The Importance of Grooming Your Pet (via Vetstreet.com)

 

iStockphoto

Sure, brushing your pet’s hair and cleaning his teeth regularly will help him look his best, but it’s also important for his health. Here, a guide to help you get started.

A good brushing and teeth cleaning can do your pet a world of good! Grooming provides you a chance to go over your pet’s coat with a fine-tooth comb—or brush—to help you keep track of subtle changes in your pet’s skin. What’s more, regular nail clippings and teeth cleanings can prevent a number of unpleasant health problems.

Get the Right Tools

Using the proper tools will make the grooming process much easier and more enjoyable for both you and your pet. So before you get started, make sure you have the right brushes, combs, and clippers for the job. Ask your veterinarian which tools he recommends for your pet.

Brush Gently and Regularly

Spending a few minutes taking care of your pet’s hair is good for your relationship and will help remove dirt and dead hair from his coat, preventing mats and tangles. Your veterinarian can tell you how often you need to brush, based on the length and thickness of your pet’s coat, as well as your pet’s species and breed.

If you find a tangle or mat in your pet’s fur, don’t try to pull it out. The reason: Doing so is painful for you pet and he will quickly learn to avoid the brush at all costs. Nor do you want to cut matted hair out, as you could injure yourself or your pet. Instead, head to a pet retailer and pick up a special brush or comb designed to split or remove mats. If you don’t think you can succesfully solve the problem yourself, consult with your veterinarian or a reliable groomer, who should be able to take care of it for you.

Consider a Bath

Depending on your pet’s species and the type of hair he has, regular baths may be a good idea. While letting your pet soak in the tub can help keep his skin healthy and remove excess oils and odor-causing dirt, it may be overly stressful for some pets, so talk to your veterinarian before you try.

Your veterinarian can recommend a specific shampoo, or he may suggest simply bathing your pet with water. He can also help you create a bathing schedule that’s appropriate for your pet’s skin and coat.

Trim Those Nails

Keeping your pet’s nails at the appropriate length helps avoid overgrown nails and other painful conditions, and can help prevent accidental injury to you, your pet, or your furniture. Plus, trimming your pet’s nails gives you an opportunity to inspect his feet for problems like swelling, cracked pads, or matted fur. Ask your veterinarian how to trim your pet’s nails safely.

Don’t Forget the Ears

Some pets, particularly large dogs, may benefit from a regular ear cleaning. Talk to your veterinarian if you think your pet may need to have his ears cleaned.

Get a Toothbrush

Regular tooth brushing is recommended for dogs, cats, and some other pets to prevent periodontal disease, which is now being recognized as a widespread health problem for animals.

Experts agree that it’s best to start brushing your pet’s teeth at a young age to get him accustomed to the process. Consult your veterinarian about how to introduce your pet to his new toothbrush, and make sure you’re using a toothpaste that’s safe for your pet. It’s also smart to let your veterinarian know if your pet has bad breath, as this is often a sign that your pet may have dental problems.

Some pets with continuously growing teeth, such as rabbits, may need to have their teeth clipped by a veterinarian.

Clip if Necessary

Some dog breeds need their coat clipped back regularly. You may want to seek out a groomer in order to ensure that your pet’s coat is safely and properly clipped.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://www.vetstreet.com/learn/the-importance-of-grooming-your-pet

 

AniMania! TREAT SALES GOING ON NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

THANK YOU

Thank you for your support…thank you for clicking “Like” on AniMeals Missoula’s Facebook page….thank you for donating items…thank you for volunteering your time to help out in any way…thank you for fostering kittens and cats who need(ed) around-the-clock care…thank you for recycling for AniMeals….thank you for spreading the word about AniMeals to your friends and family….thank you for adopting from AniMeals….thank you for being the reason we are able to help feed and help hungry and homeless animals.  YOU are the only reason we exist.  On behalf of AniMeals and the animals we help, THANK YOU for being amazing.  We tell you all the time, but it just can’t be emphasized enough. Thank you.

Can’t Move…

TGIF!  Have a safe Memorial Day weekend!

