Encouraging Your Dog’s Appetite

 

Several things affect the appetite of your dog. While this is an ordinary occurrence, you can still do something to overcome your dog’s poor appetite.

●      Consult with your vet - This is the first step to do in addressing your dog’s decreasing appetite. Your vet may give proper recommendations and needed prescriptions. And be sure that your dog is not suffering from any health problems, have him checked up.

●      Reduce snack time - Avoid giving your dog too many snacks throughout the time. This will allow your dog to enjoy a proper meal.

●      Implement a meal schedule - Let your dog learn to enjoy a meal plan with a specific and consistent time.

●      Introduce a more active lifestyle - Allow your dog to enjoy more physical activities each day. This will not only make his appetite consistent, but it can also improve his general health.

●      Serve what is needed - Depending on your dog’s age, weight, activity level, and breed, adjust the amount of food you give him. This will help you prevent over or under-feeding.

 A sudden change in your pet's appetite and/or eating habits should prompt a visit to your animal clinic Aurora, CO.

Can Pets Live Without Fish Oil Supplements?

 

Fish oil is one of the best supplements for your pets. It is essential in controlling cholesterol levels. This is the primary reason why fish oil supplements have gained popularity in improving heart health.

Fish oil supplements can also help maintain a regular heart rhythm. If the cholesterol level is controlled, there will be smoother blood circulation, which is crucial to heart health.

Cholesterol buildup is dangerous not only to heart health but also to the overall health of your dogs. Blood will have a lot of difficulty in passing through the arteries and veins of the dogs. This is also a known cause of stroke.

When you give fish oil supplements to your dogs, their improved blood circulation and heart function will significantly affect the general health of your pets. They will have better functions of the other vital organs of their body.

Do consult your veterinary clinic Aurora CO before starting your pet on any supplement.

Schiff-Sherrington Syndrome In Manx Cats: Signs To Watch Out For

If you have noticed that your cat has been exhibiting moments of immobility and seems to be experiencing pain, you must contact your veterinarian immediately and have your kitty checked. Although a lot of cats develop age-related conditions the involve mobility impairments, it is necessary to have a veterinarian examine your cat to identify the cause of her immobility.

Upon assessment by your veterinarian and it is suspected to be Schiff-Sherrington syndrome, your pet doctor will have to perform thorough tests and examinations beginning with the history of present illness. As a pet parent, you are to describe and provide detailed information about the signs and symptoms exhibited by your Manx cat and when it started. After which, a thorough physical and medical examination will be performed on your feline friend, such as urinalysis, bloodwork, electrolyte panel, and biochemistry profile to help rule out other possible conditions that show similar signs and symptoms. Aside from those, an MRI and CT scan might also be ordered as part of the assessment and examination.

Since immobility is not only a symptom of Schiff-Sherrington syndrome but also in other conditions, make sure to consult your veterinarian about issues regarding mobility to provide the proper diagnosis and interventions.

If your pet is showing any signs of illness, call your animal hospital Aurora, CO.

More tips can be found at your Aspen Commons Animal Hospital..

Wintertime Care Tips for Dogs

With cold temperatures fast approaching, it’s important to ensure your dog’s comfort and safety through the winter season. This means you’ll probably need to make some adjustments to Fido’s daily routines as temperatures get colder. Here are some wintertime care tips that will keep your dog comfortable and safe:

● Take advantage of the Sunshine - Sunny days are the best times to play with your dog outdoors. Also, try to walk her in the late morning hours or early afternoons when temperatures are warmer. 

● Paws, Ears, and Tails - Be sure to limit your dog’s time outdoors since these areas are prone to frostbite. When fur grows between your pooches paw pads, trim it away to keep ice from building up between her pads.

● Skincare - Cold air can cause your dog’s skin to get dry and flaky. Try adding a skin and coat supplement to her food to maintain healthy moisture levels.

For more wintertime dog safety tips, feel free to talk with your veterinary clinic Aurora CO.

Prevent Hair Balls By Frequent Brushing

 

If you are worried about hairballs forming in your cat's stomach, your best solution would be to brush the cat's hair regularly. Regular brushing is very effective in collecting the hairs that might get ingested.

If you brush the cat's hair regularly, especially during shedding season, you can fur from getting in the stomach. If there is less hair in the stomach, there is a lesser possibility that hairballs will be formed. When you can control the hairball formation, you will not have to worry about these obstructing the cat's digestive system.

