Pigs were domesticated thousands of years ago. They are farmed for their meat and hides. There are still many wild pigs, like the wild boar, the warthog, and the bushpig. Pigs are found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica.
Names: Pigs are also called hogs or swine. The adult female is called a sow. The adult male is called a boar. A baby is called a piglet.
Anatomy: Pigs vary in color from brown, black, white, to pinkish. Some wild pigs have large tusks, overgrown teeth used for fighting and digging for food.
Diet: Pigs are omnivores . They eat a variety of plants and small animals.
Classification: Class Mammalia, Order Artiodactyla, Family Suidae.
A pig has a snout for a nose, small eyes, and a small tail, which may be curly, kinked, or straight. It has a thick body, short legs, and coarse hair. There are four toes on each foot, with the two large middle toes used for walking.
pigs are omnivores, which means that they consume both plants and animals. Pigs will scavenge and have been known to eat any kind of food, including dead insects, worms, tree bark, rotting carcasses, garbage, and even other pigs. In the wild, they are foraging animals, primarily eating leaves, grasses, roots, fruits and flowers. Occasionally while in captivity, pigs may eat their own young if they become severely stressed. A typical pigs has a large head with a long snout which is strengthened by a special bone called the prenasal bone and by a disk of cartilage in the tip.The snout is used to dig into the soil to find food and is a very sensitive sense organ.
Pigs have a full set of 44 teeth. The canine teeth, called tusks, grow continually and are sharpened by the lowers and uppers rubbing against each other.
Pigs that are allowed to forage may be watched by swineherds. Because of their foraging abilities and excellent sense of smell, they are used to find truffles in many European countries. Domesticated pigs are commonly raised as livestock by farmers for meat , as well as for leather. Their bristly hairs are also used for brushes. Some breeds of pigs, such as the Asian pot-bellied pigs, are kept as pets.
Breeding occurs throughout the year in the tropics, but births peak around rainy seasons. A female pigs can become pregnant at around 8-18 months of age. She will then go into estrus every 21 days if not bred. Male pigs become sexually active at 8-10 months of age. A litter of piglets typically contains between 6 and 12 piglets. After the young are weaned, two or more families may come together until the next mating season.
Pigs do not have functional sweat glands,so pigs cool themselves using water or mud during hot weather. They also use mud as a form of sunscreen to protect their skin from sunburn. Mud also provides protection against flies and parasites.
Categories: types of pigs
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 at 10:53 pm and is filed under types of pigs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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2008年9月17日星期三
2008年9月5日星期五
How To Build A Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
Before starting this article about building a squirrel proof bird feeder, let me ask you this question, what’s with squirrels? We all know that watching these creatures roaming around the backyard lawn can be truly delightful. But they can also cause destruction to your birdfeeders and scare the birds away. Most squirrels like the foods intended for the birds. During winter, indomitable homeowners and squirrels are in a battle over bird food in numerous backyards. Other animals, like raccoons, steal bird food, but more often squirrels raid bird feeders. Ignoring the extremes of winter season, nothing beats the squirrel in persistently achieving its goal, they have enough agility and dexterity to be able to climb onto any surface that birds could reach, and most often squirrels succeed in adapting in the urban-suburban habitat that we humans created.
Actually there are two ways of keeping squirrels away from birdfeeders. First is preventing squirrels from entering the birdfeeders. There are quite a few ways in preventing these creatures from entering the birdfeeder. First step is to locate your bird feeder a good distance from tree trunks, limbs, and at least twelve feet away from any kind of object that a squirrel can leap from.
Second step is to install a baffle on top of the birdfeeder. It can be homemade or a commercial squirrel dome. The purpose is to keep squirrels off the birdfeeders. Here’s the idea of this device: when a squirrel attempts to climb to the bird feeder it must go along the suspension line. It gets confused because of prevented access to the seeds inside the bird feeder and soon gives up.
