Pets That Use Pet Steps Are Happier and Healthier

What do you do when your dog is too small to jump onto the bed or your cat is too old to jump on its favorite chair? The answer is simple, you can give your cat or dog pet steps to use for those hard to reach places. Many pets need a small set of stairs to access the couch or the car independently. Owners should provide dog or cat steps to give their pet more freedom and avoid always picking up their pet. This can put a strain on the owner's back and potentially hurt the pet as well. Cats and dogs can both enjoy the benefits of steps.

People most commonly use pet steps directly under their car door to allow their cat or dog to climb into the car for trips to the veterinarian, the mall, or to the grocery store. Pets love to go with their owners on various errands but not all of them can enter and exit the car with ease. Without steps your pet may have trouble getting in and out because of the height of the car. Pet steps allow easy, safe entrance into the back or front seat of the car without any lifting or jumping involved.

Pet steps can also be useful in the house. Animals love to cuddle with their owners on all of the most comfortable places like the bed or recliner. Yet some dogs and cats stay on the floor because they cannot reach without help. Small and large pets equally enjoy using pet steps rather than jumping or being picked up. Large pets that are too heavy to be lifted especially benefit from steps to get on and off furniture. Allowing easier mobility around the house will improve your relationship with your pet because it will allow you to do more activities together without the burden of picking up and setting down your pet.

Beyond improving mobility, pet steps are a great way to train your pet either for professional shows or to enhance household behavior. Steps are great to use for teaching commands and tricks. Not only will your pet's mental capacity expand, they will also get a great cardio and muscle workout using the steps. Such exercises can improve your pet's strength, joint function, and overall health.

Pets need to have their own way to access our spaces, especially high surfaces, because they are such a significant part of people's lives. Without pet steps a dog may not enjoy a family vacation because of the stress of entering and exiting the car. Or your cat may not come keep your feet warm at night because it couldn't jump high enough to reach the bed. Pet steps improve the life of your pet by providing independence, confidence, and numerous health benefits. Place steps in front of any high surface in your house or outside that you want your pet to have access to and you will save you and your pet energy.

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Pet Health Insurance is Needed But Rarely Bought - Odd For a Pet Loving Nation

What do you do if your pet suddenly gets hurt or comes down with a serious illness? A vets services are almost if not just as expensive as a human doctor is. How will you be able to pay those medical costs?

Every pet owner should have pet insurance and it has been available in the United States since 1982.  Since then more than 30 different pet insurers have made their way into the market and some of them have made their way out too. Some died out and many still survive offering different plans and prices which will protect your pets health and will ensure that you are able to pay your vet bills when needed.

The Unites States is one of the biggest pet loving nation in the world and yet many pet owners do not take the time to look into pet health insurance. Only about 1% of pet owners actually insure their pets, whereas about 50% of pet owners in other countries think of pet insurance.

How Do You Find the Right Insurance?

Pet insurance works just like human insurance does. There are traditional plans where you use the vet you like, and then there are pet HMO´s and pet clubs where you can get a discount on pet medical services. You want to shop for pet insurance just as you would shop for insurance for yourself. Pet health insurance companies use just as much fine print as regular health insurance companies.

They include things like coverage levels, exclusions, deductibles, time for policy to go into effect, a payout cap per year and per incident. So you need to ask your vet about the type of coverage your pet needs. He may be able to shed some light on the subject and even recommend a company.

What Is and Isn't Covered

Often hereditary illnesses or congenital problems are not covered. Neither are pre existing problems covered in the pet. Before deciding on your pet health insurance, you should compare several companies.

Any insurance premium you pay will be based on the type of pet you have and the age of the pet. Some policies will only insure a pet for accidents, especially after they reach a certain age.

In the end its important that you get pet coverage but its also important that you get the right kind of pet coverage. If you are looking for something to cover you in case of emergencies, then look for only that. But if you want a more comprehensive plan, then understand you will probably have to pay more for this type of pet health insurance.

Matt D Murren owns and operates http://www.pet-health-insurance-advisor.com
Pet Health Insurance

Opening an Online Pet Store - Combine Your Passion and Business

What better way to create money than opening an online pet store? You have a passion for pets and you want to start an online business. It seems like a match made in heaven.

Even if the passion for pets isn't there, the money certainly is. Anyone has the opportunity to tap into the incredible 40 billion dollars that is being spent every year by pet owners on their pets, by opening an online pet store.

Don't worry about the thought of having to set up a website and finding your pet products to sell. It is not as daunting as you may think. It can be done quickly, simply and with little start-up money. You could be selling pet supplies from the comfort of your own home in a very short space of time.

First of all you have to fill out the no obligation sign-up form on the website. After you do this, you will be supplied with a free start-up kit that includes your very own online pet store. There are guides that will assist you in getting your pet store up and running in no time.

You will also be supplied with a full inventory of pet products to sell from your online store. You don't have to worry about the storage of the inventory though, this is handled by the supplier of the web store. Items that you will be able to sell from your store include the categories - birds, bowls and feeders, cats, collars, leads, tags, dogs, ferrets, fish, grooming, health, pet carriers and containment, pet gear for people and toys, so there is a wide range to keep your customers happy and coming back for more.

Basically by opening an online pet store this way, you get everything done for you and you will receive manuals to guide you through the entire process.

The main role you play in your pet business is driving traffic to it. Guides will show you how to do this. There are hundreds of ways for you to get customers to your store. Some are free and can take longer for you to get the traffic, but obviously the rewards can be amazing when done right. Some methods of traffic generation you have to pay for. These methods bring instant results and can be very lucrative.

The amount of visitors that you drive to your online pet store is totally dependent on your financial goals. You can get a nice little secondary income or if you really promote your website big time, your income will increase accordingly. It's your call, petty cash or financial freedom?

As with most business websites, after opening an online pet store, once you have your customers, it will run itself. You don't have to be there, supervising. Maybe checking up on it once in a while to ensure everything is running smoothly. Just leave it creating money for you 24/7, 365 day a year, whatever you are doing.

Check out the online pet store site [http://www.onlinepetbusiness.com] online pet store site to find out further details. Simply fill out the no obligation form to see if you want to take your passion for pets to another level.

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Is Pet Health Insurance an Option?

Most pet owners aren't aware that health insurance for their loved animals has been available for about 15 years now. However, both the availability and restrictions on most plans have made this type of health insurance out of reach for most pet owners.

Interestingly enough, pet health insurance has changed in the past couple of years. Now, animal owners are able to afford medical procedures previously prohibitive because of the cost. But many skeptics are concerned that health insurance for pets will see an increase in the red tape us humans already encounter every day.

Animal medicine is one of the few health care services that isn't financially dependent on health insurance. Medical, dental, surgical and pharmaceuticals are all pretty much covered by health insurance in humans, but veterinary patients are responsible for all of that, themselves. Or, at least their owners are.

Health insurance for pets is very similar to insurance for humans. The same fees, deductibles, coverage rates and plans are all in place, with different plans based on the age, species, and general health of your pet.

Most health insurance policies for animals start around the 6-8 week range, but when the policies end depend on a variety of factors, mostly decided by the health insurance company. Some have age limits, and some don't.

And just like with humans, some health insurance companies will only accept your pet on their plan if they are healthy; others will accept them only if they have had a stable condition for more than six months in a row.

Currently, deductibles stand around $100 for pet health insurance. Policy costs vary as much as human health insurance does, unfortunately. Some depend on what types and kind of coverage is desired, and yet others are just blanket coverage catch-alls. Some may only cover accidents and illnesses. And more pets usually means a reduced health insurance rate for subsequent animals.

But what if you decide that an health insurance policy is not right for you, and your pet? There are other options, of course!

First, discuss your situation with your Veterinarian. Some animal hospitals offer packages that aren't quite health insurance, but can offer a rate deal of some sorts on more mundane medical procedures (spaying/neutering, vaccinations, etc.), or packages for your aging animal.

Secondly, research plans that offer discounts on animal health services. PetAssure is one of these companies, but there are a myriad of not-for-profits that may offer this as a side benefit when you join. Or, these same animal not-for-profits may offer financial assistance for pet owners whose health costs are beyond their means - a sort of emergency fund, if you will.

All in all, it depends on you, and your pet(s), whether or not pet health insurance is the right choice. Hopefully, with the help of this article, your choice will be an informed one.

For more more information about pet health insurance please visit http://www.1health-center.com/articles/The-Important-of-Health-Insurance.php

10 Tips For Natural Pet Allergy Relief

You may develop allergy symptoms after getting a new pet. Or you may even find may feel yourself getting pet allergy symptoms even though you have had your cat or dog for several years already. For whatever it is, allergies can cause you ill health. Pet allergy symptoms include watery eyes, itchy skin or/and wheezing.

If your symptoms are severe and if medications are not helping, you can choose to give away your pet. But what if you are so attached to your pet that you cannot bear the thought of being without it? If this is the case, you need to decrease the dander to reduce your symptoms and make your home less susceptible to the allergens. Here are some tips for natural pet allergy relief:

1. Keep the pet out of your sleeping area.

2. Keep your pet off your furniture.

3. Bathe your pet at least once a week.

4. Have someone brush your pet daily outside. This can help to decrease the dander that it carries around in the house.

5. Consider making your pet an outside pet, rather than allowing it to live inside.

6. Vacuum carpets everyday and damp dust at least once a week.

7. Wash hands with soap and water after touching and playing with the pet.

8. Get an air purifier for your home that states that it removes airborne pet dander.

9. Choose hard flooring over carpeting. Carpeting traps the allergens, which can trigger off your pet allergy symptoms.

10. Other furnishings trap allergens, as well. These include drapes, curtains, and upholstery. Choose plastic, vinyl, or wood blinds over drapes for your windows. Leather and wood furniture are a great allergy-friendly choice for furniture.

Of course, if you already suspect that you have a pet allergy or are sensitive to certain allergies, choose wisely when selecting a pet. Some pets are considered more allergy-friendly than others. For instance, small birds or small dogs carry much less dander than their larger counterparts. Also, short-haired dogs would be a better choice than long-haired dogs.

Getting natural pet allergy relief is of prime importance especially if you decide to keep your pet. Drug medications may help but these may be something that you also do not want to depend on as there can be several side effects. The above tips for pet allergy relief can help you reduce your symptoms so that everyone including the pet can live harmoniously together. Getting control of pet dander can improve the quality of life at home and keep everyone happy.

