Cattle

In the first couple of days that the cat comes to the new home is a really happy time. For you, the cat owner, it’s a great chance to start to see and learn what makes your cat special to your family. The cat will also be going through changes as well. There are new things to discover and things to play with and of course new things that they must adjust to as well. There are new surroundings, new household friends and playmates and of course new house rules.

When you plan to pick up your cat, try to set aside time with the new pet.  A Friday evening when you will have the whole week end is a great time.  Maybe when you are starting a vacation and will be at home would be great as well. You will need to help the cat to adjust to the new home, and as such spending quality time these first few days will get it off on the right foot.  The cat will learn to understand you, and you as well will get to know them. Note: Please don’t try to over do it with excitement at first.

When the new kitten first arrives in your home, you might want to keep the noise down low till he gets himself adjusted.  During this time, if you have children, I would highly recommend trying to keep them from running after and/or even trying to grab the kitten. Children screaming are also to be avoided if possible.  Keep in mind the new kitten is just a baby and will scare very easily. I think it is best to just let the kitten explore at his own pace when he wants to nap just let him nap. Cats are very quick learners and you will see that you kitten will adapt very quickly.

Make it easy as possible for the cat to get his food, water, and of course his littler box. You may want to keep the kitten in one room for a start until he gets used to the new house. Then he can explore a little at a time. With patience, love, and understanding, the transition to its new home and family will be a wonderful experience.  

When you built your pond, you probably spent a lot of time planning its design. You made sure every plumbing piece was in place. You carefully selected your filter and your pump. Everything seems perfect. While everything mechanical is in place, did you know that you need to plan your fish just as carefully as everything else?

Many experienced fish keepers will tell you that the best way to guarantee long-lived healthy fish is to buy top quality stock from local reputable breeders. This ensures you have fish that have not been overly stressed by transport, carefully bred for quality and grown on the best food.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have a local koi breeder, or you’ve already bought your koi, not all is lost! In fact, most purchased koi are from national-level breeders, have been transported and do not have confirmed breeding standards. This doesn’t mean you can’t have great fish. It just means you need to be extra careful to quarantine and feed high quality food for continued growth.

Quarantining your koi fish is absolutely necessary for koi health. Every time you obtain a new fish (regardless of source), you need to quarantine your new koi for at least 4 weeks before adding it to your existing stock. If you don’t properly quarantine, you risk introducing foreign bacteria and viruses into your stock. There are some fish illnesses, such as bacterial infections, flukes and worms that can kill your stock in one week after introduction.

Proper quarantine means no mixed water, food or contact between your existing stock and your new fish. When quarantining, you need to watch out for signs of stress in your new fish. Signs of stress and illness include a lack of appetite, discoloration on the scales/eyes, torn fins and lethargy. If you notice any such signs, there are several treatment options.

If your fish has torn fins or external lesions, you should treat with antibiotics administered with the fish food. If your fish isn’t eating after several days, you may have internal parasites. Praziquantel (a.k.a. PraziPro) or metronidazole are very effective safe treatments for internal parasites, including gill flukes and worms. We recommend NOT using Potassium Permanganate unless you have exhausted all other options. Potassium Permanganate should never be used on fish with external lesions as it will burn their internal tissues.

After you’ve quarantined your new koi, and all goes well, you can add them to your pond! Depending on your bio-load and the number of fish you add, you may need to up your water changes. Already you should be changing at least 30% of your pond water a week to keep your pH stable and nitrates low. Adding more fish adds more waste to your filter, and it may take some time for new nitrifying bacteria to build up. Water changes keeps nitrites low if you’ve recently added a lot of new fish.

On top of water changes, you should regularly add salt to your pond. This isn’t table salt or anything like that. We’re talking about salt that’s iodine-free and designed for aquarium and pond use. When you add salt to your pond, your koi will build up a thicker slime coat that supports a strong immune system. Pond salt also helps respiration in koi, and is effective in killing many common parasites. You should add 2 – 2.5 cups of pond salt per 100 gallons. You should only add more salt when you perform a water change (it does not evaporate).

For your koi, you should vary their diet instead of feeding the same pellet every day. This ensures they get enough nutrients from a variety of sources. If you have very young koi, it doesn’t hurt to feed them a hearty supply of beefheart so they grow well. Also, it’s okay and encouraged for your koi to eat some plants. This gives them plant fiber which helps prevent bloat.

Koi are beautiful hardy fish that can live for years when they’re given a stress-free environment, good <A HREF=”http://www.naturalenviro.com/sections.php?section=FishFood”>koi food</A> and stable water quality. They’re well worth the effort!

Here are a few reasons why I like the UgoDog dog litter box. I’ve seen a lot of boxes and this one really impressed me.

First, what I really like about it is how it is made. it’s hard to find a dog litter box that will support a dog that might be heavy. They use an injection molding process to make the UgoDog and because of that, it can be used by dogs of all weights and sizes. So you don’t have to worry about a maximum weight limit. Now that’s nice if you have a heavy dog!

Next, I like the grate system that they use. It is a very small grid and a dog or puppies’ paws cannot get caught in it. So it’s very safe for your dog. The urine goes through the grate and the dog’s paws stay dry. That’s a great feature because with newspapers or pee pads, a dog will step right in it and can track it throughout the house. That can make a big mess…been there, done that!

Another thing that impressed me is that it is environmentally friendly. You just use newspaper in the bottom and change it out daily. No messy litter to deal with. Newspaper is completely biodegradable and I am really into recycling and the environment.

