Friday, January 28, 2011

What To Do And Not To Do When Giving Your Pets Supplements

Choosing the right supplement for your animal can be a challenge, but is worth the effort. A supplement can help your pet live a longer and healthier life. With assistance, finding the correct supplement can be a lot easier.

The information on this article has been written to assist you in finding the right supplementation for you pet. Here are some ideas to help you along the way:

How much an animal weighs has a lot to do with how much of a supplement it would receive. Most supplements are given according to weight. A pet that weighs more would require more supplementation then a pet that weighs less.

The way a supplement is administered is an important factor. Many supplements require being mixed with water for the animal to drink. If this is the type you choose, be sure to follow the directions carefully for mixing the right amount into water.

There are other ways to give your pet its supplementation. One of these ways is by mixing the supplement into the animal's food or putting it into a treat. By hiding it in food, you ensure that your animal still receives the benefits of its supplement.

There are picky animals that refuse to eat certain things. If your animal is one of the choosy ones, it can make it difficult to ensure your pet receives its supplementation. A supplement that is not taken does not help your pet.

A great resource for help and information if you are having problems getting your pet to take its supplement is your veterinarian. A veterinarian can offer advice and different strategies for you to use. Your veterinarian can show you how to give the supplement as well. Once your pet is receiving supplements regularly you should see improvement in health.

When your pet takes a supplement regularly it will be healthier. After reading this information, perhaps it will not be so difficult for you to find a supplement and administer it to your pet. There are resources available to give advice and help. If you can not get your pet to take the supplement then it cannot help make your pet healthier and happier.

Responsibilities Of A Good Pet Owner

Every individual has different wants and interests when it comes to nurturing a particular pet. Along with that is the accountability that you must shoulder while handling it. Human as we are, harmless animals also need our love and care just like a little child and not only our love but also the attention that we must render while they are living with us in our home. We all know that animals have their own characteristics, abilities, distinction and behavior. They differ in skills, type of food and so on but all of them have the same basic requirements that an owner must provide. For instance, having a puppy at home is fun but along with that, you must take your puppy outside for a morning walk or other form of exercise to maintain a healthy and energetic body.

We must admit that as an owner, we should have enough funds to support the needs of our pet. Ownership is a long-term basis. It does not end in purchasing a bird or turtle in a shop. Right after that, there is still maintenance that you should accomplish in order to sustain its good health condition. Never be in a hurry in selecting and buying a particular animal that you want to nurture. You still need to consult a veterinarian once you already brought one in your home. If it is a dog, then it must be given an anti-rabies vaccine to prevent further problems that could harm the entire family. That is why animal assessment and check up is very important.

Giving adequate food and water is also part of your liability as an owner. Since they cannot roam around to look for food and shelter on their own, you must provide them the comfort and security that they need. Pets have their own daily requirements just like us. There is a high possibility that they will execute odd behaviors if you cannot satisfy their daily needs. If you are not patient enough to treat an animal well, then maybe pet ownership is not a suitable task for you. Ensure good treatment to animals. The government has already made some laws that will inhibit the people from doing harm or hurting the animals. Once you bring an animal to your home, its care is already under your liability. Therefore, be strong and confident enough to assume that responsibility. There are pets that are highly trainable such as dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. Teaching them with some routines and habits is also part of your duty.

Pet ownership requires flexibility and patience. It will take some time for your pet to master a particular skill. Being determined and persistent in teaching them is a good quality of a responsible owner. When problems arise, you flexibility will be challenged. You must handle the situation under your control without hitting the pet. Treat them right and you will surely gain their loyalty in no time. Giving up is not an option if you truly love your pet even if it is your first time.

Pet Urns - One Way To Remember That Beloved Companion

Pet urns are fitting keepers of your pet's ashes. When a friend passes away, each animal owner makes a choice between cremation and burial. Because cremation allows the remains to be easily transported in any move or new situation, many pet owners choose cremation and look for a suitable pet urn.

Animals are not just pets, they are friends and companions. Each one is unique and touches our lives in different ways. Companion animals teach us to care for them, and show us love in many ways. When one of these special friends pass on, although it is painful, we have the comfort of knowing we touched their lives as much as they touched ours. We can also keep the memory of them alive with an appropriate urn.

