We humans are so susceptible to getting influenced by things around us that we try to reason any unusual happening with hypothetical possibilities, without knowing the logic behind it. Our ancestors came up with religious beliefs,the foundation of many of which where simply based on unknown facts which nobody tried to dig upon and find out the reason behind. Well when it is said that half knowledge is dangerous then that be true because it can turn out to hurt someone or even be fatal. As such we have never spared our fellow species, our pets can be no exception in it as we drag them into this colossal field of false beliefs and myths.

Below are few myths-considered-facts that that we has been going around for a long time now but needs to be clarified.

1. Black BAD LUCK

As if hypothetical ghost stories lost their charisma that they dragged a poor little feline into it. Considering them as inauspicious, black cats are often seen as carriers of some evil that is bound to happen and inevitable. People stop and flinch if they see black cats come across their way. This one is too old a myth and some still follow till date. ‘Uh-uh! I won’t go that way else bad luck would follow’, seriously? You think a cat can make a truck run over you while crossing the road, probably yes if your gaze is fixed on that four-legged dark shadow and not on the road while crossing it. Get over that sick myth! They are like any other cats that people pet around rather just more beautiful and unique!

2. Old dog New Tricks, Uh-uh!

No! This is a false verdict. There is no relation between age and ability to learn new things when it comes to your canine friend. No matter what age they reach you can still teach your friend to sit, roll, stay, fetch or whatever pleases you. This has nothing to do with its age. An everyday practice for a week or two and then your dog is smart enough to grasp what is being taught. Don’t underestimate your dog friend they can be stubborn or lazy but they will definitely pick up more quickly than you expected and surprise you. Changing their habits isn’t that difficult as goes the saying everywhere.

3. A Camel’s own water tank?

Camel is the ship of desert, some books poetically explained so. With their ability to live several days without food and water, they are considered as the most well adapted animal to the harsh conditions of the deserts. Camels have distinctive features like padded feet, long eye-lashes and most visible of them all, its hump. Well most of the people think the camel carries water inside its hump and avoid death due to dehydration. The actual fact being they have got oval shaped red blood cells instead of the common circular shaped cells that most mammals have. This lets them retain water in their body for much longer duration. And as for the hump, it just a mount of fat that acts as a food reservoir rather that that of water. Camels can stay fit and fine for as long as three weeks without food with the fat burning in the hump providing the necessary energy. Special thanks to the kidneys and intestines that reduce the water excretion to minimal levels and help it survive whilst other animals die of hunger and thirst.

4. All parrots DON’T talk

You pay a visit to your neighbor got a parrot pet recently and the first question that comes out is, ‘Hey does it talk?’ And with high expectations you try saying monosyllables to it, thinking probably it might mimic you in the funniest way possible. Well, here goes down your expectation and myth, not all parrots talk. Why?! Simply because they are individuals like us. Parrot species like Amazon parrots and African grey parrots are most famous among the parrot species as they can pick up vocabulary faster and mimic better. Whilst on contrary some of the species won’t talk at all. Even among the above two species, there can be few odd ones who don’t talk or very less in comparison others. The reason for this is still a mystery to the scientist who give the individualistic trait as one of the reasons. Hence so forth, don’t overestimate about the poor parrot, because all parrots can’t speak like you.

5. That Egg is Hers!

Well, it doesn’t who came first the egg or the chicken, you simply have your non-veg delicacies without thinking nonsense, but what is to be clarified it that the eggs you have aren’t the ones that would hatch if you keep them warm or something. As a child I often used to do that, thinking that at least one of them would hatch and I would have a chic to play with. Sadly the eggs that we eat are not the fertilized ones. The hen lays eggs regularly, be it fertilized or not. So no you are not committing any crime and killing those babies developing inside the calcium shells. Veggies, take a note!  If you have roosters n your farm and you think probably the hens are having a good time making fertile eggs then you can keep them in the fridge. Refrigeration can  to stop the further growth inside the egg.

6. RAPE RACK

This one goes as a matter of fact, clearing out every possible ‘made-ups’ and beliefs around. You think you get ample calcium supplies from that glass of milk you have everyday (which is actually not true) and with those endorsement brands of milk showing cows happily grazing in the background, it all seems a perfect cycle of milch industry. The horrendous truth being that the milch animals are tortured inhumanly to get you that glass of milk or cup of coffee in the morning. The concept is simple, cows only lactate when they have babies. No baby means no milk. Hence they are impregnated time and again effecting their health and what is done with the calves is even more unfortunate. They are weaned onto some other diet whilst the milk that is supposed to be for the calf goes to us humans. The babies are kept away their mothers, tied all the time with little space to roam around and if they seem of no use, specially the male calves, they end up in slaughter houses. The sorry and disturbing truth, isn’t a myth but a fact covered with the veil of the benefits of developing good health through milk.

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Our pet is our fur kid and we take all necessary things into consideration while taking care of our dogs so as to keep them healthy and stay together for a long period of time. We are very particular about our diet and so are we about our pet so as to keep them healthy and fit too. It is highly recommended that the pets should be provided with proper meal and necessary diet which is not only good for them but is also safe for their health.

Having a pet which weights more than the appropriate weight which it should have is not a good sign, as research shows that obese pets do not live a longer life compared to thinner and fitter. A dog is also a part of our family, and we are equally concerned about them. But it is to be noted that the food which are good and consumable for humans are not the best for your pets. Some of the foods which are made for human consumption are not safe and dangerous for your pets.

