Excessive Licking and Grooming

Your pet’s excessive licking and grooming can have several causes: stress, food allergies, and more. Your first step is a visit with your vet to determine whether it’s a health or behavior problem. Many pets are allergic to corn, a main ingredient in most dried pet foods. If your vet suspects an allergy, change the pet’s food and watch for improvements in your pet’s coat and behavior. Your vet can suggest brands of food that will help the most. If the licking is due to stress, try to remove the source, or simply manage the stress. This is particularly important in multiple pet-households. We have four, & the low man on the pecking order stopped chewing his fur when I started feeding him without the others present. I also give him ´special time´, i.e. an hour per day, when he is with me alone and gets undivided attention.

PET POISON TIP: NO CATS & DOGS UNDER THE MISTLETOE, PLEASE!

While it may be nice to run into your sweetie under the mistletoe, this traditional holiday plant can be potentially toxic to our animal companions.

Found throughout the United States, American mistletoe is actually a parasitic plant that lives off a variety of different tree species. If ingested in large enough quantities, mistletoe can potentially produce gastrointestinal irritation, excessive thirst and urination, a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, seizures, coma and even death in pets.

According to our experts at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), however, most animal ingestions involve small quantities—not more than the amount found in a sprig or two—and typically result in mild stomach upset that resolves with little or no treatment.
Remember, if you suspect that your pet has ingested a potentially toxic substance, contact your local veterinarian or APCC at (888) 426-4435. For more pet poison prevention tips, visit ASPCA.org.

The Signs and Symptoms of UI in Cats

Urinary infection is a common cat health problem for cats, especailly males due to their physiology.

Although it is easily treated, it can lead to kidney failure and even death if left untreated.

If you suspect UI, take your cat to a reputable vet immediately.

Some of the symptoms and signs to look for include: Straining to urinate, discomfort while urinating, howling or crying while urinating, tinkling anywhere and everywhere (very small puddles), and discolored urine (indicating blood in the urine).

Cleaning Teeth

Clean teeth make a big difference in your pet´s oral health. The key to getting your pet to tolerate having his teeth brushed is to do it in small steps over time and to be patient and encouraging. Try to brush several times a week with a child´s toothbrush or a fingertip brush and a toothpaste designed for pets. Regular cleanings under anesthesia by your vet is important to address problems at the root line. Left unchecked, plaque buildup on teeth can ultimately cause infections that can lead to tooth loss, make eating painful, and puts your pet's internal organs (especially the heart) under pressure, therefore causing illness and premature aging.

Plastic Bowl Problems

About Pet Food Dishes - You probably know that pets want you to clean their food bowls after each meal, and that you should not use dishwashing liquid, because they dislike the smell. What you might not know is that plastic bowls always retain some ´old food smell´. A dog or cat will notice, even if you don´t. They´ll refuse to eat out of this bowl for no apparent reason. Therefore, invest in some porcelain bowls and make sure they are dishwasher safe. When washing bowls in the dishwasher, rinse again once the washing cycle is finished for best results.

How to Stop Cats from Fighting

Cat Behavior Problems - The occasional cat fight is expected in multiple cat households, because cats are territorial.

However, when aggressive behavior becomes the norm, you can take steps to stop it.

These are some cat training tips I use, and a few more from Friskies cat food: Identify the aggressor and victim, then separate the cats when they can´t be supervised. Give the aggressor corrective measures, and the victim rewards.Corrective measures can include: confinement in a less attractive space; place a collar and bell on the aggressor; squirt the aggressor with a water sprayer during agressive acts. For the victim give rewards such as free roam of the house, plus edible and affection rewards.Gradually increase the supervised interaction, rewarding good behavior and using corrective measures against cat agression

Puppies as presents? Help us stop it.

Three days ago, The Humane Society of the United States revealed in a shocking undercover investigation that puppies sold by California’s upscale Pets of Bel Air boutique came from puppy mills. Our investigation showed that anyone, even the rich and famous, could be duped into believing what pet store clerks say about the puppies they sell.

The holiday puppy-buying season is in high gear, so please click here to make an emergency donation to support our fight to stop puppy mills and educate consumers.The HSUS’s undercover investigation revealed that many of the puppies sold at Pets of Bel Air come from puppy mills in Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. What our investigators found when they visited five of these large-scale breeding operations was appalling -- puppies living in filthy, overcrowded cages reeking of urine, with little to no food or water, and in many cases exposed to the elements. Some of the puppies suffered from untreated physical injuries. We are committed to putting puppy mills out of business, but we can’t do it without your help.

