Jerky Treats Now Safe???

Here's some important info about the pet jerky recall. –Kim

New Report about Chicken Jerky Treats...

A new story has come out claiming that Chicken Jerky Treats are now safe....
 

Two brands of chicken jerky pet treats will soon reenter the market after years of reports of pet illness – even death – associated with consumption of jerky treats made with chicken sourced from China. Milo's Kitchen and Nestlé Purina (the maker of Waggin' Train treats) say that since the voluntary recall of their jerky treats last year due to antibiotic residue, they have reevaluated, revamped, reformulated and even discontinued certain products mired in suspicion and a nearly decade-old U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation. Now manufacturers are staking their name on the belief that they finally have it right.
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Disturbing Facts
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has received a total of approximately 3,000 reports of pet illness possibly related to the consumption of jerky treats, including 580 deaths.
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Cause STILL Unknown
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The FDA has issued several warnings about jerky products imported from China since it first received reports of pet illness in 2007. However, despite ongoing efforts to identify a cause of illness, testing has been inconclusive.
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What to Look Out For
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Watch your pet closely. Signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products are decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes with blood or mucus), increased water consumption and/or increased urination. Severe cases are diagnosed with pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and kidney failure or the resemblance of a rare kidney related illness called Fanconi syndrome.
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Questionable Ingredients
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Milo's Kitchen ingredients
Chicken Jerky Strips: Chicken, soy flour, sugar, glycerin, textured soy protein, salt, guar gum, sodium tripolyphosphate, monoglyceride, garlic powder, sorbic acid, citric acid, BHA (used as a preservative), natural smoke flavor, annatto color, onion extract.
Chicken Grillers: chicken breast, rice flour, glycerin, gelatin, soy flour, wheat gluten, modified tapioca starch, sugar, soy protein concentrate, salt, monoglyceride, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium sorbate (used as a preservative), citric acid, caramel color, garlic powder, natural smoke flavor, BHA (used as a preservative), dried egg white.
Artificial color, artificial flavor, harmful preservatives (BHA), questionable protein sources, questionable carbohydrate contents
 
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Dr. Jones Responds
My Advice...
Don't EVER feed these to your pets.
The toxin is still unknown, and they contain an array of potential harmful ingredients, providing no nutritive value.

P.S. My supplements ONLY contain ingredients I have sourced to be safe and effective. Avoid harmful treats, but use these instead:

• Dogs: www.thedogsupplement.com
• Cats: www.thecatsupplement.com
  

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Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM has been a practicing Veterinarian for over 20 years. He is a strong advocate of Natural Pet Health Care, and knows that the most important way to heal our pets and prevent disease is through proper nutrition. He developed Ultimate Canine to give our dogs that extra advantage – something that will provide them with everything they need to develop stronger immune systems to fight disease, heal sore or stiff joints, and help them live longer, happier lives. Dr. Andrew Jones' main focus is on alternative, non-traditional remedies for pets. His interest in alternative pet medicine culminated in the writing of his book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed.

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Source: http://www.theinternetpetvet.com/jerky-treats-now-safe/

Copyright © Four Paws Online Ltd. 2014

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Also, see:
They May Have Killed 600 Dogs, But They're Headed Back to Store Shelves

Canine Mystery Illness Spreading to People

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Vet Believes Midwest Canine Mystery Illness is Zoonotic

October 29, 2013
By: Julie Scheidegger
DVM360 Magazine

Darwin was admitted to the Emergency Veterinary

Hospital of Ann Arbor with clinical signs of the

mystery illness. Dr. Lindsay Ruland says his owner,

a local veterinarian, told her he had had gastro-

intestinal and upper respiratory symptoms in the

weeks leading up to the dog's illness.

A recent weekend at the Emergency Veterinary Hospital of Ann Arbor, Mich., owned by Lindsay Ruland, DVM, saw a dozen patients with signs of the mystery canine illness reported in Ohio and Michigan. "Some had milder forms and were treated on an outpatient basis if they lived within 10 minutes of our hospital; others were so critical they came in unresponsive and were immediately admitted," Ruland told dvm360.

Ruland says that although public attention surrounding the still-unidentified disease began with cases in Ohio late this summer, she's been seeing the gastrointestinal and respiratory signs in her patients for the past year – upwards of 100 cases. Last year, however, she says the signs weren't as severe. "This year it's definitely worse," she says.

