Opinions about testing pets for COVID-19 are changing as we learn more about the virus and cases around the world. Public health authorities and veterinarians are working together to determine if an animal should be tested. Right now, there’s no evidence that dogs or cats can spread the virus to people. But there is growing evidence that in rare cases people may be able to infect animals. In the past month, two dogs and a cat in Hong Kong, a cat in Belgium, and a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City were found to have been infected. In each situation, there was exposure to a COVID-19 positive person.

If your cat or dog is sick, the best thing to do is speak with your veterinarian. Be sure to let them know if your pet has been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19. Your veterinarian will let you know what to do and will work with public health authorities to determine if a test is recommended.

Every few weeks, my exotic pet hospital in New York receives a call from a desperate exotic pet owner somewhere far away seeking advice about their sick pet. Sometimes it’s about a reptile, sometimes about a bird or bunny. The caller might be from the Midwest, Canada, or even from another continent. Unfortunately, in most cases, there is little we can recommend over the phone, and we generally advise pet-owner to take their animals to an exotic pet-savvy veterinarian to be examined. While there are several great resources online directing people to terrific local vets who are comfortable treating exotic species, for some people in certain remote locations, exotic pet veterinarians can be hard to find. What are the most important things to look for when you are seeking out care for an exotic pet vet? Here are 5 essential considerations:

1. How many (snakes, birds, ferrets, rabbits, whatever species) has this vet ever treated?

While the practice may not always make perfect, it certainly makes better. The more of any given species a veterinarian sees, the more likely that he or she is to recognize the disease and be able to recommend the appropriate treatment. Most vets receive little to no training in school on exotic animal species, so if they really want to learn about how to care for these animals, they have to seek out information on their own. These vets who take the initiative to go the extra mile to learn about exotic pets are the vets you’d want to see.

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2. Is the veterinary hospital set up to accommodate exotic pets?

While many cat and dog hospitals will see exotic pets, they often do so because they are the only game in town. Many cat and dog hospitals will only treat an exotic pet when no one else will, and the pet is really sick. You can really tell whether a veterinary hospital is set up to treat exotic pets if they have some of the basic equipment and supplies needed to do so, such as a small scale that weighs in grams for weighing little exotic pets or a tank for safely enclosing a reptile. If they have no equipment specifically designed for treating and examining typically smaller exotic patients, it is likely they don’t treat many of them.

3. Are the veterinary technicians comfortable handling exotic patients?

Knowing how to safely handle exotic pets is truly an art that takes years to master. Most exotic animals are prey species that become stressed when restrained. No matter how good a veterinarian may be at the medical care of exotic species, without great technical staff to comfortably hold these animals, that vet cannot perform great medical care. By just watching how veterinary technicians restrain and manipulate your exotic pet, you can get an idea about how often they actually handle exotic pets. Technicians and veterinarians trained in exotic pet restraint should be relaxed and have a plan on how to pick up and hold your pet. If they are floundering around trying to figure out how to catch your pet, their experience is very likely limited.

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4. Are the veterinarians and/or the veterinary staff members of any exotic pet professional organizations?

There are several professional exotic animal groups, such as the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, and the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, to which many veterinarians who are interested in exotic pet care belong. These organizations provide continuing education to veterinary professionals, and typically, individuals who want to remain knowledgeable in exotic pet care will join one or more of these groups to stay current. Veterinarians who belong to these groups typically display the organization’s logo on a decal in their hospitals’ window or printed on their hospitals’ client literature. Each of these organizations have websites, too, that list current members geographically. If a vet has taken the time and money to join any of these organizations, then he or she at least has a strong interest in exotic pets.

5. Does the veterinary hospital provide care for exotic pet emergencies?

This is something most exotic pet owners don’t think about until they are faced with their own pets’ emergency. While a few animal hospitals have veterinarians on call and technicians who remain in the hospital overnight to care for critical cases, the most veterinary hospitals are not open 24/7 but have arrangements with local 24-hour emergency clinics to care for their patients overnight and on emergency basis. However, while local emergency clinics are generally happy to take in dog and cat emergencies, they are not always equipped to handle exotic pet emergencies. When choosing an animal hospital to care for your unique exotic pet, be sure to ask the veterinary staff exactly how they handle exotic pet patients with emergencies after hours. If they have no contingency plan, they likely treat very few exotics. Just as your dog and cat vet should have a plan for after-hours emergencies, so should your exotic pet vet. This is perhaps the most important question to consider when choosing a doctor for your beloved pet. Don’t be afraid to ask it. The answer could be the difference between life and death.

When it comes to caring for your cat, I have a few simple recommendations:

• Maintain a safe environment (keep him indoors)
• Feed a high-quality food (e.g., a meat-based protein)
• Think about preventive care (e.g., an annual physical examination, laboratory tests, and the appropriate vaccines)
• Provide lots of affection and exercise

By following these basic tips, you can help keep your four-legged, feline friends healthy–potentially for decades! But as cat guardians, you should also be aware of five “silent” killers in cats. By knowing what the most common silent killers are, you can know what clinical signs to look for. With most of these diseases, the sooner the clinical signs are recognized, the sooner we veterinarians can treat them.

1. Chronic kidney disease

One of the top silent killers of cats is chronic kidney disease (CKD) (This is sometimes called a chronic renal failure or chronic kidney injury). These terms are all semantically the same, and basically mean that 75% of both the kidneys are ineffective and not working. Clinical signs of CRD include:

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive urinating
• Larger clumps in the litter box
• Weight loss
• Bad breath (due to toxins building up in the blood and causing ulcers in the mouth, oesophagus, and stomach)
• Lethargy
• Hiding

Thankfully, with appropriate management, cats can live with CKD for years (unlike dogs where CKD usually progresses more rapidly). Chronic management may include a low-protein diet, frequent blood work, increasing water intake (e.g., with a water fountain or by feeding a gruelling canned food), medications and even fluids under the skin (which many pet guardians do at home, once properly trained).

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2. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This is seen in middle-aged to geriatric cats and can result in very similar clinical signs to chronic kidney disease including:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased water consumption/urination
• Vomiting/diarrhoea
• Weight loss

However, as hyperthyroidism increases the metabolism of cats, it causes one defining sign: a ravenous appetite despite weight loss. It can also result in:

• A racing heart rate
• Severe hypertension (resulting in acute blood loss, neurologic signs, or even a clot or stroke)
• Secondary organ injury (e.g., a heart murmur or changes to the kidney)

Thankfully, treatment for hyperthyroidism is very effective and includes either a medication (called methimazole, surgical removal of the thyroid glands (less commonly done), a special prescription diet called y/d® Feline Thyroid Health) or I131 radioiodine therapy. With hyperthyroidism, the sooner you treat it, the fewer potential side effects or organ damage will occur in your cat.

3. Diabetes mellitus

Another costly, silent killer that affects cats is diabetes mellitus (DM). As many of our cats are often overweight to obese, they are at a greater risk for DM. With diabetes, the pancreas fails to secrete adequate amounts of insulin (Type I DM) or there is resistance to insulin (Type II DM). Insulin is a natural hormone that drives sugar (i.e., blood glucose) into the cells. As a result of the cells starving for glucose, the body makes more and more glucose, causing hyperglycemia (i.e., high blood sugar) and many of the clinical signs seen with DM. Common clinical signs for DM are similar to those of Chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism and include:

• Excessive urination and thirst
• Larger clumps in the litter box
• An overweight or obese body condition with muscle wasting (especially over the spine or back) or weight loss
• A decreased or ravenous appetite
• Lethargy or weakness
• Vomiting
• Abnormal breath (e.g., acetone breath)
• Walking abnormally (e.g., lower to the ground)

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Treatment for DM can be costly, as it requires twice-a-day insulin injections that you have to give under the skin. It also requires changes in diet (to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet), frequent blood glucose monitoring, and frequent veterinary visits. With supportive care and chronic management, cats can do reasonably well; however, once diabetic complications develop (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar, hyperglycemic syndrome), DM can be life-threatening.

Macaws are undeniably gorgeous birds and have been popular pet parrots for decades. They are intelligent and affectionate and have exceedingly long lifespans, making them ideal for bird lovers around the world.

Many of the reasons that they are such unique and sought-after pets are also what make them a challenge for many owners; their large size, long lifespan, and noise levels are certainly not for beginners. There are 17 different species of Macaws, some of which make better pets than others and others that are endangered and should not be kept as pets.

