A PAWSITIVE PET CARE SOLUTION ~ Personal care when you can't be there
Pawesome Pet " Tid Bits"
Did you know that bunnies need play time?
Keeping your rabbit fit: Your bunny needs exercise and plenty of it. In Fact, caged rabbits need at least 3 to 4 hours a day, every day, of free time outside of the cage for exercise. You can satisfy this need indoors or out, as long as your rabbit has room and safe activities to him or her moving. Some things to keep in mind as you focus on your bunnies fitness plan:
It's best to offer exercise when a rabbit is naturally most active; for most house bunnies, this means mid-morning or late afternoon.
Try to be consistent with your rabbit's exercise schedule so that you establish a routine
Whether indoors or out, be sure to rabbit-proof the exercise area
Inspire your rabbit to move and play by giving him/her things to chew on, climb on, crawl under and hop around. Rabbits like to play!
Taken from p. 121 Rabbits for Dummies, by Isbell/Pavia
Did you see it? Look again, I KNOW I have a belly button. I'm telling you, look again!
Do dogs have bellybuttons?
Bet you have wondered about that.....
"Unless you look closely, you'll never see your dogs bellybutton. But it's there, somewhere below the spot where you rub her soft belly. As with humans, a dog's bellybutton marks the the place where the umbilical cord was attached before she was born, explains Bonnie Wilcox, a veterinarian in private practice in Illinois. 'Some dogs have little outies instead of little innies', she adds."
Isn't that cool!
Excerpt taken from DOGS: THE ULTIMATE CARE GUIDE, P. 273, edited by Matthew Hoffman
Spring Means PESTS are OUT!!!!
Be mindful as the weather gets better that PESTS of all kinds are out. Ticks are rampant in the South Shore area, heartworm becomes more of a concern as mosquitos make a big return, and this goes for both CATS and DOGS!
Heartworm in dogs and ticks on both dogs & cats are both preventable with treatments given to your pet throughout the year. It is important to see your veterinarian to discuss the treatment options out there and what is best for your pet. Heatrworm in dogs can be treated but is costly. At the present there is no approved treatment for cats. Preventative treatments and medication help keep our pets safe from infection.
Let your pet sing, "There ain't no bugs on me!" at the top of their lungs. You will feel better for taking simple steps to keep them safe and healthy.
IMPOTANT NOTE: MANY TOPICAL TREATMENTS FOR MOSQUITOS AND TICKS MADE FOR HUMANS ARE POISONOUS TO OUR PETS ~ ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN LICK IT OFF THEIR COATS OR PAWS. DO NOT APPLY ANY TOPICAL TREATMENTS THAT MAY HARM YOUR PETS, READ THE LABELS FIRST!
Health Insurance for Cats & Dogs? You Betcha!
"Money looms over every suggestion a veterinarian makes and every decision a client considers. One way to tame the beast a little is to purchase health insurance for your cat. Pet lovers in the United States have been slow in warming to the concept which is well established in Europe; In Sweden 17% of all pets are insured!" *Cats for Dummies, p.205
There are several companies that offer pet insurance here in the US and they can all be found on line. Discuss the idea with your veterinarian about plans that may help you cope with the costs of veterinary care. It may be just what you need!
The following are web sites that offer information about policies:
Is your voice beginning to sound like a broken record? Are you always nagging your kids to do their homework? Are you having trouble motivating your child to stop watching TV or playing video games and to play outside instead? Then consider making a pet part of your family.
Many people are aware of the health benefits that come from having a pet, including lowering high blood pressure, preventing heart disease and combating depression. However, what parents may not realize is that adding Spot, Polly or Mr. Whiskers to the family can be advantageous to the other bundles of joy "scampering" around your house-your kids! While little children are too young to worry about preventing stress or lowering health care costs, there are numerous benefits they can experience from having a family pet. Pets, whether a dog, cat, bird, hamster, reptile or fish, help children gain a sense of independence that can set them on the path to becoming mature, responsible adults.
Pets Teach Kids To Be Responsible Children can learn the importance of responsibility at an early age by acting as a caretaker for a pet. Fish are a terrific first pet because children can play a large role in caring for them. However, other pets that require more attention, like a cat or dog, can present an ideal opportunity for parent and child to bond while caring for the pet together. Showing children what it means to be responsible for another creature's survival can result in teaching important life lessons such as discipline, patience, kindness and attentiveness.
Pets Can Help Kids Develop Discipline Walking the dog, feeding the guinea pig and talking to the parrot can serve as fun study breaks for kids, and a replacement for television programs and video games. These pet-related activities help children remain focused on the task at hand, and are less likely to become distractions that will prevent homework and chores from being completed.
