Showing posts with label Dog Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dog Life. Show all posts
Need to know that your vet will look after your pet well when they are sick? The best solution is to find a good vet in advance before you need one, to make sure that you feel happy that they will provide the best care for your particular pet.
Choose the right Vet for you.
Ask others in your area of their experiences. Word of mouth recommendations are very valuable as they are usually not biased, and you are more likely to get a true appraisal of the abilities of the vet and the practice in general.
Approach local animal shelters and animal clubs who will have experience of many different vets.
Make sure the vet has experience with your species of pet. For instance, even if a vet has a very good reputation as a canine vet, this is useless if you own a rabbit, because the two species are utterly different.
Prepare a list of questions to ask the vet. These should include:
- Opening times, important if you need to have flexible access to your vet, for instance evenings and weekends.
- Fees – find out their standard consultation fees, also their fees for standard treatments such as vaccinations, worm and flea treatments etc.
- Emergencies – what are the arrangements for out of hours emergency care for your pet, for instance do they do home visits?
- Alternative medicine – find out what their attitude is towards alternative and complementary treatments for your pet.
Never be afraid to ask a vet anything. If you feel afraid to ask them something to do with your pet and it's well-being, this obviously isn't the right vet for you.
If your pet especially doesn't like a certain vet, but doesn't mind others, follow your pet's instincts.
Warnings:
Make sure your vet isn't trying to take your money- a good vet will truly care about your pet.
Source: wikihow.com
Visiting the vet for a routine check-up or for a health concern throughout your pet's life can be made easier and more successful by following some simple steps.
Get your pet used to you touching it so that when the vet feels it, it doesn't mind too much. It is very important that your pet is used to having his mouth inspected.
His feet and nails touched and to being lifted up and moved around. It is also really useful to familiarise your pet with being transported in the car from an early age as well. The familiarity with handling and travelling will ease a lot of the tension for your pet and it also makes it much easier for you and the vet to look for health problems and to administer medication.
Keep your pet restrained or boxed.
When transporting your pet, make sure that she is properly restrained in the car for her and your family's safety. For cats, rabbits, rodents, small dogs, etc. a carrier basket is appropriate. For larger dogs, they might need safety belt restraints or a special dog compartment in the back of the car. Once in the vet's, do not let your pet wander about freely. Many other owners with their pets will be in there and it is very easy for things to get out of control when pets confront one another. Most vets will expect that you keep your pet in its box or on its leash.
Make notes.
If something is bothering you about your pet, it is really helpful to keep notes about the things that you notice, such as reduced appetite, biting one area of the body, pacing, making strange noises, vomiting etc. This will help explain the problem to the vet and you will be able to provide information about the duration of the problem, the precise symptoms and the reactions that you have noticed in your pet.
Ask the veterinary receptionist for advice on what to do ahead of the appointment.
Give a brief explanation of the problem and ask the receptionist if you need to bring a urine or stool sample, not feed your pet, or do anything else in particular.
Be an active participant in your pet's examination.
Sometimes the worry about a pet's condition can cause us to forget any questions that we may have had at home. The answer to this is to write them down as they come to you at home and bring them with you to the vet. Ask also if there are any reliable internet references that you can use. Some things to ask about include:
Discuss your pet's dietary habits. It is always helpful to briefly discuss your pet's diet, especially during routine check-ups. Many vets will likely ask about this but if not, bring the topic up yourself. As your pet grows, different needs for nutrients will occur and if you are not sure about these, ask. If your pet has particular problems, ask if there is anything about your pet's diet that needs changing.
Ask about dental issues. Related to a good diet, often we don't consider the dental needs of pets. It is important to ask about dietary habits that promote good teeth. Be aware that cleaning an animal's teeth is usually a major exercise requiring general anaesthetic, so getting it right to begin with is important.
Discuss any grooming challenges that you are facing. If you are finding long hair is causing problems, ask the vet for solutions. It is important to know what to do, as a severely matted pet may have to undergo general anesthetic to have the matted fur removed.
Keep records of vaccinations.
Even if you rely on the vet to keep records, it is good to also maintain your own records. Bring them to the vet every time and have the records filled out. This will assist you to remember what has been done, when the next vaccinations are due and is also handy if you change your vet.
Ask for a demonstration of giving medication.
