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What is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance is a health plan for your pet to insure against large and small unexpected veterinary bills over the life of your pet.

Potential treatments for your pet now rival human treatments both in sophistication and cost. Pet insurance is designed to alleviate much of the financial risk and insecurity that caring for your pet can bring.

Pet insurance is common in many European countries. However, it remains rare in the U.S. There are about 130 million pet cats and dogs in the United States, but only a handful of pet owners (fewer than 300,000) take advantage of these policies. Pet insurance has been around for about 20 years, but many pet owners don’t know that it exists, or they think the insurance costs are too high.

Should You Get Pet Insurance?

There have been tremendous technological advances in the care that is available for our pets. Procedures such as kidney transplants and cancer treatment are becoming more commonplace. Did you know that many pets do not receive potentially life-saving treatments because the cost is too great for the owners to bear? Pet insurance, like medical insurance for humans, can help reduce that risk of caring for a pet and lessen the frequency of “financial euthanasia,” the decision to put a pet to sleep because there is no money to pay for the pet’s necessary medical care.

A bad candidate for pet insurance is a pet owner who wants cat or dog, but will put him or her to sleep instead of spending large amounts of money to save their pet if he or she gets sick or injured. Unfortunately, many pet owners put a dollar value on their pets’ lives. When the bills start to add up, many pet owners consider euthanasia at around $250.

If you are the type of dog owner who would devote an unlimited amount of time and money into healing your dog, then you are a good candidate for pet insurance, because it will probably save you money in a bad situation. Family pets are an important part of your life. You want to give them more than just a loving home. You want your pet to have proper nutrition, a comfortable environment, exercise, and the health care he or she needs.

Pet insurance allows you to provide your pet with the best possible care. Decisions regarding treatment are no longer complicated by financial restrictions. Treatments that may otherwise be unattainable can be provided without a second thought. Your primary concern becomes the health of your pet, not the cost of care.

About the Author

Sherry Kirchenbauer is an animal advocate and owner of Noah’s Animal Figurines. www.noahsanimalfigurines.com ©Copyright 2005 Noah’s Animal Figurines
This article is available for reprint, provided that the article is not modified (unless permission is given) and the by-line is included with the article.

Dog Doors

When we think of dog doors, we think of flaps that allow dogs to trot on through. What a great convenience this can be for you and your pet. Allowing your pet this extra freedom can be exciting and it saves you the time of getting up and opening the door six times a day! But, we live in a modern world with great inventions. One such invention involves our dog door! Pet owners can now choose a dog door that is electronic!

Back in the day, a dog door was a simple flap. Often flimsy and thin, so the animal could pass through, it made keeping a home warm in the winter a tad harder. Or, it helped the air conditioning seep right out into the backyard. Kind of reminds you of that saying your mother used to use. “Were you born in a bam? Close the door!” But, through the passage of time and inventions, we have found that our dog door can be electronic. The process is simple.

For a dog door to work, all it needs is an electronic frequency that tells the door to open. Somewhat like the automatic doors at the local mall, electronic dog doors open for the animal. But, there’s a difference. To help limit which animals can come into your home, an electric dog door requires a communication between the dog door and the dog, more precisely the dog’s collar. When the animal gets close enough, it will open.

Adding a dog door to your home can seem like a difficult task. It doesn’t have to be. It also doesn’t have to be costly to your heating bills. By choosing an electric dog door you can allow your dog the freedom to enter and exit as it wishes and give yourself a sense of security as well. Deciding to purchase a dog door for your animal is ultimately the decision of the pet owner and homeowner, but what pooch wouldn’t be happy with a dog door to call his own?

http://www.dogtrainingcollars.net

Byron Pappageorge

The National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors is currently one of the, if not the only known, certified dog training organization. It has an extremely extensive process of evaluation, and does not give certificates away to anyone that walks into one of their courses off the street, it only issues certificates to people they deem fit for the role, and that have enough experience to pass on guidance and advice correctly. Passing their tough course and been issued with the NADOI certification will definitely contribute to your future success in dog training others, but this option is not available to fresh instructors.

