Holistic Pets

There’s absolutely no doubt that the bond between humans and pets are incredibly strong. Pets are our loyal friends and confidants as well as having an almost magical ability to calm us.

With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that most pet owners are keen to ensure their pet’s health and happiness – innocent animals that are completely at our mercy, dependent on us to understand when they’re sad, ill or just in need of a cuddle.

Owning a pet is a huge responsibility. You’ll need to provide any necessary vaccinations and other treatments and pet medicines (fleas, worms, supplements etc) that may be needed as well as the correct nutrition, a place to sleep, enough exercise and a huge chunk of your time.

While we all dream of owning a pet with a healthy coat, shining eyes and plenty of vigor, the fact is that every year a vast number of pets become ill and in need of veterinary care. If, for any reason, you believe you’re not in a position to be able to afford such treatment for the sake of your pet’s health , then it would be advisable to reconsider owning a pet.

As a responsible pet owner it’s imperative that you visit your vet whenever there’s reason to suspect all may not be well with your pet’s health and certainly before buying pet medicines online or by mail order. A vet is the only one with the knowledge and experience to prescribe the correct treatment and dosage. Always ask yourself whether you would risk taking a medicine that could have serious side effects without first discussing it with your doctor? You probably wouldn’t. Please don’t give them to your pet either – you could soon find yourself regretting it.

If, after discussing medication with your vet, you decide to buy your pet’s medicines online or by mail order, it’s extremely important that you check the expiry date as many medicines quickly lose their healing properties once expired.

As long as you know your dog well enough to notice any signs of illness and ensure he receives adequate veterinary treatment, there’s no reason why you and your pet shouldn’t spent many happy years together.

During the entire 9 months of pregnancy, expectant mothers receive a constant influx of information regarding what they should and shouldn’t do in order to protect and care for their unborn child. They keep lists of what they can and cannot eat. They avoid caffeinated beverages, and abstain from the majority of pharmaceuticals. They regularly elevate their legs, rearrange their entire schedules around doctor appointments, and even overly concern themselves with the temperature of their bath water. In the midst of all these concerns arises the question regarding cats. Should they keep their beloved feline? Should they avoid cats in general?

Rumors abound when it comes to cats and babies, and just about everyone you meet has an opinion. However, in order to make an informed decision regarding pregnancy and cats, one must set aside old wives’ tales and stick to the actual facts. What are the dangers associated with having both a pregnant woman and a cat in the same living space?

The primary risks involve potential parasitic infections that may harm the unborn baby. The most common concern is the chance that the expectant mother may contract a toxoplasmosis infection. A parasitic organism by the name of Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for the problem. This organism can cause serious harm to a developing fetus during its first trimester (such as congenital defects). Cats may come in contact with these toxoplasmosis-causing parasites if they ingest wildlife that has already been contaminated with the parasites. The T. gondii parasite relies upon the cat for its life cycle. It can live quite comfortably in a cat’s digestive tract, passing on its eggs through the cat’s feces.

It important to understand that the only way a cat can pass on the parasitic organisms is through its feces. In order to become infected, a pregnant woman must swallow a parasite or parasite egg.

For this reason, it is strongly recommended that an expectant mother not handle cat litter. If she must do so, she should wear rubber gloves and follow extra hygiene precautions. Cat feces must be incinerated or flushed daily. To minimize risk of infection, it is essential that the cat be kept away from kitchen counters and tabletops. Pregnant women should also wash their hands after spending time with their pet cat. Cats should also be taken to their local veterinarian to make sure that their worming and vaccination schedules are up to date.

Interestingly enough, cats are not the sole source of toxoplasmosis. Eating either undercooked meat, or foods grown in soil contaminated with the parasites, also places pregnant women at risk. For this reason, it is recommended that pregnant women thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables, and not drink unpasteurized milk. As a further precaution, pregnant women should wear gloves when gardening.

Of course, proper precautions must be taken, but it is possible for both cats and pregnant women to coexist safely in the same home.

