Pet Health Care Gazette

This week, I’d like to review what is, in my opinion, one of the best options for controlling fleas and ticks on the market today. The name of this product is Frontline Plus.

Fleas continue to be one of the most common problems we battle for our pets, with ticks being a common threat as well. Fleas can not only make your pet uncomfortable, they can also call cause skin allergies, anemia, and can transmit tapeworms. They are also important in the transmission of diseases such as cat scratch disease. And fleas are present throughout most of the United States.

Ticks, like fleas, can make your pet uncomfortable and can also pass on a number of diseases to both you and your pet.

As you can see, controlling fleas and ticks is an important part of keeping your pet healthy and safe. Even if your pet does not currently have fleas or ticks, it is prudent to take preventive measures to ensure that these pests don’t become a problem. If your pet already has a flea or tick problem, then treating them becomes even more important.

Frontline Plus is an easy to use product which is very effective in controlling both fleas and ticks. This is a product that I have used on my own pets as well as recommending to my clients for use on their pets. I will not recommend a product without having faith in its effectiveness. However, I’m pleased to say that I have found Frontline Plus to be both very safe and very effective.

Frontline Plus is a topical medication. It is supplied in an applicator containing the proper amount of medication for your pet. It is applied by placing the applicator tip through your pet’s hair coat and down to the skin between the shoulder blades, and emptying the entire content of the applicator onto a single spot on your pet’s skin by squeezing the applicator. Frontline Plus should be applied once a month.

Not only does Frontline Plus kill up to 100% of adult fleas on your pet within 24 hours, it also contains a special ingredient that kills flea eggs and larvae to keep all stages of fleas from developing and infecting your pet and your home. And it will continue killing fleas for up to one month or longer. It also kills all four stages of the four major ticks which infect our pets, including the ticks that transmit Lyme disease.

Frontline Plus is safe for use on puppies and kittens 8 weeks of age and older, regardless of their size. It can also be used safely on pregnant females or nursing mothers. It remains completely waterproof, even after swimming or bathing. (*Note: I recommend waiting at least 48 hours after applying Frontline Plus before bathing your pet, letting your pet swim, or get wet in any other fashion. This allows the Frontline Plus to dry thoroughly and adequately distribute itself through your pet’s oil glands.)

Frontline Plus works by a process called translocation, which means that when applied, the product is gradually dispersed by the pet’s natural oils, collecting in the oil glands in the skin. It is then "wicked" onto the hair over the next 30 days. The translocation process can take up to 24 hours to complete. It then works by being absorbed through the hard shell covering the flea, affecting the flea’s nervous system and killing the flea. It does not require the flea to bite your pet in order for it to kill the flea. Fleas will die within 18 hours of contact with your treated pet, and ticks will die within 48 hours.

Because Frontline Plus acts by affecting the nervous system of the flea, it tends to make the fleas "hyperexcited". This increased activity may draw the fleas to the top of your pet’s haircoat and make the fleas more visible to you for 24-48 hours after applying the Frontline Plus, until the fleas die. This is actually a sign that the medication is working, though it may seem strange to actually notice more fleas after application.

With any medication, there is a risk of side effects. Frontline Plus is no exception, but it is a very safe product. In the years that I’ve been recommending its use, I can recall only a handful of reactions, which were limited to minor hair loss and irritation at the area of application. These lesions generally regress within a week or two. However, if these signs persist or become more severe, you should consult your pet’s veterinarian.

Who should use Frontline Plus? Anyone who is interested in providing the most complete flea and tick control available.

We invite you to visit 1-800-PetMeds for more information or pricing on Frontline Plus.

If you found this article useful and have readers who could benefit from it, we invite you to add a link to it: http://pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/10/03/13/

Last week, we talked about how to properly trim your pet’s toenails. Broken or torn toenails are a common occurrence if the nails are not trimmed regularly and are allowed to get long.

If the torn nail is not broken completely away, it will be necessary to remove the remainder of the nail (i.e. the broken part) to prevent further bleeding and discomfort. To do this, you will need to cut the nail at the broken area or slightly above the broken area. You can do this at home, but if you are squeamish, you may prefer to see your pet’s veterinarian for this. Depending on where the break has occurred, cutting the nail may be somewhat painful for your pet.

