#What dog food do vets most recommend?

[sergle]

it. is. CRAZY being like "oh I want to keep my pet healthy, maybe I should look into upgrading to a higher quality food" and you do a bunch of googling abt what percentages of fat/protein/etc a food should be and you find the stuff that's the Most Recommended for dog health or whatever it is, and then you look at the reviews for what is apparently a very reputable brand and it's like DOG DIED DOG HAD BLOODY DIARRHEA DOG IS LOSING FUR I FED MY PUPPY THIS AND HIS KIDNEYS ALMOST SHUT DOWN AT 3MO OLD DOGS VOMITED HAD TO BE ON FLUIDS AT THE VET like. huh... I see <-- doesn't get it at all

[ghiradellidarkchocolatebrownies]

hello!

I’ve been researching clown breeds optimum for my home for awhile, and stumbled across a diet question.

I heard that older clowns require soft or softer food due to declining number and density of teeth, but certain clown breeds also require hard or crunchy food for a complete diet (eg. popcorn, corn dogs, hard candies, etc.)

Is the before mentioned information true and if so what do you recommend for older clowns accustomed to or requiring harder food? just put in a blender or a completely new diet?

Hi! Some clown breeds do need softer foods as they get older and some don't. Teacup clowns are the main ones you have to worry about, as they already have more delicate teeth. If you notice they're having trouble chewing harder foods, you can supplement with many different alternatives. I recommend cotton candy, gummy bears, (skittles are also okay most od the time), puffed popcorn (the kind you get in the chip/crisp bags at the grocery store), and pre-cooked frozen hot dog bites (they don't have sticks, which reduces crunch risk, and when you heat them up in the microwave they remain soft).

However, some clown breeds have tougher teeth into older age. Scare clowns are an example of ones you don't need to worry about as much. Some scare clowns' teeth grow non-stop (like hamsters) so they need to chew on things to grind their teeth down so they don't get too long. Other scare clowns are like sharks, their teeth constantly fall out and grow back. But even as they age their teeth get more sensitive, so I just cut out the really hard foods like jolly ranchers, lollipops, and hard nuts like almonds. I also make sure to only give them pre-softened bones to chew on.

As long as you're paying attention to their eating habits and taking them for regular checkups, you shouldn't have to change up their diet too often. If you're really concerned, you can ask your vet to do a more thorough exam of your clowns' teeth and follow their recommendations.

Thank you and good luck!

[bonefall]

Herb Guide for Warrior Cats: Epilepsy

Requested by an Anon!

A guide to providing treatment to a Warrior Cat OC with epilepsy. Still requires a bit of a leap in logic as nothing can replace our friend phenobarbital, BUT, if you would like herbs and strategies for managing a Warrior’s epilepsy, this guide is for you.

I researched herbs historically used for epilepsy, chose plants growing wild in a ‘common’ clan biome (temperate Europe and North America), and removed things that a cat could not use. Because of the nature of epilepsy, I also delved into some other treatments and strategies your medics can use!

So, keep in mind, this guide is written for a Clan doctor treating an epileptic cat. NOT from the perspective of a patient who has it.

I would recommend doing extra research into first-hand accounts of what it’s like to live with epilepsy when creating your patient character.

Disclaimer Time! I tried to filter out as much ‘quackery’ as possible, but remember that I am not a vet nor do I have formal training in pharmacognacy. You are also not a vet. This is for fake battle cats. LOOK AT ME. YOU WILL NOT USE THIS ON YOURSELF OR A REAL ANIMAL.

Below the cut is:

What is epilepsy?

Diagnostics

Non-herbal treatments

Managing the different types of seizures

Preventative herbs

What is epilepsy?

‘Epilepsy‘ is the broad term for dozens of different disorders, resulting in recurring epileptic seizures. A warrior could be born with it, develop it over time, or get it after recovering from brain injury (stroke, infection, head trauma, etc).

Epilepsy also varies wildly, and can be so mild it’s hard to detect, or so severe it could put the cat in too much danger to do warrior duties at all. For most cases, however, the warrior would still be able to do normal tasks* as long as they don’t hunt or patrol alone.

* = Head injury and stress from fighting can worsen epilepsy. Going on battle patrols is a risk the warrior must be made aware of.

Diagnostics

So before anything else, your medic will want to identify what triggers the seizures, if anything. There isn’t always an identifiable trigger such as a flashing light/quickly moving object, but seizures can be made worse by stress, lack of sleep, or hunger. Taking note of the warrior’s state preceding a seizure would be extremely helpful for treatment.

Does Wheatwhisker seem to have more seizures when she’s doing certain activities? When she has one, did she sleep well the night before? What has she been eating lately? She may be able to feel it coming-- including sudden intense emotion, an oncoming headache, hot or cold sensations, so on.

Like dogs, cats can detect oncoming seizures. A good medicine cat would take note of all the behavior before its onset to reduce their frequency.

NON-herbal treatments

Once correlation and causes have been identified, the medicine cat should have some lifestyle changes to suggest.

For example, Wheatwhisker has more seizures when she is tired, so the medic prevents her from going on dawn patrol. They’re sometimes triggered by the fluttering of bird wings, so she’s been told to hunt small mammals instead.

A change in diet can also reduce the frequency of seizures. Fatty foods specifically, such as red meat, eggs, and large fish. Trout and carp would be the two easiest* things for a warrior to hunt on a regular basis-- though if the given Clan can’t catch those, it may be worth it to consider trade with another group.

* = If your warriors can cook with fire, fat drippings can be cooked back into the epileptic warrior’s meals. This would make the special diet much easier to prepare than always catching specific prey.

Managing the Different Types of Seizures

Generally there are three types of seizures- ones localized to a specific body part, ones that may seem like “daydreaming”, and ones that cause the well-known convulsions. Less severe seizures are more common.

Seizures do not usually cause pain on their own, except for fatigue in the muscle or headaches. Injury is sometimes caused by external forces, such as slamming against something during a convulsion, falls, tongue biting, or hitting sharp objects.

After any seizure, nausea or a headache may develop-- feverfew will soothe headaches, mallow or fennel will soothe stomachaches. Even if the Epileptic warrior does not take regular medication, the cannabis and valerian root mentioned in the ‘preventative herbs‘ section can be taken on occasion to help the warrior relax post-seizure.

-Localized

One part of the body (leg, head) seizes or convulses. Can usually be self-managed by the warrior, loss of conscious is uncommon. Rest in a quiet area would be the best treatment afterwards. If the muscle fatigue is bad, kneading the limb will help.

-Daydream

The warrior will seem suddenly ‘absent,‘ like they’ve left their body, for typically less than 15 seconds. They may simply wobble and stare ahead (even pausing mid-sentence), or seem to ‘faint‘ and fall over, but in any case they will not remember the seizure. Prevent them from falling on something dangerous, if this seems likely.

In many cases the warrior will just be able to keep going about their day in a few minutes, or even immediately. If not, just like before, let them rest in a quiet area.

-Convulsions

A panicked cat may make convulsions worse by fearfully running around as a seizure starts-- if a warrior MUST be prevented from doing this, it’s VERY important that they are not completely pinned or restrained. JUST kept laying down. Do NOT attempt to stop the convulsions themselves.

