Basic Animal Care
I am a Veterinary Technician, and people always ask me questions about their pets.
This page is for people who want basic care explained in "English", or layman's terms.
Let's start with dogs, shall we?
ALL dogs should be vaccinated. I cannot tell you how horrible some of the diseases are that could have been prevented with vaccination!
Puppies should be vaccinated beginning at 8 weeks old. Their first vaccine is referred to as "DHLPP". This stands for: Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus.
Distemper: An airborne virus that affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. (dogs with this will usually act strange, have vomiting and diarrhea, and nasal discharge) Let me assure you, this is a NASTY bug!
Hepatitis is just like the human hepatitis. It damages the liver to the point of death. Yeech!
Leptospirosis: a SERIOUSLY icky disease that CAN BE SPREAD TO HUMANS!!! It causes fever, inflamed kidneys, vomiting and diarrhea.
Parainfluenza: like a human cold, but worse!
Parvovirus: This disease usually strikes puppies and older dogs. I have treated many puppies with this, and I get upset every time. Pups with this will not eat, play, socialize or move around. They will have severe vomiting and diarrhea. This virus attacks the lining of the intestines, and a lot of puppies die from this!
Other vaccines you need:
Bordatella: This is the "Kennel Cough" vaccine. My advice? Only vaccinate your dog with this if you own many dogs or if you are putting your dog in a large group situation, ie: kennel, play group, training camp, etc...
Rabies: This is required by law. Puppies can be vaccinated for Rabies as early as 16 weeks. The vaccine is good for 3 years, but some states require a yearly booster.
Heartworm: This is not a vaccine, it is a pill you give your dog once a month to prevent heartworms. Heartworms are exactly what they sound like: worms in the heart! If that doesn't scare you enough to put your dog on the pills, you shouldn't own a dog!! Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, so in places where mosquitoes are prevelant, heartworms are a problem. The southern and eastern United States have heavy outbreaks of heartworms every year. Other parts of the nation have less of a problem, but if you have mosquitoes in your area, they are probably carrying heartworms! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep your dog protected! Once a dog gets heartworms, it is very difficult to treat! The vet will use a poison to kill the worms, but when the worms die, they can easily travel through the bloodstream and block vessels.
On to cats...
Even if you have indoor cats, they need to be vaccinated. Some viruses can live in the environment for a LOOOOONG time! As with dogs, kittens can be vaccinated as early as 8 weeks.
The main cat vaccine is called "FVRCP". It stands for: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis, Calici and Panleukopenia.
Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis: Say THAT fast 3 times! Pronounced rino-tray-key-eye-tis. This nasty bugger causes "cold-like" symptoms in cats. They will sneeze, cough and have discharge from thier eyes and nose. This is HIGHLY contagious!
Calici: This also causes upper respiratory infections. Not good.
Panleukopenia: Just like Parvovirus in dogs. icky!
Other recommended vaccines for your cat:
FeLV: Feline Leukemia Virus. Enough said.
FIV: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. Like AIDS, this virus attacks the immune system, and an infected cat will often die of complications.
FIP: Feline Infectious Peritonitis. This affects the lining in the body cavity, called the peritoneum (pear-it-ton-ee-yum). The body reacts to this disease by filling the body cavity with white blood cells and fluid, causing painful distention, or bloating. Cats with this will also have a high fever.
Rabies: Required by law. Cats should be first vaccinated for Rabies at 16 weeks.
Other Useful information:
Every year, thousands of animals die of poisoning. Most can be treated if caught in time, but no one can keep an eye on their animal all the time. Here's a short list of things that are poisonous to animals:
PLANTS:
Aloe Vera, Amaryllis, Lillies (Especially cats!), Apple seeds, Apricot pits, Crocus, Azaleas, Baby's Breath, Cherry pits, seeds and leaves, Corn plant, Daffodils, Eucalyptus, Geraniums, Marijuana, Mistletoe, onions, Peach pits and leaves, Poinsettias, Poison ivy and oak, Tomato plants
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS:
Tylenol (cats), Ibuprofen (dogs), Chocolate, pennies, moth balls, potpourri oils, fabric softner sheets, antifreeze, dishwasher soap, batteries, coffee grounds, alcoholic drinks, street drugs, gasoline, lighter fluid, oil and Christmas tinsel.
THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST! IF YOU THINK YOUR PET ATE SOMETHING IT SHOULDN'T HAVE, TAKE IT TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY!!!
First Aid
First aid for animals is exacly like first aid for humans, with a few variations. For instance, you can't REALLY give mouth-to-mouth to a dog. What you would be doing is mouth-to-snout. This is easy to do: Make sure the animal is not breathing on its own. If not, pull the tongue out of the mouth so it is slightly beyond the front teeth. Clasp one hand around the muzzle. This should provide an airtight seal. Put your mouth around the animal's nose and blow. Be careful not to blow too hard or too big of breaths, especially for small dogs and cats. Watch the chest rise. If it doesn't, check inside the mouth for foreign objects. If clear, try tilting the head back, but not too far, just at a natural angle. Try again.
If your animal's heart is not beating, it is simple to do chest compressions. For small dogs and cats, place your hand around their chest with the center of the chest touching the space between your thumb and index finger. The smaller the animal, the faster the heartbeat, so keep that in mind. Do not compress the chest too fast, the heart still needs to fill with blood! For larger animals, lay them on their side on a hard surface. To find the right spot for compressions, I always tuck the front leg against the side of the body. Right below where the elbow sits is the heart. Cool, huh?
To do both at the same time, give the animal 5 chest compressions, followed by 2 breaths. Repeat (duh...) until the animal breathes on its own or you get to the vet!
If your animal is hurt, you can give Ascriptin. This is just aspirin coated with Maalox. One tablet should do the trick for medium and large dogs, half a tablet for small dogs and cats. If your animal is bleeding, don't give it any medication unless your vet gives you the "go ahead". Animals and humans react differently to drugs, so PLEASE be careful!!
As I always tell my friends, if you are concerned about your pet, take it to the vet! Don't worry about being overprotective, because you just might save your pet's life!
Other helpful animal facts!
Do you know what "Feral" (fear-all or fare-all, depending on your geographic location) means? Its just a fancy term for a wild or abandoned cat. In many cities, these cats are exterminated just like rats or mice! Spaying or Neutering your animals prevents these poor animals from suffering!
Spaying/Neutering: This is the surgery to remove the reproductive organs. I HIGHLY recommend doing this! Some pros: no babies, less aggression, risk of testicular or ovarian/uterine cancer is eliminated, no "heat" cycle in females, less territorial marking (urinating), and overall a better, friendlier animal!
Did you know that many male cats develop urinary stones? These stones are made up of minerals found in the cat's diet, like magnesium and calcium. If your cat suddenly gets very vocal, paces, can't seem to get comfortable or strains to urinate, take it to the vet IMMEDIATELY!!
Cats often do not show signs of illness until they are VERY sick. If you notice a difference in the way your cat acts, take it to the vet!
Cats need a substance called Taurine in their diet. Dogs do not.
Cats have more light receptors in their retinas. That's how they can see in very little light!
Dogs CAN see color, but not very well. They only have a few color receptors in their retinas.
Did you know a dog's sense of smell is about 1000 times better than humans?
In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was a crime punnishable by death!
Ever wonder why your cat covers up it's poop? They do this to hide the smell from predators. But every cat owner knows it doesn't always work! EEEWWW!
Most white cats with blue eyes are deaf. One blue eye? Deaf in that ear!
Neutering a cat extends it's life by a few years!
We have all heard that one year is equal to seven for dogs, but did you know that a one year old cat is about the same as being an 18 year old human? And a ten year old cat is the same as a 60 year old human? WOW!
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