If you have a small dog or a cat as a pet and consider it part of your family, then you will definitely want to take it along with you when you travel. And if you have children, then definitely the request to travel together will come from the young ones, no doubt! Traveling with your pet can be a totally enjoyable experience if you plan it properly. Here is a guide for traveling with your pet. First, make sure your pet is healthy to travel with you. Take it to the veterinarian, ask for travel tips to make it safe and comfortable and update all its medications and vaccinations. Keep its medical records and the veterinarian’s emergency contact details handy at all times during your travel. Pack up adequate pet food, clean drinking water, travel-friendly collapsible bowls, favorite toys, some new toys, appropriate bedding and crate, grooming brush, cleaning essentials to clean the potty, and a spare collar and leash. Make sure your pet wears a sturdy collar with one, or even two, identification tags. The tags must contain its name, your phone number, and details of its latest vaccinations, especially the rabies shot. If you think embedding a microchip tag in your pet is good for its safety, then consider doing it well ahead of your travel.

Diabetes mellitus can be classified into type 1, and type 2. One of the most commonly used treatments for this condition is dietary changes. The right kind of diet tips being followed for cats with diabetes mellitus would mean they run fewer risks of developing secondary health complications from the condition. Cats suffering from type 1 will need medical care and insulin shots, whereas those suffering from type 2 can reverse with minimum medication and lifestyle changes and home remedies and supplements. These remedies are not only safe but also do not put pressure on the digestive system and have fewer side effects compared to medication. Cats with diabetes mellitus need a diet that is rich in protein, minerals, fatty acids, and vitamins, but low in carbs. The diet should exclude grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and sweet peas. If you can constantly enforce these home remedies over time, there is a very high possibility that you can control diabetes in your cat without the necessity of insulin shots. Diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus Raw or semi-cooked vegetables can be added to the daily meal plans to treat cats with diabetes mellitus. E.g., options such as snow peas, beans, sprout can be served either raw or mixed with a ground protein.

While medicines are validated by veterinary doctors, essential oils and aromatherapy used for grooming for pets are not. The use of essential oils for our pets is fast catching up. We mostly buy them over the counter without too much thought. Essential oils help rejuvenate our pet’s skin and flush out toxic chemicals, prevent flea, tick infestation, and help them relax. The range of essential oils available for pets is quite extensive. However, before using them, you need to consider many factors. Do not ever use these essential oils, beyond the dosage mentioned on the package. Do not apply essential oils around the pet’s eyes, nose, or mouth. Start with a small application of essential oil on your pet and slowly increase the quantity until your pets get used to it. Do not change the fragrance frequently. Stick to one type of oil or one brand, until your pet gets accustomed to it. It is better to wait for a few days and then proceed with any new fragrances. Do not use essential oils or aromatherapy on your pets, when they are sick. The topical administration of essential oils is recommended rather than giving it to them orally. Oral administration is strictly prohibited for most pets.

Dogs get infected by fleas and ticks in many ways. The most common method is when dogs walk through heavily wooded, shrubby, or grassy areas. Dog flea adults and dog tick larvae, nymphs and adults abound in these areas and lie in wait for dogs to wander by. Fleas can jump onto dogs fur from the tall grass and shrubs; tick larvae, nymphs and adults climb onto the paws and hide in body crevices. Their main purpose is to feed off the animal blood. When a dog gets infested by fleas or ticks, they tend to scratch, lick and bite the areas where these pests move. This scratching licking may cause red patches on the skin and hair loss. Some of these pests carry dangerous parasitic bacteria that can cause a number of diseases in dogs. Luckily, there are a few home remedies to get rid of fleas and ticks: 1. Baking soda Baking soda dehydrates pests, taking away moisture from the pests and the surroundings. Sprinkle baking soda on rugs and carpets. Rub the baking soda into the carpets with a broom, to ensure that it gets forced to the bottom of the carpets where the fleas lay their eggs.

From indigestion to skin irritations, to even death, houseplants can cause mild health issues or can be fatal too. Make sure when you adopt a cat, your front and back yard, and the insides of your house have plants that are safe for your feline friends. Below is a list of poisonous houseplants that endanger cats. Steer clear of them: Caladium This house plant also called angels wings and elephant ears. It is an ornamental plant with colorful, heart-shaped leaves, adds dramatic foliage to its settings. The most toxic part of the plant is the leaves, but the entire plant is dangerous for cats because of the presence of calcium crystals that has oxalate acid. The tiny crystalized needle-like structures can cause injury to the insides of the cat’s soft tissues. Redness and pain in the eyes, difficulty swallowing and choking, irritation, burning sensation, and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and throat, hyper-salivating, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting are its major symptoms. Sometimes, it can cause permanent damage to permanent damage to kidneys and liver, and lead to coma and death. Dieffenbachia Also called Dumb cane and mother-in-law’s tongue (because it can cause temporary numbness and inability to speak in humans), this perennial plant has white spots and flecks on its alternating leaves, this tropical plant can also tolerate the shade.

