Health & Lifestyle
Pet Massage!
“Pet massage classes are filling up with pet owners, groomers, competitors and others, instructors say. Books and DVDs about the techniques are getting more attention, too.
“I think owners overall are looking for different ways to connect with their dog beyond the traditional walk around the block or play with the Frisbee in the park,” said Lisa Peterson, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club who has been a dog breeder for 20 years.
Veterinarians caution that massage done incorrectly can harm animals, and they urge pet owners to get their vets’ approval.
Narda Robinson, a veterinarian and physician who teaches at Colorado State University, said she considers massage a great addition to traditional medicine as long as it’s veterinarian-approved.”
Health & Lifestyle
Experts agree - Crate Training is good for your dog. But how can you make it even better? Pet Dreams Cratewear can help!
• Comfort: There are many reasons why dogs might not enjoy a bare metal dog cage. When dogs lay down in their crates, they are leaning up against harsh wire bars, which can be very irritating. Cratewear’s quilted bumpers provide the comfort they need while also protecting their coats, wagging tails, noses and teeth from the metal. Cratewear’s reversible and machine washable crate pads add comfort he’ll appreciate.
• Security: wire crates leave your dog exposed on all sides. Crate covers provide den like security. Many dogs have a natural “Den Instinct” and will love being inside their covered crate.
• Location: separating your dog from the rest of the family can add stress to your dog. Dogs are social animals, so the ideal location for his crate is a room full of activity. Your dog will enjoy his crate area while still being part of the family. At night, the bedroom is an ideal place for a crate so your dog will feel the security of being close to you.
• Time: confining him in his crate for excessive periods of time will be a negative experience for your dog. After housebreaking your dog, we recommend removing the door from the crate so he can enjoy his den any time he chooses. You may find that Cratewear makes your dog’s crate his favorite location!
Health & Lifestyle
A new baby changes everything - and not just for you.
We found a great article on keeping everyone safe & happy when your family welcomes a new baby.
Once you know a baby is on the way, take your pet to the veterinarian for a routine health exam and vaccinations. If your pet is not spayed or neutered, get it done. Sterilized pets are calmer and less likely to bite.
Assess your pet’s behavior. Will it be acceptable with a baby in the house? If Kitty is allowed to pounce or swat at you while playing, redirect the behavior to appropriate objects so that playtime doesn’t result in harming the baby.
If you permit your pooch to nibble gently or to play rough, modify these behaviors now for the child’s safety. Also be sure you have control of your dog through basic obedience commands and good leash manners.
Allowing your pet to sniff out the nursery will satisfy its curiosity and help it get used to baby sights, sounds and smells. Turn on the mechanical swing, and sit in the rocking chair. Show it the child’s toys and clothing and allow it to smell the things you’ll be using, such as lotion, powder and diapers.
Before you bring the baby home, have a family member or friend take home something with the baby’s scent (a blanket, perhaps) for your pet to investigate.
Upon your arrival home, have someone take the baby into another room while you give your pet a calm, warm welcome.
After settling in, allow your pet to sit next to you and the baby. Never force the pet to get close to the newborn, and always supervise their interaction. Reward your pet with treats for good behavior.
Your pet should always view associating with the baby as a positive experience.
Health & Lifestyle
The ASPCA has put together a comprehensive overview of how to prepare an Emergency Pet Preparedness Kit! With Hurricane Season just getting started, it’s a good time to put the essentials together. Here are some of their suggestions:
Emergency Pet Preparedness
Emergencies come in many forms, and they may require anything from a brief absence from your home to permanent evacuation. Each type of disaster requires different measures to keep your pets safe. The best thing you can do for yourself and your pets is to be prepared.
Get a Rescue Alert Sticker
This easy-to-use sticker will let people know that pets are inside your home. Make sure it is visible to rescue workers. Get one for free HERE
Arrange a Safe Haven
Arrange a safe haven for your pets in the event of evacuation. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PETS BEHIND. Remember, if it isn’t safe for you, it isn’t safe for your pets.
- Contact your veterinarian for a list of preferred boarding kennels and facilities.
- Ask your local animal shelter if they provide emergency shelter or foster care for pets.
- Identify hotels or motels outside of your immediate area that accept pets.
- Ask friends and relatives outside your immediate area if they would be willing to take in your pet.
