We all know that person that is allergic to almost everything. This person can hardly step outside his front door before he’s attacked by all kinds of contaminants that make him sneeze or make his eyes water. When this happens, all he has to do is go to the doctor and tell the doctor what’s going on with him. “Well, doc, every time I go outside during the Spring to play disc golf with my friends, my eyes start to water and I can’t even enjoy myself.” At which point the doctor will undoubtedly tell him that he has allergies and prescribe him some...

During my career working in pet stores, I was often asked “What is the best pet for kids?” Of course, this is a very subjective question, since every child is different and likewise, has different interests and things they desire in their ideal “pet” animal. Nevertheless, some general criteria come to mind: Easy to care for Good temperament; not prone to biting Not too large Fairly inexpensive to acquire and maintain Relatively “durable” & can withstand regular petting/handling This is certainly true for younger children, and especially when you take into account that Mom or Dad may...

PROBLEM: Many people go to the pet store and just start picking out fish for their new tank like an interior decorator picks out new furniture for a mansion. Often the only criteria is what looks good; i.e. the most colorful fish or the most impressive. Occasionally, their checkbook makes the decisions and only the cheap fish are selected. While there is nothing wrong with desiring the nicest-looking fish for your aquarium, or simply being economical, there is often very little thought given to the long term “big picture.” Can your tank really hold that many fish? Will that fish outgrow the...

  Whether you have rural acreage, a suburban backyard or an urban lot, you may be able to raise chickens. No kidding. Keeping a few hens in your backyard will give you fresh eggs that are significantly more nutritious than what you normally buy at the supermarket. Free-range eggs have less cholesterol and saturated fat, and more vitamin E, beta carotene vitamin A and omega-3s than the eggs you’re used to. Plus, your birds can be raised humanely (much more so than they would be in a factory-farm setting), and give you hours of entertainment. Why Raise Chickens? ...

  Containing Indoor Pet Allergens We all know someone who is allergic to pets in some way. That person probably doesn’t have a pet of their own, and most likely, you have to put your pets up or outside when this friend comes to visit. It’s unknown, really, as to what makes a person allergic to something, and that makes preventing allergic reactions difficult. It is estimated that 70% of US households have a pet of some kind, and an estimated 10% of the US population are allergic to these pets. One misconception about pet allergies is that the fur or hair causes...