If your pet breaks or tears a toenail, the toenail will usually bleed. You can stop the bleeding by using a styptic pencil or by packing the nail with styptic powder, cornstarch, or pressing the toenail into a bar of soap (such as white ivory soap.) If none of these items are available to you, you can use digital pressure to stop the bleeding by firmly holding a cotton ball, piece of gauze, or clean towel to the end of the broken toenail until the bleeding has stopped. It may take several minutes for the bleeding to stop completely.

If your pet has sustained a broken nail and is still limping on the leg after 1-2 days, you should consult your veterinarian. Your pet may require antibiotics or other veterinary care to control infection and pain, especially if the nail was torn close to the nail bed.

Breaking a toenail is an uncomfortable experience for most pets. In most cases, keeping your pet’s toenails trimmed properly will help to prevent your pet from breaking or tearing his/her toenails, although it is still possible for this to happen even with short nails. The important thing to remember if this happens to your pet is not to panic. Remember, this is not a life-threatening situation. Knowing what to do if this happens to your pet is half the battle, and now your are prepared to handle the situation properly if necessary.

If you found this article helpful, please feel free to place a link to it on your site: http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/09/27/broken-toenails-and-what-to-do-with-them

One of the tasks which most pet owners need to do on a regular basis is trimming the toenails for their pet. Yet, this is something that many pet owners either do not know how to do or are frightened to do. If you are among this group, we’ll try to change that for you today.

Trimming the toenails for your pet is actually not a difficult task, if your pet cooperates. However, many pets do not easily allow this task to be done. Some pets simply do not like having their feet handled and others simply are too active to sit still long enough to allow you to finish your task.

If your pet does not like having his/her feet handled, I recommend that you spend some time working with your pet on this issue. This can be as simple as holding or stroking the foot when your pet is near you. Start out by holding your pet’s feet for just a few seconds at first. Do not attempt to force your pet or scold if he/she pulls the foot away. What you are trying to accomplish is convincing your pet that nothing bad will happen when you handle his/her feet. Finish by giving a treat. If your pet will not allow you to actually hold the foot, then start out by gently stroking the foot once or twice. Again, do not force or scold. Once your pet will allow you to stroke his/her feet without fear, you can start actually holding the feet. Start out holding each foot for only a second or two. As your pet becomes more at ease, you will be able to increase the amount of time you are able to handle the feet. Don’t forget to reward your pet after each session.

If your pet is simply an active pet and does not have the attention span to stay still for very long, try trimming one or two toenails at a time.

Once you are able to easily handle your pet’s feet, trimming the nails becomes much easier. Basically, you just want to remove the tip. You need to be careful not to cut too short, so that the nail doesn’t bleed. If you pet’s toenails are white, it will be easier for you. You’ll see a pink area at the base of the nail which turns white further down the nail. Cut the white area only. If you cut into the pink area, you’ll make the nail bleed. If your pet’s nails are black, you’ll have to guess how far to cut back. With experience, you’ll soon learn where to cut. Start out by removing just the tip of the nail.

If you do cut the nails back too far and one or more of the nails starts to bleed, don’t panic. It’s easily fixed. You can simply place pressure over the tip of the bleeding nail with your finger, using a cotton ball or piece of gauze, until the bleeding stops. You can also use styptic pencils (the same type you use when shaving) to stop the bleeding. Another trick which works well with bleeding toenails is to press the nail into a bar of soap. This often cauterizes the nail and stops the bleeding. Other common household items which can be used are baking soda or flour. Apply these to the tip of the nail which is bleeding and press the baking soda or flour firmly onto the nail.

Now, you should be armed with all the information you need to cut your pet’s toenails. Go ahead and give it a try.

If you found this article helpful, please feel free to place a link to it on your site: http://www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/09/20/learn-how-to-easily-cut-your-pet’s-toenails

Canine influenza has received a lot of publicity in recent months. However, there also seems to be a lot of misinformation circulating about this disease as well.

Canine influenza is caused by a virus known as the influenza virus. There are three groups of influenza viruses: type A, B, and C. The type of influenza virus which causes canine influenza is part of the type A group of influenza viruses.

Canine influenza is not considered to be contagious to people at the current time, but can be easily spread from one dog to another. It is spread through contact with body secretions, such as saliva. Contact with an infected dog directly or contact with bodily fluids from an infected dog can result in infection. Infected dogs may not necessarily be ill, but may still be able to pass the disease.

