Things to Remember While Grooming Your Dog

Keeping your furry pal hale and hearty at all times is what every pet parent strives to do, and this includes grooming your furry friend. Grooming is extremely important and must be done by dog parents. There are two ways of grooming your fur baby; one, do it yourself at home and two, seek a professional groomer’s assistance or help. If you plan on grooming your buddy all by yourself, it is imperative to remember a few things. Below is a list of do’s and don’ts that you must keep in mind before or while grooming your munchkin.

Grooming Your Dog – The Do’s

Brush Fur and Coat Regularly

Every once in a while, make sure you brush your buddy’s fur and coat. Not doing so can leave your poor pal’s hair in a messy and terrible state. Brushing the fur regularly also helps to quickly identify whether or not your canine friend has the dreaded fleas, ticks or any other creepy parasites.

Stay Calm and Be Patient

Perhaps the most important step towards good grooming is for you, the pet parent to stay calm and patient. Being calm and patient not only helps your pet stay calm, but it also helps you in grooming your buddy the right way without injuries to them or you.

Use the Appropriate Grooming Tools

Grooming requires tools such as a brush for brushing the fur, nail clipper for cutting the nails, etc. Using appropriate grooming equipment is essential; for instance, a regular brush may not be useful for a specific dog and will require a special brush. Hence, know which tools to use and how to use them.

Groom in a Well-lit Location

Before you begin your mate’s grooming session, make sure you are in a well-lit location. A place with proper lighting will help you see what you are doing, and it is also much safer. Furthermore, ensure that the area where you are about to groom your pal has a non-slip surface. This will help prevent your pal from any accidents.

Shampoo Before Bathing

Bathing your fur baby is important, but make sure you are shampooing him too. Just by applying water onto his body is not enough. Applying shampoo on his fur not only makes his fur soft, but it will also help to remove all the dirt and debris from the skin. Bathing with shampoo is always the correct way to bathe a dog.

Remember to Trim Nails

Lest you forget, trimming furry pal’s nails is also part of grooming and mustn’t be ignored. Long nails tend to hurt your furry munchkin while he walks and may make him feel uncomfortable. Trimming his nails not only helps him overcome his difficulties in walking, but it also helps in maintaining proper hygiene in your pooch.

Use a Towel for Wiping Water Off The Fur

Always use a dry towel to wipe the excess water off your buddy’s fur. After a bath, make sure you do this because a wet fur coat can lead to matted hair as well as the possibility of excess dirt sticking onto your pal’s fur. Hence, ensure you wipe off the excess water off your buddy’s fur with a clean and dry towel.

Make Sure To Clean the Ears

And lastly, remember to clean your pooch’s ears. They are arguably the dirtiest and the most neglected body part. Pet parents tend to forget to clean a dog’s ears, so make sure you clean his ears with the appropriate equipment.

Grooming Your Dog – The Don’ts

Do Not Rush and Be Pushy

Never force your dog to do something he does not want to. And even if you want him to do something, make sure you are patient and polite. Similarly, when grooming a dog that does not listen to you, it is important to not rush or push him. Doing so can cause a panic attack to him, and you may well have to reschedule your grooming session.

Avoid Using Scented Shampoo

Do not use scented shampoos on your furry pal. Scented shampoos can irritate your poor buddy’s skin, coat, and nose and can lead to irritations and discomforts. Thus, stick to antifungal and antibacterial dog shampoos.

Do Not Bathe Everyday

Bathing your dog is good, but bathing him every day is not the smartest thing to do. Everyday bathing strips dogs off their natural oils and can lead to skin and temperature-regulating problems. Thus, in summers bathe him once a week and bathe him once in two or three weeks during the colder months.

Avoid Cutting the Quick

While trimming your buddy’s nails, be very careful. Do not cut his nails too short because you may cut the quick, and doing so can lead to blood loss. Even if you cut the quick by mistake, do not panic. Instead, grab a piece of cloth and press it against the cut toenail. Then pour styptic powder or cornstarch on it to stem the flow of blood.

