Embrace Pet Community blog

Fashionable and Functional Raised Feeders

After reading this two part series on the causes and prevention of Bloat I have a new appreciation for the severity of this condition.  Second to cancer, Bloat is the biggest cause of death in dogs.  There are some simple prevention steps we can take, including cutting back on the amount of fat intake, feeding several smaller meals, and avoiding activity for an hour after eating.  But the two biggest, and easiest changes we can make for our pets are to feed using raised feeders, and slow down bowls.

There are lovely raised feeders out now, like these custom mosaic feeders from Pawsitively Elegant.  They're made with stained glass, wood, and steel bowls, to include your pet's name.  So, as one of their pet parents says, "Not only are they functional, but they are visually appealing and the ability to customize the pieces is fantastic!"  These platforms come in three heights, and start as little as $65 for the single bowl version.

There are also lots of bowls to help slow down speedy eaters, like the Brake-Fast Dog Food Bowl ($26).  But, there are a couple of ways a trainer might suggest slowing down an eater, using your existing bowl and raised feeder.  First off, if your dog's bowl has a inverted bottom, like this bowl, just flip it upside down and feed them in the outside ring.  Another quick fix: stick a kong or durable toy in the bowl, so your dog has to eat around it.  Either trick will slow down your dog's rate of intake, aiding digestion.

And, while we can never completely prevent bloat, it's a good idea to consider an Embrace Pet Insurance policy, just in case.  As Bloat is always an emergency, it often requires ER visits and surgeries, starting at $2000.  Read how Embrace's accident coverage helped Kylie (shown left.)

 

 

Don't Lick the Dog

Kids and dogs make a great friends, yet, many children are unsure about how to approach or interact with dogs.  Even adults can misread a dog's body language (a wagging tail doesn't always mean a dog is happy).  We've all seen children react poorly when a dog sniffs or licks them, as little ones may think they're getting ready to bite. 

Author Wendy Wahman has a new storybook, Don't Lick the Dog, for children looking to make friends with dogs.  The book will help children to understand that an excitable dog is not something to fear, and also help them to better interpret dog behaviors and body language.  On the other hand, it teaches children to safely approach and interact with the dogs in their world. 

For ages 3-6, $16.95 at the Best Friends Store. 

The lovely dog featured above is Millie.  She, as well as several other Golden Retrievers, are looking for forever homes through G.R.I.N.  Stop and have a look-maybe you'll find a new best friend?

Tennis Balls-safe or not?

I caught an episode of "The Lazy Environmentalist" recently, and the host was talking with a dog groomer about ways to "go green" and also reduce the use of chemicals and harmful toxins in the products they use.  I didn't realize that most tennis balls contain about 45 times the amount of lead acceptable in a child's toy.  This is scary when I think about how my dogs shred the tennis balls-could that toxic lead be affecting them?

The show recommended checking labels, not buying off brands, but most importantly try to buy durable rubber toys.  These toys will be a much longer lasting investment, take up less space in landfills, and less likely to become swallowed and cause a blockage.  A couple of options might be the KONG Ball ($11) or Diamond Plate Orbee Ball ($11.95). 

It's a one time investment that could last years, and will be much better for your dog, and the environment.

SpotLight:A-GPS tracker

I've often wondered about whether or not I would enjoy a GPS tracker for my dogs.  Namely Lula, as she loves sitting outside in our yard, but after the one time she broke through the fence, I have to check on her about every 15 minutes, so I know she's still out there.  A doggie GPS alert and tracker would help me to know that she's there (or not!) and I could relax inside.

Ironically, I got an email from the folks at SpotLight today, suggesting we check out their new GPS system.  The lightweight pack attaches to their collar.  You assign your pet safe spots, say your yard or the dogpark.  The tracker sends you a text message or email when your pet leaves the primary (or even secondary) location.  From there, you can track your pet (even tell if he's moving in a car as opposed to running free) and even activate the spotlight on the box, which I think would help you find your pet in a dark or wooded area.

If your dogis lost, one of their operators will help you locate them using the GPS.  Cooler still-if someone finds your dog, they just press the "Rescue" button and it calls the service and sends you a message, so you're notified of your pet's location right away.

I'm pretty impressed.  I've wondered why I see so few people using pet GPS systems (I see a lot of these on the clearance racks in pet stores too) so with the new features that the SpotLight has, I think the usage will start to increase.  (view the product tour.)

Now, here's what I see as the catch: $199.99 is the introductory price for the unit, and the only monthly service plan available right now is $14.99, and allows for unlimited event notifications.  ($7.99 is coming, and allows for up to 25 events per year, which would be more than enough for most dogs I know).  This product costs more than the GPS navigator I just bought, and has the monthly service plan on top of it. 

So, I guess the costs are still a bit high for products in this area, but I am glad to see the products and services seem to be advancing.  It's a good use of the technology, and although my dogs aren't what I'd call wanderers, if I had fence jumping renegades, I'd probably be interested in this.  What do you think?  Would your dogs benefit from this?

