Feline Acne
Feline acne is probably one of the most common skin diseases in cats. The disease is maked by infection of hair follicles and the appearance of blackheds and/or pustules on the chins of affected cats. Lazy chin cleaners seem to get the infection more often.
Cyprinids
Fish within the Cyprinidae family make excellent aquarium subjects for three main reasons. First, there are over 1,500 species to choose from; second, they are very adaptable; and, third, they range in size from around 1 in up to 1 ft, meaning that there is a family member to suit any fishkeeper.
Characins
With almost 1,200 species, charcins rival the <a href="cyprinids.aspx">Cyprinidae</a> family in numbers in the wild. This family contains many popular fish. Among the tetras, for example, are found the brilliant neons and cardinals, distant relatives to the notorious piranha, which brings us to one of the main characteristics of this family - teeth.
Filtering in Marine Aquariums
An efficient filtration system, which should embody mechanical, chemical and biological functions will ensure water deterioration is kept to a minimum. When breeding is to be attempted, the question of water quality is often of prime importance.
Plants in Marine Aquariums
A fish tank should be set up with young, healthy-looking plants which have been disinfected and quarantined before use. Plants comprise a major part of a fresh-water aquarium but are not really necessary in a marine aquarium. The addition of some lush green marine plants is a great temptation. This is fine at first but as the plants begin to deteriorate, as they almost always do, there will be some cleaning chores ahead.
Rocks and Coral in Marine Aquariums
The placement of rocks and coral in an aquarium is a matter of personal taste except when they are used for shelter or for breeding. There are verious theories about the relationship of sand and stones and rocks.
Sand in Marine Aquariums
After the aquarium is in place the first consideration is the sand. Cleanliness is of utmost importance. New sand should be washed thoroughly until all foreign matter and impurities are removed. Beach sand, which comes in various textures and colors, can be used.
Water in Marine Aquariums
Maintenance of sea water in a marine aquarium is central to the problem of keeping marine animals alive, as marine animals have little tolerance for change. Sea water is not only an inorganic complex. an ever-increasing number and variety of organic substances are being found in it. Among the various types of organic substances that have been found in sea water are enzymes, vitamins, pigments, amino acids, antibiotics, and toxins, most of them produced as external metabolites by plants and animals in the sea. some of them are important in the culturing of larval forms and macroscopic invertebrates.
A dog for the whole family
A Westie is a dog for the entire family. They can rough and tumble with the best of them, and peaceful and quiet when called upon to be. The Westie can stand up to the rawdy play of teenagers and usually understands how to behave around younger children. Many elderly people own Westies and find them wonderful, understanding companions who bring a sunny outlook in their lives.
Taking care of your Whippet
Whippets, like other sighthounds, have very low proportion of body fat in relation to their size. As a result, anesthesia is one of various medications to which Whippets are sensiive, so it is important to discuss it with your vet before any surgery.
Urine Spraying in Maine Coon Cats and Other cat Breeds
Urine spraying is a completely normal behavior. It happens to be unacceptable to humans and is therefore considered to be a "problem." In reality, more likely it is the cat that has the problem. In my experience, urine spraying in Maine Coon and other cats occurs most often when the cat is experiencing the stress of too many cats inthe household, seeing other cats outside the windows or doors, and confinement to the indoors.
Finicky Eaters
Some Afghans can be particularly finicky eaters and will not eat the food you're offering, no matter how beneficial its properties. They simply are not interetsed and will merely sniff at their food before walking away. This can be so frustrating, especially if it happens to a dog that you need to keep at an ideal weight for showing.
Enzymes and Coenzymes
Enzymes are molecules involved in speeding up chemical reactions necessary for animal and human bodily function. Most enzymes are composed of protein along with an essential mineral and possibly a vitamin. If an enzyme is lacking an essential mineral or vitamin it cannot function properly. By providing the necessary mineral or vitamin through diet or a nutritional formula, the enzyme is then able to perform its vital function.
Types of Enzymes
There are three main categories of enzymes: (1) metabolic enzymes, which are produced within the body, (2) digestive enzymes, which the body produces also, and (3) food enzymes.
Coldwater cyprinids
Keeping coldwater cyprinids is no very different from caring fro tropicals, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Tank size will determine the number of fish you can keep, and it is not a good idea to crowd your tank. The coldwater aquarium does not require heating, but may become overheated during the summer, so put it in a shady location.
Some other aquarium fish diseases
There are a few other fish diseases that you need to be aware of: Exophthalmia (commonly known as pop-eye). This appears to be of bacterial origin, sometimes following an injury, and particularly affects Angelfish. It als may be caused by gas bubbles behind the eye. The progressive salt treatment as applied for fungus or a reduction in temperature may help to reduce pressure, but no specific treatment is known.