Parrot rescue organizations are often filled with Macaws because people want to own one of these gorgeous birds but do not realize the full weight of the responsibility and eventually cannot manage it. Macaws most definitely make great pets, but whether they are the right pet for you is another consideration altogether.

In this article, we look at the aspects that make Macaws such great pets and the more difficult traits to be aware of. Let’s dive in.

Why Macaws make great pets

Macaws are hugely popular pets among bird enthusiasts, and there are several reasons for this. There are quite a few species of Macaws that are commonly kept as pets, including:

• Blue and Gold Macaws
• Green-Wing Macaws
• Hyacinth Macaws
• Military Macaws
• Hahn’s Macaws
• Scarlet Macaws
• Various hybrid Macaws

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Let’s have a look at a few reasons that these birds make such great pets.

There is no denying the exotic beauty of a Macaw, no matter the species that you choose to keep as a pet. Blue and Gold Macaws are among the most popular, known for their beautiful blue-and-yellow plumage and affectionate relationships with their owners. Macaws can reach up to 3 feet tall, and they have large beaks and long tails and various striking color combinations. This is one of the main reasons that they are such popular pets — their appearance is simply unrivaled by other parrot species.

2.Affectionate

In the wild, Macaws are social birds that gather in flocks of 10 or more birds. When you keep a Macaw as a pet, you are now a vital member of their flock, and as such, they will develop a powerful bond with you. While they are wary of strangers and it’s unlikely that a Macaw that you’ve just met will want to cuddle up to you, they are almost puppy-like in affection with the people whom they know well. This is especially true if you’ve raised your Macaw from a young age, but even adopted adult Macaws will eventually warm up to their trusted companions.

Macaws typically mate for life, share their food with their mates and young, and have been shown to recognize their young and siblings and have long-term relationships with them.

Most experts agree that Macaws are among the most intelligent parrots in the world, second only to African Greys. Macaws are logical and discerning birds — hiding their food and picking out seeds that they don’t enjoy — and they have even been shown to be creative and solve complex puzzles with ease. Experiments in IQ and EQ have shown that Macaws are on par with a 2-3-year-old human child, and Macaws are known to display both love and jealousy in the same way too.

Macaws are highly trainable, can be taught a wide variety of tricks, and can mimic dozens of words and phrases and other sounds, like laughing, ringing phones, and singing.

Macaws have long lifespans of 50-75 years, often even more than that, and many will outlive their owners. With the right diet, plenty of exercises, and a happy, peaceful environment, these birds are exceedingly healthy and rarely suffer from any major health issues.

The post Should My Pet Be Tested for COVID-19? appeared first on The Petster.

When looking for veterinarians in Chicago IL you may want to consider a few things before making your final decision. Find local veterinarians in Chicagoland as soon as you move so that you are ready in case of an emergency with your pet.

When looking for veterinarians in the windy city you may want to consider a few things before making your final decision.  Because a vet is a caretaker for your pet in the case of an emergency and also for their general wellbeing you want to choose a veterinarian that is loving and gentle and will take care to have a clean and well-kept-up facility.  You may also want to be sure that your vet contains proper licensing and insurance to run a veterinary clinic and has the expertise to handle all of your pet needs. Hopefully, your vet has hired a marketing company to do SEO for veterinarians for them so they are easier to find on Google.

You may also want to consider the hours that the clinic operates and if they have emergency service hours or are available for weekends and holidays if needed in an emergency.  You may also want to consider the pricing that the vet charges and see if it is in line with the other vet clinics in your area.  Sometimes it may be worth paying a little higher price for services for a great vet that can meet all of your expectations.

When considering veterinarians in Chicago Illinois, you can talk with family and friends or neighbors and ask them about whom they may have gone to and see if they were satisfied with the services that were rendered.  You can also browse through the yellow pages or do an online Google search for vets in the area.  Another great place to get good information on local vets is to talk with the local humane society or you can contact the American Animal Hospital Association for a list of reputable vets in your area.

Once you have decided on some veterinarians in Chicago you may want to set up a preliminary phone call or appointment so that you can see how their staff reacts to new patients and customers and see how clean the environment is in the office.  You could also request to have a tour of the building and ask them what they use for sterility when they are performing surgery and other exams.  If your initial visit is positive then you may want to make an appointment for a routine checkup and see how the staff relates to your pet and how they handle situations with your pet.

Communication is also important when looking for veterinarians so you will want to choose a vet that can speak in your native language as well as can communicate with you easily on the care that is needed for your pet.

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Find your local veterinarian in the Chicago area as soon as you move so that you are ready in case of an emergency with your pet.

The excitement of finding a perfect companion can be great when looking for a puppy, kitten or exotic animals and pets of a specific breed, and this makes people often turn to online sales sites. Surely you have observed that more and more people are opting to buy in an online pet store, and it is that it is a very interesting alternative that brings great benefits to the buyer, AnimalsSale.com is the website where you can buy or sell animals in the US, UK, Europe and other countries. You can find on their website full information about all dogs’ breeds, advice from experts on how to take care of puppies and kittens and other interesting information.

So here we are going to discover some of the most peculiarities of buying a pet from an online store. Featured.

Advantages of buying from a pet store

Today more and more people decide to have an animal in their family. For this reason, the opening of stores where they can buy any product or service dedicated to pets is becoming more and more frequent. According to some statistics, between 40% or 50% of families have a pet, so we must know well the offers in the market to be able to give our pets the best for their health and comfort.

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Immense variety in offers

These premises, often have a huge variety of items for pets. For this reason, we can use them to obtain bags of feed for dogs of different sizes, sweets, food products, clothes for dogs, toys, cages (in the case of rodents), etc.

Unlike shopping centres and supermarkets where we find a limited amount of items for our pets. In a pet store, we can find different things more specific to your needs.

In addition, there are also offers on pets and we can find a wide variety of animal species (if the establishment is a large company). In these places, the animals are usually kept in good condition and the employees are in charge of cleaning the cages daily.

Quality Products

Also, the advantage of buying in a specialized pet store is that we can find good quality products at their price. And it is that the prices themselves are usually quite accessible.

Quality is still an important detail when purchasing a product and/or service. In these places, there are usually articles of a quality more than enough to fulfil their function.

In addition, we have the products organized according to the type of pet and this helps to find what we need and more quickly. This saves time and unnecessary wandering in the store.

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Something important to note is that the products that are sold in specialized stores are usually from recognized brands and that they will also give us a guarantee. More if it is something that our pet has to ingest.

This really is important, because we cannot give anything to our pet. They could get sick if what they eat is in bad condition and if so, we must quickly claim it from the place of purchase. But in these places, the quality of the products is taken care of.

Preparedness for customer service

Another advantage is that we can have personalized attention based on our requests. There are always people around the premises who can guide us in our purchase and tell us which product suits us best for our needs.

This is extremely important since many times we can go to these stores and not be clear about what brand or what characteristics in the article can be better for our pet. This is a great advantage of buying from these stores.

Personnel in charge of customer service are often people who love animals and spend their time learning about pets. The best advice to buy is from people with a lot of experience.

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The post Things To Consider When Looking For A Veterinarian appeared first on The Petster.

Regarding the psychological aspect, a puppy can be of enormous support in mitigating some behavioral complications, especially when the patients are infants. But, in addition, taking care of a puppy, offering the best conditions for its full well-being, reduces the difficulties of its owners to socialize, excessive aggressiveness, poor school performance, or little confidence in the person.

Showing affection and affection to a pet helps its owner to have a better facility for interaction with others. It encourages us to have better contact with those around us, especially with those individuals with whom we must deal on a day-to-day basis.

THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF COMPANION ANIMALS

Pets keep us company, they are living beings with vital needs that we must solve and attend to. Caring for a pet requires great responsibility, dedication, and dedication. Children especially benefit from having a pet in their care, in that it allows them to mature better and forge a more determined character as they develop as people. Having a pet is an effective way to acquire a positive sense of duty, especially in the early stages of life.

No less important is to keep in mind the schedules and all the needs related to our pet. This is something that notably benefits those who have trouble concentrating and memorizing.

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PETS AND CONVALESCENCE

It is time to discuss the benefits of caring for a pet for convalescence, after having suffered a serious illness. Indeed, caring for a pet can be very positive for those who are in full recovery from certain health disorders.

