Taming Hamsters

Hamsters are not automatically at ease with being handled, so taming hamsters is a requirement before you can hold them. Many people, unfortunately, find this out the hard way. Has your hamster bitten you when you tried to pick it up? Are you now afraid of handling your hamster?

Fortunately there are some great techniques for earning your hamster's trust. All it will take is some time and patience and before you know it, your hamster will be comfortable and relaxed.

The number one mistake people make is plunging their hands in the cage and trying to scoop up the hamster. Try to think of it from your hamster's perspective. He doesn't know you and he doesn't know what this big thing is coming at him. Of course he's going to defend himself and protect his space by running away or trying to bite you.

So first, you need to get your hamster to recognize that you are not harmful. To do this, you will need to help your hamster become more familiar with your hand. Step one is to wash your hands carefully so that there are no food residues or unfamiliar smells on them. Hamsters have a great sense of smell, which can make taming hamsters tricky.

Next, you should get a treat like a carrot, leafy green, or an apple to offer your hamster. Slowly place your hand down in to the cage and hold the treat a bit away from your hamster. This might take some time, but it is best to wait for your hamster to come investigate. Do this on a daily basis and soon your hamster will begin to associate your hand with great tasting goodies.

The next step is trying to get your hamster to actually step onto your hand. To do this, place your hand on the bottom of the cage with your palm up. Have a little treat in your palm as a reward for your hamster coming up onto your hand. Continue practicing this until you think your hamster has the hang of it. When he is in your palm, try lifting your hand just a little bit. No matter how tempted you are to scoop him right out of the cage, set your hand back down. Keep lifting your hamster a little higher every time you do this exercise. At some point, you will reach the top of the cage and you can remove your hamster.

Holding your hamster, especially a dwarf hamster, can be a little tricky since they are so small. Once he is comfortable with your hand, learn how to hold him cupped in your hand to keep him safe.

The most important rule of taming hamsters is "do not drop them." First of all, they are delicate creatures that might not be able to survive some falls. Secondly, if they do survive, they will naturally be terrified to be in your hands in the future.

Move to a nice, carpeted area with a clear space. Make sure you have blocked off exits and made the room hamster-proof just in case he should get loose. Sit down on the ground and stay very still. You can pet your hamster slowly and gently and speak to him softly to get him to relax.

You might have to do this several times before your hamster truly starts to seem content with being handled. With a bit of patience and consistency, you should become an expert at taming hamsters in no time.

For more information on taming hamsters, check out DwarfHamsterSite.com. Liz Andrews has been a hamster enthusiast for nearly 20 years. Her newest book, 'Dwarf Hamsters In a Nutshell', teaches hamster owners absolutely everything they need to know about caring for their pet.

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Looking at Ingredients

There are dog foods made especially for young dogs, old dogs, pregnant and nursing dogs, and overweight dogs, and, happily, there are now dog foods formulated specifically for small dogs.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), composed of a panel of veterinarians and nutritionists, has set nutritional guidelines for dog food when the dog is growing and when he's an adult. AAFCO has established minimums and maximums for some nutrients, and then assumed the optimum is somewhere in between. To choose a complete and balanced food for your dog, look for a statement on the package that says the food meets AAFCO requirements.

However, levels of specific nutrients are far from the whole story. Pet foods are formulated according to the energy density of the product, because the idea is that an animal will eat enough to meet his energy needs. In a complete and balanced diet, however, when the animal has eaten enough to meet his energy needs, he should also have met all his other nutritional needs. Nutrients also interact in a delicate balance, so these interactions, plus digestibility, availability, and palatability of the food must be considered, as well. Making a good dog food is even more difficult than choosing one!

One issue that has caused some controversy is the preservatives used in dry food. All the preservatives used in pet foods are clinically tested for safety, so the evidence against them is strictly anecdotal. Some breeders, for instance, will swear that synthetic preservatives cause their bitches to have all sorts of reproductive problems. The Food and Drug Administration has looked at these claims and can find nothing scientific to back them up. And  manufacturers have been using synthetic preservatives for more than thirty years. Still,  for those who prefer only natural ingredients, there are foods preserved with added vitamins C and E. These foods will say so on the label. Make sure to look at the freshness date on the package, because a food with only natural preservatives has a shorter shelf life.

