Pet Health Guide

Author: Dr. Ian Dunbar

Hardcover: 
224 pages

Company: New World Library 

(2004-04-29)

ISBN: 1577314557

List Price: $19.95
Amazon Price: $6.25

Used Price: $1.53

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This is the little book that started a revolution. First published almost twenty years ago, it made women’s voices heard, in their own right and with their own integrity, for virtually the first time in social scientific theorizing about women. Its impact was immediate and continues to this day, in the academic world and beyond. Translated into sixteen languages, with more than three-quarters of a million copies sold around the world. In a Different Voice has inspired new research, new educational initiatives, and political debate-and helped many women and men to see themselves and each other in a different light.

Carol Gilligan believes that psychology has persistently and systematically misunderstood women–their motives, their moral commitments, the course of their psychological growth, and their special view of what is important in life. Here she sets out to correct psychology’s misperceptions and refocus its view of female personality. The result is truly a tour de force, which may well reshape much of what psychology now has to say about female experience.

Author: Carol Gilligan

Paperback: 
216 pages

Company: Harvard University Press 

(1993-07-01)

ISBN: 0674445449

List Price: $16.50
Amazon Price: $4.29

Used Price: $0.01

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Many dogs today suffer from itchy skin caused by a variety of factors. Dogs actually have more sensitive skin than humans, and are often exposed to a variety of irritants in their environment. These grooming tips may help alleviate your dog’s constant itching.

Brushing your dog daily will remove pollens, grasses, and other outdoor irritants as well as stimulating the skin’s circulation and preventing matting. Brush carefully and down to the skin, taking care not to tug on tangles, and using a soft bristle brush on sensitive areas.

Bathing should also be done on a monthly basis, following a thorough brushing. Use a natural, low lather, low irritant shampoo, wet your dog down thoroughly with lukewarm water, and apply the shampoo using your hands. Avoid getting water or shampoo in his eyes and ears, and lather all over, right down to his skin, then rinse thoroughly. Shampoo residue is a major cause of skin irritation for dogs. After rinsing, towel dry your dog, and avoid using any coat finishers or blow dryers, which can also cause skin irritation in a sensitive dog.

Grooming is essential for a dog’s skin health, helps you identify skin problems early on, and is a great way for you to bond with your dog as well!

About The Author

Alexandra DeBoer is the creator of a low-lather shampoo line for sensitive dogs. You can learn more about her company at: www.barknbath.com.

bow-wow@barknbath.com

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In most homes in America, the family pet is just like another member of the family. While we may not invite them to join us at the table for dinner, we love them nonetheless. As with any other family member, the health and wellbeing of our pets is of the utmost importance. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your furry friends are a part of your family for many years to come.

Be sure to have your pets vaccinated annually. With all of the debate surrounding vaccine safety, many pet owners have opted out of vaccinating their pets. The main issue to be aware of is that animals are highly susceptible to contracting certain diseases, such as canine parvovirus and canine distemper. These diseases are easily prevented with standard vaccinations, and very expensive to treat should preventative measures be ignored. Standard therapy for these diseases can cost upwards of $1000.00, when factoring in antibiotics and hospitalization. The vaccine itself might cost a fraction of that.

Dental care is another consideration. Just like other members of your family, your pets need to have semi-regular dental check-ups. This is especially important if you have a dog that is being fed a regular diet of human food. Furthermore, dental disease in pets can lead to other serious illnesses, such as heart, kidney, and liver disease. Some studies have even suggested that 80% of all domestic pets over the age of 3 have some existing form of dental disease. It may sound silly to some, but brushing your pet’s teeth is one of the most important things you can do to reduce the risk of health complications. Take a preventative approach to the dental care of your pet.

Obesity is another issue that pet owners need to be aware of. Most of the time, this can be managed with a healthy, well rounded diet. There are plenty of quality pet food brands on the market today, many of which are tailored to your pet’s stage of development. While an overweight pet might seem cute and cuddly, obesity can lead to serious health problems for your pet. This can include joint problems, arthritis, heart problems, difficulty breathing, and diabetes. Ensure your pet is getting a reasonable amount of exercise each day.

Christine Arbor owns two dogs, three cats, and a bird. She is a lifelong animal lover and a regular volunteer at her local Humane Society. When she is not tending to her animals, she writes about them for topsellingpetsupplies.com - a wonderful resource for information about buying pet supplies online, pet insurance, pet microchips and more.

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A dog, like a human baby, experiences the world through his mouth, by tasting and chewing on things. But, he also uses his mouth is as his hands. He carries and pulls with it as well as defends himself. Therefore healthy teeth and gums are very important.

