You must have come across these doe-eyes astoundingly gorgeous creatures in magazines, and wanted to own one of them. To be honest, the first time I laid my hands on such a picture, the first thought that came to my mind was, “ Are these real?” They looked for different from any animal I had ever seen that it had never struck my mind that you can keep one of these as your pet.

Well, now you can! Exotic though they are, they can be adopted, or rather purchased, to be exact.First things first, I must acquaint you with these strangely mythical creatures which, now that I know, actually do exist. They are called Fennec Foxes, more commonly known by the name of the ‘desert fox’. They, like dogs, are a small member of the canine family. Like dogs, they share a lot of behavioral characteristics, but since they are rarely domesticated, require cautious socialization as well as necessary precautions against escape. Now, do not be intimated about keeping a pet whose sole purpose might seem to run loose because, frankly speaking, this is not the case more often than not. Belonging to the canine family, fennec foxes, once tamed, are rewarding and more importantly, loyal.

Fennec Foxes, save for their beautiful over-sixed ears, are petite. An adult weighs about two to four pounds. One of its striking features is the soft, thick coat that is reddish and tawny on the back, and whitish on the underside. They also have some curious black markings on the back and tail.

Fennec Foxes are astute creatures. Quick and agile, they have a high pitched yelp like puppies, and are extremely cautious creatures. They are nocturnal in the wilderness, but can be adopted to the human timings if brought home at an early age. The fact that they are, like cats, extremely clean animals, and can be litter trained, if adopted at an early age. The age is an important issue when Fennec Foxes are concerned, and more often than not, owners find it difficult to tame the animal if not adopted at a very early age.

Fennec foxes are omnivores in the wilderness, their diet including s wide range of insects, rodents, plants, fruits and also reptiles. However, it is advisable to  feed it, when adopted, what-you-call a commercially wild candid diet, which will be available in pet shops where they house exotic pets. However, taking into account the fact that these are exotic animals and you might not come across any such pet shops in your area, I would advise you to provide your pet fennec with a healthy mix of dog food, cat food, fruits and vegetables. One in a blue moon, you might also want to treat your pet with an assortment of raw meat, vegetables, and necessary vitamins.

Playtime for a Fennec is nonpareil. Like Labradors, they are hyperactive and need an outlet for their energy. Like small kittens or puppies or who-am-I-kidding even babies, they are extremely inquisitive and will get into probing anything and everything.  In fact, your fancy pet can be also act like a pig at times. Do not be alarmed; I meant that Fennec foxes have quite a penchant for digging. For that matter, you must devise the outdoor enclosure cautiously to prevent them from digging under or climbing over the fence (if you were planning on a fence, that is), and trust me, they can do this gamely. The best thing to do is to bury a significant portion of the fence and turning the fence in at the top or even completely casing the enclosure to avert escape.

You might want to teach them to fetch like dogs, which will help them burn off the excess energy.  However, if you are intending to play fetch with your fennec pal, do not forget to leash him or her since they are exceptionally agile, and if they once do escape, it would be extremely knotty to recapture them. However, if you can, and I hope you will, establish a close bond with your fancy big-ears, it might just stop it from trying to escape.

Weather or rather temperature is not an issue with Fennec foxes provided they are sheltered adequately. It is true that keeping a Fennec fox will cost you quite a handful. However, if you consider the fact that they are a curious assortment of all the animals you’ve ever wanted as a pet, then I do believe that it is really worth it. To adduce this fact, let me make you aware of another Fennec characteristic  that is rather croc-like: One of the favourite activities of a Fennec fox is basking in the sun!

Well, considering all the pros and cons, and of course the astoundingly cute face, I believe that if you do intend to get one or a pair of these as pets, it would be a rather rewarding experience. Almost similar to dogs in certain character traits, Fennec foxes, especially the hand-raise pups, are generally compliant and do not resort to biting unless cornered or threatened. They are generally not apprehensive about strangers, and are quite friendly to everybody. One in a while, they might irritate your other pets but, trust me, this is because the Fennec expects them to play with him, all the time!

