Pet Care Articles

June 1st, 2012
Believe it or not, there are now more households with dogs (43 million) than children (38 million).  Yes, it's true!  And that means there are more families than ever looking for a good pet sitter.  If you are considering looking for one, click the following link for some good tips on finding one.  Hopefully, after you read these tips, you'll call us if you live in the Hendrson area for a free in-home consult!

http://www.pawminderspluspetsitters.com/articles.php?id=13&p=5&search=
  Read more...
May 26th, 2012
Courtesy of ABC.com, comes this surprising list of 10 cat-care tips.  I'll just link to the acticle here for convenience....

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/05/10-surprising-cat-care-tips/

Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone!  Don't forget to spend some good quality time with your pets!   Read more...
May 13th, 2012
If your dog or cat is overweight, now is the time to act to get it under control.  Being overweight can be an eventual death sentence to a dog or cat.  Courtesy of catchannel.com, the following statistics show being overweight for a dog or cat is a serious matter...

From 2007 to 2011, the overweight or obese dog incidences increased 37% and overweight or obese cat incidences increased 90% in cats. Overall, 1 in 5 dogs and cats were classified as obese or overweight in 2011.
 
Obesity or overweight was diagnosed in dogs and cats diagnosed with other chronic diseases, including:
 •    40% of dogs and 37% of cats with arthritis,
 •    40% of dogs and 40% of cats with diabetes,
 •    40% of dogs with high blood pressure,
 •    60% of dogs with hypothyroidism.
 
36% of dog owners and 28% of cat owners ...   Read more...
April 26th, 2012
Well, I don't know what to say other than the following story is truly AMAZING...

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/04/19/special-needs-kitty-specialized-surgery 
  Read more...
April 12th, 2012
Our little Bomber had a bad case of dental issues recently.  Within a week of returning from California with Bella in tow, Bomber began to have horrid breath and stopped playing with his new playmate.  We knew something was wrong and sure enough it was his teeth.  As a result, the vet performed a dental cleaning and three upper teeth in the back of his mouth had to be extracted.  This was Bomber's first dental.  He's 5.5 years old.  The total cost was over $300, but it was well worth it.  We were recommended Science Diet's TD formula to help prevent tarter build-up.  Both dogs love it.  Why are dentals so important?  Check it out courtesy of a CBS report...

“Disease can go to the kidneys and the heart and the brain and really cause a lot of damage,” explained Dr. Jan Bellows of the American Veterinary Dental College.

Experts say brushing is best, but that can be difficult for many dogs.  ...   Read more...

March 29th, 2012

Teaching your dog to walk on a leash (courtesy of DogChannel.com):

A good way to teach loose-leash walking to a dog who pulls on the leash is to show her that pulling no longer “works” they way she thinks it will. When your dog starts to pull, simply stop walking. Stand still and wait for your dog to realize she’s not getting anywhere.

If your dog continues to pull after you’ve been stopped for three seconds, start very slowly walking backwards. Your dog will realize she’s losing ground now, not gaining it. When the dog turns around to look at you, wondering what’s gone wrong at your end of the leash, the leash will loosen a little bit. At that point, you can praise her and start walking forward again.

By consistently repeating this process each time she pulls, she will start to realize that pulling activates your “brakes” and not your “accelerator,” and the frequency of pulling will gradually ...   Read more...

March 23rd, 2012
Pet owners need to ensure their pets are healthy and remain that way.  To that end, here are the top five issues concerning pet health right now...

1) Pets are becoming medically underserved - Data shows the pet population in the U.S. is climbing, but visits to veterinarians are declining. On an annual basis in 2007, dogs saw a veterinarian 2.6 times per year and cats only 1.7 times, indicating cats are affected more than dogs. This number has continued to decline in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008.  Taking your pet to the vet is more important than ever.  Do it regularly!

2) Obesity in pets is skyrocketing - If you love your pet and want it to live a long, healthy life, keep its weight down. Obese pets have a shorter lifespan and increased risk of cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems, bladder disease, and, like humans, diabetes.  The fatter the owner, the fatter the pet, in most ...   Read more...