One would have to have a complete medical background to go into the history, nature and causes of all bird diseases. However, our purpose here is to advise you, the pet owner, of certain signs of illness and home remedies that may be used in their event.
Cleanliness is, of course, the prime requisite of a healthy bird. A good mite spray when needed, frequent baths and fresh, clean seed are of the utmost importance. (more…)
As well as controlling the essential functions of eating, drinking and breeding, in many respects the feline sense of smell can be said to be the engine that keeps cat society running smoothly, defining as it does the individual cat’s place within its feline (or feline—human) community, its relationship with other cats (or, in the case of a human household, surrogate cats) and the boundaries of its personal territory. (more…)
Travel sickness is somewhat different from anxiety about traveling, although there is undoubtedly considerable overlap between the two problems. Acclimatization to travel is best started in young kittens, since they adapt better and learn quickly, and the acclimatization process can be as gradual as needed. This can work in older cats too, and is worth tackling if frequent travel becomes necessary (see below for a suitable programme). (more…)
The first night with your puppy could be a traumatic experience for both of you. You may decide that you wish your puppy to sleep in your bedroom. Fine, but I might warn you it’s not a very pleasant experience to be jumped on and bitten in the middle of a peaceful sleep, apart from the fact that your bedroom carpet will not benefit from puppy’s puddles. The more acceptable place for a young puppy is in the kitchen. Your bedtime must now become a well thought out, planned affair. For at least half an hour before you wish to retire, play with your puppy. This will, hopefully, tire him out—at least for an hour or so. His supper eaten, you must visit the garden with him and ensure he’s a ‘busy dog‘. (more…)
The worst thing you can possibly do is introduce your puppy to the car on his first journey to the vet for his inoculations. A sensitive puppy will remember this traumatic experience and link the car journey with the vet. Stop problems before they begin and you’ll never have any. Don’t be tempted to rush any part of your puppy’s training. It would be so easy to put puppy in the car and go, and you could be lucky and have a dog who enjoyed car riding. But if the puppy you have has any qualms whatsoever about the car, you may be instilling a fear of the vehicle in him that will take years to cure. (more…)
The golden rule of training is never to let puppy make mistakes. My own Labradors love doing Stays, probably because, as a breed, they are basically idle, but I did come across one or two problems with Katy. While I was in full control of the situation teaching her Stays at home or in the park, everything went well and Katy had every confidence in this new command. But once she was old enough to be entered in Obedience shows, her Stays became a misery to her and, for a while, I couldn’t understand where I had made my mistakes. Each time I took her into the Stay ring, her ears went back and her body went stiff and I could tell from the expression on her face that she was extremely worried about the exercise and, although she never actually broke the Stay command at a show, she was never relaxed or happy once put into a Sit or Down-Stay. (more…)
Most kittens are toilet-trained by their mothers, and you need do no more than show them the litter tray, place them on it and perhaps move their paws in a digging action. It is usually easy to tell when a kitten is about to defecate or urinate: it will adopt a pose with its rear held off the ground. If it is in the wrong place, pick it up gently and place it in the right one. Do not act too suddenly or the kitten may pee from fright.
If a cat soils outside its litter tray it will seldom do so deliberately, although cats have been known to do this in order to attract attention to something else. The usual cause is that the litter needs changing and has become unacceptable, or has been placed somewhere awkward or uncomfortable. (more…)
If successfully mated, the queen’s oestrus lasts for only another three or four days. Make sure she has no access to any other torn during this time or you may find to your dismay that she conceives his kittens as well as, or instead of, the ones you want. Unlike humans, cats ovulate only in response to mating (unlike dogs and humans, they do not menstruate), and fertilization does not actually take place until 24-36 hours after mating.
The first sign that she is pregnant is when the nipples become pink, erect and a little enlarged. This is more noticeable with a first pregnancy, and becomes apparent about sixteen days after mating. By about the end of the third week an experienced vet can confirm that she is carrying kittens, for he can locate the embryos as pea-sized lumps. Do not try to feel them yourself. It will be another two or even three weeks before the cat’s abdomen becomes noticeably distended. (more…)
