Archive for the ‘General Pet Care’ Category

It is what about nine weeks until spring?  Spring will be here before you know it. We all know that dogs of all ages need stimulation and activity, both physical and mental.  Let’s start right now, make a New Year’s resolution to our canine companion to get out and learn, walk and play together.  Dogs of different ages need fun and games for different reasons.  For a puppy, everything is new and each game is a discovery and a learning experience.  For the mature dog they seem to value the interaction and camaraderie with other family members on outings.  For the canine senior citizen, activity helps to keep their senses sharper and also keeps their remaining energy and enthusiasm at a higher level.

It’s not necessary all fun and games.  At the core of your activities there needs to be an element of learning, obedience and training.  What do you think when you hear the word “core”?  Hum, it makes me think of doing abdominal exercises.  Well really, we have to keep our core strong, if we want to be strong.  What this really means is combining education, training, and play.  This severs as a schooling period for puppies and young dogs, reinforces and sustains training of the adult dogs, and helps older dogs adapt more easily to the challenges they face with aging.

So when you take your dog for a walk down the street, or out in the backyard for a game of fetch, or to the park for a game of Frisbee, obedience is vital.  The basic command such as sit, stay, come, leave it, or heal is so important.  Just think about how not-fun it would be if your dog didn’t obey the basic commands.

If your canine companion could use some brushing up on the obedience routine or if you’ve got a canine companion that needs to start from “square one”, there are several places in the area such as the Lawrenceville Kennel Club, PETCO, PetSmart, BarkBusters, and US Canine.  You may also contact the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (ADPT) at http://www.adpt.com for more information.

Look for future articles on sports for your canine companion such as Rally-Obedience, and Fly Ball.

http://www.petsit.com

http://www.adpt.com

It is important to consider how the seasonal weather affects your pets.  We have to remember that there are cold weather dangers, and our pets can become victims of improper shelter, lack of fresh water, antifreeze poisoning, frostbite and even hypothermia.  Here are a few tips that can help keep your pets warms and happy.

Winterize their Skin and Coat:

• Check the pads of their paws for cracked pads, broken nails or snow and ice damage.
• To distribute natural oils to our pets fur, brush their coat often.
• Protect their paws by having them wear booties.

Winterize Pet Shelters:

• If you have outside dogs you can add straw for insulation to doghouses.
• If you have outside cats you can provide a snug, warm bed.  Be sure the bed is not directly on the cold ground or concrete.  Your local pet stores carry outdoor heated beds.
• Watch for antifreeze leaks, it tastes good to animals, and is deadly to pets or wild animals.
• For indoor pets, always remember to maintain supervision when there is a fire in the fireplace.  Use protective fire screens.
• For yours and the pet’s safety install carbon monoxide detectors, and fire alarms. Be sure to test and replace the batteries at least two times a year.  Perhaps choose a time to replace batteries such as when the time changes, in the fall and in the spring.
• Pets are more sensitive to temperature changes than we are, so keep the temperature level.

Winterize them against Frostbite

• Frostbite affects their ears, toes, tails, scrotum and areas least covered by fur.
• Signs of frostbite on yours pets include red swollen areas or skin that is very pale and white.
• Immerse the frostbitten area in warm, not hot, water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Call your veterinarian.

Winterize against Hypothermia

• When pets are exposed to very cold temperatures and or the wind is blowing for an extended period of time.
• Some symptoms might include shivering, low body temperature, drowsiness, exhaustion, and stumbling.
• Raise the pet’s temperature to treat hypothermia.  Hot water bottles, warm towels, or immerse the pet in room temperature water, adding warmer water slowly.
• Get the animal to drink warm liquids.
• Call your veterinarian.

Winterize Your Pet

• Many pets have increased appetites during cold-weather months so provide extra food.
• Go ahead and dress your pet up in sweaters, raincoats, hats, and booties for paw protection.
• Have their nails trimmed regularly so that they will be able to maintain their footing in icy conditions.

