Sweeney Shoulder in Horses
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Pet Grooming: How to Handle Matting in Dogs and Cats
Reviewed and updated on May 8, 2020, by Katie Grzyb, DVM Try as you may to keep up with your pet’s grooming needs, chances are you may face a hairy situation from time to time: matted fur. Figuring out how to deal with matted fur can be stressful, especially for pet parents with long-haired animals. Here are some tips for safe ways to remove and prevent matted fur—and when to seek professional help. Why Pets Get Matted Hair Here’s a breakdown of the most common reasons why pets get matted hair. Lack of Proper Grooming While unsightly and frustrating to deal with, in most cases, matted fur is the result of one common reason—the absence of grooming. Individual hairs rub together every time your pet moves, says Brooke Strong, a groomer with Reserved Barking in Alexandria, Virginia, and unless the coat is short or brushed regularly, mats are bound to form. “The frequency of brushing needed depends on the length of the coat, the coat type (curly vs. straight, soft vs. wiry, etc.), and the activity level of the pet,” says Strong. “Pets get matted fur either from having long fur that is not combed out frequently, or in cats, it’s more common when they stop grooming themselves due to discomfort or illness,” says Dr. Stephanie Liff, DVM, medical director of Pure Paws Vet Care in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Liff often finds that in cats, arthritis and general systemic illness will lead to decreased self-grooming and, therefore, matting. Cats with diabetes, cancer, and/or kidney disease are known to have unkempt fur that is more prone to matting. “In dogs, it’s more often related to lack of appropriate grooming from the owner, though,” she says, as dogs with long or thick coats “rarely self-groom effectively.” Also keep in mind that non-shedding, long-haired pets, like Poodles or Doodle breeds, or those with a thick undercoat are more prone to matting, and therefore will likely have extensive grooming needs. Consult your veterinarian for advice on how to best handle your pet’s grooming based on his or her breed. Other Causes of Matted Fur Besides a lack of grooming, a few other factors may cause your pet’s mats to form more easily or to get worse, says Strong. Matted fur is frequently seen in obese pets. If a cat, in particular, is too obese to properly groom herself, she will end up with mats in hard-to-reach areas like across the lower back. Strong says that these environmental factors can also lead to an increase in matting: Static electricity Dry climates Winter season
Can Smart Technology Help With Cat Weight Loss?
Why Are Smart Cat Gadgets Worth It? As a veterinarian, I see overweight cats develop diabetes mellitus because their body mass has simply outstripped their endogenous supply of insulin. The cost of a typical diabetic workup (very common in overweight cats) would be easily more than the cost of a few smart technology cat gadgets. More importantly, many of the incalculable costs of osteoarthritis, inflammatory diseases related to obesity and general loss of vitality could be saved or prevented. We have had many clients try these devices in our Pets Reducing for Rescues (PRFR) annual cat and dog weight loss contest and in our year-round overweight cat fostering program. Over the past 10 years, PRFR has gotten hundreds of pets to their ideal weight. We also recently completed a pilot study in conjunction with Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) in Guelph, California, to determine if a smart pet home technology ecosystem (PHTE) could improve outcomes while respecting the human-animal bond. If you have an overweight pet, Bug Ventures will work with your veterinarian to help, and rescues will win too! Please visit the Pets Reducing for Rescues Facebook page for more details. We are a veterinary-led group that will work directly with your veterinarian and their team. Image via iStock.com/sae1010,WRITTEN BYKen Lambrecht, DVM Veterinarian,Smart technology for cat weight loss? You must think I am kidding, right? This (not so) futuristic solution is actually not as far-fetched as you think. It’s a modern approach to one of the toughest challenges in pet health to date—getting and keeping cats at their healthy weight. These devices have been tested and shown to be effective, and they are getting more affordable. For the record, I’m not against simply using puzzle feeders, cat toys and hand-feeding—they work for some households perfectly well! I am addressing those households with 2 or more cats where at least one is overweight. How Cat Obesity Became Such a Prominent Issue In short, we have failed over 60 percent of our feline companions! According to the 2017 Pet Obesity Survey Results conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 60 percent of cats in the US are overweight or obese, and that number has been increasing every year since 2005. The Global Pet Obesity Initiative Statement now defines pet obesity as a disease. We have brought these wonderfully athletic, inquisitive and incredible hunters indoors without much hunting (if any) to do. On top of that, we have completely changed the way they consume food. Factor into that the limited amount of time most of us have to actively engage in exercise and play with our feline family members, and we have a perfect storm leading to overweight cats! We now feed them cat food that is, in general, much more calorically dense and palatable than their natural diet. Most of us don’t feed the six to eight meals that their feline ancestors or feral counterparts have naturally been accustomed to. For example, a cat whose ideal weight should be 10 pounds and who should eat 180 calories per day would ideally be fed six times a day and 30 calories each time (the average mouse is 30 calories!). The American Feline Practitioners Association published a consensus statement called “Feline Feeding Programs: Addressing behavioral needs to improve feline health and well-being.” This is a wonderful leap forward in addressing not just what to feed, but how to feed cats properly using “strategies to allow these normal feline feeding behaviors, such as hunting and foraging, and eating frequent small meals in a solitary fashion, to occur in the home environment—even in a multi-pet home.”
Make This Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe for Your Dog
While you’re busy preparing your delightful Thanksgiving family feast, instead of tossing your dog scraps, why not also prepare a delicious holiday treat for them? And this recipe is a simple spin on one of the most popular traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Mashed sweet potatoes for dogs is easy enough that it won’t take much time away from your main cooking efforts, and it can even be converted into something to serve to your human guests. Here’s how to make this super-simple, one-ingredient dish. Remember, if your dog has a history of dietary sensitivity, you may want to check with your veterinarian before deviating from his regular diet.
