15 common mistakes in pet care

Pets are our friends who add joy and love to our lives.

Ensuring they lead a healthy and happy life requires responsibility. However, unfortunately, in some cases, we may engage in incorrect practices based on misinformation.

Veterinarian Uğur Selin Çelikten drew attention to health problems caused by improper nutrition, especially in cats and dogs. Explaining how cats and dogs should be fed for a long and healthy life, Çelikten listed the common misconceptions in pet care as follows:

1-CATS SHOULD BE FED MILK

Contrary to popular belief, the lactose in milk causes cats to have diarrhea. Even newborn kittens that drink mother's milk should not be given cow's milk. Since cats need to get vitamins like taurine, feeding them with high-quality pet food will be sufficient.

2-NEWBORN KITTENS CAN BE GIVEN GOAT MILK

Even though goat milk is very nutritious, it is not correct to give it to kittens. If the mother cat is not caring for the babies or if the kittens are orphaned, special kitten milk replacers should be purchased to feed them; these should be mixed with warm water in a bottle and the kittens should be fed every 2 hours.

3-FEEDING CATS ONLY FISH

It is a common belief that feeding cats only fish is wrong. Fish is a rich source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids for cats, but it does not provide a balanced diet on its own. Excessive fish consumption can lead to thyroid problems and nutritional imbalances in cats. You should utilize various sources such as red meat, chicken, and cat food in your cat's diet.

4-MY CAT/DOG DOES NOT GO OUT, IT DOES NOT NEED VACCINES!

Even if your cat/dog does not go out, you need to have them vaccinated at regular intervals. In addition to this, we should not neglect internal and external parasite treatments. Because as pet owners, we can carry germs into the house even with our clothes or shoes. Fleas and parasites can easily enter our homes even through a bird landing on our window. Let's always remember this.

5-IF WE NEUTER THEM, THEIR NATURE WILL BE RUINED

Neutering animals does not ruin the nature of cats and dogs; on the contrary, not being able to mate due to constant heat cycles disrupts the mood of pets more. Furthermore, reproductive hormones significantly increase the risk of developing cancer.

6-IF PETS DO NOT GIVE BIRTH ONCE BEFORE BEING NEUTERED, THEIR NATURE WILL BE RUINED

Giving birth has no effect on ruining or not ruining the nature of pets. On the contrary, animals that are neutered without ever giving birth, or even without ever going into heat, are healthier.

7-IF A DOG'S NOSE IS WET, IT IS HEALTHY

Whether a dog's nose is wet or dry does not strictly mean it is healthy or unhealthy. Yes, sometimes dryness in the nose may suggest a high fever or certain skin diseases, but this is not a rule. Some animals have dry noses but are healthy, while others have wet noses but are unhealthy.

8-ANIMAL SALIVA IS A DISINFECTANT, SO THEY SHOULD CLEAN AND HEAL THEIR WOUNDS BY LICKING THEM

Millions of bacteria live in the mouths of animals, just as they do in humans. Therefore, licking their wounds or skin lesions does not clean that area; on the contrary, constantly irritating it with their tongues will make the situation worse and worse. That is why it is correct to put an Elizabethan collar on the patient in such a situation.

9-CATS' WHISKERS PROVIDE BALANCE, SO THEY SHOULD NEVER BE CUT

Cats' whiskers allow them to understand distance by touching objects around them in the dark. If their whiskers fall out or are cut, they do not experience any loss of balance.

10-OUR PET LOOKS VERY HEALTHY, SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY TESTS DONE

Regular check-ups are very important for animals, just as they are for humans. It is not possible for a doctor to understand what is going on inside the body by looking from the outside. Moreover, early diagnosis of many diseases is made during routine tests even when there are no symptoms. Furthermore, since your little friend cannot come to you and express the problem when there is an issue, regular check-ups should be performed even if their eating and drinking are normal and their energy is high.

11-CATS ARE UNGRATEFUL ANIMALS

Cats form deep bonds with the family members they are adopted by; they can even sometimes understand when their owner is unhappy or in pain. They are just more independent because they are not as obedient and open to training as dogs, but they can still be very attached to their owner and their home.

12-CATS ALWAYS LAND ON THEIR FEET

Although cats are very good at maintaining balance, falling from a height does not always mean they can handle this situation. Just as they do not always land on their feet, trauma-related problems such as bone fractures and internal bleeding are also seen in them during falls from heights.

13-HUMANS CONTRACT CYSTS AND PARASITES FROM CAT AND DOG FUR

Neither internal parasites nor cysts are transmitted to humans from an animal that receives regular internal parasite treatments. You can hug and kiss an animal that has been regularly vaccinated with peace of mind.

14-CATS AND DOGS ARE VERY HARMFUL TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN

Cats or dogs that receive regular internal and external parasite treatments are not only harmless to pregnant women and children but are also quite beneficial for their psychology.

15-SHOWERING FREQUENTLY

Some pet owners give their cute friends frequent showers, especially in the summer months, for the general cleanliness and freshness of the animals. This is a very wrong behavior... Fungus is a pathogen that loves humid environments, so being constantly wet causes cats and dogs to catch this disease. Constantly showering pets also disrupts the skin pH and removes sebum, which has a skin-protective feature on the skin, causing the skin to be damaged. Dogs should be washed once a month. Also, baby shampoo should not be used because human skin pH and animal pH are different from each other. After pets are washed, they should be rinsed very well, and after their water is removed with a towel, they should never be left damp and should be dried with a hair dryer until they are bone dry.