How to Prevent Heartworm Disease in the United States (via Henrietta Animal Hospital)

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Heartworms are classified as nematodes (roundworms) and are filarids, one of many species of roundworms. Dogs and cats of any age or breed are susceptible to infection. Learn more…

Where is Heartworm Disease?
Heartworm disease has been reported in all 50 states. The map below shows particularly endemic areas based on the number of cases reported by clinics.
History
The first published description of heartworm in dogs in the United States appeared more than 100 years ago in an issue of “The Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery.”1 Heartworm in cats was first described in the early 1920′s.2, 3

Since then, naturally acquired heartworm infection in cats and dogs is identified as a worldwide clinical problem. Despite improved diagnostic methods, effective preventives and increasing awareness among veterinary professionals and pet owners, cases of heartworm infection continue to appear in pets around the world.

1 Osborne, TC. Worms found in the Heart and Bloodvessels of a Dog; Symptoms of Hydrophobia. The Western Journal of Medicine and Surgery, 1847.
2 Riley, WA. Dirofilaria immitis in the heart of a cat. J Parasitol 1922;9:48
3 Travassos, LP. Notas Helminthologicas. Brazil-Med. An. 1921;35 2(6):67

How Heartworm Happens: The Life Cycle
First, adult female heartworms release their young, called microfilariae, into an animal’s bloodstream. Then, mosquitoes become infected with microfilariae while taking blood meal from the infected animal. During the next 10 to 14 days, the microfilariae mature to the infective larval stage within the mosquito. After that, the mosquito bites another dog, cat or other susceptible animal, and the infective larvae enter through the bite wound. It then takes a little over 6 months for the infective larvae to mature into adult worms. In dogs, the worms may live for up to 7 years. Microfilariae cannot mature into adult heartworms without first passing through a mosquito.

What Are the Signs of Heartworm Disease?
For both dogs and cats, clinical signs of heartworm disease may not be recognized in the early stages, as the number of heartworms in an animal tends to accumulate gradually over a period of months and sometimes years and after repeated mosquito bites.

Recently infected dogs may exhibit no signs of the disease, while heavily infected dogs may eventually show clinical signs, including a mild, persistent cough, reluctance to move or exercise, fatigue after only moderate exercise, reduced appetite and weight loss.

Cats may exhibit clinical signs that are very non-specific, mimicking many other feline diseases. Chronic clinical signs include vomiting, gagging, difficulty or rapid breathing, lethargy and weight loss. Signs associated with the first stage of heartworm disease, when the heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, are often mistaken for feline asthma or allergic bronchitis, when in fact they are actually due to a syndrome newly defined as Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (HARD).

How Do You Detect Heartworm Disease?Heartworm infection in apparently healthy animals is usually detected with blood tests for a heartworm substance called an “antigen” or microfilariae, although neither test is consistently positive until about seven months after infection has occurred.

Heartworm infection may also occasionally be detected through ultrasound and/or x-ray images of the heart and lungs, although these tests are usually used in animals already known to be infected.

Prevention
Because heartworm disease is preventable, the AHS recommends that pet owners take steps now to talk to their veterinarian about how to best protect their pets from this dangerous disease. Heartworm prevention is safe, easy and inexpensive. While treatment for heartworm disease in dogs is possible, it is a complicated and expensive process, taking weeks for infected animals to recover. There is no effective treatment for heartworm disease in cats, so it is imperative that disease prevention measures be taken for cats.

There are a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection in both dogs and cats, including daily and monthly tablets and chewables, monthly topicals and a six-month injectable product available only for dogs. All of these methods are extremely effective, and when administered properly on a timely schedule, heartworm infection can be completely prevented. These medications interrupt heartworm development before adult worms reach the lungs and cause disease.

original article link: http://henriettahosp.com/tag/how-to-prevent-heartworm-disease/

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, PET MOMS!

Polar Bear Attack at Zoo in Manitoba, Canada

A Polar Bear Attack in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack in Churchill. They were taken while onlookers watched in horror but could do nothing to stop the attack.  Fortunately, reports from the local newspaper say the victim will make a full recovery.

Original story can be found here: http://www.animalsmattertoo.com/awesomeanimals.htm