October 2009

WHISKERS  – OCTOBER 2009

It’s October.  Can you believe it? Time is flying by, football season is in full swing,

and it’s getting cool here in Southern Ohio. I hope you enjoy this month’s issue of our newsletter.

As always, your questions, comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.

So Much for Fluffy and Fido

Here are the 10 most unusual dog and cat names found in the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. data base of 470,000 insured pets.

For the full lists of 50 unusual dog and cat names, pictures of pets who made the Top 10, and stories on the origin of each unusual name, visit www.wackypetnames.com.

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A Purdue Study Finds Link between Gum Disease and Heart Problems in Dogs.

Although there’s been speculation, now there is a clear statistical evidence proving a link between gum disease and heart disease in dogs. Larry Glickman, a professor of epidemiology at Purdue University, who conducted the study, said gum disease occurs in up to 75 percent of all dogs by middle age. He examined records of 59,296 dogs with gum disease and matched them to those of a similar number of dogs without gum problems. He followed the dogs over time to see which ones developed heart diseases and the type of heart disease that developed.

“We’ll first evaluate whether gum disease in dogs causes systemic signs of inflammation and identify the specific bacteria in the mouth that are responsible for inflammation,” he said. It’ll allow researchers to develop preventive drugs and then examine their effectiveness.

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Fight the Urge to Feed From the Table

Both cat and dog owners are guilty of it. Feeding from the table, veterinarians say, is causing a dramatic increase in pet obesity and diabetes.

As Americans gain more weight and the number of cases of heart disease and diabetes rises, pets are following suit.

If your cat or dog is driving you nuts because they seem hungry all the time, divide the total amount of food for the day into smaller portions and feed your pets more frequently. Be sure to choose a well balanced healthy food without a lot of fillers.  So, just as you should read the labels of your food, take a close look at the label of your pet’s food. And of course, before making any change in your pet’s diet, consult your veterinarian.

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Help When Planning Travel with Your Pet

The latest edition of Traveling with Your Pet: The AAA PetBook® provides listings for pet-friendly lodgings. The book includes more than 13,000 pet-friendly, AAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings and campgrounds in the United States and Canada. The listings include fees, permitted pet sizes and conditions of stay. There are also 400 AAA Approved and Rated pet-friendly campgrounds.

Plus, travelers can find useful tips for safely preparing their four-legged friend for the road and answers to important questions about pet etiquette, insurance and where to find dog parks along their route. Also included in the book is a form to enter a PetBook Photo Contest. Two winning entries will appear on a cover of the next edition. The “Best in Travel” winner will also receive $350 and five complimentary copies of the book, along with a $150 Best Western Travel Card. The second-place winner will receive $200 from AAA and two complimentary copies of the book. Photos and completed forms must be submitted by Nov. 30. Contest rules and entries from previous years can also be found at AAA.com/PetBook. The book is available at many AAA offices, online at AAA.com/BarnesandNoble and other book stores for $17.95.

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Top 10 Ways Pets Break Bones

After analyzing its data on fracture claims, Veterinary Pet Insurance came up with a Top 10 list of the most common ways pets break bones. In 2008, VPI received more than 5,000 claims for fractures. Of fracture claims analyzed, about 40 percent resulted from accidents in which pets were hit by cars. The second and third most common causes, jumping and falling, combined for another 40 percent of fracture claims. These claims most often involved pets jumping or falling from couches, beds, or the laps of their owners. The remaining 20 percent of fracture claims included those in which pets ran into stationary objects, fought with other pets, got caught in a tight space, or were unintentionally struck with moving objects.

1. Hit by car
   2.  Jumping
   3.  Falling
   4.  Fight with other pet or animal
   5.  Running and slipped
   6.  Hit or struck with object
   7.  Caught in or between object
   8.  Running into object
   9.  Stepped on
   10. Injured in Car Accident

OCTOBER 2009 SUBSCRIBER AND CUSTOMER SPECIALS

The October promotion will give everyone a chance to try our products, and save money regardless of the size of the order.

During October 2009 we will be offering $2.00 OFF all quart products, and $5.00 OFF all gallon products – including the Carpet Cleaning  Special and the Carpet Deodorizer Kit. There is no minimum order, and you can order as many times as you want to during this time and save money on every order.  You can also recommend this offer to your friends, and they can save money on their orders too. To save today click here  http://www.odorbgoneproducts.com

Thank you!

Dave Gannon