Category: Pets

Interactive cat toys can be the best interactive cat toys for indoor cats. They can help the pet stay entertained for long periods at a time. It is very important for cats to have fun and play because they live indoor lives. They have no natural contact with people outside their home so it’s important for them to have ways to pass the time. Indoor cats may also get bored with some types of toys. The best interactive cat toys for cats are ones that allow them to use their claws.

Interactive cat toys can help retrain kittens from chewing and gnawing on your belongings. To prevent them from gnawing on furniture or other items to place an old rag over their tongue. When they start to gnaw, gently remove the bag and replace it with a new toy. Getting cats in the early stages of learning to play with cat toys is easier when they are still soft, this allows them to learn at their own pace.

Interactive cat toys for kittens are very helpful for training kittens to stop biting and nipping at your fingers and toes. You should always keep a bottle of water nearby during training sessions. This helps to discourage inappropriate behaviors. Training kittens will require you to spend more time interacting and teaching them the interaction techniques.

One interactive cat toys for cats that are popular with pet owners is the laser pointer toy. This toy stimulates the cat’s brain and provides a stimulating environment. Some cats may be discouraged from using this type of toy because it can make them nervous and anxious. However, a good combination of praise and treats along with the stimulation will usually get them to love using this toy.

If you want to give your kitty toys to play with you can look online for websites that offer a variety of interactive cat toys for your pets. Some websites sell interactive kitty toys that you can plug into your computer to provide the stimulation for your pet needs. These kitty toys usually have a variety of different games including a cat ball game where the player can let their kitty to play with one of their own toys. Kitty cross is another popular website that offers interactive cat toys for your pets. Kitty cross’s most popular game is a guessing game where the player has to try to find out what the kitty is thinking.

Older cats that are already house trained can enjoy using interactive cat toys to help enhance their hunting instincts. Hunting is the natural instinct of cats so by teaching your cat where it can find its food this will eliminate the need for constant hunting. Older cats that are not house trained may have a natural tendency to roam around a large area searching for their prey. The addition of an interactive cat toy to their surroundings can help make the hunting instinct stronger. If you are trying to house train an older cat then it might be best to introduce the idea of hunting outdoors as cats that are house trained usually still enjoy roaming around. If your pet is not house trained to make sure you keep an eye on your pet and make sure they are away from any hunting instinctive activities.

Dealing with this type of issue when it comes to cleaning up after your dog can be very frustrating and annoying due to the fact that if the dog did his business on a carpet or a piece of furniture then you are going to have the time of your life cleaning it off. The worst part is the fact that even though you might think its clean, it will be obvious that its not because the dog can still smell it which leads to him or her doing their business all over again on the exact same spot. The point is that unless you clean the area where the dog urinated really well then he is going to continue to go in the same spot.

Step 1 – A surefire way to deal with this problem is to go straight to the source. What you need to consider doing is spaying your dog or neutering them. When a dog urinates, it is basically telling other dogs something. These range from signals like, I am available to this is my territory. For the dog they are doing absolutely nothing, wrong by urinating all over your floor in the house. By spaying or neutering your dog, you will stand the chance of greatly reducing the likelihood that they will want to invoke this primal action.

Sep 2 – As soon as you see fresh urine, make sure that it gets cleaned up right away. The less time that the urine has to sit on a surface then the less time it has to leave a scent. Use paper towels to clean up the mess. Then, instead of throwing away the paper towels, place them in the dogs designated urinating area so as to encourage them to do their business in the right place.

Step 3 – Wash all infected items that got urine on them with a solution of vinegar and baking soda to get off as much of the scent as possible. If the smell is still there, wash them again with an enzymatic cleaning-based product.

Step 4 – Deep parts of the floor where the dog urinated with microfiber mops. The reason these are the best is that you can use a new pad every time you wipe the area. This way, you will be making sure that you are removing scent and not spreading it around.

It is essential to feed kittens every 3 – 4 hours which is almost like feeding human babies. Ensure that you have plenty of free time available for at least four weeks should you adopt a kitten that was found abandoned. Once they reach 4 weeks of age, you can begin to wean them. This is achieved by lengthening the amount of time between each feed as well as adding kitten food that has been moistened to suit their diet.

