{"id":385,"date":"2020-02-28T18:40:51","date_gmt":"2020-02-28T18:40:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/?p=385"},"modified":"2020-02-28T18:40:51","modified_gmt":"2020-02-28T18:40:51","slug":"march-2020-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/march-2020-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"March 2020 Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spring Means Allergy Season; How To Help Your Pets<\/a>
\nSpring Is a Great Way to Bring On the Outdoor Fun with Your Dog<\/a>
\nDo You Own Your Pet or Does Your Pet Own You?<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Spring Means Allergy Season; How To Help Your Pets<\/strong>
\nAs spring approaches so does allergy season. It\u2019s not just for people; our pets can be affected, too. It\u2019s no fun for our furry family members. So, what can we do to help them?<\/p>\n

Although our pets can have allergies throughout the year, springtime seems to be worse with \u201coutdoor triggers,\u201d according to the article, \u201cCan Dogs Have Spring Allergies?\u201d at Vetsreet.com. Those can include \u201cweeds, trees, and grass pollens.\u201d<\/p>\n

For dogs, evidence of allergies is in itchy skin as well as ear and skin infections, which are unpleasant. Dogs typically itch in their paws, face and ears. \u201cBecause allergic disease in dogs so commonly presents in the skin, veterinary dermatologists are sometimes tasked with addressing atopy,\u201d the article said, which is an allergic skin reaction.<\/p>\n

Before managing the allergies, your veterinarian has to confirm the diagnosis of atopy. Treatment can include allergy shots or medications.<\/p>\n

The primary types of allergies are food allergies and environmental allergies. For dogs and cats, \u201callergies more often take the form of skin irritation or inflammation \u2013 a condition called allergic dermatitis,\u201d according to the article, \u201cIf Your Dog is Itchy or Your Cat is Wheezy, You Need to Read This\u201d at Healthy Pets.<\/p>\n

These types of allergies can include excessive scratching and chewing at the site among other things to relieve the itchiness. Many dogs will also get itchy ear canals that become inflamed. \u201cSigns your pet\u2019s ears are giving him problems include scratching at the ears, head shaking, and hair loss around the ears,\u201d the article said. \u201cIf infection is present there will often be odor and a discharge from the ears.\u201d<\/p>\n

In order to ensure your pet doesn\u2019t suffer from all the itchiness and being uncomfortable, it\u2019s best to make an appointment with your vet to get started on treatment.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Spring Is a Great Way to Bring On the Outdoor Fun with Your Dog<\/strong>
\nSpring is in the air and what a great time to get outdoors with your dog for some fun activities. It\u2019s not too cold and it\u2019s not too hot. It\u2019s usually just right. <\/p>\n

Start with some fun activities right in your own backyard. <\/p>\n

Just letting your dog out the back door is not enough though. Sure, he\u2019s outside and enjoying the sun, but there has to be more, including some mental and physical stimulation. \u201cNot only is playing outside fun, but it will likely lead to better behavior when inside the house,\u201d according to the article, \u201c5 Fun Activities to Do With Your Dog in the Backyard,\u201d at PetMD.com.<\/p>\n

The article said there are many things to do, including:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tPlay fetch. From the old-fashioned game to using automatic launchers, this game is always in style.
\n\u2022\tDog agility.
\n\u2022\tScent work, which uses your dog\u2019s sense of smell to sniff out things.
\n\u2022\tWater games using a sprinkler or even a bucket.
\n\u2022\tHide and seek.<\/p>\n

Leave your own backyard and get more inventive with your dog, too. According to the article, \u201cReinventing Playtime: 20 Fun Activities to Do With Your Dog,\u201d at Vetstreet.com, there are lots of new experiences you can give your dog. \u201cVarying the activity helps keep pets mentally and physically satiated and easier to settle at home,\u201d the article said.<\/p>\n

The Vetstreet article suggests:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tPlay dates. If you have a very social dog who likes other dogs, head for the dog park.
\n\u2022\tGet out on the town and head over to places such as dog-friendly stores and outdoor dining spots.
\n\u2022\tExercise. If your dog loves to run, get out and either walk or run (talk to your vet first).<\/p>\n

Fun comes in many forms, and when you\u2019re with your furry best friend, you\u2019ll take fun to the next level.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Do You Own Your Pet or Does Your Pet Own You?<\/strong>
\nPeople often joke about their pet and who\u2019s the boss and who calls all the shots. How do you determine if you own your pet or the other way around? <\/p>\n

According to the article, \u201c7 Signs Your Dog Owns You,\u201d at Vetstreet.com, \u201cYour dog owns you. You might be laughing now, but think about it \u2014 you\u2019ve surrendered the best seat on the sofa to him, you plan your entire weekend around his trips to the dog park, and you take him to the groomer more often than you get your own hair cut.\u201d<\/p>\n

You may have an Instagram account for your cat, a Facebook page devoted to your bunny, or you may have an entire website just for your dog. So, who\u2019s in charge here?<\/p>\n

The Vetstreet article talks about all the ways dogs rule:<\/p>\n

\u2022\tYour pretty pooch has a better wardrobe than you.
\n\u2022\tForget the remote, as your dog has the rights to what to watch on TV.
\n\u2022\tYour pet takes your side of the bed.
\n\u2022\tYou pet has more toys than your children do!<\/p>\n

There are many households where the resident pet is in charge. Sometimes, that is telling in just a simple bark. \u201c\u2026I realize there\u2019s no way to get around a bark unless you give them what they want,\u201d according to the article, \u201c10 Ways Your Pet Owns You… And You\u2019re Totally Okay With It\u201d at Elite Daily.<\/p>\n

You may even give your pet leftovers from your own dinner. And who gets up at 3 a.m. unless it\u2019s for their pet who has to go outside to go potty? If you suspect your pet doesn\u2019t feel well, it\u2019s off to the vet. <\/p>\n

Some people may not agree with having a pet that owns them, but every situation and person and pet is different. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spring Means Allergy Season; How To Help Your Pets Spring Is a Great Way to Bring On the Outdoor Fun with Your Dog Do You Own Your Pet or Does Your Pet Own You? Spring Means Allergy Season; How To Help Your Pets As spring approaches so does allergy season. It\u2019s not just for people;… 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\/385"}],"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=385"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":386,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions\/386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secondhomepetresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}