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How to Help a Dog with Anxiety

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Do you have an anxious best friend? Does your buddy bark, whine and panic? You’re not alone! Many dogs experience anxiety, it’s frightening for your dog and can be a worrying time for you. However, we’re about to show you how to calm your dog down, and help your best friend lead a stress free life.

That being said, feeling anxious is a normal and often healthy emotion. If your dog’s anxiety level is too high and left unchecked, it could turn into an anxiety disorder. Such a condition can lead to behavioral issues as well as other problems. Thankfully, you can train your dog to calm down quickly.

What Causes Canine Anxiety?

Many things can cause dog anxiety, but the most common causes seem to be fear, separation and ageing. Keep these things in mind when caring for your anxious dog.

Fear

Things that can cause fear in your dog are loud noises, strange people or animals, visual stimuli such as hats or umbrellas, new or unfamiliar environments as well as specific situations. These situations can include the vet’s office or car rides or even surfaces like grass or wood floors. Some dogs may only have quick reactions to these things, but they can cause real turmoil for more frequently anxious dogs.

Separation

Separation anxiety is estimated to affect around 14% of dogs. Dogs with this condition cannot find comfort when they are left alone or separated from their family. This anxiety often comes out in undesirable behaviors. These negative characteristics include urination and defecation in the home and destroying furniture and furnishings. It may also manifest in barking and whining.

Ageing

This affects older dogs and can be associated with cognitive dysfunction syndrome or CDS. CDS affects memory, learning, perception and awareness. In this way, it is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This leads to both confusion and anxiety in older dogs.

What Symptoms Should You Look For?

So how can you tell if your dog has anxiety? There are several things you will need to look out for.

  • Aggression
  • Accidents in the house
  • Drooling
  • Panting
  • Destructive behaviors
  • Excessive barking
  • Pacing
  • Restlessness
  • Repetitive or compulsive behaviors

Some of these symptoms may be the result of a rare anxiety-inducing event. Any of these behaviors can become recurrent and result in more serious concerns. By far, the most dangerous symptom is aggression.

It can be targeted directly or indirectly in any given situation. Direct aggression is when your best friend lashes out towards people or other animals. Indirect aggression often occurs when a person comes between the dog and the perpetrator of the aggression, like another animal. The first signs of this are growling and barking.

Accidents in the house are pertaining to urination and defecation. It is a prevalent symptom of separation anxiety, and anxious dogs often get themselves so worked up that they have an accident. This can be frustrating for owners who have worked challengingly housebreaking their beloved companion. It is unpleasant to clean and can lead to things like property damage.

Like accidents, destruction is also widespread with separation anxiety. The damage is most often found near the entryway/exit points like doorways and windows. Dogs in such a state of heightened anxiety are also at risk to themselves. Your best friend may attempt to break out of his crate, windows, or even doors, resulting in severe and painful injuries requiring an expensive vet visit.

How Can You Help?

There are two main things you can do to help your anxious dog. These are prevention first, and if all else fails, treatment. It can be hard to precisely predict what makes your dog nervous and even harder to tell if it will become a severe condition. First, we will discuss prevention and then treatment.

Prevention

You can do things to help train your puppy or adult dog to help with their anxiety early on. These suggestions may solve the problem before it becomes a serious concern. However, if they don’t work or the stress gets worse, it may be time to discuss treatment with your veterinarian.

Body Language

One of the best things you can do to help your dog is reading their body language. Get to know when your pet is uncomfortable or scared. Learning these things can help you avoid negative experiences or use them as a teaching moment. Knowing your dog’s body language will also tell you when they are just beginning to get anxious. This is especially useful when it comes to dogs with aggression-related anxiety.

Socialization

Proper socialization can help prevent anxiety in dogs. Introducing your dog to new people, dogs, animals, places, and experiences early on can help avoid an anxiety response later on. It also helps your best friend become well-adjusted.

Obedience

Obedience training is an essential tool for helping your dog with their anxiety. It helps establish a healthy relationship and establishes trust between the two of you. A well-trained dog is easier to socialize with. We recommend obedience classes as they are an excellent place for dogs to meet other dogs in a safe environment.

Exercise and Nutrition

Regular exercise and stimulation are vital to your best friend’s development, physical and mental health. A well-stimulated companion is less likely to be destructive. Nutrition is equally important to your canine’s health. Making sure your pet is healthy will also help make them happy and can help reduce their stress.

Situation Avoidance

You can also avoid or prevent events that cause your dog’s anxiety, especially if they have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. It doesn’t mean you need to put your life on hold, but it can help reduce some of your pet and your’s stress. If you can’t avoid the sources of your dog’s anxiety, then it is best to take preventative measures such as leashes, harnesses and, if needed, basket muzzles. Know your best friend’s triggers. You can prepare for these situations in advance.

Treatment

If treatment is needed, then it is best to talk to your veterinarian. They will be able to help identify exactly what is causing your best friend to be anxious. They will also be able to discern if your buddy’s anxiety is situational or a more severe issue. If the concern is extreme, medication may be necessary. Always talk to your vet before giving any kind of medicine to your pet.

