Is It the Right Thing to Get Your Pet a Heated Bed?

We all want to do the very best for our animals. We are, after all, responsible for their health and happiness and most of us love pampering our feline and canine friends. Older dogs or cats who suffer from arthritis or simply aching muscles and joints can often really benefit from the warmth of a heated bed. If you live in a fairly cold area that suffers really chilly temperatures, then your pets can suffer from exposure to the cold. Not all breeds have sufficiently thick coats. In these cases, getting a pet a heated bed is a great idea.

However, there are some conditions that are aggravated by heat and would be made worse by a heated bed or mat. In particular animals who might have any skin condition or recent wounds should not be exposed to additional heat as this might worsen the condition. The best thing to do is double check with your vet to see whether or not a heated bed is the right avenue. In all cases, you should never let your pet lie directly against a heat source but should ensure that there is a blanket or some sort of covering between.

When you start looking for the right heated bed for your pet you will be faced with an enormous variety of products on the market. Some things to keep in mind when you're researching all these products are:

Finding the Right Pet Urn: Brass Pet Urns, Glass Pet Urns and Other Artistic Memorials

When a beloved pet passes away, figuring out the right way to memorialize them can sometimes be a challenge. Some pet owners choose to bury their pets in a meaningful location. Still others decide that they would like to have the cremains stored in an urn, such as decorative glass or brass pet urns. If you've decided that an urn is the direction you want to go, there are a couple of options that you and your family have.

Glass

While it is extremely delicate, glass urns are simply a sight to behold. Unlike brass pet urns, glass is a much lighter material and has a more modern feel to it. Glass takes many forms and includes a variety of colors. If your furry friend was a lively addition to the family all the way until the end, glass pet urns are a great way to capture their spirit and embody their light and the color they added to your life.

Ceramic

Ceramic urns are possibly the most versatile of all material types. It can be formed to virtually any shape using any color. While they are more breakable than brass pet urns, they will still stand the test of time when kept in a place where it is not likely to get bumped or knocked to the ground. The earthy nature of a ceramic pet urn is a good fit for anyone who had a pet who was more at home playing in the back yard or roaming the neighborhood than sitting indoors.

Wood

Was your dog's favorite game fetch? Did they pick up a stick every time you would go on a walk? Why not honor their love for the game by getting a wooden urn? Wood is a wonderful choice for pet owners because of its natural beauty. These urns are stained to bring out the lines of the wood grain and are a great memorial to display in your home.

Brass

This stately metal has been a traditional choice for years and it will likely never go out of style. Brass Pet urns are durable and will stand the test of time. They are also a beautiful option if you choose to display the urn in your home. Brass ages well and you are certain to have a lasting tribute to your beloved pet. If your pet was a faithful companion and loyal friend, tried and true through the years, consider brass.

Melody Jamali is the Founder and President of ( Une Belle Vie ), a Colorado company dedicated to bringing choice of cremation to public light. Their company offers the widest selection in decorative urns for cremation and includes a wide collection of resources designed to help families and friends in their time of need. From tool for the grieving to informative articles about planning, support and other uplifting thoughts, Une Belle Vie is a company dedicated to helping your celebrate the life of the one you love - on your terms.

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Choosing a Pet - How To Decide on the Right Pet For Your Family

Choosing the Right Food for Your Guinea Pig

Guinea pigs are adorable social small animals and owning one can be fun, but at the same time they create huge responsibility requirements. Like rabbits, their teeth grow continuously through their lifetime and therefore they have a constant urge to gnaw at objects with wooden surfaces. Guinea pigs also require balanced diets, enriched with their daily nutrient requirements.

Speak to your vet or pet food retailer about a feeding plan formulated to ensure that your piggie receives all the dietary requirements needed to maintain a proper digestive system, dental health and social relations. Seek out a manufacturer that provides a variety of food products, formulated to satisfy the requirements needed for guinea pigs to achieve physical growth.

One of the leading guinea pig food products offered in the UK is contains a Herbage and Forage meal plan, which contains vital nutrients needed to maintain good dental health. The company offers several Herbage brands such including Herbage with dandelion and marigold, Herbage with chamomile and Herbage with birch bark so your pet can be offered variety at each feeding time. The dust is extracted from these products before packaging, to avoid causing respiratory problems to your pet.

Nuggets can also be offered to add variety to your pet's meals but make sure that it is fibre rich and not muesli based because this is packed full of sugar. Look for nuggets that contain added vitamins, prebiotics and minerals which help to maintain a healthy coat, eyes and skin.

Fresh greens are also ideally fed to these small pets, because they provide required nutrients and also provide a dietary variety for your pet. Wash the greens thoroughly, to avoid causing problematic digestive problems. Spinach, broccoli, carrot tops and tomatoes are great sources of greens fed to guinea pigs. Some greens to avoid include tomato leaves, rhubarbs potato and potato tops.

Water forms an essential part in a guinea pigs everyday life; these small animals can be rather clumsy and they can scatter their waste all over and therefore, the chances of water contamination are high. Ensure that you check your pet's water trough about 3 times daily and regularly clean the water trough. If possible, use heavy water containers that cannot be toppled over or suspend the containers above ground level.

Your pet's health depends on you and as a responsible guinea pig owner you need to understand his dietary requirements and feed him a fibre rich diet that will promote a long and healthy life.

Burgess Excel is the UK's Number One Vet Approved Guinea Pig Food. Visit Burgess Pet Care to find out more or to buy online.