Fur Isnt Such a Good Sunscreen
August 31, 2008
You might think the most important bit of dog health advice would be to let your furry loved on spend all day enjoying the outdoors. But you’d only be half-right. You know we must protect our children and ourselves and from the sun. But do you know that leading canine health experts now say that the most important dog health advice they can give is to protect your dog from the sun, too?
Dog Health Advice: Identifying Dog Sunburn
Like us humans, dogs need sunlight to help balance their bodies’ levels of calcium with their metabolism. Yet too much ultraviolet radiation can irritate our dogs’ skin as it does our own, causing sunburn.
Identifying Dog Sunburn:
Dog sunburn begins as redness and hair loss.
Where sunburn first appears:
bridge of the nose tips of the ears belly.
Dog Sunburn Dangers
aggravates any existing skin problems skin ulcers (sores) infection cancer.
Sunburn and Dog Breed
Should You Buy Dog Health Insurance?
August 30, 2008
Should you seriously consider buying a dog health insurance policy? Yes, you should. Here’s why health insurance for dogs is a good idea:
Dog health insurance saves you money. As with just about all other costs, veterinary expenses have increased rapidly in recent years. Without dog medical insurance (or more accurately, veterinary insurance), you are responsible for paying for everything: routine checkups, preventive procedures, emergency care and disease treatments. That will run into hundreds of dollars. Why not get some help?
Dog Health Insurance: Quick Cost Facts
Health insurance for your dog, like health insurance for yourself, has annual premiums and deductibles. Pet insurance premiums depend on the breed of your dog and the type of policy you decide upon. If you have more than one dog, there is usually a reduced rate after the first policy.
Dog health insurance deductibles can vary as well. The average annual deductible is about $100. You may choose among different coverage plans which are based on your dog’s age, breed, and pre-existing medical conditions. Some policies even consider the dog’s lifestyle; for instance, whether your dog is purely a pet or a watchdog, too.
Health Insurance for Dogs: Quick Coverage Facts
6 Common Dog Emergencies
August 29, 2008
Sure, you may be a master of human First Aid. But do you know what to do in a dog health emergency?
Approaching Dog Health Emergencies: Two Steps
In any dog health emergency, stay calm and think. Approach the dog cautiously. The dog may become aggressive because of fear or pain. You can’t help the dog if you’re hurt yourself.
Dog Emergency 1: Traffic Accident:
If possible, do not to move the dog. Call the nearest Humane Society or ASPCA office. If the animal workers can’t or won’t come and you must move the dog, slide a blanket under the animal. Lift the animal to safety with the help of another person. Check for a heartbeat and bleeding. Try to stop the excessive loss of blood by holding a clean cloth or pad over the wound and securing it tightly with a makeshift bandage. Take the dog to the nearest vet, calling ahead to prepare them for the emergency.
Dog Healthcare Emergency 2: Burns:
1. Immerse the burned body part in cold running water for as long as possible. 2. If the burn is from a caustic substance, wash it off. 3. Call the vet.
What You Should Know About Dog Health Care
August 28, 2008
Our dogs are now, more than ever, a very important part of our families. We care for them as we care for ourselves. That includes taking a greater interest in our dogs’ health care. In response, there have been many advances in dog health care in recent years:
Preventative Dog Health Care
Annual checkups with routine blood test and dental care go far in catching serious dog health care problems early, increasing the dog’s duration and quality of life. Medicines targeting fleas, ticks, heartworm, and intestinal parasites prevent both the pests and the diseases they cause.
Diagnosis of Canine Health Problems
Dog health care benefits by interested owners conscientiously bringing their dogs for yearly checkups: New and better blood, lab, and x-ray procedures aid the veterinarian in gaining valuable knowledge of what is happening to your dog. New and improved equipment like MRI machines speed up diagnosis as well. Not only do these factors enable more effective care, but they also save you money in the long run because your pet won’t need repeated vet visits to find his problem.
Dog Health Treatment Advances
The Story Of My Amazing Dog Shandy
August 27, 2008
This is the story of my dog called Shandy. He was my favourite pet and he was very lively, lots of fun and very obedient. His main passion in life was to be taken for a long walk, culminating with a big run out in his favourite park.
I would try to take him on this walk everyday, weather permitting. The park itself was about three miles away from our house. To reach the park we had to cross a number of busy roads, however he would never pull or misbehave. He knew where we were heading and seemingly did not want to rock the boat and risk been taken home before he reached his dream destination.
At the park itself I would throw a ball and he would chase it and fetch it back to me.
