Archive for category Pets

Decoding Dry Food

Posted by on Friday, 6 August, 2010

Food for cats. As pet owners, the issue is one that we’re always thinking about – which food is the best, which one will our cats enjoy most and which one will do the most good for their health? Case in point: while you may have heard that cats don’t need to eat dry cat food, many vets agree that dry food for cats has its benefits. For example, the crunchy texture helps to keep cats’ teeth strong and reduce the buildup of plaque and tartar. If you’ve ever had to brush your kitty’s teeth, you’ll agree that any food for cats that reduces plaque and tartar is a good thing! Plus, dry cat food (which can be gourmet cat food) is high in fiber and the carbohydrates will help to keep your cat fuller, longer. But dry food for cats can be high in calories, so make sure to purchase a high-quality food that is made with all-natural, whole ingredients, as opposed to fillers like corn meal.

Activity is an important part of your cat’s overall health too. Don’t forget to play with your cat for at least 15 minutes twice a day to burn off some calories. You can toss a catnip ball around or use a feather toy to interact with your kitty. There are even DVDs created especially for cats that include moving images of birds, mice and insects that you can purchase for them to watch while you’re away to make sure they get the exercise they need.

You can also find lots of health benefits in cat treats today, even when it comes to kitten food. Cat treats have undergone somewhat of a makeover in recent years, as many are now low in calories and without artificial flavors, fillers or preservatives. And most cat treats now promote good health, helping to reduce tartar, provide a sleek and shiny coat, reduce hairballs and more. Now all you have to do is pick which flavor your precious feline loves the most!


Dog Food That Makes a Difference

Posted by on Saturday, 17 July, 2010

The best way to help dogs is to adopt one. Dog adoption can bring companionship into your life as well as the life of your family and can teach children responsibility. Also, dog adoption can show an abandoned or abused pet companionship and that it is safe to trust humans again. Studies show that adopting a dog lengthens the lives of humans and makes them happier. Saving a dog’s life may just save your own!

However, if dog adoption is not an option for allergy reasons, money reasons or landlord restrictions, there are still other things that you can do to help dogs. One of those things is to buy dog food from conscientious companies, or to use word of mouth to encourage others to do so. Some dog food companies donate a portion of the purchase price of pet food to animal shelters. This way, you are not only helping your own dog (or the pet of a loved one), but you are also helping pets currently living in shelters that are yet to be adopted. Who knew that making a simple purchase could be such a charitable act?

Another way to help for those unable to adopt a dog is to volunteer at an animal shelter. Volunteering is simple and typically only takes up to a few hours per week or month-whatever best fits your schedule. You will be able to feed dogs with the best dog food, give them the exercise they need and do a little cleaning. These easy ways of helping will give them the comfort, physical activity and nutrition dogs need to thrive.

Simply buying merchandise online to benefit shelters and animal charities, making a charitable donation of cash or becoming a fan of certain dog food companies on social networking sites can help dogs and benefit shelters. Get some healthy puppy food and head to a shelter near you! There are many ways to make a difference and help dogs.


Gourmet All the Way

Posted by on Tuesday, 29 June, 2010

Dogs have long been known as man’s best friend. They can be found almost everywhere – in city apartments, country farmhouses and even some nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. There are therapy dogs, bomb-sniffing dogs and drug dogs, but maybe most important are the pet dogs that we consider to be our best friends. These range from pedigree dogs to designer dogs to the much-loved mutt. But one thing all dogs have in common is that they love to eat.

Dog food doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you feed your dog canned wet food, dry food or a combination of both, make sure you choose quality canine cuisine with all the essential nutrients your dog needs. Working dogs, of course, will need more nutrients and protein than lap dogs, but all dogs require good quality food enriched with vitamins and minerals. Examples of ingredients to look for in dog food include meat, fish and eggs (good sources of protein); rice, wheat, corn and oats (good carbohydrates); and fish, corn and safflower oils (essential fatty acids). To a dog, gourmet food is what really makes his mouth water. Besides the standard canned pet foods, gourmet dog treats, for example, have real chunks of meat and vegetables that your dog will enjoy sinking his teeth into. You can find gourmet varieties of food in your local supermarket.

Speaking of gourmet, dog gourmet food plate options are also available for your pet, rivaling many meals prepared in fine restaurants. Flavors include Tuscan-style stew with beef, steak Florentine, oven-roasted beef burgundy and grilled chicken primavera. Both you and your dog will be drooling over these gourmet dishes!

All dogs like dog snacks every now and then, and your dog is no different. Whatever type of dog food – gourmet filets, canned, wet or dry – dog dining has reached entirely new levels and will have your friend wagging his tail with excitement.


Finding the Right Healthy Cat Food for Your Feline

Posted by on Tuesday, 29 June, 2010

There are many different types of healthy dog food and cat food on the market, geared toward a variety of pet needs, but there are also some less desirable products. It can seem confusing trying to find the right wholesome cat food for your furry friend. There are a few factors that you should keep in mind in order to pick out the ideal food for your cat. This way you can pinpoint the nutritious cat food that is right for your favorite feline regardless of the pet store you’re visiting or the stage of life your cat is in.

