Monday, November 16, 2015

Tips for Keeping Your Dog Allergy Free This Summer



We are heading back into summer and with that comes the itching and scratching associated with allergies. Allergies can be a little frustrating to deal with and it can take some trial and error to work out what will help your pet. Today we pass on some tips from Dr. Eloise Bright from Love That Pet to keep your pet happy this summer.

Dogs are pretty unique in that whatever they may be allergic to, they tend to get itchy skin. Skin allergies tend to cause red, irritated areas on the skin, ear infections, hotspots, anal gland problems or an itchy bottom or most commonly, cause your dog to lick or chew at his feet.

Common causes for allergies include:

1.    Contact allergies to grasses and Wandering Jew.
2.    Food allergies (these tend to be year-round rather than seasonal).
3.    Flea allergies (commonly around the base of the tail and often worse in summer).
4.    Atopic dermatitis.

During summertime, we see an increase in dogs with atopic dermatitis and flea allergies in particular, but the reality is that many dogs are allergic to more than one thing. These dogs may have an allergy to chicken, so respond well to an elimination diet for 8 weeks, but will get a flare-up in summer because they also have a flea allergy.

Flea Allergies

You would think the simple flea would be an easy allergy to solve. Unfortunately most flea products we use still allow fleas to bite, in fact many take 8-24 hours to kill each individual fleas. For dogs that have a flea allergy, just one flea can cause scratching for up to 2 weeks, so they need a very strict flea control regime to tackle those sneaky little parasites. Some brands such as Bravecto and Nexgard will offer protection for both fleas and ticks simultaneously. You can find some more tips on how to outsmart fleas here.

Atopic Dermatitis

For humans, if we have an allergy to pollens we tend to get hayfever. Dogs are a little different and will lick their feet, develop frequent ear infections and an itchy bottom with a pollen allergy. These allergies are the most challenging to manage, since it is rarely possible to remove the allergen entirely. The following strategies can help:

1.    Wipe your dog down with a wet towel after coming indoors, pay particular attention to the bottom of your dogs feet, and make sure they stay dry.
2.    Use an oatmeal shampoo like ‘Aloveen’ weekly to soothe the skin and remove any allergens from the coat.
3.    If your dog has a tendency to develop dry skin or dandruff, add some fish oils to his food or soak your dog for 10 minutes in QV bath oil at the concentration on the bottle once every few days.
4.    Ask your vet which antihistamines and you can use safely in your pet.
5.    Another great product your vet can supply is called Cortavance. You can apply this spray once daily and it gets through the hair much more effectively than steroid creams and can provide immediate, short-term relief.
6.    If your dog has greasy, smelly skin and is prone to developing hot-spots, use a weekly medicated shampoo like Malaseb that will help reduce bacteria on the skin. You might not necessarily cure the itch, but you can limit those secondary skin infections.
7.    Wash any pet beds on a hot cycle in the washing machine with a very small amount of low allergen detergent once a week.
8.    Vacuum any carpets weekly or consider restricting your pet’s access to the carpeted areas of the home.

Allergies are estimated to occur in 20% of pets. If you find your pet is still itchy, visit your vet and have a chat about all the different options for treating those allergies, including allergy testing, desensitising allergy ‘vaccines’ and Atopica. Happy summer, we hope it is sneeze-free for you and itch-free for your pet.




Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Get a $20 Gift Card to Spend on your Dog or Cat for Free


$20 Gift Card
Leading Australian online retailer VetShopAustralia.com.au has an awesome giveaway going right now, with free $20 Gift Cards on offer. Claim your gift card (it's limited to the first 1500 people who register) and use it to buy discount flea, worm and other pest control for your dog or cat at VetShopAustralia.com.au.


In order to claim your free $20 gift card, you must register at this exclusive URL: http://www.vetshopaustralia.com.au/free-egift-card


Offer is limited to Australian residents and only 1500 are available. Some terms and conditions apply - visit website for details.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Dogs of the World Cute Drawings

We loved these cute dog drawings of dogs of the world by artist Lili Chin so much we felt we had to share. English dogs, Irish dogs, american dogs, asian dogs and more, we loved them all.




