RSPCA: Lethal litter
Wild birds and animals are suffering and dying due to casually dropped litter and discarded fishing line and hooks. That’s the stark message from the RSPCA in the West Midlands as the charity makes a plea for people to clean up their act.
Not a week goes by without RSPCA officers being called out to rescue birds and animals that are painfully suffering due to the thoughtless actions of litter louts.
Recent casualties have included a dead coot caught in fishing line, a duck with fishing line wrapped around its body and leg, and a baby hedgehog stuck in the wire of a champagne cork.
Pet Owners Splurge on Premium, Fortified Food for Animal Companions
The premiumization trend in the global pet food market indicates that pet owning consumers are as willing to spend more on premium food infused with health fortifying ingredients such as glucosamine, omega fatty acids, antioxidants, and probiotics for their pets as they are for themselves.
Premium pet foods cover all bases — from natural/organic to functional/nutraceutical to special diet (segmented by lifestage, weight, health condition, breed, etc.) to gourmet — while also often reflecting trends in human foods.
Driven by premiumization the global pet food market reached an estimated $49 billion in 2008, according to market research publisher Packaged Facts in the all-new report, “Pet Food in the U.S.: Health, Humanization and High Quality Ingredients in an Increasingly Value-Driven Global Market, 8th Edition.” The 2008 global total marked a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 5% for the preceding five-year period.
North America accounted for the largest share of global pet food sales in 2008 with 40%. “Particularly in the United States, the premiumization trend goes beyond the tendency Americans have to be better educated about health and nutrition issues. In addition, the pervasive humanization dynamic cannot be underestimated. Pet owners often view their pets as part of the family, or even as surrogate ‘children.’ Thus they are looking for the safest and healthiest products possible,” says Tatjana Meerman, Publisher of Packaged Facts.
“Pet Food in the U.S.: Health, Humanization and High Quality Ingredients in an Increasingly Value-Driven Global Market, 8th Edition” examines the global pet food market (sales overall and by world region, marketer shares, new product trends, U.S. export trends, etc.); strategic directions for current and prospective marketers; high-growth product segments; and trends in pet food purchaser demographics and lifestyle pursuits (media and marketing psychographics, Internet usage, “green” involvement, etc.). The report has separate chapters each discussing food for dogs, cats, and other companion animals. For further information visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Pet-Food-1653956/.
Pets Key To Finding Love
Want to know what really makes a woman purr? Take a closer look at her pet. Research published by The Blue Cross reveals that women look for the same qualities in a pet as those that they seek in a human partner.
Injured pets raise cat trap fears
Cat owners at Sheringham fear that two pets that have died with horrific injuries could be the victims of illegally- placed traps.
Black cat Sam managed to drag himself home with parts of two front legs missing, but had to be put to sleep by a vet because he was so badly hurt.
And the following day the body of another of his pets Merlin was found on a nearby railway track, with most of back leg missing.
RSPCA: Supermarkets back pigs campaign
Major retailers are already pledging their support to the RSPCA’s new ‘Rooting for pigs’ campaign, which is asking for clearer, more transparent labelling on pork products.
Asda, The Co-operative (Co-op), Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Sainsbury’s are the first to commit to clearer pork labelling definitions.
As part of its ‘Rooting for pigs’ campaign, the RSPCA is calling on supermarkets and other UK food retailers to work with the charity and the British pig industry to develop and sign up to a voluntary labelling agreement because there are currently no set definitions for pork product labelling.
Reminder not to give leftovers to pets
Misguided kindness from owners will have seen many British dogs put on nearly half a stone in weight (6 pounds) over the festive season, putting them at risk of developing a number of serious illnesses including arthritis, diabetes and liver disease according to pet insurer MORE TH>N.
3000 adoptions from pet shelters in one day
They’re pulling out all the stops next week — including giving pets to some adopters at no charge — in a nationwide effort to boost the number of shelter animals that find new homes.
Three hundred shelters across the USA are holding Change a Pet’s Life Day on Jan. 24, aimed at focusing attention on shelters and rescue groups and enticing potential adopters. Fees for the first 10 adoptions at each participating shelter will be paid for by Topeka-based Hill’s Pet Nutrition, which organized the event.