Please make a gift today to help ensure that our campaign to stop puppy mills has the resources it needs throughout 2008 and beyond to:
Assist local agencies with investigations of puppy mill cases
Rescue and shelter dogs from the cruelty of puppy mills
Fight for stronger laws to protect dogs and cats from unscrupulous breeders
Push for better enforcement of existing laws
Convince consumers to stop supporting puppy mills

With hundreds of retail and Internet sites selling puppy mill puppies, our challenge is formidable, particularly at this time of year. But with your support, we will put an end to this cruel and inhumane industry -- and work to protect animals from other kinds of cruelty, too.Thank you for your commitment to stopping puppy mills and for all that you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle

President & CEO

The Humane Society of the United States

Keeping Your Dog Safe During the Holidays

Christmas, New Year's, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and all the celebrations the holidays entail pose safety problems for dogs. Aside from the overexcitement and confusion caused by too many guests, there are purely physical problems.

• First, the food. A dog can over indulge in holiday foods causing gastrointestinal upset or possibly even toxicities - such as chocolate or grape/raison toxicity.
• Second, consider your holiday tree. Trees can be knocked over. Needles can be swallowed. Bulbs and ornaments can be broken and subsequently ingested or stepped on. Electrical cords can be chewed. It is ideal to keep your pet away from the tree. A baby gate may be an effective way to separate your dog from the tree. Allow supervised visitations only until you are comfortable with your dog’s behavior around the tree.
• Third, consider your holiday decorations. Tinsel is dangerous - especially to cats however it can also be dangerous to dogs. If a pet swallows it, it can block intestines, causing decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness and weight loss. Treatment may involve surgery. Use unbreakable bulbs. You may want to keep the lower branches that are within reach of your dog bare. Avoid edible and fragile ornaments. Avoid wire ornament hooks that can easily snag an ear or a tail, or, if swallowed, can lodge in the throat or intestines. Instead, fashion loops of yarn, ribbons or thin twine.Next, the gifts. Dogs can chew on or swallow small parts; plastic items can be easily broken and swallowed, too. Gift-wrappings can be dangerous to a pet's health: String and ribbon can cause obstruction of the small bowel if swallowed.
• Lastly, take special care with candles, fireplaces, space heaters, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces can cause burns if animals get too close. Candles are a great attraction for pets, but don't leave them alone in a room with a menorah or candelabra blazing-the swish of a tail can be disastrous.

-- Dr. Jon, Pet Place

Low Cost Medical Care for Dogs and Cats

If your dog or cat is sick or injured and needs veterinarian care, but your budget this month can´t afford the bill, call your local animal shelter/dog pound, humane society, ASPCA, or rescue organization. They have lists of low cost vets in your area, and can even help pay for vet bills in some cases.

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Controlling Hairballs

Hairballs are more of a problem in longhaired cats than short. Hairballs are caused by too much hair in the cat´s stomach from their own grooming.

Although there are many different remedies, preventative health care measures are essential:

• Daily brushing is the best tip to prevent cat hairballs, especially during the warm months of the year.
• If your cat´s pattern of coughing up the occasional hairball changes, take your cat to the vet to find out why.
• Feeding your cat or kitten Iams or Science Diet´s Hairball Control will work wonders.

How does a cat show affection?

Despite the common misconception, cats are not showing affection when they rub against you with the back of their head and the rest of their body. It´s just cat instinct to mark you with their scent; they are actually claiming you as their territory.The only time a cat is truly showing affection is when they bump you with the front part of their head, known as head bonks, a cat behavior also called "bunting". He might rub along your chin and nose, engaging in the bunting behavior that began as a kitten when he´d rub around his mother´s head seeking to nurse. Some cats get so carried away that they even drool.The next time your cat jumps onto the bed and seems to butt you in the face with the top of his head, don´t get irritated, realize the loving compliment your kitty just paid you.

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Teething Puppies

When your dog is teething, instead of have him chewing on couches, walls etc. Buy a few (cheap) wash clothes. Soak the wash cloth and put it ion the freezer. When fully frozen give it to the dog to chew, it will thaw out so have another one ready in the freezer. (be careful when doing this with very small dogs, as they may get a chill. I have heard of small dogs getting too cold too quickly when chewing on ice.)

Teach your cat tricks?

Despite popular belief, you can train your cat to perform tricks. You will get the best results when you offer food rewards such as a morsel of moist cat food or a treat. Work with one command at a time. Be consistent and be patient.

Shaking Hands
With your cat sitting in front of you, touch its paw and say “shake.” As soon as your cat reacts and lifts his paw, shake it. Reward your cat with verbal approval along with a treat. Remember to repeat the command exactly the same way each time.

Come
Say your cat’s name followed by the command “come.” If necessary, tap on her food bowl to gain attention. When your cat comes, praise her lavishly and reward her. This is a good trick to try around mealtime, as your cat will eventually associate food with the “come” command.

Is your dog digging?

Is your dog digging? Try putting cayenne pepper in the holes - they don't like the sensation when they go back to dig again.

Metal Bowls - NO!

Using metal water dishes outside in winter may be a risk, because your pet's tongue could stick to the frozen metal. In the summer medal bowls can get very hot, and burn your dog.