Pets are Cute and Funny: 2010

Friday, June 11, 2010

Pet Sitters Do it Best - But What Do They Do?

Talk to a few of your friends, family and neighbors and you'll probably get mixed reviews about what exactly a Fort Mill pet sitter does and why they may be good for your pets. Here are just a few things your pet sitter in Fort Mill can and will do for your furry kids!

Its Not Just Filling the Bowl - Its More Than That

To you, knowing the feeding routine and schedule of your 4 dogs is not that big of a deal. To your Fort Mill pet sitter, it's everything. Being able to nail down the almost exact routine for breakfast, lunch and dinner means everything is just the same as when Mom and Dad are home. That means, your pet feel safe, comfortable and at ease while you're away instead of being stressed, anxious and depressed. Being able to make your pet forget that you're gone is the goal of each and every pet sitter in Fort Mill.

Cuddles and Love is Just Part of It

Remember that a Fort Mill pet sitter is a true animal lover. And just like any animal lover, being greeted with wags and kisses or meows and purrs is the best kind of "hello" anyone could get. Being able to ensure your pets are cared for while you're away is important. But what about your overly sensitive dog that needs to cuddle in bed each night or your cat who can't sleep without treats before bed? You need a pet sitter that will provide that level of care and love second only to you.

Its a Job That They Love

Offering pet sitting in Fort Mill is more than just a job for these pet sitters. They started these services because they love animals which allows them to love their job - how many people can say they love their job? And when someone loves their job, you know they'll be on time, do their best and offer the best services possible at all times. Where else can you get that kind of care for your pet...or even for you?

Dog and Cat Urn Choices

Anyone that has owned a dog or cat knows how important he or she is to the family. They liven up a room, keep you company on a lonely night, comfort you in times of sorrow, and your constant confidant for many years. When the pet passes away, you go through a grieving process just as you would if you lost a person you were close to and missed. Deciding to have your pet cremated is only half the decision; you must have a suitable urn.

Picking out Your Pet Urn Based on Your Budget

If possible, you should choose the cremation urns before your pet passes away. The main reasoning behind this is many veterinarians only offer one or possibly two choices, which may or may not be suitable for you.

There are several varieties of discount pet urns that you can find online, and you have a larger selection to choose. When you are on a budget, the wooden pet urns will be your cheapest option, but they are still very beautiful and something you will be proud to display.

Those that have a mid to higher budget, obviously have several other options including glass urns, ceramic, stone, and many unique pet urns. Although, any urn you select, will be beautiful, regardless of how much it cost.

Engraving Plates and Plaques

There is an option that allows you to have an engraved plaque or plate especially to place on the pet urn. You can think of these much like a headstone in a graveyard; it is your final thoughts to your pet and you can add the years he or she lived.

Where to Place Your Pet Urn When You Get Home

When the time comes and your pet passes, your veterinarian will arrange to have him or her cremated, and you can leave your urn that you chose earlier with them. Once the pet has been cremated, and the remains placed in the urn, the veterinarian will call to let you know you can pick it up.

Where you place your pet's urn is up to you. Some people choose to place the urn on the mantle above the fireplace. Other people have a distinctive small table in the home that is dedicated to the pet and the urn is set on the table. Regardless of where you place your pet's urn, it can be a source of immense comfort during your initial grieving period.

As time goes on, and even if you get another pet, you will always have your pet's urn with you as a reminder of your bond and the love you shared.

Final Thoughts

Giving your pet the very best you can afford when they pass away, is possibly more for you than the pet, but it is a way to help you heal from your loss and honor your pet, one last time.

Why More People Are Having Their Pet Friends Cremated at Death

For many years, when a pet passed away, the owner's veterinarian took care of the remains, or the owner buried their pet in their yard or somewhere on their property. As many people became more aware of how important pets were to people, and how much they were part of the family, pet urns began being offered, and it was an instant success. The reason is clear, pet owners feel the grieving of their pet-friend just as they would if someone they knew well passed away. It was a way in which pet owners could find closure.

Pet Urns Types - To Keep Ashes or to Spread

Many pet owners when they decide to have their furry friend cremated, they wonder if they should keep their ashes in a decorative urn, or scatter them in a special place. Many people choose to keep their pet's ashes with them and take them through life with them by placing them on a shelf or mantle. Other people wish to scatter the ashes and have a private ceremony for closure.

If scattering is your choice, there are urns that are especially for scattering the ashes, once you have spread the ashes in that special place, you can then keep the urn with you as a memorial of your pet. The scattering urns make it extremely easy to scatter the ashes and come in many different sizes and styles.

For those that wish to keep their pet's ashes with them, there are endless types of urns available including unique pet urns, cat urns, and wooden pet urns at many different price points. Everyone, even those on a tight budget can afford a pet urn if you wish to have their pet's ashes.

