Pet-Proofing Your Yard - Keeping Your Pets Safe Inside Your Yard

We think of our homes as areas of safety and security. And we fully understand the obvious dangers like anti-freeze and rat poisoning. But there are many lesser items around the yard that may cause problems, with both our pets and our children.

Domestic pets need to stay within your own yard to make sure they are safe. They can be trained to stay indoors, but keeping your pets within your yard is another story. Pets are naturally curious and will always want to explore what is beyond the fence.

To make certain that they stay within your boundaries, always ensure that the fence is secured. Dogs, for instance, will always dig their way out, literally. If they cannot find gap of a damaged fence to sneak out to, they will simply dig and go out. To prevent this, you may want to either bury extended chicken wire or lay cement under it. Be consistent with this strategy since dogs will try to dig.

If your fence is not very high, do not position any table or chair which pets can use as a leverage to jump over the fence. Keep these objects far enough. It is also necessary to have the gates of the fence closed at all times. Install springs at the gate so it will automatically close.

If your pets sleep outdoors, be sure that they have the proper kennel. Consistently make sure that there are no sharp objects pet can step onto to avoid hurting their feet and paws. A clean lawn also includes it poop-free. Pets are prone to bacteria when poop is not cleaned often.

There are 20 household plants and 15 foods that cause problems with our pets - from cigarette butts to old batteries can cause problems. If they can hurt a child, it may cause problems with your pups, too. Make a research on what plants are harmful to pets. The Internet has lots of information in this regard.

We often look at our homes and see areas of comfort and safety. But it sometimes helps to get down and see potential dangers in the eyes of our pets. The primary way our pets get into trouble is when they notice an open garbage can. An exploring pet can swallow shards of glass and items that get into the pets' throat causing the pet to choke. Keeping your garbage in a secure can or behind a locked door is the best way to defeat the trash bandit.

One other way to pet proof your yard is to make sure cleaning detergents and other cleaning chemicals out of reach. Gasoline, oil, anti freeze and fertilizers can also have lethal consequences. If pets are free to frequent areas where similar items are kept, make sure animal cannot reach up to them. For example, pet owners simply put these chemicals on a table believing dogs cannot reach them. But when dogs jump on top of a table for no reason, harsh chemicals are thrown over and spill. Instead, place them in secured cabinets.

It's Not Just a Cage - It's Your Rabbit's Home

Purchasing Cottondale rabbit cages for your pet rabbit is a very god option, especially if you are planning to keep your rabbit indoors. Rabbit is a cute animal and can easily be kept indoors and in case there are no restrictions then the love playing indoors. The fact is that rabbit's are not difficult animal to train and so most people like sharing their homes with them. It certainly is not right to allow your pet rabbit to run unrestricted inside your home, but you have to keep in mind that these animals like to have their safe place where they can enjoy safety and sleep.

If you look around in the present market, you can find a number of alternatives for rabbit cages. Few cages might be very big and having wired floorings but they may not be comfortable for your pet rabbit. Finding the right size Cottondale Rabbit Cages is a good option, especially if your pet is going to stay inside the cage for long hours. When purchasing rabbit cage, always ensure that it is at least four to five times the size of your rabbit, so he can move freely. Also pay attention to the height of the cage as your pet rabbit should be able to stand comfortably inside the cage. At least purchase one that has a height of around 40 cms or more.

You can also pick Cottondale rabbit cages that are equipped with multiple types of floors. This is one way that offers your rabbit with enough space to run about inside the cage. Avoid selecting one that has wire floors as your pet rabbit might not feel comfortable inside the cage. You can purchase one that has wire floors as pull out types so cleaning the cage becomes an easy task. In case there are wired floors inside the cage then you can also try to cover it with soft mat that can be washed easily. Also pay attention to the entrance of the Cottondale Rabbit Cages as you should be able to remove litter box from the cage easily. Always purchase one that has a side opening instead of top opening, as you can take the rabbit in and out of the cage easily.

