Lyme disease is named after the Connecticut town of Lyme where the disease was first discovered. One of the more common dog diseases, it has been seen in dogs in every part of the United States although it is more common in certain geographical areas, including California, New England and parts of the American South.

It is caused by cork-screw shaped bacteria called spirochetes which are transmitted through bites from ticks that have attached themselves to your dog’s skin. The ticks, in turn, catch the bacteria from certain varieties of white mice.

An infected tick must remain stuck to your dog’s skin for at least two days in order for the disease to take hold in your pet. Unfortunately, these ticks are very small and often difficult to detect.

There are actually three different kinds of ticks that are carriers of Lyme disease, although the majority of cases are transmitted by the deer tick. Symptoms include limping, a higher than normal fever and swollen lymph nodes. A dog with Lyme disease may suffer only mild discomfort at first. But over a period of several days, it may be suffer intense pains in the joints that it will refuse to move.

One problem with diagnosing Lyme disease is that its symptoms closely resemble other diseases involving the dog’s lymph tissue and its immune system. At the same time, dogs are sometimes mistakenly diagnosed with Lyme disease when the disorder is actually something else entirely.

However, time is of the essence if you suspect that your canine may be suffering from Lyme disease. If caught and treated early, your pet won’t suffer any permanent damage. Left untreated for too long, the disorder can damage your dog’s heart and muscle tissue and cause joint and nerve damage.

If you see symptoms that indicate Lyme disease in your previously healthy dog, go to your local pet hospital as quickly as possible for a diagnosis. The vet will give your dog a simple blood test to see if Lyme bacteria are present or not.

Unfortunately, the blood test by itself does not always give a definite answer and the veterinarian will also take into consideration your dog’s health history and other symptoms. Treatment is usually with antibiotics which your dog must take for three to four weeks.

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Are you looking for an exotic pet that will catch the attention of your friends and family? Do you want a pet that you’re certain no one else you know will have? If you’re looking for a truly unique pet that is cute and cuddly, you might want to consider one of these exotic pets.

Kinkajou – also known as the honey bear. Like the Sun Bear, it is a rainforest mammal. These cute little critters are very affectionate and friendly, which make them popular among exotic pet aficionados. Classified in the order Carnivora, it has sharp teeth but its omnivorous diet consists of bananas, eggs, marshmallows and cereals.

Bengal Cat – are hybrid cats that are the result of cross-breeding between house cats and exotic cats. Some variations of Bengal cats include kitties called the toyger, the Serengeti and the cheetoh. The more pure bread the Bengal cat is, the more it will cost. Despite its larger size, Bengal cats cause very little problems other than those typically associated with cats such as the tendency to claw and tear furniture.

Sugar Glider – as natives of Australia, it comes as little surprise that sugar gliders are marsupials. What may be a surprise, however, is that they don’t weigh more than five ounces. Despite their small size, they are very social and love interacting with humans. Keeping two sugar gliders will ease your boredom if you are bored of course.

Squirrel Monkey – are affectionate, social and intelligent. In fact, they have a larger brain than other primates, including humans. Squirrel monkeys are easy to house train but they do mark their territory and have a tendency to rub their skin and tails in their urine.

Chimpanzee – are quite fascinating creatures to observe and spend time with. Chimps are quite intelligent and very similar to humans. We share 94 percent of the same DNA as chimps. They are quite strong and their upper body strength is about five times greater than humans.

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Dog joint problems run the gamut from basic pain and inflammation to more serious conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism. In most cases, once you figure out exactly what the problem is, you can remedy the situation and ease your dog’s pain.

There are a number of factors that can lead to dog joint pain, many of which are similar to those which can increase our risk. An injury is one of the most common, but poor nutrition, lack of exercise, obesity and genetics can play a role as well.

What are the signs that your canine is suffering from joint and/or muscle pain? Look for unusual or awkward movements, stiffness, whimpering when getting up or standing, irritability, any noticeable swelling or thickening of the joints, and unwillingness to be stroked or petted. All of these can indicate moderate dog joint problems or perhaps a more serious underlying health condition.

The first step in dealing with any problem is to have a veterinarian check it out. It’s important to do this as soon as possible to avoid making the situation worse.

Conventional dog joint care involves protocols similar to those suggested for us, including changing the diet, incorporating regular exercise and taking anti-inflammatory drugs to ease swelling and pain.

It’s important that your dog maintains its ideal weight and has a balanced, healthy diet with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other important nutrients for bone and muscle strength. Limit snacks and foods that can aggravate inflammation. Regular exercise will improve mobility and strength, and decrease the likelihood of dog joint pain.

