Pet Tips, Pet Ideas, Pet Homemade Treats and Remedies

Yummy Dog Treats

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3½ Cups Whole Wheat Flour
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2½ Cups Oatmeal
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3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
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2 Cups Warm Water
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1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

Mix all dry ingredients together and separately mix wet ingredients together. Blend dry and wet ingredients together a little at a time alternating between wet and dry. Mix until dough becomes stiff. Shape the dough into an oblong roll. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 300º. Slice dough roll into 1/4″ slices and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour. Make approximately 2 dozen treats.

*Tip: Exchange peanut butter for 2/3 cup finely grated cheddar cheese for a different treat!

Homemade Shampoo for Dogs

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4 oz. Ivory Liquid Dish Soap
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4 oz. Water
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4 oz. Apple Cider Vinegar
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1 oz. Glycerin

Mix ingredients together and it’s ready to go! Lather dog well and rinse thoroughly. No need for conditioner, the glycerin will give your dog a silky coat plus the vinegar eliminates odor! The ingredients can be doubled or tripled with good results for those with multiple or larger dogs.

Tip: Save an old shampoo bottle to put the mixture in. Then just shake and wash!

Is your pet left alone quite a bit? Here are a few suggestions that could help cure their blues.

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Hide a few snacks around the house: Finding an unexpected treat in an odd corner can brighten a pet’s day.
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Find a companion: They don’t have to be two of a kind. A cat and a dog will get along just fine.
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Break the Silence: Turn on the radio or set the answering machine on high and call your pet once in awhile.
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Please, Please, Please don’t leave them in the dark: Either leave on a light or, if you have them, set timers to turn on lamps.
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Rotate their toys: After they’ve been out a day or two, substitute others.

Kill fleas instantly. Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog’s bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations and good-bye fleas!
Rainy day cure for dog odor. Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat’s ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat’s skin, smothers the mites and accelerates healing.

Vaseline cure for hairballs. To prevent troublesome hairballs, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat’s nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.

*****Five Star Puppy Tip!*****

If you’re housebreaking a new pup, try this! To remove odor and wetness from carpeting, blot up urine with paper towels and cover the soiled area with cat-box litter. After the litter has absorbed the liquid, vacuum it up – your carpeting will be odor-free. This really works!

If you have a litter of puppies, place the same number of cloth strips as you have puppies in the bed with their mother. Then send a cloth strip with each puppy to its new home. The puppy will feel more secure with the scent of its mother nearby.

To give your dog a fresh smell and a cleaner coat, try sprinkling it with baby powder. Rub the powder into the pet’s coat, wait a few minutes and brush it out.

Doggy Treats

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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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3/4 cup multigrain oatmeal or quick cooking oats, uncooked
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1/4 cup honey-crunch wheat germ
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1/4 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
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1/4 cup salad oil
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1/4 cup honey
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1 tsp baking powder

About three hours before serving, in a large mixer bowl at low speed, mix 1 cup flour with remaining ingredients and 1/2 cup water until well blended.. With spoon, stir in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With floured hands, on well-floured surface, knead dough until dough holds together. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick. With a 5″ by 2 1/2″ bone shaped cookie cutter (or any cookie cutter for that matter) cut out as many bones as possible. Reroll scraps and cut as above. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake on large ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes; turn oven off. Let cookie sheet remain in oven 1 hour. Remove bone from cookie sheet to wire rack When cool, store in airtight container or freeze if not using right away. Makes about 20 dog bones.

Skunk Problems? If your pooch got into a scrape with a skunk, try this. Use a commercial vinegar and water douche to cover up the smell. Pour it over your dog and rub it in. Sponge it carefully on the face. Make sure you wear rubber gloves or you will get skunk odor on your hands. Do not rinse out. Repeat as necessary.
Need to Repel Fleas? Avon to the Rescue! Avon’s bath oil Skin-So-Soft has been shown to be an effective repellent for fleas. Add 1..5 ounces of Skin-So-Soft to one gallon of water and use a sponge to coat the dog. Apparently, fleas don’t like the smell.
For natural flea control, add garlic and brewer’s yeast to your to your dog’s diet daily. You can try rubbing the yeast onto the fur for extra protection.
Mite Helper – Mix 1/2 ounce of almond oil and 400 IU of Vitamin E in a dropper bottle. Once a day, for 3 days, put a dropper-full in each ear and massage the ear well. Let your pet shake its head and then clean out the opening with a Q-tip. Refrigerate the unused portion but warm (not hot) it up before each use.Stop any treatment for 3 days. Then add one slightly rounded teaspoon of yellow dock to 1 pint of boiling water. Cover tightly and let soak for 1/2 hour. Strain and let cool. Put the mixture in a clear bottle and refrigerate. Begin another 3-day treatment with the same directions as above. Be sure to warm (not hot) the yellow dock solution before putting into the dog’s ear. Do not begin this second treatment if your pet’s ears seems irritated. If the ears are inflamed or very sensitive, used bottled aloe vera gel instead of the oil until the inflammation subsides.
Hot Spots – Use the juice from an aloe vera plant or bottled 100% aloe vera gel to dab carefully on the hot spot. Aloe vera will soothe and dry the irritation. Use only the 2 versions of aloe vera stated above. Products with aloe vera in it may contain a lot of alcohol which may aggravate the hot spot.

