CURING YOUR CAT'S BAD BREATH

Bad breath in a pet is usually associated with dogs, however, if you happen to own a cat with bad breath, you will know that it smells awful. Usually, bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth which breaks down protein in your cat's food releasing sulphur compounds into the air. Since sulphur has a foul odour, when your cat opens its mouth this sulphur smell is released. The bacteria responsible for the release of the sulphur smell is the kind which is associated with a buildup of tartar on your cat's teeth. Tartar, which also forms on human teeth, is yellow or greenish yellow in colour and it is made up of minerals in the cat's saliva which adhere to plaque on the surface of the cat's teeth. Once the tartar builds up on your cat's teeth, it becomes very hard and it is difficult to remove. Severe cases will require professional removal, which is quite expensive. The best way to eliminate it is to catch it in its early stage when use of pet toothpaste with anti tartar enzymes can, if used daily, virtually prevent the formation of dental plaque which will, in turn, eliminate the formation of tartar because it will not have the plaque to anchor it to the teeth. There are now cat foods that are designed to reduce the buildup of tartar. Some cat treats apparently have enzymes that will dissolve dental plaque eliminating the formation of tartar. Before considering these foods and treats, consult with your veterinarian to ascertain that these enzymes do not cause other medical problems for your beloved pet.

As mentioned above, if you catch it early enough, that is before the tartar becomes as hard as cement, you may be able to clean the tartar off your cat’s teeth at home. There are several toothpastes available for pets, in several different flavors, which are designed to prevent the formation of plaque and thus prevent tartar buildup. You can remove it with a basic toothbrush, but you will probably find that an electric toothbrush is much better, because the motion of these brushes is better at removing plaque. If you start when your cat is young and easier to handle, you will have more success. Brushing your cat's teeth will not be easy, but it will prevent the buildup of plaque and thus prevent the bad breath associated with the formation of tartar. Note! You must ensure that you use PET toothpaste. Human toothpaste contains chemicals that must be spit out. Since neither cats or dogs can spit like a human, they have to swallow the toothpaste. If you have ever accidentally swallowed human toothpaste, you know that it makes you quite ill. Doing so on a daily basis as your pet would have to do could lead to many very serious maladies.

Some of the bacteria that leads to plaque and tartar buildup can be found in your cat’s diet. Because of this, make sure you feed him premium food and that you brush his teeth or rinse his mouth out after he eats. This way, you’ll get the bacteria out of his mouth before it has time to build up on his teeth.

Another reason for consulting your veterinarian when you detect a bad odour on your cat's breath is that sometimes, in rare cases, the cause of the bad breath could be caused by either liver or kidney disease. So, if you notice bad breath coming from your cat, you should take him or her to your vet. Even though it may be something to do with tartar, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Your veterinarian can pinpoint the problem, let you know what the cause is and how you should go about fixing it.

Until next time,

Teia

Vaccinating Your Pets

Timely vaccinations are a very important part of your pet's health. Different types of vaccines should be given at different times and locations. For example, if you live in an area where rabies is prevalent, then you should have your pet vaccinated for this disease. However, if you live in an area where rabies is rare, then it may not be necessary to get your pet vaccinated against this disease, or it may only need to be vaccinated every two or three years instead of every year. Currently there is a lot of controversy among veterinarians and among staff at veterinarian colleges regarding the frequency of vaccinations. These professionals are currently conducting tests to determine the optimal time frame for safe and effective vaccinations. When they have arrived at a major consensus, I will post a further entry on this topic.

Some people are against vaccination of their pets and some are in favour of it, but my assertion is that there are risks involved with both decisions. A firm statement cannot be made on this topic as the rules vary from one individual animal to another, depending on the needs and tolerance levels of the animal involved. There are, however, certain factors to be considered when you are making your decision. I will try and point out these factors in this post.

Young animals which have been separated from their mothers before they reach six weeks of age and who are bottle fed, are at higher risk of getting diseases. This is because these animals do not get enough maternal antibodies from their mothers milk, which protect them from contracting diseases, until their own immune system becomes fully developed. The development of an animal's immune system can differ on the basis of the mother's antibodies, the amount and type of viruses the young animal is exposed to, the potency of the viruses and the body's ability to withstand the virus attack. Diet and nutrition will also play an important role in the young animal's ability to ward off disease.

Animals which don't get their mother's antibodies and which aren't exposed to diseases, do not build the antibodies needed to ward of these diseases on their own. As a result, they need to be vaccinated against these diseases so that the vaccination causes their bodies to build the necessary antibodies needed to prevent them from contracting these diseases if they are exposed to them at a later time.

As mentioned above, numerous pet owners do not believe in vaccinating their pets. They feel that the risks associated with vaccinations outweigh the benefits from them. This is a personal decision, which has both good points and bad points associated with it. An unvaccinated animal exposed to a disease would have a poor chance of warding off that disease. On the other hand, if their animal is never vaccinated, then it will never have an adverse reaction to a vaccination.

Vaccines and vaccinations are being improved all the time, so fatal reactions to vaccinations are now becoming rare, but they do happen on occasion. One thing that needs to be covered more thoroughly by both the owner and the veterinarian is the history and genetics of the animal. When obtaining a pet, it is inherent on the new owner to determine the background of the animal, its parents and grandparents, if possible. By checking the animal's family background it can be determined if any family members suffered from any genetic diseases, or had adverse reactions to vaccinations. The veterinarian should also do a thorough physical examination of the animal including blood testing to ensure the animal is healthy. Sickly animals will have more likelihood of experiencing an adverse reaction to a vaccination than healthy animals. Also, by having the weight of the animal, the veterinarian can determine the exact amount of vaccine that should be given to the animal, reducing the likelihood of an adverse reaction and still ensuring that the animal is protected against that specific disease.