Third step is suspending your birdfeeders between two very distant poles or trees with heavy-duty nylon string and attach a plastic PVC pipe on both ends of the string. This makes it more difficult for the squirrel to reach the birdfeeder. And the fourth step is mounting the birdfeeder to a pole with a minimum height of six feet from the ground. Its purpose is to keep the squirrels from leaping onto the birdfeeder, likewise, the baffle should not be lower than five feet above the ground when you attach it to the mounting pole.
Another way is by diverting squirrels from bird feeders by means of creating a certain area wherein you can feed the squirrels. It is inexpensive and at the same time very entertaining. Various squirrel toys are available commercially, including the squirrel wheel and the picnic table style squirrel feeders, but make sure to install these diversion feeders lower than your birdhouses. Left over grain cereal, inexpensive dried corn cobs and old bread can be considered the best offerings for squirrels. You can even place some fruits or peanuts and peanut butter which are irresistible to squirrels.
By using these ideas you can prevent and divert the squirrels from destroying your birdfeeders, and at the same time you can enjoy squirrels and birds playing in your backyard lawn and garden together in harmony.
Actually there are two ways of keeping squirrels away from birdfeeders. First is preventing squirrels from entering the birdfeeders. There are quite a few ways in preventing these creatures from entering the birdfeeder. First step is to locate your bird feeder a good distance from tree trunks, limbs, and at least twelve feet away from any kind of object that a squirrel can leap from.
Second step is to install a baffle on top of the birdfeeder. It can be homemade or a commercial squirrel dome. The purpose is to keep squirrels off the birdfeeders. Here’s the idea of this device: when a squirrel attempts to climb to the bird feeder it must go along the suspension line. It gets confused because of prevented access to the seeds inside the bird feeder and soon gives up.
Third step is suspending your birdfeeders between two very distant poles or trees with heavy-duty nylon string and attach a plastic PVC pipe on both ends of the string. This makes it more difficult for the squirrel to reach the birdfeeder. And the fourth step is mounting the birdfeeder to a pole with a minimum height of six feet from the ground. Its purpose is to keep the squirrels from leaping onto the birdfeeder, likewise, the baffle should not be lower than five feet above the ground when you attach it to the mounting pole.
Another way is by diverting squirrels from bird feeders by means of creating a certain area wherein you can feed the squirrels. It is inexpensive and at the same time very entertaining. Various squirrel toys are available commercially, including the squirrel wheel and the picnic table style squirrel feeders, but make sure to install these diversion feeders lower than your birdhouses. Left over grain cereal, inexpensive dried corn cobs and old bread can be considered the best offerings for squirrels. You can even place some fruits or peanuts and peanut butter which are irresistible to squirrels.
By using these ideas you can prevent and divert the squirrels from destroying your birdfeeders, and at the same time you can enjoy squirrels and birds playing in your backyard lawn and garden together in harmony.
2008年9月2日星期二
Discover The VALUE In Our Tack Trunks
Tack trunks are necessary to any horse owner. If you own many horses, or you run a commercial stable, you very well know that tack trunks are necessary to run the stable well. Not only do they help you run the stable well, as you run it well you keep your horses healthy. Tack trunks help store many things that are too important or too dangerous to be left in the open. These include cleaning materials and chemicals which could harm the horse or any human beings if left in the open and also includes your paper work and written material which could easily get lost or be made dirty in a stable.
Our tack trunks help you store your horse tack well and away from any dangerous situations. You may store your saddle and bridles and you may put away your cleaning materials and chemicals including towels for the animals. Our tack trunks are made of high quality vinyl or wood. They are designed by professionals and are made to withstand significant wear and tear. Our trunks also have removable sliding trays, plywood tote, brass and chrome hydraulic lid stays and come with optional spring load handles.
