Turtles have always been popular as pets. There are multiple reasons that make people may want to keep turtle as pets. Turtles are interesting to watch, they’re distinctive from traditional pets, or perhaps people may think that turtles are easy, low maintenance pets.

Turtles and tortoises can be prove to be more time consuming and expensive than expected, since they have a very specialized set of needs that are very different from those that you need to provide for your average furred companion. If a turtle or tortoise owner does not provide these requirements, the turtles will lead a very poor quality of live and die a premature death.

Obtaining a turtle or tortoise as pet is a very important decision. It is very important to know the reasons for owning one and the responsibilities for keeping one. Some things to consider before you obtain a turtle or tortoise as pet are:

• The price you pay of purchasing a turtle or tortoise is the cheapest part of owning a turtle. Providing an appropriate housing, foods, vitamins, bedding, humidity and veterinary care, can total hundreds of dollars a year.
• Turtles and tortoises are a long term commitment. They can live for a very long time, often 25 years or longer.
• Turtles require clean, fresh water and bedding. You should spend at least half an hour each day caring for the turtle.
• Some species need to hibernate, which is sometimes quite stressful for the turtle.
• To properly care for a turtle or tortoise, you need to fresh fruits and vegetables. Even for species where formulated food is available, this should only make up a portion of the diet.
• Most turtles grow fairly large and need correspondingly large tanks or enclosures.
• Turtles and tortoises should have exposure to ultraviolet light, either through the use of UVA/UVB producing bulbs.
• Turtles and tortoises do not interact with or particularly like humans.
• Turtles and tortoises are not recommended as suitable pets for most children because of the risk of salmonella infection.

How to choose the right turtles
The next step is to research the different breeds available. There are major differences between turtles, tortoises and terrapins. Choose a species that fits your lifestyle and your environmental niche. By narrowing your options ahead of time, you can make your decision an educated and easy one.

Do I have a place to house my pet turtle? While most turtles and tortoises can be housed either indoor and out door, some types like the Russian tortoise are preferred for outdoors where they can freely move in natural surroundings.

If you are sure that you understand all the above requirements for keeping turtles and tortoises as pet, then you should consider one more important factor before you choose turtles as pet, and that is where did the turtles come from?

Before you purchase a turtle or tortoise, make sure that it has been captive breed and raised. Breeders that provide good housing, nutrition and controlled breeding programs are much more likely to provide healthy species and good husbandry information. There is never a reason to purchase a wild caught turtles.

So with all that is mentioned, you may now begin preparing and narrowing your options before buying or adopting a pet turtle. Visit your local pet shop and veterinary to get some professional advice and choose the right type of turtle and tortoise as your pet.

Your cat’s pancreas produces enzymes and hormones to aid digestion.  Pancreatitis in cats occurs when this vital organ becomes inflamed.  This allows digestive enzymes to escape and possible cause damage to nearby organs.  This condition can affect felines of any breed, age, or sex. 

Causes

This condition routinely occurs for no known reason.  However, certain things can increase the risk of it occurring.  A common cause is traumatic injury that causes damage to the pancreas.  Cat pancreatitis also occurs because of certain medications, infections, and diseases such as distemper.

Symptoms

Cats with pancreatitis exhibit a variety of signs.  Lethargy and loss of appetite are among two of the most common symptoms.  Some cats experience a drop in body temperature while others can develop a fever.  Other common symptoms of this disease include vomiting, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Diagnosis

Unfortunately, pancreatitis in cats can be difficult to diagnose.  While urine and blood tests are enough to diagnose most other problems, it isn’t enough for this disease.  An x-ray usually doesn’t help either when trying to diagnose this disease.  In order to diagnose this condition, an ultrasound and surgery are needed.

Treatment

Fluids will be withheld to treat most cases of pancreatitis.  This gives the pancreas a chance to rest and recover.  To replace the fluids and prevent dehydration, your cat will receive intravenous fluids.  Food may also be withheld if your cat experience episodes of vomiting.  Your veterinarian will also likely prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics to help stave off secondary infections.

