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  • Veterinarian Gives Advice to Prevent Your Pets From Heat Stroke This Summer

    It is that week all over the US.  The one where the temperature continues to climb. Meteorologists are warning about the dangers of being outside.  And if we feel the heat — just imagine how hot it is for pets.  Our pets count on us to take care of them. With temperatures like this, Dr. Reggie Little, a Veterinarian at Animal Medical Center said its important to know the signs and symptoms for a heat stroke.

    “Heat strokes happen very quickly and when they do, problems come very quickly too,” said Little. “So you need to be able to recognize it, if you think they are struggling just from exercise in general or you come back and you’ve left them in a car, make sure you get them to the veterinarian quickly because bad things happen quickly and we have to take them in and really get them cooled off.”

    Dr. Little said there are many symptoms of heat exhaustion and pet owners need to watch for these signs.

    “Panting and if you see them really labor breathing and you look at your dog’s normal tongue color you want a pink tongue,” said Little. “If that thing is purple, dark red, if they are panting and salivating, anything else can happen.”

    Little said one of the best things you can do is to just keep your dog inside

    “The air conditioning is the best place to be, said Little. “If you can’t keep them inside, provide everything you possibly can for help. Shade and natural shade is the best if you can in trees and make sure that you provide coverings and awnings and watch out for concrete if that dog kennel in on concrete it heats up so fast. So make sure you try and provide anything you can to cool down.”

    “Freshwater, clean water, changing it out regularly. Kiddie pools are great ideas, get yourself a kiddie pool and fill it up with water and let them play in it.”

    When it comes to your dog’s health, make sure you are.

    “Using common sense, said Little. “If you’re hot, they’re hot. get them inside and don’t let them get in the car, that’s just not a good thing.”

    If you do want to take your dog on a walk or run, the best times to go are early in the morning or later in the afternoon.

    Check out the original report from WCBI in Mississippi.

    Source: WCBI

  • CDC says pets not a major factor in COVID-19 spread

    Two months after officials announced that two cats in New York had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a detailed paper on what occurred — with some important information for other pet owners.

    The report, published Monday, reveals that the two domestic cats carried the virus — one for eight days and the other 10 days. The first cat, a 4-year-old male domestic shorthair had symptoms “characterized by sneezing, clear ocular discharge, and mild lethargy.” The second cat, a 5-year-old female Devon Rex, “developed respiratory illness including sneezing, coughing, watery nasal and ocular discharge, loss of appetite, and lethargy.”

    The domestic shorthair cat, located in Nassau County, New York, lived in a home with five people, three of whom showed symptoms of COVID-19 (but none of whom were tested). Another cat living in the same home showed no symptoms of the virus and was therefore not tested. The Devon Rex, which was located in Orange County, New York in a single-family home where the owner tested positive for the coronavirus.

    Both cats — the two first reported pets to test positive for the virus — made a full recovery, and no transmission from the cats (to either other animals or humans) was reported. The CDC notes that, as a result, pets contracting the virus is likely an extremely rare occurrence. But adds that it doesn’t mean pet owners should ignore this aspect of the pandemic.

    “Although there is currently no evidence that animals play a substantial role in spreading COVID-19, CDC advises persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to restrict contact with animals during their illness and to monitor any animals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and separate them from other persons and animals at home. “The CDC says that pets that test positive “should be monitored and separated from persons or other animals until they recover.”

    The CDC released guidance earlier this year concerning COVID-19 and animals stating that owners should look out for symptoms of coronavirus in their pets, including fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, sneezing and discharge from the nose or eyes. It also recommends that those who are in home isolation due to symptoms of COVID-19 limit interactions with pets as much as possible.

    Best Friends Animal Society, a no-kill animal rescue and advocacy organization, has created an expanded list of recommendations in its pet preparedness plan. The guide breaks down how to handle pets in a variety of scenarios. For those who believe they may have COVID-19, and live in a place with other people, Best Friends recommends designating a healthy person to “assume full responsibility for caring for your pet” until you are well. “Have the healthy member of your household wash and clean any pet bowls, leashes, crates, bedding and toys, and keep those items separate from the part of the house in which you are staying,” Best Friends writes.

