Category: How To

Best Hair Loss Remedies

Hair loss is more than just embarrassing, it’s downright frustrating. It can be absolutely infuriating to watch your appearance change despite your best efforts to prevent it from happening. Did you know that hair loss can be slowed down or even reversed?

While wearing hats and combing your hair a certain way can help, eventually you have to face the problem head-on. Medication, hair transplants, or natural remedies can help to slow or stop the loss of hair. Hair loss most commonly occurs when the hair follicle shrinks. As the hair grows shorter and thinner, the follicle eventually stops growing new hair. The good news is that while hair no longer grows, the follicles do remain alive. With the help of different treatments, there is the possibility to grow new hair again. If you’re having trouble with hair loss, try some of these hair loss remedies!

Top Hair Loss Remedies

Natural Methods

We recommend starting with simple, natural hair loss remedies. There are a variety of natural remedies you can try out if you’re having trouble with hair loss. Vitamin’s A, E and B are all known to encourage hair growth natural. Omega-3 is also a great natural way to encourage your hair to grow! Saw palmetto is another favorite natural remedy, as is massaging essential oils into the scalp. Finally, simply attempting to reduce your overall stress level, and combing and styling your hair gently, can help your hair grow and stick around!

Rogaine

Rogaine is a highly-recommended medicinal treatment for hair loss. Minoxidil, as the drug is clinically called, has a satisfaction guarantee and is said to increase hair growth by 25% in three months. The medicine works over a long period of time, so patience is key! For those willing to stick with it, though, the treatment is said to be highly effective. It’s recommended, even after hair regrowth occurs, that you keep taking the medication to encourage the hair to not fall out again!

Surgery

A more extreme measure for those with serious hair loss is transplant surgery. While it might sound drastic, it’s actually rather safe and has a high rate of success. The surgery itself takes four to eight hours, and it’s generally considered rather costly. It’s also not covered by most insurance, meaning it’s usually undertaken as a last resort for those who are unhappy with their hair. That said, if you’ve tried everything and none of it is working, this is a good final option to try out.

September 22, 2018
Best Ways to Check Credit Score

If you’re looking to make a big purchase, like a car or a house, odds are you’re going to need a loan. The way lenders check to see if you’re eligible for that loan, of course, is your credit score. If you often pay bills on time and are financially secure, your score should be high but you should regularly check your score.

Grab hold of your financial potential with free information about your credit score. Knowing your credit score is important because it helps you decide what your buying power is and what areas to focus on to improve this important score.

There are many factors that go into determining a credit score, including employment status, credit history, and financial consistency. There are also several different types of credit scores rather than a standard way to measure creditworthiness. Although banks and lenders may have their own method to determine a credit score, there are ways that general consumers can monitor their credit activity and keep on top of the score as it changes over the years.

If you’re looking to check your credit score you’ll want to do it for free. That’s where these free credit check sites come in!

Best Free Credit Reports

Credit.com

Credit.com allows you to see your Experian and VantageScore results for free. VantageScore is a newer model of credit scoring that is usually more up-to-date than the traditional FICO score. You have to sign up for an account with Credit.com, but it’s a free process. The site is known for its credit report card, a quick glance at which things go into your credit. This way, you can see what factors you may need to address to get your score higher!

Credit Karma

Credit Karma has become the most popular of the free credit monitoring sites for many reasons. You’ve likely heard of this one. Credit Karma offers scores from TransUnion and Equifax, and both are shown as VantageScore. Credit Karma is a free site as well, and they don’t share customer information. If you’re looking for a no-frills credit check, you’re looking for Credit Karma. They offer a great mobile app, too.

Quizzle

Since 2008, Quizzle has been helping its customers understand their credit history and providing free access to their full credit report and credit score. Quizzle offers free Equifax and VantageScore reports. Once every three months you can see a free report of your score. Quizzle technically has a premium account too, though you’re better off just using the free functions. The free functionality doesn’t require a credit card, too.

WalletHub

WalletHub offers personal financial tools to users online. Their main product is offering a free daily credit score and report associated with it. WalletHub requires you to take a pre-screening questionnaire before you get your free score. Once you answer a few basic questions, such as your income and the last four digits of your Social, you get a TransUnion credit score. The report is similar to Credit.com’s credit report card, showing you what factors influence your score the most.

