Pet Health Care

Recession hits cats and dogs to

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:25:00 +0000

The recession is not only affected us as people, however, they're also affecting the pets we love.

The new average annual cost to take care of both cats and dogs is approx $1,200 to $1,500 annually for basic needs as food, training, grooming etc. If your pet becomes ill, the vet bills plus medication certainly add up to that as well.

To be honest, in retrospect, considering how much we spend on cable, entertainment, dinning out etc., the average cost, sans vet treatment is really peanuts, however, in this economic times if the money isn't there, it just isn't there.

Humane societies have been having to turn dogs and cats away 'cause owners cannot afford to take care of them anymore, there simply just isn't any more room. Sadly a lot of pet owners whom are giving their pets away is 'cause they have a medical condition and simply cannot afford the vet bills.

Although I sympathize and understand, I don't get it. You wouldn't give your sick child to the orphanage, therefore, why would you do this to your pet? To me Freedom, my black lab, is like my child with four feet. I couldn't imagine if he were sick to do this. When I bought him, I understood the life long financial commitment, something most are either unaware of or aren't prepared to accept 'cause they're taking away by the cuteness and not the logic.

On the other hand some people are forced to give their pets up simply 'cause they've lost their home and shelters will not take pets. Pets are viewed in most shelters as just that, as pets and not like part of children and or family. For the health and well being of the other residents, I can understand where shelter workers and owners are coming from with this. Policy. I'm allergic to cats and would be upset if there were cats running around while residing in a shelter.

Don't cut back on regular care. Prevention is always cheaper than the cure.

4th of July pet safety tips

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Firstly happy Canada Day to our Canadian Customers and happy advance Independence Day to our friends in the US.

The following are holiday safety tips for both cats and dogs. Although most of this was expressed in my Halloween safety article last year, it is worth repeating for this weekend.

Cats and Dogs can get startled with fireworks. If your pet is known to have noise phobia's such as thunderstorms and loud appliances like my black lab Freedom (he hates the vacuum) than fire works will/may raise their anxiety level.

There are a few solutions: Find a Kennel that can house the pet overnight, preferably of course opened during the holiday or simply keep the pet(s) at home.

If you're going to keep the pet indoors, keep it in a room with no windows and a radio or TV in the background as a distraction.

If you must take your pet outside, which is not recommended as some pets can get defensive and agitated due to the noise, keep it on a leash and or kennel if possible.

You can if need be use prescribed tranquillizers or mild sedatives. We offer a natural anti-anxiety supplement called Lessstress which can also be used in such cases, however, these do have limitations and should not be used on a regular basis.

Please note that you should never punish your pet for fearful behavior, this is a natural occurrence to be frightened with fireworks. On the same note, don't reinforce the behavior with "it's Okay" and paying positive attention.

Another important holiday ritual is the all American BBQ. The same rule about keeping pets indoor applies, especially since certain foods are toxic to cats, dogs and or both. Chocolate is the biggest culprit for dogs. Chocolate desserts are the major staple on the dessert table at any 4th of July BBQ.

If pets are outside, please have them tied or kept behind the fence at a BBQ and please educate the guests not to feed the pets. Their intentions are good, however, at potluck BBQ'S, not everyone knows the ingredients of certain foods, therefore, to be careful, preparing a home made pet food recipe from a book is encouraged or feed their regular food to minimize "begging" when the guests arrive.

Happy Canada Day and Happy 4th of July from petwellbeing.com

symptoms of cancer in cats

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:55:00 +0000

I received an information letter/attachment in my inbox the other day, not sure if it was from a customer or a vet whom just wanted to pass some information, however, thought that the information contained would be of assistance to others whom may be reading.

Of course the information below is meant as a guidline(s) for common symptoms of cancer in cats and not intended to replace vet care and proper diagnosis. We are not certified vets, therefore, this information is not intended as positive diagnosis by any any means.

To the person whom originally e-mail us this information to customer care, whomever you are, thank you so much. I am sure our readers will benefit from the information that you have provided.

I speak with more customers on the phone who order our ES Clear for cat cancer supplement than for dogs. The primary reason that more cats have cancer than dogs is that cats are good at hiding a lot of the symptoms associated with cancer that by the time the vet as diagnosed the cat, they're either mid way or too far along.

According to the Veterinary Cancer Society, the following are 10 possible signs of cancer in cats.

Abnormal swelling.
Sores that do not heal
weight loss
Loss of appetite
Bleeding discharge from body openings
offensive odor
difficulty eating or swallowing
hesitation with physical activity.
stiffness
difficulty breathing, urinating or defecating.

