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Archive for the ‘Pets’ Category

Fleas

Flea Basics
Fleas thrive when the weather is warm and humid. Depending on your climate, fleas may be a seasonal or year-round problem. Your pet can pick up fleas wherever an infestation exists, often in areas frequented by other cats and dogs. Adult fleas are dark brown, no bigger than a sesame seed, and able to move rapidly over your pet’s skin.

Adult fleas live their entire lives on your pet. Female fleas begin laying eggs within 24 hours of selecting your pet as a host, producing up to 50 eggs each day. These eggs fall from your pet onto the floor or furniture, including your pet’s bed, or onto any other indoor or outdoor area where your pet happens to go. Tiny, worm-like larvae hatch from the eggs and burrow into carpets, under furniture, or into soil before spinning a cocoon. The cocooned flea pupae can lie dormant (inactive) for weeks before emerging as adults that are ready to infest (or reinfest) your pet. The result is a flea life cycle of anywhere from 12 days to 6 months.

Risks and Consequences
You may not know that your pet has fleas until their number increases to the point that your pet is obviously uncomfortable. Signs of flea problems range from mild redness to severe scratching that can lead to open sores and skin infections. One of the first things you may notice on a pet with fleas is “flea dirt” the black flea droppings left on your pet’s coat.

Fleas bite animals and suck their blood; young or small pets like Chihuahua with heavy flea infestations may become anemic. Some pets can develop an allergy to flea saliva that may result in more severe irritation and scratching. Also, pets can become infected with certain types of tapeworms if they ingest fleas carrying tapeworm eggs. In areas with moderate to severe flea infestations, people may also be bitten by fleas. While fleas are capable of transmitting several other infectious diseases to pets and people, this is rare.

Treatment and Control
Your veterinarian will recommend an appropriate flea control plan for your pet based upon your needs and the severity of the flea infestation.

Fleas spend a lot of their time off of your pet and in the environment. In addition to treating your pet, reduce the flea population in your house by thoroughly cleaning your pet’s sleeping quarters and vacuuming floors and furniture that your pet comes in contact with frequently. Careful and regular vacuuming/cleaning of the pet’s living area helps to remove and kill flea eggs, larvae, and pupae. You may also have to treat your house with insecticides to kill the fleas; consult with your veterinarian about products safe for use around pets and children.

With moderate and severe flea infestations, you may be advised to treat your yard in addition to treating the inside of your home. Your veterinarian can recommend an appropriate course of action and suggest ways to prevent future flea infestations.

Ticks

Tick Basics
Hosting a tick is the price dogs or, less commonly, cats may pay for investigating shrubbery, brush, or wild undergrowth. Ticks have a four-stage life cycle, and immature ticks often feed on small, wild animals found in forests, prairies, and brush. Adult ticks seek larger hosts like dogs and cats who venture into these habitats. Tick exposure may be seasonal, depending on geographic location.

Risks and Consequences
Ticks are most often found around your dog’s neck, in the ears, in the folds between the legs and the body, and between the toes. Cats may have ticks on their neck or face. Tick bites can cause skin irritation and heavy infestations can cause anemia in pets. Ticks are also capable of spreading serious infectious diseases (such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and others) to the pets and the people on which they feed. Disease risk varies by geographic area and tick species.

Treatment and Control
Prompt removal of ticks is very important because it lessens the chance of disease transmission from the tick to your pet. Remove ticks by carefully using tweezers to firmly grip the tick as close to the pet’s skin as possible and gently pulling the tick free without twisting it. After removing the tick, crush it while avoiding contact with tick fluids that can carry disease. Do not attempt to smother the tick with alcohol or petroleum jelly, or apply a hot match to it, as this may cause the tick to regurgitate saliva into the wound, increasing the risk of disease.

Pets at risk for ticks should be treated during the tick season with an appropriate tick preventative. Your veterinarian can recommend a product best suited to your pet’s needs. Owners who take their pets to tick-prone areas during camping, sporting, or hiking trips should examine their pets for ticks immediately upon returning home and remove them from their pets. If your pet picks up ticks in your backyard, trimming bushes and removing brush may reduce your pet’s exposure to tick habitats.

