Pet The World

Incredible advances in veterinary medicine are making it possible for cats to live longer, healthier lives than ever before. The quality of your cat’s health is the result of a partnership between you and your veterinarian. You must be confident that the vet you have chosen will take good care of your cats.

When you first get your cat, be sure to have your veterinarian examine her within 10 days. In addition to getting baseline weights and measurements on her, your vet will want to check her blood and stools for illness and parasites. If you have never had a cat before, the first visit is a good time to get a demonstration in cleaning your pet’s ears and clipping her toenails properly.

A proper diet and sufficient exercise are key factors in keeping your cat healthy. You must make sure the food you give your cat is of good quality to provide her with the correct amounts of nutrients to keep her systems running. If you are confused by the variety of brands of cat food available, ask your veterinarian for some help. Don’t be embarrassed to tell him how much you are able/willing to spend for pet food. There are some excellent brands that are not very expensive, and some expensive brands that are not very good.

Exercise not only keeps your cat’s weight under control, it strengthens her muscles and enhances her immune system. Some cats are naturally active. Others need anywhere from a little to a lot of encouragement from you to get moving. Set aside some dedicated playtime each day with your cat, and she’ll be more inclined to get physical.

Yearly “well-cat” appointments with your veterinarian help track your cat’s health. A thorough going-over under the vet’s expert eye can catch early skin or eye conditions and other physical changes that you might not notice on a day-to-day basis. Blood and stool samples allows your vet to diagnose and treat disease and parasites before they reach a critical state.

The yearly vet visit is also a good time to mention any “strange habits” your cat may have developed over the last year. Often, these have simple explanations, but some behaviors, such as licking paint or eating strange substances can indicate a medical condition.

One of the most important aspects of the yearly vet visit is updating your cat’s vaccinations. Even if you keep your cat strictly indoors, it is important to have her vaccinated against diseases such as rabies, panleukopenia, calcivirus, Chlamydia and feline leukemia virus. If your cat were to get out of the house and wander, she has protection against some of the diseases that cost less fortunate cats their lives.

How Do You Find a Veterinarian?

* Get recommendations from other cat owners in your area.

* Ask cat groomers or emergency clinics for recommendations.

* Neighbors or your local pet supply store may be able to make suggestions.

* If you’ve just moved to the area, ask your former veterinarian if he/she could recommend a veterinarian in your new hometown

The process for selecting a veterinarian is very much like choosing your own personal physician. You want to find a doctor that you feel comfortable talking with, someone who encourages all of your questions and supports you in all the health care choices you make on your cat’s behalf.

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Americans are more concerned about health than ever before, so we should also have an equal amount of concern for our pets … particularly with regard to the ingredients in their food. We would want the ingredients in our pets’ food to be acceptable for human consumption.

After all, If byproducts are not tolerated in our food, why should they be tolerated in our pets’ food? We’re also starting to realize that our dogs and cats need daily supplements the same way that we do, in order to take care of their bodies for the inevitable ravages of aging. In the span of an animal’s life, an early start at good health ensures less vulnerability to degenerative diseases, joints that are less likely to creak with pain and a healthier heart. Naturally we want our dogs and cats to live with us for as long as possible.

Renowned holistic veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks says that when looking at dog food, one should be be weary of dyes, chemicals and artificial preservatives as much as possible. For example, BHA … one of the most common synthetic antioxidant preservatives mainly used to prevent food discoloration and rancidity … has been found in scientific studies to cause stomach cancer in lab rats at certain doses. In lesser doses, the preservative doesn’t have a cancerous effect but there is no telling what BHA can do to the body in small doses over a long period of time.

Dr. Jane states that the maximum life span of dogs is estimated to be between 25 to 30 years, but the average dog often lives no longer than 13 to 14 years.

And she says that this difference is caused primarily by inadequate nourishment.

She also states that protein is a critical part of a dog’s natural development so pet owners should look for foods which have whole ingredients like meat, eggs, fish and dairy as opposed to byproducts.

Harder working or more energetic dogs require more protein and fat in their diet to maintain stamina and good body form. A dog food that is complete and balanced and includes at least 26 percent protein and 1650 kilocalories of metabolizable energy per pound is ideal. During the seasons when dogs are not working, their energy requirements decrease. Feed less of the high calorie food or change to a less nutrient-dense dog food.

Unbleached rice is one of the more digestible carbohydrates and supplies a wide array of energy for your dog. Corn and wheat, meanwhile, are considerably more difficult to digest. It is also a great idea to look for antioxidants. In recent years, we have become much more conscious of our antioxidant intake, so why shouldn’t we have that same attitude towards our pets?

Dr. Jane Bicks has been honored on many occasions by the veternary profession and is the author of several books inlcluding ‘Thirty days to a healthier, happier dog’ and ‘Dr. Jane’s Natural guide to a healthier, happier dog’. She has been involved in many advisory boards including Canine Companions for independence and has served as the President of the Veterinary Medical association of New York City. She formulates Life’s Abundance premium dog food as well several types of dog supplements. For more information about Life’s Abundance dog food and dog supplements go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.info/

About The Author

A.M. Wilmot is an author and researcher in the fields of human and pet health. For more info. go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/ or http://www.dog-food-nutrition.info/

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Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can be a most frightening experience. During seizures pets often lose control, fall over, chomp their teeth, salivate or drool, whine, paddle with their feet, and begin to urinate or deficate on themselves. Their eyes become large (dilated) and unresponsive. A pet caregiver feels panicked and helpless while watching it all happen.

