Essential Fatty Acids and Pets
Essential Fatty Acids and Pets Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fundamentally important for all animals. EFAs play a major role in the maintenance of healthy coat and skin for cats, dogs, and horses. Cell membranes in the animals’ skin, fur, nails and hair are made from essential fatty acids. Like...
Flowers & Plants that can be Harmful to Cats
Cats love plants the way dogs love chocolate, which is strange because cats are mainly carnivores. However, though most animal species learn to stay away from things that make them sick, cats will eat plants over and over with the same results. Does this sound familiar, you lactose-intolerant people...
Foxtail Grass Dangerous to Dogs
If you have dogs, keep the foxtails out of your lawn! Foxtail grass is a common annual grass usually considered a weed. It grows one to three feet tall, with branching and some spreading at ground level. Leaf blades are 4 to 15 inches long. Flower heads are dense...
Fur Not Good Sunscreen
Fur Not Good Sunscreen You might think the most important bit of dog health advice would be to let your furry loved one spend all day enjoying the outdoors. But you’d only be half-right. You know we must protect our children and ourselves from the sun. But do you know that...
Genetically Modified Corn in Pet Food
Genetically Modified Corn in Pet Food Rats Fed Genetically Modified Corn – GMO Corn According to the Huffington Post, 88% of corn now grown in the U.S. is genetically modified (GM). Why should pet owners be concerned about this? Well, scientists performed studies on rats, and after feeding genetically modified corn...
Hearing and Your Pet
Hearing and Your Pet Ever catch your cat staring at a blank wall and wonder why? More than likely she was listening to sounds coming from inside the wall. Did you know that a “whole tone” (like in music) that we can hear, a cat hears it as 10 separate tones. A cat...
How Sweet It Is
It’s that time of year when grocery stores will quadruple the amount of candy on their shelves and costume stores that struggle all year round will flourish. Soon, our young witches, warlocks and cute cadavers will roam the night in search of sweet things. So, best prepare because they...
How to Control Ants Without Poison
How to Control Ants Without Poison Ants are pests in the house. In the home common ants aren’t harmful, but they are a nuisance. There are many natural repellants which can be used to discourage ants from kitchen counters, pantries, and other areas where food lures them in. As a first step...
How To Get Your Pet To Strike The Pose: Tips for Photographing Your Pet
How To Get Your Pet To Strike The Pose: Tips for Photographing Your Pet By Ian White If you have ever tried to take a picture of your dog, you will realize how hard it is to capture the pups full personality and beauty in a photograph. Dogs aren’t human, and they don’t understand...
How to Select the Best Dog for Children
Duke the Corgi Are you preparing to bring a dog home to your children? Did your neighbor tell you they have free puppies, all you have to do is come over and choose one? Or did your children see an adorable puppy in the pet store and are now begging you...
How to Select the Perfect Kitty Companion
Congratulations! You’ve decided you want to adopt a kitty companion. That’s great! Kittens are wonderful pets, providing companionship, love and affection. That said there are some key things you should consider when adopting your first kitten. Caring For Kitty The first thing you have to acknowledge is that owning a kitty does require...
How to Stop Your Cat Spraying
How to Stop Your Cat Spraying The cat backs up to the door, lifts the tail and releases a fine spray of urine. Yes, your cat is spraying. You have a problem. But one you can solve. Figures from the British Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors say that aggression in dogs...
Is Garlic Safe for Pets?
Is Garlic Safe For Pets? Garlic There is a lot of controversy surrounding pets and garlic. Some sources believe that garlic is toxic to cats and dogs and that it should never be used in food or supplements. But garlic has been used for centuries as a medicinal aid, so can...
Is Your Pet Bored?
Bored Pet Many pets live in households where family members are away during the day. Both parents work away from home, and the children attend school. Dogs and cats end up being home alone during the day, sometimes all day, with little to keep them occupied. So, pets can become...
Is Pet Dental Health Really Important?
Is Pet Dental Health Really Important? Many veterinarians stress the importance of oral hygiene because tooth and gum problems are common medical conditions seen in pets. If left unchecked, an unhealthy mouth can affect the liver, kidneys, heart and even the brain. So when you lean in to give your pet...