There has been much talk in human nutrition about chelated minerals. A chelated mineral is one that's attached to an organic compound. Some-but certainly not all-nutritionists believe that in this form the mineral will be better absorbed into the bloodstream. We do know that the way minerals are absorbed is affected by the form in which they are consumed. And there is some evidence that the biological availability of certain minerals might be improved by giving them as an organic complex, as opposed to an inorganic molecule. This means dogs could eat less of a chelated mineral and still absorb all they need. What's not clear is how valuable that outcome really is. If you know the bioavailability of an inorganic mineral, you can still calculate how much of the mineral you must add to the dog's food to ensure he gets enough. This is simpler and less expensive than using chelated minerals, which are more complicated to manufacture.

Minerals that are more efficiently absorbed are not always a good thing, either. With iron, for instance, the body will regulate absorption as needed. In this way the body avoids both iron deficiency and iron excess-each dangerous in its own way. But if you start attaching iron to organic compounds that are being absorbed via different mechanisms, it cheats the natural regulatory system. The body might then end up with too much iron.

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Callie's Story

Let me start from the beginning....One crisp day in September 2010, my husband was in our garage and heard a tiny meow. He called for me to come there and we tore through everything trying to find out where this little cry was coming from. Way in the far back corner, beside an old metal filing cabinet, there was a pile of leaves and a little plastic bag with a calico kitten huddled up on it. The kitten looked to be about 3 or 4 months old and very thin. As soon as it saw my husband it took off running out of the garage. We talked about where this little creature could have possibly come from and what to do. The following day, I set out some kitten food for it. We didn't see the kitten for at least another month but the food was always missing. Toward the middle of October, I am in the garden clipping back plants and packing leaves around them when through the corner of my eye, I could see the kitten. It was on the opposite side of our pond watching my every move. I didn't make any moves to scare it but just kept working and talking softly to it. I would see that kitten several more times in my yard before it really started to become cold.

We continued to feed the kitten daily and keep fresh water out there for it. Our garage is detached from our house and when it rains or is very wet outside the floor of our garage gets standing water on it. I had to make sure the food was off the ground. I placed a rug on a pallet I found and kept the food and water on it. My husband had taken one of the seats out of his van in the summer when we were buying flowers for our yard, and put it in the garage. I brought out a quilt and old down comforter and made a bed on the van seat for the kitten. We used a large rock and propped up the door with it so it wouldn't shut completely. This would keep the wind and snow off the kitten. Every day, I would go out there first thing in the morning to check on it. At first the kitten would see me coming and hide behind things in the garage until I went back into the house. Then it would come out and eat. We started out with dry food which quickly became dry and moist food too. One day in the middle of the cold winter, it didn't run anymore. It stayed tucked into the bed and just watched as I put fresh food and water down for her. That was the day I started calling the kitten Callie.

Spring arrived slowly. The days became a bit warmer. I started leaving the garage door open so Callie could bask in the sunshine. Callie was becoming more trusting of me around. I was told that 99% of calico kittens are female. I didn't believe that at first until I went out on the web and researched it. My husband and I spoke about having Callie fixed when it warmed up. The days grew warmer and Callie looked fatter. I was chalking it up to eating well. No, my little kitten Callie was going to be a mom! Now what? We were not prepared for this.

It was April 10th and my husband was in the garage. We hadn't seen much of Callie for a couple of days now, a quick glimpse now and then. We figured she must be giving birth somewhere, but where?? All of a sudden we heard a tiny meow. Randy called for me to come quick. We looked and looked and finally found where the sound was coming from, up in the rafters! I told him that he needed to get a ladder and look up in the recycling bin. He told me that either she would frighten him and he would fall off the ladder or he would frighten her, neither happened. He found Callie in the bin and she just looked at him as if to say, "now you know my secret." We left everything as is for a day. The following day, my Corgi would not leave the garage entrance to come in the house. My husband went to see what the problem was. To our dismay, we found the recycling bin had fallen from the ceiling rafters to the cement floor. We picked up four kittens. Two black and white ones, a solid grey one and an orange and white.

