Dog Allergy – Environmental Cause

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 at 3:08 pm

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A Dog’s skin allergy can be a constant nightmare for both the dog and owner. It is disheartening to see your pet constantly scratching and causing raw wounds on their skin due to itch. I have some recommendations for you if you are in this situation. The following recommendations must be done in stages to assist you in identifying possible causes.

Before you start, ascertain that your dog’s rash is not due parasites such as mange, fleas or ticks. If you suspect mange, bring the doctor to the vet and get it verified. Mange can get very serious and very itchy for the dog. It also results in skin that is raw, red and balding. The vet can do a skin scrap to ascertain if your dog’s condition is an allergy or mange condition.

For allergic condition, other then food which could be causing allergic reaction, we cannot ignore environment causes as well whichi will cover in this article. This is your first step in diagnosis skin allergic prior to any food allergen testing methods.

Environment Allergy

Firstly, we need to check if your dog is allergic to environment conditions of your home. Like humans, some dogs are allergic to pollen, dust mites and insect bites.

For pollen allergens, keep your pet away from the source and if it cannot be avoided, clean and wash them often to rid them of as much allergens as possible.

For insects bites, spray on your dog anti flea spray, buy natural sprays such as those that contains aroma oils like citronella oil, eucalyptus, lemon grass, clove or neem oil. Any of these oils in the content can ward off insects.

For dust mites, throw away any old mats or cloth that they usually lie on, use plastic beddings instead of soft bedding as soft beddings attract dust mites. If you need mats in the home, make sure your pet is not resting on it and wash and change them regularly (at least 3x a week).

After clearing their beddings or clearing off mats and they are still allergic, it could be floor detergent that they are allergic to. If this is the cause, the dogs usually get more skin rash on their tummy area as a result of resting on the floor. To resolve this, stop using the detergent and switch to homemade version of “floor detergent”, mix vinegar, isopropyl alcohol in water and use it to clean and sanitize the floor! If your pet’s skin rash cleared up, you can be sure the commercial floor detergent is the cause of the skin rash.

These steps are essential to check if they are allergic to substance in the environment or allergic to food source.

For more precious information on Pet Care, visit my site and subscribe to the newsletter today! www.dogcarezone.com

Veronica Eng @ www.dogcarezone.com

www.dogcarezone.com/blog

P.S. No amounts of the information should be duplicated in any website or ebooks or books without the author’s permission. Email to pets.for.life@gmail.com if you want to do so. Alternatively, include the author’s website www.dogcarezone.com as a reference site to your book or article. Thank you for your kind co-operation

Veronica Eng
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-allergy-environmental-cause-125842.html

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Important Tips for Purchasing Pet Meds Online

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 at 4:18 pm

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With food, gas, education, healthcare, and other costs on the rise many families are trying to save money whenever possible. Pet owners have the added burden of ensuring that pets receive annual vaccinations that protect pets, other animals, and humans having contact with them from contagious diseases (owners are required to have their pets vaccinated against rabies in most states.) In addition to the expense of yearly shots for a pet that can add up quickly, pets with chronic conditions needing medications to manage or treat them, and even routine office visits and monthly flea & tick, and heartworm medications for pets can really put a strain on the family budget.

Owners love their pets and often regard them as members of the family, some even refer to pets as their “children.” Perhaps this is how you feel about your pet. You want to help your pet to stay healthy and to live a long time. At the same time, you have to be careful about your spending, and who among us doesn’t need to be thriftier these days with the economy still struggling to recover. Purchasing many of the medications and products needed for maintaining your pet’s health and well-being through reputable online sources can help you save money.

The first tip for purchasing pet meds online and keeping your pet safe is to make sure you are buying the medications your pet really needs. It is not advisable to diagnose conditions your pet may have by the behaviors or symptoms he or she is exhibiting and shopping online for the medications you think will help cure them. Many health conditions in pets share common symptoms and giving your pet inappropriate medications to treat ailments you have misdiagnosed could make them sicker.

You may be able to see fleas crawling on your pet or see flea excrement on a comb you use to brush your pet with or on his bedding, and can purchase flea medications to treat pets for fleas online. Before you do that though you will need to speak with your pet’s veterinarian to learn which medications are recommended for your pet’s specific weight, age, breed, and present health status. Your veterinarian is the best resource for learning what medications your pet may need. This does not mean that you have to buy them directly from your vet as you can often find them cheaper online. Most veterinarians understand pet owners want to reduce the costs of providing medications for their pets and are more concerned with making sure your pet is receiving the best care for their health.

To protect your pet and yourself from fraudulent online suppliers of online medications make it a point to check out a website before making purchases. The company should disclose full contact information and have been operating for more than a year to even be considered as source to purchase your pets meds from. Make sure that you have read and understand companies return policies on purchases of pet meds before making them to protect yourself as well.

Purchase well known brands of pet medications made by companies that you trust. The best online pet medication retailers typically sell the top brands in pet medications, which can help you identify the more reputable online suppliers.

Online pet pharmacies that require a prescription from your vet before allowing you to purchase pet meds offers the greatest protection for you and your pet. Some people do not like the idea of having to get a prescription from their vet for medications for their pets purchased online, and there are some questionable online pet medication sites that are more than willing to allow you to make purchases of pet medications without a prescription.

