Caring For Elderly Cats

Cats can easily reach 16 or 17 years of age and with good feeding and medical care, old-age can be a very pleasant and contented time for them.

Feeding - Dry foods (biscuit or kibble) can still be fed, although wet foods (canned or sachets) are particularly useful for elderly cats who have lost some or all of their teeth.There are many proprietory brands that provide 'senior diet' foods specially formulated to cater for the nutritional requirements of elderly cats. Remember though, to keep a close watch on how much is being eaten as one of the first signs of illness will be a diminished appetite.

In cases where specific illness has been diagnosed (such as kidney disease, diabetes etc), your veterinary surgeon will be able to advise you and offer specialist 'prescription' diets that are suitable for your pet.

Warmth - It is very important to older cats to have somewhere to rest that is warm and comfortable - in the winter months, many will sleep for almost 24 hours! My own cats' favourite is a radiator bed. In summer, cats will often find the sunniest spot in the garden to bask, so they should be checked regularly as they can overheat. Always make sure they have plenty of fresh water available.

Medical Care - It is a good idea for elderly cats to visit the veterinary surgeon regularly; many vets offer 6 monthly 'senior pet' clinics where routine check ups are performed and potential problems discussed. Early diagnosis is best as even minor illness can quickly become complicated.

Troubles of Old Age

Teeth - Teeth can be a common cause of discomfort and loss of appetite and
elderly cats often require dental extractions or descaling. Although it is worrying to submit your senior cat to a general anaesthetic, you will usually find that your cat's well-being will improve dramatically once the cause of the discomfort has been removed. Your pet will find it much easier to eat with hard healthy gums than with bad teeth.

Nails - As cats get older, their joints often become stiffer. This means that claws no longer wear properly and the cat can have difficulty in retracting them. Regularly trimming off or filing the overgrown tip of the nails will help. Some examples of suitable clippers and files can be found here.

Constipation - Sometimes elderly cats can suffer severly from constipation, usually caused by deterioration of their muscle-tone, although it can also be due to lack of exercise or swallowing large quantities of hair when they are moulting or shedding (hairballs).

There are several proprietory remedies available, milk is also a natural laxative, or your vet may provide some stronger medicine to alieviate the problem. Never ignore constipation in your pet, as it can lead to more serioius complications if left untreated.

Incontinence - Unfortunately, elderly pets can lose control of their bladder and/or bowels and this can make both yours and their lives very difficult. Please never blame the animals as this is something that they cannot help. Discuss it with your vet at check-up time - there may be some medical help available. Your vet will also be able to tell you if you can expect any improvement in your cat's condition.

All-in-all, cats are much like humans as they get older. They slow down a bit, like some extra comfort and attention, are often a little fussy with food and possibly start to show some signs of elderly illnesses. However, in spite of this they will suddenly surprise you by leaping up and chasing a ball of paper or trying to catch a flying insect. Enjoy them!

Choosing Your Dog's Collar and Lead

Pet shops can stock many types of collars and leads. Generally,your choice will depend on what you prefer, but there are a few points to take into consideration.

Leads (leashes),collars and harnesses are usually made from rope, leather, chain or nylon webbing.

Choosing Your Lead
Leather and Chain Leads: If you dog is one of the large breeds, you'd be advised to select a strong lead made of leather or chain with a leather handle. Dogs that chew their leads will also benefit a chain lead.

Nylon leads: These are lightweight leads and usually washable, so they're useful to put in your pocket on a long walk or in case of an emergency.

Rope Leads: Slip leads (with a loop that goes around the dog's neck) and showing leads are often made from soft rope.

Retractable leads: Some dogs need to be kept on their lead at all times e.g young or untrained dogs, deaf, blind or elderly dogs. Retractable leads are usually made from thin nylon rope or webbing on a spool that can extend 4 to 6 metres. This allows the dog to explore when out walking and allows you to keep control.

Choosing Your Collar
Leather collars: These are strong and durable and most dogs find them comfortable as they do not chafe the neck when fitted correctly. They're available in several styles - rolled, flat, studded etc. A leather collar 12mm wide is adequate for most dogs (larger breeds, bull terriers, greyhounds etc may need a wider collar - 2.5 to 4cm is usually suitable)

Nylon Collars: Smaller breeds are more suited to nylon collars as they are less durable than leather. They can also cause rubbing on the neck, especially if the dog pulls on the lead.

