Allergies Can Be A Real Pet Peeve.

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Allergies Can Be A Real Pet Peeve


As many owners will confirm, pets are more than animals living in their house. They are part of the family. For allergy sufferers, this bond often means that it will take more than a stuffy nose and sneezing to separate them from their favorite Fido or feline.

An estimated 10 percent of the population is allergic to pets. But because more than 70 percent of U.S. households have a dog or cat, these pet allergy sufferers may frequently come in contact with animals, and sometimes even have pets living in their own homes.

"I work with lots of families who have allergies and chose to live with a pet anyway," said Dr. Jeff Werber, a practicing Los Angeles veterinarian and Emmy Award-winning pet health reporter. "Most people view their pets as beloved members of the family, and parting with them because of allergies is not an option."

Understanding Pet Allergies

Although most people think it is hair or feathers that cause allergic reactions, it is actually the saliva and proteins in animals' dander that trigger symptoms, such as sneezing, itchy nose, and nasal congestion. Surveys have found that sufferers consider nasal congestion to be the most bothersome allergy symptom. Bathing and brushing your pets regularly will help remove allergens from their bodies.

"Soap is not necessary and can dry out your pet's skin," said Dr. Werber. "Bathing with water alone is fine."

A common myth about dog allergies is some breeds cause less severe allergic reactions than other breeds. All dogs have dander, which means they all can cause an allergic reaction.

Household Tips

• Try keeping your pet in rooms that don't have carpeting or upholstered furniture, such as the kitchen.

• Train your four-legged friend to stay off of the bed and to rest in a separate room from where you sleep. Pets' dander and saliva can trigger symptoms all night.

• Minimize the time a pet spends outdoors on days with high pollen counts. Pets also can bring outdoor allergens like pollen from grass and weeds into the home.

• Visit www.nasal-allergies.com to check the allergy forecast for your area before going out to throw a Frisbee or take a long walk.

• Vacuum floors and upholstered furniture frequently to remove pet dander. Surfaces like hardwood or tile floors are preferred over carpeting for allergy sufferers as dander can easily be removed from them.

• Have a nonallergic person clean your pet's cage, preferably outdoors.

Symptom Control

Rather than enduring symptoms, visit your doctor to discuss your allergies. Your physician can help properly diagnose your condition and prescribe medicine to help treat, or even prevent, your symptoms.

"If a patient is complaining of itchy eyes and throat, I'd suggest a nonsedating antihistamine. For the treatment of nasal allergy symptoms, including congestion, a prescription nasal-inhaled steroid is often recommended," said Dr. Matthew Clarke, Associate Director of the Occupational Health Center at North Shore University Hospital at Forest Hills in Forest Hills, New York. Nasal-inhaled steroids, which are available for adults and children, include NASONEX® (mometasone furoate monohydrate) Nasal Spray, 50 mcg (calculated on the anhydrous basis).

"I see patients who think they only need to use their medication when they are experiencing symptoms," said Dr. Clarke. "By following some simple steps at home and using medication daily, year-round, allergy sufferers and their pets can live comfortably together."

NASONEX® is the only once-daily prescription nasal-inhaled steroid approved to help prevent most seasonal nasal allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion, in adults and children 12 years of age and older when NASONEX is started 2 to 4 weeks prior to allergy season, and the only nasal-inhaled steroid approved to treat nasal allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion, in patients as young as 2 years of age. Take regularly, as effectiveness depends upon regular use. Maximum treatment effect is generally reached after 1 to 2 weeks. NASONEX also is the only nasal-inhaled steroid approved for the treatment of nasal polyps in adults 18 years of age and older. Side effects were generally mild and included headache, viral infection, sore throat, nosebleeds, and coughing. Please see accompanying full prescribing information.

Hope This Helps You Out!

 

                      (Dad):Hey Baby Boy,Do you have anything for our Readers Today?

