Gingivitis is a common dental problem that affects a number of different animals, including cats. If left untreated it can develop and become a more serious issue known as periodontal disease. Keep reading to learn about the causes of gingivitis in cats along with how to spot the signs of the disease. What is gingivitis in cats? Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums which can result in sore, red and swollen gums. It can be painful and lead to more serious dental problems if left untreated. Gingivitis in cats occurs when a build-up of sticky residue called plaque begins to form on your cat’s teeth. This sticky plaque comes from the sugars in your cat’s diet. As more and more plaque builds up it will begin to grow underneath your cat’s gums. Eventually swelling and inflammation will appear which will cause the gums to turn red and become painful. What are the symptoms of gingivitis in cats? A cat with gingivitis may demonstrate a number of symptoms. Make sure you keep an eye out for the below to determine if your cat may be suffering from the disease. 1. Red and inflamed gums As mentioned earlier one of the most common symptoms of gingivitis in cats is inflamed gums. Inflammation may cause your cat’s gums to swell and become red, which will often cause pain. This makes it important to check your cat’s gums regularly. Looking in a cat’s mouth can be tricky so make sure your cat feels as at ease as possible by comforting them and handling them gently. If your cat is struggling and uncomfortable let them go and try again later. If you don’t do this and try to force your cat to stay still while you check their teeth, it could scare them and make them less likely to cooperate next time. 2. Showing signs of pain and discomfort If your cat does not seem themselves it may be a sign that they are in pain and suffering from an issue such as gingivitis. Showing pain when eating is another common symptom of gingivitis in cats. Cats who are suffering from this problem may try to eat and chew from only one side of their mouth. This may be the side with less swelling or a side not yet affected by the gum disease. In some cases, a cat may stop eating altogether due to the discomfort. This can lead to further issues such as weight loss if left untreated. This being said, it is important to remember that cats are very good at hiding signs of pain - which unfortunately can make it difficult to spot - and may continue to eat even when they are in significant pain. 3. Bad breath Bad breath is another common symptom of dental diseases like gingivitis. If you notice your cat’s breath has started to smell worse it may be a sign of gingivitis. This is not always the case though, so for more information around feline halitosis and its causes check out our bad cat breath guide.

Whenever the weather is nice and the sun peeks through, it’s time for you and your dog to get back in the garden and make the most of the great outdoors. Finding the best garden dog toys will encourage your pet to exercise outside and provide vital physical and mental stimulation, and that isn’t only true for your pet! Research has shown that dog owners are fitter than the average person. Find extra motivation to get active and outside with your dog this summer, with this list of our all-time favourite garden dog toys.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a major viral infection in cats. Although it is similar to HIV (AIDS) in people, FIV is species-specific, which means it can only be transmitted from cat to cat, not to humans or other animals. This is why it can also be known as ‘Feline AIDS’. What is FIV? Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus. Lentiviruses typically only cause disease slowly and thus infected cats may remain healthy for many years before showing signs of disease. Once a cat has been infected with FIV, the infection is usually permanent and needs to be managed rather than cured. How can my cat contract FIV? FIV is present in the blood and saliva of infected cats but as it cannot survive for long outside the body and requires a high dose to cause an infection, it is not easily transmitted from cat to cat. The most frequent way FIV is spread is through a bite from another cat, when the virus in the saliva of an infected cat is introduced directly into the blood of the cat it bites. For this reason, male cats that fight often are most likely to be infected. As the virus cannot be transmitted via food, feeding bowls, bedding or hands, the virus spreading within groups of cats which do not fight is highly unlikely. Occasionally infection is transmitted from an infected mother cat to her kittens during the birthing process or via her milk. Sexual contact is not a major means of spreading FIV in cats.

Are you getting ready to bathe your puppy for the first time? Here is everything you need to know. What you will need for your puppy’s first bath Let’s start easy with a shopping list. Here are the must-haves of puppy bathing time. • Table • Towel • Suitable puppy brush • Hair dryer • Dog bath or other suitable container • Puppy shampoo • A treat Steps for bathing a puppy When your puppy arrives home for the first time, it is beneficial to give them a bath in order to let them start their new experience fresh and clean. Here is a step-by-step guide for bathing your puppy without any unnecessary complications: 1. Place the puppy on a table The table has to be specifically designated for the job. In placing the puppy in this elevated, unfamiliar spot, you will help them understand that you are not playing. This will help you handle bathtime safely and comfortably. Put a towel on the table to ensure your puppy doesn’t slip off. It will also absorb excess water.

Cats are independent creatures with no particular desire to get in your good graces, but they are also incredibly intelligent and ready to learn various behaviours if a good reward is waiting for them. This is exactly what cat clicker training is based on. Read on to find out more about this method of training your cat. What is cat clicker training? Cat clicker training is a fast and easy way to shape your cat's behaviour and even teach them a few useful tricks. A small plastic clicker device is used to identify the good behaviour you want your cat to learn. The clicking sound is immediately followed by a special cat treat rewarding the feline for performing well. The most important part of the cat clicker training routine is the sequence ‘click and reward’. This will help the cat associate particular actions with favourable consequences which is how good behaviour is ultimately learned. Why use a clicker for cat training? There are a few reasons why using a clicker is more effective that just voice commands. A human voice doesn’t sound the same every time as mood or circumstances can change your pitch or intonation, making your voice inconsistent and therefore unreliable as a signal for cat training.

If you are considering breeding cats, there are several factors you need to consider before making a decision. It is not a job you should undertake lightly and we recommend reading up as much as you can on the cat breed you want to breed and what the process may entail. In this article, we will provide you with a rough guide of what to expect if you do choose to breed. Consider seeking professional or expert advice though, and definitely try and speak to a certified breeder that you trust before making your decision. Breeding cats and the law When considering whether you would like to breed cats, the first thing you should keep in mind is the law. It is very important to check the laws on cat breeding and ensure that you can be in line with them.

