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Pets nails should be trimmed regularly especially if they do not wear down naturally. If a pets nails are left too long, they can cause the pets toes to be out of alignment or the nails can even grow right back into the pad, ouch! I prefer to just cut the tip or hook more frequently. If your pet has dark nails you cannot easily see the quick so you should be careful to only cut the tips otherwise you are in danger of trimming too close causing your pet bleeding and discomfort. If your pet has long hair or fur around their nail, place a thin nylon sock over the paw, pushing only the nail you are trimming through the fabric. This prevents pulling the hair and causing the pet to jerk their paw back before you cut the nail. Ask your vet to show you how to trim your pets nails if you are unsure.Amy L. Rapp, Custom Made K-9 SupplyCustomMadeK9@aol.com

Provide regular preventative care to keep your pet healthy.Spay or neuter your pets!! Talk to your vet about the right age to have this done. Keep his teeth clean by brushing or wiping them with a damp wash cloth. Do not use human tooth paste, it can make them very sick. (For the first time, I have seen pet toothpaste in the pet store at Village Market). Have your pets teeth cleaned professionally as soon as it is needed. Take him to your veterinarian for a check up every year. Keep vaccinations current. Protect your pet’s mental and emotional health, too. Chronic stress can affect his immune system and make him prone to physical illness. Regular exercise and time spent with you will go a long way towards keeping your pet happy and healthy. Prevent emergencies; don’t let your pets roam unsupervised. Keep your pet’s safety in mind. Pets being transported should be in a crate that is securely fastened in your car. Large dogs can be belted into a pet harness/seatbelt system. Do not let your pet ride in the front seat. In case of an accident he could fly through the windshield. If you have airbags the force of airbag inflating can kill a pet. Never leave your pet in the car unattended; cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures in minutes causing heatstroke. Feed your pet the best food you can afford. Change his diet if it seems to cause any sort of digestive, skin or other sort of problem. Consult your vet if you have questions on the feeding or care of your pet. Woof!Amy L. Rapp, Custom Made K-9 SupplyCustomMadeK9@aol.com

Christmas is fun for the family and your pet can get caught up in the excitement too. But there are threats to your pet's well-being during the holidays. Their curiosity and playfulness can get them in trouble. Be sure your home is pet-friendly in the holidays.  1. Keep ornaments and decorations out of reach on the Christmas tree even if it makes the tree look a bit funny.  Keep other ornaments and decorations, especially those made of glass or those that could cause choking, out of reach.2. Tape down your electrical cords. Many pets like to chew on cords! Make sure electrical cords are taped to the floor to reduce chewing and risk of electrocution, as well as the potential of knocking over the entire Christmas tree.3. Be careful with fire.  Make sure that your pets do not have easy access to the flames and that all flames are extinguished if you are not there.4. Watch for toxic foods. Macadamia nuts, alcohol, chocolate, raisins, and many other common holiday foods can have serious consequences if eaten by your pets. Chicken or turkey bones can splinter and cause your pet to choke. Make sure you keep healthy pet treats around for your furry family members.5. Keep dangerous plants out of reach. Although poinsettias are not as toxic as is commonly thought, they can still cause stomach irritation. However, lilies, holly, and mistletoe are all highly toxic to animals and may cause kidney failure, so keep them out of reach!6. String, yarn, ribbons, and tinsel can all cause choking or strangulation. So don't let your pet into the gift wrapping supplies!7. Though many pets are highly social, they may become nervous with all the activity and guests around the holidays. Move your pet's bed into a quiet part of the house and make sure that he or she has access to it.Happy Holidays to you and your pets.

