Signs of a Healthy Horse

As you spend time with your horse you begin to learn his different quirks. You will be able to tell if he is feeling good and healthy and you’ll also be able to tell if he seems depressed or a little under the weather. Horses have good days and bad days just like people, but they can’t tell you if they are really sick. It is up to us to recognize the basic signs of a healthy horse so that we can recognize when they are sick.

A healthy horse will often stand on all four feet. If they are drowsy they will rest a hind foot and doze off. A horse will never rest a front foot unless they are in pain in the front hoof. The healthy horse also has a shiny coat that lies down nice and smooth. The horse’s eyes should be wide open and the inside of the eye should have a pink salmon color. The gums and nostrils should also be a salmon color as well. Limbs and joints should be free of heat and swelling. If you rub your hands down your horse’s legs on a daily basis, you will learn to detect heat and swelling easily. You will also be able to compare legs to each other.

A healthy horse will want to eat. Feeding time is a horse’s favorite time. They should be ready to eat and begin eating as soon as you drop it in the feeder. The skin of the horse should be moist, but not sweaty. They should breathe quietly when resting. The pulse should also be steady and even. You can feel for a horse’s pulse buy holding the tips of your fingers, not your thumb, over the horse’s large artery located under the lower jaw and in front of the heavy muscle of the cheek. A mare or gelding will have a pulse around thirty-three to forty beats per minute. Stallions will have a pulse of around twenty-eight to thirty two beats per minute. A young horse may have a faster pulse.

In contrast, a sick horse will show different symptoms. Usually they will have an abnormal attitude. He may lie down at odd times and even in odd positions. If you see a horse sitting back on his hind feet, the horse may be suffering from founder or laminitis. The membranes of the horse will be either pale or yellowish in color. If they are dark red, the horse may have a fever. If blue-red the horse may have a heart or circulation problem. A sick horse will also not be willing to eat. They may sweat and the skin will feel tight. The horse’s breathing will also be labored and noisy. These are important signs to watch for in all horses. As you walk down your barn aisle, be sure to notice if everyone seems to be themselves or not. Most sick horses are noticed around feeding times.

About the Author

Jo Thompson just loves her three horses and loves anything to do with horses. And she does not think the horses should stop at the stable door, she adores horse inspired home decor and loves to look at http://www.gifts-for-the-horse-lover.com

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Dog Ear Mites: Are Dangerous to Your Dog?

So, will ear mites propose a danger to my dog? The simple answer to this question is yes. Ear mites may affect your dog greatly.

While it can rarely cause accidental death, it would certainly affect your dog’s joyful nature. Ear mites are small inconveniences for your pets. Worse, they are living organisms that are thriving on their body for food.

It is possible to find ear mites in dogs and cats, as well as other small animals. Ear mites can be considered as parasites, which actually feed on the epidermal wastes of your pet’s body. In this case, they found food in the ears. And there they will stay for as long as they are getting the proper nourishment.

Ear mites may or may not be seen by the naked eye. There are species that are big enough to be seen floating about the hair and the skin of your pet. However, there are also some that can only be observed under a microscope. But then again, you don’t have to see ear mites just to know whether or not your dog is suffering from it. There are telltale signs to watch out for.

Dogs that are very irritable and are scratching their ears a lot are most likely to be suffering from this condition. And most of these dogs would have brownish discharges coming out of their ears. The discharges are excessive ear wax. The mites trigger its production.

Generally, you don’t have to clean the ears of your dog frequently because they can do it by themselves. So if you see a build up of ear wax in your pet, there’s every reason to be alarmed. Your dog could be suffering from ear mites and you have to provide a quick solution to it.

Ear mites rarely lead to death. But that doesn’t mean that it is not possible. The most common problem with ear mites is the fact that they can trigger the loss of your dog’s hearing. Mites penetrating deep into the ears may cause damage to the ear drums. Keep in mind that the ear is responsible for keeping the body’s balance. This is true with both dogs and humans. Ear mites could disrupt that balance and cause seizures to your pet. And if your dog suffered from a bad case of seizure, that’s when sudden or eventual death may arise.