Don't be afraid to ask the vet to show you how to give a prescribed medication. Vets are more than happy to show you and be reassured that you fully understand what needs to be done. If you prefer the vet to give regular medications, such as worming tablets, that's fine too provided that you can afford frequent visits.
Tips
Be sure to discuss all of the items and services offered for purchase by technicians. Some items can be bought on-line much cheaper or may be postponed while some may save you a lot of money in the long run. But be aware of the fact that medications bought from online retailers may not have been stored in the same conditions as they are in a veterinarian's office.
When starting puppies and kittens on vaccines, be prepared to make at least 3 visits and spend around $100 per visit.
Most of the on-line medications that have been mentioned above are not guaranteed by the companies that make the drugs due to the way in which they purchase or obtain the drugs. While a lot are cheaper, if you ask you vet and bring in a copy of the price, most will match what is being offered online and you can then be sure of the quality of your product.
If your pet has had problems with vomiting, diarrhea or urine, bring a sample to the vet with you.
If your pet seems to get a bit nervous or creates a fuss over going to the vet take something that might help to calm it down before the vet starts to take a look at it. For Example: a chew toy or a teddy etc
You can also bring your pet's favorite treat or toy to help calm it down.
Warnings
Do not feed your animal if you think x-rays will be needed. The food in the stomach can sometimes block the view of organs such as stomach, intestines, and bladder.
Ask about all costs of any procedures, including care after the initial procedure. A procedure may cost several hundred more than first anticipated when you include the vet care necessary after the first procedure is through. This may help you plan ahead and sort out your finances as needed.
Things You'll Need
List of questions
Carrier basket or restraint
Your pet's favorite chew toy
Source: wikihow.com
Finding the best food is vital to your pet's health and longevity. But deciphering pet food labels can be confusing. Follow these steps to be able to understand pet food labels and be able to compare pet products with confidence.
Learn to look beyond the marketing claims accompanying pet food.
In the USA, pet food labeling is regulated on a federal (FDA) and state-by-state basis, with guidance from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). However, AAFCO provides only minimum requirements.
The reality is that pet food producers often use terms that are undefined by the regulations, in order to communicate more effectively with consumers and improve their product's image in the market. The AAFCO warns on their website that "it is not rare at all that labeling and marketing information is designed to appeal to the latest trend in marketing human products." In other words, the focus tends to be more on appealing to our preferences than on whether or not the food is suitable for your pet.
For this reason, learn to look behind the marketing hype and to find the real substance of the nutrition status within the pet food.
Locate the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the pet food label.
See the example under "Tips" below. Note that the percentages given for protein, fat, and fiber are measurements of the food in its current state. However, because different pet foods have different levels of moisture, you can only logically compare pet foods on a dry matter basis. Moisture levels in pet foods can range from approximately 6 percent to as much as 80 percent. Canned food obviously contains more moisture than dry kibble. But it may not necessarily contain as much protein, for example. You can't tell which food contains the most protein, fat or fiber until you have converted both labels to a dry matter basis.
Determine the amount of dry matter first, by subtracting the percentage given for moisture from 100 percent. Using the example below, the moisture accounts for 10 percent of the pet food. Therefore, the dry matter content is (100% - 10% = ) 90% of the pet food.
Convert the protein, fat and fiber percentages to a dry matter basis by dividing the percentages given on the label by the amount of dry matter (from the previous step). In our example, the 26 percent protein on the label converts to 28 percent on a dry matter basis by dividing 26% by 90%. (Notice that in this example the dry matter calculation is only slightly different than the labeled percentage. This is because the moisture level was only 10 percent per the label. If the moisture level had been, say, 40 percent, then the dry matter content would have only been 60 percent and protein on a dry matter basis would have been calculated as (26% divided by 60% =) 43%.)
Compare the new protein level of 28 percent on a dry matter basis to other pet foods (once you've converted the other pet food labels in the same way). Do similar comparisons for fat and fiber after converting to a dry matter basis calculation.
Be aware that percentages alone don't tell the whole story.