A dog’s teeth need the same care as a human’s. Therefore, it’s important that you take care of his teeth as you would your own. The best way to do this, of course, is to brush them, which should be done at least twice a week. There are special tooth brushes designed to fit in a dog’s mouth as well as special chicken flavored tooth paste to make the task easier. But sometimes, brushing your dog’s teeth can be a real hassle. For instance, there are some dogs that will flee at the sight of a toothbrush and it is very had to coax a seventy pound Rottweiler from under the bed.

So, how can you get Bruno the Rottweiler to care for his teeth? Here are several alternatives to toothbrushing.

Dog Food

Dog food is a major cause of tooth decay. Believe it or not, canned dog food, though it tastes real good, is not good for Bruno’s teeth. Therefore, you should not feed it to him all the time; once in awhile, as a treat, or on a special occasion is fine. Instead, Bruno should eat a good quality hard dry dog food. This will keep his teeth and gums exercised, as well as cleaned.

Bones

Of course, Bruno needs more than just dry dog food to keep his teeth white and his gums healthy. Chewing on things, such as sticks, the furniture and golf balls, though it is good exercise for his gums, is not very healthy, especially if he were to swallow the wrong thing. Or, in the case of the furniture, just chewing on it is not a good idea on his part. So, you can provide him with a bone, either rawhide or real, as a diversion. These come in various sizes to fit your dog. Bruno will want a larger one, while a smaller dog would necessarily need a smaller bone. Either way, he can exercise and clean his teeth without fear of choking.

Enzymatic Rawhide Chips

You can try some of the rawhide chips that are infused with enzymes designed to kill your dog’s bad breath as well as remove tartar and plaque. However, the taste leaves something to be desired and Bruno may not like them, thus leaving them untouched. If he does not use them, they won’t work.

Regular Visits to the Veterinarian

Of course, the veterinarian is the best person to keep Bruno’s teeth in perfect health. As much as he will protest, regular visits insure good oral and physical health. Your dog’s veterinarian will provide him the proper care that will keep him healthy and happy for years to come.

Arlene Mason is a freelance writer living outside of Dallas, Texas with her husband and two dogs. She has written and published the following e-books: “Understanding Low-Carb Dieting”, “On the Edge” and “Stepping Stones” which are all available at http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com

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For a long time I’ve felt, believed and experienced that nutrition is key to health. Junk goes in and the result is poor health. Maybe not immediately but definitely it will add up to a toxic level and cause poor health. This goes for all living things. No one or being lives forever, obviously, however we want to extend the time we have and make the time we have a healthy one.

During my hundreds and hundreds of hours research in investigating dog foods I found the most remarkable things. Some of what I found was shocking and other facts were down right disgusting. For starters, the dog food industry is totally unregulated meaning that manufacturers can, and do, put whatever they want into “food”. There are documented reports of animal waste products, ground up dog carcasses, non human edible grade products, and other animal wastes put into dog foods. These acts are not myths or legends unfortunately.

Among the ingredients in about 99.99% of dog foods you find sugar, salt, corn, phosphates, artificial flavors and colorings. It appears as if the simple dog food has turned into a fast food garbage dump.

Dogs are naturally carnivores and scavengers however since their domestication they have relied on human help in the nutrition arena. As we have moved from fresh foods to processed foods so have our dogs. Just like us our dogs have now inherited human like modern diseases (from cancer, diabetes, and skin ailments to early death).

Veterinarian Dr Jane Bicks has written that dogs should be living in the range of 18-25 years old. This has been supported by friends of mine from other countries where dogs who eat “closer to the earth” commonly live to those ages. Basically we are killing our dog with processed foods.

I must admit to having certain biases based upon personal experience, knowledge about health, and what I’ve learned. For example, there is a lot of literature on the inability of animals to assimilate fractioned nutrition. What is fractionated nutrition? It is vitamins and supplements. Check the super market or even some of the premium dog food brands and you’ll find them packed with vitamins and supplements. But, that doesn’t mean they are good!

Let me explain. The processing of and extracting of “nutritional value” causes molecular differences between food and these “vitamins”. The result is that the body doesn’t assimilate it. Here are list of some of the things you loose with fractionated vitamins over foods: compound vitamins and minerals, trace minerals, enzymes, flavonoids, carotenoids, pigments, terpenes, chlorophyll, coenzymes, covitamins, amino acids and much more.

Animals aren’t designed to consume fractionated nutrition. Animals are designed to consume food not chemicals. The concept that altered nutrition fulfills the body’s requirements is false. This goes for all animals not just humans.

