posted by Tess on Feb 28
Cat lovers the world over have become increasingly disillusioned with the pet food industry. Poor quality food masquerading as balanced diets and expensive brands promising superior nutrition, yet leaving out vital ingredients to provide yet another “solution” product, have lead many to see through the marketing doublespeak and realise that profit, not their pets good health, is the manufacturers main concern.
The exposure of certain manufacturers’ total disregard for the rights and dignity of companion animals in their testing facilities, has been highlighted by undercover investigations. These investigations have revealed the appalling conditions and ongoing unnecessary and cruel testing perpetrated in the name of science, but aimed at providing yet another marketing angle to sell their products.
John and Susan Mulder of Noordhoek decided to go against the grain and have formed Anges De Gardien Nutrition to manufacture and develop, truly balanced all-in-one feline nutritional products. A core policy is that no painful, inhumane or unnecessary animal testing be performed on any any of their food.
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posted by Tess on Feb 23
There are lots of ways that people choose a new family dog. Some may search the newspaper for advertisements from breeders who are selling new puppies others find breeders via listings on the internet, while still more may simply purchase a puppy from a local pet store. Perhaps the best method, however, in terms of being helpful to society in general is to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter.
Adopting a dog brings a new friend into your life. It also helps to reduce the number of unwanted and homeless dogs in your area. Unless the shelter is a “no kill″ facility (and these are sadly few and far between), it will also save a dog’s life. Animal lovers everywhere champion the adoption of dogs from shelters as opposed to any other method of bringing home a new pet for this reason alone, but there are other reasons to choose the adoption option.
• Adopted pets have had their shots • Shelters often have information about a dog’s temperament • Adopting a pet frees space in the shelter for more dogs
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posted by Tess on Feb 16
Ticks on a dog (or any animal or human) can be a serious problem. These wingless parasites are not insects, but are actually related to mites and spiders. Many people are suprised to learn that there are over 850 tick species, about 100 of which are capable of transmitting potentially serious diseases.
The tick’s sole mission is to wait for some human or animal to brush against them so they have a wonderful new host to feed from. Because ticks can feed on many hosts, they can easily spread diseases between animals and humans. This is why it is very important for you to check your dog periodically, especially during the summer months, for any ticks that have decided to hitch a ride with your favorite canine.
Ticks Can Cause Lyme Disease
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posted by Tess on Feb 14
Birds make great pets and are relatively easy to take care of. There are many different types of birds. There are birds that sing and birds that have beautiful colors. Although there is some work and planning that goes into having a bird.
There are several types of birds that are bred in captivity. A few of the most popular birds are parakeets, canaries, finches, and cockatiels. These birds are comfortable in most homes and are usually pretty well behaved.
Your bird should have a safe secure cage. The cage should be large enough so that the bird can fully extend it’s wings. Finches and canaries need room to fly short distances. Parakeet and cockatiels need room to climb. The bars should be 3/8 to 1/2 of an inch apart. This way the bird cannot escape or get stuck. You should line the bottom with hard wood shaving.
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posted by Tess on Feb 9
What is flatulence and what causes it?
Having a pet with flatulence problems can be very embarrassing – not to mention inconvenient, irritating and rather frustrating. But when you think about it, your pet is not having such a great time either.
Flatulence is generally caused by a build-up of gas in the stomach or intestines, which is often a result of undigested fermenting food. Some animals are simply unable to digest certain types of food while others have particular food sensitivities.
Often animals simply gulp air with their food, which then emerges as intestinal gas. Whatever the cause, the animal usually feels very uncomfortable. Flatulence is often accompanied by bloating, abdominal pain, belching and wind.
What is Flatulence Preventer?
PetAlive Flatulence Preventer combines selected herbal and homeopathic ingredients to effectively relieve the symptoms of flatulence, gas, bloating and abdominal cramps.
It may be safely and effectively used for fast relief from flatulence in pets, as well as being of great benefit in the long term treatment and prevention of digestive problems.
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posted by Tess on Feb 7
If choosing dog is such a straight forward process, and it is, how come so many puppies find their way into adoption centres every year? Well one reason is that people choose the wrong dog breed.
Don’t let your puppy become a statistic. Make it your goal to choose a puppy suited to your family and circumstances. Think about your previous experience of owning a dog and the amount of time you have for training, grooming and exercising. Look at your health including possible allergies, your financial resources and the amount of space in your house and yard. Most of all work out how much time you have for a dog.
Of all the different factors in choosing a the right dog breed, among the most important is the relationship you want with your dog. Some breeds by nature are rather aloof and elegant, others are independent and energetic while others are dependent or submissive. If you want to do specialized training, consider breeds known for courage and trainability. If you want an affectionate pet, choose a breed that typically likes to be close to its people.
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posted by Tess on Feb 3
Functions of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas
The liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas are all crucially involved in the digestive process. The liver stores Vitamins A, D, E and K and produces bile, which is essential in the breakdown of fats.
It is also responsible for eliminating and detoxifying the poisons that enter the blood stream. These include medications, processed and unhealthy food and the various toxins your pet is exposed to on a daily basis.
The gallbladder stores the bile which is produced by the liver and releases it during digestion. The pancreas not only produces pancreatic juice which contains digestive enzymes that help in the breaking down of food, it also plays a vital role in controlling the level of sugar in the bloodstream by secreting two important hormones, insulin and glucagon
What are the symptoms of an unhealthy liver, gall bladder or pancreas?
Look out for the following signs in your pet if you suspect problems:
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posted by Tess on Feb 2
If you own a pet you will have fleas in the house from time to time. In some cases you may become infested with fleas. We have had as many as four cats at our house and we have been infested with fleas a few times. We only have two cats now so it is not as bad, but we still have to use the process I am about to tell you about.
You really don’t have any control if your pet goes out of your yard, but you will need to spray your own yard about two times during the summer months with a good flea insecticide. If you kill all the fleas in your house with out killing the little pest in the yard you will continue to have a problem inside.
One of the main reasons a house will become infested with fleas is, after you vaccum your house and put the vaccum away, every flea that was in the vaccum bag will crawl right back out of the vaccum cleaner and into the house and start multiplying.
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