Daily Paws

Pet news, tips, entertainment and opinions from VetLocator.com

Archive for the ‘Pet Health’ Category

Keeping your Pet Safe this Halloween

Wednesday, October 31st, 2012

The scary night is almost here!!!!!  Make it a fun and safe evening by keeping these safety tips in mind:

1.  Make sure you have your pet either safely tucked away in a kennel or spare room with music or TV playing in the background, so they are not too disturbed by trick or treaters.  A dog on the loose, barking and getting agitated is no fun for the dog, the trick or treaters or for you.  Sometimes your dog or cat can escape when you open the door to give candy, so secure them safely and enjoy the night.

2. Keep an eye on candy and party food around your pet. Chocolate can be toxic to dogs and so can the sweetener xylitol. Rasins and grapes also pose serious health hazards and are common to find in treats kids bring home.  Candy and food wrappers smell good and can present a choking hazard. And anything I didn’t mention when consumed by a pet can make them sick.  Keep pets away from this stuff.

3.  If you are having a party, keep an eye on alcoholic beverages.  We’ve all seen or heard stories of different animals who like to drink.  How sad that their owners allow it, not to mention that sometimes this can lead to a pet’s death.

4.  Decorations, candles, cords, dangerous hazards.  Halloween, like Christmas, has lots of opportunities for problems to pets and humans.  Keep your house and yard kid and pet safe when you decorate.

5. Keep your emergency numbers at hand for your pets in case you do have a problem that night.

Have a happy and safe Halloween from all of us at VetLocator.com Daily Paws!!

Q: Is it dangerous to feed a puppy or a dog raw meat?

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

appetite 2

 A: This subject is controversial. There are those who feel that a raw diet is a natural one for dogs and will only feed raw, and there are those who disagree, including many veterinarians.

Recently, the American Veterinary Medical Association adopted a policy advising against feeding raw diets to dogs and cats.

They issued a statement which reads: “The AVMA discourages the feeding to cats and dogs of any animal-source protein that has not first been subjected to a process to eliminate pathogens because of the risk of illness to cats and dogs as well as humans.

Cooking or pasteurization through the application of heat until the protein reaches an internal temperature adequate to destroy pathogenic organisms has been the traditional method used to eliminate pathogens in animal-source protein, although the AVMA recognizes that newer technologies and other methods such as irradiation are constantly being developed and implemented.

Animal-source proteins of concern include beef, pork, poultry, fish, and other meat from domesticated or wild animals as well as milk* and eggs. Several studies reported in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated that raw or undercooked animal-source protein may be contaminated with a variety of pathogenic organisms, including Salmonella spp, Campylobacter spp, Clostridium spp, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus aureus. Cats and dogs may develop foodborne illness after being fed animal-source protein contaminated with these organisms if adequate steps are not taken to eliminate pathogens; secondary transmission of these pathogens to humans (e.g., pet owners) has also been reported.

Cats and dogs can develop subclinical infections with these organisms but still pose a risk to livestock, other nonhuman animals, and humans, especially children, older persons, and immunocompromised individuals.

To mitigate public health risks associated with feeding inadequately treated animal-source protein to cats and dogs, the AVMA recommends the following: Avoid feeding inadequately treated animal-source protein to cats, and dogs restrict cats’ and dogs’ access to carrion and animal carcasses (e.g., while hunting) Provide fresh, clean, nutritionally balanced and complete commercially prepared or home-cooked food to cats and dogs, and dispose of uneaten food at least daily practice personal hygiene (e.g., handwashing) before and after feeding cats and dogs, providing treats, cleaning pet dishes, and disposing of uneaten food * The recommendation not to feed unpasteurised milk to animals does not preclude the feeding of unpasteurised same-species milk to unweaned juvenile animals.”

While we personally have not heard of dogs or cats becoming ill from eating raw meat, there most certainly will be some. Just as there are dogs and cats who become ill from canned food that is tainted or spoiled.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which diet you choose for your pets… and often, your pet will have a lot to say about it too!