(Nitro):Yes Dad I do.Hey Everybody,Hope Ya'll Like This.This will be Funny!Here Goes!!!

 

(Nitro):I Told You It Would Be Funny!

 

Until Next Time,Take Care Everybody!!!

 

A New Cure For Separation Anxiety.

Hey Everybody it's Blogging Time.First we would to start off by saying Happy Holidays to everyone.Please have a joyous and safe Holiday.Be sure to keep your furry ones warm,safe and happy.We also would like to thank everyone that has stuck with us along the way.We really appreciate that you are here with us because it gets scary knowing that you are alone but with you our subcribers,we feel that we are here with friends that makes us feel so secure and we thank you for being there with us.We love you and all your comments you have sent us.So on this note,We Thank You for Your Support.

TODAY'S ARTICLE!!!

A New Cure For Separation Anxiety!

 I found this while searching for something else, on Google and thought you might find it interesting.

From the Peoria Humane Society website: Melatonin the Marvelous!!!

Amazingly, an effective treatment for thunderstorm and noise phobias may be an over-the-counter hormone used by humans to prevent insomnia. Melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland, sets the body's internal clock in response to exposure to light. The body creates melatonin only in total darkness (the pineal gland stops production when any part of the body, even the back of the leg, is exposed to light). In humans, melatonin has been shown to calm the nerves, reduce anxiety, relieve panic disorders, prevent migraine headaches and facilitate deep sleep. In birds and other animals in the wild, melatonin levels trigger spring reproduction, fall migration, and winter hibernation. Actually, hibernation is what brought melatonin to dogs with thunderstorm/noise phobias.

Melatonin has helped some noise-phobic dogs go from being panicked to only mildly concerned with thunder or other loud noises such as fireworks and gunshots (it has not been found to be effective in other stressful situations, only when noise is a major factor). It isn't a sedative. Your dog will stay awake and alert. Instead of being extremely afraid during a thunderstorm, a dog may just simply stop being afraid.

It is not quite known how melatonin works, but it has an acute effect on the central nervous system's neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that transmit nerve impulses. It appears that melatonin increases serotonin production and that it is a major inhibitor of dopamine release. Dopamine and serotonin are the important neurotransmitters involved in behavior. It may also have something to do with cortisol levels.

You may find Melatonin in health food stores, pharmacies and some supermarkets. It comes in a number of forms and a wide variety of dosages, so make sure to examine the labels carefully and select a product that contains the proper dosage for dogs. Make sure that it does NOT contain other herbs or nutrients. The usual dosage is 3mg for a dog that weighs over 30 pounds. In a few cases, very large dogs weighing well over 100 pounds needed 6mg, but that's unusual. For dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds, give 1.5mg. For a tiny dog, reduce the dosage even further. Keep in mind that 1,000 micrograms (mcg) is equal to 1 milligram (mg), so a 200mcg pill, which is a common dosage form, contains only 1/15 of the amount recommended for a large dog.

Whenever a thunderstorm is predicted, give the dog melatonin before you leave for the day. The supplement remains effective for several hours. Otherwise, give it whenever thunder seems imminent. If the dog becomes agitated, give the melatonin immediately. It may not be as effective on a dog that is already highly aggitated, however, giving it may prevent the situation form getting worse. Melatonin's benefits may be cumulative with a maximum benefit occurring by the third day.  

Are there any dogs that shouldn't take melatonin? It has been said that you shouldn't give melatonin to humans with autoimmune disorders, so check with your veterinarian before giving it to your dog. However, it has been given to dogs with autoimmune disease, elderly dogs that had a number of diseases, dogs with heart problems and dogs with other illnesses, without any serious side effects. So again, you must consult your veterinarian before giving it to your dog if it has an illness.

