P E T S! All About Pets, Pets Pets Pets!

[Guest aznscrewball]

two questions:

we fed my cat some purina cat food, and since it's supposed to be healthy, he stayed really skinny, but not scarily skinny, just skinny. so then, we wanted him a bit chubby, so we bought some meowmix, but he stayed the same.

does food do anything to your pet's weight? o_o

i forgot my next question, but i just thought of another one.

one time, this bird kept on flying towards me. it wasn't attacking me, but it kept landing on my shoulder and my hands and my head and everything. it was like, a pigeon. i'm just wondering what the heck it was doing... it didn't seem like it could fly, because all it did was hoot and purr and fly only short distances. anyone know why? o_o

Lean cats look better then chubby ones IMO. Haha. As long as you know it isnt underweight, then you are fine. If you still want you cat to gain a bit of weight, feed him that catfood that has dual weight control. You know, the one in the commercials, where the fat can and skinny cat are on the catwalk. It helps lean cats gain weight and fat cats lose. If that doesn't work there is always the vet reccomended brands. They are most likely to be effective, but more expensive then store-bought brands.

2nd question: Maybe it likes you?

[Guest L_O_V_E]

i have a pet dog name happy who is kinda overweight and a pet turtle whos name is crush (i named it from finding nemo)

i thot your dog crushed your turtle lol

[Guest Krn_Track_Star]

i thot your dog crushed your turtle lol

puhahah naw but she did almost try to eat it. lucky turtles have shells =).

[M$]

You dont have to clean the wound. Just make sure that he isn't so active around the house. Don't let him jump onto couches or chairs, or even climb the stairs. Climbing stairs, running, and jumping can stretch the stitches. Don't go on long walks for a while. Just make sure he goes to the washroom and that should be the end of the walk. Keep him indoors as much as you can. The cone is to prevent him from biting at his stitches, but my dog didn't bit at hers so she didn't have to wear it. Dogs, especially boys don't like thier manhoods removed. This may explain why hes unhappy. Also the change in scenery might be stressing him out, but he will get used to it.

DON'T CLEAN THE WOUND.

The best thing is to keep the wound dry, meaning don't go outside when its raining or after the rain. Wet wounds get easily infected. It may look like there is dry blood on or near the wound and ugly bruise marks, but thats perfectly normal. What is not normal however, if the wound splits open. If the stitches get undone, go quickly back to the veterinarian who did the surgury to sew it back up.

Oh ya, don't take baths for a while. Dogs generally don't need that many baths. Since your chiwawa is small and i'm assuming short-haired, you only need to give it a bath a couple of times a year and whenever it gets really dirty, or you can't stand the oiliness of its fur.

About the not eating part, this is just part of the trauma. Hes just feeling a bit emasculated, so thats prolly it. Feed him soft food or yummy food you know he likes to try and cheer him up.

Glad you have your dog back btw. Thats very nice for a random person to neuter someone else's dog for them in less then a month. She just saved you from having to pay $150+ for the operation.

Thanks for the advice. He`s getting better now. He eatting more, I just have to feed him by hand though. He`s trained, so using the bathroom isn`t a problem for him. He`s getting better every day, hate seeing him sad. Haha, yeah, but she only got it for $59 which I found was really cheap, but we paid her back of course, for everything. Thanks for the advice, I`ve been trying to take good care of him and not let anything happen.

[Guest aznscrewball]

Thanks for the advice. He`s getting better now. He eatting more, I just have to feed him by hand though. He`s trained, so using the bathroom isn`t a problem for him. He`s getting better every day, hate seeing him sad. Haha, yeah, but she only got it for $59 which I found was really cheap, but we paid her back of course, for everything. Thanks for the advice, I`ve been trying to take good care of him and not let anything happen.

DANGGG...I hope the vet did a good job. $59 is really cheap! Thats less then it costs in Toronto for a full checkup. Haha *jealous* Did the previous owner give you the bill and everything back? I wonder who the vet was.

[Guest DOVAHKIIN]

thanks ;| still sad though lol. It kind of got fat quickly but I have two other fishes .. and they were ok.

One of my goldfish developed dropsy while my other fishes were fine. If your fish gets fat like that, isolate it in a tank divider or something and add some aquarium salt to draw out the toxic fluids within it that are swelling it up.

[M$]

DANGGG...I hope the vet did a good job. $59 is really cheap! Thats less then it costs in Toronto for a full checkup. Haha *jealous* Did the previous owner give you the bill and everything back? I wonder who the vet was.

Yeah they did a good job. I know! I was like why is it so cheap?! Haha, yeah she gave me the bill and everything back, she said she got all his shots and other stuff for $59.. I`m still shocked. So now everytime he needs hs regular checkup, I`m going there because she said it`s cheap, haha.

[Guest sushiwhore]

my fish =D does anyone here have a flower horn

[Guest saggiorpiioxgalaxy]

i have a question about turtles..

i've had my baby red eared slider turtle for like 3 years

and it hasnt grown a bit

but all my friends have turtles that have grown so much!! .. i just feed it those pellets from like petco

do you know what i feed it to make it grow bigger or how much to feed it?