Here are 9 human foods which should not be given or feed to your pet.

CHOCOLATE
Yes we all love chocolate and who will in this world deny an offered chocolate bar. But the same thing cannot be stated for your fur kid. Chocolate of any type be it solid, cocoa powder, or simple choc chip is unsafe for your dog and can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, seizures or irregular heartbeat. Chocolate contains caffeine, theobromine chemicals which both can directly affect the heart and nervous system of your. Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine as a result of which it is not digested and it builds up in their system. Dark chocolate is the most dangerous of them all as with the high content of caffeine and theobromine the potentiality to harm your dog even with a single bar of chocolate.

PARTICULAR TYPES OF BONES
We all know that our dogs love bones they just simply can’t go without each other, but the things we need to know is that not all kinds of bones are good for your dog. While providing our dog with bone we need to consider certain things and take appropriate care, raw bones should be preferred over cooked bone and bone of right size for your dog should be given. Bones of fishes or chicken which can break into small sharp pieces should not be fed to your dogs and when the sharp edged bones are chewed by the dog it can harm the digestive system of your dog. The same happens when a cooked meal bones are fed to the dogs can potentially choke or even puncture the digestive tract and system of your dog causing it much harm.

ONIONS AND GARLIC
Our food just cannot go without onion and garlic in them, they are immense taste enhancer and we just love having them. Giving or feeding your dog with garlic and onion is not good for them and is not healthy either. The content of onions and garlic in the food of your dog damages the red blood cells of your dog. If the dog is fed any amount of raw onion, garlic or dehydrated canned food it will cause hemolytic anemia to your dog. So giving any such leftover food which contains onion or garlic should be a no-no to your dog rather a fresh meal specifically for your dog considering its nutritional needs is a better option.

NUTS AND WALNUTS
Macadamia nuts is not good for consumption purpose and its consumption leads to harm to different systems in the body which also leads to faster heartbeat, rise in temperature, and weakness and may also cause paralysis due to its nature of being toxin. Walnuts are not food for your dog as it contains some amount of fungus which is toxin to your pet which may also lead to death.

CAFFEINE
Just like chocolates caffeine should also be avoided to be fed to your dogs, it causes heart palpitations and seizures. So make it a point that if you spill even some drops of tea or coffee near your dinner table or on the floor make sure to wipe it off so that your pet does not lick it and consume some amount of caffeine for that matter.

GRAPES, RAISINS & FRUITS
Just like caffeine and chocolates which are not to be fed to pets, the raisin toast, cookies and grapes contained food item should be kept away and should be strictly prohibited for your dogs. They contain some amount of chemicals which is not good for your pet and is toxic for it. It can damage and rupture the kidney of your pet and it may also cause vomiting, diarrhea and serious digestive system harm, it may also lead to partial or complete kidney failure. Fruits should be carefully given to dogs and if possible must be limited to them, as it may not only cause choking but some contain chemical called cyanide which is toxin.

OIL

Oil should be kept at the length from your dog food, fried dishes and few dairy products are not good for your pets. Few little drops of them will be okay for your pets but adding them much then needed may cause severe pancreatitis, diarrhea, vomiting and may also cause abdominal pain if your pet cannot sustain the amount of fat it has consumed.

RAW EGGS
Most of the people think that eggs are good for the health of their pets, for the growth of their furs and adding vitamin supplements in them undoubtedly it is all correct but it is also to be noted that the raw egg whites also contain a protein called avidin which depletes the content of biotin in your dog, it also contains salmonella and other bacteria which may cause harm to them. Feeding dogs with eggs excessively will lead to severe hair and skin problem to the pet.

SUGARY & SALTY FOOD
Sugar is not at all good for you dogs fur, excessive sugar content in its food can lead sever health problems including tooth decay, obesity or diabetes. Do not opt for sugar free item like sugarless sweets as it may contain Xylitol which may cause liver damage to your dogs.

So take all this necessary tips into considwration while feeding your lovely pet…!!!

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Dandruff is not only the most aesthetically pleasing thing in the world but it is also a sign that the skin of your pet has become stale. This is quite common among pets especially dogs as they eat dry – kibble which is low in moisture and also because they do not drink enough water which leads to constant dehydration and thus, they can readily become flaky and dry in their outer appearance. If pets develop any kind of medical problems such as infections, diabetes or allergies then often the skin is the first to signify a change in general health by becoming roughened and dry. If your pet, too, develops a poor hair-coat or a dry skin then you must consider the following possibilities and go to your veterinarian :-

•  Lusterless coats or dry skin might indicate an improper balance or deficiency of certain essential fatty acids in the pet’s diet. Pet foods are particularly low in certain fatty acids which are beneficial. Fatty acids are relatively dainty and prone to breakdown by improper storage or over – cooking of dry food. If your pet is following the fat – restricted diet then they might be at increased risk of deficiency.
•  Irritated or dry skin might be an antagonistic reaction to the foods which contain additives, preservatives and artificial dyes. Food allergy to some specific ingredients can also cause flaky or dry skin.
•  Mites, flea allergy, yeast ring worms, mange and other bacterial skin infections can often cause skin redness, itchiness, dry – skin and also hair loss.
•  Endocrine problems such as diabetes, cushing syndrome, hypo or hyper thyroid ism etc, hormonal problems, skin cancer and immune problems are some of the serious causes the skin flakiness.
  There can be many causes of dry skin and various tests might need to be performed if you want to find an exact precise diagnosis. Usually, a skin scrape with the microscopic examination is the first step at the office of your veterinarian. Occasionally allergy testing, dandruff or hair culture, blood test or biopsy will have to be performed.