As pet owners, our first concern should always be the health and well-being of our animals. Naturally, part of that equation is providing them with plenty of exercise, regular check-ups at the veterinarian, and of course, proper nutrition. Since their diet oftentimes includes healthy foods and snacks, we need to ensure that they are fed only the healthiest of these items. Conversely, what are pet owners to do if we can no longer trust the quality of the foods and snacks that commercial manufacturers are producing?

It’s a given that we depend on these companies to produce healthy foods and snacks for our four-legged loved ones, but in the past several years, an unacceptable issue has reared its ugly head in the pet food industry – specifically, the recall of foods and snacks that have been tainted with deadly ingredients. Suffice it to say, for many of us, this has destroyed the trust that we have given these commercial entities.

The recall issue has left us frightened about our pet’s welfare, and as a result, this is cause for change in the pet food industry. Within the past few years, thousands of cats and dogs have become seriously ill due to these tainted foods. Additionally, a large percentage of these animals have died. In March of 2006, the snowballing really started when Menu Foods, a Canadian pet food producer, recalled over 90 different moist foods categorized as a “cuts and gravy” type of cat and dog food.

The recall occurred after reports of 14 pet deaths resulted from the consumption of contaminates in these foods. Several weeks later, another 20 of these same brands were added to the list, and the edict was issued to remove any and all of these products from retailer’s shelves. It was later discovered that wheat gluten which was tainted with rat poison was the culprit in the large amount of pet illnesses and deaths.

As of the end of 2005, Diamond Pet Foods was also the subject of a recall issue when several dogs died and dozens of illnesses occurred as a result of consuming one of their kibbled products. In this instance, “aflatoxin”, which is a chemical produced naturally by certain fungi and found on crops such as beans, corn, rice, and wheat, was the contaminant. Aflatoxin is potentially lethal to humans as well as other animals and livestock, so it is not just harmful to cats and dogs.

Salmonella contamination has also taken center stage when two different dog treats in the form of “pigs ears” were pulled from the shelves in pet departments and stores. However, other pet food recalls during the past 10 years resulted form Salmonella being present in other pet foods as well.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now mandates that all commercial pet food manufacturers adhere to laws and regulations pursuant to the pet health issue. Legally, these manufacturers have to produce healthy and safe consumables for our pets. So when these recalls result from pets getting sick and dying you have to ask the question, “Are these pet food companies breaking the law?” Since the FDA is involved at the federal level, then these commercial manufacturers would be guilty of committing a federal crime, and therefore should be subject to harsher punishment.

Unfortunately, the FDA never perceives any threat to pet health until after numerous deaths and illnesses have occurred. Only then do they determine that there is a serious threat posed to the health of our animals. The real issue here is that safeguards should be in place and regular inspections conducted to prevent any of these incidences from occurring. As a result, there are now thousands of pet owners who no longer trust these commercial manufacturers. More importantly, they have also lost confidence in one of the Federal Government’s largest agencies – the FDA.

People describe cats as tree climbing animals. Proailurus was the first true descendent of the cat that was found 33 million years back. Cats earlier resided in rain forests and were great hunters.

Their razor sharp claws helped them ascend deftly, hiding on trees to escape danger or climbing to wait for a prey. Climbing in other words was immensely helpful for survival and eventually became a way of life.

Domesticated cats have a general fondness for heights. A household cat will always feel very contented in an elevated part of the room be it a window perch or a high shelf. Instinctive knowledge plays an important role in verifying this standard feline desire. Cats instinctively search for hideaways, as it is their natural behavior for shelter and hunting. Do not be surprised, if a cat’s eyes are seen gleaming from some corner.

Theories For Fondness Of Heights:

Below mentioned are some reasons that state why a cat loves heights:

1. Height in some way signifies the rank of a cat. If there are many cats residing in the same household, the cat who reigns the topmost perches generally governs the rest. The governing cat is factually the ‘top cat’.

