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What is fenbendazole? How does fenbendazole work?

panacur fenbendazole

The best broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic for Dogs, for Cats, for Fish and Chickens is Fenbendazole

Fenbendazole is a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic used against gastrointestinal parasites including: giardia, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, the tapeworm genus Taenia (but not effective against Dipylidium caninum, a common dog tapeworm), pinworms, aelurostrongylus, paragonimiasis, strongyles, and strongyloides that can be administered to sheep, cattle, horses, fish, dogs, cats, rabbits, and seals.

In this article, we would like to tell you a little about such an affordable and at the same time very effective veterinary remedy as Fenbendezole. To begin with, we would like to say a few words about its pharmacological properties.

Pharmacological (biological) properties and effects of Fenbendazole (Panacur)

panacur fenbendazole
Panacur C (fenbendazole)

 

Fenbendezole is an anthelmintic of the benzimidazole group. Fenbendazole (5-phenyl-thio-2-benzimidazole carbamate) has a wide spectrum of nematodocidal and cestodocidal action, is active against adult forms, larvae and eggs of gastrointestinal and lung nematodes, as well as cestodes that are parasitic in animals.

The mechanism of action of fenbendazole is the destruction of microtubules in the intestinal cells of helminths and disruption of energy processes, which leads to the death of parasites.

When administered orally, fenbendazole is easily absorbed in the intestine and distributed in the organs and tissues of the animal; it is excreted from the body in unchanged form and as metabolites, mainly with bile and partially with urine, in lactating animals also with milk.

In the recommended doses, it is very well tolerated by animals without any side effects.

Indications for use of the drug FENBENDAZOLE

This drug is prescribed to young cattle, sheep, goats, foals, piglets, dogs and cats for therapeutic and preventive purposes.:

— nematodes;

— cestodoses.

Application procedure

Fenbendezole is administered to animals according to the type and dosage of Fenbendazole (powder, tablets, capsules …), in the following doses. Young cattle with moniesiasis – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal weight; with dictyocaulosis, haemonhoses, bunostomiasis, esophagostomiasis, nematodyrosis, ostertagiasis, habertiosis, cooperiosis and strongyloidiasis – 150 mg per 20 kg of animal weight.

Sheep and goats with moniesiosis – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal weight; with dictyocaulosis, hemonchosis, bunostomosis, esophagostomosis, nematodirosis, ostertagiosis, trichostrongyloidosis, habertiosis, cooperiosis, strongyloidosis – 150 mg per 30 kg of animal weight.

Foals with paraskaridosis and strongylatosis – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal weight.

Piglets with ascariasis, esophagostomosis, strongyloidosis, trichocephalosis, metastrongyloidosis – 150 mg per 30 kg of animal weight.

Adult dogs and cats with toxocarosis, toxascaridosis, hookworm, uncinariosis, dipilidiosis, teniidosis – 150 mg per 1.5 kg of animal weight.

Puppies and kittens (aged over 3 weeks) with toxocarosis, toxascaridosis, hookworm, uncinariosis, dipilidiosis and teniidosis 1 time/day for 3 consecutive days in a single dose of 150 mg per 3 kg of animal weight.

Special diets and laxatives are not required before deworming.

Side effect

Side effects and complications when using fenbendazole in accordance with the indications and dosage regimen, as a rule, are not observed.

With increased individual sensitivity of the animal to fenbendazole and the appearance of allergic reactions, the use of the drug is discontinued.

Symptoms of overdose in animals were not detected.

Contraindications to the use of the drug FENBENDAZOLE

— individual hypersensitivity of the animal to fenbendazole.

Do not use the drug:

— emaciated and sick with infectious diseases animals;

— puppies and kittens younger than 3 weeks of age.

Special instructions and personal prevention measures

Slaughter of animals for meat is allowed no earlier than 14 days after deworming. In case of forced slaughter before the deadline, the meat can be used as food for carnivores or for the production of meat and bone meal.

Milk from dairy animals should not be used for food purposes within 3 days after deworming. Milk obtained earlier than the deadline can be used after heat treatment in animal feed.

It is forbidden to smoke drink or eat while working with the medicine. At the end of work, wash your hands with warm water and soap.

If you decide to deworm your animal with Fenbendezole, you can safely recommend the following products, but please note that fenebendazole exists in different forms (powder, tablets, capsules, liquid), first decide in what form it will be more convenient for you to give it. From myself, I would like to make a small note that Fenbendezole in the form of capsules is very convenient to use, except for the smallest animals.

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Parasites in Fish ? Bendazole (Fenbendazole) ? Panacur

Parasites in Fish

Most of the drugs listed below are anthelmintic (antihelminthic) drugs. These are chemical preparations that effectively destroy various parasitic helminths (“worms”). With regard to fish parasites, this group includes trematodes, nematodes and cestodes (tapeworms). These medicines are given to the fish by mouth with food, although some are also effective in the form of baths. Anthelmintics used for bath treatments have been shown to be effective against non-helminth ectoparasites such as Argulus or Argulus carp lice. If the dosage for a specific drug is not listed, you should consult your veterinarian.

Many of the anthelmintic drugs used to treat fish are also used in humans, so in some countries they can only be obtained through a veterinarian. Other such agents, for example trichlorfon, are organophosphorus compounds. These are extremely toxic chemicals, and their sale is highly regulated.

It is important to remember that the life cycle of ectoparasites is quite complex and includes many stages. Some stages are resistant to chemicals, others are more vulnerable. Since resistant stages can remain viable for a long time, re-treatment is often necessary to completely eradicate the parasites.

In addition to the chemicals listed below, there are a number of specialty aquarium medicines on the market for some of the larger ectoparasites. They should be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. It is very important to follow through with the recommended course of treatment. Allow enough time for the eggs or cysts that are resistant to chemicals to hatch into larvae.

Bendazole Fenbendazole (Panacur)


Fenbendazole is used primarily to treat worms in horses. In addition, it is useful in the fight against fish nematodes such as Camallanus. It can be purchased as an equine anthelmintic. In the aquarium hobby, this medicine is used as a powder or granule, not a dough. A three-week course of treatment is carried out by the method of long baths with a dose of 2 – 3 mg/liter, and on the 7th and 14th days, the procedure is repeated.

Fenbendazole (PANACUR) aquarium dosage

Also be aware that fenbendazole seems to soak into the porous live rock and be absorbed indefinitely. I know one hobbyist who transferred a small piece of live rock that had been treated with fenbendazole (Panacur) months earlier into a reef tank, where it killed the resident starfish and Astrea snails. So enough of the medication may be retained within treated live rock to impact sensitive animals months after the fenbendazole was administered. Don’t treat live rock intended for reef systems with fenbendazole (Panacur)!

At the lower dosage recommended for nursery tanks (1/16 tsp. Per 10 gallons), fenbendazole normally does not harm cleaner shrimp and decorative shrimp. With the exception of Astrids (Astrea), Coit and Worden have found it does not usually affect the types of snails typically used as cleanup crews (e.g., Nassarius, Ceriths, and Nerites). It will kill starfish but copepods, hermit crabs, and shrimp are normally not affected.