Please keep in mind that the above are symptoms are of many other things or could be as well, therefore, if she has abnormal swelling, she may not have cancer, hence why vet diagnosis and testing is important and to ensure best change of recovery for a proper diagnosis.

Do Dogs Cry?

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:26:00 +0000

Dogs cry, however, they do not shred tears the way we humans do. There have been some reports from pet owners of their dog crying or excessive moisture due to stressful situation.

If you're dogs eyes are watery, it could be a sign of an irritant as they do not shed emotional tears. The the correlation between tears and sorrow is up for debate.

Puppy flushed down the toilet London

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:01:00 +0000

In Northhold London, a puppy was accidently flushed down the toilet. Daniel Blair, the cocker spaniel's young owner, decided the puppy needed a bath after playing in the yard so he put the put in the toilet and gave it a wash. The puppy got stuck in the waste pipe for 4 hours. Plumbers rescued the pup who is reportedly doing fine.

I've covered this topic before that puppies should be monitored with their toddlers/young kids, especially in the case noted above.

It is important that when a new puppy is introduced to the home, proper care and education and supervision is required. A puppy is another member of the family, not a toy.

Accidents happen and although both puppy and child were fine, there have been instances that out of defense and accident, animals have attacked children.

Kittens with diarrhea

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:47:00 +0000

The question I receive at least 5 times per week if not more from customers is kittens who have persistent and or chronic diarrhea. This is common in kittens according to on-line at columnist Dr. Richards (unable to locate credentials on-line, therefore, please speak to your own vet in regards to cat diarrhea).

Although this is common, this is serious concern that needs to be addressed with a vet as kittens are more likely to suffer from dehydration from the diarrhea more than adult cats.

There are two types of diarrhea, acute (meaning lasting about 48 hours) and chronic diarrhea that can be long-term.

Diarrhea can be caused by:
Parasites
Coccidia
Giardia
Improper diet
Cow's milk
Viruses
Stomach upset
Food allergies
Feline Leukemia
Colitis
Foreign objects causing obstruction
Bacteria
Stress

Checking for dehydration:
While the kitten/cat is at rest, lightly pinch the scruff of the neck, pull up gently, keeping the cat firmly on the ground.
Hold the scruff for just a few seconds then release.
The scruff should fold down to normal in seconds, if the scruff/skin stays tented up, get your cat to the vet immediately or administer subcutaneous fluids yourself.
You can also check the gums by lightly pressing your finger against the side of the cat's gums. The gum should go white and then pink up quickly.
If you see streaks of white on your cat's gums or the gums are pure white or yellow, get the cat to the vet quickly.
The third eyelid (called the yaw) will also show when a cat has become dehydrated.

What NOT to do:
Do NOT give over-the-counter medications to your cat, unless the vet okays it.
Do NOT deprive your cat of food over 24 hours. You can withdraw food for one day to rest the gut, but any longer your cat stands a chance of developing a worse problem than diarrhea.
Do NOT use over-the-counter wormers, or other pet-aids that you think will solve the problem.
Do not self-diagnose your cat.

How to Keep Cats Out of Flower Beds

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:48:00 +0000

Because all cats have different personalities, likes and dislikes, some methods may work well with some cats and not at all with others. It's a case of trial and error.

1. If you have bare soil cover it with gravel, pinecones or slate chippings etc, it will discourage digging.

2. Gather up many pine cones and place them amongst the flowers.

3. Cats hate the smell of citrus. Get yourself some oranges and scatter the peels and segments too if you want around in your garden. You can also spritz the area with orange or lemon scented water

4. Try coffee grounds.

5. DON'T use cayenne pepper - cats get it on their paws, then in their eyes and scratch their eyes -painful and cruel.

6. Plastic forks (big pkg for $1 or so), but bamboo skewers would look much better - stick them in the ground all around plants and flowers!

7. Try crushing eggshells and sprinkling them around the flower bed. The prickly effect of the shells on the cat's paws may deter it for a while. Best to do this when you are expecting a few days of nice weather - rain will just wash it into the soil. Another benefit - it is also reputed to deter slugs.

8. Spray water at them (not from a hose) from one of those spray bottles from a garden centre or use a super-soaking water gun for cats further away.

Start with the cheapest method. You don't need to spend a lot of money to deter cats.
And talk to the cat owner about the problem and let them know what steps you are taking. Make sure they know you don't wish to harm the cat, just that you're trying to protect your flowers. They may have some suggestions that would help - after all, they know their cat's personality better than anyone.

Quality assurance for pet food

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 25 May 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Pet food safety is on the mind and concern of all pet owners. Just like there's always a fear of recalls and product safety just like with human food. We want the best for our pet and understandably so.