Important! Human Medicines can be poison to pets

Monday, August 6th, 2012

Here is an excellent article on how medications that we humans take to help with health challenges can sometimes help but can often harm our own pets health.  We have received questions from pet owners over the years asking if it is ok to give their pet *** or *** and we always say “DON’T”  not until you talk to your vet first.

Below has good information on what some of the more common medicines found in our homes can do when our pets get them:

Dr. Dorothy Black, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), shared suggestions for keeping cats and dogs safe from potentially toxic human foods. This week she discusses some common over-the-counter and prescription medications that are toxic to pets.

“Many homes have these medications, and it can be surprisingly easy for pets to get a hold of them,” Black said. “Whether pets open bottles, chew on tubes, lick topical medication, or just pick up dropped pills off the floor, these medications pose particularly dangerous threats.”

Even the most common over-the-counter medications can be dangerous. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as naproxen, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin can be highly toxic to dogs and cats.

These human medications can have profound effects on the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver, and hemoglobin in red blood cells. Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote and an overdose often requires hospitalization and supportive care.

Most cases of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories toxicity have a prognosis of “good” to “guarded” depending on clinical signs.

“It is best not to give any NSAIDs to pets, unless under the direct supervision of your veterinarian,” Black said. “And keep medications out of the reach of pets. Pets are naturally drawn to objects that we touch often and pill bottles are regularly handled, so they carry our scent.”

From:  http://bdtonline.com/pettalk/x1962241690/Human-medicines-can-be-poison-to-pets

Pet Training Pads: Making a Good Thing Better

Monday, August 6th, 2012

If you’ve ever experienced the ordeal of house training your dog, pet training pads have to be part of your training tools. These are absorbent pads that are chemically treated to entice puppies and dogs to use them instead of peeing on the floor. They are an excellent alternative to using newspaper because they absorb the liquid, and the waterproof backs on the pads protect your floor from unwanted moisture and odor. They are even treated to entice your dog to use them.

Pet Training Pads Get Even Better

Believe it or not, there are ways to improve on this innovative dog house training tool. For those who are a little squeamish about the idea of adding to a landfill by tossing the training pad every time their dog urinates, there are washable reusable pet training pads. These are much like the pads used in hospitals or sold at medical supply stores for patients suffering from incontinence. They are made from layers of absorbent cloth with a water resistant back, so these pee pads are just as effective as their disposable counterparts.

The difference is that these pads can be washed and used again and again In fact; they are designed to continue to work effectively for up to 300 washings. Purchase a few of these in the appropriate size for your dog, and rotate them so that you always have one or two clean. In fact, you can even purchase pads that have attractive designs, like paw prints or plaids, or you may choose to purchase solid colors. This is a nice feature since pee pads will become a part of your general decor during your dog house training time.

Play it Safe with a Pee Pad Holder

Pee pads are great at keeping the wetness of the floor, but sometimes your puppy gets too close to the edge, and the moisture may leak off or get trapped beneath the pad. A pee pad holder will stop this from occurring. This is a flat pan that comes in a variety of sizes to go with whatever pet training pads you buy. You secure the pad to the pan and around the outside lip of the holder. If your puppy gets too close to the edge, the urine will flow back into the pan, and there is no risk of the wetness getting caught between the floor and the fabric.

Choose the Right Pet Training Pads for Your Dog

A pee pad holder comes in different sizes because the pads come in different sizes. Obviously, a mastiff puppy will need a larger pad than a Chihuahua will, so there are small, medium, large, and extra-large pads. Be sure to choose the pad that is right for your dog, and you will have a better chance for success. It is because of these intuitive enhancements and options that these pads are such useful tools. You and your dog will experience far less stress as you go through this training period with the help of these innovative pee pads.

Why Does America Ignore Pet Health Insurance For Their Pets?

Monday, July 16th, 2012

by asterix611

 There are millions of pet owners inside America, nevertheless, the massive most refuses to have pet insurance; this really is peculiar whenever they are liked like any additional individual inside the house. Every American knows how significant it is actually to organize wellness insurance; when which is the case, shouldn’t the dogs ought to be looked following also?