Ear mites are highly contagious. So you definitely want to keep your other pets away from the infected ones. This is also the reason why it is very important to address the problem early on. If you are not careful, the disease may spread to all of your pets. And in which case, the mites become harder to eliminate.

Keep your dog clean. That’s the first line of defense against ear mites. Make sure that it gets is daily bath. Groom your pet as frequently as required. A healthy, hygienic dog is not likely to acquire any type of diseases - especially not ear mites.

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DogEarMites.net - resources and articles dealing with the ear mites in dogs infection, how to prevent ear mites in dogs and how to diagnose ear mites in dogs

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Dealing With Kennel Cough

A lot of dog owners disregard kennel cough. The reason for this is because of the fact that the disease can possibly heal on its own. But this is such a very big risk to take.

Dogs suffering from kennel cough need medical care and attention. Kennel cough could get worse any minute. Furthermore, it can just be a symptom of a much severe disease lurking inside your dog.

You know that your dog has kennel cough if it makes hacking cough sounds every now and then. There may or may not be white to yellow mucus forming in its nose. Some people mistake kennel cough for retching. However, kennel cough tends to occur chronically. Besides, your dog would look ill if it has kennel cough. It may even develop fever because of the disease.

The moment you discover that you dog has kennel cough, you have to take it to the veterinarian. To treat kennel cough, the viruses and bacteria that are causing the disease should be eliminated. The most effective way is to do so is to use antibiotics and similar oral medical treatments. Depending on the severity of your pet’s condition, the vet may administer intranasal vaccines or inoculations. These modes of treatment can provide dogs with an almost immediate relief to kennel cough.

Dogs that are very prone to acquiring kennel cough are better off taking continued natural medications. Natural medications may come in the form of tinctures, oils, herbs, and teas. The preparation is similar to humans and you’ve got to administer it to your pet to improve its defenses against the disease. Tinctures should be added to water. With the use of a medicine dropper, give your dog several drops of natural herbs such as wild cherry bark, yerba santa, peppermint, or honey.

Kennel cough is a very common disease. Dogs tend to suffer from it at least once in their lifetime. However, it can easily be prevented. Keeping your dog healthy and strong is the first step. Also, you shouldn’t let your pet stray away too much because kennel cough is a highly contagious disease. Mere association with other dogs suffering from it may cause your dog to acquire the disease. Direct contact is not necessary for kennel cough to be transmitted from one dog to another. Furthermore, such a cough may be transferred from cats, birds, or rabbits. The carrier of the disease doesn’t have to be another dog.

Keep your pet safe from kennel cough by boosting its immune system. Don’t skip regular checkups with the vet either. There are also kennel cough vaccinations for puppies available these days. If you really want your dog to be cleared from this disease, give it the shots that it needs.

Dogs, whenever they are sick, demand care and attention from their masters. They are not too different from humans that need companionship if they are ill. As such, you should do what it takes to restore the good health of your dog. If your dog is well and lively, it will be in its usual joyful self, which can brighten up even your gloomiest day.

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For more information related to the kennel cough infection, visit us at KennelCoughInDogs.com and read more about the main kennel cough treatments and kennel cough home remedies.

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A Healthy Horse Stall

Many horses spend much of their time in their stalls, so it is imperative for us to ensure that we provide the best stall possible. Horses that spend a lot of time in an indoor stall will need to be given the most attention in terms of cleaning and keeping the stall safe for them.

If you have large breed horses, such as Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses or Warmbloods you may want to go with a stall that is 16×16. These stalls are often referred to as stallion and foaling stalls. Ponies will not need any more than a 10×10 stall. Moderate size horses will do well with a 12×12 stall.

The dividers between your horse’s stall and the next stall need to be made of a heavy material. Most stalls are constructed of two-inch plans that go up to about five feet or so. Another divider should be placed so that the horses can see each other but not necessarily make contact. The same is true for the front of the stall. Stall doors may have gates that swing open so that the horses can stick their heads out into the barn aisle.

Watch the latch on the door. It is not uncommon for a horse to figure out their stall door latch and easily let themselves out. If your horse figures out his latch you will also want to place a chain with a simple clip that the horse cannot undo. Never padlock a horse in stall, as you may not be there to release the horse in the case of a fire or other emergency.