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Now you might be of the opinion that there is nothing to learn about petting a cat. Just a tap or a rub on the back should do the trick. However, and I hate to tell you this, this is not the case with a cat. Cats, unlike dogs, do not like to be petted at all times, and they have some particular places or spots where and only where they like to be touched. In fact, if you think you can just do it your way, do remember that cats are found to even go to the length of scratching and biting if they do not like your speed or skill!
Cats are very particular creatures. You must know that the Egyptians worshipped cats once upon a time. Now, you might have forgotten or overlooked this but, trust me, they surely have not. So, the first thing that you should do before petting a cat is to make it clear to your feline companion that you are seeking permission to touch it.

First things first, I think you should let your cat sniff you for as long as it wants to so that it can be comfortable with your touching it. Remember, in all other cases, it is you that adopts the pet. However, with cats, it is the other way around; cats adopt you, and they can be really exacting!
Now, what you should do is extend a finger and allow the cat to rub its nose against your fingertips. More often than not, it will show no interest in sniffing your hand, and instead stare at you suspiciously or with utter disregard. This is a way of their saying, “Back off, I am not in a mood!”
You should never, at this point, try to pet it for it will definitely be against its will, and you might just be awarded with a scratch or a bruise. All you can do is wait for your cat to be in a better mood. Another thing to remember is that you cannot always be lucky with cats. Some cats just are not friendly. They do not like to be petted, and if, sadly, you have brought home such a grumpy soul, it would be in your best interest to let it be. However, if the cat, exhibiting an unexplained change of mood, sniffs your hand and rubs its chin or one side of its head against your hand or any part of your body, there is a slight chance that your pet expects to be petted. If that happens, open your palms and touch its body in a gentle fashion.

You should be gentle with your cat at all times, because your feline companion approves of it. Your fingertips are nonpareil. Now you need to know about some pleasure spots in your cat’s body. Not all parts of your pet are open to your touch, mind it. If you go on, however lightly, touching it all over, be confident that you are about to be bruised badly. The most viable spot to pet is the area between or behind the ears in a back-to-front- movement.

Now, if you are a stranger in a friend’s place who incidentally has a cat, and you have heard hilarious stories about how friendly it is, do not, under any circumstances , try to check out for yourself. You must remember that however friendly a cat is, it does not like to be touched by strangers. You need to acquire the trust of a cat before daring to pet it!

The forehead is another good place to begin with. With your fingertips or the palm of your hand, pet the forehead and then, gently, travel along the length of the forehead to the base of tail and repeat. Massage the muscles in the neck by applying a little pressure. Once the car is warmed up, you might try using your middle finger and thumb simultaneously stroke the cat’s moustache, which however is a daring attempt and I advise you to try this only after the cat has become quite comfortable with you.

While the shaft of the moustache and the forehead has musk glands that give pleasure when stroked, you cannot ignore the other parts of your pet. For getting it to like you, you must dig deeper, and wider! To do that, you should start by running the palm of your hand gently from the neck and along the back all the way, until you reach the tail. Do not, under any circumstances, touch the tail, for your cat would not like it. Now, if your cat likes what you are doing, it will arch its back and expect you to apply more pressure. When you start over, it might even rub its forehead against your hand in a pressing way to encourage you to do it again. However, if you notice your cat cowering away or covering your ears, or simply trying to walk away, then you should probably stop petting it.

There are sundry ways of petting a cat but what you have to remember is that you must pay attention to its reaction to what you are doing.

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If you have a thing for pocket friendly pets, as in one that you can purchase without burning a hole in your pocket, and are small enough to fit into your pockets, then I think you should get a Sugar Glider for yourself. These petite creatures are ridiculously delectable in their appearance, and relatively easy to care for.

