Archive: March 7, 2023

Pet picture contest – next PetMeds® TV star

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Think your pet has sufficient star power to be in our next commercial? We’re holding the next PetMeds TV star contest – as well as your pet might win a function in our next commercial!  What precisely will the next PetMeds star receive?

Grand prize: A 4 day/3 night  all-expenses paid trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL for industrial filming including airfare, hotel, $1,000 costs money, as well as your pet in our commercial.

2nd prize: lifetime supply of flea as well as tick medication (one pet)

3rd prize: Win your option of one Pet gear Pet product from here

(More details on the contest rules)

In addition to the grand prize, we’re providing away complimentary pet care bundles to participants just for submitting their pet’s picture into the contest!  Take a look at a few of our a lot of recent giveaway winners:

Pet owners have up until July 31st to submit their pet’s picture to our contest as well as then the voting will begin from August 1st-August 14th. The top 10 pictures with the most votes will then be voted on by the judges to figure out a winner.

Any questions? feel complimentary to ask below in the comments or by means of the PetMeds Facebook page! great luck to everybody that enters!

What Makes The miniature American Shepherd So Special?

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If you are looking for a little however active dog to add to your family, you may have heard somebody suggest the miniature American Shepherd.
They are one of the newest purebred dog breeds, having only been acknowledged just recently by the American Kennel Club in 2015 as their 186th breed.
These diminutive herding dogs are just as energetic, intelligent, as well as charismatic as their larger cousins however in an adorable as well as unique little package. however don’t be fooled into believing their smaller size may mean less work on your end!
They requirement great deals of exercise, mental stimulation, as well as love, as well as they won’t thrive living in little apartments without any lawn space.
These dogs are finest for active individuals or families, as well as they do finest with older children, as they can be a bit as well energetic for toddlers.
Does this noise like your type of dog? checked out on as we take a better look at the breed as well as go over whatever you requirement to know. We’ll likewise share a few of the key concerns to ask yourself to assist determine whether a MAS is the right pup to add to your family.

Miniature American Shepherd: Breed Overview
Miniature American Shepherds are defined as a little breed, as their name suggests. They are herding dogs as well as therefore have the sporting body as well as intelligent temperament that accompanies most herd dogs.
These dogs requirement at least an hour of exercise each day as well as great deals of mental stimulation. If they are abandoned with nothing to do for a few hours, you can expect a bit of destruction.
They are loyal as well as bond quickly with their families, however they can be a bit standoffish with strangers. They are simple to train, which is important to curbing their constant wish to herd smaller household members as well as other pets.
Key Characteristics
14 to 18 inches tall
20 to 60 pounds
13 to 15 year lifespan
Intelligent
Trainable
High energy
Moderate shedding

As we briefly touched on earlier, the miniature American Shepherd is a new breed, having only been acknowledged by the American Kennel Club in 2015.
The breed has still not been acknowledged by the UK, however UKMASC, the UK miniature American Shepherd Club, has been active in the UK since 2011.
History Of The Breed
The miniature American Shepherd is a truly American dog, as it was established in California in the 1960s.
The dogs are believed to find from some little Australian Shepherds, which were selectively bred to preserve their little size. However, the dogs were unregistered, so their precise history stays unknown.

The breeders were prepared to share their development in the early 1980s when they registered their pups with the national stock dog Registry. At that time, they were understood as miniature Australian Shepherds as a nod to their parentage.
The name was altered to the miniature American Shepherd, or MAS, when the breed’s popularity took off in the 1990s.
Australian Shepherd Bloodlines
It is generally believed that MAS dogs are carefully associated to Australian Shepherds, one more breed produced in California in the 19th century.
The herding breed was established from mixing a range of other herding breeds, including collies as well as sheepdogs imported from Australia, which is why the dogs came to be understood as Australian Shepherds.
The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized breed, generally measuring 18 to 23 inches tall as well as weighing between 35 as well as 70 pounds.
They are athletic dogs with moderately long double coats. They are extremely intelligent, energetic, loyal, as well as playful. While they are excellent herders, they have ended up being prominent buddy dogs as well as household pets.

