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All A Twitter On Keeping Our Pets Safe!

by admin on April 13, 2010

As you may or may not know, at 8PM EDT every Monday night on Twitter, pets and their humans get together on #PETCHAT to chat/bark/meow/chirp/chitter/squeak/quack about the topic du jour. #PETCHAT was jumpin’ with lively banter about Monday night’s topic – Keeping Our Pets Safe. Fabulous comments and suggestions were made along with a lot of LOL chat. The night just flew by. Hm-m-m, maybe I can get everyone from #PETCHAT to join me in doing my taxes so that will fly by too. But I digress.

Here’s the TwiffNotes from last night’s #PETCHAT:

@KimHalligan1: I worry about everything. LOL! This time of year it’s all about chemicals people put on their lawns. Me too. When it comes to keeping our pups safe I’m a pro at worrying. What’s up with all the little flags on lawns warning of chemicals? Horrible for pets, people & the planet!

@FrugalDougal: Staff found out that some nasty lawn chemicals can be the cause of pet bladder problems so pls do not use or let your pet near them. I believe it! See below . . .

@DianeNeff: My dog liked the streets near the golf course – run off resulted from her poisoning without ever touching treated grass. Oh my – that so very sad . . .

@FrugalDougal: Ohh that is so bad mai pal. It is a good point to not let doggies lick standing water anywhere. Our friend across the pond is so right.

Speaking/barking about golf, Hurley @JustAnotherTrnd is also watching out for humans yelling FORE!

@PianoWeatherman: Antifreeze is also a big danger in the city. Always in the gutters. @Surfpet lost two cats to people being careless with antifreeze. How can some humans be so dumb.

@MonkeyTraining: Antifreeze antidote is a bottle of vodka, drunk pet, liver metabolizing vodka instead of antifreeze. What? But hey, if it works . . .

@Rochelle: And keep small dogs away from big storm drains. I caught one before it fell in . . . You are my hero! And even grates can break a dog’s legs. We always walk our little pups around a grate. Never across.

@tacrabtree: Beware of foam toys. My daughter’s lab chewed it up & a piece was too hard to pass thru so had to have surgery to remove it. Yikes! Toys are supposed to be fun. I now only choose toys that have minimal color, parts and must be durable. Try organic if you can.

@MonkeyTraining: Batteries have a double whammy, choking due to size and chemical burn where they stick or pass. Recycle them properly. Wow, never thought about the double trouble with batteries. Good tip!

@tacrabtree: Rawhide chews need to be supervised too. Any treats can choke. Absolutely! Plus, be careful of salmonella with rawhide chews. I parboil flossies for 10 seconds and let them cool down before giving to Schmitty & Pudge. And only when supervised, of course.

@JustAnotherTrnd: I’ve had patients get confused and mix up their meds & the pets. Giving a little dog your digoxin is RX for disaster. So true! Even when visiting my 88 year old Mom (don’t tell her I told you her age!) I always do a quick “discreet” spilled- pill check before letting the pups in her house. Never take any chances.

@JustOneMorePet: RT @ SurfPet How many people actually secure their dogs in the car? This #PETCHAT tweet certainly sparked controversy. To seat belt or not to seat belt? That is the question. Read on . . .

@LethemKnow: Personally I think that securing dogs in a car is a bad idea. Interesting.

@Surfpet: You buckle up your kids, how about your dogs? There are lots of different options, harness, booster seats, crates, etc. All good points. I heard that in a car crash, a pet is more likely to die not from the crash, but from getting loose and being hit by traffic. This is a “ruff” one. Love to hear your thoughts (Comment below).

@PetieTheCat: Yes, please stay away from raccoons, I almost got eaten by one last year and the year before. Wild animals are great at parties, but not when it comes to your pet. I just saw an enormous fox in my folk’s backyard in very suburbia RI. Constant outdoor supervision with a leash is a must to protect our pets big and small. (Let me clarify – a leash does not mean tying one’s dog up. Horrors. A leash is a must to take your pet for a safe, supervised walk – esp. here in NYC).

@HaveYouHerd: It’s great to have forceps, crazy glue, antihistamine, styptic pencil, water, scissors, a sterile needle, usp alcoholic & know uses. There you have it. All the money we spend on Healthcare. Go figure.

@Pianoweatherman: Gotta go find forceps, varied diets, golf ball dissolvers, hook debarbers, antifreeze antidote, safe fertilizer, car restraints . . . A wiseguy sums it up. LOL!

@JustAnotherTrnd: Is that a pet safety list or are you on a Scavenger Hunt? Good one!

@DebsSweet: Good Night and sweetest of dreams to the sweetest of people/pets! I couldn’t have said it better.

That’s the TwiffNotes for this week’s #PETCHAT. If you weren’t mentioned this week it’s not that I don’t love ya. It’s just that nature called and I had to take Schmitty & Pudge for a much needed walk. Do come back next week and bring all your friends. Maybe together we can help make a difference in the lives of pets. *Singing “We Are The World” and swaying to & fro*

Let’s Keep Our Pets Safe,

Elly @Petchat

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PetChat: Spring Is Here. Go Take A Hike!

by admin on March 26, 2010

Finally! It’s spring. Despite some lingering snowstorms out west here in the USA, it’s safe to say that the flowers are in bloom, the birds are chirping and the weather is getting warmer by the minute. It’s time to get off the couch, kiss Oprah goodbye and take your dog for a walk.

