How To Check And Clean Your Cat's Ears

How To Check And Clean Your Cat's Ears

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An important part of keeping your cat healthly and happy is checking and cleaning their ears. Because the ears are one of the few parts that cats can not reach themselves they need a little help from a loving owner. Keeping your cats ears clean is extremely important because any unremoved dirt, debris, or wax can clog the ears and cause infections. Regular ear cleaning at home augment's your cats own natural grooming habits.

1. How to check the ears

During petting, casually check your cats ears for discharge, redness, unpleasant smell, swelling, and even lumps. Also observe your cat's behaviour, if he often scratches or paws at his ears (and sometimes even shakes his head often), then he might be feeling discomfort in the ear area.

If you notice that your cats ears are becoming painful or inflamed, visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. The veterinarian has the equipment to look deep into your cat's ear canal and give an accurate diagnosis. The veterinarian will determine if allergies, skin conditions, ear mites, bacteria, yeasts, and fungi are causing ear diseases. Seek early treatment, or your cat's ear condition may become too late to heal.

2. How to clean the ears

Ask your veterinarian for gentle ear cleaning solutions you can use to keep your cats ears clean. These special solutions are effective in removing excess wax, moisture, and debris from your cat's outer ear canal. Be sure to use only solutions that are specifically formulated for cats. Avoid medicated solutions, unless your veterinarian advises you to use it.

Different solutions are administered differently, but most of them require you to follow these steps.

* You typically only need a few drops of the ear solution. Squeeze the bottle and let a few drops fall on into your cat's ear canal.

* Start massaging the base of your cats ear gently. You should hear a 'squelch' while you do this. Repeat the same procedure with the other ear. After both ears have been cleaned, let your cat shake its head, this loosens the waxes.

NOTE: Stop massaging immediately if your cat feels pain, and then take your cat to the veterinarian if you haven't already done so.

* Wipe the solution by wrapping your forefinger with cotton wool, this should clean off wax and debris. Do this gently though and do not poke in too deep, or you might hurt your cats eardrum.

It is recommended not to use cotton buds, which can injure the ear canals' sensitive lining.

Proper Grooming Of Your Pet Dogs And Cats

Proper Grooming Of Your Pet Dogs And Cats

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Do you have a pet dog or cat in your house?

We treat them as part of the household; we are obliged to give proper care and attention for them to make them look good and healthy, just like what we are doing to other family members.

There are different pet parlors where you can bring your pet dogs and cats to have them groomed properly. Pet parlor owners also give some basic home pet grooming tips and advices for pet owners to follow so that they can personally attend to their pets' grooming needs.

Have your Dog the Best Look

Pet dogs are one of the most adventurous pet animals. They tend to explore— different parts of the house, backyard, and even in the streets. Because of this, they acquire different smell (a stinky one, for instance), their furs are stained, and different parasites sticks to their body and make them itchy.

Proper hygiene practices that are similar to human beings are one of the basics in dog grooming. It is important that you give your dog the best bath. Below are the tips to help you bathe your dog successfully.

• Prepare the bathtub and the bath supplies that you will use in bathing your pet dog. Make the bathroom comfortably warm so that you can encourage your dog to have it bathe. Gather all the pet bath supplies such as dog shampoo, bucket, towel, and hair dryer that will be used before bringing them into the bathroom.

• After you have gathered these bath supplies, bring your dog to the bathroom. Pet them and make them comfortable while you are waiting for the water to reach a soothing temperature ideal for them.

• Bathe them in the tub by using a bucket to splash water on their body. You can also use a hose with a sprayer on the end.

• Use medicated dog shampoos against fleas and ticks. You can also have shampoos of sweet scent and good for your dog's sensitive skin.

• Just a reminder: Never use dish soaps or your own shampoo because it will plague your dog with painful skin irritations. If you are not sure of what dog shampoos and soaps are fit for them, consult your veterinarian first.

• Once you have splashed their body with water, apply now their shampoo. Be sure that you will not let the shampoo reach their eyes. Massage their body carefully. Rinse it with water once again.