So, the movement toward providing dogs with raw (such as the BARF diet) and pure foods is a fantastic one. As a dog owner I know it can be rough to provide and shop for my dogs like they are humans but it is necessary for them to be healthy and live long lives.

Kevin Shayne is founder of http://www.dogcare-doghealth.com which exclusively provides information on the most desired dog health concerns. Besides over 14 years in business Kevin has advocated quality nutrition and organics for over 10 years. Additional information available:

• Sick Dog Food - Sick Dogs
• Natural Premium Dog Food - Real Dog Food

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Is your pet embarrassed by bad hair days?? Has his coat lost
its shine. Is dandruff, tangles or matting a problem? It’s all
about cat and dog health and grooming.

The first secret to a healthy, shiny coat is a nutritional
well-balanced raw natural diet. This grows a gorgeous coat from
the inside indicating a healthy, happy pet.

The second secret is what you can do from the outside to keep
this gorgeous coat, regular brushing. Stimulating the lymph
system with regular brushing improves your pets immune system.
It stimulates the skin, improves circulation, prevents tangling,
and helps distribute the natural oils throughout the entire
coat. In addition, brushing also helps to remove fleas, flea
eggs and ticks. Pet health and grooming is a critical part of
being a conscientious pet owner.

Long haired pets require more frequent brushing than your short
haired pets, but frequent brushing is good for all pets. Most
pets love to be brushed, if you are gentle and you started
brushing them when they were young. Using a loofa sponge will
increase circulation & smooth the coat, but you will need a
brush or curry comb to remove shedding hair.

Go over your pet with a flea comb regularly during summer months
to make sure he has not picked up any stray fleas or ticks while
outside or with other animals.

Do not shampoo your pet too frequently. It can
increase problems by removing natural oils from the coat and
irritate the skin. This can create more bad hair days!!

Here’s to your Perfect Paws!

MaryLou
www.theperfectpaws.com

MaryLou Marier is first and for most an animal lover and has been around animals most of her life. She grew up on a farm and has had multiple pets ever since! She and her husband raise Registered St Charles Cavalier Spaniels. They are members of the Continental Kennel Club. MaryLou has read and done research on any and all ailments that her pets have come across over the years and now wants to share her knowledge with all you pet lovers out there!

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Let’s face it - Fido and Fluffy are an important part of your family. Do you want to have to assign a dollar value to them if they become sick or injured?

That may well be the case if you don’t have pet health insurance. Rising veterinary costs mean that pet owners can pay hundreds - and even thousands - of dollars for their pets‘ health problems. As the bills stack up, uninsured pet owners must determine how much they are willing to spend on their animal friend. It can be a heartbreaking decision to make.

Much like insurance for health, cars and homes, pet insurance helps people put a little money away now to avoid a major payout later. Coverage and cost vary, so it’s important to thoroughly research the options if you decide to insure your pet.

Step one: Determine if Pet Insurance is Right for You

When people decide to get a pet, they often don’t consider how they will deal with the inevitable unexpected illnesses or accidents. Keeping a pet indoors by no means eliminates all the hazards. They can still swallow foreign objects, ingest a poison or injure themselves. As well, living indoors does not make a pet immune to disease and infection - particularly those that are common to their breed. Pets with access to the outdoors have even more opportunities to pick up a disease or get hurt.

Don’t have a dog or cat? Insurance companies are starting to offer plans that meet the needs of a variety of pet owners. Some now offer coverage for birds and exotic animals.

Not all owners are good candidates for pet insurance, however. Pet insurance is ideal for owners who deeply love their pets and are willing to spend a significant amount of money to keep them healthy and extend their life. They buy their cherished companions the best food and care they can afford, sometimes even putting their pets’ needs before their own. For this type of owner, pet insurance can be a smart investment that can prevent considerable costs and bring peace of mind.

Pet insurance is not a good investment for owners who don’t have a strong emotional tie to their pet. Owners who would rather have their pets euthanized than spend money on vet bills are not good candidates for pet insurance.

Step two: Decide What Type of Coverage You Want

Most pet owners will weigh two main considerations when shopping for pet insurance: budget and coverage. Peace of mind can also be an important factor, but far more difficult to quantify.

Pet health insurance is still relatively new in the United States and Canada, so the options available are fewer than for other forms of insurance. That said, North American pet owners can choose from a variety of coverage choices, ranging from injury/accident-only to all-inclusive.

As with all insurance products, the cost of pet insurance increases as the coverage improves. As a pet owner, you must decide what is the right balance between affordability and the care you want for your pet.

