{"id":316,"date":"2018-04-18T18:30:25","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T18:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=316"},"modified":"2018-04-18T18:30:25","modified_gmt":"2018-04-18T18:30:25","slug":"may-2018-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/may-2018-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"May 2018 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Senior Pets and Health Issues and What You Can Do<\/a>
\nHow to Keep Your Pets Safe from Parasites<\/a>
\nDo You Know Where Your Puppy Came From?<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Senior Pets and Health Issues and What You Can Do<\/strong>
\nWe love our senior pets. Whether you\u2019ve had your pet his entire life or adopted him as an older pet, there\u2019s nothing quite like a senior. As in humans, when pets age sometimes health issues follow.<\/p>\n

Our pets age quicker than we do. Better care is available nowadays and \u201cpets are living longer now than they ever have before \u2013 but as pets get older, they need extra care and attention,\u201d according to the article, \u201cSenior Pets\u201d at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA.org). <\/p>\n

As with humans, pets turn gray, move slower, lose some sight and hearing with age. You may notice that your pet avoids regular activity such as running, which could be due to arthritis, so keep your pet at a healthy weight and check with your vet.<\/p>\n

The following are behavior changes your pet may experience due to cognitive dysfunction, according to the AVMA article:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tDisturbed easily by loud noises
\n\u2022\tUnusual aggressiveness
\n\u2022\tIncreased meowing\/barking
\n\u2022\tNervousness and anxiety
\n\u2022\tDisoriented or confused
\n\u2022\tAccidents in the home (i.e., urination)
\n\u2022\tGrouchy, irritable
\n\u2022\tNo interest in playing<\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201cSenior Pets and Health Issues,\u201d at BestFriends.org, there are other common conditions as your pet ages.<\/p>\n

\u201cKidney disease also commonly affects older pets, particularly cats,\u201d the Best Friends article said. Check with your vet if your pet starts drinking more water, loses weight, becomes lethargic, vomits or gets mouth ulcers.<\/p>\n

Cancer is not uncommon in older pets. Watch for lumps and bumps and \u201chave them checked by your vet annually,\u201d the Best Friends article said. \u201cIf your pet starts losing weight or has a marked lack of energy or appetite, cancer screening tests and an exam by your vet are recommended.\u201d<\/p>\n

Senior pets can live long and happy lives. Keep them healthy and make sure they see the vet for checkups.<\/p>\n

<\/a>How to Keep Your Pets Safe from Parasites<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s not something most people want to think about let alone talk about when it comes to their cat or dog. However, the issue of parasites is important, especially when it comes to prevention and keeping your pet healthy and you, as well, as some can be transmitted to humans.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is fairly common for a dog or cat to become infected with an internal or external parasite at some point in its lifetime,\u201d according to the article, \u201cPets, Parasites and People\u201d at The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) website. If left untreated, symptoms can range from irritation to life-threatening conditions.<\/p>\n

From vector-borne diseases, which are transmitted by fleas and ticks, to internal parasites such as worms, ensure that prevention is in place, according to the article. <\/p>\n

Intestinal parasites typically refer to roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms, according to the article, \u201cIntestinal Worms in Dogs and Cats\u201d at petMD.com. Vets typically check stool samples to detect worms. <\/p>\n

According to the petMD article, some symptoms of worms are:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tDiarrhea, possibly bloody
\n\u2022\tWeight loss
\n\u2022\tVomiting, that may include worms<\/p>\n

Early detection will enable your dog or cat to be dewormed immediately. Your vet \u201cwill have the best kinds of wormers available for the particular type of parasite your pet has.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heartworms are also very dangerous to dogs and cats and \u201ccan kill or seriously debilitate pets that are infected with them,\u201d the CAPC article said. It can be detected by a blood test. \u201cA year-round preventive program is most effective to keep pets free of heartworms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prevention is critical. According to the CAPC article, \u201cResponsible pet parasite control can reduce the risks associated with transmission of parasitic diseases from pets to people.\u201d Good personal hygiene, year-round preventative treatments, and regular annual testing by your vet are a good start.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Do You Know Where Your Puppy Came From?<\/strong>
\nThe week of May 7-12 is Puppy Mill Action Week and the perfect time to stand up for dogs.<\/p>\n

What is a puppy mill? <\/p>\n

\u201cMany people don’t realize that when they buy a dog from a pet store or on the Internet, that dog most likely came from a puppy mill, a \u2018factory farm\u2019 for dogs,\u201d according to the article, \u201cPuppy Mills\u201d at BestFriends.org. \u201cIn puppy mills, dogs live in small cages, often in the minimum legal size allowed (only six inches larger than the dog on all sides) and female dogs are bred as frequently as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The government standards that regulate breeders and these facilities (roughly 10,000 in the U.S.) are minimal and do not ensure the dogs\u2019 health. \u201cThe standards set by the government aren’t meant to ensure that the dogs have the good lives they deserve; they only require the bare minimum of care,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

Breeding is purely for profit and dogs are kept in inhumane conditions. \u201cThese dogs don\u2019t receive any affection, exercise or proper veterinary care,\u201d according to the article, \u201cPuppy Mills 101,\u201d at the ASPCA.org. Dogs who cannot produce more litters are discarded, the article said.<\/p>\n

Puppy mill dogs are sold at various places including pet stores and through the Internet, the BestFriends.org article said.<\/p>\n

According to BestFriends.org, here are ways to help:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tRefrain from buying a puppy (or cat) from a pet store, the Internet or Craigslist.
\n\u2022\tTeach others about puppy mills to spread the word.
\n\u2022\tAdopt your next pet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 1.5 million animals are killed in U.S. shelters annually, simply because they don’t have homes,\u201d the BestFriends.org article said. \u201cWhen you adopt, you’re not only refusing to support puppy mills, you\u2019re saving a life and giving an animal in need the second chance he or she deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Senior Pets and Health Issues and What You Can Do How to Keep Your Pets Safe from Parasites Do You Know Where Your Puppy Came From? Senior Pets and Health Issues and What You Can Do We love our senior pets. Whether you\u2019ve had your pet his entire life or adopted him as an older… Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":321,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316\/revisions\/321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}