Malacetic shampoo for pets

Malacetic Shampoo for dogs

This pleasant, apple-scented shampoo specifically designed for cats and dogs has been said to be a revolutionary pet care product, due to its gentle but effective action. The shampoo is pH balanced with all natural ingredients that is kind on the skin and coat. The 2% acetic acid provides antibacterial properties, while the addition of 2% boric acid can treat yeast activity on the skin and coat.

How often you should bathe your dog is dependent on the dog’s breed and coat type. The general recommendations are as follows:

• for silky, long coated dogs, bathe once every 3 to 6 weeks
• for double or undercoat dogs, bathe once every 4 to 8 weeks
• for non-shedding curly coated dogs, bathe once 6 to 8 weeks
• for smooth coated dogs, bathe no less than once in 8 weeks, or as needed
• for wiry coated terriers, bathe once every 4 to 6 weeks

Shampoos specifically designs for pets are recommended over human shampoos by vets and other animal specialists, as human shampoos can hurt your dog’s skin. Even baby shampoo can be too strong for your dog and cause soreness and irritation. This shampoo safe to use on your dog or cat, no matter what age or breed and you can buy Malacetic shampoo from BudgetPetCare for just $15.77 with free shipping.

Border Collie taught over 1000 words!

Chase and some of her many toys!

A border collie in Spartanburg, North Carolina, has been reported to have the largest vocabulary of any known dog. Chaser, owned by psychologist Dr John W. Pilley, knows over 1,000 different nouns taught to her by Dr Pilley over a period of three years.

After Dr Pilley retired in 2004, he read a report in ‘Science’ journal about Rico, a border collie from Germany whose owners had taught him to recognize 200 items. Dr. Pilley decided to repeat the experiment using his background in psychology and his own training methods.

Chaser was bought by Dr Pilley as a puppy in 2004 from a local breeder and started training her right away. The training sessions were 4 – 5 hours a day and he would show her an object and repeat the chosen name up to 40 times. Dr Pilley would then hide the object and ask her to find it, while repeating the name throughout the locating process. She was taught one or two new names a day on average, with monthly tests and he would retrain her for any of the names she had forgotten.

One of Dr. Pilley’s goals was to see if he could teach Chaser to respond appropriately to a larger vocabulary than Rico acquired. As the vocabulary taught to Chaser was noun-based, he found himself running out of items quickly to teach her new words, as every vocal cue or ‘name’ had to be different. Dr. Pilley found himself visiting Salvation Army stores and purchasing large quantities of used children’s toys to serve as vocabulary fodder. He found it hard to remember all the exact names Chaser had been taught for individual items, so he wrote the name on each toy with marker. In these three years, Chaser’s vocabulary included 800 plushie/cloth toys, 116 balls, 26 Frisbees and a medley of plastic items.

Studies show that children learn new words every day until, by the time they reach eighteen years of age, they know approximately 60,000 words. Chaser faced a harder task as each sound was new, completely separate and she had nothing to relate it to. Whereas children learn words within context that makes association and remembrance easier e.g. a cooker, refrigerator, microwave oven and kettle are found in the same place, meaning links of association are created.

One of the questions raised by the Rico study was that of what was the dog thinking as he located the item. Did the dog understand the cue “fetch” separately from its object, as a verb, as people do? Dr. Pilley took this into consideration by teaching Chaser three different verbs and the correct response to them: pawing, nosing and fetching an object. He then performed an experiment, asking Chaser to respond to each of the three cues on three different items. “That experiment demonstrates conclusively that Chaser understood that the verb had a meaning,” Dr. Pilley said.

Dr. Pilley is unsure as to how large a vocabulary Chaser could master. When she reached 1,000 items, he grew tired of teaching words and moved to teaching her to comprehend grammar. “She still demands four to five hours a day,” Dr. Pilley said. “I’m 82, and I have to go to bed to get away from her.”

Border collies are working dogs. They are reputed to be the most intelligent breed of dog, followed closely by Labrador retrievers and Poodles. A highly motivated and energetic dog, they are bred to herd sheep all day long with 100% precision without any fatigue. If these dogs are kept as companion animals, it is necessary that they are provided not only physical exercise but also require mental stimulation. If they are not kept occupied, like a bored child, they often start showing undesirable behaviours.

Dr. Pilley said that most border collies, with intensive training, could achieve such results. When he told Chaser’s breeder of her achievements, “he wasn’t surprised about the dog’s ability, just that I had had the patience to teach her,” Dr. Pilley said. One of Science’s advisers, Dr. Horowitz agreed: “It is not necessarily Chaser or Rico who is exceptional; it is the attention that is lavished on them,” she said.

