Pet Care Articles
or quite some time, scientists had a working theory of why certain piebald (patchy black-and-white) mammals look the way they do. They assumed the colouring is a directed pattern that involves pigmented cells instigating a controlled expansion. Turns out, it's all just random. Scientists at the University of Bath and the University of Edinburgh have been taking a look at developing mice. Specifically, they have been looking at embryos of piebald mice to see the patterns that determine a mouse's final pigmentation. In a paper published in Nature Communications, the researchers just admitted that there don't seem to be any patterns.
This comes as a surprise to many people. Scientists always assumed that piebald animals — especially mice, cats and horses — got their colour patterns in utero. In developed skin, pigment is put out by melanocytes, a specialised skin cell. Embryonic animals have proto-melanocytes, called ... Read more...
Anyone who's watched a cat throwing up after munching on grass knows that our feline friends aren't natural plant eaters. So you might be surprised to discover that these carnivorous animals share some important genes that are more typically associated with herbivores. And this might help explain why cats aren't always easy to please when it comes to food.
New research suggests that cats possess the genes that protect vegetarian animals from ingesting poisonous plants by giving them the ability to taste bitter. Animals use their sense of taste to detect whether a potential food is nutritious or harmful. A sweet taste signals the presence of sugars, an important source of energy. A bitter taste, on the other hand, evolved as a defence mechanism against harmful toxins commonly found in plants and unripe fruits.
Evolution has repeatedly tweaked animals' taste buds to suit various dietary needs. Changes in an animal's diet can ... Read more...
For the 28th year in a row, the Labrador Retriever is top dog, according to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) annual list of most popular breeds.
The sporting breed, known for its amiable temperament and trainability, set a record in 2013 for the longest streak as No. 1—and it "shows no signs of giving up the top spot anytime soon,” said AKC executive secretary Gina DiNardo said in a statement.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Sloughi. The rare breed, which looks similar to a Greyhound and originated in North Africa, ranked last overall, in 192nd place.
Labs may have a firm grip on the top slot, but Beagles have the most staying power overall. While the little hound ranks in the sixth slot this year, it has been in the AKC’s top 10 every decade since the organization began keeping data in the 1880s. Also noteworthy is the German Shorthair Pointer, which has reached its ... Read more...
By Dr. Becker
If you're like the majority of people owned by a cat, pilling little Fluffy – otherwise known as trying to place a tiny, hard object into the mouth of an unwilling creature with sharp claws and teeth – is not something you look forward to.
If you've never had to do it, you're probably thinking it's not a big deal. In fact, it's the people who've attempted this feat in the past that recoil in fear when their kitty's veterinarian hands them a bottle of pills or a dietary supplement in pill form.
Fortunately, there are a few different techniques for pilling a cat, because every cat is a little different, and what works for one may not work for another.
Note: the following method works only for medications or supplements that can be given with food.
Pilling Advance Prep
The first steps in giving your kitty a pill or supplement should be taken ... Read more...
An estimated 10 percent of Americans are allergic to household pets, and cat allergies are twice as common as dog allergies. Most people with cat allergies react to Fel d 1, a protein found on cat skin (although there are other cat allergens as well found on the fur and in saliva).1
The Fel d 1 protein is quite small, so when it’s attached to a piece of airborne cat hair or skin, it can linger in the air for hours – much longer than a dog allergen would typically stay airborne. Meanwhile, the Fel d 1 protein is quite sticky, so it readily attaches to your clothing and skin, and can even be transferred quite easily to public locations that have no cats present, like a school classroom.
Male cats tend to produce more of this allergenic protein than female cats – especially if they’re not neutered. However, all cats produce the Fel d 1 protein, and it’s not related to the amount of dander or ... Read more...
Oh, one more thing. We have plenty of availability after the holiday for those of you planning last minute trips in January. Just give us a call... 702-558-6115.
Michael Nazarek
Paw Minders Plus Pet Sitters
Henderson, NV