It should be recognized that, from a scientific perspective, the mechanism that works on the human organism when caring for a pet is still not entirely clear. In general, it has been identified that the simple presence of companion animals generates an experience of calm and well-being in those around them.

In addition to the above, it is necessary to mention the relevance of the therapeutic use of pets in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, schizophrenia, and depression. Caring for a pet also hinders the progression of Alzheimer’s and different variants of neurosis.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PET FOR HEALTH

The foregoing allows us to know to what extent companion animals are valuable. Taking responsibility for another being, taking care of a furry friend, caring for a faithful companion, making us feel useful, prone to love and tenderness. It is something that awakens our spirits and the desire to overcome any illness.

It is also important to bear in mind the relevance of the veterinarian to advise us on the best care for our pets. We advise you to take your pet regularly to this specialist so that he or she can offer you the best recommendations about the timing of the animal’s vaccinations and other essential needs to attend to, related to the care of a cat or dog.

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The excitement of finding a perfect companion can be great when looking for a puppy, kitten or exotic animals and pets of a specific breed, and this makes people often turn to online sales sites. Surely you have observed that more and more people are opting to buy in an online pet store, and it is that it is a very interesting alternative that brings great benefits to the buyer, AnimalsSale.com is the website where you can buy or sell animals in the US, UK, Europe and other countries. You can find on their website full information about all dogs’ breeds, advice from experts on how to take care of puppies and kittens and other interesting information.

So here we are going to discover some of the most peculiarities of buying a pet from an online store. Featured.

Advantages of buying from a pet store

Today more and more people decide to have an animal in their family. For this reason, the opening of stores where they can buy any product or service dedicated to pets is becoming more and more frequent. According to some statistics, between 40% or 50% of families have a pet, so we must know well the offers in the market to be able to give our pets the best for their health and comfort.

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Immense variety in offers

These premises, often have a huge variety of items for pets. For this reason, we can use them to obtain bags of feed for dogs of different sizes, sweets, food products, clothes for dogs, toys, cages (in the case of rodents), etc.

Unlike shopping centres and supermarkets where we find a limited amount of items for our pets. In a pet store, we can find different things more specific to your needs.

In addition, there are also offers on pets and we can find a wide variety of animal species (if the establishment is a large company). In these places, the animals are usually kept in good condition and the employees are in charge of cleaning the cages daily.

Quality Products

Also, the advantage of buying in a specialized pet store is that we can find good quality products at their price. And it is that the prices themselves are usually quite accessible.

Quality is still an important detail when purchasing a product and/or service. In these places, there are usually articles of a quality more than enough to fulfil their function.

In addition, we have the products organized according to the type of pet and this helps to find what we need and more quickly. This saves time and unnecessary wandering in the store.

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Something important to note is that the products that are sold in specialized stores are usually from recognized brands and that they will also give us a guarantee. More if it is something that our pet has to ingest.

This really is important, because we cannot give anything to our pet. They could get sick if what they eat is in bad condition and if so, we must quickly claim it from the place of purchase. But in these places, the quality of the products is taken care of.

Preparedness for customer service

Another advantage is that we can have personalized attention based on our requests. There are always people around the premises who can guide us in our purchase and tell us which product suits us best for our needs.

This is extremely important since many times we can go to these stores and not be clear about what brand or what characteristics in the article can be better for our pet. This is a great advantage of buying from these stores.

Personnel in charge of customer service are often people who love animals and spend their time learning about pets. The best advice to buy is from people with a lot of experience.

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The post Pet Care and Health Benefits appeared first on The Petster.

There is a widespread belief that the parasites that infest our furry only appear in spring. It is a misconception since they coexist in our environment throughout the year. However, the arrival of good weather indeed encourages them to proliferate. However, you should not only worry about spring since climate change has led to the seasons of the year not having the conditions and temperatures that you knew until now.

Therefore, you must take into account how these changes in temperature affect your furry dog ​​to be prepared and protect him in the best way, not only from parasites but from his health in general.

The temperature mismatch affects your metabolism, behaviour, and even eating habits.
Think, if you are normally affected by a change of season, how does it affect your furry if, in addition, this change is abrupt? The temperature mismatch affects your metabolism, behaviour, and even eating habits. As the weather is getting warmer, even in times that are supposed to be cold, the humidity increases. This can cause inflammation such as otitis and even joint pain or osteoarthritis. At the same time, it can affect your behaviour, making you more listless or less energetic than normal. In fact, in humans, there is SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), a seasonal affective disorder that is also replicated in furry animals and that justifies this behaviour change.

Currently, in the same month, we find temperature contrasts that cause their immune system to weaken, catching colds. To this is added that in recent summers high-temperature records have been broken, something that causes the body temperature of your furry to also increase. This can cause your vital organs to stop working normally.

Besides, this change in temperatures has caused the migration of flies and mosquitoes that previously did not exist in Spain, carrying parasites such as GUS OCs (eye and heartworms) that transmit Thelazia and Dirofilaria diseases. The eyeworm can cause conjunctivitis or temporary blindness to your furry. Heart failure can lead to heart failure.

Unfortunately, you can’t stop climate change, but you can prevent your furry from the risk it carries! We leave you three recommendations:

Encourage your furry

Although temperature changes change your furry’s attitude and he is more passive and apathetic, don’t stop playing with him! And, obviously, to walk him. You must encourage him and keep the usual schedules to improve his mood. Plus, you’ll keep him healthy for when he wants to give it his all again.

Hello heatwave

Be careful with the pads of your furry in summer, the walks should be not in peak hours of heat and go for the shade. Nothing to leave him inside the vehicle, not even with the windows down. Make sure you always have plenty of freshwaters. And cut her hair so that she suffers less from high temperatures!

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Double Monthly Protection

To prevent your furry from emerging parasites, we recommend that you ask your veterinarian about the Double Monthly Protection, the only one that prevents against GUS OCs (eye and heartworms) that affect your pet.

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The excitement of finding a perfect companion can be great when looking for a puppy, kitten or exotic animals and pets of a specific breed, and this makes people often turn to online sales sites. Surely you have observed that more and more people are opting to buy in an online pet store, and it is that it is a very interesting alternative that brings great benefits to the buyer, AnimalsSale.com is the website where you can buy or sell animals in the US, UK, Europe and other countries. You can find on their website full information about all dogs’ breeds, advice from experts on how to take care of puppies and kittens and other interesting information.

So here we are going to discover some of the most peculiarities of buying a pet from an online store. Featured.

Advantages of buying from a pet store

Today more and more people decide to have an animal in their family. For this reason, the opening of stores where they can buy any product or service dedicated to pets is becoming more and more frequent. According to some statistics, between 40% or 50% of families have a pet, so we must know well the offers in the market to be able to give our pets the best for their health and comfort.

You might also like:  The welfare and protection of pets

Immense variety in offers

These premises, often have a huge variety of items for pets. For this reason, we can use them to obtain bags of feed for dogs of different sizes, sweets, food products, clothes for dogs, toys, cages (in the case of rodents), etc.

Unlike shopping centres and supermarkets where we find a limited amount of items for our pets. In a pet store, we can find different things more specific to your needs.

In addition, there are also offers on pets and we can find a wide variety of animal species (if the establishment is a large company). In these places, the animals are usually kept in good condition and the employees are in charge of cleaning the cages daily.

Quality Products

Also, the advantage of buying in a specialized pet store is that we can find good quality products at their price. And it is that the prices themselves are usually quite accessible.

Quality is still an important detail when purchasing a product and/or service. In these places, there are usually articles of a quality more than enough to fulfil their function.

In addition, we have the products organized according to the type of pet and this helps to find what we need and more quickly. This saves time and unnecessary wandering in the store.

You might also like:  Why and when to sterilize a dog

Something important to note is that the products that are sold in specialized stores are usually from recognized brands and that they will also give us a guarantee. More if it is something that our pet has to ingest.

This really is important, because we cannot give anything to our pet. They could get sick if what they eat is in bad condition and if so, we must quickly claim it from the place of purchase. But in these places, the quality of the products is taken care of.

Preparedness for customer service

Another advantage is that we can have personalized attention based on our requests. There are always people around the premises who can guide us in our purchase and tell us which product suits us best for our needs.

This is extremely important since many times we can go to these stores and not be clear about what brand or what characteristics in the article can be better for our pet. This is a great advantage of buying from these stores.

