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Interesting Facts About Fleas

By Paul Roberts

On March 31, 2015

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flea

Fleas are undoubtedly one of a pet owner’s nightmares, not least because they’re almost impossible to get rid of without thoroughly treating both your pet and your entire home. They are irritating creatures but also strangely fascinating.

Here are some interesting facts about fleas?

They’re Tiny

The average flea is only 2-3 mm in length and weigh less than 1 gram. The Beaver flea is one of the largest flea species and can reach up to 11 mm in length.

They’re Strong

Fleas can potentially pull up to 160 000 times their own body weight – the same as a human pulling over 2600 double decker buses. They’re also impossible to crush due to their hard outer casing.

They Jump … Far

Fleas don’t have wings and instead jump onto their host. Despite their very small size, they can jump a lot further than you might think. It’s been suggested that fleas can jump up to 200 times their length and up to 150 times their height.

There Are Lots of Different Types

Think there’s only one or two different type of flea? Think again! There are actually over 2000 flea species, although it’s usually the ‘cat flea’ that affects our pets.

The Males Aren’t Dominant

In the vast majority of flea species, the females are bigger than the males.

They Need a Lot of Sustenance

A female flea can feed on up to 15 times her own body weight in blood (from her host) every day.

It’s Not Just About Adult Fleas

Adult fleas on your pet only account for a very small proportion of a flea infestation; around 95 per cent is actually larvae, pupae and eggs. This is the main reason why you need to flea treat all of your home as only targeting your pet will not solve the problem.

If They Don’t Find a Host, They’ll Die

Once adult fleas emerge, they must find a host to feed on within 7 days or they will die. They therefore will not come out of the pupae stage until environmental factors such as heat and carbon dioxide indicate that there is a host in the area. Fleas can stay in the pupae life stage for up to a year if necessary.

They Lay Eggs Quickly

After first feeding on a host, female fleas start laying eggs within 48 hours and his can start to happen within 36 hours. There’s not much time after your pet first becomes a host and a flea infestation starting to take shape. They cannot lay eggs until they have fed on a host.

They Lay a Lot of Eggs

The average female flea will lay up to 40-50 eggs per day and up to 2000 eggs during their lifetime.

Flea Infestations Can Lead to Other Problems

Some pets with fleas can develop Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) – an allergic reaction to flea saliva, which can lead to hair loss. Pets with fleas can also develop tapeworm infestations and anaemia.

[Photo Credit: kat m research]

Filed Under: Articles, Pet Guides & Help

Doga: Yoga for Dogs & Owners

By Paul Roberts

On March 26, 2015

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doga

Yoga with dogs (otherwise known as “doga”) has become a popular activity in the US as a way for dog owners to relax and spend time with their pet while working out, and there are even doga classes for those who want to get involved in it. It’s not caught on as much here in the UK so far but it’s not necessarily as crazy as you might think. While your dog is very unlikely to be able to achieve some of the more complex yoga poses that require humans to twist and contort, many of their natural stretches have a lot in common with basic yoga moves.

Doga is not a lot different to ‘normal’ yoga but has been adapted to include dogs. It is based on the idea that your pet helps you to achieve yoga poses or acts a balancing prop during them. Want to know more about doga? Here is our guide!

The Benefits of Doga

 For doga advocates, one of the main benefits is the ability to strengthen their bond with their pet. Dogs who participate in yoga can be much calmer and more relaxed and it is a good exercise for obese or elderly pets who struggle with walking very far. Dog owners who have tried yoga have also highlighted that it has helped to improve their handling skills.

How Doga Works

 Many dog owners are reluctant to get involved in doga if they have a large dog that would be heavy to lift but this is not necessarily a requirement of doga. Dogs of all sizes can potentially get involved in yoga through some simple stretches and poses.

It’s important to realise that not all yoga poses will necessarily work well in doga. For example, the Lotus pose is an unrealistic pose for a dog. The aptly-named Downward Facing Dog is a pose that lends itself to doga though, as well as ‘human’ yoga. In fact, your dog’s natural inclination for a ‘play bow’ is very close to the Downward Facing Dog pose.

