Pet Care Information

There are expert opinions that state that cats are entirely
independent animals that have chosen to associate themselves
with man strictly as a “survival strategy”. There is probably
some truth to this opinion (it’s held particularly by people
who don’t like cats).

But any veteran cat owner will tell you that cats *do*
“bond” with humans, but only particular humans, and will
actually “choose” a person in the household to bond with.
For example, the kitty you picked out for yourself might
bond with your roommate instead of you. You’ll find this out
when you are sitting in the room and want your cat to jump up
on your lap and instead discover that your kitty has snuggled
up to your roommate instead.

There’s no real explanation for why a cat chooses a
particular person to bond to … sometimes it’s their voice,
their mannerisms … or perhaps it’s just the way they “handle”
the cat. It could be that the person is more gentle,
or maybe a little more forceful (sometimes older male cats
will “take” to men and not women, and vice versa for females).

Then there’s the interesting notion that cats are psychic
… that they bond to a particular individual because the
person gives off a psychic “aura” that is compatible with the
cat. And, vice versa, the cat will avoid a person who gives
off “bad vibes”.

There are many people who have owned cats that will attest
to this.

Whatever the theory, there’s no real data to prove that
cats attach themselves to humans for reasons beyond physical
survival, but cat owners know…cats do form affection for
individual humans, and sometimes for reasons that just aren’t
explainable in human terms.

For the novice cat owner, a knowledge of your cat’s
motivations and psychology is of enormous help in introducing
your new cat to your home environment. I’ve tried to help with
my new book “Your New Cat’s First 24 Hours.”

My name is John Young and I’ve been a cat owner for around 55 years. In that time I’ve had the opportunity to introduce a wide variety of cats to my home environment, and I thought I’d put together my experiences in a new ebook “Your New Cat’s First 24 Hours”. I hope it will help other people avoid some of the mistakes I’ve made. In addition, I’ve given some cat care tips you’ll need to keep your new kitty safe and happy after she’s made the transition.

Sincerely,

John
yourcatsecrets.com/ yourcatsecrets.com/

If your dog has a paw problem, this needs immediate attention to prevent infection and other serious problems. The dog health paw problem can cause the beloved pet to become aggressive, sad and depressed. Dogs have gained the status of being a part of the family and need special care. Just like you, their health and happiness matters and only you can supply the care.

Causes of the Dog Health Paw Problem

Look at the bottom of your foot and you will see that a dog’s pads are just as soft as your foot. Imagine having a piece of glass suck in your foot. The dog will feel the same pain as you do. Dogs have a third digit bone that appears shorter and accounts for why these breeds of dogs are said to have cat feet.

Doberman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzer, Sheep dogs and Akita’s all share the cat feet along with many more breeds. Some breeds have feet called hare feet such as Samoyed, Greyhounds and some toy breeds. This paw has center toes longer than the side toes.

The paw absorbs the shock when a dog is running or jumping. When a dog runs, the paw allows for flexibility and is able to bear the weight of the animal. Checking the paws regularly for any type of infection or injury is vital to keeping the aboutdoghealth.org/doghealthproblems/health-problems.html dog health paw problem from becoming an issue. Not only can the infection affect the paws, but the infection if not treated can spread to the rest of the dog’s body.

Treatment of the Dog Paw

If your dog has a paw injury, you need to clean this area with soap and water and apply an antibiotic cream. If the dog licks the area, wrapping the paw until the antibiotic cream has time to work is needed. Most dogs will take care of minor injuries themselves, but injuries that are more serious require your help and sometime a veterinarian.

Unclipped nails grow out and curl under, which will eventually grow into the pads causing open sores and in some cases, the dog cannot walk due to pain. These nails need clipping down to the pinkish part of the nail, which if clipped will bleed and cause pain to the dog. If the nails have grown long, you need to clip weekly and the pinkish part of the nail will recede until you finally have the nails short enough for comfort. Dog health paw problem issues do not have to be an issue when the dog is properly cared for.