In March 2007, most pet owners grew very concerned about the food they were feeding their dogs and cats with the announced melamine-poisoned foods on the market. Being “mom” to my adorable and, I thought, very well-cared for King Charles Spaniel, I watched the lists daily with worry. I had believed the food I was feeding him was high quality and safe, yet I visited their website daily for reassurance. And daily I read that the food was safe, they didn’t use products from China, trust them. 

My dog started to experience diarrhea the day we moved to a new home. Being a sensitive soul for whom stress has this effect, I didn’t worry much until day 3 when it not only continued but seemed to worsen. Again, I checked the websites to see if his food was on any of the recall lists. It wasn’t. That night I had the news on in the background, sitting straight up when the latest list was announced – his food, the food that “had never used products from China”, was on the list. They lied. 

I had been poisoning my beloved best friend. 

Of course, I immediately disposed of the poisoned garbage and the next day, started cooking for my dog, thinking it would be temporary until the problems were resolved. I began to research what my dog needed nutritionally to make sure I was giving him everything he required to be healthy and happy. 

It was that research that shocked me, then just made me furious beyond description. I found out what was really in dog food (and cat food and other pet foods), and it is disgusting, dangerous and poison garbage even without the melamine. I was sickened by what I learned, knowing I had been feeding this to my pets for years, thinking I was doing right by them with the “high-quality” foods I paid premium price for. Not any more. Never again. 

Here are some of the “quality” ingredients in your pet’s food: 

“meat and poultry by-products” is material that comes from the slaughterhouse and dead animals, such as road kill and euthanized companion animals, classified as condemned and unfit for human consumption. It includes lungs (even when filled with pneumonia), spleen, brains, livers (including those infested with worms), bone, beaks, feet, heads, cancerous tissues… the list goes on. Be assured, if it is remotely fit for human consumption, it isn’t in your pet’s food. 

“meat and bone meal” is the ground refuse from restaurants and grocery stores, dead stock, road kill, euthanized animals, including stomach contents, blood and hooves, cooked until the grease from it rises where it is removed and the moisture squeezed out. It also may contain foreign materials such as metals, hair, glass, mold, pesticide contamination and more. 

Fat is usually listed high on the ingredients in pet foods that give off an appealing odor so that our pets will eat the garbage. They are made up of rancid restaurant grease and rendered refuse often filled with impurities such as hair, hide, bone, dirt or polyethylene. 

Corn flour, corn bran, corn gluten meal are the corn products left when all the nutritious ingredients, used in human products, are removed. 

Wheat flour, wheat germ meals, are nothing more than what is swept off the mill floors after everything has been processed. 

Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives, including those believed to be carcinogenic and are banned from human foods like BHT, BHA, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate. 

If you can read that and then open a can or bag of food for your pet and feed it tonight, you have a stronger stomach than I do! 

That’s why I now cook for my dog. I know exactly what he’s eating and that it is good quality, nutritious and safe (as safe as any of our food is these days). The added benefit is that it’s even less expensive! I watch for specials, especially for meats, and stock up the freezer when I find them, which is often. A lot of meat and chicken is greatly reduced in price when its shelf life is nearing its end, and fine if its cooked or frozen immediately.

I only spend a couple of hours or so once a month cooking up a big batch of food, placing it in small containers with about 3 – 4 meals in each one (he eats twice a day), freezing it until I need it. I add a couple of tablespoons of low-fat plain yogurt to a serving, mix it up and “nuke” it for about a minute to get it warm and delicious for him. He loves it! 

Best, he looks terrific, better than he ever did before, his coat gleaming, his eyes sparkling, endless energy, perfect weight and a healthy, happy glow. 

This is not a difficult thing to do! There are many excellent recipes available and now there are cookbooks dedicated to pet food recipes, including good quality treats and biscuits that your pet will adore and that you can feel great about giving them. I recommend doing some research first so that you know your pet is getting everything he needs.

Owning a dog provides many benefits, but you only get out of them as much as you put into them. Good training, good shelter, good food, fresh water and regular exercise and a happy home are all that a dog needs to be content.

