Pet health

Pet health can be a great concern for a lot of animal owners once their pets reach their senior years. After a long and good life as a strong healthy cat or dog your pet will start to mature and your dog may not be quite as eager for those romps through the park, or your cat might not be quite as quick to chase after that piece of wool. But your pet will still have their sparkle and by making certain adjustments to your pet’s lifestyle you can make their senior years as happy and as enjoyable as their days of spritely youthfulness!

One great benefit in having an older pet that has good pet health is that you have their undying loyalty and they will most likely start to really enjoy being around you! Looking after your animal and their pet health has it’s immediate as well as long term benefits and they do pay off. This means that your dog will not be far behind you whatever you are doing in the home and your cat will probably take every opportunity to sit on your warm, comfy lap!

Good pet health can be maintained and promoted into your animal’s older years with the help of a change in foods – many pet food ranges have foods specifically designed to aid pet health in senior pets.

Don't let rainy weather get you down!

Keeping your animal dry during downpours can be really difficult when the rain is unexpected and comes very suddenly! The best solution to making sure that your animal has dry, suitable cover is by either building or buying an animal pen, kennel or shelter. The main point in choosing what will best protect your animal is to make sure that they can be well sheltered from rain and wind, and in the summer months it may be useful to make sure they have a well shaded area to sleep in to escape the blaring heat of the sun.

In building or in choosing an animal shelter make sure that the materials are waterproof and that they keep the inside of the shelter dry as well, if the shelter is properly protected to keep the inside dry then your animal will also be protected from wind, just be sure to have an open area in the shelter that allows your pet to freely move in and out of their little home and leaves an area for fresh air to enter.

By having a shelter to keep warm and snug in your animal will be happier and with the assurance that your animal is safe and able to shelter from the weather you will be less pressed to get home when the weather suddenly changes or the rain starts to pour.

Dog Food

Dogs are said to have only around 2000 taste buds on their tongues, whereas humans have up 9000! This however does not mean that dog’s are not fussy about what they eat, if you have a dog you are sure to know that there are just some foods, and even some dog food, that your little pooch just won’t touch. So finding the right dog food for your dog can at times involve a bit of work.


Dog food is your pet’s best source of nutrition so when you are choosing a brand or type the best thing to do is to look out for veterinary endorsed brands of dog food. These will be guaranteed to have the essential ingredients to keep your dogs digestive system in check, to keep their internal organs filled with the correct minerals and nutrients and will also be foods that can sustain them right through life ensuring a healthy puppy that grows into a strong adult that will see through their senior years in good health.


Some vet endorsed and specialist formulated dog food brands available in South Africa are: Vet’s Choice, Royal Canine and Eukanuba. Remember that for specific health requirements you can speak to your vet about the best dog food options and try speciality dog foods such as Royal Canine Veterinary Diet that are designed to protect your pet’s health.

Drying your cat or dog after a bath

Most animals – especially dogs and cats – do not enjoy having a bath but even more than they dislike bathing, animals seem to deplore being dried off afterwards! With many animals the easiest and the best way to get them dry is to gently pat them down with a towel right after their bath. With animals that wriggle around a lot and with long haired cats and dogs this towelling dry may take a while but it is very necessary to get your pet’s fur as dry as possible as wet fur can make them feel cold very quickly.

To dry your animal you may even consider looking into buying a dryer – which is very much like a hair dryer but better suited to drying off your pet. Many animals don’t take too kindly to dryers because of the noise that they make, and the rush of air can be very off putting to animals as well. If you do use a dryer to dry your animal remember to keep the setting on a mid heat range and keep the nozzle a good distance away as to avoid burns.

If at all possible try to bath your dog or cat on a warmer day, but if the weather is not cooperating with your animal grooming plans then just be sure to keep the area you are in as warm as you can and keep your pet wrapped up in a towel.