It is important that the stall be very well ventilated. Horses can produce a lot of heat from their bodies and a poorly ventilated stall may cause bacterial growth in the walls, sickness, respiratory problems and bad smells.

Horses do like to lie down and sleep at night and they will do so, if they feel safe and comfortable in their stall. They have to take a load off of their limbs during the night, so you need to be sure that the horse has enough room to lie down. Sometimes horses will lie down but not leave themselves enough room to get back up – this is know in the horse world as being ‘cast’. When a horse is cast they may thrash about and panic because they can’t get enough room to leverage themselves back on their feet. You will need to get in the stall and assist the horse in getting back on it’s feet – be careful even a quite horse may be scared and lash out in fright.

Most complexes use shavings as bedding for horses. Many people will put several wheelbarrow loads of shavings in their stall for their horse, but this is not necessarily good. If you have too much bedding then your horse’s legs can become weak due to the lack of contact with the ground. Bones need to be stressed and concussed by the ground in order to maintain their strength. You want to have just enough bedding that the horse can still feel the ground, but the bedding will also absorb urine.

Your horse’s stall should contain a feeder, a water bucket or automatic waterer, possibly a salt/mineral block and a toy to prevent boredom. The less that you have in the stall the better and safer it will be for the horse. You should also provide some hay for your horse to munch on.

About the Author

Jo Thompson just loves her three horses and loves anything and everything to do with horses. And she does not think the horses should stop at the stall door, she adores horse décor items and loves to look at http://www.gifts-for-the-horse-lover.com

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Feline Health Tips: Helping Your Overweight Cat Lose a Few Pounds

Feline obesity is a threat to the health and lifespan of your cat. This article will help you work with your cat to lose the needed weight with minimal struggle.

Feline health is, in many ways, common sense. Since cats are mammals like us, many of the same basic premises apply.

When a cat is overweight, he or she is at risk for heart problems, diabetes, and the exact same complications obese humans experience. Good feline health practices for reducing obesity are the same tactics used for people who need to shed a few excess pounds.

Essentially your cat needs to take in fewer calories and get a little more exercise. That’s all there is to it unless there is some genetic setback causing the feline obesity.

You might think it’s hard to get your cat on a diet and exercise program, but in truth it’s quite easy. Where you lead, your feline friend will follow.

The first step is to ask your vet what your cat’s target weight should be. Your veterinarian should be able to give you a good range to shoot for with a basic physical exam.

Fewer Calories In Your Cat’s Diet

Once you have a target weight goal, you’ll need to start by adjusting your cat’s caloric intake. Your vet can recommend a good food with fewer calories.

Also you can adjust the current feeding schedule. If you’re leaving food in the bowl all day long, start feeding your cat twice a day instead.

Take the bowls up after your cat eats in the morning and set them out again for the evening meal. Again, once the cat has had a good meal, take the food up again until the next morning.

Clearly if you have multiple cats it might not be as easy to manage your obese feline’s diet. If you don’t want to put all cats on a reduced schedule just find a food with fewer calories and eliminate treats until the target weight is reached.

And certainly stop giving your cat people food! Especially in cases of feline obesity it is counterproductive to share people food with your cat.

Feline Exercise Program

Chance are your cat is already somewhat active. Even cats who “sleep all day” have at least one activity period during the day.

Felines are polyphasic, meaning they have multiple periods of sleep and activity during the day. You may simply be unaware of when your cat is running and playing.

Your job is to get your cat involved in a period of exercise and brisk physical activity for about ten minutes each day. And you can do this by simply playing with him or her.

Drag a string, throw a catnip ball, or do something else to intrigue your cat into motion. Keep him/her running, jumping, and swatting for ten minutes or longer without stopping.

You can use catnip to stimulate your cat if needed. Many felines get a rush from this herb and will become more active for several minutes after rolling in or eating it.

It takes a little focus on your part to correct a feline obesity problem. But you owe it to your cat to put forth the effort on this because after all, you are the parental figure in this relationship.

About the Author

For more easy, practical tips on keeping your cats in an optimal state of feline health be sure to visit the author’s cat health care site now.

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