Webvet Cats Feed

Webvet Cats Feed http://www.webvet.com/main/index2/id/cat This feed contains articles about Cats en-us Copyright 2009 Webvet, LLC 2009-11-20T20:20-05:00 advertise@webvet.com advertise@webvet.com Cats hourly Is your pet stressed? http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2127 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2127">Is your pet stressed?</a><br /><p>In both humans and animals, <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1963" target="_blank">stress</a> can cause fear, anxiety, and restlessness. The psychological state of your pet is not unlike or unaffected by your own. In fact, studies show that household pets, such as cats, dogs, and birds, often take on our stress and are just as vulnerable to post-stress disorders after a traumatic experience. In addition to bearing our emotional burdens, animals too have their own stress and anxiety to cope with. Some stress-related behaviors appear more often; however, just as it is with humans, the causes, signs, and ways to manage stress vary for every animal. </p><p>As pet owners, this means that we should pay close attention when our pets start to behave out of character, because it usually means something needs to be addressed. Spot probably didn’t start chewing on the couch because it tastes good; Spot is most likely responding to a change in his environment or deviation from his normal routine, and he needs attention. If something seems “off,” you should check with your veterinarian. Sometimes, what might seem to be stress-related behavior in your pet may actually be a serious physical ailment that needs treatment. </p><p>“Owners often think they are overreacting, but in many instances, they help me catch something before it gets worse,” said Mike Fietz, DVM Georgetown Veterinary Hospital. “Kitty might be urinating on the couch because she hates your new girlfriend, but she also might have a urinary tract infection that needs treating, and it is accordingly important not to write symptoms off as trivial or ‘just stress.’”</p><h4>Signs and causes of stress in pets</h4><p>Stress is a normal, and even healthy, response for any animal if a situation grows unpleasant. But where do we draw the line between “normal stress” and “pathologic anxiety”? If the signs suggest your pet is feeling stressed, your best bet is to check with a vet. There are some measures you can take to help prevent stress, and other procedures that you can implement to respond to it. <br />        <br />Let’s take a look at some of the causes, signs, and ways to manage stress in pets. What are some causes? Of course, this list could go on indefinitely: </p><ul><li>Any change in normal routine: company visiting, a new baby or pet in the house, a change in the owner’s work schedule, etc. </li><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2081" target="_blank">Separation anxiety</a>: worry and fear when removed from the owner's presence (this is one of the most frequent problems seen by vets). </li></ul><h4>How can you tell? </h4><p>The array of symptoms of stress in pets is vast, and often contradictory. According to Fietz, “The manifestations of stress and anxiety may even be more varied than the causes.” </p><ul><li>Minor cues such as pacing, panting, vocalizing. </li><li>Urinating and defecating inappropriately, despite being otherwise well housetrained.</li><li>Hunger strikes, or ravenous eating.  </li><li>“Clinginess," or just the opposite, detachment or hiding. </li><li>Destructive behavior, panic attacks </li></ul><h4>Managing your pet’s stress</h4><p>Stress and anxiety are handled differently depending on the source and symptoms.  </p><ul><li>According to Fietz, it is almost always preferable to begin non-medically, trying to condition the pet's behavior through exposure and positive re-enforcement.  In more intense cases, people may even need to seek the help of trainers and behaviorists. </li><li>Sometimes legitimate anxiety can only be benefited by long-term medical management. According to Fietz, “These drugs can be safe and effective, but they are not magic pills, and are intended to be used in conjunction with appropriate training to help address the problem at its root.”</li></ul><p>In most cases of behavioral disorders, however, vets and behaviorists are cautious to avoid the word "cured." This is particularly true when aggression is part of the mix, and a false sense of security might lead to injury. For the safety of those around these animals -- and particularly children -- caution is always warranted. Most of these animals retain a good degree of hypersensitivity to stress, and really benefit from owners that are not only understanding of the problem, but willing to work with them to maintain a healthy quality of life.  It's challenging, no doubt, but those challenges often yield bonds between owners and their pets that are uniquely powerful and rewarding.  </p><h4>Tips for keeping your pet happy and emotionally healthy </h4><ul><li>Spend time with your pets. Allot 30 minutes of your day to spend with your cats, and even more to spend with your dogs. </li><li>Petting your dog or cat is a calming motional which may work to relieve your own stress, and at the same time, relieve the stress of your pet.</li><li>Emotions are transferred in a household. If there is a significant amount of stress in your home, your pet is going to feel it. Try to remain calm around your pets. </li><li>Walk your dogs daily. Try to switch up your routes to keep your pet occupied. Play with your cats. Boredom can lead to stress and anxiety. </li></ul><p>Again, don’t be shy. If you notice something strange in your pet’s behavior, don’t hesitate to call your vet.  </p><br />By Jennifer Larson for WebVet By Jennifer Larson for WebVet Cats Pet insurance for puppies and kittens http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2120 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2120">Pet insurance for puppies and kittens</a><br /><p>The time to start thinking about <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2109" target="_blank">pet insurance</a> for your dog or cat is before it needs medical care, mostly likely when it's a puppy or kitten. </p><p>Insuring animals while they are young and healthy can eliminate substantial veterinary costs that can be incurred throughout the life of a pet. However, it is a decision that should be made early in your pet is a puppy or a kitten to avoid some of the exclusions common in the pet insurance industry. </p><p>“If you plan to insure your pet at all, it is best to do it when the pet is as young as possible and before it’s had any medical conditions,” said Darren Defeo, senior vice president of <a href="http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com/" target="_blank">Trupanion</a>, a Seattle-based pet insurance company. “No pet plans insure pre-existing conditions, that is, those that occur or show signs or symptoms before you get the plan.” </p><h4>Unique plan</h4><p>Trupanion is unique in that it insures only puppies and kittens between the ages of eight weeks and one year, and then provides lifetime coverage up to $20,000. Because pre-existing conditions are not a factor, the insurer is able to pass on savings to the consumer in the form of lower premiums. </p><p>Depending on the company, policies typically range from $24.00 to $37.00 per month for puppies and $14.00 to $24.00 per month for kittens. However, since the cost of veterinary care differs from state to state, premiums vary depending on zip code. The degree of coverage also fluctuates with the carrier.</p><p>Not only can insurance pay dividends in the long run for some pet owners, but covering puppies and kittens can reap financial benefits early on as well. Like small children, young animals are prone to unsafe behavior such as swallowing objects, which can require expensive emergency medical care.</p><h4>Allergy costs</h4><p>Also, dogs and cats sometime develop allergies that require a lifetime’s worth of costly medication. That medication could cost as much as $200 per month, and over the life of a pet can add up to more than $20,000. With pet insurance, that same medication would cost roughly $20 per month less any deductibles.</p><p>Although the savings can be substantial when insurance is purchased for a young animal, some pet owners wait until their pet is in need of medical care before they consider insurance. That can lead to a difficult financial decision that can compromise the health of a pet.</p><p>“The majority of people wait until it’s too late to get insurance,” Defeo said. “They wait until they have a $5,000 surgery or until their pet has those allergies that cost $200 a month to treat. Unfortunately, those things that occur before they get the insurance will not be covered.”</p><h4>Changing trends</h4><p>Unlike human health or car insurance, which are standard expenditures in most U.S. budgets, pet insurance is still not a staple for most pet owners. However, as the industry continues to grow, more pet owners are realizing the benefits of insuring their new additions.</p><p>“Most people in the United States and Canada have yet to hear about pet insurance or accept it as a customary practice,” Defeo added. “So many of them don’t look into it until they realize just how expensive veterinary treatment can be.” </p><br />By Tom Kent for WebVet By Tom Kent for WebVet Cats Treating fractures in cats and dogs http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2122 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2122">Treating fractures in cats and dogs</a><br /><p><a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=211&med=1" target="_blank">Fractures</a> in dogs and cats are most often caused by trauma, such as being hit by a car or jumping or falling from a height.  Fractures can also be caused by aggressive <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=15&med=1" target="_blank">cancer</a> that destroys the bone or by certain metabolic conditions that leach calcium from bone.</p><h4>Bones</h4><p>Bones provide a rigid structure to the body and act as the levers that turn muscle movement into motion [link to dog and cat skeletons].  The term “bone” makes most people think of the bones in the limbs, such as the femur (thigh), tibia (shin), radius (forearm), and humerus (upper arm).  However, the ribs, spinal vertebrae, hips, shoulder, and skull are also made of bone.  In dogs and cats, the spinal vertebrae extend all the way down into the tip of the tail.  Male dogs also have a bone in the penis.</p><p>Bones consist of an outer, hard portion known as the cortex and an inner, spongy portion known as the marrow.  The outside surface of the cortex is surrounded by a fibrous capsule called the periosteum, which contains blood vessels and nerves [link to cross-sectional diagram of bone].  The periosteum also contains immature cells that grow into the osteoblasts, which are the cells involved in growth of bone and fracture repair.</p><p>In young animals, plates or layers of osteoblasts are found near the ends of bones, from which new bone grows as the animal matures.  Damage to these developing plates can stunt bone growth and lead to deformed limbs.