WHAT KIND OF DOGS GET DANDRUFF?

TREATMENT OF DANDRUFF :-

1. PETS ARE WHAT THEY EAT :-

As i already said that our adorable pets need some certain amount of fat in their diet, but do remember to provide good type of fat, not bacon, in order to keep their skin supple and nice, and fur shiny. You can either switch their diet to a holistic, high quality food or you can also supplement oils in their diet, specifically designed for pets. It is very important for our pet to drink plenty of water in order to stay healthy and hydrated. Our body is of 70% water and yes, our pets, too, are no different. Pets which are in continual state of the dehydration are more likely to develop symptoms of kidney disease and many more other diseases. So, If your adorable pet does not drink sufficient water then you can add water in his food. You can also include canned food in the diet of your pet as it provides essential water supplementation and is wonderful for organ hydration.

2. BATHING :-

Bathing your dog regularly, can help to wash away dandruff peels, however redundant  bathing can make the situation only  worsen. So you can give bath to your dog once in a month during winter and Twice or thrice a month during summer season. When you are planing to give bath to your pet then it is very important to use the right type of shampoo. And no, i am not taking about the bottle of shampoo in your shower which YOU use, as that is not for your pet. There are many shampoos available in the market which are specifically designed for your pets and can help you in getting rid of dandruff. If your pet is showing even a small sign of having dandruff then you must use dandruff shampoo to bath him. However, if the problem persists even after applying of dandruff then it is advised that you should seek some professional help bin vet.
You’ll know definitely  the right time when is to go out and buy dandruff shampoo for your pet if you begin to see dead skin or white flakes shedding from your dog’s fur.

3. IMPORTANCE OF GROOMING :-

It is another way of keeping your pet dandruff – free. Brushing your endearing pet not only makes your pet feel nice and keep his fur shiny, burr – free and and smooth but it also helps in distributing the natural oils of your pet’s coat and also massage his skin. However you should choose your brush carefully as if its too soft then it will not work whereas if the brush is too stiff then it will annoy rather than helping. Pet owners must determine the amount of brushing needed as it can exfoliate the skin of your pet. Usually cats generally self – groom whereas long – haired cats might need assistance. Also, double coated fur may trap the dead skin underneath it so you must take extra -care to brush your pets.

4. SUPPLEMENTS :-

Fatty acids supplements are important with skin conditions in all pets. Fatty acids help in eliminating the inflammation within the irritated skin and thus, help in improving skin suppleness and moisture, regardless of underlying problem. Most of the people are well known with the fatty acids like omega 3 which are commonly found in fish oils.

5. SEE A VET :-

If you take your pet to a veterinarian then he will know exactly what to do in treating your little fluffy friend.  They may advice you to do the therapies, additionally, in treating dry skin, however the above methods for treating dry skin is more economic – free.

And last but not the least, do not forget to spend more valuable time with your pet so that he might not feel alone, so good luck!

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Congratulations, so you have finally decided to get a crayfish as a pet! This is really great!  They are definitely one of the most lovable pets and fun to watch, but you need to know more about it than just propelling it in the tank.  They make excellent pets, also known as – crawdads, mud bags and  craw fish.  Taking care of them is quite easy and this is the reason which makes them one of the most prominent pets.  Read further in order to know how to take care of them.

1.  GET YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You can easily buy a crayfish from any pet store or a tropical fish store. If you want to buy a red – crayfish then it can cost you one to three dollars while a blue colored crayfish can even cost more than twenty dollars as they’re more high – end crayfish. If you want to have more options then you can also go through some websites in order to find more exotic and exceptional  species, although they can cost you a 100 dollars.

2. HOUSING :-

They are considered as one of the least demanding pets which makes them convenient for adults as well as children. They need only easy and simple living conditions with air plumps and filters as compared to other semi – aquatic and aquatic or marine pets. However, if you want, then you can add extra  elements in the tank.  Generally, they require a tank which has a temperature of  21 -24 ° Celsius with a pH level of 7.0, which is neutral. A crayfish, usually, crave for at least six to eleven Gallons of water.

Also, it is not advisable to keep more than one crayfish in the same tank but if you do this, then you have to make sure there is sufficient place for both the craw-fishes in the tank. Also, you have to be sure that both of the crayfishes are of same variety or breed, else ways, they could kill each other.  You should change water regularly,  you should do this at least twice a week as they have lots of   bio loads. So, you will have to make sure to have a dechlorinator when changing water.

3. MAKE TANK COMFORTABLE FOR YOUR CRAYFISH :-

You should create a good environment in the tank as they love to go into hiding, playing and hovel, and in order to make them comfortable. You can add things like plants, rocks, tipped over castle and PVC pipes. They love to crawl on the plants so you could buy fake plants, else ways, they will eat the real plants sooner.  In order to make them feel truly safe, you can get gerbil pipes, any three – side containers or hollowed out rocks.  Also, you  need to know that they are more comfortable when its dark so you can minimize the light -exposure which the tank gets.

