Supplements for Cats

Do check with your vet before giving your cat any cat supplements. Some people feel that a well fed, healthy cat does not need any supplements at all while others think that supplements help to prevent disease and maintain cat health. There are several varieties of supplements freely available these days and it is essential to buy the right ones if you do decide to give your cat these. A good supplement will contain all the proper nutrients and vitamins for your cat. A supplement should contain:

• Mistletoe - A herb that is beneficial for circulatory and respiratory problems
• Echinacea - Helps to keep blood pressure stable and also strengthen the immune system
• Astralagus - An ancient herb that has been known to increase the lifespan as well as combat cancer.

The different types of supplements are ones that have essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6, ones with general vitamins and minerals or ones with probiotics. Taking supplements which have the above will make your cat stronger and healthier. High quality supplements can provide the nutrition that ordinary cat food cannot. Herbal supplements promote a sense of well being and health in the same way as they do for human beings. The vitamins in supplements act as immunity boosters and help protect the cat from different illnesses. Supplements can also help in washing away toxins and chemicals from your cat’s body. Cats that are recovering from an illness or eating a poor diet will need dietary supplements. A good supplement should be made from high protein foods such as pork, fish or chicken. Supplements can also be given to correct deficiencies. Pregnant and breastfeeding cats could be given nutritional supplements.

Unsafe supplements include ones with garlic, onion, calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin C.
Do remember that giving too many supplements can be harmful for your cat. Do not combine different kinds of supplements.

Fiber supplements are recommended if your cat suffers from constipation. Fiber supplements include rice bran, wheat bran, canned pumpkin and Psyllium (Metamucil). Mix either of these supplements with the canned food and feed it to your cat. Check with your vet regarding the proportion to be added and the amount to be given daily. Fiber supplements are also easily available in pet stores. Cats can also develop joint problems or arthritis. Glucosamine and Chondroitin are two cat joint supplements generally used to treat the problems. Glucosamine comes in either liquid or capsule form and is freely available too.

Xylitol Side Effects in Dogs

Xylitol is a substitute for sugar that is found in substances like toothpastes, candies, chewing gums and baked food and are considered a great alternative by diabetic patients or by those who are on a diet low in carbohydrates as the amount of insulin released is less. However, this substance is very toxic and a small dose of the same can prove fatal if consumed by dogs. Just one chewing gum containing xylitol consumed by a small dog can prove fatal. Your dog might experience difficulty in standing or walking followed by dog vomiting and weakness after consuming xylitol in any form. These symptoms might show up as early as thirty minutes after its consumption after which immediate medical attention will be required.

Xylitol can cause hypoglycemia which is caused due to a heavy release of insulin into the bloodstream that leads to extremely low levels of sugar in the blood. In about 72 hours, the dog might experience heavy bleeding and a gastrointestinal hemorrhage because the side effects start affecting your body within minutes. Xylitol can cause great damage to the liver which in turn can cause a liver failure and this effect can be seen within approximately 10 hours of its consumption. The exact reason as to how xylitol affects the liver is not known but it is said to damage a very important compound in the liver which makes it difficult to perform effectively. Symptoms for a liver damage include vomiting, diarrhea that leads to dehydration, a loss in appetite, feces that are dark in color or bloody, anemia, loss of blood, increase in water consumption and frequent urination. Treatment for xylitol needs to be instant because if the condition leads to hypoglycemia and the dog is treated for the same; his liver might get affected eventually leading to his death.

If the time from consuming xylitol is less than 30 minutes, you can use hydrogen peroxide to induce your dog to vomit so that the poison can be thrown out of the stomach. You need to keep your dog on fluids as this is very important to keep them hydrated. Also activated charcoal can be another option that you can consider. You should keep a tab on what your dog is eating and do not feed them gum or any other food that contains xylitol. You must ensure that such items should always be kept at places that are not accessible to your dogs

Chocolate is widely enjoyed and a favorite with almost everyone, regarded as a yummy treat to people of any age. Though it may be a great treat for us, it is a big no-no for your dogs. Chocolate is said to be toxic for your dogs. Chocolates are not toxic for humans because the way we digest theobromine (the chemical component in chocolate) is much better than dogs and the half life of theobromine in a dog is 17.5 hours which is a long period. The toxic compound, theobromine becomes toxic if consumed between 100 to 150 milligrams per kilogram of the body weight. But there are other factors linked to it like the weight of the dog, the chocolate concentration and so on. Milk chocolate contains approximately 44 milligrams of theobromine per oz, semi sweet chocolate contains about 150 milligrams of theobromine per oz, baker’s chocolate contains 390 milligrams per oz and dry cocoa powder with 800 milligrams per oz. If you have to calculate the toxic dose as 100 milligrams per kilogram, for milk chocolate it will be 1 ounce per 1 pound body weight. So in case of semisweet chocolate, it will amount to 1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight and for baker’s chocolate; it will be 1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are forms of chocolate that are most toxic as they contain theobromine ten times more than what it is in milk chocolate. The chocolate in milk chocolate is diluted and thus, will take larger amounts of consumption to get toxic for your dog and even if your dog licks a small portion of the icing on a chocolate cake, it can cause him to fall ill. There is no harm in feeding your dog milk chocolate once in a while as a treat, but this is not advisable for the simple reason that it could create a problem if the dog develops a liking towards it as they have a tendancy to get a sweet tooth. It may not always be easy to keep foods away or secure enough to prevent your dog from getting to them and it could move on to eat more concentrated forms of chocolates. Your dog may show signs of nervousness, vomiting, diarrhea, an increased amount of thirst, frequent urination in some cases, muscle spasms or seizures if toxicated by consuming chocolate. Your dog may suffer from diarrhea 12 to 24 hours after eating milk chocolate and steps should be taken to ensure that your dog does not get dehydrated. In case of severe symptoms, rush your pet to the clinic immediately.