First things first: you need to know that Sugar Gliders are marsupials, and like the kangaroo, they start their life in their mother’s pouch. They are usually found in places in and around Indonesia, New Guinea, and Australia. Their diet and habits actually account for their being named so, much like our Snot-nose and Smelly-pants. They, when in the wild, feed on nectar and the sap of eucalyptus sap, and are therefore called ‘sugar’, and gliders because the flap of skin in between their ankles and wrists allows them to glide between trees
.

Contrary to their being called so, their staple food is not just sugar( honey or sweet sap). They are omnivorous animals, and their diet includes a plethora of items like fruit, honey, insects and even small birds and rodents.

Sugar Gliders are social creatures, which is one of the reasons why you will love having them as pets. In the wilderness, they usually live in social family units, and just cannot stay alone, without social interaction. In fact, there are many cases of them dying due to depression induced by staying alone. For that reason, you must, if you are thinking about getting one of these delectable creatures as pets, meditate on the amount of time you can spend with it so that it does not suffer from bouts of negligence or depression. A practical thing to do would be to get more than one, so that your pet gets to have his social interfaces even when you are not around.

Sugar Gliders, if you are a mushy shilly-shallying pet lover, are the perfect match. They are playful and extremely endearing pets. You must. As mentioned before, keep them in groups of two or four. Company is nonpareil for sugar gliders. Other than food and company, they are not really exacting pets, so to say. They are clean and do not need multifarious housing requirements. They are what you can call long-term pets, for they, if provided for in a proper manner, can live up to fourteen years in captivity.

Now, there are some things which you should keep in mind while tending for a Sugar Glider. As said earlier, their need for company tops the charts. You need to around them as much as possible, and I cannot stress this enough. Since they are such tiny creatures, you might, if possible, take them with you in your pockets! Trust me, they will love riding around in your pocket or a gunny bag.  Delectable as they are, they are not very good with training, so you will have to take necessary precautions. To adduce this, I may add that Sugar Gliders have sharp nails which will dig in to you when they are either climbing on landing on your body. Now, since, you cannot train them to be gentle on you, you need to trim their nails on a regular basis. Their teeth is another such concern. Although, they are not aggressive creatures to begin with, if threatened or scared, there is a high tendency that they might bite.  Now, you cannot, of course, chop off their teeth. What you can do, however, is to be patient enough to get your pet to like and trust you so that it does not feel threatened in your presence. Also, it might be in your best interests to not let anybody whom your pet is not familiar with touch or cuddle it.

Now, you need to give your pet a full meal, which contains all the necessary requirement, including vitamin and mineral supplements. Whether sugar gliders should be given sugar to eat has become a highly debatable matter, which has heightened in the wake of a disease typical to them called nutritional osteodystrophy, which stems mostly from an imbalance of calcium or phosphorous in the diet. So, I would advise you to consult a good vet-dietician for the purpose.

Housing is another important part of keeping a Sugar Glider. You might be good enough to let your pet share your pet but I would advise you against it. Other than infections that are fairly common, there is also the risk of other animals trying to make a meal out of your pet. The best thing to do is to get a cage, of more than 36 inches, for a pair. In this respect, let me remind you that bigger is better, and they are more keen on the height of the cage than the floor space. The cage should be no more than two inches wide, since horizontal bars will induce them to climb and they will not lose their typical agility.  Now, you should be creative in your decorating the cage with toys, boxes and glider pouch. An exercising wheel would be wonderful. You primary endeavour should be in keep your pet active and busy.

Sugar Gliders make wonderful pets, and I can assure you that if you do get one of these endearing  creatures for yourself, you won’t ever regret it. As said earlier, Sugar Gliders, unlike other pets, do not respond to castigation at all, so the best thing to do is to take precautions and always treat them with the love, care and respect they deserve.

The post Craving for a Sugar Overdose? Bring home a Sugar Glider! appeared first on Pet Attack.

I understand that there is a lot of stigma attached with keeping pigs as pet. The fads that are used to describe these poor fellow’s behaviour and nature are preposterous. With the exception of eating like a pig, which, of course is true,  sayings like “sweating like a hog”, “dirty as a pig” or “stinking like  a pig” are just plain unfortunate, not to mentioned deeply biased. In fact, pigs do not sweat, are not really dirty if provided a clean shelter, and they definitely do not have body odour!

