Why is it important to get a vaccination for your dog you ask? Well, how about you not getting a basic prescription of vaccinations for a new born baby in your house? Not very exciting right!?

Vaccinations have become a very common process for pet dogs now, not because its a trend spreading like wild fire, but because it can very efficiently prevent potentially serious and dangerous diseases like rabies, hepatitis and distemper. And the best part is, these vaccinations are not just helping keep your pet dog healthy, but also, they make sure that no human living with or around the dog gets any disease, because sometimes, few diseases spread to humans as well.

The general idea is to have annual vaccinations for your dogs, but with advancement in technology, vaccinations have taken an upgrade as well and now veterinarians would recommend less frequent doses of vaccinations that are effective for a longer period. Every animal care institution has a set of vaccination guidelines that have a determined log of vaccination information for all kinds of animals and with the reform in the quality, the guidelines have been through amendments as well. As far as the question goes as to who decides what goes into the guidelines, the answer is, it is a compilation of the research and contributions of various professionals in the area of canine health specifications. The vaccination requirements vary from dog to dog. Factors such as age, breed, living conditions and so on, are very important to determine the kind of vaccination that would prove most suitable for a dog. Also, probability of diseases vary from city to city, therefore, consulting your veterinarian about vaccination specifications becomes important, because a disease that is common in dogs, but its occurrence is not very frequent in a particular area, then the vaccination for it is less frequent as well.

However, as important and resourceful, a term like vaccination sounds, the fact that side effects and risks are a tagged along concepts, cannot be ignored. Some people think that vaccinations can carry health risks for their dogs, which is, in some cases true, though health risks are higher if your dog does not get any kind of vaccination at all.

Sometimes, dogs get allergic reactions to injections which look reddish and there may be swelling and it appears fairly quickly after the shot is given. These reactions are very rare, anyhow, if you notice the problem extending to a longer period, then quickly consult your vet since they will be able to guide you through it. A rare reaction will cause your dog’s immune system to respond by attacking the tissue in the body, resulting in disorders of skin, joints and blood. These situations could turn serious but are fortunately rare.

The kinds of vaccinations that your dog must have are of two types; core and non-core.
Core vaccinations are those that are mandatory for all dogs and they keep common and transferable diseases at bay. These diseases are rabies, adenovirus, parvovirus and distemper.
The non-core vaccines are those that provide protection against diseases that are dependent on a dog’s living conditions and environment. These vaccinations have to be discussed with the local vet and they include kennel cough, Lyme disease and Leptospirosis.

As puppies, if the mother is under an effective vaccination, then the puppy will have an immunity against any kind of disease that the mother has had a vaccination against, at least for three months. After that, for the first year, there is a prescribed, standard list of vaccinations required. After the first year, the core vaccinations may be required once in two or three years, depending on what the vet recommends.

If your family is the kind that travels a lot and your dog has to be kenneled frequently, it is obvious that it is coming in very frequent contact with other kinds of dogs and is being exposed to an environment very different from home. In this case, you definitely need to take your dog for regular check ups whether it is under a period of effective vaccination or not. Just because you believe in a once in three years vaccination, it does not mean that the dog’s health has to be in jeopardy. The same way that humans make regular appointments with doctors for themselves, dogs need regular check up to so that you can have an updated chart sheet of your dog’s health conditions. After all prevention is better than cure. Hence if any imbalance on the health meter arises, early detection will result in better curing possibilities.

There are certain tests that can be performed to determine suitable vaccines for few dogs which are called titer tests. They measure the amount of antibodies that are present in your dogs body for various diseases. You can always ask a vet for one of this titer tests if you suspect something wrong.

Hope this information was useful. All the best!

The post Importance of Canine vaccination. appeared first on Pet Attack.

“Oh!! It’s my dog’s birthday! Let’s do something really really special for that little ball of cuteness! Wait… I know, let’s get the most awesome chocolate cake ever and since its his birthday, he can have all of it by himself!”
This is what my friend once told me on her little Volpino’s sixth birthday. I’m really glad she chose me to share this little bit of her big surprise for her dog, which otherwise would have turned into a disaster. Dogs and cakes do no not go together and chocolate is just the biggest deal breaker. I’m grateful to mother luck that I could stop my friend before she could make her dog eat its way to its death!

You must be wondering what it is about chocolate that dog owners are advised against. After all, it tastes amazing and makes a wonderful treat for your dog! The less known fact is, chocolate is lethal for dogs. It causes toxicity in cats too, but cats are picky eaters and do not enjoy chocolate very much, but dogs! Dogs will eat anything they find in their way!

Chocolate is made of cocoa which contains caffeine and a chemical compound called theobromine which is the main root of toxicity in dogs.
Have you ever been offered a small piece of chocolate when you felt anxious, stressed or weak? Chocolate is kind of like a drug that makes you feel relaxed. Now dogs take much longer to process chocolate than humans do. You cannot always make conclusions that if its safe for human, then its damn safe for the dog as well. Humans have a very complex, evolved and advance system which is why they are at the top of the animal kingdom. If something reacting funny in the human system then it’s a dot no for dogs.