The period for fostering a kitten is usually two to four weeks although this depends on their health, age and also their weight. Should you agree to fostering kittens, it is essential to agree to keep them for the whole duration.

Beginning at three weeks of age, a kitten is persuaded by the mother to begin eating other foods and to end suckling. Once the kitten reaches four weeks of age, it should be being fed mostly a mixture of gruel. This gruel can be made by mixing together replacement formula for kittens with good quality dry or wet food for kittens together with warm water. The consistency should be that of oatmeal. With dry food, it must be almost soft before being used so it might have to soak in the replacement formula and water for a bit first.

Kittens will start using a tray with cat litter once they begin to eat solids around four weeks. The litter tray must be put into the pen close to the kittens and must be kept thoroughly clean. Good quality litter for kittens should be placed in the litter tray as it will be harmless should it be nibbled at. Cats and kittens are clean naturally and therefore no other training to use the litter tray will be necessary.

Ensure that your kitten does not go outside for at least one week once the first vaccination course (depending on the type of vaccine), which is given around thirteen to fourteen weeks, is completed. As soon as your kitten’s vaccines are completed and it is accustomed to your home, you can allow the kitten to venture outdoors. Try and do this on a day it isn’t raining if possible and also select a time that is quiet, then allow the kitten to go with you outside to explore its new surroundings. It is best to escort your kitten outdoors until it is familiar with the garden and won’t get lost. Ensure that you don’t allow your kitten outside on its own until it’s about six months of age.

Formulas for milk replacement are made especially for baby animals that have been orphaned. A number of these formulas are appropriate for kittens and also puppies, but others are made specially for feeding young, active felines. Once your kitten reaches four weeks old, it will still be getting its nourishment from this formula as well as the homemade gruel. This replacement formula for kittens may be purchased from multitude of grocery shops, big-box stores as well as stores selling pet supplies.

Should you wish to have your dog reach a weight that’s healthy, consult a veterinarian so as to eliminate hormonal problems, establish your dog’s correct weight and design a meal plan that will attain that weight causing the least amount of stress for your dog. Certain companies manufacturing dog foods offer a formula which contains less calories.

Should your dog be rather hungry, you could offer him a high moisture diet because this will offer more volume. Regarding dog treats, there are quite a number of commercially manufactured biscuits for dogs which can be offered as snacks or rewards. Also on offer are lamb or beef based meat products that are preserved and packaged in rolls which you can slice into little bite-sized treats.

Dogs that are overweight or obese often suffer from blood pressure that is too high called hypertension. In 2012, a scientific report was published that opined that in excess of forty percent of dogs suffering from hypertension were also overweight.

Another risk factor for overweight dogs is having an anesthetic. This is due to the fact that overweight/obese dog’s lungs and heart have to function harder when they are given an anesthetic. This could give rise to a struggle for the dog to breathe due to problems in trying to expand their chest. Dogs can sleep either too deeply or also not sleep deeply enough. An added factor is that an overweight dog may take a much longer period of time to come around after being given an anesthetic.

Just as in humans, pets who are overweight/obese face the risk of health problems and often don’t live for the same period as trimmer dogs do. As well as having a bigger risk of heart disease, overweight dogs also suffer from a greater prevalence of pancreatic problems, liver disease, arthritis, etc.

Vegetables such as baby carrots or green beans that have been rinsed may be fed to dogs that are overweight. Depending on the amount of weight loss required for your dog, you can offer either of these vegetables to replace a few of his feedings.

First off you should work out the initial calorie amount your dog consumes on a daily basis. Your veterinarian will be able to calculate this for you. A different approach for dogs that are overweight/obese is to reduce their daily calorie intake by approximately one-third.

