Are Parasites Killing Your Pets?

Of course we all want to take care of our beloved pets but is it possible that parasites are endangering their lives? Although dogs and cats are generally considered to be rather disease free, they are both susceptible to parasites such as hook worms. Otherwise known as Dipylidium Caninum, the “hook worm” is a particularly nasty parasite that can and will shorten the life of your pet unless properly treated.

Parasites like the hook worm actually have teeth that they use to attach to the small intestine of your dog or cat (actually, these parasites are also a danger to humans too!). Now these are rather simple parasites with three basic body parts: the head, neck, and tail. Every hook worm has only one head and neck, but they may have several tail segments.

The tail segment is very important to parasites like the hook worm because this is how they breed. Every tail section has the reproductive organs for the hook worm. Sections of tail break off all the time and are passed with other solid waste (in the animal’s feces). Fleas, who lay their eggs in feces, eat the tail segments and are thus infected with hook worm.

The parasites are passed on to the animal when the flea bites it. It is also possible for animals to become infested with these parasites by eating the fleas themselves. Therefore, the best prevention for hook worms is to rid your home and yard of fleas. Then, make sure the animal is free of the parasites by taking it to your veterinarian. If infected, the animal will be orally given a mild poison that will cleanse its system of the hook worms.

Hook worms may not seem like very dangerous parasites but their effect upon animals is cumulative. After prolonged periods of infestation, animals will appear emaciated as they will have been deprived of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients by the parasites clinging to their intestinal walls. In time, the immune system will weaken and the animal will become prone to disease. If left untreated, hook worms are indeed parasites that can and will kill your pets.

It is usually possible to determine if your animal has hook worms by inspecting its stool for the parasites. Plus, if the stool is often too wet or runny, it is likely your pet has hook worms. Pets suspected of having the parasites need to be taken to the vet immediately as the risk of spreading hook worms to humans is very real. After the animal has been rid of the worms, be sure to destroy any flea populations in the area or the risk of re-infection is very high.

Turtles Swallows

Sea turtles are large, air-breathing reptiles that inhabit tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. Their shells consist of an upper part (carapace) and a lower section (plastron). Hard scales (or scutes) cover all but the leatherback, and the number and arrangement of these scutes can be used to determine the species.


turtles

turtles are reptiles of the Order Testudines , most of whose body is shielded by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs. The Order Testudines includes both extant (living) and extinct species. The earliest known turtles date from 215 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards and snakes. About 300 species are alive today, and some are highly endangered.

Sea turtles come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. The olive ridley is usually less than 100 pounds, while the leatherback typically ranges from 650 to 1,300 pounds! The upper shell, or carapace, of each sea turtle species ranges in length, color, shape and arrangement of scales.

Sea turtles do not have teeth, but their jaws have modified “beaks” suited to their particular diet. They do not have visible ears but have eardrums covered by skin. They hear best at low frequencies, and their sense of smell is excellent. Their vision underwater is good, but they are nearsighted out of water. Their streamlined bodies and large flippers make them remarkably adapted to life at sea. However, sea turtles maintain close ties to land.

turtles cannot breathe in water, but they can hold their breath for various periods of time.

Females must come ashore to lay their eggs in the sand; therefore, all sea turtles begin their lives as tiny hatchlings on land. Research on marine turtles has uncovered many facts about these ancient creatures. Most of this research has been focused on nesting females and hatchlings emerging from the nest, largely because they are the easiest to find and study.

Thousands of sea turtles around the world have been tagged to help collect information about their growth rates, reproductive cycles and migration routes.

Like other reptiles, turtles are poikilothermic . Like other amniotes, they breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, although many species live in or around water. The largest turtles are aquatic.After decades of studying sea turtles, much has been learned. However, many mysteries still remain.

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Cat Training for Your Intractable Cat

Cats are almost always depicted as loners, the lords of their realm, snobbish and downright stubborn. This is a type of animal that is quite proud, going their own way and rarely following orders. Think Garfield.

While this could be quite unfair to the cat, they are almost always compared to the loyalty and obedience of a dog, qualities which make them a popular pet all over the world.

That is why it is recommended to all cat owners or those who do plan to get a cat to train them immediately. This establishes the role of each person in the household. Cat training allows for the cat owner to train his or her cat and eventually leading up to a long lasting loving relationship between owner and pet.

Just like having a child, a pet cat that knows how to follow orders and is a source of pride and joy will be given great attention and love as well as more rewards.

But, before you start training your cat, you must know first its natural instincts and behaviours. As cat owners, we must respect what is but natural to every cat so we don't encroach into those natural instincts.

It is not uncommon for some cats to feel depression and stress, so do not mistake this for stubbornness or hard-headedness. This may cause a rift between you and your cat. The more you scream at it and the more you hurt it, the more the wedge and rift grows, making it harder to do cat training.

