Natural Pet Health

Dog flu, a highly contagious and sometimes deadly canine disease has been detected in a number of states and may be spreading around the country.

Researchers reported that the mysterious dog flu is an influenza strain that jumped from horses to dogs. The dog flu is highly similar to the equine flu that’s been in the U.S. for more than 40 years. Influenza has never before occurred in dogs.

Humans don’t get the virus from horses, and it’s unlikely they’ll get it from dogs, according to experts at the Influenza Branch of the Centers for Disease Control. The medical term for dog flu is H3N8 influenza virus.

Symptoms of canine flu are a lot like those of “Kennel Cough.” Dogs with symptoms may have a nagging cough, fever, and nasal discharge.

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Barking is normal behaviour for dogs but habitual Barking is the bane of dog owners everywhere.

Barking dogs are the most common sources of environMental pollution in urban society and no other dog-related problem causes local authorities so much time and frustration. So, what can we do?

Perhaps one of the reasons that early man first encouraged wild dogs to remain around the camp was their ability to alert people to danger and this is still one of the reasons for many families adding a dog to the household today.

However, dogs that constantly bark are a nuisance to those who must live around them. And they are not good watchdogs.

A dog that barks at every little disturbance in the neighbourhood will not bring the neighbours running when thieves are carrying the family silver out the door!

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Anxiety in Pets

Although certain animals do have a more Nervous temperament than others, traumatic events or exposure to particular Stressors can make even a normally calm animal, Stressed and perturbed.

Fireworks, a trip to the vet, thunderstorms, small children, an abusive situation, change of owner, hair dryers, change of house, the addition of another pet — these are just a few of the situations that can cause heightened levels of Anxiety in your pet.

Many pets are also exposed to a variety of day-to-day Stresses. They live essentially on fast food (with not much nutritional value) and are often left alone for hours at a time, frequently in fairly confined environments.

These factors can contribute to high levels of Stress and Anxiety. In addition, pets are very attuned to their owner’s Stress levels. If you are Anxious and Stressed, this will impact your pet.

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If you are beginning to feel like an endangered species surrounded by the chewed up remnants of your previous existence, fear not.

First of all you are not alone. There are dog owners like you suffering the same fate and having the same problems getting their otherwise delightful pet to cease and desist from devouring hearth and home. Not only that, but people, experienced dog owner type people, have spent a great deal of time and energy on solving the problem.

Your first step in the direction of rehabilitation is the same as it is with any such process. You need to establish the exact nature of the problem.

If your pet is a newly acquired puppy then rampant Chewing goes with the territory. It is a natural response to Teething. If your pet is past puppy-hood and showing no sign of quitting or, if your mature pet inexplicably begins Chewing away at stuff, this is a sign of a more serious problem that needs attention.

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Aggression in pets

A pet that displays signs of Aggressive Behavior can be very alarming. Many owners tear their hair out trying to control their errant animals while at the same time trying desperately to find a reason for their behavior.

Although some breeds are definitely more Aggressive than others, experts say there are usually underlying reasons for Aggressive Behavior such as fear, insecurity, Stress, problems relating to breeding, jealousy, past abuse, illness and Pain.

Aggressive Behavior can be limited to specific situations such as the dog that barks or attacks the postman or it can be unpredictable, which is even more worrying.

Aggressive behavior in dogs can include Biting, Barking, snarling, snapping and raised fur along the back of the neck and along the ridge of the spine.

Aggression in cats can include scratching, Biting, excessive yowling, lunging, hissing, spitting and destructive behavior.

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Cats need only be provided with decent shelter, food and water and they will be quite healthy most of the time. Like any other living thing, however, they can get sick and can come down with anything from a minor cold to a major ailment.

As a responsible pet owner, you want to make sure you feed your cat premium cat food so he can be his healthiest and also watch your cat closely for signs of sickness so that you can get him to a vet right away. Hopefully most ailments will be minor, but in some cases getting your cat expedient veterinary help can be the difference between life and death.

Some things to look for include:

Your cats Coat – is it full and shiny or dull and patchy? Is he shedding abnormally? If so get your cat scheduled for a vet visit.

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Giving your dog a bath is important, but not as critical as most people seem to believe. If your dog is healthy, he really doesn’t need to be bathed more that once every few months, but most of us put them in the tub or under the hose more often to get rid of that doggie smell and look shinier.

Although most dogs do not enjoy getting a bath, it is a good bonding experience. They will appreciate the contact and attention they get from their owner.

This is also an excellent time to do some other required ‘maintenance’ tasks that we often forget about, such as ear cleaning, brushing their teeth, and checking for fleas and Ticks. It is much easier to do all these things at once since most dogs don’t enjoy sitting through these activities for very long.

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A poorly trained dog can embarrass its owner and offend other people - or even make them feel threatened.

Teaching your dog some manners is just common-sense. You did it with your children and your parents did it with you. If you had never learned right from wrong you would be behaving badly so why expect to be able to raise a dog without any coaching? He has lots to learn.

There’s a popular saying among dog trainers: “There’s no such thing as a bad dog.” While that may be true, any trainer will admit that there are dogs with very bad habits. When a dog acts or reacts to a situation in a way that has a negative impact on her owner or others, the behavior is considered to be “bad.” Yet, to the dog, it’s just what she does. Stopping bad behavior requires training to give the dog a new behavior, or habit.

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According to the American Humane Society, just 15% of dogs in shelters ever find their way home again. Thankfully, these loved pooches had identification, enabling shelter personnel to contact and return them to their owners. With such discouraging statistics, it becomes clear how important it is to tag or identify your new puppy.

Even if your dog doesn’t go outside much or is always in your company, you must identify him or her. Windows and doors can be left open, offering your pup a too-tempting escape to the outside world. What should you do to keep your pup safe at home?

There are several ways to ID your pet to prevent against loss or theft. Ideally, implement at least two methods to ensure a safe return should your dog go missing.

Tattoos and microchips provide permanent ways to identify your dog. Shelters, veterinarians, and research laboratories know to look for these keys when animals are brought to their facilities.

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With the current number of puppy producing mills everywhere in the world, it’s an understatement to say that it’s DIFFICULT to find a genuine pet dog belonging to a genuinely friendly breed.

Today, we have all kinds of mixed breed dogs, Great Danes with Golden Retriever legs, snippy headed American Eskimos, etc. The point is that we are looking for a pet dog, a family pet dog, not a show dog! But the inbreeding programs by puppy breeding mills continue to flush the market with such incredulous mix breeds of dogs. Therefore, if you’re looking for a pet dog, a man’s best friend, it’s best that you learn how to find answers and ask the right questions at the pet shop.

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