Starfish Animal Rescue An organization that is dedicated to saving animals from Kill Shelters and finding them good homes.

You can learn more about Starfish Animal Rescue and how you can Adopted, Foster a pet or just help.
Click Here for the Satrfish Home Page
All my best- Neal Paskvan
Pet Friendly Real Estate

Another Tip on Keeping Cool Before You Call the A/C Guy……………. Cottonwood Trees and Your Air Conditioner

Due to the warm weather this spring in Chicagoland  the little “Snowflakes” fell early!

 

Cottonwood A/C Coil Clogs

Think about it for a moment… During the peak of cottonwood season, fuzzies are flying around your neighbor hood. This is when they attack your air conditioner. No they don’t use magic, or contain some sort of chemical agent. Instead, they are sucked into your condenser coil, and the result is reduced air flow across the coil. This will first cause your air conditioner to loose some of its energy efficiency. Although this is a problem, losing a little efficiency will only cost you pennies, but the bigger problem of an over heated compressor can cost hundreds.
Picture this, its 100 degrees outside and your cottonwood seed packed coil can’t cool itself off. Do you see the problem here? Those cute little fuzzies we chase around as kids just burnt out your compressor! Now you have to call up for an emergency service call in the high heat of summer.

From what the experts' tell me, the simple solution is to just fully hose down the grill work around your A/C unit so it can do it’s job!

Click here to see a Video on how it's done

“Neal Paskvan is a Real Estate Agent in Downers Grove with Baird and Warner”

Clutter Bug in Your Home? | Clutter Free Tips | Provided by HouseLogic

Do you constantly clash with the clutter bug in your home? Here are tips on how opposing clutter styles can live in peace.
If you live alone, you never must tolerate anyone’s clutter but your own. Add another human to the household, and you’re bound to butt heads over how and when stuff is stored, piled, and put away.  The Wall Street Journal feels your pain and recently hosted an online chat about clutter styles.
Writer Alina Dizik and psychologist Patty Ann Tublin advised readers — mostly women complaining about packrat husbands and boyfriends — how to navigate relationships between clutter bugs and neatniks.

Here are 5 tips we culled from the conversation:
1. Determine if arguments about clutter are really power struggles. Is the rift really about piles of paper or an attempt to acquire more control? If you can’t figure this out, consult a professional organizer or counselor.
2. To reduce stress in your home, designate “clutter free” and “clutter friendly” areas. Perhaps the guests-only living room is a No Clutter space, while a mudroom or small den can accommodate some clutter. Also, investigate unusual places to store clutter, like under the stairs, or these space-saving hacks.
 Click here for the Rest of the Story

Ask A Vet: Fireworks and Thunderstorms- Loud Noise Phobias in Pets - Woodridge, IL Patch

 Dr. Amy Van Tassel has been practicing in the Chicago suburbs since graduating from the University of Illinois in 2000. Dr. Amy Blogs on the PATCH in Woodridge. We are indeed Proud to Have her as a part of our Blog aslo. You will find a link to her website  and how to ASK a Question or contact her below.

Credits : Dr. Amy Van Tassel, DMV- Woodridge Animal Hospital

Spring and summer in the Midwest can be a rough time for pets scared of loud noises. Not only do we have the 4th of July, a day (sometimes week) that centers around fireworks, but we also have regular thunderstorms.
Even though it's a normal instinct for animals to fear loud noises, many pets experience excessive anxiety, particularly when it comes to fireworks and thunderstorms. Pets show anxiety in many different ways, the more significant include panting, pacing, whining, howling, trembling, digging, drooling, or even destroying things.
The most important thing you can do to help a pet cope with anxiety is to ignore them. Most people who have a pet showing signs of anxiety will try to calm them by petting and speaking reassuringly to them in a quiet, calm voice. While intentions are good, unfortunately this is the worst thing for an anxious pet. The reality is that the pet has no idea what is being said. Instead, they only know that by behaving the way they are (fearful and anxious), they receive all sorts of wonderful attention and praise. This only serves to reenforce the behavior and often will make the reactions more intense. Some pets will start to react to lightning instead of just the thunder, to light rain showers, or even to barametric pressure changes.

What you should do: Limit your pet's exposure to the noise. Let her have access to the area she feels most safe. This is often in a room without windows like the bathroom, a closet, or under a bed. Close curtains to prevent visibility of the conditions outside and have some background noise, like music or the television to dull the sounds of thunder or fireworks. And most importantly, do not give your pet any attention, this includes eye contact, touch, or talking to her. She can follow you or lay near you, just don't give her any attention unless she's calm.
If the things mentioned above alone don't help, talk to your veterinarian about other options available including pheromones, thundershirts, medications, and instructions on ways to teach your pet to relax.

If you have a question or would like me to cover a topic in this blog, please e-mail me at dr.amy@woodridgeanimalhospital.com.

Click Here to Learn More About Dr Amy

Tips on Keeping Kool

Something to check before you call the AC repair man

Downers Grove Pet Agent

If you feel you Air Conditioner is not keeping up inside, with the Hot outside, You may want to check out your Whole House Humidifier and make sure it is UNPLUGGED. Putting humidity into the air wile the A/C unit is working to remove it.. is well.. Not Cool.
Sometimes the controls upstairs get stuck and do not shut the unit down!

