ladylegesis-blog

[ladylegesis-blog]

It’s been a long time and this ones just too cute! 💕sorry for the mia

[ladylegesis-blog]

Sorry for being boring lately and not posting anything! I’m trying to get things together for another review and figure out what you all would like to know more about in all things regarding pets...give me ideas! 💕

[ladylegesis-blog]

Monday's are ruff especially when the kid goes back to school tomorrow! 😟

[ladylegesis-blog]

I think these two were plotting some evil inter species scheme together when I came by they just stopped and stared at me!

[ladylegesis-blog]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by JUNIPER WILDLIFE REFUGE (@juniperfoxx)

[ladylegesis-blog]

When your 50# dog thinks he's a 10# cat!

[ladylegesis-blog]

Food Storage Safety...what you may not know about placing your pets food in air tight containers and what is the top recommendation.

Many homes worry about their pets food staying fresh and pest free and while those are both great things to watch out for there are other possible threats to maintaining your pets health as well as your own health through proper handling and food storage. As years pass and our pet food knowledge increases recalls become an increasing issue to keep an eye out for and keep in mind when storing your foods. In some cases proper food storage can help keep food palatability to your pets, especially in finicky dogs or cats. It is recommended that you do use a closable plastic or metal, airtight container to help maintain freshness but make sure they are designed for food storage rather than a trash can with a lid, which the fat in your pets food can leach and break down the plastic. (There are many to choose from and one that should fit all your storage size needs out there.) 

Kibble/Dry diets:

To maximize the space of the container and minimize the size of the container needed so your house is not swarming with containers many people empty their pets food into the container, this in itself is not necessarily a bad idea but there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing this method. First the less the food is exposed to air the better, this reduces the chances your pets food will spoil, attract bugs or rodents, or becoming stale. Secondly and this is something most people including myself take for granted or might not have thought about, when pouring out a bags contents into a pet food safe container it is  of the utmost importance to make sure to use up the previous bags contents before adding any of the new to avoid spoiling, but to then wash the container out with hot soapy water. Fat from a bag coats the sides of the container and overtime can go rancid and cause digestive upset (or worse) in your pet. (that fact blew my mind the first time I heard it...that thought just never occurred to me. But I think back to all the recalls and all the stories I’ve heard about peoples pets having all sorts of upset stomachs blaming this food or that, when all the long it might have been a cleanliness issue. Crazy huh?) The current best industry recommendation is to buy a container that fits the pet food and bag in its entirety so that this limits air exposure, there would be little need to clean out the container (though every now and then might still be a good idea), any questions on a food recall could be solved in minutes by looking on the bag (if you dump out the food make sure to cut out the essential information UPC bar code and expiration/batch number information.)

Canned Foods:

Opened cans should be covered, via lid or container, and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Unopened should be stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. If possible, it is recommend for picky cats who are temperature sensitive with their foods (some cats do not like cold/leftover canned food from the fridge) to purchase smaller cans or to let food raise to room temperature before feeding. Pet foods are never recommended to be microwaved for any reason. Microwaving can create hot pockets and can disrupt the vitamin/mineral content noted on the foods can.

Raw Foods:

Always use proper handling techniques when feeding raw foods, treats, or bones. First, always check the expiration dates before feeding and never feed once its past the marked date. Secondly, always wash your hands and everything the food touches thoroughly, every time. Food should be defrosted in the refrigerator, if in a container in the sink always use cold water or as directed by the label. When defrosting foods should be fed immediately or refrigerated for no more than 2-3 days ( I personally have a rotating set of four patties in my fridge which is a two day supply for us that way my dog has no problems eating his food with his hugely exaggerated under bite.) And of course all raw foods should be kept in separate containers away from contact of other foods in your fridge. (in short treat your pets raw food as you would any raw fish, chicken, pork, or red meat you yourself would eat.)

Dehydrated and/or Freeze-dried Foods:

Again these should be kept in an airtight container, it is even recommended to use one with bags that already come with a zip-loc seal as an extra safety precaution. These foods are shelf sustainable and do not require refrigeration as they have already had most of their moisture removed. and again if poured from original packaging, please clean out your containers with hot soapy water each package and retain all important information to help ease your mind should a recall happen. Again even though these have most of the moisture removed they are still raw foods and as such all items used in the preparation of the foods and feeding should be cleaned after each feeding, including your hands. Raw foods can still be fed in households with young children and pregnant women are, but all safety measures should be on point, meaning all i’s are dotted and all t’s crossed when handling, feeding, and cleaning when dealing with any raw foods.

All in all take the little extra time and maybe a bit extra money being safe with your pets foods and everyone in the house including your pup or kitty will be happy and healthy by means of their (diet under your control of course.)

