Home Hazards That Can Affect Our Pets

Is your home safe for your Furr Kids? It might surprise you to know how many hazards there are in a typical home for the pets we love.
Most everyone is aware that anti-freeze, pest sprays, rat poison and the like should be kept where no pet can get to them. And many of us have heard about plants that are poison to our pets such as mistletoe, lilies and poinsettias.
But have you ever considered the following potential dangers to your pet?
1. Electrical cords; pets chewing on electrical cords can receive a potentially fatal shock. This is especially prevalent around the holidays when extension cords are often used.
2. Ingesting harmful foods; chocolate can be fatal to pets.
3. Worn out toys; toys that are worn or badly chewed can begin to fall apart and small pieces of them can be swallowed.
4. Garbage; pets that get into the garbage can may eat bones, coffee grounds, spoiled food, cigarette butts, etc.
5. Chemicals; pets may ingest cleanser, soap, bleach, mothballs, paint, pool chemicals, fertilizers, etc.
6. Medications; many medications intended for humans can be fatal to pets, as can nicotine gum.
7. Open clothes dryer doors; the dryer is a wonderfully warm spot for a cat to take a nap…make sure they can’t get inside.
Other things may not be as obvious as those listed above. I once had a kitten that, unknown to me, swallowed a needle and thread. My first indication was a lump I noticed on his throat. When I got him to the vet, x-rays were taken and the item removed. The kitten and I were both traumatized!
When you are using potentially dangerous tools like power saws, drills, etc., make sure your pet is confined to an area away from your work place. Is your ceiling fan running when your bird is flying free in the house?
Pets usually investigate things with their mouths, and there are many dangers in the average home. Take a look around your house and see just how safe it is for your Furr Kids. A quick check may save your pet from injury or death, and you from expensive vet bills!

So You Want To Own A Ferret?

You’ve seen them in movies and on TV shows, and the local pet store usually has some for sale. They seem to be intelligent and cuddly. But what do you really know about owning a ferret?
Ferrets live an average of 6-8 years, although some can be as old as 10. They tend to sleep a lot (about 18 hours a day!), but when they are awake they are very playful and fun to watch.
The domestic ferret is not to be confused with their wild cousins, the Black Footed Ferret, which is an endangered species. Never take a ferret from the wild to keep as a house pet.
Many people have the misconception that ferrets stink! Although they do have a slightly musky odor, it is not an offensive scent, and occasional bathing helps with this. Most ferrets sold in North America for pets have also been descented and neutered before sale, and this aids in cutting any odor they might otherwise have.
The name ferret is derived from the latin furonem, which means "thief." If you’ve ever owned a ferret, as I have, you know the name is well deserved. They will steal and hide anything that appeals to them, especially if it is shiny and easy to carry off.
There are many good quality commercial ferret foods on the market. It used to be a common misconception that you could feed ferrets a quality cat food, but research has shown that a quality ferret food is recommended. Ferrets require a diet high in protein (34 -36%) and one that contains about 20% fat. The source of the protein should be animal protein…vegetable protein is not adequate for a ferret’s metabolism, as it is indigestible to them.. Be sure to read the labels at your pet food supply store to ensure adequate nutrition. You can give your ferret treats such as apples, raisins and bananas or there are commercial treats available at your pet food supply store. Treats should be given sparingly, and are a great incentive for training purposes.
A ferret should have a cage that is large enough for them to move around in. They are very active animals when awake, and it is likely you will want to confine them to a cage when you are not home.
Ferrets can be trained to use a litter box. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Initially, keep the litter box in the ferret’s cage. Generally a ferret will use the box, and can be rewarded with a small treat when they do so.
2. After the ferret is used to using the litter box in the cage, you can gradually move the litter box further from the cage if you wish.
3. When you ferret is out of the cage, take them to the litter box frequently and reward them when they use the box with lots of praise and perhaps a small treat.
4. Ferrets back up to defecate or urinate, so if you notice your ferret backing into a corner when out of the cage, take them to the litter box.
Ferrets love to play! They will play with almost anything, so it’s very important that the toys they have available to them are safe. Things that are sharp or have small parts that can be swallowed should be avoided. Soft rubber toys are not a good choice as ferrets have sharp teeth and will destroy them quickly. Most of what a ferret plays with ends up in it’s mouth, so it’s much like “babyproofing” your house. Suggestions for ferret toys:
1. hard plastic balls
2. hard rubber balls
3. things they can crawl into…commercial ferret “tubes”, or a section of PVC pipe at least 3” in diameter
4. paper bags and cardboard boxes
5. rattles, teething rings, etc (toys made safe for human babies)
6. small stuffed animals
Remember…they will steal anything, so make sure you “ferret proof” your house. Oh…I forgot….When I bought my first ferret, I was told they do not climb. They are very good climbers, as I found out.
After reading all this, if you have decided you still want to own a ferret, Good For You! They are delightful, entertaining pets. I will never regret having a ferret as a FurrKid at one point in my life.

