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Our pets generally love to eat food offered to them and we just love to offer them. Fresh foods are the real healthiest treat we can give our dogs and cats.

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Cookies basically consist of a wide variety of flavors and are made up of more grains than dry foods. We should always have a consideration about our dog’s diet.

If a dog eats six 50 calorie biscuits a day then he can consume only a cup of dry food the rest of the day. Being overweight is a dangerous phenomena which would greatly affect your pet’s health and this would naturally result in arthritis and diabetes.

A single large biscuit can be broken into several pieces and then given to your pet. All these add to the dog’s carbohydrate level whether it consists of organic ingredients or not.

Another treat given to our pets is the meat based treat which comes in all shapes from jerky to tiny freeze-dried cubes. This especially adds to the protein level of our pet’s diet and considered as a day’s food.

What if a dog weighing twenty pounds consumes a full lamb lung? Is this what we call a balanced diet? Of course not! So break it into pieces and feed the dog.

Grains are added in large quantities to meat. You can provide freeze-dried meat and vegetable diets to your pets which consume protein and fat and naturally add more calories comparatively.

The most nutritious and the cheapest one to be fed to our pets is the real-food treat. Raisins and grapes are to be avoided as they seem toxic.

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Humming Birds ? Raising Pets in Their Natural State

Posted by admin on 5th October 2010

Pets are not always that are kept in a cage or locked in your place and adore it. They are some times left free or natural in state and still referred as pets, just like humming birds.

Humming birds come in all colors of the rainbow. A special feature of humming bird which attracted many people is that the color of the humming bird feathers change in sun light. Fortunately, people today have recognized that the feathers look great on the bird, rather than separating them from the bird.

In broad-spectrum, wild humming birds are not good pets, because these birds need a specialized diet and when not fed properly they get sick and die soon. A humming bird has very high metabolism rate.

They eat much food and need 3.14 to 7.6 calories per day. When compared with human’s metabolism, the bird’s metabolism rate is 77 times higher. A humming bird can digest a big fruit in just 10 minutes.

Humming birds prefer to live in large territories, which do not have any limits, where they can use their specialized flying techniques for finding food and mates for company. All these are impossible to provide in a small cage.

How to attract humming birds and maintain them as pets?

You do not need any big set up to attract humming birds; all you need is a garden full of flowers and a humming bird feeder (which attracts wild birds).

There is nothing more relaxing than having a sight of humming birds flying in your garden. Rather than shrubs, plants that bear flowers attract hummingbirds, as they drink nectar from the flowers.

Azalea, Butterfly Bush, Cape Honeysuckle, Manzanita, Mimosa, Red Buckeye, Coral Honey Suckle, Cypress Vine, Morning Glory, Trumpet Creeper, Bee Balm, Cardinal Flower, Columbine, Coral Bells, Four O’ Clock, Hummingbird Mint, Penstemon, Yucca, Fuchsia, Jewelweed, Petunia and Shrimp Plant attract humming birds to your garden.

It is a myth that hummingbirds are only attracted to red colored flowers. Humming birds apart from red colored flowers attracts to other colored flowers and light colored flowers.

Do not spray pesticides to kill the insects on the flowers. These pesticides can also harm your humming birds because these birds also feed on insects. So, stop bothering about insects that will spoil your plants and flowers. Humming bird will help in removing all the insects from the plant.

Bird feeders:

Usually the hummingbirds are not fed in bird feeders; they can search their food which is sufficient for their appetite. But, in winter, there is lack of food as the flowers shed and bird feeders are necessary to help feeding the birds.

Selecting a proper bird feeder is important. Primary need of a bird feeder is that should be in red color. Providing red color bird feeder will initially attract the birds and once they are used to the bird feeder, the feeder can be in any color. Some times, they can also be hung or kept in between flowers to recognize food source.

The main source of food that is provided in the feeder is nectar and even seeds can also be provided some times. Never use honey or artificial sweeteners in the feeder.

Honey is different from nectar, nectar is pure form obtained from the flowers and honey is fermented form with added sweetness.

Tips for caring bird feeder:

• Feeder should be cleaned every time before it gets refilled.

• Nectar should be changed for every 3-4 days.

• Never use harsh cleaning agents to clean your humming bird feeder.

• Rinse with hot water every time you change the nectar.

• Do not fill nectar in the feeder to its neck, maintain some space. Half fill the feeder, as the birds will not drink all the nectar and satisfy their hunger. Keep in mind that humming birds love to search food.