Just as the wrong foods can hurt the health of humans, the same goes for the health of dogs. There are some things that are quite dangerous to feed a dog. Make sure you know what those are to avoid harming them.

Feed your dog premium pet food and fresh meat and make sure you get out and take them for a walk or a run. This gives us a good excuse to get out ourselves and exercise as well. You could say that owning a dog actually keeps humans healthier. Certainly a well-trained and healthy dog keeps us a lot happier.

Many people are unaware that some foods that we eat on a regualr basis can be deadly to your dog.

For example: a piece of chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Even a small piece of chocolate is dangerous. Anything containing caffeine can have a similar effect and be as dangerous as chocolate, and that includes coffee grounds, tea and tea bags.

Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure and even a single serving of raisins can kill your dog.

Excessive salt intake can also cause kidney problems.

Onions can cause anemia by destroying red blood cells while tomatoes can cause tremors and heart arrhythmias.

Tomato plants are particularly toxic to dogs.

Avacadoes are also highly toxic and can cause breathing difficulty and fluid accumulation around the abdomen, chest and heart.

When giving your dog bones ensure that they are raw as cooked bones can splinter and damage their internal organs.

Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis, so it is not wise to feed your dog a diet of fatty foods.

Fried foods also fall into this category and are not good to retain maximum health in your dog.

Certain nuts, such as Macadamia nuts and walnuts can cause weakness and muscle tremors.

Peanut butter however is generally okay provided you use the salt and sugar free peanut butter as sugar can encourage cancer growth.

The core and pits of fruits such as Apple’s cherries and peaches contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs and can kill them within 24-hours without warning.

If in doubt, always refrain from feeding your dog foods that we are eating assuming that they will be okay.

What is safe for humans can kill your dog within hours.

So, do yourself and your dog a favor and don’t feed them human food. As they always say, it is better to be safe than sorry and if you love your dog like I do, you do not want to lose them very soon. I have just recently experienced the unexpected loss of two pets and I am hopeful that it was nothing that I did that may have caused it. The loss of those two pets will stay with me for a very long time. They were my friends.

Pets are wonderful creatures to share our lives with, and they need just as much care as humans. All pets need to be fed properly, though we always have the question of what that might be. There are individuals who give their pet’s human food, while others strictly give pet food. We will concentrate on dogs, cats, and rabbits for proper feeding.

Rabbits How many times have you heard that rabbits like their vegetables? This is true. Most rabbits need a steady diet of rabbit food that includes lettuce and carrots. Most of the time we raise our rabbits on pellets, however, this may not be fibrous enough and can cause obesity. A steady diet of hay, vegetables, and pellets will lead to a healthy rabbit.

Dogs Is it wise to feed your dog human food? Most dogs are related to the wolf family a very carnivorous bunch, which means they need to have meat in their diet. This does not mean human food is the correct food for them. It is best to find a dog food product where the first ingredient is meat. Make sure it is real meat and not some processed substitute. Feeding your dog human food is a bad idea because it can be too greasy for them and block their arteries. Dogs have very sensitive digestive tracks so they are susceptible to diarrhea and upset stomachs if you change their food. It is best to find a dog food you prefer and that is healthy for them. You also want to keep them on the same food. Changing food can cause problems. If you feel you need to change food, you should slowly integrate the new food with the old until you have fully replaced the old. This should take two weeks or a little more. Dogs when full grown should be fed once a day at the same time.

Cats Cats are great hunters if you let them explore the outdoor world. They will often find mice, birds, and other animals to gain protein. Like a dog, your cat needs a consistent diet. You should find a cat food that has the proper amounts of protein. Cats can also have a very sensitive digestive system. Finding the right food may be difficult and take a few tries. If they have a smelly litter box, you will need to change their food. This is a sure sign they are not receiving a proper diet. When you change their food you will want to integrate it slowly over two weeks. Cats also need the vitamins from milk, though our processed milk can be too rich for them, they do sell milk for cats in the pet stores. Another idea is occasionally giving them a small piece of cheese to help with their dietary needs, however you should try and find pet food that fits all of their needs. Grass is also available for indoor cats and may be a needed to get rid of hairballs. Cats eat grass when they have an upset stomach. The grass will allow the cats to rid themselves of the problem and can help them cough up hairballs.

