Anything For Animals

posted by admin on May 1

There are many pets out there who have stiff joints, impaired movement or a mild limp - and many could be avoided.

With 6 main factors involved in the cause it can be easy to identify the main reason for the disability and discomfort.  And at least 3 (possibly 5) that are totally avoidable reasons - ways in which you can not only help your pet not to suffer, but to protect future generations.

I know this sounds a bit far reaching, but once you have read the information below and in Part II, you will no doubt agree.

1) Due To An Accident:
This is the most unavoidable of the reasons for bad joints - although it affect can be limited by your actions. By allowing an animal to get hit by a car for example with inadequate garden security, could seriously affect it’s joints in old age - even if the animal recovered well from the original incident.

And in the same light - by restricting over-enthusiastic activity of young animals - particularly in the larger dog breeds for example - you can limit the ‘accidents’ they are exposed to and so help make sure they grow up without a predisposition to problems.

2) Your Choice Of Breed:
One way to make sure that your pet doesn’t suffer from bad joints during it’s life, is to avoid selecting for breeds that a known or associated with joint problems, like German Shepherds.

Reading about breed specific problems is essential before selecting a specific breed anyway, but more so with reference to known medical traits. That way, if you still wish for that breed, you can make sure that your puppy or kitten’s parents have been checked for all associated hereditary diseases or conditions - therefore reducing the likelihood of your pet getting painful joints when older.

3) Unforeseen Circumstances:
However there are some conditions that are not present in the parents or grandparents and are just found in the individual and become noticeable in the first few months or years of it’s life. 

So you could always be unlucky enough to purchase one of these unfortunate individuals - all the more reason to always get pet insurance for the first year of your pets life (from the minute you pick it up) - this way you will find out if there is anything that is going to affect your pet long term - and then you can keep it covered and the insurance pay for it! 

4) Getting An Infection:
Another one that you might not be able to avoid, but that you can treat with differing degrees of attention - depending on the infection your pet has.

For example, if you are quick to spot a problem in your pet and get it seen by a vet as soon as possible, then a small infection might have no lasting effect on your pet.  However, if you let things drag on - or don’t apply all possible treatments due to cost or the time it takes, then it could spiral into something more long term. 

Now read Why Does Your Pets Have Bad Joints? - Part II, for the final 2 points to help your pet avoid bad joints.

posted by admin on Apr 10

The weather is getting warmer - so you might as well go out and enjoy it!

So why not consider re-homing a dog or puppy over the next few weeks so that you have got a friend to take with you!

There are thousands of dogs out there that just need a loving home.  You don’t need to go to the ‘big’ rescue centres to find them, there are plenty of private or small scale re-homing centres that have a few pets out there for you to choose from.

There are a few things you need to do before they will consider you, but all their ‘adoption rules’ are there for a reason - they follow their own principals.  So some centres will want you to just be a stable home for their dogs, others will want you to prove that you are right for the dog (including no kids if the dog doesn’t like kids, no cats if it doesn’t like cats, and so on) and yet others want you to fence in your entire garden, not be too old and sometimes to never have a job again so you can be at home with it for ever!

Obviously, you need to do your research to find out which policies suit your needs - and of course to find a dog that you actually like in the first place! However - if you are re-homing a dog for the ‘good deed’ of finding a dog a home, then shouldn’t you take the one that noone else wants?

If you only want the cute pretty little ones that everyone else wants, then who is going to love the old or ugly looking ones?

Things To Consider Before Starting Out:
So, if you are considering re-homing a new pet, then just check out the following list to make sure you have everything covered:

1) If you want a specific pedigree dog breed, then be prepared to wait.  Hoping that someone wants to give up their Rhodesian Ridgeback or Japanese Akita is a long shot, so do you want a dog now, or do you just want that breed and you will wait up to 5 years or more until it arrives?

2) If you want a pretty, cute or young dog, then join the queue!  Most people want their dog to look a certain way, and for it to be young, so you will be added to a long list of people who are already waiting!  If you want to give an older or less fluffy dog a home, then you could well get your new pet a lot quicker!

3) If you want to use the ‘big charities’ then be prepared to make some changes to your home or lifestyle.  They will require proper fencing in your yard, several meetings and ‘checks’ before you even choose a dog, and there could be ongoing visits after you have taken your new dog home.

4) If you have young children, other dogs or cats, a full time job, or live in a flat - you could well not get the dog you choose anyway!  Many re-homing centers these days find the right home for the dog’s needs - not yours.  So if that cute dog you like has been deemed ‘unsuitable for families’ or that giant mastiff ‘chases cats’, then you won’t even get a look in!  They might offer you a tiny teacup dog instead!

