Animal health

We need to be careful when taking care of a pregnant dog. There are some hidden considerations we need to make in terms of how we treat them. For example, even if they have been prescribed them before, there are certain medications they shouldn't take due to the potential effects on their pregnancy. Even...

Our cats are very hygienic animals which make great effort to ensure their grooming needs are met. While it is difficult to teach them tricks, it is relatively easy to train them to use a litter tray. This is because they want to ensure their waste does not cause their environment to be unhygienic, just...

Our dog's vocalizations reveal a lot about their well-being, but they are not always easy to interpret. For example, a loud bark can be an expression of joy as much as it can be an expression of fear. Changes in vocalizations don't always signify an emotional response. When we hear our dog coughing, we should...

When we see blood coming from our dog's mouth, it is understandable we fear for their well-being. Blood around a dog's mouth may be due to oral health problems, but we also need to consider the fact the mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract. It is possible blood is emanating from the gastrointestinal...

Although they present as similar symptoms, coughing and gagging in cats are not the same. Coughing is a sharp sudden expulsion of air form the lungs, whereas gagging is more of a choking sound. However, when the two present at the same time, it can help us to better determine the underlying cause. Some...

Neutering both male and female cats provides many benefits for the animal. Such benefits safeguard their physical and mental well-being. Neutering cats can also improve a feline's life expectancy. Spaying is the most common form of neutering for female cats. The heat period in cats can be a difficult and frustrating...

Cats will try to catch anything that stimulates their curiosity. Even trying to catch the smallest of creatures can take up the best part of an afternoon. In most cases, a cat won't take on a prey they can't handle. If they have any sense of danger, they are more likely to run away and only attack if...

Cats have an innate hunting instinct which makes them seek out almost anything that moves. When they have access to the outside, their potential prey becomes even more varied. One potential prey for cats is the rat. Depending on their size, some rats can seem more like predator than prey. This can cause...

Many breeds now popular as companion animals first began as working dogs. Although developed from the earlier hunting dog known as the King Charles Spaniel, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was created by breeders for their looks and companionship. In fact, they were created to resemble the dogs in...

When we combine a cat's natural curiosity with an innate hunting instinct, they can get themselves into trouble. With the limited fauna of our homes and gardens, even the smallest insect can be a cat's white whale. Bees and wasps are large prey when compared with other insect species we might find near...

Gagging and retching are movements which a cat makes when it seems like they will vomit, but they don't. Although similar, it is not the same as coughing since the movement is coming from their digestive tract and not their respiratory system. It is possible for a cat to have problems with both these...

Breed standards are created to provide descriptions of an ideal example of a given dog breed. These break down the dog's physical characteristics into various criteria, including their ear size and shape. For the Chihuahua, the generally accepted breed standard (there are some variations) states the ears...

There are various internal diseases of dogs which can affect organs and tissues of their body. Some of these are medullary, meaning they affect the internal regions of these internal organs and tissues. Bone marrow aplasia is one such disease, affecting the marrow within their bones. The problem is related...

Some of us don't think it is possible for our dog to be sad. While they may get tired sometimes, their enthusiasm and gifts of affection seem endless. This means when they do seem to be down, it can be worrying. Not only can a dog be sad due to emotional stress, physical problems can also lead to a dog...

Cats like to press their head against their guardians as a sign of affection. Often when this happens, we might notice they leave a little trail of wetness behind where there nose had been. Many cat caregivers see this as a sign of good health, but it is important to know this is not always the case. The...

A hernia is when an organ or other tissue exist the anatomical structure it should be held within. Although not very common in cats, there are various types of hernias which can affect felines. In most cases, the treatment of the hernia will require surgery, but this will require diagnostic testing by...

Rabbits are active animals which can move like a shot in the right circumstances. As sensitive creatures which crave security, any threat can make them move like lightning. Even with the best of intentions, guardians can even give their animal a fright which makes them run from us. All this means that...

There is a misconception that it is OK for a dog to smell bad. Of course, their lifestyle means they will exude certain scents and there is a natural odor to a healthy dog which can be a little musky. However, the worse a dog smells, the worse their health is likely to be. The reason for a dog smelling...

It is all too easy to ascribe human traits and characteristics to our dogs. Not only do they become a member of the family, but the love they reciprocate is real and evidenced in their behaviors. We can see a similar love when a mother dog gives birth to her puppies. She will care for them and ensure...

Hepatic encephalopathy in dogs consists of an accumulation of toxins in the blood that should have been metabolized by the liver and eliminated by the kidney. The main problem is increased levels of ammonia. This produces urea and other toxins which are improperly metabolized. This accumulation of toxins...