The first factor to consider when shopping for healthy cat food is the type of cat you own. Same for dogs, you can always take a holistic dog food approach. The breed and size of your pet may affect the food that is right for them. Longhaired cats may require special food to control hairballs, while larger cats might need food that is higher in protein. The weight of the cat may affect their food needs as well. There are foods for kitties on diets and foods for cats of different ages ranging from kittens to seniors. Pregnant cats also have very unique needs in terms of vitamins, minerals and portions, as do indoor cats compared to active outdoor cats.

Finding the right wholesome cat food, or the best dog food, may also depend on the tastes of your cat. As any cat owner knows, felines can be very finicky. Just because a certain type of food is perfectly healthy and appropriate for a cat’s age, size, weight, breed, living situation and hair length doesn’t mean he or she will like it. This is why it’s a good idea to only purchase a small portion of any new food you’re trying out. Your cat might turn his or her nose up at it, so you might as well avoid buying any pet food in bulk until you’re sure they approve.


The Best Dog Food at Great Prices

Posted by on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010

No matter what the breed or age of your dog, the best dog food is the kind that offers nutritious, fulfilling options at great prices. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what kind of food to get your dog. There are so many brands and options available that choosing pet food can seem downright overwhelming! However, there are a few good rules of thumb to go by when purchasing food for your best furry pal. After all – of course you want to treat his or her diet with as much care and consideration as you would your own.

One great thing about the best dog food companies is that they offer food based on the breed or size of your dog. Do you own a Toy breed of dog? If this is the case, there are food brands geared toward very small breeds that offer smaller pieces for easier chewing with a miniature mouth. If you have a very large dog, such as a Mastiff, there is also dog food made especially for large breeds. These kinds of foods are formulated with the great taste that dogs love as well as the key nutrients that pets need to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

You also may want to choose food based on the age of your dog, think about how dog food can help dogs, like healthy food helps our health. Puppies have different dietary needs than dogs creeping up in years, so there are separate food formulas for different ages of dog. There are different dry food options, wet food options and dog treat options – there are even dog foods that will help your pal lose weight. Best of all, dog food coupons are widely available on manufacturers’ web sites, so you can get the best possible bargain for your pet’s quality meals.


Odor Eliminator For All Smells

Posted by on Friday, 19 March, 2010

Have you ever been faced with a less than pleasant smelling odor in your home, office or car? Does it seem like no matter how hard you scrub or clean, a certain smell like pet odor, never goes away? If this is the case, you should look into buying an odor eliminator.

Companies have been developing top of the line scent removers, such as a cat urine odor remover, for years.? But the fact is, some products do not work miraculously on all smells, and not all are one hundred percent natural and non-toxic. It is important to consider this, as only products guaranteed non-toxic and natural will never harm you, your children or your pets if they are accidentally ingested. Trying to find a chemical-based cleaner that can claim the same level of safety for human, animal and environmental health can be tough, if not impossible!

In addition, you may want to look for an odor eliminator that is biodegradable and fragrance-free, made solely from minerals.? These products are a perfect fit for those who have fragrance allergies or sensitivities. You want a product that does not just mask pet odor and other scents, but rather cleans the air by drawing the odors to it while absorbing their scents. All you have to do is sprinkle the odor eliminator near or on the source of the pet odor and it will be absorbed into the minerals in a magnetic way.

Many odors that a quality odor eliminator can absorb include (but are by no means limited to): pet urine, flooded homes or buildings, vehicle odors such as those in boats, cars or RVs, locker room and gym odors, odors that come from new carpets, skunks or cigarettes and even smells that come from dead animals and dumpsters. So with a little research, no matter how bad the smell is you’re trying to rid, an odor eliminator that works and is safe for you and your loved ones is out there!


American Animal Care Center

Posted by on Thursday, 21 January, 2010

American Animal Care Center is the premier veterinary care center in California. Located in Fremont and established in 1986, our care center works with small animals like birds and rodents, as well as cats and dogs of all sizes and breeds. We also care for exotic pets, which many other care centers do not specialize in. American Animal Care Center has a variety of veterinarians and expert staff that can help with any issues your pet may have, so you can rest assured that your best furry (or scaly!) friend is in good hands. As just about all the staff at our center owns pets too, we understand how important pets are, and we will treat them like members of our own family.

Even if your pet is not sick, we also provide preventative care, such as spaying or neutering, prescription diets and pet supplies, vaccinations and pet dentistry or teeth cleaning. If your pet needs medical attention, we offer an extensive selection of hospital-quality services, such as: ultrasound, x-ray, blood transfusion/testing and surgeries. If you have an emergency, American Animal Care Center is open three hundred sixty five days per year, seven days a week. Our doctors are available until eleven o’clock in the evening, and are on-call thereafter. It is best to call ahead if you have an emergency.