The first thing that you need to know about pigs are that they are extremely genial, compliant, clean and astute. They are very hearty pets and are always eager to socialize. This habits are probably formed by living in a group with other pigs. However, just because pigs are friendly creatures, it cannot be said of them that they do not get angry. If a pig is peeved, he or she screams loudly or even throws its head in a side- sweeping motion. Of course when it is happy, it happily ouffs around in sweet pleasing tones.

A very important thing to remember about keeping a pig as a pet is the establishment of hierarchy. You must have read the quintessential novella Animal Farm by George Orwell. If you have, you must understand that you should establish yourself at the top or your pig will, in a few days, determine that he or she is the “top pig” !
Now it might seem a tab bit absurd but, trust me, there is nothing worse in the world than a brash pig. For all these reasons, you need to keep your pig engaged. Distractions might come in the form of some creative exercises you might make your pet do. You might even consider adopting more than one pig to ensure that your pet is not lonely or bored.

Pigs are extremely intelligent creatures, which is one of the reasons why they form excellent pets. They have great communication skills and range, making them interesting to watch. In fact, there is gamut of distinctive sounds that pigs make to communicate. To warn others of impending danger, the pigs bark. While feeding its young, the mother pig makes mild grunting noises. It can also squeal to indicate displease or hunger. This is not all. Their communication skills are so advanced that they go on to voice individual sounds like “aroo” to show impatience, and a sound akin to “ha ha ha” to show pleasure.

Piggy- postures are nonpareil. A satisfied pig rarely shows body postures. However, a spoiled and overtly pampered pig may display certain behavior traits like throwing its head, face off, or clicking her jaws in response to a disagreeable situation or another animal annexing its territory.

I cannot root for cats but pigs sure are curious. In fact, if they have access to the earth, they are happy to spend hours foraging and rummaging to find any stray titbits of food. This actually has a positive side to it since they can be easily trained by stimulating them with new ideas, and of course, food!

Pigs, in contrast to the general idea, are very affectionate animals. They love companionship and, in case of pets, always want to be around their humans. There display certain affection traits that can often link them to dogs. In fact, if you agree to let your pig share your bed, you will experience the most porcine sleeping partner who is not only warm and cuddly but does not squirm or fidget.

Pigs have a sharp sense of smell. In fact, it has actually been accounted for that pigs can smell odour that are more than fifteen feet under the ground. Habituated in unearthing truffles in that way, they can even be used to sniff out drugs. However, pigs have one impairment that makes them inferior to dogs. Although they have acute sense of sound and smell, it does not see very well.

You should not consider its sight an impairment to its intelligence at all. In fact, the pig has been actually rated as the fifth most intelligent animal after man, monkeys, dolphins and whales. One of the reasons why their sight is not a hindrance is because they generally function by instinct, intuition and memory. As a matter of fact, they are more like our children. They have no conscience of good or bad but they are astute learners and diligently follow what is taught to them. However, like children, they can also be manipulative at times. It is therefore important to maintain a loving but stern attitude towards your porcine pal so that it does not take undue advantage of you. This is however very rare. Interaction with pigs are more often than not, rewarding. They are friendly and extremely social and they just love company, porcine or not. Trust me, if you really want to get an outgoing pet who is gifted too, pigs are your thing!

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December 25, 2004.

Joanne’s family is highly ecstatic. It’s their first Christmas in the newly acquired sea-facing house in Ramanathapuram (costal village in Tamilnadu).  The house is filled with frenzied activity. Why only the house, the entire island was engaged in the week long preparations for Christmas and New Year. The smell of sweetmeats overpowered the smell of sea. Joanne was happy, but tired, because she hadn’t slept for nights together. She was yawning her head off. At least tonight, she was expecting to get some sound sleep.

