Why Is My Dog Coughing?

Like humans, most dogs cough when they feel something stuck in their throats. It is to remove that unwanted particle, but sometimes it is not just something that’s stuck. Sometimes the cough is the reason for serious illness. To know which cough should be ignored and which should be taken seriously is crucial; keep reading to find out!

Types of coughs

Dogs may cough because of many reasons. If it persists for two or more months, it may be a chronic condition and if it lasts for a shorter time, it is known as acute cough. Acute coughs should not be worried about, whereas the ones you have to watch out for are chronic coughs. During such situations differentiating between the cough sounds can be of great help; which are listed below,

• A persistent dry or hacking cough that sounds like your dog is trying to dislodge something from the throat is a dry cough.
• A wet cough that sounds similar to gargling is a moist or wet cough.
• A dry cough that sounds like a goose is a honking cough.
• When your dog gags while coughing, it is the gagging cough.

These are different types of coughs you might notice in your dog according to the condition they are going through. If you observe breathlessness, abnormal breathing patterns, wheezing, or low energy, it might be a cause of some serious health issue and a visit to the vet is necessary at this point.

Common causes of cough

When the coughing of your dog becomes frequent, it becomes crucial to give your vet a visit. Some of the common reasons for your dog’s cough are listed below.

• Foreign body
• Tracheal collapse
• Allergens
• Kennel cough
• Heartworm disease
• Parasites
• Canine influenza

Out of all of these the most dangerous is heartworm disease. This is caused due to infectious worms that prevent the heart from pumping out blood and can be fatal if not treated on time. A soft, dry, and persistent cough is the one of the first signs of heartworm; so if you notice such coughing in your dog, get them tested.

What is heartworm?

Heartworm is a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes. As the name suggested, these worms affect the heart of the infected animal. It is transmitted when an infected mosquito bites a healthy host, the dangerous heartworm larvae enter their bloodstream and from there travel to the heart. The worms cause inflammation and cause damage to the heart, arteries, and lungs. Some of the symptoms you may notice if your pet is suffering from the heartworm disease are: dry, persistent cough, lethargy, inactivity, reduced appetite, weight loss, panting, difficulty breathing, seizures, or fainting.

How to prevent heartworm?

Treatment of heartworms is a long and expensive process; it might be painful and sometimes have no guarantee of completely curing your dog. This is why, while dealing with heartworms, the best treatment is prevention. If you give your pet regular treatment for heartworm prevention, they will have fewer chances of contracting the infection and even more chances of recovering if at all they might get infected.

There are a lot of products available on the market that aid heartworm prevention, some of which include Heartgard Plus Chewable for Dog, Interceptor Spectrum Tasty Chews for Dog, Sentinel Spectrum Tasty Chews for Dog, Nuheart For Dogs, and Valuheart Heartworm Tablets for Dog. These are some of the best-known brands for heartworm prevention in dogs.

At the end of the day,

We only want the best for our four-legged friends and wish to keep them healthy. So, along with giving your pet’s regular treatments, keep the environment clean and mosquito-free. The best management of heartworm disease is to look out for the symptoms and give regular treatment along with yearly check-ups from your vet. Clean environment will also cause fewer allergic reactions, thus reducing many reasons that cause coughing in your pet. Paying attention to your dog’s cough always helps them feel better.

Exciting Toy Gifts For Your Canine Friends

Dogs are the best animal companions one can have. They shower their warmth, affection, and unconditional love on us 24*7, 365 days a year. They insist you to go out for walks, make you run after them, share your favorite cheese pizza, and make you do the craziest things, you wouldn’t have done, if they were not there.

When there’s no body at your side, your canine friend stands by you, all the way. In return, these four-foot companions don’t ask for anything but thoroughly deserve something that they can cherish on. And what could be better than getting them a gift? A birthday present, or the anniversary of when you brought them home serves as great reasons to honor them with an award for their positive animalistic behaviors.

The key question to be asked here is, as a caring and loving guardian, is what one could reward them with? This article provides you with some of the mind-blowing dog toy gifts to reward your canine friends. Read through to know more.

Sea Plush Seahorse for Dog

Spunky Pup’s Sea Plush Seahorse is a perfect gift for dogs that love to swim and enjoy waterplay. It is made with an incredibly soft plush material, giving dogs a wonderful cuddling experience. Plus, Seahorse Soft Toy floats on water and can be a perfect swimming partner for your dog. Moreover, it squeaks that stand up to puncture holes and never lets your pooch be bored. The toy provides your canine with an amazing play time, every time.