Pets Prepare Kids For Life Situations Bringing a pet home and into the family can be an effective way to help prepare children for real life scenarios. For example, pets can ease the transition of suddenly having to share mom and dad's attention with a new brother or sister by demonstrating how much fun new playmates can be, as well as what is involved in caring for another. Pets can also help kids learn to deal with medical issues and illnesses as they are exposed to routine veterinarian check-ups with their pet, and the treatments for various ailments. To find out more about the relationship between children and pets and how to care for your special friend, call the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association at 1-800-452-1225 and ask for a free copy of "The Pet Owners Manual ".
We expect to see pearly whites when we smile for the camera, right? To be sure that your pet has good dental health, their teeth should be brushed daily or weekly at a minimum. DON'T use human toothpaste though...use special toothpastes and toothbrushes made especially for your dog. You should begin routine dental care when all of the pets adult teeth have come in; for dogs this would be between the ages of six to eight months.
Generally, for advanced tartar build up you should visit a veterinary dentist. getting your pets teeth cleaned by the vet may include general anesthesia and manual scaling or scraping of the teeth to remove plaque, especially near the gum line. The gum line is where cookies and crunchy dog foods fail to scrape the plaque off the teeth.
Indicators of dental problems could be things such as bad breath, a lack of appetite, pawing at the mouth or even drooling excessively. These could all be indicators of an existing dental problem that should be diagnosed by your vet. This is an important step to help prevent periodontal disease in your pet.
taken from p.392 of Dog Bible, Everything you need to know about dogs
DO CATS HAVE 9 LIVES, REALLY? Cats are definitely survivors, there is no question about that. However, they are more fragile than we think. The efforts of Humankind have hardly changed cats' bodies at all except when it comes to breeding for traits ~ such as long haired Persians or the nearly hairless Sphynx.
Cats seem to be particularly able to handle outdoor conditions and challenges. Finely tuned sensed help them be alert to danger at the earliest moment; cats can run quickly, climb well and if required, can defend themselves pretty well with claws and teeth.
Even though cats have proven resilient and able to defend themselves, they are still mortal and need our help in many cases as they are vulnerable to the world at large. The dangers of modern life can cut short those "9 lives". Things such as cars, disease, predators and even an ill intentioned person can be life threatening to our cats.
So, take care and provide your cat with love and affection, and a little protection to help make their lives long and healthy with you. MEOW!
SUMMARIZED FROM P. 306, CATS FOR DUMMIES
Your Parakeet's Beak
Because parakeets eat primarily seeds and other plant materials (in the wild some parakeets have been seen eating the seeds of over 21 species of grasses), their beaks have developed into efficient little seed crackers. Look at the underside of your birds upper beak...you'll see it has tiny ridges that help the bird hold seeds and crack them easily.
Parakeets like Millet Sprays in addition to seed as part of their diet but they are high in fat, so offer this treat sparingly.
Taken from pages 46 and 47 of The Essential Parakeet, consulting editor ~ Betsy Siino
HOW ABOUT THAT TONGUE? Taken from The Dog Bible: The definitive source for all things dog
There are so many interesting facts about dogs and their senses. The dog's mouth is full of sensors and is a place that harbors good bacteria to fight off the bad bacteria so dogs do not get infections. But did you know about your dog's tongue and what it has to do? (From page 431)
"The canine tongue has more responsibilities than any other part of a dog's anatomy, except for the brain. It is used to communicate, conduct heat, register tastes and textures, convey food, lap water, and heal wounds. To perform it's diverse duties, the dog's tongue has eight pairs of muscles and five pairs of cranial nerves that come directly from the brain through tiny openings in a dog's skull."
WHY DO DOGS LICK YOUR FACE?
It is so sweet when your dog greets you at the door with a wet kiss and a wagging tail. She must really love you! We should all have human partners that show us so much affection.
However, that wet greeting at the door may not mean what you think it means. "when a dog licks you, she's begging for food," says Katherine A. Houpt, V.M.D., Ph.D., an animal behaviorist and director of the Behavior Clinic at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York. Apparently, this is exactly what a pup does to solicit food from her mother or another adult. You may not have realized that your dog licks you because she wants more food, not more of you. But now that you know, don't give in to her begging because it will likely turn your trim pooch tubby.
This information comes from DOGS - THE ULTIMATE CARE GUIDE by M. Hoffman. It is a valuable resource for any dog owner. 7-2008 (taken from page 351)
Look for new "tid bits" every couple of weeks. We hope they help you understand your pet and provide you with a laugh, valuable information or just a new way of looking at your pet!
