- 10 Realtime And Reliable Photo Search Engines http://t.co/HoGUk218 via @zite
- Here they come to save the day! 10 Pet Heroes http://t.co/y3eMGNA2 via @zite
- Check out this article: Kemper’s director leaves http://t.co/CE7Usqk0
- This would've been very cool, I think....Steve Jobs' Dream Of iCar Revealed (VIDEO) http://t.co/ANCjjpwi via @zite
- Dogs helping their people..Dog Is Lifesaver for 3-Year-Old with Diabetes http://t.co/8HUXJWYW via @zite
It’s The Day To Talk Spay
On National Spay Day, we wanted to give you some reasons to spay or neuter your pet:
- > A dog or cat as young as 4 months of age can get pregnant.
- > Litter mates can produce a litter!
- > Cats typically enter their first heat between 4 to 6 months. A cat will usually have 2 to 4 heat cycles a year, each about 15-25 days in length. If breeding does not occur, these heat cycles will reoccur every 15 to 20 days and it is possible for these cycles to to repeat every 3 to 4 weeks. Based on these figures, one unspayed female and one unneutered male can be responsible for 420,000 kittens during their lifetimes!
- > Dogs typically enter their first heat between 4 to 6 months. These cycles last, on average, about 3 weeks and will usually have them every 4 to 7 months.
- > Dogs/cats spayed before their first heat have less than 0.5% chance of developing breast cancer (mammary cancer)
- > At least 50% of the overpopulation problem is non-neutered males. Females can’t do it alone.
So, as Drew Carey (and Bob Barker before him) says it the end of EVERY Price Is Right episode, have your pet spayed or neutered!
Information for this post from spayorneuter.com
Your Smile Is Blinding!
Bolt, Yorkie-Poo guest columnist: Hey! I finally had my teeth cleaned the other day. My vet strongly recommends this, especially for us smaller breeds, as we tend to have more problems with our teeth and gums. I am here to tell you from first-hand experience that it was easy and that I feel great! Now, my humans don’t say, “Ewww….Bolty Boy….your breath stinks!” I feel happy, confident, and ready to take the world by storm!
I am just so grateful that my humans did this for me, as it makes me feel better and it is helpful in preventing gum disease and other diseases that could result from bacteria getting into my bloodstream from my mouth. Plus, if this aspect of pet care is neglected, your poor pooch may have to face some serious tooth extractions. Not a road I would advise going down. You do want to still enjoy your treats, right?
Like I said…at the risk of sounding pompous, I look amazing! I am ready to put up my profile pictures on a dating site now!
Take Care of Your Dog’s Teeth & Save a Bundle!
Jessie, the money-conscious dog: Simple math tells you taking care of your pet’s teeth is part of the equation when it comes to good oral health care, vet bills, and other related costs. A typical cleaning of a dog’s teeth can cost $75.00 -$350.00, depending upon the difficulty of the job.
The average insurance claim submitted by those with pet insurance for dental care is $292.00!
If there’s advanced periodontal disease, surgery or extractions can cost $1,000.00 or more, not to mention the additional pain and suffering for your dog!
Drum roll, please…..Daily brushing with dog toothpaste costs roughly $30.00 – $60.00 a year.
So, all I am suggesting here is that taking care of your pet’s teeth at home on a regular basis can save you tons of money in the long run. You wouldn’t skip a day cleaning your teeth, would you? Why would you risk the health of your pet? Think about it. Once you do the math, it should give you and your pet something to smile about!
(Thanks to costhelper.com for these great stats!)
5 Ways To Save Money On Pet Expenses
- 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).
5 Signs of Tooth Resorption In Cats
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
Winter Skin Care for Pets
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
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
Pampered 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.
Vinegar-Natural Solution of All Sorts of Things
I received my January 2012 issue of Whole Dog Journal the other day and found a great article about vinegar, the apple cider variety in particular, and how many different ways it can be put to use. Following are some of the suggestions from the article:
- If your dog is suffering with fleas, spray, pour or dab apple cider vinegar on him, being sure to avoid eyes, nose and mouth. Work it into his coat and leave on for a few minutes, then bathe him with a gentle shampoo.
- To reduce dander, try massaging full strength cider vinegar into his coat before bathing him.
- Did you know vinegar can help with muscle sprains, abrasions, or sore paw pads? Apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area with cotton or a sponge and reapply as needed.
- Some people give their dog a daily dose of cider vinegar and have reported very positive results such as elimination of tear stains, reduced amount of fleas, and increased mobility in older dogs. The recommended dosage is 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon per 50 pounds of body weight. Experiment to be sure your dog doesn’t suffer side effects, if so, discontinue the daily dosage.
- Vinegar is great for deodorizing and refreshing pet bedding. Spray bedding with vinegar prior to washing or add to laundry once in washer.
These are just a few of the many uses for this natural ingredient. For more information, check out The Vinegar Institute website, versatilevinegar.org or the Whole Dog Journal, January, 2012 “Sour Greats”.
Don’t Let the Winter Weather Deter You from Walking Your Dog!
Jessie 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!
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