    If you are experiencing symptoms and live alone, the organization recommends choosing “an emergency pet caregiver” (like a friend or family member) who can take care of your pet until symptoms disappear. “Ideally, this person should take your pet to their home to avoid them having to routinely visit your home and risk exposure,” the plan reads. “Prepare your pets’ essential items (food, bowls, leashes, etc.) and place them near your door so the caregiver can easily grab them when they come to pick up your pet.”

    Finally, for those without someone available to care for the pet, Best Friends recommends taking them to a local vet or another facility that can care for the animal until you are well.

    Although more details on how COVID-19 presents in cats may seem alarming, Dr. Erin Katribe, medical director of Best Friends Animal Society, tells Yahoo Life in a statement that pet owners shouldn’t panic, but rather should stay informed. “There is no reason to panic about your pet giving you COVID-19 as there have been no reported cases of it spreading from pet to person,” Katribe said in a statement. “Instead, it is important to practice social distancing and create a plan for the continued maintenance of the pets in your care if you’re unable to leave the house, too sick to function at home, or become hospitalized.”

     

    Source: Aol News

  • Over 1,600 Dogs and Cats march in the Purina Pet Parade

    Pets got in their steps this afternoon for a good cause.  The Purina Pet Parade is part of an annual Mardi Gras tradition.

    This is the 27th annual event and it’s the largest costume pet parade in the entire world, with an estimated 100,000 St. Louisans attending this year’s parade. Over 1,600 dogs marched it the parade, topping the Guinness World Record set in 2002 with 1,326 dogs.

    Some like getting dressed up in their best costumes, others not so much.

    But the event hasn’t all gone to the dogs, many other types of animals get involved.

    Organizers asked folks to donate $10 to the Open-Door Animal Sanctuary.

    See the original report below from – Fox2Now

    Source: Fox2Now St. Louis

  • 15 Tips for Training your Pet With a Q-Clicker

    Clicker training is a terrific, science-based way to communicate with your pet. It’s easier to learn than standard command-based training. You can clicker train any kind of animal, of any age. Puppies love it. Old dogs learn new tricks. You can clicker-train cats, birds, and other pets as well. Here are some simple tips to get you started.

     

    1. Push and release the springy end of the clicker, making a two-toned click. Then treat. Keep the treats small. Use a delicious treat at first: for a dog or cat, little cubes of roast chicken, not a lump of kibble.
    2. Click DURING the desired behavior, not after it is completed. The timing of the click is crucial. Don’t be dismayed if your pet stops the behavior when it hears the click. The click ends the behavior. Give the treat after that; the timing of the treat is not important.
    3. Click when your dog or other pet does something you like. Begin with something easy that the pet is likely to do on its own. (Ideas: sit; come toward you; touch your hand with its nose; lift a foot; touch and follow a target object such as a pencil or a spoon.)
    4. Click once (in-out.) If you want to express special enthusiasm, increase the number of treats, not the number of clicks.
    5. Keep practice sessions short. Much more is learned in three sessions of five minutes each than in an hour of boring repetition. You can get dramatic results, and teach your pet many new things, by fitting a few clicks a day here and there in your normal routine.
    6. Fix bad behavior by clicking good behavior. Click the puppy for relieving itself in the proper spot. Click for paws on the ground, not on the visitors. Instead of scolding for making noise, click for silence. Cure leash-pulling by clicking and treating those moments when the leash happens to go slack.
    7. Click for voluntary (or accidental) movements toward your goal. You may coax or lure the animal into a movement or position, but don’t push, pull, or hold it. Let the animal discover how to do the behavior on its own. If you need a leash for safety’s sake, loop it over your shoulder or tie it to your belt.
    8. Don’t wait for the “whole picture” or the perfect behavior. Click and treat for small movements in the right direction. You want the dog to sit, and it starts to crouch in back: click. You want it to come when called, and it takes a few steps your way: click.
    9. Keep raising your goal. As soon as you have a good response-when a dog, for example, is voluntarily lying down, coming toward you, or sitting repeatedly-start asking for more. Wait a few beats, until the dog stays down a little longer, comes a little further, sits a little faster. Then click. This is called “shaping” a behavior.
    10. When your animal has learned to do something for clicks, it will begin showing you the behavior spontaneously, trying to get you to click. Now is the time to begin offering a cue, such as a word or a hand signal. Start clicking for that behavior if it happens during or after the cue. Start ignoring that behavior when the cue wasn’t given.
    11. Don’t order the animal around; clicker training is not command-based. If your pet does not respond to a cue, it is not disobeying; it just hasn’t learned the cue completely. Find more ways to cue it and click it for the desired behavior. Try working in a quieter, less distracting place for a while. If you have more than one pet, separate them for training, and let them take turns.
    12. Carry a clicker and “catch” cute behaviors like cocking the head, chasing the tail, or holding up one foot. You can click for many different behaviors, whenever you happen to notice them, without confusing your pet.
    13. If you get mad, put the clicker away. Don’t mix scoldings, leash-jerking, and correction training with clicker training; you will lose the animal’s confidence in the clicker and perhaps in you.
    14. If you are not making progress with a particular behavior, you are probably clicking too late. Accurate timing is important. Get someone else to watch you, and perhaps to click for you, a few times.
    15. Above all, have fun. Clicker training is a wonderful way to enrich your relationship with any learner.

