Lyme disease in dogs often causes several symptoms, including depression, fever, decreased appetite, weight loss and joint stiffness. Look for chronic stiffness as an indication of a dog that has Lyme disease with help from aveterinarian in this free video on dog health. Expert: James Talbott Bio: Dr. James R. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge

Prognosis of liver disease primarily depends upon the following factors:

* The type of liver disease – hepatitis, cancer, liver shunt, drug induced or others.
* Primary or secondary – whether the disease originated in the liver or the liver is affected as a fall out of disease elsewhere in the body.
* The time factor – the stage to which the disease has advanced at the time of detection.

A close look at different types of liver diseases is necessary to understand the prognosis of each type.

Birds can make wonderful pets and companions and there are many different birds to choose from. Two of the most popular are cockatiels and parakeets. Cockatiels and parakeets make wonderful pets that only require simple daily care. They don’t take up a lot of space, they eat small amounts of food, and they don’t require a daily walk outside. They love being around people and often want out of their cages just so they can be closer to you. Some even learn to talk.

You’re not alone in considering a pet bird. In fact, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), birds are the 3rd most popular pet behind cats and dogs.

It all sounds great doesn’t it? Slow down a little bit, before you rush out to buy a cockatiel or a parakeet, take some time to think about whether or not you are ready for a bird companion. There are a few things for you to consider before you decide if you’re ready for the responsibilities that comes with parakeets and cockatiels.

Do yourself a favor and don’t buy a parakeet or cockatiel until you ask yourself the following questions:

What causes travel or motion sickness?

Travel or motion sickness is caused by movement in different directions, particularly when the animal is sitting or standing still in a moving vehicle, boat or plane. It can also happen when there is a loss of visual contact with the outside horizon or due to pressure changes in the inner ear during air travel.

These events may cause confusion in the balance center of the inner ear, leading to fatigue, nausea, dizziness and even vomiting. It is not known why some animals are more prone to motion sickness than others. Many will gradually become accustomed to traveling and motion sickness will disappear after a few regular journeys.

While the majority of animals overcome motion sickness and learn to enjoy the journey, others continue to suffer the symptoms throughout their lives. This makes any journey traumatic for both the pet and the owner.

What is PetAlive EasyTravel Solution?

PetAlive EasyTravel Solution contains a combination of selected herbal and homeopathic ingredients known to successfully treat all the major symptoms of Travel or Motion Sickness.

Hypothyroid conditions in pets

The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones which have a number of functions in the body and are particularly critical in maintaining your pet’s metabolic rate. Any change in the functioning of this gland can have varied effects on your pet’s health. In some animals (and humans) the function of the thyroid gland may become compromised and decrease as your pet ages or due to inflammation of the gland. Although hypothyroidism (decreased functioning of the thyroid) is not a life-threatening condition, it can certainly decrease your dog or cat’s quality of life.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism may be insidious in onset and not immediately obvious. If your pet has been putting on weight or you suspect hypothyroidism for another reason, it is best to consult your vet who will be able to test for this condition by measuring thyroid hormones in the blood.

What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism in pets?

Pets with hypothyroid conditions may gain weight without any change in their diet. Many become lethargic and seem to lack energy. The coat and skin may suffer from the lack of thyroid hormones- leading to hair loss and dry skin. Constipation, slow heart rate and infertility are also common problems in pets with hypothyroidism.

Out of the numerous intestinal parasites, roundworms and tapeworms are the most common feline parasites that infest cats. The connection between these two intestinal parasites ends here. Roundworms are round and slimy creatures whereas tapeworms are flat and segmented.

Both the worms shed eggs that are passed out in the feces of the cat. But roundworms and tapeworms look different. Roundworm eggs excreted in feces are microscopic, whereas tapeworm eggs are released as packets from the end segments that detach from the worm. These segments can be seen in the cat’s feces or clinging to the hair near the anus of the cat.

Roundworms

The two common species of roundworms found in cats are:

* Toxocara cati
* Toxascaris leonina

Eggs from both the species are generally eaten by a cat when they are still in their non-infectious stage. They may also be ingested by an intermediate host, say, a mouse or a rat.

