Powell: Website’s list of pet owners’ mistakes is worth going over
In May, the excellent informational website, WebMD.com, published a list of risky mistakes pet owners make. At least some are worth reviewing.
No. 1 was a warning about letting your dog walk you. The sight of dogs dragging people around is a common one, and when it’s not, that means the pooch is probably not being walked enough because the owner is tired of being dragged around. Many people, including yours truly, have been injured by walking their dog.
Without any obedience training for the dog, the facts are the number of such injuries goes up significantly. Instead, find an obedience class, enroll your dog and yourself, and follow through with what you both learn.
Overlooking parasites of all kinds that can infect your pet is a compilation of several entries. Pets with ticks, fleas, and worms do not thrive and can die. Depending on one’s location, your veterinarian can guide you in how to maintain a healthy, parasite-free pet. Once you learn, the same medications can often be purchased online.
Ringworm is not a worm at all. It is caused by a fungal infection similar to jock itch and athlete’s foot in people. Ignore it on a pet and soon someone else in the house will have it, too. Most notably, children who hug and kiss the kitty with the strange bald spots are at risk. Work with your veterinarian to manage this infection.
It is a well-worn statement to spay and neuter your pets. There are a number of important reasons. First is that most people are not experienced enough, nor do they have the time to manage animal breedings. It’s not as simple as a fantasized lesson from Mother Nature for you and your kids.
Second, this country needs fewer and not more pet animals as shelters are overflowing. Third, spaying and neutering can prevent your animal from escaping when they encounter a female in heat or vice versa. The drive to breed is strong enough that it has sent dogs through screens and glass windows.
Of course, there are more reasons to spay and neuter, but for the most part people sometimes don’t alter their dogs because they imagine a male won’t hunt well after neutering or rationalize that a spayed female not having a heat cycle is unnatural.
Cats and dogs both will eat more than they need. Leaving constant food availability around leads to the single greatest internal medicine problem for pets: obesity. You oversee this. Don’t leave food out all the time. And most importantly, do not confuse an eagerness to get at their timed meal with intermittent starvation. They evolved to get after food when it is available and to eat quickly.
Cats are one of the only obligate carnivores in the animal world. That means, they must — not should — eat meat to survive and thrive. Some try to convert their kitties into vegetarians. It can be done if nothing else is offered, but the cat will not be healthy, especially in the long term.
This one really bugs me because most people do not know how to build a complete and balanced diet for themselves and their family, much less for an obligate carnivore your conscience tells you to convert to a vegetarian.
There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian if we are discussing generalist feeders like humans. Even wild canines often eat a plethora of vegetable matter, but they, too, still need meat. It is true, however, a good veterinarian can convert a domestic dog to be a vegetarian because they are generalist feeders.
But get ready for some expensive work and brush up on your math skills. It ain’t easy building rations.
Powell, of Pullman, retired as public information officer for Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Pullman. This column reflects his thoughts and no longer represents WSU. He may be contacted at charliepowell74@gmail.com.