Besides the diet and exercise considerations, treating the inflammation directly is an important step in reducing your dog’s pain. Anti-inflammatory medications are often prescribed by veterinarians to relieve dog joint pain.

However, due to the many potential side effects of these drugs, including liver and kidney problems, vomiting, ulcers and excessive urination, more and more pet owners are turning to natural dog joint care remedies. Studies show that natural remedies can be as effective as prescription drugs in alleviating joint and muscle pain without the potential adverse reactions of other chemical-based drugs.

In addition, high quality canine joint supplements can boost your dog’s immunity, strengthen the skeletal system, remove harmful toxins and promote your pet’s general health and wellbeing.

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Serious consequences can develop when the family pet unwittingly transfers an illness to its human family members. If reasonable precautions are taken, there is no need to fear. The best thing you can do is know what kind of diseases can be transmitted and how to prevent it from happening.

There are some areas of the world that really struggle with the transmission of rabies. You can prevent your pet from contracting rabies by vaccinating them.

Toxascaris is a disease caused by a parasitic roundworm and is commonly found in dogs and cats. It has received more attention lately, because an American child was recently blinded by the disease. Pets who live in cities seem to be infected most often, but the condition is most prevalent puppies. Tapeworms, or hydatid disease, can also be passed from pet to owner. Skin diseases like ringworms can also be transmitted through contact or mites.

Psittacosis can be found in caged birds like parrots, pigeons, and poultry. The bird may appear to be healthy, but psittacosis can actually cause flu and pneumonia in people. It is promoted by overcrowding and artificial conditions and can be transmitted by inhaling dust containing dried bird droppings or by contact with a sick or a dead bird.

Good hygiene is the best way to fight the transmission of diseases from your pet. Not having to worry about your family’s health will make time with your pet much more enjoyable. You can help keep your family healthy just by maintaining your pet’s health. To ensure your pet’s and your family’s health, you may want to enroll your pet in a pet insurance for older pets plan.

Your pet will be less likely to transmit a disease to the family, if you have the best pet insurance plan you can get to help you keep your pet healthy. You can prevent your pet from becoming ill, or even dying, by taking proper care of them and their health.

Having renters insurance for pets will help keep your pet healthier, and therefore help prevent the spreading of diseases. To get the best pet health insurance, it pays to view the posted pet health insurance review online.

Most large dogs develop arthritis as they age. Although there are no miracle cures, much can be done to make our friends more comfortable and improve their lives.

First, give your pet a soft, comfortable place to sleep. Your dog’s bed should be as comfortable as your own. An old mattress or soft couch is excellent. Soft foam rubber at least four inches thick is good. Scout around for an old baby mattress. Whatever arrangement you use, it’s much easier for large dogs to get up and down if you raise the bed about a foot off the floor.

Take time for gentle, regular exercise. Once around the block two or three times a day is about right. Avoid strenuous activity and alternate exercise with little or none during the week.

Observe proper diet and weight control. Older dogs tend to be overweight. This discourages them from getting the exercise they need and aggravates their arthritis. The more weight on those poor old joints, the harder it is to move around.

You should be able to easily locate each of your dog’s ribs when you feel for them. If not, it’s a sign your dog is overweight. Choose the appropriate food and never give more than what’s needed.

Try supplements for joint health. There are hundreds of products that can help relieve arthritis pain by promoting joint and cartilage health. Their active ingredients usually include glucosamine, chondroitin or perna caniculus or an assortment of vitamins and minerals. Their use has become nearly universal among veterinarians. No safety problems have been reported so far and many of these products are effective so there’s no harm in trying them.

Newer drugs that are more effective than aspirin and safe for long-term use have been developed. They may be expensive but they can make a huge difference in the lives of arthritic old dogs. Ask your vet about these prescription drugs.

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Like some humans, dogs and cats hide their pain. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good habit. It has been established that pain can interfere with the healing process and depress the immune system of pets. Knowing this, what can be done about pet pain?

Obviously, in the case of minor pains from known injuries, we often treat pets at home like we do to ourselves and our kids. For minor injuries, these simple home remedies can help.

Ice should be the first treatment for soft tissue injury or swelling. It’s free, readily available and works.

Give aspirin to ease the pain. Do this for dogs. Make sure it is Ascriptin or a form of aspirin formulated for dogs. Never give aspirin, willow bark, or any other pain medication to a cat. Follow the recommendation of your veterinarian. Cats metabolize these drugs differently than dogs or humans.

