Here’s What All YOU KNOW About Heartworm Facts Goes WRONG

If you believed that everything you heard about heartworms – your indoor pet will never get heartworm disease, it is easy to treat heartworm or heartworm disease does not occur in cats, dismiss it. Not all heartworm myths are correct, but facts often become distorted over time.

Animal myth busting experts help separate fact from fiction among these popular, long lasting heartworm beliefs.

Common Heartworm Myths Debunked

Only dogs can get heartworms.

Both dogs and cats can get heartworms. However, dogs are more susceptible to this disease compared to cats.

Heartworm can transmit easily in dogs.

Heartworm is contagious only through one way – by mosquito bite. This disease cannot be transmitted from one pet to another through any other medium without a mosquito bite between them – from a host to a victim.

Indoor pets are safe from heartworm disease.

Most studies show that indoor pets are also likely to get heartworm disease. Though pets may not go outdoors, mosquitoes are likely to charge into your homes quite easily, and just one bite is enough to do this big job.

Heartworm can be treated

Heartworm is a fatal disease and carries a much higher risk in treatment. Though heartworm disease is treated, it is quite costly and distressing leaving the pet in poor condition. The most effective and the safe way is to keep pets on prescription heartworm preventives, which is the best way to prevent the transmission and occurrence of the disease. Remember that it is only effective when given monthly year round without any gaps.

Pets are safe from heartworms during winters

The most common myth, which is the most fatal one for the furry pals. Normally, there is no off season where your pet is completely safe from heartworm disease. It is quite crucial to keep your pets on preventive products year round.

When your furry friend is not on the monthly HEARTWORM PREVENTIVE dose, they are most likely to be exposed to the risk of heartworm disease. Therefore, monthly heartworm prevention control is paramount to help protect your pet from this deadly disease. Numerous high quality effective topical and oral heartworm preventives are available in the market to specifically fit individual pet’s needs and protect them all year round.

If you are not sure about which preventive to pick according to your dog breed or size, contact us and we can help you. We can help you find the perfect product that can fit your pet’s lifestyle.

As you stock your pet essentials with bug sprays and other medications to save your pet from nasty flea bites or parasitic diseases, stock heartworm control products too to protect your pet from the deadly disease.

Everything You Need To Know About Common Pet Surgeries

Any surgery for your pet, just like any surgery for a human member of your family, can be stressful. Almost all pets will have at least one surgery during their lifetime, ranging from minor surgical procedures to major, life-saving emergencies. At DiscountPetCare, we have come up with the necessary common pet surgeries information that can help you make the best decision for your lovely pet’s health.

Most Common Pet Surgery Procedures

Spaying and neutering is the most common pet surgery for cats and dogs, and it is one that we recommend for all pets. It not only eliminates the possibility of unwanted litters but also eliminates the risk of a wide range of cancers and other health issues in pets. Following spaying and neutering, the below are some of the most common pet emergencies and non-emergency surgeries:

ACL Repair Surgery – Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is very common in dogs. Most pets require surgical repair to stabilize the bones and reduce the likelihood of re-injury.

Dental Surgery –The dental health of your pet is inextricably linked to its overall health.Bacteria can spread from infected teeth to the heart, liver, and other organs. Your vet can provide dental cleaning, tooth extraction, and other dental surgical services when needed.

Skin Mass Removal – As cats and dog’s age, they can develop benign masses beneath the skin. We examine each mass for cancer cells, but the vast majority of them are non-cancerous.

Cancer Surgeries – A variety of common surgeries, including spleen, liver, intestines, and peritoneum, are required for pets.

It is important to understand why a surgical procedure is being recommended and to be able to make informed decisions about your pet’s health. When it comes to your dog, canine surgical procedures are divided into two categories: elective procedures and those that are absolutely necessary.

