Kitten Development Stages – Pet Tip 249

When we bring a kitten home for the first time to adopt it as a pet, it should be between nine and twelve weeks old. This is so the kitten has a chance to spend time with its mother and so that the kitten becomes socialized with its littermates and learns proper kitten behaviour. But what happens before the kitten comes home? This article will outline some of the important milestones in kittenhood in an effort to familiarize you with some of the stages of kitten development.

Kittens are born blind and deaf and they remain that way for around the first fourteen days of their lives. They use their sense of smell to find their way toward their mothers for nourishment and heat. They really need to stay close to their mothers for these first few weeks as they are unable to regulate their own body temperature. The umbilical cord typically falls off after the first few days of life.

RAO in Pet Horses

One of the more common problems affecting horses is a condition known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO); it can also be referred to as heaves or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). This is a respiratory disease that is characterized by coughing, increased rate and effort of breathing, and often, nasal discharge. Severely affected horses can also have what is known as a “heaves line” – this is a visible line on the horse’s side, between the lungs and the abdomen, caused by the increased effort of the abdominal muscles to help with breathing; the line is really the increased definition of those abdominal muscles. Other than the respiratory difficulties, horses are otherwise normal. There does not seem to be a breed or gender preference, although older horses are more commonly affected.

Pet Rabbits

Do you lack the time to properly care for a dog or cat, or are not fond of the cost of keeping them up to date with vaccinations and veterinarian visits? If the answer is a resounding yes, then perhaps …

Good Breeds for New Dog Owners

You have decided to take the big step and own a dog. However, you are at a loss for how to choose one. You may have flipped through dog magazines or dog breed books, but are overwhelmed by the vast array of breeds. This article is a guide to help you narrow down your search to choose a breed that is suitable for you.

First-time dog owners may have difficulties training their dog at first because they are still learning how to read and understand their dog’s body language. Therefore, it might be easiest to choose a breed that is easy to train. All dogs can be obedience trained, but some are more willing to learn new things and are eager to please.

Collapsed Trachea

Every living creature needs to breathe to survive. Breathing allows animals to deliver oxygen to tissues, as well as to get rid of wastes such as carbon dioxide that are produced by the body’s metabolism. The air is taken in …

Postal Workers and Dogs

It’s a phenomenon that we’ve almost come to accept as a law; dogs hate postal workers. Each day millions of dogs across North America scare the living daylights out of postal workers as they try to deliver our mail to …

Puppies that Chew – Pet tip 159

Chewing is a natural activity that most puppies like to engage in. It gives them something to do with their surplus of energy and it also relieves the discomfort of teething. The problem with this 100% natural activity is that …

Some Common Dog Diseases

Common Diseases of Dogs

Disease
Nature of Disease
Causative Agent

Distemper
affects non vaccinated (non immunized) puppies in contact with infected animals; symptoms include loss of appetite, fever; inflammation of the brain is usual cause of death; some dogs may…

Digestion and Vomiting in Cats and Dogs

In a normal, healthy animal, it takes about 7-10 hours for a meal to be completely digested and absorbed. The beginning of this process starts when you see your dog or cat enjoying their meal. After being chewed a few …

Tip 65 – Cat games – playing with your cat

Unlike most domestic dogs that get at least one or two walks a day, some good petting and attention, most house cats are under stimulated. They stay inside all day long (read the advantages here) and do almost nothing except …