Gestation refers to the time when a female dog is pregnant with this period normally lasting for 60 to 64 days which is about nine weeks. The number of days, however, differs from breed to breed. A surprising fact about female dogs is that they have menstrual cycles that continue all their lives because of which they can reproduce their entire lives. Every female dog undergoes the Estrus heat cycle twice in a year where each cycle lasts for 6 months and it is during this period that the dog mates. This cycle consists of four stages, the first one being proestrus cycle which is a period before the onset of the heat cycle which lasts for about 7 to 9 days. The next stage is the estrus stage in which the dogs mate and the stage after this is known as the diestrus stage where the male dog is not interested and the female dog may show signs of getting pregnant. The last stage is the anestrus stage where this situation is consistent until the female dog goes into the stage of heating again.

You might not be able to find out if your dog is pregnant even upto five weeks of gestation as there is no concrete blood test that determines it but you can find out by getting her examined by your veterinarian where their abdomen is felt. Also, an x-ray can be done to determine the same and is very accurate to know the exact number of puppies. Dogs undergo a great deal of physical changes during gestation period and the most common is weight gain where the mammary glands swell up between 35 and 45 days after conceiving.

A pregnant dog diet must be healthy and nutritious so that both the mother and baby are in the best of their health. The diet of your dog should be increased but make sure that it is increased steadily and is not forced upon. For the first few weeks, give your dog protein rich food like eggs, lean muscle meats or liver. However, avoid feeding them pork. Serve them with small quantities throughout the day and these need to be followed especially in the last few weeks. Water intake increases considerably during dog pregnancy period therefore, make sure that you keep fresh water available all the time and that is easily accessible. Also during this period, you can make your dog have small walks and moderate exercises making sure that you do not indulge them in strenuous activities.

You might have certain plants in your house that look great with their color accentuating the beauty of your house. But though these plants look really beautiful and perfect in your house they might be toxic and extremely harmful for your pets causing some serious damage to their life. Even outdoors, there are a number of plants that you need to know and be careful of so that your dogs do not eat them. While your dog is outdoors, he might want to sniff around and eat stuff here and there which is fine but you need to keep a tab on what your dog is eating outdoors. It is said that there are 700 and more plants that produce toxic substances in variable amounts which can have an adverse effect on animals. These in turn cause reactions ranging from mild to severe and can also lead to death.

The bulbs of a hyacinth, daffodil or narcissus are toxic plants for dogs that can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even prove fatal if consumed by your dog. If you have any of these as house plants, remove them right away. Lily plants like the Easter lilies, tiger lilies and stargazer lilies are poisonous as they are known to damage the kidney in dogs with symptoms showing up within hours of its consumption. The castor bean plant is highly poisonous as it contains a toxic substance known as ricin. This substance is present in the entire plant but their levels are more concentrated in the bean and thus are very dangerous if consumed by your dog.

The seed of the cycad palms especially the sago palm and false sago palms are toxic as they contain cycasin, a toxin that is present throughout the plant but more in the seed. Convallaria majalis or lily of the valley is a plant that is toxic and it is extremely dangerous as it may result in a sudden death of your dog without showing any prior symptoms. The leaves and branches of the oleander are again very poisonous that affect the heart and can cause a severe upset of the digestive system which might even lead to death. Foxglove is a garden plant, the leaves of which if consumed in large amounts can affect the heart, digestive system and even cause death. Also, the berries of jasmine are extremely harmful plants for dogs as they directly result in death.

Best Indoor Dog:

To begin with, in strict sense, there are no indoor varieties of dogs. All dogs need some form of outdoor activity, like a walk, and they do not always like to be confined in an enclosed space all the time. Remember that the dog is not an inanimate thing, but a living being, and therefore have its own demands. However, having said that, it is also understandable that there are certain breed of dogs that may adapt to indoor environments more easily than others. You can look up the dogs referred to as Toy Group by the American Kennel Club – they should be most suited as indoor pets.