This is also one way to teach your rabbit to come out of the cage in case he wants to, at his own convenience. Also purchase Cottondale rabbit cages that have covered edges so your rabbit might not get injured by sharp edges. In case you are a creative person, then you can also try and construct a cage for your rabbit. This is one way you can actually customize the cage, and even if this is not ideal choice still in most cases it works very well.

Outdoor Rabbit Hutches - Tips to Consider When Choosing Or Building One For Your Furry Pet Bunny

For approximately five million families, rabbits are the family pet. Their cuteness goes right off the meter and both children and adults are drawn to them. But even though some families love their fuzzy animal it is simply not feasible for them to live in the home. It may be because of the odor, the animal waste or more commonly, their tendency to chew. For these reasons outdoor rabbit hutches are a popular way to humanely house your rabbit.

When picking out the correct one there are many things to consider. Since it is outside it needs a good, sturdy roof with shingles or metal roofing to repel water. While many believe the outside construction should be pressure treated wood so as to give the hutch a long lifespan, you have to remember chemicals are used to impregnate the wood to make it have this longer life. Using inferior products, however, will give you a shelter that will need frequent repairs and could, inevitably, collapse onto your pet. A better option might be to look into naturally resistant woods.

Make sure that the wood is not exposed too much to the rabbit because they will chew on it. This is not only bad for the security of the structure but the chemicals used in the treatment of the wood is not good for them. If you do use pressure treated lumber you may want to consider limiting its use to legs and braces which will actually come in contact with the ground and rabbit manure and urine.

Whether buying outdoor rabbit hutches or building one you need to keep some things in mind for your design. Rabbits need plenty of fresh air so make sure that at least two sides of the structure are wire mesh to allow proper air flow. On the other hand, they also cannot tolerate the heat very well so make sure that you have a shaded portion of the cage for them to retreat to.

Rabbits can tolerate cold fairly well as long as they have ample shelter. The nesting area should be well insulated with plenty of soft, nesting material for them to get cozy in. Depending on the extent of your cold temperatures, you may also want to invest in a hot water bottle or some other heating mechanism to place under their nest area.

Outdoor rabbit hutches should also have several escape areas for them to retreat in case a predator comes around. This allows them to feel safe and helps to calm them, which is important since a bunny can actually die from fear even if they are safe. It would be better to ensure your outdoor rabbit hutches are in some type of enclosure that minimizes visits from would-be predators and a neighbor's dog.

Pet First Aid Kit and Top 10 Pet Emergencies

As a pet owner, have you ever thought about what you would do in any kind of pet emergency? Many things can happen, from your pet getting a cut, attacked by another animal, bitten by a snake, or worse. Can you provide pet first aid? Do you even have a pet first aid kit?

I know we never want to think that anything could happen to our pets. We are sure that nothing ever will, and that we don't need to worry about it, or if anything does happen, that we can just rush them to the vet's office and they can take care of our beloved animals.

Well, as a professional pet sitter, I need to be prepared for anything that can happen. Remember, you will not always be near a vehicle to transport your pet right away and you may not be able to get them to a vet safely if they have not had pet first aid administered first.

Administering pet first aid will give your pet a better chance at coming through an incident than a pet that has not had first aid before transport to your veterinarian.

You need to have a pet first aid kit with you at all times in your home, in your car, and one carried with you wherever you go with your animals. You never know what may happen.

You need to first start out with creating a pet first aid kit. You can buy some kits on the market, and this is a good start, but you will usually have to add to the kit to make it complete with everything you may need for a pet emergency.

Pet First Aid Kit Contents

Dressings & Bandages

1. Adhesive Tape (1 inch roll)

2. Gauze pads (3 or 4 inch squares)

3. Gauze rolls (2 inch for small dogs, 3 inch for big dogs)

4. Triangular bandages

5. Individually wrapped Sanitary Napkins

Instruments

1. Digital Thermometer (check battery twice a year)

2. Scissors (blunt end)

3. Tweezers

4. Eye Dropper

5. Syringe (12cc with needle removed)

Ointments, Disinfectants & Medications

1. Antihistamine (gel caps in blister pack, poke hole with safety

pin and squirt into pet's mouth)

