Cat Facts

• One out of four American households own a cat.


• In a lifetime, the average house cat spends approximately 10,950 hours purring.


• A house cat spends 70% of its time sleeping.


• 25% of cat owners blow dry the cat's hair after giving it a bath.


• The majority of cats do not have any eyelashes.


• A cat sees about six times better than a human at night


• Cats are said to see color. Studies have been able to prove that cats can distinguish between red and green; red and blue; red and gray; green and blue; green and gray; blue and gray; yellow and blue, and yellow and gray!


• Just like fingerprints, every cats nose pad is different.


• A cat's jaws cannot move sideways.


• To drink, a cat laps liquid from the underside of its tongue, rather than the top!

Dog Facts

• If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could product over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!



• The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world France has the 2nd highest



• The average city dog lives 3 years longer than a country dog



• Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years



• Dogs with little human contact in the first three months typically don't make good pets



• 15 people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites



• In 2002 alone, more people in the U.S. were killed by dogs than by sharks in the past 100 years



• 87% of dog owners say their dog curls up beside them or at their feet while they watch T.V.



• An American Animal Hospital Assoc. poll found that 33% of dog owners admit to talking to their dogs on the phone and leaving answering machine messages for them while away



• 70% of people sign their pet's name on greeting and holiday cards



• 58% put pets in family and holiday portraits

K-9 Skin problems

Skin Allergies:

Appears in dogs around the ages of 1-3 years old. Out breaks can occur from food allergies fleabites, dermitis (skin Infection), environmental allergens such as pollen, dust, or mold

Solutions:

The key to managing this condition is removing or restricting exposure to the allergen or contact irritant in the pet's environment. If that is not possible, then fatty acids, antihistamines, biotin, and topical shampoos can be used to control the itching.

Hot Spots:

Also known as acute moist dermitis, pyotramatic dermitist, or a lick granuloma. This occurs when something irrigates the skin such as fleas, allergies, insect bites, or mites. Causing the dog to bit, scratch, or rub the area thereby damaging the area.

Solutions:

The first step in treating hot spots is clipping the hair over and surrounding the lesion. This allows air to get into the inflamed skin and makes it easier to treat. The surface of the lesion is then cleaned with a non-irritating solution. To help the lesion heal desiccating powders such as Burrows solution (Domeboro powder and water) are often then applied. In more severe cases the animal may be placed on oral antibiotics and given painkillers and anti-inflammatories such as buffered aspirin or steroids.

Superficial Folliculitis:

Is a bacterial infection occurring in the hair follicles, usually secondary to something else such as allergies, hypothyroidism, or cushings disease.

Solution:

Because superficial bacterial folliculitis occurs secondary to other disorders, identification and concurrent treatment of the underlying cause are essential for successful resolution. Your Vet may suggest the following treatments, oral antibiotics for three to four weeks or longer, depending on the response; antibacterial shampoos; antibacterial ointments or sprays.

Trim dogs nails

Knowing not only how, but also when to cut a dog's nails is so important. Your dog's nails grow constantly and how often they need to be clipped will depend on your dog's lifestyle. If you dog does a lot of his walking on hard surfaces, he may very well need little or no extra help in keeping his nails short as his nails will be naturally worn away through friction. Your dog's nails should just touch the ground when she walks. If her nails are clicking on the floor or getting snagged in the carpet, it's time for a pedicure.

Most dogs do not like to have their feet played with, so if you are acquiring a new puppy, it is best to play with their paws. Touching them, applying pressure, and pinching their nails so they grow accustomed to the feel of this activity. You can do this while playing with them, as they are sleeping, or just laying around playing with a toy.

Before you begin make sure you have all of your supplies ready and handy. You will want to have sharp clippers, nail file, styptic powder or a substitute such as baby powder or cotton. and paper towel.

• Start at the tip of the nail and snip a little at a time. Look at the cut edge of the nail. When you start to see pale pink tissue near the top of the cut edge, stop. You can use a nail file to smooth the edges further.
  

• Avoid cutting into the quick, which contains nerves and blood vessels. It is painful and will bleed easily. On white nails, the quick is the pink section. Be extra careful when cutting dark nails, because the quick is difficult to see. If the tip of the nail begins to bleed, apply pressure using styptic powder or a substitute such as baby powder or cotton.
  