Now three year old stray dog, was just a puppy when he had wandered into Joanne’s plot which was under construction. Joanne and her son Jason, had come to supervise the construction work and from nowhere this stray pup clung onto Jason.  He immediately lifted him and held him tight to his bosom. He named him “Josiah”. A cleanliness freak Joanne, still couldn’t say no to her son Jason holding a dirty little stray pup. As time passed by, she started to have an affinity towards Josiah. Josiah was a dog who found extreme pleasure in discovering leftovers of chicken that goes into the dustbin. Sophistication was never a part of him.

He was never cranky but a no-nonsense and happy-go-lucky pet. Yet, his behavior has been very unusual from today morning. He refused to eat anything. Even his most favorite dishes failed to tempt him. He seemed to be frightened with the sound of sea and would go nowhere near it. This was so not Josiah. Why was he avoiding water? Has he got rabies? This very thought, sent shockwaves down Joanne’s spine. Evening brought no relief too. He kept moaning and made curious noises. His disturbed movements assured her that something was surely wrong with him.

Approximately 1300 nautical-miles apart, on December 25, 2004, Max (a six year old golden retriever) also behaved peculiar. His moaning was gut-wrenching. His cries reminded Sukarno (his pet-parent) of the day he could never forget.

November 2, 2002

The whole Sumatra Island was shattered by a massive earthquake of 7.3 magnitude. It was followed by an equally devastating tsunami which washed away 994 buildings, killing 3 and injuring several people. Sukarno’s house couldn’t make it through the earthquake. Many of his relatives were injured and some went missing too. Max behaved in a remarkably similar manner, exactly on the day before the calamity rocked the island. The memory is still fresh and the wounds deep. Sukarno never wanted to see the furious revenge of nature again but he was not lucky and his wildest fears came true.

December 26, 2004,

Planet Earth witnessed one of the deadliest natural disasters. It was the third largest earthquake with a magnitude of Mw 9.1–9.3. The entire planet vibrated as much as 1 centimeter which triggered other earthquakes even as far as Alaska. Tsunamis in Sumatra are relatively rare despite frequent earthquakes. The ‘2002 Sumatra earthquake’ is said to be a foreshock, pre-dating the main calamity by over two years. Only if Sukarno had taken Max’s instincts seriously, he would have had a chance to survive which was not to be. Sukarno, along with his fellow islanders, were not there to see the next day and Max was orphaned.

Joanne could no more see Josiah’s quandary. But on a holiday season, the vets were in no mood to work. Joanne had no choice but to immediately pack off Jason and Josiah’s essentials to travel to Paramakudi (20km away from Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu), where her cousin practiced as a vet. Joanne didn’t regret her decision as she could celebrate Christmas with her cousin and Josiah too, was getting back to his normal self.

The next morning, when Joanne switched on her TV, she was shocked to know that the entire island where she lived, in Ramanathapuram, fell prey to nature’s wrath and none survived. Is it her concern for Josiah’s health or is it Josiah’s sixth sense that made them escape the impending danger?

Most of the pets and wild animals escaped the December 26, 2004 earthquake and tsunami. Well before the giant waves struck, elephants, dogs, horses, cats and birds (most of them being pets) moved to higher grounds in Sri Lanka and Sumatra; the same happened in Thailand. Apparently, dogs and cats ran up the hill tops, and at Galle in Sri Lanka, pet-parents were puzzled when their animals refused to go for their usual morning stroll at the seashore.

Another prominent incident happened in Haicheng (a city in China) on February 4, 1975, where the officials evacuated the residents shortly before an earthquake of 7.3-magnitude hit the city. The decision to evacuate was basically due to the fact that almost all inhabitants had observed ‘’progressively unusual activity’’ among animals like dogs, horses, cats, pigs, and cows, as early as two months prior to the quake.

