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Blog posts Categorized under ‘Pet Health News’

Pet health: Cat box training kittens

Posted on: January 28th, 2011 by

Two new born kittens play.

Kittens are born with the instinct to dig around before and after they eliminate. This instinct allows you to easily litter box train your cat or kitten. Cat box training should begin once you bring your new kitten home.

Before you bring home your new cat or kitten, you need to decide where you are going to put the litter box. It is best to put it in a quiet area where the kitten won’t be disturbed.

Areas with an easy to clean floor are ideal as this allows you to be able to easily clean up any litter that may be tracked outside of the box. If you have other cats in the house, you will want to get a separate litter box for your new cat.

There should be one litter box for each cat in the house, plus one additional. Some cats can be very finicky when it comes to their litter box. You also want to have a litter box on each level of the house. This will help ensure your kitten can make it to the litter box in time.

Once you are home you will want to begin kitten training. One of the first things you should do is show your kitten where the litter box is located. Place the kitten inside the box so that they will know that it is the litter box. Take the kitten to the litter box throughout the day until they go to the box on their own. Kitten training requires patience and repetition until they understand.

Pet health and behavior: Keeping your puppy happy

Posted on: January 27th, 2011 by

A puppy with pet insurance is in good pet health.

Puppies are naturally playful creatures and in order to keep them healthy and happy, you need to put in adequate effort. Unhappy new born puppies can easily turn into frustrated dogs with behavior problems. A happy puppy is one that is well balanced.

Enrolling your puppy in pet behavior training is an important step in ensuring your puppy is happy. Puppies need to learn that you are the leader. Following a confident leader will make the puppy more confident. A dog obedience training class also serves as a socialization class. Allowing puppies to socialize with others helps ensure happiness.

Crate training a puppy can also aid in their contentment. Puppies love to have a safe place they can sleep in, as it provides them comfort and reduces stress.

A final way to ensure your puppy remains happy is to exercise them daily. A long walk can help mentally and physically stimulate your dog. Puppies that are not mentally and physically stimulated can become frustrated. Frustration leads to behavioral problems like puppy barking and chewing.

Keep your puppy healthy and happy by keeping them up-to-date on their vaccines. In addition, ensure that they have regular check-ups. Keeping your puppy healthy will help them live a long and happy life.

With Pets Best Insurance you know the coverage you will receive. There are no hidden surprises, just great coverage at affordable prices.

Pet insurance: Some symptoms seem scarier than they are

Posted on: January 24th, 2011 by

A dog with pet insurance displays odd pet health symptoms.

It seems like every month I’m typing a new symptom into search engines that my dog or cat has displayed. I try to stay on top of cat and dog health care so that I can speak confidently to the vet about what I observe.

There’s nothing better than breathing a sigh of relief when what I thought would surely result in a new dog insurance claim turns out to be nothing.

About once or twice a week, my 10-year-old Catahoula Leopard dog was snorting backwards, seemingly uncontrollably, for up to a minute at a time. I didn’t know if he was having an asthma attack, gasping for breath, choking, or trying to clear himself of post-nasal drip. It didn’t take much searching to find video of other dogs suffering from similar attacks, and find out that this phenomena is called “reverse sneezing,” or “paroxysmal respiration.”

The condition is called reverse sneezing because air is being rapidly pulled in through the nose, the opposite of a sneeze.

“Although it can be alarming to witness a dog having a reverse sneezing episode,” wrote Ernest Ward, DVM, “it is not a harmful condition and there are no ill effects.”

Of course, if a dog does display reverse sneezing too often for comfort, a veterinarian may test for nasal polyps, respiratory issues and collapsing trachea; tests that will likely be covered by pet health insurance, which is why it’s a good idea to ensure you have cat or dog insurance for your pet.

While Dr. Ward claims there is no exact known cause for reverse sneezing, “this problem seems to be exacerbated by allergies and environmental odors such as smoke, potpourri, and perfume.”

Should your pet display any symptoms you are not familliar with, seek the advice of your veterinarian, as Google Video and Pets Best Insurance blog posts should never be substituted for your veterinarian’s expert opinion.

Pet insurance for your indoor dog this winter?

Posted on: January 21st, 2011 by

A dog with pet insurance stays warm in the winter.

We like to think our dogs are resilient in the winter, with their thick fur coats and padded paws. Long haired dogs do have extra protection in the winter, and outdoor dogs grow a fuller coat as the weather cools.

However, that doesn’t mean a domesticated, pampered house pooch can handle extreme elements as well as a fully adapted wild dog or a trained sled dog. While pet insurance companies exist to protect your furry family all year long, even owners who have dog insurance should use common sense during the winter.

“An indicator that it’s too cold for your dog is: if your nose gets cold when you are walking them, that is how cold their feet are getting,” said Rachel Sentes, a former writer for Pet Rescue Magazine in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Dogs are safer staying home in the winter as opposed to taking car trips, especially if the dog will be left in the vehicle for any period of time. While cars become ovens in the summer as they trap heat, they become refrigerators in the winter, and keeping the car running poses the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning unless the windows are open.

According to Dr. Justine Lee, a Minnesota veterinarian who has worked with Alaskan sled dogs, in certain cases cold winter temperatures can cause added pet health issuse such as stress, which can be taxing on pets.

“If a dog has underlying hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) or a medical condition where he can’t regulate his temperature normally, I wouldn’t recommend it at all,” said Lee of leaving a dog inside a car during the winter.

Lee also warns of possible side effects from breathing in cold air for extended periods of time.

“Some rare dogs have cold-induced asthma/bronchitis, and can’t exercise as well in cold weather,” said Lee, author of It’s a Dog’s Life…But It’s Your Carpet. “Signs would be coughing, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance.”

When any changes occur in a pet while exposed to harsh elements, having pet insurance for your dog will ensure that your best furry friend can be quickly evaluated, treated, and sent home warm and cozy.

Top 3 things to do when caring for a stray kitten

Posted on: January 20th, 2011 by

New born kittens with pet insurance drink from a bottle.

I don’t know if I smell of catnip or if word has gotten around to the local cats, but I am one of those people who always seems to find the strays and lost kittens in the neighborhood.

I’ve repeatedly exclaimed, “the kitten can stay – but just for tonight,” only to find myself with a growing number of lifelong family pets.

While new born kittens can be slightly more intense than the needs of adult cats, taking in and taking care for a newly rescued stray kitten isn’t so complicated if you keep a few things in mind.

1. A stray kitten will almost certainly have fleas, and may also have worms. Fleas carry parasites, so if your kitten has ingested any fleas while grooming herself, she’s probably taken in a few parasite hitchhikers.

You can purchase a flea control agent and medication, especially for de-worming kittens, at most pet stores. Be sure you buy the type intended for your kitten’s size and weight. Adult dosages can be toxic to small kittens. Dawn dish washing detergent is a gentle and effective kitten flea shampoo. Any stray kitten should be washed immediately if brought into the home to prevent an indoor flea farm.

2. Spaying and neutering is an important part of responsible cat ownership, as is purchasing a pet insurance policy for your beloved feline. A kitten may be sterilized as young as 8 weeks old, so contact your local rescues and research and see if you can find a spay neuter assistance program. Sibling kittens will mate earlier than expected if not fixed.

3. Pet health insurance is an excellent investment for your new kitten. Not only will you pay very low pet insurance premiums due to your kitten’s young age and presumable lack of pre-existing conditions, but many cat insurance policies also offer wellness and routine care packages.

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