There are many shapes, sizes, and designs of pet vessels available. The best pet urns can be customized, engraved, painted, or fixed with a pet name, photo, or some heart-felt words. Some artists can even provide a choice of phrases and quotes so each pet owner can find one which best suits his or her pet. Finding the right one will be up to each owner to discover the urn that best suits his or her tastes, needs, and individual friend.

A pet urn is a special way of saying goodbye, but also says that you love your departed one and choose to honor the memory of your sweet friend and loving companion. While no one wants to have to say goodbye, our pets teach us that to love and be loved is also to let go when the time is right. Honoring your animal's ashes with a custom urn or a lovely hand-picked vessel will soothe the ache and help you keep your companion forever in your memory.

Pet Odor And Hair - The Only Solution For Both

If you've ever visited someone whose house smelled of pet odor, you know that the first whiff of air you smelled made an impression that you still remember. And if you took off the clothes you wore and found hair all over them, you probably made up your mind not to visit again. If you are a pet lover and your home has pet odor and hair issues, here's a solution that will work.

Even if your house and your pets are meticulous, pet smell, hair, and fur can really make people stand-offish about visiting your home. Even if you clean daily, pet hair and odor are continuous issues, and even when you're not cleaning, these particles and smells are being generated. So the best solution is something that will clean up both these pollutants as fast as they are generated.

The answer is to clean the air with a purifier designed to remove both particulates and odors. Let's deal with the particles first. Not only are fur and hair an issues if you have a warm-blooded pet such as a dog, cat, bunny, bird or ferret, but dander is as well.

The hair and fur are visible, but the dander is not. However, the protein in these small flakes of dead skin is a highly potent allergen and can make your home intolerable for those who are allergic to it. And prolonged exposure to all of these particles can create sensitivity where none previously existed.

The best type of air cleaner for particles is a HEPA (abbreviated as high efficiency particle arresting). To receive this designation, it must be able to remove 99,997 out of every 10,000 airborne particles that are.3 microns or greater. This type of filter easily traps pet hair, dander, and fur as well as other household particles such as dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, pollen, bacteria and viruses.

Now let's talk about the odor. Pet odor, particularly urine, can be tenacious and seemingly impossible to control. If you are used to cleaning up after accidents happen, this puts you behind the eight-ball in terms of how your home smells. And even if you are able to completely clean the area, it will still take a while for the smell to dissipate, and meanwhile the way your home smells is not good.

Again, using an air cleaner that can continuously filter out the pet smells, especially urine, keeps your air smelling fresh all the time, even when mistakes have happened. Carbon filters are well known for their ability to eliminate gaseous pollutants. A carbon-based filter with an additive especially designed to eliminate pet urine smell is the only solution that you can count on to work.

Since particles and gases are two different types of matter, your air purifier should be able to eliminate both odors and particles. This means selecting a purifier that contains filters that can remove both.

Using an air purifier that can work 24 hours every day to clean the air means less hair, fur, and dander to clean from surfaces and vacuum from the floor. And it means that each time you open the door to your home you can be confident that your air smells fresh and clean.

The Responsibilities Of Caring For A Long-Haired Pet

I have been blessed with the good fortune of growing up around many, many animals. I loved each of my cats and dogs (and hamsters and gerbils and finches and so on), but some of them certainly required more responsibility than others. That was especially true of my long-haired companions.

Many people mistakenly believe that a little extra brushing is the only requirement for a healthy, happy animal. There are, however, a few more things that you should be aware of if you have a long-haired pet or intend to adopt one in the future. Let me fill you in.

Daily grooming is, indeed, very important. Make it a priority to brush your critter for about 20 minutes each day. I know better than most what a stink your dogs and cats might make, but it will be easier if you keep this regimen up. Imagine what it would be like if you have to combat tangles and mats. Many animals will grow to enjoy your little routine, making it easier on everyone involved, though you may want to recruit some help until you know how s/he will react.

When you go on vacation, make sure your pet's routine doesn't get interrupted. It doesn't take much for mats to begin developing, so be sure to select a dog boarding facility that will offer bathing, brushing and/or grooming of your furry friend while you're away.

Critters with a longer coat are also more prone to developing issues with fleas and ticks that go undetected. As you already know, parasites frequently transmit diseases, but more commonly, they are a severe irritation that can make life miserable for pets and people alike. That is why it is vital to keep all of your animals on preventative medicines.

