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How to Help Your Pet Lose Their Winter Weight -

Post by: Kenzie on Feb 12th 2019

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Everything You Need to Know to Protect Your Pet's Heart -

In February, hearts are on everyone's minds thanks to Valentine's Day. But did you know that February is also American Heart Month? It's the American Heart Association's hope to use this month to educate people about the threat of heart disease, and it's something that pet owners should also take notice of. Pets can develop issues with their heart health just like humans, but they have to rely on us to take notice. Knowledge and awareness are your best tools of defense in keeping your furry friend happy and healthy. Here is everything you need to know to protect your pet's heart, brought to you by our pet door installation experts .

Watch Their Diet

Sliding Glass Door

Pets, like humans, require a healthy diet to maintain a healthy body. Obesity is the number one cause of heart disease, and the best way to prevent both is to feed your pet a well-balanced diet. If your pet is overweight, start by cutting back on their daily food intake and limiting the number of treats they receive throughout the day. Also, consider reviewing the meals you give them to make sure they have access to healthy foods in the first place. It's recommended by veterinarians that both cats and dogs be fed a meat-based diet (cats especially, as their diet must include taurine, which is only found in foods that are meat-based) but you should contact your vet if you have questions about your pet's diet and any changes that might have to be made to it.

Exercise Them Frequently

Dog Door for Sliding Glass Door

A pet's diet isn't the only essential part of keeping them at a healthy weight. Though what kind and how much depends on their breed, age, and size, every pet needs some form of daily physical activity. Paired with a well-balanced diet, regular exercise is just as important in helping them lead a healthy and active lifestyle; it helps them burn calories, keep agile, and get their heart pumping. This is an easy task for dog owners, as most love getting some fresh air and doing cardio. You can take your pick from activities such as running, walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, etc. Chances are they'll just be thrilled to be out of the house and make use of all their pent-up energy. If you have questions, you can consult with your veterinarian about what amount of exercise is recommended daily for your dog's breed (as a general rule, most breeds need a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity per day). Cat owners, on the other hand, may have a harder time finding an activity their cat will enjoy doing. Most cats require at least 15 minutes of exercise daily, but oftentimes it can be difficult to even get them interested enough to get off the couch. Experiment with different toys and activities to find what your cat most prefers. You can even train them to leash-walk outside with a harness or to walk on the treadmill with your supervision if you start young and have some patience with the process.

Schedule Regular Vet Visits

Dog Door for Sliding Glass

Early detection of heart disease can mean the difference between life and death for some pets. Many pet owners, however, don't know what to watch for when it comes to detecting signs of heart disease in their pet; that's exactly what veterinarian visits are for! Scheduling regular yearly check-ups with your vet gives them the chance to closely monitor your pet's heart/overall health and detect issues before symptoms arise or the condition becomes too serious. Their life could be greatly prolonged if something is indeed wrong with their heart.

Know the Signs of Heart Disease

doggy dog door for glass door

We mentioned above that many pet owners don't know how to recognize early signs of heart disease in their pets. While knowing some of the telltale symptoms certainly doesn't replace a routine vet visit, it does give you the advantage of a head start in between visits to tell if something could be amiss with your pet's heart. Some common signs of heart disease in pets you should be aware of include,

  • Lethargy and/or weakness
  • Fainting and/or collapsing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Open-mouthed panting or breathing
  • Coughing
  • Loss of appetite
  • Abrupt changes in behavior
  • Agitation and/or restlessness
  • Accelerated or slowed heart rate
  • Sudden tendency to seek isolation
  • Reduced tolerance to exercise
  • Rapid and noticeable weight loss
  • Weakness or paralysis in rear limbs

Be Wary of Heartworms

pet door for sliding glass door

Heartworm disease is an especially scary health concern for pet owners. A mosquito-borne parasite that is found in all 50 states, it can cause pulmonary embolism, blood flow restriction, blood vessel inflammation, and, if left untreated, fatal heart failure. Their natural hosts are dogs, but cats can be infected just as easily with more severe results; unfortunately, treatment is nonexistent for cats and the first symptom that they have been affected is usually sudden death. Treatment for dogs is possible but expensive and painful, and dogs can still be left with permanent heart damage if treatment comes too late. The good news? Prevention is very easy and effective for both cats and dogs with a pill or topical product administered to them once every month. Heartworm blood tests are also recommended every two or three years, especially and more often for pets who don't have prevention medication. If you have questions or concerns about heartworm prevention and/or treatment, contact your veterinarian to speak about what's best for your pet.