Obesity is caused by excess body fat being accumulated. More body weight as well as more body fat appear to go together, which means dogs who are overweight have extra fat on their bodies. Should a dog have a healthy weight, they will more than likely possess an hourglass figure. Their hips and shoulders will then be broader than their stomach. Looking at a side-on view, their stomach will be seen to be higher up than their chest. The ribs should also be able to be felt and counted when patting your dog. Dogs that are overweight will struggle more to hop on or off furniture or to hop in or out of bed as well.

When your horse seems off and shows lameness, one of the things you should look out for is a hoof abscess. A hoof abscess is similar to a human’s pimple. It’s a pocket of pus in the hoof that causes pain and discomfort to your horse.

Bacteria find their way into the sensitive parts of the hoof. It will start to cause an infection that the horse’s white blood cells will fight off. This will then create the hoof abscess.

Besides lameness, other signs of hoof abscesses to look out for are:

* Swelling of the lower leg

* Warmth of the hoof exterior

* The horse is limping or avoiding stepping on one of its feet

Sometimes, horses don’t show any symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to regularly check on your horse’s hooves for any signs of a hoof abscesses. If this is not treated immediately, it can cause further problems.

A hoof abscess is caused by a bacterial infection. There are many reasons that bacteria enter a horse’s hoof, including:

1. Careless shoeing

2. Any small object stuck in the hoof

3. Trauma to the hoof’s sensitive layers

4. Infection of the laminae (laminitis)

5. Navicular disease

6. Transitioning from dry to wet environmental conditions

No matter what the reason is, it’s important to get it treated right away. A horse’s hoof doesn’t expand, and the pressure caused by the pus is painful for the horse.

It will continue to grow and will find a way to spread. It may go deeper and further into the horse’s foot, which can become chronic. But there’s also a good chance that the pus pocket will pop outside and won’t go deeper.

TREATMENT

A hoof abscess that’s detected early is easier to treat. The treatment requires draining the pus pocket and keeping it clean while it’s healing. A common treatment would also involve poulticing and foot soaks.

Create a mixture of hot water and Epsom salt. Then soak the infected hoof. This will allow the pus to drain faster and keep the sole clean until it has fully healed.

Since you can’t stay with your horse 24/7 to soak its hoof, you must learn how to poultice it. Poulticing is simply another way of soaking the hoof.

You’ll use bran to hold the salt and hot water. Then use a hoof boot to keep it in place. You can also use plastic bags and tons of duct tape if you don’t have a hoof boot.

Once the hoof abscess becomes severe, it might need more than soaking to treat it. If you’re not sure how to handle your horse’s hoof abscess, it’s better to call a vet who may prescribe antibiotics. Your farrier may also help lessen the stress for your horse.

PREVENTION

All horses are vulnerable to hoof abscesses. But there are ways to prevent your horse from getting infected.

* Maintain your horse’s stalls and paddocks, keeping them clean and dry.

* If you’re suspecting an extreme weather change, apply some hoof hardeners before it happens. This will protect the hooves from getting excessive moisture.

* Get your horse’s hooves trimmed regularly

* Remove any debris that can injure your horse

Contrary to its name, white line disease is a non-contagious infection. It starts as an infection around the hoof holes or the hoof’s white line.

The exact type of bacteria or fungus that causes white line disease is unknown. But it’s known that horses often get the bacteria from the soil.

The vet and farrier are often the first to notice if your horse has white line disease. Here are some obvious symptoms they look out for:

1. Slowed-down growth of the hoof’s wall

2. Signs of pain or discomfort displayed by your horse

3. A powdery substance on the wall of the hoof

4. Warmth in the horse’s foot

5. In severe cases, lameness

If you spot some of these symptoms, you should call your vet or farrier immediately. To delay treating this disease will only worsen the problem.

Horses can get white line disease even when they’re well taken care of. There are many possible causes, but all it takes is a damaged hoof for the harmful organisms to thrive.

Trauma or lack of nutrition can cause cracks, bruises, and unhealthy hooves. The organisms take advantage of every crack or hole to get into the hoof, which will then cause white line disease.

TREATMENT

The severity of the hoof’s damage will determine the treatment needed.

If the white line disease isn’t too severe, it’s still possible to treat the hoof using a topical treatment. Sometimes it will only take a week before your horse becomes well again.