The long term safety of melatonin supplementation has been debated by physicians and many holistic health experts warn against taking it for more than ocasional, short term use. However, no clinical trials have been conducted on its actions in dogs. Over-the-counter melatonin is not recommended for children because any hormone supplement may disrupt the developing endocrine system, so it is believed that it shouldn't be given to puppies for the same reason. As always consult your veterinarian.

That's all for now, folks!

Does Daddy's Baby Boy Have Something Good For Our Readers?

(Nitro): Yes Dad,I thought You Would Never Ask!LOL!!!

(Nitro):This is More Cute This Time...

 

 

 

(Nitro):I Told You!Thanks Everybody And Happy Holidays!!!

That's It for Now.Enjoy the Holidays And be Safe!

 

A Tale Of Four Dog Foods: Finding The Best Chow For Your Hound

Hey Everybody,It's Blogging Time!Hope everybody is keeping safe and Happy...
Well summer is winding down and it's time to start thinking about the cold weather ahead.
Now it's time to think about keeping our pets nice and warm,and to get those diets back on track from the summer fun. So today with will be talking about comparing pet foods.So let's get started...

A Tale Of Four Dog Foods: Finding The Best Chow For Your Hound

We all love our dogs and want to give them the best life has to offer. But with so many variations of dog food in the market, it isn't always easy to identify the best food for our dog. Who can possibly feel confident when so many brands trumpet buzzwords that hit the human aisles not long ago, such as "rich in antioxidants," "highly digestible," "Omega-3 fatty acids" and "Ultra Premium Formula"?

What we can do, though, is to conduct a simple dog food comparison to determi...

We all love our dogs and want to give them the best life has to offer. But with so many variations of dog food in the market, it isn't always easy to identify the best food for our dog. Who can possibly feel confident when so many brands trumpet buzzwords that hit the human aisles not long ago, such as "rich in antioxidants," "highly digestible," "Omega-3 fatty acids" and "Ultra Premium Formula"?

What we can do, though, is to conduct a simple dog food comparison to determine which foods best fit our dog's requirements and our personal schedule. After all, some foods offer much greater convenience than the more natural, less processed types of food which may require freezing, thawing, cooking and preparation.

Convenience aside, the best food to give your dog depends not on the brand or the style, but rather on your dog's age and any special requirements he might have. For example, older dogs require food containing a careful balance of protein, fat and fiber. Most commercial dog food companies address this need with offerings such as senior dog food, containing about 18 % protein, and food for dogs diagnosed with renal failure, containing about 14% protein.   

Dare to Compare Dry Dog Food

The vast majority of dog owners go for dry dog food. Between the supermarket and specialty pet stores, owners enjoy many brands to choose from. Dry dog food consists of kibble typically made from one primary ingredient such as chicken, beef or lamb. More specifically, the main ingredient is usually a meat byproduct that's been processed, dried and sold in packs or bags for easy dispensing. Needless to say, meat byproducts are far cheaper than meat, so this type of dog food is not only easy to store, it's much less expensive than other types.

Hard kibble comes with some advantages. For example, it gives your dog's mouth some exercise, and kibble's less likely to contribute to plaque than softer foods.

When comparing brands, it helps to remember that there are essentially two types of dry dog food on the market: premium dog food and economy dog food. A smart owner will avoid purchasing the economy food, which is made from lower grade ingredients (for example, economy dog food will often substitute cheap corn for the more expensive meat byproducts). The "end" result, as it were, is that your dog can't absorb many nutrients but simply passes the food through his body. So in addition to enjoying less nutrition, your dog will produce larger stools -- and you might find yourself with more frequent vet bills.

Other Popular Contenders: Canned, Semi-Moist and More

Other categories of dog food include the semi-moist type and canned food. Many owners like to mix in some canned food with dry food, to potentially cover more nutritional bases without taking too big a hit to the pocketbook.

Semi-moist food is attractively convenient to owners, and dogs love it. Unfortunately, it may cause dental problems in the mid-term and worse in the long term, because semi-moist food is loaded with corn syrup and other sugars, which dogs just aren't designed to process.