September 17, 2018
7 Ways to Fly for Cheap

Cheap airfare, it’s something we’re all looking for. Finding decent prices on flights can be difficult though. It is human nature to want to travel, to explore your horizons and see new places, or perhaps, to return to the places you once knew.

Whether you want to visit home or see an exotic location, airline travel is fast, but costs a lot of money. What is the best way for finding cheap airline tickets? How do you even start? Whether you are traveling for work, for vacation, or to visit family or friends, finding cheap airfare can help you save on what’s often the largest expense of your trip.

If you’re trying to take a trip and keep finding it difficult to get a decent price, you’re probably looking for some new travel hacks to help you save some money. Well, the good news is that we’re here to help. Let’s talk about the best ways to fly for cheap! Read more below to learn about who is offering the best rates at an amazing price $73 and $39 for one-way flights!

Best Ways to Fly for Cheap

Compare Airfares

Airfares vary widely, and discount airfare is out there for those who know where to look. The most important thing is that you make sure to compare airfares. The rates offered by one airline may be much higher or lower than the rates of another. If you use one of the popular travel sites, you can easily compare airfares from different airlines.

Also, if you have any flexibility in your schedule, try putting different dates into the sites’ ticket finders to see if that makes a difference. For example, currently, Southwest Airlines is offering flights as low as $73, and Delta is offering flights as low as $39 during the holiday season.

Use Reputable Flight Search Engines

Some flight search engines actually get a cut from airlines when they help generate sales. That means that you could search for “budget flights” and have normal or even premium flights show up. In order to counter this, use reputable search engines that don’t mislead you. Great options are Skyscanner, Momondo, AirWander and JetRadar. Like we said previously don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best price.

Get Tickets Early

Get your tickets early — but not too early. You may think it would be smart to buy tickets six months in advance, but in fact, getting tickets more than five months before you need them may keep you from getting the best fares. Aim for two to four months in advance, if possible. If you can’t plan that far in advance, at least try to avoid the two-week period right before a flight, when ticket prices tend to go up.

Specialty sites like “air fare watch dog” provide a medium for you to search for deals between two specific locations, and also can send you alerts when prices drop to a much more affordable rate. This is perfect for those who know where they want to travel, just are not too concerned about when. They can snag a great deal and plan their trip once they get that informative e-mail from the website.

Airport Selection

Fly in or out of airports that are not in your destination city. If you are flying into New York City, you may be able to get cheaper fares at the Newark airport than you would in New York City’s JFK Airport. If you are going to or from San Francisco, try the Oakland or San Jose airports. Many other cities also have airports that are nearby but outside of the city limits. Flying out of an alternate airport isn’t even necessarily a hardship. For example, If you are going to some parts of Manhattan, ground transportation may get you there faster from Newark than from JFK.

You will benefit on price, though, because not as many people will think of using the other airports, so the seats won’t sell out as quickly. Always think in terms of supply and demand when trying to find cheap airfare.

Non-Direct Flights

Accept a little inconvenience in exchange for a cheaper price. You may be able to save money on long trips by taking routes where you change planes rather than taking a non-stop flight. If you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to pay a premium for the faster route. Try traveling lighter to avoid the luggage fees that so many airlines are charging now. Be creative in figuring out how to get by with fewer things on your trip.

Incognito Mode

Lock up your search history tight and don’t look back. When you start looking at flights and trips, make sure you’re in incognito mode. When you search for flight prices, sites use cookies to track how many times you’ve looked at the flight. Each new time you look, the price goes up. Why? Well, to get you to buy as soon as possible so you “lock in the lowest price.” Yeah, it’s dirty, but you can fight back!

By browsing incognito, you won’t have any cookies tracking you. This allows you to bypass this dirty trick and get a better price for your flight!

Find the Cheapest Days to Book

Try to fly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, if possible. Those are often the cheapest days of the week. If possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays, when rates tend to go up. Flying right before a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, is going to be very expensive. But if you are able to fly on the day of the holiday itself, you can usually pick up some very cheap fares because not many people want to fly then.

September 17, 2018
Top Things to Know About Assisted Living

It can be nerve-wracking when you’re trying to find assisted living for yourself or someone you love. There are a ton of things about assisted living facilities that you won’t be told up front. The contracts you sign are usually complex and full of fine print that you might overlook.