However, more serious cases might take a longer time to treat and heal. You may need to bring your horse to a specialist for treating white line disease.

The treatment for severe white line disease is time consuming. It may involve removing part of the hoof that’s infected and letting it grow back. This may take several months, depending on the damage.

While the hoof is growing back, it’s soaked every week in a solution to keep the bacteria from the hoof. Sometimes, special shoes are also worn during this period of recovery.

PREVENTION

The best thing you can do for your horse to prevent white line disease is to practice proper hoof hygiene.

* Keep hooves clean and dry

* Use a non-drying hoof dressing for excessive moisture protection

* Trim hooves on a regular basis

* Pick the hooves daily

Besides basic hygiene, it’s also important to give your horse a properly balanced diet. Having proper nutrition can help strengthen the horse’s hoof walls and soles. Healthy hooves prevent white line disease from getting started.

Also, regular exercise improves blood circulation in the horse’s feet. This helps stimulate growth and healthy hooves. But excessive stress on the feet can give opposite results, so it’s best to not overdo it.

Dry pet food has held the biggest share in the worldwide pet foods market for a while now, followed closely by treats and snacks, and then wet pet food. Manufacturers operating in the world pet food markets are essentially becoming more responsive toward the demand from pet owners for much better standards of quality and much healthier products. This is due to the rising concerns of cat and dog owners that want to provide food to their pets that has a high nutrition level.

Thus the pet food producers have increased their budgets for research and development to start fulfilling the rising expectations of many pet owners. With increasing pet ownership numbers and the ever growing concern of many pet owners about the safety of their cats and dogs, the manufacturing and regulatory standards in the industry have been rising. This movement is already well established in the US, and the trend will expand further to more global regions.

Preservatives that are called antioxidants are often added to commercially produced dry foods and help to prevent the spoilage and the breakdown of nutrients. The preservatives that are used in commercial pet food are similar to the ones that are approved for human use by the FDA. Proteins, fats and vitamins are the most critical nutrients components that require to be preserved during storage. Fats can often break down when stored if they are not preserved properly. The oxidative destruction of fat and some other nutrients is what antioxidants guard against so they help to preserve the nutritional value and quality of the food.

Many additives are often added to all commercial pet foods in order to improve on the stability and the appearance of the foods. Additives do however provide no additional nutritional value. Additives also include emulsifiers that prevent water and the fats from separating. Antioxidants furthermore prevent fats from becoming rancid and the added antimicrobials can reduce spoilage. Additonally, added colors and flavors can also make the products more inviting to consumers and for their animal companions.

Finding the right food for your pets can be hard when they have intolerances and allergies. Most often these allergies can be caused by fillers such as corn for example, and wheat that is used in so many of the highly processed brands of commercial pet foods.

Good quality pet food is often in high demand in first world countries, and Canada is a good example. According to a report by the Pet Food Association of Canada, more than twelve million pets can be found nationwide, and they are mostly cats and dogs. All Canadians think of their pets as an integral part of their families and are therefore understandibly concerned for their well-being and especially about the foods that they eat. Monitoring agencies estimate that as much as eighty-seven percent of all dog foods and ninety-six percent of cat foods are pre-prepared.

Although pet food sales around Canada were up notably in 2017 as compared to 2018, this was mostly attributed to higher commodity prices that resulted in higher prices for processed pet foods. A relatively slow growth in retail sales can be expected for the next few years as well. Monitoring agencies are forecasting yearly increases of over two percent for 2019. Much like it is in Japan, the cat and dog populations of Canada are aging and this has caused a trend that is supporting a demand for health centered pet foods. Organic, natural and functional pet food is in high demand in Canada and consumers seek nourishing, quality products to feed to their pets.

Dog owners love their four-legged friends as if they are children. Ad it’s their responsibility to ensure that all members of the family are happy and fulfilled. While our definition of happiness can be quite subjective, for dogs it’s pretty uncomplicated. Here is a shortlist of things that every canine needs to be truly happy and contented.