[ladylegesis-blog]

COOL summer toys for your pup!

I don’t know about you guys but wow second week of summer vacation for my daughter and its already feeling like we are melting away…I cannot even imagine how my animals feel…although my Amazon Parrot probably loves the heat, but my guess is he’s the only one. With my cats sprawled out on the floor and couch trying to cool down and my dog (Jack) panting away on the hard surfaces, I try to figure out creative ways to help cool down everyone in fun and exciting new ways. For example, ice cubes placed in your pets water dish/container/fountain can be fun for some…for Jack not so much…hes not so easily amused. There are a ton of dog toys out there that can help keep your dog cool and entertained, and each year more and more fun and innovative toys come out. Before I overwhelm you all with the many MANY different kinds let me start with a basic cooling toy that’s been around for years and in my opinion not as popular as it should be. What is this amazing toy you’ve probably walked by a million times in the pet store…dah dah dah duuuuuaaahhh… the “Chilly Bone.” Jack has had his “Chilly Bone” for several years its a simple bone shaped canvas toy that you soak in water and place in a zip lock bag (which it comes with) and into the freezer until it freezes… that’s it…super simple but yet some how the ice that forms around it makes jack love it. Its a toy I only pull out on hot days like today so it remains special since its not an everyday toy for him, but when I do pull it out and give it to him he gladly grabs it with his mouth and runs away to his bed to savor the sweet coolness of his special toy. What kinds of cooling toys do you use for your pets? 

[ladylegesis-blog]

What the &#@^? A Pet Water Fountain?

I know what your all thinking…what a spoiled dog, why on earth would my dog/cat need a fountain? Well surprisingly there are many benefits to having a water fountain for either your cat or dog. Although they do make ceramic and metal fountains, which ultimately would be best for reducing acne problems in your pets…plastic tends to scratch which allows bacteria build up and can give pets acne, my cat Winston has always had kitty acne so its something I always consider when making dish choices…but when it comes down to the best of the best in my opinion Drinkwell makes the best fountains by far. But before I talk about why I like the Drinkwell brand I’ll go into the benefits you get from using a fountain no matter which fountain you choose for your loved ones. Which by the way some of the choices are quiet pretty and ascetically pleasing to the eye.

In my review on raw food I discussed the importance of feeding a cat wet diet for hydration purposes…

“As a side note most people don’t realize that cats have drinking problems…I know i didn’t know that…but its not what your thinking. Cats are obligate carnivores meaning in the wild they get all their food by hunting and killing their prey, which means all their vitamins, nutrients and most of their hydration comes from its prey. Your probably thinking but wait I see my cat drinking from its water dish all the time, and while that’s probably true, the truth of the matter is a cat cannot get nearly the amount of water a dog can get merely through drinking and lapping water. It all comes down to their tongues. So while feeding your cat kibble has probably been ok for many years (decades in fact for some) as time and knowledge of better understanding cats and their anatomy its not the optimal food choice in our markets today. And I’m sure many of you are saying “Lucky for me I feed my cat can food” which is better for your cats hydration by far when compared to kibble. “

For cats on a kibble diet it is vital for us to help promote a healthy drinking habit. With kibble containing less than 10% moisture content (as to not mold or go bag on the shelf/in the bag) the need for better drinking habits multiply.

Why are good drinking habits important to your pets health? Like us we thrive with good hydration, our skin and hair looks better and we see improved kidney and urinary health, the same goes for our pets.

Fountains provide a constant flow/stream of water which in itself promotes an animal to drink…in the wild most water sources come from moving lakes, streams, rivers or even rain…plus the movement of water aerates the water which alleviates bad gases making their water smell and taste better. Flowing water also helps cool the water as it aerates and the circulation especially through filters (which most pet fountains have) help keep the water clean through mechanical (water movement) and chemical (activated carbon filter) filtration, which helps to eliminate bacteria growth and keep their water clean and fresh longer.  Another added plus, for those of you with dogs, fountains can help your dog want to increase their drinking habits which can help dilute their urine and reduce the yellowing spots in your lawn!

A few cautionary reminders…first if you want to add any water additive to your pets fountain you must remove the filter…its ok as nice as the chemical filtration can be with the filter in it will do its job too well by removing the additive you put in and there by making the addition useless and a waist of your time and money. The second reminder, especially for cats and timid dogs make sure to slowly acclimate your pet to its new water devise, put the fountain in the place of where the water dish used to be (for some easily scared pets you may want to put it next to the water dish first and not eliminate the familiar, yet) with water in it, but do not plug the fountain in depending on the pet wait a day or week making sure they know its just water and its safe then plug it in. If they seem scared turn it off after a bit and back on in intervals until their comfort level adjusts. Most pets will adjust with ease, however there are the rare who might need a little more easing into it, but with time they should come around too.

