We've exchanged lots of advice on these pages, and I think it's pretty cool that we have both the tried-and-true, and new methods to try thanks to your comments! In order to keep everyone up on their pets' hygiene, I rounded up my favorite tips and tricks to keep your pets clean, healthy, and smelling fresh all year. Check them out now!
It's heartbreaking enough to see your furry friends go through the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but imagine being a wild animal and not having the medical care or love that a family pet would. Cancer not only affects people and pets, but wild animals as well. A new study conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society shows that cancer accounts for 10 percent of human deaths, and wild animals are dying from cancer at about the same rate.
And although you may want to wish away these similarities as a natural occurrence, take in this fact first: high levels of a chemical called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are found in the St. Lawrence river system, where beluga whales and many species of fish are frequently found hunting for food. Studies show that this (human-produced) pollutant is the leading cause of intestinal cancer in the beluga whale population. Coincidence? I'm not so sure about that. Although there isn't much you can do to monitor signs of cancer in wild animals from your home, you can keep an eye out for common signs of cancer in your pets!
Giggle tipped me off to a story the other day about a woman who spent nearly $12,000 dollars in reconstructive surgery on her cat after he was injured in a car accident. While I was stunned at the amount, I was not completely surprised.
How much is too much to spend on the health of your pet? I'm sure the answer may be "money is no object" but after reading her story, I was still very thankful that North and I have not encountered any catastrophic injuries that would literally break the bank to pay for. That's not to say that I haven't had some insane vet bills to deal with in my lifetime, but they were nowhere near the $12,000 dollar mark like in this story. What was the most that you've ever had to pay on a vet bill?
Not only are pets great companions, we now know what good therapy having a pet can be. Petting our furry friends, or even just watching our fishies swim around their tank can lower our blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attack. But as much as pets benefit humans, I can't help but wonder how we can help them in return. I know from experience that pets can get stressed and anxious too, showing it by tearing up your couch cushions, or ripping to shreds their fave toy in five seconds flat. Now, a recent report says there's an easy way to return all the healthful favors.
A study conducted in 2000 shows that the sounds of a harp aid in lowering the blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety in pets that were recouping at a Florida vet hospital, leading us to believe that classical music could be as calming to Fido as it is to humans.
While I don't personally leave tunes on for North to chill to while I'm at work, he does get treated to the soothing classical sounds when he's staying at our fave Pet Camp and at our local Wag Hotel. Now I just might add a few classical tunes to our road trip soundtrack! Until then, I'm curious to know: do any of you leave music on for your pets while you're out?
Spring cleaning doesn't have to be limited to actual cleaning. You can take this opportunity to tidy up your daily routine as well. And what better way than to start with your beloved pets, and the food that fuels your pet's body! Since you should be keeping your pet food in a sealed container – to keep creepy crawlies from munching on it instead of your dog or cat – these Bamboo Can Covers ($7) come in handy for those wet food containers. Since aluminum foil doesn't quite make the cut for keeping the food sealed and fresh, this can cover keeps an airtight seal and is inexpensive to replace if your furry friend somehow gets a hold of it, mistaking it for a toy. Plus, it will help your fridge smell free. Not that you don't love the smell of your pet's food, right? Right.
