Dog Breed: Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Origins: The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is an old British breed. Despite its small size, it has long been used for herding cattle. The Cardigan Welsh and Pembroke Welsh Corgis did not become separate varieties until the 1930s.

Size: Small. It may be short at just 30cm at the shoulder, but it is a long, sturdily-built dog.

Physical Appearance: Tough, heavy-boned, substantial in the body. Has a bushy long tail (unlike the Pembroke, which has a short tail), and upright and prominent ears which are slightly rounded. Water-resistant, hard-textured coat, with an undercoat.

Characteristics: Active, intelligent, outgoing, devoted, usually of calmer temperament than the Pembroke. Although the breed is normally not aggressive, Corgis do tent to be a bit snappy, so they are not good as pets for children.

Colors: All colors, with or without white markings.

Special Facts: In the Celtic language, "corgi" means dog. The coat must be brushed every day.

The Consequences Of Abandoned or Lost Pets

Abandoned or lost pets are distressed, not free from captivity.

If you have ever witnessed the panic that overcomes a small child when he turns around in a busy mall to find that his mother is not where he thought she was, you have some understanding of the fear a pet feels when it is suddenly abandoned.

The child who can't find his mother in a store may sob, scream, stamp his feet and wail, but when his mum, who is really only a few feet away, comes running, the crisis is over. The tears dry up, the sobs wane, and in a few minutes the child is all smiles again.

An abandoned pet cannot wail and run to a friendly mall staff member. It doesn't have the words to ask for help. But it is in as much distress as any lost child. Animals that are more vocal, like dogs, may whine or whimper and run about looking for a familiar face or voice; others that don't often make many noises, like rabbits, may cower and hide.

Even pets that always seem to be making a bid for freedom from their homes do not realize the consequences of their attempts. Just because it always seems to be trying to slip out the door, it does not mean it can survive without you.

A domesticated animal depends on its human carers to feed, water, shelter, and medicate it. If it is abandoned or lost, terrible things can happen to it.

Dental Disease In Rabbits

Acquired dental disease (ADD) is a common condition that is almost specific to indoor pet rabbits. Wild or pet rabbits that are housed outdoors all year round with unrestricted access to grazing and browsing tend not develop this syndrome. This condition is usually due to environmental (husbandry) or genetic factors or a combination of both.

Rabbits teeth are special in that they grow continuous throughout life. They rely on chewing and gnawing to wear the teeth down. The main cause of dental disease in pet rabbits is feeding an inappropriate diet that lacks appropriate fiber content. Fractured jaws or broken teeth can also result in ADD.

Dwarf breeds are genetically predisposed to dental disease. They are often born with an overshot lower jaw or an undershot upper jaw resulting in the lower incisors being in front of the upper incisors. The resulting malocclusion can lead to problems in teeth wear in both the incisors (front teeth) and the cheek teeth sets and thus result in dental disease. The teeth of rabbits with ADD are often misshapen and curved. These can lead to pain, inappetance, abscesses, and cuts to the gums.

Examination of the mouth is not always easy to perform in a conscious rabbit. Sedation or general anesthesia may be required for a thorough oral inspection. Dental or skull x-ray may also be performed to assess the condition of the tooth roots.

The treatment of rabbit dental disease is often very difficult and long termed. This disease condition is progressive by nature and in many cases a cure may not be possible. Treatment may involve dietary management, dental intervention like teeth trimming and filing, and/or antibiotics and painkillers. In severe cases of tooth abscessation, euthanasia may be warranted.

Special Grooming Needs For Cats

An old cat may be less flexible, and less able to groom the hard to reach bits. Compare it with a young cat that cleans itself all over several times a day, in addition to being groomed by owners, and you will understand why you should groom older cats more often.

These are not the only cats that need extra grooming.

If you keep a few cats, and one loves to groom the others, it will naturally swallow much more hair than a cat that only cleans itself. You should thus keep all your cats well brushed to remove loose hairs. This prevents any cat from swallowing more hair than absolutely necessary and developing a hairball problem as a result.

Long-haired breeds must be groomed at least daily. Otherwise, their fur gets matted. Once this happens, you usually have no choice but to cut off the matted fur, leaving temporary bald patches on your beautiful kitty.

If it's shedding or molting, it must be groomed daily too, or those hairs will end up inside it. If it is recovering from an illness, it may also have neglected its grooming, so you'll have to help.

Finally, if a cat has fallen into or brushed against a substance that should not be swallowed, brush, wipe, bathe the stuff off before it makes itself sick by licking it off.

Grooming Your Cat's Tummy and Tail

Over time, as the cat comes to trust you and enjoy these grooming sessions, place a soft brush nearby each time to accustom the cat to it. Depending on the cat, this could take days or months! If it tries to swat the brush or bite it, remove the brush so the cat doesn't think it's a toy.

Once it allows you to pick up the brush without batting or biting, start brushing at areas where it enjoys being scratched. Many cats love to be scratched under the chin, around the ears or the middle of the spine.

Areas many cats feel defensive about include the tail and belly. If the cat is upside down and you stroke its tummy, it feels it's being attacked, so it may scratch or bite. Groom its tummy and tail only when it trusts you perfectly.

