The Advantages of Neutering your Male Cat

Most male animals that are not used for breeding purposed are castrated, neutered, so that they can no longer impregnate a female. For cats especially, this is crucial, since there are hundreds of kittens every year that go without homes. There are many advantages to neutering your male cat, and the process is quite safe, so you should consider it if your furry feline friend is male and not yet neutered.

Male cats that have not yet been neutered are called tomcats. Simply put, it can be difficult to live with a tomcat, no matter how well trained he may be. When your cat is not neutered, he will want to get outside as frequently as possible to mate with female cats in heat. This can be disastrous if you live in a busy street with lots of traffic or if your cat is not used to being outdoors. Tomcats also roam a lot, meaning that they may travel far distances in search of female cats, and it is possible for your cat to roam too far and not know his way home. It is also possible for him simply to resist coming home at all, since he will be shut indoors. To protect your male cat, neutering it the best choice.

Tomcats also fight and are generally more aggressive than neutered cats. Because they want sexual dominance in a particular area, they may seek fights with other male cats to drive them away. Cats will fight to the death if they feel threatened, and fights cause not only injuries, but also the spread of diseases like the
Fe L V virus, which can be fatal. Neutering your cat will not stop an aggressive cat from being less aggressive toward humans, but it will prevent your cat from actively seeking fights with other male cats in the neighborhood.

Vasectomies are not done with male cats. Rather, the simple neutering procedure will remove the male reproductive organs, which are easily accessible in most tomcats. In some cases, more extensive surgery has to be done, because they have not developed and descended correctly. The removal of these organs is what causes the changing in male hormones through a cat’s body, changing the cat’s behavior. Sterilization is not enough, because the cat won’t notice the difference and will still seek to fight and mate. Your vet can tell you more about this procedure, but all in all, it is the best choice for any cat, since there are already so many homeless cats in the world. In case your cat does get F E L V

Cat Safety in Warm Weather

If you live in a climate that has sticky, hot, summer days, you may find yourself longing for cooler days. Your cat will definitely agree! In warm weather, it is necessary for you to care for your cat’s healthy so that he or she does not become overheated. Remember, a pet is like a newborn baby—your cat cannot tell you that he or she is hot or uncomfortable. You have to notice warning signs and provide a good living environment so that your cat does not get too hot.

When you take your pet places during the summer, never ever let your cat inside of a parked car, even for a short time. Cars quickly become ovens in the summertime, even when you park in the shade, or even if you have the windows cracked. Your pet will not be able to alert people in order to get out of your car safely. In as little as ten to fifteen minutes, your pet could die from the heat in a parked car, and parking in the shade does little good to prevent this, since the sun continuously moves and the heat of the air alone will be bad for your pet. If your pet will be going with you, make sure that cats are allowed wherever you will be.

When the heat index is high, keep your cats inside. Cats that are not outdoors most of the time will not know where the cooler places to hide are, or they may find these cooler places and not return home. Hot asphalt can also wreak havoc on a cat’s health, as it can burn his or her sensitive paw pads. If your cat does not use a litter box and instead goes outside, make sure that he or she is let back inside after only a few minutes on the hottest days of the summer. Basically, if it is recommended that seniors and children stay inside, it is good for pets to stay indoors as well.

Keep your cat well groomed during the summer as well. Brushing you cat often will help get rid of the excess hair that has been shed and is weighing down the animal. If your cat has very long hair or is overweight, provide him or her with an air-conditioned room if possible. Preventing overheating is key.

As always, make sure your cat has access to clean, fresh water. This can be tap water, but should be cool and changed multiple times a day when it is hot outside. Your furry feline is very important in your life, so make sure that he or she gets proper care when the summer days make your sweat. Remember you know how you feel when you are burning up, your cat feels the same way.

Trimming your Pet Bird’s Wings

There are a lot of things that you need to know about your pet before you become a pet owner. This is true no matter what kind of animal you have, and no matter what kind of situation you find yourself in what it comes to that animal. No matter if you have a dog, cat, or a bird, you have to do research before you make that animal a part of your life, and you have to be sure that you can do all of the proper things for that animal before you find yourself in a situation where you have to take care of an animal. If you can’t take care of an animal properly you should not have it, because it is not fair to that animal.