• If ants find your bird feeder, steps should be taken to control them. Ant moat is a small plastic cup that keeps ants away from the bird feeder.

If the birds find your plants interesting or your bird feeder interesting, they will visit again and again. Maintain a clean and hygienic garden and bird feeder to attract humming bird. Visit Pets Central Blog

The Pets Central blog helps you learn everything you need to know about pets. Know more about various tips for raising pets like dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other pets like rabbit, monkey, etc. Visit http://www.thepetscentral.com

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Physiotherapy for Arthritic Pets

Posted by admin on 2nd October 2010

There have been great advances in the medical management of arthritis in pets but only recently has the veterinary world embraced the multitude of theories and complimentary therapies widely used within the medical world. One of the most proven methods of maintaining mobility in arthritic joints is physiotherapy (otherwise known as physical therapy) and the more advanced the mobility problems are, the more important this complimentary therapy becomes. In this article I hope to introduce you to the concepts and terminology of physiotherapy so that you can approach your veterinarian and see whether it may benefit your pet.

Warming up before exercise

We all know we should warm up before exercise and this applies for pets too, especially if they have stiffened joints due to arthritis. Warming up literally means warming up the muscles. This reduces the stiffness in the ligaments, tendons and muscles and also greatly increases blood supply and oxygen to the limbs. A method used in physiotherapy is to use warm compresses to emulate this warming up proces in particularly stiff joints. Simply take a warm hand towel and place it in a plastic bag (please ensure that it is not too hot) and apply it to the stiff joints. This is especially useful first thing in the morning when your pet awakes as this is the time tha joints will be at their stiffest. Once the joints are warmed up they can then be flexed and extended passively to increase the lossening of stiff muscles and connective tissues. Do this for 5 minutes before exercise and when your pet starts the day to help soothe and prepare their stiff joints for exercise.

Regular Low Impact Exercise

Regular low stress exercise is crucial in preventing the poor muscle conditioning that occurs due to poorly mobilised arthritic limbs. Short walks and swims are excellent as they do not leave your pet too sore the day after exercise. Exercise helps to lose weight which reduces the load on the arthritic joints. In comparison to this long walks and short bursts of vigorous activity can worsen lameness by creating pain and inflammation. If your pet does seems to be sore after exercise, do not exercise them again until the pain has resolved. Re-start the exercise gently to start with. In particularly painful joints apply a bag of frozen peas to the joint for fifteen minutes to reduce pain and inflammation

Cooling Down After Exercise

At the end of any exercise a short period of gentle exercise helps to “cool” the muscles down. Dedicate 5 minutes of slow pace walking to the end of any exercise period.

Passive Range of Motion

One method that can be used to aid flexibility is passive flexion and extension of joints. This is most commonly referred to as passive range of motion exercise. Simply lie your pet on their side and starting with the foot, flex and extended the joints through their natural range of movement. Continue up the leg all the way to the shoulder or hip. If this exercise causes too much discomfort do not continue. Repeat passive motion on each joint around 20 times at least once a day.

Massage techniques

The benefits of massage include increased lymphatic flow, improved mobility of muscles, increased circulation to the area and relaxation. Any combination of the following techniques can be used on your pet. Some useful massage techniques that you can perform at home are summarised below:

Stroking
With the palm of your hand gently stroke your pet moving from head to tail or from shoulder/hip down to foot.

Effleurage
With the palm of your hand apply even pressure. Effleurage follows the opposite direction of stroking (foot to body). Overlap your strokes to cover the entire body area.

Percussion
Tap your pets body with a cupped hand with light brief contact. The “karate chop” position of the hand can also be used here and is similar to techniques involved in Swedish massage.

Friction
Use the tip of your fingers to make small rotary motions over your pets muscles.

Please contact your veterinarian for further advice if your pet is suffering with their arthritis. Before performing these techniques check with your vet that there are no reasons why you shouldn’t do them in your pet and to get instruction on how to perform the techniques correctly.

Dr Matthew Homfray is one of the experts at www.WhyDoesMyPet.com – Expert Answers for all your Pet Questions

Visit them today, you will be impressed by the quality of their pet experts and the speed with which your question is answered!

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Home Remedies for Pets

Posted by admin on 17th September 2010

Skunk Odor – Vinegar and water douche is helpful in covering up the skunk odor. Pour the mixture on your pet and rub. Use rubber gloves to protect yourself from the skunk odor. Do not let your animal get wet soon as the smell will return. Repeat till your pet is skunk odor free.