Using Grooming Tools On Cats

Choose the right brush or comb for your cat's coat, with advice from a pet shop or professional groomer. Consider your individual pet too. Some cats have very sensitive skin, so use sharp-toothed combs or brushes sparingly, and always be gentle.

If your cat is short-haired, bristle brush (natural bristles are better) will work fine. Many cats also like those rubber brushes that both neaten the fur and massage the body.

If yours is a long-haired cat, you'll need a metal-toothed comb - look for one with long and short teeth, and with blunt tips that don't scratch.

Slicker brushes (those with very thin, fine metal wires covering the whole surface) are mainly used on dogs with thick, dense fur that sometimes traps loose hairs under the top coat. Most cats don't need slicker brushes, but if yours does, be careful not to nick its skin with the sharp metal tips.

Whether you are using a brush or comb, if at any point you encounter a tangle matt or knot in the fur, don't pull at it. This will hurt your cat and may put it off being groomed. Examine the obstruction closely to see if you can unknot it with your fingers without tugging at the cat's skin.

If you can't, take a pair of blunt-tipped scissors and very carefully cut off the knot or tangle, even if this means leaving a bald patch. Matts and knots must be removed, because their tightness pulls on the cat's skin all the time, giving discomfort to your pet.

Brushing Your Cat

Brushing or combing your cat regularly helps remove all the loose hairs that it would otherwise swallow when it grooms itself. Swallowing too much of its own or other cats' hair will give your pet hairballs, which it may have to throw up in some discomfort.

Generally speaking, short-haired cats need not be broomed as often as long-haired ones. A weekly brushing is theoretically sufficient for short-haired cats, while long-haired felines needs daily combing.

However, grooming can be such a pleasurable bonding experience between cat and owner that even the short-haired should be gently brushed daily if both pet and human enjoy it.

Unfortunately some cats have had bad grooming experiences, with previous owners who hit it with brushes or did not know how to groom it properly. If you adopt such a cat, it may initially be very wary of anything associated with grooming.

In such cases, start only with your hands, by gently runni8ng them over the cat - always in the direction of hair growth. Cats do not like having their hair rubbed the wrong way, Your hands alone, if very slightly dampened with water, will pick up quite a lot of the loose hairs so be prepared to vacuum or sweep them off your lap or the sofa afterwards.

Identification For Your Dog

The majority of lost dogs taken in by the local shelters or SPCA arrive with no identification - no collars with licenses or owners' particulars on a tag, and not microchipped. There is thus no simple way for the shelters or SPCA to trace the dog's owners.

Some owners do not even report to the appropriate authorities that their pets are missing. Sadly dogs brought in that do not match descriptions provided by owners, and which have no identification tags or microchips, may be put to sleep if they are not selected for adoption.

If your dog goes missing, your chances of finding it are increased if it is licensed with the local authorities, and is wearing its license tag on its collar. In fact, displaying the license tag on your dog's collar at all times is a legal requirement, punishable by law if not done.

Also engrave your name and address or contact number on a separate identification tag and add that to your dog's collar. These ID tags are available from pet shops and are an easy way for anyone who finds your dog to get in touch with you.

Microchipping is a permanent means of identification and additional safeguard. Your veterinarian can carry out this procedure. The microchip is very small (about the size of a grain of rice). After the procedure, register your dog's microchip number with your local authorities - SPCA.

Before Your Dog Goes Missing

If your dog should get lost one day, will you have done everything possible to maximize the chances of its safe return? Most of the actions you can take to give your pet the highest chances of being reunited with you are things that must be done before the dog goes missing, so act now.

Some of the most basic and important steps you can take are:

• Have your dog licensed.
• Keep the license tag on your dog's collar at all times.
• Add another pet ID tag (available from pet stores) to the collar with your contact number engraved on it.
• Ask your veterinarian to microchip your dog, and register the microchip number with the SPCA.

Toys: Little Luxuries For Pets

Toys contribute to a pet's mental, emotional, and physical development, and play brightens up an animal's life too; so don't deprive your companion of the space, opportunity and tools for having fun.

Dogs and Cats

Dog or cat owners are lucky in the sense that pet stores are packed with toys for these two species. But as any human child can tell you, playing alone isn't always fun. Playtime means more to your pet if you join in, getting it to catch the toys, or search for hidden items. Use the toys as tools for fun interaction.

Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, and Chinchillas

Although rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas may not want to play tug-of-war or find-the-catnip with you, but they do enjoy being encouraged to find new ways to play. Offer them boxes to hide in and cardboard rolls to hop through, and be creative with enclose panels to set up a playpen that has different sections or levels to explore.

Hamsters, Gerbils, and Mice

Hamster, gerbils, and mice enjoy exercise wheels, roller balls, tube trails and even the cardboard core left behind after you finish a roll of toilet paper. Different levels and sections in the cages also give them opportunities to climb up and down.

Birds

Birds like a variety of perches set at different heights. Some also enjoy swinging by their beaks from rings or bars. Very tame birds can be let it out into a safe room daily for more exercise; otherwise, provide the largest enclosure possible.