The Truth About Declawing

There seems to be an alarming trend to have cats declawed...whether it's due to personal convenience, apartment house rules and regulations, or simple lack of knowledge on the part of responsible pet owners.
There are many fine vets out there that actively discourage declawing, but there are also many who perform this surgery on a regular basis while never completely informing the pet owner what this really entails nor explaining the possible dangers of the procedure.
If people were more informed, perhaps this trend would reverse itself.
Declawing a cat is a major surgical procedure, performed under general anesthesia. It is actually amputation of the last joint on each toe, not a simple removal of the claw itself as many are led to believe. The following article explains the procedure of declawing.
Cats walk on their toes, unlike most mammals who walk on the soles of their feet. Their musculature, joints, tendons and ligaments are all designed to distribute their body weight to their toes.
The claw is not a nail like human fingernails or toenails. It is actually a part of the last bone in a cat's toe. If you were to "declaw" a human in the same way a cat is declawed, you would be amputating all 10 fingers at the last joint!
I found this description of the surgery in a veterinary textbook: "The claw is extended by pushing up under the footpad or by grasping it with Allis tissue forceps. A scalpel blade is used to sharply dissect between the second and third phalanx over the top of the ungual crest . The distal interphalangeal joint is disarticulated (disjointed), and the deep digital flexor tendon is incised (severed). The digital footpad is not incised.” This clinical explanation sounds horrific, doesn’t it?
There is a real possibility of complications after any major surgery, and declawing is no exception. There is the possibility of hemorrhage, infection, extreme pain, bone chips, possible regrowth of deformed claw, back, muscle and joint problems, damage to nerves, abscess and possible lameness. If the claw does regrow, it is often deformed and yet another surgery must be performed to correct this problem.
In addition to the possible physical complications, often there are behavioral problems following this surgery. The cat can become withdrawn, distant, fearful and/or aggressive, and often start biting, as this is the only means of defense left to them. Occasionally the cat will stop using the litterbox, because immediately after surgery it was painful to scratch in the litter box, and now they associate that pain with the litter box. Because of the amount of stress the animal experiences after this procedure, they may become more prone to other diseases, as stress tends to compromise the immune system.
The animal is in extreme pain following the surgery, and rarely do veterinarians offer any sort of pain medication for the cat.
There are alternatives to having your cat declawed...such as claw covers, scratching posts, regular trimming of the claws and behavior modification.
Many countries have banned declawing as an abusive practice which causes unnecessary pain and trauma to the animal. A veterinary textbook by Turner and Bateson on the biology of cat behavior concludes a short section on scratching behavior with the following statement: "The operative removal of the claws, as is sometimes practiced to protect furniture and curtains, is an act of abuse and should be forbidden by law in all, not just a few countries."
Unfortunately, declawing is not banned in the United States at this time. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says it is their policy to “recommend considering such surgery only if concerted behavior modification efforts have failed and euthanasia is pending.”
Declawing a cat is an abusive practice. Being informed of a procedure and possible complications should be the goal of every responsible pet owner.

Our Pets Behavior

Behavior can be a huge iisue with our pets. If each dog and cat owner in the United States took the time to understand the root of their animals'
behavioral issues, our animal shelters would be substantially less populated with strays. Around sixty percent of animals in shelters are there simply because of various behavioral problems. When cats start scratching furniture and dogs begin barking continually, it is quite natural to say to ourselves: I didn't sign up for this. In some cases a pet's behavioral problems can be entirely or almost entirely health related. In some other cases they can simply be a product of our own mistakes as owners. When all is said and done, who would really want to use a litter box that has not been cleaned in several weeks?
Before you do anything else you must overcoming our pets' behavioral problems by using our imaginations...... to get into their minds and to try to understand the world through their eyes. Then we may actually see that we ask an awful from our pets. First of all, we put them into a human-created environment and then expect them to simply forget their wildness and behave in ways that suit only us. Many of the things that we teach our animals go against their nature. We sometimes ask our cats to relieve themselves into small trays when it is only natural for them to do so anywhere in their territory. And we discourage our dogs from barking at our guests or passerby when it is
they are just trying to communicate with strangers who are entering their environment.
If it is not stress or some kind of illness, then we should look at ourselves as owners: are we asking our dogs and cats to behave in ways which are totally impossible under the circumstances that we have provided for them? For example, are we asking our cats to use litter boxes that we rarely even clean? Or are we asking them to keep their paws off the couch when we have provided nothing else for them to scratch for the long hours in which we are gone? Are we asking our dogs to defer their whole worlds to us, while all we offer in return is a few hours a day of our aloof presence sprinkled with paltry playtime and affection?