5) If you want your dog quick - then start now!  Even with the simplest procedures, there could still be a few checks and changes to be made to your home!  The sooner you get going - the sooner you can be out there enjoying the sunshine with your new ‘Fido’!

posted by admin on Jan 25

You would think this shouldn’t need to be written - but there is evidence to suggest it does!

There are plenty of dog owners out there who think that letting a dog run loose in a woodland is acceptable as well as those who think that they only need to pick up their dogs poop if it is on the pavement!

Think about the effects of your actions not about that 10 seconds in your life and the whole community could benefit.

It’s only 2 simple things - do you think you can do it?

1) Keep Your Dog Under Control!
Keeping your dog within earshot of your shouting isn’t having your dog under control! 

Having your dog under control involves not only being able to see your dog - but also being virtually 100% sure that if you call your dog to you they will come without fail!

I recently went into a woods to find a large dog chasing a roe deer - with not an owner in sight and after it got bored of that it came and found us again and followed us (dangerously) to the car park.  Still no owner in sight - or in ear shot!  They weren’t even trying to get their dog to come back!

It could have killed the deer, been stolen, been injured somewhere - or been run over right outside the car park.  Totally irresponsible!

2) Pick Up Their Poop!
There are very very very few instances where it is acceptable to leave a dog poop on the floor!  And percentage wise in respect of all the dog poos done in a day it would be about 1%.

If your dog poops anywhere that another person might walk - then you need to pick it up.  It doesn’t matter whether you are on a footpath in the middle of nowhere - it’s a footpath and other people have a right to use it and a right to have a poop free walk!

There’s no excuse that you didn’t see your dog do it, it was in the woods, you didn’t have a bag, it was a bit squidgy or whatever.  You need to be watching your dog when out on a walk and you need to be prepared.

Maybe stay around the carpark or poo bin for the first 15 minutes of your walk - as this is when your dog is most likely to ‘go’ and then you will see it and are right next to the poo bin or your car to leave the poo there and head out for your great walk.

I don’t know why some people think that it is the landowners responsibility to clear away the mess - because it isn’t.  And why should it be!

You wouldn’t leave a filled nappy on someones land or in your local park - so why would you do it with a dog poo?  Carnivore stools are not as welcome in the natural world as those of cows, horses and sheep.  Dogs poo isn’t plant fibre so decomposes in a different way - and can spread diseases to other animals and sometimes to people.

Train & Scoop - it’s easy!

posted by admin on Jul 1

Do you want your cute puppy to be the star of the show?

Now you have the chance! You could have your little pooch seen around the world in National Geographic’s photographic competition in just a few seconds. Just upload your best shots and see your pet on the Internet!

It really is that simple.

What Do I Do?
Well, all you need to do is register with National Geographic with their easy form and get up-loading. It really couldn’t be any simpler!

It’s easy to have a look at the current gallery of snaps to see what everyone else is adding - some are soo cute! - and maybe it can inspire you to take more shots yourself!  But if you can see their pictures - then everyone will be able to see yours!

International dog-loving viewers could be downloading a picture of your retriever swimming in a lake for their home laptop or a shot of your chihuahua sleeping on the couch for their computers wallpaper.

Your poodle sitting in a flower pot or your Great Dane squashing your uncle in the car could be turned into a puzzle that thousands of people can play each day!

There is every chance that your dog shots could inspire people to either take up photography or get themselves a life-long companion! Or just make them laugh.

So, Do You Want to be a part of it?

Then get snapping - and get snappy! The sooner you register, the sooner the world can get to meet your dog!

posted by admin on Jun 24

Many people have trouble taking their dog in a car - and it’s usually distressing to watch or dangerous for the driver!

Basically, if a dog is in any way stressed by a journey (the rocking of the car) or by the reason for the journey (you only go in the car to the vets!) then it can show all sorts of signs - the most obvious is being sick.

Symptoms Of A Travel Sick Dog:
It isn’t just about being sick though, as there are many other signs that your dog is unhappy or upset by the journey. These include:

Anxiety- Your dog will no doubt actually look worries by the whole occasion.  It may well have refused or been reluctant to get in the car in the first place.  And even once inside the car, it still seems to be a bit ‘on edge’ and not quite relaxed.

Restlessness - Your dog will no doubt be unable to sit still at all for the journey - or before you even leave your drive!  It will be moving about in the same way that people do before an interview or speech.  Your mind is so full of stress that you cannot think about anything else and this creates energy that acts as a distraction.

