Be Friends With Animals

     Just like humans, one of the most lacking nutrition in cats is fatty acids. The prime reason is that cats, like humans, are not equipped to produce fatty acids on their own, rather they are needed to get enough amount of fatty acids from the cat food and supplements. This thing leads to different problems related to cat’s health that can be solved by using fish oil for cats.

     Inflammation in cats can be cured by using fish oil for cats. If not treated inflammation can lead to many serious health conditions like strokes, heart attacks, premature death, arthritis, high LDL cholesterol levels, protecting the whole vascular system, controlling skin allergies, yeast infections in cats and preventing cancer as well. Read more on cat illnesses.

     Usage of fish oils for cats has also benefited in reducing the cartilage degrading enzymes that can cause joint damage, regulation of the blood circulation, improvement of the brain function, etc. Hence, use of omega 3 fish oil for cats is found very effective for treating their various health conditions and also increasing their survival rate.

     Amount of Fish Oil for Cats Read more »

     Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs: One of the common natural poisonous foods for dogs present in our homes, especially during the holiday seasons is chocolate. Although you might love to watch your pets relish the chocolates which they absolutely adore, it is important to keep in mind that even small amounts of chocolate can trigger off the symptoms of dog poisoning. This is because of the presence of natural occurring stimulant called theobromine found in the cocoa bean plant. This poisonous food derivative leads to the central nervous system being affected and the dog displaying symptoms such as epileptic seizures, vomiting, diarrhea and hyperactivity. The severity of the poisoning depends on the type of chocolate, the amounts of theobromine in it and the amount that your pet has consumed.

     Antifreeze Poisoning in Dogs: Translucent greenish in color, automotive antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which is highly dangerous for dogs. In fact as much a single sip of antifreeze can cause dog poisoning as this toxin is rapidly metabolized and absorbed by the system. The ethylene glycol acidifies the blood and destroys the renal tubular cells of the dog’s kidneys.

     Rat Poisoning in Dogs: Consuming rodenticides and other rat poisons leads to the exposure to bromethalin, a toxic substance that is found in a variety of rat and mice poisons. This toxic substance leads to pressure on the cerebrospinal fluid and cerebral edema causing seizures, muscle tremors and impaired movement. More on rat poisoning in dogs.

     Lead Poisoning in Dogs: Lead poisoning is caused by the ingestion of items that contain lead such as toys, drapery weights, fishing weights and lead shots. This leads to the gastrointestinal tracts and the nervous system being affected. The symptoms of lead poisoning include seizures in dogs, temporary blindness, lack of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea along with certain changes in dog behavior. More on lead poisoning in dogs.

     In addition to these, zinc poisoning in dogs is also quite common. Caused by direct or indirect contact with galvanized steel products such as nuts and bolts, zinc poisoning causes vomiting, diarrhea, kidney failure, anemia and a lack of appetite. One of the most common cases of dog food poisoning is salmonella poisoning in dogs. This bacterial food poisoning is the result of the consumption of raw meat, uncooked bones and raw eggs. This results in fever, vomiting, dehydration and loss of appetite. Plants such as daffodil bulbs, castor oil bush, cherry laurel, laburnum, lilies/lily of the valley and philodendra can also cause dog poisoning.

     Get more information here.

      To a woman, a horse is just an extension of their family, why else would a woman get up at five O’ clock in the morning and go outside in the freezing cold to feed a horse and clean out their stall? There has to be a great amount of love involved for anyone to do that. Many women see their horses as not only members of their families, but also as their best friends.

     Many women could easily spend hours in the barn telling their horse about all of their problems or other events that are happening in their lives. This is because horses are great listeners, much better than most men.

     Men cannot help the fact that they do not listen well. All men know that their ears are not able to hear the frequency that a woman voice is produced in, however; they are very skilled at listening to a sports analyst when they are predicting the outcome of a game. This is why most men cannot remember a single thing that their wives tell them, their ears cannot determine what is being said. This is similar to listening to someone speak in a different language; you can hear sounds, but you have no idea what is being said. Read more »

     The care for exotic pets is also more expensive, as some of these animals require a veterinarian with specialized knowledge and skills in order to properly care for the them. This is one reason why many owners of such animals seek out insurance. Some have even declared that they would never again be without such coverage because of the amount of money that they have saved due to unexpected veterinary pet bills.

