The diets of our pets, like citizens, tend to include more omega 6 fatty acids rather than omega 3. This is an imbalance that needs to be addressed.

Omega 3 fatty acids are requisite because they assist with the proper formation of cell membranes, cardiovascular functions, nourish the lining of the digestive tract, and work to  keep your cat or dog’s skin and coat smooth, soft and shiny . Another requisite function of omega 3 fatty acids is that they work to reduce inflammatory problems inside the body. If you discover the coat is dull and brittle or if he/she tends to have dry skin and scratch a lot, it may perhaps be due to a lack of this particular fatty acid.

There are different types of required fatty acid supplements that are available, however which selection you decide to supplement your dog or cat’s diet can be a bit of a dilemma.

Pure plant oils such as flax oil, evening primrose oil, safflower oil or a blend of plant oils is a wonderful alternative to fish omega-3 fats. These must be “cold-pressed” oils, because opposed to oils that are typically extracted with chemical solvents. The trouble with plant oils is that animals have a harder period converting the fatty acids to a form finest used by the animal’s system.

Fish oils, such because salmon oil, halibut liver oil, or cod liver oil are more simply converted and used by an animal’s body. The downside is that fish oils often contain deadly toxins, including high levels of dangerous PCBs, dioxins and detectable levels of mercury. Farmed salmon is the worst for contamination and contains less omega 3 acids than wild salmon. At this moment nearly 30% of all fish are farmed, with salmon being in the 90% farmed range. As well, farmed salmon are often carriers of disease and parasites. When supplementing diet using fish oils, you want oils that come from wild sources, not farmed.

There are also blended fish and plant oil supplements available. These often include a mixture of salmon or cod liver oil and flax, safflower or other such oils that make available a mixture of 3 to 4 parts omega 3 oils to 1 section omega 6 oils. Giving your animal a combination fish/plant supplement may perhaps be a excellent alternative to believe, since they must contain fewer toxins because they are not strictly fish oils, yet always should be better assimilated by the animal’s body than straight plant oils.

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Does Spot seem to be sporting quite a belly these days? As a dog owner, it can be very easy not to realize a decline in your dog’s health until the damage is already done. Obesity is a very becoming a very real concern for them and it’s up to us animal owners to do something about it. This article is going to discuss a few tips for recognizing obesity in your dog and how you can help  get him back into shape .

You must realize that all dogs require exercise. Whether you have a Pomeranian or a Great Dane, every breed and size of dog must maintain certain levels of activity on a daily basis.

Think about your dog’s average day from beginning to finish. If you can’t bring it to mind, keep an eye on him for a few days and write down his usual activities. For my dog, I drew a time line of his average day. In my timeline I wrote down when he woke up, his meal times, his usual trips outside, nap times, etc. This really helps to put into perspective whether your dog is truly lacking exercise or if a  change of diet  is required.

That brings us to our next topic: the great outdoors. Have you ever stepped outside on a nice crisp morning, taken a deep breath of cool air and revelled in how good it feels to connect with nature? Maybe you don’t do this all the time, but for a dog, this is a common comparison of how natural it is for them to crave the outdoors because dogs are natively the outdoorsy type. Being outdoors can cause inspiration, not just ideas, but for activity and this is what your dog needs. If your dog doesn’t get to go outside often enough, this could be an answer for why his spirit for activity has shrunk. Try taking him outside at least twice a day, and not just for a bathroom break.

Encourage him to run about and play with toys. It might help to remember that your dog is more likely to want to play if he has someone to play with. If you don t have a private yard, try taking him on dog-friendly walking trails or to do a dog park where he can socialize and spend some alone time with you. Walking is a great way to improve your owner-dog bond as well as lose weight. Going outside isn’t the only activity you can do. Dog steps are a great tool to use to give your dog a bit of exercise while staying in the comfort of your home (especially on rainy or snowy days!). Make a game of running him up and down the steps, such as pushing the stairs against your bed and hiding treats in your covers. This is a favourite of mine as I love watching my dog go crazy as he paws through the covers!

