Important factors to consider for the protection of all family members

In response to the recent spike in pet food recalls, the ASPCA®’s (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) Animal Poison Control Center has some suggestions on how to best keep two-legged and four-legged family members safe:

1. Do your research. Salmonella is the contaminant that appears to be the cause of concern during this most recent round of pet food recalls.

The most important thing for pet owners to do if they suspect their dog’s food has been contaminated is to stop feeding their pet the recalled food immediately. If the pet shows signs of illness after eating a recalled pet food, a trip to the vet should be first on the list of to-dos, and then the food manufacturer should be notified.

*** Pet owners can identify the recalled foods by visiting the FDA’s website at www.fda.gov. ***

2. Know the signs. While healthy adult dogs are relatively resistant to illness from Salmonella bacteria, pets with health issues (such as young puppies, elderly and pregnant dogs that could have compromised immune systems) may be at greater risk for becoming ill. Dogs who are affected by Salmonella may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, lethargy, and drooling or panting—an indication of nausea. *In severe cases, the bacterium may spread throughout the body resulting in death.

3. Clean is key. Salmonella isn’t only dangerous to the pet eating the food, but could also affect the pet parent serving the food. Salmonella can be spread through direct contact with the affected product and animal feces, so exposure should be avoided. The best way to protect family members, including other animals in the home, is to thoroughly wash your hands (or paws) after any dealings with the product or feces. In addition, all bowls, utensils and surfaces that may have come in contact with contaminated food should be washed using hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly or sanitized in the dishwasher.

For more information about the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center and potential pet toxins, visit www.aspca.org/apcc.

As veterinary care has become more advanced over the years, the cost of treatment has gone up accordingly. Your dog or cat can now receive treatments once thought only for humans, from radiation therapy to organ transplants. The use of imaging such as MRI is also becoming more common in the office of veterinarians. According to the ASPCA, new developments in pet healthcare meant that pet owners spent $13 billion on veterinary care in 2010.

While the advanced treatment options mean that with dog insurance or cat insurance, your pet receives a better standard of care and may live longer, it also means you may pay more to keep your pet healthy. Because of these rising costs, some people make the decision when they get a pet to put it down if it becomes very ill or injured.

But in the heat of the moment, making the actual decision to put a precious pet to sleep can prove more difficult than previously expected. Purchasing cat or dog insurance when a pet is healthy means treatment may be covered and euthanasia can be avoided.

Coverage and Deductibles

Most pet insurance plans have a deductible. The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket for your pet’s health care. The amount varies from plan to plan and is determined by how high the premium of the plan is. An average deductible may be around $100 per year.

After the deductible, you may still have to pay a small amount of the cost of treatment out of pocket. Many insurance plans pay for 80 to 90 percent of the costs, meaning you have to pay the remaining 10 or 20 percent. Coverage can vary depending on the treatment your pet needs as well.

Premiums

The cost of pet insurance depends on the amount of coverage you receive and the company you decide to work with. The premium also depends on the type of pet you have. Keep in mind that you have multiple pets, you will need to purchase a separate plan for each pet—one plan does not cover multiple animals.

Premiums can range from around $20 per month to over $100. In most cases, if you want to cover preventative and wellness care, you need to pay an extra amount each month. Wellness care coverage will take care of the costs of vaccines, a yearly exam, and spaying or neutering a pet. Some wellness care options include the cost of dental care as well.

Choosing a Vet

Pet insurance does not limit who you can take your pet to see. You do not have to choose a veterinarian from a list of providers or change vets once you enroll in most plans. In many cases, you do not need a referral or pre-authorization.

What’s Not Covered

Not every insurance plan covers every disease or condition. A number of plans exclude congenital disorders. For example, hip dysplasia is a congenital disease in certain breeds of dogs and some insurance companies do not cover it. If your pet has a congenital disease, look for a plan that covers them. You may also need to look into dog arthritis treatment.

Some plans also do not cover pre-existing conditions. Those plans will not help you if your pet already has a medical condition.

Making the Decision

In the end, whether you get pet insurance or not depends on your specific situation. Some breeds of dog or cat need more medical care than others, so pet insurance is a good way to insure against high medical costs down the road. You can save on the cost of health care for a pet by choosing a breed that does not experience as many health problems.

Whether you have a pet now or are looking for one, it’s important to do your research first. Compare plans from a number of different providers. Make sure the plan covers your pet’s specific health needs and that the plan will cover your pet based on his age. Some plans have age limits while others do not. Keep your pet healthy and schedule regular vet appointments for him, whether you decide to purchase pet insurance or not.