Recently, Ruland says, she and her staff saw firsthand how aggressive the disease is. "We had a 5-month-old mixed-breed dog who had been having diarrhea for less than 24 hours, and it suddenly became bloody," she says. Coincidentally, the owner's cousin's dog had died suddenly two weeks earlier of hemorrhagic diarrhea. Ruland performed radiographs immediately, and while she was reviewing them with the owner, the dog turned gray. "He began breathing heavily and collapsed and was unresponsive," Ruland says.

She rushed an IV catheter and resuscitated the dog with crystalloids and Hetastarch. "He required oxygen supplementation and after 30 minutes finally became responsive," Ruland says. "He went home 24 hours later, but it just showed us how fast this thing moves. If that dog had done that at home, he would have certainly died."

Nearly a dozen dogs have been reported dead in association with the illness in Ohio and Michigan, according to state officials. Ruland says her hospital has seen six dogs die from the illness since the end of August. "And that's just our clinic," she says. She thinks it's a problem at other veterinary hospitals as well, but people may not know what they're seeing.

After local media picked up on the illness reports in Ohio, Ruland went public with her own cases to bring more attention to the illness with the hope it would hasten a diagnosis. Since then, Ruland says she's heard from several pet owners who were not her clients that their pets had exhibited the signs and died suddenly within 24 hours. "The other clinics never had a diagnosis for the owners and oftentimes told the owners that their dog must have had cancer if it was an older dog, or they blamed the owners for feeding the dogs some fatty human food and causing severe pancreatitis," Ruland says. "So the other clinics are seeing these cases, they just aren't seeing them."

According to Tony Forshey, DVM, state veterinarian at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the most common, consistent clinical signs of the illness have been vomiting and bloody diarrhea, which could have a wide range of contributing factors. After ruling out common causes, Ruland began looking for answers for the increasing number of patients presenting with the illness. Her hospital performed abdominal exploratory surgery in 36 dogs with the same findings – varying degrees of vasculitis. "Vasculitis, edema to all the major organs – it's really impressive," she says. Testing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture found evidence of vasculitis as well.

However, Ruland says her cases seemed to present not only a GI component but a respiratory component as well. She contacted the Animal Industry Division of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for advice on what to test for and what samples to collect. She kept a spreadsheet of her cases.

As cases continued to come in, Ruland says she began to notice another component of the illness. "Owners started saying that they had been sick," she says. Clients would joke they had the same symptoms as their pet.

Ruland realized that cases had begun coming in around the start of fair season and human influenza season. Swine flu had been reported in the state. "The owners were getting sick themselves; my staff was getting more sick the more they handled the cases as well," she says. Then Ruland herself got sick.

She says the illness in people starts with the sudden onset of severe abdominal pain, high in the abdomen. It progresses to lethargy, vomiting and bloating. After a couple days of GI symptoms, it turns respiratory with shortness of breath and coughing. "It definitely seems flulike," Ruland says. She and her team have also noted postviral neurological issues.

"We're pretty certain this is zoonotic here," Ruland says. "I'm not going to put my reputation on the line just for nothing. I do believe in this. I got sick myself."

Ruland doesn't want to cause a panic as there is no scientific evidence yet that the canine illness is zoonotic other than what she, her employees and her clients have experienced. But until she's proved wrong, Ruland and her staff are taking precautions. If doctors and team members shake hands with clients, they sanitize after. They bleach down the clinic once a day. "We've taken a lot more precautions and we're still coming down with this," Ruland says.

And now her boys are sick. Ages 2 and almost 4, her sons are battling respiratory infections and intermittent GI symptoms. Ruland says they had full respiratory panels conducted to look for the common illnesses like influenzas and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but all came back negative. Her youngest has suffered bloody diarrhea and the oldest was rushed to the emergency room after he woke up nearly purple with respiratory distress, she says.

Ruland and her husband, who co-owns the hospital, now change clothes in the garage after work and put their hospital clothing right into the laundry before entering their house. They have hand sanitizer everywhere. "It must be airborne or traveling on clothes or something," she says.

Ruland also says her sons' pediatrician told her she's sent more children by ambulance to the intensive care unit in the past couple of weeks than she has in the past five years. "She is certain something serious is going around in humans right now, and it just seems too coincidental that it is also going around in our animals," she says.

