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Rabies is a fatal disease of the nervous system. It is caused by a virus that can infect all warm-blooded animals, including humans. The virus attacks the brain and spinal cord, causing severe nervous system dysfunction and eventually death. While instances of rabies infection are lower than ever, the disease remains a continuing problem. Vaccinating your pet against rabies is a key prevention method.

The most common way to contract rabies is through a bite from an infected animal. When a rabid animal bites, the rabies virus in its saliva passes through the broken skin of the victim. Rabid cats can also transmit rabies through their scratches if they have saliva on their paws.

Skunks, bats, coyotes, foxes, and raccoons are very susceptible to rabies. Cats, dogs, cattle and horses usually contract rabies through encounters with rabid wildlife.

Raccoons are very susceptible to rabies.

The symptoms of rabies can be quite varied. In general, the disease shows three stages that occur in succession. (NOTE: not every animal will display these signs, so any animal behaving abnormally should be regarded with suspicion.)

• Stage 1 - Attitude Change: The animal may show nervousness, shyness, aggression or other changes in its normal personality. May show a lack of fear of humans.
• Stage 2 - Furious or Excitable Phase: Animals may become extremely agitated, or behave erratically. Animals may bite and snap at anything. Wild animals may wander into unaccustomed areas and attack livestock, people or pets. The tone of an animal's voice may change as its vocal cords become paralyzed. Seizures may occur.
• Stage 3 - Paralysis: Victims become progressively paralyzed. Animals may be unable to move their hind limbs and unable to swallow, resulting in choking and frothing at the mouth. This phase ends in death, usually from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

Rabies cannot be diagnosed with certainty based on symptoms alone. The suspicion of rabies can only be confirmed by testing samples of an animal's brain tissue.

Vaccination is an inexpensive, effective means of protecting your animals from rabies. All pets should be vaccinated regularly against rabies.

You can minimize the risk of rabies by avoiding close contact with wildlife. Remember, rabid animals often lose their fear of humans and may appear unusually friendly. Ensure that your house is unattractive to wild animals by keeping garbage bins securely fastened and sheds and garages closed. If your domestic animals are bitten or scratched by a wild animal, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Vaccination is key to preventing rabies in your pet.

If you think you've been exposed to rabies, prompt medical attention is essential. If you've been bitten by any animal, clean and disinfect the wound thoroughly, then contact your physician or local health authority immediately. If the biting animal can be confined without further danger, it should be kept in a secure area while waiting for public health authorities to arrive. Depending upon the circumstances, the health authorities may choose to quarantine the animal for monitoring, or euthanize it for testing. The animal's vaccination status influences this decision.

Remember - rabies is a fatal disease in humans! Every biting incident should be investigated, even if the animal in question appears healthy.

If rabies exposure cannot be ruled out, people who are bitten are usually treated with a series of injections. There is no treatment for animals that have been exposed to rabies. In both humans and animals, the disease is almost always fatal once symptoms of nervous system dysfunction appear. For more information about rabies, contact your local veterinarian or public health official.

Prevention is the key to combating rabies. Make sure pets and high-risk livestock are vaccinated properly. Ask your veterinarians about the best vaccination protocol for your pets or livestock. Keep away from wild animals, no matter how friendly they appear. Keep wild animals away from your home by securely fastening garbage bins and closing garages and sheds.

About two weeks before the puppies are due, a nesting box should be introduced to the expectant mother. The box should be made from a washable material and located in a warm and secluded area. The bottom of the box should be lined with an absorbent material that can be changed frequently. Newspapers, towels, or clean rags make excellent bed liners.

Late Stage of Pregnancy

The first stage of labor is marked by uterine contractions. The expectant mother appears restless and may pace about the house. She refuses to eat and sometimes vomits. The bitch may isolate herself and exhibit nesting behavior. (Hopefully, nesting will occur in the whelping box.) This behavior is normal and there is little that the owner can do. This stage generally lasts 8-24 hours.

The second stage of labor begins when the cervix is completely dilated. The delivery of the puppy occurs during this phase. Phase three of labor refers to the expulsion of the placenta and the afterbirth.

After several contractions, the first puppy is born. If the first puppy is not born within 45 minutes after the beginning of contractions, a veterinarian should be called. The time interval between successive puppies is extremely variable and can range anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. It is not unusual for a mother to rest between groups of puppies.

Generally when each puppy is born, it is enclosed in a membrane or sac. The mother usually licks the puppy's face and rips open the sac. If this sac is not immediately broken by the mother, human intervention is required. The sac must be opened, and the puppy's face must be rubbed. Rubbing the puppy's face with a clean cloth is an excellent method to stimulate breathing.

A placentas is usually passed within 15 minutes after the birth of a puppy. Occasionally, two placentas may follow two puppies.

There are two normal positions for delivery. The puppies may come out "head first" or "rear first". A "head first" delivery is generally easier than a "rear first" delivery.

