Pet Care Articles
By Liz Langley
Our first Weird Animal Question of the Week of 2016 comes to us from our very own photo editor Mallory Benedict, who's curious about why her sister's poodle pays such rapt attention to the television.
"He totally loses it when there's any kind of animal on TV. How does he recognize animals on TV, and why does he have such a strong reaction?" Benedict asked.
Domestic dogs can perceive images on television similarly to the way we do, and they are intelligent enough to recognize onscreen images of animals as they would in real life—even animals they've never seen before—and to recognize TV dog sounds, like barking.
A 2013 study published in the journal Animal Cognition showed that dogs could identify images of other dogs among pictures of humans and other animals, using their visual sense alone. (Also see "OCD Dogs, People Have Similar ... Read more...
Oh, one more thing. We still have availability for New Years Day for those of you planning last minute trips. Just give us a call... 702-558-6115.
Michael Nazarek
Paw Minders Plus Pet Sitters
Henderson, NV
By Shayla R. Price
Pets can become stressed for several different reasons. From new roommates to fireworks to long travel hours, dogs react to changes in their environment similar to how we do.
Many types of canine anxiety problems exist. Separation anxiety can occur when a dog is left alone for long periods of time. When dogs become fearful of loud noises, like thunderstorms, they are experiencing noise anxiety. Motion sickness and travel anxiety are possible for dogs, too, and you may think twice before keeping your dog in a crate as their frustration can lead to confinement anxiety.
Because dogs are sensitive to their physical and emotional settings, they may engage in repetitive or displacement behavior during times of stress. Agitated dogs may stop barking, chew on furniture and shoes, eat their own poop, or be aggressive toward others.
When these behaviors happen, don't ... Read more...
Americans spend something like $7 billion on Halloween costumes, candy and decorations annually - including more than $300 million on pet costumes. While humans of all ages have lots of spooky fun on Halloween, it may be less fun for pets. In fact, Halloween can be downright dangerous. Here are some sensible precautions.
Candy
Pets can smell wrapped candy, even sealed in plastic bags. If they can smell it, they’ll try to eat it, wrappers and all. No candy is good for them. Chocolate, especially dark or baking chocolate, can be highly toxic to dogs and cats. Same goes for candy made with the artificial sweetener xylitol. So keep candy where it’s out of their reach.
If you think your pet has eaten something toxic, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 right away. Fast action could save your pet’s life.
Decorations
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When we think of cats who are different—cats with disabilities—we generally first think of cats with obvious, visible differences. For instance, we may get a mental image of a cat
with three legs, or missing an eye, or perhaps a cat who is paralyzed. We may simply overlook the invisible disabilities a cat may be living with. Deafness is one of these hidden issues.
Deaf cats are just like hearing cats in all other ways. When we discover that a cat is deaf, or if we are considering adopting a deaf cat, it is important to sort through the misinformation to learn how to best live with a deaf feline companion.
How do cats become deaf?
Cats can lose their hearing as they age, just as many humans do. Generally, this is a gradual process, so it may be difficult to notice. The eardrums become less flexible, and sounds are not transmitted as effectively. Typically, these cats ... Read more...
If you’re like me, you may be fascinated by the fact that some pets’ eyes can change colors. With puppies it’s normal, according to Dr. Jennifer Scarlett with the SF SPCA.
“They’re born with yellow or amber eyes and those will change to a dark brown by about eight weeks of age,” she said.
Scarlett said cats’ eye color changes with age and it’s something called iris atrophy. “Literally you’ll see this kind of cobwebby appearance to the iris.”
Other changes to eye color could indicate some sort of abnormality. There are types of diseases that can cause a change in eye color. Cataracts are a common cause, mainly in dogs and can cause changes either because of congenital reasons or because of diabetes.
“Other changes of eye color can be due to conditions of the cornea or infections of the iris,” she said. “In old dogs, if you catch them in the right light you’ll see that their eyes ... Read more...
With the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes, Pet Poison Helpline has encountered a sharp uptick in calls concerning cases of nicotine poisoning in pets that ingested e-cigarettes or liquid nicotine refill solution.
Nicotine poses a serious threat of poisoning to dogs and cats and e-cigarettes back a powerful punch. The problem is that many pet owners don’t realize it.
Over the past six months, Pet Poison Helpline cases have more than doubled, indicating that along with their increased popularity, the nicotine-delivering devices are becoming a more significant threat to pets.
While dogs account for the majority of cases, nicotine in e-cigarettes and liquid refill solution is toxic to cats as well.
Nicotine poisoning in pets has a rapid onset of symptoms – generally within 15 to 60 minutes following ingestion. Symptoms for dogs and cats include vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, elevations in heart rate and respiration rate, ... Read more...