If your dog seems to be getting enough exercise but still seems to be overweight, it may be time to reconsider what you’re feeding him. Does he get a lot of table scraps? Most of the food humans eat simply doesn’t offer any health benefits to dogs. The  canine diet  is supposed to consist primarily of lean meat, supplemented with raw vegetables and specific types of grain. Feeding your dog leftover pizza crusts or the leftover casserole that no one else would eat is a sure-fire way to cause health decline. So cut out the human food! You can also try putting your pooch on a name brand diet kibble for a month or two to see if that helps.

Any time you feel that there could be something amiss with your dog’s health, it’s always best to make an appointment with your dog’s vet to rule out the possibility of an underlying health condition.

For more great information about caring properly for a dog, or to buy a durable set of dog stairs, please visit Help Your Pets.

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Dog and puppy owners need to be sure they understand a few dog health problems basics so they can help their pets if by chance they contract one of the common dog health problems.

Take a look at  Dog Secrets for a list of common pet health problems and treatments you can apply

An oldtime belief, still held onto by many people, is that if their dog has a cold and wet nose, the dog is healthy. The plain truth here is that no one can tell with any scientific certainty from how cold or wet a dog’s nose is, whether or not the dog has any hereditary heart issues, parasites, worms, deafness or any other health condition.

Pet owners should totally repudiate such beliefs that have no scientific basis and instead pay strict attention to the physical condition of their dog in general making sure they regularly check for disease symptoms or signs in the eyes, teeth, ears, mouth and skin regions. The dog owner should also be responsible to make sure their dog eats well, gets regular checkups and is groomed on a regular basis so that their dog will stay healthy for a long time to come.

Symptoms of Dog Health Problems

There are a number of signs and signals that might be telling you that your dog has specific dog health symptoms or problems or diseases. Owners of dogs should be sure they know about these signals of potential health issues in their dogs so they can prompt action if needed.

• Your dog’s fur needs to be fluffy, soft and shiny. If your dog has a wiry coat, the strands should spring back up whne touched and should be thick. Breeds with double coats should have no indication of thinning on the undercoats.

• Redness, sores, scabs, scales, flakes, lumps and growths on the dog’s skin can be signs of health problems. Its importatn that both your dog’s fur and skin remain free of parasites – little organisms like fleas or ticks or mites. Frequent scratching or even biting of the skin is an indication of potential parasites.

• Just like us, bright, shiny eyes in your dog means good health. Around their eyeballs, dogs have an area that needs to be pink to show that they are healthy. This area is called the conjunctiva and a pale color in this area could signify some underlying health problems. Make sure there are no out of the ordinary discharges seeping from your dog’s eyes, particularly nothing green or yellow.

• A foul smell or bloody discharge from your dog’s ears means something is not right with your dog’s health. Its important to keep the ears clean and free of parasites like mange mites.

• Gums that have a healthy pink color which may contain some black pigmentation is a sign of good health. Pale colored gums can be a sign or symptom of anemia. Reddish gums that leak droplets of blood can often be signals that there is something amiss peridontally and this combined with a rank breath odor can spell trouble with a hidden health problem.

• Remembering back to hearing about the belief about a dog’s nose, that a healthy canine almost always has achiily, damp nose but this is really caused only by a relatively clear and runny nasal discharge that is fairly common in dogs. If your dog has a bad smeling and icky colored discharge coming form the nose, you need to have your dog looked at right away. Such discharges in young pups can be a sign of canine distemper and may prove to be fatal.

There are still other factors to consider and to look at to determine the health of the dog, and these include his weight, bodily temperature, the appearance of urine and feces. The most important thing is to understand these symptoms of dog health problems so that the minute you spot something out of the ordinary, you can take action right away.

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As you really want to make sure that they stay healthy and joyful all the time, you are extremely careful in choosing the medications that you provide them, not considering the high cost of the medicines.