Grooming your yorkshire terrier

A Yorkshire terrier is a beautiful little dog and with its long fur it needs expert attention and some really good and regular grooming to keep looking absolutely gorgeous. But this does not mean that you necessarily have to take your Yorkie to a professional pet groomer for pet grooming – you can do your dog’s grooming on your own, right in the comfort of your own home!

Grooming your pet is something that needs to be done regularly but it can be hassle free and by following these useful Yorkshire Terrier grooming tips you can be sure to be following the right grooming procedures.

Start your grooming regime by giving your Yorkie a bath – for this you will need a pH balanced dog shampoo that is readily available from pet stores and veterinary shops. Because your Yorkie also has long fur you should also use a dog fur conditioner to help keep their fur in healthy and glistening condition. When you are ready to start grooming and bathing your dog make sure that you have all you need in arms reach as you do not want to turn around or leave your dog unattended in the bath. Run in about 15cm of lukewarm water into a bath or basin and be sure to keep the shampoo out of your dog’s eyes as much as possible. Once your Yorkie is bathed place them on a dry towel on the floor and wrap them up straight away in another towel that you will also use to gently pat him or her dry. Remember to keep your doggy warm during grooming and comb out their fur afterwards to ensure a smooth and soft well groomed coat!

Puppy inoculations

We all surely know that our pets, especially as kittens and as puppies, need inoculations. But just what do they need and how often do they need them? Puppies and kittens generally require the same shots and the first shots should be administered at around the ages of 6 to 8 weeks. Inoculations are designed to protect your puppies and kittens form infectious and dangerous diseases and viruses. The vaccines that are given as shots to your puppies and kittens work to develop antibodies in your pet’s immune system that can protect your pets from a wide range of viruses form rabies to measles, cat flu, hepatitis and other diseases. After their first shots puppies and kittens will need booster shots for certain inoculations such as measles, and depending on where you live and on what type of animal you have you puppies or kittens may need extra shots in the future as well.

It is also greatly advised to keep puppies and kittens away from other animals for up to 5 days after their inoculations as they are more susceptible to bugs and infections right after the shots. The best way to find out about the inoculations that are needed for your puppies or kittens is to visit your vet soon after you adopt your new pet and keep a book in which your vet can write up what your pet has already been inoculated against.

Dealing with Fleas

Fleas vary as greatly as they are annoying – in size, type, lifespan and hardiness! Some fleas are easy to get rid of and others once around tend to stick or return again and again. As a pet owner you would definitely want to know how to get rid of fleas and also how to prevent them!

Your pets are at risk of picking up fleas anytime that they are outdoors – in bushes, grass and sand and also when they come into contact with other animals (or people) who are already carrying the pesky parasite. Fleas like to stick to warm skin areas so when you are checking your cat or dog, be sure to look in the key areas: their ears, the base of their tail, the stomach area and the top of the neck. Fleas will also usually keep close to skin so you will need to take a proper look under your pet’s fur.

An adult female flea lays white round eggs and she can lay up to 50 per day and can lay anything from 500-600 eggs over several months. It does not take major mathematical skills to work out that if fleas are not dealt with you could be sitting with a miniature epidemic on your hands!

Pet Grooming

A well groomed animal is a happy animal, and a well groomed animal is also far more likely to be a healthier animal too! Paying attention to your animal’s fur, skin and general grooming needs will add great value to not only their life but to yours as well! Grooming will make your pet look and feel good and for those blisteringly hot summer months your long haired pets may even appreciate a grooming hair cut to help keep them cool – and don’t worry their fur will be grown back by the time the coolness of Winter begins to set in.

One of the greatest health benefits that you will gain from regularly grooming your pet is that you will pick up on certain health risks a lot faster, as they will be easily and quickly spotted. This means that any parasites – such as fleas, ticks and even worms can be detected early on and you can get treatment for your pet before the onset of any more potentially serious problems.

Grooming also gives you a chance to spend some great time with your pet if you choose to do the grooming yourself, or your pet can enjoy a trip away from the house to a specialised pet grooming parlour.