2. Height enables a cat to observe the surroundings effectively. The cat can thus be more vigilant about the activities of individuals and other pets. An upper position in the wild, functions as a hidden area from where the cat can hunt for its prey.

3. A cat may feel warmer, if it climbs a high place.

4. A high perch enables a cat to escape from any factor, which makes it scared or anxious.

Buy A Cat’s Furniture According To Its Lifestyle:

An individual may find out a pet cat’s character and personality by careful observation and accordingly select the furniture, which best suits the cat’s lifestyle.

1. A brave mountain lion keen to climb an apartment perch: Younger, energetic cats’ favor the highest perch one may provide preferably a ground to ceiling tree. An extremely tough mega tree is necessary for a cat, which likes to dash up the tree.

2. A temporary explorer who regularly occupies a secure middle position: Many segments between two to seven feet will suit the cat’s requirements. A 39″ tall curved penthouse will be suitable accompanied with an ideal observation deck.

3. A demure savanna occupant that prefers a soft floor level pillow: Older cats and those suffering from ailments will favor a comfortable pyramid bed.

Cats Survive After Falling From Great Heights:

Cats have survived falls from 32 stories. Humans die after falling from such a great height. Interestingly the rate of survival and the severity of damage were the same even if the cat fell from seven stories or from 32 stories. In fact, sometimes, the injuries were much less.

This is because cats achieve maximum speed at 60 mph or only after five stories. When a cat reaches this speed, its balancing organs become less functional. This causes the cat to relax, which distributes the collision force uniformly.

Ecology is the science of relationships between organisms and their environments. When looking for cats, people have to consider a variety of aspects, such as the natural habitat or the environment. To make sure the environment at home is the safest for cats, owners have to make available certain things such as first aid kit for cats and play items for their recreational purpose.

Several people assume that since domestic and wild cats get enough water and food, cats may survive in cold climate because of their thick coats. Although, studies say that in harsh climate, shelter is preferred the most over any other needs. Without shelter, wild and domestic cats develop risk of possible dangers such as frozen paws and ears. Severe climate may harm their respiratory system too. Particularly, in the rains, fur of cats get wet and may cost them their lives.

Types of Shelter:

Styrofoam Cooler Shelter:

A general Styrofoam cooler may provide shelter to cats. This type of shelter is available at grocery stores and in departmental stores as well. It is also available at restaurants that obtain shipments of meat and fish filled in Styrofoam containers.

Plastic Bin Shelter:

Such type of shelter needs two plastic bins of Rubber made type, and they need to have lids of which one has to be big enough so that the lid and smaller bin fit inside it properly. Other than this, some straw for bedding along with a Styrofoam insulation of 4 by 8 foot is required.

Temporary shelter:

An abandoned or homeless cat may survive in a shelter made of commonly available items. A strong container or a heavyweight-shipping crate built with plastic and having resistance to bad climate is the ideal one.

Insulation and Bedding:

There are other ways for providing shelter to domestic cats. An insulating stuff inside the shelter house of cats gives their body the required heat and warmth. It is better to use straw for this purpose. Owners may avoid using towels, blankets or newspapers that suck the body heat of cats. In addition, owners need to change the insulating material for keeping it dry.

In cold climate, cat owners may use a Mylar blanket to line the floor or the interior walls of the shelter. Mylar imitates the body heat of cats. Mylar blankets are available at cheap prices. One more type of blanket that is available in pet stores is the Flexi-Mat Purr Pad.

Other Options to Buy Shelters:

Cat owners who have no time, skill or liking to build shelter for their cats, there is an alternative. Recently, pet stores offer cat shelters insulated with wood of superior quality. Cat owners willing to buy it may go through the web site of the store, for checking the price list or visit the nearest store.

Cats – Adaptability

Cats accommodate themselves in many places. May be an apartment, a mansion, camper or a houseboat, they get used to the environment easily. However, basic shelter requirements of cats include a litter box and provision of warmth. Owners can make available all the necessary items for cats, indoors.