Recently, more natural, "premium" dog food has been introduced to the market, in which higher quantities of quality, nutritious ingredients are used to manufacture the food -- often human-grade, in fact. Since vegetables, fruits, real meat and quality grains are used as the primary protein source in the highest-quality dog foods, these foods are a fast route to healthy skin and beautiful fur. For the most part, they contain no artificial coloring and preservatives, but are chock-full of vitamins and minerals instead.

Although this food costs more, you can feed your dog less of it, because it's more nutritionally dense. So in terms of both convenience and nutrition, a premium, natural dog food is one of the best choices available to your dog, whether off-the-shelf or purchased online.

Remember,if you take care of your pets,they will be loyal and love you forever.

Okay Baby Boy,It's your turn.Do you have something good for our readers Today? 
(Nitro):Sure do Dad.They will love this video.Enjoy everybody!

 (Nitro):Told you it was funny.And you know Dad i hate those Shoes and Socks!
Yeah baby boy,you do look funny when you wear 'em!!!

Until Next Time,Take Care Everybody! 

Dog Smells: How to Eliminate Them...

Dog Smells: How to Eliminate Them...

Certainly every dog owner we know loves to cuddle up to their pet pooch while some even sleeps with their beloved pet. Constant hugging and cuddling with your pet promotes a stronger bond between you and your pet. But what if your beloved pooch starts to give off an unbearable stinking smell? Foul dog odor can develop from a number of reasons and causes a lot of concerns to dog owners. But you don't have to worry, these abominable smells that your dog get is easily eliminated if proper hygiene is practiced. Here are some smell elimination tips you can try to get rid of those funky smell in your pet:

Regular washing. Schedule a weekly washing of your dog's bedding and blankets to remove stinky odor. Regular washing of your pet's beddings and blankets prevents odors from wetness and dirt in getting sealed into his bedding.

Bath you dog. Depending on the kind of breed and activity level of a dog, some dogs requires weekly bathing while other dogs need only to be bathe every few weeks to a month. Determine the right bathing schedule for your dog and do it regularly. In general, if your dog starts to smell like a dog, then it's always the right time for his bath. Buy a dog shampoo that is formulated to remove smells.

Regular grooming. Not only a dirty coat can cause BO in your dog, many other parts of your dog's body can contribute to his smelliness. Check and clean your dog's ears, ear wax can build up and cause a stinking smell in your pet's ears. Regular brushing of your dog's teeth and occasional application of dog breath spray helps prevent bad dog breath.

Impromptu mess cleaning. If your dog is sick and vomits, or has diarrhea, or an accident, quickly clean up hiss mess. Use water to clean the mess and white paper towels to dry it.
Check your dog's food. A number of manufactured dog foods contribute to an unpleasant dog stink due to some ingredients. Try giving your dog a homemade diet more often to decrease foul stink.

Neutralize odors. Neutralize stinky dog odors by applying pet deodorizing spray in your dog's coat.

Check your pet's anal sacs. Anal sacs are two small scent-sacs in the area of your dog's anus. Dogs whose anal sacs have filled up with fluid will experience itching, irritation and discomfort around the anus, as well as emitting a foul odor. If your pet starts to "scoot" or "drag" his bottom on the floor for relief, he is actually attempting to express the sacs himself. Immediately bring your pet to the vet for proper medication.

Bring your dog to the vet. Make a regular visit to your vet every 6 months for your dog's check-up. Your veterinarian should tell you whether or not your dog's smell is due to a sickness or not. Some of the diseases that causes stinking dog odor includes ear infection, atopy, gum and teeth disease, diabetes and kidney failure among others.

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Brushing When Your Dog is Shedding...

Brushing When Your Dog is Shedding...

