Top 5 Cat Related Posts of 2012

I know I haven't been blogging very long, and my archive may not have much to choose from, but since it's Meowtastic Monday I thought I'd share my top 5 cat related blog posts for 2012. Plus, it's a good chance for any new blog followers to check out some good articles that they may have missed before. The following are my top 5 cat related articles of 2012 in order of most viewed.

New Year's Eve Pet Safety Tips: Fireworks and Pets Don't Mix

Soon, the new year will be upon us. On New Year's Eve, fireworks will be heard popping and crackling in rural areas and maybe even some neighborhoods. Most pets do not take kindly to fireworks. Some will even get scared and run away. My dog tries to be brave and wants to bite the fireworks... which is a pretty dangerous habit. No matter the reaction to fireworks by your pet, they usually are less than desirable. Here are a couple of tips that you can follow to help calm your dog, cat, or other pet this New Year's Eve.

Photo: Vironeveah

The End ~ The Year 2012 In Review

Today's Photohunt theme is fittingly "End". It's "the end of another year, 2012. Soon it will be time to get started in 2013! A lot of things have happened for me in the year of 2012, although it feels like I really haven't done anything. Since I joined the pet blogosphere late in 2012, I will catch some of you up on the beginning of my year and how I got here.

Nibblet is ready to ring in the new year! 

At the beginning of 2012, I was working in an extremely busy multiple doctor practice as a veterinary technician. I was a good 8 months or so pregnant at the start of the year with my second daughter. My initial plan was to return back to work after I had stayed home with my new baby for 5 weeks. This plan didn't exactly work out though.

How To Pill a Chicken

There are many people out there, believe it or not, that keep chickens and consider them to be more than just "livestock". Some chickens are lucky enough to be called someone's pet. They are actually very sweet and docile creatures honestly. Plus, they provide yummy fresh eggs to eat!

I used to help treat a lot of sick chicken patients during my time as a veterinary technician. When I first started working on chickens, I will admit that I thought it was a little weird. In most cases, the poor chickens had been attacked by dogs, cats, raccoons or some other creatures. I eventually became very fond of chickens.

There were plenty of times that people decided they would rather euthanize their chicken than medicate it. Those chickens were usually handed over to us and stayed at the hospital until we found them a suitable home, which was usually with one of the veterinarians.

Shelter & Rescue Dog Cost Calculator

Now that Christmas has passed, there may be many people out there looking to spend their Christmas money on a new addition to their family - a dog. While it is wonderful to adopt homeless pets from rescue organizations or shelters, we should still take into account that dogs cost money. Lots of money in fact. You may have the money to afford a new dog, a trip to the vet, and some accessories right now, but what about 10 years from now?

This calculator was designed to help people who are thinking of adopting shelter and rescue dogs. It's always a very exciting thing when a dog finds a home of his own, but what good does it do if he is returned to the shelter in a matter of months because his new family "couldn't afford him"?

Wordless Wednesday: The Day After Christmas

Here are some pictures from Christmas yesterday!

 

Esme, my aunt's sheltie, waits patiently for someone to drop some food on the floor.

 

The Anipal Tribute to the 12 Days of Christmas

It's finally here! Christmas! I hope everyone is having a fantastic day and Santa brought you lots of goodies if you are celebrating today. I have been working on this "tribute" for some time now and had lots of fun. Thank you to all my fur friends who let me include them, I appreciate it! I have also made some new friends during the process. Creating the tribute also challenged my creativity to say the least.

So without further adieu, I present to you The 12 Days of Christmas - anipal style!

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me - 

a partridge in a pear tree!

Pet Blogger Gift Exchange ~ DogDaz

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! I was a little late signing up for the Pet Blogger Gift Exchange, but when I heard about it I knew I wanted to join. This event is hosted by Something Wagging This Way Comes and allows pet bloggers to connect with each other, make new friends, and find new blogs. I was hoping to be paired with a blog that I had never heard of before and my wish was granted.