In order to help you prepare yourself for this process, we’ve got a few tips for you to help navigate this process. This should prepare you for some of the things to come.

Pricing Will Be Higher Than You Think

This is the sad reality of assisted living facilities. They’re expensive, and the base fees for rent go up every year. This is due to inflation, of course, and the ongoing upkeep costs of the facility. There are also a number of fees you might not expect. For instance, if someone needs food delivered to their room, or outside transportation, that will have an associated fee. Don’t be afraid to try to negotiate for a better price and make yourself aware of any fees that are hiding. Just ask the facility if there are any fees you haven’t been told about yet before you sign anything.

Medicare

Not every community will accept Medicare, but those that do can’t turn someone away for using it. However, communities aren’t eager to take in Medicare residents, as they get less money from them than those who pay on their own. As such, a number of facilities have limited “Medicare Beds,” and will often use that number to limit Medicare residents. However, if a resident gives three months of advanced warning that they will be transitioning to Medicare, this usually circumvents the bed limit.

There Are No Doctors at the Facility

Most communities simply don’t have a doctor on-site. Some have nurses on staff, but that’s not a given, so it’s a question worth asking. Generally speaking, most nursing homes will have a doctor on-call. This doctor isn’t located in the facility, so be aware of that when making a decision.

Residents Can Be Removed Anytime

All a facility has to do to remove a resident is tell them that the facility can no longer meet their needs. Make sure you read the contract very closely to understand the types of things residents can be removed for. Behavioral issues and needs that are too specific for the facility are some of the more common reasons given. Review these carefully before you make a decision.

You Could Be Stuck with the Assisted Living Bills

If you’re signing the contract on the behalf of a parent, and you sign your own name, you could be stuck with the bills should they be unable to pay. In order to prevent this, sign the name of your parent on the contract. Then, make sure to add “by (your name) acting as power of attorney,” and then the date. This will keep you from getting pinned with bills just for trying to help your parent.

September 17, 2018
Tips on How to Quit Smoking

It’s neither controversial nor shocking to say that cigarettes are bad for you. It’s now no secret that smoking can cause heart problems, lung disease, a stroke and cancer. Nearly everyone who smokes is fully aware of the nature of just how bad cigarettes are for your body.

Your risk of cancer, lung and heart problems and issues with your kidneys and intestines are all increased by smoking. However some smokers still fail to accept these proven risks and give up cigarettes. People who smoke die an average of 13 to 14 years sooner than nonsmokers. Smoking can also cause sexual and reproductive issues. Pregnant women who smoke risk the health of their unborn child as well.

Quitting can be extremely difficult though and nicotine and smoking has been proven to be highly addictive. What is the main reason why you want to quit smoking? It is important to establish why you want to quit to stay motivated during what could be a long process.

Tips on How to Quit Smoking

Talk to People About It

You don’t have to go it alone. In fact, if you try to handle this by yourself, you’re likely going to relapse. So, to prevent the likelihood of that, tell people in your life that you’re trying to quit. Talking about things helps to make them feel more real. It’s harder to stay consistent if there’s no one to hold you accountable. Get the people closest to you on board in this process!

Get Help

Whether it’s medical help or therapy, you should look beyond just moral support of friends and family. Addiction is a serious thing, and it takes some serious work to undo the claws tobacco products have in your central nervous system. Things like nicotine gum, patches and support groups are all excellent steps to combat the issue.

Eliminate All Traces of Smoking from your Personal Space

This one might seem obvious, but it goes deeper than you think. Start by throwing away or giving away all of your cigarettes, ash trays, lighters and matches. Then, shampoo your carpets, clean your drapes and do everything you can to eliminate the smell. You don’t want that smoke smell welling up and driving your desire to light one up.

Find Healthy Alternatives

Even if you’d prefer to not use nicotine in your efforts to quit smoking, look for other ways to relax. The biggest draw to smoking is the relaxation that follows a cigarette as nicotine sinks into your system. In order to combat the worst cravings, seek out other relaxing activities.

Meditation, yoga, tai chi and hobbies like painting, drawing or making music are all great alternatives. If you can afford it, getting professional massages hits similar mental notes as smoking a cigarette! These activities are good for your mental health as well as your physical health.

