Posts for 'Pets' Category

I placed my panting pooch on the table at the Journal booth, then silently counted down. And, three, two, one ... "Oh, she's so cute! What kind of dog is that?" And so it began. The humans I met at Pets in the Park last weekend had no interest in me; it was my sweet, little white Pomeranian they wanted to meet, which is as it should be.

Because of Keesha, I had the chance to meet dozens of Journal readers, pet lovers and pet owners, and hear their stories. The best part, though, was being able to meet their pets: Nova, Charlie, Henry, Jet, Maggie, Bubbles, Homer, Jinx, Ginger, Teddy, Missy and dozens of other adorable furry faces whose names I never learned.

Mouse was a Pomeranian with the saddest eyes I've ever seen, but her story was a happy one. Her human rescued her from a puppy mill four years ago, when she was a skinny, mite-ridden puppy. Sir was a breed of German shepherd I had never heard of before -- and a certain size. His head was the size of Keesha's entire body.

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Q: My cat Flicker has always been great at using the litter box, but lately she has started peeing in the basement and in one corner of the living room. How can I get her back to using the box again?

A: Cats: the fractious feline friends to humans, known for embodying qualities of beauty, grace and intelligence, while coupled undeniably with an unabashed side of independent pride. These qualities make them both irresistible, yet at times baffling, companions for people.

On the one hand, cats come with so many wonderful qualities already predisposed within their very feline nature. You do not need to usually “house train” a cat, rather, if you simply provide your cat with a litter box or two, they should choose to go there of their own accord. Pet parents with young puppies only wish it were so easy!

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Pet obesity is common in the UK. The problem is usually simple: owners feed their dogs too much food, and don’t take them for enough exercise. The answer is to give less food and more exercise. Special low-calorie diets for pets make it easier for weight to be lost in a controlled, manageable way.

However, if you ever read advice for owners of fat dogs, you will see that the first recommendation is usually “get your pet checked over by a vet”. There are some medical problems that can cause pets to become obese, and in such cases, there is no point in just putting the dog on a diet.  These animals require medical treatment for their obesity, and nothing else will work.

Alfie had been a slim, trim, active dog who loved going for walks. Last summer, for no obvious reason, his personality changed. He started to lie around the home more than before, sleeping instead of being active and energetic. When his owner took out the dog lead and headed for the front door, Alfie just lay there, barely lifting his head. He had to be almost physically dragged outside to go for a walk. When he was on walks, he just moped along, with none of his usual bounciness and excitability.

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Pet shelter makes a plea for pet food in Citrus County.  County Animal Services is hoping to raise awareness of a growing need.  They say as families struggle to find enough food to feed themselves often pets are left out or abandoned.

Not only do food banks see an increase in food requests but they also have requests for pet food and will gladly accept donations. Animal Services Shelter Ops Manager Pattie Amon says we may not think about peoples' pets.

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If you have a cat that is not spayed or neutered and you haven’t done it because of financial reasons, the Oakland Pet Adoption Center in conjunction with.

The Michigan Pet Fund Alliance and the Michigan Humane Society are booking now for our low-cost, low-income Oakland County residents spay/neuter clinics.

The clinics are held every month at the Oakland Pet Adoption Clinic, 1700 Brown Road in Auburn Hills, and costs $20.00 per cat. The price includes distemper and rabies vaccinations, wormer, and flea and earmite treatment.

The big freeze has boosted sales of dog coats and rabbit hutch covers at Pets at Home, with the retailer enjoying bumper trading over the Christmas period and improving its prospects of finding itself a buyer. Like-for-like sales climbed 6.7% in the six weeks and to 7 January Sales were up 9.8% in the 41 weeks to 7 January.

The 252-store chain has put itself up for sale and is in talks with several private equity firms but has not ruled out a stock market flotation. Today's figures could boost the retailer's price tag in an auction. A total of 1.4m presents were bought from Pets at Home over Christmas. The cold snap led to a surge in sales of products to keep pets warm, from rabbit hutch covers to dog coats. It sold 70% more dog coats than last year. The retailer also sold more than a thousand tonnes of wild bird food.

But John Lewis was less lucky during the cold snap. It reported a 1.4% slide in sales for last week as the snow and ice kept shoppers away from the high street. In the same week - John Lewis's peak clearance week - back in 2008 the department store group enjoyed a 9.9% sales surge.

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Don't be suprised if you see a football player, frog or cheerleader walking on four legs this Halloween. Pet costumes are more popular than ever before and come in a variety styles. We Lov Pets on Maple Avenue says pet costumes are flying off the shelves, but owners need to make sure their dogs or cats fit the costumes.

"They need to be comfy, nice and loose on them, but not too loose, you don't want it dragging on the floor so they can use it for next year," says Tess Dobson the store supervisor. Also make sure there is nothing hanging from the costumes that a dog or cat could pull off and swallow. Dobson says one particular costume is very popular this year.

"Well everyone wants the wiener dog, that is the cute one, the hot dog one," says Dobson. So this Halloween make sure to have candy for the two legged trick or treaters, but also a couple dog bones for the four legged ones.

It's official, Melbourne is Australia's most livable city - for pets.After surveying 1800 people around the nation, the Australian Animal Companion Council on Tuesday declared Melbourne ahead of Adelaide, with Darwin in last place out of the eight capitals.

Melbourne ranked first with 7.13 out of 10, while Darwin scored 5.82. However, the council believes all Australian capital cities, including Melbourne, are not doing well enough in delivering liveability for pets. Dr Kersti Seksel, a vet and spokeswoman for the council, said there was no clear reason why Melbourne rated the highest.

"There may be more open spaces like parks or beaches," Dr Seksel said. "But there's room for improvement in every state."Dr Seksel said there should be pet-friendly regulations for tenants and owners wishing to keep pets in their homes and an increase in the number of dog-friendly open spaces.

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Just as human beings age and face the physical complications of living a longer life, so do dogs and cats. For them it comes much sooner, as a 6 year old up to twenty pound dog is already coping with the issues of a person of about forty years. A larger canine, say 90 pounds, at six people years is pushing fifty. Cats age at about the same rate as the up to twenty-pound crowd.

As the significant caregiver, you have a vital role in maintaining your pet's health by careful observation for early signs of potential health problems. A senior pet should be examined by his or her vet at least twice a year. Since their aging is so condensed compared to human aging, visiting their doctor every year or two is like people getting a check up every five to 10 years. This is not soon enough to catch problems and nip them in the bud or provide competent management, insuring comfort and quality longevity.

According to Dr. Susan Nelson, a Kansas State University veterinarian who specializes in pet health care, "Although some age-related diseases may not be preventable, early detection and intervention is key to successful management." The goal of senior pet care is to bless your pet with the best quality of life for as long as possible. The best way to achieve this is by starting conscientious vet care while they are yet puppies and kittens, instead of waiting until faced with a health care issue the may have been waylaid or the onset of those senior year.

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Vets believe the pets could have been poisoned by drinks laced with antifreeze, which tastes sweet.  Two households in Underwood Place in Bridgend, South Wales, have each lost two cats. Karen John, 37, was the first to lose her two pets Willow and Waffle.

She told The Sun: "I was worried somebody may be putting out poison for rats and asked people to beware. I was amazed when people told me their own pets had died."  Gail Povey, 30, had to endure watching her three-year-old cat Horace suffer for two weeks before he was put down.

She said: "It's so heartbreaking."  And Laura Wehko, 26, has lost her two cats Chilli and Kiwi within a month. She said: "It is terrible to see your pet die a painful death like Chilli did. "The first few cats died in a spate a few weeks ago and then it stopped, but now it's happening again."

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