This is an often-overlooked location plus considered superfluous by some; this attitude promptly changes whenever these pet owners are presented with all the bills for treatment. Many folks forget how much the expense of taking an animal to the vets for treatment has risen inside latest times; even the number one pet insurance services have, consequently, improved their costs.
The increasing expense of security is 1 point to consider, however, is there any others? Anyone who owns a domestic animal should be prepared for health issues occasionally; the more we have, the better the opportunity is, plus when this does happen a couple of occasions a year, you’ll shortly see the savings decrease.

When you see oneself inside this predicament, a choice might need to be made; we learn, which treating the animal usually spot financial stress about, we.

This condition occurred to me a couple of years ago whenever I was searching at spending 1 1000 $ to protect my dog; though he is an element of my family, I did question at the time (I feel ashamed now), when the expense was worthwhile. Effective treatment inside these cases is not guaranteed; operations about animals could fail often.

The financial aspect of hunting following a pet is anything, which should be considered carefully; this really is a lot more relevant in the event you are experiencing financial issues. Raising (sometimes) big sums cash is confirmed to be financially embarrassing specifically whenever you have cash problems; that may indicate consulting a relative or friend for the revenue.

Ensuring the pet receives the treatment it needs ought to be each owner’s aim; setting up a pet wellness insurance program, might offer peace of notice, because this cannot be an issue again. Although pet healthcare insurance fees are increasing they are not going to break the bank; for about 40 $ (or Less) monthly expense of health care is assured.

Nearly all-pet healthcare policy is tailor-made to suit individual circumstances; possibly, to include multiple pet found on the same program. Many companies like Pet Plan, VPI Pet Insurance, plus ASPCA, provide quite flexible deductible, premium, plus payment plans.

Hopefully, this particular article makes pet owners think again regarding their responsibility; you might absolutely be providing this topic certain severe consideration.

Petiquette & pet safety tips for the 4th of July

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

Today is going to be a great evening of bar-b-ques, fireworks and get-togethers.

We hope you and your friends and family have a wonderful time, but want to remind you to make sure your pets are safely tucked away before all the noise begins. 

In the event that you and your pets are able to accept holiday invites together too we thought we’d share some petiquette tips you might find handy.

1.  The very first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure it’s ok with your host that you bring your pet with you.
2.  Next make sure he/she has a collar with an ID and that the ID has correct information on it.  These days it’s an excellent idea to use a cell number rather than a home phone number since your cell phone is usually with you and you can be reached quickly in an emergency.
3.  Put your vet’s phone number and an emergency vet hospital number into your cell phone to have it handy in the event you need it.
4.  Try to find out who’ll be at the party in case you need to make plan changes (for example people with babies, small kids or other pets can change things, including whether you should bring your pet with you).
5.  Bring along pet essentials like food and water bowls, a leash, handy wipes and cleaning stuff and pet waste bags.
6.  I like to bring some special treats with me.  Folks like to feed my dog, so I give them some of his healthy treats to make sure he’s not getting junk.
7.  Pets can make a mess sometimes so I keep a couple of baggies handy for the expected and unexpected messes and also have a lint roller in my pet kit because my dog has been known to shed.
8.  It’s not a bad idea to have a crate handy so your pet can be safely secure if things get crazy.
9.  If you notice your pet becoming tired or agitated, secure him in a closed room or his crate if you aren’t able to take him home.
10.  Don’t let pets wander around cooking food. Not only can it be a problem for the cook, but your pet might accidentally eat something that’s not good for him.
11.  Always be aware of where your pet is during any event.  Pets can become nervous and bolt in unfamiliar surroundings.  Also, like children, there are times when they’ve had enough and it’s time to go home.

Now for some personal peeves I’ve experienced attending events where certain pets should not be.  I’m titling this short list ****If your dog has any of the following problems, please leave him/her at home.

1.  Incessantly barks at other people, dogs, birds, cats, etc.  A barking dog that won’t quiet is distracting and the owners that won’t remove the dog are just plain rude.
2.  An aggressive animal.  If you know your dog – or cat – is aggressive, LEAVE THEM AT HOME.  Period.
3.  Your pet is ill or has not been feeling well.  Besides the obvious point of an ill pet might be a contagious pet, outings can be stressful and can make your pet’s health worse.  Leave an ill pet at home with a sitter and not in a kennel.
4.  The event will have people who are fearful or allergic to pets – See #1 above.
5.  Your pet is having a bad day – everyone does and our pets are no exception.  If you see that your pet is having a bad day, give him/her a break and let them stay home.

