Choosing a Veterinarian for Your Pet

No matter what type of pet you own, you probably have gone to the veterinarian at least once. You might not have a doctor that you take your pet to regularly, but it is important to have one that you feel like you can trust. You should be able to trust him or her to be experienced, charge fair prices, be reliable, and have a good reputation.

You look at a practitioner's experience when you are looking for your own practitioner. It is equally pertinent when looking for one for your pet. Some pets are like children to their owners, so it is important to them that the veterinarian is qualified to treat whatever may come up with your pet.

Fair prices need also be noted when looking for a medical practitioner for your pet. You will probably need to shop around in order to know where to find the best deal. Some people will spare no expense for their pets. It can be costly to have certain operations or treatments done. So, if you care about the cost of treatment, then it is important for you to do price comparisons. It's also important to know the health history of your pet's breed, preparing yourself for future costs and health issues.

Looking for the Best Air Purifiers for Pets? They're Not in Major Stores

If you're looking for the best air purifiers for pets, what you find at Walmart, Petco, Petsmart or other stores isn't going to be what you're looking for. True, you might find an air cleaner that is low cost, but they're usually cheaply made and simply don't have the air cleaning power of a pet air purifier. These cheap air cleaners usually don't have the same type of quality HEPA filters, not enough carbon to do anything about odors, really, and a fairly low output rate. And a low output means that the unit won't be able to cycle or 'breathe' all of the dander, hair, & odors before you do. And that means the air cleaner will actually have very little effect on reducing allergies & pet odors.

If you have pets or have allergies, what you're looking for is an air cleaner that is effective at removing the allergy & odor-causing pollutants-and hopefully one that is affordable but still built to last. The only place to find that combination of performance and value is with air scrubbers that are designed that way, such as the Aller Air 4000 Vocarb or any of their 4000, 5000, or 6000 Vocarb series. Or, the Austin Pet Machine is also a great unit. Both of these air cleaners come with effective HEPA filters that remove well over 99% of the dander, hair, dust and other particles that cause the majority of allergy attacks.

Plus, both of these air scrubbers come with a lot of pet odor-absorbing carbon (anywhere from 12-28 pounds) that truly captures the odor molecules so you don't breathe them. 

Ways in Which You Can Put Your Pets to Rest

Anyone who owns a pet will attest to the fact that pets enrich our lives. They hold a special place in our hearts and sometimes we treat them as dearly as we treat our family. We celebrate their birthdays, as we would for any other member of our family and we're heartbroken when they pass away. They have short life spans and it is inevitable for us to outlive them. Their absence leaves a void in our hearts. Hence, it's important we give our friends a memorable farewell to honor their memory. Here are a few ways in which you can put your pets to rest after they've passed on.

Still Close to You

The general practice is to bury pets in the backyard, once they're dead. It's simple, easy to do and keeps them close to you. Dig the grave yourself and hold a private ceremony to remember the good times you shared with them. You can also plant a tree on the grave, completing the circle of life. When one life ends it begets a new one. However, this is only possible if you own a backyard. For people living in apartments, make use of a friend or relative's backyard or explore other options.

Pet Sematary

The option of burying your pet in the backyard is only open for those who own one. However, the option of burial is still open to all. There are cemeteries for pets, where you can bury your dearly departed. This is an option for people who'd like to bury their pets, but who don't own a private plot. You can plant a tombstone and revisit the grave, anytime you're reminded of your friend. If you're a fan of the Pet Sematary movies, you may want your pet to return to life. Just pray he doesn't turn rabid like the animals in those movies.

Understanding the Grieving Process During the Loss of a Pet

Coping With the Loss of Your Pet

When you have a pet, they are one of your family members and our best of friends. Losing them can have long-lasting negative effects on surviving members. The grieving process varies from person to person; one person it may only last a few days while others it may take years. Oftentimes, it begins with a denial process in which a person denies the loss has even happened. This is a form of protection until the person can deal with their loss. Some individuals may become angry. Occasionally, anger can be directly related to someone involved with the pet such as family members, friends, and veterinarians. Pet owners may even feel guilty of what they did or did not do. Seniors, children, and other family pets all experience grief differently.

The death of a pet for seniors can be extremely difficult, particularly on those that live alone. Pets give the elderly companionship and help them deal with many facets of life. The loss may generate painful memories of other loved ones lost or remind them of their own mortality. They may have a sense of emptiness and loss of self-worth. It is important to keep communication amongst family and friends open. In addition, there are many volunteer opportunities available throughout many communities for example: schools, churches, hospitals, shelters, and animal shelters to name a few.

