Archive for October, 2009

Halloween is supposed to be fun for both you and your pet, so it’s important to remember that you have to take the right precautions to ensure a safe yet wonderful time. If you and your pet are planning on taking part in the festivities, please keep these Halloween safety tips for pets in mind:

1.First and foremost, keep your pets away from the Halloween candy. See our previous post on the dangers of Halloween candy for more information on why it’s so important for your dog to stay out of the treat bags.
2.Candles inside of pumpkins are easily knocked over and pose a risk of burning your pet or even starting a fire. Instead, use artificial candles or battery powered lights inside of your jack-o-lanterns.
3.Consider allowing your dog to spend Halloween inside with his favorite toys. He may not be up to making the trek through the neighborhood to show off his costume. So instead, keep him from stressing and keep him safe from cars and other trick or treaters by letting your pup stay home.
4.If you do dress up your dog, make sure that his costume is safe and comfortable. Dogs can be very easily injured by a costume that doesn’t allow for easy movement or is constricting.

Hey there pups and people! We’ve got something very exciting that we’d like to share with you, just in time for Halloween:

To help you prepare for the trick or treaters (the furry kind), K9Healthsolutions.com is going to be having an exclusive sale on all of your favorite toys, treats, and doggie delights – trust us, you won’t want to miss out on this chance to save up to 50% off all of your favorite dog treats, toys, and more. (Note: this sale does not include Dinovite.)

So feel free to shop our store to stock up on some yummy dog treats to delight those barking visitors at your door. Who knows? Maybe you’ll run into a devilish dalmatian or a spooky setter with a taste for natural dog treats!

Happy Howl-O-Ween!

Looking for the perfect canine costume? The right outfit for your ghoulish greyhound? A spooky look for your spaniel? Don’t worry – K9Healthsolutions.com has you covered. Here’s a few tips on how you can find the perfect costume just in time for Halloween:

1.The first step in choosing any clothing item for your dog is comfort. Be sure that your pooch can safely have the freedom of motion he needs to get around while feeling comfy in his costume. Remember, you want to be sure that you get enough use out of it, so make sure beforehand that your dog would be comfortable wearing it.
2.Next, check to see if there are any allergens on the costume that could cause a problem. If your pet has sensitive skin, don’t be afraid to ask your vet about fabrics to avoid.
3.Choose a costume that’s affordable, since he may only wear it once.
4.Check the costume for any small pieces that your dog could potentially hurt himself with or choke on. Remove them or avoid the costume all together.
5.Have fun with it! Your dog’s costume can be just about anything so be sure to let your imagination run wild.
6.As a fun approach, try matching your costumes. For example, you can make your dog up to be a little devil while you wear a pretty angel costume!

Did you know that 20 percent of 60 million dogs in the United States suffer from arthritis?

Just like humans, dogs can only do so much. After years of running, jumping, playing, and generally being their doggy selves, pets can start developing joint pain and even arthritis. Be sure that you know the signs early on so that you can supplement your pet’s diet with the right joint supplement, as well as make lifestyle changes so that your dog can stay healthy and happy for many years to come.

If your dog suffers from any of the following symptoms, it’s time to start supplementing and working with your veterinarian to treat the joint pain properly so that your pup can stay active well into his golden years:

-Reluctance to walk, climb stairs, jump or play
-Limping
-Lagging behind on walks
-Difficulty rising from a resting position
-Yelping in pain when touched or resisting being touched
-A personality change because of the pain

Just like arthritis in humans, joint pain in dogs can be easily managed and treated. However, the first step is recognizing the signs. Take a look at your dog and see if he needs to start treatment for joint issues today.

This is a guest post by Dr Susan Wright, a veterinarian who writes for Dog Fence DIY. Dog Fence DIY can supply everything you need for your own underground dog fence, and show you how to install it.

Trick or treat? One of the most enjoyable parts of Halloween for children is dressing up in costumes, going out knocking on doors, and receiving candy and other delicious treats. It’s an American tradition, and each year over 90% of the nation’s children participate in this fun activity.

For many of these children, their dog is a part of their family and they enjoy sharing their loot with him. This is not always a good idea.

If your child’s goodie bag contains chocolate, it’s really important that they don’t share it with your dog. Chocolate is toxic for dogs, and can cause illness within a few hours of eating it.

The active ingredient in chocolate that is so dangerous to your dog is theobromine. It’s also found in caffeine, but because coffee tastes bitter and dog’s don’t seem to like it, caffeine poisoning isn’t common.

How much theobromine does your dog need to eat to be affected? The lethal dose is 100 – 150mg of theobromine per kilo bodyweight. So, the toxic amount varies with the type of chocolate eaten, and the weight of your dog.

Dark cooking chocolate contains 1400mg of theobromine per 100g. This means that half a 250g block can be fatal to a 10kg, or 22lb, dog. Milk chocolate is much less toxic, containing only 150mg theobromine per 100g.

If your dog manages to eat enough chocolate, he’ll vomit, have diarrhea and appear edgy and excited. He’ll possibly stagger on his feet, and develop muscle spasms. This can lead to seizures, coma and death. In some cases, dogs just drop dead after eating chocolate; it appears this is because the chocolate has affected the heart rhythm and caused it to fail.

If you think your dog has raided the chocolate stash, contact your vet immediately. Give her an idea of how long ago he ate the chocolate, how much he may have eaten, and whether or not he’s showing any symptoms. She may suggest that you bring him straight into her clinic for treatment.

Generally, treatment for chocolate poisoning is to make the dog vomit any chocolate that’s still in his stomach, and give him activated charcoal to stop any more theobromine being absorbed by his intestines. If he has any muscle twitches or other symptoms, he may need sedation until these stop.

If you want to give your dog something special at Halloween, stick to a nice meaty bone or a treat specifically for dogs. This is one occasion when you shouldn’t encourage your child to share his chocolate.