Consider Grooming Needs
When Adopting a New Dog
When adopting a particular dog breed or mix, be sure
to include his grooming requirements on your list of
considerations. A beagle, for example, will need very
little in the way of grooming. A bath once in a while, a
quick brush to remove dead hair and maybe a nail clip is
all it takes. A maltese, on the other hand, is one of the
highest maintenance breeds there is. Find out how much coat care your potential new family member will need. If you don't think you'll have the time, energy or finances to keep his fur in good shape, it would be better to look for a short or smooth coated dog that will need less grooming attention.
A Contented Pet in 8 Easy Steps
Microchip your pet or put an identification tag on him so he can be returned to you if lost.
Enroll your new puppy or dog in behavioral training classes.
Have your pet examined thoroughly by a veterinarian at least once a year.
Don't feed your pet too much food.
Protect your pet from common household dangers such as human medicines and poisonous plants.
Have your pet spayed or neutered.
Devise an evacuation plan for your pet in the event of a fire, flood, hurricane, or tornado.
Make arrangements for your pet's care in case something happens to you.
Pet Health
Purrfect Pet Nanny
Grooming is Good for Your Pet's Health
That's right! Grooming isn't just to make your pet
pretty or handsome. A lot of people believe grooming
is just for aesethic purposes and not part of the dog's
overall health. Nothing could be further from the truth
depending on the breed of your dog.
How does grooming affect your pets health?
What happens when a dog becomes a matted, tangled mess?
If you're a woman, imagine hot rollers wound too tightly to your head. Imagine
having to constantly endure that feeling as you carry on with your daily life. He
suffers in silence while his circulation is being hampered, not to mention the skin
sores and infections that might be brewing.
Hygiene Keeping a long hired dogs genital areas neatly
clipped prevents urine scald and problems defecating. If
matting completely covers his rectal area it can actually
prevent him from being able to poop.
Eyes Some long haired breeds have a lot of tearing which can build up and and
cake over causing severe irritation and even infection. Tear residue can harden
into a gummy mass and stick to the skin underneath. It then becomes difficult to
remove. You can help prevent this in between grooming sessions by keeping this
area dry and clean.
Nails Nail care is a necessary part of every dogs overall care. If nails are allowed
to grow too long, they can actually curl over into the pad underneath. This is
extremely painful and may require medical intervention if it has gone too far.
Overgrown nails also make it difficult for the dog to walk properly, causing strain on
the tendons and joints.
Feet Many dogs get matted wads of hair between the pads. These are also painful
as they can become hard like pebbles embedded in the paw.
Ears A lot of breeds, particularly long haired ones, have hair growing inside the ear canal. This can lead to painful infections and can prevent medication from getting to
the desired place in the ear where it needs to be. A regular grooming schedule will
include removal of this hair.
What do we want to look for in identifying Periodontal Disease in our pets?
* Bad breath
* Pawing at the mouth
* Excessive salivation
* Swelling at the face
* Bleeding gums
* Sneezing and nose discharge
*Note: It is most likely your pet will continue to eat even with severe dental disease. It is possible they will eat their food whole to avoid the pain.
For example, if a long haired dog isn't brushed properly you are going to have a badly matted dog on your hands before you know it. It then becomes a health issue and a nightmare for both your dog and the groomer. When a dog gets so badly matted that he has to be shaved many times there will be sores underneath which are painful for the dog. Don't try to cut mats out yourself with scissors as it is very easy to grab a piece of skin and cut your dog.
Your veterianarian plays an important part in keeping track of your pets dental health by performing dental examinations during your routine vet visits. Make an appointment with your veterinarian today to evaluate your pets dental health and if necessary schedule a dental cleaning to keep your pet healthy and happy.
What can you do as a pet owner?
* The best defense is prevention.
* Keep your pets teeth clean and healthy. Brushing their teeth is the best way. * A secondary way to keep teeth clean is a dental diet and dental chews. Look
for the VOHC seal that indicates the product has met the standards for
effectiveness in retarding plaque and tarter.
One of the best things a pet owner can do to insure the overall health of their pet is to do routine checking of the teeth, gums and oral cavity.
Dental Disease is one of the most common health problems seen in dogs and cats. This affects about 80% of dogs and 70% of cats over 3 years of age. Unfortunately, most of the time it goes unidentified by pet owners because the outward signs tend to go unnoticed.
Foods that can be toxic to animals
- Chocolate: Contains theobromine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the cocoa bean, which in certain amounts can be poisonous to your dog.
- Avocados: The plant contains persin, which is a toxin that can make pets sick. But the main concern with pups around this fruit is the ingestion of the pit, which is a choking hazard.
- Grapes and raisins: This sweet fruit is dangerous to dogs, potentially causing renal failure when ingested in large amounts.
- Macadamia nuts: Macadamia nuts, foods that contain macadamia nuts, and the oil are all potentially fatal for dogs, making any of those special Valentine's Day candies filled with these specialty nuts seriously dangerous.
- Onions and garlic: Allyl propyl disulfide, a component of onion oil, makes onions a big no-no for your dog. Eating large amounts can cause anemia as a result of breaking down the hemoglobin of your pup's red blood cells.
- Rhubarb: Due to its tart flavor, rhubarb isn't something your dog may be attracted to, but it's still a good idea to keep it out of his reach. The plant contains soluble calcium oxalates, which, when absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, can cause renal failure.
- Tomatoes: This red fruit contains tomantine and atropine, which can cause digestive issues for dogs. But it's actually the stems and leaves that are the biggest concern.
- Stone fruits: Peaches, plums, cherries, and apricots have pits that contain cyanide, which is poisonous.