Brush Their Teeth

pet door for sliding glass door

Your pet's teeth may seem far removed from issues related to their hearts, but gum disease in pets has been linked to the development of heart disease. Plaque and infection in your pet's mouth can find its way into their bloodstream and eventually lead to congestive heart failure. Further health concerns can also occur, such as kidney and liver failure. Brushing your pet's teeth and keeping up with their dental health can prevent this. If you notice unusual problems like bleeding gums, foul breath, or sore gums, contact your vet.

You want your furry friend to be around for as long as possible, but in order to do that they need to have a healthy heart. Prevention and/or treatment for heart diseases isn't something that your pet can seek after themselves; they depend on you to help keep them and their heart in good condition. Knowing how to protect your pet from heart disease and where to find medical care if they develop it will increase your pet's chance of leading a long and happy life. Do you have any questions? Contact Glass Pet Doors today to discuss installing the perfect pet door for sliding glass door for your pet, giving them access to more exercise and keeping their heart healthy.

What Our Customers Say

  • Lisa Jensen
    Can't say enough good about working with Trevor at Utah Pet Access to have a dog door installed at my mother's home. Very knowledgeable and professional. Thank you!
  • Michael Riggs
    Installed a large pet door at my house. They did a great job, despite the fact that my back door's decoration made it complex. I am very satisfied. Thank you!
  • Amy Romney
    Utah Pet Access was great to work with. They were very responsive. The bid and install guys both showed up on time for their appointments. They both explained everything in detail and were very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!
  • Jake Buxton
    Easily the best in the biz! There's another rag tag outfit running around using inferior product and the finished product from Utah Pet Access is far better looking. Almost as if the door came from the factory this way! Impressed!
  • Brian Long
    UPA replaced a large, fixed arched window that is on the 3rd floor. They did encounter a problem with the thickness of the gap between the panes on the day of the install but caught it before fully removing the original window. They were out the next business day to finish the job. First day it was raining; second day the wind was rather bad. No complaints from them. Also had them replace the fixed glass in french doors with ones that have the built-in blinds. We will use UPA again if the need arises.
  • Nicole Stirling
    Great experience. Fast service, good communication, excellent product.
  • Lance Beech
    Great installer did a gray job fast I have nothing but good to say about the company and the people who work there
  • sandra bithell-hottel
    professional, timely and quality workmanship they’ve done three doors for me and they stand behind their workmanship!
  • Michael St Clair
    They have done 3 pet doors for me over the last 6 years and every time they have done an amazing job. They are very professional and cleanup everything when done. It always looks great and they have amazing solutions for every house I have put a dog door in.
  • Hunter Bigelow
    We love our glass door with the pet door! One of the best purchases we have made for both us and our pets. Utah Pet Access was great to work with and were professional and knowledgeable throughout the process. Would 100% recommend them to anybody.
  • John Skedros
    They are a great company to work with. We had a small problem with the door. It was still under warranty and they came by and fixed it without any hassle to us.
  • Amanda Marriott
    Brad and Utah Pet Access has been absolutely amazing! The door is not only beautiful, but is functional. From the time that we communicated with Brad to the time the door was installed…was seamless and smooth. Great communication. The installation was precise and quick. The installer was kind and professional. Good with my 3 German Shepherds and he did amazing work. I would highly recommend Utah Pet Access for any of your door and pet door needs! Thank you!!
  • Jenny D
    We absolutely love our pet door!! The employees are very kind and pleasant to work with! I highly recommended them.
  • R.D. Parsons
    Life changing as a pet owner after we were able to get a dog door installed. Happy pets and happy owners. Pet Access was fast, professional and friendly when it came to getting the project completed.
  • Darrell Poleviyaoma
