Pet Discussion :)

Discuss pets of all kinds, on a wide range of subjects. Pet health and nutrition, pet care, etc. You may also post your pets' pictures here.

DOG HEALTH



You love your dog, and your want her to be healthy and happy. Help keep your dog on the path to wellness with these dog health guidelines.

Expert Veterinary Care

High-quality veterinary care sets the foundation for your dog’s overall health. Find a veterinarian you can trust and visit regularly. Ideally, routine wellness examinations should be performed by your vet twice a year. Puppies and senior dogs should be seen even more frequently. If your dog has special needs, a chronic health condition or other illness, comply with your vet’s recommendations. Because your dog ages at a faster rate than you, many subtle changes can develop over a six to twelve month period. Routine visits allow your vet to closely monitor changes before your dog’s health gets out of control. Learn how to effectively communicate with your vet and you can expect the same in return. If you can develop a good connection with your vet, it can lead to long-term benefit for you and your dog.

Optimum Nutrition

Proper nutrition is a fundamental for a healthy dog. Diet directly affects your dog’s
skin and coat, weight, energy level, and gastrointestinal function. If a problem occurs in one of these areas, it may be linked to improper diet. Choose a high-quality dog food made by a reputable company, or learn about homemade diets. Once you find the right food for your dog, use that food consistently. Watch your dog’s response to the diet over 4-8 weeks. How does her coat look? It should be shiny and free of flakes, but not greasy. Have you noticed a change in her energy level? A decrease in energy could indicate a problem. Has she lost or gained weight? Obesity in dogs is a very common problem which can often be reversed with proper diet and exercise. Excess weight loss may occur if your dog does not find the food palatable. If her response to the diet is poor, it may be time to look into other foods. A sudden change in dog foods can cause gastrointestinal upset, so switch over gradually unless otherwise directed by your vet.

Routine Exercise

Many dog owners underestimate their dogs’ exercise needs. Destructive behavior may lead to a diagnosis of separation anxiety or other behavioral problems. While these conditions truly exist, in many cases the behavior is actually the result of an energy surplus. If you feed your dog a healthy diet, it should give her plenty of energy. However, if your dog can’t release that energy with exercise, it may be released on your furniture, carpet, doorways, or even your prized collection of rare books. Before you blame your dog for the damage, ask yourself if she’s getting enough exercise. In general, dogs need at least 1-2 hours of exercise per day, but this varies by breed, size and age. Over time, determine the ideal exercise regimen for your dog and establish a routine. You might even notice an improvement in your own health in the meantime.

Regular Grooming

Grooming is not just for “fancy” dogs. All dogs need some degree of basic physical upkeep. In general, your dog’s grooming needs will be based on her breed. However, your dog may have special needs due to health conditions such as allergies. The average short-haired dog will benefit from a monthly nail trim, bath and brushing. Long-haired dogs should be brushed out daily. Dogs with continuously growing hair may need a haircut every week or two. Once you determine your dog’s grooming needs, decide if you will be doing it yourself, or if you need to hire a professional. Either way, schedule grooming sessions for your dog on a regular basis.

Watch for Warning Signs

Because our dogs cannot speak in words, we must rely on the signs they give us. Your dog may exhibit a variety of signs that indicate a health problem. Just like you, your dog can develop a mild illness that resolves on its own, so not all signs are cause for alarm. However, many dogs will instinctively try to conceal signs of serious illness. Learn what to watch for and how to act appropriately before the illness becomes out of control. If your dog is displaying signs of illness, contact your vet right away.

Source : http://dogs.about.com/od/dogandpuppyhealth/a/healthydog.htm

I am soooo CRAZY about cats

Especially EXOTIC SHORTHAIR CATS aka The Sourface

the first one is cute

and i'm so crazy about DOGS!!

my favourites are Daschunds



Golden Retriever



and the one in my avatar.. I don't know what kind of dog it is.. do you know, benj? LOL


but i like all kinds of DOGS anyway..

camomile wrote:Especially EXOTIC SHORTHAIR CATS aka The Sourface

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
i want themmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

cam, the third cat is the most hensem.. the most sourface.. haha..

Alan_Ariel wrote:cam, the third cat is the most hensem.. the most sourface.. haha..

hahahaha...how dare you, they are the Love of my Life.....

