Pet Selection - 4 Questions to Consider Before You Purchase Or Adopt an Animal

Sharing your life and home with a pet can add a lot of joy and pleasure provided you pick the right pet and are able to provide the care needed. There are several ways to find a pet; you can purchase from a breeder, adopt an animal from a shelter or adopt a pet from a breed specific rescue group. Also, you may be able to adopt a very loving, healthy pet through your veterinarian or if you know a senior citizen whose housing situation requires them to give up their pet. Before you decide what type of animal you want, consider your lifestyle. Animals are not toys. They are sentient beings with emotions and pain receptors. They require routine medical check ups, proper nutrition, and have breed specific needs such as lots of grooming (poodles, etc.) or exercise (most types of terriers, etc.). Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I make enough money to provide food and medical care for a pet? The average annual cost of feeding a cat is approximately $700 (this can vary tremendously depending on whether you feed your cat dry food or canned food and the quality of the food). The cost of caring for a dog can vary even more because the size of the dog determines the amount of food required. Certain breeds, like poodles require professional grooming which can add another $200-$700 in annual costs. If your pet is healthy, veterinarian fees average $100-150 per year, but the first year may be closed to $300 because more vaccinations are required with young animals and you will need to spay or neuter your pet as they reach sexual maturity-approximately 6 months old. Additionally, you may need to license or register your pet to be in compliance with local laws. It's also good to plan on spending some money on training ($100-500 one time fees), especially with dogs. Like most things, having a pet can have unexpected costs-flea treatment, nail clipping, unexpected medical expenses, pet sitting or boarding fees when you travel, pet toys, treats, and bedding. Your home and furniture are likely to experience a little more wear and tear. If you're the kind of person who cares more about your couch than a cat, think twice.

2. Am I willing to make a long term commitment to an animal? Most dogs and cats live approximately 10-12 years, but many indoor cats can live 20-25 years, and certain breeds of dogs live 15-18 years. No one can see the future, but if you have a condition or circumstance in your life where you cannot care for a pet for at least the next 10 years, do not purchase a pet whose life expectancy exceeds your availability. Let's say you plan on moving to Europe in 5 years when you retire and you want to be free-i.e. no pets or responsibilities. You can often adopt an older pet from a shelter or breed rescue site. Or you can volunteer time at the local animal shelter instead of adopting a pet.

3. Is my home environment stable and suitable for a pet? Just like people, pets flourish in a home that is stable. They like routine feeding times and bed times. Are you able to provide these? If you have a home with any of the following conditions please do not adopt or purchase an animal.

a. Someone in the house with a violent temper.

b. You routinely travel for extended periods of time and no one else lives with you or no other person in the house wants to care for a pet. Cats can often do well in a household where you stay away one night a week, but dogs cannot be left alone for long periods of time.

c. You have very young children--wait until they are able to comprehend why they need to be nice to the animal. This varies from child to child, but once your child is 6-7 years old, it may be a good time to add a pet to your home. Just make sure you obtain the type of pet that is best suited for children.

d. You're being evicted, foreclosure is eminent, or you are going to trail and may have possible jail time.

e. You have a mental of physical disability that requires prolonged hospital stays, or periods where it would be impossible to care for your pet.

f. You have a mental of physical disability and your disease will be aggravated by the extra burden of pet care or an allergic reaction to dander or hair. (Many people flourish by sharing their life with a pet-just make sure someone can care for your pet and that your disease will not be adversely affected).

4. Does your apartment, condo or city allow the type of pet selected? If you rent an apartment, find out what the property management or property owner's pet policies are before you buy or adopt a pet. If you live in a condominium, you'll need to check the pet restrictions. The condo management company or your condo association can provide this information. Lastly, check with the city to find out any breed restrictions (some cities will not allow people to house specific breeds).

If you want a pet and are willing and able to provide proper care, the next step is to consider the type of pet whose needs and nature will mesh well with your lifestyle. There are many books and websites with breed specific information. Sadly, the United States kills 4-10 million companion animals each year. This figure will drop substantially, as people consider the requirements of pet care and breed specific needs before they purchase or adopt an animal.

Kate Garvey is a former Vet Tech and animal rights supporter. She teaches Sound Healing Workshops (throughout the US) and treats clients by appointment in the San Diego area. For more information on how you can use sound for optimal health please visit http://www.InstituteOfSoundHealing.com

Kate is also a freelance writer, published author, and the author of several books; "Aging, Death and Euthanasia-A Guide for People with Pets", "Summer Pet Care Tips", and "The Low Risk Guide for Real Estate Investment."

Overfeeding Your Pet - Accidental Animal Abuse

There is a type of animal abuse that is prevalent amongst many different kinds of pet owners: overfeeding. When you hear the term "abuse" you tend to think of beating your animal or underfeeding, but indeed overfeeding your animal can lead to health problems as well. Now, this isn't to say that owners who give in just a bit too frequently to their animals' pleas should be stripped of their furry friends and stoned in public; it's mostly a crime of innocent ignorance. This article should provide you with knowledge of the dangerous effects of overfeeding as well as information on how much you should feed your pets on a daily basis.

Dogs

Perhaps the kings of scavenging and begging for food are dogs. Who can resist those puppy eyes peering up at you from underneath the dinner table at night?! Dogs seem to have an appetite that is insatiable, and that's probably the exact truth of the matter. However, overfeeding your dog can be quite hazardous to his/her health. The biggest risk with overfeeding your dog is obesity. There are many health problems that can plague an overweight dog such as diabetes, muscle and ligament strains, joint deterioration, and arthritis. Your dog can also develop high blood pressure or even congestive heart failure from the overexertion to the heart caused by carrying around the excess weight.