Although a cat's claws can do severe damage to their prey, they can be a sensitive part of their anatomy. Strong nails imply the cat is in good health and signs of damage to them imply the opposite. Nails are used to defend themselves against threats, climb, manipulate their environment and even mark their...

Our cats have a body which allows them to make various movements. An impressive ability is to move through small spaces which seem to be much smaller than their body should allow. They are able to do this, in part, due to a relatively supple spine. This spine also supports their skeletal structure and...

Depending on where you live, the approach of the hotter months can change your routine and make daily life difficult. If this happens to you, it is important to remember it will also happen to your cat. There are various effects the increased heat will have on a feline. Even seemingly small changes in...

By their nature, cats spend a lot of time resting throughout the day. This means there are extended periods when they are not moving and it is completely normal. However, between these periods a healthy cat will play, chase, eat and perform the various feline behaviors common to them as a species. The...

Guinea pigs, also known as cavies, are often considered exotic pets. However, their growth in popularity as companion animals means they are much more common than they used to be. Care and maintenance of exotic pets can be difficult as there is less research carried out and, therefore, less information...

Skin diseases are one of the most common health problems of guinea pigs. Of these skin diseases, sarcoptic mange is perhaps the most prevalent. Since the symptoms can be similar, many people think of mange as a bacterial infection. It is actually an infestation by parasites. Regardless, the condition causes...

A lack of appetite is a sign of illness in cats. Unfortunately, the range of illnesses are vast and cover both physiological and psychological problems. Some are milder than others. Fatty liver disease is one such pathology which can cause a reduced appetite in cats. It is also one which poses a serious...

A dog's eyes can reveal much about their health. Like their coat, if their eyes show distress or a change in condition, it can intimate there is a problem somewhere else on their body. However, sometimes there is a problem with the eye itself, such as when they have cataracts or a corneal ulcer. When...

Before adopting a dog, too many potential guardians think about aesthetics. Of course, there are certain dog breeds with a look we prefer, but it is not as important as the dog's character and well-being. Tear stains around a dog's eyes can be aesthetically displeasing, but are they something to worry...

Even the healthiest dog can make odd noises from time to time. The reasons vary according to where the sound emanates, such as the stomach, rear or mouth. If we hear a gulping noise, it could simply be they are trying to swallow something. When they repeat this gulping noise regularly, it is possible...

When we adopt a purebred puppy, we can have some idea of what they will look like as an adult. With mixed-breed dogs, their fully developed form can be a little trickier to determine. Part of the joy of adopting a young dog is experiencing what type of animal they will grow up to be. Regardless if they...

Our cat's eyes can tell us a lot about their state of well-being. For example, when they are ill or have low immunity, it is common for their third eyelid to be showing. However, if we look at their outer eyelids and they appear to be turned inward, it is something specific. It is due to entropion, a...

Cockroaches are arthropods which are capable of transmitting diseases. Unlike ticks and mosquitoes, which transmit pathogens directly through their bites, cockroaches spread diseases indirectly due to their unhygienic habits. They contaminate surfaces with bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites which...

Feline plasma cell pododermatitis is a rare disease with a characteristic symptom of swollen feet. It is for this reason it has the common name of ‘pillow paw’ or ‘pillow foot’. The origin of the disease is not completely clear, but it is believed to be immunity-mediated. This means the well-being of the...

When your dog drags their butt against the floor, it can often be a very humorous sight. They sit down, raise their back legs and pull themselves along with their front paws. The pose they create and the often-strained face they make when doing so add to the picture. If this is a one-off experience, then...

When a dog moves their mouth as if they were chewing, grinding their teeth or chattering, one possible cause is bruxism. Also known as teeth grinding, bruxism is a clinical sign which arises from various causes. The result is often your dog making weird movements with their mouth. This can be very disconcerting,...

Neutering a cat is an important part of a cat's health care. While we may think the surgery required is invasive, it is a simple procedure for both male and female cats. The complications are minimal and are far outweighed by the benefits. Neutering cats refers to the process of removing their sexual organs...

There are many different health issues which can result in tremors in a dog's body. Many of these are physical, often the result of trauma or age. Some are congenital, meaning they have a genetic predisposition toward certain symptoms. One cause which may dog guardians often overlook is a neurological...

Dogs can contract Salmonella by ingesting contaminated food or water, as well as by contact with contaminated objects, raw food (especially meat) or infected animals. When this occurs, the dog may suffer gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration. In the most severe cases, it can be fatal....

When we see our dog is having trouble urinating, it is common for many dog guardians to ask can my dog get a UTI (urinary tract infection)? Dogs can indeed suffer from UTIs and do so in a similar way to humans. In fact, urinary and bladder infections in dogs are relatively common. Both male and female...