There are a variety of questions you need to ask yourself before deciding on the right breed of dog suitable for your lifestyle. Once you have narrowed down your choice base on your criteria, it may easier to choose a breed that is more suited to your needs. For an indoor dog,

• First of all, the dog should not be very large. A large dog may not be comfortable in a small apartment, and the owner also might feel the space crunch. Additionally, if there are kids in the apartment, there is always a risk that the dog may end up hurting the kid in one way or the other, without really intending to do it.
• The dog should not salivate too much as this may lead to unhygienic condition at home. With little kids around, this may even pose health hazards.
• The dog should be too noisy to annoy your neighbors. If you live in apartments, it is important that your does not pose any difficulty to your neighbors. A noisy breed of dog should therefore give way to a quieter breed.
• The dog should not be overactive and should be able to go by with low maintenance. Therefore, dogs that do not need too much attention or grooming are better suited as indoor dogs.
• The dog should not shed too much hair because it may be difficult to keep the house clean. With sick, fragile, or asthma patients around, it may be even more difficult to manage a dog that sheds excessive hair.
• The dog should also be such that it is easy to take care of and also somewhat sturdy by constitution. A fragile dog that is prone to fall sick may not be suitable for growing up in an apartment. Plus, you may also need to foot a lot of vet bill.
• Finally, it is also important that you choose a more social breed that can provide company to the whole family. If the dog is quick to pick up tricks, that should be considered as an added advantage.

Dog Clothing Tips:

There would be many who would scoff at the occasionally jacketed poodle that walks by and many would consider making a dog wear a hat or sunglasses quite a frivolous task. The truth is that this is indeed the case and one needs to understand that dogs do not need clothes. However, just like humans, dogs do feel cold and don’t like to get wet in the rain so some kind of clothing would not be such a bad idea. Also, one needs to understand that some breeds of dogs are not very well endowed with fur that can deflect sunlight. This can make them prone to sunburn even. Therefore, remember that clothing a dog is something to prevent it from the cold, the elements, and from injury.

There are many types of dog clothing but try and avoid anything that attempts to humanize your dog instead of providing the essentials mentioned above. Also understand your dog itself. Breeds that are over endowed with fur do not need any kind of insulation for medium to short periods of exposure to the cold. Breeds that do not have such a thick coat are the only ones that really require covering. In an absolute reversal to this postulate, it is important to get a raincoat for your very furry dog when it steps out in the rain. When it is snowing, both types of dogs should be protected. One of the most sensitive and often overlooked part of a dog is its paws. This is an area that can experience a lot of heat loss and won’t be able to take too much temperature abuse. In the rain, the area around the paws are sometimes the last to completely dry out. There are some types of dog foot wear available but in general, if it is wet or if it is too cold for you to be out, nor should your pet.

There is a lot to be said about safety clothing for dog as well. Some harnesses and jackets that are designed for dogs are fluorescently lit so that oncoming traffic can be aware of the presence of the animal. This is extremely necessary if your dog is black and can be a bit difficult to make out when taking it for a walk. Avoid getting a dog to try and wear a T-shirt or something that is unnatural to put on.

Entertainment for Dogs:

Dogs generally love an active life and can become extremely morose if they are not kept occupied and entertained. A certain amount of physical exercise is necessary for the health and well-being of your canine companion. The type and intensity of exercise you choose should be suited to the breed and age of the dog. This form of entertainment also helps to strengthen the bond between a person and their pet.

While there are several ways to entertain a dog, it would be wise to choose activities that focus on the aspect of hunting. This is because dogs are natural hunters and so hunting is an activity that is both familiar as well as engaging to a dog. A simple game of fetch- with a rubber ball will ensure that they get a good run as well as keep their spirits up. Puppies tend to find it a little hard to keep their eye on the ball and so it would be necessary to throw the ball with less force. It is also important to throw the ball so that its flight path is parallel to the ground or so that it bounces along. Dogs find it tougher to keep track of a ball that is thrown high into the sky. Frisbees are also very good options, especially if you are in a park or a large open ground. When you are indoors you can make a hole in a ball and run a piece of strong string or twine through it. Secure the other end of the string to the leg of a sofa or to any other immovable object. You will find that your dog can spend hours playing with this ball without the chance of it rolling away into unreachable corners. In addition to this, if you have company over, you can make sure that the ball is pushed right underneath the sofa, so that it cannot be seen. If you wish to, you could drill a hole through a rawhide doggie bone instead. Rawhide bones are especially recommended for younger dogs as they promote good dental health. However make sure that you use the flat variety of rawhide bones and not the rolled varieties as the rolled variety of doggie bones has been associated with an elevated risk of broken teeth. You could also play hide-and-go seek with your dog with his favorite ball or if you are in the mood for a work-out, you can play soccer with him instead. A game of tug-of-war is actually one of the most entertaining games for your dog as well as for you!