To see more beautiful dog drawings, visit www.doggiedrawings.net

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Celebrity Dogs - Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman and his dog

Hugh Jackman with dog Dali

A final 9 facts about dogs you didn't know

  1. 'Max' is the most popular dog name worldwide.
  2.  An estimated 62 percent of US homes have dogs—that’s close to 72.9 million homes!
  3.  If you ever spot your dog twitching or moving his paws while sleeping, you can safely consider that he is dreaming.
  4.  Dogs are capable of sensing changes in weather. So, if your dog is acting weird, blame it on an upcoming storm or spell of rain.
  5.  There are an estimated 525 million dogs on this planet.
  6.  Dogs have therapeutic capabilities and have been used for therapy since the 1700s.
  7.  Most dog species have as many as 18 muscles to move, tilt and rotate their ears.
  8.  Getting hugged is NOT one of the favourite activities of dogs as they consider the gesture of putting a limb over them as a sign of dominance.
  9.  Dogs' nose prints are as unique as a human’s fingerprints and can be used to accurately identify them.

Monday, July 13, 2015

Do Aussies Love Their Dogs More Than Their Kids?

According to the latest poll from Roy Morgan, a higher proportion of us live in households with a dog and/or cat than with a child.  50% of Aussies live in a household with at least one cat or/and dog in it, whereas 35% share their household with at least one child aged under 16.
Dogs are more popular than cats: 38% of the population lives in a household with a canine companion, compared with 23% who cohabit with a feline friend. Folks in households with at least one cat and one dog account for 12% of the population.
Tasmania is the state with the highest incidence of pet-ownership, with 44% of its residents living with at least one dog, 34% living with at least one cat, and 16% living with at least one of each. New South Wales (including ACT) lags behind the rest of the country for cats (19%), dogs (35%) and both (9%).

State of the four-legged nation: where Australia’s cats and dogs live


pet-ownership-chart
Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), January–December 2014 (n=15,944).

The cost of pet care

While 20% Australian dog-owners and 14% of cat owners pay for pet-care services in an average four weeks, this can vary noticeably between states (particularly when it comes to dogs). For example, while 22% of dog-owners in Queensland pay for pet-care services in an average four weeks, only 16% of Tasmanian dog-owners do the same.
Although NSW has the lowest rate of cat ownership in Australia, the residents who do own cats (16%) are slightly more likely than those in other states (all 14%) to shell out for pet-care services.
But the cost of caring for our furry family members doesn’t stop there. On top of pet-care services and food (of course), 11% respectively of dog- and cat-owners buy pet supplies* in any given four weeks. The average amount spent in this period is $90 for dogs and $87 for cats, but this too appears to depend on state of residence.
Paying an average of $118 for dogs and $131 for cats in an average four weeks, South Aussie pet owners pay the most for pet supplies. In contrast, Tasmanian pet owners pay an average of $70 for dogs and $56 for cats, the lowest in the country.
Norman Morris, Industry Communications Director, Roy Morgan Research, says:
“Ownership of cats and dogs has remained relatively stable in Australia over the last five years, with dogs the perennial favourite. Although the affection and companionship they give us is priceless, our pets do come at a cost: not only is there food to buy, but other pet supplies such as kitty litter, toys, food bowls, collars, leads and so on; as well as pet services such as veterinary treatment, dog-walking, pet-grooming and so on.
“Considering how high maintenance dogs are compared with their more independent feline counterparts, it is not surprising to learn that dog-owners are more likely than cat-owners to pay for pet-care services in any given four-week period. In general, dog owners also pay more than cat owners for pet supplies.
“Intriguingly, Tasmanians are more likely to live in households with dogs and/or cats, yet pay less for pet supplies than pet owners in any other state.
“Pet-care service providers and pet supply brands need to understand not only how dog- and cat-owners differ, but how the market for their products varies around the country.”

* NB: Pet supplies do not include food

Dogs are a Girls Best Friend

R esearch from  Flinders University has found that dogs, not diamonds are a girls best friend.

