Just say the word cancer and any of a host of undesirable thoughts will pop in your mind- and with good reason. Cancer is one of the most common of diseases among pets and increases as the pet ages. In dogs, the frequency of getting cancer is equivalent to that of a human being getting cancer. Additionally, it accounts for close to half the deaths of pets over the age of 10.

Just what is cancer and what causes it? Basically, cancer occurs when cell growth rates go out of control on, or inside, the body. What causes this chaos inside the system of the cell is still unknown-but the results have been well documented and the reputation is well known.

Some cancers such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer or testicular cancer can be largely prevented by spaying or neutering your pet while it is still very young (6-12 months or so). Other types, however, are not as easy to detect, causing difficult preventive methods.

Following are many common types of cancers seen in pets. Skin tumors in dogs should always be checked by a vet. Breast cancers have a high rate of malignancy in dogs- often 50%. Lymphoma is common and is characterized by an enlargement of the lymph nodes. Testicular tumors are common in dogs – especially those having retained testes. Cancers occurring in the head and/or neck are common in dogs and often malignant. Aggressive and quick therapy is required. Abdominal tumors are harder to detect and very common. Watch for weight loss or abdominal enlargement.

Testing for cancer can be done in a variety of methods – from x-rays or blood tests to actual biopsy samples(tissue samples). Most often, biopsies are required to diagnose cancer.

Treatments run the gamut in cancer therapy. Since each cancer may be of a different type from animal to animal, and each animals system may react differently to the same drug, the care is highly individualized. Your veterinarian may choose from such options as chemotherapy, radiation, hyperthermia, surgery, immuno-therapy, or cryosurgery(freezing) to treat your pet, although combinations of the above methods are quite common.

Now for the big question. Just what are the success rates of these methods in treating my pet for cancer? Just as in humans, the success rate depends on a number of variables- what type of cancer your pet has, how early you detect the cancer,how you treat the cancer and how strong your pet is – just to name a few.

Sometimes the cancer can be cured if response is quick and the treatment aggressive but all pets may receive a better quality of life from therapy received. The best therapy seems, however, to be early detection through regular vet visits and keen knowledge of your pets overall rate of health at all times. Watch for changes and be aware should any unusual symptoms pop up.

COMMON SIGNS OF CANCER SEEN IN SMALLER ANIMALS

o Loss of appetite

o Sudden weight loss

o Slow,or non-healing sores

o Offensive odor

o Abnormal growths or swellings

o Loss of stamina

o Hesitation in exercising

o Persistent lameness or stiffness

o Difficulty in eating or swallowing

o Difficulty in breathing, defecating or urinating.

Article written and reprinted with permission of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com Purebred Dogs, Puppies and Dog Breeders – “Your New Best Friend”

Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.

Debbie Ray, owner of pedigreedpups.com and http://www.total-german-shepherd.com is a lifelong animal lover and dog enthusiast. Interested in more dog information? Training and health tips? Thinking about getting a purebred dog? Interested in the German Shepherd Dog in particular?  Check us out for more dog breed information.

Dog ownership is really a joy to be had by numerous people, but it is also a chore if you don’t know the proper way to groom the dog. Common grooming tips  can be employed to make cleaning and caring for your canine much simpler and time efficient, thus giving you a lot more time to spend playtime with your furry friend! Maintain in mind that advice may perhaps have to be modified, determined by if your dog has a nail, skin, or ear condition.

Brushing

A healthy coat is imperative to your dog, and also looks superior too! The minimal quantity of brushing actuallys would depend on how lengthy the dog’s coat is. Long-haired pet dogs should undergo daily brushing sessions so as to avoid hair tangling and matting. Medium-haired puppies ought to most likely be brushing about after or twice a week, but short-haired dogs can go as much as a full month (even though it isn’t suggested to test this theory- twice a month is a good quantity).

Bathing

The vast majority of pet dogs and canine owners discover baths to become a huge (albeit unpleasant) ordeal, Teaching your dog to get used to bathing even though, via normal and consistent bath timing, can greatly minimize the stress involved for both parties. He doesn’t have to enjoy it, but he will eventually adapt to being dripping wet for several minutes after various baths. Baths up to the moment a week isn’t harmful per se, but most choose to limit the procedure to when a month. Always use a shampoo that’s soap-free and designed for canine use. Most any dog supply store will have a great selection of shampoos obtainable.

Haircuts

Some canines can get away with never acquiring a haircut, but some of additional furry breeds (just like Poodles and ShihTzus) should possibly be at least trimmed each two to four weeks. The exact amount of time in between trimmings would depend on the breed and style of cut. Unless you’re specifically trained inside the art, it is finest left to groomers- even a light trim can be a daunting task towards the inexperienced.

