Fish
Jingle Bells by your Animal Pals
The Wonder of Children and Animals Together
The Common Thread
What Animals Teach Use Everyday
Father’s Day is Coming – Surpise Dad!
Vistaprint – 6 Free Gifts for Every Dad – Make him something special with pictures of his furry babies!
Father’s Day is right around the corner and that means it’s time to honor dear old dad. What better way to celebrate than with 6 FREE products from Vistaprint?
You can start with 250 FREE Business Cards. Choose from 45 stylish designs and receive in as few as three days.
Made from 100% cotton, Vistaprint T-shirts are comfortable and perfect for adding fun, personal messages and photos.
Serve dad some fun with one of our 11 oz. ceramic mugs! Feature family photos and personal messages that are sure to make him smile with every sip.
Mouse pads are just the place for displaying that personal touch to a dad’s office. Choose from hundreds of designs and add your own photo, logo or message.
A flip book captures memories like nothing else. Showcase family vacations and other special occasions to share with family and friends.
Make your dad’s next desk calendar do more than just remind him of daily tasks to complete. Make him smile with a collage of personal photos including all of your pets.
Shipping Costs:
Flipbook- $6.16
T-shirt- $4.41
Mug – $5.67
Business Cards: $5.67
Mouse Pad- $4.41
Desk Calendar- $5.79
http://enlnks.com/aff_c?offer_id=261&aff_id=992
Water, Water Everywhere by Bud Stuart DVM
Water, Water, Everywhere by Bud Stuart DVM
Every one of us grows up knowing that all forms of life depend on water. Right now NASA is looking for signs of water on the planet Mars in order to prove that life may be or have been there.
So all of us who have pets know instinctively that water is an essential part of the diet, no matter what kind of pet it may be. But there are some things about the water supply that you may not know. So that is what we will discuss in today’s blog.
Here’s a Mother’s Day Idea for Pet Mommies!
Think Mother’s DAY! for the Pet Mommy in your household. They’ll love a canvas of their favorite furry girl or guy.
A free photo canvas is a great gift idea. Canvas Peoples gives you a canvas with family memories on it! The Canvas People offer gives your visitors a free 8×10 photo canvas or $50 credit toward a bigger photo canvas. The way it works is like this:
1) Choose and upload the photo you would like printed
2) Choose what size. (8×10 is free + shipping/handling, or choose larger size and get a $50 discount)
3) Chose any “extras” (framing, etc.)
5) Enter shipping information
6) Pay the $14.95 shipping/handling (this is a GREAT deal)
Click here for more info: http://enlnks.com/SH2HD
Vitamin C for Your Pets by Bud Stuart DVM
One of the most commonly used vitamins in human nutrition is vitamin C or sodium ascorbate. It is supplied in either tablet, capsule or powder forms to humans and the same vitamin C, in either regular or ester-C form is often used in pets as well. Ester-C is a more potent form of vitamin C and less acidic. It is also the form which is usually made in the United States and not in China.
I have often recommended vitamin C in dogs which have joint problems. This vitamin is known as a collagen precursor, which means it can help build cartilage which lines the joints. Some years ago a Swedish experiment proved that administration of vitamin C to pregnant German Shepherd females who had hip dysplasia, cut the incidence of that problem in their puppies by approximately 75%. These puppies were evidently born with much better cartilage lining their joints. Additional work since has shown that hip dysplasia is basically a nutritional problem and not a genetic one as once thought. So vitamin C can work to prevent hip problems even in dogs at high risk for it.
With older dogs we use vitamin C in treatment of arthritic hips and joints. Someone once called vitamin C “The poor man’s cortisone”. This statement points to the fact that vitamin C has many of the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisone, but not the side effects. Vitamin C, as we have noted, is also a collagen precursor. It helps build the collagen tissue of which cartilage is formed. Basically, if cartilage can be preserved or repaired, arthritis can often be avoided.
This vitamin also has a general anti-inflammatory effect in the body tissues as well. This, in turn, thus relieves pain in those tissues. Recently I treated an extremely painful episode of plantar fasiculitis (heel spur) in myself with huge doses of vitamin C and was symptom free in two days despite my friends and clients telling me how many cortisone injections they needed for the same results.
In addition to this, years ago, when canine distemper was a very deadly common virus disease, I used vitamin C to defeat it. Taking a page from Nobel prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling’s notebook, I devised an intravenous treatment of distemper with large doses of liquid vitamin C. In just 24 hours their high temperatures would begin to fall and by the day following the snotty noses and discharging eyes would be clearing as well. A second intravenous administration of vitamin C would clear them up completely. I know this saved the lives of many of my patients. For Dr. Pauling had discovered that vitamin C can actually destroy virus particles in the body. So that is what my huge i.v. doses would do to the distemper virus.
Vitamin C is also a water soluble vitamin and thus readily removed from the body via the urine thus making it virtually impossible to overdose. This fact makes it valuable in acidifying both cat and dog urine. For pets suffering from chronic bladder problems it is easy to add the powder form to their food and produce a nice acidic urine which defeats most bacteria. From approximately 100 mg in the cat to a maximum of 500mg in large dogs, vitamin C is usually well received by the pet. This dose can be given multiple times a day as needed.
So check with your veterinarian if you think vitamin C could be in your pet’s future. You might find it will bring surprising benefits in many different areas and at a cost far less than many medications.
Here’s a Test to Find Out if a New Pet is in Your Future!
From Kroger Food Stores:
A cute, cuddly ball of fur could just be the best holiday gift ever. But it’s also a big commitment. Before you give a pet, take our quiz to see if your friend or family member is really ready to take the plunge.
