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Q: What type of
pets does Pet Care treat
other than cats and
dogs?
A: Our specialty
is cats and dogs, but in
our line of practice, we
try to treat all animals
that seek our clinic for
help, including parrots,
turtles, rabbits, and
hamsters.
Q: What habits do
kittens and puppies grow
out of, and how can I
help improve their
behavior?
A: Kittens and
puppies have the habit
of playful biting, which
might be annoying to
some. This habit is
normal, and they will
grow out of it as they
get older. It can be
discouraged by a
harmless tap on the
nose. Kittens’
scratching against
furniture can be
prevented by training
them, at an early age,
to use scratching posts.
As for potty-training
puppies, it requires
patience, just as it
does with a child, and
will begin to yield
results when the puppy
reaches the age of 4
months and above. When
you first adopt your
puppy, select an area,
cover it with
newspapers, and confine
the puppy to it after
meals or for part of the
day to prevent soiling
the entire house. Walk
your puppy at regular
times twice a day, about
10 minutes after meals,
to establish a routine
and to encourage
eliminating waste
outside the house.
Q: Why should I
spay/neuter my pet?
A: Some people
mistakenly believe that
spaying/neutering is
somehow unethical or
harmful to the pet. The
truth is that animals
are not conscious of the
presence of their
reproductive organs as
humans are, and as such,
cannot control or
understand the urges
resulting from them.
Pets do not understand
why hormones push them
to act the way they do –
sometimes straying away
from home in search of a
mate or exhibiting
undesirable behavior
that risks their own
presence at home (mewing
or barking at night,
aggression, marking
territory by spraying
urine all over the
house).
When we spay/neuter our
cats or dogs, we are
operating on the organs
responsible for hormones
and for uncontrollable
urges. The alternative
to birth control,
allowing your pet to
mate, is not at all a
solution. Once the male
mates, the urge will
still be there (the
female, once pregnant
will not allow him to
copulate, and he will
still spray all over
house and exhibit
aggressiveness). For
females, pregnancy not
only strains the
female’s body, sometimes
causing costly
complications, but the
result (a whole new
litter of kittens or
puppies) is a huge and
even more costly 15-year
responsibility (don’t
assume you’ll find good
permanent homes for all
of them; you won’t).
As such, we recommend
spaying/neutering for
both male and female
cats and dogs prior to
reaching the age of
puberty.
Spaying/neutering also
has multiple medical
benefits. Statistically
speaking,
spayed/neutered cats and
dogs live longer than
non-spayed/non-neutered
ones. This is because
hormones constitute a
source of stress on the
organism and suppress
the immune system,
causing the emergence of
different kinds of
underlying diseases.
Q: Why doesn’t
Pet Care clinic sell
pets?
A: We don’t sell
pets for two related
reasons: to control the
huge population of
unwanted companion
animals and to encourage
the adoption of stray
and abandoned pets.
We’re here to heal
animals and ease their
suffering – not to
support the pet trade
and create more
suffering.
Q: How important
is it to follow up on
treatment?
A: The initial
treatment is 50% of
recovery; follow-up
constitutes the other
50%. If the pet’s
guardian does not follow
up on treatment and
continue medication as
instructed, we can’t
offer any guarantees for
the treatment’s success.
Follow-up can be done by
phone or by visiting.
Follow-up is usually for
free unless additional
treatment (medications
or injections
administered at the
clinic or requiring
purchase) is required.
Apart from risking your
pet’s life, it would
cost more to wait until
the pet needs
hospitalization than to
remedy the condition
early on through proper
follow-up. To ensure
your pet’s permanent
recovery, abide by the
vet’s instructions.
Q: What should I
do if I find myself
responsible for orphan
kittens or puppies?
A: First, make
sure they’re orphans -
and that you’re not just
getting carried away and
separating them from an
existent mother. Do they
look healthy, clean,
well-fed and calm or are
they crying for help?
Check the surroundings
for a mother searching
for her babies prior to
touching them as that
might change their
scent, which will make
it difficult for the
mother to recognize them
again. If you find
yourself stuck with
nursing them, make sure
you do it right - cow’s
milk is not suitable for
kittens and puppies; it
causes diarrhea and
gases, and might cause
death. Purchase Kitty
Milk or Puppy Milk (a
special infant powdered
milk formula), available
at Pet Care and other
clinics. To administer
the milk, you will need
to use small syringes in
the case of kittens and
baby bottles in the case
of puppies. Milk
consistency, maintaining
orphans’ body
temperature, and
massaging the tummy
after meals to assist
elimination are crucial
parts of the job. More
information is available
at:
http://beta.beirut.com/viewNew.php?ID=64.
Q: What foods
should I avoid feeding
my cat or dog?
A: It’s best, if
you can afford it, to
feed your pet
medicated/high quality
dry food and to avoid
common commercial pet
foods found in
supermarkets. At the
same time, feeding pets
homemade food is not
harmful as long as that
food does not contain
spices or fried oils.
What you need to keep in
mind is that while
medicated pet food
provides pets with
complete nutrition,
homemade food does not
(pets exclusively on
homemade food might lack
certain vitamins and
minerals).
Q: What are the
signs of depression in a
cat or dog?
A: A cat or dog
is depressed if they’re
not being themselves, if
they’re sleeping all
day, not interested in
playing, and/or lose
their appetite. Keep in
mind that a pet behavior
is related to pet age.
For example, it might be
normal for a 10-year-old
cat or dog to sleep most
of the day, but not for
a 2-year-old. It’s your
responsibility, as the
pet’s guardian, to find
out why your pet is
depressed and to seek
veterinary help if
necessary.
Q: How can I
introduce two pets to
each other?
A: You can do so
slowly and gradually, in
your presence and under
your constant
supervision. If they
demonstrate any signs of
aggression, separate
them, wait for them to
calm down, and re-try,
preserving some distance
between them. Show the
same affection for both,
and try feeding them
together or in nearby
bowls. Eventually, they
will get along, but
especially in the
beginning, never leave
them unattended.
Q: What are the
general symptoms of
illness - signs that I
should rush my pet for
check-up?
A: These are:
severe lethargy,
constant vomiting and/or
severe diarrhea, and
refusal or inability to
eat for more than two
days.
Q: Is Dr. Hemadeh
available for pet
emergencies outside
office hours?
A: Yes, of
course. Call 03-623 083
immediately.
Q: Does Pet Care
Clinic accept payment by
credit card?
A: Yes. We’re in
the process of setting
up a credit card payment
system. |