Pet Sitters International http://www.petsit.com

I remember my first bearded dragon I had to care for while pet sitting.  I had such a fascination with them thus I wanted to share this article for both my fellow pet sitters as well as those thinking of owning a beardie.  I would love your comments.  I agree with Jennifer about this being a great lizard to care for if it is your first lizard.  Perhaps that is why it was such a pleasure to pet sit for.  Perhaps in the near future I will have my own beardie.  This is a great Bearded Dragons Care 101 article written by Jennifer Cosculluela.

A great choice of pet for beginning lizard enthusiasts and reptile hobbyists who are more experienced, bearded dragons do require special care. Pet beardies are docile reptiles that breed well in captivity. This is a great choice for pet owners that are thinking of adopting a bearded dragon.

Dragons that are properly cared for can live for up to twelve years. If you are a new bearded dragon pet owner, you need to learn how to care for your pet properly. Properly caring for your bearded dragon includes giving him the proper enclosure, substrate, food, water, lighting and temperature.

Diet

The proper diet is very important for properly caring for your bearded dragon. They are omnivorous which means that they eat insects, vegetables and fruit. You can purchase or catch the insects yourself, although it may be safer to buy insects since the ones you catch yourself may have been exposed to poisonous insecticides. Other insects include cockroaches, earthworms, wax worms, king worms and mealworms. You can feed him all the crickets he can eat in ten minutes and do this for three times daily. Fresh vegetables need to be administered every day.

You can put a pinch of calcium dusting on his food, since he needs this to grow as well. Your beardie cannot recognize standing water, and misting his food with mineral-rich water will keep him hydrated. He also recognizes water dripping down leaves, so you can spray plastic plants with water as well. Keep in mind that too much water is harmful for your bearded dragon, however, since they originate from the dessert.

Housing

For your beardie’s housing, provide him with the biggest enclosure that you are able to afford and accommodate. For hatchlings, aquarium-type tanks that are between ten and fifteen gallons are good enough. Adult bearded dragons, however, need a terrarium that is between fifty and fifty-five gallons large. Being semi-arboreal, enclosures need to be rectangular, which means that they need to longer rather than taller.

Make sure that the housing you provide has a screen lid rather than using wood, glass or Plexiglas, which hinder air circulation. For the flooring or the substrate of your enclosure, do not put sand if your beardie is under the age of six months old, since they tend to eat sand at this age. The best flooring substrate would be paper towels, vinyl or tiles.

Lighting

Proper lighting is one more aspect of bearded dragon care that you need to take into consideration. Aside from a bright daytime light bulb, your lizard requires a special UVB light to manufacture the vitamin D3 it needs to metabolize calcium. To properly care for your bearded dragon, you need to provide it with fourteen hours of very bright light and ten hours of darkness.

Temperature

Gradient temperature in the enclosure of your pet also needs to be provided. Bearded dragons are cold blooded and move from one side of his cage to another in order to keep his temperature even. One side of his space needs to be between ninety-five and one hundred degrees Fahrenheit for basking, while the other side needs to be between seventy-five and eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit. In the evenings, the temperature needs to be lower than seventy degrees Fahrenheit. The area for basking needs to be between one hundred and one hundred-five degrees Fahrenheit.

Brumation

Dragons do not hibernate but do tend to slow down during the wintertime. This means that they may take a few weeks off and barely touch their food and hide away. This only applies to adult bearded dragons since younger ones under eighteen months of age need to eat regularly.

Jennifer Cosculluela is a freelance writer and author of several publications both online and off. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Cosculluela

Holidays can be extremely fun for humans but may pose hidden risks for pets.  These eight tips will help keep your pets safe this holiday season.

Don’t be a turkey on “Turkey Day.”

Holiday treats, such as rich, fatty scraps, bones from pork and poultry, alcoholic beverages, chocolate and other sweets and candies can be harmful or toxic to pets.