‘Science’ journal rejected an article of the experiment as the experiment’s relevance to language is likely to be a matter of dispute. However an experiment of this calibre certainly has proved that a canine’s intelligence reach further depths than humans have anticipated previously.

A video of Chaser doing what she does best.

More on this story can be found on the NY Times.

Picture credit: Cass Sapir/Nova Science Now

Should I Neuter/Spay My Pet?

Owning a dog or cat is a huge responsibility and an important thing to consider is whether you should neuter or spay your pet. Spaying/neutering is a wise choice and beneficial to their health. If your animal is purely a companion to your family and not to be used specifically for breeding, our resident vet recommends the animal should be neutered/spayed. Sterilizing your animal provides the following health benefits:

Lessens the risk of cancer - Sterilization prevents ovarian, uterine, and testicular cancer in pets and lessens the chance of mammary gland cancer.
Prevents urinary tract infections - This is particularly important for cats as urinary tract disease can be very serious and even fatal for your feline friend.
Can reduce undesirable behavior - Male dogs can have a tendency to roam for a mate, this results in dogs running at large which can be hit by cars or picked up as strays. In dogs, it can also lessen barking and particularly urine marking as they will feel less of a need to defend their territory. Male cats will also be less likely to urine mark their territory and spaying female cats should stop them from yowling, which is their mating call when they’re in heat.
Eradicates female canine menstruation - Female dogs are in heat approximately every six months, which is a messy business as female dogs that are not spayed have a bloody discharge.

Not having your pet sterilized can affect society as well, it is an unfortunate truth that there are hundreds of thousands of animals that are in animal shelters across the world that are in desparate need of a good home. Often these animals are surrendered to the shelter or abandoned because they were bred without a thought spared for their long-term future. Dogs live for around 10-15 years on average and cats live for even longer. Bringing more life into the world is not a decision to be taken lightly when these things are taken to account.

Your dog or cats behavior won’t change in any undesirable way once they are neutered or spayed. He or she will still be the same pet, a little calmer if anything, and once sterilized they will be a happier and healthier member of your family for many years to come.

The Kroger Company Food Recall

Kroger Pet Food Recall

There is a recall on select the Kroger Food Company some of their pet food products in select retail stores as the food may contain aflatoxin, which can be harmful to animals. Aflatoxin is a naturally-occurring toxic chemical by-product from the growth of the fungus Aspergillus flavus on corn and other crops.

Kroger are recalling the following items:

* Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088128
* Pet Pride Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071357
* Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111088152
* Pet Pride Tasty Blend Poultry & Seafood Cat Food sold in 18 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074580
* Pet Pride Kitten Formula Food sold in 3.5 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071903
* Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 15 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111071559Kroger Value Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code:1111000108
* Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 22 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074566
* Old Yeller Chunk Dog Food sold in 50 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111074563
* Kroger Value Cat Food sold in 3 lb. packages with a sell by date of OCT 23 11 DP and OCT 24 11 DP under the following UPC code: 1111000018

Stores included in this recall: Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia; Dillons and Gerbes stores in Kansas and Missouri; Baker’s stores in Nebraska; Food 4 Less stores in Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana (Chicago area); and Jay C, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s stores in Illinois and Indiana.

Stores the company operates under the following names are not included in this recall: Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, Smith’s, QFC, City Market, Foods Co., and Food 4 Less stores in California and Nevada.

Aflatoxin can affect people and animals, particularly dogs, causing illness and liver damage. Symptoms of aflatoxin exposure include lack of appetite, lethargy, bloody diarrhea, vomiting and yellowing of the eyes. If your pet exhibits any of these symptoms, please consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.

For more information, you can visit Kroger’s recall page or contact Kroger toll-free at (800) 632-690.

More on this story

K9 Advantix or Advantage?

What is K9 Advantix?

BudgetPetCare :: Flea & Tick Treatments

K9 Advantix for dogs, manufactured by Beyer, is a topical liquid treatment providing treatment and prevention of flea larvae and adult fleas, lice, ticks and biting flying insects such as mosquitos.

Containing imidacloprid and permethrin, K9 Advantix rapidly eliminates 98-100% of insects on your dog quickly and efficiently within 12 hours. K9 Advantix is said to prevent insect infestation for a month after the treatment.

What is Advantage?