Ear Mites

Mite Basics
Ear mites are common in young cats and dogs, and generally confine themselves to the ears and surrounding area. Mites are tiny and individual mites may be seen only with the aid of a microscope. Your pet can pick up ear mites by close contact with an infested pet or its bedding.

Risks and Consequences
Ear mites can cause intense irritation of the ear canal. Signs of ear mite infestation include excessive head shaking and scratching of the ears. Your pet may scratch to the point that it creates bleeding sores around its ears. A brown or black ear discharge is common with ear mite infections.

Treatment and Control
Treatment of ear mites involves thorough ear cleaning and medication. Your veterinarian can recommend an effective treatment plan.

Sarcoptic Mange Mites

Mite Basics
Microscopic sarcoptic mange mites cause sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies. Sarcoptic mange mites affect dogs of all ages, during any time of the year. Sarcoptic mange mites are highly contagious to other dogs and may be passed by close contact with infested animals, bedding, or grooming tools.

Risks and Consequences
Sarcoptic mange mites burrow through the top layer of the dog’s skin and cause intense itching. Clinical signs include generalized hair loss, a skin rash, and crusting. Skin infections may develop secondary to the intense irritation. People who come in close contact with an affected dog may develop a skin rash and should see their physician.

Treatment and Control
Dogs with sarcoptic mange require medication to kill the mites and additional treatment to soothe the skin and resolve related infections. Cleaning and treatment of the dog’s environment is also necessary.

Demodectic Mange Mites

Mite Basics
Demodectic mange caused by demodectic mange mites is mainly a problem in dogs. Demodectic mange mites are microscopic, cigar-shaped, and not highly contagious. A mother dog, however, may pass the mites to her puppies.

Risks and Consequences
Localized demodectic mange tends to appear in young dogs as patches of scaly skin and redness around the eyes and mouth and, perhaps, the legs and trunk. Unlike other types of mange, demodectic mange may signal an underlying medical condition, and your pet’s overall health should be carefully evaluated. Less commonly, young and old dogs experience a generalized form of demodectic mange and can exhibit widespread patches of redness, hair loss, and scaly, thickened skin.

Treatment and Control
Your veterinarian will discuss treatment options with you. Treatment of dogs with localized demodectic mange generally results in favorable outcomes. Generalized demodectic mange (demodecosis), however, may be difficult to treat, and treatment may only control the condition, rather than cure it.

Important Points

Look for fleas, ticks, and coat abnormalities any time you groom your dog or cat or when you return home from areas that are likely to have higher numbers of these parasites.

See your veterinarian if your pet excessively scratches, chews, or licks its haircoat, or persistently shakes its head. These clinical signs may indicate the presence of external parasites or other conditions requiring medical care.

Prompt treatment of parasites lessens your pet’s discomfort, decreases the chances of disease transmission from parasite to pet, and may reduce the degree of home infestation.

Discuss the health of all family pets with your veterinarian when one pet becomes infested. Some parasites cycle among pets, making control of infestations difficult unless other pets are considered. Consult your veterinarian before beginning treatment.

Tell your veterinarian if you have attempted any parasite remedies, as this may impact your veterinarian’s recommendation.

Be especially careful when applying insecticides to cats, as cats are particularly sensitive to these products. Never use a product that is not approved for cats, as the results could be lethal.

Follow label directions carefully.

Leave treatment to the experts. Your veterinarian offers technical expertise and can assist you in identifying products that are most likely to effectively and safely control your pet’s parasite problem.

Is Your Dog or Cat Suffering From Arthritis? Then Please read this Pet Bounce Review

Our pets can’t speak for themselves, but you can tell when your family friend is hurting. Perhaps they’re having a bit of a difficult time getting up after resting, or more reluctant to jump up into your lap or go outside for a walk.

Once boisterous and full of energy, your pet may now seem to slow down, have some difficulty walking, tire easily or seem less exuberant or even restless-and seeing them in pain makes you feel helpless, doesn’t it? Well you won’t fell that way aafter reading this Pet Bounce review today.