Clean Earth Recycled Rope

Rewarding your canines with their favorite toy and contributing towards the green environment is now possible with Spunky Pup’s Clean Earth Recycled Rope.Completely made out of recycled plastic water bottles, this toy diverts the waste of 12 plastic water bottles from being thrown in the environment.

Clean Earth Recycled Rope is densely woven and works gently on your dog’s teeth & gums and cleans them.It floats on water and suits for both indoors as well as outdoor plays.The best thing about this toy is that it can be recycled once your pooch is done with it so it can be reused and thus the gifting cycle continues.

Spunky Pup Fetch and Glow Ball

Does your dog like light-up toys? If the answer is yes, there’s no better gift for your canine than Spunky Pup’s Fetch & Glow ball. The ball glows as soon as it’s exposed in the dark. So, you canines can have unlimited fun even after the sun sets.

The toy is made out of non-toxic, soft, and durable material that you can take along with your dog’s favorite play, such as at the beach, in the garden or in the pool. With Fetch & Glow ball, your pup will no longer be dependent on those drooling tennis balls for having fun. These Spunky Pup Fetch And Glow Ball for Dogs are made in exciting assorted neon colors and sized to perfection for guaranteed fun.

Spunky Pup Gnaw Guard Ring

Spunky Pup’s Gnaw Guard Ring for dogs is light in weight, yet a hard chewable toy for persistent chewers. It is made from high quality, non-toxic material that is completely safe for your dog’s teeth and promotes their dental health. It floatshence you can take it with your dog for water play. Spunky Pup’s Gnaw Guard comes in different sizes and shapes such as toothbrush, star, stick for variety and unlimited fun at the same time.

Spunky Pup Gnaw Guard Star

Spunky Pup Gnaw Guard Star for dogs is an ideal reward for light to medium chewers. It is made from non-toxic, dog-safe material that is light, but strong and textured to promote healthy gums and teeth. This Spunky Pup Toy floats, so you can keep it with your dog in the pool. Spunky Pup’s Gnaw Guard comes in different sizes and shapes such as toothbrush, star, stick to add variety and an unmatched enjoyment at once.

Conclusion

As you know, a dog’s social life is very limited. Their happiness is bounded among you, the treats, and of course, the toys. Each one of it is equally important to them, and toys in particular are one of their favorites. They’re just obsessed with them. So if you’re planning on gifting them something worth gifting, we reckon do toys; they’ll truly cherish them.

Cat Dandruff Explained – Know the Signs, Causes & Treatments

Cats are meticulous groomers. They love to keep themselves clean. But if your feline is covered in tiny white flakes, it might leave you wondering what’s wrong. It’s probably cat dandruff!

Unfortunately, your cat cannot fix her dandruff by herself but can easily get rid of it with your intervention. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few easy ways to get rid of cat dandruff.

But before that, let’s check out what causes dandruff in cats and how to identify it.

What is Cat Dandruff?

Dandruff is a common term for the flakes of skin. While it is majorly caused by dry or oily skin, there are various other reasons behind it. Although, cat dandruff doesn’t raise any major alarms, it shouldn’t be neglected either.

Is Cat Dander The Same as Dandruff?

Although they sound similar, cat dander and dandruff are different. Danders are dead skin cells that are shed regularly and replaced by new cells.

On the other hand, dandruff is a skin condition that arises due to itchy and flaky skin. While dander is completely healthy and normal, dandruff can irritate your beloved cat’s skin and may lead to hair loss.

What Causes Dandruff in Cats?

The causes of dandruff in cats can range from simple to serious. Finding the underlying cause of dandruff can help you eliminate its root cause. Here are some of the most common causes of dandruff in cats:

• Allergies
• Dehydration
• Poor nutrition
• Dry skin
• Fleas and ticks
• Skin infections
• Pollutants
• Obesity
• Sunburn
• Hormonal conditions
• Over bathing & shampooing

How to Treat & Prevent Dandruff in Cats?

If you have identified the cause of dandruff in your cat, getting rid of it is not going to be as easy as simply bathing them.

To treat and prevent cat dandruff, you must be aware of its cause. For example, if your cat’s dandruff is due to being overweight, you may consider putting them on a weight management program.

If it is due to allergies, dry skin, oily skin, or skin infections, you should pay more attention to their skin and coat health. Consider adding omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to their diet as they help restore a healthy skin barrier.