Macroalgae such as the feathery or long-bladed varieties of Caulerpa or Hawaiian Ogo (Gracilaria) are not harmed by exposure to fenbendazole at even triple the normal dose. In fact, if you will be using Caulerpa in your nursery tanks to provide hitching posts for the fry and serve as a form of natural filtration, it’s a very wise precaution indeed to treat them with a regimen of fenbendazole beforehand.

fenbendazole panacur suspension safe guard dog pharmacyFenbendazole 10% fish bendazole Liquid SUSPENSION PANACUR

So fenbendazole (FBZ) or Panacur is primarily useful for ridding bare-bottomed nursery tanks and dwarf seahorses setups of hydroids and Aiptasia anemones, ridding Caulerpa and other macroalge of hydroids or Aiptasia before its goes into the aquarium, and cleansing live rock of bristle worms, hydroids, and Aiptasia rock anemones before it is introduced to the aquarium.  If you are serious about raising seahorse fry, fenbendazole is must-have med for keeping your nurseries hydroid free.

It can also be used to eradicate bristle worms, hydroids, an Aiptasia from an established aquarium if it does not house sensitive animals such as live corals and gorgonians, starfish, Astrea snails, or tubeworms and other desirable worms that may be harmed by FBZ, providing you monitor the ammonia levels closely and are prepared to deal with the ammonia spike that may result from the sudden death of the worm population.

Caution: For aquarium and ornamental fish only. not for human use. keep out of the reach of children. keep the container tightly closed and in a cool dry place. not to be given to fish intended for food use.

 
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Fenbendazole – a reliable vet assistant

Fenbendazole
Fenbendazole

Fenbendazole for cats and Dogs

Most shelter workers have heard of the magic known as fenbendazole – is one of my favorite antiparasitic-and is a great drug for many reasons. It is generally considered a safe drug, toxicity occurs only in overdose 100x and exotic species. Fenbendazole is not systemically absorbed and more than 50% out of the animal feces. It should be administered for at least 3 days to kill parasites, as it has to stop cell division for some time before it becomes fatal to the parasite. 

Fenbendazole is labeled for use in cows, horses, pigs and dogs; but it has also been used in cats, sheep, birds, reptiles and fish. It is marked to kill roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms some, but is not effective against the most common tapeworms, and therefore should not be relied upon to kill the tapes. increased use of fenbendazole in shelters is to kill whipworms, Giardia, and lungworms.

Fun fact: In the treatment of whipworm (Trichuris Vulpis) You may have heard of the rule of 3, try for three days, then repeat a course of three days in three weeks and again at three months. It is an easy treatment regimen and commonly recited, but did you know there is actually a scientific reason not to try this way know? Whipworm takes 3 months to mature from an egg to an adult. If you kill adults on day 1, then three weeks later there will be some immature adults who have matured, but you still have eggs and larvae of worms present. Wait up to 3 months and then try again, and do not bother with the treatment of three weeks.

Fenbendazole (carbamate 5-phenyl-thio-2-benzimidazole) has a broad spectrum of effects and cestocidal nematocides, is active against adult forms, larvae and eggs of gastrointestinal and lung and cestode parasites in animals. 
The mechanism of action of fenbendazole is the destruction of microtubules in cells of intestinal worms and disruption of energy processes, leading to the death of the parasites. 
When administered orally, fenbendazole is easily absorbed in the intestine and is distributed in organs and tissues of the animal; excreted from the body in unaltered form and as metabolites, mainly in the bile and urine partially in animals also varnished milk.

Young cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs and cats are prescribed for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes in the case of: 
– nematodes; 
– cestodoses.

Enter the animals once, by force to the root of the tongue in the following doses. 
Young cattle monieziosis – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal body weight; with dictyocaulosis, hemonkhoze, Bunostomiasis, esophagostomosis, nematodirosis, ostertagiasis, habertiosis, cooperiosis and strongyloidiasis – 150 mg per 20 kg of animal weight. 
Sheep and goats with moniesiosis – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal body weight; if dictyocaulosis, hemonhose, bunostomiasis, esophagostomiasis, nematodirosis, ostertagiasis, trichostrongiloidosis, habertiosis, cooperiosis, strongyloidiasis – 150 mg per 30 kg of animal weight. 
Foals with parascariasis strongyles and – 150 mg per 15 kg of animal weight.
Piglet with ascariasis, esophagostomiasis, strongyloidiasis, trichocephalosis, metastrongyloidosis – 150 mg per 30 kg of animal weight. 
Adult dogs and cats toxocariasis, Toxascaris, ankilostomiasis, Uncinaria, dipilidiosis, taeniasis – 150 mg per 1.5 kg of animal weight. 
Puppies and kittens (more than 3 weeks old) with toxocariasis toxascaridoz, ancylostomiasis, uncinariosis, dipilidiosis and taeniasis 1 time/day for 3 days in a row in a single dose of 150 mg per 3 kg animal weight. 
A special diet and use laxatives before deworming is required.

Fenbendazole 222 Helmintazole
Fenbendazole 222 Helmintazole

Side effects

Side effects and complications in the use of fenbendazole in accordance with the indications and dosing regimen generally not observed. 
With increased individual sensitivity of the animal to fenbendazole and allergic reactions, drug use stops. 
Overdose symptoms in animals have not been identified.


Contraindications to the use of drug Fenbendazole

– Individual animal hypersensitivity to fenbendazole. 
Do not use the medicine: 
– animals exhausted and suffering from infectious diseases; 
– Puppies and kittens under 3 weeks of age.

Simultaneous use with bromsalanflucicides is not recommended, as in cattle with this interaction, there were cases of abortion and death in sheep. 
Slaughter of animals for meat is permitted no earlier than 14 days after deworming. In the case of the forced slaughter of a predetermined period, the meat can be used as food for carnivores or for the production of meat and bone. 
Milk of dairy animals to be used for food purposes within 3 days after worming is prohibited. The milk obtained earlier than the prescribed period may be used after heat treatment as animal feed. 
No smoking, drinking or eating food while working with the drug. At the end of the work, wash hands with soap and warm water.

You can buy a lot of different quality products with an active ingredient Fenbendazole at Homelabvet site.

The most popular products are Helmintazole 200, Helmintazole 250 Pro, Helmintazole 500, Helmintazole 222, Panacur, and many other products that you can check at the site.

Sincerely, Your Homelabvet.

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Healthiest Human Food Dogs Can Eat

Healthiest Human Food Dogs Can Eat

There are plenty of people foods we’d love to share with our dogs, but some are much healthier than others. In fact, some foods are even toxic to our dogs. But fear not, there are certain human snacks that can actually benefit our four-legged friends. To see what they are, check out this list of the healthiest human food dogs can eat:

(As always, practice moderation and check with your vet before making any dietary changes.)

