Featured Articles
Lab Tests for Cats and Dogs
What Do Those Lab Tests Mean?
The results of laboratory tests on a patient are compared to reference ranges established by measuring the laboratory parameters in a group of normal animals. The reference ranges for each laboratory test differ between …
Pet Travel – Traveling Cats and Dogs
Many people love to travel. One worry that always crosses a pet owner’s mind is how their pet is doing back at home. Is he/she adjusting well? Is he/she being well taken care of? Some pet owners just feel lonely …
Cat Vocalizations
Cats are capable of communication on several levels. Their body language can tell other cats if they are feeling tense or relaxed. They can mark their territory with urine, or with scent particles from their faces to claim ownership of objects and spaces and they can also communicate vocally. This article will explore a few of the common vocalizations that cats make. Some of the vocalizations are meant mostly for humans, while other sounds are meant for other cats, humans or predators.
One of the most common sounds a cat owner is likely to hear from its cat is the famous meow. There are many different types of ‘meows’ and they are generally reserved for communicating with humans and not with other cats.
Cataract Surgery in Dogs
Have you ever wondered how cataract surgery is actually performed? If so, read on as it really is a very interesting procedure! Cataract surgery is formally known as phacoemulsification. “Phaco” stands for lens, and to ‘emulsify’ means to break down. This is a great name for this procedure, because this is exactly what it is!
Normally the lens in the eye is a clear soft structure that allows light to easily pass through it. If there is any opacity on the lens, it is known as a cataract. A cataract occurs when proteins in the eye leak into the lens, and start to harden. A general rule of thumb is that if you cannot see into an animal’s eyes clearly, then it can’t see out at you clearly! Thus in a cataract, if the entire lens is opaque due to the protein that has leaked out, then the animal’s vision is reduced.
Cataract surgery involves two main tools; one to break up the cataract into smaller pieces, and the other to vacuum the pieces out of the eye. To begin, the animal is placed under general anesthesia so that it is completely unconscious during the procedure.
Teething Puppies – Pet tip 191
Just like with human babies, little puppies have 2 sets of teeth. When their first set of teeth start to come in between 3 and 6 weeks of age, they will begin teething which is uncomfortable for puppies. In order …
Feeding a Starved Dog
“Emaciated” was too mild a word to describe the condition of the young terrier mix. This sad animal had no known history other than obvious hardship. Her pathetic body condition was not the only testimony to her previous existence, a …
Dogs and Cats that Drink Too Much Water – Pet tip 240
Water is the elixir of life and it is essential to all living things. Our pets need to have access to water at all times and their water bowls should be filled with fresh water every single day. When our pets don’t get enough water dehydration can occur. Sometimes though, our pets drink too much water and although we know that water is good for our pets, too much is too much. Serious health problems can occur when our pets drink too much water. Sometimes the reason they drink so much stems from psychological or behavioural problems; other times the reason is medical. Either way, drinking too much water is dangerous for pets.
When a pet drinks too much water, its urinary system is also affected. What goes in must come out so thirst and urination are naturally linked.
Vaccines and Allergic Reactions – Vaccination Reactions in Cats and Dogs – Pet tip 221
Vaccinating our pets is necessary to protect them from harmful diseases. Most veterinarians in North America recommend giving almost all cats and dogs certain vaccines when they are brought in for the first time as puppies or kittens. If they …
Hairless Cats – Pet tip 145
For many, just the thought of a hairless cat is enough to make them shudder. For these people, the sight of a hairless cat is shocking, and touching one is downright scary. If you are one of these people, then this article is unlikely to sway you in the other direction. However, if you are the kind of person who has always been a little bit intrigued by the unique look of hairless cats, read on. Behind their striking appearance is a fascinating background, and if you are considering making a hairless cat part of your family, there is also a plethora of information to know about the proper way to care for these beautiful creatures.
Congenital hairlessness in cats is an extremely rare trait. Essentially, a hairless cat is the result of genetic mutations in one or more of the genes which encode for normal hair development. While the word ‘mutation’ implies that this genetic condition is unwanted and accidental, there are actually many breeders who select specifically for the hairlessness trait and work to maintain the hairless lineage in their cats.
