Winter Safety Tips For Dog

Winter is when pet owners have no difficulty dealing with insects and heat-related concerns. This is also the time when dogs can enjoy playing in the snow. Still, there are preventive measures that pet owners need to take to ensure their pet’s safety during winter. The main concern during this season is the freezing temperature which could be fatal for dogs.

Pets owners must prepare for the dropping of temperature during winter, just as they prepare during summer when the temperature gets high. If necessary adjustments need to be made, do it beforehand. The best way to keep your pet safe during winter is to monitor him as much as possible. Short-haired dogs are more likely to be sensitive to cold temperatures because they lack protection. While long-haired dogs are more protected. It cannot be avoided to go out once in a while. Just make sure that you are with your dog when it happens.

Consult your vet New Orleans, LA about the best ways to protect your pet from various health issues.

Cocker Spaniel Personality

 

Well-bred Cockers are sweet, cuddly, affectionate, and love to be included in the activities of the family. They're alert, playful, active, and do well with exercises like hunting and brisk walks. However, they're physically and mentally sensitive. Harsh treatment is highly discouraged as it only leads to snapping and growling. Cocker Spaniels need early training and socialization, but be kind and careful to them.

With that, Cocker Spaniels are prone to temperament and health problems. Before buying a dog of this breed, be sure to carefully cross-check the people or places where you're planning to get your pup. Choose trusted breeders instead of puppy mills, pet shops, and backyard breeders. Aside from doing a health check, reputable breeders consider the dog's temperament, too. Before breeding, they ensure that the parent dogs don't have any genetic disorders that their puppies may be born with.

A sudden change in your pet’s behavior should warrant a visit to your animal hospital New Orleans, LA. 

Cat Flea Elimination Tips

Destroying fleas that have been infesting your pet cat is a process that has multiple stages.  The steps below will inform you how to destroy fleas on your pet cat and rid your environment of them. 

Using anti-flea products that destroy and prevent 

Among the important methods of destroying fleas on your pet cat is to administer anti-flea treatments that are also preventatives, that is, they stop fleas from getting onto your pet.  There are lots of great anti-flea preventatives available commercially that also destroy the live fleas on your pet.  Your veterinarian could suggest specific product brands. 

Exercise caution that you avoid purchasing anti-flea preventatives that are for pet dogs because they are fatal to cats. 

Feline flea baths are generally not recommended.  A majority of cats dislike being bathed.  Also, and this is important to know, flea baths only destroy fleas that are currently infesting your pet cat.  They will not stop fleas from getting on your cat only minutes afterward.

Work with your veterinarian New Orleans, LA in creating a health preventive program that includes your pet's year-round protection against internal and external parasites. Read more here.

Tips For Selecting An Ideal Probiotic For Cats

Prebiotics and probiotics can be found in a lot of pet food products, however, you must check labels for guarantees.  The labels should indicate which strains and species are contained therein so you could research how efficient these strains are.  Avoid probiotic products meant for humans because animals and humans have different gastrointestinal flora. 

Check for the factors below when selecting the ideal probiotic to offer your pet cat: 

Live culture: Whenever you shop for the ideal feline probiotic, think about the ones that contain live bacteria.  Some probiotic products might need refrigeration due to them having live cultures, thus, the proper temperature should be maintained to extend their shelf life. 

High CFU count: Factor in the CFU amounts (colony forming units or bacteria) in the probiotic products.  Having more bacteria is better. 

Multi-strain formulation: Aside from the bacteria quantities contained in the probiotic product, keep in mind that you have no idea what bacteria types would promote optimum gastrointestinal health for your cat.  Having various strains is something beneficial. 

Flavor and taste: Cats are known to be finicky, so you will want to select probiotic products that will appeal to your cat.  Choose a flavor that you know your cat likes to make sure she eats it.  And like your pet’s regular food products, avoid ingredients that can trigger your cat’s allergies.

Consult your veterinarian New Orleans, LA about the best supplement for your pet.