Such a circumstance will be extremely rare in a Warrior Cat setting, where the cats are capable of reasoning like a human. There may be a situation where an epileptic cat needs to be brought out of harm’s way-- that’s fine.

Clear the area of anything sharp or hard that the convulsing warrior could hurt themselves on, like stones, or brambles. Roll them onto their side, if they aren’t already. Lastly, cushion their head with something soft, like moss, if possible.

After the seizure is over, the warrior will probably be disoriented and confused. Don’t overwhelm them or offer food or water until they’re fully alert again. Once they do, they might have partial paralysis, nausea, muscle soreness, a bitten tongue, or any variety of symptoms. Just like before, bring them to a quiet area to rest.

If your warriors wear restrictive accessories, such as belts or collars, the medicine cat will remove or loosen them during a seizure if possible.

-what NOT to do

There’s some harmful ideas out there you may have encountered, so here’s some things to keep in mind your medics would NOT do to treat a cat having convulsions:

They would NOT pin them down (this even happened in the books once yikes) Why: This could cause injury to both the restrained, and the restrainer.

They would NOT put anything in their mouth Why: Could damage their teeth or jaw, it does not prevent them from biting their tongue. (also; while tongue biting is common, it is a total myth that an epileptic will choke on/swallow it)

They would NOT start firing out questions as soon as the seizure is over Why: The warrior will likely be disoriented, and not in a state to answer properly. Give them a minute.

Preventative Herbs

Once a seizure is happening, it will have to play out. Warrior cats do not have the medical capability to stop one once started. The anticonvulsant herbs here will help to reduce the frequency and severity of seizures... but they can’t eliminate them entirely.

Anticonvulsants will need to be taken on a regular basis. Stopping these suddenly will cause dangerous side effects; if the warrior’s epilepsy isn’t severe, or herbs are a scarcity for your Clan, it may not be the best choice to medicate them.

Chamomile

Common, and naturalized all over the world. In high doses, this herb will poison a cat. Careful preparation is required to make it safe for the epileptic warrior-- it needs to be steeped in water, like tea*. The leaves should not be eaten.

* = If your cats don’t have fire to brew tea, that’s fine, it can be soaked cold.

This herb also has a side effect of drowsiness. It may make the warrior lethargic and less responsive.

Cannabis

Cannabis is a golden herb for a thousand reasons, it can be made into rope, paper, cloth, oil... but, the thing of note here is CBD oil. Cannabis grows wild all over the world, but ESPECIALLY in North America-based Clans (where it’s called Ditchweed)

Ditchweed has high CBD content, and low THC content. This makes it safe for your warriors (and also prevents them from getting high). Your cats will NOT smoke it, which will damage their sensitive respiratory systems, they will eat it like a standard herb.

Because cannabis is a depressant, this treatment is best for warriors not involved in active tasks. Epileptic warriors that prefer calm, camp-related activities will use this herb. Den-building, tunnel digging, helping the medics, crafting if your Clan makes accessories, so on.

Valerian Root

Known as a sleep aid in humans, Valerian has VERY interesting effects on cats; this is the only Epilepsy treatment that can avoid lethargy entirely. However, in contrast to cannabis, valerian will mostly be found in Europe-based Clans.

(with both, however, it is possible to find each in the other continent.)

Valerian Root has catnip-like effects, perking a warrior up and often filling them with energy. There are some cats for whom this herb will act like cannabis, calming them down, but if there’s a choice, the Epileptic warriors who enjoy active tasks will prefer this herb. Hunting, fighting, patrolling, so on.

[necros-writing-stuff]

Yaaay Necro is back! Drop us some more Eden or Dare content to drool over! MOOOOOAAAARRR!!! It's never enufff!! Neverr!! Also someday can't promise when I'll get around making fanart for both and you'll be the first to see! If only my brain can pump some juice oho~ pump

More is always coming, don't you worry! Also I'd be honored to see the art, thank you very much for loving Dare enough to do that!

Okay okay so. Old dog man Darius. Retired (fired) police dog. Caucasian Shepherd.

Was a great working dog until one day he turned around and savaged his handlers arm. No one could figure out why, and he was about to be euthanized, until you came along and promised that you could safely house and care for him.

These dog people are much more intelligent than the general public believes, you know that. It's cruel how they're treated. The least you can do for Darius is provide him a safe place to recuperate until he can find a permanent home.

Or rather, that was the plan. Darius decided he'd never be leaving. This is his home now, and more importantly, you're his fucking mate.

The neighbours shudder in fear everytime they pass, Dare's ever watchful gaze glaring at them from the window. Any one of them could be a threat. His skin itches, the urge to snarl and bark to make them all leave powerful in his mind. But he's aware you could get evicted for that. So he stays in his spot, watching.

When he's not at the window, he's following you around. Satisfied and content as you make his food, always the absolute best diet you can manage for him. Always delicious. You aren't afraid to pet him, either, scratching at his chin before he rests it on top of your head so he can better see what your hands do as you work away at the stove.

He can't help how he hardens when you're so close. He's from a good breeding line, so he was never neutered like many other dog men. Your empathy for him and acknowledgement of his intellect stopped you from chopping the boys off, too. You could have. Hell, the vet recommended it.

But you ignore his less than sneaky humping at your backside. Just gentle little motions at first, testing you to see how you'll react. Most of the time you do act like nothing is happening, other times you give an excuse of needing your space for this or that to make Dare back away.

He's frustrated, you'd argue to yourself. He doesn't fully comprehend what he's doing. Not like dog people are taught sex ed like humans are. You add it to your list of things to approach him with. He's a diligent student in that class, already surprisingly knowledgeable in some parts but missing gaps elsewhere. His dry humping doesn't cease. If anything, now he's becoming bolder. Nuzzling against your neck, licking at the skin there and giving you hopeful eyes. But the answer is still no.

You're his guardian. You own him by law for God's sake. It's not fair. But maybe you can find him another dog person to be with, someone who wouldn't have power over the sweet old dog man.

It was the morning he woke up to find you cooking in nothing but one of his shirts that he snapped and just gave in altogether. Not the best mental health week for you. You'd lacked on laundry, he didn't know how the machine worked (you'd tried explaining, he just "never got it" - aka, didnt want to), so you'd thrown on one of his clean t-shirts to sleep. You'd do the washing today, had to, but breakfast was always first.

Poor thing. So tired, so lost in your own head that you aren't aware of the looming body behind. Darius practically salivated at what he was seeing, his tail wagging and his ears pricked forward. He's not one for oggling legs, they're just a body part, but yours look amazing that morning. There was no hesitation as he sank to his knees behind you, lifting the hem of his shirt to expose your core to his hungry eyes.

People ask you all of the time if you're scared that if Darius, as big and strong as he is, decided to attack you, you wouldn't be able to fight him off. You'd always laughed it off. You weren't now. Not with his hot tongue lapping incessantly against your hole, one arm pinning you to the counter (and keeping you bent at an angle) as the other holds a leg still. No, you're stuck whimpering and moaning.

The sounds it makes is obscene, the wet smacks too loud in your ears. Darius is ravenous in how he devours you, how his tongue pokes, prods and flicks, his lips suckling and kissing until your legs feel weak and you orgasm right there against the counter. Darius has to slowly lower you to the floor with him, pulling you into his lap as you both catch your breath.