For additional discount puppy supplies and suggestions, vist BestDogOfAll.com

There is no such thing as a ‘complete’ food for rabbits – that is, no single rabbit food that can be fed to the exclusion of every other, whether it’s hay, nuggets or Muesli.Any kind and caring pet owner will want what is best for their rabbit. However, many do not realise which types of food are good for their rabbit and which are bad and this can lead to all types of health problems for your pet.

No one food on its own can provide enough of the essential nutrients and fibre that rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas need.Please don’t simply believe that glossy packets and convincing marketing hype means there is a healthy and balanced meal within the bag.You need to always remember that when feeding a rabbit you need to offer a “complimentary” meal, which combines vegetables with fibre and water.

Varied meals will ensure that your rabbits eats the right amount of vitamins, nutrients and minerals and this will go along way towards improving your pets quality of life.Did you know that by feeding your rabbit a museli based diet you are encouraging a sweet tooth and more than likely your rabbit will become a fussy eater?Rabbits actually have thousands more tastebuds than humans, so they can easily pick the sweet and tasty bits out of the museli and leave the rest.This selective feeding will lead to an imbalanced diet, lacking in calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.Don’t dismiss your rabbit’s fussy eating habits – feeding them a sugary diet that is lacking in fibre can be potentially fatal.

Sugar and starch are the main elements of rabbit museli and neither are essential to a rabbits diet.These are difficult for rabbits to digest and can lead to health problems and obesity.The problem can be avoided by following a varied and nutritious feeding plan, and by ensuring that the right proportions of herbage, forage, beneficial fibre nuggets, fibre-rich snacks, fresh greens and fresh water are fed to your pet rabbit daily.

It’s crucial that you simply maintain your surroundings safe for your cat, as they’re really inquisitive animals and will get into all sorts of trouble given half the opportunity.

Living near a road is a major concern for any cat owner, as cats love to wander around the neighborhood in search of other cats or business from other individuals.
It really is not uncommon for cats to wander a long distance particularly at night, and the ideal bet is probably to keep it confined inside at night so you know exactly where it is.

This may need that you just hold it locked inside the house or have an external location that’s fenced, in such a manner that the cat can’t climb out remembering that cats are extremely beneficial at climbing and escaping from any enclosure.

They also need to be protected from other animals, and in particular dogs which could become pretty vicious inside the pursuit of a cat.

You definitely need to use your common sense and look about the environment that your cat is living in to determine any areas that could be a danger to it.

Getting a cat door that will offer your cat with unrestricted access to the home is necessary for any cat that prefers to spend some of its time outside throughout the day or night. Cats that spend time outdoors usually supplement thier diet with raw cat food

Cats can pick up infections from other animals, or from the feces that has been left about by other animals, so you should know wherever your cat is wandering and whether those places could be endangering its health in any way.

By having your cat neutered there is less opportunity that it will wander about the neighborhood trying to find other cats.

If your cat isn’t kept within a confined location then you’ll have to have some form of identification on it should it ever get lost.

With Bill Keene’s product referred to as Building A Chicken Coop, the majority of people will now be able to construct their own chook coop so they can keep a few chickens on their property.

Designs are provided for three sizes of poultry coops: a small portable coop for keeping a few laying hens, a midsized coop for keeping up to eight laying hens, and a large coop for individuals who want to keep up to 50 laying hens.  The plans for every coop contain a materials list which tells you what material to use and how to size every piece, as well as detailed step-by-step drawings that show how the pieces fit together.

These chicken coops are fairly easy to construct using only a few tools that can be bought at most hardware stores such as a measuring tape, a saw and hammer, a drill, and some pliers to work with the chicken wire.

Bill Keene goes far beyond coaching you how to construct a chicken coop by also teaching you about which laying hens to get for your location and how to take proper care of your laying hens.  There are lots of different chicken breeds and you need to be acquainted with which ones will meet your requirements, or you might end up buying chickens that are fine meat producers when you really required good laying hens.

The product contains information on how to shield your flock from poultry predators such as foxes, raccoons, coyotes, birds of prey, as well as dogs and cats. There is also information that tells you about what chicken diseases to look out for and how to deal with them

The product comes with a lot of extra information that tells you how to best place your chicken coop, the best material to utilize for the poultry coop floor, the least expensive building material you can use and how to create nesting boxes for free out of familiar materials around your home that would otherwise be discarded.