Symptoms include coughing, runny nose, and listlessness. Fever and rapid breathing are also common. The disease often resembles "kennel cough".

The disease is highly contagious, and symptoms may range from mild to severe. Though canine influenza can be fatal, the fatality rate appears to be fairly low, with most dogs recovering. Recovery may take as long as three weeks for some dogs.

Canine influenza is diagnosed with a blood test. In actuality, two blood tests done several weeks apart may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Antibiotics may be necessary to treat the disease and prevent secondary pneumonia. This secondary pneumonia is the truly dangerous part of the disease, and is often the cause of death.

As of August, 2006, canine influenza had been confirmed in 22 states. First diagnosed in racing greyhounds, the disease has now spread to the general dog population. States where the virus has been positively identified include Florida, Delaware, Hawaii, New York, Connecticut, Colorado, and Wyoming, to name just a few.

At the current time, we do not have a vaccine available for canine influenza. It is possible that a vaccine may be developed at some point in the future, but mutation within the influenza virus itself may make vaccine production problematic.

Sources:
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Media Briefing on Canine Influenza:
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/transcripts/t050926.htm

UF College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Advisory on the Canine Influenza
Virus:
http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/pr/nw_story/CANINEFLUFACTSHEET.htm

(If you have found this article useful, please consider adding a link to it: http://pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/09/04/canine-influenza/ Thank you.)

While most human diseases only affect people, and most of the diseases which our pets suffer from only affect cats and/or dogs, it is important to know that there are some diseases that can affect both humans and animals. These are known as zoonotic diseases, diseases which can be passed from pets to people or from people to pets.

Many of you may be wondering how dangerous the threat of these zoonotic diseases can be. The truth is, you’re more likely to "catch" a disease from another person than from your cat or dog. And a little common sense, attention to hygiene, using caution when handling animal wastes, and following preventive health care measures such as flea and tick control can go a long ways towards protecting you from these diseases as well.

What kind of diseases are considered zoonotic? There are many of them. Zoonotic diseases may be bacterial infections (like cat scratch disease, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis), parasitic diseases (such as roundworms and hookworms), fungal infections (including "ringworm"), or protozoan diseases (giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and toxoplasmosis, for example) and viral infections (like rabies). There are actually way too many zoonotic diseases to name here, but we have listed some of the most common ones.

Most of these diseases pose only minor threat to you and your family. However, individuals who have compromised immune systems may be more susceptible. Young children are a special risk because of the habit of putting their fingers in their mouth or not properly washing their hands before handling food.

Here are some of the things which you can do to protect yourself from these diseases:

• Keep your pet up to date on vaccinations, especially the rabies vaccine.
• Keep your pet free of fleas and ticks.
• Keep your pet free of intestinal parasites, such as worms. Have a fecal sample checked at least once yearly.
• Do not feed your pet raw meats. Keep all cats indoors, and dogs on leashes or under supervision when outside.
• Wash your hands before handling food and after handling animals.
• Do not allow your pet to lick your food utensils or plates, bowls, etc. Do not allow animals to lick your face.
• Clean feces from litter boxes daily and promptly pick up dog waste from your yard.
• Empty and clean litter box periodically, using hot water and detergent.
• Wear gloves when gardening.
• Wear gloves when handling raw meat.
• Cover sandboxes for children when not in use (to discourage stray cats from using the sandbox as a litter box).
• Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Cook meat thoroughly before eating.
• Seek medical attention if you are bitten by an animal.

Attention to cleanliness, mixed with a little old-fashioned common sense, will help protect you and your family and make your pets more enjoyable for you.

(If you have found this article useful, please consider linking to it: http://pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/09/03/zoonotic-disease-can-i-get-sick-from-my-pet/ Thank you.)

Today, I’d like to offer a review of one of my favorite and most frequently recommended pet medications, Revolution.

Revolution is one of the safest and easiest ways to protect your pet against fleas, heartworms, and many of the other parasites which can threaten your pet. These are parasites that your pet deserves to be protected against and you owe it to your dog or cat to make sure that protection is provided.