Picking the right food for your pet will often mean not feeding them human food, but checking the ingredients of pet food found in the stores. You want to keep you pet just as healthy as you would want to keep yourself. Proper nutrition for any animal is important to having your pet around for many years. Some types of pets are more susceptible to disease, like dogs with heart problems, but they can be monitored through proper care.

Itinerary in brief
Day 1: Hanoi – Hai Phong – Cat Ba Island
Day 2: Whole day kayaking [B / L/ D ]
Day 3: Bay Kayaking – Cat Ba Island – Hai Phong – Hanoi

* Exploring & Camping Information
This tour offers you true meaning of adventure. Starting with hydrofoil trip to Cat Ba Island, we have some time to enjoy the quiet town with beautiful beaches, fine sea food and beer. The next day is a big challenge since we trek through jungle and have a chance to see the panorama of Halong Bay from one of the mountain summits we would conquer during the trek. After the trek we camp on a quiet beach to round up an adventure day. The next day is great paddling time, as you will paddle our unique route to explore Lan Ha Bay and continue to Halong Bay where we will spend the last night on a deluxe overnight junk. This tour offers flexibility in activity levels while still combining the best of sea kayaking. It is a good tour for both novice and experienced kayaker alike with a little more time to spare.

Kayaking Ha Long Bay is the perfect way to explore the calm emerald waters.  Green Trail Tours has tours that are perfect for beginners or experienced paddlers. This exciting getaway combines the perfect amount of physical activity and relaxation.  Exploring caves, hidden lagoons, pearl farms and fishing villages, you’ll meet locals and discover a side of mystical Ha Long Bay that you can’t see from a tourist boat. Staying overnight at a little kayak base camp on a deserted beach in Lan Ha Bay.

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Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi – Hai Phong – Cat Ba Island [../ L / D ]
5:30 – Depart from your hotel in Hanoi for Hai Phong City then take express boat to Cat Ba Island; arrive in Cat Ba Island at about 10:00am. Transfer across the island to the dock and board a small boat to Cruise to our private base camp. You’ll enjoy a lunch of savory fresh local sea food. After lunch your guide will give you full instruction on the gear and safety, show you the basic paddle strokes and tell you about your paddling route. Then he’ll gear you up for an afternoon of exploration! Return back to the base camp for a fresh water shower and a great dinner before retiring to your cozy hut for the night.

Day2: Whole day kayaking [B / L/ D ]

Whole day paddling and exploring the Bay at your own pace, while having a closer look at the amazing karsts. You’ll explore some of the many caves that lead to stunning lagoons, paddle to some floating villages to see this unique way of life, and stop to chill out at one of the many beaches here. You’ll be met by a support boat which you’ll board to enjoy lunch before you continue paddling in the afternoon. Cruise back to the base camp for dinner. Enjoy another relaxing night at the base camp.

Day 3: Bay Kayaking – Cat Ba Island – Hai Phong – Hanoi [B / L/ .. ]
Our base camp is staffed by friendly locals who’ll cook you up a hardy breakfast before you head out for the morning to explore more of the amazing karst limestone formations and grottos. Return to the base camp for lunch where you can relax on the beach, throw around the Frisbee and take a swim. Cruise back to Cat Ba Island, ferry to Hai Phong then drive to Hanoi; arrive about 7:30pm. Trip ends in Hanoi.

Note:
the camping can be on the deserted beach with double tent or at ready-set-up basecamp (also on beach) with bamboo hut depending on the weather condition and availability.
we use private support boat when paddling to explore hidden and untouristy corners of Halong Bay. That makes our itinerary different from those organized by other tour operators who just use the kayaking packages offered by the overnight junks.  Our trips are designed for true and different kayaking experience in Halong Bay.

