<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_diabetes.jpg" alt="ATV_diabetes.jpg (2.94 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> Diabetes is an endocrine disorder in both dogs and cats. It is characterized by high blood glucose levels. If left untreated, the consequences can be severe and directly affect the quality of life and the life span of the pets.
 
How can we tell when our pet might have diabetes? Some of the earliest and more obvious signs include weight loss, increased drinking, and increased urinating (not just more frequently, but also in greater volume). In a later stage, we may see the animals become more lethargic, have a poor coat condition and at worst, they can become ketoacidic and anorexic.
 
When you bring the pets to the vet, you will expect that the vet may recommend some blood and urine tests. The blood test will reveal that there is an extremely high blood glucose, which may come along with other abnormalities and electrolytes disturbances. Similar to the blood test, the urinalysis will show us that there is a very high amount of glucose in the urine, and some vets may also test for the presence of ketones in the urine.&nbsp;
 
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, vets will formulate a treatment plan, which will involve giving insulin injection twice a day and may also involve diet change and other lifestyle adjustments. Both of these measures are aimed at regulating the blood glucose level. The blood glucose level will need very close monitoring initially when the treatment is started, and treatment and condition may take weeks of adjustment to stabilize. The key to managing a diabetic animal is to be CONSISTENT.
 
Diabetes is a serious disease, and thorough communication is needed between owner and the vet. Good communication and being compliant to treatment are important for the longevity of the animals.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_diabetes.jpg" alt="ATV_diabetes.jpg (2.94 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 糖尿病是猫狗都有机会患上的内分泌失调疾病。患有糖尿病的猫狗会出现高血糖水平，若不加以治疗，后果可以很严重，将直接影响牠们的生活品质和寿命。
 
我们怎样知道宠物可能患有糖尿病？早期较明显的征状包括体重减轻、饮水和排尿增加（不仅频繁排尿，而且量也较多）。后期宠物可能会变得没精打采、毛发状况不佳，最差可能出现酮酸中毒和厌食症。
 
当您带宠物去看兽医时，兽医一般会建议进行血液和尿液检验。血液检验可以显示出极高的血糖水平，这可能伴随着其他异常和电解质紊乱。与血液检验类似，尿液分析将显示尿液中有非常高的葡萄糖含量，有些兽医可能还会检测尿液中的酮体含量。
 
一旦确诊，兽医将制定治疗计划，包括每天两次注射胰岛素，还可能需要改变饮食和其他生活习惯，以调节血糖水平。在治疗开始时，需要密切监控血糖水平，可能需要几周的时间调整，才可以制定长期治疗计划和稳定状况，照顾患有糖尿病的宠物，最关键的是持续性。
 
糖尿病是一种严重疾病，主人和兽医之间需要进行全面的沟通。良好的沟通和遵循医嘱治疗是确保宠物长寿的重要因素。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_diabetes.jpg" alt="ATV_diabetes.jpg (2.94 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 糖尿病是貓狗都有機會患上的內分泌失調疾病。患有糖尿病的貓狗會出現高血糖水平，若不加以治療，後果可以很嚴重，將直接影響牠們的生活品質和壽命。
 
我們怎樣知道寵物可能患有糖尿病？早期較明顯的徵狀包括體重減輕、飲水和排尿增加（不僅頻繁排尿，而且量也較多）。後期寵物可能會變得沒精打采、毛髮狀況不佳，最差可能出現酮酸中毒和厭食症。
 
當您帶寵物去看獸醫時，獸醫一般會建議進行血液和尿液檢驗。血液檢驗可以顯示出極高的血糖水平，這可能伴隨著其他異常和電解質紊亂。與血液檢驗類似，尿液分析將顯示尿液中有非常高的葡萄糖含量，有些獸醫可能還會檢測尿液中的酮體含量。
 
一旦確診，獸醫將制定治療計劃，包括每天兩次注射胰島素，還可能需要改變飲食和其他生活習慣，以調節血糖水平。在治療開始時，需要密切監控血糖水平，可能需要幾周的時間調整，才可以制定長期治療計劃和穩定狀況，照顧患有糖尿病的寵物，最關鍵的是持續性。
 
糖尿病是一種嚴重疾病，主人和獸醫之間需要進行全面的溝通。良好的溝通和遵循醫囑治療是確保寵物長壽的重要因素。

Diabetic

糖尿病

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_pup%20kitten-01.jpg" alt="ATV_pup kitten-01.jpg (4.37 MB)" width="600" height="600" />
&nbsp;
We all love puppies and kittens. They are so cute, nice to cuddle, and most are adventurous, curious and playful.&nbsp;
Most owners want to train their pets,especially for puppies. The ideal time to start training and encourage early socialisation is when they are about 7-8 weeks old. Owners can start from simple command like &ldquo;sit&rdquo;, &ldquo;come&rdquo; and &ldquo;stay&rdquo; during this time. This is a critical period for socialization and expose them to different people, animals, sounds and environments. The same applies to kittens, if you want to train your kittens, this should start as soon as you bring them home, and initially training session time can be 5-10 minutes to match the attention span of kittens.
Form a health perspective, it is ideal to take your puppy or kitten to the vet for a check up a few days after bring them home. It is important to let the vet know the status of the pet, e.g. how they are doing at home, whether they are eating well, any problems like diarrhea, sneezing etc., have they been vaccinated and the last time they were given any parasite control etc..These are important information for the vet to give appropriate advice.
 
The feeding routine depends on the age of the puppy and kitten, but generally, we would like to feed them high quality diet with good nutritional value and support. In the first 3 month, puppies and kittens are generally fed 4-6 meals a day, which can then be reduced to around 3-4 meals after they turn 3 months old.
 
Having a new puppy and kitten is exciting but it is also a critical time for owners to bond with them and help them settle into their new home.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_pup%20kitten-01.jpg" alt="ATV_pup kitten-01.jpg (4.37 MB)" width="600" height="600" />
 
我们都爱幼犬和幼猫。牠们非常可爱，令人忍不住想抱住牠们。大多数幼犬和幼猫都富有冒险精神、好奇心和非常活泼好动。
 
大部分主人都希望训练自己的宠物，特别是幼犬。开始训练及社交化的黄金时间是牠们约7至8周大的时候。此时主人可以从简单的指令开始，如「坐下」、「过来」和「等待」。这是牠们社交化、接触不同的人、动物、声音和环境的关键时期。这同样适用于幼猫，如果你想训练你的幼猫，应该在刚养牠们时便立即开始，最初的训练时间可以为5至10分钟，以保持牠们的专注力。
 
在健康方面，最好在幼犬或幼猫刚回家的数天内便带牠们去看兽医进行检查。对于兽医来说，了解宠物的状况非常重要，例如牠们在家中的情况、是否正常进食、是否出现任何问题如腹泻、打喷嚏等、是否接种了疫苗，以及上一次进行防虫是什么时候等等。兽医需要掌握这些重要资讯，才可以作出适当建议。
 
该如何喂饲幼犬和幼猫，取决于牠们的年龄，但通常我们希望喂食高品质、营养价值丰富的菜单。在最初的三个月里，一般会每天喂食幼犬和幼猫4至6餐，然后在牠们满三个月大后可以减少至每天约3至4餐。
 
养一只幼犬或幼猫是一件令人兴奋的事，但也是主人与牠们建立联系并帮助牠们适应新家的关键时期。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_pup%20kitten-01.jpg" alt="ATV_pup kitten-01.jpg (4.37 MB)" width="600" height="600" />
 
我們都愛幼犬和幼貓。牠們非常可愛，令人忍不住想抱住牠們。大多數幼犬和幼貓都富有冒險精神、好奇心和非常活潑好動。
 
大部分主人都希望訓練自己的寵物，特別是幼犬。開始訓練及社交化的黃金時間是牠們約7至8週大的時候。此時主人可以從簡單的指令開始，如「坐下」、「過來」和「等待」。這是牠們社交化、接觸不同的人、動物、聲音和環境的關鍵時期。這同樣適用於幼貓，如果你想訓練你的幼貓，應該在剛養牠們時便立即開始，最初的訓練時間可以為5至10分鐘，以保持牠們的專注力。
 
在健康方面，最好在幼犬或幼貓剛回家的數天內便帶牠們去看獸醫進行檢查。對於獸醫來說，了解寵物的狀況非常重要，例如牠們在家中的情況、是否正常進食、是否出現任何問題如腹瀉、打乞嚏等、是否接種了疫苗，以及上一次進行防蟲是甚麼時候等等。獸醫需要掌握這些重要資訊，才可以作出適當建議。
 
該如何餵飼幼犬和幼貓，取決於牠們的年齡，但通常我們希望餵食高品質、營養價值豐富的菜單。在最初的三個月裡，一般會每天餵食幼犬和幼貓4至6餐，然後在牠們滿三個月大後可以減少至每天約3至4餐。
 
養一隻幼犬或幼貓是一件令人興奮的事，但也是主人與牠們建立聯繫並幫助牠們適應新家的關鍵時期。

Puppies and Kittens

幼犬和小猫

幼犬和小貓

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_puppy%20class%202.jpg" alt="ATV_puppy class 2.jpg (3.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> What comes to mind when people mention dogs&rsquo; socialization? Most people would think of dogs playing with other dogs or with humans. Let&rsquo;s take a deeper look at one of the most important factors that affect a dog&rsquo;s life: socialization.
 
There is a lot more to socialization than just dogs and humans; it also includes meeting new objects, different experiences, sounds, smells, touch, and much more. Dogs have been brought to live in our human world, thus it is our job to introduce the human world to them. All socialization should be conducted in a controlled environment; we should never force the dog into a situation but instead guide and help the dog through every situation. The ultimate goal of socialization is to have a confident dog that is neutral to most, if not all, environments and situations.
 
So when is the best time to socialize a dog? The critical socialization period occurs between around 4 weeks to around 16 weeks of age, with about 80% of the dog&rsquo;s social learning taking place between these 3 months. Yes, it is that short, that&rsquo;s why it is called the critical period. This short 3-month period will have an impactful effect on the rest of the dog&rsquo;s life.
 
Then what should we do during the critical period? Owners should take the puppies out as often as possible without overworking them, as rest is also a super important learning factor. This is the time to introduce the world to the puppy; everything that is usual to humans is unusual to a puppy. It might be your puppy&rsquo;s first time hearing thunder or a doorbell, touching grass or metal surfaces, smelling your family, food being prepared, or walking past a jackhammer due to road construction. The first introduction is the time to guide your dog&rsquo;s behavior and teach your dog that the world is not so scary; first impressions matter. Remember, our goal is to nurture a confident dog that is neutral to almost everything.
 
That all sounds amazing, so how do owners achieve the socialization goal? It is unavoidable that puppies will be fearful or overly excited about certain situations, how humans handle the puppy&rsquo;s reaction will affect the puppy&rsquo;s behavior. Pets Central North Point is introducing a brand-new puppy class, come learn about dogs with us!&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.gle/cBLCF4ip2WLGNgrBA"><a href="https://forms.gle/cBLCF4ip2WLGNgrBA">Sign Up Now!</a></a> <img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/puppy%202.jpg" alt="puppy 2.jpg (3.32 MB)" width="600" height="600" />

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_puppy%20class%202.jpg" alt="ATV_puppy class 2.jpg (3.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> 当谈及狗狗社会化时，你会想到什么？大部分人会想起牠们与其他狗狗或人类一起玩耍。现在让我们深入探讨影响狗狗生活最重要的因素之一：社会化。
 
狗狗社会化不仅仅与同类和人类有关，还与接触新物体、不同经历、声音、气味、触觉等相关。狗狗被我们带到人类世界生活，因此我们有责任向牠们介绍这个世界。所有的社会化应该在可控制的环境中进行；我们不应强迫狗狗，而应引导并帮助牠们应对每种情况。社会化的最终目标是培养一只自信、在大多数环境和情况下保持冷静的狗狗。
 
何时是狗狗社会化的最佳时机？最关键的社会化时期发生在牠们约4周至约16周大之间，大约有80%的狗只社会化学习发生在这3个月内。这段时间确实很短，这就是为什么这被称为关键期。这短暂的3个月将对狗狗的一生产生重要影响。
 
在关键时期我们应该做什么呢？主人应尽可能带幼犬外出，但不要让牠们过度劳累，因为休息也是学习社会化中非常重要的一环，这是向幼犬介绍世界的时候；对人类来说平常的事物，对幼犬来说是不寻常的。这可能是你的幼犬第一次听到雷声或门铃声，第一次触摸草地或金属表面，闻到你的家人、食物准备的味道，或者因为道路施工而经过重型电钻。当狗狗初次接触某些事物时，是最佳时机来引导牠们的作出适当行为，并让牠们明白世界并不可怕；第一印象非常重要。记住我们的目标是培养一只对几乎对所有事物也能保持冷静的自信狗狗。
 
这听起来很棒，那么主人该如何帮助狗狗社会化呢？幼犬无法避免会在某些情况下感到害怕或过于兴奋，人类如何应对幼犬的反应将影响牠们的行为。北角Pets Central推出全新的幼犬班，快与我们一起学习有关狗狗的知识！<a href="https://forms.gle/cBLCF4ip2WLGNgrBA">报名连结</a> <img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/puppy%202.jpg" alt="puppy 2.jpg (3.32 MB)" width="600" height="600" />

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_puppy%20class%202.jpg" alt="ATV_puppy class 2.jpg (3.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> 當談及狗狗社會化時，你會想到甚麼？大部分人會想起牠們與其他狗狗或人類一起玩耍。現在讓我們深入探討影響狗狗生活最重要的因素之一：社會化。
 
狗狗社會化不僅僅與同類和人類有關，還與接觸新物體、不同經歷、聲音、氣味、觸覺等相關。狗狗被我們帶到人類世界生活，因此我們有責任向牠們介紹這個世界。所有的社會化應該在可控制的環境中進行；我們不應強迫狗狗，而應引導並幫助牠們應對每種情況。社會化的最終目標是培養一隻自信、在大多數環境和情況下保持冷靜的狗狗。
 
何時是狗狗社會化的最佳時機？最關鍵的社會化時期發生在牠們約4週至約16週大之間，大約有80%的狗隻社會化學習發生在這3個月內。這段時間確實很短，這就是為甚麼這被稱為關鍵期。這短暫的3個月將對狗狗的一生產生重要影響。
 
在關鍵時期我們應該做甚麼呢？主人應盡可能帶幼犬外出，但不要讓牠們過度勞累，因為休息也是學習社會化中非常重要的一環，這是向幼犬介紹世界的時候；對人類來說平常的事物，對幼犬來說是不尋常的。這可能是你的幼犬第一次聽到雷聲或門鈴聲，第一次觸摸草地或金屬表面，聞到你的家人、食物準備的味道，或者因為道路施工而經過重型電鑽。當狗狗初次接觸某些事物時，是最佳時機來引導牠們的作出適當行為，並讓牠們明白世界並不可怕；第一印象非常重要。記住我們的目標是培養一隻對幾乎對所有事物也能保持冷靜的自信狗狗。
 
