posted by Tess on Jan 6
What is Cushing’s Disease?
Cushing’s disease is also known as hyperadrenocorticism and is characterized by the over-production of hormones from the adrenal glands. The extra high levels of these hormones in your pet’s body can cause varied and serious symptoms.
Function and definition of the adrenal glands
The adrenal glands are two, small bean-shaped structures situated above each of your pet’s two kidneys. They consist of two separate regions: an inner adrenal medulla surrounded by an outer adrenal cortex.
The adrenal glands release a wide variety of hormones. The medulla is responsible for producing epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline). These hormones control the body’s reaction to stress and affect blood pressure and heart rate. The adrenal cortex produces hormones such as cortisone and aldosterone which are necessary for balancing fluid and electrolytes (salt) in the body as well as regulating the use of dietary protein, fats and carbohydrates and controlling inflammation.
What are the symptoms of Cushing’s Disease?
High levels of corticosteroids in the body can cause a number of health problems in pets including:
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posted by Tess on Jan 4
Roundworms are common feline parasites that can infect cats of all ages. During a lifetime practically all cats get infected at one time or another because roundworms can even transmit to kittens through the lactating mother.
There are two species of roundworm that predominantly infect cats.
* Toxocara cati
* Toxascaris leonina
Eggs of Toxocara cati pass through the feces of an infected cat. The embryonic worm in the microscopic egg needs a month in the open environment to reach its infective stage. Having reached the infective stage, Toxocara eggs can weather harsh conditions and survive for years.
This second stage larvae are ingested by a cat or by another animal. They hatch in the intestines. This is the primary host of the roundworm. The young roundworm then migrates and gets encysted in other body tissues of the host.
If the primary host is a cat, larvae get encysted in the cat’s liver. From here onwards the larvae can take two routes depending upon the condition of the host cat.
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posted by Tess on Jan 1
Your pet depends on you for feeding, playing and discipline among other things and you as a pet owner depend on it for companionship and a connection with the animal world and in case of dogs, for household security and protection. Your pet is very special to you as you are to him. For these reasons and more, you should protect your pet from harm, and yourself from loss, by getting him a tag, lest it gets stolen or strays.
A pet tag is generally a small flat tag worn on collars or harnesses by household pets like dogs and cats, usually with identifying information such as the owner’s telephone number so that the owner can be notified if the dog is lost or strays. Dog collar tags hang on your dog’s collar and provides all the necessary information for calling your dog, contacting you as the owner, and alerting people to your dog’s dietary restrictions if it gets lost or strays. Some dog tags also include vaccination information, such as when your dog last received shots and when is the next one due.
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posted by Tess on Dec 30
Inappropriate urinary behavior in cats is normally associated with medical disorders like feline urinary infection. However, it is also true that many times it is a behavioral problem rather than a medical one. It is only after ruling out medical causes after complete blood and urine tests that one can unequivocally state the real cause of inappropriate urinary behavior.
What we consider as abnormal may actually be appropriate when seen from the cat?s perspective. Owners train and expect their cat to always urinate in the litter box but cats, especially feral cats, are prone to mark their territory by spraying. This could be as frequent as 6 to 10 times a day.
When a cat is urinating to mark territory, it does so in a standing position with its tail in erect position so that the urine hits a vertical surface. Some cats will do the same on carpets or beds as well but the difference is that this type of urination makes a spray (linear) pattern and does not form a pool.
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posted by Tess on Dec 17
Depression and grieving in pets
Depression and grieving in pets may take many different forms - from the obviously sad and lethargic animal to the pet who manifests illness and behavioral problems associated with depression.
Animals form very deep attachments to their owners and to each other. It is therefore not surprising when they show signs of grief and depression if their owner or a companion pet die.
Some animals experience separation anxiety when their owners go away for a vacation, or sometimes even when they leave them for a short time. Separation anxiety, can result in depression or, more commonly (especially in dogs), in destructive behavior such as digging, chewing or scratching.
Pets are also very attuned to their owner’s emotional state. If you are feeling depressed or grief-stricken, this may, in turn, impact your pet. Certain breeds of pets also tend to worry and fret more than others. They may be at particular risk of developing chronic depression.