Ok why Drinkwell? Well I love the easiness of using Drinkwell and that it has the option of drinking from a pool or the stream. Its easy to fill, easy to clean, and you can even order replacement parts should the pump burn out, but honestly mine have run for years without issues. The filters are fairly inexpensive and slide in and out of place …and can be rinsed off and used a few times to last you even longer (the industry recommendation is to replace the filter like you would an aquarium once a month, and like a fish filter you do want to rinse the new filter before placing it to prevent the carbon from bleeding into the water.) They have an original size fountain which is suitable for cats and small dogs but with the household I have I have found having two of the Big Dog Fountains is helpful and all can and do drink from them, Jack is a 50 pound dog, even with the original size and the added reservoir he would empty it like he does his food dish. With the Big Dog I can clean less, water less, and still keep everyone hydrated and happy, a win for everyone. My only suggestion for improvement to the makers “Pet Safe” (who by the way are amazing innovators and always have the best reps at trade shows) would be to make the Big Dog model out of stainless steel and make the pump solar charged (after finding a solar charged bird bath fountain for our honeybees it really would be lovely if more things where solar run, in my opinion of course.) Here’s to healthy drinking habits!

[ladylegesis-blog]

Old Post but still good for car trips, house guests or any other times of high anxiety in your pets...

For those of us in the USA with the coming Holiday we know how much we love celebrating with camping, BBQ’s and of course fireworks! One thing we mustn’t forget is that not all of us enjoy the big BOOMS with OOuuus and AAaahhhs…some of our pets may need a bit more than our consoling them to help keep them calm and happy, whether or not you think the use of anthropomorphism is relevant or not, dogs and cats show signs of anxiety just as we do…but unlike us they don’t always understand the reason behind the noises and the change and definitely don’t understand the need for celebration. In fact studies show that about a third of dogs and nearly a quarter of cats show signs of anxiousness. Knowing all this and keeping in mind that the number one reason pets are surrendered or abandoned is due to a behavioral issues which include anxiety this can all be prevented.  So what can you do as a pet parent to help calm them and reassure their safety? So glad your curious, always keep in mind that like you every pet is an individual and it may take a bit of trial and error to find one that works for your loved one. Hope these suggestion help…

Thunder Shirts: Shown to be effective in 80% of dogs the thunder shirt is something special, how do they work? Think of how calming swaddling a baby is, and just like a baby the Thunder shirt applies constant gentle pressure to the nervous system, to be used during times of need…loud noises like fireworks, on leash walks, with visitors and other times of higher anxiety. Its easy to put on and take off, comes in various colors and sizes, breathable and affordable. It is recommended to offer your pet food or treats when first putting on the shirt to make it a positive experience.

Calming Pheromones (Plug in, Spray, or Collar): Pheromones are bodily secretions which are species specific and communicate a variety of things to each animal, and just one example of what these pheromones is the calming features. When an animals is happy and calm they emit pheromones as per usual but under times of stress pheromone emissions are lower, which puts your pet in further stress and anxiety and can cause multiple behavioral issues. Pheromone products work by emitting a synthetic version which in turn calms your pet and returns their behaviors to a happy normal, in theory. I have used many of these and I can tell you in almost all cases I have seen improvement in behavior.

Homeopathic/Calming Treats/Supplements: These calming items work just as many of our supplements and natural calming aids work with the help of herbs and like us each herb can have different effects or none at all. These however if used for events like the coming 4th of July celebrations should not be use for a first time the day of. If this is the route you choose to take, which can and do work lovely for many and can be used ahead of expected high stressors like a vet visit, car ride, grooming, or like the coming holiday to name a few. When trying these for the first time it is recommended that you start slow and work your way up if needed and to run a test run before needed for a bigger event to insure the safety of your loved ones and to prevent any chance of overdosing or making an animal ill.  

All these options should not be rushed into nor should they be considered a cure all for everything, as with all animals patients, training and love are the utmost important when working with behavioral issues and hopefully these options will help ease you though the process.

[ladylegesis-blog]

Vacation Fun!