Our tack trunks also have well-done artistic engravings on them. The engravings come in clear brass or chrome. They are done in a deep cherry, walnut or natural finish. Their engravings make them look better. They will look very presentable in any room, stable, or your office. They also come in brilliant natural color combinations. Having one of these will make you look all the more presentable and will add value to yourself and to your business or horses. We are available 12 hours a day on business days and we can take your order online, by mail, or by fax. Visit us at www.tacktrunks.net or call 1-908-294-3418.
Our tack trunks help you store your horse tack well and away from any dangerous situations. You may store your saddle and bridles and you may put away your cleaning materials and chemicals including towels for the animals. Our tack trunks are made of high quality vinyl or wood. They are designed by professionals and are made to withstand significant wear and tear. Our trunks also have removable sliding trays, plywood tote, brass and chrome hydraulic lid stays and come with optional spring load handles.
Our tack trunks also have well-done artistic engravings on them. The engravings come in clear brass or chrome. They are done in a deep cherry, walnut or natural finish. Their engravings make them look better. They will look very presentable in any room, stable, or your office. They also come in brilliant natural color combinations. Having one of these will make you look all the more presentable and will add value to yourself and to your business or horses. We are available 12 hours a day on business days and we can take your order online, by mail, or by fax. Visit us at www.tacktrunks.net or call 1-908-294-3418.
2008年8月24日星期日
Choosing The Right Pet. Cat, Dog or Something Else?
Choosing to bring a new pet into your home is never an easy fact. It's not all about it's price or type, but also it brings some new responsibilities to you.
First, when you think to get a new pet you think what type it should be. Well, the most common pets are cats and dogs. Some statistics shows that there are approximately 90 million owned cats and 73 million owned dogs just in the United States.
There seems to be more cat than dogs owned as pets. The main reason may be that cats are more easy to take care of than dogs.
But the fact is why you want a pet? For companion, entertainment or protection? If you need protection, of course you will choose a well trained dog as a pet, while, if you need some entertainment you'll choose a cat. You should know until now that cats are the most funny pets.
But there is not only about cats and dogs. You may want an exotic pet like parrots, canaries (if you like to hear them singing),turtles, lizards, and other pets like fish, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rabbits, ponies or spiders.
If you want to impress your friends, you may choose an unusual pet like a spider or lizard. These pets must be kept in their own cages and you have to be very careful with them.
There are many places where you can get a pet. If you want a real breed pet, you may choose to buy one, but you'll see that many prices are around $500 to $1600. The easy way to get a pet is to adopt one. You can find them at animal shelters or rescue, or perhaps even a neighbor or friend.
Take care that owning a pet rise some responsibilities for you.
1. You must feed him. There are many pet stores where you can buy food from for your pet,
2. You must care of his health. Take your pet for regular check-ups from your local vet, and ensure you provide the required vaccination for him.
3. Keep a clean, fresh environment for you pet. It is necessary for your pet health. That's obvious.
4. Take some time for your pet. You must take some time to play or just walk around whit your pet. It's very important for your new pet.
Good luck choosing a good pet.
First, when you think to get a new pet you think what type it should be. Well, the most common pets are cats and dogs. Some statistics shows that there are approximately 90 million owned cats and 73 million owned dogs just in the United States.
There seems to be more cat than dogs owned as pets. The main reason may be that cats are more easy to take care of than dogs.
But the fact is why you want a pet? For companion, entertainment or protection? If you need protection, of course you will choose a well trained dog as a pet, while, if you need some entertainment you'll choose a cat. You should know until now that cats are the most funny pets.
But there is not only about cats and dogs. You may want an exotic pet like parrots, canaries (if you like to hear them singing),turtles, lizards, and other pets like fish, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rabbits, ponies or spiders.
If you want to impress your friends, you may choose an unusual pet like a spider or lizard. These pets must be kept in their own cages and you have to be very careful with them.