Have your cat checked out by a vet first before any cat training. There are many factors to consider first. If the vet gives the thumbs-up sign then your good to go. Cat training will provide for a happier and healthier cat-owner relationship.

Natural Pet Foods Are Going to the Dogs

Not surprisingly, many pet owners are now passing along some human lifestyle habits to their furry housemates. For a number of reasons, pet owners are opting to provide their animal companions with dietary choices once reserved for humans. Maintaining a proper diet regimen for our pets has always been an important responsibility of overall pet ownership. The trend toward more healthy pet foods has been growing for several years.

Dogs and cats are susceptible to many of the same diseases as their human counterparts. Diabetes, heart disease and other medical conditions strike pets with some regularity. Prevention or treatment of these illnesses often requires changes to the animals diet. My own beloved Golden Retriever was stricken with canine diabetes that required daily doses of insulin and very careful monitoring of his blood glucose.

Just like a human with this debilitating disease, Einstein needed a very special diet in order to control his weight and keep his blood glucose levels in line. A local vet recommended a very expensive brand of food that was not much different in nutritional content then the cheaper stuff.

After consulting several veterinary specialists, we settled on a combination of off the shelf foods that worked fairly well. We would occasionally prepare home cooked meals for this sweet dog, following the same dietary prescriptions that would be used for humans. We found recipes that contained high protein levels, and were low in fat and carbohydrates. Vegetables like green pepper and zucchini made great snacks.

Aside from the obvious need to treat a medical condition with proper diet, many pet owners are looking for ways to prolong the life and good health of their animal companions. Home cooked pet food recipes are widely available giving pets access to some foods that they would only dream about while napping on the couch. Begging at the dinner table has become a thing of the past for many pets. Providing the proper balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates can be tricky at first, but some types of people food can be prepared to your pets benefit.

In 2005, there was a nationwide scare over pet foods that had been contaminated with a naturally occurring grain fungus. The fungus produces the poison aflatoxin that resulted in the recall over a dozen brands of dog and cat food. Sadly, there were reports of pets that died or became seriously ill because of the contamination.

Pets were again put at risk in 2007 when two cases of pet food contamination reportedly caused the deaths of thousands of dogs and cats world wide. Two industrial chemicals, aminopterin and melamine, was found in dozens of pet food products. Two massive product recalls were ordered but not before thousands of family companions died or became seriously ill. Pet owners were forced to spend enormous amounts of money to treat their sick pets.

These tragic events have driven more and more pet owners to reconsider what their pets eat. As a result, the market for natural and organic pet foods has grown significantly. Many pet owners are not only cooking for themselves but for their pets as well. When preparing food for your pet, always consult a veterinary professional. Cats, dogs and other domestic pets have very different dietary needs and owners need to educate themselves before firing up the stove.

When choosing a store bought pet food product, take the time to read the content labeling carefully. Just like humans, our pet companions need us to provide them with a balanced diet. If you have questions about what is best for your pet, always consult a veterinary professional.

Damn Digging Dog!

You'll never stop them from doing it until you figure out why they're doing it. You can tell a lot from where they're digging and the types of holes they dig.

Holes By The Fence: Holes by the fence mean that dogs are digging to escape - sometimes because something is intriguing them, but mainly because they're bored and looking for action. Pets who haven't been neutered, of course, have more compelling reasons to get out.

Holes Near The House: Holes by the house are a sign that dogs are lonely and want to get inside where the people are.

Holes Scattered Around The Yard: Shallow holes scattered around the yard usually indicate that a dog is trying to get comfortable. Holes are cool in summer and warm in winter.

Supplying a wading pool filled with cool water or, in winter, giving dogs a sheltered place with a warm bed will often stop them from digging. These dogs are just trying to get comfortable, and they'd be perfectly content to not have to labor for their comfort.

Happy Diggers

It's quite easy to recognize dogs who dig just for the thrill of it. They look happy. In addition, dogs who have a specific purpose in mind usually dig when they're alone.

Happy diggers, on the other hand, will do it any time. In fact, they may be more likely to dig when people are around, because they want to share their excitement.

It's not impossible to teach dogs to leave the dirt alone, but it's an uphill fight - and the dogs are usually the winners. Compromise is usually a better choice than confrontation.

We all want our dogs to have nice, complete lives and If digging is their passion, you can help them find a way to do it that doesn't destroy your property.

1. Pick an acceptable spot. Unless your yard is the size of a postage stamp, there's sure to be a place where you wouldn't mind having a few holes. It can't be too far out of the way, however, because dogs avoid places where they feel isolated.

It has to be a place where they feel comfortable. Look at the holes your dog has already dug to get clues about her choice of terrain.