But the amount of money you spend on them may perhaps bother you sometimes. It is then ideal to constantly search for cheaper alternatives without compromising their safety and health  – it’s the most essential and practical advice you need to know.

At times the veterinarians charge unnecessary fees as they recommend some of the simplest medicines. In such a case you can rely on the online medication which is likewise reliable and convenient.

Because even the basic services for animals are becoming more and more expensive in these days of economic downturn, you need to find unconventional means to take good care of them at the same time considering your budget.

You can try some affordable means like online discount pet medications to consider both your financial situation and your dog or cat’s well-being.

You can now find various medications for their ailment without having to visit a vet as there are a lot of expert doctors who are associated with  online advice  and medication sites while you benefit from their free consultation.

Plenty of online animal pharmacies also offer discount medications. This definitely would help you save time and money especially if your dear one needs quick medical attention. For people who live at distant places, this is a sure advantage.

Keeping your furry friends safe and healthy is priceless, but being practical about their needs will definitely work to your advantage – the best advice is to remember your needs too.

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It is an additional member to the family and not only brings the happiness and fun but lots of responsibility for its  care and well-being  regarding its health. You want looking after it to be easy, take a note of pet health and do your research online.

You don’t just have to consider its health, but also how it may impact on you and your family, considering allergies etc. From dogs to cats, rabbits to gerbils, they all have certain germs that they carry so this has the potential to make your family ill, which of course no-one wants.

We may not be aware of many diseases like intestinal parasites, ear infections, skin problems, fleas, allergies, arthritis, cataracts, but they are all common problems.

Due to all these unexpected illnesses and accidents, many insurance companies provide pet health insurance. Should it be in an accident, you can make sure it doesn’t cost too much when you have taken out  insurance. Head online and see if there is a great quote available.

Pets are a full-time job and it is useful to speak with a vet prior to owning one so you know what you need to do to take care of it. There are many different ways to search for health care advice, from the local library to the plethora of online resources that are sure to help.

They are the loves of many lives, so be sure to look after yours and make its life a long and happy one.

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When a pet breaks a leg it is just as unintentional as when a human does. Many things like this are done by falling down the stairs to a simple fall in the garden.

But what can you do when this actually happens when you are not with a private animal hospital? Not much is the real answer here which is why it is important to be a member of one.

One of the plus sides to actually being a member of one of these animal surgery places is that if something worse happens like your animal happens to have its leg needed to be removed they actually have blood transfusions available for pets now so they will not lose any blood if they are hit by a car or something like that and have to have a limb removed.

It is also true to say that many smaller animals have their limbs removed too and can carry on with a perfectly normal life. Wheelie the tortoise is perhaps a fine example of this as she had to have three of her limbs removed and was then fitted with a set of wheels. Since the wheels have been fitted she has started to mate which before she didn’t do which just goes to show how even the smallest of animals can be helped out.

A cast is a lot better than putting the animal down surely which is why going to a vet when your animal starts to limp could be just a bit of old age arthritis or something more sinister like bone cancer. Bone cancer is a very painful thing for a dog or other animal to have and if you suspect something it is far better to have it amputated than to make the animal suffer.

So if it’s a broken leg or even a heart problem a vet will either treat it with a cast or using pets cardiology and make your pet feel that much better!

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If you are worried that something is seriously going wrong with your pets heart then there are a few things that you can check before rushing off to the local animal hospital.

There is a major problem with the early stages of a cat and dog having heart failure and that is that they have no visible signs at all which is why it is best to have it dagnosed through an evaluation by a vet.

There are things in common that occur with both cats and dogs with mild to moderate heart failure can sometimes experience heart enlargement, coughing, lethargy and difficulty breathing.

If some really severe heart failure is going on you can usually tell by the animal having difficulty breathing (even when at rest), fainting, not wanting to exercise, loss of appetite and weight loss. Sometimes even drooling can be involved so watch carefully to see if your dog is drooling (more than usual).

If some of these symptoms to exist then it is best to go directly to your local animal surgery and have your vet take a look at your pet.

