How do I know if my pet has worms?

Cats: A number of intestinal parasites will produce no visible symptoms in your cat at all – or at least not at first. Other parasites such as the tapeworm will usually be visible in your cat’s feces and in the hair or on the skin around his anus.

Other symptoms of worms in cats may include:

* Vomiting
* Persistent dry cough
* Swollen abdomen
* Anemia
* Diarrhea
* Persistent scratching around the anus
* Weight loss
* Eating a great deal without putting on weight
* Breathing problems
* Bad breath

Dogs: In many cases you may not even know that your dog has worms without having a sample of his feces analyzed. Certain intestinal parasites such as tapeworm however are usually clearly visible either clinging to the skin or hair around the dog’s anus or in a fresh feces.

Other symptoms of worms in dogs may include:

* Weight loss
* Gastrointestinal disturbances
* Diarrhea
* Anemia
* Scratching, particularly around the base of the tail
* Vomiting
* Mild to severe coughing
* Eating a great deal without putting on weight
* Bad breath

One of the natural things that come along with Gert’s cycle is the natural instinct for cats mating. You may well open your front door to leave for work and she will shoot out that front door like a bullet. If you haven’t noticed every feral cat, neighbors cat and even “Ol” Roscoe, the cat from across town, has been waiting on her “Queenship” to get out the door.

Chances are all those male cats have been hanging around several days. Go take a look at your lawn and look at all the burn spots from their urine and feces. You know cats like to urinate and defecate in the same place or as near to it as they can get. Now not only do you have a pregnant cat on your hands, but a ruined lawn or flower beds. Once again you can be looking at a major expense getting your lawn back into pristine condition.

It is possible, even though unlikely, that the problem of so many cats invading one neighborhood could affect the actual real estate value of your home or your neighbors; if they hang around long enough. “Well thanks for the added problem.” You say. “What’s the solution?” You ask.

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.

By Sue Martin

Please be wary of any animal practitioner or supplier of essential oils claiming that their products or techniques are completely safe to use with cats: the statement is both inaccurate and unsafe. No matter what their claims say, nothing will change the unique physiology of a cat.

Generally, essential oils consist of hydrocarbons or monofunctional compounds from mono-and sesqui-terpenes, together phenylpropanoids and other volatile aliphatic and aromatic substances.

Many terpenoids are rapidly absorbed orally and dermally by the cat’s system and are metabolized in the liver. Due to their volatile nature, inhalation of essential oil components is also possible, and these enter the bloodstream via the lungs, also to be metabolized in the liver.

The terpenoids and their metabolites are often conjugated with glucuronic acid (glucuronidation) and glycine depending on the type of terpenoid and animal species involved. The conjugated metabolites are usually more water-soluble and are easily excreted through the kidney and feces.

Cats are known to be deficient in their ability to eliminate compounds through hepatic glucuronidation (they lack enzyme glucuronyl tranferases) . Glucuronidation is an important detoxification mechanism present in most animals except cats. Lack of this important detoxification mechanism in cats may result in slower elimination and thus build up of the toxic metabolites in the body causing toxicity problems.

About Parvovirus

Parvo is a viral disease that affects dogs. This illness can cause severe digestive symptoms, as well as fever and shock and may even prove fatal. Parvovirus attacks rapidly dividing cells like those in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract as well as developing white blood cells. In this way parvovirus leads to symptoms like bloody diarrhea, vomiting and loss of proper immune system functioning. Puppies are more commonly and more severely affected than adult dogs due to their still-developing immune system. Puppies can easily succumb to this disease, especially when the virus infects the muscle of the heart.

The first indications of Parvo in an infected dog are usually high fever, lethargy and loss of appetite. Later, vomiting and diarrhea develop. The stool is often bloody and may have a yellowish color and noticeably foul odor. Without effective treatment, dehydration, shock and even death may follow.

How do dogs contract Parvovirus?

Canine parvovirus is carried by dogs, many of whom show no symptoms themselves. The virus is also shed in the diarrhea of infected dogs and can subsequently survive in the ground and the outside environment for a very long time – even several months.

