Here's a great money-saver I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim
Here's a great video that I thought I would pass on...it makes sense! –Kim
Having lost a dear companion to cancer from BPA toys, this topic is very important to me. –Kim
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| Retrieving dogs often are trained with plastic bumpers, which when chewed can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals. |
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| Using artificial saliva, researchers simulated a dog chewing a bumper. |
Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim
New Solutions for Pet Allergies
By Dr. Marty Becker, DVM
June 14, 2010
Do you suffer from allergies? You might not be alone: Your pet may be suffering, too.
When pets suffer, they are at least as miserable as we are – and maybe more. Instead of the runny noses, itchy eyes, sneezing or wheezing allergies mean to many people, pet allergies typically show up as scratching, chewing, rubbing, head-shaking or diarrhea.
Allergies are common for dogs: According to the pet-health insurance company VPI, the top three medical claims for dogs last year were allergy-related. Cats get off relatively easy on this one, since far fewer cats suffer from allergies than dogs do. In 2009, VPI's most common canine claims were for infections of the outer ear (4.45%), allergic dermatitis (4.22%) and pyoderma, commonly known as "hot spots" (2.72%). For those cats who are allergic, they can show skin reactions, but also respiratory symptoms, vomiting and other digestive problems.
Allergies typically show up within the first 1-3 years of a pet's life, worsen with age and can't be cured, only controlled. Knowing what causes the allergies is an important first step toward treating them, and that means getting your veterinarian's help. Flea bites are the top cause of pet allergies, but food and environmental issues are a problem for many pets. Dust, pollen and spores in the home and yard gather in pets' fur, and the allergens then trigger painful and potentially life-threatening reactions.
Your veterinarian will have suggestions specific to your pet, your region and your season, but in general, you can help your pet a great deal with an allergy-prevention regimen in the home. Dedicated parasite control is first step, and that will mean veterinary-recommended flea-control products along with frequent vacuuming of pet areas and washing of pet bedding.
Concurrently, you can limit the amount of dust and other irritants pets sweep up in their coats by vacuuming and using electrostatic cleaning products (such as Swiffers) on floor surfaces as well as using room or whole house filtration systems. And while you may have heard that frequent shampooing strips the skin of essential oils, veterinary dermatologists now recommend bathing pets at least every week (up to everyday for extremely at-risk, allergic pets) during the spring and summer to help wash allergens off the coat and skin before they can be absorbed and trigger an allergic reaction. Spray-on products or wipes for a dry bath will often do the trick and may be a great deal easier than bathing for some dogs and almost all cats. While regular flea-control, a clean house and frequent bathing may dramatically decrease your pet's allergic response, often more powerful treatments are needed to help a pet ditch the itch. Fortunately, veterinarians have new medication options that may make a world of difference.
You probably know someone who takes shots to manage their own allergy symptoms. Known as immunotherapy, or hyposensitization, these small injections of allergens under the skin can also be effective for most dogs with atopic dermatitis, which is the medical term for what pet owners would call "constantly itchy skin"). Pet owners can administer the injections at home with guidance from their veterinarians. Over time, this treatment may allow a pet to handle natural exposure to the allergens – 75% of pets respond well over time to immunotherapy.
To fight the skin reaction to allergens that triggers scratching and chewing, there's Atopica. This medication calms the cells that trigger the allergic response, rather than treating the symptoms after a reaction. Atopica is considered to be as effective as steroids, but without the potentially dangerous long-term side effects. Ask your veterinarian if this treatment is right for your pet.
In addition, your veterinarian may recommend special air filters for your home. There's even one made just for pets: PetAirapy comes in both room and whole-house models and the manufacturers say their product helps prevent airborne allergens from landing on or being inhaled by pets.
But it's not just about airborne allergens or parasites: Pets suffer from food allergies as well. Allergy reactions to pet food are usually caused by proteins, and can include beef, egg, milk or cheese products, soy or even fish. If food allergies are suspected, your veterinarian will guide you through food-elimination trials to find the culprit, and recommend a diet that's both nutritionally complete and contains pre-digested proteins. If your dog suffers from a food allergy but still needs to take medications, Greenies Pill Pockets Allergy Formula capsules may help. These are little pouches, made from peas and duck that put the treat into treatment, by providing a yummy pocket for a pill.
With modern veterinary options and a world of new products to help, the pet with allergies can be managed better than ever before. And that mean you and your pet will both sleep better, after you've ditched the itch.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Pets/solutions-pet-allergies/story?id=10909443
Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures
FDA Tells Pet Owners NOT to Give Dogs a Bone
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Associated Press
If they only knew, dogs from coast to coast might be howling over this advice from the government.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a reminder to consumers Wednesday to toss out bones from their meals rather than feed them to their pets.
"Some people think it's safe to give dogs large bones, like those from a ham or a roast," said Carmela Stamper, a veterinarian in the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA. "Bones are unsafe, no matter what their size."
The FDA spelled out 10 reasons it's a bad idea to give doggie a real bone.
Among them: broken teeth, mouth or tongue injuries, bones or fragments of bones getting stuck in a dog's esophagus or even its stomach, which might require surgery. Bone fragments also can cause constipation.
Worse, it could be deadly. Giving your dog a real bone could cause a bacterial infection of the abdomen, called peritonitis, when fragments poke holes in a dog's stomach or intestines. "Your dog needs an emergency visit to your veterinarian because peritonitis can kill your dog," says the caution from the FDA.
The Better Business Bureau recently cautioned pet owners about feeding a popular treat, Dynamic Pet Products' Real Ham Bone for Dogs, to pets. It says a number of consumers have complained that dogs became seriously ill or died from internal damage due to bone fragments. The company has denied any wrongdoing, according to the bureau news release.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,591364,00.html
© 2010 FOX News Network, LLC
Here's a great book that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim
Simple Solutions to Your Worst Dog Behavior Problems
Do you want to dump your dog because he tries to escape your yard? Barks too much? You-know-whats in the house? Doesn't play well with others? Chewed up your favorite pair of shoes?
