Pet Supply Verified Weblog

1.    Prevent unwanted litters! Did you know that nearly 4 million pets are euthanized in the United States each year? It’s easy for the owners of female pets to realize when they are contributing to this, but the owners of male dogs should understand the impact that their dog is having on the unwanted pet population.
2.    For male pets, eliminate the risk of testicular cancer. The testicles are removed during the neutering surgery so without testicles, there is no chance for testicular cancer. If you have a male pet that has only one descended testicle, it is especially important that both testicles are removed. Retained testicles are much more likely to develop cancer.
3.    For female pets, greatly reduce the risk of breast or mammary cancer. If a female dog is spayed prior to her first heat, she is very unlikely to ever develop breast cancer.
4.    For males, reduce the risk of prostate enlargement or abscesses. Without the influence of testosterone from the testicles, prostatic problems are much less likely. Enlarged prostates can cause difficulty in urinating and also can lead to constipation.
5.    Keep your pets at home – Intact pets are much more likely to wander. Males will wander off in search of a lovely lady and are much more likely to become injured by other dogs or hit by a car. In rural areas, it is not unheard of for dogs to be shot when they wander onto someone’s property and pick fights with other dogs or bother any female dogs.
6.    Reduces aggressiveness and undesirable behavior – Isn’t it embarrassing when your puppy mounts someone’s leg? Well this is just play behavior, but adult intact males will mount people’s legs as a sexual behavior and this is pretty undesirable, especially at a dinner party! Neutered dogs are less likely to be aggressive to people or other dogs, especially important if you live in a neighborhood or have people to your home frequently. Neutered cats are less likely to get into fights and cat fights usually result in unwanted veterinary bills.
7.    Decrease odors in your home – Neutered pets are unlikely to have any marking behavior, which can leave unwanted stains or smells in your house. When we bought our house this past summer, the previous owners were horrified when they moved their couches and found that their little male dog had been marking every side of the couches. They were horrified, but we had the expense of ripping out the carpet!
8.    Don’t spread bad genes. Professional breeders are responsible and work hard to ensure the integrity of their lines. Many pets are sold as “pet” quality, which means that there is something about them that makes them undesirable as a show animal. Don’t risk passing this undesirable trait on or making it worse. Your pet can be a wonderful pet without having puppies or kittens.
9.    Remember, your pet does not feel that he or she is missing out on something by not contributing to the pet population of the world.
10.    One last point – your children do not need to see the miracle of birth by watching your pet go through it. Teach them about the miracle of life by visiting a zoo, watching a movie, or reading a book.

All is relatively quiet on the pet food front, so let’s celebrate the season with some timely topics. There have been some regulations added in Japan, China and the US have made an agreement regarding product safety, and we are all still waiting for the FDA’s big news on pet food safety… So, enjoy the holidays and we’ll be back in full swing after the New Year.

Gift ideas for your pets and your pet loving friends

I am big on health and fitness, especially as a veterinarian seeing the detrimental effects of obesity on some many of our pets. So, here are a few gift ideas that will help keep you and your pet fit and healthy as we move from 2007 to 2008.

1.      Update a favorite toy or chew toy:  With concerns about lead in pet toys, maybe it’s time to update that worn out squeak toy.   An added bonus…a new toy may keep your pet from chewing on everyone else’s gifts!   Hot toys this year:   Busy Buddy Twist and Treat for dogs (approximately $7) and The SmartCat Tick Tock Teaser for cats (available for about $17).

2.    Fill up the treat jar with something new:  We know you love to sneak those little tid-bits to your best friend!   But, many of the holiday foods and snacks aren’t very good for dogs or cats and could cause major medical problems.   Play it safe with some healthy, pet appropriate treats and remember to avoid giving too many treats of any type!   You can even send a gift of treats to your pet’s best friend…visit DoggieDeliveries for ideas that range from $10 to more than $100 for some gift baskets.

3.  Time to get in shape!   Just like us, our pets have problems with being overweight.  So, how about a new leash and collar as an incentive to walk more during the holidays?  Couch potato owners can exercise their dogs with GoDogGo, an automatic fetch machine for your dog! Be prepared to pay for your laziness.   GoDogGo starts at $150!  Cat owners can help exercise their pudgy kitty with “Da-Bird”, an interactive cat teaser complete with feathers and 36” wand at a more reasonable $7-10.

4.   Appropriate foods for every life stage:  We know our pets need to lose weight, so how about a low calorie food to help start the New Year off right?   Is your pet older?   A senior diet may be better than the regular maintenance diet you have been using.    Remember, start the new food slowly and mix it in with the old food to avoid digestive problems.

I always knew my grandma was smart, but she gave me a great gift idea for those on my list who really don’t need anything (at least not anything I can afford!). She donates to a local pet charity in the name of her daughter-in-law every year. Pet shelters and humane organizations are always in need of money to buy food, blankets and to provide veterinary care for the pets they are housing. Consider making a charitable donation to a pet based charity (tax deductible too!).