Category: Pet Care

Dogs have a tendency to lick just about anything, but the reason why is still largely a mystery. Whilst there are a few theories on why dogs exhibit the behaviour, it’s important to understand that sometimes licking can be an indication of health problems (including canine obsessive compulsive disorder). Below are a few different theories on why dogs lick themselves, and how you can identify whether your dog’s annoying habit is benign or potentially dangerous. Boredom Often a dog’s licking behaviour is closely linked to boredom. A bored dog may lick himself,…

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Spaying, desexing, and neutering your pets is a general term that refers to a process of ovariohysterectomy in females and castration in males to ensure they cannot have offspring.   Spaying or neutering your dog seems counterintuitive for most owners who may worry about its long term effects on their pet. But this procedure actually has a wealth of health benefits.   Controlling the overpopulation of cats and dogs Millions of cats and dogs are put to sleep each year because they are not adopted from animal shelters. In the long term, it is…

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Feline Hepatic Lipidosis is a condition affecting cats, and which involves the accumulation of fat in the liver. Left untreated the disorder can result in liver failure and blockage of the bile ducts. It’s considered to be the most common liver disease in cats, and usually develops after an extended period of inappetence or anorexia.   When animals fail to consume their energy requirements (which often occurs when they don’t eat for a while), the body has to resort to other forms of energy to meet the demands of the body. This energy…

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How to stop a dog from chewing? is a question often posed to us, by dog owners of Australia. In this article, we discuss the behavioural problem of chewing that many dog owners deal with on a regular basis. The problems of nipping, mouthing, or chewing in puppies, are addressed in the article ‘Biting and Chewing in Pups’   Why do dogs chew? Dogs chew for a multitude of different reasons, some of which include:   Boredom   Curiosity   Anxiety and stress   Physical reasons – teething   Displacement…

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Entropion is a condition of dogs where the eyelid rolls into the eye. It is seen in all species, however commonly affects dogs, and in particularly breeds with excessive facial folds, such as pugs and saint bernards.   Entropion is seen in all species, and more commonly occurs in the lower eyelid, causing the eyelashes to rub and abrade the cornea of the affected eye. The constant abrasion of the cornea of the eye is painful and irritating. It often results in the ulceration of the cornea and if left untreated can…

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What is heat stroke? Heat stroke or heat stress is a condition in pets, which is often referred to as a “silent killer”. It’s described in this way, because heat stroke isn’t perceived to be overly dangerous, when in actual fact, it’s considered a fatal condition that can quickly claim the life of your pet. But why do pets get heat stroke in the first place? To understand the answer to this question, you need to remember that dogs and cats can’t sweat. As humans, we have the mechanisms to…

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How to keep cats from scratching furniture? Ask any cat owner what the most frustrating thing is about owning a cat, and most will say it is when they scratch the furniture. Although it is a natural behavioural habit of cats, it can be very damaging to your household. Why do cats scratch furniture? Furniture scratching is a normal behaviour for our feline friends. Cats are naturally solitary hunters and scratching is a way for cats to mark their territory. Unfortunately, one of the reasons why the targeted furniture tends to…

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