Pet Picture

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Your dog's kennel

A dog’s kennel is their very own little space in the world – although your pet may think that your bed, your couch or their favourite spot in the kitchen is their actual space in the world! Pet kennels serve a multitude of purposes and can be used indoors as easily as outdoors as some animals enjoy the cosy and protective feeling of kennels and they sleep better in their own little houses. The obvious benefit of a kennel is to give your dog protection from the elements – these being rain, wind and the harsh summer sun.

Making your pet’s kennel as practical and as comfortable as it possibly can be will go a long way in making them feel more at home in your home. So being able to send your pet to sleep either on their own cushion or in their own kennel will also take the pressure off of you feeling like a horrible pet owner when having to chase your dog off of your furniture and carpets when moulting season arrives – which will start in the next coming weeks if your pet hasn’t already to started to shed! And cleaning out your dog’s kennels will be much easier than having to regularly vacuum fur from your furniture.

Breed Profile: The Seal Point Siamese

Marked by their seal brown and near black extremities (that is their noses, paws, ears and tails) and their light fawn velvety soft bodies, the Seal Point Siamese is a cat that looks regal in both colour and physical structure. As kittens these beautiful cats are as adorable as they are elegant as fully grown cats.

Their deep blue, perfectly shaped almond eyes are also one of their most noted and most striking features. It is also not unusual for Siamese cats to live well into their teens and are even known to live into their twenties! Siamese cats really enjoy company and if you are going to be out of the home regularly it is a good idea to have more than one cat – and it is best to get them both as kittens so that they can grow up with each other.

As kittens these beautiful cats may look a little more like aliens than cats, but as they grow up they blossom into elegant, sleek and velvety furred animals that are also one of the most recognizable and oldest cat breeds of all time! From the age of twelve weeks these kittens are ready to enter a new environment as the kittens will have their basic inoculations and will be sufficiently physically and socially developed to adapt to a new home and family.

Vet advice

Getting reliable and readily useable vet advice on dogs and cats can make being an animal owner a much easier job! More than just for sheer convenience for hat of the pet owner, getting good vet advice can also go a very long way in assuring a high standard of living for your pets as well! Vet advice is best sought from your animal’s own vet, whether you make a short phone call for brief question to the vet or if you make an appointment to take your cat or dog to see the vet, your pet’s vet already knows your pet and their needs and is best suited to hand out vet advice for your animals.

One thing to remember is not to be shy about asking questions and do not hesitate to ask for vet advice. If you are looking for a professional opinion on your pet’s health or if you just want some extra information regarding your animal, their food needs, habits or exercise routines then vet advice can go a long way in helping both your pet and you!

Having the extra support and they knowledgeable words of a good vet advice mean that you will have the right answers to all your pet questions!

Getting to know your pet

Chances are that as a pet owner you think of your pet as much more than just an animal and you know that the bond between the two of you is mutual and extensive! But have ever wondered about your pet’s range of emotions? Have you ever asked yourself whether or not your pet really has emotions? Or even more inquiringly – does an animal have emotions? As a pet owner myself my first response is yes of course they have emotions! I can notice mood changes and I swear I even notice changes in my cat’s facial expressions! And purring is not for nothing! They may be completely dependant on us but I don’t think that we should underestimate the capacity and emotional capabilities of our animals!

‘Emotion’ is a big word to understand, it is something we all know we have and that we all experience in great variety everyday – even towards our animals, but it is hard to fully explain what ‘emotion’ truly means and proving that emotion exists is even harder! But considering the loyalty we feel and considering the strength of the bonds that we share with our animals I think it is pretty safe to say that what we share with our pets is a mutually emotional bond.

Breed profile: Turkish Angora

The Turkish Angora must be one of the must regal looking and all round gorgeous cats! So if you are looking into kitten adoption sometime in the future take a look around and speak to a breeder or two and consider taking home this beautiful cat! With its long coat of snow white fur and its huge sparkling eyes, the white Turkish Angora is an animal that commands attention is sure to stand out as a top breed during your adoption scouting.