Researchers,  Dr Heather Fraser and Associate Professor Nik Taylor have started an online dog study called Whatisitaboutanimals which examines the experience people have with their animals and how they value their relationship with their dogs.
So far over 6000 people worldwide have visited the project’s website and hundreds of people sent in photos and stories, with the majority of participants being women.
Dr Fraser, a senior lecturer in social work, said the findings included dogs being a woman’s best friend, women falling in love with their pets, which they then form strong bonds of attachment with, and animals becoming a “soulmate” for their owners.
“Nik and I both have backgrounds in research of violence and abuse and we wanted to do something that was uplifting,” she said.
“What we found interesting was the romantic language being described for animals — ‘meant to be’, ‘made for each other’, ordinarily only heard when describing the love you have with a human.
“The cliche, dogs are a man’s best friend was also challenged, because when you think about it, the bulk of people looking after dogs are women through the animal rescue movement, looking after the dogs at home, so the woman’s connection to dogs has been overlooked in the past.”
In Australia, 63 per cent of households include a companion animal and the pet animal industry contributes about $4.7 billion to the economy each year.
Ass. Prof Taylor, of the School of Social and Policy Studies, said along with the research finding the strong connection people have with their pets, participants were very open to talking about the therapy their pet provided.
“We had a number of participants who struggled with depression and anxiety say they owed their recovery to their pet, their pet had pulled them through, provided them with someone to talk to and are the reason their depression and anxiety did not exist,” she said.
“One of the most surprising things we found was that people are becoming less inhibited with talking about the love they have for their pets.”
Dr Fraser and Ass. Prof Taylor will present their findings to the Australasian Animals Studies Association Conference in Melbourne this week.
To contribute or find our more about the project visit www.whatisitaboutanimals.com

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Celebrity Dogs- Vladimir Putin and his dogs

Vladimir Putin and his dogs

Russian President Vladimir Putin  poses for the cameras as he plays with his dogs

Even More Dog Facts You Didn't Know

  1. In Russia, some dogs are known to use the subway to travel to more populated areas in search of food
  2.  A 2009 study by New York professor Alexandra Horowitz found that the 'guilty dog look' owners know so well is usually triggered by the dog being scolded by its owner - and is not related to whether the dog has actually misbehaved or not
  3.  Currently, there are 339 recognised dog breeds, according to the World Canine Organisation.
  4.  Measuring a mere four inches (10 cm) in height, Boo Boo, a Chihuahua, was declared the world’s smallest dog by the Guinness World Records in 2010.
  5.  Owing to a special membrane, called the tapetum lucidum, dogs are able to see in the dark.
  6.  Chihuahuas derive their name from the state in Mexico where they were discovered.
  7.  The Holy Bible mentions dogs 14 times.
  8.  Dogs curl up while sleeping to protect their vital organs and abdomen from predators.
  9.  A bounty of US $300,000 was put on the head of US Customs' dogs, Rocky and Barco, by the drug cartel, because of the canine duo's efficiency in patrolling the Mexican border. 
  10. Laika became the first dog to be sent into space via a Soviet satellite in 1957.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Celebrity Dogs - Cindy Crawford and her dogs

Cindy Crawford shows off  her beautiful puppies

Supermodels Cindy Crawford has waved her fashion-sense wand over two of her favorite pals: Widget and Sugar. In an interview with FashionEtc.com, Crawford said one of her gal-pups owns a wedding gown, and that both the Maltese-Yorkie mixes sport holiday wear that include at least one set of reindeer antlers.

10 More Facts About Dogs You Didn't Know

  1. Rin Tin Tin was the first Hollywood movie dog star. 
  2. The Basenji is the only dog in the world who doesn’t bark.
  3.  At 44 inches, Zeus, a Great Dane from Michigan, USA, was named the tallest dog in the world by the Guinness World Records in 2012 and 2013. He died from age-related causes in September 2014. 
  4. Cesky Terriers are the rarest breed of dog, with merely 350 of them alive.
  5.  Dogs can recognise the smell of a range of organic compounds, which enables them to diagnose signs of cancer, diabetes and epileptic seizures in human beings.  
  6. A spate of incidents involving collapse of lamp posts in Croatia in 2003 were blamed on dogs as dog urine has corroding effects.
  7.  Greyhounds can attain speeds of over 70 kmph.
  8.  A dog can locate the source of a sound in 6/100th of a second by using its ears like a radar.
  9.  Small Pekingese dogs were used as Chinese emperors' last line of defence. The dogs were hidden in the emperors' sleeves.
  10.  US President Franklin D. Roosevelt spent a staggering US $15,000 to send a destroyer to the Aleutian Islands to pick up his Scottie.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Compare Bravecto and Nexgard

Two new dog tick products have hit the Australian market this year and it's hard to choose which is the best, Nexgard by Merial and Bravecto by Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD)
.
Both Nexgard and Bravecto work by attacking the nervous system of fleas and ticks.  Nexgard was released in late 2014 followed by Bravecto in March 2015. Both are selling well in the Australian pet market and many dog owners want to see Bravecto and Nexgard compared.