Emergency Supplies and Traveling Kits
Keep supplies handy for your pets. Make sure that everyone in the family knows where it is. This kit should be clearly labeled and easy to carry. Items to consider keeping in or near your pack include:
- Pet first-aid kit and guide book (ask your vet what to include)
- 3-7 days’ worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food
- Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
- Litter or paper toweling
- Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
- Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
- Pet feeding dishes
- Extra harness and leash
- Photocopies of medical records and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires
- Bottled water, at least 7 days’ worth for each person and pet
- A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
- Flashlight
- Blanket (for scooping up a fearful pet)
- Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make “Lost” posters)
Evacuation Preparation
If you must evacuate your home in a crisis, plan for the worst-case scenario. If you think you may be gone for only a day, assume that you may not be allowed to return for several weeks. When recommendations for evacuation have been announced, follow the instructions of local and state officials. To minimize evacuation time, take these simple steps:
- Store an emergency kit and leashes as close to an exit as possible.
- Make sure all pets wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification. Your pet’s ID tag should contain his name, telephone number, and any urgent medical needs. Be sure to write your pet’s name, your name and contact information on your pet’s carrier.
- The ASPCA recommends microchipping your pet as a more permanent form of identification. A microchip is implanted in the animal’s shoulder area, and can be read by scanner at most animal shelters.
- Always bring pets indoors at the first sign or warning of a storm or disaster. Pets can become disoriented and wander away from home during a crisis.
- Consider your evacuation route and call ahead to make arrangements for boarding your pet outside of the danger zone at the first sign of disaster.
SOURCE and more info
Health & Lifestyle
We all know that a dog’s breath can get pretty stinky. Brushing his teeth helps with the breath, but it also has an impact on his health!
Canine Bad Breath is normally a result of improper dental care. Most dog owners tend to ignore dental care while grooming. Lack of proper dental care results in food particles, bone splinters and other substances that remain stuck between the teeth and gums causing decay over a period of time.
The resultant abscesses and Inflammation becomes a welcome home for bacteria. Untended, they invite more bacteria, which ultimately results in Periodontitis, a teeth and gum disease that can progress and infect other parts of the body.
Dental care is as important for dogs as it is for humans. If you want to avoid dental problems like Periodontitis, you need to brush the dog’s teeth, just as you do yours. The only difference is that you may have to learn how to brush your dogs’ teeth.
Your pet will also need to get accustomed to the manner in which you brush his teeth since it is not natural for them. However, the training is similar to the manner in which the pet gets accustomed to accept your commands.
Choose a time when your dog and you are relaxed. If your dog is disturbed or agitated he is most likely to resist your attempts at brushing. For the first few times, simply stroke the area with your fingers and let the dog get used to it. Choose veterinary toothpaste and apply some to your finger and let the dog get a taste of it.
Make sure you choose a paste with a flavor that you know your dog likes. There is a wide range of flavors available in the market and you can choose one that is flavored with poultry or other meats. Once your pet is habituated to the taste, you can introduce the toothbrush.
It is important to understand that since this is not a natural activity for a dog, he is unlikely to enjoy the process of brushing or accept it easily. You should try and make sure that brushing teeth becomes an enjoyable activity for your dog.
Start with brushing for about 30 seconds at a time and do not test the dog’s tolerance level. Don’t stop after he starts fussing. This will result in more fussing as the dog realizes that fussing results in putting a stop to the activity. Brush a few teeth initially and increase the number of teeth gradually. Don’t forget the ‘difficult-to-reach’ back teeth since they are most likely to accumulate maximum tartar.
Brushing teeth should be a regular exercise and if you notice a particle or splinter or bone that is difficult to dislodge, you may have to take your dog to the veterinarian for removal.
Source
Health & Lifestyle
We worry so often about chemicals getting into our food & our kids’ toys, but harmful chemicals are affecting our pets too!
A recent study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that cats and dogs carry a much higher “body burden” — the amount of persistent toxic chemicals in the body — than their human caregivers.
Just why are our pets so susceptible? Their vulnerability is due in part to their diminutive size and lifespan, but a larger component probably has to do with the way pets live: close to the ground. Like human children, dogs and cats will eat food off the floor and spend a lot of time on toxin-laden carpets. Pets pick up outside dust, insecticides and herbicides, then ingest these chemicals through self-grooming. Toxic dyes in pet products and plastic chew toys and water bowls also play a dangerous role, as do high mercury and PBDE levels in seafood.