One of the hardest things about owning a pet bird is learning how to deal with its wings. There is no magic formula for what kind of birds need certain things done for their wings, and what you should be doing. Most of the time, you should buy the pet bird in the condition that you want it to stay in, because chances are that it was done correctly wherever you got the bird from, and it might not be done correctly if you try to do it yourself.

Trimming a bird’s wings is one of these situations. There are so many things that you have to know about it before you can consider doing it. First of all, you have to take into account what kind of bird you have, and if trimming their wings is even something that is good for that bird. Then, you have to see if the situation you have the bird in even makes it possible to trim their wings. Lastly, depending on what type of bird you have and what situation you are putting that bird into, there are certain ways that you have to go about trimming the wings and there are certain ways that might hurt the bird if you do them.

Trimming a bird’s wings is something that should always be done by a professional. You should not assume that you can figure out how to do it on your own, because if you don’t do it correctly, you can damage that bird forever, and might even cause it to die. If you are considering trimming your bird’s wings, be sure that you have talked to the place where you purchased the bird, as well as to a vet, and that they both agree it is a good idea. Then, be sure that you find someone who knows how to trim your particular bird’s wings.

Your Dog Is Choking What To Do?

Are you giving your pet all the available treatment options with Veterinary Secrets Revealed?
This has gotta be every pet owner's nightmare...
They are going for an enjoyable stroll while their dog frollicks with his buddies at the dog walk.
Max races to beat Shorty for the ball... Max inhales the ball.
He gasps for air... while he's struggling to breath, you run over to him, then he drops...

What would YOU do??
I would think that your all thinking... Just reach inside his mouth and remove the ball.

SIMPLE. Not So Easy.
First, it's difficult to get your hand deep to the back of the throat, especially in a small dog.
Second, I have seen many balls wedged so far back in the throat, that NOBODY can use their hand to remove them. The clock is TICKING... YOU'VE got to act FAST.

So Now What...?
You could pick him up in Your arms, carry him to your car, and rush to the closest Vet.. But You need to go fast, for if you don't get there in 2 minutes, then its TOO LATE.

What would You do with a Choking Person... The Heimlich.
With a Dog: The Heimlich.
You Hold him upside down, with his head pointing down and his spine against you.
You give repeated sharp thrusts to the abdomen.
You lay him down and sweep the throat again for the ball.
You repeat this until the ball comes out.
I think that every pet owner should know basic CPR.

Read this testimonial:

"Dear Dr. Jones,

I have read your book and I am better prepared to handle an emergency with my Dog "Annie". I know how to do CPR on a dog and how to do the Heimlich Maneuver, etc. She is 7 and has arthritis in her left rear leg, probably in the knee. I am going to treat her now with your alternative treatment.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate having this reference book. I recommend it to every pet owner. It's a must have. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with your "problem" with the association. Thank you.


Alan Schulz, Northbrook, IL USA"


You can learn the specifics of the Heimlich, PLUS ALL CPR when You purchase 'Veterinary Secrets Revealed'
So If You haven't yet done so, go to my site at http://www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com
Scroll down to the bottom of the Page, Click on the Secure Order Link, and Get Your Copy Now.
It's easy to learn CPR- It literally may Save Your Pet's Life.
Its Your Pet - Learn How to Heal Them At Home!

A letter

From: Dr Andrew Jones
Author: Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Website: www.veterinarysecretsrevealed.com

Store Bought or Homemade Dogfood

The massive pet food recall of 2007 had millions of dog owners terrified that they had unwittingly been poisoning their beloved pets. If you and your dog survived that frightening time, you have undoubtedly been more careful in your choice of dog foods ever since. But how is the average dog owner to know what's really going into doggie's dish? One way to know for sure is to make your pet's food at home, but that can be very time-consuming. The other option is to know which commercial food is the the best dog food, that is both safe and nutritious.

