February 9, 2015

A Short List To Finding Your Type Of Cat

Are you thinking about adopting a cat or maybe two this year? There is not a better time to adopt than this week. Your care and kindness will help them build confidence, trust, and a lot of special LOVE happens in the process for both the cat and new owner. 

To see the Short List about six breeds on our  cat's page click here

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January 14, 2014 

January is National Dog Training Month (archived) 

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November 13, 2014

Toys Pets and Technology (archived)

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October 10, 2014

It Takes a Community To Raise a Pet (archived)

October 2, 2014

How To Keep Your Puppy From Biting

Once bitten twice shy, is that how you have been feeling recently after bringing your puppy home? Don't worry, there are ways to stop your puppy from biting. One of the first ways to do so is by discouraging your puppy to bite. Don't play any games such as wrestling or chasing because they only encourage nipping or biting. Why socialization matters [read more]

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September 14, 2014

If Your Dog Could Talk, This is What It Would Say                                                       

Remember the Late Show with David Letterman where he finds a dog named Grabel which answers, 'Obama' when asked who the President is? Oh, how endearing Grabel was! Haven't you all often wondered what your dog would say if it could talk on it's own? click here to read on for what your dog would say if only it could.

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September 4, 2014

25 Easy & Fun True Facts About Dogs

1. The Beatles song A Day in the Life has an extra high-pitched whistle, audible only to dogs. It was recorded by Paul McCartney for the enjoyment of his Shetland sheepdog.

2. Eighty percent of pet parents buy their dog a present for holidays and birthdays. Most of that percentage sign letters and cards from themselves and their pets and also include them in the family portrait!!!

3. The wetness of a dog's nose is essential for determining what direction a smell is coming from. Their nose secrete a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb the scent.

4. The Newfoundland breed has a water resistant coat and webbed feet. This dog was bred to help with hauling nets for fishermen and to rescue them from drowning.

5. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic... two Pomeranians and one Pekingese.

6. Puppies have 28 teeth and adult dogs normally have 42.

7. Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds, humans have approximately 9,000 and cats have around 470.

8. Dogs chase their tail for a variety of reasons: curiosity, release of pent up energy, anxiety, predatory instinct, or they have fleas. If your dog excessively chases his tail talk with your vet.

9. Hyenas actually are not dogs, but are more closely related to cats. http://hyaenidae.org/ancient-hyaenas.html

10. Dalmatian puppies are pure white when they are born. They develop their spots weeks later, as they grow.

11. The Chow Chow breed is well known for their distinctive blue-black tongues. They are born with pink tongues that turn dark at 8-10 weeks of age.

12. A dog drinks water by forming the back of their tongue into a cup.

13. Dogs and humans have the same type of slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement. Like humans, it is during this REM stage that dogs can dream. The twitching and paw movements that occur during their sleep are signs that your pet is dreaming.

14. Dogs have three eyelids, an upper lid, lower lid and the third is a membrane found under the outer eye lids. It closes across the eye to help keep the eye moist and protected.

15. Dogs can see movement and light much better than people. Their eyes contain a special cell, which is good for collecting dim light. A reflective layer then magnifies the light allowing them to see in the dark.

16. A dog's whiskers are touch sensitive hairs called vibrissae. They are found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaw. They can detect the tiniest change in air flow.

17. The only sweat glands a dog has are between the paw pads.

18. In addition to sweating through their paw pads, dogs pant to cool off. A panting dog can easily take 300 or more breaths.

19. A large dog's resting heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. a small dog's heart beats between 100 - 140 per minute. A resting human heart beats 60-100 times per minute.

20. Small dogs live the longest. Toy breeds live up to 16 years or more. Some breeds, such as Tibetan terrier live as long as 20 years. A larger dog's life span averages 7-12 years. Recent veterinary medicine has extended this estimate by about three years.

21. If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66.000 dogs in 6 years.

22. The dog name Fido is Latin and means fidelity.

23. It is believed that dogs see everything primarily in a hue of blue, greenish-yellow, yellow, and various shades of gray.