There are many places where you can get a pet. If you want a real breed pet, you may choose to buy one, but you'll see that many prices are around $500 to $1600. The easy way to get a pet is to adopt one. You can find them at animal shelters or rescue, or perhaps even a neighbor or friend.
Take care that owning a pet rise some responsibilities for you.
1. You must feed him. There are many pet stores where you can buy food from for your pet,
2. You must care of his health. Take your pet for regular check-ups from your local vet, and ensure you provide the required vaccination for him.
3. Keep a clean, fresh environment for you pet. It is necessary for your pet health. That's obvious.
4. Take some time for your pet. You must take some time to play or just walk around whit your pet. It's very important for your new pet.
Good luck choosing a good pet.
2008年8月19日星期二
Hermit Crabs Mistaken for Disposable Pets
You can find them almost anywhere near the seashore boardwalks. All you have to do is walk into a cramped little gift shop on the beach and you can find them, stuck in a 6"X 3" carrying cage and nothing else. If you haven’t looked there, all you have to do is look in the nearest wannabe pet shop. They are stashed on the darkest bottom shelf with tons of others, cramped in a small aquarium with a little water and food. Some of them won’t even venture out of their shells. Some of them are even missing limbs and claws. That’s right, I’m talking about hermit crabs. Before they even have a chance to be chosen by people from a caring home, they are already being mistreated wherever they are being sold. The cards are already stacked against them.
Many pet stores treat hermit crabs as if they are simply stock. They take good care of their birds that are worth hundreds of dollars. Same goes for their expensive puppies and kittens. But where are the pet stores that care about pets down to the smallest and most inexpensive. Just because they don’t cost an arm and a leg to buy and care for doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be cared for in the same way. As you know, temperature and humidity are key components to keeping a hermit crab healthy. Shoving a small aquarium on the darkest bottom shelf in the store, leaving the lid open with no humidity or temperature gauge, and not even caring to regulate temperature and humidity is total, undeniable hermit crab abuse. Unfortunately, there isn’t a big organization to make pet stores treat these small creatures humanely. The SPCA won’t come barging indignantly into a pet store treating hermit crabs horribly. This isn’t something that is important to very many people.
If you are interested enough to purchase a hermit crab from a pet store, most of the time you won’t get an information or fact sheet about your pet. If you question the store clerk about tank conditions or ask the pros and cons of certain types of diets, you are dismissed because the clerk doesn’t know anything about the pets they are selling or just flat out do not care to learn. They see hermit crabs as a "disposable" pet. You know... the kind people buy and just in case they don’t take care of it and it dies, it’s ok; they are cheap and they can simply replace it. The pet store associates themselves even say that hermit crabs do not last as pets. Not only do some people believe this way, some pet stores having a return policy for defective animals, are used when the crab is mistreated, dies within the 30 days, then is taken back and another victim is chosen. This should never be the case. Hermit crabs can live 15 to 20 years or more, if taken care of properly. It is unfair to treat any creature this way. These animals are living, breathing creatures and deserve to be treated fairly. They didn’t ask to be plucked from their tropical climates. They didn’t ask to be bread in captivity for eventual sale. They are simply creatures that exist and deserve to be treated with care.
Please don’t think that if you purchased a crab and it died and you replaced it that you are necessarily in the same category as these impatient, uncaring pet owners. Many times, the hermit crabs are so stressed out from the horrible treatment they receive while they are waiting to be sold that they just can’t handle being moved to a new location. Besides the fact that most pet store clerks don’t handle or feed or house them correctly, they don’t monitor the patrons who handle them, either. For example, the pet store I’ve been referencing about keeping the hermit crabs in a dark, hardly suitable atmosphere is the same place I found one of my hermit crabs, who was already missing a limb from stress. Instead of the crabs being in a place where they and the people handling them can be seen, these hermit crabs were on the last row so that no one could see who was picking up the hermit crabs. Unruly and unsupervised children, and uncaring, ignorant people are both fully capable of accessing these creatures without supervision from a pet store associate. This means that they are fully able to roughly handle, terrify, and drop the hermit crabs that are for sale. If you researched hermit crab care, purchased a hermit crab, took it directly home, and began caring for it, and it still died, chances are, that it wasn’t you who contributed to the tragic demise of your hermit crab.