An allergy sufferer for many years now, Evelyn Lim is determined to wage a war against her symptoms. She now spends her time researching and writing about her various allergies. For more tips on natural allergy treatment, please visit http://www.Allergy-Attacks.com

Helping Our Pet Companions Recover and Maintain Natural Health

Anyone who has experienced having a pet, knows beyond a doubt of their vital importance for our lives and emotional health. Whether it's a dog that warns us of danger, protects us or comforts us when we're feeling "down" or it's a cat in a hospice that curls up beside a dying patient to be with and comfort them in a time of deep, mystical transition beyond words and cognitive understanding. Pets have been a important part of providing companionship and comfort for elderly people. Dogs, cats, horses, and other animals have been our children's teachers providing lessons of love, responsibility, confidence, sharing, comfort, strength, courage, play, communication, laughter and many other essential life lessons. It has been shown that the touch of a pet literally improves our physical health as well as our emotional health.

We share so much in common with our animal friends. We realize that part of what we share with our pets are health concerns. Just as we do, our pets can suffer from allergies, infections, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, kidney and urinary distress, wounds, excess weight gain, joint pain, eye conditions, skin disorders and other health concerns or chronic disease.

It is extremely painful to be in close relationship with our pet for years and then lose it to an illness that cannot be reversed or treated. Often the powerful drugs that carry the risk of harmful side effects also carry that risk for our pets. Often these drugs only suppress the symptoms of an unwanted health condition. In time, these health conditions can become worse and require more frequent does of drugs or stronger drugs. Often the drugs seem to have cured the health disorder only to have the health disorder return with increased discomfort when the drugs are stopped.

Because of this, many of us have chosen to actively treat and prevent our pet's health disorders with alternative therapies that are fulling a large gap left by conventional animal medicine. Many alternative natural pet care supplements and remedies are a measure of prevention that will save our pets unnecessary suffering and discomfort and provide our pets a general healthy well being that greatly improves our lives and enhances our relationship with our pet companions. It is our responsibility to do for our pet friends what they are unable to do for themselves.

We can help our pet companions by avoiding feeding them foods with high fat content or excess grain. Even then, many pet foods lack essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids vital for our pet's health. We have available to us, many natural vitamin and mineral supplements. Some of these natural vitamins and mineral supplements are in "treat" form that excite and please our pets and afford us a chance for playful interaction with our pet friends.

Natural pet health care products help with joint pain recovery, motion sickness, nerve calming, muscle relaxants, digestive health, skin and fur health and eye drops for clarity, oral health, weight control and bladder i.e. urinary health. Also available are natural shampoos and insect repellents for our pet's comfort and health. We even have available to us, natural aromatherapy products to control unwanted order and enhance our pet's emotional wellbeing.

We are grateful for all the wonderful ways that our pet companions enhance our lives and help improve and our physical and emotional health and well being. We are grateful for the lessons that our pets have taught and continue to teach us. We can actively demonstrate our appreciation, respect and responsibility for our animal friends, by attending to their physical and, yes, emotional health by providing our pets with natural pet health care products that keep them safe, healthy, vibrant, and active. Our efforts are beyond obligation. Our caring for our pets is motivated by our gratitude and love.

Jennifer has more than twenty years experience with all natural pet health care products. More information about natural pet health care is available at => [http://www.sweetmedicineessentials.com/natural-pets-c-14.html]

Pet Health Care Coverage - The Importance of Pet Health Care Coverage For Your Pets

With the rising medical costs and everything associated with health care, there has been a trickle down to the veterinary health care industry. This trickle down has seen a significant rise in medical costs that are associated with taking care or your pets.

We insure many of our valuables against loss. We insure our cars, boats, houses, and jewelry just to name a few. One of the most valuable commodities that most Americans have is health insurance. But what about our pets?

They are considered a vital member of the family. Some pet owners spend lavishly on their beloved creatures. Shouldn't some of this lavish spending being on the care and treatment or disease or injury in the form of pet health care coverage?

Animals are much like humans, they do get sick, injured, and can get life threatening diseases. The only difference is they can't communicate with us their needs when they don't feel good. Once we do take them to the veterinarian, the diagnosis along with the associated bill can be SHOCKING!

Investing in pet health insurance for your pets is a great way to protect your pets from accidents and illness but also protect your finances and stress level. What exactly is pet health insurance?

It is health insurance for your pet that is available through many prominent insurance companies. Not only is it available through insurance companies, you might be able to insure your pet through your work.

What you are looking for in any insurance policy is coverage. You want to make sure you have adequate coverage in the policy. What is adequate pet health care [http://www.section44reviews.com/pet-insurance] coverage? Adequate coverage is making sure your policy has the right dollar amount of coverage along with the right type of coverage for your pets.

There are a few factors that affect pet health care coverage. Some of these include type of animal you want to insure, the breed of the animal, the geographic location of the animal, and mostly the dollar amount of coverage desired.

Why does the type of animal have an affect your pets insurance coverage? Dogs tend to cost more to insure than cats. Dogs are more prone to accidents than cats, but also some breeds of dogs have heredity defects that increase their cost to insure. Exotic pets like snakes, monkeys, ferrets have higher insurance costs because they are not typical pets.

The breed of the animal affects the coverage your animal will receive because some breeds have hereditary or genetic defects that occur quite often. These conditions will increase the cost of your coverage.

The location of which you live such as a city versus rural environment will have an affect your pet's coverage because of the population and increased risk of accidents. Where your animal lives like being indoors or outdoors will also affect your coverage.

The largest and most significant factor in pet health care coverage is cost. What do you intend to spend to adequately cover your animal? Paying larger premiums for your pet health care coverage will give you more coverage for your animal than a smaller monthly premium.

Just like our houses, cars, and jewelry, our animals deserve some kind of pet health care coverage. They are a part of your family and deserve the same as everyone else. Save money on your veterinary costs and give yourself peace of mind with quality pet health care coverage. Click the previous link to get your pet health care coverage today!

Moving Guide: Moving with Pets

Americans and their loved pets move on average every seven years. If you have a pet or pets, remember that they also experience stress, particularly from moving. In many cases, moving can be even more stressful on pets, as the home is their habitat. Pets can also become very frightened when faced with unfamiliar situations. Careful organization and planning can make the moving process easier and less stressful for both you and your pet. Our guide offers tips and advice to help you and your pet through this process.

Pet travel warning

o Never move a sick pet - the move may aggravate his symptoms and be dangerous to his health.

o The Animal Welfare Act makes it illegal to transport puppies and kittens less than eight weeks old by air.

o Pets cannot be moved on a moving van with your household belongings.

o Pets are generally not allowed on trains or buses, unless they're guide-dogs accompanying blind or otherwise impaired persons.

o Book a direct flight if you are traveling by plane. If your pet is traveling in freight he may be sitting outside with the freight for a long period of time between flights and as the freight is being moved from plane to plane. If the weather is either too hot or too cold your pet will suffer. An insulated crate will certainly help this situation if it cannot be avoided.

Air Transport

You may transport your pet by air either accompanying you or as air freight. Some airlines provide counter-to-counter service so your pet will be carried on and off the plane by an airline employee. Remember, not all airlines accept pets for transportation, so be sure to inquire when you are making your travel arrangements. Also be sure to check about charges and insurance charges for transporting your pet.

It is important that you book your air travel as early as possible. Airlines that accept pets for transportation will have specific regulations and guidelines regardless of whether the pets are accompanied or unaccompanied. For example, you may be required to be at the airport several hours in advance of the flight to check your pet in and your pet may need a special crate. The airline may be able to provide to you a crate for the trip, or you may have to purchase one from the airline.

The airline will have guidelines on the crate types allowed and your local pet supply company will be able to sell you the required crate. You pet should be able to stand and turn around with ease and there should be adequate ventilation. The bottom of the crate should be padded with newspaper or other absorbent material. Add a favorite toy on move day to give a sense of security. Try to get your pet accustomed to the crate at home before the big day.

On move day, feed and water your pet at least 5 hrs before the flight departure time and water again at least 2 hours before departure. Remember to administer any medication or veterinarian-recommended tranquilizers before departure. When you arrive at the airport, exercise your pet and check that you have provided all the necessary information to airline staff regarding your name, correct new address and alternate contact name in case of emergency.

Some airlines allow passengers to bring pets into the cabin with them, provided they fall within a specific size range and stay in a carrier for the duration of the flight.

By road - In a motor vehicle

Unless you are planning a very short road trip, do not feed or water your pet for a couple of hours before leaving. You may decide to put your pet in a crate during the road trip, but be sure he is able to stand and turn around with ease and that there is adequate ventilation. The bottom of the crate should be padded with newspaper, towels or other absorbent and cushioning material. Adding a favorite toy will help give a sense of security. Exercise your pet regularly during the road trip, but always use a leash because your furry friend can easily get lost or hit by a car if he wanders off.

Do not let your pet hang his head out the window while the car is moving. While many dogs love to do this, it can cause sore eyes, ears or throat. And, never let the windows down so far that your pet can jump out.

Warning

Never leave a pet in a hot car during the summer or in a cold car in the winter. Temperatures inside a car with closed windows escalate dramatically when it's parked in the sun. Even if it's pleasant outside, it takes only a few moments to reach over 100 degrees inside the car - which can be fatal for small occupants. If you absolutely have to leave your pet briefly, and the day is hot, park in the shade, lock the car doors and crack the windows open several inches to provide cross-ventilation. Check on him regularly. If the day is very hot, it is best not to leave your pet in the car at all.

Pet's travel bag

Don't forget to pack a travel bag for your pet! Following is a list of items you may wish to include;

o Food and can opener

o Food and water dishes

o Any medication your pets needs

o Treats

o Favorite toys

o Leash

o Grooming brush

o Bags to clean up after your pet

o Newspapers

o Cleaner and paper towel

Whatever mode of transport you use for your pet, make sure you are in compliance with state and local regulations for animals in your destination city, along with current copies of.

o ID tags

o Health records

Pets ID tags

The state where you are moving may have different laws regarding animals and their entry across state lines. It is important that you understand the requirements so that you can comply with them, so contact the state veterinarian for specific information. It is not uncommon for pets to need an entry permit in order to enter a new state. As well, in many towns and cities the number of pets per household may be limited. You will be required to obtain a local license for your pet within a certain deadline, such as 30 days, so find out what it is. You don't want to pay a fine for not keeping your pet's license current!

Health

You may need to obtain a health certificate for your pet from a licensed veterinarian and this can be used in the event it is required for entry to your new home state. The Department of Agriculture may request to see the health cert at your destination airport or could even be patrolling the highways if you are driving. A health cert is generally valid for 10 days, so be sure to have the inspection scheduled just before you move. The veterinarian will conduct a complete physical examination of your pet and check that he is current with all inoculations.