Personnel in charge of customer service are often people who love animals and spend their time learning about pets. The best advice to buy is from people with a lot of experience.

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The post Temperature Changes and Your Hairy Ones appeared first on The Petster.

In recent years, veterinary dentistry has become one of the sectors most in demand by owners of dogs and cats, increasing interest in the oral health of domestic animals.

Your oral health is one of the issues that most concerns owners. For this reason, the specialization of veterinary professionals is essential, who are increasingly trained with veterinary graduates, to provide the highest possible quality of care.

Basic dental hygiene

Frequently, more attention is paid to the oral health of our furry dogs when we identify some symptoms such as bad smell or the loss of parts.

In general, the mouth of our pet is the main source of diseases, reaching 80% in dogs and 70% in cats, occurring at three years of age without showing signs.

These oral problems can derive or be the preamble of pathologies in internal organs. For this reason, preventive work in oral health is essential to prevent more serious diseases from occurring.

Main oral diseases in dogs and cats

Among the main conditions that can occur in our pets are:

The wounds caused by toys or an object that they have discovered and cause small injuries that can cause infections. When the milk teeth do not fall, avoiding the change of piece, the definitive one can get trapped and cause the movement of other teeth.

The appearance of tartar, caused by bacteria when eating, drinking and nibbling on different objects. Tartar causes inflammation, lesions and mouth pain. Besides, it is one of the main factors for the appearance of gingivitis that, if not treated correctly, can lead to periodontitis. Therefore, a weekly cleaning routine is recommended.

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Signs of oral or dental disease

As I always indicate, before any change that we notice in our dog or cat we must go to our veterinarian for a review. Here are the main signs that can warn us of a problem in your oral health:

• Bad breath
• Colourless teeth
• Saliva in excess
• Broken pieces
• Pain when eating
• Bleeding
• Repeated sneezing

Oral care for our pets

Currently, multiple options help us maintain proper oral hygiene in our pets. However, it is essential to create a weekly tooth brushing routine. In this way, by removing the bacterial plaque we will be able to prevent the appearance of diseases.

On the other hand, there are different products, such as chewy snacks, that help us maintain the oral cleanliness of our pets. Also, it is essential to go for a dental check-up with a veterinarian, who will be in charge of verifying the dental health of our pets, as well as carrying out thorough cleaning.

Neglecting the dental health of our furry dogs can lead to serious problems in their general health. For this reason, it is important to become aware of and maintain a dental hygiene routine, thus avoiding the appearance of possible diseases that may pose a risk to them.

The excitement of finding a perfect companion can be great when looking for a puppy, kitten or exotic animals and pets of a specific breed, and this makes people often turn to online sales sites. Surely you have observed that more and more people are opting to buy in an online pet store, and it is that it is a very interesting alternative that brings great benefits to the buyer, AnimalsSale.com is the website where you can buy or sell animals in the US, UK, Europe and other countries. You can find on their website full information about all dogs’ breeds, advice from experts on how to take care of puppies and kittens and other interesting information.

So here we are going to discover some of the most peculiarities of buying a pet from an online store. Featured.

Advantages of buying from a pet store

Today more and more people decide to have an animal in their family. For this reason, the opening of stores where they can buy any product or service dedicated to pets is becoming more and more frequent. According to some statistics, between 40% or 50% of families have a pet, so we must know well the offers in the market to be able to give our pets the best for their health and comfort.

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Immense variety in offers

These premises, often have a huge variety of items for pets. For this reason, we can use them to obtain bags of feed for dogs of different sizes, sweets, food products, clothes for dogs, toys, cages (in the case of rodents), etc.

Unlike shopping centres and supermarkets where we find a limited amount of items for our pets. In a pet store, we can find different things more specific to your needs.

In addition, there are also offers on pets and we can find a wide variety of animal species (if the establishment is a large company). In these places, the animals are usually kept in good condition and the employees are in charge of cleaning the cages daily.

Quality Products

Also, the advantage of buying in a specialized pet store is that we can find good quality products at their price. And it is that the prices themselves are usually quite accessible.

Quality is still an important detail when purchasing a product and/or service. In these places, there are usually articles of a quality more than enough to fulfil their function.

In addition, we have the products organized according to the type of pet and this helps to find what we need and more quickly. This saves time and unnecessary wandering in the store.

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Something important to note is that the products that are sold in specialized stores are usually from recognized brands and that they will also give us a guarantee. More if it is something that our pet has to ingest.

This really is important, because we cannot give anything to our pet. They could get sick if what they eat is in bad condition and if so, we must quickly claim it from the place of purchase. But in these places, the quality of the products is taken care of.

Preparedness for customer service

Another advantage is that we can have personalized attention based on our requests. There are always people around the premises who can guide us in our purchase and tell us which product suits us best for our needs.

This is extremely important since many times we can go to these stores and not be clear about what brand or what characteristics in the article can be better for our pet. This is a great advantage of buying from these stores.

Personnel in charge of customer service are often people who love animals and spend their time learning about pets. The best advice to buy is from people with a lot of experience.

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The post The Importance of Dental Care for Our Dogs and Cats appeared first on The Petster.

1. How many (snakes, birds, ferrets, rabbits, whatever species) has this vet ever treated?

While the practice may not always make perfect, it certainly makes better. The more of any given species a veterinarian sees, the more likely that he or she is to recognize the disease and be able to recommend the appropriate treatment. Most vets receive little to no training in school on exotic animal species, so if they really want to learn about how to care for these animals, they have to seek out information on their own. These vets who take the initiative to go the extra mile to learn about exotic pets are the vets you’d want to see.

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2. Is the veterinary hospital set up to accommodate exotic pets?

While many cat and dog hospitals will see exotic pets, they often do so because they are the only game in town. Many cat and dog hospitals will only treat an exotic pet when no one else will, and the pet is really sick. You can really tell whether a veterinary hospital is set up to treat exotic pets if they have some of the basic equipment and supplies needed to do so, such as a small scale that weighs in grams for weighing little exotic pets or a tank for safely enclosing a reptile. If they have no equipment specifically designed for treating and examining typically smaller exotic patients, it is likely they don’t treat many of them.

3. Are the veterinary technicians comfortable handling exotic patients?

Knowing how to safely handle exotic pets is truly an art that takes years to master. Most exotic animals are prey species that become stressed when restrained. No matter how good a veterinarian may be at the medical care of exotic species, without great technical staff to comfortably hold these animals, that vet cannot perform great medical care. By just watching how veterinary technicians restrain and manipulate your exotic pet, you can get an idea about how often they actually handle exotic pets. Technicians and veterinarians trained in exotic pet restraint should be relaxed and have a plan on how to pick up and hold your pet. If they are floundering around trying to figure out how to catch your pet, their experience is very likely limited.

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4. Are the veterinarians and/or the veterinary staff members of any exotic pet professional organizations?

There are several professional exotic animal groups, such as the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, and the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, to which many veterinarians who are interested in exotic pet care belong. These organizations provide continuing education to veterinary professionals, and typically, individuals who want to remain knowledgeable in exotic pet care will join one or more of these groups to stay current. Veterinarians who belong to these groups typically display the organization’s logo on a decal in their hospitals’ window or printed on their hospitals’ client literature. Each of these organizations have websites, too, that list current members geographically. If a vet has taken the time and money to join any of these organizations, then he or she at least has a strong interest in exotic pets.

5. Does the veterinary hospital provide care for exotic pet emergencies?

This is something most exotic pet owners don’t think about until they are faced with their own pets’ emergency. While a few animal hospitals have veterinarians on call and technicians who remain in the hospital overnight to care for critical cases, the most veterinary hospitals are not open 24/7 but have arrangements with local 24-hour emergency clinics to care for their patients overnight and on emergency basis. However, while local emergency clinics are generally happy to take in dog and cat emergencies, they are not always equipped to handle exotic pet emergencies. When choosing an animal hospital to care for your unique exotic pet, be sure to ask the veterinary staff exactly how they handle exotic pet patients with emergencies after hours. If they have no contingency plan, they likely treat very few exotics. Just as your dog and cat vet should have a plan for after-hours emergencies, so should your exotic pet vet. This is perhaps the most important question to consider when choosing a doctor for your beloved pet. Don’t be afraid to ask it. The answer could be the difference between life and death.

