Summer Travel with your Pet Cat!

It's summer time! That mean's its time for (even higher gas prices) and travel. But traveling with pets can be tricky, so it's important to be properly prepared. Here are some tips on traveling with your cat(s).

1) Plastic or wire pet carrier

DON'T get a cardboard carrier, these can be chewed through quickly so the plastic and wire carriers are worth the investment. Either way, you definitely need to place your cat in a carrier, because they're sly little devils and you don't want them slipping in and out behind the seats, or under the brake pedal.

2) Place the carrier on a seat next to you if you can. If you place the cat on the floor the noises of the car can be scary for your feline. Make sure the cat is secured in a car seat and can feel the air conditioning. You want to make traveling as stress free for your cat as possible, it is going to be stuck in a box for a while.

3) Food, water, litter, a pan, a scoop and disposable bags. Pets are like our children, we would bring the same things if we were traveling with an infant. ( litter excluded)

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Health Tips: Overcoming Fat and Diabetes in our Dogs and Cats

Obesity in pets is a rising cause of health problems in the US today. What can you do to make sure your pet stays healthy? Here are some pet health care tips.

Dogs:

Slow and Steady Wins the Race:
Be careful not to get excited when your pup goes through a growth spurt and over feed him. Slow and steady is best for a dog's orthopedic health. Instead of feeding your growing puppy nutrient-packed food, vets recommend adult food instead.

Too much of a Good thing can be Bad:
Vitamins and supplements always sound like a good idea, but giving your dog too much may cause nutritional imbalances.

Dieting Tips:
If your dog is already overweight, and you want to help him shed sound pounds, help your dog feel full by substituting part of his meal with green beans or plain canned pumpkin. Both are rich in fiber, not in calories.


Cats:

The "Catkins" Diet
To ward off diabetes in your feline try "the catkins diet." 40 to 45 percent protein, 40 to 45 percent fat, and only 3 to 5 percent carbohydrates. You can also try canned cat foods which are closer to this ratio than dry. It may be more expensive than dry food, but your cat's health is worth it!

No Crash Dieting!
Never make your cat "fast." Not feeding your cat within 24 hours may result in a life-threatening situation.




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Pet Care Tip: Masking sure your Dog Collar or Cat Collar Fits

How would you like a leather or plastic band around your neck 24/7? How much would you like it if it was just the littlest bit too tight? Ouch right? Well today's post is all about how to make sure your pet collar fits PROPERLY.

If you can't bring your pet into a pet supply store to try on collars, than make sure to buy more than one, you can always return one later during your next trip.
You don't want a collar that's loose enough to slip over your pet's head, be lost or loose enough to catch on something that might choke your pet.

Choose a collar made of a material that is soft and comfortable. Test: wrap it around your own wrist, how does it feel?

Remove the collar and any other training products that attached to your dog at night, so they can get a good night's sleep.


Check your pet's collar every day by making sure your fingers can fit easily, but snugly, between the collar and your pet's neck. This is especially important for growing pets.

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Pet Care: Make a Trust in Case of Sickness ( or Death)

Taking care of your pet is our number one concern and I thought we've covered everything: fashion, accessories, travel, kennels, sitters, insurance, etc. But I came across something that I'm surprised I haven't heard of before: a trust for your pet.

These trusts guarantee that your pet will be taken care in the event that you may not be able to, such as vacation, incapacitation or (knock on wood) death. A trust can detail anything from who will be the day-to-day caretaker, to what measures you would want to take if your pet falls ill. Like wills, they can be amended at any time.

Check with your state for what guidelines there are. For example, Wisconsin law prohibits owners from leaving money directly to an animal, but they can be left to a trustee or caretaker.

But New York has no such limitation and New York real estate billionaire Leona Helmsley left $12 million to her white Maltese, Trouble. Yea, 12 MILLION.


How much would you leave your pet?

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Great Dog Care Tip from DogFancy

This is what I read in April's issue of DogFancy:

Sometimes it's OK to be Late

Dogs have an incredible inner clock and are creatures of habit who need a stable routine. However, adhering to a strict schedule can make them dependent on their routine, needlessly causing stress and worry when things don't run on time. By varying your daily patterns from time to time by an hour or so prevents your dog from relying on your punctuality and helps her handle your unexpected delays in getting home, feeding dinner, and other routine events.

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Time to Check your Cat's or Dog's Teeth!

February is the month that veterinarians try to spread awareness of the importance of dental health for your pet! The number one cause of heart diseases in the adult animals is bacterial infection from periodontal disease.

The best thing we can do for our pet is keep their mouth in good condition.

Here are some different ways on how to do that:

1)Take your pet to the your local vet to have a professional cleaning done.

2) Brush your pet's teeth yourself with a toothpaste made from baking soda. WARNING: do not use human products because fluoride can cause your pet to be sick.

3) Use a special gel that can be applied weekly after a dental cleaning to help keep the teeth protected.

4) There is also a new vaccination that can guard against most common bacteria in the mouth, but does not help with existing pre-conditions.

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Dogs and Cats need to keep Warm

Tips to keep them safe:

Only take dogs and cats outdoors when necessary because they can get frostbitten ears, noses and feet if left outside.

The two biggest threats to our pets: (haha get it!)

1) Hypothermia and 2) Dehydration

What to do:

For Inside Pets:

- Consider a sweater for short-coated breeds, avoid sweaters made of cotton

- Keep fireplaces screened and heaters out of reach as a pet may chew the cord or knock it over and cause a fire.