Which Dogs Can Take It?

Nexgard: dogs at least 8 weeks of age and weighing at least 4 pounds.

Bravecto: dogs at least 6 months of age and weighing at least 4.4 pounds.

How Do I Give It?

Nexgard: beef-flavored chewable tablet given once each month with or without food. Dosage depends on your dog’s weight; 5 strengths available.

Bravecto: beef-flavored chewable tablet given once every twelve weeks (or every 3 months) with food.  Dosage depends on your dog’s weight; 5 strengths available.


Are Nexgard and Bravecto It Safe?

Nexgard: in a field study of 415 dogs, reactions included vomiting, dry/flaky skin, diarrhea, lethargy, and lack of appetite.  These reactions occurred in 4% or less of dogs.  Three dogs in the study had a history of seizures; 2 out of 3 experienced one or more seizures after taking Nexgard.  In the margin of safety study, Nexgard was given at 1, 3, and 5x the recommended dose, with only vomiting noted as an adverse event.  All lab data collected from all dogs was normal.

Bravecto: in a field study of 294 dogs, reactions included vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, and increased drinking.  These reactions occurred in 7.1% or less of dogs.  In the margin of safety study, Bravecto was given at 1, 3, and 5x the recommended dose, with diarrhea and vomiting noted as adverse events.  All lab data collected from all dogs was normal.

Nexgard compared to Bravecto

At the end of the day,  the major factor for dog owners to consider is the choice between once monthly and every three month administration.  All things considered, most vets are recommending Bravecto although Nexgard may have its place for dogs under 6 months of age who cannot be started on Bravecto.

The other factor is pricing, however the cost of buying Nexgard or Bravecto online is reasonable and will generally work out cheaper than Frontline Plus or Kiltix over 12 months. You can buy Nexgard online from $42.96 and you can buy Bravecto online from $38.48.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Preventic Tick Collar Considerations for Every Pet Owner



So you have found a few fleas and ticks on your pet cat or dogs. What does this mean? For most

pet-owners this means that parasite and disease-carrying fleas are inside your home and you need

to get rid of them, fast. One option you might want to consider is the Preventic Tick Collar that is

conveniently available for both cats and dogs.

Preventic Tick Collar Activation

To use the Preventic Tick Collar, you need to activate it. As a general rule, a Preventic Tick

Collar is used for protecting your pet from fleas and ticks. To use it, the first thing you need to do

is to pull the flea collar which will loosen and release chemicals in powder form.

Snug Fit
The tick and flea collar should be fastened to the neck of the animal. Mae sure there is a snug fit

by making a few adjustments. Naturally, also make sure that it is not too tight since this might

apply too much pressure around the neck of your pet.

Ticks and Fleas

When a flea or a tick jumps on your pet, it crawls through the hair to bite the skin. With the

chemicals that are within the fur, it gets into contact and eventually dies. This is not unlike the

way insect or bug spray kills household pets.

Anti-Flea and Tick Chemicals Released
The way the Preventic Tick Collar Works is that it brushes up against the neck of your pet cat or

dog and chemicals are released to the skin and fur. Within the hairs of your pet, chemicals are

distributed and lie within. As long as your pet wears the collar, there is a continuous release for

months. Periodically, a fresh Preventic Tick Collar should be applied for protection to be

maintained. 

Effective

Preventic Tick Collar is more than effective in the control of ticks and fleas in your pet. This is

especially a good idea when you have more than one pet living in your home. Getting a flea

collar such as this one by Preventic may be the perfect solution for a flea-free household.

You can buy Preventic tick collars at leading only stores like www.VetShopAustralia.com.au


Friday, June 5, 2015

Doggy Goodies in the Mail


Recently we've seen a number of businesses offering dog products by subscription. And it seems that some just come and go, mainly because the quality of the products they supply aren't good, or the price is just to much.


The lastest addition is Gracie's Goodies and we have a feeling that this one might be different and we're hoping it will stay around for some time to come.