Just a friendly reminder for all those out there enjoying the sun with your animals please don’t forget their skin can also burn, especially white color dogs are patches. Unfortunately our sun screen is not safe for our pet to use as they will most likely like themselves and ingest any chemicals that come with it, luckily for us they do make several pet friendly and chemical free SPFs for pets! I myself took this for granted this past weekend and while camping even with sunscreen the relentless sun showed us all who’s boss and burned everyone in my family including my dog Jack’s face…poor guy! Guess we all needed to be a bit more vigilant in reapplying the sunscreen more often. The above link is for all around spray safe for pets. If like my dog you only have patches of white fur you can use the spray for spots or in my case Jack has his finest white hairs on his snout, which is where he got sun burnt… for those cases they do make a nose and snout cream which I have linked below. As always if there are any questions or comments message me…I will try my best to get you and answer or point you in the right direction to get an answer! Safe vacationing everyone!

https://www.amazon.com/My-Dog-Nose-It-DOG/dp/B00MEUH3L8/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1499464240&sr=8-5&keywords=pet+sunscreen/ladyl00-20

[ladylegesis-blog]

 A Question Regarding Flea Treatment(s)            

Question: “Wondering what you recommend for the best flea preventative for dogs? I have always told people Advantage or Advantix, but now my own dog has gotten fleas and the Advantage only worked for a couple days, and yes, I also treated the house. I’ve been giving him flea baths once a week since the Advantage wore off, but these damn things are relentless! I am afraid the vet will just sell me what they wanna sell, so looking for advice! Thanks

Answer: Its wonderful that you acknowledged cleaning your home as the ratio is approximately for every 1 adult found on your dog there are about 10 in your home. typically they recommend you take three steps when regarding flea protection. First to provide Immediate relief to your dog with a flea bath or an oral treatment. Next Treat the environment only 5% of the flea life cycle is usually on your pet …yard sprays are also a good for of help and don’t forget the car if you travel with your pet frequently.  Lastly you want to use your preventative treatment such as a topical, powder, or collar…keep in mind after a bath that are products like the topicals that will not work if applied right after bathing but should rather be used 2 days after so that the natural dog oils can do the job of evenly spreading the treatment around the dogs body, also for this reason again most are water resistant but take a couple of days to fully disperse no no baths until a few days have past …even if puppers smells like poopers. Be aware to use safe dog shampoos  and not soap based products as these can also have bad effects by stripping the natural oils thus removing your expensive treatment. Also it is NEVER a good idea to use more than one treatment at a time so beware of how long the product is to remain effective and switch accordingly after the time has passed.  Advantage and Advantix are both very good products. Bayer the company that makes them asks vets from all over to submit flea samples to insure they are not becoming resistant to their products they are very open about their results and data which to me insures they are true to their products. They are a topical which is virtually a poison on your dogs back, which is something to consider especially with kids around and cats specifically with the use of Permetherin since it is extremely poisonous to cats.Topicals are on contact kill meaning they don’t have to bite. Most orals such as Trifexis, Comfortis, and NexGard do offer the easier “safer” method without putting others at risk but do require the adult to bite for it to be effective, and while they do kill adults once bitten they do not repel fleas or ticks and only work on Adult Fleas (and heartworm for Trifexis.) Revolution Kills on contact but only with adults, eggs, and American dog ticks on bite, again this one doesn’t repel but does work for heartworms as well. So I personally do not recommend or use any of the oral treatments purely for their effectiveness when compared to the topicals. Frontline is another I don’t recommend due to their inability to prove their products effectiveness similar to Advantage and Advantix. I have heard from many clients and vets that the product seems to not be as effective as it once was, though it does kill adults, larvae, eggs, ticks and lice on contact it also still does not repel them. With Advantage you have the same effect of killing on contact but not repelling (adults, larvae, eggs, and in the dog products only lice.) I personally use Advantix on my dog (not as often as I should either but still with amazing results) it kills adults, larvae, eggs, ticks, mosquitoes, and lice on contact and is one of the very few to repel as well (adults, ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies.) and yes I do have cats as well so I do have to be very careful when applying it but I have used it since he was a pup and had the cats the whole time…six years later and I’m still using it and still seeing wonderful results! Also the Seresto Collar is another option and I think this is an excellent compromise for those who want the protection of Advantix but with out the possibility of their children touching the applied areas or their cats being in danger (though keep in mind there are always going to be some risks with flea protection.) The Seresto collar is a time released flea collar that last 8 months!!! it is also by the makers of Bayer so the data is still there. It kills on contact adults, larvae, ticks, and the dog only versions lice and it repels adults and ticks. I use one on our indoor/outdoor kitty who is usually the instigator of a flea infestation in my home and at about 7 months I look into getting a new one. I used to use Advantage on him but have found so much better results due to the repelling benefits of the Seresto collar. As with anything do your own research and ask your clients their opinions you’d be amazed at some of the feed back plus you can also have a chance to help educate them and get some added sales!

[ladylegesis-blog]

OH MY GOD

[ladylegesis-blog]

this husky is mad because he wants to take a bath but isn’t allowed to

[ladylegesis-blog]

After being scared of exploring the house. Puppy Gray has finally found a spot he likes.

[ladylegesis-blog]

Woman with puppies, California, ca. 1905

[ladylegesis-blog]

This adorable cat that creeps on us at work || TheFountainofCute.tumblr.com