Collecting a urine sample from a cat

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The best method I have found for collecting a urine sample from a cat is to cover the top of the litter box with a plastic bag.  Just lay the un-opened bag over the top. Those white garbage bags work great.  Your cat may wonder what is going on at first, but they willwuickly feel the litter under their paws and proceed.

When they are finished, just use the dropper and take a few dropperfulls for the test…remember you only need 10 drops for ThePetCheckup test.

Let me know how this works for you.  Tomorrow I’ll have a suggestion if you  want to use non-absorb cat “litter”.

But I have done many tests with the plastic bag method (actually Chloe and Kate are so used to it now, that I just hold some plastic under their butts when they are peeing) and have found it to be quite simple.  Remember to have a calm, matter of fact attitude when collecting urine for the test.  Your cats will pick up if you are feeling anxious about it.

Another hint in the beginning it to collect the sample right after you have changed the cat pan.  Kitties love fresh litter and will often use the pan as soon as it is full of clean litter.

Ben Stein “get a dog”

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Great little video by Ben Stein on the solution to all of life’s problems:

“Get a dog”.

It’s a couple of years old, but the wisdom remains.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNqKdWlFqK4

Black bear on Cape Cod

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There have been several black bear sightings on Cape Cod this past week. Most recently I read that they think the bear swam across the Cape Cod canal.  Right now they are advising anyone who spots him to keep their distance and “treat him like a 200 pound skunk”.

My friend Sue went to see what her cat Feather was staring at so intently through the window and there was the bear in the back yard. (Would love to know what Feather was thinking).

You can follow the story on capecodonline.com

I am hoping for a happy ending for the bear and everyone involved.

Diamond Pet Food recall expanded again

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The newest pet food recall from Diamond Pet Food has now been expanded to 39 states after salmonella was found in some of their batches.

Other pet food companies use Diamond’s  manufacturing facility in Gaston, SC and have issued recalls for some of their products as well.  Solid Gold, Wellness, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul and Natural Balance are in this group.

It’s important to follow this and make sure that your pet’s food isn’t included in the expanding recall.  There is a link online diamondpetrecall.com but I don’t know how up to date it is regarding the other brands that may be affected.

Signs of salmonella poisoning in dogs and cats are lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea (could be bloody), fever and poor appetite.  This is something that can transmitted to other pets and to humans.  Humans can also be infected by handling infected bags of pet food.

4 in 10 pets are experiencing illness without showing outward symptoms

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I just read some interesting statistics regarding the importance of practicing some form of early detection with our pets.

It is estimated that as many as 4 in 10 animals may be experiencing an illness that requires veterinary attention without showing any outward signs of illness.


Using ThePetCheckup for secondary illnesses

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Some of our customers have animals who have been diagnosed with diabetes, autoimmune diseases or other illnesses that require long-term attention.

When a dog or cat has been diagnosed with a chronic illness, their physiology is often compromised in some way and they may be more susceptible to secondary illnesses, especially infections.

ThePetCheckup is an invaluable tool in these situations as it is an easy way to keep close tabs on what is going on with your animal and to catch potential problems in the very beginning stages.

ThePetCheckup customer profile

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I am currently taking a series of classes in Social Marketing.

We were asked to profile our customers.

I consider our customers to be wonderful caregivers.  It is always a pleasure to speak with people who love their animals, treat them like family and provide such good care for them.

Two qualities I chose to describe our “typical” customer are:

1. They are proactive with their dog and cat’s health care.

2. They understand the importance of early detection in preventing and treating diseases.

Chemical pesticides on lawns are dangerous to your pet’s health

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ThePetCheckup is a wonderful tool for practicing early detection of health care issues for our dogs and cats, but there are other preventative actions that are important to take as well.

Exposing our animals to chemical pesticides on lawns has very dangerous consequences.  Because animals are so close to the ground and because of their small size, licking paws, playing with toys that have been laying on the grass or any other contact with chemicals can be very dangerous.

Don’t let your animal’s health be compromised everytime they go outside. Keep your yard free of potentially dangerous toxins and always be aware of where your dog or cat is walking or playing.

test at home kit for dogs and cats recommended by dog trainer

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from Robert Cabral, dog trainer extraordinaire:

I received your package this week and was quite excited to get started.  This is such a great product.  Being a trainer / behaviorist and rescue person I am always thrilled when a product is available that can mean a world of good for the pets and the people they love.  ThePetCheckup gives me the info to make decisions on what to talk to my vet about and where my dogs health is.  Its so easy to use.  I will be recommending this product to everyone I know.  I’ll also place a link on my blog and may write a post about it if that is ok with you.

Best regards,

Robert
www.blackbeltdogtraining.com

The partnership with our veterinarians is reinforced with ThePetCheckup

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This quote (below)  from one of our customers is on the home page of our website.  I like it because it reinforces what an important relationship we have with our veterinarians.  Caring for our animals requires being proactive and also having good communication with our vets.  Being able to show the results of ThePetCheckup tests in between veterinary visits is very helpful in showing what has been going on in the months before the annual or semi-annual visit.

“This is a fantastic product which has alerted me to health problems before they were really noticeable, has guided me in the post-op care of my dog, and has aided me in communicating with my veterinarians. Thank you.”
– M. Andrews-Kulis
Elon, NC