The next time you groom your buddy, make sure you follow these tips. Also, share them with other pet parents you know so that they too can groom their furry munchkin the right way.

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Effective Ways To Support Your Pet Suffering From Joint Pain & Arthritis

Dogs are the most energetic and adorable species that befriend mankind. Having a dog as a pet is like having liveliness in your life. Pet parents treat their dog as a kid and would never think him to be aged as the time flows. But, being aware of your pooch’s nature, when you see him struggling to jump over his favourite chair, doing a stiff walk instead of an easy run or just lying down accompanied by a deep groan, displays that he is trapped by the adversities of ageing. It is wearisome for pet parents to see that the things which were once the second nature of their dog have now become an effort. Considering the upside of ageing is when your Fido gets mature and wiser while the increased joint pain and possibility of arthritis is, unfortunately, a downside of ageing.

Here we will discuss the best possible ways to prevent the onset of arthritis and other joint issues in your dog.

Causes of Joint Pain in Dogs

Joint pain is one of the most common ailments found in dogs. There are many causes of joint pain and arthritis in dogs but hereditary conditions and such as hip dysplasia which are particularly common in some specific breeds of dogs. There’s cartilage surface of joints present in the dog’s body which begins to thin as and when the dog gets older and cartilage cells die. When the cells die, they release enzymes that cause inflammation of the joint capsule and releases excessive joint fluid. The severe thinning of cartilage narrows down the joint and the bone beneath the cartilage deteriorates. You cannot reverse joint disease but you can slow down the progression and often prevent it from taking a serious turn.

Below are the top tips to help ease your pooch’s joint pain.

What to Feed Your Dog

A healthy life starts with a healthy diet but it’s not just about starting a healthy life for your pooch because the major key is to maintain their healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, these days the food given to pets is full of carbohydrates while it is shown to be highly inflammatory.An abundance or carbs intake makes your dog obese and pets with excess weight put stress on joints and reduce their mobility. As a pet parent, it is your responsibility to provide a healthy diet for your pup. Adding joint-supporting dietary supplements such as Hill’s Prescription Diet j/d Canine Joint Care with Chicken Dry and Royal Canin Canine Mobility Large Dog Food can be highly beneficial.

How to help your Dog in Weight Management

Weight management is an antidote to regular exercising your dog is essential to prevent your dog from joint disease. But if your dog is already diagnosed with arthritis or joint pain then arduous exercise can detriment your dog’s joint. Therefore, doing little exercise regularly is crucial for continued joint mobility. This helps to strengthen the ligaments and muscles around affected joints. So, in order to restrict your pet from gaining an excess amount of weight and putting unnecessary pain on joints, be punctilious with their weight management.

What are the Joint Care Products for Dog

There is a myriad of joint care supplements available in the market. But, it can be overwhelming for pet parents to choose the joint care products that best suitable for your Fido. The supplements can be used to improve joint mobility and support better joint functioning. However, the highly recommended joint care products for dogs are Bark Naturals Joint-Boost Supplement, Joint GuardPowder for Dogs and Joint Guard Liver Treat Chews for Canines available at discounted rates on DiscountPetCare.com.au

Keeping your Dog in Warm & Dry Environment

When your pooch is suffering from joint pain, he would be longing for an easy and comfortable environment. Pet parents should ensure to take steps to adjust their dog’s environment at home. It is all about making it easier for the dog to do what they love without risking injury. Provide soft supportive bedding for his achy joints, secure the rugs to help your dog get traction when he walks and use ramps to help him get in and out of the bed or up to the car.

Other Ways to Keep Your Dog’s Joints Healthy

Along with these points, there are quite a few more things you can do to relieve your pet from joint pain.

·      Acupuncture is a painless technique that works amazingly to relief your pet from pain.