這聽起來很棒，那麼主人該如何幫助狗狗社會化呢？幼犬無法避免會在某些情況下感到害怕或過於興奮，人類如何應對幼犬的反應將影響牠們的行為。北角Pets Central推出全新的幼犬班，快與我們一起學習有關狗狗的知識！<a href="https://forms.gle/cBLCF4ip2WLGNgrBA"><a href="https://forms.gle/cBLCF4ip2WLGNgrBA">報名連結</a></a> <img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/puppy%202.jpg" alt="puppy 2.jpg (3.32 MB)" width="600" height="600" />

Dogs’ socialization

狗狗社会化

狗狗社會化

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_fat-01.jpg" alt="ATV_fat-01.jpg (5.09 MB)" width="600" height="600" /> Pet obesity
 
Sharing is caring. It is not uncommon for us to share our food with our pets. This can be rice, chicken, BBQ pork, carrots, veggies and any table scraps. Obviously, there is a risk for them to get gastroenteritis- which can range from mild diarrhea to more severe and serious pancreatitis may require hospitalization for treatment. Also, some human food is not suitable for pets like onions, grapes and chocolate etc.
This may also make our pets more prone to obesity.
Obesity is a significant health concern, not only in human but also in our pets. Apart from overfeeding, the lack of exercise, poor diet, age and other medical conditions also play an important role in obesity,
The consequences of obesity include various health issues, such as the risk of diabetes, heart disease, joint problems, mobility issues and respiratory disease. Obesity is also linked to shorter lifespan in dogs and cats. (eg. Obese dogs has a life expectancy of 11.7 years to ideal body condition dogs of 13.18 years.) Currently between 22% to 44% pets are obese. Obesity can lead to difficulties in mobility, exercise intolerance, and overall reduced quality of life.
The first thing for us to do is to recognize whether our pets are obese. This can be sort out with your regular vet. Then we can start thinking about ways to prevent obesity and manage their weight.
This may involve a balanced diet comprising high-quality and age-appropriate foods. Your vet can help you to calculate the calorie needed and provide any specific dietary recommendations. We should try to engage our pet to exercise regularly, e.g. walks or playtime, aiming at least 30 minutes a day. Try switching from use food as a reward to offering attention or affection, limiting treats and opting for healthier options.
Pet obesity is a preventable condition that requires proactive management with proper diet and regular exercise. Recognizing that our pets go through different life stages may help them keep in shape.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_fat-01.jpg" alt="ATV_fat-01.jpg (5.09 MB)" width="600" height="600" /> 宠物肥胖
 
有美食便要分甘同味！与宠物分享食物并不是罕有的事。我们可能分享的食物包括饭、鸡肉、烤肉、胡萝卜、蔬菜和任何剩菜剩饭。明显地，这会增加宠物患上胃肠炎的风险，从轻微的腹泻到更严重甚至需要住院治疗的胰脏炎。此外，有些人类食物并不适合宠物进食，如洋葱、葡萄和巧克力等。
 
这也可能使我们的宠物更容易变得肥胖。
 肥胖对人类或宠物而言，也是一个重大的健康问题。除了过度喂食外，缺乏运动、营养不良、年龄和其他身体问题，也有机会导致肥胖。
 
肥胖可导致各种健康问题，例如糖尿病、心脏疾病、关节问题、灵活度和呼吸系统疾病。猫狗的寿命与肥胖也有关联（例如，肥胖的狗预期寿命为11.7年，而体态理想的狗预期寿命为13.18年）。目前有22% 到 44% 的宠物患有肥胖问题。肥胖可能导致运动能力和耐力下降，降低整体生活质素。
 
首先我们应该了解自己的宠物是否有肥胖问题。主人可以透过定期带宠物看兽医，了解牠们是否过胖。然后我们可以考虑帮助牠们预防肥胖和控制体重，可能采用的方法有均衡饮食，包括高品质和适合牠们年龄的食物。您的兽医可以帮助你计算所需的热量并提供具体的饮食建议。我们应该尽量让宠物定期运动，例如每天至少散步或玩耍30分钟。尝试不再使用食物作为奖励，转而提供关注或爱，限制零食数量，改为更健康的选择。
 
只要透过适当的饮食和定期运动来积极管理，宠物肥胖是能够预防的。了解我们的宠物会经历不同的生命阶段或有助于帮助牠们保持健康体态。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_fat-01.jpg" alt="ATV_fat-01.jpg (5.09 MB)" width="600" height="600" /> 寵物肥胖
 
有美食便要分甘同味！與寵物分享食物並不是罕有的事。我們可能分享的食物包括飯、雞肉、烤肉、紅蘿蔔、蔬菜和任何剩菜剩飯。明顯地，這會增加寵物患上胃腸炎的風險，從輕微的腹瀉到更嚴重甚至需要住院治療的胰臟炎。此外，有些人類食物並不適合寵物進食，如洋蔥、葡萄和巧克力等。
 
這也可能使我們的寵物更容易變得肥胖。
 肥胖對人類或寵物而言，也是一個重大的健康問題。除了過度餵食外，缺乏運動、營養不良、年齡和其他身體問題，也有機會導致肥胖。
 
肥胖可導致各種健康問題，例如糖尿病、心臟疾病、關節問題、靈活度和呼吸系統疾病。貓狗的壽命與肥胖也有關（例如，肥胖的狗預期壽命為11.7年，而體態理想的狗預期壽命為13.18年）。目前有22% 到 44% 的寵物患有肥胖問題。肥胖可能導致運動能力和耐力下降，降低整體生活質素。
 
首先我們應該了解自己的寵物是否有肥胖問題。主人可以透過定期帶寵物見獸醫，了解牠們是否過胖。然後我們可以考慮幫助牠們預防肥胖和控制體重，可能採用的方法有均衡飲食，包括高品質和適合牠們年齡的食物。您的獸醫可以幫助你計算所需的熱量並提供具體的飲食建議。我們應該盡量讓寵物定期運動，例如每天至少散步或玩耍30分鐘。嘗試不再使用食物作為獎勵，轉而提供關注或愛，限制零食數量，改為更健康的選擇。
 
只要透過適當的飲食和定期運動來積極管理，寵物肥胖是能夠預防的。了解我們的寵物會經歷不同的生命階段或有助於幫助牠們保持健康體態。

Let's Talk Pet Health: How to Keep Your Furry Friends Fit, Not Fat!

来聊聊宠物健康：如何保持你的毛小孩健康不肥胖！

來聊聊寵物健康：如何保持你的毛小孩健康不肥胖！

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_grief.jpg" alt="ATV_grief.jpg (3.19 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> Our pets are members of our family. Losing them can be an incredibly traumatic experience, whether our pets&rsquo; death is a natural course due to diseases, accident, or even when they go missing and run away.
 
Grief is a normal and healthy response to loss. We may feel sad, anger, guilt and loneliness. Everyone grief differently, and there is no right and wrong way to feel. The process may vary among different people in terms of in duration and intensity. An important factor to cope with grief is to acknowledge your feelings, allowing yourself to feel and express your emotions without judgement, and talk to friends and family, especially to people who understand pet loss. Creating tribute like a scrapbook or a memorial space may help capture happy memories, which can help us in moving forward.&nbsp;
 
If you are the friend or family member helping someone deal with grief, the key is not to forget but to move forward with the feelings and loss. You can help them keep a collar, a paw print, or a photo as a tangible memory of the pet, encourage them to give themselves time to grieve. Organizing a small gathering with friends and family to share stories and memories helps. We can also use candles or ballons to symbolize the pet and let them live in another dimension. Compiling photos, mementos and stories about the pet can serve as a time to let the sad news sink in and also divert energy into something constructive.
 
When we are ready, we can think about adopting another pet and creating new happy memories.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_grief.jpg" alt="ATV_grief.jpg (3.19 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 宠物是我们的家人，无论牠们因为疾病、意外，甚至走失或跑走了而离开我们，牠们的离去可能为我们带来难以承受的悲伤。
 
为宠物的离去感到悲伤是一种正常和健康的反应。我们可能感到悲伤、愤怒、内疚和孤独。每个人悲伤的方式、持续时间和强度都不同，没有对错之分。处理悲伤的一个重要因素是承认自己的感受，允许自己不加批判地感受并表达情绪，也可以与朋友和家人交谈，特别是理解失去宠物的人。制作相簿、画簿或创造悼念空间可能有助主人留住与宠物的回忆，重拾力量向前走。
 
如果你希望帮助朋友或家人处理悲伤，记得关键不是忘记，而是带着感受和失去向前走。你可以帮助他们保留宠物的项圈、掌印或照片作为与宠物的实体回忆，并请他们给自己时间悲伤。与朋友和家人相聚分享与宠物的故事和回忆也有帮助，我们还可以用蜡烛或气球来代表宠物，让牠们在另一个世界中生活。我们也可以整理宠物的照片、纪念品和故事，让悲伤的感觉沉淀下来，同时将我们的能量转化为具建设性的行动。
 
当我们准备好时，我们可以考虑领养另一只宠物，创造新的快乐回忆。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_grief.jpg" alt="ATV_grief.jpg (3.19 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 寵物是我們的家人，無論牠們因為疾病、意外，甚至走失或跑走了而離開我們，牠們的離去可能為我們帶來難以承受的悲傷。
 
為寵物的離去感到悲傷是一種正常和健康的反應。我們可能感到悲傷、憤怒、內疚和孤獨。每個人悲傷的方式、持續時間和強度都不同，沒有對錯之分。處理悲傷的一個重要因素是承認自己的感受，允許自己不加批判地感受並表達情緒，也可以與朋友和家人交談，特別是理解失去寵物的人。製作相簿、畫簿或創造悼念空間可能有助主人留住與寵物的回憶，重拾力量向前走。
 
如果你希望幫助朋友或家人處理悲傷，記得關鍵不是忘記，而是帶著感受和失去向前走。你可以幫助他們保留寵物的項圈、掌印或照片作為與寵物的實體回憶，並請他們給自己時間悲傷。與朋友和家人相聚分享與寵物的故事和回憶也有幫助，我們還可以用蠟燭或氣球來代表寵物，讓牠們在另一個世界中生活。我們也可以整理寵物的照片、紀念品和故事，讓悲傷的感覺沉澱下來，同時將我們的能量轉化為具建設性的行動。
 
當我們準備好時，我們可以考慮領養另一隻寵物，創造新的快樂回憶。

Navigating the Waters of Pet Loss: Understanding and Coping with Grief

宠物离世的悲伤处理：理解与应对丧失之痛

寵物離世的悲傷處理：理解與應對喪失之痛

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Many elderly people these days choose to be cared in a nursing home. They feel happier in a place where they can interact with others of a similar age, life pace, and experiences. They are also cared by professionals who understand their needs and have the knowledge take care of them.
 
For pets, there are very limited facilities that offer caring for geriatric pets. Older pets may have varied diseases, some can be easily managed with medications like joint disease, chronic skin diseases, while some affect their daily lives like blindness, deafness and immobility. Some diseases are more serious like diabetes, renal disease and heart disease that may need regular medications to manage their condition, and some pets are at the end of their life and require palliative care for their conditions.
 
Senior pets may need more frequent and regular check-up with the vets to monitor their health changes. They may need to change their diet since the nutritional requirements have changed, often lower in calories and higher in fiber. This is also part of monitoring their weight and avoid obesity. Apart from diet, they may also need a regular exercise schedule. As they grow older, we may have to encourage them to engage more with their surroundings more and encourage them to exercise more to avoid muscle wasting. Low-impact exercise can help maintain joint flexibility and muscle mass. Activities like short walks, swimming or play session that tailored to their energy and mobility level can be beneficial.
 
Creating or providing comfortable living environment with soft bedding non-slippery floors will prevent them from falls and injuries or pressure sores in bigger dogs. It is importantly to ensure easy access to food, water and litter boxes, making sure they can reach them without much challenge or obstacles.
 
In term of health, older patients may face dental problems frequently. Regular cleaning and brushing can help minimize the need for dental check-up and dental procedures. However, when there is a dental problem, it is best to address them sooner better than later. The older they gets, the anesthetic risk maybe higher, and more importantly, the longer we hold off procedures, the worse their dental health becomes- meaning more teeth extractions.
 
Pets&rsquo; mind age just like humans do. Engaging them with puzzle toys, training exercises, and interactive play can help prevent cognitive decline. Be aware of signs of cognitive dysfunction, such as disorientation or changes in behavior.
 
Lastly, monitor for signs of discomfort such as limping, reluctant to move and changes in behavior- &ldquo;my cats doesn&rsquo;t like jumping up on shelf anymore&rdquo; may be a sign of degenerative joint disease and decrease in mobility. In such case, you should discuss pain management options with your vet that may involve medications, supplements, acupuncture, physiotherapy etc.
 
Caring for senior pets involves a holistic approach that address their physical, emotional, and social needs. If you are unsure, you should consult with your regular vet and ask for help.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_ageing-01.jpg" alt="ATV_ageing-01.jpg (1.11 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 
如今，许多长者选择入住养老院让专人照顾。他们在养老院感到更快乐，因为可以与相近年龄、相似生活节奏和经历的人互动。他们也得到专业人士的照顾，这些人了解他们的需求并具备照顾他们的知识。
 
对于宠物来说，提供照顾年老宠物的地方并不多。年老宠物可能患有各种疾病，一些疾病可以通过药物轻易管理，例如关节疾病、慢性皮肤疾病，而一些疾病会影响牠们的日常生活，如失明、聋哑和行动不便。 一些疾病更为严重，如糖尿病、肾脏疾病和心脏病，可能需要定期服药来控制病情；有些宠物已经走到生命的尽头，需要进行舒缓治疗。
 
年老宠物可能需要更频繁和定期地进行检查，以监测其健康变化。因营养需求已经改变，牠们可能需要调整饮食，通常改为热量较低、纤维含量较高的餐单。这可以监控体重并避免肥胖。除了饮食外，牠们可能还需要制定日常运动计划。随着年龄增长，我们可能需要鼓励牠们多与周围环境连系和运动，以避免肌肉流失。低冲击运动有助于保持关节灵活性和肌肉量。按照年老宠物的能量和活动水平而定的短途步行、游泳或游戏都可能对牠们有帮助。
 
提供舒适的生活环境，包括软垫和防滑地板，可以防止大型狗跌倒、受伤或出现压力疮。将食物、水和猫砂盆放用易于取用的地方，确保他们可以轻松接触，避免日常生活出现困难。
 
在健康方面，年老宠物可能经常面临牙齿问题。 定期清洁和刷牙有助于减少牙齿检查和牙齿程序的需求。 然而，一旦出现牙齿问题，最好尽早处理，而不是拖延。 随着年龄增长，麻醉风险可能会增加，更重要的是，越迟做手术，牠们的牙齿健康状况可能越来越糟-这意味着更有可能需要拔牙。
 
宠物的心智老化与人类相似。通过益智玩具、训练运动和互动游戏来与他们互动，可以帮助防止认知功能下降。要注意认知功能障碍的征兆，如迷失方向或行为变化。
 
最后，要注意宠物不适的迹象，例如跛行、不愿移动和行为改变&mdash;&mdash;例如「我的猫不再喜欢跳上架子」可能表明它们可能患有退化性关节疾病和运动能力下降。 在这种情况下，你应该与兽医讨论如何管理疼痛，可行的方法包括药物、补充品、针灸、物理治疗等。
 