Doga also includes some poses that are adapted for dogs. For example, the Chair pose requires your dog to stand on their hind legs while you hold them from behind and encourage them to raise their front paws up in the air.

NB: Before embarking on any new exercise regime, it’s a good idea to speak to your vet to make sure it will be suitable for your dog and that they do not have any underlying issues that would the activity unsafe.

 Have you ever tried doga or would you do so in the future? We’d love to get your thoughts on it in the comments section below!

[Photo Credit: AZRainman]

Filed Under: Dogs, Pet Guides & Help

Can a Cat’s Tail Be Broken?

By Paul Roberts

On March 24, 2015

6 comments

Can a cat's tail be broken

Can a Cat’s Tail Be Broken?

A cat’s tail is essentially an extension of their spine, and contains a lot of vertebrae. These bones can potentially be broken, especially in certain situations. Some of the most prominent reasons for a broken tail include getting their tail trapped in a door, being trodden on by accident, being bitten by another animal, being hit by a car or other vehicle and having their tail pulled sharply.

Tail injuries can be very serious, although minor damage can sometimes heal by itself. Here is our guide for recognising when your cat may have suffered a tail injury and what to expect next.

Signs of a Broken Tail

Some of the common indications that your cat may have suffered injury to their tail include:

  • A noticeable kink in the tail indicates that an injury has occurred.
  • Pain in the tail area is touched.
  • Evidence of a bite or other injury.
  • Swelling in the tail area.
  • The tail hanging down and not supporting itself properly.
  • Balance issues and/or difficulty walking or moving.
  • Faecal and/or urinary incontinence or being unable to empty their bladder and/or bowels at all.

Potential Consequences of a Broken Tail

Some tail injuries can potentially be very serious. In some scenarios, they can affect the spine, bowel and bladder. Injury to the tail can be very minor and heal by themselves but depending on the severity of the damage, there can be lasting repercussions.

Diagnosis for Broken Tail

If you suspect that your cat has a ‘tail injury’, take them to the vet immediately. A vet can determine if the tail is definitely broken very quickly and will then look to confirm which part has been affected, how extensive the damage is and if there is any impact on the spine and other parts of the body. This may involve x rays, a physical examination and manipulation of the tail.

Change to Treatment for Tail Injuries

Treatment will depend on the severity of the damage. A minor injury may only require pain relief and possibly antibiotics. Severe injury including most broken tails will usually require surgical treatment and amputation may be indicated.

Paralysis of the tail will often result in amputation, especially if feeling in the tail is not expected to return. This is likely to be the case even if movement and the spine have not been impacted.

As a worst case scenario, a vet may recommend putting a cat to sleep if there is permanent and irreversible damage to the spine and legs, and bladder and/or bowel control has been permanently affected.

Filed Under: Articles, Cats

Human Foods That Pets Shouldn’t Eat

By Paul Roberts

On March 19, 2015

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cat eating dinner

Many foods that we enjoy cannot be tolerated by our pets. Some “human” foods can actually be dangerous for pets and could ultimately prove fatal. A balanced diet can be easily achieved through high quality pet food, which should offer the nutrients needed to stay healthy. On top of this, you can look to give pets the odd “human” food treat – as long as this is a food that is deemed to be safe for them to eat. Here are some of the foods that your pet should not be allowed to eat.

Chocolate

With Easter not too far away, don’t be tempted to offer your pet any chocolate treats. Most pets can potentially develop poisoning after eating chocolate, including cats, dogs, birds and small animals. Affected pets will experience vomiting and diarrhoea and their central nervous system will later be compromised. This can prove fatal in some cases.

Grapes and Raisins

Dogs can develop kidney disease after eating grapes. Older animals and those who already have health problems can be particularly badly affected. Pets can also become very ill after eating raisins.

Avocados

Vomiting and diarrhoea can occur in both cats and dogs if they eat avocado. Birds also cannot eat avocado. The skin and pits in particular are believed to cause heart problems in many pet birds, which can ultimately lead to heart failure.

Kiwi

Birds also cannot eat kiwi fruit.