·    The therapeutic laser greatly improves arthritic condition which is a newer form of treatment that stimulates blood flow to tissue and can.

·    Make an effort to massage your Fido regularly to keep their muscles loose or go to a professional animal massage therapist to leverage your dog’s flexibility, circulation and stimulate lymphatic drainage.

Pet parents strive to support their dogs suffering from joint pain or arthritis with an abundance of their affection, support and care. It is all about GTFGproviding a healthy diet to your dog followed by regular exercise, providing suitable supplements, keep your dog moving and just help them feel better.

What Does a Dog’s Body Language Tell About Him?

Have you ever wondered why your dog keeps wagging his tail or jumps when he sees you? Well, dogs have an ebullient personality. Most dogs are cheerful until something irks them. Unlike humans, dogs can’t express their emotions verbally. It’s said that you can tell a lot about a person from his body language, which applies to pets as well. Dogs tend to act differently when they’re nervous. Every little thing your pooch does has some reason behind it. So, in order to understand your dog, you need to pay attention to his body language. Keep on reading to find out what your dog’s actions tell about him.

Tail Wagging

Tail wagging is the most common behaviour in dogs. We often associate this signal with happiness. You’d be surprised to know that a dog wagging his tail doesn’t always indicate he’s happy.

It all depends on the speed. If the dog wags his tail too fast, he’s trying to show his excitement and happiness. On the other hand, slow tail wagging usually indicates nervousness or anxiousness in a dog.

Open Mouth

A relaxed dog will have a very calm demeanor; mouth open, relaxed ear, blinking eyes. You must have noticed that many breeds of dogs constantly keep their mouths open. Some dogs naturally keep their mouth open, while others do it because they might be hungry, out of breath, or they’re just happy.

Avoiding Eye-Contact

If your pooch is looking down instead of making eye-contact, fret not! It’s just his polite way of talking to you. Dogs are not a huge fan of making eye-contact, so they usually look down when they’re trying to be polite.

Perked Up Ears

Dogs have very sharp senses and their ears are always on alert mode. Whenever they hear something suspicious or notice a possible threat, their ears will point upwards. Even if they smell their favourite food, their ears will perk up and they’ll try to follow that smell. So, keep observing your dog’s surroundings to find out what has piqued his interest.

Yawning

Yawning not only means that your dog is sleepy but it is also his way of communicating with you. If you yawn back at your dog, he’ll know that you’ve understood his message. Dogs yawn because they’re either over exhausted, or they’re very relaxed. Basically, when your dog yawn, he’s trying to say, “hooman, please let me sleep now!”

Whale Eye

Whale eye is referred to the white of the eye (sclera). Whenever your dog is anxious, he will avert his gaze and you’ll be able to see the white of his eyes. This kind of situation usually occurs during a visit to the pet, a place most dogs try to avoid.

Licking Lips

A dog licking his lips or panting indicates that he’s nervous or uncomfortable. This can be due to many reasons; new surroundings, getting infested by annoying parasites, or when 

they spot a stranger.

If your dog is uncomfortable in his new surroundings, place some of his old toys in his place. Doing so will calm him down and he won’t feel nervous in a new atmosphere. Furthermore, if you find your is infested by parasites, start the treatment as soon as you can. We offer a wide range of flea and tick treatments as well as products for intestinal worm infection to maintain your pet’s well-being.

Dogs are similar to humans in many ways. By learning these little signs, we can understand what they’re trying to convey. Your pooch will also appreciate your efforts in understanding his language. Pet parenting is not always a walk in the park; sometimes you have to put more efforts. Though, in the end, all these efforts will be worth it when you see the happiness on your buddy’s face!

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Top 7 Reasons To Foster A Pet

While sitting on a sofa with a cup of coffee, in a relaxing mood with all the weekend vibes, do we even realize how privileged we are to get this utmost comfortable and protected environment which we call home? It is bliss for us to be blessed with the ability to communicate our emotions and everything we go through. But, have you ever thought of those homeless and voiceless animals that struggle with many issues every day. Obviously, there are shelters and rescue organizations ever ready to keep and nurture pets but, it becomes arduous even for them to provide space to all the animals who come to them in need.