    For more tips, tricks, and videos, visit clickertraining by Karen Pryor.

    To order your own Q-Clicker in One or Four Packs, visit our store below!

    new qpets q clicker for training pets

  • How to keep pets safe during world record-breaking cold weather!

    cold pets

    Much of the nation will be getting an early preview of winter this week as temperatures threaten record lows at dozens of locations, including parts of the South not used to freezing conditions at this time of year. That means pulling out the heavy coats from storage – and making accommodations for keeping pets safe and comfortable.

    Animal-care experts suggest that, as a rule of thumb, if the weather outside is too cold for humans to withstand, they should bring their pets inside and let them out just long enough to do their bodily functions. When dogs shiver in the cold, they’re showing clear signs of discomfort.

    “Some people think, ‘Well, he’s a husky, I can leave him out while I’m at work.’ They don’t want to be out there,’’ said Chris Whitmore, an animal services coordinator in Iowa City, which is expecting snow and a low of 7 degrees Monday. “He might enjoy it when you’re there to watch him, but when it’s this cold, we always tell people, ‘Don’t leave your pet outside. It’s just not safe.’’’

    winter pets

    We all know to bring our pets inside when it gets too cold, but here some tips you may not know from the ASPCA.

    Whitmore and other authorities in the field offered a number of tips for the millions of American animal lovers who will be dealing with chilly weather in the coming days. Such as:

    • Cover them up: Dogs with thicker coats have a higher tolerance to cold weather, but short-haired breeds such as chihuahuas, beagles and greyhounds don’t have much natural shield from the elements. If taking them out for a walk of more than a few minutes, put a sweater or coat on them. Booties provide added protection for their feet if your dog will tolerate them. That part of their bodies is especially vulnerable to the rock salt often used as an ice-melting agent, which irritates paws and can be harmful if swallowed. Once back inside, make sure to wipe off the dog’s feet and belly with a moist rag.
    • Watch out for the wind chill: It’s not just the thermometer reading that matters. “The wind takes your body temperature away from you,’’ Whitmore said. “The wind chill is the worst part when it gets this cold.’’
    • Knock on the car hood or blow the horn: Cats have a knack for finding warm spots when it’s cold, but oftentimes that can be a wheel well or a nook underneath the hood of a car that was recently turned off. The noise from a knock or the horn will scare them away. “Every winter we get cases where a cat has been killed or severely injured because they were napping near the engine and the engine was turned on,’’ said Rob Halpin, director of public relations for a branch of the Massachusetts SPCA in Boston, where the mercury is expected to dip into the low 20s Tuesday and Wednesday.
    • Beware of antifreeze: Animals are drawn to the smell and sweet taste of ethylene glycol in regular antifreeze, which crystallizes in their lungs and kills them. Colder temperatures often remind drivers to add antifreeze to their vehicles, and spillages become hazardous to animals. There is a pet-safe version of antifreeze that uses propylene glycol instead – some states require its use – but it’s more expensive and some drivers eschew it.
    • Go out with them: As uncomfortable as it might be, it’s best to take dogs out to do their business instead of letting them roam by themselves in the yard. Though most dogs will want to scurry back where it’s warm, some may not be able to resist chasing a squirrel or running around.
    winter dogs

    “They’re like children. They don’t know when they’re starting to get frostbite, hypothermia, so you have to be the responsible one.’’

