Cat Litter and the Environment – Pet tip 178

Did you know that in the United States alone there are 100 000 trucks of kitty litter dumped in landfills every year? That’s over 2 million tones of clay, or silica, that sits in landfills almost forever. In this article …

Tip – 34 – Dog training – Desensitizing dogs

PROBLEM – AFRAID OF, OR DOESN’T LIKE, BEING TOUCHED:

The secret, is to desensitize the dog to reacting to being touched, especially when cleaning paws. Start by touching casually WITHOUT making eye contact since eye contact is always seen as …

Tip – 35 – Babies and cats – babies and kittens – pregnancy and cats

There is no reason whatsoever why you need to get rid of your feline friend if you become pregnant or if you have babies or small children. There are many myths out there about cats and babies and the number …

Tip 43 – Meowing cat – excessive meowing

Although usually quiet when left alone, cats can be quite vocal when they need to be. Hissing, growling and screaming are all vocalizations that cats make usually when they feel scared or threatened. Other familiar noises include purring and of …

Should I Clip My Bird’s Wings

Are you a new bird owner? Perhaps you are unsure about what kind of regular care your bird will need. Of course you need to feed and love it, but did you know that many bird owners choose to have their bird’s wings clipped? Wing clipping is one of the most controversial topics in pet bird ownership. In this article, we will discuss how wing clipping is done and what information you need to know before making this decision.

Although the thought of clipping a pet bird’s wings is horrendous to some bird owners, clipping is a very common procedure done to pet birds. It is done to prevent the bird from flying away and from flying into harmful household objects like windows and ceiling fans.  The idea behind wing clipping is to cut the “primary feathers”. Primary feathers are the long feathers that are closer to the wing tip. These feathers are very important for the bird’s ability to fly and to steer while flying. Some people will clip (cut) only one wing. When this is done, it is believed that the bird will not be able to fly, but will instead float down to the ground in a spiral.

Tip 60 – Cat wagging its tail

When a dog wags its tail in that familiar broad stroked side to side manner, it means the dog is happy and content. When a cat wags its tail it does not mean the same thing at all. A cat …

Choosing a Kennel for your Dog – Pet tip 222

Summer is just around the corner and that means that many people are thinking about vacations. For families with pets like dogs and cats, this involves deciding what to do with them during the vacation. Many families are choosing to …

Reverse Sneezing in Dogs – Pet tip 233

If you have a small breed dog, chances are that you are already familiar with the term “reverse sneezing”. This phenomenon is most commonly seen in small dogs (especially those with shortened snouts), although it can affect any breed. Dog …

Blastomycosis in dogs

Perhaps you have heard of ‘blasto’ in dogs, it’s an important disease that all dog owners should be aware of.

Blastomycosis dermatitidis is the most common systemic mycosis of dogs. Systemic meaning that it can affect the whole body, and mycosis, meaning that it is caused by a fungus. It is called ‘dermatitidis’ because it affects primarily the skin, but it can also affect other body parts, such as the vascular system.

Blastomycosis is largely confined to the Ohio, St. Lawrence and Mississippi river-drained areas of North America. It is a soil organism, which can be inhaled by a dog. It is often found growing on dead leaves along a river. The classic case of a dog getting blasto is a young male hunting dog following a trail and sniffing eagerly along a river-bank. It is most common from August to October, since this is when leaves are falling off trees and the mould version of the fungus can grow upon them.

Mouthing, Nipping, Biting in Puppies

Why is my puppy nipping and biting? Mouthy biting behaviour in puppies

Although often thought to be a teething behavior, nipping, mouthing and biting in young dogs is generally a form of social play. Teething is more likely to involve …