How Pets Impact Social Interaction

(Family Features) From dogs and cats filling up social media feeds – some even with their own profiles – to true pet celebrities who command the attention of millions, animals have become a major part of the digital landscape.

With this in mind, Mars Petcare conducted a survey to learn more about people’s social media habits when it comes to animals. Here are some of the top findings.

All Animals, All the Time
About 65 percent of pet owners post about their furry friends on social media an average of two times per week. One in six said they’ve created a social media profile specifically for their pet – and half of those pet owners say their pets get more social attention than they do online. One third said they post about their pets as much, and as often, as they do about their human family and 13 percent admitted to posting about their pets even more than they do their human relatives.

Pet Love Trumps Personal Vanity
More than half of pet owners polled care more about getting “likes” and/or comments for their pet-related posts than they do for most other topics, including changes to their own profile picture. Whichever way you throw the ball, pet posts matter most.

Call Them the “Paw-Purratzi”
Thirty percent of pet owners follow famous animals on social media. The bottom line is people love pets, whether it’s their own or one with real rock star status, and love sharing their stories with the world. The survey underscores what was already known: Pets have become an integral part of people’s lives and pop culture.

To learn more about how to make a Better World for Pets®, visit facebook.com/ABetterWorldforPets.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (cat picture)

SOURCE:
Mars Petcare

Felines and Fleas: A Dose of Prevention is Key

(Family Features) It’s a common belief that indoor cats don’t need protection from parasites, such as fleas. While cats that stay indoors are at lower risk than those who spend the majority of time outside, the potential still exists for infestation. Preventive care is the most important step cat owners can take to help ensure a long and healthy life for their furry friends.

Even indoor cats can pick up fleas from the family dog that may not be displaying signs of an infestation, or from clothing, dirt tracked inside or items carried indoors.

Fleas can be more than an inconvenience; they can actually pose a significant health risk to your cat by passing along things like cat scratch fever and tapeworms. A cat that is allergic to fleas may experience intense itching, similar to a person who has contracted poison ivy. Also, it’s possible that flea bites or self-inflicted scratches may develop into an infection requiring medical attention.

The health risks to your cat can take an emotional and physical toll as you work to eradicate this pesky problem. A persistent flea infestation may require several months of thorough cleaning or even professional extermination, which may force the family to temporarily relocate to a non-toxic environment.

To fend off the preventable problems associated with fleas, get proactive and protect your cat with this advice from Chris Adolph, DVM, MS, DACVM, a board certified parasitologist, veterinary specialist at Zoetis and former veterinary practice owner in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Recognize that flea protection should be year-round. With today’s highly variable weather patterns, preventive care even during the cooler months is the best approach. Planning a regular dosage schedule makes it less likely you will forget to administer a dose, and it covers gaps for a late start to winter or an early start to spring, when parasites may become active beyond the traditionally expected timeframes.

Broad-spectrum preventive care is best. With treatments available that offer protection against both internal and external parasites, it’s easy to maximize your cat’s preventative care. A single dose of a topical medication such as Revolution® (selamectin) controls five parasites – fleas, heartworms, roundworms (Toxocara cati), hookworms (Ancylostoma tubaeforme) and ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) – for one month. The treatment is FDA-approved and requires no separation from family or other pets after it is administered.

Rely on regular health screenings. Annual veterinarian screenings will help give you peace of mind that your cat is in good health and protected from parasitic infections. In addition to an overall checkup, your veterinarian may screen for intestinal parasites and make recommendations for any adjustments needed in your cat’s care.

Learn more about protecting your cat from common parasites and take The 9 Lies of Cats quiz for a chance to win a KitNipBox subscription at Revolution4Cats.com.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Do not use REVOLUTION on sick, weak or underweight cats. Use only on cats 8 weeks and older. Side effects may include digestive upset and temporary hair loss at application site with possible inflammation. In people, REVOLUTION may be irritating to skin and eyes. Wash hands after use. See full Prescribing Information.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Zoetis

Manage Diabetic Pets at Home

(Family Features) Chances are good that you know someone who has diabetes. However, you may not realize this disease that commonly affects humans is on the rise among dogs and cats. Like humans, a diagnosis of diabetes requires lifestyle changes and heightened health monitoring, yet with proper care, your pet can live a full and active life.

During a recent four-year study, Banfield hospitals have seen a 32 percent jump in cases of canine diabetes and a 16 percent increase in feline diabetes.1 Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body cannot process glucose (sugar) into cells, resulting in too much glucose in the blood and not enough glucose in the cells for energy.

Untreated, diabetes can be fatal in dogs and cats, but veterinary care and at-home blood glucose monitoring can help you manage the disease in your four-legged friends.

The first step is identifying warning signs of diabetes in your pet. Certain risk factors may increase the chances of your pet getting diabetes. In both dogs and cats, these include age, obesity and breeds with a genetic predisposition.

Signs of diabetes in pets are often very similar to those in humans and include fatigue or weakness, increased hunger, weight loss, increased thirst and increased urination. If you observe one or more of these signs, consult with your veterinarian to determine the cause.

If your veterinarian diagnoses diabetes, they will create a management plan that addresses your pet’s dietary and dental care needs. The plan also will call for monitoring blood glucose levels and often include a prescription for insulin.

Diet and exercise
Diabetic pets are usually prescribed diets that minimize blood sugar spikes. For diabetic dogs, diets high in fiber are typical because they are lower in carbohydrates – the source of sugar – and take longer to digest. For diabetic cats, your veterinarian may recommend a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates.

Exercise and physical activity are also important when managing diabetic pets. In general, physical activity and exercise lower blood glucose levels. This is why consistency in your pet’s daily exercise schedule is important. 

At-home monitoring
The goal of pet diabetes management is to make pets feel better by controlling glucose levels and minimizing the risk of complications. Monitoring of blood glucose is one way to assess the diabetes management plan. While veterinarians can test at the office, research shows both biological and psychosocial benefits of using at-home blood glucose monitoring systems. Monitoring blood glucose at home helps you follow your veterinarian’s prescribed management plan while eliminating the pet’s stress over frequent veterinarian visits.

At-home monitoring systems for pets are very different than at-home monitoring systems for humans and should not be used interchangeably. You actually can use the same at-home monitoring systems that your veterinarian uses, such as AlphaTRAK® 2, which is available through your veterinarian. Specifically calibrated for dogs and cats, it is easy to use and priced affordably to make at-home monitoring convenient and economical.

Once you have a prescribed plan in place, you should meet with your veterinarian three to four times a year for him/her to adjust the plan as needed to keep your pet comfortable.

Successful diabetes management is achieved through compliance with your pet’s prescribed plan, at-home blood glucose monitoring and consistent communication and follow-up appointments with your veterinarian. Visit AlphaTRAKmeter.com to learn more about diabetes management.

1 Vernon D (2011). Banfield releases major veterinary study showing spike in diabetes, dental disease and otitis externa. DVM 360. April 21, 2011. [2015 November 19] Available from: http://veterinarynews  

Photo courtesy of Getty images

SOURCE:
Zoetis / AlphaTRAK