Training and Conditioning

You can use training and conditioning to help your anxious best friend. The purpose of this is to curb your pet’s response by replacing the anxious or aggressive behavior with something more desirable, such as sitting or paying attention to their owner.

You can also try exposure therapy as a form of training with your canine. This is the process of slowly introducing your dog to what is causing their anxiety. Do this in short periods at a decreased intensity. Reward your bud for positive behavior and repeated exposure. Through these methods, your dog’s fear may lessen.

Anxiety Meds for Dogs

If your friend is struggling, your vet may recommend medications such as an SSRI or antidepressant. For more predictable events, they may recommend a benzodiazepine and an antidepressant to help your dog in particular times of stress.

In Conclusion:

Anxiety for your best friend may be more stressful than you think. It can come on suddenly and in various ways and even turn into a more severe condition. However, with the proper training, techniques and possibly meds, your best friend can get back to being their happy and calmer selves.

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When to Seek Veterinary Care for Vomiting in Cats

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Vomiting is an exanthematous incident frequently experienced by felines, with countless root causes and intensities. Although certain scenarios of regurgitation may not be considered concerning, some circumstances necessitate immediate veterinary attention. This article will discuss when to seek veterinary care for vomiting in cats and the potential consequences of delaying treatment.

What Is Vomiting?

Vomiting is the ejection of semi-processed nourishment and other stomach and small intestine materials. Various conditions can bring it about, including dietary imprudence, foreign body ingestion, gastroenteritis, and other medical issues. It is significant to remember that vomiting is not equivalent to disgorgement, which is the ejection of unabsorbed sustenance or liquid that has not yet gone into the stomach.

Signs of Vomiting in Cats

Cats typically display a few signs that indicate they are vomiting. These signs can include heaving, retching, and abdominal contractions. Additionally, cats may produce drooling, lip-licking, and excessive swallowing before vomiting. After vomiting, cats may appear passive, have decreased appetite, and may have a poor coat condition.

When to Seek Veterinary Care for Vomiting in Cats

It is essential to bring your feline to the vet if they are disgorging more than twice in a day and a half or if they have other alarming signs, for example, listlessness, fever, not eating, or stomach torment. Besides, any regurgitation that continues for over a day and a half should be assessed by a vet. On the off chance that your cat is hurling and has any of the accompanying manifestations, it is pivotal to observe a veterinarian promptly.

Bloody Vomit: Vomiting that comprises blood is denominated hematemesis and may be engendered by a gamut of medicinal circumstances. If they are disgorging blood, it is critical to bring your feline to the veterinarian expeditiously.

Vomiting with Dehydration: Dehydration can be difficult for felines and may transpire when they cannot supplant forfeited liquids. Manifestations of desiccation comprise a parched maw, hollowed eyes, languor, and hide that does not rebound when squeezed. If your cat is exhibiting any of these indications, it is imperative to take them to the vet instantly. Treatment may incorporate furnishing fluids, electrolytes, and other medicaments to assist in reviving suitable hydration levels in the body.

Vomiting with Weight Loss: If your feline is regurgitating and slimming, escorting them to the vet is crucial to discern the originative cause. Weight diminution can result from various health predicaments, such as malignancy and incessant renal ailment.

Vomiting with Diarrhea: If your feline is disgorging and has the runs, it is imperative to get veterinary assistance promptly, as this can be a marker of a genuine medicinal condition, for example, pancreatitis or intestinal blockage.

Vomiting with Other Neurologic Symptoms: If your cat is vomiting and has other neurologic symptoms such as seizures or head tilt, it is important to seek veterinary care immediately as this can be a sign of a serious medical condition such as feline infectious peritonitis or a brain tumor.

Potential Consequences of Delaying Treatment

Delaying veterinary care for vomiting in cats can have serious consequences. Vomiting can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, acid-base disturbances, and nutritional deficiencies. Additionally, some underlying causes of vomiting can be life-threatening if left untreated. For example, untreated pancreatitis can lead to severe abdominal pain, organ failure, and death.

Conclusion

Vomiting is a frequent episode in felines and can be caused by many circumstances. Even though certain instances of disgorging may not be a source of alarm, it is essential to get veterinary attention if your cat is heaving more than twice in twenty-four hours or has other worrisome signs such as listlessness or fever, lack of appetite, and abdominal distress. Moreover, any disgorging that persists beyond twenty-four hours should be inspected by a vet. Postponing veterinary care for vomiting in cats can have dire consequences, resulting in desiccation, electrolyte imbalances, acid-base imbalances, dietary inadequacies, and even mortality if left unattended.

 

If your cat is vomiting, it is important to take them to the veterinarian as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause and provide the necessary treatment.

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3 Reasons to Choose Cat Boarding When You Go on a Holiday

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It is not simple to dismiss cat boarding when you are getting ready to leave town. Pets cannot always survive on their own, so if you consider leaving your cat alone at home, you may get disappointed after coming back. So consider the many benefits of cat boarding that you must consider before travelling again. 