年老宠物需要全方位照顾，包括满足牠们的身体、情感和社交需求。如果你不肯定该用什么方法协助牠们，请谘询你的兽医并寻求帮助。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_ageing-01.jpg" alt="ATV_ageing-01.jpg (1.11 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 
如今，許多長者選擇入住養老院讓專人照顧。他們在養老院感到更快樂，因為可以與相近年齡、相似生活節奏和經歷的人互動。他們也得到專業人士的照顧，這些人了解他們的需求並具備照顧他們的知識。
 
對於寵物來說，提供照顧年老寵物的地方並不多。年老寵物可能患有各種疾病，一些疾病可以通過藥物輕易管理，例如關節疾病、慢性皮膚疾病，而一些疾病會影響牠們的日常生活，如失明、聾啞和行動不便。 一些疾病更為嚴重，如糖尿病、腎臟疾病和心臟病，可能需要定期服藥來控制病情；有些寵物已經走到生命的盡頭，需要進行舒緩治療。
 
年老寵物可能需要更頻繁和定期地進行檢查，以監測其健康變化。因營養需求已經改變，牠們可能需要調整飲食，通常改為熱量較低、纖維含量較高的餐單。這可以監控體重並避免肥胖。除了飲食外，牠們可能還需要制定日常運動計劃。隨著年齡增長，我們可能需要鼓勵牠們多與周圍環境連繫和運動，以避免肌肉流失。低衝擊運動有助於保持關節靈活性和肌肉量。按照年老寵物的能量和活動水平而定的散步、游泳或遊戲都可能對牠們有幫助。
 
提供舒適的生活環境，包括軟墊和防滑地板，可以防止大型狗跌倒、受傷或出現壓力瘡。將食物、水和貓砂盆放用易於取用的地方，確保他們可以輕鬆接觸，避免日常生活出現困難。
 
在健康方面，年老寵物可能經常面臨牙齒問題。 定期清潔和刷牙有助於減少牙齒檢查和牙齒程序的需求。 然而，一旦出現牙齒問題，最好盡早處理，而不是拖延。 隨著年齡增長，麻醉風險可能會增加，更重要的是，越遲做手術，牠們的牙齒健康狀況可能越來越糟-這意味著更有可能需要拔牙。
 
寵物的心智老化與人類相似。通過益智玩具、訓練運動和互動遊戲來與他們互動，可以幫助防止認知功能下降。要注意認知功能障礙的徵兆，如迷失方向或行為變化。
 
最後，要注意寵物不適的跡象，例如跛行、不願移動和行為改變&mdash;&mdash;例如「我的貓不再喜歡跳上架子」可能表明它們可能患有退化性關節疾病和運動能力下降。 在這種情況下，你應該與獸醫討論如何管理疼痛，可行的方法包括藥物、補充品、針灸、物理治療等。
 
年老寵物需要全方位照顧，包括滿足牠們的身體、情感和社交需求。如果你不肯定該用甚麼方法協助牠們，請諮詢你的獸醫並尋求幫助。

Cherish Every Moment: Caring for Senior Pets

珍惜每一刻：呵护年老宠物

珍惜每一刻：呵護年老寵物

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Many people have misconceptions about dogs and cats&rsquo; vision. Most people think that being animals must have better vision than us as many movies indicate. In reality, human actually have better acuity and allow us to see things at a distance, whereas up to 25% of dogs and cats are nearsighted, causing distant objects to appear blurrier to them. Comparing dogs and cats, dogs are slightly better at distinguishing objects; on the other hand, cats are much better in low-light conditions. In simpler term, human can recognize faces and colors much better, cats are much better at adapting night vision, and dogs are better at detecting motion and enhancing their hunting ability.
&nbsp;
So now imagine we lose this valuable sensing asset when either we or the animals lose their eyesight. A few reasons that can cause this in dogs and cats, most commonly we seen aretrauma or age-related conditions like cataract, glaucoma and retinal degenerations. Some conditions can be genetic such as progressive retinal atrophy in dogs, which is observed in Poodles, Labrador, Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels etc.
&nbsp;
How do we know if our pets are blind?
&nbsp;
The first signs you may notice are your dog or cat may bump into objects or hesitate to explore. However, sometimes it is less obvious. You may see them walk very close to the wall/door before they turn around, you may see them lean on the walls when they are walking, and they may bump into furniture that may have moved from their original places. Cats may spend less time off the ground, and they may not jumponto places where they usually do. Once you see these signs and behaviors, it is advisable to take your pet to the veterinarian for a check up. In some cases, you may be referto consult with an ophthalmologist, a vet who specialized in treating eye conditions.
 
How do we make their lives more comfortable?
 
Apart from the necessary medical treatment, there are a few things we can do at home to help them. First and foremost, it is important to keep the home environment consistent to help them from navigating safely, we may also use non-slip mats, carpets or rugs to provide some tactile senses. We can try using verbal commands to guide and communicate with them, some trainer will recommend using a clicker to facilitate this training process. Part of maintaining consistency in the surroundings extends to routine and socialization, keeping them engaged and encourage them to positive interaction with family members. Consider using gates and barriers to prevent them from falls and injury and be careful with doorways, door stopper and cushions may help in avoiding accidents.
 
The most important for us is to provide them with plenty of love and reassurance as they adjust to their conditions.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_blindness-01.jpg" alt="ATV_blindness-01.jpg (2.17 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 
很多人对于猫狗的视觉存在着误解。受到不同电影影响，大多数人认为，动物的视力应该比我们更好。实际上，人类的视力更加好，能看到远处的事物，而高达25% 的猫狗是近视的，令牠们看远处的物体会显得模糊。狗和猫相比，狗略微更擅于分辨不同物品；而猫在暗黑环境下视力较好。简而言之，人类可以更好地识别面孔和颜色，猫在适应夜视方面更出色，而狗更擅长侦测动态影像，有助提高牠们的狩猎能力。
&nbsp;
现在想像一下，当我们或动物失去视力时，等同失去宝贵的感知能力。导致猫狗失去视力原因有数个，最常见的是创伤或与老化相关的情况，如白内障、青光眼和视网膜退化。有些状况可能是遗传性的渐进性视网膜萎缩症，这有可能在贵妇狗、拉布拉多、金毛寻回犬、曲架犬等品种出现。
&nbsp;
如何知道宠物是否失明？
 
一开始你的猫狗可能会撞到物体或在四处探索时感到迟疑。然而，有时候这种情况并不那么明显。你可能会看到他们在转身之前非常靠近墙壁或门，你可能会看到他们在行走时靠在墙上，他们可能会撞到一些从原来位置移动了的家具。猫可能会较少跳到高处，也不会跳到牠们以前经常跳到的地方。一旦你看到这些迹象和行为，建议带你的宠物去兽医那里检查。在某些情况下，你可能需要谘询一位专门治疗眼部疾病的兽医。
 
如何令牠们的生活更舒适？
 
除了必要的医疗治疗外，在家中也有其他方法可以帮助牠们。最重要的是保持家居环境的一致性，让牠们能安全地寻找方向，我们也可以增设防滑垫、地毯或地毯，让牠们透过触觉辨别方向。我们可以尝试使用口头命令来引导和与牠们沟通，一些宠物训练师会建议使用响片来辅助。除了维持周围环境不变，稳定的日程和社交圈子也非常重要，能鼓励牠们积极与家庭成员进行互动。主人可以考虑用围栏和门，防止牠们走到危险的地方，同时要小心门口、门挡和软垫，避免牠们跌倒和受伤。
 
最重要的是，在宠物适应身体状况时，给予牠们充足的爱和支持。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_blindness-01.jpg" alt="ATV_blindness-01.jpg (2.17 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 
很多人對於貓狗的視覺存在著誤解。受到不同電影影響，大多數人認為，動物的視力應該比我們更好。實際上，人類的視力更加好，能看到遠處的事物，而高達25% 的貓狗是近視的，令牠們看遠處的物體會顯得模糊。狗和貓相比，狗略微更擅於分辨不同物品；而貓在暗黑環境下視力較好。簡而言之，人類可以更好地識別面孔和顏色，貓在適應夜視方面更出色，而狗更擅長偵測動態影像，有助提高牠們的狩獵能力。
&nbsp;
現在想像一下，當我們或動物失去視力時，等同失去寶貴的感知能力。導致貓狗失去視力原因有數個，最常見的是創傷或與老化相關的情況，如白內障、青光眼和視網膜退化。有些狀況可能是遺傳性的漸進性視網膜萎縮症，這有可能在貴婦狗、拉布拉多、金毛尋回犬、曲架犬等品種出現。
&nbsp;
如何知道寵物是否失明？
 
一開始你的貓狗可能會撞到物體或在四處探索時感到遲疑。然而，有時候這種情況並不那麼明顯。你可能會看到他們在轉身之前非常靠近牆壁或門，你可能會看到他們在行走時靠在牆上，他們可能會撞到一些從原來位置移動了的家具。貓可能會較少跳到高處，也不會跳到牠們以前經常跳到的地方。一旦你看到這些跡象和行為，建議帶你的寵物去獸醫那裡檢查。在某些情況下，你可能需要諮詢一位專門治療眼部疾病的獸醫。
 
如何令牠們的生活更舒適？
 
除了必要的醫療治療外，在家中也有其他方法可以幫助牠們。最重要的是保持家居環境的一致性，讓牠們能安全地尋找方向，我們也可以增設防滑墊、地毯或地毯，讓牠們透過觸覺辨別方向。我們可以嘗試使用口頭命令來引導和與牠們溝通，一些寵物訓練師會建議使用響片來輔助。除了維持周圍環境不變，穩定的日程和社交圈子也非常重要，能鼓勵牠們積極與家庭成員進行互動。主人可以考慮用圍欄和門，防止牠們走到危險的地方，同時要小心門口、門擋和軟墊，避免牠們跌倒和受傷。
 
最重要的是，在寵物適應身體狀況時，給予牠們充足的愛和支持。

How do we know if our pets are blind?

如何知道宠物是否失明？

如何知道寵物是否失明？

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_lump-01.jpg" alt="ATV_lump-01.jpg (1.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> So you&rsquo;ve found a lump &ndash; is it important? Is it benign or malignant? What should you do?
&nbsp;
Finding a lump can be scary &ndash; all sorts of questions come up. Might it be malignant? Might it spread? Will it need surgery to remove it? What if my dog or cat is old &ndash; can it still be treated safely?
&nbsp;
As a veterinarian focused on oncology care, I regularly see cats and dogs with new lumps. Many of these lumps need no treatment because they will never cause any harm within the dog&rsquo;s or cat&rsquo;s lifetime. Many can be cured through straightforward removal. A few need more complicated care &ndash; larger surgery or adjunctive medical treatment with chemotherapy or targeted growth inhibitors. How to tell which lumps to leave alone, and which ones to treat?
&nbsp;
There are two keys to deciding: First is to identify the type of lump, second is to understand its current behaviour.&nbsp;
 
Identify the type of lump predicts its future course. Will it invade locally? Or grow to a very large size? Or cause sickness? Or spread to other areas? Most of these questions can be answered by knowing the identity and the grade of the tumour. Typically, we find out the identity of the tumour through a biopsy. The simplest, quickest, and safest kind of biopsy is a fine needle aspirate followed by cytology. This usually gives me a result within 10 minutes because I conduct the cytology myself in the clinic. If the result is still unclear, we might proceed to more extensive biopsy.&nbsp;
 
The other key piece of information is what the mass is doing right now? Has it sat there quietly for a long time? Or has it grown very quickly? Is it ulcerated or painful? I&rsquo;m much more likely to recommend treatment of lumps that are causing problems (or might cause problems in future).&nbsp;
 
Whenever we consider the treatment of tumours, we need to balance the risks (of anaesthesia and surgery) against the risks of not doing treatment (the risk of the tumour causing problems as it progresses). This discussion is in the context of the dog or cat&rsquo;s current wellness and quality of life, and the family&rsquo;s aims.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_lump-01.jpg" alt="ATV_lump-01.jpg (1.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> 当发现宠物有肿块 - 这有多严重？肿块是良性还是恶性？我们应该怎么办？
 
发现肿块可能让人感到害怕 - 脑海里浮现各种问题：肿块有可能是恶性的吗？会扩散吗？需要手术切除吗？如果我的狗或猫年纪大了，还能安全地接受治疗吗？
 
作为专注肿瘤护理的兽医，我经常看到出现肿块的猫狗。在许多个案中，肿块在猫狗的一生中，不会对牠们的身体造成任何伤害，因此毋须进行治疗。许多个案可以通过简单的手术切除肿块。少数个案需要更复杂的治疗 - 较大型的手术或辅助医疗治疗，如化疗或靶向生长抑制剂。如何判断哪些肿块需要治疗，哪些不用？
 
有两个关键的决定因素：第一是分辨肿块的类型，第二是了解肿块的发展方向。
 
分辨肿块的类型有助预测其发展。肿块会在原位侵入吗？或者会生长得非常大吗？或者会导致疾病吗？或者会扩散到其他部位吗？这些问题的大多数可以通过了解肿瘤的种类和等级来回答。通常我们通过活检了解肿瘤的种类。最简单、最迅速、最安全的活检方法是细针穿刺，随后进行细胞检查。由于细胞检查是由我在诊所裹进行，通常在10分钟内给出结果。如果结果仍不清晰，我们可能会进行范围更大的切片检查。
 
另一个关键资讯是肿瘤对宠物身体的影响。那个肿瘤是冷静地停留在原位，还是说生长得很快？ 造成了溃疡还是疼痛？我倾向建议治疗正在为宠物身体带来问题，或将来可能造成问题的肿块。
 
当我们在考虑要用哪一种方法治疗肿瘤时，需要平衡麻醉和手术的风险，以及不治疗的风险（肿瘤随着时间增长的风险）。这样的讨论是考虑到猫狗当前的健康、生活质量以及家庭意愿而进行。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_lump-01.jpg" alt="ATV_lump-01.jpg (1.46 MB)" width="600" height="600" caption="false" /> 當發現寵物有腫塊 - 這有多嚴重？腫塊是良性還是惡性？我們應該怎麼辦？
 
發現腫塊可能讓人感到害怕 - 腦海裏浮現各種問題：腫塊有可能是惡性的嗎？會擴散嗎？需要手術切除嗎？如果我的狗或貓年紀大了，還能安全地接受治療嗎？
 
作為專注腫瘤護理的獸醫，我經常看到出現腫塊的貓狗。在許多個案中，腫塊在貓狗的一生中，不會對牠們的身體造成任何傷害，因此毋須進行治療。許多個案可以通過簡單的手術切除腫塊。少數個案需要更複雜的治療 - 較大型的手術或輔助醫療治療，如化療或靶向生長抑制劑。如何判斷哪些腫塊需要治療，哪些不用？
 
有兩個關鍵的決定因素：第一是分辨腫塊的類型，第二是了解腫塊的發展方向。
 
分辨腫塊的類型有助預測其發展。腫塊會在原位侵入嗎？或者會生長得非常大嗎？或者會導致疾病嗎？或者會擴散到其他部位嗎？這些問題的大多數可以通過了解腫瘤的種類和等級來回答。通常我們通過切片檢查了解腫瘤的種類。最簡單、最迅速、最安全的切片檢查方法是細針穿刺，隨後進行細胞檢查。由於細胞檢查是由我在診所裹進行，通常在10分鐘內給出結果。如果結果仍不清晰，我們可能會進行範圍更大的切片檢查。
 
另一個關鍵資訊是腫瘤對寵物身體的影響。那個腫瘤是冷靜地停留在原位，還是說生長得很快？ 造成了潰瘍還是疼痛？我傾向建議治療正在為寵物身體帶來問題，或將來可能造成問題的腫塊。
 
當我們在考慮要用哪一種方法治療腫瘤時，需要平衡麻醉和手術的風險，以及不治療的風險（腫瘤隨着時間增長的風險）。這樣的討論是考慮到貓狗當前的健康、生活質量以及家庭意願而進行。

So you’ve found a lump – is it important?

