Wag Watchers

No I haven’t seen your lipstick! Why would you even ask me that? I’m insulted!

Every-time something goes missing around here, everyone looks at me!

For your information, I don’t even like that shade!

It tastes terrible, and doesn’t match my complexion!

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and love is definitely in the air, but so is potential danger for your pets. Professional Pet Care Services offers pet owners a few hints to keep pets safe this Valentine’s Day.

Two of the most common Valentine’s Day gifts, chocolate and flowers, can be extremely hazardous to pets.

Last year, The American Society for the Protection Against Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) saw a 74 percent increase in cases of chocolate ingestion in the week before Valentine’s Day.

Animals are particularly sensitive to theobromine and caffeine, two ingredients in chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to your pets. Be sure to paw-proof all Valentine’s chocolate.

Many pet owners don’t realize that all members of the Lily family are extremely poisonous to cats. This is not a clever ploy by florists to sell more roses. Be sure any Valentine’s bouquets are lily-less.

These measures should keep your furry valentine feeling just fine. If your pet does ingest anything harmful, call your vet or a local emergency animal hospital immediately.

The communication that you have with your vet forms the basis of a partnership that is centered around the well-being of your pooch. A vet could be brilliant or renowned, but if you can’t speak freely to him or her or don’t really feel comfortable with the interaction you share, then you’re not really working as a team for your dog’s welfare. Working together with a vet that you like and trust is the optimal relationship to have.

You might think that only dogs eat weird things and end up in the animal hospital emergency room for surgery. But cats can be even worse about swallowing objects because of their curiosity. A cat may play with something for awhile and then, either accidentally or perhaps because they like the taste of it, he manages to gulp it down.

The top items that cats swallow which have to be surgically removed are: 1. string, 2. tinsel, 3. hair bands, 4. small rocks, 5. small pieces from toys, and 6. thread. To be safe, keep these and other potential dangers out of your cat’s reach which means more than just putting it on your desk. The cost for surgery is high and the value of your cat’s life is priceless.

There probably aren’t that many cats who have gotten themselves entangled somehow in a box spring but it has happened. It may not be the thing foremost on your mind but a few preventions can stop injury to your cat and even death.

Cats tend to get into box springs from underneath so the easiest deterrent is a piece of plywood laid down before you put the box spring on. For the less persistent cat, tack a sheet to the underneath of the box spring. It may be rare but, sometimes, the hidden dangers are the most worrisome.

The cleaning of dog bowls is often overlooked. Although many dogs would be happy to drink out ofthe toilet, it is up to us to provide the healthiest environment possible for our pets. Unfortunately, many people let their dog bowls become slimy and coated with yucky film before finally giving them a thorough scrub. We may do this when it seems like our pet’s feeding times never mesh well with our own dish cleaning schedules. This matter of inconvenience can be resolved by having several sets of inexpensive bowls. Give the bowls a quick scrub to loosen up grime before placing the bowls in the dishwasher. Simply put the soiled set in the dishwasher with the rest of your dishes while placing the clean set out during feeding.

1. I will not eat the cats’ food before they eat it or after they throw it up.

2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.

3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.

4. The sofa is not a ‘face towel’.

5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.

6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad’s underwear when he’s on the toilet.

7.  Sticking my nose into someone’s crotch is an unacceptable way of saying ‘hello’.

8. I don’t need to suddenly stand straight up when I’m under the coffee table

9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house – not after.

10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the carpet.

11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.

12. The cat is not a ‘squeaky toy’ so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it’s usually not a good thing.

P.S.  Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my testicles back?

With the arrival of a new year inevitably comes a variety of new year’s “resolutions.” We vow to better ourselves through losing weight, quitting smoking, stop procrastinating, and so on. But how may we improve ourselves as pet owners? What new year’s resolutions should dog owners consider? Here are 13 suggestions for your consideration.

