In the same way that millions of people cope with diabetes, so too, does the disease affect canines. Specifically, the disorder is called diabetes mellitus (DM). An insulin deficiency prevents your pooch’s body from metabolizing glucose effectively. There are two varieties of DM: Type I and Type II. The former is the most prevalent type (99% of dogs with DM suffer from this type) and occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin. The latter occurs when insulin is manufactured but your pooch’s body isn’t able to use it properly.

In this article, we’ll describe the warning signs that may suggest your canine has developed diabetes mellitus. It’s a potentially life-threatening condition, so catching it early is critical. We’ll also explain how the disease is diagnosed and treated as well as what you can do at home to help your dog manage the disorder.

Possible Warning Signs

The most common symptoms of DM include a marked increase in the amount of water your canine drinks and as a result, the frequency with which he urinates. You might also notice that he is losing weight even though he maintains a strong appetite. Other signs include a general apathy or decrease in physical activity and the sudden onset of blindness.

Treatment After Diagnosis

The health of your pooch can decline rapidly once diabetes mellitus develops. His body’s inability to process glucose effectively can lead to severe dehydration and other health issues. It is important that you have a veterinarian perform a full physical exam if you notice any of the warning signs described in the section above.

The veterinarian will ask you about your dog’s eating routine as well as his elimination activity. You’ll also be asked to describe any changes in his weight and disposition. Then, a urine analysis is performed to identify possible infections and review glucose levels.

Once diabetes mellitus has been diagnosed, your veterinarian will teach you how to administer daily insulin injections for your pooch. He or she will also create a diet and exercise routine that will help your canine manage his weight. During the first several weeks of treatment, the amount of insulin administered will likely change. Most veterinarians prefer to start cautiously with small doses and increase them gradually.

What You Can Do At Home

Providing care for your dog involves administering daily insulin shots (sometimes, twice daily) as well as any other medications that your veterinarian has recommended. You’ll also need to be vigilant regarding your canine’s eating and exercise routine in order to ensure he maintains a healthy weight level. If your dog experiences an insulin overdose (he might seem weak or disoriented), give him food right away.

As noted, diabetes mellitus can be potentially deadly. However, once it has been diagnosed, you can help your dog live a healthy, happy, and problem-free life.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

An Alternative Pet Healing Solution

Companies are available that make fashionable dog and cat jewellry from crystals and semi-precious stones. The crystals used by Healing Stones for Pets, for example, act as alternative healing and holistic health solutions for your precious pet.

The ancient Egyptians and Chinese knew that semi-precious crystals and stones provided health benefits to the people that carried them. Crystals are created by the natural forces of the Earth and Time ” wind, fire, and rain ” and it is believed that energy from the Earth inside the crystals has great health benefits.

Websites have conducted extensive research on the properties of various semi-precious stones and crystals. Utilizing the stones that suit the health needs of your pet, gorgeous cat and dog necklaces are provided that calm your pet, relieve stress, and provide a holistic pet healing solution. Some of the stones used to fashion beautiful and helpful cat and dog necklaces are as follows:

Hematite – Restores and regulates blood supply, helping with blood disorders.

Aventurine – Helps with weight loss and lowering cholesterol.

Jade – Will help with kidney problems. The ancient Egyptians also believed that Jade would guide their souls into the afterworld!

Jade – Will help with kidney problems.

Pearl – Ensures longevity and good general health. The mother of all stones!

Jade – Will help with kidney problems. The ancient Egyptians also believed that Jade would guide their souls into the afterworld!

The ancient Egyptians also believed that Jade would guide their souls into the afterworld! Pearl ” Ensures longevity and good general health. The mother of all stones! Turquoise ” Beneficial for the entire body, but the respiratory and immune systems in particular. Holistic pet healing can really help!

The dog necklace packages are gorgeous! Relieves stress in your pet Customizable pet jewelry orders. Pet healing.. Helps prevent illness in your pets.

Pet necklaces made from healing stones are not only are said to have excellent healing properties, they are also extremely fashionable! Your pet will be stylin’ as it sports a necklace made of semi-precious stones and crystals!

The pet necklaces not only have holistic benefits, but they also are extremely fashionable. Your pet will look hot sporting a cat or dog necklace fashioned with healing stones and crystals.

See incredible dog necklaces and pet necklaces that are believed to provide awesome health benefits! Feel good knowing that your pet has the beautiful bling that it deserves, and the healing stones and crystals said to help prevent illness, or relieve some stress.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

How To Get Rid Of Fleas

Dog lovers and owners everywhere are often faced with the issue of how to get rid of fleas! When your beloved pooch gets infested with fleas it can be an agonizing experience for both the owner and pet. There can be some dangerous side-effects of some well known dog flea products. The chemicals used in some of the nationally available household name products and major popular brands may be poisoning our pets and damaging our own family?s health at the same time. So the question remains, how to get rid of fleas safely? Our local pet food store sells an assortment of flea collars, flea powders and flea shampoo including Frontline for fleas. Even though the staff are knowledgeable and great, it is still difficult to know which product to use and almost impossible to know all of the active components of these dog flea products.