The dog foods found on most grocery store shelves, the generic or store brand ones, are not usually considered among the best foods for your pet. More often than not, these brands are full of ingredients that are lower in quality and inexpensive. While these brands provide a cheaper alternative to the other brands, they are generally not recommended. A quick glance at the ingredients can provide an example of lower quality food.

For many owners, the question is solved by finances. To put is simply, if the owner can afford the dog food then that type and brand is going to go into the food bowl. While this approach may seem sensible, especially when the monthly budget is taken into consideration, it may not be best. Why feed the dog sub-par ingredients and face vet bills later on that may have been avoided in the first place by choosing the right food?

Generic meat ingredients without a specific species named is not a good thing to feed a dog. Avoid phrases such as “meat byproducts” or “meat and bone meal”. Look for brands that can list the animal that they use as an ingredient, like “chicken meal” or “beef”. Also, avoid any brands that list corn as their main ingredient. You are feeding a dog, after all, and not a pig or a cow.

But, you say, Fido is delighted with the store brand food, which retails for half of what the brand names do? That's because Fido's been tricked. Chemicals have been added to that food, creating a pleasing color and aroma which Fido finds irresistible and which hides the fact that the food is not one of the best dog foods. These chemicals are easy enough to spot if you know what to look for. Coloring agents, drying agents, and texturizers are just some of the tell-tale ingredients that should cause you to sit up and take notice.

This option of making pet food at home has become more and more popular over the past few years as it allows owners to choose directly what is going into their dog’s bowl. Feeding doggie homemade food, however, does not mean allowing him or her to dine on the family's leftovers. It means researching the proper balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats for your dog, and finding the foods which will provide them in an easily digestible form. One of the best known homemade diets for the canine set is the BARF diet.

And now–what does BARF stand for? Seems you can say it stands for a couple of things, but the most often cited explanation is Bones And Raw Food. The other one floating around on the Internet is Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which is attributed to Dr. Ian Billinghurst, one of the original Barfers.

The BARF Diet is suitable for many dogs but it takes time and dedication on the owner’s part. While there are noticeable differences between the BARF diet and a diet based on commercial dog foods, the purpose of both diets is to provide the dog with the best nutrients possible.

BARF is about feeding a biologically appropriate diet for a dog that is made up of raw whole foods like those eaten by their ancestors. This would include muscle meat, bone, fat, organ meat and vegetable materials and any other foods that mimic what the wild ancestors ate.

The BARF diet, however, is not always the best method of feeding your dog and it takes a great amount of time to prepare and research the foods. Conversely, commercial brand dog foods have undergone several tests to insure that they are compatible with the dietary needs of the dog. Basically, a dog will receive just about the same benefits of the BARF diet if he remains on a commercial diet and may even receive more nutrients that way.

The important thing you, as a dog owner, should know is that commercial dog food is not all the same. You can learn much more about what is in each can, pouch, or bag of dog food by becoming educated in label reading, and the AAFCO standards. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what's the best dog food for your dog.

Visit this link for a Special Report

What is The Right Adult Dogfood

The AAFCO has different testing standards for commercial puppy and adult dog foods, and the ingredients in a AAFCO approved puppy food will continue to meet your dog's changing nutritional needs. The AAFCO's Growth testing protocol applies to puppies, and its Adult Maintenance protocol applies to all adult dogs. So if you are enticed by a commercial dog food labeled as "Senior," don’t think it has been tested by the AAFCO on older dogs.

With your dog coming into adulthood, you will have to change the food from puppy chow to a food formulated for older dogs which should be one of the better rated dog food. This should start around the one year mark for your puppy. Changing foods should be done carefully and with great care and consideration.

Pay close attention to your dog’s likes, dislikes, and attitude toward the new food. When choosing the new food, make sure that it contains the six major nutrient groups which will provide your dog with a healthy diet. These groups are the proteins, fats and oils, minerals, water, carbohydrates, and vitamins that can be found listed on the Guaranteed Analysis on the dog food package.

