Meet Brooksie and Brody!

I watched these two beautiful babies over the weekend.  They are Brittany Spaniels, I highly recommend this breed to anyone looking to adopt, they are so smart, well behaved, and have the sweetest personalities!

 

Meet Dacota!

This sweet, adorable and energetic gal made my day!  

We had a fantastic walk while her mommy was away!  

Meet Squeaker & Hanley!

"I had the best time caring for these 2 sweethearts
over the past Thanksgiving holiday!"

     

Love and Kisses,

Nikki's Pet Services

Insured and Bonded

November, 2012

Nikki's Pet Services is proud to announce that we are "Bonded and Insured" by Pet Sitters Associates, LLC.

The Pet Sitting Industry:

The professional pet-sitting industry is growing rapidly because many pet owners feel that there are advantages to using pet sitters, rather than traditional pet care options.

Reasons people use pet sitters include:

*  Possible reduced stress on pets because pets are cared for in their own homes.
*  No "travel trauma" to pets because they do not need to be transported anywhere.
*  Exposure to illnesses and parasites of other animals is minimized.
*  Required vaccinations are often less restrictive than those necessary at a kennel.
*  Pets stay on their regular routines and do not need to adapt to a new environment.
*  Not having to deal with neighbors, friends or family members feeling that they are inconvenienced.

Professional pet sitters are often licensed, and insured for liability including care, custody, and control of the pets in their care. Many pet sitters are also bonded or insured for theft. 

In many areas, no special occupational license is required for pet sitters. The term "licensed" is often used by pet sitting professionals to refer to licenses to do business, kennel licenses, and/or animal transportation permits available within the coverage area of the business. These licenses may or may not be required, depending on the location. Licenses are not available in all areas.

Dog walking:

Pet sitters also provide dog walking services. Disabled clients and the elderly often hire pet sitters to exercise and care for their pets if they are unable to do so.

Insurance:

Most professional pet sitters are insured through nationwide Pet Sitter insurance providers.  As of 2010, the major American and Canadian pet sitting insurance providers include claim limits from 2 million to 4 million per claim for liability claims. They also include an uncommon endorsement that provides coverage for care, custody, and control of the client pets from $10,000 to $200,000 per occurrence. Coverage is included for fire damage, lost keys, and other negligence claims.

As of 2010, the major UK pet sitting insurance providers include similar claim coverage's as the USA providers. The limits for liability claims generally range from £2,000,000 to £5,000,000.

Most pet sitter insurance plans provide coverage for pet transport. The majority of pet sitting industry insurers also provide care, custody, and control liability coverage for all animals, excluding loss from income from an animal that may be used for other business ventures such as farming.

Some resources recommend that pet sitters be bonded. That recommendation has been dismissed by many professional organizations in recent years.

Bonding:

A dishonesty or  pet bond claim generally applies when a pet sitter is convicted in criminal court of theft from a client home. When the pet sitter is convicted, the bond will reimburse the client for the loss, and then seek reimbursement from the pet sitter. This process can take many years to complete, and usually relies on a criminal law court conviction.

Many pet sitters have decided to seek actual insurance coverage for theft instead of procuring a bond. Theft insurance coverage does not require convictions, and can include coverage for accidental breakage, mysterious disappearance, and accidental damage to items in a client home.

Other insurance Topics:

Pet sitters are generally not protected from injury to themselves by regular pet sitting liability coverage. Pet sitter liability insurance usually covers injury to other people and other pets.

Respectfully,

Nikki's Pet Services
954-916-7106
nkantis.blogspot.com

Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Dog Owners

dogster.com

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There's enough for people to worry about at Thanksgiving. "Oh no, not Aunt Edna's greasy gravy." "My brother's bragging is going to drive me to drink." "I can't believe I ate the whole thing." But we can't just think of ourselves over this food-focused holiday: We have to look after our best friends, too.

