Quick Tips on Kissing Your Kitty

Who wouldn’t want to kiss a kitty when they have one? It may be very difficult to resist kissing your feline when all he/she does is being cute. Isn’t it? However, according to the veterinarians there may be potential dangers in handling your tabby closely. Hence, here we are with some quick tips on kissing your kitty that may not affect your health in a negative way!

• It is said that cats are actually more hygienic than humans. Their mouth may have as many bacteria as our mouth has. However they eat raw animals which may induce transmittable gum disease in humans. Thus it is advised not to kiss on your feline’s lips. Yes, even if they try to!
• If you have a higher immunity and your feline is free from parasites then a quick peck now and then may not pose any danger to your health. However people with lower immune power such as young children, pregnant female, etc. should stay away from felines.
• We all know how cats are totally different from dogs in terms of their moody attitude. Thus to maintain good relationship with your kitty you may need to consider time before kissing her/him. Kiss your felines when they are clam, relaxed and not snappy.
• If you do not think twice before getting cosy with your kitty and kiss is a normal thing for you then treating him/her with parasitic prevention on a regular basis should be your priority. So, stay on track with vaccinations!
• Maintain optimal oral hygiene of your felines. Try not to give a pass on brushing their teeth and regular dental checkups.

In all, kissing could be safe until you maintain your cat’s health and hygiene. Carelessness from your side may result in zoonoses. Ringworm, cat scratch fever, parasites, etc. are some of the diseases that could be transmitted through kissing kitties. Keep your kitty healthy to continue with the sloppy kisses!

3 Never Heard Before Services provided by Veterinarians

If you are a pet owner, chances are that by now you might have selected the best veterinarian to take care of your furry friends. If not, then do not worry as it is never too late to pick the best ones in our country. Normally the general belief amongst pet owners is that a veterinarian needs to be visited when your pet is ill suddenly or for routine check-up of your furry friend. But what if we told you that your veterinarian can also conduct some services that you have never heard before?

 It might be shocking to you, but your veterinarian is not only your pet’s ultimate saviour, but also someone who has all the requisite things that can take the overall care of your pet. But before we look any further at the different services let us try to find out why does a veterinarian have to provide anything additional apart from treating your four-legged friends?

The answer can be found from the fact that your pet needs to go to a number of places for wide array of things for special services which can lead to unnecessary stress. If your veterinarian provides these services at one place it can not only make the experience positive for your pet, but also ensures that your pet feel relaxed.

Let us now look at some of never heard before services provided by veterinarians and believe us you are going to be surprised:

Behaviour psychotherapy

As a pet owner it is quite difficult when your pet is not behaving properly. In such cases you can visit your veterinarian who would be able to assist you resolve this concern. He/she would try to find out the exact reason for a particular misbehaviour by the pet through examination and then come up with a solution.

There are times when behaviour issues require a trainer rather than a veterinarian who would use positive reinforcement techniques to improve the behaviour of the pet. This can include barking problems in dogs to house-training issues in most pets. Whatever be the reason, if the trainer is not able to rectify it through positive reinforcement techniques they would require some medications from the veterinarian.

The trainer would be the best person to tell you whether the prescribed medication from the veterinarian would be able to treat the pet or not. But the importance of veterinarian in resolving behavioral problems in pets cannot be negated.

Boarding

Recently we celebrated Australia Day during which some of you might have decided to go out of your town due to the extended weekend. During such circumstances, boarding services provided by veterinary hospitals can be of great help. Not only do they take care of your pet while you enjoy the occasion but also provide the basic amenities to the pets.

There are distinct boarding places, in veterinary clinics for the pets; especially cats and dogs. The boarding facility consists of services where pets can enjoy themselves with little exercise. They can even play with other pets and toys with regular feeding. The veterinary clinic staff contains trained animal professionals that assist in meeting the requisite needs of pets.

Grooming

There are veterinarians in our country that provide grooming services for pets. You can take your pets to the veterinary clinics and have their nails trimmed, hair trimmed and bath them.

So, how many veterinarian services mentioned in this blog were you aware of? We bet not more than one. The list mentioned above is not exclusive and you can suggest some other never before seen veterinarian services other than the ones mentioned in the blog. We would be glad to integrate your pointers in our forthcoming blogs. Also, do share with us your personal experience of visiting veterinarians for some of these never seen before services.

5 Things that you need to Know about Heartworm Infection in Dogs Today!!

As a dog owner, you should absolutely know everything about heartworm infection in dogs. If you are not aware of it, then we recommend you to open Google search and type the keywords “heartworm infections in dogs” you will get 1, 26,000 results. Click on the top four links and read about heartworm infection in dogs because it is very important for the health of your pooch. Remember, it is always better to have first hand information rather than wait for the dire situation to learn about this life threatening disease.

Just like human beings face life threatening disease in the form of lung cancer, HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, etc. pets also undergo life threatening disease like heartworm disease. It is very costly to treat a heartworm infection and it is also very painful for your tyke. Hence, it is very important that you take heartworm preventative treatments like Heartgard Plus Chewables, Nuheart for dogs, Interceptor Spectrum Tasty Chews, Sentinel Spectrum Tasty Chews, and Valuheart amongst others to keep your pooch away from this dreadful disease.