1. Has your friend or family member expressed interest in adopting a dog or a cat. (5 points for YES, 0 points for NO)
2. Do you know what type or breed of animal would make a good pet for this person? (5 points for YES, 2 points for NO)
3. Does this person or anyone else in the household have pet allergies? (1 point for YES, 5 points for NO)
4. Would you feel comfortable if this person gave you such a significant gift? (3 points for YES, 1 point for NO)
5. Has your friend or family member owned pets in the past? (5 points for YES, 3 points for NO)
6. Are there currently pets in your friend or family member’s home? If yes, will they welcome a new addition? (5 points for 2 YESES, 0 points for 1 YES 1 NO, 5 points for 1 No, 1 N/A)
7. Does this friend or family member travel frequently? (3 points for YES, 3 points for NO)
8. Does this person understand the financial responsibility of pet ownership? (5 points for YES, 0 points for NO)
9. Is the pet a gift for a child? (2 points for YES, 5 points for NO)
10. Will this person have help in caring for the pet? (5 points for YES, 3 points for NO).
Now tally up your points and turn the page to see the results!
If you scored 40 points or higher, it might be time to put a puppy or kitten under the tree (or wrap up a food bowl, collar or toy along with a note that you’ll treat your friend or family member to a pet)! From your answers it seems like your friend or family member most likely wants a pet and understands the time commitment. Check with your local shelter for more adoption information.
If you scored between 30-39 points: you may need to gather a bit more information before giving a pet. If you’re concerned about allergies, look into hypoallergenic breeds, like cats with fewer layers of fur or non-shedding dogs including wire-haired terriers and poodle mixes. Or play it safe by giving a pet gift certificate from your local shelter, in lieu of an actual pet.
If you scored under 30 points, the timing might not be right to give a pet. But you can always try next year! Prepare your friend or family member for pet ownership by inviting them to spend time with your pets. And make sure to show them that pets fit all kinds of lifestyles. With a little planning, traveling is no obstacle, and a well-behaved pet can make a wonderful companion for kids of all ages. If the pet is for a child, spend time preparing them for the responsibility–and prepare to take a big part in the pet’s care yourself.
How Important Are Vitamins to Dogs? by Bud Stuart DVM
B Vitamins-Because
We have often been hearing discussions about vitamins and the role they play in nutrition. One group of vitamins is the family of B vitamins. You may recognize them by such names as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and such. The latter has been found to be of extreme importance in preventing spina-bifida in human babies. Whatever they may be called they all play an essential part in any wellness program. From the very largest to the smallest animals, deficiencies of these important elements can produce major problems.
I have always remembered a class in equine medicine at Cornell. We were examining a lovely young horse afflicted with a problem called “moon blindness”. This meant that every month or so the horse’s eyes would whiten and it would lose its vision for two or three days. Our large animal professor, Dr. Francis Fox, informed us that had the horse been given just 50 milligrams of riboflavin in its diet each day, it would never have gotten the disease. Such a little thing, but oh so important. It was one of the first cases during my college training where I saw how really vital nutrition could be to maintaining an animal’s health. It was also the case that sparked my interest in preventive nutrition, which has played a major role in my career ever since.
It is also felt that B vitamins also play a role in preserving retinal health in dogs and cats as well. Along with vitamins E and C, the B vitamins help preserve circulation and general good health of the retina. This would be similar to preventing macular degeneration in humans which is a major problem in senior citizens.
As an example of just how important diet in pets can be, recently there was an article in one of my veterinary journals about a cat that ate a diet consisting largely of tuna. Tuna is a diet we warn against due to its very strong addicting power for the cats which consume it. The cats will get so they refuse all other foods. However the tuna is deficient in the B vitamin, thiamine, and the kitty mentioned became quite ill with some rather bizarre symptoms. Fortunately the problem, called ‘yellow fat disease’ and which can be fatal, was recognized early and quickly corrected with thiamine injections and supportive treatment.
Senior pets are especially prone to vitamin B deficiency diseases. As we age, our kidneys lose the B vitamins at an increased rate and this is true with animals as well. Many of the cognitive or so called “senile” changes seen in older dogs and cats are related to lowered vitamin B levels since this vitamin is very important to the health of brain cells. I have treated many a cat which could not remember where its kitty litter box is located. Also a lot of dogs which became so senile they could not figure out how to turn around out of a corner they had walked into. It was always very satisfying to make these problems disappear with proper nutrition. There is a product called Cholodon on the market which contains the necessary B vitamins plus cholin and methionine. A chewable tablet or two of this daily will often produce dramatic clearing of the mind. I have even used it to successfully treat mild seizures.
So every cat or dog 10 years or older should be treated as a senior citizen and be on a good geriatric multivitamin supplement which will contain the B vitamin group. Your veterinarian can advise you how to pick a good one and most are chewable, as well as tasty, so act as a treat. This and a good senior diet will put an excellent health platform under any older pet. Many of the problems attributed to a pet “just getting old” are really nutritional and can be prevented. There is not a great deal we can do about preventing ourselves or our pets from getting older. But there is a lot we can do to keep us both from looking, acting and feeling old. So let’s do it.
Bud Stuart DVM resides in California after a 45+ year as a small animal veterinarian.
NOTE: There has been a recall issued by the FDA for a pet vitamin – see news flash below:
A news release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:
United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling all unexpired lots of its PRO-PET ADULT DAILY VITAMIN tablets for dogs because of possible salmonella contamination.
The product was sold nationally at various retailers. The product comes in 100-count white plastic bottles with a light blue label, and UPC code 26851-01800. These products are being removed from retail stores, and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets. The affected products are those with expiration dates on or before 06/13. The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.
Laboratory testing has shown that one lot of this vitamin product was contaminated with salmonella. All lots are being recalled for safety assurance.
Pets with salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.
Consumers who have purchased the product are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction.
Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-800-645-5154, Ext. 3, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.