How to Remove Pet Hair:

While nothing beats the joy and exhilaration of playing with a furry four-legged friend, it is annoying to find your beloved pet’s hair in every corner of your house. The hair finds its way deep into carpets, furniture, clothes and even into the car upholstery. Even the most avid pet lovers face this problem on a regular basis. It is also important to groom your pets regularly to reduce the amount of loose hair on them. Here are a few easy and effective common tips to remove pet hair from clothing, carpeting and upholstery.

• Dampen the palm of your hand and wipe the pet hair in a downward motion. The hair will ball up so that you can easily pick it up and throw it in the trash.
• You can also dampen a kitchen sponge and rub your fabric, carpet or upholstery with it. Rub the sponge in a downward motion over your sofa cushion and car upholstery, the fur rolls up into clumps that make it easy to pick them off.
• Use latex gloves while rubbing any surface as the pet hair will stick to it. For increased effectiveness it is recommended to dampen the glove or rubber section of the glove.
• Vacuum carpets and furniture regularly and wash the surface as well as the rugs on which the pets sleep or have contact.
• Use masking tape to remove pet hair from your clothing. It is cost effective and simple to use. Wrap the tape around your hand with the sticky part facing outside and press the tape over the surface where you have pet hair.
• Use rubber brooms on your carpets. The rubber bristles work with static electricity and rolls up the hair in a pile. You can later pick up the rolled hair by hand and throw it away.
• You can also buy a vacuum cleaner that is specifically designed to remove pet hair.
• Sprinkle baking soda over rugs and allow it to sit. This helps loosen the pet hair and then you can vacuum it as usual.
• Other tools which are used to remove pet hair includes rubber rakes, hair removal sponges, pet hair rollers, and pet hair magnets
• There are also lint removal brushes which you can use to remove your pet’s hair.
• Pet hair removal from upholstery is made easier if the upholstery is sprayed with static guards and then followed by vacuuming.
• Keep a grooming mitt by your door so that every time your pet comes home from outside you can give it a quick brushing. This will limit the hair fall that ultimately piles up in your house.

Dog Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM):

Canine dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease affecting dogs and is featured by a weak heart muscle where the heart muscle loses its capacity to contract. This causes irregular heartbeats, due to which, the heart fails to pump the required amount of blood. These irregularities allow the ventricles of heart to stretch and leads to increased blood pressure inside the heart. Therefore, the two common characteristics of Canine dilated Cardiomyopathy are enlarged heart chambers and week heart muscles.

Canine dilated Cardiomyopathy is the second most common disease which causes death in dogs. Middle-aged giant breeds including dogs such as Mastiffs, Great Danes and Dobermans are mostly affected by this. Some medium sized breeds such as Boxers, Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels also gets affected occasionally.

Canine dilated Cardiomyopathy may occur due to several reasons such as:

• Viral infection
• Nutritional deficiency of amino acids (Taurine and Carnitine)
• Genetically related problems

Generally, the symptoms of Canine dilated Cardiomyopathy go unnoticed by the owners of these dogs. There are some common signs related to the disease which are beneficial for the owner’s for DCM recognition:

• Exercise intolerance and breathlessness: The most common sign as the heart muscle become weak and fails to contract properly, causing reduced amount of blood flow in the body. This makes dogs breathless during any physical activity; as a result of which they become lethargic.
• Coughing: Due to the increased blood pressure inside the ventricles, a small amount of fluid leaks out to the lungs, making dogs cough frequently.
• Excessive fluid release and deposition: Due to inadequate blood flow in the body, a number of hormones are released by the body as a backup plan to retain the amount of fluids in the body. These fluids get deposited in the peritoneal (stomach) and peripheral regions of the body and cause swelling.
• Congestive heart failure in dogs is characterized by rapid breathing, excessive drooling, anorexia, blue tongue and complete collapse.

The common diagnostic techniques of DCM are:

• Auscultation: A veterinarian uses a stethoscope to listen to the heart rhythm abnormality in Canine dilated Cradiomyopathic dogs.
• Chest X-ray: It provides knowledge about the size and shape of the lungs and heart chambers.
• Ultrasound examination: It provides more precise information about the heart structure.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): It is used to determine the abnormality of the heart rhythm.

