“Love Your Pet, See Your Vet”
Visiting a veterinarian for routine check-ups is essential to the health of your pet. Some of the main reasons owners devalue the importance of vet visits is they believe their pet to be healthy as they display no symptoms of illness, they associate a pet’s symptoms as a behavioral not a medical issue or the owner is afraid of the treatment costs. Unfortunately many pet owners do not know that early detection of health issues increases the recovery success rate and lowers the treatment cost. Pets may also instinctively hide symptoms from their owners as their ancestors once did to avoid attracting attention from natural predators. Routinely grooming your pet and providing preventive care is important to the long term health of a pet and controlling their vet bills. We stress the need to stay on top of a dog’s dental cleaning with the help of a dog toothbrush, dog toothpaste, dental chews and oral rinses for dogs that clean plaque and tartar buildup. Brushing your pet’s coat, clipping their nails and cleaning a pet’s ears and eyes are additional animal care tips you can do from home. Don’t find out too late that your pet is sick; regular vet visits ensure serious health issues are identified as early as possible.
Planning Pet Parties & Events
National Pet Week isn’t just about highlighting the Do’s and Dont's of responsible pet ownership, it’s also about having fun! Giving your dog or cat an extra treat and a scratch behind the ears is a start but why not have a pet party? Invite a small number of pets (and their owners) to a Pet Week celebration! Invited guests will socialize, eat, run, play and be completely exhausted by the end of the event. If you’re having a dog party we recommend inviting dogs that your dog regularly plays with and introducing them in a neutral location.
Keeping animals and their humans entertained can be a feat so we’ve added some ideas for pet party games. Activities may include: Musical chairs for dogs, with the human walking the dog around the circle, best dressed pet contest, pet and parent agility contest, best trick contest and of course the fastest dog contest! The winners will love the prizes in the form of treats and toys. For dogs we recommend Kong dog toys including Air Dog Squeakair and Air Kong Happy Birthday Balls for a birthday celebration. The Musical Birthday Cake is also a top seller for pet birthday parties. Cats will go crazy for the interactive Da Bird Cat Toy, which mimics the action of a bird in flight.
Treats for your Party
Be sure to check for any allergies invited guests may have so you can plan the food spread accordingly. Many dogs are allergic to wheat, corn and soy; we have an extensive selection of hypoallergenic dog treats for guests with dietary restrictions. Mickey’s recommends the Sojourner Farms line of natural and grain free dog treats. Sojos products are made with human quality ingredients and they do not contain preservatives. Delicious flavors include peanut butter/honey, bacon/cheddar, beef stew, lamb/sweet potato, duck/cherry and more!
We hope you enjoyed our tips for celebrating National Pet Week 2013! Remember, responsible pet ownership takes patience, love and a regular vet visits throughout the life of your pet- not just during Pet Week.
