SIGNS YOUR CAT HAS A FEVER

When your cat isn’t feeling well, you can tell right away. After all, your cat is basically your child. Cat’s can hide pain pretty easily, but what they can’t hide is when they just feel sick. Knowing what to do when your cat isn’t feeling well is something every cat owner should know. One of these, in particular, is signs your cat has a fever and the investigation work as to why which will be needed for the veterinarian.

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Why Did Scientists Paint Eyes on Hundreds of Cattle Butts? To Save Lives, Study Says

For four years, researchers painted fake eyes on hundreds of cattle butts for the sake of science. What seems like a silly prank, the “eye-cow technique” proved lifesaving for the animals as it made predators rethink their attack, choosing another meal instead.

The scientists say their method is a more humane and “ecologically sound” alternative to lethal control and fencing used to separate cattle from carnivores. The team even theorizes the technique could be used to prevent human-wildlife conflicts and reduce criminal activity, according to a news release. A study was published Aug. 7 in the journal Communications Biology.

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Crew Rescues Cat Stuck In Tree For 3 Days After Being Dropped By Hawk

How many cat up the tree stories have we seen and heard? There is the memorable one from the first Superman movie, where the little girl goes running into her mother to tell her Fluffy was rescued by a flying man in a cape. (To which the mother promptly replies, “Didn’t I tell you to stop lying!?”) Cats routinely scale up the side of trees either in pursuit of prey or just for play.

Well, this is one story that you can chalk up to the tallest of tree stories, and this one is actually true according to first responders in Ohio. The cat in question just also happens to be named Fluffy (what cat isn’t) but according to its owner it was perched at the top of a 40 foot tree for about three days. After the third day when Fluffy wouldn’t come down she decided it was time to all the fire department.

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The Best Medium-Sized Dogs for Families

Congrats! Your kids convinced you to get a puppy (or maybe vice versa?). It’s time to research breeds well-suited for kids, active family life and commands like, “No begging at the table!” The thing is, puppies—like kids—don’t stay puppies forever. You don’t want to find yourself in a Goldilocks-type situation with a dog too big to fit comfortably in your condo or too small to enjoy regular playtime with the fam. Finding a dog that’s just right for your family, both in size and personality, is important to everyone’s happiness. Our advice? Go for a medium-sized breed.

Perhaps the best thing about focusing on medium-sized dogs is that there are so many options. Tons of breeds fall into the “medium” category, which has a fairly broad range. There’s wiggle room for these figures, but generally, dogs weighing between 20 and 65 pounds, and standing between 8 and 27 inches tall are considered medium size.

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A Parasite Feasts on a Fish's Tongue Until it's Gone. Don't Worry, Humans Can't Get it

 

Researcher Kory Evans didn’t expect to find a tongue-eating parasite at work this week.

Evans, an assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University in Houston, has spent the past few years scanning and searching wrasses — a family of marine fish — to learn how traits evolve in the family. He's been measuring skull shapes of different types, and it’s part of an initiative he's dubbed #BackDatWrasseUp.

“While I was placing landmarks inside the mouth of one of the fishes, I realized that the inside of the mouth was pretty crowded,” he told USA TODAY.

Sometimes, it’s food. But in this particular type of fish, Odax cyanollix, he found what looked like a small crustacean.

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What’s the Difference Between Llamas and Alpacas?

Llamas and alpacas have been used by humans for transportation and fleece production for a few thousand years. Both species are primarily found in Peru and Bolivia and are part of the camel family, Camelidae. Alpacas and llamas are two of the four lamoid species—the other two species, vicuña and guanaco, are their wild cousins. Interestingly, all four species are able to interbreed and create fertile offspring. While often conflated, alpacas and llamas differ in key ways. The most-distinguishing physical differences between alpacas and llamas are their size, their hair, and their face shapes. Also, they differ in disposition, which affects the way humans have used them over the years.

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Maine Coon Cat Sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star With His Human [Watch video]

Cats may not be able to speak like humans. But they make every effort to communicate with their hoomans. Cats even invented the word ‘meow’ just to interact with the hoomans. Cats surprise us every now and then. We have been domesticated them since thousands of years now. And we still don’t know anything about them.

