So, You've Decided To Kill Your Pet!

The other day I was doing a research online for an article I was writing and I came across an article, which the author started by saying: "Euthanasia, is often the hardest thing to do, yet the greatest act of kindness" Then he went on explaining the "grueling" suffering and the guilt the pet owner goes through before making the decision, how it affects the whole family, especially the kids. But then he explains euthanasia in the most loving way I've ever seen someone describe a murder. I remember "simple and peaceful" were some of the words he used, he even gave recommendations on how to avoid stress during the ride to the vet's clinic. The GREATEST act of KINDNESS? To whom? That little bundle of love didn't know what was happening, he just knew that he was the happiest guy when you got home from work, he assumed you loved him back because you took him to walks on the park and you pampered him with professional grooming every once in a while. Little he knew that: 1.You were slowly poisoning him with the cheapest discount store pet food, that didn't have the proper nutrients, but in turn was filled with toxins- Processed pet food suppresses the immune system and leads to liver, kidney, heart and other degenerative diseases. You are going to be shocked when you know the nasty things that are used to manufacture your pet's food. 2.Your choice of grooming products was the reason of his constant itching- Commercial pet shampoos contains many toxic and destructive chemicals such as the foaming agents sodium laureth sulphate and cocamide betaine. These strong chemical de-greasers strip the hair of up to 4/5 of its natural oils and eventually produce sore, dry scalp/skin conditions and irritate the eyes. Sadly these foaming agents are used because consumers seem to believe incorrectly, that a lot of lather means a shampoo is working well. 3.You lead him to the degenerative diseases that put him in that cold, stainless steel table wondering, "What's next?"- If you would have considered holistic pet care, for your furry friend, you could have been able to treat conditions even before the symptoms showed up and maintain your pet in balanced wellness avoiding him unnecessary pain, because holistic is not something metaphysical as many people may think, it simply means treating the body as a whole. You don't have to kill your dog (or cat), you have a choice: PREVENTION- that is the GREATEST act of kindness. It's never too late to start taking good care of your pet, remember, we're talking about the one who's proud to be seen with you even if you're ugly, the one who stays by your bed when you're sick, the one who in the event of inverted positions, would not hesitate to take good care of you. Start now! Mariangie Gonzalez has a major in Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary and runs the day-to-day operations of her home-based business and website in which you can learn how homeopathic remedies could prolong and improve your pet’s life. She can also help you start your own home-based 100% natural pet supplies business, you can visit online at: http://www.MindBodyAndPaw.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Cold Weather Pet Care

As we find ourselves in the middle of winter, it's important to pay particular attention to our pets when they're outside. When temperatures get into the twenties and below, with whipping winds, pets can suffer serious health problems. Besides not leaving your dog, cat or other animal outside for too long, there are several other precautionary measures you can take to care for your loving pet. I generally don't favor going nuts over buying every trinket imaginable for my pets, but there are a few that make a lot of sense when it's cold and windy out. For dogs and horses, it's a good idea to purchase a coat. I have an all weather coat for my dog that's made of a nylon material on the outside and fleece on the inside. This provides warmth as well as protection from the snow and rain. It attaches via one Velcro strap that goes from one side to the other side of the dog around his or her belly. As for cats, they don't often take kindly to coats, but do your best to keep them inside during winter storms. They can easily get disoriented under very bad conditions. I'd rather have more litter box duty to handle, than find myself driving around the neighborhood trying to track down a cold, wet cat! I don't use "booties" for my dog, but some people actively use them for cats and dogs. For the most part, this is only necessary for animals that have very sensitive paws. These booties slide on the animal's feet and keep them warm and dry. As you can imagine, going to this extreme isn't necessary for most animals, just don't leave them outside for very long, use a coat and try to keep them off heavily salted streets - which can badly sting paws. Lastly, I wanted to provide a few quick comments about fish and bird care. You may think that since your fish and birds are always in the house, you don't need to take any precautions when it's very cold - not true. Despite keeping the heat level in your house at the usual level, cold weather outside may create colder temperatures inside. Make sure your fish tank water is at the normal temperature, and hasn't fallen due to the cold. If you have a pet bird, make sure he or she is out of any draft and is nice and warm - especially at night. Extended periods of cold temperatures for pet birds can be fatal. You probably do this already, but put an extra warm towel or sheet over the bird cage when it's particularly cold. If you follow these few basic tips, you are more likely to have happy, healthy pets amidst the winter time cold! http://www.thepetman.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/13287