Package Tour price in: US$/per person (Valid to 30Sep2009)

Solo

Group of…

Single

sup.

2 pax

3-8 pax

$ 530

$ 375

$ 340

$ 53

Why Green Trail Tours
Your safety first!!!
Certified kayak instructor
State-of-the-art gear
See the best of Ha Long Bay
Stay at getaway base camp
Fresh local seafood What to bring:
Sun block
Camera + Film
Insect repellent
Original Passport
Wide brim hat
Swimming clothes
Sun glasses What included:
Shared bus Hanoi- Hai Phong- Hanoi
English speaking tour guide
Twin shared basic bamboo hut
Kayaks and gears
Meals as indicated
Entrance fee and permit
10% VAT What NOT included:
Insurance
Personal expenditure
Any other service not mentioned in the included list.

source…

The United States’ food and vitamin supply may not be as safe as we think, according to recent reports. This year’s pet food scare spurred intensive investigations into national regulations regarding human food and vitamin safety, and the findings were not good.

Many of the products creating the most serious problems are distributed nationally — from Texas, to New York, to Missouri, and in national supermarket, discount store, and drug store food chains. States such as Texas may be at particular risk, as many products are legally or illegally imported at the border. It is almost guaranteed that any major store in any town or city in the state, from Dallas, to Houston, to Austin, are likely to be carrying products imported from a country that has a track record of contaminated food and vitamins. The implications this has for the healthcare and health insurance industries, not to mention for public health in general, are astronomical. If a series of outbreaks do occur, it could prove especially detrimental to Texas, where 25% of its residents are uninsured, and the healthcare system is already overburdened.

According to Peter Kovacs, a food industry executive and consultant of forty years, “the U.S. is sitting on a powder keg, ready for food contamination issues to explode. Many of the major national food producers are very careful about their products,” he says. They’ve learned to trace their ingredients directly to their sources, and to test them regularly. This isn’t required, however, and many manufacturers don’t, particularly if the products are considered at lower risk — like pet foods.

This is precisely what happened when pet food was contaminated with a wheat protein from China. China, which is already building a reputation for exporting contaminated food and vitamins, exported wheat protein from companies that added melamine and cyanuric acid to up the apparent protein content and price. This supposed higher protein content is one of the major reasons the more expensive brands, like Iams, were hit so hard. Believing they were buying a more potent product, they, instead, ended up contaminating millions of pounds of food due to one ingredient.

Recalls are common — they just don’t always make national news. In recent months, there have been recalls on milk, olives, bottled water, bread, prepared fruit trays, melons, oysters, and peanut butter, for reasons varying from dangerous levels of salmonella, listeria, and arsenic, to wire fragments in the food. Last year’s national e-coli spinach scare stemmed from Natural Selection Foods in San Juan Bautista, CA, and lead is routinely found in vitamins and dietary supplements. An estimated 76 million fall prey to illness and 5,000 die every year in the U.S. due to food contamination.

Just this February, ConAgra foods recalled the widely-distributed Pan peanut butter due to salmonella content, which, in turn, was due to poor conditions at one of their plants. Europe just dodged a bullet when it discovered right before the product hit the market, that Chinese-manufactured vitamin A used to supplement infant formulas was contaminated.

A major part of the problem in the U.S. is the Food and Drug Administration’s gross underfunding and lack of control. Imports have doubled since 2002 to nine million shipments a year, and the FDA only has the resources to inspect one percent of them. Many of those imports originate from countries without strict controls on their products, and regular testing before they hit the American market does not occur.

Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, stated “we’re not even close to having a system in place that gives assurance that the food is safe.” He should know. Two years ago, the FDA suspected Cold Stone Creamery was responsible for a salmonella outbreak in four states, but their painfully out-of-date labs couldn’t detect the bacteria. Samples were shipped to Doyle, whose lab did pick it up. The FDA simply doesn’t have the resources” he said.

Dr. David A Kessler, former FDA Commissioner, would agree. “Our food-safety system in this country is broken,” he said.

