The search for natural flea remedies continues: nematodes

As spring is potentially arriving (we are getting about an inch of snow or slush today!), I have been doing more research into natural flea remedies. There seems to be several new products out there.

One is Nematodes..which are actually naturally occurring predators that live under the soil's surface. They are not harmful to people or animals, or birds, plants and the rest of the environment, and I have read that they kill fleas in the yard or garden.

Nematodes start killing fleas within a day of their application, but it takes about 2 weeks for them to reach their full effect. An application lasts about 90 days and there are specific ways that they should be applied.

Has anyone had any direct experience with Nematodes? I like that each application lasts for 3 months and it seems like a safe way to keep fleas out of my enclosed cat pen in the summer and early fall.

Preventing Dog Urinary Tract Infections

There are some really basic things that every caregiver can do to help prevent canine urinary tract infections:

** provide plenty of fresh water and make sure that your dog is drinking enough every day

**allow frequent access outside so that your dog can urinate and prevent bacteria from building up in the bladder

**walk at least once a day as this will stimulate your dog's bladder

**bathe with a gentle, high quality shampoo with natural ingredients

Despite the best of care, the truth is that urinary tract infections (UTI's) are quite common in dogs -- and they can exist for sometime before anyone notices signs of illness. And the longer the infection lasts, the more severe it can become...sometimes infecting other organs. So your dog may be very ill by the time you are aware that something is wrong.

Using preventative health care measures (like ThePetCheckup monthly) can avoid many of the problems associated with urinary tract infections.

Practicing preventative health care with our dogs and cats

One of the great perks about being the owner of a company that sells a preventative health care product for pets is that I get to speak with lots of wonderful people about their dogs and cats.

Our customers tend to be people who share a deep bond with their animal companions. They practice preventative health care and understand the importance of early detection. It is always fun and also illuminating to share different ideas and products that we have found helpful in protecting our animals' health. I have a bond with so many people throughout the world now who share many of the same values and goals for animals as I do.

Lily has a visit to the veterinary clinic

My sister's dog Lily has been under the weather for the past week or so. She doesn't seem to want to chew any of her regular food although she is scarfing down rice, hamburg and chicken. She also seems lethargic and sad.

We took her to the veterinary clinic and have gotten the results of her blood work back so far. The vet said everything looks pretty normal. The most striking thing is that she has lost 5 pounds since April.

The only thing that was slightly elevated in the blood work was the liver enzyme ALT. Normal is about 1.07 and Lily's level was 1.54

We are also investigating the possibility of a broken tooth or a problem in her gum or jaw. She will not let us open her mouth which is unusual for her (my sister has been brushing her teeth everyday for quite some time). The weight loss began just after her teeth cleaning in March.

So we are waiting for the urinalysis test results right now and trying to get her more interested in her food.

It is hard to see her not feeling well. I hope we can find the solution to the problem soon.