The mankind which boasts of possessing sixth-sense, spends millions in scientific research, yet neither has it been able to predict accurately nor could it act swiftly wherein the ordinary animals who possess only 5 senses, foresee such disastrous calamities coming. Perhaps they are so attuned to nature that they pick up subtle vibrations or sounds in the earth, and may even respond to subterranean gases released just before the earthquakes, or respond to fluctuations in the Earth’s electrical field.

Even though there have been documented cases of unusual animal behavior prior to ‘acts of god’, many scientists are skeptical and dismiss these as ‘non-sense’ that people share, after any disaster occurs.

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We could able to find a lot of soft animals available in the world, which we could be petted. In such categories, I brought you some list of animals which can be kept as a pet in the city sides home (metro-lives) in this article. The listed pets will have a great tend to attract people and same time; it gives you a royal look.

5. Guinea Pig

Guinea Pig is one of the smallest pet among others. It sometimes called as Cavies. It is originated from South America. Though its name is weird, it looks good. It has tendency to draw the people towards it. We could say, Guinea Pig is one of the best pet to have in the city sides’ home, because it could able to live in cages (small or huge, it depends on you) happily.

It is a tiny creator with puffy hair all around the body (it may be small or long hair). Though it is tiny creator, it weighs around 1.5 kgs. It got cute and dark bally eye which is really attractive point. It has flexible food habitat. It likes to have fresh vegetables, Commercial pellets, prairie hay along with the water. It loves to walk on pipes and hide in the small or hidden box, which will be a good entertain for you.

4. Parrot

Though there are a lot of birds in the world, Parrot got a whole and separate place for it. It can’t compare to any other birds. Its appearances are doping beauty. It is originated form South side of the world, as it need moderate temperature to survey. But still, it has tendency to hold itself in cold climate even. Mostly, Parrot would be caged but some of the trained parrot left free to roam around, still kept under care. Parrot has special talent to attract and entertain the people. It could able to imitate the master’s (owner’s) voice or words. And, it swings well in its cage.

This beautiful creator has good body structure. It’s curved bill body with upright stance, along with the erotic Chinese fan like feather looks awesome in whole. It likes to have mixed seed and grain, fresh vegetables along with the water has its food. Generally it is grows 12 to 100 cms depend on its species nature.

3. Rabbit

Rabbits vary from variety of ranges. Each rabbit species has different outlook and slight differ in body structure. Though it is seen all over the world, it is highly available and originated from North America. Still, we could find equal amount in South-West Europe, South-East Asia, South America, South Africa and more parts in Japan. Rabbit has habitat to live in meadows, wood and forest (grassy land). So, we could cage the rabbits with grassy land at the bottom, or else can create meadow structured home to stay.

Rabbit has lovely body structure. The bended body with puffy hair over it. It uses its rear legs to stand, sit and jump-start, and front to hold and land from jump. The attracting point in the rabbits is its ear. It got to have a long ear. Sometimes, because of its ear, it is called as bunny (bunny ears). It likes to eat fresh carrots (mostly), vegetables and pellets along with water. It loves to tap the ground and make funny noises.

2. Cat

Cats are considered as cutest, sexiest and cunning animal among all other pets. It is the most common pet all over the world and available even. But, in South Africa, we could able to find wild breed of cat mostly, so can’t be petted easily. Usually, cat is never be caged. Sometimes, if it isn’t trained properly or not good enough to roam around. It left free to roam around, as it loves to have.

Cat has cylindrical body with four beamed legs at the corners. It has cute face with black nose and upright ears. And, as like other mammals, it got to have an erotic tail at back. Cats are good in adapting to the environment. If you are vegetarian, it likes to have cup-rice and milk. If you are non-vegetarian, it loves to have meat and milk. And, it makes lovely sound meow… So, it sometimes called as meow-y.

1. Hamster

Hamster is very famous for its size. It is tiny in size and we could carry in our pocket even. It is sometimes called as pocket pet, even. It is originated from Russia and German, though it is available all over the world. And even, it is exported to places where it doesn’t. It makes itself to get fit with the cage. It loves to walk on wheel and make cut-biting sound. It has unique habitat, it sleeps all day and wake up all night. It suits well for the working people, because it entertains its owner (master) by walking on wheel at evening time.

