Giving Your Cat Insulin Injections

If you have experience with feline diabetes you know how hard it can be to watch your furry family member suffer through weakness, vet appointments, diet changes and, possibly the most challenging of all, insulin injections. Knowledge of proper cat insulin injection techniques can make your life and your cat's life easier. If you have any questions or concerns talk to your vet.
Prepare the Insulin
· Start by filling the insulin syringe slightly more than your cat's dose
· Tap the insulin syringe to remove air bubbles
· Slowly push the plunger until you have the correct dosage of insulin in the syringe
Prepare Your Cat
Create a routine to make your cat comfortable. At first he will likely try to get away, but eventually he should become familiar with the process, and you may even be able to train him to come when it is time for his insulin injection. Start by giving him lots of attention and affection, and maybe even a small treat. It is probably best to keep the insulin syringe out of your hands at first, so that he does not get scared. When you are ready to give your cat insulin, get on his level - don't come at him from above or he will feel threatened. Now it is time to find the injection site.
Injection sites
The scruff (top of the neck) is the most commonly used injection site for insulin for cats, however it may not be the best. The amount of skin and muscle in this area can slow absorption of the insulin, and can be more painful for the cat.
Other options for injection are the flank (between the ribs and the legs), the side or underside of the belly, and the side of the chest. Absorption tends to be quickest when given in the side or underside of the belly.
Insulin Injection
Each cat is different, and the proper type, dose and frequency of insulin for cats need to be determined by a veterinarian. Once you know the proper insulin dosing and have determined the best place for injection, place your thumb and index finger approximately an inch apart and pinch the skin to create a "tent". Make sure you are not grabbing any muscle.
The insulin injection should go into the hollow space under the "tent" of skin. It should not go into the skin itself, or into the muscle. If your cat is long-haired make sure that you can see the skin and that you are not giving him a "fur shot".
When you are giving the insulin injection (http://www.bigmountaindrugs.com/Products.aspx?id=29)be confident, smooth and fast. It is the puncture part that hurts, so go quickly through that part; you can slow down a bit while you inject the fluid.
Above all, be gentle and kind when giving your cat insulin, especially at first, and praise him when it is all done.

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How To Handle a Dog Emergency

Any emergency is stressful and scary, and one involving that furry little four-legged member of your family is no exception. The toughest of dog owners can be instantly rendered helpless, if something’s wrong with their dogs. Have you ever thought about what you need to do should your dog – or another dog – ever suffer a serious, life-threatening injury? What if they have a severe allergy to an insect bite or a bee sting? It’s great to know your vet’s phone number, but what if something happens during off hours? What if you don’t know where the closest emergency animal clinic is located?  

Be Prepared,  The key to getting through a veterinary emergency is preparation. You may think you have that covered with a dog first aid kit and having the phone number to your vet handy, but what if there isn’t enough time to move your dog? You need to be well-versed in some of the more common dog emergencies just in case a situation ever arises. And hey, if a situation never arises, you’ll still feel more confident knowing that you have the ability to deal with one. 

Caring For Your Dog’s Wounds., Did you know that you shouldn’t use hydrogen peroxide on a bleeding wound? Nope. It slows clotting to the area, which means your dog could actually lose more blood than he would if you didn’t use the peroxide at all. In fact, the best way to treat a deep, severely bleeding wound is to apply a clean cloth and hold it in place for five minutes, then tape the cloth to the wound. That original cloth should never be removed – that also slows clotting – and should instead be layered with more clean cloths if blood soaks through. 

Treating Your Poisoned Dog, Did you know that certain varieties of toads, salamanders, newts, and other amphibians are poisonous if licked? Hey, guess who loves to hold little woodland critters in his mouth! Your dog. If you notice your pup drooling, whining, and wiping at his mouth after a trip into the forest, get him to a clean water source and rinse his mouth thoroughly. While the poison can be fatal if left in the mouth, it’s fairly easy to cleanse from the tongue and glands.

Now imagine all of the scenarios that can happen to your dog, from fractured limbs to choking and everything in between. Do you really want to risk not knowing how to handle them? You don’t have to anymore, since I’ve written “Secrets to a Healthy and Happy Dog” to help you learn how to cope with nearly any emergency as well as have the basis for handling all of the everyday and lifelong problems and situations you’ll face with your dog. From choosing dog toys to dog cancer and everything in between, it’s all in the book… as well as how to create the most effective dog first aid kit and handle the most common emergencies. Listen, even the most experienced dog owner needs a little help and advice now and then. Secrets to a Healthy and Happy Dog is that constant source of help and advice.
If you a looking for an informative dog health book then you can't go past "Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Dog."
Russ Richer is a Dog Lover who has done extensive research into Dog Care and Training. For free reports, articles, and newsletter visit www.dogdaypets.com/newsletter.html . To learn more on Dog Health and Training, visit : www.dogdaypets.com/megapak.html You may use this article in your newsletter or website, however, you must not change it in any way and all links must be active. 