Benefits of Cat Boarding

1. You Can Count On Neither Food Nor Water Ever Running Out For Your Cat

Sure, you could leave your cat alone at home for a few days with large bowls of food and water, but how would you prevent your cat from tipping the water bowl once you do not return the first night? Your cat could easily knock over their entire supply of drinking water unless they use the toilet or there are multiple bowls around the house.

As cats age, kidney disease affects about one in three of them, and even a day or two without water access can increase the risk of kidney stones or other harm. Your cat’s water bowl is left in its cat boarding facility, giving you peace of mind.

2. Boarding Your Cat Keeps Them Safe

Although it might seem that your home’s interior would be inherently safe, there are many hidden risks that your cat might come across while you are away. Your cat might only play with hair ties when you are home, but when you are gone, they might get frustrated and ingest one, which could cause an obstruction. Your cat might jump incorrectly and fracture a leg. Even worse, someone could break into your house, hurt your cat, or let them run away.

You will not have to worry about any of this with cat boarding. Knowing that your cat is safe, watched, played with, cuddled, and fed allows you to relax and enjoy your trip.

3. Daily Litter Box Cleaning

Due to their highly sensitive sense of smell, cats may completely avoid using the litter box if it goes unattended for even a short period. Your cat may find a new favourite place to go once they begin to remove the litter box because of the smell, and it might be challenging to break the habit once you get back home.

 

One benefit of cat boarding is daily litter box cleaning. Your cat will not have to find a new place to use, like your laundry basket, because it will be happy to have a clean litter box. If you feel like your cat has any problem, go to the animal tracks vets in the inner west for their guidance. 

Conclusion 

When your cat is boarded, it can get medical attention much faster. All cat boarding amenities have a relationship with a 24-hour emergency veterinarian, and some cat boarding facilities have veterinarians on staff or call.

You might not want to believe your friends, family, or pet sitter to give your cat medication while you are away because many cat boarding facilities also offer this service. So, if you are a cat lover and worry about your cat while you are away, consider a reliable cat boarding for your loving pet. 

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How Did Civet Cat Land In Coorg?

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Planning a trip to Karnataka? Then why not take a visit to Coorg, a beautiful, hilly rural district in Karnataka? And needless to say, you’ll put an end to your long-standing doubt: what link this rural district and Civet cats have.  

What does Coorg have to do with Civet cats?

India, the third-largest producer and exporter of coffee in Asia, has started producing the most expensive coffee on a small scale. The civet cats’ waste is used to make this coffee, and you can visit using a car rental in Bangalore.

In Coorg, you can find civet cats, a nocturnal species that resembles a raccoon and is in danger of going extinct in the Western Ghats. They often reside on coffee plantations and in tropical jungles. These small animals are known for their faeces, more than worth the bother, despite the fact that they frequently annoy villagers by ascending buildings at night and making excessive noise. 

Civet coffee is the priciest coffee in the world for obvious reasons, but if you are a true coffee connoisseur, you won’t hesitate to pay Rs 20,000–25,000/kg! You would have assumed that this coffee is not your typical cup of joe, given its absurd price. It is notable for its incredibly peculiar production process instead. It is a civet’s cat waste. Only three to four countries, including India, produce this special coffee. But what’s the story behind this priced coffee?

History of civet coffee

When Thamoo Poovaiah was a child, he frequently saw civet cat droppings around their coffee estates in Coorg, southwest Karnataka. But it took him years before he realised he was sitting on a jackpot because of the growing demand for civet coffee on the international market. Currently, Coorg Consolidated Commodities (CCC), where Poovaiah serves as a managing partner, is the source of the most expensive coffee in the world.

But what he shared with us was a sobering eye-opener. Mr. N. G. Thimmaiah procured 10 kg of Kopi Luwak in 2015 and shipped it to Switzerland for a respectable sum. Unfortunately, his production of Kopi Luwak coffee fell by 50% in both 2016 and 2017 to just 5 kg.

Mr. Thimmaiah eventually learned that the Civet Cats were being killed by the farmers who lived next to his property because they were stealing their coffee beans. They kill the cats because, as Mr. Thimmaiah explains, “to them it is very easy, the cats eat their coffee.” 

Mr. Thimmaiah attempted to persuade his fellow farmers to stop killing the civet cats by explaining to them the value of the coffee, but these farmers already thought Mr. Thimmaiah was crazy because he only grows his coffee organically using natural compost and no fertiliser. As a result, when he told them that the poop these Civet Cats produced was extremely precious, they laughed him out of the room.

Because they consume fruit and so spread seeds throughout tropical forests, civet cats help to preserve the health of forest ecosystems. Civet cats have occasionally been invasive and regarded as pests, like in Indonesia. That is not the case in the Coorg region, where they contribute to the preservation of the ecosystem.

Conclusion 

Out of all the Kodagu specialities offered here, including different coffees and cocoa goods, aside from the quiches and pies that the café sources from home chefs, the civet coffee is unquestionably the star attraction. And unlike the original civet coffee from nations like Indonesia, where the animals are caged to ensure a steady supply of “raw material,” there are no horrifying backstories here, and you can visit Bangalore to Coorg cabs.

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