Don’t Give Up

If you slip up and smoke a cigarette after weeks of being smoke-free, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t sweat the small lapses like that, and don’t let them convince you to pick smoking back up. No one is perfect: small mistakes don’t define you. Keep up the good effort and follow the advice in this article. You’re strong enough to quit smoking, so keep at it!

September 15, 2018
Tips on How to Quit Smoking

It’s neither controversial nor shocking to say that cigarettes are bad for you. It’s now no secret that smoking can cause heart problems, lung disease, a stroke and cancer. Nearly everyone who smokes is fully aware of the nature of just how bad cigarettes are for your body.

Your risk of cancer, lung and heart problems and issues with your kidneys and intestines are all increased by smoking. However some smokers still fail to accept these proven risks and give up cigarettes. People who smoke die an average of 13 to 14 years sooner than nonsmokers. Smoking can also cause sexual and reproductive issues. Pregnant women who smoke risk the health of their unborn child as well.

Quitting can be extremely difficult though and nicotine and smoking has been proven to be highly addictive. What is the main reason why you want to quit smoking? It is important to establish why you want to quit to stay motivated during what could be a long process.

Tips on How to Quit Smoking

Talk to People About It

You don’t have to go it alone. In fact, if you try to handle this by yourself, you’re likely going to relapse. So, to prevent the likelihood of that, tell people in your life that you’re trying to quit. Talking about things helps to make them feel more real. It’s harder to stay consistent if there’s no one to hold you accountable. Get the people closest to you on board in this process!

Get Help

Whether it’s medical help or therapy, you should look beyond just moral support of friends and family. Addiction is a serious thing, and it takes some serious work to undo the claws tobacco products have in your central nervous system. Things like nicotine gum, patches and support groups are all excellent steps to combat the issue.

Eliminate All Traces of Smoking from your Personal Space

This one might seem obvious, but it goes deeper than you think. Start by throwing away or giving away all of your cigarettes, ash trays, lighters and matches. Then, shampoo your carpets, clean your drapes and do everything you can to eliminate the smell. You don’t want that smoke smell welling up and driving your desire to light one up.

Find Healthy Alternatives

Even if you’d prefer to not use nicotine in your efforts to quit smoking, look for other ways to relax. The biggest draw to smoking is the relaxation that follows a cigarette as nicotine sinks into your system. In order to combat the worst cravings, seek out other relaxing activities.

Meditation, yoga, tai chi and hobbies like painting, drawing or making music are all great alternatives. If you can afford it, getting professional massages hits similar mental notes as smoking a cigarette! These activities are good for your mental health as well as your physical health.

Don’t Give Up

If you slip up and smoke a cigarette after weeks of being smoke-free, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t sweat the small lapses like that, and don’t let them convince you to pick smoking back up. No one is perfect: small mistakes don’t define you. Keep up the good effort and follow the advice in this article. You’re strong enough to quit smoking, so keep at it!

September 9, 2018
7 Tips to Cut Your Cable and Internet Bill

If you are like me your internet & cable bill is out of control and roughly the GDP of a small country. In this day and age, Cable & Internet is an essential utility in most homes. Cable & Internet companies report average spending per subscriber of about $85 a month, while the average among satellite TV providers tops $100 a month.

Like all companies, Cable & Internet service providers want to make a profit. They may include hidden fees in your bill, not deliver the high speeds they promised, or simply overcharge you for their service. Fortunately, it’s possible to negotiate with your ISP to get a better deal and some easy tips will help you convince them to lower your bill. Let’s take a look at 6 tips to cut your cable and internet bill.

1. Analyze Your Use and Do Research

We pay for a lot of channels and features we never use. Make a quick list of the time and shows you watch and how you use your cable service. “Do you really need everything that’s on that list? Cutting premium channels and sports packages is an easy way to cut your bill and rack up savings. Make a list of the channels that are must-haves to help you narrow down what you really need or want. There’s a good chance you can drop down to a smaller, less expensive cable package and still get most of the channels you need.

Your next step in negotiating a better deal is to gather all the information you can on your history with your ISP. If you can explain your situation with specific facts, dates, and numbers, it will be much more difficult for the call center representative to deny you a lower rate. When you speak to your representative, make sure to mention anything that proves you’re a loyal customer. If you’ve always paid your bill on time, include that information in the conversation. Then, you should explain any issues you’ve experienced with your service. This includes lower speeds than promised, interruptions in your service, or mistakes on your bill. Any problems at all with your ISP can help back up your argument for a lower rate.