Do not allow the dog to walk on hot sand or blacktop ground during extremely hot days. If you know what it feels like for you, it feels the same for the dog. This can burn their pads and cause a great deal of pain. Slivers of glass or fissile bushes that become embedded in the pads need to be removed with a tweezers just as you would do to yourself. Dog you have hair growing between the pads need to have the hair clipped down to prevent pain when walking. This accounts for Pekinese, Shih-Tzu’s, Yorkies and other similar dog breeds.

You can also find more info on aboutdoghealth.org/doghealthproblems/eye-health.html Dog’s eye care health and aboutdoghealth.org/doghealthproblems/puppy-health-problems.html puppy health problems. AboutDogHealth.org is a comprehensive resource to help dog owners identify their dog’s illness symptoms and treatment options.

While we sweat over our entire body our dogs don’t have the same advantage. Many people don’t realize that dogs do sweat or just figure it is the same as humans, but dogs only sweat from the pads of their feet and from their mouth by panting. So with dogs having less surface area they can’t dissipate the heat from their body as easily as we can. Care must be taken during outings and when we’re out jogging.

Since our dogs would rather be with us than left at home and only want to please us, they will do their best to keep up with us. Since their body is not able to release the excess heat as quickly as we do they may get overheated and possibly collapse.

Always carry a good fresh supply of water for both you and your pet. There are many different types of containers to make it easy for your pet to drink out of without having to carry a bottle and bowl with you.

Care must always be taken when your pet is out in the sun, exposed areas like their ears nose or recently trimmed areas are vulnerable to sun burn. Some vets even recommend sun-block to be used on their dogs. But, be sure to discuss it with your vet prior to using any type of lotions on your dog as they may be very harmful.

So, be sure to avoid over exercising your dog during the high heat and humidity days. If you really must take a run with your dog, be sure to wait until the late evening when the bulk of the heat has dissipated or get up earlier before the heat starts to rise. Remember that the young, older and those who are not healthy are more susceptible to heat stress. In closing if your skin burns, so will your dogs. Your pet needs his bottle of water too! And never ever think that just 5 minutes in a car is ok, leaving your dog in the car is just signing their death warrant!

These articles were written by Bill ONeill for Homemade Dog Biscuits monthly Newsletters for our website homemade-dog-biscuits.com homemade-dog-biscuits.com More pet information can be found on canine-source.com canine-source.com

Shelties are prone to excessive barking, they are a herding breed, it is in their nature to alert you to strange animals or people that are getting near the parameter of their property (i.e. people walking by, stray dogs or cats on the loose, they may even try to “herd” cars, which is why it so important to have your sheltie in a securely fenced yard when outdoors for their safety!), this is their herding instinct in action! But with gentle firmness and consistency they are relatively easy to train.

Here is an easy tip that I personally use and it works great on my shelties (and I have several!) I no longer get complaints from neighbors and my dogs are quiet, obedient and relaxed. Shelties are eager to please you, but you have to let them know what you want!

If your sheltie begins barking and it is not desired, burst outside (or into the room where they are if they are inside, though shelties seldom bark indoors) and firmly say the command “Quiet!”, keep doing this every time they start to bark. Within a few days, the problem should be resolved. Just don’t give up and be consistent (use the same command every time, and do this every time you notice them barking), this is the key! Soon you will have a quiet sheltie and you and your neighbors will rest easier.

I start this process over with new puppies and with any new dog I introduce. Because of course new puppies will get excited and want to bark, with patience and consistency, they too will learn to be quiet. It is reinforced quickly when they observe the older dogs are not barking. Here’s to a quieter future for you and your sheltie

Kimberly Helgeson Sams has raised and trained shetland sheepdogs (shelties) for over 18 years and is a professional dog artist (shelties are of course her specialty!), she owns Studio Stage Dragon and Stage Dragon Shelties for more information check out stagedragon.com stagedragon.com

You may reprint this article for free as long as you include the author’s information.

A kitten is not totally independent until about 6 months old. In the wild it would remain with its mother until then, if not longer. A kitten can be fully weaned at about 8 weeks old. It should not leave its mother until then. Pedigree kittens suckle for two weeks longer than non-pedigrees and are not fully weaned until 12 weeks old.

EYES

A kitten’s eyes will open from 8 days old onwards, although, some take up to 3 weeks. All kittens are born with blue eyes, as they grow the eyes change colour. The final colour will be evident at 12 weeks old.