- Coverage

When choosing pet insurance coverage, first consider what kind of insurance customer you are. Do you prefer all-inclusive coverage that pays for everything from routine checkups and vaccinations to accidents and chronic illnesses, or are you comfortable with a lesser degree of coverage that just kicks in during emergencies? Perhaps you prefer a flexible plan that offers discounts on a wide range of services, from veterinary care to training. This decision will lay the groundwork for your final choice.

Some issues to consider:

* Make sure to check for coverage of pre-existing conditions as well as breed-specific genetic ailments, such as hip dysplasia for large dogs. Some plans refuse to cover these conditions.

* Some plans place limits on annual, per-incident, per-illness or lifetime costs.

* How old is your pet? Coverage usually starts at eight weeks, but some plans won’t cover pets over a certain age (usually between six and 10 years old, depending on the breed, type of animal and other factors).

- Cost

Payment options for pet insurance include flat fees or deductibles and/or co-payments. Not surprisingly, plans with lower monthly premiums come with higher deductibles and/or larger co-payments.

Some issues to consider:

* Insurance premiums are affected by the age, health and breed of your pet, as well as the type of animal.

* Some plans offers discounts for multiple pets.

* Plans generally require customers to pay the vet bill first and then submit receipts for reimbursement.

* Find out if the insurance premiums will increase as your pet ages.

* Depending on the plan you choose, the monthly premiums can range from less than $10 to about $40.

Step three: Choose an Insurer
You’ve determined what you can afford to spend and the amount of pet insurance coverage you want.

Before selecting an insurer, here are some final considerations:

* Make a list of your questions and priorities in advance. Make sure to answer or check off each item when reviewing plan options.

* Research the insurer thoroughly. Review its website and sales materials, read its testimonials, talk to other pet owners and look for on-line reviews. How long has the company been in business? Are its customers satisfied? Make sure you feel comfortable about everything you hear or read.

* Compare the plan’s benefit schedule with your vet’s fees to determine to what degree the plan will cover the actual treatment costs.

* Find out how quickly the insurance company reimburses customers’ claim payments and if it has claim deadlines.

* Read the fine print. Make sure you completely understand the plan’s benefits and, more importantly, the limitations. If something isn’t clear, ask - and get the answer in writing. Otherwise, you might find you don’t have the coverage you need if an accident occurs.

* Start a file for your pet. Use it for all receipts and insurance paperwork so you can keep on top of your claims and make sure you are maximizing your insurance investment.

Your responsibility as a pet owner doesn’t end with food, shelter and affection. Pet health insurance can give the smallest member of your family a longer and healthier life - and provide you with more time to enjoy the unconditional love it so willingly offers to you.

Burke Jones is a frequent contributor to Pet Health Depot.

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Everyone has their special love and adoration for a specific breed. My fondness is for the Spaniels. The well-bred, trained English Cocker Spaniel is happy, playful, gentle, loyal, trusting and affectionate toward everyone. They desire to be included in all activities. Eager to please they usually do well in obedience training. These dogs are good with children and socializes well with other animals with the exception of some males becoming aggressive with other males. Some females are aggressively possessive with their owners. They bark to alert the family of a visitor. Cockers that are left alone too much may retaliate becoming aggressive and relieving themselves in places unknown.

The English Cocker requires special grooming needs. The medium length coat can be flat or wavy; their coat color can be black, buff, liver or a combination of markings. Their ears are long and silky requiring daily cleaning from ending up in the food bowl. Their muzzle is longer than most spaniels. Their statue is more elegant than the other species of the breed. They should be brushed and combed at least two to three times per week to avoid matting on the ears, chest and legs. They appreciate and enjoy long vigorous walks daily. Special attention must be given to their ears; this species is more prone to ear infections.

The English Cocker originated in the 19th century in England. They were utilized to flush and retrieve birds from densely wooded areas for the hunters. This Cocker breed is between 15-17″ in height. Their weight ranges 26-34 lbs.. Their life span is usually 10-14 years.

There are definite health concerns related to their breed. Glaucoma, cataract, deafness, ear infections, and progressive retinal atrophy are some of the concerns with the English Cocker Spaniels. Personally my older male cocker spaniel has experienced bilateral glaucoma; unfortunately we had to have both his eyes removed.

Glaucoma is hereditary among this breed as they are predisposed to this condition. Rubbing and squinting of the eyes secondary to pain; a cloudy cornea, a dilated pupil when there should be constriction, noticeable blood vessels in the eyes, poor vision and an enlarged eyeball are symptoms. When my male cocker first presented these symptoms in his left eye, I immediately took him to the vet. Once the eyeball becomes enlarged recovery is difficult. The pressure inside the eye was off the charts so to speak. With glaucoma they experience pain as we would feel the pain of a constant migraine. His left eye became so swollen and he was constantly bumping into objects that our only recourse was to have this eye removed to relieve the symptoms as well as the intense pain. Part of the post op recovery stage was to wear one of those Elizabethan collars; I despised those collars, but I realized the importance of them and had to deal with the inconvenience for his sake.