Alan_Ariel wrote:and i'm so crazy about DOGS!!

my favourites are Daschunds



Golden Retriever



and the one in my avatar.. I don't know what kind of dog it is.. do you know, benj? LOL


but i like all kinds of DOGS anyway..

I think that's a welsh corgi Alan.

by the way the dachshund is so cute

As for me, though I am not a dog person. But, I really find this dog is the cutest of all dogs.....Mini Dog. The dog type is West Highland Terrier.













Well this is just a puppy of West Highland Terrier. The adult of WHT will look as cute as the puppy too....like the picture below of the adult version.

omg it's so cute! it's like a stuff toy :-3:i wish i could have that

Yeah, people might mistaken it as stuff toy...LOL, your mom wont even suspect you have a dog if you put her together with the soft toys.

i really think that's one of the cutest dog in the world hehe

THAT'S THE MOST CUTEST DOG I'VE EVER SEEN!! yet.. hehe.. I MUST HAVE ONE!! NOW WHERE'S MY PIGGY BANK?

more exotic shorthairs for cam..

Alan_Ariel wrote: THAT'S THE MOST CUTEST DOG I'VE EVER SEEN!! yet.. hehe.. I MUST HAVE ONE!! NOW WHERE'S MY PIGGY BANK?

wahaha super sour faced cats

cam, the WHT puppy reminds me of Maltese puppy.. soooo cute...

If i want to have a cat, I would probably take the fat sourface type because if the small skinny type, my nephews will squeeze them up....LOL

With the sourface, the cat look fierce and fat so it is too heavy for them to carry...LOL

I want a mouse. haha. i miss my mice who died already.

What kind of mouse NF? a hamster? guinea pig?

benjbuddy wrote:What kind of mouse NF? a hamster? guinea pig?

Mouse mouse lah. haha the one with the loooonng tail. so cute hahaha.

Alan_Ariel wrote:cam, the WHT puppy reminds me of Maltese puppy.. soooo cute...

yeah the adult WHT looks like Maltese

Alan_Ariel wrote:

OMG OMG I WANT TO GET THEM!!!!!!! SUPER CUUUUUUUUUUUUTE

me too, benj..

Alan_Ariel wrote:more exotic shorthairs for cam..

The black colour exotic looks the same as my friend's cat, so fat and naughty. My friend promised me that she will give one of the kittens to me if the cat happen to be pregnant.

LOL ur avatar is the cutest! a talking dog in the phone

the dog got a GF lah....

benjbuddy wrote:LOL ur avatar is the cutest! a talking dog in the phone

Maltese puppy

Maltese puppies are more hairy compare to WHT and bigger

hahahaha...this discussion is so fun to listen to.

Look like somebody is bullying these cats. How come the cats got mole? The last one looks like boy....LOL

wahh mummy the cats are so cute and fat...haha suitable for me.

For my daughter NF....please dont let them near my cats...LOL no wonder the cats are getting fatter and fatter....

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS SO MUCH MUMMY!!

camomile wrote:Look like somebody is bullying these cats. How come the cats got mole? The last one looks like boy....LOL

wahaha lazy fat cats!!!

the third one is a look-alike of garfield

cute rats! but their life is short only , isn't it NF?

benjbuddy wrote:cute rats! but their life is short only , isn't it NF?

their not rats their mice haha.
yeah the average is about 1.5 to 3 years.
My first white mouse died when it was 1.5 years old.
My second brown mouse die when it was 1.75 years old recently.
i miss them so much...

Benj those are not rats....rats are ugly and big....those are mice

If too many rats, they can be a pest and very dangerous too, would eat your flesh....especially babies

cam i don't want to see those

those cats are so cute and chubby.. like garfield..

Some spies they would use Rats to bomb a building, they tied up a explosive device on the Rats and just let the rats go everywhere

hmph. i hate them then.
mice and rats are cute.
HAHA.

Nf-Heartbreaker wrote:

benjbuddy wrote:cute rats! but their life is short only , isn't it NF?

their not rats their mice haha.
yeah the average is about 1.5 to 3 years.
My first white mouse died when it was 1.5 years old.
My second brown mouse die when it was 1.75 years old recently.
i miss them so much...

i can imagine i'm also thinking if it happen in my dog, i don't know what to do because it's like been my baby