How can you tell if your pet is overweight? Your pet is overweight if you cannot feel his ribs or backbone when you lightly run your hands over him. Why is this a problem? Obesity in pets can have a serious effect on their health including shorter life spans, arthritis, and heart and respiratory problems.How do you know how much food to give your pet? Most pet food packages will recommend how much to feed your pet. However, use your own judgment based on your pet's age, activity level, and size to determine if he needs a little more or less. Avoid leaving food out for your pet all day long as this can lead to overeating. Just like us, pets need exercise so try to take him out for walks or play with him in the house for half an hour daily. Watch out for big gains or losses in the weight of your pet. If you think you're feeding your pet adequately but he still loses weight or your pet suddenly starts gaining weight, consult with your vet. Older and overweight pets may be switched to special diets- check the internet to find out more about special diets or consult your vet for recommendations.Amy L. Rapp, Custom Made K-9 SupplyCustomMadeK9@aol.com

If your pet is old or ill it’s a good idea to know what to expect if the worst happens.  If your pet is having serious health problems, schedule a phone call or visit to your vet. I suggest you go without your pet but take a spouse or friend for support.  Bring a list of questions to help you keep focused.

It doesn’t matter what I think will or won’t happen during the elections, I plan on staying in Nairobi. But I have heard much discussion amongst others- stay or go? Shelter at home? How many days to stock up for? How best to prepare? Remember to keep your pets in mind when thinking through all your options.

Pet vaccinations (or jabs) should be kept current at all times. This is as much for the safety of your family as your pets! Due to greater contact with wildlife in Kenya and a continuing pastoral way of life, your pet has a greater chance of contracting a disease or passing one on to you. Rabies can be contracted by any mammal and can be transferred via saliva to an open cut or wound. You do not have to be bitten to contract rabies! Your vet may send out a reminder notice for annual jabs. If not, you can put your pets vaccination due dates into a computer or mobile phone reminder system. You could record them on the family birthday calendar or with your own children’s medical vaccination schedule! Check with your vet about recommended vaccinations and the scheduling of them as they differ here a bit from other countries.

Aflotoxin poisoning of pets is a problem in Kenya. Learn how to recognize and avoid it.Go ahead; I dare you to google aflatoxin. You will come up with pages and pages of very scientific documents and long multi syllable scientific words. If you have the time and energy to wade through much of it you may still find yourself confused. Please contact your vet for answers to any question you may have regarding safe feeding practices or unanswered questions. I am not a vet and do not intend to give nutritional or medical advice. But I want to let you know Aflatoxin is out there and why it’s important to avoid it for your pets health. Aflatoxin can affect dogs, cats and people can be poisoned by it too, though the human liver can excrete the toxin to some extent.What is Aflatoxin? Well, to paraphrase a very long, scientific article by Reddy, S.V. and Farid Waliyar; Aflatoxins are potent toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, immunosuppressive agents produced as secondary metabolites by the fungus Aspergillus flavus and A parasiticus….. etc, etc, etc. Now for the layman’s definition, Aflatoxin is the waste product of fungus that gets on cereal items like maize or even omena (the little dried fish some people feed their pets).Aflatoxin poisoning damages the liver due to a buildup of the toxins there, frequently resulting in death. If you suspect Aflatoxin poisoning waste no time in getting your pet to a vet! Symptoms of Aflatoxin poisoning can include rough coat, weight loss, abnormally colored gums and sometimes diarrhea. Aflatoxin also compromises the animal’s immune system so other symptoms of an ill pet could be present as well. Aflatoxin or the fungus that produces it is not visible to the naked eye. If you see a food bag saying “Aflatoxin Free!!” it’s not possible. If the packaging states “Aflatoxin Tested!” that’s great, but if they make 10 batches a day for 365 days a year and only tested one batch, what good is that assurance? Plus, what were the test results? If you insist on feeding ugali to your pets, try to use only human grade maize meal unless you know exactly where the maize came from and how it was handled. There has been some recent success with a clay microfix (clay particle) which binds the aflatoxin spores, making it impossible for the pet to digest so it passes through your pet and is excreted in their feces. This additive is available in Kenya at some pet stores, under several brand names. Please check with your Vet as to the value of adding this to your pets feed source.Here’s to a happy, healthy pet!! Amy L. Rapp, Custom Made K-9 SupplyCustomMadeK9@aol.com