A permanent cure is not available for dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs; however, proper care as soon as the symptoms are recognized can provide some relief to the dogs. Some dogs with congestive heart failure die immediately, but if provided with a proper diet and rest along with the prescribed medications, they may live longer. Common medicines used for the symptomatic treatment are diuretics, digitalis glycocydes and ACE inhibitors.

Hemoglobinuria, Myoglobinuria in Canine

Hemoglobinuria is a symptom where a large amount of hemoglobin protein is found in the urine of dogs, whereas myoglobinuria is a symptom where a large amount of myoglobin protein is found in the urine of dogs. The hemoglobin protein carries oxygen in the blood and the myoglobin protein carries oxygen in the muscles. The hemoglobin protein works as an oxygen transporter in the blood and the myoglobin protein stores oxygen in the muscles.

Hemoglobinuria in dogs is an indication where the hemoglobin proteins are destroyed, leading to a condition called hemolytic anemia. Myoglobinuria in dogs occurs due to the breaking down of the myoglobin protein.

There are various causes of hemoglobinuria and myoglobinuria in dogs listed below:

• Viral infection: Certain viral infections may lead to this condition.
• Cancer: Urinary system cancer causes bloody urine.
• Genetic conditions: This is very rare and leads to exclusive conditions such as copper associated liver disease in small breeds. Hemoglobinuria in small puppies is a rare condition known as isoerytrolysis where the mother’s blood develops antibodies against the puppy’s blood. In both, the chances of survival are very limited.
• Toxins: Copper, mercury, paracetamol, or snake venom may cause hemoglobinuria or myoglobinuria.
• Exercise induced: Vigorous movement of the bladder during extraneous exercise leads to the rupture of the mucosal layer beneath the urinary bladder and causes a passage of blood with the urine. In some cases, bleeding can happen due to increased glomerular excretion of the RBCs; this happens when the dog is suffers from a congestive heart disorder.
• Trauma: This occurs due to a head injury, burn or electric shock.
• Idiopathic: Sometimes, hemoglobinuria or myoglobinuria occurs without any known cause; it is mostly considered to be a vascular abnormality.

The symptoms related to Hemoglobinuria include:

• Changes in the color of urine from pink to a reddish tinge
• Tachycardia
• Pale appearance
• Fever and fatigue

The symptoms related to Myoglobinuria are:

• Muscle softening
• Muscle bruising

Diagnosis for the disease includes blood and urine testing to check for the following:

• Dead RBC in the urine in case of hemoglobinuria
• Clear plasma in the urine in case of myoglobinuria
• Pink plasma in the urine for hemoglobinuria
• Chocolate-brown colored blood and positive blood findings in the urine for intravascular hemolysis
• Other diagnostic procedures include forced exercise and liver biopsy.

Hemoglobinuria and myoglobinuria are only symptoms, and so treatment covers only the underlying conditions. In case of dehydration, provide enough water to the dogs; in case of exercise induced hemoglobinuria, do not let your dog engage in any vigorous activity. Try to ensure that your dog avoids getting stressed. Spend time playing with your four-legged companion. Take proper care and always be in touch with a good veterinarian.

Heart Murmur in Canines:

A heart murmur is a cardiac problem in young dogs due to fury in the blood flow. Many dogs develop this problem when they are young, but later live without any symptoms. For many dogs, developing a symptom of heart murmur does not mean that they will have heart related problems later; such conditions are known as benign heart murmurs. However, for many dogs this condition can be serious; they can develop many heart-related problems such as congestive heart failure.

There could be two reasons for heart murmur in dogs, one is congenital, which would imply by birth and another is acquired, which would mean after birth.  Some causes for a heart murmur are listed below:

• Mitral valve dysplasia: This is a condition where the heart valve has a leakage and results in heart murmur.
• Ventricular septal defect: This is a condition where holes are present in the ventricular walls of the heart.
• Increased velocity of blood: This happens during the growing phase of a puppy where the heart starts pumping larger amounts of viscous blood. This problem ends after the complete growth of the puppy.
• Increased viscosity of blood: This is caused by anemia or fever.
• Pulmonary stenosis: This is a condition where the pulmonary artery becomes narrow, causing turbulence during the outflow of blood from the chamber.