Pet Adoption: The Right Choice

Pet adoption is a fabulous option if you're seeking a companion animal. You'll be able to select from a wide variety of different breeds and ages as well as save a life. However, I fully realize that if you plan to show or breed your animal, it would make more sense to purchase a young animal from a breeder. I purchased my first three animals, two dogs and one cat, from breeders. Each animal ended up being a reasonably good house pet. As I've got older and wiser, I've realized the incredible number of great animals in shelters that need homes. Therefore, my most recent dog is adopted from a greyhound rescue group. My greyhound has been the best companion dog of all! I fully expect my next animal will be an adoption as well. There are a few things to think about when adopting an animal from a shelter. First, make sure that you're prepared to accommodate an animal that may need a little more tender love and care in his or her first few months. As you know, it's quite a transition going from a shelter to a home and a neighborhood. Secondly, when you get to the shelter, be selective based on which animal would be the best match. This includes the obvious things such as size, breed and hair length, but also the less obvious like personality. You won't necessarily have knowledge about the animal's prior history. Specifically, you won't know whether the animal had been abused, physically or emotionally. Abuse can definitely affect the way the animal behaves. You'll want to work with the adoption facility director to determine whether the animal is the right fit for you and your family. In most cases, you'll find that the majority of animals in shelters have very good personalities and will become wonderful pets. There are thousands of adoption facilities around the country and around the world for dogs, cats, fish, reptiles, horses and other animals. These animals range from being purebreds to mixed breeds, from being puppies to older adults, from being small to being very large. Take a ride to your local animal shelter and see if any of the available pets appeal to you. Alternatively, seek out the perfect pet online. See the below links to do a quick, targeted search for a cat or dog. http://www.thepetman.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/13536

Hamsters; The Perfect Starter Pet

As a parent, you want to be able to give your kids everything that they want in life. Unfortunately, giving your child everything he or she wants is not always in your child's best interest and caving in at your child's every whim is almost certainly a bad idea. You don't want to deprive your child though, so what do you do when your little boy or girl comes up to you with those adorable little brown eyes and asks you for a puppy or a kitty (or a ferret, parrot, snake, alligator, etc.)? With a household pet comes many responsibilities, and you as a parent are likely the one to decide who takes those responsibilities initially. Will you refuse your child telling them about the inherent duties of having a pet? Do you point out that having a puppy requires you to pick up after the dog, take it for walks, feed it twice a day and so on? This will probably be your initial reaction sure, and the child's initial reaction will be to assure you that he/she will take care of those duties, they'll feed it, walk it, play with it, give it all the attention it needs and love it like no puppy or kitty has ever been loved before. Well, you, being a loving parent rather than a heartless gargoyle, can't keep up that wall of resolution indefinitely, so, whether it is the next day, the next week or the next month, eventually you are going to cave and adopt that pet for your child (though hopefully not the alligator). Then you begin to notice a couple weeks have gone by and the amount of care given the pet by your child seems to be waning while you suddenly seem to be doing all those things your diabolically cute offspring promised you to do. You can't nag the child forever though, or perhaps you can, but in the meantime you'll have a scrawny little pet two days away from starvation and a backyard lined wall to wall with pet doodie. So now YOU are the primary caregiver and you silently curse the adorable brown eyes of your devil spawned young. So the answer is to not adopt a pet right? Not necessarily. There can be a compromise for you and your child. And the compromise isn't to share a dog with two other families so that you have it on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the third Sunday of every month. No, you can get your child a real life actual pet. And what pet can you get your little bundle of joy? Consider getting him or her a hamster (either one syrian or two dwarf hamsters). Why hamsters? Hamsters are a fantastic pet for kids depending on the type you adopt (Chinese Hamsters tend to be jumpy and are thus not a good idea for small children). Hamsters are small and furry and never lose that degree of cuteness that a child covets, secondly, they are so easy to take care of they are practically automated (notice that I said practically). Hamsters don't smell that strongly either, they may smell stronger than a cat (unless your cat frequently pees on your bed or on the living room carpet) but they aren't nearly as stinky as a dog can be. What's more, they are almost like a toy in that they can be played with and cuddled and handled and then when the child is done with the pet they can be put back in their cage where they can play and entertain themselves (the hamsters not your children). Of course a hamster is not free of responsibilities, the cage needs to be cleaned weekly or it will begin to smell, of course hamsters need to be fed, and they should get adequate attention if you expect them to be friendly and tame to your family and friends. But the amount of energy (and money) you and your child MUST expend to take care of a hamster is far smaller than that of a larger animal such as a dog, and they don't shed like cats, they are quiet (though their exercise wheels may not be), and they are just a joy to handle and have around. So when your little boy or girl comes up to you and begs you for that cute little puppy in the pet shop tell them maybe later, but for now, let's start a little smaller. Andy Markison is an illustrator, graphic designer, animal lover and pet owner living in Germany. His website, ZapGraphix.com [http://www.zapgraphix.com], sells fun and humorous pet related merchandise. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/12816

