Giving Your Pet "People Food"

Holiday season is fast approaching and many pets actually get harmed during this time of year through the simple giving of "people food". Even though many owners waiver from time to time, the general consensus is that you should not have your pet eating people food. Often times, you may find this hard because you like to share all kinds of treats with your little furry friend. However, in addition to the problems that can arise with begging for food, there are also a certain amount of dangers that come along with pets eating people food.

All of the dog and cat foods on the market are made with specific ingredients that are geared for their bodies and their needs. When you introduce too many table foods, you are opening a door that can cause a great number of problems with both behavior and health. Did you know that there are all kinds of people foods that are dangerous and potentially deadly for your pets?

Many people know just how dangerous eating people food such as chocolate or grapes can be for dogs, but did you also know that onions, apples and even avocados can be bad news? Certain kinds of melons can cause kidney failure in dogs. The unfortunate thing is that many pet owners are fairly unaware that even the simplest of people foods can cause instant damage as well as damage down the road to their pets.

Always be weary of giving your pet bones, especially fowl such as chicken or turkey, that can break off and injure them either in their mouth or internally. Many people have even had cats die because they happened to get into chicken bones that were left on their counter or on top of their garbage.

Give your pet items such as all natural liver treats that were meant just for them and you'll be ensuring the good health of your pet through proper feeding.
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Should You Declaw?

One of the most dividing topics among cat owners is the issue of declawing. Many people firmly believe a cat can be trained to only scratch their claws on an item all their own such as a scratching post or the other camp that believes a declawed cat is better than a homeless one as many owners report had their cats not become declawed, they could not have kept them due to the destruction of the property within the home.

There are non-surgical alternatives that can lessen the ability of your cat to shred your drapes and curtains. They include clipping the claws, using rubber claw caps that fit snugly over the claws and make the cat unable to scratch or you can also work with your cat to teach him or her the proper place to scratch. If you work or don't have the time to invest in fully training your cat, claw caps or declawing may be your only alternative. Before you declaw, understand what the process entails for your feline. A standard declaw involves amputating the last digit on each of the front toes. This is like cutting off your fingertips at the first joint. The skin is glued or stitched over the exposed joint, the feet are bandaged, and the cat is sent home to heal for a couple of weeks. The alternative offered by some veterinarians involves severing the tendons that allow a cat to unsheathe its claws. The main drawback to this procedure is that the claws will continue to grow, and must be kept trimmed.

Cats are driven to scratch and keep their nails sharp. It's an instinct and can't be stopped. The secret is to give your cat someplace appropriate to scratch. Before you opt for declawing surgery, try to train your cat to use a scratching post. It isn't difficult to do at all. When you catch your cat scratching someplace inappropriate, give a firm, "No!" and pick your cat up and take him to the scratching post and talk softly and praise him. Wiggle a feather toy or other item to entice him to play and scratch. Make it fun and your cat will soon relate the scratching post to praise and fun and scratching anywhere else to negative feelings and being scolded. Most cats catch on very quickly.

If you do choose declawing, your cat will need to be kept exclusively indoors as their main tool of defense will have been removed and your cat will be unable to protect himself.
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Holiday Traveling With Your Pet

If you enjoy visiting friends and relatives for the holidays and your pet is welcome, you will probably want to bring your furry friend along instead of boarding him or having a neighbor watch him.

Some pets can actually become car sick if they aren't accustomed to riding in a car and there is just nothing worse than taking a road trip, or just heading off for an appointment, only to find that your pet is not feeling so hot and unfortunately coating the interior of your car with whatever your pet had for his last meal. Even the most well-traveled pets can have a bout of car sickness from time to time, but there are a few tips and tricks you should know to help keep the problem of car sickness at bay.

In order to take control of car sickness before it even happens, it is a great idea to know a few things that can cause it. Sometimes, your pet can get overly excited about the trip, they may be thinking back at some bad car experiences that they have had, or they may even be the type that just cannot handle the small space or the movement of the car. Chances are, if you work on it for a while, you may be able to get rid of car sickness for good. Getting a good car seat for your pet may alleviate many issues with car sickness. Your pet can sit next to you or wherever you like in your car and will be securely tethered into a comfortable seat that will prevent the pet from feeling a rocking and moving motion that can cause car sickness. Additionally, a pet that is running loose in a car is a danger to himself and others. This will also eliminate that issue.

If you have never taken your pet out in a car and you're not sure how he will handle it. Make some test runs and increase the length of the drive every time you go. If you have a few errands to run, take your pet along with you. This will be an excellent way to spend time with your pet as well as getting them used to traveling in a car and minimize the chances of car sickness ruining your next road trip with your pet.
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When Your Pet Has Behavior Changes

When your pet undergoes a sudden change in their behavior, be aware that he or she is trying to tell you something. Your pet can not tell you with words when they don't feel well or something is hurting them, so most pets undergo big changes in their personalities. It can be something extreme like a normally docile family pet getting suddenly aggressive and snapping or it could be that your very outgoing pet is suddenly very shy and withdrawn and completely lacking in energy. Whatever is causing the problem, there could be some type of underlying problem that should be addressed immediately.

Another common change could be that their pet seems to be beginning to urinate or soil inside the house. These are the types of sudden changes that really warrant a visit to the veterinarian. The reason for this is that many times, there could be some kind of medical problem that is bothering your pet. They may have some type of hidden injury, internal infection and so on. Your cat or dog could even be acting strangely if they have something as simple, yet as painful, as a sliver or a small cut on one of their paws.

If you have noticed any sudden and strange changes in your pet, you should really start with a phone call to your veterinarian. Once you make a visit, they will be able to tell you if there is any sort of medical problem bothering them. If you can rule out medical problems, consider changes around your house. The addition of a new pet, new family member or a move of the physical location of your home. All of these things will bring changes to your pet's life and like people, not all pets can cope with change easily.

Behavior changes based on emotional issues your pet is having such as adjusting to a new baby in the house can usually be remedied by giving the pet extra attention and even a few treats when training or playing. Just go out of your way to make your pet feel a little special and you'll see a marked improvement in the behavior of your pet.
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Bad Breath Prevention in Your Pet

If you snuggle up to your pet and get blasted in the face with their less than pleasant breathe, you need to do two things: number one, make sure that your pet's bad breath isn't due to underlying dental problems. Number two, if your pet's teeth aren't the culprit of the bad breath issue, the diet that your pet is eating probably is.

Plaque is a very common culprit of bad breath in pets. Unless it is worn down through dental procedures done by your vet or simple brushing at home; chewing on items such as rawhide chews will also help. The plaque can get out of control and turn into a case of very painful gingivitis that may have to be treated by your veterinarian. Because of the consequences such as tooth loss and pain, you will want to do everything that you can to ensure your pet's bad breath doesn't develop into something more complicated.

You can go to any pet supply store or maybe even the shop at your veterinarian's office and purchase the items that you need to brush your pet's teeth. While you are brushing the teeth of your cat or your dog, you will want to be on the lookout for problems such as an abscessed tooth, which would definitely be causing bad breath. If you do not find any noticeable problems, then you may want to look into the food that your pet has been eating.

Generally, soft foods that come in a can cause a tremendous amount of bad breath. It is always a great idea for your cat or dog to eat plenty of dry foods, which can also work to get some of the particles off of their teeth. As long as you regularly check your cat or dog's teeth and brush them regularly, you should be able to avoid much more serious dental problems and bad breath down the road.

If the problem is purely diet related, you can give your pet occasional treats such as breath mints that will help keep their bad breath problems at bay.
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