For natural flea control – groom your pet daily. Use a fine toothed flea comb. Bathe your pet a natural pet shampoo that has flea repellent herbs. During summer wash your pet’s bedding in hot soapy water weekly and dry in hot dryer. Vacuum rugs and mattresses in the house every 2 or 3 days. Dust natural powders containing herbs such as rosemary, wormwood, rue, eucalyptus and sometimes tobacco powder to repel fleas. Add garlic and brewer’s yeast to your pet’s daily diet. Try rubbing the yeast into your pet’s fur.

Ticks – Pull out ticks using your fingers. Grab the tick as close to your pet’s skin as possible, twist and pull gradually.

Stickers – Use a stainless steel comb with wide teeth to pull out stickers from the fur before matting begins. Or else you can use your fingers to pull them out. If you find the sticker deep inside the ear making it difficult to remove, put some warm vegetable or mineral oil in the ear to soften it and take your pet to the vet.

Ear Mites – To remove ear mites, mix ½ ounce of almond and vitamin E. Put a dropper or two in each ear and massage it well. Let your pet shake its head and clean out the opening with cotton swabs. The oily mixture smothers the mites and helps healing. Refrigerate the mixture between uses, warming it before use.

For temporary treatment of ear mite, soak a cotton ball with mineral oil and swab the ear canal. Then seek medical advice from the vet for any further treatment.

Anemia – Feed you pet with foods rich in iron and vitamin B.

Arthritis – To make your overweight pet’s loose weight, 20 minute walk several times a day will help lighten the load on the achy joints and reduce the progression of arthritis. During winter season, let your pet sleep inside on soft bedding to reduce discomfort if any.

Asthma – Use a humidifier, stop smoking, and keep your pets inside during pollen season.

Bad Breath – Foul odor is the sign of plague. Brush your pet’s teeth, feed them raw carrots, and avoid canned food or scraps of food lying on the table. If the problem still persists, get the vet to clean your pet’s teeth.

Remedy for broken bones – Freeze your pet holding him still and placing him on a board, floor mat or folded blanket. Avoid bandaging or supporting with splint as it can cause more damage.

Car Sickness – Avoid car sickness for your pets by letting them sit in the front seat, allowing them to look out of the windows and cracking the windows to allow fresh air flow in the vehicle. Some pets prefer to travel on empty stomach while some prefer to have small amount of food.

Choking – If you pet is choking, open the mouth to see any object stuck and remove it. If you pet is not breathing and you are unable to find out what’s the obstructing the air passage, try the Heimlich maneuver. You hold your pet against you, clasp your hands around the upper abdomen or make your pet lie down on their side and put one of your hands on top and another just below the rib cage and then push or lift upward to dislodge the object. If you’re unsuccessful, see the vet immediately.

Diarrhea – If you detect any hint of diarrhea in your pet, ensure that pet is drinking lots of fluids. You can stop feeding for 24 hours from the onset of the disease. When the pet is ready to eat again, try giving easily digestible food every 4 hours for 2-3 days moving to regular food when your pet is diarrhea free. If the problem still persists, seek medical treatment as it could be more serious issue.

Fever – If the pet is down with fever, soothe away the heat with a cold compress on their belly or give them a cool bath for 10 minute. Also ensure that they are drinking enough water. If the fever does not go down, consult the vet.

Flatulence – Exercising helps to move the gas out of the system, so taking your pet for walk several times in case they suffer from flatulence. Give your pet, yoghurt that contains bacteria the helps to decrease gas problem.

Insects Bites – If your pet is stung by insects, dab a mixture of baking soda and water on the spot to help reduce the discomfort.

Itchy Skin – For you pet’s itchy skin, give them a cool 10 minute bath. For dog’s itchy feet, fill the tub with enough cool water to cover their feet, dissolve a couple cups of Epsom salts in the water and soak your dog’s feet for 10 minutes. Do not let your dog drink this water.

Bleeding – If your pet has severe bleeding due to accident of any kind, place gauze over the wound and apply direct pressure with your hand for 5 minutes. Continue applying pressure till the bleeding stops. Also cold packs over oozing wounds help to reduce the swelling and bleeding.

Urinary Infection – For common home remedy for urinary infection intake of cranberry, orange and other citrus juices work in boosting the acidity of the urine and decreasing the amount of bacteria.

The reader of this article should exercise all precautions while following instructions on the recipes from this article. Avoid using if you are allergic to something. The responsibility lies with the reader, not the site, and the writer.