Did you know there are more than 95 million pet cats in the country? And while some of these might have food intolerances, very few have food allergies. Food intolerance in cats refers to mild food poisoning or sensitive reactions to certain food items, generally, a gastrointestinal issue that resolves in a few days. But food allergy is an abnormal immune system response to certain antigens in foods, and reactions are not restricted exclusively to the gut, they may be seen on the cat’s skin too. And usually, the age of the cat does not matter, and both male and female cats are equally susceptible to getting food allergies. The most commonly identified causes of food allergies in cats are beef, dairy products, chicken, or sometimes the cat’s preferred food: fish. This is because cats, especially domesticated ones, are used to eating foods with these ingredients and they are exposed to them more than those found in specially formulated diets. Surprisingly, it is animal proteins that cats are most allergic to. Food allergies can cause a multitude of symptoms in various parts of the cat’s body. A few of these symptoms and triggers for food allergies in pets are mentioned below:

Moderation and diligence are all you need to find the right treatment for your cat. Whereas some treats are all about taste, other treats have been specially created as part of treatment either as nutritional health or medicinal supplements. There are many unapproved or uncertified treats that could contain just sugar and many chemical additives that could potentially harm your kitten or cat. This could result in side effects and do not benefit your cat’s health in any way. Cat treats must be carefully chosen. Few cats tend to develop preference towards treats, preferring them for meals. Cat treats are not balanced like a meal. Not more than 10% of the daily calories should come from cat treats. The main types of cat treats are as follows: 1. Raw cat treats Cats are carnivores and their digestive systems are made to eat raw meat. Some cats prefer raw treats that have to be approved by AAFCO and have to be freeze-dried or frozen. They do not have a long shelf life, and hence have to be used within 3-5 days. Some top frozen raw cat treats are: Orijen Tundra Cat Treats Northwest Natural 2. Freeze-dried cat treats Dried cat treats preserve the texture and flavor of the meat but one does not have to keep it refrigerated.

Dogs are prone to dog fleas and tick infections. Dogs can get flee and tick infections from grassy, shrubby and woody areas, as both these insects use these environments to breed. Dog flea larvae climb up long blades of grass, or other high vegetation, waiting for warm-blooded animals to pass by and brush against the vegetation. Dog ticks have two life cycle stages — the six-legged larva and the eight-legged nymph — that behave similarly to dog flea adults to find warm-blooded animals to feed off. Dog ticks life cycle stages occur most often during the four seasons. The eggs are laid in summer, the larvae hatch in autumn, the larvae molt into nymphs in winter, and the nymphs molt into adults in spring. Generally, the season that is safest is winter, when the bugs either die of extreme cold or are dormant. Dog fleas and ticks are more active when the environment is damp, humid, and temperatures range between 60°F and 69°F. The months between April and October are when these conditions prevail. The early signs of flea infestation in dogs are Bigger ticks Dog ticks that have fed on blood enlarge in size and are clearly visible on the dog’s skin.

Your pet is your best friend. They rely on you for nearly everything, from food and water to shelter. One of the biggest things that they count on you would be to keep them healthy. Something that you should do as a responsible pet owner is to keep any illnesses, such as heartworm, away. Doing this may mean avoiding heartworm risk factors, such as climate (temperature, humidity), mosquitoes species, walking or putting your pet out in mosquito breeding areas, and nearby interaction with infected animals such as coyotes or foxes. While there are certain treatments, such as Nexgard and Heartgard, to help treat heartworm, the best heartworm prevention is avoidance of the above-mentioned risk factors and veterinarian treatments at the earliest sign of these symptoms for heartworm: 1. Fatigue after moderate activity Most pets are pretty high-energy unless they are experiencing health problems. So, if you take your pet for a walk and notice that they are getting winded quickly or they are super exhausted once they get inside, you may want to check for heartworms. If you have a smaller sized dog, you will just want to consider heartgard plus for dogs up to 25 pounds. This medicine has been designed for smaller dogs.

Like any member of our family, pet owners would do anything to take care of our pets. When your dog is at an advanced age, he or she may end up with arthritis. Symptoms of this disease typically include trouble walking, difficulty climbing stairs, limp legs, walking more slowly than usual, pain when standing or sitting, and a change in behavior. Arthritis is a serious condition that can cause even the happiest dogs to act more aggressively when they are in pain. If you notice that your dog has any of these symptoms here are some supplements and remedies for treating arthritis in pets: 1. Glucosamine Glucosamine is one of the best joint pain supplements for dogs who suffer from arthritis. It helps to reduce the amount of paint that your dog experiences by helping to reduce inflammation in the joints. This decrease in inflammation can help increase the amount of mobility in the joint. As the joint loosens up it can typically enhance movement and make everyday movements seem much easier. This is one of the best joint supplements for dogs with arthritis. 2. Chondroitin If you are looking for other joint supplements for dogs with arthritis you can typically use chondroitin in addition to glucosamine.