Dogs

Whether traveling by air or by car, moving can be even more stressful for a dog than for a human, although some dogs adapt better than others. Hold off on packing your dog's bedding and toys until the last moment so that he can be comforted by the presence of familiar things. If you're traveling a long way, avoid feeding your dog for 12 hours before the journey in order to prevent travel sickness. If you know your dog suffers from travel sickness, ask your veterinary surgeon about medication.

If you plan on flying to your new home, do your best to book a direct flight. If your dog has to be transported by freight and the flight is not direct he may have to sit out in the hot or cold weather as the freight is boarded to the new flight. Check with the airlines for details. If your dog is small enough, he may be able to travel in the passenger cabin with you. He will need a special pet carrier, which you can purchase at your local pet store. Ask the airline what crate specifications they require.

If traveling by car, have your dog's nails cut to avoid damage to the upholstery. Carry an adequate supply of plastic bags and use these to clean up after your pet at any rest stops you use. Never let your dog hang his head out the window of a car when it' s moving. Even though most dogs love to do this, it can cause sore eyes, ears or throat.

Never leave your pet alone in a car, especially in hot weather. The temperature inside the car can quickly rise to an unbearable level, even on what feels like a pleasant afternoon.

Once you arrive at your destination, be sure to get your dog back in to his routine of eating and exercise. If you have moved to an apartment building and your pet dog was used to having a yard to play in, you'll need to be extra considerate. Walk your dog more frequently, at least until he gets used to his new living situation. Be patient and make allowances for indoor "accidents." Don't punish your pooch, as this may make the problem worse. Clean the mess to remove the soil and smell. Once your dog has settled in, the accidents should stop. Use positive reinforcement to teach him where he needs to go. Always praise him when he relieves himself in the correct place.

One way to help your dog settle in more quickly is to create a comfortable sleeping area for him. If your new home has a yard, check the fencing to make sure that it is secure, of sufficient height and 'hole-free' before letting your dog run loose. If your dog is able to escape, exercise him on a lead until you are able to make the necessary improvements.

Cats

It's commonly accepted that cats get very attached to places and typically hate to move. Cats get particularly comfortable with routine, and don't like their environment to change. This can make moving especially difficult for humans and their cats.

In the days leading up to your move, try to keep your pet's routine as normal as possible. It is best to crate your cat during the moving process, and it may be helpful to ask a friend or family member to keep an eye him.

If you are traveling by air, you may need to purchase an airline-approved carrier for you cat. You airline should be able to provide you with all the details. If you are traveling by car you may also want to use a crate or carrier so your cat cannot roam about the car, or escape through an open window or door.

Once you are in your new location, be careful to keep your cat indoors until he becomes comfortable in his new surroundings. Do not allow your cat outdoors, because he may try to return to you old home ... and that's obviously dangerous for him, especially if you've moved far away. Supervised outings are advised until your pet gets used to your new home. You can use a long leash on your cat and connect it to a stake in the ground, allowing your pet to wander the length of the leash for the first few days. Let your cat explore all the rooms of the house and be sure to check that outside doors and windows are closed before you begin.

Birds and Small Pets

Of all pets, birds are probably the most sensitive to changes in temperature and environment. Your pet bird can be moved in the cage in which it lives. When you are moving with your pet bird, be sure to use a cover for the cage. This can keep the bird calm and protect it from drafts. Place the cage in a shallow box to collect any gravel, feathers or droppings that may spill during transit. Remove any containers of food and water before moving the cage to avoid spills en route. Do feed and water your bird at its regular times, as birds, like all small animals, can become dehydrated very quickly in warm weather.

Some states require a health cert for birds entering the state. The USDA may inspect this cert either at the airport or during routine roadway inspections. Have your pet bird inspected by your veterinarian prior to traveling. Some health certificates are valid for a brief period of time. Ten 10 days is a common window for a health certificate.

Horses

There are several ways to transport horses. Your horse can be transported by air freight, by towing a trailer or by hiring a specialized horse transporting company. The horse transport company can use either air or road to transport horses.

By Air

Many airlines accept horses as air freight. In general, they will only transport horses on direct flights. You will be required to have a stall constructed to the airline's specifications, and you will need to ensure your horse has the necessary health checks completed prior to moving to your new home state. Remember that requirements vary by state, and airlines will request a health certificate. The USDA may also be at the destination airport conducting inspections and may request to see the health certificate.

By Road

Depending on the distance you need to travel, towing your horse in a trailer behind your car or truck may be an option. If you do not own a trailer, you may consider renting one, but you'll want to be sure you're experienced enough to safely load and trailer your horse. You can also pack tack and feed in the trailer.

If your trip requires overnight stays you will need to book stables en route for your horse. These stables will require a health certificates appropriate to horses only, and if they do not you probably don't want to board your horse there. Your veterinarian should be aware of the applicable laws of the different states and will be able to provide you with the necessary health certificates. (Contact information regarding states entry requirements is at the end of this guide.)

If you are unable to find a stable or lodgings for your horse in close proximity to your hotel, inquire whether the hotel will allow you to keep the trailer in the parking lot overnight. In inclement weather this is not advisable. Feed and water your horse per the normal routine and clean out the stall when you have an overnight stop.

Reptiles

Most states have strict government regulations regarding the entry of reptiles. See the states regulatory contact list at the end of this guide to find out what you need to do before moving your reptile from state to state.

As a general rule, the carrier that a reptile is transported in needs to be kept moist. Place the reptile in a cloth bag and fasten the top of the bag, making sure to leave the reptile enough room to move about, then place the bag in the shipping container. Use foam peanuts for cushioning and place damp paper or cloth in the shipper to keep the environment moist. Make sure there are air holes in the shipper for ventilation. If you are traveling overnight with your reptile you may need to place him in the tub of your hotel room at night for a nice long soak. Check if the hotel allows pets first.

Do not ship reptiles in excessively hot or cold weather, as their shipping container may be left outside for periods of time, leading to stress and possibly death.

Snakes must be handled with extra care, especially if they are venomous. Most airlines require double crating for snakes, which means putting the snake in one crate and then placing this crate in another, larger crate. Adequate ventilation is a must. The airline may provide you with stickers to put on all sides of the crate and you will need to write the type of snake on this label. You should also write on the sticker whether the snake is venomous or not.

**Warning

Remember to keep the surroundings of all reptiles moist, but not wet. Placing a damp cloth inside the container is one of the best ways to keep your reptile's environment appropriately moist during transit.

Fish

Fish are notoriously difficult to move safely from one location to another, but it can be done effectively and efficiently with some planning. It is advisable to sell or give away as many fish as you can before you move to help ease the burden. However if this is not an option, this guide will help you understand what you need to do.

Depending on the size of your aquarium, and the number and type of fish you have, it may be easier to separate them into a several smaller tanks. If the aquarium is 5 gallons or less it may be just as easy to move the entire aquarium. Place some cellophane over the top of the aquarium and remove all heaters and aerators. Place the container in a cooler box or Styrofoam container to regulate the temperature and keep it constant for up to 48 hours. Be sure to open the cellophane every four to five hours to change and refresh the air. This option may be the best for tropical fish, which don't do well in smaller containers with overcrowding or sudden changes in water and temperature.

Never leave the container in the car overnight, as the temperature changes may be too drastic for the fish. If you plan to be traveling to your destination for a couple of days with your fish it is advisable to purchase a portable aerator to keep the water well oxygenated. Always pack your aquarium last in the moving truck so that you can unload it quickly at your destination.

If you separate your fish into smaller containers or fish bags, you should try to use the aquarium water in order to keep the environment as constant as possible. In the event you do not have enough water for all the smaller containers, add fresh or saltwater appropriate to the type of fish. It is advisable to allow each container of water to settle for a few hours after filling. If you have only a small number of fish and are moving a short driving distance, you can move the fish to their new location by using plastic bags half-filled with water and half-filled with air. As a general guideline, each fish should have at least 1-2 gallons of water. To maintain the temperature, place the bags in an insulated container or Styrofoam container.

Most fish can go without food for a couple of days without any problems, but it is important to add healing agents to the water, as the fish may become bruised en route. This is not uncommon and you can purchase healing agents at your local pet supply store.

When you arrive at your destination set up the aquarium as quickly as possible. You may need to treat the water to neutralize any chemicals; your local pet store can advise you of any treatments the local water may need.

Turn the aerator on for a while, and then add slowly and gently add the fish to the tank one at a time. Wait until the water settles, and feed them as usual.

New Community

PLEASE, PLEASE be responsible when you move and check beforehand with your new community to find out if pets are allowed. Some apartment and condominium complexes may not allow pets, and you certainly don't want to find that out on moving day.

Some of the most common reasons that people leave their pets with shelters are "we are moving "and "my landlord doesn't allow pets." Remember, pets do not know why their owners are leaving them behind, so do your homework beforehand to save all that heartbreak. Consider your options carefully, as pets should be considered a lifetime commitment. If you are absolutely unable to take your pet with you, you owe it to this creature to find him a good home.

State and local regulations

You need to make sure that your pet has some sort of easily read ID attached to its body. For dogs and cats this can be a collar, while a tag around the leg is appropriate for birds. The ID tag should have your pet's name, destination address, your name and telephone number. It is also a good idea to have an alternate's name and number on the tags in the event that somebody finds your lost pet and is unable to get in touch with you. You should also have rabies tags for your pet; depending on the state where you live this will most likely be a requirement. For air travel, your pet may be required to wear special travel tags, which the airline will provide.

For more guides, visit: BananaMoving.Com. Find and compare moving companies, get free moving quotes. BananaMoving.com provides a one stop shop for all your moving and storage needs.

Pet Health Insurance

It seems that Pet Health Insurance is getting a lot of attention in the press and on the internet these days. It is a simple, affordable solution for those who love their pets but are concerned about the financial hardship of high-quality pet care. Pet health insurance is peace of mind that protects you and your beloved pet from the inevitable and the unexpected. This type of insurance is still relatively new, and many pet owners are still unaware of their options.

Pet health insurance is designed to provide pet owners with coverage for unexpected illnesses or incidents resulting in expensive veterinary costs. While it may seem like something that only movie stars get for their Hollywood pets, it is becoming more mainstream and is being offered for very reasonable prices. So wherever you happen to live in the United States, insurance is really important, especially if you happen to have more than one pet.