Kevin Pederson manages sites on home based natural cures on most common ailments and health issues. Read to find common Home Based Cures for Pets.

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Holiday Safety for Pets

Posted by admin on 16th September 2010

Holiday Safety For Pets

While holiday celebrations are a time of great fun, popular foods and decorations that make the holidays so enjoyable can also be dangerous to animals. Responsible pet owners need to be aware of these dangers and plan carefully to avoid potential hazards so the holidays remain a happy time of year (rather than a time for an emergency visit to a vet)!

Dangerous Holiday Foods

Unfortunately, many traditional holiday foods we love the most actually pose a threat to pets. Rich, fatty foods like gravy or grease can cause problems ranging from upset stomachs to pancreatitis. Alcohol, too, should be kept away from animals as it can cause serious intoxication. Unfortunately, many of the holiday drinks that contain alcohol, such as eggnog, produce sweet aromas that draw pets. So try to pick up and rinse stray cups quickly during holiday gatherings to avoid any problems.

Chocolate, coffee and tea all contain a compound called xanthine that is dangerous and toxic to animals. Chocolate is especially a problem because pets love its flavor. Unsweetened baking chocolate and dark chocolate are the worst culprits; but all chocolate, fudge and other candy should be placed out of a pet’s reach.

Many people think bones are good for pets. It may come as a surprise, however, that not all bones are pet friendly. Bones from fish, meat or poultry can cause problems if swallowed. Be sure to keep bones, other than those specifically made for dogs, away from pets. Rawhides and certain toys, as well as hardened, sterilized bones are much safer alternatives.

Poisonous Plants

Some seasonal holiday plants can also be harmful to pets. Never let a pet chew or eat holly, mistletoe, poinsettias or hibiscus plants. If you decide to brighten up your home with these items, make sure to place these plants well out of a pet’s reach, or opt for imitation holiday plants.

Christmas Trees

While Christmas trees aren’t poisonous, they do create a whole other set of hazards for curious animals. First off, place trees in a stable stand and secure them to a window or wall. Pet owners may also want to think about using a specially designed Scat Mat, available at DrsFosterSmith.com, to keep pets away from trees.

We all like making our homes more festive for the holidays. We enjoy the green foliage and colorful flowers of plants. Unfortunately, many of the plants we have in our homes during the holidays can be poisonous to pets. NEVER let your pet chew or eat any of these holiday plants: Holly, Mistletoe, Poinsettias, Hibiscus.

So when you brighten up your home, please place these plants well out of your pet’s reach, or use imitation holiday plants.

Tree ornaments are another common threat to pets. Shiny, metallic tinsel is almost irresistible to animals. When eaten, the strips can cause blockages in the digestive system, often requiring surgery to remove. So think about leaving tinsel off the tree altogether. Small or breakable ornaments can also be swallowed and cause tummy problems, so place them higher up on a tree and leave the larger, less intriguing ornaments for placement near the bottom. Some people also like decorating trees with foods like gingerbread, popcorn and candy canes. But for pet owners, this is just asking for problems.

Gifts Under the Tree

What sits beneath the tree should be of equal concern to pet owners. It’s not uncommon for electrical cords to be viewed as chewable by animals. The results can be a burned mouth, electrical shock, or even electrocution. On the market is a liquid that can be sprayed on cords to make them less appealing, but pet owners should always unplug decorative lights when they’re not there to supervise pets around a Christmas tree.

Gifts, too, should be made “pet proof” before being placed under a tree. Make sure to remove ribbons or bows from presents or place them out of reach, as a pet could swallow those items and end up with an intestinal obstruction requiring surgery to correct. Also be aware that batteries for toys or other gifts can be toxic and cause intestinal obstruction in animals. It is best to keep batteries in a safe place until they are ready to be used.

And finally, when choosing holiday gifts for pets, purchase safe items with no small pieces that could come off and be swallowed. Also remember that healthy holiday treats are best, and administer those treats in moderation.

The holidays can be a time of great fun and excitement for everyone. With a little planning and by following these precautions it can be a safe and fun time for your pet as well.

Brent Goodman holds degrees in English from Ripon College, a Masters of Fine Arts from Purdue University, and has extensive experience in research communications and educational publishing across various fields of study. He is currently the Senior Copywriter at Drs. Foster & Smith Pet Supplies, the nation’s leading online and catalog pet supplier.

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Steps To Keep Our Pets Healthy

Humming Birds ? Raising Pets in Their Natural State

Physiotherapy for Arthritic Pets

Home Remedies for Pets

Holiday Safety for Pets