Are you a pet parent? If so, how much do you know your pet? Raising an animal requires enough responsibility and knowledge; therefore, you always need to check and rely on facts. However, there are lots of false thoughts that may affect how you think and take care of your pet.
As a responsible pet parent, you should know how to differentiate a fact from a myth. Doing so enables you to properly do your responsibilities and provide the best for your pet.
Common Pet Myths
Here are some false beliefs about pets:
Dogs like grass.
Dogs chew grass not because they love its taste but because they are suffering from gastro esophageal reflux disease, a digestive disorder. If you notice your pet dog munching grass regularly, don’t overfeed it. Change its diet or discourage it from lying down after eating. For a more precise diagnosis, a visit to the vet is a must.
Leftovers are good for dogs.
Your pet’s diet is different from yours; hence, feeding your dogs with table refuse means putting them at risk of getting ill. Feed your dogs with foods rich in protein, fat, and carbohydrates twice a day only. Don’t overfeed them. Occasionally, you may give them treats like sliced apple and carrots but be sure to remove the seeds as they can choke them or get stuck in their teeth.
Pets who stay indoors don’t need a vet.
Pets do get sick even if they don’t go out of your home. They can contract airborne diseases like upper-respiratory infections. Since you always go out, you can be a carrier of microbes through your hands and shoes. Be sure to take your pets to a vet for health screening. Furthermore, have them vaccinated against common illnesses.
Cats purr when they are happy.
Cats purr to express their emotions. They purr when they are happy, stressed, uncomfortable, frightened or even in their sick bed. Purring is a cat’s way of communicating how it feels at the moment.
Milk is a necessity for cats.
Images of cats drinking a bowl of milk are common to us. But in reality, pet parents should resist giving milk to both cats and dogs. The truth is lots of dogs and cats have little to no capacity to break down the lactose in dairy products; therefore, consuming it can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and other problems.
Meanwhile, it is best to invest in a water fountain for your pets. For your information, animals tend to be attracted to moving water.
If a dog wags its tail, that means it is happy.
While it’s true that dogs wag their tails when they are happy or excited, this is not always the case. At times, they do it when they feel annoyed, scared, irritated, or angry. Studies also show that dogs don’t wag their tails when they are alone, even if they are happy. This suggests that tail-wagging is a behavior seen during the times when dogs are in the company of others.
A warm nose indicates that your dog is ill.
If your pet has been out in the sun, its nose could be warm but it doesn’t mean that it is sick. Feel your dog’s head to find out if it has fever. Better still, use a thermometer to check on its temperature. A dog’s normal temperature is 101°F.
Old dogs are not capable of learning new tricks.
The truth is dogs normally want to learn. With the right amount of kindness, patience, and persistence; you can definitely teach your old dog various tricks. As long as your pet is still healthy and alert, it can learn new things throughout its life. Dogs’ minds need stimulation; therefore, training them is undeniably of great importance regardless of the age.
How to be a Responsible Pet Parent
Responsible pet parents always want and give the best for their pets. This will be possible with proper knowledge about what different animals want and need. For this, you would need to do a significant amount of research. You may do it online or through conversing with other pet parents and animal experts.
Taking your pet to day care centers will also help. There, you may get some pieces of advice from professionals. Just make sure to find reputable centers like Camp Run a Mutt and more, and everything will go well.
Summary
Knowing the difference between facts and myths about pets will help pet owners like you in giving them the proper care that they need. After all, they make loyal companions and good source of inspiration; hence, they deserve proper care and attention.