Do You Know What's Really In Your Pets Food?

The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertilizer. The hidden ingredients in a can of commercial pet food may include road kill and the rendered remains of cats and dogs. The pet food industry claims that its products constitute a "complete and balanced diet" but, in reality, commercial pet food is unfit for human or animal consumption. "Vegetable protein", the mainstay of dry dog foods, includes ground yellow corn, wheat shorts and middlings, soybean meal, rice husks, peanut meal and peanut shells (identified as "cellulose" on pet food labels). These often are little more than the sweepings from milling room floors. Stripped of their oil, germ and bran, these "proteins" are deficient in essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants. "Animal protein" in commercial pet foods can include diseased meat, road kill, contaminated material from slaughterhouses, fecal matter, rendered cats and dogs and poultry feathers. The major source of animal protein comes from dead-stock removal operations that supply so-called "4-D" animals-dead, diseased, dying or disabled-to "receiving plants" for hide, fat and meat removal. The meat (after being doused with charcoal and marked "unfit for human consumption") may then be sold for pet food. Rendering plants process decomposing animal carcasses, large road kill and euthanized dogs and cats into a dry protein product that is sold to the pet food industry. One small plant in Quebec, Ontario, renders 10 tons (22,000 pounds) of dogs and cats per week. The Quebec Ministry of Agriculture states that "the fur is not removed from dogs and cats" and that "dead animals are cooked together with viscera, bones and fat at 115° C (235° F) for 20 minutes". The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is aware of the use of rendered dogs and cats in pet foods, but has stated: "CVM has not acted to specifically prohibit the rendering of pets. However, that is not to say that the practice of using this material in pet food is condoned by the CVM." In both the US and Canada, the pet food industry is virtually self-regulated. In the US, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) sets guidelines and definitions for animal feed, including pet foods. In Canada, the most prominent control is the "Labeling Act", simply requiring product labels to state the name and address of the manufacturer, the weight of the product and whether it is dog or cat food. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Pet Food Association of Canada (PFAC) are voluntary organizations that, for the most part, rely on the integrity of the companies they certify to assure that product ingredients do not fall below minimum standards. The majority-85 to 90% the pet food sold in Canada is manufactured by US-based multinationals. Under the terms of the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement, neither the CVMA nor PFAC exercises any control over the ingredients in cans of US pet food. Pet food industry advertising promotes the idea that, to keep pets healthy, one must feed them commercially formulated pet foods. But such a diet contributes to cancer, fatal diseases, skin problems, allergies, hypertension, kidney and liver failure, heart disease and dental problems. WE HAVE THE ANSWER!!! This system was developed by DR. JANE BICKS, a nationally known and highly respected holistic veterinarian with over 30 years of experience. She has written several books on pet care. DR. BICKS was the PRESIDENT of the VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION in NYC, and was appointed by MAYOR RUDOLPH GUILIANI to help start the largest animal shelter in the United States. Our Product? LIFE'S ABUNDANCE pet foods are manufactured from completely all natural sources. REAL meats, vegetables, vitamins, minerals and of course, the much needed anti-oxidants. YOU CAN REST ASSURED YOU WILL BE PROVIDED PET FOOD THAT HAS THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS IN THE INDUSTRY. Please!!! If you care about your pet, you owe it to them to find out more. Visit us on-line at: http://www.Healthypetnet.com/DawnJ/ Give your pet(s) the happiest, healthiest longest life possible. Please visit us at: http://www.Healthypetnet.com/DawnJ I got into this business because I had an 11 yr. old shih tzu named Harry. He passed away after enduring canine urological syndrome, thyroid problems and in the end, Cushing's disease. If I would have had the education about commercial pet foods a long time ago, he would probably still be here now. Dj9352@charter.net Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/18006