Dogs enjoy the revelry at least as much as humans, with bits of this and that dropping on the floor, and delectable smells wafting around the house. But Thanksgiving mustn't be a free-for-all. Just because we try to pack away all we can doesn't mean our dogs should. And there are certain items your dog really needs to avoid.

"Veterinarians experience an increased number of office calls due to digestive problems after the holidays because humans invite their animals to celebrate with high fat meals (ham, gravy, turkey skin), chocolates, bones , etc.," warns Casandria Smith, L.A. Animal Services Chief Veterinarian, in a PetFinder article.

Here are some tips that will help your dog get through Thanksgiving safely and with a smile on her snout.

Stuff Your Turkey, Not Your Dog

It's easy to want to give your dog a big fat bowl of turkey, mashed potatoes, and whatever else you think she might enjoy. But that's a bad idea. Overindulging in fatty foods can lead to an upset stomach, diarrhea, or a life-threatening condition called pancreatitis. A few strips of turkey on a dog's normal food is fine, but don't overdo it, no matter how she may plead with her "I'm STARVING" eyes. Keep in mind that turkey skin can wreak havoc with a dog's digestive system, so make sure she gets skinless, boneless turkey.

Stuff Your Dog's Kong, Not Your Dog

Here's a great way to keep your dog busy and happy during your meal. Put a bit of your dog's regular food in a Kong, and then stuff a little boneless turkey, sweet potatoes, gravy - just a tad, mind you - in the Kong. It's not much food, but it will keep him occupied for a long time.

Get Her Pooped

A dog who has been on a big walk or fetched the ball a zillion times will be much more likely to run out of energy during the feast than a dog who's been inside all day. A tired dog is a good dog on Thanksgiving. Make sure your pup gets plenty of exercise before the festivities begin.

Make No Bones About It

Cooked turkey bones can be a danger to your dog. They're sharp, and potentially very dangerous. You may not know a dog has a turkey bone lodged in your dog's digestive system for days. Don't leave plates with bones lying around. Ditto for the turkey carcass. Hungry dogs have been known to run off with the remains of a carved turkey. It can happen in the blink of an eye. You notice the turkey is gone. You notice the dog is gone. With luck, you find their hiding place before anything happens. Put plates in an unreachable area if you can't dispose of everything properly right away.

Know This Sage Wisdom

Sage and some other herbs have essential oils that can cause tummy upset and central nervous system depression if a dog eats them in large quantities. Most dogs aren't going to nosh on a fistful of sage, but keep herbs out of reach just in case. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Cry Over Onions

Onions are toxic to dogs. They can lead to a dangerous form of anemia that may not be detected for days. Make sure your dog stays away from the pearly whites, and yellows, and reds. See: Poisonous Plants and Foods for Dogs.

Don't Give Her the Raw Deal

Unless your dog is already on a raw diet, we wouldn't recommend plopping a piece of raw turkey in her bowl (the change from her regular food might cause an upset stomach). But more importantly, keep your pup away from the uncooked dough for bread or rolls. What helps make dough rise? Heat. If a dog eats raw dough, what's it like for the dough in the dog's stomach? Warm. The dough rises in the dog's stomach, and if the dog has eaten enough, the swollen dough can cause pain, vomiting, and bloating -- conditions that can send you to the doggy ER on Thanksgiving.

Avoid Yappy Hour

Some dogs seem to enjoy alcoholic drinks. Walk away from your drink that's set on the coffee table, and Lulu may get lit. Dogs and booze are a bad mix. Your dog may not do anything embarrassing she'll regret in the morning, but she could become disoriented and quite ill. Too much alcohol can even lead to a coma, and death. Watch where you - and others - put their drinks, especially if you have a curious pup.

By following a few basic tips, your dog will enjoy a fun, safe Thanksgiving. Now if only you could avoid Aunt Edna's gravy ...

Nikki's Pet Sitting Flyer...

 

 

The Holidays Are Approaching!!

    

GOING OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS??

NOT SURE WHO WILL TAKE GREAT CARE OF 

FIDO WHILE YOU ARE AWAY?

