Pools/Backyard Ponds

A lot of people enjoy a cool refreshing swim in the summer. Our pets can enjoy this as well, but we have to be aware that not all animals can swim. If you have a dog or even a cat and are unsure if your pet can swim, fence in any pools or backyard ponds when you are not using them, just as you would if you had a small child. This is especially true if you have a puppy that hasn’t yet had the opportunity to learn to swim.
If you are using the pool or pond yourself or if your pet does know how to swim, make sure there are ways for it to get in and out of the swimming area so that it does not become trapped and fearful.

Fleas/Ticks

Just like humans, animals can get ticks or fleas in the summer time, and these carry diseases that will greatly harm your pet. You do not want your dog or cat to become infested with fleas or to develop heartworms. Make sure your pet is on heartworm medication and check its skin for ticks or fleas regularly.

Cars/Closed Areas

In the summer time the heat in a vehicle or enclosed space can reach deadly temperatures, and no one, especially someone with a fur coat, should be left for long periods of time in this kind of weather. Even if you think you will only be three minutes or four minutes in a store, don’t leave your pet inside your vehicle. Those three minutes can turn into thirty before you realize it.

Walking

In the winter we have to be careful about our pets’ paw pads getting frost bitten. Some of us go as far as to buy little booties for them. In the summer we have to be careful for heart exhaustion and burning of the paw pads.

In order to watch out for your furry friends in the summer heat, walk your pet during cooler hours of the day. Avoid walking them between 10 am and 2 pm as that is the hottest time of day.. Try walking your pet later in the afternoon when the ground is starting to cool off or early in the morning before it has a chance to warm up.

Keep all these tips in mind and you and your pet will enjoy a fun safe summer!

What Is Devocalization?

Devocalization, also called debarking in dogs is a surgical procedure in which a dogs vocal chords are cut to reduce the sound of their barking to just a whisper. Contrary to what many believe, the surgery for debarking is not painless and involves the same risks that are associated with any other elective surgery. It’s terrible that people would advocate surgery on dog’s vocal chords just to keep them from barking.

Why Devocalization?

Debarking or silencing of dogs is highly controversial and it is the opinion of pet owners mostly based on how “dog friendly” their neighborhood is. Supporters of this surgery think that they are actually saving the dogs from being sent to the pound or worse, having to euthanize them because of their constant barking. Another argument presented by supporters is that the procedure is painless and dogs do not suffer much emotionally as they are still able to bark, albeit quietly.

Is It Justified?

While those who advocate cutting of cats and dogs vocal chords can put forth numerous arguments to justify their stand, silencing of dogs is nothing but an act of animal cruelty. Apart from the direct risks associated with the procedure like post-surgery bleeding and damage to critical nerves surrounding the vocal chords, it can be extremely painful for the dogs and result in some permanent scarring and other irreparable damages.
Sometimes complications occur and more than one surgical intervention might be needed if the tissue grows back. Devocalized dogs were found to choke or gag quite frequently. Other risks involved are difficulty in swallowing, aspiration pneumonia, adverse reaction to anesthesia, paralysis of the larynx and in some cases it can even be fatal. Studies also reveal that most dog owners abandon their pets if the surgery results in expensive complications.

Can this inhumane act be justified? Absolutely not! Without doubt devocalization is a mutilating surgery that is done not in the best interests of the animal but just for the convenience of pet owners. Excessive barking should be dealt by training the pets to reduce their barking tendencies or if training is not possible the pets should be put up for adoption instead of resorting to extreme surgical procedures just to abide some “neighborhood law”.

Pets can be and are trained successfully to curb their disturbing behaviors, including excessive barking. It is the responsibility of pet owners to take proper care of their pets. Anyone who does not want to spend the time or money required for dog training should not be in charge of the animal. Barking is an inherent nature of dogs. If you want a quiet pet then get a hamster.

Fortunately, there are thousands of names in different categories for you to choose from and here are a few top male dog names.

If you want to keep up with the trend then Max, Buddy, Jake, Rocky, Bailey, Cody, Charlie, Bear, Jack and Toby made the top 10 list for male dog names in 2009. Duke, Lucky, Sam, Harley, Shadow, Sammy, Zeus, Oscar, Riley, Tucker and Bandit are some of the other popular male dog names in 2009.

All Time Favorites

If you don’t want to go into too much trouble, then you can just stick with the most popular pet names. However, make sure that the name suits your dog. Some of the most widely used names in this category are Alpha, Ben, Hero, Calvin, Jake, Jack, Casper, Bruno and Chip. If your dog shows signs of growing into a giant then you have choices like Hippo, Dragon, Hulk or Conan. But, if he is one of those miniature breeds then you can go with Dynamite, Heath Cliff, Hobbit or Elf.