24. There are more than a dozen separate muscles that control a dog's ear movements.

25. Some dogs run and move around faster than others. I am thinking of the whippet or greyhound, that can run as fast as 45 miles per hour.

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Managing Your Cat's Allergies, July 31, 2014

Much like people, cats too can suffer from a wide range of allergies, which occurs because of the body reacting towards the foreign objects or substances within it. It is the natural immune response of the cat that works extra hard at such times. The symptoms of allergy include itchy skin that causes rubbing or scratching, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and vomiting. Cats can suffer from one or all of these symptoms.

Treatment for Allergies

Cats could suffer from flea, food or environmental allergies. Allergies from the environment are either contact or airborne. Treatment for allergies include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and shampoos. Your vet could suggest an oral or cream-based antibiotic to reduce itchiness of the skin. Anti-inflammatory medicines or shampoos are also aimed at lowering infections of their skin.

Bath your cat frequently with a mild shampoo to remove allergens, dust and pollen from the skin and coat. Sometimes, the litter tray or box could be causing an allergy, you could replace it with a dust free substitute. Using tick and flea prevention medications on a regular basis can help hugely as well.

Prevention is better than a cure

Feed your cat natural cat food and add appropriate supplements to their diet to help with any immune deficiencies. You should clean bowls and feeding utensils thoroughly, brush the coat often, and regularly apply cream-based medication where the skin is rugged. Even the bedding your cat uses needs to be cleaned from time to time.

Another allergic reaction your cat may experience is asthma. The vet may need to prescribe medication that opens up the airway, in such cases. Over an extended period of time, your doctor will suggest corticosteroids to manage the asthma. Smoke from cigarettes is not good for your cat.  if you are a smoker please be careful that your cat does not breath in second hand smoke.

It greatly helps to understand what allergens can cause trouble to your pet so you can act on it. They include pollen, plants, mildew, mold, food, perfume, some detergents, flea and products that control them. In some cases even certain fabrics, dust, rubber and plastic can cause allergies in cats. Make sure your home is free of dust; rugs, carpet, upholstery should be vacuumed regularly and so should all the regular places where your cat tends to sleep and hang out.

Managing your cat's allergies by way of treatment and prevention is important not only for the well-being of your cat, but also that of your family.

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August 22, 2014

The remedies listed here are some that people have used with good success. They are certainly worth a try as you contemplate whether or not to call your veterinarian for extra help.

Home Remedies For Your Unwell Dog (archived)

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August 19, 2014

What to do if Your Dog is Harmed by Fleas

Any dog owner will tell you that his/her worst nightmare is a pet that is infested with fleas. Your dog needs a lot of care, both preventive and reactive, to keep fleas at bay. With the help of some simple home remedies, you can prevent fleas as well as other types of pests from affecting your pet. [read more]

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June 27, 2014

Keeping Your Pets Cool When Temperatures Are Rising

Summers can get relentlessly hot with the uncompromising sun beating down, rising temperatures every day. Hot weather gets difficult for both humans and their furry companions. Summer heat coupled with humidity is pretty hard to cope with. High temperatures can be dangerous for your precious pet. Take care of your pet this summer with a few simple tips on how to keep your pet refreshed and relaxed as temperatures soar. [read more]

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Pets and Fireworks

Enjoyed by a majority of people, fireworks can have quite the opposite effect on your pets. A common source of fear, caused by loud booming and crackling sounds, seemingly innocent fun fireworks can turn your calm pet into a nervy bag of anxious shivers. On an average around 45 percent of pets fear fireworks; avoid them getting too hyper, try and relax your pet. Here are a few recommended tips to cope with and calm a stressed pet. [read more]

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June 11, 2014

Emergency Care For Your Pet

Accidents are part and parcel of everyday life; although sometimes situations such as a picnic on Independence Day might lead to some ungainly misadventures, for your furry friend. During such situations it is often difficult to make sound decisions, especially at odd hours of the night.

As the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry. So always be prepared and have an emergency plan ready to handle your pet in case of an accident. [read more] about around the clock emergency centers

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