In fact, many former employees of the FDA agree. William Hubbard, a top policy official who left the FDA in 2005, warned ten years ago that the amount of imported food was on the rise, while the ability of the FDA to regulate those shipments was on the decline. Attempts to solve the situation were offered to Congress and promptly rejected. Five years ago, they tried again with a $100 million import-safety plan, inexpensive by today’s standards. The FDA also asked for the authority to block food shipped from countries “repeatedly linked to contaminated products.” Both proposals were soundly rejected.

The fact that food manufacturers spend a million dollars every year lobbying against stricter regulations, and that mega powers, like Wal-Mart, also oppose tougher regulations, port inspections, and country of origin labeling, doesn’t help. These companies would lose business, and they make sure Congress knows it. Wal-Mart alone is China’s eighth largest trading partner, and 10% of all of their imports go to the company. Chinese agricultural products shipped to the U.S. totaled a staggering $2.26 billion alone last year, and 90% of all vitamin C sold in the U.S. is manufactured there. To enforce tighter regulations would effectively ban many of the products offered today on the U.S. market.

On May 2nd of this year, after widespread outbreaks affecting one product after another — from spinach, to pet foods, to toothpaste, to vitamins — Congress finally acted by passing a bill allowing the FDA to create databases of contaminated food. It seems so terribly simple, but until now, the organization did not even have the power or resources to electronically track contaminated shipments in a detailed manner, and then efficiently circulate the information.

Hubbard says it can’t stop there, however, and recommends modeling the FDA after the USDA. While the USDA only inspects meat — and the FDA everything else — the USDA has ten times as many inspectors, has the power and resources to send them to foreign plants, can deny entry of products from any company that doesn’t meet safety standards, and limits meat shipment to just a few ports in order to streamline the process. The FDA can do none of that. The FDA, realistically at this point, only has the resources to respond to problems already going on.

The average American citizen at this point can take action by lobbying Congress to impose stricter regulations, and buying as much local food as possible. Locally produced food is no guarantee, of course, that contamination will not occur, but at least customers can see where their products are being produced, and ask questions of those actually growing it. As always, the best advice seems to be common sense and vigilance.

Being aware of food safety is an important part of watching out for your health. How you take care of yourself will certainly affect you as you age, and eventually your wallet, as well.

As thousands of families struggled with the aftermath of
Hurricane Katrina, many of them were also missing pets. Many
people have plans to deal with emergencies for themselves, but
fail to make arrangements for the animal members of their
family. Whether it’s a small emergency such as a house fire, or
a large emergency like a tornado, hurricane, flood or manmade
disaster, advanced planning always gives the best chance of
keeping all of your family members safe.

Preparation

Start by talking with your family about what you will do in
various situations. Responses to localized emergencies like
fires, small storms and power outages will likely differ from
emergency plans for large scale emergencies such as hurricanes,
tornadoes and manmade attacks. Plan evacuation routes to
designated meeting points.

These will vary based on the situation. If dealing with
flooding, you’ll want to take refuge in the highest room
location in your home. For a tornado, you’ll want to take family
and pets to the lowest level of your home. If dealing with a
chemical or airborne emergency, the Red Cross advises families
to go to an interior room without windows that is above ground
level (in the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground
location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than
air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed).

All pets should have collars and tags with easily visible
identification. ID tags should have your pet’s name, your phone
number and important medical information. If possible, list a
mobile phone number. If you’re not at home when danger strikes,
calls may not reach you at a home phone.

For local emergencies, it is important to display an animal
rescue sign or sticker so that responders know that there are
pets in your home. Your rescue sign should contain the types and
names of pets in your house, as well as veterinarian name and
contact information. Use your best judgment about placing
additional contact information on the sign. While you want to
give emergency officials enough information to safely rescue you
pets, you must be cautious not to expose information which might
be abused by solicitors or passers by.

Finally, make copies of contact, evacuation route and emergency
plan information for all members of your family. Store them in
Ziploc style waterproof bags so that they will stay dry in case
of flooding or water damage.