Chain Collars: These are made from several rows of chain with a buckle and leather strap. Care should be taken to use the correct size as they may pinch the skin of the dog's neck if too narrow.

Check Chains (Choke Chain): I advise against using a check chain unless absolutely necessary as very few people know how to fit and use them correctly. Half-check collars (a nylon band with a chain attached) are minimally better. They are a training aid only and should only be used when walking or training.

Puppy's First Collar and Lead - Arrived at that momentous time when you buy your puppy's first collar and lead? Here's some safety points to remember

• Don't fasten the collar too tightly - make sure you can fit three fingers under it.
• Never use a check chain on a young puppy - they can damage the pup's neck.
• Keep an eye on your puppy especially at first as sometimes they try and rub the collar off and can get it caught on anything projecting.
• Even when the puppy is very young, its a good idea to attach the lead to the collar and make it into a game - the puppy will get used to the feel of the lead and it will be easier for you when the time comes to start training.

Finally, remember to check your dog's collar and lead regularly for damaged stitching or wear and replace it before it breaks.

Does Trimming Your Dog's Nails Scare You

This post is an article from information website EzineArticles.com . I've added a couple of pics to help. You can get excellent Nail clippers and nail files at Alpha Pets website Alphapetshop.co.uk

Does Trimming Your Dog's Nails Scare You
By Fonda Fletcher

As any human parent knows, it's kind of scary the first time you cut your baby's nails especially if you have never done this before. Just remember that you can cut a quick. This will not require a trip to the vet to fix. If you were to happen to cut a quick, which is the blood flow part of the nail this can be painful for your pet.

If you are not comfortable clipping your dog's nails I would not suggest you try this yourself. You can always take your dog to a vet or a grooming shop and they will clip the nails for a minimal charge.

Your dog can pick up on your fears of clipping his or her nails which can be almost next to impossible if you don't know how to safely position your pet without either getting bit or twisting your back or your dog's back out of place depending on the size of your dog. Many a groomer has been bitten by not following the proper techniques when trimming the nails. Some dogs will fore warn you by growling others will not.

If you are brave enough to trim your dog's nails the easiest one's to trim are the white nails. Since the cuticle shows up a lot better. The quick is the pink part, like was mentioned before is the blood supply to the nail. The black nails are the hardest since they are dark in color.
Just remember if your pet's nails grow out too long it can have negative medical effects which can lead to surgical procedures. Meaning if the nail grows into the skin, the only solution is to have the vet perform surgery to get the nail out of the skin. Watch how quick your dogs nails grow if they grow out longer than normal length you cannot cut them shorter than normal because the quick also grows out.

There is one suggestion this is not suggested for anything but short close to the skin hair. Can you picture your dog's hair being caught up in a hand held tool. Don't try this technique with anything but shorter hair that can't be pulled by your hand. You can purchase a small battery powered rotary sander, called a dremmel. This method makes noise so if your dog is nervous to begin with then this probably would not work.
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Fonda Fletcher is a professional dog groomer who owns her own mobile dog grooming salon in Henderson,Nv. She has a lifetime of experience working with dogs, she likes to share her knowledge to help other dog owners who can benefit from her experience.


white nail showing pink quick

always avoid the quick

selection of available clippers and files

Going Back To Overweight Pets

It wasn't very long ago that we were discussing how to keep our pets from putting on too much weight and the benefits of preventing them becoming obese. This week 'The Sun' newspaper reported a story about a grossly obese cat weighing two and a half stone and measuring 34 inches around the waist - the poor cat lives in China and its owners excuse for feeding the cat on dough rolls and chicken hearts, is that diets make the cat 'bad-tempered' (see pic).


This is an extreme case (I hope), but it shows how this cat's misguided owners feel that they are doing their best for their pet, when in fact the cat's extreme weight will almost certainly lead to many serious health problems as well as a greatly reduced quality of life. It makes me very sad that lots of pets are suffering because their owners may just need a little education on 'what's right and what's not'.


I've found some good home-made recipes for keeping dogs healthy here . It is more difficult with cats as they need quite high levels of meat protein and taurine in their diet, but there are lots of 'light' diets on the market and many prescription diets available - there is no excuse!