• Dry them using a towel first. Wipe their paws gently. Give extra attention to their ears, for any moisture cam lead to wax and bacteria build up that can lead to ear infections.

• Then use a hair dryer. Set the dryer to its medium setting and place it at least six inches from your dog's fur so that it will not burn. Continue drying until their furs are dry, but not completely. Then brush through their hair as you dry it to give it style.

Hydrophobic Cat Grooming Tips

It is a well-known fact that cats are really afraid of water. It is a challenge for you to lure your pet cat to take a bathe. Here are some pointers that you can consider in bathing your pet:

• Make the water warm. Cats have high body temperature than ours, so it will make them comfortable if you will bathe them in warm water. Nevertheless, it must not be too hot for them.

• Have them bathe in a flat surface. You can also place it in a rubber mat so that they will not slip.

• Splash a little amount of water on their body. Use a hose with sprayer if necessary.

• Apply a little amount of cat shampoo in their furs. Be sure it will not get into their eyes or else it will irritate them. Use shampoos specifically intended for them.

• After rinsing, dry them by using a towel and then later on a hair dryer in medium setting. Be sure you will not dry their furs completely. Use a brush to style their furs.

So there you have the basic tips in grooming your pet dogs and cats. Make them the most-groomed pets you ever had.

Flea Control With Cats and Dogs

Flea Control With Cats and Dogs

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Fleas are the most common external parasite of pets in North America. Fleas are small wingless insects that use their specialized mouth to pierce the skin and siphon blood from their host. When a flea bites, it injects a small amount of saliva into the skin to prevent the blood from coagulating. Some animals become sensitized to flea saliva and animals that are allergic can have severe itching and scratching from a single bite. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common disease among dogs.

Current flea control products are primarily either oral or topical systemic treatments. Most of the products may be used for prevention as well as to treat existing flea problems. One group of products control fleas by interrupting their development by killing or stopping the maturation of flea larvae and eggs. These drugs are called Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs). One common oral product used is lufenuron which is found in the Program® line of products which are administered orally in tablet or liquid form. Methoprene and pyriproxifen are also IGRs that are available as sprays or collars. The FDA shares regulation of these products with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because even the same products from other countries have not been approved by these agencies, it is illegal to purchase or import these products for use in the United States.

Currently the most popular flea control products kill adult fleas (adulticide), are applied topically and work rapidly. Popular topical products utilize fipronil which is the key ingredient in Frontline® Top Spot and imidacloprid which is in Advantage®. The most popular product on the market, Frontline Plus®, utilizes both an adulticide and an IGR. An oral adulticide that is also available is nitenpyram which is in Capstar® and begins to kill fleas in 30 minutes. Frontline Plus also kills ticks which makes it the most popular product where ongoing tick protection is required.

Consult with your veterinarian to determine which flea and tick control products are best for you. The choice of flea control will depend on your climate, environment, your pet's activities, and potential for exposure. However, with consistent use, it is almost always possible to control your flea problem. Using these products throughout the year typically will eliminate the need for regular insecticidal use. The following provide additional summary information on selected popular products.

Program from Novartis®

Program is available as a once a month pill or oral liquid suspension to be given with a full meal. Adult fleas that ingest Program's key ingredient, lufenuron, produce sterile eggs. Program does not kill adult fleas so pets remain susceptible to fleas hatching and maturing pupa already present in the environment. Therefore, some time may pass before the all fleas are killed in an environment. In order to stop the life cycle, every animal in the environment must receive lufenuron. Pets should also be sprayed with an adulticide during the first week or two of starting Program.

Advantage from Bayer®

Advantage is applied topically on both dogs and cats and seems to be very well-tolerated by sensitive cats. Advantage kills fleas within 24 hours and 100% protection can be maintained for cats for 21 days and 90% protection can be maintained for dogs for 28 days. Advantage is susceptible to washing off so dogs that are active outdoors and dogs that swim or must be bathed frequently should be re-treated frequently. Up to weekly re-treatment is allowed. The imidacloprid in Advantage does not effect ticks, but K-9Advantix, with permethrin does. K9 Advantix is only labeled for once a month K9 Advantix is ONLY FOR USE WITH DOGS and MUST NOT BE ADMINISTERED TO CATS.