Does your pet have thesesymptoms?

Your dogs:

Licking affected joints
Falls behind on walks
Reduction in muscle tone/bulk
Mild swelling/heat in the joints
Slight Stiffness on rising/lying down
Somewhat reluctant to climb stairs

Your cats:

Lethargic-decreased appetite
Slight limping or favoring one side
Slight difficulty getting into/out of litter box
Less inclination to jump or climb
Reduced grooming

Our pets suffer from the pain and swelling of arthritis just like we do-but you can help them with homeopathic ingredients which have historically been used to help treat the symptoms of joint pain– Pet Bounce Homeopathic Oral Drops for Arthritis and JointPain Relief.

Dogs and cats from 1 to over 100 pounds can experience relief with ingredients historically used to help with the discomfort, swelling and stiffness associated with arthritis orjoint pain with just 3 applications a day-5 to 15 drops in the mouth, depending on your pet’s weight.

Our all-natural, plant-based homeopathic Pet Bounce blend is designed to help alleviate the symptoms your pet may be experiencing safely and withoutside effects, so your family friend can resume activity with better mobility and more comfort.

The homeopathic liquid ingredients in Pet Bounce are designed to be absorbed quickly into the bloodstream via the mouth tissues-so you can be sure your pet gets the correct dose.

It’s easy to administer-a few drops and you’re done! And liquid ingredients go to work quickly… no forcing down pills and waiting for them to dissolve.

Since our product is so easy to use you’ll be wanting to come and back and write your own Pet Bounce Review!

Healthy dogs and cats usually LOVE to run and play; but if your pet suffers from joint pain, it can start a vicious cycle. They no longer feel much like moving…and the less they move their joints, the stiffer and more painful they become.

Continuedexercise is important for joint health-and Pet Bounce can help naturally relieve the discomfort that puts your pet on the sidelines so he or she feels more like getting up and around-and back to enjoying life.

Please visit the official Pet Bounce Review webiste to learn more!

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Pet lovers know that their pets are an integral part of their lives and their families. Holidays and family outings are made more memorable when we take our pets along for company. It therefore becomes very painful if our pet falls ill, breaks any of its bones or needs constant medical supervision due to an illness like cancer. As the pet owner, the responsibility falls on us to get the best veterinary care and bear the costs associated with the treatments.

Advancements in veterinary science have made all kinds of treatments possible to cure your pets. At the same time this technology demands compensation in the form of thousands of dollars. In such a situation what you need is pet insurance. Pet insurance guarantees that the medical expenses incurred on your pets is met by the insurance company partly or in whole. Some pet insurance policies also cover annual pet checkups and immunizations. It all depends on the type of policy you select. Insurance costs can begin as low as with incident costs being in the range of around .

The top reasons to go in for pet insurance are:

Bears the cost of medical expenses Needless to say, that this is the primary objective of pet insurance. You have insurance to fall back on when you take your pet to the vet. All pet insurance policies can be used at any registered vet’s clinic. So you need not compromise by taking your pet to any clinic. You can visit your own vet and be at peace.

Insuring multiple pets Most pet insurance companies give you a discount if you have more than one pet and give you a package insurance deal. This not only brings down the cost of maintaining and taking care of your pets but also saves you thousands of dollars in pet medical expenses

Taking care of tomorrow As time passes, your pet becomes older and prone to more illnesses. Pet insurance comes handy in such a situation. Getting your pet insured when it is very young ensures coverage for accidents and diseases which may occur at a later stage.

Inflation shield Pet insurance acts as a shield due to rising prices in the economy. Medical expenses which may seem affordable now will look enormous after a couple of years. The years gone by will also bring your pet closer to you and you would not want to lose it when it is ill and old just because you cannot meet its medical expenses.

Peace of mind Pet insurance gives you the peace you always sought when you bought your first pet and wondered how you will deal with any medical emergencies that may arise when your pet needs medical care or taking care of the vaccinations and checkups. Pet insurance makes having a pet more affordable and truly keeps your pet protected for a rainy day.
So if you are one of those pet owners who really love your pet and want to take care of them till the very end, pet insurance is an attractive and affordable solution.