We took the binand I placed a quilt in it and repositioned it on his workbench. We coaxed Callie to go back to her babies, which she did. Thanks to my corgi for finding the helpless babies. A couple of days went by. We checked on her and the babies each day and made sure Callie was fed well. On day three, to my surprise there was one more kitten, a solid black one. Somehow, I missed it on the floor. Callie must have brought it back to the recycling bin.

Weeks went by and the kittens grew. Each day we would wait for Callie to leave the garage and Randy and I would hold the kittens. This kept them from being feral like Callie. They loved human contact. I especially was fond of the orange and white kitten. I kept telling my husband that was "my kitten" and he would tell me no, because we already had four Persians. I started to think of a name for the kitten, Morris or Garfield seemed very suitable. One night I dreamed the kitten spoke back to me telling me that his name was not Morris and not Garfield but rather "Delaney." Delaney it was.

He actually would respond to us calling him by that name. They grew cuter and busier each day. We used a large dog corral and made a big pen for them. We put the recycling bin with the side now cut out in there for them to sleep in. This kept them safe and happy for a few more weeks. They would run to us when they knew they were being fed. Callie was tolerant and not much more. There were days and I got a few good swipes from her. The kittens were seven weeks old now and ready to go to their new homes.

This is quicker than a domestic cat would be ready but we were told that if we waited; they would become less likely to be tame. My husband agreed that we could keep Delaney. My friend Darcia took the black one and named him, "Little Bear". Rene Jr. took a black and white male kitten and named him Morgan. Sonja took the female black and white kitten and named her Gracie. The little grey one found a home with Amy and is called Ashes. The kittens now all had happy endings, but what about Callie....

Earlier in the spring, when the kittens were small, I was at Hood's Hardware talking to Patti who is also a big cat lover. She told me about P.A.W.S. She gave me a contact person, Terra. It was now time to call Terra and see what could be done for Callie. I wanted to let Callie stay in our garage for as long as she wanted but didn't want to have her populate the neighborhood. Tera came over for a visit and met Callie. She arranged for a humane trap to be dropped off and instructed us on trapping Callie. Well, that is easier said than done! The first attempt we trapped a huge raccoon! My husband was up at midnight taking it to the wildlife area to release it. Needless to say, Callie sat there and watched all this action and had no interest in going near that trap! Another week went by. We spoke to Valerie and thought my husband might have to glove up and just grab her and put her into the trap. I tried one last time to trap Callie, this time with chicken. She loved chicken and that was the trick. We had her in the trap.....

Early the next morning, Valerie was there to pick her up along with a van full of others. We had her spayed, Feline Leukemia tested, Feline Leukemia vaccinated along with rabies, and distemper and some flea treatment. We felt we needed to give her the best chance we could if she was going to make it outside. The following day, Callie was dropped back in our garage in the trap. It was a very hot day and I came home at lunch and released her. She ran back to the corner of the garage where we first found her as a kitten. I was so afraid she would not make it. She seemed as if she were in pain and lethargic. It was a long afternoon at work. That evening, I called and called her. I made some chicken and she came up on our deck to find me. She ate the chicken and made the deck her new home! Day after day, Callie stayed on the deck. She would sit at our little table and watch in the house. She would interact with Delaney through the door. She made friends with our dogs. I bought her a little tent for dogs that I put a towel in and she stayed in that when it would rain. This went on for about 3 weeks. Callie decided she wanted to touch me. She would rub against my legs when I went outside to feed her. If I tried to reach to pet her, she would swat at me and hiss. I would sit quietly with her in the evenings and let her do it her way. She would sit next to me and just enjoy the evening. I wouldn't say a word. Once in a while she would rub against my side or back and sit back down. I told my husband that one day I would be able to pet her. That day came quicker than I imagined. I would extend my hand against my leg and pet her without her knowing. Once she realized I was touching her she didn't know how to react. She would nip my hand sometimes and do a lot of jumping. A few days of that and she found she really liked humans. She would run to be petted. One afternoon, we came home from an outing, and I must have been thinking about something else, I reached down and swooped her up. That is when I realized that I was holding my wild kitty. She went limp and loved being held. Now when I went outside, she would climb into my lap and want petted and held.