Hamster has a tiny body structure; it looks similar to the rats. But its body is covered with combo colored softy hairs. It grows around 15 to 17 cms long. It likes to have pellets, fresh fruits and vegetables (occasionally) along with water as its food.

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There’s nothing that makes a dog owner more distraught than seeing their dog sick. Certain illnesses are common among dogs and continue to fester, and one must be aware of the illnesses as well as its probable cures. Some of them don’t necessary require medical aid, but it is always better to follow medical advice. It helps to know about these illnesses not just to prevent them from happening but also to ease them out of their suffering. Some illnesses are not evident right from the start. Therefore, one must always be on the constant lookout for signs and symptoms. Here is a lowdown on some of the most common ailments among dogs.

Fleas- extremely common among dogs and can fester just as easily. The one good thing about them is that they are easy to spot, as one gets suspicious when your dog starts scratching itself more than usual. The scratching proceeds to biting, hair loss and bleeding. These blood sucking creatures should preferably not be treated with synthetic or artificial repellents unless absolutely necessary. Frequent baths with lukewarm water and mild soap is the easiest way to combat fleas. Use of flea combs, flea collars and flea sprays is another effective way to deal with fleas. Flea combs physically remove fleas while flea sprays provide with a shine to your dogs coat too. Some natural repellents such as lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and lavender oil are just as good in getting rid of fleas.

Ear infections-are most common among dogs, especially breeds such as cocker spaniels and beagles that have hanging ears. This is owing to their smaller ear canals which are prone to ear infections. The tell tale signs include swelling of the ear, strange odor from the ear, redness and frequent vigorous scratching or head shaking. Thorough cleansing with a gentle cleanser, preferably vet prescribed is needed as the ear is a sensitive body part. One must not overdo, if frequent cleansing causes irritation or pain to the dog. Extra moisture aggravates the problem, so the dog should be kept out of water. Also, heredity, food and climate can be incompatible with your dog, which could be a probable cause of the infection.

Worms-tapeworms, roundworms and ringworms are common parasites in dogs. They are typically acquired from food or drinking something that contains worms or if bitten by mosquitoes and flies that carry them. What is troublesome is that they are difficult to spot and the symptoms become evident only after the situation worsens. Usually when your dog starts portraying symptoms such as coughing, vomiting, potbellies, low energy, change in appetite, itching, irritation, rapid weight loss and dull coat, it could mean that it is caused by worms. Fleas and ticks are common carriers of worms, so they should be prevented. Worms can only be treated by providing proper medical aid. Regular checkups every three to six months by your veterinarian doctor is absolutely essential to ensure your dog’s good health.

Arthritis- is fairly common among dogs but sadly is surprisingly hard to recognize. Owners tend to ignore limps as a result of physical activity, but limping along with favoring one leg over another while walking are sure signs of arthritis. An otherwise active dog suddenly starts showing reluctance to run or even walk, or if it tires too easily could also signify arthritis. Arthritis is difficult to heal completely. Moderate exercise can help in the healing process. At the same time one must make sure that it does not jump around too much or exert himself. Overweight dogs are especially prone to effects of arthritis. Hence weight loss and increased physical activity is especially important in such a case. Arthritis being a severe condition needs proper veterinarian help and guidance for treatment.

Typically dullness in an otherwise happy dog, decrease/loss of appetite, loss of hair, diarrhea, excessive sleeping, lethargy or whining are signs that one must not ignore. One must not shrug it off as just another bad day. Even if these symptoms subside after a few days, one must stick to precautionary measures as advised by the veterinary doctor to prevent future relapse. A sick dog can be allowed to go venture outside the confines of the house as long as relevant precautions are taken. Such as the weather conditions must be taken into consideration. If it is too cold, a soft coat is essential. Similarly in hot weather, the dog’s paws must be protected at all times.

