- Don’t impulse buy. When shopping for your pet, go to the store with a list and determine ahead of time how much you plan to spend. Be sure to stick to it!
- Watch for deals. Check the Sunday paper for coupons on treats and food. Discounts are also available online from pet deal sites like doggyloot.com, which sends weekly emails offering discounts on treats and other dog supplies. Amazon.com has a large selection of pet food and supplies, often at a lesser rate than you’d pay elsewhere.
- Brush your pet’s teeth. Taking care of your pet’s dental health will go a long way to keeping vet expenses in check.
- Watch your pet’s weight. Keeping your pet at a healthy weight can help reduce health problems such as diabetes. Don’t overfeed or over treat pets. It’s not good for weight control and will cost more to keep food stocked.
- Talk to your vet. Many vet offices offer discounts at different times of the year such as discounted dental services this month (Pet Dental Month).
Archive for the ‘ pet care ’ Category
5 Ways To Save Money On Pet Expenses
Thursday, February 9th, 20125 Signs of Tooth Resorption In Cats
Monday, February 6th, 2012
It’s the #1 Cause of Tooth Loss In Cats, & 50-75% of Cats Suffer From This Dental Problem
We’re all familiar with tooth decay, when bacteria destroy the tooth’s enamel but tooth resorption is degenerative, starting at the gum line and eventually destroying the tooth’s structure. Here are some symptoms of tooth resorption:
- Pawing at the mouth
- Bad breath
- Head shaking or tilting of head
- Decreased grooming
- Not wanting to be touched around head
If your cat is exhibiting these symptoms, make an appointment with his vet from a check-up.
Reference: Cat Fancy, February 2012
Keeping Coyotes At Bay
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
From time to time in this area, we’ve had cases of coyotes attacking small dogs. If you’ve had coyote sightings or attacks in your neighborhood, here are some tips to keep them away:
- If you have a fence, or are thinking of installing one, look at ones that are 6 feet or higher with a roll bar on top.
- Don’t leave small dogs unattended outside in the dark, even for a potty break.
- Install motion activated outdoor lighting, the light will startle coyotes that may enter your yard.
- Trim shrubbery so coyotes won’t have a place to hide.
- If you have outdoor water dishes for your dog, empty them once your dog has come inside for the night.
- Remove sources of food such as fallen fruits, berries or bird seed that may have fallen from the feeder.
Your Dog, February 2012, was used as reference for this post
Is Doggie Day Care Right For Your Dog?
Monday, January 30th, 2012
I sometimes receive calls from pet owners inquiring about the services we provide at Joy of Living. As caring pet owners, they’re looking for the best solution for their dog while they’re at work or on vacation.
Although doggie day care is a good solution for some dogs, it isn’t the best fit for all. If your dog is active, well socialized and on the younger side, day care could be a good option.
Once you’ve determined day care is the way to go, here are some questions to ask doggie day care providers prior to signing your dog up:
How is the facility set up?
- Are dogs separated by size? Do dogs have constant access to bathroom break areas? Is the facility clean?
Are all prospective clients accepted?
- Is there a “trial” period to ensure the new dog will get along with others?
Is medical help readily available?
- In the event a dog is injured or becomes ill, is there a vet on call? Have day care employees been trained in pet first aid and CPR?
How big are the playgroups?
- At a minimum, there should be one trained employee for every 15 dogs. One employee per 10 dogs would be preferable.
How are new dogs introduced?
- Be sure there’s a method in place to appropriately introduce new dogs to the existing “pack”. Avoid any facility that states they just put all the dogs together, they’ll be fine.
The Bark magazine, Jan/Feb 2012 issue was a reference for this post
Does Your Dog Over-Eat?
Friday, January 13th, 2012
Party Marty on the scene, always looking out for the dogs in my life! We recently had an inquiry from a friend who is concerned that her dog over-eats. While her dog is not fat, she thinks that the over-eating is stress and anxiety-related. As such, I put on my detective hat to see what might trigger over-eating in dogs. Here’s what I found, as expressed in bigpawsonly.com:
One reason a dog may over-eat is to beat out a canine sibling in a race to get to the food. (This makes sense for our friend, as the dog in question is usually bullied by the smaller, more aggressive dog in the household.)
The dog could be depressed, anxious, or even suffering from a side effect of any medication he might be taking.
From a physical standpoint, the dog might have internal parasites, a tumor, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease or some sort of internal organ infection.
If your dog is suffering from a sudden bout of over-eating, rest assured that there are steps you can take to help your furry friend overcome this ailment. Of course, it is wise to consult your vet if you think something is out of the ordinary, but in the interim, there are ways that you can control the intake of food your dog consumes:
Reduce the amount of food that you are feeding him.
If you have more than one dog, feed them in separate rooms.
Limit the times that food is left out. Don’t allow for free feeding or grazing during the day.
Get your dog one of those toys that makes getting food a bit of a game and a challenge.
Engage your pet in more physical exercise.
I do know for certain the one thing that would keep ME from over-eating, if I had that problem: fill my bowl with brussel sprouts. Yuck!
Winter Skin Care for Pets
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Winter wreaks havoc on our hair and skin, causing dryness and the dreaded static electricity. We aren’t alone in needing to take special care of our hair and skin in winter, our pets have special needs too.
Here are some tips to help pets look and feel their best during winter:
- The air inside can become quite dry, depleting moisture from pet’s skin and hair, causing dander to increase. To improve your pets skin and coat, brush them regularly and vigorously.
- Give your pet fatty acid supplements to help skin and coat.
- When grooming your dog in the winter, be sure not to cut your dog’s coat too short. The longer coat provides extra warmth.
- If your dog engages in a lot of outdoor activities in winter, be sure to increase his food supply to help keep his coat thick and healthy.
