Wheezing is noisy breathing (respiration) and may be accompanied by increased effort during breathing, noticeable by exaggerated movements of the abdomen or chest, and perhaps more rapid breathing than normal. True wheezing is often caused by allergic conditions, especially the quite common condition of feline ASTHMA, but most owners would be unable to differentiate this from similar breathing noises caused by other conditions such as PNEUMONIA. (more…)
Wounds are injuries which disrupt or destroy tissues, usually the skin. Severe wounds may also affect underlying structures such as bones or internal organs and gun shot wounds, in particular, can cause massive damage to adjacent structures.
Wounds vary enormously, from small and superficial to extensive and deep, and can sometimes be very deceptive in appearance. For example, bite puncture wounds are often much more serious than large but superficial skin tears, yet a puncture wound may be so small as to be hardly noticeable on the cat’s hairy body. Initial impressions might be that the gaping shallow skin wound is the worse injury, it certainly looks more dramatic. However it is often the small but deep bite injury, combined with the crushing effect on surrounding tissue that causes the most pain and carries most risk of serious complications. (more…)
Choosing a puppy appears to be rather a haphazard affair, and when you consider how many different breeds there are to choose from and how human nature varies, it’s not surprising we sometimes end up with the wrong dog. So, let’s approach the subject of buying a puppy from a completely different angle—the puppy’s. For a long-lasting and fruitful relationship, you need not only the right breed, but also the right temperament. First of all, we must sweep away all the old sayings about buying dogs: for example, if you have a large house you can have a large dog; if you live in a flat you must have a small dog. As far as I am concerned, the size of your living accommodation is irrelevant to the size of your dog. A Great Dane will be quite contented living in a flat if he’s given the right amount of exercise and attention from his owner, and let’s forget the nonsense about little dogs requiring little exercise. Unless you’re thinking in terms of a Chihuahua, every dog needs to be exercised daily. (more…)
Test One: Place puppy on the ground. Walk away, calling him. If the puppy follows and tries to bite shoes and shoelaces, or hang on to trousers as the breeder walks, he belongs in category number 1. If a puppy follows joyfully, jumps up and doesn’t bite, he belongs in category number 2. If he follows, but a little uncertain with tail down, put him under number 3. If he refuses to come at all, he’s a number 4 puppy.
Test Two: Place puppy on the ground. Sit down on the floor a little way away. Call him, pleasantly, clapping your hands. If he comes and bites hands, he belongs in group number 1. If he comes and licks, wagging his tail, put him under number 2. If he comes uncertainly, he belongs in group number 3. If he refuses to come at all, he’s a number 4. puppy. (more…)
Finally, you must decide whether you want a dog or a bitch. In my opinion, the old saying that the dog is dominant and the bitch is loyal has no credence. If you are not interested in breeding, then the sex of your puppy is irrelevant if the temperament is right. If you have no intention of breeding from your dog, then I advise that you have him castrated or her spayed. The ideal age is around a year old, but I advise you to consult with your veterinary surgeon on this matter. I am astounded at the attitude of many male dog owners on my suggestion that they have the dog castrated. Their usual retort is, ‘It’s cruel. You’re taking his natural rights away from him.’ In my view, it is criminal to keep a male dog entire and never let him mate a bitch. These owners are asking their dogs to live the life of a monk. The entire male dog will be in constant search of a bitch and, therefore, suffer mental anguish. It is far kinder to have him castrated before he reaches full maturity. Bitches that are unspayed and constantly left to cope with their ’seasons’ can also suffer a lot of mental anguish, with false pregnancies and milk. Eventually, the unspayed bitch usually develops womb problems that can often be fatal. (more…)
The most important thing when choosing a puppy is that you must be honest with yourself in assessing not only your capabilities and physical fitness for dog ownership, but your character. The best ‘way I can describe to you how to match yourself to a dog is to explain how I match with Labradors, and how various friends I know match with their breeds of dogs. I am going to try and be as honest with you as I can about my own temperament. Firstly, I am basically idle, so if I chose a breed with a heavy coat I am sure I would occasionally miss the daily grooming sessions. Although I love walking and being out in the country, the faster type of breeds would not suit me. I need a slower-moving dog who I can keep within my sight-range. (more…)
Your temperament, physical fitness, height, weight and wage packet should all come into your considerations. Let’s take it from the bottom. The wage packet is important in the size of dog you can afford to feed. The days of feeding the family pet on scraps have long since gone. A large breed of dog, such as a German Shepherd (Alsatian) or Doberman, will eat about two pounds of food a day whereas smaller breeds, such as Yorkshire terrier and toy poodle, will only require four to six ounces. Then, there’s the strength of your body and mind to consider. I have seen a four-month-old Great Dane puppy drag his owner along the pavement. I have also seen a 6′ 2″ man with a voice like thunder endeavouring to persuade his Yorkshire terrier that he is not an ogre. (more…)
The Puppy’s Bed: Buy a hard plastic bed for your puppy. I have tried all types on my own dogs. When Bracken came to us at the age of six weeks, I bought a large and rather expensive basket. I never thought for one moment that a tiny, six-week-old puppy could destroy such a large bed, but Bracken proved me wrong. Within fourteen days he had chewed the whole thing. I then provided him with a comfortable, soft foam, bed. This didn’t take him as long to destroy as the basket. Within one night he’d shredded it into one inch square pieces of foam. Then I discovered the hard plastic dog beds which are still in my dog room, unchewed.
Try to find an out-of-the-way, secluded, draught-free, spot for your puppy’s bed. The most sensible place is the kitchen, or utility room if you have one, where floors are uncarpeted and easily washed. (more…)
House-training should prove no problem if you’re quick and alert to your puppy’s needs. He will need to pay frequent visits to his spot in the garden: after each meal, after a sleep and any time you think about it in between. Always pick him up and carry him to the spot. Give him a command. I use the words ‘busy dog‘. Don’t dump him and retreat back to the house and close the door. He hasn’t a clue what he’s been put in the garden for. You must stay with him, repeating your commands over and over again. Whether it’s hailing, blowing a gale or a snowstorm’s on, you must persevere. As soon as he’s been a ‘busy dog‘, give him lots of praise, tell him how clever he is, pick him up and return him to the house. If you are diligent and watch your puppy closely, you will know when he needs to go out. A sure sign will be when he puts his nose to the ground, his tail up in the air and runs round in circles. That is your cue to move speedily with him into the garden. (more…)
Part of the secret of having a well-trained puppy is the ability on your part to think ahead. You won’t be able to take him for a walk outside until he’s completed his injections, at about fourteen to sixteen weeks. This is far too late to introduce your puppy to a collar and lead and the outside world. The socialization of your puppy at an early age is essential if you require a well-adjusted adult dog. I discovered this, to my cost, with Bracken, my first puppy. I never thought of taking him out on to the streets until he was sixteen weeks old. At home, he was perfectly behaved and afraid of nothing and walked well in the garden on a collar and lead. You can imagine my surprise at our first day’s outing. The moment we stepped out of the gate, Bracken flattened himself to the pavement with terror at the sound and sights of traffic. (more…)
