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Your decision is a personal one, but it need not be a solitary one. Your veterinarian and your family and friends can assist and support you. How Do I Make The Decision? Your relationship with your pet is special, and you are responsible for its care and welfare. Eventually, many owners are faced with

Camping with pets presents its own challenges. Skunks, raccoons, porcupines, snakes, and other wildlife can bite or otherwise injure your pet. Keep your pet within sight and on a leash. Be considerate of other campers. Be sure to ask your veterinarian about flea, tick and heartworm prevention.

Planning and preparation are necessary when traveling with family pets. Consider whether your pet is comfortable when traveling. Some animals, like some people, function better in familiar surroundings. A car-sick animal can make a trip miserable for everyone. Some ill or physically impaired dogs and

Air travel is of most concern to pet owners. You can minimize the chances of an unpleasant experience by following a few guidelines. Federal regulations require that pets be at least 8 weeks old and weaned at least 5 days before flying. Generally, a health certificate (which is not more than 10 days

Pets should not be allowed to ride with their heads outside car windows. Particles of dirt can enter the eyes, ears, and nose, causing injury or infection. If your pet is not accustomed to car travel, take it for a few short rides before your trip. Cats should be confined to a cage or crate to allow

Never leave dangerous objects like pins, needles, or fish hooks within reach. Keep poisonous products and materials far from your pet's reach as you would with a child. Of course, before an emergency ever arises, it's a good idea to learn all you can about first aid techniques and pet health care. Never

Cats Felines do a good job of grooming themselves, but regular brushing to prevent matting of hair is important. Cats rarely need a bath, but one can be given if necessary. Cats object to bathing in slippery tubs, so give your kitten something to cling to, such as a wood platform or a wire screen. Use

Experts agree that widespread use of vaccines within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals. Pets, like people, can be protected from some diseases by vaccination. Although this resource provides basic information about vaccinations for your dog or cat, your veterinarian

Obedience training helps prevent negative encounters between family members and the dog. It reinforces the bond between the handler(s) and pet. Obedience Training A MUST for every good family dog, regardless of size or breed! Puppies may start classes when they are as young as 8 weeks old. Obedience

Most states prohibit animals from riding on buses and similar regulations restrict travel on trains. Exceptions are made for guide and service dogs accompanying blind and disabled persons. Consult your local carriers in advance for information.

The scientific name for leopard gekos is Eublepharis Macularius. They may live 20 or more years and grow to be approximately 8-10 inches long. Their common coloring is yellow and white with black spots (hatchlings start out striped, and gradually change to the spotted appearance). There are several color

Species: Anolis carolinensis. Sometimes also called American chameleons, although they are not true chameleons. They can do a color change from green to brown, especially when stressed. Quite readily available in the pet trade. Life span averages around 4 years, although they can live longer

Selecting A Puppy A new puppy can be a terrific addition to a family, but with the fun comes responsibility for its care and well-being. Consider and prepare for your puppy's needs before you adopt! Pick a puppy that is active, friendly, and inquisitive. Avoid the one that appears to be afraid of everything

Each cat breed has certain characteristics. Although every cat is unique, certain breeds tend to be more inquisitive, lively, placid, vocal, or gentle than others. Veterinarians, cat-fancy clubs, pet stores, and cat shows are good sources of information about the personalities of various breeds. When

A pet shop is a place where dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, rodents, fish, and other animals not born and raised on those premises are kept for the purpose of sale to the public. While many people are very satisfied with the pets they acquire from pet stores, critics of pet stores argue that there

Rescuing an animal is a wonderful option for some families. Animals find their way into rescue agencies for a variety of reasons. Some may have been accidentally lost or abandoned. Others may have been given up due to their owners' illness, death, or other change in circumstance. You may not be able

Your veterinarian will rely on your awareness of small changes in your pet's behavior or habits. As the pet owner, you must communicate your pet's health care needs to your veterinarian. No one knows your pet like you. Many signs of illness are subtle. Your veterinarian will rely on your awareness of

Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Surgeons are medical professionals whose primary responsibility is protecting the health and welfare of animals and people. The term "veterinarian" comes from veterinae, which means "working animals." Every veterinarian has gone through extensive medical

Veterinarians employ state-of-the-art technology that is very similar to technology used in the treatment of humans. Veterinarians in private clinical practice work to prevent disease and other health problems in their patients. They examine animal patients, vaccinate them against diseases, prevent the

Students interested in a career in veterinary medicine should begin their preparation by doing well in general science and biology in junior high school. They need to take a strong science, math, and biology program in high school. Admission into veterinary medical school is competitive. To be considered

You may have concluded that it's time to euthanize a pet. Or, maybe the vet told you that euthanizing is in the pet's best interest. Now, you have a responsibility. You now have to explain to your child what happens during the process. You also have to emphasize the fact that the procedure is humane

You understand that pets get older, they suffer from health problems, and several other issues can affect their lifespans. Children don't quite understand that pets reach the end of their lives. Your child may have a great deal of emotion when a pet passes or is going to be euthanized. They might also

Do you make any of these common mistakes with your cat?

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which can be due to wear and tear on joints from over use, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as which occurs with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee. The chronic form of this disease is called degenerative joint disease

Leptospirosis is a serious, life-threatening disease caused by a spiral shaped bacteria. Dogs, cats, other animals and even people can be infected through exposure to urine, bite wounds, ingestion of infected flesh, or contact with contaminated soil, water and even bedding. Certain environmental conditions

Over 85% of dogs and cats have some type of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease simply means that the gums and bone that hold the teeth in place are being destroyed by oral bacteria. This preventable disease is the number one diagnosed disease in our pets, yet many animals suffer needlessly. Periodontal

Feline distemper or feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious viral disease of kittens and adult cats caused by the feline parvovirus. It is also called panleukopenia as it affects the bone marrow and causes low white blood cell counts. It is relatively common in unvaccinated cats and is often fatal,

Bloat and gastric torsion is a serious condition and your pet should be rushed to the emergency room if this occurs. Certain breeds of dogs with deep chests and narrow waists, such as hounds, bouvier des Flandres, or doberman pinschers are more susceptible to a syndrome of gastric torsion and bloat. This

Tapeworms live in the digestive tracts of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals as juveniles. In a tapeworm infection, adults absorb food predigested by the host, so the worms have no need for a digestive tract or a mouth. Large tapeworms are made almost entirely of reproductive

Seizures are common in dogs, but more unusual in cats. Seizures are just symptoms which can occur with many kinds of diseases. They can happen because of diseases outside the brain or inside the brain. Low blood sugar that can happen with an overdose of insulin or with a tumor of the pancreas can cause

The rupture of the cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury in the dog. This injury has two common presentations. One is the young athletic dog playing roughly who acutely ruptures the ligament and is non-weight bearing on the affected hind leg. The second presentation is the older, overweight

Luxating patella is a condition where the kneecap (patella) moves out of its normal position. Luxating patella is one of the most common knee joint abnormalities of dogs, but it is only occasionally seen in cats. It may affect one or both of the knees. In some cases it moves (luxates) towards the inside

Canine distemper is caused by a virus that is shed in bodily fluids of infected animals. The virus affects primarily the lungs, intestines, and nervous system. Symptoms of the infection can include coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, inappetance, dehydration, weight loss, seizures, and encephalitis. Secondary

Vertigo is a syndrome in the elderly dog, which can be very frightening to the owners. The dog is suddenly afflicted with a balance problem, usually staggering, but occasionally unable to stand, and more rarely actually rolling over and over. There is a tilting of the head to one side and nystagmus,

Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause disease in humans, dogs, cats, and other animals. It can cause a variety of symptoms, commonly vomiting and/or diarrhea, but also severe infections and septicemia. It can also cause abscesses, meningitis, bone infections, and abortion. Salmonella is found worldwide