Some of the ways your vet could check to see if your pet has heart problems are EKG, chest x-rays, blood testing, or a heart ultrasound. The ultrasound is going to be the one to be of the most use to you as it gives your vet the ability to see and measure the extent of the heart disease.

If the worst comes to the worst and there is something wrong with your pet then it is not to worry as there are many vets now that are experts in pets cardiology enabling them to even a pacemaker into your pet.

If you are really thinking that your pet could be suffering from one or some of these symptoms then it is best to at very least to see that it is checked out. If left untreated it can result in worse problems or even death of a pet which as everyone who has gone through that knows it is not easy to have a pet pass away.

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In the wild, cats have a natural ability and instinct to care for themselves. House cats, on the other hand, depend on humans for care and feeding. They require a considerable amount of attention. Bookstores and local humane societies can provide cat owners with a plethora of educational materials on the responsibility of cat ownership and the care of cats. Here are some tips for how to care for a cat.

Many people falsely believe that it is impossible to train a cat. You can train a cat with any positive training program that is based on a system of gentle training and rewards. Rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad behavior is a proven way of training your cat.

Cats are very clean animals and like to spruce themselves up every day. It is still a good idea to bath your cat about once every three weeks. You can use a specialty cat product, but mild soap will work fine. Remember to keep the soap away from your cat’s eyes. Some cats are difficult to bathe, and you may find it takes a lot of effort and a little first aid. Train your cat to enjoy baths from the time they are a kitten and reward them after a bath with a treat. As they say, start out like you can hold out. You don t want every bath to be a battle.

Try to keep going into the bathroom for a bath calm. If the only time you take your cat in the bathroom is for a bath, it is going to tense up when you pick it up and head for the bathroom. Allow the cat to enter the bathroom with you at other times so that it becomes just another room in the house. Then, when it is bath time, try to keep your cat calm and entertained.

Use a q-tip to gently clean and dry your cat’s ears and nails after bathing. Do not use a hair dryer because your cat’s skin is much too sensitive and can easily be burned. Not only that, but the noise and strong, hot air will probably cause your cat to freak out and try to run away. Towel dry your cat and finish with a good, gentle brushing.

Unless you want to sleep in cat hair, consider getting the cat its own bed. Most cats like to sleep with their owner or beside the bed. You can set up their bed beside your own.

Keep the cat litter box in a place where the cat can easily reach it, but where the smell will not disturb you or your family. Keep the litter box clean for the health and safety of your family and your cat. Keep some of these tips in mind when it comes to choosing a pet for kids as well.

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Be careful to protect your cat from dehydration. Since your cat is unable to communicate with you, you will have to keep a sharp eye on your pet. Watch for any changes in behavior that may be related to heat. If you aren’t home enough to keep an eye on your cat, make arrangements for cool living conditions so that your cat doesn’t dehydrate and overheat.Learning how to take care of a cat during this season is important.

Bring your cat indoors when you notice the temperature is rising. Stray cats learn where to keep cool, but your cat is a pet and may not have the instincts to find a cool place to rest. If it does find a cool place, you may not even know where your cat is all day because it will stay there until the sun sets.

If your cat travels in your car with you, never leave your cat in a parked car in the heat. The temperature in a closed car rises extremely rapidly in the heat. It can be harmful or even deadly to your cat.

Your car can even get too hot when you park in the shade. The sun moves, as it does the heat travels from hotter to cooler regions. Your cat can t alert a passerby if it is getting to hot. A cat can pass out and die in only fifteen minutes in a hot car.

Keeping your cat s fur short will help it keep cool. It will also help to comb out the fur to remove shed fur that is trapped beneath the top layer. Cat owners who have cats with natural long hair may have no choice but to provide their cat with a cooler environment.

Make sure your cat always has access to a bowl of clean water, regardless of the season. You must always help guard against dehydration. Change the water often during the summer to keep it cool. The important thing is to help your cat maintain a healthy body temperature. Keep some of these tips when you are also choosing a pet for kids.