Ruland realizes she's putting her neck on the line with her belief that this illness is zoonotic. She's hoping science will back up what she's seeing and experiencing at her clinic. "We've been taught viruses don't cross species," she says. "It's very scary if this is passing readily. We don't want to cause a panic until we know exactly what we're dealing with."

While a spokesperson with the Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health at Michigan State's College of Veterinary Medicine says officials there are in contact with other agencies about how the illness might affect public health, Thomas Mullaney, MVB, MS, PhD, director of the Diagnostic Center, says he doesn't see any evidence of zoonosis whatsoever. To his knowledge, neither the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nor any other public health organization is conducting an investigation concerning the canine illness at this time. Officials in Ohio and Michigan have stated they do not believe the illness is spreading.

However, Ruland says epidemiologists and other public health specialists interested in a possible zoonotic component have contacted her. She is working with them and other private agencies to investigate the possible human side of the illness while continuing to work with the MSU Diagnostic Center on the animal side.

With so much unknown about the illness – researchers have ruled out canine circovirus as a primary cause – Ruland feels it's important to explore what she is witnessing and experiencing at her hospital. "It's not proven in scientific fact, but it's strong enough we needed to get the word out to people," she says. She says other veterinarians and former classmates are contacting her, sharing cases they now believe could be tied to the illness.

While testing continues at the Diagnostic Center and other laboratories, Ruland's partnerships with private researchers continue as well. "The research group we are working with is working on deep DNA sequencing to try and figure out if the canine samples show circovirus or an entirely new virus," Ruland says. She may have her sons tested for circovirus, both porcine and canine if possible, if their respiratory symptoms persist.

"We're seeing a lot of these cases still," Ruland says. "We are very alarmed at the sheer number of animals who have this illness right now and expect it to only increase as the flu season goes on. We are trying to obtain answers quickly to see if there is a way we can prevent this from continuing."

Ruland is footing the bill for all samples her hospital has submitted for testing. She says she doesn't care what it costs. There are 20 different samples in the refrigerator right now. "I don't want my staff getting sick; I don't want these dogs getting sick. I just want an answer," she says.

Source: DVM360 Magazine
© 2013 Advanstar Communications

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Also, see:

• Severe Canine Illness Mystifies Veterinarians, Officials in Midwest
• Midwest Dog-killing Illness a Mystery; May be a New Virus

 

Top 10 Plants Poisonous to Pets

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

The 10 Most Poisonous Plants to Your Pet

Dr. Justine Lee, Associate Director of Veterinary Services, explains what plants could be a potential danger to your dog or cat.

Every day, Pet Poison Helpline receives dozens of phone calls from dog owners and cat owners saying "My cat ate a lily!" or "My dog ate a plant. Is it poisonous?" Some of the most poisonous plants for dogs and cats are reviewed below.

While there are thousands of species of plants and flowers, only a small percentage of plants are truly dangerous and poisonous to your pet. Make sure you know which plants are most deadly to avoid your dog or cat from getting into these poisonous flowers and poisonous plants!

Autumn Crocus

There are two Crocus plants: one that blooms in the spring (Crocus species) and the other in the autumn (Colchicum autumnale). The spring plants are more common and are part of the Iridaceae family. These ingestions can cause general gastrointestinal upset including vomiting and diarrhea. These should not be mistaken for Autumn Crocus, part of the Liliaceae family, which contain colchicine. The Autumn Crocus is highly toxic and can cause severe vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage, and respiratory failure. If you're not sure what plant it is, bring your pet to your veterinarian immediately for care. Signs may be seen immediately, but can be delayed for days.

Azalea

In the same family as rhododendrons, azaleas can have serious effects on pets. Eating even a few leaves can result in vomiting, diarrhea and excessive drooling; without immediate veterinary attention, the pet could fall into a coma and possibly die.

Cyclamen

The roots of this seasonal flowering plant are especially dangerous to pets. If ingested, cyclamen can cause severe vomiting and even death.

Kalanchoe

This popular flowering succulent plant can cause vomiting, diarrhea and heart arrhythmias if ingested by pets.

Lilies

There are dangerous and benign lilies out there, and it's important to know the difference. Peace, Peruvian, and Calla lilies contain oxalate crystals that cause minor signs, such as tissue irritation to the mouth, tongue, pharynx and esophagus – this results in minor drooling. The more dangerous, potentially fatal lilies are true lilies, and these include Tiger, Day, Asiatic, Easter and Japanese Show lilies – all of which are highly toxic to cats! Even small ingestions (such as 2-3 petals or leaves) can result in severe kidney failure. If your cat is seen consuming any part of a lily, bring your cat (and the plant) immediately to a veterinarian for medical care. The sooner you bring in your cat, the better and more efficiently we can treat the poisoning. Decontamination (like inducing vomiting and giving binders like activated charcoal) are imperative in the early toxic stage, while aggressive intravenous fluid therapy, kidney function monitoring tests, and supportive care can greatly improve the prognosis.