  1. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter is one of the best treats to give to dogs because it lasts them so long! Plus, its packed full of protein, healthy fats, niacin, vitamin B and vitamin E. Unsalted peanut butter is the best, as too much salt is just as bad for dogs as it is for people. Make sure you check your peanut butter to make sure it DOES NOT contain sugar substitutes like Xylitol, which can be deadly for dogs.
  2. Chicken. Chicken can be fed to our dogs a variety of ways. Cooked chicken meat is a perfectly suitable snack or meal additive, but cooked bones should never be fed to dogs. On the other hand, both raw chicken and raw chicken bones are healthy for our dogs to eat. Cooked bones splinter and can be dangerous, while raw bones are soft and chewy.
  3.  
  4. Cheese. (Note: some dogs are lactose intolerant, and any dairy products should be given in small amounts.) If your dog is not lactose intolerant, cheese is an excellent treat choice. Cottage cheese is fed often by many dog owners because it’s high in protein, calcium and is bland and easy to digest. 
  5. Carrots. Carrots are high in fiber and vitamin A while being low in calories, so they make a great snack for your pooch. Chewing raw carrots is also beneficial for your dog’s teeth. If you’ve got an overweight dog, carrots are a great choice for treats because of their low calorie content. 
  6. Yogurt. Yogurt is full of protein, calcium and digestive cultures and is an excellent way to improve your pup’s digestive health. Make sure the yogurt you choose includes live active cultures and is non-fat with no sweetener or flavor. 
  7. Pumpkin. Canned pumpkin or fresh, cooked pumpkin with no added sugars and spices is a great choice for dogs with a sensitive stomach. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber.
  8. Eggs. Eggs can be fed raw or cooked and both have great health benefits. Raw eggs should also be fed with a shell, giving the full amount of biotin, protein, riboflavin and selenium. Cooked eggs should be prepared plain with no salt, pepper or any other seasoning.
  9. Green beans. Green beans are highly recommended by veterinarians for owners looking to help their dogs lose weight. They are very high in fiber but low in calories, making them a healthy treat alternative that’s filling but won’t add any weight. 
  10. Salmon. Salmon is very high in health omega-3 fatty acids and is typically the fish used to make fish oils for our pets. Whether you want to give your pooch unseasoned cooked salmon or some capsules, you’ll be providing healthy vitamins for them. Do not give your dog uncooked salmon for any reason.  
  11. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes work similarly to pumpkin as they are high in vitamin A, fiber and other nutrients. They are easily digestible when steamed or baked, served unseasoned. 
  12. Apples. Sliced apples are a healthy and tasty treat for dogs that are full of phytonutrients, vitamin A and vitamin C. They can be given with the skin on, but avoid feeding the seeds as they naturally contain cyanide.
  13. Oatmeal. Oatmeal is found in many dog foods and for those not sensitive to grains, it can be a healthy additive to your dog’s meal. Not only is it packed with vitamins and minerals, it’s an excellent source of dietary fiber. 
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Animal Cancer Treatment

animal-cancer treatment fenbendazole
fenbendazole

Animal Cancer Treatment

Your veterinarian has several options for treating pets with cancer. There are 3 common treatment options for animal cancers: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy). Each of these options can be used alone or in combination with other treatments. The specific treatment program your veterinarian will recommend will depend on the specifics of your pet’s condition. In selecting the treatment, your veterinarian will consider the type of cancer, how quickly it grows and spreads (the stage or grade of the cancer), and the location of the cancer.

The goal of any cancer treatment program is to completely and permanently eradicate the cancer. Sadly, a complete cure is often not possible. For pets whose cancer cannot be cured, the veterinary team can provide treatment to minimize the animal’s pain and discomfort and enhance its quality of life.

Oncology is the medical specialty that deals with all aspects of cancer in both humans and animals. Veterinary oncologists are veterinarians who study cancer in animals, including prevention, development, diagnosis, and treatment. A veterinary oncologist may be a part of the medical team treating your pet or the treatment may be conducted by your regular veterinarian and veterinary clinic staff.

Surgery

Surgery is considered the cornerstone for treating most cancers in animals. It is one of the oldest forms of cancer treatment and frequently the most effective one. Today, surgery may be combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, depending on the characteristics of the case.

When cancer surgery is performed, the main goal is usually to remove all the cancerous cells in the animal’s body. Sometimes, if the cancer is detected early (before it grows too large or spreads to other parts of the body), surgery can completely cure the animal. Other goals of cancer surgery can include removing an unsightly tumor to improve the animal’s appearance or comfort or removal of a tumor that is interfering with the animal’s normal body functions. These goals can improve the quality of life for the animal.

Surgery is most successful when the cancer involves a tumor that has not spread beyond its original location. Unfortunately, however, not all tumors can be surgically removed. Some are in inaccessible sites. And, there are times when the costs to the animal might outweigh the benefits. For example, removing a large tumor might require removing a vital organ or may cause a pet to lose a vital body function. If the cancer is in more than one location or has spread (metastasized), then surgery is not as likely to be an effective treatment.

biopsy is a surgical procedure in which a piece of a tumor is removed for study and analysis by a pathologist. The pathologist’s report will provide important information such as the type of cancer and its characteristics. Combined with information about the size and location of the cancer, your veterinarian can develop the best treatment program for your pet.

Even if surgery cannot be used to completely remove a tumor, it can be used to remove part of a tumor, a process known as debulking. There are several possible benefits to debulking. First, partially removing a tumor can reduce the signs of cancer and make the animal more comfortable through improved mobility or reduced pain. Debulking can also be used to improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy or chemotherapy. These cancer treatments have the greatest chance for success when fewer cancer cells are present.

Surgery may also be prescribed by your veterinarian to manage or reduce the side effects of other treatments. During radiation therapy, for example, normal, healthy tissue may be damaged. Removal of the damaged tissue will encourage more rapid healing. In other cases, the surgical placement of a feeding tube may be necessary when either the cancer or its treatment makes normal eating physically impossible or very painful.

Pain management is an important part of surgical treatment . After the surgery, medication is usually provided to reduce pain and make the animal more comfortable.

Radiation Therapy

One of the most common treatments for cancer in both humans and animals is radiation therapy. This treatment is sometimes also called x-ray therapy, radioisotope irradiation, or cobalt therapy.

Cancer cells divide more frequently than normal cells. Cancer cells also have a weakness; they do not recover from radiation damage as quickly or completely as normal cells. Radiation works as a treatment for cancer because it kills cells that divide rapidly or, in other cases, because it damages the cancer cells so severely that they cannot divide and grow. Radiation therapists work to deliver just enough radiation to the cancer cells to destroy or injure them and prevent them from reproducing.

Radiation therapy is often used in addition to treatment with surgery or chemotherapy or both. The therapy or combination of therapies prescribed for a particular animal will be selected by your veterinarian based on which options offer the best chance of controlling or eradicating your pet’s cancer. For brain tumors, nasal tumors, and other tumors in the head and neck, radiation therapy may be the treatment of choice. For cancers of the spine or pelvis, it may be the only practical treatment option.