Chicken coops with two-level save space and offer easy access to the nesting area by putting the nesting and roosting area on top of the wire enclosed feeding area underneath.  These unique coops are generally portable so they can be moved around the yard to make available fresh grass for the chickens, decrease cleaning chores, and help spread the chicken fertilizer over a bigger region.

At the existing cost, Building A Chicken Coop gives tremendous value because of the many benefits it gives you and it is definitely highly recommended to check it out before the charge increases.

Hamsters are cute, furry and make very popular pets!  As you look for hamster names for your new furry friend, the most important thing to remember is to find a name that you like and that also suits your hamster. To help you do this, here are some helpful suggestions:

1) Determine whether your hamster is male of female.  Once you know, you can search for male hamster names or female hamster names accordingly.

2) Consider hamster names based on your hamster’s markings or the color of its fur. For example, Domino and Panda are perfect names for black and white hamsters or you  may want to name your hamster Snowflake if he’s white, Hershey if he’s brown or Pumpkin if he’s orange.

3) Select names like Gadget, Gizmo, Tic Tac, and Jellybean, which reference your hamster’s diminutive size.

4) Think of funny hamster names like Hamlet and Hambone (which are inspired by the word “hamster”) or Bear, Moose or Hulk – the opposite of what hamsters are, size-wise!

5) Look for cute names like Muffin, Doodle,   Boo Boo and Ziggy because “cute” is what hamsters are!

6) Find names that describe your hamster’s personality – but make sure you observe your hamster for a few days so that you have an accurate idea of what he or she is like.

7) Use your hobbies for inspiration. Love sports, sewing or gardening? Then choose a name that reflects the things that interest you!

8) Think of famous people…presidents, royalty, movie stars, scientists, inventors… the list is endless. If there’s a person you admire or whose name you think sounds unique , you may want to name your hamster after them.

9) Use other languages for inspiration.   If you”re looking for something a little exotic, choose a Native American hamster name like Yoki (rain) or a Japanese hamster name like Kabuki (Japanese dance-drama).

10) Search through pet naming books and websites. You”ll find a huge collection of hamster names to choose from.

Happy name hunting!

What, exactly, does “natural” mean?  More importantly, what does “natural” mean whenever you see it on a can or a bag of pet food?  You desire the best of everything for your dog, including his food, but are foods that are labeled as natural dog foods any better than any other not labeled natural?

The essential description of natural is, “in accordance with nature.”  As it pertains to commodities – and dog food is really a commodity – the definition is, “being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes.”  The commercial food you buy your pet may contain natural ingredients, but are they good for your dog?  Are they healthful?  The definition doesn’t say anything about being healthy or good for you – or your dog.

A well-liked brand of dry puppy food contains“natural poultry flavor”.  If the maker doesn’t give the source, and this one doesn’t, then you are relying on his word that this really is in actual fact natural and not a chemical.  Even if it is natural, does it contain something your dog may be allergic to?  In this instance, you don’t know.

Meat by-products are a typical ingredient in many dog foods, including those advertised as natural.  These by-products are the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but isn’t limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of the contents. It doesn’t include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.  Nothing unnatural here, however the nutritional value is way less than the meat itself.  Your dog would get a bunch of food but little nutrition.

If you would like your dog to get a natural diet but you don’t want to fret about an entire host of ingredients that may or may not be good for the dog, your best choice is to make your dog’s food yourself.  You’ve got control over the ingredients.  You have control over the nutritional value of your dog’s food.   Of all the natural dog foods, the ones that will be best for your dog are your own.

You’ve got a dog; you undoubtedly will want to get him a collar next. If you plan on doing this, you should ensure that your dog is getting the right collar. The choice of a dog collar will depend on the type of dog in question. You can find collars in various sizes. You will also find different styles.

The aim of dog collars are simple-that of controlling your dog. With a leash attached to your dog collar, you will be better placed to control the antics of your dog when you go for your occasional neighborhood walk. Buying your dog collars should therefore be made in accordance with several factors.

Obviously the size of the collar matters. If your dog collar is too small, you stand the risk of choking your dog. Not a pleasant or nice thing to do. While a collar should not be loose enough to slip over a dog’s ears, it should not be tight against the dog’s skin. Allowance should be made for at least two of your fingers between the collar and dog’s throat. Avoid making the collars too lose though, dogs excel when it comes to making lemonades out of lime. Your choice in collar fabric should be affected by the breed of the dog. Considering that a leash will be fitted to your dog collar, you will need to ensure that the collar is strong enough. A Labrador for instance will require sterner stuff in the way of a collar than a Chihuahua.