A short-haired cat can make do with once a week brushing. But for long-haired cats, you need to brush the hair more frequently. But during springtime, you need to brush the cat's hair daily because this is the season for shedding the thick coat from winter.

Consult your vet Aurora, CO, or groomer regarding the proper way of using a de-shedding tool. Make sure to use the right comb for your dog's hair. Take time to remove any mats and tangles so you will not encounter any problems in the future. Read more here.

Possible Signs of Schiff-Sherrington Posture in Manx Cats

 

As some Manx cats and other breed feline age that sometime develop mobility issues.  For example, some cats develop conditions related to arthritis such as degenerative joint disease (DJD), and even something known as Schiff-Sherrington syndrome. If your Manx is having trouble moving around, contact your vet. Just because your Manx is having mobility trouble it does not mean she is suffering from a disease like Schiff-Sherrington. Your vet will need to examine your cat to determine the exact cause of immobility. Schiff-Sherrington typically occurs when the cat’s spinal cord is severed or cut across by a small lesion on the lower back. The lesion can occur due to trauma to the spine or even intervertebral disk disease, which is more common. Symptoms may include an unusual gait, inability to walk, inability to stand, rigidly extended forelimbs, and possible paralysis of the hind limbs. Talk with your animal hospital Aurora, CO to learn more.

Cage Cleaning For Gerbils Like the Light Red Fox

 

Keeping your Light Red Fox gerbil’s cage clean can help keep down the smell of the cage and help your gerbil feel fresh and clean. It’s recommended that a deep clean be done once a week. If you have more than one Light Red Fox gerbil, you should plan on cleaning the cage more often. In fact, you should never go more than two weeks without cleaning the cage or else your Light Red Fox gerbil may start to stink. When cleaning your Light Red Fox gerbil’s cage, make sure you remove him to a safe and secure location while you clean. Always save a small portion of the old bedding to mix in with the new so that your Light Red Fox gerbil will recognize his own scent and make himself at home. If the cage is particularly dirty or stained, use soap and water to wash it out. Ask your recommended pet clinic Aurora CO about using vinegar water to remove odors.

Microchipping your Canine

Have you thought about how you want to have your canine carry his ID? That’s right; your canine should be carrying ID. Should your dog get lost then he would have ID that could point someone in the right direction to finding his home. If you don’t want your dog to wear an ID tag on his collar, then you might want to consider having your dog microchipped. The first thing to do is to find out if your dog has a microchip already. Ask your vet to run a scanner over your dog to identify the microchip. If there is one, write down the number, find the organization its registered with and register it with your information. If there’s no microchip, your vet can give your dog one. The microchip is injected beneath the surface of your dog’s skin just between the shoulder blades. Consult with your vet clinic Aurora CO to find out more information. 

Why Is My Neutered Cat Spraying?

Spraying in neutered cats is a common concern among cat parents who thought that having their cat fixed can stop the behavior. In most cases, it may take a month or so after neutering for the hormonal activity of the cat to calm down. However, since spraying is not always sexually-related, it can also be triggered by certain activities or situations. So, if your kitty still keeps on engaging in the behavior, there is a need to dig in deeper to find out any underlying issues that may be causing your pet to behave this way. Aside from having become a deeply-ingrained habit, spraying can be triggered when a cat catches a whiff of scent spots. Stress can also be an important predisposing factor of spray marking. Correcting the behavior can take time, patience, and effort. It is also recommended that you see a vet Aurora, CO to make sure that it is not caused by a health issue. 

Treating Coccidiosis In Pets

Coccidiosis is caused by a protozoan parasite. It can affect dogs of all ages but the problem is much more severe in puppies. The treatment of coccidiosis infection involves the use of trimethoprim-sulfadiazine combinations or sulfadimethoxine. These drugs are bacteriostatic, that is they only inhibit the organism’s ability to reproduce. They do not kill the organisms thus elimination of the coccidia from the intestine is quite slow. However, this is also advantageous because it provides time for the puppy to develop its own immunity and get rid of the organisms. Strict sanitation should be practiced in order to prevent spread of the disease. Fecal materials should always be removed to avoid contamination of food and water. The best methods to kill coccidian include incineration of the feces, immersion in boiling water, steam cleaning, or application of 10% ammonia solution. Most disinfectants are not effective against coccidian. Be sure to talk to your vets Aurora CO about any questions and/or concerns you may have about your pet’s treatment.