Great strides have been made in recent years in radiation therapy. There has been a dramatic improvement in the sophistication of radiation therapy equipment and methods and a parallel rise in its success in eradicating cancer. Pet owners have also increased their requests for this treatment for their pets. However, radiation therapy is not a cure-all for cancer. Not all cancers are easily killed by radiation. Some cancers are highly resistant to radiation therapy and cancers of these types cannot be treated effectively with radiation. Thus, whether or not radiation therapy will be prescribed will depend, to a great extent, on the type of cancer to be treated.

Often, radiation therapy is used to either help make chemotherapy more effective or to decrease the size of a tumor in order to make surgical removal possible or more likely to succeed. Thus, radiation therapy is frequently used as a part of a combination treatment program.

Radiation therapy is not administered in a single “zap.” It is delivered in a series of doses over an extended period. By administering the radiation in this way, the killing effect on the cancer cells is maximized while the toxic effects on healthy cells are minimized. This schedule allows healthy cells to repair themselves after radiation exposure. The exact dose and the schedule for delivery will be carefully set based on the type of cancer being treated, how advanced the cancer is, the animal’s response to radiation therapy, and the goal of the treatment. For example, if the treatment goal is to reduce the size of a tumor prior to surgery, the treatment dose and schedule will be different than if the goal is to completely eradicate a tumor. Overall, a radiation therapy program will typically involve 5 doses per week for a period of 4 to 6 weeks.

A cancer cure is not the only possible goal for radiation therapy. In some cases, the radiation therapy goal is to provide some relief from the impact of a tumor or from the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. These steps may allow the animal to feel better even if its life is not lengthened by the treatment.

Great accuracy is required to target the radiation to destroy cancer cells while protecting healthy cells. However, even with great care and accuracy, radiation can damage normal cells close to the cancer. The cells most likely to be damaged are those that normally divide rapidly. These include the lining of the mouth, esophagus, and intestines; hair follicles; bone marrow; and the skin. Radiation can also damage the ovaries or testes.

There are some recognized adverse effects from radiation therapy. The extent and severity of these effects will depend on the size of the area being treated, the dose administered, and the location being radiated. When the radiation site is near sensitive tissues, the effects are likely to be more severe and prolonged. For example, treatment for tumors on the head or neck often causes damage to the overlying skin. Treatment of head tumors may cause inflammation or irritation of the lining of the mouth. For animals with this condition, a feeding tube may be recommended to reduce the discomfort of eating with a sore mouth. Dry eye is another side effect associated with radiation to the head. It is caused by a decrease in tear production due to the impact of radiation on the eyelids. This can sometimes be a permanent condition. Eye drops and other medications are available to help prevent sores from developing and relieve eye irritation. Radiation to any portion of the digestive tract may cause irritation resulting in nausea, lack of appetite, or diarrhea. For these animals, a change in diet may help control the signs.

Chemotherapy

Certain drugs destroy cancer cells. This type of treatment is called chemotherapy. It can be used to manage and treat several types of cancer. When it is used, the most common treatment goal is to shrink, stop the growth of, or destroy the cancer without longterm negative effects on the quality of life for the animal. Veterinarians will prescribe chemotherapy based on the type of cancer to be treated, the stage of the cancer, the overall condition of the animal to be treated, and any financial constraints that may be present.

In an ideal situation, a chemotherapy drug would kill cancer cells in an animal’s body without harming normal healthy cells. Few such drugs have been found. Today, the drugs selected for chemotherapy have been designed to be more damaging to cancer cells than to normal cells. They specifically target cells that divide and grow rapidly. Normal cells will be affected to some extent by chemotherapy drugs; sometimes the drugs can have adverse effects.

Chemotherapy drugs are delivered either through the mouth or by injection. If injection is used, it can be into a vein (intravenous), muscle (intramuscular), or under the skin (subcutaneous). The delivery method will be selected with the comfort and quality of life for the pet in mind balanced against the goal of effective delivery of the drugs.

Some cancers do not respond to chemotherapy. How a cancer responds to a particular drug will depend on the type, size, rate of growth and spread, and location of the cancer. These factors are some of the most important ones in the selection of chemotherapy drugs, their combination, and their dosage. As is the case with other cancer treatments, chemotherapy is most effective when the tumor is small, is at an early stage in development, and has not spread to other parts of the body. When these conditions exist, most cancer cells divide quickly and the chemotherapy drugs are able to kill a larger number of the cancer cells.

Chemotherapy alone usually cannot cure cancer in pets. It is used most often to control cancer and its spread. Thus, chemotherapy is often used to treat cancers that affect the whole body, such as cancer of the lymphatic system (lymphoma). In other cases, chemotherapy is used to fight the remaining cancer cells when a tumor cannot be completely removed with surgery. Chemotherapy is also used to fight types of cancer that spread around the body early in their development.

Many of the chemotherapy drugs used to control cancer in people are used for the same purpose in pets. However, animals require dosages that are adjusted for their size and body type. In most cases, a combination of drugs will be used. Your veterinarian will evaluate the individual cancer and the particular needs of your pet when selecting the drug combination, dosage, and administration schedule. Quality of life issues, medical and nutritional support concerns, and pain control are other considerations that the prescribing veterinarian must evaluate when selecting a chemotherapy program. In all cases, your veterinarian must weigh the expected benefits of the drugs with possible adverse effects to select the most appropriate treatment for your pet. The veterinarian will carefully monitor your pet’s physical and behavioral response to the treatment and adjust the dosage to maximize the effect on the cancer while reducing the side effects.

While improvements have been made in chemotherapy for humans—many of the well-known side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and fatigue have been reduced in recent years—people still regard chemotherapy as a distinctly unpleasant experience. Animals generally appear able to tolerate chemotherapy better than people, but treatment with some chemotherapy drugs may lead to vomiting or a lack of interest in food. This side effect can be treated with anti-nausea medicine. Intravenous fluids can be used to control such side effects as vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Some chemotherapy drugs may cause a reduction in the number of red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (leukopenia), or the cells that clot blood (platelets). The loss of white blood cells is probably the most significant of these effects because white blood cell loss lowers your pet’s ability to fight off infections. Your veterinarian will monitor your pet’s condition by taking blood samples. If the white blood cell count becomes too low, antibiotics may be prescribed to prevent infections. For animals with a low platelet count, there is an increased risk of bleeding.

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy among people. This is less common in pets, though it varies among breeds.

Dogs and cats receiving chemotherapy usually have good to excellent quality of life throughout the treatment program. Side effects, if any, are usually mild. The risk of life-threatening adverse effects is estimated at less than 5% for most types of chemotherapy. The most risky side effects can often be anticipated and either controlled or prevented entirely. If your pet will be undergoing chemotherapy, you should discuss the treatment program with your veterinarian in advance. You need to come to a mutual understanding about what can be expected for your pet and the level of risk that can be accepted.

Chemotherapy may be stopped before the end of the scheduled treatment program if the cancer being treated is not affected by the drugs or starts regrowing following a period of remission. A prescribed chemotherapy program may also be stopped when the animal has received the maximum acceptable total dose for a particular drug or if there are unacceptable adverse effects.

