Learn About Real Cat Care

Learn About Real Cat Care
By Julee Mitchelsin

If you are one of the many people lucky enough to own a cat or
several cats as pets, then you need to take time and make the
effort to learn proper cat care. One of my biggest struggles
with people is that they choose to have pets but then do
nothing to intentionally take good care of them. This is why,
as a veterinarian, I make all of my clients come to a seminar
about good cat care and dog care before they can receive
services at my office.

Many other veterinarians think that this measure is extreme and
that I cannot really subject all of my clients to that kind of
seminar. While I have had a few clients disagree with my
tactics, the majority of my clients have submitted to my
request without hesitation. Why? Because I believe that people
know that they need to learn proper cat care or dog care and so
they are willing to atttend a seminar.

I believe that taking the time and energy to learn proper cat
care or dog care is absolutely essential for all pet owners.
People need to realize that owning a pet is a serious
responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. On the contrary,
it must be given attention. I pride myself in being a
veterinarian that is committed to preventative care by teaching
my clients how to give good cat care and dog care. I find that
the more education pet owners get at the start, the less
problems they have that need my attention.

If you are considering getting a cat, then I suggest you slow
down a bit and take the time to really learn about proper cat
care. Inform yourself about the reality of being a pet owner.
Learn what your responsibilities will be before you commit to
taking them on. If you are not sure where to look for
information on good cat care, then talk with a veterinarian or
other cat owners near you. An even easier method is to head off
to your local library and check out a few good books on the
subject of cat care. Inform yourself. Get online and see what
you can learn about even the basics of cat care. The more you
learn, the less question marks you will have later.

Cats are amazing animals and they make great pets. Do what is
most loving for your pet and learn about good cat care before
you bring your new cat home to stay.

About the Author: Julee Mitchelsin is a veterinarian that is
passionate about teaching good cat care methods to future and
current pet owners. See http://www.catcarehelp.info for more
details.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

The Importance of Cat Care

The Importance Of Cat Care
By Michelle Bery

Having a pet can be a wonderful experience as our furry friends
integrate themselves into our daily lives and become cherished
members of our families. We all certainly have our allegiances
when it comes to our pet of choice. Just as dog owners will
brag of the canine’s family-friendly quality and loving
demeanor, cat owners will boast of the cat’s intelligent nature
and subtle personality. Of course, part of having a pet – of any
variety – is the responsibility for their daily care. And cat
care, as any cat owner will tell you, is paramount to ensuring
your feline’s good health and longevity.

First and foremost, when it comes to cat care – just as you
would do for a baby – you must take steps to make your home a
safe place for a curious kitty. When doing this, it is helpful
to get down on the floor so that you can get a perspective for
what may look interesting to your tiny new family member.
Remove any small things from the floor that could be a choking
hazard, and look for small, dangerous places where your kitten
could inadvertently get stuck. Also, be mindful of lit candles
and open windows!

Of course, cat care also means proper medical supervision. If
you don’t already have a reputable veterinarian with whom you
feel comfortable, it is important that you seek one out. Do
some research among the animal lovers in your community; you
will often find that there is a consensus among them regarding
the best choice in area veterinarians. It is essential that you
set up an initial appointment for your cat to make sure that all
of your cat’s protective shots are in order. The same
veterinarian will be significant going forward for regular
check-ups, teeth cleaning, and any other medical intervention
that you may need.

Ask your veterinarian about the food most appropriate for cat
care. As you will find, there are a variety of cat foods on the
market today, all advertising their own all-important nutrients;
it can be difficult to navigate. Your cat’s nutrition needs will
change as it ages so it is important that you keep pace. Your
veterinarian will be able to tell you what is nutritionally
most important for your kitten – as well as your older cat.

Finally, when it comes to cat care, it is important that your
cat feel comfortable and that is has a place of its own. A
litter box placed in a removed area of your home will offer
your cat a place to go to the bathroom. Talk with your
veterinarian about how best to introduce the litter box to your
cat.

Ultimately, the most important cat care is the love and
protection that you offer, allowing your cat to grow healthy
and strong.

