Dost Veteriner

Posts Tagged ‘Dogs Cats’

Is it Safe for People to Eat Pet Food?

Ferndale, WA: Sometimes I do strange searches around the Internet and this question probably takes the cake, but its a very interesting one (and I like to think sideways anyway) and in a funny sort of way rather relevant because so many people are talking about raw food diets and vegetables are edible and nutritious right? So bottom line strange is in the eye of the beholder. Let’s plug forward and have a look-see what this is all about, and in the process I think we all will learn quite a bit about the different nutritional needs of dogs, cats and us humans.

District 9

The first thing that pops into my mind about the safety of eating pet food is the scene from the Hollywood Blockbuster film, District 9, where the stranded aliens buy and eat cat food from food stalls scattered throughout their refugee camp. Villers, the main protagonist in the story, about one third of the way into the film, gets transformed into an alien and begins to crave cat food. Its awful as he takes great handfuls of tinned cat food and eats it. Is it possible for humans to eat cat food safely?

The answer is its not recommended, animal and human nutritional requirements are very different (which we are going to explore) especially those of an obligate carnivore like a cat. We’ll get to the safety thing in a minute.

Obligate Carnivore

Now an obligate carnivore is described as an animal that can only sustain itself buy eating the flesh of other animals. Your cat was built by Mother Nature to get her nutritional needs met by the consumption of a large amount of animal-based proteins (meat/organs) and derives much less nutritional support from plant-based proteins (grains/vegetables). It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins.  On the other hand, dogs and humans can get nutrition from plants and thus live on a vegetarian diet but cats cannot.

The safety question.  The answer is it depends on the pet food. I can’t see it in my mind eating kibble nor tinned cat food, but if one did I believe a persons stomach would probably reject it but as far as I’ve been able to research, a person can’t die from ingesting dog kibble or wet pet food.  One reason is that most pet foods are made from scraps and leftover foods that humans wont eat and also, many dry and wet dog pet foods also contain rice, wheat and other plants, not to mention added vitamins and minerals.

What’s rather unsavory about this whole discussion from the 50,000 foot level looking down, is that what goes into pet food falls between the regulatory cracks between the FDA and AFFCO¹ (Association Of American Feed Control Officials), so even though its commercial grade pet food you buy from a store, the labels (and the ingredients) are less stringent so anything can be used. If you look carefully or test commercial pet foods you find they contain high percentages of cooked starches and things like re-processed human made restaurant waste, slaughterhouse scraps and other fun stuff. Yuck!

What about the Recall?

One important point to make lest we forget is the major U.S. pet food recall in March of 2006, in which the FDA issued a major recall on some “cuts and gravy” style of canned pet food that evidently caused rapid kidney failure and death in hundreds of animals. The FDA later recalled more animal edibles, tracing the problem back to wheat gluten, a component used to thicken pet foods.  The scientists who tested the pet meals in question say an ingredient called melamine (a fire retardant and plastic-producing chemical) was to blame for the deaths, and further investigation found that the melamine came from a Chinese manufacturer of wheat gluten. Because melamine “looks” like protein when tested, adding it to pet food could deceptively boost protein levels—a major selling point for consumers. This, some allege, may be why it ended up in pet food.

Is Pet Food Safe?

So coming full  circle, if  people do eat pet food these days, is it really safe? The jury is out in light of the pet food crisis, but sticking to food intended for humans would be a wise choice.²

On the other hand, there are bright manufacturers out there (AND WE ARE ONE OF THEM!) and some of the modern pet foods these days do have food grade ingredients and are probably very nutritious. Some people do eat some of the food grade raw³ (usually they do cook them for human consumption which we would definitely recommend) and cooked dog foods that are available and claim to enjoy them greatly!

You Can Eat Our Natural Dog Treats

At AllPetNaturals we have our own nutritious dog treat brand called Doggie Deli Treats and I 100% know what we put into our treats and its HUMAN GRADE! In fact the bacon is truly bacon, so is the chicken, its all cooked and chopped up and the peanut butter is exactly that and we use dried banana slices (which anyone can get from the health food store) and we then take all these ingredients and mix them in a special batter then double bake them. They are then frosted with rosemary to enable the proper taste to permeate through all the natural ingredients. You can actually eat them. You wouldn’t want to mind you because the double baking process works to squeeze all the moisture out and the treat therefore hardens something close to a rock – great for the teeth of a dog!