About the author:

Elli is a writer YourLocalSecurity.com. She was born and raised in Colorado & now enjoys skiing, playing tennis, and hiking in the mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Look at those white-gloved paws and that fuzzy belly… this kitty is Klondike. He is 11-years-young and lives with his mom, Brianna in Minong, Wisconsin.

They are the winners of Honorable Mention in the Iams Senior Plus, Play Young, Stay Young Contest which is happening on Facebook right now!

Isn’t Klondike a cutie? Here is the essay that won then the Honorable Mention:

“He loves to run after his little brother Jack. When I put my hand under a blanket he goes nuts. Whenever I open the door to go outside he thinks he can run outside. He is a baby at heart too. He goes nuts on feathers. I have a bird feeder outside the window and his big blue eyes just light up when he sees a bird. He thinks he can get them. After he uses the bathroom he runs around the house and makes weird noises. He is one big weirdo. And that is how my cat Klondike stays young.”

Do you have a cat or dog who refuses to act his age? If you do, enter him/her in the Iams contest!! It’s awesome and you can win premium pet food!

IAMS started the contest recently, and it goes ‘til June 3rd. It’s on their Facebook page.

“Play Young, Stay Young” goes as follows:

* Each week, for 8 weeks, the team at Iams will pick one cat and one dog winner (11 years or older – “super senior pets”) based on a photo and a 100-word essay submission from pet parents.

1. It’s super easy to enter! They’re seeking pets that essentially refuse to act their age – pets who are older but still act younger. For example, Benny is 12 but still roaches around on his back like a puppy after he gets his dinner every night!

2. Each winning animal will receive a year’s supply of Iams Senior Plus dog food! That is a lot of dog food!!

3. So are you stoked about this contest or what? Are you reading this, saying I MUST enter this contest … so how do I do it?

4. It’s easy-go here to the IAMS Facebook page

Did you know that an estimated 1 million dogs are named primary beneficiary in their owner’s wills?

Or that cat owners will spend nearly $5,000 on treats over the course of their cat’s lifetime?

Did you know that food costs are the biggest expense for most pets?

Me neither.

I learned it in this awesome infographic from the Silicon Valley Humane Society and Mint!

“It takes a lot more than love, treats, and toys to give your pet a happy life,” says Beth Ward, Chief Operating Officer at Humane Society Silicon Valley. “If you really love your pets or you’re thinking of adopting one, then you need to be aware of the hard costs involved.” (This quote is from the MintLife article.)

This infographic is about the lifetime costs of owning a pet.

Personally, I think it should be hung in every single rescue organization in the US. It’s effective in conveying that owning a pet isn’t just a companionship thing – it’s a financial thing, too.

According to MintLife, she continues, “Many cats and dogs can live for 20 years or more. Keeping them alive, happy, and healthy for the duration of their life requires a sustained commitment. It takes good financial planning.”

Hairballs: The Inherent, Ever-Interesting Absurdity.

Your cat wakes you up in the middle of the night retching, perhaps mid-vomit or gag.  What the hell was he doing you ask?  As you fully awake the next day, realizing you weren’t dreaming, unfortunately, you see the answer; a wet hairy gross remnant of his midnight madness, the infamous hairball.

Most cat-owners know by now that hairballs are just common for cats (if you don’t – you do now); they also know that they’re surely an inconvenience for the owners who is now questioning what they just stepped right on… or right in…. or carefully around…

Often new and even some old-hat cat owners turn to our good friend Google, feverishly searching “hairballs,” “long haired cat hairballs,” or even “hairball cat” (yes “hairball cat” gets nearly 15k searches in Google a month!) and the like, seeking answers on fixing this sticky-icky pasty problem.

Fortunately, today, April 27^th, 2012 is National Hairball Awareness Day — and Hill’s wants to help us all increase awareness about this all too common condition.

Hill’s, as you might not know, has foods focused around helping cat owners overcome the difficulty of hairballs. But they also have a plethora of other to offer for National Hairball Awareness Month! More on these things in a minute…

AND WE HAVE A HILL’S HAIRBALL CONTROL BAG of FOOD GIVEAWAY FOR TEN LUCKY READERS TO TOO! (See bottom of post)

First, a few things to point out.

Hill’s offered me these interesting points/facts about cats and hairballs:

• Hairballs are normal for cats – particularly those who have trouble moving hair down the GI tract.
• Cats ingest quite a bit of hair because their tongues are covered in tiny barbs (papillae) that act like brushes when they clean.
• This hair builds up in their system until it is expelled, which is when the owner finds it. May I add that this is usually by hearing it come up or by finding it next to their pillow (ahem, Sasha).
• Indoor cats that get bored may groom themselves more often which can result in morehairballs. (Ahem Tater.)
  

