February 16th, 2008
Your pet’s health issues are one of the most important things you need to know about your furry, feathered, or scaled animal friends. A healthy pet is a happy pet, and you should be able to recognize some of the signs of trouble brewing in the health of your pet. It is for the sake of your pet, as well as for the sake of your family and any other animals that live in your household.
If you have a pet you must be aware of everything about that animal. Everything. If your pet lives, like most pets, inside our houses and closely around us and our children (and other pets as well) poor health trouble for one pet could spell trouble for the entire household. Take, for instance, the problem of fleas. If one of your nonhuman family members has fleas it becomes a plague upon the household. It is one of those contagious pet health issues that can make everyone suffer. The first sign of fleas is, of course, scratching, particularly around the ears and rubbing the eyes. This is because fleas need water just like every other living thing, and where is the water on an animal’s body the easiest to access?
That being said, scratching incessantly can also mean that your furry, feathered, or scaled friend has a skin problem, such as an allergy, that can make its life - as well as yours - terribly uncomfortable. If there are no signs of fleas, try to analyze anything in the pet’s environment that has changed just before the scratching started. It may be something as simple as washing the bedding in a different soap. If nothing comes readily to mind, please take your pet to the veterinarian to make sure that the itching is not contagious so that you can get some relief for the poor, scratching animal!
Another thing that may not be so obvious is a sudden change in your pet’s behavior. Has your otherwise docile pet become suddenly very aggressive toward others? This could be a sign of a developing health problem, such as the onset of an illness or perhaps the poisoning of your pet by a commercial dog food. Since this is becoming more of a problem these days, it should be checked by your veterinarian before it gets any worse. There are new studies suggesting that the pet food we serve our pets can be hazardous to their health due to the large quantities of chemical that are being added to the base ingredient, either by design or by accident when using salvaged parts of other animals that already have the chemicals in their system.
Your first line of defense in keeping your pet healthy is you. You need to know your animal, their habits, and their health to the extent that you know your children’s. If you choose to have an animal be a part of your family you must remember that the animal can be a detriment to the health of the humans in the household if it becomes ill. Be fair to you family. Be fair to your pets. It was not their choice to be there, so it is your responsibility to take care of them. Stay in contact with the veterinarian, make sure your pet has all their shots, and give them all the love and attention you can. Be proactive, not reactive. Try not to have to worry about your pet’s health issues. You will all be healthier and happier for it!
Having always had pets of one sort or another it is very important to me to know everyone is taking good care of their own pets and knowing any pet health issues prevelant today. We can start with what goes into our pets with help from http://pethealthreviews.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhonda_Cossey
Share This Article:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Posted in General | No Comments »
November 8th, 2007
A pet makes a great friend. We love our pets and that is why we have them. We know that pets can make us feel better. When you get home from work, school, or are retired, or elderly, pet owners quite literally feel and see the love from their favorite dog or cat. Living with a pet can provide you with certain health benefits. Pets help to reduce your blood pressure and lessen anxiety. Pet owners health and well-being are linked together in owning a pet or have a pet visit you in the nursing home or hospital.
When selecting a pet it is important that your pet fits your lifestyle or otherwise your new pet could add more stress. Pets require our love and attention. Going out for a walk, playing Frisbee or hide and seek provides the incentive to owners to interact and get out of the house. You benefit from the fresh air, sunshine and exercise that you might not get on our own. However, what if you can’t take care of your pet? If this is the case, then pet therapy might be the way to go.
Therapy pets are animals that help humans just by visiting them. Animal Assisted Therapy is the term used to describe therapy pets. One pet is assigned to one patient. Nursing home personnel and the pet handler help to figure out ways that therapy will be best suited to the patient. Cats and dogs are the most suitable therapy pets but there is no reason why other pets can’t be trained for pet therapy as well.
Owning a pet can have medical benefits to patients in nursing homes and hospitals, and as well as pet owners. Pet owners, or pet therapy encourages social interaction, reduces stress levels, boosts self-confidence and self-esteem and encourages you to exercise. In addition, pet owners who live alone are less lonely because of their pets’ companionship.
Pets and elderly people have a lot to give one another. Pet owners give them a sense of purpose; a reason to get up in the morning, buying food and or going outside, which helps to motivate them to eat and to get enough sleep and exercise.
Pet owner’s have fewer doctors’ visits, improve your mental well being, and improve you cardiovascular health and lowers you blood pressure. Many people have high blood pressure for years without knowing it. There are no known symptoms that you can tell your doctor.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure or kidney failure. The only way to discover if you have high blood pressure is to have your doctor check it. This is why it is often called the silent killer. If you have high blood pressure, you should think about getting a dog or cat as they can help reduce health problems. Owning a dog or cat and stroking them can help to reduce blood pressure and even keep it lower under stressful situations.
Pet owners have better emotional health and mental wellness while caring for their furry friend. Pets can act as a support system for people who live alone or do not have family, or close friends nearby. They offer unconditional love and affection and that alone helps a person reduce loneliness.
When you are in a hospital or nursing home and a pet owner comes to visit you with their furry friend, you feel a little less lonely and depressed and can forget about your illness, even for a little while. Patients tend to be more receptive to treatment when they have regular visits from their favorite furry friend. The need to care for their pet gives them reason to recover and the will to live. It, also, makes the patient happy to have something to look forward to when visiting hours are over.
Having a pet is a great investment, not only because a dog or cat bring joy and pleasure into your life, but the many health benefits that come along with owning a pet. Though a dog or cat can’t replace human relationships for senior citizens, they can certainly enhance them and fill an older person’s life with years of constant, unconditional love. Pet owners have long known that owning a family pet can make life happier, and can lead to a longer healthier life.
Article by Judy Porter, contributing writer for [http://www.petpeoplefishing.com]http://www.petpeoplefishing.com, a free online dating service for pet loving singles. PetPeopleFishing knows the importance of finding a match who can accept your animal companions and not see them as barriers to your relationship.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Porter http://EzineArticles.com/?Pets-Can-Help-Keep-The-Doctor-Away&id=81540
Share This Article:
These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
Posted in General | No Comments »