The environment where the animal is being kept also plays a major role in both diseases that they might get and their reaction to vaccinations. If the animal is kept in a sanitary and clean place, it is less likely to become ill. A dirty environment not only spreads viruses and bacteria, but also affects the immune system and the overall health of the animal(s) kept there.

Another important factor that should be considered when determining if your pet should be vaccinated and what it should be vaccinated for is your lifestyle. If you travel a lot and you want to take your pet with you, then you will find that many jurisdictions require numerous vaccinations for your pet. If you cannot present an up-to-date vaccination record for your pet, they will frequently confiscate the animal and put it into a quarantine facility. Your animal will be held for a long period of time, usually 30 to 45 days, at your expense, and it will probably be given a multitude of vaccinations. If, while there, it shows any sign of illness, it will be euthanized. You could also find yourself in court for transporting a contagious animal. To prevent this sort of thing from happening, make sure that you either have your animal vaccinated according to the requirements of the jurisdictions you will be travelling through, or leave your animal home and hire a pet sitter. You will also find that the majority of good quality pet boarding facilities will not accept your pet unless it has an up-to-date vaccination record. They cannot take the chance that your pet may pass on a disease to the other animals in their care.

Mom and dad have owned numerous pets of all kinds over the years. Any pet that went outside their home was vaccinated with all the vaccines recommended by the veterinarian for the area where they lived at that time. None of their pets ever had a reaction to a vaccination and none of them ever caught a disease for which a vaccine was available.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, the choice is yours. However, please bear in mind what I have outlined above. Personally, my choice is to vaccinate as it has worked very well for me.

Until next time,

Teia

Should Your Pets Eat a Raw Diet? Five Considerations Before You Start

After the pet food recalls of a couple of years ago, many pet owners are looking for alternatives to commercial diets. Some people are preparing home-cooked meals for their dogs, while others go all the way to formulating species-appropriate raw diets to ensure the best health possible for their pets.

While the many aspects of raw feeding go beyond the scope of this article, there are five major considerations to look at before even considering the raw food route:

Your Veterinarian

Just like traditional allopathic medical doctors balk at alternative medicine, so do many veterinarians oppose raw feed. Warnings about bacteria in the food are most common (the healthy dog's stomach acids don't allow for bacterial proliferation). The dangers of bones are often cited as well (again, a healthy, raw-fed dog's stomach acids will break down uncooked bones relatively easily. Cooked bones can be deadly). Be sure to educate yourself about these "dangers" before approaching your vet.

It is important to maintain a good working relationship with your vet. Of course, if your pet has any health problems, you need to consult with your vet before starting a new feeding regimen of any type. If your vet just does not like raw diets, you may need to find a holistic vet who will be more understanding about your desire to feed a raw diet. Try http://www.holisticvetlist.com to look for a holistic vet.

Your pet sitter

Be sure to discuss your decision with your pet sitter, if you use one. Some people who have no trouble cleaning up after your pet may turn out to be squeamish about handling raw meat and its juices. Explain your reasons for the switch and make it as easy as possible for your sitter by freezing meal size portions and leaving detailed instructions.

Your boarding kennel

The same goes for boarding kennels, though it may be more difficult to find one that will go all the way in accommodating your preferences. Some just won't be bothered, while others simply don't have the freezer space to store your food. If you board your pets on a regular basis, it is a good idea to keep them used to their current commercial food by feeding them with it at least two or three times a week. Give yourself or your sitter a night off, and prepare your pet for a stay at the kennel at the same time.

Your travel plans

Do you plan on travelling with your pet? While you can easily bring the food on short trips, longer vacations require advance planning. Do you have access to a freezer at your destination? Is there a grocery store that carries quality meats? Will you need to take a food processor with you?

If you're usually buying a commercially prepared raw pet food like Oma's Pride, ask your local distributor to put you in touch with one servicing your destination area. She or he will be happy to help you out during your stay.

Your freezer

Unless you're only feeding a cat or a teacup size dog, the little bit of freezer space above your fridge is not likely to be enough to store raw pet food. So you're looking at an additional investment in a freezer. It should be large enough to store six to eight weeks' worth of your pets' food. Keep in mind that this includes enough variety of food to ensure a balance of nutrients.

The recommended guideline is 3% of body weight per day for a healthy adult animal. "Variety" means several different meat sources (chicken, beef, turkey, rabbit, etc.), including different cuts and bones (ground or whole), and organ meats, and some vegetables for dogs (NOT for cats!). Work with your distributor or join one of the many online raw feeding lists to determine your needs.

Incidentally, many people find that once they have a freezer, they start buying more food for the family as well, so don't be surprised if you "outgrow" your first freezer!

Raw feeding proponents claim that raw diets can provide many health benefits to your pets, including curing or stabilizing various health conditions and providing increased vitality and longevity. As long as you can overcome these initial obstacles, you'll be able to enjoy your best friends for many years to come.

Until next time,

Teia

PS. Note that there are a lot of very highly educated nutritionists that claim that raw food diets cause problems in modern animals because they are different animals than the wild beasts from which they originated. So, do your research before jumping on the raw pet food bandwagon.