Ensuring proper hydration is also a great way to prevent dandruff. Apart from keeping a watch on your furry ball’s water intake, you can try out cat skin nourishment products like Natural Animal Solutions Dermal Cream, Vet’s All Natural Skin & Coat Formula, and Nano Sanitas Fur & Skin Care Spray.

Generally, feeding your cat a nutritionally rich diet is one of the surefire ways to treat and prevent dandruff. You can also opt for cat food that is specifically tailored for their skin and coat health.

Such popular cat foods include Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin, Hills Prescription Diet Feline Original Skin Dry Cat Food, and Advance Sensitive Skin & Digestion Cat Food. Dandruff in cats is typically easy to treat. You can take care of the things mentioned above to cure dandruff.

However, feel free to reach out to your veterinarian for advice, and they’ll be pleased to share tips on how to maintain your cat’s healthy skin and hair.

General FAQs About Ear Mites in Dogs & Cats

Many pet parents are not aware of ear mite danger in their pets. At some or other time of their life, whether it is a dog or a cat, they face with ear mite problems. In spite of taking care of so many things, these nasty bugs are nowhere to go but rejoice in brooding in your pet’s ears. Breaking the vicious cycle of these ear mites, let us find here some of the solutions pertaining to ear mites, which has been asked by most pet owners.

How do dogs or cats get ear mites?

With a contagious nature, these parasites can easily contaminate any pet. Ear mites can be passed from one pet to another just by casual contact. Moreover, outdoor cats are more prone to this infection and they are ideal carriers.

How to identify ear mites in dogs and cats?

The following symptoms brings above the knowledge about the existence of ear mites. The indicative signs are excessive scratching, rubbing the ears, inflammation near the ears, redness of the ears, head shaking, black or brown waxy secretion, strong odor, and obstruction of the ear canal by a thing like coffee bean or grounded coffee bean shape discharge. In cats, you may notice hair loss or dermatitis.

How to find out that my pet has ear mites?

Checking the previously mentioned signs, you can figure out that your dog or cat is suffering from ear mite infection. Moreover, these symptoms also mean that they might be having bacterial ear infection. However, it is always best to leave the final diagnoses to a veterinarian.

How are ear mites treated in dogs or cats?

After diagnosis, your vet may prescribe a treatment or ear mite control product, which can be applied directly into your pet’s ear, or a parasitic medication that your pet can take orally.

Cleaning of the ear is very much important when your pet’s ear is infected or having excess of wax and debris.

An anti-inflammatory or antibiotic might be prescribed to eliminate any infection. Products such as Epi-otic ear cleaner, Otosol helps to clean the ear and treatments like Frontline plus, revolution aids in preventing ear mite infections.

In a scenario of a household with more than one pet, you need to treat all the pets for ear mites in order to control and prevent spread of the infection to all.

It is common for dogs and cats to have ear mites especially for those that spend most of the time outdoors. Compared to dogs, cats are more prone to ear mite infection and can pass them along to all other animals present in a house. When you find unusual things like scratching ears, shaking head, or rubbing ears around some hard furniture in your pet, it means that they are likely to have ear mites. A treatment prescribed by your vet is always helpful in controlling the infection. Sometimes, it can be a case of debris or excess wax, in that case, you can clean your pet’s ears with the help of ear cleaning drops for dog.

Once your dog or cat has been treated for ear mite infection, it is always advisable to put them on monthly ear mite treatments available at online stores. Never wait for the condition to be out of control, better treat them regularly and protect them from ear infections and your pockets from heavy vet bills.

Choose the Best Dog Product between Nexgard and Credelio

We all want to spend more time outside, especially during holidays or weekends. Being a dog parent can make you want to go on adventures with your four-legged buddy even more because they are frequently just as adventurous as humans are! But whether you’re taking your dog for a leisurely stroll through the park or taking them along on a hike through the woods, you must make careful to protect them from nature’s unpleasant parasites, like fleas and ticks.

One of the most crucial things you can do when taking care of your pet dog is to make sure they can be protected from pests like fleas and ticks. It might be confusing to choose the best parasite control and treatment options for your dog.

Both Credelio Chewable Tablets and NexGard Chewable Tablets, two of the most well-known brands on the market, are efficient at getting rid of both fleas and ticks. The qualities, advantages, and outcomes of the two respectable brands’ products, nevertheless, are marginally distinct.

Whether you choose Credelio or NexGard, the ideal product depends on what you know will benefit your pet and its way of life.