</p><h4>Fractures</h4><p>Bones contain large amounts of calcium, which makes them hard and resilient, but unfortunately also breakable.  The complexity and severity of a fracture depends on the force of the impact, the location of the injury, and the general age and health of the individual dog or cat [link to sketches of the different types of fractures].</p><p>Hairline fractures: The simplest types of fractures produce fine cracks near the middle of long bones, such as those in the legs.  These hairline fractures cause little or no displacement of the bone, much like cracks in a windshield.</p><p>Multiple-piece fractures and fractures that involve a joint: Stronger impacts can cause the edges of the fractured pieces of the bone to separate, or the bone may shatter into multiple pieces, making repair more difficult.  Fractures that involve a joint are even more serious.  These types of fractures can interfere with movement and lead to arthritis long after the bone has healed.</p><p>Open or compound fractures: Fractures in which the bone is exposed are called “open” or “compound” factures.  In these serious fractures, jagged edges of the bone can pierce surrounding tissues and damage muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.  In addition, because the bone is exposed to the outside environment, these types of fractures are often contaminated and serious infections that are difficult to resolve can develop.</p><h4>Transporting your pet to the veterinarian</h4><p>If you suspect your pet has a fracture, try to minimize movement of the affected leg while you transport your pet to your veterinarian.  If any of the bone is exposed, cover it with a damp, clean towel to protect the area.  Damage to the periosteum caused by the fracture is very painful, so take care while moving your pet—any animal may bite when in pain or frightened.</p><h4>Diagnosis</h4><p>Your vet will begin evaluating the fracture and perform a complete physical examination to check for any additional injuries.  X-rays will be needed to assess the fracture more thoroughly and to consider how best to stabilize and repair it.</p><h4>Treatment</h4><p>Depending on the specific nature of the fracture, your vet may recommend external stabilization or internal fixation.  The objective of all procedures is to bring the pieces of bone into the correct alignment and to hold them firmly in place (ie, no movement) so that healing can occur.</p><p>External stabilization consists of traditional splints, casts, and padded bandages that can be used to immobilize minor or simple fractures (eg, hairline fractures).  Internal fixation involves surgical procedures to piece the fracture together while your pet is under anesthesia.  The simplest type of internal fixation consists of inserting a metal pin lengthwise into the center of the bone, so that the pin can act as an internal splint.  This type of internal fixation can work well for a small pet that has a simple fracture in the middle of a long bone, such as the femur, or thigh bone.  In fractures that have multiple bone pieces or involve a joint, internal fixation is more complicated; the pieces need to be replaced manually and held in place with metal plates, pins, screws, and/or wire.  Because this type of surgery requires specialized skills, your vet may refer you to an orthopedic specialist.</p><h4>Healing and recovery</h4><p>Fractures heal from the outside in.  Blood vessels in the periosteum produce a fibrous capsule called a callus. The callus surrounds the outside of the fracture to hold the damaged bone in place while it heals.  Specialized cells called osteoblasts then enter the fracture site to produce new bone that toughens the mend.</p><p>Healing occurs at varying rates depending on the age of the pet, the type of fracture and severity of the damage, and the type of fixation.  For example, young puppies generally heal within a few weeks, while healing can take several months in older dogs.  It is important to limit your pet’s activity during the healing process, so that the bones stay aligned and heal together properly.  Too much activity can refracture the bone, delay healing, or lead to a deformed limb from stress on the weakened bone.  While your pet is convalescing, your vet may recommend x-rays at various time intervals to gauge how healing is progressing and when your pet can return to full function.</p><br />By Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS and John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD By Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS and John A. Bukowski, DVM, MPH, PhD Cats Exercise for your cat http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1464 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1464">Exercise for your cat</a><br /><p>Eliminating <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1396/med/0" target="_blank" title="Obesity in cats, the 'fat cat epidemic'">obesity in cats</a> goes beyond diet. It also involves getting cats to exercise and stop being cat potatoes. In addition to getting your cat to exercise, it's also important to enrich your cat's environment -- that means shifting the focus from <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1397/med/0" target="_blank" title="Treating and preventing feline obesity">feeding time</a> to play time.