The Gracie's Goodies box of dog treats and toys is  delivered to your home or office every month. and contains dog treats and toys carefully selected by Sue Dingwall, a fully qualified dogbehavioural trainer based in Sydney. Sue has carefully sourced toys that are unique and different to those you find in regular pet stores, while the food treats are sourced from Australian suppliers to ensure quality and origin of each product.
“When I started looking for treats and toys for my own dogs, I couldn’t find the right products to support  the training I’d done with them,” Sue told us. “But as I started to build up a good selection of products, my clients began to ask for my recommendations.. That’s where the idea for Gracie’s Goodies was born. We’ve taken the research and hard work out of shopping for your dog, with this subscription-based box that offers variety every month.”

The team behind Gracie’s Goodies – Sue and her sister, Jane Wilde – are pitching the subscription service towards dog owners who either don’t have time to make repeat visits to pet stores to purchase treats and toys for their dog, and those owners who are baffled by the volume of choice and don’t know where to begin to select the right products. Gracie’s Goodies has done all the hard work for its human customers and their pets.

For clients who have recently welcomed a puppy into their home, Gracie’s Goodies offers the “cutie per tutti box”, which is tailored specifically for young puppies from 0-6 months. The product selection caters for puppies at each stage of their development and helps their owners avoid the confusion associated with

The boxes are tailored to suit different sized dogs, in three categories: small (0-10kg), medium (11-25kg) and large (25kg +). Subscription packages are offered for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months.

As a new company founded by two women who care about ethically sourced products and have a track record of giving back to the community, Gracie’s Goodies is proud to sponsor a Delta Therapy Dog team,Val and Quis, as part of the red bandana program.

Having received our first box, we were impressed not just by the stylish packaging, but also the careful selection, with all the products being of the highest quality. Our box contained a Jax and Bones Rope Toy, Beasties Peanut Butter Biscounts (the office dogs loved them!), Paws Dental Chcken Triple Joint Chew, 100g Yoghurt Drops and Chicken Pops rawhide chews.

Our only comment was that the Chicken Pops were loose in the box, and should probably have been packaged. Other than that, we were very impressed. These boxes would make an ideal gift to the dog lover in your life, or just the dog you love in your life.

Visit http://graciesgoodies.com.au/ to order or for more info.

Miss Tillee, excited to be opening her Gracie's Goodies box 😃🐶

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Dog Sitting Services



Dog  sitters are providers of contracted services that take care of animals or pets at your home. 

The industry of professional dog sitting is going through rapid growth at the moment as many

animal owners feel that using pet sitters are advantageous compared to options that include

traditional pet care. People use dog sitters for many reasons.

Do You Need a Pet Sitter?

There are more than a few reasons people decide to avail of the services of a pet sitter. This

includes not having to inconvenience family members, friends or neighbours when you need to

be away for some reason. Also, pets do not have to get used to brand new environments

whenever their owners are away. Rather, they are able to stay home on their regular routine.

When a pet has to stay at a kennel rather than at their own home, there are often less restrictive

vaccinations required. There is also less exposure to parasites and illnesses. Since your pet does

not have to be transported to any other place, there is no trauma involved that usually

accompanies traveling. Dog sitters are highly advisable because of the fact that since pets are

cared for in their own houses, there is an overall reduction in the stress they would otherwise

have had to go through.

Liability Insurance

Dog sitters who are professional are usually licensed. They also have insurance for liabilities they

are responsible for including control of the pets, custody and care. Many sitters are also insured

and bonded for theft. Usually, a dog sitter has training such as animal husbandry classes, first aid

certification or accreditation for dog sitting. Many organizations for professionals are available to

help the pet sitter go through service improvements.

Occupational Licenses


In most locations, there is no requirement for pet sitters to have an occupational license. Often,

the term “license’ is used by professionals of pet sitting to refer to kennel licenses or the license

to do businesses. There are also permits for animal transportation that are available within the

business coverage area. Licenses such as these may not or may be required depending on where

the pet sitting business is located. In every area, however, keep in mind that licenses are not

always available.

Dog Walking and Vacation Care

Walking the dog is one service that a pet sitter can do. Vacation Care is another service. During

pet sitting vacation services, the sitter pays the client’s home a visit as required, many times.

Both pet sitters and pet owners determine the exact visit length. On average, this is between 15-

45 minutes. Some sitters can also provide house sitting services aside from just caring for your

pet, as needed.