Our best friend can get hurt and they do age with time. These problems can result in continued stiffness and joint pain. When this happens, reach for our Synoviflex joint health chewables.

PRODUCT ADVANTAGES:

• Contains 3 of the best selling joint health nutraceuticals for dogs in the world today.
• Contain Glucosamine HCl, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and Creatine Monohydrate, plus 4 other essential antioxidants.
• Glucosamine HCl is an all natural joint health supplement to aid in proper joint health.
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a specialty nutraceutical that is a sulfer rich compound that aids in proper joint health.
• Creatine Monohydrate is an amino acid complex that helps supplement healthy muscles in dogs.
• Great ROAST BEEF and LIVER flavor. Your dog will love it!

DESCRIPTION

Peak Nutrition is the only company in the world who offers Synoviflex for dogs. They have developed and tested the product and are convinced there is nothing like it on the market today.

Synoviflex joint health is truly innovative and can give your pet significant joint pain relief. Synoviflex offers a unique blend of ingredients that will provide vital nutrients to damaged joints, connective tissues, and muscles.

Additional benefits include:

• Increased synovial fluid production within joints, allowing for greater joint mobility and decreased pain.
• Increased connective tissue regeneration and repair, allowing for less stiffness of joints.
• Increased muscular energy (ATP) levels, allowing for increased muscle strength and decreased muscle fatigue.

PRODUCT DOSAGE

Loading Dose (4 to 6 Weeks):
Offer free choice or crumble and mix on the dog's food 1 chewable tablet daily for every 20 pounds of canine bodyweight.

Maintenance Dose (Week 6 & beyond):
Offer free choice or crumble and mix on the dog's food 1/2 to 3/4 of a chewable tablet daily for every 20 pounds of canine bodyweight.

INGREDIENTS

100% Pure Pharmaceutical Grade Glucosamine HCl, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Creatine Monohydrate, Vitamin E, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Zinc Sulfate, and Selenium.

Each chewable tablet contains the following:

Ingredient	Amount
Glucosamine HCl	400 mg
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)	400 mg
Creatine Monohydrate	400 mg
Vitamin E	10 IU
Citrus Bioflavonoids	10 mg
Manganese (as Manganese Sulfate)	10 mg
Zinc (as Zinc Sulfate)	10 mg
Selenium	10 mg

Labels: Canine Synoviflex Joint Health Chewables

By Hans Lynch

Wobblers Syndrome

Wobblers Syndrome also known as cervical vertebral malformation (CVM) and cervical spondylomyelopathy (CSM) is commonly seen among dogs. It is a condition of the cervical vertebrae in which the vertebrae is affected resulting the dog developing a walk that is both wobbly and unsteady, hence the name Wobblers Syndrome. This in actuality is a situation in which there are various factors that contribute to make the one condition. These include the disease of the major areas of the vertebrae such as the interspinal ligaments, and intervertebral discs. It is particularly found among the Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers dogs.

Causes of Wobblers Syndrome

Quoting the Merck Manual, "The cause of wobblers syndrome is unknown, although rapid growth rates and nutrition, mechanical factors, and genetics may be implicated." Others say the cause of Wobblers Syndrome in most dogs is partly genetic and as a result of a malformed vertebrae located in the neck region. This happens mostly in the spinal canal which is what houses the spinal cord encasing it and protecting it from harm. Normally the spinal canal has an opening that is relatively big. However, when a dog becomes infected with the Wobblers Syndrome, the opening shrinks causing it to add pressure on the spinal cord. This then hinders the spinal cord from passing and receiving impulses. This shrinking of the canal continues as the animal increases in size, weight and age. During this period too, there is a noticeable instability apparent in the neck vertebrae.

Signs and Symptoms

Wobblers Syndrome becomes apparent in less than forty eight months (four years) of age. In dogs such as the Great Danes, it becomes more evident at an earlier age. It takes quite a while to show in Doberman Pinschers. One of the initial signs that a dog might be suffering from wobblers syndrome is the dog's inability to bend its neck because of the pain it is likely to feel. Next is an apparent lack of muscular coordination and general weakness in the dog's hind limbs. This is closely followed by a gradual weakness of the frontal limbs too.