当发现宠物有肿块 - 这有多严重？

當發現寵物有腫塊 - 這有多嚴重？

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_deaf-01.jpg" alt="ATV_deaf-01.jpg (5.21 MB)" width="900" height="900" caption="false" /> We often see dogs and cats react to doorbell more intensely than us, sometimes even as if they can predict the doorbell will ring before it did. Many people believe that they have superpowers and psychics. There is a more scientific explanation to this.
&nbsp;
Dogs and cats have much more powerful senses than us in many aspects and hearing is one of them. Dogs and cats are more sensitive to higher frequency sounds, and there are a vast range of sounds that are beyond human hearing. Now imagine your pets lost this ability to hear and become deaf, meaning your pets now have to rely on other senses to compensate.
&nbsp;
Deafness in dogs and cats can be a challenging condition for both pets and their owners, it can be caused by genetic factors- e.g.: Dalmatian, Australian Shepard and white cat breeds are more prone; it can also be age related or caused by infections, trauma, toxins and disease such as tumors and neurological diseases.
 
How do we know if they are deaf?
Lack of response to sounds, things like commands, doorbells and other noises, especially notes that normally triggers starts to diminish or become absent; sudden movement may trigger them to jump or appear startled; they may have behavioral changes like increased in vocalization, disorientation or anxiety, and may rely on visual cues.
&nbsp;
Some causes of deafness can be treated like an obstruction of the ear canal, minor damage to the eardrum, or infection of the middle ear, with appropriate treatment, hearing can be restored. However, other causes may not be as fortunate.&nbsp;
 
Most dogs and cats cope well with deafness. There are also things we can help your pets through hearing loss. Your communication style may have to change to a more visual-based approach. There might be a learning curve to this, and we need to be patient. Stomping your feet when approaching them may be helpful, allowing them to feel the vibrations and preventing them from being frightened when they see you. They do not sense the world like other normal hearing pets, they might benefit from having a more indoor-focused lifestyle.
 
Hearing loss is not inherently painful, deaf dogs and cats can live a very happy life with some lifestyle modifications and training in communication. The more love you give, the more joyful the companionship will be.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_deaf-01.jpg" alt="ATV_deaf-01.jpg (5.21 MB)" width="900" height="900" caption="false" /> 猫狗对门铃的反应比我们更强烈，有时甚至好像牠们可以预测门铃什么时候会响。许多人相信牠们拥有超能力和懂得心灵感应。这一切其实有一个更科学的解释。
 
猫狗许多感官比我们强大，听觉就是其中之一。猫狗对较高频率的声音更为敏感，很多声音是人类听不见的。现在想像一下，如果你的宠物失去了听力，这意味着你的宠物现在必须依赖其他感官来弥补失去的听觉功能。
 
猫狗失去听觉对牠们本身和主人都是一个挑战。听觉丧失可能是由遗传因素引起的，例如：在斑点狗、澳洲牧羊犬和白猫身上较容易出现；也可能与老化有关，或者是由感染、受伤、毒素以及肿瘤和神经疾病等疾病引起。
 
如何知道牠们听力出现问题？
 
对指令、门铃和其他噪音等声音缺乏反应；即使出现一些通常会刺激到牠们的声音，牠们也没有反应或反应开始减弱；突然的动作可能会吓到牠们或使牠们跳起；牠们的行为可能出现变化，如更常吠叫、失去方向感或焦虑，也可能会依赖视觉指示。
 
部分失聪情况是可以治疗的，例如耳道阻塞、耳膜轻微损伤或中耳感染，透过适当的治疗，可以恢复听力。然而，因其他原因失聪的猫狗可能就没那么幸运了。
 
大多数的猫狗也可以很好地适应失去听力的生活，我们也有一些方法能帮助到失聪的宠物。你和牠们的沟通方式可能需要变得以视觉为主。这可能需要一段时间的适应，我们需要耐心帮助牠们。接近宠物时轻轻踏步，让牠们感受到振动，避免牠们在看到您时受到惊吓。牠们无法像正常听力的宠物那样感知世界，所以室内生活对牠们可能更好。
 
丧失听力本身不会令猫狗感到疼痛，失聪的猫狗可以透过调整生活方式和沟通训练过上非常快乐的生活。你给予的爱越多，与宠物的关系也会变得更美好。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/ATV_deaf-01.jpg" alt="ATV_deaf-01.jpg (5.21 MB)" width="900" height="900" caption="false" /> 貓狗對門鈴的反應比我們更強烈，有時甚至好像牠們可以預測門鈴甚麼時候會響。許多人相信牠們擁有超能力和懂得心靈感應。這一切其實有一個更科學的解釋。
 
貓狗許多感官比我們強大，聽覺就是其中之一。貓狗對較高頻率的聲音更為敏感，很多聲音是人類聽不見的。現在想像一下，如果你的寵物失去了聽力，這意味著你的寵物現在必須依賴其他感官來彌補失去的聽覺功能。
 
貓狗失去聽覺對牠們本身和主人都是一個挑戰。聽覺喪失可能是由遺傳因素引起的，例如：在斑點狗、澳洲牧羊犬和白貓身上較容易出現；也可能與老化有關，或者是由感染、受傷、毒素以及腫瘤和神經疾病等疾病引起。
 
如何知道牠們聽力出現問題？
 
對指令、門鈴和其他噪音等聲音缺乏反應；即使出現一些通常會刺激到牠們的聲音，牠們也沒有反應或反應開始減弱；突然的動作可能會嚇到牠們或使牠們跳起；牠們的行為可能出現變化，如更常吠叫、失去方向感或焦慮，也可能會依賴視覺指示。
 
部分失聰情況是可以治療的，例如耳道阻塞、耳膜輕微損傷或中耳感染，透過適當的治療，可以恢復聽力。然而，因其他原因失聰的貓狗可能就沒那麼幸運了。
 
大多數的貓狗也可以很好地適應失去聽力的生活，我們也有一些方法能幫助到失聰的寵物。你和牠們的溝通方式可能需要變得以視覺為主。這可能需要一段時間的適應，我們需要耐心幫助牠們。接近寵物時輕輕踏步，讓牠們感受到振動，避免牠們在看到您時受到驚嚇。牠們無法像正常聽力的寵物那樣感知世界，所以室內生活對牠們可能更好。
 
喪失聽力本身不會令貓狗感到疼痛，失聰的貓狗可以透過調整生活方式和溝通訓練過上非常快樂的生活。你給予的愛越多，與寵物的關係也會變得更美好。

Decoding Deafness: The Hidden Challenges for Dogs and Cats

解码失聪：猫狗面临的隐藏挑战

解碼失聰：貓狗面臨的隱藏挑戰

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/storm.jpg" alt="storm.jpg (2.84 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> Summer is the rainy season here in Hong kong, also storms, thunders and the occasional typhoons. While we are well-protected staying indoors, our furry friends may not feel as secure as we do.
&nbsp;
Anxiety and fear of storms are common in dogs and cats, and it is not hard to understand why. Like children, dogs and cats do not understand these natural phenomena. The noises of the thunder, the wind, the rain hitting the windows and the flashes of lightning at the windows can be overwhelming for them. Apart from things we can observe, dogs and cats are much more sensitive in other factors like the barometric pressure, the build up of static electricity before the storm comes, these changes may cause them being more agitated and restless. Over time, this preemptive feeling may make them feel uncomfortable and build up anxiety.
 
Storm phobia may build up over time or may be associated with other anxieties. For example, an outdoor dog or cat may be kept indoor during bad weather may experience anxiety because they were not allowed outside, associating this anxiety with storms and bad weather, thus developing their storm phobias.
 
Some of the signs you may see when your dog is anxious during bad weather includes increased panting, pacing, excessive lip licking, hiding, excessive vocalization, attempt to escape etc.
&nbsp;
So what do we do?
Bringing your pets into a darkened and enclosed room without any ties and leads have shown to help alleviate their phobias, some medications can help with anxiety, and it is important to ensure your pets are prepared for the bad weather coming ahead.
 
If your pets have anxiety problems, a plan can be designed with your vet or an animal behavioralist. This may likely involve creating a place where your pets feel safe so that they can better cope with the anxiety. Dogs and cats may seek comfort in these places where they feel most secure, they may also cuddle up next to you. A comfortable bed and toys that your pets particularly enjoy can also enhance this experience. There are also items that may help with anxiety such as weighted jacket- a constant light pressure that mimics the feeling of a hug and release chemicals in the brain that help them feel less anxious and have shown to help with many dogs. DAP- Dog Appeasing Pheromones, which is a natural chemical that calms puppies and promote a sense of safety can also be effective for anxious dog in stressful events and not limited to storms.
&nbsp;
We ALL have our fears. It is important to support each other to endure the event together.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/storm.jpg" alt="storm.jpg (2.84 MB)" width="670" height="670" /> 夏天是香港的雨季，经常出现狂风暴雨、行雷闪电，偶尔还会有台风。虽然我们的居所都很安全，但毛孩可能不这样认为。
 
暴风雨引起猫狗的焦虑和恐惧是很常见的事，这并不难理解。猫狗就像小朋友一样，不理解这些自然现象。雷声、风声、雨点打在窗户上的声音，以及闪电在窗户上闪烁，对牠们来说可能是很可怕的。猫狗可以感受到一些我们无法看见的事物，例如气压、风暴来临前的静电积聚等，一旦佢地感受到变化，可能会变得更加烦躁和不安。这种预感随着时间慢慢累积，可能会导致毛孩不适及焦虑。
 
长期下来，有机会令毛孩产生暴风雨恐惧症，亦有毛孩的暴风雨恐惧症与其他焦虑有关。例如，一只喜欢在户外的猫狗在恶劣天气被困在室内，可能会因为无法出去而感到焦虑，令他们将暴风雨和恶劣天气与焦虑情绪联系在一起，形成对暴风雨的恐惧。
 
当毛孩因恶劣天气感到焦虑时，您可能会看到的征兆包括喘气频率增加、来回踱步、过度舔嘴唇、躲藏、发出过多声音、试图逃跑等。
 
所以我们该怎样做呢？
 
带你的宠物带到一个黑暗且封闭的房间，不要为牠们系上任何牵绳，这有助缓解牠们的恐惧，也有一些药物可以帮助牠们缓解焦虑。另外确保你的宠物准备好应对即将到来的恶劣天气也非常重要。
 
若你的宠物有焦虑问题，你可以与你的兽医或动物行为专家一起制定应对计划，这可能包括打造一个让毛孩感到安全的地方，让牠们更好地应对焦虑。毛孩喜欢待在牠们认为最安全的地方，牠们也有可能会依偎在你身旁。一张舒适的床和毛孩特别喜欢的玩具可以令整个体验更加舒适。还可以使用一些有助缓解焦虑的物品，如加重外套&mdash;&mdash;令牠们持续地感受到轻度压力，模拟拥抱的感觉，促进大脑释放能舒缓压力的化学物质。DAP-狗狗安抚费洛蒙，是一种天然化学物质，可以使幼犬平静下来并增加牠们安全感，亦有助舒缓狗狗因不同原因产生的焦虑。
 
我们都有自己恐惧的事，最重要的是在面对恐惧时，有大家互相支持，一起面对。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/storm.jpg" alt="storm.jpg (2.84 MB)" width="670" height="670" caption="false" /> 夏天是香港的雨季，經常出現狂風暴雨、行雷閃電，偶爾還會有颱風。雖然我們的居所都很安全，但毛孩可能不這樣認為。
 
暴風雨引起貓狗的焦慮和恐懼是很常見的事，這並不難理解。貓狗就像小朋友一樣，不理解這些自然現象。雷聲、風聲、雨點打在窗戶上的聲音，以及閃電在窗戶上閃爍，對牠們來說可能是很可怕的。貓狗可以感受到一些我們無法看見的事物，例如氣壓、風暴來臨前的靜電積聚等，一旦佢地感受到變化，可能會變得更加煩躁和不安。這種預感隨着時間慢慢累積，可能會導致毛孩不適及焦慮。
 
長期下來，有機會令毛孩產生暴風雨恐懼症，亦有毛孩的暴風雨恐懼症與其他焦慮有關。例如，一隻喜歡在戶外的貓狗在惡劣天氣被困在室內，可能會因為無法出去而感到焦慮，令他們將暴風雨和惡劣天氣與焦慮情緒聯繫在一起，形成對暴風雨的恐懼。
 
當毛孩因惡劣天氣感到焦慮時，您可能會看到的徵兆包括喘氣頻率增加、來回踱步、過度舔嘴唇、躲藏、發出過多聲音、試圖逃跑等。
 
所以我們該怎樣做呢？
 
帶你的寵物帶到一個黑暗且封閉的房間，不要為牠們繫上任何牽繩，這有助緩解牠們的恐懼，也有一些藥物可以幫助牠們緩解焦慮。另外確保你的寵物準備好應對即將到來的惡劣天氣也非常重要。
 
若你的寵物有焦慮問題，你可以與你的獸醫或動物行為專家一起制定應對計畫，這可能包括打造一個讓毛孩感到安全的地方，讓牠們更好地應對焦慮。毛孩喜歡待在牠們認為最安全的地方，牠們也有可能會依偎在你身旁。一張舒適的床和毛孩特別喜歡的玩具可以令整個體驗更加舒適。還可以使用一些有助緩解焦慮的物品，如加重外套&mdash;&mdash;令牠們持續地感受到輕度壓力，模擬擁抱的感覺，促進大腦釋放能舒緩壓力的化學物質。DAP-狗狗安撫費洛蒙，是一種天然化學物質，可以使幼犬平靜下來並增加牠們安全感，亦有助舒緩狗狗因不同原因產生的焦慮。
 
我們都有自己恐懼的事，最重要的是在面對恐懼時，有大家互相支持，一起面對。

Calm the Storm: How to Help Your Pets Overcome Weather-Related Anxiety

风雨无惧：陪伴宠物度过天气焦虑

風雨無懼：陪伴寵物度過天氣焦慮

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/choco.jpg" alt="choco.jpg (2.67 MB)" width="624" height="624" /> What should you do if your pets accidentally ingest chocolate?&nbsp;
We love our Chocolate. Fun fact about chocolate: the scent of chocolate can help relax and reduce stress in humans. This effect is completely opposite in our companion dogs and cats.
Chocolate contains two stimulants- theobromine and caffeine, both of which are toxic to dogs and cats. The darker and bitter the chocolate, the higher the concentration of these toxins. When ingested, dogs and cats may have varying degrees of symptoms depending on how much they have eaten. Some common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate and even abnormal heart rhythm. However, these symptoms may worsen and in severe cases can be life-threatening.
When you realize that your pets have ingested chocolate, you should take them to the vet ASAP, DO NOT WAIT for symptoms to appear. Like any poison, addressing it earlier is the most effective and less invasive treatment approach, leading to a better prognosis and outcome.&nbsp;
It is important to take the chocolate packaging or specify the type of chocolate ingested and have an idea of roughly how much is ingested, e.g.: ingested half a pack of milk chocolate etc.Providing the ingredients and the cocoa percentage of the chocolate will be the most helpful for the vet to assess the situation and formulate an appropriate treatment plan for your pets.&nbsp;
Most of the time, the vet will try to induce vomiting to clear out the chocolate that has not been absorbed and reduce exposure. This can be achieved through oral medication or injections. Pets often need to be hospitalized to monitor their condition and whether further clinical signs will manifest. They may be given activated charcoal to bind with the toxins and be put on IV fluids for supportive care. Symptoms usually appear within 6-12 hours but can take up to 24 hours in some cases, therefore it is critical to keep animals in hospital to monitor their cardiac functions.
REMEMBER, be careful where you leave your sweets!

