If you’ve been lucky enough to be adopted by a stray dog or cat, you’ll agree that of all the pets you’ve had the joy of sharing time with, that stray that chose you will always have a special and warm place in their heart.

What is it about strays, and whom they select to spend the rest of their life with? For some mysterious reason, in their eyes YOU are perfect. Of all the homes on your street, or all the families they could endear his or herself to, or mooch a meal from; for some reason known only to them and perhaps a greater power, YOU have been chosen.

Is it an instinct? Do they have a supernatural sense to somehow make the wisest choice for their survival and contentment? What is so special about you? You may not see it, but obviously they do.

For a roof over their head, cat or dog food in their belly, a hand to lick and a pack to belong to, the majority of strays that adopt a person or family express their gratitude with undying loyalty, devotion and unconditional love. You see it in their eyes, every single day you share together.

Bottom line: The next time you stumble on a stray, or it finds you, think twice about ignoring it. Don’t shoo them away, or call animal control. There may be an awfully good reason why at this particular time, they have nestled quietly into your life.

Who wouldn’t like their cat to be healthier and have more youthful years? Our cats are our constant companions, and we all want our furry little friends to live longer and fuller lives. For this reason, it’s important to take the right approach to cat health. Cats require a good diet, a small amount of exercise, and lots of love to be healthy.

The biggest danger for most cats is becoming overweight or obese. As owners, we tend to overfeed our cats, and in turn, the cats grow tubby and slothful, which isn’t good for their heart or their health. Speak to a veterinarian about the weight the cat should maintain, and adjust their food intake accordingly. Cats don’t eat a whole lot of food, and in general, a little wet food once per day and a regular supply of kibble is enough. Cats also need a little bit of exercise, so it’s good for owners to play with their cats on a regular basis for exercise and also to build rapport. Cats also love attention, so be sure to pay plenty of attention to the cat, and while doing so, brush their fur now and then to prevent matting.

Motivation for this post comes from two dissimilar, but coinciding television features.

The first, an infomercial, featured the well-known actor Wilford Brimley stressing the importance of checking one’s blood sugar level often to detect the presence of diabetes that may be defined as preventive insurance. Brimley, a diabetic himself, earnestly says, ”There’s no reason not to!”

The second program on pet health care, recommended the purchase of pet insurance as a safeguard against the high cost of medical care and treatment for animals. It suggested that pet owners ask their veterinarian for information on obtaining such insurance.

While both ideas have merit, in some respect they appeared to conflict with each other. However, a practicable resolution of the two suggestions seems possible.

Unfortunately, many people think of diabetes as something only “other people” have to contend with. Unless closely connected to a diabetic or suffering from this condition themselves, countless people are ignorant of the different types of diabetes, their causes or related dangers. Possibly even fewer are aware that diabetes can also affect their pet.

Dr. Michael S. Samuels writes in dog health care issues: “We all get older and hope that we have the good fortune of great health. When something seems amiss with our health we seek the advice of a health professional. Animals, conversely, often try to hide the fact that they feel poorly. They compensate for their illness and rarely complain. It is only through careful observation and regular health exams that we can ensure their health and, with some good fortune, helps them to live to be ancient companions.

Insurance, by definition, is a financial remuneration for loss that has already occurred … a car accident, a fire in the home, etc. A premium paid to an insurance company usually covers such loss. Pet insurance, as recommended above, also falls under this definition. For a premium, an insurance company pays a financial remuneration to the pet owner for veterinarian care and medical services provided. Pet insurance, however, will not prevent your pet becoming sick in the first place, nor prevent loss of sight from undiagnosed diabetes. It will not prevent self-recrimination for missing the warning signs.

Thiis is where the merits of preventive insurance and pet insurance may be compared

Preventive insurance on the other hand, covers scheduled and planned, preventive testing for a wide range of potential problems, including blood-sugar level checks, in order to maintain the pet’s long-term, happy, healthy condition. The premium for preventive insurance is simply the cost of these tests and services provided and scheduled by, and paid to, your second-best friend … your pet’s veterinarian.

