree. Place the more fragile and expensive ones towards the middle and top of the tree,
7. Attach ornaments securely.
8. Watch out for electrical wiring.  Don’t leave dangling wires around. You may want to coat the wires with bitter apple to keep your cat away.
9. Relax and enjoy your holiday!

Remember, pets are family!
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Many foods are potentially toxic to dogs. One that is extremely dangerous is bread dough. The mixture contains yeast as a leveling agent and therefore can expand many times its original size. This is exactly what happens when your dog swallows bread dough. As the dough swells in your dogs stomach it starts to ferment producing alcohol which is toxic to your dog. Even ingesting small amounts of bread dough can cause your dog pain, bloating and vomiting. It can also leave him feeling disoriented and listless. Pet medication will not help him feel better. If he’s eaten a lot, he may end up in the operating room requiring surgery to remove the mass. Your dog will also need treatment for alcohol poisoning. If you a bread maker, make sure to keep your dog out of the kitchen while you’re baking!

Remember, pets are family!

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You love to fish and so does your dog. He goes with you on every trip. You’re just getting back to the dock with a good catch of salmon and trout. To reward your dog for being such a good companion, you throw him a fish. Did you know that you may be killing him with your kindness? Salmon poisoning disease found primarily in the northern pacific area of the U.S., and the pacific coast of Canada is often fatal for dogs. Give him a dog treat or some quality dog food instead!  The disease is caused when the dog eats raw salmon or trout contaminated with a parasite that contains the infecting organism. Symptoms usually appear five to seven days later. Look for lack of appetite, fever, vomiting and diarrhea if you suspect that your dog may be infected. Salmon poisoning disease is curable if caught early and the dog is treated with fluids, antibiotics and anti vomiting medication. So instead of throwing him a raw fish, buy him a dog toy instead!

Remember, pets are family!
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As we know, there is a very large variety of cat food available.  Wet food, dry food, semi moist, beef, chicken and seafood are only some of choices. There are several combinations of seafood alone. These range from shrimp to crab and fish. Fish includes several species, usually salmon, cod, yellow fish, white fish and tuna.  So as a cat owner, how do you choose?  If you read the guarantee analysis on the labels, you’ll notice that even though the ingredients vary between the flavors offered, within one brand, the percentage of proteins and other key elements will be somewhat consistent. So find what what your cat likes best and serve it to her with lots of love!

Remember, pets are family!

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I’ve been writing about my cats stomach issues for many years that resulted in a visits to the Veterinarian. There are several issues which can cause an upset stomach in a cat. Hairballs is one of the main causes. You can see the hairball when your cat cough’s it up. This can be controlled by hair ball medicine sold over the counter in most pet stores. Make sure you groom your cat regularly to reduce the amount of loose hair. My cat had gastroenteritis. It caused her to vomit and diarrhea.

To ease stomach discomfort, stop all food and water for 24 hours. Then feed your cat a bland diet of boiled chicken and cooked rice.  I would take her to the vet as soon as possible to get to the bottom of the problem. Many conditions can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats such as liver, kidney or pancreatic disease. Only your vet will be able to rue out these causes.

Remember, pets are family!

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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.

Remember, pets are family!

The best oldies are always playing on Edgewater Gold Radio! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website, Edgewater Gold radio.com.

You bought cozy dog beds or cat beds, pet carriers, dog toys, cat toys expensive dog and cat food and the list goes on. You’ve done this in order to make a good home for your pet. Then you get a divorce. According to the ASPCA, 29% of dogs that are surrendered at shelters are there as a result of a divorce. Unlike children, there is no legal framework for dealing with pet ownership when dealing with a divorce beyond the division of property. Some couples will battle fiercely on who keeps the pet but they often have to work this out on their own. There are some mediation firms that provide help with this issue. Experts urge owners to consider finances, time commitments and the well being of the pet when planning a split. Of course —NEVER send him to a shelter. After all, would you send a child?

Remember, pets are family!
The greatest oldies are playing all the time and enjoy your holiday favorites on Edgewater Gold Radio! Ask Alexa to “play Edgewater Gold Radio” or listen from our website, Edgewater Gold Radio.com