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You know, if you really want your dog to be as healthy as s/he can be, you should stop feeding ANY of the widely available commercial dog foods.

I’m talking here about the types of dog food commonly found in supermarkets, and even about most of the supposedly superior brands sold in some supermarkets, pet food shops, and even by many vets.

The cheaper the brand, then generally the more full of garbage it is, but even many of the more expensive brands leave much to be desired.

What do you think is an ideal diet for your dog? plump chickens? choice cuts of juicy beef and lamb?

Maybe a few healthy fresh grains for variety? the odd fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit?

You’d be right.

But how many of the above ingredients do you think go into commercial pet food?

A lot? Only a little? If you said yes to either of these, you’d be dead wrong.

The average commercial dog food bears NO relation to the above list of choice ingredients, despite what pet food manufacturers display in some of their marketing, and despite what the list of ingredients on the pack or can might tend to indicate.

There is very, very little (if any) of the above ingredients in the average commercial dog food, and by the time it’s been overcooked at sustained high temperatures, and sprayed with preservative agents, the resultant “food” can be very harmful to your dog’s health and wellbeing indeed.

Suffice to say that if you’re feeding your dog ANY commercially available dog food, you’re exposing your dog to a source of chemically enhanced, overprocessed, garbage, the meat source for which includes diseased carcasses which have been left for up to 5 days before being processed.

Enough to turn you off for life? It was for me. As you know, I’ve always fed my dogs a diet of mainly raw meat and bones. But I like to give them a little treat in the mornings rather than just feed them once a day (which, by the way, IS all a dog NEEDS).

I used to give them a handful of dry dog food each morning, sometimes the cheaper supermarket brands, and sometimes the “brand” names which cost 4 or 5 times as much. Now that I know better, I never give my dogs any of that garbage.

I should say that SOME of the expensive pet foods which are readily available ARE better than the cheaper brands. BUT, most are still far from an ideal diet for your dog, so query whether the extra money is money well spent.

If the product says it’s “with real chicken”, did you know that it only needs to contain 3% of chicken? Neither did I.

If the first item listed is meat or chicken, did you know that this doesn’t mean that’s the main ingredient? Neither did I.

Take a close look at the label. It’s likely to list a meat first, and then 2, 3, 4 or 5 types of grains. This is a very misleading tactic used by the commercial pet food manufacturers. Each of the grains individually may be slightly less in quantity than the meat. But added together? They’re probably nearly 2, 3, 4 or 5 times the quantity of the meat ingredient.

After having looked into this issue in a great deal of detail, I am really convinced that in fact  the most healthy diet for your dog is mainly fresh meat, with some fresh veges and a little grain thrown in. And this alone is NOT enough. You need to give your dog a vitamin supplement always, for optimal health.

And for the very best health, there ARE some reputable HEALTHY, wholesome, holistic dog food manufacturers, which really DO provide wonderfully healthy food for our dogs.

Ramblings Of A Dog Owner

And perhaps most comical is that we have trained her to sit patiently while we fill her dog bowl with food, and she will only eat when we tell her ‘Good Girl’ and motion to her bowl.

Looking For Pet Gift Baskets

Executive Summary about Pet Gift Baskets by Terri Simmons. pet gift baskets. Start out your canine basket with a nice doggy bowl. You need to select the bowl that best suits the dog. Don’t get a little tiny bowl for a St. Bernard!

Plastic Pet Food Bowls Are Not As Healthy For Your Dog Or Cat

plastic pet food bowls trap bacteria, which can cause illness and kitty acne, or a dirty, irritated chin. Real more about healthy pet food bowls.  

Pet Dining Table & Dog Bowl Set Accessories

Your home is your castle. When we eat our meals, we like to well seated at a table and enjoy our food in peace and calm. In the same way, when our pets eat.

More than before.

Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food 

About The Author

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free dog health report, click here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com

For info on HEALTHY dog foods, click here: http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com/DogFood

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