If any of this has happened to you, don’t blame yourself. The best thing you can do is find a reputable pet store and do research about it before you make a decision to purchase any pet from it. Take the time to look at the way the crabs are displayed to sell. Ask associates if they are sitting in temperature and humidity controlled climates. If not, strongly consider not purchasing from this store. Do research on hermit crab care, and question store associates to see if they know what they are talking about. Do your homework. In the end, you will be a much more satisfied pet owner. If you have that tendency to attract strays, you might consider going to that awful pet store, and saving some of those poor hermit crabs. An idea to help you with this is to put the crabs from that store in their own cage. Leave them separate from your healthy hermit crabs. As you observe, remove the crabs that are healthy and place them in with your current crab habitat. You can try to nurse the unhealthy ones back to health. It is a brave endeavor, but might not always turn out the way we would like. But if you are willing to try to save these animals, they are much better off with you than a person who won’t care for them. Whatever you decide, just remember that these are living beings. They deserve to be treated as such.
Many pet stores treat hermit crabs as if they are simply stock. They take good care of their birds that are worth hundreds of dollars. Same goes for their expensive puppies and kittens. But where are the pet stores that care about pets down to the smallest and most inexpensive. Just because they don’t cost an arm and a leg to buy and care for doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be cared for in the same way. As you know, temperature and humidity are key components to keeping a hermit crab healthy. Shoving a small aquarium on the darkest bottom shelf in the store, leaving the lid open with no humidity or temperature gauge, and not even caring to regulate temperature and humidity is total, undeniable hermit crab abuse. Unfortunately, there isn’t a big organization to make pet stores treat these small creatures humanely. The SPCA won’t come barging indignantly into a pet store treating hermit crabs horribly. This isn’t something that is important to very many people.
If you are interested enough to purchase a hermit crab from a pet store, most of the time you won’t get an information or fact sheet about your pet. If you question the store clerk about tank conditions or ask the pros and cons of certain types of diets, you are dismissed because the clerk doesn’t know anything about the pets they are selling or just flat out do not care to learn. They see hermit crabs as a "disposable" pet. You know... the kind people buy and just in case they don’t take care of it and it dies, it’s ok; they are cheap and they can simply replace it. The pet store associates themselves even say that hermit crabs do not last as pets. Not only do some people believe this way, some pet stores having a return policy for defective animals, are used when the crab is mistreated, dies within the 30 days, then is taken back and another victim is chosen. This should never be the case. Hermit crabs can live 15 to 20 years or more, if taken care of properly. It is unfair to treat any creature this way. These animals are living, breathing creatures and deserve to be treated fairly. They didn’t ask to be plucked from their tropical climates. They didn’t ask to be bread in captivity for eventual sale. They are simply creatures that exist and deserve to be treated with care.
Please don’t think that if you purchased a crab and it died and you replaced it that you are necessarily in the same category as these impatient, uncaring pet owners. Many times, the hermit crabs are so stressed out from the horrible treatment they receive while they are waiting to be sold that they just can’t handle being moved to a new location. Besides the fact that most pet store clerks don’t handle or feed or house them correctly, they don’t monitor the patrons who handle them, either. For example, the pet store I’ve been referencing about keeping the hermit crabs in a dark, hardly suitable atmosphere is the same place I found one of my hermit crabs, who was already missing a limb from stress. Instead of the crabs being in a place where they and the people handling them can be seen, these hermit crabs were on the last row so that no one could see who was picking up the hermit crabs. Unruly and unsupervised children, and uncaring, ignorant people are both fully capable of accessing these creatures without supervision from a pet store associate. This means that they are fully able to roughly handle, terrify, and drop the hermit crabs that are for sale. If you researched hermit crab care, purchased a hermit crab, took it directly home, and began caring for it, and it still died, chances are, that it wasn’t you who contributed to the tragic demise of your hermit crab.
