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PetsMatter
is your
bi-monthly dose of pet
health, behavior and
lifestyle articles from
veterinary professionals.
PetsMatter
delivers the inside scoop
with experts’ credibility
and a personal touch. Read
stories from pet owners just
like you; engage your kids
in the fun activities each
issue features; but most of
all, learn how you can give
those extra members of your
family a happy, healthy
life. |
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Pet food
labels
contain a
lot of
information,
if you know
how to read
them.
The
Association
of American
Feed Control
Officers
(AAFCO) has
its own set
of
regulations
regarding
pet food
labels,
which many
states use.
AAFCO
labeling
guidelines
cover
aspects such
as product
naming
standards,
guaranteed
analysis
(minimum
percentages
of protein
and fat, and
maximum
percentages
of fiber and
moisture),
and
nutritional
adequacy. |
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Porcupines,
spiders and
snakes — oh
my!
There’s
nothing
better than
taking off
with your
dog during
these dog
days of
summer. It’s
a beautiful
day, so you
head out
with your
best bud
Buster for a
hike. Water
— check.
First-aid
kit — check.
Water bowl
for Buster —
check.
Snacks for
you both —
check. AAHA-accredited
hospital in
your
contacts
list — huh? |
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Is your cat
grooming
half of her
hair off, or
is your dog
licking his
paws raw? It
may well be
that your
pet is
experiencing
allergies,
one of the
most common
health
problems for
pets. Just
like people,
animals have
allergic
reactions
because
their immune
system — the
system that
protects the
body from
foreign and
potentially
infectious
substances —
overreacts
to some
material.
Almost
anything —
pollen,
dust, an
ingredient
in pet food,
a household
chemical, an
insect bite
— can set
off an alarm
in the
immune
system,
causing it
to pump out
large
amounts of
white blood
cells,
hormones and
other
material
called
histamines
into the
bloodstream.
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I’d heard
about people
utilizing
alternative
healing
methods to
help their
pets — doggy
massages,
doggy yoga —
but doggy
acupuncture?
It wasn’t
something
I’d ever
considered
for my dogs. |
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Benjamin
Hart, DVM,
PhD, who has
studied
animal
behavior for
almost 50
years, says
that one of
the
questions he
hears most
frequently
from pet
owners is:
“Why does my
dog eat
grass?” |
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It’s finally
summer, but
can all of
the pretty
flowers in
bloom spell
trouble for
you and your
kitty? Make
sure to
check all
fresh and
garden
flowers to
make sure
that they
are not
dangerous —
or deadly —
for your
pets. |
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PetsMatter
is provided by the American Animal Hospital
Association for educational purposes only. The
information should not be used as a substitute
for professional advice, diagnosis, or
treatment.
PetsMatter is not intended as a
recommendation or endorsement of specific tests,
products, procedures, or opinions. Always seek
the advice of your veterinarian.
AAHA is an association of veterinary teams that
are committed to excellence in companion animal
care. It is the only organization that accredits
animal hospitals throughout the United States
and Canada.
© 2010 American Animal Hospital Association. All
rights reserved. |
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