Even small amounts of chocolates can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs. The more the theobromine level, the more dangerous it is for the dog.

One of my friend’s Lhasa Apso died because of regular consumption of chocolate. They say, the dog was super addicted to chocolate and would throw tantrums if he was not given chocolate. It simply had to be a part of his regular diet. My friend never heard of chocolate poisoning and hence was never aware of it. Somehow he and his vet never had a conversation about this either. When the dog died, the vet, after few cross examinations enquired if the dog had chocolate and my friend casually said “Yeah! Every day!”. Apparently the vet was in a state of shocked silence for a few moments before he gained his voice and explained about chocolate toxicity. Death cases are however rare. In this case it was obvious because the dog gulped down chocolate everyday as if it were a mandatory medical prescription. But toxicity is a definite possibility if chocolates in huge amounts are ingested.

I sometimes (very occasionally) toss a little piece of chocolate to my dog, and by very occasionally, I mean, maybe twice a year. That earns me such a deadly look from my friend.

Every kind of chocolate has theobromine in it, which is the main cause of poisoning. Even the milk chocolates. Research says, even one ounce of milk chocolate per pound of body weight is a potential threat to dogs. Death cases have been reported with detection of theobromine doses as less as a hundred and fifteen milligrams per kilogram of body weight. The level of toxicity varies of course. White chocolates are not always toxic but are high on fat and sugar content which can make your dog sick, making it ill and weak. There might be regular vomiting and even illnesses like pancreatitis. Milk chocolates cause low levels of toxication and dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate, like mentioned earlier are highly toxic.

Therefore, the higher the theobromine level, the more dangerous it can prove to be with the highest level found in dark chocolates and unsweetened baking chocolates which are about ten times more toxic when compared to milk chocolate. They are high on cocoa content and hence theobromine too.

If you have been giving your dog chocolate then you better stop with it. The regular sickness must have been because of the “sinful chocolate”. Its not always possible to keep and eye on your pet. Your dog may sometimes find chocolate elsewhere. If you notice it, immediately contact your vet who will be able to instruct you up on what actions to take. If the dog has ingested huge amounts then you might have to rush your dog to the pet clinic for a check up and if the situation is severe, you might have to have it admitted there. In lesser serious cases, the vet will just advise proper care and ask you to keep an eye and report regular health status.

The post Dogs vs Chocolate appeared first on Pet Attack.

Since I love animals, whenever I happen to meet new people and get to know them for a bit, I ask them which one they would rather prefer; cats or dogs? It isn’t important to me, but it just is a kind of conversation starter. What I have observed with this ceremonious question of mine is, most people prefer dogs. They say that dogs seem more normal and friendly. When I ask, what is it about cats that make them feel they are not normal like dogs, I get answers which I find funny. I’m sure most of you guys must find that kind of behaviour abnormal and weird but it isn’t. It just is a way of life of a cat and even cats can be friendly and loving pets. So here is a heads up on normal feline protocol that people might find abnormal;

Rubbing faces;

Sometimes you notice cats rubbing their face on you. If you are new to cats, you might find it offensive as you may conclude that the cat is wiping its dirty mouth on your clothes or body. But that is not what it is! Cat’s have certain glands on their cheeks and the corner of their mouths which enables them to leave a scent on your body part, wherever they rub your cheek. It is a kind of territory marking act, to let other cats know that you are their human and no one else. It is a big compliment, coming from the cat!

You get a gift!

Cats are born with an innate predator instinct. If you let them go outside to hunt, they will get dead mouse, lizards and other stuff that they hunt and place them in front of you, trying to please you so. This is a normal behaviour. You can rather let them stay indoors and leave soft toys hidden all over the place so that they can let out the predator in them and get soft toys as gifts for you rather than little dead creatures which will be a lot of work for you, because cats are persistent on getting things for you to make you happy.

The toilet bowl!

Cats are known for their frequent grooming. They have to lick themselves clean all the time, but yet, they love drinking off the toilet. There is no established research to tell us why cats do that but probably they find it better than stagnant water. Install filter cleaners in your toilet or if it still grosses you out, then better keep the lid down. Problem solved!

Eating grass;

It is completely fine if your cat is chewing small amounts of plants occasionally but if it becomes regular and frequent then it may cause vomiting. If you have a garden at home, make sure they are not accessible to your cat because some plants like aloe and Easter Lillies are deadly for your cat’s health.

Chewing wool;

In some very rare cases cats feel the need to eat all the inedible stuff they find and wool seems to be a personal favourite. Some cats merely chew on them but some actually eat them. They might just go for a yarn or sometimes even chew holes out of your favourite sweater. You need to see a veterinarian because this is a compulsive type of behaviour found mostly only in indoor cats. Your vet may be able to advice certain behaviour modification alternatives that a cat would find more amusing to chew at rather than stuff that may choke it up.