If any of this has happened to you, don’t blame yourself. The best thing you can do is find a reputable pet store and do research about it before you make a decision to purchase any pet from it. Take the time to look at the way the crabs are displayed to sell. Ask associates if they are sitting in temperature and humidity controlled climates. If not, strongly consider not purchasing from this store. Do research on hermit crab care, and question store associates to see if they know what they are talking about. Do your homework. In the end, you will be a much more satisfied pet owner. If you have that tendency to attract strays, you might consider going to that awful pet store, and saving some of those poor hermit crabs. An idea to help you with this is to put the crabs from that store in their own cage. Leave them separate from your healthy hermit crabs. As you observe, remove the crabs that are healthy and place them in with your current crab habitat. You can try to nurse the unhealthy ones back to health. It is a brave endeavor, but might not always turn out the way we would like. But if you are willing to try to save these animals, they are much better off with you than a person who won’t care for them. Whatever you decide, just remember that these are living beings. They deserve to be treated as such.
2008年8月12日星期二
Aquarium Aeration Basics
As we all know rivers and lakes are the natural habits for fish and other marine life. Rivers and lakes have large surface area which makes maximum provision of oxygen for fish survival possible. On the other hand an aquarium is not like river or lake, it has a smaller surface area and there is limited movement of habitats.
This makes the provision of alternative means of oxygen for fish to breathe important. This artificial process of providing oxygen is called aeration. It's a simple process of re-oxygenating the water in aquarium tank.
The Aquarium Aerating System:
An aquarium aerating aystem made up of a series of materials that increases the supply of air (thereby increasing oxygen concentration) they are:
-the air pump
-t-pieces
-rubber tubing
-clamp or regulator
-diffusers or airstone
Air pumps come in different shapes and sizes but the most popular ones are tecax air pump from Taiwan together with 'dyna free, and the dragon' another popular one is super 555 from India though cheaper, but not as rugged. Occasionally available are the more expensive whisper and rens air pumps from Uk and rance respectively. Always place air pumps above the water level hooked to a non-vibrating material.
You can accomplish aeration in your aquarium tank by using the above listed aeration materials.
For small tanks all you need is to attach a simple aquarium air pump to airstone by means of a rubber air tube. The system will be blowing air into the water which causes motion in aquarium tank and thus provide the necessary oxygen your fish needs to breathe in the aquarium.
Sometimes people complain that the airpumps are too loud. A tricks to keep the air pump quiet is to insulate it's vibrations by placing the air pump on a large sponge.
I have even heard of some people who have buried the pump in cat litter with a air tube running to the surface from the air inlet... but you don't have to go to that extent. A large sponge should do the trick.
This makes the provision of alternative means of oxygen for fish to breathe important. This artificial process of providing oxygen is called aeration. It's a simple process of re-oxygenating the water in aquarium tank.
The Aquarium Aerating System:
An aquarium aerating aystem made up of a series of materials that increases the supply of air (thereby increasing oxygen concentration) they are:
-the air pump
-t-pieces
-rubber tubing
-clamp or regulator
-diffusers or airstone
Air pumps come in different shapes and sizes but the most popular ones are tecax air pump from Taiwan together with 'dyna free, and the dragon' another popular one is super 555 from India though cheaper, but not as rugged. Occasionally available are the more expensive whisper and rens air pumps from Uk and rance respectively. Always place air pumps above the water level hooked to a non-vibrating material.
You can accomplish aeration in your aquarium tank by using the above listed aeration materials.
For small tanks all you need is to attach a simple aquarium air pump to airstone by means of a rubber air tube. The system will be blowing air into the water which causes motion in aquarium tank and thus provide the necessary oxygen your fish needs to breathe in the aquarium.