</p><p>Colleen Currigan, DVM, of the Cat Hospital of Chicago, suggests employing "environmental enrichment'' techniques. Environmental enrichment provides cats with interesting, stimulating surroundings and activities, and is a win-win situation for cats - it gets them moving, plus it adds new stimulation to their lives, which can help take some of the focus away from the food bowl. </p><p>Currigan said owners should:</p><ul><li>Play with their cats. "All animals love to play,'' she said. "Playtime is fun for cats, and it's excellent bonding time with owners for them. It's attention without food, and it's fun and stimulating for them.''</li><li>Offer a variety of toys and switch them around. "To keep your cat from getting bored with them, don't leave the toys out all the time, and regularly alternate the ones your kitty is allowed to play with,'' Currigan said. </li></ul><ul><li>Use food as a toy. Currigan said owners also could feed their cats by putting dry food in a treat ball. The cat has to move the ball to get to the food. Some veterinarians also suggest moving the food bowl around to different locations -- or splitting the food among several bowls in different locations. </li></ul><h4>Playing with your food</h4><p>Currigan said she personally gets her cats exercising by taking a portion of each cat's dry food meal and "playing'' with it, and her cats love it. For example, she'll toss pieces of dry food in different directions or down a long hallway for her cats to chase. </p><p>"They love to run after and pounce on those pieces of dry food, and one of them routinely jumps in the air and goes after them,'' she said. "They actually treat those little pieces of food like prey.''</p><p>Currigan initially started this to get her cats moving a bit more -- but it turns out that not only do they move more, but they also look forward to the game. She has started doing the same thing at night with one of the hospital cats, Bella, who is chubby.</p><h4>Award "beggars'' with attention, not food</h4><p>For cats that beg for food, Currigan suggests that owners reward them with attention -- either in the form of play, or brushing and combing, rather than with food. </p><p>"I truly think that for many of our cats, the highlight of their day is when they are fed -- that's when they get the most attention,'' she said. "If we can shift that focus and make an effort to play with our cats, the cats will have a more enriched, stimulating environment, they will be less likely to suffer from the stress of boredom, and they will be less likely to become overweight. They will have stimulating highlights to their day as well as having their basic needs met.''</p><p>. </p><br />By Howard Wolinsky for WebVet By Howard Wolinsky for WebVet Cats Animal sex: The scent of a woman http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2262 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2262">Animal sex: The scent of a woman</a><br />  <h4>"I am calling you-ou-ou-ou-ou-ooo!" </h4><p>Whether bringing individuals together from miles away or from right next door, sending and receiving chemical signals is the oldest form of communication on the planet. Whether secreted from skin, tongues, or glands, sexual "pheromones"  -- wafted through the air, suffused in water, or deposited on the ground -- send their distinctive "come hither" message to the opposite sex:"I am ready. Now!" </p> <p>The word ‘pheromone' comes from the Greek<em>, pherin</em>, to transfer, and <em>hormon</em>, to excite or stimulate. While pheromones perform a variety of functions -- like identifying male territory, and warning away rivals -- <em>sexual</em> pheromones are designed to attract and arouse the opposite sex. </p> <h4>How it works</h4> <p>Animals produce hormones. When secreted externally they become pheromones. The "scent" is received by the opposite sex through the ‘vomeronasal organ,' a part of the olfactory system -- the system by which animals smell things and get their brains stimulated. </p> <p>The effects of all this olfactory ‘Morse Code' are as diverse as the animals that employ it, as these examples show: </p> <ul><li>Female pigs become sexually aroused by the sex pheromones in the saliva of male pigs. </li><li>Golden male hamsters are stimulated to mount females after getting a whiff of vaginal pheromones. </li><li>Female goldfish release their pheromones into the water at night, and the males, picking up the scent, find themselves producing sperm for fertilization. The next morning, when the females are ready to spawn, the males enthusiastically make the journey in search of the goldfish beauties with that alluring scent. However, it's a little disconcerting to discover that all the guys in the neighborhood are making the same commute. </li></ul> <h4>That signature scent</h4> <p>Part of the work of sex pheromones is to help members of the same species identify each other, so it won't be a waste of time to have sex. </p> <p>For instance, there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of <em>moths,</em> but there is only one particular, chemically correct, sexual pheromone per species. A male silk moth will receive a female's sexual invitation from as far away as seven miles, but he won't bother to waste his time and energy flying over -- making himself vulnerable to predators and competing with all the other males she is beckoning to -- unless the pheromone is from a female of his own kind. When the right call gets the attention of the male's antennae, it's then pretty much irresistible. </p> <h4>How about them red garter snakes?</h4> <p>Nature is never satisfied until a species evolves the best strategy for mating and surviving. So it should come as no surprise that some animal groups will break or bend the pheromone attraction rules.