You Need to Know
Interesting Facts
Dogs Do Sweat After All
You've Probably Heard That Dogs Pant Because They Don’t Sweat. It's Partially True But Actually Dogs Do Have Sweat Glands Just Under Their Paws!
Chocolate is Bad for Your Dog
Even a Small Amount of the Following Can Cause Kidney Failure in Dogs: Grapes, Raisins, Chocolate, Macadamia Nuts, Cooked Onions, or Items Containing Caffeine Can Also Be Harmful. Apple and Pear Seeds Contain Small Traces of Arsenic, Which Can Be Fatal for Your Dog!
Chasing Their Tail Explained
Dogs and Cats Circle Before Lying Down, an Instinctive Behavior That Helps Them Create a Bed in the Wild by Trampling Long Grass. This Behavior Could Also Be Linked to Their Tail Chasing.
A Dry Nose?
Many Owners Immediately Think That a Dry Nose in a Dog or Cat Indicates Fever and Illness. This Is Not Entirely Correct. While the Nose is Usually Dry During a Fever, It’s Not Always the Case. A Perfectly Healthy Dog or Cat Can Also Have a Dry Nose, For Example, After Sleeping Near a Heat Source or When the Air in the House Is Dry. Therefore, the Nose is Not a Reliable Indicator of Your Pet's Health.
Does a Female Dog or Cat Need to Have Puppies ?
The Answer is Short and Simple: No! There Are Just as Many Uterine or Mammary Gland Problems in Animals That Have Had a Litter as in Those That Have Never Given Birth. For dogs, the explanation is simple: hormonally, a normal heat cycle without pregnancy or a heat followed by pregnancy has nearly the same hormonal fluctuations, so there are no advantages or disadvantages to having a litter. In cats, there is no statistical difference in health between those that have had kittens and those that have not. It’s a bit harder to assess in cats because most are spayed at a young age. However, there is evidence that cats spayed at a young age (after the first heat) have relatively less breast cancer compared to those that remain unspayed. This trend is also observed in female dogs. Having a litter is, therefore, truly a personal decision for the owner: it doesn't make the pet healthier or unhealthier.
What Is the Correct Way to Discipline a Cat?
Even with the cat, the punishment must immediately follow the unwanted behavior, otherwise the punishment is pointless. Punishing a cat must be done in a "cat-like" manner. When observing a group of cats, one cat will punish the other by hissing and screeching and/or by striking forcefully with the paw, preferably on the head of the cat to be punished. For the owner, the hissing and screeching are in turn replaced by a loudly shouted punishment command. The swipe with the claw is substituted by the owner with a tap of the finger on the cat’s nose. This "physical" punishment may only be given when the cat attacks you as the owner (i.e., scratching, hissing, biting, attacking, etc.). For other matters such as scratching furniture, nibbling plants, etc., you must not punish, but you may create a startle effect while the cat is doing it. After all, when the cat associates the punishment with you, she will behave impeccably when you are present, but happily continue scratching or nibbling when you are away. How to create a startle effect in your cat: for example, aim a spray of water at the cat with a plant sprayer, temporarily attach sandpaper to the furniture the cat is scratching, put mesh in the plant pots when the cat is digging the soil out, etc.
Dogs Lift Their Leg for Dominance
Male Dogs Lift Their Leg While Urinating to Aim Higher, Like on a Tree, to Leave a Message Showing They’re Big and Intimidating. Some Wild Dogs in Africa Even Try to Run Up Tree Trunks While Peeing to Appear Much Larger!
A Dog's Nose Print is Unique
A Dog's Nose Print is Just as Unique as a Human Fingerprint and Can Be Used to Accurately Identify a Dog, Making It an Effective Method of Identification!
Fever or Not?