2 The Fees

The cable & internet companies have a lot of regulatory fees, they pass those down to us with a little inflated for themselves. Nothing we can do about that. However take a look at some of the other fees they have tacked on. Do you have one or several set-top boxes for watching TV throughout the house? Those rental fees for boxes can add up. If you have multiple DVRs in various rooms, do you need them in every room? There are always a few unnecessary luxuries you have added on you don’t use.

3. Lose The Premiums

It’s hard to say goodbye to HBO, but doing so can shave as much as $20 off your monthly bill with some providers. Let go of Showtime and you could save another $5 to $15 per month. But a farewell doesn’t have to be forever, though. If you can’t live without “Game of Thrones” or “Homeland,” remove the channel when the season wraps. Or ever just subscribe to their streaming channel.

4. The DVR. Kill IT

Miss your favorite show? There’s a good chance you can watch it on-demand the next day. Even local news segments live on via the stations’ websites. Trading in your DVR for a standard digital receiver could trim $10 or more off your monthly bill. With all the streaming service you can easily get around not having and paying for the expensive DRV system.

5. Negotiate a lower rate

Don’t be afraid to haggle with your cable provider. You may be able to negotiate a better deal by talking to customer service and asking for a discount. The way to do this is call your company and request to cancel service. They will transfer you to a save team. This team specializes in keeping customer and will bend over backwards to do so. Let them know you are paying to much and not getting enough bang for your buck. They will break out discounts and upgrades to create an attractive package to cut cable cost for you.

6. Know When to Negotiate

The best time to negotiate is typically when you’re near the end of your contract. Your representative knows that you can change providers if you’re unhappy with your service, so they’ll be more likely to accommodate you.

When you’re in the middle of your contract, you don’t have as much negotiating power. Your representative knows that you’ll have to pay a fee if you want to break the contract. This doesn’t mean that you have to wait until the end of your contract to negotiate, though. Even with the fee, you may save money by breaking your contract and switching to another provider.

If you don’t have a contract, the best time to contact your ISP is at the beginning of the month. Let them know that this will be your last month and that you plan to return your modem or other equipment. Then, they’ll have the rest of the month to contact you and offer you a better rate.

7. Shop a New Provider

If the negotiation doesn’t yield a big enough drop in cost, switch. Everyone has a few providers offered to them, A cable company, a phone company and satellite at least. Shop the competitors and let them through all the new customer incentives out to you. Once those expire you can always got back and get the new customer incentives from your current provider. Watch out for the contracts, they are easily avoided and keep switching back and forth, playing the companies promotions against themselves. This is an easy way to cut cable cost.

The Final Cut Cable Cost Thought

If you can find a solid internet speed at a good cost, get a TV plan together and build around your use. With a few inexpensive streaming options peppered in you can build a uncompletable array of new entertainment. Find a package that has the few channels you let run in the background, cut cable/internet cost, and take the savings to the bank.

September 6, 2018
7 Ways to Fly for Cheap

Cheap airfare, it’s something we’re all looking for. Finding decent prices on flights can be difficult though. It is human nature to want to travel, to explore your horizons and see new places, or perhaps, to return to the places you once knew.

Whether you want to visit home or see an exotic location, airline travel is fast, but costs a lot of money. What is the best way for finding cheap airline tickets? How do you even start? Whether you are traveling for work, for vacation, or to visit family or friends, finding cheap airfare can help you save on what’s often the largest expense of your trip.

If you’re trying to take a trip and keep finding it difficult to get a decent price, you’re probably looking for some new travel hacks to help you save some money. Well, the good news is that we’re here to help. Let’s talk about the best ways to fly for cheap! Read more below to learn about who is offering the best rates at an amazing price $73 and $39 for one-way flights!

Best Ways to Fly for Cheap

Compare Airfares

Airfares vary widely, and discount airfare is out there for those who know where to look. The most important thing is that you make sure to compare airfares. The rates offered by one airline may be much higher or lower than the rates of another. If you use one of the popular travel sites, you can easily compare airfares from different airlines.