4. KEEP YOUR CRAYFISH FROM ESCAPING THEIR TANK :-

They love to examine new region and are absolutely good at running away. So you will have to make sure to have protected openings in the filter. You can use rubber bands,  aluminium foil and tape in order to confine the opening of the filter from outside. If your crayfish escapes then, without water, it will dehydrate and thus, die, in just a couple of hours. So it is very important to be careful about this.  So, if you’ve  captured an escaping crayfish then you should make sure not to put them back directly into water as its gills need some time to get   acclimated with water again, and you really do not want it to drown. You should just place it into a bucket which should have enough water in order to cover it fully. Now, you can add a rock in bucket in order to make it feel less assailable. After a full day, you can take the crayfish and hold it onto the surface of water, if he do well then you can put them back in the tank.

5.  FEEDING :-

Crayfishes are omnivorous scroungers which feeds primarily on organic detritus, algae and plants.  They eat shrimp pellets too, so you can plunk down some of them to its hiding place so that they can eat them.  In vegetables, they can eat shelled peas, cabbage leaves, romaine lettuce etc.  You can also fill them in with  frosted foods like brine shrimp, blood worms, daphnia and frozen fishes. You can  feed them cooked chicken as a treat, sometimes but not regularly.

You should fed them a small amount of foods daily, if you throw an excessive amount of food, erringly, then you must abolish the excess food, right away.  If your water living friend stays soft for a longer period of time, that is, more than a day after decorticating then this could mean that the hardness or pH level of water in the tank is too low or your pet is not getting sufficient amount of calcium in its diet.

6.  DISEASES :-

It is not a good idea to keep crayfishes from the different continents as there is a higher risk of spreading disease if they are kept in the same tank. Particularly, one disease poses a quite threat which is known as Crayfish Plaque and this carried by the North -American species of craw fish. Allegedly, American crayfishes have derived to indulge this fungus without any difficulty. But, it is still baleful to other types of crayfish which include crayfishes from Eurasia and Australia.  White Spot disease is another one which can admonish other crayfishes. It affects the shrimps but it might be transferable to other crayfish if you fed them with the raw food made from the effected shrimp.  If you determine to keep more than one species of crayfish in the same tank then you should make sure to keep them separate for at least one month before putting them in one aquarium. Crayfish diseases are very difficult to identify and also even more difficult to cure the disease.

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Obesity today can be found everywhere around us! Most of the people in today’s time are overweight. As we discussed in the previous article about how to track your dog’s weight because being overweight can be a huge problem and a risk to pet’s life, here is a tab about how to cure obesity! Though many of us are conscious about our eating habits, but some are just so busy and stressed with life that they cannot take out time to shed their increasing weight, which causes danger to their pets too. Just the way our eating habits are the pets also adopt the same as they are told by us to accept the way they are being fed! So if a person is lazy or has very low level of physical activity, it might be possible that his/her pet will also be a little overweight! Therefore let’s take a look at the six super easy ways to prevent obesity or overweight problems in your pet dogs!

1.Determining the Intake
Determining or calculating the intake of the calories & fats of your dog will help you the most! Keep a regular check on how much fattening food your dog is having every day, then accordingly start an exercising routine for the dog. Keeping or pushing your dog for physical activity will be a problem in the initial days, but once it is habitual of it, the weight control becomes very easy for you to handle. However, to make your dog exercise, you will also need to be active and playful with the pet.

2.Keep A Check On Relapses
Your dog has the chances of relapsing into overeating if you do not maintain a careful eye on its eating habits! Just as one has to keep a coke addict in surveillance, your dog’s eating habits plus the daily routine also need to be checked! Make sure that you are giving your dog the right amount of food that will help in reducing the weight & not the physical strength! Give him such quantity of food that is sufficient to cope with his/her hunger nothing more than that.

3.Prescribed Exercise
Do not forget to take your dog to the vet on a regular basis. This will keep a tab on health of your dog and it will also help your dog prevent dangerous diseases that happen due to overweight! Follow the vet’s instructions properly & ask for the exercises that are to be done by your pet and make sure that your pet is following every prescribed activity.

4.Do Not Feed Your Dog Table Scraps & Treats
You are yourself killing your dog if you give your dog those fattening sweet treats as a reward for doing tricks for you or for being cute! Those sweet candies can actually cause diabetes to your dog. You should not feed your dog anything besides its meal time, and especially when you are yourself having your meal & if your dog comes to you & asks for the food in your plate, then the only right thing for you to do at that time would be not feeding the dog from your plate or allowing it to licks off the scraps left on the table from your plate!

5.Treat Any Donating Factor or Element
If your dog is overweight, then it is prone to have a lot of diseases that are caused due to obesity, therefore make sure you pay timely visits to the vet who can keep your dog’s health under the scanner. Sometimes the calorie conscious food or prescribed physical activities fail to help your dog get the weight reduced or does not even reflect even the slightest deduction in your dog’s weight, in such a case make sure that your dog does not have any disease that is helping the weight to increase more than to decrease!

6.Regularly Monitor the Dog’s Weight
Keep a timely check on your dog’s weight by regularly monitoring its weight! Holding a check on your dog’s weight actually helps you determine the actual results that will help you gain confidence about your care for your precious dog. Regularly monitoring your dog’s weight will help you keep yourself always on tab about the healthy lifestyle of your dog & your own self! You can always maintain a diary dedicated solely to your pet. Write about your dog’s diet, medicines and exercises so that you don’t forget it at all and this will also help you to compare the advancements in your dog. An owner can also share the diary with pet’s caretaker if you travel without your pet. The diary will help the caretaker to understand your pet’s need in a much better way.