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/choco.jpg" alt="choco.jpg (2.67 MB)" width="624" height="624" /> 
如果宠物误食巧克力该怎么办？
我们都热爱巧克力。有关巧克力的冷知识：巧克力的香气有助人类放松身心、减轻压力，但在猫狗身上的效果则完全相反。
巧克力含有两种兴奋剂&mdash;&mdash;可可碱和咖啡因，都是对猫狗有毒的成份。巧克力的颜色越深、味道越苦，这些毒素的浓度就越高。一旦狗和猫进食巧克力后，牠们可能因应进食份量不同，出现不同程度的症状。一些常见症状包括呕吐、腹泻、心跳加快，甚至心律不整。然而，这些症状有机会恶化，严重的话可能危及生命。
当你得知你的宠物吃了巧克力时，应该立即带牠们去看兽医，不要等待症状出现才行动。像任何毒物一样，越早处理的话，治疗越有效且更少入侵性，效果更理想。
看兽医时记得带上巧克力包装或明确指出牠们吃下的巧克力种类，并大致了解牠们吃掉的份量，例如吃掉了半包牛奶巧克力等。如果你能告知兽医巧克力的成分和可可含量，对兽医评估情况并制定适当的治疗计划非常有帮助。
大多数情况下，兽医会试图催呕，让宠物吐掉未被吸收的巧克力，减少吸收毒素。催吐的方法包抬口服药物和注射药物。宠物通常需要留院观察，以确定是否会出现进一步的临床症状。兽医有可能给牠们服用活性炭来吸附体内毒素，并接受静脉输液作辅助。症状通常在6-12小时内出现，但在某些情况下可能需要长达24小时，因此持续监测动物的心脏功能非常重要。 &nbsp;
记住要小心放好你们的零食！&nbsp;

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/pet-care-tips/choco.jpg" alt="choco.jpg (2.67 MB)" width="624" height="624" /> 
如果寵物誤食朱古力該怎麼辦？
我們都熱愛朱古力。有關朱古力的冷知識：朱古力的香氣有助人類放鬆身心、減輕壓力，但在貓狗身上的效果則完全相反。
朱古力含有兩種興奮劑&mdash;&mdash;可可鹼和咖啡因，都是對貓狗有毒的成份。朱古力的顏色越深、味道越苦，這些毒素的濃度就越高。一旦狗和貓進食朱古力後，牠們可能因應進食份量不同，出現不同程度的症狀。一些常見症狀包括嘔吐、腹瀉、心跳加快，甚至心律不整。然而，這些症狀有機會惡化，嚴重的話可能危及生命。
當你得知你的寵物吃了朱古力時，應該立即帶牠們去看獸醫，不要等待症狀出現才行動。像任何毒物一樣，越早處理的話，治療越有效且更少入侵性，效果更理想。
看獸醫時記得帶上朱古力包裝或明確指出牠們吃下的朱古力種類，並大致了解牠們吃掉的份量，例如吃掉了半包牛奶朱古力等。如果你能告知獸醫朱古力的成分和可可含量，對獸醫評估情況並制定適當的治療計劃非常有幫助。
大多數情況下，獸醫會試圖催嘔，讓寵物吐掉未被吸收的朱古力，減少吸收毒素。催吐的方法包抬口服藥物和注射藥物。寵物通常需要留院觀察，以確定是否會出現進一步的臨床症狀。獸醫有可能給牠們服用活性炭來吸附體內毒素，並接受靜脈輸液作輔助。症狀通常在6-12小時內出現，但在某些情況下可能需要長達24小時，因此持續監測動物的心臟功能非常重要。 &nbsp;
記住要小心放好你們的零食！&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Did Your Pet Sneak Some Chocolate? Act Fast—Here’s What You Need to Do!

如果宠物误食巧克力该怎么办？

如果寵物誤食朱古力該怎麼辦？

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/heatstroke.jpg" alt="heatstroke.jpg (8.99 MB)" width="800" height="542" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> Summer time is well underway, and it is getting quite hot, most days we are above 30C. lucky for us, most of us are sitting in air conditioned rooms, enjoying our cold drinks.
The hot weather doesn&rsquo;t stop our enthusiastic furry friends wanting to go out to have a walk, run, play with others and definitely some dogs need to go out for their toilet breaks. A few things we need to be careful when bring them out in this hot weather to prevent heat stroke,
Number one is trying to avoid bring them when the sun is right up on top of our heads, much preferred to walk your dogs in the early morning and late evening. However, sometimes is still quite hot in these times and some dogs still suffer heat stroke walking at these times.
If we are going out with our dogs, make sure there are plenty of shades, and have access to water throughout the walk, and do not leave dogs (cats) unattended in venhicles, and be sure to know the signs of heat stroke,
When your pets suffer heat stroke, early signs like rapid and heavy panting, lethargy, weakness, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea can be some of the early symptoms. If your dog is unconscious and have a seizure, then things are very serious, and need to have immediate veterinary attention. When you recognize these symptoms, you should provide water source immediately, try to cool them as much as possible- running water on their body, wiping they foot and belly with cold towels, and if available check their temperature. Dog&rsquo;s normal temperature is 38-39.6C. Be sure to make this temperature available to your vets when you arrive to the clinic.
Heat stroke can be life threatening, and some may require days of hospitalization.

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/heatstroke.jpg" alt="heatstroke.jpg (8.99 MB)" width="800" height="542" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> 踏入夏天，天气越来越炎热，温度平均达30度以上。我们很幸运，大部分人都可以安坐空调房间内享受冰冷的饮料。不过对毛孩而言，不论天气多炎热，也无减他们对外出散步、奔跑、和其他狗狗玩耍的热情，有些狗狗也需要外出解决如厕需要。为避免牠们中暑，在这种炎热天气下带牠们外出时，有数点我们需要注意。
首先要避免在烈日当空时遛狗，最好在清晨和傍晚才带牠们出去。然而，有时即使在这些时间，天气仍然相当炎热，一些狗狗仍可能在散步时中暑。
如果我们和狗狗外出，需要确保有足够的阴凉处，在整个散步过程中让牠们喝水，不要独留狗狗（或猫咪）在车内。
主人也需要了解中暑的症状，急促而沉重的喘息、倦怠无力、呕吐或腹泻都可能是中暑的早期症状。如果你的狗狗失去知觉并出现癫痫，情况则非常严重，需要立即就医。当你察觉到这些症状时，应立即尽可能用水为牠们降温&mdash;&mdash;用流水冲洗身体，用冷毛巾擦拭牠们的脚和腹部，并在可行的情况下检查牠们的体温。狗狗的正常体温为摄氏 38-39.6 度。当你抵达诊所时，务必告知兽医宠物的情况，包括牠们的体温。
中暑可能危及生命，有些情况可能需要住院数天。

<img src="https://backend.pets-central.com/assets/images/heatstroke.jpg" alt="heatstroke.jpg (8.99 MB)" width="800" height="542" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /> 踏入夏天，天氣越來越炎熱，溫度平均達30度以上。我們很幸運，大部分人都可以安坐冷氣房內享受凍飲。不過對毛孩而言，不論天氣多炎熱，也無減他們對外出散步、奔跑、和其他狗狗玩耍的熱情，有些狗狗也需要外出解決如廁需要。為避免牠們中暑，在這種炎熱天氣下帶牠們外出時，有數點我們需要注意。
首先要避免在烈日當空時遛狗，最好在清晨和傍晚才帶牠們出去。然而，有時即使在這些時間，天氣仍然相當炎熱，一些狗狗仍可能在散步時中暑。
如果我們和狗狗外出，需要確保有足夠的陰涼處，在整個散步過程中讓牠們喝水，不要獨留狗狗（或貓咪）在車內。
主人也需要了解中暑的症狀，急促而沉重的喘息、倦怠無力、嘔吐或腹瀉都可能是中暑的早期症狀。如果你的狗狗失去知覺並出現癲癇，情況則非常嚴重，需要立即就醫。當你察覺到這些症狀時，應立即盡可能用水為牠們降溫&mdash;&mdash;用流水沖洗身體，用冷毛巾擦拭牠們的腳和腹部，並在可行的情況下檢查牠們的體溫。狗狗的正常體溫為攝氏 38-39.6 度。當你抵達診所時，務必告知獸醫寵物的情況，包括牠們的體溫。
中暑可能危及生命，有些情況可能需要住院數天。

Pets Care Tips - Heatstroke

宠物中暑护理小贴士

寵物中暑護理小貼士

<img class="img-fluid" src="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C622&amp;ssl=1" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=400%2C249&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=500%2C311&amp;ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=768%2C478&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=100%2C62&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=24%2C15&amp;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=36%2C22&amp;ssl=1 36w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=48%2C30&amp;ssl=1 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> There has been a lot of misinformation shared online about Covid-19, how it affects humans and pets. A small number of pets worldwide have been found carrying the virus. This is likely due to very close contact with their owners who have already contracted Covid-19. Experts are studying whether pets can infect their &ldquo;pet parents,&rdquo; but so far there&rsquo;s no evidence that kind of transmission is helping spread the disease. In a LABORATORY setting, cats have proved the most susceptible species for SARS-CoV-2. They can get sick with Covid-19, and they can spread the virus to other cats. Virtually all cats carry some kind of coronavirus, though not necessarily Covid-19. In fact, species-specific coronaviruses are quite common. But canine and feline coronaviruses do not infect humans. LABORATORY tests have also shown that ferrets and golden Syrian hamsters can be infected with Covid-19 in the LABORATORY. They can transmit the infection to other ferrets and hamsters. Dogs can get infected in the LABORATORY, but they don&rsquo;t typically get sick. They also don&rsquo;t easily spread the SARS-CoV-2 virus to other dogs. A few species of primate &ndash; macaques and marmosets, for instance &ndash; have also been infected with Covid-19 in the LABORATORY, and can get sick from it. Even when deliberately tested in the LABORATORY, mice, pigs, chickens and ducks do not seem to get infected, or spread the infection. You may have heard that in April, a Malayan tiger tested positive for Covid-19 at the Bronx Zoo in New York City. It turned out that three other tigers as well as three African lions at the zoo also had the virus. The big cats were infected by a staff member caring for them, the zoo says, before that human showed any signs of the disease. They have all since recovered. Mink (closely related to ferrets) were found to be infected with Covid-19 on several mink farms in the Netherlands. Farm workers tested positive for the virus, and it is likely they infected the mink. Some cats on the farms developed antibodies to the virus, suggesting they had been exposed to it. In the United States, where 5.5 million people have so far contracted Covid-19, the government has recorded 14 dogs with the virus, 13 cats, 4 tigers, 3 lions and 2 mink. So suffice to say, it is highly unusual for pets to get infected with Covid-19 in the first place. The United States is home to 76.8 million dogs, and 58.4 million horses, and another 51.3 million other pets from reptiles to horses. Yet there have been 36 Covid-19 cases, 7 of which were in a zoo. It&rsquo;s a miniscule percentage. If you yourself get Covid-19, it is best to arrange for another person or a vet to care for your animal. At Pets Central, we offer a cleaning, grooming and boarding programme for pets from quarantine households. Of course, it is likely that Covid-19 spread to humans from an animal source. SARS in 2003 is likely to have made the species leap from bats and then to civet cats to humans in Guangdong wet markets. MERS in 2012 was traced dromedary camels in Saudi Arabia, which were then in close contact with their handlers. It&rsquo;s likely MERS made the species jump from bats to dromedaries &ldquo;sometime in the distant past,&rdquo; according to the WHO. Why are bats so often the source of viruses? They may also &ldquo;store&rdquo; Ebola, Marburg, Nipah and Hendra viruses, which have all led to deadly outbreaks. As the only flying mammal, bats have special adaptations that allow their cells to break down and release DNA, which floats around inside their body. This would cause inflammation in other mammals, but they&rsquo;ve learnt to withstand it. This immune response also allows them to withstand many viruses without feeling any effects, viruses that would make many other mammals sick. The SARS-CoV-2virus is closest in type to one found in horseshoe bats. The virus may then have leapt to another animal host, then to humans. This chain has not been established, though, so what species linked the disease in bats to humans remains a mystery.

<img class="img-fluid" src="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C622&amp;ssl=1" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=400%2C249&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=500%2C311&amp;ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=768%2C478&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=100%2C62&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=24%2C15&amp;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=36%2C22&amp;ssl=1 36w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=48%2C30&amp;ssl=1 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> 网上有很多关于 Covid-19 的错误信息，以及它如何影响人类和宠物。 全世界有少数宠物被发现携带病毒。这可能是由于与已经感染 Covid-19 的所有者进行了非常密切的接触。专家们正在研究宠物是否会感染他们的&ldquo;宠物父母&rdquo;，但到目前为止，还没有证据表明这种传播方式有助于传播这种疾病。 在实验室环境中，猫已被证明是最容易感染 SARS-CoV-2 的物种。它们可能会感染 Covid-19，并将病毒传播给其他猫。 几乎所有的猫都携带某种冠状病毒，但不一定是 Covid-19。事实上，物种特异性冠状病毒很常见。但犬科和猫科冠状病毒不会感染人类。 实验室测试还表明，雪貂和金色叙利亚仓鼠可以在实验室中感染 Covid-19。它们可以将感染传播给其他雪貂和仓鼠。 狗可以在实验室被感染，但它们通常不会生病。它们也不容易将 SARS-CoV-2 病毒传播给其他狗。 一些灵长类动物&mdash;&mdash;例如猕猴和狨猴&mdash;&mdash;也在实验室中感染了 Covid-19，并可能因此而生病。 即使故意在实验室进行测试，老鼠、猪、鸡和鸭似乎也不会被感染或传播感染。 您可能听说过 4 月份，纽约市布朗克斯动物园的一只马来亚虎的 Covid-19 检测呈阳性。原来，动物园里的另外三只老虎和三只非洲狮也感染了这种病毒。 动物园说，这些大型猫科动物是被一名照顾它们的工作人员感染的，当时那个人没有出现任何疾病迹象。他们都已经康复了。 在荷兰的几个水貂养殖场发现水貂（与雪貂密切相关）感染了 Covid-19。农场工人的病毒检测呈阳性，很可能他们感染了水貂。农场里的一些猫对这种病毒产生了抗体，这表明它们曾接触过这种病毒。 在美国，迄今为止已有 550 万人感染了 Covid-19，政府记录了 14 只狗感染了该病毒、13 只猫、4 只老虎、3 只狮子和 2 只貂。 可以这么说，宠物首先感染 Covid-19 是非常不寻常的。美国有 7680 万只狗和 5840 万匹马，还有 5130 万只从爬行动物到马的其他宠物。然而，已经有 36 起 Covid-19 病例，其中 7 起在动物园里。这是一个微不足道的百分比。 如果您自己感染了 Covid-19，最好安排其他人或兽医照顾您的动物。在 Pets Central，我们为隔离家庭的宠物提供清洁、美容和寄宿计划。 当然，Covid-19 很可能是从动物来源传播给人类的。 2003 年的 SARS 很可能使该物种从蝙蝠跃升到果子狸，再到广东湿货市场的人类。 2012 年 MERS 在沙特阿拉伯被追踪到了单峰骆驼，这些骆驼当时与它们的饲养员密切接触。根据世界卫生组织的说法，MERS 很可能使该物种&ldquo;在遥远的过去的某个时候&rdquo;从蝙蝠跃升为单峰骆驼。 为什么蝙蝠经常成为病毒的来源？它们还可能&ldquo;储存&rdquo;埃博拉病毒、马尔堡病毒、尼帕病毒和亨德拉病毒，这些病毒都导致了致命的爆发。 作为唯一会飞的哺乳动物，蝙蝠具有特殊的适应性，可以让它们的细胞分解并释放 DNA，这些 DNA 在它们的体内漂浮。这会导致其他哺乳动物发炎，但它们已经学会了忍受它。这种免疫反应还使它们能够抵抗许多病毒而不会受到任何影响，这些病毒会使许多其他哺乳动物生病。 SARS-CoV-2 病毒的类型与马蹄蝠中发现的病毒最接近。然后病毒可能已经转移到另一个动物宿主，然后转移到人类身上。然而，这个链条还没有建立，所以是什么物种将蝙蝠的疾病与人类联系起来仍然是个谜。

