Archive for the ‘Pet Articles’ Category

Cold weather can be tough on outdoor pets especially when the snow or rains starts falling and the temperature starts to drop rapidly. Here are a few tips to help keep your pets more comfortable if you are unable to bring them inside.

Older pets are more susceptible to weather they may have aching joints and the cold weather will aggravate the problem. Be sure to provide some sort of shelter like a dog house or a shed if you are unable to bring your pet indoors. The dog house should have a flap over the door to help insulate it and keep the cold air out.

Don’t forget about your outdoor cats, they need shelter from the cold as well. While it can be more difficult to provide shelter for outdoor cats because of their nature, they can be trained. No really!

If you have indoor pets they may have need of some winter clothing if they have to go outside when nature calls. They make adorable yet functional sweaters, raincoats and even boots.

If you don’t have boots for your pet wipe off their paws when they come in from the outside if it has snowed this will help keep the salt off their tootsies which can chap the pads of their feet.

 November is national Adopt-a-Senior Pet Month so if you are looking to adopt a pet from a shelter this month take another look at an older dog or cat instead of a younger pet. Around Christmas time many folks often get puppies or kitties as Christmas gifts for their children however this isn’t necessarily the best time.

Usually families are extremely busy around the holidays and training a new pet can be a frustrating experience. Instead consider the possibility of adopting an older pet. While they may need to learn the ropes and in’s and out’s of your particular household the hard work has been done.

There are many benefits to adopting senior pets, including:

They have calmer temperaments and better manners. But don’t let their calm side fool you: Senior pets are still very active, but they are less likely to have that puppy energy that challenges even the most patient owners. Seniors often enjoy just lounging with their family or going for short, quiet walks.

Senior pets are easier to train and maintain their focus. Younger dogs especially have short attention spans, while older dogs learn quickly and are eager to please.

Older pets settle into your household a lot easier. Dogs are often already house-trained and will know how to ask to be let outside, and cats will know how to use their litter boxes. Older pets also are past the chewing and scratching stages and are content to find a soft place to nap.

You’ll have more time for yourself and to enjoy your pet, instead of cleaning up after them, attending to frequent bathroom breaks, teaching them manners, and all the other stuff that’s necessary when you have a youngster.

What you see is what you get. You know how big your dog or cat is going to be, his or her temperament and personality, and their activity level.

Senior pets have a lot of love left to give and form bonds easily.

Senior pets usually need less exercise and have less energy than their younger counterparts.

No matter the age, pets provide us with love and companionship and improve mental and physical health. In addition to the benefits of the heart, independent studies have shown that owning a pet can lower blood pressure, reduce stress levels and depression, increase physical activity and lengthen your lifespan.

While you may feel that you will get less time with an older pet put that thought out of your head, pets are considered seniors generally around the age of 6 – 7  that’s many years left to enjoy. Naturally if you find a dog or cat that are in their last years look at it from the pets side you are giving them a loving home for the remainder of their lives and it could be the best years they’ve known.

So adopt a pet from a shelter and try to find a senior dog or cat first if at all possible they have just as much love to give as a wee one.

Click here to visit the original source of this post

 

Did you adopt a pet from a shelter? Was it a senior pet or babe? Let us know!

With the high cost of veterinary bills these days having pet insurance is smart, if you are planning to purchase pet insurance compare the price and the policy before you buy. Most pet insurance companies give you free quotes on coverage use these comparisons to figure out which pet policy would be the best for your pet and your family. If possible compare 3 to 5 pet insurance companies before you make a decision.

If you’ve never had a pet emergency then you probably aren’t sure how expensive veterinary bills really are these days. It’s one thing to know that you have to get your cat or dog shots annually, or spay or neuter your pet but it’s another thing if all of a sudden your pet gets hit by a car, or gets ill.

You may have to take money out of your savings account or put the bill on your charge card to pay for the emergency. Having pet insurance would take the sting out a high veterinarian bill and help reduce your out of pocket expenses.

Cheap pet insurance is not always the best option in turn the most expensive policy may not cover everything you need either. As each pet insurance policy is different check and see if your plan will cover the basics

Routine checkups
Illnesses
Vaccinations
Spay or neuter
Prescription drugs
or if your pet gets lost will they cover your pet

Another option would be to check if the pet insurance policy covers travel, if your pet travels with you will the policy pay if something happens to your pet while on vacation.

The older your pet is a higher premium you will charged, you may need to decide if it’s worth the benefits that the plan covers they may be minimal. So when you get a young cat or dog its best to ensure them right away.

You may also want to check if you can customize your plan, as some may come with coverage you may don’t need.  I will use the example above if you never take your pets with you on vacation then perhaps you can get a discounted rate if it’s covered in your insurance.