Onion and Garlic

Gastrointestinal problems can occur in cats, dogs and birds after eating onion or garlic. Red cell damage and anaemia is also a strong possibility and this can have very serious consequences.

Mushrooms

Birds cannot tolerate mushrooms as they cause intestinal problems.

Raw Beans

Raw beans can be toxic for birds due to the presence of hemaglutin poison.

Milk and Other Dairy Products

Cats and Dogs cannot break down milk lactose as easily as humans and this can have negative effects on their digestive system. Adult cats are often intolerant to lactose and will therefore experience gastrointestinal issues if they drink milk. Birds are also unable to digest dairy products.

Liver

Liver is not recommended for cats, who can develop Vitamin A poisoning after eating it.

NB: This blog post includes some of the foods that are commonly known to cause health problems in pets but it is not intended as an exhaustive list. Speak to your vet before feeding particular “human” foods if you have any doubts as to whether it is safe to do so.

[Photo Credit: Dani van Riet]

Filed Under: Pet Guides & Help

How to Get Your Dog to Socialise

By Paul Roberts

On March 17, 2015

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Dogs Socialising

Dogs are social animals by nature but you might need to learn how to get your dog to socialise.

Dogs have to learn how to interact with other animals through socialisation. Ideally, this will happen as a puppy as they are likely to become suspicious of environments to which they have not already been introduced to. Socialisation is therefore a key part of your dog’s development.

While it’s preferable for this to take place as a puppy, adopted dogs that have not previously been socialised while they were very young can potentially still be trained for this as an adult. This is a lot more difficult compared to socialising a young puppy but it can be done.

For dogs that have already been fully socialised, it is good practice to continue this process as your pet gets older. Dogs who were only socialised as puppies can sometimes develop aggression and other behavioural issues during interactions with other animals, especially if these encounters do not happen on a regular basis.

Here are our tips for encouraging your dog to interact with other dogs.

What is Socialisation?

Socialisation will help your dog to make sense of the world, particularly with regards to responding to situations in a healthy way. Your dog is exposed to a range of animals and people so that they understand the ‘right’ way to react. Generally speaking, this makes them friendlier, happier and easier to handle than their non-socialised counterparts.

Tips for Encouraging Puppies to Socialise

  • Most puppies will begin their socialisation at basic classes, and this will often be the full extent of their training. This is a must before your pet goes out to meet other dogs.
  • Puppies are naturally inquisitive, which makes it easier to introduce them to new experiences compared to when they are older.
  • Offering treats when meeting new dogs can help to build a positive association in your puppy’s mind.

Tips for Persuading Older Dogs to Socialise 

  • It’s usually too late to change an adult dog’s feelings towards other animals but you can have success in altering their behaviour towards them instead. This involves teaching them to be calm and relaxed in the presence of other dogs.
  • Make sure that your dog has plenty of opportunities to meet both people and animals. Trips to the park can work well, for example.
  • Your dog doesn’t need to respond or react to other dogs in the beginning. Instead, teach and reward them to behave calmly while there are other dogs in the vicinity.
  • Encourage introductions and interactions on neutral ground so that neither dog is likely to act aggressively in defending ‘their’ territory.
  • Obedience classes will help to socialise your dog on how to behave before these encounters.

Continuing Your Dog’s Ongoing Socialisation

Many dogs will not continue to be socialised beyond their puppy socialisation and this can potentially lead to behavioural problems further down the line – especially if their exposure to other dogs reduces. Their attitude and behaviour towards other animals can change as they get older, if they have not been continually socialised.

[Photo Credit: freeparking 😐]

Filed Under: Dogs

Choosing the Right Wild Bird Seed

By Paul Roberts

On March 12, 2015

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starling on a bird table

Not all wild bird seed will necessarily be enjoyed by all of the birds who may visit your garden. The key is to please the birds that already come to you, rather than focusing on the ones that you hope to attract. This will avoid wasted seed, that could otherwise lead to bacteria and mould build-up and may make birds ill. Over time, this can then tempt new species of wild birds to your garden.