    Utah Per Access had a wonderful and great customer service. Great installation and great product will totally recommend them to someone else and family.
  • Cristian Wood
    Trevor and his team are as professional as they come! They are always going above and beyond and providing an outstanding experience. I have and would still highly recommend them.
  • Jennifer Bellows
    Great company to work with! So responsive and reliable! My large Labrador loves his large Endura Flap door. Took less than a month from the initial phone call to install. I highly recommend this company.
  • Heather Bandiola
    We had a great experience with our pet door purchase, the customer service, and installation. We not only got the pet door installed but had the glass on the other side replaced also. We had it installed over a year ago and we're still happy with it. Thank you!
  • dbbedoya
    Did an amazing job and adapted to some last minute changes to make it even more accessible for my doggie! Thank you so much! Great company to work with!
  • Lindsay Flesch
    We just recently ordered and had a beautiful patio door with dog and blind insert installed. Utah Pet Access went above and beyond to ensure that we were happy with our finished product. I would strongly recommend this company for your pet door installation. Their customer service was excellent. Thank you Utah Pet Access!
  • William B
    Great work. The dogs love it and I’ve had zero issues with the door or installation.
  • Michelle Flesher
    I love, love, love my pet door from Utah Pets. I was very worried about getting the measurements right, but with Trevor's help it was a breeze. Thanks so much.
  • candace ashby
    These guys were awesome. Great service, friendly, my dog door looks awesome. I’ve sent them to a few of my neighbors. Highly recommend!
  • Steve Uragami
    Pet door works great!! Installation was fast and clean.
  • Mark Zambrzycki
    Had an excellent experience with Utah Pet Access getting a dog door installed in my glass patio slider. Trevor was extremely responsive and helpful. He worked with my glass company to get the order done right and shipped to them. It was then installed perfectly, with no issues. Please give them a call!!!
  • David Artica
    My wife and I have loved this product. Our dog goes in and out to our backyard at will. It’s nice to not have to worry about her being stuck inside all day. Best of all I never had to buy a sliding door, or drill any holes in ours
  • Chad Anderson
    Easy to work with. Great product.
  • Jenny Yergensen
    Super easy to work with, did a fantastic job and were less than one or two other competitors that I looked at! Would definitely recommend…having a doggie door for our 2 dogs has been a complete game changer!
  • Sarah Willardson
    I looked everywhere online to find a product to install in my home that would work for my dog's needs. They were the PERFECT solution. Could not be happier with the product and service!
  • Melanie Hall
    Worth every penny that I spent on the dog door, as it has made a huge difference for my elderly dog. Great service and workmanship.
  • Jason Rabbitt
    I absolutely recommend this place. Their price was the best I found in the area and they were very kind and helpful. They answered all my questions and went over all my options. I ended up being able to keep the original glass (safely stored in my home) which means if I ever sell my town house, and the buyers don't want a doggie door, Utah Pet Access will come back to my home and install the original glass (for a very reasonable install fee). The installation was quick and they helped me store the original glass safely. I've had my doggie door for over a year now, and it still works great, the magnetic latch still works very well, and my dachshund uses it every day.
  • David K
    They were professional and installed a great looking doggy door for us. 2 years later it still works like new.
  • Andy Nichols
    High quality door and professional guidance through selecting the right door for my house.
  • Tony Washington
    The company provided us with an excellent installation of our pet door at a very reasonable price.
  • Pete Gallegos
    Utah Pet Access did a great job putting a doggie door on my 8' tall French door with the blinds inside the glass. I have recommended them to many friends and family
  • Abby Jenkins
    Utah Pet Access was responsive, friendly, and prompt with their consultation and door installation. I've had my pet door for about a year now and have had zero issues. It is well insulated, quiet, and easy to use. The cat and dog love it!
  • Kevin Edwards
    Great product and very easy to install.