Did you know that when you use pee pads they are just like a baby diaper and do you know how long they say it takes for a baby diaper to decompose? 500 years give or take! So needless to say, this is a great feature and something to really think about.

Finally, I like the fact that it’s simple and easy to keep clean. I like simple and I love easy! You spray or wipe it down, put in some fresh newspapers and your are ready to go! Now that’s really nice!

Well, that’s my take on the UGoDog dog litter box and I hope it gave you some things to think about.

There are many issues to consider when purchasing health insurance for your cat or kitten. Purchasing health insurance for your pet can help you afford a procedure that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Accidents or disease are events that we can’t anticipate or foresee, but we can safeguard against them – if we choose the right plan.

“How Do I Choose a Plan?”

Many variables need to be considered in choosing the right pet health insurance plan, including your financial circumstances, the environment in which you live, whether or not you have other pets, and what veterinary service you do business with.

First, if you already have a vet with whom you have a trusting relationship, you need to find out what pet health insurance companies they accept. Most vets limit the number of insurance companies they work with, as doing so makes it easier for them to recommend a treatment course of action that they know will be a covered expense.

“What Procedures Are Covered by my Plan?”

Another point to consider stems from the fact that depending on the procedure that is recommended for your pet, a referral to another specialist, animal hospital, or veterinary school may be necessary. In this case, you want to be sure that the services of the referred specialist are also covered by your plan.

Naturally, you also need to weigh the various insurance options available to you. There are various levels of coverage available, with some being far more comprehensive (and somewhat more expensive) than others. Make sure that you fully understand what is covered under your plan. While surgical procedures following an accident may be covered, for example, other conditions may not – such as pre-existing conditions or disease that may be related to a hereditary condition.

“What Level of Deductible is Appropriate for Me?”

In choosing your plan, you will be given a choice of the level of deductible. This is the amount of money that you will have to pay before the insurance kicks in. Generally speaking, the higher the amount of the deductible, the lower your monthly premium will be. Sometimes the deductible may be per-incident, or in other cases, there may be a yearly deductible. One plan may offer 90% coverage with a 10% deductible, for instance. Since it’s impossible to know which option would ultimately be the least expensive, most people choose an option that represents a compromise: a monthly premium that can fit into their budget, and a deductible that will be affordable if the situation arises.

“Are Prescription Medications Covered?”

Prescription medicines are usually not covered as a matter of course, though some companies may offer this as an option for an additional fee. Chronic conditions such as feline diabetes require medications that can be quite expensive, so this may be an option worth considering. Bear in mind that this coverage may only include the cost of the medication alone, and not the cost of the corresponding office visit to your vet.

“Do Insurance Plans Offer Wellness Treatment?”

More comprehensive pet insurance plans may include coverage for certain preventative procedures. This ‘wellness treatment’ may include certain procedures such as vaccination shots, or neutering and spaying. The costs of these treatments are fairly predictable, and so this coverage may not save you money in the long run, but it would allow you to amortize the costs of these procedures over time, making budgeting for them a little easier.

“What Course of Action is the Least Expensive?”

Ultimately, we can never be certain about which course of action will be the least costly to us. Taking out insurance is really no more than placing a bet – but it’s a bet that we hope to lose. We don’t want to have accident or a fire so that we can take advantage of our auto or home insurance policies. Similarly, we may choose health insurance for our pet, but we want our pets to remain healthy. At the very least, pet health insurance can afford us peace of mind.

“What Must I do to Determine if This is Right for Me?”

It would be wise to research and understand insurance options for your pet before you need it. If your pet is robust and healthy, it may make sense to hold off. If your pet is older or more prone to illness, having health insurance may save you a lot of money. Prepare yourself with the necessary knowledge so that you can make an informed decision. Find out what insurance companies are accepted by your vet. Get information from those companies, comparing plans, costs, and coverage. Determine what you can afford based on your financial circumstances. In this way you will be prepared to best deal with lapses in your pet’s health in a way that is compatible with your budget.

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A dog is a member of your family that needs its own space.  Whether you have a puppy or and older dog, they will need a place where they can retreat to take a nap, sleep or just relax after a long day of activities.

Many people purchase dog beds to keep the dog off of the furniture.  When a dog knows they have their own comfortable space, they will usually stay there rather than getting on your furniture.

Dog beds come in a variety of styles and configurations and it is up to you to pick the right one for your dog.  Some of the styles you will find include dog couches, the traditional round beds, and donut style and pillbox versions.

A dog bed should be comfortable for your dog and give good support to their bodies.  You will have to remember that your dog is a dog.  Many beds look fancy and are supposed to get the owner’s attention but, provide little benefit to the dog.  Looks are nice but, not always important when it comes to your dog’s comfort.  If you have an older dog you may want to look at orthopedic style dog beds for the proper support for aching bones and joints.

When looking for a dog bed there are several factors to consider.

1.      Size- You will want to measure your dog while they are resting to get an idea of the proper size bed where they will be comfortable.  Your vet can also provide you with guidelines for sizing.

2.      Space- you will need to find a space for the bed.  Preferably, this space should be out of high traffic areas but, close enough to everyone else so they don’t feel left out.  You will also have to measure this space to make sure it will fit the bed size you need.

3.      Health- Take your dog’s health into consideration.  If you have a young dog or a puppy you don’t have to worry so much but, if you have an older dog you may want to see which beds give the most support.

4.      Maintenance- The dog’s bed is where a lot of self cleaning and chewing will happen.  For this reason you will want to make sure the bed is easily kept clean and washable or has replaceable covers.

Follow these tips and you should be very successful in finding a great bed for you dog.