For children, the loss of a pet may be their first experience dealing with loss. A child's reaction to the death of a pet usually depends on their developmental level. Children between the ages of 3-5 years view death as temporary or reversibly. Children who are between the years of 6-8 years are starting to understand a more realistic nature of death. 

Boost Your Pet's Immune System With Spirulina

If your dog seems frequently tired and fatigued, his immune system health may not be in good shape. Keep in mind that when your pet's immune system is stressed, it can have a severe impact on his body's metabolic energy. What you need to do is to find a reliable supplement that can bring back his body's vigor and help promote energy. One of the best options you can try is spirulina.

Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green alga that grows in freshwater sources. Its name is derived from the Latin word for "spiral," mainly due to its perfect helix form. Spirulina is close cousins with chlorella, another well-known supplement.

Spirulina is rich in various nutrients, especially protein. In fact, it has one of the highest protein concentration among plant foods, with an overall 60 percent digestible vegetable protein. It also has a high concentration of beta-carotene, vitamin B12, iron, and trace minerals, as well as gamma-linoleic acid (GLA), a rare essential fatty acid.

Organic spirulina also contains unique phytonutrients like phycocyanin, sulfolipids, and polysaccharides - important nutrients that can enhance your pet's immune system. Taking small amounts of spirulina can help stabilize and balance your pet's immune system, providing more metabolic energy for healing, vitality, and assimilation of nutrients. Spirulina can also improve your pet's cellular communication process and its ability to read and repair his DNA.

Do You Have a Contingency Plan in Place for Your Pet?

In the United States approximately 62% of households have a pet. In a recent independently administered ASPCA survey of 1000 pet owners, only 17% had taken the necessary legal steps to protect their pet's future. Among the 1000 pet owners surveyed, 42% already had a valid will in place but only 18% included their pet in it. The ASPCA estimates approximately 100,000 pets are entered into shelters every year due to their guardian becoming unable to care for them or because the guardian died. And, of the four million pets euthanized in shelters in the United States each year, around 500,000 are euthanized because their owners did not have a contingency plan in place encase of their absence. The pet's fate is left to luck and circumstances if their human caretaker did not develop a plan. Often, it is a family member of the pet owner who brings the pet to a shelter claiming they do not have the resources to care for the pet and all efforts to find it a new home have failed. Many times the pet is quite elderly and will spend their final days among strangers in a strange land. These orphaned animals are so despondent-not wanting to eat or interact with others, that they are labeled as unadoptable and don't "sell" well.

In the eyes of the law, animals are considered tangible personal property, however, estate and trust lawyers don't think of pets as property thereby rarely raising the issue of pet guardianship and animal trusts when discussing other estate planning issues with their clients. All responsible pet owners need to have a contingency plan in place for their pets; something concrete to ensure their pets will be taken care of should something unexpected happen to them. Start by naming, at least, two responsible friends or relatives committed to caring for your pets, permanently if you die, temporarily if you are hospitalized or incapacitated. If a committed friend or family member cannot be established then explore other avenues such as a pet sitter, rescue groups, or veterinarian technicians or students. Bequeathing your pet to somebody in your will is a good option and it is better than nothing at all but keep in mind that a will can be contested over a number of matters not necessarily having to do with the pet, in which case, the will can be held up in probate, putting the estate property, and this includes the pet, on hold for months at a time.

Beautiful Ways for Remembering Your Pet

Do you, or have you ever had a pet that you have loved as much as family? I remember when I was younger we always had pets. One of the hardest things that I ever had to endure was when one of them had passed away. For our family, we did not have any type of big ceremony when they passed away; we typically buried the animal in our backyard with a homemade cross. This was our way of honoring our pet and it was a means for us to remember them. I remember once, my grandmother had a dog that she loved a great deal. When he passed away, she had him cremated and then buried in a special cemetery for pets.

Special Pet Jewelry and Urns

In recent years, I have discovered that there are other, special ways for people to honor their pets. In today's society, there are a long line of pet urns and jewelry that are on the market. These have been specially created for the storage of the remains of beloved pets that have passed away. The great thing about many of these different urns is that they come available in a broad range of sizes, shapes, and designs. These urns come with accented paw prints or in simple and elegant designs.