Keep alert to changes in your pets’ behavior

Keep alert to changes in your pets’ behavior, such as loss of appetite, difficulty breathing and decreased energy. Bring bumps and lumps to your vet’s attention — cancer is not uncommon in older animals, and while most lumps are nothing to worry about, you shouldn’t ignore them. Regular veterinary care becomes even important for older animals, so keep that annual appointment. Very few people actually brush their pets’ teeth, and an older pet may require dental care to prevent loss of teeth and subsequent trouble eating. Your vet can also check for heart problems, recommend dietary changes and run simple screening tests that can indicate possible health issues. With the proper care and attention, most pets can live long and healthy lives, especially if they watch their weight — see the next question, which also relates to healthy old age.

Your pet get old also........here are tips for pet lovers out there!

As they age, most animals will sleep more and get less exercise, so changes in diet are called for. There are senior pet-food formulas that provide for the different needs of older pets. Make sure you are feeding a high quality brand, not one that contains lots of fillers and byproducts (that goes for younger animals too!). Monitor water intake — too little can lead to digestive problems, and drinking a lot might indicate diabetes, a treatable disease that many cats develop as they age.

Aging pets will often become somewhat deaf and may have impaired vision, so look for signs that response times are slowing down and adjust your behavior accordingly. Some dogs and cats get snappy as they age, so don’t startle an older animal out of a nap and make sure they know you’re approaching. For example, try stomping your feet or pitching your voice higher if your dog isn’t responding to you from across the room.

Have your pet ID-tagged

Have your pet ID-tagged. Pets get lost all the time. You only need to look at the Lost Section in the Classifieds of the local paper. If your pet has been ID-tagged, your chances of being reunited are just so much bigger.

Arrange adequate care when you are away. Unless you have a house sitter or a pet sitter that you trust, or a decent kennel that has been recommended, you shouldn't be going away. Your pets are your responsibility – especially when you are going on holiday.

Pets need people

Pets need people. Cats can still spend quite a lot of time on their own and be fine with it, but dogs need lots of company. They are pack animals and get depressed if they are cooped up all day on their own. If you work fulltime, consider getting more than one dog, so they can keep each other company. Playing with your animals and spending fun times with them are so important. That’s the point of having a pet in the first place.

Get a vet you trust. If your pet gets ill, or is hurt in some way, you want to know that your vet will do the best he or she can. Most pets don't like going to the vet, but you will be able to see quickly whether your vet likes animals and whether your pet likes him or her. If you are faced with a huge vet bill, remember that vets are often quite amenable to making arrangements to have bills paid off.

More Tips in taking care of your pets

Feed your animals at the same time every day. Pets are also creatures of habit, and they need the security of regular and predictable feeding times. It is not a good idea to let pets have unlimited access to food sources – many of them will eat too much, especially if they are bored, or feel anxious. Put the food down, leave it for half an hour, and then remove it. Make sure there is always fresh water for your animals.

Never hit your animals. Animals are hurt and confused by this and it does not solve any disciplinary problems. You may merely be taking out your anger on a defenceless animal. Don't go there. Usually your tone of voice is quite enough to convey displeasure. Also protect your pets from your toddlers. Small children can hurt pets quite badly without even realising what they are doing.

Older animals slow down just as people do

So be aware that your cats may not be able to jump as high as they used to, and the dog might run out of steam a little more quickly. Make sure that favorite perches are still accessible and that food and water are still reachable (I have a carpeted, multi-level cat tree next to the cat feeding station to accommodate my own older cats while still keeping the dog out of their food). Many people provide a stepstool or other assistance for pets that are having trouble climbing onto their favorite sofa.

Tips in taking care of your pets....dog that is

Have your pet spayed or neutered. That is unless you want to use the dog or cat for breeding purposes. There are few things that contribute more to the problem of stray or unwanted animals, than indiscriminate breeding of pets. Having one litter after the other also puts strain on your pets.

Take your dog for walks. Dogs need exercise and become grumpy and unmanageable when kept confined in yards or gardens. Especially dogs that need a lot of exercise, such as border collies. They need open spaces. If you are not prepared to commit yourself to taking your dog for a daily walk or run, you shouldn't have one.

Pet quote for the Day!

Be consistent in your rules. This is especially important for dogs.

Inconsistency makes dogs nervous and uncertain. If you don't want a dog on the furniture, you should never allow it. Allowing it now and then makes the animal uncertain.

And while we're on the topic, different people in the household should not apply different rules for pets. Decide on them together, and stick to them.

caring for your pets

With advances in veterinary care, the availability of quality foods and the care given to many cherished pets, dogs and cats are living longer than they used to. Cats, being more uniform in size, have an average lifespan of 15 years or so (that average is for indoor cats), though many cats are healthy and alert well into the late teens and even 20s. The old formula of one dog year equaling seven human years holds roughly true, though much depends on the size of the dog.

Larger breeds (over 50 pounds) are considered geriatric by age 10, while smaller dogs (under 20 pounds) age more slowly and generally live longer (14 to 18 years). My own 40-pound mix is going strong at 9 and in fact is in far better shape than I am, though technically she’s old enough to be my mother.

Tainted pet food made world headlines this year

The Food and drug Administration's investigation into tainted pet food is still open and active more than two months after the initial pet food recall.

Some pets died, others survived. What is next?A statement released by Menu Foods just this week says the Canadian-based company is doing everything it can to address claims and concerns in a timely manner..