2. Bury something good. Dogs aren't going to start digging just because you point to a spot and say, "Dig." You have to make it worth their while. Dig a small hole yourself and bury a bone or one of your dog's favorite toys.

Let her watch while you do it. This will give her the idea, and it won't take long before she notices a familiar, intriguing scent wafting up from the ground. Then she's on her own.

3. Cheer her on. Once she starts tunneling, encourage her. Act excited. Maybe get down on all fours and dig a little yourself. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Your excitement will let her know that she's on to something, and she'll keep digging to get more of that good energy.

Not Your Typical Pet - Australia Kangaroos

Australia is home to the world famous kangaroo. Nowhere in the world can you find as many as those roaming around in the Australian outback. Kangaroo is almost synonymous to Australia because when you talk about kangaroo, Australia would readily come in mind. Although countries like New Zealand, New Guinea and the pacific island US state Hawaii have become homes to some species of kangaroos, Australia kangaroos are truly different and unique.

Their strong back legs that they use for mobility---hopping, commonly identify Australia kangaroos. Kangaroos are classified in two families, the Macropodidae and Potoroidae. The Macropodidae, other than kangaroos, has wallabies, tree-kangaroos. It also has wallaroos and pademelons. The potoroidae have different kinds like potoroos, bettongs and the rat-kangaroos. All these species are exclusively found in Australia and thrive in different habitats.

The red and gray kangaroos are the two most common and best-known types of Australia kangaroos. Although the red one is considered as the largest marsupial. On the one hand a male red kangaroo can stand as high as two meters and can be as heavy as 90 kilograms. It survives in dry land areas of Australia like the dessert and grassland. They are also found living along mallee areas and mulga country. They can even survive without water for a prolonged period for as long as it can feed on green grass. On the other hand a gray kangaroo, which has two types, eastern and western, is very common in areas where there is considerable frequency of rainfall.

Australia kangaroos or any kangaroos for that matter are famous for their pouch. A newly born or young kangaroo is carried by the mother inside the pouch while being attached to one of the teats. The baby kangaroo stay inside the pouch until such time that it is strong and able enough to hop on its own.

The kangaroos in Australia are facing threats of extinction because of the heavy improvement on some areas where kangaroos live. Modernization is one of the archenemies of kangaroos. It destroys their natural habitat thus they go on quandary in looking for food for their survival. Other predators like fox and wild cats, changing climates that lead to forest fires, transformation of grassland into grazing lands also pose grave threats to kangaroos survival.

The Australian government has spearheaded measures in protecting Australia kangaroos through legislation. It also assisted in research endeavors to better the living conditions of kangaroos. Kangaroos are now being protected from hunting activities. Some areas are now protected in favor of these kangaroos.

Kangaroos will always be a part of Australian pride. But for how long will it take for any Australian to hold on to that pride if the kangaroos are becoming extinct. Actually there are many things that can be done to help preserve the kangaroos. Let us do our share.

The Norwegian Forest Cat: a Feast for the Eyes

Take a gorgeous cat that has a long, flowing coat of silky fur that you just love to touch but requires little to no grooming, and you have a Norwegian Forest Cat. These beautiful cats have bright emerald green eyes with a band of gold and possess a face with one of the sweetest expressions you will see on a cat. It all combines into such a lovely package that you just can't stop looking at them. Used by the Vikings to protect their grain stores on both the sea and on land, these cats have explored the world over and it is believed that many of the progeny were left behind on the shores of North America. Another interesting feature of the Norwegian Forest Cat is that their look varies greatly between winter and summer. During the spring, they shed their luxurious undercoat with its downy warmth. But they keep the long outer guard hairs that don't tangle like the fur of most longhaired cats, and acts as a deflector against snow and rain, so that the difference in their coat from season to season can be quite extreme. They also have inner-ear hair ranging from three to four inches in length and curves out and around their ears. Not to be forgotten is their magnificent tail which, when fanned out to its fullest, can be as much as twelve inches or more. Their color ranges from purest white to the darkest black with nearly every combination of coat pattern and color combination. The light colored cats had much thicker coats with lots of undercoat to keep them warm in the winter, while the darker colored coat, which absorbs the heat better, tends to be slightly thinner but just as glamorous. The Norwegian Forest Cat's Norse name is skogkatt, which means forest cat. They are believed to have come out of the Scandinavian forests some four thousand years ago. These cats are considered to be one of the best people-oriented cats, but as in any animal, their personality will differ depending upon the kind of home in which they live and the type of handling they received from their owners. If handled and petted from the time they are kittens, they will respond accordingly. If you wish your Norwegian Forest Cat to get along with children, dogs, or other cats, it is best to expose them at an early age so that they are used to it.