One strong character trait of the Turkish Angora is what often leads to them being referred to as “dog like” as they tend to welcome visitors as the front door and take over visits as they inspect and steal the attention of your guests – this means that through adoption of a Turkish Angora you may feel like you were the one adopted and chosen by the cat rather than the other way around!

The white furred variety is extremely beautiful and make very popular show cats but when you are considering adoption be sure to also take a look at the just as gorgeous shaded, black, smoke, tabby, bi-color and parti-color Turkish Angora varieties. All of which share the elegance and great character traits of their snow white counterparts.

Summer time cushions for lazy day relaxing

With summer on its way you may want find something for your dog to lounge on during those warm summer days. You may also be looking to find a way to keep your furry friend off of your furniture and by finding a comfy seat all of their own for your cute little pooch you solve the problem of fur getting all over your couches without having to feel like a mean pet owner!

The easiest and most comfortable solution for both you and your pooch may just be to get your pet a snug and stylish dog cushion that they can cover in their own fur without it being a bother to anyone! A dog cushion is a very useful pet item as it gives your pet a sense of security and place that is there own in the house and it also will keep them and their shedding fur off of your carpets and chairs in the summer months.

With a wide array of assorted designs you can even find a dog cushion that fits in with your homes décor and colour scheme and remember to get a dog cushion cover for your dog’s new cushion, this will make cleaning much easier as you just need to take off of the cover and pop it into the washing machine.

Durban Vet

Medipet pet health insurance offers you affordable and completely reliable pet health insurance that will cover your veterinary needs wherever you are in South Africa - whether you are taking your animal to see a Durban vet, a Johannesburg vet or any other vet anywhere in South Africa. This means that when you are at home, when you are visiting with family or friends, or even when you are travelling around our beautiful country, you and your pet can enjoy Medipet’s sound medical insurance protection.

If you usually see a vet in your home town or city, if you live in Durban or if you see a Durban vet only when you are on holiday in Durban, you are do not ever have to worry about getting good medical treatment, and what’s more is that you are still guaranteed to be covered by Medipet’s insurance with a Durban vet just as you would be with your regular vet. If you are on holiday in the region or have recently moved and are in need of a Durban vet the best way to find a good Durban vet is to ask other pet owners that you may know – or send us a Durban vet query and we will find you some contact details for reliable a Durban vet.

Kitty litter boxes

Having your pet house trained can make life a lot easier for both you and your animal. The most usual form of having a house trained animal is to have them using a litter box or to have them trained to go outside when they need to do their business. However, at times, a litter box fails and your pet, when closed indoors, does not always seem to ask to be let out. In these instances you can still find mechanisms and methods that make housetraining and even the litter box work.

Cats in particular are animals that like to be clean, for this reason there are cats that will refuse to use a cat litter box. If this is the case with your cat or kitten then ideally you should leave a window open to give them constant and easy access to a garden. If the garden option is out and you can’t or don’t want to leave a window open then it will be essential for you to make the litter box option work. To make it more user friendly to your cat make sure that you regularly clean out the litter box and keep it in a non obtrusive setting where they can easily get to the litter box but can also have some privacy when using it.

It's Puppy Time!

When you have new puppies running around the home you are probably going to encounter one or two little snags that make living with your puppies a little bit of a challenge. Snags that frequently come with having puppies usually involve peeing in the house, biting and chewing on shoes and playing havoc with your household goods. But it really only ever has to a be little challenge and the challenge does not have to last if you can pick up on it quickly and can do something effective to curb unruly puppies’ behaviour.

