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June 28, 2004

Fat mouse

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Question:

I’m writing to you about my four cute mice. I have one that is extremely overweight. She refuses to do any exercise but loves her food. What can I do about it? Amanda, via e-mail.

Answer:

What you may need to do is supervise her feeding or separate her only at mealtimes, because she may be scoffing everyone else’s food as well.

Also, deliver a diet in which all the pellets are the same, otherwise she’ll pick out the bits she likes the most and that could be all the oily seeds and high-fat items.

You can train her to like exercise more. Use a wheel or mouse ball and give her food treats when she uses it for a period, or hide her food so she needs to move around and forage for it. The rewards may motivate her.

There may be a metabolic or medical reason for her obesity, but cutting down her food and getting her off her backside might be a good starting point.

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June 28, 2004

Dog flu

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Question:

My dog, who is usually bright and chirpy, seems to be down in the dumps with a dry nose and runny eyes. Could this be a doggy flu? And can I give her human painkillers? Mary, Richmond, Vic.

Answer:

Yes, your pooch may have picked up a bug and be under the weather because of a virus, bacteria or combination of the two. Animals also suffer from allergies, which may cause similar symptoms.

If it is viral, it’s as it is with humans – the body’s immune system needs to fight it at its own rate. However, you can help by keeping her warm and comfy, feeding her well and by keeping her fluids up.

You need to be very careful giving any human drugs to pets, as they can cause very serious – even fatal – reactions, so check with your vet before you do anything. Of course, don’t forget to give her lots of TLC!

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June 27, 2004

Pets and plants

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Nurturing that brilliant display in your garden and coaxing that indoor plant back to life…You may spend hours caring for your plants, and the last thing you want is your pet destroying the fruits of your labour. But it’s equally important to think about the damage your plants can do to your pet.

Many outdoor and indoor plants are harmful to dogs and cats if ingested. Inside your house, plants such as Cyclamens, Dumb Cane and Elephant Ears are dangerous for chew-happy puppies. Some types of lily, such as the daylily and tiger lily, can make your cat very ill if eaten.

In the garden, the bulbs of Daffodils, Jonquils, Tulips, Spider Lilies, Nerines and Crocus are all poisonous. Make sure your ball-loving puppy or dog doesn’t mistake a bulb for a toy.

Most people know that Oleander is very poisonous for humans and animals alike. Some of the other plants that can harm your pet are Azaleas, Foxglove, Hydrangeas, Ivy, Rhododendron, Lily of the Valley, Mountain Laurel, Sweet Peas, Lantana and Wisteria.

Your pet might only have a nibble or two at a harmful plant and be fine, but a hungry or bored pet might chew themselves to serious illness, or even death.

If you suspect your pet has ingested a dangerous plant, contact your local vet immediately. If you can, take note of what plant your pet has eaten – or which plant you think they have eaten. Show a piece of the plant to a vet or someone at a local nursery and they can help you identify it if you’re not sure.

Of course, prevention is the best cure. Check that you know exactly what kind of plants you have in your house and garden, so you can keep your pets away from the potentially harmful ones.

Hang indoor plants up high where your pet can’t get at them. Ensure that your pet can’t tug on overhanging leaves or tendrils to pull a plant down – this is a good precaution to save your carpets too!

Bird netting is another good way to keep pets away from harmful plants, as is fencing off the plant if it’s outdoors.

In your backyard, common garden plants and grasses can cause an allergic reaction in dogs – Wandering Jew, paspalam and rye grass can give dogs itchy feet and legs, as well as stomach rashes. Mow your lawns to stop seeding, or keep dogs in a mown area only.

And while you’re thinking about your garden and pets, keep in mind that animals are at risk from fertilisers and pesticides. Keep them away from areas of your garden that have been sprayed with pesticides or chemical fertilisers. Watch out for snail bait poison – this stuff has caused many a dog to take a trip to the vet!

For more great pet info, check out www.petnet.com.au

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June 27, 2004

Training your budgie

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Training a budgerigar isn’t difficult – it just requires patience and a calm manner. At first, only one person should train your budgie. This person should be alone with the budgie to avoid stressing the bird and each training session should last from 10 to 20 minutes.

Begin by slowly placing your hand in the cage, without trying to touch the budgie. Speak in a calming way to the bird, being careful not to frighten it.

Once the bird accepts your hand in the cage without flying about, slowly move your hand closer to the budgie. With patience and several training sessions, you’ll reach the stage where you can have your hand near the bird.

