What are ear mites and what do they do?

Ear mites are tiny little bug-like creatures that crawl around in your cat’s ears. If there is one ear mite in your cat’s ear, there are probably thousands of ear mites. They dine on your cat’s ear wax. As your cat’s ear becomes irritated by the ear mites, the ear’s lining secretes serum from blood in the ear. If you’ve noticed a black, scab-like formation in the ear, it’s a combination of the ear wax, serum, and ear mite poop. Gross!

If left untreated, ear mites can lead to infection. In severe cases, the infection can cause a ruptured ear drum.

The ear mites will mate and lay eggs in your cat’s ear, so it’s important to stop the life cycle if you want to put an end to these irritating pests. If you follow the procedure below, you should completely end the ear mite’s life cycle and do away with those pesky ear mites once and for all.

How to treat cat ear mites:

1. Clean all off the black stuff from the ear with a mixture of warm water and liquid dish soap. Squirt some of the solution into the ear and allow it to bubble up. This will loosen the black stuff. Repeat this a few times, then rinse with warm water.
2. Place ear mite medication (available at pet stores for under $10) into the ear and massage the base of the ear. Follow the instructions on the ear mite medicine’s packaging.
3. Apply ear mite medication for 2 more days.
4. Wait 1 week for the medicine to do it’s magic.
5. After 1 week, clean the ears and apply the medicine again.
6. Repeat for 2 more days
7. Wait 1 more week
8. Repeat the ear cleaning / ear mite medicine cycle for 3 more days.

Again, following the above procedure to remove ear mites and their eggs has proven successful time and time again.

Occasionally, your cat will scratch her ear so much that it will become raw. If this happens, please see a veterinarian as soon as possible. The open wound could easily become infected and lead to further complications.

One other note… ear mites will travel from cat to cat or cat to dog. If you have other pets, you should treat those pets for ear mites also. Good luck!

I was waiting to be seated at a local restaurant yesterday and struck up a conversation with an elderly lady seated beside me. She was distraught because her 3 year old dog had developed canine epilepsy. She told me the epilepsy was treatable, but not curable, so she was going to be stuck with some pretty large medical bills for her dog.

A few years ago, my neighbor’s dog knocked down a tiki torch and drank the fuel out of it. They had the dog’s stomach pumped and ended up with an $800 vet bill.

My aunt had a poodle which developed a heart problem several years ago. This dog was the joy of her life, so she did everything she could to save it. Several operations and thousands of dollars later, her dog’s health is much better, but she is still paying the medical bills for her poodle.

‘ve been reading numerous blogs and forums lately about dogs and cats, and it’s very clear to me that pet insurance can be a real life saver, literally. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be able to pay thousands of dollars if my dogs developed some type of life-threatening disease. And it would devastate my family and me if we had to put one of our dogs to sleep at such a young age.

I did some research on common veterinary treatments, and found out the following typical amounts that people have had to pay for medical care for their dog or cat:

I

• Cancer treatments: $3,500
• Fractured leg: $2,300
• Hip dysplasia: $2,400
• Ingestion of foreign body: $2,100
• Motor vehicle accident: $3,212
• Bladder stones: $1,152
• Infection: $1,015

These are real people with real bills to pay.

After my conversation with the lady at the restaurant, I decided to look into pet health insurance for my 2 yorkies. I found a few companies which offer dog health insurance and cat health insurance, but I decided to go with the QuickCare Pet Insurance Program. I filled out the application online, received a quote, and signed up immediately. Sure, it’s an extra expense, but it really is nice to have the peace of mind to know that the pet insurance will be there.

I really hope you consider getting insurance for your dog, insurance for your cat, or both. I look at pet insurance like this… my pets are part of my family. If I’m buying insurance for my family, then I’m buying it for my pets, too. I hope you never have to take your dog or cat to the vet for anything serious, but if you do, have the insurance gives you the peace of mind to know that the bills can be paid.

Resources: QuickCare Pet Insurance

Apparently, chocolate has something in it called theobromine. Theobromine is toxic to dogs. So yes, ingredients in chocolate can be harmful to dogs. But before you go rushing off to the veterinarian because Fido ate a Hershey’s Kiss, here’s what you should know…

It takes a fairly large amount of theobromine to be toxic to your dog. Of course, the amount will vary based on the type of chocolate, the size of your dog, and your dog’s sensitivity to theobromine.

On average,
Milk chocolate contains 44 mg of theobromine per oz.
Semisweet chocolate contains 150 mg/oz.
Baker’s chocolate contains 390 mg/oz.