If you decide to leave your pet at home while you attend a party or other event, consider the best options for him while you’re gone.

  • If he’s not used to being home alone, you should leave for short periods of time to prepare him/her to being by themselves.
  • If you’ll be gone for any length of time you may want to consider keeping your pet at a kennel.  This is a good option for social animals that don’t stress about being away from home.
  • Additionally, for animals that are going to a kennel and may not be used to small spaces, consider getting a crate ahead of time to prepare the pet.
  • Arrange play dates for pets who might not be used to having other animals around. Send along an item that smells like home for a pet’s stay at the kennel.
  • Kennel spots should be reserved early for the holidays. If you’ve not used a particular kennel before, check into their safety measures, such as video surveillance, fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
  • Make sure your pets are up-to-date on their vaccines, and find out if any others are required for their kennel stay as most kennels will request proof before allowing your pet to stay.

Pet sitters are a good option for animals that do better at home or if you have several pets that you’ll be leaving.  If you decide to hire a pet sitter, here are a few tips:

  • Ask for references, find out what services the sitter provides and do your standard due diligence before hiring.
  • Prepare an emergency card with all of the information the sitter might need including Vet, Emergency Vet, your contact info and a close neighbors contact info, medications your pet needs along with their dosages.
  • Don’t wait till the last minute to introduce your pet to the sitter. Pet sitters should meet the pet ahead of time and be introduced to see if there are any personality issues between pet and sitter.
  • Then, while you are away, make sure to check in with the sitter during a time you know he/she will be there and let your pet hear your voice.

And with all this advice, here is one more for you.

Have a wonderful holiday and a great week that is shared with family, pets and great friends!

Linda

VetLocator.com

Cat Food Facts You Should Be Aware Of

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012
Korean (Cat) Food
(Photo credit: Taekwonweirdo)

There are many competing cat food products on the supermarket shelf vying for your attention and asking you to buy them. I’m sure you know what I mean, they have their full-color pictures of happy looking satisfied cats that are in peak health condition because they eat the XYZ brand of cat food. But are you getting the best cat food for your pet?

What none of those pretty packets tell you is that cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must have the nutrients that are found in animal protein just to survive. By protein, I mean meat, chicken and fish, the flesh of these meats, not the by-products. In the wild cats eat the meat of their prey, just as they do when they find a mouse around the house.

Good quality cat food should list the actual meat such as beef, lamb, tuna, turkey, salmon, chicken, etc. that is in the tin or packet you buy. Chicken meal is actually considered to be the single best source of protein in commercial pet foods. If you only see the words ‘meat and/or meat bone meal’ on the packet, be aware that this can legally include animals that are road kill, have been euthanized by vets and ground and rendered in factories. Some rendering factories also use diseased, dying and decayed animals to supply to pet food companies.

Dry Cat Food

Cats don’t have the teeth to chew their food like we do. Their teeth are designed to bite and swallow so a diet of dry biscuits is going to be a problem for them. Not only can they not chew the biscuits; their bodies lack specific enzymes for carbohydrate digestion and metabolism. Cats lack a salivary enzyme called amylase, which are used to digest carbohydrates. And almost all cat food biscuits are primarily carbohydrates. Cats can utilize the carbohydrates, but their body and digestive tract are suited for protein and fat.

Cats who are fed dog, rabbit or other types of food are at high risk for blindness and heart disease due to insufficient amounts of taurine in their diet. Taurine is a very important amino acid and will be found in commercial cat foods. Other diseases such as obesity, food allergies, diabetes, and heart disease are just some of the diet-related diseases that appear to become an epidemic in our cats all over the world due to poor nutrition.

Are You Saving Money By Feeding Cheap Food?

If you are feeding your cat on a cheap food with low quality ingredients, it will need more of this food to get the nutrients required. As a result, you will end up buying more food, which will either end up costing you the same amount as better quality food, or in many cases, more than if you were feeding your cat a diet with healthy, high-quality ingredients.

