Newsletter

1. Tylenol, Advil and chocolate are poisonous to cats.
2. The ancestor of all domestic cats is the African Wild Cat which still exists today.
3. In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was a crime punishable by death.
4. In ancient Egypt, cats were preserved as mummies and embalmed mice were placed with them in their tombs. In one ancient city, over 300,000 cat mummies were found.
5. The first cat show was in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London.
6. Today there are about 100 distinct breeds of the domestic cat.
7. Genetic mutation created the domestic cat, which is tame from birth.
8. Like birds, cats have a homing ability that uses its biological clock, the angle of the sun, and the earth's magnetic field.
9. Hunting is not instinctive for cats. Kittens born to non-hunting mothers may never learn to hunt.
10. Cats bury their feces to cover their trails from predators.
11. Mother cats teach their kittens to use the litter box.
12. Among other tasks, cats can be taught to use a toilet, come, sit, beg, eat with their paws, heel, jump through a hoop, play a piano, play dead, roll over, open a door, hide food in boxes, shake, and fetch.
13. Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day. When cats are asleep, they are still alert to incoming stimuli. If you poke the tail of a sleeping cat, it will respond accordingly.
14. In Great Britain, black cats are thought to bring good luck.
15. Besides smelling with their nose, cats can smell with an additional organ called the Jacobson's organ, located in the upper surface of the mouth.
16. Cats can't taste sweets.
17. The chlorine in fresh tap water irritates sensitive parts of the cat's nose. Let tap water sit for 24 hours before giving it to a cat.
18. The average cat food meal is the equivalent to about five mice.
19. The catgut formerly used as strings in tennis rackets and musical instruments does not come from cats. Catgut actually comes from sheep, hogs, and horses.
20. A large majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. White cats with only one blue eye are deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye. White cats with orange eyes do not have this disability.
21. Neutering a cat extends its life span by two or three years.
22. Ten human years translate to about 60 cat years. A one year old cat is similar in age to an 18 year old human.

The most likely cause of bad breath is gingivitis and dental disease. Other problems that can cause bad breath include oral ulcers and oral tumors. Most likely, the cause of your pet’s halitosis is dental disease. Drooling and a reluctance to chew hard foods are two other symptoms associated with dental disease in pets.

As in humans, the stages of dental problems in pets are well known. Gingivitis, a condition marked by a reddened area where the tooth meets the gum line, is the first stage in dental disease. The accumulation of plaque (at the gum line) causes this problem. As in humans, plaque is a combination of bacteria, food particles, and saliva. With time, the plaque accumulates under the gum line, between the tooth and the gum tissue. If plaque is not removed at this point, it creates a large pocket under the gum line. The bacteria associated with the plaque attack the supporting structure, leading to loose teeth and abscesses—the dreaded periodontal disease. Professional care is often needed to rectify this problem.

An oral exam is performed each time your pet is examined. If necessary, a dental procedure is recommended. Once the plaque has started to accumulate, your pet’s teeth need to be cleaned.

Teeth cleaning requires a three-step procedure. The first step involves the removal of tartar or plaque from the surface of the teeth.

Teeth Cleaning

Next, the teeth are scaled (removing plaque from under the gum line).

Hand Scaling the Teeth

Finally, the teeth are polished and a fluoride treatment is applied. Fluoride discourages the growth of bacteria and helps to strengthen the tooth enamel.

Polishing of Teeth

But as we all know, an ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure. Believe it or not, you can, and should, brush your pet’s teeth! Do not use your own toothpaste; special products are available that are not irritating or harmful to your pet.

Home Care Products

A child’s toothbrush works best for most pets, but don’t attempt to put a toothbrush in your pet’s mouth during the first encounter. First, get your pet used to having its mouth opened then use your finger to rub the gum line. Follow this procedure with a hard treat (reward). Gradually work your way up to the brush and repeat daily.

If you have questions regarding your pet’s dental health, do not hesitate to call the veterinary hospital

Without proper oral care, more than 80% of dogs and cats will show signs of gingivitis or even periodontal disease by the time they are three years old. Watch this video to see the new advances in pet dentistry and what you can do to keep your pet’s mouth healthy!

Americans are crowding the highways for summer vacation, taking their four-legged friends along for the ride. But before pet lovers hit the road, it's important to take their pets' needs into consideration.

Trips should be as close to your pet's normal routine as possible. If you've never traveled with your pet, start with very short, round-the-block trips before you put them in the car or truck for the long ride. Your veterinarian can give you some good advice and recommend ways to make your pet more comfortable.

For the safety of both you and your pet, it's best to travel with dogs and cats in pet carriers. In case of an accident, airborne pets are very prone to injury. Carriers are especially important for cats. Many cats will ride on your shoulder, on your head, or get under your feet. It's a potentially dangerous situation if you need to stop quickly and they are under the brake pedal.

Though keeping a pet "strapped down" for safety is important, people should not use standard safety belts on their pets. These belts are designed for human positioning. Dogs don't conform to human positioning with much success. However, there are canine "seat belts," which are actually harnesses that attach to the car's seat belts and may be used to hold dogs in place during the trip.