  Kitty Bath {Flickr}

• Hairball activity can be more active in the spring and fall- when shedding is at its peak. (Ahem, Maxwell…)
• Brushing your cat helps remove excess fur, and decrease hairballs: brushing once a day may be often enough for long haired cats, 1-3 times a week for short haired cats.
• When a hairball occurs, hair often does not come up alone; any food in your cat’s system may come up too, causing an even bigger mess. (Many of you have probably realized this “engrossing” [get it?] fact on your own, but thanks Hill’s – we love you.)

Most cats spend up to 30% of their time grooming themselves and in the process up to 2/3 of what a cat sheds can be ingested.  Even though it’s a natural part of your cat’s life, there are still plenty of ways to help minimize hairballs.

Sasha Bathing! LOL

The first way to combat the “hairball battle” is to get in the habit of grooming your kitty daily.  This will remove a majority of the excess fur so what they do ingest will pass through with no problem.

The second is to ensure your cat is eating a food with a perfect balance of fatty acids. Fatty acids are the fundamental building blocks for healthy skin and coat. HILL’S HAS MANY IDEAL FOODS TO TACKLE THIS – I AM GIVING SOME AWAY (see bottom).

With the right nutrition and good grooming habits, your cat can celebrate national hairball day free of the horrible hairball hell we all go through!

Hill’s Specials and Other Fun for Hairball Awareness:

• Hairball Sweepstakes on Hill’s Facebook Page – Monday, April 23 – Friday, May 4, 2012
  • To celebrate National Hairball Awareness Day on April 27, 2012, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, makers of Science Diet® and Prescription Diet® brand pet foods, is giving away terrific prizes between April 23 and May 4^th.
  • Prizes will include a free bag of one of Hill’s® Science Diet® Hairball Control products that can help avoid hairballs in just 30 days and a $20 PETCO gift card.
  • Head over to Hill’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/HillsPetUS to sign up.
  • Deals on ALL Hill’s® Science Diet® Foods for both Dogs and Cats
    • Look for the PETCO banner ad on the Hairball Battle site and click for a $3 coupon good toward any          Hill’s® Science Diet® Hairball Control product.
    • $3 off coupon good on all Science Diet foods for both dogs and cats at http://www.HillsPet.com/UniqueNutrition (Live starting May 1, 2012)
    • Hill’s® Science Diet® and petMD offer cat owners food, nutrition resources and a chance to win $2,500 in pet retailer Gift Cards – see official press release below.  http://www.petmd.com/cat/mybowl
    • Additional Special Offers from Hill’s http://www.hillspet.com/products/products-special-offers.html
    • 30 Days of Hairball Tips starting Monday, April 23 – Wednesday, May 23, 2012
      • Join the fun and ask your readers to submit their own tips for “battling hairballs”! This is sure to be fun and entertaining…and educational for your readers.
      • Here’s a link to our Facebook polling our readers to tell us about their experience and what works for them. http://www.facebook.com/223700263326/posts/10150944999263327

*** Don’t forget to play the funny-as-hell Hill’s Hairball Battle Game on Facebook and invite friends! You can choose from characters like Mattie, Shaggy, Hack, Knotty and Harry and throw furballs at your friends! Hee Hee!

Hairball Battle Creatures!

** AND ENTER THE “HILL’S HAIRBALL HELL HAIRBALL CONTROL FOOD GIVEAWAY” on ThoughtsFurPaws.com RIGHT NOW!

Send me a picture of your kitty pre- and post-brush, OR leave a comment HERE OR on the THOUGHTSFURPAWS FACEBOOK PAGE on why you should get one of TEN BAGS of HILL’S HAIRBALL CONTROL (and there may even be MORE WINNERS!!! It’s a surprise!) ThoughtsFurPaws.com admins, of course, are throwing in kitty toys to this giveaway, so be sure you send your photos to thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com or leave a story/comment here on on our Facebook page.

The month of April brings lots of fun stuff from Hill’s!

Did you know that National Hairball Awareness Day is…uh hum, “coming up” on April 27???

It’s sure to not only be informational but lots of fun!

Hill’s will be featuring the Hairball Battle Game on their Facebook page, there will be a video that talks about the amount of hair your cat consumes just grooming itself (starring Roady, a Hill’s’ employee kitty) and more!

Enter now online for your chance to win a gift basket for your special cat. **Gift basket will include a free bag of Hill’s® Science Diet® Hairball Control cat food and a $20 Petco gift card!