Seizures in Pets

Witnessing your precious dog or cat having a seizure can be a most frightening experience. During seizures pets often lose control, fall over, chomp their teeth, salivate or drool, whine, paddle with their feet, and begin to urinate or deficate on themselves. Their eyes become large (dilated) and unresponsive. A pet caregiver feels panicked and helpless while watching it all happen.

Hopefully, you and your pet have never, and will never, have to experience this shocking event. But, if you have, or if you experience it in the future, this article will help you to understand what causes seizures, what you can do while your pet is having a seizure, and the various treatment options available.

What causes seizures? Epilepsy is one cause. Certain dog breeds are more susceptible to epilepsy. These include: cocker spaniels; poodles; collies; german shepherds; irish setters; golden retrievers; dachshunds, labrador retrievers, saint bernards, miniature schnauzers, siberian huskies, and wire-haired terriers. Veterinarians are not sure what causes this “hereditary” epilepsy.

In cats hereditary epilepsy is unusual. Vets can normally find the cause of seizures. These include chemical toxins (which includes chemical preservatives used in many pet foods), brain tumors, feline leukemia, feline infections, peritonitis, feline AIDS, head trauma, and problems with the liver and kidneys.

In dogs there are many causes of seizures besides hereditary epilepsy. Allergies to food and the chemicals, preservatives, and artificial flavors put into the foods can cause seizures. Other causes include liver and kidney disease, tumors, poisonings, and low blood sugars.

What can you do while your pet is having a seizure? Try to stay calm. This is hard to do, but using a calm, reassuring quiet voice will comfort your dog or cat. Move any furniture or other objects on which your pet could hurt itself. If you’re unable to move the object, place pillows or wrap blankets between the pet and the object. Slide something soft under your pet’s head, but be sure to keep your hands and face away from his head so that you don’t risk a possible bite. You can gently stroke his hip or side, but position yourself opposite the side of the feet and toenails as the muscle spasms make the feet curl into claws that can gouge or rake your skin. Dim the lights, and keep the environment as quiet as possible by turning off the TV and loud music.

If possible take notes about the seizure so that you can give details to your vet. Jot down the time of day it occurred, the length of each seizure, and the time in between each seizure if they are recurrent. Your vet will also want to know whether your pet urinated or deficated, if the seizure hit suddenly or progressed from mere body twitching, whether your pet regained consciousness, and how long it took before your pet appeared normal again. In addition, you’ll need to figure out whether there were any possible triggering events. These include loud noises such as fireworks, unusual items that were eaten, and excessive playing or exercise.

After the seizure, pets usually appear lost or drugged. This drugged state can last a few minutes to several hours depending on the severity of the seizure. Your pet may respond to you, but do so in a very slow manner. Since seizures are exhausting for your pet, he will probably want to sleep afterwards. It is best to allow him to sleep, but check in on him occasionally without disturbing his rest.

If this is your pet’s first seizure, call your vet as soon as possible. Some vets will want to see if another seizure occurs, while others will perform a variet of blood tests to check for anemia, liver & heart functions, calcium, glucose, & electrolyte levels. Your vet may even run a screen for possible toxins, take x-rays, or perform an electroencephalogram.

The test results may not indicate the specific reason for the seizure. In this case, your vet may wait to see if another seizure occurs or he/she may suggest medications. If the diagnosis is epilepsy, pets have an excellent chance to live a normal life as long as proper medical care and follow-up are provided.

If you discover the cause of the seizure, you may be able to eliminate future seizures by eliminating the seizure’s source. For instance, if the seizure is due to chemcial toxins, make sure your pet remains as free of toxins as possible. Provide human grade food and treats that do not contain chemical preservatives, fillers, or byproducts. Clean your house with chemical-free products. Also, use more natural flea, tick, & heartworm prevention products as some of these products may lower your pet’s seizure threshold and make seizures more difficult to control. Avoid products containing organophosphate insecticides. For safer heartworm prevention, use products containing interceptor and filaribits.