Researchers at Warwick University in Coventry found that having a cat or dog at home exposed children to more infections early in life produced a stronger immune systems and are less likely to have days off school sick. While research with preschool children, psychologists at Oregon State University found that teaching children to care for a puppy enhanced their social skills becoming more cooperative and sharing.

Pet Health benefits for Children

Studies have shown a lower incidence of allergies in children who have pets. Researchers also found young children exposed to one or more pets actually had decreased allergic reactions to other allergens. The supposition is that given that pets lick the children, (and who hasn’t seen that happen!), and bacteria from the pet hone the child’s immune system for exposure to future allergens.

Research has shown that antibody levels in children from pet owning families were significantly more stable which indicates a robust immune systems. This supports the suggestion that too much cleanliness early in life, so-called “dirty hypothesis”, can leave the immune system weakened later on and is considered the reason for soaring rates of childhood asthma in recent years.

Further

Pets do have health risks for children but the study from Warwick University found that three out of 10 children admitted sharing food with their pets while 21% let their pets lick their fingers despite these dangers. One of the biggest risks is the roundworm Toxicara canis which infects dogs. This can cause anything from stomach ache to eye damage. Despite these dangers pet owning children achieved nine days extra at school over the course of a year compared to children without animals.

Social skills in Children with Pets are improved

Children with Pets learn Responsibility

By having a family pet children can also learn how to care for others by taking on responsibility. Through this they learn what is required to take care of another instance, walking a dog shows the child that there is responsibility involved in taking care of a pet. The child will at the same time strengthens his or her relationship with the animal who, in return, will become a loyal friend who is always there to play with or to turn to in tough situations.

Emotional Health Thanks to Pets

Children with Pets learn Acceptance and Compassion

Sometimes a child can find it difficult to be accepted by others, even by members of their family and can result in low self esteem to develop. A dog or cat is non-judgmental and when a child needs an impartial party for comfort they can turn to their animal. Children and Pets both in their natural state give love freely and with no strings attached except to be nurtured back. Pets love to have attention paid to them, and reward the giver with a like return of warmth. Kindness can also develop because the child has to care for a being that needs him or her to cater to its every need. Without the child, the pet would starve. So, the child learns responsibility and compassion.

Pets help Children relieve Stress and Provide Entertainment

Pets relieve stress, when no one else will listen, a pet will. It is nearly impossible to stroke the soft fur of a dog or a cat and maintain any level of stress. Pets can also be a calming influence to both parents and responsible children. Just watching a cat bat a ball around, or a dog chase its tail, can bring families closer together. Everyone gets involved in the care of the animal, so it becomes an integral part of the family. No matter what the choice of pet children will benefit greatly from adding an animal into the family mix.

Socializing and Exercise

A child who has a pet will have many stories to tell people and this intern helps the child to socialise. It matters not if the person listening has a pet or not as most pets are universally known. So many times we hear children say “I have a rabbit, dog or cat” and the conversation suddenly follows. The pet can also provide exercise, be it grooming, walking or play, taking the child outside. A permanent playmate can be on hand at all times for the child who may otherwise sit in front of his computer or television for hours on end.

There are many beneficial reasons why a child should grow up with an animal in the home. Pets can teach children so much, including responsibility, kindness, and love and make great friends and playmates for a child. So, if you’re trying to find a way to get your kid off the couch, consider bringing a pet into your home, but don’t mention the 9 extra days at school!

Anyone who has ever started looking around for an animal to add to the family knows that getting a new pet can be very expensive, and it seems almost impossible to find a free pet. Many breeders ask for several hundred dollars, even for the smallest dogs or cats. Golden Retrievers are usually 0 to 0, Maine Coon cats can cost up to 0 or 00, and rare exotic animals run much higher.

However, considering all of the pets in the world who are currently homeless, and are living in animal shelters without a loving family, it seems unreasonable and nonsensical to spend hundreds of dollars for a pet when there are so many who need to be saved.