I think in this blog post we’ve covered a lot of ground but I think the take away for everyone is two-fold. Yes its possible for something quite toxic to happen  if you eat pet food since the ingredients are not known and perhaps something strange has been included. But for the most part the jury seems to suggest that eating pet food will not be great for your body but you can do it. But don’t. Its not the right nutritional mix.

by William Greenbaum, President & Founder of AllPetNaturals

____________________________________________

Incoming search terms:

Dog jewelry is always in high demand because it serves many purposes. First of all dog collars and necklaces are used as identification items and secondly, these articles enhance the beauty of a pet and make it more adorable and cuddly. Many fashionable and trendy jewelry articles are available out there specially designed for small and big dogs. These accessories can also be given as wonderful gifts to dog owners. Dogs adorned with stylish accessories look beautiful and lovely. Elegant as well as flashy and ostentatious articles can be found in this category according to your taste.

Silver and gold dog pendants are particularly admired by many people across the globe. These pendants come in many shapes and styles. Some can be personalized with special messages and engraved shapes, while others can be used as lockets and charms. Photo lockets are loved by pet owners since these articles reflect their love in a meaningful way. 14k gold jewelry is quite expensive but dog owners would spend any amount of money to beautify their dog and to make it more attractive and pleasing to the eye. If you are looking for less expensive jewelry for your dog, you may want to check out the sterling silver collection.

Fancy and beautiful dog collars come in a variety of colors. They are made from comfortable materials such as nylon, leather and the like. Finding dog collars on the internet is not difficult. All you have to do is browse the categories of various dog accessories and locate a piece that catches your eye. There are many designers who create lovely jewelry articles for dogs and cats. Coco Palenque is a popular custom designer of jewelry for dogs. Her company is known by the name of Bijoux Four Paws which was established in 2002. Now a wide variety of dog accessories designed by her are available on the market.

In addition to dog jewelry, Coco also designs lovely silver pet ID tags. Her jewelry articles and pet accessories are popular among many famous people and celebrities who like to keep dogs. Customizable jewelry can be found by this designer which is not only unique but also very beautiful and long lasting. Engraved sterling silver charms and pendants can be personalized the way you like. Enamel pet ID tags are also available which are simply gorgeous. These items can be found in many colors and designs.

Pet Jewelry Beverly Hills is another popular store in the category of dog jewelry. In addition to traditional necklaces and collars, here you will also find lovely and durable pet branklets. The collections include studded leather and bling bling pet jewelry. Appealing and delightful pet charms with gemstones can also be located. Many people like to adorn their dogs with pendants and charms composed of birthstones. At this store you can pick your pet’s birthstone and order a custom-made charm for your beloved dog. Pet charms are available as acrylic drops which can be easily attached to the collar. Don’t forget to measure the width of your pet’s collar before ordering this beautiful charm.

Pet Stores are a great place for pet lovers. You can buy pets such as birds, snakes, spiders, fish, dogs, cats, rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, ferrets, turtles, and frogs at pet stores. You can also buy aquariums, pet foods, cleaning solutions and tools, medication and healthcare supplies for your pets. You can also get a variety of pet toys, carriers, leashes, collars, and beds for your pets.

You can find a lot of pet stores in  Kelowna , Vernon BC , Penticton , Prince George , Dawson , Williams lake, 100 house , Kamloops , Quesnel , etc. Most of the these, particularly Kelowna  have the best and latest varieties of dog, cat, fish, mice, rat, guinea pig, bird, reptile, and spider supplies.

