How Your Pet Helps and How You Can Pay Them Back ByLaura Vissaritis30 June 2020There can be no doubt that spending time with our pets improves our wellbeing. It even makes us live longer. And yes, your pet will live longer if they’re happier too.Category:Pet Health, Mental HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
How Do I Teach My Dog to Walk on Lead?ByLaura Vissaritis26 May 2020It should be an opportunity to get exercise, bond with your dog, absorb the surroundings and allow your dog to check the daily pee-mails.Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
Getting To Know Your PuppyByLaura Vissaritis19 May 2020If you've recently adopted a puppy, congratulations! Prepare to embark on one of the most rewarding and heart-warming journeys of your life.Category:Pet Health, Bringing home a New PetRead MoreWrite a Comment
Top Tips for Communicating with and Training a Deaf DogByHIF Australia18 May 2018Some puppies are born deaf and other dogs can go deaf from a variety of causes, from chronic ear infections or injuries to drug toxicity and, just like us, old age. Often people think that a deaf dog will have behavioural problems or will be too hard to train. But that’s simply not the case, you absolutely can train a deaf dog just as well as a hearing dog, the only difference is that you use hand signals instead of verbal commands. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara catches up with Judy Small who appears in this episode with her deaf dog, Chance, to hear her top tips for communicating with and training a deaf dog.Category:Pet Health, Training Your PetRead MoreWrite a Comment
Blood Infections and UTI’s in DogsByHIF Australia11 May 2018Cystitis and urinary tract infections, also known as UTI, not only affect us humans, but dogs can also suffer from these when their bladder becomes inflamed from infections, stones, or polyps and It's so important to get these checked out as soon as symptoms present themselves. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Dr. Melissa explains the symptoms to look out for and the the treatment options available.Category:Pet Health, Caring for Your Furry FriendRead MoreWrite a Comment
Boredom Busters for Your DogByLaura Vissaritis08 May 2018Is your dog bored? According to animal behaviour expert, Laura V, "When a dog lacks purpose and focus in their day, they expend that mental and physical energy into behaviours that we often find irritating. There are usually very few reasons for the wide range of problem behaviours in dogs. Whether a dog digs up the back yard, barks at the neighbour’s cat, eats your couch, or has an accident on your prized rug, it is usually (not exclusively) caused by anxiety and/or frustration. So, I've come up with a list of 'boredom' busters for you and your dog. These are simple and inexpensive ideas that will help to give your dog purpose during their day that can be played either with or without you." Click through to the article to read Laura's top five boredom busters for your dog. Category:Pet Health, Caring for Your Furry FriendRead MoreWrite a Comment
Applying for HIF Pet InsuranceByHIF Australia03 May 2018Did you know with HIF Pet Insurance, you can choose the percentage you’d like to receive back on any of our three levels of cover? Plus, you’ll also receive continuous cover for your pet regardless of their age or claims history. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara and Gyton chat through the importance of insuring your pooch and how quick and easy it is to sign up for HIF Pet.Category:Pet Health, Pet Insurance, Caring for Your Furry FriendRead MoreWrite a Comment
Can Dogs Donate Blood?ByHIF Australia27 April 2018Do you know about the need for donated blood for our dogs? Vets often rely on staff pets or a willing client to donate blood which can put a lot of pressure on an animal to act as a donor, especially when they are not always the best candidate for blood donation (due to age, size, recently having donated blood etc). By increasing donor lists at pet blood banks and also at general practice clinics, the demand for blood can be shared around which is better for everyone." In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Lara catches up with veterinary nurse, Bella to hear all about the Blood Hound Donor Campaign.Category:Pet Health, Caring for Your Furry FriendRead MoreWrite a Comment
Blood Hound Donor Campaign ByHIF Australia21 April 2018Do you know about the need for donated blood for our dogs? According to our friends at Pooches at Play and veterinary nurse, Bella, "The need for a dog to have a blood transfusion can be caused from a surprisingly large number of medical conditions. This could be from severe anaemia to a traumatic injury, immune illnesses to poisoning and many other things in between! Vets often rely on staff pets or a willing client to donate blood which can put a lot of pressure on an animal to act as a donor, especially when they are not always the best candidate for blood donation (due to age, size, recently having donated blood etc). By increasing donor lists at pet blood banks and also at general practice clinics, the demand for blood can be shared around which is better for everyone." In this post, Bella talks us through the important process for canine blood donation. Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
Intervertrebal Disc Degeneration Case StudyByHIF Australia18 April 2018Did you know that intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD is very common in dogs? In particular daxons, or commonly known as sausage dogs, with their long back and little legs, they need to take special care of their backs. Especially because of their predisposition to intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD. In this short clip with our friends at Pooches at Play, Gyton catches up with daxon owner, Sarah to hear their personal experience with IVDD.Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
Preparing for a New Baby ByHIF Australia12 April 2018Have you ever wondered how to prepare your dog for your newborn's arrival? According to Dr. Melissa, "You want to make sure that there’s a positive association between them and the baby. When the baby is getting lots and lots of attention, it's important to praise the dogs. The more they’re rewarded, the more positive they’ll feel about the new situation." In this short clip, Melissa provides her top tips on how to provide a loving home to the humans and fur-kids in your family equally.Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
Top Reasons for Vet VisitsByHIF Australia08 April 2018There are many reasons that our dogs visit the vets and for the most part this is for a general checkup, but other times things can be a little more serious and it’s important to know why. In this short clip, Dr. Melissa Meehan talks us through the top reasons why our dogs pay a visit to the vet and shares her top tips on preventive measures to put in place and the best treatment for our pooches.Category:Pet Health, Vet Visits Read MoreWrite a Comment
Anxiety in CatsByLaura Vissaritis21 March 2018Anxiety in dogs is pretty easy to spot, but what about anxiety in cats? According to animal behaviourst, Laura V, "Whilst we believe cats are less likely to suffer from anxiety than dogs, there is increasing evidence that cats benefit from owners who take preventative measures for anxiety. Because cats are less expressive, we may be missing critical signs of their emotional state." With this in mind we caught up with Laura to hear the signs we should watch out for and her top tips to help our felines overcome their anxiety. Category:Pet Health, Caring for Your Furry FriendRead MoreWrite a Comment
Should Your Pets Sleep On Your Bed?ByLaura Vissaritis14 March 2018There's no doubt that pets are good for us. Current research confirms everything we have ever believed, including how pets decrease our blood pressure, increase our happy brain chemicals, improve our social skills and even in many cases; help us to live longer. But what about the question that sparks great debate across pet owners: should your pet sleep on your bed? In her latest article for HIF, animal behaviour expert, Laura V, delves into the research behind this topic and provides her opinion and top tips to ensure a great night’s sleep for both you and your pet. Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment
Should I Get a Second Dog? Laura V’s Top Tips for welcoming a second dog into your homeByLaura Vissaritis19 February 2018Are you thinking about introducing another four legged friend into your home? Before you make that decision always make sure it is what is in your existing dog's best interests. In her latest article for HIF, animal behaviorist Laura V shares her top tips to make sure that introducing your second dog is as successful as possible. Category:Pet HealthRead MoreWrite a Comment