Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Dogs
In This Article FAQs
What Do Mice Eat?
Like other small mammals, mice have specific dietary needs that must be met to ensure their health and well-being. Knowing what to feed your pet mouse (as well as what not to feed them) is a critical part of keeping them happy and healthy. Your curious little nocturnal buddies need a balanced diet designed to meet their nutritional requirements. Healthy foods for mice include fresh fruits, vegetables, and high-quality pellets. They’ll munch on crackers, popcorn, nuts, and seeds too. But these should be considered treats (not meals) and only offered as a supplemental snack to enrich their diet, or as a training reward when you’re teaching them new tricks.,Jump to section What Can Mice Eat? Providing A Healthy Diet for Your Mice What Not To Feed Your Mice How To Pick the Best Food for Your Mice Drinking Water for Mice FAQs About What Mice Eat
This Nonprofit Helps Pit Bull Dogs and the People Who Love Them
Image via iStock.com/WhitneyLewisPhotography By Victoria Schade Finding a pet-friendly rental is hard enough, but trying to find one when your best friend is a Pit Bull-type dog is close to impossible. That’s why a Minneapolis-based nonprofit called My Pit Bull is Family is working to help families keep Pit Bulls and other large breeds. They are doing this by compiling a list of rental properties that welcome four-legged tenants, no matter the size or breed type. My Pit Bull is Family was founded in 2011 to address the issue of canine housing discrimination—one rental at a time—regardless of a dog’s appearance or weight. They believe that all dogs are individuals and shouldn’t be judged by the way they look. They want to dispel the myth that Pit Bulls are dangerous dogs by showing that they deserve to stay with the families that love them. The sad fact is that even “pet-friendly” rentals often have stipulations about certain breed types or sizes, preventing people with bully breeds from renting. Many dog breeds, like Great Danes, Chow Chows and German Shepherds, are often also excluded on an ever-changing list. Why Restrictive Rental Policies Hurt Dogs According to the Humane Society of the United States, one of the most common reasons animals are surrendered to shelters is a due to housing, moving or landlord issues, which means that these rental policies can tear families apart. Shannon Glenn, executive director of My Pit Bull is Family, states, “We have been told by shelters across the country that the number one reason why large dogs are surrendered is the lack of housing that will accept them.” Unfortunately, these restrictive rental policies are typically based on misinformation and generalizations about dogs with a certain look, which leads to more dogs ending up in shelters. To combat this problem, My Pit Bull is Family, a completely volunteer-based organization, has created the nation’s largest non-discriminatory dog-friendly housing database. “Each month, our volunteers call 400 dog-friendly apartments that are listed on Rent.com—these are apartments that advertise that they accept dogs already,” Glenn says. “Our volunteers call or research each one online, and we then enter the listings that accept all dogs into our database.” At this point, the organization has contacted over 2,500 listings in 2018. The site also offers tips for renters with dogs, like how to be an “extraordinary tenant,” as well as information for landlords about why renting to families with dogs of all sizes makes good business sense. Pet-Friendly Housing and Affordability Unfortunately, discriminatory pet rental practices aren’t restricted to a single region of the US. The organization has been contacted by close to 3,000 families this year who are searching for truly pet-friendly housing throughout the country. Add to that the fact that even if rentals accept dogs of all breeds and sizes, those options might not be within financial reach for the average renter. Glenn says, “Affordable, pet-friendly housing that accepts all dogs is nearly impossible to find, so we are often contacted by families that cannot afford the listings in their areas.” My Pit Bull is Family recently launched a new initiative to help address the monetary hardships of keeping families together. The Together at Home Fund can assist with expenses like training costs, pet deposits, legal fees and even occasional repairs. Created in August of 2018, this fund is yet another way My Pit Bull is Family is attempting to level the playing field for Pit Bull lovers who are forced to juggle their devotion to their dogs with financial challenges. Renting With a Pit Bull Dog: A Happy Tale Though the organization’s rental search is typically used by families with dogs who are trying to find non-discriminatory housing, in one instance, the service assisted in the creation of a brand new family. Kathy Schuh had wanted to adopt a Pit Bull dog, but because she’d heard of the difficulties of trying to rent with a bully breed, she assumed that she’d have to wait to rescue one until she bought a house. But Kathy discovered My Pit Bull is Family on Facebook and found a truly pet-friendly apartment. With that, she was able to rescue a Pit Bull named Zeus into her new home a few weeks later. Now, 5-year-old Zeus the Pit Bull is paying it forward. He’s the ultimate host, helping to make his feline and canine foster siblings feel welcome as they search for their forever homes. Through community outreach, education and an ever-growing breed-neutral database, My Pit Bull is Family continues to support their mission to “lick discrimination” for Pit Bulls and the people who love them.