You can find a lot of these stores in Kelowna. The services offered in Kelowna  are Aquariums & Aquarium Supplies, Pet Products & Services, Pet Supplies & Foods, Pet Washing & Grooming, etc. The stores in Vernon, BC and Penticton  provide pet foods, Pet Products & Services, Pet Washing & Grooming, etc. Prince George provides services such as animal remedies, Aquariums & Aquarium Supplies, Horse Training, Pet Supplies, pet foods, etc.  You can find a variety of pet accessories, supplies and food for all types of pets at Dawson Creek. You can find an assortment of pets, Pet Products & Services and pet accessories at Williams Lake . At Quesnel, you can find variety of pet products and services, pet accessories, pet foods, etc. At Kamloops, you can choose a pet the way you desire. Here you can find a variety of healthy pet supplies and pet foods which may be the right choice for your pet. Most  in Kamloops provide even pet training services. Those in Kamloops help you to choose the right supplies and equipment for your pet using their educated and friendly staffs having great passion for pet animals.

Finding an appropriate pet store can be very easy if you have a look at the following tips. When you visit these stores, note the smell you get from it. The smell of feces, old food or disinfectants is the signs of a bad one . See to that the pet store you choose maintains the pets they offer for sale in sanitary conditions. Avoid buying your pet from these stores which maintains the pet in dirty cages because the animals living in their own dirt will not be as healthy. If you are looking for a particular type of pet or pet accessories, research and find the appropriate shop which sell that pet or pet accessories. Choose only those at which the staffs answer your questions clearly. This is important to take care of your pet properly. See to that the pet store you choose has well knowledgeable staffs who are ready to answer all of your questions, and will guide you to the right supplies and equipment for your pet. Choose a clean and odor-free pet store where you feel comfortable to visualize all pets and pet accessories and where you feel comfortable to ask questions related to pet care.

Designer labels and its consumption are considered by marketers as part of Lifestyle niche markets. Humans are inevitably drawn to names, brands, labels and such.

Society after all puts a price tag on nearly everything. Pets nowadays are recipients of their master’s fascination and label consumption. There are tons of designer pet accessories.

The concept Marks & Spencer have adapted is into the whole pet designer label. Availability of clothing apparel, home needs, beddings, toiletries, outdoors, toys, gadgets, travel and the likes are easily within paws reach.

Pets with a flair for function meets fashion will simply enjoy the creations pet designers have to offer. Trendy pet boutiques are popping out of the woodwork to provide such pet needs while catering for their humans as well.

Celebrities have been known to splurge on their pets with various designer accessories; Jessica Simpson touted around her shit-zu in a monogrammed Louie Vuitton carrier.

Paris Hilton accessorized her dogs, cats, and monkeys with designer labels to keep them up to date with her own fashion and add extra paparazzi photo opportunities. Up and coming starlets lead their pooches in Burberry fashion.

Unless of course you are famous to begin with purchasing designer pet accessories will not get you publicized in magazines or you and your pet’s face plastered all over the internet.

The best thing about designer pet accessories is that the price tag comes with the assurance that all products you purchase are of the best quality.

Style is obviously one of the perks for choosing a designer pet product as the greater aspect of in items marketability lies on how appealing the product is to you.

An effective promotion will immediately catch your attention, if you walk away from the purchase the nagging thought of why you didn’t snatch it up will be a tell tale sign that certifies you fell for the promotion hook line and sinker.

As aforementioned the good thing about designer pet anything is that you get your money’s worth and the guarantee that your pets get the comfort they deserve.

Comfort should be the key to picking out anything for your pet as they don’t care for color, style or price. All your pet will think about is how fun or how good it feels to be using what “Mom” or “Dad” got me.

PlanToys Plan Dollhouse Pet and Accessories Furniture

• This set includes a dog and kennel, a cat, a rabbit and feeding bowls
• Plan Dollhouse products encourage creativity and imagination thorugh make-believe play
• PlanToys selects only eco-friendly construction materials
• PlanToys has a long-term commitment to promote healty child development and environmental protection
• All of PlanToys use E-zero glue and place child safety and play value above all else

3 years & up. This set includes Patches the dog, Marmalade the cat, Snowy the rabbit, and their feeding bowls.

List Price: $ 12.99

Price:

Everybody loves to have pets at their home.  Pets give us joy and make us to forget all our troubles.  For pet lovers, Pet store is a place where lot of pets and their requirements like food, cleaning solutions, medicines, toys, beds and other healthcare products will be kept for sale. Varieties of birds, reptiles, dogs, cats, rabbits, spiders, hamsters, fishes and turtles will be available at pet stores.  If you want your pet to be healthy, you need to provide all the comforts needed by them.  So a visit to the pet store will fulfill the needs of your pets.