It is particularly of use in an emergency, such as when a pet is involved in a road traffic accident and needs surgery. X-rays and operations can soon add up to well over thousands of dollars, meaning that this insurance is necessary to prevent having to payout such large sums if and when such an accident occurs. There are many benefits of having it for your dog or your cat and this is why this is becoming increasingly popular in this day and age.

Coverage

Coverage and cost vary, so it's important to thoroughly research the options if you decide to insure your pet. Coverage usually starts at eight weeks, but some plans won't cover pets over a certain age (usually between six and 10 years old, depending on the breed, type of animal and other factors). Coverage options range from catastrophic accident coverage to comprehensive illness coverage.

Pet health policies are similar to human insurance policies; annual premiums, deductibles, and different coverage plans based on what the owner chooses. When you purchase pet health insurance, it acts much like those plans meant for us in that the coverage usually starts right away but there may be a waiting period before the benefits kick in.

As for pre-existing conditions, some companies will allow coverage if the animal is stable or controlled (usually after a waiting period of 3 to 12 months), other companies will refuse animals with current conditions or terminal disease. Some policies (but not all) cover some preventative care, such as vaccinations, but there may be additional cost for this coverage. It's important to review your policy terms and conditions to ensure you have the right coverage for your pet.

When choosing pet insurance coverage, first consider what kind of insurance customer you are. Do you prefer all-inclusive coverage that pays for everything from routine checkups and vaccinations to accidents and chronic illnesses, or are you comfortable with a lesser degree of coverage that just kicks in during emergencies. You can usually decide what kind and how much coverage to provide for your pet. So getting yours is not really all that insane, and in the long run it could save you a great deal of money.

The cheapest way to take out pet health insurance is online; by going with a specialist insurer they can shop around on your behalf and get you the cheapest premiums with the best deals. If you are planning to have a pet for the rest for your life, then getting it is indeed a very wise decision.

With the increasing cost of veterinary care, pet health insurance is an absolute must for any pet owner today. As the cost of veterinary care continues to increase, it is quickly gaining popularity in the US. All in all though, it depends on you, and your pet(s), whether or not pet health insurance is the right choice.

Article Written By J. Foley

John Foley has written many articles about pets and their well being. If your looking for more information about this topic, You Can Go Here

Pet Health Insurance - Why It's So Important

If you are a pet owner you may already know how costly it can be if your beloved 'furchild' becomes ill unexpectedly, or is injured in an accident. In fact, even routine veterinary care and surgery can make quite a dent in your savings.

Although the US lags behind most of Europe in terms of how many domestic pets are covered by pet health insurance, it is beginning to catch up. More and more pet owners are realizing just how important good pet insurance can be!

Think about it for a minute - if Fido were to be seriously injured or fall ill tomorrow, would you be able to afford a veterinary bill for $1500, $2000 or $3000 plus? If not, you could find yourself faced with a heartbreaking, life-or-death decision. No pet lover ever want to find themselves in that situation.

If you have pet health insurance you (and your pet) can be spared the agony and heartbreak of being unable to afford critically important veterinary care in a time of crisis. Just as your own medical cover/health plan is there for you when you fall ill, Fido's health insurance will be there for him.

There are many different pet health insurance companies, all offering plans that are similar in the respect that they all require annual premiums, have deductibles and offer a range of different coverage options to suit individual needs.

However, you'll also find may differences between pet insurance companies and their individual policies. Before you make a decision, read the small print carefully and don't be afraid to ask questions. The following list is an example of the kind of things to look for (it's not a comprehensive list though, it's up to you to do your homework!)

Some pet insurance policies have age limits, both minimum and maximum, and they can vary considerably between providers.

There can be different 'waiting periods' (the time it takes for your coverage to come into effect) from one provider to the next

There are different attitudes and regulations concerning the cover (or lack of) for pre-existing conditions

Some pet health insurance providers may exclude certain breeds (often larger breeds) who are prone to particular hereditary or congenital illnesses or problems

In some cases a policy may cover routine procedures such as vaccinations, annual wellness checks and/or routine preventative care, neutering & spaying etc. Others may charge a 'wellness rider' or have additional charges for this type of care

You may find you're limited to choosing a veterinarian or veterinary hospital from a list of 'approved providers', or you may be free to pick whomever you want.

A pet health care policy may, or may not, cover dental care, eye care and prescriptions - always check this.

If you have several pets, ask the pet insurance provider if they offer a discount for multiple pets. Always check to see if the pet insurance provider you're considering, offers any 'extras' such as an informative newsletter, or even discounts on pet supplies/service.

You can get a lot of information about the different pet health insurance companies and their policies by checking online. You can also get free quotes and even register from the comfort of your own home. How easy is that!

Pet health insurance is a growing trend in the US today and rightly so. If your pet was to become suddenly, and seriously, ill or injured, having a comprehensive pet health insurance plan in place could make all the difference in the world.

A pet health insurance policy can help you live up to the commitment you made to provide your pet with good veterinary care, and to keep him healthy and safe. Good health care is not a luxury, it's a necessity, and pet health insurance can make it easy to provide.

Unless you have considerable savings, and are happy to dip into them, unexpected veterinary costs could cause you a good deal of hardship and heartache. Even if you DO have the money, would you really want to spend it on high vet bills when you could be paying a modest, annual sum instead?

You can get more free information about pet health insurance at http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/pet-dog-insurance.html

Learn how to protect yourself and your pet today.

Pet Health Care

Good pet owners ensure that their pets stay healthy and live a long and happy life. However, the huge costs that often come with regular visits to the vet and buying pet supplies sometimes prevent some pet owners from giving their pets the best health care they need. Pet owners can now gain access to an affordable way by which they can provide proper health care for their pets in the form of health insurance for their pets.

There are a number of similarities between human and pet health insurance, which makes them easy to understand. One of these similarities is that pet health insurance policies also cover normal or routine medical expenses like annual checkups and medical expenses for sickness or injuries. However, there are also insurance policies that only cover either routine medical expenses or sickness or injuries. Another similarity between the two is that pet health insurance also provides emergency coverage. Another similarity is that companies that insure pets also have certain criteria to help them determine the kind of insurance policy that a pet is qualified to get. For dogs, insurance companies usually consider the dog's age, breed, and whether the dog is considered a pet or a watchdog by its owner.

Insurance companies also have different age requirements with regard to the insurance policies they provide. Most insurance companies encourage their clients to get insurance for their pets as early as possible and there are some that do not insure pets that are over eight years old. However, there are still some insurance companies who are more than willing to insure pets even if they are considered old.

Good pet health insurance can help offset some of the costs that pet owners incur in ensuring the health of their pets. With easy to understand policies, pet owners are given access to an affordable way by which they can keep their dogs healthy and happy.

Pet Care provides detailed information on Pet Care, Pet Health Care, Pet Care Products, Pet Day Care and more. Pet Care is affiliated with Pet Health Care [http://www.e-PetHealth.com].

Going Natural For The Pets You Love

So just as you have begun to take a more pro-active and holistic approach to your health, many pet owners are now discovering the benefits for their pets too.

A diet that reflects enhanced nutrition through attention to what you eat, and what your pet eats on a daily basis is important. Adding natural herbal supplements help to strengthen not only your health, but your pet's too! Herbs also fight illness!

Your pet relies on you to see to their needs including attention, quality foods, fresh clean water, exercise and their general health. As an integral part of your family, you want your pet to enjoy great long-term health and this month I want to share a few easy tips for prevention, for every day, and for limited periods of time for certain conditions or symptoms.

Healthy pets generally do not incur expensive veterinary care costs
Healthy pets have more energy and live longer
Healthy pets enjoy a better quality of life long into old age

"So what can I do to help my pet?" "Can I really use herbs for pets?"

Your pet will respond very well to the correct selection of quality herbs because our herbs are natural plant based products that your pet's body system will recognize as food. (Your system benefits for the very same reasons)

Pets are like us, and they benefit tremendously from adding a few herbal

supplements to insure optimal health and vitality. Herbs can be used in liquid or capsules format, just open and mix with their foods. Tablets can be crushed and mixed with foods. Chewable, they usually love them as treats.

Dosage is according to weight. Usually 1 capsule a day/25 lb Note that liquid extracts can be applied directly to paws and the belly too).

Tip 1 - Provide Quality Pet Food

Just as we humans are discovering that the highly refined foods are hazardous to our health, our pets are experiencing similar reactions from the general processed foods widely available at most supermarkets. In the wake of the massive pet food recalls, attention to pet food ingredients is essential.

It's fun to share our table foods with the pets but when you do, you're introducing foods your pet has a very hard time digesting. I do not represent nor distribute pet food products but I do recommend you consider natural products based on natural wholesome ingredients. The cost is a bit higher, but your pet will be much healthier and medical costs much lower.

This applies to humans and pets alike: avoid any product that contains by-products, chemical preservatives artificial flavours or artificial colours.

I feed our 10-year old Beagle (Stanly) Performatrin Ultra available in Canada and the USA. If not available in your town, they make a good reference guide. There are a number of good quality suppleirs so do a little investigation to find what works best for your pet

Tip 2 - Provide Fresh, Clean Water

Always ensure you pet has fresh clean drinking water available. I like

to add a few drops of Liquid Chlorophyll to their drinking water. They

like it too!

The spearmint flavor helps reduce "doggy" breath

Gives daily nutrients and minerals
Very mild cleansing
Improves digestion and colon, cleans and builds the blood
Restore alkaline balance and it's great to avoid burning the lawn

Tip 3 - Everyday Nutritional Support

A well-rounded herb which you can think of as general multi-vitamin mineral is Morinda (aka Noni), my top pick for pets of all ages

and specifically for puppies up to 3 years and elderly animals because it supports the immune, nervous, respiratory, muscular and skeletal systems.

Help for those pets who are excitable
Provides bone support for growing puppies
Supports for elderly pets who need help climbing the stairs, or
sofa, or simply to breathe better

A great everyday powerhouse of health building herbs is strong>Zambroza or Thai Go for its remarkable ability to strengthen and build the immune system. With over 138 anti-inflammatory properties, it's the best choice for anti-oxidant features that combat the effects of stress and fatigue plus its anti-viral, anti fungus and anti-bacterial properties.

Tip 4 - Natural Heartworm Care

Spring through fall is the season for heartworm and the combination of using both our High Potency Garlic and Black Walnut Extract will work wonders. I do this for 6 months, from ground's thaw to first frost.

Our High Potency Garlic is odor controlled, not odorless. It is essential to have the odor which is caused by one of the active ingredient called allicin for maximum therapeutic benefits. In order to control the garlic smell, the garlic is coated with chlorophyll. This way, you get the full allicin potential and the therapeutic benefits. (I grind this with a mortar pestle and mix with food and my dogs never have 'garlic' breath) The Black Walnut Extract is liquid and a few drops mixed in the food is all it

takes.

