Reliable Pet Sitter - Tips for Fall
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 Greetings!
Holly wants to thank all of you who stopped by our tables at the Community and Charity Events this year. We enjoyed meeting all the pet-friendly people. Playing with the dogs and kids. These events, like the Bucks County SPCA Rides and Rovers are great for bringing in like-minded people who can tolerate a little slobber. There are so many places where animals are not welcome, or with restrictions. We would always love to travel with our dogs, but sometimes it's just not the best thing for the dog. You may find a dog friendly hotel, but what do you do during the day when you are at the Amusement Park, the Museum, Restaurants, etc?
Dogs and Cats (maybe birds too!) love routines. They say they have no sense of time and they don't understand if you are gone for a short while or many days. If they can stick to their routine of eating, walks, playing and maybe watching TV, their stress level is better. I recently had a discussion with a local vetrinarian, who said even healthy pets will be stressed when left in strange places for a period of time making them more susceptible to health problems.
Check out some interesting articles on when your Pets should really JUST STAY HOME!
Joe & Kathi Feyti
Reliable Pet Sitter |
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44 Lake Warren Road
Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania 18972
610-294-2901
info@reliablepetsitter.com
8 Important items to check before hiring your Pet Sitter
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Choosing the right Pet Sitter
 By Barbara Sharnak for WebVet
Margaret Verghese always
takes her cats, Batman and Bella, away with her rather than worry about
them under the care of a pet sitter or friend. "I'd like to leave them
with a friend who knows them well, but most of my friends have animals
and I'm scared that they wouldn't get along," she said. On the flip
side, "A pet-sitter knows what to look for in case something is wrong,
but they could be watching lots of pets and might expose my animals to
diseases -- and ... my pets can't talk and give me a review!'' Dilemmas
like Margaret's have equally tested the limits of trust with family and
friends.
The Professional
Karen
Santiago, a self-employed pet sitter in Brooklyn, N.Y., finds that she
gets many clients whose loved ones back out at the last minute and look
to her for reliability. "I offer to call or text message new clients
the first few days so they get a little news and are assured I am
actually going and caring for their pet,'' Santiago said.
Though
it would seem getting truthful reports about your pet from a friend
would be easier, that's not always the case. Roberts finds it difficult
to give 100% honest feedback. "The dogs were horrible,'' Roberts admits
of his friend's two bichons. "But they're her babies and I felt bad
saying anything negative about them.''
Morganti finds
professionalism crucial on many levels, especially because her elderly
pug requires medical attention. ''Though plenty of my friends would
watch Miko, it's important that the sitter has experience administering
medicine.'' Thousands of sitters are certified through various
professional associations and choosing such a licensed member ensures
that the sitter has completed a course of study in animal care and
health issues.
Making a Decision
Despite the convenience,
trust and affordability of casual sitters, many pet owners prefer the
experience and reliability of a professional. No matter what type of sitter one
chooses, there are some essential factors to consider:
Make sure the animal's dietary, medication, outdoor and companionship needs are clear.Consider
if a sitter is going to be as comfortable with the animal as a friend
or family member who has previously spent time with it. If you're using
a professional for the first time, invite him or her to your home for
an introduction to your pet; this will allow you to gauge how
comfortable they are with each other.Ask for references if you are hiring professional pet sitters. Consider
whether it would be best for your animal to remain in its own
environment with a visiting sitter, or if it would be in its best
interest to stay in the sitter's home.Clarify what course of action to take in the event your pet becomes ill.
Reviewed by Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS, and John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD.
All content on WebVet is reviewed annually by Vets to
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Caring for Senior Pets
 Pets are living longer and healthier lives. As your pet ages, you will need to watch for changes that may indicate disease or require adjustments to your pet's care.
You may need to make some accommodations in your pet's routine, such as keeping your dog indoors and providing a safe, warm bed. An older cat may need access to several litterboxes. If you have other pets, make sure they do not prevent your older pet from getting food or water.
As your pet's activity level declines, you may need to change the diet and feeding routine to avoid unhealthy weight gain. Diets with less protein and fewer calories are usually recommended for older dogs and cats. Your veterinarian can advise you on a good diet for your senior pet.
Frequent grooming can help prevent certain skin conditions and also allows you to inspect your pet. Keeping nails short allows your pet to walk more comfortably, especially if any arthritis is present.
It is important to keep a close watch on your pet's general attitude, appetite, thirst, and elimination habits, and report any changes to your vet. Your vet should be contacted immediately of any signs, such as vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, etc, that cause your pet distress, especially if they appear suddenly.
Chronic conditions such as diabetes and kidney and liver disease are common in older pets and can affect the amount of water your pet drinks. Plenty of fresh water should be available at all times. Again, monitor your pet's intake, and notify your veterinarian of any changes.
Many vets recommend checkups for senior pets every 6 months. Senior care programs are designed to detect common diseases of older pets as soon as possible. Starting a treatment and management program for a chronic disease is much more effective while the disease is in the early stages and can add years to your pet's life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reliable Pets -
 
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Remember to keep the Candy away from the Pets during the Halloween Season. Pets need good nutrition and lots of love to live long healthy lives. Treat your pets like their life depended on you, because it does.
Sincerely,
Joe, Kathi & Holly
Reliable Pet Sitter
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| Save 20% |
On All Services during the Holidays from Thanksgiving until New Years Eve if booked before November 1, 2008. Not combinable with any other promotion. Good for any service from one day to long term. |
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Offer Expires: Enter November 1, 2008 |
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