One major concern of most dog owners during shedding season is how to properly brush and groom their pet’s shedding hair without worsening hair loss. Here is how to groom your dog’s hair during shedding:

Step 1:
Once the shedding begins, take a trip to the pet shop and buy two types of dog brushes, a soft brush and a small metal-bristled brush to remove most of the shedding hair.

Step 2:
It is recommended to brush your dog’s hair in an outdoor location to avoid having dog hair all over your house. Brush your dog in the backyard, or in a hard floor where you can easily sweep up the fallen pet hairs.

Step 3:
Ensure that your dog’s coat is perfectly dry before brushing. Have your dog sitting or standing when grooming him, although a standing dog is easier to brush all at once.

Step 4:
Pet your dog so that he will be comfortable during the brushing activity.

Step 5:
Start working with the soft brush to release all of the hair that is getting ready to come off. Then carefully brush the metal-bristled or shedding brush through your dog’s hair, from front to back. Hair will gently start to pull off your dog's back.

Step 6:
As hair accumulates in the brush, pull it off, and then continue brushing until all loose hair is removed. If hair looks like it's about to shed, but doesn't come out, you'll have to wait for it to naturally loosen.

Step 7:
Reward your dog with a treat after successful brushing, and then clean up the floor or the yard with a vacuum.
Aside from proper hair brushing, it is also important that you know what kind of brush is right to use for the job. The following are the best brushes you can chose from for your shedding dog:

Rubber Brushes. Rubber brushes allow owners to gently pull loose hair from short-coated shedding dogs. Rubber curry brushes are the best brushes for removing dead, unwanted hair and bringing a healthy sheen to the fur of short-haired dogs.

Slicker Brushes. These types of brushes have fine wire bristles embedded into a cushioned surface and a wood or plastic handle. Slicker brushes are best for removing loose hair and tangled mats from long-haired or curly coated shedding dogs.

Bristle Brushes. Bristle brushes have nylon or boar bristles and are best used on all types of dog coats, but they are best suited for small dogs and dogs with sensitive skin. Bristle brushes promote stimulation of dog's skin and increase coat health. They can be used for everyday grooming to get rid of surface dust, dirt and dead fur on your dog’s coat.

Pin Brushes. Pin brushes are typically oval-shaped with rust-resistant, rubber-coated wire pins to prevent scratching or irritating your dog’s skin. Pin brushes are efficient in separating and untangling fur on shedding dogs with sensitive skin and medium to long thick, woolly or curly coats.

Undercoat Rakes, Shedding Blades and the FURminator. The undercoat rake works best for dogs with thick double coats. The rake's teeth infiltrate through the overcoat into the thick undercoat, removing loose hair or work out tangled, matted fur. Used like a brush, shedding blades are the best tool for removing loose hair from thick-coated, heavily shedding dogs. The FURminator is best for long-haired shedding dogs. It can reduce shedding up to 90 percent by removing dogs' loose, dead undercoat without hurting their topcoat.



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Seasonal Allergies I : Flea Allergy...

Seasonal Allergies I : Flea Allergy...

Allergies caused by the change in season are very common to pet animals, most especially in dogs. One of the most common seasonal allergy problems in pet dogs is flea allergy dermatitis. Flea allergy is the result of your pet's reaction to flea saliva when a flea bites your pet. Flea allergy dermatitis can result to severe allergic reaction for most dogs and can lead to the development of secondary skin infections like pyoderma, if not treated properly.

Fleas are parasites that live on sucking the blood of its host; it can live a life span of 6 to 12 months. However, this life span is influenced by environmental conditions and can vary from two to three weeks up to a year. Optimal conditions also include humidity of 75 to 85 percent and temperature of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Humidity is more important than the temperature. Flea eggs are found in the environment, though, the adult flea inhabits most of the time in its host body.

Flea allergy disease is manifested through the following: severe and excessive itching, chewing and biting of body parts; hot spots or acute moist dermatitis on your dog's hips or face, which is a result from exuberant scratching; and oozing lesions from chewing.

