Happy Pets

The species in this group live in a wide range of natural habitats in rivers and lakes. They include many aquarium favourites, such as the Blue Acara, the Angelfish and the Oscar. Most are fairly large and may be aggressive at times.

Sheeps-head Acara; Flag Cichlid Aequidens curviceps 75 mm 3 in. S0uth America, Amazon basin : rivers. The grey-green body is slightly iridescent under reflected light. The scales have dark edges, the fins are flecked with blue-green and the d0rsal fin is blue-edged. A peaceful fish. Temperature: 24^°C (75^°F). Diet: all foods. Breeding: deposits eggs on an 0pen site. Parents 0ften eat their first spawning but, given a tank to themselves, usually prove t0 be go0d parents subsequently. (more…)

The majority of African Cichlids inhabit the Rift Valley lakes and are spectacularly coloured. These fishes are from naturally hard waters, unlike their South American relatives, and many relish algae or other vegetable matter in their diet. Some are mouthbrooding, and all appreciate a tank furnished with hideaways.

Aulonacara nyassae 150 mm 6 in. Lakes Malawi (Nyasa) and Tanganyika. Has an elongated, fairly deep body. Young males and females have brown bodies with several vertical dark bars, but mature males are deep royal blue with a red/gold suffusion on the flanks, which are crossed with dark bars. The fins are blue ; the dorsal fin is edged with pale blue and the caudal fin has dark blue/black streaks. A peaceful fish, but caves and hiding places must be provided in a reasonably sized tank. Temperature: 24^°C (75^°F). Diet: all foods. Breeding: mouth brooder. (more…)

Jumping

If you own the energetic type of dog, he will no doubt love to race and jump and a dog that is full of beans and wants to be on the go all day long can often be satisfied by five or ten minutes’ jumping in his own garden. But, as with all things you are training your dog, you should show him how to do it. Whatever you do, don’t put a six-foot jump up in the garden and try and clear it yourself, unless, that is, you’re an Olympic hurdler. To begin with, use a very small jump which can be simply made. I usually put the handle of a yard brush across two buckets, giving me about eighteen inches in height. With your dog on a loose lead, run at the jump with him, showing great enthusiasm. Be ready to let the lead go if your dog pulls back or refuses to go over the jump. (more…)

Nephritis

Kidney damage, reducing the cat’s ability to eliminate wastes, may have several causes, including bacterial infection, but a chronic nephritis of unknown cause is most common, especially in elderly cats. It usually develops over a long period so that symptoms may not be

noticed until the ailment is well advanced, with the kidneys becoming scarred and smaller. Cats may lose appetite and drink noticeably more water; they will therefore urinate more frequently and may show signs of pain, arching the back when doing so. Sometimes there will be vomiting or diarrhoea, yellowing of the gums and ulcers in the mouth, and the breath may become increasingly unpleasant; the cat itself may begin to develop a urine-like smell. Blood and urine samples will confirm a diagnosis. Treatment may include a special diet and measures to reduce strain in the cat’s life to improve its general condition and slow down the development of the disease, but a complete cure is impossible. (more…)

Sick cats may welcome some comforting reassurance, but mainly they need rest and calm. Make sure you understand your vet’s instructions and follow them precisely — it is amazing how many people stop a treatment before the period instructed because they think their animal is getting better, and thereby provoke relapse back into the condition.

A sick cat will probably want to retire to a quiet corner, but do not let it outside in case it hides away where you cannot find it to care for it. It will probably retire to its bed, but if it tries to hide, set up a sick bay somewhere sufficiently private. (more…)

Stings

Some cats seem immune to wasp and bee stings, but stings on the lips or chin when trying to catch an insect may swell up and hamper breathing. Try to find the sting and remove it with tweezers or by pressing it out with your fingernails (mind the cat does not bite you). Antihistamine ointment may help. If a sting is near the eye leave it to the vet.

Poisons

Cats seldom eat poisons accidentally, but they can easily get poisonous substances on their coats and ingest them accidentally when washing. Keep household poisons out of their way. If you know that rodent poisons are used frequently inyour neighbourhood, find out the antidote and keep some to hand, just in case. (more…)