TEETH

At 8 weeks all the milk teeth are through, the adult teeth appear at 4 months old. However, unlike puppies they do not spend time teething, the adult teeth grow under the milk teeth.

CLAWS

A kitten is born with the claws extended. As they grow older they learn to retract them. Claws are used for climbing, grooming and protection. They often claw objects at the edge of territories e.g. a tree at the end of the garden. Therefore, it is advisable to move their scratching post to the back door, or near the door of the room they spend most time in.

De-clawing is illegal in the U.K. except for medical reasons. It still continues in the U.S. However it is cruel and involves removing all of the claw and the terminal bone in the toe.Cats are usually de-clawed to avoid them destroying objects and furniture with their claws.

HUNTING

Kittens begin to practice pouncing and hunting with their mother and litter mates from 6 weeks old. Once your kitten begins to hunt properly, you must worm regularly as worms can be passed on from their prey. If your cat brings home mice and birds, it does not mean you are not feeding enough! Your cat may bring you presents, some people believe they do this because they have seen that their owner is incapable of hunting prey for themselves, your cat is ensuring you don’t starve!

PURRING

Kittens are able to purr at 1 week old. It is used as a form of communication between them and their mother. They usually purr when contented, for example just before they settle down to sleep. However, they also purr when frightened or in pain as this is less likely to attract the attention of a predator than other noises such as crying.

SCENT BEHAVIOUR

Cats have scent glands on their cheeks, chin, lips, feet and at the base of their tail. When they scratch trees, posts and other objects in their territory they are using the glands on their feet to mark. They can taste scent by opening their mouth, to allow air over this organ. They may rub themselves around you or objects in your house. This is known as chinning when they use their head and allows them to mark you with their scent.

John Burns is a qualified veterinarian who for the past fourteen years has also been producing a natural, holistic and complete food for dogs and cats, Burns Real Food - free of artificial colours, flavourings and preservatives.

As a practising Veterinary Surgeon, John became increasingly concerned about the quality of pet foods on the market, and how nutrition was playing a part in the poor health of the pets that he was seeing in his surgery.

Burns Pet Nutrition are known for being an ethical company with excellent customer service and nutrition support which can be accessed via their website burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk burns-pet-nutrition.co.uk

Bettas are carnivorous. In the wild, they live off of insects and their larvae. Their mouth is designed to snatch prey on the surface of the water, and their digestive tract is too short to metabolize most plants. This means they are best suited for live food, but they can adapt to flakes and frozen or freeze dried foods.

If flake food is used, it should be supplemented by frozen, freeze dried or live food.

Brine shrimp, Daphnia, plankton, tubifex, glassworms, and beef heart are all good choices to feed Bettas, and are commonly available frozen or freeze dried. Note that Bettas can take up to a week to recognize a new food type, so you should keep the staple food constant and supplement with treats and other types of food occasionally. Most appear to prefer a mix of brine shrimp and bloodworms for their Bettas.

There are dedicated Betta foods on the market. These are usually pellets and should float on the surface for easy consumption. Hikari Betta Bio-Gold is well regarded, as are HBH Betta Bites and San Francisco Bay Brand Betta Food, which is essentially freeze dried bloodworms. Other brands have complaints about Bettas refusing to eat, inadequate nutrition and sinking pellets that Bettas can’t consume fast enough.

With the Hikari Betta Bio-Gold, there are complaints about the packaging, but the larger sizes are easier to use. Remember that each Betta only needs about three pellets, and overfeeding will result in contamination of the tank. This is both because of food that rots and excess defecation from the overfed fish.

Some Bettas won’t eat bloodworms, while others adore them. However, bloodworms are not a complete diet, and should be used as a treat or supplement for those fish that appreciate them. Most say their Bettas prefer live food, but some believe that too much live food can be bad for a Betta.

Let the Betta see the food coming. Drop the food right in front of the fish, so he doesn’t have to hunt for it. If the food isn’t eaten immediately, you should wait for the fish, but if it isn’t consumed in 15 minutes, remove it and try again later. Start small, perhaps 6 brine shrimp, and if the Betta eats them all and there is no sign of belly distention, and the fish still acts hungry, you may feed it a little more, but the second feeding should be smaller.