Appearance
Miniature American Shepherds are on the little side for herding dogs. The males generally determine between 14 as well as 18 inches tall, as well as the women are around 13 to 17 inches tall.
They have an athletic body style that suggests stamina without bulk. You can expect them to evaluate somewhere between 20 as well as 60 pounds.
They have a medium-length double coat that can be directly or wavy, always with a bit of feathering on the back of the legs as well as a moderate mane as well as frill around the neck.
Their coat has a tendency to shed rather a great deal however only on a seasonal basis. most have a long, rounded tail, though some are born with a naturally bobbed tail as well.
It is suggested to never shave or clip the coats of these dogsnullnull

Dryers and Their Multitude of options

By Jonathan David
May 1, 2020
When I was a child I remember my father giving our dogs a bath in the bathtub at home, or in the summer months, using the hose in the backyard. He would towel dry them as best he could after the bath, and then they would run around the house and rub on the carpeting and furniture to dry themselves—much to my mother’s dismay. They would eventually dry and their hair would look scruffy and wavy, but they were clean and that was good enough for my dad. 

There weren’t many pet groomers in our area at that time, and professional pet grooming wasn’t a booming industry in those days. but a lot has changed since then. Nowadays, the pet grooming industry has evolved into a respected professional career path that many pet owners understand is a necessary part of dog ownership—and the equipment available to us has made our lives and our work easier and better. 

Companies have developed equipment that helps us to turn a scruffy, shaggy pet into an eye-catching and adorable member of the family that they proudly include in many family activities. one of those pieces of equipment that have changed the way we groom pets are blow dryers—and there are a variety of them on the market. but why are there so many different kinds of blow dryers and are they really any different?

The answer to that question has everything to do with the pets that we groom. With such a variety of coat textures, lengths, thicknesses and styles, we as professional pet groomers need blow dryers that will give us different results to achieve the best overall grooming on our furry clients. 
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There are dryers that use high velocity, forced air to dry the coats and dryers that use gentle, continuous air flow, and there are some that have speed and heat settings as well. There are stand dryers, force dryers, cage dryers and handheld dryers, and they each have their purpose and intended method of use.

Force Dryers

 Let’s start with high velocity dryers, or force dryers, as they’re commonly called. This type of dryer uses a motor to generate a very powerful and concentrated stream of air that is forced through a hose that the groomer holds in their hand. The groomer can choose different nozzles to affix to the end of the hose to either concentrate the airflow through a narrow opening, or through a wider opening to give a more diffused stream of air. These dryers are typically built in a canister style or a box style that sits on the floor or a shelf, or can be attached to the wall. 

Force dryers are often used as a first step in the blow drying process to remove much of the moisture being held within the coat by using the powerful stream of air to blow the water away from the skin and coat. They’re also an excellent tool for loosening and removing packed undercoat, and an asset for removing mats by using the finer, more pointed nozzle to help separate the hair and push the undercoat or tangles outward, making it easier to brush out the coat and save you from having to clip down a matted pet. 

Force dryers are rather noisy and can frighten some pets, so choosing one that has speed settings is ideal so you can start on a lower speed and work your way up to a faster speed as the pet becomes comfortable with the noise and feeling. Caution needs to be exercised when using this type of dryer around sensitive areas like the rectum, the ears and the eyes, and should never be pointed directly into those areas. using a slower speed setting and a cotton ball in the ear, or using your hands to shield the direct pressure of the air in those areas, can also help calm a pet and make the experience a more pleasant one. 

Stand Dryers

A stand dryer is a type of blow dryer that is used to fluff and stretch the coat to get the hair as straight as possible. These blow dryers are fixed upon a base and pole that stand next to the groomer, or suspended from an arm attached to the wall, and they use a motor to create a more gentle flow of air that a groomer points in the direction of the hair they are drying. It gives the groomer a hands-free flow of air so they can dry the coat while simultaneously using a brush to fluff and straighten the coat. 

This type of blow dryer is typically used as a second step after the force dryer, but can also be used as the only type of dryer after using a towel to draw the majority of the moisture out of the coat. The action of brushing while drying with a stand dryer is the best option when you’re trying to achieve the straightest and most voluminous coat, which in turn will allow you to achieve the best and smoothest finish on your cuts. 