Story and picture originated from 'The Sun' newspaper 1st February, 2007

Help Stop Your Cat Scratching Your Furniture

Help Stop Your Cat Scratching Your Furniture (and Save Your Sanity!)
This one's for all us cat owners living in fear for our sofas and carpets!

Does your cat like to scratch your furniture? Its a common problem with lots of cats, especially 'flat cats' (not literally!) I mean of course cats who live in apartments with very little outdoor exercise.

Why do they do it?
Not, as people commonly think to sharpen their claws, but to clean them and keep them healthy.

Cats that have lots of outdoor exercise will often use your fruit trees - which can cause major damage to the tree trunk, indoor cats will use any suitable surface - your sofa, carpet, wallpaper etc. etc.
The thing with cats is that they're creatures of habit and they 'bond' with certain surfaces or items for their 'personal hygiene', so to save your trees, soft furnishings and sanity, the trick is to get them to bond with something more suitable and take action to protect your home.

Okay so a two-pronged solution:
Save your furniture - apart from shutting your cat out of
the house (no chance), declawing (illegal, in the UK, unnatural and very painful
for the poor cat), what else can you do?
There's a couple of things that spring to mind :

Furniture protectors - clear plastic strips that attach to the furniture. They provide a smooth surface so the cat's claws slide off, helping to break the clawing habit.

Claw Scissors - these are a small pair of clippers suitable for indoor cats, rabbits and so on. Clipping the ends of your cat's claws regularly won't worry the cat and will help save the carpets from those claws hooking in.

Provide 'bonding' material for your cat - Sisal scratching posts, pads and climbers. Sisal is a
tough material that can withstand constant clawing and provides the type of surface that cats like to use for their grooming. They're often impregnated with catnip and come with toys attached to encourage your cat to use them.

Just a small plug - You can , of course find all these things at Alphapetshop

Seriously though, I know from experience that ruined wallpaper and soft furnishings is no joke and can be very expensive. I have always clipped my own cats' claws to keep them in check and they're now 17 yrs old and are showing no ill-effects!

Puppy With Hiccups - Molly

Thanks Zena for your question and support for the blog. I hope Molly is well other than her hiccups problem!
It is true that puppies can be prone to hiccups when there is a heavy worm burden, but if you are worming regularly as advised by your vet and using a veterinary prescribed wormer (sometimes the ones sold in supermarkets etc are not as effective), then I would be surprised if
this is what's causing Molly's problem. If you are still concerned, your vet can carry out tests to check for signs of worms in her poo.

There can be other reasons for hiccups in young puppies, much the same as in humans. They are usually associated with gulping air - puppies tend to take in a lot of air when they eat and drink and also when they get excited.

Don't worry too much, Zena, hiccups is very common in dogs and especially puppies under 8 months old.

Animals Need Healthy Mouths to Remain Healthy and Happy Pets!

Animals' tooth and gum tissue reacts in exactly the same way as ours when threatened by infection and plaque so its important that we keep up a regular dental hygiene programme for their health and well-being.

Examine their teeth and mouth

If you can, gently pull back your pet's lip and look at his or her teeth (wrigglers may need some assistance!).

• Can you see yellow or brown plaque deposits on the teeth?


• Are there any other problems like chipped or broken teeth?


• Does your pet have really smelly breath?


• Check the gums - are they red or sore-looking?


• Does your pet often dribble saliva and drop food when he/she is trying to eat?
  

If your answer is "yes" to any of these questions, your pet needs some attention to his/her mouth. If not, well done - you get a gold star for dental hygiene!

It is easy to overlook your pet's teeth, but dental problems can result in major health issues. Gingivitis and the build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth may mean your pet is reluctant to eat or drops food. Infection formed in the mouth can travel through the blood stream and affect your pet's vital organs, especially the heart and kidneys causing serious illness. Eventually you'll be visiting the vet, maybe for dental work under anaesthetic, maybe for something more serious - expensive and stressful.

Fortunately, good dental hygiene is not too difficult to achieve by following a similar plan of action to mine:

• Provide hard (dry) food. there are many balanced diets on the market, many designed to help with dental hygiene and exercise the gums.


• Brushing your pet's teeth regularly will definately make a difference and believe it or not, lots of pets don't mind it at all! Use a toothbrush and toothpaste designed for animal use as it froths less, is flavoured and does not require rinsing. Start gently for a few moments and work up to a full set of teeth!