Since I was paired up with another blog a little late this month, I wanted to get to know it a little better before I wrote my post about it.

I was paired up with a blog called "DogDaz". DogDaz is about a zoo mom and her zoo crew. I don't know the author's real name yet, so I will call her the Zoo Mom! She currently shares her home with five pets - 2 dogs and 3 cats and has cared for many other pets in the past as well, including some guinea pigs.

Guest Post | Pet Loss and the Holidays - A Message of Empowerment

Written by Marybeth Haines
 

Photo: www.freedigitalphotos.net / imagerymajestic

The time of Christmas, New Years and the holiday season often bring feelings of remembrance and reminiscence.  This is a time where we take a look back on the years gone by to reflect many memories.

For fellow pet lovers, the holidays are also a time where we can feel mixed emotions for our furry friends and family who are no longer with us.  Animal connection with humankind has been in existence since before recorded history.  As time progressed and as animals became domesticated to what we know them as today as our pets, many loving relationships have been formed.  It is no wonder why we feel the connection and bond so strongly.

It has been scientifically proven that pets contribute with many benefits to us such as lowering blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol, increasing self esteem, decreasing anxiety and depression.  

The simple act of stroking a pet provides our nervous system with the message of calmness.  The laughter we have when watching a pet do something funny is one of nature’s best medicines.

I’d like to share with you 3 strategies that you can use as tools of support with feelings of grief and loss over the holidays.

Kindness

The photo hunt theme for today is "kindness". What a fitting theme for this time of year as well as a perfect word to describe a dog's heart - kind. Dogs are the perfect image of kindness in our world today. 

Shiner and Jenny

 

Which Hamster Is Right for You?

As I was browsing through some old photos the other day, I found a picture of my last hamster named "Hammy". I remember that my family owned hamsters all through my childhood. They make wonderful pets for children who are learning about how to care for pets and are relatively easy to keep. There are many different types of hamsters available. Which hamster is right for you and your family? Here's a list of the 4 most popular types of hamsters.

Mange In Dogs: Sarcoptic vs. Demodectic

Mange is not just a mean term to describe sickly looking dogs... Did you know that it's actually a parasite? Mites to be exact. There are two forms of mange: sarcoptic and demodectic. Both mostly affect puppies, but dogs of any age can get either of these mange mites.

Demodectic Mange

Photo: Animal Kingdom Pet Hospital

Demodex is a mite that lives on every dog's body. Even your dog. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Demodex mites can be described as looking like very tiny alligators and can be seen with a microscope. So when do demodectic mitesbecome a problem?

Sometimes, in dogs who are young or have a weakened immune system, the demodex take over. Some puppies even get it from their mothers. Older dogs who suddenly come down with demodectic mange should be checked for autoimmune diseases.

Wordless Wednesday: Sniff Test

Baby Violet undergoes Shiner's strict and extensive Sniff Test after a bath. She also had a minor Taste Test. :) Shiner says that she passed! 

It's Mail Time!

I've been getting some really awesome things in the mail lately, which I wanted to share with everyone. I love getting mail, with the exception of bills that is... Anyways, this is fun mail!

The first piece of mail I got was from Christina at Peace, Love, & Whiskers. Christina is a wonderful person and has been very helpful in my blogging endeavors. She is probably one of the first blogging friends that I made. Peace, Love, & Whiskers is a blog where Christina interviews animals of all kinds. You should definitely go and visit her blog. She also did a guest blog post on Pawsitively Pets about helping animals in need for free. Click her to read her article. Here is a picture of the card she sent me.

Thank you Christina!

We've Been Catified!

Ever wonder what it would be like if you were a cat? Now you'll never have to wonder again! I read about this cute app on Cat Chat with Caren & Cody the other day. (Thank you for sharing Caren, I love this app!) It's the Purina Friskies Catify Yourself app. Basically, you get to turn yourself into a cat! Click here to read more about it on CAT CHAT. My daughter loves this and enjoyed helping me catify the whole family. Here are my catifications...