These foods have been linked to pancreatitis in pets.  Signs and symptoms of an inflamed pancreas include vomiting and abdominal pain.  Severe pancreatitis requires emergency care and treatment.

Oh (No) Christmas Tree!

Below the tree, in the tree, on top of the tree, around the tree, you name it, and the Christmas tree poses the possibility of harm to your pets.  Pine tree water can be poisonous, so it’s best to use an enclosed tree stand. If that’s no possible, be sure to cover the open tree stand base.  The tree should be secured to a wall with strong wire or twine because a toppling tree can cause serious injuries to dogs and cats.

Decorations can be dangerous as well.

Tinsel, entices canines and felines alike.  Glass ornaments look like shiny fetch balls.  Ornaments, hooks, twinkling lights and electrical wiring all pose significant danger to pets.  When no one’s around to supervise, unplug lights and any electrical decorations a pet has access to. Be sure to cover or tack down electrical cords.

Remember, common holiday pet poisons also include plants.

Holiday plants that are poisonous to pets include mistletoe berries, holly, hibiscus, Christmas rose, as well as the poinsettia.  Keep these out of your pets reach.

Sugar free doesn’t guarantee a happy ending.

Xylitol, a sugar substitute, causes a dogs blood sugar to drop quickly.  This poisoning can be treated, but causes liver failure if not treated properly.

Macadamia nuts aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Dogs experience severe weakness in their back legs, appearing paralyzed, after ingesting macadamia nuts.  Dogs usually recover from this condition within three days.

Pets and bread dough don’t mix well.

When bread dough is ingested it continues to rise and may cause an intestinal blockage.

Consider your pet’s long-term health when treating and feeding during the holidays.

While the tendency is to spoil with a lot of food and edible treats, this can sometimes lead to unnecessary weight gain.  Give your pet a special toy or spend some extra time playing and petting instead.

Following these valuable tips will help keep pets out of danger, while still enjoying the festivities that accompany the most wonderful time of the year!

Compliments from your Professional Pet Sitter, 2 Paws Up Inc.  “We stay home so you don’t have to!” This article was provided in its entirety by PSI, Pet Sitters International.  You can find PSI on the web at http://www.petsit.com

You have decided to take your dog on your trip.  What do you need to keep this a low stress event?  This could be a major hassle if you don’t make the right choices.

1.    Plan ahead for accommodations.

Check with the hotel/motel to be sure they allow one or multiple pets and if they have a weight limit. Check with friends or family to be sure they are welcomed, and have a pet friendly home so they won’t have to be placed in the garage or tied up outside.

2.    Collar with ID.

The collar should have your dog’s name, your name, current phone number, as well as current proof of rabies shot. Microchip your dog is another great thing to have done. We will talk more about Microchiping in a future article. Carry a vet identification card or papers. A must is to have their collars with their ID tags on whenever they are outside.  No matter how well behaved your dog is outdoors when away from home have a collar on your dog.

3.   Car safety.

Insure the safety of your pet in your vehicle by purchasing a dog car seat, or a dog car harness, or a dog crate.  Your pet will be more comfortable with the use of this equipment as well as more protected if your car has to stop suddenly.

4.   Train your dog.

Your dog should be well-behaved during the trip.  You should have basic dog training before a trip.  Your dog should know basic dog commends like, sit, stay and down.  Before embarking on a long trip, be sure to take short fun trips in the car.  Take your dog to the park.  I have never met a dog who did like to go to the park for a walk.

5.   Don’t forget the dog supplies.

Food, water, dog bowls, collar, leash, plastic bags for poop, medications, favorite dog toys, and treats.

6.   Preparedness.

Emergencies can happen so be prepared when traveling with your dog.  Take a Pet First Aid and CPR class, have an emergency kit, and prepare a list of veterinary hospitals in the area where you will be staying.