There are many symptoms that indicate this problem in dogs; however, the best way is to get a proper examination done by a veterinarian. For both Benign and severe types of heart murmurs, symptoms are almost the same; therefore, correct diagnosis is very important.

A few symptoms of heart murmurs in dogs are listed below:

• Coughing
• Labored breathing
• Poor exercise ability
• Fainting or total collapsing
• Bluish tinge to the tongue and gums

Some diagnostic tests for the proper diagnosis of heart murmur in dog are listed below:

• Auscultation: The process of checking heartbeats through a stethoscope
• Chest X-ray: Provides knowledge about the size and shape of the lungs and heart chambers
• Ultrasound examination: Provides precise information about the heart structure
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): Determines the abnormality of the heart rhythm
• Echocardiogram: Measures the heart rate and determines how well the heart is working
• Blood test: Detects any viral infection in the blood that can cause damage to the heart valves

Diagnostic results can differentiate between the types of heart murmur - either benign or severe forms. Benign heart murmur does not require any treatment and disappears after maturity. However, the severe type of heart murmur requires drug treatments such as the ACE inhibitor to reduce the blood pressure. In very severe cases like canine heart murmur, surgery is the only option for the dog’s survival. Heart murmur is curable with the help of proper medication, food, and care.

Sick Pet Care:

For most of us, our pets are practically family, and in some cases are closer and more important to us than even family could ever be. Therefore, when illness strikes, it can be an extremely traumatic experience. Just like us, our pets are bound to suffer from periodic sickness, and in most cases, this is likely to be a mild condition that may not even require medical treatment. However, it is always important to be on the safe side and consult a veterinarian at the first sign of sickness.

Sickness is an important consideration even before you get yourself a pet. It is essential that you are able, financially and otherwise, to care for your pet when it gets sick. Your pet is bound to fall ill at least a couple of times a year, and there is always the additional risk of a serious medical condition developing. You must be able to handle any such contingency. If you think you will be unable to handle the expenses on doctors and medicines, as well as the investment of time and emotional energy, it is best that you avoid keeping a pet.

Many pet owners prefer to use home remedies rather than visiting a vet. While this is often practical and effective, it is also risky. There is always the danger of an unexpected reaction, because any particular substance can have a considerably different effect on two different species. What is good for us may be dangerous for our pets. Another thing to remember is that you are not trained to read the signs of sickness. Relying on home remedies might allow the sickness to worsen drastically, while a good veterinarian will be able to tell whether your pet is responding and proceed accordingly.

Contrary to what you might assume, regular visits to the vet could actually save you a lot of money and emotional stress in the long run. A vet who has been regularly seeing your pet is aware of its normal behavior and condition, and is better able to read any symptoms. Your pet will also submit to treatment more happily and calmly if he or she is used to being handled by a vet. In addition, once you and your pet have developed a relationship with your vet, he or she is more likely to give you quick tips over the phone if necessary, and give you honest advice on whether a visit is necessary or the problem can be handled at home.

Pet Health Tips:

Pet health treatments are generally determined by your vet after a through examination and diagnosis. There are various pet treatments and the most common among them are pet flea treatment, pet allergies treatment, and pet arthritis treatment. In addition to these, pet gastrointestinal disorders treatment and pet urinary tract infection treatment are also common pet health treatments.

Pet health treatments can consist of creams for topical application or medications that need to be ingested. Depending on the condition and the severity of the situation, the doctor may prescribe a combination of both topical applications as well as prescribed medications. Pet health treatments like pet flea treatment are among the most common of health treatments for a variety of pets.

De-worming treatments are another common and routine treatment for almost all pets, just as with humans. De-worming is extremely important as parasitic worm infestations can pose serious threat to your pet, and there is also a risk of contagion to humans.

Vaccinations and shots are another important area of pet health treatments, and this should in fact be the first treatment that will also be a routine treatment. Your local veterinarian would provide you with information regarding the necessary vaccines and also a schedule for the vaccinations that are necessary. For example, rabies vaccinations are among the most common, but there are also other vaccines against common viral and bacterial infections. Getting tests and checkups done for pets that have been imported is also absolutely essential.