Today more than half of this planet’s population is obese, and with obesity there come countless health problems that result in short life spans & increased stress & poverty, because of all the money going in for the expensive medicines & cures. In such a fast paced time, where we hardly have time for ourselves, it is very important for us to keep our pets as healthy as possible, as they are very delicate & we humans anyway survive the toughest conditions, but many our pets were never made to live in such inhuman conditions, where sometimes we put them into by being negligent! Proper feeding time & giving the right amount of food & keeping a check on the intake along with the being sure of the physical activities to be done by the dog, everything at the end ends up on our head as we humans are the ones who can make our pet’s lives as beautiful as a heaven or as ugly as hell to love & survive!

The post Ways to Control Obesity in Dogs appeared first on Pet Attack.

We treat and love our dogs just the way we love our kids, but certainly the life expectancy of our fur kids is not as much as of our children, this makes it important that we take proper care of our pets so as to keep them healthy and strong and add some more year of our togetherness. Many of us have a dream pet that we would like to keep but are worried about the care that is involved in keeping the pets healthy.

A proper vigilant diet, mental and physical exercise will make our pets live long and have a rich life style. A proper care may also be taken while choosing the pet of your choice. Some few simple tricks and tips needs to be taken care of while petting them which will keep your pet healthy and fit.

Here are some tips that are simple and best to keep our pets healthy.

10. Exercise more

Your pet may be at a good physical condition now, but make sure of a routine walk or playtime to boost the mental and physical health of your pet. A simple walk with your pet around will not only be beneficial to the pet but it will be for you as well to be hearty. Some pet toys like ball or a boomerang keeps the dogs really fit and active. Pull out some more extra time from your work and work routine so as to give them some more times at least once in a week so that they exercise even more that will surely benefit their overall growth.

9. Choose Brain games

Constantly giving older pets a new experiences and exposure keeps their mental reflexes sharp and good. Some food puzzle or a new trick works out best for your pets to keep their mental activity strong. Sometimes a simple change in the walking route provides freshness to pets and keeps them more involved in the activity. So make sure to employ some of the brain games that make and keeps your pet sharp and adds to the growth of its mental health.

8. Obesity shortens life of pet

Studies have shown that the pets that are huge in size and obese tend to live shorter than those who are smaller than them. Obesity in pets is the major cause for many diseases. So keeping your pet fit will let you have them for a long span wit h you. A good exercise routine and proper diet for it will make the pet healthy and fit avoiding them to be obese and adding in the life for your pet. In cases if you are a new pet owner and want to make a choice of it, you should get a pet that is smaller as their life expectancy is much more.

7. Play with them

If you want your dogs to be fit and avoid them being obese the best thing you can do is spare some more time for your pets to play with them, this will keep them active and enrich their life style saving some more years of togetherness. Take your pet at work with you if the term satisfies that as having your pet around will make your work stress lower and you can have some more to with your pet to play with it.

6. Diet

Give your pets a healthy and whole food diet which may include some fruits, broccoli, asparagus and some amount of yogurt which is a good option to puff the pets with some more extra pro-biotic without adding any amount of calories. A proper health diet if followed will help you to keep your dogs fit and avoid chance of them getting ill and sick.

5. Phobias

Older pets have increased chance of developing phobias and anxiety. If the pet becomes fearful or scared of certain things suddenly or wakes up unexpectedly at night it can be a matter of concern and seeing a veterinarian is needed. Some nutritional supplements or medications are also some modes that can maintain and reduce the age related behavioral changes in the pets.

4. Say no to Sugar

Sugar content in the food of your pet is not at all good for them, any food item that you feed your pet with, if has high sugar level in it then you need to avoid them. High level of sugar cause the dog to lose their fur at an accelerating rate just like for dogs if you feed your dog with high content sugar biscuits they will lose their fur.

3. Regular Checkups and Vaccinations

Visiting a veterinarian regularly helps to keep the health of the dogs under check and if there is any need to be taken care of you will be able to avail it sooner. Vaccinations are also very important for dogs they should not be kept away from it, dog polio and other vaccinations are important dosage that you should give them to your pet. If proper vaccination is given at the right time to your pets you can be free from any doubt and reducing the chances of getting infected by bites or nail scratch of your dogs on you or any people generally around your pet.

2. Hygiene is health

Keeping your pet hygienic with regular body wash is very important to keep them healthy. Your dog may not like bathing but you need to make it sure that you give it regular wash, it shall keep all sort of disease and insect at bay and protect your pets from catching any infection due to it.

1. Love them

Loving your pet will give them a feeling of being protected and taken care of, at the same time it is to be remembered that the pets are the best friend that humans can have as they always tend to love back. So love your pet and have more year of togetherness.

The post 10 Tips to Keep Your Pet Healthy appeared first on Pet Attack.

Being healthy is the first thing that every living organism wishes. To lead a good and prosperous life it is a basic need to maintain your body fit and strong. Just like a human body, our lovely pets also require a lot of attention from its owner’s side to keep a regular check on their diet and health so that it is strong enough to combat any kind of illness. According to Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), an estimated 52.5 percent of dogs are overweight or obese. Excess of fat on your pet may have severe adverse health effects on its body which can lead to reducing the lifespan, even if the pet is a little obese.