What can you do if your pet’s seizure condition cannot be cured and you realize you and your pet may have to live with the seizures? In the past, the only treatment options available were strong anticonvulsants that could have serious side effects. These still may be your only option. But, more natural approaches have been found to help some pets, either prior to stronger medications or in addition to them so that you may be able to lower the dose. There are a variety of treatment options that include a natural diet, acupuncture, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbs, and conventional medications.

As mentioned above, give your pet a human grade diet, free of chemicals and additives. Also, remove other toxins from your pet’s environment. Clean with natural products and use more natural flea, tick, and heartworm prevention measures.

Minimize stress in your pet’s life. Try to avoid sudden changes in his environment, loud noises, and other stressful situations.

You can also try herbs that act as sedatives. These include valerian root, kava, skullcap and oatstraw. Note that when using herbs and supplements, you may need to lower the dosage of other anticonvulsants.

Several supplements appear to help in preventing seizures. Try an antioxidant combination of Vitamin C, E, B-6, and selenium. Your vet can recommend the dosage for your pet. Magnesium and DMG (dimethyl glycine) are other helpful supplements.

Acupuncture is another helpful option which has helped to control seizures in many pets. Sometimes just placing an ear acupuncture tack in a dog’s ear will stop seizures, and this only requires one acupuncture visit.

If the ear tack doesn’t work, gold implants can be placed in different locations under a pet’s head. Or your pet can be treated with traditional chinese acupuncture.

As you can see, there are many natural approaches to treating seizures in pets. These should help your beloved pet to live a normal and comfortable life.

Tired of Vet Bills?

Do you make a lot of trips to the vet's office? Do you spend your hard-earned money on vet bills because your dog suffers from chronic ailments? Give your dog or cat the nutrition he needs, and chances are you can spend your money on other things rather than giving it to your veterinarian.

Nutritional deficiencies are often the cause of chronic ailments in pets. Most holistic vets believe that improving a pet's diet will boost health and vitality and often restore chronically ill dogs to health.

Pets need to eat a variety of fresh, whole foods. A balanced, raw, home-made diet provides the nutrients pets need to heal from the inside out.

If you don't have time to feed a home-made diet, buy the best commercial pet food you can find, one made with human-grade ingredients and without chemical preservatives, byproducts, and fillers. (These foods may be difficult to find in grocery stores and pet stores, but are easy to find and purchase on web sites.) Then improve on it. Fresh juice and raw liver are two of the healthiest foods you can add to your pet's diet:

**Fresh Juice (for dogs only):

Use a juicer if you have one. Most dogs love carrot juice, and it contains zinc, vitamin E, beta carotene, copper, and other ingredients that strengthen the immune system. It's best to use organic carrots, and you can add celery, parsley, or apple. Feed directly or mix with your dog's food. Try to feed 1/2 cup juice per 25-30 pounds of weight each day.

**Raw Liver (for both dogs and cats):

Some vets consider liver a miracle food because of its ability to save lives and improve health. Raw beef and chicken liver are rich in amino acids, protein, phosphorous, potassium, copper, and Vitamin A & B-complex.

Feed liver only from organically raised cattle and poultry because the liver stores toxins. You can add raw liver to the fresh juice you make or add it to your dog's food. To help sick pets, feed small amounts of organic calf or chicken liver once or twice per day (one teaspoon per 10 to 20 pounds of body weight).

If your dog has multiple health problems, supplements can also help:

**Digestive Enzymes such as pancreatin and bromelain help to replace enzymes destroyed by heat. Give enzyme supplements between meals.

**Probiotics and Prebiotics contain bacteria that help with digestion and fight infection. They replace bacteria destroyed by an inadequate diet or antibiotics.

**Colostrum and Lactoferrin enhance immune function.

**Vitamins and Minerals are especially helpful when pets have multiple infections. Choose a vitamin/mineral supplement made from whole-food sources. Pets can easily assimilate these.

**Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins are needed to construct every cell in the body.

**Garlic fights infection, helps prevent cancer, expels tapeworms, prevents blood clotting, and makes pets less attractive to parasites such as fleas.

If you provide your pet with the nutrients he needs, you should see a much healthier and happier pet. And maybe that money that used to be spent on vet bills can now go towards a new car, home improvements, a vacation, or even a savings account!