Revolution protects your cat or dog from fleas by killing adult fleas and keeping flea eggs from hatching. Revolution also prevents infections with heartworms in dogs and cats (which your pet can be exposed to through the bite of a mosquito). In addition, Revolution can be used to treat and control ear mites in both dogs and cats. In dogs, Revolution is effective in controlling the American dog tick, as well as the mites which cause sarcoptic mange. In cats, additional uses for Revolution include controlling and preventing roundworms and hookworms. 

Revolution contains a medication called selamectin, and is applied topically on a monthly basis. Revolution is supplied in tubes, with each tube containing the proper amount of medication to protect your pet for one month. It is packaged in six different dose sizes for dogs and two dose sizes for cats, with each dose size adequate to protect a specific weight range. In other words, the medication is dosed depending on the size of your dog or cat.

Application is simple and involves parting the hair at the base of the skull and applying the contents of a tube directly to the skin. The solution should be allowed to dry thoroughly before bathing, but generally, it is safe to bathe your pet within two hours of applying the medication.

Revolution works by entering your pet’s blood stream once it is applied to the skin. Once in the bloodstream, the medication acts to prevent heartworm infections in both dogs and cats and treat infections with roundworms and/or hookworms in cats. The medication is also selectively redistributed through the blood to the skin where it acts to provide protection for your pet against fleas, flea eggs, and ear mites, as well as ticks (in dogs) and sarcoptic mange mites (in dogs).

Revolution is recommended to be used on a monthly basis and can be used on puppies as early as 6 weeks of age and kittens as early as 8 weeks of age.

Revolution is not a pesticide, but is rather a prescription medication which must be prescribed by your pet’s veterinarian. Before using Revolution on your dog, your veterinarian will likely recommend testing for heartworms if your dog has not been tested recently. This is done to make certain that your dog has not already been infected with heartworms. Revolution is very effective in preventing heartworm infections, but is not capable of treating existing heartworm infections. Testing for heartworms is done with a simple blood test.

Revolution is a very safe product, with very few side effects. Adverse affects are rare but, as with any medication, can occur. In a small number of patients, application of Revolution resulted in an area of hair loss at or near the application area. Other side effects seen (rarely) are vomiting, loose stools, diarrhea, lack of appetite, rapid breathing, excessive drooling, and muscle tremors. There have also been rare reports of inflammation, swelling, and/or itchiness in the skin, incoordination and fever. Even more rarely, reports of seizures in dogs have been noted. As noted, these types of reactions are very rare, and should not be interpreted as a reason for not using Revolution. In fact, side effects have been noted in less than 1 out of every 100 pets treated with Revolution, and include mostly mild side effects which required very little, if any, treatment.

In humans, Revolution can be irritating to the eyes and skin, so caution should be taken to avoid direct contact with the medication. Wash your hands after applying Revolution to your pet. Revolution is also flammable, so you should keep it away from heat and open flames. As with any medication, you should keep Revolution out of your children’s reach.

In summary, Revolution is a very safe, easy to use and effective way to protect your pet against many of the parasites that can cause health problems for your pet. As a veterinarian, I have used it and recommended it to my clients countless times and believe it to be one of the best products available today.

If you would like to learn more about caring for your pet, we recommend that you listen to our free audio reports, “Secrets To Keeping Your Dog Healthy” and “Secrets To Keeping Your Cat Healthy”.

If you found this review useful, please consider adding a link from your site. The address is www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/08/30/protect-your-pet-with-this-revolutionary-pet-medication/

Following the horrible sights and the loss of life surrounding hurricane Katrina, law-makers are moving to create legislation that would provide assistance to pet owners in times of disaster.

As we all remember, many people affected by the hurricanes and resulting disasters in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi were forced to make the heart-breaking decision of whether to evacuate themselves and leave their family pets and, in some cases, even their service animals behind, or risk their own lives to stay behind with those pets. Federal disaster relief organizations did not allow their rescue vehicles to be boarded by pets and Red Cross evacuee centers barred all animals, except service animals, from their midst due to public health and safety concerns. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that as many as 50,000 pets and other animals were abandoned after hurricane Katrina struck.

Recently, the House passed the PETS bill, which requires state and local officials to account for pet owners, household pets, and service animals in their disaster preparedness plans. A similar bill sponsored in the Senate would allow financial aid to create emergency shelters for pet owners and require that essential assistance be provided to pet owners and their pets after a disaster of major proportions. Several states are also making provisions to care for pets and livestock during natural disasters and other emergencies. These states include Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Florida, California, New Jersey and New York.