Being obese can attract dreadful diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis in dogs. Obesity is most common in pet dogs these days; therefore it is really important for a dog owner to know the symptoms of being obese and what reasons can probably make your pet obese? There are some simple symptoms that can let you know if the pet is suffering from obesity. If your dog is not willing or unable to exercise then there are high risks that it may be tormenting from overweight issues which is making him unenthusiastic in any outdoor session. In case you identify excessive fat on your pet’s body which is bulging out then for sure your dog has stepped onto the ladder of being obese. Obesity in dogs not only makes them extremely lethargic, but also snatches their natural aggression or the dog trait of being protective or active from them. The owner should know the consequences of an obese dog! Have a look at the symptoms that can help you identify if your dog if overweight or not

1. Weight Gain
The biggest symptom is weight gain! Everything starts with gaining even the slightest weight. Added weight is not only a problem to many human beings, but it is a problem for animals too if not taken care or looked after! Weight gain will always result out to be critical if it is not controlled at the right time. High intake of calories or not the getting the activity to burn the fats in the food will only result on weight gain.

2. Excess Body Fat
Excessive amount of fat clotted up in the areas where usually the fat is not much felt or seen. Bulgy skin or lumps of skin at places can be the excessive fat grown out. Simplest way of finding out whether the dog has gained because of the fat is by getting regular weight check-ups done timely. Keeping a check with your vet will even help you control the gain in weight!

3. Inability or Unwillingness to Exercise
The decrease in the play time or walk time is a big signal of being overweight mostly in many dogs. Sleeping too much or getting tired soon or not running is the main symptoms of obesity. Many dogs develop wounds down under their footpads due to a heavy body. As the body starts getting pumped up, the legs tend to get weaker enough to bare the increasing weight of the body. This mostly happens with dachshunds. Their limbs are very fragile & they are made to pick a certain amount of weight on them. Being short in height, a dachshund’s legs cannot bare a large amount of weight on them.

I’ve seen lots of time many owners being clueless about the weight rising much even after giving less food! Many times we do not come to know about how many fattening elements the food that is being fed usually has! This results in the illness that is caused due to a lot of weight!

Let’s have a look at what causes obesity in a dog:

1. Excessive Food
Leaving a bowl full of food in front of your dog every time it comes towards the kitchen will absolutely make your dog gain a lot of weight & get fat. You need to make your dog understand that there is a routine for everything that it needs to be followed. Excessive food without any routine will do nothing but increase your dog’s weight rapidly! The routine has to be then followed daily by the dog & its owner.

2. Low Activity Level
The level of activity you are providing your dog matters the most & is responsible for the weight of your dog. If you feed your dog a lot of fat full diet, then you should make sure that your dog gets double the level of activity than the amount of food was fed. Low activity level not only makes your dog gain weight, but also makes it all ill or stay low with the mood very often. Low activity in human beings & dog hit the same! The more you stay inactive, more are the chances that you & your dog will fall into depression or stress soon!

3. Illness
Excessive eating or low activity level are not the only causes of obesity. Illness too can at times be the cause for being overweight. For example, illnesses like hypothyrodism, Cushings Disease, Pancreatic Cancer and pituitary problems are mostly found to be the reason of obesity in many dogs.
Getting hold of obesity or weight gain problem at the right time is very important. It can cause a lot of problems in future if not taken care of! Therefore looking out for cure of this problem is essential, after all who does not want a happy, playful, friendly & protective dog as pet! In order to find out simple ways to keep your dog far away from obesity, stay tuned for the cure of obesity in dogs till the next article!

The post Check if your Dog is Obese appeared first on Pet Attack.

In this series, we have been talking about dogs and their extra-sensory-abilities. In the previous article (Sensible Dogs Part 1) we had looked at how dogs can sense: your intentions, fear and sudden change in your priority. Let’s continue with this article.

But before I continue, I want to clarify that some parts of this article are mere observation and may/may not be backed with appropriate statistical data to come to a concrete conclusion. Reader’s discretion is of utmost importance.

They can sense your illness

Even you might have heard stories of pet dogs’ helping their pet parents diagnose any illness by displaying weird behaviour. You might have also heard of stories where hospitals pet dogs, who patrol around the hospital, roaming about wards and other rooms and spending time with patients.

But how is it possible especially in an aspect where even the most sophisticated instruments and most experienced doctors feel helpless? Again this is due to their keen sense of smell. Here’s the fact: Dogs can sense VOCs that are given out by our body through sweat. Now what are VOCs? VOC is a term used for Volatile Organic Compounds. These include various chemicals that are even toxic, but are an important part of our metabolism.

How do only dogs smell VOCs? Not that only dogs smell them, even we can smell them too. The only difference is that they can smell a very large variety of VOCs while we can smell merely a dozen odd ones.

Dogs, depending on their breed, can have 10,000 to 1, 00,000 times stronger sense of smell. If I give you an example, you will understand the magnitude. A dog can smell a teaspoon of sugar in million gallons of water. This might seem unreal or fake to you but if trained properly, certain breeds, can sharpen their skills so-much-so- that they could even warn an epilepsy patient of an attack in the near future. Foreign countries have set up centres that train dogs to sense subtle changes occurring in human body that reflect the presence of a disease.

The next part is for pet parents that house 2 or more dogs at home.

They can sense when you are unfair with them

You wouldn’t believe that dogs do have a sense of justice. In an Austrian study, when two dogs performed an activity and only one of the two was rewarded, even when both of them did it correctly, the un-rewarded dog was seen to be agitated at the sight of the other dog. Their classic reaction was to lick their paws and scratch their ears in impatience.

Dogs have inherited their sense of justice from their ancestors- wolfs. Wolfs lived, ate, hunted and migrated in packs and they had some very strict rules. The one who failed to perform his duty was punished. He was refused of any rewards that the pack would get. Not just wolfs, chimps too worked in the same way.