"You-you can't do that again, Dare. It's not okay, its-"

"Mates take care of each other, no? You're less stressed now, aren't you? What's the big deal?"

There's no getting through to him. Not a chance. He's a dog with a bone, and he certainly has a resource guarding issue.

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Snake health: vet visits

One of the most confusing things about your first pet snake, especially if you've only owned more common pets like cats or dogs before, is figuring out when and how often to take them to the vet! A new snake's vet schedule is going to look very different from your other pets'.

To illustrate, this is my new puppy, Bilbo. He's about 12 weeks old, and he's already been to the vet a handful of times, and he'll be back plenty more before his first year with me is through. He'll get a few rounds of puppy vaccines, dewormers, fecal tests, and checkups. His ears look super gross right now because he's currently taking ear drops for an ear infection, which are pretty common in puppies, and, like the majority of puppies adopted from a shelter or humane society, he's on a dewormer. He still has a couple rounds of shots to go, and he'll be neutered when he's about six months old.

As he gets older, my vet and I have a plan to be on the lookout for breed-specific health conditions. He's a corgi mix, so we'll be vigilant about looking for signs of hip problems, and I'll probably get him a DNA test so we know what he's mixed with and what else to look out for.

Put simply: there's a lot of necessary vet visits!

For comparison, this is my newest permanent snake, Viago. He's a baby California kingsnake, and he's about nine months old. Viago has been to the vet once, where he got a checkup and a fecal panel to check for parasites (much like a puppy's fecal exam). Unless he has a specific health issue crop up, he won't be to the vet again until he's about a year old. We're not worried about species-specific health issues, and he doesn't need appointments for shots, dewormers, or a neutering surgery.

When compared to a puppy or a cat - it's not a lot!

If you're used to more common pets, like dogs, it's easy to see how a new snake's veterinary schedule can be confusing!

When does a new snake need a checkup?

I recommend new snakes go in for their first checkup soon after you bring them home! Giving them a week or two to adjust can be a good idea, since snakes are sensitive to stress. Unlike a puppy or kitten, they'll need some time to decompress and calm down before and after a vet visit.

What will a new snake exam look like?

Your vet will run a fecal exam to make sure your snake doesn't have parasites, and might also do a DNA swab to test for common viruses.

If I adopt my snake from a rescue or shelter, are there any specific health issues I should be prepared for?

Nope! Unlike shelter puppies/kittens, who you can often expect to have worms and other issues associated with being in close quarters with other animals, snakes from rescues don't have common health issues you should look out for.

Will a snake need vaccines?

Nope! Unlike a puppy or kitten, your new snake doesn't need to be immunized.

Will a snake need dewormers?

Probably not, and if they do, they won't look like puppy/kitten dewormers. If your snake has parasites, your vet will probably give you medicine that you'll inject into your snake's food at their next meal.

Will a snake need to be spayed/neutered?

Nope! Spay/neuter surgeries for snakes do exist, but they're not necessary. Unlike with dogs or cats, where it's most often the responsible choice to spay/neuter your pet, it won't be necessary for your snake unless they develop a reproductive health issue later in life.

What medications can I expect my snake to need?

Your new snake most likely will not need to take any medications! Most young snakes will not need anything at all.

Should I be thinking about species-specific health problems?

Nope! Unlike dogs and cats, your snake won't be particularly at risk for health issues based on their species.

What should a new snake's vet schedule look like?

For most snakes, one vet visit a year (or one visit every other year once they're full-grown) is a perfect schedule.

Are there any snake breeds that should visit the vet more (or less) frequently?

If your snake is particularly nervous, less frequent visits may be necessary. A dog may hate going to the vet, but the stress won't make them ill. Not so with snakes! Stressed snakes can easily become dangerously sick. Many arboreal species, like Amazon tree boas, should visit the vet once every three years at the most. Common beginner species will all be fine with a yearly or biannual visit.

Will I be able to take my snake to any vet?

Nope, unfortunately. Many vets aren't trained to work with reptiles, so you'll want to make sure you can find a vet who does before you get your snake! You can't always rely on your dog's vet being able to see your snake.

If you're in the US, my first step is always to look for a vet affiliated with the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians. Use this link to search for an ARAV vet near you!

[orangedogsquad]

oh wow your dogs look so interesting I've never seen these breeds before

what are they like? do you recommend them to people new to dogs? do they have really awful legs like Basset Hounds under the fluff?

I think they're great, but I have a soft spot for scent hounds in general.

I find the basset fauve de bretagne is fairly adaptable. They're quite happy to have couch potato days, but equally happy to go out on an all day hiking adventure. Most of the ones we've met are pretty laid back, but they are a hunting dog, and get vocal if they catch a scent. (Tess in particular is very good at singing when she smells a rabbit or kangaroo). Fauves can be a bit independent in personality, and can have a 'what's in it for me' attitude when asked to do things, though not nearly as much as other hound breeds I know, and they are still trainable and very responsive, with a tendency to be very food motivated. When it comes to socials, they aren't the most forthcoming dogs, and tend to be fairly polite/neutral to strangers. With people they know, they are very affectionate though!

They're also quite a small dog (Tess is around 12.5kg, and Henry around 13.5kg) and are very portable and pick-upable. A fact which I imagine delights me more than them, lol.

The grand basset griffon vendeen on the other hand is a bit bigger. Maple is a small gbgv at around 20kg, but her siblings are closer to 25kg-30kg. I don't have as much experience with gbgvs overall, so it's harder to tell what's just Maple vs what's the breed, however in general, they seem to have a lot more energy than the fauves, and less of an off switch. They're also very vocal. Maple is one of the loudest dogs I know, which is saying something considering I live in a house with Koda.

Gbgvs are your more stereotypical hound, a level up from fauves in my opinion. Maple is Very independent and does what she wants, and doesn't have as strong a food motivation. Plus she's been a lot slower to mature.

But on the other side of it, gbgvs are very social, from what I've seen of Maple and her siblings. They Love people and other dogs, and Maple thinks everyone is her best friend.

One thing to keep in mind with both breeds is that they're wire-haired, and ideally should be hand stripped. On this front, a typical fauve's coat is a lot easier to strip and maintain than the gbgv's.

It depends on what kind of dog you're after, but I think either breed would be fine for someone new to dogs as long as you were prepared to deal with their hound quirks. I might be biased, but based on my experience, the basset fauve de bretagne would probably make for an easier first time dog experience than the gbgv.

To answer your other question, both the fauves and the gbgvs have much better legs compared to Basset Hounds. The fluff makes it a bit harder to judge, but their legs are a lot more proportionate to their bodies than what you would see in a Basset Hound. This isn't a perfect comparison, but you can see how Tess has more leg to her than the basset hound on the left. She's still fairly short overall, but has a lot more ground clearance, and is more structurally sound. Tess is also the smallest dog we have, so both Henry and Maple have more leg than she does! Because of their better structure and proportion, the fauves and gbgvs aren't prone to disc and spinal conditions like basset hounds are.