Excessive day time sleeping;

Cats are crepuscular in nature. This means that their active time of the day is between dawn to dusk. They are predatory in nature and hence prefer the night time which is best to lurk in the shadows keeping themselves concealed and bouncing at a probable prey. Research has proven that preying and bouncing requires tremendous amounts of energy for which the cats need to sleep. Since all the activity is taking place at night, cats use up all day to sleep which is very normal. Since a cat’s senses are active to up to seventy percent of their sleep, they tend to wake up for their food at the smell… but then, post food time, they sneak off to sleep again.

Talkative;

Some cats can be very talkative and keep meowing all day. Certain Asian breeds, specially the Siamese, tend to vocalize a lot. Unless a cat is showing restless behaviour or seems to be in pain, this talkative nature is nothing unusual. However if your “usually” silent cat gets meowing and whining all of a sudden, you might need to rush to the vet immediately for these may be conditions of hyperthyroidism.

Kneading;

It is a very common behaviour in cats. Though your new clothes may suffer, the cat is only giving signs of being in a relaxed state. This habit is detected very early in a cat’s life

Licking fingers;

Your cat may lick your fingers a lot simply if it likes the taste of the sweat or something you have just touched. Licking is also a comforting behaviour. However, if your cat displays this behaviour very often, then you might have to go see the vet for an examination of your kitty.

Catnip makes high;

There are certain chemicals in catnips that make your cat go crazy and high. Because of a genetic basis, some cats show extreme attraction while some may not be effected by it at all. In some cats, this funny chemical creates hallucinations.  Catnips are not toxic for cats, but in large quantities they disturb the system of your cat and may cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Never give catnips to pregnant kitties.

Sneezing;

Sneezing in common in cats too. This is caused by allergies, respiratory infections and sinus irritations. Sometimes cats inhale something that makes them sneeze. Most common cause is picking up viral infections from other cats. If the sneezing doesn’t go away in few days, take your cat for a medical check up.

So this was the list. Hopefully you know now if your cat is fine or not. In any case, if your cat shows extreme restlessness, looks unwell or throws up too much, immediately seek medical help without delay.

The post NOT abnormal cat behavior! appeared first on Pet Attack.

In India, the superstition that a cat crossing your path is bad luck is very popular and if it happens to be a black cat then your doom is near if you still continue walking it. My mother especially is a stringent believer of this superstition, just because she happened to coincidentally fall into some sort of trouble in her college days as she continued walking on a path crossed by cats because she was getting late for class. Many of my cousins have faced bad luck as well. I, however do not believe in this superstition because I had been to a zonal tournament once and the dorm areas were full of cats. A cat kept crossing our path every time we stepped out of our dorm. We got a very easy match schedule and our team managed to qualify for nationals, the boys team did not get through and obviously they blame the poor little kittens for that!

As a matter of fact, superstitions about cats are not just limited to India but there are many different kind of superstitions about them in other countries as well. The origin of myths could not be traced back but a brief history could make quite a story;

Cats weren’t always having superstitions surrounding their beings. In ancient Egyptian times, dating back to around three thousand BC cats were held in high esteem and even worshipped in some cultures. Killing a cat was a capital crime. Even the black cats were the glorious ones. However with witchcraft gaining popularity in the middle ages in Europe, cats came to be associated with them. Witches were poor old lonely ladies believed to be evil and capable of practicing black magic and were usually nice to cats and fed them. Most of these ladies had cats as pets and hence cats began to be associated with them.

In Lincolnshire, there is this folklore about this whole superstition. This folklore became the hot topic in the 1560s which is about a father and his son’s encounter with a cat. There was this one moonless night when the father and the son were travelling. A black cat hurriedly crossed their path and then began crawling. The pair, feeling intimidated, threw stones at the little cat injuring it in the process, the cat limped its way into a lonely woman’s house to escape the shower of stones. That lonely woman was believed to be a witch. The next day the pair came across the same woman and noticed that she was injured and limping. They began associating the previous night’s events with the physical state of the woman. Thus came about the superstition that witches turn into cats during moonless nights and bring bad luck to those people whose paths they cross.

During the Salem witch hunts, the belief that witches turn into black cats became the central belief. The witches were being hunted down and they needed all the cover they could get. Since cats are very good at creeping in the shadows unnoticed and being black in colour is a bonus, the gossip went thus, that the witches transformed into bodies of black cats to lurk in the shadows unnoticed and make their escape.

In strict Christian cultures, the association of cats with Egyptian religion began the superstition. The cats, especially black ones were considered familiars with witches, what with the rumour of witches transforming into cats doing the rounds! All Christians believing in witches began maintaining distance from cats as they were creatures imbibed with evil, according to them.

Other superstitions about cats are thus; In Netherlands, cats are kept outside of secret family discussions as the cats are believed to carry the secrets and spread rumours in the entire town. In Ireland, killing a black cat can bring you seventeen years of bad luck, even if it was accidental. At sunset, if you spot a white cat in America, then you might land yourself in big time trouble. Pirates in the nineteenth century believed that a cat walking towards you is bad luck and a cat walking away from you is good luck.

