Cystitis and other bladder infections are very common in cats. Usually however it is not down to a simple infection but the effects of stress. It is unclear why cats are susceptible to stress in this area of their bodies.
Many people think that dog muzzles are cruel or only to be used if your dog is prone to aggressive behaviour. However can you really guarantee that your dog would let you pick him or her up if they were severely injured or in pain and you needed to get them to a vets quickly? Most animals when in pain will respond aggressively as they cannot understand that your intentions are to help them rather than to create more discomfort. For this reason it is a good idea to get your dog used to a muzzle and to not view it as a threat.
If left to their own devices your dog would probably choose to sleep curled up on your bed or as second best stretched out across the couch. Obviously for most of us this is not an option and rightly so. Sharing a bed with a dog can cause problems. They can become very territorial about it and start to get jealous about sharing their luxury dog bed with anyone else. Plus disturbing a dog in a deep slumber by moving in the bed or trying to simply get out of it can be a dangerous thing to do. I’ve known people to get a nasty nip or worse from a dog that has been woken in this way.
I was just today chatting to a friend about dog walking and the powerful effects it can have not only on your physical health but your mental health also. My friend’s mother has been very ill and her father has been caring for her throughout. To give her dad some respite my friend will go over and stay with her mum while her dad takes their dog for a walk. She says he go rambling with the dog for about an hour and comes back refreshed and rejuvenated.
Before I had a dog I was blissfully unaware about dog’s anal glands however after my shih tzu’s arrival and a spate of dogsitting my sister’s basset hound I know about them all too well!
Anal glands are two glands positioned at 5.00pm and 7.00pm on either side of the opening to the rectum. They act as a kind of calling card to other dogs and it is these glands that dogs sniff when greeting each other. When a dog defecates then the anal gland is activated and your dogs distinctive scent is left also.
When setting up your chinchilla in its new home there are some consideration you need to make as they have some very specific requirements to feel fully at home.
To keep fit, happy and healthy your chinchilla needs a dry, clean, comfortable home. You need to ensure its cage is spacious and well ventilated. Make sure it is chew-proof and secure as chinchillas can escape easily if the cage can be easily damaged.
The best time to start teaching children about how to handle dogs safely is when they are very young. Make sure you reinforce this often as the child grows up so that they remain safe. Here are the do’s and don’ts you need to instil in your children: Read more…
You may be gearing up to some spooky festive celebration with Halloween coming up on the horizon but for your dog it can be more of a fright night than you may have intended. Although dogs will enjoy the increased attention that the Halloween visitors and festivities will bring they will also feel a huge amount of tension and anxiety as their quiet evening is disrupted by ghouls and witches knocking at the door and shouting, ‘Trick or Treat?’ Your dogs anxiety levels might reach an all time peak if your then squeeze him into a puppy vampire suit!
Dogs are notorious for have less than pleasant smelling breath. As they loving look into your eyes and panting away after a run around the garden you’d be forgiven for wrinkling your nose as he breathes all over you. However dogs can suffer from halitosis – yes, it’s true! Not all unpleasant whiffs coming from your pooch’s mouth are normal. If there is a consistently bad odour coming from your dog’s mouth then there may be a more sinister reason than good old dog breath.
Make sure you do not set off fireworks near livestock or horses in fields or anywhere housing horses nearby. If you do plan a firework display in a rural area let the neighbouring farmers know in advance.
If you own your own horse try to ensure that no fireworks are set off nearby and inform your neighbours and local organisers of firework displays that you have horses in the area. A responsible organiser will then ensure that fireworks are only let off in the opposite direction to your stables.