Preventive insurance CAN reveal potential conditions before they become problems and allow for the necessary treatment to be administered. A case in point … if a pet’s diabetes is inherited, no insurance can prevent it. In most cases, however, the owner is totally unaware his pet has been afflicted until the realization dawns … that it is beginning to lose its sight. Preventive insurance could ensure testing and early detection of diabetes, prevent blindness, prohibitive cost of surgery and lifelong medication.

Preventive insurance for periodic testing of your pet is infinitely cheaper than the recommended pet insurance, and imagine the good feeling derived from knowing that you are giving the best possible attention to your pet, friend, and loyal companion. Many veterinary offices provide informative handouts to aid recognizing the signs of ill health or distress in your pet, however, reading this article on the web site of a stricken pet, whose owner didn’t recognize those vital signs, may have a greater impact on the reader.

Pet care training is an important aspect of owning any type of pet, whether it is a dog, a cat or even a mouse, you must make sure that you are taking care of your pet and you can do this by pet care training. Most pets can be trained, and it is a fact that most pets need to be trained and cared for in order for both you and the animal to be happy. When it comes to training and taking care of your pet, you should take the most humane approach and remember, physical punishment and shouting are definite no no’s when it comes to pet care training.

Important cat and dog training tips to remember is that animals respond well to praise and treats. So if you are training a pet to use a litter tray or a training mat, always be sure to make a big fuss of your pet. This will not only please them, but let them know that they are receiving this kind of attention by doing something good which will encourage them to do it again and again if only for more organic dog treats.   A small price to pay.

However, when it comes to pet care training, Never punish your pet for doing something wrong. Never slap or shout at your pet! This will only make the animal scared and they will not understand why they have brought out such behavior from you. Instead of scolding or hitting, simply ignore your pet if it does something wrong, and always make sure that you reward anything positive that your cat or dog does with healthy dog treats.

When it comes to pet care training, there are classes where you can take your pet. These classes help you to learn how to take care of your cat or dog properly and how to train them in ways which will be effective and efficient. You should try to attend a class at least once a week with your pet and this will not only help you and your pet to bond, but it is an important part of taking care of your pets while training them at the same time.

In order for your pets to remain happy and healthy, make sure to take them regularly to visit the vet. Dogs and cats need shots to protect them against diseases that they may pick up when they are out and about, and they also need to maintain healthy weights just like you and I. This is why visiting a vet regularly is important in your pet care training regime.

Grrrrr?
Garlic was originally grown in Central Asia. It has been accepted and recognized as one of the most powerful antibiotics available, effective against bacterial, fungal and parasitic infestations. Numerous medical studies show how garlic juice reduces cholesterol and helps the heart. Worldwide, people take garlic pills, eat garlic cloves and spray garlic juice on food for both taste and good health.

It should be noted that the ASPCA shows garlic in the onion group in their list of 10 items that should not be fed to pets, The group consists of Onions, Garlic and Chives and reads as follows with argumentative discourse noted.  
These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but we recommend that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods

Once again, the rules of moderation come into effect!

Garlic contains organic alkyl sulfur components specifically, S-alkyl cytosine and other cytosine derivative like S-alkyl cytosine sulfoxides that are responsible for many of its anticancer, antibiotic, anti-lipid and anti-diabetic properties.

It is not surprising that veterinarians have leaned towards the use of garlic supplements in pet diets and nutrition for the relief of several ailments, particularly in cats and dogs and while it benefits mankind, for dogs it does even more! .

Garlic keeps dogs from having worms and gets rid of worms that are there. It also keeps fleas and ticks off dogs by getting into the dog’s system and creating a garlic odor that fleas and ticks detect and avoid the dog altogether. Don’t worry, your dog won’t smell like garlic.
 