     Chris Whitmore: Animal Services Coordinator, Iowa City
    • Don’t leave pets in the car: The Chicago branch of PAWS says cold weather can create “a freezer-like environment’’ inside a car that’s turned off, so it discourages owners from traveling with their pets during the winter. If pets must come along, they shouldn’t be let alone in the vehicle even for short spells.
    • Set up a warm place to sleep: Keep pets away from any draft and off the floor by providing them a bed or basket with a blanket or pillow in it.
    • Shelter, food, and water: Stray cats can withstand temperatures around 15-20 degrees but are in danger of hypothermia when the mercury drops lower. Some cities give away small, insulated boxes that serve as shelter for cats – they can also be made easily out of Styrofoam coolers – and volunteers or other residents spread them around. “That can mean the difference between life and death for an outdoor cat or cats,’’ Halpin said.

    For people who like to look after neighborhood cats that may visit from time to time, experts suggest leaving food and warm water available to them. It’s important the water remains liquid because hydration is critical to maintaining proper body temperature.

    More info: Check on the websites of animal-protection organizations such as the Humane Society and the ASPCA.

    Site: usatoday.com

  • Cool Tips for COOL Pets this Summer!

    Summer is already here and as temperatures rise, we must keep in mind ways to keep ourselves and our furry friends cool and safe. Animals respond differently than humans to heat, so dogs, cats and other pets need special care during hot weather. During extremely hot weather, it might not be safe to take your dog out for a walk, especially without shoes.
    Keep in mind that if the pavement feels too hot to touch, it is too hot for them to walk on.

    If you suspect the hot weather might have affected your pet, look for signs signs of heat stroke, such as fast and noisy breathing, difficulty swallowing and distressed behavior. According to the ASPCA, animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. If you suspect your pet is having a heat stroke, place a cold, wet towel on the back of the animal’s head, and towel-wrapped cold compresses on their back legs and belly.

    If your pet is elderly, overweight or has other health problems, avoid taking them outside and keep them in air-conditioned rooms instead. The pet should be immediately taken to the veterinarian to be checked. Especially during hot weather, make sure the pet has fresh drinking water that is served in a large container, instead of a shallow bowl, to allow the water to remain cold longer.

    You can also try giving your pet ice cubes to eat or add them to the water bowl. Our Qpets WF-300 Filtered Water Fountain not only continuously filters your pets drinking water through a charcoal filter, but it also has a big reservoir that can be filled with ice cubes from an ice machine in your fridge or from any average size ice tray. If you keep the WF-300 outside in the shade or inside your home, it can keep the water cool for your pets all afternoon!

    Don’t leave pets by themselves in cars, and keep pets at home if necessary.
    If you want to take your dog on a walk, try taking them out early in the morning or evening, when the weather and pavement have cooled down.

    In case of any health concerns, the ASPCA suggest you take a trip to the vet and have your pet get an early-summer checkup.

  • Why You Should Start Using Automated Pet Feeder

    Did you ever have this following experience:

    1. Early morning, you were trying to get some more sleep in. Suddenly, a series of scratching sound came from your room door. It’s your dog (or cats). He was so anxious because it was his feeding time, but you were still in bed!

    2. You needed to work every day, but you couldn’t find a friend or neighbor to feed your pet. So all you can do was leave a lot of food out for your pet to eat at its own. In the end, the result was an obese pet.

    3. You needed to leave town for a couple of days. You asked all around but couldn’t find anyone to take is your pet. So you have no choice but sending your pet to pet boarding, and that cost you couple hundred dollars.

    If you had faced this kind of experience before, you might want to consider an automated pet feeder.

    We all live a busy life this day, feeding our pets on a proper schedule become a difficult task. We can’t guarantee that we can feed our pets at the same time every day, which is quite essential for their health. An automated pet feeder can give you the relief of knowing your pets are always fed, whether you’re at work or going away for a couple of days. Most automated pet feeder today have the feature to set the time, portion and food type of each meal So you can make sure your pets eat at the right time, right amount and right kind of food.