Here are some of the most common types of wild bird seed and the wild birds that are most likely to be drawn to them.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are enjoyed by a wide range of wild birds, and come in two main forms. The black oil variety can be easily eaten by most birds and are usually enjoyed by the likes of blackbirds, blue tits, chaffinchs, goldfinchs, greenfinchs and house sparrows. The striped variety have thicker shells and are therefore harder for blackbirds and house sparrows to tackle. They also have less fat content than the black oil type, which can be important during the winter months.

Sunflower Hearts

Sunflower hearts are enjoyed by many birds but can be on the expensive side. They are usually preferred by a lot of wild birds including blackbirds, blue tits, chaffinchs, coal tits, collared doves, goldfinchs, greenfinchs, house sparrows, robins and starlings.

Millet

Millet is often included in bird seed mixes and can be enjoyed by doves and sparrows.

Safflower Seeds

Safflower seeds are preferred by birds with strong beaks, including house finches. They are also usually rejected by squirrels, which is a plus point if they are also visiting your garden and making a beeline for bird seed.

Golden & Red Millet and Flax

These seeds are often included in bird seed mixes but are largely seen as “filler” content. This is because most birds will bypass them in favour of other seeds, which can lead to bacteria build-up and contamination of fresh seed. If you become aware that these seeds are being wasted, it’s better to look for seed mixes that don’t include them or to focus solely on the seeds that are being preferred.

How to Choose Quality Bird Seed

Not all wild bird seed is of good quality, even if it contains similar ingredients. High quality offerings will tempt a wider range of birds to your garden. Ideally, go for bird seed that contains less “filler” seeds and more sunflower seeds as this will generally be more popular and there will be less potential for wastage. Where possible, look for packaging that allows you to inspect the seed content and appearance before you buy.

Alternative Options to Wild Bird Seed

Not all wild birds necessarily enjoy eating seeds and would prefer other types of food. Alternative options include fat balls, fruit and nuts (depending on the wild bird in question).

[Photo Credit: pjs2005]

Filed Under: Birds

How to Keep Your Cat Off Your Counters

By Paul Roberts

On March 10, 2015

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Cats on the Counter

Does your cat spend a lot of time jumping up onto your worktops? This can make it difficult to keep them clean and tidy, and to prepare food on them. Not everyone will necessarily be bothered about their cat accessing their worktops but if it is hindering you, you’re probably searching for a solution to counteract it.

Many cat owners in this situation struggle to discourage your cat(s) from using your counters as their own personal playground. This is definitely something of a challenge but there are some tactics that you can use to break the habit.

Why Your Cat Climbs Onto Counters

Most cats enjoy being off the ground and will look to use worktops, shelves and other relatively high areas as a vantage point. This can become even more likely if your counters contain tempting scraps of food. It’s important not to discourage your cat from climbing in general – the key will be to refocus this behaviour onto areas of the home that are more acceptable with regards to this.

How to Break the Habit

Intervention techniques such as squirting water onto your cat when they jump onto the worktop will often be ineffective and doesn’t address the underlying reason(s) as to why your pet is so determined to spend time there. They can also encourage your cat to be scared of you, rather than having the intended effect.

Solutions can include making the counters less attractive to your cat and simultaneously offering alternative ‘high’ places for them to go to instead. An easy tactic is to cover placemats with double sided sticky tape or tin foil to discourage your cat from wanting to jump up onto the counters.

While you are deflecting their interest in your counters, make sure that there are cat trees, cat perches and other opportunities for your cat to climb and access vertical space elsewhere in the home. Using treats to build a positive association with these spaces can be very useful for encouraging your cat to gravitate towards them.

What Not to Do

Don’t punish your cat for jumping onto your counters. This will only serve to make your cat fear you as they are very unlikely to associate it with the act of being on one of the counters.

Have you had to discourage your cat(s) from hanging out on your worktops? What tactics do you use to successfully persuade them not to do this? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments section below!

[Photo Credit:  Lori L. Stalteri]

Filed Under: Cats

Causes of Foul Smelling Faeces in Kittens

By Paul Roberts

On March 5, 2015

0 comments

Kittens

What are the causes of foul smelling faeces in kittens?