Sometimes people complain that the airpumps are too loud. A tricks to keep the air pump quiet is to insulate it's vibrations by placing the air pump on a large sponge.
I have even heard of some people who have buried the pump in cat litter with a air tube running to the surface from the air inlet... but you don't have to go to that extent. A large sponge should do the trick.
2008年8月11日星期一
Physical Therapy for Cats
Few people think of physical therapy as a viable option for rehabilitating injured cats. It is usually assumed that cats will not cooperate, but contrary to popular belief, most do not resist treatment. Physical therapy can benefit most cats that have undergone surgery. It is helpful for cats with chronic disease or injury that causes pain, which may be displayed as limping, stiffness, aggression or social withdrawal.
How does physical therapy work?
After an operation, physical therapy reduces pain and swelling, increases strength in weakened muscles and improves the flexibility of joints.
Hot and Cold Treatments
Hot and cold treatments are known as passive rehabilitation techniques. They can be used immediately after a surgical procedure, and also to help chronic conditions such as arthritis. The application of cold compresses can reduce inflammation, pain and bleeding, and they can be applied for 20 minutes one to four times daily. It is important to place a layer of material between the cold pack and the cats skin so it is not uncomfortable.
Heat therapy can be used once the signs of inflammation have gone. Heat therapy increases metabolism and, when applied at this stage, helps decrease pain. Heat is usually applied for 20 minutes two to four times daily, but the applier must check the cats skin every few minutes to check it is not uncomfortably hot. Treatment should be stopped if the cat shows any signs of discomfort.
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound is another of the passive rehabilitation techniques. This increases the extensibility of collagen fibres, improves muscle condition and improves blood flow to the area treated. In doing this, it decreases pain and accelerates healing. Care must be taken in cats that have had metal implants to fix fractures, as reflection of the waves off the metal can intensify the heat and cause burns.
Another modern technique being pioneered by some clinics is phototherapy, also known as cold laser. This involves applying a low power light to an area that accelerates tissue repair.
Passive Range of Motion
Passive range of motion is the next step in the rehabilitation program. This involves extending and manipulating the cats joint, and can be started before the cat is fully weight bearing. This can be very important in cats that have had splints or casts applied, when the joints have been static for some time. By carrying out controlled movement, scar and connective tissue is strengthened and the effects of contracture are minimised.
Active Rehabilitation
Active rehabilitation can start once a cat starts using an injured limb more. This further increases muscle strength, muscle endurance and flexibility. There are various techniques available, such as the use of balls, balance boards, slings and aquatic therapy.
When doing the ball exercise, the cat lies on the top of the inflatable ball and is supported. The ball is gently rolled forward until the cats front paws come into contact with the ground. The ball is then bounced gently, which helps strengthen trunk muscles as the cat maintains balance. The ball is then rolled back until the hind paws touch the floor, and then gently bounced again. Cats may resist the therapy at first, but soon become accustomed to the rhythmic movement of the ball.
Balance boards are platforms with a curved rubber bottom. The cat is placed on the centre of the board with its feet shoulder width apart, and the board is slowly rocked from side to side. This is excellent for restoring stability in the early stages of weight bearing after fracture or joint surgery. Slings help support the cat during the early stages of recovery from many conditions where the nervous system has been affected, and are particularly useful as support for cats that have had pelvic surgery.
Aquatic therapy is best performed with a custom designed water tank and underwater treadmill. It provides outstanding rehabilitation for soft tissue injuries, arthritis, post surgery fracture care, post amputation care and neurological problems. It is excellent for increasing strength, flexibility and endurance, while reducing the risk of reinjury.
How long should the therapy go on for?