Our care center has a variety of testimonials as well as great press to attest to our excellence in serving pets and their families. We were voted the Bay Area’s Best Veterinarian by The Argus in 2006, and received the same title for Fremont, California during both the 2008 and 2009 years, among other awards. Testimonials from a variety of happy clients can also be found on our website: www.americananimalcare.com.

In addition to medical care, we also offer premium grooming for cats and dogs. Our grooming services can include anything as simple as a brushing or nail clipping to flea baths and ear cleanings. In addition to cats and dogs, birds, rodents, rabbits and guinea pigs can also enjoy nail care.

If you are going away on a trip and need pet care services, bring your buddy to our Pet Hotel. We offer separate boarding areas for cats and dogs, and have an air-conditioned and heated facility. Our pet hotel offers luxuriously long dog runs, daily walks, spacious condos and high quality food. Offering complete care for all aspects of your pet’s well being, we are confident we can give the best to your extended family member!


Why Pet Owners Should Use Products Like Advantage Flea Medicine

Posted by on Wednesday, 13 January, 2010

If you are a pet owner you have no doubt heard of flea medicines like Frontline, but you might think your dog or cat doesn’t need them because they are indoors all or most of the time and you have very good hygiene habits. The fact is, however, that it just takes one or two fleas jumping into your home when you walk in the home to create a huge infestation. And if your dog or cat isn’t using something like Advantage Flea Medicine, female fleas can lay eggs that could possibly stay in your carpeting for a whole year. K9 Advantix and comparable feline products are a necessity for today’s pet owner.

Fleas aren’t just nuisances – they pose health problems to your pet and your family. A female flea will bite seven times before she finds a blood vessel, and the saliva she leaves can cause an allergic reaction. When she has fed on the blood of her host then she deposits her eggs and flea dirt, which is undigested blood, and they will come off your animal’s coat and spread through the whole house. But using Frontline and other effective flea medicines kills fleas that are on your animal while preventing more fleas from attacking. These products do need to be used every month to be completely effective, though.

There are many different flea medicines on the market today that vary greatly in effectiveness, safety, odor and convenience. Advantage Flea Medicine has become perhaps the most popular, but many other viable options exist that may work best for your animal. But if you use something like K9 Advantix or any of the other products that are available, it is important to include every animal in the household and use some sort of powder or spray to kill fleas everywhere the animal goes, including the car.

Most pet owners only use flea medicine on the dog or cat, which isn’t always 100 percent effective due to the fact that all home and yard areas could still be infested with fleas. So when you find the product that works for your pet, make sure to find something that works for your home as well.


Pet Meds for Fleas

Posted by on Saturday, 9 January, 2010

There are many different types of pet meds that a dog or cat owner might need to purchase during the lifetime of their beloved furry friend, but the most common are flea medicines. Flea control products such as K9 Advantix offer a very effective treatment method for the fleas that invade the bodies of our dogs. Flea medicine producers such as Frontline also make products that are specifically intended for cats. It is important not to give a dog one of the medicines meant for cats or to give a cat the flea treatments meant for dogs, though, because there could be disastrous results. But as long as they are properly used, the products on the market today are much more effective than any of the flea medicines that were available just one or two decades ago.

It is important to use pet meds to treat fleas on a regular basis as directed, because otherwise these blood suckers can turn a healthy dog or cat into a sick and unhappy creature. Luckily there are a number of procedures to choose from. Flea treatments like Advantix, which consist of liquid medicine that is applied on the back of the animal’s neck about once a month, are the most common. If your dog or cat spends a lot of time outside, however, there are some other methods that will also help. These include flea baths, flea shampoos and flea collars. The first two are the wet procedures that are best for dogs because cats don’t like to be submerged in water.

Flea collars might prove very effective for smaller pets such as cats and small dogs. Ever since products like Frontline came on the market, these are not as popular, but many pet owners still prefer them or even use them in conjunction with the topical treatments. Whatever you choose, it is important to be very careful before you select a particular method for your beloved pet. Be sure that the experts have approved the medicine, and that it is appropriate for the type of animal in question. Using a strong flea treatment that is meant for a large dog on a small cat might be detrimental to the animal’s health.

With so many pet meds on the market, there are many choices for controlling fleas. It is important to be careful and choose the right one.


kinds of large dog beds

Posted by on Saturday, 19 December, 2009

As the dogs get matured, they face problems that affect their skeletal system. Just resembling humans old age turns out to be a problem for most of the species. The dogs need to be taken care particularly the big dogs that are not only old but also its body weight might pose a problem. There are several kinds of large dog beds accessible in the market. They are made warm to give a relaxed sleep for the dogs.

Some dogs might be agony from pain in its hips and other joints, to lessen it from this pain large orthopedic dog beds can be exercised. They have some medical benefit over the other types of dog beds. Some breeds of dogs are bigger than the standard size of the dog and can fit into an x large dog beds at ease. There are normal and designer beds. Many people prefer having designer beds since they add beauty to their house. Large orthopedic dog beds can be available in a broad range from $90 to $200. The other regular beds can be purchased for anything from $70 to $200. The designer beds might even cost higher than $200. There are many online shops that offer nominal prices and quality.