Every loving pet owner’s worst nightmare is having their dog or cat get sick. Pets, of course, are like members of the family, but illnesses can be frustrating even tougher to bear since they can’t communicate exactly what’s wrong. Furthermore, it’s difficult to make a special dog or cat understand that the awful tasting substance you’re trying to force down their throats will help them.

As with humans, there are hundreds of different diseases that can afflict your pet and as many varieties of medicines designed to treat them. And the type of treatment you must apply can affect your strategies for approaching the task. If you’ve been having a tough time getting your sick pooch or cat to take his meds, these techniques and tricks may help you get the job done with as little fuss as possible.

Liquid Medications

In general, dogs and cats may be prescribed either pills or liquid medicines, with the latter tending to be a bit more straightforward as far as application goes. Sometimes liquid medicines can be mixed with foods to hide bitter or otherwise unpleasant tastes. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for any helpful suggestions.

In most cases, however, liquid medications must be applied directly. Specialized syringes are often a great tool both for measuring medicines and getting your pet to take it. Technique also varies a bit between dogs and cats.

Since cats’ temperaments and personalities often stretch from one extreme to the other, owners may be the best judges concerning method. In most cases, try to be sure your cat is as calm as possible before offering medicine. Holding the cat in your lap firmly but calmly, offer a favorite snack and quickly insert the syringe and depress the plunger, using a finger to keep the mouth open if necessary.

Dogs will also be more likely to accept medicine while enjoying a snack as well, but offer the treat as a reward afterward. Get your pup into a position where she can’t back away and gently insert the syringe into a back corner of the mouth. Gently blowing on the nose can help stimulate swallowing.

Pills and Camouflaging

Of course, one of the simplest and quickest ways to get fussy pets to take their meds is by mixing it in with a bit of food. It’s generally a better idea to opt for a special treat when using the method, since your pets will be quite familiar with their usual food and could easily detect something amiss.

Dog owners with pets who tend to wolf down snacks in a single gulp may have the easiest task, as long as pills can be slipped inside the treat. However, the fussiest and cleverest of cats and dogs are often experts at eating around even the tiniest of hidden pills. Crushing pills up sometimes works well for mixing into mushy foods, but you run the risk of getting your pooch or kitty to eat only part of his meds.

Although your pet will respond differently to various kinds of treats, there are a few tried and true flavors that can help you cover up bitter tastes. One classic way to camouflage pills involves pushing them into a small hot dog or sausage chunk. Chances are, your happy pup will gobble the piece down too quickly to notice anything strange about it.

Others swear by hiding pills crushed or whole in a bit of cold peanut butter, which will hold its shape better than room temperature peanut butter. Ultimately, finding the right combination of treat and technique may take a bit of time, patience and trial and error, but a healthy pet is a more than worthy reward for your vigilance.

General Suggestions

Chances are that medicine taking will become a routine procedure for your pet, at least until her condition improves. From the outset, try to associate success with a treat offering scenario and be certain to reward her for taking her medication with both a treat and praise. Offer treatments in a calm environment and make sure she is relaxed and happy before making any attempts.

Some pet owners claim that a well trained animal can be convinced to gobble down pills and liquid medicines alike simply by being well disciplined. It’s often true that pets want to please their owners (although this is quite questionable for cats), and motions or commands similar to those used for other successful tricks can be useful when it’s medicine time.

Patience and vigilance are two of the most important qualities pet owners must master when their nonhuman pals are sick and in need of medication. Keep in mind the goal of a happier, healthier dog or cat as you search for a method that seems to work every time. With a bit of time and understanding your best friend will be taking medication like a pro and feeling better in no time.

The post Quick Tricks for Administering Pet Meds To Fussy Cats and Dogs first appeared on Puppy Blog.

Every loving pet owner’s worst nightmare is having their dog or cat get sick. Pets, of course, are like members of the family, but illnesses can be frustrating even tougher to bear since they can’t communicate exactly what’s wrong. Furthermore, it’s difficult to make a special dog or cat understand that the awful tasting substance you’re trying to force down their throats will help them.

As with humans, there are hundreds of different diseases that can afflict your pet and as many varieties of medicines designed to treat them. And the type of treatment you must apply can affect your strategies for approaching the task. If you’ve been having a tough time getting your sick pooch or cat to take his meds, these techniques and tricks may help you get the job done with as little fuss as possible.

