Interestingly, the top names for both dogs and cats is Bella for females and Charlie for males.  Pet parents are more likely to give their dogs human names while cats names are much less restrictive. 

More unusual cat names include sweet foods such as Cookie and Biscuit or famous people like Prince Harry or grandeur names like “big cat”, Simba or Bear.

As owners we often use the word “fleas” for any itch, but would you recognise a flea from a picture or understand their cycle?

Fleas are small, wingless parasites that range in length from 2-4mm, they are brown in colour and oval in shape.  They have six, spiny legs, with powerful hindlegs for jumping.  Fleas can jump more than 200 times their body length.  They have small antennae and mouth parts for piercing and sucking.  They feed on the blood of humans and animals. 

A long-held view that koalas get all of their hydration from eating leaves has been overturned by researchers at Sydney University.

The purpose of the study is to help fight the conservation of this threatened species.  The researchers have found that koalas will regularly use artificial water stations, particularly during hot and dry conditions to supplement their hydration.

We know our dogs are not just like family – the are family.  In caring for our family, we need to look for signs of pain.  A common condition suffered is Osteoarthritis (OA). It is a joint disease that affects people as well as dogs and can be just as painful for dogs as it is for us.

In healthy joints, a slippery tissue called cartilage cushions the ends of the bones in the joints.  With OA, cartilage breaks down, causing pain and swelling.  As OA gets worse, bone spurs can form, causing more pain and joint damage.  When this happens, your dog may become less active or show signs of stiffness when getting up. 

To all the mums of four legged babies, the emotions of motherhood are universal.

We say thank you for the protection, nurturing and care. 

Hope your day is “paws-itively” wonderful and “purr-fectly” happy…thanks Mum.

Other extraordinary Mums in the animal world are:

New data reveals that pet obesity is on the rise for the 8^th consecutive year.

These expanding waist-lines are causing health repercussions, with nearly 20% of pet insurance claims in 2017 for medical conditions, related to obesity. It is estimated that 60% of cats and 56% of dogs are overweight or obese. We are continuing to see more pets diagnosed with obesity rather than being just overweight.

Clinical obesity results in more secondary conditions such as arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney disease and certain forms of cancer.  Pets with obesity have reduced quality of life and shorter life expectancy.