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RemindMyPet.com Helps Pet Owners Keep Their Pets Healthy

GREENSBORO, N.C., June 18 PRNewswire — Even the most well-meaning pet owners can forget to give their pets the medications required to prevent or treat serious health conditions-but now, pet owners have access to a free tool that will remind them: RemindMyPet.com.

By registering at RemindMyPet.com, pet owners receive customized e-mail reminders when it's time to give medications to Fido or Kitty. This unique Web site addresses what is recognized by veterinarians as one of the biggest threats to the well-being of pets: failure by pet owners to give medications to pets as directed.

"I've heard hundreds of legitimate reasons about why people forget to give medications to their pets on time," says Jan Strother, DVM, founder and co-owner of a veterinary practice in Hartselle, Ala. "People are so busy that they may not even remember to take their own medicine. We are fortunate to have this technology to help relieve pet owners of the burden of remembering-and the guilt of forgetting. RemindMyPet.com provides friendly reminders so that pet owners are sure to keep their pets on prevention and/or treatment for conditions that may require medication on an infrequent basis. Examples include medications to protect against diseases transmitted by fleas, ticks or mosquitoes, such as heartworm disease, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis; parasitic infections, such as ear mites and intestinal parasites; and medical conditions, such as Cushing's disease and Addison's disease." Dr. Strother is active in both state and national veterinary medical associations, and is past president of the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association.

Filling a need

According to research conducted in 2007 by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the U.S. dog and cat population exceeds 153 million. Medications for parasites - such as heartworms, fleas and ticks - are used more than any other type. Most parasite medications are conveniently given just once per month, perhaps increasing the likelihood they will be forgotten.

The American Heartworm Society reports more dogs and cats are at risk of heartworm disease than any other disease and nearly 50% of all dogs and cats receive heartworm medication. However, a survey conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association showed more than 50% of those dog owners fail to administer heartworm medication to their dogs as recommended.

What are the consequences of forgetting?

The consequences of forgetting can sometimes be fatal, as with heartworm disease. This insidious disease is transmitted by mosquitoes, which carry microscopic heartworm larvae from an infected pet to non-infected ones. Once in a pet's bloodstream, the larvae migrate to the pet's heart and arteries, where they grow up to 14 inches long, and if left untreated, can lead to the animal's death.

According to Sheldon Rubin, DVM and president of the American Heartworm Society, "In our last national survey, some 250,000 dogs were diagnosed with heartworm disease. Now with RemindMyPet.com, a pet owner never needs to worry about missing a dose and risking heartworm disease."

How RemindMyPet.com works

Designed to remind pet owners to administer medications given on an infrequent basis (such as once per week, once per month, or every six months), RemindMyPet.com has a simple registration process. Pet owners simply go to RemindMyPet.com and sign up by providing general contact information.

Once signed up, pet owners receive a confirmation email with a link that allows them to then register their pets, the medications prescribed, and the schedule of administration. RemindMyPet.com keeps track of this information and sends email messages when it's time to give a specific medicine to a specific pet. The site also reminds pet owners when it's time for medication refills. To ensure emails are received, it's important for pet owners to add the RemindMyPet.com email address to their address books.

Mary O'Reilly, a Petaluma, Calif., dog owner who signed up for the service, says she had used the calendar stickers that came with her dog's heartworm medication, but would still forget. Then her veterinarian suggested the website and she signed up. "I came home, got online, put in all the information and to this day, I haven't failed in giving Missy her pill. I don't know what I'd do without the reminders."

Veterinarian approved

Veterinarians across the country recommend RemindMyPet.com, and many have set up a link to RemindMyPet.com from their hospital websites. "Both veterinarians and pet owners play an essential role in ensuring the best health care and optimal health of pets, says Dr. Strother. "Veterinarians examine and diagnose, then administer medical care and treatment, but once the pet goes home, it's truly up to pet owners to give medications to their pets as directed."

About RemindMyPet.com

Established for the single purpose of helping keep pets healthy, RemindMyPet.com seeks to provide pet owners with the tools to make it easy to remember to follow their veterinarians' recommendations. Registration is free and RemindMyPet.com will not sell or distribute pet owners' personal data.

SOURCE RemindMyPet.com

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