Worms are a problem that many pets can be afflicted with. Although most people associate intestinal worms with dogs, they can develop in cats as well. Usually, the most frequent feline victims of worms are kittens under the age of 6 months. For that reason, many veterinarians will recommend that a cat owner vaccinate their cat against worms once a month for 6 months until they are 6 months of age. This is important because many kittens are born with worm larvae within them.
De-worming kills live worms, but not the worm eggs. If the worms have already laid eggs, that setting is the groundwork for an infestation of worms; which is not something that anyone wants to deal with.
The causes of worms in cats are many, but the reason why they are such a concern is not only because they pose a danger to the health of your cat but because they also pose a danger to the people living in your home.
Tapeworms are a common type of worm in cats. Cats can get tapeworms by eating fleas that have eaten tapeworm eggs; which many of them do. Once the cat eats the flea, the eggs can hatch and develop tapeworms inside their body.
Not only do tapeworms make feces that much nastier to clean up, they are transmittable to humans and cause a great deal of pain and other problems. You can prevent tapeworms by having your cat checked for fleas and applying a preventative medicine.
Roundworms and hookworms are another type of worms in cats. These can be ingested through eating soil, things in the soil, or through the transfer of the larvae through nursing or pregnancy. Since mother cats clean their kittens’ feces with their mouths, the larvae can easily re-infect a mother cat if she and her young are not both treated for worms. Hookworms are not the type of worms that you can see through visually inspecting your cat’s feces. However, roundworms and their eggs can be seen in the feces of a cat.
Worms can be prevented and treated extremely easily. De-worming a cat is one of the simplest medical treatments to administer and it doesn’t take long for the effects of the medicine to take place and the worms to be destroyed.
Additionally, you should keep your cat and home free from fleas to prevent any chances of re-infestation.
According to Cole Carson, “Having an aquarium is a very rewarding, enjoyable experience. There are so many different kinds of fish, aquariums, and fillers out there that you can completely customize your own aquarium to you. Fish are fun to watch, and the soft trickling of water adds a wonderfully natural ambience to any room. They can, however, be a big responsibility, and some are much more high-maintenance than others.
Those who are new to keeping an aquarium need to choose their fish carefully. Different species have different aquarium size requirements, cleaning requirements, temperature requirements, and eat different foods.
When choosing fish for beginners, it’s a good idea to look for ones that don’t need a huge tank, have low-maintenance cleaning requirements, and are generally hardy. Below are a few choices that are ideal for any beginner and offer a lot of enjoyment.”
One of the funniest and easiest to keep fish out there is called the White Cloud Mountain Minnow. This species is ideal for any beginner because they’re extremely hardy, and will eat just about any type of food. They are best suited for water temperatures that range between 55–75 degrees F, although they’re most comfortable in water no lower than 65 degrees F. It’s best to remember that White Clouds are schooling fish, and that they should be kept in schools of three or more. In fact, a small school (four to five fish) can be kept in an aquarium as small as four gallons. They’re also very clean, meaning that keeping their water healthy and clear is extremely easy! White Clouds are also fun to watch as they’re extremely fast swimmers that love to zip around a tank and play with each other.
Bettas, or Siamese Fighting fish as they are commonly known, are also great for the new aquarium enthusiast. These fish have a reputation as being extremely easy to care for, and although it is strongly recommended, they do not even require a filter. They are clean and need only usual amounts of cleaning for their aquarium, and can be kept in remarkably small tanks. Bettas are larger, colorful fish, and are great for decorative purposes. There is a lot of debate over how small an aquarium a Betta should be kept in humanely, but it is a fact that they will live longer in aquariums that are smaller. A good size tank for a sole Betta is about two to five gallons. It should also be noted that Bettas are known for their aggressive personalities – sometimes they do not get along very well with other fish, and males cannot be kept in the same tank without attempting to kill each other. Bettas do require warmer water temperatures.
One of the most popular fish on the whole, the Corydoras Catfish (aks Corys), just happens to be wonderful for beginners. These fish are among the most sociable and friendly kind you can put in your tank, and love to be in schools with each other as well as fish of other species. They grow to about one and a half inches long, making them perfect for aquariums of all sizes. They will need a heater, as Corys need water temperatures ranging between 72 and 82 degrees F. Feeding Corys is very simple, as most of the time they will search the bottom and feed on the leftovers of food from other fish. It is a good idea, however, to supplement their diet with a tropical snack every once in a while, and feeding them things like algae wafers can actually be an entertaining experience. In addition to a heater, your aquarium will need to be about 10 gallons for a school of three or four.
These fish are fun and easy for anyone looking to start up their very first aquarium. Choosing between any one of them is only a matter of specifications and personal taste, and each of them has their very own personality and charm. They are also hardy and forgiving, and you can find plenty of information on their care quite easily.
Remember that when you’re looking to start up an aquarium to find what’s right for you, and pick fish that will work best in that environment.”
Although it is a disease that has seen a major expansion as far as awareness over the past couple of years, the disease is still somewhat of a mystery. The impact of the disease, what causes it, the different types, its treatments, and what a person living with MS can expect may be a little different for each person.
