Petpav is the top pet social network. Now is your chance to not only be popular (make friends) and get pet advice on petpav.com, but to win a $100 prepaid cash card just for doing so! And, of course, joining the site is free and no purchase is necessary to participate.

How to enter:

You need to build a complete pet profile on petpav.com (including a picture of your pet or pets) and be ‘popular’ on the site (from May 14^th thru June 30, 2013) to qualify. This simply means that you need to be active on the site: make friends, comment on the petworking wall (news-feed) and be your cute, popular self. Current members may also participate in the contest (and you’re one step ahead of the rest!)

Remember, if you have more than one pet, only one pet per email address can enter. All participants must be eighteen (18) years or older at the time of entry. Upon designation of a winner, the owner must be able to prove that they are 18 years old.

By participating, entrants agree to:

Be bound by these Official Rules, the site’s Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy as dictated by petpav.com.

Each participant who enters the contest does so at his/her own risk. By entering the contest, each participant acknowledges and agrees that Petpav.com has not made nor is responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied in the contest. Petpav.com also reserves the right to extend the contest due to lack of participation.

Winning the Prize:

The winner will be announced on July 2nd and will have 72 hours to respond and accept the offer before an alternate winner(s) will be selected. All winners shall be subject to verification of age upon selection. The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

By acceptance of a prize as a winner, consent to the unrestricted use of his/her name, city, state, likeness and photograph of his or her pet for advertising, promotional and trade purposes in any medium throughout the world in perpetuity by petpav.com and potentially the Sponsor and its related and affiliated companies (and those acting pursuant to their authority) without additional compensation, notice, review or approval, to the extent permitted by law.

Build your pet profile today and start being popular on petpav.com! Why wouldn’t you!

If you are like most cat owners, including myself, you find yourself sitting on the couch or pulling out some pants and they are filled with cat fur!  Or you take out your sweater, and what do you find: more cat hair!   While we love our feline friends, let’s be honest, the cat hair can sometimes be annoying.  Of course, cat owners are always armed with rollers or some other way to get rid of hair, but sometimes excessive shedding can be a health issue.

Outdoor cats tend to lose more fur in the spring and keep more fur in the winter, while indoor cats usually shed all year round.  However, if you see patches in your cat’s fur or notice that your cay’s hair loss is excessive, it is time to see your veterinarian to see if there is an underlying medical condition.

Medical conditions that can cause shedding

If your cat is shedding excessively, he or she could be suffering from a medical condition.  As I mentioned above, you should schedule an appointment with your vet.  Some of the conditions that cause excessive shedding are the following: allergy conditions, ringworm, fleas, a bacterial infection, poor diet, sunburn and/or a hormonal imbalance.

Once you have ruled out medical conditions, you can try the below to stop shedding

1.  Make sure to feed your cat a healthy diet

A healthy diet is important for your cat for the obvious reasons, but it can also help your cat’s hair loss.  If you are feeding your cat a healthy canned food with protein as the main ingredient and few preservatives or fillers, this helps keep your cat healthy and minimizes shedding.  There are also vitamin supplements for cats that contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that can keep the fur smooth and knot-free.

2.  Make sure to groom your cat regularly

Make sure to brush your cat’s fur on a regular basis.  If you have a long- haired cat, a daily brush down is essential and will not only help with the shedding, but can give you some bonding time with your kitty.  Use a fine bristled brush to remove knots then use a fine tooth comb to pull up the undercoat.  At the beginning, you might have to brush your cat every day until the undercoat is thinned out.  Don’t over brush your cat as it can damage your cat's coat, but you need a comb that will get to the undercoat without damaging the overcoat.

3.  Bathe your cat or take him to the groomer

Bathing your cat regularly is really important to help reduce excess, loose hair, oils and makes your cat smell great.  While it isn’t always easy to bathe your cat, it is important to do so.  If your cat hates the water, you can take him to a groomer.  There are also disposable pads on the market that are filled with oils or waterless cleaners which you can spray on your cat, massage in, and towel off.

If you follow all of the above, it should help reduce your cat’s shedding.  You can also place towels or blankets on your furniture and your cat will usually gravitate towards those to lie down.  That way, you can easily wash the towels and/or blankets and have less fur everywhere.  And, of course, always keep your rollers handy!

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I wanted to share with my members this great and fun review of Petpav.com that was on “Nikki Knows Pets.”  Nikki Moustaki writes weekly reviews on different pet products or in my case, a pet social network.  I was thrilled to have such a great review on such an amazing platform.  Here is the review:

Petpav.com Review by Nikki Moustaki

I recently came across a cool pet social network called Petpav.com, short for Pet Pavilion. It's kind of like Facebook for pets. The pets and pet businesses on the site are friendly and often funny, and it’s a great way to meet other furry companions, which I typically do through Facebook and Twitter, but on Petpav.com they're concentrated, and no worries about their profiles being taken down by the Facebook pet police.

