When you see a pooch going for a walk with dog boots on or a picture of Paris Hilton with Tinkerbell in a small pet carrier, you might be asking why anyone would buy such frivolous accessories for a dog. However, in many cases these items have not only improved the quality of life for pampered hound but have even saved many canine lives. I think what turns many owners off is seeing boots and carriers that are overpriced. Nevertheless, when used properly, these canine items are very useful, and they can be bought at a discount.

Boots for a dog are useful both in winter and summer. In cold wintertime, it’s obvious how a dog’s paws can be hurt by frostbite from the ice or by rock salt or other melting chemicals. This is when the purchase and use of booties goes up exponentially, but more and more owners are finding good uses for a dog boot in the warm months. For example, if your dog is allergic to a fertilizer or pesticide that is put in the city park grass, one of the best ways to protect their paws is with shoes. If they are the only clothing your best friend has on, it’s not going to cause overheating because not a lot of heat leaves through the feet. Many booties also have reflective strips, which are a good safety feature for night walks, no matter what season it is. They help keep doggie paws clean as well, so you don’t have to worry about what they’re tracking around the house after being out.

Small pets are naturally more fragile than larger ones, so sometimes they need to be in a carrier. If you own a Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier and you’re going to be walking with them to a home or area where you know large dogs roughhouse, it might be a good idea to go with a travel pet carrier. It’s a safe place for a little dog or even a cat to hide until a dangerous situation passes. So long as the owner doesn’t overuse it, a small pet carrier can be an essential item. Also, traveling by air in the cabin of a plane requires that your loved one be in an airline approved pet carrier for other passengers' safety as well as their own.

Grant Carroll proud father of four dogs and co-owner of http://www.littlepamperedpets.com with adorable dog boots for your little breed babies. Shop Little Pampered Pets.com for a great selection of small pet carriers to take your furry baby anywhere.
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Dog heartworm can be a life-threatening disease for canines. The disease is caused by the roundworm Dirofilaria immitis. Dogs and sometimes other animals such as cats, foxes and raccoons are infected with the worm through the bite of a mosquito carrying the larvae of the worm. While cats are susceptible to the disease they do not appear to be good hosts. As a result cat infections are rare. Dirofilaria immitis is found throughout much of the United States including Massachusetts. Many common mosquito species in Massachusetts can become infected with the worm.

Dirofilaria immitis is dependent on both the canine and the mosquito to fulfill its lifecycle. In an infected dog the adult worms are 9-16 inches in length and live in the dog's heart and lungs. The young worms called microfilaria circulate in the blood stream of the dog. These worms must infect a mosquito in order to complete their lifecycle. Mosquitoes become infected when they blood feed on the sick dog. Once inside the mosquito the microfilaria leave the gut of the mosquito and live in the body of the insect, where they develop for 2-3 weeks. After transforming twice in one mosquito the third stage infective larvae move to the mosquito's mouthparts, where they will be able to infect an animal. When the mosquito blood feeds, the infective larvae are deposited on the surface of the skin. The larvae enter the skin through the wound caused by the mosquito bite. The worms burrow into the skin where they remain for 3-4 months. If the worms have infected an unsuitable host such as a human the worms usually die at this point. If the infective larvae are in a suitable host they will eventually enter the blood stream and locate the heart of the animal. Once they are in the heart they will reach the adult stage after about 5 months. In all the lifecycle of Dirofilaria immitis takes about 9 months to complete.

While dog to dog transmission is not possible, the presence of an infected dog or other animal in the neighborhood can serve as a reservoir for the disease. The outbreak is caused when mosquitoes ingest microfilaria and in turn infect other animals.

Symptoms are not usually apparent until the adult worms have damaged the heart and other organs as a result of reduced blood flow. Some of the symptoms include, weight loss, shortness of breath, weakness, chronic cough, chronic heart failure and death. Because symptoms take so long to appear it is important to get your pet tested regularly for dog heartworm. Dog heartworm can be detected through a blood test that looks for the microfilaria circulating in the blood. It can also be detected through an X-ray.

The cure of dog heartworm can be an expensive and sometimes risky. The veterinarian must administer toxic chemicals to kill the worms over a period of time. If all the worms were killed at once the worms would move into the lungs and asphyxiate the dog. Surgery is sometimes possible as well.

The best way to deal with dog heartworm is to prevent the dog from becoming infected. There are several pills that can be given on a monthly or daily basis. The chemical in the pill kills any infective stage larvae circulating in the dogs' blood, thus preventing an infection. Since infected canines can have a reaction to the medication, the dog should be tested for dog heartworm before administering any of these pills. A veterinarian should conduct the tests.
Data Refer : http://www.plymouthmosquito.com/dog_heartworm.htm

Does your dog need a yearly heartworm test to prevent dog heartworms? Most veterinarians will agree that yearly testing is the best way to prevent against heartworm disease. Heartworm disease in dogs is very preventable with the right medications and observation. It is recommended that your dog be tested and medicated for heartworm as early as 6 months in age.

Yearly heartworm testing is actually endorsed by the American Heartworm Association. Having yearly tests is considered the "golden standard". It is also important to note that heartworm tests are required before a veterinarian will treat heartworm in dogs unless the dog is less than 6 months old.

Some veterinarians will simply recommend yearly testing and let the owner decide what is best for their dog. Some may also require a test before dispensing additional heartworm dog medicine if the dog has not been tested within the last year. In most cases yearly testing is advised because heartworm can cause serious damage or death to a dogs heart in a short period of time.

It is a good idea to have yearly testing done on a dog for heartworm disease. Not only will the yearly tests help spot and prevent heartworm diseases, there is also peace of mind because no heartworm medication has been proven 100 percent effective.

Heartworm tests are quite easy and fast. They usually consist of drawing a small amount of blood and testing the blood in the lab. This simple procedure can be peace of mind and health for your dog.
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