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1913 results for “pica”
Black Spots on Your Cat’s Nose: Dirt or Something Serious?
About 90% of black marks on a cat's nose sit along the bridge, are greasy food grime that wipes away to reveal clean skin, and are completely harmless. But specks inside the nostrils with sneezing or discharge point to an infection such as a cold or feline herpesvirus, and dark patches on the bridge or sides of the nose often mean ringworm — both warrant a vet visit.
Symptoms of Leptospirosis in Pets
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic infection of dogs and cats caused by pathogenic Leptospira, often silent but marked by fever, jaundice, anemia, edema, hemoglobinuria, bleeding, and in severe cases kidney and liver failure. It spreads through urine, contaminated water, and bites, peaks in warm wet seasons, and is diagnosed by signs plus kidney and liver damage. Prevention is vaccination and rodent control; treatment is antibiotics plus supportive care, avoiding streptomycin when kidneys are involved.
Common Dog Paw Problems and How to Treat Them
A dog's paw is a complex, useful structure — shock absorption, sweating, warmth, digging, self-defense — but its many folds and hairs trap debris, so it easily reddens, inflames, sheds fur, or even ulcers and oozes. The main paw troubles are injuries from sharp objects, cracked pads, bacterial or fungal infection, and eczema. Trim nails, wipe paws after walks, and see a vet for deep or infected wounds.
What to Do If a Dog Is Vomiting Blood
Vomiting blood can point to the throat, stomach, or intestine depending on whether the material is undigested, partly digested, or mixed with clots or coffee-ground matter, and on whether the vomiting comes before or after diarrhea. Distinct patterns flag particular diseases — parvo enteritis (diarrhea then vomit, tomato-juice stool), distemper (vomit then diarrhea with blood), corona (vomit first, eases with diarrhea), and infectious hepatitis (vomit with ravenous drinking) — so the vet matches the pattern to the cause.
Feline Ringworm: Treatment and Care
Feline ringworm is a common fungal skin disease — usually Microsporum canis — that leaves dry, round, scaly patches with broken hair on the face, ears, limbs, and tail, and glows yellow-green under a Wood's lamp. Treat by clipping and medicating beyond the edge, boosting B vitamins and sunlight, disinfecting the environment with diluted bleach, and using clotrimazole for small spots or oral terbinafine for widespread cases, while cutting back on baths.
Why Has Your Cat Been Gone for Days and Not Come Home?
A cat that vanishes for days is often a sexually mature cat that slipped out to find a mate while in heat. Spaying or neutering around 5–6 months of age prevents both the escape behavior and the health risks — such as mammary and prostate tumors — linked to repeated, unsatisfied heat cycles. Watch for the telltale signs (restlessness, vocalizing, spraying, vulvar swelling) and have your cat fixed before the first heat if you don't plan to breed.
Understanding Normal Rabbit Behaviors
Knowing a rabbit's normal behaviors helps breeders spot problems early and respond in time. Key patterns include feeding and drinking, nursing, cecotrophe (soft stool) eating, and territorial marking. Recognizing what is typical versus abnormal is essential to rabbit health and productive husbandry.
Essential Supplies to Prepare Before Getting a Cat
Setting up before a cat arrives saves stress. Must-haves: a proper cat food (match its current brand, plus kitten formula and bottle if it's unweaned), a litter box with high-sided, low-entry design and tofu litter, ceramic or stainless bowls with a running-water fountain, a coat-appropriate brush, and a deworming plan (internal every 1–3 months, external monthly for outdoor cats).
How Long Does Cat External Deworming Take to Work?
External deworming kills fleas, lice, and mites within about three days, but it does not replace internal deworming — fleas carry tapeworms. Bathing will not remove fleas, so use vet-recommended products and follow the timing rules for oral doses.
How to Remove Ticks from a Dog
The 'dog bean' owners mention is simply a tick, best dealt with using a topical parasiticide rather than yanking it off by hand. If you pull a tick, grip it with fine tweezers after dabbing alcohol and never leave the mouthparts in the skin, or infection will follow. For bite-site dermatitis, disinfect daily and apply an antiseptic spray, adding zinc oxide ointment if inflammation is severe.