Herbal medicine has been used for pain relief for many years. The most common herb used for minor pain is white willow or Salix alba. This herb, the precursor to modern aspirin, may be easier on the stomach than aspirin, or even the supposedly gastrointestinal-friendly new generation COX-2 inhibitors.

Acupuncture is also very effective at reducing pain, swelling and inflammation. If your pet’s injury isn’t responding to home care and you know an acupuncturist who doubles as a veterinarian, you might want to give the needles a try.

The homeopathic remedy arnica can help with muscle strain, swollen soft tissues or bruising. For mild injuries in a dog or cat, you can give the arnica in two ways. You can put a single pellet into the mouth of the pet and make sure it swallows the pill. The pellets are tiny and slightly sweet, so most pets will swallow them willingly.

If your pet won’t take the pellet, simply put it into four ounces of water and stir ten times with a clean teaspoon. Give half a teaspoon of the liquid to the pet. It doesn’t matter if the pellet hasn’t dissolved. For minor muscle injuries, one or two doses are usually sufficient. This dosage is appropriate for dogs or cats of all sizes.

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If you’re seeking the smartest of all birds to bring into your home as both soul mate and buddy, look no further than the African grey parrot. The African grey will bond with you, talk for you, play with you, get mad at you, and love you to death! What more can you ask from a family pet?

This bird is known by scientists as the Psittacus erithacus–genus and species. It has that one species only; but there are two subspecies. The first of these is named after the species, so it’s known as Psittacus erithacus erithacus, more commonly called the Congo African grey. The second is the Psittacus erithacus timneh, or the Timneh African grey. The Congo greys come from the central and western sections of Africa, and they are the larger of the two going at from 14 to 21 ounces. The Timneh grays are indigenous to Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast area, and they weigh a few ounces less. Avian experts are debating whether the greys found on Principe Island constitute a third subspecies, tentatively called P.e. Princeps, but many believe the Princeps is a variation of the Congo greys.

The greys all have in common a white or gray patch of skin around their eyes and black feet. They all have the wonderfully smooth and soft-looking grey plumage. The Congos are a lighter shade, their beaks are solid black, and their tail feathers are dark red at maturity. The Timnehs have a two-toned beak, and their darker grey feathers contain hints of taupe and maroon.

In their natural habitat, the rainforest areas, these birds live in flocks, and they usually bond in a monogamous fashion with their mate until death or separation ends their relationship. They mostly eat fruit and nuts, which they find at the tops of trees. They are very watchful in their native setting–to avoid being some predator’s lunch!–and they are successful at keeping themselves pretty safe because they are among the most intelligent of all birds.

So what can you expect when you bring one of these wonderful birds into your home? First of all, your African grey is going to be like a kid for you. Typically they demonstrate the emotional maturity of a two-year-old child but the intelligence of a five-year-old. And because it is their native instinct to bond with a mate, when they’re brought into a household they will do what is, for them, the next best thing: find one person in the family to become attached to.

You must take responsibility for introducing your bird to your family and gaining his trust. If you are your bird’s favorite, then you must take the necessary steps to be sure he socializes appropriately with other family members. These birds must use keen observational skills in the wild. For this reason, they take great notice of their keeper’s emotions. As a matter of fact, your bird will sense if you are feeling down, and he will be eager to spend some time interacting with you.

Loudness of any kind, especially shouting or anger will cause the bird to respond unfavorably. He won’t enjoy having his beak tapped. Greys are considered to be flock animals, and they will expect to be treated as your equal; although he may want to be the center of attention!

Bringing one of these birds into your family is akin to bringing home a child to raise. Actually, African greys remain as youngsters for about five years, and they take another five years after that to reach full maturity, so you really are bringing home a child! The life span of a grey is about 40-50 years.

Knowing the proper technique to use on how to get your bird to play with you is important. Convincing the parrot to rock or bob along with you is one way to interact with him in a playful way. Remember to initially move slowly around him because he must build up his trust in you. Some people report that when they purchase a new toy for their bird, they play with it for awhile initially, showing lots of enthusiasm so that the bird will want to play with it as well. Many experts recommend that you keep them close to you throughout the time you spend at home. If you are in the family room, kitchen, or even the bathroom, move his cage or perch close to you so that he can watch what you’re doing. He will get enjoyment watching what you are doing, and he enjoys it if you praise him.

Perhaps the most enjoyable activity is teaching them to speak or imitate other sounds. These feathered creatures are famous for imitating everything they hear. They can mimic the human voice, and enjoy imitating other animals, as well as sound effects in its surroundings.

The African grey parrot makes a wonderful addition to any family. You are going to love having this bird!

