August 26, 2012 - CLEAN HOUSE--SICK DOG?

It's just amazing how easily a house or apartment can get dirty when you have pets. They really have a way of turning a spick-and-span home into a disaster area seemingly overnight. I was discussing this the other day with one of my staff members. She has two small dogs and a cat, and she was astonished at how quickly her home got dirty. “I cleaned my entire house from top to bottom on Thursday night,“ she sighed, “and when my friends came over on Sunday morning there were already paw prints all over the floor and drool on the windows. It just never ends!”

I had to chuckle a little because I knew exactly what she meant. Even little dogs can make a big mess! And when you are a caring dog lover (as I know that you are), you only want what's safe for your dog.  Let me ask you a question...when choosing a cleaning product for your home, how frequently do you consider how it might affect your dog's health?

If your answer is “never,” I'm going to encourage you to start thinking about that today.

Many commercial cleaning products - and I'm talking about some of the top brands at your grocery store - are loaded with chemicals that can be hazardous to your dog's health.

These potentially toxic ingredients may be a threat to your health, but they also can affect your dog. And your dog's body is far more sensitive than most people realize. A dog's sensitive body systems are irritated by a much smaller amount of chemicals than human systems are. A few spritzes of cleaner might make your nose run, and it might also bother your dog - but the effects are worse, and they happen faster. Chemicals build up in your and your pet's body over time too. A dose of chemicals that might take years to impact your health might affect your pet's health in only months.

Many toxic chemicals are easily absorbed through skin, paws, and the lungs. When your dog walks on the floor, licks a wall or window, or sniffs a carpet, any chemicals present can find their way into your pet's body with ease.

How can you tell what's safe and what's not? Unfortunately there's not an easy answer, but I'm going to give you a handy clue.

The secret's in the label. Manufacturers are not required to list potentially dangerous ingredients on product labels.  Doing so is purely voluntary. For example, most popular cleaning products tells you what the "active" ingredient is, but the remaining 98.8% - the "other stuff" - aren't listed! Besides, who would want to buy a product that said it contained all kinds of harsh cleaners which could potentially harm their pet or family?

Now, here's the tip I promised to give you which will guide you through this tricky situation...

Although most cleaning products won't list inactive ingredients, they do have to contain a warning label if it contains ingredients which are proven to be hazardous.

The labels will use "signal" words like "Danger", "Warning", or "Caution" to indicate just how toxic the product is. Products labeled "Danger" or "Poison" are typically the most hazardous. Those labeled "Warning" are moderately hazardous and those with a "Caution" label are considered slightly toxic.

For the safety of your dog and other pets (and children, of course), choose products that are nontoxic enough to not require ANY of the signal words on the label. That's the only way you can be assured that your pet won't be poisoned through skin or paw contact, or through their tongue or lungs.

If you've been looking for something that's safe to use around pets and really gets the job done, there's a great line of products you need to know about. It is called Earthpawz.

 

 

August 1, 2012 -- Does Music Actually Soothe Pets?

I ran across this article in my Inbox today and thought it might be a good time to revisit our thoughts on this...we are always in such a rush to get here--get there...but what about our pet? I've read articles about pets that eat the kitchen cabinets, and dismantle blinds and leave all kinds of messes for their owner to come home to. Take some time and give this "good thought" about a music CD playing to relieve their anxiety...just sayin

Pet anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways. We love our pets, so of course we worry about their health and safety. We don't want to see them upset or stressed out, especially when we can do something about 
 
Some pet owners have said that your pets become upset when they are left home alone for any period of time. That's a common problem - in fact, it's so common that it even has a name: “separation anxiety.” Others have mentioned their dogs' anxiety or carsickness when traveling in the car. Some pets become very anxious when they are in unfamiliar surroundings like kennels and vet's offices. And some actually throw up or chew away areas of their hair and skin during thunderstorms, or when they hear loud noises like fireworks. When they are stressed, many dogs are likely to hide and not be found. Some dogs get so scared that they simply run for cover, which in turn leads to YOUR anxiety about finding your dog.

I've heard of lots of creative ways to ease your pets' stress, like leaving the TV or radio on for "company" when they are home alone. Unfortunately, that could actually be doing more harm than good. Studies have suggested that TV and radio can actually CREATE stress for our pets because of the drastic changes in programming and the random mix of musical styles. Think about it—how scared would you be if you suddenly heard gunshots, sirens, or dogs barking? The TV and radio certainly create "noise," but they don't necessarily create a relaxed environment.

Dog owners sometime ask me, “Does music soothe pets the same way it can relax people?" The answer is "yes" - but it depends on the music.

Music Eases Pet Anxiety - But Not Just ANY Music Will Do

Maybe you've heard the old saying that “music soothes the savage beast.” While this might conjure up images of tigers with iPods, the truth is that music really CAN calm animals down. Really!

Studies have been done to examine the relationship between music and stress, and some of the results might surprise you. Classical harp music is used around the world to help alleviate stress in dogs, cats, chimpanzees and other animals. Even animal shelters are installing sound systems and using music to create a more serene environment. In particular, studies show that dogs and cats seem to show lower levels of stress when exposed to classical music. Cats will relax in front of the speakers when classical music is playing, and many dogs will actually bark less - especially when listening to the music of Bach.

Many pets respond favorably to classical music under stress-inducing situations, often slipping into a very serene and peaceful state of mind after only a few minutes of listening. But all classical music will not have the same calming effect. For the music to soothe a pet, it must have a soothing dynamic from start to finish and transition calmly between pieces- which is not the case with most "off-the-shelf" classical music.

That's why I want to tell you about the Music My Pet CD.

This remarkable "Classic Cuts" CD was developed for the specific purpose of calming our pets. It uses the sounds that have been proven to calm dogs, cats and other household pets. Music My Pet was created by the same folks that brought you Disney's award-winning Baby Einstein series for kids, so this is music for pets at its very best.

I think this CD is amazing!


Acclaimed producer/composer/performer Tom Nazziola is the man behind the musical genius of Music My Pet. By researching the latest studies on pet anxiety, he identified the sounds, chords and harmonies that had the best effects on pets (and on us). Then he used these elements to re-orchestrate popular classical music by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and other esteemed composers. Nazziola has optimized each arrangement for the soothing dynamic that's so important. The result is a calming collection of beautiful classical music that will help ease your pet's stress.

When your pets are left at home alone, this musical CD can provide them with a more comforting environment. Not only will it help calm your pets, it will also ease your troubled mind. When you must leave your pets home alone, this CD will create a serene atmosphere for them while you're gone.

But you don't need to just use it at home. One pet owner whose dog gets carsick on long road trips has had great results by playing the Music My Pet CD in the car. One of my staff members plays it before visitors come over and she has said that it results in much less barking, jumping, and rough playing.

Want to try it out?  Click here to listen to a sample track from the CD.

The Music My Pet CD can help your pets cope with nervousness, stress and separation anxiety, and provide the healthy relaxation they need. Give it a try. It could do your pets a world of good.

Until next time,

Dr. Jon


P.S.  My staff and I were so impressed by this CD that we wanted to make it available for all our PetPlace.com subscribers. You'll pay just $13.99 with this special offer from PetProductAdvisor.com, but supplies are limited so act now. To learn more, just go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/musicmypet

P.P.S.  If this crazy world has you stressed out, the Music My Pet "Classic Cuts" CD will also help you relax. Just take a listen and see for yourself.

Compliments of