About the Author: For easy to understand, in depth information
about cats causes visit our ezGuide 2 http://cats.ezguide2.com

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Removing Dog Urine Odor From Your Carpet

Removing Dog Urine Odor From Your Carpet
By James Carlson

Pet urine odor can be very difficult to completely remove from
a carpet. If you are having trouble removing odor from your
dogs little house training accidents you should read this
article to get learn how to permanently take care of it. 

The first thing you need to do is thoroughly clean the surface
of the carpet. This is often all that is necessary to remove
the odor. So start there and let the carpet thoroughly dry
before continuing. To clean the carpet use a solution of one
part white distilled vinegar and three parts water. Mist the
solution on the carpet and after allowing it to dwell for a few
minutes, blot it up. If you have a home spotter, rinse the area
with plain water. Now let it dry.

If it is still smelly you can move on to the next step.
Purchase a bottle of enzyme cleaner from your local pet store
and mix it up by following the directions on the bottle.
Thoroughly saturate the area and place plastic wrap over the
spot to keep it wet for twenty four to forty eight hours. After
that time has passed, let the area dry. You might have to use a
little of your vinegar and water solution to spot clean it
after it is completely dry of a water mark appears. 

If the odor is still present after the last step you have to go
to the extreme measure of pulling up the carpet and removing the
pad. Purchase or rent a knee kicker from your local home
improvement store and use it to pull back the carpet. Cut out
the affected area of pad and take a sample of it to the home
improvement store. Match the thickness and density of the pad
and purchase a replacement section along with a can of spray
sealant and masking tape. Return home and clean the sub floor
with your vinegar and water solution and allow it to dry. Next
spray the sealant on the dry sub floor and allow it to dry.
Then replace the section of pad you removed and use the masking
tape to bind the edges of the old and new padding. Now just use
the knee kicker to replace the carpet and you are done.

Hopefully this has been of help to you in removing the pet odor
from your carpet. If it sounds too involved you should call a
local carpet cleaner who can handle the problem for you for a
reasonable cost.

About the Author: Learn more about this at
http://www.flintcarpetcleaning.info , a website on carpet
cleaning services and care.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Tips On Choosing A Pure Bred Pet

By Bart LeToad

It’s an all too familiar scene; a family walks into the pet
store to look at the cute kittens and puppies. And when they
leave they are the proud owner of one of those cute puppies or
kittens. Swept away by the emotions of that cute little dog
bouncing in the window or the soft meow of that precious little
kitten. We all know that once you hold that cute little puppy
that it’s hard to put down. But sometimes an impulsive buy like
this can mean a long and hard road of frustration and pain for
you and your pet. That is why a family would be better served
to spend a little time doing research on the particular breed
of dog or cat they are considering as their new family member.

When considering a purebred puppy. One thing you can be sure of
is the inherent characteristics of that particular breed. When a
family is considering bringing a purebred into their home, they
may need to consider the breeds’ characteristics and whether
they will suit the family personality. For example, buying a
breed of dog that requires lots of exercise and activity when
you’re family is not an active family will only result in a pet
that is under stimulated and hard to control.

Unfortunately, the number one reason competent pet owners take
their pets to the local humane service is because they bought
their pet based on emotional decision, rather than an informed
one. And now they don’t like the dog they’ve ended up with.
What if the shoe was on the other foot and it was the dogs
giving up their owners because they didn’t like the way the
owners turned out. It doesn’t matter what the problem is, from
chewing your shoes or the arm of your leather chair to
something major like snapping at your child or attacking other
pets. This behavior only increases the frustration level for
both the owners and the pets and will result in the breaking of
both the owners and the pets’ heart.

Stay smart about your research in particular what breed you
want to bring home. If you are interested in buying a Labrador
retriever, the last person you want to rely on for that breeds’
information is the person you are buying a puppy from. They have
an interest in promoting the sale of their animal they may tell
you what you want to hear to help them achieve the sale. Seek
out independent sources using places like the Internet or your
local library. Contact the AKC or visit their website and look
at all the information they have on the particular breed you
want. Make sure your research things like size and weight,
health problems, amount of exercise and is your breed going to
shed a lot. These things are just the tip of the iceberg. So we
have provided you a list that you can take with you when you are
researching your particular breed.