For the next several months we had his remaining eye constantly observed by the vet; we administered two different eye drops each day; eye pressure was measured weekly. But unfortunately all our efforts failed. In time the right eye became slightly enlarged and I could tell his remaining sight in that eye was decreasing. We immediately contacted the vet and went through the procedure of the Mannitol IV but it was too late. His prognosis with his sight was grave. We were now faced with the realization of him losing his other eye. I felt like…here we go again? At first I personally didn’t know if I could deal with “no eyes”? The vet suggested to implant animal testicles; yes you read it right! It was more of a vanity issue with me. They convinced me that over time I would adjust to the situation. He appears to be sleeping all the time. But don’t let the loss of sight fool you as when that happened his other senses took over; it has been 4 years since both procedures and he is now 13 years old; you try to sneak by him with any food and his head raises and his smell instincts are amazing! I have adjusted and I’ve accepted his condition. His quality of life is still good. His loss of sight has not hindered his life.

Cataracts are white opacities in the lenses of the eyes that impair vision or cause blindness. Cataracts is the most common kind of hereditary problem with many of the breeds of dogs. Some of the causes of cataracts can be from a direct injury to the lens, diabetes, nutritional deficiency, toxic effects of certain drugs, an inflammation of the eye…just to name a few. The extent of the cataract determines the degree of visual loss or impairment. The lens can be removed via surgery. The removal of the cataract can prevent further complications such as glaucoma that we just discussed. One of the normal occurences in aging dogs is senile cataracts in which a bluish gray haze is presented over the eye; this does not have to treated with surgery and their vision is not hindered.

Deafness may be congenital or caused by ear infections, drugs, or aging. The most noticeable sign of deafness is a lack of response when you call your pets name or any stimulation. Another problem of my 13 year old male cocker is deafness associated with the aging process. Ear infections can cause destruction of nerve cells. Some drugs used to treat inflammation of the ear can cause deafness. Consult your vet for the proper drug for an ear infection. Patience from you is needed when your pet has lost his hearing.

Progressive retinal atrophy is usually hereditary. It is caused by a degeneration and a loss of retinal tissue. Late onset of this health problem usually involves Cocker Spaniels after one year of age. Night blindness is one of the first signs and symptoms. There is no effective treatment for this problem as eventually the dog will go blind. The dog will be reluctant to go outside or up and down poorly lit steps or hallways during the early stages of the PRA. The only way to prevent PRA is to make sure the affected dog does not breed.

Every breed has health concerns. It is your choice which breed you love and adore. Be a responsible pet owner and be informed of each health concern of your specific dogs breed. Most important just love your pet by providing the best medical care for a long quality of life that you possibly can for your friend.

For more information on pet care visit us at CherishMyPet

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Among the different pets that people can choose from, one of the most animals are dogs. Dogs are considered man’s best friend, and they are known to be loyal and give their owners with unconditional love. However, since there are quite a number of dog breeds to choose from, the task of choosing a dog can be a little overwhelming. People need to arm themselves with information on the different breeds of dogs so that they can pick a dog that they can effectively take care of and manage. In addition to this, the right knowledge on the breeds can also help pet owners know the necessary steps they need to take to ensure that their pets would live long and healthy lives because of the specific needs that certain dog breeds have that dog owners need to fill.

In picking out a specific dog breed, two of the most important considerations that people should look into are the size and the amount grooming that certain dog breeds require. This is because these two factors can play an important role in helping people decide on a certain breed. For example, people who get the larger breeds of dogs should be prepared to face the problems that usually come in doing so. Some of these include the fact that larger dogs are more vulnerable to joint and bone diseases like hip displasia. Moreover, larger dogs require more space and they also consume more food, which can make them the more expensive option. However, getting a small dog also comes with certain problems, which includes the fact that smaller dogs are more susceptible to breathing problems.

With regard to grooming, people should also be aware of how much time and effort creation breeds of dog require for grooming, as this can also help them decide on which type of dog they can provide with the proper grooming given their lifestyle. The good news is that information on the different dog breeds and on how to care for them is readily available from a number of sources, which include dog breeders and the Internet.

Two of the most important factors that people should consider when picking a dog include the breed and the amount of grooming that they require. This is because carefully considering these can help people get the right type of dog that they can provide with the proper care and attention that it needs to be able to live a long and healthy life.

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