1. Vow to provide your dog with the highest quality nutrition possible. This means researching the ingredients in dog food and often, thinking outside the grocery store kibble aisle. The Whole Dog Journal is a fantastic publication which publishes annual dog food reviews. WDJ offers unbiased reviews as a publication which subsists entirely on subscription revenue – they do not accept advertisements from manufacturers.
2. Make it a point to ensure your dog’s health through providing adequate and appropriate exercise.
3. Be realistic about your dog’s weight. It’s scary how few people recognize weight problems in dogs and equally scary when people think their pet’s obesity is funny or a joke. Obesity shortens longevity, both in dogs and people. If you can’t feel your dog’s ribs easily, he is too fat. Ask your vet for guidance in regulating his weight and achieving healthy body condition.
4. Train your dog. Training is not a luxury, it is necessary Not only will appropriate training make living with your dog more enjoyable for you, it will make life more enjoyable for your dog by providing him with the mental stimulation all dogs need and crave.
5. Play with your dog. Play can take many forms – training, tug, fetch, food dispensing toys, nosework games and exercises, off leash adventures in safe environments, etc.
6. Keep your dog well-groomed and maintained. Mats in the fur, parasitic infestations, rotten teeth, overgrown toenails, embedded collars, yeasty ears, oozing or itchy eyes, hot spots, etc. are all unsightly and worse, uncomfortable for dogs. Routine care and maintenance can significantly improve your dog’s quality of life.
7. Make it easy for your dog to succeed. If your dog loves chewing on shoes, do not allow him unsupervised access to shoes. If your dog eliminates in the house, provide him with plenty of opportunities to eliminate outside by giving him frequent breaks. If your dog bites strange children, don’t bring him to your daughter’s soccer game.
8. Vow not to get mad at your dog for your management failures. If your dog loves chewing toilet paper and you leave the bathroom door open, it’s your fault, not his, that the toilet paper is now strewn throughout your house in 7,986,235 pieces. Simply clean up the mess and next time, close the bathroom door!
9. Be appreciative of how wonderful your dog is. One of the biggest elements of successful training is looking for desirable behaviors and reinforcing them with something your dog likes and appreciates – a treat, a butt scratch, a game of tug, the opportunity to go for a walk. Never miss an opportunity to thank your dog for good behavior.

10.  Make time for your dog. This may mean rearranging your schedule. It may mean going out in the cold or rainy weather to give your dog a walk. It may mean skipping Wednesday night book club so that you can enroll in the agility class you wanted to take. It may mean spending less time on Facebook and more time playing, training, and exercising with your dog.

11.  Be a responsible dog owner – keep identification tags on your dog, renew your dog’s annual license, make the annual veterinary appointment, clean up after your dog, respect leash laws, etc.

12.  Keep learning and improving as a pet owner. What does your dog love? What stresses him out? How does he communicate his emotions through body language? Understanding your dog will enable you to be a better friend to him, this year and every year.

13.  Help a less fortunate dog at least once this year. Remember that not all dogs are as lucky as yours. Not all dogs have regular meals, veterinary care, someone who loves them and will play with them, a home to call their own. There are many ways you can help less fortunate dogs – by making donations (either goods – beds, leashes, collars, food, toys, etc. or cash) to a local shelter or rescue, volunteering at a local shelter or rescue, organize fundraisers, help take pictures of adoptable pets for petfinder listings, apply to become a foster parent, etc.

Dogs have so much fun nosing about in the fallen leaves in autumn. But be watchful if those leaves are from an oak tree. While acorns are part of a healthy diet for pigs, bears and deer, they can cause renal failure in dogs.

Similarly, drinking water in which fallen oak leaves have been soaking can cause renal failure as well. While gastrointestinal trouble is the early warning for dogs and oak tree products, the best practice is to get out and rake it all up if your dog starts to forage like a pig, bear or deer in fall.

Highly palatable pumpkin is liked by dogs and their owners who recognize its nutritional benefits. This superfood is loaded with beta-carotene, which aids in cancer prevention, reduces inflammation and regulates Vitamin A. Vitamin C boosts basic immune functions, and the presence of Vitamin E also helps maintain healthy skin and coat.

Pumpkin is also high in fiber, which is vital to your dog’s digestive health. A small amount of canned or fresh pumpkin puree is often recommended for dogs with upset stomachs and it is even known to help dogs who suffer from motion sickness. Stay away from pumpkin pie mix as it is loaded with sugar. Fruitables offers a variety of pumpkin-based treats that dogs enjoy.