News for You and Your Pet

November 15, 2013

Dear ,

Ingrid and Amber

Health care is on everyone's mind these days, and rising costs are a concern not just for us, but also for our pets. There's plenty of advice out there on how to save on pet care expenses. Suggestions range from price-shopping for a vet to foregoing veterinary care altogether in favor of at-home "medical" care, purchasing vaccines online and administering them yourself, and buying the cheapest food. All of this advice couldn't be more wrong, and will most likely put your pet's health at risk.

In this issue:

Find out how you can save on pet care expenses without compromising your pet's health.

Cold and flu season is upon us. Some of you may be wondering whether you can pass your cold or flu on to your pets.

Wishing you purrs and wags,

Ingrid.

Website: www.ConsciousCat.com
E-Mail: ConsciousCat@cox.net

Connect with me:

In This Issue

Save on Pet Care Expenses Without Compromising Your Pet's Health

Can You Give Your Cat the Flu?

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

Upcoming Events

Marketplace

Save on Pet Care Expenses Without
Compromising Your Pet's Health

By Ingrid King

Costs for pet health care, food and other supplies continue to increase just as human health care and food costs are rising. There's plenty of advice out there on how to save on pet care expenses. Suggestions range from price-shopping for a vet to foregoing veterinary care altogether in favor of at-home "medical" care, purchasing vaccines online and administering them yourself, and buying the cheapest food. All of this advice couldn't be more wrong, and will most likely put your pet's health at risk.

The following tips can help you save on cat care expenses without compromising your pet's health:

Regular veterinary exams should be a priority. Cats especially are masters at masking illness. The sooner a problem is detected, the less expensive it will be to address. Pets should see a veterinarian once a year at a minimum; pets seven or older should be seen twice a year.

Be open with your vet if money is an issue. Your vet may be able to offer treatment options that are within your budget, or help you develop a payment plan.

Don't choose your vet based on price. While price is certainly one consideration, it shouldn't be the only one, and it should most definitely not be the most important one when choosing your pet's family doctor.

Consider getting pet insurance. Could you afford an unexpected $1000 or $2000 for a medical emergency, or even more for a chronic serious illness? If your answer is no, pet insurance may be a viable option for you. Some plans also cover routine wellness care.

Feed a species appropriate, high quality diet. Nutrition is the foundation of health. A grain-free canned or raw diet is the optimal diet for cats. For more on what to feed your cats, find my recommendations here.

Help your pet maintain a health weight. Obesity leads to serious, not to mention costly, health problems, including diabetes, arthritis, joint problems and and torn or strained ligaments, heart and respiratory problems, gastro-interstinal and digestive problems, a compromised immune system, and increased risk during anesthesia and surgery.

Help your pet maintain good dental health. Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in pets. IIf left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your cat, ranging from bad breath, dental pain and loose teeth to systemic illnesses that can be life-threatening.

Minimize exposure to environmental toxins. Many health problems are caused by day-to-day exposure to toxic substances such as chemicals and other molecules that are foreign to the body. These toxins accumulate in the body over a period of time, often over many years.

Can You Give Your Cat the Flu?

By Ingrid King

With flu season upon us, it's time to think about boosting your immune system so you don't get sick. And if you need even more incentive to stay healthy this winter, consider this: it turns out that humans can give the flu to cats.

The first case of a cat getting the flu from humans was identified in 2009, when the H1N1 (swine flu) strain was identified in a cat in Iowa. Since then, there have been a handful of other cases of the flu being passed from humans to cats, dogs or ferrets. Veterinary researchers at Oregon State University and Iowa State University are working to find more cases of this type of disease transmission and better understand any risks they pose to people and pets.

Even though this phenomenon appears to be rare, it's something to be aware of if you get sick this winter. If your cat were to get the flu, symptoms would be the same as they are in humans:

sneezing
coughing
runny nose
fever
lethargy
lack of appetite

Since any one of these symptoms can also be an indicator for a more serious condition, you should always take your cat to your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment.

Unfortunately, the only way to protect your cat from getting the flu from you or other humans in your household is by keeping the cat away from the sick person. Wash your hands frequently, and don't cough or sneeze without covering your mouth and nose. If this sounds familiar, it's because it's no different than preventing the spread of the flu among humans.

There is currently no vaccine that protects cats against the flu.

Since most of us rely on our cats for comfort when we're not feeling well - there's just nothing more soothing than a purring cat in bed with us when we're sick - the advice to keep away from them so we don't infect them may be hard to follow.

Given how rare these transmissions appear to be, I recommend that you use common sense precautions, the same way you would with human family members. And you can further protect your cat by keeping her immune system strong and healthy by feeding a species-appropriate, high quality diet and possibly adding in some good supplements.

Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

Highlights from The Conscious Cat

Tipsy Nip Organic Catnip Products Review

Let me just cut to the chase: Allegra and Ruby went nuts as soon as I slit open the package from Tipsy Nip™ Organic Catnip Products, the creators of the original Tickle Pickle™! Even I could smell the catnip before I took the toys out of their plastic wrap. Allegra started chewing on the packages [...]The post Tipsy Nip Organic Catnip Products Review appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

How to Calm a Fearful Cat

Fear in cats can manifest in different ways. Some cats will hide, others will become aggressive and lash out at their guardian. Cats may be fearful of strangers, loud noises, or simply have a fearful personality. No matter what the cause, a cat who is constantly afraid is not a happy cat. In a recent [...]The post How to Calm a Fearful Cat appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Polydactyl Cats: Why Do Some Cats Have Extra Toes?

Cats have a total of 18 toes: five on each front paw, and four on each back paw. But some cats boast extra toes, usually on their front paws. These cats are called "polydactyl." The word polydactyl has a greek root, "poly" meaning multi, and "dactyl" meaning "digit" or "toe." Polydactyly, as this condition is [...]The post Polydactyl Cats: Why Do Some Cats Have Extra Toes? appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Kitty Halitosis: Why Does My Cat Have Bad Breath?

Bad breath in cats is almost always an indicator of a health problem. While some odor, as a reflection of a cat's normal diet, is to be expected, bad breath and unusual odors are a cause for concern, and require a visit to the veterinarian. The most common cause for bad breath is dental disease, [...]The post Kitty Halitosis: Why Does My Cat Have Bad Breath? appeared first on The Conscious Cat....ť

Click here to subscribe to The Conscious Cat - new content every day!

Upcoming Events

December 11, 2013
Columbus Circle Holiday Market
New York, NY

March 12-14, 2014
Global Pet Expo
Orlando, FL

May 8-10, 2014
BlogPaws Pet Blogging Conference
Las Vegas, NV

Please visit the Events Page on my website
for more information and directions.

Marketplace

________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________