     Recent studies have reported that approximately 40% of all reptile owners have needed to take their pet in for an unplanned veterinarian visit at some point during the previous two years. The study went on to report that over one third of these cases ended up requiring three or more veterinary office visits during that same time frame. This is just one example of how pet insurance for exotic creatures is very beneficial, because for some people, such a level of care would not be affordable.

     One of the common misconceptions about exotic pet insurance is that it only covers health related costs, such as veterinarian fees and prescriptions. However, most of the insurance policies for exotic pet coverage will provide for many additional benefits as well. Much of what is covered will depend on the type of coverage you choose and the cost of such coverage and how it fits within your own budget constraints. Read more »

     Aquarium and tropical fish keeping is a wonderful hobby. Although caring for your fish-tank may seem frustrating at times, it’s actually very simple as long as you know what you’re doing. That’s why I’m writing this ‘Aquarium Care’ series. I hope to help you understand the basic needs of your tropical fish, so that you can enjoy this great hobby to its fullest! A crucial step for creating a successful freshwater aquarium is acquiring knowledge about how an aquarium ecosystem works. Indeed, tropical fish aquariums, in many ways, function like miniature ecosystems. If you take some time to learn about these mini-aquatic habitats, you’ll discover that aquarium keeping is much simpler than you may have previously thought.

     Having said that, I invite all to take just a few minutes to look over the aquarium care “tips” found below.

     Aquarium Care Tip 1: Aquarium Size Read more »

     Put that way, “scientific whaling” seems logical. But what about the wider picture for this small nation resuming what many see as a barbaric practice: killing the world’s largest charismatic mammals.

     For a start, anti-whaling groups do not believe the figures given for the number of whales or the quantity of fish they eat, and still believe that all whales need protection. Apart from that, the decision to resume whaling has baffled many people who see it as a short route to economic suicide. It is only 14 years ago that Iceland stopped whaling, after the first successful international consumer boycott. Millions of people simply stopped buying Icelandic products, nearly all fish. Environment groups, particularly Greenpeace, then enormously powerful, successfully lobbied fish importers, who decided to buy from other sources.

     Then, as now, the nations that eat most Icelandic fish - the UK, Germany and the US - have the strongest anti-whaling stance, and even larger numbers of consumers than before belong to environment and animal welfare groups opposed to whaling. Once the anti-Icelandic bandwagon starts rolling, the argument goes, Iceland will soon feel the economic pinch.

     Things might not be quite so simple this time, however. The UK imported 12,000 tonnes of Icelandic fish last year and it would not be easy to find alternative supplies. Without Icelandic supplies, fish and chip shops would be hard put to stay in business, since North Sea catches of cod and haddock continue to plummet. Norway, another whaling nation, and New Zealand, strongly opposed to whaling but with finite stocks, are the only other alternative sources of supply. Read more »

     There are very few other animals that can be as easy for rearing as goats. They require very less maintenance than many other pets and livestock. There are a few things that must be considered before raising goats for money or any other kind of profit. Goats are a great option for those who are looking to raise them, just as pets. Considering the following things can be very useful while raising goats for profit.

     Pasture

     A quality pasture is required for raising goats for profit. A pasture that can support 6 to 8 goats per acre is more than sufficient. Adding 1 or 2 goats per head of cattle can be a good thing for a start as well. Goats improve the grazing of the cattle by eating weeds that cattle do not eat. If there are no cattle then, you can always improve and rotate several better forage species into the pasture, which will ultimately increase the stocking capacity of the land. For a start, it is best to have only a few goats so that there will not be much of a stress on the newly formed business of raising goats to make money.

     Shelter Read more »

     Although keeping chickens at home might seem to be an easy activity, there are many minute things, you need to take care of. The tips discussed below will give you an idea of the same.