Why Does My Pet Eat Grass?

Are you concerned when your dog or cat eats grass, then throws up afterwards? You’ll probably feel relieved to know that pets eat grass because their bodies need it.

Dogs and cats have been eating grass for a long time. In fact, grass is so popular among dogs that one species, dog grass, is named after them. Dog grass is also known as couch grass and quackweed, and it grows in all but the southern-most states.

You can think of grass as an herbal medicine. It acts as an internal cleanser, expelling excess mucus, bile, and other impurities. It also cleanses the bowels and expels worms. Cereal grasses contain enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Grass also contains chlorophyll, which was used for relieving pain, treating infections, ulcers, skin diseases, and anemia prior to the use of antibiotics.

Some pet owners grow grass specifically to give to their pets to prevent or treat diarrhea, anemia, cataracts, fleas, tumors excessive shedding, and other pet health problems. Pets that are fed grass on a regular basis are less likely to crave outdoor grass. So, if you don’t feel comfortable with your pet eating the grass in your lawn, you may want to grow your own grass for them to eat.

Try growing rye or barley sprouts. These sprouts are preferred over wheat grass because some animals are sensitive to wheat.

Follow these instructions to grow rye or barley grass. Soak one cup organically grown grain in one quart water for 8 to 10 hours. Then drain the container and leave it on its side in a warm place, away from direct sunlight. A tiny white rootlet will sprout from each grain within 24 to 48 hours. Caution: If you don’t see these rootlets, your grain isn’t viable and should be thrown away.

Next, spread the sprouting grain on one inch of moist potting soil or top soil in a plastic garden tray. For drainage create a one inch channel around the soil.

For two days, cover the tray. Then uncover it, and water thoroughly. Place the tray in direct sunlight or under grow lights. Keep the soil moist by watering when needed.

When the grass is 6-8” tall, cut it with scissors or a sharp knife. Place grasses in a ziploc bag, along with a damp paper towel. Be sure to expel air from the bag before sealing. Then store the grass in the refrigerator.

When feeding the grass to your pet, cut or mince it into tiny pieces, or place a small amount in a blender or food processor with other foods. To be sure your cat or dog will accept the grass, begin feeding just a fraction of a teaspoon. Increase the amount gradually to approximately one tablespoon per 50 lbs. of body weight.

Once your pet is given the amount of grass his body needs, you probably won’t be seeing him eating the grass in your lawn. And you can feel relieved knowing that you’re feeding him something that he craves and that his body needs.

Pet Ear Infections

Is your dog or cat tormented by ear infections? Do you spend time and money at the veterinarian's office trying to bring relief to your beloved pet, only to find that another infection appears over time? If so, you may want to try some more natural approaches to preventing and treating your pet's ear infections.

Dogs and cats have an incredible sense of hearing. To protect their hearing and prevent damage to the ear drum, their ear canals are L-shaped. The problem with this design is that it allows the ears to trap parasites, moisture, debris, and earwax, and any of these can lead to ear infections. Up to 80 percent of ear problems in dogs are linked to allergies, and earmites are often the cause of infection in cats.

The traditional treatment for ear infections is to give antibiotics, antifungal medications or other drugs. The problem with this approach is that drugs upset the normal chemistry inside the ear and can possibly turn a simple infection into a long-term problem. It makes more sense to deal with underlying allergies and strengthen the immune system so that it is able to fight bacteria and other germs BEFORE they cause infection. Also, there are many natural treatments for cleaning the ears and stopping infections without using drugs.

These are the Signs of an Ear Infection:

*Pet shakes head or holds it to one side.

*Pet scratches or rubs ears, or rubs head against furniture or carpet.

*There is a yellow, brown or black discharge in one or both ears.

*Ears smell bad or are tender or red.

The Solutions

*Clean the ears with vinegar - If your pet's ears are filled with brownish-pink wax, there is a good chance that allergies have caused a yeast infection. To clear up yeast infections, clean the ears thoroughly. Veterinarians often recommend using white vinegar, also called acetic acid, because it removes dirt and debris and helps restore a healthy chemical balance in the ears.

Diluted vinegar works well. When using vinegar, pour a small amount into the ear canal, massage the area, then gently wipe the inside of the ear with a cotton ball. Do this once a day until the ear is better.

*Stop infections with pau d'arco - The herb pau d'arco, which comes from the inner bark of a South American tree, is a natural antibiotic that quickly kills fungi and bacteria. At the first sign of infection, mix equal parts pau d'arco tincture and mineral oil and put several drops in your pet's ears. Give the drops two or three times a day for several days.

