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Seasonal Allergies Can Make Your Pet Miserable
Category:
Newsletter Library, Seasonal Topics
Winter is quickly becoming a distant memory as the days warm up and plants and trees come into bloom. Unfortunately, the change in seasons can cause unpleasant symptoms for pets that suffer from seasonal allergies. Because dogs and cats do not experience the same allergy symptoms as people, you might
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Protect Your Pets with These Water Safety Tips
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
There's nothing better than cooling off in a pool, lake or the ocean on a hot day, particularly if you wear a fur coat year-round. Unfortunately, our pets aren't aware of the dangers that water can pose. A few precautions can help you ensure that your pet enjoys the water safely this summer.
Can Your
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Protect Your Pet from Painful Paw Pad Burns
Category:
Newsletter Library, Pet Dangers
Have you ever tried to walk across the beach barefoot on a very hot day? After the first few steps, you probably set a new speed record as you sprinted to the water, or maybe you gave in and put on your sandals before taking another step. Your pet experiences the same reaction during summer walks on
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What You Need to Know About Rabies
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Rabies is deadly disease, but, luckily, outbreaks are not particularly common in the United States. In fact, 95 percent of deaths due to rabies occur in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization. Although rabies might not be widespread in the U.S., the consequences can be severe if
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What is Mange?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Recognizing Illness
Has your pet suddenly started losing hair? Mange may be to blame. The common skin condition affects dogs, cats and rabbits, causing a variety of uncomfortable symptoms.
Tiny Mites Cause Big Problems
Mange is caused by a mite infestation. The microscopic parasites either burrow under your pet's skin
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Tortoises
Category:
Choosing Your Pet, Exotics, Reptiles, Turtles
Tortoises can make an interesting pet, although they can present a challenge, due to their size and dietary habits. Their diets vary based on species, but all need quite a variety of foods, with careful attention paid to the amount of roughage as well as calcium/phosphorus balance. Some species have
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Microchipping Your Pet
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Each year, nearly 8 million animals end up in local shelters. Of those 8 million pets, data shows that less than 20 percent of lost dogs and less than 2 percent of missing cats are ever returned to their original owners.
Thankfully, there are some useful tools available to help pet owners who have lost
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Multiple Pets Benefit Families
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Just like humans, furry family members need to have company, playmates and social interactions to be happy. Sometimes it's hard to remember that our family pets are animals first and family second. We typically look at the benefits of pets in homes from the standpoint of work and expense involved.
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New Pet? 7 Questions to Ask Your Family Veterinarian
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Your new family member may be furry with whiskers and a tail, or have scales, hooves or even wings. If you're the proud new owner of a new pet, chances are you'll have best results integrating your new pet into your family when you include a veterinarian on your team.
"Having a new pet isn't like having
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New Pets Help Families in a Changing World
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
There is no doubt that we find the little round heads and big eyes of young puppies and kittens irresistible. Millions of new pets find their ways into our hearts and homes each year. Studies show pets are a very positive addition to families or singles and even empty nesters! Pets relieve stress, add
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Pet Ownership and Your Health
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Your pets provide companionship, unconditional love and plenty of smiles, but they also make you healthier just by living with you. The health benefits of owning a pet are both physical and psychological, and they extend throughout an owner’s life. By keeping your furry companion healthy and happy,
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Pet Travel Tips
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Are you planning to hit the road with your pets this summer?
Whether you are planning a lengthy family road trip or a quick summer getaway, there are some important things you need to know before making the decision to travel with your pets. Use the following tips to guarantee a safe and stress-free
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Pets With Benefits
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Have you ever noticed that you tend to feel better when you are around your pet? You are not alone.
Recent studies show that nearly 50 percent of Americans find stress relief from their pets. Whether you own a dog, a cat or a lizard, pets offer companionship that can be greatly beneficial for your physical
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Ready for a Rabbit? Think Again!
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
"After cats and dogs, rabbits are the species most often surrendered to animal shelters," advises the Humane Society of the Unite States. "Most rabbits lose their homes because of "people reasons," such as a move or the owner's inability or unwillingness to care for the animal, not because the rabbit
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Take Preventative Measures When Sleeping With Pets
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Adults and children oftentimes enjoy sleeping with household pets. They can keep us warm, feel comfortable, make us feel safe and loved. They may lick our faces, hands or other exposed areas before or during sleeping time.
Scratches and bites, wounds, abscesses, ulcerations or other breaks in the
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Ten Tips to Keep Kids and Pets Safe
Category:
Newsletter Library, Tips for Pet Owners
Parents love both their children and their pets. Many pet owners even call their pets fur children. But it is important to create a safe and healthy environment for both children and pets. We especially worry about parasite and bacterial transmission from animals to people, although the reverse can occur
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How to Keep Your Cat from Getting Fat
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
A fat cat may appear happy and provide visitors with a source of amusement, but feline obesity is certainly no laughing matter. Cats who carry excess weight have a heightened risk for diabetes, cancer, liver problems, degenerative joint pain and other conditions that could severely curtail its quality
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Is a Feral Cat Right for You?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
In many ways, Tiger Kitty (or TK as he's known for short) isn't your typical feral cat. Unlike his still-wild counterparts who still roam around, homeless and often hungry, he now has a home. When his owners get home at night, he runs out to meet them and rubs against their ankles looking to be patted.