The domesticated cat has spread to nearly every continent and is one of the most popular pets worldwide. However, there are many people who do not like cats and would never consider letting a cat share their home for several different reasons.

Although some people simply don’t enjoy animals, many prefer dogs over cats because of few liabilities that cats have, such as shedding, clawing furniture and carpet. The following questions and answers provide some information that can make cats easier to live with, explain some of their bothersome behaviors and how to remedy them, as well as how they purr and land on their feet, and the typical lifespan of a cat.

Do cats always land on their feet?

Well, that is actually a generalization. While housecats are very adept at falling gracefully, bigger cats that are not used to climbing or falling, like lions, have a lot of trouble landing on their feet. It isn’t entirely rare for a lion to have a painful descent on the rare occasion it climbs a tree. In some cases, large housecats that are less than athletic have similar issues.

Research compiled on cats that have fallen or jumped from windows have found that many of the cats who fell from a lower level or a higher level were able to land on their feet.

This phenomenon is called Highrise Syndrome and basically shows that cats that fall from six stories or higher are more likely to survive than cats falling from lower levels. Falling from higher up gives cats longer to get their feet underneath them and brace before they hit the ground.

Why does my cat shed all the time?

Cats shed their fur as a way of adjusting to their living conditions. Outdoor cats tend to put on a thick coat in the fall as winter sets in, and then shed the extra fur in the spring when it begins to get warmer. Outdoor cats shed in this manner because their brain can sense how much sunlight they are exposed to and use this to gauge how much fur they need to stay warm or cool for the season.

Indoor cats, on the other hand, have very little exposure to natural lighting and the artificial lighting inside home does not register the same to the part of their brain that controls shedding. Because the cat’s brain senses an imbalance, they grow and shed hair continually, unlike an outdoor cat.

Should I have my cat declawed?

Although tens of thousand cats are declawed each year, many vets and cat owners are against this procedure because of what declawing actually entails. A cat’s claws are not like ours. Our finger nails are simply dead cells while a cat’s claws are very similar to the last joint on your finger.

Cats use their claws for balance and movement, so the lack of them can be painful and removing them makes walking much different for the cat. If you plan on letting your cat live in the house, there are other measures you can take to ensure they don’t shred your furniture like getting them a scratching post covered in abrasive material instead of soft material that resembles carpet or upholstery.

Is there anything I can do to stop or slow down my indoor cat’s shedding?

There are a few things you can do to keep cat hair off of everything you own and make your cat more comfortable as well. Since cats shed constantly in response to being kept indoors, which is not exactly their natural environment, cats that shed excessively are, in effect, slightly out of balance.

The best thing you can do to reduce unwanted shedding is to make sure that they have a healthy and balanced diet and to brush them often. A good diet will ensure that they have a healthy coat that will shed a normal amount. Keeping your cat healthy and brushing excess hair will prevent cat hair from getting all over the place.

What are the benefits to having my cat spayed or neutered?

Other than preventing them from having unwanted kittens, having your cat spayed or neutered will preventing them from developing several activities that pet owners may consider undesirable, especially in indoor cats. In addition to making it impossible for your cat to mate, it also takes away their desire to mate and all the related activities.

This means that male cats will not mark their territory with urine spray or roam for miles trying to find a mate. Once female cats become mature, they will stay in heat nearly all the time until they become pregnant, which means that they will likely keep you awake at night by howling to attract a mate.

However, many cat owners have their pet spayed or neutered because the energy they would have spent on finding a mate is dedicated to their human companions instead and they become a much more devoted pet.

The Boston Terrier is a true American Breed. The breed results from a cross between a English Bulldog and a white English Terrier. The breed’s nickname is American Gentleman because of the breeds gentle disposition.

Around 1870 William O’Brien of Boston sold an imported dog named “Judge” to Robert Hooper (also of Boston). The dog became to be known as “Hooper’s Judge” and became ancestor of almost all true modern Boston Terriers. “Hooper Judge” was mated to a white Bitch named “Gyp” or “Kate” (was owned by Edward Burnett) and from this mating descended a dog named “Wells Eph” who was bred to a Bitch named “Tobins Kate”. The Boston Terrier breed evolved from these dogs.