Does your turtle have a basking area with a UVB source or exposure to sunlight?

They need vitamin D from those UVB rays

Maybe your turtle is naturally small-framed or its really active. How often do u feed it?

Like Krn_Track_Star said u should try feeding him fish. Veggies are important! You should force him to eat veggies since he's already 3 years old. Especially dark leafy greens, but be careful though because some greens like spinach contains a high amount of oxylates that stunts their calcium distribution or something like that..

Red ear sliders are carnivorous when they're young and gradually eat more veggies than meat when they grow older. You can start with carrots because most turts like the colour and the sweet taste of it. But don't make it a staple food because of the high goitrogens in them.

http://www.greenigsociety.org/foodchart.htm

Here's a chart of what reptiles can eat.

http://www.turtletimes.com/Forums/index.php?

A turtle forum with lots of experienced turtle owners.

I have 2 red ear sliders and they're so funny. xD

[Delster]

Got some questions, I have two kittens:

- Can anyone recommend a good vet in Vancouver?

- They are both two months old but they still don't respond to their names! Is this normal? And if so, when can I expect them to start responding to their names?

- Which shots are absoloutely necessary for them to have?

- Any tips on getting them to use the scratching post? We bought a scratch box and a scratching post (not the carpet one, I think it's silas?) but they seem to love the carpet and the edges of rugs a lot more

- They love to climb up onto sofas or curtains so it's really not doing anything good for the fabric. We've tried the stern "No" and putting them down as well as a loud noise (that they've now become immune to), and while they'll stop after a couple of times of doing that, they seem to forget within a few days.

- How do you give them baths? I know that they clean themselves, but my mom says it's not cleansing as it's their saliva (which is a pretty good point I suppose). But anyway, they freak out when I try to get them into the water and start flailing. So now I've pretty much have been wiping them down.

[Guest aznscrewball]

Got some questions, I have two kittens:

- Can anyone recommend a good vet in Vancouver?

- They are both two months old but they still don't respond to their names! Is this normal? And if so, when can I expect them to start responding to their names?

- Which shots are absoloutely necessary for them to have?

- Any tips on getting them to use the scratching post? We bought a scratch box and a scratching post (not the carpet one, I think it's silas?) but they seem to love the carpet and the edges of rugs a lot more

- They love to climb up onto sofas or curtains so it's really not doing anything good for the fabric. We've tried the stern "No" and putting them down as well as a loud noise (that they've now become immune to), and while they'll stop after a couple of times of doing that, they seem to forget within a few days.

- How do you give them baths? I know that they clean themselves, but my mom says it's not cleansing as it's their saliva (which is a pretty good point I suppose). But anyway, they freak out when I try to get them into the water and start flailing. So now I've pretty much have been wiping them down.

The thing is, cats don't work the same way as dogs do. Most cats do know their name, but they choose not to respond or acknowlege it. What kind of names did you give them? Usually 2 sylabble names that don't have any similar pronouciations or tonal sounds as the word NO are the eeasiest. I'm not an expert on cats, so I don't know if its normal or not.

Are your cats indoor cats or outdoor cats? This makes a difference. Usually indoor cats only need their kitten booster shots and thats about it (possibly yearly shots if your paranoid), but if they go outside then they have to be protected against rabies and other things that come with interactions between other cats and generally the outisde environment.

I know that there is a kind of spray that you can spray on your furniture that has a very nasty taste and smell to cats when they scratch. This prevents scratching most of the time, but there are a few cats who actually enjoy the smell and taste. Ask your local pet store on the brands they reccomend because there are many kinds.

Again, you're not going to stop a cat from doing what they want with a stern NO! Cats don't really care what you think of them. As far as they're concerned, they rule the house. Try giving them a quick squirt with a water bottle whenever they go on the curtains. Slow conditioning may work. The water is harmless and will not hurt them.

LOL i have no clue on the last one. I know that cats are really clean on their own, but maybe a bath once or twice a year if theyre indoor cats is a good thing. My mom used to tie her cat up and spray her with water while she is hissing and spitting. Then make it up to it by giving it beef jerky. LOL...but I wouldn't recommend this method.

[Delster]

^

Thanks so much for all your information! LOL I laugh so hard at your mom's bathing method.

I'll definitely try out the water thing. Their names are two syllables (Jengo and Chubbles) I'll just see how they go along.

[Aziraphale]

- They are both two months old but they still don't respond to their names! Is this normal? And if so, when can I expect them to start responding to their names?

- Which shots are absoloutely necessary for them to have?

Mine is three years old and sometimes he doesn't respond to his name either - some people call it an attitude, lol. Your kittens are still young, so it will take time for them to learn the sound of their names. Just call them by their names as often as possible.

You should take your cats to the vet, where they will be vaccinated against:

- feline panleukopenia

- feline rhinotracheitis

- feline calicivirus

- chlamydia

- feline leukaemia (optional)

The first four are normally combined in one booster shot, which is the annual vaccination. My vet also gives a de-worming tablet for my cat every time I take him for his annual vax. It is best to check with your vet the shots necessary for your cats.