Lots of pet stores are available to make out purchase.  The following are some of the pet stores and their supplies.  Kelowna pet store has aquarium and their supplies, food, cleaning products and cages for pets.  Vernon, BC and Penticton pet stores provide all kinds of products and services for the pets.  Prince George pet store provides certain remedies for animals and training for horses.  In order to make your pets look beautiful, it is necessary to buy certain accessories to decorate them, such kind of pet accessories are available in Dawson Creek pet store and Quesnel pet store.  People who love their pets so much, used to fulfill the requirements of their pets, and the pets are even considered to be one among their family members.  William Lake pet store provides all sorts of things (an assortment) for pets.  In Kamloops pet store, you can select or buy whatever pet you need and the staffs, who are working there, give utmost care to the pets and also help to make a right choice of food and other supplies for your pet.  When compared to other pet stores, Kelowna pet store comprises of the latest varieties of all the pets.

The persons who own pets should see that their pets are made comfortable in every aspect such as health, the way they behave with others (discipline), entertainment and the way they dress (grooming).  It is the duty of the owners to keep their pet to be clean and hygienic; they should be taken for regular health check-ups.  Whatever the pet may be, it should be given proper attention.  So, with the establishment of pet stores, the job of the pet owners has been made easier.  It is possible to get all sorts of bones and chews, grooming items such as shampoo, brushes, combs and dryers.  Pets usually used to sleep well.  Comfort providing beds are also available in pet store.  But at the same time, taking care of the pet is more expensive.  It is necessary to protect the pets from all sorts of infections.  The persons who do not have pets at home, when they make visit to a full-fledged pet store, they too get interest to have or to own a pet. Lots of online services are also available through which you are able to purchase all pet products.

Altogether, pet stores benefit both pets and the owners.  And the most important thing, which should be taken into consideration, is always purchase the pets and their products in a store which keeps the pet in a good sanitary condition.

Last year turned out to be the worst in history for pet food recalls. While there is no way to be 100% certain that a pet food is not tainted or will be recalled, there are some red flags to look for when selecting your dog’s or cat’s food. Avoiding these common pet food ingredients can greatly improve your odds in purchasing a healthy, safe pet food.

Judging the safety or the nutritional value of a pet food starts by ignoring the advertising, the price of the pet food, and ignoring the front of the bag. The real signs to the safety of a dog food or cat food lie on the back or side of the bag or can in the ‘Ingredient Listing’. Regardless of what marketing terms (‘choice’, ‘premium’, and so on) are on the front of the bag or can of pet food, a pet owner cannot determine the quality or how safe the food is unless they look at the ingredients. With dry foods there can be 90 different ingredients (or more), with canned foods there can be 50 or more different ingredients. But don’t panic…you don’t have to understand hundreds of different pet food ingredients! You just need to be aware of a few key ingredients…pet food ingredients that you do NOT want to see in a dog food or cat food (or treats).

‘Wheat Gluten’, ‘Corn Gluten’, or ‘Rice Gluten’. These three ingredients were the bad boy pet food ingredients of 2007. Tainted glutens were found to be the cause of thousands of dogs and cats becoming ill and dying. It is not that glutens themselves are toxic to pets – these ingredients have been used in pet foods for years. The problem was the source or manufacturer of the glutens – imported from countries with far less quality standards than in the US. (The majority of glutens used in the US pet foods are from imported sources.) These imported glutens contained added chemicals that caused crystals to form in the kidneys of dogs and cats.

Not only is it important to avoid dog foods and cat foods (and dog and cat treats) that contain glutens because of the possibility of dangerous added chemicals, it is important because they add no real quality nutrition to the food. Glutens are used as a thickener AND as a source of protein in pet food. Adult maintenance dog foods must provide a minimum of 18% protein, adult maintenance cat foods must provide a minimum of 26% protein. If the meat source of the pet food does not provide enough protein, glutens are often added to boost the protein level of the pet food. The best nutrition for your pet comes from a meat protein pet food not from a gluten protein. Avoid dog foods and cat foods (and treats) that contain ‘corn gluten’, ‘wheat gluten’, or ‘soy gluten’.