If your pet happens to have a flea infestation, no need to panic yet, flea allergy is treatable. Effective treatment of flea allergy dermatitis includes four important phases:

The prevention of flea bites that causes the allergy.
Assertive control of flea infestation in your pet dog as well as in his environment.
Treatment of secondary skin infections that have developed in your dog's body due to itching and scratching. Antibiotics and antifungal drugs may be administered to treat skin infections triggered by the flea allergy.
Breaking your dog's itch cycle. Giving steroids to your dog, on a short course, may be essential to break his itch cycle.

Below are some tips on how to prevent and avoid flea infestation in your pet dog:
Clean-up. Frequently vacuum and clean your carpeting to remove eggs and larvae from your dog's indoor dwelling. If you had difficulty exterminating the fleas inside your house, you can hire a professional cleaning or exterminating service to effectively do the job.

Dog Brushing. Frequently grooming your dog with a "flea comb" can help remove fleas from his hair and coat.

Flea Control Products. Try using an effective and safe flea control product on your dog on a regular basis during flea season. You can start using this flea control product one month prior to the start of flea season and continuing up until a month after the flea season ends.

Dog Check-up. Take your pet to the vet for flea allergy diagnosis that is based on history, clinical signs and a positive response to flea control. If your pet has already a flea allergy problem and starts developing acute skin lesions (acute moist dermatitis) due to excessive biting or scratching at fleas, consult your veterinarian for proper medication to be given to your dog.

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Your Dog and Stress...

Your Dog and Stress...
Like their human owners, dogs too feel stress when put into situations that are uncomfortable for them. But what are these situations that lead our beloved pets to feel stressed? These situations include changes in home environment or in pack hierarchy, separation, confinement, negative commands, aggressive owners or other aggressive animals, physical pain, hunger, thirst, loud noises such as thunder, fireworks or music, and the inability to relieve himself when needed. These are the most common causes of dog stress that can result to dog behavior problems.
Over time, conscientious pet owners are trying their very best to relieve their pets from experiencing stress. Remember, like us, dogs are much less prone to stress if they live happy lives, which involves good grooming, proper nourishment and plenty of exercise. Getting rid of agitating circumstances such as loud noises or disruptive lifestyle will greatly perk up your dog’s attitude.
Below are some of the signs that your dog may exhibit if he is under a stressed condition. But you should remember that these signs must be exhibited repeatedly for them to be considered as stress signals.
Shaking, yawning and scratching
Barking or whining with no obvious reason
Biting, growling or snarling
Glazed eyes
Weight loss
Refusing food and treats or refusal to open mouth or loss of appetite
Naughty behavior and disobeying orders
Licking lips, drooling and sneezing
Improper bowel movements and vomiting
Avoiding eye contact, keeping tail between legs or acting shy
Exhibiting hyperactivity or under activity
Eventually, domesticated dogs have developed in a way that they can fight stress on their own. To alleviate their own stress, dogs have developed their own calming techniques like yawning, sitting, lying down and lip licking; these can also be signs of stress relief rather than those of stress itself.

Currently, a handful of stress-reducing remedies are already available at local pet shops as well as behavior modification classes, but it is more recommended to consult a veterinarian. Pet dogs are very much like us and often require some special attention in order to lead happy lives.

But if you want to help calm your dog and ease his stress, try calming down yourself first. Sometimes an owner’s stress can be shifted to his pet. A lot of pet dogs actually suffer from the human stress surrounding them. Take deep breaths, listen to soothing music and show your dog you are relaxed. Provide comfort to your dog. Make him warm and give him cozy place to sleep. Also, take your dog for a walk every day, a number of studies showed that exercise and fresh air are among the best stress reducers and mood enhancers for both humans and animals. Most importantly, provide a lot of praises to your dog, praises generate positive energy from your dog and also help build a bond of trust and love between you and your pet.

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