2. Antibiotic (triple) (ex. Neosporin)

3. Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

4. Mercurochrome

5. Vinegar or Baking Soda (for neutralizing burns caused by acid)

6. Activated Charcoal (for absorbing poisons)

7. Petroleum Jelly (lubricant for thermometer)

8. Kaopectate

9. Chemical Ice Pack

Misc. Equipment and Supplies

1. Small Flashlight

2. Needle Nose Pliers

3. Q-tips

4. Betadine Solution

5. Razor Blades

6. Extra Leash and Collar

7. Muzzle

8. Plastic Bags (for clean up or samples)

9. Permanent Marking Pen

10. Towel or Blanket (big enough to use for transport)

11. Latex, Nitrile or Rubber Gloves

12. Photo of You with Your Pet

I always have a basic pet first aid kit on me when I go out for pet sitting or dog walking. I put the basics in a fanny pack and carry it with me whenever I have a job. You can do the same, or carry a backpack, or however makes you feel most comfortable. The larger items can be a part of your vehicle pet first aid kit, and your home pet first aid kit.

Fleas - An Inconvenience to Our Pets

Fleas feed on the blood of dogs, cats and even the pet owner. They are tiny insects that do not fly, but can jump. They can jump as high as 200 times their body length. Their mouths are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas live on the blood of mammals and even birds. They cause not just an itching sensation. Some pets and owners are allergic to fleas. What causes the allergy is the flea's saliva, which is one of the most allergenic substances you can find on earth.

There are different species of fleas that attack dogs and cats but there are so many similarities that they may be treated as one species. People are susceptible more to cat fleas. And some fleas found on dogs can be cat fleas. Fleas are more abundant in summer. They do no like light, so they hide in the fur on your pet's belly or inner thighs. Their larvae would move deeper into a carpet or furnishings to avoid light.

Flea larvae develop within a cocoon and as soon as they detect an animal or person, they emerge and attach to the host. Fleas can wait in a cocoon for as long as two years. But they can detect pressure, noise, vibrations and heat so if the conditions are right, the whole development cycle lasts 15 days.

Fleas can survive for a few days on the ground and live up to 8 days on a host. They use 15 times their body weight of blood every day. This is why fleas can also cause anemia in some extreme cases. They can also be the cause of hair loss due to frequent scratching. Fleas also can transmit diseases to humans or other animals.

The most widely used methods to treat flea infestation is to apply Advantage of Frontline to your pet every month. Applying these drops to the skin of the animal is easy. But it is important to treat not only the animal but also to the environment. Fleas can attach themselves to skin but also to clothing. Central heating and carpets in homes offer ideal conditions for fleas to develop all the year round.

Frequent vacuuming can reduce the number of fleas but does not guarantee eliminating them completely. Insecticides can be used to kill adult fleas but cocoons are more resistant. You should repeat treatments in order to be sure to get rid of them. There are also products which contain insect development inhibitors that you may use.

Although fleas are similar for dogs and cats, treatments for fleas might not work in a similar way. There are insecticides that are safe to use for dogs but very toxic for cats. Permethrin is one such example, and it can cause death in cats.

There are natural compounds that can be used as alternatives to control infestation with fleas. Eucalyptus oil, citrus oil and tea tree oil are among them. Alternative remedies, however have not been tested thoroughly and they may not be very efficient.

Russian Dwarf Hamsters - A Closer Look on the Campbell's Russian Dwarf Hamsters

Among the three species of dwarf hamsters, the Campbell's Russian dwarf hamsters is known to be the most commonly found hamsters in pet stores today. These little fellows were first discovered by W.C. Campbell in Tuva, Mongolia back in the early 1900's. They are also commonly known as the Djungarian hamsters since they commonly live in a region in Mongolia known as Djungaria.

These little Russian critters, together with the Siberian Winter White, Roborovski and Chinese dwarf hamsters belong to the group of true dwarf hamsters. One characteristic that makes Russian dwarf hamsters recognizable than the other dwarves is their blistered foot. They may also have spots, mottled and shades of blue and lilac. Their lifespan only lasts for about two years on the average and they can only grow to a maximum of four inches.

