Featured Articles
Egg Binding in Birds
Many sick pet birds look alike. They sit on the bottom of their cages with ruffled feathers and their heads down. This is why it’s so hard to figure out what is wrong with your bird without taking it to the veterinarian. Perhaps you also notice that your bird has a big belly. Perhaps it is a female who has a history of laying eggs but has suddenly stopped laying eggs. Your veterinarian will confirm this problem as “egg-binding”.
Egg-binding is a fairly common issue in certain female birds, such as cockatiels, budgies, and lovebirds. This is because these species tend to constantly lay eggs. If something prevents them from laying the egg, it will get stuck in the belly. When multiple eggs get stuck in the belly, this is called egg-binding.
Teaching Parrots to Talk
In the wild, many types of birds learn to vocalize by repeating the sounds they hear around them. A young bird raised among its own kind will learn, of course, to make the same sounds and songs as its family …
Itchy Dogs – Itchy Cats
It’s not difficult to spot the owners of an itchy pet. They’re the ones that look as though they haven’t slept for days, having been kept up night after night by their pet’s incessant scratching. They’re also the ones with …
Dogs – Nothing in Life is Free – NILF
Does your dog: Get on the furniture and refuse to get off? Nudge your hand, insisting on being petted or played with? Refuse to come when called? Defend its food bowl or toys from you? “Nothing in life is free” …
Reverse Sneezing in Dogs – Pet tip 233
If you have a small breed dog, chances are that you are already familiar with the term “reverse sneezing”. This phenomenon is most commonly seen in small dogs (especially those with shortened snouts), although it can affect any breed. Dog …
Invisible Fences and Dogs
With animals, just like with people, there’s a difference between traumatic fears and plain old everyday fears. Traumatic fears in animals are always bad news; they last forever, and they can spread. Even if you do manage to put together …
Keeping Your Cat Safe at Home
Ten Tips for a Poison-Safe Household
by Jill A. Richardson, DVM
Veterinary Poison Information Specialist
ASPCA/National Animal Poison Control Center
Be aware of the plants you have in your house and in your yard, if your cat is permitted outside …
FIP – Feline Infectious Peritonitis
Once in a while, veterinarians disagree. Most of the time it’s because there is more than one way to fix a problem. The scientific world is continuously discovering new tests and solutions, and further questioning the validity of old ones. …
Terriers and Digging – Pet tip 214
Although many dogs engage in behaviours that humans don’t appreciate, some of these particular behaviours come from specific breeds of dogs. Tiny dogs like Chihuahuas for example commonly bark at anything they are unfamiliar with. Labs often engage in destructive …