Liquid Medications

In general, dogs and cats may be prescribed either pills or liquid medicines, with the latter tending to be a bit more straightforward as far as application goes. Sometimes liquid medicines can be mixed with foods to hide bitter or otherwise unpleasant tastes. Be sure to ask your veterinarian for any helpful suggestions.

In most cases, however, liquid medications must be applied directly. Specialized syringes are often a great tool both for measuring medicines and getting your pet to take it. Technique also varies a bit between dogs and cats.

Since cats’ temperaments and personalities often stretch from one extreme to the other, owners may be the best judges concerning method. In most cases, try to be sure your cat is as calm as possible before offering medicine. Holding the cat in your lap firmly but calmly, offer a favorite snack and quickly insert the syringe and depress the plunger, using a finger to keep the mouth open if necessary.

Dogs will also be more likely to accept medicine while enjoying a snack as well, but offer the treat as a reward afterward. Get your pup into a position where she can’t back away and gently insert the syringe into a back corner of the mouth. Gently blowing on the nose can help stimulate swallowing.

Pills and Camouflaging

Of course, one of the simplest and quickest ways to get fussy pets to take their meds is by mixing it in with a bit of food. It’s generally a better idea to opt for a special treat when using the method, since your pets will be quite familiar with their usual food and could easily detect something amiss.

Dog owners with pets who tend to wolf down snacks in a single gulp may have the easiest task, as long as pills can be slipped inside the treat. However, the fussiest and cleverest of cats and dogs are often experts at eating around even the tiniest of hidden pills. Crushing pills up sometimes works well for mixing into mushy foods, but you run the risk of getting your pooch or kitty to eat only part of his meds.

Although your pet will respond differently to various kinds of treats, there are a few tried and true flavors that can help you cover up bitter tastes. One classic way to camouflage pills involves pushing them into a small hot dog or sausage chunk. Chances are, your happy pup will gobble the piece down too quickly to notice anything strange about it.

Others swear by hiding pills crushed or whole in a bit of cold peanut butter, which will hold its shape better than room temperature peanut butter. Ultimately, finding the right combination of treat and technique may take a bit of time, patience and trial and error, but a healthy pet is a more than worthy reward for your vigilance.

General Suggestions

Chances are that medicine taking will become a routine procedure for your pet, at least until her condition improves. From the outset, try to associate success with a treat offering scenario and be certain to reward her for taking her medication with both a treat and praise. Offer treatments in a calm environment and make sure she is relaxed and happy before making any attempts.

Some pet owners claim that a well trained animal can be convinced to gobble down pills and liquid medicines alike simply by being well disciplined. It’s often true that pets want to please their owners (although this is quite questionable for cats), and motions or commands similar to those used for other successful tricks can be useful when it’s medicine time.

Patience and vigilance are two of the most important qualities pet owners must master when their nonhuman pals are sick and in need of medication. Keep in mind the goal of a happier, healthier dog or cat as you search for a method that seems to work every time. With a bit of time and understanding your best friend will be taking medication like a pro and feeling better in no time.

The post Quick Tricks for Administering Pet Meds To Fussy Cats and Dogs first appeared on Puppy Blog.

In our culture, dog is taken as a friendly companion. For most people, dogs and cats are adapted by human beings as pets. They are so lovely and tamed. But for some people, they are not interested in this domestic pet. Like the dog training shock collar, it is a sensitive topic among the public. It is a hard decision as to whether allow this E-collar sold in public or not. In some places, it is banned that using this electronic gadget to train dogs. There is no absolute evaluation standard to this question all around the world.

As to the disagreement, the animal advocates are the strongest to oppose this gadget. It is a rude behavior to harm the pet. Some point that the E-collar breaks the harmonious relationship between pets and the owners. It is inhumane and irresponsible for the pets. That is why in some countries and areas, the law is clearly written that these harmful electronic gadgets are forbidden. If you really love your pet, how could you make you mind to dress your puppy with such a heavy and harmful gadget? Just imagine that the dog sense the current, it might connect it to the owner or someone else around. The reaction might be serious even out of your expectation. People say that when you smile to life, your will get smile back. That is the same to the relationship between you and your pet. Treat him well, and he will be more obedient and mild.