The risk of negative press can impact a company's sales.

Let's be realistic, there are always chances of recalls and or manufacturing errors, although slim and far and few between, when it does happen, the media blows it out of proportion, especially when it comes to pet food.

For anyone in any retail industry the key thing to minimizing such potential recalls in establishing a relationship with supplies and make sure that you know where the supplier gets their material from before it reaches your hands. The more hands, the larger the risk in for potential recalls.

A company needs to make sure that they have specifications on all sources of where an items or mixes comes from before packaging. A reputable company should not be afraid to challenge the sources in which the ingredients comes from.

Trust is good, control is better as said by Martin Karutz on a similar topic on this months Pet International magazine. It also encourages quality control.

If possible, a reputable food distributor should audit and visit the environment, working and manufacturing conditions of where the ingredients comes from etc. Seeing is believes and speaks volumes in regards to quality control.

On the consumer end, it may be difficult to get all the information that one may want in regards to the food that they choose for their pet, however, below are some basic guidelines for consumers.

Look at the label and make sure that the country of origin is disclosed as well as the ingredients.
1. Check the company's website and make sure that all ingredients are listed.
2. If possible, make your own pet food from fresh ingredients, properly prepared. There are tons of pet food recipe books out there.
3. Call the customer care line and get more specifics on origin. The information may be limited, however, having a bit more product knowledge is better than not knowing anything at all.
4. Don't be fooled by packaging, labeling and or claims, further research.

gas boxes verssus injection for euthanize cats

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:18:00 +0000

In the news:

Animal lovers protest a Cowichan Valley Pound in order to stop a cruel way to euthanize of cats.

On-line petition has gained more than 1,1000 to stop the use of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide gas.

Public pressure against the use of "gas boxes" to euthanize cats have been successful in the past.

One shelter manager argues that when used properly a "gas box" is more humane than injection. Injection of chemicals can often prove to be too traumatic according Helen Roberts, shelter manager with the Nanaimo Animal Shelter. The gas proves to be an anesthetic.

If cats are clawing and trying to escape that can be 'cause the box wasn't set up properly. It should be pre-filled so that the cat goes unconscious right away.

Resthyro testimonial does it really work

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

"My cat Sammee is a small grey tabby. She is my best friend,so when she started losing weight and yowling [as they call it] I call it crying for help-I took her to the vet. He said she had an over active thyroid,a 103 degree temp. and was on the verge of kidney failure! he sent me home with these small pills that i was supposed to give her 2 x a day. well if you knew my Sammee you would know this is impossible. She has been difficult to give anything since she was a kitten! The pills helped but I could'nt give them to her everyday because it traumitized her so much. That's when I decide to go on line and research her condition. I ran across an article on pet well being that had a testimonial about their cat and how much the product Resthro worked. Sammee is 15 yrs old and she went from near death to running around her old self!! Not only that, the medicine is a liquid and it is so easy to give her! I am so thank full to have found this product and to have my Sammee at least for a few more years!!!Thank you Pet Well Being for caring about animals!!! Sincerely, Irma Gubany"

Oscar the cat preficts patients death

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:31:00 +0000

I see dead people! Not really, however, cats have been known to have that "sixth sense" when it comes to death.

For a cat named Oscar in Providence RI, he was able to predict the death of a patient by appearing in their rooms hours before their death to notify staff as family members of their loved ones passing.

Oscar jumps on the bed and purrs and comforts the patient and often sits with the family and or substitutes for family that either may not be in existence or on their way.

How does Oscar know that a patient is near passing? Oscar may be picking up specific odors surrounding death that the human nose may not be able to pick up. There are certain chemicals that are released when someone is near passing.

can cats and dogs catch swine flu?

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:42:00 +0000

With the epidemic scare of the swine flue, it doesn't surprise me that this morning I received 2 chat messages/questions from potential customers concerned about whether their cats and dogs can catch the swine flue.

According the BBC on-line as well as other news sources cats and dogs cannot catch the swine flue.

The scientific reasoning for why cats and dogs can't catch swine flu is our genetics are different, and a flu virus that "fits" our human system likely won't fit within your dog or cat's.

Luv Sheila & Freedom (my black lab)

How to check your cat's pulse

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:25:00 +0000

A customer on our chat asked me a question the other day, "What is the normal heart rate for a cat?” Although I am not a certified vet or authorized to give specific medical information, the following information was obtained through a cat care book from the library. If you notice any abnormalities with your cats heart rate please take him/her to the vet immediately. Once properly diagnosed by a certified vet we have a supplement that may be of benefit called Hearty Heart for cats.

