Bottled Water for Dogs

In the "Do we really need another one of these" category, Century Foods International has released its Hero Dog Water. I've written about dog waters before, and yet another company is trying to get humans to buy bottled water for their dogs...I guess my water isn't good enough for my pups?? According to Century Foods, this is much better.

Hero Enhanced Dog Water is "fortified with nutrients to help keep dogs of all ages healthy and active and flavored for tastes that dogs love," according to its producer. The retail price of Hero Dog Water is $2.29 per 32-ounce bottle, which provides two servings.

Launched in early 2008, Hero Enhanced Dog Water is available in three formulas: Exercise Recovery, Hip & Joint and Healthy Aging. The first one is designed for quick rehydration of active dogs -- it includes potassium citrate and sorbate, sodium chloride, crude protein, niacin, thiamine and other ingredients. Hip & Joint, designed to help optimize joint function and mobility, includes the common arthritis supplements of glucosamine and chondroitin as well as other ingredients; and Healthy Aging includes vitamins A, D and E, zinc, selenium, niacin, thiamine and others.

The manufacturer uses a triple-filtered, reverse-osmosis purification process to remove impurities and additives such as chlorine and fluoride, according a statement at its Web site, www.herodogwater.com.

And to think, many dogs are just as happy drinking from the toilet.

Difference Between Stray & Feral Cat?

Often you hear the terms stray and feral when referring to cats. But is there a difference. Actually, there is:

A feral cat is one that has had little or no human contact and is usually unapproachable by people. These felines differ from housecats who are allowed to visit the outdoor environment, as well as from those stray cats that once had owners and were abandoned or became lost. They have been born into or adapted to outdoor life without human contact, living together in loose families organized as colonies, and can do well in urban as well as rural areas.

In either situation, be careful before taking any stray or feral cats in your home. Leaving food out for them could also lead to other wildlife showing up on your door step eating the food. The best way is to call your local animal control office for help, as some states have laws regarding treatment of these cats.

Pet Haven Giveaway - $40 Value!

Do you take video with your point and shoot digital camera? If so, it could win you over $10,000 in the SanDisk YouTube Video Contest.

The folks that run the contest want to make it even easier for you to enter, so they are providing me with some camera disks to giveaway. They aren't just any old disks, they are 4GB SD cards valued at $32-$40 retail!

If you want to enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post with some type of contact info (website, email, whatever, as long as I can find you). Each comment will be assigned a number (first comment is number 1, etc.) Winners will be drawn via a random number generator. I'll contact the winners and the disk will be mailed to you. Don't worry, the addresses won't be sold to anyone. The Pet Haven contest goes through the end of September, while the SanDisk contest will be avaialable through November.


I have several disks to giveaway, so tell all our friends about contest!

Top 10 Reasons Cats See Vet

Knowing the most common reasons cats got the vet is important in developing a preventative health plan for your cat.

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) recently analyzed its medical claims received in 2007 to determine the top 10 most commonly claimed conditions for cats. In fact, they found that the top 10 conditions accounted for about 25 percent of all medical claims received last year.

Most Common Cat Claims/Conditions

1. Urinary Tract Infections
2. Gastritis/Vomiting
3. Chronic Renal Failure
4. Enteritis/Diarrhea
5. Diabetes Mellitus
6. Skin Allergies
7. Colitis/Constipation
8. Ear Infections
9. Respiratory Infections
10. Hyperthyroidism

An interesting change in the top 10 list was that feline enteritis (diarrhea) went from #16 in 2006 to #4 in 2007. Diarrhea can be caused by stress, diet changes, intestinal obstruction, parasites or infections. The most common cause is dietary changes. Also, VPI commented that it is possible that the gastrointestinal related claims were up this year perhaps due to the pet food recall.

Feliway Cat Spray GIVEAWAY WINNNER

Congrats to our entry from http://ananimalloversblog.blogspot.com
She's the winner! The marketing partners of this product may have more for me to giveaway in the future, so I"ll keep everyone posted.


The makers of Feliway are giving away a bottle of their spray ($25) Value to one of Pet Haven's lucky readers. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment with some type of contact information (email or website, so I can contact you if you win).

Contes is open through Thursday, September 25th. Each comment will be assigned a number and the winner with be drawn using a random number generator.