Unique and Unusual Urn Choices

For those that have lost a cat-friend, there are remarkably adorable yarn urns, which are in the shape of a ball of yarn and have a stand. These are made of ceramic and come in various colors.

For those that have lost dog-friends or cat-friends, there are teddy bear urns, which are designed for smaller dogs and cats. The bear has a hidden zipper to allow the ashes to be placed inside the bear. Many people prefer to look at a teddy bear and remember their pet-loved ones rather than a traditional urn. These are unique and of course must be stored somewhere that children or other pets cannot play with or shake. For those that love leather, there are leather urns for both dogs and cats in varying sizes. These urns are meant to last a lifetime because they are made with the finest leather.

Another unique pet urn includes the pyramid urns, which do not resemble a box urn in any way, are quite beautiful, and come in a variety of materials including onyx, marble, and cast bronze.

Final Thoughts

When you choose to have your pet cremated and choose an urn, you help you and your family brings closure. It is truly heart wrenching to lose a pet, and a pet urn can help ease and bring comfort.

Pet Cremation Urns, Varieties, and Meanings

There was recently a story in a newsletter concerning someone that had lost her dog that was 18 years old. The owner had the dog since he was just 6 weeks old. The dog was with her through thick and thin and was at her side for 18 years. The owner knew the dog was getting much worse as his hearing was completely gone by the time he turned 15, but he continued to play with his toys and was quite active. He developed arthritis and getting around was a bit more difficult than it had been just the previous year, but he was a trooper. At age 17, the dog developed a collapsed trachea, but with a short course of steroids, he bounced right back.

When the dog turned 18, he developed a mass near his spleen and of course, he was much too old to undergo surgery. They did not know what the mass was, but the owner decided not to put him through any additional testing and allow him to live out his final days in the comfort of home. Later that year, the mass ruptured, and her dear friend had to be put to sleep. She was right there by his side until his last breath and wept as if she had lost her dearest friend, because in reality, she had.

The story noted that the owner opted to have her dog-friend cremated, chose a marble urn, and displays it on the fireplace mantle to this day. She has since gotten another dog, but always remembers her little 18-year old dog-friend whenever she looks at his urn.

Most people that have pets feel exactly the way the person in this story felt about her dog. They become part of the family and it is marvelous that cremation services and urns are available for pets. It provides such a comfort to the owners in their time of grieving and serves as a memorial to their pet for many years.

Types of Urns

It is truly remarkable that there are such varieties of unique pet urns, which include wood pet urns, which is the most common type that many veterinarians offer their clients. There are special cat urns and dog urns. They come in a variety of styles and materials including metal, glass, stone, ceramic, and angel urns, to name just a few.

Final Thoughts

People love their pets, and they are one of their family members, which is the bottom line and why cremation urns are so valuable in helping people cope with the death of their friend. It is also a way of providing a memorial to their pet by providing their final resting place either in a beautiful urn or spread in a special place. If you know the end is coming for your pet-friend, take the time now to make the arrangements by getting an urn to have ready when the day comes. You then have your preparations in order, and it will make the entire process much easier.

How Clean is a Pet Hamster?

Like most domesticated pets, hamsters will generally clean themselves and prefer living in a clean environment. This does however mean that there is a need for you, the hamster's owner, to play your part, by ensuring the cage is always clean and supplied with fresh bedding.

The first thing to point out that your hamster will generally designate one or two areas of its cage for a toilet. If you can change the bedding material in these areas regularly, every couple of days, you should dramatically cut down on the smells that may come from a dirty hamster cage and also prolong the period between full cage cleans.

How often should a hamster cage be cleaned out depends on how dirty they get, but you do need to ensure that stale food and droppings are removed regularly. A full clean of the hamster cage once a week is recommended.

You should never really have to bathe your hamster. Washing them is not good for their fur as the water removes the natural oils from the fur, which can make them unwell. Chinchilla sand can help keep the coat in good condition, but there may be times when you feel you have to wash your hamster. These should only be in exceptional circumstances, for example if there is something on the fur that may be toxic of harmful to your hamster if ingested (as they lick the fur to clean it).

If there is a substance that needs to be removed from the fur you should consider if it is possible to cut it away, or brush it out. If this is not possible or the substance is something like paint or something very sticky and you feel forced to wet your hamster then do so very carefully with a small amount of warm water, keeping it away from the nose, mouth ears and eyes. When clean, dry your hamster very gently with a towel and if possible with a hair drier on a low setting held far away from the hamster. Make sure your hamster is completely dry before returning it to its cage so that the bedding does not stick to the fur.

One thing to consider is that if there is a bad smell coming from your hamster it may be because it is sick and in this case you should take your pet to the vet to be checked over.

If you regularly clean and disinfect your hamster cage and remove droppings and old food as recommended above, you should easily maintain a clean, healthy and sweet smelling home for you and your hamster.