Oleander

Oleander is an outdoor shrub, popular for its evergreen qualities and delicate flowers. However, the leaves and flowers are extremely toxic if ingested and can cause severe vomiting, slow the heart rate and possibly even cause death.

Dieffenbachia

Popular in many homes and offices, dieffenbachia can cause intense oral irritation, drooling, nausea, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if ingested.

Daffodils

These flowers contain lycorine, an alkaloid with strong emetic properties (something that triggers vomiting). Ingestion of the bulb, plant or flower can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and even possible cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory depression. Crystals are found in the outer layer of the bulbs, similar to hyacinths, which cause severe tissue irritation and secondary drooling. Daffodil ingestions can result in more severe symptoms so if an exposure is witnessed or symptoms are seen, we recommend seeking veterinary care for further supportive care.

Lily of the Valley

The Convallaria majalis plant contains cardiac glycosides which will cause symptoms similar to digitalis (foxglove) ingestion. These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in heart rate, severe cardiac arrhythmias and possibly seizures. Pets with any known exposure to this plant should be examined and evaluated by a veterinarian and treated symptomatically.

Sago Palm

Very popular in warmer climates, this household and outdoor plant can be very harmful to pets. If ingested, the leaves and seeds can cause vomiting, bloody stools, damage to the stomach lining, severe liver failure and, in some cases, death.

Tulips and Hyacinths

Tulips contain allergenic lactones while hyacinths contain similar alkaloids. The toxic principle of these plants is very concentrated in the bulbs (versus the leaf or flower), so make sure your dog isn't digging up the bulbs in the garden. When the plant parts or bulbs are chewed or ingested, it can result in tissue irritation to the mouth and esophagus. Typical signs include profuse drooling, vomiting or even diarrhea, depending on the amount consumed. There's no specific antidote, but with supportive care from the veterinarian (including rinsing the mouth, anti-vomiting medication, and possibly subcutaneous fluids), animals do quite well. With large ingestions of the bulb, more severe symptoms such as an increase in heart rate and changes in respiration can be seen, and should be treated by a veterinarian. These more severe signs are seen in cattle or our overzealous, chowhound Labradors.

This is only a partial list of poisonous plants. For a more complete list of plants poisonous to dogs and cats, visit our Poison List.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these items or any other questionable substance, call Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) or your veterinarian for assistance. Accurate and timely identification of the suspected substance is very important. Having the container, package or label in hand will save valuable time and may save the life of your pet.

NOTE: In order to provide this critical service, please be advised that there is a $39 per incident fee, payable by credit card to Pet Poison Helpline. This fee covers the initial consultation as well as all follow-up calls associated with the management of the case.

Source: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-plants-poisonous-to-pets/
©2012 Pet Poison Helpline

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Also, see:

• Are Tomatoes Poisonous to Dogs?
• Veterinarian Approved Pet Insurance!
• AGILA Hundehalter-Haftpflicht
• Helpline Poison List

8 Tips for a Yappy Thanksgiving

Here's a great holiday article that I thought I would pass on...hope it helps! –Kim

Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Dog Owners

Our dogs enjoy the Thanksgiving festivities as much as we do, with bits of this and that falling to the floor and delectable smells floating through the house. But turkey day mustn't be a free-for-all for our furry friends. Just because we try to pack away all we can doesn't mean our dogs should do the same. And there are certain items our pets really need to avoid.

There's enough for people to worry about at Thanksgiving. "Oh no, not Aunt Edna's greasy gravy." "My brother's bragging is going to drive me to drink." "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." But we can't just think of ourselves over this food-focused holiday: We have to look after our best friends, too.

Dogs enjoy the revelry at least as much as humans, with bits of this and that dropping on the floor, and delectable smells wafting around the house. But Thanksgiving mustn't be a free-for-all. Just because we try to pack away all we can doesn't mean our dogs should. And there are certain items your dog really needs to avoid.

"Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones, etc.," warns Casandria Smith, L.A. Animal Services Chief Veterinarian, in a PetFinder article.