I was out in the yard one evening and it started to pour rain. I ran up the deck and into the family room and much to my surprise, so did Callie! I thought, "now what do I do." Callie was not afraid of my dogs and had lots of contact with them. That was not a problem. Delaney ran over to his mom and they greeted each other and started playing. Two of my Persians came out to investigate. Persians are very sweet and trusting. Callie took one look at them and swiped and hissed. They took off. I called Randy and told him to hurry home that Callie was in the family room and I needed to get her back outside. It was easy. She just went back out when we asked. Callie kept winning more and more of our hearts. We decided to "invite" her in this time to play with Delaney and put the others away. We did this on several occasions. We started reintroducing the others to her. Everyone seemed to be acceptant except my first Persian, Milo. He would run under the bed. One swipe was enough for him.

It is now the end of July. My sweet Callie is part of our home permanently. She started off in our basement and has moved upstairs into my husband's Archery room. We keep her in there only when we are not home and at night. Milo has accepted her, not quite playing together yet but he sits and watches her. The other cat's share her food and play in her room. With a lot of patience and love, Callie is a huge success story. She no longer has to live outside in the cold and drink from puddles and wonder where she would find food to living in a furever home where she is loved and happy. I put Callie's picture in the Wyandotte Street Art Fair at the P.A.W.S tent for the cutest animal and she won second place. That is the story of Callie going from rags to riches.

Written by,

Verne Marie Felty

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Winter White Hamster - Just One of 3 Dwarf Russian Hamsters

The Winter White is one of three species of dwarf Russian hamster and is known by many different nicknames. Some of the most common are the Djungarian, the Dwarf Russian, the Winter White dwarf hamster, or by their scientific name, Phodopus sungorus. These hamsters are part of the very popular dwarf hamster group that many enjoy keeping as pets.

If you are considering purchasing a Winter White hamster, there are many things to learn before you make your way to the pet shop. First, you need to consider the housing arrangement. You should have your hammie's cage already prepared for its arrival. One option is to order the equipment online while you wait for your hamster to be ready as sometimes they are still weaning from the mother. The best age to buy is between 4-7 weeks.

For the Winter White hamster, the cage can be a wire cage, a plastic cage with interchangeable parts, or a glass tank. Each cage type has its own benefits and cons. While the wire cage is inexpensive, they are occasionally poorly made and easy to escape from. The Habitrail cages with the many tubes, balls and wheels are fun for your hamster, but can be difficult to clean. The glass tank allows for a 360-degree view, but you have to make sure there is enough airflow.

Whichever cage type you decide to purchase, the most critical thing is providing as much space as possible. Hamsters are used to running miles per day through grasses and sand. The more space you can provide to naturally run about, the happier they will be. Of course, every cage must have a running wheel so they can spin to their heart's content.

Another thing to consider with the housing is how many hamsters you will have. Winter White hamsters are quite social so it is possible to house more than one to a cage. You will need to ask the pet shop associate for a young pair in order to make this work.

Because hamsters are a bit more active during the evening, this is the ideal time to make your purchase. Look at the hamsters that are most active as this is a good indication that they are healthy. See if they are eating, drinking, and hoarding their food. These are all natural behaviors for a hamster so that is always a good sign.

When selecting your hamsters, you should also make sure that they are clean, have clear eyes, do not have "wet tails," have clean ears, and ensure they have no bare patches of skin. Don't select your hamster based on which one is the cutest. Sometimes illnesses can make hamsters have weepy looking eyes. These might look adorable but you don't want to chance having a sick hamster.

