A healthy liver is essential for a healthy pet. Your pet’s liver is vital to maintain his metabolism and to get rid of toxins. Veterinarians find one of the most common pet ailments is liver disease and the symptoms can be vague or hard to spot.  Most often, liver problems make a pet lethargic and sluggish. Some people say that their cat or dog just isn’t acting like himself.  Pets with liver disease will also eat less than usual and his eyes and mouth may develop a yellowish tint.  If your pet has any of these symptoms, take him to a veterinarian.  Liver disease can occur at any age but there are good treatments and pet medication available. The sooner it’s diagnosed, the better.

I’m sure that there are many family barbeque’s going on today.  Many owners allow their dogs to roam free while they are cooking on the grill.  The barbeque can be hazardous to your dog. Grills get very hot and your dog doesn’t realize that it’s hot and before you know it, he can really burn himself if he goes for that burger or hot dog. If your dog is a lively one, he may accidentally bump into the grill and knock it over and cause himself injury as well as others. Always keep your dog away from the grill. Keep him on his dog leash while you’re grilling.

Dogs love burgers and hot dogs and may even try to steel a dog or two during your family get together. This food is not  good for your dog. You may have to tell your guests not to sneak burgers or hot dogs to Buster. Instead, offer your dog some of his favorite food during this time so he doesn’t feel “left out.”

Remember, water is one of the core components of  an animal’s diet. Always keep the dog water bowl filled if he’s spending the day with you outside in the sunshine.  If you are traveling with your dog during the summer, always take water with you and offer it to him frequently during the trip.

HAVE A WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY!!

There are lots of dogs who love to go for a ride, but for some, traveling in the car could be extremely stressful. If your dog cries, shakes, or pants excessively in his pet carrier or in the back seat of your car, there is something other than drugs that you can try. Psychoacoustically designed music which is designed to keep you alert and soothes your pets nerves, can make that dreaded drive much more pleasant.  The canine nervous system is extremely sensitive to sound. Special arrangements of classical music can have a soothing impact on your anxious friend in his crate or back seat. You will be reading more details on this in the coming weeks. We will give you specific information as where ti obtain this type of music as well as music that is specifically designed for your dog or cat. Believe it or not, music that is soothing to your dog may not be soothing to your cat. There are different types of music designed specifically for dogs or cats. Stay tuned, more to come on this topic!

It’s usually cat dander that causes our cat allergies. There are ways to reduce the dander and provide some relief of allergy sufferers.

1. Try not to have your cat sleep in the bed with you. I let mine, but sometimes pay for it in the morning.

2. Wash all bedding with hot water at least twice each month.

3. Use HEPA air filters in the rooms where your cats are.

4. Vacuum at two to three times per week using a HEPA filter.

5. Wash your hands immediately after petting your cat and do not rub your eyes. I get itchy eyes for hours,  sometimes days if I don’t wash my hands.

6. Confine your cat to an area of the house.

7. Use pet wipes on your cat regularly to moisten the skin and contain the dander so it doesn’t fly all around the room.

8. Clean the cat bed regularly. Use a vacuum and if you can, it may be a good idea to wash it occasionally.

9.  DO NOT GET RID OF YOUR CAT!  Prevention can really help the problem.

I must admit, I really did spoil my older cat Mollie. When she was very young, she would cry every night about 4:00am. I would have to get up and give her a can of wet food. Now she is 10 1/2 and still wants that food at around 4:00am. She will do anything to get me out of bed. One night, I was abruptly awakened to a symphony in my apartment. The music quickly reached earth shattering levels. I quickly jumped up and realized that Mollie had turned on the Bose wave radio on that sits on my nightstand! As I scrambled to turn it off before the police were at my door, Mollie just sat there and stared at me. She wanted her food and would do anything to get it. This continued night after night. Luckily the neighbors didn’t report me to the Condo board. One night, I was awake before Mollie got to the radio. I wanted to see how she did it. I kept my eye half open and sure enough at 4:00am she got on the nightstand, looked at me, looked at the Bose radio, looked at me again (I pretended that I was asleep) and quickly put her paw on the “on” button and turned the radio on. To my amazement, she then hit the volume button and kept her paw there until the volume reached an earth shattering level. Even though both buttons are located at the top of the radio, my cat knew exactly what to do to not only turn the radio on but to increase the volume. To make a long story short, I unplugged the Bose and it now is stuffed under my bed. Mollie wins again!