However, there are some favorers on this dog training shock collar recently. Some are the trainers. Others enjoy the convenience of such a small gadget. For the trainers, it keeps the dogs under control easily. Otherwise, the dog may get punished by this shock. Through this way, dogs become threatening and are forced to follow the instructions from the trainers. Other supporters think that the current is negligible for the pets. They seldom turn on the switch unless there is an emergency case. This dog training shock collar is essential once the puppy becomes rampant.

There are two sides to every question. It is hard to define which is absolutely right. Anyway, pets are friendly companions of us. We should protect them and take care of them. This E-collar is sold all over the world. If you can’t bare this gadget, just ignore the advertisements and keep your puppy far from it.

The post Why Not Pick Dog Training Shock Collar? first appeared on Puppy Blog.

In our culture, dog is taken as a friendly companion. For most people, dogs and cats are adapted by human beings as pets. They are so lovely and tamed. But for some people, they are not interested in this domestic pet. Like the dog training shock collar, it is a sensitive topic among the public. It is a hard decision as to whether allow this E-collar sold in public or not. In some places, it is banned that using this electronic gadget to train dogs. There is no absolute evaluation standard to this question all around the world.

As to the disagreement, the animal advocates are the strongest to oppose this gadget. It is a rude behavior to harm the pet. Some point that the E-collar breaks the harmonious relationship between pets and the owners. It is inhumane and irresponsible for the pets. That is why in some countries and areas, the law is clearly written that these harmful electronic gadgets are forbidden. If you really love your pet, how could you make you mind to dress your puppy with such a heavy and harmful gadget? Just imagine that the dog sense the current, it might connect it to the owner or someone else around. The reaction might be serious even out of your expectation. People say that when you smile to life, your will get smile back. That is the same to the relationship between you and your pet. Treat him well, and he will be more obedient and mild.

However, there are some favorers on this dog training shock collar recently. Some are the trainers. Others enjoy the convenience of such a small gadget. For the trainers, it keeps the dogs under control easily. Otherwise, the dog may get punished by this shock. Through this way, dogs become threatening and are forced to follow the instructions from the trainers. Other supporters think that the current is negligible for the pets. They seldom turn on the switch unless there is an emergency case. This dog training shock collar is essential once the puppy becomes rampant.

There are two sides to every question. It is hard to define which is absolutely right. Anyway, pets are friendly companions of us. We should protect them and take care of them. This E-collar is sold all over the world. If you can’t bare this gadget, just ignore the advertisements and keep your puppy far from it.

The post Why Not Pick Dog Training Shock Collar? first appeared on Puppy Blog.

In our culture, dog is taken as a friendly companion. For most people, dogs and cats are adapted by human beings as pets. They are so lovely and tamed. But for some people, they are not interested in this domestic pet. Like the dog training shock collar, it is a sensitive topic among the public. It is a hard decision as to whether allow this E-collar sold in public or not. In some places, it is banned that using this electronic gadget to train dogs. There is no absolute evaluation standard to this question all around the world.

As to the disagreement, the animal advocates are the strongest to oppose this gadget. It is a rude behavior to harm the pet. Some point that the E-collar breaks the harmonious relationship between pets and the owners. It is inhumane and irresponsible for the pets. That is why in some countries and areas, the law is clearly written that these harmful electronic gadgets are forbidden. If you really love your pet, how could you make you mind to dress your puppy with such a heavy and harmful gadget? Just imagine that the dog sense the current, it might connect it to the owner or someone else around. The reaction might be serious even out of your expectation. People say that when you smile to life, your will get smile back. That is the same to the relationship between you and your pet. Treat him well, and he will be more obedient and mild.

However, there are some favorers on this dog training shock collar recently. Some are the trainers. Others enjoy the convenience of such a small gadget. For the trainers, it keeps the dogs under control easily. Otherwise, the dog may get punished by this shock. Through this way, dogs become threatening and are forced to follow the instructions from the trainers. Other supporters think that the current is negligible for the pets. They seldom turn on the switch unless there is an emergency case. This dog training shock collar is essential once the puppy becomes rampant.

There are two sides to every question. It is hard to define which is absolutely right. Anyway, pets are friendly companions of us. We should protect them and take care of them. This E-collar is sold all over the world. If you can’t bare this gadget, just ignore the advertisements and keep your puppy far from it.

The post Why Not Pick Dog Training Shock Collar? first appeared on Puppy Blog.

