10 Myths About Pet Care That We’ve Believed Were True for Years

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According to estimates, 57 per cent of families worldwide own a cat. And every one of us is trying to give our pets the most love and care we can get. Occasionally, however, we can make mistakes because of common misbelief.

Myth #1. A warm nose means your dog is sick.

There is in fact no evidence that the temperature of your dog’s nose can be of any use in diagnostics. Due to different factors, the temperature may vary: overheating, biology, or even natural variations in temperature during the day.

When you believe your dog is sick, vets will warn you to pay closer attention to their behaviour, eating, drinking, urinating, or defecating. And, of course, use an actual thermometer to assess a dog’s temperature.

Myth #2. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Whether you have enough patience, exercise as much as possible and properly inspire them, dogs are actually trainable, regardless of their age.

And perhaps you’ve heard of Chaser, the best dog in the world, who has achieved senior status and was still learning new tricks even in his old age.

Myth #3. Human food is not harmful to your pet.

There are some things that can be healthy for your cat, including beef, steamed or finely chopped vegetables, and fruit from your own table. Of course, only nutritious leftovers could be a good supplement to the regular fare for your pet and they should have no junk food.

In fact, some of the foods that are totally healthy to humans can cause severe bowel damage to pets, such as bananas, avocados, onions and garlic.

Myth #4. Dogs and cats need vaccination boosters annually.

Even vaccines are very important to the health of your partner. Evidence has shown that a single vaccine for parvovirus, distemper, and panleukopenia leads to long-term disease safety— from 7 years to a lifetime of protection.

A very simple blood test will determine if your pet has adequate antibodies to survive the infection. So, you might ask them to do this blood test first when your doctor is insisting on a booster shot next.

Myth #5. When pets lick their wounds, it speeds up healing.

Licking too much of a wound delays the healing process, rather than speeding it up. In fact, there is a huge risk that an excessively licked wound may become irritated or even contaminated.

Veterinarians advise in the case of small wounds to use antiseptic sprays or washes, but if there is a deep one, a doctor should see it.

Myth #6. It’s OK to keep fish in small glass bowls.

Despite the fact that glass bowls are very common in them to keep fish, such as goldfish, they do make terrible homes for them. Generally, these bowls are small and don’t hold enough water to make a fish feel comfortable. Furthermore, due to the small amount of space, glass bowls do not provide sufficient oxygen which is very important for fish.

If you want a fish as a pet, it would be better to have a rectangular or square tank as it has a larger surface area.

Myth #7. You can teach any parrot to talk.

It is surely true that most parrots are capable of speaking. There are some forms, however, that are not. That’s why you could spend countless hours teaching your pet bird to talk, but the results are not going to be. So it is very important to check and see if your pet can speak at all. But still, some parrots can learn just a few words, while others will speak throughout the day and have a large vocabulary.

Myth #8. Changing foods is bad for your pet’s digestion.

Imagine yourself eating the same meal, every day, 3 times a day? You wouldn’t like it, wouldn’t you? The same goes for your cat. Changing the food of your pet is safe and gives better nutrition, as long as the items are of high quality. For your dog or cat, the variety is essential and they can eat through meals without having any problems.

In addition, veterinarians warn that repetitively feeding them the same food will cause the development of sensitivities in the form of allergies to any specific type of food or protein.

Myth #9. Cats need milk.

Contrary to popular belief, the lactose that standard cow’s milk contains can not be digested by cats. Consuming milk for your pet can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and other bowel problems. Veterinarians also clarify that milk contains much more calories a kitten needs per day.

Myth #10. It’s not safe to sleep with your pet.

If both you and your pet are well, then sleeping in the same bed with your partner is absolutely safe. Furthermore, studies show it’s really good for your health and it helps you relax.

And given the common belief that lying in bed with your dog won’t cause any behavioural problems, so go ahead and spend as much time with your loved one as you want.

When you read this, did you believe in any of these theories, or do you know of any others? Share your advice in the corresponding comment section.