In such cases, you can be a foster parent by bringing home a pet and temporarily care for a pet in need. So, if you’re dicey about being a foster parent, here are the reasons that will concrete your idea of becoming one.

Fostering is a Short Term Commitment

Fostering a pet is a highly convenient option if you are not looking for a long-term commitment like adoption. Knowing a fact that the pet is in your house only for some time, makes it easier to accept their responsibility. You can manage to give your time and take their utmost care. Moreover, fostering is also flexible. So, if you lack the time to become a full-time foster parent, you can also take an animal over the weekend.  

It Can Help In Adoption

If you are willing and planning to adopt a pet in the near future, being a foster parent can be a great opportunity to test whether you are truly ready for the responsibility or not. Adopting a pet is a big decision. Hence, fostering a pet can eventually provide you with an experience of caring for a pet without a long-term commitment in a way that trains you to become a permanent pet-parent.

It Can be Good for Your Other Pets

Fostering a pet will not only benefit you but it will also be helpful to your pets if you already have any. Bringing another pet into your home can help your existing pet learn more social skills, get better at dealing with stress and become more comfortable when meeting strangers. Additionally, you also add a bit of variety in their daily routine.

You Make a Difference

The shelters and rescue organizations are always in need of foster parents because they don’t have much capacity to keep all the animals that come their way. When you foster a pet you not only change the life of one pet but also make more space for other animals at the shelters. As a foster, you are the one who knows the pet in and out and also the shelters rely on you to get information about the pet to find a perfect permanent home.

You Build Trust

Those poor little pets will always have that prejudice of the negative human interaction that they had so far. So, when you foster a pet and pour out all your love and care towards them, a pet will learn how to trust human companions. This is a phase where you eventually earn the trust of the pet by unleashing them in the newer and happier world.

It’s an Act of Kindness

It is practically impossible to help each and every pet in the world. Therefore, being a foster parent serves as a great opportunity for you to contribute your help in a small way until a home can be found. This is known as an act of kindness put into action.

Help Adopters to See Pets at Their Best

It is overwhelming to see how a pet has changed under your guidance, protection and training in a way that makes all your efforts worthwhile. Fostering a pet is such a noble deed as it not only gives a home to a pet but your training, skills and love also makes a positive difference in finding a permanent home for that pet. A foster home makes a pet’s true personality shine in a way that adopters can get a good idea of how they would be in a home.

Fostering doesn’t come easy as it demands all your time and efforts. But, it also comes with benefits for you by opening your doors and hearts for shelter pets and the amount of difference you make in their lives.

Fun Activities to Do With Your Dog

Generally, animals love to wander into the wild. Dogs are no different; they will take any chance to go out of the house. Can you tell when your dog is the happiest? It might be when you take out the leash and indicate that it’s time for a walk. So, it’s essential to indulge in tasks that keep you and your furry companion active. The best way to initiate is through playing fun games together. 

Your four-legged pal will never deny any opportunity of playing outside, so why not make this experience memorable for both of you? First, observe how enthusiastic your dog is for the activities. If he’s hesitant, try to ease him with small activities like playing fetch. Remember not to overwork your dog on the first day and don’t go for strenuous activities if your dog is not ready for it.

Outdoor activities can be really fun if you approach it correctly i.e. if you have a large dog, it’s okay to play aggressive and physically challenging games, but if you have a toy dog, it might not be a good idea. Here we have shared a list of activities for your dog.

Camping

We believe that the best way to spend the weekend is to go camping. What’s better is your dog can also tag along with you! This will give your pooch a chance to explore new places. Finding new trails is always fun and so is just curling up in your tents at night after a fun-filled day. Make the best of it and enjoy your day with your dog.