Combination Therapy

The term combination therapy refers to the use of 2 or more treatment options in the fight against cancer. Today, combination therapy is the most frequently used approach to treat cancer in pets. It offers the best opportunity to cure the cancer while maintaining the best possible quality of life for the animal.

Combination chemotherapy offers many advantages over single drug treatment programs. For example, when multiple chemotherapy drugs are used, and each one uses a different mechanism to kill cancer cells, it is less likely that the cancer will become drug resistant. This improves the chances that the treatment will be successful. Also, a combination of drugs can target different cancerous sites, increasing the likelihood of controlling any spread of the cancer. When using drugs with different side effects in combination, the probability is high that any side effects will be no worse than with a single drug given separately. These benefits combine to make a combination therapy program the best choice in many cases.

There is no single best treatment for all cancers. For some cancers, the best approach is one that combines surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Tumors and other cancers that are confined to a localized area are often best treated with surgery or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy has the advantage of treating cancer cells that have spread from their original location. In other cases, radiation or chemotherapy is used to shrink a tumor to a size that makes surgical removal possible or more likely to succeed. Radiation or chemotherapy may be used following surgery to kill any cancer cells that may remain.

The stage of cancer development is a factor in selecting the treatment, whether a single treatment mode or a combination of treatment methods. For animals with advanced cancers that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation therapy, combination chemotherapy can be used to reduce the signs of the disease and prolong life.

Prospects for a Cure

During the past century, researchers have made enormous strides toward finding a cure for cancer. But we are not there yet. There is no single and complete cure for cancer in either humans or animals. However, much has been learned about managing and treating this ancient disease. Veterinarians have been successful in using surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy to cure many animal cancers. Meanwhile, research is continuing and the prospects for better cancer treatments are strong.

Also, there are a lot of animal diseases associated with helminths and different types of worms and they can be treated by fenbendazole.

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Choosing a Kitten

fenbendazole for kitten panacur
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Choosing a Kitten

You have decided you want to share your life with a kitten and be responsible for it all through cat-hood. Your commitment could last for the next 14 to 15 years or even longer. This is a serious undertaking and you want to get it as right as you can.
There are lots of places to go and get a kitten but once you have made this decision, you have to choose one individual.

More often than not it is looks that we go for – a particular favourite colour or marking. However, there is much more to it than that – what do you ask and what do you look for? You want to know about the kitten’s personality, the kitten’s needs and the kitten’s health.

What shapes a kitten’s personality?

Think of the different cats you have met in your life. Some have been extra friendly, some nervous or fearful, some bold, some even perhaps aggressive. The cats we come across in our lives can vary from pet cats to community cats to wild living or feral cats. How they have come to be those cats depends on their parents, where they were born, how much handling they have had, and what experiences they had both at an early age and later in life. All of these things can have a profound effect.

A pet cat could be defined as one that’s happy to be around people and to interact with them – just what most of us want. However, at the other end of the spectrum is the feral cat, an amazing creature which, although it looks exactly the same as a pet cat and is of the same species, can behave very differently – in fact, more like a cat belonging to a wild species (more of this later).

Cats have a wide range of personalities. How confident or fearful a cat is in adulthood will be affected by what happens in kittenhood. Much of this ‘personality’ development has already taken place before we get our kitten. For the cat, learning to enjoy the company of people takes place pretty early in its life – somewhere from about three weeks to seven or eight weeks old. During this time the kitten hasn’t yet learned to fear everything, and its mind is open to forming bonds with other animals or people and learning how to deal with new experiences without being overwhelmed by them. Think about human children when they’re toddlers, and how fearless they often are – running off without a care, touching and tasting everything, falling over and getting up again. But as they get older they begin to worry and look for reassurance when they do things.

If kittens don’t experience people or human things during the early weeks of their lives they may never be able to see them as part of ‘normal’ life. Whatever happens in the feline mind as it matures in the first couple of months, it learns to avoid and fear things that aren’t familiar to it and this then seems to be fairly fixed thereafter. So a kitten which hasn’t been handled by people, met dogs or experienced everyday things such as vacuum cleaners, doorbells, children laughing and screaming and so on, may automatically find them very threatening and react accordingly. The cat may try to avoid any interaction with things it fears, perhaps hiding away or being aggressive if it’s pursued to be stroked. This often happens with kittens born to stray or feral cats which don’t meet people at an early age. People think that they are being kind in trying to nurture or ‘tame’ such cats, but often they are causing great stress. The cat’s mind doesn’t really have the ability to respond because the pathways weren’t created when it was young enough. Cats do continue to learn beyond eight weeks of age, but if the fundamentals are missing there may be little or nothing to build upon. So a fearful kitten is likely to be a fearful cat and no amount of love from an owner may have a great effect on this.

The point of this discussion about cat personality is to try and help new owners to understand what shapes the potential personality of a cat in relation to being a pet cat and living closely with people. Most owners want a cat that enjoys being with them and their family and friends. If you choose a fearful kitten because you feel sorry for it, and think that just by being kind you’ll bring it around, you may have a long and disappointing relationship. The kitten may actually develop into a very stressed adult because you’re asking it to live in a household that holds many fearful challenges for it. On the other hand, if you live a very quiet life and want a cat that’s not too demanding and will gradually get used to you and won’t be challenged by noisy teenagers or loud music, banging doors or lots of visitors, a rather less robust character may suit perfectly. If you want a cat that lives outdoors most of the time and simply want to respect it as a cat, appreciate its mousing activities and feed and care for it at a distance it’s comfortable with, then there are some less people-orientated kittens that will grow into cats which will be very happy to live this type of life.

Armed with this understanding you can approach a rehoming/rescue organisation, or a breeder or answer an advert in a newspaper and ask questions to ascertain if the kitten has had the right early experiences to fit in with your needs and lifestyle. Choosing a kitten should involve your brain as well as your heart; selecting a kitten because you feel sorry for it or want to rescue it from a squalid environment may result in many years of heartache and inadvertently encourage bad breeding practice (by rewarding the breeder because you have bought a kitten). So, research the litter just by asking questions over the telephone before you view. If you are not satisfied with any of the answers to your questions then it may be better to look elsewhere for another kitten – it may also save a lot of time travelling.

What questions should I ask over the telephone?

1. What have the kittens experienced in their first 8 weeks of life?

As explained above, this is a sensitive time in kitten learning. The best scenario is that kittens have been kept in a home environment (or moved into the home environment well within the first 8 weeks of life) and are used to all those things associated with human living – people, noises, smells, visitors, children, dogs etc. The worst scenario is that the kittens have been isolated from all the things associated with normal living so that when they do experience it in a new home it is frightening and they never really get to grips with it. This can happen in rehoming/rescue facilities if kittens are kept in a pen and not handled or exposed to everyday living – many good rehoming/rescues organisations expose their kittens to these things and make sure they are handled by different people. This can also happen in the pedigree breeder situation where too many cats are being bred, often in outside pens, and each litter is not getting the handling and exposure it needs to make good confident pet cats. It is also a risk with kittens born to free-living or feral cats, such as on a farm, where again they gain no exposure to humans until it is too late.