- How do you give them baths? I know that they clean themselves, but my mom says it's not cleansing as it's their saliva (which is a pretty good point I suppose). But anyway, they freak out when I try to get them into the water and start flailing. So now I've pretty much have been wiping them down.

Well, you just have to grin and bear it. Cats struggle a lot when they're being bathed. Mine thinks I'm taking a stick to him. Cats should be bathed once a month, regardless of whether they're indoor or outdoor. They groom themselves regularly (the saliva cleaning), but a bath is necessary.

Bathe one cat at a time. Take your kitty into the bathroom, wet his coat entirely with lukewarm water. Make sure you're armed with a soft brush or a wet cloth, and cat shampoo. Rub the shampoo into his coat gently (with the brush or cloth) and continue until you work up a lather. Avoid his eyes and nose - those you can clean later with water and a wet cloth. As for his paws, he'll yowl and protest and kick up a ruckus, but try to clean the paws as gently as you can with the cloth - sometimes a dab is all you can do, but that's better than nothing. As you bathe him, keep assuring him it will be okay and you're doing this because you want to get him clean (obviously he'll disagree, lol).

Once you're done, you douse the kitty with lukewarm water again to get rid of the shampoo. Now you can clean the eyes and nose with water and the cloth. Make sure every part of him is clean of shampoo before you towel him dry.

Ears are cleaned separately, but once a month is recommended. You use normal cotton buds and gently work the stick into the ear, taking care not to stick it too far down his ear canal, and remove the dirt there. You should clean his ears in broad daylight, so that you can see the ear canal and that you're not sticking the cotton bud too far down in it. Again, he will protest but that is normal. Just get someone to help hold him down so he won't struggle so much. Also reassure him that it'll be okay. Cats just need to be reassured that you won't hurt them and that you still love them.

Good luck!

[Guest ladyvi]

i don't know if this is the right section but..

for a while now, i've been looking for a pup. today, i went to visit a lady who had an 8 weeks old yorkshire terrier x pomeranian; yorkiepom. i already paid a deposit to put the pup on hold but should i go forward and get it? he's cute and all but at times, he reminds me of a racoon.. what do you guys think?

[Guest suki_*]

this is my baby Duck Mortimer....

i have trouble cutting his nails and it's really hard with him moving around and crying all the time (eventhough i don't cut him he just fake cries)...

do u think Veteranary offices would do the nail cutting??? i've looked all over pet stores and groomers and they're usually focussed for cats and dogs =(

[Guest aznscrewball]

^ Yep, vet offices do cut nails for you. I'm not sure if all of them do though, because your's is a bit different from a cat or dog. But I think they should because it goes uder the category of small animals. Chack beofre you make an appointment though.

[Guest suki_*]

^^^

thanks alot!

i'll check when i have time, it's so hard cutting small animal nails.. they move around too much :S

[simplicity_x]

Ok, I don't know if posting this is in the right thread...but it doesn't hurt to try. I have a five month old Papillon and he won't quit barking. It is driving me insane.

I've tried to walk him all over the neighborhood to help him get familiar with the environment, but I'm so scared he's going to do his business on other ppl's lawns. You see...in our neighborhood, your pets aren't allowed to urinate/poop in front of anyones yard besides your own. If it does, you have to clean it up. It became a rule in our neighbor hood, so yeah.

And then I filled a can full of marbles so whenever he barked I would shake it and it would scare him enough to not bark again. Recently, I've been doing it and all he has been doing is barking back at the can. I can't seem to figure out what else to do to prevent him from barking out so loud. He barks when my brothers are playing and running, he barks at other dogs, he barks at other strangers, and etc.

Can someone please give me some advice to stop this?

[Guest aznscrewball]

^About the pooping on other people lawns. Am I wrong, or isnt it common curtesy to pick up after your dog even if it wasn't a rule in your neighbourhood? I hate people who poop on my lawn and neve pick it up. Especially when I'm looking out the window and they do it in my face.

And about the barking. You could try spraying him with a water bottle whenever he barks. This may condition him better then the marbles because he might already be sensitive to noise, and the marbles only agravate him. Just spray him with water in a spray bottle whenever he barks and then follow with a stern NO! Perhaps this will deter him. LOL. It might not always work though. My dog is a barker, but now she has learned not to bark when I'm in the room, but continues to bark if i'm not. The moment I walk back out the room she backs again.

[Guest Brownies_4Life]

i don't know if this is the right section but..

for a while now, i've been looking for a pup. today, i went to visit a lady who had an 8 weeks old yorkshire terrier x pomeranian; yorkiepom. i already paid a deposit to put the pup on hold but should i go forward and get it? he's cute and all but at times, he reminds me of a racoon.. what do you guys think?

http://photos-202.ll.facebook.com/photos-l...124119_9461.jpg

Are you getting him for his cuteness or.....are you getting him because you bonded and felt a connection with the lil guy.

If it bothers you that he looks like a racoon at times..then dont get him. With pup comes great responsibility, so plz dont be another one of those owners that give up their pets because they can't deal. He looks like he wants and needs a lot of love....and if you feel that you can give him that......then get em.