Human intervention is required when a puppy is lodged in the birth canal. When this occurs (and the mother is not able to expel the puppy herself), the mother must be restrained and gentle traction applied to the puppy. The puppy is grasped with a clean dry towel and pulled in a downward position, toward the mother's feet. When a puppy is lodged in the birth canal for a considerable amount of time, it is usually born dead.

Following each birth, the remaining portion of the sac should be removed from the puppy's face. Any mucus surrounding the nostrils should be cleared away. Puppies should be placed on a dry clean towel and rubbed. Vigorously rubbing of the puppy stimulates breathing. Using a fine-diameter thread, each umbilical cord should be tied about one inch from the puppy's belly. The cord is cut on the far side of the knot, and the remaining stump (with the cord) is dipped into a white iodine or Betadine solution. If the puppies are similar looking, it is best to number each one with a permanent marker.

Recently Born Puppy

When the mother is relaxed and she settles down with her puppies, it is safe to assume that the birthing process is over. Within 12-18 hours after all puppies are delivered, the mother should be examined by a veterinarian.

Normal vaginal discharge is brown, green or red in color. A significant amount of discharge is present following birth. This discharge tapers off and gradually subsides in 4-8 weeks. If the discharge is abundant, foul-smelling, pussy, or extremely bloody, a veterinarian should be consulted.

Have you ever noticed your cat stalking something you cannot see or hear? Have you ever noticed your cat turning her attention to something or looking quickly in a certain direction while you sit dumbfounded wondering what she is doing? It's possible that she hears something you do not. Of course, that must mean that when you call your cat and she turns her head as if she doesn't hear you, she is choosing not to hear you. If you are familiar with "cat-titude," then knowing about your cat's hearing can come in handy.

Anatomy of the Cat's Ear

It all begins with the cat's outer ear, or pinna, which sits on top of the cat's head. The outer ear is controlled by about 30 different muscles that enable the cat to independently rotate each ear 180 degrees, and position one ear or both facing any sound the cat detects. The shape of the ear is designed to funnel sound down to the middle ear, where the tympanic membrane and three small bones, called auditory ossicles, transmit vibrations into the inner ear. The middle ear also contains a canal called the Eustachian tube that helps to equalize pressure in the ear. Within the inner ear is a curved bone, known as the cochlea. This is where the actual hearing mechanism is located, called the organ of Corti. It is here that small, sensitive hairs pick up sound vibrations and send them through the auditory nerve to the brain.

Each part of the ear, working together, gives the cat superb high-frequency hearing. Since mice squeak at an extremely high frequency, cats can hear these noises. This is no coincidence. Waiting in ambush and listening closely for the slightest squeak, cats' hearing allows them to be extremely effective hunters. To put it into better perspective, humans can hear frequencies from about 20 hertz to 20 kilohertz while cats, on the other hand, can hear frequencies from about 30 hertz to 60 kilohertz. Cats also have an incredible ability to localize sounds. They can hear and differentiate sounds three feet away whose sources are only three inches apart.

Because hearing is such a large part of a cat's life, it is important to try to shield them from loud, high-pitch noises such as sirens or loud whistles. It is also important to take sound into account when playing with cats. There are several toys on the market that mimic the sound of prey species to entice cats to play with them. This has the advantage of making the toy much more interesting. However, if the volume is irritating to you then it could be harmful to your cat. So, the next time your cat is sitting nearby and does not respond to your commands, remember that she can hear you loud and clear and is probably choosing to ignore you.

We’ve identified seven general reasons for barking. Each generates a different kind of bark with a unique sound.

1. Barking to induce play—Dogs will stop barking as the play proceeds. If you do not play with the dog, he (or she) will eventually give up and stop barking.
2. Barking to discipline young—This bark generally does not persist, as one or two warnings usually stop younger animals in their tracks.
3. Barking to warn of danger—This is a deep, repeated bark. The barking will generally persist until the source of danger is removed or until the dog is able to retreat to a position of safety.

1. Barking to threaten intruders—To stop such a bark, you must either remove the intruder or remove the dog from the situation. Sometimes, stepping to the dog’s side and assuring it that all is well will cause it to stop barking.
2. Curiosity barking—In general, this bark is displayed when there is some activity near a dog, but in such a place where the animal cannot have a good look. To stop the barking, all you have to do is let the dog see what it is curious about.
3. Barking for companionship—This is an incessant, repetitive bark, accompanied by a relatively motionless tail and concentration toward the area most associated with the dog’s owners. The solution to this type of bark is to spend more time with the dog and to allow the dog access to the area where humansspend their time. This bark is often displayed by dogs that are ignored, tied out alone or locked up alone.
4. Barking for reward—Dogs can be inadvertently trained to bark and will persist with remarkable persistence. Barking can become associated with almost any activity that leads to reward. For instance, a dog that barks at garbage trucks because they intrude within its territory will learn that persistent barking leads to the disappearance of the trucks. This rewards the barking behavior, and a cycle is begun that is difficult to break. To break the cycle, it is necessary to interrupt the natural system of reward.

