Pet of the Week
These are two kitties that were saved, brought to a cat shelter, and adopted out to fine homes!
It's easy to get your pet into the Pet of the Week feature - here is what you need to do!
Finding a Vet
If you have just relocated to a new town or have acquired a new pet, you need to find a vet. In a perfect world. you would have found one and have already met him or her before you need their services. But the world is rarely perfect and usually an emergency is what makes a person find a vet.
How do you find a vet you can work with, respect, trust, and afford? The best way is word of mouth advertising; nothing beats the recommendation of a friend. But a little more information can be nice.
Vet Locator is the site for you. You can locate a vet easily and in advance of needing one. You can also use this site to find one quickly when you don’t have the time to research and talk to different vets. If you have a pet emergency, you need that animal clinic now.
For people needing particular services, Vet Locator can also help you find vets specializing in holistic animal care and who will come see your pet at your home. That is great for parrot owners or people who are unable to leave the house easily.
I ran a test of the site, entering my town’s zip code and found my very own vet’s office! It really is a wonderful site and resource. Check it out and by the way, if your animal clinic isn’t listed, let them know about this site. You can only help other pet owners!
Pet Health – We All Have Questions
Sometimes taking a pet to the vet is a tough call. You might not be sure the visit is necessary and in today’s economy it is important to spend our money wisely. But if Fido or Fluffy need medical attention, then of course, bundling them up and going to the vet is important and what you should do.
Other times, you may have gone to the vet but it isn’t improving like you had expected. A second opinion might be a good idea. Perhaps just getting additional information to discuss with your current vet is what is in order.
A Web site is now available for these kinds of questions. “Ask a Pro,” is a site that will help you give your pet the best possible care and help you with your budget as well.
When you visit the site you will notice a lot of questions and answers. These are answers from veterinarians to give you food for thought with definitive facts and possible solutions. I found myself exploring the list of topics (indexed on the right) and touring the entire site.
Take a look if you have a concern or question about pet health. And be sure to bookmark this valuable resource!
Psittacosis Outbreak at Pet Smart
A recent outbreak of Psittacosis, an avian disease, has caused over 700 Petsmart stores to stop selling pet birds. The disease was found in some cockatiels, but as it is contagious to other parrots, the large chain decided it would be wise to err on the side of caution and suspend sales of birds until the illness could be contained.
Psittacosis is a bacterial infection that affects parrots and is also known as ornithosis when carried by birds outside of the parrot, 
or Psittacine family. It is contagious between birds and other birds as well as from bird to people. Although the incidence of serious disease is rare, and in fact the transmission to humans is very rare, it is a disease bird retailers and bird breeders do not like to see sweep through their aviaries.
Petsmart has taken a responsible position by halting bird sales until the outbreak is over. The birds will recover and soon business will return to normal. In the meantime, the spread of the infection to other birds and possibly people, has been stopped before it started.
If you own a bird, especially a parrot, and your bird displays respiratory illness symptoms, it would be wise to have your bird seen by a qualified avian bird specialist. Treatment can prevent serious illness.
And as always, bird owners should be careful about washing their hands thoroughly before and after handling their birds. Never handle a bird in a sales or show environment without knowing the bird’s health status, and be sure to wash your hands carefully before handling another bird.
Psittacosis is an easy disease to treat, but an even easier disease to prevent. Keeping your hands clean, the bird’s food and water containers clean, and not handling strange birds are the best tools a bird owner can use to prevent psittacosis. And as tempting as it is, because all bird owners, particularly parrot owners, are infamous for exchanging “birdie kisses,” any bird displaying symptoms should be on a “kissing sabbatical.”
Petsmart Speaks Out on Psittacosis Outbreak
PetSmart halts bird sales after outbreak
Consider a Budgie – An Adorable Little Parrot
If you have never had a budgie, or as they are commonly known in American pet stores, a parakeet, you are missing out on a lot of fun. They are busy, playful, intelligent little gossips and as members of the parrot family, albeit very small members, they have an opinion on everything. They can learn to talk, and often talk well. They crave companionship and will bond readily to their owner. And they are affordable.
One of the biggest hurdles many people have is knowing how to care for a new little feathered friend. Most people acquire a budgie, or parakeet, and have a very limited profile of information. It isn’t enough to dump seed in the bird’s cage every few days and replace the water when it comes to mind. As a little parrot, there are some specific needs that a parakeet has. They are easy to meet and when you learn what your little bird needs, you will find that caring for him or her (or both) is a lot of fun, for both you and the bird.
But you do need to know more than the pet store is going to tell you about. That is where this Web site comes in. ParakeetCare.org is one of the most thorough sites on budgie care that I have seen. It has all the information you could possibly 
need to start out including dietary needs, healthcare for birds, taming and training, and information about cages and toys. This is an invaluable resource for a bird owner that is new to the world of budgies.
I was very impressed with the section on healthcare. As a bird owner in the past (everything from canaries to macaws) I know how important it is to keep an eye on a bird’s health. They display very few symptoms if they are ill, which is a holdover from being in the wild; a sick bird is usually a predator’s victim therefore they are experts at hiding an illness. The section on bird health at ParakeetCare.org is very helpful and even an experienced bird owner would benefit from reviewing that section.
It has been awhile since I have owned a parakeet. I enjoyed the ones I had and I had fun watching them raise their little families while I was breeding them. I recommend them as pets, particularly if you are thinking of investing in a large parrot; it is a great way to learn about the parrot family and have a wonderful little companion to talk to and who will likely talk back! And when you get your ‘keet, be sure and check out ParakeetCare.org for some very useful information and have a great time visiting the site!
Photos courtesy of ParakeetCare.org