It's a good idea to keep all your records and information pertinent to your pet in one place. Name of your Vet, Veterinary Clinic and phone numbers (include written directions to Vets office in case someone else has to take your pet while you are away). Emergency phone number for your Vet if the clinic is not open nights or weekends.Name and numbers of  family or close friends that could assist you in an emergency. Especially friends that would be prepared to transport a sick or injured pet. It's also important that these folks be able to access email or make International calls to you to keep you informed, as staff may not be able to phone you.For each Pet, you should have:Name, Breed, gender and if the pet has been spayed or neutered.Breed and general description including color and weight.A recent photograph.Microchip or tattoo information, if applicable.Vaccination history and an up-to-date rabies certificate PLUS City Council License.Results from physical exams.Medications and dosages for pets taking any type of medication.Major illnesses, surgeries including dates of.Test results, biopsies etc.Any allergies, hypersensitive or adverse reactions especially to jabs or anesthesia that have been noted in the past. Amy L. Rapp, Custom Made K-9 SupplyCustomMadeK9@aol.com

There are an appalling number of abandoned pets in Kenya.  I have recently learned of yet another dog left behind at an empty house to fend for itself after the UN staffers departed their post. The staff say that the dog has been at the house alone since October. Even if the family left money or some food, it’s not enough for an indefinite period of time. The day I found out about the dog and arrived to check on the situation, I was told by the Askari “He’s a very strong dog, he has eaten nothing for 4 days”. You could count every rib and both hip bones. This I find inexcusable! Even though the dog was starving and clearly weak, he was waggy but wary of my presence in his compound. The good folks at Merit Africa, (the importers of Skinners Dog Food, Bob Martin and other pet related items) have helped me out once again and have given me a bag of dog food to tide him over while I search for a home for this neglected pooch. I get SO angry at people that can afford to care for an animal and should have the education to know what to do, yet sadly leave their dog behind to starve. If you are leaving Kenya, you must find a new home for your pets before you leave.  Some suggestions for finding new homes for your pets include the following: The East Africa Kennel Club keeps a list of pets looking for homes. Many non-pedigree dogs and even cats have found homes through their list. Your vet may allow postings on his or her bulletin board. Your place of employment or Embassy may have a bulletin board where an ad could be placed. You can post a free classified ad on the KenyaBuzz website. You could post an ad at any of the bulletin boards at the malls. Just don’t wait until the last minute to start looking for a new home if you don’t intend to take your pet when you leave. If you can’t be bothered to find an appropriate home for your pets before leaving the country, the KSPCA , although always overwhelmed, understaffed, and short of funds will take your pet. As a last resort, have your pet put down humanely by a qualified vet. Although this may sound radical coming from an animal lover, it’s more humane than starving to death while watching the staff eat their lunch every day! Most of you will go to bed with a full belly tonight. Remember not all are so lucky here in Kenya. Please remember the less fortunate, man and beast. Amy L. Rapp CustomMadeK9@aol.com 0733 255 406

If you are traveling outside of Kenya for business or pleasure, you will need to make arrangements for your pet while you are away.  In this article, we discuss whether it’s better to leave your pet at home, at the vet or in a kennel and we give contacts of the kennels we know in the Nairobi area.

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Cutting costs on your vet care may turn out to be expensive in the long run….. especially when it comes to spaying and neutering. 

I have recently learned of yet another dog left behind at an empty house to fend for itself after the UN staffers departed their post. The staff say that the dog has been at the house alone since October.

Even though we lead busy lives, we should incorporate some time for handling and observing our pets on a daily basis. We often rely on our staff here to feed, bathe, groom and exercise our pets but puppies especially need to have just a minute of quick examination daily to get them used to having teeth, paws, toes and tail handled.

The three most common dudus that pester our pets (and us for that matter) are the mosquito, the flea and the tick.  But did you know some of these interesting facts about each?

Well, its only my second column of the year and I am already up on my soapbox! I have said it before and I will say it again if you are not taking your animals with you when you move houses or leave the country, please make the effort to find homes for them, take them to the KSPCA or have them humanely euthanized. Animals that have lived in a compound cannot fend for themselves!