Be on the lookout for changes in behavior: dog bladder infection

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One of the most valuable aspects of ThePetCheckup is that it can catch the beginning stages of so many illnesses before changes are apparent to the caregiver.

I speak with many wonderful, attentive, and very caring animal caregivers, but changes in a dog and cat’s health can happen very quickly.

That is why our veterinary technical advisors suggest using ThePetCheckup regularly on a monthly basis…to catch potential problems at very early stages of an illness.

Once symptoms have manifested, the illness is more advanced.

For bladder infections in dogs for instance…the 4 major outward signs are:

1. increased frequency of urination
2. increased drinking
3. blood in the urine
4. incontinence

These signs are signals to get medical care right away before the infection progresses and becomes more serious.

Maddie and her kittens…happy rescue story with lots of cool pictures

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Laura Cohen is in charge of cat adoptions at Noah’s Ark animal shelter here in Fairfield, IA . Laura is very experienced at raising baby kittens who have been abandoned or need extra care from birth.

Eight weeks ago she took in an abandoned pregnant cat and has been helping her raise the little ones.

Below is the link told in several episodes. It is so charming. There are many adorable pictures of the litter, beginning on day 1, through opening their eyes, and growing into the now healthy 8 week olds soon to be ready for adoption. Check it out. You will love reading about Maddie and her adorable babies. Go to http://www.noahsark.org/ and scroll down to “kitten season has arrived.” Enjoy!

Michael Vick

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I just read on line that Michael Vick’s representatives have approached the Humane Society about Vick working on some programs and publicity aimed at preventing youths from ever getting involved in dogfighting.

Some of the programs will be aimed at kids who are currently involved in dogfighting activities as well…at least the ones who have been caught.

I hope it is true and I hope that he is sincere. It would be wonderful if this tragedy could lead to something positive.

flea season is around the corner

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As much as I look forward to spring and summer every year, there is always the dreaded knowledge that flea season is once again on the horizon. My treatment in past years has revolved around diatomaceous earth powder, lots of vacuuming and lots of flea combing.

While I do find the occasional flea or two (or three) this protocol has kept the situation from getting out of hand. I have not had to use anything chemical on Chloe or Kate which makes the twice a day flea combing and the almost daily vacuuming tolerable.

What do you do to prevent fleas from getting out of control with your dogs and cats?

more on feline urinary tract disease

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About two years ago, Chloe was diagnosed with ideopathic feline urinary tract disease. She went on antibiotics and recovered very quickly.

At the time, I couldn’t find too much information on this subject, but more has been written lately. The term ideopathic means relating to a disease with no known cause. And over 1/2 the cats diagnosed with FLUTD are considered ideopathic…the cause is not clear…and the illness is called IFLUTD (the “i” stands for ideopathic).

An interesting thing has been discovered with IFLUTD however. It is often triggered by some stressful event – the addition of a new animal or person in the household, construction or remodeling in the home, a move to a new home, etc. Chloe’s IFLUTD developed after I came home from an extended trip. Even though her housesitter adores her, perhaps my being away for several weeks was hard on her. I am thinking of ways I can make the situation easier for her next time I am away for awhile.

The good news is that IFLUTD usually clears up quite easily with antibiotics, and can even clear up on its own.

Meanwhile Chloe is happily sleeping on my lap right now as I type…and I do plan to do more research into this interesting topic and will report back.

diagnosing a cat urinary tract disease

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When our customers find the beginning of an illness with ThePetCheckup, it is often early stages of lower urinary tract disease. This is true for both cats and dogs, although it is more common in cats.

There are many causes of FLUTD, but the symptoms are very similar:

1. the most common is straining in the litterbox: cats will make frequent and repeated attempts to use the box although the amount of urine they pass is very small

2. urinating outside the litterbox: often they prefer cool surfaces such as bathtubs and tile floors. Many people don’t realize there is a problem until they find little puddles of urine around, sometimes containing blood.

I also have been reading about idiopathic lower urinary tract disease (Chloe was diagnosed with this once) and I will write more about this tomorrow. It is quite common.

at home urine pet health kit

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We got another wonderful testimonial for ThePetCheckup. It is so great to be helping so many people avoid serious urinary tract infections in their dogs and cats. Besides being a potentially serious health condition, they can sure cause their people alot of worry…not to mention cleanup!

I would LOVE to recommend this product!!! My 4 1/2 year old “Princess” has had horrible problems with urinary tract infections and crystal formations in the past.
Before I had heard of ThePetCheckup, I had to just wait until she showed signs of straining or had accidents in the house! Now that I regularly use ThePetCheckup, I can catch any irregularities before she shows signs of pain.
Thank you for giving me peace of mind with the ThePetCheckup!—T.U., Raleigh, NC