Are Dogs Smart Creatures?

Dogs are very sociable creatures. They can respond effectively to human messages and signals. It is feasible to point at a food container, and the dog can retain the information and acknowledge the pointing action with enough training. There is also evidence that canines can detect human speech intonations and tones. People and dogs get along very well since dogs are intelligent enough to learn from human beings and vice versa. Even if humans and canines have different languages, they can converse with each other.

Canines are incredibly conscious of their immediate physical environment. It is feasible to train a dog to navigate a complicated maze to obtain food, demonstrating a keen canine awareness of their environment. Other pets, such as cats, find vast spatial obstacles far more challenging to traverse. It is also worth noting that a new study suggests that dogs have a separate area of their brain assigned to analyzing human faces.

If your pet is showing any signs of illness, call your animal hospital New Orleans, LA. 

Do Cats Like the American Shorthair Need Sunscreen ?

 

Did you know that you should be cautious of the amount of time your cat spends in the sun? Not only can she overheat, but the sun could also damage her skin or cause sunburn. Most cats are pretty smart about staying in the shade when they are warm or feel their skin starting to burn. However, if you’re concerned about your American Shorthair getting sunburn talk to your vet and find out what you can do. American Shorthairs with white ears or white paws are prone to sunburn more than others. Your vet may recommend rubbing cat safe sunscreen or sun-block on these areas of your American Shorthair. Sunscreen may also need to be applied to other shorthair or hairless surface area on your cat. If you’re not sure or you need assistance, call your vets New Orleans, LA for more details. It never hurts to ask.

Can Dogs Have Grape Pomace?

 

Most dog food products incorporate grape pomace and grapeseed extracts because of their superlative antioxidant properties.  These antioxidants are thought to delay aging and fight free radicals, as well as give the immune system a boost.

You can offer your pet grape pomace because it is made up of separated and dried grape seed and skin.  When dogs eat whole grapes or even the dried ones as raisins can, it can increase their risk of developing kidney failure. The skin and seeds of grapes,  however, have been deemed safe.  The element that is toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure is incorporated in the grape’s fleshy part, and this is not used in making grape pomace.

When taking into consideration the important benefits brought by antioxidants, most dog food manufacturing entities have incorporated ingredients like these with their products.  Various other antioxidants that are also being used with pet food formulas include rosemary extracts, mixed tocopherols, Quercetin, and green tea.

If you have any questions about your pet’s health and/or nutritional needs, talk to your vet New Orleans LA.

How to Switch Pet Foods

It is worth repeating again and again that pets need high-quality pet food that is suitable for their specific life stages. High-quality pet food is not enough; the pet food must be suitable for the life stage because each life stage of a pet has unique dietary needs that a pet owner must meet. Unique dietary needs mean there are specific calories as well as nutrients, so you need to switch pet foods at the appropriate time.

 To be specific, for instance, most puppies at nine months up to about a year of age need to be switched, from kitten or puppy pet food into adult pet food. Having said that, large-breed puppies must stick with eating a growth formula pet food for much longer than many other breeds. When a pet reaches seven years of age, he would need to be switched to specialized senior pet food or ration.

Do consult your veterinarian New Orleans, LA before making any change to your pet’s diet. Learn more here.

Personality Of Siamese Cats

Siamese cats are social butterflies. They are very affectionate cats who can easily form a strong bond with their humans. They dog-like in that they always follow their favourite humans around the house and want to ‘dip their paws’ in whatever you are doing. They are also great with children and even with persons they have met for the first time. They would do well in multi-cat households as they can bond with other cats easily. But their friendly and outgoing ways also puts them more prone to becoming depressed when left alone for too long. If you have a Siamese cat that is left home alone during the day, you should consider getting another cat so they can keep each other company and won’t get bored.

Your Siamese cat, like other purebreds, is prone to certain genetic issues. Regular wellness checks by your veterinarian New Orleans, LA can help ensure that any problem is nipped in the bud before it becomes serious or complicated.