Veterinarians told Insider about some common pet-care mistakes many owners make. Giving your cat or dog medication that's meant for humans could be fatal. Letting your dog meet new dogs face-first may not always be appropriate. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Helping your pet live their best life isn't always easy. But there are a few ways you could unknowingly be making their life a bit more difficult or even be missing out key warning signs related to their health. Here are common mistakes pet owners make and how to fix them, according to veterinarians. You should never try to cut matted fur out of a pet's ear. If long-haired dogs and cats aren't regularly groomed the fur on their ears can become thickly matted — but that doesn't mean you should grab your scissors and chop it off. "Matts are difficult to brush or comb out, so sometimes pet owners decide to take matters into their own hands and cut them out with scissors," Christie Long, veterinarian and head of veterinary medicine at Modern Animal, told Insider. "This is a mistake. Because it can be difficult to determine where the matt ends and the ear itself begins, it's easy to cut the ear." The best way to deal with matted fur is to use a soft-bristled brush to gently comb out the matt. If this isn't possible — or you have an uncooperative pet — a trip a professional groomer may be in order. Socializing your new puppy early is vital. To read more on this story, click here:Veterinarians Reveal 10 Of The Most Common Mistakes Pet Owners Make
Galapagos giant tortoise has so much sex he retires after saving his species originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A Galapagos giant tortoise estimated to be about 130 years old is returning home after having so much sex that he saved his species. Diego, part of the Chelonoidis hoodensis species that lives on the Galapagos island of Espanola, was one of the tortoises brought to the U.S. between 1928 and 1933 and was later placed into the Charles Darwin Research Station for protection after the species was declared critically endangered in the 1960s, according to the San Diego Zoo. To read more on this story, click here:Galapagos Giant Tortoise Has So Much Sex He Retires After Saving His Species
Australia has been facing an unprecedented national crisis with bushfires devastating rural communities across the country. And as residents of the threatened communities are forced to abandon their homes, many animals are too feeling the effects of the deadly fires, with more than 500 million animals estimated to have perished so far. As zoos and local charities scramble in an attempt to treat the effected wildlife, Bindi Irwin has revealed that the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, which is owned by her family, has opened its doors and has so far treated an estimated 90,000 animals. Bindi Irwin, 21, announced that the hospital is treating effected animals through her official Instagram account. To read more on this story, click here:Irwin Family Opens Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital’s Doors To Treat Over 90,000 Animals During Bushfire Emergency