Garlic Juice is easiest way to give garlic to your dog, here’s how most kennels and dog owners do it; spray or pour garlic into its natural dog’ food and mix well.
Give your pet some garlic every day if your pet dog and cat is nearing middle age or older, it is time to add some garlic to your pet’s food. Garlic protects against cancer, enhances immunity and even reduces the formation of athero-sclerotic plaques and thrombi. In companion animals too, garlic has been found to be beneficial in reducing cholesterol levels, and even lowering blood sugar levels.

Listed below are some ways in which you can use garlic to help heal your pet.

• For skin boils and other bacterial infections:
  Take a bulb of garlic. Crush it and extract the juice. Apply raw garlic juice on the infected areas. Within a week, you will see that your pet’s wound has healed and is back to normal.
• As a circulation toner, blood purifier and cancer preventer:
  Take half a clove of raw garlic. Mash it well. Add the clove in your pet’s food everyday. Half a clove of raw garlic should be sufficient if your pet is a large dog. If your pet is a small breed of dog or cat, then a quarter clove of garlic should be enough. However, what you need to make sure is that the garlic that you use is raw not any preserved form of garlic.
• The raw garlic will help to improve the circulation, cure any stomach indigestion and flatulence. Besides this, if you give your pet garlic regularly, it will also help to prevent against cancer. However, if your pet already has cancer, then giving garlic may not help very much. However, it can protect your pet from getting worse or developing new tumors.
• Another property that garlic has is that it is also a powerful anti-oxidant. Therefore, when you give your pet garlic regularly, it also helps to reduce some of the degenerative changes seen with aging.
• Regular consumption of garlic has been found to help reduce the ability of blood to clot and form clots i.e. an anti-thrombosis action effect.
• Another age associated change is the development of arterioscleroses i.e. the hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels due to formation of plaque inside the vessel wall. Garlic has also been found to reduce high lipid levels and reduce plaque formation.

Garlic is especially useful for female pets:
Garlic also contains compounds that are weakly estrogenic. This useful medicinal plant has compounds that have low concentrations of estrogen and other related compounds. Therefore, although garlic may be very useful for your pets, it may also adversely affect the fertility of your male pet, especially if you have serious plans to breed your pet. Consult your veterinarian before you start your pet on a long term course of medication with garlic

Here’s the recommended daily dosage:

5-20 lb. dogs - 4 sprays or 1/4 ounce in food daily.
21-50 lb. dogs - 6 sprays into food and mix well.
51 lbs. and over dogs 8 sprays into food and mix well.

If, for some rare reason your dog will not eat food with the garlic juice in it, mix the garlic juice with soybean oil (available in the cooking oil section at your local supermarket) and mix into food - this also helps make a very nice coat on the dog.

Say goodbye to poisonous flea collars! Mother Nature has provided a safe and all-natural alternative - farm fresh garlic juice!

                                                                     
No matter what kind of pets you have, you want to take care of them to the very best of your ability. To do this, you want to get the proper supplies for them. There are a lot of supplies available, so you must know exactly what you are looking for, and it is best to have somewhere you go to find it.

The greatest demand is for dog and cat food nutrition that are, beyond a doubt the most important feature of pet care in America today. You may be looking [in the link above) at the most convenient source for the healthiest selection of supplies available for cats, dogs, the smallest and even the most exotic pets.

For dogs you will have no trouble finding leashes, collars, food and water bowls, toys, and food. There are also a lot of cat and dog training, health and cleaning products. There are other categories of supplies, and each category has hundreds of products available. Your cat will find scratching posts and climbing trees in plentiful numbers, along with many carrier options.

If you have fish, you will be able to find tanks and fish-friendly cleaners and food for all kinds of fish. There are many interesting things to put into the tank with the fish as well.

If you have small animals such as rabbits, gerbils, guinea pigs, or ferrets, you will find lots of pet supplies for them as well. Food, litter, and grooming supplies are available. There are a lot of extra products for ferrets, including harnesses, leashes, and toys. Ferrets are extremely playful animals, and providing them with toys helps to alleviate boredom.