When it comes to caring for your cat, I have a few simple recommendations:

• Maintain a safe environment (keep him indoors)
• Feed a high-quality food (e.g., a meat-based protein)
• Think about preventive care (e.g., an annual physical examination, laboratory tests, and the appropriate vaccines)
• Provide lots of affection and exercise

By following these basic tips, you can help keep your four-legged, feline friends healthy–potentially for decades! But as cat guardians, you should also be aware of five “silent” killers in cats. By knowing what the most common silent killers are, you can know what clinical signs to look for. With most of these diseases, the sooner the clinical signs are recognized, the sooner we veterinarians can treat them.

1. Chronic kidney disease

One of the top silent killers of cats is chronic kidney disease (CKD) (This is sometimes called a chronic renal failure or chronic kidney injury). These terms are all semantically the same, and basically mean that 75% of both the kidneys are ineffective and not working. Clinical signs of CRD include:

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive urinating
• Larger clumps in the litter box
• Weight loss
• Bad breath (due to toxins building up in the blood and causing ulcers in the mouth, oesophagus, and stomach)
• Lethargy
• Hiding

Thankfully, with appropriate management, cats can live with CKD for years (unlike dogs where CKD usually progresses more rapidly). Chronic management may include a low-protein diet, frequent blood work, increasing water intake (e.g., with a water fountain or by feeding a gruelling canned food), medications and even fluids under the skin (which many pet guardians do at home, once properly trained).

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2. Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is an endocrine disease where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This is seen in middle-aged to geriatric cats and can result in very similar clinical signs to chronic kidney disease including:

• Excessive thirst
• Increased water consumption/urination
• Vomiting/diarrhoea
• Weight loss

However, as hyperthyroidism increases the metabolism of cats, it causes one defining sign: a ravenous appetite despite weight loss. It can also result in:

• A racing heart rate
• Severe hypertension (resulting in acute blood loss, neurologic signs, or even a clot or stroke)
• Secondary organ injury (e.g., a heart murmur or changes to the kidney)

Thankfully, treatment for hyperthyroidism is very effective and includes either a medication (called methimazole, surgical removal of the thyroid glands (less commonly done), a special prescription diet called y/d® Feline Thyroid Health) or I131 radioiodine therapy. With hyperthyroidism, the sooner you treat it, the fewer potential side effects or organ damage will occur in your cat.

3. Diabetes mellitus

Another costly, silent killer that affects cats is diabetes mellitus (DM). As many of our cats are often overweight to obese, they are at a greater risk for DM. With diabetes, the pancreas fails to secrete adequate amounts of insulin (Type I DM) or there is resistance to insulin (Type II DM). Insulin is a natural hormone that drives sugar (i.e., blood glucose) into the cells. As a result of the cells starving for glucose, the body makes more and more glucose, causing hyperglycemia (i.e., high blood sugar) and many of the clinical signs seen with DM. Common clinical signs for DM are similar to those of Chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism and include:

• Excessive urination and thirst
• Larger clumps in the litter box
• An overweight or obese body condition with muscle wasting (especially over the spine or back) or weight loss
• A decreased or ravenous appetite
• Lethargy or weakness
• Vomiting
• Abnormal breath (e.g., acetone breath)
• Walking abnormally (e.g., lower to the ground)

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Treatment for DM can be costly, as it requires twice-a-day insulin injections that you have to give under the skin. It also requires changes in diet (to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet), frequent blood glucose monitoring, and frequent veterinary visits. With supportive care and chronic management, cats can do reasonably well; however, once diabetic complications develop (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar, hyperglycemic syndrome), DM can be life-threatening.

If your cat or dog is coughing, the good news is that it’s probably not due to COVID-19. Experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) agree that COVID-19 is predominantly a human illness, and it’s unlikely for pets to be infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. There are many types of viruses that can make cats or dogs sick. So, your veterinarian will check your pet to make sure that the symptoms aren’t being caused by a more common virus or other health problem.

Opinions about testing pets for COVID-19 are changing as we learn more about the virus and cases around the world. Public health authorities and veterinarians are working together to determine if an animal should be tested. Right now, there’s no evidence that dogs or cats can spread the virus to people. But there is growing evidence that in rare cases people may be able to infect animals. In the past month, two dogs and a cat in Hong Kong, a cat in Belgium, and a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City were found to have been infected. In each situation, there was exposure to a COVID-19 positive person.

If your cat or dog is sick, the best thing to do is speak with your veterinarian. Be sure to let them know if your pet has been exposed to anyone who has COVID-19. Your veterinarian will let you know what to do and will work with public health authorities to determine if a test is recommended.

Macaws are undeniably gorgeous birds and have been popular pet parrots for decades. They are intelligent and affectionate and have exceedingly long lifespans, making them ideal for bird lovers around the world.

Many of the reasons that they are such unique and sought-after pets are also what make them a challenge for many owners; their large size, long lifespan, and noise levels are certainly not for beginners. There are 17 different species of Macaws, some of which make better pets than others and others that are endangered and should not be kept as pets.

Parrot rescue organizations are often filled with Macaws because people want to own one of these gorgeous birds but do not realize the full weight of the responsibility and eventually cannot manage it. Macaws most definitely make great pets, but whether they are the right pet for you is another consideration altogether.

In this article, we look at the aspects that make Macaws such great pets and the more difficult traits to be aware of. Let’s dive in.

Why Macaws make great pets

Macaws are hugely popular pets among bird enthusiasts, and there are several reasons for this. There are quite a few species of Macaws that are commonly kept as pets, including:

• Blue and Gold Macaws
• Green-Wing Macaws
• Hyacinth Macaws
• Military Macaws
• Hahn’s Macaws
• Scarlet Macaws
• Various hybrid Macaws

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Let’s have a look at a few reasons that these birds make such great pets.

There is no denying the exotic beauty of a Macaw, no matter the species that you choose to keep as a pet. Blue and Gold Macaws are among the most popular, known for their beautiful blue-and-yellow plumage and affectionate relationships with their owners. Macaws can reach up to 3 feet tall, and they have large beaks and long tails and various striking color combinations. This is one of the main reasons that they are such popular pets — their appearance is simply unrivaled by other parrot species.

2.Affectionate

In the wild, Macaws are social birds that gather in flocks of 10 or more birds. When you keep a Macaw as a pet, you are now a vital member of their flock, and as such, they will develop a powerful bond with you. While they are wary of strangers and it’s unlikely that a Macaw that you’ve just met will want to cuddle up to you, they are almost puppy-like in affection with the people whom they know well. This is especially true if you’ve raised your Macaw from a young age, but even adopted adult Macaws will eventually warm up to their trusted companions.

Macaws typically mate for life, share their food with their mates and young, and have been shown to recognize their young and siblings and have long-term relationships with them.

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Most experts agree that Macaws are among the most intelligent parrots in the world, second only to African Greys. Macaws are logical and discerning birds — hiding their food and picking out seeds that they don’t enjoy — and they have even been shown to be creative and solve complex puzzles with ease. Experiments in IQ and EQ have shown that Macaws are on par with a 2-3-year-old human child, and Macaws are known to display both love and jealousy in the same way too.

Macaws are highly trainable, can be taught a wide variety of tricks, and can mimic dozens of words and phrases and other sounds, like laughing, ringing phones, and singing.

Macaws have long lifespans of 50-75 years, often even more than that, and many will outlive their owners. With the right diet, plenty of exercises, and a happy, peaceful environment, these birds are exceedingly healthy and rarely suffer from any major health issues.

The post Choosing a Veterinary Hospital for Your Pet: 5 Basic Questions appeared first on The Petster.

So here we are going to discover some of the most peculiarities of buying a pet from an online store. Featured.

Advantages of buying from a pet store

Today more and more people decide to have an animal in their family. For this reason, the opening of stores where they can buy any product or service dedicated to pets is becoming more and more frequent. According to some statistics, between 40% or 50% of families have a pet, so we must know well the offers in the market to be able to give our pets the best for their health and comfort.

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Immense variety in offers

These premises, often have a huge variety of items for pets. For this reason, we can use them to obtain bags of feed for dogs of different sizes, sweets, food products, clothes for dogs, toys, cages (in the case of rodents), etc.

Unlike shopping centres and supermarkets where we find a limited amount of items for our pets. In a pet store, we can find different things more specific to your needs.