Backyards are great, but dogs need to socialize and sniff new butts!

Just like humans, dogs need to stretch their muscles and their minds, socialize and take time to sniff the roses. I once met a very lovely, very smart top dog executive from Wall street and she bragged how her chihuahua has never once been outside. He would go to the office with her and stay in her many homes. But never once has his little feet hit the pavement. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to wonder why she calls her pup, Monster!

Pet parents will say to me, “My dog has been chewing everything in sight.” My first question to them is: “How much exercise do they get?” 9 times out of 10 they admit, “Not much.” I believe there is a direct correlation between ruff behavior with our pets and lack of exercise. Think about the last time you were trapped inside because of bad weather for a few days. You got cabin fever and felt like climbing the walls. Right? Remember feeling like a coiled spring just ready to jump right out of your skin? Well, it’s no different for our furry friends. Boredom and lack of exercise can lead to chewing, barking and destructive behavior.

Cesar Millan says the order in which you love your dog is exercise, training and then affection. Whether you are a fan of Mr C.M. or not, I do believe exercise is most important. A good walk before you go to work, at lunch and after work will help your pup have pleasant dreams till your return. Your dog will be most happy and your never been chewed shoes will make you one very happy camper too.

So, with spring upon us, go take a hike! Or at least a nice walk with your dog. It’s good for the soul and the waistline. And if you are an urban dweller like me and my two Yorkies or live in the burbs, always use a leash. Exercise is very important, but safety is too. Your pet depends on you to protect them from being hit by a car, a bike or put in harms way by predators.

So, go have some fun, catch some vitamin D and enjoy your well behaved pup and not chewed Jimmy Choos!

Yappy Spring!

Elly McGuire

Pet Advocate

Elly is the host of #PETCHAT every Monday night at 8PM EST on Twitter. Tweet Elly @petchat and read her blogs at www.Schmittysays.com/petchat .

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Yorkie Food: What I Feed My Pups!

by admin on February 25, 2010

So what do you feed your dogs? That is a question I was asked a lot at the Yorkshire Terrier Specialty Show and the press room at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last week when they found out that my Yorkie, Schmitty is nine years young. They couldn”t believe Schmitty’s puppy energy & soft luscious fur was almost identical to her three year old adopted sister, Pudge.

We beg for healthy food!

It’s been a journey to come up with a menu that has helped Schmitty get through a kidney problem and gastrointestinal problem, I believe that was caused by processed dog food I fed Schmitty as a puppy. (Note: Schmitty also was given some rawhide that I think must have had salmonella which caused her to bleed from both ends and most likely compromised her little kidneys too. It was horrible. I will NEVER give them rawhide again).

Pudge, on the other hand/paw is one healthy pup (knock on wood) from me becoming a smarter human. What Schmitty had to go thru -- bad food, too many vaccinations, toxic flea and tick medication - Pudge benefited greatly by my gained knowledge. And it shows. Pudge is the picture of health. Who says an old dog (me!) can’t learn new tricks.

OK, what do I feed Schmitty & Pudge? Believe it or not, I made a video back in December when we appeared in the window of Lee’s Art Shop about what I feed my pups. As they say, a video is worth a 1000 words. LOL! So, click below for my doggie version of Julia Childs without the funny voice.

Even since doing the What I Feed My Yorkies video, I continue to learn new things about foods I feed my pups. As you watched and heard, I cook organic foods for Schmitty & Pudge. And it’s not dog food. I believe we humans are finally getting smart and are going back to feeding our dogs human grade foods. Dogs have hearts and kidneys and livers just like us. So, why wouldn’t we feed them healthy foods? Before processed dog foods, our furry friends lived long lives. The average dog life was up there -- even living 18 to 20 years! Now more dogs are developing cancer and other diseases at 2 and 3 years old. Coincidence. I think not.

Since making the video, I have now cut most of their hard dog kibble out of their diet (except for treats) on the advice of Dr. Marty. Their teeth look so much better too. I have now added plain organic yogurt to Schmitty & Pudge’s breakfast. And organic cottage cheese during lunch and dinner for Schmitty who struggles to keep weight on because she eats so healthy. Humans take note.

I’m sure I’ll be blogging a lot more about dogs and their diets. Let me just end this by saying that like humans, dogs are what they eat. They have no free will. They can’t turn up there nose to the same dry food poured in their bowls day after day, year after year. So, the more we pet parents open our minds and learn how to better take care of our 4 legged family members, the healthier, happier and longer our pets will live.

Hug your pet and have a yappy day!

Elly

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Yorkie Teeth and Why I Lose Sleep At Night!

by admin on January 27, 2010

When I bump into someone on the streets of New York with a small dog and we get to talking, I always ask – “How’s your pup’s teeth?” Seems that most small dog owners fret over their dog’s teeth and with good reason. Small dogs have teeth problems and can start losing adult teeth as young as 2 years old. Oral health care for our pets is as important as all other health care. So, why are we so afraid of taking care of dog’s teeth?