</p> <p>Take the case of the Manitoba red-sided garter snake. Some males mimic the pheromones of the females, thereby tricking other males into trying to have sex with them. Yes, that's right; they become "she-males."</p> <p>Manitoba garter snakes spend the entire winter in the frigid Canadian region between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg, arriving by the thousands, after slithering their way over miles of rocky terrain. Males and females hibernate together in crevasses as small as six feet wide and sixteen feet deep to keep from freezing to death. When spring arrives, each den disgorges as many as 10,000 snakes. The males are the first to emerge from their winter retreat. When the females finally appear, seething balls of hundreds of male snakes form around one female. These snake balls remain intact, rolling around the rocky terrain until one male has successfully mated with the female.</p> <h4>Trick or treat?</h4> <p>Here's the interesting part. Some mating balls have no female. In that writhing horde of snakes, the only way a male can identify a female is by her pheromones, secreted through her skin. Snakes flick their tongues in and out, picking up chemical cues from the air, and transfer them to a sensory organ in the roof of their mouth.</p> <p>So, why would any self-respecting male garter snake become a she-male? One theory is that this subterfuge keeps the other males from "getting the girl" and passing on their genes. They're all busy mistakenly trying to mate the imposter. </p> <h4>Are we at the mercy of our body chemistry?</h4> <p>Do humans also emit and receive pheromes? Do we "smell" as good as the rest of the animal world? To find out you'll have to read my next Animal Sex blog-"The Scent of a Woman." [LINK to the blog] </p> <h4>Coming Attractions</h4><p> Next up on <em>Birds Do It, Bees Do It</em>, you'll read about a sea creature with a penis that can grip like a hand. "What is tugging on my leg? Oh noooo..." </p><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: 200%; vertical-align: baseline"><span class="apple-style-span"></span></p> <br />By Sally Schloss for WebVet By Sally Schloss for WebVet Cats Canine diabetes month: A time to be alert http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2260 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2260">Canine diabetes month: A time to be alert</a><br />  <h4>A Puddle on the Sofa</h4> <p>It all started with an "accident" on the sofa. Zak, a <a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/275" target="_blank" title="Miniature Schnauzer breed information ">Miniature Schnauzer</a> owned by Fran Stepps of Mesquite, Texas, had always been a frisky yet well-behaved dog. True, he had been a bit thirstier than usual lately but that didn't seem like cause for alarm. It was only when the normally well-trained Zak urinated on the furniture that Stepps grew concerned. Zak's veterinarian performed tests that revealed <em><a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=31&med=1">diabetes mellitus </a>-- sometimes called "sugar diabetes" <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=31&med=1">--</a></em> and prescribed daily doses of human insulin. But even after a year on the medication, Zak's blood glucose levels were not fully under control. Not only that, he grew listless and lost a lot of weight, dropping from 26 pounds to 17. Determined to help her beloved pet, Stepps researched the problem and found information about porcine insulin zinc suspension, the only form of injectable insulin made specifically for dogs. After consulting with Zak's vet again, he agreed to prescribe the new drug.  The result:  Zak's blood glucose level quickly stabilized and his condition improved. The story underscores the importance of early diagnosis and prompt, effective intervention to treat diabetes.</p> <h4>Raising awareness</h4> <p>Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health (ISP) -- with the support of the <a href="http://www.aahanet.org/">American Animal Hospital Association</a> (AAHA) -- is sponsoring Pet Diabetes Month in November, as a way to raise awareness of the disease and educate pet owners on the warning signs and appropriate care. The <a href="http://www.petdiabetesmonth.com/">Pet Diabetes Month website</a> is an excellent source of diabetes information for owners of both dogs and cats.<br />  <br /> Randy Lynn, DVM, MS, DACVP, Manager-Technical Services for ISP, said: "This campaign is designed to help pet owners understand the condition, its risk factors and what to do if they notice a change in their pet's behavior or appearance that might indicate diabetes. Detection and management can help prevent serious medical complications, including <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=51&med=1" target="_blank" title="Heart disease in dogs">heart disease</a> and <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=63&med=1" target="_blank" title="Kidney problems in dogs">kidney problems</a>, which can occur when the disease is left untreated."