Once your budgie is calm when you have your hand nearby, put your index finger against the budgie’s breast – just in front of the legs – and press very gently while saying “up” at the same time. The bird should step onto your finger.

Don’t take a budgie out of its cage until it’s stepping up onto your finger when you say “up”. Before you let your budgie out of the cage for the first time, shut all doors and windows, and cover windows and mirrors so your budgie doesn’t fly into them. Never let a budgie out of its cage if a fan is on, a fire is lit, something is cooking on the stove or if dogs and cats are in the house.

At first your budgie might be reluctant to come out of the cage but if it will step up onto your finger, you can gradually move the bird out of the cage while it is sitting there.

When birds are first let out of their cage, it’s normal for them to panic and fly somewhere high up in the room. Give it time to settle, and then if you can reach, try to get your budgie to step up onto your finger.

If you’re having problems catching your budgie when it’s loose in the house, try closing the curtains and turn off the lights. Birds usually stay still in darkness, making them easier to catch.

You also might want to train your budgie to talk. Budgies are good talkers, with young and solitary birds the quickest to learn the words you teach them. Most budgies can learn up to 20 words with ease.

Start by repeating a simple phrase or the name of your budgie every time you pass by the cage.

Have a regular lesson with the bird sitting quietly on your finger as you repeat the phrase over and over again for ten minutes.

Don’t start teaching a budgie a new phrase until it has the hang of saying the first one.

For more great pet info, visit www.petnet.com.au

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June 27, 2004

Puppy-proofing your home

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Bringing a puppy into your life is exciting, but be prepared to have that adorable wrecking machine let loose in your house. Before bringing your puppy home for the first time, it’s a good idea to puppy-proof your house and garden.

Just like a home needs to be baby-proofed before a little bundle of human joy arrives, your house needs to be ready for a puppy. Puppies are more active and smaller than human babies, and even more adept at getting themselves into trouble, so it’s important that their environment is safe. And if you like your belongings, it’s vital that they’re out of reach of the canine hurricane.

Puppies love to chew and their milk teeth are very sharp. Put out of harm’s way anything valuable or easy for your puppy to chew – remember expensive shoes seem just as tasty to a puppy as a pair of old slippers. Basically, if you want to keep something, keep it safe – puppies will try and chew anything, including that very important letter, or even money.

Provide some toys for your puppy to chew on. Put electrical cords out of your puppy’s reach – they can chew through the cord and electrocute themselves. Make sure puppies can’t get at small items that may harm them if swallowed (eg, pins and needles). House plants can be poisonous, and are easy for a puppy to pull over, so move them out of reach. Similarly, put ashtrays up high because cigarette butts can give your puppy nicotine poisoning.

Put away all housecleaning products, medications and pesticides. Ditto with aerosol cans – they can explode if punctured or chewed. Keep the toilet lid down so your puppy doesn’t drink from the bowl because toilet bowel cleaners are toxic for dogs.

A baby barrier is a good way to keep puppies from tumbling down steep steps and perhaps injuring themselves. Keep doors shut to rooms that are out of bounds – it’s a good idea to keep puppies out of basements, garages and other storage areas where they can run amuck.

When it comes to your backyard and your puppy, one of the most important things is a secure fence. Puppies can easily squeeze through very small areas, so make sure there are no gaps.

Fence off – a small barricade will do – any plants or trees that might be poisonous for your puppy or that you don’t want your puppy destroying. Check with a vet or landscaper what plants are bad for your pup (some dangerous plants for dogs include azaleas, ivy, daffodils, hydrangeas and lantana).

If using pesticides or fertiliser, wait at least 48 hours and check with a vet before letting your puppy into the treated area. Safeguard against a puppy drowning in a swimming pool or fish pond by having secure fencing around these areas.

Once you’ve finished puppy-proofing your home, walk around. Try to look at your house and garden from a puppy’s perspective – what have you missed?

Finally, when your puppy is welcomed home, keep an eye on them as much as possible. And have fun!

For more great pet info, visit www.petnet.com.au

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June 26, 2004

Barking Mad

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It’s natural for dogs to bark, just as it is for birds to sing. But if your dog barks all the time it can drive you – and your neighbours – ‘barking’ mad!

Having a dog is a bonus for home security, but dogs that bark constantly are not effective watchdogs because everyone just ignores them.

Some dogs by nature may bark more than others but as with any canine behaviour, obedience training can make a difference – the earlier the better.

