Autumn Safety Tips for Your Pets

While the cooler temperatures of autumn are a nice change of pace after a hot summer, there are some important issues to keep in mind about your pet during this season. As we move towards the holiday season, here are several helpful autumn safety tips for your pet:

Watch Out for Poisons, Rodenticides and Coolant

Since both mice and rats try to move indoors as it gets colder outside, people are more likely to use different pest poisons during this time of the year. These poisons may be used around the exterior of someone's home, as well as in commercial areas like golf courses. Since these poisons are highly toxic to all pets, it's important to be aware of where your pet is going and prevent it from getting near these types of dangers.

Engine coolant is another threat to be aware of whenever your pet is outside or even in a garage. The type of coolant that's most toxic to pets is ethylene glycol-based. As a pet owner, you may want to switch to propylene glycol-based coolant. Although these coolants aren't completely nontoxic, they aren't as deadly as the others. Just remember that ethylene glycol-based coolants are still most prevalent, so keep a close eye on your pet if it's ever close to a spill or puddle.

School Supplies and Candy

If you have kids who are getting back into the swing of school, chances are your home has items like markers and glue sticks sitting around. While these items aren't nearly as toxic as things like rodenticides or ethylene glycol-based coolants, they can cause blockages and gastrointestinal upset if ingested. Halloween candy presents the same and potentially higher danger, which is why it's best to keep all these items well out of reach of your pet.

Mushrooms and Snakes

Most of the mushrooms that you may see growing outside have little or no toxicity. However, a small percentage of mushrooms are extremely toxic. Because it's very hard to tell the extremely toxic ones from others, it's important to keep your pet away from areas where any mushrooms are growing. If mushrooms often spring up in your yard overnight, be sure to pull them up before letting your pet out in the morning.

Snakes are the last autumn danger we want to highlight. This is the time of year when snakes are preparing for hibernation, which is why bites become more likely. You can protect your pet by keeping it away from any areas with lots of debris.

By being aware of these potential dangers, you can fully enjoy fall with your pet while both staying safe!

Why is My Dog Always Hungry?

Have your ever given your dog its food, only to have your pet finish and then stare at you like its starving for more? If this happens on a regular basis, you're probably wondering what's going on. The good news is as long as you're following the feeding guidelines on the food's bag, chances are your dog is getting plenty of food. But since dogs of all breeds are known for doing the "I'm still hungry" act, we want to dig a little deeper into this issue.

Why Can't Dogs and Cats Get Along?

As a company that makes great dog food and cat food, we get the opportunity to speak with a lot of awesome pet owners. While we've definitely heard stories about dogs and cats who get along great with each other, more often than not it's the other way around. When a dog and cat get around each other, the most common outcome is the they have a moment of tension and then the cat runs away. And in some instances, this type of meeting may result in the two animals getting in a short skirmish.

Given that running away is the more common response than a skirmish, it brings up the question of where the phrase "fight like cat and dog" originated. If you go back to the 19th century, it was common for both animals to roam the streets. When scraps of food were around, competition for them could be fierce enough to inspire actual fighting. While dogs deal with competition among each other based on pack hierarchy, cats would generally fall back on their instincts of being solitary predators.

Another reason that tension between these animals is so common is they have very different ways of communicating. Cats prefer to hang back and assess situations before getting involved. With dogs, their response is more often to charge right in to see what's happening. When these two styles collide, it often leads to a quarrel.

Helping Dogs and Cats Get Along

Although we've focused on some of the key reasons dogs and cats frequently don't get along, we did mention at the beginning that it's possible for both animals to be around each other without any major fighting. Whether you're just curious how that happens or are in a position where you would like to have peace between these pets, we want to share the best strategy.

The main thing to keep in mind is a dog needs to learn the cat's language in order for these animals to get along. This is a goal you should have from the very first time the two animals meet. A typical exercise could mean bringing both animals into the same room, with the dog at your side on a leash. If the dog acts calm, give him a treat. If he lunges at the kitty, lead him a few feet away until he relaxes. This teaches your dog to be less forceful and also shows the cat that it's not being relentlessly pursued. While this can work with adult animals, it's most effective when both pets are still young.

How to Help If Your Dog Gets Motion Sickness

Countless movies and TV shows have scenes of dogs riding in cars. In many cases, a dog happily has its head out the window and is letting its tongue wag in the wind. While it is true that dogs of all breeds and sizes really love going for car rides, there are issues a dog can encounter. Specifically, some dogs suffer from motion sickness. If you believe that this may be an issue for your dog, keep reading to learn what you can do to help your pet.

Understanding Motion Sickness and Dogs

Motion sickness is most commonly seen in puppies and younger dogs. A big reason is the ear structures used for balance are still developing while a dog is young. One thing to remember is if a dog experiences nausea during its first few car rides, it may have that negative association for a long time. So the sooner you can treat a dog's motion sickness, the better.

What exactly are the symptoms of motion sickness in dogs? In addition to vomiting, fear of cars, excessive drooling, whining, yawning, panting, uneasiness, listlessness or inactivity are all potential symptoms of this condition. In general, noticing multiple symptoms means there's a very high likelihood your dog has motion sickness. The other important thing to know about motion sickness is stress can be a contributing factor.

Treatment Options for Motion Sickness

If your dog vomits or displays any of the other symptoms we covered during car rides, it's worth taking a trip to your vet. This is the best way to determine if the problem is motion sickness or another issue like an orthopedic condition.

Once a veterinarian determines that motion sickness is the problem, there are a number of ways you can help your dog. The first is to have your dog face forward during rides. You can use a canine seat belt to keep your dog in this position. Next, lower your windows a few inches to equalize the inside and outside air pressures. Keep your vehicle cool throughout the ride.