</p> <h4>A Common Malady</h4> <p>Diabetes in pets is not uncommon. Approximately one dog in 500 develops the disease and that number is on the rise. "Diabetes in dogs is almost always insulin-dependent and veterinarians don't really understand the reasons for the increase," Lynn said . "In <a href="http://www.petdiabetesmonth.com/cat_what_is.asp">cats</a>, the disease is seen in those who have many of the same risk factors often seen in people with diabetes: <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/76/med/1" target="_blank" title="Obesity in dogs and cats">obesity</a>, a sedentary lifestyle and a high carbohydrate/low protein diet. Fortunately, we know that a significant percentage of diabetic cats can return to a non-diabetic state if they are diagnosed early and treated appropriately with diet and insulin." </p> <h4>Which Breeds Are at Risk? </h4> <p>While the disease may occur in any dog, certain breeds are at greater risk: </p> <ul><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/214" target="_blank" title="Cocker Spaniel breed information">Cocker Spaniels</a></li><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/489" target="_blank" title="Dachshund breed information ">Dachshunds</a></li><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/222" target="_blank" title="Doberman Pinscher breed information">Doberman Pinschers</a></li><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/236" target="_blank" title="German Shepherd breed information">German Shepherds</a></li><li><a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/236" target="_blank" title="Golden Retriever breed information">Golden Retrievers</a></li><li> <a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/263" target="_blank" title="Labrador Retriever breed information">Labrador Retrievers</a></li><li> <a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/297" target="_blank" title="Pomeranian breed information">Pomeranians</a></li><li> <a href="http://www.webvet.com/breeds/show/id/298" target="_blank" title="Toy poodle breed information">Toy Poodles</a></li></ul> <p>Diabetes typically occurs in dogs from four to 14 years old, and <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/92/med/1" target="_blank" title="Spaying dogs">unspayed female dogs</a> are twice as likely as males to suffer from the disease.</p> <h4>What are the signs of diabetes?</h4> <p><a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/31/med/1">Signs of diabetes</a> often develop gradually and most commonly include drinking a lot of water, urinating more often than usual, increased appetite, weight loss, and skin sores that take a long time to heal. However, only your veterinarian can make a definitive diagnosis by measuring sugar (glucose) levels in your pet's blood and urine.</p> <h4>Managing the Condition</h4> <p>Zak is one of the lucky ones. In addition to administering insulin to Zak every day, his owner tests his blood glucose levels twice a day before meals and carefully monitors his diet. Stepps also makes sure the 11-year-old dog has regular check-ups and gets plenty of exercise. With that much TLC, she can expect Zak to live a normal lifespan for his breed. "Dogs and cats can live long and happy lives if they receive appropriate therapy with diet and insulin," said Lynn. </p> <h4>Better safe than sorry</h4> <p> November -- Pet Diabetes Month -- is a good time for all pet owners to educate themselves about the warning signs of canine and feline diabetes. If you think your pet may be affected, don't wait to act; check with your veterinarian promptly. Remember: pet diabetes <strong>can </strong>be treated. </p><br />By Yona Zeldis McDonough for Webvet By Yona Zeldis McDonough for Webvet Cats Halloween pet hazards: What you need to know http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2257 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2257">Halloween pet hazards: What you need to know</a><br /><p>Halloween is a festive day -- and night -- for children, and a hectic one for adults: there are the decorations, the candy, pumpkin carving, crowds of trick-or-treaters to be lavished with seasonal treats, and generally good-natured mayhem. </p><p>But for the family pet, there are some Halloween hazards to be aware of. Here's our list of the top five, with suggestions on how to keep your Halloween celebration pet-safe and pet-friendly.</p><h4>Halloween hazard #1: Chocolate</h4><p>With chocolate bars and other chocolate-based treats in abundance, it's easy to forget that <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1870">chocolate</a> is toxic to pets. It contains a compound called <em>theobromine</em>.  If enough is ingested, your animal can suffer from <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/236/med/1" target="_blank" title="Dog and cat vomit">vomiting</a>, <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/238/med/1" target="_blank" title="Dog and cat diarrhea">diarrhea</a>, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=88&med=1">seizures</a>, and possible death. </p> <p>If you keep a ‘goodies basket' by the front door for trick-or-treaters, make sure your pet doesn't run off with any ‘samples' for itself.</p> <h4>Halloween hazard #2: Decorations</h4><p>Halloween decorations have evolved from paper cutouts hung in the window to elaborate -- even lavish -- outdoor displays. Sometimes, the materials used can be dangerously attractive for pets. Small, low-hanging decorations on trees and shrubbery can tempt some pets to take a nibble, resulting in intestinal blockages.</p><h4>Halloween hazard #3: Dangerous foods</h4><p>Many common <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1870">foods that are dangerous to pets</a> may be more plentiful on Halloween because they are popular in common trick-or-treat goodies. In addition to chocolate, these include nuts, raisins, chewing gum, mints, and anything containing <em>xylitol</em>, a commonly used artificial sweetener. Xylitol -- often found in baked goods and candies -- has been associated with liver failure and death in dogs.