<img class="img-fluid" src="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?fit=1000%2C622&amp;ssl=1" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=400%2C249&amp;ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=500%2C311&amp;ssl=1 500w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=768%2C478&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=100%2C62&amp;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=24%2C15&amp;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=36%2C22&amp;ssl=1 36w, https://i0.wp.com/pets-central.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/covidpet-1.jpg?resize=48%2C30&amp;ssl=1 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /> 網上有很多關於 Covid-19 的錯誤信息，以及它如何影響人類和寵物。 全世界有少數寵物被發現攜帶病毒。這可能是由於與已經感染 Covid-19 的所有者進行了非常密切的接觸。專家們正在研究寵物是否會感染他們的&ldquo;寵物父母&rdquo;，但到目前為止，還沒有證據表明這種傳播方式有助於傳播這種疾病。 在實驗室環境中，貓已被證明是最容易感染 SARS-CoV-2 的物種。它們可能會感染 Covid-19，並將病毒傳播給其他貓。 幾乎所有的貓都攜帶某種冠狀病毒，但不一定是 Covid-19。事實上，物種特異性冠狀病毒很常見。但犬科和貓科冠狀病毒不會感染人類。 實驗室測試還表明，雪貂和金色敘利亞倉鼠可以在實驗室中感染 Covid-19。它們可以將感染傳播給其他雪貂和倉鼠。 狗可以在實驗室被感染，但它們通常不會生病。它們也不容易將 SARS-CoV-2 病毒傳播給其他狗。 一些靈長類動物&mdash;&mdash;例如獼猴和狨猴&mdash;&mdash;也在實驗室中感染了 Covid-19，並可能因此而生病。 即使故意在實驗室進行測試，老鼠、豬、雞和鴨似乎也不會被感染或傳播感染。 您可能聽說過 4 月份，紐約市布朗克斯動物園的一隻馬來亞虎的 Covid-19 檢測呈陽性。原來，動物園裡的另外三隻老虎和三隻非洲獅也感染了這種病毒。 動物園說，這些大型貓科動物是被一名照顧它們的工作人員感染的，當時那個人沒有出現任何疾病跡象。他們都已經康復了。 在荷蘭的幾個水貂養殖場發現水貂（與雪貂密切相關）感染了 Covid-19。農場工人的病毒檢測呈陽性，很可能他們感染了水貂。農場裡的一些貓對這種病毒產生了抗體，這表明它們曾接觸過這種病毒。 在美國，迄今為止已有 550 萬人感染了 Covid-19，政府記錄了 14 隻狗感染了該病毒、13 隻貓、4 隻老虎、3 只獅子和 2 只貂。 可以這麼說，寵物首先感染 Covid-19 是非常不尋常的。美國有 7680 萬隻狗和 5840 萬匹馬，還有 5130 萬隻從爬行動物到馬的其他寵物。然而，已經有 36 起 Covid-19 病例，其中 7 起在動物園裡。這是一個微不足道的百分比。 如果您自己感染了 Covid-19，最好安排其他人或獸醫照顧您的動物。在 Pets Central，我們為隔離家庭的寵物提供清潔、美容和寄宿計劃。 當然，Covid-19 很可能是從動物來源傳播給人類的。 2003 年的 SARS 很可能使該物種從蝙蝠躍升到果子狸，再到廣東濕貨市場的人類。 2012 年 MERS 在沙特阿拉伯被追踪到了單峰駱駝，這些駱駝當時與它們的飼養員密切接觸。根據世界衛生組織的說法，MERS 很可能使該物種&ldquo;在遙遠的過去的某個時候&rdquo;從蝙蝠躍升為單峰駱駝。 為什麼蝙蝠經常成為病毒的來源？它們還可能&ldquo;儲存&rdquo;埃博拉病毒、馬爾堡病毒、尼帕病毒和亨德拉病毒，這些病毒都導致了致命的爆發。 作為唯一會飛的哺乳動物，蝙蝠具有特殊的適應性，可以讓它們的細胞分解並釋放 DNA，這些 DNA 在它們的體內漂浮。這會導致其他哺乳動物發炎，但它們已經學會了忍受它。這種免疫反應還使它們能夠抵抗許多病毒而不會受到任何影響，這些病毒會使許多其他哺乳動物生病。 SARS-CoV-2 病毒的類型與馬蹄蝠中發現的病毒最接近。然後病毒可能已經轉移到另一個動物宿主，然後轉移到人類身上。然而，這個鏈條還沒有建立，所以是什麼物種將蝙蝠的疾病與人類聯繫起來仍然是個謎。

Can animals contract Covid-19?

动物会感染 Covid-19 吗？

動物會感染 Covid-19 嗎？

Pet Boarding Guide: Be A Smart Pet Parent
Planning your next trip? Don&rsquo;t worry if you don&rsquo;t have anyone to take care of your pet. Check &nbsp;it in to a pet hotel for a happy paw-liday. At Pet Planet in Sai Kung we offer day care and boarding services, as well as 24 hour nursing care.
&nbsp;
Here are some pet boarding tips from our experts at Pets Central.
Check the pet hotel&rsquo;s license and accommodation terms
Make sure the pet hotel has a valid Boarding Establishment License, and review the accommodation terms carefully.
&nbsp;
Keep your pet&rsquo;s vaccinations up to date
Since pet hotels board many animals at the same time, ensure your pet has all the necessary vaccinations to avoid getting infected with a communicable disease.
&nbsp;
Familiarize your pet with the environment in advance
Ideally, choose the same hotel every time for your pet, so it can stay in a familiar environment. For your pet&rsquo;s first boarding experience, we recommend visiting the hotel together in advance to help reduce stress during its stay.
&nbsp;
Let the staff know your pet&rsquo;s character and habits
Every pet&rsquo;s personality, habits and daily needs are different. &nbsp;Give the hotel staff the information they need to ensure your pet can be cared for properly.
&nbsp;
Surround your pet with familiar things
Bring all your pet&rsquo;s daily necessities, such as bowls and toys. We recommend bringing a few items with your scent as well to help reassure your pet and make it feel at ease during boarding.
&nbsp;
Haven&rsquo;t got a boarding hotel in mind? Surrounded by a tranquil and relaxing environment, Pet Planet is an ideal holiday destination for your pet. Day care and boarding services are now available at the pet hotel in Sai Kung. You can rest assured that your pet will receive 24-hour care and veterinary supervision, and all indoor suites are air-conditioned.
&nbsp;
All enquiries welcome. Call us at 2792 0833 or 2415 1600.

宠物寄宿须知 &ndash; 做个精明主人 您是否正在准备旅行计划，同时，又担心家里的宠物没人照顾? 不如带它们到宠物酒店渡假，让它们享受属于自己的假期！西贡Pet Planet设有日间托管及寄宿服务，可以为您的宠物提供24小时专业护理。 
Pets Central為大家準備了以下寵物寄宿小貼士：
<ul>
<li>留意寵物酒店牌照和住宿條款</li>
</ul>
選擇酒店前，記得看清楚該酒店是否持有有效動物寄養所牌照，並細心閱讀住宿條款。
<ul>
<li>檢查寵物的疫苗注射記錄</li>
</ul>
因為寵物酒店同時照顧許多動物，為免自己的寵物從其他寵物身上感染疾病，將寵物送到酒店前，記得要接種所有相關疫苗，保障寵物健康。
<ul>
<li>事先帶寵物熟習環境</li>
</ul>
理想的話，最好為寵物選擇固定的酒店，因為熟悉的環境會令寵物安心。若然是第一次到該酒店寄宿，最好事先帶寵物到訪，視察環境，住宿期間就沒那麼容易感到焦慮。
<ul>
<li>與寵物酒店職員多作溝通，分享寵物性格和習慣</li>
</ul>
每隻寵物都有各自的性格和習慣，起居飲食的需要亦會有所不同。主人應盡量提供更多資訊予寵物職員，有助確保寵物得到妥善照顧。
<ul>
<li>帶備寵物日常物品，營造熟悉環境</li>
</ul>
帶齊寵物習慣使用的物品，例如碗和玩具等，尤其是有主人氣味的物品，有助寵物在住宿期間感到放鬆又安心。
還未想好帶寵物去哪一家酒店嗎? 環境優美、悠閒舒適的Pet Planet 絕對是您的理想選擇。位於西貢的Pet Planet現正提供寵物日間托管及寄宿服務。所有室內寵物房均提供空調設備，更有專業獸醫團隊24小時全天候照顧您的寵物。
&nbsp;
歡迎致電2415 1600查詢，了解更多。

寵物寄宿須知 &ndash; 做個精明主人
您是否正在準備旅行計劃，同時，又擔心家裏的寵物沒人照顧? 不如帶牠們到寵物酒店渡假，讓牠們享受屬於自己的假期！西貢Pet Planet設有日間托管及寄宿服務，可以為您的寵物提供24小時專業護理。
&nbsp;
Pets Central為大家準備了以下寵物寄宿小貼士：
<ul>
<li>留意寵物酒店牌照和住宿條款</li>
</ul>
選擇酒店前，記得看清楚該酒店是否持有有效動物寄養所牌照，並細心閱讀住宿條款。
<ul>
<li>檢查寵物的疫苗注射記錄</li>
</ul>
因為寵物酒店同時照顧許多動物，為免自己的寵物從其他寵物身上感染疾病，將寵物送到酒店前，記得要接種所有相關疫苗，保障寵物健康。
<ul>
<li>事先帶寵物熟習環境</li>
</ul>
理想的話，最好為寵物選擇固定的酒店，因為熟悉的環境會令寵物安心。若然是第一次到該酒店寄宿，最好事先帶寵物到訪，視察環境，住宿期間就沒那麼容易感到焦慮。
<ul>
<li>與寵物酒店職員多作溝通，分享寵物性格和習慣</li>
</ul>
每隻寵物都有各自的性格和習慣，起居飲食的需要亦會有所不同。主人應盡量提供更多資訊予寵物職員，有助確保寵物得到妥善照顧。
<ul>
<li>帶備寵物日常物品，營造熟悉環境</li>
</ul>
帶齊寵物習慣使用的物品，例如碗和玩具等，尤其是有主人氣味的物品，有助寵物在住宿期間感到放鬆又安心。
還未想好帶寵物去哪一家酒店嗎? 環境優美、悠閒舒適的Pet Planet 絕對是您的理想選擇。位於西貢的Pet Planet現正提供寵物日間托管及寄宿服務。所有室內寵物房均提供空調設備，更有專業獸醫團隊24小時全天候照顧您的寵物。
&nbsp;
歡迎致電2415 1600查詢，了解更多。

Pet Boarding Guide: Be A Smart Pet Parent

宠物寄宿须知 – 做个精明主人

寵物寄宿須知 – 做個精明主人

Seeing the vet can be terrifying for pets. Dr. Kersti Seksel, a veterinarian surgeon and animal behavior expert from Australia, recently shared ways to relieve their anxiety, or even prevent it: &nbsp; Help your pet be mentally prepared Familiarize your pet from an early age with how they&rsquo;ll be handled when they&rsquo;re at the vet, such as giving a pill and touching their toes, ears and nose. This helps reassure them that the whole experience of coming to the vet can be fun. Make sure your pet gets enough sleep Dogs, for example, need as many as 16 hours of sleep every day. Ensuring pets are well rested can help reduce anxiety. Lots of treats Make the experience positive throughout by rewarding your pet with treats starting when it enters the clinic, not just when they leave. &nbsp; Dr Seksel spoke at an event organized by the Hong Kong Veterinary Association, sponsored by Pets Central and Antinol. We were honored to have Dr.Seksel host a staff training workshop at Pets Central Mong Kok hospital, sharing her valuable experience with the team.