Puppies are curious and lively, it is part of their cuddly lovable charm and when their bubbliness and energy is diverted into eth right things their exuberance will stay cute instead becoming a problem. To prevent some unnecessary mishaps with your puppies you can make your home puppy friendly in a few simple steps: start by picking up the odd things around the house – this will help your home look neater and will keep your possessions out of puppies’ mouths! Keep cupboards closed and room doors closed to keep puppies out and buy your puppies a few chewing toys of their own so that they know what they may play with till their energy is spent and their little hearts are content.

Missing puppy? get some pet assistance now!

The worst nightmare for any pet owner is the sudden heart wrenching discovery that your pet is missing! After a few seconds of hopeful denial and heart pounding we will tend to check around inconceivable corners and under sofas and beds and all around the home or garden but after some increasingly loud calling there may come a time when our pets have indeed just gotten away from our sight and protection. Pet assistance in this particular time is something that is absolutely invaluable. Medipet knows this and also offers you pet assistance in forms of covering advertising costs for cats and dogs and even a reward payment for found dogs.

The most important thing in a situation like this is to think clearly, call the local vets for pet assistance, and find out if anyone has reported your animal as found, if not then do give the vet your information with a description of your pet in case someone is still to report them found. Pet assistance can also mean rallying up the troops and going out on a search around the neighbourhood – your pet may just have wondered off down a nearby street and pet assistance from family or neighbours they can soon be home again.

For a great website that offers lost pets and their owners wonderful pet assistance visit www.lostdogs.co.za

Pet Accident

A pet accident or anything that is potentially harmful to your pet is the last thing that you want happening to your beautiful cat or dog. Pet accidents however do happen and the best that we as pet owners can do is to make sure that we are prepared for anything when it happens. Medipet makes this necessary pet accident preparation hassle free and fully reliable. This caring pet insurance company offers you affordable pet insurance that will be there to take care of you financially and will cover your pet accident needs wherever you are in South Africa.

From just R115 per month for your cat or R125 per month for your dog you can get absolute assurity that if your dog or cat is ever involved in a pet accident they will be provided with veterinary help that is covered by Medipet’s health insurance.

For pet accident vet costs Medipet will pay out up to R25 000 to cover all of your pet’s medical needs! Having medical cover for your pets, which you pay in comfortable monthly installments, means that you will not be left with any massive and very sudden vet bills. This way you are financially secure and your animal is protected in all pet accident cases.

Animal Safety

Being a pet owner means that you have one of the greatest and most rewarding titles in the world. Having a pet means that you are one half of a loving and unconditional relationship that is a lifelong and mutually rewarding bond. Part of being a pet owner also includes taking on the very important responsibility of taking care of animal safety for your pet. Animal safety can mean a lot of things but it primarily means that you will have set in place certain rules and certain plans to make sure that your pet is safe and protected. From knowing where the nearest vet is, to keeping your dog off of the streets you are their ultimate animal safety guardian!

To make this responsibility air tight and much easier to maintain Medipet is there for you and your pet for all of your pet’s veterinary and medical animal safety needs. That means that your dog and/or cat’s animal safety does not have be a worry to you – as Medipet will be there to help you carry the load and cost when your pet needs medical help. Feel free to visit www.medipetsa.co.za for all the information you need for improved animal safety!

Cat Food Tips

Next to good vet care the cat food your cat consumes is the best way to give them a healthy lifestyle, but when faced with deciding on whether to feed your cat dry or tinned foods how do you make the best decision? Here are some essential thoughts on dry and tinned cat food that may help you in the decision making process:

• Pellets are regarded as being ‘dry’ cat food, this should be available to your cat at all times for them to munch on whenever they feel hungry. However, if your cat has a slight weight concern then you can limit their dry cat food in take by giving them a certain amount of dry cat food each day which they can feed on until it’s gone and then not fill up the bowl until the next day.
• Tinned cat food is regarded as being a wet food for obvious reasons and should be used to form your cat’s staple meals. Depending on your cat’s age and size the food can or sachet should guide you in how much cat food to feed your cat. Generally you should feed your cat a staple meal twice a day – once in the morning and then again in the evening.