*Reduce inflammation with vitamin C - The adrenal glands produce a natural steroid that can help reduce inflammation when ears get infected. Giving pets vitamin C can help the adrenal glands work more efficiently. Pets weighing under 15 pounds can take between 100 and 250 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Cats and dogs 15 to 50 pounds can take 250 to 500 milligrams a day, and larger dogs can take 500 milligrams two or three times a day. Vitamin C can cause diarrhea, so you may have to cut back the dose until you find an amount that your pet will tolerate.

*Eliminate toxins with a healthy, all natural diet - Giving your pet a healthy, homemade diet or high quality commercial food that doesn't contain corn, additives or preservatives can greatly reduce the amount of wax that the ears produce, while also helping to boost the immune system.

*Air out the ears - Increasing air circulation inside the ears can control the growth of bacteria, yeast and fungi. Trim or pluck hair inside the ears periodically to allow more air to get inside.

*Strengthen the digestive tract - Supplements such as bromelain and quercetin (with bromelain) can help prevent an allergic response in the gastrointestinal tract, making food allergies less of a problem.

*Stop ear mites with oil - When an infection is caused by ear mites, putting a few drops of almond oil or olive oil in each ear will smother the mites and may allow the infection to heal. You usually need to continue the oil treatments for three to four weeks, putting three to seven drops of oil into the ear canals each day. To help the treatment work more efficiently, clean wax and other debris from the ears before
using oil.

*Try an over-the-counter remedy - One of the best ways to stop ear mites is with over-the-counter products containing pyrethrins. Made from chrysanthemums, pyrethrins are natural insecticides that are very safe to use. Just follow the instructions on the label.

When to Call the Vet

Ear infections can look and smell awful, but they usually affect only the outer part of the ear and aren't too serious. If you're unable to get to the source of the problem (especially if your pet is still scratching a lot), you will want to see your veterinarian to find out what is causing the problem. Vigorous scratching can break blood vessels in the earflap, causing the entire ear to swell like a balloon. This condition is called hematoma and must be drained by a veterinarian to prevent permanent damage.

Other symptoms to watch out for include head tilting, clumsiness, walking in circles or drooping eyes. These are signs of an inner-ear infection, and must be treated by a vet. Your pet will probably need antibiotics to knock out the infection. In addition, your vet may need to drain pus and other fluids from inside the ear!

Dealing With your Pets' Allergies

It is Winter time again, a time of the year when pets and humans are very vulnerable to each other. As this is obviously the chilliest time of the year, animals are much more likely to be cooped up inside the house with us. All of the windows and doors are closed to the world and the heat is blasting around the clock.

These are precisely the conditions which make our winter homes playgrounds for some kinds of allergens. Our dogs and cats are considerably vulnerable to the dust in the carpet, the mold inside the walls of your old house and other pets. But warm moist times of the year are high allergy times as well. Allergies are simply the most common conditions affecting cats and according to the Kansas State University, 15% of dogs suffer from common allergies like pollen and house dust. An allergic reaction is the work of an overactive immune system. It is when an animal responds abnormally to a seemingly everyday substance like grass or general food ingredients.

Of the different kinds of allergies, contact allergies are the least common in cats and dogs. An Example of a contact allergen is a flea collar. Grass and various kinds of bedding such as wool are also examples. An Inhalant Allergy is the most common allergy for cats and is also prevalent in dogs. This particular kind of allergy is caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to environmental substances. A Flea Allergy is the single most common dog allergy but is also common cats. The normal dog or cat suffers only somewhat minor irritation in lieu of a flea bite with minimal itching.

A food allergy is also somehat common in pets. Cats often become allergic to their most common protein such as tuna. Dogs can be allergic to proteins like chicken and beef. When it comes to allergies, like most things it's a matter of controlling, not curing. Once an animal's body becomes hypersensitive to certain things, it is then eternally vulnerable to those things.

Regarding treatment of allergies, the most common treatments are topical products like shampoos or antihistamines. There are also certain supplements that you can give to your pets to help support

the insides of their bodies, which to an extent determine the condition of the outside. Studies have shown that if we shampoo our pets' coats on a regularl basis, it is much less likely that foreign substances will enter through the skin. Regular bathing discourages allergens -- irritants such as dander and dead hair. When our pets itch and injure their skin, it leaves their internal landscapes much more vulnerable to skin problems.