Why Dogs Need To Have Their Nails Well-Trimmed

 

If a pet dog’s nails are allowed growth for too long, this will also make the “quick” grow. The “quick” is the section of a dog’s nail where nerves and blood vessels are present. Should you accidentally hit the quick when trimming your dog’s nails, it will be painful for him and it will bleed. If your dog is one that spends a majority of his day indoors, then you need to get his nails regularly trimmed so that they do not grow much too long resulting in deformation and pain.

There is also a nail that grows much higher than the others up along your dog’s legs. This is known as the “dewclaw”. This is the counterpart of the thumb and is found on the back and front legs alike. Dewclaws can be removed surgically if deformed or if they somehow interfere with your dog’s activities on a daily basis. A long dewclaw could be caught on objects easily and may cause injuries that are painful. If your pet dog’s dewclaws are not removed, then they must be included when the time comes to trim your pet’s nails.

You can ask your vet Salem, VA to show you how nail trimming in dogs is property done. Learn more here.

How Separation Anxiety Can Affect Your Dog

 

Dogs react strongly when they are separated from their humans or other household pets. When they experience separation anxiety, they can exhibit destructive behavior. This is particularly seen in dogs that have stayed in a rescue shelter. They follow their new owner everywhere. And if the owner needs to leave the house, the dog becomes anxious. He might start barking, or trash the house, or becoming destructive as a way to cope with the separation anxiety. Unfortunately, you will only make matters worse if you punish your dog for being destructive.

It might help if you can control the factors leading to separation anxiety. These are some factors to take note of: change in the family's routine that leaves the dog alone at the house for a long time, moving in a different house, dog spending time away from home, loss of another family member.

Help your dog cope with these changes so he won't engage in destructive behavior. Consult with a veterinarian White Rock TX, or a certified animal behaviorist to know more about counter conditioning and desensitization techniques.

Feeding Pet Tortoises

 

The nutritional and dietary needs of tortoises usually are varied between the different species. If your tortoise belongs to the bigger species, remember that they need a much larger food volume intake daily. This is again, one essential reason why a potential tortoise (or any pet) owner must do research properly. Be responsible and learn all that you can regarding the pet you are thinking of getting so that the animal’s needs will be fully met.

As opposed to popular belief, tortoises are omnivores and not really vegetarians. This means that their food is composed of both plant and meat components. But tortoises can seem to flourish even with just vegetarian diets, as long as all the important nutritional requirements are present.

There are quite a number of commercially available tortoise diets, and a lot will claim that they are nutritionally complete. But this is really not true. Tortoises graze, they enjoy eating grass and weeds, and fruits, however, are not options found in their habitats naturally, therefore must not be provided to tortoises kept as pets. Your vet Scottsdale, AZ can elaborate further on your tortoise’s dietary needs and how you can go about fulfilling them properly. Visit this site for more details.

Why Catnips Are Good For Cats

 

Cats can have varied responses to catnip. There are some cats, right after encountering catnip, that exhibit weird behaviors, yet there are others that just slack off. Then there could also be some cats that do not have reactions to catnip. Actually, catnip does not affect around a third of cats.

Most of the very young kittens are not affected by catnip, but at around three to six months of age, you can start to have an idea which cats react highly to catnip, and which ones do not. Also, cats in their golden years do not seem to react to catnip as well.

It is fortunate that cats do not get addicted to catnip. One positive catnip effect is that it changes a cat’s mood. It might also be quite fun to see your cat do her catnip antic performance after encountering the herb or having a chew on some catnip leaves.

If you have concerns about your pet’s behavior, contact your pet clinic Scottsdale, AZ.

Two Sure-fire Ways To Keep Your Dog Happy

 

If you have been taking care of dogs for a long time, chances are you might not be able to provide the things that make them happy. Experts identified two ways to keep your dog happy and contented:

• Keep your dog motivated. Dogs are intelligent creatures and they like to have mental stimulation and regular motivation. You can do this by bringing him to new places to see. He should also be taught to search for treats around the house. Getting their favorite treat is a nice enough reward.

• Provide your dog with a balanced diet. Give your dog nutritious food to keep him from becoming overweight or obese. Dogs with excess weight are prone to developing arthritis, heart diseases, diabetes, and even cancer. They can also get complications in the liver and kidney if they carry too much weight. So give your dog the proper meal they deserve. There are premium-quality pet foods available in the market.

Bring your pet to your animal hospital Norwalk, CA for regular health and dental checks.

NSAID Toxicity in Cats and Dogs

 

Have you ever heard of NSAIDs? Even if you haven’t, you might have them in your home right now. NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are common painkillers. Unfortunately, they can harm pets easily!

NSAIDs work by inhibiting COX enzymes, which cause pain in the body as a response to a stimulus, like an injury. When an NSAID inhibits COX enzymes, the person (or pet) feels less pain. But when too many COX enzymes are inhibited, side effects start to occur. Damage to the stomach lining and interference with kidney function are just two examples. If a pet gets their paws on a whole bottle of NSAIDs, serious health trouble can result. That’s why it’s so important to keep any and all medications out of your pet’s reach—store them in closed cabinets or containers where your animal friend can’t reach. And dose and administer your pet’s medications with extreme caution.

Call your vet Savannah, GA for more information.

Cocoa Mulch Can Be Harmful To Dogs

 

If your dog spends much of his hours outdoors, try to be more proactive in his protection from possible hazards that he could come across while frolicking or playing around. There are quite a high number of cases where pet dogs are brought into the animal clinic for some substance that they have swallowed from the lawn or garden. Prior to allowing your dog his time outside, make sure to check that your lawn and garden have been rendered safe for your pet. One sign of a common danger for dogs that are found in the garden is cocoa mulch.

Yes, cocoa mulch very much is a benefit for the soil, however, it is also toxic to canines. The shells of the cocoa bean as well as some other compounds that make the mulch can make your dog very ill if swallowed, much like if he consumed chocolate. It is unfortunate that dogs seem attracted to the cocoa mulch as it does smell like chocolate. Swallowing the cocoa mulch can bring about gastrointestinal irritation, heart rate increase, vomiting, weakness, muscle tremors, and even death. Fortunately, cocoa mulch has much safer alternatives for your garden. Mulch that is based on hemlock bark, pine, or cedar is a good example, as does dirt or stones.

If your dog shows symptoms of toxicity, visit this site, or take him to the veterinary hospital Chesapeake, VA immediately.