There are numerous qualities and advantages that will determine whether or not you will become a good dog trainer. Firstly a love for dogs will go a long way, and it goes without saying, if you try to achieve certification and do not have a passion for the animals then simply do not bother wasting your time of the national association of dog obedience trainers time either. Knowing your love for dogs, you need a good level of communication with fellow dog owners and the general public, as not only are you dog training you are also training the dog owner, so they can put it into practice outside of lessons.

The majority of time spent obedience training is spent with the owner and training people, as it is essential that they know how to train their dog, and put it in all the correct actions at an early stage, so their dog knows what is right or wrong from an early stage, otherwise the dog will never know the difference. Therefore the two main essentials are people skills and of course the love for dogs. Been able to understand people is a must as instructors will be faced with many difficult situations, and good communication will go a long way in helping both the owner and the dog.

Of course there are stacks of private dog training academies around, but none are certified like the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors, and this is the only academy recognized by dog trainers and vets throughout the USA.

More information on Dog Training can be found at the author’s website at http://www.abc-dogtraining.info

Approximately 7 years ago I started using natural therapies in my practice as I became a more integrated doctor. Practicing in Texas I was seeing many allergic pets who really didn’t get better using conventional drug therapy. By incorporating natural therapies into my treatment regimen I immediately started seeing unbelievable results!

In addition to the great results I regularly see with natural therapies in my patients, one of the nice things that attracted me to this type of pet care is the relative lack of side effects. It’s rare to see any side effects using supplements in the care of my patients. Yet it’s been reported in human medicine that side effects of drugs is one of the leading causes of illness and death in people (I’m sure the unreported statistics are similar in veterinary medicine!)

While many pet owners think “natural” equals “safe,” this is not always true. There are some supplements (such as ephedra) that can be extremely toxic and even fatal if not used properly. This article will explore some of the more commonly used supplements, as well as any side effects that may occur. As always, the best way to incorporate natural therapies into your pet’s treatment regimen is to do so under proper veterinary supervision, as this will also decrease the chance of any side effects.

“Natural” does not automatically mean “safe”

Most supplements are safer than prescription drugs for long term control of medical problems

Examples: NSAIDS vs. joint supplements, choline vs. Anipryl or anticonvulsants, Fatty acids and antioxidants vs. corticosteroids, olive leaf extract vs. antibiotics.

Sometimes conventional medications are safer than supplements

Example:coventional deworming medicines vs. wormwood/ black walnut/ pennyroyal oil.

Ex.decongestants/bronchodilators vs. ephedra.

Sometimes species differences make natural therapies potentially toxic:tea tree oil/volatile oils/white willow bark with cats and small dogs.

Natural therapies may show interactions with conventional medications that could be toxic.

Examples:White willow bark with NSAIDS, ephedra with cardiac drugs, decongestants, and asthma medications drugs, ginkgo biloba with high dose fish oil.

In following articles, I’ll review some of the most commonly used supplements.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM

Author, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Dr. Shawn is the medical consultant for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company.

http://www.pettogethers.net/healthypet

http://www.petcarenaturally.com

There are three important litter box considerations to
account for whether you’re a new kitten owner, or someone
who has had a cat for a while. If kitty isn’t happy with
any or all three of these, you may find she’ll start
urinating outside the box.

1. Litter Box Location:

Location is all-important in real estate. The litter box
location is important to your kitty. As an owner, you need
to be certain her box is in a quiet location, away from
traffic and noise. Ideally, a room that is seldom visited,
such as the basement or laundry room is a good choice.

Cats need to be left alone while tending to their business.
A child’s room, the hallway by the front door, or the
family room may be too noisy for her.

2. Litter Box Type:

New cat litter boxes are marketed constantly. The final
decision may rest with kitty. If you buy her a box, and she
doesn’t use it, think about the way she does her business.
For example, my boy, JJ (who is fixed), urinates standing
up. He’s 14 years old, and it may be too much effort for
him to squat. We have tall sided, and hooded litter boxes
to accommodate the splash on the back wall.

You may consider the mechanical, self-cleaning litter box.
They rake the results of kitty’s visit into a small
container. The drawbacks are that your cat may be scared of
the motor noise. If so, she won’t use it. The rakes, or
tines, need to be cleaned regularly. They’re close
together, and can be a real trial to clean properly. What if
you lose electrical power for an extended period of time?
The motor won’t operate, and the box won’t get scooped, if
you forget!