2. What is the temperament of the mother cat (and the father if known?)

‘Friendliness’ can be influenced by genes and, like people, cats will have a genetic component as to how they react to the world. Some will be bold, some naturally nervous or shy. For moggies or non-pedigree cats, the combination of genes from each parent is not usually controlled by people and frequently the father of the kittens is never seen. A friendly mother will pass on friendly genes as well as being relaxed and interactive with people as an example to her kittens. For pedigree cat breeders who control the matings of their cats, there is a chance to breed from friendly cats to incorporate this into the next generation. It should always be possible to view the other kittens should you decide to visit.

3. If I decide on a pedigree breed, is there a breed disposition for a certain type of behaviour?

Cats in general have very individual personalities – some are noisy, some are active, others are very laid back. However, there are some breeds where some aspects of personality are likely to come through – Siamese cats, for example, are known for their talkative nature and some breeds are quite demanding of attention. So it is best to ascertain what you might be taking on or what you want your cat to do – there is no guarantee it will happen, but it is more likely where this behaviour is seen among this group or breed of cats.

4. Ask about your particular requirements

If you have a dog at home, it is a lot easier to integrate the kitten if it has already met a dog or dogs and is not frightened. Likewise, if you have children, ask if the kitten has met children – those that have will take the high pitched voices and somewhat erratic or sudden movements of children in their stride. If the kitten has just been around women and not met men it may be fearful of loud deep voices, so again ask the question.

The answers to these questions will give you an idea of the quality of care the kittens are receiving. The next step is to visit and view the kittens.

Looking for clues about the kitten’s health

When choosing a kitten, you should check the animal for signs of ill-health, such as runny eyes or nose, dirty ears, a dirty or sore area under the tail which may indicate the cat is suffering from diarrhoea. The kitten should look well, with bright eyes, a good coat and be able to move easily.

Ask to see the other kittens in the litter and the mother to make sure that they are healthy too.

Follow your instincts and don’t be taken in by stories of how that runny eye had just happened etc. Many people come away with a kitten which is not 100% because they are told it will all be fine by the breeder or rescue.

If you have arrived to find that the rescue/breeder/pet shop or whatever facility is homing the kittens is dirty, smelly and has lots of other cats and kittens then be very wary. Good hygiene is essential to keeping kittens healthy and they can be very vulnerable.

What questions should I ask to ascertain a kitten’s needs?

1. May I handle the kittens?

Ask to handle the kitten to assess how relaxed it is with people. Is it well socialised and friendly or is it scared? Spend a bit of time with it in case it is just initially a little wary of new people but soon adapts, or whether it just tries to hide away. Ask to see the whole litter to see how they react to you, each other and the environment. Ideally, you should be looking for a kitten that responds in equal measures to all of these!

2. What sex is the kitten and how old is it?

Ask about the cat’s sex and how old it is. Pedigree kittens are usually over 12 weeks old when they are rehomed but non-pedigree or moggies may be around 8 weeks old.

3. What type of coat will the kitten have?

It can be hard to tell if a moggie kitten is going to be long haired unless its mother has a long coat (often the father is never seen). However, if you are taking on a pedigree cat then you will know how it is going to turn out. A Persian will need daily grooming and other breeds with slightly less undercoat will need regular grooming as well. However, lack of a coat does not mean the kitten will be easy to care for – some of the Rex breeds (with a sparse wavy coat) and the hairless breeds such as the Sphynx need a lot of time and effort spent on keeping the skin clean. Some will leave greasy marks on furniture and will need regular bathing (click here for information on breed health).

4. What other care will the kitten need, both now and as an adult?

Some breeds, such as Persians and Exotics, have very flat faces. In making the face this flat the natural drainage of tears from the eye may be blocked and the tears overflow over the face. This must be very uncomfortable for the cats and can cause staining or skin problems. Owners must be able to clean the eyes and face on a regular basis. Other breeds with more pointed skulls may have more inset eyes which may also need care.

Ask about vaccination – most pedigree kittens will have had their vaccinations before they can be homed, but it is worth checking. Many kittens from rescue may also have had at least one vaccination, depending on the age at which they are homed. Make sure you get the vaccination certificate if you take on the kitten.

Have the kittens has been wormed and treated for fleas? If so, what with?

Have any of the kittens got ongoing health issues requiring medication? (If this is the case and you still wish to take on the kitten, ask for advice on how to give the tablets, eye-drops or ear-drops so that you know what you have to do. )

If the kitten is a pedigree, ask about any tests for inherited diseases (click here to look at individual breeds and what they can be tested for).

5. How much attention will the kitten need, both now and as an adult?

Some breeds are more needy of attention and company than others, others will be much more independent. Again decide what suits you.

6. What food, litter etc is currently being used?

Ask what the kitten is currently eating, what type of litter it is used to etc. Check up on whether the information you have been given is correct as sometimes people have not been feeding the best diet for a growing kitten. However, if you are changing food, do it gradually so as to avoid stomach upsets.

7. Ask if the kitten is insured

In countries where it is available, such as in the UK, many breeders, rescue organisations and even individuals who have bred an ‘accidental’ litter will provide new owners with insurance cover for the kitten which lasts for the first 6 weeks in its new home. This covers health issues and other benefits. The insurance company will then contact the new owner to see if they wish to continue with the insurance. Insurance to cover vet fees (and other things) is a great idea and gives peace of mind about payment should problems occur – the first year of a kitten’s life can be its most hazardous because kittens and young cats can get themselves into all sorts of trouble – the saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ is based on some truth. Kittens must learn fast as they grow and this means being inquisitive; it can however get them into trouble. To decide whether you want to keep the insurance cover check what it actually does.

Be prepared to walk away

Potential owners must be prepared to walk away and not purchase a kitten out of pity because it’s ill or scared, just in order to ‘save’ it from its current environment. Although this sounds very hard, you don’t want to be left with a kitten that may have health or attitude problems for years to come and is likely to be difficult and disappointing to live with.

Do your homework

Do your homework first, and then go and visit. Most breeders will ask you to come along for a first viewing when the kittens are still a bit too young to rehome (the breeding organisations require them to keep kittens until they’re about 12 weeks old and have had at least their first vaccinations in order to protect them). Don’t go from one breeder to another and handle the kittens – you could carry viruses on your hands and clothes which could be passed on to vulnerable kittens, so breeders may be quite strict about asking you not to do this in order to protect the health of their cats. A good breeder or rescue centre will want to find out if you’ll care for the kitten properly and will give you lots of advice. They should be able to provide help or advice if you need it and will want to hear from you if you have any problems. They should also be willing to take the kitten back should serious problems arise but this does not always happen and often new owners have fallen in love with the new kitten and can’t bear to give it back. Knowledge and information is the key, and ignorance is no excuse for either producing or buying a kitten that’s ill or poorly socialised.

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Introducing a Kitten to your Cat

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Introducing a new cat or kitten

to a household can be quite stressful, to all concerned.