‘By Products’. By-products have never been the cause of a pet food recall, but they are definitely ingredients you want to avoid feeding your pet. To give you an understanding of by-products, I’d like to compare this pet food ingredient to pies – you know, the dessert! How many different types of pies you can think of? There are apple pies, cherry pies, chocolate pies, meringue pies, meat pies, mud pies, pie in math, cow pies (yuck!) – I think you get my point. Now imagine if you purchased yourself a prepared ravioli dinner at the grocery and you looked at the ingredients and you see ‘pie’ listed as the first ingredient in your dinner. Hmmm, pie in ravioli – what kind of pie? You wouldn’t know if it was apple pie or mud pie or even cow pie. All you would know is that your dinner contained ‘pie’. Considering ‘pie’ could be anything from apple pie to cow pie – my guess is that you wouldn’t be having ravioli for dinner. Same thing with by-products in pet food.

AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials – the organization responsible for all animal feed manufacturing rules and regulations) defines by-products as “meat by-products is the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth, and hoofs. It shall be suitable for use in animal food. If it bears name descriptive of its kind, it must correspond thereto.”

So, with respect to pet food – a by-product is a catch-all ingredient name. All left over meat materials from the human food industry are clumped into one ingredient name – by-product. There is NO certainty of what you are feeding – one batch of pet food might be more intestine by-products while the next batch of pet food might be more liver or bone by-products. There is NO way of knowing what is actually contained in the pet food ingredient by-product (the pet food manufacturers themselves couldn’t tell you exactly). Avoid dog foods and cat foods (and treats) that contain By-products of any kind…Chicken By-Products, Beef By-Products, Chicken By-Product Meal, Beef By-Product Meal, and so forth.

‘Meat Meal’, ‘Meat and Bone Meal’, or ‘Animal Digest’. These three ingredients are similar to by-products. AAFCO defines Meat and Bone Meal as “the rendered product from mammal tissues, including bone, exclusive of any added blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents, except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably to good processing practices.” Again, a catch all ingredient name for the left-over parts of animals used for human food. No consistency to what is contained in these ingredients (all three of these pet food ingredient definitions are similar) – no way of knowing what is actually in your pet’s food. Avoid dog foods, cat foods, and dog and cat treats that contain ‘meat meal’, ‘meat and bone meal’, or ‘animal digest’.

‘Animal Fat’. In 2002 the FDA tested many different brands of dog food (cat food was not tested) for the presence of the drug pentobarbital. Many brands of dog food tested positive to contain the drug. Pentobarbital is the drug used to euthanize dogs, cats, cattle, and horses.

How can the drug that is used to euthanize animals be found in pet food? The answer – euthanized animals are rendered (cooked) and the end ingredients are placed in pet food. It has long been rumored that euthanized dogs and cats (from animal shelters and veterinarian offices) is the major source of the pentobarbital in pet food. However no one has been able to prove or disprove this rumor to date. The FDA/CVM (Center for Veterinary Management) developed testing methods on two separate occasions to determine the species source of the drug. No results have ever been determined. The pet food manufacturers adamantly deny they use rendered dogs or cats – but NO clinical evidence has ever been released to confirm the pentobarbital is from euthanized cattle and horses in pet food as they claim.

However, the one thing the FDA/CVM has determined through their testing is the pet food ingredient ‘animal fat’ is the most common ingredient to contain pentobarbital. In other words, if you are feeding a dog food or cat food (or treats) with the ingredient ‘animal fat’ in the ingredient listing – you are (more than likely) feeding your pet euthanized animals. Not every batch of pet food tested that contained the ingredient ‘animal fat’ has proved to contain pentobarbital – but why would any pet owner want to take the chance? Avoid dog foods, cat foods, and dog and cat treats that contain the ingredient ‘animal fat’.

‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, ‘TBHQ’, and ‘Ethoxyquin’. These pet food ingredients are chemical preservatives and you might have to look through the entire ingredient list to find them. It is worth the look because there is plenty of clinical evidence to associate all four of these chemical preservatives with cancer and tumors (simply do a Google search on any one of these chemicals). All four of these chemical preservatives are rarely used to preserve human food and if so, are used in quantities far less than what is allowed in pet food. Avoid any dog food, cat food, or dog and cat treat that contains ‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, ‘TBHQ’, and ‘Ethoxyquin’ on the label.

