All too frequently we read of sickening cases of cruelty to pets in local and national newspapers. Why is it, we ask, that some ‘human’ creatures inflict suffering upon other creatures that are usually smaller and defenseless? Why do they take pets into their homes only to treat them with less than respect and with a great deal of contempt?

Often the reason these animal abusers obtain a pet is the same reason that they end up treating the animal cruelly. And that reason is control. They may not consciously think “I need something to control so I will get myself a pet”, but the fact remains that rarely do these people keep a pet just for companionship and something to love, but to have a living thing under their control.

People that deliberately hurt animals do so because it gives them a feeling of power. Perhaps these ‘people’ feel undervalued within their family, or within society. Perhaps they have an inflated sense of how much they should be valued. Hence, these sick beings take out their frustrations on helpless pets.

Often sadistic acts of animal abuse are one step away from abusing humans.

In a shocking amount of cases, those that commit terrible acts of violence to people, serial killers, child abusers, spouse beaters and rapists, have a history of animal abuse. As a youth Albert DeSalvo (the Boston strangler) trapped cats and dogs in crates and abused them. Peter Kurten (the Dusseldorf vampire) started torturing dogs as a boy and carried the vile practice into adulthood. Brenda Spencer fired rifle shots at school children, wounding nine and killing two. Neighbors of the murderess reported that she often abused cats and dogs, sometimes by setting their tails on fire.

A study in 1997 discovered that 40% of animal abusers had committed acts of violence against people. In another study, a history of abusing animals was found in 46% of those found guilty of sexual homicide.

The sensational high profile examples, such as serial killers, are but the tip of the iceberg, in many, many cases of spouse battering, child abuse, etc. pet cruelty is also a factor in the home. It’s a sad fact that all too often we read reports in the news papers of someone found guilty of cruelty to their pet which is a sick terrible thing in itself, but often that is only half the story.

In an extensive survey of abused wives who kept pets, over half reveled that their abusing partners had harmed, and in some cases killed, their pets. The fear that the abuser would greatly harm the pet for revenge if she left, kept many of those wives from leaving.

Back in 1837 when Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist he created the character Bill Sykes, who was a violent bully that badly abused his dog Bullseye. True to form, the bullying thug was also violent with people, particularly his lady friend Nancy.

Before the end of the novel Sykes attempts to take the life of the child Oliver, and succeeds in killing Nancy. Dickens knew that those that are cruel to pets are dangerous sick people.

If you know of anyone who harms their pet, or is cruel to an animal in any way, do not hesitate in reporting them to the authorities. In doing so, you may not only be saving the life of an animal but ultimately, a human being.

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Sometimes, it can be hard to tell whether dogs actually have an ailment. Since not everyone takes their dog to the vet on a regular basis, I figured it would be helpful to know more about dog health, recognize symptoms and detect diseases at an early stage.

One of the most common dog diseases I’ve read about is distemper, which is a viral infection. If your dog suffers from diarrhea, fever, heavy nasal discharge and coughing, then your dog may have possibly been infected by another animal. Distemper is a really fatal disease, and unfortunately, all we can do is prevent it and protect our pets from it through proper vaccination.

The Parvovirus attacks a dog’s intestinal tract, making it more prone to an infection. Symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection are vomiting, diarrhea where the discharge has a foul smell and is often with blood. The virus can also attack the cardiac system, in which case the dog will have difficulty breathing (caused by an inflammation of heart muscles). If you suspect that your pet has been infected by the Parvovirus, contact your vet immediately so he can initiate the treatment right away. This virus can manifest symptoms within just a few hours, which also means though that if left undetected even for just a couple of days, the results could be fatal.

One common respiratory disease among canines is the Kennel cough. It is a type of bronchitis that is caused by a complex of infections that dogs can be exposed to when kept in areas with poor air circulation and warm air. Again, vaccination is the best way to keep your dog from being infected. But once you suspect that your dog may already have the Kennel cough, you should take your pet to the vet where it will be given proper antibiotics. Your dog may also be given cough suppressants to give your dog relief from constant coughing while recovering from the infection.

Lastly, the following are some symptoms that when manifested, it means you’ve got no time to lose in asking your vet for help:

Vomiting or Diarrhea – especially when discharge is bloody
Difficulty urinating – bloody urine, loss of appetite
Unusual eye conditions – blinking more than normal, scratching or rubbing the eyes
Foul discharge – inflamed skin, excessive licking of wounds (especially old wounds)
Physical trauma – difficulty with movement, difficulty urinating, coughing

The one thing that all complications in dog health have is that they can all be prevented with proper pet care, meaning getting your dog the vaccinations he needs at the right age and at the proper intervals. Another thing is that pet care is especially important when your pet is still at a young age, because this is when even minor infections can bring your pet’s life in danger.

I personally find that knowing what to look for and what to do when you find something takes a lot of worries from my head since I’m not able to take my puppies to the vet on a regular basis.

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Boosting the immune system of your pet is important for biochemical reactions. The immune system is constantly protecting them from parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Boosting their immune system will help to overpower bacteria, destroy toxins, and kill viruses. In a weak immune system all those bad things lie toxins and bacteria can pass by the immune defending cells and create disorders. Disorders that can happen in your pets are fungi, yeast infections, eczema, ear infections, slowly healing wounds, food allergies, arthritis, and mange.

Not getting the proper nutrients is the main cause of immune system problems in dogs and cats. Thus, poor nutrition and continuously feeding the wrong food will weaken the immune system. When pets take medication or eat poisons their livers produce extra enzymes to detoxify them. So the reason a pet gets sick is that something is interfering with the bodies natural healing powers.

Sure Antibiotics can fight an infection but they are not affecting what weakened the immune system in the first place. Things like diet, stress, and exercise play an important role in determining whether a pet gets sick or stays healthy. Making sure that you play with them and take them for walks can keep them in shape.

Certain diets can make your pet vulnerable to diseases and sickness. Most pet are fed commercial foods that are filled with dyes, preservatives, and additives. Not to mention the chemicals that is put in the food as well. The artificial ingredients themselves can cause an immune response that can make a pet sick. The only time your pet can make enough antibodies is when it is healthy and well-fed. This does not mean over fed, which most pet owners are known to do as well.

A balanced level of minerals, vitamins, and nutrients is essential for boosting the immune system of your pet. Some things that you can do to boost the immune system of your pet is feed a raw food diet. The body of a dog or cat was designed to digest raw foods. They have been digesting raw meat and foods since they have been put on this earth. Since the domestication of dogs and cats we are now feeding them the crap in commercial dog foods. Now that you think about it same goes for us, our bodies aren’t made to digest preservatives, additives, and chemicals. Wild animals are not inundated with the disorders that affect our domesticated animals.

There are some natural dog foods that are out there that can be fed instead of a raw food diet as well. Adding a nutritional supplement to your pet’s diet can help too. It should contain things like vitamin C, Omega fatty acids, zinc, neem, and potassium and magnesium. Vitamin C is a great antiviral and antibacterial vitamin. Neem boost the production of T cells that defend the body when attacks on the immune system happen. Omega fatty acids promote good skin and coat health. Zinc can prevent infection and aide in healing wounds and develops white blood cells.

Alterative Health Supplements offers a variety of pet products that can increase the health of your pet. Immupet is great for boosting the immune system of your pet. It stimulates the heightened production of antibodies to fight for better health and stronger immunity for you pet. It will give them more energy and help them live a longer, healthier, happier life. It is a liver flavored chewable tablet that your pet can take everyday. It is recommended that one tablet is administered for every 25 pounds of weight.

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