Tools for Grooming Pet Dogs

Whatever breed of dog you have, you need grooming tools. The recommendation of experts is to maintain a habit of grooming your dog at a very young age. Grooming will then become a way to pleasantly bond with your pet, and make it a part of its regular routine.

The brushes that are commonly used to groom dogs are as follows:

Bristle brushes

These are suitable for all dog breeds. For dogs that have longer coats, opt for brushes that have longer and widely spaced bristles.

Wire-pin brushes

This is best for dogs with longer hair, but not recommended for those with short hair. This is also appropriate if their hair is curly or very thick.

Slicker brush

This is one type of bristle brush that has very fine bristles. This is great for detangling your dog's hair.

De-shedder

This is best for dogs with medium to long hair length, especially those that shed regularly or during a particular season.

The skin and fur of your dog is a lot different from your own. Aside from using the right brushes, you should pick the shampoo and conditioner that best suits their needs.

Toys

All living creatures should have fun, and these include dogs. The truth is, giving them toys will provide benefits that go beyond simple enjoyment. Toys allow them to be more physically and mentally active, as well as direct their excess energy towards behavior patterns that are more productive. In addition, a number of toys maintain good dental health.

Some of the most popular dog toys are the following:

Food- dispensing toys

What could be better than toys that are not only enjoyable, but tasty as well? Under this category of toys, perhaps the most popular example is Kong's.

Tug toys

All dogs love to play tug-of-war games. However, you should be careful about playing this kind of game with your dog. There should be rules and limits to playing tug with them, or else this could lead to some dogs becoming too aggressive. When tug games are done right, they can be a lot of fun for both man and dog.

Fetch toys

With wonderful fetch toys like balls and Frisbees, you do not need to let your dog chase an ordinary stick. Keep in mind that such toys should be made of soft plastic to avoid dental damage caused by hard plastic. Dogs also love to fetch tennis balls, but be sure they are meant for dogs and not for the tennis sport, which can actually scrape your dog's teeth enamel.

Chew Toys

These toys are great for making your dogs busy, especially when they are alone. It is best, though, to still keep an eye on them even when you are occupied with other chores. This is to make sure that your pet does not eat or swallow big pieces. As a rule, it is important to avoid giving indigestible chew toys. Besides, very hard chew toys can damage their teeth. Find out if a chew toy is too hard by trying to hit it on your knee. When it causes pain, then, it is way too hard to chew.

Provide Your Dog with the Comforts of Home

Just like your home, which is warm, cozy and comfortable, your dog would like to live in the same environment with all the things he loves and needs within reach.

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Is Your Cat in Pain? Recognize These Signs & Symptoms!

From jumping to and from the bed to smashing the wall hangings on the floor, cats have done it all. They're the most happening thing in your house, keeping you busy all the time.

If you're a cat owner, you'll probably relate to what I just mentioned about them, but what you're most like to ignore is a cat's sickness. I'm not judgemental about your relation with the cat, but this is the most common scenario. Since it is in the nature of a cat to hide pain, it becomes difficult or impossible to understand when a cat needs attention. However, before you start making conclusions about your cat, you need to understand these points mentioned below.

#1. Why cats hide their pain

Cats are hunters by nature, and their tendency to disguise discomfort is an evolutionary holdover from their days in the wild where injury or illness paints a target on their back to nearby predators. The appearance of weakness would make a cat vulnerable or put her in danger of being bullied or abandoned by her group. Even though domestic cats have nothing to worry about becoming prey, they may still view other pets in the house or even other people as their competition. Even if you're extremely overprotective of them, there are chances you still might not be able to spot when your kitty is masking her pain symptoms.

#2. Recognizing the symptoms of pain in cats

A cat who's experiencing pain will often show changes in behaviour that are accompanied with mood swings. As a cat parent, you need to spot when you cat is not in a mood to mingle with anyone in the family and doesn't show any signs of being right or wrong. Mentioned below are the few behavioural changes among cats when they're in pain:

• Hiding
• Sitting still and hunched up
• Loss of interest in people, other pets, or even activities
• Neglecting to groom themselves, or even over-grooming in one spot
• Purring, excessive meowing, or unusual vocalizations
• Restlessness or aggression toward friendly surroundings

Other than these behavioural changes, a cat in pain will lose appetite all of a sudden. You might as well witness unusual vomiting. When cats suffer chronic pain, such as arthritis they might stop using the litter box or stop climbing objects in the house because it's too difficult for them to climb.