‘Corn’, ‘Wheat’, ‘Soy’. While there is no scientific evidence that proves these ingredients are dangerous to pets – they are potentially dangerous ingredients associated with recalls in the past (1995, 1999, and 2005). These grains are highly prone to a deadly mold (aflatoxin). It is suggested (by AAFCO) that all pet food manufacturers test grains for the mold, but as recalls of the past have proven – that doesn’t always happen. I do not think these ingredients are as risky as others mentioned above, but they are ingredients I avoid for my own pets.

There is more to selecting a true healthy pet food for your dog or cat than avoiding the above mentioned ingredients. This is just a start – based on pet food history, AAFCO ingredient definitions, science and opinion of many pet food experts including myself. There are many quality pet foods available that do NOT use the above ingredients and that add health promoting ingredients to their foods and treats. Continue to learn as much as you can about what you are feeding your pet and ALWAYS read the labels!

Pets are our best companions. Whether one prefers to have something more exotic like reptiles or the usual like birds, fishes, dogs or cats, it is definitely a fact that any kind of pet one owns requires proper and good grooming at all times. Especially warm blooded pets like dogs and cats, which are our common buddies at home, it is deeply considered necessary to have them groomed at all cost. And, if you are the type of person who’s very fond of cats like Cleopatra during the Hellenistic Age, pet maintenance service like cat grooming in NY is always available anytime.

Treating your cat for a fur cut, toe trim, a massage and other grooming treats are actually means to show your pet how much you give value to it. The expenses might be costly at times, however, everything is considered worth it after seeing your cat strutting the streets happy, good-looking and healthy. And if you want your cat to be in the pace of pet fashion which is a trend nowadays, there are pet supplies like cat supplies in NY that are being sold anywhere. This gives you the chance to dress up your cat the way you want with the use of different charming and adorable pet accessories. Various supplies are offered starting from clothes made accordingly to the type of season up to accessories to match the look making you pet look hip and fabulous.

Some examples of cat supplies in Brooklyn, in line with food, are dental diets, canned beef premium, dry cat food, replacer milk for kittens, ocean fish cat canned food, and many more to ensure you cat is getting the proper nutrition it needs. These foods are highly recommended to keep them stay fit and healthy. These also guarantee that what your pet eats is safe and suits the type of diet it has. With this, proper diet also comes with good exercise. And for a cat to shape up, one simple way to do it is through playing around with its favorite and exciting cat toys and accessories like cat ropes, cat charmer, catnip toys, playpens and, the most eye-catching for a cat, a mouse flicker toy. There are various toys that you can buy for your cats which are very useful to give your cat an enjoyable leisure time while playing with you or simply playing alone.

Finally, if you want to give your pet cat some pampering while in bed taking its’ nap because of playing all day, cat beds and accessories are also being sold around NY. A comfortable bed will surely give complete relaxation while your cat sleeps. You can choose whether you want a thermo kitty mat, a luxury cat bed, a silky pet corduroy, a kitty snooze den, or a crinkle cat den for your pet to utilize during its sleeping hours. Your pet will surely have the best time in the world starting from having the nicest clothes and accessories to wear, nutritious food to eat up to the most comfortable beds to use to sleep on. If you are traveling and want to bring your pet over, soft sided crates and carriers are also made available in the market. Touring around with you pet will certainly be better without worrying where you will locate them. So better get one of those cat supplies and give your pet the best treats it can get.

I am an animal lover and have been since I was a child. Today I own a couple of dogs as well as four cats. As other pet owners would know you take on a huge responsibility when you decide that you want to own a domestic animal. Not only do you have to feed them good nutritious food you also need to provide them with regular exercise so that you can ensure that they remain healthy and free of ailments.

I am quite astonished that many pet owners ignore the opportunity to buy pet health insurance for cats. Statistics show that people who own dogs as well as cats are more inclined to insure their dog rather than their cat. I am not sure as to why they decide this, perhaps it is because they have the belief that because dogs are more active they are more likely to get injuries requiring veterinary treatment, rather than cats who are considered to be more homely and less likely to sustain injuries. In reality cats, even those that remain mostly indoors, are just as likely to require treatment for health problems as dogs.