Preventive Measures

According to many experiments, it is possible that most dogs that end up having Wobblers Syndrome have a genetic predisposition to it. So it is advisable that you consider the lineage of the dogs you plan to breed be examined for any signs of Wobblers Syndrome. Others recommend that if the weight gain and growth rate are slowed down by reducing the quantity of not quality of high protein nutrition given, the dog(s) might just be able to survive and grow normally even if it had a genetic predisposition to it.

Corrective Measures

There are surgical procedures that can be done to either lessen the symptoms of Wobblers or even completely eliminate the symptoms. One such procedure is the surgically implanting gold beads in the spinal area.

Hans is the owner of http://www.lucysdoghouse.net and is a life long dog owner. Lucy's Dog House offers has Helping Hands and much more to make your dog's life happier and healthier. At Lucy's Dog House, a percentage of all sales goes to support Great Dane Rescues.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Lynch

Labels: Pet Care, Pet Health

By Jennifer Manning
You really can get free pets if you know where to look. But make sure you're prepared before bringing a pet into your home.

You can find free pets being offered everyday in just about any newspaper and online at websites such as Craig's List. Of course, dogs and cats are the most common animals being offered, but you'll see other types of pets too. In my local paper I've seen dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, rabbits, snakes, parakeets, tropical and marine fish, hamsters, and even horses offered for free to a good home.

Why would anyone give their pet away? There are tons of reasons. They may be moving out of town and can't take it with them. The pet may have grown too large for them to take care of. They may have a new baby or a new job that takes all of their time. Or they may simply be tired of taking care of a pet.

You'll sometimes see relatively valuable animals offered for free to a good home -- pure bred dogs and cats, pythons, ferrets, horses, etc. The owners may have tried to sell the animal, but found no takers. And if they're really desperate, they may have to give the animal away for free or turn it in to an animal shelter.

Before bringing a free pet, or any type of pet home, make sure you're prepared. All animals require a certain amount of time (some more than others) and certain basic supplies.

Proper food and feeding dishes are a universal need for almost all pets. Dogs and cats will need collars and leashes. Snakes, lizards, and most rodents will need some type of aquarium with a top. And of course a bird will require a cage. Just think and plan out exactly what you'll need and have it set up and ready before bringing your new pet home. Trust me, it's no fun having to scramble around in a panic, rounding up supplies, after you bring a new pet home.

When going out to look at a potential new pet, be sure that you choose a healthy animal. A healthy animal will have bright and alert eyes. They won't have mucous (dried or wet) around their eyes, nose or ears. And they will have healthy looking fur and/or skin, with no visible sores. Use your common sense and stay away from any animal that looks sick, unless you're prepared to pay potentially large veterinary bills. Where possible, be sure to ask the owner for a health history and any available veterinary records.

Free pets can be a wonderful thing, if you're prepared to take your time and don't be in a hurry. You might find yourself stuck with someone else's problem.

Get information about Persian Cat Rescue and other pet care articles at http://www.petcarejournal.com - a website designed to provide you with information and resources that will help you get the most out of your pet keeping experience, no matter what type of pet you own.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Manning

Labels: Pet Adoption, Pet Care

By Trish Ratford
Heat or Sun stroke
Handy tip: - Always keep a bucket or two of water around in hot weather to be used in the treatment of Heat or Sun stroke like we do here in The Rabbit Patch.

First stage of heat stroke. Symptoms to look for:-

Bunny lying stretched out with his head tilted upward and his ears laid back down along his body with obvious panting.

Treatment.
Get the bunny cooled down as quickly as possible. Dunk him in a bucket of water that is sitting ready for such an emergency and hold him there long enough to thoroughly wet his coat including his head. Do not use cold water as this will send your little mate into shock and you will kill him rather than save him. Make sure that you wet his ears thoroughly as your little mate uses his ears to regulate his body temperature. If the day is particularly hot (we have days in excess of 40'C over most of our summer months) the water can be cooled down a bit, but don't make it cold for the aforementioned reason.

Second stage of heat stroke. Symptoms to look for:-

It will have all the signs of the first stage of heat stroke. Bunny lying stretched out with his head tilted upward and his ears laid back down along his body with obvious panting. Plus your poor little mate will also have wetness around the mouth and nose.

