Trusted Saskatoon Blog | All posts tagged 'Pets Saskaton'

Invisible Fence® Brand systems Saskatchewan are invisible boundary systems for your yard and home! It keeps your pet out of harm's way and prevents unwanted behaviors throughout your home and yard. The systems are safe, humane, and highly recommended by Veterinarians, Behaviorists, and pet experts.

Over the last 40 years, they have helped more than two million pets and their owners lead safe and harmonious lives together, and their exclusive training program allows dogs and cats to learn their boundaries without fear, distress, or behavioral harm. Their proven P.E.T. Approach™ training method ensures the success of their products every time, with any pet, and in every household. The result? An unparalleled success rating (over 99%) and the most effective solutions in the industry! Freedom and convenience for you & your pet...and the system has a lifetime warranty. That’s an OWNERS lifetime warranty!

Invisible Fence Saskatchewan are Trusted Saskatoon Pet fencing solution experts!

Winter-Proof your Pet: 3 Ways to Lick Seasonal Affective Disorder

By: Invisible Fence Brand on 12-23-2015

Public awareness of Seasonal Affective Disorder, SAD, in pets has grown in recent years, and with this awareness has come a lot of good information about causes and symptoms, not to mention quite a few great ideas for curing our companions’ winter blues.

Cases of SAD in pets can range from moderate to serious, with symptoms ranging from lethargy and potty-training relapse to sudden aggressive behavior and refusal of food. The majority of solutions out there boil down to three big ones: exercise, socialization and sunlight. Hit these biggies on a regular basis for the next couple weeks, and you’ll have your old friend back in no time:

Exercise. There are plenty of easy, pet-friendly activities that will help you beat the boredom, even on a snow day. For example, you might start with a simple round of fetch in a long hallway, progress into a stimulating session of hide and seek, then move on to a cardboard box obstacle course or a scratching-post play area. And now that you’ve got your pet panting or purring, why not round out the afternoon with a soothing session of doga?
Socialization. Ready for a day out? Consider taking your pet to an indoor pet park where he can interact with his peers, or enroll in a day class that you can participate in together. Lack of socialization is a key factor in SAD, so the combination of exercise and social interaction such activities offer may well justify the extra expense. Also, having your pup tag along for your kids’s after-school activities is a great way to work in some much needed social interaction for their pal.
Sunlight. Pets are susceptible to SAD in the first place because they’re mammals, and all mammals respond to the sun’s seasonal retreat in the same way: they ramp up production of melatonin, the body’s sleep medicine. If your pet is staying active during the day, more melatonin is a good thing. But without ample daylight and activity to balance things out, your pet’s double dose of drowsy medicine can effectively push them into hibernation mode. Which is not a good thing. Unless your pet is a bear.

Yes, natural light can have a miraculous effect on your pet. But between the short days, gym memberships, kids’s recitals, unpredictable weather, bad traffic and looming deadlines—sometimes a leisurely walk in the dog park can be a lot to ask. But fear not, there are some nifty solutions out there that can safely promote independence and boost your pet’s morale, even when you’re away from home.

The common pet door, for example, has seen some notable transformations in recent years that make them a unique solution for busy pet parents. Offering advanced features like customizable automatic locks and integration into electronic containment systems, pet doors aren’t what they used to be. For those seeking an indoor light supplement, the phototherapy box, or lightbox, a proven boon to humans, has now been successfully adapted for the pet market as well.

So, this winter, when you find yourself caught off-guard by erratic, out-of-character moods or behaviors from your pet, remember the big three: exercise, socialization and sunlight. A little sunlight, a lap or two at the pet park, and a rousing session of the Muffin Tin Game--and you’ll have your pet’s case of SAD licked.

At Invisible Fence Brand of Saskatchewan we’re passionate about protecting pets — so you can focus on fun! So, let’s talk. And we’ll find the gentle, effective, affordable solution that’s right for you and your pet. Guaranteed.

Invisible Fence Saskatchewan are Trusted Saskatoon Pet fencing solution experts!

No lapping matter: A cat person’s guide to managing dehydration

By: Invisible Fence Brand on 08-02-2016

The drooping tongue and heavy breathing are not really signs of dehydration, but a panting dog is certainly a picture of thirst. At any rate, we tend to feel pretty confident our dogs will figure out a way to let us know when they’re ready for a drink. But cats are more of a mystery. How can you tell when they’re thirsty?

This is the simple question we brought to the Seattle-based veterinarian and cat medicine expert, Christine Wilford, DVM--hoping she could help us solve the riddle of the cotton-mouthed cat.

The first thing we learned is that it’s possible to be too concerned about your cat’s drinking habits. According to Dr. Wilford, a typical ten pound cat needs only about a cup of fluid per day, and your cat may already be getting most of that from his wet food: “Keep in mind that cats on dry food require more water than cats eating canned food. In fact, if canned food is wet enough, your cat may not drink at all. Having evolved from the desert, their kidneys are better at conserving hydration than ours or your dog’s.”

Add to this camel-like retention of water the fact that cats don’t drink until they’re mildly dehydrated anyway, and you’ve got a classic picture of feline self-sufficiency: “Your cat drinks when he’s thirsty, unlike you--who may drink for flavor or to stave off dehydration. And if your cat is drinking, he's already dehydrated. But that’s normal. He drinks a little, restores body hydration, and gets on with his day of sleeping.”

The picture we’re getting is that cats by instinct don’t avoid dehydration, they manage it. And this is precisely where you, the caregiver, can help them on a hot summer day. Not by switching to a super-sized water bowl, but by implementing a few “environmental” tweaks that will avoid dehydration creep from a combination of dry food, extended heat, and over-hot napping spots.

A couple ideas
Switching to wet food or adding water to dry food are good ideas on a hot week. Also, cats favor cool, shaded spots in the house like tile floors or under beds. Dr. Wilford recommends that you find your cat’s favorite spots and make sure to close the shades. And if you know it’s going to be a scorcher and the AC’s out, why not invite your cat to take a load off by setting out a low-speed fan in front of a pan of ice?

Except in cases of diabetes or kidney dysfunction--where the need for high volume replenishment can create some unique challenges--your cat’s replenishment is a passive affair. As Dr. Wilford reminds us, cats basically shut down when it’s time to cool off: “Unlike dogs who cool off by panting--and thus lowering their body’s temperature through the heat lost in breath moisture--cats do not pant as their primary cooling method. Nor do they typically pant after exertion. They cool by finding a cool place and stopping body activity.”

By nature your cat is less alarmed about dehydration than you are. And the half-dozen water bowls you set up around the house is probably more for you than her. This summer, focus on creating an environment conducive to a cool and lazy afternoon, and, who knows, you might even find yourself on the receiving end of a purring nudge of thanks.

Special thanks to Dr. Wilford.