Stand dryers also typically offer multiple speed and temperature settings so you can change the setting when necessary, such as lowering the heat when you get near the more sensitive areas like the eyes. They’re also an excellent dryer choice when trying to brush out tangled or matted hair because the airflow separnull

Health risks of Anti-Bacterial Soaps

With fears of H1N1 running rampant, it seems like everywhere you turn, there’s antibacterial gel, antibacterial soap and other antibacterial cleansers.  but are these cleansers really necessary, not to mention safe, or do they actually post health risks?  Today’s guest post addresses these questions.

Guest post by Woody McMahon, Sequoia health and Fitness, Inc.

In an effort to fulfill the age old saying “cleanliness is next to Godliness,” the use of antibacterial soaps is on the rise. The liberal use of soap is a good thing, but antibacterial soaps present several major risks.

As early as 2005, researchers at Virginia tech found that the active chemical ingredient in antibacterial soaps, triclosan, can cause two major health problems. First, consumers who use the soaps may be exposed to significant quantities of the cancer causing substance chloroform. Also, long term use of these soaps creates an unhealthy balance of antibiotic resistant bacteria on the skin. They found bacteria resistant to some of the more popular antibiotic drugs like chloramphenicol, ampicillin, tetracycline and ciprofloxacin.

Dr. Peter Vikesland, an environmental chemist at Virginia tech had this to say about antibacterial soaps: “This is the first work that we know of that suggests that consumer products, such as antimicrobial soap, can produce significant quantities of chloroform. There are numerous potential exposure pathways that can be envisioned, such as inhalation and skin exposure, when using antimicrobial soaps to wash dishes or when taking a shower. There is also risk of exposure when using triclosan laden moisturizers as they may also react with chlorine in the water.”

What is Triclosan?

Triclosan is a synthetic antimicrobial agent found in a wide variety of products. Its broad spectrum, bacteria fighting ability has made it popular in an ever increasing number of personal care products, cosmetics, antimicrobial creams, acne treatments, lotions, hand soaps, and dish soaps. Triclosan goes under the trade name Microban®, when used in plastics and clothing and Biofresh® when used in acrylic fibers. even though Triclosan is effective at killing bacteria, it is registered as a pesticide with the united states environmental protection agency (EPA). Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill some type of life form. The EPA considers triclosan a high risk for human health and the environment.

What is Chloroform?

When triclosan, the active ingredient in antibacterial soaps, reacts with the chlorine in the tap water, chloroform is created. Chloroform is a central nervous system depressant and cancer causing compound. The U.S. department of Labor has strict guidelines when it comes to contact with chloroform. Chronic inhalation of chloroform may cause psychiatric and neurological symptoms, including depression, hallucinations and moodiness. In one study, liver enlargement was demonstrated in 17 of 68 workers exposed to chloroform at low levels for 1 to 4 years. Alcoholics are more at risk from chloroform because ethanol increases chloroform’s toxic effects.

Healthy Bacteria

The bacteria on your skin serve as a part of your skin’s natural defense mechanism. Your skin uses healthy bacteria to keep colonies of unhealthy bacteria at bay. Without the healthy bacteria, the unhealthy ones can take over and create infections and other skin problems. destroy all the healthy bacteria with antibacterial soap and you set yourself up for big problems. The constant use of antibacterial soaps is similar to using antibiotics for every little cold or sneeze. All antibacterial products should be used sparingly so that resistant strains of bacteria do not develop. using antibiotics only when necessary ensures they will remain effective when the need arises. 

Antibiotic resistant Bacteria

When bacteria are exposed to long term, low doses of antibiotics, some of them can develop antibiotic resistance. resistant bacteria must be treated with other, sometimes stronger antibiotics. In rare instances, there is no known medication that will kill the bacteria. It is wiser to use antibiotics sparingly and for shorter duration. The constant use of antimicrobials, as in the antibacterial soaps, creates a real long term health hazard; one that is easily avoidable with regular soap.

Living a healthier lifestyle is easy with one of Sequoia health and Fitness, Inc.’s Fresh start programs.  They provide the plan, implementation, motivation and accountability necessary for your success. To see all of their programs, visit  .  They offer a no-cost consultation.  For more information, please e-mail Woody McMahon at Woody@SequoiaHealth.com. 

Ingrid King

You might also like:
Does The Litter Box present health risks to You and Your Cat?

Benefits and risks of Microchipping Your cat

Vaccines for Cats: risks and benefits

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