Be Friends With Animals

     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 the rest of this entry »

     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 the rest of this entry »

     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 the rest of this entry »

     Dog owners often allow their pets to lead a sedentary life with little physical exercise. This causes an accumulation of fats around the different organs of the dog’s body. Many dogs become obese due to a low rate of metabolism. Metabolism is a process which takes place in living organisms, by which the consumed food is used for energy production. Metabolism disorders can cause obesity in dogs. Slow metabolism often makes the dog unresponsive to the surrounding environment. Lack of exercise is the main cause of obesity in dogs. Many commercial dog foods contain high amounts of fats. Hence, one should be very careful in choosing dog foods. The nutritious food recommended for dogs is often fed in higher amounts, which may lead to weight gain and obesity. The excess intake of calories, increases the amount of fat in the body. Grains are the main component of many commercial dog foods, and are a rich source of carbohydrates. Such a carbohydrate heavy diet with inadequate exercise, contributes towards dog obesity.

     A recent study suggests that certain breeds of dogs that include Spaniels and Labradors, are susceptible to this condition due to their large appetite. An underlying disease that decreases the ability to burn energy in a dog, can also cause obesity in dogs. Diseases of the joints such as arthritis, deters the dog from being physically active, which may lead to excess weight gain and obesity.

     Treatment for Obesity in Dogs Read the rest of this entry »

     Here are some good tricks to teach your dog which would be useful for interacting effectively. The use of dog treat helps in teaching the tricks quickly by tempting them.

     Sitting: Teaching the dog how to sit is the first and foremost thing that one should include in the dog training sessions. There are many cool tricks to teach your dog however, one should start off with the sitting trick. While teaching the dog how to sit, one should use a dog treat and hold it in front of his face. Slowly, the treat should be raised above so that the dog tries to rest itself on the haunches. Once the sitting position is reached, the dog should be rewarded with the treat. Repeating the above procedure will help the dog to understand the trick. Read more on how to train a dog to sit.

     Shake Hands: It is the most common and basic technique or trick that one can teach his dog. One has to first say the words ’shake hands’ and show the dog how to perform the action. Taking the paw in our hands makes the dog understand what is actually expected of him. Repeating the above action helps in etching it in the mind of the dog. Read the rest of this entry »