Dog Travel Prepping Your Dog For An Overnight Visit To A Friend’s House

Often during travel times, such as the holidays, we have no choice but to take our puppy or adult dog with us and stay overnight at a friend or family’s house. This overnight visit can prove to be a ton of fun or quite the opposite, and unnerving disaster. Of course this situation can go either way which totally depends on how you handle it.

For starters, do your best to pack all of the items necessary in which your dog may need. Some overnight stays with pets in another person’s home can be quite troublesome when important doggy items are left behind. For example, it is imperative that you bring a crate that properly fits the size of your dog. Be sure to take along plenty of dog treats as well as his standard food for feeding times.

Bringing a doggy bed is also an integral part of making your dog feel comfortable while sleeping in a strange place. It will also make your host feel more comfortable knowing that your dog or puppy will not be shedding and slobbering all over the furniture when he sleeps.

Respiratory infections in pets

If you have noticed signs of lethargy, coughing, sneezing, fever and runny eyes or nose, then your pet is probably suffering from a cold or upper respiratory infection. This is an infection of the nose, throat and upper airways similar to when humans get a cold or flu. Cats are particularly prone to respiratory infections, but dogs can also contract them, including the common problem of kennel cough.

You may also notice that your pet has stopped eating; this happens particularly to cats because their appetites are primarily driven by smell. If a cat’s nose is blocked and he cannot smell, he will probably become more picky about what he will eat or stop eating altogether for a few days.

Like humans, pets are also susceptible to secondary sinus and chest infections that can result from an untreated cold or initial upper respiratory infection.

Although respiratory infections usually resolve within about 7-10 days, very young or very old pets may be at serious risk when infected with a cold or respiratory infection. For this reason, one should never ignore a pet’s illness. Prompt attention and treatment will save your pet much discomfort and, in weaker animals, may even save their life.

Question:

I have a 4 year old Great Dane female who is being treated for urinary incontinence with 50 mg of phenylpropanoliamine. I also started her on an herbal suppliment (immunity & liver support) containing taraxacum officinalis, echinacea purpurea, withania somnifera, silybum marianus and rice powder. will she be safe taking both at the same time?

Answer:

Hi Bridget

Thanks for your query. The ingredients of Immunity and Liver Support have a high safety profile and there is no known negative interaction with the prescription medication that Cadee is taking.

As a precaution we always recommend that you inform your vet whenever you add any remedies to medication that your pet is already taking.

Housetraining: The Link Between Medications & Your Dog’s House-Wetting Accidents

Some medications cause a dog to drink more and thus produce such copious amounts of urine that the dog can’t wait as long between outdoor breaks or leaks while relaxed. If wetting accidents occur shortly after a dog starts a new medicine, double-check with your veterinarian to see if increased thirst or urination are side effects.

Warning: Don’t abruptly halt the use of a medication without first consulting your dog’s veterinarian. Abrupt cessation could be dangerous.

The most commonly used medications that cause these side effects include:

1) Cortisone-type Medications

This includes prednisone. Veterinarians routinely use cortisones for their anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory effects in a wide variety of conditions. Injectable, oral and topical cortisones such as ear medications or eye drops can cause increased thirst and urination.

2) Phenobarbital

This is the most commonly used anti-seizure medication in veterinary medicine. Side effects may be either temporary or permanent. There has been almost a 90% decrease in urination problems once this medication was stopped. But if your dog must have it to stop seizures then the house-wetting is just something you will have to live with.

Most unnecessary deaths of dogs that occur due to flea collar poisoning are the result of an allergic reaction to the active ingredient. Even if your dog is perfectly well at the time the device placed around his neck, observe your dog closely for the first few days.

If your dog should become ill while wearing a flea collar device, remove it until the reason for the illness can be determined. Leave the device off until the dog is completely recovered.

By observing the following eight precautions, you can use the flea collar to your dog’s best advantage:

1. Buckle the collar securely, but not tightly around his neck. These collars, as well as any collar for that matter, should be worn loosely.

2. When bathing your dog, remove the collar until the dog is completely dry. Never let your dog get wet while wearing a flea-killing device.

3. Animals should never be allowed to chew on flea collars or other flea-killing devices. Keep in mind, if you have more than one dog, they may be tempted to chew at these collars worn by the other dogs.