The summers are getting hotter and hotter and each month customers ask me what they can do in order to keep their pet cool.  Well, besides a haircut, a swimming pool, and the garden hose, you can always look at getting a canine cooler dog bed .   A company named Soothsoft makes this bed.  This thermoregulating pet bed is pre-filled by the manufacturer with a gel like substance.  When you open the box you will see some simple instructions to add a small amount water.  Once the water has been added expect it to take some time in order to get your dog acustomed to it.  If your dog is a chewer I dont recommend it.  The Canine Cooler Dog Bed carries a nice warrantee. 

As most of us know, our pets are like members of the family and we treat them as such. Senior Pet Products, as the name suggest,  caters to aging pets.   The company sells Pet Steps made of the best materials available, making it easier to get your dog (or cat) up on the couch or up onto your bed. The plush carpet is of high quality and will provide years of use and comfort for your pet. No outdoor carpet or remnants here; only the best goes into your pet steps.  Senior Pet Products also carries other products, including pet supplements, dog ramps, pet strollers, dog beds, and more.

Through the company’s Claws For A Cause program, you can select a rescue to receive a portion of the profit of your purchase from Steps For Pets.

MSNBC recently ran an article regarding the lack of regulation in the pet supplement industry. I hope this is the first of many news articles on this particular topic.

Seems as though the lack of regulation on pet supplements is allowing the manufacturers to get away with what could potentially be murder. The pet supplement industry needs to be regulated!!!

We know certain pet foods contain ingredients that may be harmful to your pet, but what about other ingestibles, like supplements? Are they safe? Are the labels really indicative of what is actually inside the bottle? According to the MSNBC story, the pet supplements that they tested don’t contain the ingredients they say they do. No surprises, at least to me.

I would love to hear what our readers have to say regarding this topic.

Arthritis is an affliction that many dogs suffer from, especially as they get older. According to a study sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, as many as 20% of adult dogs may suffer from arthritis. Just as with humans, the causes for canine arthritis are spread over a wide array of factors including genetics, previous injuries or accidents, infection, immune system problems, and excessive strain through repeated activities and exercises. If your dog does have arthritis, then canine obesity plays a significant role in the amount of pain your dog feels from. The reason for this is simple: obesity places undue stress and pressure on your dog’s joints, and can therefore accelerate the degeneration of joints and aggravate the symptoms of arthritis.

Basically, there are three general types of arthritis: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Infectious Arthritis (Septic Arthritis). Hip Dysplasia, although not a type of arthritis is a degenerative joint disease similar to arthritis and, depending on the severity of the condition, may have similar treatment options. Osteoarthritis is commonly found to have a genetic link and usually progresses with age. The effect that osteoarthritis has on your dog can include deterioration to cartilage and bone, as well as inflammation in and around the joint. In response to this, the body produces bone spurs (a bony remodeling) around the joint structure. Treatment for this form of arthritis is usually pain medication and/or anti-inflammatory medication.

Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is characterized by pits in the cartilage and can be treated with steroids. In rheumatoid arthritis, the dog’s immune system produces antibodies against the body’s own protein resulting in severe inflammation that damages the cartilage and surrounding tissues. Finally, Septic arthritis (infectious arthritis) is distinguished by an infection in the joint and can be treated with antibiotics. In this case, the arthritis is being caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection in the dog’s joints. Any infection on your dog should be immediately checked by your veterinarian, because the dog’s bloodstream can carry an infecting organism to the joint (causing septic arthritis) from another part of the body where the infection is occurring. (more…)