Pet Health
Pet Health
Cat Care Symptoms That You Need To Know About
When we experience pain in our bodies, we can easily tell someone that there is something wrong and that person will be able to bring you to the hospital. Pets cannot do that but watching them can tell you a lot of things which is why owners should practice cat care and be aware of the symptoms. Here are a few diseases you should watch out for and their symptoms.
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is the most feared disease and in fact is the leading cause of death among cats. It is caused by a coronavirus infection and the worse part is that the symptoms are very common with other ailments so it is really hard to tell. There is also Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) that is similar to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Just like the human version, it is a life long infection that progresses slowly and kills the cat.
Cats can also in infected by Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV). It is a retrovirus that causes fatal cancerous and non-cancerous diseases. Fortunately, it can be treated using some household detergents and bleach as well as warmth and drying. It is transmitted through the saliva, tears, urine and feces of infected cats. Unlike the other two, it cannot survive that long in the environment so it is only contagious when the infected cat stays with another cat for a long period of time.
Worms are also another threat to cats and this is caused by a fungal infection that is spread through the spores. Since it is a self-limiting disease, you don’t to do anything to make it go away. It will eventually clear up but it may just take a few months. If you cat is overweight, chances are it already has feline diabetes. The symptoms of this disease include excessive urination and thirst as well as weight loss or gain. Vets are not yet sure what causes this but there have been a few research studies that have shown that there is a link between pancreatic disease, hormonal imbalance and certain medications.
The symptoms of most of the diseases mentioned are very similar. These include diarrhea, vomiting, lameness lasting for more than 5 days in one leg, a decrease in vision, excessive panting, a seizure, blood in the stool or urine, hair loss, persistent coughing or gagging and breathing heavily or rapidly at rest. In order to find the answer, your cat will have to undergo some tests. The vet will take some blood, urine and feces samples. Any input that you have observed and give will also be useful. When the tests come out, only then will the proper treatment be administered to the cat as each case varies so what worked for one cat may not have the same positive effect with yours.
Your cat could still be healthy if you gave it constant attention. This can be done by feeding it high quality food, giving it fresh water, allowing it to exercise, proper grooming, making sure it stays indoors and taking it regularly to the vet. If you have missed any of these simple steps, something wrong is bound to happen and you will soon notice a change in the behavior of the feline and doing nothing about it just going to make matters worse. So observe proper cat care tips and look out for symptoms.
You can download a free pdf ebook about basic pet health care need. Click here to read it or save it to your desktop.
Handling Dog Behavioral Problems The Easy Way
Sometimes, even the best dogs can act out, and if you’re dealing with dog behavioral problems, it is best to act as quickly if possible. If bad behavior is allowed to continue, you may end up with a bigger problem on your hands.
The good news is, there are many easy ways that you can handle dog behavior issues in a humane and friendly way.
Dog behavioral problems can range from cute, but annoying little problems, to full fledged dangerous issues such as biting. While there are many causes of behavioral problems, the solutions are fairly simple. The old adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” doesn’t apply here and with consistent training, you can overcome dog behavior problems. Let’s look at a few simple and easy to implement dog training tips.
1. Be Consistent. This is the absolute key when training any animal. You may be tempted to let them slide every once in awhile, but this will only serve to hamper your efforts. Be consistent with praise as well as with corrections and your dog will begin to understand that you are indeed the master.
2. Positive Reinforcement is Vital. While many older dog training techniques, such as choke chains may be initially effective, they may actually cause more problems down the road. Positive reinforcement helps your dog associate good behavior with good rewards is a very effective means of tackling even the toughest dog behavior problems. In brief, positive reinforcement means that you reward a dog when they do the right thing, and withhold the reward when they do not. Even the most stubborn dog will begin to respond to these training techniques, when they are applied consistently.
3. Introduce a Crate. One of the easiest ways to put an end to destructive behavior is to provide your dog with clear cut boundaries. Crating them while you are gone, or when you need some space is an effective and humane training aid. You may need to introduce them to the crate slowly, and allow them time to get used to being confined. Remember, be consistent and reward them for good behavior in their crate. A crate should not be used as a punishment device, but rather as a safe place for them to go and relax.
4. An additional cautionary note for you and especially your immediate family members. Once the dog behavioral problems are addressed, and the corrective training has started, it is imperative everyone involved with the dog use the same training techniques. Everyone must be consistent in the handling of the dog. If not your poor dog will become very confused and make act out even more than before the corrective training was initatied. Once you have these methods in place, you can easily begin to solve dog behavioral issues without undue stress to you or your pet.
A well behaved pet is a happy pet and you’ll appreciate the lack of destructive and potentially harmful dog behavioral problems.
See also:
Pet Library - Free eBooks - Animal Health Concerns