If the dog is not secure in a dog harness, a crate or dog car seats then this could be a major hazard for the driver of the car.  The dog could obscure the view, create a diversion to take the drivers eyes off the road or maybe even move towards or climb on the drivers lap!

Trembling - Some dogs may well sit still, but they are curled up all defensive and are actually trembling with fear!  They may have fast-moving eyes - looking out for any way to end this panic and fear.  Rather than try to out-pace the stress they just stay put and suffer.

Drooling - Many dogs (and cats) will start to create excess saliva when stressed, and will drool all over themselves and your car.

Drooling is usually created by nausea - the feeling of sickness.  Just as humans start to create extra moisture in their mouths before they are going to be sick - dogs create drool.  It is unpleasant for the dog and will just make it’s stress levels become higher.

Sickness - this is normally the highest level a travel sick dog will reach as this is the result of all the other types of stress added together.

A dog will not just ‘be sick’ without having suffered stress in one or more of the ways listed above.

Other Causes?
Well, it wouldn’t be fair to say that travel sickness is the result of stress alone, but it is the main trigger.

For example - if you are feeling full up with a tummy full of dinner and then we set you out on a bouncy journey in the back of a car, I’m not sure even your tummy could stay normal.  You would know something wasn’t right and then that is all you think about.  And it is the stress of thinking about this that can make it worse.

Needing to go to toilet can also create these ‘distracting thoughts’ too - where you are not enjoying the journey - you are just thinking about one thing!

Imbalance can also create nausea - just like sea-sickness - but if you have an empty tummy, don’t need the loo and are completely relaxed then these things shouldn’t be an issue.

The Solution?
There are many ’solutions’ that people have tried and are still trying - but it all depends on the situation you are in, the reason for the fear and what you have already tried to ‘cure’ it.

I will discuss these options in the following article.

posted by admin on May 25

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Dogs don’t need to get fit - so why make them run?

I am seeing a growing trend in people who are going out cycling and making their dog run beside them.  It’s not safe for several reasons - but it really isn’t in the dogs best interest anyway.

Reason 1:
Usually, a dog running like this will not have a lead on - and that could be an issue by itself!  What if you were not watching your dog as you peddled around some trees or whatever - and your dog chased a rabbit/cat/jogger/anything.  What if it got injured?  It may well continue to run along with you anyway - trying to keep up with you while ignoring the pain! 

And even if it did have a lead - that is even worse!  There is obviously the risk of the lead affecting your steering on the bike - which could cause a nasty fall; you could go either side of a tree causing an accident - and worst of all, the lead will make the dog feel compelled to keep running beyond it’s ability because it is attached to it’s owner - you! 

Reason 2:
Domestic Dogs are not endurance runners!  Why would any sensible owner think that this was a good idea?

If your dog is running along with it’s whole tongue hanging out the side of it’s gaping wide mouth - it is out of breath and needs to rest!  Especially if it is a sunny day.  If you are hot just rolling along on your bike - imagine how hot your dog is running by your side!

Many heart problems in dogs are identified during hot weather periods.  This is not because hot weather makes canine hearts go ‘bad’, it is because dog owners put their pets hearts under extra pressure in warm weather by taking them out in the midday sun, having them in hot cars (even when you are driving the car it can still be too hot for dogs) and making them run around for hours!

Reason 3:
It’s plain selfish.  You get a dog as a companion, and you take it for walks so it can enjoy itself.  Don’t you?

How can it enjoy itself (in doggy terms) if it has to just run and run and run?  When can it stop to say ‘hello’ to other dogs?  When can it scent mark and have a sniff of everything else?  When can it roll in the cool grass and splash through puddles if it has to run?

To be honest - your dog is better off being left at home than made to run alongside a bike.  It would be far healthier for your hound to have a few quiet strolls around the block than an epic marathon in the countryside.  If your dog doesn’t ‘train’ for these long runs, it can pull a muscle just like humans.  The few days after the run could leave your dog aching all over like we do after a ‘once in a blue moon’ game of tennis!

But, dogs want to please, so will get up and do it all over again if you ‘asked’ it to - whether it hurt or not!

So, give your dog a day off when you want to mountain-bike across a national park or anywhere at all for more than 10 minutes to be honest.  And if you are too hot in tee-shirt and shorts yourself - don’t even take you dog out for a long walk - it’s just not really fair.

posted by admin on Mar 24

Can Roundworms Infect Any Animal ?  Basically, the answer is Yes.