Oxygenates the blood
Controls parasites, ringworm, worms and toxins
Restores tooth enamel
Antiseptic and healing properties
Supports the thyroid

CAUTION: NEVER GIVE BLACK WALNUT TO A HORSE - IT'S TOXIC!

Tip 5 - Addressing Digestive Flatulence (Gas)

It works for people and it's great for the pets. For digestion/flatulence (gas) Garden Essence and/or Stomach Comfort are great choices that provide instant relief for you and your pet. Even when eating good quality food, some pets are gassy so by

simply adding Garden Essence (open and sprinkle to their food), it really helps them digest their food better, therefore eliminating gas.

Our dog Stanley loves the Chewable Stomach Comfort, we use them as a treat,

and he will do his "tricks" to get one. They also help with gas and digestion.

On the other hand, Elmo does better with Marshmallow and Pepsin

while Isaiah has great success with Garden Essence.

Just as in people, there is no one right answer so you may have to experiment to discover which works best for yours. Remember, these are plant based herbs and your pets body will ingest them safely because they are real foods.

Tip 6 - Little Wet Accidents

It happens and when it does, there are steps you can take to help your pet overcome the problem. For younger animals, if they need to urinate frequently and it is not because of an infection, the Chinese combination KB-C helps to internally strengthen the urinary system. It can also be rubbed in circular motion on puppy's belly.

For older animals with a leaky bladder Cornsilk strengthens their bladder and removes inflammation. If your pet is suffering from an infection, Cranberry and Buccu plus Echinacea Golden Seal will clear the infection and help prevent further reoccurrences.

Strengthens the urinary system in young pets
Strengthens the bladder in older pets
Clears infection and helps prevent further reoccurrences

Tip 7 - Natural Clean Ups Around The House Just Got Easier

No matter how hard we try to care for our pets, accidents happen at some point and for cleaning up naturally, there is no better product than Nature's Fresh Spray. In fact, this product is great for a wide variety of typical cleaning needs at home and in the car.

Eliminates pet odors plus those created by foods, smoke, urine, feces, vomit and mildew
Eliminates stains caused by food, juices, blood, pets, urine and
other organic substances
Safe for all fabrics and not harmed by water
Unscented, non-irritating, hypoallergenic
Environmentally safe

Diane McLaren C.C.Ir, R.N.C.P.

As a Natural Health Practitioner and Wellness Coach, Diane incorporates her knowledge of Western and Eastern natural health philosophies to integrate her certifications in Clinical Iridology, Nutrition, Herbs, Reflexology, Kinesiology, Biochemical Blood Analysis, B.E.S.T. and Sclerology for her clients and students.

In her practice since 1994 and through http://www.healthyyounaturally.com Diane has shared the lessons and experience of her many years as a successful business woman, wellness coach, holistic health care practitioner and gifted teacher for thousands of clients, students and partners.

?I invite you to discover for yourself just how effective and rewarding a natural approach to health can be.?

Pet Health Insurance Explained

Pet health insurance is simple, affordable solution for those owners who love their pets but is concerned about the financial hardship of high-quality pet care. It brings peace of mind, protecting you and your beloved pet from the inevitable and the unexpected. It is still relatively new, and many pet owners are still unaware of their choices. By going though the components of a typical pet health insurance policy, you will know what to look for when selecting the right pet insurance policy for you.

The principal component and the number one reason for people insurance their pets, is to cover vet fees. The majority of pet insurance companies will quote the vet fees as an amount per incidents, illness or condition. The vet fees listing will be one for three types.

Type 1: Time & Fee Limit

This type of cover has a time limit over which the condition can be claimed (usually 12 months) and a maximum payout amount per condition. One the time limit or dollar amount has been reached the condition is no longer covered. This is commonly referred to as a "12 month policy".

Type 2: Fee Limit but No Time Limit

This type of cover has a maximum limit on the amount paid per condition but no time limit. Therefore, you can claim on this condition for as long as it takes to reach the conditions limit.

Type 3: Fee Limit per Year

This type of cover has a maximum limit on the amount paid per condition per year. The amount is reset each year when the policy is renewed. This is commonly referred to as "cover for life policy".

A pet health insurance policy can cover (sometimes as an option):


Treatment of your pet for illness, accidents or disease
Payment for accidental death
Payment for death by illness
Advertising and Reward if you pet gets lost or is stolen
Third-party liability cover (usually dogs only)
Pet boarding cost if you are in hospital for a length of time
Holiday cancellation cover if you pet is lost, injured or ill while you are away
Pet Travel cover
Alternative Treatments
Basic routine care
Dental
Telephone Helplines

A pet health insurance policy will not only vary in the level of cover offered but different companies have their own additions, conditions and exclusions. One needs to look at the pros and cons of a particular product offering carefully, and compare it with other pet health insurance products before deciding.

It is important when choosing pet health insurance to select a policy which matches your desired cover with your budget. The higher your level of cover, the more expensive the policy will become. The breed of your pet, the pet's age and your location will affect the cost of your pet health insurance policy. Generally, cats insurance is cheaper than dogs. Policies are contracted and quoted on a yearly basis as a one off annual charge or spread over twelve months.

All pet insurance policies will include an excess. An excess is an amount you pay before the insurance company starts paying. The excess is used to keep the policy cost down and to stop people making small claims that take up time and money to process. Companies will charge an excess per claim as either a fixed amount or a percentage amount. You may elect to pay a higher excess to help reduce the cost of pet insurance.

Although pet health insurance may appear expensive a first, consider the cost of veterinarian treatment if you pet has a serious accident or illness. If you are the type of owner who considers their pet an essential part of the family, pet health insurance makes financial sense.

Grant Copland is the owner of PetHealthCover.com

For more information, advice and help with choosing the correct Pet Insurance for your pet visit Pet Health Cover.

A Guide to Alternative Health For Pets

A lot of pet owners these days are getting used to the idea of alternative health for pets. Studies show that there has been a steady increase in demand for alternative treatments in the western world lately. Even the American Veterinary Medical Association says that it is open to the idea of alternative treatments. So, what has changed now and why are people interested in alternative pet care? Let us take a look.

Short term cure vs. long term cure

One of the main reasons why people are interested in alternative health for pets is that they are slowly realizing that prescription medications are not the best solution for all health problems. Prescription drugs often treat only the diagnosed condition or symptoms, leaving the cause of the health problem uncorrected. This is why drugs do not provide a permanent solution for a lot of health problems including bacterial infections. Alternative medications, on the other hand, treat both the cause and symptoms of a health problem and give a long lasting relief.

Side-effects-free solution

A major problem with prescription drugs is side effects. In most cases, the stronger the dose, the worse will be the side effects. While young pets can cope with the side effects of these medications, old, fragile pets cannot. This again is one of the important reasons why pet owners these days are turning to alternative health for pets. Alternative treatments mostly involve dietary modifications and herbal supplements that do not cause any side effects. So, they are perfectly safe for pet animals irrespective of their age or health condition.

The basics of alternative pet care

Alternative health for pets is all about maintaining health and vitality in pets with the help of certain dietary modifications, physical exercise, and natural supplements.

Diet - The first step in holistic pet care is a well balanced diet. The food your pet eats should contain real meat instead of meat byproducts. It should be free of artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Similarly, the water your pet drinks should be free of contaminants.

Exercise - Pets that stay inactive all the time become dull and unhealthy. They also tend to get stressed. So, physical inactivity can take a toll on your pet's physical as well as mental health. So, exercising your pet is essential.

Supplements - Natural supplements play a very important role in alternative health for pets. Certain herbs like Mistletoe, Milk Thistle, and Huang Qi can boost your pet's immune system, strengthen its vital organs, and eliminate the toxins from its body. Experts say that such herbs should be given in the form of health supplements to pets regularly improve their health naturally.

Alternative health for pets focuses on making pets happy and healthy with the help of dietary modifications, natural supplements, and lifestyle changes. It focuses on preventing diseases by increasing the disease resistance capacity of pets rather than treating them. So, if you are looking for an all-natural way to improve your pet's health, holistic pet care is something you should give a try.

Jeff Grill is an editor of the Pet Health Guide which has additional alternative health for pets approaches. The author also recommends the Dog Health Handbook for information on different canine diseases and conditions.

Benefits of Joining Social Networking For Pet Lovers Sites

To share interests and to communicate with adopted animal owners, an interesting platform is provided by the internet. It is a very unique and innovative concept. On an animal social website, communities of online pet owners get together, to share interests and interact with each other in their own time. Pet symptoms and pet symptom diagnosis information is available on the pet lovers social networking sites which makes care an easier affair.

Interactive sessions:

According to the animal in question and their own tastes, adopted animal owners are able to construct profile pages. According to the personality of the these the ready made options can further be easily customized. Owners of canines, felines, birds and reptiles can share various inputs, experiences and views through various interactive sessions held regularly. They are fun and within the 24x7 forum. As a social community for owners, this idea has become increasingly popular the world over.

To form a community, pet social networking helps to connect pet owners and adopted animal from across the globe. In a very easy and convenient manner, indulgence in the social networking site offers drag and drop options to customize and add information to the profile pages. Information such as the availability of an expert veterinarian in a particular region, how to go about finding a trainer, expert advice etc. is easily available on the adopted animal networking sites.

Finding required information:

All owners are concerned about the pet health and lifestyle of the animals in their care. Pet owners can also search for playmates for their adopted animals online. Tips on care, information on caring and grooming of adopted animals; pictures, pet rescue, adoption etc. can be shared with the help of adopted animal networking sites. This concept is a fresh one, and it is climbing the charts of popularity quite rapidly. The sessions held for the pet owner social community are very interactive and more and more members are now joining the bandwagon.

With the personalized options offered on the web to owners, participation becomes an informative and exciting option. On these sites, various features are provided in which pet health, pet lifestyle, availability of expert pet advice and expert pet trainer info becomes easier to find. Pets and owners are able to mingle with other enthusiasts on the social networking forums.

There is no reason for your adopted animal to remain out of the league. These networks are a great way of finding information about the animal, methods of adopting an animal and also a great way of showing off your adopted animal to a friend. It is the free to join feature of the social networking sites for pets that enable you to share stories, videos and pictures about your pets through different websites on the internet without a worry about the cost. Other people get inspired and adopt a beautiful lifestyle with a pet when you relive your wonderful times with the adopted animal in your custody. So much for animal care and protection!