This has mostly been about the basset squad so far, but if you're curious about the other two:

Lagotto romagnolo- I wouldn't recommend a lagotto to a first time dog owner, no offense Koda. The lines in Australia tend to have Issues, at least from our experience and what we've heard from the vets we've spoken to. The idea of a lagotto is great, since they're very smart, energetic, sweet and affectionate to their owner, and don't shed, but for some reason it is very common for the ones here to be not quite right, lol. They're prone to anxiety, noise sensitivity, resource guarding behviours, and so on. Depending on where you are in the world, you might have better lines who don't have these issues, but in our context, I'd only recommend one to somebody who has a quiet, predictable household, no kids, no other pets, and who knows a good behavioural vet. If you want a smart, trainable, affectionate, non shedding breed, a poodle is a nice alternative.

Groodle- Holly is a great dog despite her 'breed'. Her traits are pretty much poodle, and the majority of the other 'groodles' we know are the same, so I would recommend getting a well bred poodle over any oodle mix! Very affectionate, eager to please and readily trainable, with a more solid health base.

[flock-talk]

That last anon answer has me wondering, what in your opinion is the best pellet out there?

At the present moment I don’t believe there is a best pellet. With current research we don’t even know what exact foods wild parrots we keep as pets eat. what vitamins and minerals are actually needed in what quantities for optimal health. Most of the data used to formulate diets for captive parrots is based off studies done on chickens. Pellets don’t run feeding trials and the singular one that claims they do won’t publish any data for consumers to make educated decisions.

We don’t have any of the data necessary to be able to say that there is one that checks the boxes better than another. Currently when selecting pellets the knowledge you’re using is as primal as “is this toxic” and “will this cause harm to the body over time” which is where we are able to make statements on fillers, dyes, and sugars.

I feed three different pellets currently for various reasons

TOPs - the ingredients are wholesome foods, no real fillers or additives, no synthetic vitamins (there’s no studies on whether or not a parrot can actually absorb and utilize synthetic vitamins currently, hypothetically they should and there’s nothing wrong with synthetic vitamins, we just do not have proper peer reviewed knowledge on how they interact in a parrot body) however there’s loads of concern over whether TOPs on its own supplies enough nutrients to be a full diet on its own.

Harrisons - it is formulated by a veterinarian (say about that what you will *cough* science diet debacles *cough*), does primarily use fillers but does also have slightly more hearty things like oats and barley, packed with vitamins that may be lacking in other formulations. Have flavour varieties, tougher texture, and much more varied sizes that can benefit more picky eaters. Frequently recommended by other vets, same company also creates liquid formulas for sick and ill birds. Overall does seem like they know what they’re doing.

Caitec - I primarily started feeding this because Newt is allergic to soy and this has very low soy and doesn’t yield a reaction from him. Has some filler but primarily uses oats, quinoa, millet, sunflower. Then you move in to the added vitamins and minerals. Unique crunchy texture, very palatable to my birds, very large size variety which is great for enrichment.

My choice to feed multiples is because of a safety fallback in case of recalls, I won’t be left feeding seeds trying to quickly do a pellet conversion if I have two other backups they can eat. But also to cover nutritional bases. We do not know what they need and I don’t wish to rely on one specific company to be doing everything just right to be providing optimal health for my birds, serving several will hopefully make it so if one pellet is lacking something one of the others will have it. And lastly is enrichment- various flavours, colours, textures and pellet size make meals more interesting and really liven up mealtimes.

There simply isn’t a perfect pellet because nobody knows what that would even look like.

When looking for a food to feed your bird the ultimately best thing to do is ask yourself “is this product made for the birds or to draw human interest”. Flashy colours, silly shapes, and potent sugars will primarily be used to attract your eye- not your birds. The sugars will make it palatable which converts the bird quickly and make the human happy. But the dyes and sugars are not ideal for long term health.

And secondly “how do birds do on this food” in the dog industry you would just get the paperwork from a feeding trial but for birds this means reading forums or sampling it for yourself. you can tell pretty quickly whether a food is doing your specific bird any good. Dull plumage, inconsistent droppings, weird food intake fluctuations, lack of energy, feather destructive behaviour, would all be potential signs that a food isn’t working for your bird (also potential signs of illness so y’know, correlation is not causation)

I did a deep dive last year where I contacted major pellet brands and tried to get any basic info out of them, you may want to read in to that if you want continued reading!

[formulaorange]

Cat Nutrition - An Off-Topic Post

I've worked in the pet food industry for the last 7 years and it always shocks me how little people know about the nutritional needs for their cats/ pets in general. A lot of people just follow what their parents did or whatever the vet or pet store recommends (often promoting their own brands). Here's a big blurb of everything you should know about feeding your fur beans. For those short on time here's the spark notes version: Kibble is really bad for cats and was really only made for human convenience and profit- it dehydrates them which is one of the main causes for kidney disease which affects 1 in 3 cats and is ridiculously high carb - 3-5x more than what they need. Even fancy feast or the lowest quality wet/canned food is better than the highest quality dry/kibble. While Raw can have it's downsides if fed improperly, there's lots of balanced brands that can make it easy and is really the best for them, it's what their bodies are made to eat! Picky cats: Add warm water to their food. Play with them before meal times. Find 4-5 different foods they like and rotate so they don't get bored. Do your own research! Find out what works best for you, don't blindly follow what vets tell you and what friends or family have been doing. Here's everything to know about Cat and their role in the Pet Food Industry:

1. Cat are desert animals! This means that they are made to be getting 80-90% of their moisture from their food! Most cats will only drink water from a bowl when they are severely dehydrated. This is why feeding wet food (canned) or raw is so much more important. 2. Kibble is a new invention for Human Convenience! Kibble has only been around for 67 years! The first kibble was invented in 1956. Back in the 40s during WWII there were sanctions put on the use of cans and metals, essentially removing the option of canned pet foods. This pushed companies to find an alternative, working with by products (left overs) from cereal companies they created a high-profit cheap food they could sell to customers that had a better shelf life. -How is Kibble made? Almost all kibble goes through a process called extrusion where the initial ingredients, meats, by-products and additives are processed under intense heat and pressure 4-5 times before they're cut to shape and sprayed with flavors and oils. This process removes nutrients, vitamins and pretty much everything from the original ingredients. Try cooking a high grade steak at max output on your oven 4-5 times and see if anything is really worth eating at that point. -Veterinary Diets In the late 60s, a generation after the invention of kibble, there became an increase in kidney and liver failures, prompting a French vet to create his own trademarked food - Royal Canin with Hill's Science Diet being created later in the US. (Fun fact, Hill's has actually trademarked the term "prescription diet" so that no other pet food brand is allowed to use it in their packaging.) 3. Cats vs. Dogs - What's the difference? While dogs are much more flexible in what they can eat, Cats are obligate carnivores. A Carnivore (Dogs) does well on meat based diets, while Obligate Carnivores (Cats) need a meat based diet in order to survive. Broken down in food- dogs ideally need 30% protein, 63% fat and 7% carb from their food cats need 53% protein, 35% fat and 12%. 4. Why does this matter and what does it mean for their food? Dry foods are primarily carbohydrates. 35-50% on average. This is 3-5x more than a cat needs in addition to the lack of protein, which is what keeps a cat functioning. Grains - or carbs can be extremely detrimental to a cats body: Carbohydrates turn into sugar in the body, meaning the more carbs a cat consumes, the more sugar, which increases their chances of getting diabetes. In the wild, most cats choose to avoid eating the intestines of their prey, where most of the grains and fibre are kept, indicating cats also use very little to no fibre in their diets. On top of that, the lack of moisture in kibble actually dehydrates cats, one of the primary reasons for kidney problems down the line, affecting 1 in 3 cats. 5. What do I feed my Cat? Feed wet or raw! At the end of the day, if your cat only eats fancy feast or whiskas, or if that's the only wet(canned) food you can afford, it's a huge step forward for their diets. These brands are going to be better than any of the highest quality dry foods you can find because it means they're getting the moisture and protein they need without the extra carb and salt content. Raw foods have come a long way. They aren't all the frozen patties or having to home cook the meal with all these added supplements. There's lots of complete brands out there in different formats that make it easy for everyone. Freeze-dried is a form of raw that you rehydrate and feed. Air-dried (most expensive) is fed like kibble, and is kind of a jerky texture. If you're on raw, or with any food, make sure to wash your hands with soap before and after feeding and I recommend getting your cat dewormed twice a year for precautionary actions. -Treats the common ones like greenies, tempations are all kibble like treats, filled with carbs and salt, that make them irresistible but also horrible for them. Single 1 ingredient treats are the best out there. Even a scrab of unseasoned chicken from dinner or salmon sashimi from a sushi night is a great alternative.