Personalized Dog Collar and Rhinestone Dog Collar

Yet another important use of dog collars is the option of personalization that it brings. With a personalized dog collar, you will be able to include the details of your dog’s identity. For instance you can include the name of your dog as well as your contact address. Other bits of information like his favorite meal can also be added. All this will prove most beneficial in the event that your dog gets lost. Dog collars can be further styled to improve the fashion look of your dog. For example, most shops offer dog collars in more than one color, giving you the option of using something fresh each day.

Our cats require a varied diet, including a mixture of canned cat food and dry food. Contrary to opinions that it doesn’t matter, buying only one form of food because of ease or price is a error, and can injure your cat’s health. When the cat is alone or unattended for a time, carbohydrate rich dry food should be left out for your cat with a supply of fresh water. Canned food is higher in protein due to the meat amount, and contains more water amounts. Both are needed for a proper diet, and a combination of both dry and canned food will ensure variety in the diet and keep the cat from looking for food elsewhere.

Dry food helps to ensure your cat’s dental health. As the cat chews the food, her teeth are also cleaned which slows the accumulation of tartar and exercises your cat’s teeth and gums. Cost is a big factor. Dry cat food is a lot less costly than canned foods often less than half as pricey. And your cat will eat proportionally less food which will make your feed dollars go even more.

Dry food is much simpler to store. If the storage box is air-tight and covered, the food should last until the expiration date listed on the package, usually months or years into the future. An opened can of cat food should be placed in the refridgerator and used within a day to prevent spoilage. Feeding dry cat food to your cats is easier. You may put the day’s supply of food in a bowl, and you don’t have to worry about food spoiling. You may even use automatic feeders in case you are not always consistently available to feed your cat at meals. Canned cat food can only be left into bowls for a short period of time.

You can check out the ingredient list, which will tell you the major ingrediants put in the food. This will also tell you if the ingredients are made from plants or animals. The first item that is listed is the main ingredient from which this cat food is made. If an animal product is listed first it is safe to assume this is the major ingredient in this food. However, it is not indicated as to what type of animal product they have used.

This may mean it is a by-product that may have been rejected by human food producers. It may not be something that should be used for providing the best cat food for your cat. That is why most cat owners are always looking for food that contains the correct vitamins and necessary nutrients to keep their cat healthy and more able to live a longer life.

When thinking on what type of food to feed your cat you should take into consideration what the needed nutrients are. Your cat will need a balanced diet that has meats, poultry or fish, grains from cereal, and vegetable protein. If you can’t find a food that contains all of these products, your cat is not getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients that he needs to be a healthy and happy cat.

You may not be the type of puppy owner who spends a lot of time training your pooch. It’s rather alright (most dog owners do not have the time). However, there are two basic commands that could literally save your dog’s life and only takes a few minutes each day to teach.

Teaching your puppy the “leave it” and “drop it” commands can keep your pup from doing something dangerous, such as eating mouse poison, stinking food and other disgusting stuff, or running into the path of a speeding bus.

Leave It

With your puppy on a leash, walk by a beguiling item, such as food or a toy (you can pre-place items for this exercise). When your puppy tries to pick up the item, give a short quick tug on the leash and say, “Leave it.”

Enthusiastically praise your puppy for obeying (“Good Boy!”). You can offer a liver snap at this time if you prefer, but praise and a pat on the head work just as well. Repeat this routine at home.

Here’s another method you can use to educate your puppy the “leave it” command: Hold a food treat in your unopen fist. When your puppy sniffs your hand, say “Leave it,” and keep your hand closed. When your pup stops nosing your hand, reward with praise, then give a verbal release command (such as “okay”) and let your puppy have the treat. Continue working like this until your puppy will sit quietly without touching a nearby treat until you give the release command.

Drop It

When your puppy picks up a forbidden object, say, “Drop it!” and walk over to your puppy. If your pup won’t release the item, offer it a tempting treat as a trade for the item. When your puppy drops it, offer praise and a safe substitute – preferably one that’s more beguiling than the forbidden item.

If your puppy runs away from you, don’t chase it – it’ll think you’re acting a game. instead, ignore your little one and get yourself a treat from the kitchen (something you know your puppy likes). Take the treat to a puppy-accessible area and start to eat it (or pretend to eat it, if it’s a dog goodie).

Be dramatic about how yummy it is. Call your puppy over, then give the drop it command and trade the treat for the forbidden item. (Be sure to praise your youngster for obeying.) After your puppy finishes the treat, offer an acceptable toy.