Normally, your first assumption when you see your dog scratching is that he is under assault by fleas; but sometimes, there’s more going on than just your typical flea infestation. Hot spots are uncomfortable patches that dogs lick or scratch incessantly.
There is one question that all cat owners ask: Is my cat’s behavior weird or is that actually normal for felines? Most of the unusual behavior we see in our cats is perfectly normal; we just don’t understand what they’re telling us. Fortunately we have the secret that will reveal cat behavior.
If your pup runs circles around you one day and is lame the next, he may have an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury. ACL injuries occur frequently in canines, with estimates of over 1 million dogs suffering ACL injuries per year.
If you’ll pardon the pun, obesity in pets is a growing problem. According to the 8th annual National Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey (2014), 58% of cats and 53% of dogs in the USA are obese. According to the 2014 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day survey, 52.7% of dogs and 57.9% of cats in the USA are obese. Different studies, similar results.
Ear infections are one of the most common medical issues for both cats and dogs. Dogs and pups with floppy ears, like Cocker Spaniels, are more prone to ear infections than dogs with erect ears, like German Shepherds. Outdoor cats have a higher rate of ear infections than indoor cats, although indoor cats are not immune.
Cats are aloof and not as responsive to training as dogs. But offer a cat a treat they love and they’ll be as eager to please as any pup. Cat treats are effective training tools, and they help calm anxious cats forced into uncomfortable situations. These include introductions to an unfamiliar environment, or even worse, a bath.
Plenty of people like to treat their dogs to a gourmet dish once in awhile and some may even be contemplating substituting dog food with human food. However, it’s important to know which foods are safe for dogs and which are so dangerous they’re deadly.
Most pet insurance companies don’t cover pregnancy and breeding. There are simply too many complications that could arise and things that could wrong for a typical pet insurer to cover the risks. However, there are pet insurance companies that offer specialist products for breeders, so that they can give their breeding dogs and cats (and their offspring) the best medical care available.
Despite our best efforts to keep our pets safe, it’s not uncommon for them to sniff out toxic materials, like rat and mouse poisons and help themselves. This is because these types of poison are easily accessible and not just because we don’t always store them as safely as we should.
There is a difference between congenital and hereditary conditions or disorders. Congenital conditions or birth defects onset during fetal development, they can have a genetic or environmental cause (e.g., poor nutrition, stress, injury or illness before and during pregnancy). Hereditary disorders are genetically carried through either of the parents’ genes to the offspring; basically they are inherited medical conditions.
