6 Tips to Help Your Dog Survive a Fire

Pets, especially dogs and cats commonly take on the starring role of smoke alarm and there many stories of how a cautionary bark protected a family or a whole apartment building full of people. To get rid of this, I’ve put some precautionary measures here!

1.       Install smoke detectors and test them at least once a month, and replace batteries every year.

2.       Paint kennel surfaces with two coats of fire-retardant liquid paint.

3.       Pet proof your home, observing for all areas where dogs might out of the blue start fires.

4.       Have a pet-evacuation kit outside the home, if you don’t have one, consider buying it today.

5.       Replace frayed, cracked, or broken electrical cords.

6.       Do not overload outlets. Use ground-fault circuit interrupters in outlets near sink areas and outdoors. 

DIY pet Halloween costumes that’s easy on the pocket

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The countdown to Halloween has begun and with just days away, you simply can't forget about dressing up your pets! If you are still not ready, don’t fret! Here, I’ve listed out three DIY Halloween costumes for pets without splurging a fortune. It will take up less than five dollars for you to get this costume for your pet. The costume ideas include:

·         Teddy bear

·         Lion

·         Shark

Now let us have a look at the supplies you should have to make them.

All you need is an old teddy bear, scissors and glue.  However, make sure that the teddy is of the same height as your pet. Start of by cutting the back of the bear and pull out the contents and stuffing’s that’s inside leaving the arms part. Cut hole in the bottom-most of the feet and take away the face. Glue the arm together, such that no stuffing falls out.

To make a lion attire, you will need a Velcro and strips of brown felt. Just twist the felt around the Velcro and secure with glue. It will act as a collar- the Velcro.

Cut out two matching shark paddles from gray foam and stick them together. For goldfish, cut out from yellow foam and an "ocean" from blue foam! Glue the fin to the ocean and fasten fish. Attach the Velcro band to the bottom and fasten it on your pet like a belt.

By now, you would have got an idea of how to make a pet Halloween costume that works easily. Try on and have a great Halloween night.

Halloween pet costume contest at Gadsden County

With fewer than just three weeks to go, the final preparation for Halloween would be officially ON. With this tick-tock time crunch don’t forget to participate in Halloween pet costume contest that’s conducted by the Gadsden County humane society.

With fun times assured, by this means, you will also be part of a charity work, yes! All proceeds received will benefit the homeless pets of Gadsden County. Contest begins at 11 a.m. Registration begins at 10 a.m. at the GCHS booth. $10 registration fee may be paid in cash or check made out to GCHS. All pets welcome! Get ready this Saturday with your pet and have a great time!

Prizes awarded for the following category:

·         Best Individual Costume

·         Best Group Costume

·         Most Original Costume

How to make the Halloween night less scary for your pet?

Not all pets are super social, some have their own instincts. If this is the case with your pet, then you need to take preventative measures that will help your pet have a less scary experience on the day of Halloween.

·         Tuck them away from hazards while you are having fun. Ensure that your pets have a safe and secured haven in a room where they can feel safe and comfortable.

·         If you are conducting a Halloween party, then don’t forget to do the same. With Halloween costumes and masks on, your pet may not recognize even the familiar people.

·         Irrespective of the super social nature of your pet, it is good to keep them indoors, particularly while you’re out trick-or-treating.

·         Do not force your pet to wear a costume, it makes them feel dread, you can go for a fancy collar or bandana instead.

·         Even though they’re generally safe, by no means let your pet bite on real pumpkins, for the reason that they may cause stomach upset.

·         If at all, your pet does consume the contents of a trick-or-treat bag, with no further ado, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

How to Prepare Your Pets For a Natural Disaster

Hurricanes bring on severe and massive weather changes. The heavy floods and rainfall cause a lot of destruction and this means evacuation plans and preparedness. Most of the time we do not bother about preparing our pets for this disaster. The American Veterinary Medical Association, also known as the AVMA suggest and recommend a few simple plans to make sure your pets are also prepared at the same time.

Pet Carrier and Temporary Housing: It is recommended to have a pet carrier large and comfortable enough to house your pet for a couple of days. During such situations one can never tell how long the disaster will last. It is always better to be prepared. Extra cardboard boxes, plastic bags as liners are a definite must.

Disaster Preparedness Kit: A week’s worth of food and water should definitely be included. Medication and other first aid supplies should also be included. For identification purpose a picture of you and your pet or your family along with your pet. List of Pet friendly hotels, list of friends and relatives with whom you can stay with along with your pet and contact details of a local veterinarian as well.

Identification Tags: The probability of losing your pet during a disaster situation is highly likely. At such times it is important that your pets are properly identifiable. Installing a microchip does wonders. Other options include identification tags with all the contact details of the owners and relatives.

Pets are always considered to be more than family. For many who are lonely, pets provide the love and warmth that you can probably cannot expect from a human being. Taking care of them is our duty and it will not hurt to follow these simple rules. 

An Insight Into Pet Diabetes

Diabetes, Just the mention of that word sends shivers down the spine. The hormone insulin when not produced or not utilised leads to a raise in blood sugar levels. It is the kind of disease that not just raises your blood sugar levels but this raise also affects a few of the internal organs bringing down their functionality.

Did you know that pets suffer from diabetes too? Well, they do and it is nothing different from humans. Here’s some information about how this disease affects pets and their treatments as well.

Diabetes is unfortunately on the rise even among pets and is a threat to their lives as well. The disease is classified the same as in humans, Type 1 and Type 2. Mostly dogs end up with Type 1 diabetes. The Type 1 is basically the non functionality of the pancreas where they are not producing enough insulin. This is treated the same way as in humans, via insulin injections. Type 2 Diabetes usually end up in cats and may not need as severe a treatment as in insulin injections. It should be able to be controlled via diet and oral medication. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important even among our pets. Although the reason for this rise in this disease is not known obesity is considered to be a major cause. A fat cat may look cute but the health issues behind that flab is devastating.

Knowing the symptoms can quite possible make you alert. Symptoms such as change in appetite, Excessive thirst, excessive urination, weight loss and other simple characteristic changes can be helpful in saving your pets life. Healthy food routine, exercise and proper care can do wonders for your pet may never end up in a situation where medical care is needed. 

5 Halloween safety tips for pets!

With Halloween just around the corner, chances are you will be facing hectic times, planning for the party, inviting your neighbors and preparing treats! Celebrating this event together with your pet can make it even more concerned. As you put together pet Halloween costumes, make sure you follow these six safety tips to ensure your holiday is a treat, not a trick.

·         Keep treats out of reach- chances are you will be bringing home lots of chocolates and all forms of chocolates, especially dark chocolate and the one containing xylitol are highly dangerous.

·         Keep them tagged- Don’t forget to have your pets wear a collar with I.D. and make sure that the information is up-to-date.

·         Halloween pet costumes- Even though some pets don’t mind, others get agitated and even try to get the Halloween costume off. So, ensure that they are comfortable, try out the pet costume, a few weeks in advance. Take a closer look and make sure it does not have dangling of petite size that can easily be chewed-off. Design them accordingly!

·         Keep your pets confined to protect from outdoor perils- With guests visiting your house, your door will be constantly opening and closing on the day of Halloween. In order to avoid your pet becoming anxious and rumbling at innocent trick-or-treaters keep them inside.

·         Keep all Halloween decors, chocolate wraps and electrical cords out of your pets reach.

There is no doubt that, Halloween costumes for pets are going to make them look adorable. Irrespective of what your furry friend dressing up this year, don’t forget to follow these simple tips that will help you and your pet enjoy the event to the core! It's better to be safe than sorry!