June 14, 2019Ticks – which embed themselves in the skin and feed on blood – don’t just look unpleasant, they can also pass on illnesses such as Lyme disease. It takes roughly 12 to 24 hours before the pathogens start to enter blood, so it’s important to remove ticks quickly.
June 12, 2019Earl showed up one day last August at R & R Garage about a year after a pair of friends opened the shop here along US 158. It didn't belong to the neighbours, and no one came to claim it. After a few days, a customer began buying him chicken feed and the friendly rooster kept coming back.
June 10, 2019The small spines (called papillae) on a cat's tongue are very rough, a little bit like a rasp. So, when a cat washes, this rasp goes deep into the fur touching the skin. The dragging spines stimulate skin glands into releasing a series of body chemicals that help make the coat water-resistant.
June 10, 2019I will be lying in bed, warm and cosy when, suddenly, there’s a bump on the bed. Before I can collect myself and hide under the pillow, a wet sandpapery tongue rasps over my nose. To Swooner, that early morning greeting says “I love you” in Cat.
June 7, 2019Cats and dogs need regular dental care to avoid diseases. Pet owners should make sure to clean their cat or dog’s teeth at least once or twice a week, experts recommend.
June 5, 2019Your dog may give you a loving look when you feed it chocolate, but what tastes good now can become excruciating later. It’s all because of a substance called theobromine.
Theobromine is an alkaloid related to caffeine, researchers from the University of Liverpool, in England, recently explained in the specialised journal Veterinary...
June 3, 2019Turning your pet’s fur into wool can provide you with a lasting memory after they die. But not all hair makes the cut. It must be clean and cared for, and can’t have been collected from the floor or a vacuum cleaner. Plus not all breeds of dog are suitable – Poodle hair, for example, would be too itchy.
May 31, 2019The glaring feline who spooked audience members and horror-lovers with his performance in the 2019 'Pet Sematary' remake has died just more than a month after the film's release.
May 31, 2019Hudson the 12-year-old male polar bear went through more than an annual physical, included the potentially groundbreaking procedures of undergoing a CT scan and having semen extracted for a couple of tries at artificial insemination, which has not been done in a polar bear before.
May 29, 2019There is an assortment of commercial products that promise to deter dogs. They can get expensive, as you'll likely have to apply and reapply the product many times. They also aren't foolproof, but it might be worth a try as they'll probably cut down on some of the problem.
May 27, 2019Well bred and socialised Poms are happy, friendly and outgoing but they tend to be loud. They can’t be left alone in apartments or they become nuisance barkers. Little bones mean they have to be handled carefully.
May 27, 2019Beary is four months old, just a small ball of fluff but with a personality the size of a planet. The second he saw me, he was waving his tail and yipping excitedly. He sniffed my hand for a second, licked it enthusiastically, and then insisted on up-close and personal kisses. In a word: irresistible.
May 24, 2019As tempting as it might be to let your dog lean out of the window and enjoy the fresh air during a drive, it's a dangerous way to transport a pet. That will probably end fatally for the dog – and potentially for you.
May 22, 2019More and more bird owners in Singapore are opting not to clip their parrots' wings, choosing to train their pets how to fly openly in parks before returning to their humans when called for.
May 20, 2019Sharptail grouse population in the US' midwestern states is being challenged by a changing landscape. More forests and fewer farmlands have led to a decline of these fire birds.
May 18, 2019If you’ve ever taken a pet to the vet, then you know it’s no easy task – especially if your cat or dog senses that that’s where you’re going long before you get in the car.
May 17, 2019On top of being a fun and educational place, petting zoos for kids provide a haven for drug-resistant superbugs that could result in lethal pathogens being passed on to visitors.
May 16, 2019Dog owners are used to estimating their pooch’s age with a ratio of one human year to seven dog years. But smaller dogs tend to have a longer life expectancy than larger ones.
May 15, 2019Teach your child from a young age to observe the signals that the pet dog gives out and learn to respect it. At the same time, dogs also have to learn when to leave children alone.
May 14, 2019Cats are careful about what they eat and they’re less likely to eat something poisonous compared to other pets. But it could happen if, for example, your pet eats a poisoned mouse.
May 13, 2019With their brightly coloured feathers, Gouldian finches are some of Australia's most spectacular birds. Their quiet song and relatively easy upkeep have made them popular pets.
May 13, 2019It can be disconcerting to adopt a cat and discover that it doesn’t want to cuddle, or maybe is even afraid of you. If that’s your pet, here are some tips for helping it settle in.
May 13, 2019Recently, pet columnist Ellen Whyte found animal catchers hired by the local council trying to take her outdoorsy cats. Now she's wondering if she should really be socialising her pets.
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