• Avoid wiping the blood clot off the tip of the nail once the bleeding has stopped.
  Remember to trim the dewclaw nail, on the inside of the leg. Since it doesn't touch the ground, it wears down less rapidly than the others.
  

Tips & Warnings

• If you have not cut your dog's nails since she was a puppy or you're uncomfortable with the task, ask your veterinarian or groomer to demonstrate proper nail trimming or to do it for you.


• Never attempt to trim your dog's nails with clippers designed for use on humans
  
• Give your dog a treat after trimming her nails.
  

Once you have established a trimming routine you should plan on trimming nails once or twice a month. The quick will lengthen if you don't trim the nail regularly, and long nails can cause traction problems or become ingrown.

Did you know.......

• Crocodiles swallow stones to help them dive deeper.


• More people are killed annually by donkeys than in airplane crashes.


• Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.


• The original name for the butterfly was flutterby!


• In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was a crime punishable by death.


• In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.


• Koala bears have finger prints that are almost identical to ours.


• Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.


• A crocodile's tongue is attached to the roof of its mouth and he cannot move it.


• A rat can last longer without water than a camel.


• The average person eats eight spiders in their sleep in their whole entire lifetime!

Calcium Deficiency

Calcium deficiency leading to metabolic bone disease is the most common illness seen in reptiles .Most cases result from malnutrition -- specifically, a diet with no calcium whatsoever. When insufficient levels of calcium exist in the blood, parathyroid hormone is secreted by the parathyroid glands, causing calcium resorption from the bone. This creates normal blood calcium levels at the expense of the skeleton and leads to weak, thin bone that fractures easily. Growth is stunted, and in some cases, excessive amounts of non-calcified scar tissue are deposited around the bones in an apparent attempt to support the structural weakness. This later condition is called fibrous osteodystrophy and is commonly seen as grossly swollen legs and jaws in iguanas. Because calcium metabolism is so complex, treatment consists of more than just adding calcium to the diet.

Symptoms and treatment:

Symptoms of metabolic bone disease vary with age, duration of deficiencies, degree, and type of disease. Skeletal deformities include bowed legs, kinked backs, softness of the face and jaw (‘rubber jaw’) and irregular swelling of the limbs and jaw. Lameness results from fractures and bone deformities. Poor appetite occurs due to loose teeth and soft jaws. Fractured vertebrae can cause paralysis. Stunted growth is common. Spastic contraction of muscles can result. Remember, an apparently fat animal is not always well nourished.

Treatment involves correcting the diet, which is not always easy. Many reptiles (and not a few owners) are set in their ways and resist change. Oral or injectable vitamin D may be given, and a good source of ultraviolet light must be provided (direct sunlight is best). Vitamin D must be in the form of D3 as other forms cannot be utilized. Check the ingredient panel of vitamin supplements to ensure D3 is used. Remember, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is store din the body; hyper supplementation leads to toxicity. trying to quickly reverse a poor diet with hyper supplementation does not work -- it took a while for the bone disease to occur... it will take quite some time to reverse the damage.

Ultraviolet light can be provided by full-spectrum lights or by direct sunlight. (sunlight filtered through glass or plastic does not contain ultraviolet light... it has been blocked by the glass/plastic.)

Animal Olympics

If you could hand out the Gold metal to animals who do you think would win Sprinting, Jumping, Swimming, Diving, and Gymnastics? Look below to see who comes in first!!!

Sprinting

Cheetah

The cheetah is the world’s fastest land mammal, and the most unique and specialized member of the cat family. The cheetah is built for speed, it can achieve speeds of up to 70mph. These nimble cats can make swift, sudden turns in pursuit of prey like gazelle and young wildebeest.

High Jumping

Tiger

Tigers can leap as high as 16ft and as far as 30-33ft, making them one of the highest jumping mammals.

Diving


Leatherback turtle

Scientists have recorded leatherback turtles descending as deep as 1,230m - the deepest dive ever recorded for a reptile.

Swimming

Polar Bear

Polar bears are excellent swimmers and can sustain a pace of 6.2mph in cold icy waters by using their front paws like oars while their hind legs are held flat like a rudder. They can swim for several hours at a time over long distances

Fencing

Rhinoceros

Rhinos use their horns to spar with each other, defend themselves and their young against predators, and to dig for water and forage for food

Gymnastics

Humpback whale

Despite their huge size, humpback whales are quite acrobatic, often found leaping out of the sea and making a big splash when they hit the water.