LOOK NO FURTHER!!!

BOOK YOUR PETSITTER NOW!

CONTACT ME TODAY!  

Serving the Fort Lauderdale Area!  

954.916.7106

Getting Ready for Halloween!

Prepare Your Pets for Hurricanes

Don't Forget to Prepare Your Pets for Hurricanes:

Our continued thoughts and prayers go to the people and pets affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Thank you to all the brave first responders risking their lives to help others in need.  

We want to remind everyone to please have an emergency plan in place to include your animals. 

"The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency depends largely on emergency planning done today."

Plan for pet needs during a disaster by:

• Identifying shelter. For public health reasons, many emergency shelters cannot accept pets.  Find out which motels and hotels in the area you plan to evacuate to allow pets well in advance of needing them. There are also a number of guides that list hotels/motels that permit pets and could serve as a starting point. Include your local animal shelter's number in your list of emergency numbers. They might be able to provide information concerning pets during a disaster.
• Take pet food, bottled water, medications, veterinary records, cat litter/pan, manual can opener, food dishes, first aid kit and other supplies with you in case they're not available later. Before you find yourself in an emergency situation, consider packing a "pet survival" kit which could be easily deployed if disaster hits.
• Make sure identification tags are up-to-date and securely fastened to your pet's collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation site. If your pet gets lost, his tag is his ticket home.
• Make sure you have a current photo of your pet for identification purposes.
• Make sure you have a secure pet carrier, leash or harness for your pet so that if he/she panics, he/she can't escape.

Meet Lucky and Sir Winston!

Lucky- 4 year old Cocker Spaniel

Sir Winston- 3 year old Cocker Spaniel

High-Protein Diet Not So Good for 

Kitty's Belly, Study Suggests

By Tia Ghose, LiveScience Staff Writer | LiveScience.com 

Your kitten may prefer dining on chicken and salmon, but a high-protein diet may not be the best option for Fluffykins, at least if gut bacteria are any indication. Kittens fed a high-protein, low-carb diet have lower levels of helpful gut bacteria than those fed a more balanced ratio of nutrients, according to a new study. 

Many new cat foods claim they are tailored to the feline's carnivorous nature.

"There are a lot of diets now, all natural, that have high protein and fat and not much dietary fiber orcarbohydrates," said study co-author and University of Illinois researcher Kelly Swanson in a press release.

But it isn't clear that high-protein diets are actually good for cats.

To see how diet affects intestinal bacteria, the team assigned eight cats to eat either a high-protein, low-carbohydrate kibble or a balanced alternative with moderate amounts of protein and carbohydrates. After mating the cats, the scientists reared the kittens and fed them the same diet as their moms.

The kittens were allowed to play with each other in a common area with scratching posts and toys.

"It became quite a party right away," said Swanson in a press release. "It was a bit chaotic but fun as well."

At weaning, and at four and eight weeks after weaning, the team tested the bacterial DNA in 12 of the kittens' feces.

The kittens fed a high-protein diet had higher levels of bacteria that break down proteins, while cats fed the more balanced food had more carbohydrate-processing bacteria.

Surprisingly, kittens eating the higher-carb kibble had more of the beneficial gut bacteriabifidobacterium. Low levels of bifidobacteria have been linked to irritable bowel syndrome in humans. Compared with the other groups of kitties, the high carb-eating kittens also had higher levels of lactobacillus, beneficial bacteria that may play a role in cholesterol and appetite regulation.

The microbes found in the kittens' intestines weren't much different from those in the human gut, suggesting that specific diets may have similar effects across species.

"If you feed the bacteria in a cat, dog, or human colon the same substrate, there are probably going to be similar outcomes," Swanson said in the release.

The findings were published online in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Pets May Get the Flu More Often than Thought

By Rachael Rettner, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer | LiveScience.com 

Humans aren't the only ones at risk for contracting the flu this season: our furry friends can fall ill from the disease as well.

