February 2006
Edited by Judy Wright
"THE
SHORTEST MONTH."
February is a dismal month, so it's a blessing that it's short as March to me always means the beginning of the spring flowers and longer days, with the promise of summer to come. It's amazing what a bit of sunshine will do for both our animals and us!
Your dogs' coats are possibly looking a bit dull as they often do at this time of the year. A small knob of ordinary margarine in their food will help no end; just a small piece daily will do the trick (about the size of a hazelnut).
February is a dismal month, so it's a blessing that it's short as March to me always means the beginning of the spring flowers and longer days, with the promise of summer to come. It's amazing what a bit of sunshine will do for both our animals and us!
Your dogs' coats are possibly looking a bit dull as they often do at this time of the year. A small knob of ordinary margarine in their food will help no end; just a small piece daily will do the trick (about the size of a hazelnut).
THE
OLDER DOG.
I
have been asked several times recently about how much exercise an older
dog needs.
This will depend entirely on the dog and whether or not it is in a fit and healthy condition. Some 'old' dogs are full of vitality and have always adored long and 'busy' walks; the less fit are less inclined to this sort of activity.
We all know that Cavaliers tend to have some heart problems as they age, rather like humans; so it is important to consider this. The other thing that many dogs get, (just as we do), is Arthritis, and some have difficulty 'getting going' in the mornings, (I know the feeling!). If your dog is affected in this way, then you must make allowances.
Generally, the best plan is to lessen the length of the walks if he seems tired or starts to get slower whilst out walking. If he has a known heart problem, your vet will advise how much exercise to give him, a small walk two or three times a day might be better than one long one. If he puffs and pants excessively, then take it slower and don't overdo things.
If he gets wet when out, or needs a bath when he gets home, do make sure that you dry him really well, as being damp will not do him any good at all. Make sure he can sleep in a comfortable and warm place, (If he is a true Cavalier, that will be on your bed and even under the duvet given half a chance!).
You will also have to look at his diet and perhaps feed a 'Senior' diet to him; most supermarkets sell these, your vet will certainly have them, but it's an expensive way to buy dog food! He may prefer two small meals rather than one large one. Animals are very like humans as they age. Grandma probably eats less at a time than she used to do…dogs are just the same.
Pay great care to the state of his teeth; your vet should be doing a regular dental check on the older dog. Smelly breath is the give-away that something is wrong.
Take care to brush him well every day, feel over him for any 'lumps and bumps' as these can occur in the older dog and should be looked for. Should you find anything, see the vet.
With a sharp eye on your part and lots of good care, dogs will live to a good age, but there will come a time when he maybe can't cope too well and you fear that the end of his life is not far away… this too, is a regular cause of E-mails to me. I will deal with this difficult subject in next month's pet pages.
I
have been asked several times recently about how much exercise an older
dog needs.This will depend entirely on the dog and whether or not it is in a fit and healthy condition. Some 'old' dogs are full of vitality and have always adored long and 'busy' walks; the less fit are less inclined to this sort of activity.
We all know that Cavaliers tend to have some heart problems as they age, rather like humans; so it is important to consider this. The other thing that many dogs get, (just as we do), is Arthritis, and some have difficulty 'getting going' in the mornings, (I know the feeling!). If your dog is affected in this way, then you must make allowances.
Generally, the best plan is to lessen the length of the walks if he seems tired or starts to get slower whilst out walking. If he has a known heart problem, your vet will advise how much exercise to give him, a small walk two or three times a day might be better than one long one. If he puffs and pants excessively, then take it slower and don't overdo things.
If he gets wet when out, or needs a bath when he gets home, do make sure that you dry him really well, as being damp will not do him any good at all. Make sure he can sleep in a comfortable and warm place, (If he is a true Cavalier, that will be on your bed and even under the duvet given half a chance!).
You will also have to look at his diet and perhaps feed a 'Senior' diet to him; most supermarkets sell these, your vet will certainly have them, but it's an expensive way to buy dog food! He may prefer two small meals rather than one large one. Animals are very like humans as they age. Grandma probably eats less at a time than she used to do…dogs are just the same.
Pay great care to the state of his teeth; your vet should be doing a regular dental check on the older dog. Smelly breath is the give-away that something is wrong.
Take care to brush him well every day, feel over him for any 'lumps and bumps' as these can occur in the older dog and should be looked for. Should you find anything, see the vet.
With a sharp eye on your part and lots of good care, dogs will live to a good age, but there will come a time when he maybe can't cope too well and you fear that the end of his life is not far away… this too, is a regular cause of E-mails to me. I will deal with this difficult subject in next month's pet pages.
*************
TAILPIECE.
THE
CHICKEN AND THE EGG.TAILPIECE.
Well, the poor chicken didn't really get a look in on this one!
'Hermione', one of the Maran hens is a good layer and we can almost set our clocks by when the daily egg appears. That was until a couple of weeks ago when the supply came to an abrupt stop.
I could hear her proclaiming the arrival of the egg, bang on time, but when I went out into the field to look inside the henhouse, there was Hermione looking very 'ruffled' but no egg. This continued for some days, at the end of which I decided that drastic measures were called for…thinking that it might have been a rogue Crow that was nipping in and removing the egg…they do this quite often, but I couldn't have dear Hermione upset!
Just before the usual egg laying time, I took up position behind the hedge; I could see exactly what was going into the henhouse. It was only a few moments before Hermione started the noisy clucking that announces to all that she has laid her egg…I got the shock of my life, for into the hen house shot 'Meg', one of the dogs, she was out again in a flash, with an egg gently held in her mouth…I watched her as she shot back under the field gate and then into the dense shrubs that grow in a border!
She reappeared in a trice and went back indoors. I went over to see what she was up to with the eggs, and there, far into the shrubs was a little collection of no fewer than nine eggs, all unbroken!
The daily thieving was duly foiled before it became a habit, all is well and we have a triumphant Hermione again…and a bitch that was 'putting all her eggs into one basket'…bad idea!
Cartoons taken from "Paws For Thought" by Maureen Melvin
Illustrated by Geoff Crook
If you have any questions about owning a Cavalier
then click on the envelope to email Judy who will only be too pleased
to try and help you.
However please remember that we are not Vets or Lawyers so questions on these topics should be addressed to the professionals for advice.
Questions and answers that are of interest to other owners may be published on this page.
However please remember that we are not Vets or Lawyers so questions on these topics should be addressed to the professionals for advice.
Questions and answers that are of interest to other owners may be published on this page.
Material Copyright © 2006 The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club