    As your pets, you are the only food source they have. So most of the time they will associate you with food. Also, animal most of the time have different life habit than human. For example, cats are active during night time, and they eat multiple small meals throughout the day. So when your pets are hungry in the early morning time when you want to get some more sleep in, who do you think they are going to go to for food? An automated pet feeder can save you from those “unwanted morning call.” With a little bit of training, you can transfer your association with food to the feeder. When your pets are hungry, they will go to the feeder instead to bother you.

    According to research from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 58% of cats and 53% of dogs in the United States were overweight. Pet obesity has become a growing issue, and the outcome is serious. Many factors caused this problem, but one of the more critical factors was owners are spending less time and attention on their pet’s diet. As people are getting busier and busier with their daily task, it often is hard for them to feed their pets personally every meal. So people start to something called free feeding, which is just leaving bunch food for the pets to eat as many as they want. The animals don’t know diet control, so they will eat as many as they can every time.

    A great way to solve this problem is by using an automated pet feeder. This way can allow you to monitor and control your pets daily intake, without the need for your present. It indeed has all the benefits of feeding your pets personally and free feeding but without all the trouble and problem of both.

  • Buy a Feeder, Get a Fountain, for FREE!

    Great Deal! The first 50 customers that purchased an AF-108 Plus automatic pet feeder is eligible for a free WF-300 pet water fountain. Get it now, before they are all gone!

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  • Free Feeding vs. Scheduled Feeding, which one should you do?

    Free feeding is comfortable, convenient and takes no time to do. But it can cause many problems. Scheduled diet is right for your pet’s health, but it can be hard to keep up with, especially if you have a busy daily schedule of your own. It is not an easy job to do. So here is the question, free feeding vs. scheduled feeding, what should you do?

    Free Feeding

    Free feeding is a method which you leave food out for your pets to eat as many as they want, whenever they want. You refill it once it is empty. While this method is definitely very convenient and doesn’t take much to do, it has few risks to it.

    The biggest con of free feeding is it can cause health issue, more specifically obesity. Most cats or dogs have the tendency to eat more food than their body actually needs. I personally seem my cat vomit couple times because she overate. This kind of eating will eventually lead to obesity. Studies showed overweight cats have shorter life expectancy than regular cats. Overweight can cause high blood pressure, the excessive burden to joints, diabetes, and other illnesses.

    There is also the problems with keeping the food clean, training your pets to only eat in their own bowl if you have multiple pets and many other issues.

    Scheduled Feeding

    Scheduled Feeding is an excellent habit to have when owning pets. You can decide how much to feed and how many meals to feed everyday base on your pet’s species, breed, age, size, activity level, and other health factors. You can also add in medicines or supplements if your pet needs them. But it isn’t easy if you want to do this properly.

    First, you need to determine how many meals to feed every day. Dogs and cats are different. Usually, cats need 3-4 meals a day with small meals. Dogs are different, dogs only need 2 meals per day. But they typically eat much more. You also need to consider whether your pet needs medicines or not, whether your pet is too active that need additional meals etc. You might want to consult your veterinarian to come up with the best feeding schedule.

    Scheduled feeding is not an easy job, it will take time and work. But its benefits are obvious. You can control your pet’s food intake, feed different kinds of food for different meals, change its eating habit and more.

    Conclusion

    Ideally, I wish every pet owner can schedule feed their pets. However, not everyone has the time and energy to do so. So is there a solution that can have the best of both worlds?

    The answer is yes, programmable automatic pet feeder will be a great solution to that. Programmable pet feeder allows you to set the feed time and food quantity for every day, it will distribute the amount of food you set on the feed time you set so your pet can be fed even you are not present.

    If you are thinking to pick up a feeder, I suggest the Qpets AF-108 Plus. It has a six trays rotary design that allows you to put dry food, treat, medicine and even wet food in some cases, in the six separated food trays for a different meal. Also, a far more advanced programming system compare to the old AF-108. This makes it much easier to use compared to the old AF-108.

    Hope everyone finds my information useful and have a great time with their pets!