But here, in case of the study, the dog which did perform his duty was denied reward and that triggered agitation.

Interestingly, if you could not manage to get two equal gifts, then that’s not a problem at all. For example if the first dog gets a dog-cookie and the second one gets an ordinary dog-biscuit, you would be surprised that both of them were equally happy with their respective prizes. I have already mentioned this in the previous article: Dogs are as intelligent as a 2 year old human kid. That is the reason why they cannot differentiate between a big/small or costly/cheap reward.

I can relate the next part of this article with my life. Angel has been living in my house since six years now, and she always knows when I am angry. She has a habit of tearing newspapers, books, or any paper; into pieces, when I’m away from home for long periods of time. When I come home, I see her drowning in a pile of paper bits

They can sense your anger

If you have spent some years with your pet now, then you will agree with me. Experienced pets know when their pet-parents are angry. Experienced pet-parents need not utter a single word to make their pet understand that they do not appreciate his behaviour.

Often, when you find your dog guilty of something, a simple gesture is enough to get him down on his knees, trembling and whining. (Here the intention is not to torture your pet but to send a strong signal that you won’t approve of such behaviour). You just need to keep your hands on your hip and give him a narrow-eyed stare.

But do not praise yourself for fixing the blame on him just because he shows signs of guilt. More often than not, dogs display signs of guilt just because you are angry. They do not know if you are angry because of them or because of something else. Since the source is unclear, dogs have no choice but to be guilty and blame themselves for your anger.

This can be disastrous, in some situations. When you are not sure if he’s guilty and you punish him (by anger), and if this happens repeatedly, your dog is bound to get undisciplined and frustrated. Your inconsistent behaviour can create an impression in the dog’s mind that you are unfair to him. (I have already talked about the sense of justice in the previous part of this article).

A sincere request all pet-parents: Please do not reprimand your pets before you are absolutely sure that your dog is guilty. This can plague your relationship with him and lead to various behavioural problems, ultimately leaving you with no choice but to abandon your pet. Please do not let this happen to you pet.

The next article in this series would talk about some other emotions/feelings/attitude that dogs comprehend and react to.

The post Sensible Dogs – Part 2 appeared first on Pet Attack.

Ah! So now you are looking for ape friend that seemed to be a pretty smart buddy in that latest Hollywood flicks you saw recently. You must be wondering if you could own one and keep yourself occupied with your new found friend. Well, take it slow buddy, because it isn’t as easy as it looks like on the screen. No I am not saying it would turn out to be another ‘The-Rise-of-The-Planet-Of-The-Apes’, but you would surely have  a tough time handling your monkey friends. Here is why.

Disciplinary Issues

While you may find baby monkeys and Chimpanzees irresistibly cute but as they grow up, the reality would soon strike upon you in the form of disciplinary issues associated with them. Look! They are not same as a dog or cat, which would wag its tail around you and listen to your orders. They are wild and certainly not the ones who would respond when you throw the stick. As kids, the apes learn all the monkey etiquette via social interactions by observing their elders and imitating them. This way of learning is obstructed when they live in human filled environment and tend to behave differently, which can be abnormal. As babies they can be easy to handle but as they grow up they can prove to be an uncontrollable liability that would chatter and roam around in your house defying your sense of peace and safety. It is difficult to teach an ape human behavior and etiquette and it obviously not preferable and expected.

Wild, Real Wild!

They are not domestic beings. Though they are vegetarians but they have got canines that can prove to be dangerous if not fatal. There have been many cases where a poor owner lost a finger or two as his pet lost his temper. By the time they are adults, that is around five years of age, they become quite stronger than humans. In any case if they become aggressive then even the most experienced care taker cannot help but watch the mess come into existence despite all the efforts. Apes, though can be handled to some extent when they are young but as puberty hits, they long for others of their kind and become ecstatic.

Space and Time

Apes, with chimps specially stay with their moms for more than five years. Even while sleeping, the mamma chimps keep in contact with their infants while sleeping. They are raised with affection and care which a human cannot relate to or imitate. Even devoting all the affection and care, owners often overlook the everyday needs of constant cleaning, developing new tricks to keep them occupied, feeding regularly etc. Petting a chimp is not only concerned with keeping a hold on basic needs, ample space and dedicated time devotion are a part of it. No matter how big your bungalow is, or if you have a huge backyard, for a grown up apes, it would never be enough. Apes like to roam around and explore new spaces, that way your whole house can turn into a mess. It is how you imagine a 3 year old powerful kid roaming across your house, pulling down curtains and moving tables and furniture.

Chimps can become irritated if neglected. You may be off your schedule or come late sometime only to find your pet friend really angry upon you, that may take the shape of a havoc. Oh and if you think you can take your pet on a trip with you then forget that, you won’t even find a proper caretaker when you are away all by yourself.

Communicable diseases

Of course we are not much different from them, they being our ancestors. What could be more dangerous than getting infected by a disease they carry, which can b easily transferable living with your pet. Any disease that harms them can affect us too, since we are so similar genetically. So either way, a disease can be bad for both you and your ape friend equally, no matter who is the transmitter.

Time to say goodbye

Finally after going through all the headache and back breaking struggles , you would realize that these big monkeys only belong to the forest, where they can be happy and stay healthy. It can come to you that no matter how much compassion and care you show towards your pet and all the time you devoted for it, all of it turned out to be a treachery. Well, then let it be clear, like you can’t stay in a jungle with a chimp family, climbing trees and eating fruits, similarly an ape cannot be tamed to be a domestic amuse. Though you might have bonded with the ape but you realize have to let go, well deep down you actually knew this day would come.