The Normal pulse for cats is between 130 - 240 beats per minute. To feel the pulse look for the femoral artery which is located close to the surface on the inside of the thigh at the groin.

Count the number of beats per 15 seconds and times that by 4 to get the total per minute.

There are different types of heart disease (Cardiomyphapthy) in cats, most popular are: dilated Cardiomyphapthy, restricted Cardiomyphapthy and hypertrophic Cardiomyphapthy. A cat can have heart disease for a long time before experiencing heart failure. Most forms of severe heart failure occurs when there is too much fluid in the lungs and heart.

If you suspect your cat to have a heart condition please take it to your local vet, although economical in these tough times, self diagnoses especially in relation to the heart is not a good idea.

Luv Sheila & Freedom (my black lab)

Es clear for cat cancer testimonial Does es clear work

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:23:00 +0000

"I just wanted to thank you....My cat was diagnosed with Lymphoma six months ago. The vet told us that he could possibly last 30 days. My cat is 16 years old so I did not want to torture him with chemo or radiation. I always used to have a holistic vet before I moved to Florida. I did not search for a holistic vet, but I chose him quite by accident. To make a long story short, I searched online to hopefully find something like he would prescribe.That is when I discovered Clear ES. I had NO EXPECTATIONS. It was a last ditch effort to Euthanasia. At first I thought it was a coincidence when Rizzy's tumors shrunk after a dose of Clear ES. I did not even read that it might do that. I just noticed the huge tumor got noticeably smaller. In a short time, my husband and I both noticed that Rizzy seemed livelier than he had been in years. Even his chronic diarrhea went away. I never expected anything when I bought the ES Clear. I was just so sad. I knew it couldn't hurt, but I really did not expect it to help. It has been six months now since my cat was diagnosed and given a month to live. I know Rizzy is not cured and eventually he will succumb to his cancer. I do wholeheartedly believe that ES Clear prolonged my cat's life. My husband believes it too. Not only that, ES Clear made Rizzy feel so much better that he actually enjoys his life more now."

Thank you,Susan Ruegger-Fentz

Es clear for cat cancer testimonial Does es clear work

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:48:00 +0000

I received an e-mail asking me to write a review for the product, ES Clear, for cat cancer that I recently purchased. I would love to write a review, but unfortunately I did not buy this product in time and I lost Milo on March 19th. We did use this product daily and it certainly controlled his vomiting and diarrhea, but his cancer must have been too advanced. He was thirteen years old and our vet felt surgery would have been too much for him. I do feel this product help in the short time and he did not have pain which I was most greatful for. I would certainly recommend it to anyone that had a cat with cancer. Thank You!

Corinne Bernstein

Milk Thistle for dog liver disease testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 22:57:00 +0000

Thanks for helping me give him his life back. He was stumbling down the stairs, hardly able to stand or focus or chase his balls in November & incredibly clumsy & wobbly. All of that because of a toxic liver caused by 7 years of phenobarb use. We're also backing off his phenobarb and replacing it with potassium bromide.

I've got to tell you, though, a few weeks ago he ate some dead rancid furry critter and was very sick. I wasn't able to give him any of his meds except seizure meds as he was off all food and took about 2 weeks for him to be able to hold a normal amount of food. He became slightly ataxic again even with continuing to decrease his phenobarb. I know that the milk thistle is making a huge difference in his quality of life because once back on it - almost immediately he was remarkably better.

Thank you again!

Cindy

Cat Tripsy for Kidney failure testimonial

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:30:00 +0000

"My kitty got very ill and would not eat. We took her to the vet who diagnosed her in kidney failure and she also had kidney stones. Lil' Girfriend was only 6 years old and had a brother the same age who depended on her. She was on several medications, lasix, high blood pressure meds, antinausea meds, all which made her more lethargic and not want to eat. I read all the great reviews on the petwellbeing.com website and decided to try the Tripsy product. She took to this well---way better than the other medications. We decided to only give the Tripsy and discontinue the other medications. She did well on it and she is 100% the cat I know and love. She has not had any bouts of sickness since late November and it is now March 10th. I am a Chiropractor myself and have been recommending this website to all my patients with pet health problems."

Where to put that litter box: ideal Litter box location

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:24:00 +0000

We all need privacy when going to the bathroom, cats are no different, therefore, placing the litter box in private area with minimal noise will encourage the cat to do his/her business. If you have other pets, different species, even having the litter box in a completely different room is ideal. From your cats and other guests point of view, the kitchen and or living room is not an ideal place. Perhaps the family bathroom is more ideal.

Having the litterbox too close to the food is not a good idea either 'cause cats by instinct learn to distance themselves from food and prefer different tasks in different locations as long as it is not the basement and or outside garage which can be uncomfortable for the cat, especially in winter.