It’s all too common, a big athletic dog suddenly comes back from the park limping, or even holding up the hind leg completely. You end up at the veterinarian’s office, where you are told your dog has just injured its ACL.

ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament; in proper veterinary terminology this ligament is the Cranial Cruciate Ligament, or CCL. We think of ACL injuries occurring in athletes, such as football players and skiers, but this happens in dogs and cats too. In fact, cruciate ruptures are the most common orthopedic injury seen in veterinary medicine; having dog insurance can often make this injury more financially feasible to treat.*

The cruciate ligaments are located in the knee (or stifle in animals). These ligaments are vital for proper movement of the knee. The term “cruciate” implies there are two ligaments that form an ‘X.’ The cranial and caudal ligaments do just this and normally function to stabilize the knee so the shinbone (tibia) doesn’t slide back front to back in relation to the thigh bone (femur) .

One big difference between veterinary and human cruciate injuries is that human cruciate ruptures tend to be due to traumatic injuries, such as, playing sports. In animals this isn’t always the case, which is another good reason it’s often a good idea to look into insurance for dogs.

While some may occur as the result of some injury, such as after chasing a Frisbee, 75% of cases are thought to be due to congenital predisposition (genetics) or degeneration in the stifle. Obesity is a huge predisposing factor! Breeds prone to this condition include the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Rottweiler, and St. Bernard among others.

Due to the degenerative nature of cruciate disease, between 30-40% of dogs will go on to eventually injure the other knee. This is due to increased weight bearing on the ‘good’ knee while the dog is lame, combined by the fact that the knees are generally symmetrical. Thus, an underlying predisposing problem in one knee will undoubtedly be present in the other.

There are basically four ways of treating a torn or ruptured cruciate ligament, three of these are surgical and can be quite costly; dog health insurance can often help to reduce these costs. Non-surgical treatment is only ever considered in pets weighing less than 15 pounds. Even in these smaller pets this is generally unrewarding and typically fails. About 50% of cats and 20-to 25% of dogs may respond to strict cage rest, weight control and pain relievers.

There are several companies that are making orthopedic knee braces for dogs. Although some dog insurance companies might cover the cost of these types of braces, most people agree that they are cumbersome to put on and difficult to keep on the patient. They also are not a long term solution, as the amount of stability provided isn’t sufficient for healing.

A permanent surgical correction is a better option, although braces may be suitable for post-operative rehabilitation. The majority of pets need to have surgical correction to provide return to normal function of the leg. Surgery is generally expensive and dog health insurance can often come in handy.

There are three main types of surgical repair. Your veterinarian should help you decide which is appropriate for your pet.

A Lateral Stabilizing procedure, also called a ‘Tight Rope’ or ‘Fishing Line’ procedure is generally less costly and can be a good choice for dogs weighing up to 40 or 50 pounds. This implant approximates the position and plane of the torn cruciate, providing stability. In people a graft can be used to replace the ligament, but this doesn’t provide long term stability in dogs and has fallen out of favor. Success rate is about 85% with surgical correction.

A TPLO, or Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy is another common type of surgical repair. Smaller dogs may not be good candidates for this type of surgery due to the size of the surgical implant. This surgery is different from the lateral stabilizing surgery because it changes the biomechanics of the knee, negating the need for the cranial cruciate. It alters the slope of the top of the shinbone (tibia) to neutralize the forward motion of the shinbone in the absence of an intact cruciate ligament.

A TTA, or Tibial Tuberosity Advancement, has a similar goal to alter the biomechanics of the knee, and can be another excellent choice for surgical repair. Studies show that regardless of the surgery type, the TPLO or TTA surgeries appear to be associated with better results and less degenerative joint disease in very large dogs than the Lateral Stabilizing procedure.

There are some things you can do to prevent this type of injury. If you have a larger dog, or any pet for that matter, consider having dog insurance prior to any problems occurring. Don’t let your pets become obese, monitoring treats and people food is essential. Regular check ups with your veterinarian can help you to determine if your pet is getting too heavy.

If you are concerned your pet may have a torn cruciate ligament, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

*Pets Best Insurance does not cover cruciate injuries within in the first 12 months of coverage. After 12 months, regular benefits will apply to cruciate injures that develop after the first year of coverage.

The post ACL Injuries – What They Mean For Your Pet first appeared on Puppy Blog.