The amount of food that a dog requires varies with breed. According to dogbreedinfo.com, the following is about what you would want to feed your dog based on weight:
• 10 lbs. or less- You should feed no more than 1/3 - 1 cup of dry food or if mixing canned with dry food you should feed ? can and ? cup dry food.
• 10-25 lbs.- 1-2 ? cups of dry food or ? can and ? - 1 ? cups dry food.
• 25-50 lbs. -2 ? - 3 ? cups dry food or 1 can and 1 - 2 ? cups dry food.
• 50-75 lbs. - 3 ? - 5 cups dry food or 1 ? cans and 1 ? - 3 cups dry food.
• Over 75 lbs. - 5-8 cups of dry food or 2 cans and 2 ? -5 ? cups dry food.
Fish
It's not very often that you peer into a fish tank and think 'My, what a fat fish!'. As opposed to obesity the health hazards with overfeeding fish are a bit less obvious and harder to recognize. As a part of their evolution fish have a tendency to eat whenever the opportunity presents itself. In the wild this is a helpful survival tactic, but in your fish tank this can be a serious problem. Your fish will literally eat until their insides explode if you provide them with enough food more frequently than they need it. Overfeeding can cause issues with the water quality in your tank such as producing algae and toxins that are also harmful to your fish. Some diseases that can result from overfeeding your fish are fin rot, fatty liver and improper digestion (petcareeducation.com).
Prevent overfeeding by simply reading the directions on your fish food. For most freshwater fish these directions will be sufficient in explaining how much you should feed. When in doubt, about a pinch of food is enough to feed at least 5 fish.
Cats

The health risks associated with overfeeding your cat are very similar to those associated with overfeeding a dog. The biggest problem is the obesity and the problems caused by it. Some of the common ailments that an obese cat faces are diabetes, liver disease (fatty liver), arthritis, and skin problems. It is also more difficult for an overweight cat to be anesthetized for procedures at the veterinarian's office as well due to the fact that the anesthetic is taken up by fat. This means that overweight animals take longer to come out of anesthesia and can take longer to recover.

So how much should you feed your cat? According to dogtime.com, the typical 10 lb. cat should be fed 4-6 ounces of canned food or 1/4 - 1/3 cup dry food daily. It is also a good idea to feed your cat twice a day. This doesn't mean giving the full recommended amount of food twice a day; break up the servings. Leaving food out all day can encourage your cat's overeating as sometimes, especially seen in in-door cats, they eat because they're bored (sound familiar?). You may also want to monitor what kind of food you give your cat. Just as you would with your diet, monitor the calorie and carbohydrate in-take of your cat in addition to limiting the amount of food you give them.

These are only a few tips for feeding your pets. As always, you will want to consult your vet as the final word on what's best for your animal. Like people all animals are different, and the tips shared here may not necessarily be applicable to the particular breed of animal you have or the health issues that may already exist within your pet. The first step to responsible pet ownership is to keep yourself compliant with and informed about your pet's needs.

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Why Pet Food Storage is Advisable For Your Animal Feeds

It can be considered a pain in the neck for pet owners to find out that their beloved pets are lamenting due to the contaminated pet food that was fed to them. Obviously, pets cannot decide for themselves, neither can they shop for the items or food that they want. So basically, they all rely on their owners, especially when it comes to feeding them with the best pet food. Moreover, pet owners may want to give the best for their pets, and feeding them contaminated pet foods may be accidental. But to think that it is contaminated, then the effects are still the same. Best option? Have at least one pet food storage for their food.

Most commonly, pet owners might be thinking that they don't need anything like that at all since they are feeding their pets with their table scraps. But are table scraps always safe for their pets? I guess, nah-uh... Definitely good but sometimes it can be harmful.

Studies show that feeding your pets with family table scraps is never 100% recommended. This is because there are many items that are definitely secured for humans but possibly harmful for pets. Try to think of pet foods, they are obviously made for pets only as these products contain things that may also be harmful for humans. As for table scraps, there are also items in it that can cause illnesses to pets, especially if the pets have hidden allergies.

I may say, feeding your pets daily with processed foods that come in cans and packs is also not advisable. Like humans, they also have this longing for organic foods as they are naturally born carnivores. And feeding them with raw foods like meat is very good for their health. Raw foods can increase their strength and vitality and can even help them get rid of more serious infections, especially if given the right amount of it each day.

But how will you be able to keep and maintain those raw foods safe and fresh? As for meat, probably you can have them frozen in fridges. This would help the pet food maintain its freshness. Just like humans consuming meat for meal, pets may want also that their meats be given flavors or cooked.

Another pet food that can be possibly contaminated is those that come in packs. Nowadays, pet foods usually come in these forms. These foods are processed, and as mentioned a while ago, these are not completely advisable for your pets to be fed daily. However, as there are still pet owners who believe in the nutritional facts these kinds of foods give, many still feed their pets with pet foods like these. And since it pets cannot finish off all the food in the pack, then it is very good to have those foods left in the package be kept in safety pet food storage.

Pet food storage may come in plastics and other forms and sizes. To those who consider not needing these kinds of stuffs at all, then they should think again. If they want to feed their pets with safe foods, then better purchase something like this to keep the food away from possible contamination.

Well, when talking about keeping food for humans and pets, always remember to separate animal feeds from human foods. And to keep the same quality freshness of pet food (as any pet owners would love to feed their pets the best of everything), it is very much advisable to keep them in a safe pet food storage. Just always keep the storage clean and free from rodents.

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