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Ever hear that joke about how a group of aliens visits Earth and see us (humans) feeding, bathing, picking up poop, and otherwise caring for our pets and they make the assumption that the dogs and cats are the ones in charge here on Earth? The thing about humor is that its funny because there’s a partial truth in the butt of the joke. Please welcome our guest poster, Brittany West, with an article about how our pets just might train us and not the other way around:

As pet owners, we like to think we have our animals well-trained. My dog uses the doggie door without a problem, and the cat comes on cue. But if I had a nickel for every time someone jokingly said that the animals have me trained, I would be exceedingly wealthy. That is one of the most common phrases that pet owners use amongst each other, and for good reason. Here are just some of the ways that your pet may be training you.
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If you’ve been following the news this week, you probably have heard about the FDA’s update on jerky treats. To many pet owners, the fact that dogs are getting sick and dying, from unknown causes, have been linked to common jerky treats that are manufactured in China.

The FDA has been researching the illnesses and deaths for months with no new leads about the cause of the mysterious illness. At the time of the update, over 580 pets have died as a result of tainted treats and over 3,600 pets have become ill since 2007.

The FDA needs more information to continue their research, so they’re asking pet owners and veterinarians to report illnesses and deaths that may be related to jerky pet treats. The FDA’s website goes over, in detail, the information that should be included in your report. If your pet has become ill after ingesting jerky treats that were manufactured in China, we urge you to report as much as you can so that the FDA can solve this mystery.

What Are Some Symptoms of This Mysterious Illness

If you pet experiences any of the following symptoms within a few hours of eating a jerky treat made from chicken, duck, sweet potatoes or dried fruits, consult your veterinarian immediately and save the remaining treats and packaging for testing.

• Decreased appetite
• Decreased activity
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased water consumption
• Increased urination

Severe cases have also displayed:

• Kidney failure
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Collapse/convulsions

What Can You Do To Avoid Tainted Treats?

Most of the jerky treats implicated in this illness have been manufactured in China.  For the safety of your pets, That Pet Place has removed any jerky treats that have been made in China from our shelves and website.

Find a manufacturer of jerky treats that uses ingredients from the USA. At thatpetplace.com we’ve made it easy to find jerky treats made in the USA with our navigation panel. You might consider feeding a different type of treat to your pet. If you’d like to be more proactive about the types of treat you are feeding to your pets, you can invest in a food dehydrator and make your own jerky treats from any kind of meat or fruit/vegetable.

The best thing you can do is to be vigilant and to read the labels of the products that your pet is eating. Pet food manufacturers are not required to list the origins of all the ingredients on their packaging by law, at least not yet. We sincerely hope that this mysterious outbreak of illness can be stopped soon.

 

Many people in the northeast have had a rough time with fleas this summer. A combination of a mild winter in 2012 and a humid summer have created the perfect storm for these tough bugs to thrive. The battle against flea infestations doesn’t end with the cooler weather of fall. In many areas, even here in the northeast, fleas are active until the dead of winter and can even continue living in your home during the cold winter months. Don’t let your guard down, the battle against fleas is never over.

I use a topical “spot on” flea preventative on my dogs every month. If you want to get specific about it, I use Sentry Fiproguard Max (it’s a less-expensive generic brand of Frontline Plus). However, these preventative measures weren’t enough for me this year.
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Do you ever consider the dangers of carbon monoxide to pets? One of our Facebook fans recently shared with us a tragic story of 12 pet birds lost to carbon monoxide poisoning. The heartbreaking tale also involved the family dog who, after some time has made a full recovery. This blog post is intended to raise awareness of the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning not just for people, but for the pets we keep as well. Most cases of carbon monoxide toxicity in pets occur, sadly, due to human error, and the results can be devastating.  A dog left in an enclosed garage with a running automobile, for example, can be exposed to toxic levels of carbon monoxide in about ten minutes. But animals may also exposed to toxic levels of carbon monoxide when they are trapped in a building that is on fire, or when a slow leak from a heating system amongst other causes. It’s important to make yourself familiar with easy ways to prevent exposure, as well as a course of action should evacuation or medical attention be necessary.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, non-irritating gas produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon fuels. It is potentially toxic and may even cause death. Carbon monoxide may be produced by unventilated kerosene or propane heaters, gasoline engines, automobile exhaust, or fumes from carbon-based fuel heating systems. When inhaled, Carbon Monoxide gas is readily absorbed into the bloodstream, combining with hemoglobin and rapidly reducing oxygen delivery to the body,leading to decreased oxygen to the brain and heart. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide leads to hypoxemia (critically low blood oxygen levels) and eventually death.