6. Reading the Label Once you get into canned foods, there's hundreds of options. Here's a few things that help me decide what's worth it and what to avoid. Starting from worst to best with the wording: "Flavor" ie - "Beef flavor Dog food" it doesn't even need a certain percentage of beef, as long as it's technically detected in the food. "With" ie - "Dinner with beef" - beef only has to be minimum 3% of the food. 25% rule - If the food has 25% or more of the main protein, it can be labelled as "Beef entree" or "lamb Dinner". If there's more than 1, they can be labelled together but must add up to 25% and be labelled in the order of their percentage. - ie "Lamb & Lamb Liver Entree" 95% rule - At least 95% of the food must be of the listed protein. "Chicken dog food" Often - those with a 95% label will proudly show it, while the others you'll have to read to notice. 7. Kitten vs. Adult vs. Senior food There's really only 4 categories a food can be put into - Gestation/Lactation (for Mama cats) Growth Maintenance All Life Stages "Senior food" does not have a category as there is no clear definition on a change of nutritional needs as a cat ages. While "Growth" is typically attributed to kittens, most wet foods will have kitten portioning as they are all life stages. The biggest difference is that kitten food is fattier and has some added nutrients needed for growth. These can also be found in any other canned food with the appropriate portioning. 8. Urinary Food There's a lot of misconceptions about this. Brands will advertise Urinary dry food or the vet line - Kidney food. But if it's dry, as we now know, it dehydrates them, furthering the damage to the kidneys, making it extremely counter intuitive. Any wet food will be better than a dry "urinary" food to help treat this issue, ideally a low phosphorous brand. - Weruva is the most popular and has a low phosphorous line as well. 9. Fish Fish is not a naturally occurring food for cats! Cats only started eating fish when fishing became prominent in human civilizations. Fish is the most common occurring allergy in cats! - some symptoms are constant itchiness, rashes, immediately throwing up, or butt dragging after a poop. I personally recommend avoiding fish in cat foods, especially Tuna, if it's bad for us in large quantities due to the toxic build up of chemicals and things like mercury, imagine what it does to them. 10. Pickiness and Meal Time Cats are notoriously picky or fussy or spoiled. This is because they have 4 stages of food preference that need to be just right. 1 - smell 2 - taste 3 - texture / consistency 4 - how it sits in their stomach

It's hard to find exactly what they want and unfortunately there's no shortcut. It's really just trial and error.

Hot tips: -Add warm water to their food - it's gross but cats like their food at prey body temperature, if it's cold to the touch for us, it's likely not that appealing for them either.

-Just like dogs, keeping a routine is incredibly important for cats. they're actually a lot more meticulous about routine than dogs are and will let you know exactly when breakfast and dinner time is. Leaving the food out makes it less appealing for them. If they don't eat breakfast, take the food away and they have to wait for dinner. Over time they'll eat until they're done during meal time.

-Play with them before food! Cats are hunters, their goal for survival is catch, kill, eat, sleep etc. Play with them near meal time, get them real worked up until they're exhausted, then put down food, they'll be much more likely to eat now that they're gotten all the hunting out of the way.

-I recommend having at least 4 or 5 different flavors or brands that your cat likes, to rotate through so they don't get bored and you don't end up at square 1 when they decide that one they like isn't good enough anymore.

Keep in mind: Beef, Lamb & Duck are often high in fat and should be used as a once in a while protein. Chicken & Turkey are the best proteins. Even if your cat doesn't like chicken from one brand, they could go nuts for one from a different brand or even the same brand with a different texture. Try them out and see, don't eliminate a whole protein so easily because of a few that get turned down.

I think that's a wrap. Food really makes a world of a difference for these guys, their whole world revolves around it and getting it right can mean years of a difference. - For reference, the average life expectancy for indoor cats is 15-20 years old! For the devils' advocates - yes there are cats that have lived long lives on the worst quality dry foods, but they're really the exceptions, same as people. There's definitely people who have lived to their 90s or older surviving off McDonalds or the equivalent, but that's not really the kind of quality of life or food you want to be giving your pet who is entirely dependent on your choices at the pet store. If you stuck around to the end, I appreciate you, and I'm glad there are other people out there who care just as much about their furry friends as I do. I'm more than willing to discuss any questions, even it it's not directly about their nutrition! Side note - some of the canned food brands I'm a big fan of: Feline Natural Rawz Tiki Cat Nature's Logic Identity Weruva/BFF

[fruitless-vain]

You feed raw right? I'm looking into feeding half kibble half raw and just wondering what brand you use. I feel like you always research so thoroughly that I trust your opinion

I currently feed hungry hunter (sub brand of big country raw) and rotate proteins, they meet the AAFCO nutrient profiles, CFIA standards, are readily available at common stores which make stocking up way easier, are a well established brand, and have an extended feeding trial readily available which they happily provide the full research paper for upon request (which is quite rare for raw brands currently!)

It is not the Worlds Largest Feeding Trial Ever but that’s to be expected when raw is new and research takes time.

And of course my two get annual bloodwork to ensure they’re getting everything they need and we’ve never had an issue.

I’ve tried a few brands in the past

Primal raw- is well reviewed and quite popular (and pricey here) but Yoshi hated it because the frozen meats are squeezed in to shapes which makes the meat pretty dry. Freeze dried formulas she hated no matter what we used to rehydrate the meal with

Stella and chewy’s- again well reviewed well known and expensive. I only ever used the freeze dried as treats since they have some fun exotic flavours like goose and rabbit. It was fine but Yoshi just doesn’t love freeze dried as much. Their frozen formulas are also packed in to shapes which squeezes the juice out so picky dogs might not like it

Iron will raw- I honestly loved this one and so did Yo but it ended up being difficult for me to stock up on with only one company carrying it. Lots of unique flavour options like kangaroo! great bulk boxes and mixes. Just sold in satchels so they’re bloody and delicious to picky Yoshi. They didnt have as much research backing them as my current food choice

Instinct- another highly popular and expensive brand, only ever tried their freeze dried formulas and it was /fine/ but wasn’t a favourite and so enormously overpriced. Again frozen form is Patties and nuggets which lack Juiciness

Ofc I’m in Canada so idk what brands are really going to be available to you, key things are to look for current research from the brand, if they have reports on bacteria present in packing (raw brands should regularly be testing their packs to ensure salmonella, etc. aren’t present/// far below accepted measurements in their packs) and to talk to your vet.