Toxocara cati differs from the other roundworm in one feature. It has the capacity to remain dormant in female cats. A queen may harbor larvae from previous infections that remain encysted in various tissues in the body. At the time of pregnancy these larvae migrate to the mammary glands. Larvae transmit through milk too. That the litter of an infected mother will be infected as well is a foregone conclusion.

There are always some cancer cells in the body, which the body can effectively kill on its own if the immune system is strong. Despite this fact pets still develop cancers that need treatment. Cancer in dogs and cats may not be a very common condition but it can be as problematic and fatal as in humans.

Pets cannot speak about the discomfort that they are facing and therefore, it is upon the pet owners and veterinarians to use their observation and knowledge to establish prevalence of, say, symptoms of liver cancer in dogs and cats among other health conditions.

Feline cancer can occur in any part of the body. If cancer has been diagnosed in certain specific areas, radiation therapy is one of the treatment options that should be considered.

Radiation therapy involves the same X-Rays that are used for a normal X-Ray for clinical investigation. The difference is that the levels of the X-Rays that are used for the therapy are thousands of times more powerful.

Cancer is an abnormal growth of malignant cells and can virtually affect any part of the body. The abnormal growth can take various forms like tumors. Tumors are solid masses of cancerous cells that can spread to other parts of the body. Metastasis (spreading) is one of the main reasons that results in disorders in other organs.

Symptoms of cancer in cats vary according to the type of cancer that the animal is suffering from. However, each type of feline cancer has a certain set of symptoms that are easy to observe. These are:

* Oral Cancer – Bleeding from the mouth, drooling and difficulty in eating or swallowing.
* Lung cancer – Difficulty in breathing, rapid breathing and panting.
* Cancer in the digestive tract – Projectile vomiting, diarrhea, cessation of eating and mucous or blood in feces.
* Bone cancer of the limbs – Limp in gait or stiffness of legs.
* Skin cancer – Wounds that appear minor but do not heal over time. A protracted nasal discharge is indicative of cancer in the nasal passage. Some skin cancer do not manifest as lumps but as bleeding or scabs.

There area many common sense rules to follow when caring for your cat. These rules are simple and will ensure your cat will be healthy and happy.

1. When your cat arrives at home:

Bringing your new cat home cat be frightening for it. Be prepared by having a food and water spot already set up. Also have a litter box setup in a quite spot away from the food. Your new cat should be transported in a cat carrier. When you bring the cat inside set the carrier down and open the door. Let the cat come out and explore on its own. Confining the cat to a quiet room for a day or two will make the experience less overwhelming.

2. Going Outside:

Before letting your cat outside for the first time be sure it is comfortable with you and its indoor surroundings. There are many dangers outside so let your cat have an escape route in case it needs it. My cat uses a cat door and it has save him a few times.

Judge the risk to letting your cat outdoors. If you live close to lots of traffic having an outdoor cat may not be a good idea.

Symptoms of UTI infection in pets

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are uncomfortable and extremely painful. They tend to be more common in cats than dogs and can be caused by bacterial infection, bladder stones or urolithiasis (stones in the urinary tract).

UTIs often recur and can lead to more serious kidney infections if left untreated. Symptoms include

* Straining to urinate
* Obvious pain or discomfort when urinating
* Constantly licking their genitals
* Frequent urination without passing much urine
* Urinating in unusual places
* Cloudy or bloody urine
* Fever and loss of condition

What is the conventional treatment?

Conventional treatment of UTIs will depend on the specific cause of the problem. In many cases, antibiotics are prescribed which invariably relieve the animal’s symptoms rather speedily.

However antibiotics tend to have a general weakening effect on the immune system which can cause further problems, especially in the long-term and particularly if they are prescribed regularly for recurrent infections.

What is PetAlive UTI-Free?

UTI-Free is a selected combination of herbal and homeopathic ingredients especially formulated to safely and effectively treat the causes and the symptoms of urinary tract and bladder infections in pets.