You wouldn't be the first person asking to "return" your pet. And dog rescuer Randy Grim has heard every reason under the sun. But before you load Fido into the back of your car, read this book.
In it, Randy addresses the concerns of dog guardians everywhere by responding to letters that he's actually received. With humor, and from his vast experiences with abandoned dogs, he reveals exactly what you can do to remain calm and fix every bad behavior problem.
Book Review: Don't Dump the Dog
Outrageous Stories and Simple Solutions to Your Worst Dog Behavior Problems
by Therese on August 6, 2009
I absolutely loved Don't Dump the Dog: Outrageous Stories and Simple Solutions to Your Worst Dog Behavior Problems by Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue in St. Louis. Grim doesn't hold back in this book about his work with strays and some of the people he interacts with on a daily basis. He recounts many of the reasons he's heard for "returning" dogs. You'll recognize the excuses – the people are moving, the dog barks too much, the dog's not housebroken, the dog gets old…you know the kind.
After he vents a little bit about the people and their problems, Randy gives pretty detailed tips on how to work through the dog's problem. Part of it, as he describes, is learning how to think like a dog and then using that to make changes. Sure, everything he suggests takes some time and energy, but anyone who adopts a dog should expect to spend time with that dog anyway.
I literally laughed out loud at some of this comments, and then laughed again when I imagined him actually saying some of these things to people. (I love a little snarkiness!) Underneath all the humor though, the point is that dogs don't come pre-programmed to be perfect. Sometimes dogs have behaviors that need to be worked on. Adopting a dog with that in mind, and the willingness to do a little work, may be a little time consuming but it's so worth it.
I loved this book, and I think you will too!
Source: PetsitUSA
Copyright ©2010, PetsitUSA.com
Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim
Chaining Dogs Unleashes Bad Behavior
By Victoria Stilwell, Special for USA TODAY
8/12/2009
I am constantly surprised at the number of my clients who regularly chain or tie their dog in the backyard for long periods of time and then wonder why the dog is misbehaving on and off the leash.
Unfortunately, such tethering is common practice in the U.S. because of the less structured design of American real estate and common lack of fencing between properties. The well-meaning but misguided rationale I usually hear is that tethering is the only way for the dog to be under control outside without owner supervision.
Further, many clients have the incorrect belief that if the dog is outside most of the time, it doesn't need to be walked and won't suffer as much from lack of human contact.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that keeping your dog in your backyard most of the day will replace his natural need for stimulation and get you off the hook for not walking him. In fact, it almost always does more harm than good, since the backyard becomes just another "room" in which he can quickly get bored.
At the mercy of kids and other animals
A study by the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2000 showed that 17% of fatal dog attacks on humans between 1979 and 1998 were from dogs that were restrained on their property by tethers at the time of the attack, and many of the victims were children.
So why are chained dogs more likely to bite, and why are the incidences of these attacks becoming so common?
Tethered dogs have a greater tendency to respond aggressively to an approaching person (even if it's someone the dog knows), yet owners often seem unaware that continual confinement can cause immense frustration, which leads to increased reactivity or desire to chase and bite a person. Certain dogs are particularly territorial, becoming protective over space or property and putting anything approaching their territory at risk.
Dogs tethered in yards with no fences are much more accessible to the public, including children who often can't resist touching or sometimes teasing a dog. Unable to increase the distance between itself and an approaching stranger, the dog has no option but to fight. Tethered dogs are also at the mercy of other animals that may wander onto their territory and are at risk of getting tangled in their tethers and being injured.
A dog is a social animal, so lack of social interaction can seriously damage its psychological well-being, causing a buildup of frustration and anger that can explode at the slightest trigger.
Other commonplace scenarios besides tethering can create what dog behaviorist Jean Donaldson describes as "barrier frustration." Crate training is a popular and sometimes effective method of house training a puppy, but some dogs can't cope in such a confinement. Lack of space can cause excessive anxiety, which manifests itself in whining, barking or chewing on the crate. Dogs that suffer separation anxiety often become more anxious in crates.
Owner and pet in a dangerous cycle
A dog can experience similar frustration on the leash. In normal circumstances, an unleashed dog would be able to put sufficient distance between itself and a fear source, but if the same dog is leashed and unable to increase distance, he will react or behave aggressively, hoping the fear source will go away. If his behavior is validated by success, he is likely to react in the same manner again. In response, the owner often becomes tense when walking and keeps the leash tight, transmitting the nervousness down the leash to the dog, effectively making the behavior worse. Dog and owner are then locked into a cycle of tension and leash-lunging that's hard to change.
Many common behavioral problems could be avoided if owners understood how severely confinement can compromise natural behavior. Some local governments are becoming aware of the potential problems that chaining can cause for dogs and humans, and many cities and counties are making tethering illegal.
The key is to see the world from the dog's point of view if we want to understand why dogs behave as they do. Only then can we truly identify the root cause of the behavior and humanely solve the problem using positive reinforcement.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/pets/2009-08-12-stilwell-dog-chains_N.htm
Copyright 2009 USA Today
Victoria Stilwell is the host of Animal Planet's "It's Me or the Dog." Her no nonsense, common sense approach to dog training is both practical and effective. It's about educating owners on how to see things from a dog's perspective and use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior. With a little patience and effort, anyone can live happily with their canine companions. Visit Victoria Stilwell on the Web, get her training tips and watch full episodes of "It's Me or the Dog" by clicking http://animal.discovery.com/tv/its-me-or-dog/index.html or http://www.victoriastilwell.com
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