There are products marketed at Betta vacation foods, but results are mixed. Some appear to swear by them, while others complain of the overfeeding issues listed above.

Additionally, many fish foods claim to be color enhancers. It appears the actual importance is proper nutrition and good conditions, so any good source of nutrients would be about as effective in color enhancement as any other.

Adult Bettas can be happy with feedings once or twice a day, provided care is taken to present a balanced diet and the correct amount of food is provided.

For more information on

In trying to discover the proper iguana health care it is essential to understand that in large part, the iguana’s health is completely dependent upon the environment that they are in as well as the nutrition that is available to them. This is the also true of the iguana that is kept in captivity, as it is highly imperative that it has a proper and adequate habitat and this fact alone can play a monumental role in the iguana health care. Lets take a look at the various factors that can play an important part of the health of this fantastic creature.

Compromising Iguana Health Care

There is a pivotal part of feeding the iguana because there are some foods that include toxic chemicals for an iguana and can cause serious harm. One of those foods is spinach because they do cause acids that can be potentially harmful to an iguana as well as brussel sprouts because they are infamous for carrying salmonella. Some other food things that are potentially dangerous to an iguana health care regime are things such as swiss chard, cauliflower and beets as these can also contain mild traces of acids and toxins that can harm the iguana.

Another pivotal part of keeping a good iguana health care regime is that iguanas that are held in captivity do not get the required amount of sunlight which is how they absorb vitamin C as well as other nutrients and in that manner, it is highly important that the pet iguana receives vitamin as well as calcium supplements at least two times a week as well as supplying the iguana with the essential UV lighting as this is one aspect that an iguana cannot thrive or survive without.

Iguanas In Captivity

For a final few statements regarding the iguana health care, it is equally as important that the habitat it lives in is clean and well kept. Often new iguana users will line the cage with substances such as wood chips or lizard litter and although one is made to believe that this is the appropriate kind of litter for an iguana, it is not! It is wise to use something that can be easily thrown out and that the iguana will not ingest as this can cause serious health problems. Some kind of butcher wrap that can be easily thrown out and replaced that the iguana will not ingest is ultimately the best kind of cage litter.

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Unlike people and dogs, cats are true carnivores. They do not have a specific requirement for carbohydrates in their diets. They must, however, have large amounts of animal protein in the diet or they can suffer a number of fatal problems such as heart disease and liver failure. Carbohydrates are included in pet foods as an inexpensive source of energy. Digested carbs are used to provide fuel (blood glucose) for people and pets; if the energy is not needed immediately, then the carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscle or liver to be used later. While dogs and people can use protein for energy, this is less efficient. Cats, however, have developed to be able to use protein as their main source of energy. Dry food must contain more carbohydrates than canned food in order to be formed into pellets.

Even though cats need a lot of meat in order to obtain the large amount of protein that they require, feeding only meat is a bad idea. Meat as the sole food is too low in calcium and other vitamins and minerals. However, the ideal food for cats is based upon animal protein as long as it contains adequate amounts of fats, vitamins, and minerals. Even though cats don’t really need carbohydrates in their diet, I don’t think feeding dry food is harmful to most cats as long as it’s a natural diet. Some of my holistic colleagues might disagree, and some do in fact only recommend wet or canned food. In my practice, I’m not quite that stringent. However, there are some cats that I believe should probably not eat dry food as their sole diets. Cats with kidney disease, chronic bladder disease, diabetes, cancer, and heart and liver disease do better in my opinion when eating a wet or can diet.

While a few carbs in the diet won’t hurt most cats, I think the best approach is to find out what is best for your cat. Every pet is different, and each has specific nutritional needs. Work with your veterinarian to determine what food is best for your pet at this stage of his life.

Dr. Shawn Messonnier is the author of 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. Dr. Shawn is the medical consultant for Pet Togethers, a pet supplement company.

pettogethers.net/healthypet pettogethers.net/healthypet

petcarenaturally.com petcarenaturally.com

Part of the responsibility of pet ownership is the care and feeding of our animal friends. For cat owners, appropriate feline care can greatly increase the health of our cats and extend their lives significantly. Subsequently, choosing the appropriate cat food – based on breed and size - is of the utmost importance in taking responsible care of our cats.