Ask the store associate what the hamsters are fed, how often they are fed, and if any treats have been provided on a regular basis. This will help you determine which foods to feed your hamster once he gets home. If you want to change to something different, that is fine. Just remember to take your time transitioning over to new foods. Just like human babies, they can be finicky and quick food switches can upset their tummies.

The pet store will give you your hamster in a cardboard box so you might want to bring along his carrier that you will use for vet visits. To be prepared, take the time before you visit the pet store to learn all you can about Winter White hamsters, their behaviors, and their needs.

For more information on the Winter White hamster, check out DwarfHamsterSite.com. Liz Andrews has been a hamster enthusiast for nearly 20 years. Her newest book, 'Dwarf Hamsters In a Nutshell,' teaches hamster owners absolutely everything they need to know about caring for their pet.

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Information on Dog Food

If you ask a dog owner what the optimum dog food is, you usually get no clear answer. Therefore, you can often notice that the world of dog owners is dominated by great uncertainty and ignorance. Many people buy dog food from the mid-price segment and assume that they are giving their dog the best nutrition they can afford.

The nutritional needs of a pet are a little complicated matter and a basic knowledge of food of responsible dog owners is irreplaceable nowadays. Here is some information to help you with this problem.

There are many studies, debates and conflicting views about the proper dog food. Some ingredients, however, are vital and not debatable.

Proteins

Dogs are carnivores and need quite many proteins. In the wild, they have a diet that consists mainly of hunted herbivores. The wild dog needs its proteins, but also some other nutrients, so it will eat plants, too. Of course, dogs kept at home cannot hunt like wild dogs and therefore, cannot take the necessary proteins by themselves. Therefore, the dog owners have to make sure that the proteins are the basis of the dog food they their dogs. It is generally recommended that the dog food contains between 28% and 40% proteins. Dog owners also have to pay attention to the nature of the proteins. There are several types of proteins that have different levels of amino acids. The chance to take these amino acids from the protein depends largely on the quality of the protein. The better the quality of the protein, the more usable are the amino acids it contains. The dog's digestive system cannot break down proteins of lower quality.

Fat

Although most people think of fat as a bad ingredient of food, the pet must also take some fat for its health to be satisfying, just like humans. A fat molecule is generally composed of one carrier and three fatty acids. The small intestine of the dog ensures that fatty acids are available, as well as enzymes and bile. It is important that as many essential unsaturated fatty acids are present in the food the dog eats because its body cannot form them itself. No general statement can be made, but most dogs do not need more than 20% fat. A less active dog needs 9% fat at most, while an active dog needs 20% at most. If the dog is nursing puppies, it is advisable that the dog will take about 17% fat from the dog food. If the dog is supposed to lose weight, the dog food should naturally contain as little fat and protein as possible. One can also say that the daily requirement of digestible fat is 1g per kg of body weight.

Carbohydrates

The main suppliers of carbohydrates in food are corn and potatoes. These carbohydrates can be a problem if you are not careful. An excess of carbohydrates can result in various health problems in a dog in certain conditions, especially if they constitute a large part of the diet. Cheap dog food can contain up to 70% carbohydrates, while a dog actually needs less than 30%.

Feed the dogs well. Make sure that you read the flea treatment review to know more. You will be able to know the flea treatment for dogs that can surely help.

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Pets and Diabetes

As an animal owner there are many potential health issues that you may worry about. Often these concerns will focus around your pet being injured in an accident or sustaining damage due to some other external influence rather than developing a disease. Today we are going to inform you about diabetes and what it can mean for you and your pet should they develop it.

Insulin is a hormone that needs to be present in order for glucose in the blood to enter the cells of the body giving them energy. Diabetes is when a pet cannot produce insulin or the body does not allow them to use insulin properly. There are two types of this disease and they are known as type 1 and type 2.

Type 1

This is occurs when the pancreas does not produce any insulin. The lack of insulin means that the cells cannot absorb any glucose which in turn means there is a high amount of glucose in the blood.