Bad Foods For Parrots
You should talk to your avian veterinarian if you have questions about what nutrients are most critical for your bird’s species. There are, however, some generalities that apply to all parrots. What follows is a list of table foods that shouldn’t be offered to any parrot species. This should give you a good place to start when making table food selections for your avian companion. Foods that should never be offered to parrots include chocolate; caffeinated and alcoholic beverages; avocado; shellfish; and any meat, fish, poultry or eggs that is undercooked or has been cooked, refrigerated and then reheated. Many bird owners have heard the warning about chocolate, but it’s worth repeating. “Chocolate contains a compound called theobromine, which is like caffeine in that it is a stimulant,” explained Natalie Antinoff DVM, an exotics-only veterinarian in Houston, Texas. In high enough quantities, chocolate can cause birds to suffer heart problems, depression, regurgitation, seizures, liver damage, and even death. “Since the consistency of chocolate is so thick, it is not easily flushed out if a bird does eat it,” Dr. Antinoff said. Chocolate candy is also bad because of the sugar in it, which is not good for pet birds. Even a small bite of a chocolate could be harmful to your bird. “A bird’s body weight is much less than ours so it takes a lot smaller volumes to cause equal signs of illness,” noted Brian Speer, DVM, an avian veterinarian in Oakley, California, and co-author of Birds for Dummies. “If your 400-gram Amazon eats one small square of chocolate, that would be the equivalent of a human being eating a 10-pound bar of chocolate. If you eat 10-pounds of chocolate you will have the same clinical signs as your Amazon parrot that ate one small square of chocolate.” Caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and cola can cause an increase in heart rate in pet birds and make them hyperactive. If enough of a caffeinated beverage is consumed, a bird could have seizures and die. Alcohol, too, can cause seizures and death. Julie Burge, DVM, a veterinarian and aviculturist in Missouri, recalled a case of one of her clients who woke up one morning after having thrown a party the night before and found his parrot dead in the living room. “The bird was allowed to fly loose, and had consumed enough alcohol from the glasses left by guests to die from alcohol poisoning,” she related. Avocado is a no-no because of the pit, which contains an oil that leaches toxin into the fruit. The toxin is persin, a fatty acid-like compound that has cardio-toxic effects. Avocado toxicity can produce lethargy, anorexia, breathing difficulty and sudden death. In Larry Nemetz, DVM, an exotics-only veterinarian in Southern California experience, avocado seems to be especially harmful to smaller birds like lovebirds, budgies and cockatiels (which often will become very sick and die within a day or two of eating avocado), but larger parrots are also susceptible. He once treated a cockatoo that had been fed avocado for six months before getting sick from it. The fish and meat warnings are very similar for birds as they are for people. Nemetz does not recommend shellfish because “it can be toxic, which humans may be able to get away with eating, but birds are much more sensitive, so it’s best to not take any chances.” Uncooked, undercooked or reheated animal protein should not be given to pet birds because it is at a higher risk of bacterial infection than meats that are freshly and fully cooked, according to Nemetz. So if you’re eating a reheated or rarely cooked steak sandwich for lunch or drinking a shake with raw eggs in it, don’t offer any tastes to your bird. If there’s any bad bacteria in the food, you may not become ill from it but your bird might. Want to learn more on how to feed your parrot? Check out these articles: 5 Basic Bird Training Tips for Beginners 14 Parrot Hand-Feeding Tips What Do Parrots Eat?
Tumors And Cancers in Fish
Tumors And Cancers Fishes develop tumors and cancers, much like humans and other animals. However, sharks are a type of fish which never develops cancers. Symptoms and Types Most tumors are seen as bumps or lumps under the fish’s skin. But the location and signs of the tumor can be different for each fish, and depend greatly on the type of tumor. Unfortunately, internal tumors or cancers display symptoms once it has become to late to save the fish. Also, the fish’s ability to eat and swim will be affected, causing a rapid decline in its health. Koi fishes usually get tumors in the reproductive organs. They will have swollen abdomens and the illness can become terminal. Conversely, goldfish are susceptible to fibroma tumors and sarcoma cancers. While Gypsy-swordtail fishes, generally develop skin cancer (malignant melanoma). Another type of tumor is found in the gills. It causes the fish to be unable to close its gills, and is due to a thyroid dysfunction. Despite its seriousness, the tumor has a good success rate when it is treated.
