Veterinarians Set Record Straight
Most pet owners have become very educated about their pet and the health of their pet. Still, there are many others who tend to believe in the old wives tales and myths that have been passed around for some time now. I'm sure most of you have heard at least one, and probably more, of the following myths. Veterinarians at the American Animal Hospital Association(AAHA) have since enlightened us to many of those tales and to the facts concerning some of the most commonly heard myths. Myth: Yeast will prevent fleas from feasting on your pet. Fact: There is still no scientific proof that yeast prevents fleas, though it is a good
source of B vitamins. Myth: Pets(dogs/cats) will get worms if they drink milk. Fact: This is no more true for your pets than it is for you! Pets do lose their
tolerance for milk early, however, around the age of 6 -8 weeks of age due to their
loss of lactose(an enzyme essential for the digestion of milk products).
Young animals may have diarrhea if they drink milk due to the above factors. Still,
most puppies are infected with worms through maternal milk or during pregnancy
which is why treating both mother and litters for worms is so important. Myth: If a purebred bitch inadvertently becomes pregnant by a mix breed dog, this
disallows her ability to have purebred puppies in future litters. Fact: The only puppies that will be mixed breed are the ones resulting from this
breeding. If bred with a purebred mate in the future, those puppies will also be
purebred. Myth:Dogs and cats should be allowed one heat cycle, or one litter of pups, before
being spayed. Fact: A major benefit of being spayed may be lost if this is allowed to happen!
Research shows that animals spayed before their first heat have a significantly
smaller chance of developing future health problems such as breast cancer. Myth: Dogs which scoot their rear ends on the ground have worms. Fact: Sometimes dogs having tapeworms may exhibit this behavior, though the
overwhelming majority of animals doing this have inflamed or overly full anal sacs. The anal sacs are structures located on either side of the anus which when closed
up cause an itching or burning sensation in your pets anal area. As a result the
animal scoots its rear on the ground to try and relieve this situation. Myth: Any dog having a black mouth is a purebred. Fact: Though some purebred dogs have a blackened color inside their mouth, this is
no indication of any other animal being a purebred. Pigmentation is the only reason
for this color, caused by a substance called melanin. Indeed, this substance called
melanin is responsible for birthmarks in humans and also the lack of, or availability
of, such skin tones as a tan. This color alone is not indicative of a purebred dog. Myth:Puppies need calcium supplements for strong bones and erect ears. Fact: If you are feeding your animals a diet that is nutritionally complete, then no
further supplements are needed. Too much calcium, in fact, can be harmful to your
dog. Article written and reprinted with permission of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com/
Purebred Dogs, Puppies and Dog Breeders - "Your New Best Friend" Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. Debbie Ray, owner of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com is a lifetime dog lover and
owner and breeder of german shepherd dogs for over 15 years.
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