Type 2

This surfaces when the insulin that is produced by the pancreas is less efficient at moving glucose out of the blood and into the cells. Some of the glucose is absorbed, just not as effectively as a pet with normal insulin efficiency; again, causing a high level of glucose to remain in the blood.

There are a number of signs that can indicate your pet may have diabetes. Urinating and drinking much more frequently are both key symptoms. The kidney has a 'glucose threshold' which means that when there is too much glucose present in the blood it exceeds this threshold and is excreted through urine. This increase in urination leads to extra bodily fluids being lost and so causes your pet to drink more. Another sign is if your pet's appetite increases dramatically but he or she is noticeably losing weight. This happens due to the loss of glucose, which is an important source of energy for your animal's body. Lethargy can also be a signifier of the onset of diabetes as can a poor condition of coat (more specifically with cats).

The treatment for this disease (both types) usually comes in the form of insulin injections. Once your pet has been diagnosed; your vet will give you help and advice on how to administer the injections and at what frequency and dosage. For the first few treatments you may have to go back to the vet in order for him to check your cat or dog's blood and urine levels. During these visits you will learn how to obtain the samples and make the readings yourself.

Managing your pet's diabetes is very important. It is not unusual for his or her insulin requirements to change due to a weight loss or gain, change of exercise regime or indeed the presence of another disease. Regularly checking the glucose levels of your pet's urine and/or blood samples will help the vet to determine if the insulin being dispensed is the right amount.

Nutrition is critical when managing your cat or dog's diabetes. This is because after a meal is digested glucose is released in to the bloodstream. The type of food that your animal eats will have an adverse effect; a meal full of sugar will cause a sudden increase of glucose in the blood whereas a meal full of high complex carbohydrates (such as fibre) will gradually release the glucose in to the bloodstream over a longer period of time.

Diabetes is a disease that can and usually does last the lifetime of a pet once it has developed. To reduce the risk of not being covered for those years ahead should your pet develop this affliction, it is a good idea to take out a lifetime pet insurance policy.

To see our lifetime policies and more, head to our website that is down below. For every quote we make online we'll donate 50p to an animal charity with the goal of donating a million pound to animal charities by the end of 2012.

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Transplants Tissue in Pets

With the rapidly increasing advancements in medical science, it was only a matter of time before the technique of transplanting tissues between animals was implemented. In 2009, veterinary surgeons Professor John Innes and Dr Peter Myint started the VTB (Veterinary Tissue Bank) in a response to the growing demand for cats and dogs that were in need of a tissue transplant. The lack of any kind of structure or a donor scheme encouraged the two veterinarians to take matters into their own hands.

The goal of the VTB is to improve the quality of life for pets by providing tissue allografts for veterinary surgeons to use. Donations of tissues from deceased pets can help other pets who have suffered injuries or need an operation on their bones, tendons, ligaments and even eyes. The scheme is coordinated nationally so that the donated tissues can be supplied to vets across the U.K and that way, be of best use to cats and dogs in need.

Signing up to the U.K Pet Donor Register is a simple process and it means that pet owners can receive solace in the knowledge that their recently deceased companion will be helping another person's companion to live, be able to walk or even improve eyesight. Once a pet owner has signed up, the register will then contact that person's veterinary surgeon to inform them. That way, when the unfortunate time comes, the vet will know to have the discussion with the bereaved pet owners.

The process of donating a pet's tissues for transplants has both positive and negative impacts. From one view point, it shows empathy and demonstrates that the pet owner cares about other animals and how their owners are feeling. It is completely ethical and helps cats and dogs that are needing of tissues. From another view point, it may be seen as unnatural and un-organic. Many people still don't agree with transplants in humans, let alone animals. In addition, the costs for an owner whose pet is receiving the tissue graft can be extremely high, with one recent case costing the owner £6,000; this is because the process is privatised.

I have had quite a lot of experience within the transplant world as my mother had a heart and double-lung transplant in June 1996. She is still alive today and so I am very pro-transplants. During campaigns where I have helped to try and encourage more people to sign up as donor, I have come across a lot of opposed opinions (as outlined in the above paragraph) on the matter.