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My Dog Doesn't Understand Me

You’ve probably had a day or two when you felt like your dog just wasn’t paying any attention to you at all, right? You talked, you yelled, you shouted, maybe you jumped up and down and waved your arms, but she just wasn’t interested in anything you had to say to her in any tone of voice. You’re not alone.

1. Your dog isn’t human. Unless you believe in dog psychics, there’s really no way for you to read your dog’s mind and figure out exactly what she’s thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you’re having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you’re trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn’t a human. Sure, you know that, but lots of humans try to relate with their dogs in the ways that they think are rational as humans. The problem is that dogs are driven in every act and every moment by very strong instincts. Deciphering those instincts and leveraging them to build a productive relationship is like finding the keys to the city.
2. Your dog doesn't speak English.Take the word “no,” for example. Does your dog speak English? Not understand English? What’s meaningful to her is your tone of voice, not the word itself. Now let’s think about that – we’re taking up excess time trying to teach our dog a word she’ll never speak and that probably doesn’t mean much to her anyway. Sure, it’s meaningful to us, but that’s only one side of the equation. What about something that’s meaningful to both human and dog?
3. You know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. If you think that mutually meaningful language doesn’t exist, you’re not thinking creatively enough. What does it say to you when a dog growls at you? Anything from “get away from my food” to “back off, dude,” right? Yet in every case, a dog’s growl typically means that she is not happy with whatever you’ve done. And you’ve seen dogs react to other dogs’ growls, right? So you know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. Where’s the disconnect? Growl at your dog! No, seriously. The next time your dog starts to step outside her bounds or doing something you don’t like, growl at her. A nice, strong, guttural dog growl that would put the alpha wolf in a pack to shame. While you’re growling, look directly into your dog’s eyes. You’re almost guaranteed that she’ll back off.
4. Use Your Dog’s Instincts When Training. See that? You worked with her instinct and the information hardwired into her brain, and the result was instantaneous. Why spend tons of time trying to work against that instinct and end up frustrated, angry, and still miscommunications? This approach works in everything from basic dog discipline to full-on dog obedience training. You just need to figure out how to apply it in each of those situations. I’d like to help you learn to apply it, and that’s why I created the multimedia presentation Instinct vs. Man. It addresses day-to-day life with your dog as well as specific topics like playtime, training, and territory. Beyond that, you’ll get some great insight into why your dog thinks the way she does and how it affects her actions and reactions. You’ll understand why those months of dog training stopped working after a few weeks and how to get her back into the routine and acting like the fun, upbeat dog you love.  

Russ Richer is a Dog Lover who has done extensive research into Dog Care and Training. For free reports, articles, and newsletter visit www.dogdaypets.com/newsletter.html . To learn more on Dog Health and Training, visit : www.dogdaypets.com/megapak.html You may use this article in your newsletter or website, however, you must not change it in any way and all links must be active. 

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Housing a Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragons need a large enough habitat to allow for a variety of distances from the heat source. A glass aquarium is recommended for security, ease of maintenance, and pet viewing. To avoid the expense of multiple habitats as your pet grows to adulthood, consider using a partition that can be easily adjusted. This way, throughout the life of the pet, you can use a single large aquarium, 55-70 gallons. The white melamine is a material that keeps the cage very bright which is important for stimulating a dragon's appetite. The light (and the UVB) stays inside the cage rather than escaping through the glass sides of an aquarium. Glass fronts will allow the dragon to check out their world and interact with you.

Where to place the cage?
Find a place, on a stable stand or table, where you feel comfortable and where you can watch anytime your little fellow, against a wall. Try to house your dragon somewhere interesting for him or her, but away from high traffic areas and out of direct sunlight. Do not hide the cage away in a seldom frequented place. Bearded Dragons have a big curiosity. They like to be somewhere where they can watch anytime to their human fellow doing their funny things.
The cage need to be organized with a basking light at one end of the tank, another end should be kept as a cooling area; a hide area of branches and potted non-toxic plants, or a hide box in the tank is also necessary; a rock or log for the basking area. Try to improve the animal environment and remember that the more you do to arrange a Beardie's environment to provide security, the quicker the animal will adjust to its new home and family. Animals that are housed correctly and stress free will remain healthy, eat well, be happier, remain active and alert.
The first days in his new habitat can cause a lot of stress to the Dragon, and because of this they could refuse to eat for some days. To help them accommodate you should:
- Use the first weeks to only watch the dragon and learn the behaviors and feeding habits. Read books on Beardies. Your children will want to play with their new friend. Do not allow anybody to pick up the dragon at this moment. 