Yes a lot of vets will be weary when you mention it- most of them are worried about cross contamination from poor prep work and bad formulations- but often when you explain that you are a knowledgeable human being wanting to do your best here they’re willing to work with you and help. Vets will know what brands have sent pets to their ER more than others, vets will know what brands have caused deficiencies for their clients in your area. They can help you figure out what foods are available around you that they Do recommend, and what ones they really hope you stay away from.

Raw isn’t nearly as scary as it can seem once you find the right brands to work with. Keep your area clean, don’t have anything in the fridge for more than 3 days MAX and when you thaw to portion it out ensure it’s only semi thawed- you should be cutting through it with force, not like jello, otherwise you’re letting bacteria develop before re freezing it.

[grison-in-space]

So this is a side note kind of dog question. How do you find/determine if someone is a good dog sitter?

We recently moved to a new place and I am trying to find a sitter for my pup, but in the past I’ve always lived near friends who were able to help, instead of needing to find like a professional sitter. My vet recommended Rover.com but said some people on there aren’t great… and now I am like… but how do I tell? If you have any tips/thoughts/experiences I would be v grateful !

Oh, that is a good question! I am afraid that I've been relying on friends or coworkers for like eight years now, so I've never used Rover.com. (I have three cats, three dogs, and there's also the ball python--it's honestly just easier to ask a grad student to come by or a roommate or something.)

The easiest thing, back when my critters were a bit less ridiculous, was just to make friends with other people who have animals and take care of them in ways I like. I exchanged numbers with a gent I liked in Matilda's previous puppy classes, for example, and when we needed a temporary sitter for just Matilda for a couple days when I was traveling I asked a few students if anyone would like to take her. I always offer money for stuff like that; the benefit of asking friends is that I know my friends and I know how they handle animals, but I don't want to put them out either.

If you're traveling and you haven't had a chance to make friends and work is not a convenient source of people to ask, then things get trickier. When I was new in my last town, I boarded Tribble at the vet (or a boarding kennel) while I was out of town. That's what I grew up doing, and it's generally not the most interesting time for a dog but it's also usually pretty safe. A sitter is definitely more comfortable, though.

If choosing a sitter, I would look for someone with plenty of repeat business and good reviews. Rover is as good a place as any to look. Have a conversation with them ahead of time about what the parameters of looking after your animals are. Is it okay to take your dog for a walk? Using what kind of gear? Are there any foods the dog can or can't have? Where does the dog sleep? Just talk about these things explicitly, even if they seem obvious; there are lots of ways to look after animals, and you don't want to leave any room for miscommunication.

[beardedmrbean]

The data is part of a report by FEDIAF (the European Pet Food Industry Federation), which includes international companies such as Mars, Inc.

5.1% is the annual growth in the number of families in Europe that keep pets, according to the latest FEDIAF report for 2023, part of which is Mars, Inc. The total number of households with four-legged friends is 91 million. This is 46% of families on the Old Continent, according to data from the European Federation. In the leading position in Bulgaria among pets are cats, which are 815,000, followed by dogs, which are 750,000.

Considering this information and at the height of summer, the experts at Mars, Inc. have prepared a list of some useful tips for the owners of four-legged friends who do not want to part with them during their summer vacation. The tips include all the most important things that carers need to think about before departure. Starting with choosing a suitable destination, to providing a balanced diet for pets to feel as comfortable as possible during new and unknown adventures for them.

5 Tips for Traveling with Pets from Mars, Inc.:

1. Destination: Before planning a holiday with your pet, it is important to research the destination - what is the climate like, are there enough activities to do with your pets, is there access to a vet nearby. For example, if you are headed to the sea, check in advance if there are any nearby beaches where pets can walk freely.

2. Transportation Check the conditions for traveling with animals on your chosen transport. Prepare the necessary medical documentation if necessary and make sure your four-legged friend's passport is in order. In case you will be traveling by car, make sure that the animal feels comfortable. If it has no experience being transported in a car, it is advisable to do a few sightseeing tours of the city so that the pet gets used to it before the trip.

3. Accommodation More and more hotels and guest houses are now accepting pets, but it is important to check their pet conditions, additional fees and possible restrictions to avoid unwanted inconveniences upon arrival.

4. Food It is possible that changing the familiar atmosphere can be stressful for pets. To avoid additional stress for your furry friend, be prepared with plenty of food and treats that your pet already knows and loves. Products such as Whiskas, Pedigree, Perfect Fit, Sheba, Dreamies, Cesar and other well-known brands from the Mars, Inc. portfolio. are perfect for the occasion. The wide selection of nutritious and environmentally-friendly packaged food produced from sustainable sources contains everything you need to keep your pets happy and healthy. Also, make sure you provide them with enough water in the summer heat. It is recommended that you also bring a portable pet bowl or bottle. To make sure your pet feels good and adapts to the new environment. Try to stick to the meal, walk, and rest schedule you're used to at home.

5. Have fun This is also the most important of all tips. Vacationing with pets is a perfect opportunity to create unforgettable memories and strengthen your bond with them even more. Knowing the temperament and moods of your pet, do not be afraid to improvise and get as many positive emotions and fun moments as possible from your joint adventures.

[claudiadpdl]

[INACTIVE POST PLEASE READ MOST RECENT BLOG POST]

ADDING AS OF 12/8: please reblog this everyone duke is only getting worse and i've been to 2 vets already that charged me over $600 but didn't help or give him medicine. his condition is TREATABLE but if i can't afford medication or visits, none of the vets around here will help me and he will die. they don't have payment plans and he cant get pet insurance bc they consider his condition to be pre-existing. i don't want duke to suffer. his breathing is labored and his heartbeat is rapid, he is struggling and needs help and i am trying everything i can to get him treated.

PLEASE BOOST! reblogs help just as much as donations!! boosting this and spreading it helps others who may be able to help see it! even if you can't donate please, please reblog this!!

Hello everyone! I'm going to put most of this under a read-more so I'm not forcing everyone to read/scroll through a wall of text. This is Duke, he's my father's dog, but recently I've started to take care of him as my father gets older (he's almost 70) and is currently recovering from serious dental surgery. About 5 days ago I noticed that Duke was eating far less than what he usually does, and was breathing harder/coughing. At first I assumed it might be something minor, but as he continued to eat less and less and become more lethargic, I decided it was time to take him to the vet.

The first visit was just an exam because I had no idea what to expect and was still hoping for something minor. Duke has been healthy his whole life and that is honestly a blessing because my father is retired and I do not make nearly enough to cover hundreds of dollars in vet bills, unfortunately.