Another thought to keep in mind is that a cat who eats more food will produce more waste, which means more work for you to clean the litter tray and therefore, more money spent on cat litter.

A cheaper but fewer healthy diets can also contribute to serious health problems that will end up costing you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in veterinary bills and prescription drugs for your cat.

Remember your cat is a part of your family and is dependent on you for its life. Investing in the best-quality cat food you can afford is a better alternative than the heartache and shortened life span that comes with taking shortcuts or buying inferior food. A cat is for life and the joy and love it brings to you, and your family should not be underestimated.

Avoid these Food to keep your Cat’s Urinary Tract Healthy

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

by nifwlseirff

What is the right kind of cat food for urinary problems? This is something every cat owner should know. By giving your cat the right kind of food, you can make sure it stays healthy for a long time. This is true, especially in the case of urinary infections. Let me tell you what you need to do as a cat owner to help your cat stay away from urinary problems.

First of all, you need to understand the way a cat’s body works. As you know, cats usually feed on mice. What many people do not know is that nearly 3/4th of a mouse’s bodies are nothing but water. So, cats, by nature, are designed to eat food that contains high-water content. It is nature’s way to keeping them hydrated adequately. This is the reason why you do not see cats that live in the wild get urinary tract infections or other such as problems. In other words, food with high-water content is the best cat food for urinary problems.

Now, think about the kind of food that most cat owners feed their cats – commercial processed pet food, which is full of artificial chemicals, coloring agents, preservatives, and other such as things, which are not needed for the cat’s body at all. Most importantly, most of these commercial pet foods are dry. So, by making your cat eat this kind of food every day, you are literally making it vulnerable for urinary problems Now, let us come back to the question – what is the right kind of cat food for urinary problems? Let me tell you.

Start by limiting the amount of processed food your cat eats. Switch to unprocessed, raw food which is ideal for your cat’s health. Unlike processed food, fresh food does not alter the pH of cat’s urine, and hence it is safe for cats. This is why it is considered the best cat food for urinary problems. Furthermore, give your cat lots of high quality canned food with high-water content. Above all, make sure your cat drinks plenty of clean water. Since tap water is badly contaminated with a variety of bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, and poisonous chemicals, it could be harmful to your cat’s health. So, make sure you give your cat plenty of clean, filtered water to drink.

Apart from giving the right food, you can give your cat some natural health supplements, which will strengthen its urinary system and prevent urinary problems. From my experience, I can safely say that homeopathic medications are the best choice. They are effective, safe, and cheap as well they can treat infections very effectively and prevent recurring infections as well. So, a regular dose of these healthy, natural supplements will make your cat a lot stronger for sure.

I hope the article answered the question ‘what is the right kind of cat food for urinary problems.’ It is very simple – give your cat plenty of raw food to eat, clean water to drink, and a regular dose of natural health supplements. This will make sure your fluffy cat stays disease-free for a long time.

How Salt Act As a Control Agent for Flea

Friday, June 22nd, 2012
Boric acid crystals

Flea season is on you. Anybody that has ever had an infestation knows you must fight fleas from several angles to control & eliminate these hopping, opportunistic parasitical insects. The most effective agents inside reducing flea populations is regarded as the many safest: Salt.

Can it be selected effectively against big infestations of fleas? Yes. Salting plus vacuuming floors& furniture eliminates the flea’s eggs by dehydrating them. Should you take this route-you are satisfied with results. You’ll need to be diligent & persistent with treatment to be actually powerful. However, with perseverance, it may be performed.

Flea eggs hatch each three days, thus by sprinkling the floors for at smallest nine days, vacuuming every third day for nine days, takes we by the complete life cycle of flea existence. Be certain plus clear a vacuum following every cleaning or the insects might simply spider back out plus re-infest the house! You are able to equally salt porches, doghouses plus kennels to kill eggs & keep flea control. Borax functions because an alternative to salt, however, has a limited cautions. In significant humidity regions, you might have to employ a dehumidifier with all the salt treatment for the employ to be efficient.