Breaking It Down

Two flea and tick eradication products Credelio and NexGard will be compared here. We’ll be sure to provide you with all the specifics on what it does, how it functions, and a concise rundown of its advantages and disadvantages.

Below are further remarks on each product’s effectiveness as well as any unique qualities that might set one apart from the others.

Credelio Chewable Tablet for Dogs

Credelio is a tasty monthly chewable tablet. When used as directed, it offers monthly defense against fleas and ticks. This chewable tablet can also be used to treat an existing flea infestation in your dog.

The tablet has been proved to be 100% efficient against fleas and 97% effective against ticks. It begins functioning in as little as four hours.

It is very simple to disguise this chewable tablet in your dog’s food, so there is no difficulty in attempting to convince your dog to take another type of treatment or tablet. Another benefit of the chewable tablet form is that you won’t have to deal with the hassle of applying a typical topical treatment that might get on your dog’s fur or perhaps on the hands of any curious human children.

Credelio is available in a range of dosages for dogs of all sizes, but it must only be administered to puppies and adult dogs that weigh more than 2.5 kg and are at least 8 weeks old.

Nexgard Chewable Tablet for Dogs

NexGard also makes a simple tasty chewable tablet for tick and flea treatment. This indicates that they offer all of the advantages of chewable tablets that we previously discussed for Credelio. Additionally, NexGard chews can help guard dogs against flea infestations when given to your pet monthly.

NexGard accomplishes this by putting an end to adult fleas before they can lay eggs. It has a fantastic track record of protecting dogs against ticks and can offer exceptional flea prevention. Recommended by most vets to protect dogs from the kind of tick-borne infections, it has been demonstrated that some ticks can be killed before they can spread the Lyme disease. Brown dog ticks, American dog ticks, Lone Star ticks, and black-legged tick infestations can all be prevented and treated with NexGard.

NexGard is a well-known and effective flea and tick prevention method safe for dogs and puppies older than 8 weeks and weighing at least 2 kg. Additionally, the beef-flavored, soft, chewable tablet can be given to your dog as a nice treat or hidden in their food.

Conclusion

We must admit that choosing between these two remarkable products is difficult! As chewable tablets recommended by your veterinarian, Credelio and NexGard both provide flea and tick prevention treatment for your dog. Both can be administered to puppies as young as eight weeks old and to dogs as little as 2.5 kg.

The effectiveness of these products in getting rid of bothersome parasites is fairly comparable. While Nexgard is offered in 3, 6, 9, and 12 month supplies, Credelio is only offered in 3, 6, and 12. Some pet parents might find it easier to purchase a three-month supply than other choices. It comes down to convenience as the cost is essentially the same for both. If you still have doubts about which oral flea and tick treatment is appropriate for your pet’s needs, consult your veterinarian and obtain the best recommendations based on your lifestyle and your pet’s health.

Ear Mites In Cats: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention

Cats are no different from other pet species in that they each have specific health requirements and challenges. Even though you may not be familiar with cat ear mite infestations, it is important to treat your pet carefully because it may be a painful experience for them.

While not exclusive to cats, ear mite infestations are one of the most prevalent health issues that cats may experience in their ears. Even though ear mites in cats usually don’t constitute a major health danger, they can impair your cats’ ability to hear in the long run if left untreated.

Here is a description of ear mites, how to recognize infestation warning symptoms, and how to eliminate these parasites and put an end to your cats’ misery.

What are Ear Mites?

As their name suggests, ear mites are a tiny type of mite that lives in the ears of small animals including dogs, rabbits, and cats. Once they lay eggs, ear mites reproduce swiftly and become adults in only three weeks. Ear mites are spread by other animals. Even though they get their name from the fact that they are most frequently seen in the ears, ear mites can also be discovered in other parts of your cat’s body.

What Leads to Cat Ear Mites?

Your cat can only get ear mites through direct transmission from another animal. The mite frequently lands on another area of your cat’s body before moving toward the ear canal in order to lay eggs.

Only when a mite is successful in travelling to the ear and breeding, creating a colony that begins to expand and continue multiplying in your cat’s ear and causing excruciating discomfort, mite infestations start to happen.

What Are The Ear Mite Symptoms And Signs In Cats?

The signs your cat displays are the best approach to diagnosing ear mites. Frequent ear scratching and/or shaking from the heat are common ear mite signs, as well as dark discharge from the ear, burst blood vessels from your cat’s ear-scratching, high sensitivity when you try to touch your cats’ ears, as well as open wounds, and hair loss around the ear.