With regards to pet tissue transplants I feel that the same questions and apprehensions will be raised. If you are considering signing your pet up to the Pet Donor Register then please do talk to all other members of your family about it before making a decision; it is important to consider everyone's opinion. It is also important to note that pets don't have a voice and so the decision is entirely up to the owners. People may not allow their pets to be a tissue donor as the pet themselves cannot say whether or not they'd like to be a donor.

Experts are predicting that the transplantation of organs between animals will be mastered within the next 15 years. As the technological advancements continue to rapidly progress, the question has to be asked whether or not pet owner's beliefs and values will adhere to this process on the whole?

What're your thoughts on pet tissue transplants? Have you ever considered it? Has anyone already signed their pet up to be a donor? Let us know your thoughts on the matter in the comments box below.

Get fantastic pet insurance by Animal Friends! By visiting us here at http://www.animalfriends.org.uk/ we donate 50p on your behalf to animal welfare charities worldwide! Aswell as donating £1 to animal welfare charities worldwide when you like us on facebook, so pop over to our facebook page at 'FeelGoodPark'

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Why It Is Important To Look After Your Pet's Joints and Muscles

A common health-related issue that pets often suffer from is Arthritis. Whilst we humans can tell someone if our muscles or joints are hurting or aching, animals do not have that same luxury and so unless they are in serious or instant pain, they do not cry out. This is why it is essential to keep an eye out for any changes in your pet's behaviour or movement.

Arthritis is a pain of the joint and can affect just one specific joint or many joints in a pet's body. In-between each joint of bone there is a substance called cartilage which acts as a cushion and lubricates the joint. Once this substance is worn down and has eroded away, it can cause swelling, inflammation and general pain.

There are two types of Arthritis that can affect cats and dogs. The first is known as Osteoarthritis and is a degenerative condition whereby the cartilage is worn down. This is the more common type of the disease (usually present in older pets) and is caused by over-usage over the joint. It can also be found to affect young to middle aged pets if they have suffered a severe shock or injury to their joint or have suffered from a serious disease. The second type is known as Rheumatoid arthritis and is an autoimmune disorder in which the pet's body will attack its joints and cause inflammation. This type is rarer than Osteoarthritis.

The symptoms of Arthritis in a pet can sometimes be hard to spot; this is especially true with older pets. Many people believe that their older pets move slowly, display lethargy or limp a little on a certain leg simply because they are getting old. Whilst this is the case, there is also a high chance that the older pet may be suffering from Arthritis and can be given medication to alleviate some of the pain. Other symptoms can include a fever, loss of appetite and a reluctance to move.

There are various medications that a vet may prescribe for your pet if they are suffering from Arthritis. The medication prescribed will be dependent upon each individual pet and their medical history. It is very important that you do not self-administer drugs that humans take for Arthritis (such as ibuprofen and aspirin) to your pet as they are extremely dangerous and can prove lethal.

When talking about treatment it is important to note that it is all about handling and management of your particular pet. In addition to medication, weight control can play a key role in easing the pressure and pain put on a pet's sore joint. If you cat or dog is overweight and suffering from Arthritis, then 'lightening the load' can help to put less pressure on the sore joint. Once the disease has been diagnosed and medicated, it is key that a minimal amount of movement and exercise is placed upon the suffering joint. Again, it is about control as too much exercise will aggravate the joint or wear down the cartilage. If a pet develops Arthritis then this treatment/management will have to be continued for the rest of its life.

Arthritis can be very unpleasant and on-going and so if your pet is moving a little gingerly then arrange an appointment at the vets. Here they may take an x-ray of the affected ligament and will be able to determine if your pet does indeed have Arthritis.

Please be aware that this article is for informative and advice purposes only. It is not a medical document and if you are worried that your cat may be suffering from Arthritis or any other type of illness then you should contact your local vet.

