Pet Markdowns

When asked most people tend to answer bed bugs. But, in reality fleas should be the more dreaded of the two. Why you ask, well because unlike bed bugs, fleas are known to transmit diseases to humans from animals such as dogs and cats. Notable types are cat scratch fever, typhus, bubonic plague, and tapeworms.

Spring and Summer are typically when fleas are most active both because of the rise in temperature and also because people tend to take their pets out with them more often like on hiking trips. Often hiding in grass outdoors, the fleas jump up to 4 feet high onto your pets as they walk past.

In your home, the fleas have their favorite spots to infest besides on your pet. Rugs and carpets are where fleas can most often be found. Another often overlooked location of the home is on the curtains, where fleas and mites I might add, enjoy the warmth from the sun and the dust particles that build over time on the curtain’s surface. Another popular location for fleas can be found in vehicles. Pets travel in cars too and fleas will embed themselves within the carpet of your car when they get the chance. Needless to say, all of these places need to be cleaned thoroughly and often when you have pets.

A few products that help keep fleas at bay are pennyroyal, Dawn lemon scented soap, Borax soap, cedar wood chips, Avon Skin So Soft bath oil, lemongrass, lavender, citronella, and finally eucalyptus leaves. Other products that are made specifically for ridding fleas are flea traps, flea combs, collars, flea sprays for your pets and separate sprays for their bedding, in addition and arguably most importantly flea medications such as Advantage and Frontline.

According to 1 vet hospital in Maryland during 2008, they reported to have treated 137 dog snake bites and 67 cat snake bites. Snake bites can often be fatal to your pet, so knowing the signs of a snake bite is important.

10 symptoms of snake bite in your pet include:

• Sudden weakness and collapse
• Shaking of the muscles and trouble blinking
• Vomiting
• Loss of bladder control
• Dilated pupils
• Blood in urine
• Salivation, drooling, frothing
• Loss of bowel control
• Respiratory distress
• Paralysis

Dogs usually are bitten by running through tall grass and by hunting and chasing snakes.

Reduce the risk:

• Keep your dog leashed when walking near bushes, wetlands, and dunes
• Keep your property safe from objects and rubbish piles that snakes could hide
• Keep the grass cut
• Build a snake proof fence

If your pet is bitten you should keep calm and quiet so not to increase fear in your dog which could speed the movement of venom throughout your pet’s bloodstream. You should keep your pet still. There’s a 90% survival rate if you immediately take your pet to the vet. IF the snake is dead, you should take it with you.

What not to do
Do not wash the wound.
Do not approach the snake if it’s alive.
Do not kill the snake but do get a good look at it if possible.
Do not panic.

If you don’t know what type of snake bit your pet, the vet will identify it with a blood test.

Case study: How George, a dog, survived a snake bite

Police in Sebring Florida are looking for the renter of a property that held about 80 parrots of which around 50 were found dead inside their cages. Police report that a couple dozen parrots that were sharing cages with the dead ones, were still alive but in very poor condition due to lack of food and dehydration.

The AP reports that pet euthanasia is down alright; we’re talking down by 80% since the 70′s. This in large part is due to the reduced cost of spaying and neutering. Even with inflation, neutering pets cost half today what it did 40 years ago. Another reason for the decline is due to educating the public by PR campaigns paid for by organizations like PETA and the ASPCA.

For those who still believe spaying and neutering is cruel remember this:
1) Main reason – it prevents pregnancy and by extension euthanasia
2) It reduces and eliminates reproductive system diseases
3) It makes your pets happy, content, and less distracted, as well as reduces aggression.

Here are the facts:
Cats usually become pregnant with their first litter between 4-6 months of age
Puppies and kittens can be spayed and neutered as early as 8-10 weeks old.
35% of dogs and cats are not neutered and spayed. This amounts to 60 million animals that can breed.

Let’s keep up the good work and promote spaying and neutering to prevent euthanasia now and in the future.

The next time you’re in your local pet supply store you should check out the cat caves in the cat bed or cat furniture section. The cat cave is like a mini cat house that your cat will use for sleeping. We all know cat’s love to hide. They not only use hiding as a technique of hunting but also for sleeping, as a source of protection. Naturally cats love cat caves. They are often made of strong foam type material and covered in plush. They not only are cozy for the cat but look pretty cool. Like the one shown in the picture, cat caves often come with dangling toys to attract the cats inside to play. You’ll find that your cat will both play and sleep inside. Usually these caves are about 14-18 inches in diameter and about a foot tall, giving most cats ample room to move around in but are not too big to lose the tight quarters of the “cave”. Most of the ones I’ve seen are washable only by hand. You’d probably damage it by putting it in a machine.

Edit 1: You might be interested to know that they now make dog cave beds for your other best friend.

• Dogs crave interaction. Dogs love playing fetch and find.
• Training. Reward your dog with his favorite toy after completing a command.
• Separation Anxiety. Toys keep your dog occupied while you’re gone.
• Chewing. Dogs need to chew – better to chew on their toys than your possessions.
• Puppy teething. Stuffed toys with treats relieve pain in sensitive gums.