Dog Health Care: Does My Dog Need A Coat In Winter?



Animal clothing isn’t normally the first thing that springs to mind when you think of dog health care. Usually it’s vaccinations, de-worming and trips to the vets.

You may, however, have noticed that more and more dogs are sporting coats as you walk about this winter. This had led many to ask whether a coat is essential for dog health care. This article will examine the benefits of dog coats and whether they are essential for proper dog health care.

Fashionable

For some, pet coats are nothing more than a fashion accessory. This argument can be particularly compelling when you look at the range of designer dog coats that can now be purchased. Many top designer labels now offer a range of coats for dogs, which can be very expensive.

If one does decide to look beyond the ‘fashion’ element of dog coating, then a compelling argument can also be made for them in terms of their benefit towards a dog’s health. In most cases, a dog’s natural fur coat will more than suffice to keep them warm all year round, but there are some cases a dog may need a coat, as we will explain.

Functional

You will find though, that older dogs and dogs suffering illnesses tend to have duller and thinner coats, offering less heat protection. If this is the case then a dog coat may be necessary when they are taken outside on particularly cold days. Older and unwell dogs’ outdoor movements can be restricted because of their vulnerability to cold weather so a coat may turn out to be extremely liberating.

It seems fair to say then that the abundance of dog coats you currently see is nothing more than a fad for those looking to turn their dog into an extension of their own personality. However, there are cases where a dog coat could be justified, especially when they have a thin coat and are of an old age.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting your dog to look good, but a coat is not imperative to their health care.

Men’s Health Issues – A Global Concern



Biological make-up and different character traits spell the difference between men and women. As although men tend to have more physical endurance and capacity than women, men have the tendency to neglect their bodies and consequently, their health. The male-female life expectancy gap may have decreased, but it is still a fact that men need to pay more attention to their health. Men are often at a disadvantage in some respects regarding health issues. Men are more inclined to smoke and drink than women. They tend to be more prone to work related stress as they often define themselves by their careers.

Men’s health issues are a global concern, and with the male to female ratio of 1:10, the male population is apparently lagging behind. Issues such as heart diseases, STD, erectile dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, prostate and colon cancer to name a few are rising to an alarming rate as men are becoming negligent of their health and are oftentimes more reluctant to seek medical advice. One of the common men’s health issues is prostate cancer. This disease is a common word of mouth among men as it is becoming prevalent. Studies have once concluded that lean men are more inclined to develop prostate cancer than obese men.

But recent researches found the contrary as it was later discovered that obesity can increase the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is harder to detect in the initial stages among obese men until the disease becomes chronic and combative measures may be inefficient in the end. The best recourse for prostate cancer is still prevention entailed by an obliging diet and a healthy lifestyle. STD’s and HIV/AIDS are also two of the most alarming men’s health issues. As some men tend to have multiple sexual partners without the use of condoms, men are generally at risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.

Men’s health issues on STDs are becoming a major concern with the HIV/AIDS-afflicted percentage on the rise. Obesity is also one of the widespread. Generally preoccupied with work and wedged to a sedentary lifestyle aggravated by smoking and drinking, men are also prone to obesity. As obesity consequently leads to other inauspicious health conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes, obesity is one of the men’s health issues that should not be neglected. Posing men at a higher risk for heart failure, preventive and combative means must be undertaken for obesity. Erectile dysfunction is also one of the most covered men’s health issues.

Also known as impotence, erectile dysfunction can cause so much frustration not only in sexual performance but in procreation as well. Erectile dysfunction as one of the men’s health issues may have physiological or psychological causes or can be a manifestation of other health conditions such as diabetes. With the social and cultural expectation of men being breadwinners and having complete responsibility over their families as well as keeping up with expectations for masculinity, men are more prone to stress and to engage in unhealthy lifestyles. Men’s health issues are concerns that men themselves should have the initiative to pay attention to.

With the significant imbalance on male-female ratio, it is no doubt that men’s health issues are becoming a major concern. Men’s health issues should be addressed to so as not to further deplete the male population. We all take measures to preserve diminishing flora and fauna. What more of the male species of the human race?

Health Care Reform Bill Levies 3.8% Tax on Sale of Residential Real Estate



IS IT TRUE? WILL THE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BE TAXED 3.8% AS PART OF HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL?

Recently, a friend of mine mentioned that the new health care reform bill was going to include a 3.8% sales tax on the sale of homes. I think I blurted out, “you’ve got to be kidding me!”  Of course, I had to come home and research the details.

Before I got to doing the research, I had all kinds of expletives circled around in my head. Thankfully, they stayed inside there. Other thoughts included; could our leaders in Washington really be that stupid? Hasn’t the housing industry already gone through enough trauma? Why would Washington want to kill the real estate business and therefore the economy?

My research did verify the new health care reform bill does in fact have a provision to charge 3.8% sales tax on the sale of homes, but there is much more to it than that though. The 3.8% real estate sales tax only applies to single tax payers making more than $200,000 or joint taxer payers making more than $250,000 AND you wouldn’t pay on the first $250,00 in profits for a single tax payer or $500,000 in profits for a joint tax payer.

Whew…I was worried there for a minute.  All the residential real estate I own has dropped 40-50% in value so no need to worry about profits. For many us real estate types, it will be many years (if ever) before we work off carry forward losses from real estate activities of the last several years, so income thresholds aren’t an issue either.

My friend made it sound like it was a straight dollar for dollar 3.8% sales tax, which would have been the single stupidest thing Washington could have done since the beginning of the republic. I am never glad to hear Washington is tinkering with the market in which I earn my living, but I am glad to know that this 3.8% sales tax only applies to profits over 500k for joint filers. The 500K profit threshold pretty much eliminates most home sales unless the homes are selling for millions of dollars, which is a very small percentage of homes.

I think the potential bigger issue may be commercial properties owners where buildings that cost millions of dollars could easily appreciate a small percentage but increase in value $250K or $500K in net terms. The year you report the sale, your income would be increased by the net profit from the sale of the building.  For example, a retired couple on a fixed income could sell a commercial property from a business they once owned. Even though the couple is on a relatively small fixed income, the sale of the building would trigger them into the 250K income class when the profit of the sale exceeds 750K. Again, this might not happen that often, but one thing we know for sure…Washington put the provision in to raise revenues and that it will.