Roady the Hill's Hairball Spokescat!

Roady is here to help me tell everyone about the amount of cat hair he (as an average cat – albeit, he’s NOT average wink wink) will consume over a year’s time simply grooming himself.

Did you know an average cat will actually consume 173 grams of hair over a year???!!!

Take a peek at the video to see just how much cat hair that is!

Remember to play the Hairball Battle Game and Happy Hairball Awareness Month!

Also, stay tuned on ThoughtsFurPaws for a Hill’s Science Diet pet food giveaway!

In two days, I will be announcing the Hill’s pet food giveaway contest!

Dear Ohio Animal Advocates,

Ohio is one of only a handful of states with virtually no regulations on wild/exotic animal pet ownership.

Even before last year’s horrific incident in Zanesville, this oversight has led to tragedy for both people and animals: The Associated Press found that along with having some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets, Ohio has among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.

This is partially due to the fact that the state has become a haven for breeders and dealers of these animals.

It’s time to stop the insanity!

The ASPCA supports Senate Bill 310, which is currently pending in Ohio’s legislature (in Columbus). If passed, it would prohibit keeping many wild, dangerous and exotic species of animals as pets (effective 2014).

The full Ohio Senate may vote on the bill as soon as TOMORROW!

What You Can Do

Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center online to quickly email your state senator and ask him or her to support S.B. 310 to ban keeping wild animals as pets. Your senator will likely vote on the bill this week, so there’s no time to lose.

 Thank you for defending wild and exotic animals, Ohio!

About 62 % of U.S. households own a pet, which equals to 72.9 million pet-owning homes with about 377.4 million pets.

While most pets have to take trips to the vet at some point in their lives, some particular breeds are more prone to ailments and diseases than others and need more expensive or frequent medical treatments.

PetInsuranceComparison’s new infographic “The Top Ten Most Expensive Pets” reveals which pets are high maintenance and rack up the highest vet bills in the course of a year.

(Petinsurancecomparison.net is a service which provides information about pet insurance and pet insurance-related topics.)

Recently, an article was published called, “10 Colleges with Successful Pet Therapy Programs.”

I think it dovetails well with you guys- my audience – and thought you might want to check it out. It was written by the staff at Best Colleges Online and is pretty darn good. I think a lot of people want to get involved in helping animals or helping animals help people, but don’t know how.

This is a good road map to start with.

Pet therapy programs sound like such a great idea, and they certainly are. In nursing homes, hospitals, and yes, even schools, people can find love, comfort, and relaxation with the help of a furry friend. With the help of a trained therapy dog, it’s possible to find increased happiness, lowered blood pressure, and an improvement in overall well-being. Students in college find that pet therapy programs are especially helpful when it comes to busting the stress of finals, and several schools have begun to bring in dogs during these times on an occasional, and sometimes even permanent, basis. If only for a day, these dogs turn into the stars of the college, attracting hundreds of students at a time to give them love and attention, while giving them a bright spot amid the drudgery of finals week. Here, we’ll take a look at 10 of the very best pet therapy programs available in schools today, and learn what makes them work so well for the students and animals that benefit from them.

1. Yale Law

Students at Yale Law Library can check out books, newspapers, and a sweet little border terrier mix, Monty. A certified library therapy dog, Monty is available for 30-minute sessions of puppy stress relief. “General Montgomery” is even listed in the law library catalog, including a humorous description. Professors like Rajita Sinha appreciate the effort, pointing out that “it’s really great that the Yale Law School is recognizing the need for addressing stress in the students, because students … need to learn ways of handling it and need help at different points in the semester.” Interest has been high, and the free visits with Monty are popular among students. Sebastian Swett, a law student at Yale, checked out Monty to escape the daily grind at Yale and shared his insight about the experience: “I went with a couple of friends, and we could just enjoy sitting around with a dog, not thinking about classes or jobs or any of the other crazy aspects of law school. Dogs, at least the dogs I’ve known, love people regardless of who they are, and there is something comforting about that.”

1. UConn

At the University of Connecticut Homer Babbidge Library, the school shares a variety of animal activities to help students relax. Students in the library can visit with therapy dogs to de-stress and deal with anxiety. The program was called “Paws to Relax” and available during the super-stressful finals week on campus. The program has reportedly been expanded to include cats as well, for the ultimate in lazy relaxation. In addition to finals week, UConn brings in therapy pets after particularly stressful situations, including suicides and deadly automobile accidents.