For outside pets:

-Give them thick old blankets or towels to snuggle up with

-Make sure they have food and water

-Consider installing a door, and make sure the "door" to their house is protected against wind

-Check on them regularly, to check for signs of hypothermia and to replace frozen water

Remember: Animals naturally found in warm temperatures can not adapt to severe drops in temperatures.

- Outdoor cats will climb under the hoods of cars for warmth, bang loudly on your car’s hood before starting the engine to give them a chance to move.

-Your car becomes a freezer in the winter-don't leave them inside of it.

After taking them on a walk:

-Avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads by towel or blow-dry after exposure to rain or snow.

Remember: chemicals used to melt snow and ice walkways can burn your pet

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Dogs and Rabbits in Trouble in Australia

There's new threats to dogs and rabbits in Geelong, Australia: a lot of mosquitoes, a lot of grass seeds and the Pavo Virus.

The mosquitoes aid the spread of myxomatosis in rabbits. Vets at the Bellarine Animal Hospital stated, "Last year we had a few deaths but this year we are putting down six bunnies a day. The number is staggering."

Grass seeds are long sharp pointed seeds that have tiny barbs which make the seed puncture the skin and move through tissue. Once it is under the skin the body tries to eliminate it and pus forms that can swell into an abscess. Often the only time to remove the seeds is by surgery.

The Pavo virus also seems to affecting more dogs at an increasing rate.

What can you do to protect your pets?

The only option is to mosquito-proof hutches or keeping your rabbits indoors during dusk hours. However there is no way to 100% protect them. Local vets are recommending the Pavo booster for all dogs and to comb your dogs daily for grass seeds.

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Understanding Your Cat

I've heard a lot of complaints about cats, especially somehow ending up perpetually surrounded by dog lovers. I'm an equal-opportunist, I love dogs and cats, but I think cats definitely get the short end of the stick.

While some say cats are moody and distant, I prefer the terms "complex" and "contemplative." Right?

Here is some insight on the labyrinth that is the cat's mind.

The truth is cats are still ruled by thier instinct to survive.

A new chair in a room to us is just a chair, but for a cat we're changing thier enviroment. We're changing how vulnerable the cat is in certain places of the house.So when you put that new chair in the middle of room you can be darn sure that your cat's gonna know how tall it is, if it can be jumped on, if they will fit underneath it and how far it is from every other piece of furniture and hiding spot they have.

That is why new things makes cats as curious as.. well.. cats!

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Stressed about the holidays? So is your pet!

Holidays are great, but they are also time consuming, expensive and stressful. During this time of year it's important to remember that your pet feels what you feel. Here are some of the triggers of holiday stress for your pets and what you can do:

1) Hectic schedules and strangers visiting the house:

- Put them in a gated area distracted with a toy, video or get them a sitter

- In severe cases there are pet Xanax and Valium

2) Fear of Packages:

- Desensitize your pet: lay one or two packages in front of them to get them used to them and to train them that these are not chewing toys

Remember:

Don't coddle your pet when he/she is frightened, this teaches them to act fearfully for approval, but don't scold them either. Stress is usually the result of thier everyday routine being disrupted. To give them some structutre tell them to sit or stay, then give them a treat. It's important that they know how to behave in all situations throughout the year.

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How to Keep your Pets Safe during the Holidays

Don't let this cute picture fool you! While we all love the holidays and our pets, sometimes the two can be hazardous to your pet's health when put together.

Holiday decorations that can make your pets sick:
-Mistletoe
-Holly
-Christmas tree stands that contain fertilizer
-Lilies
-wiring of holiday lights out where pets may be able to chew on it
-Poinsettias

Food to keep away from your pets

-Chocolate-toxic
-Macadamia nuts-also toxic
-Turkey, chicken or duck bones: may cause choking
-Onions: These can cause heart problems when eaten in large quantities
-Raisins and grapes: can cause renal failure if eaten in large quantities
-Alcohol: make sure its not left out where pets can get a sip of it.

So be careful and have a safe and fun holiday!

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Did you know?

Go to Purina.com and sign up to get daily cat or dog care tips texted right to your cell phone every day!

Click here, to read the full story.

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Pets Going Green and Saving the Earth

You think you’re doing your job right? You walk your dog, you buy a litter box and you scoop the poop and swoosh, into the trash. That’s it right? That’s what I thought too. But if that bag you’re constantly swooshing poo or litter in is non-biodegradable it will spend thousands of years with you know what still inside. Yech. The good news is that instead of the trash, we can swoosh into the toilet. Flush. The bad news, kitty litter should never be flushed because it has a certain organism toxoplasma gondii that can cause disease in sea life and humans. Here are just some of the tips to going green with your pet.

-Make sure you know what meat source is used for your pet food and that it is gotten in humane ways.

-Try to buy food in packaging that is recyclable

-Don’t skimp on the toys. Badly made (but cheap) toys often just land up in a dump. So open that wallet a little wider, it’ll be worth it in the long run for all of us.

-Every pet needs exercise, so instead of revving up that engine to go to a park or pet store, put on some sun block and take a nice stroll. You’ll be killing two birds with one stone. ( Sorry to all you bird-lovers)

-Dispose of all mediation properly, they're chemicals too.

Click here for the full article on the environmental impact of your pets.

"The Power is Yours!"

Coyote Attacks

Just a fair warning to all pet lovers. I've been reading some articles about increased coyote sightings. Apparently, coyotes are getting used to being around humans which means they're not afraid to get close enough to attack one of our pets. While they're not a threat to humans there have sadly been reports of hurt or killed pets. But there are preventative measures we can all take. Watch your pets during the early morning and dusk hours, when coyotes are on the hunt. Also make sure not to leave food out to attract them. More tips on living with coyotes can be found here.

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