But are you still putting your pet at risk?

cage for different pets

We are going to build a new cage for our pets, we have a rabbit, five pigeons and five canaries. We have a greenhouse of approx. 2.5 x 4.5 metres that we want to turn into a cage.
Our plans are to make a waterfall, a little pond with some fish, and to put some different kinds of plants in it, maybe even some more birds.

The problem is that we don't know which materials to use, which plants to put in there, what the best design is, etc.

We would like to know if you have some ideas, or if there are any books or websites where we can find some information or tips that can help us.

Keeping your pets healthy

“I think everyday you should be looking at what you're feeding your pet,” said Herman.
Doctor Newmark's best advice is to keep on top of the recent recalls.

“Information is important and knowledge is key to keeping your pets healthy,” said Newmark.
With the recall expanding every day, he says it could get worse, “In my humble opinion, it certainly seems that it is becoming more of a problem as time goes on and what's down the road, who knows?”

owning a pet...

These days, animal welfare organisations make doubly sure that you are able to be a responsible pet owner before they hand over a puppy, a kitten or a grown animal. So before you take on Fido or Fluffy, take a look at the following tips from the Cybervet forum users.

Make sure you can afford a pet. Once you have a pet, you need to be able to pay for the injections your pet will need, good pet food doesn't come cheaply, and footing vet bills when your pet is ill could be expensive. Unless you can afford to look after a pet properly, you shouldn't have one.

Continuation on How to help your pets adjust, consider the following tips:

By car
Your pet should always wear a special ID tag, with its name, your name and where you can be reached.
Keep your dog on a leash when outside. Cat harnesses are available at many pet shops.
Have your pet's nails clipped before the trip to prevent scratches and damage to the car.
Do not feed or water the pet just before starting. Feed it only once a day, preferably in the evening.
Plan stops at rest areas to give your dog a drink and a short run.
Take a large container of water from your old home: A sudden change in drinking water may upset a dog's stomach.

To help your pets adjust, consider the following tips:

If you think moving is hard on you and the kids, think what the change means to the mental health of Fluffy and Fido. To help your pets adjust, consider the following tips:

By plane
Consider sending smaller pets by air express.
Obtain a shipping container a week or two in advance.
Feed the pet no less than five or six hours before flight time.
Give the pet a drink of water no less than two hours before the flight.
Be sure that names, addresses and telephone numbers of people responsible for the pet at the point of origin and destination are clearly marked on the container and on the pet's ID tag.

Notify the person receiving the pet that it is on the way.

The microchip uses radio-frequency identification

As many pets go missing each year, a charitable organization seeks to help Hernando County residents keep track of their furry companions

The microchip uses radio-frequency identification, a technology developed by the Digital Angel Corporation and is made to facilitate the recovery of pets, said Julie Lux, spokesperson for Schering-Plough Corporation. Once the microchip is embedded, a scanner is waved over the pet that picks up an ID number. Should someone find a missing pet and bring it to a vet or shelter, they can identify the animal by its ID number and contact the company which then matches it to pre-registered information and afterwards contacts the owner, said Lux.

Tainted food moves beyond pets

“People are surprised that the FDA doesn’t have the power to mandate recalls, because they keep hearing the word but then read that they are really only voluntary recalls.”Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois Chemically tainted pet-food ingredients from China, believed to have sickened or killed thousands of American pets, entered the U.S. human food chain — some through a Kansas hog operation.

The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that chickens and hogs that ate contaminated pet food have been processed and most likely eaten by humans

It’s the nightmare of pet lovers everywhere.

Fido or Whiskers gets lost, is scooped up by animal thieves, then sold to be dissected in a university research lab.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that every year middlemen known as “Class B” animal dealers round up about 18,000 dogs and cats through flea markets and free-to-good-home ads and sell them to laboratories and university research labs.
In the process, it says, lost pets are rounded up, too.

Now that Congress has undergone a change in leadership, the animal advocacy group hopes lawmakers will make it illegal for “Class B” dealers to sell “random source” cats and dogs to research labs.

What are the best virtual pet sites?

Neopets is time-wasting, Kenopets banned me because my worst enemy(school) reported me for no reason, Marapets spamed me, Powerpets is time-wasting, Kiropets spamed me and Fishland spamed me! Anyone? Is there any answers? Just let me know!

Insurance for the pets

I was wondering if pet insurance is a good idea. I currently have two mutts I love dearly. They are about 3 and 5 years old, but I'm concerned for the future. My last three dogs died of cancer (all within about six months of each other) and the vet bills towards the end were astronomical. (Please don't tell me to just put them down when they get sick since they are like children to me and I wouldn't expect somebody to do that to their kids.) I received something from our vet about VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance) and I'm not sure if it would be worth it in the end. Routine care isn't covered unless you get additional coverage. I'm waiting for my online quote so I'm not sure how much it will cost. Does anybody here have some advice to offer me?

Conservationists are angry over a Bush administration

Conservationists are angry over a Bush administration proposal that would allow the importation of animals listed on the United States' endangered species list, a move they say will further cripple the species' dwindling populations.
The fate of exotic animals and their treatment at the hands of hunters, animal shows or leather-goods merchants has been raised in recent weeks after Roy Horne of Siegfried and Roy, a wildly popular Las Vegas show featuring live tigers, was critically injured when one of the animals mauled him on stage before a live audience.