If possible, try to avoid giving your dog food and water right before a ride. You can use a couple of healthy pet treats to help your dog feel good about getting in the car. The same is true for giving your dog a favorite toy to use as a distraction.

By following those tips and initially limiting your rides to short trips, you may be able to help your dog build up a positive tolerance for the car. If not, you can talk to your vet about using a dog medication that's specifically approved for preventing vomiting due to motion sickness.

A Brief History of Hamilton, Ohio

We opened Pet Wants Hamilton because we want to make it easy for you to understand what is in your pets’ food and to ensure you have access to a better option. Our wonderful pet food is slow-cooked in small batches with fresh, all-natural ingredients every 30 days. Owning this business fulfills our desire to help make our community an even better place, as well as support local initiatives, our first responders and our parks.

As active community outreach volunteers, we are committed helping local rescues and humane societies by offering our high-quality pet food to the animals in their care. We intend to continue these compassionate efforts by helping vulnerable children, women and families. Because being part of the Hamilton community is something that’s very special to us, we want to take a look at the history that has turned the city into the great place it is today:

A Look Back at Hamilton’s Roots

The history of Hamilton can be traced all the way back to 1791. Originally named Fort Hamilton as a way to honor Alexander Hamilton, the area served as a supply station for the troops of generals Arthur St. Clair, followed by Anthony Wayne. A couple of decades later, Hamilton was first incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly in 1810. However, elections weren’t held in 1815, which caused Hamilton to lose its status. After reincorporating in 1827 with Rossville, the two location severed ties in 1831 and then rejoined in 1854. In September of 1859, Abraham Lincoln arrived at the Hamilton Station and gave a speech that concentrated on popular sovereignty.

In 1867, Hamilton withdrew from the townships of Fairfield and St. Clair to form a "paper township.” Around this time, Hamilton developed as a significant manufacturing city. Steam engines, reapers and threshers are all examples of the types of equipment manufactured here. By the early 20th century, the town was a heavy-manufacturing center for vaults, machine tools, cans for vegetables, paper, paper making machinery and locomotives. March of 1913 brought a massive flood to Hamilton. Flood waters rose with unexpected and frightening suddenness, reaching over three to eight feet in depth in downtown, and up to eighteen feet in the North End, along Fifth Street and through South Hamilton Crossing.

Hamilton Today

The latest census, which was conducted in 2010, found 62,477 people, 24,658 households, and 15,489 families residing in Hamilton. 2010 also marked the most recent time the city hosted the Little League World Series. Hamilton Little League has won ten of the last twelve state championships. With a significant capital program for the Hamilton City School district, an incredible public library and much more, the future looks quite bright for our city, and we look forward to being part of it for years to come!

Warming Up Your Dog for Spring

Even a mild winter usually ends up adding weight to your dog and causing some muscle loss due to holiday treats and inactivity. The first sunny and warm days of spring rekindle thoughts of outdoor summer fun. It’s not going to take much motivation to get your dog outdoors and active in the warm sunshine. However, you do need to take some precautions to build up stamina and prevent injuries:

Keeping Playtime Fun and Creative for Your Cat

Regardless of your cat's age or personality, chances are they enjoy playtime. However, like humans, cats get bored with doing the same thing over and over again. That's why it's important to keep your cat's playtime creative and fun. Use the following few tips to keep playtime exciting for your pet:

The Importance of Moisturizing Paw Pads and Skin

Do you struggle with dry skin during the winter? If so, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that this problem can affect dogs as well. Not only can winter conditions cause a dog's skin to get quite dry, but it can also impact their paw pads. In fact, a dog's paws can go right past dry and end up visibly rough or even cracked.

A common sign of this condition is a dog that repeatedly licks its paws. But even if you don't notice that happening, it's worth getting your dog and checking out its paws. When you inspect them, you'll notice that they're quite thick. Just keep in mind that despite being designed to stand up to less than ideal conditions, a dog's paws may need some extra help from you.

How a Rotational Diet Can Help Your Pet in the Winter and Beyond

The cold weather and often harsh conditions can be hard on animals of all sizes. Both dogs and cats may need some extra help during this time of the year to stay warm. The same is true for keeping their skin and coats healthy.

 One way to address this kind of issue is by giving your pet food with heartier proteins. Specifically, both lamb and fish with oils work really well. If you're wondering how to introduce these new options into your pet's diet, feeding a rotational diet is a strategy that works very well.

The Basics of a Rotational Diet 

Although people may eat the same meal on a regular basis if they're trying to lose weight or have another issue related to health, most of us enjoy a lot of variety with your food. While there's nothing wrong with consistently feeding your pet the same type of food (as long as it's one that's nutritionally balanced), the concept of a rotational diet is something that's gotten a lot of attention in recent years thanks to enthusiastic support by a number of prominent veterinarians.

 Even though a rotational diet is something you can customize to your specific pet, the basic concept is to feed a variety of protein sources and food forms. By taking this approach, your pet will get to enjoy new tastes on a regular basis. This can help create excitement when it's time for your pet to eat. And by feeding different forms, you can help ensure your pet gets enough water. Utilizing this type of variety in a pet's diet has also been linked to reducing the risk of food intolerances and allergies.

More Information About Feeding a Rotational Diet

 It's generally easiest to introduce a pet to this type of feeding when it's still a puppy or kitten. However, that doesn't mean you can't do it for an older dog. Just be aware that getting your pet used to all the variety may take a little bit of time. One helpful tip is to keep a log of when and what your pet eats. This will help you spot any trends.

If you have any other questions about following this type of feeding strategy for your pet, we'd love to talk to you about it. You can easily reach us by calling 513-502-0407.