by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

Recently we visited Canine Companions for Independence’s Northeast regional facility, right here on Long Island!

Watch our video to learn more about this incredible, national, organization – and of course their beautiful dogs!

By Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com

This week is National Poison Awareness Week, and of course that awareness very much includes our pets.  Many every household items and human food can be toxic to our pets, and you should be aware what to avoid giving your pet and what your pets could get into.  Just like you would with your human kids, you need to pet proof your house so you adorable new puppy or newly adopted shelter pet cannot get into these items.  You’ll be amazed how high a dog or cat can jump up onto things or dogs that like to counter surf.  Get your kids involved to so they know what NOT to give your pets.

For Dogs:

Chocolate
Xylitol – Sweetener often found in gum
Grapes and Raisins
Antidepresent Medication
Caffenine
Alcohol
Avocado
Macadamia Nuts
Onions, Chives, Garlic – can cause gastrointestinal problems and possibly red-cell damage.
Tylenol, Ibuprofen, NASIDS – goes without saying never give your pet ANY drugs without consulting with your veterinarian FIRST!
Mouse and Rat Poison
Cleaning Products
Antifreeze for your car
Yeast Dough
There are many additional items that can be poisonous to your dog, you can click here to see a comprehensive list.

For Cats:

Dog Flea & Tick Medication – if your dog is given a topical treatment, make sure your cat is not then grooming your dog!

The list above also applies to cats, but cats who also like to chew on and eat houseplants click here for a great comprehensive list from WebMD.

There are excellent resources to call if you need to speak with someone about whether you think your pet may have ingested something that could be poisonous or not.  The Pet Poison Helpline is one, and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center – be aware that there is a cost for both services, the Pet Poison Helpline is a $49 per icident fee and the ASPCA there is a $65 consultation fee that may be applied to your credit card, according to their website.  Either way, in my opinion a very small price to pay to help save your pets life.

You can download and print these and hang them on your refrigerator, near your phone and also program the numbers in your cell phone in case you are not home for quick access in case of an emergency

Emergency Vets open 24 Hours on Long Island are:

Atlantic Coast Veterinary Specialists
3250 Veterans Highway
Bohemia, NY 11716
(631) 285-7780

Animal Emergency Service
6230 Jericho Tpke
Commack, NY 11725
(631) 462-6044

New York Veterinary Specialty Center
2233 Broadhollow Rd.
Farmingdale, NY 11735
(631) 249-2899

Animal Emergency Service P.C.
280 Middle Country Road
Selden, NY 11784
(631) 698-2225

Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island
75 Sunrise Highway
West Islip, NY 11795
(631) 587 – 0800

Long Island Veterinary Specialists
163 S. Service Rd
Plainview, NY
(516) 501-1700

Nassau Animal Emergency Group
740 Old Country Rd.
Westbury, NY
(516) 333-6262

The Center for Specialized Veterinary Care
609-5 Cantiague Rock Rd.
Westbury, NY 11590
(516) 420-0000

Riverhead Emergency Vet – Pet – ER
67 Commerce Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901
(631) 369-4513

West Hills Animal Hospital Emergency Center
800 W. Jericho Turnpike
Huntington, NY 11743
631-351-6116

by Nancy E. Hassel, LIPetPlace.com – Global 2015 Top Picks!

Every year Global Pet Expo gets bigger and better – this year was no exception!  The 3-day pet industry trade show, held in Orlando March 4 – March 6, for manufacturers and retailers was the largest yet, so large in fact they had offered an indoor trolley to get you from one end to the other!  I kid you not!  This pet pro hoofed it the entire time, but it was nice to know that if I needed to – it was there.  And believe me after 3-days of walking/running around 311,300 square feet of trade show floor – that’s equilivant to 16-football fields or four miles, my dogs were barking!

So how to find new, interesting, innovative pet products amoung the 1051 booths at the trade show can be a big challenge – that is what I look for.  In the sea of the 60.5 billion (slated for this year), industry of similar products, I personally like to see what jumps out at me.  Not to say there weren’t amazing products throughout the show, there were and I saw and spoke to a lot of the manufacturers about their products.  It’s truly an incredible industry we are in, but you can get a bit overwhelmed at such a massive show.  I will say that the American Pet Products Association and the Pet Industry Distributors Association who host the show did an outstanding job once again.  I have been to many trade shows in different industries in my lifetime and a big hats off to both them.  (And also to the Impetus Agency for doing an awesome job in the press room and helping us with any questions we had – a very gracious staff).

Here are some items that stood out to me, and more on our facebook page too!

My Dog Nose It is an all natural sun protection for your dog’s nose.  Of course the first question I asked was how does it stay on if your dog licks their nose?  It does dry quickly and since it is all natural you can re-apply it.  Both of my dogs had sun spots on their noses as they got older – this would have been a great product for them since they did spend a lot time playing at the beach on long walks, etc. I really liked the feel of the product, not heavy or overly smelly – I mean you are putting it on their nose.

This was a brand new product that seemed like it could be a lot of fun for you and your kids to build your own dog house.  MyPego has an insteresting concept and you can design the way you want the house to look and pick different sizes.  The house can literally grow with your pet!  In my opinion they would probably be best for medium and small dogs – I can’t see a mastiff in one of these.  Innovative and fun concept for dog houses – check out their website to learn more about this new product.

I like this product a lot, especially if you have allergies.  Think about it you have a dog bed, and maybe you wash the cover of it, but what about the inside bed?  My dog Max’s inside was cedar chips and polyfil – how could I wash that? I couldn’t – wish this product was available then.  AllerEase® is a zippered dog bed protector helps keep the allergens (and fleas and ticks) out of the inside of your dogs bed, think about it dander and pet hair can go right through the bed cover to the inside – this will help keep out that pesky dander and hairs and it is also washable!  AllerEase® provides a simple and affordable solution for the entire family, find out more on their website.

Speaking of beds – here is a family owned and operated busines for over 80 years in which they primarily made blankets and products for babies and kids.  After bringing home many human baby blankets for their dogs, they launched into the pet industry.  Beautiful quality bedding, blankets and many more pet products.  You have to check out Tall Tails website – you will definitely find something you like for your pet that fits perfectly with your home too.

Auburn Leather Crafters have been around for quite some time, but these huge collars perfect for your large and extra large breed of dogs were new this year.  The quality and American craftmanship of their products shines through.  A big fan of this company and their leather products for dogs.  This picture doesn’t do the collars justice, not just beautiful, but functional and perfect for your Mastiff or bully breeds.

The Green Pet Shop have fantastic products that are well green and eco-friendly like this cooling mat that becomes cool on contact when your pet lays on it.  It doesn’t need any special batteries or to be put in the freezer – it has a non-toxic gel that works immediately on contact.  They now also have a whole line of warming products made from bamboo, and many other biodegradeable products as well.  You have to check out their website!

Do you like kale?  I know I like kale in a smoothie, in a salad and love making home made kale chips – so good for you too.  Did you know your dog likes it too?  New to Global this year is a pet treat you can feel good about giving your pup too, Dogs Love Kale.  Dogs are omnivores after all – and there are different flavors for you to choose from. Their ingredients are sourced in the USA and also made in the USA, love that!  Congrats to Paula and Dawn of DLK who are Long Island natives for being at their first Global!

For many more products and pictures from Global Pet Expo – head to the facebook page for American Pet Professionals!  We couldn’t fit all our fun finds in one article!
CLICK HERE!