Cute Names

Is your canine bundle of joy cute, cuddly and adorable? Then you and your kids would be definitely looking for some cute male dog names. Fido, Cadbury, Coco, Bingo, Brownie, Archie, Guy and Ham are a few names at your disposal. Make sure to choose a fitting name to your dog as obviously you cannot name a snowy white dog as Brownie.

The choice can also be based on your dog’s personality. If your dog likes to spend most of its time sleeping then you can go with Dozer, Bang or Buster. In case he has a colossal appetite then some options include Amazon, Dragon, Glutton, Cracker and Cruncher. If you are into historical names then Hercules, Henry, Genghis or Aristotle are a few famous and cute choices.

Perfect Names for Your Perfect Pet

If you think that your pet deserves a name that is fit for royalties then you can choose from Czar, King, Apollo or Sir Galahad. If you want to choose from character specific puppy names then some of the top choices are Gruff, Gusto, Chip and Grouch. If you land up with an active and lively male pup then Bullet, Bang or Achilles will suit perfectly.

Exclusive Names

Are you not happy with any of the above choices? Do you want your pet to have a unique name that fits him perfectly? Then depending on your dog’s personality and other traits you can come up with your own creations like Big Tail, Fur Face, Dazzler, Flipper, Goliath or Energizer. Naming your dog with just initials like GJ or JD can also make your dog’s name stand out.

Just remember that there are countless options for naming your pet and you don’t have to necessarily stick to the most popular or the top male dog names.

Before we proceed, let’s have a look at the most popular female dog names for 2009. Molly, Maggie, Daisy, Lucy, Sadie, Ginger, Chloe, Bailey, Sophie and Zoe made the top 10 list for 2009. Princess, Bella, Angel, Lady, Sasha, Abby and Coco were some of the other popular choices.

Cute Female Names for Dogs

When your dog is a female then the names that you will be considering are sure to be cute. Barbie, Dora and Trixie are some cute puppy names you can choose for your pet. Ginger, Honey and Goldie are a few other choices for your favorite pet. Chocolate, Brownie, Cinnamon, Dawn and Destiny are names that aren’t gender specific and can be used for both male as well as female dogs. All these options are real cute female dog names that are sure to be liked by both your family members as well as your friends.

Famous Female Dog Names

You can also name your female pup after a celebrated character in literature or mythology like for instance Desdemona, Agatha, Athena, or Sheena after the Jungle Queen. Venus, Rapunzel and Penelope are a few other choices for your female pup. These characters are well known by all and sound great. Marilyn, Madonna, Melba are also famous female dog names which are bound to be a great hit. Helen, Gretel, Irene and Jane are also famous historical character names that will sound good for your pet.

Popular Female Dog Names

You can also name your female dog based on her character or trait. This type of naming is widely popular and favored too as they are some of the best pet names that catch ones attention easily. If your female pup is a real beauty, you can think of names like Brittany, Celina, Goldie, Jewel, Glitter or just Beauty. Liberty, Jeri and Leona are some best dog names you can consider for your pup if she is a very active and restless young lady.

Cool Names for Your Female Dog

Candy, Flipper, Munchkin and Alabaster are some real cool female dog names that you will love to call your pup. Genie, Blaze, Dawn and Hazel if she has brown eyes, Caviar if she is an expensive one are all cool names for you to choose from. Birdie, Butterfly, Foxy, Cuckoo and Doe are a few other choices that sound cool. If you are the philosophical type you can think of names like Hope, Kismet, Joy or Bliss. If your pup is a furry one you can name her Fluffy or Snowy if she is white in color or even as Cashmere.

All the above lists are just a sample of the numerous names available for female dogs. The time you spend in selecting a name for your precious pet will be worth it once you come up with the perfect one. Just make sure that the name you choose is liked by everyone in the family.

Pet Assurance at Its Best

Pet assurance offers many attractive features like coverage for all pets irrespective of their age, medical condition or any pre-existing conditions. The waiting period required is very minimal and moreover you need not necessarily fill in the claim forms. The best thing about an assurance plan is that there is absolutely no amount of deductibles involved. As far as assurance plans are concerned there are no particular limits for receiving maximum coverage.

Coverage for medical expenses under assurance plans for pets includes routine procedures as well as spays or neuter care. Treatment of pets with cancer also gets coverage under the pet assurance plan. Hospitalization expenses are also included without the pet owners having to pay any extra money. One of the drawbacks in an assurance plan is that the veterinarian involved in treating the pets should be within the network area of the assurance company.

Why Go For Pet Insurance

Pet health insurance on the other hand is relatively costlier with various features like claims, benefits and deductibles that vary considerably depending on the type of coverage plan you choose. The waiting period is generally about two weeks and an average of about 80% of eligible expenses should be taken care of by the pet owner after duly filing a claim form. As far as deductibles are involved, it is about $50 per incident for most insurance plans.