You may have 28 percent protein on a dry matter basis, but what is the source of that protein? You can get protein from chicken beaks and feet that are not good sources of nutrition for your pet! This means that you'll need to look next at the list of ingredients. Pet foods must list ingredients in order of weight. Generally, the first five ingredients will make up the majority of the pet food product. Ideally, look for meat as one of the first ingredients on a pet food label. Grains, such as corn, corn meal, whole wheat, barley, rice are used to provide essential energy for the pet and appealing texture to the kibble.
Even the AAFCO website admits that "Economics plays a part in any ingredient selection" and "protein is not simply protein. Ingredients providing protein have specific amino acids which may or may not match the amino acid profile required by a cat or a dog." Manufacturers routinely combine multiple protein sources to provide for all the amino acids required for a healthy life.
Be mindful that pet food manufacturers can manipulate this information.
For example, by breaking an ingredient down into components and then listing them individually so that you don't notice a easily recognized undesirable ingredient too near the top of the list, this information can be effectively changed enough to cause you to read the label differently.
Some pet owners search for pet foods that use human grade ingredients with no animal by-products and avoid pet foods that use artifical colors, flavors, sugars and chemical preservatives (notably BHA and BHT).
However, some animal by-products like liver and other internal organs are excellent sources of the amino acids and other nutrients that dogs and cats need. In addition, dry pet foods need preservatives to prevent spoilage and degradation of essential nutrients.
Contact the manufacturer direct to find out what the "by-products" listed in their product actually consist of. Be aware that this may change without warning. Sometimes your pet's reaction will be enough to make this obvious!
Do a cost per weight analysis to determine the weight value of the pet food product.
The density of dry products can be changed through puffing up the food, while different wet foods can be labeled with pounds or ounces (or other measurements), making weight comparison harder. Check the price comparison to get the real value.
Check the label for "nutritional adequacy".
This is one of the most important aspects of a pet food label because it can impact a pet's health if claims are made about being nutritionally complete when the product is not able to meet all nutrient requirements for your pet. To be reassured on this count, look for:
The words: "(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Dog/Cat) Food Nutrient Profiles."
Or look for the words: "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition."
Be sure to choose the right life cycle stage for your pet - this should be on the label too (for example, kitten/puppy). Pet food needed for pets that are growing, reproducing or working hard should be chosen with care that it can meet all the nutrient requirements for that pet. Size, breed or senior labeling claims must meet the criteria for adequate adult pet nutritional needs; in reality, the more precise claims are harder to ascertain.
Read the feeding instructions.
Even if you think you know how to feed your pet the particular product, changes do happen or you might have transposed feeding instructions from one product to a new one. Always read these with care to ensure that you are feeding your pet adequately. However, even though manufacturers try to cover all contingencies, you still need to monitor your own pet's needs, preferences and environmental conditions. Talk to your vet if you're unsure, especially with respect to growing and reproducing pets.
As part of feeding, also read the calories provided by the product. The amount of calories provided can vary considerably between products and between dry and wet foods. If your pet is growing, overweight or underweight, or has an illness, calories are of especial interest.
Calorie statements are made on a "kilocalories per kilogram" basis. Kilocalories are the same as the "Calories", while a "kilogram" is a unit of metric measurement equal to 2.2 pounds. It may also be stated as "per cup" or "per can", alongside the required kilocalories per kilogram statement.
Be savvy about marketing claims such as natural, organic, premium, etc.
These are marketing words without official definitions to back them up. While it is surely to be hoped that all pet food is "natural", this usually refers to a lack of artificial additives, colors or flavors. The words "premium" and "gourmet" and the like are marketing speak and don't mean anything more than what the overall packaging suggests to the consumer. Organic pet food should be free of synthetic additives but guidelines are still under development for the official meanings.
Here's an example of the guaranteed analysis section of a pet food label:
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein, not less than……….….26.0%
Crude Fat, not less than……………....16.0%
Crude Fiber, not more than…...............4.0%
Moisture, not more than……………….10.0%
Be aware that actual meat may not have to be added to a pet food to produce a "flavor". For example, a chicken flavor can be produced using a "chicken digest" (such as heat treatment or the addition of enzymes or acids), while a real chicken hasn't been anywhere near the resulting product. Also be aware that claims of "no artificial flavors" are often marketing hype as few pet foods include such flavoring.
Do not feed cat food to dogs and vice versa. Each species has different nutritional requirements, which the pet food manufacturers cater for.
Source: wikihow.com