It’s important to train puppies that unnecessary barking is not allowed. Do this by saying “Aaaah – quiet.” When the puppy quietens it should be praised. The “Aaaah” should be given as a harsh, guttural sound that will distract the puppy from barking and gain its attention. The command “Quiet” should be given in a firm, clear, definite tone. This way the dog will quickly learn to stop barking on the command “Quiet”.

It’s important to praise dogs when they bark at the right time. When a dog barks at someone at the front door, for example, he or she should be praised for raising the alarm. Then when you go to the door, give the dog the command to stop barking.

Often dogs that are left alone for long periods of time without an outlet for their energy will take up barking as a hobby – and keep barking for the fun of it. Make sure dogs have plenty of exercise – play with them, take them for walks and let them interact with other dogs. A dog that is tired out and satisfied is more likely to rest – rather than bark – when you’re not around.

Bored, active dogs are usually the ones that run up and down fences, barking at passers-by. It’s a good idea to restrict these dogs’ access to the boundary fence or make sure they don’t have a view of the street.

If your dog barks in the night, it may be cold or not comfortable. Make sure your dog has somewhere warm and draught-free to sleep. Feed dogs at night so they sleep at the same time as you do. With their keen senses and natural alertness, dogs don’t need to be running around the yard all night to be good watchdogs.

Some dogs will bark because they resent being put outside and excluded from the household. Train your dog so it associates being put outside with pleasure. Give the dog a treat it loves when you put it outside and never give the dog this treat at any other time. Your dog will learn that going outside is a good thing – not a punishment.

Some dogs bark up a storm the minute their owners leave the home. These dogs may be suffering from separation anxiety. Make the dog unsure of how long you are going to be away from home by leaving and coming back at intervals – ranging from a few minutes to several hours. Soon the dog will be unable to guess how long you’re going to be away. When dogs believe it may only be a few minutes until they’re reunited with you, they will be less stressed.

For more great pet info, visit www.petnet.com.au

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June 26, 2004

Winter and your pet

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The temperature’s dropping, the leaves are falling, you have an extra blanket on the bed and the winter woollies out of mothballs. The humans in your house may be all set for winter but what about your pets?

It’s important that your pet has somewhere warm to sleep in winter, free of draughts and protected from the elements. It’s a good idea to elevate your pet’s sleeping quarters – even just a little – so cold and damp can’t creep in from the ground. A few old blankets and towels for bedding, and your pet is snug and happy.

Anyone with a cat knows that come wintertime their feline friends have no trouble claiming the warmest spot in the house. You can spoil them with a comfy cat basket near the heater. Cats love to soak up the winter sun so ideally they should have access to a sunny spot indoors or outdoors.

Some dogs can get too hot in a heated house, and may need somewhere cooler (a tiled floor is good) to lie down in your home.

Depending on what kind of dog you have, your dog may benefit from a dog coat. Dogs with sleek coats and little fat, like a Whippet or Greyhound, definitely need a coat’s extra warmth in winter.

Bad weather and a shortage of daylight can make exercising your dog in winter a challenge. But it’s important that you try to give your dog a run, especially if they’re active dogs. You can use a dog coat to keep your dog dry during a walk in the rain but be sure to remove a wet coat from a pet as soon as you get home. Ensure dogs don’t stay wet after being outside by drying them off with a towel or hair-dryer.

If it’s muddy outside, regularly check between dogs’ paws to make sure balls of mud haven’t built up as this can make it painful for them to walk. If your dog sleeps outside, they need a warm and dry kennel – a deep bedding of straw will keep them clean and comfortable during the winter chill.

Colder days can be hard for those suffering from arthritis – be they human or animal. If your pet is having trouble with stiff, aching limbs, take them to the vet for a check-up. Your vet can prescribe medication to ease their symptoms and advise you on how to care for your pet in the winter months.

A pet’s diet can also become an issue in the winter months. Dogs with fine coats may need extra food to maintain their weight. Alternatively, if your dog is exercising less they may need to eat less as well, so they don’t gain too much weight.

For more great pet info, visit www.petnet.com.au

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June 26, 2004

Cat chat

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Everybody knows that cats purr when they’re content, but what about the other ways they communicate their feline feelings to us?

Ever seen your cat rub its cheek on a sofa, a chair, a wall – even you? The cat is marking its territory and connecting to its network by leaving its scent.

When you arrive home, your cat may rub against you and purr. This is how a cat welcomes you, tells you that you’re their friend, and graciously bestow their forgiveness for your sin of leaving them. Your cat may also carry its tail flag-like in greeting.

Cats also have a welcome ‘miaow’ for your homecoming, which is different to the many other sounds a cat can make – eg, you’ll hear another distinct miaow when your cat wants something to eat.