All superstitions about cats aren’t bad though. There are some good ones as well. In Scotland, a black cat appearing on your porch means that prosperity is on your way. In Italy if you hear a cat sneeze, it means a streak of good luck is following you. In America dreams of white cats are considered good luck. In English midlands, gifting a black cat as a wedding present is believed to bring good luck to the bride.

In conclusion I would like to say, that no matter how logical superstitions may seem, they all happen to be mere coincidences that brought them up. If cats were good luck, all cat owners would have been super rich and if they were bad luck then we simply wouldn’t have people who liked cats. Sometimes, our imaginations and brains can take the better of us. On the brighter side, cats make really amazing pets and don’t let these superstitions get in your way.

The post The Black Cat Myth appeared first on Pet Attack.

Cats are often very choosy with everything. They decide their own nap times, their own play times and even their own menu. That makes most people think that cats probably know what’s best for them. But just like human, cats get tempted to eat things that may be harmful for their system. So here is a list of food items that may be really unhealthy for your cats in the long run.

Onions;

This may be surprising because as Indians, we take onions for granted while cooking, it simply has to be a part of everything. But onions in any form, raw, fried, boiled or even powdered, may be a major reason for the breaking down of the red blood cells in a cat’s body, which in turn leads to anaemia. A small dose, once in a while, won’t hurt much but large quantities and regular doses are a definite no since it can cause onion poisoning. Along with onions, garlics and chives must also be avoided.

Milk and Dairy Products;

The “Tom and Jerry” show taught us, that a cat and mouse could almost kill each other over milk. True that! But most cats are lactose intolerant and any kind of food with dairy products included can get a cat down with diarrhoea and make them more weak and inactive.

Alcohol;

Alcohol makes human tipsy in small quantities. If consumed regularly in large quantities, it may lead to death. It has the same effect on cats as well, only, it takes far less to make the damage in them. Just two teaspoons could send a cat in a coma and another two will lead to death. It ruthlessly damages the liver and brain.

Tuna;

Cats love fish and tuna is their drug. A little tuna, now and then, does not make much difference, but a regular diet of tuna packed for human consumption will lead to malnutrition in cats, since cats need more protein and food meeting higher nutritional requirements.

Grapes and raisins;

What is it exactly in grapes and raisins that are harmful for cats is not an established research as yet, but it causes kidney failures in them. Even a small amount can make cats ill. Few of the early signs of poisoning are hyperactivity and repeated vomiting. Some cats may not show ill effects immediately but that does not mean you should take chances. It’s better that whatever the risk is is kept off the table.

Caffeine;

Cocoa, chocolates, beverage, cola and stimulant energy drinks contain caffeine in them which are responsible for restlessness, heart palpitations, uneven breathing, muscle tremors and fits in cats. So be careful about this item because the symptoms mentioned above clearly shows how much a cat may have to suffer because of its consumption.

Chocolate;

Most cats do not eat chocolates by themselves but sometimes owners feel that chocolates are such a delight and their cat must have them as a treat and force feed them. This is a really bad idea. The main toxic agent in chocolate is theobromine. It is present in white chocolates as well but the extremely harmful ones are found in dark chocolate and baking chocolate. Consumption of chocolates can cause uneven heart rhythm, seizures, tremors and even death in cats.

Gum and Candy;

Xylitol is a sweetener contained in candies, gum, toothpaste and other sweet stuff. Xylitol causes an increase in the insulin circulation in a cat’s body, which leads to a drop in the blood sugar levels. It also leads to liver failure. Initially, a cat would show symptoms of vomiting, lethargy and show a weird un – coordinated behaviour. Seizures may happen within a limited time of consumption while liver failure is just a few days away.

Fat trimmings and bones;

A lot of people have this habit of tossing over leftover bones and fat trimmings off their plate to their cats.  Fat trimmings, both cooked and uncooked can cause intestinal problems in cats while bones can make them choke to death. Bones also cause splinters and obstruction in the digestive system.

Raw eggs;

Raw eggs contain salmonella and E.coli which can cause food poisoning in your cat. Raw egg whites also contain a protein called avidin, which interferes with the absorption of a B vitamin called biotin. This may be problematic to your cat’s coat and cause skin problems as well.

Raw meat and fish;

Raw meat and fish like raw eggs contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. There is also an enzyme in raw fish that destroys thiamine, which is an essential B vitamin for a cat. Lack of thiamine cause major neurological problems in cats leading to convulsions and even coma.

Dog food;

There is a reason why cat food and dog food come packed in different tins. Most of the ingredients are not same plus cats require more protein and certain vitamins and fatty acid contents that dog food does not contain. Keeping your cat on dog food diet, just because it seems to do fine with it, will lead to serious malnutrition.