When the doctor returned she told me Duke had a combination of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, and wanted to change $730 to do x-rays and tests even though she warned me that the stress of those procedures could be detrimental. I declined at the time because something like that is way out of my price rang. Interestingly enough, aside from his breathing, she told me he exhibited no other symptoms of VT/VF.

I was recommended to a larger animal hospital in my state so they could give him a echocardiogram and prescribe the proper medicine. I called that hospital and explained my situation, and was told that such a procedure, plus the medicine/treatment he'd need would be upwards of $1,000. And that without these things Duke's heart would fail and he would die.

I decided to get a second opinion today and took him to another vet in my city where they gave him a more thorough exam and told me they believe he has arrhythmia instead (the doctor called it a mild case of tachycardia). She also recommended I take him to that larger animal hospital (as can be seen on his health plan sheet) for that same examine and treatment. She could not give me a definitive diagnosis or confirmation if he would need medicine despite listening to his heart and giving him an ultrasound. Along with the bloodwork done it was over $500.

Which I did not have. That money came out of what I use for groceries, gas and bills. And Duke still wasn't given any medication for his heart condition (I would have had to pay $200 extra for another in-house ECG scan without the promise that he would get medication).

I was referred again to another hospital where they expect me to come up with $1k or more depending on the medicine. I am already planning on changing what dog chow he eats and adding more heart-healthy foods/vitamins, but that alone will not keep Duke from being at a very high risk of heart failure.

Duke needs medication to correct and slow his arrhythmia. Without it he could unintentionally over-exert himself and fall into ventricular fibrillation, which will kill him. I want to get him walking again (as I stopped due to work and the weather here) but I'm terrified to start doing that because I don't want him to collapse. Duke is my father's companion and he's been with him for his (Duke's) entire life. He is basically the family dog, but my father has a very close relationship with him, and I know losing Duke would devastate him. It would devastate all of us.

I've been looking into animal assistance programs but I don't believe I qualify for most, or I'm not in their area of operation (there is one in my state but I fall outside of its area code). Please, if you can donate and help towards Duke's treatment and medication, I will be eternally grateful. And if you cannot do that, I'm begging that you just reblog this to spread the word and help others see it. Please. if you have any questions or would like to know more about Duke's condition please feel free to message me.

I'm sorry this is such a long post but I wanted to provide as much information as possible for anyone reading. (also I have blacked out names and addresses on the documents for obvious reasons)

[DONATE]

[sighthounds-and-sketches]

Puppy First Month Costs Chat

Prior to getting Argos, my most recent dog acquisition was a decade ago in wildly different circumstances.

My expectations for costs have been heavily skewed, and I'm gonna talk a little bit on what first month costs have been like with Argos.

Because even though I budgeted for this, I did not in fact, budget for this.

In another post I detailed picking him up. In total, that flight series was only about 130.00 out of pocket to cover flying with him, seat change, and fees.

Let's continue.

Pet Insurance- I hate it but im too scared to not have it for him. 85.00/mo (ASPCA) if you recommend another Insurance, do let me know.

His vet visits, 410.00 this month- awaiting reimbursement

Harness- Saker Ascension, Extended - 140.00

*note that I opted for this Harness because he's a sighthound and it'll fit him better, and it's crash tested. This was the "cheaper" option compared to the crate I was going to get him but cannot reasonably fit into my car.

Flight Carrier- 75.00 (has also doubled as his travel carrier)

Food- okay so this one's kind of interesting because I have no clue how much I'm spending on his food. His breeder recommended Diamond Naturals- so that's what we bought him. 50.00

He disagrees with the recommendation and I've had to like, entice him with water, unsalted bone broth, quail egg. Whatever it takes.

Puppy Obedience Course- 250.00

Couch Cover because he's attacking the stitching of my couch-60.00

Miscellaneous treats, toys, and more (bath kit, tick removal kit, etc.) - 250.00

So, all in all, and I KNOW I forgot some stuff, or got things secondhand, we're looking at bringing puppy home costing around 1000/usd, and monthly around 200.00 usd. We're expecting to need to upgrade his crate, harness, gear and do more puppy classes in the next year, so down the line that's around 4-700.00

This isn't really a complaint, so much as a reference for anyone who might be planning for a puppy to come home sometime soon, and want to hear experiences.

We bought some secondhand items from our local humane society and got a lot of toys from local buy-nothing groups. I highly recommend looking into the "buy-nothing project" in your area to see what's available. People can surprise you. My area is a little bit uppity so it's not super great for it.

I need to get thriftier about this process but there's not a lot of ways around things and I'm already going the inexpensive route with a lot of it.

Hopefully seeing this talked about laid out will help someone plan. If it does, I'll continue discussing things more? I'm sure there's more costs to incur- and that's okay. This is going to be updated, I guarantee you.

[puppyexpressions]

10 Tips To A Healthier Dog

We all want our pups to live a long, happy, healthy life and there are things every dog parent can do to help make that happen. Here are 10 tips to help any dog feel happier and healthier.

1. Spay Or Neuter

Spaying stops a female dog from going into heat and can help prevent breast cancer and pyometra, or infection of the uterus. Neutering a male dog can mellow out aggressive behavior and help prevent testicular cancer, prostate disease, and hernias.

2. Vaccinate

By three months of age, the protective antibodies naturally passed along through a mother’s milk have been used up and your puppy needs to be vaccinated to help protect him or her against many common infectious diseases, including leptospirosis, distemper and parvovirus, as well as a rabies vaccination. Your vet may also recommend vaccinations for kennel cough and Lyme disease. Vaccinations will save your dog’s life.

3. Visit Your Vet

Like you, dogs need regular visits to the doctor to ensure good health. An annual health check gives your vet the chance to nip any illness or health concerns in the bud before they can cause big problems and bills. The vet will ask about your pet’s behavior, eating, and exercise habits, while checking your dog’s vital stats. Check at your local pet store for low-cost pet clinics that can help keep costs down.

4. Declare War On Fleas And Ticks

Fleas can cause health problems beyond itchy skin. They can be the source of allergies, anemia, and tapeworms. Fortunately there are a myriad of flea control products available, including Advantage and Frontline, two of the most popular. Monthly applications should be given based on the weight of your dog. Keep in mind when you are gearing up for your flea wars you must treat all your pets, not just the ones where fleas are obvious.

You especially have to be vigilant in warmer months and with global warming those warmer months seem to last longer and longer, which means you may need to extend those summer treatments.

5. Treat Heartworm By Preventing It

Heartworm is very difficult to treat and can be fatal for your dog so prevention is the key. Giving your dog one dose monthly of a tablet, like Heartguard, can stop heartworm before it starts.

6. Exercise Your Dog Every Day

And not just a quick jaunt around the block. Exercise through walking and playing with your dog will keep your little buddy physically fit, mentally healthy, and reduce the chance of belligerent and destructive behavior as well. Regular exercise also helps your dog maintain a healthy weight and heart, while increasing muscle mass. Your dog’s exercise requirements will be different depending on breed, sex, age, and health.