Generally speaking, it takes approximately 100mg to 150mg of theobromine per kg of dog weight to impact your dog negatively.

Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
Milk Chocolate can be toxic if your dog eats 1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight.
Semisweet chocolate can be toxic if your dog 1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight.
Bakers chocolate can be toxic if your dog eats 1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight.

Based on that, 3 oz. of Bakers chocolate can be harmful to a 25 lb. dog, while 3 oz of of milk chocolate could just give him diarrhea.

So here’s the bottom line… if you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate at a high enough level to be toxic, take him to the vet immediately.

If your dog is showing any signs of hyper excitability, hyper irritability, increased heart rate, restlessness, increased urination, muscle tremors, vomiting, or diarrhea, take him to the vet immediately.

If you don’t know how much chocolate your dog ate, take him to the vet immediately.

If your dog has eaten an M&M or a Hershey’s Kiss, you probably don’t have anything to worry about (unless you have a REALLY small dog).

And from now on, keep your chocolate out of your dog’s reach!

Several years ago, I owned a Labrador Retriever / Great Dane mix. When he was around 1 year old I noticed that my dog was limping on one of his front legs. I assumed he stepped on something in the yard or something insignificant. But over the next 2 weeks, the limp gradually became worse, to the point where he would not put pressure on his leg at all. When a dog is limping that much, you need to do something about it as soon as possible.

I took him to the vet and was told that my dog has arthritis. I guess I never really thought about it, but I wasn’t even aware that dogs can get arthritis. I was especially surprised that a young dog, still a puppy really, could get arthritis.

The vet prescribed a medicine called Rimadyl. According to PetCareRx.com
, “Rimadyl is indicated for the relief of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the control of postoperative pain associated with soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries in dogs.”

I was amazed at the results of the Rimadyl. Within 1 day, my dog was limping significantly less. Within 2 days, my dog’s limp was completely gone. It really was amazing! I was so happy because I know my dog must have been in a lot of pain from the arthritis. And since dogs don’t have a way of letting you know when something is bothering them (like you do when you start to get a headache) my dog had to be really hurting to be limping so much.

I ended up giving my dog away to a family who had more property for him to run on. I talked to them recently, and the dog’s arthritis is still fine. He takes a Rimadyl once in a while, but they haven’t noticed him limping since he moved in with them.

More recently, I was at a friends house. I noticed their 11-year-old Golden Retriever was limping. They told me she had been limping for about a week and they were starting to get more concerned. This is a dog that will play fetch until she drops. It was sad to see her try to play fetch with a limp. I told them that my dog had arthritis and the Rimadyl results.

They took their Golden Retriever to the vet the next day. The vet prescribed Rimadyl. The next day, she was completely better.

This might sound like a Rimadyl commercial, but it’s not. I’m just very impressed with the results I’ve seen both times.

According to PetCareRx.com
, Rimadyl side effects “include loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, dark or tarry stools, increased thirst and urination, lethargy, incoordination, seizure or behavioral changes. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to this medication can include facial swelling, hives and rash.”

I’m sure there are probably non-prescription alternatives to Rimadyl. PetCareRx.com
also has a section on their website for non-prescription medications for dogs and cats with arthritis and pain. I’m not sure if there is a generic for Rimadyl, but it’s very inexpensive considering the results you can get.

UPDATE — I’ve received many comments from people who read this post already. Many people have agreed with the results of Rimadyl. Other have also suggested a medication called Arithramine. At the time of this post, EntirelyPets.com has a special offer on Arthramine where you can purchase 120 Tabs (Large Dogs) and get a FREE Lipiderm 60 Caps“>. It is available without a prescription.

Step 1: Always wear latex gloves when removing a tick because they can transmit diseases to humans.

Step 2: Place your pet in a comfortable position.

Step 3: Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close as possible to your pet’s skin.

Step 4: Pull the tick straight out with the tweezers. Don’t try to twist it out. Slow and steady is the key. If you think you’re going slow, go slower (get the point?). It’s easy to pull the ticks body off and leave the head in your dog’s skin. This can lead to infection. Pull gently until the tick releases itself. Don’t squeeze too tight either because this can cause the tick to release toxins into your dog.

Step 5: Dispose of the tick. Throw it in a fire or smash it in a tissue and flush it down the toilet. Or, take it to your vet in a ziplock bag to be tested for lyme disease.

Step 6: Apply an antiseptic / antibacterial ointment to the bite. Continue to monitor the bite area for swelling or rash.

Step 7: Clean the tweezers with alcohol. Dispose of the gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly.