Where to Go

After you take care of basic preparation, you should agree on
two meeting places: one near your home for emergencies such as
fires, and another outside of your immediate neighborhood if you
must evacuate your home. Similarly, it’s wise to designate two
emergency contacts. The first should be in your neighborhood,
the second should be out of town. During large scale disasters
it can often be easier to reach people who are not in your
immediate area. Make sure all of your family members memorize
both phone numbers.

If it is necessary to leave your home, you may not be able to
bring your pet to rescue facilities with your family. To prevent
permanent separation, identify a boarding kennel or shelter in
your immediate area that provides emergency care or foster care
for pets. Outside of your area, have the name and number of
hotels, friends or relatives that will accept your pets. By
having these numbers and arrangements in place, you will be able
to reunite with your pets even if you are not able to return to
your home.

Making an Emergency Pack

It’s easy to prepare an emergency pack for you and your pet.
Each pack should contain 3 days worth of supplies. Supplies
should be stored in a backpack as close to an exit as possible.

For each member of your family, your pack should
include:

*Batteries

*Battery powered flashlight

*Battery powered radio

*Blanket

*3-5 days worth of water

*Energy bars, canned nutrition shakes or other food which does
not require cooking or refrigeration

*Baby wipes

*Breathing mask

*Plastic sheeting

*Duct tape

*First Aid Kit and guide book

*Light stick

*Spray paint

*Whistle or air horn

*3-5 day supply of Tylenol or Aspirin, as well as any
prescription medication

*Recent photos if family members become separated

Your pet’s supply kit should include:

*Easy open canned or dry food. If packing dry food, you may wish
to store it in large Ziploc style plastic bags. For birds, a
small, tupperware container is recommended

*Bottled water supply for your pet

*Disposable litter trays

*Pet feeding dishes *Extra leash

*Photocopies of medical records

*3-5 day supply of any medicine your pet requires

*Litter or paper toweling

*A traveling bag or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
*Recent photos of your pets if you become separated

Remember to change food, water and medicine every three to six
months to maintain freshness and effectiveness.

Disasters, whether small, large, natural or manmade can be
terrifying. By having a solid plan in place, emergency contacts
and disaster packs ready to go, you can give your entire family
the best chance of surviving together.

An increasing number of people are turning away from treating their dogs for fleas by the traditional methods of administering spot on treatments, sprays and powders, and looking towards more gentle and natural methods of treating fleas.

In this article we are going to look at how you can use essential oils as an effective method of both treating a dog who has fleas and also using essential oils as a repellent for fleas.

Let us look first at using essential oils as a repellent for dog fleas. The best time to begin this process is around winter time, as the flea population is very low at this time of the year, although not completely non existent, as many homes these days have central heating, and the warm atmosphere can help maintain the flea breeding cycle throughout the year but, usually not to a degree to cause your dog too much of a problem.

To keep fleas to a minimum you will need to treat both your dog, his or her basket and bedding, plus your house. Wash your pets bedding and basket regularly; use 2 to 4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a very hot wash, as you will eliminate both fleas and dust mites in your pets bedding at the same time.

To treat your home, vacuum regularly, especially areas that are dark, warm and harbor dust, as these are ideal breeding areas for fleas. Examples of such places are under furniture, beds and under carpets.

Use lavender scented detergent mixed with 4 to 8 drops of lavender essential oil to clean your floors. Pay special attention to where the floors meet the walls, as these crevices are another place where fleas can exist undetected and breed successfully.

It’s now time to use your essential oils as a flea repellent on your dog. You can do this in a number of ways, but a simple and effective programme will consist of the following; bath your dog using a natural dog shampoo that has had 3 drops of lavender, 2 drops of lemon grass and 3 drops of citronella essential oil added to it. Bath your dog using this solution on a regular basis using this solution.

When bathing your dog remember to pay attention to areas like the base of his tail, the back of his ears and between his paws.

Take an old spray bottle filled with water and add 8 drops of lavender essential oil and spray your dogs fur, especially his back area, base of his tail and neck. Remember to cover your dogs eyes when spraying his neck area.