 Here's what I would look like if I were a cat!

Is Working As a Vet Tech the Right Job For You?

Me and Shadow.

Have you ever considered working with animals? If so, the occupation of veterinary technician may be right for you. Many people believe that this job would be so awesome because you get to play with cute animals all day long, but there is much more to it than that. You have to be cooperative, compassionate, and have a strong stomach among many other traits. There are many pros and cons to working as a vet tech, which I will share with you. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from becoming a veterinary technician, but as with any occupation, there are plenty of downsides.I'll start with the good stuff.

Saturday Photohunt: Bells

Today's photohunt theme is "bells". Shiner had a little photo shoot yesterday in front of the Christmas tree wearing a jingle bell necklace. This is probably as festive as she's going to get this year, hehe. I promise that my tree has ornaments on it! I didn't hang any down low this year though because I didn't want my 10 month old baby grabbing them and breaking them. Have a happy Saturday everyone! 

PS - Have you joined The Anipal Tribute to the 12 Days of Christmas yet? Don't be left out!

Click the icon to join!

The Truth About Beak Trims

Many people take their birds to the veterinarian for beak trims but is it really necessary? In case you don't know what a beak trim is, it is very comparable to a nail trim for a dog or cat. A veterinarian may use a dremel, nail file, or other trimming device like nail clippers depending on the size of the bird. Trimming beaks is especially popular for larger parrots who have very large beaks.

Many bird owners want to get their bird's beak trimmed to lessen the impact of a bite from their bird. The beak may be dremeled down to have a more dull tip. Others might want to smooth out the keratin on their bird's beak that can accumulate around the edges for cosmetic purposes.

How To Tell If Your Dog Is Fat

Is your dog fat? Obesity in dogs is a serious problem that many dog parents aren't aware of. Some owners remain in denial that their pup has a weight issue. There are so many overweight dogs out there today that to many people this appearance just seems normal. So how can you tell if your dog is fat?

A dog's weight is measured on a scale of 1-9 or 1-5. For the purposes of this article, we'll stick with the 1-9 body condition scoring system. A score of 1 is extremely thin, while a score of 9 is obese. This chart is commonly seen in veterinary hospitals and I remember referring to it many times.

Body Condition Score Chart for Dogs by Nestle Purina

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Pet Ornaments

Here are a few of my Christmas ornaments that represent my pets.

 This ornament is my dog Shiner's. It looks just like her with a color patch over one eye!

 This one was Shiner's first ornament. It doesn't look exactly like her, but the colors on the dog reminded me of her. 

Finally, this ornament belongs to Jenny. Jenny was my family's Shetland Sheepdog. She lived to be 14 years old and passed away about 6 years ago. 

Do you incorporate your pets when doing your holiday decorating?

Join the Anipal Tribute to the 12 Days of Christmas

Calling all anipals! I had a really fun idea last night and decided I would call it the Anipal Tribute to the 12 Days of Christmas. I love seeing all of your silly photos, especially the photoshopped ones. I also really like to play with photos and turn them into silly creations, even though I'm no expert.

For the holiday season, I would love to include all my friends in the Anipal Tribute to the 12 Days of Christmas! You know that silly song "The 12 Days of Christmas"? The tribute will be a collection of pictures of anipals acting out that very song.

Meowtastic Monday: How To Wrap a Cat For Christmas

Would your cat let you wrap them up for Christmas? This kitty seems to be enjoying it! 

And The Winners Are...

I have the winners of the Toby and Max Jewelry giveaway. Since Toby and Max Jewelry was nice enough to donate two fantastic prizes, I have two winners! Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway. Check back in the future for more fun giveaways and events. Now on to the winners!

Gosh, I Look So Beautiful In Christmas! Plus More Updates...

I have a few announcements and reminders for everyone today! 

A little while ago, I shared a picture of Kitty Kitty Meow Meow under the Christmas tree and asked everyone what they thought she might be thinking. It wasn't really a contest or anything, I was just interested in seeing what you all thought since KKMM looked so deep in thought in the photo.