1. Does the dog shed a lot?
2. How much food will have to buy each month?
3. Are they easily trainable or are you going to exert a lot of
effort?
4. Are they easy to potty train?
5. Will a weekly brushing work or do they had to be groomed by
a professional groomer?
6. Does the breed bark a lot or only when provoked?
7. Is the breed overly protective?
8. Does the breed require any out of the ordinary care?
9. Is the breed easily socialized?
10. Is the breed temperamental?
11. How big is the breed going to get or how small is it going
to stay?
12. Are they a family dog and will they get along with your
children?
13. How long can you expect him to be a family member?

Using the tips that we’ve given you here along with your sound
judgment should enable you to pick the breed of dog that will
best suit you and your family’s personality. Remember to make
an informed decision rather than a spur of the moment emotional
one. By doing this you and your family will have chosen the best
friend of a lifetime you could have and in return you will
receive unconditional love.

About The Author: Once you have chosen your pet, visit our site
for the best prices on Petsafe, Dogtra & Tri Tronics products!
http://www.pet-super-store.com

Carpet Care Tips For The Pet Owner

Carpet Care Tips For The Pet Owner
By James Carlson

If you have pets you probably already know that they can take a
huge toll on your carpeting. By following a few rules and being
prepared for the occasional accident however animals do not
have to be that much of a problem. Read this article and get
some tips to help you live with both animals and carpet.

The first thing you need to do is be prepared. Keep some
bottles of spotter handy and some rags to clean up any
accidents as soon as they happen. In one bottle of spotter have
a mix on one part white distilled vinegar to three parts water.
You will use this to clean up any pet urine accidents. Also
have a bottle of basic spotter for any other messes that might
occur. After you use the general spotter follow up with the
vinegar solution to neutralize the spotter and kill any odor.
Be sure to dab spots when cleaning, never rub.

The next tip is to keep your animals nails trimmed. This is
especially important if you have Berber carpet as your animal
can easily snag a loop and cause a run down the entire length
of the carpet. You can buy clippers to do it yourself or most
groomers and vet clinic will do it for you at a reasonable
rate.

The last tip I will give you is to bath your animal often. This
helps to remove pet dander and oil from the skin of your animal.
The amount of oil on our dogs skin depends greatly on their
breed but all dogs will have some. The oil is easily
transferred to the carpet and will create dark spots. Also give
them a pet bed or a blanket to sleep on to protect the carpet.

You should find these tips beneficial and they will hopefully
let you live more easily with animals and carpets. Good luck.

About the Author: For more information on carpet visit
http://www.evansvillecarpetcleaning.info . You source for
carpet cleaning information.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Why Crate Training?

Dogs are, by instinct, den dwelling animals, and like all canines, they don’t want to defecate or urinate in their den. With crate training, the crate becomes a substitute for the den. House training becomes easier with the use of crate training. Additionally, your puppy will be a more secure and happier puppy with his own den. 

Like anything else that is worthwhile in life, it will take some time and effort to properly crate train your puppy. The rewards, however, are well worth the extra effort. When you start to crate train your puppy take it slow and be patient.