Indeed, it can be easier to introduce a dog to a cat than a cat to a cat. This is because a cat won’t view a dog as competition for resources – it might have to get used to its excited behaviour and learn to stand up to it to avoid being chased, but this usually happens very quickly and much more easily than we imagine. The cat-cat thing is much more difficult.

It’s usually easier to introduce a new kitten than an adult cat – this tends to be less challenging for the resident cat. Kitten body language and movements are less threatening and they have yet to adopt the concept of territory and competing with others.

A little bit of extra effort at the beginning can make the difference between a good or bad relationship in the future.  

Plan ahead

Your existing cat (or cats) will have established territory and the introduction of another, albeit a little kitten, is not necessarily going to be well received. It’s important to ensure that the resident cat is not given the impression that it is under siege. When choosing your new kitten, have your cat’s personality in mind. For example, don’t acquire a very confident and outgoing kitten if your existing cat is timid or shy.

Arrange to collect your kitten on a day when you know you will have plenty of time to devote to settling it in, for example, a couple of days over a weekend or during a time when you are not at work and the household is relatively peaceful. Some planning is necessary to prepare the home for the new arrival and the introduction process so, before the kitten arrives, purchase or hire a kitten pen (or large dog ‘crate’ of similar construction) and position it in a room that your existing cat doesn’t particularly favour, for example, a spare bedroom. A kitten pen is a large metal cage with a solid floor that is normally used for kittening queens or cats after surgery that need to be confined. It is quite large with plenty of room for a bed, toys, food, water and a litter tray. They are easily collapsible to enable the pen to be moved from room to room.

Think cat!

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Domestic cats eat pet food on the floor from bowls

Think cat once your new kitten arrives and think scent first. Your home will have a scent ‘profile’ which is familiar and reassuring to your resident cat. It will consist of all those things that go on there, the dogs, the children, the hobby equipment, the cleaning materials, the food you like and so on, all mixed in with your cat’s own scent. All the corners of your furniture will have been wiped by your cat’s chin and face, the doorposts have been brushed by its coat and the carpet will often bear the marks of claw sharpening and the scent from its paws. Your home is well and truly possessed by your cat.

What you have to try to do is work in the scent of the new kitten so that it, too, is incorporated into the accepted household aroma. This comes down, initially, to you. You have to try to spread and mix the scents of the cats. You’re working with the invisible, but have faith that there’s actually something there! Stroking your cat and the kitten regularly and swapping bedding will enable the kitten’s smell to become familiar and incorporated into the communal, household scent.

The first meeting

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The door to the kitten’s room should remain closed initially, allowing the kitten to exercise within that space when your other cat is not around. The kitten’s food, water, toys and bed can be positioned outside the pen but the litter tray should remain within it. When the initial contact between kitten and cat takes place it may be helpful to distract the kitten with food.

The door to the room can be opened while the kitten is eating in the cage (with the cage door shut). It may be helpful, to allow the kitten to feel secure, if there is a covered box within the cage so that the kitten can hide from any unwanted attention as your other cat explores. If you wish, a small bowl of your cat’s favourite food can be located a comfortable distance away to encourage eating in safety (bearing in mind that cats are solitary feeders) without being deterred by the sight of the kitten. Your cat should be allowed to explore the cage without intervention.

It is important to provide attention to the existing cat during this transitional period but not to exceed the amount normally accepted and enjoyed. Existing routines should be maintained to demonstrate that the kitten represents no loss of resources or enjoyment.

Once kitten and cat appear calm when in close proximity to each other (with the kitten inside and the resident cat outside the cage), the pen can be moved to other rooms (of increasing importance to the resident cat), leaving out those particularly favoured areas where the adult cat spends the majority of its time. Depending on progress, several weeks of this regime may be needed before opening the cage and letting the cats get to know each other, some introductions can take considerably less time and the kitten accepted fairly quickly. When the cage door is left open and the kitten is allowed to mix freely the contact between adult and kitten should still be closely supervised. It may be advisable to separate the kitten and adult cat when supervision is not possible, at least until their relationship is firmly established.

Both kitten and adult, in the long-term, should be provided with their own resources (bed, litter tray, food bowls, water bowls etc) positioned in separate locations and their own private areas where they can rest undisturbed by the other.

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What is Safe Guard dewormer?

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What is Safe Guard dewormer?

Safeguard 4 Canine De-Wormer provides safe and effective treatment and control of tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms in easy to feed granules that can be mixed into food. This product is safe for young puppies over the age of 6 weeks, pregnant female dogs, and heartworm infected dogs. Key Benefits

  • Treats and controls tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
  • Convenient, highly palatable granules that you can mix right into your pup’s food for hassle-free de-worming treatment.
  • Safe for any breed of young puppies over the age of 6 weeks and pregnant dogs.
  • Each pouch treats 40 lbs. Each package comes with three easy to use 4-gram pouches which should be administered for 3 consecutive days and are completely effective for up to 6 months.
  • A highly effective formula contains fenbendazole which is the same active ingredient found in prescription canine dewormers.

Also, there are a lot of different types of SafeGuard for different animals and pets, but in all types of SafeGuard, the main ingredient is Fenbendazole.

For more information about SafeGuard for dogs, you can always consult your veterinarian.

Drugs that are analogous to SafeGuard: Panacur C, Helmintazole, Helmintazole 222.

You can buy it at homelab shop.

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Why Do Chickens Stop Laying Eggs? Reasons Hens Stop Laying Eggs

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It can be quite alarming when a poultry owner gets a consistent five eggs, daily, from five hens, only to find just one egg for a few days. This sudden drop in egg-laying takes us all into detective mode – are they hiding the eggs? Are they sick? 

Below you’ll find some of the most common reasons for decreased egg production to put your mind at ease and hopefully get your girls laying consistently again.

Why do hens stop laying eggs?

  1. Molt. At 15-18 months of age, and every year thereafter, chickens will replace their feathers. Feathers will fall out to make room for new feather growth. During this time, hens will stop laying eggs. 
  2. Lighting. Chickens need about 15-16 hours of light per day to produce eggs. The first year, most laying breeds will lay through the winter without artificial lighting.
  3. Too many goodies. Think of kids, if you unleashed your kids at a buffet, and told them they could get whatever they want, most would load up at the dessert table. Your girls will do the same thing, filling up on bread, table scraps etc. they may not be getting what they need to produce eggs. This is usually a slowdown, more than a stoppage.
  4. Too much lovin’. One rooster can easily handle 12-18 hens. If this ratio is too low, he will overmount the girls and bare patches will appear on their backs and the backs of their heads. This stress can drop them out of production.
  5. Dehydration. It doesn’t take much water deprivation, especially in hot weather, to take your hens right out of production. Many times alpha hens will not allow submissive hens (bottom of the pecking order) to drink. They are attempting to “vote them off the island”, but the first thing that will happen is an egg stoppage. We recommend adding water stations during warm weather. 
  6. Any undue stress. Maybe the coop is secure, but they are still being harassed by raccoons, neighbor’s dogs, or other predators.
  7. Egg eating by the hens, or theft by 2 or 4 legged scoundrels! They may be laying, but the wrong critter is getting the eggs. Believe it or not, human egg-stealing is more common than people think – I’ve even seen it on a game camera.
  8. Change in the pecking order. Adding new hens, a new rooster or removing a hen can cause a power void and/or drama. Drama=stress=egg production drop
  9. Illnesses/parasites. The reasons above may likely be the cause but parasites or illness can also cause stress on a hen.