Advantage for dogs, also manufactured by Beyer, kills all flea larvae and adult fleas.

The active ingredient, imidacloprid, quickly paralyzes the flea’s nervous system to kill them within 12 hours of application. 100% of all chewing lice on your dog will be eliminated within 7 days of treatment.

Which should I buy for my dog?

If you live in an area that has a high tick or biting flying insect population, BudgetPetCare

would recommend K9 Advantix. However one of the active ingredients of K9 Advantix, permethrin, is highly toxic to cats so if you also have a cat, separation during treatment is necessary. If you are unable to keep your dog and cat apart then it is advisable to use Advantage instead which doesn’t contain permethrin.

More bang for your buck!

This season at BudgetPetCare, we have a grand flea and tick product sale with fantastic savings. Both K9 Advantix and Advantage are part of this sale with ‘Buy 6 get 2 Free’ or ‘Buy 12 get 4 Free’ offers. You can head over to our online store to buy discount K9 Advantix for dogs or buy Advantage for dogs with free shipping to the United States.

Joint Pain and Aggression in Dogs

Aggression could be pain-related

It is a distressing fact that many dogs in the US are euthanized each year due to misdiagnosed behavioral aggression.  This misdiagnosis may not mean you have a ‘problem dog’ on your hands, it may be pain related to joint problems causing the dog to act the only way he knows how to defend himself.

As mentioned in previous entries, dog joint problems are very common with 1 in 5 dogs in America being affected. Joint problems such as arthritis are often a cause of chronic pain and, as with humans, pain majorly influences temperament in dogs. This then results in some dogs being labelled as aggressive or problem animals when they are really just reacting in defense because they’re in pain.

Dogs aren’t able to communicate to humans verbally that they are in physical pain but they do display symptoms that can be spotted and identified as the early onset of arthritis:

• A decrease in pace when walking
• Limping/obvious lameness in one or more of the limbs
• Difficulty when getting up from resting
• Avoiding physical contact from humans
• Struggling to run, play, climb the stairs and jump
• Out of character snapping, growling or baring teeth

When a dog is suffering from joint problems, the animal may respond aggressively when they are touched or handled which is often out of character. If your dog has started showing behaviors that are out of the ordinary, this may be an indication of pain and your dog’s only way of showing you he needs help. It is recommended that you keep a diary to take note of any unusual behaviors, what they might have been prompted by and what time of day it was. This record will help your Vet understand what behaviors are being displayed and when they are occurring, a better understanding will lead to a more accurate diagnosis.

Pain management is the first positive step to solving the problem of aggression linked with joint pain. Your veterinarian will be able to suggest the best plan of action to relieve pain and help manage the physical symptoms which is likely to eradicate the aggression. understandably, if your dog is showing signs of aggression, it is only normal to consider the safety of your family and the general public when your dog is out. It would be best to be cautious and advise children to not disturb a resting sick dog and to teach them to know what body language is friendly and what are warning signs the dog is unhappy.

Your vet will advise solutions for the aggression if it is still present but euthanasia is the last option for serious behavioral issues and shouldn’t be a decision taken lightly. Noticing the symptoms above and changes in behavior as soon as they become present is the best route to control the situation before it gets out of hand. As ever, if you are concerned about your dog, you can take your dog to your vet or Ask Our Vet any questions about joint problems in dogs.

Antifreeze – great for your engine but lethal to your pets!

Watch out for Antifreeze this Winter whilst you’re out on walks with your dog as the solution can be lethal to animals if consumed. Spills of this liquid are common in winter months on driveways as car owners perform engine maintenance.

Acute cases of antifreeze poisoning often show as if the animal is intoxicated with alcohol. This is an emergency situation, and life threatening within hours. See your veterinarian immediately; the outlook depends on how quickly treatment can be administered.

Antifreeze is a brightly colored, syrup-like liquid that has a sweet, appealing taste for your pooch. If you think your dog is likely to consume it, keep him on a lead at all times and one eye fixed firmly on him, it might just save his life.

Thanksgiving Meal: Why you should not be feeding it to your pets

Stuff your Turkey, not your dog

Thanksgiving is only a week away and, although it is a time to share, veterinarians urge pet owners to not feed their dog any of the Thanksgiving meal. With the average Thanksgiving Day meal being around 3,000 calories, all those foods rich in fats can be lethal to your dog or cat.

Domesticated pets do not cope well with changes in their diets so feeding them even a little bit of the meal, particularly the turkey, could cause a painful bout of gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis brings with it vomiting, diarrhea, and an overall very sick animal. Feeding your pets little treats from the table could also potentially cause a fatal case of pancreatitis.