As people become more aware of issues pertaining to their health, dog owners are seeking all-natural alternatives to the question of how to get rid of fleas. Some of the more common and popular all-natural dog flea remedies are sketched out below:

1. Household salt solution. Sprinkle table salt all over your house. Pay particular attention to where Fido takes his nap. Let the salt sit for at least one week and then look at the results. Fleas don?t seem to like salt. Your dog will lie down on the rugs, etc and the salt will also get on to his fur?fleas don?t like this. A few days later the fleas are gone.

2. Baking Soda to get rid of fleas. Cover your dog with baking soda. The baking soda will smother the fleas and kill them. This all-natural flea remedy is often recommended for puppies and kittens who are too young to be exposed to any flea remedy chemical. You can also use talcum powder or baby powder.

3. For the dog fleas on adult dogs, you could try an olive oil bath. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the fleas just drown in it and fall out. Start from the dog?s head and work your way back so the fleas don’t move to the face where it’s really hard to pluck them off. Then you just shampoo the oil out and the dog fleas will wash down the drain.

4. Other people think garlic is the only way to go in the battle against dog fleas. Use fresh garlic diced in a food processor or by hand. You can put a dab of oil into it in order to make it more paste-like plus the oil will make for a nice shiny coat. Some people use a garlic pill supplement while others use freshly chopped garlic and mix it into the food.

It would appear that there are many natural alternatives to treating dog fleas. These treatments will likely work best at the point of initial infestation. For a really bad cases of fleas you might need to try a stronger dog flea remedy such as Frontline. In figuring out how to get rid of fleas its best to do your research. However, with all matters pertaining to the health of our dogs and cats, please check with your doctor about potential side effects.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

Pet Healing and Dog Necklaces

Various websites are available that create gorgeous cat and dog necklaces fashioned from semi-precious stones and crystals. The crystals used to make the dog necklaces act as a holistic and alternative healing solution for your “best friend” your pet!

Crystals are created by the natural forces of Earth and Time; wind, fire, and rain. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese knew that semi-precious stones and crystals provided their carriers with great health benefits, because the Earth’s energy forces remain inside the crystals.

Websites have conducted extensive research on the properties of various semi-precious stones and crystals. Utilizing the stones that suit the health needs of your pet, gorgeous cat and dog necklaces are provided that calm your pet, relieve stress, and provide a holistic pet healing solution. Some of the stones used to fashion beautiful and helpful cat and dog necklaces are as follows:

Pearl – Ensures longevity and good general health. The mother of all stones!

Carnelian – Provides help with arthritis.

Turquoise – Beneficial for the entire body, but the respiratory and immune systems in particular.

Aventurine – Helps with weight loss and lowering cholesterol.

Carnelian – Provides help with arthritis.

Jade – Will help with kidney problems. The ancient Egyptians also believed that Jade would guide their souls into the afterworld!

These stones are believed to have strong reputations for possessing healing powers! When used as a necklace, your pet will receive the most quality alternative health benefits on the market today; and it will look pretty trendy too!

These healing stones and many more are being utilized by websites to fashion incredible pet jewellery. Your best friend will receive some excellent alternative health benefits based on the properties of the stones and crystals, and better yet, your pet will look really amazing!

Your pet will be stylin’ with bling and healthy too wearing a pet necklace made of semi-precious stones and crystals!

Not only will your pet look terrific in it’s new jewellry, it will potentially reap all of the holistic benefits that semi-precious stones and crystals can provide!

Help your pet be the most fashionable and happiest pet on the block.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

Pet Healing and Cool Dog and Cat Necklaces

If you are looking to shop online for you pets, there are now websites available that will provide you with a great shopping experience!

You can find some really fashionable dog and cat necklaces online that are made from semi-precious stones (healing stones) and crystals that create a funky and stylish look!

It is believed by many that semi-precious stones and crystals offer health benefits to those who possess them. The ancient Egyptians and ancient Chinese both believed that the crystals and stones possessed natural healing powers. Since the stones and crystals were formed by the Earth’s natural powers, they are believed to contains the natural energy force of the Earth itself. You can now find websites that promote and sell certain stones and crystals to create stylish dog necklaces and cat necklaces that are believed to provide health benefits to your pet. The dog necklaces and cat necklaces are created using bead-work and crystals which are matched to cure various ailments.