Treatment.
Urgently needs cooling down. Dunk him in a bucket of cool water several times as explained in the treatment for first stage of heat stroke. Also use a fan over him so that the slow evaporation of the water from his coat and skin cools him down more rapidly without risk of sending him into shock.

Third and last stage of heat stroke. Symptoms to look for:-

It will have all the signs of the first and second stages of heat stroke. Bunny lying stretched out with his head tilted upward and his ears laid back down along his body with obvious panting and wetness around the mouth and nose. Plus your poor little mate will have wetness around his neck and down his chest and breathing becomes more rapid as your poor little mate becomes more distressed.

Treatment:-
It is imperative that you immediately take steps to cool him down as explained in the first and second stage treatment of heat stroke. This is your last chance to save your little mate. If you leave the poor little fellow any longer he will start convulsing and when that happens he only has a few minutes to live and will die an agonizing death with the heat scrambling his brain.

© September 2007 Trish Ratford

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trish_Ratford

Labels: Pet Health

By Trish Ratford
How to find the healthiest, happy and placid bunny for your family This is the question I am asked about most so I thought that I would share this procedure or method that I have devised so that people can make an informed decision on finding a healthy happy bunny and of finding the right breeder to purchase their bunny from.

I do think that a good breeder is still the best place to purchase your bunny because you can see first hand the bunny's parents and the breeders other stock and have all your questions answered whereas if you buy your bunny from a pet store where a good percentage of the pet shop staff knows nothing about rabbits or their care are unable to fill in the blanks for you.

So, now for the procedure to follow in finding a healthy and happy bunny: - make a list of several breeders in your area and ring the first breeder on your list and ask if you can come visit them and see the bunnies that they have for sale. You are going to test for smell, sound and handling.

When the breeder takes you down to their rabbit shed check for smell. If you get bowled over by the stench of urine from dirty un-cleaned cages this is not the place to find a happy healthy bunny so make a polite excuse and leave and go check out the next breeder.

If the breeder passes the smell test enter the shed and check out the bunnies whilst keeping your ears tuned for the sound of sneezing or coughing. If you hear a lot of sneezing or coughing once again make a polite excuse and leave and go check out the next breeder on your list.

If the breeder passes the smell and sound test you need to observe how the breeder handles their bunnies, and how the bunny reacts when the breeder opens their cage. If the breeder grabs the bunny by the scruff of the neck and/or the bunny lunges at the breeder, once again make a polite excuse and leave.

When you find a breeder who passes the smell, sound and handling of their bunnies test, you have found a person who looks after their bunnies. Now you can start handling the bunnies and see how placid the bunny is. Don't forget to handle the parents as well. A lot of breeders handle their bunnies on a daily basis and this ensures that most bunnies from this breeder will be gentle and placid.

In conclusion when you go to a breeder's shed it should be neat and tidy the bunny's water bottle should be filled with clean water with no green algae or other debris, the bunny cages should be clean and not stink of urine and faeces. The bunnies should look healthy and calm without any coughing or sneezing and the breeder should handle their bunnies gently but firmly and the bunny should be picked up as you would a small child, by placing their hands on either side of it. The breeder should be able to answer any questions that you may have in relation to bunnies, demonstrate how to hold them, and give you full care instructions. They breeder should also demonstrate how to clip your bunny's nails, carry out a health check and encourage you to ring them if you have any problems or further enquiries.

Don't forget to ask heaps of questions regarding the care and management of bunnies. A breeder who cares enough about their stock are more that willing to answer any enquiries that you may have.

I personally encourage people to check that the breeder only breeds for the love of the hobby and not breed for purely monitory gain. I personally dislike breeders who churn out bunnies just for profit without thinking of the bunny's welfare. By not purchasing any bunnies from this type of breeder you are sending them a clear message that you don't like their actions.

© September 2007 Trish Ratford

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trish_Ratford

Labels: Pet Supply Store

By Jenny Jackson
Because pets live for a shorter time than us, pet owners are likely to experience the death of a pet or a number of pets during their lifetime.

You have a strong emotional bond to your pet. Pets often provide us with genuine and consistent unconditional love and acceptance, the sort of nonjudgmental companionship that can be hard for people to provide. Non pet owners may find it hard to understand these feelings.

Many pet owners see their pets as members of their family. Pets often enhance our quality of life. We are more likely to outwardly express affection to pets and they can increase the amount of joy in a household. Pets can assume great importance during difficult or stressful times, like illness, death of a family member or family break-up.