Here are some tips that will help your dog get through Thanksgiving safely and with a smile on her snout.

Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Dog

It's easy to want to give your dog a big fat bowl of turkey, mashed potatoes and whatever else you think she might enjoy. But that's a bad idea. Overindulging in fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. A few strips of turkey on a dog's normal food is fine, but don't overdo it, no matter how she may plead with her "I'm STARVING" eyes. Keep in mind that turkey skin can wreak havoc with a dog's digestive system, so make sure she gets skinless, boneless turkey.

Stuff Your Dog's Kong, Not Your Dog

Here's a great way to keep your dog busy and happy during your meal. Put a bit of your dog's regular food in a Kong, and then stuff a little boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy – just a tad, mind you – in the Kong. It's not much food, but it will keep him occupied for a long time.

Get Her Pooped

A dog who has been on a big walk or fetched the ball a zillion times will be much more likely to run out of energy during the feast than a dog who's been inside all day. A tired dog is a good dog on Thanksgiving. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise before the festivities begin.

Make No Bones About It

Cooked turkey bones can be a danger to your dog. They're sharp, and potentially very dangerous. You may not know a dog has a turkey bone lodged in your dog's digestive system for days. Don't leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can't dispose of everything properly right away.

Know this Sage Wisdom

Sage and some other herbs have essential oils that can cause tummy upset and central nervous system depression if a dog eats them in large quantities. Most dogs aren't going to nosh on a fistful of sage, but keep herbs out of reach just in case.

Don't Cry Over Onions

Onions are toxic to dogs. They can lead to a dangerous form of anemia that may not be detected for days. Make sure your dog stays away from the pearly whites, and yellows, and reds.

Don't Give Her the Raw Deal

Unless your dog is already on a raw diet, we wouldn't recommend plopping a piece of raw turkey in her bowl (the change from her regular food might cause an upset stomach). But more importantly, keep your pup away from the uncooked dough for bread or rolls. What helps make dough rise? Heat. If a dog eats raw dough, what's it like for the dough in the dog's stomach? Warm. The dough rises in the dog's stomach, and if the dog has eaten enough, the swollen dough can cause pain, vomiting, and bloating – conditions that can send you to the doggy ER on Thanksgiving.

Avoid Yappy Hour

Some dogs seem to enjoy alcoholic drinks. Walk away from your drink that's set on the coffee table, and Lulu may get lit. Dogs and booze are a bad mix. Your dog may not do anything embarrassing she'll regret in the morning, but she could become disoriented and quite ill. Too much alcohol can even lead to a coma, and death. Watch where you – and others – put their drinks, especially if you have a curious pup.

By following a few basic tips, your dog will enjoy a fun, safe Thanksgiving. Now if only you could avoid Aunt Edna's gravy...

Source: http://www.dogster.com/dog-food/thanksgiving-safety-tips-for-dog-owners
Copyright 2003-2010 Dogster, Inc.

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Also, see:

• Thanksgiving Hazards and Your Dog
• With a Knick-knack, Paddy-whack...
• Toxic or Dangerous Foods for Your Dog

9 Tips for a Chic, Pet-friendly Home

Here's a great article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it interesting! –Kim

Your Home can be Beautiful and Pet-friendly with these Pointers from Design Experts
By Leanne Potts

A lot of stylish people are letting their houses go to the dogs and the cats and the birds – without sacrificing style or comfort. Instead of banishing their furry friends to the yard, many pet owners are decorating and remodeling their living spaces with their pets' needs in mind, turning pet-friendly decorating into a full-blown trend.

"You can have a beautiful house and a pet, too," says Julia Szabo, pet columnist for the New York Post and author of Animal House Style: Designing a Home to Share with Your Pets.

"The key is choosing the right materials and accommodating your animals' needs." Julia, who shares her digs with a dozen rescued dogs and cats, says an animal-friendly house is more comfortable for humans, too. "If a house doesn't work with dogs, it won't work with children or guests, either."

DO vacuum regularly.

Even if you match your chaise to your Siamese so perfectly the hairballs are barely visible, vacuum kitty's hair off the furniture at least twice a week. You may need to vacuum daily when your pet is shedding.

Pet hair has an odor, and it contains an oil that will attract dirt to the fabric on which it sits. She suggests you invest in a Dyson DC14 Animal, an upright vacuum named for its miraculous ability to suck up animal hair. It costs around $550, but Julia says you'll wonder how you ever lived without it when you see the horrifying amounts of dirt and hair the Dyson picks up from your floors and furniture.