1. What is the scientific word for a cat's whiskers?

A. Jactitatae
B. Oscillatae
C. Vibrissae
D. Quaverae

2. How many total whiskers does the average cat have coming from the 'whisker pad' (the puffy area between the top corners of your cat's mouth and the outer edges of his nose)?

A. 20
B. 24
C. 12
D. 16

3. How many times thicker than ordinary cat hairs are cat whiskers?

A. 2-3 times
B. 1-2 times
C. 3-4 times
D. 4-5 times

4. Whiskers are rooted very deep in the cat's face, in an area rich in nerves and blood vessels. Compared to cat hairs, how many times deeper in a cat's tissue are whiskers set?

A. 3 times
B. 4 times
C. 2 times
D. 5 times

5.Cat whiskers can give an indication of your cat's mood. When the whiskers are relaxed or pushed forward, which of the following is NOT how your cat feels?

A. happy
B. defensive
C. curious
D. content

6. It is okay to trim or cut your cat's whiskers.

A. True
B. False

7. Whiskers help the cat feel his way around. This is because whiskers are so sensitive that they can detect the slightest change in ...?

A. Air currents
B. Air speed
C. Air temperature
D. Air humidity

8.When can whiskers be a 'bother' to a cat?

A. When he is playing with string
B. When he sleeps on his side
C. When he tries to eat out of a bowl
D. When he is hunting

9.Cat whiskers fall out and are replaced.

A. True
B. False

If you own a pet, fleas and ticks are nothing new. In a special video report, Dr. Jim Humphries with the Veterinary News Network and PetDocsOnCall discusses the importance of flea and tick prevention and shares tips on how to keep pesky parasites away from your pet.

The keen olfactory senses of man's best friend have been used by humans ever since dogs were first domesticated. From hunting and tracking game and assisting the disabled to ferreting out criminals and finding illegal drugs, dogs are adept at picking up subtle scents and signs that human senses cannot register. However, a dog's nose may be more important than has ever been realized. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that dogs may have the ability to detect cancer in humans simply by using their sense of smell.

A study published in the March 2006 edition of the journal Integrative Cancer Therapies, researchers Michael McCulloch of the Pine Street Foundation in San Anselmo, Calif. and Tadeusz Jezierski of the Polish Academy of Sciences, presented research that suggests dogs can detect the presence of lung or breast cancer by sniffing the breath of cancer patients. Five dogs trained during a three-week period sniffed the breath of 86 cancer patients and 83 healthy patients. Dogs were trained to identify the presence of cancer on a patient's breath by sitting or lying down in front of the test subject. According to the study, the dogs had a success rate between 88 and 97 percent. Though dogs probably will not take the place of MRI, mammograms and other cancer screening tools, medical researchers continue to examine the link between a dogs' sense of smell and human illness.

Already, dogs' excellent sense of smell is already used by people with type 1 diabetes to detect impending episodes of hypoglycemia. Organizations like Dogs For Diabetics and Heaven Scent Paws train dogs to recognize the scent of chemicals emitted by diabetics before hypoglycemia sets in. The dog alerts his or her handler, who can then administer insulin in order to prevent a diabetic episode. Dogs can also be trained to alert people with epilepsy of impending seizures, giving them time to stop what they're doing and move to a safe place. It is still unclear how exactly dogs can detect the onset of a seizure, though many researchers believe a dog's olfactory and other senses play a large role.

How are dogs able to detect these scents? Both dogs and humans have organs inside their noses called turbinates. When a dog or a human inhales, air passes over the turbinates, which contain a spongy membrane that houses scent-detecting cells and the nerves that send scent-signals to the brain. In humans, the area around the turbinates is small, containing roughly 5 million scent receptors. In dogs, the turbinates contain hundreds of millions of scent receptors, depending on the breed. For example, the dachshund has 125 million scent receptors, while scent-hounds like the bloodhound have 300 million receptors. These receptors are what make it possible for dogs to do everything from tracking a fox through a forest to picking up the scents emitted by a diabetic when his or her blood sugar is low.

Curious canine noses can also be trained for other activities. Dogs are being used in increasing numbers to hunt for truffles, underground fungi that are highly sought-after culinary delicacies. Hogs have been the traditional truffle-hunting agent in Europe: a hog's keen sense of smell, coupled with the similarity between a truffle's odor and a pheromone found in boar saliva, make swine innate truffle hunters. But pigs are difficult to train and will quickly dig up and eat the truffles they were sent to find if a handler isn't close by. That is why many truffle seekers are using trained dogs (especially Labradors) to find—and not eat—the fungi.