Grief reactions

It's hardly surprising then that you might respond to the death of your pet in the same way you would respond to the loss of a significant person in your life. The grief process typically starts with a sense of numbness and disbelief, followed by painful feelings of guilt, sadness and depression. Feelings of guilt may be greater if you feel somehow responsible for your pet's death or that you didn't do enough to protect your pet from harm. It is not unusual to feel anger as well, possibly directed at the vet if you feel he or she did not do enough to prevent your pet's death, particularly if the death followed an illness. You may become preoccupied with thoughts and memories of your pet and find it hard to concentrate on other things. Over time, you are likely to feel more acceptance of the loss and eventually feel open to having a new pet.

Everyone is different however, and some people simply feel the loss more intensely or for a longer time than others. The circumstances of your pet's death will also determine how it affects you. A sudden death may feel more intense than after a prolonged illness, or if you have made a decision to euthanize. If you have experienced your pet's loss after a number of other losses, animal or human, this can compound your reaction. There is also some evidence to suggest that women may experience grief over pet loss more intensely than men, although both men and women bond equally with their pets.

If you are grieving for a pet, you should know therefore that it is perfectly normal to feel this loss as intensely as you would a family member or cherished friend. It is difficult when others are insensitive to this and don't recognise the importance of your pet in your life. If you can, try to find people to talk to about it who love animals and can understand your feelings. The Internet can lead to you to wonderfully supportive communities of animal lovers if you can't find anyone like that around you.

Grief involves wanting to maintain a connection with someone who is no longer with us. Although you can no longer have the physical connection, you can keep pieces of your beloved pet's life around to ease the loss. Place a framed photo on your wall or shelf, keep your pet's collar and bowl. In time, you will look at them less and feel less pain when you do.

Go easy on yourself. Loving animals is a beautiful thing.

Jenny is a cat lover and webmaster of http://www.great-pictures-of-cats.com You are welcome to reproduce this article on your pet or family related web site, as long as you reproduce the article in full, including this resource box and link to her website featuring photo and video galleries of beautiful cats.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Jackson

Labels: Pet Care, Pet Supply Store

By Debbie Foster
Are you allergic to your pet? Studies show that approximately 15% of us are allergic to dogs or cats. In fact, there's an estimated 1/3 of us who live with a pet that we are allergic to. So strong are our ties to our loving furry family members that we'd prefer to suffer than be without them.

So what can we do to ease our suffering and keep our pet's companionship? Well, there are steps we can take to reduce these allergy symptoms. One is to use a HEPA air filtration system in our home. We should also be cleaning frequently to remove dust and dander. This goes for our pets' things as well including their pet beds, dog carriers, cat carriers, any bolsters in dog crates, their toys if they are washable, etc. Having tile or wood floors helps in not holding onto dust and dander like carpet does.

Using a "microfilter" bag in your vacuum cleaner so you actually catch the dust and dander when you vacuum helps.

Now that you've got the house and fixtures clean, don't forget to bathe your pet weekly. Yes, even cats can get used to being bathed if you start early. Bathing your pet weekly can reduce the level of allergens in their fur by as much as 84%. Allergens are present in their fur because the glands in their skin secrete tiny allergy-triggering proteins, called allergens. These are present in their fur, saliva, urine and also float in the air. Different people react more or less severely to these allergens.

Another thing you can do to help reduce your pet allergy symptoms is to create a place in your home where your pets absolutely don't have access. Your bedroom is a good choice as there are special mattress covers available to reduce allergies as well.

For those that really do suffer with animal allergies but are unwilling to give up their pet, you can go to an allergist and get shots. These work by desensitizing your immune system to the pet allergens.

If you don't have a pet and are considering getting one, be sure you know if you're allergic first. If you are and are willing to do what it takes to keep your pet, more power to you. However, if you are allergic and unsure about living with the difficulties that may bring, it's best not to get one.

Debbie Foster is the owner of PetBedsUnlimited.com and an avid animal lover. You can find a wide selection of quality pet beds, dog crates, dog carriers, dog pens, cat beds, large dog beds, cat carriers, and pet strollers at http://petbedsunlimited.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debbie_Foster

Labels: Pet Allergies