Posts about Pet Care (7)

The holidays are just around the corner, and you’re probably trying to think of the perfect gift for the pet lover on your list. Maybe you’re even considering putting a big red bow on a furry friend and putting a pet under the tree this year. But hold up—think before you gift.

Brr, is that a chill we feel in the air? As November descends, so does the impending winter weather and the below-freezing temperatures early in the morning. Although you may be thinking about ways to keep yourself warm, don’t forget your furry friend in the process. Your dog may be wearing a winter coat, but that doesn’t mean she’s immune to the cold of a Treasure Valley winter.

If you’re a cat owner, you know that your feline friend is a source of companionship, fun, and lap snuggle sessions. But did you know that certain kinds of cats were abused and dreaded because of superstitions? Of course, we all know that a “black cat” is a supposedly spooky Halloween decoration and nobody wants one to cross their path, but where did these ideas come from?

It happens all too often and leaves dog owners devastated: everyday household items can, and do, cause death for beloved pets. This tragic scenario almost came true for a couple in Iowa last month when their one-year-old Boxer-Terrier mix Millie got into a bottle of melatonin.

If you saw an unattended dog approaching you, your response may be one of avoidance, annoyance, or even fear. Most unsupervised dogs should be cautiously approached, but when it comes to service dogs, there could be something else entirely going on than you think.

Every year, dogs overheat and die after being left in hot cars during the heat of the summer. As we’ve been experiencing some of the hottest temperatures of the years in the Treasure Valley this month, ranging up to as high as 109 degrees, it’s a good time to talk about why it’s so dangerous to leave your dog in a car. It’s not a fun idea to consider and can be upsetting to think about, but it’s important to know why leaving your dog in a car for any amount of time during the summer can be lethal so quickly.

Is it time for an end-of-summer camping trip with the whole family, including Rover? Before you embark (see what we did there?) into the great outdoors with your pup, it’s important to be prepared and think through the entire adventure. Your dog’s safety is important, and everyone will have a much better time if you include your dog’s needs and temperature in your planning. Here are a few things to keep in mind before bringing your dog on a camping trip.

As a responsible pet owner, there are certain concessions you have to make to keep your dogs, cats and other pets safe in your home and yard. There are certain house plants you need to keep away from your pets. There are specific foods that you must never feed to your pets. And to add to the list, there are certain fertilizers you should use on your lawn to keep your dog and cat safe, and keep your lawn green.

The question has been debated since the domestication of dogs and cats:

Who's smarter?

Summertime is great for getting to the park, camping, hiking, and doing all the outdoor things the Treasure Valley has to offer with man's best friend. But...doing all the wonderful outside actives is also an open invitation for fleas, ticks, and mites to make their moves on your pet.