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Does
Fido Need a Chew Toy?
Walk into any pet supply superstore and you’ll find an
entire aisle of chew toys: rope ones, cloth ones, plush ones,
rubber ones, polyethylene ones, toys that squeak, toys that
bounce, toys that are scented, toys that clean teeth. Often, as
you stand there bewildered, your decision is not whether to buy
Fido a toy, but how many to buy him.
But wait a minute. Does Fido need a chew toy? Will he use
it?
Start Early
All
puppies chew, as veterinary behaviorist Wayne Hunthausen, DVM,
points out in the book Dog Behavior and Training: Veterinary
Advise for Owners, complied by Lowell Ackerman, DVM (Neptune
City, New Jersey: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1996). But, Dr.
Hunthausen explains, you need to channel the chewing so that Fido
chews on toys and not on your furniture. Chewing is the puppy’s
means of exploring his environment. Dr. Hunthausen suggests you
supply your pup with many kinds of toys that are safe, and see
which ones the dog likes best. Reward the dog with praise when he
chews on the toy, and sometimes even reward him with a tasty treat
for toy chewing. Remember, you’re not just doing this for your
puppy. You’re doing it in self-defence so your house remains
furnished and your clothing intact.
Young
puppies also chew when they are looking for food. Dr. Hunthausen
points out that feeding your pup ad libitum- leaving food
available at all times- allows the puppy to eat as much as he
wants whenever he wants and decreases chewing on potentially
dangerous household items or on the family possessions.
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Milk: Does It Do a Cat's
Body Good?
Cats like milk. But is milk good for them?
According to the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, milk should not become the basis of a cat's diet. "Milk should be used sparingly - and only as a treat," said Dr. Lisa Freeman, assistant professor at the school.
Although milk supplies the body with protein and calcium, it doesn't have many of the nutrients that cats need to stay healthy. Too much milk can make cats fat because of extra calories or because they're too full to eat their regular food.
As with some people, cats can even become lactose-intolerant because they can't break down milk sugar. This results in diarrhea, gas, bloating, and discomfort. To prevent this from occurring, keep milk intake to a minimum or give cats lactose-reduced or lactose-free milk.
Remember, just because your cat is a member of your family, that doesn't mean that he or she is equipped to handle the same foods that people eat.
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