In addition, there are also offers on pets and we can find a wide variety of animal species (if the establishment is a large company). In these places, the animals are usually kept in good condition and the employees are in charge of cleaning the cages daily.

Quality Products

Also, the advantage of buying in a specialized pet store is that we can find good quality products at their price. And it is that the prices themselves are usually quite accessible.

Quality is still an important detail when purchasing a product and/or service. In these places, there are usually articles of a quality more than enough to fulfil their function.

In addition, we have the products organized according to the type of pet and this helps to find what we need and more quickly. This saves time and unnecessary wandering in the store.

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Something important to note is that the products that are sold in specialized stores are usually from recognized brands and that they will also give us a guarantee. More if it is something that our pet has to ingest.

This really is important, because we cannot give anything to our pet. They could get sick if what they eat is in bad condition and if so, we must quickly claim it from the place of purchase. But in these places, the quality of the products is taken care of.

Preparedness for customer service

Another advantage is that we can have personalized attention based on our requests. There are always people around the premises who can guide us in our purchase and tell us which product suits us best for our needs.

This is extremely important since many times we can go to these stores and not be clear about what brand or what characteristics in the article can be better for our pet. This is a great advantage of buying from these stores.

Personnel in charge of customer service are often people who love animals and spend their time learning about pets. The best advice to buy is from people with a lot of experience.

The post Coronavirus: Don’t Abandon Your Animals! appeared first on The Petster.

Children, wash your hands before eating! Kids, don’t play with dirty dirt! They are hygienic-sanitary measures that surely sound familiar to us, for having incorporated them into early childhood education and the list of healthy habits that we instil in our children, and that we also practice – or should – adults.

Another pet on my property? What an appetizing aroma! A stranger sniffing? It is easy that your pet has ever thought something like this during his walk on the street, in the park or the mountains. Curiosity is innate in our little friends, and without being able to avoid it, it leads them to sniff out other animal droppings, lick abandoned food scraps or nibble on stones.

It is then when that curiosity betrays them and exposes them to our potential enemy – the hookworm, from the family of gastrointestinal nematodes ( Ancylostoma caninum ) – that manages to enter your body and fixate mainly on your small intestine.

The hookworm, the disease caused by this nematode, is a serious disease that causes bloody stools and can endanger the lives of our dog. Being a very common parasitosis (up to 30% of dogs carry it), it is also an important risk for humans that we can contract it; through contagion through the skin and by direct ingestion derived from bad practice or hygienic habits. An adequate preventive deworming will be the best way to help our beloved pet and avoid putting ourselves in danger, us too!

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Who is the hookworm and how does it infect my dog?

The hookworm has a straightforward but complex life cycle. The larvae begin their life after hatching the eggs inside the faeces deposited on the ground by a contaminated animal. The larvae take advantage of the humidity of the vegetation to move and wait, for even weeks, for the passage of a host animal. These infective larvae enter our dog by direct ingestion of water, garbage or by licking contaminated surfaces, but also by simple contact and penetration into the skin. It is a small worm, between 5 and 15 millimetres, with a rounded silhouette and a characteristic hook or hooks shape in its anterior part, where a largemouth capsule with sharp teeth is located. It is precisely these teeth, those used to pierce the skin (requires contact of at least 5 to 10 minutes) and reach the blood supply and to attach to the intestinal walls of our pet from where they will suck blood (hematophagous) and produce eggs. The infected dog will not only suffer the disease but will also act as the originator of the life cycle that the worm needs, eventually excreting the eggs with its faeces.

How can I suspect that the disease is present?

The infection caused by the hookworm can be especially serious since it produces an anticoagulant in the saliva to be able to suck blood without clotting the wound. Even when they leave a wound, to change location, the wound they have left continues to bleed.

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The signs and severity of hookworm depend on the number of parasites present in the animal. Therefore, if we detect any symptoms, we must go to our veterinarian to perform a microscope examination in search of the parasite in the stool.

The most notable and common symptoms of this disease are:

• Vomiting and diarrhoea, which may be bloody.
• Pale gums and mucous membranes, showing signs of anaemia.
• Weight loss, malnutrition, and physical wasting (cachexia).
• Shaggy and dry hair.
• Apathy and low mood.
• Development and growth disturbance in puppies under 12 months.
• When the worm penetrates the skin, it leaves raised, reddened lines.

What is the best prevention?

It is very convenient to take hygienic precautions and prevent pets from ingesting garbage or soil suspected of being contaminated with larvae, avoiding potentially infected environments, but very often this will be difficult to achieve. For this reason, and especially in homes with children, it is highly recommended that pets learn not to defecate where minors play. However, the best preventive measure will be to periodically take our animal to the veterinarian, to carry out the analyzes and deworming that he prescribes, thus guaranteeing the protection of our pet inside and outside its organism through a Double Monthly Protection. Find out from your vet and if you show him the coupon that you can get here, you will get a gift.

If you want to learn how to groom your dog at home, you need to know the basics, such as how to cut a dog’s nails. I’ll show you exactly what you need to do and how to do it safely so that know one gets hurt.

Cutting a dog’s fingernails might sound scary but there’s nothing about it that’s difficult. You just have to be careful and know what you’re doing .

You should start off by collecting all of the supplies for this task. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Nail Trimmer
• Scissors
• Styptic Powder (optional)

Now that you’ve got your stuff together, it’s time to get started.

Step 1: Make Your Dog Comfortable

First, make sure your dog is relaxed and comfortable around you. Do this by giving him a treat or two before starting. If possible, start this process after they’ve eaten their meal to help them feel extra sleepy and calm! For anxious dogs, you can even try CBD Oil for Dogs.

Step 2: Prepare The Paw

Second, lift one of your dogs paws into your hand and press gently on the pad of the paw while looking at the tip of each nail. You’ll be able to see where your dog’s skin is and if you cut it, he will bleed and it may hurt him.

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That’s why we use a nail cutter, so we don’t have to worry about hurting our dog when trimming their nails.

Step Three: Secure The Paw

Third, you can feel free to push down on the pad of their paw if it’s more comfortable for you. If your dog is wiggly when you’re trying to hold his paw, you can try this instead!

Step 4: Apply The Cut

Fourth, once you’ve identified where the quick ends in each nail, go ahead and cut just past that point. You’ll only want to cut into the pinkish area on the end of his nail, not into the black part. If you do accidentally cut into this black section, use an absorbent cotton ball to stop the bleeding. After it stops, apply some styptic powder to help the blood clot faster and prevent infection in your dog’s paw. You can then apply some CBD for Pets to promote healing as well.

Step 5: Repeat on All Nails

Fifth, keep trimming until all their nails are the same length.

Step by Step Instructions for Trimming Dog Nails

1. Pet your dog and make sure they’re comfortable with you
2. With one paw in each hand, feel for the end of each nail to know where to cut
3. Cut just past this point (only into the pinkish area)
4. Keep cutting until all of the nails are the same length
5. If you accidentally cut into the black part, apply some styptic powder to stop the bleeding

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Now that you’ve learned how to cut your dog’s nails, you can feel confident doing it at home! If this process continues to be too stressful for either of you, then why not try bringing them to a groomer?

If you want more information on how to do this and other dog grooming basics, check out the video linked below:

Whether or not dogs dream isn’t known with scientific certainty, but it sure is difficult to imagine that they don’t. We’ve all watched our dogs demonstrate behaviours in their sleep that resemble what they do in a fully awake state. Paddling legs, whining, growling, wagging tails, chewing jowls, and twitching noses inspire us to wonder what our dogs are dreaming about.

What we know about dogs and dreams

While our knowledge on this topic is very limited, the following known information helps us believe that dogs do indeed experience dreams. According to MIT News, Matthew Wilson, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, and Kenway Louie, a graduate student in 2001,  have studied the relationships between memory, sleep and dreams. They found that when rats were trained to run along a circular track for food rewards, their brains created a distinctive firing pattern of neurons (brain cells). The researchers repeated the brain monitoring while the rats were sleeping. Low and behold, they observed the same signature brain activity pattern associated with running whether the rats were awake or asleep. In fact, the memories played at approximately the same speed during sleep as when the rats were awake.

Can we apply this to dogs?

Can we take what is known about dreaming in rats and humans and apply the information to dogs? Wilson believes that we can.”My guess is — unless there is something special about rats and humans — that cats and dogs are doing exactly the same thing,” he said, according to USA Today’s website.