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Ear Inspections and Cleaning Basics

Ear Cleaning Basics
written by: MeShell~PLP Administrator

http://petloversparadise.ning.com/group/groomingcorner/forum/topic/show?id=2080842%3ATopic%3A121518
Regular ear check-ups and cleaning contributes to healthy ears, free of painful infections. Between grooming appointments pet owners should practice ear health maintenance and check their dog’s ears at least once a week. When pet owners request grooming services, professional groomers include an ear inspection and cleaning. Whether the groomer is giving the dog a bath-only service or a complete styling, ear cleaning and deodorizing is typically be included as part of the basic grooming service fee. A few pet owners may ask for ear cleaning only services.

Many pet owners do not realize that dogs can grow hair in the ear canal, even large amounts common to some Poodles and Terriers, as well as other breeds. For this reason, many owners never check their dog ears unless the dog is shaking or scratching its ear(s). By that time there is usually an ear health problem requiring veterinary medical inspection.
Keeping your dog’s ears clean is very important to maintain good health. Many dog insurance plans do cover ear infections for breeds who are known to have problems, such as Cocker Spaniels. Pet health insurance is very useful if you have a breed that is prone to health issues. Compare pet insurance plans to see which is the best choice for you and your dog.

Ear infections “Otitis Externa” may arise from water trapped in the ear canal. The damp environment creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungus, often leading to painful sensitivity, redness, swelling and infection. Dogs with ear flaps are the most affected since the flaps cut air circulation and trap moisture.

Ear mites may also be present in ear wax. Dogs with this problem often shake their heads and scratch ears. You may be able to locate ear mites by looking at ear wax removed from the affected dog. Under a bright light, spread a sample of ear wax on a piece of white paper, and look for tiny white specks. They are very contagious and will require the owner to treat their pet for ear mites for over 3 weeks. Insecticides kill the adult mites only, so repeat applications are in order. Based on the life cycle of mites, treatment usually consists of applying insecticide for 7 days, then waiting 10 days for baby mites to mature. Groomers seeing the evidence of ear mites should recommend veterinary inspection for a determination of whether there the dog is infested, and for treatment.

Accumulations of wax and a lack of air circulation can lead to ear canker. Canker infection often causes a dark-colored discharge and foul odor. The pet requires veterinary inspection of the condition.

Some dogs scratch their ears as a result of allergies; they should be inspected and treated by veterinarians.

Sometimes groomers will discover weeds and other organic matter in ears. In fact, some weeds can work their way down into the ear canal and cause serious, even life-threatening conditions. On the West Coast of the U.S. the infamous “foxtail” weed finds its way into the ears of thousands of dogs every year, even cutting into the fleshy skin between feet pads and posing a serious health threat.

Professional groomers understand the serious nature of ear problems and always ensure that pet owners are advised of any suspect conditions and recommend veterinary inspection.

Procedures Before Ear Cleaning

Inspect every dog’s ears for potential problems before proceeding with ear cleaning procedures. Be prepared to record written descriptions of any suspect conditions so that you may report them accurately to pet owners and veterinarians.

Realize that some dogs may have very little or no hair to remove from their ears. However, almost all dogs will require some excess wax and dirt removal from their ears and ear flaps as noted below.
Common ear problem signs are:

– Head shaking and ear scratching.
– Ears sensitive to touch.
– Discharges and powerful odors.
– Hematomas (blood blisters) on the ear flap.
– Swelling and skin redness.
– Melanomas (tumors).

When you discover serious ear problems you may choose to gently clean the exterior area of the ear of dirt, wax and other matter, and contact the owner and suggest immediate veterinary care. Other groomers stop all ear cleaning and suggest the pet owner to seek immediate veterinary care, especially when the pet is in distress.

Sterilize any tools that you have used during the cleaning process, actually a process you should do between all ear cleanings as well.

Ear Cleaning Tools & Supplies

Grooming suppliers normally stock all the tools and supplies required for dog ear cleaning.
You will need the following tools and supplies for the ear cleaning procedure. Carefully read and follow instructions supplied with all products before using them.

· Hemostat (sterilized before and after each procedure).
· Commercial medicated ear powder (deodorizer too).
· Commercial ear cleaning solution.
· Cotton (sterile medical grade preferred).

Do not use Q-Tips or alcohol.

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Do you trust your dog groomer?

Have you seen the news out of Knoxville, TN, about a groomer who has had several dogs die in his care?  Most recently, Moxie, a five-year old Beagle, died after being bathed at Happy Tails Grooming.   While the groomer says the dog had a seizure, an autopsy showed heat exhaustion as well as broken ribs and a punctured liver.

According to the groomer, Moxie was always difficult to care for, and she bit the groomer when he attempted to lift her out of the tub.  He denies flinging the dog, saying, “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t love these [pets].”  The groomer also denies using cage dryers, which in the past have been associated with heat exhaustion.  He states that the establishment uses only handheld units.

To read the full article click on the link below

http://doggies.com/blog/2008/12/04/do-you-trust-your-dog-groomer/

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