Let us now look at some of the things that you should be aware about heartworm infection in dogs:

• Please note that heartworm disease is not contagious since dogs already suffering from heartworm disease cannot transfer the disease to other dogs directly. This disease is spread when a mosquito carrying an infected larvae also known as microfilariae bites the pooch and leaves the larvae behind which starts growing and maturing in the bloodstream of the dog until it becomes a full-grown heartworm and moves around the lungs and heart of the dog.
• Dogs are chiefly affected by heartworms but that does not mean that cat owners can ignore the heartworm prevention dose. In fact, felines are also prone to heartworm infection when the infected mosquito bites them. All animals can get this disease through the mosquito bite, hence; it is very important that you give monthly preventative doses to your pets regardless of the fact whether they live indoors or outdoors.
• Heartworm disease is a life-threatening disease and it should not be taken lightly by pet owners. When your pet gets infected by this disease, they do not show any symptoms in the very first stage. Only after the disease has fully grown does one come to know about the deadly effects. The diagnosis is also very painful consisting of a strong arsenic-based injection treatment. Hence, it is recommended to give preventative treatment before this disease can occur in your pets.
• Earlier it was a notion that human beings do not contract heartworm through the mosquito bite, but that notion has been put to rest. It has been recently found that in the rarest of cases, human beings can get infected by this disease, but they do not suffer from life threatening consequences as with the pets since the heartworm is incompetent in completing its entire life cycle inside the bloodstream of human beings. In worst cases, it can cause a benign lung lesion.
• When a puppy or kitty is born, the mother dog and cat passes certain immunity to their babies through the colostrum present in the milk. But kittens and puppies are equally at risk at contracting heartworm disease and so as pet owners it is your responsibility to ensure that they should be given preventative treatments as soon as your veterinarian approves it.

The best thing that you can do as a good pet owner is to keep your pets protected from bacteria, diseases and parasites. This will keep them safe and well-guarded against heartworm infection. If you would like to share positive experiences of your pooch undergoing heartworm treatment; please post your comments below and we would incorporate it in our forthcoming blogs!! Till then give your pet heartworm preventive treatment to keep them safe and sound.

How to Relieve Dogs from Joint Pain within Couple of Hours?

We, Australians have a special liking for dogs and why not? They are our real friends as they not only protect us during calamities, but also give us the love during the toughest phases of our life. Hence, there is no doubt that these furry friends are no less than a family to us. We try to look after them as our children, giving them the best of the food and treats that are available in the market without compromising on the quality. We ensure that they get regular dose of exercise to keep them fit and lively along with providing a comfy bed where they can have a good sleep.

But as dog owners do we really think about their joints because it is one of the most important body parts of a pooch. Joint pain in dogs starts to develop when they get old or meet an accident. But more often than not it is found in older dogs. So how does joint pain start in dogs? Let us try to find it out:

When dogs get older the cartilage exterior of their joints starts to thin and then the cartilage cells die. When that happens, the cells discharge enzymes that are the source of inflammation of the joint capsule and thus liberate too much of joint fluid. This results in extra bony growths known as osteophytes. As a result of rigorous cartilage thinning, the standard joint space becomes thin and the bone underneath the cartilage deteriorates. These processes result in supplementary changes in the regular functioning of the dog’s joints, leading to continuous pain, lameness, limb disuse/inactivity and finally muscle atrophy.

If you find that your active dog shows signs of slow movement and deep grunting then it can be due to joint pain. In such a situation, it is recommended to visit your veterinarian so that he/she can conduct certain tests to determine whether your pooch is suffering from joint pain or something more serious. Your vet will scrutinize the following things:

• Pain response to joint movement and pressure
• Presence of muscle atrophy
• Walking abnormalities

But do not worry as you can relieve the joint pain in dogs by following the things mentioned below:

There are different types of natural supplement options currently available in the market that can relieve the joint pain in pooches:

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a natural substance that assists in maintaining joint health and movement in dogs. It is also found to be key to maintaining health of other body structures. You can get Joint Guard for Dogs, Joint Guard Liver Treat Chews for Canines, and Vets All Natural Joint Support Formula for quick relief from joint pains in dogs.

Chondroitin Sulfate

Chondroitin is also a natural substance that is produced by the dog’s body, but with age it starts to slow down, resulting in wear and tear on cartilage health and strength. It is popularly known as glycosaminoglycan which assists in protecting the dog’s joint by supporting cartilage patch up and joint fluid restoration. It minimizes joint pain and supports the dog’s health and mobility, thereby ensuring strong and healthy cartilage in the joints. You can get Paw Osteocare Chews for your dog to give instant relief to their joints.

Apart from these natural supplements you should also feed good nutritional food to your pooch. Let us now look at some of the tips to follow to ensure that joint pain does occur in your dog:

ü  As a dog owner, you need to ensure that your pooch does not become obese. You can do this by feeding him healthy food that is rich in nutrition, which assists in maintaining their ideal weight. This will put less pressure on their joints.

ü  Have dog ramps and stairs whenever necessary because joint pain can also occur due to accidents. Also provide soft, supportive bedding to your dog. Take care that all the requisite things for their movement, sleep and healthy well-being are provided to them.

ü  Give massage to your dog’s joints which will ease their pain and give them relief. This will also help you to know the areas where the dogs get hurt.

ü  Get heated pads for dogs since it provides extra-relief to the dogs suffering from joint pain and tender muscles. A good therapeutic resting place makes your dog feel even better.

ü  Have short, gentle and low-impact exercise for dogs suffering from joint pains as they may not like to move around more often because of the pain. Remember that due to joint pain your dog will not like to move, but if that happens that they will gain weight which can lead to extra pressure on their joints. Hence, it is very important to have a regular regime of gentle exercise that keeps the joints of the dog healthy and functioning.

ü  Get your dog acupuncture as it can relieve the pain in their joint considerably.