It is known that the hippocampus, the portion of the brain that collects and stores memories, is wired much the same way in all mammals. According to healthday.com, Professor Wilson says, “If you compared a hippocampus in a rat to a dog; in a cat to a human, they contain all of the same pieces.” He believes that as dogs sleep, images of past events replay in their minds, much the same way people recall experiences while dreaming.

In people, it is known that most dreams occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dogs also experience periods of REM sleep. Psychology Today’s website says that during REM their breathing becomes more irregular and shallow. There may be muscle twitching during REM and, when one looks closely, rapid eye movements behind closed eyelids can often be observed. It is during REM sleep that behaviours thought to be associated with dreaming (legs paddling, twitching, vocalizing, etc.) are most commonly observed.

What we want to believe about dog dreams

When we observe our dogs as they sleep, it’s just about impossible to imagine that they are not dreaming. Just like the rats studied by Wilson and Louie, it is tempting to believe that our four-legged best buddies are reenacting their recent experiences; playing at the dog park, sniffing in the woods, chewing on a treasured bone, and chasing squirrels.

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The National Institutes of Health says that Sigmund Freud theorized that dreaming was a “safety valve” for our unconscious desires. Perhaps he is correct, and, when our dogs sleep, they dream about catching the neighbour’s pesky cat, continuous belly rubs in conjunction with unlimited dog treats, and stealing the Thanksgiving turkey from the dining room table.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

Did you know that some authorities feel that 1 out of every 100 dogs that reach 12 years of age develops diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a hormonal problem where the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, the hormone that helps push sugar (“glucose”) into the body’s cells. Without the insulin, the body’s cells are starving for sugar; unfortunately, this then stimulates the body to produce more and more sugar (in an attempt to feed the cells). That’s why your dog’s blood sugar is so high (what we call a “hyperglycemia”) with diabetes mellitus.

Without insulin, the sugar can’t get into the cells; hence, why you need to give insulin to your dog with a tiny syringe twice a day. In dogs, this is a disease that can be costly to treat and requires twice-a-day insulin along with frequent veterinary visits for the rest of your dog’s life.

So how do you know if your dog has diabetes? Clinical signs of diabetes mellitus in dogs include:

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive urination
• Urinary accidents in the house
• Dilute urine
• Overweight or obese
• Muscle wasting
• Ravenous appetite
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Weakness
• Unkempt or poor hair coat
• Blindness secondary to cataracts
• Neuropathies (nerve problems)

As your dog gets older, it’s worth talking to your veterinarian about doing routine blood work to make sure your dog is healthy. This blood work will help rule out kidney and liver problems, anaemia, infections, electrolyte problems and diabetes mellitus. The sooner you recognize the clinical signs, the sooner your dog can be treated with insulin and the fewer complications we see as a result.

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So, if you notice any of the signs above, get to a veterinarian right away. Now, continue on for 5 important reasons to test your dog for diabetes:

1. Your dog will live longer

Diabetes mellitus can shorten the lifespan of your dog, as secondary complications and infections can occur. With diabetes, the body is immunosuppressed and more likely to develop diabetic complications which cause long term harm to your dog.

2. Your dog will be able to see

Did you know that the majority of dogs with diabetes eventually go blind from cataracts? Even in well-controlled diabetic dogs, the excess sugar in the body can have secondary effects on the lens of the eye; it causes more water to influx into the lens, which disrupts the clearness of the lens. As a result, cataract formation occurs, resulting in eventual blindness and secondary inflammation in both eyes. While cataract surgery can (and ideally, should) be performed, it can be costly.

3. You’ll save a lot of money

Treatment for diabetes mellitus includes twice-a-day insulin treatment, insulin syringes, prescription diets, and frequent veterinary trips for blood tests. Also, as diabetic dogs can’t go without their insulin, it may mean hiring house sitters or pet sitters to treat your pet while you are on vacation.

4. You’ll have fewer urinary accidents in the house

One of the biggest signs of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is excessive drinking, urination and having urinary accidents in the house. Because of hyperglycemia, dogs are also at increased risk for urinary tract infections, wreaking havoc on your carpet. The sooner you can treat your dog with insulin and get diabetes controlled or regulated, the less your dog will drink and urinate, making your dog more comfortable too!

5. You’ll have more peace knowing that your dog is healthy

As a veterinarian and dog owner, I want to make sure my dog is as healthy as possible. You might already be talking with your veterinarian about vaccines each year in a dog that is older than 7 years of age; next, talk to your veterinarian about doing an annual exam and routine blood work too. It’ll pick up on medical problems sooner, so you can rest assured that your dog is going to live a longer, happier, healthier life!

Having a diabetic pet is also a big commitment, as it requires dedicated pet parents who can give twice-a-day injections of insulin. Caring for a diabetic dog does require frequent trips to the veterinarian to regulate blood sugar. That said, dogs can live with diabetes for years with appropriate care and treatment. When in doubt, make sure to monitor your dog carefully for the signs of diabetes, and seek veterinary attention sooner rather than later to help test for this ever-growing problem!

The post The Hooked Worm: When Curiosity Betrays Them: appeared first on The Petster.

How beautiful is motherhood! Puppies and children enjoying a mother who loves and protects them, a selfless love that feeds and shelters them. In those first days of its existence, breast milk is the first contact with external nutrition, and through it, the newborn receives the first nutrients. But beware! the first parasites can also arrive then, hidden.

This is one of the ways that our potential enemy – the roundworm of the family of nematodes ( Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati ) – can use to develop its larvae and get them to enter our little pet.

Ascariasis is a very common parasitic disease, affecting 12% of adult dogs and 31% of puppies, and being very serious for the youngest. Also, it can infect humans, especially children! Therefore, adequate preventive prophylaxis will be the best way to help our beloved pet and our family.

Who is roundworm and how does it infect my dog?

The roundworm has a direct but complex life cycle. The adult worms are present in the intestine of an affected dog, excrete their eggs in the animal’s faeces, which after being evacuated to the outside will become infectious after 3-4 weeks. They are very resistant to temperature variations and disinfectants. Once they hatch, the infective larvae enter our dog by direct ingestion of contaminated water, by licking surfaces with remains of faeces, or by ingesting small mammals that carry larvae. In pregnant female dogs, the ingested larvae of Toxocara canister can cross the placenta causing the pups to be born parasitized, or they can even become contaminated after they are born by ingesting the maternal colostrum carrying larvae, in the case of both Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. The larvae will travel through the organism of our pet until they can lodge in their small intestine and develop – becoming adult worms – and reproduce to release eggs. During parasitization, adults do not suck blood but instead compete for nutrients from our dog.

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How can I suspect that the disease is present?

The clinical symptoms are varied and may be non-existent if contamination is low. Therefore, if we detect any symptoms, we must go to our veterinarian to examine in search of the parasite in the stool or vomit.

The most notable and common symptoms of this disease are:

• Vomiting, diarrhoea, and bloating
• Lack of appetite, weight loss, malnutrition, and physical weakness
• Respiratory signs such as cough and pneumonia
• Dishevelled or spiky hair
• Apathy and low mood

In puppies under 3 months, besides:

• Development and growth disturbance
• Bowel obstruction and a swollen belly

What is the best prevention?

To prevent roundworm parasitosis, it is very convenient to take hygienic precautions and prevent pets from ingesting strange animals or soil suspected of being contaminated with larvae. This being especially recommended in homes with children who play with dogs and puppies, where it will be very important that pets learn not to defecate in the spaces they share with minors. Besides, it is convenient to act on the animal by going to our trusted veterinarian to ask him to make us an adequate preventive plan that includes the Double Monthly Protection to protect internally and externally. In the case of the young, it will be highly recommended to treat them up to 3 months at the same time that we treat the mother.

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By protecting our pets against worms, fleas and ticks, we will be protecting our family from possible zoonoses or diseases transmitted by our furry parasites, such as Borreliosis or Lyme disease.

If you want to learn how to groom your dog at home, you need to know the basics, such as how to cut a dog’s nails. I’ll show you exactly what you need to do and how to do it safely so that know one gets hurt.

Cutting a dog’s fingernails might sound scary but there’s nothing about it that’s difficult. You just have to be careful and know what you’re doing .

You should start off by collecting all of the supplies for this task. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Nail Trimmer
• Scissors
• Styptic Powder (optional)

Now that you’ve got your stuff together, it’s time to get started.