Hopefully, you and your pet have never, and will never, have to experience this shocking event. But, if you have, or if you experience it in the future, this article will help you to understand what causes seizures, what you can do while your pet is having a seizure, and the various treatment options available.

What causes seizures? Epilepsy is one cause. Certain dog breeds are more susceptible to epilepsy. These include: cocker spaniels; poodles; collies; german shepherds; irish setters; golden retrievers; dachshunds, labrador retrievers, saint bernards, miniature schnauzers, siberian huskies, and wire-haired terriers. Veterinarians are not sure what causes this “hereditary” epilepsy.

In cats hereditary epilepsy is unusual. Vets can normally find the cause of seizures. These include chemical toxins (which includes chemical preservatives used in many pet foods), brain tumors, feline leukemia, feline infections, peritonitis, feline AIDS, head trauma, and problems with the liver and kidneys.

In dogs there are many causes of seizures besides hereditary epilepsy. Allergies to food and the chemicals, preservatives, and artificial flavors put into the foods can cause seizures. Other causes include liver and kidney disease, tumors, poisonings, and low blood sugars.

What can you do while your pet is having a seizure? Try to stay calm. This is hard to do, but using a calm, reassuring quiet voice will comfort your dog or cat. Move any furniture or other objects on which your pet could hurt itself. If you’re unable to move the object, place pillows or wrap blankets between the pet and the object. Slide something soft under your pet’s head, but be sure to keep your hands and face away from his head so that you don’t risk a possible bite. You can gently stroke his hip or side, but position yourself opposite the side of the feet and toenails as the muscle spasms make the feet curl into claws that can gouge or rake your skin. Dim the lights, and keep the environment as quiet as possible by turning off the TV and loud music.

If possible take notes about the seizure so that you can give details to your vet. Jot down the time of day it occurred, the length of each seizure, and the time in between each seizure if they are recurrent. Your vet will also want to know whether your pet urinated or deficated, if the seizure hit suddenly or progressed from mere body twitching, whether your pet regained consciousness, and how long it took before your pet appeared normal again. In addition, you’ll need to figure out whether there were any possible triggering events. These include loud noises such as fireworks, unusual items that were eaten, and excessive playing or exercise.

After the seizure, pets usually appear lost or drugged. This drugged state can last a few minutes to several hours depending on the severity of the seizure. Your pet may respond to you, but do so in a very slow manner. Since seizures are exhausting for your pet, he will probably want to sleep afterwards. It is best to allow him to sleep, but check in on him occasionally without disturbing his rest.

If this is your pet’s first seizure, call your vet as soon as possible. Some vets will want to see if another seizure occurs, while others will perform a variet of blood tests to check for anemia, liver & heart functions, calcium, glucose, & electrolyte levels. Your vet may even run a screen for possible toxins, take x-rays, or perform an electroencephalogram.

The test results may not indicate the specific reason for the seizure. In this case, your vet may wait to see if another seizure occurs or he/she may suggest medications. If the diagnosis is epilepsy, pets have an excellent chance to live a normal life as long as proper medical care and follow-up are provided.

If you discover the cause of the seizure, you may be able to eliminate future seizures by eliminating the seizure’s source. For instance, if the seizure is due to chemcial toxins, make sure your pet remains as free of toxins as possible. Provide human grade food and treats that do not contain chemical preservatives, fillers, or byproducts. Clean your house with chemical-free products. Also, use more natural flea, tick, & heartworm prevention products as some of these products may lower your pet’s seizure threshold and make seizures more difficult to control. Avoid products containing organophosphate insecticides. For safer heartworm prevention, use products containing interceptor and filaribits.

What can you do if your pet’s seizure condition cannot be cured and you realize you and your pet may have to live with the seizures? In the past, the only treatment options available were strong anticonvulsants that could have serious side effects. These still may be your only option. But, more natural approaches have been found to help some pets, either prior to stronger medications or in addition to them so that you may be able to lower the dose. There are a variety of treatment options that include a natural diet, acupuncture, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbs, and conventional medications.

As mentioned above, give your pet a human grade diet, free of chemicals and additives. Also, remove other toxins from your pet’s environment. Clean with natural products and use more natural flea, tick, and heartworm prevention measures.

Minimize stress in your pet’s life. Try to avoid sudden changes in his environment, loud noises, and other stressful situations.

You can also try herbs that act as sedatives. These include valerian root, kava, skullcap and oatstraw. Note that when using herbs and supplements, you may need to lower the dosage of other anticonvulsants.

Several supplements appear to help in preventing seizures. Try an antioxidant combination of Vitamin C, E, B-6, and selenium. Your vet can recommend the dosage for your pet. Magnesium and DMG (dimethyl glycine) are other helpful supplements.

Acupuncture is another helpful option which has helped to control seizures in many pets. Sometimes just placing an ear acupuncture tack in a dog’s ear will stop seizures, and this only requires one acupuncture visit.

If the ear tack doesn’t work, gold implants can be placed in different locations under a pet’s head. Or your pet can be treated with traditional chinese acupuncture.

As you can see, there are many natural approaches to treating seizures in pets. These should help your beloved pet to live a normal and comfortable life.

Deena Caruso, author, teacher, & distributor of natural pet products
Helps pet owners create healthy, happy pets.
To receive FREE “Pet Pointers” Newsletter, go to:
http://www.healthyfoodforpets.com deecaruso@cox.net
Ph: 760/758-7963, 877/877-0665

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