Springtime is right around the corner and you know what that means? Spring cleaning!

This year, include your dog or cat in your cleaning plans with these top 10 cleaning tips for Springtime:

1. Bath time - start out with cleaning your pet. Give him a warm bath, or if it's too much hassle, take him to the groomer.


2. Wash plush toys - soft plush or fabric toys get dirty! Over time, they build up your pet's saliva, dirt, and bacteria so toss them in the washing machine for a fresh new set of toys.


3. Wash your pet's bedding - many pet beds have removable fabric covers, and these should be washed on a regular basis. Add that to your laundry load of pet toys!


4. Clean the rubber toys - rubber chew toys also get grimy and dirty. Fill up your sink with hot soapy water and soak all of your pet's rubber and plastic chew toys. Scrub and rinse.


5. Clean food bowls - while you've got that sink full of soapy water, add your pet's food bowls. These need to be washed as frequently as a few times per week as dirty pet bowls attract bacteria, mold, and bugs (eww).


6. Teeth brushing - it's never too late to get in a good habit of regularly brushing your pet's teeth!


7. Vet check-up - schedule your annual or bi-annual vet exam for your pet to make sure his health bill is clean too!


8. Wipe muddy feet - to prevent muddy paw prints all over the floors, wipe your pet's paws with a damp cloth. Be sure to get in between the toes to remove all the dirt.


9. Comb for shedding - Spring time is a big shedding time for many animals as they are getting rid of their winter coats. Save your furniture from excessive pet hair by combing and brushing your pet regularly.


10. Clean up your pet's area - is your pet like mine and has lots of toys? Think about purchasing an inexpensive basket or devote a drawer so that you can keep your pet's area tidy.

Got more cleaning ideas? Share them with us by leaving a comment!

*Photo of Camie the dog courtesy of Amber H. via Trupanion Facebook Fan Page

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If you haven't read it already, we recently posted a press release announcing that we have reached (and since surpassed) 10,000 fans on our Facebook page!

I just wanted to express a quick thank-you to all of our fans and especially those who share pet photos with us each day. It absolutely brightens up our day and we love that we are able to feel like we're a real part of your pets' lives.

Here are some of the photos and stories that have recently made us smile:

Ebi the dog, sent in by Cassie M.

Pugs naptime, sent in by Lori Z.

Kitties cuddling, sent in by Roxanne B.

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ATTENTION PET OWNERS: Want your dog or cat to be famous?

Your dog or cat could be the poster fur-child for our dog and cat breed guide AND you could win a $25 gift card to PETCO!

We are putting together an informational breed guide and are seeking photos of purebred cats and dogs for some of the breeds that we are missing (please see list below).

If you, or someone you know has a dog or cat of the breeds for which we are looking, snap a photo and send it in for a chance to win $25 to Petco! (We plan on adding hybrid and mixed breeds in the future, so feel free to send in photos of those as well!)

All pet photos that we receive for the breeds listed below will be entered into a random drawing and one winner will receive a $25 gift card to Petco. Winner will be chosen and contacted by April 10.

Those whose photos have been chosen to be displayed on our breed guide will also be contacted so that they can see their furry friend looking fancy on our site!

If you're interested, please send an e-mail to socialmedia@trupanion.com with your photo attachment, signed disclaimer, and the breed of your pet.

The Doggy Bytes blog recently posted a fantastic article about the World's Tallest Dog, George the Great Dane and the consequences of rapid growth in large dog breeds. I thought this was an important topic to elaborate on and pass along.

Here's an excerpt:

Though hip dysplasia is considered to be genetic, other influencing factors of hip dysplasia are rapid growth and obesity. If the puppy experiences rapid growth, the bones may not form properly which puts him at risk for hip dysplasia. Growing puppy bones are not solid like adult bones, so if the dog is overweight, this also causes adverse effects on the bone development.

If you have, or are considering adopting, a large breed puppy, be sure to follow your veterinarian's recommended feeding regimen so that you dog grows at a rate that is healthy for his bones.
Interested in further reading on hip dysplasia? Check out this article.

*Trupanion offers pet insurance coverage for hip dysplasia if you enroll your puppy before it turns 1 year old.

**Photo courtesy Mail Online, Daily Mail.

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