In case of medical expenses, one can claim the expenses only if the eligibility criteria are met. Treatment for specialty cases like cancer is very limited and additional amount (usually $99 annually) has to be paid even for routine treatment procedures. For the neuter or spay routine there is a 65% reimbursement offer. The maximum limit depends on the whether it is per incident, annual or lifetime category. The veterinarian can be any registered practitioner.

Choosing the Right Plan

At the outset when you compare assurance and pet health insurance plans, the former will seem to be more beneficial in terms of money and time saved. But when you look closely no particular plan can be opted as the right one for all pet owners in general. The needs and conditions vary from individual to individual. You can compare the various benefits and actual cost of both pet insurance plans as well as the pet assurance plans with the help of several comparison charts offered by many related websites.

Whether you decide to go for an insurance or an assurance plan just make sure that it is right for you and your pets needs.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.
Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God’s critters.

~Now please pass this on to other pet owners. We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs!

Author Stan Rawlinson

However, it is very important to provide timely veterinary care for your pet. Any delay will not only make the condition more serious but will also make it more difficult and costlier to treat. Remember, that there are always some dog symptoms that tell you how sick your pet is. The key is to know what is normal and what is not for your particular dog. Here are a few things that you can check to find whether your dog is really sick and in need of immediate vet care.

The normal body temperature of a healthy dog is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. If your dogs temperature is outside this range then it is an indication of some canine illness and you need to take your pet to a vet as soon as possible.
Heart rates of dogs vary depending on their age, breed and other factors. While the normal heart rate for a puppy is about 180 beats per minute, it is between 60 and 160 for adult dogs. Make sure what is normal for your particular dog to tell if its heart rate is abnormal and in need of vet care.

If your dog exhibits symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting then it can be a simple allergic reaction to something your dog ate that he shouldn’t have and most often does not pose any problems. But if the vomiting lasts for more than a day or if the diarrhea continues with traces of mucous or blood in it then your pet needs to be checked out by a vet.
If your dogs water consumption increases suddenly then it might be an indication of some kidney disease or diabetes. But then, water intake might increase if your dog is more heated up or if the dog is hyperactive in nature. Because of this, it is very important that you keep close tabs on your dogs water intake so that you will know when there is a change.

If your dogs urine is colorless, cloudy or contains traces of blood it indicates infection of kidneys or the bladder. The normal color of dog’s urine is yellow. Abnormality in the frequency of urination is also an indication of kidney disorder.

If your dogs gum’s are red instead of pink then it is a sign of gum disease or inflammation. Other signs for gum disease include drooling and bad breadth.

Keep track of your dogs activity levels, sleeping and eating habits. Make sure that you know what is normal for your dogs age and temperament. Lethargy, too much or too little sleep, increased or decreased appetite or loss of balance for no obvious reasons are indications that something is wrong. Sudden increase in activity levels might also be a sign of some problem.

One of the most common causes for seizures is epilepsy. It can also be caused due to various conditions like tumors, liver disease, renal kidney failure, low blood sugar, toxins, severe worm infestation, head trauma and vitamin deficiency.

If diagnosis has ruled out epilepsy or other sickness then you can try natural treatment for seizures in dogs. Even if your pet is diagnosed with epilepsy and treated with medications, you can still try natural treatments as a preventive measure for seizures.

Usually, treatment for seizures in dogs includes prescribed medications like Primidone, Phenobarbital, Potassium Bromide and Diazepam. While prescribed medications can be quite effective in treating seizures, almost all medications have some harmful side effects. Because of this, more and more pet owners are looking for alternate methods of treatments for seizure disorders.
Following are some of the natural methods that can be used to treat and prevent seizures in dogs and other pets.

The first thing to do is to rule out any health problems like diabetes, cancer, thyroid and liver or kidney diseases. The next thing to focus on is your pet’s diet. Poor nutrition is the root cause for many diseases, including seizures and so a healthy and balanced homemade or high quality commercial food diet is one of the best ways to keep your dog healthy.

Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar is one of the most common causes for seizures in dogs. The best way to prevent seizures caused by hypoglycemia is to change the diet and feeding schedule of your pet in such a way as to maintain proper blood sugar levels. Keeping your pet free from any stress, adequate exercise, feeding small portions frequently and supplementing the diet with appropriate vitamins are some of the other things that you can do to maintain proper blood sugar levels.

If seizures in dogs are caused due to low blood sugar then giving your pet a spoonful of honey after an episode can help to prevent your dog from having another seizure immediately. Honey is a natural source of sugar and helps to raise your pets blood sugar levels. Adding a spoonful of honey to every meal of your dog might make your pet less susceptible to seizures.