Always keep the packages and any unused portions of medications that you give to your pet in a bag you can grab and take with you to the vets office should your pet become suddenly sick or injured, so that your veterinarian knows what your pet is taking and can more accurately determine how best to treat your pet.

Monitor your pet for any symptoms of distress after giving them any medications whether they purchased online or from your vet and seek immediate help for your pet if you notice any unusual or concerning symptoms, especially vomiting, difficulty breathing, heavy discharge from the nose, diarrhea, or a pet that is lethargic.

You can save money while providing your pets with the medications they need for vitality and a long life by purchasing pet medications online.

Cynthia Andrews
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/important-tips-for-purchasing-pet-meds-online-1318846.html

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Learn How to Care for Your Pets

Saturday, April 10th, 2010 at 4:25 am

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Your pet must be very dear to you. It stands your duty to take proper care of it. Your care can keep it healthy and fit. A healthy pet is always lively and can provide you with good company.

Taking care of your pet is a detailed task. It needs to be carried out with great attention. The following tips and advice will help you find out how to take care of your pet in a better way.

Sanitation: Wash and clean your pet regularly. This keeps it fresh and fragrant. All things associated with pets need to be kept clean. Dishes meant for pets must be rinsed daily with boiling water and soap. Make sure your pet has an exclusive place to sleep. A dog house or a cat house will serve as a perfect retreat for your pet. Like your house you need to clean your pet house regularly.

Vaccination: Vaccinate your pet in time. This will protect it against all forms of diseases.

Healthy Food: Provide your pet with wholesome food. Take care to boil the food properly. Nutritious food for pets can keep diseases at bay. Dishes used by children should never be shared with pets.

Choose a Good Vet: Your care for your pet is incomplete if you don’t take it for regular check ups. Always have a good pet in mind. Choose a vet who best suits your pet’s wants and needs. Make sure he notes down the history of your pet. This must include immunization, health, medications, traits and attitudes of the pet.

Medicines: Keep common pet medicines at hand. As pets are prone to flea attacks it is advisable to keep anti flea products ready. If ignored fleas may cause many skin-related diseases.

Keep Poison Away: Keep poisonous products out of pet’s reach. These include cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, detergents and anti termite medicines. .

If your pet is your best friend you can’t afford to care less for its healthy being.

Abhi
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/learn-how-to-care-for-your-pets-722759.html

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Dog Bed Basics

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 6:28 am

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Domesticated dogs, much like humans, like to be pampered and comfortable. A dog bed is just a dog bed before you get one. Your dog will likely take to it like a fish to water. A ‘cuddly’ cushion makes a good dog bed. It extends the sides to form a protective ring and simulates the feeling of sleeping in a pack. This gives your dog the added psychological comfort for a good sleep.

It is a great idea to buy a dog bed. There are certain benefits that a dog bed provides. It gives your dog a comfortable sleep zone, in the same way a mattress does for a human. The ideal dog bed raises the dog above the ground, provides warmth and supports the joints of the dog. A whole range of dog beds is available. From expensive sofas that heat and cool as required to simple foam filled cushions, there is a dog bed for every dog and every level of spending. Some dog beds are filled with chips of cedar. These discourage the growth of fleas. Fabric that is machine washable makes washing easier.

Plastic, rattan and wicker are used in the making of dog beds. Rattan and wicker dog beds are constructed as low profile round or oval baskets fitted with a custom-made cushion. Plastic is often used in the same manner to make beds. Care should be taken however to see that it is chew resistant and without sharp edges. Stainless steel is used in beds that are more expensive. This is easy to clean.

Beds should use fabric that is resistant to chewing and easily washable. Some beds use foam or polyester fiber as filling. Though these are comfortable, they do not stop the laying of flea eggs. Dog beds that act against egg laying fleas have an outer zippered covering of cedar chips. These are less comfortable than other types of beds, but more functional.

Some dog beds offer the option of heating and cooling. They do this through a heated or frozen gel pad fitted within the cushion. This is not a good idea for canines that have the habit of chewing furniture. Some dog beds heat in the manner of an electric blanket that is placed on top of the bed and under the dog. These warmers are necessary for some dogs, particularly ones with joint issues.

A dogs sleeping environment should duplicate its natural sleeping habitat. The bed’s size should be proportionate to the dog. It should be large enough but not overly large. It should make the dog feel natural and unthreatened. For those who want the perfect custom-made bed for their dog or want one cheaper than would otherwise be available, the option of making a custom dog bed is always available. Here is one way to make such a bed.

You will need a string, pillow cover or tee shirt and plastic grocery bags. Choose designs that look best to your eye. Fill up the pillow cover with the grocery bags and sew it up. You can do this with the t-shirt as well. Optionally sew a zipper onto the pillow cover or t-shirt and periodically fill it with plastic bags, as you like.

A good dog bed can provide all the rest your dog needs to remain healthy and happy. A healthy and happy dog means more fun-filled hours for you with your dog. In short, a good dog bed is a small price to pay for what you get in return.

Renske Buursma
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-bed-basics-133096.html

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Dog Bed Basics

Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 12:11 am