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Archive for February, 2009
Looking to save money in this economy?
It comes as no surprise that people are cutting back in all areas as the economic crisis continues, including pet care.
Robert Nager, PSI’s 2008 Pet Sitter of the Year shares his top three tips to save money while still taking care of your pets.
Make sure your pets are healthy – Although regular veterinary checkups will incur expenses, maintaining regular preventative health maintenance for your pets will ultimately help to avoid unexpected, and more costly, health issues down the road.
Keep your pets in shape – If your dog or cat is not getting regular exercise and gaining weight, that pet is at risk for a large number of critical illnesses that will require intense and expensive veterinary care down the road.
Consider making pet treats at home – There are many recipes available, for free, on the Internet. This will allow you and your family to make healthy, cost-effective treats.
Share your own money-saving tips and advice in the comments area below.
Nominate your pet sitter today
America’s on-going love affair with pets is at an all-time high, but pet owners’ love affair with their pet sitters comes in at a close second!
The Pet Sitter of the Year award, sponsored by Business Insurers of the Carolinas, was created by Pet Sitters International (PSI) in 1995 and is considered the professional pet-sitting industry’s highest honor.
Each year, hundreds of satisfied pet owners nominate their pet sitters for this unique competition. It’s the only award of its kind where you have the opportunity to tell the world about the satisfaction, peace of mind and loving care that only your professional pet sitter offers your animal companions.
If your pet sitter embodies the heart and soul of the pet-sitting profession, nominate them for PSI’s 2009 Pet Sitter of the Year™!
Get your pet to the vet
Is it time for your pet’s yearly trip to the vet? Are you finding it a challenge to keep up with the costs of your pet’s care? If so, you are in luck
Until Feb. 28, dog and cat owners have a chance to receive a $20 Veterinary Voucher good towards preventive veterinary care.
The Help Your Pet, Get to the Vet Campaign by Advantage® Topical Solution from Bayer Animal Health was started to help offset pet care costs by distributing more than $250,000 in Veterinary Vouchers to provide financial relief, along with valuable information, to help you take care of your cat or dog.
Vouchers are available from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM ET every hour on the hour, up to 1,000 distributed each day. No purchase is necessary to obtain the voucher.
Visit http://www.gettothevet.com/ for more information.
The envelope please…
And the winner in the most popular purebred dog category is the Labrador retriever. For the 18th consecutive year the Labrador retriever beat out all other purebred dogs in America to take the top spot in 2008, according to The American Kennel Club (AKC).
The rankings are based on 2008 registration statistics released by the AKC. More than twice as many Labs were registered last year than any other breed.
Here is the complete list of the top dogs:
- Labrador retriever
- Yorkshire terrier
- German shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Beagle
- Boxer
- Dachshund
- Bulldog
- Poodle
- Shih Tzu
What dog breeds do you think are winners? Did one of your own take top honors? Let us know what dog gets your vote!
Love is in the air
But so is potential danger for your pets. Two of the most common gifts given around Valentine’s Day, chocolate and flowers, are quite hazardous to pets.
Lilies are not a pet’s best friend and should be left out of Valentine’s bouquets. This is not a clever ploy by florists to persuade you into purchasing a dozen red roses. All members of the Lily family are extremely poisonous to cats.
Animals are particularly sensitive to theobromine and caffeine, two ingredients in chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is to your pets. Be sure to paw-proof all Valentine’s chocolate.
These measures will keep your furry valentine feeling just fine!
Show us your pet’s pearly whites
February is Pet Dental Health Month. The American Dental Association estimates that almost 80 percent of adults brush their teeth at least twice a day. How often do you brush your pet’s teeth?
An astounding 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society. Periodontal disease is a common problem in dogs, particularly smaller breeds.
Signs of tooth decay and oral disease include bad breath, tooth discoloration and tarter buildup.
The following tips will help keep your pet’s teeth healthy:
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Inspect your pet’s teeth regularly.
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Brush your pet’s teeth weekly, if not daily.
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Feed your pet crunchy food and crunchy treats.
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Focus more attention brushing the back of your dog’s teeth because tarter builds up more quickly on the back of canine teeth.
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Vet visits should include a complete checkup of your pet’s teeth.
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Be patient, most pets won’t enjoy this new regimen at first. Remember how much you enjoy trips to the dentist?
For more information on Pet Dental Health Month, please visit the official Web site.
Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow
It’s official! There will be six more weeks of winter. Punxsutawney Phil, who is said to be the only true weather forecasting groundhog, emerged from his burrow today and saw his shadow.
Did you know:
- The first official Groundhog Day was celebrated on February 2, 1886 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
- Another name for a groundhog is a woodchuck.
- Groundhogs are part of the squirrel family.
- Groundhogs can climb trees and swim.
- And if a woodchuck could chuck wood, it would chuck about 700 pounds of it.
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