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus And Frontline Top Spot from Merial®

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus, and Frontline Top Spot comprise the market leading Frontline flea control product line. The fipronil in Frontline products is a broad spectrum insecticide available as a spray or topical. Fipronil works by binding chemically to the pet's hair and is absorbed through the follicle by the sebaceous glands. As a spray, fipronil kills fleas at 95% for over 80 days after application on dogs and for 1 month with biweekly bathing. Frontline is labeled for puppies and kittens as young as 8 weeks (10 weeks for Top Spot) and it is not washed off by bathing. Frontline is also affective against ticks. Some cats may show minor adverse reactions with high volume use of the alcohol based spray product which should be applied no more than once a month. Frontline Plus also contains the IGR, S-methoprene which inhibits the growth of immature fleas.

Capstar from Novartis®

Capstar is an oral tablet for dogs and cats that may be administered as young as 4 weeks of age. It offers extremely rapid and complete killing of adult fleas and is safe enough that the tablets may be used whenever fleas are seen on your pet as often as once per day. Capstar may be used in combination with an IGR to kill fleas immediately to compliment the long-term control of an IGR such as Program.

Cats, Dogs And Human Food - How Can Our Food Harm Our Pets?

Cats, Dogs And Human Food - How Can Our Food Harm Our Pets?

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We're all guilty of it - giving in to those big begging eyes pleading at us for a scrap from the table during dinner. Fido knows just how to get you to concede, and most of us justify that a little won't hurt, or we don't even think of the potential danger at all. But the truth is that human food can be harmful to your pet, and in some cases, can be fatal. It's important to know how certain foods can be unsafe so that you can avoid them for the sake of your animal.

Here is how a few of some of the most common "human foods" become harmful for pets:

Chocolate and other foods containing caffeine

Caffeine is one of the greatest culprits because it contains an alkaloid called theobromine. Theobromine acts as a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic, which in turn can cause a heart attack or other heart and nervous system problems in animals.

Onions and Garlic

Onions and garlic are potentially harmful due to the fact that both contain thiosulphate, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia in cats and dogs. Of the two, onions are the most toxic, as consumption of simply one serving by your pet could result in anemia.

Milk

Milk can harm your pet due to the fact that many dogs and cats tend to be lactose intolerant. The consumption of milk and milk products by a lactose intolerant pet creates a breeding ground for bacteria, causing vomiting and diarrhea.

Bones

Bones, although commonly known as a great treat for your dog, are potentially very dangerous for pets. Once eaten, bones can splinter and get stuck in the intestines, causing damage or fatality. In most splinter cases, the bones must be removed surgically.

Other Foods

Other human foods to avoid when feeding your pet are: macadamia nuts, potato peelings and green-looking potatoes, rhubarb leaves, moldy/spoiled foods, alcohol, yeast dough, tomato leaves and stems, broccoli, and raisins or grapes.

Some human foods potentially cause only mild digestive upsets, while others can be fatal. Regardless of the level of danger, the best choice for your pet is to keep him from any potentially harmful foods in order to ensure his health and safety.

During the holiday season, veterinary clinics have noticed a rising in the number of pets that they treat for food-related illnesses. The increase in pet illness is due to the fact that animals are partaking in human foods during mealtime. Although not well known by the public, the consumption of human food to pets is potentially harmful to animals, and in some instances, can be fatal.

The rise in food-related illnesses by pets is a clear indication that the dangers of human food consumption by animals are not understood by the masses.

So, the next time your pet looks up at you with those pleading eyes, show him you care by doing what is truly best for him and feeding him only products meant for pet consumption. In the end, both you and your pet will be glad that you did.

Feline Hyperthyroidism Prognosis

Feline Hyperthyroidism Prognosis

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The pets are really our best friends but the question is, can we be there for them, as well. There is the time when our dog or cat needs us more than anything in the world and their fragile health condition can be a real problem sometimes. The hyperthyroidism is a very usual disease your cat can have, mostly after seven years of life.