7. Watch Your Dog’s Weight

Lack of exercise and overfeeding is as much a problem in pets as it is in people. Your dog cannot decide how much exercise he or she needs or what kind of food is best to eat; only you can do that. Arthritis, liver disease, and coronary disease are just a few of the health issues facing an overweight dog. To help your dog lose weight, your vet may recommend a mix of exercise and switching to a low-calorie brand of food, or gradually reducing the amount of regular food you feed your dog. If your pup is overweight talk to your vet to figure out the best course of action.

8. Weekly Health Checks

One of the best ways to prevent health issues is to check up on your dog weekly. First, inspect your dog’s coat and skin for swelling, flakes or scabs. Then look into your dog’s ears and eyes for any signs of redness or discharge. Finally watch for any changes in eating or drinking habits. If anything differs from what’s normal for your dog, consult your vet.

9. Stay Away From Dangerous Foods

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center compiled a list of foods that could be dangerous, even poisonous for your dog: alcoholic beverages, chocolate, avocado, coffee, fatty foods, macadamia nuts, spoiled or moldy foods, onions and onion powder, grapes and raisins, salt, garlic, yeast dough, and products sweetened with xylitol. Post this list and be sure your family and any caregivers are aware of it.

10. Brush Those Teeth!

Bad breath can be a sign of teeth or gum problems. Particles of food, saliva, and bacteria known as plaque can build up on the gums and teeth and cause infection. If you don’t treat this, infection can result in tooth decay and even move into the bloodstream and affect your pet’s heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, bones, and joints. Inspect teeth and gums weekly, and check with your vet for instructions on regular brushing with canine toothpaste.

[poodleteeth]

What are some of the "hard questions" you've had dog training clients ask you before?

~ @release-the-hound 💙

sadfsadf i can't come up with specific question i've been asked rn and i blame it on the late hour (it's almost 2am for me), apart from the ones where my answer boils down to "i could research this, but you could also ask your vet, because they're more likely to know the answer". but i have some specific cases that kept me awake at night lol.

i've had a border collie who would get to such level of arousal in a very short training session he'd start humping everything and it'd often take him two hours of constant humping to calm down. so his owner would do very long training sessions, just so he'd sleep after them. at first it just looked like a typical case of someone who got a border collie, learned they need to work and just... forgot to teach the dog it doesn't have to work all the time and that it can chill out sometimes without getting frustrated. but quickly we noticed it's not only training that would get his arousal level to skyrocket, but generally anything remotely exciting (like meeting other dogs or his owner coming back home) would immediately make him go from 0 to 100. and i learned he'd do this since he was a puppy. so i recommended they see a vet, because that seems like something health related, but it seemed like everything is fine, all tests were showing he's healthy... until i got a phone call that he had a cluster seizure that lasted for about 12 hours total :I it's a fresh case and they're still diagnosing him, but it's basically confirmed idiopathic epilepsy made him Like That.

i also had a dog that would bite without warning, seemingly at random. the same situation would be fine one time and would make her attack her owner the second time. there seemed to be no correlation. multiple vets also didn't find anything wrong with her. it took us a while, but we finally got to it: the dog would bite as a result of sensory overload and tiny changes in routine. so stepping into an unexpected puddle in the kitchen was enough to make her bite. i don't want to say this dog has doggy autism, but that was basically the conclusion lol. introducing her to sensory integration and body awareness exercises has had a massive impact on her.

there was also an 8 months old puppy who'd just lie in one position in one specific spot for hours without eating or drinking. on walks he'd be a fearful dog who'd do everything to come back home as quickly as possible, but at home he'd shut down, refuse food and water, there was zero contact with the dog. it lasted for a month before the owner contacted me. i don't know how it ended because his owner was expecting a quick fix and never contacted me after our two sessions, probably they returned him to the breeder. my guess is that the dog was from a puppy mill (i mean. i've seen his papers and know it's byb) and he'd spend most of his time in a kennel crate, so my action plan was getting him a crate or ex-pen again and slowly expanding his available space, but. yeah. never got to see if it'd work.

[rustyvetttt]

Giardia in Dogs and Cats: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

What is Giardia?

Giardia is a microscopic parasite that affects the intestines of dogs, cats, and other animals. It belongs to a group of parasites known as protozoa and is found worldwide in various environments, including water, soil, and feces.

When a dog or cat becomes infected with Giardia, the parasite inhabits the small intestine and causes gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and vomiting. While Giardia can affect pets of any age, young puppies, kittens, and animals with weakened immune systems are more susceptible.

How Do Pets Get Giardia?

Giardia is primarily transmitted when pets swallow the parasite from contaminated feces. It can happen when they:

Drink water from contaminated sources like creeks, ponds, or standing water in parks

Come into contact with infected feces during walks or outdoor play

Roll or dig in contaminated soil

Since the parasite is highly resilient and can survive in the environment for extended periods, it can be easy for pets to become exposed, especially if they spend time outdoors.

Common Symptoms of Giardia in Pets

Giardia can cause a range of symptoms, and not all pets show the same signs. The most common symptoms include:

Diarrhea: This is often the first and most noticeable sign. Infected pets may have soft, watery stools, which can persist if left untreated.

Vomiting: Some pets may experience nausea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration.

Weight loss: Giardia can interfere with nutrient absorption, leading to noticeable weight loss, especially in puppies and kittens.

Lethargy: Infected pets may become less active and show signs of fatigue.

Abdominal discomfort: Some pets may show signs of pain or discomfort in the abdomen.

It’s important to note that some pets can carry Giardia without showing symptoms. These asymptomatic carriers can still spread the parasite to other animals or contaminate the environment.

Diagnosing Giardia in Pets

Diagnosing Giardia typically involves testing a sample of your pet's stool. Since Giardia can be difficult to detect, your veterinarian may recommend multiple tests over several days to confirm the infection.

Treatment Options for Giardia

Once Giardia is diagnosed, your veterinarian will prescribe medication to eliminate the parasite. Common treatments include fenbendazole or metronidazole, which are effective at clearing the infection.

In addition to medication, your vet may recommend supportive care to manage symptoms such as dehydration from diarrhea or vomiting. This could include:

Fluids to replenish lost hydration

Special diets to help ease gastrointestinal symptoms

Most pets recover quickly with the right treatment, but it’s crucial to follow the full course of medication and your vet’s recommendations to ensure complete recovery.

Preventing Giardia in Pets

The best way to protect your pet from Giardia is to reduce their exposure to contaminated environments. Here are a few practical steps you can take:

Limit access to contaminated water sources: Avoid letting your pets drink from ponds, lakes, or puddles while on walks.

Keep your pet’s environment clean: Regularly clean food and water bowls, bedding, and toys. Disinfect areas where your pets sleep or play.

Practice good hygiene: After picking up your pet’s feces, wash your hands thoroughly and encourage children to do the same. Avoid handling feces with bare hands.

Bathe your pet regularly: This helps remove any parasites they may have picked up from playing outside.

Preventing Giardia is especially important in multi-pet households or places where animals gather, such as dog parks or boarding facilities, as Giardia can spread easily.

When to Contact Your Veterinarian

If your pet shows any signs of Giardia or gastrointestinal distress, contact your vet right away. Early treatment can prevent the infection from becoming more severe and reduce the risk of spreading the parasite to other animals.

At Rusty Veterinary Clinic, we offer comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for Giardia and other parasites. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and keep your pets in optimal health.