If the reason is parasites or worms, you should buy a dewormer such as Helmintazole or Panacur with active ingredient Fenbendazole, also you can buy a Tylosin or Tyclosin – this treatment is very good for chicken treatment.

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Many Tricks to Help Your Cat and Dog to Get Along

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When people aren’t debating whether cats or dogs are more intelligent, they’re equating them as mortal foes. That’s a stereotype that both cat expert Jackson Galaxy, host of the Animal Planet show My Cat From Hell, and certified dog trainer Zoe Sandor want to break.

Typically, cats are aloof and easily startled, while dogs are gregarious and territorial. This doesn’t mean, however, that they can’t share the same space—they’re just going to need your help. “If cats and dogs are brought up together in a positive, loving, encouraging environment, they’re going to be friends,” Galaxy tells Mental Floss. “Or at the very least, they’ll tolerate each other.”

The duo has teamed up to host a new Animal Planet series, Cat vs. Dog, which airs on Saturdays at 10 p.m. The show chronicles their efforts to help pet owners establish long-lasting peace—if not perfect harmony—among cats and dogs. (Yes, it’s possible.) Gleaned from both TV and off-camera experiences, here are eight tips Galaxy and Sandor say will help improve household relations between Fido and Fluffy.

TAKE PERSONALITY—NOT BREED—INTO ACCOUNT.

Contrary to popular belief, certain breeds of cats and dogs don’t typically get along better than others. According to Galaxy and Sandor, it’s more important to take their personalities and energy levels into account. If a dog is aggressive and territorial, it won’t be a good fit in a household with a skittish cat. In contrast, an aging dog would hate sharing his space with a rambunctious kitten.

If two animals don’t end up being a personality match, have a backup plan, or consider setting up a household arrangement that keeps them separated for the long term. And if you’re adopting a pet, do your homework and ask its previous owners or shelter if it’s lived with other animals before, or gets along with them.

2. TRAIN YOUR DOG.

To set your dog up for success with cats, teach it to control its impulses, Sandor says. Does it leap across the kitchen when someone drops a cookie, or go on high alert when it sees a squeaky toy? If so, it probably won’t be great with cats right off the bat, since it will likely jump up whenever it spots a feline.

Hold off Fido’s face time with Fluffy until the former is trained to stay put. And even then, keep a leash handy during the first several cat-dog meetings.

3. GIVE A CAT ITS OWN TERRITORY BEFORE IT MEETS A DOG.

Cats need a protected space—a “base camp” of sorts—that’s just theirs, Galaxy says. Make this refuge off-limits to the dog, but create safe spaces around the house, too. This way, the cat can confidently navigate shared territory without trouble from its canine sibling.

Since cats are natural climbers, Galaxy recommends taking advantage of your home’s vertical space. Buy tall cat trees, install shelves, or place a cat bed atop a bookcase. This allows your cat to observe the dog from a safe distance, or cross a room without touching the floor.

And while you’re at it, keep dogs away from the litter box. Cats should feel safe while doing their business, plus dogs sometimes (ew) like to snack on cat feces, a bad habit that can cause your pooch to contractintestinal parasites. These worms can cause a slew of health problems, including vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and anemia.

Baby gates work in a pinch, but since some dogs are escape artists, prepare for worst-case scenarios by keeping the litter box uncovered and in an open space. That way, the cat won’t be cornered and trapped mid-squat.

4. EXERCISE YOUR DOG’S BODY AND MIND.

“People exercise their dogs probably 20 percent of what they should really be doing,” Sandor says. “It’s really important that their energy is released somewhere else so that they have the ability to slow down their brains and really control themselves when they’re around kitties.”

Dogs also need lots of stimulation. Receiving it in a controlled manner makes them less likely to satisfy it by, say, chasing a cat. For this, Sandor recommends toys, herding-type activities, lure coursing, and high-intensity trick training.

“Instead of just taking a walk, stop and do a sit five times on every block,” she says. “And do direction changes three times on every block, or speed changes two times. It’s about unleashing their herding instincts and prey drive in an appropriate way.”

If you don’t have time for any of these activities, Zoe recommends hiring a dog walker, or enrolling in doggy daycare.

5. LET CATS AND DOGS FOLLOW THEIR NOSES.

In Galaxy’s new book, Total Cat Mojo, he says it’s a smart idea to let cats and dogs sniff each other’s bedding and toys before a face-to-face introduction. This way, they can satisfy their curiosity and avoid potential turf battles.

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6. PLAN THE FIRST CAT/DOG MEETING CAREFULLY.

Just like humans, cats and dogs have just one good chance to make a great first impression. Luckily, they both love food, which might ultimately help them love each other.

Schedule the first cat-dog meeting during mealtime, but keep the dog on a leash and both animals on opposite sides of a closed door. They won’t see each other, but they will smell each other while chowing down on their respective foods. They’ll begin to associate this smell with food, thus “making it a good thing,” Galaxy says.

Do this every mealtime for several weeks, before slowly introducing visual simulation. Continue feeding the cat and dog separately, but on either side of a dog gate or screen, before finally removing it all together. By this point, “they’re eating side-by-side, pretty much ignoring each other,” Galaxy says. For safety’s sake, continue keeping the dog on a leash until you’re confident it’s safe to take it off (and even then, exercise caution).

7. KEEP THEIR FOOD AND TOYS SEPARATE.

After you’ve successfully ingratiated the cat and dog using feeding exercises, keep their food bowls separate. “A cat will walk up to the dog bowl—either while the dog’s eating, or in the vicinity—and try to eat out of it,” Galaxy says. “The dog just goes to town on them. You can’t assume that your dog isn’t food-protective or resource-protective.”

To prevent these disastrous mealtime encounters, schedule regular mealtimes for your pets (no free feeding!) and place the bowls in separate areas of the house, or the cat’s dish up on a table or another high spot.

Also, keep a close eye on the cat’s toys—competition over toys can also prompt fighting. “Dogs tend to get really into catnip,” Galaxy says. “My dog loves catnip a whole lot more than my cats do.”

8. CONSIDER RAISING A DOG AND CAT TOGETHER (IF YOU CAN).

Socializing these animals at a young age can be easier than introducing them as adults—pups are easily trainable “sponges” that soak up new information and situations, Sandor says. Plus, dogs are less confident and smaller at this stage in life, allowing the cat to “assume its rightful position at the top of the hierarchy,” she adds.

Remain watchful, though, to ensure everything goes smoothly—especially when the dog hits its rambunctious “teenage” stage before becoming a full-grown dog.

Cat vs. Dog Airs on Saturdays at 10 p.m. on Animal Planet