Archive for the ‘tips’ Category

The short days and unfriendly cold/wet/icy conditions of winter makes this season a tough time for pets accustomed to going outside regularly. That’s why I loved The Bark’s recent blog post about techniques for keeping your dog entertained inside, even when the weather outside is frightful. Here are a bunch of ideas, straight from the Bark. Read the rest of this entry »

April’s nipping at our heels already. I didn’t know there was an awareness month for pet first-aid, but since knowing is half the battle…

We all know it’s a good idea to get prepared or get educated for emergencies, but actually doing it is another story. I admittedly don’t know any human first aid, let alone pet first aid. For both, we have the Red Cross. This excerpt, about a dog named Jade and his knowledgeable owner, got me:

Jade wasn’t breathing. As a veteran Red Cross volunteer, Thompson sprang into action. She knew she needed to clear his lungs of water, so she held Jade with his head lower than his back end, squeezing his chest and administering First Aid until Jade coughed up water and began to breathe again.

Thompson knew that she could resuscitate Jade using the mouth to snout CPR technique but the primary issue was getting the water out of his lungs. He was under the water for approximately 20-30 seconds.

20 to 30 SECONDS.

On the Red Cross website, you can buy a dog first aid book and DVD for $16.95. There’s also a cat first aid version available. And! There are classes. Visit the Red Cross page for classes, enter your ZIP code, and you’ll be on your way.

Photo: American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter on Flickr

Guest post by Seth Feman and his loyal companion, Tank

When my pup was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the prescription seemed all too simple: give him as much water as he needed (a lot!) and make him as comfortable as possible. To do both posed an obvious problem. Mature and well housetrained, he’d do his best not to pee inside, but after all that water he was desperate for a walk every hour or two. If I left him inside any longer, I’d come home to a sopping carpet and a sulking pooch. The Potty Patch seemed like a great solution.

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This week, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), released the results of its fifth-annual veterinary survey of United States pets. The numbers are disheartening, to say the least.

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