Sniffenger Hunt (A New Game Discovered)

This is a scavenger hunt, but for dogs. They love to sniff everything so imagine their joy when you set up a sniffing game for them. We as adults love playing scavenger hunt and so will your dog is if you change the rules a little. All you need to do is hide a few of their favourite toys and treats in the bushes and see how much your dog enjoys this game.

Hiking

If you love hiking, next time take your dog with you. Always ensure that your dog is on a leash whenever you take him along. Pack all the essentials and plenty of water so neither of you gets dehydrated. If the path has bushes and plants, consider spraying your dog with flea and tick repellent spray so your dog doesn’t get infested. Frontline spray is very effective in preventing infestation.

Digging at The Beach

Do you ever get annoyed when your dog keeps digging everything? In that case, take your dog to a nearest beach and play the game of hiding his different toys into the sand. Then let him do the digging. Your furry pal will have a time of his life playing this game! 

Play Flying Disk

This game is the simplest one. Playing with flying disk will give your pooch a much needed exercise and teach him to always come back to you. It will also give him a sense of accomplishment when he catches that flying disk.

We assure you that these activities will be fun for both you and your dog. We understand that not everyone can go camping with their pets, and that’s why we have also shared few activities that you can arrange in your backyard or a nearby park.

So, what are you waiting for? Go out and have fun with your furry pal!

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Congestive Heart Failure in Pets – Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Pets getting diagnosed with any kind of disease is terrifying, more so when it’s Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). It progresses gradually and might be difficult to diagnose in the early stages. Keep on reading to get an insight into the disease, its symptoms, diagnosis, and possible treatments.

Congestive Heart Failure is a very common disease among animals, especially dogs. The condition of CHF occurs when the heart is no longer able to pump sufficient amount of blood in the body. And when the heart cannot pump properly, the blood flows back into the lungs, causing the fluids to accumulate into body cavities, usually abdomen or lungs.

The first and foremost sign of CHF is change in respiratory rate in pets. The ideal respiratory rate is less than or equal to 30 breaths per minute while resting. So, if you want to check manually, see that the pet is sleeping comfortably, and then record his breathing rate.

Main signs of Congestive Heart Failure

• Lethargic
• Bloated
• Not indulging in activities
• Dizziness
• Coughing·

There Are Two Types of Congestive Heart Failure

Right-Sided Heart Failure – Where the fluid accumulates into abdomen, resulting in swelling.

Left-Sided Heart Failure – This is more common among dogs. It happens when the fluid seeps into the lungs tissue, causing ‘pulmonary edema.’

Diagnosis

Whenever the pet shows any of the mentioned symptoms, the first step should be to consult a vet. They will do a primary diagnose and check for any disturbance in the pet’s breathing rhythm using stethoscope. Along with normal heart beats, there will be an additional noise, something like murmuring, which is the sound of fluids around the lungs. That noise indicates the danger of CHS.

These symptoms can be of any underlying heart disease, so it’s crucial to do a proper diagnose. Chest X-Ray is done to study the working of the heart, and to check if any fluid has accumulated in or around the lungs. As a heart has to put more effort in pumping blood around the body, its size will also change, which can be detected in an X-ray.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) test is conducted to measure the electrical activity of the heart. This will record the pattern of heartbeat, so if there are any changes in breathing, this will reflect the abnormalities.

Echocardiogram is an ultrasound which provides pictures of the chambers and valves of the heart and helps in evaluating any heart contractions.  

Treatment

While there is no cure for CHS, many different treatments are available which eases the symptoms and prevents it from spreading or becoming life-threatening. The treatment for CHS is different for every animal as many things are taken into consideration. So, ensure that your vet knows the medical history of your pet.

One of the most common treatments is diuretics. It increases the excretion of water from the body and helps remove the accumulated fluids. This strengthens the heart for as long as you use the treatment. Low salt diet is also incorporated to prevent edema after treating it.