Providing a stress free and clean environment is another way of treating and preventing seizures in dogs naturally. Make sure that your pet has a comfortable place to sleep. Make sure that your pet has clean food and water to drink. Also, make sure that your pets environment is free from toxins. Keeping your pet away from any loud noises or other pets that seem to annoy or cause stress to your dog can also help to prevent your dog from having seizures.

Ear infections are probably the most commonly found problems in all breeds of dogs, though breeds with drooping ears might be more susceptible. Without proper treatment ear infections might spread and perforate the ear drum and in some cases might even reach the brain causing serious and irreparable damage.

Causes

Dog ear infections can be caused by micro-organisms like yeast and bacteria. The dark and moist environment of the ear canal is conducive for these organisms to breed and multiply. In dogs with long and droopy ears the problem becomes more aggravated. If the defense mechanism in the ear gets compromised then these organisms can multiply rapidly and cause serious damage.

Canine ear infections can also be caused by food allergies or by certain things that they might inhale.
Too much or too little secretion of hormones like glucocorticoids, thyroid hormones and sex hormones can also cause ear infections.
Some ear infections in dogs can be hereditary in nature. Certain tumors in the ear and conditions like Primary Seborrhea are congenitally passed from parent to offspring.

When foreign materials like bristles or plant awns gets inside the ear canal it causes severe itching that might lead to ear infections.
Ear mites are also one of the major causes for canine ear infections.

Symptoms

Symptoms of ear infections can range from mild to severe and include vigorous shaking of the head, scratching of ears and head, bad odor and/or discharge from the ear canal, redness and inflammation in the ear canal and inflammation and scabs in the area around the ear.

Treatment

Treatment for ear infections in dogs will mostly depend on the cause of infection. Medications like itraconazole or ketoconazole might be prescribed for yeast infections and various antibiotics might be prescribed to target bacterial infections.

To reduce inflammation inside the ear canal anti-inflammatory medications like prednisone and dexamethasone might be prescribed.
Most often it will be necessary to clean and flush the infected ear canal as part of the treatment process for dog ear problems. In some cases, if the inflammation is severe then your vet might recommend medications to reduce inflammation before cleaning the ear canal.
Most often, your dog might need to be sedated to clean and flush its ear. This will also give your vet the opportunity to examine the ear drum of your pet to find whether the infection has spread into the inner ear. If infected then your vet might have to clean and flush the inner ear also using special techniques and equipments.

For your part, make sure to follow your vet’s instructions to treat the ear infection of your dog at home. You might have to administer oral and/or topical medications and clean your dog’s ears.
In very severe and chronic cases of dog ear infections surgery might be the only option to treat the infection.

Preventive measures for ear infections in dogs include regular trimming or clipping of excess hair around your dog’s ears to prevent growth of infection causing organisms and keeping your dog’s ears clear of debris with help of appropriate ear cleaners.

Almost all infected cases of rabies are fatal. However, the good news is that there are effective rabies vaccines that can protect you and your pet against this fatal disease. Rabies vaccinations are made mandatory as per law in most areas to protect both people and pets.

The vaccination protocol might vary depending on which state you live, but the first shot is usually given when puppies are 12 weeks old followed by a rabies booster vaccine that is administered annually or for every three years. It is your responsibility as a pet owner to see that your pet receives timely rabies shots. This is essential not only to protect your family and your pet but also to protect other people and animals around it.

The incubation period of rabies virus in a host is usually about 3 to 8 weeks and in some cases it can even be up to two years. Early symptoms of infection might include fever, headaches and numbness in the area of bite.

Once infected the virus spreads rapidly and affects the brain which brings about changes in the personality of the animal. The infected dog is likely to become extremely aggressive and pose a danger to those around. Subsequently, paralysis of the throat occurs which causes the drooling or foaming at the mouth. Generally, death occurs in about 10 days from when the brain gets infected.

According to most state protocols, when a dog bites a human and is verified to being current with rabies vaccinations then the risk of the individual contacting rabies is considered to be negligible. But, if the dog is not appropriately vaccinated then it is most likely that the concerned dog will be quarantined from anywhere between ten and fourteen days. Most often, the owner of the concerned dog will be held responsible for the cost of confinement.

If the culprit was a wild animal or a rabid animal then it’s necessary to report it to the Rabies Control board. They will capture and most likely euthanize the animal to be tested for rabies. Extreme measures are necessary because some wild animals like raccoons can live for years in spite of being infected. In case it is not possible to capture the animal then your pet must be re-vaccinated against rabies, just in case and has to be quarantined for a specific period of time which can vary from state to state.

If a pet was not vaccinated and exposure to the rabies virus is confirmed then the most likely recommendation would be to euthanize the pet. Alternatively, the pet can also be quarantined in a secured facility for as long as 6 months and the expenses have to be incurred by the pet owner who might also be fined for not vaccinating the pet appropriately. If the pet gets sick while in confinement the most likely option is euthanasia.