At this stage I was living at home with my parents, however aged twenty two, I decided to rent my own bungalow near the coast in Devon. This was nearly two hundred miles away from my parents in home in Birmingham. This obviously meant I was no longer in the position to take Shandy on his walk.
Successful Dog Training
August 27, 2008
Dog Training
So, we’ve got a new best friend that needs some dog training. No different than when we were kids. A lot of patience, love, and even some long suffering by we pet parents makes for a successful dog training experience.
Put you new friend at ease and let them know you love them as they do you before starting any routines. That may take a little time in terms of days or even months in some cases. If you little friend has previous life history before it got to you we’re not sure what sort of an agenda our new little buddy has brought with it.
When we got “Charlie” he was a brand new puppy so we didn’t have to be concerned with prior treatment and relationships. Sound a little familiar? Not much different than we people, eh! We need to be understood and loved before we’re ready to be receptive to new information and information. Making changes isn’t easy and changing behavioral patterns is even more difficult. Ask the dieters!
Pet Loss: Should You Clone Your Cat?
August 26, 2008
Clone a Cat, Go To Jail …or at least pay a fine. That’s the goal of animal welfare activists who announced recently that they are seeking state and federal restrictions on the small but growing pet-cloning industry.
The effort has been spearheaded by the American Anti-Vivisection Society [AAVS] (in suburban Philadelphia), and takes aim at companies such as Genetic Savings and Clone Inc., the California company that began to fill orders for cloned cats last year. The clones - which have sold for $50,000 each - are genetic duplicates of a customer’s deceased pet and represent the leading edge of an emerging sector that advocates predict could eventually reap billions of dollars for corporate cloners. The movie, the 6th Day , starring the erstwhile governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, features pet cloning businesses in a shopping mall during its opening sequences. It may soon be the case that life imitates art in this respect and pet cloning franchises may start popping up in common shopping venues. But not if the AAVS have their way.
Lets Get Clear On Proper Dog Care
August 25, 2008
Whether you’re a new dog owner or have had dogs around you for many years, learning about proper dog care is essential if you’re to give your dog the greatest possible chance to enjoy a long and healthy life. The most basic area of dog care is feeding. Unfortunately, many dog owners believe that as long as their dog is being given enough food, everything’s ok.
Too many dogs suffer from brittle bones, bad teeth and joint problems due to being fed the wrong kind of food and therefore not receiving the nutrients that are necessary for them to grow and maintain healthy bones, muscles and teeth. Foods that contain artificial colorants and preservatives often lead to allergies developing and feeding a dog on raw meat alone simply won’t cover his daily calcium needs. A dry food that’s specially formulated to cover the nutritional needs of your dog depending on his age and level of activity is always the best choice. Cheap foods may seem like a good alternative but are often the most expensive choice in the long run. Consider that the dog will generally need more of the cheaper varieties as much of what’s in these foods is ‘padding’ and that the padding will just lead to him having more bowel movements than would otherwise be necessary. Grooming is an important area of your dog’s care.
Protect Your Pets From The Pound
August 24, 2008
Pets are people, too. At least, that’s the way they should be treated by their owners. The sad reality, though, is that a lot people own pets when they’re really not ready to care properly for their little furry friends. Or they just don’t know how to love, clean, and treat a cat, dog, or other animal the right and humane way. What happens to these poor animals? Many end up in shelters, lost and unwanted-to the tune of 6 to 8 million every year according to the Humane Society. At least half of those end up being "put to sleep," to put it nicely.
When they first start out looking to buy a pet, everyone says that they aren’t like that, that they won’t have their pet end up caged in a pound somewhere. If you want to be one of the people who says this and means it, read on. Your commitment shows you are ready to learn how to own a pet. Once you are trained in the following pet ownership basics, then you can take the next step and find the perfect pet for you.
But before you meet this furry companion, take these following tips to heart:
My Fathers Daughter
August 23, 2008
My dad was an avid animal lover. We grew up with all kinds of animals but especially dogs. That is one of the main things I got from my dad. He taught me a lot about the care and consideration it takes in owning an animal and the responsibility involved in doing it right. He never looked at them as simply pets but an extension of family that needed to be treated as such. So needless to say I had tons of animals.
I always felt this remarkable bond with them and see my own son following the steps that his mom and his grandpa took in regards to that. I could see my son being a Veterinarian which is what I wanted to be at his age, maybe a K9 handler which we have discussed. He seems to follow what road I take and is so much like me it is scary. He could and would be a great defender of animal rights simply because he chooses to be that now. He will stand up to a grown man and stand his ground if he thinks that person is abusing an animal. He is, to a point, fanatical about it and he is only 7 yrs old.