There are a number of different social networking sites for internet users to socialize on the World Wide Web. Social networking for pet lovers is also available for animal enthusiasts to explore.

Spray Your Way to Better Health For Your Pets!

Many of us take a variety of supplements to ensure that we get the recommended daily allowance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Some of us also take supplements for specialized health issues like joint health, heart health or for whatever ails us! We want to feel healthy, energized, limber and young so we can enjoy a long, active life.

How about your pet? Do you think that every day they are getting all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients from their diet? Most veterinarians would probably surprise you with a simple answer of "No". Your pets are much like you: sometimes you eat a balanced diet, sometimes you are more physically active than others, and sometimes you feel a bit sluggish and without energy.

Furthermore, you are bombarded by and exposed to multiple toxins in your work and home environment that affect your ability to absorb nutrients and impact your health. Your pets live in that same environment, with the same affect on their health. So, what do you do to counter the negative effects of these noxious toxins? You take your daily vitamins, minerals, drink lots of water and take the necessary supplements to support your health and well-being. Your pet deserves that same attention!

One of the easiest solutions to getting the right supplements to your pets is to introduce VitaMist Pet Spray Vitamins into their every day routine! Spray vitamins are easy to give to your pet, they are quickly absorbed and not a single drop of liquid or part of a pill is wasted! In fact, we know from studies with humans that parts of a pill supplement are passed through the human body without fully breaking down and releasing that supplement into our system! Furthermore, how fun is it to give an animal a pill??!! While it can provide endless entertainment for us to hide it in their food, or conceal it in a treat they love or slather it in peanut butter, that poor pet may not get the full benefit from the pill supplement as it passes without fully dissolving through their system.

How simple are spray vitamins for your pet? Here are two easy ways to lead your pets to better health and longevity:

1. You can simply spray the VitaMist Pet Spray Vitamins directly into your pet's mouth, and your pet has an immediate release of the necessary vitamins and nutrients that will be be readily absorbed! Your pets will even love the flavors! For example, VitaCanine is liver-flavored! Well, candidly, that may not be my favorite flavor in the world, but your dog will truly savor it!

2. Better yet, you do not even have to spray it in their mouth; you can simply spray it on their food. Your pet still gets all of the benefits as if it were sprayed in their mouth! Does it get any easier to ensure your pet's happiness, health and longevity?!

Here the amazing benefits for each VitaMist Pet Spray Vitamin:

VitaCanine: Energy-producing B vitamins, A and E vitamins, calcium, phosphorous and iodine are just some of the SIXTEEN total vitamins and minerals in VitaMist VitaCanine!

DogEase: This is a multivitamin with glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, two well known supplements for enhancing bone and joint health. This is perfect for older dogs, but is a great routine to start immediately for your puppies!

VitaFeline: A special multivitamin for the kittens and cats in your life with SIXTEEN essential nutrients including vitamin B, vitamin A, phosphorus, iodine and taurine.

With such great products, and how very easy it is to provide your pets with the vitamins and supplements they need for their health and well-being, Vitamist makes it easy and convenient for you to invest in your pets' health! Please remember, it is always best to consult your vet before introducing any vitamin or supplement to your pet's routine.

PetJets.net is your partner in your pet's health and well-being. Visit the PetJets.net website and or blog for more information on pet spray vitamins, pet supplies and pet-friendly travel solutions!

Kelly Alvarez Mace has recently launched and manages several online directories for the private jet and jet charter industry. PetJets.net is one of these innovative, online, "find-it-fast" directories located at http://www.petjets.net

The PetJets company blog at http://petjets.blogspot.com contains frequent updates on pet-friendly travel solutions as well as information on pet supplies, pet accessories, pet health and more! Register today on the PetJets blog and receive FREE information regarding Pet Spray Vitamins and much more!

Dog Health Problems Veterinarians Will Not Tell You About

If we want to avoid a dog or cat health problem and quickly get our pet health questions answered, be prepared to take an active role in avoiding dog or cat health problems with more informed communication with your veterinarian when needed. Avoiding dog and cat health problems and extending their life is not an accident. This can be accomplished by simply knowing how to examine, diagnose and often treat your pet at home.

Today there is such a manual available to effectively deal with pet health problems that can save you a tremendous amount of money while drastically improving the overall health of your pets.

In some cases, this could be a matter of life or death for your pet.

Unlike anything ever seen or available before now, veterinary doctor Andrew Jones writes without medical jargon, without complicated procedures, and without an eye on the pharmaceutical companies' bottom line. With the help and guidance of this manual, all that is required is the willingness to comfort and care for your sick or injured pet so you can alleviate pain or begin treatment before you even reach your vet.

The truth is that veterinarians have STRONGLY discouraged pet owners from treating their dog and cat health problems at home. The entire pet health industry has a vested interest in discrediting alternative medicines which can safely, naturally and effectively allow pet owners to care for their pets at home.

Dr. Jones, owner of the Nelson Animal Hospital in Nelson, BC, Canada, unequivocally states: "If you're not ready to make some simple changes to the way you provide veterinary care to your pet, beginning today, your dog or cat could be seriously ill and live a shortened life. I came to realize that I and most other veterinarians are not 'getting it' - that in the process of trying to heal pets through technological advances, we are actually making them sicker!" Dr. Jones further states: "Regular veterinary care has lost it's effectiveness over the years, and in some cases is causing illness in our pets".

Veterinarians for the most part are wonderful people who want only the best for their clients and your pets that are their patients. Like in any profession, there are terrific, good, passable and poor practitioners and this has nothing to do with their personalities.

Too many pets, both dogs and cats, and their owners suffer with a health problem because they relied exclusively on their vets to receive medical care.

When a vet is the only care option for a dog or cat health problem, guardians sometimes delay bringing their pet in for treatment because the pet becomes ill "after hours".

A dog or cat may have a health problem exasperated due to exclusive reliance on harsh drug treatments because guardians (and their vets) are unaware of effective, gentle, and natural treatments; or, treatment for chronic illnesses was discontinued by the owner because it was complicated or expensive, or the guardian was unable to afford the follow-up office visits and treatment.

There are some very real and common dangers your veterinarian will not tell you about for various reasons that result in dog health problems including the fact that he or she may not even know about them. However, given the opportunity, most pet guardians would want to know all the information that affects or could affect their companions.

Would you as a pet guardian give your dog something that might cause a "side effect" health problem such as: cancerous sarcomas, autoimmune diseases of the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system, including anaphylactic shock, aggression, seizures, and epilepsy? Believe it or not, shockingly these are adverse reactions to the RABIES VACCINE, especially from unnecessary over-vaccination.

Many pet owners have no idea that numerous dog health problems are a result of rabies over-vaccination.

Vets will often give a 3-YEAR dose of the rabies vaccine once a year, although the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) instructs them of the toxic dangers of this type of over-vaccination. Even more alarming, dogs may not need the vaccination for 5 years, and older dogs don't need it at all. You can avoid the dangers and associated health problems for your dog by asking if the rabies vaccine is a 3-year dose, which it should be. If "yes", and the vet insists on giving it annually, direct them to the AAHA website which is clear on the danger and states the extra vaccination is proven to not improve the dog's resistance to the rabies and can pose a health problem to your dog.

Certain dog health problems are caused by vets themselves, such as vaccinosis which requires hospitalization with IV fluids. The onset of vaccinosis is typically two weeks to a month following vaccinations. Symptoms that can appear in the dog include autoimmune diseases, such as irritable bowel disorders, lupus, pemphigus, hypothyroidism, chronic skin disease or allergic dermatitis.

Avoid over-immunization and you can avoid a health problem for your canine.

Have vaccine titers tested measuring the number of antibodies in your dog's bloodstream, for a particular viral disease. If the titers are adequate, no vaccine is needed. Both the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) and the AAHA now say vaccinations should be assessed yearly and tailored to an animal's age, health and lifestyle.

Often misdiagnosed as a sign of older age, Cushing's syndrome is another example of a dog health problem often caused by a vet's medication or over-medication of cortico-steroids.

Dr. Jean Dodds, one of the world's foremost experts in canine vaccine reactions, says: "Recent vaccinations with single or combination modified live virus (MLV) vaccines are increasingly recognized contributors to immune-mediated blood diseases, bone marrow failure, organ dysfunction and cancer". Dr. Wendell O. Belfield, author of "How to Have a Healthier Dog", further contributes that: "BHA and BHT [preservatives] are known to cause liver and kidney dysfunction and are banned in some European countries. Ethoxyquin is suspected of causing cancer, and that propylene glycol, another common pet food ingredient, causes the destruction of red blood cells."

It doesn't matter what category your pet's health problem falls under.

Dr. Andrew Jones, in his manual, discusses these dog and cat health problem issues, and reveals simple secrets to safeguard your pet's health. His purpose was to make available an informative manual that instructs dog and cat owners to care for and treat their pets on their own, and to help slash vet bills and even save your dog or cat's life, with over 1,000 safe, natural and effective solutions and information for healing your pet. The manual may well be one of the best investments you ever make for your pet's health.

To those who are truly devoted to their dogs or cats and want to give the best possible care in dealing with or avoiding health problems, the manual offers every available treatment option if your pet becomes sick. It will also help you prevent diseases so your pet is less likely to become ill and require veterinary care in the first place.

We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.CalloftheDog.com and http://www.CalloftheDogShop.com - created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our About Us page as well.

The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange.

Interested pet owners can find out more Here.

Five All Natural, Hot Weather Health Safety Tips For Your Pets

As a proud pet owner, most people naturally want the very best for their furry, four-legged friends. It is likely your emotional investment began the moment you, and your new found companion, looked into each others eyes for the first time.

If you happen to be a stickler in keeping high, physical health care standards for yourself and your family, then ensuring that your pet has a safe, healthy, and happy life is certainly going to become a top priority too. With a return to summer, which everyone enjoys, including our pets, it can also bring to mind some seasonal health concerns regarding our extended, family members.

This does not have to wreak havoc on your personal finances, however, as five important common sense strategies can head off several unnecessary, and expensive trips to your veterinarian. These natural approaches should leave everyone in the household feeling happier, especially your pet! And, they are economical in the long-term.

Safety Tip 1

Keep pets cool

Hot temperatures combined with high humidity interferes with an animal's natural ability to pant, which is how they cool themselves. This kind of weather is very hard on your pet. Unlike humans, who can cool themselves by sweating through pores in the skin, canines and felines only have sweat glands in noses and paw pads. Hence, a dry nose is a warning sign of a feverish or dehydrated animal.