If you think your dog may already have fleas, check first to see if this is the case. Dogs scratch for all kinds of reasons; stress, allergic reactions to certain food, or a badly conditioned coat for example.

Carefully check your dogs fur, if you find small black flakes on his skin or in his fur, especially around the base of his tail, his back or around his neck, this is flea excrement and you will need to be treated.

Treat your dog in the way described above, but on a more frequent basis, for example, give your dog a lavender bath 2 times per week, and spray his coat with lavender spray once per day. you can treat flea bites with undiluted lavender essential oil, or tea tree essential oil, as both these oils are excellent antiseptics. If you are using tea tree oil, don’t use it neat, mix 2 to 3 drops in a cup of water, and clean the infected area with cotton wool balls.

Keep checking your dogs fur, until there are no further signs of fleas. To keep your dog free from fleas in the future, keep his coat in good condition by bathing him regularly, and grooming his coat. When grooming your dog check his coat for fleas. Keeping your dog fit and healthy, through a good diet, exercise and regular grooming is the first defense to flea control, as fleas are much more likely to infest unhealthy animals rather than healthy ones.

Following these simple steps to natural flea treatment, will ensure you dog remain free from fleas all year round.

The pet food industry underwent some major changes in 2007. More than 5,000 products – about 60 million individual packages of food – at all price levels were recalled. The wheat gluten in the wet foods produced by major manufacturers contained dangerous chemicals like melamine.

As consumers and pet lovers learned more about the lack of regulation in the pet food industry, they became outraged. Sales of pet food plummeted after the recall, because many pet owners felt safer feeding their pets with “people food” until they knew what alternatives were safe.

This consumer response brought about changes in the industry. Major retailers increased their oversight processes, and many stopped buying tainted foods from China. Some manufacturers have even developed plans to build their own dedicated facilities.

But lots of Americans aren’t satisfied. Almost two-thirds of American households have at least one pet, and these households have often started switching to organic or natural pet foods. This may be partially due to “humanization,” a term that refers to the process of thinking of your pet as a family member. Recent surveys have revealed that consumers want pet food that makes their pets seem, well, more human.

The Pegetables Dog Chew Treats, made by Splintek, are an example of natural pet foods. They contain many vitamins and minerals, as well as a balance of essential fats and proteins. They also contain vegetables like carrots, corn, and celery, which maintain healthy body functions. Pet owners can even treat their friends to luxuries like Doggie Dance chicken tenders or biscotti that tastes like liver.

The pet food industry is responding and using “natural” ingredients and preservatives, like vitamins, oils, and spices. These new practices are closely monitored: all products labeled “organic” must contain at least 95% of ingredients that meet the standards for organic foods for human use.

Some manufacturers, like Newman’s Own Organics in California, have certified their entire product line as organic. They use only American ingredients and avoid potential problems like wheat gluten. Instead, they use healthy ingredients like chicken fat and fish meal (sources of essential fatty acids), soy meal and flax seed meal for protein, brown rice, barley, and oats for energy, and an array of veggies to keep your pet healthy.

The “humanization” trend has affected Purina, which launched a new product in its Beneful line. These ready-to-eat meals come prepackaged in sets of eight, just like microwaveable dinners for humans. You can choose from entrees like beef stew with vegetables and barley, chicken with rice and vegetables, beef and turkey medley, roasted chicken and vegetable pasta, rice and lamb stew… the possibilities are numerous!

All of these new products are designed to maximize healthy lives for pets by containing the proper balance of nutrients and vitamins. As people live longer, they want their pets to be there with them, and the “humanizing” trend makes this desire even stronger. Specially-formulated pet foods can be purchased for every stage of a dog’s life, and for every size and breed of dog.

But healthiness is only part of the equation. Consumers are preoccupied with the idea of “fancy” or “upscale” foods, and they are starting to look for those same qualities in the foods they buy for their pets. Owning a pet is now also having a friend and a member of the family who deserves the quality you do, which might explain why consumers have doubled the amount of money they spend on pets in the last decade.