Regular Meals of Good Quality

If you offer them just about any various other kind of dog food, they might love the concept that you’re offering them a complimentary hand in their dishes. Pets like flavorful and also scrumptious foods. It is your task to make sure that the pet food you provide it is of the highest feasible quality and has excellent flavors at the very same time.

Twice Daily Exercise

When pets do exercise, they make the use of all their bones, joints, as well as muscle mass. This can prevent the muscles from diminishing and also the bones from coming to be brittle. Your dog will certainly not be able to move if these problems take place. It will not be able to walk, run, jump, and do the important things that make it extremely happy. As such, you ought to always exercise you canine at least twice a day to ensure that its bones, joints, and also muscular tissues remained tuned to their optimum. Workouts also mean your dog remains mentally stimulated, and not burnt out. This can make the dog a happy and satisfied pet.

Care and Grooming

Don’t let your dog down with poor or irregular grooming. There are some great contraptions around nowadays for cleaning and grooming pets. See petspausa.com. Canines are not as fastidious in cleaning and grooming as felines, so you will have to help them in brushing to maintain a healthy appearance. They will not mind being bathed, their teeth brushed, their ears cleansed, their hair brushed, and also their nails clipped as long as you do this for them from an early age. Equally as you’ll really feel extra refreshed after appearing from a bathroom, your dog will certainly be a better hound, too.

Ongoing Training and Attention

Just because you have a small dog doesn’t imply you can currently miss the training component. All canines require training, even adhering to the simplest of commands. They need to know what “come” means or what they need to do if you tell them to “rest”. What you may not know is that dogs are extremely social animals and also they love absolutely nothing greater than to please you. If they recognize that they get your wholehearted interest via training, your dog will absolutely love their training and be good, obedient pets.

Opportunities for Socializing

Unlike many animals, like cats, canines are highly social beasts. They live as well as prosper with and around their human owners and their young ones. While some dogs are perfectly alright living alone, most can not last a number of hours of splitting up from their owners or if they see no person else in the house. They can get depressed and truly nervous. This can lead them to show depression and agitation. Nothing makes a dog better than having the ability to play as well as engage with its family. And also if it has the opportunity to meet with or live with other animals in the house, it will also be happier.

So there you have it. Our top tips for a healthier, happier dog. Heed this advice and you will have a well-behaved and content dog.

Horses often suffer from different skin diseases due to the fluctuations in the environment. Such skin conditions can cause irritation and discomfort to the animal, as well as steep medical expenses for their owner. If left uncared for, these issues might worsen: hence the need for them to be diagnosed and treated immediately.

Given below are the commonly acquired skin diseases in horses:

* Pastern Dermatitis or Mud Fever

Pastern dermatitis is a skin disease in horses characterized by scratches, scabs, and inflamed skin. In its extreme form, it resembles the size and shape of grapes. It may form into bulky, plaque-like protrusions on the skin.

Scientists havent found any pathogen that directly causes pastern dermatitis. Though studies show that it’s most prevalent in the lower legs of horses. The bulk of the hair along the lower legs absorbs most of the moisture and dirt. Hence, it serves as a breeding ground for deteriorative organisms.

* Rain Rot or Rain Scald

Rain rot is caused by the bacteria, Dermatophilus congolensis. It usually happens when the surrounding air is humid. The bacteria tends to proliferate exponentially in the moist areas of the horses body. The symptoms of rain rot include scabs along these areas, as well as hair fall.

* Ringworm or Fungal Dermatitis

Ringworm is a hairless, circular patch on the horses body. The skin in this area is often broken and crusty. This skin disease can occur on any part of the body. However, its common to body areas such as shoulders, chest, neck, and face. It may also be attributed to the fungal activities of Trichophyton and Microsporum.

* Primary seborrhea or dandruff

Primary seborrhea covers the horses skin with flaky, white crystals. Its commonly found in areas that are usually moist. Dry seborrhea appears as sand-like cracked sheets on the skin. Meanwhile, oily seborrhea produces a waxy fluid on the skin. Both conditions of seborrhea also produce a foul smell in the more extreme cases.

