Give Your Pets Pure Water

I wrote a blog on giving your pets pure water months ago. I think it is important to cover this subject again. Tap water is contaminated with chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, pesticides, etc.
Plastic water bowls also leach chemicals.

To read a great article on the importance of giving your pets and yourself pure water, read an article written by Dr. Michael W. Fox, Ph.D, B.Vet. Med. Go to http://tedeboy.tripod.com/drmichaelwfox/id36.html.

Protect Your Pet From The Cold Weather

Despite their fur coats, pets can get cold in the winter months especially short haired breeds. Try and keep outdoor cats in on cold winter nights.

If your dog is an outside dog, and you don't want to bring him indoors, make sure he has insulated shelter from wind and rain, and warm, dry bedding in his kennel.

Make sure that the water in his bowl is not frozen.

If you take your dog for walks in the snow, be sure to get some booties to protect his paws. Be sure and dry your pet after walks in the rain or snow.

Foods To Avoid Giving Your Pet At the Holidays

Foods to avoid giving your pet at Christmas, New Years or anytime for that matter.

* Alcoholic beverages

* Chocolate (highly toxic to pets)

* Coffee

* Moldy or spoiled foods

* Foods high in salt or fat

* Chicken or turkey bones (they can splinter or get lodged in your pet's throat)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Festive Foliage to Keep Away From Pets

Poinsettias, mistletoe and holly are all popular Christmas decorations. Eating any of these can make your pet quite ill. The plants can irritate the mouth and gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to drooling, vomiting and diarrhea.

Mistletoe can be more serious depending on what species is eaten. Some mistletoe can cause upset stomach, with vomiting; however others may lead to liver failure and seizures.

Festive plants really do add to your home's Christmas decor, but its best to keep them well out of reach of your pets.

Christmas Tree Dangers to Pets

Christmas decorations and celebrations can pose a threat to all pets. These tips will help you to keep your pets safe around the home this festive season.

The Christmas tree is one of the highlights for adults and children alike. It also poses a few hazards to your pets.

The tree can be pulled over by tugging on branches or cords. Make sure your tree is well anchored so your pet can't pull it over.

Electrical light cords can be chewed and cause severe electrical shock. Put cords in a PVC pipe or cover them well.

Broken ornaments can cause cuts to the feet and other parts of the body and even more dangerous if they are chewed on. Use unbreakable ornaments.

Many people add chemicals to the tree water to extend the life of the tree, which can be toxic to pets if they drink it. Its a good idea not to add anything to the water if your pet can get to it.

Fallen tree needles are very sharp and can easily get stuck in your pet's paws or throat. Sweep or vacuum often.

Avoid tinsel or ribbons which are dangerous to the gastrointestinal tract if your pet swallows them. This could mean that surgery is necessary to remove it from the intestines.

Do not hang chocolates from your Christmas tree. They are highly toxic and your pet will be tempted if he can see or smell them.

More Dangers of Choke Chains

Choke chains always choke and they are responsible for a number of medical conditions including: Injured ocular blood vessels; Tracheal and oesophageal damage; Severely sprained necks; Cases of fainting; Transient foreleg paralysis; Laryngeal nerve paralysis; and Hind leg ataxia.

Choke and shock collars are designed to stop dogs from pulling on a leash, for barking, through the application of pain. Their use is unnecessary and often ineffective and in many ways are cruel.

Halters and reward-based training can achieve more effective results without hurting dogs.

Dangers of Choke Chains

Some people keep their pet in a choke chain instead of a collar. Choke chains and other training aids are only to be used when you are actively training your pet.

A pet that is left alone wearing a choke chain is in real danger of choking to death. If a dog becomes entangled or catches the collar on something, its instinct is to pull away. This will tighten a choke chain and can make the dog choke itself. Dogs have died when they catch the choke chain or pinch collar and they struggle until they suffocate and die.

More on choke chains tomorrow.