If your eyes get red and your nose runs when you’re around your cat, you’re not alone. Many cat owners like myself are allergic to their pets. There are some things you can do to minimize the effects.  Allergies shots may help you tolerate your cat better but they’re not your only option. You can also minimize the cat’s dander.  For starters, put your pillows and mattress in air tight covers and keep your house well vacuumed. Each day, ask someone else in the family to brush the cat and wipe her with a damp sponge. Your cat can also be bathe every two weeks with a mild shampoo.  If this is not enough, your vet may be able to recommend products that reduce the amount of dander and saliva.  You can find special wipes for your cat in the cat accessories area of your pet store.

It was a very uncomfortable day today here in the northeast. High heat and humidity made it miserable!  When heat and humidity reached the levels that it did today, any strenuous physical activity for your cat or travel in his pet carrier should be avoided.  The high humidity will prevent your cats body from cooling down because cats do not sweat like we do.  High humidity can cause strokes, cramps and exhaustion.  All of these conditions can be very dangerous for your pet.  Body fluids in your cat are lost in these conditions and the body temperature can rise to a very high level.

I travel to Delaware frequently and many times, I will take the ferry across the Delaware Bay to Cape May, NJ on my way home. The problem in the summer is that my cats travel with me and when I drive the car on to the ferry, I never know where it will end up. If it’s in the sun, my cats will get very hot since I have to turn off the engine and the trip across the bay in one hour and fifteen minutes. This is very dangerous for them so my solution, I never take the ferry in the hot summer months.

How do you know if your cat is overheated?  If your cat has breathing problems, coughing or a dry throat, he is probably dehydrated and get him to a cool, shady spot with plenty of water on hand right away.

During the summer, take precautions when it comes to your pets. You may have to change your plans to keep them safe. Keep them in a cool area and always have their water bowl filled.

It seems like anywhere you go, you always see dogs in trendy tee shirts, sweaters etc. Last weekend, I was at the New York Pet Show and even though the temperature was in the 70’s, many people brought their dogs wearing a variety of tee shirts, sweat shirts and even dog coats. I even saw a dog wearing sun glasses. Are dogs uncomfortable wearing clothes?

Many dogs do get cold in winter especially if they have a thin coat. In this case, a coat or sweater will really help to keep them warm. The only time that I think that it’s cruel, is when the clothing or accessories are hurting the dog or if it’s uncomfortably warm  outside. If I were a dog, I probably would not want to wear any clothing except if it’s very very cold outside. Some people dress their dog for fashionable reasons which I disagree with. Some people even have their dog’s  tail docked or ears cropped so that they could be “trendy” looking.  Why put the animal through that? People do things like this for themselves not for their dog.

So you have one of those cats. The kind that meows for food then as you place her food down, you hold your breath. Will she eat it? No she doesn’t. She  just walks away with a look of disgust. She has just  rejected another great entree.  You open another kind of food but still you get the same reaction. What do you do when that finiky cat just won’t eat? Cats may enjoy one kind of food for a long time then get tired of it and just won’t eat it anymore. My cat’s get tired of their treats. At one time, they would go crazy for them now, they could care less if they get them or not.  Believe it or not, most cats are not that finiky. If your cat doesn’t eat, it could be a medical problem like a toothache, respiratory infection or even a kidney infection. After you’re vet has ruled out a medical problem, consider her feeding environment. If her bowl is too small, it may make her face uncomfortable when she goes to eat. You must also consider what you are washing her bowl with. One of my cats does not like a particular dish detergent. When I use it, she won’t eat from that bowl.  Try a larger bowl or a different bowl to see if this cures the problem.

A cats appetite is also affected by stress.  Does your cat share her bowl with another cat? If so, the other cat my dominate and inhibit you cat from eating comfortably. Is the room where she is eating noisy? Cats don’t like to eat in noisy environments.  They also don’t like to eat if there is a toddler pulling it’s tail or making loud noises in the room where she’s eating.  Did you recently move? This can be another reason why your cat is not eating. She has to get used to her new environment.  I know you are tired of luring her to her bowl with treats, cat toys, etc. but be patient, she will eat when she’s hungry!

We all know very well that dogs really like to nap. The time spent napping varies from dog to dog. If your dog gets plenty of exercise everyday and spends lots of time in his dog bed napping, then I wouldn’t worry. This is perfectly normal. If your dog does not get enough exercise and naps all the time, it could just be that he’s gotten lazy just as humans do if they don’t get enough exercise. If your dog is an older dog and has arthritis, it could be that he is most comfortable in his bed resting.  All animals need different amounts of sleep. Horses and cows may sleep only three or four hours a day because they require long hours of grazing to supply their bodies with sufficient amounts of food. Bats and opossums, on the other hand sleep about 20 hours a day! If you have a very large breed such as a St. Bernard, Newfoundland or Mastiff, it is not uncommon if they sleep 16 or 17 hours a day.