Step 1: Make Your Dog Comfortable

First, make sure your dog is relaxed and comfortable around you. Do this by giving him a treat or two before starting. If possible, start this process after they’ve eaten their meal to help them feel extra sleepy and calm! For anxious dogs, you can even try CBD Oil for Dogs.

Step 2: Prepare The Paw

Second, lift one of your dogs paws into your hand and press gently on the pad of the paw while looking at the tip of each nail. You’ll be able to see where your dog’s skin is and if you cut it, he will bleed and it may hurt him.

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That’s why we use a nail cutter, so we don’t have to worry about hurting our dog when trimming their nails.

Step Three: Secure The Paw

Third, you can feel free to push down on the pad of their paw if it’s more comfortable for you. If your dog is wiggly when you’re trying to hold his paw, you can try this instead!

Step 4: Apply The Cut

Fourth, once you’ve identified where the quick ends in each nail, go ahead and cut just past that point. You’ll only want to cut into the pinkish area on the end of his nail, not into the black part. If you do accidentally cut into this black section, use an absorbent cotton ball to stop the bleeding. After it stops, apply some styptic powder to help the blood clot faster and prevent infection in your dog’s paw. You can then apply some CBD for Pets to promote healing as well.

Step 5: Repeat on All Nails

Fifth, keep trimming until all their nails are the same length.

Step by Step Instructions for Trimming Dog Nails

1. Pet your dog and make sure they’re comfortable with you
2. With one paw in each hand, feel for the end of each nail to know where to cut
3. Cut just past this point (only into the pinkish area)
4. Keep cutting until all of the nails are the same length
5. If you accidentally cut into the black part, apply some styptic powder to stop the bleeding

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Now that you’ve learned how to cut your dog’s nails, you can feel confident doing it at home! If this process continues to be too stressful for either of you, then why not try bringing them to a groomer?

If you want more information on how to do this and other dog grooming basics, check out the video linked below:

Whether or not dogs dream isn’t known with scientific certainty, but it sure is difficult to imagine that they don’t. We’ve all watched our dogs demonstrate behaviours in their sleep that resemble what they do in a fully awake state. Paddling legs, whining, growling, wagging tails, chewing jowls, and twitching noses inspire us to wonder what our dogs are dreaming about.

What we know about dogs and dreams

While our knowledge on this topic is very limited, the following known information helps us believe that dogs do indeed experience dreams. According to MIT News, Matthew Wilson, a professor of neuroscience at MIT, and Kenway Louie, a graduate student in 2001,  have studied the relationships between memory, sleep and dreams. They found that when rats were trained to run along a circular track for food rewards, their brains created a distinctive firing pattern of neurons (brain cells). The researchers repeated the brain monitoring while the rats were sleeping. Low and behold, they observed the same signature brain activity pattern associated with running whether the rats were awake or asleep. In fact, the memories played at approximately the same speed during sleep as when the rats were awake.

Can we apply this to dogs?

Can we take what is known about dreaming in rats and humans and apply the information to dogs? Wilson believes that we can.”My guess is — unless there is something special about rats and humans — that cats and dogs are doing exactly the same thing,” he said, according to USA Today’s website.

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It is known that the hippocampus, the portion of the brain that collects and stores memories, is wired much the same way in all mammals. According to healthday.com, Professor Wilson says, “If you compared a hippocampus in a rat to a dog; in a cat to a human, they contain all of the same pieces.” He believes that as dogs sleep, images of past events replay in their minds, much the same way people recall experiences while dreaming.

In people, it is known that most dreams occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, according to the National Institutes of Health. Dogs also experience periods of REM sleep. Psychology Today’s website says that during REM their breathing becomes more irregular and shallow. There may be muscle twitching during REM and, when one looks closely, rapid eye movements behind closed eyelids can often be observed. It is during REM sleep that behaviours thought to be associated with dreaming (legs paddling, twitching, vocalizing, etc.) are most commonly observed.

What we want to believe about dog dreams

When we observe our dogs as they sleep, it’s just about impossible to imagine that they are not dreaming. Just like the rats studied by Wilson and Louie, it is tempting to believe that our four-legged best buddies are reenacting their recent experiences; playing at the dog park, sniffing in the woods, chewing on a treasured bone, and chasing squirrels.

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The National Institutes of Health says that Sigmund Freud theorized that dreaming was a “safety valve” for our unconscious desires. Perhaps he is correct, and, when our dogs sleep, they dream about catching the neighbour’s pesky cat, continuous belly rubs in conjunction with unlimited dog treats, and stealing the Thanksgiving turkey from the dining room table.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian — they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

Did you know that some authorities feel that 1 out of every 100 dogs that reach 12 years of age develops diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a hormonal problem where the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, the hormone that helps push sugar (“glucose”) into the body’s cells. Without the insulin, the body’s cells are starving for sugar; unfortunately, this then stimulates the body to produce more and more sugar (in an attempt to feed the cells). That’s why your dog’s blood sugar is so high (what we call a “hyperglycemia”) with diabetes mellitus.

Without insulin, the sugar can’t get into the cells; hence, why you need to give insulin to your dog with a tiny syringe twice a day. In dogs, this is a disease that can be costly to treat and requires twice-a-day insulin along with frequent veterinary visits for the rest of your dog’s life.

So how do you know if your dog has diabetes? Clinical signs of diabetes mellitus in dogs include:

• Excessive drinking
• Excessive urination
• Urinary accidents in the house
• Dilute urine
• Overweight or obese
• Muscle wasting
• Ravenous appetite
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Weakness
• Unkempt or poor hair coat
• Blindness secondary to cataracts
• Neuropathies (nerve problems)

As your dog gets older, it’s worth talking to your veterinarian about doing routine blood work to make sure your dog is healthy. This blood work will help rule out kidney and liver problems, anaemia, infections, electrolyte problems and diabetes mellitus. The sooner you recognize the clinical signs, the sooner your dog can be treated with insulin and the fewer complications we see as a result.

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So, if you notice any of the signs above, get to a veterinarian right away. Now, continue on for 5 important reasons to test your dog for diabetes:

1. Your dog will live longer

Diabetes mellitus can shorten the lifespan of your dog, as secondary complications and infections can occur. With diabetes, the body is immunosuppressed and more likely to develop diabetic complications which cause long term harm to your dog.

2. Your dog will be able to see

Did you know that the majority of dogs with diabetes eventually go blind from cataracts? Even in well-controlled diabetic dogs, the excess sugar in the body can have secondary effects on the lens of the eye; it causes more water to influx into the lens, which disrupts the clearness of the lens. As a result, cataract formation occurs, resulting in eventual blindness and secondary inflammation in both eyes. While cataract surgery can (and ideally, should) be performed, it can be costly.

3. You’ll save a lot of money

Treatment for diabetes mellitus includes twice-a-day insulin treatment, insulin syringes, prescription diets, and frequent veterinary trips for blood tests. Also, as diabetic dogs can’t go without their insulin, it may mean hiring house sitters or pet sitters to treat your pet while you are on vacation.

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4. You’ll have fewer urinary accidents in the house

One of the biggest signs of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is excessive drinking, urination and having urinary accidents in the house. Because of hyperglycemia, dogs are also at increased risk for urinary tract infections, wreaking havoc on your carpet. The sooner you can treat your dog with insulin and get diabetes controlled or regulated, the less your dog will drink and urinate, making your dog more comfortable too!

5. You’ll have more peace knowing that your dog is healthy

As a veterinarian and dog owner, I want to make sure my dog is as healthy as possible. You might already be talking with your veterinarian about vaccines each year in a dog that is older than 7 years of age; next, talk to your veterinarian about doing an annual exam and routine blood work too. It’ll pick up on medical problems sooner, so you can rest assured that your dog is going to live a longer, happier, healthier life!

Having a diabetic pet is also a big commitment, as it requires dedicated pet parents who can give twice-a-day injections of insulin. Caring for a diabetic dog does require frequent trips to the veterinarian to regulate blood sugar. That said, dogs can live with diabetes for years with appropriate care and treatment. When in doubt, make sure to monitor your dog carefully for the signs of diabetes, and seek veterinary attention sooner rather than later to help test for this ever-growing problem!

The post The Roundworm: Puppies and Children Sharing the Same Risk appeared first on The Petster.