Adopt a Pet | Find Your New Best Friend

For dogs, we offer heartworm and internal parasite preventatives like Interceptor® Plus to help stop heartworms, tapeworms, and other worms before they become an issue. For cats, we offer BRAVECTO® PLUS for protection from fleas and ticks, heartworm disease, and some intestinal worms. Even though they sense and process pain similarly to humans, hiding pain is a behavior animals developed long ago in the evolutionary process. This was necessary to protect themselves from predators during times of injury or sickness. Even though they’ve been domesticated for thousands of years, this adaptive advantage has remained ingrained in our pets to this day.

Unvaccinated dogs can contract parvovirus from the streets, especially in urban areas where there are many dogs. After a dog has been diagnosed, you should see some improvement in your dog’s condition within one week of treatment, but be alert to how long the symptoms last. In most cases, the signs of kennel cough gradually decrease and disappear after three weeks. Most kennels will not board a pet without proof of a recent vaccination against parainfluenza and Bordetella, two of the main causes of kennel cough. Kennel cough is often spread in enclosed areas with poor air circulation, like a kennel or an animal shelter.

It is a repeat performance of the actions their ancestors took before going to sleep under the stars. This “nesting” procedure also uncovers unwanted inhabitants such as snakes or insects. Moreover, changing the layout of an area by moving grass, snow, or leaves indicates to other wild dogs in the area that this particular spot is taken for the night. Get a Tractive GPS trackerto get peace of mind knowing you’ll be able to follow your dog’s every step.

Since infection won’t be immediately apparent, ask your veterinarian when to bring in a sample. Bacterial infection — Some wild animals can be hosts for leptospirosis, salmonella, and other harmful bacteria. Companion animals aren’t the only animals in need of protection during the winter months.

Around this age, you’ll want to ask your veterinarian about the various vaccination options available for her. Cats up to two years old are called “junior” cats and reach prime adulthood around three to six years. When your cat is between the ages of seven and ten years old, she’s mature, and at 11-14, she’s considered a senior cat. It’s not uncommon for cats to live even longer than that, reaching the venerable geriatric stage beginning at age 15. Remember to pay special attention to your cat’s health at her most vulnerable stages, and she should live a long and happy life.

Why do dogs turn around before lying down?

By providing my mobile number, I agree to receive 2-4 text messages per month from the ASPCA, which may include requests for charitable donations. A veterinarian may use an ultraviolet light to diagnose ringworm, or may examine a fungal culture taken from the affected area. A humidifier, vaporizer or steam from a shower can provide relief for irritated breathing passages. Vaccinations aren’t useful if a dog has already caught the virus. The disease has been seen in every state except Alaska, but is most common in or on the East Coast, southern United States and Mississippi River Valley. Treatment options vary and depend on the type and stage of cancer.

And sign up for the Tractive newsletter for more helpful information, plus special offers. And in case you’re actively looking for your dog, we’ve got our fingers crossed for you. Use other lost dog websites and apps, such as Fido Finder or Pet Amber Alert. Bring your dog’s favorite treats or toy with you to lure them out of hiding.

CPV probably arose as the result of 2 or 3 genetic mutations in FPV that allowed it to expand its host range to infect dogs. If your pet bites a person or another animal, consult your veterinarian immediately. Most states require that bites to humans be reported to the local health department. An animal control officer may contact you to file this report, and you will be required to show proof of your pet’s rabies vaccination. Puppies and kittens should receive their first rabies vaccination at 12 weeks of age. Pets must be vaccinated again in one year, and then a one to three-year rabies vaccine is generally administered during the rest of your pet’s life depending on where you live.

Some dogs are seriously ill when first diagnosed and require intensive hospitalized care for several days to regulate their blood sugar levels. After the virus has multiplied in the brain, almost all animals begin to show the first signs of rabies. Heartworms are parasitic worms that can affect the lungs, heart, and blood vessels of our pets.

Let’s hope, though, that our best friends will not have to experience life without us any time soon. Dog domestication was an extremely important turning point in human history. However, there’s scientific debate on exactly when that domestication began; estimates range from about 10,000 to nearly 40,000 years ago.

Such interbreeding would produce offspring that could survive and thrive without humans and thus pass on survival genes to future generations. While dogs can be perfectly happy living in a small apartment, they still need their outdoor exercise. If you lead an active lifestyle and can take your dog on walks or let him out in the backyard to run around and play a dog can be a great fit.

Rabies Facts & Prevention Tips

In some areas of the U.S., prairie dogs often invade dog parks. Prairie dogs carry fleas that can carry the bacteria that causes plague. Skunks, raccoons, foxes, feral cats and pigs, and other wildlife can also carry rabies and other diseases that can infect dogs. Fordomestic cats, these instincts make them much more independent than dogs.

The result is hyperglycemia, which, if left untreated, can cause many complicated health problems for a dog. They also run a high risk of exposure to wild animals who carry the disease. If you find a sick or injured wild animal, call your local animal control agency or humane society and let the experts handle it. The animal should be kept under the owner’s control and observed for 45 days. She is a kitten up to six months of age, by which time she should have developed good behavioral habits.

There is evidence suggesting that CPV loses some of its ability to infect an animal after one month in an indoor environment. Outside, you cannot bleach your lawn, but rain or watering can dilute the concentration of the virus over time. This dilution, combined with the sanitizing effects of sunlight can bring the numbers of viruses down to an acceptable level in a few weeks.

There you can also search through found dog postings to see if anyone has spotted your furry friend. Avoid using rat bait — Prevent secondary poisoning by removing any rat or mouse traps from your home, garage, and property. For requests to be unblocked, you must include all of the information in the box above in your message.