幫助毛孩克服「獸醫恐懼症」 相信看獸醫是不少毛孩的一大噩夢！主人可以怎樣幫助毛孩紓緩甚至預防焦慮問題？來自澳洲的專業獸醫及動物行為學家Dr. Kersti Seksel分享了她的心得： &nbsp; 幫助毛孩做好心理準備 主人應從毛孩的幼年時期開始，就訓練牠們習慣獸醫的動作，例如餵藥及檢查腳掌、耳朵和鼻子。這樣有助使毛孩感到安心，明白看獸醫亦都可以是輕鬆愉快的經歷！ 確保毛孩有充足睡眠 以狗狗為例，毛孩每天大約需要16小時的睡眠時間。主人若能確保毛孩有充足及恆常的作息，有助減少焦慮情緒。 多給毛孩吃零食 要令睇獸醫的過程不再可怕，主人可以由踏入診所開始，就不時給毛孩零食，而非離開時才以食物作獎勵。 Dr. Kersti Seksel近日了由香港獸醫學會舉辦的講座，此活動並由Pets Central及Antinol提供贊助。我們亦很榮幸邀請到Dr.Seksel到旺角診所主持工作坊，與Pets Central團隊分享寶貴經驗。

Help Your Pet Stress Less

幫助毛孩克服「獸醫恐懼症」

However well you take care of your pet, there&rsquo;s always a chance that it will have unpredicted health problems. When an emergency strikes, what first-aid care should pet parents give their pet before visiting a clinic? Check out the professional advice from our vet below. Seizures Seizure causes of can be complicated and varied. One-off or rare occurrences should not be worrying, but periodic or frequent seizure is life threatening. Symptoms include drastic muscle twitching, loss of consciousness, drooling and weakness. Some pets might also show anxiety beforehand. What to do: Keep your pet away from hard or sharp items and edges to prevent potential harm if it thrashes around or struggles wildly Do not put any object in your pet&rsquo;s mouth when in seizure Try to video seizures to help your vet give the most accurate diagnosis When seizure is over, visit a vet as soon as possible &nbsp; Tear Gas <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-11-08-1-1.webp" alt="" width="80%" /> Pet parents need to be concerned about tear gas. It irritates mucous membranes and the lungs. Contact with tear gas may cause pets to rub their eyes, and show signs of watery eyes, coughing, difficulty in breathing, severe retching or vomiting. If you&rsquo;re outside, get your pet away from the source as soon as possible. When handling your pet, use a wrap or gloves to protect your hands. If you are indoors and tear gas wafts in, act swiftly to: &ndash; Close windows and turn off all fans &ndash; Turn on extractor fans and air conditioners for ventilation &ndash; Wash your pet with water; use saline to flush eyes and areas involving mucous membranes &ndash; Seek help from your vet immediately if your pet shows severe signs (e.g. heavy breathing) For more information, pet parents can contact their vet or refer to guidelines from The Hong Kong Veterinary Association：&nbsp;http://www.hkva.org/teargas.asp Food poisoning <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-11-08-1.webp" alt="2019-11-08-1.webp (46 KB)" width="80%" /> Pets are like greedy children who scavenge any food they can find, so they are often at the risk of food poisoning. Tremors, lack of coordination, vomiting, lethargy or even seizure are some of the indicators. Chocolate, onions, grapes and other food products toxic to pets are common sources of sickness. What to do: &ndash; Carefully check out the type of food readily consumed by your pet &ndash; Flush your pet&rsquo;s mouth with clean water &ndash; Do not attempt to induce vomiting &ndash; Record the type and amount of food &ndash; Bring the food packaging with you when visiting an animal clinic to help the vet make a better assessment &nbsp; Since the condition and reactions of pets may vary, if there is an emergency, call your veterinary clinic for a quick inquiry to confirm what first-aid actions may be suitable. If a visit to the clinic is needed, the call will also help veterinarians prepare for the treatment in advance. &nbsp; Any first-aid treatment should be followed by immediate veterinary care. Pet parents are advised to visit a vet professional for a further medical check-up. Together we safeguard our pets&rsquo; health.

【寵物緊急護理小知識】 每位主人都希望寵物健健康康，但往往難免出現突發的健康問題。緊急情況下，主人可以採取甚麼措施幫助寵物？Pets Central獸醫與大家分享了一些基本的護理知識，助您提前做好準備，應付突發事件。 癲癇 癲癇發作或抽筋的成因複雜，可能性很多。一次或偶發的癲癇大多沒有大礙，但週期性或頻繁的發作則可能威脅性命。常見徵狀包括劇烈的肌肉抽搐、失去意識、流口水和表現虛弱等等。部分寵物可能會在癲癇發作前表現焦慮。 建議措施： &ndash; 移走寵物周圍鋒利或堅硬的物品，確保遠離家具邊緣，防止寵物掙扎時受傷 &ndash; 不要在寵物病發時將任何物品放進牠們嘴裏 &ndash; 盡量以影片記錄病發過程，以便獸醫作出準確診斷 &ndash; 癲癇結束後，盡快到獸醫診所進行檢查 接觸催淚煙 <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-11-08-1-1.webp" alt="2019-11-08-1-1.webp (24 KB)" width="80%" /> 催淚煙會刺激寵物的黏膜及肺部，因此主人必需留心。當寵物受到催淚煙影響，可能會揉眼、流眼淚、咳嗽、呼吸困難、嚴重作嘔或嘔吐。如果身處室外，請盡快帶寵物遠離受影響範圍。移動寵物時，主人可使用保鮮紙或手套保護雙手。如果身處室內，並發現催淚煙入屋，立即採取以下行動： &ndash; 立即關上所有窗戶、風扇 &ndash; 打開抽氣扇和冷氣機來保持空氣循環 &ndash; 用清水為寵物徹底沖身，最好用生理鹽水沖洗眼睛及其他黏膜位置 &ndash; 若寵物出現嚴重徵狀，例如大口喘氣，便應盡快尋求獸醫協助 有關詳細應對措施，歡迎諮詢獸醫意見，或參閱香港獸醫學會的相關指引：&nbsp;http://www.hkva.org/teargas.asp 食物中毒 <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-11-08-1.webp" alt="2019-11-08-1.webp (46 KB)" width="80%" /> 大部份寵物都很喜歡吃東西，不願放過任何食物，所以經常有食物中毒的風險。顫抖、缺乏協調能力、嘔吐、嗜睡，甚至癲癇發作等等，都是食物中毒的典型徵狀。誤食巧克力、洋蔥和葡萄或其他對寵物來說有毒的食物，是引致中毒的常見原因。 建議措施： &ndash; 細心觀察，找出寵物囫圇吞下的食物種類 &ndash; 用清水為寵物漱口 &ndash; 不要嘗試催吐 &ndash; 記錄食物的數量和種類 &ndash; 到寵物診所求診時，帶同食物包裝，以幫助獸醫評估情況 由於個別寵物的情況和反應可能有所不同，主人一旦發現寵物不適，最好先行致電獸醫診所快速查詢，了解有關緊急護理措施是否適合您的寵物；如有需要到診所求診，也能讓獸醫盡早做好治療的準備。 謹記進行任何緊急護理之後，主人都應盡快帶寵物到獸醫診所，進行專業檢查和治療。讓我們一起守護寵物健康！

A Pocket Guide To First Aid Care

寵物緊急護理小知識

As autumn nears, there&rsquo;s no better way to spend quality time with your dog than to take them out on an excursion. Whether it&rsquo;s a hike up the mountains, a visit to the dog park or a trip to an outlying island, both you and your pet will benefit from the fresh air and time away from the bustling city. Before you set off, make sure you have packed the essentials. Here are some important items to bring along: Collar and leash Drinking water and bowl Poop bags and dispenser Towels Toys Treats &nbsp; Apart from the above essentials, there are a few handy items you might want to bring along to keep you and your pet safe. These include: Doggy raincoat and umbrella Living in Hong Kong, it&rsquo;s common to see the weather change in an instant. When outdoors with your dog, consider bringing a lightweight pet raincoat so you can keep your furry friend dry and warm is it rains. Our Pets Central 3-fold umbrella is portable, durable and sturdy to keep you dry too. Life vest For swimming, take your dog to the beach, but avoid streams, which be home to fatal viruses. Bring a doggy life vest with you to keep your pet from tiring out too quickly when swimming, especially in areas with currents or strong waves. It&rsquo;ll also help keep their heads above water and reduce the chance of them swallowing unsanitary water. Outdoor first-aid kitWalking outdoor on rough road and mountain trails, can hurt your dog&rsquo;s paws. If they ever get a scratch, cut or other minor injuries, a first aid kit will come in handy. Ideally, a well-equipped kit should contain: Wrap bandages Tape Safety pins Scissors Foil blanket Adhesive plasters Alcohol prep pads BZK antiseptic wipes Disposable gloves Pocket first-aid guide We offer an all-inclusive first-aid kit that can keep your best furry friend safe in times of emergency. Clip-on bell and lamp When the weather turns bad, it can get dark quickly. To keep track of your dogs, attach a bell and a lamp to your dog&rsquo;s collar. This is also handy should your off-leash dog like to run ahead of you during a hike. Going on hikes and excursions are great ways to have fun and strengthen the bond with your dog. Keep this checklist handy so you can have peace of mind on your next trip out with your furry pal. <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-09-30-1.webp" alt="2019-09-30-1.webp (25 KB)" width="80%" />

準備帶狗狗一起出遊嗎？那麼您便會需要以下的裝備清單。 戶外一日遊絕對是各位主人和狗狗增進感情的好方式。無論是到郊外遠足，到狗公園散步，還是來個離島遊，人和寵物都能遠離煩囂鬧市，放鬆身心之餘，亦可享受清新的空氣。 不過，出發之前，首先檢查是否帶齊基本用品，包括： 頸圈和狗帶 飲用水和狗碗 撿便袋 毛巾 玩具 零食 除了這些必備物品，主人不妨打包以下實用工具，確保狗狗有一個愉快又安全的旅程！ 寵物雨衣和雨傘 香港的天氣陰晴不定，變化迅速。帶狗狗到戶外活動時，最好帶上輕量的寵物雨衣，以備不時之需，下雨時就能讓狗狗保持溫暖乾爽。Pets Central的自家雨傘則有三摺疊設計，易於攜帶，堅固耐用，可為主人遮風擋雨。 救生衣 帶狗狗去游泳時，不妨前往水清沙幼的海灘，但記得遠離溪澗，因為溪澗對狗狗來說，往往是許多致命病毒的溫床。另外，各位主人記得帶備專為狗隻而設的救生衣，幫助狗狗游泳時減慢體力消耗，尤其是考慮到某些區域可能有突然而來的涌流或大浪。救生衣亦有助狗狗抬頭到水面上呼吸，以免喝到不乾淨的水。 急救包 狗狗走在凹凸不平的路面上，尤其是崎嶇的山徑時，有可能會弄傷腳掌，例如磨損、刮傷或其他輕傷。當小意外發生時，戶外急救包便能派上用場。齊全的急救包應配備以下工具： 繃帶 膠紙 安全扣針 剪刀 鋁箔毯 膠布 酒精消毒片 BZK 消毒片 即棄手套 隨身急救指南 Pets Central的戶外急救包配備齊全，幫助各位主人在突發情況下能及時為寵物急救。 夾戴式鈴噹和小燈 當天氣突然轉壞，太陽可能轉眼間便消失不見。為免狗狗走失，主人可以在頸圈 夾上鈴噹和小燈。如果您的狗狗總愛跑在您的前方，又時常有脫繩情況， 那麼鈴噹和小燈對您來說就大有用處了。 帶狗狗出遊，不但能增進主人和毛孩之間的感情，又能放鬆身心，盡情玩樂。每次出遊前，記得查看以上裝備清單的內容。祝各位主人和毛孩一起度過愉快又安心的時光！ <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-09-30.webp" alt="2019-09-30.webp (213 KB)" width="80%" />

A checklist for outings with your pet

寵物出遊裝備清單

Festive seasons are meant to be fun and joyous, yet we often see an increase in visits to our clinics. Pets Central&rsquo;s veterinarians are here to offer some tips on keeping your pets safe and sound this Mid-Autumn Festival. 1. Mooncake dos and don&rsquo;ts Many owners make pet-friendly mooncakes to celebrate with their four-legged companions. Whether you&rsquo;re planning to buy them or make your own, it&rsquo;s important to make sure the ingredients are all-natural and organic. It&rsquo;s best to use gluten-free flour instead of glutinous rice flour, as it&rsquo;s easier on animal digestive systems.&nbsp;Customisethe recipe with your pet&rsquo;s favorite food. You may consider chicken breast, pumpkin, unsalted cheese, carrots or sweet potatoes, which are suitable for both cats and dogs. Cat owners can even add catnip. Be mindful when selecting ingredients and consult a vet if you have any questions. Mooncakes may be a tasty treat, but make sure you feed your pet only a little at a time. 2. Use festive items safely The use of plastic glow sticks has become a common sight at Mid-Autumn Festival in recent years, but not only do they create unnecessary waste, they can pose a safety hazard for your pets. If they bite into them, the chemicals within can cause adverse reactions, including eye and skin irritations, vomiting or drooling. Also refrain from putting pomelo hats on your pets, cute as they may be. The citrus may irritate your pet&rsquo;s respiratory system and the acidity may cause skin irritations. It is especially dangerous for cats. 3. Beware of certain fruits Grapes and starfruit, popular fruits eaten during Mid-Autumn Festival, are unsuitable for pets. In fact, they can result in kidney failure if ingested. Feed them small amounts of bananas or apples instead, as long as seeds and peels are removed. The&nbsp;fibrein fruit is beneficial to your pet&rsquo;s health, but taking in too much sugar and starch may also lead to health problems. Let&rsquo;s keep our pets safe and sound this festive season. We wish all pet parents and our four-legged friends a happy and healthy Mid-Autumn Festival! <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-09-11-2.webp" alt="2019-09-11-2.webp (31 KB)" width="80%" />

中秋佳節，當然少不了與親朋好友一同賞月，享用美食佳餚。不過，節日前後，往往是主人帶寵物求診的高峰。慶祝人「寵」團圓的同時，主人可以如何保障愛貓愛狗的健康？以下是Pets Central的中秋小貼士： 1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;寵物月餅Dos &amp; Don&rsquo;ts 不少主人都會為貓貓狗狗準備寵物月餅應節，分享節日氣氛。無論是出外購買還是自製月餅，都要注意對寵物健康的影響，仔細選擇口味或食材，盡量確保天然健康。 相比糯米粉,無麩質麵粉會是更適合的材料，因為較易消化，對寵物消化系統造成的負擔較輕。配料方面，雞胸肉、南瓜、無鹽芝士、紅蘿蔔和紫薯適合貓狗食用，是寵物月餅的理想食材。 準備自製月餅的主人可因應寵物喜好調整食譜，但謹記小心選擇材料，不妨事先諮詢獸醫意見。如果有養貓貓，可在月餅中加入貓草。不過，寵物月餅畢竟是零食，主人應避免過量餵食。 2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;留心應節物品 相比傳統燈籠，現時中秋節更流行玩螢光棒，不但造成浪費，更對貓狗構成潛在危險。如果寵物不小心咬到螢光棒，攝入裏面的化學物質，有可能引致不適，出現流口水、嘔吐或刺激皮膚和眼睛等情況。 另外，不少主人會為寵物戴上可愛的柚子帽應節。不過，獸醫並不建議主人讓寵物接觸柚皮。柑橘的氣味會刺激寵物的呼吸系統，而柚皮內的檸檬酸，也可能刺激皮膚，尤其對貓貓而言，極可能引致不適。 3)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;水果危機 提子和楊桃是中秋節最常見的應節佳品，但絕不適合給寵物食用。這兩種水果對貓狗而言帶有毒性，嚴重的話可能導致腎功能衰竭。如果真的很難忽略寵物期待的眼神，不妨給他們適量的香蕉或蘋果，只要去除種子和果皮即可。水果中的纖維有益寵物健康，但攝取大多糖份和澱粉質也有可能導致健康問題。 謹記以上小貼士，和寵物一起度過愉快又健康的中秋節吧！ <img src="http://petscentral-back.onesolution.hk/assets/images/pet-care-tips/2019-09-11-2.webp" alt="2019-09-11-2.webp (31 KB)" width="80%" />