What is Pancreatitis?

The pancreas is a vital organ in your pet that normally releases enzymes into the stomach and intestines to aid digestion but when overwhelmed with fat-filled food, the pancreas could begin to realise enzymes into the abdominal cavity. Pancreatitis is a very serious condition that will require extensive veterinary treatment and can be fatal.

How to prevent it.

Do not feed your pet anything from the table, if you need to give your dog or cat a Thanksgiving treat, use ones specifically made for pets. If you can’t resist  Fido’s puppy-dog eyes or your cat rubbing up against your legs with wishful thinking, shut them in a different room, it is much kinder to them than running the risk of  them being seriously sick.

Remember that dogs and cats can easily access kitchen counters and the trash so take extra care to ensure that the counters aren’t left unattended and the trash is secured.

Other hazards.

The old phrase ‘give a dog a bone’ should be disregarded when it comes to any bones as they can splinter or become lodged, particularly bird bones. A splinter could cut your dog’s mouth, throat and organs, causing a lot of pain and expensive vets bills. Be sure to safely dispose of the string used to tie up a turkey while cooking as your pets can’t  understand that, although it tastes good, it is dangerous and twists up the digestive tract.

Remember to educate any guests visiting also as a well meaning relative may slip the cat a bit of turkey or the grandkids might feed the dog some chocolate without knowing how toxic it is to them. Keep your pets safe and healthy this Thanksgiving so they can enjoy the holiday with you.

Pet Med Spotlight – Capstar

Capstar for dogs and cats

Capstar – Product information

Flea infestations are a common problem for pet owners and can prove to be a nightmare, no matter how minor.  Left untreated, fleas can multiply rapidly to infect both your pet and your household, so it’s worth treating your pets as soon as possible to get rid of these pesky parasites.

Capstar is a fantastic product that helps to protect your dog from fleas. Capstar does not give off any odor, and there is no messy application. The active ingredient, nitenpyram, kills fleas and prevents them from laying more eggs, making it the ideal treatment against external parasites.

Unlike topical flea treatments, which can take up to 12 hours to kill fleas on your pet, Capstar treatment starts killing fleas in as little as 30 minutes. Within just 4-6 hours, over 90% of all the adult fleas on the animal will be eliminated. Capstar can be given to dogs and cats, as well as kittens and puppies from age 4 weeks and body weight 2 lbs and over.

Capstar – directions for use

Administered as an oral tablet, a single dose can be given with or without food at any time of the day. Please note that it is important for all animals in the household to be treated to control and protect against flea infestations.

Where to buy Capstar

Budget Pet Care’s online store is the best place to buy Capstar for dogs and to buy Capstar for cats with huge savings to be made!

Pet News Roundup

Pet Owners Concerned About Law Change

Animal owners are concerned about changes to the law regarding how pets are treated by their owners, reports News4Jax.com.

The report says that one of the most controversial issues that was contained within the proposal is the categorization of potential dangerous dogs.

It also proposes that every vet will need to sell a $20 city licence for every pet that is given a rabies shot – and from January every new pet will need a microchip for identification.

The proposal will also see a limit placed on ‘backyard breeding’, something of a concern for legitimate breeders.

Read more about this story at http://www.news4jax.com/news/24595984/detail.html

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MoCity Offers Free Pet Registration

Missouri City pet owners are being encouraged to take their pets to Missouri City Animal Control division between 10am – 4pm on August 14th for free registration.

More details at http://www.fortbendnow.com/2010/08/11/47257

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Pet Owners without tags face losing their dogs

NewsTribune.info reports that anyone who does not buy dog tags for their pet could face a fine, as well as losing their dog.

Mineral County Commissioner Assessor Rose Ann Maine has reminded pet owners that Mineral County residents should pay $3 per dog for a county licence, or $6 if they live in one of the municipalities.

Full story http://www.newstribune.info/news/x897602219/Pet-owners-who-dont-buy-tags-could-lose-dogs

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Pet Health Insurance popularity rises

USA Today has reported that despite the economic downturn, pet owners are still making sacrifices in order to ensure that their pets are covered by health insurance.

Owners of dogs and cats are increasingly taking out insurance for more extreme health issues, such as kidney transplants to hip replacements to help improve their health and wellbeing in elderly or ailing pets.

Full story here: http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/pets/2010-08-07-pet-insurance_N.htm