Make a Pet-Safe Carpet Deodorizer

It isn't hard to find carpet powders at most grocery and home improvement stores, but finding one without a lengthy list of chemicals inside is another story. Keep Fido and Whiskers happy with a DIY mixture.

Having a pet increases the odors in your home, especially on the carpets and upholstery they spend all day lounging on. While strongly scented carpet powders can most certainly help you get the smells outs, most store bought powers have all sorts of compounds in them you may not want your pets sniffing up. Fortunately over at the home design blog Re-Nest, they've shared a simple and pet-friendly alternative to store bought powders:

Baking soda is an ever-popular deodorizer and it's pet-safe. Crush up a handful of dry lavender and mix with a cup of baking soda, and sprinkle that over your carpet. If you'd like to use essential oils, mix a few drops of your favorite(s) in with baking soda (not enough to make it wet), and then break up any clumps and sprinkle that over your carpet.

Let it sit for a bit, vacuum it up, and you've got fresher and fido-friendly carpets.

One In Three Smokers Would Quit For Sake Of Pets, US Study

Researchers surveying pet owners living in Michigan, USA, found that one in three of the smokers said knowing smoking was bad for their pet's health would make them quit and about one in ten said this would make them ask other smokers they lived with to quit.

The study was carried out by researchers from the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, and is published online on 10 February in the BMJ journal Tobacco Control.

Although studies show that second hand smoke harms humans and animals, there is not a lot of information on the proportion of pet owners who either smoke themselves or allow others to smoke in their homes.

Second hand smoke has been linked with lymph gland, nasal, and lung cancers, plus a range of allergies, diseases of eye and skin, and respiratory problems in cats and dogs.

For this study, the researchers carried out a web-based survery of 3,293 adult pet owners living in the state of Michigan, USA. They asked them about their smoking status, whether any people living with them smoked, whether they allowed smoking in the home or not, and how knowing about the effects of second hand smoke on animal health would change their intentions about smoking and their smoking policies.

The results showed that:

• 21 per cent of the respondents were current smokers.


• 27 per cent of the respondents lived with at least one other person who smoked.


• 28.4 per cent of respondents who smoked said that knowing about the risks of second hand smoke to animal health would make them try to quit.


• 8.7 per cent of respondents said knowing about the risks of second hand smoke to animal health would make them ask co-habitant smokers to quit.


• 14.2 per cent said that knowing about the risks of second hand smoke to animal health would make them change their smoking policy to ban smoking indoors.


• 16.4 per cent of respondents who were non-smokers but lived with smokers said they would ask their co-habitants to quit.


• 24 per cent of non-smokers who lived with smokers said they would be interested in receiving information about smoking, quitting and the effects of second hand smoke.

The authors concluded that:

"Educational campaigns informing pet owners of the risks of SHS [second hand smoke] exposure for pets could motivate some owners to quit smoking. It could also motivate these owners and non-smoking owners who cohabit with smokers make their homes smoke-free."

They said that pet owners are a devoted bunch and would make good targets for anti-smoking public health campaigns that focus on the effects of second hand smoke on animals.

Nearly two thirds of US homes has at least one pet, and Americans spend about 10 billion dollars a year on pet supplies.

But the depth of devotion that Americans have for their pets is perhaps reflected in the results of a recent survey referred to by the authors as carried out by the American Animal Hospital Association where half the respondents are reported to have said if they were stranded on a desert island they would prefer to have their pet with them rather than another person.

"Pet owners' attitudes and behaviours related to smoking and second-hand smoke: a pilot study."
S M Milberger, R M Davis, A L Holm.
Tobacco Control online first, February 2009.
doi 10.1136/tc.2008.028282

Click here for Tobacco Control online first.

Sources: Journal abstract, BMJ press release.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today

Pet Insurance

Have you considered pet insurance for you dog? I get a lot of questions from clients and my eCourse students about pet insurance. Is it right for you? What do you need to consider?

The word "insurance" often evokes feelings of stress in many of us. Insurance companies seem to have confusing policies with a variety of rates and sometimes it is difficult to determine if we need it, what we need and if it is a good value. I'll try to help you determine if pet insurance is right for you.

First, let's step back and consider..."what is insurance?" Insurance is a form of risk management used to minimize the risk of financial loss. Pet insurance pays costs if your dog needs veterinary care.

The purpose of pet insurance is to ensure you can properly care for and treat your dog when an unexpected medical problem occurs. Pet insurance offers you the security of knowing that you can do the best you can for you dog without the burden of financial considerations. Financial concerns often cause dog owners to make a decision to euthanize their dogs when unexpected and unaffordable expenses take place.

So...how do you decide if pet insurance is right for you and your dog?

It really comes down to a financial decision. If your dog was unexpectedly hit by a car and required emergency veterinary care estimated at...say $2000.00, could you do it? If you could without a problem, then you probably don't need pet insurance.

If the $2000.00 expense (or more) would be a big burden or you would need to consider euthanasia because you could not afford the care, then I'd strongly consider pet insurance.

I find dog owners with pet insurance often feel relieved when something does happen. They don't have to make tough life-or-death decision about what happens to their dog.

They can try to do the best thing by treating their dog without the pressure of financial considerations. I actually find it a relief as well because I know I can do the best for their dog without compromising care.

There are different types of policies. What are some of the differences in policies?

Some policies pay only for medical problems or accidents; others will also pay for preventative health care such as spays, neuters, parasite control and vaccinations.

The amount of benefits you receive will affect the premium.

Some policies will cap the total sum they pay out in a year or have a cap on a particular disease or accident/event.

Most companies will require that you pay the bill and then they reimburse you.

The number of dog owners with pet insurance is growing. The number of companies offering insurance is also growing. In the U.S., approximately 2 to 3 % of pets now have health insurance, which is up from just 1% a few years ago. Pet insurance is very popular in other
countries such as the U.K. where more than half of all pets have pet insurance.

The largest pet insurance company in the U.S is Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI). For more information and a free quote, go to: Veterinary Pet Insurance.

My experiences with VPI have been very good and my clients have been very happy with their service.

The VPI website will give you basic information as well as estimates of your premiums for what you want and your specific pet. Policies are generally less expensive for puppies and premiums may increase for older dogs.

I hope this gives you a little more information about pet insurance and help you determine if it is right for you. Being able to afford medical care when they need it is critical to maintaining a healthy dog.