What To Do if a Snake Bites Your Dog
In This Article Why Do Snakes Bite Dogs? View 4 More +
Parasitic Digestive Disorders in Fish
Digestive Disorders Most digestive disorders in fishes are caused by parasite infections. However, not all parasites cause problems for fishes — some live in a symbiotic relationship with the fishes. Symptoms and Types The symptoms can vary depending on the parasite causing the digestive disorders, but usually include weight loss, lethargy and loss of appetite. Young fishes are especially susceptible to digestive disorders and can die before any symptoms arise. Such parasites which cause these type digestive disorders include: Protozoan parasites (e.g., Spiionucleus, Hexamit, and Cryptobia) Worm parasites (e.g., tapeworms) Protozoan parasites Spiionucleus and Hexamita infect the intestines of cichlids, bettas, gouramis, and other aquarium fishes. Apart from the symptoms listed above, fishes with these two parasites produce stool that is white and stringy. Cryptobia, another protozoan parasite, infects the stomach of African cichlids.
What Can I Give My Dog for Pain?
When it comes to our dogs, we want to make sure they’re always happy. A pain-free dog is a happy dog, which is why it is important for pet parents to know the signs of pain in dogs and understand the variety of treatments available for dog pain relief. If you have ever asked yourself, “What can I give my dog for pain?” then you’ll be pleased to know that there are many over-the-counter (OTC), prescription, and holistic options you can try—with guidance from your veterinarian, of course.
Can Cats See in the Dark?
Cats are crepuscular creatures, which means they are most active during twilight. Outdoor kitties will prowl the neighborhood or roam around the house if they are indoor cats, which begs the question: Do cats have night vision? “Cats can see very well in low-light conditions, but this does not mean that they have night vision like the one we can get from night-vision goggles,” says Dr. Paola Cuevas, a Mexico-based veterinarian, MVZ and behaviorist with Hepper.com. “This means that in conditions where it is too dark for us to see, cats can see very well.” A common misconception about cat vision is that they can see in total darkness. However, Ceuvas says that’s not true. Cats have better night vision than the average human (and maybe even than the average dog), but some amount of light is required for a cat’s eyes to see. “Cats have several specific adaptations within their eyes to help them have enhanced night vision,” explains Dr. Kristin Fischer, DAVCO, a veterinary ophthalmologist at Animal Eye Country of the Lowcountry, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. According to Fischer, these adaptations include: More rod photoreceptors: The increased number of rod photoreceptors within the retina are responsible primarily for dim-light vision. Because a cat’s eyes have more rods than human eyes, your feline friend sees better in the dark than humans can. Tapetum lucidum: This is a reflective structure in the eye beneath the retina that acts as a reflective layer or mirror to reflect light in the eye. The reflection of light within the eye helps stimulate more of the photoreceptors to allow improved vision in dim- or low-light conditions. It’s also the cause for what we refer to as “eyeshine” in cats (and dogs, too). Slit-shaped pupils: Cats have slit-shaped, vertical pupils that dilate very widely, creating a large opening for light to enter at night. “All of these things combine to help cats see well in the dark,” Fischer says.,Jump to section Do Cats Have Night Vision? How Your Cat’s Vision Is Different From Yours Does My Cat’s Breed Affect Their Vision? Can Cats See Better Than Dogs at Night? Why Do My Cat’s Eyes Glow at Night? Nighttime Safety for Cats
Winter Is Coming: What You Need to Know about Seasonal Depression in Pets
In humans, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that correlates to the change in seasons, says Kandace L. Nollie, LMHC, a licensed mental health counselor and program director at Chrysalis Health in Brandon, Florida. It most often occurs in winter, but rare cases can happen in the spring or summer months. While the exact cause can vary and is often unknown, it can sometimes be caused by changes in sunlight, sleep patterns and shifting levels of melatonin—a chemical known to affect sleep (which can be caused by those changes in sunlight, in and of itself). Treatments for SAD in humans may include using special lights to counter decreases in sunlight, medication and/or cognitive behavioral therapy (a common type of talk therapy), according to Cleveland Clinic.,Approximately half a million Americans suffer from seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). You may be familiar with this form of depression that has a seasonal pattern, and wouldn’t wish it upon anyone—let alone your best fur friend! But wait—is that something you need to worry about as a pet parent? Can dogs and cats get seasonal depression? If your pet just doesn’t seem to be themselves come winter, it turns out that, yes, it could be because of Seasonal Affective Disorder. In fact, it’s actually pretty common: About one-third of pet parents report seeing a shift in their dog’s mental state and energy during the winter, according to veterinarian Dr. Albert Ahn, DVM, Veterinary Advisor for Myos Pet, a senior pet healthcare company in Cedar Knolls, New Jersey. “Considering there are about 90 million dogs owned in the U.S., that equates to around 30 million in total, which would suggest that it is quite common,” Dr. Ahn says. Don’t panic though! We found out exactly what you need to know about seasonal depression in pets—including the signs, when to call your vet and the not-so-scary treatment options.
What Is Cancer in Cats? What Are the Signs?
Cancer in cats is a serious and fairly common condition, especially in older cats. Some cancers progress slowly, while others are more aggressive, but all require prompt veterinary care. We spoke with two veterinarians to understand how cancer develops in cats, what signs to look for, and what to expect when it comes to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. If you notice any unusual symptoms in your cat, consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.