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Keep Cats Moving and Grooving
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
Keeping your cat active can help it burn calories and use muscles, tendons and ligaments that may often be seen catnapping. Burning calories is important for your cat. The more your cat moves and exercises, the more calories it will expend during the activity. Exercise will help to off-set the naps taken
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Litter Box Problems
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
One of the most common complaints that cat owners make is that a cat will not use its litter box properly. Usually it is a problem with the cat urinating outside the box, but occasionally a cat will be defecating outside the box, or a cat may not want to use his litter box at all! First the cat should
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Lilies are Dangerous to Cats
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
A significant source of toxicity for cats that is unknown to many people are lilies. These flowers are beautiful, available in a variety of colors, and common in cut flower arrangements. They are also easy to grow and are found in many gardens. But, they can be very dangerous for cats. The Animal Poison
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Managing Feline Asthma
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
Humans are not the only ones who can suffer from asthma. It is a condition that can also afflict cats. Feline asthma is similar to human asthma, in that it is a chronic inflammation of the airways inside the lungs. During an asthma attack, these airways become constricted, and the lungs create mucus
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My Cat Grooms Excessively — Is Something Wrong?
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
It is normal for cats to groom themselves throughout the day. In fact, cats may spend up to one half of each day grooming themselves. For this reason, you may not even notice if your cat starts to groom himself or herself excessively. Nonetheless, if your cat constantly licks himself or herself or is
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Trimming Your Cat's Claws
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
Cats are generally regarded as "self-grooming" pets, though they do need their humans for some grooming activities. One grooming technique cats are unable to perform on their own is trimming their front nails. While some indoor-only cats are de-clawed in the front (this means their claws have been removed
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Two Common Diseases of Geriatric Cats
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
Cats are living longer and longer. This is due to better medical care and the fact that more cats are living only indoors. These cats commonly live up to 15 to 18 years of age, with a few living into their twenties. The oldest cat on record lived to be 38!
The two most common diseases of the geriatric
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Unnecessary Risks Cat Owners Take
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
There are specific activities that can make a positive difference in your pet's health. The difference will be enhanced health and wellness when you integrate them into your current pet maintenance program. Feeding, grooming and vaccinations are probably your top-of-mind priorities. Sometimes you can
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Flea Prevention Is Important for Cats Too!
Category:
Newsletter Library, Cats
When most people think of who needs flea prevention, the family dog is at the top of the list, and often cats are forgotten or assumed to be flea free. Dogs are bathed more regularly than cats and when they scratch it’s much more obvious. Cats are very clean creatures; they groom themselves daily and
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Ringworm in Cats and Dogs
Category:
Newsletter Library, Keeping Pets Healthy
Ringworm is not actually caused by a worm, but rather by a fungus that infects the outer layer of skin and hair. It is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from pets to humans, or people to pets. There are numerous species of ringworm. It is most commonly recognized in cats (often kittens)
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How to Take Care of Your Pet's Nails
Category:
Newsletter Library, Keeping Pets Healthy
Many pets dislike having their feet touched and their nails trimmed. Owners worry that they may hurt their pets especially if the pet struggles when having their nails cut. This is probably why many owners take their pets to their veterinarians or groomers to have this done. If you are thinking of trimming
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Home Dental Care
Category:
Newsletter Library, Keeping Pets Healthy
Home dental care for your cat or dog has the same goal as home dental care for yourself, to remove dental plaque. Plaque is the sticky, whitish film with the bad taste and offensive odor that accumulates inside the mouth. Plaque is about 85% bacteria and will mineralize to form tartar. Plaque accumulation
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Get Down With Your Dog
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Each year fifteen million Americans engage in the practice of yoga. Many of the same Americans own some of the over seventy-three million dogs owned in the United States. If you put yoga and dogs together, you get doga (pronounced DOH-gah). Doga is sweeping the nation including large American cities
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Traveling with Your Pet
Category:
Newsletter Library, Newsletter Archive, Fun with Pets
Traveling with your pet can be rewarding but challenging if not enough preparation has been made. Planning will help your trip go smoother and should include acquiring any paperwork that is needed, consideration of the temperatures to be experienced and how to deal with them, and obtaining equipment
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Flea Preventative Medications: Oral vs. Topical
Category:
Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
Fleas are not only a source of irritation and frustration, but they also pose a serious health threat to animals. These tiny external parasites can carry a variety of diseases, including bubonic plague, and severe infestations may cause deadly levels of blood loss in very small or young pets, according
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Fleas, the Frustrating Pest
Category:
Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
Consider the following scenario: You arrive home from a long flight from a wonderful, two-week vacation. As you drive home, you remind yourself the boarding kennel is already closed and you have to wait until tomorrow to pick up your dog, Max. You finally walk in the front door, happy to be home. As
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Giardia: A Parasite of Many Species
Category:
Newsletter Library, Fleas & Parasites
If you have a friend who camps or fishes, you may have heard that they had been infected with Giardia. Or your veterinarian may have told you that your cat or dog had Giardia. In either case, you probably wondered, can I catch it as well?
Giardia is a protozoan parasite (one-celled organism) that can
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