For birds there are aviaries, cages, perches along with a variety of food and water dishes. As with other animals, toys are plentiful for birds that need these to engage their attention. You will also find treats for your birds to either keep them occupied or to reward them.

Of course, you don’t want to forget about your reptiles. While many people don’t think about reptiles needing things, they need their pet supplies just as much as any other animal. They require heat lamps and proper flooring in their terrarium, along with places to hide and climb. Calcium supplements are common health products bought for reptiles.

With the right pet supply store, you can get your little friends everything they need to stay healthy and happy.

For the cat lover, the cat is more than a pet; it is a valued member of the family. It is essential for cat health care to feed a high-quality natural cat food.
A lot of cat food and treats claim to have the highest quality ingredients, but not all of them make the grade. This post will discuss the essential ingredients to look for in choosing a quality cat food as well as the three ingredients to avoid. You will know what food contents to choose to assure your pet gets the finest cat nutrition with organic or natural cat food.

When choosing a cat food or treat, make sure the first label listing is protein. Many cat foods use a filler ingredient such as wheat or corn instead of protein as the main ingredient.

Cats are obligate carnivores, which mean that they must eat meat; no matter how wonderful vegetables may be for the health of a human being, they are not essential or even needed to maintain the health and happiness of our feline friends.

Feeding a cat food that has wheat or corn as its primary ingredient can lead to health problems in the long run, including joint, skin, coat, and eye conditions. It is also important to remember the wheat gluten contamination that led to the recall of so many cat foods as well as multiple deaths in 2007.

Another problem with cat foods that contain corn or wheat gluten is that cats can develop allergies. If you notice that your cat is scratching more, or develops scabs around the head and neck, you will want to discuss with your veterinarian switching your cat to a different cat food containing higher quality ingredients than those found in your cat’s current diet.

Some people think premium cat foods are expensive, but in fact, because they have less filler, the cat is able to gain a full day’s nutrition eating as little as half the amount as of a lower quality food. As a result, often the cost per day is the same.

The difference is, with a wellness cat food, your cat is not immersed in a diet of artificial preservatives such as BHT, BHA or Ethoxyquin, animal by products, or unnecessary fillers. Removing these unfavorable ingredients makes a significant difference in the overall cat health and well being of your pet, improving the quality of life, as well as reducing the likelihood of developing health issues and frequent trips to the vet.

Humans may eat junk food once in awhile but we surely couldn’t survive or thrive with such a daily diet. Imagine now that we give our felines a daily feeding of junk food (which unfortunately some cat food brands are). That certainly would not be healthy for them.

 Sometimes we will see this manifest into a dull coat or bowel/urinary issues. Or we may not notice anything wrong. However, as most people know, quality nutrition and proper absorption of nutrients is beneficial to overall health and the same is true for our cats.

Whether we have two legs or four, what we eat makes a difference. Avoid animal bi-products, fillers such as corn or wheat gluten, and keep your pet on a cat food that promotes cat health.

Omega 3 fish oil for pets is among the most commonly used nutritional supplement for treating dogs and cats? They protect and treat a range of ailments and can help keep our pets fit and healthy.
 
Fish oil for pets is among the most commonly used supplement in all of veterinary medicine, to the point that they are not even recognized as an alternative treatment, such is their healing power and the fish oils we humans use are perfectly fine, no need for specialist animal ones!
 
It is the two important omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA that provide most of the benefits, with DHA being the most important. These oils support heart, vision and joint health, provide important cat and dog nutrition for proper immune function, and nourish the skin and coat.
 
The powerful anti-inflammatory properties are effective in cases of heart and kidney disease, elevated cholesterol, allergies and arthritis as well.
 
The difference can be quite striking especially in older pets with some arthritis as within weeks of taking a daily supplement they are moving around more freely and have increased energy levels too.
 