Bottom line? Observe your kitty doing her business, and
formulate a strategy about the best box to buy.

3. Cat Litter:

There are lots of different types of cat litter you can
purchase. There are different blends of clay; some are
perfumed, some are not. Again, your cat may decide for you.
If you purchase a certain brand, and kitty eliminates
somewhere else, you’ll need to experiment with different
types until you and she agree on what will be used.

Perfumed, or scented litter is for us humans, not the cat!
Some cats will refuse to patronize a box with heavily
scented litter. As bad as the smell may be for you and your
family, the end goal is find the right litter she’ll use
every time.

About the Author: Nancy E. Wigal
Cat Urine Odor Advisor
www.cat-urine-odor-advisor.com
Nancy has successfully eliminated cat urine odor from her home, and kept the kitty that caused it. The Cat Urine Odor Advisor helps you save money and stop the damage in your household by
offering solutions that work together to eliminate cat urine odor from your home.
Subscribe to the Cat Urine Odor Solutions newsletter, and I’ll send you my free report “Four Important Litter Box Basics For Your New Kitten.” Start your new addition to the family off
right, and never have a cat urine odor problem!

Source: www.isnare.com

It is very important to decide whether to keep your horse with you or choosing a nearby stable that would accommodate your horse. It all depends upon the size of your property and the amount of money that you can spend. If you think that it is difficult for you to keep the horse on your land, you can find a suitable stable maintained by professionals to keep your horse. However, this would cost money, and your horse would be away from you.
If you decide to keep your horse on your property and are ready to invest on the facility for your horse, a few things should be kept in mind.

Your horse would require a huge amount of space to roam. Make sure you have large grounds for your horse.

Be prepared for a regular maintenance of the stable, once it is built. Unhealthy and dirty stables can lead to diseases in your horse. Make sure you have proper arrangements and equipment to clean the stable on a regular basis.

The food storages should be extremely clean. Remember it is very important to keep food clean to avoid diseases. Adequate supply of water should be arranged. Storage tanks should be installed to avoid lack of water.

The surrounds of the facility should be properly fenced to avoid other animals from entering the premises of your beloved horse. It would further protect your horse from going beyond the boundary and could save him from possible dangers. You should also have an indoor riding area to practice during winters. Make special arrangements for winter season. It is important to keep your horse warm in order to derive the best output in terms of performance.

The stable should be free from parasites. It should not contain sharp edges, which might hurt the horse. It should be well protected from rains and dust storms, or any other from of dangerous conditions for that matter. Cleaning should be done on a daily basis. Dust and moulds should be removed as soon as encountered in the stable. The stable should be cleaned from urine and faeces. These are sources of ammonia, which is not good for health. Install proper drainage systems in the facility.

Make sure that you install proper ventilation systems. Fresh air is an important thing to keep your horse healthy. The facility should be well ventilated.

Bedding should be warm and free from dust. Dust can be irritating for your horse and can cause diseases including diseases of the skin. The horse should enjoy the bedding rather than getting irritated. It should provide adequate cushion and support to the horse. A number of synthetic beddings are available in the market.

Darkness has a bad impact on the behavior !
The stable should be well equipped with lighting sources. Never keep the horse in darkness. This would have a great impact on the behavior of the horse. He might get aggressive and develop bad habits.

In a nutshell: keep the stable clean, well ventilated, fenced, drained and bright.

To learn more about “horse care” visit: http://www.horsecareinformation.com

About the Author

Bjrn T., the owner and operator of the internet site http://www.horsecareinformation.com

Fleas: The unwanted guests in your home.

Fleas are a common cause of irritation and infestation in your home. These unwanted guests can be found in your home and in large quantities. Out of the total flea population found in your home, about 80% of the fleas are still at the egg or larvae stage. These fleas can be found attached to your furniture, carpet, mats and anywhere in your home. The adult flea contributes to just 2% percent of the total flea population in your house. The remaining 18% of the flea population thrives in pupae stage. During this stage fleas are not harmed by any of the pest control products. Pest control products only affect fleas once they get out of the pupae stage. Wonder how many fleas you have at home!