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with your pets

與寵物一起歡度中秋

Nutritional needs pre-pregnancy It is vital to ensure that the breeding female is of a good body condition before mating. It will ensure a higher chance of conception as well as the ability to carry healthy puppies/kittens to full-term. A mom of poor body condition&mdash;underweight, overweight or nutritionally deficient&mdash;may give birth to puppies/kittens that are too small or too large, leading to difficult birth. Hence, it is important to get potential mothers checked by a veterinarian before mating to ensure a smoother pregnancy. Nutritional needs during pregnancy Carrying a baby to full-term demands a lot of energy and nutrients from the mother. Most of our non-human mothers carry not only one but several babies each time! Therefore, it is essential for owners to ensure that their soon-to-be-mothers are eating sufficiently. Moreover, it is important to feed a good quality diet that is easily digestible and utilised by the body. The amount that a pregnant dog/cat could eat late in pregnancy is very much reduced, due to the enlarged womb that is taking up space in the abdomen. Frequent small meals is recommended. You may have to tempt mothers to eat by heating up their meals, adding toppings like boiled chicken breast/anchovies or by adding some unsalted low-fat meat broth to their dry food. There is usually no need for supplements, such as Calcium, if you are feeding them a high quality balanced diet suited for pregnancy. If you are using a commercial dry food, please switch to one for pregnant animals or for puppies/kittens once pregnancy is confirmed. Omega 3, on the other hand, may be beneficial if added into the diet . Omega 3 degrades rapidly when exposed to air and most commercial food would have less omega 3 than the amount initially added into the diet. DOGS In bitches, there is no increase in energy requirement till 4&mdash;5 weeks after mating. The energy requirement may increase by 25% to 60%, depending on the weight of the mother. Energy required per day after taking into consideration undigestible materials and waste products(urine): Metabolizable energy (kcal/day)=130 x kgBW^0.75 + (26 x kgBW) CATS In queens, their energy requirements increase by about 40% during pregnancy. A 40&mdash;50% increase in body weight is encouraged. Energy required per day after taking into consideration undigestible materials and waste products(urine): Metabolizable energy (kcal/day)= 140 x kgBW^0.67 Energy Requirements for Lactation The high energy and nutritional expenditure does not end at parturition. Milk production to feed the newborns is equally demanding. It is important to continue with the diet for pregnancy up till the puppies/kittens are weaned. Here are some recipes for making delicious food toppings and broth: Liver P&acirc;t&eacute; Pork Liver 150g Parsley 20g Boil the ingredients in 2 cups of water for about 5 minutes. After which, blend them in a food processor. Refrigerate/freeze to keep fresh! You may heat up the P&acirc;t&eacute; before adding into meals. Seaweed topping Kombu 10g Wakame 10g Hijiki 10g Process the above ingredients in a food processor. Sprinkle on meals as required! Chicken soup stock Chicken thigh 150g Water 500ml Boil the above ingredients for 7&mdash;8 minutes. Shred the chicken meat into smaller pieces. Freeze the soup stock and shredded meat in ice cube trays. Defrost each ice cube as required. You may add the soup stock to meals to make them more appealing to picky eaters. Reference Fascetti, A. J. and Delaney, S. J. (eds) (2012) Front Matter, in Applied Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd., West Sussex, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781118785669.fmatter

Nutritional needs of Pregnant Animals

Love a Pet - Pet Care Tips - Title

by Dr. Pauline Taylor BVM&amp;S MACVSc Pets Central About the author: Dr. Pauline Taylor&rsquo;s bold and inexhaustible passion for the health and welfare of animals and her experience in caring for animals spans more than 30 years, in various countries including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Hong Kong. She began her practice in Scotland after graduating from Edinburgh University, working with farm animals (including horses) before moving to New Zealand where she established her own clinic to serve a wide range of farm and pet species. Today, she works in the field of small animal veterinary medicine in Hong Kong and continues to grow the Pets Central network focusing on the advancement of pet care. The way pets are raised and cared for today has changed drastically over the past 25-30 years. I remember as a child, as I am sure many of you in this room do as well, how the neighbourhood dogs would roam the streets to mingle and &lsquo;socialize&rsquo; themselves with each other, people, other animals and the sights and sounds of the neighbourhood. I also remember when I first started my veterinary career it was fairly common to be doing orthopaedic surgery in both dogs and cats as a result of them being hit by cars &ndash; something I&rsquo;m sure many of you have experienced &ndash; and still do. Nowadays, certainly in Western countries, rightly or wrongly, dogs and cats have been mainly curtailed into apartments or closed yards. In some countries pet cats are not allowed by law to roam outside the home while dogs must be on a leash at all times and muzzled. As a result cats and dogs lack natural lifestyle enrichment, become bored and veterinarians are seeing a rise in boredom and anxiety related behaviours, as well as dogs with poor social skills. Dogs are being kept within the confines of the garden area, backyard or apartment often on their own for many hours a day, some even for days at a time. Some may not even get a chance to go for walks. Frustration and boredom related behaviours such as barking, destroying furniture, digging up the carpet or garden and raiding garbage bins can be a common complaint from dog owners. The fact is that dogs are social animals and need contact with conspecifics and in the case of our pet dogs also humans. Regular and spur of the moment playtime, exercise, picking up olfactory &ldquo;messages&rdquo; and meeting other dogs is very important and necessary. In cats, frustration and boredom is shown by aggression, biting, rough play, as well as other problem behaviours. Cats are naturally predatory hunters. Some prefer to be solitary most of their lives, while others form &ldquo;in home&rdquo; social groups which may include non-cat species e.g. humans or dogs. Playtime, exercise and other forms of mental stimulation is important to cats too. Environmental enrichment contributes to lowering stress levels and depression in contained animals, or any animal not free to exhibit their normal behaviours be it in a pet selling store, zoological or safari park, laboratory, food production farm or feedlot, and also improves healthy mental activity. It is my experience after many years of veterinary practice, that the everyday pet parents, animal care staff in indoor and outdoor workplaces and also veterinary hospital staff do not really understand the concept of environmental enrichment, let alone the benefits of providing such enrichment for pets both sick and healthy. The Five Freedoms state the following for all animals (1) 1- Freedom from hunger and thirst 2- Freedom from discomfort 3- Freedom for pain, injury or disease 4- Freedom to express normal behaviour 5- Freedom from fear and distress Animal welfare guidelines (2) occur when all of an animal&rsquo;s needs including physical and mental wellbeing are met. These are 1- suitable water and food 2- comfortable and not in pain 3- able to behave normally and exercise 4- social animals able to be group housed or interact with conspecifics 5- not afraid or distressed Environmental enrichment is providing animals under managed care with environmental stimuli that seek to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being. In a hospital situation this also contributes to a better response to treatment by lowering stress levels, depression and improving mental activity. The goal of environmental enrichment is to improve or maintain an animal&rsquo;s physical and psychological health by increasing the range or number of species-specific behaviours, increasing positive utilization of the captive environment, preventing or reducing the frequency of abnormal behaviours such as stereotypy&rsquo;s, and increasing the individual&rsquo;s ability to cope with the challenges of captivity. Grooming, stroking and talking to animals are important for the animals&rsquo; well-being. If possible, male and female humans should interact with animals at different times as it has been shown that some animals respond different to the human sexes. Cage furniture should include different levels where animals can stand or look out, and hiding areas where they can escape to if desired. All animals require an environmental that is physically and mentally stimulating. Animals kept in a restricted environment may not have adequate opportunity to engage in their full behaviour repertoire. When insufficient space, inadequate stimulation and lack of other resources are unavailable, captive and pet animals may engage in behaviours undesirable to owners and develop health or stress related issues. Most common behaviour concerns of owners can be prevented or managed, even resolved by providing appropriate and stimulating outlets. Most enrichment stimuli (Ref 1, 2, 3) can be divided into seven groups: Sensory; stimulating animals&rsquo; senses: visual, olfactory, auditory, tactile and taste. Feeding; making feeding more challenging. Different methods of food presentation and feeding toys encourage animals to investigate, manipulate and work for their food as they would in non-captive environments. Waste product elimination places and the substrates used including number, size and type of boxes for cats, litter cleaning and location affect and enrich the environment. Manipulation; providing items that can be manipulated by the paws, feet, tail, horns, head, mouth, etc. This promotes investigatory behaviour and exploratory play. Environmental; enhancing the animals&rsquo; captive habitat with opportunities that change or add complexity to the environment. Use of furniture, aromatherapy, music therapy, animal TV, being able to check out the environment out of the captive area. Social; providing the opportunity to interact with other animals, either co-species or inter-species. These help maintain healthy social relationships. Prey type toys for cats attached to wands or rope stimulate hunting behaviours. Training; training animals with positive reinforcement or habituation. Humans can use toys, treats, catnip to train animals to cues for positive communication e.g. come, sit. Puzzles; requiring an animal to solve simple problems to access food or other rewards. Food!!! A much wasted opportunity for behavioural environmental enrichment is feeding time! (Ref 2) specially with young kittens and pups one of the easiest ways to start with behavioural enrichment is with feed time, although this often meets with the most resistance from owners. Veterinarians should keep in mind that puppies spend 12.5% of their day eating, 50% sleeping, 10% resting &hellip;.. The eating time is one area veterinarians can focus on and get our clients to do the same. Cats in contrast allocate 44% of their day to sleep, 22% to rest and 15% to grooming&hellip; in a feral state they eat little and often throughout their day, food they have caught. We have been indoctrinated for so many years to feed our pets from a bowl, once or twice a day at times that are convenient to humans. This may have worked well 25-30 years ago, when dogs and cats were roaming free and able to contribute scavenged food or prey to their diets, but now feeding time can very often be the only highlight of an animal&rsquo;s day. It therefore seems obvious that dog and cat boredom is manifested in eating, particularly those that have free access to food all day. That is one reason we may see so many fat dogs and cats today. When puppies and kittens come in for their vaccinations and/or puppy/kitten socialisation is an ideal time for veterinary staff to discuss feeding tips with clients and explain to them how to start implementing fun feeding habits for their pets. We can start by asking our clients to put the food bowl away for most of the week and try some new ways of feeding, including: make feed time more natural by creating foraging and hunting opportunities. This not only extends eating time, it also helps relieve boredom and makes feed time much more fun. For cats, this can be anything as simple as creating multiple feeding stations &ndash; with just a small amount of food at each station, but making sure the cat has to climb or get into tight (safe) spots to get to the food &ndash; and the need to travel far for it. I call it &ldquo;cat aerobics&rdquo;, making cats exercise for food. Cat owners can be very creative in making their own Food Dispensing Toys as well. Dogs can have food scattered all over the garden or home. Cardboard boxes can become creative food dispensing outlets. Toys are things that dogs can have food hidden in that are dispersed in spots around the house. They can also be set on a timer so food is dispensed at certain times. There are many products available to assist. Slow feeders also have the added bonus that they are excellent for mental stimulation in boarding facilities or for patients that require strict cage rest. 给猫犬及有蹄家畜的各种喂食器包括 (4)：Different food feeding products available for cats, dogs and some domestic hoof animals include (4): Porta Grazer、Trixie Range、Nina Ottossan 产品、Aikiou Stimulo Buster Food Maze; Food Dispensing Trays (FDT); Porta Grazer; Trixie Range; Nina Ottossan products; Aikiou Stimulo; Cat Senses Food Maze and others. These products have been designed to not only provide stimulation but to also slow animals down with eating. This can also help with issues such as regurgitation, overfeeding and overeating. They mainly cater for dry foods only however but wet foods can be used with the food mazes. They can also be used for a variety of species including birds. With cats instead of providing the dry food in one food bowl with free access, it is much better to either provide multiple food stations (not piled high) or place the food in a slow feed or FDT &ndash; encouraging the cat to be active and providing it with a more natural way of feeding as they are really hunting for their food. This is recommended for all overweight animals. When selecting an appropriate food dispensing toy, it is important to know the animal&rsquo;s PAWsonality. Often the key point many people also fail to appreciate is we have to teach our pets how to use the new games. It makes sense if we get a new board game, or anything new, like new software or mobile phone, we need to learn how to use it. SO DO OUR PETS! We need to teach our pets how to use a simple FDT until they are confident enough to use it. We need to teach our pets how to use something new. Some will catch on quicker than others. It is thought that the earlier you start animals off with different FDT&rsquo;s the easier it is for them to understand the concept of new ones. But this does not mean you cannot teach an old dog new tricks! If a pet is sufficiently food motivated they will work things out. It has been shown that geriatric humans and pets slowing up mentally respond well to &ldquo;brain games&rdquo;. In conclusion, we are seeing increasing numbers of clients struggling to deal with behavioural issues in their pets. Some are serious enough to have a major impact on the human&mdash;animal bond, even leading to the abandonment, rehoming or euthanasia of some pets. Environmental enrichment can make a real difference to the lives of pets and their parents. We should educate our veterinary staff and clients as to these benefits as well as how they can practically enrich the environment in which their pets live. The very best place to start educating our clients is at the first veterinary visit. References and Thanks Anderson David Animal Welfare Legislation in Europe 2013 Osaka Japan Shippen Gillian Environmental and behavioural enrichment for all types of captive animals Behaviour Chapter AVA Proceedings Science Week 2014 Overall KL(2013) Clinical Behavioural Medicine of Small Animals Mosby St Louis MO www.petsneedalifetoo.com&nbsp;online source of many food toys All enquiries welcome. Call us at 2792 0833 or 2415 1600.

Environmental and Behavioural Enrichment

Pet poisoning is an emergency situation that needs veterinary attention as soon as possible. Here is the top 10 list of most common poisoning seen among cats and dogs according to the America Pet Poison Helpline. America Pet Poison Helpline
Cats
Topical spot-on insecticides Household Cleaners Antidepressants Lilies Insoluble Oxalate Plants Human and Veterinary NSAIDs Cold and Flu Medication Glow Sticks ADD/ADHD Medications/Amphetamines Mouse and Rat Poison Dogs
Chocolate Mouse and Rat Poisons Vitamins and Mineral NSAIDs Cardiac Medications Cold and Allergy Medications Antidepressants Xylitol Acetaminophen Caffeine Pills If a pet is suspected to have ingested poison, here are the important steps that could save your pet&rsquo;s life:
1) Do not panic. It is never wise to consult Dr. Google before consulting a veterinarian as this may delay the time to seek proper veterinary care.
2) Note the symptom and time e.g. vomiting, seizure. Seek veterinarian care as soon as possible
3) Identify the possible toxin that your pet may ingested. Keep the package of the toxin for vet.
Although some pets who had ingested poison may still look normal but that does not mean that they are safe. It is crucial that veterinarian care is sought immediately. Lastly, prevention is better than cure. Thus it is best to prevent this from happening by knowing the types of poisoning that could be harmful to our pets and place it out of reach from them.

Pet poisoning is an emergency situation that needs veterinary attention as soon as possible. Here is the top 10 list of most common poisoning seen among cats and dogs according to the America Pet Poison Helpline. America Pet Poison Helpline Cats Topical spot-on insecticides Household Cleaners Antidepressants Lilies Insoluble Oxalate Plants Human and Veterinary NSAIDs Cold and Flu Medication Glow Sticks ADD/ADHD Medications/Amphetamines Mouse and Rat Poison Dogs Chocolate Mouse and Rat Poisons Vitamins and Mineral NSAIDs Cardiac Medications Cold and Allergy Medications Antidepressants Xylitol Acetaminophen Caffeine Pills If a pet is suspected to have ingested poison, here are the important steps that could save your pet&rsquo;s life: 1) Do not panic. It is never wise to consult Dr. Google before consulting a veterinarian as this may delay the time to seek proper veterinary care. 2) Note the symptom and time e.g. vomiting, seizure. Seek veterinarian care as soon as possible 3) Identify the possible toxin that your pet may ingested. Keep the package of the toxin for vet. Although some pets who had ingested poison may still look normal but that does not mean that they are safe. It is crucial that veterinarian care is sought immediately. Lastly, prevention is better than cure. Thus it is best to prevent this from happening by knowing the types of poisoning that could be harmful to our pets and place it out of reach from them.