Liver;

Consumption of liver in huge amounts can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which is very harmful for a cat’s bones. Bones get deformed, irregular growth of bones on elbows and spine is detected and osteoporosis is another possibility. Vitamin A toxicity even causes death. So liver in little amounts is okay but don’t make it a regular part of your cat’s diet.

Yeast dough;

Yeast ferments dough to make it rise before it is baked. This will happen inside your kitty’s tummy if it eats up dough, causing a painful swelling in the abdomen. Also, during the process of fermentation, alcohol is produced which can also lead to alcohol poisoning.

Human medicines;

Human medicines will be too strong and dangerous for a cat. Give your cat medicines only prescribed by your vet, otherwise everything else is supposed to be kept away.

In spite of taking all the precautions, its possible that your cat may eat something harmful, if you think your cat is poisoned call your local vet immediately. Have all the emergency numbers at hand and its always better to know at least two different veterinary doctors, just in case one isn’t available. Consult your vet for a balanced healthy for your cat which will help you with making your cat happy and healthy.

The post Food That is Harmful For Your Cat appeared first on Pet Attack.

Everybody loves stories. Here is one story which is a subtle attempt at imagining a dog’s insight on the people around it. A pet dog belonging to an owner living in a gated community, where the people are not even close to being animal friendly, let alone dogs, is always chained on his regular walks. One fine day he notices that the main gate is open and seizes his chance at exploring the beautiful world by himself. However, he encounters certain situations he is very unfamiliar with. So let us now imagine that this dog could be journaling. What will his entry for that particular day account for? We won’t know until we read further and let our imaginations take the better of us! So here is how this story or like the title says, diary entry goes;

“Dear Diary,

It has been a very interesting day for me. A very unusual one as well. My master and I have a very deep bond that has only been strengthening by the day over the last ten years that we have been together. But no matter how much my master loves me, he never considers letting me go on my regular walks by myself, like he used to when I was a puppy. He has been very careful with my leashes and also very particular about double checking if the doors and gates of the house are locked, just in case I was in for meddling around. He may not have given me enough freedom to roam freely in the outside world (like I can stay outside in the horrible climate for very long!) but I have a lot of freedom once I’m inside the boundary walls of this house my master lives in. I even have a big bed to myself with all the soft lovely cushions and fascinating toys that make funny sounds! I am very happy with my master. My system is used to particular timings and my master remembers all of them, my eating timings, sleeping timings, nature calls and all that. He also spends a lot of time talking to me. I don’t really know what he talks about, but it makes me feel good that he sticks around and strokes my fur. My master takes immense pride in me. I must probably be the best German shepherd ever. I do not lack anything but I sometimes wondered what it would be like to roam about on the roads unchained and go a bit farther than the places my master usually takes me to.

Interestingly and much to my fancy, today master got busy elsewhere leaving the gate wide open. In these ten years, he has never done that. He was always extremely cautious about me running out. I cannot speak the language he speaks but he really needs to trust me that this house is as much home to me as it is to him. No matter where I went, I would come back. Which dog wants to be deprived of the comfort!
It took me quite some time to decide if I wanted to stay in like master would want me to, or do I take this chance, probably the first and the last chance ever, at experiencing for myself, how it feels like to be free on the roads like the other dogs on the streets. I got up and looked around; master was nowhere to be seen. I knew this was the time. I began walking towards the gate and when I heard no one around, I ran towards the road. I don’t even remember how far I ran at the first go, but it felt nice to feel my muscles getting worked up and the breeze felt refreshing on my face and tongue. I stopped finally, I reckoned I wasn’t far from home, the scents around were familiar. Everybody stared at me as they passed by. I find people really interesting, they are each so different and move about differently. All of master’s friends adore me. There is this one particular friend of master’s who pulls at my face a lot. I find it funny but nonetheless, I like it.

I started running again and I stopped when I found this bunch of little humans playing with a ball. I had this sudden urge of plunging at the ball, but I sat back down because those little humans were just randomly running all over the place and screaming. My master was always extra careful when these little humans were around me, probably they are harmful! So I just sat back and looked from a distance. After sometime all the little humans dispersed and only one stayed back alone in the middle of the road with the ball. I felt maybe I could go play with it now. As I reached the boy, he was startled and tripped over a stone and fell and he was suddenly screaming. I didn’t know what was happening. In a moment’s time, the other little humans had returned and were throwing stones at me. I turned around and barked at them. Why would they do that? After a while there were grown up humans charging towards me with huge sticks. I was terrified. Few stones hit me and I yelped with pain. I turned around and made a run for my life. What kind of creatures were they? What were they doing in this world which is otherwise so beautiful? What did I do to them to infuriate them such?
Maybe I’ll never know! Maybe this is why master is so protective of me! In spite of all the sharp teeth and claws, it’s them who are more dangerous! None of the humans that visit master are of this kind.

Well, after today, one thing I’m sure about is that, I’m never doing what master doesn’t want me to. I’ve had enough of an adventure for a lifetime, nearly got myself killed and disappointed master. I hope he forgives me!”