Pest control against indoor flea influx
Fleas are a notorious cause of irritation and disease in your home. They also affect your pets. Fleas are the menace that you would like to get rid of forever. For this purpose there are various pest control products which are available for prevention as well as elimination of indoor infestation by fleas. Though there are numerous flea control products available, all are not safe. One must choose a product that is safe for children and pets. Moreover a good pest control is also water safe for fabrics.

Majority of people and even professionals use flea spray for flea prevention and elimination. The reason behind flea spray is its safety factors. The safest flea or pest spray is labeled as “indoor flea”.

A flea spray solution contains two types of substances: an adulticide, it is an insecticide which kills fleas; the other substance is the insect growth regulator (IGR). An average insecticide would not help you in getting rid of the fleas. An IGR inhibits the maturity stage of the fleas by not allowing them to grow.

Pest control measures also include treating your carpets with Nylar. Nylar is an effective pest control measure against roaches and fleas. It inhibits the growth of fleas and leaves residual for up to 3-6 months. Nylar is available in aerosol formulations and liquid concentrate.

Nylar is among the best flea prevention methods. It rids your home of visible adult fleas.

An effective pest control measure for fleas can be buying electronic flea traps. These are an effective alternative to pesticides. A flea trapper kills adult fleas prowling for a pet. The trap emits attractive heat, light and infrared from the light bulb. The fleas get attracted to it and are killed as soon as they touch the screen. It is one of the permanent and safest pest control measures for your home, especially against fleas.

You should use a vacuum cleaner at home. It is the worst enemy of fleas. When used regularly it ensures that your furniture, carpets and sofas remain flea free.

Flea Stoppers is an effective pest control measure against fleas. It is a formulated mini granular orthoboric acid specially made for fleas. Just sprinkle this flea stopper freely on your carpet and to kill fleas and their larvae in the carpet. Flea stoppers are effective even when the carpet is washed or soaped.

Pest control for pets
Fleas mainly breed on mammals. Pets in your home provide as a haven for them. You should check and clean your pets for fleas too.

You should flea comb your pets regularly. Dip the comb in an enzyme cleaner and then comb your pet. You should restrict the entry of the pet in your bedrooms. Wash all pet beddings and rugs to ensure good pet hygiene as well as preventing the fleas spreading. You should bathe your pet too, to prevent fleas from settling on it.

Pest control measure act as an effective flea prevention measures. You should always check your home for fleas and take immediate steps to eliminate them.

Michael Jason writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Fleas please visit www.fleas-ticks-and-pests.com/ and for additional Household Pest articles please visit the following article page www.fleas-ticks-and-pests.com/fleas-articles/

Leopard Geckos are the most commonly bred lizards in captivity. They are small, 20-25cm and make an ideal pet. In the past decade, they have been reproduced in huge quantities and due to this, a large number of pattern and colour mutations have evolved.

Housing

For a single or pair of leopard geckos, a vivarium 60cm Length x 30cm Width x 30cm Height will be ample room. If you would like a trio (1 male and 2 females), than a 90cm vivarium would be required with additional hiding places. A vivarium can be made from a number of materials; wooden with melamine coating, glass, plastic and even good quality metal enclosures have been made.

I suggest a wooden vivarium, which is coated with melamine to allow the enclosure to last much longer. If you use regular chipboard or other non-coated woods, the vivarium will not last long with the water spillage and waste products related to keeping any animal. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation holes. Many vivariums are available on the market today already made to suit most reptiles, with ventilation holes and even fittings for the various heat and light appliances.

Substrate & Decor

Leopard Geckos come from dry, arid areas which should be re-created in a captive environment. It is not essential to use natural sands and substrates; newspaper would do the job but it is not aesthetically pleasing. The point is though, that the substrate must be dry. That is not to say though that the gecko cannot get to moist areas, as they will often crawl into slightly moist burrows in the wild. A small moist hide box would be a benefit, especially for when the time comes for the gecko to slough its skin.