</p><h4>Halloween hazard #4: Anxiety & stress</h4><p>Some pets enjoy the excitement of crowds and are eager to join in the fun. If your dog is a party animal, then by all means take it along trick-or-treating. But many dogs -- and certainly most cats -- become frightened or even uncharacteristically aggressive in crowds. If your pet belongs to the latter group, Halloween may be a good time to put it in a quiet room with food and water, away from all the hubbub.</p><h4>Halloween hazard #5: Escape artists</h4><p>With trick-or-treaters coming and going every few minutes, leaving the door open is a welcoming thing to do. But it can be a bit too tempting for a pet that just feels like "stepping out" for the evening. So keep a close eye on your pet to prevent any escapes. </p><p>You should also make sure that your pet is always wearing some kind of identification, just in case: <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=188&med=1">microchipping</a> is ideal; but at the very least, make sure your pet is wearing an identification or rabies tag with your contact information.</p><p>For children - and, let's face it, plenty of adults -- Halloween festivities are an eagerly awaited time of shared fun and frolic. Keeping in mind these five pet perils will go a long way to making sure your Halloween memories are all pleasant ones.</p><br />By Peter Lopatin for WebVet By Peter Lopatin for WebVet Cats Animal Sex: The Scent of a Woman http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2258 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2258">Animal Sex: The Scent of a Woman</a><br />  <p>Across the animal world, creatures from insects to mammals release and receive sexual pheromones -- scent hormones -- signaling to the opposite sex that they're "in the mood." Males will travel miles, following the scent trail of a female. A female who wouldn't have given the time of day to some guy will suddenly find him <em>very</em> attractive. In fact, all she can think about is having his babies-and it all began with a whiff and a little chemistry.</p> <h4>It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing</h4> <p>But what about humans? Are we unconsciously at the mercy of sexual pheromones like the rest of the animal kingdom? Are we busy sending and receiving "I'm interested and available" signals to Mr. or Ms. Right across a crowded room, even if we don't know it? </p> <p>According to an article in the <em>New Scientist</em>, there is no clear understanding of how human pheromones -- if they exist -- might affect our brains, since, unlike other animals, we have no actively functioning vomeronasal organ -- VNO -- the organ animals use to detect pheromones. Although we have something resembling a VNO, it doesn't appear to be connected to the brain; so: no brain, no reaction, no resulting behavior. It may just be that we left this method of communication behind in our ancestral past, in favor of our more highly evolved visual and verbal skills. It seems we do as good a job, if not better, attracting our perspective mates, by what we say, how we look, and how we behave. </p> <h4>Animals make their own "perfume"</h4> <p>In the scent-loving animal world, pheromones are "manufactured" by animals as the aphrodisiacs of their courtship. And they are not only airborne; they can also be secreted in saliva, sweat and urine. As Adrian Forsyth points out in <em>A Natural History of Sex,</em> white-tailed deer and elk bucks will give off their own perfume by urinating and ejaculating on the ground and then wallowing in it. This drives the females wild. The male porcupine showers his beloved in his urine, soaking her in his scent, to get her aroused. Rabbits and hares leap into the air and from that vantage point, spray their desired ones in urine.</p> <p>And now, human ingenuity has turned animal pheromones to practical, commercial use. A product called "Boar Mate" has been created, which farmers spray on boars to get them interested in mating with sows. The only ingredient in Boar Mate is the hormone androsterone, which is found in pig saliva, and is a powerful, sexually seductive chemical that is irresistible to male and female swine.  (Interestingly, androsterone has also been found in human male urine and in the sweat emitted from male armpits.)  </p> <h4>Eau de people</h4> <p>Just when you were ready to believe humans don't send and receive sex pheromones, new research shows that some animal species detect pheromones using their olfactory system. So, it may turn out that animals and humans are not so different in this respect than we seem to think! </p> <p>New brain-imaging studies suggest that humans may indeed respond to sex pheromones. In one such study, women who were asked to smell sweat-drenched pads that had been worn in male armpits showed a reaction in the primitive part of their brains, where sexual feelings originate. </p> <p>More studies will need to be done to prove the relationship between our secreted hormones and sexual arousal. But if these pheromones get identified, duplicated and manufactured -- like Boar Mate -- then perfume that actually <em>is</em> effective could be a dangerous thing. Imagine walking along the street and suddenly you get a whiff of male cologne; your knees buckle, your thoughts become clouded, and all you can think about is a little afternoon delight. You turn your head to find the source of that compelling scent and you find a street full of women, all turning in the same direction. Men!