Once the cycle of breeding, laying & hatching is contained in the treatment, the flea is greatly reduced inside population size. In truth, nearly all the fleas left can be found about we or a pet at this point plus is manually removed. Comb from we pet’s coating with a flea comb. The unique comb is surprisingly fine toothed plus catches the fleas between the tines. Keep a glass of soapy water nearby to wash the caught fleas off into. If you take the pet to an expert to have them groomed, a bathtub is an efficient method to eliminate body fleas from a pet.

How to kill fleas utilizing salt: Obtain certain very processed home salt or sea salt. Ensure it really is because finely ground because potential, virtually to a powder consistency. Sprinkle it lightly, nevertheless, evenly over a carpet. Brush or rake it inside. Leave this inside the carpet for 12 to 48 hours, then vacuum completely.

Salt may attract dampness, thus never leave it inside for pretty lengthy inside rather hot or humid conditions. Otherwise, you’ll end up with salty, wet carpet.

For severe infestations, salt is mixed together with boric acid. This chemical is found inside an amount of commercially-available treatments, including Borax. Utilize the same technique because with processed salt; however, consult the carpet producer to ensure the carpet may withstand boric acid. While boric acid is usually non-toxic, long-term, low-level exposure to boric acid may result from certain wellness conditions inside people plus dogs, thus this treatment ought not to be employed frequently.

Fleas, furthermore, cannot survive cool temperatures over 90 degrees. Closing up the entire home about a dandy summer day will kill all the fleas we have inside a house.

How to Assist a Sick Parrot

Monday, June 11th, 2012

 

A pet Sun Parakeet (also known as a Sun Conure...

Pet parrots could receive sick only like any additional bird. These are typically fairly delicate. A sick parrot usually try their right to conceal their ailments, unlike other dogs.

 

Most of the time, inside the wild, sick birds fall prey to predators. Other instances, inside purchase to keep the group secure, they are kicked from the flock by their other birds.

It is extremely important to keep a vigilant observe about the pet parrot. A tiny change inside the behavior or demeanor of the bird can absolutely be a extremely drastic plus fatal change to him by the time we see it.

If we see any these changes then it really is important to instantly bring it to the attention of the veterinarian. Should you cannot locate a vet instantly you ought to be capable to take care of the parrot properly. During that time, there are a couple of points which you need to keep in your mind.

1. Keep the bird warm: The standard as well as the most crucial information is to keep the bird warm. When the bird is sick, he loses his ability to keep himself warm.

Be surprisingly certain which no air vents are facing towards a bird. Should you cannot manage to receive the area temperature high then it’s greater to purchase a sunlight lamp heater from 1 of the regional pet shops.

The red glow of the lamp refuses to distract or keep a bird awake, however helps you to keep them calm plus warm. Also make sure the lamp is far enough away which the parrot refuses to come inside contact with it accidentally.

2. Perching problem: If a sick parrot is having troubling perching then it happens to be best advised to put it inside a hospital cage. Hospital cages are small than normal cages yet nonetheless have food bowls, a perch plus water.

An aquarium made from glass functions question because it offers them a strong platform to sit about plus assists in greater heat retention. Additionally keep in your mind to heat about just 1 side, thus which when 1 side gets too hot then a parrot may move to the additional side.

3. Hydrate: Whenever they are sick, birds conveniently loose strength. Additionally they become dehydrated plus it is very significant to keep water level inside their body about because significant a level because potential.

You may give them a Pedialyte answer, it assists quite often. See whether the bird takes it or not, then utilize an eye dropper to feed him the answer. Pay attention which we never force its mouth open or force too much inside at once.

4. Bleeding: If the pet is bleeding, then initially you really need to find the source. In nearly all of the situations, it seems to come out within the nails, feathers or beak.

If the nail is only chipped off, then apply styptic powder. In a case, whenever it breaks a blood feather, it is actually close impossible to create it stop. Pull the feather within the base of the bone. Before carrying this out wrap a towel about it. Next receive him checked with a veterinarian because shortly because potential.

Although this last treatment falls more below the category of initial help, it really is however important to understand. The above usually aid whenever you see oneself dealing with a sick parrot.

 

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Deacon

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