Archive for the ‘Dog Health’ Category

It’s Good To Do Some Research When Buying A Dog

Jesse Simpson | September 3rd, 2010

Before getting a dog, people should always do their research. A golden retriever requires a different kind of care than, say, a Doberman pinscher. A dog is an investment of time and energy and you should know what you’re getting into before you buy one.

One thing you should be aware of when buying a dog is that each breed has its own quirks. Some breeds are hyper while others are mellow, some aggressive while others calm, and so on. Each breed has a different disposition and you should take note of this.

Some dogs require more grooming than others. How much does your chosen type need to be groomed? This is one of the questions you should ask the breeder of that golden retriever you want so badly, along with inquiries about exercise requirements and daily feeding amounts.

You need to know how to take care of a dog before you get one. Giving up an animal because you did not do your research and found out that they needed more care than you are willing to give is irresponsible and unacceptable.

Make sure the dog is up to date on all of its shots and immunizations before you buy it. This is important to avoid being stuck with a sickly animal; you want a strong, healthy dog that will live a long time.

You should also inquire about the spay or neuter process. This is done at different times in a dog’s life, depending on the breed, and you should know this early to avoid problems in the future.

If you must have a well behaved and trained dog, find out whether or not the dog you are about to buy has received any training. If not, be aware that training can be a long and arduous process. Some breeds are easier to train than others and you must keep this in mind when dedicating yourself to the training of a dog.

Some breeds also run into health complications at some point in their lives. It’s important to know this so you can be prepared, and awareness can help you provide the proper living conditions for your pet.

Read more of this author’s advice about subjects such as solar skylight tube and electrical blinds.

The Best Flea Medicine For Your Dog Is Available Online For Less

D. Thurmond, D.V.M. | September 1st, 2010

Dog flea medicines today are a far cry from the harsh chemical dips and messy powders pet owners used to use to combat fleas. The easy to use topical spot on products such as Frontline Plus are popular with pet owners as they are inexpensive and they kill fleas for up to 30 days. For owners of multiple pets, Frontline also offers a flea killing spray that will treat several dogs.

The price of flea killing pet meds goes higher when other parasites are also killed by the product. You may choose to provide wide ranging protection or may only be focused on killing fleas. No matter which product you choose for your dog, you can find significant savings by purchasing online from a site dedicated to discount pet medicines.

Another factor is the number of pests that are common where you live. In humid, warm climates heartworms and mosquitoes that spread heartworm disease are prevalent and may be active year round. Areas that are heavily forested may have high tick populations that threaten the health of pets. When Advantage flea medication was released, it was the first topical spot on flea treatment for dogs that was effective for a full month. Pet owners happily accepted this product that promised to rid their dogs of nasty, blood sucking fleas. A new addition to the Advantage line is Advantage Multi for dogs which kills parasites such as heartworm, roundworm, whipworm and hookworm but does not control ticks.

If ticks are problem in your area, Frontline Plus flea drops kills brown dog ticks, American dog ticks and lone start ticks. Frontline Plus also helps protect dogs over eight weeks of age from sarcoptic mange and chewing lice. K9 Advantix adds tick killing properties and repels mosquitoes but should never be used on dogs that come into close contact with cats in a household. K9 Advantix cannot be used on nursing or pregnant dogs and it is advised to consult with your vet before using this product on older or sick dogs.

Revolution is aptly named. Available with prescription, Revolution offers a wide ranging protection for your pet. The topical treatment kills fleas and their eggs, kills the American dog tick, treats ear mites and controls sarcoptic mites in dogs.In addition, Revolution is a heartworm preventative and appears safe to use on pregnant or lactating dogs and on puppies six weeks or older.

Capstar offers a single dose pill that kills all adult fleas present on your dog within hours. There is no long term flea killing medication in Capstar but this one dose pet med can be followed 24 hours later with one of the spot on products that will break the flea life cycle. If your dog is boarded, shown or you’ve just brought him home from the shelter, Capstar will kill any fleas travelling with him. A recent addition to dog flea meds is Comfortis which is administered with a tasty wafer given once each month. Comfortis is fast acting and begins killing fleas on your pet within 30 minutes with protection that lasts for 30 days.

Before buying flea medicine for your dog, decide what level of protection you need. What parasites does your dog need protection from in your area and which method of administering the medication do you prefer. Most flea prevention products (except Revolution) are available without prescription and can be purchased online directly from a veterinarian at discount pet med sites.

Fleas are adaptive little critters and can quickly become immune to flea killing products. Pet owners who live in states where flea protection is a year round task should change the brand of topical product every 6-12 months. By rotating the flea medicine treatments pet owners will hinder the ability of fleas to develop immunity to flea killers.

Choose from the latest dog flea medicineonline. Buy fresh brand name flea meds directly from a veterinarian at Pet Scripts Direct.