Common Pet Health Problems and Solutions
Fleas
Fleas are nasty little critters that can infest your home and make your pets miserable. To rid your pets and home of fleas you must attack them from all sides. To combat fleas you have to make sure that you treat your pets and all indoors and outdoors of your home.
You can begin by using a product that prevents the flea pupa from leaving the egg. You can get this type of medicine from your vet. It is usually prescribed in tablet form which is given to your pet once a month. This treatment prevents flea breeding but does not kill fleas. You will want to also use a product which will kill adult fleas; some type of topical insecticide. These types of products are usually in aerosol form. They work by dissolving into the fatty skin tissue of your pet which means your pet will still be protected after shampooing. Some of these products last up to 3 months. You can also use flea powder and flea collars on your cats and dogs. You should also use a flea spray for your home. Make sure it is the kind of spray that takes care of both adult fleas and their larvae. Most of these types of products last up to 7 months. The most important step is to vacuum thoroughly and often. Vacuuming is very effective and should be done daily.
Worms
A person should have their cats and dogs wormed regularly. The reason for this is that worms carried by cats and dogs can be a health risk to other people and animals. There are many different types of worms and parasites that your pet can be infected with. Since young animals have a lower resistance to infection and unborn pups and kittens can be infected while in their mother’s womb. It is important to start worming pups and kittens at about two weeks of age. There are different types of worms, including; roundworms, tapeworms, whip worms, and hookworms. Since all of these types of worms are common in pets it is hard to prevent them from getting infected; but you can control them by worming your pet on a regular treatment schedule. Usually the doses can be giving orally in powder, liquid or tablet form. By using preventive care and making sure that your cat or dog is wormed at least every three to four months you can control infestations.
Ear Mites
Ear mites are very small parasites who infect the ears of cats and dogs and live in the ear canals. Ear mites are highly contagious among animals. Ear mites can be seen using a magnifying glass or by looking at a sample of tissue from the ear under a microscope. These types of parasites are not always easy to see with the naked eye. Unfortunately, if one of your pets has ear mites then the rest of your pets probably do too. Ear mites easily spread between animals. It is also a good idea to use flea products on their bodies as well, such as flea powder or flea shampoo. Ear mites can be found on other areas of the body besides the ears. It is also recommended that you wash the pet’s bedding. The type of treatment for ear mites depends on how severe the infestation is. Your veterinarian can prescribe ear medications with anti inflammatory ingredients which will give your pet relief. If the ear mites are severe you may need your pet’s ears cleaned along with ear medication.
Today with things such as the cost of medical treatment and veterinarian visits for your pets at a all time high and still increasing; a smart move is to buy pet insurance. This will give you piece of mind and the ability to take care of your four legged family members in case of a medical emergency or injury. You can get pet insurance on older pets too. They don’t have to be puppies or kittens to be eligible; as long as you keep the premiums up they will be covered for their lifetime.
So please visit us to see how we can help protect your pet – you can buy online easily too at Pet Insurance by Animal Friends.
Pet Slimmer of the Year
Weight and obesity always seem to be hot topics in the news. Yet it’s not just people that need to watch the pounds, our pet dogs are just as at risk from the health implications of obesity as we are.
A Labrador dog has been crowned pet slimmer of the year in a UK wide competition after shedding 9 and a half kilos! A diet of fatty foods, and too many of them and the extra weight piled on Oscar, the black Labrador.
A one hundred day diet of water and dog biscuits, along with regular exercise and Oscar is now unrecognisable as a slim fit and energetic pet. Well done Oscar!
No matter what breed they are, all dogs enjoy food. Most of them would eat you out of house and home given half a chance but it is important not to indulge your pup too often. Like us humans they need a balanced diet and lots of exercise.
How can I save money on my pet?
Our animal friends depend on us for food, water, shelter and love. When money is tight, there is plenty of love to go around, but the other essentials may be a little harder to come by. This doesn’t mean you have to live without your four-legged buddies. Here are a few ideas to try, many of which will save you money in the long run.