Just like the other hamsters, Russian dwarf hamsters need to have a great spacious cage for them to roam and play around. Also, they need to be given nuts, seeds, vegetables, food pellets and other commercial seed mixes. It is also advisable that owners provide them hamster treats so they do not get bored with the same old food items. In addition, hamster lovers need to remember that there are certain food items like onions, garlic, rhubarb and more that should never be given to their hamsters. They are found to be detrimental to the hamster's health.

Campbell's hamsters are also known to have extremely poor eyesight. The good thing is they have a lot of scent glands located on their faces, behind their ears, on their cheek pouches and on their bellies and genitals that they can use for up to eight days. These scent glands help them to create trails to find their way back to their burrows or revisit a location that has a lot of food items.

These dwarf hamsters can absolutely become excellent pets. Other than that, they can also get along with other hamsters most especially when they are introduced at a very young age. It is ideal to house them with same sex siblings due to the fact that female hamsters can be really more aggressive than male hamsters.

Although these Russian dwarf hamsters can become great pets, there are still several different things that any hamster owner needs to remember. These little pets have a great tendency to bite their owners when they are startled or threatened by them. Because of this, it is very important that owners be very careful in handling them. Other than that, people should also keep in mind that these Russian dwarves, aside from being small in size, move very fast. With this, they are less ideal pets for beginners or children as they can be really skittish. On the other hand, the most important thing is that the hamster lover or of aspiring hamster owner tries to learn as much as he or she can to handle and take care of the hamsters perfectly.

Common Reasons For Vet Hospital Visits

Veterinarians have a tough job. On any given day a veterinarian has to deal with a wide range of problems from a wide range of animal species. Some of these species may have drastically different physiological systems and a vet has to be trained to handle each one. Vets also have to deal with animal behaviors that can be unexpected and even violent. A day at the veterinary hospital isn't like a day at the regular hospital. But like any doctor, vets see a few unique problems and many cases that are common and similar.

One of the most common problems a vet has to deal with is allergic skin disease. Pets have many diverse allergic reactions to a wide variety of substances every day. On any given day a vet may see several cases of allergic reactions to food, flea allergies, or inhalant allergies. Other non-allergic skin disease treatments are also a common occurrence at a veterinary hospital. Another common problem is known as gastroenteritis which means diarrhea. Vomiting may also be another symptom of this problem.

These are common problems for household pets and unfortunately, a common cause is ingesting human food or other harmful substances. Quite often a misinformed owner is feeding the pet human food. Dental issues are another common problem. Dogs and cats especially need special care for their teeth. This care is often ignored until it's too late and then tooth extraction becomes a necessity. Prevention is always better than procrastination. Your pet deserves love and care. If your pet develops these problems, make sure to make an appointment at a trusted vet hospital.

The Benefits of Pet Steps

Pet steps and pet ramps have become popular among animal lovers. Pet steps, also referred to as pet stairs are simply a small set of stairs, consisting roughly of four to six steps depending on the brand and allows your pet to reach higher places that it would otherwise have difficulty getting to.

Pet steps can be made of wood, plastic and can be upholstered, padded with various fabrics of your choice. This piece of furniture can be customized to your needs. You will need to discuss your requirements with the designer or pet shop that supply the steps. You may actually be able to have a designer customize the steps so that they will easily blend into the décor of your home.

A carpeted block of steps may easily get dirty and may be difficult to clean. Plastic steps may also be lighter making it easier to carry around or move to a different location. Plastic steps however will not be suitable for larger pets that might knock it over. Smaller pets might find the plastic stairs more appropriate.

For at home and aesthetic purposes, there are also double steps available, which is two steps joined together symmetrically, making the steps to the bed look much neater and may accommodate multiple pets.

The steps may be custom-made, allowing the proportions of the steps to be altered upon manufacture. Pet steps have been proven useful not only to the pet in question whether it is a cat or dog but also to pet owners.