You should also taking consideration the hereditary and breed of your animal as some pet insurance policies may exclude hereditary conditions for example poodles have a tendency to go blind in their old age. Also check the pet insurance policy for pre-existing conditions coverage just like in people insurance your pet insurance may not cover a pre-existing condition. Perhaps your sweet little pet has asthma and one company won’t pay but another pet insurer company will, that is the importance of comparing pet insurance companies.

I know this seems stressful but think of the money you can save in the future, vet bills nowadays can go into the thousands of dollars…you’ll put yourself in a financial bind if you’re caught unawares. Pet insurance is important since it may help pay bills if your cat or dog gets sick, has an accident or covers routine preventive care.

Don’t forget that when you’re comparing pet insurance to look at the deductible’s, coverage limits, and co-pays while one insurance may be a few dollars more a month it may have no co-pay and a lower deductible which saves money.  Another consideration for pet insurance claims is whether they pay per incident or annually. Like with regular insurance your deductible may only be $200 but it’s $200 each time you take your animal to the vet, not per year.

While no one wants to believe their pet may get sick or injured it is a good idea to check into pet insurance for peace of mind.

What are worms and how do you treat worms in cats?

Worms are evil parasites that feed on your precious cat, the three common form of worms found in cats are roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms.

What do worms look like in cats?

Roundworms look like spaghetti I know that sounds gross and you usually won’t notice them unless your cat throws up and then you’ll see them. Given that kittens often have roundworms because of their mothers you may have to worm your kitten every 2 to 3 weeks until they’re about three months old to get rid of the roundworms. Worming kills the adult worms but not the eggs, if your vet recommends doing it over a few times don’t be surprised.

Hookworms are exactly what they sound like they hook themselves to your cats intestines and feed on the tissue. Your cat may experience weight loss, his coat may be poor, and your cat can get anemia because of blood loss. Anemia will weaken your cat especially if it’s a kitten, which can lead to other illnesses and disorders.

Hookworms can be transmitted to people so it is important to treat your cat so your family is not at risk. Hookworms attach themselves to the skin of your cat and burrow into the skin, this is also how humans can get worms. If you have young children at home and have a sandbox make sure the lid stays in place when not in use. Because cats love using a warm sandbox for kitty litter and if your children play in the same sandbox that they could be infected with hookworms.

Clean your litter box daily and always wash your hands afterwards.

Tapeworms are caused by flea infestations and are little harder to spot you may not notice the symptoms right away. You need to pay attention when your cat is cleaning themselves around their hind end. If you notice some white rice looking things those are tapeworms. If you do not get rid of your flea problem is possible that your cat will get tapeworms again and again.

What causes worms in cats?

Outdoor cats often get roundworms because they like to hunt they could be eating infected prey or finding eggs in the soil. Cats that share litterboxes can get worms from each other, which means all of your cats will need treated if one cat tests positive for worms.

How to get rid of worms in cats?

Getting rid of worms in cats is not as difficult as it seems there are over-the-counter dewormers you can buy either in pill or liquid form. They also make natural medicine if you want to go the homeopathic route, and of course you can take your cat to the vet and use what they recommend. Sometimes they will even worm your cat for you, other times they’ll send you home with some medicine.

How often should you worm your cat?

Answers may differ depending on where you get your information some recommend every 2 weeks until 3 months old for kittens. Once every three to six months for indoor cats, and for outside cats every 1 to 2 months.

Some over the counter dewormers like Profender treat all 3 types of worms at the same time so you don’t need multiple medications.

How do I worm my cat?

If you are lucky enough your cat will just eat the pill, some folks wrap the pill in meat or a treat, and it helps if there are two of you one to hold the cat and one to give the cat the pill or liquid wormer.

Here’s a video to show you how to give a cat a pill, the video isn’t very loud but the steps are simple. Firmly but gently wrap your hands around the cat’s mouth use one hand to open the mouth, tilt the head back and place the pill in the cats throat – sounds easy doesn’t it? Good Luck!

Get worm medicine delivered right to your door to treat worms in your cat

Tips to Build a Dog House

1. Don’t substitute a doghouse as shade they are not the same thing. When summer rolls around make sure you provide some form of shade for your dog, either using a tarp or a tree.

2. Make sure your dog can stand up and turn around if not your dog house is to small. Your dog door should be about 4 inches wider than your dog otherwise he or she won’t be able to get inside. Plus if you offset the door it will help keep the wind out too.

3. If you live where the winters get cold use a carpet or mat to protect the dog door from the weather, and make sure you have something comfy for then to sleep on either chips, shavings or a blanket.

4. After you have worked hard building your dog house make sure it is raised up off the ground so rain doesn’t get into your house, you can use brick or concrete blocks they don’t rot.

 

Click to Build a Dog House just like the one in the video http://petfountainreviews.com/recommends/doghouseplans