Some of the stones used to make dog and cat necklaces are as follows:

Aventurine: Said to help with weight loss Bloodstone: Believed to help to purify the blood Garnet: Said to aid with depression, and help infection Jade: Believed to help digestion problems Quartz: Believed to be a powerful general healer Tiger Eye: Said to relieve tension, and help with asthma

Cat necklaces and dog necklaces fashioned from semi-precious stones and crystals may add real heath benefits to your beloved pet. Whether you pet is ill or you just want to keep it healthy, you can find more information on healing stones for pets on the internet.

With a little research and shopping around on the internet, you can create a customized dog or cat necklace that will help your pet stay in optimal health. Your pet will feel top notch, and you can relax in the knowledge that you are helping to keep your pet safe, healthy and happy!

About the Author:
 Mail this post

What Are Premium Dog Foods?

Premium dog foods are most certainly better than an economy dog food. But it’s sometimes hard to figure out the difference between a premium dog food and the rest. Do you go by price alone? A lot of companies are betting on it. Does it say premium on the bag? What makes a premium dog food premium?

A true premium dog food has better quality ingredients. This means your dog will get more and better nutrients that he desperately needs. But don’t be fooled by all the enticing bags in the market today. Don’t be lured in by the beautiful pictures of fresh foods and advertising stating how your dog needs something in this dog food. The dog food ingredients list is what you need to find.

Look at the first 2 ingredients to see if you are purchasing a premium dog food. Economy dog foods use a lot of low quality grains and meat by-products. Premium dog foods list an animal meat as the first ingredient.

Grains: Economy dog foods usually have a grain as the first ingredient, premium dog foods will not. Dogs are able to digest some grains well, like rice and oats, but have difficulty with corn and wheat.

Another problem with the type and quality of grains/carbs used by the economy dog foods is that they are common sources of food allergies for dogs. They are also usually the by-products of the grain, not the whole grain itself, and thus has virtually no nutritional value to your dog. The grains/carbs really turn out to be nothing more than a way to make your dog feel full.

A meat by-product is not a top 2 ingredient in premium dog foods. Meat by-product is just what is left over after all the usable meat has been removed. This includes the bones, head, intestines, and blood.

Like the grain by-products, these provide very little nutritional value to your dog, but do boost up the protein ratio in the dog food. The quality of the meat by-product is another big mystery that no one seems to be able to answer.

Most premium dog food brands will have a animal meat or meat meal as the first ingredient. This means the major ingredient in the food is an actual animal protein which will have the most usable nutrients available for your dog.

What about price? Is that a good indicator of the type of dog food? Not really. Of course if you see a really cheaply priced dog food, it is probably an economy food. But just because the food is expensive, does not automatically mean it is a healthy, premium dog food. Again, you need to take a peek at the dog food ingredients list to really know what you are getting.

And now there are more types of dog food, like organic and all-natural. To find out more about the different types of foods available for your dog and how to carefully choose the best premium dog foods for your beloved pet at the Healthy Dog Food blog.

 Mail this post

How To Keep Fleas Off Your Dog At The Dog Park

My dog and I have a great weekend schedule. First thing each weekend morning we get up, have a snack, grab a latte at the coffee shop on the way, and end up at the dog park. I just love bringing my dog to the park, since it’s pretty obvious that this is one of the highlights of his week.

We both enjoy our weekend routine – my dog gets lots of exercise and socialization, and I enjoy my coffee and do some socialization of my own. It’s a great break for both of us. Unfortunately there are several times during the year that it seems inevitable that my dog would come home with fleas. I wouldn’t really notice at the time, but through the week I’d notice some scratching, and think ‘oh no, fleas again’.

After I started to notice a connection with having fleas and going to the dog park, we stopped going to the dog park. The reaction was not well thought out. After a few months of avoiding the dog park, I seemed to notice that my dog was gaining weight and was generally a bit slower getting off the couch. I was feeling pretty guilty about boycotting the dog park so perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me. I decided we would go back to the dog park.

I called my dog groomer for advice. How could we enjoy our weekend trips to the dog park and avoid getting fleas? The dog groomer was full of good ideas. She knew that I was a believer in non toxic and organic living so I needed an all natural flea prevention solution. Thankfully, those solutions are pretty common and easy to apply.

I started to feed my dog a wee bit of garlic with his wet food every morning. The groomer told me that in a matter of days the garlic will start to be emitted through my dogs skin and saliva. The smell is imperceptible to humans but acts as a significant flea deterrent. She was right. At least, I have not noticed any fleas after going to the dog park. As an added precaution, I dosed a bandanna in some citronella oil and tied it around my dog’s neck. My dog doesn’t seem to mind the smell and it helps to repel fleas.

Since finding a good solution to keep my dog from picking up fleas in public places, going out for our weekend outings has been much more pleasurable. Not having to worry about bringing fleas home, and especially finding an all natural flea solution has been the best discovery my dog and I have made this summer.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

Before You Buy a Puppy: Demand a Puppy Fax!