All Pet Naturals-for all pets

All of Embrace Pet Insurance's policies cover alternative and homeopathic treatments, (when performed by a licensed vet) but All Pet Naturals has an excellent argument in favor of the benefits for holistic supplements for your pets.   From their site:

"In the wild, animals medicated themselves for thousands of years. But today, with the advent of mass produced commercial pet foods that are superbly marketed what's tended to happened is these products have, through the refining process, lost many of their essential nutrients and vitamins...Used properly, and in consultation with your veterinarian, herbal products can stimulate the body's natural biological defenses in fighting illness allowing the animal to heal itself thus improving the holistic health of your pet in a softer, less physically taxing and more natural way."

I'm really quite surprised by the number of remedies available.  They offer treatments to aid in allergies, kidney and liver function, joint and muscle support, and even anxiety, among other things.  They have treatments for both canine and feline, and offer free shipping on all orders over $75.  What remedies can your pet use?

ADOPTABLE ALERT!: The cute doggie left above is Ginger.  She is one of the many darling pups available for adoption from A New Leash on Life in Olmsted Falls, Ohio.

 

Alternative Techniques to aid in Independence Day Anxiety

Our friend Meg, with the Denver Alternative Pet Medicine Examiner wrote up a very helpful article about alternative or aromatherapy options to help those of us whose dogs don't do so well with the fireworks. 

"It's probably too late to work on deconditioning or desensitzing your animal to loud noises in time for the big noisy day, July 4th. Still, the most important thing to remember is that you should never reinforce the fear.  As your dog's guardian, you should not reward the behavior (cowering in fear) with extra attention to the dog through stroking it, or trying to reassure it in any other way. The opposite approach of becoming angry or reproaching the dog will also be counterproductive. One tactic that may be useful is playing a game with the dog to distract it from the fireworks, or having it play with another dog (as long as the other dog does not have the same fear).

Sometimes, exposure to loud noises is just unavoidable. Here are some natural remedies that might help your dog overcome, or at least deal sufficiently with the noise not to be traumatized too badly..."

Read the rest: Does your dog dread July 4th?

Backyard Cats

Do you want to keep your cat off of counter tops and curtains?  Maybe you'd like your cat to stay safely in a fenced in area, without jumping or climbing the confines. The Backyard Cat harness system is a creative solution to both of these feline health and safety concerns.  In essence, the tool is a small harness, attached to a one pound sachet that drags below your cat's abdomen.  The extra weight deters cats from jumping by disrupting their timing and balance, so they are less likely to jump and climb.

So your cat goes outside, without a leash or kennel to confine them, and this training aid helps to curb their desire to explore beyond the fence.  Pretty cool!

After a few training sessions, your cat will hopefully stop feeling the desire to jump up or climb, and the tool will no longer be necessary.  3 sizes are available, starting at $19.99, and all of them include harnesses.  Check out their FAQ for more info on how it works and the recommended usage.

Calming Collars-they work, naturally!

Calming Collars offer aromatherapy that's wearable for cats and dogs, and help pets with several forms of anxiety, including fear of thunder, separation, or car rides.  The collars are custom made with a pouch contains the aromatic herbs, and helps to take the edge off.

The collars come in over 40 patterns, and start at $32.  The herbs are "human grade" and won't harm your pet if they become ingested.  They can be worn as needed or 24-7 and last for several months. 

They've got some very satisfied customers.  Read their results here.

Dogg Leggs for Lickers

A dog doing a little bit of licking in the course of grooming is a totally normal thing, but some anxious or particularly itchy dogs can get carried away.  Excessive licking or gnawing can lead to lick granulomas, which are open wounds ("hot spots") usually found on the legs.  Once a lick granuloma gets started, it can increase in size and severity in a shockingly short period of time, and can be hard to cure.

Dogg Leggs have come up with a non-surgical treatment to help dogs with these issues.  There are a ton of products to help treat not only hot spots by covering the affected area but also Hygromas and Decibutal ulcers (aka: those weird scabs on dog elbows).  Products to help front legs, rear legs and torsos are available.  Shown here is Emma and her hot spots before (above) and after, happily wearing her DoggLeggs.  The also offer a ton of "make it yourself" suggestions, so this site is definitely recommended for any pet parent struggling to manage their pet's skin ailments.

Kong-tough enough

Some dogs are really tough chewers.  One of my dogs loves her toys for about 6 weeks and just carries it around, and then decides that she's had enough and destroys it in a matter of minutes, like it's her job to pull that toy in to as many pieces as possible.

Then, there's the EXTREME Kong for tenacious chewers.  It's the toy used by K-9 police dogs.   It's strong enough for your tough chewer, without risking your dogs teeth or gums.  They've got their traditional kong, as well as the Goodie Bone, which is a big hit in my house, because the shape lends itself to being held down by paws.  The bones start around $6, and the kongs start around $8, depending on size.  It's not much more cost than most rubber toys, so the investment is well worth it when you consider how many times you'll end up replacing other toys (or worse, shoes).

The bulldog model of the day is Dozer, a 2 year old rescued bulldog.  What a sweet face!  Thanks to Steve and Adele for sharing him with us!