Archive for the 'Pet Health' Category

According to our friends at Google there were approximately 2.2 million searches in the month of October for the keywords/search terms,  "dog food." Which prompted me to ask, do that many pet dog owners not know what to feed their dog? Are they searching for a better brand of dog food? Are they looking for better prices for dog food? Are dog supplies limited in the place where they live or do they just prefer shopping at an online pet store for their pet food needs? I decided to do a little research and see just what it is that dog owners are looking for in the way of dog food.

2.2 million searches for dog food is a lot of people online during a one-month stretch looking at various brands and types of dog food. I know what my dog likes to eat, don't you? What are all these people looking for? There will be another 2.2 million searches for dog food in November, December, January, February… you get the idea, a LOT of searches for dog food. Just how many kinds of dog food are there? Do dog foods follow any kind of trends? I would like the answers to these questions, not just because I am a curious person or dog lover but because it would help me target my audience and help narrow their search, not just for dog food but for pet supplies in general. I am always searching the top online pet stores for ideas for my own pet store, PetPx. (more…)

You may have thought that climate change issues were all about the planet and us humans but the lives of our pets are at stake too. Our dogs, cats, birds and other domesticated animals are affected by our changing climate. They depend on us for their very existence and we need to take action on this issue. Species are dying, the ozone is depleting, our polar ice caps are melting and the world is getting to be a hotter place.

Pets Adapt To Global Warming

But there is a limit to their adaptability, for example did you know that dogs and cats are now shedding their fur more, not just because summer is coming either.

There can no longer be a question of IF the climate is changing, it's scientific fact that Our Mother Earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is human caused.  With global warming on the increase, more cars, more industry, more pollution, causing species and their habitats to decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are slim to none. And that puts our pets squarely in the crosshairs of a global warming dilemma that only us humans can do something about.

Just For Being A Dog

I live in an heavily forested area in Northern Arizona, lots of animals about such as elk, javalina (wild pigs), and the smaller critters like skunks and such, and even a few rattlesnakes. Usually both animals and humans get along well, mostly by avoiding each other, but every now and then one of our pets gets into trouble with a wild creature.

While visiting the vet recently with Duke, my chocolate lab, getting him his annual rabies booster, we heard the most incredible howling and whimpering noises coming from the back of the vets office, obviously the sounds of a very unhappy dog. It turns out, from what the vets assistant told me, a Jack Russell Terrier, beloved pet of a resident got himself into a tussle with a skunk. The skunk lost the fight and the Jack Russell lost his freedom. (more…)

Oxygen Masks For Pets – Peace Of Mind For You And A Second Chance For Your Dog Or Cat

Fire departments around the nation are getting new equipment in the form of pet oxygen masks. Smoke inhalation being the number one cause of death for pets in residential fires it's a wonder this didn't happen any sooner. Statistics for pet fatalities in fire related trauma are not kept but it's tough to do mouth to mouth respiration on a dog or cat and I would hate to be the fireman who just rescued the family to stare helplessly while the family pet succumbs to smoke inhilation.

I first started seeing thise come into use in 2008 and they are designed primarily for use with dogs and cats but can also be used on ferrets, pigs, monkey's, and any other pet that will accept an oxygen mask. It's a great tool for fire departments and thanks to generous donations from pet-loving communities, our pets will have the odds in their favor next time fire strikes.

Here are a couple of fire departments demonstrating their use and remember: Pet adoption is the key that frees them!

According to the National Veterinarian Council on Pet Health – You should keep these foods away from cats and dogs.

Avocados-great in human salad but bad for our canine companions.

Chocolate – all forms of this brown substance that don't agree with cats or dogs.

Coffee – caffeine may get us two-legged creatures going but it will cause cats and dogs to stress out.

Onions and onion Powder – Is there a Tums for pets, otherwise forget about it.

Garlic – bad for a dogs breath but even worse for a cat's stomach.

Grapes – not sure why they are bad, must be too much sugar.

Raisins – just dried grapes.

Macadamia Nuts – sorry, all for me then.

Alchohol – can you say chase my tail until I drop?

Salt – dogs need good blood pressure too.

Fatty Foods – they love em, but it makes em sluggish.

Candy is dandy but cats and dogs don't have a sweet tooth.

Tea Leaves – will tell their fortune but don't eat em.

Raw Yeast Dough – don't know why this would appeal to a dog or cat but it would make the tummy swell something awful.