Is Your Pet Living a Green Life?
Tips for Helping Your Pet Live a Green Life: 1) Buy natural pet food & treats. 2) Use chemical free, natural products to bathe and clean up after your pets. 3) Buy biodegradable poop bags to pick up after your pet. 4) Purchase your leash, collar, toys and beds made from recycled materials. 5) Wipe...
Is Your Pet’s Dental Health Really Important
Is Pet Dental Health Really Important? Many veterinarians stress the importance of oral hygiene because tooth and gum problems are common medical conditions seen in pets. If left unchecked, an unhealthy mouth can affect the liver, kidneys, heart and even the brain. So when you lean in to give your pet...
Itching and Scratching the Winter Away
Itching and Scratching the Winter Away It’s that time when pets and humans are more vulnerable to each other than ever. Since this is the chilliest month of the year, animals are more likely to be cooped up in the house — and us with them! All of the windows...
Jerkey Treats and Dog Deaths
DEET and Drug Amatadine in Dog Jerky Treats The Veterinary News Network recently published a story which claims: “Chicken jerky treats consumed by dogs that became sick have been found to be tainted by the insect repellent DEET and the drug amantadine, according to a veterinary pathologist leading an independent...
Kennel Cough in Dogs
Bugsy and Fin The condition commonly known as “Kennel Cough” is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that dogs can contract. The disease is not serious in most cases, however, and often resolves itself after one to two weeks. The accepted medical term for kennel cough is tracheobronchitis, indicating a form...
Kids and Dogs Safety Tip Sheet
Teaching children the do’s and don’ts regarding animals is among one of the most important lessons you’ll ever teach them. Animals are everywhere and though many are domesticated, this does not automatically make them safe. For example, in the US alone, 1-2 million dog bites occur annually. Today many homes are raising...
Kitty’s Body Language
Kittens communicate in a very distinct way. Did you know that every twitch, every purr, every motion actually means something… at least to your kitten! The key to building a devoted and caring relationship between you and your kitten is understanding how kittens communicate. Let’s discuss the primary mechanisms a...
Learning the Cat Language in 10 Easy Lessons
Ever wonder why your cat rubs against your leg? Cats speak to us mainly through body language. Each cat is different, but here are some basic cat language signs and what they mean: 1. Eyes Half Closed – If you are talking to your cat and she looks back at...
Litter Box Strategies for Disabled Cats
Cats that are blind, partially paralyzed, have a missing limb, or very old can develop litter box problems that affect you as well as them. Owning one of these special kitties is challenging, but you can develop solutions to work around cat litter box issues. This article will touch upon some...
Litter Training Your Adopted Kitty
Here are some tips that may help with litter training an adopted kitten: Have the litter box set up before you bring your kitten home. The box should be in a quiet place away from the eating area. When arriving home with your new kitty, show her where the litter box...
Looking After the Pets During the Holidays
Pet care during the holidays For all those who are planning on being away from home during the upcoming holiday season there are a few things that need to be looked at to ensure the welfare of pets. This article only looks at the situation of being unable to take...
Lyme Disease in Dogs and Cats
What is Lyme Disease? Lyme Disease (not Lyme’s Disease) is caused by a spirochete called Borrelia. A spirochete is a type of bacterium. It is transmitted to dogs through the bite of a tick. Once in the blood stream, it is carried to many parts of the body. It is...
Traveling With Your Pets
Traveling With Your Pets? Are you going for a trip? Do not forget about your pets! You are responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. No matter whether you are bringing with you a tiny white mouse or a huge toothy crocodile, that’s one of your first and important obligations to...
Our Pet’s Bones and Joints
Our Pet’s Bones and Joints In many ways, scientific study of anatomy is a celebration of the body’s ingenious architecture. Just the mere fact that babies are born toothless for the practice of breast feeding and then sprout teeth months afterwards is a suggestion that such phenomena that occur in...
Over Weight Pets
Overweight Pets Is your cat or dog looking a bit pudgy? According to the Association for Pet Obesity, 58% of all cats and 54% of all dogs in the United States are overweight or obese. Our pets are becoming increasingly overweight, and this excess weight can cause as much damage to a...