Most Common Elective Dog Surgery Procedures:

• Spaying
• Neutering, or Castration
• Extraction of teeth
• Skin benign tumors

Most Common Urgent Care Surgical Procedures:

• Skin abrasions or abscesses
• An obstruction in the intestine caused by a foreign body
• Internal bruising
• Torn cruciate ligaments or ACL ruptures
• Repair of fractures
• Skin cancers that are malignant
• Urethral blockages/bladder stones
• Carcinoma of the spleen

Majority of Pet Surgeries Are Regarded As Low Risk

Surgery always raises a slew of concerns, ranging from potential complications to the prognosis for recovery. However, because veterinary medicine has advanced to include all modern considerations, the risks of your dog experiencing major complications from most surgeries are extremely low.

Making the Decision for Pet Surgery

The decision to perform surgery is preceded by a discussion with the pet parent about potential complications and all factors to be considered when determining what is best for your pet. Consider the following factors when considering pet surgery:

• Pet’s age and overall health
• Possible post-operative complications
• Possible outcomes if surgery is not performed
• Recovery time and post-operative care
• Rehabilitation/Physical Therapy

Although the decision to have your pet undergo surgery is ultimately yours, the veterinary team will present you with all of the facts and possible outcomes to help you make an informed, ethical, and compassionate decision that is in the best interests of both you and your faithful four-legged companion.

Top 7 Halloween Pet Dangers | DiscountPetCare

 Here are our top 7 halloween pet dangers for your furry friend. Despite the fun, treats, and excitement that Halloween brings, pets face some unexpected threats and hazards.

Top 7 Halloween Pet Dangers

Halloween will most likely look different this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. While costume parties and trick-or-treating may undergo some changes, the traditional Halloween pet hazards remain.

All Hallows’ Eve, in addition to ghosts and goblins, provides plenty of scares for pet parents. Halloween dangers for dogs and cats lurk in the shadows—and sometimes in plain sight—from tempting candy treats to hazardous décor to problematic pumpkins.

Despite the fun, treats, and excitement that Halloween brings, pets face some unexpected threats and hazards. The following are the top Halloween pet dangers:

Accidental Poisoning

It is the most common pet risk during Halloween. Even in small amounts, most Halloween candies, including chocolate, as well as various types of sugar-free treats, raisins, and other snacks, are dangerously toxic to cats and dogs. Additionally, dyes found in Halloween decorations, painted pumpkins, glow sticks, simmering potpourri, and other chemicals can poison pets.

Uncomfortable Costumes

When pets wear costumes that are too small for them, their vision, hearing, scent, and airways may be obstructed, resulting in injuries. Additionally, costume materials may be chewed and swallowed, posing choking or toxicity risks. If the animal’s movement is restricted by the costume, they may experience falls, joint dislocations, and other mishaps.

Suffocate or Choking

Small decorative items, such as fake eyeballs, tabletop baubles, and glittery accents, can cause pets to choke. Costume shards from pets and humans, as well as discarded craft project parts, candy wrappers, and small Halloween toys, can all become inadvertent choke hazards. If these items are swallowed by pets, they can cause bowel obstructions, which can be fatal.

Decorative Tangles

Draped decorations can cause tangle hazards for pets who enjoy exploring cozy spaces, especially if the animal is startled or frightened and runs into the tangles. Artificial cobwebs, netting, ghost cloths, and twinkle lights can all cause dangerous tangles that snag and ensnare pets.

Flames & Candles

Candles and other fires are popular Halloween decorations, from jack-o-lanterns to spooky lighting on every surface to backyard fire pits for autumn s’mores. Pets, on the other hand, can easily be burned if they sniff too close to the decoration or accidentally brush against it. Pets may also knock candles over inadvertently, resulting in devastating fires.

Getting Lost

Losing a pet can be traumatic and dangerous. Due to the frequency with which doors open and close for trick-or-treaters, it would be easy for a pet to slip outside unnoticed on Halloween, and roaming crowds, spooky sounds, and unfamiliar costumes can startle and disorient any pet. A lost pet is vulnerable to vehicle collisions, predators, and a variety of other outdoor hazards.

