The Guinness World Records books are filled with jaw-dropping feats and record-breaking accomplishments that range from awe-inspiring to quirky. Check out these outstanding Guinness World Records set by animals, from the smallest dog in the world to the most basketballs slam-dunked by a Parrot in a minute!
Being a parent is hard work. There are meals to make, clothes to wash and play dates to coordinate. Not to mention the grooming appointments, vet bills and litter boxes. Yes, we’re talking about a very special group of parents: pet parents.
Dry eye perfectly describes this ocular condition because the tear ducts either don’t make enough tears to lubricate the eye or they make poor quality tears that don’t lubricate the eye. It’s caused when something impairs the tear glands’ ability to create enough lubrication for the eye. Dry eye often is bilateral, meaning it is in both eyes.,If your dog has been diagnosed with dry eye, do you understand what dry eye in dogs is? Are you concerned that it might be painful and make your dog go blind? Let’s dive in to answer all your questions about dry eye in dogs.
Pet lovers, you really stepped up this year. You brought over 1 million pets out of shelters and rescues and into your homes in 2022, giving them the love they need and deserve—and removing them from the risks of homelessness. “It was a banner year for life-saving,” says Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a network of shelters and rescues across the U.S. Adoptions dropped in 2020, Castle says (thanks, pandemic), but began to rebound in 2021—and this year, they’ve continued to rise. That’s not the only good news: Adoptions of adult dogs and adult cats, who are traditionally overlooked in favor of puppies and kittens, are also on the rise. “When I first started in this field, [finding homes for older pets] was a big hurdle,” Castle says. “Now, people are really welcoming those types of animals into their homes.” That might be because people are waking up to the benefits of older pets, she says, many of whom are already well-behaved and potty trained prior to their adoption. “Having a puppy or a kitten can be a lot like having a human baby—and that’s really hard!” she points out. “To me, adopting an older pet just makes sense.”
With a name that means “badger dog” in German, the Dachshund is a lively, friendly breed with a keen sense of smell. Recognized by their long, low bodies, Dachshunds were first bred in the early 1600s in Germany to hunt both above and below ground. According to AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson, the goal of early Dachshund breeders was to create a fearless dog with an elongated body that could dig into a badger burrow and fight with the vicious badgers. The breed comes in three coat varieties—smooth, wirehaired or longhaired—and can be miniature or standard in size. The breed is most commonly seen in red, black and tan, blue and fawn.,Most dog lovers can’t get enough of pups with teeny tiny paws and short, stubby legs, but have you ever stopped to wonder why these breeds have such small legs? We’ve asked the American Kennel Club to share some popular short-legged dogs and the history of their tiny (but mighty!) statures.
You’ve made an appointment to have your female kitten spayed, but you wonder what she’ll go through on the day of surgery. What happens during kitten spay surgery? When can she come home? When can she start playing again? Will she be in pain? Put your mind at ease. Animal welfare organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Veterinary Information Network have answered all your questions, taking you step by step through the surgery and recovery period. For more information, talk to your veterinarian.
Max was just 4 months old when I adopted him from Saving Grace Animal Shelter. When we met, the little guy with a tuxedo coat appeared healthy and alert, and he got along well with the other adoptables in his temporary kitty condo. He gazed at me with those golden eyes, and I simply had to add him to my family. I brought him home, took him into the spare bedroom, opened his carrier and allowed him to cautiously explore. Once he felt comfortable in the new space, his real personality — and activity level — came out. Curious, energetic and fearless, Max dashed about like a madman, err, madcat. Pouncing on his cat toys, attacking them with his needle teeth and clawing up the curtains, Max had some serious spunk! Though my instinct was to tamp down that Tasmanian devil-like behavior, Ernie Ward, DVM, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, says that kind of playful spirit should be encouraged in kittens. “When they’re young, kitty cats are going to be much more active and playful, just like people,” he says. “So when you see your kitten doing that, encourage it, don’t discourage it, and then try to maintain that activity as lifelong habits.”
Where our fish come from, and how they were obtained, is important information to consider when stocking a system. We have three main options: wild-caught, tank-raised, or captive bred. Wild-caught obviously refers to animals that have been captured in the wild and brought into captivity, but the other two terms are not necessarily clear cut. Tank raised means that eggs or larvae have been collected from the wild and raised in captivity, while captive/tank-bred refers to animals that have been reared from egg to adult in a captive environment. Many species are not currently available by any means other than wild collection, and I feel sustainable harvesting can have a positive impact on indigenous people, who make a living capturing aquarium animals while being given a strong reason to protect that environment for the future. Sustainable wild collection for the aquarium trade has the potential to protect our world’s coral reef ecosystems by showing coastal people the true value of their natural resources so they understand the importance of keeping these underwater habitats healthy. If the reefs are healthy, there will be many fish to collect and plenty of work, both for the current generations and those to come. While there are valid reasons for some aquarists, particularly those who have many years of experience or are breeders, to choose a wild-caught animal over a captive-bred one, for the vast majority of us, tank-raised and captive-bred specimens should be our preferred options. These animals are perfectly adapted to aquarium life, used to eating commercial foods and unlikely to harbor disease. They also reduce stress on ecosystems from collection pressure by eliminating the need for all ornamentals to be wild-caught, and they are often considered to be the best livestock available. The number of captive-bred marine ornamental species that aquarists now have access to is constantly growing and not in any small part due to the efforts of dedicated hobbyists as well as nonprofit organizations—such as Marine Breeders Initiative, a breeder’s award program that supports and promotes the captive breeding of marine organisms—and companies, such as Oceans, Reefs, and Aquariums (ORA) and Sustainable Aquatics (SA), which supply our trade with 100 percent, captive-bred fish and aquacultured corals. According to a 2014 list of captive-bred marine fish, approximately 250 species of ornamentals have now been tank-bred, ranging from anemonefish to gobies to seahorses. This certainly does not mean that we regularly have access to every species that has been bred thus far, but the more we support these efforts with our wallets, the better chance we will have of one day being able to choose from hundreds of readily available tank-bred marine fish without feeling limited to a tank full of clownfish. This article is meant to be a top 10 list of captive-bred marine ornamentals currently available, accompanied by information about their life history, care requirements and their respective places in the world of tank-bred fish. I will, of course, have to begin with the most well-known of all captive-bred fish: Amphiprion ocellaris.
Whether you’re headed to the airport for a weekend getaway or taking your pup on their first road trip, puppy travel requires thoughtful planning. From packing the essentials to keeping your dog comfortable and calm on the go, we’vegot you covered. Use these 20 tips to make traveling with your puppy a safe, drama-free experience for both of you.
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Save up to $199 on dry food!
