Natural Pet Health

Coccidiosis is caused by a one-celled organism called coccidia. Coccidia can often be confused with “worms” because it lives in the small intestines of pets. However, it is classifed as a protozoan, not a worm. In fact, it is one of the most commonly diagnosed protozoan diseases in puppies and kittens and is rarely a problem in adult pets.

Many pets that are infected with coccidia will not have any clinical signs. However, the most common clinical sign of infection is diarrhea. Coccidia infestation is the most common cause of diarrhea in kittens.

When coccidia eggs (oocysts) are found in the stool of adult pets without diarrhea, they are generally considered to be an insignificant finding. In the majority of cases no treatment is necessary. However, in young and debilitated animals, they may cause severe diarrhea, dehydration, abdominal distress, and vomiting. In severe cases, death can occur.

Humans are not the only ones that get abdominal cramping. Pets often fall victim to it, as well. Your pet can get abdominal pain from the same things we do.

Things that cause abdominal pain in pets are: gas accumulation, eating the wrong foods (ie. human food that contains sugar), ulcers, liver failure, eating garbage or roadkill and infections (bacterial, parasitic or viral).

Your dog or cat can experience abdominal pain regardless of their age or breed.

If you notice that your pet is tucking their feet in and arching their back they might be dealing with abdominal pain. A loss of appetite, swelling in the abdomen, weakness or thrashing on the floor can be an indicator to a major problem.

Most dogs love to ride in cars.� On any given day, while on the road, you may notice dog ears flapping in the wind. They just love it!� Traveling with your pet does take a certain amount of preparation, however.

Here are tips to help your pet enjoy the trip.

While your pet may initiate certain behaviors regarding eating habits and exercise, through the evolution of domestication, many of these normal processes fall under the influence of our hands. Therefore, making just a few tweaks in routine may greatly benefit your pet’s overall health and well-being.

• Do not change diet suddenly, but slowly introduce fresh, raw and unprocessed food into your pet’s daily diet, while reducing commercial foods and foods with little nutritious value.

• Keep diet varied and interesting, but watch out for foods that your pet may be allergic to.

• Regular exercise helps to build up a healthy appetite and gets all organs in the body functioning well. It also helps to relieve stress and contributes to a healthy, happy pet!

Theories to explain this unusual behavior

While it may be alarming to see Fido or Fluffy nibbling on the front lawn or a houseplant, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern unless the grass or plant was recently treated with pesticide, fertilizer, or another poisonous chemical. Both dogs and cats from time to time may take an interest in grass or similar substances, each for different purposes that can actually benefit their bodies.

Cats are excellent at self-grooming. Besides other reasons, they groom to heal wounds and minor abrasions with the ‘antiseptic saliva’. However, the cat tongue is rough and during the process quite a few loose or dead hair tend to stick to it, which are then swallowed. Hair tissue is not easily digestible and accumulates in the cat’s stomach or intestinal tract, forming what we know as a ‘hair ball’. A cat retches out the hair ball when it irritates the stomach. If the hair balls do not pass out with stools, they can block the intestinal tract leading to loss of appetite, constipation and weight loss.

What causes furballs?

Cats are avid groomers and seem to spend hours preening and licking themselves. Unfortunately this usually means that they end up swallowing a lot of loose fur which accumulates in their stomach to form matted lumps called furballs.

These are usually either vomited out or emitted with their feces. Problems arise however if the cat’s digestive system is weak or if their nutrition is inadequate as the furballs may remain inside the cat and act as a cork causing a number of problems including constipation, recurrent vomiting and a build up of toxins.

What is FurBall Dr.?

PetAlive FurBall Dr. has been specifically formulated for cats who suffer from furball problems and contains a combination of selected herbs and homeopathic ingredients to help with digestion and elimination, thereby preventing the distressing problems associated with furballs.

What is Diarrhea?

When your pet has diarrhea, the number of stools passed may or may not be increased but each stool will be much looser and more watery than normal. Diarrhea in pets can be related to something they have eaten, a viral infection, bacterial infection, worms, a foreign object they have swallowed and even diseases affecting other organs such as the liver or kidneys.

It can be very serious in young puppies, kittens and in elderly pets as they can dehydrate extremely quickly. If your pet has diarrhea, make sure they have plenty of fresh water available at all times. If you have a very young or very old pet that is affected, or if you are at all concerned in any other way, please do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian.

Domestic animals, like humans, are subject to the damaging effects of cooked and processed foods, food additives, environmental pollution and the stress of modern day living. All of these factors can affect digestive functioning and lead to a range of digestive disorders.

Many holistic vets also blame over-vaccination for the rise in chronic illness, including digestive complaints, in domestic pets. As pet owners, we try to do the best for our animals and to feed them healthy, nutritious food that will not harm them. However, advertising and the claims of pet food manufacturers have contributed to the misinformation surrounding what is best for our pets.

What is flatulence and what causes it?

Having a pet with flatulence problems can be very embarrassing – not to mention inconvenient, irritating and rather frustrating. But when you think about it, your pet is not having such a great time either.

Flatulence is generally caused by a build-up of gas in the stomach or intestines, which is often a result of undigested fermenting food. Some animals are simply unable to digest certain types of food while others have particular food sensitivities.

Often animals simply gulp air with their food, which then emerges as intestinal gas. Whatever the cause, the animal usually feels very uncomfortable. Flatulence is often accompanied by bloating, abdominal pain, belching and wind.

What is Flatulence Preventer?