So that’s the end of the diary entry. I stay in a gated community that does not approve of pets, dogs in particular and hence I came up with this. And I know the dog’s language may be a continual reminder of Dobby (the house elf in Harry Potter) but nonetheless, its a work of fiction and I hope you enjoyed it!

The post A One Day Diary Entry of a Dog! appeared first on Pet Attack.

Getting a license for the pet is one of not very well known requirements of pet ownership. However there are certain rules and regulations to be followed when you get a pet. Also there are few animals you cannot have for pets and is illegal to domesticate them, depending on your local municipal corporation. There are pet stores that offer registration and vaccination services along with purchasing of pets. This registration process is mainly for the canines, in view of the increasing number of dog bite cases turning up at hospitals, but there are also other kinds of licensing about other animals you wish to keep as pets.

Now this process of registration is important and also advantageous for you as a dog owner. Here’s why;

Follow the law;

The process of registering your dog for a license is a law that may have various requirements depending on the municipal corporation in charge. The best part is, it is not a painstaking task! All you need to do is find out about pet stores that offer the registrations, or else you could simply go to the blue cross. Some blue cross centers even give a free first vaccination to keep your pet disease free and less dangerous to you and the people around you just in case there are events where in your pets bite someone. The license has to be renewed each year, because when the license expires, it is a signal that your dog is not disease free anymore, the vaccination might be wearing off.

Lost dog is easily found;

Just in case of an unfortunate event, when your dog goes missing, the license tag will help people in identifying it and contacting shelters that will have a record of registered dogs, in turn they will let you know where your dog is. If your dog is unregistered and found roaming the streets, rescue organizations may pick it up and give it to shelters where they wait for few days for owners to turn up and if no lost report is filed and no one comes to claim the dog, then they give the dog up for adoption or euthanize them. Now nobody wants this for their pets’ right!?

Avoid fines;

Registering your pets, will definitely require a fixed registration amount which varies at municipal corporations across various states, but the fine of being caught with a pet without a license can cost you a bomb. For example, the cost of registration for breeder dogs may vary from 100/- to 500/- depending on the demand of breed and for non breeder stray dogs, it ranges from 50/- to 100/- per year. This means that registrations are valid up to only a year in most cases and some organizations may even offer the first anti rabies and other relevant vaccinations for free. On the other hand, if someone complains about your dog not being registered or if by some means you are caught, then you might have to pay an amount as high as 5000/- as fine, along with forced registration immediately. This clearly means that getting a license for your pet doesn’t just look after the well being of your dog but also is economically feasible for you.

Disease free status;

Getting your dog licensed lets you keep tab on the vaccinations and you will know that a person accidentally bit by your dog doesn’t need to be rushed to the hospital for medication. The danger of dog bites decreases and also the cost of treating them since vaccinations for dog bites are pretty expensive.

The money goes for a good cause;

All that money you pay towards registrations and vaccinations are not pocketed by evil politicians (at least that is what we are told), rather it goes for the development and welfare of other dog shelters, animal welfare organizations and your local animal control. In fact most of the revenue is supposed to be collected from this process but sadly either people are careless or are unaware of the license for pets and hence, though the trend of keeping a pet is growing and the numbers of pets are increasing steadily, there is hardly any progress being reflected on the license department front.

Dogs that are trained as watch dogs or service dogs may get free licensing. Some centres offer a onetime payment offer which may be a bit high but the regular vaccination at later stages come at a discounted rate for the entire lifetime of the dog. The registration venues could be found by contacting the local municipal corporation and usually every blue cross centre is supposed to be offering them. Some other local veterinarians may also be able to refer to some centres for the purpose.
Every dog over the age of four months should be vaccine and licensed. If you move to another city, you may have to apply for a new license, since the rules related to this law vary in each state.

The post Getting a License for your dog appeared first on Pet Attack.

“Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur

Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr”

Cats have been known to sleep for an average of fifteen hours a day and sometimes up to even twenty hours at a stretch. It isn’t a surprise then, why people keep wondering why are cats next to dead almost all the time. And while they are in their phases, they hardly care even if hell breaks loose. Their regular naps are very important to them and they are labelled as the laziest of all animals sometimes. Here are few explanations to these questions provided by various specialists;

If you observe, cats crepuscular – this means that they are most active during the night time than in the day. All kinds of cats are born with an innate predator instinct and that is why you would notice this day time slumber pattern in huge cats like lions. The most active time of the day for cats is from dusk to dawn, therefore all the evening and night time is dedicated to their active phase. So the required energy for the night time adventures comes from sleeping during the day. When you get a new kitten home, you will be surprised to wake up to a mess every morning. You would almost deny that a creature that tiny is not capable of any kind of destruction as such, but just like all other babies, kittens are curious and adventurous too. They would want to explore their new surroundings, ending up ruining things in their investigation procedures. However, rest assured, that as soon as you offer the early morning breakfast to your cat, it will most certainly wind up for a long day of slumber only to get active at night.