Very important is that you never use the crate as punishment for bad behavior or accidents since this will only cause your puppy to view the crate as a bad place and defeat the whole training process. An advantage of crate training is when guests visit or when small children are present unattended, or when entertaining for example, it is convenient to be able to put your puppy/dog into its crate where it can relax and sleep, unattended.  Of course, you too can relax knowing that your puppy/dog will not be harmed or cause problems or escape from the house. If your puppy/dog should ever have to spend a night or two at the vet’s, he will be a little more secure if he has been crate trained since most veterinary clinics use crates for their animals. Also, a puppy/dog who understands and is comfortable in a crate is much easier to manage while you are performing other tasks or while your puppy/dog must be left in someone else’s care in a situation that is also likely to be stressful to the dog and make an unconfined dog more likely to try to escape. Another benefit of crate training is if you should travel with your puppy on an airplane is it keeps your puppy calm. While traveling in your automobile, your puppy/dog will be kept safe in his/her crate. An unrestrained puppy/dog can be a hazardous situation for both the animal and its human.  Some instances of these hazards are: ·        An excitable dog who sees another animal outside the vehicle might leap into the driver’s lap while the car is moving, potentially causing an accident.  ·        Dogs have been known to leap through the window of moving cars, injuring or killing themselves. ·        Drivers who are distracted by their dogs moving around behind them, barking, or getting into forbidden things while the car is moving can also cause accidents. ·        If the dog is only moderately injured or uninjured, and particularly if the owner is injured, a loose dog might consider people coming to the owner’s aid to be the causes of the accident or threats to its family or property and might attack or attempt to drive off the helpers. ·        In the event of an accident, even a well-behaved dog can become a dangerous projectile that can seriously injure the driver or passengers in seats in front of the dog. These are just a few of the reasons that crate training is very beneficial to your puppy or dog and you. 

Fido Has Arthritis?

We have all heard of arthritis occurring in adults and even in children, but our pets? Yes, even Fido can develop this painful disease. Although your dog cannot speak, he can show you if he has arthritis or not. 

Some of the signs to watch for are:

·        Favoring a limb

·        Difficulty sitting or standing

·        Sleeping more

·        Seeming to have stiff or sore joints

·        Hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs

·        Weight gain

·        Decreased activity or less interest in play

·        Attitude or behavior changes

Being less alert If you notice these symptoms in Fido for more than two weeks, then take him to your veterinarian for an arthritis evaluation right away. This evaluation will more than likely consist of a physical exam and possibly X-rays.

As with humans, the sooner arthritis is diagnosed and treated, the better for the patient. What is Fido’s treatment? Very similar to the treatment of osteoarthritis in humans, which may include:

·        Healthy diet and exercise to help maintain proper weight.

·        Working with your veterinarian to find a drug treatment that helps relieve the pain.

·        Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are the most common form of pharmaceutical treatment for arthritis in dogs.

·        You can also use over-the-counter pet treatments with your dog, such as pills or food containing either glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate or Omega fatty acids. Both have shown to help relieve the symptoms of arthritis in dogs.

·        Your veterinarian may prescribe both an NSAID and an over-the-counter treatment that together may help decrease pain and disease progression. 

A word of caution here.  Never give your dog human medication without checking first with your veterinarian. Certain medications can be toxic to dogs — particularly acetaminophen and ibuprofen — and a safe dose will differ between a greyhound and a dachshund. 

No matter how you decide to treat your dog’s arthritis, make sure you work with a veterinarian to ensure that you select a program that helps your best buddy. 

How to Train Small Dogs

By Lee Dobbins

A dog may be man’s best friend, but it takes an awful lot of effort to make it cope up to how it we look at it. While large breeds do not just serve as companion to the master – it can be a hunting aide, a play a vital role in the police, or even as beasts of burden in the polar regions- dogs of the small variety arguably play this role more, as these are pets kept primarily for the purpose of companionship, if not for ornament. The fact that small dogs are kept indoors most of the time is a testament to this purpose.

It is important to know a thing or two in training small dogs in order to keep the dog more of a best friend than a nuisance. 

Training small dogs can also protect the owner and the dog from harm.  It only requires the repetition of commands that can be recognized on cue; intelligence is not so much a factor as a reaction to an anticipated stimulus.  When a small dog tries to attack a stranger, one can correct this behavior by executing a command that it will sooner or later recognize through repetition. 

The next time this negative behavior happens, the owner can execute the command by saying the cue words “down” or “off”.  Training the small dog with these basic commands may come in handy; more of than not, small dogs are often looked at as harmless pets.  But they can be a danger to visiting individuals who are strangers to the dog; this may elicit hostile behavior from the dog which may lead it to attack individuals other than its master. 

A good way to instill this discipline is to reinforce good behavior by rewarding the dog with a treat or a pat on its head whenever it obeys the command to stand down or to stay put, and letting it know the consequences of its negative behavior by attaching a leash to its collar. 