Having multiple litter boxes is an advantage for house holds that house more than one cat. Kittens have less control over their bladders, therefore, multiple litter boxes is ideal.

Here are a few facts:

Did you know that mother's teach their kittens how to use the litter box!

Many people fear catching a protozoan disease, Toxoplasmosis, from cats. This disease can cause illness in the human, but more seriously, can cause birth defects in the unborn. Toxoplasmosis is a common disease, sometimes spread through the feces of cats. It is caused most often from eating raw or rare beef. Pregnant women and people with a depressed immune system should not touch the cat litter box.

Ailurophilia a love for cats

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:35:00 +0000

There is a name and title for everything from phobia's to lifestyles and everything in between. Do you wonder if your love for cats has a title? Well it does, "Ailurophilia." According to an on-line dictionary source this is a noun meaning liking of cats, as by cat fanciers. There are those who casually love their cats and then there are Ailurophiliacs who REALLY love their cats and collect cat things etc. There is a huge market for cat care and cat collectables catering to cat owners and cat lovers of all ages. With the internet, there are even social groups surrounding and supporting Ailurophilia's. Now that your passion has a title, enjoy and take care of your cat.

Developing cat relationships with owner(s)

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Cats are independent, great for cuddling and like dogs, great listeners. Because cat breeding is not as high as dog breeding, the genetic alteration is very low, therefore, cats tend to not only live longer but have fewer health problems, therefore, their human to animal relationship is very important.

Daily stroking since birth (kitten) ensures that the cat and or kittens are comfortable with the presence and physical contact with humans as they grow into adults.

Cats of different litters will be life long friends if introduced before the 7 week period. This is also applied to different animals if both animals are introduced to each other as babies and grow up together.

Cat talk communication

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:57:00 +0000

All animals communicate with each other through a series of facial expressions, sounds and general mannerisms. In previous blogs this week we explored some of forms of expressions. Cats, however, do "talk" and there is a way to decode their communication language.

Cat language can be divided into 3 general sound categories: murmurs, vowels and high intensity sounds.

The demand meow: Lips usually curl to make vowel sounds
Rumbling growl which usually begins with a clamp jaw.

These are just the basics listed above. You will soon (if new cat owner) will recognize these sounds and will be able to decipher his/her needs.

Reading a cat's facial expressions

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Reading a cat;s facial expressions:

The content cat::half closing their eyes, ears forward, often with purring.
relaxed and alert: normal expression.
The ambivalent cat: twitching of ears.
fearful cat: Ears are folded down. In extreme fear, ears will often flatten completely.
The Fleming cat: sneering expression when a male picks up the urine scent of another cat.
The aggressive cat: pupils are fully dilated and mouth is open to hiss.

Reading cats body language

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:02:00 +0000

1. A demand meow and an erect tail emphazies an emergency.
2. Forceful hiss and diluted pupils is in defense.
3. Patrolling territory: concentrated expression and alert ears.
4. Flickering of tail is usually a sign of annoyance.

Size matters when picking a small dog

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:09:00 +0000

Paris Hilton may have started the trend with purse and toy dogs, however, there are some things to consider.

Small dogs are much easier to house and handle, especially for apartment city folks, however, please take note of the following.

Will a small dog fit with your family? A small fragile dog like a Chihuahua may not be suitable for children unless they're old enough to take care and play with the dog gently. Because smaller dogs have smaller skeletal frames, they're more likely to break bones and or have fractures, especially as puppies. For this reason, children must be very gentle.

Grooming for smaller dogs is greater than larger breed as their skin and hair require frequent grooming. In other words, budgeting wisely needs to be taken into consideration. It will cost anywhere between $50 - $150 for professional grooming every 5 - 6 weeks.

Long haired toy togs will require daily brushing either by a groomer or with a good quality brush that will cost anywhere between $20 - $30.

Small dogs require more frequent nail trimming than larger dogs.

Anal glad issues are more frequent in smaller than larger dogs.

Long back breeds such as Dachshunds are more likely to slip a disk in their backbone.

Luxating Patella is a condition in which the kneecap slides in and out of normal position causing intermittent lameness. Your vet may recommend surgery, a huge cost to consider and factor when selecting a small dog.

Small dogs have a longer life span and or more likely to develop genetic and or environment health issues.

Tips for keeping your dog hydrated

noreply@blogger.com (PetWellBeing) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:25:00 +0000

Tips for keeping your dog hydrated is more than just keeping a dish out for your pup.

Reward with veggies rather than sugar or salty treats.
Bring extra water on long hikes.
Add water in canned food.