A sick dog in the house does not bode well with the family members either. To aid in quicker recovery, the dog must be kept comfortable all the time. A warm cozy bed in a calm and quiet place is necessary. Its favorite toy, good nutrition and a constantly filled bowl of water by its side will ensure in a better recovery. One must take special care of elderly dogs as they are prone to greater side effects. Keeping a constant check in the progress of his recovery is essential so that in case of any relapse, the doctor can be referred to immediately, and necessary measures can be taken.

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In today’s world, everyone wants to be at the top. Everybody wants to be a winner. What comes with such a desire is the requirement of hard work. Work that lasts for unending hours. Work that doesn’t leave time for anything else, like spending quality time with friends. Work that takes you far from home, all alone and away from your family. Work that may make you skip meals and family gatherings. And at the end of the day, the only energy one has is for relaxing and sleeping. In such situations, one is often left craving for some companionship. Any kind of camaraderie is welcome. Someone who will calmly listen to you as you vent out your day’s frustrations. Someone you can unabashedly crib to, after a long bad day of work. Someone who will not judge you for not making it to that family event. Someone you can share your happiness and achievements with instantly. More often than not, one might find themselves lonely, with no one to talk to, at any given time of the day. They may be unavailable or unreachable due to their own engagements. Such situations only make the seclusion more evident.

This is where having a pet comes to the rescue. The pet could be any animal, from a dog to a hamster. One can choose the kind of pet based on their preferences and the capability to provide for it. Each of these animals too is available in a large variety of breeds; hence one can choose them based on their convenience. One might even say,” you can’t choose your family but you can choose your pets.” Jokes apart, there is no other source of comfort as that provided by a pet. What’s more, it comes with no strings attached. All that a pet asks for is a little love and care, and it will shower you with an unending supply of love, loyalty, faith and friendship.

A dog greets you at the door, the moment you walk in, like it’s been waiting for you forever and make you feel wanted. A cat will give you company as you contemplate life’s little mysteries. Fish will listen to you as you talk about your problems. Hamsters and bunnies will lift your spirits with their playful camaraderie. Birds will keep you entertained if there’s nothing interesting to watch on the television. Every pet has its own specialty, to suit everyone’s individual needs.

The best thing about pets is that they have a gift of knowing exactly what you need from them, without you even asking for it. If you are in the mood to play they will be the most playful creature. If you need some solitude, they can switch gears to be a silent onlooker. If you need comfort, they’ll comfort you with a nudge or a rub, anything they are capable of. When treated well, they are the happiest. And their joy radiates and seeps into you, without you even realizing it. Not many can boast of having someone who treats them like you are the center of their world. Owning a pet makes you feel that way and more.

Some pets can even be trained to do small chores for you. Opening the door, getting you the newspaper, operating switches, etc are just some examples. After a tiring day, doing these petty chores also seems like a task. But having your pet do them for you is not only a relief but also absolutely adorable to watch. Seeing a dog coming at you, with your keys dangling in its mouth is a sight that can make your day. A bird that can help you sort through your things can make this most mundane of tasks, enjoyable. The training process itself is a mood lifter.

On a given day, one may be feeling especially exhausted, and the conviction required to get up and get involved in some form of physical activity fades when there is no one to prod you. This could make you skip any form of physical exercise, in spite of knowing that you need it and that you are blowing the money you spent on your gym membership. This is another place where owning a pet proves to be useful. Taking your dog for a walk is an essential task, one that you cannot skip, for the dog’s sake as well as yours. This not only strengthens your bond but also your body. Playing with your pets is an enjoyable way of accommodating your required daily dose of physical exercise into your daily schedule.

When there is no one else available, you can rest assured, that there is someone at home, eagerly awaiting your arrival. You can talk to them with absolute ease. Discussing your problems is especially helpful when there is no interference from the other end. And you might just find a simple solution for the same. Not only that but pet owners tend to attract other people with common interests, which is just another way for you to make more friends oftentimes of the closer long-lasting kind.

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