The length and frequency of therapy depends entirely on the type of injury, age and general health of the cat. Most fracture repairs benefit from therapy 2 to 3 times a week for 6 weeks, while chronic conditions such as arthritis require twice weekly therapy indefinitely (though this usually occurs at home). The owners motivation is the key factor in the success of the therapy, but with some simple demonstrations and a little effort, a huge difference can be made.
Is professional physical therapy in a clinic expensive?
There is a lot of variety among clinics, largely dependent on the expertise of the therapists and the facilities available. Expect to pay US$50 to $75 per session.
How does physical therapy work?
After an operation, physical therapy reduces pain and swelling, increases strength in weakened muscles and improves the flexibility of joints.
Hot and Cold Treatments
Hot and cold treatments are known as passive rehabilitation techniques. They can be used immediately after a surgical procedure, and also to help chronic conditions such as arthritis. The application of cold compresses can reduce inflammation, pain and bleeding, and they can be applied for 20 minutes one to four times daily. It is important to place a layer of material between the cold pack and the cats skin so it is not uncomfortable.
Heat therapy can be used once the signs of inflammation have gone. Heat therapy increases metabolism and, when applied at this stage, helps decrease pain. Heat is usually applied for 20 minutes two to four times daily, but the applier must check the cats skin every few minutes to check it is not uncomfortably hot. Treatment should be stopped if the cat shows any signs of discomfort.
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound is another of the passive rehabilitation techniques. This increases the extensibility of collagen fibres, improves muscle condition and improves blood flow to the area treated. In doing this, it decreases pain and accelerates healing. Care must be taken in cats that have had metal implants to fix fractures, as reflection of the waves off the metal can intensify the heat and cause burns.
Another modern technique being pioneered by some clinics is phototherapy, also known as cold laser. This involves applying a low power light to an area that accelerates tissue repair.
Passive Range of Motion
Passive range of motion is the next step in the rehabilitation program. This involves extending and manipulating the cats joint, and can be started before the cat is fully weight bearing. This can be very important in cats that have had splints or casts applied, when the joints have been static for some time. By carrying out controlled movement, scar and connective tissue is strengthened and the effects of contracture are minimised.
Active Rehabilitation
Active rehabilitation can start once a cat starts using an injured limb more. This further increases muscle strength, muscle endurance and flexibility. There are various techniques available, such as the use of balls, balance boards, slings and aquatic therapy.
When doing the ball exercise, the cat lies on the top of the inflatable ball and is supported. The ball is gently rolled forward until the cats front paws come into contact with the ground. The ball is then bounced gently, which helps strengthen trunk muscles as the cat maintains balance. The ball is then rolled back until the hind paws touch the floor, and then gently bounced again. Cats may resist the therapy at first, but soon become accustomed to the rhythmic movement of the ball.
Balance boards are platforms with a curved rubber bottom. The cat is placed on the centre of the board with its feet shoulder width apart, and the board is slowly rocked from side to side. This is excellent for restoring stability in the early stages of weight bearing after fracture or joint surgery. Slings help support the cat during the early stages of recovery from many conditions where the nervous system has been affected, and are particularly useful as support for cats that have had pelvic surgery.
Aquatic therapy is best performed with a custom designed water tank and underwater treadmill. It provides outstanding rehabilitation for soft tissue injuries, arthritis, post surgery fracture care, post amputation care and neurological problems. It is excellent for increasing strength, flexibility and endurance, while reducing the risk of reinjury.
How long should the therapy go on for?
The length and frequency of therapy depends entirely on the type of injury, age and general health of the cat. Most fracture repairs benefit from therapy 2 to 3 times a week for 6 weeks, while chronic conditions such as arthritis require twice weekly therapy indefinitely (though this usually occurs at home). The owners motivation is the key factor in the success of the therapy, but with some simple demonstrations and a little effort, a huge difference can be made.
Is professional physical therapy in a clinic expensive?
There is a lot of variety among clinics, largely dependent on the expertise of the therapists and the facilities available. Expect to pay US$50 to $75 per session.
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