The first step is to become as educated about the disease as possible. There is always a certain amount of fear after the diagnosis is made. This is natural for both the person with the disease and family members. Learning as much as you can will help tremendously in dealing with the disease. You will undoubtedly come across several drugs and treatments which can help alleviate, delay, or prevent some of the symptoms of the disease. It’s really important to explore the options with your doctor, and once you have settled on a plan with your physician, it is important to follow it every day. Many of the treatments have proven to be very effective in preventing symptoms or lessening the effects and duration once they occur
Laser hair removal might seem like the kind of treatment you don’t think of until it is nearly summer. The thought of shorts, sandals and swimsuits scares most of us into a frenzy of self-improvement, and getting rid of unwanted hair is part of the late-spring ritual. However, to take full advantage of the benefits of laser hair removal, it is important to start thinking about it in the cold days of winter. That’s because for most people, it takes about four treatments every four to six weeks to achieve maximum results. If you plan ahead, most patients will see an 80% permanent reduction in hair growth. That means all that time you save waxing, shaving and plucking you can instead spend sipping frozen drinks by the pool.
According to Katherine Hobson in the October 18, 2007, issue of U.S. News and World Report, “Most women simply don’t think much about heart disease. They’re much more likely to worry about breast cancer, though cardiovascular disease (which includes high blood pressure and stroke) kills almost twice as many American women as all cancers put together. Nearly 1 in 2 will develop it in her lifetime, and 1 in 3 will die from it. Generally, trouble strikes women in their 60s, about a decade later than men, possibly because naturally protective estrogen levels decline. But a lower risk of heart disease at a younger age doesn’t mean women in their 40’s and 50’s don’t have to worry, especially if they’re getting by on fast food and a once-a-month trip to the gym. Indeed, doctors are particularly interested in identifying and preventing disaster in the vast group of women who are at intermediate risk—they have a couple of bad habits and a family history—and are most likely unaware of the consequences. It’s in this group that fully 70 percent of heart attacks occur.”
Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.
“If you don’t like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Healthy eating means choosing a variety of foods from the basic food groups: meat and meat substitutes; dairy; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as breads and pasta; and a limited amount of fats and sweets. As simple as this sounds, it’s not always as easy to get the nutrition you need. You may eat more of your favorite foods from only one food group, and as a result, get less of other food groups. Or perhaps you opt for convenience over quality when you are hungry.
Healthy eating requires a purpose, some planning, and an effort to include a variety of foods in your meals. If you look closely at how you eat, you might find you are not getting enough nutrients, or a balance of nutrients, because you do not consume the recommended number of servings from each food group.
Birds are great additions to your backyard. Putting up bird houses is an excellent way to attract them. However, not all birds opt to nest in bird houses. Birds differ in their habitat preferences and only cavity-dwellers are probably interested in the bird shelters in your backyard. As it is, these cavity-dwellers also have their own specifications about the kind of house they like. These are minor measurements or feature issues but they are important for the birds. However, there are general guidelines in building these houses.
First, it is important to identify the species of birds that visit your backyard. It is also necessary to distinguish which are the cavity-dwellers from the tree and burrow dwellers. Common cavity-dwellers are wrens, chickadees, bluebirds, and flickers. Choose one you like best and focus your bird house design on it. Even if the idea of building multiple bird houses appeal to you, refrain from doing so because birds are territorial animals.
Second, determine the required dimensions of your chosen bird. Forget asking the birds for these because you’ll get no answers. Dimensions of bird houses include entrance-hole, height, depth, and floor size. Smaller birds like wren and chickadees usually prefer 4×4 floor size and a reasonable 8” depth. Consult a bird book or the internet for information regarding the measurements of your bird house.
Third, it is better to use untreated wood and lumber for bird houses. Aside from mimicking the birds’ natural habitat, natural wood also minimizes risks of poisoning and overheating. Treated and processed wood like plywood contains preservatives like formaldehyde, which poses serious health hazards to your feathered friends. Lumber that is classified as pressure-treated often contain toxic chemicals which can poison the nesting birds. Paint is also a no-no. Chipping paint can be mistaken by the bird for food and eat it. Also, metals and plastics are not suitable for building avian shelters since they are both prone to overheating. You would want to provide the birds shelter, not an outdoor oven.
Fourth, in drafting or designing a plan for your bird houses, it is important to consider the birds’ safety against the elements and predators. Slanted roofs are preferable so rain, dirt, and moisture would not collect on top and rot the wood. It is also preferable that the roofs extend over the sides and front.
Perches are not really necessary since cavity-dwellers do not perch. Consider drainage and ventilation needs. Drill small holes on the floor but make sure that these are smaller than the bird’s feet. These holes are also best placed on corners to help in draining water out in case of rain. Baby birds drown easily and a bit of collected rainwater in their shelter is enough to send them to their deaths. Aside from the relatively larger entrance holes, place ventilation holes along the house’s walls or back. These let heat escape to keep the structure comfortably cool. Placing the bird house atop a pole is a good way to discourage predators like cats and raccoons.
Fifth, maintenance and cleanliness are also factors in bird house building. Unkempt bird houses are causes of diseases, according to experts. To help you in maintaining cleanliness in the bird house, add a backdoor. This way, you can easily remove unused nest and disinfect the vacated house. Droppings and other dirt also contribute to the contamination and cleaning these out limits risks of infecting other birds.
With these tips, you are on your way to designing and building your own bird houses this winter for placing in your backyard early in the spring.
The American Cancer Society is pleased to announce Putnam County’s 3rd Annual Walk Against Breast Cancer on Saturday, October 27, 2007, at 10 am at the Hurricane Wave Park. The Pink Ribbon Challenge is a non-competitive walk designed to raise awareness, foster camaraderie and raise funds for breast cancer research, patient services, education, and advocacy. For more information, please contact Terri Francis at 523-7989 or terri.francis@cancer.org.
• Get annual mammograms (beginning at age 40).
• Get tested for colorectal cancer (beginning at age 50).
• Schedule regular pap smears.
• Watch for signs of changes in skin conditions, especially moles that change shape, color, or size.
• Get a second opinion before making any decisions about treatment.