Just like in human beings, one does not motivate by instilling fear but by building on the positive reinforcement. Training small dogs can be especially effective if done when these are still “small” – when these are still puppies. 

During the first weeks of its life, the puppies get acquainted with the immediate environment it is living in. It is therefore best to raise a puppy into the house where it will permanently live.  The process of identifying with it’s immediate surroundings is a good training method for a small dog to stay within the confines of the house.  Apart from the benefit of preventing the dog from going astray, this is important in conducting toilet training for your small dog. 

A master should let the puppy know through a cue as to where it should relieve itself.  It helps to take the dog out for a walk in the backyard to give it an opportunity to urinate or defecate.  Sooner than later it will associate the backyard with its bodily chores. Then if it goes out of the house to defecate, reward the dog via a positive cue; if the opposite happens, let the dog know through a negative cue.

Teething is just as useful in training small dogs.  Because of the dog’s natural tendency to find just about anything to sink its teeth in, it usually finds items that are within its vicinity: furniture, shoes, and rugs.  The dog’s master may find a remedy to this condition by diverting its attention from the usual household items to a toy that is primarily suited for this purpose: “give the dog a bone”, this is the remedy.  By introducing this to the dog while it still in its infant stage, it will eventually pay no attention to your shoe rack or your dining set as its target.

One must not confuse training small dogs with tricks training, as this is notches more difficult than training for, shall we say, manners for your small dog.  A professional dog trainer is not needed to train the small dogs directly; in reality a dog trainer can just impart his knowledge to the dog owner, and the dog owner can train his dog with ease.  More importantly, learning how to train your small dog can build a stronger bond between the dog and its master. 

By better understanding your pet, the more you can personalize the parameters of your training and the more you will appreciate your dog as a pet, as man’s best friend.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://dogtraining.subjectmonster.com where you can learn more about training dogs of all types.

Is Your Dog a Cancer Sleuth?

Unbelievable as it may sound dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer.

There have been many stories about dogs sniffing out cancer in their owners.The most notable story was reported in the prestigious medical journal, Lancet, in 1989. 

A female patient went to her doctor to have a mole on her thigh looked at after her pet dog would often spend several minutes sniffing at a particular mole on her body.  Her dog, a mix between a border collie and a Doberman, ignored any other mole on her body.  In fact one day when she was wearing shorts, her dog actually tried to bite the mole off! The results of her testing showed that the mole was a malignant melanoma.

Doctors Hywel Williams and Andres Pembroke stated “The dog may have saved her owner’s life by forcing her to seek medical advice while the mole was still at a thin (noninvasive) stage.”

This is not the first time that “Fido” saved its owner’s life.  There have been many reports how dogs sniffed out breast and lung cancer in their owners.

Now that researchers have proved, scientifically, that dogs can spot cancer,  researchers at Amersham Hospital in England hope to build a tool as good or better than your own pet’s nose.

“Using sniffer doges to detect the minute traces of molecules associated with cancer is a fascinating concept” said Cancer Research UK’s Professor, David Neal.

Dogs, with their exceptional sense of smell, have been trained to sniff out certain odors produced by cancer cells.  In fact, during one training to determine bladder cancer, all of the dogs signaled a particular patient as positive for bladder cancer.  However, this patient had been screened prior to the test and was determined to be cancer free.

Concerned by all of the dog’s behavior the researchers decided to do further tests on the patient.  Surprisingly these additional tests revealed that the patient had a tumor in their right kidney.  This was totally missed in conventional medical tests!

Dr. Armand Cognetta of Tallahassee, Florida, an expert in melanomas, began researching if dogs could detect skin cancer. He enlisted the help of a dog trainer, and with samples of melanomas tried to train dogs to sniff out skin cancer. George, the dog used in the study, was able to detect the melanoma 99% of the time. Further research proved that George could detect malignant melanoma lesions from benign lesions on patients successfully.

So the next time your Fido starts paying a little too much attention to a certain part of your body, take Dr. Fido’s advice and get immediate medical attention.  Fido may just have saved your life!