Tips To Spoil Your Cat During Winter

 

Wintertime means your pet would have to stay inside the house most of the time. There are other ways to make your pet physically and psychologically busy and happy indoors during the cold winter months.

Extra play

Cats are famed for their independence, yet we all know that they like spending time with their owners. When they do not get human attention, some cats become very lonely and upset. Play with your pet and experiment by introducing new games. Winter is an excellent season to have extra indoor play sessions with your cat.

Massage

Massage is an excellent way to give your cat a unique pleasure. Massage feels nice and has a lot of health and wellness benefits. Cats, like humans, benefit from massage because it improves circulation and accelerates healing, especially for cats that are recuperating from an illness or injury.

Special Meals

Most people prepare warm and cozy meals in the winter, so why not try to cook something yummy for your pet as well? No, this is not simply another yummy goodie from their favorite pet supply store. You can bake your cat some snacks or prepare a delectable and healthy supper. Make sure you are using ingredients that are safe for cats. All cats respond to different substances in different ways, so you would want to avoid particular ingredients if your cat is allergic to them.

Your pet will benefit from regular health and wellness checks at your animal hospital Cincinnati, OH. Click here to know more about their services.

Litter Box Maintenance Tips

 

Pet cats are finicky. They like litter boxes that are clean and do not have any foul smells. A dirty and smelly litter box can compel your pet cat to do her business outside her litter box, like perhaps your bed, laundry basket, or sofa. Because of this, regularly keeping your cat’s kitty litter box clean is important. Make it a daily activity to scoop out any clumps. Be conscious enough to replace used-up litter with a fresh layer. Use only mild soap and warm water when washing your cat’s kitty litter box. Avoid using any strongly scented cleaning products because these tend to leave smells that will cause your cat to not use her litter box. Using chemicals can also leave behind residue that is hazardous to your cat’s health. Ensure that your cat’s kitty litter box is thoroughly dry before adding in a fresh layer of litter. Should your cat still not want to do her business inside her litter box even after cleaning it, check with your veterinarian Savannah, GA for help in trying to determine why your cat behaves this way. Read more here.

Safety Tips When Walking In Severe Weather With Your Dog

 

Before going out with your pet, you should know that not all dogs can withstand extreme temperatures. Some of the factors that can affect the dog's tolerance to extreme temperatures include body size, health condition, hair coat length, and body composition.

Certain dog breeds are also known to be averse to high temperatures. Short-nosed dogs (or brachycephalic dogs like pugs) do not take well to this kind of temperature. So when you go walking with your dog, make sure to give him plenty of time to rest. Or maybe take shorter walks so your dog won’t tire easily.

Vets also advise taking your dog out for a walk in the morning or afternoon. This is the best time to go out because the temperature is more tolerable.

Always be on the lookout for signs of heatstroke on your dog. If he starts to appear weak, begins drooling, or stops responding to you, he could be suffering from heatstroke. Bring him to the nearest pet clinic Louisville, KY immediately. Visit the website.

Introducing New Pets and Some Signs of Hostile Behavior

One challenge to maintaining a home with more than one pet is how to get the animal companions to live in harmony together. If a new pet arrives, you cannot let it socialize with the resident pets. The resident pets are also likely to become aggressive to newcomers, and you will see these signs of hostility. One behavior is that residents will be fixated on that new pet or at least, the room where it is staying. Hissing or growling with the newcomer’s presence is another sign as well. Your animal companions need some time to be familiar with one another’s presence and scent.  Any newly acquired pet has to be put inside a room that is separate from the residents. Introductions have to be done gradually so that any aggression is prevented.  Be sure that you supervise closely any interaction between your pets in case any hostility occurs. If any hostile actions still happen after an extended time, check with your veterinary clinic Louisville KY regarding the best way to handle situations like these.

Protecting Your Dog Against Canine Influenza

 

Canine influenza or dog flu is a highly contagious viral illness that dogs and even sometimes cats can get. Infected dogs can shed the influenza virus through nasal discharges most especially when the disease incubates, meaning that the infected dog is still not displaying any signs or symptoms that he has the virus. It is almost a certainty that any dog that had exposure to this virus will get the infection. The dog flu mortality rate is lower than ten percent, however, most of the infected dogs will display symptoms that are flu-like and they last for two to three weeks until full recovery.

A dog that shows signs that he is infected has to be quarantined. This must also be done to dogs that were exposed to or suspected of exposure to an infected dog. A one to three-week quarantine period is recommended, depending on your veterinarian’s recommendation. Because you can also transmit the infection if you handle a dog that is infected, be mindful to always practice sanitation and good hygiene. Thoroughly wash and clean your hands using water and soap. Bedding, toys, kennels, and various other items that an infected dog uses have to be washed, cleaned, and disinfected. Fortunately, this influenza virus could be destroyed with common home disinfectants.

Check with your veterinarian Brampton, ON regarding a vaccine that could safeguard your dog from canine influenza.

Puppies And Play Biting Behaviors

 

A puppy will always want to use his mouth, most especially when exploring his environment. And being playful creatures as they are, they will want to place items in their mouths, nibble, and bite whenever they play. Initially, it may not hurt at all when a young puppy bites since not all of their teeth are present yet. But as the puppy’s adult teeth start to grow, the bite will start to become more painful. Some pups will not outgrow this play-biting behavior, carrying it to adulthood. Biting itself is just one of a dog’s instinctive behaviors as they were predators before they got domesticated. Certain situations may trigger a pet dog’s instinctive biting behavior, and this can be somewhat of a danger to nearby people and other pets. Because of this, a puppy has to be trained behaviorally while at a young age so that they can play properly. But if your pet continues to play roughly, consult your veterinarians Derby for assistance in dealing with your dog’s aggressive behavior.

Setting Up Lighting For Your Pet Snake’s Enclosure

Most snake keepers use a lighting setup that is similar to the ones used for other pet reptiles.  But there are certain lighting factors not needed for most pet snakes.

If your pet snake’s original home in the wild is a temperate environment and your home is kept warm the entire year, then lighting will not be needed much.  But do not make the mistake of confusing humidity with temperature.  Two snakes might be coming from similar climates, but they might have varying humidity requirements.

A lot of pet snakes will do well even without the UVB lights.  But most snake keepers report increased coloration and activity with their pets if with exposure to UVB lights.

A snake’s temperature requirements will typically be the determining factor whether or not heat lights are needed.  You can try using heating pads for tanks to maintain the warmth of your snake’s enclosure but they can be tricky to maintain and monitor the right temperature.

Heating lamps also offer an advantage in that they simulate the natural night and day cycle than heat pads.

If you have concerns about your pet, contact your vet clinic Greater Cincinnati.