Buying a puppy can be likened to buying a used car. When the cars history is not known, smart shoppers demand a Car Fax report. Whether you are buying a used car or a puppy, the less educated you are, the more likely you will have expensive problems. The only way you will know for certain how a puppys mother was cared for; before, during, and post litter is to know the Breeder. Alas, buying direct from a Breeder is no guarantee that your puppy will be healthy! Breeders are often as ignorant of how to properly feed and supplement, as is the majority of MDs and Veterinarians in this country.

Pet Store and Rescue Facility puppies are a high risk to develop weak immune systems. The greater the risk, the greater the probability they will require advanced vet care throughout their lives. Why? Most of the animals sold in rescue facilities were either abandoned, or from feral (wild) mothers. Feral females are often impregnated before they are physically mature, and often become pregnant again, while puppies (or kittens) are still on the teat! Feral mothers survive by scavenging for food. Scavenged food is likely to harbor pathogenic bacteria. At best, this bacterium causes mild diarrhea, however, more likely it will cause chronic diarrhea, which leads to dehydration and fever, quickly followed by more advanced digestive and immune diseases, which compromises the milk.

The unquenchable appetite of Empty Nesters to buy puppies for companionship has resulted in an out-of-control business known as Puppy Mills. They are Big Business, and as such are run like businesses whose prime interest is stock-holder profits. The living conditions in puppy mills has been documented, but nothing has been done to legislate and monitor their facilities. Breed dogs are often treated like feed animals. Instead of getting proper nutrition and supplements to keep them strong, so they can produce and nurse healthy pups, they are fed lowest quality food and shot full of medications when they are sick, which is most of the time. They are highly stressful environments.

Every aspect of a Puppy Mill is stressful; living conditions, food, sickness, and premature weaning. This is followed by, how pups are handled when shipped to pet stores all over the country. They are stacked in cages, given little food or water, no light, extreme weather conditions, lying in the own urine and feces for days, listening to other pups crying in fear. Once they arrive at the pet store, they are exposed to a whole new set of stresses. If they adjust the stress begins again when you take them home.

All the stress results in diarrhea. Puppies are usually stabilized with antibiotics before they are put on display in the store. But the excitement of meeting you and your family is more enough to cause diarrhea. No need to panic. The last thing they need is more antibiotics or steroids. You can quickly and safely quell diarrhea by administering a few doses of soil-based probiotic organisms (SBOs). SBOs are the organisms that animals eat when when the pull at grass. They instinctively know SBOS are beneficial for their digestive system.

One of the most popluar searches on the internet is What is The Best Food to Feed a Puppy? Hint, you will not find it on most pet food isles, unless you are shopping in a holistic pet store, and even then Buyer Beware! Raising a healthy pup becomes easy when you understand that 90% of your puppys total immune system is located in their digestive system, and that 80% of all chronic disease is caused by an unhealthy digestive system. The food that is natural to your pups ancestory is human-grade animal protein, however, this protein is difficult to digest and assimilate. Additional nutrients are necessary.

Your puppy is a meat eater. By feeding your puppy human-grade animal protein, and a few critical supplements, you will have the healthiest, happiest dog imaginable. Also, its life will be extended by an average of 7 years. You can search for testimonials of people who have switched to this diet.

Hopefully, this article is a wake-up call. Owning a puppy is a huge responsibility that should not be taken lightly. All one has to do is look around at the millions of sick pets and ask “What do they have in common?” The answer is manufactured dog food, and a lack of digestive aids needed to break food down into absorbable elements. The knowledge you need to make sure your puppy grows up to be healthy and happy, as well as live a full life is very simple.

About the Author:
 Mail this post

Buying insurance for your dog

Is pet insurance the way to go? Well, it depends on you and your pet. Think about why you might want pet insurance?

Is it because you would do anything for that pet? If that’s the case, then paying monthly premiums in exchange for coverage in an emergency would really work to your advantage if something ever happened to your pet. On the other hand, if you are not willing to spend more than $400 on a pet anyway, then obviously pet insurance would be a waste of money for you.

But ask yourself this, if you can’t afford the $500 vet bill your dog needs, what will happen to your dog? Will you put her to sleep? Let her live with an illness or injury? Ask others for money? Use a credit card? Dip into savings? These are questions you should be asking yourself before an emergency occurs. And with pets, you never know when something might happen.

Reasons to buy insurance for your dog and cat include being prepared in an emergency, peace of mind and treating your pet like the member of the family he or she is. Reasons not to get pet insurance might be because you are financially stable and able to pay out of pocket as things come up or you have multiple pets and can’t afford premiums for five or six dogs.

 Mail this post
 Page 4 of 4 « 1  2  3  4