A Temperature Rise is a Good 'Indicator' to Seek Veterinary Help When Your Pet Behaves Differently Than Usual. However, As an Owner, You Need to Know How to Take the Temperature and What the Normal Body Temperature Is. The normal temperature for dogs and cats is higher than for humans and has a wider range: any temperature between 38°C and 39°C is considered normal. The temperature must always be taken rectally. You can use a standard thermometer, but there are also special thermometers that are more comfortable for pets. It’s best to lubricate the thermometer with some soap before insertion. Always take the temperature with two people. One person should support the dog’s abdomen so it doesn’t sit down during the procedure, as this is a natural response when the animal feels irritation near the anus. For cats, a helper is definitely needed, as they generally do not tolerate having their temperature taken. The cat should be placed on its side and held still by the helper (wearing gloves if necessary), while the person taking the temperature has both hands free to perform the task. The thermometer should stay inserted long enough to get an accurate reading. A low temperature (if correctly and sufficiently taken) is very serious and can indicate shock. A high temperature is usually caused by infection or pain.
Worms or Not?
When a Dog or Cat Scrapes Its Bottom Along the Ground, Known as "Scooting," Owners Often Think the Animal Has Worms. This is Only Partially True. The Common Roundworm (the Most Common Worm in Dogs and Cats) Does Not Cause Anal Itching and Will Not Trigger the Scooting Reflex. However, There is a Type of Worm, the Dipylidium Tapeworm (Transmitted via Fleas), That Can Cause Itching, As the Segments Stick Around the Anus. This Worm Cannot Be Treated with Over-the-Counter Deworming Products, So It’s Best to Consult Your Vet. A More Common Cause of Scooting Is Inflammation or Overfullness of the Anal Glands. These Two Glands Are Located on Either Side of the Anus and Produce a Fluid That Is Normally Evacuated During Defecation. If This Mechanism Fails, the Glands Become Fuller, Leading to Irritation or Inflammation. The Dog or Cat Responds by Nibbling at the Base of the Tail and/or Scooting. In Male Dogs with These Symptoms, Prostate Issues Should Also Be Considered. This Usually Accompanies Other Symptoms That Will Alert the Owner More Quickly Than Scooting, Such as Pain During Defecation, Blood in the Urine, or Difficulty Urinating.
What Is the Correct Way to Discipline a Dog?
Punishment must always follow the unwanted behaviour quickly within a second. Otherwise the animal will not understand what it is being punished for. A puddle of urine that has been there a long time, or a chewed slipper found after you get home, are things that can no longer be punished. Punishment must also be consistent: don’t punish the behaviour one time and ignore it the next. Punishment must be clear and understandable to the dog: the dog should be punished in a “dog-like” way. When you observe dogs in a pack, the alpha dog punishes others by growling and/or biting the neck. The growl is replaced by the owner using a loud, deep reprimand (pick a short, strong word and always use the same word). The neck bite is replaced by firmly grasping the dog by the scruff and shaking it back and forth.
Fleas in the
Winter?
Many pet owners believe that fleas are only a summer problem and do not occur in winter. Unfortunately, fleas can also torment pets (and their owners) during the winter months. It is true that fleas will not survive in the cold outdoors, but they can survive indoors where it is nice and warm. When fleas picked up in the summer are not properly treated (both the pet and the home must be treated), fleas will make nests inside the house in warm, dusty spots. These fleas survive thanks to the heating in the house, and as a result, pets can still have problems with fleas during the winter months. To solve the problem, not only must the pet be treated with a spray, flea collar, flea drops, or pills (depending on the species, age, weight, and skin condition), but the home must also be rid of the nests using a spray or fogging solution that is suitable only for inanimate surfaces (so never use on animals). These products do not stain and can be used on carpets and fabric. The key is to spray especially in places that are difficult to reach with a vacuum cleaner. Every room in the house should be treated, even those where the pet does not go. After all, a flea sucked up into the vacuum cleaner will remain in the vacuum bag, but can crawl back out and infest another room. It is also helpful, when changing the vacuum bag, to spray some flea-killing spray into the new bag before inserting it into the vacuum cleaner.