As well as their wide range of vocal expressions, cats communicate their state through many different tail gestures. Most cat owners are familiar with a cat twitching the end of its tail in irritation. When a cat swishes its tail violently from side to side, you know it’s really mad. A cat thumping its tail heavily and wildly also indicates displeasure, or that the cat really wants something.

If a cat is wagging its tail, it may be making a decision about what to do. Cats also stare with their eyes wide open if they are wondering about something they can hear.

Why do cats torture you by repeatedly kneading your lap or limbs with their front paws – claws extended? This trance-like activity means that cats feel relaxed and secure – and that their nails might need a trim!

Sometimes a cat sitting on your lap may blink slowly and close its eyes for a moment. This also means the cat feels safe and trusts you. And if you gently smile and blink slowly at the cat, it might blink back at you in the same way.

Cats can gently pat objects and people with their claws retracted. This is a playful gesture and if they pat you this way they’re seeking attention. Of course, an angry swipe with their claws extended means something else entirely!

If you are patting a cat and they begin to groom you, it’s a sign of bonding and affection. Cats can also use grooming to show their contempt – have you ever seen a cat sitting just out of reach of an enraged dog, washing behind its ears without a care in the world?

For more great pet info, visit www.petnet.com.au

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June 26, 2004

How to take the perfect pet photo

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Ever used up a whole roll of film taking photos of your pet, only to end up with a series of furry blurs when you get the photos back? Here’s a few tips for taking the perfect photo of your favourite animal friend. Happy snapping.

Try to use a high-speed film and a fast shutter speed. Some digital cameras may not be fast enough for a good pet photo, but at least you can see the results straight away and try again.

Try to have the camera on the same level as your pet so their image won’t be distorted (eg, if you take a photo looking down at your pet, it will make its legs look short).

Don’t forget to check the background in the viewfinder – you don’t want a chair or tree to look like it’s ‘growing’ out of your pet’s head in the photo.

Try to capture your pet’s personality by photographing them naturally – asleep on their favourite chair, for example – rather than attempting a posed shot.

Keeping your pet in the one place long enough for a posed photo can be difficult. When taking photos of more than one puppy or kitten, put them in a basket so they will stay together and fit in the viewfinder. A soft noise or squeaky toy can help persuade your pet to look at the camera.

Be prepared to use quite a bit of film to get your perfect pet photo. Be patient!

Check that darker coloured dogs and cats are not in front of a dark background.

Make sure your shadow isn’t across your pet subject.

Be careful of ‘red eye’ in your pet photos. To avoid the flash reflecting off your pet’s eyes, make sure there’s enough light so you don’t need a flash, or don’t have your pet looking at the camera.

When taking a photo of a child and a pet, try to have them both on the same level.

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June 25, 2004

Snacking and weight loss

Does snacking help or hinder weight loss?

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Does snacking help or hinder weight loss? A pattern of 5-6 small meals through out the day or a grazing eating style is the automatic way to go for most young kids. They have small stomachs and large food energy requirements for growth and development, so they need a steady fuel supply. For older children, snacks generally provide approximately a third to half of daily energy intake. But the big question is should we continue to adopt this pattern into adult life? Snacking benefits We know that meal skippers or people who go for long periods of time without food do not perform well, accomplish less work and are much slower making decisions than people who eat regularly. We also know that “grazing” during the day is the best way to give your energy levels a boost and can help keep your metabolism working efficiently. Small, frequent meals can also aid digestion as they help to prevent bloating and distension of the stomach. Snacking and weight loss – the weight of the evidence When it comes to snacking and weight loss there’s a bit of a debate. On one hand snacking can prevent overeating at meals as you’re less likely to experience those feelings of ravenous hunger. However, snacking has also been partially blamed for our growing obesity epidemic. Over the years it seems that Australian food intake patterns have changed with evidence that a sizeable number of people are eating more frequently throughout the day. But has this contributed to the obesity problem? A recent systematic review of the international nutrition research found no evidence that frequent meals are related to increased body weight or BMI. And there is evidence from other places like the US National Weight Control Registry, that snacking is a common strategy of those successful at long-term weight loss. The review concluded that the types of food are more important than eating patterns. Snacking can be the downfall for those working to achieve a healthy weight, if the choices are unhealthy. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for “eating amnesia” to creep in and you conveniently forget that biscuit that slipped in with your morning cuppa. If the choices are healthy, regular snacks are a great way of keeping your mind in gear and weight loss goals on track.

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