Pet Care Guide

How to determine if owning a pet is for you ...dogs often adapt best to households where their owners are home a lot and can spend ample time with them.

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uying or adopting a pet is a big decision that requires careful consideration of a host of factors. The right pet for one person might not be the best match for another, and it’s imperative that prospective pet owners consider a host of factors before welcoming a new pet into their homes.

Lifestyle: Pet owners’ lifestyles will factor heavily into how much their pets will enjoy their new homes. Men and women who are rarely home should avoid adopting pets that need lots of attention. For example, dogs often adapt best to households where their owners are home a lot and can spend ample time with them. But men and women who aren’t home all that often can still welcome pets into their families.

Fish don’t need to be walked or let out to relieve themselves, and they also don’t command their owners’ constant attention. · Restrictions: Renters and people living in co-ops or condominium complexes may need get permission before they can bring pets into their homes. If you don’t own your own single-family home, determine

if you need permission and if your building has any guidelines governing pets before you begin your search. You don’t want to bring a pet home only to be forced to give the animal up for adoption because you did not adhere to the rules listed in your lease or owner’s contract. · Skills: Pet ownership can be incredibly rewarding, but it has its frustrating moments as well. For instance, men and women who have never before owned a puppy may be biting off more than can chew by bringing a young dog into their homes. If you have no experience training puppies or no desire to put up with a puppy’s growing pains, then consider adopting an older dog that is already housetrained. · Cost: Pet ownership can be expensive, and prospective owners should examine their finances to determine if they’re ready and capable of taking on the financial commitments of owning a pet.

Research costs associated with food and veterinary care to get an idea of how much owning a given pet is likely to cost.

Get the facts on rabies naturally. These can include dogs, cats, cows, horses, foxes, and skunks.

Many people attribute rabies to raccoons. The CDC has indicated

Vaccinations can protect domestic pets against rabies.

In fact, rabies shots are required by law in many areas. that raccoons are the most common wild animal with rabies. In the United States alone, about 93 of every 100 reported cases of rabies are in wild animals.

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he World Health Organization says rabies causes thousands of deaths every year, despite readily available tools to manage the disease.

Humans and animals can get rabies any time of year, though humans and household pets may be at greater risk in warm weather because that’s when they tend to spend the most time outdoors.

Children who spend time outside playing may be especially susceptible because they may not recognize rabies warning signs in animals afflicted with the disease.

Rabies might not be as rampant in North America as it is in other areas of the world, but it still is a dangerous threat.

What is rabies?

Considered a zoonotic disease,

rabies is transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. With the exception of Antarctica, rabies is present on all continents. In the United States, rabies has been reported in every state except Hawaii. The WHO reports that most cases of rabies in humans occur in rural areas where effective treatments are not readily accessible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says half of the people who die from rabies are under the age of 15.

Rabies was named for the Latin word “to rage.” That’s because animals that are affected by rabies can sometimes act as if they’re angry. Pets may act strangely and become unapproachable. Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord.

As the disease progresses, animals can develop hypersensitivity to light and sound as well as paralysis of

the nerves that control the head and throat.

How is rabies contracted?

Rabies is a virus that is spread through contact with saliva from an infected animal. This occurs when an infected animal bites another animal or person, but it also can be contracted if that animal licks a scratch or open wound. Being bitten or licked may not immediately cause rabies symptoms, however.

WHO says thorough cleansing and immunization within a few hours after contact with a suspected rabid animal can prevent the onset of the disease. Once symptoms appear, such as fever and pain, rabies can be fatal.

Which animals get rabies?

Rabies only affects mammals

Rabies prevention

Vaccinations can protect domestic pets against rabies. In fact, rabies shots are required by law in many areas.

People should steer clear of wild animals to avoid rabies. Never walk up to a wild animal and be careful of pets that are unfamiliar. Animals afflicted with rabies may exhibit peculiar behavior or act out of characters (i.e. nocturnal animals roaming during the day). Anyone who suspects a sick animal should promptly call the local animal control center and have an officer come and check it out.

Treated food is sometimes used to prevent the spread of rabies among wild animals. The animals eat the medicated food, which immunizes them.

For more information on rabies prevention in pets, contact your veterinarian.