- For a while you can cover the cage with some milky white panes which won't let the Dragon see to many things outside.
Housing Young Beardies
Babies and small juveniles can be temporally housed in a 10 - 20 gallon aquarium. Young Beardies less than 10 inches in length need to be housed in a 20 gal long aquarium. This will last them for a few months only though as they grow quickly. You can use Profile Extended Storage Bins. The milky white sides of the bins prevent the dragon from becoming terrified in new surroundings and not eating for the first few days, which can become a serious problem.
It is important to judge the correct size of the enclosure. While the dragon is small, it's helpful to keep cage furniture to a minimum, so that they can find their food easily. Crickets can hide in deeply grooved logs or under the furniture making it difficult for a baby dragon to locate food. The dragon won't find them, so will not be able to eat, and the crickets will come out at night and nibble on beardies, who sleep quite soundly, stressing them (this could be serious).
On the other hand, a tank that is too small won't afford the proper temperature gradients the dragon requires.
As the dragon grows they will need to be moved to bigger cages. The dragon having a bigger size, a tank too small won't afford the proper temperature gradients the dragon requires, the dragon can no longer get away from the heat and it can cook and die.
Housing Adult Bearded Dragons
Adult Dragons should be housed in nothing smaller than a 40gal breeder tank, but it is recommended that you house a single adult Beardie in a 55 to 60 gallon aquarium. Dragons need branches or rocks to climb on and a hiding place. Any cage furniture should be carefully secured so it can't fall and injure the Beardie.

Florian Ross is a small lizard expert and a freelancer who developed comprehensive guides to help people succeed with their bearded dragon pet and have your bearded dragon lizard live two times longer. His guides on Bearded Dragons are considered the definitive guides on raising Bearded Dragons.
Find out more tips on raising Bearded Dragons Lizards and having them live 2 times longer, with his popular ebook about Bearded Dragons or get a free sample of Florian's bearded dragons caresheet

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Box Turtle Care

Congratulations, you have a new box turtle. But how do you take care of your precious new friend? Taking care of a box turtle can take some work, but there are simple steps to ensure that your box turtle is happy in his new home. First you must decide housing for the turtle. Will you keep it indoors or outdoors? If you decide to keep the turtle outside, make sure that the area is similar to the turtle's natural habitat. There should be plenty of sun since box turtles are reptiles, but also shade in case the turtle becomes overheated under the constant heat of the sun. Provide water for your turtle so that it is deep enough for swimming. The home should have weed-like plants and insects for consumption. An outdoor setting is probably the home a turtle would choose. However, an indoor home properly made will keep your box turtle just as happy and safe. If you build your turtle a home indoors, use a container like those made by Rubbermaid. The best option is to have a large, dark container that the turtle cannot see through. A turtle can become perplexed and frightened looking out of a clear container. One of my box turtles constantly tried to climb through the wall of his clear container, so I had to move him. The container should be large and filled a few inches deep with a substrate such as "Bed-a-Beast." Then provide a hiding place for the turtle such as a hollow log. You should make a pool for the turtle since that is where a turtle usually poops. I used the plastic lid of a container for food. Make sure that the pool is not too deep. Every day, keep the entire tank moist by spraying the surfaces of the home. Inside the home of the turtle, keep the temperature fairly warm in the lighted area- about 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Use UV-B light to keep the turtle healthy and active all day. Another option is to take your turtle outside to soak in the sun for about an hour a day. The natural sunlight is tremendously healthy for your turtle, although he may not enjoy it at first. Just remember, you know what's best for your turtle. Keep an area away from the light so that the turtle can rest there when he's had enough light. This is why it is important to have a container that is large enough for two distinct areas. The food a turtle eats is obviously very important to its health. A person must watch his or her own diet. It is your responsibility, however, to feed your turtle healthy foods. A turtle will eat almost anything, from fruits and vegetables to insects and worms. Another factor you should consider is providing edible materials with high calcium levels such as boiled eggshells or a cuttlebone that you can buy at any pet store. One final hint to feeding your turtle- have fun with it. Be creative in feeding your turtle from day to day because you do not want to create an addiction to one food by feeding it the same thing each day. Keep the turtle's diet balanced with half plant and half meat.
I have a few final hints below on how to take care of your new box turtle.

1. If your turtle does not eat, try soaking the food in water first. Or, if you are constantly there watching your turtle, he may never come eat the food. Unfortunately, you can easily frighten turtles, so leave your turtle alone to eat peacefully. 
2. Change the water in an indoors home every day to keep it clean since that is the most likely place a turtle will defecate. When coaxing a turtle to do this, use warm water to help him. 
3. If a turtle burrows deep into the substrate and does not come up for a few days, don't worry. This is completely natural since turtles enjoy being in tight spaces. However, make sure that your turtle gets enough food. 
4. Feed your turtle on a rock because this will help him scratch away extra-long toenails.

Just follow the easy tips above, and you will be an expert caretaker for your new turtle. Do not neglect your turtle since it is helpless without you. Be responsible and enjoy your friendship.

Joshua Park is a college student studying biology. He enjoys sports, comedic movies, and music. To learn more about box turtles or to read other articles this author has written, please visit [http://www.true-money.com] by clicking the link.

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