To see the video, click here: Maine Coon Cat Sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star With His Human [Watch video]

Ear Infections In Cats: Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments

Ear infections in cats can affect both the inner ear and outer ear. Those affecting the inner ear are known as otitis media. Those affecting the outer ear are called otitis externa.

In general, otitis media infections can be more severe and dangerous to a cat’s health than otitis externa infections. If you see the signs of either type of ear infection in your cat, then you must get to a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

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Researchers Find A Preserved 12-Million-Year-Old Praying Mantis

We all remember the scene in the original Jurassic Park where dinosaur DNA was removed from a prehistoric mosquito stuck in amber. It’s perhaps the one thing that we all think about when we see pictures of insects stuck in amber – at least that is where my mind always goes to.

This one piece of amber doesn’t have a mosquito in it, but a praying mantis. The piece of amber was quite translucent and pale yellow in color, so it perfectly showed off the 12-million-year-old that was perfectly preserved inside.

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Photographer Captured Rare Albino Elephant On Camera In Safari

Nicki Coertze was enjoying a safari while on vacation with his family in Shingwedsi, South Africa, when he witnessed something both rare and spectacular. He saw a herd of African elephants, and tucked behind one of the adults, he spotted an albino elephant calf.

Albino animals are rare and hard to find, especially when you’re not looking for them. It’s believed that one in every 10,000 mammals are born albino. Many go unnoticed in the wild because they’re far and few between.

Coertze, a 58-year old photographer, snapped several pictures of the baby hanging out by the Shingwedsi river. The photos document a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Coertze and his family.

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“Sheep Pigs” Are Real And They’re Like Giant Fuzzy Dogs

We all know that sheep are quite fuzzy animals, which is part of their charm as farm animals. But when we think of pigs, we definitely don’t envision hairy animals. Quite the opposite, we think of pigs as being relatively sparse with their fur and constantly dunking themselves in mud in order to stay cool.

However, there is a “sheep pig” out there, and they’re quite the unusual-looking animal. The Mangalitsa pig is an actual fuzzy pig! They have the outward appearance of a sheep with the wooly coat, but they’re actually bred to be pets since they’re quite tamable. The breeder of the Mangalitsa pig has stated that they can be tamed just like dogs if they’re shown the right affection. As a result, these pigs have been known to follow around their owners or play with their owners – just like a dog!

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Canaries: These Songbirds are a Top Choice for Bird Owners

Canaries have perhaps the sweetest song of any creature on Earth. These small, puffy birds are welcome tenants at any home, whether you live in a house or an apartment. It will take your canary some time to polish his voice — these birds, like people, get better with practice.

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Tips for Ferrets

We are seeing a large number of ferrets at our hospital, as we have the expertise of Dr. Tracey Ritzman, DABVP. This week’s post will just offer a broad overview of Ferret Ownership.

Background

Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are members of the weasel family that have been domesticated for over two thousand years.

HEALTH

Ferrets have a lifespan between 6 to 8 years. They will require routine visits to your veterinarian for regular vaccinations (including canine distemper and rabies virus) and annual examinations. Ferrets are at risk of heartworms and fleas, so monthly preventative treatments should be used.

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tags

Ferret, Mustela Putorius Furo, Fleas, Litter Box, 

Pet Birds and Air Travel

 

You may have seen a fellow traveler bring a small dog or cat into the airplane cabin or take a larger dog with them as checked baggage. But did you know that a few US airlines allow you to bring your pet bird with you on your flight, provided you meet certain conditions?

Species

Each airline specifies which birds are permitted as carry-on baggage or as checked baggage. Typically, your bird must be a "household" bird, a pet, in other words, not a wild bird, and it must be odorless and quiet.

Hawaiian Airlines, for example, says that your bird must be "harmless, inoffensive, odorless and not require attention during the flight." Most airlines that accept pet birds will not allow you to bring chickens or other poultry, only pet birds such as finches and parakeets.

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