No Vacancy: Fleas Not Welcome Here (wildlife creatures)
No commentsBy Alfred Hernandez
Our pets can bring many great things into our lives: fun, loyalty, affection, companionship and much more. Unfortunately, one other thing they can bring in with them is the less pleasant companion of fleas. No matter how well you care for your pet and how clean you keep it, a chance encounter with another infested animal can lead to your own animal becoming host to some very unwelcome visitors.
Once established on your pet, then the fleas will quickly begin the process of reproducing, and laying eggs that might not necessarily stay within the fur of your pet. In today’s warm houses, flea eggs can quite happily develop and hatch within the fibres of our carpets and upholstery, and so it’s easy to see how a simple infestation of your pet can lead to extremely undesirable consequences for the cleanliness of your home.
There’s no need to worry though about animal fleas jumping onto humans and infesting them, as the species involved are quite different. While, say, a cat flea may jump onto a human, attracted by the heat, it will soon leave when it realises that it hasn’t met with its favoured feline host.
So how can you tell if your pet has fleas? Signs of itching such as excessive scratching and nibbling are an obvious indicator, and if you encounter these then it’s probably time to investigate further. Special flea combs are available which you can use to check the fur of your pet for the fleas themselves, as well as the telltale waste deposits that they leave behind.
Any fleas that the comb uncover need to be dealt with decisively. Unfortunately for squeamish pet owners, fleas need to be dispatched quickly or they’ll jump to their escape, only to relocate themselves to your pet once again. Easy methods include squeezing in a tissue or throwing onto an open fire - fleas are hardy creatures, so don’t be tentative.
Once you’ve established that you have an infestation problem, you need to tackle the situation from all directions. Not only should you treat your pets with the sprays or powders available from your vetinery surgeon, you need to treat your carpets and upholstery to kill any eggs that have been deposited there. Sprays for this purpose are readily available, and safe to use, although it’s always wise to keep your pets and children out of rooms that are being treated in this way.
Even if you’ve never had cause to treat a flea infestation, prevention is better than cure. For cats, flea collars are widely available which will discourage flea infestation, although they won’t prevent it completely if your pet regularly comes into contact with a heavily infested neighbour or stray. Drops, sprays, and even pills are also readily obtained either from your vet or pet store, and most products are generally effective. Even so, some fleas can get past all preventative measures, so you still need to keep an eye open and take action if necessary.
Finally, if reading this article has left you scratching, then don’t worry. You probably haven’t got a flea problem - it’s usually just a natural reaction to reading about them!
To read about lizard repellent and lizard vivarium, visit the Types Of Pet Lizards site.
Health Issues with Cats of all Kinds
By Keri Carrillo
It may come as a surprise, if you’re a new cat owner, that many health problems may befall your feline friend. Some problems are easily preventable, while others are hereditary.
Hairballs
Hairballs are among the most common of cat health problems. Cats groom themselves almost constantly, and swallow the loose hair that comes off their tongues. Occasionally, the hair gathers into a ball and lodges in the cat’s digestive tract instead of passing on through the body. If your cat starts coughing and hacking, he probably has a hairball. While the end product is unpleasant for the owner, most cats don’t have a problem dislodging hairballs.
However, hairballs can occasionally pass into a cat’s intestines and cause a blockage. This can be a life-threatening problem. There are a few signs to look for to see if your cat’s hairball is dangerous. If your cat is constipated, off his feed, or is lethargic with a dull coat, then he could have a serious blockage. A vet exam is definitely in order.
To prevent hairballs, groom your cat frequently to remove loose hair. In addition, feed your cat food that helps control hairballs.
Worms
For many cats, worms are a recurring problem. Roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms most commonly infect cats. Cats can occasionally develop heartworms, as well. If your cat seems unable to gain wait, is infested with fleas, or has white specks that look like grains of rice in his stools, take him to the veterinarian for worm testing.
Worms are easily cured with a few doses of medication, but if left untreated, they can be fatal.
Urinary Tract Infections
Urinary tract infections are another common health problem in cats. This infection is particularly common in unneutered male cats, although female cats can also develop this problem. If your cat suddenly stops using the litter box, a urinary tract infection is suspect. If your cat’s urine smells strong, again a urinary tract infection may be the cause. These infections need to be treated by a veterinarian. Ask about cat foods that reduce the likelihood of another infection.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
FIP is caused by a mutation of the corona virus. According to some experts, cats living in multi-cat environments tend to test positive for enteric corona virus. Cats can live with that virus remaining quietly in the intestines with no sign of disease for their entire lifetime. In other cases, probably a genetic pre-disposition, the virus mutates into FIP.
Once a cat has contracted FIP, it will display symptoms of a mild upper respiratory infection: sneezing, watery eyes, and nasal discharge. It may also have diarrhea, weight loss and lethargy. Most cats fully recover from this primary infection, although some may become virus carriers. A small percentage of exposed cats develop lethal FIP weeks or even years after the primary infection.
