posted by Tess on May 30
NOTE: Please check with your veterinarian on the safety of these oils for your cat.
Burns & Scalds
As for people — cold water followed by neat Lavender oil, as soon as possible.
Coat in Poor Condition
Add 1/4 tsp of the following blend to each feed:
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tdsp Wheatgrem oil
5 drops Carrot oil
5 drops Evening primrose oil
Cuts & Bites
Put a solution of:
salt water
2 drops thyme
1 drop lavender
Then bathe the area.
Cysts
Apply:
1 drop lavender or
1 drop Tea Tree
Ear Problems
Drop & Massage around the ear
1 drop Tea Tree
1 drop Lavender
1 drop Chamomile
1 tsp Warm olive oil
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posted by Tess on May 24
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.
Commercial dried and tinned pet food is convenient and claims to be ‘better’ than any other form of food. In addition, our pets learn to like the food that we eat and who can resist those soulful eyes when a packet of chips or a cookie is around!
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posted by Tess on May 22
Ferrets: Health, Husbandry and Diseases
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posted by Tess on May 18
Most pet owners aren’t aware that health insurance for their loved animals has been available for about 15 years now. However, both the availability and restrictions on most plans have made this type of health insurance out of reach for most pet owners.
Interestingly enough, pet health insurance has changed in the past couple of years. Now, animal owners are able to afford medical procedures previously prohibitive because of the cost. But many skeptics are concerned that health insurance for pets will see an increase in the red tape us humans already encounter every day.
Animal medicine is one of the few health care services that isn’t financially dependent on health insurance. Medical, dental, surgical and pharmaceuticals are all pretty much covered by health insurance in humans, but veterinary patients are responsible for all of that, themselves. Or, at least their owners are.
Health insurance for pets is very similar to insurance for humans. The same fees, deductibles, coverage rates and plans are all in place, with different plans based on the age, species, and general health of your pet.
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posted by Tess on May 18
As Forest Gump might say “a best friend is as a best friend does.”
We’re all busy these days and if your life is anything like mine it can be a tough life to live. So, I don’t know about you but maybe it’s time for a break. Take a little bit of time to hang with your feathered friend(s) and give them some busy time.
You might have many birds, so don’t think you have to do this with every bird the same day. However, you should get into the habit of doing a short version of this regularly. Your feathered buddy will love you for it. I know mine does.
Your parrot may not have the social manners other birds have, but you can get him to be that way. You probably could come over too my son’s place and pick up to snuggle his African Gray Parrot (Nala) without fear of losing a finger or a nose. But no matter what degree of ’snuggle-ness’ your parrot prefers, you can fine-tune each step to your parrot’s level of comfort.
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posted by Tess on May 15
At some stage in your life as a horse owner, you may find it necessary to stable your horse. It may only be for a couple of nights, a week or a more permanent situation. No matter your reason or the length of your horses stay, it is important that you clean the stable at least once a day.
So you arrive at your horse’s stable with a cheery “Good Morning!”. You organize their breakfast, change there pajamas (rugs), maybe go for an early morning ride (nice and chilly on those crisp winter mornings). But no matter what else you do, there is one thing every owner of a stabled horse must do. And that is to clean up the mess, from the night before.
What a mess!! It really amazes me the mess one horse can make within 8-10 hours! I have been greeted with a wide variety of “Good Morning” situations from my horses over the years. From finding poo in the feed dish (which is still hanging on the door!), to finding poo right in front of the door in the walk way! No matter the mess, it still needs to be cleaned up. Not only can a dirty or poorly cleaned stable cause diseases to fester but it will smell bad too.
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posted by Tess on May 11
What is Canine Distemper and what are the symptoms?
Canine distemper is a highly contagious, extremely serious viral disease which occurs in dogs and other wild canids (e.g.. foxes, wolves and coyotes), raccoons, skunks and ferrets.
It is an airborne virus, which affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system of the animal. Puppies between three and six months and elderly animals are particularly at risk.
Symptoms grow increasingly severe as the disease progresses, they include:
* Conjunctivitis (a watery, pus-like eye discharge) and inflammation of the eye
* Fever
* Nasal discharge
* Pneumonia (Coughing and labored breathing)_
* Lethargy
* Reduced appetite
* Vomiting
* Diarrhea
* Seizures
* Hyperesthesia (increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as pain or touch)
* Muscle twitching
* Progressive deterioration of mental abilities and motor skills
* Complete or partial paralysis
What is the conventional treatment?
There is no doubt that Canine Distemper is a serious illness. According to conventional veterinarian treatment, about 50% of dogs that contract it will die. Those that survive will often be left with debilitating conditions like permanent digestive problems, neurological problems, seizure disorders, deformities of the paw pads, etc.
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posted by Tess on May 9
How you choose your goldfish, depends largely on two things: the type of fish you really like to see, and the kind of container you intend to keep them in.
People in warmer climates, like to populate their outdoor ponds and pools with goldfish, which is a wonderful addition to the outdoor décor of your lawns and gardens. These may be natural ponds, or manmade pools that are actually vinyl liners sunk into the ground, and provided with air and water circulation through a pump system. This circulation, natural or otherwise, is important to keeping the water well oxygenated for the fish.
But surprisingly, if your pond is deep enough, it’s possible to over-winter your goldfish outside. If you are populating an outdoor pond, it’s best to start with fish that were raised that way themselves, as there is less likelihood of losing some that are unable to adapt. Store-bought fish raised in tanks can adapt, but you can expect to lose a certain percentage of them, depending on the harshness of the weather.
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posted by Tess on May 5
Choosing a horse will be one of the most important decisions you ever make so for the sake of both you and the horse - take your time.
At 50 I was a bit older than the average first time horse owner, so should have got it right. I fell in love with a pretty little horse that I had ridden on a riding holiday when he was in his own environment and I was relaxed and had all the time in the world.
9 months later, after a lot of heartache I admitted that he was the wrong horse for my lifestyle and experience and fortunately he was able to go back to his original owner. Pretty traumatic for me, but less so for him as he was going back to where he was happy.
Our livery yard owner helped me decide what type of horse I was looking for by considering the following:
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posted by Tess on May 4
It is recommended to start brushing for pets teeth at 8-12 weeks of age, but it never to late to begin! Here is a step-by-step guide to introducing teeth brushing to your pet. Supplies you will need include gauze, toothbrush, and pet toothpaste. Be sure to use pet toothpaste as human toothpaste contains products that will make your pet sick.
Week 1: Introduce Your Pet to Mouth Care
· Using your hand, gently open the pet’s mouth and run your finger around his or her lips, lifting the lips, etc. This should begin for just 30 seconds on day one and progressing to a couple of minutes by the end of the week. Reward -your pet with a small treat at the end of each session.
Week 2: Introducing Toothpaste or Gauze
· This week, use either wet gauze wrapped around your index finger or wet toothbrush on the teeth. Lift lips. Massage the outer surfaces only of upper and lower teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Do this for 30 seconds on day one, progressing up to three minutes by the end of the week.
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