Cat food comes in a dizzying array of choices; as we browse the shelves, we hardly know where to start. The most important thing to remember when choosing a cat food is that each particular brand is specifically designed for a particular stage in a cat’s life. So a food that is appropriate for a kitten is not appropriate for an older cat. Read the packaging to determine what cat food is meant for your specific age of cat.

That being said, there are still quite a lot of ingredients and nutritional contradictions when it comes to cat food. A reputable veterinarian will be able to tell you what is essential to the health and longevity of your cat. It is important that you follow these guidelines when making a selection of cat food based on the nutrients it offers.

To narrow it down even further, when it comes to choosing between brands, look for those that carry an Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) seal of approval. This ensures that this particular brand of cat food meets with the nutritional guidelines as set forth by the AAFCO.

Other things to take into consideration when it comes to cat food are the size and health of your cat. Stay within the feed guidelines – as recommended by your veterinarian – for your cat’s size. And if your cat has any existing health conditions you must be sure to take this into consideration when asking your veterinarian about appropriate cat food.

Cat food can be found anywhere from your grocery store to your local large retail outlet or pet supply store. The pet stores tend to carry a larger selection and offer a more competitive price so if you have one close by it is worth checking out.

Feeding your cat the most appropriate cat food for them is an essential part of an overall program for good health and long life.

For easy to understand, in depth information about cat food visit our ezGuide 2

Dogs were traditionally working animals. They would have expected to be active all day, every day. However, in these modern days a dog’s life can often be confined to indoors and with very few physical activities.

Dogs are animals that need exercise on a regular basis; in fact it should be daily. There are many reasons for this. For example, it can help to control the dog’s weight its appetite. It can also help to insure good quality mental health as well. If you do not provide for the dog’s daily exercise, she will likely find it in her own way, which may be a destructive manner. A dog that is bored is one the can become destructive digging up the yard and chewing on shoes. But, when you take this energy that the dog has and apply it correctly through various toys and exercise, great things can happen.

One game of catch a day is not enough exercise for your pet. Quantity and quality are quite important. For example, you can provide your pet with a daily walk. If you do so at the same time of the day each day, the pet will begin to look forward to it. And, take them to someplace different as often as possible. This will help your pet to explore with his senses. It is also a special time of bonding between you and your pet. Take your pet to a dog park where the leash can come off and he or she can do some socializing with other animals.

Sports for dogs?

Did you know that dog’s can do sports as well? There are many things that you can teach your dog to do that will be fun to play and provide them with the exercise that they need. For example, Frisbees are a great choice as is flyball and agility. There are Frisbee competitions that your dogs can participate in. In this case, you’ll see pets flying into the air to catch the Frisbee that an adult is throwing. You may see the dog twist and jump at the same time. In fact, some of them are choreographed routines that are nothing short of amazing but they are fun and exercising for the pet.

Flyball is another choice. Here, there is team play. Four dogs per team take turns running through a course. They may have hurdles in them as well. When the dog completes the course, he will trigger a box to will force a tennis ball into the air. The dog catches it and races back through the course again. Then, once the dog gets through, the next team mate goes. A team will win based on time and the fewest errors.

Agility is another sport for dogs. Here, the dog is to run through an obstacle course. The goal is to be done in the fastest amount of time. In this sport, though, the owner will run alongside the dog encouraging it over the hurdles and other obstacles. The goal is for the dog to obey the owner’s commands and directions. A good doggie workout will include things like tunnels, see-saws and a wide variety of jumps. All of these sports allow for the exercise of the dog as well as the mental fitness he needs as well.

Alternatives to sports?

Not sure if the sport is right for you? You can keep your dog going by giving him toys that will help to stimulate not only exercise but also mental challenges. For example a dog puzzle places a treat for the dog into a hollow container that he will have to work off to get to the treat. Through nosing it around and rolling it, the dog gets the treat and the reward.

best-pet-health.info Best Dog Health Information is a resource which will help you find infomation, hints and tips to doggie first aid kit and keeping your dog happy and healthy. best-pet-health.info best-pet-health.info. dognewscenter.com Dog News Center publishes news and articles about dogs and puppies.

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