Care to Your Dog!

As a pet owner, you are no doubt concerned with the health and well being of your pet. Sometimes our pets have health issues that we do not have the answers for, and do not always know where to turn to find advice and answers on these pet health questions.

If you are concerned about your pet’s health and are not sure if it is something that should require a trip to the vet or medical attention, you are not alone. Many pet owners have questions on the health of their pets and it is hard to tell when your pet really does need medical attention. Pets have a way of hiding their symptoms and illnesses from us because they do not want to seem weak or hurt. Because of this, we as pet owners need to be responsible for getting them the care that they need when they need it.

Although you may not always be able to tell when your pet is hurting or not feeling well, there are some indicators that he or she may be sick. If your pet is exhibiting changes in the way they act and the amount of attention that they want from you, it could indicate there is trouble. Pets who are normally very affectionate and suddenly seem to be shying away from you, could be hiding the fact that they do not feel good. Pets who are normally very independent and who suddenly want to be around you more and need more attention could also be showing signs that something may not be right.

Other pet health questions owners typically have are in the eating habits of their pets. While it is common from time to time for pets to have different eating habits and some changes are normal, if your pet is showing extreme changes such as not eating hardly at all, or eating all of the time, this could be cause for alarm. If your pet is eating a lot more than normal but not gaining any weight, it could be a sign of worms or other digestive issue that they are experiencing.

Changes in the elimination habits of your pets can also be indicators that a sickness or problem is present. It is important to always keep an eye on the elimination habits of your pet so that you will be able to tell the difference between normal and when something may be wrong.

Changes in the appearance of your pet such as changes in the luster of the fur, texture of the fur and sudden bald spots could indicate ticks, rashes or other skin lesions that may not be visible to the naked eye. Cats who overly groom a particular area and create a bald spot could be exhibiting signs of sickness or even stress. If you notice any behaviors like that in your pet, you should talk to a vet to find out what could be causing it.

Pet health questions can be confusing, and you may not always know where to turn for accurate and helpful answers. There are many pet sources on the Internet that offer advice and information on anything from pet health to pet behavior. There are also sites that offer answers to any questions that you may have that you can ask a professional vet for a small fee and also catalogue previous questions and answers from pet owners that are relevant to your concerns for your pet. You can also check with your local vet to help answer any questions as well.

Depending on the processing methods employed to produce them, commercial pet foods fall into one or the other of the following two categories:  heat-treated and raw.

So-called ‘heat-treated’ pet foods are processed using all-too-often excessive levels of heat.  These foods are baked, cooked (canned), extruded, or heat-dried (often the case with kibble- or pellet-type pet foods).  Diets based on such heat-treated pet foods are probably the least desirable in terms of maintaining the health and general well being of most animals.

Heat processing of food destroys all enzymes, many vitamins and antioxidants, and changes the molecular structure of proteins and even fibers.  Attempts to replace nutrients that have been destroyed by heat with supplementary—and predominantly synthetic—nutrients can never compare nutritionally with the benefits and quality of natural, minimally treated nutrients.  At present, there is no way to replace structurally altered fibers or denatured proteins.  These alterations make heat-processed foods and their constituent nutrients less bio-available or beneficial, and certainly less effective in maintaining health, preventing disease, and helping the healing processes that normally follow injury.  Structurally altered pet foods may actually contribute to health problems (e.g., food allergies or inflammation).

Mineral and vitamin supplementation is often used to comply with the American Feed Control official standards for balanced or complete diets.  However, these standards can’t possibly reflect the actual nutritional requirements of every domestic animal species.  Accordingly, Dr. Junger believes that animals should eat a variety of foods that provide a broad spectrum of natural nutrients.  If animals are fed a variety of quality foods to begin with, supplementation with select high quality products can then be used to support good health at different life stages, to prevent age-related deficiencies, or to promote healing after injuries.

Today, with the availability of raw pet food options, consumers and their pets have good diet options.  The best raw pet foods are fresh, consisting of raw animal products, plant material, or a combination of the two.  Frozen raw pet foods are often a more convenient choice.  If fresh or frozen raw foods aren’t available, dehydrated raw foods are a good second choice.  The advantage of these dehydrated foods is that they can be stored easily for longer periods of time with little mess and no worry about short-term spoilage.

In terms of nutritional quality, not all dehydrated raw pet food products are the same.  Apart from the ingredients used, the quality of this variety of raw pet food depends largely on the temperatures to which their ingredients were exposed during the dehydration process.  Dr. Junger’s company, Onesta Organics, uses a truly gentle and slow dehydration process that preserves overall nutritional quality.