Cat Hairballs 101: How to Help
In This Article What Does a Cat Hairball Look Like? View 6 More +
Donate Supplies to Your Local Shelter With Chewy’s Wish List
Looking for a way to support your local shelter? Of course you are—shelter and rescue staff and volunteers are heroes for pets and the people who love them. That’s why Chewy makes it easy for you to give shelters and rescues the products they need with one simple feature: Wish List. With Wish List, you can select the organization you want to support this holiday season, shop from the list of products they need, then check out and let Chewy take it from there, shipping direct to their door at no extra cost to you. What could be better than that?
How To Introduce a Cat to a Dog
4. Make Leashed Introductions Once both pets are comfortable being around each other on either side of a divider, they’re ready for their first true introduction. Controlled introductions should start in common areas of the home with the dog on a loose leash. As the pet parent, it’s important to be aware of both your dog’s body language and your cat’s body language during these interactions so you can quickly identify any warning signs. The dog should have a loose body and tail position and easily reorient toward you when called. The cat should have forward-facing ears, a neutral tail position, and a soft gaze with narrow pupils. They should be allowed to come and go, investigating the dog as they are comfortable. If you see your dog moving slowly, stiffening, or becoming fixated on the cat, it’s time to create more distance or take a break. Similarly, if the cat crouches, freezes, swishes or flicks their tail, pins their ears back, or if their pupils begin to dilate, they are showing signs of stress and need a break from the interaction. If your dog is barking or lunging at the cat, or if the cat is hissing or growling or their fur begins to stand up, it’s best to separate the pets and return to the previous successful step once they’ve had a chance to relax. After numerous positive leashed introductions, allow the cat and dog to coexist with the dog dragging the leash. This gives the pets more freedom to interact while maintaining an added safety measure in case they need to be separated promptly.,5. Decrease Supervision When you are confident that the pets are getting along well, slowly allow them to be together with less supervision. To start: Try leaving the room briefly while still being within earshot. As they continue to do well, you can be absent for longer periods of time. It’s important to give the cat elevated surfaces where they can easily seek refuge from the dog, such as cat trees and cat shelves. This will decrease stress and give the cat a safe escape in case of a problematic interaction. It’s recommended to keep pets separated when you are out of the home, even when they are doing well together. It’s not uncommon for the introduction process to take a couple weeks to a few months, depending on the individual pets. Progress is not always linear, and it’s OK to take a step backward at any point if you start to see signs of stress. The safety and well-being of both pets is always the biggest priority, so avoid putting this process on a timeline. It’s also important to recognize that not every dog-cat pairing is a good fit. If you feel one or both pets are having a difficult time adjusting or if you are feeling overwhelmed, bringing in a qualified positive reinforcement-based trainer may be the best option. Featured Image: iStock/Olezzo Illustrations by Lili Chin,When it comes to introducing a new cat to your dog, a slow and careful introduction process sets everyone up for success. It’s essential to progress at the speed that both pets are comfortable with and to continually monitor them for any signs of fear, anxiety, or stress. The goal is for both pets to have nothing but positive interactions with each other.
14 Calmest Dog Breeds
The calmest dog breeds have an adaptable, gentle temperament and don’t get riled up easily. These pups love to lounge and aren’t known to be big barkers unless they’re alerting you to danger. But remember that, just like people, every pet is unique with their own personality, so proper socialization and positive reinforcement training are key to helping your pup live their best life and be calm in new situations. If you’re looking for a laid-back furry friend, check out this list of some of the calmest dog breeds to consider adding to your family.
Why Do Dogs Bury Bones?
You stash your prized possessions in a vault, bank, safe-deposit box, or under a mattress. Your pooch stows his treasures—dog bones, treats, toys, TV remotes—in a backyard hole or under a couch cushion. Burying objects is an instinct for dogs, says Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP, owner of Pawsitive Results, in Lexington, S.C., and the author of several dog-training books.
