EiR Blog

Pets are fantastic, no doubt about that. They are undoubtedly great companions. For centuries, we have domesticated animals for a wide range of reasons. In years gone by it was for more practical reasons we kept them.  Nowadays, most pets have only one job, to make us happy.  Unfortunately for some of us, having pets has proved tricky due to pet-related allergies. As humans, we have not lived with animals long enough to develop complete immunity to their allergens. Below are five ways of dealing with pet allergies to help reduce discomfort. Set Boundaries We know this is hard and borderline impossible, but it has to be done when you are allergic to pets. Your bedroom should be a no-go zone for animals. The last thing you want is your private quarters being infested by animal dander. After hanging out with your pets all day, the best thing you can...

According to a statistic by the ASPCA, Americans own a staggering total of 78 million dogs and 85.8 million cats. Those numbers don't include other categories like birds, fish, and other reptiles. It's obvious that animals play an important role in our lives and even made them part of the family.   For people struggling with depression, pets can even play a more crucial role. They can become a source of companionship and comfort, leading to a positive outcome in our lives and improving our overall well-being. An Emotional Support Animal or ESA offers unwavering companionship to their owners helping them deal with mental and emotional difficulties.   Here are the top health benefits of emotional support animals for people suffering from depression:   Benefit #1 - Emotional Support When you're suffering the effects of depression, you may, from time to time, experience bouts of loneliness. You feel isolated from the...

Anybody with a pet will have experienced a problem with fleas and one point. There are over 2,000 recorded species of fleas in the world with around 100 in Europe and 60 or so species in the UK. They are wingless insects, and their bodies are hard and flattened from side to side, helping them move about in the fur of a variety of  animals including our pets dogs and even ourselves. Recently my dog, Mack (a crossbreed), experienced an attack of fleas.  He reacted badly as he had developed flea allergy dermatitis. He suffered with severe itching and balding patches. But why can these tiny creatures have such a great impact? I read that fleas have a unique structure to their mouths which allow them to spread various pathogens; "The dual function of a flea's mouth allow them to both squirt saliva and blood into the bite, whilst sucking...

For the first time my cat (Stimpy) has recently developed a very persistent flea problem and managed, despite my best efforts, to infest my home as well - so I ended up covered in itchy bites! I don't mind treating Stimpy with the regular anti-flea products as I can apply them wearing my carbon filter mask (or holding my breath!) and then leave him outside for the rest of the day. When it comes to my home however there is no way I can spray pesticides/insecticides on my carpets and furnishings. I'd never be able to live there again. On a recent trip to Pets at Home (the equivalent of PetSmart in the US) I came across a product labelled with stand-out words such as "natural" and "organic". I've learned through experience that this in no way means the product is safe for those with environmental illness however so I made a mental...