Want to truly make a difference in the lives of animals all around the globe? Consider making a donation to a charity that serves animals! You get to help homeless, endangered, and at-risk animals and get an extra tax write-off. It’s a win-win, right? Choosing the right charity can be tough – How much of the charity’s proceeds really go to the animals? Which charity will have the greatest impact? – so we’ve done the work for you....
When a pet owner notices their dog scooting across the carpet, that is sometimes the first sign of a medical issue. Scooting may be seen when a dog has intestinal parasites or when they have allergies. But another common reason is when their anal glands need to be addressed. Here we will discuss what anal glands are, causes and treatments of anal gland impaction, and ways to prevent anal gland issues....
Famous Pigs Names Like Pork Products Based on Appearance and Behavior Teaching Your Pig Their Name Choosing a name for any pet can be a challenge, and pot-bellied pigs are no different. Some people like to get to know their new pet’s personality prior to deciding on a name while others have made up their mind before even seeing them. A trend in pot-bellied pig naming involves incorporating food items that we consume from pot-bellied pig cousins, but some people don’t find it as humorous as others....
Behavior and Temperament Housing Heat Light Substrate Food and Water Health Problems Choosing Similar Species If you’re interested in an aquatic pet that’s a little out of the ordinary, consider a softshell turtle. As the name suggests, these strange-looking turtles lack the one characteristic almost all turtles share: a hard shell. This makes them more susceptible to attacks in the wild. But unlike their fellow turtles, softshells can move quickly on land....
History Temperament Speech and Vocalizations Colors and Markings Care Health Problems Diet and Nutrition Exercise Where to Adopt or Buy Further Research The bare-eyed cockatoo is a smaller cockatoo that is a somewhat easier pet to keep than its larger cousins. The ring of blue around its eyes gives this bird a slightly sleepy look, but it is quite active and social and prefers to be out of its cage interacting with its owner....
Heartworms are a common occurrence in dogs and are a growing concern for cats. Like intestinal worms, heartworms are internal parasites that cause harm to dogs. But how do pets get heartworms and can people catch them? Definition Heartworms are thin, white worms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of animals and are primarily associated with dogs. They can grow to be up to a foot long and hundreds of worms can grow inside an animal at one time....
History and Origins Size Breeding and Uses Colors and Markings Characteristics Diet and Nutrition Health and Behavior Grooming Notable Horses Drum Horse for You How to Adopt or Buy More Horse Breeds If you’ve ever had the chance to see the Queen’s Household Cavalry perform, then chances are you’ve seen the Drum Horse in action. This large breed needed to be strong, powerful, and good-natured to successfully perform in the Queen’s processions....
Maternal aggression occurs when a queen (female cat) becomes especially aggressive. Her aggression is meant to protect her kittens and can be directed at humans, other animals, or other cats that come between a queen and her new litter of kittens. Male cats have been known to cannibalize kittens, so there is justification in the queen’s protective nature. Since it’s in her natural instinct to keep her kittens safe, her actions make sense....
Newborn Kittens Behavior Changes Health and Care Food and Nutrition Training Caring for the Mother Newborn kittens may be born fully furred but they aren’t done growing once they leave their mother’s womb. The first week of a kitten’s life is full of major changes and growth. If you have a litter of kittens it’s a good idea to know what to watch for as well as know what you can do to help your kitten get off to a good start in life....
What Is Lupus? Symptoms Causes Diagnosing Treatment Prognosis Prevention Lupus is a disease that affects the immune system of a dog by attacking its tissues. There are two types of lupus, and one of them, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can be a frightening disease due to the variety of life-threatening symptoms it can cause. Because of this, it’s important for a dog owner to be familiar with SLE and how it is treated....
Pet rabbits can be quite readily kept in cages in the home, with some freedom to run free in the house—after thoroughly rabbit-proofing, of course. Rabbits take fairly well to litter training, so many people will let their bunnies run free in the home for at least part of the day. Even if your rabbit is thoroughly toilet trained and your house thoroughly rabbit proofed, a cage will act as a safe haven or nest, where the rabbit can retreat to rest....
Pet rat teeth can be problematic. Not all exotic pets have problems with their teeth, but since rats have some teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives, these teeth may periodically require care. Knowing what to watch for in your pet rat’s mouth can help avoid serious trauma to its mouth. What Kind of Teeth Do Rats Have? Dogs and cats are born with no teeth, develop deciduous or baby teeth, and then lose those teeth so that their adult teeth can take their place....
The term dove refers to any one of more than 300 species of the Columbidae suborder of birds. The most common one, the ring-necked dove, makes a friendly, non-demanding pet that can be kept either indoors or outdoors. Origin and History While ring-neck doves originally hail from Africa, there are other dove species indigenous to places all over the world. For example, fruit doves are endemic to Australia while mourning doves are one of the most prolific and widely recognized wild bird species in North America....
Are you looking for someone to help you train your dog or work with a behavior problem that your dog has? It can be hard to find the right person for the job. You’ve probably heard of dog trainers and animal behaviorists, but do you know the difference between the two? How can you determine which one is right for your dog? There are many dog-related careers that are often misunderstood by the public....
Thyrosyn is the brand name of a medication that is used for treating an underactive thyroid gland in dogs. This drug, and generic versions, are only available through prescriptions from your dog’s veterinarian. Knowing how this drug works and what potential side effects you should watch for can help you better manage this disease if your dog is diagnosed with hypothyroidism. What Does Thyrosyn for Dogs Do? Thyrosyn contains the drug levothyroxine sodium and replaces the thyroid hormone that a dog with hypothyroidism cannot produce on its own....
Any cat owner is well aware that cats can shed a lot of fur. Vacuuming and sweeping is a routine chore in any cat home. In your own cleaning, you may have chanced upon a shed whisker once or twice. It’s perfectly normal for your cat to shed whiskers, just as it’s perfectly normal for your cat to shed fur. However, if there’s suddenly an uptake in the number of whiskers you’re finding or if it looks like your cat is suddenly missing whiskers, that might be cause for concern....
Normal High Yellow Aberrant Blizzard Blazing Blizzard Banana Blizzard Hypo Melanistic Super Hypo Tangerine Carrot Tail and Carrot Head RAPTOR Halloween Mask Lavender Hyper Melanistic Reverse Stripe Super Giant Baldy Creamsicle Tremper Albino Mack Snow Enigma Diablo Blanco Patternless Red Stripe Thanks to their easy care, friendly disposition, and relatively small size—adults are generally just 6 to 9 inches in length—leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet reptiles and are very suited even to the beginning reptile caretaker....
One behavior cats do frequently that is unique to them is that they like to rub up against people and objects. Sometimes it occurs while you’re carrying laundry down the stairs, but oftentimes it occurs when you arrive home after being out for the day. What is your cat trying to tell you when it rubs up against your legs? While there can be different meanings behind each incidence, this is generally a sign of their love and devotion to you....
As a bird owner, it is important to be aware of the common bird diseases and disorders that can affect your precious pet. Early detection of illness is key to successful treatment in pet birds, so it is crucial to learn about some of the most common illnesses that affect birds in captivity. If you notice your bird exhibit any of these signs of illness or other uncharacteristic behavior, seek the attention of a qualified avian vet as soon as possible....
What Is Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome? Symptoms Causes Diagnosing Treatment and Prevention Prognosis Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome (FHS), commonly called rippling skin disorder, can be mistaken for normal crazy behavior in cats. However, it’s a neurological syndrome that may require treatment. Tuning in to the symptoms, such as skin twitching, abnormal vocalizations, and erratic behavior will help you and your veterinarian identify the need for medical intervention. What Is Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome?...