 

Overweight Dogs | Pet and Animal News

 Can My Dog Lose Weight?

Overweight Dogs: Can My Dog Lose Weight?
Although a fat, pudgy dog can be super cute, if your dog is carrying excess weight, he may be suffering physically. Many dogs are prone to be overweight or even obese. Other dogs may simply be suffering from a lack of exercise, or may be eating the wrong types of food. Perhaps your veterinarian has recommended that your dog drop a few pounds. If your dog is overweight, you can help him to lose some excess doggie flab. Obese dogs, just like obese humans, don’t live as long as their slimmer counterparts. And as the dog’s owner, it is up to you to keep him properly fed, socialized, and exercised. The tips that follow can help your porky dog to get healthier.

Feeding Your Dog
Just as we humans can fall into a pattern of eating the wrong things, your dog can fall into the same patterns – albeit you are the one who is feeding him. If you are feeding him from the table or table scraps, this can be detrimental to your dog’s health. A large dog needs two or three small meals each day instead of one big feast. Feed your dog a healthy dog food that is enriched with vitamins and minerals. Until you find a brand of healthy dog food that your dog will actually eat, purchase the smallest bag available in each brand. Your veterinarian can help you select good choices when it comes to healthy food for your dog to eat during its “diet”. After finding the right kind of dog food for your beefy dog, you can then start adding crushed veggies (steamed beforehand) to their food. Many people automatically assume that dogs only like meats, eggs, and so on, but lots of dogs enjoy vegetables and they can get a lot of extra minerals and vitamins from veggies that can help them shed excess weight.

Exercising Your Dog
Food adjusted, its time for the fun part – exercising your dog. Leash your dog and head out to the nearest park for some quality running, walking, and playing. Allow the dog ample time to rest during his exercise periods. Keep a portable dog bowl and plenty of water for the dog so that he doesn’t become overheated. Slowly add a longer course to your daily jaunts and walk for a longer period of time. Aim to get a minimum of thirty minutes of exercise each day. If you have a pool, don’t forget that your dog is a natural swimmer – and swimming is a great exercise for weight loss. Varying your dog’s workout will keep both you and the dog entertained, which means that you will have a greater success rate.

Reward Your Dog with Praise and Love
While doggie is dieting, it is important to avoid giving him any additional treats. Many dog treats are laden with fat and are not even that filling. Instead, reward your dog for a job well done with loads of praise and lots of love. Rub him, pat him, and give him a big kiss – but don’t make food a reward as it will just encourage his poor nutritional habits.

Article Provided by Pet and Animal News.

This news story is independently sourced and PetPeoplesPlace.com does not specifically endorse products or services offered by any company referenced in this article, or benefit from any association with any companies referenced.

Why Does My Dog . . . Like to Stick His Head Out the Car Window? - Vetstreet

By Linda Fiorella | April 26, 2012

Anyone who's been in a convertible with the top down can relate to the look of happiness on a dog who's peering out a car window, his ears rippling in the wind.

Despite the obvious dangers involved, it can be hard to deny such joy to your pet. But what makes car windsurfing so appealing to dogs in the first place? And just how dangerous is it?

 

Canines Who Love Car Windows

Dr. Kelly Moffat, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist and medical director of the VCA Mesa Animal Hospital, offers a few theories on why some dogs relish sticking their heads out of vehicle windows.

“First and foremost, they like it! Simple as that,” Dr. Moffat says, adding that “putting their head out the window gets them closer to all the exciting happenings outside of the car.”

According to Dr. Moffat, things like a wider view of the passing scenery and increased accessibility to enticing scents outside the moving vehicle can be irresistible to an animal whose sense of smell is so much more sensitive than ours.

Dr. Moffat adds that, contrary to popular belief, not all dogs enjoy riding in cars with their heads out the window. “These dogs may have motion sickness," she says. "Or they may be fearful of the car and the motions and sounds associated with the drive.”

 

The Dangers to Your Dog

If your dog is one of those pups who can't wait for you to roll down the window, Dr. Moffat offers this stern warning: “The dangers can include a dog jumping out the window or rolling the window up on himself, as well as eye injuries from flying debris, such as stones and dirt.”

Dr. Moffat stresses that dogs should always be properly restrained, either in a crate or with a pet seat-belt harness, whenever they're in a moving vehicle — even if the windows are up. “The driver doesn't need to have a pet crawling in their lap, nor should the pet be launching itself from the back to the front, running back and forth on the back seat, getting under the gas pedal or accidentally rolling that window down,” she says.

If you can’t resist allowing your dog some of the thrill of a breezy drive, Dr. Moffat suggests having someone sit with a seat belt-restrained dog in the back seat, while you drive the car slowly through the neighborhood. “But once you're on major streets and driving over 25 mph, the dog should be in a seat belt for safety,” she says.

Article Courtesy of Linda Fiorella and Vetstreet