</p> <p> </p> <br />By Sally Schloss for WebVet By Sally Schloss for WebVet Cats Pet Airways: Only pets allowed http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2259 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2259">Pet Airways: Only pets allowed</a><br />  <p>When Zach, a nine-year-old, 60-pound <a href="http://webvet.com/breeds/show/id/331" target="_blank" title="Stafforshire Terrier breed information">Staffordshire Terrier</a>, bounded off a Pet Airways plane in Los Angeles last September, he had a chew toy in his mouth and a spring in his step.</p> <p>Zach was being reunited with Eileen Barber, his companion since he was a year old. Barber had been forced to give Zach up when she relocated from Williamsburg, Va., to San Diego and her new landlord -- at first -- would not allow pets. Fortunately for both owner and pet, the landlord eventually relented and Barber looked forward to bringing Zach - who had been living in a shelter -- to her new home. </p> <p>But a 10-day roundtrip journey by car was out of the question, so Teri Parkhouse -- manager of Ring Dog Rescue, the shelter that had been caring for Zach -- looked into the possibility of flying him in the cargo hold of a commercial airline.</p> <p>"Zach had been through a lot," Parkhouse said. We were concerned it would be too stressful for him to fly commercial". After much investigation, Parkhouse discovered <a href="http://www.petairways.com/">Pet Airways</a>, a Florida-based airline that describes itself as "a pet-only airline dedicated to pet-friendly travel." </p> <h4>Pet Airways takes wing </h4> <p>Founded by start-up business consultants Alysa Binder and husband Dan Wiesel, Pet Airways launched July 14 with weekly flights between the Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, and Baltimore/Philadelphia/Washington, D.C. areas -- cities with significant numbers of pet passengers. Binder, who now serves as Pet Airways' executive vice president, said she expects that the airline will serve 25 cities in the next couple of years.</p> <p>Binder and Wiesel were inspired to found Pet Airways because of the trauma that their Jack Russell Terrier, Zoe, experienced while flying in the cargo hold of a flight from San Francisco to Del Ray Beach, Fla., when the couple relocated. </p> <p>"Zoe was shook up by the flight across the country," Binder said. "Zoe had been a gregarious little dog, full of energy. But immediately after the flight, she just wasn't," Binder said.  This is when Binder and Wiesel knew they had to come up with an alternative solution for pet travel.</p> <p>Pet Airways employs a fleet of 19 human-passenger, climate-controlled Beech 1900 turbo-prop planes especially refitted to accommodate up to 50 dogs and cats. The airline's "pawsengers" fly in secure carriers in comfortably maintained passenger cabins -- from which the seats and overhead bins have been removed -- rather than in cramped cargo holds. </p> <p>Binder said her research showed that 76 million cats and dogs travel with their owners each year, but relatively few fly on airplanes. Only an estimated two million pets a year fly the nation's airways -- under seats, if they're small enough, or in cargo holds if they're not.</p> <p>"This is not surprising considering the appalling conditions under which most pets must travel," Binder said. "Although many airlines allow small pets to travel with their owners, stowed under the seat, most airlines will accept only one or two pets per flight. Pets that are too big to fit under the seat are relegated to cargo, and unfortunately in many cases, are treated as such."</p> <h4>Why do people choose Pet Airways? </h4> <p>Binder cited five reasons people choose to fly their pets on Pet Airways: </p> <p>1. Relocation<br /> 2. Vacation<br /> 3. Visiting relatives<br /> 4. Dog and cat shows<br /> 5. Pet rescue and adoption</p> <p>She said that Pet Airways aims to be price-competitive with the human airlines. As with human flights, Pet Airways' ticket prices vary according to flight length and destination; in addition, the larger the pet, the higher the fare. For example, according to information on Pet Airways' website, two representative, mid-week round-trip fares were as follows: 1) $449 between New York and LA, for a dog weighing 51-75 lbs. and standing up to 21" in height; 2) $299 between Chicago and Denver for a cat weighing not more than 20 lbs. and standing up to 11" in height.</p> <h4>The flying experience</h4> <p>Pets must be dropped off at Pet Airways' airport lounge no later than two hours before take-off. Owners may, however, drop them off up to 72 hours before flying, in which case they will be boarded at the Airlines' "PAWS Lodge" until flight time. </p> <p>Binder said that Pet Airways' passengers have a different sort of experience on her planes than on commercial airliners.</p> <p>Pets fly in carriers supplied by the airline based on their size. The carriers are carefully secured to ensure the animals' comfort and safety. A "pet attendant"-- a <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1471/med/0" target="_blank" title="Vet technician">veterinary technician</a> -- monitors and checks on the dogs and cats on board every 15 minutes. </p> <p>Pets are given regular "potty breaks" after disembarking. Binder emphasized that pets are never left unattended in a warehouse or on a ramp.</p> <p>Throughout the duration of their pet's journey, pet owners can check on the status of their flight on Pet Airways' website. </p> <h4>Less stress</h4> <p>Binder said that Pet Airways' goal is to make flying pets as stress-free as possible, both for pets and pet parents. If the experience of Zach and his owner are typical, then the new airline is well on its way to accomplishing that goal. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <br />By Howard Wolinsky for WebVet By Howard Wolinsky for WebVet Cats