Benefits for Pets

For pets with joint problems such as arthritis, steps can be a great help in assisting the condition so that it does not worsen. Certain breeds are also more prone to hip and joint complications in general. The use of pet steps early on might decrease the chances or at least the condition and complications the might arise from such problems. For smaller pets in general, especially smaller dogs that are unable to jump as high as cats, the steps would be helpful in allowing them to climb onto the bed for bedtime or onto the sofa to join their owner during TV time. Older pets that are less active in their senior years would also benefit from pet steps, allowing them to continue all their activities and lifestyle habits from their younger and more active years.

Benefits for Owners

For pets that have become larger and heavier with age, it might be helpful for the owner to look into purchasing a pet step instead of carrying the pet. Some owners might not be able to carry their pet due to the sheer size of their pet or because of any back problems with owner might be suffering from. Other pets do not enjoy being picked up. The pet steps might prove helpful in allowing the pets to reach higher places without having the owner to actually carry it there.

Finally, isn't it the best feeling ever, to see your pet waiting for you on the bed at bedtime?

Different Types of Rabbit Breeds

Today, you will come across many people who are domesticating rabbits either for their meat or for keeping them as pets. These serve as great pets. This article will give you a brief insight about various types of rabbits.

Angora: It is one of the most popular breeds. This breed is originated from Ankara, Turkey. Considered as one of the oldest breeds of rabbit, Angora has got several sub breeds. These include French Argots, Satin Angora, and English Angora etc.

Beveran: Animals of this breed are among the biggest of them all. Also, these are oldest fur rabbits. Rabbits of Beveran breed have coats of various colors like lilac, black, white, brown etc. One of the rarest breed is pointed Beveran and they have white tipped hairs and look amazingly well.

American rabbits:One of the most popular breed is American rabbits. It has got two sub varieties and these are:-

-American Fuzzy Lop: Animals of this breed have bulky wool on their body and they have got big ears. This breed came into the existence as a result of breeding of Holland Lops.

-American Sable: Rabbits belonging to the American Sable category have got a sandy colored fur and are a breed of Holland lops.

Britannia Petite: Animals that belongs to Britannia Petite are slightly heavy, they weigh around 2. 5lb and they have got an aggressive and wild nature. These rabbits are considered as unsafe to keep as pets.

American Chinchilla: These rabbits are mainly bred and raised for butchering and their medium built bodies are perfect for this purpose. They have got straight ears.

Dutch: This breed is said to have some excellent pets. These rabbits have got a colorful body.

Himalayan: These rabbits are originated in the Himalayas and they are mainly found in mountainous regions.

Lion head: Originated from Belgium, Lion head are among the fresh breed of the domestic rabbits. These have gone long hairs on their face and this makes their head look like that of lion.

English Spot: Pure white in color, English Spot rabbits have got a distinct butterfly mark on their nose.

Pet Owners and Their Pet Personalities

On one or more occasions when you come across pets and their owners taking a walk in the park, have you noticed that pets can take on the personalities or even the looks of their owners? It may seem quite an amusing thing but there is some correlation between an individual's personality and his choice of pet. The relationship between owner and pet is just like marriage and each party to the relationship tends to become more like the other over time.

A professor at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom surveyed about 2500 pet owners and studied their characteristics as well as that of their pets. His study showed that pets and their owners were more likely to share similar traits and behaviors the longer they have been together. Since animals learn and acquire behavior through repetitive training and conditioning, the time they spend with their owners teaches them to acquire the same behavior and reactions their owners exhibit under different sets of circumstances and conditions.

Owners also tend to choose their pets based on typical species characteristics that are closely identical to their own. Cheerful, fun-loving and adventurous people were more likely to choose dogs as pets while dependable, stable and sensitive personalities opted for cats as their pets. Reptile keepers were discovered to be the most independent individuals in the sample study population while those who had aquariums were the ones who claimed to be the most contented.

It could be our general perception of moods associated with pets and their surroundings, but it is amazing to discover that people can take on the personalities of their pets and vice-versa. Which leads us to a more interesting topic to delve deeper on: Do pets take on from us, or do we take on from them?