Just make sure that your dog is healthy, gets lots of exercise and eats right, then just let him sleep as much as he wants.

It was early on a Saturday morning in the late eighties.I was living in Hoboken, NJ at the time. Normally,since it was only about 5:00am, my Chihuahua was fast asleep at the foot of my bed. Today was different.  He began running around the room barking and barking. He then jumped on me in the bed and insisted that I get up. I was baffled by this change in behavior and thought that he may be sick. Just at that moment, there was a loud noise, the bed shook and everything was calm again including my dog. It sounded like an explosion. I got up went in the hallway to see what had happened but found nothing. I later found out that at that time, there was a small earthquake in Westchester County, NY about 25 miles to the north. I felt the effects of this small quake and my dog knew it was going to happen before it did. How did he know?

Many people believe that dogs and even cats have a special sense and can feel or predict earthquakes.  A German scientist, Helmut Tributsch once published an article about animal behavior and earthquakes. It theorized that the flow of icons - electrically charged air - created by the friction of the earth’s underground plates rubbing together just prior to earthquakes might be detectable to animals.  The reason he gives is that animals have drier body surfaces than humans. Tributsch believes that animals are more sensitive to the electrostatic charges that precede earthquakes.

There are lots of examples of animals acting strangely before earthquakes. No has proven without a doubt that dogs and cats can predict earthquakes. If you live in an earthquake prone zone, write down the next time your dog or cat acts funny. You may be able to see for yourself whether your pet has this ability. Think of the help this could be to geophysicists and seismologists!

The next time your dog is running around barking,  don’t run for the dog leash too quickly.

The holidays are the most dangerous time for your pets. Just call any veterinary emergency clinic  to verify this. The number of pet injuries, poisonings, accidents and illness that are preventable rise dramatically from November to the beginning of January.  Here are some of the most dangerous.

1. The holiday food, pet owners seem to feed their pets very fatty leftovers and foods during the holidays. This causes a sharp rise in  pancreatitis in dogs.

2. The holiday plants like poinsettias are poisonous to dogs and cats. Don’t buy them and put them around your house.

3. Holiday tree ornaments such as tinsel and glass ornaments. Glass can break and injure your pet. I almost lost a cat because he ate the tinsel on the tree. DON’T USE IT IF YOU HAVE A PET!

4. Candles can cause burns if your cat accidentally  gets to close. If your dog knocks them over,they can cause a fire.

5. Dinner guests and holiday visitors that don’t know how to interact with your cat or dog can get scratched or bitten. It also provides an escape route for your pet if they leave the door open.

6. The holiday presents present a threat if they contain chocolate which is toxic to cats or dogs!

It’s a good idea to keep the ASPCA poison control number close just in case. 1-888-426-4435

If you play it safe, you won’t have to keep your pet in his pet or dog carrier or crate all the time during the holiday season.

Did you ever think of becoming a veterinary technician? Now’s the time to do it.  Rebecca Rose, a certified Veterinary Technician in Colorado says that this field is expected to grow over 44% over the next eight years. The required training takes two years to complete.  You will need good people skills because you will be working directly with veterinarians and will be interacting with clients on a regular basis. You should also enjoy hands on patient care. Rebecca says that the love of pets, good people skills and a hands on approach is what drives people into this profession. Most of these specialists work in clinics or in animal hospitals.  Rebecca also mentions that there are many other work options from research and development to teaching to owning your own business.  Maybe this is the profession for you. We’re all in a time where changing professions is becoming a common occurrence. If you love pets, you can now enjoy a profession that will pay for all of the dog and cat toys and food as well as other accessories that you spend so much money on!

How do you bathe your dog? Remember that if you bathe them too often, their body overcompensates and produces too much oil resulting in a dog smell. Groom your dog regularly. This way you can tell if he has dry or oily skin. So where do you bathe your dog? This depends on its size and coat. Small dogs can be bathe in a kitchen sink. Big dogs can go in bathtubs but beware  that after they get done shaking off the water, your bathroom will look like a mess. If you can, it’s best to bathe large dogs in the basement or outside. I read about a dog owner who spotted a bathtub out on the curb on garbage day and recycled it as a basement washing and grooming station for her dog.

The best way to dry a dog is to towel dry him. Make sure that you have lots of towels so you’re not rubbing your wet dog with a wet towel. Some dogs like Labradors have oily coats that dry easily by towel. If you decide to use a blow dryer on your dog, make sure that it is on a low to medium setting from a distance of a few feet. There have been cases where the blow dryer was placed too close to the skin resulting in the dogs skin being burned. While I’m on the topic, make sure that you are familiar with and trust your groomer. Check out their method of grooming and drying your dog the make sure that it is safe. If there is any doubt in your mind at all, go to another groomer. It’s better to be safe than sorry. So now that your dog  is clean and smells fresh, maybe you can cut back on the pet odor removal products!