Here is some information Feliway from the manufacturer:

With over 88 million cats owned in the U.S1 and 71 percent living in a multi-cat home, behavioral problems and co-existing can present challenges for cat owners. Feliway® is a synthetic pheromone developed solely for cats that offers a safe and natural solution to managing stress related problems.
This innovative product works by mimicking a cat’s natural facial pheromones to help reduce stress and allows our furry feline friends to reside in purr-fect harmony.

• Completely undetectable by humans.
• Feliway has proven to reduce urine marking and scratching by 96 percent2.
• Ideal for multi-cat households, a Feliway Diffuser reduces urine spraying by 70 percent in one month in homes with more than one cat.
• Feliway reduces negative behaviors in cats brought on by social and environmental disruptions, such as multi-cat homes, hospitalization, relocation, new arrivals and when transporting, helping it to accept environmental changes.

• Feliway® Spray -- a 75 ml spray bottle that is applied directly on surfaces the cat is marking.
• Feliway spray can be used in addition with the Feliway Diffuser for urine spraying or scratching.
• Suggested retail price: $25.

Product Availability: Available at veterinary clinics.

More Information for Vets and Cat Owners: Call toll free (800) 276-8197 to speak with a live veterinary technician who can answer questions about Feliway, or go to www.feliway-us.com.

Note: All claims are from the maker of the product and the Pet Haven does not have any involement other then this giveaway.

Poop Patrol Bags

Ok, so picking up poop isn't the favorite subject of anyone, but it's something we all need to do, right? The No Trace Waste Bags by Pet Nation make clean up a snap. The bags are stronger then most others on the market. In fact, the manufacturer claims it is 5x stronger then any other comparable bag.

One-hand easy-pull dispensing makes clean-ups a breeze. Adjustable strap dispenser attaches to any leash and safety reflectors are ideal for nighttime walks. The holder might be a bit cumbersome on the leash of hyper dogs, as it is a bit heavy to have attached to the leash. But the bags are still really good. They are bio-degradable and packages contain 25% more bags.

When you order the dispenser, you'll also receive 3 refill rolls of bags.

Available in pink, blue, or gray.

This product can be found at most retailers and is part of the PetSmart favorite things promotion. In the promotion,
Online shoppers can save 15% with this link and their PetSmart card.

PetSmart Favorite Things Coupon

PetSmart is offering 15% off over 1,000 products for your pets.

It's part of their Favorite Things promotion. As part of this promotion, they are asking shoppers to rate and review their favorite (or not so favorite) products. Simply search their site and find products you want to review. You do have to have a free account with them and log in to review. Writers can also upload pictures of their pets using the product.

Greenies Pill Pockets

Items come along that are so thoughtful you wonder why you didn't think of that first. Greenies pill pockets are one of those items.

When I first tried giving pills to my dogs, I tried to give it to them as just another treat. But, apparently the pill didn't taste like chicken, because after the first couple of times, they knew exactly what it was and wouldn't take the pill.

So, then I had to hide it in peanut butter, which is quite messy. With Greenies Pill Pockets, all I have to do is stick the pill in the little pouch, and the dogs don't even know the difference. No mess, no fuss. The greenies are made for both dogs and cats, and have a variety of flavors.

It's easy to use. Simply hold the pill pockets treat with thumb and forefinger, and insert tablet. Pinch the top of the pocket to secure the treat inside, and give your pet their pill, consealed in the pocket. It's great for small pills. If you pet needs to take a larger pill, trying putting two of the pockets together, one on each side of the pill.

This product can be found at most retailers and is part of the PetSmart favorite things promotion. In the promotion,
Online shoppers can save 15% with this link and their PetSmart card.

NFAFC Protects The Deep Sea

The North-East Atlantic Fishers Commission (NEAFC, www.neafc.org) has agreed to implement a UN resolution from 2006 that protects cold water corals, sponges, and other deep-sea species in the Northeastern Atlantic.

This resolution will protect the deep-sea ecosystems and lead to more sustainable deep-sea fishing throughout the Northeastern Atlantic. The fisheries that use high seas bottom fishing methods that damages corals, and other species will be subject to environmental impact evaluations, and some areas will be closed to fishing where damage cannot be prevented.

The NEAFC has closed several high-risk areas over the past four years, but this resolution is a huge step in protecting Northeast Atlantic deep-sea species.