     What Does the Law Say?

     Now, this is the first and foremost step while starting to raise chickens at home. You need to check the local law associated with livestock breeding at your home. Some local authorities might not permit, while some may permit it with some limitations or norms. Nonetheless, get it checked and make your business legal, instead of landing yourself into legal prosecutions in the future.

     Start the Activity!

     When your local law has no objections with your idea, you can go ahead and plan on further requirements. Decide the number of chickens that you’ll be breeding and also decide the breed. Contact your local supplier for this purpose and also see that you buy healthy chickens Some of the popular chicken breeds for this purpose are, Buckeye, Ameraucana , Delaware, Jersey Giant, Dominique, Plymouth Rock, etc. Further, select a chicken coop having the right dimensions, which meets the number of chickens you have. You can either purchase a ‘ready to use’, chicken coop, or you can prepare it yourself at home, by referring to various books available on the same.

     Food and Beverage! Read more »

     Anemia: Anemia in cats is caused by the insufficient oxygen in the blood and tissues along with a reduction in the normal levels of circulating red blood cells. Anemia may be caused by hemorrhage or blood loss, parasitic infestation, renal failures, cancers, inflammatory diseases or even poor nutrition. Apart from lethargy, anemia may also result in loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness, rapid breathing and sleeping more than usual.

     Chronic Gastritis: Cats plagued with chronic gastritis will experience vomiting over a period of days or weeks. The cause; food allergies, hairballs, eating grass, ingesting toxic chemicals, paper or plastic. These foreign objects turn into a hard mass which have difficulty passing out off the stomach. Chronic gastritis can result in lethargy in cats along with sporadic vomiting, a dull hair coat and weight loss. A diet of bland, high-carbohydrate foods. Is usually recommended as a treatment for gastritis.

     Feline Herpes Virus: Caused by feline herpesvirus type 1 or FHV-1, this is one of the most common upper respiratory conditions in cats. Affecting the eyes, nose, throat and sinuses of your cat, this herpes virus results in sneezing, ocular and nasal discharge, conjunctivitises, depression and loss of appetite in cats. Read more »

     Why is my dog eating grass?

     Everyone knows that dogs are carnivores, then why do dogs eat grass? This is a very common question asked by many pet owners, which really does not have a straight answer. There can be many answers to this question, that include, upset stomach, certain vitamin or mineral deficiency or sometimes it is just that your dog loves the taste of grass. Grass eating is usually not a problem, until you are sure that the grass is free of harmful pesticides and chemicals. A dietary deficiency of fiber is linked to grass eating. Further, in some cases when fiber sources were added to the dog’s diet, grass eating was not noticed. Grass eating is not harmful but ensure that it is not excessive. Read more on dog training.

     Why is my dog eating poop?

     You may have seen your dog eating poop of itself or some other animal and must be wondering why do dogs eat poop? You may find it quite disgusting and yucky. Poop eating or stool eating is usually noticed in puppies, and is termed as Coprophagia. There are number of reasons that can lead to poop eating. Some researches relate poop eating to dietary deficiency while, some say that it can also be a method of seeking attention. Poop eating can cause health problems if the poop is infectious due to harmful worms, virus or bacteria. If poop eating is a result of behavioral reasons then you need not worry, as you can get rid of this habit by training your dog not to eat poop. However, you may need to consult a vet if it is eating poop because of some medical disorder.

     Why is my dog throwing up/vomiting?

     This is one of the most common health problems noticed in dogs. There are a number of reasons that can cause vomiting and hence, you need to find out the reason immediately because some of the causes can be life threatening. Stomach upset, over eating, infection, liver inflammation, gastritis, etc. are some of the reasons that lead to vomiting. Initially you can change the diet of your dog and observe if it vomits. Because of the wide array of the possible causes, diagnosing the problem can be a bit difficult. So, consult a vet at the earliest, when your dog throws up or vomits frequently. Read more on when and how to induce vomiting in dogs.

     Why is my dog not eating? Read more »