Always provide your pet with a daily, fresh water supply. This applies to any season, but it is especially important in the summer months. If your pet is recovering from surgery, illness, or has become severely dehydrated, there is even special electrolyte-enhanced water available for dogs. Search for those in larger pet or health food stores.

Your pet will be happier, and much more comfortable, being left at home on a shopping trip. If you feel you must take them out on a hot day, never leave them in a vehicle with the windows down, even for a few minutes.

Getting wet in a creek, lake, or child size wading pool can help keep your dog cool. Be mindful, though, to rinse off your dog's fur after a swim in the ocean, or a chemically treated pool.

Long-haired animals need daily brushing or combing to avoid heat-trapping matting or tangling of coats. Regular hair cuts or trimmings during hot weather, can help keep pets cooler. Just be careful, if your doing it yourself though, don't shave the animal. Skin that has never seen sunlight will burn easily!

Safety Tip 2

Pest control

Stinging, biting, and blood sucking insects can affect your pet's health, happiness, and behavior. A bee sting can inflict as much pain and swelling on your pet as it can you. Pull stingers out with fingernails or tweezers. You can dab the affected area (except around the eyes) with a diluted solution of half apple cider vinegar or tea tree oil, water mix. Exception: do not use these disinfecting mixtures on a small dog, puppy, or cats.

When it comes to repelling, and protecting, your pet from common parasites like fleas, ticks, lice, mites, and mosquitoes, look for safe non-toxic products containing 'neem'. Most of these products are a bottled liquid mixture. There are several creative ways of using them from mixing them up to use as a dip, mix in your dogs shampoo, or even soaking a cloth collar can repel the health hazards of external parasites, naturally.

Safety Tip 3

Exercise

Both owner and pet benefit, tremendously, from a mentally and physically active lifestyle. Regular physical interaction with your pet provides not just physical benefits, but emotional ones as well. All kinds of physical activity can be incorporated as game playing with your pet friend. It will promote healthy muscle stimulation, and sharpen cognitive mental functioning.

Just remember, in hot weather months, use the keep your pet cool rule. Schedule these types of activities in the cooler parts of the day.

Safety Tip 4

Control ear infections

Ear infections can be a common problem in the summer with long-eared dogs, or water loving ones. Most ear infections are caused by yeasty types of bacterias.

An ounce of prevention technique, that works rather in humans too, is mixing up a solution of equal parts of white vinegar and isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Store in a dropper bottle and dispense a few drops into each ear after water exposure to the ears. The alcohol helps dry out the ear canal, and the vinegar lowers the pH, making the inside of the ear a less than ideal environment for bacteria to thrive in.

Safety Tip 5

Improve Diet

Whether you wish to increase an older pet's energy and vitality, get better control of internal (worms) or external parasites, or relieve problem allergies, all of these can be done from the inside out through diet improvement.

Powdered probiotic and enzyme supplements can be added to your pet's food. There are several quality brands available, exclusively, for dogs and cats. Both, good bacteria and enzyme nutrition supplementation, help to strengthen your pet's immune system and stimulate better digestion, assimilation, and elimination.

Most commercial brands of processed pet foods, either dry or canned, provide a minimal amount of basic nutrition, due to over processing or are missing many different nutrients entirely. The same is true if you are feeding your pet home prepared food. If you are going to feed your pet real food, it will be much better tolerated if it is fed raw. Raw meat, milk, or eggs is best.

Many alternative health care strategies that are available to humans, also exist for pet health. Health care specialties such as acupressure, massage, and spinal manipulation, that work well for people, can also help your pet, just search for a practitioner who specializes in animal therapy.

Several of these, seasonal, all-natural safety tips just make good common sense to be implementing on your pet year round. As a responsible pet owner, remember, your pet solely depends on you to keep them healthy, happy, and safe. And, now you know how to do this just a little bit better.

Brenda Skidmore has spent over the last five years actively researching natural health care alternatives. She can attest to the many positive results natural practical cures and preventive strategies bring to human health. Along with the many medical professionals whose published works she has studied, it is her sincere desire to empower others by sharing this important information. To improve your life visit: http://www.mywater4life.blogspot.com

The Pet Food Ingredient Game

About 25 years ago I began formulating pet foods at a time when the entire pet food industry seemed quagmire and focused on such things as protein and fat percentages without any real regard for ingredients. Since boot leather and soap could make a pet food with the "ideal" percentages, it was clear that analytical percentages do not end the story about pet food value. I was convinced then, as I am now, that a food can be no better than the ingredients of which it is composed. Since this ingredient idea has caught on in the pet food industry, it has taken on a commercial life that distorts and perverts the meaning of the underlying philosophy of food quality and proper feeding practices. Is health reducible to which ingredients a commercial product does or does not have? As contradictory as it may seem to what I have just said, no it is not. Here's why.

AAFCO Approval

The official Publication of the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) gives wide latitude for ingredients that can be used in animal foods. As I have pointed out in my book, The Truth About Pet Foods, approved ingredients can include*:

dehydrated garbage

undried processed animal waste products

polyethylene roughage replacement (plastic)

hydrolyzed poultry feathers

hydrolyzed hair

hydrolyzed leather meal

poultry hatchery by-product

meat meal tankage

peanut hulls

ground almond shells

(*Association of American Feed Control Officials, 1998 Official Publication)

Simultaneously, this same regulatory agency prohibits the use of many proven beneficial natural ingredients that one can find readily available for human consumption such as bee pollen, glucosamine, L-carnitine, spirulina and many other nutraceuticals. It would be easy to conclude that reason does not rule when it comes to what officially can or cannot be used in pet foods.

From the regulators’ standpoint, they operate from the simplistic nutritional idea that the value of food has to do with percentages and that there is no special merit to any particular ingredient. They deny the tens of thousands of scientific research articles proving that the kind of ingredient and its quality can make all the difference in terms of health. They also are silent about the damaging effect of food processing and the impact of time, light, heat, oxygen and packaging on nutritional and health value.

The 100% Complete Myth

Consumers are increasingly becoming alert to the value of more natural foods. Everyone intuitively knows that the closer the diet is to real, fresh, wholesome foods, the better the chance that good health will result. Unfortunately, people do not apply this same common sense to pet foods. Instead they purchase "100% complete" processed foods, perhaps even going the extra mile and selecting "super premium" or "natural" brands, thinking they are doing the best that can be done. They surrender their mind to a commercial ploy (100% completeness) and do to their pets what they would never do to themselves or their family - eat the same packaged product at every meal, day in and day out. No processed food can be "100% complete" because there is not a person on the planet who has 100% knowledge of nutrition. The claim on its face is absurd. Understanding this simple principle is more important than any pet food formulation regardless of the merits of its ingredients. Everything that follows will begin with that premise, i.e., no food should be fed exclusively on a continuous basis no matter what the claims of completeness or ingredient quality.

Genetics Is The Key

Pets need the food they are biologically adapted to. It's a matter of context. Just as a fish needs to be in water to stay healthy, a pet needs its natural food milieu to be healthy. All creatures must stay true to their design. What could be more obvious or simple? For a carnivore the correct genetic match is prey, carrion and incidental fresh plant material, and even some fur and feathers, as well as the occasional surprise of unmentionables found in decaying matter. It's not a pretty picture to think that "FiFi" with her pink bow and polished toenails would stoop to such fare, but that is precisely the food she is designed to eat. Since that is her design, matching food to that design (minus the more disgusting and unnecessary elements) is also the key to her health.

The Disease Price

We may prefer to feed a packaged, sterile, steam- cleaned, dried, farinaceous chunk cleverly shaped like a pork chop, but let's not kid ourselves, that is not the food a pet is designed for....regardless of the claims about ingredients on the label making one think it is five-star restaurant fare. Pets may tolerate such food for a time, but in the end nature calls to account. The price to be paid is lost health in the form of susceptibility to infections, dental disease, premature aging, obesity, heart and organ disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and other cruel and painful chronic degenerative diseases. Because our pets are not out in the rigors of nature where they would quickly succumb to such conditions and end their misery, they languish in our protected homes and under veterinary care that does not usually cure but merely treats symptoms and extends the time of suffering. That suffering begins with the way in which we are feeding our pets, not the ingredients in a supposed 100% complete pet food.

The Perfect Food

What is the solution? It is simple and something I have been preaching for the past 25 years. Return pets to their environmental roots. They need - daily - interesting activity, fresh air, clean water, romps in nature, lots of love, and food as close to the form they would find in the wild as possible. Fresh, whole natural foods fit for a carnivore and fed in variety are as good as it can get. Anything less than that is a compromise. Compromise the least if health is the goal. (Same principle applies to you and your family.) To get a packaged food as close as possible to that goal requires the right starting philosophy of feeding (described above) and the expertise to design and manufacture such foods.

Enter The Profiteers

Elements of these principles (often distorted or misunderstood) have been taken up by an endless line of pet food entrepreneurs. The low fat craze led to low fat pet foods. The high fiber craze led to high fiber pet foods. The "no corn, wheat or soy" craze led to no corn, wheat or soy pet foods. The "omega- 3" craze led to pet foods with fish oil. The “variety” craze led to pet foods supposedly offering variety. The "four food groups" craze led to all four bundled into a package. The "raw" craze has led to raw frozen pet foods. The list is endless and the race for pet owner dollars is at a fever pitch.

One can only feel sympathy for a concerned pet owner as they stroll along the huge array of pet food options in pet food aisles. Unfortunately, armed with only sound bites and lore they may have heard from a friend, breeder, veterinarian or on a commercial, they make choices that not only do not serve the health of their pet but may directly contribute to weakened immunity and disease.

The first thing consumers should keep in mind is the ideal diet for pets as described above. No packaged product regardless of its wild claims is ever going to equal that. The next best thing is to home prepare fresh meals. (Contact Wysong for recipes and instruction.) If that is not always possible, then products should be selected that are as close to the ideal as possible. (More suggestions below.)

Raw Frozen Pet Food Dangers

At first glance, considering the perfect feeding model I have described - raw, natural, whole - the best food may seem to be one of the raw frozen pet foods now clamoring to capture the "raw" craze. I'm sorry to say that some of these purveyors even use my books and literature to convince pet owners that their frozen products are on track. They take bits and pieces of good information and distort it into something that pretty much misses the point and misleads consumers. Also, these exotic frozen mixtures of ingredients of unknown origin, manufacturing and freezing conditions are most certainly not economical nor the best choice. They may, because of the water content and raw state, be outright dangerous.