Mange is a skin disease characterized by small, circular protrusions. When the protrusions enlarge, they will form bald spots. Its caused by the accumulation of small mites in the hair and skin. It produces an itchy feeling that causes the horse to constantly rub and bite the area.

* Summer Sores or Fly Sores

Summer sore is also known as Cutaneous Habronemiasis. It’s caused by Habronema and Draschia larvae. These are characterized by small open nodules that can grow along the legs, penis, prepuce, and other moist areas of the horses body. Its usually an open wound that has been irritated by dirt and moisture.

* Urticaria or Hives

Urticaria is a form of allergic reaction in horses. Its a group of plateau-like raised ridges that differ in size. Its acquired due to the consumption of food, vaccines, or medicines that the horse is allergic to. It may also be a non-allergic reaction to excessive fluctuations in temperature, too much physical activity or stress.

For more information on skin conditions in horses visit this page.

The overall condition of a horse is mostly dependent on the health of its hooves. Healthy hooves are so important because they absorb the heavy impact of the animals weight when it stands, trots, gaits, or runs. The hooves also provide the proper grip on road surfaces and protect the bones and tissues located within the hoof capsule.

What Is A Lame Horse?

Unhealthy hooves automatically result in a lame horse.
Horse lameness is the inability of the horse to perform its normal movements due to an injury or disease of its muscles, bones, internal organs, nerves, tendons or metabolism. But most horse experts say that the one major factor that really affects a horses overall health is the condition of its foot.

One concludes that a horse is lame when it:

* Has difficulty keeping its balance

* Is limping

* Drags its toes

* Holds one foot up

* Performs or runs hesitantly or slowly

* Bobs its head

* Has difficulty turning smoothly

Hoof Problems That May Cause Lameness

Extra attention is required to address hoof problems. A number of foot ailments that a horse may encounter include:

* Cracks

Symptoms: the presence of cracks on the hoofs surface in which three types may appear, namely sand, grass or horizontal cracks.

Causes: hereditary, long hoof trimming intervals resulting in long toes, dry weather, shifting cold and dry environment

Cure: application of hoof moisturizers, regular hoof trimming, good nutrition, providing vitamins like biotin, iodine, and zinc

* Inadequate Hoof Trimming and Inferior Shoeing

Symptoms: stress and trauma on hoof bones, joints, and tendons

Causes: unbalanced hooves, short toes and long heels, or long toes and collapsed heels

Cure: proper fitting of horseshoes, regular intervals when trimming hooves

* Abscess

Symptoms: extreme lameness, swelling, the presence of pus on the sole

Causes: trauma, bacterial infection, bruising

Cure: providing antibiotics, adequate nutrition, removal of the abscess, soaking foot in Epsom salt and warm water

* Thrush

Symptoms: the presence of a malodorous black fluid within the frog (middle part of the hoof), lameness

Cause: wet and dirty surroundings

Cure: apply antibiotics, keeping barns, stalls, and sheds clean and dry

* Hot Nail

Symptoms: lameness

Cause: horseshoe nail hitting a soft and sensitive part of the hoof

Cure: applying antiseptic to the wound, tetanus booster injection, bandaging the injured foot

Care For the Hooves

Having healthy hooves are so important, that applying preventive care is the best way to maintain proper hoof condition. The number of ways that hoof maintenance can be accomplished includes:

* Scheduled Farrier Visits

Regular trimming of hooves is a must, and the visits may increase if an injury or ailment is monitored and cured.

* Proper nutrition

High-quality hay, vitamin supplements, and clean water should always be provided to maintain good health and achieve faster recovery if a hoof is being cured.

* Clean Environment

A clean and regularly sanitized shed, stall, or barn should be maintained to avoid hoof infection coming from harmful fungi or bacteria.

* Immunization

Vaccination and booster shots should be regularly done to help the animal fight infection in case it would be exposed to an unclean surrounding or sudden changes in weather or temperature.

Having healthy hooves is very important because the horse depends on them to survive. Unhealthy hooves may lead to severe lameness which, often results in the need for euthanasia if treatment of the problem is ignored or delayed.