There are also many other treatments that may be specific to certain species or certain breeds. Cats are known to suffer from problems due to ingestion of fur and most of us know of this as ‘fur balls’.

Another routine pet health treatment that is common at least for cats and dogs is spaying or neutering. This is extremely important if the animal has not been kept for breeding purposes. Apart from the fact that it prevents any unwanted pregnancies it is also highly beneficial for the health of your pet. It helps prevent the animal from going in to heat, which also means that your pet will not attempt to wander of in search of a mate or keep you up at night with the incessant howling. This procedure also helps eliminate the risk of several diseases and cancerous growths that can afflict the reproductive system.

Your veterinarian would be the best source of information on pet health care and treatments that are necessary for your pet, as these can vary significantly, not just from species to species, but also among different breeds, within a species.

How to Store Pet Food:

Storing your pet’s food safely is extremely important as improper storage can ruin the nutritional value of the food at best and at worst it can cause severe gastrointestinal diseases and even be fatal. Improper storage of pet food can create the perfect environment for fungus and mould to thrive. This can result in gastrointestinal problems as well as urinary tract infections. Pets are a lot more vulnerable to these types of infections as compared to humans. It is also important to make sure that the storage area is kept clean and well ventilated. If you want to transfer dry food into a storage container make sure that the container is cleaned well and thoroughly dried before you transfer the food into it. It is important to keep in mind that the type of food you feed your pet is as important as storing your pet’s food safely.

When storing your pet’s food, the first thing that you will have to ensure is that you read the lab el of the box in which it came for instructions on how it should be stored. You can opt for a pour and store wall mounted pet food dispenser. These dispensers allow you to easily store your food as well as dispense it as and when it is needed. These dispensers have a small chute in the bottom that makes it ideal for refilling a doggy bowl. In addition to this, since these dispensers are made especially for this purpose, you can be sure that the food inside will not spoil easily. You could also opt for a wooden storage box. A pine box with a hinged lid looks very presentable and is ideal for storing those rather unattractive bags of pet food. When choosing a storage container, make sure that it is made out of durable plastic and that it is air-tight. This will ensure that pests and other invaders cannot get into the food bin even if it is left unattended. Do not store the container under your sink or in a damp area as this will make it more susceptible to mold. It is also important to buy a container that is big enough to hold all your pet food. This will depend on how much you feed your pet and how often. When storing home cooked meals for your pet, make sure that the food is kept in a sealed container and refrigerated or in the freezer.

If you are going to be traveling with your pet, it would be wise to invest in travel food bags that are meant especially for storing pet food.

Keeping Pet Safe during Holiday:

Safety of your pets is a concern during holidays. With a little common sense and careful planning, your pet’s holidays can be safe and enjoyable. During the holiday season, particularly at Christmas and Thanksgiving, we do tend to take precautions to keep our homes safe, whether in the context of decorations and appliances we use or if we are out on a holiday. For parents this is something quite routine, as decorations like electric lighting could pose a hazard and it therefore becomes necessary to plan accordingly. The same holds true for pets. Don’t forget that they are as much of a responsibility as kids, as they are your dependents.

Decorating your house is an inalienable feature to most festivities and this can be quite a problem if you have pets. Apart from the fact that they may rip apart some of your favorite decorations, many of these items are hazardous to pets. Paper decorations are quite harmless and the only threat may be to the decorations itself. A lot of the decorations that we use however do contain glass, candles and small parts of plastic, which can be hazardous to your pet. Puppies and kittens are particularly playful and do tend to chew on their toys. There is always the risk of them choking, in addition to which some of the ingredients used may also be toxic.

Lighting is probably the most common feature of any festivity and is probably one of the biggest hazards. Make sure that any lighting is, as far as possible, out of reach of any pets. Also make it a point to unplug any wires when you are not around as a pet chewing on a live wire could not only give it a severe shock, but could also cause a fire. A good way to protect any electrical wiring from pets and vice versa would be to douse the wires with an ingredient like bitter apple. It does taste terrible but is quite harmless if ingested.