In fact, flu infections in cats and dogs may be much more common than thought, experts say. And pets can catch the flu from their owners, research finds.

One study of cat blood samples found about 30 percent of cats in Ohio had been infected with seasonal flu, and 20 percent had been infected with the H1N1 flu strain that caused the 2009 pandemic. Studies also suggest there has been an increase in cat flu infections since 2009.

Researchers have known since the 1970s that cats can get the flu, and since 2000 that dogs could get it, but detailed reports of such cases have been rare, said Christiane Loehr, an associate professor atOregon State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

Loehr and colleagues are conducting a broader study of blood samples from cats across the United States to pin down exactly how often cats get the flu.

It's not possible to know how sick the cats in the Ohio study were — the blood samples only show that they were infected at some point. It's also not clear whether these cats caught the flu from their owners, from other cats or animals, Loehr said.

But when human-to-pet transmission happens, researchers worry not only about the health of the pets, but also about the evolution of the virus. A flu virus that hops across species has the potential to undergo changes to its genetic code that could make it more virulent and dangerous to people.

"All viruses can mutate, but the influenza virus raises special concern," because it can change large segments of its DNA fairly easily, Loehr said. "In terms of hosts and mutations, who's to say that the cat couldn’t be the new pig? We'd just like to know more about this."

So far, the researchers have confirmed 13 cases in which a pet cat or dog caught the pandemic H1N1 flu strain from a person.

One of the first known cases occurred in Oregon in 2009. An 8-year-old cat became ill with flu and developed pneumonia after catching the disease from its owner, who was eventually hospitalized with H1N1.

In another case, a 10-year-old cat with a fever and breathing problems was found to have pandemic H1N1, and died after four days. The cat likely caught the flu from a child in the house who had been sick the week before. Four other cats in the house also showed signs of respiratory disease, but recovered.

Whether sick pets can transmit the flu virus back to people is not known, Loehr said.

Animals infected with the flu develop symptoms similar to those in people, including breathing problems, a running nose or eyes, and fatigue.

To protect pets, Loehr advised that owners get the seasonal flu shot, which will reduce the chances of catching flu and spreading it to others — both people and pets.

People who become sick with the flu should take the same precautions with their pets as they would with other people, such as minimizing contact with them, Loehr said.

Because of the large increase in flu in cats after 2009, the researchers are also investigating whether the pandemic strain of H1N1 is particularly adept at infecting felines, Loehr said.

Pass it on: Flu infections in cats and dogs may be much more common than thought.

Welcome to Nikki's Pet Sitting Blog...

Welcome to Nikki's Pet Sitting Blog!

I am very excited to launch my new blog for pet sitting!  Animals have always been near and dear to my heart since early childhood.  I dedicate this blog to my Grandmother who truly loved animals and taught me at an early age how to love and care for every one of God's beautiful creatures.  To this day, even though my Grandmother is no longer with us, every sweet animal I come across makes me smile and think of her, because I feel she is always with me...

I offer my clients complete comfort in knowing that while they're away, their animals are in very good hands in my care.  Being a dog owner myself, I know how precious pets are to one's family and truly believe they are a big part of the family unit.  That's why I take pride in taking good care of them.  I offer a wide variety of services to not only your pet, but to your home as well, all the things that you can't do while you're away.  

I look forward to working with you and keeping pet owners up to date on the latest news, pet health care tips, important updates on pet food/treat recall notices, and any other pertinent information that is vital to every pet owner.  Please feel free to share with me your ideas and tips as well!

We offer the following services in specifically Broward County/Fort Lauderdale, FL:
-Pet Sitting 1x-2x-3x daily.
-House Sitting during daytime only hours.
-House Cleaning as a compliment to Pet Sitting.
-Dog Walking.
-Pet Medications.-Running Errands.

If interested in a "Complimentary Consultation" kindly contact me:
Nikki Kantis: 954.916.7106
Email:  nkantis77@gmail.com

"Dedicated to my Grandma who loved life and all of God's creatures!"