As with all pet food products, an important determinant of quality is the choice of ingredients used by manufacturers.  Onesta Organics uses only human grade ingredients that are certified organic by a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency.  This assures that the ingredients used are verifiably organic.  USDA organic certification also ensures that Onesta Organics products are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), hormones, and antibiotics, and that no potentially toxic or otherwise unhealthy synthetics are added to your pet’s food.  It also means that all ingredients used are traceable back to their original source.  Such sourcing is impossible in the case of conventional pet food manufacturers.  Unlike the products of companies which state that their pet food is organic—and, in some cases, might even claim GMO-, hormone-, and antibiotic-free status—only USDA certified organic pet foods are inspected and scrutinized by an independent third party, which assures that all claims made are indeed true.  Aside from the fact that Onesta Organics uses healthful, certified organic ingredients in their raw pet foods, unlike other pet food manufacturers, this company sees no point in adding ingredients that are known to be highly allergenic to its pet food products.

The folks at Onesta Organics believe that USDA certified organic, raw pet foods are among the healthiest choices for your pet.  Moreover, it’s critically important for pet owners to provide their animals with a wide variety of food choices.  In most cases, such a broad-spectrum feeding approach will minimize, or perhaps even negate, the possibility of the kinds of nutritional deficiencies and chronic diseases in pets we hear about all too often these days.

Some people embark on purchasing a pet with out really thinking about the consequences. If you are in full time work and want to own a pet such as a dog, have you considered how much it will need to be walked? And who will do this when you are at work.
Pet sitting is a professional pet sitting service that is rapidly growing. Pet sitters provide extraordinary care and will lessen the stress to you while providing your dog with freedom.
Advantages of using pet sitters
Less stress to your pet as the animal will be cared for in their own home and own surroundings.
Being kept in the same area and around your home your pet will be less likely to pick up any strange illnesses or parasites.
A pet sitter will travel to your home to care for your pet this means there will be no travel trauma as he/she will not need to be transported anywhere.
Most kennels will require specific vaccinations to allow any animal to board there, pet sitters are less restrictive in this area.
Your animal will have a set routine and will not be required to adapt to a new environment.
Many pet sitting services will provide additional personalized touches which will leave you worry free, having someone come in and pick up your post and turn a light on so that you do not come home to darkness is just some of the added bonuses a pet sitter can provide. Some people say they double as a house sitter.
For you to be completely happy you need to be able to trust the person you choose to care for you animal, pet sitters will care for your pet as you do giving them time for play, exercise and will also be aware of any medical conditions.
Tips On Choosing A Pet Sitter
I would recommend that you ask friends and family if they can make any recommendations so you know the pet sitter has a good reputation.
Arrange a meeting with in your home with each pet sitter. Watch how they interact with your pet and see if you can sense that your pet actually likes this person.
Make the pet sitter aware of any health problems your pet has and let them know what your pet enjoys, a reliable pet sitter will take notes as you provide them with this information.
Make sure you ask for a copy of their contract this will provide you with exactly what you can expect from this person as well as their rates of pay.
Prepare detailed instructions. Include all your contact phone numbers including one of a friend in case you are unreachable in an emergency.
Being armed with the right questions will help you choose the perfect match for you pet leaving you stress free and you pet happy.

Food plays a major role in keeping your pet healthy and ensures their proper growth. There are different brands of pet food available in the market. One of the popular pet food brands is the Merrick pet food. The Merrick pet food was founded in mid 1980’s and is a family owned business. The Merrick pet food is ranked as the second highest best selling pet food company across the U.S. The Merrick pet food is made using simple processing steps, which helps in retaining the natural benefits, avoiding any kind of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives, thus offering simple, nutritious and healthy food products for your pet. The Merrick food product truly delivers the comfort for the soul of your pet with their healthy meal and treats. All the different types of the Merrick pet food features canned wet food, dry kibble diets, high-quality treats and long lasting chews.

Merrick pet food provides canned and dry food for the dogs, while canned food for the cats. The Merrick pet food, which is canned, is no less than a five star treat for your pet.  Every Merrick pet food is high on nutrition with farm fresh ingredients, vegetable and fruits. The Merrick pet food is manufactured using all the human grade ingredients along with fresh vegetables and fruits, with rich protein content. The specialty of the Merrick dog food is their use of apples in their dog food. The dog food contains a perfect blend of Fuji, granny smith, golden delicious and different varieties of the red apple, which is sure to provide your canine with the perfect taste and optimum nutrition. Some of the canned food for the dogs also consists of sweet potatoes, beef, carrots, green beans, granny smith and apples.

The canned food for the cats and kittens is sure to provide them with the required nutrients to maintain their activeness and healthy growth. If your cat likes seafood, then Merrick pet food has the right option for your cat. Apart from the farm fresh ingredients like the chicken, the Merrick pet food for the cats also serves specialized seafood products, especially for the cats. This canned seafood includes fresh stock of white fish, lobster, crab, shrimp and sardines, which are all blended perfectly together. To enhance the taste and the health, this seafood special cat food also includes fresh potatoes, carrots, fresh snow beans and delicious red apples.

The dry dog food is easy to store and serve. The dry food contains a home cooked feel, which is sure to be loved and enjoyed by your canine pals. The dog food contains of turkey, duck, chicken mixed with farm fresh vegetables. The Grammy’s potpie dry food for the dogs contains peanut butter cookies, cold pint of milk, which is sure to become your dog’s favorite food.