What can you do, as a pet owner, to prepare for an emergency. You should arrange for a safe place to take your pets, before an emergency occurs. You should also put together an emergency kit, including your pet’s medical records, medications, food, bottled water, a can opener, food dishes and water bowls, leashes and collars, and any other supplies your pet might need. You’ll find information about preparing for a disaster at the American Red Cross site (www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/animalsafety.html).

(Reference: Journal Of The American Veterinary Medical Association, August 1, 2006, Vol. 229, No. 3)

(If you found this article useful and think it would benefit your readers, please feel free to add a link to your site: www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/08/22/what-would-you-and-your-pets-do-if-there-was-a-disaster/. Thank you.)

This week, the topic we'll be covering is heartworm disease. Before we start, let me ask you a question? When was the last time you gave your pet his/her heartworm preventive medication? If your answer is within the last month, then congratulations. You get a gold star and a pat on the back!

If you answered "my pet is a few days overdue", then stop reading and go and take of it right now, before you forget again! Then come back and finish reading the article (grin).

If you answered "I've never given my pet heartworm preventive medication", or "What is heartworm medication?", or "That's something vets invented to make money!", then keep reading to learn more. (Don't laugh. I've been told that we veterinarians invented (insert your choice of disease here) to make money more than once. Bizarre but true.)

Okay, let's talk about heartworms now. Heartworms are carried by mosquitoes. When your pet gets bitten by a mosquito, your pet can become infected with heartworms. Now, do you really believe that your pet is not at risk? Haven't you ever been bitten by a mosquito? Okay, so we can all agree that heartworms are a threat if your pet lives in a climate where mosquitoes can live. (For those of you fortunate enough to live in climates where mosquitoes don't exist, my hat is off to you. When can I come visit? You can stop reading now if you want. Oh, unless you travel with your pet to areas of the country where mosquitoes do exist? If so, then keep reading.)

What can heartworms do to your pet? They can cause damage to your pet's heart. Sometimes, this damage can become quite severe, even irreversible,  before the disease is suspected or diagnosed.

Can heartworms be treated once your pet is infected? Yes, they can, if your pet is a dog. But the treatment is dangerous as well as uncomfortable for your dog, and it is costly for you.

If your pet is a cat, treatment is more difficult, and the fact is, there may not even be time to pursue treatment for your cat. Too many times, the first symptom of heartworm disease in a cat is a sudden, unexpected death.

Now that I've got your attention. You're probably asking yourself, "What can I do to keep my pet safe from heartworms?" And fortunately, there's a simple answer to that question. There are a great many products currently available to prevent heartworm disease.

Preventing heartworm disease means that you don't have to worry about whether heartworms are causing unseen damage to your pet's heart. You know that's not happening, because your pet is free of heartworms.

Heartworm preventive medications come in a variety of forms, including chewable tablets that are flavored to be pleasant tasting to your pet and topical medications which can be applied to your pet's skin rather than given by mouth. With these medications, preventing heartworms for your pet is simple and easy. And most of the medications used today only need to be given once a month. So, simply mark your calendar with the day your pet is due or give the medication on the first day of every month (or the last day of every month, if you prefer). What could be more simple than that?

How do you get heartworm preventive medication for your pet? That's easy too. You simply contact your pet's veterinarian. The veterinarian may recommend that your pet have a blood test done to test for heartworms before starting on the medication. This is done to make sure that your pet doesn't already have heartworms. The blood test is simple and easy and requires only a very small amount of blood.

Okay, now that I've (hopefully) convinced you that your pet needs to be receiving heartworm preventive medication regularly, stay tuned to The Pet Health Care Gazette. Over the next few weeks, I will be offering product reviews for some of the heartworm medications that I have dealt with and regularly dispensed to my patients, including Heartguard Plus and Revolution.

(Thanks joining us. If you have found this article useful and feel it would benefit your readers, please feel free to link to it directly at www.pet-health-care-gazette.com/2006/08/20/how-to-protect-your-dog-from-severe-heart-problems-almost-immediately/. Thank you.)

Hello, everyone. This week I’d like to talk to you about a common disease in female dogs. This is a disease that can be fatal, if contracted. However, it is also a disease which is easily prevented.