DO bathe and groom your pet often.

Keeping your dog or cat clean will help your house stay cleaner, longer. Trimmed nails won't scratch floors or upholstery. Regularly brushing and bathing removes loose hair before it ends up on your floor, your bed, your throw pillows, your curtains. Furniture and rugs will last longer if they don't need to be washed as often. Think of it this way: It's easier to clean your dog than your upholstery, and it's usually more fun.

DO use stain-resistant fabrics.

Forget silk, chintz or the pet-hair magnet known as velvet. Discover the joys of Crypton, a nearly indestructible, synthetic fabric that's resistant to stains, smells, bacteria and muddy paws.

William Wegman, the artist known for his Weimaraner photos, has designed a line of Crypton fabrics aimed at pet-obsessed style mavens that includes sturdy suedes and twills with names like Polka Dog and Material Dog. It's available in upholstery shops, from many furniture manufacturers and interior designers; you can find it online at www.cryptonfabric.com.

Leather is a good choice, easy to clean and durable. Most grades of leather will suffer only scratches from Fido or Fluffy's claws, but hey, the scratches add patina. If you see a sad irony in buying a sofa made from an animal for your animal, try pleather. It's cruelty-free, relatively inexpensive and has a timeless appeal.

Then there's Ultrasuede, a machine-washable microfiber that feels as smooth and seductive as real suede. "I can't say enough good things about Ultrasuede," Julia Szabo says. She has covered her 1950s Heywood-Wakefield sofa and chairs in Ultrasuede and even had a couple of pet beds made of it. "It's beautiful, and it always stays cool and comfortable no matter the climate. That's important for your and your animal's comfort." Velvet is a definite no-no for a home with pets. Ultrasuede is a stylish and easy-to-maintain alternative.

DO put washable fabrics on your bed.

If your dog or cat sleeps with you there will be accidents. "Cats barf a lot," Julia Szabo says. "Deal with it." Protect your mattress from the inevitable by covering it with a thick pad. Use cotton bedsheets, preferably in a medium color or a pattern that can hide the pet hair and stains between washings. For bedspreads, duvet covers work well because you can take them off and wash them regularly. Delicate-looking matelasse coverlets are surprisingly durable; their tight quilting resists pet toenail snags and repeated washings.

DO skip wall-to-wall carpet.

Carpet absorbs odors, traps pet hair and soaks up inevitable pet-related stains like a sponge. "I try to steer pet owners away from carpet," says Chicago interior designer Nan Ruvel, who designs animal-friendly interiors for clients and lives with three cats. "It's difficult to keep clean. It's a bad idea."

If you must have carpet, she says, choose a low pile. "It's easier to clean if there's an accident." And avoid continuous loop carpet because a pet toenail can unravel it by catching a single woven loop.

DO choose hard surface floors.

Bare floors are the way to go, but bare doesn't have to be boring. Painted concrete is lovely and durable, as are terrazzo and brick. Hardwood floors are simple to mop or vacuum and add a warm glow to a room, but keep in mind that large dogs can scratch wood.

The best floor is ceramic tile, because it's easy to clean and resistant to any stain an animal can dish out. Tile is toenail-proof, it makes a room look sleek and elegant, and it gives furry animals a cool place to nap during hot weather. Porous materials like marble or other natural stones aren't as pet-proof as other hard surfaces, since acids present in pet spit-up can stain them, even if they're sealed, designer Nan Ruvel says.

DO match colors to your pet's fur.

Your pet can be a source of inspiration when choosing colors for your room. Paint a concrete floor the same shade of gray as your cat. Cover your sofa in a honey microfiber that matches your golden retriever. This isn't just an aesthetic shout-out to your pet; it's also a practical choice because the hair they leave behind won't be as visible. "Put a white floor in a house with a black Lab, you're going to have black tumbleweeds everywhere," says Nan Ruvel.

Julia Szabo tells of a New York artist who painted a room in his Manhattan digs a brilliant shade of green inspired by his Amazon parrot. "It reminds the parrot of his ancestral home in the jungle. The wall is gorgeous, and it makes the bird much happier," she says. Painting walls white is a bad idea aesthetically and practically, she says. "Let's face it; a white wall goes gray in a minute around dogs." This forces you to be more creative and daring when choosing colors, Julia says. "Pets present you with the opportunity to really work with color."