Merrick pet food also features treats for the canines, which are useful for keeping the different parts of the canines healthy like for the dentals, ears, bones, tendons etc. The other includes chews, hooves, sausages, rawhides etc. The treat consists of steak wafers, liver snaps and jerky squares, which is the most popular among the canines.

Anyone who has ever started looking around for an animal to add to the family knows that getting a new pet can be very expensive, and it seems almost impossible to find a free pet. Many breeders ask for several hundred dollars, even for the smallest dogs or cats. Golden Retrievers are usually $700 to $800, Maine Coon cats can cost up to $900 or $1000, and rare exotic animals run much higher.

However, considering all of the pets in the world who are currently homeless, and are living in animal shelters without a loving family, it seems unreasonable and nonsensical to spend hundreds of dollars for a pet when there are so many who need to be saved.

While there are a number of animal rescue organizations and pet shelters around the country, there is only one resource which you should always start with, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Healthy Pets Aren’t Always Free

Before we examine why it’s best to start with the ASPCA, which does charge some fees for adopting and rescuing pets, it’s important to note that it is possible to find a free pet, if you are careful and follow a few important guidelines.

Searching through the classified ads in the newspaper or online classified ads like PetsAds or PetsClassifieds.us, you can locate listings for free pets that people are giving away. It’s critical to understand that most free pet ads are from people who are giving away their pets for the following reasons:

• They are moving to a place that doesn’t take pets.
• They can no longer afford to have a pet.
• They found a stray, but can’t keep it.

These are usually well-meaning people, but keep in mind that if they have a pet that they can no longer afford to keep, the pet may not be 100% healthy. If you do decide to take the classified ad route, just remember that most of the things that the fees pay for at the ASPCA, you will have to pay for anyway – including all shots, medical checkups and neutering.

It is perfectly okay to find free pets on your own, just remember that pets are never “free”. You will need to pay for the up-front (and continuing) health care for the rest of it’s life.

ASPCA and Pet Adoption

The ASPCA is a wonderful organization that helps to promote animal shelters and rescue organizations that take excellent care of animals across the country. At the ASPCA Website, you can adopt and save homeless animals in the following ways:

Find a Shelter

By clicking on the “Find a Shelter” link, you are taken to a search page where you can search for local animal shelters by city and state. The ASPCA doesn’t technically endorse the shelters listed by this utility, but it provides the search function to animal lovers who need a resource to find local shelters.

This is a very comprehensive National Shelter Directory, and it is a service to help families with lots of love to offer to connect with animals that need the love. Buying a pet from a local shelter is essentially like getting a free pet, because the fees to adopt a pet cover many of the upfront medical costs you were incur if you’d picked up the animal as a stray or free from a classified ad. Animal shelters take care of the upfront health concerns, so that when you adopt a pet from a shelter, you can be certain that the animal is healthy and well cared for.

In addition, many shelters offer a unique incentive for people to have their pets properly neutered by offering a discount or refund for the procedure with local vets.

ASPCA Adoption Center

The ASPCA Adoption Center provides listings of hundreds of cats and dogs who need a home. The main page of the adoption center explains everything you will need in order to adopt a pet. This is good to read even if you aren’t going to the ASPCA, because most shelters require the same information. Things you will need if planning to adopt a pet:

· Two forms of identification with your address on it (at least one picture ID)

· Two personal references who can be reached by phone

· Proof of vaccination for the pets that you already own.

· Proof of income

While this may seem excessive to some people, it’s important to understand that there are a lot of people out there who would not think twice about harming or being cruel to animals. The job of the ASPCA and all animal shelters across the country, is to protect animals from cruelty, and to make sure that animals are placed in homes where they have the best chances of being as loved and cared for as they deserve to be.

The benefits of adopting through the ASPCA (many animal shelters offer these same benefits):

• 14 days of free follow-up vet care
• A leash, collar, and pet carrier to help bring the animal home
• Educational literature about pet behavior and pet care
• Free spay/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping and registration, all provided as part of the adoption fee.

Obviously, the only good option for finding a free pet is going through the ASPCA, or through a local animal shelter. This will ensure that you are getting a healthy pet, and you can feel good about doing your part to save an animal from a live without a home, and without love.

Support Animal Rescue Efforts With a Portrait

When you adopt your new pet, show people how much you love your new furry friend by having a pet portrait done by professional artist Nikky Hughes of Los Angeles. Nikky was classically trained at the Mission Renaissance art school, and she focuses on capturing not only the beauty, but the unique character of each animal. She will accept photos through the mail of pets, and then create stunning portraits from those pictures. Pet portraits are ideal because they can be done from a photo (as apposed to getting the pet to “pose” at a studio.)

The great thing about Nikky is that she’s a pet lover herself, and this is reflected in how she runs her business. Nikki donates 5% of every commission to an animal rescue foundation. This is a wonderful way that you can help to support the cause of animal rescue – and receiving a stunning portrait of your new pet in the process.