A choice of substrate very much depends on what is more important for you. If you want something to look natural, then sand and soils can be the most aesthetically pleasing. These however are dirty and dusty and should be sieved through regularly to remove any waste. If sand is used, calcium based sand is recommended. This dissolves quicker than other sands and will even benefit your gecko with calcium additives when swallowed. Newspaper is cheap and easy to clean, but is hardly a catchy part of an enclosure. Wood chips can be used, but can often be swallowed by accident, causing an impaction in the gut of the gecko.

For a naturalistic environment, rocks, wood and plants can all be used. Although some live plants are safe to use, I suggest fake plants and cacti. Live plants will require more care and many give off toxic fumes. Be careful when placing heavier objects into the enclosure. Leopard geckos like to burrow, and will not hesitate to try and burrow underneath a rock. Make sure these objects are placed directly on the bottom of the enclosure and not on top of the sand, as this will collapse if the gecko decides to burrow under.

If you use any objects which have been outside, wash them thoroughly with hot water and weak disinfectant. It is important to be as clinical as possible and reduce any risk of bringing in infectious diseases or parasites.

Heating & Lighting

The most economical and simple way to add heat and light into your vivarium is to use a single incandescent spot lamp. Usually a 60 Watt bulb will be adequate for smaller vivariums. This should be on for 10-12 hours a day and should be used in conjunction with a Dimming thermostat. During the day time the temperature should be approximately 82F at the cool end, and 88-90F under the spot lamp. Once the light goes out, the temperature should be an overall 74-78F. It is often enough to just let the vivarium go down to room temperature. However, the temperature should be monitored with a thermometer and if it drops below the recommended temperature, some form of background heating will be required.

Background heat can be added with a small heat mat. This should be placed on the back wall of the vivarium and placed in the centre. Depending on how low the temperature drops at night, will depend on the size of heat you require. However, I suggest a 6″x11″ HabiStat heat mat. This should be enough just to bump the temperature up a few degrees.

Feeding & Drinking

It is important that water is available at all times. Although leopard geckos come from dry, arid areas, they still like to drink. A shallow water dish which is hard to tip over and easy to clean is ideal. It is also an idea to have a bowl which does not have small crevices and cracks in it, which mould can build up in, and small insects can hide in.

Leopard geckos are primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects. However will sometimes feed on small pinky mice and perhaps even eat small amounts of tinned pet food. Mealworms, wax worms, earthworms, crickets and locusts are all suitable prey items. However certain foods should be limited. It is important that the food you give your gecko is as highly nutritious as possible. It would be nearly pointless to feed a starved cricket to your gecko. Therefore, placing food such as potato peel and cabbage into the insect’s enclosure will benefit the gecko as much as the insects. Gut-Load can also be bought from many retailers. This is a balanced food for insects and should be offered to the insects at least 12 hours before feeding.

Hatchling or juvenile leopard geckos should be fed on a daily basis. They will eat up to around 10 small crickets or similar insects. These insects should be either crickets or locusts, and should be no larger than the width of the gecko’s mouth. Wax worms can be offered in small quantities once a week, and mealworms can also be offered in small quantities twice a week. A Calcium:Phosphorous supplement should be dusted onto the food every other day. This is to aid in growing a healthy, strong bone structure, particularly in the leg and jaw areas. MediVet Repton, 2:1 Calcium:Phosphorous is a good product to use.

Adults can be fed less regularly, 2 or 3 times a week. They should eat around 8 insects at a time, but obviously these should be larger insects, approximately the size of the leopard gecko head. It is important the food is not too small for the gecko not to be interested, and also important for it not to be too big for it to become hard to swallow. For females in breeding season, calcium supplements should be added to food on every feeding, to aid in the development of the eggs. For males and females out of breeding season, a dusting of supplements once a week will suffice.

What procedures are employed to maintain a Shih Tzu - pet or
show - in optimum health? The areas important are:

1. Maintenance of high standards of health. 2. Feeding a
scientifically balanced diet. 3. Establishment of a regular
program of exercise.

The formality and detail of a system is a matter of personal
taste, however, these three areas are of universal importance
and must be included whether you are raising a single family pet
Shih Tzu or you are maintaining a large kennel of Shih Tzu show
dogs.

Raising Shih Tzu Show Dogs

You must employ greater care when conditioning the Shih Tzu show
dog. This is true not only because the Shih Tzu represent a
larger investment of money, but because the show dog Shih Tzu
are forced into situations that are potentially much more
damaging to their general health.