Last week, I had the gut wrenching experience of taking my little Yorkie, Pudge to the vets to get her teeth cleaned. Of course, if you tell another pet owner of your plans, they gasp and say – “Your putting your dog under?” Like I need guilt to add to my worries. Anyway, I brush Schmitty & Pudge’s teeth and take great pains to do all I can to remove tartar and such. But it doesn’t seem to matter. So, I worry for 6 months while I get the courage to make an appointment for a teeth cleaning.

Last week, I figured Pudge being all of 3 and 1/2 years old would have her teeth cleaned and that would be that. We took both Schmitty & Pudge to Dr. Marty Goldstein, a holistic vet in South Salem NY – a 1 1/2 hour drive from NYC. But it’s worth it. Dr. Marty not only helps the body heal with healthy alternatives (I believe Dr. G. helped save Schmitty’s life with alternative care for her enlarged kidney) and does the same with teeth cleaning (Vitamin C IV to help detox the body of harmful bacteria etc.), but he also has a radio show on The Martha Stewart Network on Sirius Radio and has taken care of Oprah’s dogs. Makes for great conversation at a cocktail party. Plus, Dr. Marty definitely knows his stuff.

So, back to the teeth cleaning. Pudge went in for a teeth cleaning and came out with less teeth. Why? Dr. Marty says that since small dogs have been bred down, their little mouths still have the same number of teeth as their larger ancestors. Can you say German Shepard. What? So, the mouth is cramped and the teeth have less places to anchor and take root. Some teeth don’t even have strong roots. So, some small dog’s teeth don’t have a chance. And that’s what happened to little Pudge. She was under for 2 hours getting cleaned and save some teeth. But she still lost some teeth last week. Dr. Marty showed me Pudge’s X-rays. Her jaw bone had bone loss. The teeth had no place to anchor and popped out like a bad chad in a voting machine.

I asked Dr. Marty what I could have done differently. He said, “Don’t get a Yorkie!” A comedian. Nice. Dr. G. says it’s going to take 7 to 8 generations of breeding to give small Yorkie’s jaw and teeth a better chance at being healthy and strong. Oye! In the meantime – I am now giving Schmitty & Pudge “Bio-Dent” by Standard Process to help their bones. And I continue to give them Petzlife. It’s a 100% natural gel by Petzlife Products Inc. that I give the pups twice a day. It balances the acid and alkaline in their mouths to fight tartar and kills bacteria. Here’s a secret. I have even been taking it myself and my teeth have been feeling great!

NOTE: I just found out that Petzlife now makes a human product called F’rst Defenz oral care spray. I’m now using it and loving it!

Pudge is doing fine. Came through the anesthesia with flying colors. The healthy doses of Vitamin C and other healthy supps to help detox, I believe, is the secret. And my education has helped me realize how important oral care is. And if you are pro active with your pup’s oral care, you can’t beat yourself up when it comes to genetics. But I still will! LOL!

Hug you dog and have a yappy day!

Elly

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Dogs Can Help You Stop Smoking

by admin on January 6, 2010

Happy New Year! The slate is clean and I look forward to sharing info and experiences that can help your pets live a happy, healthy and hopefully long life.

OK, so if you ordered my pups 2010 calendar, Schmitty’s Healthy Do’s & Don’ts – you’ll know that January’s “Do” is about an important New Year’s Resolutions -to stop smoking.

If you don't quit for yourself, quite for your dog!

Seems that using your dog to stop smoking is not just something Schmitty suggests. Below is a great article from www.Dogster.com for any pet lover trying to kick the smoking habit.

http://bit.ly/8cVLCR

Good luck and Happy New Year!

Elly

PS. You can still order Schmitty’s Healthy Do’s & Don’t 2010 calendar at www.schmittysays.com. Fun pics and great tips!

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Elly McGuire, Pet Advocate: My very first blog!

by admin on November 18, 2009

Wow. My very first blog on #PETCHAT! My dog, Schmitty The Real New Yorkie has her own blog, www.GottaVisitNYC.com. So, I guess if Schmitty can do it – I can too. I’ll be sharing with you my trials and tribulations of being a Pet Mom to two Yorkshire terriers, Schmitty & Pudge. And using my 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising in sports , kids and now pets (and I’m only 23 years old – LOL!), give you my take on whats good and what’s not so good for your pets. That said, I’m still working on the design so it looks cool too – so I’ll be back to you soon. Can’t wait.

On last thing – I host a show on Twitter called #PETCHAT. Every Monday night from 8 – 9PM, pet parents and their pets (!) stop by to chat and share stories about their pets, themselves – whatever. So, if you wanna laugh, cry, howl, bark, meow, honk, chirp – join me Monday nights on Twitter at 8PM. Just type in the pound sign along with the word PETCHAT ( = #PETCHAT) in the box above the Trending Topics to the right of your Twitter page and start chatting! Hope to see you there.

This is so exciting! Thank you, Srdjan for your help on getting me up and running!

Elly

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