Why Dogs Eat Grass

Does your dog like to nibble on the grass? According to this article from Pet Place, offers up several theories, though the definite answer isn't really clear.

Do dogs eat the grass to make themselves vomit when they're ill? Or does eating the grass simply something they like and then leads to vomiting. Many vets feel it's the latter, that dogs are simply following their ancestors who lived in the wild, and enjoy nibbling on some grass.

Though the act itself if relatively harmless, eating grass that has been treated with pesticides or other chemicals is dangerous to your pet.

Never Release Hobby Fish Into The Wild

After catching a fish with teeth in an Illinois subdivision, Mark Dill and his 10-year-old son were certain they had found a piranha.

What they caught was a close cousin, the pacu, an aquarium fish sold in many pet stores. These fish look like piranhas, but grow much larger and have two rows of square teeth, unlike the piranha, which has one row of pointed teeth.

The fish was likely released into the wild once it got too big for some one's home aquarium.

The illegal release of fish into public waterways can be dangerous to current ecosystems because the fish can introduce new parasites and foreign diseases. Other species could be in danger if the "foreign" fish starts to eat the natives.

The best solution is to call your local store or check with an aquarium society and find someone to take it off your hands. Better yet, research a fish before adding it to your aquarium to find out how big it gets and how much trouble it can cause you.

"Cat & Paper Towel" Picture

Dress Your Dog Like A Rock Star

There's a new photo contest by the Independent Film Channel called "Dress Your Kid (and/or Pet) Like a Rock Star" where runners up win $500 each and the grand prize winner earns a cool $5,000. Plus, the highest rated photo each week wins a $50 iTunes gift certificate.

Contestants can enter as many photos as they wish (one per day). Pets of all ages accepted. All IFC.com visitors can view and "rate" the photos that have been submitted.


Contest is open now until November 19.
Here's the Link

Note- I don't personally know much about the contest, and just providing this for informational purposes, enter at your own will.

God Bless America

I can't believe how time has flown, and here we are seven years removed from the 9/11 tragedy. Let's take a moment and remember those lost and the impact it had on our entire country.

Stupid Dog Joke - Thinking Fast

Two men are walking their dogs, a poodle and a german shepard. They decide they'd like to go into a bar for a drink. "But we can't bring out dogs into that bar," says the poodle's human. "Hey, no problem," says the german shepard's owner. "Just watch this" He pulls out a pair of sunglasses and walks into the bar. "Hey, no dogs!" yells the bartender. "But this is a seeing eye dog," says the german shepard's human.

The bartender apologizes and shows them to a chair. So, the poodle owner decides to follow suit, whips out his sunglasses, and walks into the bar. "Hey, no dogs!" yells the bartender. "But this is a seeing eye dog," says the poodle's human. The bartender objects, "Hey, poodles can't be seeing eye dogs!". The poodle owner gasps "Poodle? They told me they were giving me a german shepard!".

Importance of Dog Toys

A dog's natural instinct is to hunt. But really, how often do they get that chance when they're living with us?

Petside's Article about dog toy tips is a good little reminder about the need of our pet to chew.

"Cat in Crocs" Picture

I admit it, I own a pair of these too....and yes, my friends and relative make fun of me! So, when I saw this picture, I had to laugh.

By the way, they are very comfortable.

What Does Your Dog Mean About You?

Dogs come in all shapes in sizes, as do their owners. But does owning a certain breed say something in particular about the owners? According to this article, owners of certain breeds have certain traits.

Of course, this isn't the most scientific analysis, but can be fun to see if you fit the profile.

The Perfect Cat Match?

The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has a unique adoption program designed to make the "perfect match" between people and cats up for adoption.

Cats are evaluated on their interest in play, communication, curiosity, and their desire to be noticed and attended to. From these evaluations, the nine possible feline-alities are categorized into one of three-color groups, designed to help an adopter easily find a good match.

The three-color groups include green, orange, and purple.

1. Green cats are considered "Party Animals", "MVPs", or "Leaders of the Band".
2. Orange cats are "Sidekicks", "Executives", or "Personal Assistants".
3. Purple cats are "Love Bugs", "Secret Admirers", and "Private Investigators".

This program assesses the behavior patterns and personality of shelter animals and the character, lifestyle, and pet expectations of potential adopters. That information is used to connect life-long friends.

"Cat's Revenge?" Picture