If you can not remove the head of the tick, take your dog to the veterinarian for treatment.

So, what causes matts and how do you treat matted fur?

There are several things which can cause matting, but the most common cause is lack of grooming. If you haven’t brushed your cat or dog for a while, shame on you. Your pet can’t do it himself. He’s totally dependent on you to take care of him. If you can’t do it regularly, please take your pet to a groomer regularly.

Fleas can also cause matting. They can create a tangled mess in your pets fur. Check and treat your pet for fleas regularly.

Some cats and dogs have 2 coats of fur which shed and need to be brushed out. This is a natural process and it is important to brush out the undercoat when your pet is shedding.

So how do you de-matt your pet’s fur? Well, let’s get this one out of the way first. You can always have your pet shaved and let him start all over. Sometimes it’s the best thing. In the right weather, a fresh shave feels great to your pet. It might scare you at first glance, but it always grows back. However, many people are shocked at the thought of shaving their little beauty, so here’s how you can take care of matted hair on your own.

The most important thing to remember when de-matting your pet is this: be patient. Bathing your pet before trying to remove the matts can often make the matts worse. Removing matts from your cat or dog is usually not a quick process, so be patient. My youngest yorkie matted up over the course of 2 weeks one time because I slacked on grooming, and it took me 3 weeks to remove the matts.

Here are the tools you’ll need to remove matts from your dog or cat (the best prices I’ve found on these items is from CheapPetStore.com):

• A steel comb
• A slicker brush
• A matt splitter

First, let your pet get into a comfortable position… on your lap, on the floor, on the sofa, or wherever he can get comfortable. You don’t want to wrestle your pet during this. If your pet is matted in several places, start de-matting in the places where your pet is most comfortable lying down. In other words, let your pet get comfortable, then work with the places which have easiest access. Also, do your best to control the cat or dog’s head. Control the head… control the pet.

Next begin to work on the matts with the steel comb. Be sure to brush with the grain of the fur. Don’t pull so hard that it hurts your dog. Just for an experiment, grab a small piece of hair on the back of your own head. Pull down, then pull up. Which one hurt more? Up, right? Keep that in mind when you’re brushing your pet. Use the steel comb to slowly break up the clumps.

Try to pull the matted clumps apart into small sections with your hands. The matts are easier to remove if they are smaller, and this will cut down on the amount of fur your pet loses. You may need to carefully cut into the matt with scissors to divide it up. Obviously, don’t get too close to the skin. A cut pet is an unhappy pet. An unahppy pet is more difficult to groom.

As the matts begin to break up, use the slicker brush to remove the tangles. Start at the end of the fur and work your way closer to the skin as the matts loosen up. If you try to start at the base of the fur, next to the skin, you’ll just end up compressing the matts even tighter.

If your pet is going to require numerous grooming sessions to remove the matts, that’s ok. The end results will be rewarding for both you and your pet. Take your time. Be patient. Help your dog or cat to remain calm and comfortable. If you’re sitting down to watch TV or a movie, that would be a great time to work on the matts.

After all the matts are removed, plan on regular grooming times for your cat or dog. Keep the comb or brush in a noticeable spot to remind you about maintaining your pet’s fur. It much easier to brush your pet a few minutes each day than it is to spend hours fighting to remove matted fur.

Good luck!

Reluctantly, I checked out the website she told me about called Dog Food Secrets. The site starts off kinda wierd with this guy telling you about his dog dying. I read a little more, and within minutes, I was convinced that I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew about how to pick the best dog food. I got the eBook and I’m really glad I did.

Do you know how people are always telling you you should look at the labels on the food you buy? How often have you looked at the labels on your dog food? And if you look at the label, do you really know what all those dog food ingredients are?

Do you know what alternatives you have to the dog food you see on the shelves at the pet store or grocery store? I thought I knew, but now I’m sure I know.

I love my dogs, and I realize that they are completely dependent on me to take care of them. That’s why I got the Dog Food Secrets ebook.

Hank and Rex are still young dogs and I want them to live for years and years. It would devastate me if I found out that I wasn’t doing everything I could to help them live a healthy, happy, long life.

Actually, I’m spending less now on dog food than I used to, and the food is better for them than the “top-notch” dog food I was buying before. Of course, yorkies don’t eat much, but saving a few dollars here and there always helps.

Even more, when I ordered Dog Food Secrets, I got a bonus ebook about how to make dog treats. My daughter loves to follow the recipes and make fun shapes with the treats. And, Hank and Rex love the treats. When we do our training, these dog treats are the best!

Anyway, you should check out this site for Dog Food Secrets.