As social networking has become insanely popular, it seems like we didn't know how we managed to stay connected to our friends, family, and co-workers before! But now our pets have their very own platform where they can connect with other pets and pet guardians.

A Warm Welcome

When you first sign onto the site, you fill out a profile for your pet or pet business (like other similar sites, no surprises) and then you're welcomed by Sammy, a sassy orange tabby cat and the site administrator.

Once you build a profile for your pet, like I did for one of my dogs, Pearl, you navigate to the "petworking" wall, similar to the newsfeed on Facebook, and introduce your pet, ask questions, meet other pets and their owners, etc.

You can brag about your pet by uploading photos, videos, and making comments on the petworking wall. Pearl likes to brag (and beg for cyber cookies), so I'm sure she'll be on her well, imploring other members to send her photos of yummy eats. I have found that the other members on the site are fun, passionate, interesting pet people.

Also, if you have a problem with your pet, you can ask other pet guardians for advice. If you want to find a good veterinarian nearby, you can ask if anyone has a recommendation, or give you some tips for your overweight dog (poor chubby Pearl, she'll be getting some advice in that area).

Pet businesses can promote their business for free to an all-pet audience. Pet businesses can also become Pet Business of the Week, and who doesn't like to win that kind of award? The Pet Business of the Week is featured in PetPav's weekly newsletter and is promoted on Facebook, Linked-in, and Twitter.

Weekly Articles on Pet Care

PetPav also has some interesting articles that help pet guardians with pet health issues, announces local pet events, and breaks pet news. Once you join, you get a weekly newsletter with the top articles of the week. I get TONS of newsletters and junk mail, but I don't mind getting this one since it's literally only once a week and doesn't clog up my inbox.

With Facebook getting so big, it’s nice to find another place for pets that they can call their cyber home. It's a great concept.  I’m interested to see how Peptav.com continues to grow. See you there?

For more reviews on different pet products, make sure to visit Nikki Knows Pets:

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Does your pet have a profile?

If you are a dog lover and/or have never owned a dog in your life, there are so many reasons to add their lovely, fun personalities into your home.  They teach you how to take care of someone else, bring you joy, compassion and another pal.  I know some new dog owners worry about the costs of bringing a furry friend into your life.  Well, not to worry, there are ways to save money on your new housemate.

Make sure to adopt a dog

I am always an advocate of adopting a dog; there are so many dogs waiting for a new home.  And you are not just saving a dog’s life, but adopting from a shelter or rescue group can be very inexpensive.  If you compare adopting a dog to purchasing a new dog, your adopted dog usually has received its shots, been examined by a veterinarian and neutered.  Some shelters and /or adoption agencies have the dog's health records and life history from its previous owner which can also give you a history of any medical costs that might exist.  And, above all, you have given this new dog a new lease on life.

Sales and Price Comparison

Treat a dog as you would yourself (or like me) when you buy groceries or anything that could add up.  Make sure to check sales for pet items and comparison shop.  You can find coupons in the mail and/or visit the big retailers such as Pet Smart or Petco to get great deals.  Both Petco and Pet Smart are also on-line retailers and will send you coupons if you sign up for their newsletter.  The savings really help.

Dog Food

While I always recommend going for a higher brand of dog food, you don’t have to feed your dog excessively.  It is not good for them and can be costly.  Make sure to feed your dog according to his or her weight and activity level.   If you buy your dog food in bulk, it will usually lower the costs.  Even if you spend a little more money on healthy dog food, your dog will eat less of it and be more satisfied.  And, of course, the healthier your dog eats, the less expensive your veterinarian bills will be and the overall health of your pup will be improved.

Goodwill and/or Surplus Stores have Items for Dogs

I’m sure you’ve donated gifts, clothes or other items to Goodwill or other surplus stores in your life.  Well, next time you are there, see if you can purchase toys for you dog.  Even the local Salvation Army is a good place to pick up a leash or simply some fun toys for your pooch.    You can also use different items around your home to fix a bed for your pup and make toys that are simple for your dog and not expensive.   Most dogs are not too picky and are simply happy for your companionship.

Pet Insurance

While there are many different types of pet insurance on the market, you should think ahead and purchase insurance to avoid big, unforeseen costs.  You can ask your veterinarian for recommendations and/or friends with dogs.  Veterinary bills can get expensive so a monthly or quarterly payment could be a great long term investment for you and your dog.  Think of it as our health insurance and how much (it usually) saves us in the long term.

The most important thing you can do for your dog is to provide him or her with a lot of love and companionship. Dogs are not picky and you do not need to break the bank just to bring this new furry friend to your home.

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