If you start seeing signs of fleas or ticks in your home, contact your vet right away. You will probably want to have an exterminator treat your home to help prevent re-infestation. Even if you are taking preventative measures, it would be wise to do a regular inspection of your pet's coat once a week.

Animals with long fur that spend a great deal of time outside are definitely prone to getting foreign objects stuck in their coats. Usually this involves no more than burrs or small sticks, but if are buried deep enough, they can scratch or otherwise aggravate the skin, so don't forget to do a brief checkup after outdoor romps.

Fur of this sort can mask wounds from other sources, too, so it's important to always be aware of your pet's behavior. They will show it when they've been injured, even if the visual isn't obvious.

What Is Heartworm Disease?

Today, pets are considered members of the family. Our dogs and cats are like our children and we have to keep up with their vet visits and general care. But if you have pets, you have to be aware of the diseases that many dogs and cats are prone to catch. One of the most awful diseases a dog, and yes, even a cat can catch, is Heartworm disease.

Heartworm disease can be developed in dogs and cats that live in an environment where there are many mosquitoes. Mosquitoes carry Dirofilaria immitis, the larvae that causes this disease. If a dog or cat gets bitten by these mosquitoes, they can become victims of Heartworm disease. The larvae begin the development of the disease and are transferred directly into the pet's skin when the mosquito bites them and feeds on their blood. As the name implies, this disease primarily affects the heart and often the lungs, even the liver. Symptoms might not appear for months after the animal's been bitten, but when symptoms finally appear, the disease is advanced. The growing worms take residence in the heart and lung arteries and that's when complications start. They will cause respiratory distress and finally heart failure.

The disease is easily preventable. Owners need to be aware of the areas they leave in and medicate their pets if they're in areas with large mosquito populations. They should give their animals Heartworm preventative drugs. The vet will check for the presence of Heartworm first, and if all's clear, he or she will give Heartworm prevention medication. If you haven't given these to your dog or cat and you leave in a mosquito prone area, there are specific symptoms that you can be on the lookout for. The most common signs that your pet could be affected by Heartworm disease include a decrease in overall energy level. Your pet easily gets tired and has difficulty breathing. He or she could also be coughing constantly. Look out for weight loss and a swollen belly.

It's a terrible disease and the treatment to cure it once it's taken hold is usually very harmful to the animal. Sometimes the pet doesn't survive the treatment itself. But you have to keep in mind that it is very preventable. It used to be that you could only find Heartworm larvae carrying mosquitoes in southern climates, but now, it's become a global problem. Even areas where you wouldn't suspect the presence of mosquitoes have seen a rise in abandoned houses with unattended pools that become focuses of infection. So, why risk it? Give your pet a once a month treatment for Heartworm and avoid having to go through the nightmare of having a sick pet, and the treatment necessary to cure it.

Fighting Obesity

If your pet dog or cat has been looking a little rounder than usual, chances are it did not become that way on its own.

Obesity is caused by a variety of reasons, most of them preventable in nature, If not treated, obesity can lead to a whole host of other problems such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. As with humans, the two main cause of obesity in dogs and cats are a lack of exercise and unhealthy diet.

Many owners over-indulge their pets with treats, not knowing where to draw the line. When dealing with the issue of how much to feed pets, owners must judge their pet individually, looking at factors such as lifestyle and activity level, tweaking the food intake as required.

As mentioned earlier, lack of exercise and activity also contribute to this problem. As animals grow older, their metabolic rates slow down, producing fewer results for the same amount of exercise they did when they were younger. Owners should encourage their pets by bringing them on walks or engaging them in physical activities, the level of activity, of course, consistent with the kind of breed and age of the animal.

Although neutering or spaying dogs and cats does not directly cause them to become obese, such animals do have higher susceptibility to obesity as sterilization removes a food inhibitory hormone (a hormone that prevents them from overeating from their system. As such owners of such pets should take extra care in monitoring their pets' food intake.

A common mistake many owners make when judging whether their pets is overweight is by weighing them. Although weight (based on what is typical of that breed) can be an indicator, a visual check of the pet's body would be a more reliable measurement. If your dog or cat has a sagging stomach, no waist and you are unable to feel its ribs easily, it might very possibly be overweight. From a side or aerial view, a dog or cat of a healthy weight should have a streamlined body shape.

Veterinarians use a body condition score known as BCS to determine if the animal is an ideal weight. A trip to the vet can help confirm the condition of your pet and he/she can help you come up with a plan to combat this disease.