It is also important to consider your dog’s special needs and circumstances while choosing an adult formulated food. Breed and size are two factors as well as any health issues and if your dog is active or inactive. Smaller breeds metabolize much faster than larger breeds and will need twice the calories. Larger breeds will need to eat more and will also need food that helps strengthen their bones and joints. Active dogs will need food with high levels of fat which will not help the inactive dog.

No matter what food you choose, make sure that it will meet your dog’s dietary needs. The feeding recommendations below and those found on other food’s labels are merely guidelines. You, as the owner, will be the first to know if your dog is benefiting from the diet or that adjustments are needed. And, as always, do not hesitate to consult with your veterinarian if you should have any questions or concerns.

Remember the dietary needs for adult dogs will vary dog to dog depending upon condition, size, and breed. In general, the aim of adult dog food should be the continued maintenance of well being for the immune system, skin, coat and muscles. Always try and buy one of the best rated dog foods.

Adult dogs will be eating less often than their puppies, averaging two servings a day; some breeds will only need one serving a day. It is vital to ensure that your dog is meeting all of the nutritional requirements at each meal to keep it healthy and happy. Routine is also important and allows your dog’s digestion system a sense of regularity.

It is also important to remember that with a regular feeding schedule and consultations with veterinarians, feeding your adult dog should not be stressful. Usually, there should be two feeding times for healthy adults; morning and evenings with enough food to sufficiently meet the dog’s daily requirements. To do so, simply divide the daily nutritional requirements in half.

With a stable routine, your dog’s body will come to expect meals at the appointed time which will help the digestion process and even his mental health. When deciding what time to feed your dog, take into consideration your own daily habits and choose times that will allow you to follow through with the plan each and every day. In time, you and your dog will fall into habit of reducing stress and making life much easier for both.

One thing you should keep in mind when feeding your adult dog is that his or her metabolism will begin to slow over time. While properly balanced adult dog foods will not by themselves make your adult dog fat, continuing to feed a dog with a slowing metabolism the same amount of food will. So you should either give your aging pet more exercise to burn off the calories which are not being burned by his or her slowing metabolism, or cut back on the portions at meal time.

What you decide to feed your adult dog, whether you go with a commercial food or decide to try the BARF diet or your own home made dog food, will be the single most important factor in his or her continuing health and happiness. So do your research before you make the switch from puppy to adult food, and pay attention to how well your pal is responding to the new food.

It's perfectly alright to try a variety of adult foods until you discover the one the best rated dog foods which has you dog both thriving, and looking forward to mealtime as the best part of the day! But make an educated choice!

Visit this link for a Special Free Dog Food Report

Dog Food, Fillers, Recall You are Killing Your Dog!

You can never underestimate the importance of understanding the AAFCO pet nutrition standards and of knowing how to read dog food labeling when choosing a commercial diet for your pet. The AAFCO will give its approval to both low and high quality ingredients, and unless you know exactly what's in the commercial pet food your dog is getting, you might think everything is just fine.

But there have been problems with many of the lower quality dog foods and the ingredients that are used that have been brought to light in the early part of 2007. Various dog food recall reports indicated the number of affected cats and dogs hit the 39,000 mark across the country. Animals became extremely sick or died due to the contamination of commercial pet foods with an industrial chemical – melamine, used to make plastics and fertilizers. This chemical was found in more than 100 brands of pet food that were recalled in Canada and the USA starting in mid-March.

The major culprit was identified as rice protein concentrate (otherwise called rice gluten), NOT brown rice. Then in June, concerns were raised about reports of acetaminophen (Tylenol) being found in dog and cat food, followed by salmonella poisoning in others. The second chemical also found with the melamine was cyanuric acid - deadly when combined. Both were found in the cat and dog food recall in March 2007. Cyanuric acid is commonly used to slow the breakdown of chlorine in swimming pools and hot tubs. It has NO place in pet food! These chemicals are put in your pets food to be used as a filler, to bring down the cost.

