Making human flesh unappetizing to mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and fleas is an age-old preoccupation. The earliest insect repellents included smoke, mud, and various plant substances. Our contemporary contribution is DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), a powerful insecticide found in over 400 repellents. DEET can peel paint, damage rayon and spandex, and melt plastic. Up to 56 percent of DEET applied to the skin enters the bloodstream, and reactions to it include skin rashes, lethargy, muscle spasms, nausea, and irritability. An extreme reaction can cause seizures and even death. So it’s hardly worth using DEET to deter insects unless you’re someplace with high rates of insect-borne disease or you experience severe allergic reactions to bites and stings.
There are natural alternatives to DEET. Our Nature’s Way Insect Spray, made primarily from natural oils, can protect you in less threatening circumstances. Although there is no natural repellent as effective as DEET, natural repellents do help ward off mosquitoes, black flies, gnats, and fleas, and they may provide some protection against ticks.
Ticks, the carriers of Lyme disease, are among the most worrisome pests. If you are traveling in an area known for Lyme disease (according to the Centers for Disease Control, this includes the Atlantic states and Northern California), contact the American Lyme Disease Foundation at (800) 876-5963 for preventive advice.
There are more and more people taking their pets in for acupuncture treatment. Veterinarians use the same process and needles that are used on humans.
Out of 86,000 veterinaries worldwide, between 900 and 2,000 practice acupuncture, according to professional groups, whose numbers are also rising.
“More and more pet owners are looking at holistic modality. It’s growing. Three hundred veterinarians each year take a post-doctoral course in acupuncture. It’s been like this since 2002,” said International Veterinary Acupuncture Society executive director Vikki Weber.
Acupuncture is now recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Assocciation (AVMA) and was discussed at the 2009 AVMA Convention.
“I know when I started doing acupuncture in the mid-90s there was a lot of people who didn’t understand how it worked or helped, but now that we’ve seen successes there are a lot of veterinarians who want to learn more about it to try to help their clients,” Dr. Patti Schaefer, owner of Canisport Veterinary Services in Washington State says. “I have a lot of clients who have gone for acupuncture for themselves after they’ve seen how much it has helped their pets.”
So how do animals respond to acupuncture? Is it painful or uncomfortable to them when the needles are inserted? According to Natural News.com:
The treatment sessions can take 10 seconds to 30 minutes depending on what the pet is treated for. Sometimes it can take 4 to 6 treatments to notice results; however, some experience instant improvements such as increased energy and mobility. There may be a little pain when the needles are first introduced; however, most animals find it very relaxing after the needles have been put in place and many even fall asleep.
So, like anything else, if you’re considering acupuncture for your pet, check first with your veterinarian and read up on it. It is a treatment gaining popularity and worth considering.
Thinking about adding a dog to your family? Consider a Greyhound. They make great family pets. They have a generally mellow disposition, have already been socialized to people, and are very affectionate.
“Greyhound owners and adoption groups generally consider greyhounds to be wonderful pets. They are pack-oriented dogs, which means that they will quickly adopt humans into their pack as alpha. They can get along well with children, dogs and other family pets.”
“Greyhounds have a very gentle and quiet disposition. They are very pack oriented dogs and will quickly adopt human masters into their “pack.” To allow different Greyhounds to hunt and race together, aggressiveness towards other dogs and people has been nearly eliminated from the breed.”
There are hundreds of adoption agencies across the U.S. that do a great job of placing these gentle giants.
Both dogs and cats are very social animals. Most cats, anyway It’s important when bringing a new dog or cat into your home to socialize them. The sooner they become comfortable with their new family, the happier and healthier they will be.
Another important factor to consider in socializing your pet is that the more comfortable they are with their new “people” family, the less uncomfortable they will be when visiting the vet for routine check-ups and vaccinations.
Dogs
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends the following:
puppy socialization should begin before completion of puppy vaccination series and should become the standard of care
All puppies should be handled from birth and should learn to accept manipulation of all body parts
Puppies should be exposed to as many new people, new situations, places and other well-socialized animals as possible
In addition to socializing dogs to home environments, many people are also taking part in “Dog Socials”.
“The Dog Social is all about having fun, socializing for both animals and owners, spending time with their companion dog and bonding with their pet,” said Eva Morales, owner of It’s a Pet Thang.
Cats
As anyone with a cat in the family will tell you, cats are complex creatures.
“Cats can inherit their shyness or outgoing nature from their fathers while dogs’ personalities usually depend on their breed.”
-Dr. Sarah Correll of Happy Pet Therapy in Boise, Idaho
The early stages of kitten hood are critical for coaxing cats into being social creatures, says Correll. Around 3 to 12 weeks old, they should be handled for about 40 minutes a day to help them relax.
Thinking about adding a dog to your family? Consider a Greyhound. They make great family pets. They have a generally mellow disposition, have already been socialized to people, and are very affectionate.
Both dogs and cats are very social animals. Most cats, anyway 
It’s important when bringing a new dog or cat into your home to socialize them. The sooner they become comfortable with their new family, the happier and healthier they will be.