How to Examine Cat’s Ears for Ear Mites?

The easiest technique to check for ear mites is to recognize the signs of an ear mite infestation because of the size of these parasites. After that, you can take your cat to the clinic to have their ears professionally checked for mites. An otoscope, a specialist diagnostic tool with a flashlight at the end to examine the interior of your cat’s ear, can be used at your neighborhood vet clinic to find any ear mites.

By swabbing your cat’s ear with a cotton swab and sending the sample away to be examined under a microscope, your veterinarian can also screen for mites and mite eggs.

How to Treat Cats for Ear Mites?

You’ll need your veterinarian’s assistance if your cat has ear mites if you want to solve the issue. There is no efficient home remedy for ear mites in cats that can eliminate mites rapidly and with complete assurance that these parasites won’t reappear in the upcoming weeks, unlike other conditions your cat may have.

Ear mite eggs cannot be eliminated by treatment, unlike fleas and other parasites that may attach to your pets. The goal of therapeutic interventions is to eliminate adult mites and their larvae once they have developed. One of many treatments of ear mites in cats include, Bravecto Plus, Troy Ear Canker Drops, Advocate, Aristopet Ear Canker Drops, Ilium Ear Drops, etc. Depending on the extent of the infestation and your personal preferences as the cat parent, the recommended course of action may vary.

Your veterinarian may also suggest treatments to relieve itching and pain while the mites are killed and your cat’s ears gradually heal if your cat has damaged its ears or is in excruciating discomfort.

Bottom line

It’s vital to take your cat to the vet to have the issue identified and swiftly treated when you observe your cat scratching its ears or you have any other cause to suspect your cat may be suffering from ear mites. A prompt approach will lessen your cat’s misery and may even lessen any health issues brought on by this bothersome infestation.

Advantage for Dogs FAQs – Everything You Need to Know

Most of the pet owners get horrified even with the mention of fleas. Such is the level of annoyance they create in the household and mess up with the pet’s life. These blood-sucking, nasty parasites certainly take a serious toll on our pet’s health because of all that itching and dermatitis they cause. However, with proper prevention and treatment, we can successfully get rid-off these critters. In fact, Advantage is the most sought-after treatment available on the market which can be effectively used for this purpose. The treatment is available for both cats and dogs and has given amazing results so far. People who have already used the product on their pets understand that Advantage is definitely an advantage for pets. We have listed down some intriguing facts about the product which will give you a better insight into its proper usage.

Facts Related To ‘Advantage’ For Cats and Dogs   

Does It Kill Other Flea Life Stages?

Compared to other flea products that are only formulated to kill adult fleas, Advantage acts on the lifecycle of the fleas as well. Thus, it is highly effective in eliminating adult fleas as well as flea larvae.

How Does It Work?

Advantage contains Imidacloprid that acts as a neurotoxin for fleas. It hyper-activates the central nervous system of the parasite that eventually kills them.

How Long Does It Take The Product To Show Its Effect?

It is swift in action and stops the biting fleas from feeding on the host within a couple of minutes. After the application of the product, it hardly takes an hour to kill 98% of the fleas.

How Long Does One Dose Works?

Advantage provides protection against fleas for complete one month and a single dose is enough for doing so.

Can I Apply The Product Before Bathing the Pet?

Though the product is water-resistant and wouldn’t wash off that easily, it is recommended to apply the product to your pet once he is clean and dry. It will help the product to penetrate the skin better as the pores would still be open. Thus, it will stay longer inside the skin layers and will have better efficacy.

How Must Long One Wait To Give A Bath To their Dog After Applying Advantage?

Normally, 48 hours are enough. Bathing just after applying the product or even a few hours later may leach the product more quickly thereby rendering it ineffective.

What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Advantage?

It may cause slight hair fall in pets but the hair will grow back. So, nothing much to worry about! However, be cautious while giving it to a sensitive dog or cat as they may show some side effects like vomiting or diarrhea. Consult the vet before any application, in such cases.

Does It Kill The Fleas In The Surroundings?

This product is proficient in killing the fleas as they try to hitch on the pet. It eliminates the larvae in the surroundings as and when pet touches the floor or carpet where the flea larvae would be hiding. Thus it is a preventative for complete household.

Advantage For Dog has earned a good rapport amongst experienced pet owners because of its super-active ingredient and fast results. So, if your pet is suffering from flea infestation, get Advantage and proof your house and the pet.