In 1889 thirty people in and around Boston organized the American Bull Terrier Club. As time passed they met with opposition from Bull Terrier and Bulldog fanciers who objected to the similarity of the breed name and they claimed that this new breed was quite unlike theirs. So at that point the Boston Terrier Club of America was established in 1891, taking the name of the city the breed had originated from. American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1893.

Please visit us at www.doggonegoodstuff.com for more breed info and everything you and your dog will ever need and more.

Article written by Kevin Gawricki

Kevin is owner of Dog Gone Good Stuff which he founded because of the need for a place that caters specifically to dogs and their owners specific needs. Please feel free to visit Dog Gone Good Stuff for all your dogs needs. Web address www.doggonegoodstuff.com

Every day lately, it seems there is another pet food recall, warning dog and cat owners not to feed their pets different brands of foods. This is getting scary. Who knows which pet food will be recalled next. Though I am still using the kibble my cats normally eat, I am now supplementing my pets with a few homemade recipes. These are not meant for feeding your pets forever, since I”m not a vet or nutritionist but they are good for filling their furry tummies while we wait out the lowdown on the canned foods, which seem most affected by these pet food recalls. Here are the basic recipes I am using, don’t add other ingredients unless you know for sure that they don’t hurt your pets. We all know chocolate is off-limits to pets, as are other foods such as onions. Stick with these ingredients, which seem to be pet safe, according to pet experts I’ve read about.

Homemade Cat Food

2 cups ground chicken, lean beef or turkey, thoroughly cooked and diced;

4 cups rice, cooked in chicken or beef broth;

1/2 cup potatoes, ground;

1/4 cup spinach or carrots, ground;

1/4 cup green beans, ground;

2 tbsp melted butter;

dash of garlic powder

Mix everything together in large pot or bowl. Make sure it is completely cool before feeding to your cat. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Homemade Cat Treats

1 1/2 cup oats, ground;

1/4 cup butter;

1/2 cup flour;

1/2 cup chicken broth;

1/4 cup cubed or shredded American or mild cheddar cheese -or- shredded chicken

Mix all ingredients together, form small cookies and bake on greased cookie sheet until done at 350 degrees. Roughly 25 minutes but check as ovens vary. Do not overcook.

Our pets deserve food that is safe, so hopefully, this current pet food crisis will alert the authorities to make sure they buy quality products and be more careful of what they put in their pet food recipes. Cats have specific nutritional needs so don’t feed them any of these recipes on a long term basis, as I do not know the breakdown of nutritional value for them. But, by using fresh, healthful ingredients, cooking the meat thoroughly and storing the food you make in the refrigerator, it can help to tie your kitty over until it is safe to go buy food at the store again. Enjoy.

Before I share with you the dog heartworm symptoms  let’s discuss that dog heartworm symptoms can vary depending on what of heartworm disease your dog has at the time. Heartworm treatment will also vary depending on the stage of the heartworms. You probably already know that there are medications for treatment but you probably didn’t know that most of these medications contain pesticides.

If you are looking for safer ways to protect your dog from heartworms we will discuss those options as well. Imagine being able to safely and effectively treat your dog for heartworms without having your pet go through harsh side effects.

First to what causes heartworms.

WHAT CAUSES HEARTWORMS IN OUR PETS

Heartworms are caused in our pets when our pets are bitten by mosquitoes which have become infected with heartworms from biting other infected animals.  A number of animals can be host to heartworms. They include dogs, cats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and even humans.  When the infected mosquito bites our pets the mosquito deposits larvae into the skin of our pets. The larvae are from the parasitic roundworm known as dirofilaria immitis. The larvae migrate to the heart and within 6 months they hatch or transform into worms that look like pieces of thread. The heartworms can in found in the chambers of the heart and in the two main arteries leading to the heart (Pulmonary artery and vena cava). From there they move to other parts of the body including the lungs and liver.