What are the signs and symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning?

Depending upon the concentration and duration of exposure of carbon monoxide, the symptoms may manifest quickly, or gradually over a period of prolonged exposure. Some pets, such as birds, are more sensitive to Carbon Monoxide levels and relatively small exposure may prove detrimental. Acute behavioral and physical symptoms include:

•Sleepiness
•Weakness
•Lethargy
•Labored breathing
•Seizures
•Depression
•Deafness
•Erratic movements
•Coma

Pregnant animals, especially those in late gestation, may abort their babies pre term. Examination of your pet’s skin and mucous membranes such as nostrils, ears, genitals may show bright red coloration, though this symptom may not be apparent on most pets.

Consistant exposure to lower levels of carbon monoxide include flu like symptoms like nausea, vomiting, aches, weakness and loss of stamina. Blood acidosis is also a side effect.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Carbon monoxide is life-threatening and treatment will require immediate veterinary attention. If you know or suspect that your pet is suffering from carbon monoxide toxicity, the first step is to move your pets away from the source of the carbon monoxide to a place where they can breathe fresh air. As soon as possible, transport them to the vet for oxygen therapy and fluids. The oxygen will remove the carbon monoxide from the blood, bringing your pet’s oxygen levels back to normal. Your vet will also collect blood samples for a complete blood count and biochemistry, as establishing the levels of carbon monoxide, carboxyhemoglobin and acids in the blood will dictate the initial treatment plan and continued treatment. Urinalysis and other applicable body fluid tests may also be performed. In some cases, your veterinarian may perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine if your pet’s heart function has also been affected.

Your vet will instruct you on extended care. Generally, while your pet is recovering from the carbon monoxide poisoning, activity should be limited for several weeks following the exposure. Shorter walks, limited play and exercise, and a little extra TLC will be required until your pet is fully recovered. Observe your pet closely during recovery for residual signs of nervous system issues, and if you see any anomalies, contact your vet as soon as possible.

Prevention

Obviously, the best course of action is to prevent your pets and the rest of your family from exposure of any detrimental levels of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide detectors are the first line of defense against this elusive killer, and should be installed in various areas of your home. Minimize or prevent exposure to carbon monoxide by ensuring that your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances are serviced annually by a qualified technician. Don’t use generators, charcoal grills or other gasoline or charcoal-burning devices inside your home, basement, or garage or near a window where gasses could accumulate in an enclosed area.
And don’t run a vehicle inside a garage attached, even if you leave the door open, and especially if the garage is attached to your house. Provide adequate ventilation for any fuel powered device and be sure to know what to do should an unfortunate exposure to carbon monoxide should occur.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning can occur any time of year and is often due to human error. Protect you and your family, including four-footed members through prevention and close attention to potential sources.

White dog sleeping image referenced from wikipedia and originally posted by Eli Duke

 

In post earlier this week, I explained what Dog Rocks are and how they claim to eliminate new urine burn spots on your lawn. I used them for 30 days and here is what I found:

I’m not sure what I expected, but I removed the Dog Rocks from the package… and they were plain looking rocks. Maybe I expected them to feel magical or mysterious in some way, but no, just igneous rock from a special site in Australia.

