How Did Superman Sleep?

Dog senses are highly developed compared to us humans. We do not look and experience the world as they do and we should be grateful for that little fact. Can you imagine being able to hear noises that span such a range that we would be able to detect the slightest scratch of a mouse at the far side of the house? A dog can hear sounds at four times the distance compared to our limited perception. If that were the case it is fairly conclusive that rest would be a long forgotten memory. It would be even more disturbing if our sense of smell was as sensitive to that of our furry companians we would definitely not be able to cope with the amount of information that is present in our smelly everyday life. Dogs can discriminate smells nearly 100 million times more than humans can!

Finding the right pet shampoo

So your snow white poodle looks more like a dark chocolate brown? Well then it is time for a bath! If your pet is a little smelly, a little (or a lot) dirty or just needs a pick me up to get their fur looking absolutely gorgeous a bath can do the trick! But what is the right shampoo to use? What shampoo will have a positive rather than a negative effect on animal health? And just because a shampoo says that is made for animals, how do you know that it is suited to your pet?

Shampoo is usually a chemically based product and some chemicals can have skin irritant factors, this is why it is important to make sure that you are using a shampoo that is approved for animal use. As with most pet related things the best way to assure that you are using a shampoo that won’t harm your animal’s health is to get your cat or dog shampoo from a certified vet or vet shop, this way you can even discuss the shampoo options with knowledgeable vets. Shampoos can also be great way to aide animal health and prevent your pets from fleas, ticks and even rashes.

Feeding your fish: a general guide

It's not often that we talk about fish here at SA Pet Lovers, but a concerned pet owner sent us an email asking 'How often should I feed my fish?' and we thought it was such a good question!

One of the biggest mistakes that a fish owner can make is feeding their fish too often. This is because the excess fish food can clog up the filter and also break down into harmful toxins that can kill fish. You also do not want your fish to overeat and get ill.

Fish naturally eat food whenever it is available so they will gobble up all of the food that you provide them will; they'll keep on nibbling on fish food even if they've recently eaten. It is for this reason specifically that you need to regulate the amount of food that you give your fish and how many times you feed them.

How many times you feed your fish depends on the type of fish that you have - you should check with the pet store or breeder that you bought them from before buying new fish food. Most types of fish are quite happy being fed once a day, but some bigger varieties require additional meal times. Herbivorous fish require many small meals in a day, and nocturnal feeders only eat at night, so be sure that you know what kind of fish you have before starting a feeding plan.

The amount of food that you give your fish is also dependant on the kind of fish that you have but a good rule to follow is to see how much food your fish can consume in five minutes and regulate the meal to that amount. This is a good way to ensure that your fish gets enough food without it becoming harmful!

Best of luck with your pet fish: hopefully this guide will be useful!

A follow up on teeth brushing

This is just a follow up to yesterday’s entry on animal health and teeth brushing. There are many different methods that you can use to brush your cat’s or dog’s teeth – but the most important thing to remember is that you cannot make your animal spit out whatever you brush their teeth with. That is why special animal toothpaste is recommended.

The most popular animal toothbrush for dogs is a little silicon finger glove that has toothbrush-like bristles on it. These are readily available from pet shops, and make brushing your dog’s teeth a lot easier. Alternatively you might choose to get a doggy toothbrush that has a handle – especially if you have a bulldog or a larger dog that produces a lot of saliva!

Brushing your cat’s teeth is another thing altogether. You need to coax your cat into letting you put your fingers in her mouth – never mind the toothbrush! Once your cat is comfortable with your fingers in her mouth, introduce some toothpaste. Once she is comfortable with the taste (mmm, chicken) then you can introduce a small cat toothbrush. Remember, don’t brush too hard because it could hurt your animal.

The more you brush their teeth, the more comfortable your animal will become with the procedure. Please don’t hesitate to email us if you have any queries!