Foul smelling faeces in kittens can be more common than you think and if you notice that your kitten is emitting stools that smell extremely bad, there are a few reasons why it may be happening. Here are some of the most common culprits for foul-smelling faeces in kittens.

Normal Stools

“Normal” stools for cats should be formed and firm. They should not be overly hard, soft or runny in consistency with no unusually strong smell. Ideally, they should be dark brown in colour and with no strong smell. Anything outside of this should be viewed as a cause for concern. If you’re worried that your kitten’s stool is not “right”, try to get a small sample of it for your vet to test to determine the underlying cause(s) of the problem.

Dietary Factors

If your kitten is otherwise bright and well, it may be that their diet is causing unpleasant changes to their stools.  Make sure that your kitten is on a good quality well balanced food that is appropriate for their age and development, and avoid sudden or abrupt changes to their diet.

If you think that your kitten’s diet is to blame, it’s a good idea to speak to your vet before you change their diet. This will help to ensure that their diet is the most probable cause of the problem and to make sure that you go about things in the best way.

Worms

Parasitic worms are another possibility, especially if your kitten has had them previously. This can sometimes be indicated by symptoms such as weight loss and diarrhoea, and a big infestation may lead to abdominal distension in kittens. However, there will not always be obvious symptoms and those that do occur can be vague. Speak to your vet about a de-worming programme if you suspect that your kitten may have picked up worms.

Infection

Gastrointestinal infections are another potential cause of stool changes, which would be more strongly suspected if your kitten also appears generally unwell.

If you’re concerned about your kitten’s stools, speak to your vet about the possible causes and treatment options. They can then determine what the underlying cause of the problem is and ensure that the most appropriate treatment is given as promptly as possible.

Filed Under: Cats

How to Deal With Cats Not Getting On

By Paul Roberts

On March 3, 2015

10 comments

Fighting Cats

Cats Not Getting On? How you can deal with it

Multi-cat households can be a great source of stress if your pets are not on good terms with each other. Cats are usually not as naturally sociable as dogs and will not necessarily get along well. In some cases, they will never be best friends but can be encouraged to accept each other and develop some degree of harmony. Here are our tips for dealing with cats that don’t get on.

See How Things Develop Initially

Cats who have recently been introduced to one another will often be aloof and may also be aggressive for some time after first meeting before settling into a routine of some sort. If your cats were not recently introduced and the situation has not got better without intervention, you will need to start taking some steps to try to change things.

Build Positive Associations

Help your cats to see each other in a more positive light by associating one another with pleasant experiences such as treats and toys. In the long term, this can make them much more inclined to spend time together without becoming hostile.

Introduce Interaction Gradually

If the situation is particularly negative, you may want to limit the amount of time that your cats spend together directly and introduce their interaction on a more gradual basis. For example, you may start by bringing them together indirectly at mealtimes with wire mesh as a barrier.

Greater interaction can be developed slowly but surely, especially after meals when they are more likely to be relaxed and receptive. More direct contact can be encouraged by rubbing tuna juice on each cat’s head to see if they will start to groom each other. It’s often a good idea to tire them out a bit before contact so that they will be less likely to become aggressive towards each other.

Give Them Space Apart

Kitty perches will give your cats an opportunity to spend time away from each other. This is particularly important if one cat is acting aggressively and the victim(s) would benefit from having somewhere to go that is out of their way.

Could Medication Help?

If your vet suspects the difficulties your cats are having in getting along are due to excessive anxiety or behavioural issues, they may prescribe a calming medication on a short term basis to help with these problems such as Feliway or Zylkene.

Cats who don’t get on are unlikely to ever become best friends but with time and patience, you may be able to encourage them to develop some degree of harmony and co-exist together. As a worst case scenario, you may need to think about re-homing if the situation does not improve but this should be a last resort if everything else has failed.

Have you had a multi-cat household that didn’t get on? Were you able to encourage them to get on better? We’d love to hear your stories! 

[Photo Credit:  _Xti_]

Filed Under: Cats