Also, if you have any flexibility in your schedule, try putting different dates into the sites’ ticket finders to see if that makes a difference. For example, currently, Southwest Airlines is offering flights as low as $73, and Delta is offering flights as low as $39 during the holiday season.

Use Reputable Flight Search Engines

Some flight search engines actually get a cut from airlines when they help generate sales. That means that you could search for “budget flights” and have normal or even premium flights show up. In order to counter this, use reputable search engines that don’t mislead you. Great options are Skyscanner, Momondo, AirWander and JetRadar. Like we said previously don’t be afraid to shop around to find the best price.

Get Tickets Early

Get your tickets early — but not too early. You may think it would be smart to buy tickets six months in advance, but in fact, getting tickets more than five months before you need them may keep you from getting the best fares. Aim for two to four months in advance, if possible. If you can’t plan that far in advance, at least try to avoid the two-week period right before a flight, when ticket prices tend to go up.

Specialty sites like “air fare watch dog” provide a medium for you to search for deals between two specific locations, and also can send you alerts when prices drop to a much more affordable rate. This is perfect for those who know where they want to travel, just are not too concerned about when. They can snag a great deal and plan their trip once they get that informative e-mail from the website.

Airport Selection

Fly in or out of airports that are not in your destination city. If you are flying into New York City, you may be able to get cheaper fares at the Newark airport than you would in New York City’s JFK Airport. If you are going to or from San Francisco, try the Oakland or San Jose airports. Many other cities also have airports that are nearby but outside of the city limits. Flying out of an alternate airport isn’t even necessarily a hardship. For example, If you are going to some parts of Manhattan, ground transportation may get you there faster from Newark than from JFK.

You will benefit on price, though, because not as many people will think of using the other airports, so the seats won’t sell out as quickly. Always think in terms of supply and demand when trying to find cheap airfare.

Non-Direct Flights

Accept a little inconvenience in exchange for a cheaper price. You may be able to save money on long trips by taking routes where you change planes rather than taking a non-stop flight. If you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to pay a premium for the faster route. Try traveling lighter to avoid the luggage fees that so many airlines are charging now. Be creative in figuring out how to get by with fewer things on your trip.

Incognito Mode

Lock up your search history tight and don’t look back. When you start looking at flights and trips, make sure you’re in incognito mode. When you search for flight prices, sites use cookies to track how many times you’ve looked at the flight. Each new time you look, the price goes up. Why? Well, to get you to buy as soon as possible so you “lock in the lowest price.” Yeah, it’s dirty, but you can fight back!

By browsing incognito, you won’t have any cookies tracking you. This allows you to bypass this dirty trick and get a better price for your flight!

Find the Cheapest Days to Book

Try to fly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, if possible. Those are often the cheapest days of the week. If possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays, when rates tend to go up. Flying right before a major holiday, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, is going to be very expensive. But if you are able to fly on the day of the holiday itself, you can usually pick up some very cheap fares because not many people want to fly then.

September 2, 2018
Best Dental Chews for Dogs

When it comes to dental health, it can be difficult to get your dog to sit still long enough for a proper teeth cleaning. However, there are tons of great options for dental chews for dogs! These are great, because dogs love chewing, and they help clean their teeth!

Your dog’s dental health is important, but it isn’t always easy getting him to sit still long enough to brush his teeth on a regular basis. Dental treats that are meant to help with the brushing process can make a big difference. They help remove plaque and freshen your dog’s breath. They also make her happy as she sees them as just another treat to be enjoyed.

Best Dental Chews for Dogs

MilkBone

Dogs love the taste of MilkBone brand chews. These chews have nubs and a twisted design, so it makes them great for cleaning teeth. Thanks to the easy-to-grip design, dogs can really gnaw on MilkBone chews. This ensures that they clean crevices and hard-to-reach parts of their mouth!

MilkBone chews are also loaded with calcium. That means that not only will they help your dog clean their mouth, but also stay healthy! There’s nothing better than making sure your dog is happy and healthy with a mouth full of clean teeth!

Oravet

Oravet chews are well-known for their unique bacteria-barrier properties. These chews release an ingredient that bonds to your dog’s teeth, developing a bacteria-resistant barrier. The chews have what is described as a mild, vanilla flavor.

Oravet chews are also good at cleaning plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth! Their design makes them ideal for getting the hard-to-clean gunk off of your pup’s teeth! It’s recommended that you give your dog one of these chews daily to see the best results.