Human Grade

Then there are claims about "USDA approved" ingredients, "human grade" ingredients and ingredients purchased right out of the meat counter at the grocery store. Again, at first glance - and superficiality is what marketers like to deal with - it may seem that such foods would have merit over others. But such labels only create a perception of quality. People would not consider the food pets are designed for in the wild - whole, raw prey and carrion - "human grade" or "USDA approved." Because something is not "human grade" does not mean it is not healthy or nutritious. For example, chicken viscera is not "human grade" but carries more nutritional value than a clean white chicken breast. Americans think that chicken feet would not be fit for human consumption but many far eastern countries relish them. On the other hand, "human grade" beef steaks fed to pets could cause serious nutritional imbalances and disease if fed exclusively. Pet foods that create the superficial perception of quality (USDA, human grade, etc.) with the intent of getting pet owners to feed a particular food exclusively is not what health is about.

Pet Nutrition Is Serious Health Science

Pet nutrition is not about marketing and who can make the most money quickly. Unfortunately an aspiring pet food mogul off the street can go to any number of private label manufacturers and have a new brand made. These manufacturers have many stock formulas that can be slightly modified to match the current market trend. Voilà! A new pet food wonder brand is created.

Pet foods are about pet nutrition, and nutrition is a serious health matter. There is an implied ethic in going to market with products that can so seriously impact health. But the ethic is by and large absent in the pet food industry. Starting with the 100% claim and on to all the fad driven brands that glut the shelves, health is not being served. Nobody other than our organization is teaching people the principles I am discussing here. Instead, companies headed by people with no real technical, nutritional, food processing or health skills put themselves out to the public as serious about health ... because that is what the public wants to hear and what sells. Never mind whether producers really understand or can implement healthy principles. The façade sells and selling is the game. Ingredients are important, true, but not less important than the expertise and principles of the producer who is choosing them, preparing, storing, processing and packaging them. Consumers place a lot of trust that nondescript processed nuggets are what consumers are being led to believe they are. Many a slip can occur between the cup and the lip. There are many slips that can occur between the cup of commercial claims and what ends up in the lips of the pet food bowl.

Consumer Blame

The consumer is not without guilt in this unfortunate - steady diet of processed pet food - approach to pet feeding. They want everything easy and inexpensive. They don't want to learn or have to expend too much effort, and they want something simple to base decisions on like: "corn, wheat and soy are evil," or "USDA approved," or "human grade" or "organic is good." They also want something for nothing and think they can get it in a pet food. People want prime choice meats, organic and fresh foods all wrapped up tidy in an easy open, easy pour package, hopefully for 50 cents a pound. They may even pay $1 or a little more if the producer can convince them about how spectacular their product is or how much cancer their pet will get if they choose another brand.

Are By-Products Evil?

In the processing of human foods there are thousands of tons of by-products that cannot be readily sold to humans. Does that make them useless or even inferior? No. Such by-products could include trimmings, viscera, organs, bones, gristle and anything else that humans do not desire. Should these perfectly nutritious items be buried in a landfill? As I mentioned above, while Earth's resources continue to decline and people starve around the globe, should we feed our pets only "human grade" foods and let perfectly edible - and sometimes even more nutritious - by-products go to waste? How is that conscionable or justifiable for either the consumer or the producer?

Road Kill and Euthanized Pets

This shift to "human grade" for pet foods is partly due to a variety of myths that have gotten much stronger legs than they deserve. Lore has spread in the marketplace that road kill and euthanized pets are used in pet foods. I have never seen the proof for this outrageous claim and after twenty years surveying ingredient suppliers I have never found a supplier of such. However, fantastic myths easily get life and the more fantastic they are the more life they have. It's the intellectually lazy way and what lies at the root of so much misery. Sloppy superficial thinking is what leads to racism, sexism, religious persecution and wars. People would like to think the world is sharply divided into right-wrong, good-evil, black-white. Marketers capitalize on this by trying to create such sharp distinctions for consumers to easily grab on to: human grade = good/all others = evil; organic = right/all others = wrong; rice = white/corn and wheat = black. Such simplistic and naïve distinctions are quick and simple for advertisers and salespeople to use to sway public opinion. But nobody stepping back and using common sense would ever think that something as complex as health could ever come from what is or is not in a processed bag of food. Reality is not black or white; it is in shades of gray. Grayness requires some knowledge, judgment and discernment before making choices. It's a little more work but is what we all must do if the world is ever to be a better place and people and pet health are to improve.

What To Do

How do concerned pet owners wanting to cut through all the marketing clutter negotiate a path? It is very simple if the basic principles I have discussed above are kept in mind. Here are tips on how to implement an intelligent health and feeding philosophy:

1. Learn how to feed fresh food. Alternate these with honest processed foods fed in variety, and complement these foods with well- designed supplements.

[How To Apologize To Your Pet]

http://www.wysong.net/PDFs/apology_pamphlet.pdf

Don't get all particular and paranoid about balancing nutrients and ingredient do's and don'ts. Rotate, vary, mix it up and fast once in a while. Trust in nature, not some marketing hype. (Use the same principles for yourself and your family if you want optimal health as well.)

2. If you must have human grade or organic foods for your pet, go buy the real thing at the grocery meat counter. Take it home, cut it up and feed it raw. Freeze the remainder into small meal portions and use them for subsequent meals. Don't turn your brain off and go buy "organic" or "human grade" pet foods that for their cost could only contain hints of the real thing. Pet food manufacturers may be clever at marketing, but they are not magicians. One thing is certain; they do not buy ingredients and then sell them to you for less than what they buy them for.

3. Use appropriately designed supplements such as Call Of The Wild™ and Wild Things™ to balance raw meals and help make them safe if you are not skilled at such meal preparation.

4. The best raw, processed food alternative to fresh foods from the grocer is non-thermally processed dry foods - not raw frozen ones. (See Wysong Archetype™.) Use this food for alternate meals and as top dressing to heat processed foods.

5. Check the credentials of the person making the decisions in the company whose products you buy. Don't go to a plumber for brain surgery and don't expect serious healthy products from business people.

6. Steer away from brands that are pushing any particular hot buttons such as "natural," "no by- products," exotic ingredients (quail eggs, watermelon, persimmons, etc.), organic, omega-3, rice and the like. Although these features may bring some merit to a food (if they are put in at other than "pinch" levels), they are not an end in themselves and if the packaged food is fed exclusively can cause more harm than good.

7. Steer away from brands that fear monger. For example, there is the no corn or wheat scam - "buy our brand; it has no corn or wheat." (Just saying a product has "no" something is enough to scare the non-thinking public to the brand that doesn't have the boogeyman ingredient. Profiteers know this and play it to the hilt in the pet food industry.) The truth is, grains are put in dried nugget foods because they contain the starch necessary for the extrusion process. Starch is pretty much starch regardless of whether it comes from corn, wheat, rice, potatoes, millet or whatever. Grains also help decrease the cost of pet foods. They contribute some nutrition but in a properly formulated meat-based pet food the majority of the nutritional value comes from the meat. It is true that animals may develop allergy to corn or wheat but that can happen with rice or any other grain or ingredient as well. Problems are prevented by varying the diet. That is why Wysong has developed the range of formulations it has and puts them in small portion packs so the foods can be rotated. Of all the Wysong formulations, the ones with corn are chosen on almost a 5:1 ratio over all others and are the diets we receive the thousands of raves about, even in those pets supposedly allergic to corn!

[Wysong Testimonials]

[http://www.wysong.net/testimonials.shtml]

This is not to tout the merit of corn, or any grain in pet food for that matter. They are sort of a necessary evil in dried extruded foods and any of them can bring some benefit if rotated in the diet.

8. Do not feed any product exclusively. Variety is the spice of nutrition and the road to good health.

9. Features to look for in a packaged product would be those that bring the product close to the raw-whole-fresh-natural standard described above: active enzymes, probiotics cultures, natural preservation and protection against food-borne pathogens, proper packaging, intelligent formulation and balance, micronutrient dense, freshly produced, fresh ingredients - and the expertise to do all of this, not just say so on a package or brochure. (Some brands trying to get on the raw food bandwagon make outright false claims about "cold" processing.)

10. The company should be able to intelligently explain what they are doing in terms of processing, packaging, product preservation and prevention of food-borne pathogens. It is one thing to simply put a certain ingredient into a food, quite another to protect it until it is consumed. For example, Wysong owns its own manufacturing facilities in order to go beyond industry standard techniques. Special portion pack, light- and oxygen- barrier bags, modified atmosphere flush and natural ingredients to prevent oxidation and food- borne pathogens are part of all Wysong products. (See technical monographs on Packaging, Antioxidants and Wyscin™.)

11. Most important, learn. Support a company that helps you learn the truth and teaches you how to be at least somewhat independent of commercial products. Demand that producers provide proof for their claims in the form of good logic, evidence and science. Try to discern the company's true motives, your pocketbook or your pet's health. Learn how to go beyond The Pet Food Ingredient Game.

Wysong R. L. (1993). Rationale for Animal Nutrition. Midland, MI: Inquiry Press.

Wysong, R. L. (2002, June 19). Why Modern Medicine is The Greatest Threat to Health. The Wysong e-Health letter. Wysong Institute, Midland, MI.

[The Wysong e-Health letter]

[http://www.wysong.net/health/hl_884.shtml]

Wysong, R. L. (2002). The Truth About Pet Foods. Midland, MI: Inquiry Press.

Wysong, R. L. (2004). Nutrition is a Serious Health Matter: The serious responsibility of manufacturing and selling. Midland, MI: Inquiry Press.

Wysong, R. L. (2004). The Thinking Person’s Master Key to Health (60 Minute CD Discussion) Wysong Institute, Midland, MI.

Wysong, R. L. (2005). Comparing Pet Foods Based Upon What Matters: The First Study of its Kind in the Pet Food Industry. Midland, MI: Inquiry Press.

Wysong, R. L. & Savant, V. (2005). The Case AGAINST Raw Frozen Pet Foods. Midland, MI: Inquiry Press.

For further reading, or for more information about, Dr Wysong and the Wysong Corporation please visit http://www.wysong.net or write to wysong@wysong.net. For resources on healthier foods for people including snacks, and breakfast cereals please visit [http://www.cerealwysong.com].

Dr. Wysong: A former veterinary clinician and surgeon, college instructor in human anatomy, physiology and the origin of life, inventor of numerous medical, surgical, nutritional, athletic and fitness products and devices, research director for the present company by his name and founder of the philanthropic Wysong Institute. http://www.wysong.net Also check out [http://www.cerealwysong.com]