My younger cat Millie, likes to play all the time. She is determined to get me to play with her fishing  pole cat toy. She will drag it out and drop it where ever I am. That’s a hint that it’s time to play with Millie. Never underestimate the intelligence of your cat!

Unfortunately, there is no pet medication that will eliminate the allergen that triggers allergic reactions. I have two cats. When I pet my older cat Mollie and then touch my eyes, they immediately get itchy and begin to tear. If I pet my younger cat Millie and touch my eyes, nothing happens. This is weird but certain cats, trigger certain allergies. An estimated 6 million people are allergic to cats and one third of them have cats in their homes including me. When my doctor told me to get rid of the cats, I told him where to go! Steps can be taken in the home to decrease one’s exposure to the cat allergen. Cat allergen is not actually cat hair but a protein that is present in the saliva and dander of the cat. The allergens become airborne and are inhaled into the nose or lungs. These produce the allergic reactions that you may experience. Cat allergen is sticky and carried on clothing.

There are some things that you can do if you do own a cat. I bought cat wipes and wipe down my cats every few days. This keeps their skin moist and reduces the amount of cat dander. This does help me. If you touch your cat, don’t touch your face and make sure that you wash your hands right away. If you are severely allergic and do not have a cat, then don’t  consider getting one.

If you are like me, your allergy does not stop you. I have asthma and my cat did trigger attacks often. Instead of  getting rid of my cat, I got rid of the asthma buy going to my doctor and getting on a preventative once a day inhaler. Now I have two cats and no asthma!  You may have to consider  limiting where your cat goes. Don’t let him on your bed or on furniture. My does but I always gave my pets priority!

Environmental contaminants such as dust and mold can cause allergies in your dog. So can his food although it takes time and can be difficult to diagnose.  Kim Horne, a veterinary technical at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center says that your vet will put them on a food elimination diet trial. That means that the dog will spend between eight and ten weeks on a new diet. He will eat protein and carbohydate sources that he hasn’t had before. Then he will go back to eating his regular diet and his responses will be monitored. If the dog is truly allergic to food, there will be an increase in the clinical signs. These signs can include itching and inflamed skin. If any of these signs appear, various foods will be tried until one of these doesn’t trigger the allergy symptoms.  This could take time so be patient and do not be quick to administer any kind of pet medication that could suppress the symptoms.

We tend to think that our pets digestive system is the same as ours. This is simply not true and what may be fine for us could be deadly for them. Here is a list of foods that you should never give to your dog or cat. If your pet does ingest something that is toxic to them, do not try to administer pet medication yourself. Seek immediate help from your veterinarian!

Tea and Coffee - dogs and cats are very sensitive to caffeine. Many have died after ingesting coffee  grounds.

Grapes and Raisins - These contain potent kidney toxins for dogs. A single serving can cause long term damage.

Salty Foods - Hotdogs, soups, deli meats etc. contain far too much sodium for a cat or dog.

Alcohol - Cats and dogs are highly susceptible to alcohol’s toxic effects. Wine, beer and mixed drinks can cause vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea and even liver failure.

Sweet desserts - Cats and dogs are poorly equipped to handle sugary foods and can develop diabetes.

Onions - Onions can destroy a dog’s red blood cells. The can lead to anemia, breathing problems, muscle weakness and death.

Chocolate - Never ever ever give your pet chocolate! Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, both of which can over stimulate your dog’s central nervous system and cause life threatening problems. Dark chocolate contains the strongest concentration of these stimulants.

Spoiled of moldy food - Spoiled leftovers are never an acceptable pet food. They con contain toxic fungal compounds and infectious bacteria.

Cooked bones - All cooked bones easily splinter and snap that can cause serious internal problems if swallowed.

Gravy and Sauces - Most of these are too rich for a dog or cat and contain fat, seasonings, sugar or cream which can upset your pets digestive system.

The holidays are almost here. Be careful when it comes to your pet. Stick to dog or cat food. Lots of “human food” is no good for them!

Urinary incontinence or urinary leaking is a common canine condition with causes ranging from infection to diabetes to abnormal development.  Tests will help determine the seriousness of your dogs problem. There are certain conditions like irritation or inflammation that can cause incontinence. These conditions are easily treatable. Another common cause especially in spayed females dogs and geriatric dogs is a weak bladder sphincter. This condition generally responds well to pet medication so most incontinent pets do not need to suffer.  If your dog is diagnosed with a more serious problem, surgical reconstruction of the lower urinary system will help protect your pet and those expensive carpets! So be patient when slipping on that dog leash and have the paper towels handy.