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Check Your Animals Regularly

The kidney is preparing all the urinary substances prior to excretion by filtering the blood. The two kidneys may not be working at "full speed," but they protect each other. Each kidney takes turns when it comes to the filtration of blood. If the kidneys are healthy, the body can excrete the toxins from the blood via the urine.

Very young or older animals are prone to kidney disease. Young animals need to learn how to deal with conflicts. Crystals occur in the urinary tract if these conflicts are not resolved and kidney sand, kidney meal or even kidney stones form gradually and the filtration process suffers greatly. The kidneys are always involved in circulatory disorders (atherosclerosis).

Older animals show more weakness than young animals. Too much calcium can promote calcification and thus kidney problems can already occur at a young age. Acute and chronic diseases are differentiated when it comes to kidney inflammation or kidney disease. The former are rarely present as independent diseases. In general, there is an accompanying symptom of various infectious diseases, sepsis, purulent processes in the body, poisoning, metabolic disorders and vascular diseases.

Symptoms can include pain in the kidney area with limitations in walking, loss of appetite or fever. The animal urinates less, takes up little liquid, feels pain when urinating and the urine is dark. This means that crystals have been formed, which keep the epithelial cells from working properly. Chronic kidney disease is related to chemical substances in dogs and cats. Chemical additives in food in the form of preservatives overload the liver and this leads to chronic kidney disease. Too much protein in the diet overloads the kidney (but also the liver).

Animals show no obvious symptoms in case of chronic kidney disease. They lose weight over time, the fur is dry, they have flaky and itchy skin, sometimes there is vomiting, they drink more water and urinate a lot. In the final stage, the animals begin to vomit, get diarrhea and ulcers on the oral mucosa. There should always be a balance between the amount of proteins the diet contains and the water supply of the dog.

Many owners want their peace and quiet at night and give their pets a little water in the evening to avoid having to go outside. Thus, the toxins are not excreted from the body via the urine and a fatal outcome of a disease is promoted. Tumors, vascular disease, leukemia and FIP (Felline infectious peritonitis = peritonitis in cats) can also lead to chronic kidney affections. A strong increase of the kidney can be the only and most obvious finding in cats suffering from leukemia. Cats can be protected against leukemia with an annual vaccination. The treatment of kidney disease includes low-protein diet food, lots of rest and warmth. Physical stress, overheating and getting wet are contraindicated in animals which suffer from kidney disease.

Causes of kidney infection include: infection usually caused by bacteria; poor nutrition, high in protein, poisons or chemicals; constant mental stress constricts the blood vessels and restricts the kidney function greatly; shock conditions can lead to kidney failure; the infection first starts in the urethra and then rises to the kidneys; toxins and allergies - screening should be carried out regularly from the 2nd age (6-8 years) to discover this kidney damage early and to get treatment in time.

Kidney disease vaccinations in conflict periods are stressful for the kidneys of small animals. They can lead to kidney failure. Anesthetics are considered critical in elderly and adolescent animals. Anesthetics have often led to kidney failure in the second half of life of the animal. In very old animals, the anesthetics are often the cause of kidney failure. Heaped anesthesia in the first year of life burdens the kidneys greatly. Unnecessary anesthesia should be avoided. The kidney has a low excretion capacity in newborns up to the age of three months. Excretion problems may occur if some puppy food has a disproportionate share of uremic substances (proteins).

Dangers

Pay maximum attention to the dry food. This often consists of processed raw materials, which are the result of production processes at high temperatures and which represent a threat and a tremendous burden on the kidneys. The related animal flours are especially dangerous, often being made of emergency slaughtered animals or carcasses. Increased kidney values are often discovered by chance, as they do not match the symptoms of kidney failure.

Therefore, pet owners should check the kidney values at regular yearly intervals. This is particularly important in animals put under anesthesia very often or which have passed the second age. Also, the kidney tissue can be stimulated to regenerate, provided you start early. It can prolong the life of your dog for years.

Check them regularly and make sure that you have advocate for cats to keep them healthy. There are plenty of cat parasites. Make sure that you protect your cats.

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