Fish oil for pets is also excellent for treating those hairless dry and irritated areas they always seem to be scratching! They help to soothe the area and encourage the growing back of the hair and also promote a shiny healthy coat.
 
As well as being proven to be effective for preventing cancer they are also recommended daily for those pets diagnosed with cancer as they can help to reduce the size of the tumours.
 
 Some of the problem today is our pet’s diet and the majority of the pet food on the market is very low in these essential omega 3’s, bearing in mind their bodies cannot make them so they must come from the diet, making a daily supplement in their organic dog food and natural cat food the ideal solution.
 
To ensure your fish oil for pets is free from any contaminants such as mercury or lead that fish pick up, it is vital to ensure that it has been molecularly distilled to leaving only pure concentrated oil.
 
In addition it should contain a high level of DHA, at least 250mg per capsule for maximum effectiveness. Most on the market have higher EPA levels so check the label or website carefully.
 
The incredible benefits of fish oil for pets are clear to see and help to keep them fit and healthy and avoid many of the more serious diseases later on, giving them a better quality of life.

                                     It’s me again
There is more to love about our pet dogs than their faithful affection for us. They are also a boost to our good health as well as a tail wagging reminder of our obligation to them in the form of dog health care. One could say, in no small way, we thrive on the quality of  healthy dog food and nutrition we give to them,

The portrayal of the dog as mans best friend is an apt one. If you don’t laud children or family members and greet them with enthusiasm; they’ll be less likely to be around you. Not so with the ever faithful canine friend. It has been sad to hear that no matter how cruelly people treat animals, they remain faithful to those who abused them. They offer no judgment, no hesitation. What a gift that is.

It is also understandable that people who are suffering, whether from failed relationships, money woes, job frustrations or ill health often turn to the dog in their lives to find a source of non-complaining , non-judgemental companionship.

Another heart-warming experience is one wherein the elderly, confined to nursing homes (often without family or friends) are benefited by the visit of a full of love, furry, four-legged friend. The way they light up at the sight of these animals is a joy to behold.

 Studies abound telling of remarkable health recoveries people have made and attributed to benefits derived from their pets. One of the damaging side effects that occur with convalescence is loneliness that accompanies the recovery process. A companion pet can minimize that to great degree. A study has put the survival rate of heart attack patients who have a pet, at five times greater than those who don’t have a pet, That is an astounding statistic.

As we give medical science the credit it deserves for improving the quality of life for so many, let us not overlook the less heralded but widely recognized contributions of the noble pet in their power to positively affect the healing of people in their lives.

If you are concerned about your pets’ health and perhaps want to see a holistic veterinarian about dog or cat health care or merely require some information. Whatever your reason, alternative medicine can work as well as traditional dog health care for your pet, especially for long term health.

Although conventional medicine has its place, holistic therapies have been working for hundreds of years but some people are not aware that both conventional and holistic medicines can work together. For instance, after using an antibiotic, you or your vet can implement a holistic alternative pet health supplementation plan to boost the immune system to help prevent further illness.

Many people use holistic dog care methods for their pets, perhaps because homeopathy worked for them or a friend had good results and now want to try the same for their pets. Cats and dogs can also use many supplements that people use; for instance, glucosamine for joints, vitamin e for healthy coat and skin, etc.

Holistic vets most often combine traditional and alternative dog health methods to maintain your pet’s physical condition in top shape. They may use cat health vaccines and prescription drugs in an illness, but use vitamins, herbs and other forms of nutrition designed for each individual pet.
 
Holistic veterinary medicine looks at the whole pet including his or her lifestyle, and the heredity components of each breed so that its physical needs are taken into consideration as well as the pet’s mental happiness.

If your pet is suffering from an illness that requires immediate attention, then a holistic vet would use the conventional options. But, if your pet is plagued with chronic conditions which linger or occur often, then alternative medicine for pets will provide more choices for long term pet health.