#3. How your vet can help

Any abnormal behaviour from a cat should mean an immediate visit to her veterinarian. Instead experimenting with her supplements and medicines, it is best that you take her to the vet, who can then determine whether these changes are due to pain or illness. Depending on the reason for the behavioural change your vet will then treat the underlying cause. The vet will help with pain management - which includes the prescription of pain medication, heat therapy, physical rehabilitation and even massage. If the cat is suffering from chronic joint pain, the vet will put her on weight management food and sometimes recommend changes in her diet.

You might have to visit the veterinarian several times a month until your cat shows normal behaviour once again. Do not hesitate in taking some time off your busy schedule to take her to the visit, remember each visit will help your cat live longer and healthier.

#4. How you can help

The only things your vet can do is prescribing her right medication and seeing her time to time, but you still have a bigger responsibility to handle. Remember to spend a lot of time with her; she might not ask for it, or sometimes even avoid the love you shower on her, but she needs it the most. You can consider relocating her bed, food dishes, water bowls and litter box, so they're easier for her to locate. Make sure the litter box is simple enough for her to climb effortlessly. In case you're living in a big family, remember to keep children away from her. While she might escape it herself, you don't want her to lose trust in people while she's recovering.

Your cat is certainly an important part of your life and even if you're worried about her health, remember she is a fighter. Just don't forget to give her all the love and attention that she's been avoiding for a while. And once she's okay she'll be the same little purr-ball that she always was, the one who's smashed things on the floor and jumped from one corner of the house to another.

Already waiting for her to be okay!

Owning a cat is not the easiest thing you can do, but if you can take care of the little thing it will definitely give you a lot of happiness. As the poster of this article, and being a cat owner it is my responsibility to let other cat owners know the symptoms of pain in cats. Through the months of being with my little kitten, what I learned is a lot about the nature of cats and the various things that make them happy and sad. Also through a little research, I understood that cats are extremely adorable animals and you can never have enough of them.

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Can Dogs Eat Honey?

Dog or pet owners, namely those who themselves love honey, might wonder whether or not it is safe for pets to have honey. Whether you are a dog, cat, or other pet owner, or simply love animals, the answer to this question is yes. But, like every food/treat you are going to feed animals, it is important to know the deviations to this answer. And yes, there are some things dog owners have to know prior to feeding their dogs or cats honey.

1. Dogs can eat honey -

This is adult dogs. It is important to avoid feeding puppies honey, as it can cause allergies, can be adverse to their health, and it can cause issues with their digestive system. Due to the fact that they are not fully grown and can't process all foods, it is important to avoid feeding puppies or kittens honey, until they are fully grown (adult sized).

2. Do so in moderation -

Again, feeding your animals or pets honey is okay. In fact, it has been linked to even possibly helping ward off certain allergies or ailments your pet might otherwise contract. With this in mind, you must consider the amount you are going to be feeding them. If you so choose to give your pets honey, it is important to avoid giving them more than one teaspoon per week. This is going to have the opposite effect (to help ward off allergies) and can in fact be detrimental to their overall health. Too much sugar is not only bad for the heart, but their teeth and hygiene are also going to suffer if too much is fed to them.

3. The benefits are plentiful -

Above we already noted the fact that honey can help ward off certain allergies. But, there are also additional benefits to feeding dogs or cats honey (again, moderation is key if you so choose to feed them. Some of the additional benefits to feeding them honey include: the fact that it is a natural energy booster, it will help enhance the mood, it can help improve overall digestive health, and can help improve overall levels of health if fed to your pet.

There are many treats out there which in fact contain honey as a main or additive ingredient. With this in mind, pet owners should not believe there to be any danger in feeding dogs or cats honey. With this in mind, as is the case with any foods you give your pet, make sure you do so in moderation. If it is natural honey, try to give them one teaspoon or less per week. And, if it is found in their treats, make sure you follow package labels when feeding them those treats. Whether they love the taste, or you are simply looking to help improve their overall level of health, if you are one of the many pet owners who are wondering can pets have honey and is it safe for them to consume, the short answer to this question is - Yes.

Always check with your vet before if you think your pet may have any health issues prior to giving them anything different.

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