Dentastix

Dentastix are a favorite dental chew due to their unique shape and flavor that dogs love. They sport a chicken flavor that encourages tons of chewing, meaning they really help to clean your dog’s teeth. Additionally, they come in a variety of sizes for all types of dogs!

Dentastix aren’t for dogs under 15 pounds, though Pedigree does make a puppy version. Dogs of all sizes love Dentastix for their flavor, so make sure you pick the right one for your dog! Additionally, dog owners love Dentastix for their shape. Their unique X-shaped design has ridges that help to really clean dogs’ teeth. However, the chews are soft enough that they won’t hurt when chewed on by over-excited dogs!

Greenies

Greenies dog treats come in three flavors, original, chicken and parsley, and cheese. This is a variety that is sure to please nearly any dog. The cleaning action works on both teeth and gums and it also freshens breath. These treats are made with natural ingredients that are highly soluble, making them easy to digest. Added vitamins and minerals make them even healthier for your dog. One treat a day will keep your pet’s teeth free of plaque buildup that can result in tooth and gum problems.

Whimzees
Whimzees dog dental chews are made from six natural ingredients and contain no artificial colors or flavors. They are GMO, gluten, and grain-free, making them some of the healthiest on the market. The variety of shapes make them a fun treat for your dog. They are even designed with a “paw pad” to help your dog hold them more comfortably. They chewy texture creates a brushing action that helps keep teeth and gums healthy when given daily.

August 31, 2018
Best Ways to Fight Fleas

Few situations are more annoying to pets and their owners than a infestation of fleas. Fleas are mean, evil, awful little bugs. They get into your carpets, lay eggs and stick around for interminable lengths of time.

Quickly becoming a problem, fleas can infest homes in very short amounts of time, posing health risks and frustrating living conditions for both people and their pets. All the while, they pester your animals, making them itchy and uncomfortable. What’s worse, some pets even have allergic reaction to the pests!

While there are many products that can be used to combat flea infestations, it’s vital to choose the right products that are appropriate for severity of your pet’s flea problem — otherwise you’ll end up wasting time and money as the flea problem gets worse. Today, we’re looking at the best ways to fight fleas.

Best Ways to Fight Fleas

Flea Collars

Flea collars are a great first line of defense to keep your animals safe from the tiny pests. Using a combination of pesticides that are harmless to animals and scents that disgust fleas, these collars have a high success rating. While your animal might not like having to wear an odd-smelling collar, it will help them avoid the worst of the flea infestation! This is just one part of the fight, however.

Flea Sprays

Spraying your carpets and furniture for fleas is another effective strategy. A number of high-quality flea sprays are sold in pet stores and online. Such sprays not only kill fleas but also help to kill their eggs. The trouble with fleas is that you will often think you’ve rooted them out, only for another round of eggs to hatch. The eggs can go dormant for months at a time before being activated by vibrations in the carpet.

As such, spraying in often-unused rooms is advised. That way, any hidden, dormant eggs can be killed by the spray. This prevents the eggs from reactivating when you or a pet enters a low-traffic room!

Diatomaceous Earth

Also known as D. Earth, this naturally occurring mineral deposit works wonders as a pesticide. If you’re having trouble with a particularly nasty flea infestation, consider this mineral. Make sure you purchase food grade diatomaceous earth, as it’s pet safe. Sprinkle it around your carpets and near the thresholds of your doors and windows. Earth works by compromising the lipids in fleas’ exoskeletons. The chemical interaction causes the fleas to become dehydrated, as their bodies can’t lock in water anymore. As such, they die of dehydration shortly after contacting the mineral. Don’t worry, though, the mineral doesn’t affect anything bigger than a small bug. The worst it can do to a pet is dehydrate them slightly, so just avoid getting it on your animals if you can!

Flea Pills

Flea pills for pets generally have the highest success rates for preventing and treating fleas. Pills come in chewable tablets or capsules that must be swallowed, usually with food. These oral medications for fighting fleas require a vet prescription, and usually fight flea adults or eggs, but rarely both at the same time. Flea pills, like other medications, come with side effects; it is essential for pet owners to ask what these side effects may include. The two most popular feel pills include Capstar and Comfortis, and both start working within hours of being administered.

August 26, 2018