Symptoms of grief and depression can include:
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posted by Tess on Dec 17
Cat lovers the world over have become increasingly disillusioned with the pet food industry. Poor quality food masquerading as balanced diets and expensive brands promising superior nutrition, yet leaving out vital ingredients to provide yet another “solution” product, have lead many to see through the marketing doublespeak and realise that profit, not their pets good health, is the manufacturers main concern.
The exposure of certain manufacturers’ total disregard for the rights and dignity of companion animals in their testing facilities, has been highlighted by undercover investigations. These investigations have revealed the appalling conditions and ongoing unnecessary and cruel testing perpetrated in the name of science, but aimed at providing yet another marketing angle to sell their products.
John and Susan Mulder of Noordhoek decided to go against the grain and have formed Anges De Gardien Nutrition to manufacture and develop, truly balanced all-in-one feline nutritional products. A core policy is that no painful, inhumane or unnecessary animal testing be performed on any any of their food.
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posted by Tess on Dec 17
Unlike dog aggression , which basically occurs due to the inherent dominant nature of dogs, feline aggression is most of the times a playful activity. Cats seldom indulge in aggression without provocation. But they are likely to react aggressively if provoked too much. A fearful cat is more likely to try the escape route and hide behind a sofa. Biting is not a natural response that it has.
But it is not uncommon to hear about cats losing their homes due to aggressive behaviors like biting. Physical distress and fear are factors that can drive cats to indulge in biting in a manner that it provokes aggressive dog behavior .
However, it is only when aggression is encouraged or ignored that a cat tends to behave aggressively. A delivery man, who hides or runs away on seeing a household cat that shows aggressive body language, is sure to instill enough confidence even in an otherwise docile cat. He will remember it and every time a delivery man comes knocking he is liable to face an increasingly aggressive cat every time.
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posted by Tess on Dec 16
For cleaning mites or infections.
* Lavender 5 drops
* Tea Tree 5 drops
* Roman Chamomile 1 drop
Blend with 30 ml of chamomile floral water, Use a cottong swab with solution to gently clean the ear and mist the outside of the ear as well.
Originally posted 2006-11-20 16:09:04. We hope you have enjoyed this Post From the Past!
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posted by Tess on Dec 15
Outdoor cats, especially white cats or those with white non-pigmented areas carry a high risk of developing certain types of skin cancers. Typically these are the cancers that are linked with excessive exposure to sunlight.
The first few signs of such a condition are a discoloration of the skin, pinkish skin that looks as if it has scales and excessive loss of hair. On the first signs of such symptoms the cat should be protected from sunlight to restrict further development of the disease. If ignored this leads to further crusting of the skin and ultimately develops into a squamous cell cancer.
Squamous cell cancer is a malignant tumor that normally manifests on ear flaps, the visible cartilage of the external ear, nose and eyelids. Unlike other types of feline cancer squamous cell cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body. But when it does, it can affect the lymph nodes and lungs. The initial signs of this cancer appear in the form of a scab on the head or minor irritations that cause itching. If not checked the harmless looking lesions can worsen and cause more painful conditions like:
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posted by Tess on Dec 13
Pet ears infections pose a perennial problem, equally for owners and the specialists who are called upon to treat them. The fact that your pets have been domesticated and made to change their natural habitat is one of the major causes behind their vulnerability to attacks from infectious bacteria and parasites like ear mites.
The limitations of conventional medications, including side effects that lead to more problems than they are supposed to cure, has been instrumental in giving a boost to alternative therapies. These holistic therapies take a holistic view of disease. The relatively less popularity of alternative therapies like homeopathy stems from the fact that they are slow in treating an ailment. At the same time, the established fact that homeopathy attempts to remove the root cause of a disease and not just the symptoms, is not properly advertised.
Homeopathy is a treatment that treats the disease on the basis of how a disease manifests itself in an individual. It treats symptoms as the body’s own attempt to cure. Rather than trying to provide a temporary relief, it focuses on the condition causing an ailment. Having proved its mettle in treating human conditions, it is now being extensively used for treat pet ailments also.
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