Health Issues In Pugs

Pugs have their share of health problems brought about the shape of their heads. These adorable dogs are brachycephalic, which means their heads and nose are short.  This anatomical defect, although normal for the breed, can give rise to respiratory problems. The reduced skull length and their compressed faces cause soft tissues to obstruct the pug’s airways making it difficult for them to breathe. They are also prone to reverse sneezing when fluids and debris accumulate in their narrow air passages. 

Pugs are also prone to a collapsed trachea. Affected pugs already have the defect when born. The defective cartilage in the trachea (windpipe) collapses which can cause breathing difficulties. 

Another cause of breathing problems in pugs is stenotic nares. It occurs because of the narrow nasal passages, making it harder for a pug to breathe normally. This causes them to breathe through the mouth. 

All these breathing issues make pugs less tolerant to heat and physical activity. If signs of respiratory difficulties persist, contact your vet Virginia Beach VA immediately. 

Keeping your home fur-free

You have a furry friend in your life and your home shows it. How can you help keep your living space as fur-free as it can be?

It’s important to understand that your pet shares this space with you and this means that she will be shedding within it. It’s natural for her to do so, which means you will have to find ways to comfortably accept this. Be sure to feed your pet a healthy diet and to take the time to brush her fur regularly to foster a healthy coat. This will help minimize unnecessary shedding. You can also make sure to have some cleaning products on hand that are specifically made for homes with pets in them to remove shed fur in the most effective way you can. For additional information, please contact your local pet clinic Lewisville TX.

Dog Repellents

Did you know there is such thing as dog repellent? If your dog is marking his territory or just randomly marking in your home in places such as your carpet, hardwood floors, furniture legs, etc., then you should talk to your vet about using a dog repellent. Dog repellents act as a deterrent for your dogs. You can find a variety of sprays at your area pet store as well as online. When shopping around for a repellent make sure you get unscented if you have allergies to scents like perfumes. Just because it’s unscented to you doesn’t mean it’s not effective on your dog. You should also make sure the repellent is safe for all animals and people especially children. As another option, you could make your own by using ingredients like citrus, cayenne peppers, and vinegar. Consult with your vet Las Vegas, NV for additional suggestions.

How to Prevent Sneezing Bouts in Your Puppy

Sneezing is a mechanism of the dog's body (particularly the respiratory system) when it comes into contact with an irritant along the nasal area or upper respiratory tract. If you find your beloved puppy is sneezing more than usual, this could be a sign of an underlying issue and you should consider bringing him to the nearest animal clinic or your preferred vet as soon as possible. The following are some tips you can follow if your beloved furry canine friend is sneezing only from time to time.

• Too much exercise could be harming your puppy. It's best to slow down and reduce the exercise duration or frequency.

• Put your puppy in a small room (this could be a bedroom or the bathroom) or in his crate so you can observe if he is still sneezing. His sneezing could be brought about by irritants in another area of your house.

• Keep a close eye on his temperature.

Bring your puppy to your veterinarian care Leesburg, VA if he has been sneezing more frequently than usual.

Cats and Milk

It has been thought by some that cats and milk go together like horses and hay, but that’s no always the case. Contrary to popular belief, cats should not drink milk all that much if at all. Why? As kittens, cats have the digestive enzymes needed to process dairy especially milk. As the kittens grow older and mature into adult cats they start to lose this digestive enzyme making it hard to digest milk. Cats cannot digest milk all that well because they are lactose intolerant. In fact, the lactose in milk will begin to ferment in a cat’s stomach causing diarrhea or in worse cases vomiting. Symptoms of lactose intolerance usually occur within 8 to 12 hours. If your cat has had milk or other dairy and is starting to show similar symptoms, animal hospital Cornelius NC a call for treatment assistance.

Cats Hate Using a Dirty Litter Box

Cats are some of the fussiest pets and creatures around. You would know this to be true if you've been a long-time cat owner. You've probably experienced something like this: when your beloved cat's litter box is stinking or dirty, your cat would've likely done their "business" someplace else. 

A foul smell could really affect a cat. So if you think the litter box smells stinky even for a tiny bit, your cat would perceive it to smell a lot worse. That's because a cat has an impressive nose and olfactory feature: it has over 200 million scent-sensitive cells in its nasal passage (a human only has about 5 million of these). This explains why they will steer clear of their litter box even with a whiff of a stinky litter box. This is a good enough reason for you to commit to cleaning the litter box and keeping it odor-free as much as you can every single day.

A change in your pet’s elimination habits should warrant a visit to your vet clinic Leesburg, VA. Visit this website Lansdowne Animal Hospital and set an appointment.

Ticks in Dogs

Ticks are parasites that prey on the blood of their warm-blooded hosts so they can nourish themselves. Cats, as well as dogs, are common prey for ticks, and the truth is many vets and pet owners have been fighting a war with ticks for a very long time. Ticks serve as disease carriers and these diseases can infect both pets and humans. Therefore, it's really critical for pet owners to have tick control and prevention measures in order to help reduce the chances of getting tick-related diseases. 

Dogs should avoid areas that can become hotbeds for ticks. You need to be extra careful of areas that are especially woody or those that have low-lying bushes or tall grasses. There are particular areas of the country where the tick population is much higher, so you need to be careful and aware of these places, especially when you travel a lot with your beloved furry canine friend.

Work with your vet Leesburg, VA in creating a tick preventive program that will give your pet year-round protection.