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
FIV, or cat AIDS, is not always fatal. FIV decreases the ability of the cat’s immune system to fight infections. Cats with FIV may remain free of symptoms for years. It is when the cat contracts other illnesses in the chronic stage of FIV infection that FIV is first suspected. This long list of illnesses includes oral-cavity infections, upper-respiratory infections, weight loss, ear infections, kidney disease, and many others. Although there is, as yet, no vaccine, all cats should be tested for the virus. The virus is transmitted through saliva, usually when a cat is bitten in a cat fight.
Feline Leukemia Virus
FLV was, until recently, the most common fatal disease of cats. But with a vaccine now available, the number of cases is dwindling. Although the name leukemia means cancer of the white blood cells, this is only 1 of the many diseases associated with this virus, such as other types of cancer, anemia, arthritis and respiratory infections. FLV is preventable if the cat is immunized before being exposed to the virus. Although the disease is not always immediately fatal, cats with FLV rarely have a long life expectancy. NEVER bring other cats into your household when you have a cat with FLV.
Lyme Disease
If your cat spends time outdoors, you should check him regularly for ticks. If you find a tick on your cat’s body and he has been lethargic and acts as if he is in pain, ask your vet to test for Lyme Disease. This disease is transmitted to people and animals by deer ticks.
Some cats may show subtle symptoms while others may show none — symptoms are hard to recognize and often may be confused with other illnesses or old age. Be observant of your pet’s behavior. It is the only way to know if your pet has contracted Lyme disease if no tick was found. Some symptoms of Feline Lyme Disease include:
(a) lethargy,
(b) reluctance to jump or climb stairs,
(c) limping, or reluctance to put weight on a paw,
(d) loss of appetite.
The key to dealing with Feline Lyme Disease is prevention and early diagnosis and treatment. You should reduce the tick population around your home with simple landscape changes and spraying.
Good Health Care
Taking your cat for a regular check-up with the vet, and keeping all vaccinations on schedule will help assure your cat a long and healthy life. Prevention is the first line of defense for most feline illnesses.
Many owners keep their cats indoors to protect them from cars, from cat fights which may expose them to deadly viruses, from ticks, and other hazards.
Outdoor cats will enjoy greater freedom, but require a watchful eye, loving attention to their health status, and regular visits to the veterinarian.
Want to find out about chihuahua pug and chihuahua terrier mix? Get tips from the Types Of Chihuahua website.
Information On Outdoor Creatures And Pets
The Belgian: a Great Horse
By Alfred Hernandez
As the name implies. this breed originated in Belgium. Back in the medieval times, the center of Western Europe became well-known for the large black horses known as “Flemish”. These are the horses which carried the heavily armored knights into battle. By necessity, only the largest and strongest of this breed were trained as “chargers” or “destriers”. It is from this stock that other draft breeds drew for genetic material. At the heart of this area, Belgium was established as a country. Stallions of the region were exported throughout parts of Europe, as the need grew for the larger stock horses to work in the industrial and agricultural settings.
Because Belgium was the resource upon which other countries relied for these large stock animals, all that remained was for the country to establish the breed and strengthen the genetic material already at hand. The Belgian government quickly helped to refine the breed by setting up district shows, from which the winners would move up to compete in the national show in Brussels. From those who showed in the national, the finest were chosen by the country’s inspection committees to stand as stallions for public service. The result of these efforts was that the fixed breed type rapidly improved and the Belgian was established as a national heritage, and a treasure.
When the Belgian was first imported into America, they were criticized for being “too thick, too low-headed, straight shouldered, and round-boned”. However, the Belgians quickly found a place with American farmers because they were easy to maintain, were hard and willing workers, and had good dispositions. So the Belgian remained, and American breeders set out to keep what was right and fix what was “wrong”. The result has become one of the greatest success stories in animal breeding history. Today’s American Belgian still has the solid middle, deep strong feet, plenty of bone and strong musculature, and that great disposition. He is still easy to maintain, ships well, and remains a hard and willing worker. American breeders very simply developed a horse with cleaner lines, more slope in the shoulders and pasterns, and a more elegant look around the head and neck.
Description
As far as color, while the first Belgians to be imported to America were a wide mix, about 50% were bay and bay-brown. However, there was really no particular color which was a defining characteristic. Through breeding, shown by American preference, the ideal for a Belgian in the U.S. today is a chestnut or sorrel with a snow-white mane and tail, a white stripe on the face, and four white socks. In other parts of the world, one can still find a very wide assortment of colors.
In height, the Belgian is usually 16 hands (162.5 centimeters, or 64 inches at the shoulder), but can exceed 18 hands (183 cm., or 72 in. at the shoulder). The American Belgian usually has a rather large head, short, “feathered”, muscular legs, and large hind quarters.
The average weight is 1600 to 2000 pounds (113.6 to 142 stones), but stallions can exceed 2400 pounds (170.4 stones).
Read about what do lizards eat and lizard repellent at the Types Of Pet Lizards website.
Thursday, March 25th, 2010 at 4:11 pm and is filed under pets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