In some cases it is cats who are more prone to having health related problems than dogs. Cats are inclined to suffer in silence, meaning that although they may have a serious health problem you may not necessarily realize because they don’t jump about complaining as is the case with most dogs.

Furthermore, cats are known to have an incredibly high threshold for pain and suffering. It is because of their ability to mask the fact that they have serious health problems that your cat may suffer right before your eyes and you may never even know it. A cat could well be suffering a life-threatening ailment for many years but if you don’t take it to the vet for regular checkups the problem may never be discovered.

In the case of pet owners who have more than one cat, if one gets sick it is highly likely to pass on the problem to your other cats resulting in you incurring quite sizable vet fees and ongoing treatment costs. So rather than insure your dog and ignore your cat you should go out and buy pet health insurance for cats as well. When you talk to the average pet owner you get a variety of different responses when you mention something as important as taking your cat for regular veterinary check ups. Often, people will say things like “Well, if there is nothing wrong with my cat then I usually don’t bother taking them to the vet’. This response shows that the cat owner is somewhat irresponsible.

Like humans our pets should be subjected to frequent check-up so as to maintain good health and identify any potential problems. Taking preventative measures for our animals is a much better option than having to source a cure. The cost of preventative animal health is also much cheaper than having to fix up a particular problem. With the peace of mind offered by pet health insurance for cats you will be able to control the cost of providing regular health checks for your much adored pet. Check out the prices for pet health insurance online for all your domestic animals – you will be pleasantly surprised at the small amount you need to pay for peace of mind.

Pet apparel is now more elegant than ever, thanks to the efforts of Melanie Reinhart, all-round animal lover. Having looked after several pets of her own for many years, it didn’t take her long to realize that animals have unique needs in terms of pet accessories and apparel. As a result, Melanie created an online pet boutique that sells pet apparel and accessories including dog apparel, dog accessories, cat apparel, cat accessories, and much more. Within this easy-to-use and secure online store – DivaPawsBoutique.com, there are many items for sale that are elegant, cheeky, colourful, and fun!

Some of these items include socks, sweaters, blankets, rain coats, wind gear, jackets, and even dresses. Whatever the occasion, Diva Paws Boutique has the piece of dog apparel or cat accessory suitable for it. One of the finest items on the DivaPawsBoutique.com online catalogue is an opera dress for dogs. Also of interest are the various couches and beds that Diva Paws Boutique has in stock for dogs and cats, as well as, the diverse and intriguing range of pet jewellery that is available for your pet to own.

If your requirements for pet accessories are simple and basic, you can browse through the vast range of high quality collars and leashes for sale. Whether you are a cat owner, dog owner or both, Diva Paws Boutique has the perfect collar and leash for your pet[s].

For many years now, Diva Paws Boutique has been the one-stop online shop for pet accessories across Canada. In particular, its loyal customer base in the Toronto [GTA], Georgetown, Brampton, and Southern Ontario area is on the increase. In addition, to showcasing its catalogue of high quality pet products for dogs and cats online, Diva Paws Boutique showcases its selection of pet apparel and pet accessories at many of the top trade shows across Ontario. This year, they will showcase their line of pet accessories and pet apparel at the 17th Annual All About Pets Show, Canada’s premiere pet showcase, which will take place from April 2 to April 4, 2010. The show will be held at the International Centre, a world class facility conveniently-located for easy access from anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area. For this particular event, Diva Paws Boutique will be focusing and displaying some of the finest and high quality cat accessories, and apparel.

In addition, Diva Paws Boutique will be inaugurating their in-house show room on May 15, 2010 in Georgetown, Ontario. Attendance will be by appointment only. Appointments may be booked at the All About Pets Show booth or via the Diva Paws Boutique website.

So, whether you want to give your pet a whole new look, or simply a new accessory, there is no better supplier of pet apparel, and pet accessories than Diva Paws Boutique.

For more information on specific pet products or general inquiries, visit DivaPawsBoutique.