DO give your pet tidy, attractive treats and toys.

Dogs adore pig's ears and rawhide bones, but Julia Szabo says they're a bad idea. "They're hideous, they're smelly and they're as bad for your pet as they are for your floor," she says, pointing out they're coated in nitrates and leave greasy stains on floors and furniture.

It's important to give your dog something to chew on, or he might go after a chair leg. Julia suggests rubber toys like the Kong or the Super-Tuff Rhino. For cats, Szabo recommends Everyday Studio's Cat Tree (www.everydaystudio.com), a scratching post/climbing tree combo that hangs on the wall. It's a chic, geometrically shaped concoction of colored metal and cardboard that offers a stylish alternative to homely, carpet-covered scratching posts and plywood climbing trees. "It's like a work of art for your pet; it's beautiful and it's functional," she says. Another option that will allow your cat to get out his inner panther, stylishly: shelves for him to perch on. Julia sells "Tiger Branches," a set of wooden demilune shelves that attach to the wall (www.animalhousestyle.com).

DO set up an animal room near an entry.

"It's important to consider your pet's lifestyle when you establish the layout of your house," Nan Ruvel says. "If your dog goes outside, make sure he can come back in through an area that's super-impervious." She just finished a project in which she converted a breakfast room into a mudroom for a client's two dogs. "She wanted a place where she could get dirt off them before they came in the house," she says. To do this, she put porcelain tile on the walls and floor of the breakfast room, which opened onto the backyard. She replaced the table with a banquette upholstered in stain-resistant fabric and equipped with under-the-seat storage for leashes and food. Nan also installed built-in shelves on the walls where the client could keep towels used to wipe the dirt off the dogs when they came inside from the yard.

Source: http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/dog-gone-stylish/index.html
© 2010 Scripps Networks, LLC

Dog Parvo Symptoms

Here's an informative article that I thought I would pass on...hope you find it helpful! –Kim

Background of Dog Parvo

If you're like us, you probably fell in love with your puppy the very first time you looked at his/her tiny face. It's hard to imagine anything happening to them.

Dog parvo, short for parvovirus, is one of the most serious illnesses a dog can contract, and it's especially deadly in puppies. And it's highly contagious. It can jump from dog to dog very quickly, even with indirect contact.

First discovered in the late 1970's, it's similar in structure to the feline parvovirus, differing by only two amino acids. It effects most types of canids, including wolves and foxes. Two strands are the most common, but a third strand has supposedly been discovered in Italy, Vietnam and Spain.

There are two types of infection of parvo a dog can acquire, intestinal or cardiac, and the severity varies greatly. Some dogs show no symptoms, yet die within 72 hours. More commonly, in less volatile strains, the mortality rate is just 10%.

Along with contact with other infected dogs, parvo can get caught from oral ingestion of infected feces or soil. Other animals may also be carriers, even if they themselves cannot be affected by the virus. It has a high climate tolerance, and so can survive in almost any condition, shrugging off sunlight and moisture.

Dog parvo partly causes so many problems, even with modern veterinary medicine, because it has a high rate of evolution, unlike the feline variety. It mimics RNA virus like influenza. New vaccines have to be developed for the flu every year because of the changes, and parvo is no different.

Fortunately, a dog who survives a parvo infection is generally immune for life, similar to our chicken pox, so no silent carrier dogs exist.

If your dog, especially your new puppy, begins exhibiting any of these symptoms, see a veterinarian right away. When parvo is involved, every hour counts. The secret of survival is quick treatment, so don't ignore these symptoms! One or all of these will usually being showing after 3-10 days of infection.

• Lethargic. If your dog normally likes to play and has high energy, this is the clearest sign that something is wrong. You could say they act depressed.
• Lack of Appetite. The more common strains attack the digestive system.
• Vomiting with no change in diet. It usually looks clear and foamy.
• Bloody Diarrhea.
• Stronger Feces Odor. It's unmistakable and you will never forget it.

The vomiting and diarrhea are the most dangerous, as they can quickly lead to dehydration and malnutrition. This leads to other problems that eventually compound on top of each other to finally kill the dog...and fast.

Always be on the lookout these symptoms of parvo, especially if your puppy is over 10 weeks old.

Source: http://dogparvosymptoms.net
Copyright © 2008 Dog Parvo Symptoms

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Also, see: How to Treat a Dog With Parvo