• Hard and crunchy treats to help with removal of plaque and tartar are very popular with pets. My dog loves to chew carrots (good healthy veggies!) and there are many treats available for helping with good dental care.


• Toys designed to exercise the mouth are great - happy playtime and detal hygiene rolled into one! You can find a selection here for dogs and cats


• Check regularly for constant extremely bad breath - not just 'I've been eating something nasty' breath. This could be a warning sign that your pet may have something serious going on. Never ignore bad breath and just mask it with breath fresheners.


• When you go to your vet for vaccination boosters your pet should have a professional dental check-up. Many vets now also have clinics run by trained nursing staff to assist you with your pet's dental hygiene.

Small Pets

Rabbit and rodent owners, please check your pet's teeth regularly especially if they are showing any of the signs above as their teeth grow continuosly and your vet may need to be shorten them.

If you are still not convinced, think of it this way. A cat or dog year is equivalent to approximately five to seven human years. If your pet is two years old, this is equivalent to a ten to fourteen year old human who has never brushed their teeth or gone to a dentist - Now work it out for an adult dog or cat!!

Vaccination & Your Pets

Should we vaccinate our pets at all?
It's worth remembering that many of the pet diseases we vaccinate against are killers.

Infectious diseases used to kill thousands of pets every year, but these days infectious disease is much less obvious - this is largely due to our safe veterinary licensed vaccination programmes.

Dogs & Cats

Provided their mother is immune, very young puppies and kittens are usually protected against disease as their mother's first milk carries immunity for them. However as they are weaned, this immunity fades.

Vets usually advise puppy and kitten vaccination courses beginning at approximately eight weeks for full immunity and then booster vaccinations every year or so throughout their lives.

There has been discussion recently about pet booster vaccinations. Are they really essential to your pets health? Or are they just a way for your vet to make money? The fact is that for some diseases, vaccine protection is much shorter. For example leptospirosis vaccine in dogs will only give full protection for about 12 months

Rabbits
Vaccinations can be started at 6 weeks of age and booster injections are recommended annually

Ferrets
there is currently no vaccine licensed for use in ferrets, although its worth discussing this with your vet as ferrets can be susceptible to distemper and canine distemper vaccine can provide protection.

Neutering...Or Not?

I've been receiving lots of questions about neutering and whether its a good idea, so I'm just going to give you the facts here, and it would be great to gather some opinions from you, so please get in touch.

Neutering - The Definitions

Spaying (Female) - (ovario-hysterectomy) is the surgical removal of her reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes)

Castration (Male) - (orchectomy) is the surgical removal of the reproductive glands (testicles) of the male animal. The outer sac remains, and the animal's appearance afterwards will depend on his age at the time of the surgery.

Let's Start with Cats and Dogs:

Male & female dogs and cats mature quickly. They are often
able to reproduce when they are as young as 6 months of
age, with bitches coming into season every six months for
the rest of their lives.

Neutering - The Benefits

Neutered animals tend not to roam to look for a mate.

In males, castration reduces the chances of developing diseases of the prostate and prevents testicular cancer.

It also reduces behavioural problems like aggression, urine spraying (and bonking the cushions!).

In females, spaying decreases the incidence of mammary (breast) cancer, especially if the animal is spayed before her first season (my preference).

It also prevents a very serious and often fatal infection of the uterus experienced by many mature unspayed animals (pyometra).

Spaying also helps with behavioural problems caused by hormonal changes when females come into season.

Some owners prefer to wait until after the first heat as the animal's organs have a chance to mature. However, each time she comes into season she's at greater risk from cancer, so unless she's to have puppies/kittens, my advice
is to spay early!

Female cats will continuously come into season from spring to autumn until mated and then will mate again as soon as their kittens are born.

Now For Small Pets:
Neutering is usually carried out under general anaesthesia and this can pose a risk to small pets.

The best sources of information for owners of small pets are species specific websites. These website discuss the benefits and disadvantages of neutering your small pet in much more detail than I can provide here. Follow the links
for advice:

Ferrets

Rabbits

Guinea Pigs

The simple fact is that spaying and neutering greatly increases the lifespan of your pet and increases quality of life as well!

Note: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the statements made are accurate no responsibility can be taken by the author for the interpretation of the points made or for the success or failure of any of these procedures. If you are considering neutering please discuss it with a qualified veterinary surgeon who will undertake the operation on your instructions.