From years of research, doctors have found that Vitamin E is very beneficial for the pets with heart condition. Medicines are temporary treatments, its effect will cease when you stop using them. Vitamin E prevents the formation of excessive scar tissue, which is the main cause of CHS. In some conditions, the pets may have to be treated with medicines, but if you want to prevent the disease, giving a diet consisting of Vitamin E is suggested.

A change in lifestyle has also shown a considerable amount of progress in pets suffering from CHS. Discussing the diet with vet would be the best option, as they will recommend food with low sodium. You will also have to ensure that the dog lives in a stress-free environment. It’s important to take care of their mental health as it is directly related to their heart functions.

Prognosis

As there is no cure for this, you will have to rely on treatments to sustain with this disease. Taking care of your furry companion and providing necessary treatment is the best you can do. Preventive measures could also be taken so that your pet doesn’t have to suffer from such deadly disease.

This is indeed a life-threatening disease if left untreated. Always ask your vet for advice, even if it’s a small thing, it’s better to run it by a vet and follow the given advice. These are very sensitive cases, so you should always seek a help of a professional. We always wish that our pet remains healthy, though sometimes we have no control over things, so it’s better to be prepared and take immediate actions.

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7 ODD Signs that Makes You A Crazy Cat Person

For a cat lover, nothing can be as fulfilling as petting the cat and being beside her. Cat owners are obsessed about their cat and never miss out to turn out a stone in order to make their kitty happy. Whether it is their health, food, bedding or toys, cat trendy stuff cat lover will never miss on anything or neglect it.

If you love cat or have a kitty and want to know whether you belong to cat-fetish clan? Then here comes a set of things that you would really love to explore about yourself and find out whether truly you belong to cat lover community or not.

Love

Your kitty means the whole world for you and you’re in love with her so much that you ensure that not a speck on this earth can harm her. You put away all your work just to spend time with her or ensure that you don’t disturb her while she is sleeping in your lap or near the couch.

Cat-Themed Unique Funny Products

Whether it is closet or a wall in your bedroom, your house is fully embedded with cat-themed stuff. From the kitty embossed t-shirt, coffee mugs to pillows, you feel never enough with them and still want to flaunt with many cutest cat-themed merchandise.

Cat Health

You’re quite committed to never miss your kitties vet appointments, vaccinations, monthly flea, and tick treatments and worming program. For you, her health and wellness is your top priority. You’re also quite particular about her dental regime as well as ear and eye care. You always keep yourself updated about the new cat supplies in the market and information related to cat health.

Heaven on Earth

It seems the whole world is at a halt and the heaven is on earth when your kitty snuggles up to you. No matter how much stressed out or frustrated you are, that cuddles and muses let you forget everything on this earth, giving the bliss and ecstasy of the lifetime.

Food

Whether it is her normal food, special diet or cat treats, you research the whole world out to bring in the best available food items for your furry companion. You are always keen 

not to comprise with quality and stock those top brand items.

Selfies

Your smartphone must be oozing with a bountiful of your kitty’s photos than your own or family members. You’re head over heels for your kitty and never miss to take a selfie with her. Your social media is networked with cat communities over the world and your timeline is frenzied with your cat stories. Not just this, you are always ready to just troll down an anti-cat profile.

OUT of STOCK Products

You feel overwhelmed or pissed off when you find that your kitty’s favourite pet food is out of stock at your neighbourhood pet store and at the worst you are also not able to order online as food goes out of stock on the online stores also. Therefore, take this advice and always have bountiful of cat treats or food stocked so that you never run out of it. Alternatively, you can also subscribe for the auto-reorder program where your cat food is delivered as per your mentioned scheduled. This not only frees you from remembering ordering online frequently but also saves you from the stress of out of stock scenarios.

Well, you are dazzled with all the cat stuff in the world and your kitty is an epitome of love and true companion for you. Touched with your cat’s cute actions, you think your small world is complete and nothing else can buy you happiness.