The dog food recall of those contaminated pet foods has done nothing to stop the use of fillers in lower grade commercial dog foods. Many pet food manufacturers keep their costs down by loading then with bulk which has absolutely no nutritional value. Your pet's food could one or more of a number of fillers, including:

* Cereal by-products
* Cottonseed hulls
* Citrus pulp
* Peanut hulls
* Weeds
* Straw
* Corn and corncobs
* Feathers
* Soy

These fillers are unfortunately used in the place of quality fiber, and can irritate the walls of your pet's intestines. Even the meat meals which you might think are protein sources in your pet's food, if they are not of good enough quality, are nothing more than fillers. All the plant materials used as fillers carry a risk of toxic herbicide and pesticide contamination, and soy is one of the top cited allergens by veterinarians, which causes severe allergic reactions. Reactions can include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, hives, diarrhea, facial swelling, shortness of breath, swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, fainting, and anaphylactic shock.

Higher end brands of dog food, are products both devoid of any byproducts, and containing the healthiest choice of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and other nutrients.

These nutrients are best when provided with a recognizable name and not some chemical number. Avoid obscure listings like potato product, rice or peanut hulls, and grape pomace. Look for something more recognizable than words that give you only a vague notion of what you are feeding your dog. Pet food manufacturers pay people good salaries to come up with the words which will entice you to buy their products. You need to know how to read the ingredients behind the descriptions, and decide if they really belong in the dish of your best pal. Don’t let your dog fill up on fillers!

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How Training Benefits Both Pet Owners And Pets

Whether you are a new pet owner or you have had a pet in your home for some time, you know how delightful, and frustrating, owning a pet can be. The joy of bringing a new puppy or dog into your household can be insurmountable. After all, there is no relationship quite like the one that is developed between you and your dog.

The Benefits of Training

If you are like most people, you are extremely busy. Some days, there just doesn't seem like enough hours to take care of yourself, let alone a dog! But, the time that you spend training your dog will reward you and your relationship for many, many years to come.

There are five main benefits of training:

1. It builds a relationship: There is no better way to create a bond with your dog than through the process of training. You may think that training begins at the time you decide to try new tricks, but it actually begins at the very moment you acquire your dog. Your dog is constantly watching you and learning from your actions. He learns from the way you react to his actions. He looks to you for guidance, for food, for warmth, for comfort, and for playtime.

2. Training Stimulates Intellect: Yes, it is true that dogs are very curious creatures. With exposure to so many unusual smells, sights, and sounds, dogs can't help but want to explore. It's in their nature! Most dogs have the capacity to be very intelligent. But, they need to be stimulated first, and then they will be motivated to learn. Training is a huge benefit for stimulating your dog's intellect.

3. Training Saves Time: Another huge benefit of training your dog is that it saves you time. Taking the time to train your dog now, will actually save you time in the long run. For example, if you take the time to train your dog to behave properly inside the house, you will actually be saving time cleaning up mischievous messes that he could create in the future-if he didn't have the training.


4. Training Corrects Behavioral Problems: Barking at anyone who passes by the front window, chewing up your favorite pillows, digging through your freshly planted garden, bolting out of an open door...do any of these actions look familiar to you? When you have developed a trusting bond with your dog, you can teach him how to correct these behavioral problems. He will learn by your reactions whether or not his actions are acceptable to you. No doubt, he will test his limits!


5. It saves time: Another huge benefit of training your dog is that it saves you time. Taking the time to train your dog now, will actually save you time in the long run. For example, if you take the time to train your dog to behave properly inside the house, you will actually be saving time cleaning up mischievous messes that he could create in the future-if he didn't have the training.

In Conclusion: A dog can provide unconditional love, hours of entertainment, and genuine friendship. Or, a dog can provide unconditional messes, hours of destruction, and a genuine nuisance! How do you ensure that your dog behaves in the manner of the first scenario described above? If you are thinking that the answer is "breed" you are partially correct. Indeed, breed does play a role in a dog's behavior. But an even greater factor in the dog's behavior is based on the training he receives. Good dog training resources can go a long way toward helping.

Click here for more dog training help and advice.