Shih Tzu show dogs are constantly on the go being transported
from one part of the country to another. Shih Tzu show dogs
travel hundreds of miles each week to maintain their show
schedule. Such traveling is hard on people and it is hard on
Shih Tzu. It disrupts the normal Shih Tzu routine of life. There
is breaking of the routine for sleeping and eating. While the
Shih Tzu may sleep in the crate as they travel, the situation is
still not entirely the same as when the Shih Tzu are at home and
sleeping. There are new strange noises that disturb the Shih
Tzu’s’ rest, and the Shih Tzu does not sleep as soundly as he
would at home. The Shih Tzu rest is also constantly disturbed
during the night with the arrival of each new exhibitor.

A dog’s hearing is very much greater than human hearing. It is
most likely the Shih Tzu will be disturbed many more times
during the traveling than a human on the same trip. All of this
can create a nervous strain on the Shih Tzu. The Shih Tzu may
simply refuse to eat and have to be force fed. Some Shih Tzu
never do make an adequate adjustment and are forced to retire
from a show career, just as some humans do not adjust to the
busy life of being a Hollywood Movie Star and may turn to
alcohol or drugs to help them adjust or not be able to perform
at all.

You must consider also that traveling from show to show in a
small crate has to be physically exhausting for the Shih Tzu
show dog. The motion of the car or the airplane, the noises and
the strange fumes all can add to the Shih Tzu’s discomfort and
does take its toll on their health and well being.

The Shih Tzu show dog has all the above mentioned areas of
concern in addition to those general problems that exist for all
Shih Tzu - pet or show. The general conditions of health, diet,
and exercise must be watched constantly to prevent serious
health problems for the Shih Tzu - pet or show.

Without agility, the most muscular person in the world couldn’t win a fight against a fifth-grader. But did you know that for a dog agility is possibly even more important? With so many of a dog’s happiest moments spent running, jumping, catching, and stretching, dog agility training can really help dogs age gracefully and happily.

What is dog agility training?

You’ve probably seen dog agility training on television. The dogs run a course of tire hoops, tunnels, seesaw, dog walk plank, jumps, hurdles, weaving poles, and a 3-meter A-frame. Heeling, sitting, down stays, send-aways as well as walking off leash are also included.

Who can participate?

Anyone with a dog can do agility training. There is not age limit for people or dogs. In fact, children and puppies are encouraged to take part. All breeds and sizes of dogs without a physical disability can benefit from agility training. Be sure to check with your vet before you begin agility training if you have any doubts about your canine’s fitness.

What equipment is needed?

You as the handler will need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can run in, because this is not exercise for the dog alone. Your dog needs a leather or webbed buckle collar and a leather, nylon or rope lead of fairly long length. Do not use a chain lead; it could get caught in the jumps.

Agility Training Courses for Dogs

There are two sides of agility training for dogs. They are the obstacles and the control training. There are also tips for training your dog. Obstacles. Although it seems high to many handlers, the A-frame is the best obstacle to begin training. The dog walk plank, low jump and the tunnel (dogs love this obstacle) are also excellent for training the novice dog.

Control training is important to keep your dog disciplined both on the agility course and off. Everybody knows that a dog must heel and sit. You must also teach your dog to know and obey different commands: to go left and right, lay down, and wait. After those are mastered, the dog must learn normal recall (returning anytime you call) and recall over obstacles. Also important is the “send away” command, making the dog go ahead you.

Tips for Dog Agility Training

Begin training by getting your dog’s attention. Talk to him and offer a small treat. Coupled with the love he has for you, he’ll be all ears. Be sure you have the correct lead (generally 6 feet) and a comfortable collar (measure the dog’s neck and add 2 inches) for your dog. Give praise often. “Tune in” to your dog to be sure she and you are ready to train.

Here’s a final tip: make sure that you and your dog enjoy yourselves. After all, jumping through hoops is supposed to be fun–at least if you’re a dog.

If you love dogs and puppies, visit I-Love-Dogs.com now! You can get, free dog email, send a free dog postcard, learn about the different dog breeds and so much more!