[Mini Geology Lesson: Igneous rock is one of the 3 main types of rock found in the Earth’s crust. It is formed through the cooling of magma (lava). The conditions of the cooling magma (if it is under a lot of pressure, if it cools very fast or very slow, etc) determine the specific properties of the rock (how porous it is, color, texture). ]

I rinsed them and placed them in the filter housing area of my dog water fountain so that my pups wouldn’t be tempted to remove and chew on the rocks. Then it was just a waiting game.

These are the photos of the areas where my dogs usually eliminate on day 1:

Here are the photos of the same areas on day 31:

My opinion: Do dog rocks work?

While I admit that my results weren’t as amazing as the photos on the packaging suggest, I definitely do see an improvement. My dogs go to the bathroom in the same area of the yard day after day, so there aren’t spots anywhere else on my lawn from my own dogs. Dog Rocks won’t cure the already existing burn spots, so I was looking for new burn patches in these areas. Instead, what I see is my grass growing back into the previously burnt areas, and no clear evidence of new burn spots. Again, this is only after 1 month. I’ll continue to use them and hopefully by spring I’ll have a lush green lawn like my neighbors 🙂

A couple of notes:

• I conducted this test in August, which isn’t exactly the best month for growing new grass in our area. Dog Rocks won’t cure the already existing urine burns, freshly grown grass will eventually fill in the spots. You can speed up the process by tilling the burnt areas and planting new grass seed. I prefer to let the lawn do the hard work.
• Diet plays a major role in the amount of nitrates in your dog’s urine. I feed a pretty high protein, home cooked diet because my dogs are highly active. Choosing a high quality dog food with appropriate protein levels for your dog is a key component in controlling lawn burn.
• Dog Rocks need to be replaced every 2 months and one packet of rocks should be in each water bowl that is available to your dogs for the best results.

Because I have three dogs and a pretty small yard, my results might not be typical. Pick up a package of dog rocks and give them a try for yourself. They’re all-natural, they won’t harm your pet (so long as they don’t eat the rocks), they’re inexpensive compared to other additives and alternatives, and they might help prevent unsightly urine burn patches on your lawn. Find Dog Rocks at the lowest price online at thatpetplace.com!

 

If you have dogs and you like to keep a nice green lawn, you probably have tried every remedy in the book to prevent those unsightly urine burn patches in the area where your dog pees. There’s a new product in town that claims to prevent your dog’s urine from burning your lawn when used as directed.

Dog Rocks USA was kind enough to provide me with a sample of their product to try and review. Up front, let me tell you that I was skeptical that rocks could help me in my battle of the brown spots in my lawn. First, let me straighten a few things out:

• Dog Rocks are not going to rid your lawn of existing urine spots, but is intended to prevent new spots. This is an important distinction.
• Dog Rocks do not change the pH of your dog’s urine (which can be harmful, especially to dogs with kidney disease)
• Diet also plays a key role in how many urine burn patches you have on your lawn. A diet very high in protein creates more nitrogen in your dog’s urine. Feed a high quality diet for the best results. Dog rocks will not alter the amount of nitrogen (nitrates) your dog produces naturally.

After that last point, you may be wondering how Dog Rocks work
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It’s officially summer and often families will hit the road and enjoy some rest & relaxation. It’s becoming more and more common place to bring your pet along. Traveling with your dog can be rewarding and fun, and many hotels and campsites are becoming pet friendly, but what about during the car ride itself?

Traveling with your pets in the car can be stress-free if you follow some easy-to-follow safety guidelines:

1. Head for a pre-trip vet check. The vet will make sure that you pet is up to date on all required vaccinations and will give you a health certificate indicating your pet is healthy. Be sure to bring this certificate with you, along with vaccination records and microchip information.

2. Exercise your dog before you get in the car. Take a quick trip to the dog park or a nice long walk around the community park to make sure your pet has had a chance to empty his bladder and bowels and is nice and calm once you get on the road.

3. Make stops often so your dog can stretch out his legs and empty his bladder. He can’t answer you when call out “anyone need to use this rest stop?” so you should probably stop.