Here are some ways you can protect your beloved pet:
• Don’t use lawn herbicides
• Use plant-based kitty litter from wheat or recycled newspaper instead of clay-based litter
• Vacuum frequently, and bag resulting dust to prevent reintroduction into the house.
• Flea collars are ineffective and a source of constant toxic exposure to your pets and family. Choose natural pest repellants like garlic and clove oil instead.
• Pick pet food free of chemical preservatives BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin, vary cats’ diets to limit seafood mercury-exposure and choose organic or free-range ingredients rather than “by-products.”
• If you suspect your deck was made with arsenic-treated wood, don’t let pets underneath it. Regularly treat with sealant, wash with soap and water, and never power wash.
Health & Lifestyle
Just another example of how pets enhance their owners’ lives!
Parents with dogs claim that since the arrival of their four-legged friend their children are less stressed and fitter. Research conducted by Mars Petcare reveals the beneficial impact pet dogs can have on children’s lives with nearly half of all dog owners commenting that their children do more walking since their dog arrived. A quarter say they witnessed improvements in their children’s health and fitness.
Dog owners believe that, not only has their family’s level of exercise increased since getting a dog, but their family bond has also been strengthened as they now spend more time playing together or walking the dog.
Forty per cent of dog-owning parents comment that despite the increasing popularity of computers and video games, playing with the family pooch still tops the list of their children’s favourite pastimes.
According to the research conducted by Mars Petcare, makers of Pedigree and Cesar, families with dogs spend more time out and about exploring. One in three dog owners say that they and their family visit their local park more frequently since the arrival of their canine companion and 22 per cent now choose to walk the dog, rather than use their car, as they run errands.
Health & Lifestyle
Cloned Pets are becoming a reality. What do you think?
A California company will give five dog owners the chance to have a favorite pet genetically copied and brought back to life later this month. BioArts International has arranged an online auction to decide which dog lovers will qualify: at starting bids between $100,000 and $180,000.
This is not the first time animals have been cloned commercially. In 2003, the American Mule Racing Association funded the cloning of racing mules. Similar technology has now been used to replicate thoroughbred horses.
Some scientists warn that clones are prone to multiple health problems and premature death. Hawthorne responds that the success rate is one in four; he offers money back if the cloned dog is not like a twin of the original and does not survive for 12 months.
Others suggest customers may feel duped. A cloned dog is “likely to be a totally unknown dog, just as if you went to the pound and adopted another unknown animal”, says Dr Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at the Massachusetts biotech company Advanced Cell Technology. “If anyone thinks they’re going to get Fluffy back, they’re gravely mistaken.”
Health & Lifestyle
Take your pet to work!
Pets enhance our lives in so many ways. We see articles everywhere about pets reducing stress, aiding the disabled, enhancing the quality of life of their owners, and just being great. Here’s another amazing thing that pets can do for you!
“On the stress front, one study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology surveyed businesses that allowed pets in the workplace vs. others that do not. The study found that even when employees did not have their own pet at work, they reported less stress, and felt that the animals improved their work environment. In this study they also found that pets increased cooperation between employees, and improved their mental health and mood. In fact, people reported that the pets improved the organization as a whole (sounds like my hypothesis may be a good theory for us being kinder to each when we are kind to animals!)!”
Read the rest of this great article here!
Health & Lifestyle
As summer starts to heat up, it’s important to make sure your pet stays cool! Dogs can overheat easily, especially during the next few months. Check out these ideas, posted by Catherine Leigh, a licensed veterinary nurse, for keeping your dog safe from the heat! (Source)
Heat stroke can strike when you may not suspect it. Those 100-plus-degree-days at the end of July are sometimes less dangerous than the first few warm days of summer when your pet is less acclimated to the heat.
A dog’s normal body temperature should be between 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. According to veterinarians Roger W. Gfeller and Michael W. Thomas, temperatures over 106 degrees is a life-threatening emergency.
Preventing heat stroke is always better than treating it after the fact.
Dogs with heavy coats can be kept trimmed short during summer months.
When you’re on an outing with your dog, make sure to provide them with plenty of rest, shade, and cool drinking water, even if you feel fine yourself. Don’t count on your dog to limit himself.
At the first sign of overheating, you need to start helping your dog to cool off, and seek veterinary care immediately. If your dog can still drink, offer cool water. After doing what you can to lower your dog’s temperature, get him to a doctor without delay. Minutes count.
