You understand that pets get older, they suffer from health problems, and several other issues can affect their lifespans. Children don't quite understand that pets reach the end of their lives. Your child may have a great deal of emotion when a pet passes or is going to be euthanized. They might also
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The AVMA recognizes that ferrets are being kept as pets and for research purposes. In those states or areas where ferret ownership is legal, the AVMA recommends responsible ferret ownership. This includes knowledge pertaining to ferret husbandry (care, nutrition, housing, and the species' habits). It is also recommended that no ferret be left unattended with any individual incapable of removing himself or herself from the ferret. It is also important that your ferret have proper care by a veterinarian legally authorized to practice veterinary medicine. This includes preventive medicine and medical or surgical care.
If You Choose A Pet Ferret
The average life span of a ferret is 8 to 10 years. When fully grown, females weigh about one and a half to two pounds while males are generally about twice the weight of females. A female's length is about twelve inches nose to tail and the males are about sixteen inches. Ferrets come in many color variations. Most are shades of brown, grey and black with the mask, feet and tails generally being the darkest in color. "Albino" ferrets are white with pink eyes.
Please read on to understand more if a ferret is the right pet for you.
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Rainbow Bridge
Category: Living With Your Pet, Saying Goodbye
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Pet Therapy
Category: Living With Your Pet, Children and Pets
If you have a child who is struggling, pet therapy for children is a proven therapy treatment that works for a variety of conditions. Your child will likely respond very well to an emotional support animal. Your veterinarian can offer more information about this form of treatment, too. What is Pet Therapy
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Advantages & Benefits
Category: Living With Your Pet, Children and Pets
If you’re still on the fence about getting a pet for your child, you should know that there are many benefits of owning a pet for children. Of course, there are responsibilities and other aspects of pet ownership that need to be considered. Owning a pet is a big decision. But there are definitely more
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Introductions
Category: Living With Your Pet, Children and Pets
Bringing an animal home to become a member of your family is certainly an exciting time. However, you want to be careful when your new cat or dog first meets your kids. Here are a few of our best tips on how to introduce new pets to children in a way that fosters a bond from the very start. Have Plenty
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Mistakes to Avoid as a Cat Owner
Category: Newsletter Library
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Arthritis
Category: Pet Health, Orthopedics, Pet Health
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which can be due to wear and tear on joints from over use, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as which occurs with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee. The chronic form of this disease is called degenerative joint disease
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Leptospirosis
Category: Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses, Pet Health
Leptospirosis is a serious, life-threatening disease caused by a spiral shaped bacteria. Dogs, cats, other animals and even people can be infected through exposure to urine, bite wounds, ingestion of infected flesh, or contact with contaminated soil, water and even bedding. Certain environmental conditions
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Dentistry
Category: Pet Health, Digestive and Oral Health, Pet Health
Over 85% of dogs and cats have some type of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease simply means that the gums and bone that hold the teeth in place are being destroyed by oral bacteria. This preventable disease is the number one diagnosed disease in our pets, yet many animals suffer needlessly. Periodontal
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Feline Distemper
Category: Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
Feline distemper or feline panleukopenia is a highly contagious viral disease of kittens and adult cats caused by the feline parvovirus. It is also called panleukopenia as it affects the bone marrow and causes low white blood cell counts. It is relatively common in unvaccinated cats and is often fatal,
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Bloat and Gastric Torsion
Category: Pet Health, Digestive and Oral Health
Bloat and gastric torsion is a serious condition and your pet should be rushed to the emergency room if this occurs. Certain breeds of dogs with deep chests and narrow waists, such as hounds, bouvier des Flandres, or doberman pinschers are more susceptible to a syndrome of gastric torsion and bloat. This
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Tapeworms
Category: Pet Health, Pests and Parasites
Tapeworms live in the digestive tracts of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals as juveniles. In a tapeworm infection, adults absorb food predigested by the host, so the worms have no need for a digestive tract or a mouth. Large tapeworms are made almost entirely of reproductive
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Seizures
Category: Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
Seizures are common in dogs, but more unusual in cats. Seizures are just symptoms which can occur with many kinds of diseases. They can happen because of diseases outside the brain or inside the brain. Low blood sugar that can happen with an overdose of insulin or with a tumor of the pancreas can cause
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Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
Category: Pet Health, Orthopedics
The rupture of the cruciate ligament is the most common knee injury in the dog. This injury has two common presentations. One is the young athletic dog playing roughly who acutely ruptures the ligament and is non-weight bearing on the affected hind leg. The second presentation is the older, overweight
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Luxating Patella
Category: Pet Health, Orthopedics
Luxating patella is a condition where the kneecap (patella) moves out of its normal position. Luxating patella is one of the most common knee joint abnormalities of dogs, but it is only occasionally seen in cats. It may affect one or both of the knees. In some cases it moves (luxates) towards the inside
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Canine Distemper
Category: Pet Health, Diseases and Viruses
Canine distemper is caused by a virus that is shed in bodily fluids of infected animals. The virus affects primarily the lungs, intestines, and nervous system. Symptoms of the infection can include coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, inappetance, dehydration, weight loss, seizures, and encephalitis. Secondary
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Vertigo or Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome
Category: Pet Health, Chronic Conditions
Vertigo is a syndrome in the elderly dog, which can be very frightening to the owners. The dog is suddenly afflicted with a balance problem, usually staggering, but occasionally unable to stand, and more rarely actually rolling over and over. There is a tilting of the head to one side and nystagmus,
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