4. Use safety restraints in the car. In some states (ones that you might be travelling through) require dog seat belts, safety restraints or Dog car seats. If you’re using a kennel or carrier, make sure that it is securely strapped to the seat in case of an accident. Also, never let your pet sit in the front seat or on your lap. In the event the airbag would deploy your pet could be seriously injured or even killed. Lastly, do not strap your dog or cat carrier to the top of your car or in a trailer.  Read More »

Offering your pet a sweet or savory treat seems like it would be a simple gesture of affection, but with so many treats and chews to choose from sometimes it can be rough to find the right one to buy.  If you’re fortunate enough to be able to take your pet inside your local pet store to pick out his or her own favorites you’re a step ahead, but if you’re on your own while shopping it may be a little tougher to navigate to the the right products. Here is a brief description of some of the best dog treats and chews and why they may or may not suit your pet. Please remember that no matter what tasty tidbit you offer your pet, observe them closely to make sure they’re enjoying their snack safely.

Chances are you know your pet better than anyone, so you probably have a good idea what they might like and what will be appropriate to offer. Your dog may already show an affinity for certain flavors or textures, or he may have some habits or behaviors that need to be considered while you shop. For example, if your dog is a strong chewer, you’ll want something that doesn’t break or splinter. If your dog is a little “chunky” low calorie snacks may be just the ticket. Small breed and senior pets may only want bite-sized, soft or chewy products that are easy to break apart. It may even be possible your pet has some medical issue, sensitive stomach, allergies, dry skin, ect. that steer you towards supplemented or specially formulated creations. Read More »

The health and safety of your pets is very important to That Pet Place. We regret to inform you that P&G has announced a limited, voluntary recall of select Iams dry cat & dry dog and Eukanuba dry dog foods because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No health effects related to salmonella have been reported on these products. P&G is taking this precautionary step in order to ensure our customers and consumers get the highest level of quality and service. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

The lot codes of the recalled products include: 3186 4177, 3187 4177, 3188 4177, 3189 4177, 3190 4177, 3191 4177, 3192 4177, 3193 4177, 3193 4177, 3194 4177, & 3195 4177. The lot code is located on the front or back of the bag at the top of the bag and is the bottom left number.

For more information on how to find your bag’s lot codes, please see Iam’s recall listing for dog foods, Iam’s recall listing for cat foods or Eukanuba’s recall listing for affected dog foods.

What to do if you have an affected product:
If you determine that you have one of the affected products you may return the product to That Fish Place – That Pet Place retail store or the store where you purchased your pet food for replacement or reimbursement for your purchase.

If you need additional information regarding this recall please visit Iams or Eukanuba’s websites.  We will keep you updated if there are any updates related to this recall. 

An alarming number of pets are surrendered every day because of behavioral problems. Many times these problems involve inappropriate elimination, in other words the pet is peeing or pooping outside of appropriate places (like the litter box or the yard). Inappropriate elimination in cats is particularly alarming because a cat is most likely to pee outside of the litter box when they are ill, and they usually have some sort of urinary tract infection as the root cause. The moral here being, if your cat is peeing outside of the litter box, take a trip to the vet, not the shelter!

Pets can pee or poop inside the house for other reasons too, for example if they were never properly house trained or if they are very young. If there is one thing that all pet owners can agree on, it is that nothing stinks up a house quite like pet urine.

So if you have a pet that is going to the bathroom outside of the litter box or the yard, Step 1 is to clean the affected areas so that your home stays fresh and your pets are less likely to eliminate there again. step 2 is to visit the vet to rule out any potential health problems related to this bad behavior. Step 3 is to train, or re-train, your pets where they’re supposed to do their business.

This article is focusing on what I consider to be the hardest step.. Step 1: Cleaning pet urine stains and odors. Cleaning cat or dog pee off of your carpets and floors can be challenging if you don’t have the right products. What are the best products to use? Well, this pet owner has tried her fair share of pet cleaning products and some do work better than others.
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