Like it’s mentioned earlier that cats have an innate predator instinct, it’s an established fact that predatory skills and activities require a lot of energy. While the hunting may require tremendous amounts of energy, even the stalking and pouncing on the toy mouse or any kind of prey requires certain energy bursts from them. Cats are up all night, creeping in the shadows, very quietly and stalking, pouncing on every object that catches their fascination. So the sleeping factor is directly proportional to the amount of activity they perform in their active time.

Like humans, while sleeping, a cat’s brain wave patterns can be measured via and EEG (Electroencephalograph). While awake, a cat’s brain’s patterns are irregularly peaked and bunched together, because that’s the amount of stimulation going on about in the brain. But when asleep, the brain produces long, irregular waves which are called slow sleep waves, for as long as fifteen to thirty minutes. Sometimes cats sleep in an upright sitting position and their muscles get stiffened to give them balance. This way, cats want to be ready to spring into action in a moment’s notice (what vigil!). Well anyway, this kind of sleeping in a sitting position is the light sleep, only for energy conservation purposes. When a cat relaxes and moves from light sleep to deep sleep, its body muscles take a more relaxed form and it stretches and rolls over to one side. The brain patterns change very obviously. They become smaller and closer and are very similar to a cat’s brain patterns while walking. However, when they are in their deep sleep, which is referred to as “rapid sleep”, it’s hard to wake them up because of the quick brain wave movements, but nonetheless, this phase of rapid sleeping lasts for only five minutes and then cats go back to their normal slow sleep dozing pattern. It is an interesting fact though, that baby kittens directly fall into deep sleep without going through the slow sleep phase until they are a month old. Maybe because they tend to stay awake and be more active in the first month.

Cats are even known to dream. There are low cat calls and kicking of the paws in the air in slumber when cats dream. The dreams usually come during the rapid sleep phase.

A cat’s remarkable predatory senses continue to record sounds and senses even in a state of up to seventy percent of sleep. It isn’t a shock then that they wake up at the slightest strange sound or if nice smelling food is around. Because of this characteristic, cats can adjust around their eating time; they will wake up exactly when the owner plans to feed it.

Humans sleep for longs marathon stretches, cats have pattern of sleep alternating from light to deep sleep all throughout the day. Sleeping time increases on cold and rainy days, and since a cat’s and a human’s sleeping timing are not compatible, cats seem to pester their owners sometimes during the nights, but if a cat is very fond of the owner, it can adjust around the owner’s sleeping times, as in it sleeps when the owner is away and wakes up at the owner’s arrival.

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Originated in the region of Dalmatia in Croatia, Dalmatians are dogs with looks which are a class apart. They have a trademark white coat with black or liver spots all over the body which is a very distinctive feature of the Dalmatians. They are one of the favourite family dogs and a popular breed too.

Appearance;

The Dalmatians are a mid-sized muscular breed of dogs with a well built frame. They are born with a plain white coat and within three weeks of birth, the very first spots on their body start to appear. By the time the puppies are a month old, they are covered with most of their spots and throughout their life, spots keep appearing but at a much slower rate. The spots could be black, liver (brown), bluish gray, brindle, mosaic, tricolored, orange or yellow shades. These spots appear anywhere on the body. The coat has short, fine hair, which is dense and smooth. They shed considerable all round the year. Their stiff, short hairs often weave their way into carpets, curtains, clothes and other fabric which are hard to get rid of. With regular grooming, the amount of hair shedding could be reduced, although it is not possible to completely get rid of it. Dalmatians do not secrete oil in their coats and hence they do not have a bad dog odour and they remain fairly clean and neat.

Temperament;

Dalmatians have a remarkable stamina and are very playful and active. You have to make sure that you exercise them every day because that is how they are made. And also the area in which you let them exercised must be well guarded or you simply must put them on a leash and take them for regular walks or jogs for long periods because Dalmatians are adventurous in nature, they like roaming around and because of their exceptional stamina, they can run for miles and miles together before they feel tired. The energy of a Dalmatian demands that it is put through rigorous sport or other strenuous activities daily for its body’s needs. A ten to fifteen minute walk is an injustice to the dog. They are lively, active and almost always never out of energy. They are the best companion for kids because of their energy and the playful nature. They are a bit reserved when it comes to strangers and very apprehensive of strange looking dogs and other things but they are good to other pets once they get familiar with them.

Care;

The Dalmatians are dogs for the hot and warm climates. So if you stay in a place where winters could get very cold or in generally in a place which is always cold, then you must have proper heating system to keep your dog comfortable. Provide soft and warm bedding, water, shelter, and all your love, that is all the Dalmatians need to stay happy. Just make sure you meet their exercise requirements and you really need to keep up with their energy.

Health;

A Dalmatian on an average has a lifespan of twelve to fourteen years. They usually don’t acquire very dangerous disease, but could very easily be victims of regular dog diseases like deafness, allergies and urinary stones. The nearby vet could treat them with early diagnosis, although deafness is not a mild issue.

