Pet Haven

Just though I would give a quick mention to all our reader I’ve just stumbled across a animal directory neatly entitled the best pet directory. I had come to my attention because I was thinking of created soemthing like this to add to Pet Haven. But it seems they have already done all the leg work. It truely does cover everything you would ever need to know about pet broken down into really simple useful categories, they even have a section dedicated to Admadillos!

So hats off ot the peeps at Best pet directory.

When embarking on a car journey, do you consider that your dog may get as car sick as your child?  It’s possible!  The younger the dog the more prone he’s likely to be to being affected by motion sickness, but older dogs that are not used to travelling in a vehicle are also susceptible.  There are ways of improving your dog’s sensitivity to car sickness however so try a few of these if you find that your dog is affected.

Don’t make the first time in a car a long journey.  Start off short, even if it’s just around the neighbourhood for 5 minutes.  Lengthen this out over a period of time until the dog looks more at ease when you travel.  Also, don’t let the only trip your dog makes in the car one that includes a visit to his veterinary, this won’t give him a good association with the car and won’t help the motion sickness issue.

If he’s prone to vomiting when travelling, limit his food intake in the hours leading up to the journey.  He will need plenty of water, but you can hold back the food so that if he does vomit, it’s not going to be such a mess to clean up and you won’t get so stressed about it – your stress will add to his distress and make things worse.

Make sure that your dog has a clear view out of the window, and that there’s fresh air circulating around – as with a child, both of these small changes can make a big difference in how they feel whilst they travel.

Stop your journey frequently at places where your dog can get out, take a walk and relieve himself.  You should also allow him water at these places.  Don’t let him off the leash however – he’ll be disorientated in unfamiliar surroundings and could get lost!  The frequent stops will allow him to settle into a reassuring pattern that the journey is temporary and that the car will stop, he can get out, answer the call of nature and so on. 

If you are going on a long journey, and you know that your dog is distressed when travelling, talk to your veterinary about it.  It may be worth giving your dog some form of canine travel sickness medication.  The dose should be prescribed by the veterinary and will be based on your dogs weight.  If your dog has any medical conditions, this may not be an option, but otherwise, it’s a good idea if you don’t want to have to make too many unscheduled stops on the way to your destination.

A happy, relaxed dog in the car will make the journey to your vacation spot a more pleasurable one, so think about how your pet is going to respond to the journey well in advance of the date so that you have time to assess his reaction to being in the car, and try to improve it if necessary.

Have you ever wondered when a cat does a stiff-legged half jump against your leg?

In kitty language that means “Hello there! What are you up to?”

Have you ever wondered why a cat uses the litter box?

In their natural habitat cats protect themselves by hiding their feces from potential predator or intruding competition. Domesticated cats have kept this trade up to this day, thank goodness.

Have you ever wondered what makes a cat purr?

You guessed it: the first reason is that the cat feels goooooood.

Another reason is to let others know that they are no danger to them.

Some cats do purr when they are hurt or scared. Do not mistaken this as the cat being content!

Picar comes from the Spanish verb picar, which means to itch, however it does more to scratch the owners equilibrium than anything else, as pica is the name given to cats that eat non-food items. Whilst it can be annoying as the cat will destroy bedding blankets, and plants it has more serious implications. Cats are carnivores, the fibres of blankets have nothing to offer the cat in terms of nutrition, and they can block the digestive tract much as a hairball can. To say nothing of the fact that eating through a live wire can be fatal!

It is not actually known why some cats are more prone to this habit than others, the Oriental breeds often have a compulsions to eat non edible substances often fibre or wool. This would suggest that the behaviour is genetic rather than learned. Some behaviourists and veterinarians believe that it starts as a comfort thing when the kitten are weaned too early or too abruptly, much like a toddler and a comfort blanket.  They think that the sucking develops into chewing and then digesting.

Some others think that the diet is lacking in an essential nutrient and the cat is driven to eat other things to compensate. It is also possible that the behaviour is purely psychologically based a bored cat trying to make a diversion, or a cat behaving neurotically because of stress.

To complicate already muddy waters, some illnesses such as pancreatitis

Can make a cat eat odd things. In short it is better to have the cat looked over by your veterinarian before you attempt to deter him. The theory behind that is that a tired cat is less likely to eat your clothes. Making sure that has plenty of toys whilst you are away is also productive on the theory that a bored cat is morel likely to eat things it should not.

However non of these things are going to work if it is a dietary deficiency the cat is suffering from. Some cat owners report that adding a small amount of fibres to the food deters a cat. Lanolin is the oil found in wool and some owners report that adding a little lanolin to the food helps.

Some owners have tried to spray the clothes with pepper, or another smell to deter the cats and then another smell such as air freshener as the cat will then associate that smell with something he should not do. That may well deter him from eating sweaters but what happens when he starts eating towels instead?

The first step is to rule out medical causes. If the behaviour is genetic then you are going to have less luck in changing the behaviour. However if the behaviour is learnt then with patience it can be changed.

Identifying Dog Sunburn

Sun damage from ultra violet radiation is harmful for dogs. All dogs can suffer from sunburn, but the pale dogs with the lightest fur are most at risk. A longer coat does protect the dog to a certain extent but they can still suffer the effects. Short dogs are more at risk than the Great Dane’s or mastiffs. As they are fairly close to the ground, they are at risk from reflected sunlight. The suns rays are capable of reflecting back from the pavement. White sand is a good medium for reflecting back sunlight. This is why the abdomen, inside of the dogs legs and the groin suffer more than most areas. Dogs need protection from UV rays.

Even if the day is overcast and the level of sunlight does not appear to be strong the dog can suffer and they must have protection from direct sunlight when the sun is at its zenith. A sun block can be applied to especially sensitive areas such as the top of the ears and the nose if the dog is going to spend any time in the sun. 

Dogs need a certain amount of sunlight as this helps to produce Vitamin D, which is vital for calcium balance. However when the skin has become red it can lead to ulcers and some cancers. Some owners prefer to used a protective body suit because dogs and cats can lick off a sun block.

All dogs have breath that can quite literally take your breathe away occasionally. The causes are varied it may be food between the teeth, tooth decay, gum disease or just the diet the dog is eating. Many tinned foods make a dog’s mouthy smell. Regular visits to a veterinary surgeon can keep the build up of tartar under control. Giving your bog a large raw bone lamb or been bone twice a week helps the dog clean its own teeth. This bone should not be cooked as cooked bones can lead to constipation.

Somne dogs have a tendency to bury foos particles and eat them later and this does not help oral hygiene.

Home Made Dog Biscuits to keep the dogs breath sweet.

Ingredients

2 cups brown rice flour

1 Tablespoon powdered activated charcoal

3 Tablespoons oil

1 large egg

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2/3 cup low fat milk

Method

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a metal tray.

Combine the flour and charcoal, and then add the other ingredients. Drop teaspoonfuls onto the oiled sheet, about 1 inch apart, as they spread when baked.  Bake 15-20 minutes.

Store the biscuits, covered and air tight in the refrigerator.