Owners should also plan for extra stops if pets accompany them on a trip. Because of stress, some cats don't eat or drink and won't need to use the litter box. But it should be provided for them, especially if it's your first trip with your cat. If they don't use it, take them out at rest stops on a leash and see if they'll go.

The number of stops depends on what your pet is used to. Most pets eliminate shortly after they eat. Therefore, if you can control when the food goes in, you can usually control when it goes out.

In terms of exercise, owners should follow their pet's normal schedule. If you take your dog for a 30-minute walk in the evening at home, take the dog for a walk in the evening at your destination. Also, exercising your dog before it gets into the car may make the trip more relaxing for both you and your dog.

Many pets enjoy getting out of the house, as long as it's not a trip to the veterinarian. But if you're planning to drive non-stop, or if you're taking a very short trip, it is probably best to leave the pets at home. Really think if it's necessary for a pet to go with you, or if you are just being selfish and want the pet for company. A trip can cause unneeded stress on an animal.

It is an especially good idea to leave pets at home if they have current health problems that may worsen on the trip. For instance, if a pet has had respiratory problems and the trip is in the mountains, it may be better to leave that pet at home. If you know what direction you're traveling on a long trip, choose towns along the way that have easy access to veterinarians. This is particularly important if your pet has had a recent illness or problems traveling in the past.

If you're concerned about the pet having motion sickness or getting car sick, talk to your veterinarian about a prescription for a tranquilizer or sedative to calm the pet before the trip. Before giving any type of medication, contact your veterinarian to make sure that it is safe.

Finally, it's a good idea to call ahead and make reservations with hotels, motels and campgrounds that accept and welcome pets. Take the necessary supplies, including plastic bags, to clean up after your pet at rest areas.

When your veterinarian prescribes medication to treat your cat, and it's in pill form, you may be at a loss as to how to hold her down and force her to swallow it. It doesn't have to be as traumatic as that. The following video shows how to give the cat a pill quickly and without injury to you or your cat.

Gerbils make good pets. They are more active than hamsters and have active periods during both day and night. They are friendlier and more docile than other members of the rodent family. Since gerbils are desert animals, they do not urinate or defecate very often. This is their way of conserving water in their natural (hot) habitat.

Gerbils Make Good Pets

Gerbils are relatively inexpensive to purchase and feed, and require only minimal space and care. They also make good solitary pets. Gerbils enjoy interacting with humans, and the more a gerbil is handled, the tamer it becomes. Gerbils that are not accustomed to being handled may bite.

Gerbils Are Easy To Care For

A small aquarium with a screen top is an ideal gerbil home. Aquariums are easy to clean, minimize drafts, and prevent paper or wood shavings from being kicked onto the floor. Gerbils are curious animals and sit on their haunches to view their surroundings. Gerbils also like to burrow. Give them plenty of bedding so that they can burrow. Enrich their environment with toys and tunnels. Paper towel tubes work well, as they can crawl in and chew them up.

Gerbil owners should feed their pet a commercial pellet feed made especially for gerbils. Fresh water from a hanging bottle should also be available at all times. Greens (lettuce) and seeds can be offered as occasional treats. Uneaten portions of greens should be removed before they rot.

If one gerbil is good, are two gerbils better? Gerbils should be kept single unless they are paired together at a young age. Even if they are paired young and then are separated for more than a few days, they won’t want a reunion. The likely result is a nasty fight. If you want more than one gerbil, get them young and keep them together. If you don’t want babies, get pairs of males or females.

Gerbils are sexually mature at two to three months of age. The pregnancy lasts 25 days and usually results in five babies. Both mother and father are good parents, and raise the litter together. Do not disturbe the new family by cleaning the cage or handling the babies for the first couple of weeks. It is best for them to have food, water, and privacy during this period.

One word of caution, though: don’t pick up your pet gerbil by the tail. The skin can slip off, leaving bone exposed and requiring the tail to be amputated. Pick up the whole gerbil in one or both hands.

Most gerbils live three to four years and have few health problems.

The young of many animals have been come to be called by special names. A young eel, for example, is an elver. Many young animal, of course, are often referred to simply as infants, babies, younglets, or younglings.

Bunny: rabbit
Calf: cattle, elephant, antelope, rhino, hippo, whale, others
Cheeper: grouse, partridge, quail
Chick, chicken: fowl
Cockerel: rooster
Codling, sprang: codfish
Colt: horse (male)
Cub: lion, bear, shark, fox, others
Cygnet: swan
Duckling: duck
Eaglet: eagle
Elver: eel
Eyas: hawk, others
Fawn: deer
Filly: horse (female)
Fingerling: fish generally
Flapper: wild fowl
Fledgling: birds generally
Foal: horse, zebra, others
Fry: fish generally
Kid: goat
Kit: fox, beaver, rabbit, cat
Kitten, kitty, catling: cats, other small mammals
Lamb, lambkin, cosset, hog: sheep
Leveret: hare
Nestling: birds generally
Owlet: owl
Parr, smolt, grilse: salmon
Piglet, shoat, farrow, suckling: pig
Polliwog, tadpole: frog
Poult: turkey
Pullet: hen
Pup: dog, seal, sea lion, fox
Spike, blinker, tinker: mackerel
Squab: pigeon
Squeaker: pigeon, others
Whelp: dog, tiger, beasts of prey
Yearling: cattle, sheep, horse, others