1. Occidental College

Occidental College shares a variety of free stress relievers with students during finals week, including Zumba classes and massage. But perhaps the most fun and calming stress-busting activity available to Oxy students is a visit from Therapy Dogs International. During finals week, the organization brought in 20 dogs trained in stress relief for two hours, a short but fun escape from the drudge of finals work and stress. Photos from the scene full of smiles and laughter make it obvious that the students (and dogs) really enjoyed the experience.

1. Fordham University

The pet therapy program at Fordham University has proven to be wildly popular. During one visit, 25 students were expected to attend, but 200 showed up, and all were happy to wait patiently for their turn to cuddle with one of the six dogs visiting that day. Fordham freshman Christina Sliwak enjoyed the therapy day, and it came just at the right time for her: “My midterms just ended, but I’m just really stressed out about school and work 24/7. So this is very relaxing.”

1. Rochester Institute of Technology

The Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf offers “Ruff Relief” for students, a quick visit from therapy dogs specially trained to help kids relax. Right before finals started, they were a welcome distraction from school stress, and students commented that it reminded them of home. The dogs enjoyed it as well: NTID director of financial planning and budgeting Michael Servé says that his own therapy dogs “really enjoy going to colleges and meeting the students.” Servé shared that the faculty and staff enjoyed the relaxation as well. After a successful initial visit, the institute has plans to make pet therapy a regular thing, bringing them in during Friday Pulse Happy Hours.

1. Tufts

In between cram sessions, Tufts students can sneak out to have some fun with dogs brought in to residential halls. During their first visit, more than 100 people came in just to see six or eight dogs, enjoying the opportunity to pet them and even take pictures while hanging out with friends. Resident director Michael Bliss says it works because “there’s just something about the inherent happiness of dogs. I think students can tap into that and feel that energy.” Tufts has had several visits from therapy dogs in the past few years, usually around stressful times like midterms and finals. The events are fun stress-busters and great entertainment as students tested their response to commands like “high five” and “sleep.” Freshman Jonathan Paradise’s sentiment best expresses the moment for students: “This event absolutely made my day.”

1. UC Riverside

At UC Riverside, dog therapy comes in the Therapy Fluffies group, specially trained dogs who can hand out licks and wagging tails to stressed-out students. The dogs are offered as part of UCR’s finals stress-relief program. Just in 2010, almost 1,000 students enjoyed a visit with a therapy dog during finals week, and a drop in stress right along with it. Of course, the dogs have a great time too, soaking up loads of attention from students who are starved for puppy love. UCR mental health educator Stacey Grady says, “For the sake of your mental health, come and pet a puppy!”

1. Caldwell College

Now in its second year, the Caldwell College Counseling Center offers a pet therapy program for students during the week of finals. With dogs from Therapy Dogs International and Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, students at Caldwell are able to visit with dogs on campus, one of them even dressed as Santa. Lots of smiles, laughs, and hugs went on as nearly 20 dogs visited the campus this year. Students enjoyed the opportunity to connect with the dogs, as so many of them had to leave dogs at home when they went off to college. The dog visit was a welcome break for sophomore Sarah Sledgeski: “I’m so busy with finals, but to be able to do this means the world to me. I’m very grateful.”

1. Oberlin College

Oberlin College students can take advantage of “Puppy Therapy,” an event started to cut down on the cloud of stress on campus during finals time. Junior Corey Spiro, a peer health advocate with the Center for Leadership in Health Promotion, coordinated the event. He says it’s a great program because “therapy dogs have been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and help alleviate depression, ADHD, and a host of other health issues.” Paws to Pet staff brought their dogs to campus, allowing students to relax while doting and “loving on” dogs. The response was great, with more than 500 people RSVPing for the event to enjoy their time with the four-legged therapists on campus.

10. Mercy College

Each day at Mercy College, students have the opportunity to spend time with a therapy dog, a black Labrador retriever named Tuesday. She works in the office with the school’s director of counseling and comes to the office daily. She’s available for walks, playtime, and visits, and all students have to do is stop by the office. Additionally, Tuesday is available for counseling sessions and comfort during difficult discussions, making her an amazing resource for Mercy College to have on hand all the time

MTV’s award-winning documentary series True Life is looking to tell the stories of young pet owners whose lives are being disrupted due to a certain pet that they love…

- Is the problem with the animal… or the human? 

- Who is being affected? 

- What needs to happen moving forward? 

If you appear to be 15-28 years old and have an issue with the pet in your home, MTV wants to hear your story!!!

*** Please email them at pet@mtvn.com and include your name, phone number, location, a recent photo and a brief explanation about how your pet is affecting your life and those around you in a negative manner; and tell them that ThoughtsFurPaws.com sent you. ***