Pranks

Halloween is a time for pranks, and not all of them are well-intentioned or innocent fun. Malicious pranksters may target and tease lost or outdoor pets, causing serious injury, theft, or even death. Music on high volume or pranks with loud noise can also scare and startle pets, resulting in aggression or escape instincts that may lead to the pet becoming lost.

All Hallows’ Eve can be terrifying for dogs and cats. Keep candy, cocktails, decorations, and the night’s commotion in mind to keep your pets safe this Halloween. We wish you a joyous holiday season full of treats and no tricks!

                                            Stay Safe And Keep Your Furry Friend Safe!

Heartworm Infection – Two Stages of Treatment and Recovery Facts

Heartworm is the most dangerous parasite whose constant threat lurks on the world of dogs. Once infected, it is like hell for dogs to undergo treatment procedure of this disease, which is much more difficult. Not constraining to this, the treatment is a way more not so less expensive than the bills paid for the preventive products of these harmful parasites.

Once the dog has been tested positive for heartworm diagnosis, the treatment is life-threatening and recovery period is quite strenuous, painful and long. Recovery does not come without a pain tag for a few days, it just prolongs taking several weeks and sometimes even months, and it is not always possible.

Heartworm Recovery Facts

Initially, an evaluation is taken out to find out the status of your dog’s health and the seriousness of heartworm infestation. Dog’s overall health is taken into consideration before treatment begins.

According to the intensity of disease and your vet’s recommendations, your dog may be hospitalized from two to four days.

The first stage of the treatment includes the administrations of series of injections for killing the adult worms.

When these heartworms are treated, they are killed slowly and gradually and are eliminated over a period of several weeks.

After four weeks of the initial treatment, your dog needs to be taken for second stage of treatment. In the second stage, microfilaria – the baby heartworms are treated. For this treatment, only one-day stay is enough.

Following this, continued checkups and diagnosis is carried out. And further, your dog will be placed on a heartworm preventive.

Things to Keep in Mind during Recovery Process

Lack of Energy

After treatment for heartworms, your dog will feel lethargic and sleepiness for several days due to lack of energy. This will actually help your dog to recover keeping him quiet. You need to also check that you do not force your dog to run or walk during these periods.

Muscle Soreness

Due to heavy dose injection, the injection site might be painful and sore for several days. So, ensure that you do not put any pressure around this area.

Increased Energy

Though your dog may feel better after few days, keep a check that you provide proper care and rest to your furry pal. Refrain him from strenuous work and exercise. Still for a month you need to confine him for total rest. This states no walks, runs or playtime. Whenever you need to take him out, put him on leash and take him out and then in after some time. If he has been over hyper, then confine him in a limited space of the house or put him in a large crate.

Post Recovery

After recovery, continue to keep your dog on preventive medications. This will protect him against the re-onset of heartworm infection. Heartworms are a great threat to the lives of dogs, and the treatment can be painful while the recovery period can be long and tough for the dog of any age.

To prevent the ordeal of all the painful treatments and long recovery periods, put your dog on heartworm preventive management program. It is always good to secure the lives of your dog against the dreadful parasite with help of heartworm preventives rather than putting him under the pain and danger of the treatment.

REVOLUTION: Solution For 3 Problems (Fleas, Ticks And Worms in Dogs) | DiscountPetCare

Read in-depth information about Revolution, a solution for major three problems (Fleas, Ticks & Worms in Dogs). A product, Revolution, is designed for use to protect dogs against heartworms. It also helps in killing fleas and prevents flea eggs that had been laid on dog’s skin.

Best Worming Ways to Treat and Prevent Worms in Dogs

It’s a matter of great pride being a dog owner. Loving their every act of frolicking and licking, you look forward to provide them best care possible and always want them to be in pink of health. But, some of them due to their ancestral behaviors, not just put themselves in ill pit but take away the smile on your face pushing you in a tension mode. Dogs are picky animals and love to pick on anything they find interesting or uninteresting. And, this only habit causes health issue. And, due to which, they can easily get infected with worms.