Well, I found some good use for your ideas! I recently stumbled upon a really cool Christmas photo contest for cats hosted by Cokie the Cat. I decided to submit KKMM's photo with my favorite caption which was thought up by my friend Remy from One Blue Dog. Thanks Remy!

Swim Free Red Eared Slider

Last weekend, I came across a large turtle in my yard. It was a red eared slider and she was beautiful! I'm not sure what she was doing here, but we do live across the street from a park with a lake in it. She looked nice and healthy and I thought she might enjoy it if she were returned to a place where she could swim freely.

Here's a picture of the turtle we found.

My daughter and I decided to drive her over to the park and let her go in the lake over there. She quickly swam back into the water. I think she was happy to be back home! I took a video of the release which you can watch below. (I apologize for the quality of the video and the fact that it's sideways...)

Help! My Dog's Been Skunked!

Has your dog ever been skunked? If so, you're familiar with the nostril burning stench that comes along with skunk spray. You may also be faced with the revolting task of eliminating the smell from your pet's fur. Trust me, it's not fun...

I know I just talked about cat bathing tips the other day (you can read them here), but today I bring you more bathing tips. I was inspired on this topic last week, when my dog Shiner was skunked. This was the third time in her life to be skunked. Yay me. Usually, it's not that big of a deal for me. Except of course for the burning sensation in my eyes caused by the skunk spray on her fur. I would take her to work with me at the clinic and get her all de-skunkified.

This time though was a little more challenging since I don't work at a vet clinic currently. Shiner hates baths, and can be a little naughty for them. This time was definitely no exception... Here's the story.

Wordless Wednesday: A Furry Ornament

What's this?! A furry ornament! Nibblet likes to play in the Christmas tree.

Toby and Max Jewelry *Giveaway*

I have another great giveaway for everyone and just in time for the holidays! I am very excited about this giveaway. As I'm sure many of you remember, I recently wrote a review about Toby and Max Jewelry. If you missed the review you can read it here.

Toby and Max Jewelry has been nice enough to sponsor this giveaway and donate TWO amazing prizes that I know everyone will just love! And just in time for the holiday season as well. Now, on to the prizes!

The first prize is a "Rescued & Loved" Dog Pendant. The pendant comes on a 20" adjustable leather cord or you could put it on your dog or cat's collar for a little extra bling. OK, I know it says "dog" pendant, but I think it would look nice on a cat collar too. It is made from repurposed pewter and silver.

Does Your Cat Need a Bath?

Kit Kat - my favorite cat patient.

Over the years, I've come across many cat owners that want to know if they should give their cat a bath. Well, if you're a cat I have some good news for you. The answer is usually no. Cats are meticulous groomers and shouldn't need to take a bath. However, there are some exceptions to that rule. (Sorry kitties) If your cat is healthy, young, and appears to be relatively clean and has no matted fur, then they probably don't need a bath.

Giving a cat a bath can be pretty stressful for both parties. Most cats do not like to take baths, although I have bathed a couple that were very well behaved for the bathing process. Giving your cat a bath could also be dangerous, resulting in injuries. Especially if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you do know what you're doing, you could still get hurt.

Toby and Max Jewelry Review ~ Jewelry That Makes You Feel Loved

For Spotlight Sunday, I am reviewing some pawsome jewelry. Recently, I won a wonderful prize from the All Things Dog Blog that I wanted to share with you all. It's a beautiful charm necklace with a wonderful message on it from Toby and Max Jewelry. The charm is on a sturdy adjustable 18" - 20" leather cord. It's made from "environmentally friendly" pewter. You can even put the charm on your pooch's collar if you want to give them some bling. On the front of the pendant it reads "Wonderdog". And on the back "my dog is my". Below are some pictures of my prize.

Saturday Photohunt: Stellar Bunny

Today's Photohunt word is "STELLAR"...

Babalu Bunny, the first bunny in space, discovers the Carrot Constellation!