Older cats don't have very strong immunity and years can really mark them in the worst way. Before the vet tries to treat this disease, it's important to think about feline hyperthyroidism prognosis and to be realistic about things that might happen.

1. Continuing the normal life - luckily, this disease can be treated today and the feline hyperthyroidism prognosis is generally great. You may choose do you want your cat to take medications forever, is it better allow the surgery or you think the radioactive iodine may be the best option. The thing is, this is very hard decision to make, and it depends not only of your budget, but also of other health issues your cat may have.

2. Recovery with no guarantees - your cat may start taking medications regularly, but negative feline hyperthyroidism prognosis can stay the same. In these cases, some symptoms may disappear, and others even increase, but that is the risk everyone must take. On the other side, there are cases when treatments must be repeated, mostly surgery that was not completely successful because of other health issues.

3. Fatal results - it some cases, the cats are just too sick or too old for any intervention. These interventions can also cause some further problems; for example, this kind of treatment can cause the kidney disease since the blood flow through the kidneys is increased and then, they can stop functioning normally. Older cats may not even handle the surgery or maybe they would not react to medications at all; in some cases, the heart failure may happen because of very strong and demanding treatment.

There is nothing one can do it order to prevent their cat from facing this disease, but the feline hyperthyroidism prognosis can make everyone realize that this can be very serious condition, and treatment is necessary, in one way or another. On the other hand, every surgery has some risks that must be taken, but results may be even better. The crucial thing is that you must organize follow-up blood and diagnostic test schedules for your cat if you want a wonderful time with her in the future.

Ways to Prevent Feline Leukemia

Ways to Prevent Feline Leukemia

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When a cat has Feline Leukemia, his immune system will be compromised. Apart from this, he also develops anemia and the growth of abnormal tumors. He develops other diseases such as cancer. He will most likely live around 3.5 more years, as a majority of FeLV-infected cats do.

If you are a cat care giver, it is essential for you to know how you can prevent the spread of the disease among cats in your foster cat home. Knowledge and understanding of the disease, as well as other contagious diseases, can certainly be a big factor in lengthening the lives of cats.

Licking is one of the common forms of transmission as FeLV can be acquired through licking. Moreover, placenta-transmission (i.e. mother to baby) is also another common form. Kittens are more vulnerable to the condition because their immune system are still weak until they reach 4 months old, thus resistance to the disease is also not that strong.

The sad truth is that it takes awhile for symptoms to become evident. In fact, it could take months, or even years, before the symptoms show. Unless you get your cat tested, it is unlikely that you will find out if he has FeLV during the first few months that he has it.

How can you keep your cats safe from this rather deadly disease? Below are some of the things that you can do. Actually, these are what you SHOULD do, if you want to keep your cats free from FeLV, and this is particularly important if you have a foster cat home.

* First, keep your infected cats separate from healthy ones.
* Second, have your cats vaccinated. But before you do so, please bear in mind that the vaccines do not work for all cats.
* Third, test your cats, especially those that you own (if you have a foster cat home).
* Fourth, do not get more cats until the preceding fostered cats already have new owners.
* Fifth, make sure feeding plates are separated and always disinfected.
* Sixth, clean and disinfect their litter box at least two times a week.
* Lastly, if an FeLV-infected cat gets a new home, see to it that you inform the new owner of the cat's condition and educate him on how he can take care of the cat.

If you are a foster cat caregiver, you are taking on a huge responsibility of ensuring that the cats are kept healthy. This is particularly important if you also have your own cats, on top of the foster cats. Always see to it that you have your cats tested for FeLV and other transmittable diseases.

You run the risk of spreading diseases if you have many cats in your home but if you have a good understanding on the dos and don'ts, then you should not have a problem keeping every cat safe and healthy. Additionally, you might also want to consider getting cat health insurance plan as the management of feline cancer or other diseases brought about by Feline Leukemia entails costs that may really hurt your budget.