Different Types of Treatments for Dogs:

Prevention in the First Place

In the first place, when it comes to worms the best option is to keep your dog away from these parasites. Putting them on worm management program is quite effective and saves on the additional expenses. It only keeps them healthy but does not put an extra burden on your vet bills. It’s like a win-win situation! So, please check that she does not pick on anything that might infect her with worms. No poop, no dead animals and no roadkill platter. Keep those fleas, ticks and other insects away from your doggie. Normally, heartworm is spread through mosquitoes and it can be easily prevented by giving her monthly heartworm preventive like Heartgard or Nuheart.

Look for signs and symptoms of worms:

If your dog just goes from a romping, fun-loving, healthy dog to pooping or vomiting animal, then definitely your dog might have been infected with worms.  Look for weight loss and other unhealthy signs. It’s really sordid to check that poop for worms, but you need to check whether there are any worm eggs or rice like segments present. Sometimes, your dog may be perfectly fine with just those worm segments in the feces and at other times, he may be suffering from heavy vomiting or diarrhea.

Visit Vet in suspension of worms

You might have put in all your resources and nerves to keep your furry pal away from worms. But, sometimes, you are not as lucky as you might think. From any corner of the world, that worms get hold of your paw kid and play nasty games on her. When the situation is out of your control, the only option is to visit a vet clinic.

Your veterinarian may further carry on the test to find which type of worms is eating away your dog’s health. Finding a particular worm, your vet can provide a specific deworming control medication as one wormer is good enough for all the worms – hookworms, roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms, which are detected through a sample stool test and heartworms are diagnosed by blood.

Saving a Little Extra

If you are confirmed that your doggie has worms, you can request your vet to avoid test for worms and provide treatment. Some vets may be comfortable with this and agree but all may not be on the same platform. If they don’t, then unfortunately you need to pay those extra bucks for worm testing.

If you find those rice like segments in feces, then possibly your dog is infected with tapeworms and you can start giving him virbac tapewormer or possibly any other allwormer like drontal, cazitel or endogard. These allwormers are effective on different types of gastrointestinal worms.

Preventive Treatments and Clean House:

The foremost thing in keeping those worms out of your pet is to keep your house and surroundings clean along with keeping your furry pal on a regular worming schedule. Check your house for fleas and ticks, normally tapeworms are easily spread through ingestion of fleas. So, eliminate these parasites from your house and keep your house clean by vacuuming carpets and crevices of floor and walls. Wash all beddings and upholstery as well as other fabrics with warm water. If possible, use flea spray to remove the bugs.

In your backyard and surroundings, remove the feces before your tyke get a chance to pick on it. Any dead creatures found in the lawn or garden, immediately dispose it off as your pooch may get a chance to have a feast on it giving an open invitation to those nasty parasites to attack on her intestines.

Use flea bomb or fogger to remove fleas and cut down the tall grass to control tick population in your backyard. Keeping all things in handy to keep these worms away greatly ensure that your pooch is secure from the worm infection.

Cat Lungworms – Facts to Know from Symptoms to Prevention | DiscountPetCare

Learn about cat lungworms, facts to know from symptoms to prevention. Lungworms are a type of parasites that resides in airways and small arteries of the lungs.

Internal and External Parasites – How to Deal with Them

Pets are always prone to two types of parasites. One is internal parasites and the other is external parasites. Most pet parents are well aware of external parasites whereas many must not be aware of internal parasites. Let us get into detail about knowing internal as well as external parasites.

External Parasites

You are most probably aware of the external parasites like fleas, ticks, mites, mosquitoes and lice. Apart from these pests, there are a few others that may infect your furry pals. Fire ant, Sarcoptic mange mites, Cheyletiella, Chiggers and Cuterebra fly and others.

Among these various external parasites, ticks are the most dangerous as these insects carry diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain fever. These pesky insects need to be treated as soon as possible before they can severely damage the health of your furred companion.