DOG HEARTWORM SYMPTOMS

Breathing difficulties Coughing Vomiting Weight loss Collapse Convulsions Sudden death Tiredness Decreased appetite Heart failure Difficulty exercising Bloody sputum Loss of consciousness Abnormal lung sounds May take years after initial infection to show up

Standard treatment usually consists of a veterinarian prescribed medications such as the ones listed below.

HEARTWORM MEDICATIONS | PREVENTION FOR DOG HEARTWORM SYMPTOMS

Revolution – This is a broad spectrum medication that has been reported to be the top of the list for dogs. This medication also protects your dog from flea infestations. Interceptor – This medication is reported to prevent heartworms, hookworms, whipworm, and roundworms. Heartgard – This medication is widely available that prevents heartworms, hookworms and roundworms. Very few side effects have been reported with this medication. Iverhart Max – This medication is used for heartworms and tapeworms. There do not seem to be many reported side effects with this medication.

Active ingredient in Heartgard and Iverhart  is ivermectin. The active ingredient in Interceptor is milbemycin and the active ingredient in Revolution is selamectin oxime. These medications work as a preventative in the sense they are actually using chemicals to kill off heartworms in their early stages. So while some say they are preventative they are also treatment.

Many current medications produce harmful side effects in our pets. That is why a growing number of concerned pet owners have decided to use natural remedies. Many natural remedies work quite well and save you a bunch of money in the process. Read on through the last paragraph and find out home remedies secrets that are safe and effective.

After publishing an article online about my dog Joe and his battle with Canine Liver Disease, I was inundated with e-mails from dog owners worldwide whose pets were suffering from diseases of the heart, kidneys and various chronic digestive problems.

In many cases, after simply changing their pets diet I was fascinated to note there were major marked improvements in the health of their dogs across a wide range of canine diseases.

After many hours of research I made a series of shocking discoveries about the commercial dog food that many people feed their much-loved pet……here is just a sample of the information that I was amazed to find

· Meat or Poultry by-products are very common in wet pet foods. The better brands of pet food, such as many “super-premium,” “natural,” and “organic” varieties, do not use by-products. On the label, you’ll see one or more named meats among the first few ingredients, such as “turkey” or “lamb.” These meats are still mainly leftover scraps; in the case of poultry, bones are allowed, so “chicken” consists mainly of backs and frames—the spine and ribs, minus their expensive breast meat. The small amount of meat left on the bones is the meat in the pet food. Even with this less-attractive source, pet food marketers are very tricky when talking about meat

· So-called “4D” animals (dead, dying, diseased, disabled) were only recently banned for human consumption and are still legitimate ingredients for pet food.

· Contrary to the myth propagated by pet food companies, dry food is not good for teeth. Given that the vast majority of pets eat dry food, yet the most common health problem in pets is dental disease, this should be obvious. Humans do not floss with crackers, and dry food does not clean the teeth.

· A claim that a named meat (chicken, lamb, etc.) is the #1 ingredient is generally seen for dry food. Ingredients are listed on the label by weight, and raw chicken weighs a lot, since contains a lot of water. If you look further down the list, you’re likely to see ingredients such as chicken or poultry by-product meal, meat-and-bone meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, or other high-protein meal. Meals have had the fat and water removed, and basically consist of a dry, lightweight protein powder. It doesn’t take much raw chicken to weigh more than a great big pile of this powder, so in reality the food is based on the protein meal, with very little “chicken” to be found. This has become a very popular marketing gimmick, even in premium and “health food” type brands

· Feeding recommendations or instructions on the packaging are sometimes inflated so that the consumer will end up feeding — and purchasing — more food. One of the most common health problems in pets, obesity, may also be related to high-carb, high-calorie dry foods. Both dogs and cats respond to low-carb wet food diets. Overweight pets are more prone to arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes.

To find out more about what YOUR dog is REALLY eating and what YOU can do about it please visit:

www.moredogfoodfacts.com