Eclampsia in Dogs
Most dog breeders are unaware of the large quantity of milk produced by lactating bitches. For example, milk intake of Beagle puppies is about 5.5 ounces per day each. With an average litter of pups, a Beagle bitch will need to produce about one quart of milk per day! Larger breeds will be required to produce substantially more milk each day.
Grooming a Beardie
Are Beardies high maintenance pets? Well, in the first place, there are many things you should be aware of when it comes to grooming your Bearded Collie. Puppy coats are soft and thck and need more grooming than adult coats. The adult coats begins to come at around 2 years of age. It should be sraight and harsh with a close (but not thick) undercoat.
Keep your Berner cool
While there is nothing quite as happy as a Bernese Mountain Dog in the snow, the breed functions very well in any climate if properly managed. The greatest concern is excessive heat. That is readily solved with air conditioning and outdoor periods safeguarded with access to plenty of natural shade.
Dalmatians and children
My male stud dalmatians, was asleep, and a toddler I was babysitting made a loud noise on the coffee table, the dal jumped across a large table, and attacked the little boy and mauled him severely. We settled out of court, it's in a trust when he trust 18, and he still has laser treatments on scars.
Importance of grooming your Dachshund
Few Dachshund owners realize the importance of grooming their dogs on a daily basis. This means less housework for theowner since dirt and loose hair are not tracked into the house. It is also a preventive measure to keep your dog and your rugs and upholstery free from ticks and fleas which a low-slung Doxie can pick up in a 5-minute walk around the neighborhood, particularly if you let him roam in open fields or parks frequented by other dogs.
Bassets put those long ears to good use
Aside from the Basset's big leather nose and alrge wide-open nostrils, there are several other breed characteristics that enhance his ability to follow a trail for hours and hours. The Basset's are velvety in texture and hang in loose folds, with the ends curling slightly inward.
Black-Backed Jackal
Sometimes called the silver-backed jackal, this ginger-colored canid has a distinctive black saddle over its shoulders and back, and a bushy black tail. Occurring in a wide variety of habitats, from the suburbs of large cities to the Namibian Desert, male-female pairs feed during the day and at twilight, or at night near human settlements, on a variety of food.
Galactosialidosis
Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of more than 40 heritable diseases that are caused by the marked deficiency of one or more lysosomal enzymes. This loss in enzymatic activity results in the progressive accumulation of waste products with the cell's lysosomes. This leads to cellular and tissue damage, subsequent organ dysfunction, and in some diseases to early mortality. Although the incidence of individual LSDs can be quite low, as a group they occur in approximately 1 in 7500 live births, and as such represent one of the more prevalent groups of genetic diseases in humans.
Fibrodysplasia Ossificans
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare genetic progressive disorder that affects humans and animals. In dogs and cats, the diorder is marked by proliferation of fibrovascular tissue within a muscle occurs with subsequent calcification and ossification (chronic, painful wounds and calcified deposits in the paws and abdomen). The disorder typically affects young and middle-aged animals of both sexes.
Dysautonomia
Canine dysautonomia is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system, which controls many reflexes and other neurologic functions that the animal does not consciously control. It is a debilitating disease present from birth.
Celiac disease, Celiac sprue, Gluten-sensitive Enteropathy
Celiac disease (also known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is a chronic gastrointestinal disease in which exposure to proteins from wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats leads to abnormalities in the small intestine and consequent nutrient malabsorption (poor absorption). In wheat, such proteins are collectively known as gliadins and constitute the toxic component of gluten.
C3 Deficiency, Complement Deficiencies
Genetically determined C3 deficiency in Brittany spaniel dogs shares a number of biochemical and clinical characteristics with the human disorder.[2] Like their human counterparts, dogs with a genetically determined complete deficiency of C3 also develop renal disease.
Syringomyelia
Syringomyelia (SM) is a disorder in which a cyst forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, expands and elongates over time, destroying the center of the cord. This accumulation of fluid is caused by a cascade of events starting with obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow and/or spinal cord tethering.
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency (PDCD)
Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency (PDCD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders associated with abnormal mitochondrial metabolism. The citric acid cycle is a major biochemical process that derives energy from carbohydrates. Malfunction of this cycle deprives the body of energy.
Canids
Today's predatory groups, comprising the order Carnivora, had clearly started to emerge around 40 million years ago. The earliest origins of canids can be traced back to the late Eocene ear. remains unearthed in North America from this period show that they were short-legged in appearance and more closely resembled mongooses and civets than present-day canids.
New Articles Published in February-March 2008
New articles about pet, animals, pet and animal diseases, animal species and blog posts published in February-March 2008 on GoPetsAmerica.com.