In many cases dogs bark because they have nothing else of interest to do, a lack of attention can sometimes cause the barking. A lot of the time we give in to our dogs in order to make them behave, this only teaches them that barking will get them what they want which encourages more bad behavior. It’s important to learn and understand the most effective dog training techniques so that you can effectively deal with this type of behavior.

One of the first things that your dog needs to learn is that barking in order to attract attention will not be tolerated. Some dogs lack so much attention that they start to anger their owners as a way to get attention – its not positive attention but its better than nothing. This belief needs to be changed and you’ll need to train your dog that this is not what you want. To do this most effectively you’ll need to practice reinforcing your commands with an action.

Next time you tell your dog to be “Quiet”, after saying “Quiet” reinforce the command by spraying water at your dog. This is known as negative reinforcement and is a great way of teaching your dog to associate words with action. Repeating this sequence a few times will teach your dog that the “Quiet” command is followed by the water being sprayed – something he doesn’t like. Through a little practice your dog will soon learn to keep quiet without needing to spray water.

If the barking comes with a lot of growling and aggression, its not advised to use the negative reinforcement approach. Instead get your dog to his vet as soon as possible as their may be a medical problem that needs to be attended.

If your dog barks when you leave the house, make sure you do everything you can to minimize the barking. Ensure your dog has a comfortable place to rest and plenty of food and water. Make sure your dog doesn’t see other people as this may only excite him and cause more barking.

Another way to stop the barking is to stop praising the dog when he has done nothing to earn it. When you teach him something but praise him for everything, that activity means very little. He knows you are going to praise him anyway. When he does what you have instructed, simply pat him and let him know that you think he was a “good dog” but don’t go overboard in your praise. This teaches him that in order to earn that praise he has to do more of the activity you praised him for.

When you are not at home, make sure your dog has something to do and everything he needs. Start using negative reinforcement and then back this up with positive reinforcement. Always remember that praise should only be given to your dog when it really deserves it.

Insurance is something that every pet owner must consider. After all, veterinarian visits cost as much as physician’s visits today.

You need pet insurance since your pets are getting old too, making them susceptible to age-related illnesses and diseases. Besides, what if your beloved pet figures in an accident? Do you have any idea how much pet care costs these days?

The key to make pet insurance work for you is to get it early – the minute you bought your pet. This will help you enjoy all the benefits that insurance offers.

Don’t worry if you have an exotic pet. Although most insurance covers only the “basic breeds”, there are many providers out there now today that cater to more unusual breeds. All you have to do is look for them.

Regardless of the type of pet you have, you need to do your homework when selecting the right animal insurance provider. This ensures that you will have a problem-free experience when trying to make claims.

Here are some questions to answer and consider in selecting a good pet insurance:

What are the different pet plans available?

Given the current age of your pet, which plan do they recommend and why?

Are claim payments based on the bill of a veterinarian or the provider’s benefit list?

Are the dental needs of your pet covered?

When you file a claim, will they increase the premium afterwards?

As your pet gets older, will you need to pay higher premiums?

How are pet insurance claims handled exactly?

What is the exact coverage of the pet insurance they’re offering?

What are the limits the pet insurance they’re offering?

If you love your pet, ensuring that you can properly care for your dog or cat is a must. Having pet insurance not only provides the best care but it’s a financial safety net for you too if need to spend a big sum of money for your beloved pet’s care.

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One part of the food industry – which grosses billions of dollars per year – beekeeping is a demanding skill which requires their practitioners to be very dedicated and passionate. The industry may have began as a hobby but has come a long way since, and currently enjoys near global levels of familiarity.

Any beekeeper is going to have to learn bee biology from an experienced beekeeper. Producing honey is a simple matter of regurgitating food for bees, which is a mechanism through which they attempt to survive the long winter without their main food source, flowers.

It is incredible to observe the manner that bees use to survive during winter. Bees normally produce honey during the warmer months only, and many beekeepers farm during the cold off season. This is an expensive hobby and it may look cheap because you can make a box put some slides in them and allow the bees to come there, but the thing is that you have to know where to put the boxes for the bees to build their hives in.

Entomology is a necessary part of the industry, since you must know what kind of predators will prey on your bees, which are not limited to yellow jackets, wasps, microscopic mites, and hornets.

A good beekeeper will have a lot of science background, since this is how they are most able to prevent pests from taking over the hive and providing a good habitat for their bees. Beekeeping stretches back generations in some families, and that generally makes people dedicated and serious about the activity, which is important in any type of beekeeper training.

Often times, people view the skill as something that is passed down through familial tradition and the way of life that they learned through great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents. As with other farm products, honey production began as a chore, but eventually gained profit through being taken to the market.