Birds as Pets

Getting Ready for a New Bird

Whether your knowledge of birds comes from Woody Woodpecker, Tweety or “Polly wanna cracker?”, they make great companions: Some will cuddle with you, others will play and, of course, many will chat. Just keep …

Proventricular Dilation Disease – PDD in Birds

Let’s say that lately you’ve been noticing that your bird isn’t feeling well. It’s lethargic, dull, and has ruffled feathers. Then you start noticing that it’s not getting better. In fact you’ve realized that even though it’s eating more, it …

Pain aggression in dogs – Pet tip 257

Unfortunately the following two scenarios occur from time to time: You’re innocently petting your cat or dog when all of a sudden your pet bites you. The same reaction can happen when you pick up your cat or dog the way you always do, when all of a sudden it bites you. What is going on here? Your pet NEVER bites you, and now that you are trying to show it some love, it bites you. Has your pet gone mad? What might be going on here is pain induced aggression.

It seems so obvious after you bring your pet to a veterinarian to figure out what is going on, but it may be as simple as pain induced aggression. Pain induced aggression means that your pet has exhibited an aggressive behaviour because it is in pain. This is especially common in older pets that may be suffering from arthritis or perhaps one of their internal organs is bruised or diseased.

Tip – 10 – Dog breeders and cat breeders – How to choose a reputable breeder

Although there are many good breeders out there there are also many bad breeders. These are breeders that keep their pets in horrible surroundings and have no real interest in the breed. Their only goal is to make money. Here …

Kennel Cough in Dogs – Pet tip 165

Kennel cough also known as infectious tracheobronchitis is a highly contagious disease that dogs can give to and get from other dogs. Kennel cough is a dry cough that sometimes sounds like a honking goose or duck. It sounds like …

Arthritis in Dogs – Pet tip 96

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joint(s) causing discomfort due to pain and stiffness of the joint that can be debilitating. The occurrence of arthritis could be due to genetics, environmental factors, or a combination of both. Arthritis can be …

Cat History

The furry felines that inhabit our homes were not always a part of our families. It is believed that it was the Egyptians who first transformed the wild cat into a domesticated creature. This occurred an estimated 4000 to 5000 …

Hot Spots in Dogs

Also known as acute moist dermatitis, pyotraumatic dermatitis, moist eczema or “summer sores,” hot spots are raised, red, wet and oozing wounds on the skin’s surface that are often self-inflicted by a licking or chewing dog. They can appear and …

Dogs – Canine Rivalry – Dog Fighting

Canine rivalry refers to repeated conflicts between dogs living in the same household. Animals that live in social groups establish a social structure within that group. This social structure is hierarchical and dogs determine their place in the hierarchy through control of and access to various resources, such as food, toys and attention from people. A stable hierarchy in which each individual knows and accepts his rank provides dogs with a sense of comfort and belonging. Conflicts arise between household dogs when there is instability in the social structure; that is, when the ranking of each dog is not clear or is in contention. Dogs may warn each other initially by snarling, growling or snapping, but not causing injury. However, the conflict may sometimes intensify into prolonged bouts of dangerous fighting, which may result in one or both dogs being becoming injured.

Ongoing canine rivalry is potentially dangerous. Dogs or human family members could be severely injured as a result of fighting. Because resolving rivalry problems requires managing the dogs’ somewhat complex social behaviors, it’s often necessary for owners to obtain assistance from a professional animal behaviorist. Certified animal behaviorists are trained to observe, interpret and modify animal behavior.

Puppies Kittens and Pet Stores – Pet tip 176

It is tempting to buy puppies and kittens from pet stores when we are considering getting a new pet. Pet stores always seem to get puppies and kittens at the right age when they look so cute and playful behind …