When your little puppy grows up their requirements change, which means that you need to think about what kind of dog equipment they need as they become a teenager! Read our guide for our top tips and advice to make the teenage years a breeze. Now your puppy is growing up and has approached what we call dog adolescence, most of the things you bought when they were a young puppy have been outgrown, and it’s time to go shopping again! Just like when they were smaller, you may start wondering: what dog accessories do I need? Read on for our guide to knowing what kind of puppy equipment to choose for your pup as they become an adolescent. Choosing the right collar and lead as your puppy gets older By now your teenage dog will have grown out of their puppy collar, as with lots of their other puppy equipment, and will probably be ready for their first adult collar. You need to make sure you get a collar that is going to be comfortable for your dog to wear - so find a soft material or padded leather one that doesn’t have hard edges. The wider the collar the better, as it will spread any pressure over a greater area – making it gentler around your dog’s neck. You will be doing more training with your dog when you are out and about, so finding a 6-inch training lead with clips on both ends and various D-rings to adjust the length will be a great investment. They are wonderful to add to your selection of dog equipment: great for walks, classes, and also useful if you need to secure your dog to anything. Find one that is strong but also comfortable for you to hold. Stay away from any collars that can tighten around the dog’s neck, such as choke chains, and extendable leads.

Enrichment is a word that’s used quite often when talking about ways to engage with your dog but what does it really mean and why is it so important? Enrichment activities will channel your dog’s natural behaviours in a way that can be encouraged and celebrated. It’s vital for a dog’s welfare that they are encouraged to be, well, DOGS! It provides both mental and physical stimulation and one of the reasons it’s discussed as part of training and behaviour modification plans is because it’s a means of reducing boredom, which can often lead to behaviours that humans consider undesirable. Would you rather your dog gets their chewing fun through a massive Kong* filled with nutritious and delicious food, or by dismantling your sofa? Walkies, while vital for your dog’s well-being isn’t enough. A slow-feeder, while probably a good thing for your dog, isn’t enough. One training session, while fabulous, isn’t enough for their mental well-being. Enrichment is something that needs to be considered each and every day. It’s not an ‘added extra’ when you share your life with a dog; it underpins their mental and physical health needs. If you don’t provide things to enrich their lives, they’ll find their own entertainment or coping mechanisms and we can almost guarantee you won’t like what they come up with. Getting to know your dog, taking into account their breed or breed mix and learning about their favourite things to do will help you choose the best ways to keep them occupied and entertained. Some dogs would rather de-stuff a toy than chew a bone. Some dogs need a few different toys and other dogs have a favourite. Some dogs love relaxing with a food toy and other dogs will enjoy scent games around the garden before snoozing. Most of the so-called ‘problem’ behaviours that are displayed by dogs and cause headaches for humans are actually perfectly normal dog behaviours that need an outlet, or they’re providing an outlet for a bored dog. My dog barks at everything. My dog keeps digging in the garden. My dog chews my favourite things. Dogs need to bark, dig and chew; it’s your job to provide a fun and interactive way for them to do what they need to do.

Have you noticed your dog scratching and shaking their head more than usual? The culprit might be an almost invisible insect causing irritation and making your dear pet friend extremely uncomfortable. Dog ear mites are unfortunately a common thing in the canine world. Find out what to do when they choose your dog as their host. What are ear mites? Ear mites are insects similar to ticks that live inside the ear canal but can also be found on the skin. Barely visible to the naked eye, they can only survive for a very limited time without a host to live on, which makes them extremely eager to find a welcoming dog. This means that ear mites are extremely contagious, hopping from dog to dog or even from cat to dog in no time. What are the symptoms of ear mites in dogs? Ear mites are irritable little creatures, so one of the first symptoms of dog ear mites will be an intense itch. You will notice your pup shaking their head or rubbing their ear against the carpet. The symptoms of ear mites in dogs typically include: • Ear scratching • Head shaking • Dark discharge from the affected ear • Skin lesions around the ear However, these symptoms are common for many parasitic infections, so the best thing to do before starting any sort of treatment is to book an appointment with your vet to rule out other possible conditions. What causes ear mites in dogs? Dogs will usually pick up ear mites from another pet. It can be another dog or cat, and mites can pass very quickly between animals. They can only live in the environment for a limited time and with such a small window of time at their disposal, they’re quick to find an unsuspecting dog to claim as their host. Mites hop around from host to host, so if you are lucky enough to have multiple pets in the family, it’s very likely that once one of them gets ear mites, the rest will follow shortly.

As cats can suffer from many of the same disorders as humans, many often find themselves wondering, can cats have down-syndrome? In this article we explore the topic and provide the answers to all of your questions. Can cats have Down syndrome? This question has become more common in recent years due to the easier sharing of images afforded by the Internet. Getting to see more cat photos means that we have the opportunity to get to know unique cats that we wouldn’t otherwise have seen. You might have seen or heard about cats that look and behave a little ‘differently’, becoming known on the Internet for being ‘Down syndrome cats.’ Although the physical and behavioural symptoms of these cats may present like a type of feline Down syndrome, it is impossible for them to truly be ‘Down syndrome’, as this is something that exists solely in humans. What is Down syndrome? Down syndrome is a congenital disorder in humans, affecting the people that have it both physically and intellectually. It arises from a chromosomal defect. In humans, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, and people with Down syndrome have three copies - either complete or partial - of chromosome 21. They tend to have certain physical characteristics like low muscle tone, short stature and a flat nasal bridge, and will also exhibit some degree of learning difficulty.