The illness I’m talking about is called a pyometra. It is a severe uterine infection in a female dog. In other words, in a female dog who has not been spayed, the uterus can become infected, causing serious, life-threatening disease.

How common is this disease? Well, in the past 4-5 weeks, I’ve personally treated at least 5 of them in my veterinary hospital. All of these dogs and cats were well cared for and all of them had been perfectly healthy until very recently. What happened? They developed a pyometra and all 5 of them became incredibly sick. Four of them required emergency surgery to remove their uterus and save their lives. Unfortunately, the fifth dog was so ill and so weak by the time she came to my office that we were forced to put her to sleep instead of allowing her to suffer.

How could this have been prevented? Very easily. Simply spaying these pets would have prevented all of them from contracting this disease that threatened their lives and made them so sick.

So, the moral of the story here is that there really is a good reason to spay your female pet. Besides, the obvious benefit of not getting pregnant, spaying your female pet also provides many health benefits for your pet. Among these benefits is preventing the occurrence of a pyometra.

Of course, if your pet is a breeding animal, spaying is not an option and a pyometra is one of the dangers you have to accept for your pet as a breeder. But, if you’re not breeding your pet, there’s really no good reason not to spay her as long as she’s healthy enough to undergo surgery.

Now, is your female pet spayed? What excuse are you using to put off having her spayed? Lack of time? Money that could be better spent on something else? Lack of motivation? Thinking of breeding her, but not sure?  Is that excuse worth risking your pet’s life? Don’t you owe it to your pet to do everything in your power to safeguard her health?

If your female pet is not spayed, do yourself and your pet a favor. Go to the telephone right now, call your pet’s veterinarian and schedule an appointment for her. She’ll be healthier and happier for it. And you’ll rest easy knowing you did a good thing for your pet.

(BTW, those of you with male pets don’t get a "free pass" here either. There are many health benefits to take advantage of by neutering your male pet as well.)

Let me introduce myself. My name is Lorie Huston. I am a veterinarian and have been for over 20 years now. (Boy, seeing that in print really does make me feel old). I work exclusively with small animals. I graduated from the Iowa State University School Of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. Shortly after that, I moved to the Northeast and have been working here, in Providence, Rhode Island, since then.

I grew up in the Mid-West, Omaha, Nebraska, to be exact. I’ve always had a love of animals, and becoming a veterinarian seemed a natural extension of that passion. I attended undergraduate classes at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, earning a Bachelor of Science degree there. From there, I attended Iowa State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Though I sometimes miss the Mid-West, I enjoy living in the Northeast a great deal. The scenery is beautiful and I do like being near the ocean as well. After being here for nearly 19 years, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

I truly do love my job. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be doing. The pet owners I work with are truly wonderful people, and I look forward to going to work each morning and seeing what each new day brings.

One of the most common questions I am asked is why I decided to start The Pet Med Site website. It’s not as though my days are lacking in things to keep me busy. But, my answer to that question, "Why did I start this website?", is that sometimes I become frustrated when I see pets suffering with diseases or illnesses that could easily have been prevented. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not in any way saying that these pet owners were negligent or cruel to their pets. What I am saying is that, often times, their pets could have received a simple treatment or procedure which would have prevented the pet’s suffering. In most cases, the pet owner did not intentionally skip the necessary health care, but instead simply did not know that the health care was available.

So, my motivation in starting this site is to educate as many pet owners as I can about basic routine preventive pet health care procedures. Basic routine preventive health care for pets can solve so many problems even before they start. But, sometimes it is difficult for pet owners to figure out exactly what health care their pet needs. My goal in establishing this site is to inform pet owners that these types of health care are not only available, but many of them are simple, easy to perform procedures. If I can motivate even one pet owner to seek the proper health care for his/her pet and save that pet from needless illness and suffering, then my goal has been accomplished. The more pet owners I am able to reach, the more pets I am able to help, and the internet seems to be a perfect medium for educating large numbers of people.

I could use your help in this accomplishing this goal as well. If you own or operate an animal oriented site, please feel free to link to my site. You can place a link to my main site, The Pet Med Site, through my links page, or you can sign up for my affiliate program and earn a little money for yourself while helping to educate pet owners about their pet’s health care needs. You may also link directly to this blog, The Pet Health Care Gazette.