Something that is astonishing to caring pet owners is the lack of knowledge that some pet owners have about their own pets. Many owners are unable to tell the signs of a sick pet or identify the key tell tale signs of illness in beloved house hold creatures. We will identify the top things for you to keep a tabs on when looking after you pet.

The first defence is to ensure that the pet is kept up to date on their required vaccinations. The vaccinations are prescribed by the national vetenary association and therefore have been set as guidelines to follow based on trials and experience.

Even with vaccinations kept up to date, every pet will suffer from the odd illness. The top things to look out for are;

• Diarrhea and/or  vomiting
• Unexplained or sudden weight loss or molting of the coat
• Significant loss of appetite or increased appetite.
• Pawing at ears or shaking head.
• Lumps on body
• Persistent sneezing or coughing..
• Stiffness or weakness in any joints; pet moves with difficulty.

These are just some of the normal symptoms of animal illness and if any of these are seen for extended periods of time, medical advice should be sought.

The first defence is to ensure that the pet is kept up to date on their required vaccinations. The vaccinations are prescribed by the national vetenary association and therefore have been set as guidelines to follow based on trials and experience.

Even with vaccinations kept up to date, every pet will suffer from the odd illness. The top things to look out for are;

• Diarrhea and/or  vomiting
• Unexplained or sudden weight loss or molting of the coat
• Significant loss of appetite or increased appetite.
• Pawing at ears or shaking head.
• Lumps on body
• Persistent sneezing or coughing..
• Stiffness or weakness in any joints; pet moves with difficulty.

These are just some of the normal symptoms of animal illness and if any of these are seen for extended periods of time, medical advice should be sought.

1. Rats – rats actually make great pets.  They are clean and like to cuddle.  They are also very smart and rarely bite.
2. Guinea Pigs – these animals are timid but very social.  They don’t often bite and are easy to tame.  They do like to live in pairs and require a bit of space to play.
3. Gerbils – These little guys are lots of fun.  They like to live in pairs and are very social, friendly and curious animals and they rarely bite.  You do need to be careful with their tails.
4. Leopard Geckos – If your child is less interested in a cuddly, furry friend and more into cool reptiles this is a great choice.  These geckos are fairly easy to tame and live happily in a small habitat.

Whatever choice you make be sure to learn how to properly care for your new pet and supervise children as they play and care for their new friends.

• Make sure your pet enclosures are secure and big enough. A pet likes nothing more than free space to move around and being closed up too tightly can be unhealthy. Also, you wouldn’t want a pet that needs to be closed up exploiting a weakness in the enclosure!

• If it’s storming outside, don’t forget to bring your pets inside. Some pets may not understand weather the same way that humans do, so it can be quite a scare for them.

• Make sure your pets are tagged or collared if they are going to be out of the house. You wouldn’t want someone picking up your pet to call their own. They also run the risk of being taken to the pound if they’re not collared and/or tagged.

• Keep your pets healthy! This is a big one. Keeping your pet healthy is one of the most important things you can do. Make sure you keep your pets free of parasites and common diseases. Be positive that your pets’ vaccinations are up-to-date.

Following these simple steps can assure that your pet remains safe and out of harms way. Keeping a safe, healthy environment is very important for your pet!

]]> http://freepettips.com/2008/10/keep-pets-safe/feed/ 0 http://freepettips.com/2008/08/social-networks-for-pets/ http://freepettips.com/2008/08/social-networks-for-pets/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:22:00 +0000 admin http://freepettips.com/?p=58 Online networks targeting pet lovers are common, but a growing subset is catering to the pets themselves. Your pet can now join one of many social networks built just for them. We are starting a list of all the social networks for your critters to play at. Please post reviews or any that we may have missed in the comments:

Dogster
Catster
Hamsterster
Petster
Fuzzster
Pawspot
MyCatspace
Dogbook