History;

Although the origin of the Dalmatian coat pattern is unknown, The Federal Cynologique Internationale has recognized Croatia as the country of its origin. Although paintings of Dalmatian like looking dogs have been painted from generations back. Many writers and illustrators have mentioned in their works and words that the Dalmatians are a breed from Dalmatia and were first mentioned as Canis dalmaticus. No violent behaviour is known of them. Throughout history, Dalmatians have been seen performing roles of shepherds, war dogs, carriage dogs, firehouse dogs, bird dog, circus dogs, retrievers and so on. In modern times, they are trained as rescue dogs, guardians and very obviously are great companions for jogs and exercises. Dalmatians and horses get along very well and in Victorian England they served as coach dogs. Since they have so much stamina they could keep up with horses and as the herding capabilities go, they were capable of running in front of horse drawn carriages and lead them in case of fires. With the introduction of the automobile, the Dalmatians lost their position in the high society, but regardless of that they remain to be a favourite choice for family dogs.

So this was all you needed to know in order to have one Dalmatian for your own family space. If you are considering, getting a dog, Dalmatians are one of the most joyful and fun breeds to have for company. It is even better if you yourself are an active and energetic person, in that case these are just the perfect dogs for you.

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Head pressing is a condition where in, animals, especially cats and dogs are noted to be pressing their head against walls or other objects for extended periods of time for no apparent reason. This is not just a normal habit that these animals exhibit. It is generally a sign, indicating damage to the nervous system, which may be the result of multiple causes, including procencephalon disease, in which the forebrain and the thalamus part of the brain are damaged. It can also be some kind of toxic poisoning more neurological illnesses and its very important that you take your pet to the veterinarian for diagnosis.

Symptoms;

Head pressing is just one of the symptoms of a neurological disease like procencephalon disease. There are other symptoms as well which indicate illness in animals like, pacing, walking in circles, rubbing the face on the ground, getting clumsily stuck in corners, stare endlessly at walls, change in trained behaviour, seizures, damaged reflexes and visual problems.

Causes;

The causes of head pressing may be varied and depend on various things that may make the animal feel the compulsion of doing it but the reasons may also include the following;

• Prosencephalon disease
• Brain, skull or other tumors
• Liver shunt
• Toxic poisoning
• Metabolic disorders, like hyper or hyponetremia
• Stroke
• Encephalitis – Inflammation of brain and spinal cord. Infectious causes of encephalitis include bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi and tick transmitted disease.
• Hepatic Encephalopathy – metabolic disorder as result of liver damage
• Infection in the nervous system
• Head trauma

Do not confuse head pressing as any normal dog or cat behaviour which may look similar, like affectionately butting the head.

One of my friends once had a German shepherd who used to head butt on her knees all the time to get attention. When the dog turned six years old, he would sometimes just go and sit in front of the living room wall for long periods and not move a muscle, then he would suddenly walk up close to the wall and sit down with his head touching the wall. At first my friend used to joke that her dog has been falling asleep in all weird awkward positions but when it got frequent, both of us started to get really worried about the episode. The dog would hardly eat or listen to anyone or move at all when he was in one of those phases. Also the usually active and energetic dog had been growing increasingly lethargic. Not wanting to go for walks, not wanting to eat, not wanting to bark at visitors, and not wanting to even twitch an ear at someone calling out to him. This was just not her dog. Something was really wrong and immediate action was to be taken. She called up the local vet for an appointment and learned that he was out of town and would be back only in a month’s time. Since he was the only vet in that area, she had no option but to call him regularly and report her dog’s behaviour to him. He did mention the possibilities of certain neurological disorders that my friend doesn’t remember now but we couldn’t do anything about it obviously because we weren’t any kind of specialized animal doctors. And one unfortunate day in the next few weeks, her dog gave up on life. We never even got to know what the problem was as the vet returned only days after her dog passing away. The vet had then explained to us the possibilities of why certain animals behave in this manner sometimes and all the complexities of such cases.

Whatever happened to my friend’s German shepherd need not happen to your pet. If you detect abnormal behaviour, take your pet for immediate diagnosis to a vet

Diagnosis;

One of the primary diagnosis of the condition of head pressing is a fundic examination of the retina and the entire structure at the back of the eye. This examination will help indicate any kind of infectious or inflammatory diseases alongside irregularities in the brain. Other probable tests could be the blood pressure measurements and Computed Tomography scan ( CT scan) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan ( MRI scan) of the brain of your pet. Urine analysis are also included in the list to check for metabolic system problems and blood lead concentration tests which will be a great help in indicating signs of intoxication in the blood. Apart from all this you will have to brief your vet about all reported behaviours during the neurological disorder phase and previous health records.

Treatment;

Treatment largely depends on the symptoms and the care plan your vet decides upon after completion of diagnosis. Most of them will include hospitalization and treatment. Different diagnosis will be concluded by different treatment programs. No kind of treatment should be experimented upon by the owners of the pets because this kind of treatment is strictly for the specialists to handle. After the entire treatment process regular check up is required for your pet.

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