While there are a number of animal rescue organizations and pet shelters around the country, there is only one resource which you should always start with, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Healthy Pets Arent Always Free

Before we examine why its best to start with the ASPCA, which does charge some fees for adopting and rescuing pets, its important to note that it is possible to find a free pet, if you are careful and follow a few important guidelines.

Searching through the classified ads in the newspaper or online classified ads like PetsAds or PetsClassifieds.us, you can locate listings for free pets that people are giving away. Its critical to understand that most free pet ads are from people who are giving away their pets for the following reasons:

They are moving to a place that doesnt take pets.

They can no longer afford to have a pet.

They found a stray, but cant keep it.

These are usually well-meaning people, but keep in mind that if they have a pet that they can no longer afford to keep, the pet may not be 100% healthy. If you do decide to take the classified ad route, just remember that most of the things that the fees pay for at the ASPCA, you will have to pay for anyway including all shots, medical checkups and neutering.

It is perfectly okay to find free pets on your own, just remember that pets are never free. You will need to pay for the up-front (and continuing) health care for the rest of its life.

ASPCA and Pet Adoption

The ASPCA is a wonderful organization that helps to promote animal shelters and rescue organizations that take excellent care of animals across the country. At the ASPCA Website, you can adopt and save homeless animals in the following ways:

Find a Shelter

By clicking on the Find a Shelter link, you are taken to a search page where you can search for local animal shelters by city and state. The ASPCA doesnt technically endorse the shelters listed by this utility, but it provides the search function to animal lovers who need a resource to find local shelters.

This is a very comprehensive National Shelter Directory, and it is a service to help families with lots of love to offer to connect with animals that need the love. Buying a pet from a local shelter is essentially like getting a free pet, because the fees to adopt a pet cover many of the upfront medical costs you were incur if youd picked up the animal as a stray or free from a classified ad. Animal shelters take care of the upfront health concerns, so that when you adopt a pet from a shelter, you can be certain that the animal is healthy and well cared for.

In addition, many shelters offer a unique incentive for people to have their pets properly neutered by offering a discount or refund for the procedure with local vets.

ASPCA Adoption Center

The ASPCA Adoption Center provides listings of hundreds of cats and dogs who need a home. The main page of the adoption center explains everything you will need in order to adopt a pet. This is good to read even if you arent going to the ASPCA, because most shelters require the same information. Things you will need if planning to adopt a pet:

Two forms of identification with your address on it (at least one picture ID)

Two personal references who can be reached by phone

Proof of vaccination for the pets that you already own.

Proof of income

While this may seem excessive to some people, its important to understand that there are a lot of people out there who would not think twice about harming or being cruel to animals. The job of the ASPCA and all animal shelters across the country, is to protect animals from cruelty, and to make sure that animals are placed in homes where they have the best chances of being as loved and cared for as they deserve to be.

The benefits of adopting through the ASPCA (many animal shelters offer these same benefits):

14 days of free follow-up vet care

A leash, collar, and pet carrier to help bring the animal home

Educational literature about pet behavior and pet care

Free spay/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and registration, all provided as part of the adoption fee.

Obviously, the only good option for finding a free pet is going through the ASPCA, or through a local animal shelter. This will ensure that you are getting a healthy pet, and you can feel good about doing your part to save an animal from a live without a home, and without love.

Support Animal Rescue Efforts With a Portrait

When you adopt your new pet, show people how much you love your new furry friend by having a pet portrait done by professional artist Nikky Hughes of Los Angeles. Nikky was classically trained at the Mission Renaissance art school, and she focuses on capturing not only the beauty, but the unique character of each animal. She will accept photos through the mail of pets, and then create stunning portraits from those pictures. Pet portraits are ideal because they can be done from a photo (as apposed to getting the pet to pose at a studio.)

The great thing about Nikky is that shes a pet lover herself, and this is reflected in how she runs her business. Nikki donates 5% of every commission to an animal rescue foundation. This is a wonderful way that you can help to support the cause of animal rescue and receiving a stunning portrait of your new pet in the process.