Insecticides and parasitic preventive treatments are the best that help in treating and controlling the parasitic infestation. If your pet constantly scratches or if you find flaky dry skin, rashes, inflammation, hair loss, redness on the skin or swelling, consult with your vet. After diagnosing, your veterinarian can provide you the best solution. It is also important to find which pet care supplies are crucial for your pet and the grooming options to select to protect them from harmful infestation.

With the constant influx of the external parasites during the change of seasons, it is quite difficult to completely eradicate these parasites. However, with the persistent use of monthly flea and tick preventives or insecticides, you may keep a check on the infestation and further prevent future flea, tick or mite infestation.

Apart from grooming and treating your pet, it is crucial to treat your house and surroundings as well with flea treatments. Flea bombs and flea yard sprays are highly useful in avoiding these external parasites around your environment.

Internal Parasites

Usually internal parasites are spread due to ingestion. Some of the most common internal parasites are –heartworms, hookworms, whipworms, lungworms, roundworms, tapeworms, hydatid tapeworms. Apart from these parasites, the other internal parasites (not so common) that may affect your furry friends are Giardia, Coccidia and stomach worms.

Roundworms are easily spread from infected animals, usually in filthy conditions. To control these worms, regularly use deworming treatments and talk to your vet if you find anything unusual with your furry pal.

Tapeworms are normally seen in pet’s feces, a kind of grains of rice and cause diarrhea and weight loss. Fleas with tapeworms when ingested by your pet cause this infection. They are also picked by unclean environment and infected animals. Deworming at an interval of 3 months will help in treating and preventing this disease. Moreover, flea preventive should also be used in order to control tapeworm infection.

Whipworms are highly dangerous as they suck blood from the large intestine, mainly in dogs. They lead to anemia and low protein level in dogs and cats. Pets are infected with whipworms when they ingest these larvae from the contaminated soil. These larvae take 3 months to become disease causing adults. Picking up the feces and keeping the environment clean help in controlling whipworm infection. A 3-month deworming plan is crucial to prevent reinfestation of this disease.

It is quite tough to avoid all the parasites all the times. However, following certain steps and taking preventive measures along with treating pets with flea and tick treatments, dewormers and other insecticides enormously help in controlling parasitic infections. With balanced pet diet, proper grooming and quality pet supplies, you can easily take care of your furry pal and help him/her to stay healthy.

Are You Feeding Supermarket Food to Your Pet? Stop, Check and Feed!!!

A good food makes us healthy and happy both physically and mentally. It also helps us fight against diseases and improves our immune system making us less prone to illnesses. On the contrary, if you are on the bad stuff – just on that junk food and sweets, definitely, your health is going to deteriorate – making that teeth line to be crooked and big waistline.

And when it comes for pets, it is the same. Feeding your pet some ugly stuff, is not at all good for their health, leading to poor health, bad oral health and preventable diseases. In lack of providing them the right food, dog and cat can survive but would they really thrive and have a good quality life?

Numerous studies have shown that providing premium food helps keep pets healthy and vigilant. Improving the quality of your pet’s life, it definitely helps you spend less in the long run by enhancing overall health.

It may seem a general statement, but most pet foods do not do any good to your pet. Thinking that buying a brand that offers gifts or is endorsed by your favorite celebrity is the best option, you are making a clear mistake as this does not guarantee the quality.

A diet full of cheap content and just fillers comes out as it from the other side without doing any good to your furry pal. That means, a lot of poo and flatulence with no vital nutrients to be absorbed by your pet.

For the past many years, there has been huge improvement in pet nutrition. Unfortunately, there have been also the influx of numerous brands, varied food categories and feeding practices. When it comes to buying a pet food, most pet parents are in dilemma about how to choose the product. So, what is the best way to choose the right product for your furry family.

A good quality pet food should cater to the following:

• Have proper amount of meat that too as the first ingredient
• Should not include any cheap fillers
• Should have good quality ingredients
• Based on the sound nutritional research
• Should be made by a reputed and reliable company

Are you thinking to check for premium pet food? Check here the whole category opened for you and your lovable companion.