These ascarids (a type of nematode worm) occur in all animal groups, including mammals, reptiles and birds and in each case the worm is host specific. They have managed to colonise every environment on earth by using the species that live there - but they do have their limits….

Host Specificity in Roundworm:
Roundworms are very specific in the animals they can reproduce in, but the worms themselves can get into other species and cause illness.  For example the dog roundworm (Toxacara canis) can cause lesions and blindness in humans.

However - host specificity means that they can only fully complete their life-cycle - from egg to larvae to adult - in one or sometimes two species. As mentioned, they are able to stay alive in other species in their larval stage, but can only become adult in their specific host.

Larval roundworms are commonly found in humans - although are inactive - but are still known as a zoonosis - which is a general terms used to describe a disease that can be spread from animals to humans, like rabies and salmonella.

How Do You Get Infected?
As with most endoparasites, animals or humans become infected by close contact with feces.  The eggs are ejected from the host in stools and are protected on the ground until ingested by another creature. 

Dogs and cats continue the cycle by sniffing each other waste for scent, or eating grass or food off the ground in an infected area (the eggs can survive long after the actual stool has gone).

Humans who pick up their animals waste inside or outdoors are at risk from picking up an egg - and needless to say if they do not thoroughly wash their hands before handling or eating uncooked food could ingest the eggs themselves.  The egg hatches to a larva and wil move around it’s new hosts body!

Unfortunately, people do not always treat their pets for worms and so children or adults sitting in parks, doing handstands or generally just playing about could come into contact with the eggs.  As will those who stoke, play or sleep with a pet that has laid on grass and the eggs may be transferred that way.

How To Avoid Getting Infected:
Don’t stop having fun outside or playing with your pets - just take obvious precautions.

Worm your pet regularly with a veterinary approved roundworm treatment following the dosage chart properly and on dates recommended.

Grooming your pet regularly and washing it’s bed/bedding can also reduce the numbers of eggs brought into your home by accident.

Always wash your hands before eating!  If you can remember to wash them after playing with pets or in parks or woodlands, but if you get in the habit of always washing before eating anyway - then you could avoid a lot worse things than roundworms!!
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posted by admin on Mar 17

Lungworms - The Unknown Parasite

We all know about roundworms and tapeworms and even heart worms and whip worms - but what on earth are lungworms and how would my dog pick them up? 

Well, apparently, you can get them from slugs and snails!  And there are plenty of them in my garden at the moment!!  It can also be ingested by eating infected rodents and birds (that have eaten the slugs or snails in the first place) and from the faeces of already infected cats, dogs and foxes.

What Are Lungworms?
They are members of the nemetode group of worms that can infect all sorts of animals from cows to rabbits, and live in the heart and main blood vessels leading to the lungs when parasitizing dogs.

Outside of their victims, they live in their intermediary hosts - and this includes slugs and snails for the dog specific lungworm.  They can easily be ingested by eating grass, puppies being nosy and of course, by catching and eating the live hosts of the Lungworm.

As with most internal parasitic worms, their eggs are passed out in the animals faeces and so can easily spread where there is a high concentration of dogs or cats or where owners are not disposing of their pets waste sensibly.

How Do They Affect My Dogs Health?
Symptoms can include the following groups of classic signs, but of course these can be associated with other illnesses, but if your dog eats things it finds or is particularly young and nosy, then they are possible at a greater risk of picking up lungworm.

Infected animals may well just show signs of being unwell. This can include mild sickness, loose stools, random vomiting and possibly a reduced interest in food.

As a result of general ill health, your dog could seem ‘out of character’. The infection could bring about a change in the way your dog reacts to you and everything in general really. They could become listless and uninterested in things that they used to enjoy.

They may tire more easily than normal when exercising or playing enthusiastically.  It is also possible that they start to cough as well, whether they are exercising or not.

There is no point trying to self-diagnose, as many animals don’t even show any symptoms at all.  The best treatment is prevention - as with most parasites - so discuss the likelihood of your pet having lungworms with your vet at your next visit and find out your best treatment options.

Treatment:
Lungworm isn’t treated with a standard wormer from a pet shop or supermarket - you need to go to the vets for effective diagnosis and treatment.  Most wormers only treat round worm and tapeworm (check the packaging to find out what yours do).

However, treatments are changing, and the re are a whole host of new ways to apply the treatments.  For example, you no longer need to worm you pets with a giant table!  There is an easy product now available that vets can offer that is just a drop on the back of the neck.  Not only does it treat lungworms - it also treats the standard worms as well as fleas and mites!

Great news all round!