The Disturbing Truth

Many owners don’t know this but zoo keepers don’t accept apes that have grown under human influence as they don’t mingle up well with others of their kind. They cannot adopt to the character traits that are though small  but unique and equally important to stay alive among their own species. Thus as a misfit they are targeted by other apes and suppressed. Same is the reason why they can’t be let out in the wild, the conditions being tougher there, decreasing the survival chances.

One dark truth that follows is that, these chimps are sent to various laboratories for innumerable experiments that are conducted ruthlessly upon these creatures. The are subjected to pain and torture and kept in inhuman conditions. Though the owners are told not to visit their chimps and disturb them in their new and happy homes, they don’t come to know that their beloved friends actually become victims to various horrendous conditions they are kept in. Thus following this many countries and places have banned keeping apes as pets.

The post The Ape Gape appeared first on Pet Attack.

As pet owners people always expects their pet to be unique and different from other pets. They always want them to stand out from the crowd. There are certain animals which if becomes a pet can definitely be a show to watch. It has the shape, the beauty, the intelligence, the play and the tricks that make him exceptional in every possible way. I am sure you might still be guessing who I am talking about. Well, it is none other than the most elegant and playful being of water i.e. the Dolphins. They are not just elegant but even considered as the national aquatic animal of India.

Dolphins belong to the cetacean mammal family who are closely associated to the porpoises and whales. We can find around 40 species of dolphins in 17 different genera. They range from 4feet and 40 kg to almost 30 feet and 10 tonnes. It is a fish that is available everywhere around the world. However, the majority of population is seen near the shallow seas of the continental shelves. They are flesh eating mammals (carnivorous) mostly surviving on fish and squid. When dolphins are in a group or herd they are called as a ‘pod’ or a ‘school’. A male dolphin is called as ‘bull’, whereas a female is a ‘calf’.

The different dolphins as per their taxanomy are – Common dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin, Spotted dolphin, Atlantic spotted dolphin, Commerson’s dolphin, Dusky dolphin, Killer whales, Amazon river dolphin. Dolphins have a flat, fusiform body which helps them swim faster. The fin tail known as fluke is used for momentum while the pectoral fins provide direction control and the dorsal fin is the balancing factor while swimming. The head is shaped round as it contains the melon, an organ used for echolocation.  In many species an elongated jaw is a common feature. Some species have up to 250 set of teeth.

Dolphins are extremely social animals. They respond to human contact and activity quickly. But there are certain limitations to how we can correctly interact with a dolphin.

• THE WATER TEST: Get inside the water where the dolphins swim. Do not swim close or around them. This makes them know you are not aggressive or menacing. Make sure you do not perform this act alone and have a companion with you to keep an eye on. Dolphins can be unpredictable at times. Especially when you are a stranger and they are unfamiliar to the being. The safest way is to do this with someone who is well trained and has some knowledge about dolphins and their behaviour.
• THE FIRST STEP: Never take the initiative or the first step while petting a dolphin. Unlike other pets dolphins take their own time in building confidence in someone or considering them as a friend. Hence let the dolphin come to you instead of you going to him.
• NOTICE THE TENSION: As said earlier it is always safe to let the dolphin take the first step. It makes them realise that you are not to cause any harm to them. But if you think that the dolphin is not comfortable with your presence do not come in its way. Let it go. Or else it may even turn the dolphin aggressive.
• STRETCH YOUR HAND: The dolphins don’t like unnecessary touching unless they really want it. So do not directly touch the dolphins. Stretch your hand out and let the dolphin come near it. Make sure you stretch your dominant hand so that in case of worse scenario you are ready to reflex back. The dolphins investigate your hand and if comfortable let you touch them.
• THE TOUCH TEST: Once you are sure that the dolphin is comfortable around you go ahead for small, gentle touches. Pat softly on its back. Dolphins are otherwise social animals. They enjoy human company. Be careful that you avoid touching its dorsal fin as it is a sensitive area.

So these were some of the suggestions one must follow if you are going on a wild adventure with the non-captivated dolphins. However, dolphins can only be captivated in Dolphinarium. As the name suggests a dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins care specifically. Over here the dolphins are kept in large pools or other water bodies according to their body size. Generally dolphins are not animals that can be kept as pets as they need large space as well as natural environment to carry on with their daily activities. Certain fishes are kept in aquariums where they are displayed in transparent glass tanks. However, dolphins are not tank-fishes. They need space to jump and play which include in their regular activities. There are certain dolphinarium where dolphins are kept in one pool, where they perform in front of the public. Such dolphins are usually trained and safe to touch and play with. The most common breed of dolphins seen here is the bottlenose dolphins as it is easy to teach and train and lives longest in captivity. Other species even include the Orcas.

Apart from the facts about their lifestyle and their habitats the most and relevant reason why one cannot buy a dolphin is that they are extremely expensive living beings. It is sheerly impossible for a common person to buy a dolphin as pet. On the other hand, there are loads of legal obligations one has to face to get a green signal to buy a dolphin. Hence, it is practically impossible for one to have a pet dolphin but one can definitely enjoy its company in their nearby dolphinarium. It is cheap, legal and at the very same time gives you a chance of being near this beautiful creature. So next time you visit a dolphinarium make sure to follow the basic rules and stand out in the crowd.

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