Many of us also have guests over a lot of the time during the holidays. Big gatherings may be particularly traumatic to most pets, so if you notice your pet attempting to get away from the commotion and attention, provide it with a quiet and comfortable space for refuge. Although you may love the idea of your pet being the center of attention at a party, your pet may not share your sentiments.

Be careful with foods and diet too, as we do generally pamper our pets with tidbits from our scrumptious festive meals, but these may not always be healthy. Also make sure that any leftovers are disposed of properly. In addition to the risks of certain ingredients, over indulging on rich foods can contribute to obesity. No matter how hung over you may be, make sure that you don’t skip on giving your pet its much needed exercise.

Pet Holiday Care:

The holiday season is the one time of the year when diets and healthy eating are often forgotten. While most people tend to bounce back easily within a few weeks, it is not advisable to subject your pets to the same intense dietary changes as this can have serious repercussions. It is also very important that you do not feed your dog or cat table scraps and leftovers as the spices and condiments used in your dishes are not suitable for animal consumption. It is perfectly natural to want to share the holiday cheer with your pet and you can do it too, but make sure that it is in a way that does not compromise his health. The simplest method to ensure that your pet has a healthy diet plan despite the seasonal festivities is to follow a pet holiday menu.

A pet holiday menu should consist of healthy treats for pet. These treats could include his/her favorite biscuits or choice of meat or treats. A dog holiday menu would include boiled or steamed slices of meat or a change in his type of ready-made food. If your dog is used to dry dog-food, you could give him the wet variety instead. You can also prepare a larger amount of his food in advance. Separate this into small sealed containers and then place these containers in your freezer. As and when you need to feed him/her, you can heat one of the containers and then give him his food. Cats and dogs prefer fresh foods as compared to dry pellets. You can also make a little stock with the bones left over from the chicken or turkey. Do not add salt to the stock and add this stock to his food to enhance its flavor. If you have a cat you can do this with the tails and heads of any fish you have purchased for your own use. Do not give your pet sweets or chocolates as these are definitely not good for them and can even be fatal.

In addition to your pet holiday menu, you can also pamper your pet by spending a little more time playing with them each day. Dogs are especially fond of playtime and if you can extend it by even a few minutes they would be more than happy. You can even buy a couple of toys or a new collar for your pet. A great way to include your pet in the joy of this season is to spend a little extra time fussing over your pet every night, just before you go to bed.

Pyometra Infection in Pets:

Pyometra is a uterine infection that can be quite severe and potentially fatal. It is quite common in a number of pet species, particularly in cats and dogs. The problem with a pyometra infection is that it is not very easy to treat, but prevention is quite simple.

This infection can occur as a result of normal hormonal fluctuations that can be experienced by many intact female pet species. These fluctuations are also what govern the reproductive cycles in females of the species that have not been spayed. In the case of a pyometra infection there is an abnormal reaction in the uterus to these fluctuations, which can result in a bacterial infection in the uterus. With the progression of the disease, bacteria and toxins that are present within the uterus start to seep into the bloodstream, which causes the affected animal to become seriously ill. The infection is so severe that without prompt medical intervention it would be fatal. The treatment generally involves surgical removal of the infected uterine tract.

Here are some common symptoms that you can look out for as warning of a pyometra infection:

There may be a bloody or pussy discharge from the vaginal area. In conditions where such a discharge is present the condition is referred to as open pyometra, in which case the cervix remains open to enable discharge from the vagina. In some cases however there may be no discharge and this is referred to as closed pyometra. Here are some common symptoms of pyometra infection in pets that you can observe:

• Dehydration
• Malaise
• A loss of appetite
• Fatigue and weakness
• Higher fluid intake
• Increased urine volume
• Vomiting and fever

The most commonly used treatment for a pyometra infection is surgical removal of the uterus and ovaries that have been infected. This basically achieves the same end result as routine spaying. Unfortunately the procedure for a pyometra infection is a lot more complicated as the subject is not stable and suited for such a surgical procedure. The treatment is therefore not without risk of complications, which may include peritonitis and excessive, both during and after the surgery. There are also hormonal treatments now available as an alternative to surgery in certain cases.

Because of the high risks of treatment preventive measures are the best option. Spaying your pet eliminates the possibility of the occurrence of a pyometra infection. This is just one benefit of spaying, but it can not be over emphasized.