We are in the process of sending out a newsletter to our subscribers early next week.
The manufacturer of our test materials has asked us to find out what other products our customers would be interested in having. Or any suggestions for changes to the current test strips.
We’re excited to hear from everyone and get their ideas and input.
The US Food and Drug Administration is reporting 2200 cases of dog and cat illness due to jerky treats imported from China.
Of this number 360 dogs and 1 cat died.
FDA reports of illness from these treats go back to 2007. They are advising people who feed their animals these treats to be aware of symptoms of illness including vomiting, decreased appetite, decreased activity, diarrhea, increased water consumption and to stop feeding the treats if your pet shows these symptoms.
It makes more sense to advise people not to give their pets any treats that were manufactured in China!
Most of our orders are placed online. Sometimes when a customer calls, they have quite a story to tell. And sometimes it is heartbreaking.
I remember well the man who told me he had no idea his beloved dog had advanced diabetes until one day she just fell off the couch. She also become blind quickly and her vision was never restored. He was so shocked because he had taken her for annual veterinary visits and she had not exhibited any signs of illness before this event.
He understood well the need for practicing preventative care and told me that he wished he had heard of ThePetCheckup earlier.
I do too. We can’t make any guarantees regarding our product of course, but I know the monthly tests would have picked up imbalances and he would have been able to get his dog medical treatment much earlier in the development of the diabetes.
It’s not just animals and people who benefit from practicing methods of early detection.
Veterinarians benefit greatly too!
When you practice early detection and are proactive with your dog or cat’s heathcare, your veterinarian will have the opportunity to treat your dog or cat at an early stage of an illness. This means in many cases the outcome will be much more successful — easier treatment, less expensive and in many cases a complete cure!
Some people may wonder why ThePetcheckup is so important if they are feeding their animal a good quality of food, making sure their pet has exercise and plenty of love, regular veterinary care etc.
This is an important question and we address it in our Q & A on the website. Annual veterinary exams, good food, and exercise are extremely important. However, as most of us are well aware, changes in your pet’s health can happen in a very short time. Even the most observant pet owner often has no way of knowing if there is an undetected problem.
Having a very cost effective tool that can indicate a potential problem before symptoms appear can be a lifesaver! It can save your pet from pain and discomfort, save you money, and at the very least, it will provide you with peace of mind.
I read a sweet article about “cat bunting” -that sweet little gesture some cats make when they head butt you.
We generally think of this as a sign of acceptance and affection which of course it is. But according to Dr. Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB, a clinical assistant professor of Veterinary behavioral medicine, there is a bit more to it than that.
Dr. Herron: “Rather than territorial marking or ‘claiming’ someone, as is commonly thought, cats do this to mark something as safe – sort of like leaving a signal of comfort and safety,” adds Dr. Herron. “So you could think of it as a sign that they are ‘trusting’ that person or environment.”
Chloe is a big head bumper when we are outside gardening together and I like the idea that she is telling me that she feels safe being outside with me.
A positive reading for Leukocytes or Nitrites on the urine test is cause for consulting your veterinarian for further testing to confirm a urinary tract infection.
Positive reading for Leukocytes means that there are white blood cells (WBC) in the urinary tract. White blood cells enter the urinary tract when there is an infection in order to “stand guard” and ward off further infection.
Because bacteria produces Nitrite, there is usually a positive reading on the Nitrite value as well. If there is no Nitrite present, it is generally because there is not enough bacteria in the urine to cause Nitrites to be produced.
There have been some great animal-related stories circulating on the web this past month.
It’s been really inspiring to read all the beautiful comments and feedback that are being written. So many wonderful people in the world doing great things for animals and people and it’s pretty powerful when many of them come together to support each other.
Here are 2 of my favorites: The story of John Unger and his beloved 19 year old German Shepherd mix Schoep. You can read all about them (if you haven’t already) at http://www.facebook.com/Schoep.and.John?ref=ts
The second one is about the rescue of dog Missy (now renamed Lucky) who’s person left her on a Colorado mountain. She survived 8 days with no food or water and was rescued by 8 beautiful souls who hiked up to save her. One of them will be her new forever home. You can read about Missy/Lucky here: http://www.facebook.com/TBOLRescue?ref=ts
The illnesses that is most often detected with ThePetCheckup are infections: urinary, kidney and bladder infections. Finding out that your dog or cat has an infection before symptoms appear means that you can get medical treatment at a very early stage – before the infection has progressed into something more serious.
In most cases, this means an easier and more successful treatment for your pet. Infections can become serious and painful! And it means less expensive treatment as well.
A new customer told us the reason he was ordering ThePetCheckup for his cat :
“I just want to try to keep an eye on her health.”
Pretty simple, but that says it all.