- When bathing your dog in winter, be sure to dry him thoroughly before heading out for a walk.
Second-hand Smoke and Pets
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012
Jessie, the conservative dog with the right attitude: I have to confess. I am not a fan of cigarettes. They smell. They look disgusting. They are hazardous to one’s health…even mine…and I don’t smoke. But if you are pet owner who does smoke, you can be making your dog or cat sick.
As the number of pets in America outweighs the number of people, it’s pretty obvious that folks love their pets, and those who truly do love them would never consider abusing them in any way, right? If you smoke, however, you are hurting them….possibly even killing them.
Oral and nasal cancers claim the lives of hundreds upon thousands of animals unnecessarily every year. Take cats, for instance. With the exception of our own Party Marty, they are quite particular about their overall hygiene and bathe frequently by licking their fur and their skin. When doing this, however, they can ingest the toxins from cigarette smoke. Gross! As such, a high number of cats are developing squamous cell carcinoma, also known as oral cancer.
Dogs are also at risk to secondhand smoke, especially long-snouted dogs that can develop sinus and nose cancer simply because they have a much bigger surface area of exposure to the toxins from cigarette smoke. Dogs with medium snouts are at an increased risk for lung cancer because their sinus passages cannot effectively cleanse the smoke from all of the nasty carcinogens before they reach the lungs.
My advice? Quit smoking if you own a pet that you adore. They will love you for it, and they will be around a lot longer to do just that – LOVE YOU!
Thanks to smokingkills.com for this helpful information. Some days, I just have to speak my mind, you know?
Book Review: Pampered Pets On A Budget
Sunday, January 8th, 2012Pampered Pets On A Budget: Caring For Your Pet Without Losing Your Tail was written by Jeffrey Barnes, a pet vet expert and Kristen Levine, an expert in the field of pet lifestyle.
This book is a quick read at 74 pages, but contains a lot of good information for pet owners. Topics covered include: Choosing Pet Health Insurance, Online Pet Resources and Veterinary Terms and Definitions.
The book is written in laymen’s terms, which is especially valuable in the chapter that covers vet definitions and terms. There is also a highlights section at the end of each chapter.
I would recommend this as a good overall guide for pet owners that want to provide their pets with good care without breaking the budget. The book is available through Amazon.com in either paperback or Kindle version.
A copy of the book was provided for review but there was no compensation given that influenced this review in any way.
Enjoy the Outdoors with Your Dog in Cold Weather! Just be aware of potential frostbite!
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
Jessie, the dog who much prefers the warmer, indoor weather in the cold winter months: Does your dog love to romp and play outdoors even when the temps are frigid? That’s great, as long as he is not out there for too long! A little bit of exercise every day is good, and no dog loves to be cooped up in the house! I know…I am not a cold-weather kind of gal. I prefer to do mall-walking! Shopping is my thing, you know! Can never have too many hair bows!
At any rate, if you do have a dog who doesn’t mind the cold weather, be on the lookout for signs of frostbite. If your dog has a great deal of fur between his toes, it is a good idea to clip some of that to prevent excess snowballs forming between his toes.
After being outdoors, be sure to check your dog’s legs and paws for any signs of frostbite. If your dog is not a bootie-wearing kind of creature, be sure to rinse his paws off. Some of those de-icing products they use on the streets and sidewalks can damage your dog’s foot pads and they can also be toxic if your dog is prone to licking his paws. Be sure to leave a container of warm water in your garage for easy rinsing upon your return home. Then, towel dry each paw.
Your dog can get frostbite on his feet, nose, and ears….just like you can! When frostbite occurs, the skin can appear red, gray, or whitish in color. If you think your dog has frostbite, gently warm his paws or other affected area with your hands or a warm towel. Once the color pink is restored to the affected areas, please consult your veterinarian for further advice and instructions.
Thanks to active.com for this helpful information. Here’s to a fun winter with your dog! If you’re lucky, maybe he will make snow angels with you! Enjoy!
Don’t Let the Winter Weather Deter You from Walking Your Dog!
Monday, December 26th, 2011Jessie the lovable dog with all the news! So…the winter winds are beginning to blow. It’s cold outside. The last thing you probably want to do is go outside just to get the mail, let alone take a walk. However, just as physical fitness is good for you, it is also good for your dog. Just take a few things into consideration before heading outdoors with your pet, and you can still add some fun and fitness into your life during these dark and cold months.
If you have a medium or large-size dog, they are usually more tolerant of colder weather and can stay outside a bit longer than their smaller counterparts. However, do limit their time outdoors in the bitter cold, as, just like you humans, they can suffer from frostbite and hypothermia.
Longer-haired and double-haired dogs can stay outdoors longer than the short-haired ones. Make sure to put a sweater or jacket on your short-haired dogs, and if you want to protect your pet’s feet from the snow, ice, and salt, put some booties on him. They will love you for it.
Even though you will probably not be able to go for the long walks you enjoy in warmer weather, it is still important to get out and get the blood moving for at least a few minutes. Just be sure to gently wipe your dog’s paws upon coming home, especially if he has walked in snow and ice. That can hurt, and so can any salt used to melt the ice if it gets stuck in his paws.
Just simply take a few precautions. If it is too cold for you, then it is too cold for your dog, but if you can tolerate the cold air briefly, then by all means, let your dog go out with you! Who knows? He may enjoy a romp in the snow!
Happy Holidays! Stay warm! Stay fit! Stay tuned for more fun information in 2012!
Overland Park Pet Care
Joy of Living provides pet sitting, dog walking, pet taxi and matchmaking services in Overland Park, KS and surrounding areas. This is also the blog of Karen Harrison, owner of Joy of Living and her pets, Bo and Jessie. We blog about pet care and the special bond between people and their pets.
-
Follow Us!
